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Mark Smalley Expert Consultation

There’s a good chance I can help your business or start-up venture.


My expertise is information marketing, publishing, as well as business start-up and development.


I've sold tens of millions of dollars of advertising for publishers in eight countries. I wrote two best-selling books on advertising sales, one of which is still available on Amazon in the Kindle Store.

I've helped hundreds of entrepreneurs, business owners and start-up ventures become profitable.


Granted, some of my ventures failed.....and three of my ventures were colossal failures! I take the responsibility.....with addendum!

Here’s what people are saying about me:

We subscribed to Mark’s fee-based e-Letter The Great Bear Market in 1998. His advice, counsel, ideas and investment strategies were extremely profitable to our company and to me personally. Mark does more than talk and chatter. He’s been in the trading “pits”, and understands how big control or move financial markets hands. I’m a big fan, and I count him as a friend.
                     Dr. Lawrence Denning

Mark’s commentary in the Liberty Street Letter is priceless. He was the ONLY newsletter writer or editor who recommended selling real estate stocks, ETFs and home builders in 2006-2007. We not only made money we protected our investments.
                         Daryl Yates



I’ve been a subscriber to Profit Center Dispatch for more than four years. I’m very happy with Mark’s investment recommendations, and especially shorting muni bonds, going long gold ETFs and natural gas leases.
                      Heather Benton


Business / Financial Advice

Mark is one of the most innovative and business savvy entrepreneurs I have ever met. He has an uncanny way of tapping into what drives consumers, and more importantly, makes them convert. He knows what they want and need, and how to speak to them in a way that gets results. These are some of the priceless attributes that has made him so successful in the industry and why he’s been dubbed, “The King of Business Opportunities”. I would work with Mark on any project, in any niche … because I know it will pay off.
                 Wendy Oca Montes MBA

Mark has an uncanny ability for spotting profitable trends and creating simple profitable businesses around them.  There are a ton of people selling push-button “sit by the pool” type programs which claim to make a million dollars instantly. This is NOT what Mark does. He’s a simple guy, making a ton of money in simple ways.  If you have a chance to meet Mark in person you will be a richer person, GUARANTEED!  
                                                                                                            Roger Fung 

I made more than $15,000 because of Mark’s recommendations and counsel. Mark’s the real deal…an entrepreneurial genius and teacher.
                                               
           Sharon Chelsea – Business Owner

My company has been working with Mark for more than ten years. My experience is super positive. His professional advice, business savvy and start-up expertise has always been very helpful …and to the point. Mark’s direct marketing insight is invaluable to us.        
               Marina Sovenkova - CMO                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
I’ve been in business for more than four decades. I’ve made and lost money. But I’ve never met an entrepreneur with more insight and care and concern for people than Mark Smalley. He trained our staff on a new way to sell advertising, and his tactics tripled our sales in one year. His counsel is a must for anyone who does business on the Internet too.                                                        
                   Phillip K. Sterling 

Mark has provided priceless insight to our business ventures for more than twelve years. He cuts through the BS and instinctively gravitates to the money making formula. We would never look at a business opportunity without consulting with him first.
                        Robert Bennett 

I started a profitable web-based business because of the ideas and instruction I received from Mark’s weekly email and blog.
                         
                         Frank Staro 

I was exposed to Mark’s business savvy at EarlyToRise.com and I heard him speak at an Info Marketing Bootcamp. I was so impressed I approached him after his talk. I was pleasantly surprised how open he was. Mark has continued to be a great sounding board for our business ventures. I value his opinion and consider him a mentor and a friend!
                      M. Bann - CEO       
                                                                        
I know Mark well, and I can attest to his business savvy and ability to make money. In my experience, (more than 45 years of business ownership and deal making) I’ve been exposed to a lot of entrepreneurs.   Mark stands out from all of them. He’s incredibly shrewd and resourceful.  But he’s also passionate about helping others make money.  
                                               
                              Paul King    
                                                                        
Mark helped our business in several ways. It was interesting to watch him work with our managers and employees. He’s actually the nicest guy we’ve ever met. I know “nice” means nothing in the business world. But Mark motivates people with his love and kindness. He is passionate and very knowledgeable about business, reducing costs and the Internet.
             
          Lawrence Masterson - Entrepreneur

I attended an “after hours” event in Delray Beach with several entrepreneurs, Internet marketers and publishers. I cornered Mark with questions about online businesses I was considering as investments. He quickly discounted two of them, and asked me to send him more (specific) information. I did, and Mark continued to follow-up with me after I bought one of the businesses. I count him as a friend and mentor.                                                                    
            Jason Anderson - Internet Entrepreneur

Mark’s email newsletter insight and list building expertise is some of the most powerful on the Internet. He’s helped all of our ventures immensely. But you’d never know it when meeting him. Mark is super humble, and very approachable.
                                           
                      Trevor Bienevecca 

Internet Advertorials and Sales

My sales letters and Internet advertorials have produced tens of millions of dollars in sales for publishers, list owners and Internet marketers.


In fact, I helped three publishing ventures become million dollar ventures with pathetically underfunded marketing budgets.

Allow Me to Help Your Startup Venture

I've launched, managed, bought and sold businesses (and brokered deals) for more than 25 years.

On top of that, I've reviewed more than a thousand business plans, executive summaries and ventures in dozens of markets.

Identify the Money Making Formula

If you retain my consulting services the FIRST thing we'll focus on is the money making “formula” in your business or start-up venture.

My first book in 2001 was called Amazing Formulas Guarantee Advertising Sales.

I put "formulas" in the title because of what I learned about advertising sales from three men, but most importantly Bill Ziff Jr., of Ziff Davis Media.

If you understand the real formula for making money in your business you can reproduce or duplicate it many times over.

For example, the Walt Disney Company understood the formula for attracting train loads of money into his company. His formulas was: focus on the kids and the parent’s money will follow.

The greatest money making businesses in the world have a “formula” they adhere to as if their life depended on it (and it usually does).
  • Wal-Mart’s “on demand” inventory and distribution “formula” is the underlying reason they are a $220 billion company.
  • Archer-Daniels-Midland processes and merchandises agriculture commodities. They have a close knit network of worldwide buyers (and relationships) which is the underlying reason they are a $22 billion company.
  • Merck develops and markets pharmaceuticals. Their “formula” of developing and marketing drugs direct to doctors, HMOs and medical centers is underlying reason they are a $115 billion company. They also have a specific "formula" for successful government approval.
  • Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. is a financial conglomerate founded by Warren Buffett. Their “formula” for identifying under priced companies at deep discounts and owning markets are the underlying reason they are a $197 billion company. 
And the list goes on and on and on! I always focus on the "formula".

Small Companies and $100 Start-ups

The truth is small companies and $100 startups are my specialty.

I’ve consulted with $100 million dollar companies, and the checks are fabulous.

But I’ll take a small company or $100 start-up any day of the week!

Startup ventures are a lot more fun, if they're not run by spoiled trust fund kids!  There are fewer headaches and usually NO MBAs.

And don’t get me started on MBAs. The top Silicon Valley companies hire MBAs by the boatload…..and that's fine.

But most of MBAs with whom I’ve worked, hired or managed were not effective UNTIL there is paperwork and people to push around.

My specialty is small businesses and start-up ventures. I love the passion, persistence, and the “unknown” element of them.

I’ve noticed something….

Even small businesses and $100 startup ventures, at least the successful ones, often have a clear money making formula.

The company Facebook is a fluke. Don’t base your business or startup strategy on Facebook.

Mark Zuckerberg, the founder, said it best, “Facebook was built in about a week”.


Facebook is a website. Wall Street and NASDAQ made it much, much more.

Granted, it’s a website with a billion users. But its still a website, plain and simple.


Facebook is trying to be more than a website. They will probably succeed by sheer number of users and cash.


But the Facebook money making “formula” is built on a fantasy, advertising that doesn’t work, and “relationships” – which Facebook co-ops every day.

Don’t Run Your Business like a Restaurant!

Most people open a restaurant thinking customers will love their food and “concept”.

The problem is this “formula” is super-flawed. This is also why most restaurants FAIL in a big way.

Millions of people open restaurants thinking people will love “their food” and “ambiance”.

95% of these people are dead wrong.

The Reason Restaurants Fail 95% of the Time

If you open a restaurant, or if you’re thinking about it, you can do three things which will decrease your odds of failing:
1.    Contact 25 people who opened a restaurant and failed or filed bankruptcy. Ask them if they would have done anything differently. There’s a good chance they’ll say nothing. They’ll blame everyone except themselves. It’s usually the customer’s fault they failed!

Obviously, we’re not going to focus on entrepreneurs who failed in the restaurant business. But believe me…..these meetings will open your eyes.

2.    Contact 25 restaurants which been successful over the last 20 years or so (through recessions, inflation, wars, energy crisis, hurricanes, and terrorist attacks, etc.). The restaurant bible is a publication called Nation's Restaurant News - http://www.nrn.com. This is a good place to start.

In Nation’s Restaurant News you'll find companies like Brinker's International ($2.5 billion cap), Darden Restaurants, Inc. ($6 billion cap), McDonald's Corp. ($92 billion cap) or Yum! Brands, Inc. ($32 bill cap) have weathered storms over prolonged periods of time and are STILL very profitable restaurants.

These restaurants have underlying “formula” for making money that actually works.

Most of the people I know who open restaurants are driven by egos, dreams or misconceptions of how this business really works - and so they fail miserably.

If You Understand the Money Making Formula or "Essence" You Are Home Free

There is a hot dog stand in Rockland Maine called Wasses.

They've been in business for more than 40 years.

They've been serving hot dogs the same way the entire time.

The essence of their business is hunger, time and price. A lot of people are hungry at lunchtime but they’re not interested in waiting to be seated or spending $60.

The Wasses “formula” is beef hot dogs, hungry customers and cheap. Wasses also focuses on consistency. They make each hot dog exactly the same (with peanut oil).
Wasses has been at the same location (without expanding) for more than 40 years! They always have a line a lunchtime!

Ego driven restaurateurs have tried “new” angles to “boring” hot dogs, jacked the price up – and made customers wait. These restaurants have failed miserably.

Restaurateurs often ignore the “essence” of successful money making formulas, like Wasses' Hot Dogs.

I know of more than ninety restaurants in the Midcoast region of Maine which opened, closed and/or went bankrupt over the last ten years or so. 

I'm Confident I Can Help Your Business or Startup Venture

The first way I can help your business is with an honest review of your business plan, executive summary, product, idea or strategy.

On a recent trip to one of my publishing clients in Florida I was able to identify the real profit opportunity and two major problems within 15 minutes.

Most consultants or so-called “advisors” work on the same model as an attorney, which is an hourly rate with no guarantees.

I never work this way!

What’s more, most of my consultations are effective after the FIRST meeting.

I’m serious.

You don’t need a consultant on the payroll for six months or a year, or longer, that’s ridiculous.

On top of that, most consultations can be managed virtually on the Internet, web-conferencing or on an iPhone.

Allow Me to Review of Your Business Plan, Idea or Strategy

To make working with me even easier I’ll review your business plan, idea, or marketing strategy free of charge.

This is only an initial review of your business. But it will give you an excellent second opinion of your business, product or marketing plan.
In order to make this work for all of the people who respond I need to set some parameters.
But, don’t worry….you won’t have to jump through burning rings of fire!

I’ll just send you a quick over view of the information I’ll need, and give you an idea of what to expect with my business plan review.

Please drop me a note and tell me how I can be of service.

Here is a sample of the projects and ventures I’m working on:
  • Digital Publishing – Kindle, Nook, iPad, iPhone, Blogs, Membership sites, newsletters and social media
  • Internet marketing (legitimate, low-cost ways to move products and services)
  • Advertising Sales (I'm the man)
  • Search engine and directory development
  • Internet and Mobile Promotions  
  • Online gaming (gaming, gambling and mobile apps)
  • Financial publishing, trading advisories and membership sites
  • Business Development  

Let me know how I can be or service.

Contact:
Mark Smalley
imaxxman at gmail dot com
info at marksmalley dot com
(207) 594 5808

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