Ring My Bell- The Art of Making Your Phone Ring

Fellow hustlers... if your phone isn’t ringing, chances are you’re not going to be in business very long. The key to sane self employment is to hear a constant ringing of your cell phone. Making your phone ring is an art to say the least. I myself am working on mastering this art and through my experience of attempting to be the master, I thought it would be very awesome of me to share with you some key finding that I guarantee will keep your Blackberry humming.

First things first… let's put the most obvious thing on the table in real live Plan Doctor style. If you want your phone to ring... don't allow your phone to get cut off!! Having your phone cut off in this day and age is suicide. If you call yourself a "bit-ness man" and people ain't got a way to reach you, home boy, get for real, you might as well find a very tall bridge to jump from. You're not going to make it. The one thing that I can't figure out is why people constantly allow numbers that people have called in the past get disconnected. What sense does it make to allow that same hot number to be reissued to an undeserving party? Can someone explain to me how that makes sense? Why should someone else benefit from the fruits of your seed planting? Case in point there has been countless times that I've had people call me out of the blue after saving advertisements that I had published years ago. The first thing the person usually says is "Mike, I’ve held on to your advertisement for a few years now… I wasn’t ready to work with you back then. I simply didn't have the money, but Mike, now I know I’m ready. I'm so happy your phone number did not change because if that was the case, I would've not had the opportunity to finally get the opportunity to speak to you about my project".

During the years I've been on my grind, hearing my phone ring has been very comforting. At times, it has surely been beautiful music to sore ears. My phone has been essential to my existence. Listen, I'd give blood before I would ever allow my phone to get disconnected. Every time my phone rings I'm like oh my God yes here comes the rent! Ring, ring, ring, ring, yes! Here comes more marketing dollars. Ring, ring, ring, yes! Here come those fresh new Polo frames. Furthermore, if you ever dial (216) 322-5902 and you hear an operator say "the number you have dialed has been disconnected or is no longer in service..." ladies and gents Michael Paul Valentine (aka the Plan Doctor) is either dead or this is just another clear indication that the world is going to hell in gasoline entrenched drawls. I love hearing my phone ring so much that I often go to http://www.crackberry.com/ for very free and awesome ringtones. Right now, whenever a first time caller rings me, I'm greeted by that brave and heroic Rocky theme. This get's me so pumped up before I take the call. I've gotten so clever that I've even tailored my voice mail to help me make the sell. So regardless of whether or not I take the call, the person is going to learn why Plan Lab is their very best option for designing an investor friendly business plan package.

If you're anything like me, and you've planted your seeds right, you can almost time up when your phone will ring. If you're really awesome you will also gain the ability to know when your phone won't be ringing. This is really a skill, so rookies, if you can't quite figure this one out... it's okay. You'll figure it out eventually. So, if you’re putting out a ton of advertisements, and you’re not getting the response you like, this is a clear indication in my mind that something isn't working. Either you've designed a great message but it was delivered to the wrong audience. Or maybe it’s just that you've delivered the wrong message to the right audience. Likewise, in the event that your phone rings occasionally, this is an indication that you're probably not doing enough of something. Or maybe you're just plain not getting your message out. For cases like these I would prescribe more aggressive measures to get your message out. The question you want to constantly ask yourself is how do I get into the minds of my desired audience?

A few springs ago I had a meeting with a well known Pastor in the Cleveland area that suggested that I develop a message tailored to growing congregations. He thought it would be a great idea if I introduced myself in writing as being "the man for their expansion plan". He told me that my phone would ring off the hook if I would basically plant seeds in the minds of pastors who have aspirations to grow their congregations. At the time, I'd always tailored my message to a very general audience and had been relatively successful in doing so, however, I realized that having a "shot-gun approach" as he called it, would be a surefire way to gauge the effectiveness of my message and would be good practice to help me better tailor my visuals and proposals to specific segments of my potential customer base all in an effort to make my phone ring.

After some time had gone by, I decided to take this wise man up on his advice. So, there I was grinding day and night compiling all of my contacts into a Microsoft Access database, which is very awesome by the way. My message consisted of an introductory letter stating how my team and I understood their dilemma and "their vision is within reach". Accompanied with this letter was an advertisement that perfectly illustrated the message expressed in the cover letter and a short biography of our successes. Soon after I placed the mail-merged letters into the big blue mailbox, it seemed as if from that day forth, my phone hasn’t stopped ringing with eager pastors on the other end who are convinced that my letter was a sign from God. After numerous calls from pastors throughout the U.S., I was convinced of the power of "shot-gun" advertising and how through focusing my advertising that I could increase the odds of making my phone ring.

In conclusion, always keep your phone on. Give blood if necessary to keep it on. Hearing your phone ring is essential to your success as an entrepreneur.

Michael Paul Valentine, "The Plan Doctor", is the president of 7APES Consulting, Inc. and a contributing blogger. Michael can be reached via email at mvalentine@7apes.com. If you would like more good advice visit www.7apes.com for information related to sound business planning.

WAYS TO DINE WELL DURING A RECESSION

We're all feeling the pinch of this economic recession. Grocery prices have gotten so bad that many have resorted to eating off of McDonald's $1 Menu. Of course this isn't the best long term strategy. If you actually want to know what the effects of such a diet may be take the time to watch Super Size Me. Never fear though here are some strategies for eating well and saving money from Forbes.

WAYS TO DINE WELL DURING A RECESSION

FORBES: TOP EARNING DEAD CELEBRITIES

It has taken me a long time to accept the reality that I will die. I have just recently come to terms with it. One thing I definitely want to do is leave a legacy and if possible become wealthy enough for my family to reap the financial benefits of that wealth. Forbes just published its annual list of top earning dead celebrities. Some of these celebrities died well before their time, and others lived long, prosperous lives. What they all have in common is lasting legacy, relevance, and therefore financial earning power. Check the list.

FORBES: TOP EARNING DEAD CELEBRITIES

BARACK OBAMA: FANTASY FOOTBALL CHAMP?!

We have all heard about Barack's passion for basketball and ESPN. It seems he makes for a pretty good Fantasy Football owner too according to ESPN's Rick Reilly. Although I think Barack knows he's more qualified to be a politician, I am convinced he would trade it all in to be a Quarterback in the NFL, or a Point Guard in the NBA. Unfortunately he wasn't blessed with the height or size to live out his dreams. I also don't think he had access to the best facilities or training out in Hawaii. Although he's never going to be like Mike, he has used his power to fulfill many a sports nut's dreams along the campaign trail, lol. I'm not mad at you at all Barack! Be easy with that Heisman Trophy, looks like its in an awfully precarious position. Check the article.

MEET RICK REILLY'S FANTASY FOOTBALL PARTNER: BARACK OBAMA

At Ohio State, A Captain Leads Without Playing

Some of you are not as into Ohio State football as others, I know. Those of you who follow this blog know we bleed scarlet and grey through and through. For those who don't understand why we have such over the top pride in being Buckeyes, watch the HBO Ohio State Michigan Rivalry Special. To us its a way of life. Todd Boeckman, the former starting quarterback, who has been replaced by star freshman Terrelle Pryor is a great representation of a Buckeye. He has taken the demotion in stride and remains a proud and active captain of the team. He hasn't whined or moped like many young, spoiled athletes may have done in his same position. His teammates love him, and his positive attitude, and talent, still make him one of the top NFL quarterback prospects. The New York Times took the time to profile Boeckman's story and you can find it here...


AT OHIO STATE A CAPTAIN LEADS WITHOUT PLAYING

VIVA LA HOVA: JAY-Z MEETS COLDPLAY

Mick Boogie and Terry Urban are true blue musical geniuses. They also are good friends. They got together and decided to bless Coldplay and Jay-Z fans alike with a free downloadable album of Coldplay and Jay mashups. The album also features production from 6th Sense, The Kickdrums, and Remot. Sometimes the best things in life are free. So click the link, download, and press play!
DOWNLOAD HERE!!!

MICK BOOGIE TERRY URBAN MEKKA DON RELEASE "DEAR OBAMA"

http://www.sendspace.com/file/erzsd0 (FREE DOWNLOAD)

M.O.V.E. Records recording artist, Mekka Don, has recorded an inspirational remix of Tupac Shakur’s landmark record “Dear Mama”, entitled “Dear Obama.” The song serves as an open letter to Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama from three different Americans who are going through three different struggles. The letters capture the emotions and difficulties that many Americans are facing leading into the election.

The idea for the song came from The League Crew’s Terry Urban and Mick Boogie who earlier this week released, “Can I Kick It? Yes We Can!” - a free downloadable mixtape for Obama fans to listen to during the home stretch of his historic candidacy. Mick also joined with Dope Couture, Motivation Boutique, and A Tribe Called Quest to release the CAN I KICK I, YES WE CAN TSHIRT. When asked about the idea, Terry Urban said, “I was listening to ‘Dear Mama’ one night and the idea just popped into my head for doing a remix with Mekka. I called Mick and at first he laughed, then he said, ‘wait a minute, that would be dope!’ We then reached out to Mekka and he was ecstatic about recording it.” Mekka Don said he was nervous at first because, “Dear Mama is one of those untouchable songs. It was penned specifically for Tupac’s Mother, Afeni Shakur and I wanted to make a song that she’d be proud of.”

Mekka Don wrote the song and recorded with producer/engineer 6^th Sense and manager Viswant “V” Korrapati on the night of the second presidential debate. Mekka Don said, “I really wanted the lyrics to be meaningful. A lot of artists have recorded Obama songs but none seem to really take Obama to task or capture the true voice of the American people. Although I am a staunch supporter of Obama, I have some natural cynicism when it comes to politicians, and I think many others do as well. There are millions of Americans who are facing serious issues, and unfortunately many of them do not have the means to be heard. I wanted Barack to know that he must keep the promises he is making because the consequences are real.” Mekka Don, also a lawyer, then added, “I left the world of corporate law to pursue hip hop in part because I understand the power of music. Tupac is revered so much because he made music that inspired people.”

6^th Sense remains shocked. “I couldn’t believe how good the song was and how much Mekka sounded like Pac without trying.” Mick Boogie added, “Terry and I listened to the record and we were floored by the song. Music like this doesn’t get made often. I think this is a song that every American should listen to.” Prominent entertainment attorney, L. Londell Mcmillan added, “The last time I spoke to Mekka he said that he wanted to make music that inspired people like Barack has. Once I heard this song I realized that he not only meant it, but was also capable of doing it. I think that this is a young man who the hip hop community can be proud of.”

The TSHIRT is available for purchase at http://www.dopecouture.com/shop/mentees/m6.html

WASSUP 2008

Remember the old Budweiser commercial? Well fast forward to the current economic recession. It's always nice to have a good laugh during hard times.

BARACK'S CLOSING ARGUMENT

MEKKA DON: FROM LAW TO LYRICS: SKILLS THAT TRANSCEND

From Law to Lyrics

Skills That Transcend

By Emeka Onyejekwe aka Mekka Don

After working for a year as an associate at a law firm, I made what many would consider a drastic career and lifestyle change—I left the law to become a hip-hop musician. Why? I love law, but music is my passion. Also, I believe that my background and accomplishments in practicing law can be positive influences and inspire many in the hip-hop community. I want to be a role model for young minority youth who otherwise may never know about the opportunities that I have had. I am signed to M.O.V.E. Records, have a lot of underground “buzz,” and have major record labels contacting me for meetings. I love music, and I love to write.

At first I thought my transition from law to music would be difficult. It seems like writing briefs and writing lyrics would be completely different tasks; however, recently I realized that the two are more similar than one would think. The main premises are the same: (1) know your audience, (2) be persuasive, and (3) be able to support your claims.

In both music and law, knowing your audience is critical to your success. In music, knowing your target market is crucial. Who are your listeners? What do they typically like to hear? Are they willing to hear something new or more traditional? In law, you must know your judges. What type of arguments do they tend to favor? Are they straightforward or do they entertain crafty, novel arguments? The answers to these questions should determine how you write in these situations.

The musician may have an advantage over the brief-writer in the art of persuasion because the musician not only writes but presents his case orally. This isn’t always the case for the brief-writer, who must make sure the document itself is persuasive. In either case, the writer has to be careful not to “over-sell” and should focus on the strongest arguments. Additionally, the audience must believe that the writer believes what she is saying, which is not easy. In fact, acting classes are often helpful for both musicians and litigators who argue orally.

Finally, in both the law and hip-hop music, you must appear credible. In law, you must cite your authority to present arguments. The judge must be able to look at or find support for the presented arguments. In hip-hop music, listeners like to believe that the rapper can back up his lyrics. 50 Cent became so popular in part because people could verify his story about being a gangster and getting shot, and they were intrigued by it. Conversely, Rick Ross has faced major criticism from fans and music critics for portraying himself as a gangster when he allegedly at one time served as a correctional officer. In law and in hip-hop, you must be sure that your arguments can be independently verified.

There are definitely differences in writing briefs and writing music, but in my life, there have been certain similarities. In the end, the transition from law to hip-hop music has not been rough for me, not only because I’ve been writing music for a long time, but because the primary goals of the two are the same—win!

IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME...

A student in Taiwan died just as he was about to win a competitive eating contest. The 23-year-old man vomited, passed out and died on Thursday during the "Big Stomach King" contest at Dayeh University in central Taiwan. School officials are not sure "why he died he was a a strong man." It seems that it may have been a case of eating too fast as opposed to eating too much. People have questioned the safety risks of competitive eating for many years and an event like this may be the sign that such contests need to be under greateer scrutiny. Truly a very sad, unnecessary way to die.

FULL STORY

MICK, TRIBE, DOPE COUTURE CAN I KICK IT? TEE

Mick Boogie, A Tribe Called Quest, Dope Couture, and Motivation Boutique created this dope tshirt to commemorate Barack Obama's historic run to the presidency. If you haven't copped one yet you have to. You can wear it as much as you like, just remember not to wear it when you go out to vote, as they may turn you away. Here's the link.


CAN I KICK IT? YES WE CAN ! GET IT HERE

DR. PEPPER BETS AGAINST GUNS N' ROSES MUST PAY UP!

Dr. Pepper made a bet that Guns N' Roses highly anticipated Chinese Democracy album would not be released before 2008. They were willing to provide a can of Dr. Pepper to every single person in America if they were wrong. Well they were wrong as earlier this week it was announced the album would be released on Nov. 23rd. So on Nov. 23rd any interested consumer can visit http://www.drpepper.com and receive a coupon redeemable for a free 20 ounce bottle of Dr. Pepper. The coupon is only valid for 24 hours. Marketing in the disguise of a bet, as the guys from Guiness would say, BRILLIANT!!! Let's just hope Axel Rose doesn't do anything crazy to prevent the album from missing its official drop date.

LEGAL HUSTLER SPOTLIGHT: DANYELLE SARGEANT

We caught up with Fox Sports Net Sports Anchor Danyelle Sargeant for a brief legal hustler question and answer. Danyelle definitely is a "legal hustler" a young, minority female hanging tough and succeeding in the ultra-competitive world of sports broadcasting.

WHAT IS YOUR NAME?
Danyelle Sargeant

WHERE WERE YOU BORN/RAISED?
Born outside of St. Louis, raised in Alpharetta, Georgia

WHAT COLLEGE'S DID YOU ATTEND?

Florida State... GO NOLES!!!

WHAT IS YOUR PRIMARY OCCUPATION?
Sports Anchor for Fox Sports Net

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A YOUNG PERSON WHO WANTS TO PURSUE THE SAME CAREER?
Develop thick skin, like, really, really thick skin. This business is not easy and people will test your will constantly.

WHAT OTHER BUSINESS INTERESTS DO YOU HAVE?
I'd like to do media training for athletes, and also help athletes and coaches get more involved in the non-profit world?

WHAT ARE YOUR FINANCIAL GOALS?
I'd like to be able to walk away from television(if I so choose) and not worry about missing the paychecks.

NAME TWO PEOPLE WHO YOU ADMIRE OR WHO HAVE INFLUENCED YOU.
Mom and Dad

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME?
I grew up an athlete, and I still love working out. Right now, I'm big into boxing. You should see my guns... lol

USE THIS SPACE TO EITHER GIVE SHOUT OUTS OR ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO PROMOTE?

Be sure to check out The Final Score presented by DirectTV, Fox Sports Net 10:30 PM and 12:00 AM EST.

6th Sense "Ignite The People Like Obama"

Check out my boy 6th Sense's video in support of Barack Obama. 6th is a super talented producer/mc from New York. Love this track and video. 6th produced "U Know Mekka Don" off of my mixtape which is making a lot of noise on the college radio charts.

BEST RAPPER ALIVE COMPETITION SEEMS SLIM SHADY

Thanks to my man Vesco for sending this our way from Yahoo music a very interesting analysis of Vibe Magazine's Best Rapper Alive competition. The article questions the motives/impartiality of the competition and is a great read.

Posted Mon Oct 13, 2008 1:26am PDT by Billy Johnson, Jr. in Hip-Hop Media Training

LINK TO ORIGINAL

If you feel like there's a pun in the headline of this blog post, good.

Last week Vibe magazine announced that Eminem had won its Best Rapper Alive competition, a NCAA-style tournament that pitted the "top" 64 MCs against each other. (See the list of the 64 nominees.)

The online contest polled users over a 5-week period. During the first week, the 64 competing rappers were paired off and users were asked to select the best 32 artists. The second week, that group of 32 lyricists was also grouped in twos and the voters picked their favorite 16. Over the subsequent weeks, the list dwindled down to the last b-boys standing, Jay-Z and Eminem. Eminem won by a landslide of 69 percent, compared to Jay-Z's 31 percent.

"

The results have sparked heated discussions.

Before getting into my opinion of the crowned champ, I am way curious as to how a Best Rapper Alive contest can include the likes of Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em, Shawty Lo and Flo Rida, but not list lyrical geniuses Rakim, MC Lyte, Chuck D, KRS-One or Slick Rick. I'm 38, so yes, I'm repping a different era. But if I am to take the title Best Rapper Alive literally, I say, these guys are alive and frankly can still put to shame the majority of the 64 artists who have made it on the ballot. Maybe instead they could call this list, Best Rapper To Recently Release An Album.

I'm sure some of my questions will be answered in the November 2008 issue of Vibe, on newsstands October 21. In this issue, the Best Rapper Alive staff will explain the contest in detail. I must add that I respect the publication, still having in my possession its 1994 premiere issue with Treach of Naughty By Nature on the cover and having written freelance articles for the magazine from 2000 to 2006. I just don't get the criteria.

I understand that the results were driven by the voters, but the brackets used for voting are suspicious. Take for example the following pairings that caused upsets during the first round of voting:

Lil' Kim vs. Lauryn Hill
Lupe Fiasco vs. Q-Tip
Mos Def vs. Talib Qweli
Ghostface Killah vs. Raekwon
Method Man vs. Redman
Common vs. Black Thought

Pairings like these assured that six of the aforementioned rappers were not going to make it to round two. Each of those artists should have made it to the second round. And in other instances, favored artists were matched with MCs who had no chance of winning the first round:

Andre 3000 vs. Dizzee Rascal
Eminem vs. Soulja Boy
Lil' Wayne vs. Trina
T.I. vs. Shawty Lo
Ludacris vs. Young Dro

Are you kidding? I think Dizzee Rascal is dope, but could he possibly get more popular votes than ANDRE 3000? Have the majority of the voters even heard of Dizzee? Soulja Boy, Trina, Shawty Lo, and Young Dro against those guys? Is this poll even real?

Out of 32 pairings, the first round only had a handful of legitimate groupings:

Cam'ron vs. Juelz Santana
Fabolous vs. Cassidy
Lil' Boosie vs. Webbie
Lloyd Banks vs. Young Buck
Chamillionaire vs. Paul Wall

I realize the difficulty and pressure that lies in compiling lists. As a journalist, it's something that you don't take lightly because you know you're going to get called out if your list is wack. I'm feeling bamboozled by this one.

I consider Eminem to be one of the greatest MCs to have ever rhymed. He has an undeniable gift of storytelling. He can freestyle. He's passionate, and is one of the few who is blessed with the ability to simultaneously go straight mega pop and still reach the heads. He's top 10 without question.

I'm in one of those moods and can go and on about this as if it was something important. So I'll stop and let some of my favorites conclude my argument. Check out their videos.

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