How do I know that $7 Secrets is still relevant after nearly two years? The copycats come out.

Yes, there does seem to be a downturn in the economy, at least by looking at certain indicators. However, I must take issue with the commentary recently published by a fellow marketer:

Any IMer that doesn't admit that the current economic conditions have cut deeply into their sales are simply not being truthful.

So I must be lying when I say

For me, the memories of Christmas include the tastes of the season. That's why I make some of my Christmas favorites every year as we do our holiday baking.

One of those that I remember is my Aunt Jeanie's Mexican Fudge. I used to attempt to gorge myself on it each year when we all met at my Grandma and Grandpa's house for Christmas. (Aunt Jeanie also introduced me to Dr. Pepper, but that's a different story.) There's definitely a "different" taste to it due to the cinnamon.

Here's a quick note about a very narrow window of opportunity for the right group of infopreneurs.

A buddy of mine is opening up a public beta period for a new tool he's been working on. The project has been going well (I've been in the private beta for the last few months) and he's needing a larger group of users to take the tool to the next level.

A successful beta test candidate will:

• Already be selling a digital info product -- more than one is recommended
• Have a list of prospects and/or customers

Today marks Thanksgiving in the United States, and I'm writing this to remind you to take some time to reflect on the things you have to be thankful for.

Regardless of economic troubles or individual circumstances, each of us can be thankful for the life God has given us. And family and friends, either close by or across the world, are always a source of gratitude.

Thank you for the trust you've given me, shown by being on my list or reading my blog. I'm very grateful for that.

Got an e-mail message from someone I have—up until now—trusted, promoting a set of videos for the copywriting niche. The message was short and to the point, piquing my interest a little, but here's what he said about the sales letter for the product:

P.S. I know, the sales copy leaves a lot to be desired. You should have seen how bad it was before I did a quick edit on it!

Hey, some of us are paying attention here. If the sales copy for a copywriting product is bad, the product itself is undoubtedly worthless!

Seth Godin says it better than I.

Here's a few of my favorite tips sources, bite-sized pieces of information that I find useful in my business.

In a sales process, a One-Time Offer (OTO) is an offer shown to your customer after they have reached a goal you have set. Usually the goal is either the purchase of your product or opting-in to your list.

Marlon Sanders, a contributor to my site, just sent out a message to his list, asking the question, "Which first? Build list or create product?" It's a great question, but I don't think he answered it adequately.

Let me see if I can help him.

Truth is, you need to be doing both. But which should you do first?

If you're starting from scratch—no product, no list—which do you choose to focus your energies on?

The problem is, if you're just starting out in Internet marketing, you don't have any credibility.