Is Unemployment the New Plague?

Today I have a question for you. Is unemployment the new
plague? Certainly, the more you look around, the more you
hear the numbers on the news, and the more you listen to
stories about friends and family losing their jobs ... one
could imply that unemployment is the new plague for this
decade.

Plague does not have a cure. Historically, people worked on
destroying the source of plague -- infected rats -- rather then
trying to cure the plague itself.

So how do you limit your risks of getting the unemployment
plague?

I think the first thing you must do is to try to create an
alternate source of income while you are still employed.
It's certainly one of the reasons why I have always done
consulting on the side, even when I had a full-time job.
For me it served three purposes: it kept my skills
polished, it provided additional mental stimulation and
challenge, and it provided supplementary income. I've been
able to turn it on and off as my life grows more complex
(marriage, kids, vacations, more demanding periods from the
day job) and I've used it during times of transitions
between full-time jobs. And since 2005, I've developed a
lucrative and growing business (with God's daily help).

What about you? If you don't have a body of experience or
knowledge you feel you can use in a consulting capacity,
perhaps you can develop some passive income streams through
more typical online strategies such as:

1. Writing an ebook about a subject you are interested in
and selling it online through a web site.

2. Creating a software product that fills a need and
selling it online through a web site.

3. Developing multiple content web sites about topics that
are hot and interest you, and monetizing them through paid
advertising (like AdSense).

4. Reselling other people's ebook and software tools on a
site of your own.

The key thing is to get moving while you are still employed
and there is no pressure to perform. Then if the axe falls,
you at least have a supplementary stream of income to
accompany any severance or unemployment you may be able to
collect.

OK, what happens if you lose your job before you have a
chance to develop that extra income? Same strategy applies.
Pick one of the four paths above and get working.

I've been through lay-offs and had my position reorganized
out of the corporate structure. I understand the anger,
pain and frustration you feel. But you can't get caught up
in that emotion. Negativity serves no purpose, especially
during times of turmoil and great financial challenge.

You need to get focused and stay focused. In some parts of
the U.S., it is easier to get a new job right away, but in
many cities, finding high-paying positions is getting
terribly difficult. It's one of the chief reasons I
returned to consulting full-time. I earn more now than I
did when I worked in even my highest ranking corporate
position.

So if you are still gainfully employed -- good for you --
but don't get complacent -- start working on a strategy to
get something going on the side. And if you have become
displaced, then shake off the blues, and start working on a
strategy to make some money. Anyone can do it. It's America,
folks, and the streets are paved with gold if you know where
to walk.

One word of warning: I do see a lot of people getting into
MLMs -- multi-level marketing. In these businesses, you buy
product from a distributor and resell to friends and family.
Your hope rests on the product being so good and so well
priced that word of mouth referrals will create multiple
layers of regular buyers and sellers beneath you.

In practice and on a white board, it seems overwhelmingly
positive, but changing trends force MLMers to change
products and companies often. If you are on top of a large
pyramid of buyers and sellers who trust and follow your
recommendations, then you and your immediate followers will
make money, but if you are on the bottom and you have
unmotivated people below you and a questionable product to
sell, then you are going to waste a great deal of time and
money better spent elsewhere.

I have updated my product review site at CoolToolAwards.com
and want to share some updates with you:

Button Shop: If you need to make navigation buttons for
your web sites, this is a cheap, simple tool that creates
great-looking, eye-popping graphical buttons. Learn more
here:

http://www.cooltoolawards.com/software/multimedia/buttonshop.htm

Smile Box: This one saved my life on Christmas Eve when I
had to create letters from Santa for the kids, but there's
a lot more here, so check it out:

http://www.cooltoolawards.com/services/smilebox.htm

GetResponse: I've been talking about this for a long time
and realized I needed to go into more depth. So check out
this review about my favorite sequential autoresponder. If
you want to make money online, this is a vital piece of
your marketing toolbox:

http://www.cooltoolawards.com/services/getresponse.htm

Animoto: This is my new favorite marketing service. It
enables you to upload digital photos and create slick
videos on the fly. Very, very cool and one you must try to
see its remarkable power:

http://www.cooltoolawards.com/services/animoto.htm

Web 2.0 Covers Version 2.0: This was just released. It is
not an upgrade to the original Web 2.0 Covers product from
Max Rylski but actually a new product with greatly improved
graphics. If you create products, then you need to also
create virtual product shots and this does it for you with
relative ease.

http://www.cooltoolawards.com/software/multimedia/web20covers.htm

FotoFusion Extreme: If you are an avid amateur or
professional photographer, you need a better tool for
laying out and printing photos. Great for scrapbookers but
an unbelievable tool for pros -- this one takes the cake:

http://www.cooltoolawards.com/software/multimedia/fotofusion.htm

AAA Logo: Need a logo? Create your own in minutes with this
simple and powerful graphic design tool meant especially for
logo design. I love this and used it just last week to
design some logo concepts for a new branding campaign for
my church:

http://www.cooltoolawards.com/software/multimedia/aaa-logo.htm

Hope you find these reviews helpful.

Armand Morin just released an incredible new tool to help
you harness the power of Google and drive limitless traffic
to your web site. I have known Armand for a decade and can
vouch for the value of his tools and his marketing prowess.
Click the link below to learn more:

http://www.placementlocator.com/x.php?af=235465

All my best,


Steven