Thursday, July 31, 2008
Your Gateway to Total Financial Freedom Online
Starting and running a successful business online or offline isnt as easy as most people thought, Even if you have all the money in this whole wide world. Most people after going through a business opportunity ads that usually states how easy it is to make money with their system they sign up and after discovering they need to make some sacrifice and put forth a little effort they quickly take the exit.
Can you possibly think of an easy way to make money without doing anything at all NO, Nothing good comes easy. Many young internet entrepreneurs have hit the brick wall due to lacking a clear strategy and foresight to running a successful home business.
Let me start this way by saying I used to walk with an engineering firm, I had little time for myself let alone my families. Very early in the morning Ill pick up my briefcase and return in the middle of the night, until one day I came across a copy of Shawn Caseys Mining Gold on the Internet.
From that very day my life changed. I have discovered the Exodus to Total Financial Freedom. I made up my mind to start my own profitable home business.
First thing I did was to get searching for a business opportunity, I got a lot of results from my search but all the result didnt look promising to me. Eventually I got a link from Shawn Caseys book and signed up without any delay. A link from a renowned entrepreneur, what more can I possibly be asking for.
I logged into my account area and behold it was all I ever dreamt of; a multiple stream of income, yes one income isnt enough otherwise you will be setting yourself up to be broke one day; a global business, a business I can run successfully from over 210 countries; a multi-tier affiliate program, a program that build leverage income from generation to generation in addition to a powerful worldwide advertising tools thats give me a share from the profits of many of the major stores in United States and beyond..
Getting started wasnt easy at all, due to my naive experience to marketing online but thanks to their extensive business building resources and the 24hrs support, I was able to achieve my dreams. Thou my first month I got a check of 12.80 but it has never been the same for each month as it continue to rise. After a year plus my commission check commission check has risen rapidly to 25,889 and still rising. Just last week I submitted my resignation letter. Its time I put in all effort and time.
Four executive from my previous job have signed up too. They think its an exciting new way to live and work.
For me no more working late hours and doing a job I dislike just to earn a living, the world has become a global village for me to limit myself.
I remember what a friend solider said to me a few years ago; we kill those we love and guard those we hate a vivid example from the military perspective. And he was eventually killed on the battle, maybe by those who loved him.
The truth is you can not set goals for someone else, they have to want o set their own goals and really want o achieve them. Like the proverbial adage: You can force a donkey to the stream but you can not force it to drink the water.
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING
"After three and a half years online I have found the most professional and best-run opportunity with SFI. The teamwork and support are the best around. My future is now in my hands--and it looks good"
Jim Chessher
TX, UNITED STATES
"Thank you SFI Iam really seeing the results show through as I move forward and grow my business With the resources and great marketing tips that are so easy to follow, there is no reason to fail or quit. "
Crystal Barker
HI, UNITED STATES
"For the best in helping you achieve financial independence, nothing can beat SFI."
Sgt. Eugene H. Russell
SC, UNITED STATES
About the Author
Can you possibly think of an easy way to make money without doing anything at all NO, Nothing good comes easy. Many young internet entrepreneurs have hit the brick wall due to lacking a clear strategy and foresight to running a successful home business.
Let me start this way by saying I used to walk with an engineering firm, I had little time for myself let alone my families. Very early in the morning Ill pick up my briefcase and return in the middle of the night, until one day I came across a copy of Shawn Caseys Mining Gold on the Internet.
From that very day my life changed. I have discovered the Exodus to Total Financial Freedom. I made up my mind to start my own profitable home business.
First thing I did was to get searching for a business opportunity, I got a lot of results from my search but all the result didnt look promising to me. Eventually I got a link from Shawn Caseys book and signed up without any delay. A link from a renowned entrepreneur, what more can I possibly be asking for.
I logged into my account area and behold it was all I ever dreamt of; a multiple stream of income, yes one income isnt enough otherwise you will be setting yourself up to be broke one day; a global business, a business I can run successfully from over 210 countries; a multi-tier affiliate program, a program that build leverage income from generation to generation in addition to a powerful worldwide advertising tools thats give me a share from the profits of many of the major stores in United States and beyond..
Getting started wasnt easy at all, due to my naive experience to marketing online but thanks to their extensive business building resources and the 24hrs support, I was able to achieve my dreams. Thou my first month I got a check of 12.80 but it has never been the same for each month as it continue to rise. After a year plus my commission check commission check has risen rapidly to 25,889 and still rising. Just last week I submitted my resignation letter. Its time I put in all effort and time.
Four executive from my previous job have signed up too. They think its an exciting new way to live and work.
For me no more working late hours and doing a job I dislike just to earn a living, the world has become a global village for me to limit myself.
I remember what a friend solider said to me a few years ago; we kill those we love and guard those we hate a vivid example from the military perspective. And he was eventually killed on the battle, maybe by those who loved him.
The truth is you can not set goals for someone else, they have to want o set their own goals and really want o achieve them. Like the proverbial adage: You can force a donkey to the stream but you can not force it to drink the water.
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING
"After three and a half years online I have found the most professional and best-run opportunity with SFI. The teamwork and support are the best around. My future is now in my hands--and it looks good"
Jim Chessher
TX, UNITED STATES
"Thank you SFI Iam really seeing the results show through as I move forward and grow my business With the resources and great marketing tips that are so easy to follow, there is no reason to fail or quit. "
Crystal Barker
HI, UNITED STATES
"For the best in helping you achieve financial independence, nothing can beat SFI."
Sgt. Eugene H. Russell
SC, UNITED STATES
About the Author
John Benjamin: Home based entrepreneur freelance writer is the author of "Your Gateway to Total Financial Freedom Online". Take action now at
Relaited Links:
Labels: business, Club, entrepreneur, profit, revenue, startup
# posted by Smart Man @ 2:49 PM
A Guide to Putting Together Your Opt in List
If you want maximum results from your online business, one way is to put together an opt in mailing list. This list has the names and email addresses of people who have expressed an interest in your company. They have given you permission to send them emails about your business on a periodic basis. Half the sale is made already when you talk to someone who has expressed an interest in what you have to sell.
Permission Email Marketing is the result of building an opt in list in the first place. They are rapidly becoming quite a popular tool.
If you want to succeed at what you are doing, there are certain things that you should and should not do. The following are some steps that you should know about opt in lists.
Yes, you should.
1. Make an opt in list highly visible on your site. You can use a software program from virtually any site.
2. Using the general email that you send out to clients, have a place where they can link to sign up for receiving emails from you.
3. Make sure they do want to receive emails from you. You do not want to get into trouble for spamming.
4. When conversing with them, mention that you have emails that you can send to let them know of new products and sales.
5. Do not talk in circles. Explain exactly what you have and how it can benefit them. Do not mislead them about what they will be receiving.
6. Contact people who sign up right away. Let them know how you operate and what they can expect from you. Make them feel welcome.
No, You Should Not
1. Do not assume someone that has emailed you six months ago would like to be added to your list. Send them an email and ask if they would like to be included in your mailings.
2. Do not buy lists of opt ins that you are not sure of. Ask for evidence that the people on the list do want to receive emails about your business.
3. Do not take people for granted. Appreciate the trust they put in you. When you do something to make them reconsider whether trusting you was wise or not, you put your business in jeopardy. They will not be eager to return emails or converse with you either.
One sure method of saving money is to send emails. Direct mailing is expensive and the supplies you use to send mail by the post office is expensive. If you are ready to start your own opt in service, give it a try.
1. Information for free. If you want to get a good opt in list going, let your visitors know that they can receive free information. Newsletters, travel tips, which tools are rated the best, and tried and true recipes are a good start.
2. The simpler the better. It should not take an hour to sign up for a subscription to a website. Do not ask questions that are not necessary. The info they provide should be just what you need to know a little about their preferences, their email, and other contact information. Tell them what their subscription includes.
3. Offer something of value. The information that your newsletter contains should be good information, free incentives should have some value, and it should be up to date.
4. Have a forum on your website. Do not only have a forum but be a part of it. This is one way to let people know you are truly interested in what they think.
5. Communication through writing. If you spin out some articles about your chosen business and use it to try and inspire people as you have been inspired, this will serve you well.
6. Joint enrollment. If you do this, a huge opt in list could be possible in practically no time.
7. Put your knowledge to work. Use your expertise to write an e-book. This can be used as an incentive to give to people who subscribe to your opt in list or mailing list. It does not have to be large. Just write what you know best, add some interesting facts, and a few tips that you have found useful.
When you are trying to get an opt in list started, make sure you add something that would make someone want to sign up. The fact is, opt in lists have been found to lay the foundation for web sites that are more profitable than others. Always look for ways to improve your website.
Nobody said this was going to be easy. However if you want your website to succeed, take a good look at what you want to say and make the pitch for opt in sign ups as interesting as you possibly can. Here are 10 ways to build a opt in list that will get the best results.
1. Keep in mind that there are plenty of other web owners who want business as badly as you do. Choose which section of people you want to appeal to.
When you are trying to get an opt in list started, make sure you add something that would make someone want to sign up. The fact is, opt in lists have been found to lay the foundation for web sites that are more profitable than others. Always look for ways to improve your website.
2. Make certain that your website is reaching the right people.
3. If you cannot make a profit on it, do not waste your time. Keeping track of your budget is another way of determining whether you will be successful or not.
4. By leading discussions on a forum as much as possible, you will find out what problems you have and be able to correct them.
5. Find out why your customers are not getting what they want from websites. Help them to find the right resources for the things they need.
6. Help is always appreciated. If a visitor to your site has a problem, help them to find a solution.
7. A small site that offers direct response will be much appreciated.
8. Auto responders are great. They can keep track when you cannot. This is definitely one site you want to keep in shape.
9. Draw in potential customers with giveaways. Coupons offering a percentage off of a product or products can help to get customers to your website.
10. Use whatever works within reason to corner the market in your field of expertise.
The results found in opt in are more than you would ever dream if done correctly. This is a huge part of the profit margin. If you take care of your customers, they will take care of you.
About the Author
Permission Email Marketing is the result of building an opt in list in the first place. They are rapidly becoming quite a popular tool.
If you want to succeed at what you are doing, there are certain things that you should and should not do. The following are some steps that you should know about opt in lists.
Yes, you should.
1. Make an opt in list highly visible on your site. You can use a software program from virtually any site.
2. Using the general email that you send out to clients, have a place where they can link to sign up for receiving emails from you.
3. Make sure they do want to receive emails from you. You do not want to get into trouble for spamming.
4. When conversing with them, mention that you have emails that you can send to let them know of new products and sales.
5. Do not talk in circles. Explain exactly what you have and how it can benefit them. Do not mislead them about what they will be receiving.
6. Contact people who sign up right away. Let them know how you operate and what they can expect from you. Make them feel welcome.
No, You Should Not
1. Do not assume someone that has emailed you six months ago would like to be added to your list. Send them an email and ask if they would like to be included in your mailings.
2. Do not buy lists of opt ins that you are not sure of. Ask for evidence that the people on the list do want to receive emails about your business.
3. Do not take people for granted. Appreciate the trust they put in you. When you do something to make them reconsider whether trusting you was wise or not, you put your business in jeopardy. They will not be eager to return emails or converse with you either.
One sure method of saving money is to send emails. Direct mailing is expensive and the supplies you use to send mail by the post office is expensive. If you are ready to start your own opt in service, give it a try.
1. Information for free. If you want to get a good opt in list going, let your visitors know that they can receive free information. Newsletters, travel tips, which tools are rated the best, and tried and true recipes are a good start.
2. The simpler the better. It should not take an hour to sign up for a subscription to a website. Do not ask questions that are not necessary. The info they provide should be just what you need to know a little about their preferences, their email, and other contact information. Tell them what their subscription includes.
3. Offer something of value. The information that your newsletter contains should be good information, free incentives should have some value, and it should be up to date.
4. Have a forum on your website. Do not only have a forum but be a part of it. This is one way to let people know you are truly interested in what they think.
5. Communication through writing. If you spin out some articles about your chosen business and use it to try and inspire people as you have been inspired, this will serve you well.
6. Joint enrollment. If you do this, a huge opt in list could be possible in practically no time.
7. Put your knowledge to work. Use your expertise to write an e-book. This can be used as an incentive to give to people who subscribe to your opt in list or mailing list. It does not have to be large. Just write what you know best, add some interesting facts, and a few tips that you have found useful.
When you are trying to get an opt in list started, make sure you add something that would make someone want to sign up. The fact is, opt in lists have been found to lay the foundation for web sites that are more profitable than others. Always look for ways to improve your website.
Nobody said this was going to be easy. However if you want your website to succeed, take a good look at what you want to say and make the pitch for opt in sign ups as interesting as you possibly can. Here are 10 ways to build a opt in list that will get the best results.
1. Keep in mind that there are plenty of other web owners who want business as badly as you do. Choose which section of people you want to appeal to.
When you are trying to get an opt in list started, make sure you add something that would make someone want to sign up. The fact is, opt in lists have been found to lay the foundation for web sites that are more profitable than others. Always look for ways to improve your website.
2. Make certain that your website is reaching the right people.
3. If you cannot make a profit on it, do not waste your time. Keeping track of your budget is another way of determining whether you will be successful or not.
4. By leading discussions on a forum as much as possible, you will find out what problems you have and be able to correct them.
5. Find out why your customers are not getting what they want from websites. Help them to find the right resources for the things they need.
6. Help is always appreciated. If a visitor to your site has a problem, help them to find a solution.
7. A small site that offers direct response will be much appreciated.
8. Auto responders are great. They can keep track when you cannot. This is definitely one site you want to keep in shape.
9. Draw in potential customers with giveaways. Coupons offering a percentage off of a product or products can help to get customers to your website.
10. Use whatever works within reason to corner the market in your field of expertise.
The results found in opt in are more than you would ever dream if done correctly. This is a huge part of the profit margin. If you take care of your customers, they will take care of you.
About the Author
Anthony Harris is a member of one of the fastest growing and one of the most successful home business on the internet. Find out how were creating financial freedom and join us for a FREE test drive at
Relaited Links:
Labels: business, Club, entrepreneur, profit, revenue, startup
# posted by Smart Man @ 4:03 AM
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
How to Create Effective Business Cards
Everything in businesses today has become paperless with technological advancements introducing email, internet, scanning and others. However, the one essential paper item required for businesses and entrepreneurs which continues to be utilized effectively is a business card. A business card is very important to let customers, clients and possible investors take your information with them and remember you when the time comes. Have you ever been in a situation where youve bought something from someone and then you cant remember where the store is located or what its called That business provided you a service or product which you would have wanted to use or buy again. Because you cant remember the details you will be likely go somewhere else to buy that product or service. This should not happen to you and your business and so business cards assure you that customers will remember you. If you are in a business which requires exchanging information often with clients then having a business card will be useful.
Business cards needs to be perfect for others to get the right first impression about you. It is a way to tell others what your profession is, to give them an idea of how you will be able to help them and what services you can provide. A business card should reflect that you are a professional, you do your job well and you know what youre doing. There are many different styles for business cards but it is important to choose a style and layout which is organized and appealing to the eye. The basic essentials a business card should contain are your first and last name, your title or designation in the business, the name of the business, the service you provide if it is not obvious, and the options to contact you. The contact information should at least have a landline telephone number, a cell phone number if available, email address, website of the business, and mailing address. Remember, your business card is not a brochure, so dont make it confusing by listing too many services and products. If you really must list a few services you also have the option to list them on the back of the business card so your contact information stays clear and orderly.
Most business cards follow the horizontal layout design as it is easier to read and provides enough room to effectively space out every piece of information on the business card. Your name should be the most emphasized piece of information on your business card and should be styled with a bold and large font. The layout design for your business card is also important to plan because its the difference between someone thinking your business will be useful and having your card thrown in the trash. It would also be wise to follow the ideal size of 3.5 by 2 inches which will fit in any wallet. The quality of the paper used should also be taken into consideration so it will be durable and wont easily tear. People also judge you by the paper you use for your business card. If you use good quality paper for your card they will assume you take your business seriously and are a dedicated professional. Some even take the time to laminate their business cards so they are preserved better and last longer. Unique ideas are also followed such as printing business cards on wood, metal or plastic. The latest trend is to magnetize business cards so it can have 3 purposes: people use it on their fridge as a magnet, it creates a way for people to see your information often, and so they wont lose your business card.
The type of ink used to print your business card should be long lasting and permanent so if it gets moist the ink should not run. Colours used on your business card should be thought out carefully. Depending on your profession more or less colours will be necessary. For example, if your business is a craft and arts store then you might consider using more colours and innovative fonts to produce a creative layout which exemplifies your business. However, you have to know if its going to represent your business in the ideal manner. If you are a doctor or lawyer you would tend to use less colour and fonts and depict a crisp and concise business card. The font size chosen should not be too small otherwise it will be difficult for someone to read your details and information. It should be in a font that is easy on the eyes and clear enough that details can be quickly understood. Contact information should have the most information so you provide a variety of options for people to get in touch with you.
It is definitely a good idea to invest in quality business cards. Make sure that when you do, you follow the proper guidelines so they will be used to their full potential, bringing in more business for you and your company.
About the Author
Business cards needs to be perfect for others to get the right first impression about you. It is a way to tell others what your profession is, to give them an idea of how you will be able to help them and what services you can provide. A business card should reflect that you are a professional, you do your job well and you know what youre doing. There are many different styles for business cards but it is important to choose a style and layout which is organized and appealing to the eye. The basic essentials a business card should contain are your first and last name, your title or designation in the business, the name of the business, the service you provide if it is not obvious, and the options to contact you. The contact information should at least have a landline telephone number, a cell phone number if available, email address, website of the business, and mailing address. Remember, your business card is not a brochure, so dont make it confusing by listing too many services and products. If you really must list a few services you also have the option to list them on the back of the business card so your contact information stays clear and orderly.
Most business cards follow the horizontal layout design as it is easier to read and provides enough room to effectively space out every piece of information on the business card. Your name should be the most emphasized piece of information on your business card and should be styled with a bold and large font. The layout design for your business card is also important to plan because its the difference between someone thinking your business will be useful and having your card thrown in the trash. It would also be wise to follow the ideal size of 3.5 by 2 inches which will fit in any wallet. The quality of the paper used should also be taken into consideration so it will be durable and wont easily tear. People also judge you by the paper you use for your business card. If you use good quality paper for your card they will assume you take your business seriously and are a dedicated professional. Some even take the time to laminate their business cards so they are preserved better and last longer. Unique ideas are also followed such as printing business cards on wood, metal or plastic. The latest trend is to magnetize business cards so it can have 3 purposes: people use it on their fridge as a magnet, it creates a way for people to see your information often, and so they wont lose your business card.
The type of ink used to print your business card should be long lasting and permanent so if it gets moist the ink should not run. Colours used on your business card should be thought out carefully. Depending on your profession more or less colours will be necessary. For example, if your business is a craft and arts store then you might consider using more colours and innovative fonts to produce a creative layout which exemplifies your business. However, you have to know if its going to represent your business in the ideal manner. If you are a doctor or lawyer you would tend to use less colour and fonts and depict a crisp and concise business card. The font size chosen should not be too small otherwise it will be difficult for someone to read your details and information. It should be in a font that is easy on the eyes and clear enough that details can be quickly understood. Contact information should have the most information so you provide a variety of options for people to get in touch with you.
It is definitely a good idea to invest in quality business cards. Make sure that when you do, you follow the proper guidelines so they will be used to their full potential, bringing in more business for you and your company.
About the Author
SoloPress is a company dedicated to quality printing for
Relaited Links:
Labels: business, Club, entrepreneur, profit, revenue, startup
# posted by Smart Man @ 5:22 PM
The NAA Exclusive Life Insurance Lead Program Gets You In Front Of More Clients
The key to any successful marketing campaign in the life insurance business is to be able to identify a client who has a problem on their mind that you can solve for. In order to earn a high income in the sale of life insurance an agent must be able to get in front of the right kind of people with the right message consistently.
One way to tackle the life insurance sale is to present it as a mortgage protection concept. Using a lead system to contact people who purchased a home or refinanced their mortgage is a simple way to market the mortgage protection solution. This mortgage data is filed at county courthouses on a regular basis. This data is available to contact by phone or by mail in order to prompt a client interest and response. This innovative life insurance lead system is an insurance agents dream.
If a homeowner is interested in the letter it should include information for them to fill in such as their health status, whether they smoke or not, their date of birth, home, work, and cell numbers, who to ask for and best time to call. These potential clients want to see you as a result and are expecting your call. These types of clients essentially come to you prequalified since they replied to a letter or phone solicitation. As a result you are able have control more easily in the meeting by being assumptive in approaching the client.
This is the ultimate leverage in insurance sales. To have a marketing system that delivers a prospect to an agent who has identified a problem in their own mind is the key ingredient to achieving success in insurance sales today. As a result agents can approach the client more so as a problem solver or a field underwriter. They do this in a very casual but professional way, relaxed: no suits, no ties, no dresses or heels, just a nice pair of jeans and a nice shirt. Theres no need for heavy sales tactics, the client has already responded with interest
Essentially an agent in this market can present a variety of life insurance products to solve a mortgage protection need for a homeowner. It is much easier to interest a potential client in an insurance product when it solves a mortgage protection need. The concern they have is this: what would they do if one of the wage earners in the household died or were disabled How would they pay the mortgage Do they care What is the solution The solution is a mortgage protection plan. A client response lead along with a matching mortgage protection program is a recipe for success in the insurance business.
A major negative in the insurance business for agents today is that they have to hunt for leads or spend all their time prospecting for clients instead of sitting in front of them. This approach reinforces the old push and sell mentality versus the pull and attract approach in insurance sales. The power of a response lead is that you are replying to the client inquiry to find out what is on their mind, why did they send the lead in Psychologically this enables the agent to be in control using an assumptive sales approach. That is the magic of the mortgage response lead system.
Typically, most leads provided by the big insurance companies are coming from a data vendor whose lead generation systems are designed to profit from lead distribution. They sell the same lead to as many agents as possible to make a profit. By contrast a company that owns their own lead generation system profits from paid commissions not the leads. That is the best option for quality leads for agents in todays market.
About the Author
One way to tackle the life insurance sale is to present it as a mortgage protection concept. Using a lead system to contact people who purchased a home or refinanced their mortgage is a simple way to market the mortgage protection solution. This mortgage data is filed at county courthouses on a regular basis. This data is available to contact by phone or by mail in order to prompt a client interest and response. This innovative life insurance lead system is an insurance agents dream.
If a homeowner is interested in the letter it should include information for them to fill in such as their health status, whether they smoke or not, their date of birth, home, work, and cell numbers, who to ask for and best time to call. These potential clients want to see you as a result and are expecting your call. These types of clients essentially come to you prequalified since they replied to a letter or phone solicitation. As a result you are able have control more easily in the meeting by being assumptive in approaching the client.
This is the ultimate leverage in insurance sales. To have a marketing system that delivers a prospect to an agent who has identified a problem in their own mind is the key ingredient to achieving success in insurance sales today. As a result agents can approach the client more so as a problem solver or a field underwriter. They do this in a very casual but professional way, relaxed: no suits, no ties, no dresses or heels, just a nice pair of jeans and a nice shirt. Theres no need for heavy sales tactics, the client has already responded with interest
Essentially an agent in this market can present a variety of life insurance products to solve a mortgage protection need for a homeowner. It is much easier to interest a potential client in an insurance product when it solves a mortgage protection need. The concern they have is this: what would they do if one of the wage earners in the household died or were disabled How would they pay the mortgage Do they care What is the solution The solution is a mortgage protection plan. A client response lead along with a matching mortgage protection program is a recipe for success in the insurance business.
A major negative in the insurance business for agents today is that they have to hunt for leads or spend all their time prospecting for clients instead of sitting in front of them. This approach reinforces the old push and sell mentality versus the pull and attract approach in insurance sales. The power of a response lead is that you are replying to the client inquiry to find out what is on their mind, why did they send the lead in Psychologically this enables the agent to be in control using an assumptive sales approach. That is the magic of the mortgage response lead system.
Typically, most leads provided by the big insurance companies are coming from a data vendor whose lead generation systems are designed to profit from lead distribution. They sell the same lead to as many agents as possible to make a profit. By contrast a company that owns their own lead generation system profits from paid commissions not the leads. That is the best option for quality leads for agents in todays market.
About the Author
We provide sales leads to our agents. These leads are returned by a homeowner in their own handwriting. This allows the agent to spend most of their time selling versus prospecting. Go to
Relaited Links:
Labels: business, Club, entrepreneur, profit, revenue, startup
# posted by Smart Man @ 2:36 AM
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Acquisitions: Consider the Potential of Other Operations When Included in Your Companys Business
The most dynamic and highest potential business models are ones that enable other enterprises to achieve extraordinary results by crossing the boundary from being an independent producer to becoming part of the company, whether through acquisition or joint ventures. Many specialized distribution businesses provide business models that make this possible. Study this subject well, because it is a secret of creating vastly more growth and more fundamental business model enhancements.
Lets take a look at Sybron Dental Specialties. The firm provides many innovative products used by dentists to serve their patients. Most of these products were added by acquisition. Often the new offerings were developed in start-up partnerships between innovative dentists and people with product development skills. Such start-up companies have low volume, and high distribution costs. Often, they were too small to be able to afford much marketing.
When Sybron discovers a promising new product being offered by such an uneconomically-sized firm, Sybron often purchases the company. Being part of Sybron gives the product more credibility, so sales increase. On the larger volume, production processes can be improved and scaled up.
Being part of Sybrons distribution network also reduces the costs of getting the product from the manufacturing facility to the dentist. As a result, Sybron can turn a marginally profitable, small market share product into an industry-leading product with vastly lower costs and prices within a short period of time.
Sybrons leaders know thousands of dentists on a first-name basis and spend lots of time sharing ideas with those dental professionals. That frequent and extensive contact increases the likelihood that the company will hear about more promising new companies and products and that Sybron can share helpful information about the improvements it makes to those offerings after acquiring them.
Beckman Coulter was formed by the merger of two companies with complementary product lines in the bio-medical testing industry. While many companies would have primarily examined the opportunity to reduce costs by consolidating headquarters, sales activities, and manufacturing, Beckman Coulters CEO, Jack Wareham, saw those areas as only the beginning of the cost-reduction possibilities.
Mr. Wareham had headed Beckman Instruments, Inc. before the merger. That firm was well known for its expertise in simplifying and automating tests to make them more reliable and less costly. He dreamed of putting all of the Beckman and Coulter tests into the same automated processes.
Such automation equipment is now being offered, and provides the lab with broader testing capabilities in ways that reduce both Beckman Coulters costs and the costs of the laboratory running the tests. At the same time, physicians and patients get their tests done faster and more reliably.
Not content with that cost improvement, Mr. Wareham focused the combined operations on creating a linked set of technologies and tests that begin with fundamental medical research and end up in patient diagnosis and treatment. By having the biological measurements be conducted by consistent processes and chemical reagents, diseases can be more easily and inexpensively studied, diagnosed, and treated.
An example comes in the companys technology for detecting prostate cancer the PSA and free PSA test. Once a tedious manual test, the test is now automatically processed on the firms analyzer in 15 minutes. As a result, many lives will be saved while medical costs drop. By expanding the companys line of testing through acquisition, Beckman Coulter is now in a position to provide these sorts of benefits as the new generations of genetic and protein-based tests are developed.
About the Author
Lets take a look at Sybron Dental Specialties. The firm provides many innovative products used by dentists to serve their patients. Most of these products were added by acquisition. Often the new offerings were developed in start-up partnerships between innovative dentists and people with product development skills. Such start-up companies have low volume, and high distribution costs. Often, they were too small to be able to afford much marketing.
When Sybron discovers a promising new product being offered by such an uneconomically-sized firm, Sybron often purchases the company. Being part of Sybron gives the product more credibility, so sales increase. On the larger volume, production processes can be improved and scaled up.
Being part of Sybrons distribution network also reduces the costs of getting the product from the manufacturing facility to the dentist. As a result, Sybron can turn a marginally profitable, small market share product into an industry-leading product with vastly lower costs and prices within a short period of time.
Sybrons leaders know thousands of dentists on a first-name basis and spend lots of time sharing ideas with those dental professionals. That frequent and extensive contact increases the likelihood that the company will hear about more promising new companies and products and that Sybron can share helpful information about the improvements it makes to those offerings after acquiring them.
Beckman Coulter was formed by the merger of two companies with complementary product lines in the bio-medical testing industry. While many companies would have primarily examined the opportunity to reduce costs by consolidating headquarters, sales activities, and manufacturing, Beckman Coulters CEO, Jack Wareham, saw those areas as only the beginning of the cost-reduction possibilities.
Mr. Wareham had headed Beckman Instruments, Inc. before the merger. That firm was well known for its expertise in simplifying and automating tests to make them more reliable and less costly. He dreamed of putting all of the Beckman and Coulter tests into the same automated processes.
Such automation equipment is now being offered, and provides the lab with broader testing capabilities in ways that reduce both Beckman Coulters costs and the costs of the laboratory running the tests. At the same time, physicians and patients get their tests done faster and more reliably.
Not content with that cost improvement, Mr. Wareham focused the combined operations on creating a linked set of technologies and tests that begin with fundamental medical research and end up in patient diagnosis and treatment. By having the biological measurements be conducted by consistent processes and chemical reagents, diseases can be more easily and inexpensively studied, diagnosed, and treated.
An example comes in the companys technology for detecting prostate cancer the PSA and free PSA test. Once a tedious manual test, the test is now automatically processed on the firms analyzer in 15 minutes. As a result, many lives will be saved while medical costs drop. By expanding the companys line of testing through acquisition, Beckman Coulter is now in a position to provide these sorts of benefits as the new generations of genetic and protein-based tests are developed.
About the Author
Donald Mitchell is an author of seven books including Adventures of an Optimist, The 2,000 Percent Squared Solution, The 2,000 Percent Solution, The 2,000 Percent Solution Workbook, The Irresistible Growth Enterprise, and The Ultimate Competitive Advantage. Read about creating
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Labels: business, Club, entrepreneur, profit, revenue, startup
# posted by Smart Man @ 5:14 PM
Business Networking And Blog Courtesy-working On A Professional Link Campaign For Blog SEO
Business is all about networking, right Plus, you likely know that you need to get some links to your website to build traffic. Since youre a pro blogger, of course the first place you look for those much needed links is the blogosphere.
However, some manners are in order when it comes to posting comments and linking to your blog from other blogs.
It comes down to common courtesy. Weve all heard the golden rule, right Do unto others and all that jazz The goal is for us to get a much needed backlink to our website, thats true. But thats not all we want. Spammy backlinks can be obtained pretty easily. Theres even software out there that will blast your links to a million different blog posts comment areas. But its not really what we want or need.
Ill tell you one reason why.
Before even thinking about the other guys blog, and common courtesy, lets consider your overall professional appearance. Think of your backlink campaign as one big press release for a minute. If you were blasting a press release to the major news networks today, you would want to present a super professional appearance right You would want the world to see you as the undisputed expert in your field, professional, classy, the very best. Right
Then why would you use a different approach and spam your link across the blogosphere Making you and your website translate: your company look cheesy and unprofessional If you knew that was the way the world perceived you and your business, you probably would have thought twice about it before you used a link blaster and posted your link to a million spam blogs. The problem is that many businesses and many bloggers dont think the internet is part of the real world. They dont stop and think about the fact that their actions on the web can have the same negative impact that they would have in the real world when it comes to cheesy and sleezy promotion tactics.
Nope, the internet is different in their eyes. They only know they need a bunch of links. Its not important to them to build an overall web persona. PR is not a concern. But it should be. Because the web is no different than any other advertising medium. People are people, and if they read crappy comments that make you and your company look bad, they are not going to do business with you.
Now, lets also consider the other blogs out there and some basic manners. In the real world, that is the one that doesnt have a keyboard attached to it, you need to have some etiquette when it comes to business networking, right
For example, if you are a member of the local rotary club, you dont walk into the meeting each week shouting, Make 5,000 every day using my secret methods
Do you
No. You network. You shake everyones hand and say hello. You get into conversations and have intelligent discussions. You add something to the group as a whole. When asked, you give your expert advice and opinions and you build new relationships that turn into new client relationships.
So why would you do it any differently online
When working on links from other blogs and other business communities, have the same manners you would if you were in that rotary club meeting. Be a contributing part of the conversation. Get involved and work on your professional appearance at the same time. Post relevant comments to the current discussion. Dont interrupt like a thirty second commercial break, changing the topic so that you can promote your new product or service. Stay on topic and contribute something useful.
Its o.k. if you dont agree with someone. Good debate can be good for business. Some people will agree with you and visit your site based on your professional opinions. But only if your argument is written professionally and with some class. Stay out of name calling sessions and stay away from labels. Dont call anyone an idiot or a moron. In the end, you end up looking like one.
Your comments are mini press releases. They are little road signs showing how professional you are. Or how unprofessional you are. Your public appearance is up to you. So have some courtesy when posting your comments. It will make the difference when it comes to how successful your linking campaigns are.
About the Author
However, some manners are in order when it comes to posting comments and linking to your blog from other blogs.
It comes down to common courtesy. Weve all heard the golden rule, right Do unto others and all that jazz The goal is for us to get a much needed backlink to our website, thats true. But thats not all we want. Spammy backlinks can be obtained pretty easily. Theres even software out there that will blast your links to a million different blog posts comment areas. But its not really what we want or need.
Ill tell you one reason why.
Before even thinking about the other guys blog, and common courtesy, lets consider your overall professional appearance. Think of your backlink campaign as one big press release for a minute. If you were blasting a press release to the major news networks today, you would want to present a super professional appearance right You would want the world to see you as the undisputed expert in your field, professional, classy, the very best. Right
Then why would you use a different approach and spam your link across the blogosphere Making you and your website translate: your company look cheesy and unprofessional If you knew that was the way the world perceived you and your business, you probably would have thought twice about it before you used a link blaster and posted your link to a million spam blogs. The problem is that many businesses and many bloggers dont think the internet is part of the real world. They dont stop and think about the fact that their actions on the web can have the same negative impact that they would have in the real world when it comes to cheesy and sleezy promotion tactics.
Nope, the internet is different in their eyes. They only know they need a bunch of links. Its not important to them to build an overall web persona. PR is not a concern. But it should be. Because the web is no different than any other advertising medium. People are people, and if they read crappy comments that make you and your company look bad, they are not going to do business with you.
Now, lets also consider the other blogs out there and some basic manners. In the real world, that is the one that doesnt have a keyboard attached to it, you need to have some etiquette when it comes to business networking, right
For example, if you are a member of the local rotary club, you dont walk into the meeting each week shouting, Make 5,000 every day using my secret methods
Do you
No. You network. You shake everyones hand and say hello. You get into conversations and have intelligent discussions. You add something to the group as a whole. When asked, you give your expert advice and opinions and you build new relationships that turn into new client relationships.
So why would you do it any differently online
When working on links from other blogs and other business communities, have the same manners you would if you were in that rotary club meeting. Be a contributing part of the conversation. Get involved and work on your professional appearance at the same time. Post relevant comments to the current discussion. Dont interrupt like a thirty second commercial break, changing the topic so that you can promote your new product or service. Stay on topic and contribute something useful.
Its o.k. if you dont agree with someone. Good debate can be good for business. Some people will agree with you and visit your site based on your professional opinions. But only if your argument is written professionally and with some class. Stay out of name calling sessions and stay away from labels. Dont call anyone an idiot or a moron. In the end, you end up looking like one.
Your comments are mini press releases. They are little road signs showing how professional you are. Or how unprofessional you are. Your public appearance is up to you. So have some courtesy when posting your comments. It will make the difference when it comes to how successful your linking campaigns are.
About the Author
Chuck Crawford is an established expert in web design, traffic development and website financial analysis. He has been helping people design and develop their internet business since 1995. visit
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Labels: business, Club, entrepreneur, profit, revenue, startup
# posted by Smart Man @ 4:32 AM
Monday, July 28, 2008
Why Cold Calling is Such a Waste of Time
Cold calling is a selling method wherein the salesperson makes unsolicited calls, with the help of a phone in most cases, to prospective clients. The adjective cold is used because of the initial treatment of recipients towards the callers. Although its extremely difficult for sales people to attain their objectives through cold calling, most of them still persist in using this topic.
There should, however, come a point of accepting that some methods just dont work, ie. cold calling, and its time to move to greener pastures.
Other Areas Where Cold Calling is Used
Cold calling is not exclusively used in sales although it is its primary application. Cold calling however can also be used, and more effectively in some cases, in other industries such as recruitment and labor placement for instance. Head hunters make unsolicited or cold calls to people whom they wish to pirate for another job opportunity.
Reasons Why Cold Calling is an Ineffective Sales Method
Time Eater - People tend to think of cold calls as time eaters because theyre forced to dedicate a portion of their busy schedules just to entertain cold calls. This is doubly resentful since these calls werent scheduled and solicited in the first place. Cold calls can cause people to ruin their schedules when theyre too polite to cut the caller short.
Act of Rudeness - Some people tend to view cold calls as a simple act of rudeness merely because they werent solicited. As such, these people feel theyre very much in their rights to reject this type of call and treat rudeness with rudeness as well.
Wrong Target - It would be better, of course, if prospects used for cold calls were carefully selected, but in most cases, they arent. For that reason, you could be making cold calls to the wrong people: people who arent your target market and has no interest whatsoever in whatever youre selling or offering.
Remember that one of the basic lessons in sales and marketing is to have a target market in mind and to identify specific characteristics that make the target market respond positively towards your product. When youre giving your sales pitch to the wrong target market, theres very little possibility that youll succeed in attaining your objective.
Insignificance - Other individuals dont mean to neglect your calls, but the mere fact that your call is not expected or scheduled automatically places it on the bottom of the persons priority list. As such, your call will be labeled insignificant, and its very possible that you wont even be given access to the person youre intending to talk to.
Hard on the Nerves - At times, the problem isnt with the recipient of the call but with the recipient himself. People can feel inordinately nervous whenever theyre required to talk to strangers who may not even welcome the idea of having to spend minutes listening to a sales pitch made by an anonymous caller.
If youre the type to imagine all sorts of horror happening to you even though theres no present indication to say that the recipient of your caller will react that way, this could destroy your concentration and make you unable to deliver your sales pitch the way it should be.
Although cold calling has its benefits, affordability being one of them, it is however still not a method that you should apply to every, if any, customer. The potential harms of cold calling far outweighs its benefits so if you dont want to risk alienating a prospective client, stay away from cold calling
About the Author
There should, however, come a point of accepting that some methods just dont work, ie. cold calling, and its time to move to greener pastures.
Other Areas Where Cold Calling is Used
Cold calling is not exclusively used in sales although it is its primary application. Cold calling however can also be used, and more effectively in some cases, in other industries such as recruitment and labor placement for instance. Head hunters make unsolicited or cold calls to people whom they wish to pirate for another job opportunity.
Reasons Why Cold Calling is an Ineffective Sales Method
Time Eater - People tend to think of cold calls as time eaters because theyre forced to dedicate a portion of their busy schedules just to entertain cold calls. This is doubly resentful since these calls werent scheduled and solicited in the first place. Cold calls can cause people to ruin their schedules when theyre too polite to cut the caller short.
Act of Rudeness - Some people tend to view cold calls as a simple act of rudeness merely because they werent solicited. As such, these people feel theyre very much in their rights to reject this type of call and treat rudeness with rudeness as well.
Wrong Target - It would be better, of course, if prospects used for cold calls were carefully selected, but in most cases, they arent. For that reason, you could be making cold calls to the wrong people: people who arent your target market and has no interest whatsoever in whatever youre selling or offering.
Remember that one of the basic lessons in sales and marketing is to have a target market in mind and to identify specific characteristics that make the target market respond positively towards your product. When youre giving your sales pitch to the wrong target market, theres very little possibility that youll succeed in attaining your objective.
Insignificance - Other individuals dont mean to neglect your calls, but the mere fact that your call is not expected or scheduled automatically places it on the bottom of the persons priority list. As such, your call will be labeled insignificant, and its very possible that you wont even be given access to the person youre intending to talk to.
Hard on the Nerves - At times, the problem isnt with the recipient of the call but with the recipient himself. People can feel inordinately nervous whenever theyre required to talk to strangers who may not even welcome the idea of having to spend minutes listening to a sales pitch made by an anonymous caller.
If youre the type to imagine all sorts of horror happening to you even though theres no present indication to say that the recipient of your caller will react that way, this could destroy your concentration and make you unable to deliver your sales pitch the way it should be.
Although cold calling has its benefits, affordability being one of them, it is however still not a method that you should apply to every, if any, customer. The potential harms of cold calling far outweighs its benefits so if you dont want to risk alienating a prospective client, stay away from cold calling
About the Author
Daegan Smith Is And Expert Online Marketer
"Wanna Lean The Secret To Making 85,147,717
Per Month While Quickly And Easily EXPLODING
Your Network Marketing Organization by 7,141
People Without EVER Buying Or Calling a
Single Stinking Lead" Free CD Explains All:http://www.easymlmprofits.com
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# posted by Smart Man @ 4:35 PM
The Four Tier Annihilation Method In-Depth Review
Before going on with the review on "The Four Tier Annihilation Method", let me say that by reading the sales letter on its website, some people would not be able to guess what kind of business that the authors are referring to. I was one of them too although there is already a few snapshots of the ever popular auction website posted on the webpage. Moreover, the authors two authors to be exact do not mention anything related to this auction website. But, if you are involved in online auction, youll immediately have an idea of what the content of "The Four Tier Annihilation Method" is all about."The Four Tier Annihilation Method" is sold through ClickBank. So, you will get access to this product once your payment is successfully verified.Inside the download area of "The Four Tier Annihilation Method", you will find an ebook and 22 other videos. "The Four Tier Annihilation Method" ebook is in PDF format and it contains 145 pages full of contents.
The videos are meant to explain the strategies and tactics written in the ebook for better understanding. Some of the videos also have more advanced strategies than explained in the ebook. Having said that, the reader should also watch these videos even after they finish reading the ebook.
Back to the ebook, "The Four Tier Annihilation Method" contains 4 modules which are based on the four tier concept the authors, Saj P and Alex Goad, are trying to explain. I feel each chapter is divided equally long enough in terms of its depth in explaining the idea and also in terms of its complexity. This means if you are only interested in one idea, you can focus only one module and move on to another without missing any details. But, like the ebook suggests, its better for you to read and apply the first module first before moving on to the next one.
In Module 1, you will learn how to sell physical products. It starts out by researching the products, outsourcing them and finally get them sold. If there is only one resource which is priceless to me, it should be the service that is available to supply you almost anything that you can imagine selling on the internet. With this Tier 1 method, it is possible to earn 100 or more a month.
Module 2 is one of my favorites as it explains how to monetize digital or infoproducts. There are a few profitable strategies that you can apply in this module and if its done properly, you can get a profit of 1000 or more per month. Now, here is what I think is valuable for me from this chapter - a resource where you can dropship your digital product in the form of a CD or DVD to your customers for less than 2 a piece. I know that there are a lot of internet marketing gurus out there selling premium price for products on CD and DVD. With this resource, even you can now sell your infoproducts on CD or DVD without you have to handle all the grunt work of producing the discs.
The next Tier will be the one that can make you 10,000 or more per month. It deals with a more high-end products but the good news is that in all 4 tiers explained in the ebook, you can have lots of resources to start selling them.
Tier X is the advanced module in Module 3. This is a more involved module that might get you rich even by selling one product. The return might be in a 5 or 6 figure depending on what you sell. However, Tier X also has a different style of selling compared to the other tiers, and the authors suggest that this would be the last Tier to get involved once you learn the previous modules.
And before the end of "The Four Tier Annihilation Method" ebook, there is a section which teaches you how to also make great income through affiliate marketing. This is probably the module that lots of affiliate marketers would be happy to read. The idea is practical and it doesnt take a lot of capital to start. Among the topics in this module are "CPA Profits" and "List Building". What I like the most about this module is that the market is already there. You just have to bring the right product to offer.
In summary, "The Four Tier Annihilation Method" is definitely not a beginners guide on how to set up an account on an auction site and start selling unwanted products just to get rid of the trash from your house. This product will teach you how to successfully build wealth one step at a time by following the different categories tiers taught by the authors.
I will give "The Four Tier Annihilation Method" 4 out of 5 stars if I were to grade it. In fact, Im happy to see a product at the price of 77 that has an in-depth information such as "The Four Tier Annihilation Method".
About the Author
The videos are meant to explain the strategies and tactics written in the ebook for better understanding. Some of the videos also have more advanced strategies than explained in the ebook. Having said that, the reader should also watch these videos even after they finish reading the ebook.
Back to the ebook, "The Four Tier Annihilation Method" contains 4 modules which are based on the four tier concept the authors, Saj P and Alex Goad, are trying to explain. I feel each chapter is divided equally long enough in terms of its depth in explaining the idea and also in terms of its complexity. This means if you are only interested in one idea, you can focus only one module and move on to another without missing any details. But, like the ebook suggests, its better for you to read and apply the first module first before moving on to the next one.
In Module 1, you will learn how to sell physical products. It starts out by researching the products, outsourcing them and finally get them sold. If there is only one resource which is priceless to me, it should be the service that is available to supply you almost anything that you can imagine selling on the internet. With this Tier 1 method, it is possible to earn 100 or more a month.
Module 2 is one of my favorites as it explains how to monetize digital or infoproducts. There are a few profitable strategies that you can apply in this module and if its done properly, you can get a profit of 1000 or more per month. Now, here is what I think is valuable for me from this chapter - a resource where you can dropship your digital product in the form of a CD or DVD to your customers for less than 2 a piece. I know that there are a lot of internet marketing gurus out there selling premium price for products on CD and DVD. With this resource, even you can now sell your infoproducts on CD or DVD without you have to handle all the grunt work of producing the discs.
The next Tier will be the one that can make you 10,000 or more per month. It deals with a more high-end products but the good news is that in all 4 tiers explained in the ebook, you can have lots of resources to start selling them.
Tier X is the advanced module in Module 3. This is a more involved module that might get you rich even by selling one product. The return might be in a 5 or 6 figure depending on what you sell. However, Tier X also has a different style of selling compared to the other tiers, and the authors suggest that this would be the last Tier to get involved once you learn the previous modules.
And before the end of "The Four Tier Annihilation Method" ebook, there is a section which teaches you how to also make great income through affiliate marketing. This is probably the module that lots of affiliate marketers would be happy to read. The idea is practical and it doesnt take a lot of capital to start. Among the topics in this module are "CPA Profits" and "List Building". What I like the most about this module is that the market is already there. You just have to bring the right product to offer.
In summary, "The Four Tier Annihilation Method" is definitely not a beginners guide on how to set up an account on an auction site and start selling unwanted products just to get rid of the trash from your house. This product will teach you how to successfully build wealth one step at a time by following the different categories tiers taught by the authors.
I will give "The Four Tier Annihilation Method" 4 out of 5 stars if I were to grade it. In fact, Im happy to see a product at the price of 77 that has an in-depth information such as "The Four Tier Annihilation Method".
About the Author
To complete Zamri Nanyans
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Labels: business, Club, entrepreneur, profit, revenue, startup
# posted by Smart Man @ 3:40 AM
Friday, July 25, 2008
Going Global: Is it Right For Your Small Business
Have you been feeling the itch to send your small business global Many are in your shoes--seeing the benefits of business expansion but also fearing the risk of taking products abroad. Although exporting your products may expand your business and bring higher sales, the task may seem daunting to a small business with fewer resources than a large company. But if you take your time and research the process, going global with your company may garner more rewards than costs.
To begin the international business process, look at potential foreign markets for your business. The U.S. Department of Commerce website can aid your investigation by giving information about foreign commerce. Look over the different markets and decide where your product would be received best. Also, think of the amount of merchandise you plan on sending to the overseas market. This number can change in the future, but you should start with an idea of whether or not you need to produce extra product or can simply internationalize a fraction of what you already are producing.
Next, test your product in the potential markets you found. Again, the U.S. government will come to your aid with opportunities to test-run your business with potential U.S. foreign partners. If you find your product is received well, start looking for ways to sell that product permanently in the overseas market.
There are generally two ways to sell in a foreign country. The first is to find a vendor in that country who would be interested in selling your product. You can create a partnership with this vendor, giving them a percentage of the profits. Doing business internationally in this manner is helpful because foreign vendors know how to market to the target culture. However, be sure to research the company thoroughly before making any lasting plans.
Another option for selling abroad is to find a broker or export management company to assist you. Both of these options would require a small commission in order to sell your product. However, such a commission is a small price to pay for the expertise found in such avenues. Also be sure to check out the legal requirements, cultural standards and appropriate pricing for the country in which you wish to sell in order to avoid future problems.
The cultural differences between your country and the foreign market you chose will make a big difference in business. For example, China is experiencing a booming economy and has become one of the top picks for exportation. It is important to note when doing business with a Chinese company that the personal relationship between yourself and the Chinese business is crucial. Showing long-term commitment in China as well as showing personal respect to your business customers and partners will bring you success. Take into account such cultural aspects before selling in any country.
Finally, find a reliable shipping company to export your products. Check the cost, time to ship and reliability of the shipper before committing. It may be helpful to ask the advice of other small businesses owners who decided to take their products abroad. Such companies will have experience with reliable shippers and may be able to refer you.
Once youve chosen a shipping company, make sure to take precautions when shipping your merchandise. First, be sure all items are packed securely as they will be changing hands multiple times in their journey to foreign lands. Second, mark all boxes clearly in your native tongue as well as that of the country to which the items are being shipped. This allows for less miscommunication during the travel. Third, insure your merchandise in order to protect it from any damage along the way.
Keep in mind when going global with your business that you should not expect immediate cash flow. It may take a few months or years to get the profit you desire. However, once you become accustomed to international business, you will find it to be truly rewarding.
About the Author
To begin the international business process, look at potential foreign markets for your business. The U.S. Department of Commerce website can aid your investigation by giving information about foreign commerce. Look over the different markets and decide where your product would be received best. Also, think of the amount of merchandise you plan on sending to the overseas market. This number can change in the future, but you should start with an idea of whether or not you need to produce extra product or can simply internationalize a fraction of what you already are producing.
Next, test your product in the potential markets you found. Again, the U.S. government will come to your aid with opportunities to test-run your business with potential U.S. foreign partners. If you find your product is received well, start looking for ways to sell that product permanently in the overseas market.
There are generally two ways to sell in a foreign country. The first is to find a vendor in that country who would be interested in selling your product. You can create a partnership with this vendor, giving them a percentage of the profits. Doing business internationally in this manner is helpful because foreign vendors know how to market to the target culture. However, be sure to research the company thoroughly before making any lasting plans.
Another option for selling abroad is to find a broker or export management company to assist you. Both of these options would require a small commission in order to sell your product. However, such a commission is a small price to pay for the expertise found in such avenues. Also be sure to check out the legal requirements, cultural standards and appropriate pricing for the country in which you wish to sell in order to avoid future problems.
The cultural differences between your country and the foreign market you chose will make a big difference in business. For example, China is experiencing a booming economy and has become one of the top picks for exportation. It is important to note when doing business with a Chinese company that the personal relationship between yourself and the Chinese business is crucial. Showing long-term commitment in China as well as showing personal respect to your business customers and partners will bring you success. Take into account such cultural aspects before selling in any country.
Finally, find a reliable shipping company to export your products. Check the cost, time to ship and reliability of the shipper before committing. It may be helpful to ask the advice of other small businesses owners who decided to take their products abroad. Such companies will have experience with reliable shippers and may be able to refer you.
Once youve chosen a shipping company, make sure to take precautions when shipping your merchandise. First, be sure all items are packed securely as they will be changing hands multiple times in their journey to foreign lands. Second, mark all boxes clearly in your native tongue as well as that of the country to which the items are being shipped. This allows for less miscommunication during the travel. Third, insure your merchandise in order to protect it from any damage along the way.
Keep in mind when going global with your business that you should not expect immediate cash flow. It may take a few months or years to get the profit you desire. However, once you become accustomed to international business, you will find it to be truly rewarding.
About the Author
Melissa Mashtonio writes for Manta.com, the go-to site for researching
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Labels: business, Club, entrepreneur, profit, revenue, startup
# posted by Smart Man @ 4:22 AM
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Top 6 Tips Select an Ideal System to Sell Your Digital Products Online
If you are selling products online then you should also have a suitable system in place that enables easy tracking and reporting mechanisms. Only then can you make an informed decision on the progress of your business and sales. Here we provide you the top 6 tips on selecting the ideal merchant service for your account.
1. The Service Must Suit Your Product
Ideally the merchant service you select should complement your line of business. If you are into selling digital products like ebooks and software then your merchant service provider should accommodate such products as well. Why If you want to sell for e.g. ebooks, then you should choose a system that allows merchants to sell digital products and downloads. This way you will have a much greater access to many great features such as download protection, thank-you page protection, etc. that other merchant services doesnt offer. Such service will be much more suitable for you than any other.
2. You Should Be Able to Track and Monitor Everything About Your Product
Your merchant service provider needs to have suitable mechanisms in place that enable you to easily track and monitor your sales and overall progress made. It should ideally provide you with readily accessible customized reports and online tracking methods where you can track sales, which PPC campaigns are fetching the most sales, which keywords earn you most traffic etc. It should also allow you to easily track the performance of your affiliates - how many visitors they bring, how many sales they make and overall conversion rates for eash different affiliate - incase you have an affiliate program for your product set up.
3. Security and Fraud Protection is Vital For Your Online Business
The merchant service provider you select needs to have a high level of protection and security measures in place. SSL certification should be a must and even security measures like merchant rating systems should be in place to protect affiliate interests. But SSL certificates wont protect you from fraudulent sales. Such system should provide the complete protection from illegal file sharing if you sell downloads, fake customers and other illegal activity protection. When you have a complete security, only then you will be able to successfully run your online business.
4. Top Customer Support - the Importance
This is one of the most crucial elements of any good merchant service provider. Your prospective merchant service provider needs to have a high level of customer support with ready access to manuals, user guides, forum discussion groups and contact forms and FAQs so that you can get answers to information you need anytime The last thing you want is for your sales to slacken on account of lack of information and help So remember Always ask questions the support team to test the company. If the support is helpful and answers all your questions - you should definitely go for such company.
5. Huge Variety of Payment Options
Your merchant account needs to have suitable provisions for payments through both credit card as well as other means like PayPal, Moneybookers, Authorize.net, Worldpay, Google Checkout etc. Having such a varied set of payment processors and options will stand your business in good stead as you can reach out to a wider customer base and enhance your sales quotient. Make sure you can offer as much payment options as possible. This way you will be able to increase your sales much more
6. Free Registration - Dont Pay Any Fees Until You Start Making Sales
This is imperative when you are looking for a merchant services provider. In todays age you shouldnt pay for just signing up to sell, registering for services from your merchant support system should be free. If you have to pay for signing up then it is a sheer waste of your time and effort. Make sure that such company only charges a flat fee per transaction, so you pay only when you make a sale. One of the reliable and effective merchant service providers is Click2sell.EU http://www.click2sell.eu. The company has a great merchant platform that enables merchants to easily track the performance of their affiliates, the progression of sales, PPC campaigns etc. through customized reports and tracking mechanisms online. In addition all of these reports and statistical information can be easily downloaded and saved for future reference to make informed decisions on future campaigns and sales efforts. Click2sell offers many value-added features like varied payment options, in-built affiliate network, affiliate tracking and many others. So when you decide to sell your products online, make sure to choose a great company that will give you the most benefits. It will be vital for your success
About the Author
1. The Service Must Suit Your Product
Ideally the merchant service you select should complement your line of business. If you are into selling digital products like ebooks and software then your merchant service provider should accommodate such products as well. Why If you want to sell for e.g. ebooks, then you should choose a system that allows merchants to sell digital products and downloads. This way you will have a much greater access to many great features such as download protection, thank-you page protection, etc. that other merchant services doesnt offer. Such service will be much more suitable for you than any other.
2. You Should Be Able to Track and Monitor Everything About Your Product
Your merchant service provider needs to have suitable mechanisms in place that enable you to easily track and monitor your sales and overall progress made. It should ideally provide you with readily accessible customized reports and online tracking methods where you can track sales, which PPC campaigns are fetching the most sales, which keywords earn you most traffic etc. It should also allow you to easily track the performance of your affiliates - how many visitors they bring, how many sales they make and overall conversion rates for eash different affiliate - incase you have an affiliate program for your product set up.
3. Security and Fraud Protection is Vital For Your Online Business
The merchant service provider you select needs to have a high level of protection and security measures in place. SSL certification should be a must and even security measures like merchant rating systems should be in place to protect affiliate interests. But SSL certificates wont protect you from fraudulent sales. Such system should provide the complete protection from illegal file sharing if you sell downloads, fake customers and other illegal activity protection. When you have a complete security, only then you will be able to successfully run your online business.
4. Top Customer Support - the Importance
This is one of the most crucial elements of any good merchant service provider. Your prospective merchant service provider needs to have a high level of customer support with ready access to manuals, user guides, forum discussion groups and contact forms and FAQs so that you can get answers to information you need anytime The last thing you want is for your sales to slacken on account of lack of information and help So remember Always ask questions the support team to test the company. If the support is helpful and answers all your questions - you should definitely go for such company.
5. Huge Variety of Payment Options
Your merchant account needs to have suitable provisions for payments through both credit card as well as other means like PayPal, Moneybookers, Authorize.net, Worldpay, Google Checkout etc. Having such a varied set of payment processors and options will stand your business in good stead as you can reach out to a wider customer base and enhance your sales quotient. Make sure you can offer as much payment options as possible. This way you will be able to increase your sales much more
6. Free Registration - Dont Pay Any Fees Until You Start Making Sales
This is imperative when you are looking for a merchant services provider. In todays age you shouldnt pay for just signing up to sell, registering for services from your merchant support system should be free. If you have to pay for signing up then it is a sheer waste of your time and effort. Make sure that such company only charges a flat fee per transaction, so you pay only when you make a sale. One of the reliable and effective merchant service providers is Click2sell.EU http://www.click2sell.eu. The company has a great merchant platform that enables merchants to easily track the performance of their affiliates, the progression of sales, PPC campaigns etc. through customized reports and tracking mechanisms online. In addition all of these reports and statistical information can be easily downloaded and saved for future reference to make informed decisions on future campaigns and sales efforts. Click2sell offers many value-added features like varied payment options, in-built affiliate network, affiliate tracking and many others. So when you decide to sell your products online, make sure to choose a great company that will give you the most benefits. It will be vital for your success
About the Author
Egidijus Andreika is a creator of Click2Sell.EU
Relaited Links:
Labels: business, Club, entrepreneur, profit, revenue, startup
# posted by Smart Man @ 5:29 PM
Combating Loneliness While Working From Home
Combating loneliness while working from home can be a difficult task. Coming from a professional executive position to a work at home position was a very exciting move for me. I had always wanted to be my own boss, set my own hours, and work on my own terms.
Little did I know that eventually, I would face the complication of pure loneliness. Here I will share with you some productive means of combating loneliness while working from home.
The truth is, it is not so much loneliness for interpersonal relationships, it is a loneliness that revolves around the lack of professional transactions. I found myself missing the hustle and bustle of the average work day. The emails, the projects I once managed, the employees I once coached and dealt with on a daily basis, the management team that I worked so closely with; the basic level of responsibility and accountability of the workplace.
I missed being the professional that I once was as well as the sense of achievement that I once enjoyed on a daily basis. It actually took some time before it really hit me that I was lonely for all of the interactions and responsibilities that I was so used to. I am not sure if it was because I had less to do, more time to think, or what - but there was no doubt at all that I was definitely lonely.
If you are reading this and you work from home you know exactly what I am talking about. I am going to share with you some of the ways that I have learned to completely combat this loneliness. These methods may or may not work for you, but they have helped me.
Instant Messaging Programs
Instant messaging programs can allow you a form of interaction with others when you work at home. Personally, I am not big on using these programs to communicate with people that I do not know or deal with on a regular basis. Most of my contacts consist of family members; people who I have went to school with, those that I once worked with, personal friends, neighbors, and even those that I work with in the virtual world.
Believe me when I say, that just with these contacts I stay relatively busy. This is a safe, effective means of keeping in touch with others and makes time go by more quickly when I am busy working throughout the day.
Work Related Projects
If you work at home and are in a position where you can assist in work related projects, you should do so. I really miss the work that I did in the workplace. When I find myself tempted to give in to the job offers and invitations from past employers, I consider what I would have to give up and what my family would have to sacrifice.
It is then that I try to start projects that relate to who I am as a professional. I focused a lot on employee motivation and customer service in the workplace. When I establish projects that relate to these two elements in the "virtual" workplace that I am currently a part of, it seems to help me in combating the loneliness while working from home.
While it does not allow for a lot of interaction with others while I am doing it, it does provide me with a sense of familiarity and comfort that I grew accustom to in the workplace. It provides me with a sense of accomplishment and allows me to feel as if I still carry the value that I once carried when I worked outside the home.
Schedule Some Time for Yourself
One of the biggest challenges when it comes to working at home is scheduling some time for you. If you allow yourself, you will find that you work nonstop - with few to no breaks. This can be quite challenging. Even in the workplace, you get breaks. If you were a workaholic at work, if you work from home, you will take up those same characteristics.
If you work in a "virtual" work environment the people who identify this trait in you will likely appreciate this to the point where they allow you to continue on doing this. Hey, they need breaks too - why not just load all the work on top of someone who they know will always be there If you find that you are in this position you will also find that you are quite lonely.
Hearing about your virtual coworkers going out, spending time with their friends and families, or just spending some time resting and relaxing can be very detrimental to your self esteem if you do not allow yourself to enjoy some of these things too. Take the time - find out who you are and what you like to do - then DO IT This is necessary if you want to combat loneliness while working from home.
Conclusion
Loneliness while working from home is a very real issue. If you support your family financially in this manner, you are quite likely to experience the difficult issue of being lonely too. There are many reasons why this may occur. If you experience this issue it is important to reach out and find ways to combat this issue.
Depression, anxiety, and even suicide contemplation and attempts are very serious issues that you may find yourself experiencing if you are not equipped with the tactics to combating loneliness while working from home.
About the Author
Little did I know that eventually, I would face the complication of pure loneliness. Here I will share with you some productive means of combating loneliness while working from home.
The truth is, it is not so much loneliness for interpersonal relationships, it is a loneliness that revolves around the lack of professional transactions. I found myself missing the hustle and bustle of the average work day. The emails, the projects I once managed, the employees I once coached and dealt with on a daily basis, the management team that I worked so closely with; the basic level of responsibility and accountability of the workplace.
I missed being the professional that I once was as well as the sense of achievement that I once enjoyed on a daily basis. It actually took some time before it really hit me that I was lonely for all of the interactions and responsibilities that I was so used to. I am not sure if it was because I had less to do, more time to think, or what - but there was no doubt at all that I was definitely lonely.
If you are reading this and you work from home you know exactly what I am talking about. I am going to share with you some of the ways that I have learned to completely combat this loneliness. These methods may or may not work for you, but they have helped me.
Instant Messaging Programs
Instant messaging programs can allow you a form of interaction with others when you work at home. Personally, I am not big on using these programs to communicate with people that I do not know or deal with on a regular basis. Most of my contacts consist of family members; people who I have went to school with, those that I once worked with, personal friends, neighbors, and even those that I work with in the virtual world.
Believe me when I say, that just with these contacts I stay relatively busy. This is a safe, effective means of keeping in touch with others and makes time go by more quickly when I am busy working throughout the day.
Work Related Projects
If you work at home and are in a position where you can assist in work related projects, you should do so. I really miss the work that I did in the workplace. When I find myself tempted to give in to the job offers and invitations from past employers, I consider what I would have to give up and what my family would have to sacrifice.
It is then that I try to start projects that relate to who I am as a professional. I focused a lot on employee motivation and customer service in the workplace. When I establish projects that relate to these two elements in the "virtual" workplace that I am currently a part of, it seems to help me in combating the loneliness while working from home.
While it does not allow for a lot of interaction with others while I am doing it, it does provide me with a sense of familiarity and comfort that I grew accustom to in the workplace. It provides me with a sense of accomplishment and allows me to feel as if I still carry the value that I once carried when I worked outside the home.
Schedule Some Time for Yourself
One of the biggest challenges when it comes to working at home is scheduling some time for you. If you allow yourself, you will find that you work nonstop - with few to no breaks. This can be quite challenging. Even in the workplace, you get breaks. If you were a workaholic at work, if you work from home, you will take up those same characteristics.
If you work in a "virtual" work environment the people who identify this trait in you will likely appreciate this to the point where they allow you to continue on doing this. Hey, they need breaks too - why not just load all the work on top of someone who they know will always be there If you find that you are in this position you will also find that you are quite lonely.
Hearing about your virtual coworkers going out, spending time with their friends and families, or just spending some time resting and relaxing can be very detrimental to your self esteem if you do not allow yourself to enjoy some of these things too. Take the time - find out who you are and what you like to do - then DO IT This is necessary if you want to combat loneliness while working from home.
Conclusion
Loneliness while working from home is a very real issue. If you support your family financially in this manner, you are quite likely to experience the difficult issue of being lonely too. There are many reasons why this may occur. If you experience this issue it is important to reach out and find ways to combat this issue.
Depression, anxiety, and even suicide contemplation and attempts are very serious issues that you may find yourself experiencing if you are not equipped with the tactics to combating loneliness while working from home.
About the Author
Chris Simpson is dedicated to helping people
Relaited Links:
Labels: business, Club, entrepreneur, profit, revenue, startup
# posted by Smart Man @ 5:01 AM
Monday, July 21, 2008
Loading Dock Lifts
Loading dock lifts are intended to reduce man-hours and improve safety where there are no loading dock facilities. A lift raises materials to the truck by means of hydraulic cylinders. Loading dock lifts are engineered for maximum safety, minimize the risk of injury, and vastly improve time to market efficiency. Each unit features easy to use controls in the form of a push button, 24V AC on a 20 foot long coil cord. The pre-wired control box includes a magnetic starter and overload fuse, and an emergency velocity fuse stops momentum in the event of a line break.
Loading dock lifts also feature high visibility, removable handrails with fixed toe boards. The checkered deck plate on each unit is made from heavy gauge steel and will last for many years. The perimeter of the platform is surrounded by beveled toe-guards and electric toe-guards to prevent slips and falls. The electric toe-guard is a patented feature that is essential to the safety of personnel. It is made from L-shaped aluminum extrusion and hangs below the entire perimeter of the deck. This is important, because if the loading dock lift is being lowered while an object, hand, or foot crosses its path, the guard will be triggered and the unit will electrically stop the table from lowering. When the object is removed, the table once again begins to move. It is not necessary to reset the unit.
Toe-guard provisions are standard OSHA and ANSI safety measures used on a variety of platforms and are also built into the loading dock lift for compliance protocol. The scissor table loading dock lift is also semi-portable, and can be operated up to 8 feet away from the 6.5 HP motor that drives it.
Manufacturers can also customize loading dock lifts with any number of options requested at the time of purchase. These options include, but are not limited, to the following:
SPLIT ALUMINUM TRUCK BRIDGE
The standard steel bridge can be replaced with an aluminum bridge measuring 72" wide x 18" long. This is ideal for government applications.
SPLIT STEEL BRIDGE
If necessary, an additional 72" wide x 18" long split steel bridge can be added to the opposite side of unit.
REMOVABLE HANDRAILS/TOEBOARDS
This is advantages when the unit is mounted in a pit. The additional handrails and toe boards allows the loading dock lift to be flush with the floor for fork truck cross traffic.
WARNING BEEPER & STROBE
In areas of heavy human traffic, this offers an added safety precaution. The beeper sounds at 80 decibels- loud enough to be heard over most light machinery.
ADDITIONAL APPROACH RAMPS
Your vendor can also fit the loading dock lift with additional approach ramps and hydraulic lines. Approach ramps can be obtained from your vendor for lowered height lifts of 8-12, depending on the size of the added ramp. Approach ramps must be anchored to the floor.
ADDITIONAL STRUCTURAL CHANNEL AND SUPPORTS FOR DECK
Ideal for heavy duty construction, this increases the rollover capacity of the loading dock lift up to 50,000 lbs., 25,000 lbs. per axle.
SAFETY ACCORDION SKIRTS
Keep people and debris from getting under the loading dock lift. We recommend customer installed skirts to avoid freight damage.
AUTOMATIC WHEEL CHOCKS
As the unit lifts, this option will block the dock end of the ramp to avoid roll off. Wheel clocks require a special pit mount.
STOP SIGNAL SIGN
As the truck approaches the loading dock lift, the sign raises to let the driver know when to stop for safe loading/unloading.
KEY LOCK OPERATION
This prevents unauthorized use of the lift by locking out the controls.
TWO SPEED PUMP
Increase lifting speed by 55 when lift is unloaded. This is ideal for unloading applications.
2-10HP OPTIONAL POWER UNITS
Ask your manufacturers representative about which motor will work best for your operation. Both internal and external power units are available.
SPECIAL COATINGS
Cold galvanized coating is designed for wash down applications and wet environments. STEEL-IT COATING is designed for incidental food contact and wash down environments. FDA approved.
OIL HEATER
This accessory keeps the loading dock lift operating smoothly in extreme cold. The unit is supplied with a thermostat for automatic heat control.
About the Author
Loading dock lifts also feature high visibility, removable handrails with fixed toe boards. The checkered deck plate on each unit is made from heavy gauge steel and will last for many years. The perimeter of the platform is surrounded by beveled toe-guards and electric toe-guards to prevent slips and falls. The electric toe-guard is a patented feature that is essential to the safety of personnel. It is made from L-shaped aluminum extrusion and hangs below the entire perimeter of the deck. This is important, because if the loading dock lift is being lowered while an object, hand, or foot crosses its path, the guard will be triggered and the unit will electrically stop the table from lowering. When the object is removed, the table once again begins to move. It is not necessary to reset the unit.
Toe-guard provisions are standard OSHA and ANSI safety measures used on a variety of platforms and are also built into the loading dock lift for compliance protocol. The scissor table loading dock lift is also semi-portable, and can be operated up to 8 feet away from the 6.5 HP motor that drives it.
Manufacturers can also customize loading dock lifts with any number of options requested at the time of purchase. These options include, but are not limited, to the following:
SPLIT ALUMINUM TRUCK BRIDGE
The standard steel bridge can be replaced with an aluminum bridge measuring 72" wide x 18" long. This is ideal for government applications.
SPLIT STEEL BRIDGE
If necessary, an additional 72" wide x 18" long split steel bridge can be added to the opposite side of unit.
REMOVABLE HANDRAILS/TOEBOARDS
This is advantages when the unit is mounted in a pit. The additional handrails and toe boards allows the loading dock lift to be flush with the floor for fork truck cross traffic.
WARNING BEEPER & STROBE
In areas of heavy human traffic, this offers an added safety precaution. The beeper sounds at 80 decibels- loud enough to be heard over most light machinery.
ADDITIONAL APPROACH RAMPS
Your vendor can also fit the loading dock lift with additional approach ramps and hydraulic lines. Approach ramps can be obtained from your vendor for lowered height lifts of 8-12, depending on the size of the added ramp. Approach ramps must be anchored to the floor.
ADDITIONAL STRUCTURAL CHANNEL AND SUPPORTS FOR DECK
Ideal for heavy duty construction, this increases the rollover capacity of the loading dock lift up to 50,000 lbs., 25,000 lbs. per axle.
SAFETY ACCORDION SKIRTS
Keep people and debris from getting under the loading dock lift. We recommend customer installed skirts to avoid freight damage.
AUTOMATIC WHEEL CHOCKS
As the unit lifts, this option will block the dock end of the ramp to avoid roll off. Wheel clocks require a special pit mount.
STOP SIGNAL SIGN
As the truck approaches the loading dock lift, the sign raises to let the driver know when to stop for safe loading/unloading.
KEY LOCK OPERATION
This prevents unauthorized use of the lift by locking out the controls.
TWO SPEED PUMP
Increase lifting speed by 55 when lift is unloaded. This is ideal for unloading applications.
2-10HP OPTIONAL POWER UNITS
Ask your manufacturers representative about which motor will work best for your operation. Both internal and external power units are available.
SPECIAL COATINGS
Cold galvanized coating is designed for wash down applications and wet environments. STEEL-IT COATING is designed for incidental food contact and wash down environments. FDA approved.
OIL HEATER
This accessory keeps the loading dock lift operating smoothly in extreme cold. The unit is supplied with a thermostat for automatic heat control.
About the Author
Easyrack.org. For more information on
Relaited Links:
Labels: business, Club, entrepreneur, profit, revenue, startup
# posted by Smart Man @ 4:32 PM
Women Owning the Workplace: Tips to Guide Female Entrepreneurs
Women are taking the business world by storm, and it doesnt look like theyre backing down. According the Womenentrepreneur.com, women-owned firms are the fastest growing in the country. Women are looking beyond the traditional roles and moving ahead to a new role: entrepreneur. This does not necessarily mean women are swapping roles with their spouses although some are, but they simply may be adding owning a business to their list of daily duties.
If youre one of the many women considering going entrepreneur, its important to do your research first. Starting up a business is no easy task and many people get into trouble by diving in without any thought. Consider some of these tips to help you prepare yourself for the task ahead.
First, figure out what type of business you want to start. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to start a business dealing with something of no interest to you. Before you pick, think about your talents and passions. These are two key factors in choosing what type of business to run.
Once youve decided on your type of business, you can start focusing on that line of work.
Next, find a place to host your business. Many women start their businesses out of their homes--but its important to be careful.
If you want to start your business at home, be sure to find a place in your house that is strictly business. This area should be removed from the rest of your home and preferably have a door to close out the noise of a busy home. Also, you should try to get a phone line specific to your business instead of using your home phone number or cell phone. This will create a more professional feeling for customers.
Two of the biggest hurdles women face when starting a business are poor financing and lack of experience. Remedy the first by waiting until you are financially stable before you quit your current job to start a business. Take into consideration all the costs associated with starting a business: rent, supplies, employee salaries, etc.
When it comes to experience, just starting your business increases your knowledge However, avoid some of the problems encountered by inexperienced business owners by using mentors and other contacts to gain advice. Try finding women in your area who started their own businesses and ask for tips.
Before opening your doors, think about the time needed to start and run a business. If you are a mother who wants to be able to take care of her kids, realize this may not always be possible with the time demands of a business. Going back to school also may hinder your ability to start and run a business effectively. Look at the factors in your life that take up most of your time and weigh out your options.
Besides thinking of time restraints, also realize the risk of starting your own business. Many women look at starting a business as an opportunity to be their own boss and keep more of the profit, but there are snags in this dream.
Many businesses take 3 or 4 years to start up, and during this time may barely break even. Be sure to have a back-up plan in case your business doesnt catch on as quickly as you imagined. Also, being your own boss may seem glamorous, but this responsibility leaves only you to worry about financial situations and deal with employee issues.
Once youve considered the above factors, youre ready to start your business. The first months or year may be a challenge, but the rewards of completely owning a company are priceless. Just be sure to keep it all in perspective; most women entrepreneurs dont own Fortune 500 companies. Dont be afraid to allow your business to stay small rather than stretching your limits to grow. Finally, get support by joining networks such as entrepreneur.com or we-inc.org Women Entrepreneur, Inc. to get helpful tips and network with other female entrepreneurs.
About the Author
If youre one of the many women considering going entrepreneur, its important to do your research first. Starting up a business is no easy task and many people get into trouble by diving in without any thought. Consider some of these tips to help you prepare yourself for the task ahead.
First, figure out what type of business you want to start. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to start a business dealing with something of no interest to you. Before you pick, think about your talents and passions. These are two key factors in choosing what type of business to run.
Once youve decided on your type of business, you can start focusing on that line of work.
Next, find a place to host your business. Many women start their businesses out of their homes--but its important to be careful.
If you want to start your business at home, be sure to find a place in your house that is strictly business. This area should be removed from the rest of your home and preferably have a door to close out the noise of a busy home. Also, you should try to get a phone line specific to your business instead of using your home phone number or cell phone. This will create a more professional feeling for customers.
Two of the biggest hurdles women face when starting a business are poor financing and lack of experience. Remedy the first by waiting until you are financially stable before you quit your current job to start a business. Take into consideration all the costs associated with starting a business: rent, supplies, employee salaries, etc.
When it comes to experience, just starting your business increases your knowledge However, avoid some of the problems encountered by inexperienced business owners by using mentors and other contacts to gain advice. Try finding women in your area who started their own businesses and ask for tips.
Before opening your doors, think about the time needed to start and run a business. If you are a mother who wants to be able to take care of her kids, realize this may not always be possible with the time demands of a business. Going back to school also may hinder your ability to start and run a business effectively. Look at the factors in your life that take up most of your time and weigh out your options.
Besides thinking of time restraints, also realize the risk of starting your own business. Many women look at starting a business as an opportunity to be their own boss and keep more of the profit, but there are snags in this dream.
Many businesses take 3 or 4 years to start up, and during this time may barely break even. Be sure to have a back-up plan in case your business doesnt catch on as quickly as you imagined. Also, being your own boss may seem glamorous, but this responsibility leaves only you to worry about financial situations and deal with employee issues.
Once youve considered the above factors, youre ready to start your business. The first months or year may be a challenge, but the rewards of completely owning a company are priceless. Just be sure to keep it all in perspective; most women entrepreneurs dont own Fortune 500 companies. Dont be afraid to allow your business to stay small rather than stretching your limits to grow. Finally, get support by joining networks such as entrepreneur.com or we-inc.org Women Entrepreneur, Inc. to get helpful tips and network with other female entrepreneurs.
About the Author
Melissa Mashtonio writes for Manta.com, the go-to site for researching
Relaited Links:
Labels: business, Club, entrepreneur, profit, revenue, startup
# posted by Smart Man @ 6:10 AM
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Cantilever Shelving
Cantilever shelves enable you to store any awkwardly proportioned or exceptionally lengthy materials safely and conveniently. They are extremely beneficial when it comes to converting what you may perceive to be an unusable section of floor space into functional storage space. Cantilever shelving also helps maintain a safer, less cluttered work environment. You will no longer have use the floor to store things like sheet rock, metal sheets, or piping that can create trip hazards and present obstructions to people and vehicles. Another advantage you can obtain from cantilever shelves is the organizational power they can add to your process flow. With the appropriately sized cantilever racks, any number of products that normally defy categorization and easy access storage can be segregated and compartmentalized for inventory and retrieval on demand. The improvements that cantilever shelving will add to your organization will recover funds often lost by needless overtime hours and errors in inventory and stock selection. Although these returns on investment may appear at face value intangible and nebulous, they are absolutely real and will over the course of time pay for the equipment itself.
Cantilever shelves are different from traditional shelving systems and pallet racking systems. Rather than supporting a flat surface with a traditionally designed frame, cantilever shelves uses vertical uprights and adjustable arms that extend outward. Cantilever arms will either extend outward horizontally at a straight 90 degree angle to the upright, or they will angle slightly upward. Generally speaking, flat items like dry wall are stored on the horizontal arms, and longer, cylindrical materials are stored on arms that angle upward to act as a supportive cradle that prevents roll offs. Knowing which type of uprights and arms to use in your cantilever rack requires first determining exactly what you plan to use it for. It also requires some calculation of weight load and distribution which either simple math or a phone call to an material handling consultant can help you quickly determine.
Because uprights and arms are sold individually, most cantilever shelves are actually custom creations of our clients. There are preconfigured systems we have available that are designed for light and general storage needs. Details of these units can be obtained by clicking here, or by calling your material handling vendor.
If you are going to build your own custom shelving out of cantilever supports and arms, it is important to follow four general principles in determining exactly which items you will need to create a medium duty or heavy duty storage system for your warehouse or factory.
1. First, determine load capacitance by dividing the total amount of weight you will store by the number of arms you plan to order. You must procure enough arms to evenly divide individual proportions of the load that are equal to or less than the total weight capacitance of an individual cantilever shelving arm.
2. To determine the strength and number of uprights to order, again divide your total weight by the projected number of vertical support to ensure that the divided weight is equal to or less than the total capacity of the piece. Never allow the weight on a single cantilever arm to exceed the weight capacity of a vertical upright. To do so would put stress on the entire system.
3. Make certain too that the depth of the load never exceeds the length of the cantilever arm. If it does, the cantilever arms are pulled forward and the shelving unit can potentially tip forward.
4. Divide the total product length by the total number of arms, and then divide the product again by two. This will determine the total overhang of your equipment on either side of each arm. Without the proper degree of overhang, the arms will be stressed or the cantilever shelf will become horizontally imbalanced.
If you do not have time to do all these calculations, or simply do not working out math yourself, call us and let us do it for you. We specialize in building custom cantilever shelves for virtually any storage need including, but not limited to:
Tubing and pipe storage
Metal bar stock and rods
Appliances.
Rugs and rolls of fabric
Furniture
Merchandise in large boxes.
Lumber and wood products
TVs, stereos and electronic components.
Poles
Aluminum Sheets
Wooden Crates
Plywood
Plumbing pipe cantilever shelves racks.
Dry wall
Metal Crates
Sheet Metal.
Fabricated long parts
Flake boards
Masonite sheets
Marble
Granite and other stone products
Organizing a warehouse or manufacturing facility is easy with cantilever shelves. They make your environment more efficient and more organized, and the also make it safer by presenting no vertical obstructions. We help our clients build cantilever shelving systems according to precise load size and weight, and we ensure the correct allowance for vertical clearance. We will also advise you on when it may be necessary to add guide rails and entrance guards to protect equipment and materials from damage. Ordering cantilever racks online is a simple, safe and secure procedure. Our internet staff of shelving associates will not ship an order until it meets all functional and safety requirements mandated by principles of excellence and industry regulations.
About the Author
Cantilever shelves are different from traditional shelving systems and pallet racking systems. Rather than supporting a flat surface with a traditionally designed frame, cantilever shelves uses vertical uprights and adjustable arms that extend outward. Cantilever arms will either extend outward horizontally at a straight 90 degree angle to the upright, or they will angle slightly upward. Generally speaking, flat items like dry wall are stored on the horizontal arms, and longer, cylindrical materials are stored on arms that angle upward to act as a supportive cradle that prevents roll offs. Knowing which type of uprights and arms to use in your cantilever rack requires first determining exactly what you plan to use it for. It also requires some calculation of weight load and distribution which either simple math or a phone call to an material handling consultant can help you quickly determine.
Because uprights and arms are sold individually, most cantilever shelves are actually custom creations of our clients. There are preconfigured systems we have available that are designed for light and general storage needs. Details of these units can be obtained by clicking here, or by calling your material handling vendor.
If you are going to build your own custom shelving out of cantilever supports and arms, it is important to follow four general principles in determining exactly which items you will need to create a medium duty or heavy duty storage system for your warehouse or factory.
1. First, determine load capacitance by dividing the total amount of weight you will store by the number of arms you plan to order. You must procure enough arms to evenly divide individual proportions of the load that are equal to or less than the total weight capacitance of an individual cantilever shelving arm.
2. To determine the strength and number of uprights to order, again divide your total weight by the projected number of vertical support to ensure that the divided weight is equal to or less than the total capacity of the piece. Never allow the weight on a single cantilever arm to exceed the weight capacity of a vertical upright. To do so would put stress on the entire system.
3. Make certain too that the depth of the load never exceeds the length of the cantilever arm. If it does, the cantilever arms are pulled forward and the shelving unit can potentially tip forward.
4. Divide the total product length by the total number of arms, and then divide the product again by two. This will determine the total overhang of your equipment on either side of each arm. Without the proper degree of overhang, the arms will be stressed or the cantilever shelf will become horizontally imbalanced.
If you do not have time to do all these calculations, or simply do not working out math yourself, call us and let us do it for you. We specialize in building custom cantilever shelves for virtually any storage need including, but not limited to:
Tubing and pipe storage
Metal bar stock and rods
Appliances.
Rugs and rolls of fabric
Furniture
Merchandise in large boxes.
Lumber and wood products
TVs, stereos and electronic components.
Poles
Aluminum Sheets
Wooden Crates
Plywood
Plumbing pipe cantilever shelves racks.
Dry wall
Metal Crates
Sheet Metal.
Fabricated long parts
Flake boards
Masonite sheets
Marble
Granite and other stone products
Organizing a warehouse or manufacturing facility is easy with cantilever shelves. They make your environment more efficient and more organized, and the also make it safer by presenting no vertical obstructions. We help our clients build cantilever shelving systems according to precise load size and weight, and we ensure the correct allowance for vertical clearance. We will also advise you on when it may be necessary to add guide rails and entrance guards to protect equipment and materials from damage. Ordering cantilever racks online is a simple, safe and secure procedure. Our internet staff of shelving associates will not ship an order until it meets all functional and safety requirements mandated by principles of excellence and industry regulations.
About the Author
Easyrack.org. For more information on
Relaited Links:
Labels: business, Club, entrepreneur, profit, revenue, startup
# posted by Smart Man @ 6:05 PM
Military Planning Procedure For Your Dental Practice Marketing
With 2008 half-way over, it is time to start planning for 2009. Planning in any business is an essential function that all too many times gets overlooked. Lack of planning leads to playing defense for a whole year and being reactive, not proactive in your success.
Think about it this way: When you go into a dental procedure, you have all your tools laid out on the tray ready to go. Why not start the year with all your marketing tools laid out ready to go, and knowing exactly when you want and need to use them
In my four years as an active duty Marine, I learned time and time again that planning would lead to success. We even had a saying "proper prior planning prevents poor performance," and we were given an acronym, B.A.M.C.I.S., to help plan missions...
B.A.M.C.I.S. pronounced bam-sis has to do with leading Marines on the battlefield and is used to plan for every mission. B.A.M.C.I.S. stands for Begin the planning, Arrange for reconnaissance, Make reconnaissance, Complete the plan, Issue the order, and Supervise. These simple six steps apply to any task or operation you will take on...
Before you start the B.A.M.C.I.S. process, you will need a mission. For the sake of example, your goal or mission is to increase gross revenue by 10 in 2009. Its a little vague, but it will work for our purposes. Now, lets go step by step through the B.A.M.C.I.S. process...
1. Begin the planning: The first step is actually beginning the planning duh. You will approach your goal, and figure out the methods to best accomplish it. In this case, to increase your gross revenues by 10, you can either find new patients, or, you can do more dentistry on your current patients, or a combination of both...
Also, you need to do is take a quick inventory of your available resources like staff, equipment, and old marketing brochures, business cards, etc. This will let you know what you can include in your plan, and will help in the next step...
2. Arrange For Reconnaissance: In the second step you arrange for your information gathering. In the Marines, this may include requesting maps, video surveillance, or even planning another mission to gather information on the terrain and enemy positions...
For your practice, it means taking an information inventory. Do you have production reports and patient reports by month for 2007 and 2008 to date Where do you find marketing results What do you need to do to get those reports Gather as much information on the last 12 months as possible, and then move on to the next step. Check also with local government, competitors, and local media to see what events are coming Wal-mart, parades, dentist down the street retiring...
3. Make Reconnaissance: Now that you have all of your information, you have to sort through it. Figure out your worst month and your best month, what marketing was out those months, and how many new patients resulted from the marketing. What is coming up this next year anniversaries, trade shows, community events This is an information finding step, not a planning step. If there are months where incomplete data was kept, recreate those months in this step...
Create your 2007-08 report with all the numbers you need for 2009. Include production by month, new patient flow, cancelled appointments, average production per patient, new and current, and completed treatment plans. These numbers will all be great when it comes to the next step. Many times your practice management software can pull these numbers just by clicking the mouse a few times...
4. Complete the Plan: Now, apply all of the information you have gathered and create your plan. Take your monthly reports and use them to figure out when to up your marketing. If you know July is slow, pump up the marketing in June. If there is a big anniversary for your practice in the summer, plan a patient event...
Hint: Use reverse planning. If you need patients calling by August 1st, subtract 3 days for mailing, 5 days for fulfillment, and 5 days for printing. If you want calls in your office on August 1st, you need to have the project to the printer by July 14th at the latest. Plan all marketing projects like this. If you need patients on August 1st, July 30th is not the time to start the project...
Dont forget a contingency plan for emergencies... flood, fire, theft, etc. These things happen, and it helps if there is a plan just in case they do...
5. Issue The Order: Have a meeting and lay out your plan to your team. This serves as an "order" for them, to let them know exactly who, what, when, where, and why you are doing this. Make sure to leave out no details. If Jane at the front desk needs to be in charge of postage purchasing, tell her how many stamps you need and when to get them. Lay out the year for them, so there will be no surprises when you announce the need to sign Thanksgiving cards for your patients...
Then, in your daily/weekly huddles, you can lay out what needs to happen that week/day. Who needs to call the marketing company Who is working on the copy for the newsletter, and deadlines for each project This goes back to reverse planning. Give yourself and your team notice of any problems, and what you need to do to get them handled. How do you know when there are problems Check the next step...
Supervise: I cannot stress this enough. Supervising is the most important step to your planning since the plan is useless without implementation. This does not mean just supervising people, but also processes, situations, and external vendors. This allows you to know if things are going according to the plan, as well as when to take action steps to fix a problem. Look over your weekly plan and make sure things are on time, what needs to be ready for next week, and who is in charge of doing what. Do not micro-manage this step. Trust your staff and external vendors to get things done they should be trustworthy, you hired them...
If there is a problem, use another military acronym, OODA Observe, Orient, Decide, and Act. As you supervise or observe the implementation of your plan, you will notice problems here and there. Orient yourself to these problems. What needs to be adjusted or changed Make a swift, firm decision, keeping the mission in mind, and acting on that decision. The Marine saying is, the quicker you act, the less time the opposition has to prepare defense...
If you supervise correctly, you will catch all problems early. This makes them easier to solve, and makes certain they have less effect on your mission. Rather than walls, they appear more as speed bumps. There are few problems that prior planning could not resolve...
Planning can and will help your practice run smoother. It is often ignored in business today, and comes to haunt many business owners. If you lay out a proper plan using the information you have gathered over the last year, you will surely create a smoother running practice. Remember, proper prior planning prevents poor performance.
About the Author
Think about it this way: When you go into a dental procedure, you have all your tools laid out on the tray ready to go. Why not start the year with all your marketing tools laid out ready to go, and knowing exactly when you want and need to use them
In my four years as an active duty Marine, I learned time and time again that planning would lead to success. We even had a saying "proper prior planning prevents poor performance," and we were given an acronym, B.A.M.C.I.S., to help plan missions...
B.A.M.C.I.S. pronounced bam-sis has to do with leading Marines on the battlefield and is used to plan for every mission. B.A.M.C.I.S. stands for Begin the planning, Arrange for reconnaissance, Make reconnaissance, Complete the plan, Issue the order, and Supervise. These simple six steps apply to any task or operation you will take on...
Before you start the B.A.M.C.I.S. process, you will need a mission. For the sake of example, your goal or mission is to increase gross revenue by 10 in 2009. Its a little vague, but it will work for our purposes. Now, lets go step by step through the B.A.M.C.I.S. process...
1. Begin the planning: The first step is actually beginning the planning duh. You will approach your goal, and figure out the methods to best accomplish it. In this case, to increase your gross revenues by 10, you can either find new patients, or, you can do more dentistry on your current patients, or a combination of both...
Also, you need to do is take a quick inventory of your available resources like staff, equipment, and old marketing brochures, business cards, etc. This will let you know what you can include in your plan, and will help in the next step...
2. Arrange For Reconnaissance: In the second step you arrange for your information gathering. In the Marines, this may include requesting maps, video surveillance, or even planning another mission to gather information on the terrain and enemy positions...
For your practice, it means taking an information inventory. Do you have production reports and patient reports by month for 2007 and 2008 to date Where do you find marketing results What do you need to do to get those reports Gather as much information on the last 12 months as possible, and then move on to the next step. Check also with local government, competitors, and local media to see what events are coming Wal-mart, parades, dentist down the street retiring...
3. Make Reconnaissance: Now that you have all of your information, you have to sort through it. Figure out your worst month and your best month, what marketing was out those months, and how many new patients resulted from the marketing. What is coming up this next year anniversaries, trade shows, community events This is an information finding step, not a planning step. If there are months where incomplete data was kept, recreate those months in this step...
Create your 2007-08 report with all the numbers you need for 2009. Include production by month, new patient flow, cancelled appointments, average production per patient, new and current, and completed treatment plans. These numbers will all be great when it comes to the next step. Many times your practice management software can pull these numbers just by clicking the mouse a few times...
4. Complete the Plan: Now, apply all of the information you have gathered and create your plan. Take your monthly reports and use them to figure out when to up your marketing. If you know July is slow, pump up the marketing in June. If there is a big anniversary for your practice in the summer, plan a patient event...
Hint: Use reverse planning. If you need patients calling by August 1st, subtract 3 days for mailing, 5 days for fulfillment, and 5 days for printing. If you want calls in your office on August 1st, you need to have the project to the printer by July 14th at the latest. Plan all marketing projects like this. If you need patients on August 1st, July 30th is not the time to start the project...
Dont forget a contingency plan for emergencies... flood, fire, theft, etc. These things happen, and it helps if there is a plan just in case they do...
5. Issue The Order: Have a meeting and lay out your plan to your team. This serves as an "order" for them, to let them know exactly who, what, when, where, and why you are doing this. Make sure to leave out no details. If Jane at the front desk needs to be in charge of postage purchasing, tell her how many stamps you need and when to get them. Lay out the year for them, so there will be no surprises when you announce the need to sign Thanksgiving cards for your patients...
Then, in your daily/weekly huddles, you can lay out what needs to happen that week/day. Who needs to call the marketing company Who is working on the copy for the newsletter, and deadlines for each project This goes back to reverse planning. Give yourself and your team notice of any problems, and what you need to do to get them handled. How do you know when there are problems Check the next step...
Supervise: I cannot stress this enough. Supervising is the most important step to your planning since the plan is useless without implementation. This does not mean just supervising people, but also processes, situations, and external vendors. This allows you to know if things are going according to the plan, as well as when to take action steps to fix a problem. Look over your weekly plan and make sure things are on time, what needs to be ready for next week, and who is in charge of doing what. Do not micro-manage this step. Trust your staff and external vendors to get things done they should be trustworthy, you hired them...
If there is a problem, use another military acronym, OODA Observe, Orient, Decide, and Act. As you supervise or observe the implementation of your plan, you will notice problems here and there. Orient yourself to these problems. What needs to be adjusted or changed Make a swift, firm decision, keeping the mission in mind, and acting on that decision. The Marine saying is, the quicker you act, the less time the opposition has to prepare defense...
If you supervise correctly, you will catch all problems early. This makes them easier to solve, and makes certain they have less effect on your mission. Rather than walls, they appear more as speed bumps. There are few problems that prior planning could not resolve...
Planning can and will help your practice run smoother. It is often ignored in business today, and comes to haunt many business owners. If you lay out a proper plan using the information you have gathered over the last year, you will surely create a smoother running practice. Remember, proper prior planning prevents poor performance.
About the Author
James Erickson is the President of
Relaited Links:
Labels: business, Club, entrepreneur, profit, revenue, startup
# posted by Smart Man @ 5:09 AM
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Working From Home Cant Be Any Better
How would you like to wake up each morning, and not have to face the traffic jams, or the early morning commute How would you like to plan your own schedule each day, and not having the bad breath of your overbearing boss leaning over your shoulder, pushing you to work harder How would you like to spend more time with your family
Well these thoughts and dreams could become a reality if you decide to work from home. I made that choice, and it was the best decision ever. I know that youve probably got so many questions floating around in your head right now, like what could I do Ive got no experience doing anything else What do I need The list goes on.
Well to work from home, and earn a steady and stable income, all you really need is a computer, and a internet connection. "It cant be that easy," I hear you say.
Well Im not saying its going to be easy, you will need to dedicate your time, and put a lot of effort into it, but you can make a success out of it. Remember, if you decide to take the plunge and work from home, its your business, and like any business, you need to put the hours into it.
The problem these days why most people are scared to take the plunge, and work from home is quite simple...the internet is full of sharks, just waiting to devour the unsuspecting newcomer.
I know from first hand experience what its like, I got burned with all the false promises of instant riches. Youll constantly see titles like Earn Thousands Working From Home In Your Underpants, and Earn A Six Figure Income On Auto-Pilot every day and so on.
Well the bad news is, that this is just the big sales pitch used to suck you in, take your money, and dont let the door hit you on the way out. A piece of advice that I was given awhile ago, NEVER WRESTLE A PIG." Why," I hear you ask, well the answer is, BECAUSE YOULL BOTH GET DIRTY, AND THE PIG LIKES IT.
What the gurus who run these sites dont tell you is how long itll take you to earn that sort of money. So its healthy to be cynical when looking for work on-line, dont rush in and take the first opportunity that presents itself.
Anyway enough of the negatives. So how to work from home The internet has vast number of ways to earn money, and there is a lot of free information, and products available to help you work from home.
Become An Affiliate
One of the first opportunities you will probably come across, while searching for work at home is, affiliate marketing. Basically this is where you promote other peoples products, and for every sale you get a commission. This is a good way to earn a steady residual income on-line, but you have to work at it.
The only downside to affiliate marketing is having the right products to promote, and when starting out, finding cheap ways to promote your affiliate products, thats not going to break the bank.
A free way to do this is article marketing, and the best thing is, it doesnt cost you a penny to do. Now how good is that
Article marketing does exactly what it says on the tin. You write articles, submit them to article directories with a link back to the site, and the product youre promoting...voil. Simple, and very effective. But remember picking the right product to promote is imperative for you to succeed.
Become A Content Writer, Ghost Writer, Freelancer
"But I cant write," I hear you say. Well I say nonsense. If I can do it, anybody can. The internet is the information super highway, and millions of people log on every day, for one purpose, information, so why not give it to them
There are article directories where you can sign up, submit your work, and if people like it, they buy it This is a really good work from home opportunity, that can branch off in so many different directions.
Content writer for example, every person on-line who has their own website, or if theyre promoting products, requires fresh content. So if they dont like writing themselves, they pay someone else to do it for them.
Content writing can range from writing 400 word articles, to 1,500 word reports, to full on 50+ page e-books. There are sites out there that offer good advice on the subject of content writing, and the steps to take, so take a look...whats stopping you
If you are serious about work from home opportunities then the internet is the right place to look. But you must have confidence in your own ability, and the determination to succeed.
I learned the hard way that if you want to work from home and be in this for the long haul, successful businesses have to be built around people, and people build more people, and so on. But, one thing for sure is, it takes time. If you want a get rich quick scheme, do the lottery.
If you are prepared to work hard, then theres a chance you will succeed. Spend time researching people, What people want, what people need.
So whether you want to be an E bay entrepreneur, the next super affiliate, or the hottest ghost writer on the net, work hard, and dont give up your dream, and remember work at home opportunities are there, so reach out and take them with both hands, and live the life youve always desired.
Home business entrepreneur John Benjamin. Get started right way and get access to a FREE business tools worth hundreds of dollars.
After my experience i have decided that these is the right place for me to air these article. Get busy While you re reading these thousands of people over the world re putting money in their pocket by this time next week you can.
About the Author
Well these thoughts and dreams could become a reality if you decide to work from home. I made that choice, and it was the best decision ever. I know that youve probably got so many questions floating around in your head right now, like what could I do Ive got no experience doing anything else What do I need The list goes on.
Well to work from home, and earn a steady and stable income, all you really need is a computer, and a internet connection. "It cant be that easy," I hear you say.
Well Im not saying its going to be easy, you will need to dedicate your time, and put a lot of effort into it, but you can make a success out of it. Remember, if you decide to take the plunge and work from home, its your business, and like any business, you need to put the hours into it.
The problem these days why most people are scared to take the plunge, and work from home is quite simple...the internet is full of sharks, just waiting to devour the unsuspecting newcomer.
I know from first hand experience what its like, I got burned with all the false promises of instant riches. Youll constantly see titles like Earn Thousands Working From Home In Your Underpants, and Earn A Six Figure Income On Auto-Pilot every day and so on.
Well the bad news is, that this is just the big sales pitch used to suck you in, take your money, and dont let the door hit you on the way out. A piece of advice that I was given awhile ago, NEVER WRESTLE A PIG." Why," I hear you ask, well the answer is, BECAUSE YOULL BOTH GET DIRTY, AND THE PIG LIKES IT.
What the gurus who run these sites dont tell you is how long itll take you to earn that sort of money. So its healthy to be cynical when looking for work on-line, dont rush in and take the first opportunity that presents itself.
Anyway enough of the negatives. So how to work from home The internet has vast number of ways to earn money, and there is a lot of free information, and products available to help you work from home.
Become An Affiliate
One of the first opportunities you will probably come across, while searching for work at home is, affiliate marketing. Basically this is where you promote other peoples products, and for every sale you get a commission. This is a good way to earn a steady residual income on-line, but you have to work at it.
The only downside to affiliate marketing is having the right products to promote, and when starting out, finding cheap ways to promote your affiliate products, thats not going to break the bank.
A free way to do this is article marketing, and the best thing is, it doesnt cost you a penny to do. Now how good is that
Article marketing does exactly what it says on the tin. You write articles, submit them to article directories with a link back to the site, and the product youre promoting...voil. Simple, and very effective. But remember picking the right product to promote is imperative for you to succeed.
Become A Content Writer, Ghost Writer, Freelancer
"But I cant write," I hear you say. Well I say nonsense. If I can do it, anybody can. The internet is the information super highway, and millions of people log on every day, for one purpose, information, so why not give it to them
There are article directories where you can sign up, submit your work, and if people like it, they buy it This is a really good work from home opportunity, that can branch off in so many different directions.
Content writer for example, every person on-line who has their own website, or if theyre promoting products, requires fresh content. So if they dont like writing themselves, they pay someone else to do it for them.
Content writing can range from writing 400 word articles, to 1,500 word reports, to full on 50+ page e-books. There are sites out there that offer good advice on the subject of content writing, and the steps to take, so take a look...whats stopping you
If you are serious about work from home opportunities then the internet is the right place to look. But you must have confidence in your own ability, and the determination to succeed.
I learned the hard way that if you want to work from home and be in this for the long haul, successful businesses have to be built around people, and people build more people, and so on. But, one thing for sure is, it takes time. If you want a get rich quick scheme, do the lottery.
If you are prepared to work hard, then theres a chance you will succeed. Spend time researching people, What people want, what people need.
So whether you want to be an E bay entrepreneur, the next super affiliate, or the hottest ghost writer on the net, work hard, and dont give up your dream, and remember work at home opportunities are there, so reach out and take them with both hands, and live the life youve always desired.
Home business entrepreneur John Benjamin. Get started right way and get access to a FREE business tools worth hundreds of dollars.
After my experience i have decided that these is the right place for me to air these article. Get busy While you re reading these thousands of people over the world re putting money in their pocket by this time next week you can.
About the Author
John Benjamin: Entrepreneur and freelance writer.
Relaited Links:
Labels: business, Club, entrepreneur, profit, revenue, startup
# posted by Smart Man @ 5:48 PM
Why Businesses Fail
There are many different reasons business fail and much of it is debatable but there are some common mistakes that are detrimental in business failure.
Some of the reason many business fail are due to the following reasons:
Overexpansion.
Many companies over expand too soon. They look at the books and see 3 months of good sales and profit and think right lets get more staff. Then another 6 months down the line the profits have not followed suit which leaves you in a difficult situation. You need to stick with realistic goals and allow yourself to grow as needs dictate. And old saying dont not run before you can walk is relevant. You need to look at the statistics and watch for trends. If sales and profits looks good now its doesnt necessarily mean it will look good tomorrow.
Overspending and lack of reserve funds.
Overspending can have detrimental affects. You should only spend on what is necessary. Be realistic, just because you have good cash flow at the minute doesnt mean you will have in the future. Ask yourself is purchasing this item really necessary, will it make a real difference or not. Look at all the costs of the business and if some are not necessary then drop them. Having money in the bank is important to carry you through market downtrends and seasonal slowness. You should always be prepared for fluctuations in business. You should always put money away in boom times to prepare for the slow times.
Poor management
Poor management is one of the main reasons business fail. If you havent got happy customers and happy stuff your business is almost curtain to fail. Poor customer service, poor accounting and overall employee incompetence can all combine to collapse a business. You need to ensure your employees realise the importance of good customer service. Establish protocols for how tasks should be accomplished and ensure they are carried out. Many companies these days have a relaxed attitude and dont place to much importance on carrying out basic good management practice. Having meetings regularly with all staff will help your business run smoothly. If no meetings take place then resentment can set in. Everyone needs to air their opinions and explain how their job could be done more efficiently.
Poorly treated Staff
Labour is the biggest expense for most small business so it makes sense to ensure your company employs the right amount of people and treat them correctly. Companies that invest highly in their staff by offering training and advancement will find it easier to keep their staff. Ensure you pay your staff every month on time as not to do so would be breaching your contract with them. Invest in your staff; they are your biggest asset. If they feel they cannot advance in your business they will not stay long. Listening to your staff is important. If employees are leaving you need to be asking why. Treat your staff how you would expect to be treated and you will gain respect from them and get the best of out them.
Poor or no business plan
Having a good business plan is your key to success. A well-thought-out business plan forces you to think about the future and the challenges youll face. As long as your forecasts are realistic and you have done plenty of market research you should be ok. Ensure your plan has a budget and stick to it.
Dishonesty and Greed
Being dishonest will catch up with you eventually. Remember your ethics, try to treat your customers and staff as you would be expected to be treated. Dont charge the earth for customers just because they look like they can afford it, this is exploitation and will come back and bite you on the bum. Greed is another aspect that kills businesses. You feel like youre on a roll and feel invincible so you over charge people and promise them the earth. When you cant deliver you will lose customers and eventually your reputation. Always be honest and ethical and you will reap the rewards.
There are other reasons business fail and I have only touched base on some. As long as you work hard, do plenty of research, treat staff and customers with respect, keep a tight control over your accounts and leave your ego at home you should be alright. Oh and most importantly use common sense. You would be surprised at how many business owners are egotistic, arrogant with no personnel skills and very little common sense, these business are bound to fail eventually.
About the Author
Some of the reason many business fail are due to the following reasons:
Overexpansion.
Many companies over expand too soon. They look at the books and see 3 months of good sales and profit and think right lets get more staff. Then another 6 months down the line the profits have not followed suit which leaves you in a difficult situation. You need to stick with realistic goals and allow yourself to grow as needs dictate. And old saying dont not run before you can walk is relevant. You need to look at the statistics and watch for trends. If sales and profits looks good now its doesnt necessarily mean it will look good tomorrow.
Overspending and lack of reserve funds.
Overspending can have detrimental affects. You should only spend on what is necessary. Be realistic, just because you have good cash flow at the minute doesnt mean you will have in the future. Ask yourself is purchasing this item really necessary, will it make a real difference or not. Look at all the costs of the business and if some are not necessary then drop them. Having money in the bank is important to carry you through market downtrends and seasonal slowness. You should always be prepared for fluctuations in business. You should always put money away in boom times to prepare for the slow times.
Poor management
Poor management is one of the main reasons business fail. If you havent got happy customers and happy stuff your business is almost curtain to fail. Poor customer service, poor accounting and overall employee incompetence can all combine to collapse a business. You need to ensure your employees realise the importance of good customer service. Establish protocols for how tasks should be accomplished and ensure they are carried out. Many companies these days have a relaxed attitude and dont place to much importance on carrying out basic good management practice. Having meetings regularly with all staff will help your business run smoothly. If no meetings take place then resentment can set in. Everyone needs to air their opinions and explain how their job could be done more efficiently.
Poorly treated Staff
Labour is the biggest expense for most small business so it makes sense to ensure your company employs the right amount of people and treat them correctly. Companies that invest highly in their staff by offering training and advancement will find it easier to keep their staff. Ensure you pay your staff every month on time as not to do so would be breaching your contract with them. Invest in your staff; they are your biggest asset. If they feel they cannot advance in your business they will not stay long. Listening to your staff is important. If employees are leaving you need to be asking why. Treat your staff how you would expect to be treated and you will gain respect from them and get the best of out them.
Poor or no business plan
Having a good business plan is your key to success. A well-thought-out business plan forces you to think about the future and the challenges youll face. As long as your forecasts are realistic and you have done plenty of market research you should be ok. Ensure your plan has a budget and stick to it.
Dishonesty and Greed
Being dishonest will catch up with you eventually. Remember your ethics, try to treat your customers and staff as you would be expected to be treated. Dont charge the earth for customers just because they look like they can afford it, this is exploitation and will come back and bite you on the bum. Greed is another aspect that kills businesses. You feel like youre on a roll and feel invincible so you over charge people and promise them the earth. When you cant deliver you will lose customers and eventually your reputation. Always be honest and ethical and you will reap the rewards.
There are other reasons business fail and I have only touched base on some. As long as you work hard, do plenty of research, treat staff and customers with respect, keep a tight control over your accounts and leave your ego at home you should be alright. Oh and most importantly use common sense. You would be surprised at how many business owners are egotistic, arrogant with no personnel skills and very little common sense, these business are bound to fail eventually.
About the Author
Carolyn is the webmaster of Angel Startups, specialists startup funding, business grants and
Relaited Links:
Labels: business, Club, entrepreneur, profit, revenue, startup
# posted by Smart Man @ 5:06 AM
Friday, July 18, 2008
Books For Publish
The procedure of production and distribution of books or other forms of literature for the public is called publishing. In some instances, the author is his own publisher. He makes his literature then finds means of media for it to be disseminated to viewers.
A book is known as a collection or a set of blank, written, illustrated, or printed sheets which are made and produced with paper and/or different materials. These materials are fastened and compiled as one in order to form a hinge in one side. In a book, a leaf is the single sheet, while its both sides are known as its page. When a book is produced through an electronic format, this type of book is called the e-book.
Books also pertain to literary works. In information science and libraries, a book is known as a monograph, where in, this is vital in order for it to be differentiated from periodicals like journals, magazines, and newspapers. Written works as well as books are called literature. In a novel, a book can be compartmentalized into different sections like Book One, Book Two, Book Three, and so on and so forth.
A book lover is called with many terms such as a philobiblist, a bibliophile, or a bibliophilist, or in laymans term, a bookworm. You can also buy books in a bookshop or bookstore. To borrow a book, you can just head on to libraries near you.
The usual book structure or parts include the following:
Front cover: soft cover paperback or hardbound; the one that connects the front and the rear cover is called a spine which is similar to a hinge
Front endpaper
Flyleaf
Front matter
Frontispiece
Title page
Copyright page
Table of contents
List of figures
List of tables
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Foreword
Preface
Introduction
Body: the main contents or texts where the pages are found. These pages have page number and are often separated into sequential chapters. Appendix
Glossary
Index
Notes
Bibliography
Colophon
Flyleaf
Rear endpaper
Rear cover
The procedure of production and distribution of literature or other information for the public is called publishing. In some instances, the author is his own publisher. He makes his literature then finds means of media so that it can be disseminated to its viewers.
There are stages in publishing a book. These stages would include the following:
Development
Acquisition
Copyediting
Graphic design
Production Printing or Electronic
Marketing
Distribution
The following are the steps on how to get your book to be published. These are:
Step One
Look for a professional editor for the work or literature that you have done. With this procedure, you are ensured that the book that you have made is polished and refined prior to giving to the publisher or agent.
Step Two
Look for an agent who would represent you and your work. A good agent will present your literature to publishers and guide you on the process of publishing. Know the agents experience, expected commission, interests, and recent sales before making a commitment.
Step Three
Give your query letter to various publishers whom you think would like your book best. The letter that you will send will give the description of the book that you have made and provide your reasons why it is worth publishing. Given that the publisher would look the idea of your book, they will forward a proposal to you.
Step Four
Provide the interested editors or publishers with your book proposal. Included in your book proposal is a 10 to 12 page sample, your reason for making the book as well as the authors information. For nonfictional authors, they may send a proposal before completing their book. For fictional writers, a completed manuscript is expected during query.
Step Five
Wait for the response of the editor or publishers. If the book that you have made is accepted, youd get a monetary offer. But if not, a rejection letter will be sent out to you, together with the reason why it cannot be published.
Step Six
Keep sending query letters to publishers until you receive an offer from your publisher. The key here is to study the responses of the editors and intertwine it in your work until you find a publisher who would take interest in your work.
Here is a list of known Book Publishers:
eBookMall Publishing Center
Abingdon Press
Harry N. Abrams, Inc.
Accent on Living
Ace Science Fiction
Adams Media Corporation
Addison-Wesley Longman, Inc.
African American Images
The Alban Institute
Almar Press
American Counseling Association
American Press
Amherst Media
The Amwell Press
Anchorage Press, Inc.
Andrews and McMeel
Arden Press, Inc.
Asian Humanities Press
Astro Communican Scvices, Inc.
Autonomedia
Aztex Corp.
Bantman Doubleday Dell
Barrons Educational Series, Inc.
Barbour and Company, Inc.
Barrons Educational Series, Inc.
Beacon Press
Bear and Co., Inc.
Behrman House Inc.
Black Heron Press
Blackbirch Press, Inc.
Bloomberg Press
Blue Poppy Press
Blue Star Productions
Borgo Press
Boyds Mills Press
Brasseys, Inc.
Brevet Press., Inc.
The Bureau For At-Risk Youth
Business McGraw-Hill
Butterworth-Heinman
C Q Press
Caddo Gap Press
Cambridge Educational
Cambridge University Press
The Caxton Printers, Ltd.
Catbird Press
Center Press
Chatham Press
Chicago Review Press
Church Growth Institute
Circlet Press, Inc.
Citadel Press
Clarkson Potter
Coffee House Press
Country Sport Press
Champion Press
Computer Science Press
Confluence Press, Inc.
Consumer Press
Copper Canyon Press
CottonWood Press, Inc.
Counterpoint
The Crossing Press
Dance Horizons
Dancing Jester Press
Darlington Productions, Inc.
Delacorte Press
The Denali Press
Devyn Press
Discipleship Resources
Dimi Press
Doubleday
Down Home Press
Duke Press
Dutton
E.M. Press, Inc.
Eakin Press/Sunbelt Media, Inc.
Eastland Press
The Ecco Press
The Education Center, Inc.
Epicenter Press
Faber & Faber, Inc.
Facts on File, Inc.
Fairview Press
Fawcett Juniper
Fjord Press
Focal Press
Foghorn Press
Four Walls Eight Windows
The Free Press
Friends United Press
The Globe Pequot Press, Inc.
The Graduate Group
Green Bark Press
GreenHaven Press, Inc.
Grove/Atlantic, Inc.
Gryphon House, Inc
Half Halt Press, Inc.
The Harvard Common Press
Herald Press
Holiday House
Home Education Press
Jist Works, Inc.
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
Knowledge, Ideas & Trends, Inc.
Lake View Press
The Learning Works, Inc.
Libraries Unlimited
Living the Good News
The McGraw-Hill Companies
Media Bridge
Mercury House, Inc.
New Hope
New Leaf Press, Inc.
Nodin Press
W.W. North Co., Inc.
Nova Press
Oak Knoll Press
Octameron Associates
Orchises Press
Ortho Information Services
Osborne/McGraw-Hill
Our Sunday Visitor, Inc.
The Overlook Press
Owl Creek Press
Oxford University Press
Paper Chase Press
Pippin Press
Planners Press
Planning/Communications
Popular Culture Ink
Receipt Press
Price Stern Sloan, Inc.
The Putnam Berkley Group
QED Press
Random House, Inc.
Routledge, Inc.
SAS Institute, Inc.
Scholastic, Inc.
Serendipity Systems
Sergeant Kirklands
Slack, Inc.
The Smith
Social Science Education Consortium
SoundPrints
The Speech Bin, Inc.
Spinsters Ink
Swan-Raven & Co.
Swedenborg Foundatin
Sybex, Inc.
Systems Co. Inc.
Texas State Historical Association
Transportation Trails
TSR, Inc.
Charles Tuttle Co.
Univelt, Inc.
VGM Career Horizons
Verso
Walker and Co.
Warner Aspect
Franklin Watts, Inc.
Samuel Weiser, Inc.
White Cliffs Media, Inc.
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Wild Flower Press
Little Aspect
Sine there are many book publishers, the harder task is usually getting one to approve to your book. Thus, if you will heed criticisms and put it to good use, then add patience, you will soon be able to get your book published and hopefully released to the public.
About the Author
A book is known as a collection or a set of blank, written, illustrated, or printed sheets which are made and produced with paper and/or different materials. These materials are fastened and compiled as one in order to form a hinge in one side. In a book, a leaf is the single sheet, while its both sides are known as its page. When a book is produced through an electronic format, this type of book is called the e-book.
Books also pertain to literary works. In information science and libraries, a book is known as a monograph, where in, this is vital in order for it to be differentiated from periodicals like journals, magazines, and newspapers. Written works as well as books are called literature. In a novel, a book can be compartmentalized into different sections like Book One, Book Two, Book Three, and so on and so forth.
A book lover is called with many terms such as a philobiblist, a bibliophile, or a bibliophilist, or in laymans term, a bookworm. You can also buy books in a bookshop or bookstore. To borrow a book, you can just head on to libraries near you.
The usual book structure or parts include the following:
Front cover: soft cover paperback or hardbound; the one that connects the front and the rear cover is called a spine which is similar to a hinge
Front endpaper
Flyleaf
Front matter
Frontispiece
Title page
Copyright page
Table of contents
List of figures
List of tables
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Foreword
Preface
Introduction
Body: the main contents or texts where the pages are found. These pages have page number and are often separated into sequential chapters. Appendix
Glossary
Index
Notes
Bibliography
Colophon
Flyleaf
Rear endpaper
Rear cover
The procedure of production and distribution of literature or other information for the public is called publishing. In some instances, the author is his own publisher. He makes his literature then finds means of media so that it can be disseminated to its viewers.
There are stages in publishing a book. These stages would include the following:
Development
Acquisition
Copyediting
Graphic design
Production Printing or Electronic
Marketing
Distribution
The following are the steps on how to get your book to be published. These are:
Step One
Look for a professional editor for the work or literature that you have done. With this procedure, you are ensured that the book that you have made is polished and refined prior to giving to the publisher or agent.
Step Two
Look for an agent who would represent you and your work. A good agent will present your literature to publishers and guide you on the process of publishing. Know the agents experience, expected commission, interests, and recent sales before making a commitment.
Step Three
Give your query letter to various publishers whom you think would like your book best. The letter that you will send will give the description of the book that you have made and provide your reasons why it is worth publishing. Given that the publisher would look the idea of your book, they will forward a proposal to you.
Step Four
Provide the interested editors or publishers with your book proposal. Included in your book proposal is a 10 to 12 page sample, your reason for making the book as well as the authors information. For nonfictional authors, they may send a proposal before completing their book. For fictional writers, a completed manuscript is expected during query.
Step Five
Wait for the response of the editor or publishers. If the book that you have made is accepted, youd get a monetary offer. But if not, a rejection letter will be sent out to you, together with the reason why it cannot be published.
Step Six
Keep sending query letters to publishers until you receive an offer from your publisher. The key here is to study the responses of the editors and intertwine it in your work until you find a publisher who would take interest in your work.
Here is a list of known Book Publishers:
eBookMall Publishing Center
Abingdon Press
Harry N. Abrams, Inc.
Accent on Living
Ace Science Fiction
Adams Media Corporation
Addison-Wesley Longman, Inc.
African American Images
The Alban Institute
Almar Press
American Counseling Association
American Press
Amherst Media
The Amwell Press
Anchorage Press, Inc.
Andrews and McMeel
Arden Press, Inc.
Asian Humanities Press
Astro Communican Scvices, Inc.
Autonomedia
Aztex Corp.
Bantman Doubleday Dell
Barrons Educational Series, Inc.
Barbour and Company, Inc.
Barrons Educational Series, Inc.
Beacon Press
Bear and Co., Inc.
Behrman House Inc.
Black Heron Press
Blackbirch Press, Inc.
Bloomberg Press
Blue Poppy Press
Blue Star Productions
Borgo Press
Boyds Mills Press
Brasseys, Inc.
Brevet Press., Inc.
The Bureau For At-Risk Youth
Business McGraw-Hill
Butterworth-Heinman
C Q Press
Caddo Gap Press
Cambridge Educational
Cambridge University Press
The Caxton Printers, Ltd.
Catbird Press
Center Press
Chatham Press
Chicago Review Press
Church Growth Institute
Circlet Press, Inc.
Citadel Press
Clarkson Potter
Coffee House Press
Country Sport Press
Champion Press
Computer Science Press
Confluence Press, Inc.
Consumer Press
Copper Canyon Press
CottonWood Press, Inc.
Counterpoint
The Crossing Press
Dance Horizons
Dancing Jester Press
Darlington Productions, Inc.
Delacorte Press
The Denali Press
Devyn Press
Discipleship Resources
Dimi Press
Doubleday
Down Home Press
Duke Press
Dutton
E.M. Press, Inc.
Eakin Press/Sunbelt Media, Inc.
Eastland Press
The Ecco Press
The Education Center, Inc.
Epicenter Press
Faber & Faber, Inc.
Facts on File, Inc.
Fairview Press
Fawcett Juniper
Fjord Press
Focal Press
Foghorn Press
Four Walls Eight Windows
The Free Press
Friends United Press
The Globe Pequot Press, Inc.
The Graduate Group
Green Bark Press
GreenHaven Press, Inc.
Grove/Atlantic, Inc.
Gryphon House, Inc
Half Halt Press, Inc.
The Harvard Common Press
Herald Press
Holiday House
Home Education Press
Jist Works, Inc.
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
Knowledge, Ideas & Trends, Inc.
Lake View Press
The Learning Works, Inc.
Libraries Unlimited
Living the Good News
The McGraw-Hill Companies
Media Bridge
Mercury House, Inc.
New Hope
New Leaf Press, Inc.
Nodin Press
W.W. North Co., Inc.
Nova Press
Oak Knoll Press
Octameron Associates
Orchises Press
Ortho Information Services
Osborne/McGraw-Hill
Our Sunday Visitor, Inc.
The Overlook Press
Owl Creek Press
Oxford University Press
Paper Chase Press
Pippin Press
Planners Press
Planning/Communications
Popular Culture Ink
Receipt Press
Price Stern Sloan, Inc.
The Putnam Berkley Group
QED Press
Random House, Inc.
Routledge, Inc.
SAS Institute, Inc.
Scholastic, Inc.
Serendipity Systems
Sergeant Kirklands
Slack, Inc.
The Smith
Social Science Education Consortium
SoundPrints
The Speech Bin, Inc.
Spinsters Ink
Swan-Raven & Co.
Swedenborg Foundatin
Sybex, Inc.
Systems Co. Inc.
Texas State Historical Association
Transportation Trails
TSR, Inc.
Charles Tuttle Co.
Univelt, Inc.
VGM Career Horizons
Verso
Walker and Co.
Warner Aspect
Franklin Watts, Inc.
Samuel Weiser, Inc.
White Cliffs Media, Inc.
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Wild Flower Press
Little Aspect
Sine there are many book publishers, the harder task is usually getting one to approve to your book. Thus, if you will heed criticisms and put it to good use, then add patience, you will soon be able to get your book published and hopefully released to the public.
About the Author
For more information on
Relaited Links:
Labels: business, Club, entrepreneur, profit, revenue, startup
# posted by Smart Man @ 5:57 PM
Hydrogen Conversion Of Cars! - Your Next Business?
Are you looking for a Business you can start with low startup costs and a service and product that is in high demand?
You should have a look at fitting Hydrogen on Demand kits for cars and trucks.
Did you know that with very simple means any car owner can make a device that produces Hydrogen from Water as the engine runs and feeds it into the engine trough pipes. This results in a more complete combustion, which gets more power out of the regular fuel and produces much cleaner emissions.
This will usually cause a fuel saving in the range of 25 - 50%, depending on car and system fitted. Or in Mileage terms: 50 - 100% increased mileage.
With the fuel prices putting enormous strain on most drivers budget, many people will be willing to pay the cost of a few full tanks of Petrol or Diesel for a system that could save them that outlay many times over in just a year.
And, lets not forget commercial drivers or businesses for Taxis, Trucks, Delivery Vans, Buses or Farming and Earth Moving Equipment. The list could be made very long. I am sure you can think of a few more applications.
I will go into the Hydrogen part more in a moment, but first consider this:
You could start a business like this working from home or your car/van.
You can easily source all materials needed for this.
You can easily make the components, or have someone make them for you.
You can visit local businesses with a fleet and demonstrate your product.
Telephone and Internet Directories will be full of potential customers, you can mail.
Once you have installed a few systems, word of mouth will spread.
There is lots of potential in this field. Especially since many people struggle financially, Fuel prices are skyrocketing and there is an increased awareness of environmental issues.
Here are a few things to consider when looking at a business of Supplemental Hydrogen production in cars, trucks, etc.
The Green Issue
The fact is that car engines are designed to guzzle fuel. Much of it passes trough the engine without having burned properly. That is why the catalytic converter is there to clean up the dirty exhausts. If you start researching this issue, you will find that the Automakers are and have been in Bed with the Oil Business for a long time. Detroit has bought up a number of inventions that would have saved lots of fuel, and just shelved them. Like the 300 MPG (Miles Per Gallon) carburetor. Additives were put in petrol to clog up another kind of carburetor that proved too economic.
This system will however produce a markedly cleaner exhaust, and it could even be fitted to vehicles just to pass emission tests. The Hydrogen and Oxygen gas mix turns back into water after combustion, but the nature of the Hydrogen will make the regular fuel burn much cleaner and efficiently.
If you live in the US, there are tax deductions to be had for driving a car with cleaner burning fuel.
So on top of money savings, this system also provides environmental benefits.
Benefits for Car
A car fitted with a supplemental Hydrogen system will never need to be De-carbonized.
Because the carbon deposits in the engine will be burned away with the additional Hydrogen in the fuel mix. Many users report how the car starts running smoother and feels more responsive. With nearly all hydrocarbons in the fuel actually burning, there will be no deposits from unburned fuel.
Is it Safe?
Hydrogen can be potentially dangerous. But it is no more dangerous than Petrol or Diesel. In this case with Hydrogen on Demand I would say it is safer, as we are talking about a very small amount of gas in the Electrolyzer and the pipes. If installed properly and no flames or sparks are present when the system is opened, there is no risk. Hydrogen also dissipates quicker than fumes from ordinary fuels.
Where do I find the Technical Information?
There are some manuals available on the Internet as E-books. Some will download, but the most comprehensive has to be read on a Membership Site, it can be printed out however. At the end of this article will be a link to http://www.mileagebooster.co.uk that will give more information on this subject and present the pros and cons with the various manuals on offer. The manuals will have information about where to source the materials needed and how to build and fit the components. There are different systems, some more complicated than others. For a business I strongly recommend the simpler systems, as they will be easy to make and fit. If you have to spend days on a car, the cost of the installation starts to outweigh the savings.
A word of Advice
This is not a business where you will build a great empire. This technology is not exactly what the Oil business want to have around - and this is one of the most, if not the most powerful industry in the World. If you build a business of scale around this, they will most likely come after you. But if you operate locally, advertise locally or trough mailings - you will be flying under the radar. That does not mean you must be a One Man Band. If it goes well, by all means expand. But do not try to copy McDonalds or QuickFit. Not that there is anything illegal with these systems, but when big business fell threatened they will try to close you down.
If you don't believe me type things like water Car Free Energy Magnetic Motor into Google or YouTube and you will see as you study the results that the Powers that Be does not want this kind of technology in use.
If this still sounds like something you could see yourself do, why not look into the matter a bit more. Or, for starters, you could make and fit a system in your own car - just to make sure for yourself that it actually works and that it isn't that hard.
This would be especially easy if you already are a mechanic and are looking to add services to your portfolio.
Good Luck
Kent Bengtsson
About the Author
You should have a look at fitting Hydrogen on Demand kits for cars and trucks.
Did you know that with very simple means any car owner can make a device that produces Hydrogen from Water as the engine runs and feeds it into the engine trough pipes. This results in a more complete combustion, which gets more power out of the regular fuel and produces much cleaner emissions.
This will usually cause a fuel saving in the range of 25 - 50%, depending on car and system fitted. Or in Mileage terms: 50 - 100% increased mileage.
With the fuel prices putting enormous strain on most drivers budget, many people will be willing to pay the cost of a few full tanks of Petrol or Diesel for a system that could save them that outlay many times over in just a year.
And, lets not forget commercial drivers or businesses for Taxis, Trucks, Delivery Vans, Buses or Farming and Earth Moving Equipment. The list could be made very long. I am sure you can think of a few more applications.
I will go into the Hydrogen part more in a moment, but first consider this:
You could start a business like this working from home or your car/van.
You can easily source all materials needed for this.
You can easily make the components, or have someone make them for you.
You can visit local businesses with a fleet and demonstrate your product.
Telephone and Internet Directories will be full of potential customers, you can mail.
Once you have installed a few systems, word of mouth will spread.
There is lots of potential in this field. Especially since many people struggle financially, Fuel prices are skyrocketing and there is an increased awareness of environmental issues.
Here are a few things to consider when looking at a business of Supplemental Hydrogen production in cars, trucks, etc.
The Green Issue
The fact is that car engines are designed to guzzle fuel. Much of it passes trough the engine without having burned properly. That is why the catalytic converter is there to clean up the dirty exhausts. If you start researching this issue, you will find that the Automakers are and have been in Bed with the Oil Business for a long time. Detroit has bought up a number of inventions that would have saved lots of fuel, and just shelved them. Like the 300 MPG (Miles Per Gallon) carburetor. Additives were put in petrol to clog up another kind of carburetor that proved too economic.
This system will however produce a markedly cleaner exhaust, and it could even be fitted to vehicles just to pass emission tests. The Hydrogen and Oxygen gas mix turns back into water after combustion, but the nature of the Hydrogen will make the regular fuel burn much cleaner and efficiently.
If you live in the US, there are tax deductions to be had for driving a car with cleaner burning fuel.
So on top of money savings, this system also provides environmental benefits.
Benefits for Car
A car fitted with a supplemental Hydrogen system will never need to be De-carbonized.
Because the carbon deposits in the engine will be burned away with the additional Hydrogen in the fuel mix. Many users report how the car starts running smoother and feels more responsive. With nearly all hydrocarbons in the fuel actually burning, there will be no deposits from unburned fuel.
Is it Safe?
Hydrogen can be potentially dangerous. But it is no more dangerous than Petrol or Diesel. In this case with Hydrogen on Demand I would say it is safer, as we are talking about a very small amount of gas in the Electrolyzer and the pipes. If installed properly and no flames or sparks are present when the system is opened, there is no risk. Hydrogen also dissipates quicker than fumes from ordinary fuels.
Where do I find the Technical Information?
There are some manuals available on the Internet as E-books. Some will download, but the most comprehensive has to be read on a Membership Site, it can be printed out however. At the end of this article will be a link to http://www.mileagebooster.co.uk that will give more information on this subject and present the pros and cons with the various manuals on offer. The manuals will have information about where to source the materials needed and how to build and fit the components. There are different systems, some more complicated than others. For a business I strongly recommend the simpler systems, as they will be easy to make and fit. If you have to spend days on a car, the cost of the installation starts to outweigh the savings.
A word of Advice
This is not a business where you will build a great empire. This technology is not exactly what the Oil business want to have around - and this is one of the most, if not the most powerful industry in the World. If you build a business of scale around this, they will most likely come after you. But if you operate locally, advertise locally or trough mailings - you will be flying under the radar. That does not mean you must be a One Man Band. If it goes well, by all means expand. But do not try to copy McDonalds or QuickFit. Not that there is anything illegal with these systems, but when big business fell threatened they will try to close you down.
If you don't believe me type things like water Car Free Energy Magnetic Motor into Google or YouTube and you will see as you study the results that the Powers that Be does not want this kind of technology in use.
If this still sounds like something you could see yourself do, why not look into the matter a bit more. Or, for starters, you could make and fit a system in your own car - just to make sure for yourself that it actually works and that it isn't that hard.
This would be especially easy if you already are a mechanic and are looking to add services to your portfolio.
Good Luck
Kent Bengtsson
About the Author
Kent Bengtsson is a swede living in the UK. Sweden has long been a forerunner in energy conservation and alternatives. On his website he gives further evaluation and information on what is available right now in this field. He will tell you why the best selling manual is probably not right for you. Do not be fooled by promoters that only say what will make you buy. They know a lot about how to make money on the Internet, but have not even read the manuals they are promoting. More on Hydrogen Fuel
Labels: business, Club, entrepreneur, profit, revenue, startup
# posted by Smart Man @ 6:15 AM
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Direct Selling Can Truely Be Your Gateway To Financial Freedom
Why Start a Home Business With the number of independent direct sellers in the millions today, its clear that a home business truly has something to offer. Direct Sales give you the FREEDOM to decide how to earn and spend both your money and your time.
Although theres no doubt direct selling is a growing industry, its not without its critics. Direct Selling has been criticized for promoting Pyramid Schemes, where only the top echelon of the sellers see any money or make it difficult for the average person to achieve success.
Pyramids are illegal in all 50 states, says Rod Nichols, Entrepreneur.coms multi-level marketing columnist and an industry expert, in an article titled Network Marketing: Answer to Your Top 5 Questions In a pyramid scheme, the only people who make money are those who set in first, but in legitimate companies everyone has an equal opportunity to make money and become the top income-earner in the company.
The WFSDA also denounces pyramid scheme worldwide, and supports international legislation to control fraudulent direct-selling business.
Its easy to debunk negative myths by the hand facts: more than 13 million people in the United States are actively involved in the industry and according to DSA research, more than 80 percent report having a positive experience.
It all depends on how much time and effort you put into it. You can take it as far as you want ..the biggest reason people fail with direct selling is they get into it with unrealistic expectations.
People can make money through direct selling, but only by treating it like a serious business and working at it everyday. Money is made when products or services are sold within your network, so if you want to earn a solid income, youll need to recruit a network of people who are buying and selling products/services. Excellent trainings and support are made available to help you succeed, but ultimately the success or failure of your business is up to you.
Direct selling opportunities often incomparable flexibility to just any other business. Consumers get the kind of personalized service that is often lost in an increasingly corporate market. Direct sellers not only get to know their customers, but also enjoy the freedom of being their own boss on a business theyve chosen for themselves, success can be measured in their own ways, and as the industry continues to grow on a global scale, its a wonder anyone would pass up the chance to join in.
SFI Marketing Group offers direct selling in addition to online marketing/resources/training for FREE to its affiliate, a bundle worth over 295.
Choose what ever marketing method suit your ability.
Ill be glad to have you onboard ..
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING
"This is great I just signed up, and already thing are happening Thanks, SFI, For all the personal attention."
Richard L. Peterson
WA, UNITED STATES
"I just wanted to take a minute to thank SFI for being so helpful and interested in my future success. Your training and constant presence makes me feel as though I am in good hands."
Dolly Lawrence
IL, UNITED STATES
"I have been in lots of programs in the past and nothing compares to SFI. It is a great opportunity for anyone. I am so excited to be a part of SFI Brenda Griner, KY, United States"
Brenda Griner
KY, UNITED STATES
"When I joined SFI, I was overwhelmed by the wealth of information for people such as myself who are looking for a solid, sound foundation to financial freedom...Thank you, Mr. Carson, founder of such an elite and prestigous financial system."
Amelia Allen-Ray
SC, UNITED STATES
"I have been involved in many different programs over the years. But I never experienced the growth or commission potential that SFI offers. I have been advancing and seeing a profit since DAY ONE In short, SFI is the BEST and ONLY program to belong to. TO SUCCESS"
Vernon Shyver
NC, UNITED STATES
About the Author
Although theres no doubt direct selling is a growing industry, its not without its critics. Direct Selling has been criticized for promoting Pyramid Schemes, where only the top echelon of the sellers see any money or make it difficult for the average person to achieve success.
Pyramids are illegal in all 50 states, says Rod Nichols, Entrepreneur.coms multi-level marketing columnist and an industry expert, in an article titled Network Marketing: Answer to Your Top 5 Questions In a pyramid scheme, the only people who make money are those who set in first, but in legitimate companies everyone has an equal opportunity to make money and become the top income-earner in the company.
The WFSDA also denounces pyramid scheme worldwide, and supports international legislation to control fraudulent direct-selling business.
Its easy to debunk negative myths by the hand facts: more than 13 million people in the United States are actively involved in the industry and according to DSA research, more than 80 percent report having a positive experience.
It all depends on how much time and effort you put into it. You can take it as far as you want ..the biggest reason people fail with direct selling is they get into it with unrealistic expectations.
People can make money through direct selling, but only by treating it like a serious business and working at it everyday. Money is made when products or services are sold within your network, so if you want to earn a solid income, youll need to recruit a network of people who are buying and selling products/services. Excellent trainings and support are made available to help you succeed, but ultimately the success or failure of your business is up to you.
Direct selling opportunities often incomparable flexibility to just any other business. Consumers get the kind of personalized service that is often lost in an increasingly corporate market. Direct sellers not only get to know their customers, but also enjoy the freedom of being their own boss on a business theyve chosen for themselves, success can be measured in their own ways, and as the industry continues to grow on a global scale, its a wonder anyone would pass up the chance to join in.
SFI Marketing Group offers direct selling in addition to online marketing/resources/training for FREE to its affiliate, a bundle worth over 295.
Choose what ever marketing method suit your ability.
Ill be glad to have you onboard ..
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING
"This is great I just signed up, and already thing are happening Thanks, SFI, For all the personal attention."
Richard L. Peterson
WA, UNITED STATES
"I just wanted to take a minute to thank SFI for being so helpful and interested in my future success. Your training and constant presence makes me feel as though I am in good hands."
Dolly Lawrence
IL, UNITED STATES
"I have been in lots of programs in the past and nothing compares to SFI. It is a great opportunity for anyone. I am so excited to be a part of SFI Brenda Griner, KY, United States"
Brenda Griner
KY, UNITED STATES
"When I joined SFI, I was overwhelmed by the wealth of information for people such as myself who are looking for a solid, sound foundation to financial freedom...Thank you, Mr. Carson, founder of such an elite and prestigous financial system."
Amelia Allen-Ray
SC, UNITED STATES
"I have been involved in many different programs over the years. But I never experienced the growth or commission potential that SFI offers. I have been advancing and seeing a profit since DAY ONE In short, SFI is the BEST and ONLY program to belong to. TO SUCCESS"
Vernon Shyver
NC, UNITED STATES
About the Author
John Benjamin, "A successful Entrepreneur" is the author of What You Need to Know About Direct Selling.
Labels: business, Club, entrepreneur, profit, revenue, startup
# posted by Smart Man @ 5:53 PM
Setting Goals To Take The Lid Off Your Insurance Sales
Setting Goals, Many insurance agents state that their goals are to close more sales, keep customers happy, get more business and give better service. The problem is that these general statements are nothing more than wishes, hopes and dreams.
Time to Commit
For any plan to work there must be a real commitment from the players. In this case the key player is you. One way to help build this commitment is for you to sign the plan. A signature often has a strong psychological impact that compels people to act. In a word, you are the action in the action plan. To lock in this commitment, share it with someone you can be accountable to, who can hold you to the promise you made to yourself.
In many companies, the goals of the salespeople complement the goals of their sales manager, whose goals complement those of his or her manger, all the way up the organization to the very top. Make sure that your goals are in tune with those of the company, and that your mentors and managers know what youre aiming for, so they can help you get there.
What you expect is what you get
Your positive expectations have a definite impact on your behavior, causing you to behave and react in ways that are more likely to produce the desired results. This type of behavior also influences the behavior of the people you meet and interact with professionally. If you are positive, confident and optimistic about the way your product and services will meet your prospects needs, your client is more likely to react in a similar way. At the same time, if you enter the same situation with the same goals, but with less than positive expectations, your behavior is going to show it and your customer is going to see it. Most importantly, your income is going to show it as well.
Program Yourself to Win
It is one thing to say to yourself that you are going to have positive expectations, and quite another to make it happen. There are three quick and easy steps you can take to increase your positive outlook:
1. Visualize yourself dealing comfortably and persuasively with your prospect and see yourself closing the sale. The best time to do the visualizing is when you are at the edge of awareness, just before you are about to fall asleep. It is one thing to see your goal outcome. It is another to rehearse the good feelings you will have right NOW. You always know how you want to feel right Let that be your anchor to a positive outcome.
2. Leave some upbeat notes for yourself that reaffirm your strengths, effectiveness, competence and aspirations. These notes are similar to the advertising messages you constantly see and which gradually work their way into your subconscious. Reinforce your own personal brand identity.
3. Set realistic, quantifiable goals, such as a certain number of sales or a volume of business. Be sure to set a deadline for yourself Put up a note or graphic that shows how much progress you have made toward reaching your goal and how much is needed before you reach it. Track your progress on intermediate landmarks on the way to your goal.
When people have a clear idea of where they are going, they are more likely to demonstrate behaviors that will get them there. The motivational impact of goals is even more compelling for those individuals who have either participated in the goal-setting process or have established the goals for themselves.
Bottom line, as an insurance agent we have control over two things in our professional life: our attitude and our activity. Strive to be the best agent you can be and good selling
About the Author
Time to Commit
For any plan to work there must be a real commitment from the players. In this case the key player is you. One way to help build this commitment is for you to sign the plan. A signature often has a strong psychological impact that compels people to act. In a word, you are the action in the action plan. To lock in this commitment, share it with someone you can be accountable to, who can hold you to the promise you made to yourself.
In many companies, the goals of the salespeople complement the goals of their sales manager, whose goals complement those of his or her manger, all the way up the organization to the very top. Make sure that your goals are in tune with those of the company, and that your mentors and managers know what youre aiming for, so they can help you get there.
What you expect is what you get
Your positive expectations have a definite impact on your behavior, causing you to behave and react in ways that are more likely to produce the desired results. This type of behavior also influences the behavior of the people you meet and interact with professionally. If you are positive, confident and optimistic about the way your product and services will meet your prospects needs, your client is more likely to react in a similar way. At the same time, if you enter the same situation with the same goals, but with less than positive expectations, your behavior is going to show it and your customer is going to see it. Most importantly, your income is going to show it as well.
Program Yourself to Win
It is one thing to say to yourself that you are going to have positive expectations, and quite another to make it happen. There are three quick and easy steps you can take to increase your positive outlook:
1. Visualize yourself dealing comfortably and persuasively with your prospect and see yourself closing the sale. The best time to do the visualizing is when you are at the edge of awareness, just before you are about to fall asleep. It is one thing to see your goal outcome. It is another to rehearse the good feelings you will have right NOW. You always know how you want to feel right Let that be your anchor to a positive outcome.
2. Leave some upbeat notes for yourself that reaffirm your strengths, effectiveness, competence and aspirations. These notes are similar to the advertising messages you constantly see and which gradually work their way into your subconscious. Reinforce your own personal brand identity.
3. Set realistic, quantifiable goals, such as a certain number of sales or a volume of business. Be sure to set a deadline for yourself Put up a note or graphic that shows how much progress you have made toward reaching your goal and how much is needed before you reach it. Track your progress on intermediate landmarks on the way to your goal.
When people have a clear idea of where they are going, they are more likely to demonstrate behaviors that will get them there. The motivational impact of goals is even more compelling for those individuals who have either participated in the goal-setting process or have established the goals for themselves.
Bottom line, as an insurance agent we have control over two things in our professional life: our attitude and our activity. Strive to be the best agent you can be and good selling
About the Author
We provide sales leads to our agents. These leads are returned by a homeowner in their own handwriting. This allows the agent to spend most of their time selling versus prospecting. Go to
Labels: business, Club, entrepreneur, profit, revenue, startup
# posted by Smart Man @ 6:07 AM
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
All About Reptile Supplies
Reptiles are very popular pets these days. Unlike the usual cats and dogs, reptiles need more supplies in order to sustain their growth. There are various reptile supplies you can get from pet shops.
Reptiles are cold-blooded animals that are covered in scales. They are called tetrapods which means that they have descended from animals with four legs or limbs. They are also called amniotes for they are surrounded by an amniotic fluid membrane. Having a reptile pet is a lot of work. Owners must provide their pets with their most adequate needs. Thus, they need to buy certain supplies that are of high quality and usefulness.
Listed below are some of the common reptile supplies:
Metal Scoop: This is the perfect utensil for cleaning terrarium. This durable utensil with comfort grasp plastic handles is great for fine substrates. Its comfortable angled size makes it easy to use for reaching some debris.
T-Rex Calci -Sand Cage: This fine granular cage is specially designed for reptile pets such as lizards, snakes, turtles, and tortoises. It is safe for direct contact with heating elements. The cage is easy to maintain and quick to clean. It comes with a bundle for damp waste materials as well as for preventing overflow.
Reptile Aqualight UV Fixture 24 inches: The low profile and compact design of this UV light is about 65 watts and 7 UVB florescent. It is prepared with modern black aluminum housing plus an optimal lighting that is highly-polished for the reflector. This florescent lamp provides natural daylight and a full-spectrum of high-UV production.
Temperature and Humidity Gauges: This beautiful temperature and humidity gauge is the most significant device in keeping reptiles healthy. It is also essential for creating a truly best environment for reptile homes.
Aquatic Forceps: This stainless made forceps is perfect for reptiles like the aquatic turtle, water reptile, and grass type reptile. The textured shank of the forceps make it easy to use when wet. It is also made form non-rusting steel.
Hemostats: The stainless steel hemostat is for hand-feeding or for preparing food for reptiles. Its long jaw and non-slip lock is used for easily preparing food.
Reptile Handling Hook: This hook is useful for controlling aggressive, more agile and larger snakes. This adjustable hook is intended for moving lightweight and smaller snakes. The Collapsible hook is used for cases such as backpacking or traveling.
Meal Feeding Dishes: This food bowl is specially designed for feeding pet reptiles. The food bowl has a space at the terrarium via fitting into cage corners. It is usually set in front so that the pets may easily reach their cooked meals. Reptile pets must eat all-natural food.
Zoo Med Tortoise Food: High fiber food scientifically makes for land reptiles. Food must contain the right levels of protein and fiber in order to promote regular growth and shell development. Plus, it helps prevent the so-called tendency of shell pyramiding. Thus, it also adds minerals and vitamins in order to keep the reptiles healthy and normal.
Tetra ReptoFilter: This unique styled filtration keeps the terrarium and its water clear, odor-free and clean. This filter has an adjustable button for low or high water levels. It also has good quality, especially for removing discoloration, ammonia, and debris from reptile terrariums.
Reptile Cage: This cage comes with a florescent lamp and Pro Heat Panel. The prototype design of this cage is perfect for lizards as well as snakes. It also has PVC inside, along with air ventilation and stand moisture.
Repti Temperature Rheostat: This rheostat temperature adjusts most of non-thermostatically heating devices. It connects up to 3 compatible heating devices, along with combined wattage of around 140 up to 150 watts. Usage of the Repti temperature rheostats go well with rock heaters, ceramic heaters, and tank heaters.
Safety Iguanas Collar: This complete adjustable collar will not bind nor slip. It is made from nylon material. The iguana leash can also be used for puppies, rabbits, ferrets and cats. The collar is washable.
Wardley Tank Neutralizer: The tank neutralizer is used in dissolving acid water. Plus it is equipped for conditioning the terrarium water. It also has calcium acid so as to prevent the softness of shells in turtles.
Reptile Hand Gloves: This device is used in order to eliminate fears about bites and minor scratches. It is also a protection when handling a reptile while transferring it from its cage.
Analog Thermometer USR: This analog thermometer is equipped with three sided adhesive tapes for easy connection. It measures the temperature of the terrarium. The measurement range is from 30 up to 45 degrees Celsius.
Zoo Med Blue Daylight Reptile Bulb: It is a perfect bulb that faces the light hoods. This bulb provides UVA that promotes the normal nutrition of the reptile. The electricity consumed normally runs from 65 up to 110 watts.
About the Author
Reptiles are cold-blooded animals that are covered in scales. They are called tetrapods which means that they have descended from animals with four legs or limbs. They are also called amniotes for they are surrounded by an amniotic fluid membrane. Having a reptile pet is a lot of work. Owners must provide their pets with their most adequate needs. Thus, they need to buy certain supplies that are of high quality and usefulness.
Listed below are some of the common reptile supplies:
Metal Scoop: This is the perfect utensil for cleaning terrarium. This durable utensil with comfort grasp plastic handles is great for fine substrates. Its comfortable angled size makes it easy to use for reaching some debris.
T-Rex Calci -Sand Cage: This fine granular cage is specially designed for reptile pets such as lizards, snakes, turtles, and tortoises. It is safe for direct contact with heating elements. The cage is easy to maintain and quick to clean. It comes with a bundle for damp waste materials as well as for preventing overflow.
Reptile Aqualight UV Fixture 24 inches: The low profile and compact design of this UV light is about 65 watts and 7 UVB florescent. It is prepared with modern black aluminum housing plus an optimal lighting that is highly-polished for the reflector. This florescent lamp provides natural daylight and a full-spectrum of high-UV production.
Temperature and Humidity Gauges: This beautiful temperature and humidity gauge is the most significant device in keeping reptiles healthy. It is also essential for creating a truly best environment for reptile homes.
Aquatic Forceps: This stainless made forceps is perfect for reptiles like the aquatic turtle, water reptile, and grass type reptile. The textured shank of the forceps make it easy to use when wet. It is also made form non-rusting steel.
Hemostats: The stainless steel hemostat is for hand-feeding or for preparing food for reptiles. Its long jaw and non-slip lock is used for easily preparing food.
Reptile Handling Hook: This hook is useful for controlling aggressive, more agile and larger snakes. This adjustable hook is intended for moving lightweight and smaller snakes. The Collapsible hook is used for cases such as backpacking or traveling.
Meal Feeding Dishes: This food bowl is specially designed for feeding pet reptiles. The food bowl has a space at the terrarium via fitting into cage corners. It is usually set in front so that the pets may easily reach their cooked meals. Reptile pets must eat all-natural food.
Zoo Med Tortoise Food: High fiber food scientifically makes for land reptiles. Food must contain the right levels of protein and fiber in order to promote regular growth and shell development. Plus, it helps prevent the so-called tendency of shell pyramiding. Thus, it also adds minerals and vitamins in order to keep the reptiles healthy and normal.
Tetra ReptoFilter: This unique styled filtration keeps the terrarium and its water clear, odor-free and clean. This filter has an adjustable button for low or high water levels. It also has good quality, especially for removing discoloration, ammonia, and debris from reptile terrariums.
Reptile Cage: This cage comes with a florescent lamp and Pro Heat Panel. The prototype design of this cage is perfect for lizards as well as snakes. It also has PVC inside, along with air ventilation and stand moisture.
Repti Temperature Rheostat: This rheostat temperature adjusts most of non-thermostatically heating devices. It connects up to 3 compatible heating devices, along with combined wattage of around 140 up to 150 watts. Usage of the Repti temperature rheostats go well with rock heaters, ceramic heaters, and tank heaters.
Safety Iguanas Collar: This complete adjustable collar will not bind nor slip. It is made from nylon material. The iguana leash can also be used for puppies, rabbits, ferrets and cats. The collar is washable.
Wardley Tank Neutralizer: The tank neutralizer is used in dissolving acid water. Plus it is equipped for conditioning the terrarium water. It also has calcium acid so as to prevent the softness of shells in turtles.
Reptile Hand Gloves: This device is used in order to eliminate fears about bites and minor scratches. It is also a protection when handling a reptile while transferring it from its cage.
Analog Thermometer USR: This analog thermometer is equipped with three sided adhesive tapes for easy connection. It measures the temperature of the terrarium. The measurement range is from 30 up to 45 degrees Celsius.
Zoo Med Blue Daylight Reptile Bulb: It is a perfect bulb that faces the light hoods. This bulb provides UVA that promotes the normal nutrition of the reptile. The electricity consumed normally runs from 65 up to 110 watts.
About the Author
For more information on
Labels: business, Club, entrepreneur, profit, revenue, startup
# posted by Smart Man @ 4:08 PM
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
How To Put On A Great Conference
All industries hold conferences for a number of different reasons; to raise knowledge of a product or services, to recruit staff members and to discuss developments are only a few. Planning a conference can however be difficult requiring great levels of organisational ability. Not only do you need to find a venue, but your must also organise the delegates as well as producing a schedule that will be to the attendees liking. In addition, all those who attend will want a great lunch, without one, your conference may not make the impact you desire.
Naturally the first step in planning a conference is to find a venue; while this used to take considerable effort, the task is now made easy with the many venue finder services on the internet. Even so, it is still a major consideration, while you may want a venue that is striking, choosing a location that is too remote will mean less people will attend. In addition, a venue finder service will give you information on how busy certain times of the year can be whilst detailing any restrictions on hire.
Once you have decided upon the venue and the date it is time to spread the word. It is important to let as many people from your industry sector know that your conference is going ahead. Utilise your mailing lists and send it to everyone. Use email and send direct messages to those you expect to attend giving details of the reasons why people should turn up. As well as mailing known contacts, it is also advisable to utilise industry publications and in the local newspapers where the venue is located.
Organising your first conference will be the hardest, after using a venue finder and advertising the date it is often difficult to decide what to do next. Great advice is to visit other conferences and get an idea how they are organised. In addition, when attending these competitors conferences it is possible to sound out presenters and get an idea what subjects will be good to discuss. Using this tactic can also help you look into poaching speakers who are successful with the crowd.
Deciding what price to charge can be difficult. Ultimately you need to cover your own expenses such as the venue and any speaking and catering charges. Profit should not be a major issue unless you are holding the conference as a service for another company; ultimately there are other ways to make money from a conference rather than tickets. Some big industry players may sponsor your event and even some speakers may pay if they are pushing a particular product or service.
The importance of getting your name out there when holding a conference cannot be underestimated. Put in place advertising material around the venue while producing keepsakes such as pens, key rings and stress balls can also help to improve knowledge of your company or service. Trying to make these items individual can also help in keeping them fresh in attendees minds. Bigger prizes may be a consideration, holding a prize draw can be great way to distribute these. Most importantly you want those attending to remember who was holding the conference so they may think of using your services again.
Once everything is ready it is easy to sit back and let the conference come around. This however is not advisable, keeping the effort up and make sure people are aware of the conference right up until the day before. On the actual day, make sure you greet attendees and try to make the entire day not purely about work, introducing fun, great catering and interesting presentations will let attendees enjoy the experience and more likely to attend in the future. By following this advice your conference should be an unbridled success.
About the Author
Naturally the first step in planning a conference is to find a venue; while this used to take considerable effort, the task is now made easy with the many venue finder services on the internet. Even so, it is still a major consideration, while you may want a venue that is striking, choosing a location that is too remote will mean less people will attend. In addition, a venue finder service will give you information on how busy certain times of the year can be whilst detailing any restrictions on hire.
Once you have decided upon the venue and the date it is time to spread the word. It is important to let as many people from your industry sector know that your conference is going ahead. Utilise your mailing lists and send it to everyone. Use email and send direct messages to those you expect to attend giving details of the reasons why people should turn up. As well as mailing known contacts, it is also advisable to utilise industry publications and in the local newspapers where the venue is located.
Organising your first conference will be the hardest, after using a venue finder and advertising the date it is often difficult to decide what to do next. Great advice is to visit other conferences and get an idea how they are organised. In addition, when attending these competitors conferences it is possible to sound out presenters and get an idea what subjects will be good to discuss. Using this tactic can also help you look into poaching speakers who are successful with the crowd.
Deciding what price to charge can be difficult. Ultimately you need to cover your own expenses such as the venue and any speaking and catering charges. Profit should not be a major issue unless you are holding the conference as a service for another company; ultimately there are other ways to make money from a conference rather than tickets. Some big industry players may sponsor your event and even some speakers may pay if they are pushing a particular product or service.
The importance of getting your name out there when holding a conference cannot be underestimated. Put in place advertising material around the venue while producing keepsakes such as pens, key rings and stress balls can also help to improve knowledge of your company or service. Trying to make these items individual can also help in keeping them fresh in attendees minds. Bigger prizes may be a consideration, holding a prize draw can be great way to distribute these. Most importantly you want those attending to remember who was holding the conference so they may think of using your services again.
Once everything is ready it is easy to sit back and let the conference come around. This however is not advisable, keeping the effort up and make sure people are aware of the conference right up until the day before. On the actual day, make sure you greet attendees and try to make the entire day not purely about work, introducing fun, great catering and interesting presentations will let attendees enjoy the experience and more likely to attend in the future. By following this advice your conference should be an unbridled success.
About the Author
Industry expert Thomas Pretty looks into why using a
Labels: business, Club, entrepreneur, profit, revenue, startup
# posted by Smart Man @ 3:36 PM
Presentation Planning Tips: Planning a Dynamic Presentation
Getting ready for your next presentation This article is designed to provide you with presentation planning tips that will help you make a great impression on co-workers, supervisors or prospective clients. Specifics may vary from person to person; however, the following information includes helpful and important guidelines from which everyone can benefit.
The ability to present yourself and your ideas well is fundamental to success in the business world. After all, having good ideas is only part of the equation. You must also be able to get your ideas across to others logically, clearly and persuasively.
However, good presentation skills are not only limited to business situations. Teachers, students, coaches, people involved in civic duties or charitable organizations as well as countless other examples all have the need at one time or another to deliver an effective presentation.
One of the keys to making any presentation as dynamic as possible is proper planning.
To follow are five presentation planning tips to keep in mind as you prepare a presentation:
Presentation Planning Tip 1: Define your intentions. Its simple; just ask yourself, why am I creating this presentation In other words, what is its purpose Is it to sell my ideas Is it to motivate people To inform Defining a specific goal will help you create a blueprint in your mind of how to organize your presentation in order to reach your goal.
Presentation Planning Tip 2: Know your audience. Just as if you were crafting a letter to be read by a specific person, you will want to craft your presentation messages for the particular audience you are presenting to. Is it a group of your peers Are they at job levels above yours Are they customers Are they already knowledgeable about the topic you are presenting Are they in need of detailed explanations, or will broad-stroke overviews be sufficient Instead of concentrating solely on how you might benefit from what your presentation says, consider what your audience wants.
Presentation Planning Tip 3: Collect as much information as possible. Even if you are not planning on an intricately detailed presentation, you will still need plenty of background about the topic you are presenting. Gather whatever you think is applicable, then sort it out. Remember though that you do not want to overwhelm your audience with too much information because you may run the risk of confusing them. On the other hand, too little information may not do an adequate job of supporting the intentions of your presentation.
Presentation Planning Tip 4: Build structure into your presentation. Much like a good book or movie, your presentation should have a logical beginning, middle and end...with a flow that makes sense instead of jumping around all over the place. The last thing you want is for your audience to get lost and not be able to keep up with your train of thought as the presentation moves along.
Presentation Planning Tip 5: Practice, practice, practice. Make certain that you are thoroughly familiar with the material you will be presenting before you present it. Practice delivering the presentation out loud. Concentrate on such things as the need to make eye contact and avoid the temptation to bury your head in your notes. Also rehearse the projection of your voice, speaking clearly in relaxed, conversational tones.
About the Author
The ability to present yourself and your ideas well is fundamental to success in the business world. After all, having good ideas is only part of the equation. You must also be able to get your ideas across to others logically, clearly and persuasively.
However, good presentation skills are not only limited to business situations. Teachers, students, coaches, people involved in civic duties or charitable organizations as well as countless other examples all have the need at one time or another to deliver an effective presentation.
One of the keys to making any presentation as dynamic as possible is proper planning.
To follow are five presentation planning tips to keep in mind as you prepare a presentation:
Presentation Planning Tip 1: Define your intentions. Its simple; just ask yourself, why am I creating this presentation In other words, what is its purpose Is it to sell my ideas Is it to motivate people To inform Defining a specific goal will help you create a blueprint in your mind of how to organize your presentation in order to reach your goal.
Presentation Planning Tip 2: Know your audience. Just as if you were crafting a letter to be read by a specific person, you will want to craft your presentation messages for the particular audience you are presenting to. Is it a group of your peers Are they at job levels above yours Are they customers Are they already knowledgeable about the topic you are presenting Are they in need of detailed explanations, or will broad-stroke overviews be sufficient Instead of concentrating solely on how you might benefit from what your presentation says, consider what your audience wants.
Presentation Planning Tip 3: Collect as much information as possible. Even if you are not planning on an intricately detailed presentation, you will still need plenty of background about the topic you are presenting. Gather whatever you think is applicable, then sort it out. Remember though that you do not want to overwhelm your audience with too much information because you may run the risk of confusing them. On the other hand, too little information may not do an adequate job of supporting the intentions of your presentation.
Presentation Planning Tip 4: Build structure into your presentation. Much like a good book or movie, your presentation should have a logical beginning, middle and end...with a flow that makes sense instead of jumping around all over the place. The last thing you want is for your audience to get lost and not be able to keep up with your train of thought as the presentation moves along.
Presentation Planning Tip 5: Practice, practice, practice. Make certain that you are thoroughly familiar with the material you will be presenting before you present it. Practice delivering the presentation out loud. Concentrate on such things as the need to make eye contact and avoid the temptation to bury your head in your notes. Also rehearse the projection of your voice, speaking clearly in relaxed, conversational tones.
About the Author
Sharon Mann is President of the I Hate Filing Club, a group of nearly 100,000 office professionals who hate filing but love finding new ways to become more organized. For information about
Labels: business, Club, entrepreneur, profit, revenue, startup
# posted by Smart Man @ 3:54 AM
Monday, July 14, 2008
How to Publish a Best Selling Book
Having a book published is every writers dream. Whether it is a fiction book or a non-fiction or educational book that has been written; most people write a book in order to get it published. So, if you are a writer and you have just written "The End" on your novel or literature, how do you go about getting a book published?
Well, there are a few different methods that you might want to try. The first is self publishing. Self publishing is the process of publishing a book without having an agent, and without using a publisher that will distribute your book into stores. If you choose to self publish a book, you need to find a printer that does specialize in printing books. You also have to be aware that when you self publish a book, you are responsible for promoting and selling the book. You can contact local book stores that are not branded to get your book into shops. You can also sell them on the Internet on your own website, or ask others to sell and promote for you.
Some people believe that self publishing is an easy way to get your book in print it may be easy to get it into print, but it is extremely difficult for an unknown writer to sell their book and get it into stores when it is self published. Some writers are opting for self publishing rather than any other way, as they wish to get rid of the need for an agent or to find a publisher that will publish a book without an agent.
The more traditional way of getting a book published is to find a literary agent first. This stops the writer having to come up with deals with publishers, finding stores to take the book and to eliminate the stress of printing and approving the book. This gives the writer much more time to do what they do best... write.
To find an agent, a writer will normally have to send in a covering letter about themselves, a synopsis of the book they have written, which will detail the basic plot line of the book, and two or three chapters of the book usually the first three. Most agents won't accept email submissions from writers, particularly new ones, and they will require you to send it through the post in hard copy.
The agents are your direct line to the giant publishers that command the literary world. They have inside contacts usually with the highest person at the publishers and they can discuss and negotiate a deal for you that would be much better if you were to contact the publisher direct. Of course, if you do find an agent to represent you, they will expect a fee for their work. After all, it is the agent that got you to where you are is it not? The fee can vary greatly depending on what agent you choose to go with.
If after sending your work in the agents are really keen on representing you, you could try negotiating the price of their fee down. If they are keen to have you and spot real talent, they will not want you to go to another agent and take your success with you. Having a book published is a wonderful thing for any writer! Choose your agent wisely and keep going.
About the Author
Well, there are a few different methods that you might want to try. The first is self publishing. Self publishing is the process of publishing a book without having an agent, and without using a publisher that will distribute your book into stores. If you choose to self publish a book, you need to find a printer that does specialize in printing books. You also have to be aware that when you self publish a book, you are responsible for promoting and selling the book. You can contact local book stores that are not branded to get your book into shops. You can also sell them on the Internet on your own website, or ask others to sell and promote for you.
Some people believe that self publishing is an easy way to get your book in print it may be easy to get it into print, but it is extremely difficult for an unknown writer to sell their book and get it into stores when it is self published. Some writers are opting for self publishing rather than any other way, as they wish to get rid of the need for an agent or to find a publisher that will publish a book without an agent.
The more traditional way of getting a book published is to find a literary agent first. This stops the writer having to come up with deals with publishers, finding stores to take the book and to eliminate the stress of printing and approving the book. This gives the writer much more time to do what they do best... write.
To find an agent, a writer will normally have to send in a covering letter about themselves, a synopsis of the book they have written, which will detail the basic plot line of the book, and two or three chapters of the book usually the first three. Most agents won't accept email submissions from writers, particularly new ones, and they will require you to send it through the post in hard copy.
The agents are your direct line to the giant publishers that command the literary world. They have inside contacts usually with the highest person at the publishers and they can discuss and negotiate a deal for you that would be much better if you were to contact the publisher direct. Of course, if you do find an agent to represent you, they will expect a fee for their work. After all, it is the agent that got you to where you are is it not? The fee can vary greatly depending on what agent you choose to go with.
If after sending your work in the agents are really keen on representing you, you could try negotiating the price of their fee down. If they are keen to have you and spot real talent, they will not want you to go to another agent and take your success with you. Having a book published is a wonderful thing for any writer! Choose your agent wisely and keep going.
About the Author
If you are ready to have your book published you may be interested in our easy to use book template and ebook template.
Labels: business, Club, entrepreneur, profit, revenue, startup
# posted by Smart Man @ 3:37 PM
11 Keys For Being An Active Listener To Help You Increase Your Insurance Sales
Peak performance in life insurance sales starts with listening.
There is a big difference between the way we hear and the way we listen. Hearing is the physical response of your ears and the brain mechanism that picks up sound waves and translates them into signals you can understand.
Listening is the active process of deciphering signals and translating them into meaning. Its the exact opposite of talking. Most people are better talkers
than listeners; theyre much more adept at expressing their feelings and concerns than at listening to feelings and concerns of others. Which are you
Tips for Being A Great, Active Listener
1. Open your mind and ears-switch off all negative thoughts and feelings about the prospect and be receptive to the messages he or she is sending.
2. Listen from the first sentence-dont be thinking about what youre going to be saying next. Dont be planning the rest of your presentation. Put aside what your agenda may be and give your undivided attention to your prospective client. They will see this and appreciate you being there.
3. Analyze what is being said and what is not being said-even the slowest listeners can think faster than the fastest talkers. Avoid trying to figure out what your prospect is going to say; you may miss what he or she is actually saying. Instead, use your faster thinking speed to analyze what has already been said.
4. Listen, dont talk-active listening is not only a great selling skill, its also an important interpersonal skill to have. Always help your prospective client convey his or her meaning accurately to you. You could paraphrase what your prospect has said to be sure you understand when its your turn to talk.
5. Never interrupt, but always allow them to interrupt you-nothing cuts of the flow of a meaningful dialogue quite as effectively as continuous interruptions. Whats more, its offensive and rude.
6. Ask clarifying questions to stimulate your prospect to talk so you can better understand what he or she means-show that youre taking him or her seriously by drawing out elaborations and explanations.
7. Remember what is said-log important points into your mental computer.
8. Block out interruptions and distractions-concentrate so fully on whats being said that you dont even notice visual or audible distractions such as a television or children.
9. Be responsive-get your whole body into listening and showing that you are paying attention. Look the person in the eye and use facial expressions and gestures to show you hear and understand them.
10. Stay calm-dont overreact to highly charged words and tones. Hear the person out; then respond.
11. Dont merely go to the meeting to get your two cents worth in. Be an effective, professional salesperson. Always remember, your prospective client has your two cents right in his or her pocket already
If you follow these simple rules for listening and questioning, you should avoid the pain of rejection; however, if you find yourself at the wrong end of an answer which might cause you pain, let it motivate you for the good. Get up and start over, listen better, think longer, ask different, stronger questions and never, ever give up. Keeping these strategies in mind will help you to propel your insurance sales. Have fun and good selling
About the Author
There is a big difference between the way we hear and the way we listen. Hearing is the physical response of your ears and the brain mechanism that picks up sound waves and translates them into signals you can understand.
Listening is the active process of deciphering signals and translating them into meaning. Its the exact opposite of talking. Most people are better talkers
than listeners; theyre much more adept at expressing their feelings and concerns than at listening to feelings and concerns of others. Which are you
Tips for Being A Great, Active Listener
1. Open your mind and ears-switch off all negative thoughts and feelings about the prospect and be receptive to the messages he or she is sending.
2. Listen from the first sentence-dont be thinking about what youre going to be saying next. Dont be planning the rest of your presentation. Put aside what your agenda may be and give your undivided attention to your prospective client. They will see this and appreciate you being there.
3. Analyze what is being said and what is not being said-even the slowest listeners can think faster than the fastest talkers. Avoid trying to figure out what your prospect is going to say; you may miss what he or she is actually saying. Instead, use your faster thinking speed to analyze what has already been said.
4. Listen, dont talk-active listening is not only a great selling skill, its also an important interpersonal skill to have. Always help your prospective client convey his or her meaning accurately to you. You could paraphrase what your prospect has said to be sure you understand when its your turn to talk.
5. Never interrupt, but always allow them to interrupt you-nothing cuts of the flow of a meaningful dialogue quite as effectively as continuous interruptions. Whats more, its offensive and rude.
6. Ask clarifying questions to stimulate your prospect to talk so you can better understand what he or she means-show that youre taking him or her seriously by drawing out elaborations and explanations.
7. Remember what is said-log important points into your mental computer.
8. Block out interruptions and distractions-concentrate so fully on whats being said that you dont even notice visual or audible distractions such as a television or children.
9. Be responsive-get your whole body into listening and showing that you are paying attention. Look the person in the eye and use facial expressions and gestures to show you hear and understand them.
10. Stay calm-dont overreact to highly charged words and tones. Hear the person out; then respond.
11. Dont merely go to the meeting to get your two cents worth in. Be an effective, professional salesperson. Always remember, your prospective client has your two cents right in his or her pocket already
If you follow these simple rules for listening and questioning, you should avoid the pain of rejection; however, if you find yourself at the wrong end of an answer which might cause you pain, let it motivate you for the good. Get up and start over, listen better, think longer, ask different, stronger questions and never, ever give up. Keeping these strategies in mind will help you to propel your insurance sales. Have fun and good selling
About the Author
Our mission statement is helping
agents prosper by protecting American families. I own and operate a national
Labels: business, Club, entrepreneur, profit, revenue, startup
# posted by Smart Man @ 4:41 AM
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Marketing 101: Basic Information on Marketing Products and Services
Marketing is simply defined by the American Marketing Association as any activity that involves the flow of services, products and/or goods starting from production until consumption.
This article will dwell on the following marketing concepts:
Marketing activities
Marketing management principles
Techniques in marketing
Strategies in marketing
Market creation
The discussion of the above mentioned terms will take the form of question then answer:
1. What are the activities that are involved in marketing
The activities that are normally done in marketing are
a. Profiling is done to gather information before marketing policy is established. A profiler typically considers the following characteristics of products and services to users:
- affordability
- relevance
- preferences
- staffing
- extent of use
- repeat customers
b. Planning of products refers to the development of goods and services that can satisfy the things profiled above. The one in charge of this aspect must take note of the following questions:
-Who will use the product or service
-What products and services can catch the attention of the targeted groups
c. Pricing determines the amount of each product or service and other factors such as competitors prices, discount structure, and distribution channels, among others.
The following questions are considered for this marketing aspect:
- Should the information on products and services be given for free If yes, why and to whom
- What are the criteria for pricing a product or service
- What are the costs of generating a product or service
- What factors are considered before arriving at a price for a product or service
d. Promotion stimulates demand and therefore increases profit from sales. It makes use of every media available that are accessible to potential customers. Promoters ask themselves the following queries:
- Who are the targets of the promotion
- What are the messages to be sent to them
- What are the media that can be used to transmit the promotional message
- What are the factors that will be integrated in the promotional message
e. Distribution refers to the flow of services and products from the manufacturer. These are the channels of transport:
- mail
- telephone
- interpersonal delivery
- group delivery
- mass media
- computer network
- local depositories
- in-house dissemination
2. What are principles of marketing management
The principles are:
- Marketing management should be given equal importance as finance, production, and administration.
- Marketing management must complete the activities mentioned above.
- Even if marketing activities are divided, the decisions should be integrated.
3. What are the marketing techniques that apply the principles mentioned above
The techniques in marketing can be divided as follows:
- practical techniques and skills
- those used for analyzing costs and other factors
- those used to obtain market data
- those used to create and stimulate demand
4. What is the difference between marketing techniques and marketing strategies
Marketing strategy is the art of applying appropriate techniques in a given situation.
5. What is the probable result of applying appropriate marketing techniques or strategies
The answer is directly involved in the creation of a market. Here are some situations:
- If you can increase the sales, then you can create a market.
- If you can stimulate customers to buy, then you can awaken a sleeping market.
- If you can increase the demand, then you can create a market that did not exist before.
It suffices now to say that the product receives life upon the creation of a market through proactive marketing management, which by itself, entails a lot of things.
Now the question is, "Can you create a market"
About the Author
This article will dwell on the following marketing concepts:
Marketing activities
Marketing management principles
Techniques in marketing
Strategies in marketing
Market creation
The discussion of the above mentioned terms will take the form of question then answer:
1. What are the activities that are involved in marketing
The activities that are normally done in marketing are
a. Profiling is done to gather information before marketing policy is established. A profiler typically considers the following characteristics of products and services to users:
- affordability
- relevance
- preferences
- staffing
- extent of use
- repeat customers
b. Planning of products refers to the development of goods and services that can satisfy the things profiled above. The one in charge of this aspect must take note of the following questions:
-Who will use the product or service
-What products and services can catch the attention of the targeted groups
c. Pricing determines the amount of each product or service and other factors such as competitors prices, discount structure, and distribution channels, among others.
The following questions are considered for this marketing aspect:
- Should the information on products and services be given for free If yes, why and to whom
- What are the criteria for pricing a product or service
- What are the costs of generating a product or service
- What factors are considered before arriving at a price for a product or service
d. Promotion stimulates demand and therefore increases profit from sales. It makes use of every media available that are accessible to potential customers. Promoters ask themselves the following queries:
- Who are the targets of the promotion
- What are the messages to be sent to them
- What are the media that can be used to transmit the promotional message
- What are the factors that will be integrated in the promotional message
e. Distribution refers to the flow of services and products from the manufacturer. These are the channels of transport:
- telephone
- interpersonal delivery
- group delivery
- mass media
- computer network
- local depositories
- in-house dissemination
2. What are principles of marketing management
The principles are:
- Marketing management should be given equal importance as finance, production, and administration.
- Marketing management must complete the activities mentioned above.
- Even if marketing activities are divided, the decisions should be integrated.
3. What are the marketing techniques that apply the principles mentioned above
The techniques in marketing can be divided as follows:
- practical techniques and skills
- those used for analyzing costs and other factors
- those used to obtain market data
- those used to create and stimulate demand
4. What is the difference between marketing techniques and marketing strategies
Marketing strategy is the art of applying appropriate techniques in a given situation.
5. What is the probable result of applying appropriate marketing techniques or strategies
The answer is directly involved in the creation of a market. Here are some situations:
- If you can increase the sales, then you can create a market.
- If you can stimulate customers to buy, then you can awaken a sleeping market.
- If you can increase the demand, then you can create a market that did not exist before.
It suffices now to say that the product receives life upon the creation of a market through proactive marketing management, which by itself, entails a lot of things.
Now the question is, "Can you create a market"
About the Author
Daegan Smith Is And Expert Online Marketer
"Wanna Lean The Secret To Making 85,147,717
Per Month While Quickly And Easily EXPLODING
Your Network Marketing Organization by 7,141
People Without EVER Buying Or Calling a
Single Stinking Lead" Free CD Explains All:http://www.easymlmprofits.com
Labels: business, Club, entrepreneur, profit, revenue, startup
# posted by Smart Man @ 4:48 PM
A Sign of Maturing - Trade Shows Sans Booth Babes
The rationale behind hiring a trade show model is simple - nail the first impression by leveraging the old advertising maxim of sex selling. And for years the trade show model was a staple, pulling show-going crowds towards booths and hopefully towards products. Recently, though, trade show models, or as they are more commonly known booth babes, have been going the way of the caribou. Case-in-point, the 2008 SHOT Show, previously known for its pairing of guns and babes, was so lacking in trade show models that Field and Stream Magazine was forced to pad their annual review of models with pictures of men sporting unusually long beards, and causing many readers to question, why are exhibitors messing with a good thing
In 2006, the Electronic Software Association ESA, the trade group behind the Electronic Entertainment Expo E3 issued a press release stating that for the first time, the dress code, typically flouted by models, would be enforced. And by enforced the ESA meant a warning followed by a 5000 fine. Common motives associated with this new rule enforcement stemmed from the reputation of the trade show previously described by IGNs David Adams as ribald, the fear that the ESA was marketing sexually-explicit content to children, and the fact that the video game industry was reaching sales parity with Hollywood. There is, of course, a common thread between these arguments: the product didnt need the sex, instead it needed to be viewed as professional. For the ESA, the video game had matured beyond the quick, impulsive sell that sex grants, and was finally a legitimate part of living rooms around the world.
The ESA was telling exhibitors to do something every trade show exhibitor should be doing anyways, they should be considering their brand. Whether you are an entrepreneur, an executive, or merely an employee, trade shows are worked with the explicit intent of drawing quality attention to your brand. The trade show exhibitor is there to build excitement that should ultimately turn a booth visitor into a repeat customer. The booth is a means to forging a lasting relationship on a personal basis. Working a booth allows a company to press the flesh and promote with a passion that simply cant be found in traditional advertising. So, why would a company risk potentially isolating half the attendees at a conference with a booth babe
Half Well, close to it. According to a survey conducted by AffiliateTip.com, 70 of the female respondents and 41 of the male respondents 56 overall said that they were less likely to visit a booth that used a booth babe. Conversely, 29 of the overall respondents said that a booth babe caused a null opinion, and a mere 15 said that a booth babe would positively impact their opinion of a booth. Perusing blogs will lead to an even larger mountain of anecdotal evidence that suggests that not only are individuals less likely to visit your trade show displays if a booth babe is present, but they are actually more likely to form a negative opinion of your company to boot.
Of course, not all trade shows are following the trend presented by the ESA, yet booth babes seem to be disappearing just the same. The use of booth babes at YAPC Yet Another Perl Convention sparked a thread on the Use Perl official message board regarding whether or not booth babes should be used at other conference. The quote that seemed to sum the experience up was that is so auto show.
The debate surrounding the use of booth babes even leaves the trade show, with various media outlets debating about whether they should continue to feature photos of the best babes, often opening up the discussion to readers. Toms Hardware, a forum and media outlet focusing on technology posed the question to their readership and the first response cut to the heart of the issue - juxtaposing the for being juvenile and mainstream against the opposed being adult and technical. Tech Republic, also opened the question up to their readers, and gathered likewise responses. It seemed that even the media was turning their backs on booth babes.
There is, of course, one final theory on why exhibitors were shying away from trade show models. At the 2006 E3, Disney was there presenting the video game tie in for their Pixar animated feature Cars. There between near-life-size examples of the films star cars was, you guessed it, a trade show model. The model in question was decked out from head to toe in skintight black jumpsuit, complete with plunging neckline and a checkered-flag racking stripe running up her sides, and covering just enough to show that Disney could play by the new E3 rules. Perhaps the world at large saw Disneys display as truly jumping the shark and everyone simply moved on.
Whichever theory you subscribe to - maintaining an professional image, fear of isolating potential clients, or merely staying one step ahead of Disney, the use of trade show models are certainly on the decline. And as John Davis, editorial director for Ziff Davis Media Game Group told ABC News, "Not having the booth babes isnt going to make any difference." Instead, of babes, the new trend seems to be presenting your products in a professional manner, with booth workers who go beyond gimmick or sex and instead have a passion for your brand and a knowledge base to match. Guess which one leads to more quality sales
About the Author
In 2006, the Electronic Software Association ESA, the trade group behind the Electronic Entertainment Expo E3 issued a press release stating that for the first time, the dress code, typically flouted by models, would be enforced. And by enforced the ESA meant a warning followed by a 5000 fine. Common motives associated with this new rule enforcement stemmed from the reputation of the trade show previously described by IGNs David Adams as ribald, the fear that the ESA was marketing sexually-explicit content to children, and the fact that the video game industry was reaching sales parity with Hollywood. There is, of course, a common thread between these arguments: the product didnt need the sex, instead it needed to be viewed as professional. For the ESA, the video game had matured beyond the quick, impulsive sell that sex grants, and was finally a legitimate part of living rooms around the world.
The ESA was telling exhibitors to do something every trade show exhibitor should be doing anyways, they should be considering their brand. Whether you are an entrepreneur, an executive, or merely an employee, trade shows are worked with the explicit intent of drawing quality attention to your brand. The trade show exhibitor is there to build excitement that should ultimately turn a booth visitor into a repeat customer. The booth is a means to forging a lasting relationship on a personal basis. Working a booth allows a company to press the flesh and promote with a passion that simply cant be found in traditional advertising. So, why would a company risk potentially isolating half the attendees at a conference with a booth babe
Half Well, close to it. According to a survey conducted by AffiliateTip.com, 70 of the female respondents and 41 of the male respondents 56 overall said that they were less likely to visit a booth that used a booth babe. Conversely, 29 of the overall respondents said that a booth babe caused a null opinion, and a mere 15 said that a booth babe would positively impact their opinion of a booth. Perusing blogs will lead to an even larger mountain of anecdotal evidence that suggests that not only are individuals less likely to visit your trade show displays if a booth babe is present, but they are actually more likely to form a negative opinion of your company to boot.
Of course, not all trade shows are following the trend presented by the ESA, yet booth babes seem to be disappearing just the same. The use of booth babes at YAPC Yet Another Perl Convention sparked a thread on the Use Perl official message board regarding whether or not booth babes should be used at other conference. The quote that seemed to sum the experience up was that is so auto show.
The debate surrounding the use of booth babes even leaves the trade show, with various media outlets debating about whether they should continue to feature photos of the best babes, often opening up the discussion to readers. Toms Hardware, a forum and media outlet focusing on technology posed the question to their readership and the first response cut to the heart of the issue - juxtaposing the for being juvenile and mainstream against the opposed being adult and technical. Tech Republic, also opened the question up to their readers, and gathered likewise responses. It seemed that even the media was turning their backs on booth babes.
There is, of course, one final theory on why exhibitors were shying away from trade show models. At the 2006 E3, Disney was there presenting the video game tie in for their Pixar animated feature Cars. There between near-life-size examples of the films star cars was, you guessed it, a trade show model. The model in question was decked out from head to toe in skintight black jumpsuit, complete with plunging neckline and a checkered-flag racking stripe running up her sides, and covering just enough to show that Disney could play by the new E3 rules. Perhaps the world at large saw Disneys display as truly jumping the shark and everyone simply moved on.
Whichever theory you subscribe to - maintaining an professional image, fear of isolating potential clients, or merely staying one step ahead of Disney, the use of trade show models are certainly on the decline. And as John Davis, editorial director for Ziff Davis Media Game Group told ABC News, "Not having the booth babes isnt going to make any difference." Instead, of babes, the new trend seems to be presenting your products in a professional manner, with booth workers who go beyond gimmick or sex and instead have a passion for your brand and a knowledge base to match. Guess which one leads to more quality sales
About the Author
Mat Kelly is the president of ExhibitDEAL, a leading provider of
Labels: business, Club, entrepreneur, profit, revenue, startup
# posted by Smart Man @ 5:32 AM
Saturday, July 12, 2008
End Of Financial Year Review - How Successful Was Your Marketing Expense
Throw your hats in the air and celebrate - it is end of financial year time again I love end of financial year as it is a great time to reflect on what worked and what didnt for you and your business in the past year.
But ... when you look at how successful was your marketing expense in the past financial year - you need to look your results against a number of definitions of success and not just the dollars.
Financial review
Lets get the dollars out of the way first. Marketing is one area you should be able to get pretty solid data on your return on investment - the cost of marketing compared to how much business was brought in from the strategy.
Take a close look at all of your marketing and categorise them into things such as:
Online costs such as online ads, affiliate programs, SEO strategies, online web copy
Print costs for costs such as direct mail, brochures, flyers, posters, copywriting for the words etc
Advertising print, radio, TV, yellow pages, copywriting for the scripts or ads
PR & Networking networking events, tradeshows
Seminars if you run seminars
Next consider the hidden costs - your time in setting up or running that marketing category, time in answering calls or emails, fees and charges associated with that expense e.g. online transaction fees, travel time and wages. Many businesses dont allocate these expenses which severely limits their capacity for solid reporting.
You also need to look at the business brought in from the strategy - both in terms of immediate business/sales as well as lifetime value of the customer to your business. Less easy to quantify costs include goodwill, business networks and business brand value.
If it cost you more to attract a customer than the value they bring to you - there is something severely wrong with your marketing and your business model
Customer review
The quality of your marketing affects the customers you are attracting to your business. Review your customer list or think back over the customers who have been coming to your business. Are you attracting great customers, who value you and your business or are you attracting a lot of customers trying to bargain you down and who are generally difficult
If your customers are not all that flash or are not in sufficient quantities - you need to review your marketing strategies including the words you are using, your images and general approach.
Supplier review
If you have a successful marketing strategy, your suppliers should generate great quality product or services for you and you should have a solid and productive working relationship with them. This of course assumes you pay your bills on time every time and have essential communication strategies in place
If your supplier relationships are bumpy, then your supplier nurturing strategies are not working well for you.
Connection review
One of the outcomes of great marketing is a wider range of connections, alliances and networks you can tap into. Have your connections expanded with quality contacts this year If you network with lovely people, but never share referrals or business with them - only social chit chat, you need to consider the effectiveness of your networking strategy.
Employee review
When you market for customers, you are also marketing for potential employees. Have a look over the employees who started to work with you this year. Take a look over the number and quality of applicants you received for your vacancies. If your marketing expense was effective you would be inundated with high quality candidates rather than zero applications or less than optimal candidates.
Learning review
Learning is an important indicator for future growth. Through your marketing strategy this year did you learn more about your customers, what makes them tick, what they value and what is important to them What did you learn about the technical aspects of marketing through applying your strategies Sometimes something you try may be a financial failure but the most significant learning event in your life.
If the overall assessment of the success of your marketing expense is bleak - dont panic You now are armed with some information to help you identify where you will focus your efforts this coming financial year.
About the Author
But ... when you look at how successful was your marketing expense in the past financial year - you need to look your results against a number of definitions of success and not just the dollars.
Financial review
Lets get the dollars out of the way first. Marketing is one area you should be able to get pretty solid data on your return on investment - the cost of marketing compared to how much business was brought in from the strategy.
Take a close look at all of your marketing and categorise them into things such as:
Online costs such as online ads, affiliate programs, SEO strategies, online web copy
Print costs for costs such as direct mail, brochures, flyers, posters, copywriting for the words etc
Advertising print, radio, TV, yellow pages, copywriting for the scripts or ads
PR & Networking networking events, tradeshows
Seminars if you run seminars
Next consider the hidden costs - your time in setting up or running that marketing category, time in answering calls or emails, fees and charges associated with that expense e.g. online transaction fees, travel time and wages. Many businesses dont allocate these expenses which severely limits their capacity for solid reporting.
You also need to look at the business brought in from the strategy - both in terms of immediate business/sales as well as lifetime value of the customer to your business. Less easy to quantify costs include goodwill, business networks and business brand value.
If it cost you more to attract a customer than the value they bring to you - there is something severely wrong with your marketing and your business model
Customer review
The quality of your marketing affects the customers you are attracting to your business. Review your customer list or think back over the customers who have been coming to your business. Are you attracting great customers, who value you and your business or are you attracting a lot of customers trying to bargain you down and who are generally difficult
If your customers are not all that flash or are not in sufficient quantities - you need to review your marketing strategies including the words you are using, your images and general approach.
Supplier review
If you have a successful marketing strategy, your suppliers should generate great quality product or services for you and you should have a solid and productive working relationship with them. This of course assumes you pay your bills on time every time and have essential communication strategies in place
If your supplier relationships are bumpy, then your supplier nurturing strategies are not working well for you.
Connection review
One of the outcomes of great marketing is a wider range of connections, alliances and networks you can tap into. Have your connections expanded with quality contacts this year If you network with lovely people, but never share referrals or business with them - only social chit chat, you need to consider the effectiveness of your networking strategy.
Employee review
When you market for customers, you are also marketing for potential employees. Have a look over the employees who started to work with you this year. Take a look over the number and quality of applicants you received for your vacancies. If your marketing expense was effective you would be inundated with high quality candidates rather than zero applications or less than optimal candidates.
Learning review
Learning is an important indicator for future growth. Through your marketing strategy this year did you learn more about your customers, what makes them tick, what they value and what is important to them What did you learn about the technical aspects of marketing through applying your strategies Sometimes something you try may be a financial failure but the most significant learning event in your life.
If the overall assessment of the success of your marketing expense is bleak - dont panic You now are armed with some information to help you identify where you will focus your efforts this coming financial year.
About the Author
Ingrid Cliff is a Freelance Copywriter with her Brisbane Copywriting Business Heart Harmony. Ingrid writes a free weekly small business newsletter packed full of articles and tips and Small Business Ideas blog for small businesses.
Labels: business, Club, entrepreneur, profit, revenue, startup
# posted by Smart Man @ 5:49 PM
Why Angel Investors Say No to Entrepreneurs
Angels, or private investors, invest more money in more companies at an earlier stage than venture capitalists. They are the lifeblood for seed and start-up businesses. Why do they say no?
Angels Just Don't Get It
Entrepreneurs who face rejection by angel investors often blame it on the angels: those investors cannot understand my wonderful technology, or the angels won't bother to take the time to understand. Some of this is just a means to protect the entrepreneur's tender ego, but it does point out how there can be critical gaps in communication: an entrepreneur thinks he's doing a good job explaining the deal, but in fact he's not getting through at all.
Angel Was The Wrong Audience
Angel investors invest smaller amounts of capital in earlier stage companies than venture capitalists do. They also take more of an interest in the day-to-day management of companies they invest in. Investors aren't usually interested in investing in life style companies, ie., companies that provide a comfortable life style for the owner, but don't have expansive growth opportunities. They want to see a company that can reach significant earnings in a short amount of time.
Lack of Preparation by Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurs are often guilty, in their eagerness to get started building their company, of seeking out angel investors before they are prepared to present their deal or carry on negotiations. Angel investors often have a great deal of business experience and can ask the kinds of probing, difficult questions that quickly puncture inflated projections or poorly thought out strategies.
ROI/Exit Strategy
Entrepreneurs emphasize bringing capital into the company; investors are quite reasonably interested in getting capital out of the company. Unless the entrepreneur can convince the investor that a lucrative exit is possible within a reasonable time frame, the deal is unlikely to get done.
Management Team
Angel investors invest in the management team of a company. Often there's only the business plan, at best a prototype product, and no revenues. If the management team is weak or inexperienced, angels are reluctant to invest.
Deficiencies in the Presentation by Entrepreneurs
It is an unpleasant fact that entrepreneurs with good ideas can still miss out on obtaining funding because of poorly prepared business plans, executive summaries, and other presentation materials. A great business plan does not raise capital for a company (you need a great management team as well), but a poor plan sends a signal to investors that the founders may also be sloppy in the way they run the company.
The Concept or the Idea is Flawed
Some ideas have zero chance of getting funded, and that's just the way it is.
Entrepreneur Was Not Able To "Sell" the Investment
Part of raising capital depends on simple sales skill, and if the founder of the company does not have that skill, he needs to develop it quickly or have someone with that skill assist him with the presentations to investors.
Subjective Factors
The decisions made by angel investors are not cut-and-dried based on analysis that leads to an easily obtained conclusion. Angels operate in an environment where the crystal ball can get extremely cloudy at times, and must rely on their instincts honed through many years of being on the firing line in their own companies.
How to Avoid Hearing 'no' from an Angel
1) Spend a lot of time discussing how the management team's background will lead to growth and profitability for this venture
2) Do not skimp on the time and effort spent on developing and practicing the presentation to angels; Don't 'wing it' with angels
3) Don't assume everyone can pick up on technical jargon; keep the presentation in layman's terms as much as possible
4) Test your business model out on experienced business people and obtain their feedback before seeking funding
5) Present alternative ways the investor can exit the deal, when and how.
About the Author
Angels Just Don't Get It
Entrepreneurs who face rejection by angel investors often blame it on the angels: those investors cannot understand my wonderful technology, or the angels won't bother to take the time to understand. Some of this is just a means to protect the entrepreneur's tender ego, but it does point out how there can be critical gaps in communication: an entrepreneur thinks he's doing a good job explaining the deal, but in fact he's not getting through at all.
Angel Was The Wrong Audience
Angel investors invest smaller amounts of capital in earlier stage companies than venture capitalists do. They also take more of an interest in the day-to-day management of companies they invest in. Investors aren't usually interested in investing in life style companies, ie., companies that provide a comfortable life style for the owner, but don't have expansive growth opportunities. They want to see a company that can reach significant earnings in a short amount of time.
Lack of Preparation by Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurs are often guilty, in their eagerness to get started building their company, of seeking out angel investors before they are prepared to present their deal or carry on negotiations. Angel investors often have a great deal of business experience and can ask the kinds of probing, difficult questions that quickly puncture inflated projections or poorly thought out strategies.
ROI/Exit Strategy
Entrepreneurs emphasize bringing capital into the company; investors are quite reasonably interested in getting capital out of the company. Unless the entrepreneur can convince the investor that a lucrative exit is possible within a reasonable time frame, the deal is unlikely to get done.
Management Team
Angel investors invest in the management team of a company. Often there's only the business plan, at best a prototype product, and no revenues. If the management team is weak or inexperienced, angels are reluctant to invest.
Deficiencies in the Presentation by Entrepreneurs
It is an unpleasant fact that entrepreneurs with good ideas can still miss out on obtaining funding because of poorly prepared business plans, executive summaries, and other presentation materials. A great business plan does not raise capital for a company (you need a great management team as well), but a poor plan sends a signal to investors that the founders may also be sloppy in the way they run the company.
The Concept or the Idea is Flawed
Some ideas have zero chance of getting funded, and that's just the way it is.
Entrepreneur Was Not Able To "Sell" the Investment
Part of raising capital depends on simple sales skill, and if the founder of the company does not have that skill, he needs to develop it quickly or have someone with that skill assist him with the presentations to investors.
Subjective Factors
The decisions made by angel investors are not cut-and-dried based on analysis that leads to an easily obtained conclusion. Angels operate in an environment where the crystal ball can get extremely cloudy at times, and must rely on their instincts honed through many years of being on the firing line in their own companies.
How to Avoid Hearing 'no' from an Angel
1) Spend a lot of time discussing how the management team's background will lead to growth and profitability for this venture
2) Do not skimp on the time and effort spent on developing and practicing the presentation to angels; Don't 'wing it' with angels
3) Don't assume everyone can pick up on technical jargon; keep the presentation in layman's terms as much as possible
4) Test your business model out on experienced business people and obtain their feedback before seeking funding
5) Present alternative ways the investor can exit the deal, when and how.
About the Author
Brian Hill is the author of several business books including Business Plan Basics, Find out more about angel investors
Labels: business, Club, entrepreneur, profit, revenue, startup
# posted by Smart Man @ 5:33 AM
Friday, July 11, 2008
What Position Is Your Communication In
Many small business communications suffer from the same flaw - they appear more interested in themselves than the customers. What do I mean? Let's take a typical website introduction.
"Welcome to the ABCD website. ABCD have proudly been in business since 1987. We are a family owned company that prides itself of the great service we provide."
It is all about ABCD and nothing about the customer!
Other companies seem aloof and do not connect with the customer.
"People select ABCD to provide XYZ services because of their superior customer service and attention to detail".
Neither of these examples generates many sales nor builds strong connections with their customers.
So what is wrong with these examples? They are coming from the wrong position. What do I mean?
Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) created a useful model to help people think about where their communication was coming from and termed the model Perceptual Positions.
The position you adopt reflects the perspective you are coming from when you communicate - from your own perspective, the perspective of someone else or the perspective of an independent observer.
First position is all about me and what I am thinking and feeling. It is very self-absorbed and only focuses on what is important to me and my personal goals and objectives. First position does not make sales! This was the case in the first example website we talked about.
Second position is all about you. This is where you put yourself in the place of the other person and get in touch with their feelings and emotions. You gain an understanding of what is important to them and focus on their needs.
Third position is the independent, impartial observer. In this position you observe the interactions as if you were a fly on the wall and have no emotional attachment to any particular outcome. It is very similar to a commentator on a horse race - commenting on the process of the horses racing but with no stake in which horse actually wins. It is a very useful position but can be seen as cold and aloof. This was the situation in the second example website we discussed.
These positions describe most human interactions, as most healthy functioning people swap regularly between all three positions. However, the most powerful marketing position is second position - where you walk a mile in your customer's shoes.
This is where you connect at a very deep level with your customer. One of the most attractive things for any person is to be truly listened to and understood.
If your marketing is in second position your words and focus will solidly be on your customer. You will be identifying problems they may be experiencing, you may describe feelings they may be having and your services only exist as potential solutions to their particular problems.
You will have spent a significant amount of time getting inside the head of your customer - finding out what they think, what is important to them and their lives and what values they hold dear.
The word "you" will be liberally sprinkled through your copy, with at least a 3:1 ratio of focus of sentences on the customer compared to you and your business.
Later studies on NLP have identified a fourth position - which is where you communicate as part of a system for the good of the group. This position can be described as the "we" position as the language used is often "we are", "us" etc. Fourth position includes all three other positions.
One of the things that define fourth position is that it comes from finding the deep links that unite all members of the group or system. Traditionally it has been hard to apply fourth position to sales and marketing, but the trend to being an active part of a social community either on-line or off-line and speaking as part of the group is an example of the marketing shift to fourth position.
So, now you have some homework. Go back and look at your marketing materials. Look at each sentence in your materials and tick off whether your words reflect 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th position.
If you don't have more 2nd and 4th position statements - you are not connecting as deeply with your customer as you need to do for maximum sales.
About the Author
"Welcome to the ABCD website. ABCD have proudly been in business since 1987. We are a family owned company that prides itself of the great service we provide."
It is all about ABCD and nothing about the customer!
Other companies seem aloof and do not connect with the customer.
"People select ABCD to provide XYZ services because of their superior customer service and attention to detail".
Neither of these examples generates many sales nor builds strong connections with their customers.
So what is wrong with these examples? They are coming from the wrong position. What do I mean?
Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) created a useful model to help people think about where their communication was coming from and termed the model Perceptual Positions.
The position you adopt reflects the perspective you are coming from when you communicate - from your own perspective, the perspective of someone else or the perspective of an independent observer.
First position is all about me and what I am thinking and feeling. It is very self-absorbed and only focuses on what is important to me and my personal goals and objectives. First position does not make sales! This was the case in the first example website we talked about.
Second position is all about you. This is where you put yourself in the place of the other person and get in touch with their feelings and emotions. You gain an understanding of what is important to them and focus on their needs.
Third position is the independent, impartial observer. In this position you observe the interactions as if you were a fly on the wall and have no emotional attachment to any particular outcome. It is very similar to a commentator on a horse race - commenting on the process of the horses racing but with no stake in which horse actually wins. It is a very useful position but can be seen as cold and aloof. This was the situation in the second example website we discussed.
These positions describe most human interactions, as most healthy functioning people swap regularly between all three positions. However, the most powerful marketing position is second position - where you walk a mile in your customer's shoes.
This is where you connect at a very deep level with your customer. One of the most attractive things for any person is to be truly listened to and understood.
If your marketing is in second position your words and focus will solidly be on your customer. You will be identifying problems they may be experiencing, you may describe feelings they may be having and your services only exist as potential solutions to their particular problems.
You will have spent a significant amount of time getting inside the head of your customer - finding out what they think, what is important to them and their lives and what values they hold dear.
The word "you" will be liberally sprinkled through your copy, with at least a 3:1 ratio of focus of sentences on the customer compared to you and your business.
Later studies on NLP have identified a fourth position - which is where you communicate as part of a system for the good of the group. This position can be described as the "we" position as the language used is often "we are", "us" etc. Fourth position includes all three other positions.
One of the things that define fourth position is that it comes from finding the deep links that unite all members of the group or system. Traditionally it has been hard to apply fourth position to sales and marketing, but the trend to being an active part of a social community either on-line or off-line and speaking as part of the group is an example of the marketing shift to fourth position.
So, now you have some homework. Go back and look at your marketing materials. Look at each sentence in your materials and tick off whether your words reflect 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th position.
If you don't have more 2nd and 4th position statements - you are not connecting as deeply with your customer as you need to do for maximum sales.
About the Author
Ingrid Cliff is a Freelance Copywriter with her Brisbane Copywriting Business (Heart Harmony). Ingrid writes a free weekly small business newsletter packed full of articles and tips and Small Business Ideas blog for small businesses. www.heartharmony.com.au
Relaited Links:
Labels: business, Club, entrepreneur, profit, revenue, startup
# posted by Smart Man @ 5:47 PM
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