Vioxx was a very popular prescription pain medication taken by an estimated 20 million people. In September 2004 however, it was pulled from the market because a study found that its use increased the risk of heart attack and stroke.

On Friday August 19th, 2005, a jury held drug giant Merck & Co. liable in the heart-related death of a 59-year-old marathon runner who took Vioxx, slapping the company with a $253.4 million judgment.

The Vioxx scandal was only the beginning. Since taking it off the market last year, numerous questions have been raised about other popular prescription and over-the-counter pain medications. In short, they could be extremely dangerous.

Thankfully there are safer, natural pain relief alternatives though…

White Willow (Salix species) (bark): The bark of the stately white willow tree (Salix alba) has been used in China for centuries as a medicine because of its ability to relieve pain and to lower fevers. Early settlers in America found Native Americans gathering bark from indigenous willow trees for similar purposes. The active ingredient in white willow is salicin, which the body converts into salicylic acid. The first aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) was made from a different herb containing salicinmeadowsweetbut works in essentially the same way. All aspirin is now chemically synthesized. It’s not surprising, then, that white willow bark is often called “herbal aspirin”. Although white willow is the species of willow tree most commonly used for medicinal purposes, other salicin-rich species are employed as well, including crack willow (Salix fragilis), purple willow (Salix purpurea),

Entrepreneurs know their business. They know their product, their service. Many of them write creative Web sites. But, one thing they are not as adept at is promotional copy.

It’s not the book, it’s the hook! It’s not the beautiful Web site, it’s the one with benefit-driven headlines that lead your visitor straight to your sales message. What you say outside the book covers matters. What you say about your service on your site must be so much more powerful than your pleasing personality or mission statement.

Always promote with benefits over features. Benefits show the value of your products. They solve your particular audience’s problem! They tell your clients and customers what they will gain–and what they will lose from your product or service. Some common benefits include: more money, less trouble, more time, less stress, desirable relationships, less drama and trauma, and more zest and energy, less fatigue.

Apply this Essential “Hot-Selling Point” Before you Write:

1. Write down a list of 5-10 benefits of each product and service. Think about your number one benefit your book or service solves. For example, your clients and customers don’t want to know only how to get their book written, they want to know why should they write it? How much will their business thrive from putting that effort out? Will they get more credibility, more trust, and more lifelong income?

For her book, “Tug of Heart,” one client wrote this partial list of benefits: experience deeper hues of joy, enjoy more passion, trust yourself, engage

In my last column I discussed the process of credit card enabling your brick-and-mortar business. I pointed out that research has shown that accepting credit cards can help increase revenue and enhance cash flow. I also pointed out that you may have to look beyond your local bank for help in getting things set up. This week we will look at setting up an online payment system for your business website. If you think hooking up a brick-and-mortar location with a credit card system stymies most bankers, try asking them how to do it on your website.

If you’ll recall, the question that spurred this topic came from a lady who went to her local bank for help in setting up a credit card acceptance system for her business and her banker wasn’t very knowledgeable on the subject. I pointed out that her banker’s ignorance of the subject probably wasn’t a reflection on his skills as a banker, but a reflection on the compartmentalization of the credit card aspect of banking.

The fact is, most banks can provide you with the merchant account needed to accept credit card payments, but beyond that have little to do with the process. Even larger banks may only have a single person on staff who is tasked as the “credit card expert” and if that person ever goes on vacation, you’re pretty much out of luck (voice of experience talking here, folks).

I have helped many clients set up online credit card processing systems and more than