-•- HomeOfficeDigest.com Newsletter - Issue 130 -•-
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THE HOME OFFICE DIGEST NEWSLETTER
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HOME OFFICE TIP
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Getting quality health insurance is one of the biggest challenges 
many work-at-homers and other independent workers face. While some 
home workers are covered under a spouse's insurance, many are not 
so lucky. There are, however, a few options available to you. If 
you've just quit -- or are planning to quit -- a job through which 
you've received group health insurance, one option is to continue 
your coverage, at your own cost, for up to 18 months. This is 
possible because of the Consolidated Omnibus Benefits Reconciliation 
Act (COBRA), a Federal law that requires insurance companies to offer 
such continuation. While using COBRA for insurance can be expensive, 
it's a way to buy yourself some time while exploring other options. 
More information about COBRA is available online on the COBRA Central 
Web site maintained by Andrews Consulting Services, a benefits 
consultant. 

What do you do after COBRA runs out, or if you're not eligible? 
While some experts advocate spending only on major medical for 
catastrophic events and using cash for regular checkups, it is 
possible to get health insurance at relatively affordable group 
rates on your own by joining a trade association or union. Many 
associations offer other benefits as well, ranging from business 
insurance to credit-card processing services. You will, of course, 
have to pay membership fees, and your deductible and co-payments 
may be higher than they would be if you were working for a 
corporation. Additionally, for many professional associations, 
you need to demonstrate that you have earned a living at the 
specified profession. 

Still, for many home-based workers, getting group insurance through 
an association could be the most affordable option. Just make sure 
to check out both the organization itself and the insurance company 
it's working with. A number of companies rate insurance companies: 
A.M. Best, publisher of Best's Insurance Reports, offers ratings by 
phone for $2.50 per minute (900-424-0400). More information, including 
the company codes required to get the ratings, is available on Best's 
Web site, http://www.ambest.com/.

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The above article was written by Marc Perton


FEATURED ARTICLE
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WHY CRAZY COPY HEADLINES SELL!  
By Norm Williams

The big thing about copy is getting attention. Most ads do not do 
this because they are ordinary and offer no reason for reading 
the copy that follows.

In this busy world today we do not have time to do more than scan 
the headlines to see if there is something we want to read. Ordinary 
headlines are a just not attractive enough to look at the rest of the 
ad.

Over 6,000 ads are directed to our attention each day. We cannot do 
much more than skim through the paper to find something of interest. 
It takes a headline that is different, unique, odd and a little crazy 
to get noticed.

Your finely crafted ad may be perfect English but it does not bring 
in readers or sell your product. It takes a USP. A USP is a unique 
selling proposition. 

A funny clown waving at the traffic passing by can bring in customers 
to a car wash. 

What has a clown to do with washing cars? Not much, but he can bring 
in business. Sure it is crazy but a business will die and fail without 
getting attention.

In my neighborhood a fancy new French restaurant opened up on a busy 
corner. The sign was difficult to read and no special offers were 
made. The place was remodeled and was an elegant place of business 
but no one knew about it, so it went out of business.

If the money spent on remodeling were put into promotions like a 
crazy clown out front offering a big Picasso art show of famous 
French paintings and a wine tasting contest with a free dinner to 
the lucky winner. Sure that is crazy and has nothing to do with the 
fine French cuisine but it would have saved the business.

The restaurant that moved in after was a Deli that had all kinds of 
special offers and extra treats like a snack out front for the people 
waiting in line. The restaurant has pictures of New York inside and 
special publicity about their famous corn beef sandwich. This place 
is still in business and going strong because it promoted business 
with crazy ideas. 

Everyone has seen thousands of automobile car ads but only Volkswagon 
could come up with a headline that said "Think Small." We remember the 
"All Fruit" commercial where people were shocked at, "Please pass the 
jelly!"  

It is a sad fact that over 90% of all ads end up in the wastebasket 
without being looked at or acted upon. This is a huge waste. Direct 
mail goes in the trash without being opened. TV and radio commercials 
are ignored. 

Business must communicate or fail. Send messages that are read and 
acted upon or go bankrupt. Many businesses create plain conservative 
ads that are the "kiss of death" to a business enterprise. 

Years ago I discovered Claude Hopkins and his book, "Scientific 
Advertising" I learned to write ad copy that gets results. My ads 
have sold millions of dollars of merchandise for many companies 
large and small. 

Effective advertising is simple sentences, short words, easy to 
understand writing, a unique selling proposition and a headline 
that is a "blinger."

The headline is the key element in an ad. It is estimated that 
over 80% of the effectiveness of ads are in the headlines. Everyone 
searches headlines to look for something of interest. Like going 
window-shopping to see if we can find what we want. 

All of us lead a busy life today and we have only a limited amount 
of time to look at ads. Only the ads that stand out will be looked 
at. We cannot possibly read all the 6000 or more ads that are 
directed to our attention each day. Only a very few ads get 
noticed and even fewer actually sell products. Yes it takes a 
crazy copy headline to get attention today.
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Norman Williams, copywriter and artist in Florida at cknorm@ij.net  
You can subscribe to my newsletter called "BIG MONEY PUBLISHING" 
by sending me an Email letter with subscribe in the subject. It is 
a unique and different newsletter about people, not about products, 
stuff, hype and baloney. Click here:
mailto:cknorm@ij.net?subject=BIGMONEYPUBLISHING



WORDS OF THE WEALTHY
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Hodad is a word used to describe people who are generally fake or 
phony. They may look like they're rich, they may smell like they're 
rich, but if you take a close look, you'll find they owe a lot of 
money and lease everything they have.


TREASURE TIP
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Compound interest refers to fixed income investments where interest 
is earned and reinvested causing a compounding effect. Compound growth 
is different in that it refers to stocks and other investments that 
appreciate in value causing a potentially faster compounding effect. 
Compound growth over time allows even moderate rates of return to 
produce great wealth.


FINANCIAL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
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Q: I know that planning for retirement is important, but I always 
seem to be trying to catch up with my bills. When do I really have 
to start thinking about retirement planning?

A: I don't even have to know how old you are to answer this question: 
The answer is - right now. Here's why: Time is the most important 
factor in the growth of your money. The more time your money has to 
grow and the more time you spend making careful decisions about it 
today, the more money you will be likely to have when you retire. 
Planning and investing for your future are signs of self-respect. 
Start now.


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