~~ THE INDUSTRY OF BLISS ~~

I've been reading an interesting new book called "The New
Culture of Desire" by Melinda Davis, CEO of a futurist think
tank in New York. 

In her book, Davis discloses the conclusions of a 6-year
study on what makes people want what they want and do
what they do. The study was conducted primarily for big
business, where the results might have sounded more earth-
shaking. For the body, mind, spirit community, however, the
conclusions more or less corroborate what we've know for
some time: bliss sells.

In a nutshell, Davis asserts that the most powerful survival
needs of consumers now are "psychospiritual." Physical
survival needs have been overtaken by the need for:
-- instant altered states
-- richer human connection
-- a more solid sense of self
-- a clearer vision of the path
-- greater inner pleasure.

She talks about the business person (or marketer) as a
healer, helping clients reach an "optimal state of mind,"
where you can "lose your sense of being anywhere and 
feel a wondrous sense of unity with the universe."

Sounds right up our alley.

As I was reading, a number of business ideas popped
into my mind, based pretty much on Davis' premises. 
See what you think.

1) A meditation teacher could add a new twist by
becoming a "personal meditation coach" who comes to
your home or office for guided meditations/visualizations
(much like a personal fitness trainer would). If "instant
bliss" is the new "in thing" why not promote your
personal meditation coaching in local business publications,
at Chamber of Commerce meetings, and the like. You'll
be helping busy people relax and tune into their heart of
hearts while making a pretty decent living for yourself.

2) An event organizer could specialize in creating
"connected communities" for the duration of a
conference. Raise a convention above the usual "show
and tell" mode by building in activities that help people
connect, interact, bond and co-operate many times
during the event.

3) Under the "guidance on the path" heading, trained
hypnotherapists or skilled regressionists could offer to
PROGRESS clients to see what their future potentials
might be. (Edgar Cayce saw his own future while in
trance; presumably others can learn to do the same.)

4) Astrologers and seers might want to specialize in
career/business readings to get people into their
"right livelihoods" quicker.

5) Traditional healers and counselors could add an
alternative component, both to speed healing and to
facilitate an "instant altered state."

For example, dentists could offer guided meditation
through headphones prior to or during orthodox dental
procedures. If they specialized in nervous patients,
and had a good track record of easing "dentist anxiety,"
they'd never lack for word-of-mouth referrals. The client
would feel better about himself for handling his fear,
and might even edge into an "altered state." This
method could work for surgeons, too.

6) According to Melinda Davis, storytelling is now being
used by the military and big business. For example, 
after September 11, 2001, the government asked a
number of Hollywood filmmakers to devise various
scenarios for thwarting terrorism -- as a "what if"
learning tool.

Stories also help people understand complex information
more quickly. If you're a writer or storyteller, you could
conduct workshops where you teach attendees to
"write their way" through their fear of an illness or
anger with a relationship issue. In the telling of their
personal stories, they begin to guide themselves
through to acceptance or a greater understanding.

7) Distance healing, shamanic healing, spiritual
healing are likely to gain mainstream recognition. Start
gathering bona fide testimonials and build your website.
You may need to work through the auspices of a
religious or cultural group to stay on the right side of the
AMA and local licensing laws, but we all know how
much healing needs to be done. According to Melinda
Davis, it's time to shine your light farther out.

8) My own field -- spiritual marketing -- seems to fit
here, too, as business owners remember to put the
mission before the money. (In order to follow your bliss,
you've got to find it first.) In 2001, I wrote a marketing
course for holistic and home-based business owners
that helps them design their business around their life's
purpose, so that business and "sense of self" are
naturally harmonious. It appears I was breaking new
ground and didn't even know it.
(For more information about the marketing course 
visit http://www.marketingwithamission.com)

What new ground can you break in the coming year
that sets you apart from others in your field?

How can you help people attain "peak psycho-
spiritual experiences" through your work? If you feel
inspired to raise the vision of your business, here's the
Amazon.com link for the book, "The New Culture of
Desire" by Melinda Davis.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/074320459X/newradianceresou

If you want a more "instant" picture of what your 
business can be, call me to schedule a spiritual marketing
consultation. In about two hours on the phone, I help you
see a stronger and grander vision of your business --
one that pushes your YES! buttons and makes you
excited to be your own boss again.

Because I work primarily with holistic and home business
owners, my fee is economical, too -- about the same as
you'd pay your massage therapist or psychic. Just call
727-397-2702 to schedule your 2-hour phone session
or email for more info: mailto:newradiance@earthlink.net


~~ NEWS AND UPDATES ~~

-- New Radiance has started a new book review service
called "New Radiance Reviews" to help self-published
and small press authors market their books.
For submission guidelines and to view recent reviews, visit
http://www.newradiance.com/NewRadianceReviews.htm

-- Susan Carlson is looking for a part-time project
assistant for a "publicity project." You need to be good
on the phone, preferably with sales and/or marketing
experience. This is a work-from-home position requiring
a computer and fax machine. For more information,
please email: mailto:scarlson18@earthlink.net

-- Rev. Maria Lupita Martinez is now channeling
"Melchior," one of the three wise men. She teaches
personal transformation and how to make choices that
set you free in a conscious journey of soul evolution.
Author of three books which take you, consecutively,
higher and higher to Celestial Realms, she may be
reached at 727-847-7601. Visit Maria's website at
http://www.universeredcardinal.com

-- If you want to know what's happening in Tallahassee,
sign up for the weekly email newsletter from the
Tallahassee Spiritual Network. Two ways to subscribe:
email: mailto:tally_spirit_net-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
visit: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tally_spirit_net

-- Fortuneteller Ordinance Update:
Pinellas County psychics, astrologers, numerologists,
Tarot readers, and intuitive counselors have the chance
to speak their minds about the "Fortunetellers' Ordinance"
at a "Think Tank" taking place at Oak Trail Books,
1219 Florida Avenue, Palm Harbor on Saturday,
February 1st. For the schedule and directions, please
call 727-785-1960.

-- "The Seeker's Guidebook" in Jacksonville publishes an
email update of what's happening in the holistic health care
and personal enrichment community in the region. 
To subscribe, email: mailto:seekerjax@attbi.com.

-- If you have a holistic service and/or natural health
product and would like to promote your product or
service to the First Coast's growing health conscious/
personal growth minded consumers, consider exhibiting
at the 4th Annual H.O.P.E. Expo in Jacksonville. For info,
please visit: http://www.hopeexpo.com

-- If you're looking for holistic and alternative events
at which to exhibit your products and services, I'm building
a list of expo promoters on the New Radiance website.
For the current listing, please visit:
http://www.newradiance.com/ExposandEvents.htm


~~ ARTISTS, WRITERS AND CONSULTANTS LIST ~~

Here's the latest addition to New Radiance's list of
artists, writers and marketing consultants:

-- Indigo Marketing provides a full line of marketing
services including strategic planning, marketing and
media evaluations, advertising, public relations,
promotions and special events. Whether a small
project such as writing a press release, or providing a
full media evaluation and marketing/advertising
campaign, Indigo Marketing blends intuition with
proven business strategies to position your business
for success. Call (941) 400-9668 or visit
http://www.indigo-marketing.com.

See the entire Artists, Writers & Consultants List at:
http://www.newradiance.com/ArtistsandWriters%20List.htm


~~ DOWNLOAD THE COOL ALEXA TOOLBAR ~~

A couple of weeks ago, Amazon.com sent me the
link to download the Alexa toolbar onto my web
browser. It's really neat. Doesn't take up much space,
fits right under the tool bar stuff that was already there,
and it includes a few handy devices I've used a bunch of
times already. 

The Alexa toolbar includes a built-in "Email this page to
a friend" button, a Google search window -- right there
on the toolbar -- and you can also discover who is linking
to your website. What's more, you can find out the
ranking of your site (and any other website you care to
visit) in relation to all Alexa toolbar users -- and there are
millions of them. Oh yes, if it gets in your way, you can
easily hide and unhide it.

All the major internet marketing sites talk about the Alexa
toolbar, so I thought it was worth a try.

Amazon is letting me offer this toolbar free on the New
Radiance website and to my ezine readers. Here's the link:

http://download.alexa.com/?amzn_id=newradianceresou


~~ I NEED HELP WITH A BUSINESS DECISION ~~

The Law of Attraction pretty much dictates our business
(target) market. If you feel that the holistic and spiritual
market is the best one for you to approach with your
products and services, I could use your opinion on a new
service I'd like to offer.

I'm a real fan of co-operative mailings. I've used them in
the past and they get results. I am in the process of
developing a fairly comprehensive postal mailing list of
Florida's body, mind, spirit professionals and businesses.

My question is this:
If you had the opportunity to share a mailing with 6-10
other businesses serving this community, would you be
more interested in a local distribution of your mailpiece
(flyer, brochure, coupon or newsletter) or would you
prefer to mail statewide?

I don't have the final counts yet, but I anticipate that a
local/regional mailing would be sent to around 500-600
businesses/churches/bookstores. A statewide mailing
would go to at least 2,000 names. 

Costwise, figure on 30 cents per name. In other words,
your investment for 500-600 local/regional flyers mailed
would be around $150 - $180; statewide $600 or more.
All you'd need to provide are the correct number of
mailpieces and your check. New Radiance will furnish
the envelope, mailing addresses, stuffing, sealing, and
stamping labor, plus make the trip to the post office.

That's the first question: local -- or statewide?

Secondly, bearing in mind the "Rule of 7" (it takes up
to 7 times before a prospective client will notice your
ads), how frequently would you want to join a co-op
mailing? Monthly, every other month, or 4 times a year?

If you have a moment to email me your thoughts, I'd
really appreciate it. Just hit the email link below and
send a one-word answer for each question:
1) local (or) statewide
2) monthly (or) bi-monthly (or) quarterly.

Email your reply to: mailto:newradiance@earthlink.net

Thanks for your help.

Until next time,
HAPPY MARKETING!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
New Radiance Updates is a free newsletter written by
Barbara Casey, Spiritual Marketing Coach and
sponsored by New Radiance Marketing Services

If you wish to reprint any individual articles from New
Radiance Updates, including past issues, please e-mail
your request to mailto:newradiance@earthlink.net

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Marketing with a Mission" is Barbara Casey's 102-page
marketing course in e-book format written for holistic
and home-based business owners.

This easy to follow self-study course takes you step by
step from seeing your mission in life as the foundation of
your business, to creating a business niche that fits you
perfectly and is easy to market, to actually writing a
marketing plan you can live with...and are likely to follow.

For information and free samples of the course content,
please visit http://www.marketingwithamission.com.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The New Radiance Florida Directory is your statewide guide
to metaphysical bookstores, spiritual centers, alternative
health care, intuitive counselors, coaches, spiritual advisors,
metaphysical teachers & classes, holistic/new age publications,
and a lot more.

To purchase the Florida Directory by credit card online, go to:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0964570262/newradianceresou

To order the 192-page book by mail, just send your check for
$12.84 (includes sales tax and shipping) to New Radiance,
PO Box 86674, St. Petersburg, FL 33738.