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Most People Do Less Research For A Job Interview Than For A DateMost people show up at an interview with less preparation and planning than they would have done for a movie, the movie or even not as much research as they would do before a date. Think of it the time you are going to invest in that new job, Think of the time wasted sitting around for rejection calls or letters. If you prepare for that job interview you will stand out as that one in thousand or even one in a million of job employment career candidates. The question is how to best ...
What Your Boss Means By "Risk" Is Changing:We have some good news and some better news for corporate risk managers. The good news is that risk once a mere afterthought in the world of corporate management is moving toward center stage. More and more business leaders are coming to understand the vital role that risk management plays in shaping the future of their companies . . . which means that the opportunities for risk managers to influence thinking at the C-suite and boardroom level are greater than ever before. The better ...
Research , Research , Research Before That Job InterviewComplete Industry, employer and job research gives job career search applicants a competitive edge. The work you do before the interview will pay off in spades many times over and over. Employers nationwide report soundly that applicants who research employers well increase their employability as much as 25- 40 %. Thus by doing a thorough job of research of the complete industry, employer and job you will have a big payoff. This is most important both for getting ...
The Problem With Time ManagementAuthor of Ignited If you've been living in the corporate world for some time, you've probably attended a training session where one of the exercises was to conduct a "time spent" analysis in order to increase your efficiency. You cracked open your calendar, reviewed how you spent your time for the past week, and identified black holes that were wasting your energy. Maybe you even went so far as to break your activities into categories, separating the "urgent" things from the ...
Excuse Me, Your Job Is WaitingExcerpt The following is an excerpt from the book Excuse Me, Your Job Is Waiting by Laura George Published by Hampton Roads Publishing Company, Inc.; March 2007;$16.95US; 978-1-57174-529-3 Copyright В© 2007 Laura George Live and Learn From a business perspective, rejection is the best of teachers. Look over your documents. Do you see flaws in your resume you failed to see earlier? If so, fix them. The great thing about the electronic age is that resume's can be ...
Whatever You Are, Be A Great OneOne of the best ways to unleash the charisma that Builders feel for a cause, calling, career, or other major objective, is to see whether or not they're really willing to immerse themselves in it. Opportunity comes from expertise, not just luck, talent, and passion. If you find it impossibly tedious to become an expert about what you think matters to you, then you're not chasing a dream, you're just daydreaming. You can't claim the buried treasure if you aren't willing to dig for ...
Creating A World-Class Sales CampaignRecruiting a great sales team is essential to the success of any business, but great salespeople are not easy to find. You need sales leaders who are hungry enough to make 10 sales calls per week, diligent enough to write up detailed reports on each call, and mature enough to deliver on their promises. When you have to ask yourself, "Do I have the right sales person?," you don't. It's best to say goodbye and upgrade. Vince Thompson, author of Ignited, wanted to make a change from television ...
Advice to New ManagersIf you're in the early stages of your management career, there are some basic ideas that we want to pass on so perhaps you won't have to learn the hard way how to provide leadership to the people who work for you. As a manager, whether you know it or not, you're under constant scrutiny. Subordinates watch your every behavior and make decisions on department, team, or company values based on that behavior. Intense (but balanced) focus on the work and goals, seizing opportunities to learn more, ...
The Bad Apple At Work May be Your Best Apple - Employee ProductivityIt is often said that one bad apple can spoil the barrel of apples. The same can be said of employee morale at the work. One employee with a poor attitude can ruin your whole carefully plan campaign of motivation and productivity at the jobsite. Dealing with difficult employees is perhaps the hardest part of running any operation. In the end after all your careful choices and planning, hiring and training it all comes down to the employees on the job. Everything in ...
Software OutsourcingIn current world of Information Technology, there are two main players that offer the competitive services and that are India and China. Both the countries have got remarkable growth in the field of Software Outsourcing services. Some other players are also entering into the market though. As far as India and China are concerned both the countries claim to offer the high quality and cost effective development services. Compared to China, India has edge over it for the software ...
Be Your Own Press SecretaryWouldn't the world be a better place if we each had our own presidential press secretary to answer tough questions and spin our message all day long against any and all adversaries? (It would be great for us perhaps, but I'm not sure I want to live in a world where everyone is spinning everyone else.) That said, there's something to be learned from the methods that politicians employ to stay in power. Chief among these is staying on message -- i.e., knowing what you want to ...
Search engine optimizationby Rajeev. R. Search engine optimization, also known as SEO, is simply adding certain design and content elements to your web site, blog, and/or RSS feed to make it more attractive to search engines. If you are interested in generating traffic for your web site, blog, or RSS feed then you must spend some time working on SEO. Of course, you can ignore SEO and depend on other methods of traffic generation but this can be very expensive and time-consuming. Of course, SEO can be ...
How to Sell SuccessfulyBy Keith Londrie Always write about what people want. In “Money to be Made Online” the entire first chapter is dedicated to what people want. In that chapter alone I learned a boat load of information that has helped me sell my products online and in the real world. The power of the spoken and written word is great, and often underestimated. By utilizing certain modes of speech, you can tantalize people by feeding their desires and activating their ...
Two Views of Social ResponsibilityTwo Views of Social Responsibility By Jonathon Hardcastle Government regulation and public awareness are external forces that have increased the social responsibility of business. But business decisions are made within the company. Two contrasting philosophies, or models, define the range of management attitudes toward social responsibility; the economic and the socioeconomic model. According to the traditional concept of business, a firm exists to produce quality goods ...
Define Your Position: Values, Ethics & LeadershipBy Paul Hoffman Some call it wearing one’s heart on the sleeve; others call it wearing their emotions. If the discussion is of values and ethics, leaders must wear them openly, constantly encouraging, mentoring, and coaching others to operate within values-based and ethical standards the leader expresses. Values and ethics exist in a philosophical arena and often mistaken as the same. Values explain that who you are is what you were when. Ethics demonstrates ...
Setting Business Goals: Overcoming the Fear of Failureby Marjorie Geiser Everyone starts to consider goals for the future when the year comes to an end. You may be in a position where you have been considering starting up your own business, or you may have a business but are ready to take it to the next level, but for one reason or another have been putting off the steps necessary to 'go there'. You have to set goals to make it reality, however. Often fear is what holds us back from setting goals. What if you fail? Or what if you ...
Branding Businesses For Unique ExposureJoe Bella Anyone who doubts the power of brands is missing out on a great opportunity. In an era when differentiation is crucial and raising prices is all but out of the question, one solution is branding - using and promoting high-profile consumer brands on the tabletop and on the menu (often referred to as brand-listing). Branding provides a "halo of quality" that customers can easily recognize and measure, enhancing value and, in many cases, allowing the operator to charge ...
The Importance of Setting Goals In BusinessAdam Terebeckij Goal setting is a skill that is so often overlooked by home business owners. Unfortunately, it is a vitally important skill when beginning your home business. If you don't have goals then you really have no idea where your business is going. But that isn't even the main reason you need goals. Goal setting is one of the most important skills you can cultivate as a home business owner. Make a list of long and short-term goals. Write the list down and ...
Business Ethics and Social ResponsibilityIsmael D. Tabije Business ethics is a form of applied ethics that examines just rules and principles within a commercial context; the various moral or ethical problems that can arise in a business setting; and any special duties or obligations that apply to persons who are engaged in commerce. Generally speaking, business ethics is a normative discipline, whereby particular ethical standards are advocated and then applied. It makes specific judgments about what is ...
Do You Really Want A Business Of Your Own?Paul Taylor At one time or another in every life, one decides that he or she would like to open a business. You may be tired of someone else getting rich from your efforts or maybe you want the freedom that goes with owning a business. But, is it enough just to want your own business. What does owning a business mean? What does it take to be an entrepreneur? What do you need to open a successful business? There are thousands of businesses that open one year and ...
The Importance of Setting Goals In BusinessAdam Terebeckij Goal setting is a skill that is so often overlooked by home business owners. Unfortunately, it is a vitally important skill when beginning your home business. If you don't have goals then you really have no idea where your business is going. But that isn't even the main reason you need goals. Goal setting is one of the most important skills you can cultivate as a home business owner. Make a list of long and short-term goals. Write the list down and make 12 ...
Fundamentals of Preparing an Effective Business Plan?By William King Commencing a new business can be easy or difficult and the most essential step when starting a new business is to have an effective business plan. So the question arises, what actually is a Business Plan? A business plan includes an outline of the goals, expected expenditures, promotion materials and even the exit plan. As the business proceeds, these aims serves as a map and measure and it also helps the company be continuously reminded of their ...
Why Training FailsKevin Dwyer Article: If the objective of training is for people to apply that learning in the workplace and make an observable difference to an organisation's results, then almost all corporate training fails to achieve its objective and even fails to measure whether it achieved its objective. In a 2000 study, the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) reported that only 3% of training was measured at Kirkpatrick's "level 4" of training evaluation ...
Fundamentals of Preparing an Effective Business Plan?William King Commencing a new business can be easy or difficult and the most essential step when starting a new business is to have an effective business plan. So the question arises, what actually is a Business Plan? A business plan includes an outline of the goals, expected expenditures, promotion materials and even the exit plan. As the business proceeds, these aims serves as a map and measure and it also helps the company be continuously reminded of their ...
How To Motivate Your EmployeesHow To Motivate Your Employees By Eric Fields Dealing with employees can be the toughest thing when running a business. Employees are the life and the blood of business. Your customers will judge your business based on how your employees treat them. So it is best to provide your customers with the top employees you can get. First, have an employee mission statement. Something that lets all of your employees know what you and your company stand for. For ...
Seven Principles for BusinessJohn Mehrmann Document the definitions for your business, organization, or your role in the organization. If you can document it, you can share it. With defined and aligned goals and purpose, individuals within an organization are empowered for personal success. The following seven principles may seem simple and obvious, as they should. However, would your definitions be aligned with everyone else in your organization or your customers? 1. Value Business exists ...
How To Write A Great Business PlanEdward Bryce Starting a business can be easy or difficult, depending on how one will execute. The only key to make this endeavor to start a business work is to have a business plan. Plan ahead. This is all that is needed to make every goal and aim in the entrepreneurial world a success. Thus it is imperative to come up with a great business plan. What Is a Business Plan? Coming up with a business plan is the first big step in implementing any business. ...
McDonald's, Wal-Mart, General Motors and Microsoft are Huge Marketing CompaniesGilbert Griffiths McDonald's sells fast food, Wal-Mart sells general merchandise, Microsoft sells software and electronic devices and General Motors sells vehicles, but in reality they are all very large marketing companies that sell products. What do you see outside a McDonald's restaurant? You see the Golden Arches, McDonald's stylized M. It is a marketing symbol. Across the M is a red bar with gold writing stating "Over 40 Billion Sold." Another marketing symbol. ...
The Inventor's DilemmaLisa Parmley So you've done your homework (or are planning on being diligent about it at least). And you've decided to definitely forge ahead and gain a patent on your invention. So now what? Well, first of all, be warned that patenting your invention will cost you several thousand dollars. The fee varies widely; you will ultimately need to receive an estimate from the professional you choose. So wait a second, who should you choose? How do you choose them? Can't you just ...
Where To Find Small Business Grants For Your Start-UpSue Jan Grants are given every year for a variety of reasons, from small business start-ups, continuing education, preserving historic monuments, to art. Business grants are usually given to applicants that have a solid business plan, and the more detailed the reports are, the better chance of getting the grant. When starting up your own small business, the first priority would be to find start-up capital. The best capital to get is the small business grants such as free ...
How Do You Rate Your Professional Image?Gerri D Smith Every minute of every day you must live with yourself. Some of those moments are spent interacting with others. Many of those moments are spent with yourself. Which is your better image? The one you display to others, or the one you reserve when you are alone? Do your family, relatives, friends, and co-workers have nice things to say about you? Whenever you are not a pleasant person to be around, your image may need a little adjusting. There is no escape and ...
Public Speakers and Would-Be Public Speakers: Three Heads ARE Better Than OneCarole McMichaels Actually, five or six heads are even better. For what? for whom? for why? you ask. I'll show you in a minute; but first, let me commiserate with you. Depending on what sort of speaking you do, and the circumstances in which you do it, being a public speaker can be a downright lonesome profession. Yes, you're with people. Or in front of people. Or even interacting with them, as when you're giving a seminar or workshop. Still, in most cases, ...
Simple Steps To Building A Home Internet BusinessObinna Heche Building a home internet business should not be unlike building other more traditional businesses. While it is not easy, it does not have to be too hard either. If you have never done something like this before, it might help you to follow a few simple steps before getting started. Think before you do anything else. This is something that most people never do well, which explains why majority of businesses fail within 2-5 years. In building a home internet ...
Disaster Planning for Small BusinessJonathon Hardcastle No one knows just how many small businesses owners lost everything in Hurricane Katrina. No one knows how many will be able to come back from disaster. But the odds are that the ones who successfully rebuild there businesses will be the ones who had a disaster plan in place before the hurricane struck. A solid small business disaster plan has three components, protecting human resources, protecting physical resources and planning for business ...
Writing A Business Plan.Homer Farey Article: Copyright 2006 Homer Farey Let's talk about. "Business plans." I wanted to get a home business going but I needed extra finance. I had spoken to friends and relatives but they either didn't have the money to spare or they didn't have enough confidence in my ability to repay the money. Undaunted, I decided to contact my bank manager. I was aware that the first question he would ask would be : "Can I see your business ...
Effective Customer CommunicationJonathon Hardcastle Organizations are open dynamic systems for transforming resource inputs into saleable outputs (goods & services). They are created to provide useful products and services that satisfy the needs of customers and provide value to stakeholders. But the interests of various stakeholders (whether employees, customers, suppliers, or stakeholders) are not always aligned. This places conflicting pressures and demand on managers. To maintain organizational ...
Basics For Starting a Small BusinessNikola Marshall So you want to go into business for yourself? No boss, set your hours and do what you want to do? You might wan to look before you leap, there is a lot to consider when beginning a small business. First, what reason do you have for wishing to strike out on your own? Do you just want to be your own boss? Are you looking for financial independence? Do you want creative freedom and to utilize your talents? Any one or more of these reasons are fine and may give you ...
10 Top Traits Hiring Managers Drool Over!Mark Duin Copyright 2006 CareerSuccessTraining.com Want to rise far above the other 99 candidates interviewing for that dream job? When you focus on developing the traits listed below, you'll be able to land a top notch career in just about any field. Here are 10 top traits guaranteed to win over almost any hiring Manager and put you on the top of his or her hiring wish list. 1. Ambition. Employers are looking for someone who can hit the ground running, ...
Introduction to Business EthicsJonathon Hardcastle Is it possible for an individual with strong moral values to make ethically questionable decisions in a business setting? What affects a person's inclination to make either ethical or unethical decisions in a business organization? Although the answers to that question are not entirely clear, there appear to be three general sets of factors that influence the standards of behavior in an organization; individual factors, social factors and ...
The Truth behind AdvertisingJonathon Hardcastle Article: Advertising is more than just the means of disseminating product information. It is a primary communications tool of our economic system. Moreover, aside from its diverse role as a persuasive communication tool, it is also part of the everyday culture of virtually everyone. Actually advertising is a part of our social, cultural, and business environment. The specific reasons that a company chooses to advertise at a particular level is often ...
How To Manage A Small BusinessDavid Gass Article: Knowing how to manage a small business is very useful when you are considering starting a business and running it successfully. Without proper guidance it is hard for any venture to succeed. Time, money, employees must be managed efficiently for a business to operate smoothly. A well-drafted, carefully planned business plan will help greatly in managing a small business. A business plan helps you to understand all aspects of a business and the steps involved in ...
Turning Vision into Something RealVision is fuel, energy, passion -- or, as I like to suggest, as important as water to a garden. Unless that vision is clear in your mind, it is hard, if not impossible, to complete the process of refining your dream into an actionable plan. Furthermore, without clarity of vision the hard work and pain that come with setting in place a program or organization become all the more intense, as I would learn during the formative stage of The Global Fund. To be sure, our dream was big, but ...
What does bankruptcy cost you?Martin Lukac Bankruptcy may seem like the only way out of some situations, but you should consider what it will cost you. Sometimes, these costs will lead you to look for another solution. And I'm not just talking the costs for filing the bankruptcy. You will pay the filing fees and most likely need a lawyer. These filing fees have gone up as part of the Deficit Reduction Act. If you make changes to your case or proposals for added actions, you will pay more. And ...
10 Habits of Multimillionairesby Paul Downs Multimillionaires have good habits. That is the only difference between them and you. You come home from work and watch TV. Multimillionaires come home and continue their business. Your habits will make you or break you. I just covered 10 good habits multimillionaires have in common. There are many other habits but these are the basic ones. So enjoy! 1. Persistence Multimillionaires never give up. They push, push, and ...
How To File A TrademarkDavid Gass Various companies, in striving to achieve higher market shares and widespread popularity, tend to ignore the importance of trademark registration. Getting a trademark registration, though not a legal mandate, is as crucial as thinking of a name itself. The overall brand management and associated marketing efforts could go down the drain if the trademark is not registered. The registration of a trademark with the concerned authorities makes you the unique owner of a ...
How To Use Professional Help For Business GrowthDavid Gass Once you have had your business up and running for sometime, you will have the expertise to run it in a smooth manner. During the time that the business has been running, you probably have done many things to keep the business in operation. You probably answered phones, hired manpower, and marketed your products or services. In short, you now know your business inside and out. For business operations that are beyond your time and capabilities, you now have employees to ...
What Is An LLC Tax Deduction?Michael Williams Limited liabilities companies or LLCs are a tricky bunch to get any kind of LLC tax deduction on. This is because the LLC tax reduction is not actually recognized by the federal government. This can make it difficult for those who classify themselves as LLCs to pay their federal taxes. But there are three options that they can try to gain a tax rebate if they are willing to put in a little extra effort. One of these is filing as a corporation. ...
Patenting, Branding, and MarketingJoseph Paparella Patenting, branding, and marketing When it comes to product or service development, these activities should be thought of as mutually beneficial, not necessarily mutually exclusive. Patenting involves securing ones intellectual property rights by obtaining a grant of a patent, thus protecting the novel features of the invention from being made, used, offered for sale, or sold by someone other than the inventor. Branding on the other hand, is ...
To Get That Job or Promotion You Must Know Your Qualifications and Be Able To PThe famous salesman and sales trainer Zig Ziglar used to point out to rookies that It is not what you have got; it is what you use that makes a difference. To achieve steps throughout your career - your first job, a promotion, a job or a career change you must sell the primary product - YOU. Just as a successful sales person must know their product, you must know your qualifications and be able to communicate them ...
Ben Franklin: Leadership Guru?Gerry Czarnecki Ben Franklin: Leadership Guru? (c) Copyright 2006 by Gerald Czarnecki - All Rights reserved Ben Franklin is typically associated with the Declaration of Independence, bifocals, and the spirit of invention. His name doesn't generally bring to mind "management guru", but Justin Fox, an editor of Fortune magazine posits that the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is a self-help guide for management. In his article "What Ben Franklin Can Teach Execs", Fox ...
Organizational EthicsNarayanan Krishnaswamy Organizational Ethics The Oxford Advanced Dictionary defines ethics as "moral principles that control or influence a person's behavior" The American Heritage dictionary defines it as "the study of the general nature of morals, and of specific moral choices; and the rules or standards governing the conduct of the members of a profession." It is basically connected with beliefs and principles about what is right and what is wrong and classified into ...
Business Process Outsourcing for Small BusinessRasmus Nielsen What is BPO? Business Process Outsourcing is hiring external businesses to deliver a task that you otherwise had to do inhouse and has been around for many years, but has with the introduction of the Internet and globalisation taken a new dimension. Many large businesses have chosen to outsource some of the activities, simply so they can focus on their core business. Companies such as Microsoft have outsourced not only much (if not nearly all) of their high end jobs ...
The Need For Employee Leasing For Small BusinessesDavid Gass While running a small business, the entrepreneur is often confronted with the issue of managing limited resources to generate the desired outcome, in terms of both quantity and quality. The dire need to expand and at the same time cope with expenses eventually becomes a difficult task for even the most talented individual. Increasing initial expenses and diverse market requisitions impose a sustainability issue on the small-scale businesses. The small business owner ...
The Reason People Go Broke In BusinessJoaquin Reveron How many times have you seen businesses down the local city street start in big ways, then in less than five years and even at times, in less than a year-they are completely vanished from the spot? That is the big reality of to our today. In the United States 60-70% of businesses are expected to fail from the first moment they have initiated. Such statistics have to be analyzed in a different perspective as per my offline business experience and my online business ...
Presentation Skills: Knowing Your AudienceColleen Kettenhofen "With presentation skills, the work is in the preparation, the fun is in the presentation." Colleen Kettenhofen To improve your presentation skills, allow plenty of time, if at all possible, to find out exactly who will be in your audience. Consider obtaining some of their names, phone numbers and email addresses so you can do a "survey" or interview to find out more about their needs, challenges and expectations before the day you present. Are they ...
Saving for Retirement: Compound and Grow Your Employer Matching Retirement PlanJames Lange If your employer offers a matching contribution to your retirement plan, the cardinal rule is: contribute whatever the employer is willing to match--even if it is only a percentage of your contribution and not a dollar for dollar match. Imagine depositing $1,000 of your money into the bank, but instead of getting a crummy toaster, you receive an extra $1,000 to go along with your deposit. To add to the fun, imagine getting a tax deduction for your ...
Close to Retirement & Saved Less than $1 million? Then Be Very Worried!sacha tarkovsky Because it's a fact that most Americans have not saved enough and face a huge huge drop in standards of living when they retire. Were living longer, state support is going down medical costs going up and that's without inflation! Let's look at the alarming reality for many baby boomers and those close to retirement and ways to get around a poential poverty trap. How much do you need to retire comfortably? Only 1% of US households ...
8 Reasons To Form A Strategic Business AllianceDarren Phipps PhD A strategic alliance is when two or more businesses join together for a set period of time. The businesses, usually, are not in direct competition, but have similar or complimentary products or services that are directed toward the same target audience. Below are ten reasons to create a strategic alliance. 1. You could offer your customers a larger variety of products or services. This will allow you to spend less time and money developing new products ...
A healthy business reinvents itself every 3 or 4 yearsDr Alan Rae Business today means constantly rethinking what we do and how we position ourselves as the market changes. Experience shows that businesses need to re-invent themselves at least every 3 or 4 years and in some markets its necessary to be constantly inventing new products and routes to market - and the messages that go with this. If you miss the next wave you may be out of business. Managing change means not only keeping your eye on where the next ...
Good Employers Want a Balance of Assertiveness and Agressiveness . How to CultivEmployers often avoid hiring overly aggressive employees as they drive business away. However employers want and hire assertive employees because assertive behavior projects capability and promotes a healthy productive working environment. What are these traits and how can you create a healthy balance? Assertive behavior can be many things. It can be standing up for your rights, expressing yourself honestly, courtesly and comfortably as well as observing and ...
Articles Of IncorporationBy Damian Sofsian An article of incorporation is a legal document that establishes the structure and purpose of a corporation. It is submitted to a regulatory authority. Sometimes it is also called a “Certificate of Incorporation.” Articles of incorporation generally include information about the name of the incorporator (a person who is organizing the corporation), the number of shares a corporation is authorized to issue, the names of its board of ...
10 Offline Tightwad Marketing Strategies to Help You Get More ClientsDonna Gunter Copyright 2006 Donna Gunter Several years ago, in response to client requests for no-cost or low-cost marketing techniques, I coined the term "tightwad marketing". My definition of tightwad marketing is the art of doing more with less, or using your creativity instead of your checkbook to get the word out about your business. Even though the saying, "If you build it they will come" worked for Kevin Costner's character in the movie, "Field of Dreams", life ...
Creating "Knock Their Socks Off" First ImpressionsLeslie Hamp Creating "Knock Their Socks Off" First Impressions by Leslie Hamp, Certified Marketing Coach & PR Whiz 30 seconds. That's all the time you have to make a first impression whether in person, on the telephone, in print or on the web. Sometimes it's just 10 seconds. Either way, you must always be "on," projecting yourself in as favorable a way as possible, if you want to build your client base. To increase your odds of making a good first ...
Business Plan GuideAssaf Katzir Preparing a business plan is essential and complicated task. Essential for: Determination whether a business/project/venture is feasible. Capital raise. Business plan preparation is complicated since it requires knowledge and experience in: Strategic planning. Marketing. Finance. Executive Summary Summary of all the beneath chapters' content. The Product/Service ...
Employee Retention: What Employee Turnover Really Costs Your CompanyRoss Blake It's one of the largest costs in all different types of organizations, yet it's also one of the most unknown costs. It's employee turnover. Companies routinely record and report costs such as wages and benefits, Workman's Compensation Insurance, utilities, materials, and space, yet most companies have no and report the cost of employee turnover. It can be much higher than you think. How Much is it Costing You? Several well-regarded studies ...
American Success Story: Office MaxNathan T. Lynch A very popular resource for purchasing office supplies such as computers, furniture, hardware and software in addition to copy and print services and much, much more is a store you've undoubtedly heard of called OfficeMax. OfficeMax came onto the retail scene in 1988 and has since grown from a single outlet to one largest office products superstore chains in the country. OfficeMax actually materialized into the largest American office products superstore ...
Start Up Business Plan - The BenefitsJoshua Feinberg Start up business plans are developed because the process of writing them creates huge benefits. A lot of people resist writing a start up business plan. They are under the false notion that start up business plans are an academic exercise that people are made to do in college or business school. Another common misconception is that start up business plans are only needed if you are going to raise capital through pubic share offerings, taking on private ...
Failing to Plan Your Business Financing Can Be a Death Sentence for Your BusineCorey Pierce Most businesses start out thinking the first thing they need is a great business plan. The popular myth is that potential lenders will place great stock in your business plan as a major consideration for approving the financing you need. While a well written business plan will assist you when you are seeking financing, it is far down on the lender's list behind things such as your business management team's experience, your past business successes and ...
Grow Your BusinessPaul Taylor Make your Business Grow No matter how big or small your business, there are things that an owner should do to make his business grow. At one time or another, every business owner has stayed awake at night and said, "What do I do now." For some reason, things aren't going as well as you think that they should. We can look at recent events in GM - one of the biggest businesses in the world on the verge of bankruptcy. Kmart and Sears merged; ...
Effective Leadership StylesBill Gorman No matter the individual or the reason at hand, all effective leadership styles have one thing in common- they all contain the "Four C's"- Character, Communication skills, Consistency, and the Creativity needed for successful problem solving. Of course, within each of these four traits, variances of extreme proportions are noted by those most inclined to utilize them. For example, President Harry Truman was quoted as saying, "A leader is a person ...
Know Your Credit ScoreExcerpt The following is an excerpt from the book Invest in Your Nest by Barbara Kavovit Published by Rodale; June 2006;$19.95US/$26.95CAN; 1-59486-151-X Copyright �© 2006 Barbara Kavovit Know Your Credit Score The most important part of qualifying for a mortgage isn't how much of a down payment you can make, it's how good your credit score is. The better your credit, the more easily you can secure a mortgage loan, even without a fat bank account or a ...
Genesis of Henry Ford an Early Ford Motor Company HistoryBart Gibby In 1892 Henry Ford completed his first gasoline engine, born on a farm in the area of Dearborn, Michigan 29 years earlier Henry had just fulfilled his first vision. He had been experimenting with gasoline engines as a hobby in his spare time while working at the Detroit Edison Company. His engineering career intrigued him and he found great satisfaction in his accomplishment. After spending "too much" time on the automobile the Detroit Edison Company felt ...
Are You Using A Business Plan To Plan For Your Success?Wade Anderson As its name implies, a Business Plan is a summary of how the owner of the business, a manager or an entrepreneur wishes to organize his business as well as lay down the procedures and processes needed in implementing the plans to a logical and fruitful conclusion. It sets down in writing a guide of the company's business purpose. A good Business Plan has two main objectives: The first is to use it for internal management and planning while the second ...
Emerging Markets And The Importance Of Translating Your Business MessageMark Flavin Believe it or not, only 39.4% of the world's population can understand the English language. What does this mean for the internet marketer? Basically, it means that you're losing 60.6% of your audience. Everyone who has an online business is delivering their message in English. Sales pages are written in English. Ebooks and special reports are written in English. Instruction manuals for scripts and software programs are written in English. Web pages are ...
IBM - Thomas Watson Jr.'s Success StoryEvan Carmichael 'Fear of failure was the most powerful force in my life.' Growing Up Unlike most of the other entrepreneurs in this series, Thomas Watson Jr. did not start the business he was to run - he inherited it from his father. Watson Jr. was born in 1914. When he was 10 years old, his father became the CEO of Computing Tabulating Recording and renamed the company to International Business Machines, or IBM. With his father's wealth, ...
Financial Plan Basicsby BPlanMasterSubmitted Saturday, May 28, 2005 Sound financial planning is essential to business success. Poor financial planning is one of the top two reasons for business failure (the other: poor business planning). Unfortunately, many great ideas fail because management had poor (sometimes non-existent) financial planning systems. A thorough financial plan imposes discipline by setting profit expectations for your company. It helps you assess your company’s ...
The Strangest Sales CallWendy Weiss Last week I had the strangest meeting with a potential vendor. It was a perfect compendium of what not to do on a sales call. I share it with you, my readers, with bafflement and in the hopes that we may all learn from it. I'd been looking for a PR representative and Debbie had come highly recommended from a client. I was looking forward to meeting her. On the appointed day, Debbie showed up wearing dance practice clothes. Hmmm... I'm a dancer, but I thought ...
Business Ethics and Unethical PracticesVerena Veneeva The study of business ethics and its implications for different stakeholders have seen tremendous growth in the past few decades. There has also been a rise in the use and development of codes of ethics and announcements for ethical practices by many firms; however companies are still criticized for their unethical practices at different levels (Papers4you.com, 2006). Business ethics, according to the literature has been entrenched with the philosophical ...
Becoming Recession ProofJim Donovan A lot of business owners I've spoken with lately have commented how their business is slow because of "the recession.." If you are one of these people, you might want to reconsider your position. Before blindly saying a condition is being caused by a recession, you might want to ask yourself, "What will it cost me to buy into this?" Consider if you will that your thoughts create your reality. If you doubt that, study any spiritual, religious, philosophical, ...
The Problem With Mergers & AcquisitionsIn today's ever changing business environment Mergers and Acquisitions are playing an ever increasing role in shaping the landscape of corporate America. The interesting point here is that upwards of 70% of these mergers fail to deliver on share holder expectations. The reasonable and prudent question then becomes why these mergers fail to deliver on the promised or projected results. The answer often times is quite simple; it is a direct result of the integration process not being carefully ...
What Should I do if I Become a Victim of Identity TheftCathy Taylor Identity thieves take advantage of everyday opportunities to discover your personal information and use it to commit fraud or other crimes. The good news is a victim of identity theft has more options today than ever before. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), there are four important actions you can take to minimize the credit damage caused by circumstances beyond your control. 1. Contact any of the three major credit bureaus. Speak to someone in the ...
Ten Tax Planning Ideas for Small BusinessesTen Tax Planning Ideas for Small Businesses Alan L. Olsen, CPA, MBA (tax) If you are a small business owner looking for cost cutting ideas here are ten tax planning ideas that may result in substantial tax savings. The following article highlights planning areas often missed by business owners. You should consult a qualified tax advisor to determine if any of these areas are appropriate for you and your business. 1. S Corporation: Set up an S Corporation to avoid ...
What Can RSS Do For ME?Allen Hart If you have used the internet lately you have most likely heard of something called "RSS." If you are anything like me I am sure that you have wondered what this "RSS stuff" is all about. I am going to try and answer that question as well as explain a little bit about how RSS can be useful. For the purpose of this article RSS stands for "Really Simple Syndication". I started my RSS research by going to wikipedia.org and simply looking up the term 'RSS'. ...
What's a Niche and How Do You Find One?By: Kathryn Beach According to Wikipedia, a niche is "a special place within the scheme of things." Niche marketing is defined as "the process of finding and serving small but potentially profitable market segments and designing custom-made products or services for them." So it's all about finding your special place, and the products and services that fit. Right from the start, you should understand that your goal in discovering a niche is to concentrate all your ...
Anatomy Of A Successful Trade Show ExhibitSue Jan A trade show, also known as a merchandise show or market week, is an exhibition or a business gathering organized by companies that showcase and demonstrate their new products and services and also their latest offerings. Trade shows also provide opportunities for companies to meet their customers, to learn new trends and to identify new prospects. Trade shows are not open to the public and can only be attended by company representatives, members of the ...
The embarrassingly easy secret to massive website content - outsourcingMarco Cardinal The embarrassingly easy secret to massive website content - outsourcing The content of your site tells a whole lot about your website. They will basically describe what your site is about and also tell people what your site has to offer. Articles and website content makes a whole lot of difference in your site because they can catch the attention of your website visitors and keep them in there. With good website content you get the benefit of clearly ...
Ethics of Outsourcingjohn parker Many times, business organizations encounter the dilemma of ethical decision making. "If a CIO says 'I've never faced an ethical issue', they're not living in the real world," says Larry Ponemon, chairman and founder of the Ponemon Institute, a security and privacy research think tank based in Arizona. Though business relationships are more economic in nature, their moral and ethical dimensions have an equal impact on profitability. When it comes to the ...
Poor Service is Unethical: Three Simple Rules for Winning CustomersPoor Service is Unethical: Three Simple Rules for Winning Customers by Tom Hooyman Ethically Speaking Practically every business states, We provide excellent customer service" or We will exceed our customer's expectations." Businesses pay an exorbitant amount of money to learn from companies who are known for their customer service, such as Disney and Ritz-Carlton. As a matter of fact an entire industry has evolved, filled with a cadre of consultants that tells ...
Focus on Customer SatisfactionFocus on Customer Satisfaction Infosurv Editorial Team "The three most important things you need to measure in business are customersatisfaction, employee satisfaction, and cash flow." Jack Welch - Lessons for Success, 1993 There is a simple and logical correlation between customer satisfaction and corporate profitability. Common sense tells us that a company, whose clients are completely happy with the products and services they provide them, is less ...
Boost Profits In Four Simple StepsOne of the most common mistakes companies make when they are trying to boost their profits, is to try and get new customers. Typically this behavior is a reflection of their history. When they were new, they probably had zero or just a few customers. To survive, they had to get more. Getting new customers made sense. For companies that are out of survival mode, and are instead trying to boost their profitability, acquiring new customers is not the best strategy. Studies by Cap Gemini ...
The Great Importance of Doing Business with EthicsBy: Victorino Q. Abrugar For most people, money makes the world go round and business bears that money. Businessmen will perhaps do anything just to achieve the ultimate goal of having a business, and that is to earn income. Net profit or income financially means a surplus of sales or revenues after deducting costs and expenses. Whether you are engage in profession, occupation, work or trade, you are in business and you speak income. When you earn an income you suffer taxes, ...
Breaking BureaucracyBreaking Bureaucracy Estienne de Beer Have you ever thought that your unconventional way of viewing the workplace tends to create cold sweat down the back of your boss? That is if he is a bureaucrat - a custodian of the status quo! It's not really old fashioned shoes or light green krimpilene trousers that make your boss's management style so outdated. It is his closed mindset, which passionately resists change and obsessively treasures policies and procedures. This is fertile ...
Customer Service For Huge Profitsby webstarcom Customer service is the most vital asset for a Business, whether it is online or offline. It’s the critical factor which determines if your business has a future or not. There are two vital components to every interaction you have with a customer 1) The purchase or transaction 2) The relationship In order to distinguish yourself among your competition, providing just good service is not enough. Your competitors do the same. You must provide ...
Poor Service is Unethical: Three Simple Rules for Winning CustomersTom Hooyman Ethically Speaking Practically every business states, “We provide excellent customer service" or “We will exceed our customer’s expectations." Businesses pay an exorbitant amount of money to learn from companies who are known for their customer service, such as Disney and Ritz-Carlton. As a matter of fact an entire industry has evolved, filled with a cadre of consultants that tells companies how to improve their customer service. A quick search of ...
The Problem With Business Is People!Warren Friton The problem with business is people as the old joke goes however there are truth in those words. I deal with failing companies as a line of endeavor and from experience I can tell you that the single largest factor in companies that fail are the people. This is not something that I say lightly; generally speaking the root cause of the problem generally lies with the management and more time than not their lack of "people skills". I have been in situations ...
Small Business Grant TipsSmall Business Grant Tips Marcus Schroefel If you are looking to open a business of your very own, you are not alone. Every year more and more people make the decision to stop working to make other people rich and to start their own businesses. For most of them, having the start-up capital that is needed is harder than one might think. Small business grants are often a hot topic with new business people with a small amount of money and little access to other ...
Success Means Making a Significant ContributionLiane Bate I didn't know what making a contribution meant, or what its value was until I finished 7 years of university and college, and was about 3 years into my first real job. I would work day-to-day on a job that gave me incredible work skills and knowledge that I still use today. But it wasn't until someone higher up in the organization empowered me to contribute to the organization as a whole rather than to just to one separate part that I realized the true meaning of ...
Plan Your Propsal And You Plan To WinJames England Proposal planning is essential to ensure that you have time to develop, write and produce a well though-out solution to the client's requirement. Everyone who has written proposals regularly has occasionally wished that they had planned better, started earlier and various occasions stayed late trying to deal with an unsatisfactory and unfinished proposal. Think of proposals as small projects - develop a plan. Think about all the relevant issues you must ...
Business StartupsAdrian Lawrence Starting a new business can be a very exciting time, you are going to be your own boss, decide what and when you do things, manage the purse strings, and in fact you are in control of everything. Are you really in control of the situation though, you have to deal with everything yourself so you have to stay focused on what you want to do and why. All business startups need advice; sometimes they need advice on where to get advice, so the budding ...
The Keys To Writing A Business Plan The Right WayThe Keys To Writing A Business Plan The Right Way Shaunta Pleasant When it comes to writing a business plan there are many things to consider and many factors to keep in mind. Writing a business plan is a necessary first step toward starting any type of business, from the most humble part time business to the most ambitious full time venture. Writing a business plan is the best way to make sure your new business will be able to gather the financial ...
Process and Outcome in InvestingThe following is an excerpt from the book More Than You Know by Michael J. Mauboussin Published by Columbia University Press; June 2006;$27.95US; 0-231-13870-9 Copyright 2006 Michael J. Mauboussin Chapter 1 Be the House Individual decisions can be badly thought through, and yet be successful, or exceedingly well thought through, but be unsuccessful, because the recognized possibility of failure in fact occurs. But over time, more thoughtful ...
The Culture CodeThe following is an excerpt from the book The Culture Code by Clotaire Rapaille Published by Broadway Books; June 2006;$24.95US/$32.95CAN; 0-7679-2056-2 Copyright 2006 Clotaire Rapaille Chapter Ten The German Code for Germany is perhaps best illustrated in a story. Lego, the Danish toy company, found instant success with their interlocking blocks in the German market, while sales foundered in the U.S. Why? The company's management believed that ...
The Keys To Success In BusinessThe Keys To Success In Business Steve Hill Success in business has nothing whatsoever to do with salesmanship, little to do with a knowledge of your company's products or services. It is owing to some far more basic fundamental principles which will determine your success or failure at anything you do in life. They are your A,B,C's, Attitude, Belief and Consistency. Taking them in reverse order. Consistency We get up every morning, we brush our ...
How To Manage A CrisisHow To Manage A Crisis Anna Johnson Let me begin by stating that the best way to handle a crisis, is to prevent one. So when it comes to things like network and computer failures, it behooves you to: use reliable computer systems; employ the best possible technical staff to keep your network trouble-free and respond to problems; make back-ups of your data and software (at least daily); and adopt industry best practices, such as security practices. The same goes with ...
The 12 Most Common Mistakes New Entrepreneurs Make & How to Avoid ThemThe 12 Most Common Mistakes New Entrepreneurs Make & How to Avoid Them Biba Pedron A large number of people who start their own business do not realize how much work and time will be involved. They fail to carry out any primary research and as a result become quickly overwhelmed. Perhaps the first question to ask yourself then is whether you are in fact ready to start your own business. Do you have an entrepreneurial mindset? Are you committed to spend all the time ...
The Benefits of Classified Ads Web SitesThe Benefits of Classified Ads Web Sites Groshan Fabiola The modern world is in a continuous movement and people everywhere are looking for quick, safe means of accessing accurate information. Prompt information is vital for people who want to keep the pace with a constantly evolving society, and many people are turning to the Internet for help in their quest for knowledge. The Internet is not only the best means to quickly access information; it also has the ...
Sarbanes-Oxley: The Wrong Solution To A Legitimate Problem.Sarbanes-Oxley: The Wrong Solution To A Legitimate Problem. by: Joseph Quinones Genesis Corporate Advisors Sarbanes-Oxley Act or the accountants full employment act as I like to call it, refers to legislation introduced by Senator Paul Sarbanes (D) MD and Representative Michael Oxley (R) Ohio and passed in July of 2002 in response to the Enron and Worldcom scandals. Whenever the nation is confronted by a problem or crisis Congress feels that they must pass some ...
Ethical Decision MakingEthical Decision Making by: Mike1968 http://lulu.com/MikeHazelwood Ethical decisions are things we must make each and every day. According to the Josephine Institute of decision making we must learn six steps to making the right decision. The decision process can be a tedious process at times, but with the proper techniques we can all become better decision makers in our personal lives, on our jobs, and in everything that we do. Proper ethics must be used everyday ...
Why India is the most preferred Outsourcing DestinationWhy India is the most preferred Outsourcing Destination manjot kamal Fastest growing Free market Democracy India has the ability to cater for the demands of the market. Its vast supply of over 2 million graduates and 300,000 post graduates that pass out of colleges each year,along with its vast resource of English-speaking college-educated workforce and low-cost labour gives it an edge in the offshoring world. Last year alone, outsourcing in India grew by over 25 %, ...
Online Business Tips for Beginners: How to Get Started Online BusinessOnline Business Tips for Beginners: How to Get Started Online Business Nophea Kim Phat (PhD) Copyright В© Dr. Nophea Kim Phat http://www.ActNowForProfits.com (Note: This article is intended for beginners or newbie) According to comScore, internet users (age 15+) reach 694 millions in March 2006. The number of internet users keeps increasing. As the internet booms, anyone who can write and read the content of any website can start earning the living. As long ...
Treat Your Business Like a Real BusinessTreat Your Business Like a Real Business Monique Briand Enlist the assistance of a bookkeeper and/or accountant. They can help you with incorporating and otherwise setting up your business to help you to be profitable and help your with your business reporting. To run your business in an organized fashion, you must have a separate checking account. This should be used exclusively for your business. It's vital for good record keeping and it will really help you ...
The Chief Cause of Business Failure and SuccessThe Chief Cause of Business Failure and Success Sharif Khan Business rises and falls on leadership. According to business guru, Brian Tracy, "Leadership is the most important single factor in determining business success or failure in our competitive, turbulent, fast-moving economy." Still not convinced? Based on a study by Jessie Hagen of the US Bank, here are the main reasons why businesses fail: * Poor Business Planning * Poor Financial Planning * Poor Marketing * ...
Marketing with Smart ROI by Stephen RogersMarketing with Smart ROI by Stephen Rogers Stephen Rogers Marketing with smart ROI by Stephen Rogers Is marketing one of the last bastions of unregulated expenditure within a business? There is growing pressure from the Boardroom and Executive Management Committee's to bring marketing and communications expenditure to heal. However, this is more fundamental than simply requiring the Marketing Director to take an obedience class. It's not just about control, ...
Delivering "The Right Stuff"The following is an excerpt from the book Creating Competitive Advantage by Jaynie L. Smith with William G. Flanagan Published by Currency; April 2006;$19.95US/$26.95CAN; 0-385-51709-2 Copyright �© 2006 Jaynie L. Smith and William G. Flanagan Your customers, or would-be customers, need to be informed and reminded of what added values you provide them -- extras that can save them money, time, and aggravation. Yet too many business owners and managers can be ignorant ...
Ten Ideas to Enhance Cash FlowTen Ideas to Enhance Cash Flow Author: Alan L. Olsen, CPA, MBA (tax) Article: Managing cash flow is what separates good companies from the truly successful ones. Indeed, your ability to monitor the cash flow of your business can be the vital difference between profit and loss. Here are 10 ideas to enhance cash flow: 1. Assess Your Risk Up Front When you do work without being paid up front, you are extending credit. Discuss your billing ...
Starting a Business - What is a Business Plan?Starting a Business - What is a Business Plan? William King So you've decided to start your own business - congratulations! It's a huge leap from letting someone else take care of taxes, accounting, payroll, inventory, and/or a myriad of other activities necessary to run a business. However, running your own business has its advantages, too. You get to be your own boss, set your own hours and days to work, and are responsible for your own success. It can be a great way to free ...
GrowthGrowth By Ram Charan Author of What the CEO Wants You to Know Growth is vital to prosperity. Every person, every company, and every national economy must grow. Are you working for a company that is growing? Is it growing profitably and with no decline in velocity? What happens when the growth rate is low or even negative? If the company as a whole or your business unit lags behind competitors, your personal progress will suffer. If the company's sales are flat ...
Finding Your Niche In The Business WorldFinding Your Niche In The Business World Cheryl Johnson Who am I and what do I love to do? Well, isn't this the twenty million dollar question! A more appropriate question might be "Who was I and what did I love to do?" As you search to find yourself, and what it is you love to do, you may find the task harder than you thought it would be. Try to think about your childhood. Can you remember what thrilled you as a child? Like many people you've probably forgotten ...
7 Steps to Successful Telemarketing7 Steps to Successful Telemarketing Kamau Austin Telemarketing is not as easy as it looks. Telemarketing involves talking on the phone to someone you do not know and trying to convince them to buy a product, use a service, or sign up for a special offer. Many times, telemarketers fail because they are not doing the job properly. Speaking is a skill, and there are techniques that can be applied to speaking that will help anyone become a successful telemarketer. These ...
Free Article Directories: Are They Worth Your Time?Free Article Directories: Are They Worth Your Time? Jeff Wilson In a word, absolutely. Business owners who submit their articles to my article directory report that, when these articles are picked up and reprinted in online newsletters and blogs, they see a large bump in their website traffic and also in their sales. How does it work? At the end of every article, you include your website address in what is referred to as a 'resource box.' When a recipient of the ...
Leading Knowledge Workers: Avoid These 5 Deadly Leadership SinsLeading Knowledge Workers: Avoid These 5 Deadly Leadership Sins By Faith Ralston According to the latest studies, the average employee is delivering only 50% of what they are capable of offering to your organization. As a leader, you’re frustrated by this lack of performance. You’d like to clone your high performers so you can become more results oriented like the entrepreneurial companies you see in the marketplace. To capture the talents and potential of ...
6 Ways To Fund Your New Business6 Ways To Fund Your New Business Tim Knox I'm often asked: what is the best way to finance a new business venture. This question is usually followed by "So, do you ever invest in new business ventures?" The answers, respectively, are: 1. there is no "best" way to fund a new business; and 2. I do invest in new business ventures, but darn it I can't today because I left my checkbook in my other suit. The truth is there are a variety of ways to finance a new ...
Business Ethics: Would You Buy From You?Business Ethics: Would You Buy From You? By Mike Dandridge You can never find yourself until you face the truth. – Pearl Bailey AT the beginning of the twentieth-first century, it seemed that business ethics had become an oxymoron, that integrity was for suckers and that profit was the singular force driving business. Then, as mega-corporations collapsed and scandalized companies fell, we witnessed the fragile framework of a business built on a ...
Business Plan? Whats The Point?Business Plan? Whats The Point? Mark Flanighan Lets put it this way; supposing you knew you needed to make a journey for your business and you had a gut feeling you should do it tomorrow. You get in you car, still not knowing where you are going at a time that feels right. You drive to your first junction and think to yourself, "Shall I go left or right"? You choose right, because it looks the better option! You keep changing direction throughout the morning based on what ...
Business StrategyBusiness Strategy Elizabeth Morgan A business strategy is formulated by selecting the target audience of the product and assembling the marketing mix. A firm can assemble marketing mix elements in many different ways so that the relative weightage of the different elements will be different in the different combinations. Because of this reality, business firms are employing an abundance of strategies and strategy stances. It is a relentless race to stay ahead of competition. ...
Corporate Culture Shock in AmericaCorporate Culture Shock in America Susan Davidson Expatriates and foreign nationals who relocate to the United States to live and work often have mixed perceptions about this young nation. Those feelings are probably best described by the late Irish poet and playwright, Oscar Wilde, who referred to America as "a land of unmatched vitality and vulgarity." While most Americans rarely think of their country as "foreign," the fact is that non-Americans who relocate to ...
What Great Companies WantWhat Great Companies Want George Stillwell What Great Companies Want The primary objectives of all Great Companies: * Make Money -> Create value for shareholders, grow earnings and profits. * Act Responsibly -> Be a good corporate citizen, improve the lives of consumers. * Minimize Risk -> Legal Risk, Financial Risk, Marketplace Risk. Therefore, what Great Companies look for in the people they hire is that they have the skills and ...
The Art of Cold CallingThe Art of Cold Calling Patrick Riley I think most people hate making cold calls. Well, if your dead set on doing it, here are some tips. Help the other person, that's what its all about. You don't want to create an uncomfortable situation with another person. When we're only focused on making the sale, this is not a natural meeting place for both people. We want the sale, but the other person usually wants us to go away. Being intrusive is not the finest of character ...
Why Benjamin Franklin Was So AwesomeWhy Benjamin Franklin Was So Awesome Ed Bagley Article: Copyright 2006 Ed Bagley Almost everyone who has graduated from high school knows that Benjamin Franklin was a famous American. Most of us have read that Franklin used a lighting rod to prove a theory he had about electricity. Others remember that he was the one who invented the bifocals which many of us wear today. (I just ordered a new pair of trifocals; thanks to Ben, I ...
Marketing StrategyMarketing Strategy Elizabeth Morgan Marketing strategy is the set of programs that are matched with the target market opportunities in order to achieve organizational objectives. Drawing up a marketing strategy essentially consists of three steps: targeting market selection, setting market objectives and developing the marketing program. A firm may choose to market its products to all users or to some sub-groups. The strategic decisions that a firm has to make are ...
Do your performance reports stack up?Do your performance reports stack up? Stacey Barr If your performance reports are stacking up, unread and unused, then they're obviously not "stacking up" well. by Stacey Barr INTRODUCTION It's an emotional thing, performance reporting. Executives give up the precious little time they have for their families to instead paw through piles of strategic reports often more than an inch thick (or they leave the pile of reports on their desk and make ...
The ten biggest mistakes people make in managing organisational performanceThe ten biggest mistakes people make in managing organisational performance Stacey Barr mistake #1: rely just on financial statements Profit and loss, revenue and expenses these are measures of important things to a business. But they are information that is too little and too late. Too little in the sense that other results matter too, such as customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, customer advocacy. Too late in the sense that by the time you see bad results, the ...
Should you measure individual people's performance?Should you measure individual people's performance? Stacey Barr Two schools of thought on using performance measures to manage people in organisations. by Stacey Barr INTRODUCTION Performance Appraisal, Individual Performance Review, Personal Performance Development Plan. There are numerous names for this artifact of the post-1990's organisation, but they are names for basically the same concept: the measurement, review, evaluation and management of ...
Are your decisions based on fact?Are your decisions based on fact? Stacey Barr In an information rich society, too many people are still starving their decisions of enough of the right information. by Stacey Barr INTRODUCTION How do you know if your decision process is well-informed or ill-informed? And even if you could detect the clues of an ill-informed decision process, would you know what to do about it? Here are some ideas for how to get more rigour into your decision process ...
Control, Alt, Market: Adapting to the Virtual Marketing WorldControl, Alt, Market: Adapting to the Virtual Marketing World Teena Rose is a personal branding, marketing, and optimization professional with [url]http://www.beyondthecraft.com[/url]who helps career professionals optimize, promote, and expose their services locally, nationally, and internationally. She has an extensive record of generating organic results. Part of her success comes from using key marketing tools, such as SEO Elite. Click now for a free trial and download of SEO ...
Choosing the Right Domain NameChoosing the Right Domain Name Craig Binkley Copyright 2006 Craig Binkley It doesn't matter what type of business you are preparing to start-- if you plan to have a presence on the Internet, choosing a proper domain name is an important step that should be given serious consideration. Take a moment and think about some of your favorite websites' URL's. More than likely they will have a couple of things in common: 1) they express, in some way, the ...
Four Keys To Launching Your Service Brand...The Right WayFour Keys To Launching Your Service Brand...The Right Way Robert Croston Four Keys To Launching Your Service Brand...The Right Way By Robert Croston It's quiz time. Match each of the following consumer brands on the left with the word that best describes it on the right: Apple Reliable Volvo Different FedEx Safety If you matched Apple with "different"; Volvo with "safety"; and FedEx with "reliable", then you are correct! ...
Will They Actually Read Your Small Business Web Site?Will They Actually Read Your Small Business Web Site? Eve Jackson You may have spent quite a bit of time designing your web site and writing the copy for it, or you may have spent quite a bit of money and had it all done by a professional designer and copywriter. But there are about 4 billion websites on the internet. That's a lot of competition for your site, so how do you get people to actually read your copy? There have been several interesting studies about ...
Venture Capital: What Really Turns Investors On?Venture Capital: What Really Turns Investors On? George A. Parker What are the most important things that investors look for before investing in a start-up? What separates rejects from stars? Here are seven characteristics most venture capital investors look for in a promising venture. A Proprietary Product, System, Method or Approach Investors look for surefire indications that the firms they are investing in have a leg up on competitors. While patents, ...
How to Use Event Marketing to Help Your BusinessHow to Use Event Marketing to Help Your Business Khemal Dole Have you thought about promoting your business in a more proactive manner than a few ads or flyers? Have you thought about any methods where customers will come to willingly? One such way to promote your business or cause is through event marketing. What is event marketing? It is essentially an activity of some sort related to the selling of a product, promotion of a business, or pushing of a type of service. It may ...
Business Plan BasicsBusiness Plan Basics by William Cate The primary purpose of a business plan is to help the Company's Management reach their business objectives. It's the map to business success. The importance of a comprehensive business plan cannot be overemphasized. Much hinges on it. It helps you secure credit from suppliers. It is the basis for managing your operation and finances. It defines your Company's promotion and the marketing of your business. A Company without a ...
ROI-calculating accuratelyROI-calculating accurately Drew Miles The phrase "return on investment" (ROI) is thrown around a lot, but do you know what it really means and how to calculate it? Three ways to calculate ROI Cash-on-cash If $20,000 is invested and it grows by $10,000, it's a 50 percent cash-on-cash rate of return, which is great for wealth building. Total amount of investment If you put $20,000 down for a $200,000 mortgage, the growth is happening on the $200,000, not what you ...
Values Matter - Even for Super Bowl ChampionsValues Matter - Even for Super Bowl Champions By Keith Starcher I was trying to figure out a way to work the Pittsburgh Steelers into a Weekly Insight, particularly after our hometown team earned the right to be called “World Champions.” I realize that not everyone who reads these Weekly Insights hails from Western Pennsylvania (and some of you might not care for the Steelers at all), but hang in there with me on this one. “Steelers mean business” was the ...
You Mean I Have to Have a (Business) Plan?You Mean I Have to Have a (Business) Plan? Alyson Mead Copyright 2006 Find Your Prosperity.com Is this you? The whip-smart businessperson with all the best intentions and no business plan? I am continually surprised, whenever I speak with my consulting clients or attend a public speaking engagement, to discover that many people start a new business without a business plan. "What do I need that for?" they ask. Inevitably, I roll my ...
Advice About Setting Up Your Own BusinessAdvice About Setting Up Your Own Business Steve Hill Are you thinking about setting up your own business? Have you an idea for a new business but are unsure about how to proceed? If you have answered yes to either of these questions, this article could be of benefit to you. I am going to write about how to plan and create a successful small business. Many people are looking at ways in which they can become self-employed as they have had enough of being dictated ...
Principles of Productivity and Operations Management for Small and Mid-size BusiPrinciples of Productivity and Operations Management for Small and Mid-size Business Ezra Bar For this article, I selected a sector that has not been covered by authors and could hardly be found in books for Operations Management. I find this topic's importance and significance to the global economy, and the Western, in particular, very high. Authors and advocates (e.g., Schroeder, 2004) dealt with the large enterprises, from both the manufacturing and service sectors; ...
How To Communicate Value Proposition And Return On InvestmentHow To Communicate Value Proposition And Return On Investment Paul Lemberg As part of my continuing series on Value and Pricing, the following article shows you how to position your company's value contribution to support the highest value-for-value exchange. Too many business owners, when asked about the value or ROI of their product or service, shrug their shoulders and say, "I can't really put a value on it." If you can't put a value on it, think how ...
The Secret To Business Success: Act On Your IdeasThe Secret To Business Success: Act On Your Ideas II Research The real secret of a success is simple: Do something about your ideas. Each of us has seen a new idea and said, "Why, I thought of that a year ago." We say it with scorn, but we should direct the scorn at ourselves, not at the person who had the drive to do something about it. Successful idea men generate ideas all the time, and they don't hoard them. They do something about them, even if ...
Starting Your Own BusinessStarting Your Own Business Rick Hendershot Once you make up your mind you want to go into business for yourself, that leads to a number of important decisions. You know you want to be your own boss, but you're not sure what kind of business to go into. Here are two different ways of addressing this question. The "Production Model" of Doing Business Most of us start out in business by applying what we might call the "production model". We are all ...
Business StructureBusiness Structure Nick Larson Each company, firm, joint venture, stock-holding company, concern, bank, fund has its own complicated business structure and the stuff which is necessary for the work. But still there are some general principles how to organize the work at the enterprise. We'll try to give you some information about it. The Managing Director or the Chief Executive or President is the head of the company. The company is usually run by a Board of ...
Five Types of Permission-Based Affiliate Email ListsFive Types of Permission-Based Affiliate Email Lists Diana Roderick (Source Lists) First Type: Pre-Affiliate Launch Email Alert List When to use: Before your affiliate program gets launched. Maybe today you are thinking that your company will be launching an affiliate program in the near or distant future. Create an affiliate alert launch list that allows potential affiliates to indicate to you that they are interested in joining or finding out more about your affiliate ...
A Manager's Guide to Managing RedundancyA Manager's Guide to Managing Redundancy Martin Day Ignore at your peril Many British businesses have been slow to appreciate the full extent of changes that have occurred over the years to Employment Law and continue to adopt out of date disciplinary and redundancy procedures. Lucky for them then that the only people who seem less aware of the changes are the employees themselves; few employees would believe the extent that they are now protected, but that is ...
Corporate Social ResponsibilityCorporate Social Responsibility Dr Shanker Adawal A Statement Of Intent Generating wealth in a manner that is socially and environmentally sustainable must be the common goal of domestic and international business. In this age of open world economy, brand reputation, repositioning of government activities and privatization, it is increasingly important to do business ethically, morally and with concern for the society. Business today are realizing that the ...
Corporate Greed The New Agenda Violates us AllCorporate Greed The New Agenda Violates us All by Dana Glenn Smith Have you seen a man who is expert in his business? he will take his place before kings his place will not be among low persons. Proverbs 22:29 BBE There is truth in the Proverb above. When a man or woman is expert in his business, the power and prestige bring him to the corridors of top nobility. Within reach of the President and an associate of kings. The power wielded by the ...
How to Write Good Use Cases for Useful Business AnalysisHow to Write Good Use Cases for Useful Business Analysis Niall Kennedy A use case details a flow of events that are executed in order to accomplish some business task. A use case can be as simple as documenting how a help ticket gets escalated or as complex as defining how a customer gets charged for shipping parts of an order to multiple addresses. The term "actor" is used to define a role that a person or some object plays in executing a use case. The ...
The Secrets Of StrategyThe Secrets Of Strategy Paul Lemberg A step-by-step guide to creating a growth strategy based on your current situation and future possibilities. I'll bet you think you already have a strategy. And well you may, but strategy as a concept is just like love: much used and little understood. Many businesses (and that includes small entrepreneurs, large corporations, non-profits, community organizations, governments, NGOs...the works) neither know ...
Team Building: How To Create A Dynamic And Successful Work EnvironmentTeam Building: How To Create A Dynamic And Successful Work Environment Tina Gamvros Team building activities are essential if you want employees who know how to effectively and efficiently work together toward a common goal. At first, these activities may seem silly or you might wonder how they can contribute anything to your company. But the fact is, team building activities are set up to challenge a team and to sharpen communication and group skills. For ...
Retirement Fear for Owner Managers.Retirement Fear for Owner Managers. Stuart Lockley Poor Planning Costs Owner Managers a Comfortable Retirement. Research carried out by the Bank of Scotland in 2002 established that Two thirds of Small and Medium-sized Enterprise owner-managers are expecting to retire before or by the age of 60 82% of owner-managers over 56 do not have a written plan for dealing with the sale of their business ...
The Ten Tools of Profitable Revenue GrowthThe Ten Tools of Profitable Revenue Growth 1. Revenue growth is everyone's business, so make it part of everyone's daily work routine. Every employee wants to be part of a company's growth agenda, but most don't know how. Managers need to provide them with both information and tools, starting with making revenue growth an inherent part of daily conversations, meetings, and presentations. Just as everyone participates in cost reduction, so must everyone be engaged in the ...
Start-up Costs - How to Deduct ThemStart-up Costs - How to Deduct Them By Alan D Campbell A new business owner incurs start-up costs before beginning the business. Under Section 195(c)(1), start-up costs are costs the taxpayer incurs to investigate the creation or acquisition of a business or in creating a business. The costs must be costs that would be deductible as an ordinary and necessary business expense if the taxpayer was actively conducting the business. In general, a taxpayer may not deduct ...
To Be Successful - Make A PlanTo Be Successful - Make A Plan Donald N. Lombardi Copyright В© Donald N. Lombardi http://www.HomeBasedBusinessWizard.com In 1954, Ray Kroc had a dream of a fast food restaurant business. Years later, when asked about the secret to McDonald"s success, Mr. Kroc's simple answer was, "Make a Plan and then work the Plan!" "Make a Plan." It is the best advise given to a person entering or already ...
Are You Avoiding The #1 Mistake Most Startup Entrepreneurs Make?Are You Avoiding The #1 Mistake Most Startup Entrepreneurs Make? Josiah Mackenzie The entrepreneur starting a business is extremely busy. Inspired by the dream of escaping the 9-5 work week, it is common for entrepreneurs to put in 100+ hour weeks during the startup phase. Every effort is made to ensure a profitable business in the future--from creating a catchy name to building the perfect product to orchestrating an effective marketing campaign. But in this flurry ...
Gaining Maximum Value When Selling A BusinessGaining Maximum Value When Selling A Business Richard Rodnick All business owners face one inescapable fact: sooner or later, they will leave the business and ownership will change hands. The crucial question is whether the process leaves them wealthy and satisfied,or disappointed and regretful. Naturally, owners of private businesses hope to earn as much as possible when selling their companies. Yet the distressing reality is that most entrepreneurs fail ...
Outsourcing For ProfitOutsourcing For Profit John Parker Is your business growing and expanding? Do you find that you are offering more products and services? Do you feel the need to hire other people to do certain tasks that you simply can't do yourself due to the lack of time and experience in that particular field? Well if you have answered yes to these questions,then outsourcing may be the very thing that you need for your business. You see, if you delligate some of the ...
Building Relationships for your Business By Volunteering.Building Relationships for your Business By Volunteering. Dannielle Brantley "...entrepreneurs need to interact with their target market and then communicate effectively with them in order to build any relationships that may lead to a sale. How do you reach your customer if you can't afford well-placed advertising, need a larger budget to produce a radio or tv spot and want more of a connection than one night networking events?..." Everyday, it's important ...
Integrity and the Company PromiseIntegrity and the Company Promise By Michael Knowles Integrity and honesty. Seems they're always in the news these days. If it's not the lobbyist-incited exposure of someone's political misbehaviors, it's authors "embellishing" on their autobiographies. Oh, and let's not forget the hardy crew of the HMS Embellishment: Marketing people. Hmmm. That's us. Surely each of us has at one time or another used a little white lie to avoid trouble, make a resume seem ...
How To Find Prospects That BuyHow To Find Prospects That Buy jim mack One of the questions that comes up most often in my business is this; "Where do you find high quality fresh, responsive prospects?" And then I hear the next series of questions; Do you buy them? Do you rent them? Who do you buy or rent them from? How do find out who has them in the first place? Although the answers to these questions are not complicated, they can be a little overwhelming to the uninitiated. So, let's ...
Ingredients of Successful Small BusinessesIngredients of Successful Small Businesses Natalie Aranda Starting a small business signals many significant changes in the business owner's life: 1) the financial freedom that he/she won't worry about lay-off again; 2) the flexibility of working on his/her own schedule; 3) the fulfillment of making a difference in the life - whether to grow the business into a major player in a competitive industry or just do what he likes to do and meanwhile making good ...
What's Valuable About Having ValuesWhat's Valuable About Having Values Paul Lemberg Let's talk about values... Yours. What kind? Family values, personal values, corporate values. So what are values - and why are they important to creating breakthroughs? Values are things we strive to gain or keep. They are the expression of what is important to us. Values can be concrete things like money, gourmet food, and fast motorcycles, or they can be abstract ...
10 Questions To Consider When Growing Your Business10 Questions To Consider When Growing Your Business Paul Lemberg Here's a provocation for the coming year, decade, century or millennium. By now, you've set a working direction for the year, established clear-cut objectives. Your first-iteration plan to reach them should be in place. This now seems like an ideal time to rethink the whole thing, doesn't it? After all, one of the effects of internet time is that plans are subject to change just as ...
Will and VisionWill and Vision Paul Lemberg Remember Chux? The disposable diaper that took the market by storm in 1932? Of course you don't. Chux saw its product as a luxury item, and happily kept its little throwaway business to itself for almost forty years. Then Pampers came along in the 1960s, supported by a huge, mass-consumer vision with persistence to match, and blew Chux out of the market-transforming baby rearing forever. And everyone knows the ...
The Secrets of Strategy - Part 1 of 2The Secrets of Strategy - Part 1 of 2 Paul Lemberg A step-by-step guide to creating a growth strategy based on your current situation and future possibilities. I'll bet you think you already have a strategy. And well you may, but strategy as a concept is just like love: much used and little understood. Many businesses (and that includes small entrepreneurs, large corporations, non-profits, community organizations, governments, NGOs...the ...
The Secrets of Strategy - Part 2 of 2The Secrets of Strategy - Part 2 of 2 Paul Lemberg How to Create Strategies That Work In Today's Markets. Of course you've heard that when you do what you've always done, you'll likely get what you've always got. In this case that means playing the tactical game: coming up with acceptable--or worse--comfortable options and executing them as time permits. Likely, what you'll get is business as usual, and things will be... well, they'll be ...
Creating BreakthroughsCreating Breakthroughs Paul Lemberg How to engineer world-beating nonlinear, discontinuous, highly-profitable change into your company. "The world we've made, as a result of the level of thinking we have done thus far, creates problems we cannot solve at the same level of thinking" - Albert Einstein Runaway success is never based on incremental improvement. I know this is a very bold statement, but bold statements and even ...
Which is Better: New Customers or Repeat Business? - Part 1 of 2Which is Better: New Customers or Repeat Business? - Part 1 of 2 Paul Lemberg Every management authority on the circuit says that loyal customers and their repeat purchases are the cornerstone of your long-term successful business. The reason is obvious: it is less costly to get your existing customers to buy more than it is to find new ones. The lower cost of sale leads gives you higher operating margins, which you can then invest in other business building ...
Equity - The Golden HandcuffsEquity - The Golden Handcuffs Paul Lemberg Last month, I wrote about positioning your company to attract and keep top performers. One very effective way to do both is to compensate your key employees with equity. Performance pay has become a critical factor in keeping top talent; combine it with a sense of ownership and a stake in the future of the business, and you've got a powerful set of incentives. That is what equity does. The basic theory ...
Attracting (and Keeping) Top PerformersAttracting (and Keeping) Top Performers Paul Lemberg Good people are hard to find, the saying goes. For example, by the year 2000 over 190,000 computer programmer and other information technology jobs will be vacant, according to a Bureau of Labor Statistics report. (This is now a bit out of date, and although the dot-com bustups and the 2000-2001 recession has eased things a bit, it is still difficult to lure top talent.) It may be easy to fill these empty positions if ...
Visions of LeadershipVisions of Leadership Paul Lemberg Right about now, you've made the discovery that if you intend to push your company beyond its current plateau, you will have to change the way you relate to your work. You have doubtlessly concluded this next level mandates you to let go of things like hiring, product design, perhaps even day-to-day sales - many things you handled in the past - and focus yourself on your role as CEO. There are three stages to making the ...
Thinking About More BusinessThinking About More Business Paul Lemberg What does an old Russian joke have to do with getting new business? Did you increase your business in the past 12 months? Don't discriminate between more new clients or old clients spending more money--count the increase either way. If you didn't, you really should be asking yourself why not. Yes, I know--it all started with the Internet implosion. Then came terrorist attacks. Next, the global ...
Which Is Better: New Customer or Repeat Business? - part 2 of 2Which Is Better: New Customer or Repeat Business? - part 2 of 2 Paul Lemberg Recently we asked which was more important: new customer growth or repeat business? The answer depends on your business goals. If you want fast-paced quantum growth, you should concentrate energy on adding new customers. But if your goals are more incremental - if you envision continual year over year growth in the 10 to 20 percent range - booking repeat customer revenue is far ...
Breakthrough NowBreakthrough Now Paul Lemberg As a business coach I have written a great deal about building a higher performance venture, creating breakthroughs, inventing the future, and generally moving faster than the speed of change -- or at the very least -- moving faster than your competitors. The most important thing you can do now - right at this moment - is get moving on something that's going to make a big, a tremendous difference. Reading ...
5 Ways To Beef Up Sales...Immediately5 Ways To Beef Up Sales...Immediately Paul Lemberg Last week, one of my clients--we'll call him Rick--had a demo scheduled with a prospect. The standard "show up and throw up" they typically did early in the sales cycle. Trying to shorten the sales cycle, I asked naively, "Why does the customer want to buy? What are they trying to accomplish?" Rick couldn't tell me. I asked if he thought the salespeople knew. He said no. I gave him an assignment: he had to ...
How To Get Things Done: A Guide To Strategic PlanningHow To Get Things Done: A Guide To Strategic Planning Paul Lemberg A step-by-step program for creating a strategic plan and tactical plan guaranteed to help you get more of what you want done. You are pursuing a strategy en route to your vision. Whether it is revolutionary or evolutionary does not matter. You are on the road, committedly driving your business in a direction of your own choosing. The important thing is that you have, in fact, ...
Never Enough TimeNever Enough Time Paul Lemberg A provocation for the coming year, decade, century or millennium. It's a cliche of executive life: you don't have time to do everything. Whether you use little slips of paper, a planner, scheduling software or a Palm Pilot, all attempts at time management fail. Rather than throwing in the towel, I suggest that you need a new frame of reference. Change your focus from time management to priority management. ...
The Top Ten Hiring MistakesThe Top Ten Hiring Mistakes Alvah Parker Hiring a new employee is something that professionals often postpone as long as possible. It is important to find the right person to fill the vacancy. The hiring process takes time and effort. There is a big temptation to add someone who is available at that moment and looks like they have the skills to do it. This is often a mistake. Here is a list of other hiring mistakes that professionals frequently make: 1. ...
Sucessful Team Building TechniquesSucessful Team Building Techniques Trevor Marshall In business, it does not matter whether you work in a typical office a shop or a factory. You are built up of a group individuals with specific goals towards producing the goods that the company sells. This is what defines a team. From the most mundane task like answering a phone call, to the most complicated job like designing products, every individual making up the team plays an important role. As a whole, every ...
Your Business's Reputation: An Invisible (yet essential) AssetYour Business's Reputation: An Invisible (yet essential) Asset Karen Torbett If you were to ask your employees or you customers what they thought of your business, what do you think they would say? Do you think they would be as positive if they were asked the same question by a stranger who happens to be a potential buyer of your business? Not knowing the kind of reputation your business has can come back to bite you when you decide to sell. Most ...
Small Business ResourcesSmall Business Resources Michael Russell If you are looking to get your small business off the ground, you will be happy to know that the Internet provides you with the means to do so. With instructional articles and forums, your knowledge about small business management will increase tenfold and in the arena of business, knowledge is equivalent to power. Read more in this article. Small Business Resources. If you are running a small business, then you ...
Buying A Small BusinessBuying A Small Business James McKenzie Buying A Business I would like to offer lots of real life experience about buying and operating a business. When I bought my business - I didn't have anyone that I could ask for experience. There seems to be so much reluctance from many to offer experience without having to pay for it. I sure wish I could have read something like this before I made the purchase. If you are a corporate ...
Why Business Plans Don't Work and What To Do About YoursWhy Business Plans Don't Work and What To Do About Yours Michael Clark Why Business Plans Don't Work and What To Do With Yours I am often asked to assist with writing business plans. While a business plan is often needed when you are getting financing for your business, I find that most business owners don't find them very useful. Why not? Because usually they are written from a very long term frame (typically five years) and once they are written, they are put ...
Staff Infection: How To Treat Difficult PeopleStaff Infection: How To Treat Difficult People Les Gore My late grandmother used to say; "You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar." I guess it was her old world way of declaring that if you're nice to people, they'll be nice to you. But would her meaning also include the not so nice people at work? They're the ones that are as familiar to you (I'm sure) as the flies were to my grandmother. Will the same approach work with those ...
Web Site Promotion Scam site submission and search engine lead timesWeb Site Promotion Scam site submission and search engine lead times By Andy MacDonald Has your inbox been flooded with emails from online promotion companies shortly after you submit your web site to the search engines and Yahoo? Be very careful how you proceed, because these companies could be online scam artists. Here is why. First, all search engine and directory submissions have lead times. What this means is that your web site or web page is submitted ...
Guide to business and professionalsGuide to business and professionals by: mansigup Business and professionals share an everlasting liaison. Just as a skilled potter produces a perfect pot, efficient professionals lead to a successful business. The qualities of professionals are different from those of ordinary men and women. For instance Business professionals are idols of discipline. They work in a well-organized manner and adhere to business ethics. They do not compromise ...
Have You Reached Your Full PotentialHave You Reached Your Full Potential Daegan Smith Each of us possesses an untapped potential within. We are all destined to be someone and achieve something in the course of our lives. However, due to the multitude of challenges and obstacles that we encounter everyday, we neglect that we have this capacity to achieve our goals, and be the best person we can become. The fire of potential is not kindled but instead seized. What most people fail to understand is ...
"Thank You""Thank You" Paul D. McDonald, MBA We all know we should say thank you. We all know we should write thank you notes. But how many actually take the time to write the thank-you notes? Tip: Prepare the thank-you in advance Pre-print your thank-you note cards. Have a stack of cards ready to go at any time. All you have to do is sign them, address them, stamp them, and send them. Tip: Personalize the note Sending a pre-printed ...
Do I Have The Right Skills To Succeed?Do I Have The Right Skills To Succeed? Jeffrey Benson Making a success of your own business doesn't just require you to have the right personality, attitude and business idea you also need the skills or the ability to pick new ones up quickly. You also need to be able to distinguish what you can do for yourself and what you are better leaving to the professionals. Assuming you don't have an endless supply of money, when you start your own business you are ...
Sell YourselfSell Yourself Laurie Brown When David was a small boy his father asked him, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" David thought about it for a minute and answered, "I don't know what I want to be, but I know that I DON'T want to be a salesman." "That's too bad," his father responded. "Because, whatever you WANT to be, you HAVE to be a salesman." It is so true. You are always selling. You sell your products, your services, your ideas and most ...
Thinking About Starting a Small Business?Thinking About Starting a Small Business? Eve Jackson There are lots of people out there thinking about starting a small business, and tons of great ideas, but few people actually go out and do it. So many people think and think about it until all of a sudden they're fifty-something, still with that great idea, but no business. There's no doubt it takes a special type of person to be an entrepreneur. It's definitely not for the faint of heart. It takes ...
Writing Articles For Massive TrafficWriting Articles For Massive Traffic jim mack Articles are needed in the internet, either for research, general knowledge, even for entertainment, and there is no end to the demands for articles on the net. So why not take advantage of authoring articles to promote traffic to your web site? First thing you may ask, is how can articles promote massive traffic to your web site? Easy, there are three ways that an article can do that for you and here they ...
Raising The Lifetime Value Of Your CustomersRaising The Lifetime Value Of Your Customers Derek Naylor Copyright 2006 Derek Naylor Let's discuss a powerful, yet rarely talked about method of increasing the profitability of your self-storage facilities...raising the lifetime value of each customer. I urge you to sit up and pay close attention to this. Acquiring new customers is not a new concept to you. How to do it most efficiently might be. But the mere act of acquiring a new customer has likely been a ...
Four Easy Steps To More Motivated EmployeesFour Easy Steps To More Motivated Employees Trevor Marshall There is no particular set of rules that one should follow in motivating employees. We each have our own driving force when it comes to doing an excellent job at work. A working mother could be motivated by her children, who serve as her inspiration to succeed. A trainee who is fresh out of college is motivated by the compulsion to learn and climb to the top. A long-time company employee will get motivated to ...
12 Key Factors To Succeeding In Business12 Key Factors To Succeeding In Business Jeffrey Benson Over one half of all new businesses fail within the first 3 years of trading. But with sound planning, some business knowledge and most important of all a great dream you can dramatically improve your chances of surviving, growing and succeeding. Have Long Term Goals The primary task in managing a business is deciding its long-term objectives. If you can imagine what you want your business to ...
12 tips for effective leadership12 tips for effective leadership John Graham Having and maintaining effective leadership over people in the workplace, whether they are your employees or just individuals you supervise, is the key to keeping employees producing at their best. Below are 12 quick tips to help you produce and maintain effective leadership at work: 1. Ask yourself, on an ongoing basis, of everything happening what is the most valuable use of my time, right now? 2. Manage ...
Find An Offline Passion To Help Your Online Business ProsperFind An Offline Passion To Help Your Online Business Prosper Peter Lenkefi Have you ever had the feeling that you are just in the middle of nowhere with your online business? That you are on your own out in the cyber desert? Totally separated from the outside world? Should I use the term alienated from the outside world? Did these weird feelings put their negative marks on the your daily performance of your online marketing ...
The Perfect Way To Motivate Your Referral SourcesThe Perfect Way To Motivate Your Referral Sources John Jantsch Copyright 2006 John Jantsch You know you have much to offer your referral partners but, they don't seem very motivated to refer you to their network. You've taken the lawyer, accountant, financial planner and insurance broker to lunch, explained your greatness but, still, they don't ever send any referrals your way. Maybe it's time to shift the entire dynamic in this little referral process ...
Best Small Business Idea -- It's All About YouBest Small Business Idea -- It's All About You Michael Clark Getting More Focused -- It's All About You Jeanna Pool from Catalyst Creative writes a great ezine on marketing each month. In January she shared 5 Great Marketing Tips for 2006. Number 1 was "Stop Focusing on You". She declares 2006 the year of the client and exhorts you to focus totally on your clients and their needs. I think she's right on. And I think she's completely wrong. Why right and ...
Human Resources: What Drives an OrganizationHuman Resources: What Drives an Organization Mary Murtha The field of Human Behavior Organization emphasizes the importance of human resources in any business organization. The business filed offers too much focus on manpower development for it is the lifeblood of an existing industry. This consideration provided several honchos in trade enterprise to create spin off departments to cater on different structural framework of human resource management ...
Human Resources 101AHuman Resources 101A Mary Murtha Managing an organization on its way to success has its own challenges, like dealing with economic factors that may or may not stand as obstacles. Ordinarily, one will claim that this is a Human Resource affair. However, some successful organizations have employed more workable techniques to succeed. This is the human resources of today. The Traditional Role of Human Resources Most people in an organization will ...
Are you managing your network like a BUSINESS?Are you managing your network like a BUSINESS? Scott Odette Are you managing your network like a BUSINESS? ...6 questions that Senior Managers need to ask By Scott Odette www.thefreepchelpsite.com Managing your data network is no longer a job for a "geek". While it is absolutely necessary that the network manager is qualified to make technology decisions regarding the shape and function of your enterprise infrastructure, it is equally ...
Best Small Business Idea -- Get Focused and Get GoingBest Small Business Idea -- Get Focused and Get Going Michael Clark I used to give a talk titled, "10 Ways to Overcome Overwhelm in Business and In Life". It was an excellent resource for getting into action and taking charge of your business. If you'd like a copy, just email me and I'll send it to you. After I'd given this talk for awhile, I realized that getting out of overwhelm was even simpler. You don't need 10 ideas. That's overwhelming in itself. You just need one ...
Turn Your Competitors into CollaboratorsTurn Your Competitors into Collaborators Alicia Forest Copyright 2006 Alicia M Forest and ClientAbundance.com Do you get discouraged or stuck in building your business because you think there's too many others to compete against in your niche? A lot of solo business owners feel this way, especially when they are first starting out. I don't want you to give up before you really get started, so I'd like you to consider thinking about your competition in a different ...
What You Need To Know About Health InsuranceWhat You Need To Know About Health Insurance Robert Thatcher Having a reliable health insurance coverage contributes a great deal towards a person's sense of security. As an individual, you are aware that you should take care of your health so you employ ways and make an effort to lead a healthy lifestyle. In spite if this, there are unexpected circumstances regarding your health that no matter how hard you try to prevent, are rather ...
Being Organized: Is it Worth the Effort?Being Organized: Is it Worth the Effort? Lila Norden To have freedom of time, (and other kinds of freedom as well), you need to be organized. It's one of the many paradoxes of life. People often think that the processes of getting and being organized take away from their available time, and it's true - as far as it goes. There is a commitment of time involved in bringing order out of chaos and then maintaining order. Unless you're already perfectly ...
Who's Your Gatekeeper?Who's Your Gatekeeper? Diann Cannon Do you have someone, a receptionist or secretary perhaps, who is responsible for answering the phones or greeting your customers at the door? If so, it's important to understand that this person is absolutely critical to the success of your business. He/she is the person who speaks on behalf of your company when potential new customers call, when off-site partners and vendors need assistance, and when prior customers come back with ...
Why Your Small Business Needs a Corporate Identity PackageWhy Your Small Business Needs a Corporate Identity Package Eve Jackson If you're like many small business owners, you might be wondering just what a corporate identity package is. And if you already know what it is, you might be wondering why your small business would need one. After all, you're just a small business, not one of those big corporations. What's in it for you? Just as the name implies, a corporate identity package identifies your ...
Can slow growth boost Outsourcing?Can slow growth boost Outsourcing? Sebastian Schneider It is no secret that more and more companies are moving their projects outside of the company walls by using outsourcing and freelance services to complete the projects. This move has made it possible for companies the world over to remain profitable in the face of economic downturns. This speaks directly to the benefits to be had when outsourcing projects to freelance professionals from all over the world. So many ...
The Importance of the Small Business AdministrationThe Importance of the Small Business Administration Steven Fitzgerald Despite being overworked and underfunded, the Small Business Administration (SBA) is taking body shots from all sides. And it just isn't fair. How many people can truthfully say to a small business owner, "I am from the government and I'm here to help?" Leading the way in disbursing federal subsidies and other help is the SBA, whose mission statement says that its role is to "maintain and ...
Background Check EssentialsBackground Check Essentials Jo Ferrier There is no disputing the importance of conducting background checks in today's society. The benefits of comprehensive background checks are felt not only by business owners but by the individual customer. From CEO's to housewives more and more people are beginning to view background checks as a pro-active risk management strategy. The question many are asking is, "can I afford not to conduct a background check?" "Can I afford not ...
Build Bridges Not Walls - Employee RecognitionBuild Bridges Not Walls - Employee Recognition Trevor Marshall Regular, one-on-one assessments with your staff provide an efficient two-way forum with which to set and review realistic achievement targets, provide feedback on performance, and listen to and consider any problems employees may have. For example, a sales executive may feel that he or she is under performing, when in fact sales targets have been set too high. During the appraisal, these targets could be ...
Business Tools to Help You Run a Successful BusinessBusiness Tools to Help You Run a Successful Business Halstatt Pires Setting up a small business, whether web based or not, can be a very time consuming and difficult task. The increasing popularity of the Internet and the resources available has seen a massive increase in business tools to help you on your way. When setting up a business, even the best prepared among us will struggle to do everything and remember everything. It is very unlikely that we will understand ...
Business Analysis - Seperating Analysis fron DesignBusiness Analysis - Seperating Analysis fron Design Brian Cooney/Phil Dean Separating Analysis from Design (decide what's needed before deciding how to implement it) Written by Brian Cooney, adapted for the web by Phil Dean. Successful projects solve business problems Looking at what business objectives you are trying to satisfy before leaping into the technology enables you to use the technology wisely, manage scope and cut ...
The Pinocchio EffectThe Pinocchio Effect By Tom Lemanski Have ever you avoided a phone call by instructing your assistant "Tell him I've gone to lunch." Or "Tell her I'm in a meeting"? All when it's not true. It seems like a harmless fabrication. It allows you to avoid that undesirable conversation. It helps you to seize control of your schedule. The end justifies the means. Right? But, is it really so harmless? Is this efficient management or the start of a Pinocchio Effect? Let's ...
Business Ethics: How to Stay Out of Court - Can You Look Your Kids in the Eye?Business Ethics: How to Stay Out of Court - Can You Look Your Kids in the Eye? By John T Jones, Ph.D. Corruption in business and government is legendary. Don’t become a legend. You could end up disgraced and in the slammer. When I was a kid, my friend’s father piled me in the family car along with my friend and his sister. We took a long drive around the city and we were treated to ice cream and candy. It was a big day for us kids. It was the last day for my ...
Fears of Starting a New BusinessFears of Starting a New Business jim mack Way back in the last century (1991, actually) a survey was conducted by my research firm, MarketWave, Inc., of over 6,000 people who were not, nor had ever been, business owners. The question was a simple one: If all obstacles were removed, would you like to own your own business? In other words, if what ever was stopping you from starting a business didn't exist, would you at least attempt it? Basically, would you prefer to ...
What roles should you play in your business?What roles should you play in your business? Jeanette Cates Copyright 2006 Jeanette Cates Michael Gerber, in his book the e-Myth, talks about the importance of working ON your business, rather than IN your business. In one case you're doing the planning, creating the vision, leading your organization (regardless of the size). In the other, you're doing the actual work of the business - the details. As entrepreneurs our tendency is to take on all the ...
Overcoming Adversity and Leadership: Lawrence J. Pino, Esq. storyOvercoming Adversity and Leadership: Lawrence J. Pino, Esq. story Dr Howard Edward Haller Overcoming Adversity and Leadership: Lawrence J. Pino, Esq. story -Founder, Chairman and CEO of Dynetech Corporation By Howard Edward Haller, Ph. D. This groundbreaking leadership research by has received extensive endorsements and enthusiastic reviews from well-known prominent business, political, and academic leaders who either participated in the study or ...
10 Ways To Stimulate Employee Motivation10 Ways To Stimulate Employee Motivation Paul Graham Today's fast-moving business environment demands that the effective manager be both a well-organized administrator and highly adept in understanding people's basic needs and behaviour in the workplace. Gaining commitment, nurturing talent, and ensuring employee motivation and productivity require open communication and trust between managers and staff. 1. Understand their behaviour People at work ...
Make Your Small Business a Gold Mine in 4 Steps!Make Your Small Business a Gold Mine in 4 Steps! By Gene Pepper If you follow these powerful suggestions in running your small business you will have an excellent chance of creating your own Gold Mine. No Kidding. Here’s how: 1. Make sure that your business, whatever it is today, has the legs to grow into the future. If your business is in a dying industry, and you know it, then find an economical, sensible way to get out. For ...
Mastering The Difference Between Leadership And ManagementMastering The Difference Between Leadership And Management Dave Saunders It is a common belief that management and leadership are the same role. While it is common that a manager also plays the part of the leader, these two roles are truly separate in function and in the way they add to the success of an orginization. By understanding the difference between management and leadership you will become more effective in helping others see the road ahead. To ...
Leading By Example!Leading By Example! By Margaret Cowles Leading by example. On the surface it seems like a simple concept. Just do the right thing and others will follow. Unfortunately, we don't always know what the right thing is or even if we do, doing it is not so easy. Applying this concept to Internet marketing only makes things that much more difficult. If you don't already know this, Internet marketing is a jungle filled with more dangers and pitfalls than an Indiana Jones movie. If ...
I Don't Need a Business Plan...Do I?I Don't Need a Business Plan...Do I? Eve Jackson I get asked that question a lot. In fact, after "how do I start a business?" it's probably the most asked question by new clients. I decided the best way to describe why you might decide to write a business plan is to tell you a few stories about a client of mine. The name and business are fictional. We're going to call him David and he's going to have a mechanic shop. The stories I'm going to tell you over the next ...
Goals Are More Attainable When You Break Them Down Into Individual PartsGoals Are More Attainable When You Break Them Down Into Individual Parts Gena Biem Goals - A goal is easily defined as an objective toward which one strives. People have all sorts of goals. They want to lose weight, quit smoking, get a better job, make more money, be happier, and provide better lives for their families. Yet, because their goals can seem overwhelming and unreachable, many of them never even try. After struggling with my weight for ...
Team Building the All Inclusive WayTeam Building the All Inclusive Way Alan Hunt Copyright 2006 Sandstone Limited More and more people are booking "all inclusive" holidays. These are the ones that have all meals and (usually locally produced) drinks included in the base price of the holiday. Providing the food is appetising and (for me) the beer is drinkable, they do just fine. Flicking through a travel brochure the other day, I got to thinking what other commercially available offerings ...
Title: Make 2006 Your Most Profitable Year Ever: 5 Crucial Steps for Every EntreMake 2006 Your Most Profitable Year Ever: 5 Crucial Steps for Every Entrepreneur Germaine A. Hoston, Ph.D. Many of us maintain the tradition of making New Year's resolutions for our personal lives. The New Year has just as special significance for our businesses too. Whether you're an experienced business owner or are just starting out (or thinking about starting a business), there are 5 crucial steps you need to take at the beginning of the year to assure the ...
Are Happy Employees Motivated Employees?Are Happy Employees Motivated Employees? As managers, do we consciously try to provide the same level of motivation for all of our employees? Or, are we merely fixated on striving to achieve the deadlines, budgets and targets that are set for us (and that seem to be getting tougher and tougher and placing more and more stress on us and our people), and forgetting what it was really like when we worked in an environment that was truly “motivational”. This article provides some ...
Finding CapitalFinding Capital by: Matt Bacak Starting a business requires funding in the form of start-up capital and initial operating costs. Although personal savings and loans may be adequate to start a small business along with a great idea, some businesses require a lot more capital that can be borne by savings alone. Of course, with greater capital required comes a higher risk level as more sales and revenue would need to be generated by the business in order to support the repayment ...
Failing to plan is planning to fail!Failing to plan is planning to fail! Mark Flanighan Ok most of us have heard this statement, possibly even have it on a poster on the wall or even used it within internal training sessions to your staff. But I find this one of the most ignored business statements there is. You would be surprised how many businesses start without a business plan written down in an organised form, covering all of the business issues. The truth is, had many of these businesses took ...
Whistleblower AdviceWhistleblower Advice By: Darcy O'Neil They say no good deed goes unpunished and sadly that is the truth in the world of the whistleblower. The theory on вЂwhistle blowing’ is that the individual is helping the community, and following their ethics, by reporting the offending person or company. The risk of recrimination is very high and usually results in a long and difficult fight for the whistleblower. This battle will likely including legal threats and character ...
Honesty in BusinessHonesty in Business By: Eric L Graves My experience has been one of honest return for honesty when dealing with customers. Maybe it’s not a quick buck, but I can look at myself in the mirror in the morning and know I did the right thing. I would rather have a customer for life than a fly by night sale to a customer that I tricked into buying my product. It isn’t always about the bottom line of making cash. It should be about service and product value. Over the past couple ...
9 Ways to Increase Cashflow for Small Business Growth9 Ways to Increase Cashflow for Small Business Growth Casey Gollan Cashflow Idea No. 1. Use 'cashflow' sales checklists. For sales people, get them to ask every single customer to make another 'add-on' purchase with the one they've already made. A great way to do this is to have a shopping 'checklist' of what the customer could buy. Cashflow Idea No. 2. Use 'cashflow' payment checklists. For your administration team. Have a checklist of your ...
How to Turn Your Failure Into SuccessHow to Turn Your Failure Into Success Sometimes in life, the events that we look upon as failures are the gateways to our greatest successes. Being the goal-driven woman that I am, failure has rarely been an option for me. In so many areas of my life, from deciding on where to go to college to obtaining scholarships to pay for college to determining what I wanted to do for a living and where I wanted to live, achieving my vision and accomplishing my goals has largely been a ...
What Is Company Fraud And How Do You Stop It? (Part 2 Of 2)What Is Company Fraud And How Do You Stop It? (Part 2 Of 2) Peter Granger In the first article of this series, I defined fraud, discussed how it can occur in a company, and provided some real-life examples of when and how it has occurred in the corporate world. (To read the first article, visit inlogik.com/12530+0+free-articles.htm.) In this - the second - article, we get down to nuts and bolts; how do you minimize fraud in YOUR company? There are two main steps ...
DNA of Leaders: Move beyond the fear to be connectedDNA of Leaders: Move beyond the fear to be connected Nancy Snell DNA of Leaders: Move Beyond Fear to be Connected Even though technologies enable us to dissolve boundaries of space and time and connect us in exciting ways, we still face the same old challenge: to dissolve boundaries among colleagues, to build trust, and to engage our people. We-centric leaders lift people out of fear, frustration, and anger, which cause people to disengage from each ...
Successful Business StrategiesSuccessful Business Strategies Laurie Hurley I am a home-based entrepreneur. I own a tutor referral service in Southern California and have been a tutor broker for eight years. I just launched my second business. I authored a book about how to begin a tutor referral service and packaged it with a customized website and Accounting Software, support, ads, etc. and am selling it via the internet nationwide and in Canada. Having started two businesses, I have ...
Two Keys to Adding ValuesTwo Keys to Adding Values Jim Clemmer Just about every company today aims to be "value-driven." Executives are pushing their organizations to create grand statements, often known as "core values," "guiding principles" or "aspirations." Designing these lofty declarations is a good idea. Examples abound of high-performing organizations that have replaced stifling rules and policies with fundamental values supporting the culture they desire. ...
Considerations to Prevent Small Business FraudsConsiderations to Prevent Small Business Frauds By Mayur Sharad Joshi Occupational frauds is a big internal business. Every instance of fraud cause small company a loss of $127500 on an average. Fraud probably occurs in every organization, and you may not be able to totally eliminate it. However you can do something to minimize the risk of fraud. Information is sensitive and accounting information is even more. Handing over the accounting information poses threat ...
Why Don't I Trust You?Why Don't I Trust You? By Dr. Gary S. Goodman Have you ever been about to say yes to a proposal, but something held you back? Maybe it was a barely perceptible inner voice that said: “I don’t trust this person!” Do you wonder where it comes from? This judgment, that we’re in the presence of someone who is going to let us down, or perhaps has already secretly decided to take advantage? This only happens to me rarely, but when it does, my ...
What's Blocking Your First Million?What's Blocking Your First Million? Esther Smith As a newbie on the Internet twelve years ago, I was full of ambition and bursting with energy. I was going to find the perfect program that sold the perfect product so I could retire to a perfect lifestyle with plenty of income. I had been fed so many motivational videos I was addicted... which led me to my greatest failures and most profound lessons. Fortunately, a reality check halted my financial freefall. ...
Is Bad Customer Service Killing Your Business?Is Bad Customer Service Killing Your Business? Tim Knox It's time to beat the old bad customer service drum again. I know, I'm sick of beating the drum, too, but as long as bad customer service runs rampant through so many businesses I feel it is my entrepreneurial duty to bring it to your attention. So grab a pew and prepare to listen to the sermon I've preached before: bad customer service is the bane of business. If the Almighty smote down every business that ...
Do You Have Any Idea Why Your Clients Buy?Do You Have Any Idea Why Your Clients Buy? jim mack For most people, it is the thought of cold calling perfect strangers and facing rejection from those faceless voices on the telephone. Not everyone has the knack for giving sales presentations, and for those who don't, picking up the telephone and calling someone can be a terrifying experience. Even with the best script, practiced and committed to memory, many people are thrown for a loop when presented ...
Overcoming Call ReluctanceOvercoming Call Reluctance Michael Beck Copyright 2006 Exceptional Leadership, Inc. Everyone in marketing faces it at one time or another - reluctance to pick up the phone and make calls. Logically, it makes no sense to feel that way. We believe in our product or service. We have a script that's either been given to us or one that we've carefully written out. We have a list of prospects that are at least somewhat targeted. We know that when someone says ...
Use Noncompete Agreements To Help Protect Your Business FromUse Noncompete Agreements To Help Protect Your Business From Tim Knox Q: One of my former employees has started a competing business and is calling my clients and trying to steal their business from me. Do I have any legal recourse against him? -- Brad J. A: I hate to break this to you, Brad, but unless this former employee signed a noncompete agreement while on your payroll, there is probably very little you can do to stop him from wooing your customers. You should ...
How To Effectively Use Link Popularity To Improve Your Search Engine RankingsHow To Effectively Use Link Popularity To Improve Your Search Engine Rankings Ian Simpson One of the criteria for website popularity and enhanced website search engine ranking is the quantity and quality of incoming links to your website. Links leading to your site from other sites - incoming links - are an important factor affecting how well your site ranks in the search engines. It's important to know how many incoming links your site has, how they break down ...
Protect Your Ideas With Copyrights And PatentsProtect Your Ideas With Copyrights And Patents Tim Knox Q: Can you tell me the difference between a copyright and a patent? Also is that something I should let a lawyer handle for me? A: A wise man once said, "The biggest difference between a copyright and a patent is the number of lawyers it takes to do the paperwork." There is a point to be made there, mainly that if this wise man had paid his attorney to copyright that tidbit of wisdom I probably would ...
Small Business Tax Trap #1: Waiting To Incorporate -- What A Difference A Date CSmall Business Tax Trap #1: Waiting To Incorporate -- What A Difference A Date Can Make By: Wayne M. Davies If you're a sole proprietor, perhaps you've considered incorporating your small business or self-employment activity. And so maybe you've been wondering, "When is the best time to incorporate?" From a legal standpoint, any time is the best time. The sooner you incorporate, the sooner you make the move from the world of unlimited ...
Five Secrets to Showing Your Customers You Really CareFive Secrets to Showing Your Customers You Really Care By: Ed Sykes During our recent online poll, we asked the following question: What upsets you the most when receiving poor customer service? Eighty percent of the poll participants said the “I don’t care attitude” of the person serving them upsets them the most. Businesses lose billions of dollars of revenue each year because customers feel the organizations don’t ...
Three Reasons Personal Success Eludes Most PeoplThree Reasons Personal Success Eludes Most People By: Sid Smith These days the quickest way to make a million dollars is to tell others how to make a million dollars. The Personal Growth business has become a scammer’s dream market. If you’re anything like me, and the hundreds of thousands who have immersed themselves in various self-help, personal growth, and spiritual guides to creating wealth, you’ve got a shelf-full of books and tapes. And, for most people, it ...
If It Was Easy Everybody Would Do ItIf It Was Easy Everybody Would Do It By: Tim Knox Q: I started my business about a year ago and everything is going fine. We're growing and making a profit, but the stress of running the business is really starting to get to me. I spend more time worrying than working. Sometimes the pressure is almost more than I can take. I'm starting to think that I'm not cut out to run my own business. Do you have any advice that might help me decide what to do? -- Steven ...
How Do You Know When to Change Your Marketing?How Do You Know When to Change Your Marketing? By: Charlie Cook When you put an ad in a magazine, send out a sales letter, or put up a web site, you want results. You want your prospects to contact you and to buy from you; you hope to get a flood of calls and sales. If your marketing isn't generating the results you want, then it's time to change your marketing strategy! Don't expect to improve your results using the same strategy. Here's an example. A ...
9 Necessary Steps You Should Take When you hire your first salesperson.9 Necessary Steps You Should Take When you hire your first salesperson. Todd Taylor As a small business owner, at some point in time, you will most likely decide to hire your first salesperson. This process can be exciting and rewarding but only when the proper planning is completed. It is important to keep in mind the old saying; proper planning prevents poor performance. This new sales department needs a plan for performance. Listed is a performance process you ...
How Business Davids can overcome GoliathsHow Business Davids can overcome Goliaths Greg Chapman Copyright 2006 Empower Business Solutions In the story of David and Goliath, young David challenged the mighty Goliath. King Saul wanted David to wear his armour so that he could fight Goliath in the traditional way. But David chose to forgo the armour, used a weapon of his choosing, and relied on his own speed, and was ultimately successful in slaying the giant Goliath. Small business owners ...
Mental Preparation for SuccessMental Preparation for Success Jay Chirino Congratulations! You have decided to start your own online business! That's great. There are many online money making opportunities that you are going to be able to take advantage of. I know how you feel right now and what you have done up to this point. You are eager to get started, you can't wait. You have already done some research and it seems that you are pretty sure that you know which way you want to go. You have a ...
Client Surveys - How Something So Simple Can Make Such A Huge Impact.Client Surveys - How Something So Simple Can Make Such A Huge Impact. Avery Manko The good news is that advertising works. I've witnessed real, measurable results making me a big believer in advertising. The bad news is that it's the most expensive way to grow your business - you are literally buying new customers. Don't get me wrong, adding new clients to your customer base is critical to the success of your business and advertising is the means to do ...
A Guide To Advertising In The MediaA Guide To Advertising In The Media By: James Calvin - The media is a powerful thing -- the average person spends an enormous amount of their life consuming it in one form or another, and will spend a significant percentage of that time looking at, listening to or watching advertisements. If you want to use the power of the media, though, you need to know what you're doing. Advertising in Newspapers and Magazines. There are two kinds of advertising you can ...
Influencing Skills - How To Influence PeopleInfluencing Skills - How To Influence People Robin Chandler There is no right way, nor is there only one way to influence others. Everything, but everything, is a factor when influencing people. And we are, all of us, influenced by people, places, events and situations at all times. Sometimes we are affected more or less by these things, but we are continually being influenced by what happens around us. So what about the specifics in the ...
Who Comes First - The Customer or Employee?Who Comes First - The Customer or Employee? Paul Phillips The commonly held view that the customer comes first is worth a close look. Think about the last time you received less than satisfactory customer service. What caused it? Probably an employee! Either directly, bad manners and a "don't care" attitude, or by not addressing your needs - "sorry, I can't handle that order, you'll have to call another number". While most of our focus is rightly on ...
Getting and Keeping Good PeopleGetting and Keeping Good People Paul Phillips As the competition for talented people picks up, forward thinking managers need to assess how they are positioned to keep their good people and attract some more. Get the basics right People who have choices, and good people normally do, look for certain features in their employer. It continues to amaze us as we visit different businesses how little attention is paid to some of the basics in the work place. ...
What Sort of Training is Most Effective?What Sort of Training is Most Effective? Robin Chandler Organisations are turning more and more to external training companies to develop the 'soft' skills of their staff. With so much expertise available what do people need to look for to get the best from the training they buy in? At Impact Factory we have evolved a way of working with our clients which produces truly effective training programmes that take into account different and changing needs ...
100% Successful Management - The Ten Winning Behaviours100% Successful Management - The Ten Winning Behaviours Martin Haworth Management is all about being the one who facilitates business or organisational success. Delivering the required results. It can be daunting, yet with these ten simple ideas, it might not be the impossible challenge... Business is complicated. Organisations are horribly complicated. Yet within that there are people who manage, who have 'cracked the code' for success. Success for themselves, ...
Top Ten Tips When You Need to Hire Help in Your BusinessTop Ten Tips When You Need to Hire Help in Your Business Martin Haworth If you think ahead and plan, many nightmare, panic and chaos situations can be overcome. By ensuring that you have a great group of people around you, there will be more to fall back on when the going gets tough - because that, as they say, when the tough really do get going. Big challenges can be very difficult to face - and they can be fascinating and exhilarating. So here's some ...
Time Management: Where Does Our Time Go?Time Management: Where Does Our Time Go? Tonya Ramsey Time management is a big concern for a lot of people. I keep hearing, "There are just not enough hours in the day..." or "Where does my time go?" Face it we all live busy lives. Work, family, and other commitments keep us all hopping. To utilize better time management, it's important to recognize what the specific problems are. Is it not having enough time for you or your family? Do you feel that you are wasting ...
What Is Good Corporate Governance?What Is Good Corporate Governance? LeeAnna Good corporate governance refers to methods, laws and policies that direct, control and administers important functions of a corporation. Principal stakeholders and board of directors within the corporation are the ones who manage the principal corporation. Good corporate governance ensures the goals of the management stays within the lines of agreement of the stakeholders. Most people think there is no difference between ...
Small Business Is About RelationshipsSmall Business Is About Relationships Kelly Biedny Some small businesses believe that business is only about making money--the sale is all that matters. Making money and sales are important--no money, no business--however; the relationships you build with your customers influence future sales. And it's a fact that a second sale from an existing customer costs less to achieve than a first time sale to a new customer. The relationships your small business forges are ...
Get The Fundamentals RightGet The Fundamentals Right Kevin Sinclair To succeed in business on the Internet, or in the off-line world, requires an understanding of the fundamentals of business and using them to your advantage. In this article, I will outline what I consider the fundamentals of business success are. Believe in Your Product or Service First, you need to believe in your product or service. If you don't believe in it, you will have a great deal of ...
What Do Your Business Emails Reveal About You?What Do Your Business Emails Reveal About You? Tim Knox I am a huge fan of email. In fact, if you do business with me the bulk of our communication will not be through the telephone, but via email. Email is quick. Email is convenient. Email takes less time than long-winded telephone conversations. Most importantly, email gives me an electronic record of my communications with clients, employees, partners, and vendors; which makes it easy for me to refresh my ...
Santa: The Consummate EntrepreneurSanta: The Consummate Entrepreneur Tim Knox Most people think Santa Claus only works one night a year. Nothing could be further from the truth. Sure, product distribution takes place on one magical night, but Santa's operation runs year round and is one of the largest manufacturing and distribution operations in the world. You've probably never considered the fact that Santa is the CEO of a large organization that not only distributes a vast assortment ...
Building Client Trust with Case StudiesBuilding Client Trust with Case Studies Jennifer Woodard Case Studies can help professional service providers build trust and credibility with clients and prospects. When you are working with intangibles such as services it hard to prove what you can do and why you are the best person to provide the services that your prospective clients need. Case studies can help you shine and prove your worth to potential customers and current clients. What are ...
Small Corporate Offering Registration (SCOR)Small Corporate Offering Registration (SCOR) Author: joseph Quinones The Small Corporate Registration was designed specifically for small businesses. It allows small companies to raise equity or debt capital publicly without having to register with Securities and Exchange Commission. It is designed to streamline the state review process by using standardized forms and reviews. Each states separately reviews the company’s filings and issues a permit allowing general ...
How do you measure up?How do you measure up? Terry Dashner May I ask you a question? Is character important to you? Why do I ask? I'm asking because I want you to think, for a moment, about YOUR character. For most people when asked to consider the importance of character, they immediately think about the other guy's character and not their own. They are usually quick to see the character flaws in others but slow to see their own shortfalls. This reality hit me hard one day. ...
Facing The Reality: Are You Working For Your Website Or Is Your Website WorkingFacing The Reality: Are You Working For Your Website Or Is Your Website Working For You? By Michael Baron We are living in the era of the electronic communications. The era when building a virtual home in the form of a Website is often perceived as a necessity rather than an option. The business community is suddenly undergoing dramatic changes. There is a division between those who have been quick to embrace the Internet to turn it into an essential element of their ...
Interviewing? Follow These 7 Tips To Set Yourself ApartInterviewing? Follow These 7 Tips To Set Yourself Apart Lee Dobbins Successful interviewing is not only about talking up your skills and accomplishments, it's also about selling yourself. Prospective employers are looking for a lot more in addition to knowing that you can technically handle the job. Your attitude and work ethic are some of the things that you can use to sell yourself on your next interview. Follow these 7 steps and you'll ...
ProfessionalismProfessionalism Skye Thomas Professionalism is an umbrella term used to describe many different aspects of business conduct. Customer service, work ethics, and business integrity are often grouped together with professionalism and it's all mixed up in people's minds as one big concept. Each of these are actually very different aspects and have nothing to do with professionalism. Just like fondness, friendship, and lust are all lumped under the word ...
How to Optimize and Build Value in Your Company for a Planned & Successful ExitHow to Optimize and Build Value in Your Company for a Planned & Successful Exit Grover Rutter Someone once said, "The best time to start thinking about your retirement is BEFORE your boss does!" Sage advice, wouldn't you agree? Yet, it is estimated that seven out of ten closely held business owners spend little or no time thinking about the value of one of their largest retirement assets: Their business! Regardless of the number of years in business, ...
Amazingly Simple 8 Step Formula For Testing Your HeadlinesAmazingly Simple 8 Step Formula For Testing Your Headlines Author: Edward Green I am going to let you in on a secret? The successful entrepreneurs are not successful because they know things that you don’t know. They are successful because they TEST every advertising campaign they embark on first before they start spending "big" money on effective forms of newsletter and ezine ads. Ezine Ads Placing ezine ads is one of the most effective form of ...
How to Get B2B Clients: A Primer for CopywritersHow to Get B2B Clients: A Primer for Copywriters Chris Marlow In more than 20 years of copywriting for both business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) clients, I have found mid-size and large B2B clients to be generally easier to work with, and more professional than B2C. (I do not recommend working for small business in either B2B or B2C.) In my experience, B2B companies tend be more "corporate" and less entrepreneurial ...
Corporate Identity ManagementCorporate Identity Management LeeAnna Competition is great in the market world today and in order to get your business noticed, you will need good corporate identity management. You need to bring together all of the good qualities of your company as well as emphasizing what a great benefit your company will be to those who use your services. Good corporate identity management will do just that if handled properly. It will give your business a ...
How to turn your Web Site into a Free lead Generation MachineHow to turn your Web Site into a Free lead Generation Machine Daegan Smith There is one big problem however. How come there are websites that actually help businesses to sell its products and services yet at the same time, there are those that remain unknown to consumers and drain the businesses' money, instead of helping them earn additionally? For many businesses that own websites, this is their question: How come their websites do not ...
What Is Link Popularity And How Can I Increase This On MyWhat Is Link Popularity And How Can I Increase This On My Website? Gley Yahya Gauging link popularity is a practice that most search engines use when they rank sites for specific keywords and phrases. In order to keep their clients happy, search engines are always developing ways to make their results more relevant. In the last couple of years, Search engines start giving more weight to Links between sites with similar themes because they see ...
The Value Of A BrandThe Value Of A Brand Hari Wibowo Brand name of a product has certain value to a company. How do we value a brand and how does it affect the fair value of a common stock? There is no definite way of doing it since a brand is worth more to some than to other people. Brand is valued in the balance sheet under 'Intangible Assets' or 'Goodwill'.. Each company values their brand differently but they all agree that brand name has certain ...
Top Seven Reasons to Publicize your Business with ArticlesTop Seven Reasons to Publicize your Business with Articles Judy Cullins Top Seven Reasons to Publicize your Business with Articles Judy Cullins В©2006 All Rights Reserved. Do you want to be #1-10 on Google and other search engines? Do you want quadruple your Web sales in five months? Promote your business to the top with these 7 reasons to write and submit how-to articles. 1. Reach 10,000 to 150,000 targeted potential customers ...
Ethics Professor Cites Mission and Vision ProcessEthics Professor Cites Mission and Vision Process Transformational Don Midgett In reviewing my recent web publication Mission and Vision Statements: Discover Your Path to a Successful Business Future, Dr. Curtis Brooks, Professor of Business Ethics at Old Dominion University told me that "this mission and vision process, with service as a foundation, would lead business owners to transformative business practices and visionary business ...
Choosing a Business PartnerChoosing a Business Partner Eran Salu, JD, MBA, CPA In choosing the right partner you must consider a number of factors. If you chose your partner wisely you will share the risk and alleviate some of your anxiety that is part of going it alone. Here are some factors to consider when selecting your partner: CHECKLIST FOR CHOOSING A PARTNER: * Does this person bring expertise I don't have to the business? * Does this person share ...
Leadership SkillsLeadership Skills Chris Thomas Recent studies have shown that industrial supervisors are working at less than 60% of their potential. Basic management skills training is guaranteed to change all this and at such little cost. Introduction There is no doubt that the single most important aspect of a manager's job is the management of people. Of course, a supervisor must manage resources other than people. ...
Leadership in Today's WorldLeadership in Today's World Carl Hoffman The most important thing you do is LEAD your people. Every productive activity on your daily agenda is leadership, regardless of what you call it. You manage, advise, teach, decide, and direct. The list goes on but it's all leading. The most valuable commodity of any great organization is the quality of good people. They deserve the most inspired caring leadership you can provide. Leaders seize ...
Support is more importantSupport is more important Upal Chakraborty Customer Support plays a very important rolein expanding business. I'm not going into the details of "Pre-Sales Support" or "Post-Sales Support". Customer support is something based on which a business can move forward. Its not the product or services we sell to the customer but the support that we actually sell. With an example I'm trying to explain this. A customer ...
How to Write a Business Plan for Online Marketing and PromotionHow to Write a Business Plan for Online Marketing and Promotion By Christopher J Enders Platinum Quality Author Online marketing and promotion can be a great success if proper planning is done in advance to ensure the effectiveness of your online marketing and promotion activities. Without planning, online marketing and promotion can be an enormous waste of both time and money. Business plans and marketing plans are crucial for the effective operation and ultimate prosperity ...
Study Confirms That Employers Save Money and Increase Efficiencies Through BenefStudy Confirms That Employers Save Money and Increase Efficiencies Through Benefit Outsourcing ADP Clients Benefit From Comprehensive Benefit Options and Integrated Services ROSELAND, NJ -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 12/19/2005 -- ADPВ® National Account Services (NYSE: ADP), part of the Employer Services (ES) division, a leading provider of integrated outsourced payroll and human resource services, today announced the results of the first-ever comprehensive study on the Total Cost of Ownership ...
Heath Savings Accounts (HSAs) Mean Big Tax SavingsHeath Savings Accounts (HSAs) Mean Big Tax Savings By: Stephen L. Nelson, CPA Concerned about the high cost of healthcare? Worried that your insurance doesn’t cover all your costs? Fortunately, a partial solution may be just around the corner. Since January 2004, taxpayers have had a tax savings tool called Health Savings Accounts, or HSAs. These HSAs may solve many of your healthcare cost problems. How an HSA Works In a nutshell, HSAs work like this. You ...
Six Reasons Why You Should Jump Into Article MarketingSix Reasons Why You Should Jump Into Article Marketing Donald Nelson If you are working to become a successful online entrepreneur then you have probably already tried to increase traffic and generate sales through search engine positioning and pay per click advertising. Have you also tried article marketing? Article marketing is the strategy of writing articles related to your business and publishing them on other websites and in the ezines ...
Simple Retirement planby Tony Novak A relatively new type of retirement plan is now available to businesses with less than 100 employees. The new plan is called "SIMPLE" and it is easy addition to the employee benefits for almost any small business. The Small Business Protection Act of 1996 first made this plan available and the name stands for Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees. It can be designed as either an IRA or a 401(k) plan and is much less expensive for an employer than other types of ...
Secret Business Strategies of Bill Gates and Jeff BezosSecret Business Strategies of Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos Rick Tanzo "We're trying to build something lasting." - Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com founder "In all of our activities, we take a long-term view." - Bill Gates, Microsoft Corporation founder Vision, innovation, wisdon and hard work are but four of the skills and techniques Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates employed from the very beginning of their business experience. Both started ...
The ROI of Networking !Kevin Yeow > Networking is important. In fact, Networking is pivotal to one's business growth. By definition, Networking is the reciprocal process of exchanging ideas, opportunities, experiences, information, knowledge & expertise that w ill enhance our professional & personal lives - possibly contributing exponentially in return to the effort investment. Through the system of Networking, we achieve the ...
Career Advice: Real Winners Know How To LoseRamon Greenwood Career Advice: Real Winners Know How to Lose By Ramon Greenwood The idea of winning is at the very heart of the American work ethic. The gospel of our culture tells us winning is not just the best thing, it is the only thing. But real winners in the world of work know they can't win them all, nor should they. They have mastered the art of losing, strategically, in their career relationships. If we insist on ...
7 Tips for Business Success7 Tips for Business Success John McKee, The Business Success Coach Many executives and other business managers often forget that they really have 2 jobs - the first is to do what they get paid for (and do it better than others). The other is to manage their career path and do what is required to ensure their upward mobility isn't dependent on others who may or may not be working in their best interest. The following "secrets", amassed through ...
Achieving Competitive Advantage through Collaboration with Key Customers and SupAchieving Competitive Advantage through Collaboration with Key Customers and Suppliers Don Johnston An Evolving Operational Focus In the past when companies pondered corporate strategy, operations had been peripheral to the discussion. Operations were considered a technical matter with one way of doing things and therefore not, strategic. Strategy is about products, markets, and competitive advantage with divergent possibilities. ...
Seven Secrets to Being the Leader Everyone Wants to FollowBy: Ed Sykes In this changing, challenging, and competitive workplace, we can’t overestimate the importance of good management. Good managers will consistently motivate you to perform at higher levels of productivity. Bad managers will drive you crazy and eventually out of the organization. Managers with poor skills will frequently produce the following results: 1. Decreased productivity 2. Increased turnover 3. Increased ...
Top 7 Small Business Tax TipsTop 7 Small Business Tax Tips By : Stephen Pope Here are seven ways for owners of small businesses to save money on their taxes. 1. Incorporate Yourself: If you`re still a proprietor or partner of a business, it`s time to incorporate yourself. Not only will you limit your liability, but you may enjoy lower tax rates on small business income and other tax advantages as well. 2. Be Home Based: If possible, continue (or switch to) being a home based ...
Good First Impressions Count when You Mean BusinessGood First Impressions Count when You Mean Business Jay Bell First impressions can mean the difference between closing the deal of a lifetime or getting shot down in flames. When meeting with a client or a customer for the first time, or interviewing with your prospective employer, you have just a few minutes to make a first impression that determines the success or failure of your mission. Be on Time "My number one pet peeve ...
Title: Standardize Your Process To Improve The Bottom LineTitle: Standardize Your Process To Improve The Bottom Line Author: Donald Bryant Article: Standardize your processes! You can save time, money and prevent errors. Things you do over and over should be done the same way every time, if indeed you do the task the best way. They say variety is the spice of life, but for healthcare processes it certainly isn't most of the time. Consider this, if you would. Would you buy your favorite brand of soda if ...
Little Change That Gave My Website 1st Page In Google, Yahoo,Msn, Aol And OtherLittle Change That Gave My Website 1st Page In Google, Yahoo,Msn, Aol And Other Top Search Engines. Nickolay Bokhonok Today even 6 year old kids know that content is the king of Internet. If you have good and relevant content, search engines will find your site faster, people will visit this site more often, and you will be enjoying targeted traffic. The most popular strategy to get a wider publicity for your web site content is article ...
Top Search Engine Rankings Are In The LinksTop Search Engine Rankings Are In The Links William Siebler How popular is your site? Popularity makes or breaks celebrities and it will make or break your web site rankings. But how do you become popular? Well right now popular in the eyes of the major search engines (Google, Yahoo, MSN) means links. Each search engine views links differently and weights their influence on your ranking based on their own criteria. The ...
Dare To DreamDare To Dream Chris Lloyd The rewards of life come to those who do, not to those who merely read, talk or day dream. Action is the key. Okay I want you to answer this question: "In December of last year did you achieve all you set out to achieve in January of the same year?" This is a 'yes or no' answer, so don't spend too long considering it. The answer, of course, is 'no' - unless you are a ...
FlexibilizationMike Beitler Professor Walter Oechsler of the University of Mannheim (Germany) believes the workplace and workforce in the 21st century will be characterized by "flexibilization." Oechsler sees the "flexibilization" of the workplace and workforce leading to "a core group with unlimited full employment, and an increasingly larger group of short-term limited and/or part-time employees who face severe employment risks, ultimately ...
Relationship ConstellationRelationship Constellation Dr Eddy Kloprogge Relationship Constellations Finding the hidden dynamics in relationship systems within organisations Dr.Eddy Kloprogge Introduction The word organisation comes from "organic", a system that organises (organism), following certain universal rules. Either in the family, school or any other organisation, individuals form different levels of ...
YEAR END TAX PLANNING AND PREPARATION FOR BUSINESSES - Tax Tips or 2005YEAR END TAX PLANNING AND PREPARATION FOR BUSINESSES - Tax Tips or 2005 Dianne Goodman CHECK BACK FOR UPDATED INFORMATION AS NEW INFORMATION IS UNAVAILABLE AT THIS WRITING BUT IS COMING SOON Now is the best time to start thinking about your year end tax planning for your business. These tax strategies can be put into effect by the end of the year and some as late as when the tax return is due. Planning now will save you money and reduce ...
Additional Marketing Strategies to Compliment your SEO CampaignAdditional Marketing Strategies to Compliment your SEO Campaign James Peggie Many of our clients focus to a large extent on getting their sites ranked in the search engines using search engine optimization (SEO). They then come to me and ask what other types of marketing they can use to increase the effectiveness of their SEO campaign? The first thing that I point out is that a SEO campaign should just be part of an overall business ...
A Website Without Online Marketing: A Fruitless TreeA Website Without Online Marketing: A Fruitless Tree Sevan Baghdasarian Have you quit your day job and invested time and money into your own online business? Are you wondering where those promised visitors and the profit from them have gotten stuck? Then read on before your precious investment is fully wasted. Nowadays, many people save money to quit their day jobs in hopes of achieving their own customized version of the American ...
How to Set Your Consulting FeesHow to Set Your Consulting Fees Christopher Smith For any consultant starting off, figuring out what you should bill your clients is often the most difficult challenge. Charge too much and you'll fear that you wont get any clients, charge too little and you wont make enough money. The quick answer is to find out what your peers are billing, and use that as a basis. Often when you are starting off, price may be the only way you can ...
What Does Your Staff REALLY Want? Part 1What Does Your Staff REALLY Want? Part 1 Nickie Freedman, PHR Creating a high performing organization requires a relentless focus on ensuring a great work environment. When staff are enthusiastic about where they work and engaged in what they do, obstacles seem smaller, difficult problems give way to innovative solutions and exceeding expectations happens. The 2005 "Best Places to Work" program study showed that, contrary to popular ...
Stop Managing and Start LeadingJim Clemmer Ask any group of managers if they view themselves as an elite within their organization and you can be sure they will deny it. You'll hear comments such as: "I have an open-door policy" and "I take pride in always being accessible and approachable." And in most cases, these managers will really believe what they are saying. What they don't realize, however, are the many invisible barriers -- the "glass doors" -- they put in ...
Getting and keeping good peopleGetting and keeping good people Paul Phillips As the competition for talented people picks up, forward thinking managers need to assess how they are positioned to keep their good people and attract some more. Get the basics right People who have choices, and good people normally do, look for certain features in their employer. It continues to amaze us as we visit different businesses how little attention is paid to some of the basics in ...
Growing the Leader in UsGrowing the Leader in Us Jim Clemmer "For what we've discovered, and rediscovered, is that leadership isn't the private reserve of a few charismatic men and women. It's a process ordinary people use when they're bringing forth the best from themselves and others. Liberate the leader in everyone, and extraordinary things happen." -- James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner, The Leadership Challenge: How to Keep Getting Extraordinary Things Done ...
Honesty and Integrity Build a Foundation of TrustHonesty and Integrity Build a Foundation of Trust Jim Clemmer "To be honest is to be real, genuine, authentic, and bona fide. To be dishonest is to be partly feigned, forged, fake, or fictitious. Honesty expresses both self-respect and respect for others. Dishonesty fully respects neither oneself nor others. Honesty imbues lives with openness, reliability, and candor; it expresses a disposition to live in the light. Dishonesty seeks shade, cover, ...
When It Comes To PR, Pay For Performance, Not TimeWhen It Comes To PR, Pay For Performance, Not Time Jacqueline Bodnar As companies become savvier in how they allocate their promotional budgets, they are rejecting the traditional public relations service model that has fed the bottom lines of PR firms for decades. The days of large retainers, endless meetings, billable hours and illusive results are quickly giving way to a more effective approach to getting the word out: pay-for-performance. ...
5 Benefits of to Have YOUR Own Website5 Benefits of to Have YOUR Own Website Ann Liu To have your own website is very important for your business because it can bring your many benefits. 1. Your Website Shows Your Unique Personality and Add Your Special Touch To a Program Your website is a place where you can show prospects the BENEFITS of joining with YOU! This is because people don't want to click the program that they have seen many times with the same look that ...
Discover The Ultimate Business ModelDiscover The Ultimate Business Model Bryan Kumar Discover The Ultimate Business Model By Bryan Kumar If you've been exposed to any of my products or articles, you probably know that I love to simplify things as much as possible. I also love to systemize, automate, and multiply whenever the opportunity presents itself. Autoresponder Maximizer is a good introduction to my methods and my mindset. Let's talk more about systemizing and ...
Foundations of EMarketingFoundations of EMarketing Dan Jondron, Advanced Digital Strategies, LLC OK, I'm hot. I'm not complaining because back in the winter when it was the very opposite of hot, I swore I wouldn't complain when it got hot. The fan on my computer seems to have a brain of its own and it is humming away at an unusually fast pace. I think the computer is hot. So why oh why would want to be reading an article about eMarketing in the aftermarket? It gives ...
Top 3 Secrets about marketing onlineTop 3 Secrets about marketing online Don Krnel Top 3 Secrets about marketing online Everyone is looking to promote their site, but only a small group of people really succeed. If you want to be one of them just keep on reading and you'll find out the best ways to promote yours site big time! I have tried so many techniques and lost so much money and I can assure you the these want let you down! You have to remember one thing only: ...
Smart Marketing - Submit Your Articles To Article DirectoriesSmart Marketing - Submit Your Articles To Article Directories Zamri Nanyan There are a lot of benefits of submitting your own articles to article directories but before we go into the benefits, what actually are article directories? Article directories are simply database websites that collect, compile, sort the articles to their own categories and make these articles available to the public. The public can then read these articles for free or ...
Business Ethics: An OxymoronBusiness Ethics: An Oxymoron By Nick Arrizza, M.D. An oxymoron: the juxtaposition of contradictory words or concepts. That is what we have with the term "Business Ethics". The very contradiction that is inherent in this latter phrase is an indication of the challenge that individuals who work for organizations face as we all approach the resource limits of this planet. The global concept of business is fundamentally based on the principle of competition for ...
Ethics in Business - Please Have SomeEthics in Business - Please Have Some By Scott Sedwick Is your business ethical? What I mean is "Does your business do the right thing when faced with that decision?" It's a simple question, which many businesses struggle with. I just don't understand the struggle part? I have worked for companies that believed they were ethical, and really have no clue. Meaning the decisions they make everyday towards their customers and employees does not ...
Guerilla Versus Gorilla - Small Companies Can WinGuerilla Versus Gorilla - Small Companies Can Win Jim Estill We make our living as guerillas - not the bad kind, but more of a freedom fighter. By using the term 'guerilla' I mean EMJ (now a division of SYNNEX) fights for business against big gorillas (other distributors) in the field. Our competitors are almost 100 times our size; EMJ is a Canadian-based, $165 million per year distributor. We have made an operating profit for the past 80 ...
Business Strategies: How Does the Business Owner Increase the Value of His CompaBy William Bradley Business owners often times get caught up in phenomenal early success and, as a result, fail to equip their organization with business strategies to accommodate the 3 stages of entrepreneurial growth: (1) Startup; (2) Growth; (3) Exit. START UP Aside from the obvious… have adequate resources and good management, entrepreneurs from the very beginning should establish a business development plan. The foundation for your business. At this ...
Top 5 Ways To Generate Low Cost Website TrafficGerardas Norkus There is one hard and fast rule in generating income for your website: A steady flow of website traffic. If no one goes to your site, it hardly bares a chance of generating an income. Many sites have tried and failed in doing so, and these results to the sites demise. It takes money to maintain an income generating site; it also takes money to make money. BUT, it doesn't take a whole caboodle of cash to generate website ...
Using Google Adwords To Drive Laser Targeted TrafficUsing Google Adwords To Drive Laser Targeted Traffic Gerardas Norkus The biggest well known secret in generating wealth in the internet based business or e-commerce is Traffic. Everybody knows it; every site wants it and every site needs it. The point of websites is to be visited and viewed. Many elaborate designs, money and countless hours of developing a site to make them beautiful and attractive are utilized. Without traffic, it is for ...
Self Development - Staying MotivatedLeigh Everett If you surveyed 50 people asking each their definition of success, chances are you would receive fifty different answers. Even so, there are certain steps everyone must follow in order to be successful. One of the most important is - staying motivated. Do you have a new job? Have you started your own business? Are you in the process of earning a degree? Do you have the desire to lose weight? If one of these ...
How to Become the Person of Your DreamsHow to Become the Person of Your Dreams Michael Cobb "What would you like to be when you grow up?" I bet you often hear this question asked many times when you were still young. But have you given this question some deep thoughts? Different people have different dreams. So what's your aspiration? Do you want to become a doctor, lawyer, pilot, or entertainer? Or would you want to be like Tom Cruise or Bill Gates? Let me tell you now, you can become ...
Personal vs BusinessMatt Bacak Many business owners agree that starting a small business will involve the personal finances of the owner, even though the business may be formally regarded as separate entities. This is probably due to the fact that the business owner may be likely to lose his source of income during the initial operations period, especially during the first 3 to 6 months. With this, adequate planning, budgeting and saving should be done by ...
Self-Employment TaxMatt Bacak Who must may self-employment tax? If you are self-employed, you will be responsible for self-employment tax. For the purpose of determining self-employment tax, you are self-employed if you are a sole proprietor, an independent contractor, a member of a partnership, or are otherwise in business for yourself. As a self-employed individual you will have a Schedule C to attach to your Form 1040, and self-employment tax is computed on ...
Should I Hire an Employee or a Contractor?Should I Hire an Employee or a Contractor? Matt Bacak Are you confused about whether you should hire a contractor vs employee? If so, you're not alone. Knowing when it's time to hire a contractor instead of an employee is one of the most confusing aspects of employment for many businesses. Below we have provided some tips to help you sort through the confusion regarding independent contractor vs. employee hiring. One of the most critical ...
7 No Cost Tips to Market Your BusinessKathleen Gage 7 No Cost and Low Cost Tips to Market Your Business by Kathleen Gage Marketing a business can be fun, exciting and creative. It can also be very frustrating and expensive if one doesn't know what outcome they are looking for or how to evaluate cost effective methods of marketing. Over the years people have come to know me for my unique ability to develop low cost and no cost strategies to market and promote a ...
Demystifying the Complexity of SEODemystifying the Complexity of SEO By Paul J. Bruemmer (c) Nov. 2005, Bruce Clay, Inc. "SEO is still a tiny portion of the total search marketing spend." So states MarketingSherpa in its recent Search Marketing Benchmark Survey. I find it hard to understand the under-utilization of organic SEO compared to PPC (pay-per-click) advertising when organic listings are preferred by 5 clicks to 1. The natural organic listings convert better, too. So what gives? MarketingSherpa ...
The Cold Facts of Starting Your Own Small BusinessThe Cold Facts of Starting Your Own Small Business Cynthia Macy Do you have the right stuff to make it work? Ask yourself these five questions before making that leap from steady paycheck to entrepreneurial uncertainty: 1. Are you a self-starter? You must have the self-discipline to plan, set goals, not procrastinate and stay focused. 2. What are your expectations? Do you think you'll work less and have less stress and more money? ...
Recruiting with FAQ - Part TwoKara Kelso Knowing what the potential recruit needs/wants to know is half the battle. What do the recruits want to know? First and foremost there's nothing better than stating the obvious here but, greet your potential recruit and thank them for their interest. After that it's best to give a little background about the company. By doing this you'll be making the recruit feel comfortable with the company itself and gives her an idea of ...
What do Trainers do When They are not Training?What do Trainers do When They are not Training? Carole Sue Jones In the new corporate environments where everyone wears more than one hat, trainers are often responsible for a myriad of duties beyond just facilitating new training classes. Their job is often that of Maintenance, IT Guru, Subject Matter Expert, Coach, Instructional designer and Copy clerk. There is an incredible amount of work that has to happen for a training event to occur. Let's ...
One Minute FeedbackOne Minute Feedback Carole Sue Jones Like team leaders in any industry, Call Center managers must accomplish countless tasks in a given day. From presiding over call allocations and reading and responding to e-mails, to responding to supervisors' requests, reviewing resumes and setting up interviews and meetings, it's a wonder that they are able to walk the Call Center floor to oversee regular operations. This makes delivering one-minute ...
Do You Spend or Invest It?Do You Spend or Invest It? Paula Gregorowicz Copyright 2005, Paula Gregorowicz and The Paula G. Company Time is our greatest and most precious asset. Time is the great equalizer of all us human beings. Why then do we not recognize and treat it with the respect it deserves? Whether you are rich, poor, healthy, ill, or just humming along in your life somewhere in between, we all have only 24 hours in each and every day to invest ...
Is Your Small Business Website a Diamond in the Rough?Karri Flatla The sheer vastness of the cyber economy is staggering. There are well over six billion web pages vying for the attention Internet users around the globe. Needless to say, millions of these sites are owned and maintained by people just like you--small business entrepreneurs and managers hoping to improve the public profile of their organization and, ultimately, increase sales. Given that only a fraction of websites are ...
Get Googled: Using Search Engine Marketing to Build YourGet Googled: Using Search Engine Marketing to Build Your Business Erin Ritter Did you know that search engines and online directories receive over 300 million searches everyday? Or that 50% of shoppers conduct research on a search engine before making an online purchase? With numbers like these, it's no surprise that companies who consistently rank high on search engines experience more web traffic and better online sales figures ...
What are your Best Practices?Jenny Kerwin * Who are your high performers? * Do you know what practices are making them successful? * Can other team members benefit from their skills? * Are they engaged in discussions about the success of the business? One way you can answer these questions is by conducting a Best Practices Study. Best Practices Studies These studies can be defined as inquiries into the skills and methods ...
Are You Listening?Are You Listening? Carole Sue Jones Are you listening, really listening? Knowing that the human brain can process information four times as fast as the mouth can speak; listening becomes a skill that requires attention and practice, and a skill that is essential to all Call Center employees. We listen to gather facts, form opinions, make decisions and lend support. We listen to get a response, clarity about a task, or to improve communication. ...
Benefits of Group Health InsuranceBenefits of Group Health Insurance Jakob Jelling Group Health Insurance is an insurance scheme provided by the insurance companies for a group of persons, such as the employees of an organization at a reduced individual rate. Most of the companies provide group health insurance schemes for their employees, which helps the employees to receive health treatments without any cost they need to pay. Group health insurance ensures the employees of an ...
More than Half of CEOs Involved in Selection of Outside Law Firms, According toMore than Half of CEOs Involved in Selection of Outside Law Firms, According to LexisNexis(R) Martindale-Hubbell(R) Survey of Corporate Counsel NEW PROVIDENCE, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 24, 2005-- International Survey Reveals How Corporations Identify, Evaluate and Select Outside Legal Counsel A new survey by LexisNexis(R) Martindale-Hubbell(R), the leading provider of client development solutions for the legal profession, found that ...
MasterCard Survey Reveals Motivations, Payment Needs, Business Challenges of WomPURCHASE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 18, 2005--The desires to lead, generate income, and have greater flexibility in their schedules are the primary factors motivating women to start their own small businesses, according to the results of a survey commissioned by MasterCard International and released today in recognition of October as "Women's Small Business Month." In fact, women are starting businesses at a rate double that of men according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor ...
How You Could Take The First Step To Become Financially FreeHow You Could Take The First Step To Become Financially Free Sung-Liang Woon Short description The author explains what "truly wealthy" means. Various possible routes to achieve this through earning passive income are suggested but Internet Business is recommended because it is by far the most exciting, rewarding and the best home based business. Tips are given that are for professional business working from home. Like the majority, ...
Why Selecting Candidates Who FIT the Job Is Critical!Why Selecting Candidates Who FIT the Job Is Critical! by Joe McKenna, CAIA, CPVA, CPBA Anyone with the responsibility for hiring or promoting employees knows how aggravating it is to select a candidate that seemed right during the interview process only to realize later the new employee isn't really a good fit for the job. Both the company AND the employee suffer for it. Poor job fit often results in lost productivity, the need for tough ...
7 Steps To Effectively Take Control Of Your Inbox And Reduce Spam7 Steps To Effectively Take Control Of Your Inbox And Reduce Spam Balraj Dhaliwal Everbody hates spam! I am sure spammers hate getting spam too, but they still continue to dish it out. Why? Because it is still effective. Believe it or not, many of us still click on the links or follow-up with the spam message. As long as we continue to do this, spam will exist. If everybody understood this and paid no attention to spam, the spammers will eventually ...
Stop Making Excuses and Start Making MoneyStop Making Excuses and Start Making Money Katherine Ly There are two types of people in this world: those who make money and those who make excuses. You have to choose be either one. You can't be both. At the end of the day ask yourself this question, "What would I rather have more of? Money or Excuses?" Make up your mind to stop thinking about why you can't do certain things or have certain things. All I can tell you is that ...
Qualities of a Great ManagerQualities of a Great Manager Carole Sue Jones In the call center environment we are often only as successful as the people we hire. While our front line employees are critical to our business, choosing the right managers powerfully impact your success. So what makes a good manager? Ask 100 people and you might get 100 different answers. While the behaviors that make a great manager may be open to interpretation, there are some ...
How Small Businesses can Profit from Business ProcessNowshade Kabir Many small and medium sized companies don't take business process optimization with the help of online solutions seriously. This is understandable. When a company achieves price reduction from a supplier, the money saved is quite visible. When the company manages to sell products for a better price, the extra profit margin is also clear and visible. Understanding real return on investment from business process ...
Search Engine Optimization For DummiesJohn Fowler Many people have said to me that they can't afford to employ a SEO company, but they would still like to get better search results on Google, Yahoo and MSN searches. Are there any basic rules that they can follow to improve their ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs)? In response to this question, here are some basic things that people who have coded their own web sites can do to make the web pages more spiderbot friendly ...
Design vs. SEO: Can My Site Look Good And Rank Well?John Krycek Do you have to sacrifice all of the creative and artistic elements of your web site to rank in the search engines? Later in this article I'll show you a real case scenario and the design and SEO approach used. Thanks to the birth of professional search engine marketers the top ranks are saturated with the pages of companies that can pay for such insight. That said, it's certainly possible to employ high ranking tactics in your own ...
KNOWING YOUR EMPLOYEES' GOALS IS THE KEY TO YOUR SUCCESS!KNOWING YOUR EMPLOYEES' GOALS IS THE KEY TO YOUR SUCCESS! Olivia Stefanino Mark knew that his senior managers were doing all that was expected of them. And yet he was also firmly convinced that they were doing no more than was expected of them. Disappointed at their lack of commitment, Mark had booked an appointment with me to see if he could get to the root cause of the problem. Even before he had sat down, Mark had begun to share ...
5 Ways to Boost Your Traffic and Profits with Content!5 Ways to Boost Your Traffic and Profits with Content! Robert Kleine Having valuable CONTENT is vitally important to your online business? In fact, content can do more to build your business and profits than just about any other resource or service available. Here's is a list of 5 ways that content can help build your traffic, subscribers, and customers starting right now: 1. Boost your search engine ranking and daily visitor count ...
How To Make Your Web Site Work For YouHow To Make Your Web Site Work For You Dave Abernethy (or How to Increase your Targeted Web Site Traffic and Sales...) You have a web site. Perhaps it was developed internally by you or by one of your own people. Or perhaps you employed a web design agency to produce it for you. You know you're not happy with it but don't know what to do about it. Sound familiar? Then you are one of many businesses, both ...
Balancing Your PromotionsBalancing Your Promotions Larry Johnson Promotion of your online business may take a variety of directions. Some will bring more success than others. Every one is important to consider when you are trying to open the door to visitors to your site. This article discusses several of the more useful ways to promote and the necessity of keeping some balance in your promotional efforts. -- SEARCH ENGINES Everyone needs to make an ...
What You Must Do for One Whole Day, Every Week for Your BusinessWhat You Must Do for One Whole Day, Every Week for Your Business Stephanie Ward, MA Do you experience periods of feast or famine in your business? Do you only think about marketing when you realize you are running low on clients? Do you have some steady clients but you'd love to have more? Or are you still struggling to barely reach your key business goals? If any of these situations describe you, and you are serious about making some changes, ...
Converting Your Website Leads to SalesConverting Your Website Leads to Sales Relenta.com Your website exists either to sell products or generate leads that can be later converted into paying customers. In the former case, unless you sell inexpensive commoditized widgets, it takes several interactions with a prospective customer before you can close the sale. Therefore, a top priority of almost every online business is to gather, organize, and convert website leads to sales. 1. Gather ...
Professional Speaking - Double your Market, Double your IncomeProfessional Speaking - Double your Market, Double your Income Frank Furness CSP Double your Market, Double your Income Keys to Conquering the International Speaking Market Frank Furness Your Business Plan If you want to work the International Circuit, you need to plan for it. Work out how many days each year you want to speak overseas, the market you want to work and develop an action plan. Your Unique Market ...
Customers - Attracting Them Part 2 - Out Of The Box IdeasCustomers - Attracting Them Part 2 - Out Of The Box Ideas Justine Curtis, Enable UK Blogs You can look into starting a blog for your site. A blog, if well maintained, takes a bit more work and upkeep than the occasional article, but the rewards can be considerable. Blogs can also be extremely useful in obtaining good listings in search engines such as Google. If you have a compelling, topical blog for your site and get it listed in a couple of ...
Is This Business Right For You?Is This Business Right For You? Annette Lucas Your dream is to have your own business and to tell the boss "Good-Bye". An excellent dream to have, a little exciting and a little scary at the same time. Before taking that big step, take a long hard realistic look at yourself and determine "Is this business right for me?" What is your personality? Are you an extrovert or an introvert? Do you enjoy talking to everyone you see or are you the ...
Business Plan BasicsBusiness Plan Basics Matt Bacak If you are just starting a company and looking for funding, or looking for additional funding for growth, you will need to develop a traditional business plan. Creating a business plan is a business hurdle that entrepreneurs seem to dread. Do you do it yourself? Do you hire someone to do it? How do you get it done quickly, but without spending too much money on it? Will what you do yourself be adequate to get ...
Cashflow Management – The Key to Your Company Surviving and ThrivingCashflow Management – The Key to Your Company Surviving and Thriving What is Cashflow Management? Cashflow management is more than juggling bills as the receipts come in. If done well, it helps managers, owners and its vendors sleep at night. If done poorly, disasters ensue. Cashflow management is the process of projecting both cash receipts and cash disbursements to meet all the obligations and profitability of the business. This approach matches cash receipts from customers ...
The 7 myths of marketing a service businessJane Hendry Copyright 2005 Attractioneering Myth 1: Marketing is a cost, not an investment When you spend time and money randomly on marketing, then it probably is an expense because you're not generating a return on the resources invested in it. Many people make the mistake of emulating the marketing tactics of large companies (such as image advertising) that just don't produce good returns for small businesses. The fact of the ...
New Diversified Investment Advisors Survey Shows That More U.S. Companies Are CoNew Diversified Investment Advisors Survey Shows That More U.S. Companies Are Considering Total Benefits Outsourcing PURCHASE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 20, 2005--Amidst increasing pressures to save financial and human resources associated with the administration of retirement, health and welfare benefits plans, 22% of U.S. companies are currently considering Total Benefits Outsourcing (TBO), while another 11% have either implemented or are in the process of implementing TBO, ...
Strong Desire for Professional Independence by U.S. Workers Challenges CorporateStrong Desire for Professional Independence by U.S. Workers Challenges Corporate Workforce Strategies; Global Study Reveals Independent Professionals More Satisfied Than Full-Timers NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 27, 2005--While independent professionals do not receive many of the direct benefits of typical employment, a new study finds them to be consistently happier and better compensated than their counterparts in full-time positions. The rapid growth of the "IPro" workforce ...
Health Insurance - To Take or Not to Take: is it worth the risk?Health Insurance - To Take or Not to Take: is it worth the risk? Sam Caldicott Unlike in Canada and parts of Europe, like Germany and The UK, where most health care costs are supported by the government, most healthy, mentally sound Americans below 65 usually have to rely on their own resources to manage personal health care funding. For most U S citizens, this means building some health insurance into their general personal financial ...
Do You Know Why Your Clients Buy?Do You Know Why Your Clients Buy? Annette Lucas Do you know why your clients buy? Seems like a pretty simple question, right? Not really, when you dig deeper under the surface. How you answer is critical to the success of your business. To begin, understand one simple fact: prospects and clients buy for their reasons, not yours. They could care less about your company and your mission statement or the long list of product features you ...
10 Tips For Motivating Your Employees10 Tips For Motivating Your Employees Mark Wardell 10 Tips for Motivating your Employees 1. You can't actually motivate your employees. What??!?? I know this first tip seems a little counterproductive, but bear with me. You see, motivation is internal, not external. You can motivate people with carrots and sticks for a while, but it can't last. Long term, people need to motivate themselves. You're not powerless, however, because motivation ...
Web Site Marketing Strategy - Article Submission To ArticleWeb Site Marketing Strategy - Article Submission To Article Directories Greg Lietz Every website needs traffic. It's pretty simple really. No matter how wonderful your website design is, it will just squander in no man's land if no one ends up visiting it. Obviously, if you have a business enterprise being run on your web site, the need for traffic becomes an absolute necessity, since without traffic, no one visits the site which means you get no ...
Website Value - What's Your Business' Website Worth?Website Value - What's Your Business' Website Worth? William Lee If you were asked to put a value on your website what would it be? Perhaps you paid a small fortune and commissioned a top design agency to build it. It would still be worth at least what you paid for it, right? It's a sad fact that a great number of websites are worthless. They give no value to their owners and are little more than a drain on resources. Would it surprise you if ...
How To Use Joint Venture Marketing And Explode Your ProfitsHow To Use Joint Venture Marketing And Explode Your Profits Alan Cheng Unless the person is a newbie, I'm sure they would have heard of the concept of Joint Ventures and how it will benefit their business immensely. However as with most materials or suggestions which people read, the majority will only read. No action will be taken. I've listed out below the advantages of Joint Venture Marketing. Forget whatever you have in mind of doing and ...
10 Reasons Why People Don't Buy From You10 Reasons Why People Don't Buy From You David Riewe 1. You don't make people feel safe when they order. Remind people that they are ordering through a secure server. Tell them you won't sell their e-mail address and all their information will be kept confidential. 2. You don't make your ad copy attractive. Your ad lists features instead of benefits. The headline does not attract at your target audience. You don't list any testimonials ...
5 Steps To Profiting From News Feeds5 Steps To Profiting From News Feeds Lisa Sparks Looking at News Feeds, you might think they're some of the most complex things to set up. Nothing could be further from the truth. They're actually super-easy to create once you have the system set up properly. You can break down the news feed system into a fast, low-cost system that you can do once, or several times over. First I'll answer a few of your questions about news feeds. ...
Protecting Your IdeasProtecting Your Ideas Matt Bacak The intellectual property transfer market is now estimated to be worth over $100 billion. If you have a new idea, a patent or an invention, you may be able to license it or sell it for millions of dollars. Many Fortune 500 companies are now making their intellectual property available for sale or licensing at new online intellectual-property exchanges. These companies are trying to maximize their return on research and ...
Starting Your Entrepreneurial Business: Climb a Different Career LadderStarting Your Entrepreneurial Business: Climb a Different Career Ladder Dr. Robert J. Lahm Are You Good at Climbing? I climbed out of my crib very early, and proceeded to live a very hyperactive childhood, so I have been told by parents, aunts, elder cousins, and others who have known me my entire life. I have noticed that whenever these individuals relate this story, their pupils dilate. According to some researchers and body language ...
Entrepreneur or Opportunist?Entrepreneur or Opportunist? Joe Borowy Do you feel like an entrepreneur? Would you consider yourself one? You know there are many great opportunities out there. If you don't already have an established business, you're probably eager to start one! If there's money to be made, you'll find a way to make it! After all, you know you are an entrepreneur, regardless of your current occupation. You know that a person like you, with so much drive and ...
How I offered my products at a massive discount without lowering my price.How I offered my products at a massive discount without lowering my price. Michael Lever Copyright 2005 Michael Lever If you're an online merchant like me you'll know how hard it is to attract more customers. You'll probably agree that customer acquisition is the number one challenge for any online merchant. Word of mouth is generally the cheapest and most effective customer acquisition vehicle. Additional advertising is often risky ...
Increase Internet ROI: Why and How to Measure and Improve Pay Per Click ROIIncrease Internet ROI: Why and How to Measure and Improve Pay Per Click ROI Brian Carter I just read the disturbing results of a joint study on the performance of search marketing firms. Jupiter Research and iProspect surveyed 636 qualified search marketers and 224 search agencies, and found that: - Most internet marketing firms look at metrics like web site traffic or search engine rankings, rather than business results such as ROI ...
Measuring and improving the performance of a websiteMeasuring and improving the performance of a website Fernando Macia The return on investment (ROI) for the implementation of a website is directly related to the level by which the website is able to achieve its objectives. Even though this concept may sound trivial to the majority of business owners, establishing a series of objectives for a website and putting in place a methodology for measuring how well these goals are being ...
Advice From An EntrepreneurAdvice From An Entrepreneur Janice Wee Just before I left my last job to finally go into business, I visited a friend and confided in her about it. My friend was a business woman herself. She had a costume jewelry manufacturing company and had been in business for decades. Yet she envied me, an employee. As an employee, I had a stable monthly income. I never had to worry about paying for the business costs, about paying ...
Keeping Up With Your Customers No Matter How Often They ChangeHave you ever been blindsided by changes in your customers? Have you ever felt that half or more of your marketing dollars are wasted? Were the surprises and the waste really unavoidable? Perhaps the most insidious strategic risk companies today face is decimation of the customer base by shifts in behavior, preferences, and demographics. These shifts may happen gradually or literally overnight. Either way, they can destroy a business design. Customers are people -- ...
Losing Perspective: The #1 Mistake Senior Executives MakeBy the Authors of I Didn't See it Coming Most executives approach the corner office with good intentions: they want to lead effectively, be fair, articulate goals, and motivate their employees to follow them up any hill. But too many get blindsided along the way because they lose perspective. Loss of perspective is one of the greatest landmines you can trip over and one of the most dangerous leadership vulnerabilities. Here are some important tips for maintaining your perspective ...
The Case For Positive EnergyPositive Energy.It's a term being talked about a lot more frequently in classrooms, board rooms and locker rooms. After all, when business legend Jack Welch says that great leaders have loads and loads of positive energy and Pete Carroll, coach of USC football credits positive energy as a key ingredient to winning two national championships, people listen, take notice and start asking questions. What is positive energy? How do I develop it as a leader? How can I infuse my team with it? ...
Live and LearnFrom a business perspective, rejection is the best of teachers. Look over your documents. Do you see flaws in your rГѓВ©sumГѓВ© you failed to see earlier? If so, fix them. The great thing about the electronic age is that rГѓВ©sumГѓВ©s can be cranked out, and out, and out. Tailor the next rГѓВ©sumГѓВ© you send out to fit the position to a T. Did your cover letter fail to sell you? Did your follow-up letter do its job? Remember my little buddy, the soon-to-be college graduate? I wrote ...
Secrets To Getting PublishedGetting published in today's competitive fiction market is as easy, or difficult, as learning the 3R Reading, Riting, and Research. But it also involves three words that are key to the process persistence, persistence, persistence. Just as a budding musician doesn't get to play at Carnegie Hall without tremendous dedication and practice, a writer doesn't get into print without similar commitments. Master the Craft Creating a marketable novel requires learning and mastering the craft of ...
How To Write A NovelBefore starting the exciting journey of writing a novel, check the true level of your enthusiasm. In an informal survey of writers, the why are you considering writing a novel factor strongly affects the success of completing the how to write factor. On average, writing a novel is a 2+ year task, which requires a strong positive attitude that you'll not only start the novel but you'll also have the drive, passion, and belief in yourself and the project to see that adventure through to ...
Preparation for Your Job Interview is EverythingPreparation is everything in life and as well in preparation for job interviews. You may think that it is fine to run by the seat of your pants. In your mind it may even be admirable. However employers and your prospective employer who is sitting across the desk or hotel room at you may not. A major component of fire departments is to prevent rather than fight fires. Preparation and planning shows an employee with traits and skills that they admire and hire. ...
ROTH 401k plan: Retirement Rules & GuidelinesROTH 401k plan: Retirement Rules & Guidelines Also know as Roth ira 401k
ROTH 401k plan: Retirement Rules & GuidelinesROTH 401k plan: Retirement Rules & Guidelines Also know as Roth ira 401k
ROTH 401k plan: Retirement Rules & GuidelinesROTH 401k plan: Retirement Rules & Guidelines Also know as Roth ira 401k
gwrggwrtgwstgrswthbgwsrthgDo you want to start a Solo 401k plan using Fidelity Investments?Do you need some help with understanding a Solo 401k?Do you want to make a single phone call and have someone how is knowledgeable about you and your goals, Fidelity requirements, and Solo 401k rules answer your call?If you said yes--We have the service for you.Durig Capital LLC is working to become premiere information resources for Solo 401k ...
Do you want to start a Solo 401k plan using FidelityDo you want to start a Solo 401k plan using Fidelity Investments?Do you need some help with understanding a Solo 401k?Do you want to make a single phone call and have someone how is knowledgeable about you and your goals, Fidelity requirements, and Solo 401k rules answer your call?If you said yes--We have the service for you.Durig Capital LLC is working to become premiere information resources for Solo 401k investors. To help eliminate the red ...
Do you want to start a Solo 401k plan using Fidelity Investments?Г‚ Do you want to start a Solo 401k plan using Fidelity Investments?Do you need some help with understanding a Solo 401k?Do you want to make a single phone call and have someone how is knowledgeable about you ...
Do you want to start a Solo 401k plan using Fidelity Investments?Do you want to start a Solo 401k plan using Fidelity Investments? Do you need some help with understanding a Solo 401k? Do you want to make a single phone call and have someone how is knowledgeable about you and your goals, Fidelity requirements, and Solo 401k rules answer your call? If you said yes--We have the service for you. Durig Capital LLC is working to become premiere information resources for Solo 401k investors. To help eliminate the red tape, we ...
Business Ethics and Social ResponsibilityBy Ismael Tabije Platinum Quality Author Business ethics is a form of applied ethics that examines just rules and principles within a commercial context; the various moral or ethical problems that can arise in a business setting; and any special duties or obligations that apply to persons who are engaged in commerce. Generally speaking, business ethics is a normative discipline, whereby particular ethical standards are advocated and then ...
4 Ways To Maximize Your Time In Your BusinessAlvin Phang Regardless of what business you are from, if you practice these simple steps on a daily basics. I am very sure you will see different results and lifestyle in just a few weeks. So what should you do to maximize your time in your business? Well first always make room for self improvement. It can be in a form of reading, videos or audio books that you can listen to improve on valuable skills or knowledge that can help grow your business. An good example ...
Important Facts about Strategic PlanningBy Ross Lincoln Every person has a goal; regardless of what areas of their lives it is being associated. A goal will remain a goal unless it was successfully achieved. Many would ask why some people are successful and some are not. Well, the answer lies on strategic planning. Strategic planning is the process of developing strategies and defining objectives to reach a particular goal or set of goals. If you labeled your planning as "strategic" then you must expect that ...
Strategic Planning-Start with the EndBy A. Michael Weaver The objective of strategic planning is many times confused with that of a business plan. Whereas the strategic plan may be a part of a complete business plan, the timeframe and purpose is different and distinct. A strategic plan constructs a concept of the future of an industry or business and provides a roadmap to successfully guide the company to a set of goals in a defined point in time in that future. Normally, the decision to develop a ...
The Secret To Building Good Customer RelationshipsTrevor Marshall While it may be your first reaction to make new sales or pursue bigger clients, the truth of the matter is that you should be paying attention to your existing customers as well. The secret to getting sustainable repeat business is to follow up with every customer, and an effective follow-up begins immediately after the sale. You should give the customer 24 to 48 hours and then phone them up just to say thank you and find out if they are pleased with what they ...
Should You Promote Business Through Social Networking SitesMike Claggett Networking whether for socializing or for business is what makes the world go around. Not Love. Well love keeps it positive and interesting, but without socializing, love doesn't have a chance. Don't think so? Then how do you explain sites like MySpace has literally millions of users and all of the on line dating sites combined have less. Do you know what the main purpose of a social networking website is? If you are an avid internet user, it's you likely do. ...
Leadership: Why won't they do what they're supposed to?Wally Bock The people who work for you should do what they're supposed to do. But sometimes they don't. If you're the boss, you have to figure out what's going on and then fix the problem. Start out by asking the person why they didn't do what you want. Do not get emotional. Do not get defensive. Even if you think what you hear is really dumb, remain calm. Then analyze what you hear so you can take action to fix the problem. Remember that one of your objectives ...
Encouraging Ethical BehaviorJonathon Hardcastle Most authorities agree that there is room for improvement in business ethics. One of the most problematic questions raised in relation to business ethics is whether or not businesses can become more ethical in the real world. The majority opinion on this issue suggests that government, trade associations, and individual firms can indeed establish acceptable levels of ethical behavior. The government can do so by legislating more stringent regulations. ...
FRANCHISE BUSINESS TODAYSu Yu Jin You might be surprised at there are so much of the businesses you patronize are franchise businesses. Everything from the restaurants you regularly visit to tax preparation services you count on every year are most likely franchises. The reason they are so prominent is because buying a franchise for sale makes sense for business owners. Instead of having to navigate through the many challenges of starting from scratch, franchise owners buy into an already established, ...
The Key To Solving Business ProblemsJohn Davis Let's face it. The "secret" to surviving and thriving in business largely relies on our ability to solve problems. Problems with customers, problems with suppliers, problems with employees, or sales problems...they all poses potential setbacks or opportunities. The reason that these can be like diamonds waiting to be found is because most of your competitors are grappling with the same questions also. The "winner" in the marketplace is the one who comes up with the most ...
How to Get Your Article Published and Grow Your BusinessSteven Hupprich I have reviewed thousands of articles written by marketers hoping to promote their websites, products, affiliate programs, and e-books. While most of the articles are useful, all too many are not worth the paper they're printed on (and that's saying a lot in the electronic age!) Are you making the same mistakes? In this article you will discover the simple, common sense techniques that will get your article accepted by article banks, approved by ...
Distance Yourself from Your CompetitionDaniel Sitter Copyright 2006 Daniel Sitter Competitors. No matter what industry or what products and services you may be selling, you undoubtedly have competition. At times, this fact may cause you considerable distress, while, in reality, our competitors keep us on our toes, always forcing us to further refine our message and methods in the hopes of ultimately winning the sale. So... thank you Mr. Competitor. We appreciate your efforts! Our view of the ...
The Benefits Of Health InsurancePeter Kenny Our health is perhaps our greatest and most treasured possession in life, yet many people overlook health insurance as an option that is too expensive. Although health insurance can cost a lot, there are some great deals to be had and if you can afford it then it might help save your life. Here are some benefits and tips about health insurance: What is private health insurance? Health insurance covers the cost of private medical treatment for curable ...
Preparing For Disaster RecoveryDavid Gass Disasters can happen any time and anywhere. Chemical spillage from overturned trucks, power outages, brownouts or surges, windstorms, tornadoes and earthquakes can affect your business adversely. Prepare your employees and clients to respond to any possible disaster in advance by providing training and safety information. No business should operate without a disaster plan or back up systems. Develop risk or contingency management plans, while considering human ...
How To Write A Business Plan And Make It Your Blueprint For SuccessDee Reavis Copyright 2006 Stellar Force Why write a business plan? There are several reasons why you might want to write a business plan. 1. It is a tool for obtaining financing. 2. It will help unite venture partners in a common goal. 3. It can serve as a feasibility study. 4. It will serve as a goal and blueprint for your new business. Of all of the purposes listed, the last one is the most important. According to the ...
Turning Vision into Something RealVision is fuel, energy, passion -- or, as I like to suggest, as important as water to a garden. Unless that vision is clear in your mind, it is hard, if not impossible, to complete the process of refining your dream into an actionable plan. Furthermore, without clarity of vision the hard work and pain that come with setting in place a program or organization become all the more intense, as I would learn during the formative stage of The Global Fund. To be sure, our dream was big, but ...
The Ethical DilemmaWhat one should do in a situation that presents two or more alternatives or which involves a dilemma, remains always ambiguously answered. 'Selecting the right and sticking to it' is a myth. 'Right and wrong' are very personal. There is no universal touchstone method to decide on what is ethically right and what is not. Selecting one of the right ones is much more difficult than selecting the right and avoiding the wrong. The following are three such situations involving ethical ...
The Worst Mistake People Make When Starting A BusinessJoaquin Reveron Whether you have an online business or offline business you must have a certain factor and element within you, in order to succeed in both productive and financially. Today, 95% and more of businesses popping out online and offline fail because of two vital important factors in a businessman or businesswoman. Those elements and factors a businessman or businesswoman should have are: Passion and a Plan. You see, without passion you dont have enthusiasm ...
Business online advertisingThe professor Millions, thousands, hundreds, tens, ones all happen to be what is spent by online businesses and entrepreneurs on web advertising. Why? Is it to increase their revenues of course right? Well maybe it's about spreading awareness of their services? What about their bottom line right? See the problem nowadays is that online businesses cannot seem to find a reason good enough or an advertising tactic effective enough to justify the amount of money spent on advertising. ...
10 Effective Ways To Reduce Your Business CostsFrancesca Soleil 1. Barter If you have a business you should be bartering goods and services with other businesses. You should try to trade for something before you buy it. Barter deals usually require little or no money. 2. Network Try networking your business with other businesses. You could trade leads or mailing lists. This will cut down on your marketing and advertising costs. You may also try bartering goods and services with them. 3. ...
A Successful Business Financial Projection Can Be The Key To Securing FinancingCorey Pierce A business seeking capital can't afford to underestimate the importance of business financial projections. A business financial projection is simply forecasting your sales and revenue to the lender. This information is important because it is a key indicator to your ability to repay a loan. If you are unsure about financial forecasting and how it relates to your business it is best to hire someone who does know. Most lenders will want to see a three or five ...
Effective Oral Presentation SkillsJennifer Selland There is a myth that great speakers are born, not made. This is based on the misconception that somehow certain individuals have the innate ability to stand in front of an audience with no anxiety and give a moving, dynamic speech. The truth is, however, that great speakers generally spend years developing and practicing their art of communication. All great speakers had to learn the basics of organization, preparation, delivery and dealing with anxiety. In order ...
What does it mean to grow a healthy business?Molly Gordon A thriving business needs to grow or it stagnates and may even fail. But what does it mean to grow a healthy business? First, understand that growing revenues is a necessary but not sufficient aspect of growth. Thinking of growth exclusively in terms of revenue is like dumping fertilizer on a garden without watering or weeding it. Inevitably, the crop dies. Second, growth is iterative. The process is repeated over and over again. In this sense there ...
How To Formulate An International Business PlanDavid Gass Business plans are essential while starting a new business and a well-drafted plan will pave the way to success of any business. Without a cohesive business plan your business is doomed from the start. Even companies with a product heavily in demand have gone out of business because of the lack of a good business plan. In an international business atmosphere the need for a well-drafted business plan is even more indispensable. Steps involved in International ...
Flexibility and the Small Business OwnerNola Redd While reading Ben's Merchant Circle blog entry for July 3rd, I left a comment that I would like to expand on somewhat today. Ben's blog discussed the importance of small businesses to the community, particularly a pharmacy from his youth. In my comment, I noted that flexibility was what made the small business owner king. In Ben's example, the pharmacy owners were ...
Juggling Expansion and Hiring: When is the Right Time to Increase Staff?Heather Loftiss A major problem that all small to medium sized growing businesses face lies in handling expansion and staffing. To get the most out of your staff, you want to hire at the ideal time - that exact time when you start ramping up and exceed normal capacity. Here, there is no wasted time or money on unnecessary staff. But how do you know when the right time is? There is no way to predict the future. This article describes the few necessary steps that precede a ...
India, An Emerging Destination for Global Professionalsmanjot kamal Foreign professionals are gradually realising that from technology firms to the media industry, India is the most happening country for them to be in, and figures with recruitment agencies and industry experts speak for themselves. Recent months have seen Headhunters India, one of the nation's leading recruitment agencies hire more than 150-foreign professionals for some of India's largest firms, such as, Reliance Industries and Bharti ...
Perception is RealityWendy Weiss I was never supposed to be a speaker, author and sales trainer. I was supposed to be a ballerina. I grew up in Pittsburgh, PA. My mother has told me that when I was a small child I would constantly turn on the radio and dance. She said I had no sense of rhythm and so she enrolled me in ballet class. That was the beginning of a first career and a great passion. As a child I danced with Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, always one of the child guests in Act I of ...
Operator Error Is Why Most Businesses FailTim Knox Q: I am thinking about starting my own business, but statistics show that most new businesses fail. Why do you think most businesses fail? A: This is the column that probably gets me kicked out of the entrepreneurial chapter of the Priory of Scion. I look silly in those long robes anyway, so here goes. A thousand apologies to my entrepreneurial brothers and sisters, but. I think the more important question is: do businesses fail or does the ...
Identity Theft - How Can you Prevent it Happening to You?Cathy Taylor The nightmare of identity theft strikes an estimated 750,000 people every year. How can you keep from being one of them? While there is no guarantee that you won't become a victim, there are some steps you can take to decrease the risk and protect yourself. According to the Federal Trade Commission, some everyday tips to protecting your personal information include: ? Not giving out your personal information to a stranger over the phone, the Internet, or through ...
The Benefits of Having a Life CoachTristan Loo Life coaching is a relatively new title to an old trade and many people do not know what a life coach can do for them, so I am going to list the benefits of having a life coach in this article. Let me start this off by saying that one of the secrets of highly successful people is that most of them use, in some form or another, a coach to help them get to where they want to be in life or in business or both. A coach, mentor, advisor or whatever title you want to ...
5 simple ways to get kick-ass ideas for your articlesMarco Cardinal Writing an article doesn't just mean putting down thoughts into words then typing and writing it. You have to capture the interest of your readers and get them to keep on reading. To send your message across you have to get the attention of the reader and have a firm grasp of their interest and pique their curiosity. The main ingredient in baking up an article is a large dose of creativity. While creativity may come natural to many people, some just ...
What keeps you from getting more referrals?Mark Anthony Referrals are the most powerful way to quickly find quality prospects. When you call on a new prospect with the benefit of a referral the probability of a close is greatly increased. Developing a steady flow of referrals requires more than just asking for referrals. However, we know that just asking more often increases the number of leads we receive. Even though we know that asking for referrals more often will increase our percentages, we still don't do ...
Getting noticed on the Internet - Digital Marketing for Small BusinessBy: William King The Internet has grown from a small network of academics needing a way to trade research into a world-spanning, ubiquitous marketplace and repository for nearly every possible kind of information and knowledge. How does a small business avoid being washed away in the constant tide of buying, selling and marketers hawking every conceivable item (and some difficult to conceive...)? The Internet provides advantages for both customer and proprietor in ...