Win Business : Blog About Business

The Business Of Water And Droughts

2009-08-07T13:00:00.003-07:00

Writen by Lance Winslow

Water is big business? No, it is a huge business. The business of water and droughts is alive and well. Currently we see pipeline for water being build, retention basins, damns, Desalination Plants and water rights being bought up by billionaires. In my professional life, I was involved with the car washing industry and we always kept up on droughts, water restrictions and water supplies. I can remember not to long ago when California car washes battled consumer backlash to price increases of up to five dollars by Oct. of 2000, due to water. Soon everyone was worried that water rationing might cause another tripling affect if increased water prices occurred.

States such as Texas are having people buy up water rights and talking about a sliding scale of $800 per acre-foot and El Paso at $1400 per acre-foot to deliver the water by pump. In the May 26 of 2001 issue of the Economist there was an article called "Pay up or dry up" talking about the problem in Texas as populations increase, business booms and water drying up. T. Boone Pickens is no dummy either having been caught buying up water rights and agreeing to buy water now at a predetermined price in the future from those water rights owners who do not wish to sell in Western Texas. I see someone else has been studying this supply side situation as well. Imagine cornering the lifeline to all major Western Texas cities; a much similar strategy was applied by US Filter in California. There is big business in life essentials. Without water in the desert you die. So as it becomes scarce, it increases rapidly in value. So with that known we in the car wash business became more efficient. If the water lifeline is cut off and one person controls the water rights, that person will send his advanced purchase prices into outer space in a few years. When these things happen businesses must be prepared to have their marginal costs increase and simultaneously lower them through deployment of water saving measures.

If you are in the water business or a business which uses water you will need to stay up on droughts, cycles, weather, politics and how these factors effect our civilization's water supplies.

Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Team Building Lessons From The Modern Cave Man Part 1

2009-08-07T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Arthur F Carmazzi

In the beginning

The caveman needed to survive. Man found safety in groups. It was not a matter of preference, it was a matter of necessity. If you were not a part of a group, your chances for survival were slim. Conformity to the majority became necessary to stay in a group and physical strength was the dominant factor for group leadership. Those who were strong and successful in the art of survival had the majority influence toward that conformity and only the strong challenged these leaders. If you challenged the leadership, you needed to be prepared to fight. And, if you lost, you were forced to leave the safety of the group and fend for yourself. The risk was great so there were few challengers and it became an ingrained survival response to gain acceptance from the group, so people just kept quiet.

It was a time of compliance!

Then came the significance revolution

The caveman's brains got bigger and more developed. Individuals became torn between finding there own path and gaining there own recognition, verses conforming to the group. Physical strength was no longer the dominant factor for influence. Now, people could think! Survival was no longer the acquisition of food and shelter; it had become a fight of ability. The more intelligent you were (and able to apply it), the more valuable you had become. The more influence you could exert over others, the more powerful you became. We began to compete for significance trying to show others how important and able we are, and if they believed us, or in some cases feared us, we became even more important.

We created a civilization that needed to be right!

Then came the industrial revolution

and groups evolved into teams but the fundamentals of our survival instinct, our emotional evolution and the emotions that drive us were still there, and a major part of our psychology. Our ability to work at our peak in teams depended on the way these emotional drivers and understanding the dynamics they promote.

Today, the caveman has evolved and the awareness of our psychology has expanded.

We now seek better ways to improve our selves and our performance, but our caveman nature sometimes gets in the way. While our modern brain is influenced by numerous factors of emotional drive, the three that came from our caveman days are still central to our performance in teams:

The drive to belong The drive for security The drive to be significant

As with our caveman ancestors, our fear of loss is more important that our potential for gain. Loosing (or the potential of loosing) our sense of belonging or our sense of security or significance are materialize in caveman like reactions. These reactions are sometimes subtle.

Our caveman reaction for conformity is driven by our need belong and feel secure in the group, so we keep quiet and comply. And if we do challenge, we are probably depriving others of their significance or security, causing them to react to "protect" themselves. This can either escalate to greater conflict, or it may revert back to compliance and conformity to prevent conflict. Either way, these are still caveman reactions and are NOT useful to high performance teams.

The greatest obstacle to high performance is the caveman's reactions to loosing significance, in order for the caveman to be right, he must make someone else wrong, and that means, more caveman reactions from the other team members! And the worst part is that reality is not what matters, the caveman reacts on emotion without fact, and so "perception" influences reaction. When someone feels wrong, they feel less able; they may feel like they have less control and therefore are less secure, they react with aggression or submission out of dissatisfaction, and a lesser desire to cooperate affects their performance and the entire team.

So how do we get the caveman out of our teams so we can stop reacting and act like the evolved humans we have become, able to perform at the peak of our abilities?

There are 4 stages to our evolution into "awakened" team members

Each stage is a stage of awareness. It awakens our greater perception. But for it to be effective, the entire team has to take this journey. But there are consequences, once team members have awakened, they will never view teams again in the same way. They can never go back to the way it was and can never be satisfied with mediocrity. Each stage opens our eyes to the caveman within ourselves and others, and it lets us use the intelligent part of our brain to send this caveman back when he tries to invade our minds and body. Different team members may be at different stages in their evolution, where are you? These 4 stages are as follows:

Stage 1: Acknowledge the primitive caveman in you

Look at the behavior you have had in the past. How many times have you gone against your better judgment to "go with the flow"? Discover your need to belong to the group, to be accepted by your pears. How has this need manifested itself in your interaction with others? What has it prevented from achieving? Would your relationships Really be damaged if you expressed your views and opinions or confronted someone else's potentially bad decision, or is it possible you would gain more respect. As a leader, is it more important for you to be liked than to get the expected results?

By reflecting on the behaviors you have displayed in the past, and realizing the damage you are doing to your personal effectiveness and the effectiveness of those around you, you can see the primitive caveman for what he is. This is the first step in your evolution.

For the Second and Third stages, Please read Part 2

Arthur F Carmazzi is the principal founder of the Directive Communication Psychology and a renowned Speaker and Author in the Asian Region. For more information and articles, visit the Directive Communication website at: www.directivecommunication.com - Or, Email Arthur at: afc@carmazzi.net

Buy Wholesale Products At Below Wholesale Prices

2009-07-07T13:00:00.003-07:00

Writen by Fadhel Abdulla

Buying Whole Sale Products

Every successful business, big or small is based on the objective of profit. Every entrepreneur strives to buy low and sell high. In this article we will talk about the first half of the equation.. buy low.

A normal buying process in a corporate includes a myriad of buying sources for various requirements, not only the finished products, but also supplies and raw material etc. To keep it simple, we will consider a simple trading business, where no manufacturing or processing is involved, just buy and sell.

Sources of buying could include various sources like are manufacturers, distributors, agents, wholesalers, importers and liquidators. The decision regarding who to buy from stems from various requirements and reasoning criterion like price, product quality, reliability, warranty support, after sales service, terms of supply and fulfillment.

Wholesale Buying

Channels of distribution have evolved immensely and the process is still going on. There was a time when all steps in the product distribution cycle right from the manufacturer to the customer were considered important. Each of these steps involved a markup on the price to keep the margin for the entity handling the product, greatly enhancing its price. In a bid to reduce these markups, it has been seen recently that the steps have become overlapped and myopic. Irrespective of what steps have been bypassed, the objective remains the same, to get the products to the retailer at the minimum price. The wholesale buying sources thus have reduced to wholesalers, liquidators, and importers. Buying form these sources, you are actually buying from a discounted retailer. A lot of confusion is avoided when we see lot of internet advertising claiming wholesale prices; they are not wholesalers but discounted retailers. The evidence, lies in the fact that when you buy from a legitimate wholesale source, you will be asked for your sales tax ID.

Wholesalers: The first option is to buy from a wholesaler that stock your class of merchandise. The process is simple, just open an account and start buying. It is advisable that you open more than one account with different wholesalers to take advantage of price fluctuations and various schemes they offer from time to time, moreover, you have more sources, if the stock runs out with one wholesaler.

Liquidators: Buying merchandise from liquidators will be the cheapest wholesale source for new merchandise. Liquidators are different from wholesalers or distributors in the act they do not stock the same item consistently. They normally purchase form various sources that include off-season supplies, slow moving goods end-of-run products and goods from bankrupt traders. As a result, they have more variety.

Importers: Importers are one of the best sources of new products at wholesale or lower prices. Importers are normally product or industry specific. Importers of general merchandise are not very common. Importers normally work with large volumes and may tend to refuse low volume buyers.

Manufacturers: Another important and cheap buying source is manufacturers that include farmers, craftspeople and growers.

Factory direct: By far the cheapest source to buy goods, since it does not involve any intermediaries like agents, distributors or wholesalers. Buying factory direct for a small trader is not easy since manufacturers look to selling volumes. However, since the advent of the internet, this has become an easier process, to buy any products from anywhere direct from the manufacturers.

Certain issues like fair price, product quality, supplier reliability, terms of purchase need to be sorted out before moving on to buying through the internet.

Auction sites: provides wonderful opportunities to buy products at wholesale pricing under its Wholesale link. The page is numerous categories and sub-categories.

However, our recommendation to buy products wholesale from the best resources is on www.WholeSaleLounge.com where for example, you could find DVD's at $4.95 instead of the normal retail of $24.95. Imagine the profit you could make at $20 a DVD on a daily basis. www.WholeSaleLounge.com lists various sources that include wholesalers, liquidators and manufacturers for numerous product categories and you could find your choosing without much effort. Find REAL Genuine Wholesalers, distributors, Drop Shippers, Liquidators and more on WholeSaleLounge.com

The Author of this Article Give anybody permission to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the Box below is not modified:

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Fadhel Abdulla the creator of http://www.WholeSaleLounge.com, has been in the wholesale industry for many years and have developed WholeSaleLounge.com to help people Find REAL GENUINE Wholesalers, liquidators, dropshippers, and distributors that will resell products at below wholesale prices some up to 90% off retail price. Where You can make huge profits and no middleman to worry about taking part of your profit.

A Simply Stupid Plan For Your Success

2009-07-07T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Eric Smith

Consistant, honest effort will always lead you to a successful outcome in internet marketing! The goal may not be achieved in the time frame that you would like, but it will always come if you have belief and patience in the message of your ad campaign. Look aroung you, nothing of importance was built or constructed over night; and, if it was, then it will be gone over-night, just as fast. Never give in to the fast buck, 6-weeks to success, 3 months to #1, or any other almost instant success program or format. It may take you 3 or more months just understand the magnitude of what it takes to become a successful internet marketer. Creating a plan of what you must do everyday is vital to success. It is a road map to keeping your website in a favorable position to be seen when the real shoppers click through your ad links.

Besides making sure your website functions like it should, a straight-forward plan is easy to create.

1. check for new orders.

2. check site statistics.

3. read email.

4. prepare the days ad copy.

5. send ad emails.

6. locate a reciprocal link partner.

7. locate a no cost advertising avenue.

8. S.O.S.

9. write an article and post.

No plan is the same, but ALL plans keep you focused on what to do. If you want to succeed, then you have to follow a plan, either your own plan or somebody else's plan.

Check out our 9 steps to plan for success at On Line Associates Group! Join today and post free ads and links back to your websites!! http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/on_line_associates_group/

http://www.healthe-website.com

Eric Smith

Webmaster to: http://www.on-line-associates.com

Renting Furniture As A Practical Option

2009-06-07T13:00:00.003-07:00

Writen by Todd Lange

High prices of furniture and office equipment are the most common obstacles any start up or home-base business face. With the current trend of setting up home businesses, it is still important to maintain a degree of functionality and professional appeal to your home office. After all, clients might want to meet with you at your office and you surely don't want them to see you slump in your kitchen chair. They may not want to close deals on the counter top or the kitchen table. They surely cannot wait until your city office has been fully set-up and furnished. Buying furniture is only a practical option if you intend to keep your business at home forever. But if you're waiting for the set up of your true office and want to keep doing business at home for the meantime you might want to try furniture rentals, furniture leasing, and equipment rentals.

There are certain advantages to furniture rentals, furniture leasing, and equipment rentals. First, no large payments. You get to minimize expenditures if you only plan to rent the item for short periods. This is an especially good option for renting audio-visual equipments for home presentations or an extra computer while yours is still being fixed. Also, you can use top quality equipment for minimum rent. A high grade equipment which you could not normally afford for your own office can be rented for a fraction of its cost for a period of time. Second, you have the unlimited access to the machine or furniture for the period you rent it. You don't have to worry about moving it in with you come relocation time or finding a buyer that can give you a good deal. Third, business usually get easier credit for renting or leasing an equipment than for purchasing it. Because the financing company or leasing company maintains the ownership of your furniture or equipment, there is a lower need for additional forms of security. This translates to higher acceptance rates.

When you consider buying larger articles for furniture or office equipment you risk incurring payments or loans amounting to thousands of dollars. This will put a huge dent on your credit limit. With the proliferation of furniture rentals, furniture leasing, and equipment rental shops in the market and online, renting or leasing furniture and equipment is a viable and practical option.

For more valuable information on furniture rentals and furniture leasing, please visit http://www.furniture-rentals.net

Building Passive Income

2009-06-07T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Chris Rohrer

So you are looking to build passive income. We all would like to work from home, and live the high life. However most of us fail to do just that. That's why we spend countless hours searching online looking for that perfect business or program that claims to be "The One".

The truth is nothing is going to work for you in less YOU put some type of work into it. I would like to just point out that there is no easy way to make money online, and there is NO such program out there that will make you money while you sleep! Sure you can make money while your sleeping but it WON'T be from some program. It will be because you put hard long hours in building up your new business, so that is runs while you sleep.

So is it at all possible to earn passive income online? Yes it really is. Again though YOU must be willing to work at it. Sure you will have to spend money, and work a few hours a day. That goes with any job you will ever get. Its just a matter of how much money you can afford to get things rolling, and how much "serious time" you can put into working your new business.

So how does someone start to build passive income then? Simple, you have to find a business that you can trust, and that you know for sure will work. I know it sounds hard, but trust me they are out there. I run a few of them myself.

Once you find this business you must then build it in such away that it continues to grow so that in the long run you have to ALMOST and I stress ALMOST do nothing.

I have been running a few programs, and business's for a year now, and I still need to work each one of them for a couple of hours each day. However when I first started I had to do a lot more work, and it was a lot harder. If you can just get over the bump in the road you will find your self well on your way to building passive income online.

For more information on how you can build passive income online, and start to make profits today visit Building Passive Income

Chris Rohrer works online, and makes a full-time income from home. He has been helping others do the same for over a year. To learn his Little Internet Secret that has been making him money visit My little Internet Secret for more information.

Medical Billing Gu0 Record Fields 66 Through 68

2009-05-07T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Michael Russell

Even though we're only a few fields away from the end of our segment on medical billing and the GU0 record, these last few fields are so complex and confusing, that the explanations of how to fill them can get rather lengthy. We've tried to simplify this series so that it's at least a little easier to understand than the DMERC manual, which was most likely written for literary geniuses. In this installment of our electronic billing series and the GU0 record, we continue our review with field number 66.

GU0 field 66, positions 282 - 285, is Reply NUM L04 N05. This field is the reply to the fifth question on any DMERC certification requiring a four position numeric response. The following forms are supported for this field. For form 01, the valid responses are 0000 - 9999. For form 04, the valid responses are 0001 - 0099. For form 10, the valid responses are 0000 - 0007. No other forms are supported.

Form 01 is the maximum width in centimeters of the ulcer number two. Form 04 is the number of months prior to getting the device that the patient had a fusion surgery that failed. Form 10 is the days per week that lipids are administered.

Form 01 is question number 21.F. Form 04 is question 10.C. Form 10 is question 4.G.

GU0 field 67, positions 286 - 289, is Reply NUM L04 N06. This field is the reply to the sixth question on any DMERC certification requiring a four position numeric response. The following forms are supported for this field. For forms 01 and 10, the valid responses are 0000 - 9999. For form 04, the valid responses are 0001 - 0099. No other forms are supported.

Form 01 is the maximum length in centimeters of the ulcer number three. Form 04 is the number of months prior to getting the device that the patient had a fusion surgery that was multi level. Form 10 is the calories per day.

Form 01 is question number 21.H. Form 04 is question 11.B. Form 10 is question 11.

GU0 field 68, positions 290 - 293, is Reply NUM L04 N07. This field is the reply to the seventh question on any DMERC certification requiring a four position numeric response. The following forms are supported for this field. For form 01, the valid responses are 0000 - 9999. No other forms are supported.

Form 01 is the maximum width in centimeters of the ulcer number three. Form 01 is question number 21.I.

One word of note about the form question numbers. These forms are regularly updated by the AMA. It is critical that you have the correct version of the form, which will have a date on the form itself. Please make sure that date matches the date that is posted on the carrier web site.

In our next installment on medical billing of electronic claims, using NSF 3.01 specifications, we'll pick up our review of the GU0 record with field number 69.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Medical Billing

Tips And Tricks For Finding A Conference Hotel

2009-04-07T13:00:00.003-07:00

Writen by S Wander

If you have been given the job of finding a conference hotel, you'll know that this can seem to be a daunting task. Whether it's for a sales conference, a seminar you are holding or any other reason, you need to be sure that the your chosen conference hotel is up to the job.

Whenever possible, you should make arranIf you have been given the job of finding a conference hotel, you'll know that this can seem to be a daunting task. Whether it's for a sales conference, a seminar you are holding or any other reason, you need to be sure that the your chosen conference hotel is up to the job.

Whenever possible, you should make arrangements to visit the hotel before choosing it for your conference. Try to schedule several visits in the same day so that you don't spend too much time away from your main job. And don't be afraid to just call in to a hotel if it looks promising - you may have to wait a while to be seen, but it is highly unlikely that a hotel will turn you away if you are looking to run a conference there.

What to Look For in a Conference Hotel

Firstly, make sure that the conference room you are looking at is big enough for the conference you are holding. Your chosen hotel will tell you how many people the conference room will seat. There are several different ways of measuring the number of seats. The most common are:

Theatre style

Dining

Board room

Classroom

Reception

These names should be self explanatory, but if you are not sure then you should double check with your conference hotel before finalizing your booking.

If you need other facilities at your conference, you should check whether your hotel can supply them or if you need to bring your own.

Some of the things you need to check for when you are organizing a conference at a hotel include:

Flip charts and marker pens

Overhead projector

Slide projector

Sound system

Your chosen conference hotel will make a charge for using their conference room. If the conference is only to be held during the day, then there is no need for an overnight stay for your delegates. In this case, you will be charged a 'day rate'. Usually, the day rate will include tea and coffee for breaks and possibly a buffet style lunch. As with everything else, you need to be certain about what is included in the price you are quoted.

If your conference lasts longer than a day, you should negotiate a special deal with your hotel so that delegates can stay overnight, probably at a special reduced conference rate. After all, you will be booking a number of delegates for your conference in the hotel, so you should expect a discount on their normal rates.

S Wander http://www.s-h-systems.co.uk offers affordable hotel and guest house accommodation throughout the world.

Ceramic And Pottery Defects 3 Defects Generated During Forming Operations

2009-04-07T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by John T Jones, Ph.D.

Forming methods of ceramics are sometimes classified as wet or dry. Dry forming refers to pressing operations from dry or perhaps damp powders. Wet forming includes slip casting and plastic forming methods. For a review of industrial forming methods see Ceramics: Industrial Processing and Testing by John T. Jones and M. F. Berard, Iowa State University Press.

Dry pressing requires that a shape be dimensionally stable after firing. That will occur if the pressing operations are in control and the firing is specified. If a pressed part is oversize after firing, it can be ground to size, but that is an extra operation usually not included in the costing of the part. If the part is undersize after firing, the part is scrap.

Important factors in pressing are the die size, the particle size distribution of the powder, the binder system, the pressing pressure and pressing cycle. Problems are powder sticking to the die, powder not flowing into the die freely, and incorrect fired shrinkage.

In isostatic pressing an additional problem can occur due to the incompressibility of air. This can sometimes be relieved by flooding the tooling cavity with propane which is compressible and on release will evaporate into the air slowly rather than expand instantly like air expands which can crack the part. In isostatic pressing the part usually must be machined after forming.

Laminations in pressed parts can be caused by the powder not flowing easily during die filling or during pressing. These laminations will not usually heal during firing and must be eliminated in the pressing operations.

Experiments with binders such as paraffin, gums, and starches, etc., must be conducted to determine the correct binder type and amount. Binders with lubricating properties can help.

Sometimes a lubricant or anti-sticking agent is needed to prevent sticking of parts to the die. See the reference for more information including spray drying of powders. Dow Chemical company and others supply a number of aids to pressing.

Plastic forming by machine such as plate rollers and jigger machines usually require the clay to be in the flocculated state. Small amounts of plaster added to the body when in slurry form before filter pressing and extrusion will provide the desired plastic properties.

Cast jiggering is an exception but even then the clay slip is placed on a plaster mold providing what is needed to flocculate the slip as it builds up on the mold before jiggering.

Clay for plastic forming must have the correct moisture content or the dimensions of the dried product before firing will be incorrect. Firing will not improve this situation.

Most other problems occurring during plastic forming can be resolved by keeping the clay flocculated.

Nepheline syenite and alumina tend to deflocculate plastic bodies before forming so it may be essential not to delay forming in these cases only.

Generally, aging of plastic clay improves forming operations especially for bodies with low inherent plasticity such as porcelain bodies.

Slip casting requires that the clay slurry be dispersed. The slip specific gravity and viscosity must be controlled. The particle size distribution is critical and must be controlled by formulation as well as processing. See the referenced text for details of testing and slip control.

Whether from plastic forming or slip casting, leather hard ware must be handled carefully during finishing operations. Clay has a memory and distortions in green ware can reappear during firing.

See the reference for other forming methods and problems.

John T. Jones, Ph.D. (tjbooks@hotmail.com, a retired VP of R&D for Lenox China, is author of detective & western novels, nonfiction (business, scientific, engineering, humor), poetry, etc. Former editor of Ceramic Industry Magazine, Jones is Executive Representative of International Wealth Success. He calls himself "Taylor Jones, the hack writer."

More info: http://www.tjbooks.com

Business web site: http://www.bookfindhelp.com (IWS wealth-success books and kits and business newsletters / TopFlight flagpoles)

Positioning In Small Business Marketing

2009-03-07T13:00:00.003-08:00

Writen by J D Moore

Positioning is another one of those marketing jargon words that everybody throws around and is important to understand. It's also important to understand how positioning specifically applies to your small business marketing.

Basically a marketing position describes your unique place in the market. The key word here is unique. What makes you different from your competitors? What features and benefits do you offer your target market that the other players don't?

Here are a few things that may go into your positioning:

-Price Point - This doesn't necessarily mean you have the lowest price. You may be the most expensive in town, and that's OK if you convince your customers you're worth it.

-Service - Almost every business claims they have great service. If you can provide exceptional service compared to your competitors, your customers will remember you. I'll never forget calling a surly plumber to try to get him to my house for an emergency on a weekend. he acted like he didn't want my business and then told me it was going to be $200 for him just to show up, no thanks. I called roto-router who gave me amazing service, a guarantee, and the whole bill was less than $200. I now use them for all my plumbing.

-Features and Benefits - Positioning is not just about what makes you different, it's also about what you emphasize. Folgers announces to the world that it's "mountain grown coffee" ( a feature). Guess what? All coffee is mountain grown. Folgers just claimed this feature first. What's something that none of your competitors are talking about?

-Credibility - Legal Seafood's clam chowder is served at every presidential inauguration. Many products get celebrity endorsements. Many companies tout how long they've been in business. All of these things build trust in the mind of the consumer. What trust-building factors do you have that the competition does not?

-Negative Features - Is there something you don't have that annoys customers of your competitors? I'm not saying use negative advertising, but just mention the feature and tie it to a benefit. I'm annoyed when I have to pay for parking to go shopping at Mall. Instead of touting free parking, a mall that wants to speak to me might declare, "you'll never have to pay for parking". This drives home the pain of shopping with a competitor without going negative.

-Anything Else - Literally anything that differentiates you from your competitors can be part of your positioning strategy - your location, your hours of operation, the way your office smells. Small business owners need to think creatively here.

In a great article by John Jantsch he states that a positioning strategy must answer the question, "why should I buy from you?" This is brilliant in it's simplicity; it cuts through all the strategic junk that complicates marketing. If you can't answer this question, your customer is not going to do the work to figure out an answer on his own.

Does your small business marketing stink? Let's Fix it! J D Moore is a small business marketing coach. Read his blog at http://marketingcomet.typepad.com

Advances In Print Technology What About

2009-03-07T13:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Marlon D. Ludovice

A number of dramatic technological innovations have been added greatly to deal with the character of printing process. Linotype is a method of creating movable type by machine instead of by hand and was introduced in 1884 which marked a significant leap in production speed.

The typewriter made the production and "look" of standardized print much more widely accessible. The process of setting type continued to go through transformations with the development of photo-mechanical composition, cathode ray tubes and laser technologies. Also the Xerox machine made a means of broadcast print documents available to everyone. Wherein Word processing transformed editing and contributed dramatic new flexibility to the writing process. Computer printing has already moved through several stages of innovation, from the first daisy-wheel and dot matrix "impact" printers to common use of the non-impact printers: ink-jet, laser and thermal-transfer.

Now with the availability of internet in the world and interactive multimedia, providing ways of employing the printed word that add new possibilities to print's role in culture made it much easier. The printed word is now used for real-time social interaction and for individualized routing through interactive documents. It is difficult to gauge the social and cultural impact of new media without historical distance, but these innovations will most likely prove to signal another major transformation in the use, influence and character of human communication.

Indeed, far way the printing had been very much stable to give a better service to the people. The immediate effect of the printing press was to multiply the output and cut the costs of books. It thus made information available to a much larger segment of the population who were, of course, eager for information of any variety. Libraries could now store greater quantities of information at much lower cost. Printing also facilitated the dissemination and preservation of knowledge in standardized form -- this was most important in the advance of science, technology and scholarship. The printing press certainly initiated an "information revolution" on par with the Internet today. Printing could and did spread new ideas quickly and with greater impact. With the innovation and advancement in technology sure way printing press is on the go to serve us better!

About The Author
Marlon is a graduate of BACHELOR OF ARTS, major in POLITICAL SCIENCE. Well actually i'm not fun of writing, i dont write at all. i am not expecting that i will be in this field. But i love to read books...almost everything interest me. reading is my passion! but now that i am in an article writer team, writing gives me an additional thrill in myself...Before i love to read books but now im also in a writing stuff. I can't say im a good writer but i am trying to be one. For additional information and comments about the article you may log on to http://www.aprintingpress.com

Staying Excited About Your Business

2009-02-07T13:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Leila Johnson

I had a blast at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta events.

When I told some Albuquerque natives and semi-natives how excited I was about attending, I usually got the same response: "Oh, you won't get that excited after you've been here awhile."

Who knows. Maybe that will be true. But, I hope not. I felt like a little kid. Watching several hundred balloons taking off during early morning Mass Ascension. Walking amongst the same balloons during the evening Balloon Glow. The number of balloons, the organization of the events, and the lack of chaos just amazed me.

The Fiesta is obviously second nature to some. But, it was brand new to me. Of course, this made me think about business. How many of us see our business as something that is "second nature"?

Let's say you've been in business for a few years. You have your products, services, and marketing strategies down to a science. You get customers through referrals and word of mouth. After awhile, you feel like you're running on automatic.

It's easy to get bored with your business and even let it become stale. To freshen things up, you might try:

*Updating your Web site, brochure or other marketing materials

*Giving a presentation to a new group of potential clients

*Getting a free consultation from a non-competing business consultant

I never want to lose that sense of wonder for the Balloon Fiesta or for my business. Looking at your business from a new perspective can be a breath of fresh air.

Leila Johnson co-owns Data-Scribe(tm) along with her husband Brett Johnson. The New Mexico-based firm empowers Micro-Businesses through technology, the written word & training. To get more tips like this, visit their Micro-Business E-Library or sign up for their Micro-Business Gazette at http://www.datascribe.biz.

How To Sell A Website Fast

2009-01-07T13:00:00.003-08:00

Writen by Manny Avedissian

Dear Website Owner,

If you have an existing website or domain name you no longer need and wish to sell it to an interested buyer for a one-time profit, or if you?re a speculator looking to build a steady source of revenue by buying and reselling valuable domain names, this helpful guide will explain the steps you need to take to ensure a quick,easy,profitable sale.

Step 1 - Establish a Reasonable Price for Your Site

How Much Can I Get?

Before you sell, it's a good idea to know how much the domain is worth. Market prices for domain names can run from a few dollars to thousands of dollars for premium names. The domain name "Loans.com", for example, sold for $3,000,000 just a few years ago.

The key to deciding whether or not to sell a domain name you own is to determine its worth to you if kept and, alternatively, how much a buyer is willing to pay. You may have heard -rags to riches- type stories of cheap domain names resold for hundreds of thousands of dollars. During the good old days of the Internet boom this was possible. However, things have slowed down considerably since then and there it is very rare to hear of a domain name sold for more than $10,000.

However, while big deal domain sales do occur less often in today?s domain market, selling domain names can still be very profitable. Short, catchy, top level domain names are selling for upwards of $5,000 on the domain aftermarket. Other longer, but still usable, names may be worth hundreds of dollars.

Pricing is relative. Relative to your desire to sell, the type and timeliness of bidder inquiries (individual or corporate) and how well the sale price is negotiated. Don't try to fit your domain name into some 'proprietary pricing model'. Every domain name is applicable to a different target market. Determine who your potential buyers are before determining your asking price so you don't over or under estimate that price. Most names (~85%) sell for between 15%-40% of the asking price. Exceptions to this trend:

Fantastic names - Truly great names can command what a seller requests, unless that amount is unreasonable.

High asking prices - Names that have ridiculous or greedy asking prices rarely sell. Important!

Poor names - Names littered with hyphens, adult names, "4"s for the number "four", "2"s for the number "two", "U"s for the word "you", etc. Don't waste your time listing names like these. They rarely sell.

How Do I Determine My Site's Worth?

Selling virtual real estate is a lot like selling physical real estate. Just like with the housing market, website ?homes? (also known as domain names) can be purchased for a low cost, remodeled and decorated to look very attractive to potential buyers, and sold for a considerable profit. To understand how this works, first consider that you were in fact selling an actual house built on land instead of an abstract entity on the web.

It would be impossible to price your home without doing extensive research to determine its worth. You'd need to take many factors into consideration, such as: size, landscape, curb appeal, the value of other properties in the area, the current buying market, and -perhaps the biggest factor- location, location, location! You'd never dream of arbitrarily assigning a sale price to your home without having some idea of its worth and what buyers might be willing to pay. If you underprice your home, you could be missing out on a substantial profit opportunity.

However, if you overprice your home, you might not be able to sell it at all. That's why it's so important to have all the facts before putting your home on the market - and the same holds true for selling your virtual home on the web.

When determining your site's value, you may need to do some research online. It is often a good idea to compare different websites on the Internet and to see which sites catch your eye. You can make a mental note of the methods used on websites that were appealing to you; then you can use those ideas when creating or updating your own website. The design of a website is very important when you are trying to sell an existing site online.

The design should be bold and colorful, but should not be too busy. You may want to use colors that relate to the theme of the site as well. For instance, if you are selling bottled water, it would be logical to use shades of blue on your website. However, no matter how brilliant the website design is, the purpose of the site must also be useful for the website to sell. A good website will revolve around an interesting idea or useful type of business. To reflect the purpose of your website, you should include clear, informative content that is easy to understand. A website with a clear and interesting purpose is very likely to sell on the Internet.

What Makes a Site Valuable to Buyers?

These days most websites are valued by the number of visitors they attract. One common yard stick is your domain name is valued at $10 to $30 per hit per day. If 1,000 people land on your front page each day, your domain could be worth $10,000 to $30,000. Another optimistic way of looking at domain values is each unique visitor you get over the course of a month is worth $250. If the visitor clicks to a second page on your site, her presence is worth $500.

By this measure, a site getting only 10 hits per day could go for $15,000. This strategy is a lot like the way traditional businesses have always been sold. The more customers a store has, the more it is worth to a buyer. That is a pretty solid way to value domains. It is a model that is likely to be around for a long time to come.

Here are some of the main questions a typical buyer will ask him or herself when considering whether or not a website is worth purchasing ? and at what price:

Is the site making any money? Is there proof?

What is the potential for future profits?

Does the site have traffic? Is there proof?

Is the site attractive/well designed? Is it functional and user friendly?

When was the domain name registered?

How is the site ranked with the major search engines?

What does is take to maintain the site? i.e. hosting fees, content addition, promotion, etc.

Why does the owner want to sell the website?

If you?ve purchased a unique domain name with a great deal of potential value, it may not be necessary for you to have an existing website in order for you to sell your domain name for a profit. Typically, domain names will sell based on its performance in four key categories:

1. Commercial Development Potential - The ability of your domain name to be used as a brand, redirect, campaign address, etc.

2. Recognition - The relevance of your name to the market and how easy it is to remember.

3. Length - In most cases, shorter is better. However, a longer more obvious name can sometimes be more valuable than a short classified-ad contraction style domain.

4. Extension Value - This refers to the .COM part of your domain name. Currently .COM names still command the highest values followed by .NET, some national domains (such as .UK) and .ORG names.

How Can I Guarantee I've Priced My Site Correctly?

Unless you are a true domain name expert, we strongly recommend having your site professionally appraised. In fact, this is probably one of the most important steps you can take towards ensuring a successful sale of your site. Appraisers are professionals and experts in their field, and they have the means and methods to conclude what your domain name is worth. As we mentioned earlier, if you place an exaggerated price on your name, potential buyers will be scared away from making a reasonable offer. If you undervalue your name, you may end up kicking yourself when your newly sold name rakes in millions - for someone else. Furthermore, an appraisal is a very handy thing to have when buyers want -proof- that your name is as special as you claim. In the end, it is an exceptionally valuable asset, available for a very small price.

For information on UK Website for Sale's professional appraisal services, visit: http://www.ukwebsiteforsale.co.uk/appraisal/. We offer a 20+ page Website Appraisal that can dramatically increase the value of your website. No one on the Internet offers a more complete or cost effective Website Appraisal, and certainly no one offers all the extras we do that are included for FREE!

Step 2 - Prepare your Business Information for the Sale

After you have decided to sell your business for whatever reason and chosen an asking price that you can support (hopefully with some advice from research or, even better, through a professional appraisal service), you are now ready to talk to some potential buyers. Or are you?

Much like the asking price, the art of preparing your business for sale is not that easy. So, what do you need to successfully prepare the business and information? The list and needs vary greatly over business types, revenue sizes, verticals, and so on. For any business, the basic requirements for what you will need are quite similar. At the very least, you should have the following items:

Business Summary -- what it is and why you are selling
Business Plan/Marketing Plan -- if you have them
Asset List -- both tangible and intangible
Search Engine Rankings
Website Traffic Reports
Any Technical details
Financials (previous years and Current YTD financials)
Most recent completed year's Profit & Loss or Income Statement report and Balance Sheet -- if you have it
Sales Forecasts
Supporting documents for the Financials -- Tax, Bank, and/or Merchant Statements

The previous items will give all potential buyers a good idea what is for sale and probably a good idea if they are interested in pursuing the sale or not. However, that is usually just the beginning, so be prepared for many, many, many more questions.

Also, please keep in mind that your materials, presentation, and responses will be graded as part of the business in a way. Why? Because, how can your business be successful if you are unorganized, not well presented, and not able to respond quickly and concisely? This is what the buyer will be thinking. And in my experience, this is pretty accurate.

Step 3 ? Market Your Website/Domain Name

There are various methods of putting your domain name up for sale. Decide whether you would like to sell your domain by owner or simplify the process and significantly increase your chances of receiving the best offer in the shortest amount of time by listing your domain name with a third party, such as http://www.ukwebsiteforsale.co.uk.

What if I Want to Market My Site On My Own?

There are 101 different ways to promote your domain name. One way we don't recommend is blanketing companies with unsolicited email. Writing mail to 200 banks asking if they want to buy -FasterInternetBanking.com- is not likely to win you many friends, nor make you any deals. Your time would be better employed using the methods listed below:

a) Update the domain name registration information

Many potential buyers will look at the information in the WHOIS database as a first step when investigating a name that they are considering buying. So make it perfectly clear that the name is for sale. Update the owner's name to include (This name is for sale) after your own name. Make sure all your contact information is current and accurate. Contact your domain name registrar to update your WHOIS listing.

b) Put a promotional website up

The other obvious way for a potential buyer to find out if a domain name is for sale is to visit the website. Don't disappoint them. If you don?t have an existing website, get some web space from a decent host provider and put a simple, one-page site up, showing that the name is for sale. Include a form or at least an email address so that interested parties can submit offers.

c) Get the Word Out

There are two different types of e-marketing strategies that may help increase your sales.

Direct Marketing: Identify and Address Your Audience. What types of businesses or individuals would be interested in your name? When you have identified your specific audience, you can take the next steps:

1. Visit newsgroups related to domain names and the nature of your name for sale. Post messages and begin discussions.

2. Subscribe to ezines related to the topic and find out where these people are on the web, and how you can contact them.

3. Once you have contacts, you can send out emails to potential customers.

Mass Marketing: Address Many. As opposed to direct marketing, mass marketing targets a large amount of people, hoping for a small response. Some ways to do this are:

4. Participate in domain forums, ask questions and seek out domain resellers or people who may be able to offer you more tips.

5. Use search engines. Although search engines differ in their methods of operation and website submission, you can often submit your site for no cost. To find out more information about different search engines and how they work, visit http://searchenginewatch.com/.

What are the Benefits to Registering My Site With a Third Party?

For a small fee, you can list your site with a reputable third party, such as http://www.ukwebsiteforsale.co.uk, and greatly enhance your site?s exposure to qualified buyers and ultimate profit potential. Among the many benefits you?ll receive by registering with ukwebsiteforsale are:

High visibility ? Reach 1000s of qualified buyers every month
FREE 3-Month Featured Listing with purchase of professional appraisal
Professionally written ads
FREE email newsletter
A professional appraisal to accurately determine your sites worth and increase your chances of selling ? ready in three to five business days
The security of working with a trusted, experienced and highly recommended company
The opportunity to connect with a recommended site broker, who will further simplify the process by handling payment, escrow, and domain and registrar transfer.

Visit http://www.ukwebsiteforsale.co.uk/exchange/sell-a-website.htm to learn more.

Step #4 - Make The Deal

You could get lucky, and receive an offer just days after listing your name. Typically, though, names are listed for months before any offers arrive. The key here is to be patient. Think about it - a party needs to come along who believes that the name is right, even essential, for their new Web site. The only other offers you will get will be from domain resellers, who will typically offer you 20-25% of a name's potential value. Unless you really need the money, turn down these offers, but note them anyway, as they are external confirmation that your name has resale value.

Once you have agreed a deal with the buyer, then you will have to complete the deal. They send you payment, and you transfer the name to them. It's best to use an escrow service here. It protects both parties, but adds to the cost, so make sure you have agreed beforehand who will pay for it. Normally the buyer pays, but sometimes the cost is shared. Please note: to sell a domain name by owner, through a private transaction rather than a trusted third party, is risky business unless you completely trust the buyer.

There will be some wait time as money switches hands and the domain name ownership is transferred. Unless you are selling your domain to your mother or selling it for a very low price, we recommend using an escrow service to take care of the money transaction.

Good luck!

About The Author

Manny Avedissian is the owner of UKWebsiteForSale.co.uk. He has operated and maintained various internet businesses. Mr. Avedissian has a business degree and has over 20 years of professional business expereince.

manny@ukwebsiteforsale.co.uk

Will Retail Chains Lose Their Dominance

2009-01-07T13:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Vernon Stent

In most industrialised nations the the supply chain of goods from source to end user has changed little for many years. Firstly there are the producers. Then the wholesaler, then the retailer and then the customer and consumer.

In the U.S. the supply chain has always been pulled by downstream consumers. Europe had a different history where a mixture of world wars and interventionist governments led to supply chains that were pushed from the upstream end. Certainly, the rationing of the 1940's and beyond led to a culture of consumers who got what they were given and were thankful for small mercies.

As Europe has become more affluent, consumers have flexed their muscles and demanded an ever wider array of goods at a range of prices and standards. It has now joined the U.S. and most other industrialised nations with consumer-led supply chains.

A feature of this has been the trend towards large retail chains. Many of these chains have become so large that they have virtually dispensed with wholesalers, preferring instead to purchase goods directly from producers. They have also established the so called "own brand". This is where they have dictated the product specification to the producer and told them to brand it as their own product. And there is more: some of the largest chains have increasingly got themselves involved with all aspects of the supply chain from raw material sourcing, packaging procurement and design, all aspects of distribution and even their suppliers' recruitment policies.

This has resulted in a shift in the balance of power from upstream to downstream. Now that every aspect of the producer's business, including their all important costs, have been tied down by the ever inquisitive retail chain, has the pendulum swung as far as it could? We all know what happens to pendulums when they have gone as far as they can in one direction. Now, I cannot surely be the only person who has thought about this. I am sure that directors of some of the large producers out there must have thought to themselves "how did we let this happen?". Perhaps some of the smaller producers whose management can't even visit the washroom without permission from the retailer (it seems) are also thinking "enough is enough".

Just think of this: who has put the capital and risk into the very expensive plant that is needed in a production environment? Not the retailers. Who has the skilled staff including engineers and designers? Certainly not the retailers. Who has detailed product knowledge within their own spheres? Retail chains, by their very nature specialise in putting largely unskilled staff in large buildings with rows of shelving and a line of checkouts. They can only ever have a superficial knowledge stretching accross the vast product ranges they sell.

I know I have painted a picture of poor downtrodden producers that have been conquered by those nasty retailers. Firstly the retailers are not nasty at all - they are just doing their job - so let's not blame them. And there will be many producers out there who rather like the status quo and don't want to rock the boat. OK, so they don't get the kinds of profit margins they would like, but they do get volume. Though in my opinion, the reason why many producers want to leave things as they are is that they are slaves, even if they don't realise it.

It's a kind of drug dependancy, but with the drug being high volume sales and the drug pusher being the retail chain. It's a familiar pattern. The producer is forced to reduce costs by a retailer promising higher volume in return for a greater share of the margin, so the producer invests in larger production facilities, faster machinery and takes on more staff. This is fine until the producer realises that he is now dependent on the retailer. The producer is now in the position where he must be given volume orders in order to ammortise his costs. The retailer says: I can give you volume, but you must give us more margin. For some producers the moment of truth comes when they need to take a leap into a big new production facility in order to keep up with these demands. So, they take on a loan and expand the business. Now they need a constant fix of volume business, not only to keep the factory going, but in order for their business to avoid bankruptcy. Some producers who have converted to this high volume business have gone so far with it, and have partnered so closely with their master retailer that they simply see themselves as an extension to the retailer and will not contemplate change.

Others may feel differently. They may be run by more indpendently-minded bosses, or may have kept up sales to other outlets in order to keep some trade going that is outside the sphere of the retail chain. I am sure that some producers want to see that pendulum start to make its way back, even if it is just a little way. But what can they do? Well, things are changing out there, so opportunities may arise sooner than expected.

Firstly, there is safety in numbers. Just ask the unions, or a herd of wilderbeest. I can see alliances taking shape over the next few years between non-competing producers who, between them, can offer a full range of products to consumers. Why can't they open their own retail outlets? Remember, the billions made by today's retail chains will no longer need to be serviced, so prices will be very competitive and margin healthy.

Secondly, there is pressure on fuel supply and prices. There has been a recent blip that might fall off again, but most experts agree that the long term trend is that prices will rise. As fuel costs begin to impact margins and even product prices there will be pressure to retail goods as close to their source as possible. It may even make sense to sell goods directly from a producer's own shop. In the UK, local farmer's markets have taken a significant slice of business away from supermarkets. I am suggesting here that this principle could be extended to more local selling opportunities from producers and not just farmers.

Thirdly, there is an increasing trend - mainly driven by legislation - to re-use parts in products that are at the end of their life and to re-use packaging. This reverse distribution will benefit once again from having producers as close to consumers as possible and it may benefit further by cutting out the retailer altogether for the return of goods.

Finally of course, there is the internet - shopping on line. Not a cashier or a shopping trolley in sight. Yes, distribution infrastructure is still required, but remember that many bricks and mortar retailers have still not fully got to grips with the structures that are required to distribute internet sales. The internet gives producers a wonderful opportunity to change the order of things to their advantage and sell directly to end users.

What many large retail chains have done has been breathtaking and can only be admired. They took control of their supply chains and used their new influence and power to their advantage and therefore to the advantage of their shareholders. Just remember though, that retail chains consist of unremarkable buildings, staffed with unskilled labour and with low-tech plant. They do not produce goods (usually) and they do not own any brands apart from their own. Their main asset is customer goodwill with the large throughputs of customers visiting their sites. If this throughput is threatened by high fuel prices or because of alternative attractions, then these large buildings will become white elephants. If this ever happens, the decline could be swift and decisive, for those retailers are just as addicted to their customers as producers are to them.

There is a lot to be said for buying your products as closely as possible to their source. Arkay Hygiene sells fly killers. Yes they are stocked by retailers, but Arkay Hygiene sells most of them directly from their web site at www.eeeee.co.uk. Perhaps they are already ahead of the game.

By the way, you can get lots of information about the retail industry and the history of retailing at http://www.aboutretail.net. An example of the fly killers sold by Arkay Hygiene is the Stainless Steel IND61, the most powerful of their fly killers

The Underdogs Solution How To Break Into And Conquer Any Industry Online

2008-12-07T13:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Simit Patel

While the Internet has created entrepreneurial opportunities for the likes of both Fortune 500 companies and sole proprietors working out of their basement, the fundamental entrepreneurial dilemma still remains: how can entrepreneurs break into an already established market?

In this article, we'll outline the steps that entrepreneurs need to follow to break into and conquer any industry online. To reinforce the power of this formula, we'll use industry giants Google and Apple as case studies.

Step #1: Identify The Reigning Champ.

If you're going to break in and conquer an industry, you need to know who you're looking to take it from. Don't be afraid to aim for the biggest champion; if you don't you'll never get there.

Example: Entrepreneurs who wanted to take over the search market would identify Google as the reigning champ. Likewise, entrepreneurs looking to conquer the digital music market would look to Apple as the current market leader.

Step #2: Identify the Champ's Powers and Priorities.

To understand how to beat the champ, you have to first understand how the champ works. To do this, entrepreneurs need to focus on the reigning champion's powers and priorities.

Powers are what resources and skills the firm has. A firm's powers are critical to understanding how the firm gained dominance in the first place. Note that many firms -- especially those that have a very strong foothold on an industry -- have multiple powers. To help keep things simple, focus on identifying the champ's most important powers.

Priorities are what values the firm has that dictate how it proceeds. Priorities are generally closely associated with how the company earns revenues: whatever it does to earn revenue is a priority, as that's what allows the company to stay in business and grow.

Below is a look at the powers and priorities of Google and Apple.

Google Powers: Their biggest skill is the amount of text-based information they have in their database. Their specialty is delivering breadth of information so that its users can quickly find even the most obscure facts.

Priorities: How does Google make its money? Primarily by people clicking on the sponsored links on its search page. So, getting users to click on ads so that advertisers can pay them is a top priority for Google.

Apple Powers: With respect to digital music, Apple's key power is the iPod. The iPod far and away is the firm's competitive advantage, and they have demonstrated skill in creating portable music devices that have mass appeal.

Priorities: Just as Apple's key power is its iPod and its ability to make portable music hardware, it's key priorities are selling those devices. While the firm does make money selling mp3s, the true cash cow for its digital music division is the mp3 player. So the firm's priority is to make and sell hardware for digital music.

Step #3: Identify the Right Power for You.

Even if you are immensely talented and sure of the fact that you have far and away the best product, success is unlikely if you are trying to build your business around the same powers that the current champ wields. If you try to develop the same powers the champ has, you'll be competing with them directly on many fronts -- not just on acquiring customers, but also on dealing with suppliers, marketing venues, and employees. Because of this, you should place a big emphasis on cultivating powers that are different than what the champ has. In fact, the ideal scenario is to cultivate powers that are complementary to the current champ's powers so that you can partner with them. Google itself employed this strategy as they partnered with Yahoo! -- the champ Google was looking to dethrone -- to power Yahoo! search results from October 2002 to February of 2004. This partnership allowed Google, the underdog at the time, an ability to gain a critical partnership that allowed the firm to expand and eventually overcome the champion they initially befriended.

Example: Google's primary power is its ability to deliver text-based information. But what about non-text based information, like audio and video files? Search engines like AudioFind, SingingFish, and PicSearch are all engines that are cultivating powers in non-text search.

Likewise, Apple's primary power is hardware. An underdog looking to take down Apple should aspire to cultivate different powers, such as strong partnerships with music labels to deliver content, and/or flexible programs that provide users with more of the kind of music they are looking for. Rhapsody, Napster, and Yahoo! are some firms that have wisely taken this approach.

Step #4: Have Different Priorities.

Just as you want to have complementary powers, you can also benefit from having different priorities. The rationale for having different priorities is the same as why different powers are needed: you want to avoid competing directly with the reigning champ as much as possible. Essentially, the idea is that it's easier and far more feasible for an underdog to defeat the champ if he/she takes a "back door" approach rather than taking on the champ head on. What you're really competing for is not the powers or priorities, but rather the attention of the end user. In other words, to beat Apple at the digital music game you don't need to roll out a better mp3 player; rather, you need to find a more compelling way to get the end user -- who, in Apple's case, is a consumer of digital music -- to give you his/her attention.

Example: Snap.com, an underdog search engine looking to take down Google, has established different priorities by creating a new way that they can attract revenue from advertisers. Instead of getting paid per click from a sponsored listing on their search results page, they plan on getting paid when the user actually completes an action on an advertiser's site (such as making a purchase). This will cause the company to prioritize getting users to complete actions on their advertisers site -- not just getting them to click on an ad.

Likewise, Napster plans on taking the digital music market not by prioritizing the sale of hardware, but rather by making the sale of digital music a priority.

Step #5: Attack The Champ's Powers.

The way to attack the champ's powers is NOT by trying to be better than the champ at the champ's own powers. Instead, the idea is to devalue the champ's powers in the mind of the end user, and thus shift the basis of competition in the market to what your power is.

How can this be done? The most effective way to do this is to imitate the champ's power in the cheapest way possible. If you compete on price, you are bound to attract some clients -- perhaps those who do not value the service much at all or those that simply cannot afford it. In this way, you can attract some of the champ's audience, and convert them into utilizing the powers that you have to offer.

Example: Could Napster benefit by partnering with a low-cost mp3 manufacturer and distributing an mp3 player as cheaply as possible? In doing so, it could help to commoditize mp3 players, and thus shift the basis of competition in the digital music market back to content.

The search engine industry is slightly different, but the idea is still very much applicable. Search engines often sell their technology to web portals who need to offer search to their users; as a result, an underdog search engine could freely distribute a text-based search engine to attack Google's power.

The Tough Part: Identifying Powers and Priorities

Clearly, this five step formula to success is fairly simple and straightforward. The true challenge is in correctly assessing what the reigning champ's powers and priorities are, and then coming up with viable powers and priorities of your own that will help to debunk the champ. Once that can be done, knocking off the champ will be surprisingly easy.

Simit Patel is the Managing Director of The ActoNetwork, a company devoted to helping small businesses succeed on the web. The ActoNetwork publishes a free 102 page Internet Marketing eBook and has a free Internet Marketing Workshop for online entrepreneurs.

Incorporating Investor Feedback Into Your Business Plan

2008-11-09T13:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Dave Lavinsky

Investors, like the rest of us, have different tastes. One investor may love a concept and/or business plan while the next may hate both. It is important to understand this as business plans are working documents and are always undergoing iterations.

Management teams must not rush to incorporate each potential investor's comments. Instead, have several investors, partners and other business colleagues review the plan and provide feedback. Then incorporate common concerns and probe other comments to determine if they are valid.

Always try to understand the rationale behind an investor's comments. For instance, an investor may poke holes in a business plan if it doesn't have enough funds to fully fund the opportunity. In this case, the investor's criticism is solely for them to save face.

However, if you are hearing the same feedback from multiple investors, it is probably valid. In such cases, be humble. Tell investors that you appreciate their feedback and modify your strategy and plan appropriately. You may then be able to re-approach these investors with great success.

Many investors have significant operating and investing experience and can quickly and expertly find potential flaws in a business plan. Seek out investors who have such experience, and be open to their suggestions. Just don't take one point of feedback and blindly follow the advice. It is also important to note that even the most successful and largest public companies have Boards that provide similar feedback and advice, so don't take criticism and feedback as a sign that something is wrong with your venture. Rather, use it as a launching pad for an even stronger business.

Since its inception, Business Plans by Growthink has developed over 200 business plans. Growthink clients have collectively raised over $750 million in financing, launched numerous new product and service lines and gained competitive advantage and market share. Growthink has become the firm of choice for venture capital firms, angel investors, corporations and entrepreneurs in the know. For more information please visit http://www.growthink.com or visit our venture capital placement site at GT Venture Capital.

Whats The Point Why Hire Consultants And How Can You Get The Best Out Of Them

2008-11-08T13:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Karen Otazo

Moving from organizational life to consulting life didn't seem like a big deal to me. I'd been doing internal consulting for more than a decade. I'd been bringing consultants into my organisation as an "extra pair of hands" or as experts to present programs or coach executives. What I found as an internal customer was that hiring a consultant can be tricky. Through a trial and error process of discovery I found that the nature of the consulting relationship is the key to whether the company is going to get what it needs or throw money down a consulting black hole. Although a company is "borrowing" talent, not "buying" it the way they do when they hire someone, it's still a major financial and time commitment. I spent a lot of time managing consultants. I figured "What's the point?" if I didn't get the best out of them. And .for the consultant, the consulting assignment has both a financial and reputational impact. Why not make this arrangement a win-win?

To do that I found we had to learn to trust each other. The approach to low trust by the organization is often a "taxi driver" approach. The consultant is paid by the hour or day. This is a contractual relationship versus a relational contract. The consultant does what he or she is told. The good news is that this is a good way to use "one-trick ponies." When you have a speaker who can do a great presentation about what they know best this is the best way to use them. If you want any in-depth work from a consultant it's best to try the partnering approach. As one client said "We are depending on you to get our bench-strength ready for their next jobs. His approach was to put me into a relational contract where I was committed to his company's expected outcomes.

"Taxi driver" approach or partnering approach

One of the nicest compliments I ever got was "You don't think like a consultant." I realised that I see myself as partnering with my clients, almost as if I become part of their organisation for a period of time. When clients want to hire me by the hour, or minutes, I find it very strange. At one point, I was contracting with a prospective client who came out of a supply chain background. He spent the contracting period penny pinching me in all the aspects of the contract. For me, he was concentrating on the wrong aspects. When I tried to concentrate on the outcomes rather than the specifics of the process, he just didn't "get it." He was so used to taking farthings off widgets that he just couldn't focus on the end results. The "taxi driver" approach didn't engender enough trust for me to continue the contracting. I pulled myself out of the process.

I try not to work like a "taxi driver." I have found that thinking of consulting as day labour gets me, and other consultants too , to act that way. I prefer thinking like a partner in the project's success. It's vital for a company to think this way too. Partnering is a trust builder. There is a mutual commitment to success.

Consultant partnering trust occurs when there is both personal and professional trust. Personal trust is each party doing what they say they'll do, when they say they'll do it. Professional trust is demonstrating the talent, expertise and an understanding of the consultant's craft and of human behaviour that enables a consulting relationship to work.

Create a contractual relationship or a relational contract?

"Relationships of trust depend on our willingness to look not only to our own interests, but also the interests of other." Peter Farquharson, Early 20th century English cricketer

Even if you're hiring day labourers, a company wants its money's worth or more. Although many consultants are hired on a short time scale, their organisational "fit" is essential. One of the best ways to ensure fit is by knowing the company and its needs as well as the needs of the project or intervention that the company needs. When a company insists on a detailed contract they often get just what they negotiated and nothing more. My belief is that it's vital to keep your "eyes on the prize." What is it that the company and the specific client(s) want to get out of the relationship? Contracting is where you ensure that the commitment and professional expertise are there. There's an old American saying that could apply to contracting, "Good fences make good neighbours." By setting up the parameters in contracting the participants are then free to do more but not less.

It is vital that those who are doing the consulting be part of the contracting phase. If the person who initiates the engagement is the "finder" but doesn't do the work it may not be a good idea. That also goes for having a "minder" and a bunch of "grinders" whom you don't know well. If you contract with the experienced folks there is not enough pay-off from the rookies. It's vital that you get to know the consultant(s) you're using before, during and after the consulting engagement. Though the consultant(s) may not be employees they should be treated as if they are personally responsible. As an independent consultant, and previously as a corporate buyer of consulting services, I have found that independents are often the best choices. There have been at least a dozen situations when I've been called in after someone from a consulting firm hasn't delivered what was expected. Don't forget that you are hiring the person and not the company.

The way that a consultant (firm) approaches contracting is revealing. Are they happy to spend as much time as it takes in this phase? The time that it takes to contract and work with the company representative who is doing the contract is part of the big "bucks" that consultants charge. Part of the contracting should be a negotiated "package", or programme price. Part of the package price is that the consultant should not be charging for every small cost like taxi fares for local work.

The package should include written information that is necessary for the process to work. That might mean something in writing that can serve as a roadmap for clients to follow as they work with consultant. A report at the end of the consulting process is not one of the worthwhile things to pay for. When the consultant has left, the report is rarely of use. It may feel good to get one but often goes on a shelf after the consulting engagement is finished.

Most of all, I believe in generosity of spirit on the part of the consultant and the company. That means giving more than the contract stipulates when it's needed. That means consultants occasionally giving more consulting time, without extra fees, for those who need it and the company staying supportive and flexible with the needs of the consultant. In other words, the parties involved should be responsive to the other's needs. Over time, this kind of attitude breeds trust.

Being a consultant is a bit like being an employee for a period of time. Just the way employees "hold" the needs of their job and the needs of their company in their consciousness, an excellent consultant "holds" clients and their needs and the work in their thinking time outside of the actual assignment time. I am constantly surprised when a client says that a workshop I gave was only six hours so they that they should not have to pay for the entire day of eight hours. How amazing is that? It may have taken days to prepare the work which may, or may not have been remunerated. Moreover, when a consultant is at one company for six hours there is no way that two more hours can be squeezed into that day. That is one of the reasons why daily fees don't make sense for excellent work. The other is the thinking time that involves "holding" the client in your thoughts and plans.

Be careful with one-trick ponies and "consultant creep"

"The people I distrust most are those who want to improve our lives but have only one course of action." Frank Herbert , 20th century science fiction author

A company usually hires consultants for their expertise. In their area of expertise they need to be role models. I once hired a consultant who was superb at educating and empowering personal assistants to maximise their potential. When she was asked by an executive to work out a conflict among a group of personal assistants she overstepped her expertise and failed miserably. It's not uncommon for this kind of thing to happen since expertise is often specialised.

It's also the responsibility of the consultant to keep the company representative informed of every potential consulting request that the consultant gets to do additional consulting. Someone in the company needs to keep track to avoid "consultant creep," or consultants running amok around the organisation. I find that someone to vet each request, and the appropriateness of the consultant(s) for the request, is the only way to ensure the trust that you have the right person in place.

Trust comes from bringing in consultants who don't come in with a prepared idea of the issue and the solution. Consulting companies that have "models" that they use can be guilty of this approach.

Consultants need guts rather than glory

It's too easy for consultants to be sycophants rather than speak what they believe needs to be said to individuals of power and authority. This is not the place where executives should be told what they want to hear rather than what they need to hear and learn. It is important that a consultant, beyond an "extra pair of hands," be responsible for moving individuals, or the culture, to take action. The trick is that the "push" needs to be strong enough to show action and gentle enough not to cause reactive "push back," or organisational resistance. This is a major area of trust!

On the whole, mature consultants who are beyond wanting their own days of personal glory make some of the best choices. If the consulting work isn't satisfactory it's time to give the consultant(s) feedback. The way that they accept and respond to feedback without defending tells you a lot about their professional trust. I love adapting as a consultant. It's wonderful to get feedback and have a chance to adapt to the needs of the company and the individual(s) involved.

Consultants who need a lot of kudos and strokes can be trouble. A consultant can be a bit like a catalyst. They can have enormous impact for positive change yet not be part of the end result. If they need the glory they are not mature enough for this kind or work.

See more about Dr. Karen Otazo at the following
http://www.globalleadershipnetwork.com
http://www.otazo.com - Executive Coaching

Dr Otazo is an author, consultant and global executive coach. She worked in multi-nationals in US, China, Indonesia, India, France. http://www.globalleadershipnetwork.com http://www.otazo.com

Office Space

2008-11-07T13:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Kent Pinkerton

Many of us work in small cubicles, with nothing to look at but our computer monitors and piles of papers scuttled on our desk. Turning back, we see our colleagues scooped up the same way and facing the other side of the wall. Drab working conditions create stale minds and people get suffocated in their offices. Well, if you are not one of them, you are very lucky.

However, there are simple ways to beautify office spaces, making your working hours more pleasant and bearable. A flower or a plant on your desk will be a visual relaxation from the monitor radiation. Placing the desk near a window or a door, so that you face an opening will also refresh your tired eyes and brain. Add a picture or painting to this, and you will have a good office space.

If you are a company looking for new office space, you need to plan your requirements before shopping around for sites. Apart from simple additions like those mentioned above, you need to determine the working area you need, the number of offices, the seating types and arrangements for your employees, and amenities like lunch rooms, coffee bars, etc. that you would like to have in your office. Choose and plan your requirements to suit your business purposes. If you are a customer service company, each employee should have office space that facilitates easy and friendly interactions with customers. But if your company is basically running projects, cubicles for employees are a better option than elaborate office spaces.

Before you start planning, visit sample office spaces and search the Internet for space calculators and other requirements. Or contact professional office planners and decorators who will help you set up your office spaces to suit your business needs.

Office Space provides detailed information on Office Space, Corporate Office Space, Temporary Office Space, Office Space For Lease and more. Office Space is affiliated with Discount Office Supplies.

How To Avoid Cashflow Problems

2008-11-06T13:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by V Selman

Cashflow problems are the main reason why more than 70% of UK businesses go under in their first year. Although this statistic is fairly shocking, the reassuring fact is that there is a lot that companies can do to manage their cashflow effectively.

We have put together our top tips to help you avoid cashflow problems and become a business success story.

1. Always run credit checks on companies that you do business with

Many people forget or think that it's not important to vet companies before doing business with them. However, doing so is an important method of avoiding cashflow related problems further down the road.

If you have not checked up on a potential new client, you expose yourself to the risk of not being paid.

There are a number of ways to run credit checks such as ordering an online credit rating from credit reference agencies or checking your potential customer's payment record.

2. Encourage prompt payment

You will have to pay your suppliers even if you have not been paid by your customers. Encouraging your customers to pay you promptly is therefore an effective way to avoid cashflow problems.

Try offering favourable payment terms to people who pay early and refer to the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act of 1998 on your invoices. This legislation allows companies to charge interest on overdue amounts.

3. Manage your budget carefully

It might sound obvious but good budget management is a key step to good cashflow management. Do not be tempted to spend money on promotional activity that has not been accounted for in your marketing plan.

Before you do allocate funds, make sure you know what the return on investment is likely to be and ensure that you can afford to spend the money in question.

4. Manage your accounts carefully

Do you know who owes you what and when payment is due? Keeping an invoice book detailing when invoices were sent out and to whom, as well when they were paid is a simple yet effective way of keeping on top of your finances and avoiding cashflow problems.

On Stop runs a unique service which allows its members to check potential customers' payment record and encourage prompt payment in order to help them avoid cashflow problems

Envelope Printing

2008-11-05T13:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Mic Pedretti

Practical mailing solutions for home and business are a must for just about all of us. Very few of us enjoy to hand write envelopes when it comes to bill paying time. Even fewer when we are business owners. Worrying if addresses are written legibly and correctly can waste precious time better spent on other things. However with a simple computer and a printer with ink, the process can become much more simplified and accurate. A practical and economical application for envelope printing can be easily utilized by any business owner, big or small.

Any kind of business demands many mailings for paychecks, bills, catalogs, etc. The most realistic manner of accomplishing this drawn out process can be as simple as printing envelopes and addresses from a computer. Using compatible software (i.e., Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Word) an entire database of names and addresses can be printed onto envelopes and even mailings. The most commonly known software application to accomplish this is Microsoft Word with a feature known as Mail Merge. The mail merge function can work in conjunction with Microsoft Outlook, or with Microsoft Access to draw out the names and addresses of the clients and/or employees to be sent to. Using this software in the proper process of Mail Merge, hundreds, even thousands of preprinted envelopes can be produced within mere minutes, as opposed to hours when done by hand. The usefulness of printed envelopes does not stop here however, there is still a practical solution for the average home user as well.

Any average person has a range of bills to pay, and always plenty of envelopes to address, mostly by hand. This process involves looking up addresses, writing checks, addressing envelopes by hand, and double checking to make sure the information on the envelope is accurate and legible. The solution to a chunk of these problems, is the same for the average home user as it is for the average business user. With the simple process of mail merge, and stored list of commonly paid bills an average person no longer has to wonder or double check to see that the envelopes he or she has written are accurate and legible. Rather they would have the assurance that they are. To cut down the time even more, the average home user could consider using a check-writing program such as VersaCheck, or competitors to write his/her checks for them. With these simple processes, any user can simplify their lives and wind up with more free time to do what they love.

Clearly the advantage goes to the technology to save time and money for any user, either big or small. With the confidence that bills can be paid on time, and never having to double check for accuracy, piece of mind comes standard. The only worries these confident users have are if they have the necessary amount of envelopes and ink in their printer to finish the job. The only question to remain in anyone's mind is "Why didn't I do this much sooner?"

Our Printing Directory is dedicated to the printing industry. Find more information and other printing topics on our Envelope Printing resource page.

Machinery Vibration Warning Lights

2008-11-04T13:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lance Winslow

Machinery preventative maintenance is paramount in today's factory. A machine going down can be catastrophic to the assembly line and many times specialized parts are not even available. Often such catastrophic failure or damage to a piece of machinery can be avoided thru early warning detection of the problem. Sometimes sensors do no pick up every problem or fail. We always hear about faulty lights in airliners when the aircraft has to return only to find out that a light was out. In machinery some warning lights go on, if their light goes out and others show nothing and then when there is a problem no light?

Most machinery give off tell tale signs premature of the failure whether or not a light is warning available or not. A really good mechanic, ship engine room technician or factory maintenance expert can tell when things are not running right, but not all. I propose a vibrational warning system, either with an automatic shut off or a light, which shines into the operations room like a beam from a pin-light night vision pointer or construction high tech surveying level. This can be done by shining the beam onto a mirror connected to the warning light, which is bolted to the base of the machine. By early detection we can prevent a bad mounting bolt, or internal problem causing a vibration from destroying bearings, internal or exterior parts by an automatic shut down and/or a warning light alerting the team that there is a major problem.

Machinery of this type is much to expensive to risk to a faulty switch or power problem so the warning light should be lighted using electromagnetic induction technology to charge a capacitor instead of the lights working off a battery or power source.

Currently there are some nifty micro-flashlights being used which you can buy which use a similar technique and are available thanks to the Everlite Flashlight technology research lab. These smaller flashlights work by shaking them for about thirty seconds and shine for about 6 minutes and they shine quite bright since they use a very bright LED light. Here is a link to this home use flashlight:

http://demo.physics.uiuc.edu/LectDemo/scripts/demo_descript.idc?DemoID=1138

http://www.modernoutpost.com/gear/details/ee_shakelight.html

Such vibrational warning lights can be used to monitor from long distances, whether the equipment be a short or long distance from view. Additionally these warnings systems have hundreds of application for portable system where mainstream power grid energy is not available. Think on it.

Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Has The Time Come For A Reconditioned Forklift Fleet

2008-11-03T13:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Frank Sterner

Every industry has its accepted truths. These are the things that everybody knows - the obvious answers. The problem is that yesterday's truths may be out of date, and things that appear to be common sense on the surface may be a lot more complicated when you look a little deeper. When the question is a potentially expensive one like the purchase and maintenance of your forklift fleet, it's a good idea to examine both possibilities. The industry is changing, and old truths should be re-examined. In addition, your options have grown, and the old easy answers may no longer be the best solutions.

The single Manufacturer Fallacy

Most operations that run a large fleet of forklifts select a primary new truck manufacturer (for example, Toyota or Hyster for pneumatic/cushion trucks, Crown or Raymond for electrics). It's more convenient, dealing with a single company when arranging purchase or lease agreements, but that is not the primary consideration. The big issue is maintenance.

Full service leases are supposed to cover maintenance costs up front. Ideally, they allow you to plan maintenance schedules and costs, and then forget about it for the duration of the lease. There are two problems with this pretty picture. For one thing, most full service leases do not cover repair costs on the failure of components that are out of factory warranty, or on the failure of wear items such as brakes, etc. You can never be absolutely certain what maintenance costs will be.

On the face of it, this is an additional argument for selecting a single supplier, since it means that you will only have to stock one set of parts and train your people on one machine (or at least machines from a single manufacturer). True, this will save you a little, but at what cost?

Not all forklift manufacturers are good at everything that a forklift does in your operation. There are just too many variables. Electrics are quiet, inexpensive and nonpolluting, but of limited range. In some narrow aisle warehouse applications, turning radius can become a major consideration. In extreme cases, turret trucks may be required.

To get the most efficient vehicle for every job, you would have to determine the features and characteristics required for that job, and then buy the necessary number of trucks from the manufacturer who makes the best forklift with those features and characteristics - and then repeat the process for every job in your operation. A multi-location facility could easily end up with four or five different makes of lift truck. Is this the making of a maintenance nightmare? Not necessarily.

Remember, you are still only using one brand of fork lift for a given task, and because you have selected the brand with the best performance for that function, your maintenance for that brand is likely to go down. The periodic service requirements are the same, and component failure is less likely to occur if the vehicle is better designed for that specific application.

Keeping a larger inventory of parts may cost a little more to begin with, but maintaining that inventory over time should result in no significant additional expense. As for training, it may be possible to specialize there as well. For example, instead of training two people on maintenance for a single brand, you might train each of them on one of the brands in use - for little or no additional expense.

New vs. Refurbished

Another accepted truth that may no longer be true is that refurbished forklift trucks, while less expensive than new ones, are less reliable and therefore not a good investment.

With the ever-increasing costs of capital equipment, refurbishing used lift trucks has finally become big business. Only a few years ago, the market for reconditioned forklifts wasn't big enough to justify the expense of setting up an assembly line to tear down, inspect and re-assemble a vehicle with enough quality control to insure reliable operation in heavy use conditions.

The term refurbished means different things to different people. Before you even consider this option, make certain that the unit has been disassembled to the bare frame, sandblasted, painted and rebuilt. Even the engines should be completely broken down, refurbished and repainted to work and look like new. Purchasing used forklifts can be risky, but buying quality refurbished ones doesn't have to be.

For years, third parties have been refurbishing trucks for small users who could not afford new units. They had to do it by themselves to insure quality, and the number of quality refurbished trucks on the market was extremely limited. That is no longer true. The market for renewed trucks has grown to the point where there are now factory reconditioned forklifts available at perhaps one third the cost of new trucks. Not only that, but they are available in quantities that should be attractive to a fleet user.

The quantities are there, and the price is certainly attractive, but what are you really getting when you buy a refurbished forklift truck? Is this where you can find yourself in a maintenance nightmare? Again, not necessarily.

Renewed vehicles have had some run time, a kind of shakedown cruise after which the weak components are replaced. The result is a more reliable unit. Obviously, a refurbished truck has less of its reliable service life left than a new one, but consider the following scenario. You purchase a refurbished unit at one third the cost of a new one. You have already skipped the first wave of high maintenance cost that occurs during the run-in phase. You maintain it regularly and retire it perhaps a year earlier than you would a new unit, thus avoiding the last stage of high maintenance as it nears the end of its useful life. You have saved considerably in terms of capital investment, and your maintenance costs may actually go down as well.

Name Brands

There is one last accepted truth I would like to address related to the issue of maintaining a fleet of forklift trucks - brand name versus off-brand parts. It seems obvious that an operation running a particular brand of forklifts will be safest stocking spare parts from that manufacturer, even if they do cost a little more. Fortunately, that isn't always true.

Many of my friends and customers in the manufacturing business are up in arms over China because they have become such a tough competitor in recent years. However, the same pricing that creates this frustration with China as a competitor can be helpful to forklift buyers. Factories in China that have produced parts for other name brand trucks for years are now starting to sell direct in the United States at significantly reduced prices over name brands.

Notice that these are often the same people that made the brand name parts. The parts are not less expensive because of lower quality. They are less expensive because of the distribution strategy. There is no dealer taking a percentage off the top. There is no forklift manufacturer using overpriced spare parts as a profit center in order to lower prices on new trucks and in order to lock in brand loyalty.

With these lower prices for spare parts, there is less reason to fear the possibility of higher maintenance costs with a multi-manufacturer and/or refurbished fleet of forklift trucks. More than ever before, it is possible to put together a fleet based on the only questions that should really matter: what do forklifts really do in your operation, and which forklifts - new or refurbished - can most effectively and economically do the job(s)?

Frank Sterner is Vice President of Sales for SJF Material Handling, a Winsted, Minnesota-based full service provider of new, used and "renewed" material handling equipment and services. For more information or to find used and refurbished forklifts and other material handling equipment, please visit http://www.SJF.com

Social Bookmarking Anyone Can Do It Even You

2008-11-02T13:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Paul Heitman

Social bookmarking is an online tool that allows anyone to easily bookmark their favorite sites into an online archive. The bookmarks can be categorized and even organized with subject tags. By far the greatest advantage of having an online bookmark is that, up until now, when you saved a bookmarked site on your PC; it was only useful when you were using that particular computer. This meant you couldn't easily share or take the bookmarked sites with you, unless you dragged your PC along as well.

Online bookmarking allows you to do all of these things, for example you can share favorite sites with friends, family and even complete strangers. You even can access your bookmarked sites from anywhere in the world, provided that you have Internet access, without dragging your PC along for the ride. This is ideal if you travel or if you use more than one computer.

Never again do you have to risk losing important sites or trying to scribble down sites that you want to visit again when commuting from one computer to another. Even worse, having to search for a site all over again because you don't have access to the computer where your favorites are stored.

Some of the benefits of using a social book-marking site include being able to access sites from anywhere. You can also share your favorites and let others share their favorites with you. When you are exploring other people's bookmarks or favorites, you may find that there are sites that you would like to include in your favorites list as well. You can also get information about popular websites from other users or find out what other people are interested in. Social bookmarks are an ideal resource for bloggers

To add to the usefulness of social bookmarking, you can give your website a boost in the search engine page rankings. The reason that it is possible to boost your search engine ranking by using a social bookmarking tool is because the social book-marking site usually has a very high search engine ranking. These websites are obviously going to attract so many links, traffic and content that it would be hard for the search engines not to notice them.

By being added to the bookmark site, you have linked or pointed to your site from the bookmark site. This means that, in essence, a highly ranked site is linked to you and this will do wonders for boosting your search engine rankings.

Paul Heitman is a recognized authority on social book-marking. Set up your own account on http://www.optimiz.us and start saving and sharing your favorite sites today. All for free!

How To Realistically Set Your Fees Part 2

2008-11-01T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Sue And Chuck DeFiore

Effect of Expenses

The last article examined how to calculate your realistic billable hours. If you remember, we arrived at approximately 1100 hours in a year. To earn our mythical $46,000 per year, you needed to bill at a rate of $42 per hour. Now we need to take into account the expenses of running a business and see where those put our hourly rate.

Most costs fall into three general categories: business and office expenses; salary and personal taxes; and, benefits and profit margin. In this article, we will concentrate on the first category, business and office expenses.

Everyday expenses are part of doing business, and these must be reflected in the prices you charge or you will not be in business for long. Expenses to consider are rent for office space. If you are home-based, you will still have an increase in utilities, such as gas and electric over your regular household bills. You will have telephone costs, postage, copying costs, stationery, office supplies, subscriptions and possibly, membership dues.

You will also need to make periodic upgrades to your office equipment and furniture. Items such as computer hardware and software; fax machine, copier, filing cabinets, telephone headsets, etc. All of these items add to the hourly rate you charge for your services. You must have a good estimate of what these costs total each year or you will end up cheating yourself. If you do cheat yourself, you are going to drastically increase your stress levels and lose much of the enjoyment of running your own business.

Let's plug some numbers into our costs and see how they affect our hourly rate.

Rent $600 per month x 12 = $7200

Utilities $100 per month x 12= 1200

Telephone $100 per month x 12 = 1200

Postage $100 per month x 12= 1200

Copying $50 per month x 12 = 600

Stationery $25 per month x 12 = 300

Supplies $50 per month x 12 = 600

Upgrades $150 per month x 12 = 1800

Furniture $50 per month x 12 = 600

Yearly Total = $15,300

The yearly total comes to $15,300, divide this by 1100 billable hours and you get approximately $14 per hour. Now add this to the original $42 per hour and you can see that you need to charge $56 per hour to cover your hoped for $46,000 per year income plus your expenses. If you are home-based, you can subtract the $7200 per year in rent or about $6.50 per hour from the $56 above.

I have made a number of assumptions in arriving at these figures, your costs may be more or less, but this will give you an idea of what to look for and how to calculate your expenses. If you have any questions, write to me or give me a call and I will go over your situation with you.

Remember, in order to be fair with yourself and your customers, your prices must reflect the true cost of doing business. Do not ever apologize for your prices. You need to charge enough for you to live on and enough to stay in business to service the clients that have come to depend upon you. If some of your customers can't understand this, change your customers, not your prices.

Interested in having your own successful, home based creative real estate investing business? Chuck and Sue have been helping folks start successful home based businesses for over 19 years, and we can help you too! To see how, visit http://www.homebusinesssolutions.com for the latest FREE tips and tricks, educational products and coaching in creative real estate investing and home based businesses. No time to visit the site? Subscribe to our "how to" Home Business Solutions Digest, it's like having your own personal coach: mailto:subscribeHBS@homebusinesssolutions.com

Next Comes The Corporategiftbasket Fallout Milestones After The Fall Of My House Of Cards Pt 1

2008-10-31T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Christine Morgan

Corporate-gift-basket: Getting a Good Job

This corporate-gift-basket is the fallout after the fall of my house of cards. To set the scene, it is March 1988 and today I intend to search for a new job (I lost my last job the month before).

It is my intention to not rush things anymore ever. At the employment center scanning the available offerings I began making a list of the ones that appeal to me.

Next, I got in line to speak with a counselor and took a seat to be called. After a few moments my name was called and was taken to the counselor's office.

Corporate-gift-basket: Finding The Best One

The counselor then quickly scanned my list asking me to see if I am serious and qualified for the job opportunities that I listed earlier. I carefully watched her every move, just like a small child watching their mom baking a chocolate cake (and I do love my chocolate cakes).

I sensed her approval. She then said, "The listing for the assistant manager position just opened today, we will have to schedule you for an interview." I said, "That's great."

Then she said, "Excuse me while I call them." I listened intently at the one-sided conversation began. In the middle of the conversation, she rose from her desk to pull a page from a binder that was on the top of a filling cabinet & began writing some instructions.

At this point, I'm thinking that I am going to be working soon. Positive thinking always helps me to stay focused on the task at hand. She then explained more details about the job; who will interview me, the appointment date and time, where finally she asks, "Are you sure this job is for you?"

I immediately said," Yes, I certainly hope so." She gave me the instructions and rose again to shake my hand while saying, "Good luck." I said," Have a blessed day."

Corporate-gift-basket: Preparing for The Interview

My interview is at 2pm, just enough time to go home have a snack before I go to the interview. Let's see, I'll make a sandwich get some juice and an orange. That'll work. As I was locking the front door and closing the screen, suddenly, my left arm stop working.

Real strange, I have no sensation at all. I unlocked the door, walked into the house, to close the door, and guess what? My arm is as good as new. I then stopped thinking about the arm issue and went to the interview.

This job is an assistant manager position for a construction company (this job is something very new to me). This company will train on the job to ultimately to be placed as an office manager position with all benefits that come with it (pay bonuses and other benefits).

The interview went well. The manager said that he would call me with his decision. This job site is about 10 miles from home. As I was opening the door to the house, the telephone rang, guess who it was; it was the manager telling me that he wants to hire me with all the benefits and pay that I agreed to about 10 minutes ago.

Corporate-gift-basket: Working My New Job

He asked me how soon could I start. As I said earlier, I am not in a rush. So I told him that I could start as soon as next Monday if that is all right. He said that's fine seeing you Monday at 6am.

The idea is that I don't want to get a job that is pushy and making their employees jump through many hoops. That's not for me. I have learned from my last job. Working 16-18 hours a day. The wages is good, but you will burnout ever having enough time for yourself.

After a few months, I got a raise to manager and started receiving manager pay and bonuses. This company was great to my peers and me. With my pay raise, I bought my first brand new car and a real diamond wedding ring with a large stone for my spouse. My new job entails traveling (this I really like).

When traveling, this company gives their office managers a company car, pays for my travel expenses, rent, subsistence & even pays for my spouse and children to fly and visit me twice a month. Things are going more than fine for me.

Chris the owner of http://iflsecrets.magneticsponsoringonline.com/ found and uses this bridge for her marketing fitness. She is more than happy to share this uncommon knowledge to all those that thirst for business longevity.

*** Easy format and rqapid publish this article now: http://myarticleannouncer.com/go/va.php?article_id=923

To view more quality articles from Chris Morgan: http://myarticleannouncer.com/go/vs.php?author=Chris%20Morgan&author_id=moneymagnet

Dare To Be Different

2008-10-30T13:00:00.002-07:00

Writen by Bill Boyd

Adding value to your site, service, or product is one of the most over looked and under rated strategies for improving your internet business.

The internet and modern technology makes it possible for anyone to offer that little something extra that nobody else does, and usually at no additional cost.

Why: First, let's look at why this is a good business practice.

It's a good thing to do because you will make more money!

What: Now let's look at what value adding is!

Value adding is giving surprise high quality and useful gifts. It's giving something that your competitors aren't offering. It's promising the world and delivering the universe. It's taking care of your clients and always providing something that your clients need and want, when and where they want it.

How: Now let's look at the different ways we can do this.

If you receive a free gift from someone when you don't expect it, do you remember that person? Answer; yes usually. How can we do this? Look at the example below for an idea!

If you subscribe to a news letter or ezine, what do you expect? You expect to get what you subscribed for, right? Now imagine that you subscribed for a newsletter that distributes information about Poodle breading in France, and when you open the conformation email you find you've also received a free ebook containing 20 poodle grooming tips and Grandmas secret poodle pampering techniques. (a book that normally sells for $29) Wouldn't that make you more likely to open and read the next issue and the next etc? That's one simple example, but where do you get the ebook from? You make it! If you are distributing a poodle breeding newsletter, you might know something about grooming, or know some people that could help you put together the necessary information. Then you can wrap that up in an ebook cover and then send it around to a variety of sites that will post it for you for free and you can sell on your own site, if you have one. (I can see that there are several more articles just on making e-books, posting them on other people's sites, and setting up a shop front.)

Back to the Poodles! So you can see that by offering this free gift you have achieved several things.

1. You have developed a product (at no cost to you) that you can sell and make a profit on.

2. You have used that product to increase the chances of your new subscriber opening your next email.

3. You have promoted you site/service to other internet marketers that you may wish to do a joint venture with at some time. (see my article on Joint ventures)

Another way to add value for less effort is to offer a 110 percent guarantee instead of a 100 percent.

Another is to make your 20 tips into 30 or more etc, get the idea? It's all just a matter of finding ways that you can give more.

The more you give the more you will receive.

I sincerely wish you good luck and happiness

Bill Boyd

The above article was produced by Bill Boyd as of one of the many training and mentoring projects that are part of the activity based training programs provided for free at: http://www.internetprofitmentor.com Go there now take action! It's free! Over 12 hrs of videos for those Audio/Visual learners.

Using Checklists To Manage Your Business And Eliminate The Quotoopsquot Moments

2008-10-30T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Jim ODonnell

Have you ever encountered the "Oops" situation? Ever said "oops" when the customer received a damaged or non-working product, when the price rang up incorrectly, when the bonus wasn't included in an employee's check, or when a quarterly insurance payment was missed? We all have experienced an "oops" situation, and we know how that feels as well as what it costs. Using checklists can help to reduce the number of "oops" moments.

Checklists are a key component of a successful business operation. Utilizing checklists throughout a business leads to higher profits, more efficient and productive operations, satisfied customers, and a better quality of life for you and your employees. This White Paper addresses all aspects of a checklist, from what they are, to how and where to use them, and what benefits you can expect to realize.

A checklist is a list of items or tasks that you "check off" as you complete each item/task on the list. Checklists are everywhere and are an integral part of most activities both personal and business. In our own daily lives, we make checklists for organizing ("To-Do Lists"), planning (birthday party), prioritizing (bills to pay), shopping (grocery list), and so forth. Business is no different; checklists are essential to an effective, efficient, and profitable operation.

Checklists are used to plan, market, operate, and manage your business because checklists provide an effective means to organize, prioritize, direct, control and measure business activity. Simply put, without checklists there would be chaos. What would happen if each salesperson processed an order differently? Or there was no budget? Or you didn't know what was in inventory? Or what items were already on order? Or who was scheduled to work the evening shift? This not only would be chaotic, it's simply not good business. Checklists are essential to the successful operation of a business.

Let's look at the primary functional uses of checklists in business:

Planning: The strategic plan is a list of goals to be accomplished in the next year, and prioritized according to importance. The tactical plan is a list of action steps to take to meet a particular goal. A budget is a list of income and expenditure accounts and amounts intended to produce a profit. Planning checklists may divide into sub-lists, which, for example, might address store (or office) goals, customer goals, or product goals.

Marketing: The sales (or marketing) plan is a list of targets to achieve. These targets can be sales dollars, unit volumes, growth levels, new markets to enter, or market share. Sub-lists can be developed to address products, territories, major customers, advertising, and even individual salespersons.

Operating: "How to" lists are the mainstay of an efficient and effective business operation. Checklists cover the opening and closing of the store, recording a sale, dealing with customers, packing and shipping, handling inventory, ordering from vendors, depositing receipts, paying bills, and accounting activities. These checklists provide employees with the proper steps, in the correct sequence, to finish a particular task, such as completing an order form. The checklist also ensures that mistakes are minimized, time is well spent, revenue is optimal, and the customer is well taken care of. As for the latter, how would you feel if the clerk forgot to enter the serial number of the appliance you bought and your warranty wasn't in the system? A checklist makes sure that necessary steps are accomplished in the correct order.

Managing: Management uses checklists to report on how well the business is doing (revenue, expenses, profit), how to manage employees (timecards, payroll, performance), how product is moving (inventory, sales, turnover), how customers are being serviced (repeat sales, complaints, warranty service), and measure how the planning, marketing, and operating plans are progressing.

Checklists can be organized in any number of ways and are chosen to meet the specific needs of the task at hand, serve to minimize time and cost, maximize profit, ensure customer satisfaction, and provide meaningful metrics. Some of the more popular ways to organize a checklist are discussed below:

Ordered List: This type of checklist is a list of tasks needed to be accomplished in a particular order. Usually the checklist is numbered, starting at the first task or step, and proceeding to the last task or step, in increasing numerical order. For example, an order process has ten steps, numbered 1 through 10, starting with the order form (#1) and ending with the customer's signature (#10) on the form. The ordered list ensures correct and complete processing.

Itemized List: This is a list of items that need to be addressed, usually with some meaningful information alongside, and is used as a guide or reference. Examples would be a general ledger listing of accounts, a product list, a customer list, a vendor list, a sales target plan, etc. The purpose of an itemized list is to provide a complete accounting or reporting of the information present.

Sub-List: A sub-list is a branch or subset of an ordered list. For the sales order processing example above, sub-lists might exist for handling options on the product being sold, or for processing the type of payment (cash, credit card, check). Sub-lists can exist for almost any of the above types of lists.

Prioritized List: A prioritized list is any of the above lists placed into an order based on some priority scheme. For example, if we organized a listing of all inventory based on size, weight, price, or frequency of turnover, we would have a prioritized list. This type of list helps us to use our time effectively, to focus our energy where it's most needed, and to address the important items or tasks first.

General List: This is any of the above lists with a space for a check mark, initials, or additional information. As tasks or items are addressed, the line is checked or initialed as being done. Examples include (1) an inventory checklist might be a listing of inventory items to be counted. As each item in the list is counted, the count is written next to the listed item; (2) a bill of lading from a trucker would be a checklist itemizing all the items being delivered. As each item is received, counted and inspected, the item on the list is checked off; (3) a procedure checklist is a listing of steps/tasks to take to complete an operation (such as a sales order). The use of a checklist ensures accuracy, accountability, completeness, and efficiency.

The point to using checklists in business is to plan intelligently, market effectively, operate productively, manage efficiently, and make a profit. Through the combination of different types of checklists, used in all the functional areas of the business, a successful and profitable enterprise can result. Let's take a look at the specifics:

Intelligent planning uses an ordered checklist to conduct the planning sessions, and develops prioritized, itemized checklists for the plans and goals.
Marketing involves prioritized, itemized checklists to help achieve their goals, and ordered lists to carry out the marketing plans on a day-to-day basis. Checklists are used to measure the results of the marketing work.
Operations uses ordered checklists to accomplish the many tasks that are part of daily, weekly, monthly or other operations. Itemized checklists are used alongside ordered checklists, to address inventory, parts lists, or options.
Management relies on all the types of checklists to accomplish their objectives. Ordered checklists drive the functional aspects of managing, prioritized checklists ensure that all reporting is done, and itemized checklists collect the metrics necessary to evaluate the business and report a profit or loss.

So, how do you make a checklist work for you? Let's follow the six steps below:

Organize: Make a list of items or tasks that need to be addressed or accomplished. For example, a buyer would make a list of items to order, a salesclerk would have a list of steps needed to process an order, and a human resource person would have a list of steps necessary to process a new employee.
Prioritize: Sort the list of items/tasks into a meaningful order, from the first or most important to do, to the last to do. For example, the buyer may group items by vendor and/or by earliest delivery date, the salesclerk would align the order process in the correct order so as to avoid mistakes, and the human resource person would process the new employee through all steps to ensure nothing was missed.
Develop: Create the "check" part of the list by assigning a check box, a space for initials, or a place for additional information to be entered. For example, the buyer may annotate each item with the purchase information (quantity, delivery date, purchase order number, vendor confirming number, and vendor clerk's name), the salesclerk would number the steps in the correct order, and the human resource person would have the new employee initial each step as having been read and understood.
Validate: A checklist has little value if it is not reviewed and tested with the person that is going to use it. If it's your own checklist, you should test it (go through it) to make sure it's workable, makes sense, and it achieves the purpose for which it is intended. With anyone else, take them through it (rehearse it) to make sure they understand what the checklist is used for and how and when to use it.
Apply: Have several employees use the checklist as it is intended.
Amend: As you or your employees utilize the checklist, invariably 'problems' will be found or efficiencies can be introduced. Be open to making modifications, additions, and deletions. Only through change do we achieve the best we can be.

The point to using checklists in business is to operate productively and efficiently, keep costs low, and make a profit. As we've discussed above through examples, checklists can be used in all facets of any type or size operation. Checklists help to organize tasks, manage time, operate more efficiently, avoid excess costs and wasteful ways, and ensure compliance with laws, policies, and procedures. Checklists can be developed internally, can be purchased through a commercial source, or purchased and modified to meet your specific requirements. Purchasing a commercially available checklist that has been tested by many other business owners can save you a lot of time and money. One highly recommended source of business checklists that have been used by hundred's of businesses is available at WWW.JaguarConsulting.com for a very reasonable cost. However your checklists are created, their use leads to a successful and profitable business.

Up to this point, we've talked about the types, development, and the various uses of checklists in a business. The last question is 'Why?' What benefits accrue from using checklists? Let's take a look:

Minimize Mistakes. By using checklists, you stay focused and ensure all steps are processed in the correct order, correct pricing and taxes are applied, correct information is given to a customer, inventory is received and counted correctly, and employee time is recorded correctly. Mistakes are minimized.

Operate Productively. By using checklists, daily operations will proceed in a timely, orderly, and organized fashion, with less chance of "re-do's", less time per customer (or more customers handled), more time to get additional work done, better employee morale, and a belief that the business knows what it's doing.

Advertise Efficiently. By using checklists, the advertising effort will target the customers you want and will give you the feedback needed to fine-tune or re-tune your sales and advertising efforts. This leads to a better return on your advertising dollar and an increase in sales.

Manage Effectively. Through the effective use of checklists, management and supervisors now have a better reporting and communication system allowing them to better observe operations, focus on and address issues, and make changes faster and more effectively.

Reduce Costs. By applying checklists as described in the White Paper (minimizing mistakes, operating productively, marketing efficiently, managing effectively), you will save time and money.

Improve Morale. The use of checklists leads to less stress, more positive feelings, a better informed and educated staff, and an overall belief that the business knows what its doing.

Satisfy Customers. Effectively utilizing checklists leads to customer satisfaction and that leads to repeat business, referrals, and positive feelings toward your business and products, resulting in higher profits and a sustainable business.

Checklists are a valuable and essential tool for any sized business. They provide a meaningful, realistic way to plan, organize, operate, and manage a business and its money, products, customers, employees and results. The effective use of checklists is the key to a well-run, profitable business and for eliminating the "oops" moments!

Jim O'Donnell is the founder of Jaguar Consulting, Inc. of Kingston, NH. He provides a wide array of business development services for small business and has developed a series of self-assessment checklists designed to help small business owners achieve a higher level of growth and profitability. He can be reached at (603) 642-8338, JimODonnell@JaguarConsulting.com, or WWW.JaguarConsulting.com. Checklists that are currently available include:

Retail Store Checklist: WWW.JaguarConsulting.com/retail.cfm

Restaurant Checklist: WWW.JaguarConsulting.com/restaurant.cfm

Employee Benefits Checklist: WWW.JaguarConsulting.com/benefits.cfm

One Month Tune-up; Large Business: WWW.JaguarConsulting.com/turnaround.cfm

Start a Business Checklist: WWW.JaguarConsulting.com/startup.cfm

Selecting an Assisted Living Facility for a Loved One Checklist: WWW.JaguarConsulting.com/assisted_living.cfm

10 Conversation Starters For Introverts Who Want To Network Successfully

2008-10-29T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Donna Gunter

Many of you know that I'm a card carrying introvert on the MBTI scale (INFP), and as such, business networking isn't high on my lists of things I love to do. Or, should I say, networking as it's traditionally carried out -- big room, lots of people, mixing and mingling over drinks and inane cocktail party-like conversations -- is not my favorite activity. I'd rather have a tooth pulled, I think, than be subjected to this type of networking activity. However, if you put me 1:1 with someone, or even with a small group of people around a table, I have a good time and make great contacts.

However, organizations around the world seem to believe that the "big group" networking is most effective, so they sponsor many of these events during the course of a year. Sometimes you have to push yourself out of your comfort zone to achieve your goals, especially as a business owner, and that can be a very scary feeling. Consequently, I have dragged myself, sometimes kicking and screaming, to more of these events than I care to count.

I'm here to tell you that if you never choose to challenge yourself in any way, the success you'll have in growing and developing your business will be slow and stagnant, at best. What you resist most is usually what you most need to learn, and resistance around networking can be tied to lacking confidence in yourself and your abilities, or, if you're an introvert, it can tied to not knowing how to handle these types of events in a manner that's consistent with your personality style as an introvert.

What has made this process easier for me is that I go in with the attitude that I'm seeking to build relationships and find out as much as I can about the others with whom I speak, as I do love to help people out by connecting them to other people or resources that will help them accomplish what they want to accomplish.

Now, before going to a "big group" networking event, in an effort to psych myself up, I think of 3-4 powerful questions I could ask the people there to best help me get to know them and what they do and perhaps lay the foundation for an ongoing relationship. This technique is much more effective than talking about sports scores or the latest celebrity scandal, believe me!

Here are ten questions that I've used to help me begin to develop deeper relationships at a networking event:

What is the product or service your business provides?

Tell me about your ideal client and how I might recognize him/her.

What projects are you working on right now?

How did you decide to go into this business?

What do you find most challenging about (your industry) these days? I fill in the industry name in with banking, computer maintenance, financial planning--whatever is appropriate to the person with whom I'm speaking.

Tell me about your community involvement. In what other professional or civic organizations do you participate and what role do you play in the organization?

How is (some current event) impacting your industry/business right now?

What do you most enjoy about what you do?

I'd love to hear one of your client success stories--how did you make a difference in the client's life or business?

Who would be a good referral for you at this point?

People love to speak about themselves and are flattered when they're asked deeper questions. This technique takes all the pressure off of me, as my focus is the other person. This strategy makes all the difference in the world for me. And, by digging a little deeper with the person, there's a greater possibility that we might find the common ground on which to begin to establish a working relationship. You'll also find that the other person will more than likely want to hear your answers to some of these same questions, so be sure that you've developed answers for them for your own business as well.

So, ye introverts, be not afraid and go forth and network!

Online Business Resource Queen (TM) and Business Coach Donna Gunter helps self-employed service professionals learn how to automate their businesses, leverage their expertise on the Internet, and get more clients online. To sign up for more FREE tips like these and claim your FREE gift, TurboCharge Your Online Marketing Toolkit, visit her site at Get More Clients Online . Read about running an online biz at our blog, Get More Clients Online Blog.

The Computer Virus That Could Take Advantage Of You

2008-10-27T13:00:00.003-07:00

Writen by Steve Dimeck

Do you know there's a brand new computer virus that can get into your computer without you knowing even if you have AntiVirus and AntiSpyware installed? And when you try to get rid of it, it totally wrecks your system.

I didn't know until a few days ago. On Thursday, the 25th of November (Thanksgiving), my computer was infected by a virus that literally took control of my web browser and wrecked my machine when I tried to get rid of it.

Let me tell you what happened...

After we were all done with our Thanksgiving dinner, I went online to do some quick research for my next article. But instead, I stayed up all night battling a virus from hell!

Shortly after I got online, my Norton Antivirus and my adware/spyware removal software Spyware Doctor, started going wild with notifications of a virus presence in my computer.

I immediately stopped doing what I was doing and got Spyware Doctor to scan my hard drive. Before long, it gave me a report about 196 infected files with Trojan and some other types of adware/spyware virus residing on my hard drive!

I was shocked when I saw that. Just the day before the computer was fine!

So then, I spent hours going through the whole procedure of removing the virus from my hard drive - and soon it was clean. Or so I thought...

Here's what the virus was doing:

Everything looked normal. If you don't know much about website development, you may never notice that something was wrong. And that's really dangerous, because anything can happen once your system is infected!

As I continued with my research, I noticed something very strange. Many of the links that I clicked on, led me to one particular website that was filled with hundreds of different affiliate programs and products.

Regardless of what website I would look at, every single website had these links placed on specific key words and phrases, such as: money, internet marketing, data, webhost, home based business, business opportunity, work, and others. And all of the links would take me to this website with the hundreds of products. That was very unusual.

But when I looked at my website, much to my surprise I saw the same links on my site!

I couldn't believe it! The links did not exist in my html. But where were these links coming from?

It's my website. I wrote those webpages! I didn't put those links there. And yet when I looked at the website the links were there.

I called my sister and I asked her if she was seeing the same thing on her computer as I was seeing on my computer. She looked at my website and told me that she wasn't seeing any of those additional links, other than my usual links.

That made me realize that something was wrong with my computer. I saved the file that I was typing for my next article so I could devote my attention to finding a solution for this problem. A strange thing happened as soon as I hit the save button. The file reformatted itself. Hyperlinks were placed on all of the key words (as I already mentioned some) that were found in the file. But who placed those links?

When I clicked on the link, it took me to the same page with the hundreds of products. I got very scared because I felt like I was losing control of my computer. From my previous experience (but not as extreme), I've learned that the virus always stays in touch with the hacker's server, constantly transferring information about my activities gathered from the registry.

This looked like a very serious virus. So I immediately unplugged my Internet connection. This way, the hacker was no longer going to be able to pull information from my registry, and I was going to face the virus without any additional input by the hacker.

But regardless. I lost the battle. For THREE FULL DAYS I tried to remove the virus, but without any luck..

The Spyware Doctor narrowed it down to one trouble file, which was a type of Trojan that existed in my System32 directory. The Trojan was renaming itself every few seconds by randomly selected names.

Norton Antivirus said that this type of Trojan gave no visual indication that my computer had been infected. It was dropping a copy of itself with a randomly named executable file.

Every time the Spyware Doctor would find the Trojan, it was unable to locate it and it couldn't remove it. That's because the Trojan already had a different name.

Also, what I found out was that I was never looking at my Internet Explorer browser. I thought I was, but I wasn't. I found a Java Script that was taking the source code from any website that I would go to, reformat it by adding the links to the selected key words and then display the new code in another window that was being generated by a remote server.

My original browser window was getting killed and I was looking at a cloned window with inserted links. That was happening with such speed that I didn't even notice it because of my fast Internet connection (cable modem).

After I unplugged the Internet connection, my computer was no longer functioning properly. I couldn't access my "windows explorer" window any more, I couldn't open my Internet Explorer window and I lost control over many other functions.

But each time I would turn the Internet modem back on, my computer would start to work fine. Only, the Spyware Doctor would give me a notification that over 40 dangerous files were immediately being downloaded into my hard drive.

The Trojan virus that I couldn't remove because of its re-naming capability was probably staying in touch with the hacker's server. So I switched the Internet connection off for the last time and I shut down the computer.

Right now as I'm writing this, I don't have a computer at home because I gave it to a technician to reformat the hard drive and try to save as many files as possible. I'm writing this from another computer and I'm really worried that none of my files will be saved... that will mean months of work down the drain!

I have since learned that my antivirus and anti-spyware software would not protect me against the Trojan threat. I needed a firewall to protect me, and make sure my computer was invisible online.

Please, don't let this happen to you! Install a firewall on your computer so you can make your IP address invisible to hackers.

As I'm finishing this article two weeks after the virus attack, my Norton Firewall is working at full force. Every time a hacker tries to send Trojan files to my hard drive behind my back, a window in the bottom right corner pops us notifying me of the dangerous executable files being blocked from entering my hard drive.

I lost over 90% of my files but I've learned my lesson the hard way.

Â© Steve Dimeck, webmaster and author. His recently published ebook "The Success Maze" provides an "Apt solution" (in the words of Neil Shearing) for people who want to succeed online but feel a bit lost in the online "Maze." Free details at: http://www.thesuccessmaze.com

How To Profit From Reading Ezine Articles

2008-10-27T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Jerome Dsouza

As a learning base the ezine article is a terrific resource for network marketers but how many of us are able to convert all this free-flowing information into profit, into cash?!?

Not many it seems considering the oft-quoted statistic of 3% successes as opposed to 97% failures for the new online network marketing businesses.

Here are some simple steps you could take to distil the power contained in the articles you read and bottle it into profits for you.

1. Take control - limit your ezine subscriptions.
2. Try reading as opposed to scanning!
3. Stop making 'mental notes'
4. Stop saving articles, hints, tips for 'later'

Here is a major step towards profiting from reading ezine articles. Just one condition though...

You Must Do This NOW!

*Copy and save the article in a 'notepad' file.
*Copy and save BUT do not close the file.

Next, resize this notepad file such that it occupies half your monitor, say the left half. In the right half, open which ever aspect of your online biz the article refers to...web-design, web-copy, web-traffic, ad-headline, ad-copy, whatever.

Now...while reading the article on the left, correlate it with your own efforts on the right - simultaneously correcting, editing, and making changes as you go along.

In all probability you will be surprised by the results of this simple procedure!

Maybe your ad-copy could change right before your eyes as a result of applying the hints you are reading in an ad-copy article.

Or your 'headline' could morph into that 'hypnotic' spell you've always wanted.

Or you could understand how a site layout should include special trigger areas that impel people to buy stuff online and see how your site is lacking that special trigger. (as explained by the marketing guru in the article on your 'left')

Instead of copying to notepad, you could simply resize the article right where it is - in your email program or web page and start applying it to your efforts.

I prefer notepad for it is very easy and quick to use. The stark black and white format with no toolbars whatsoever helps in staying focused on the job at hand and this gets the job done as quickly as possible.

Another thing you could do is take a print-out: This has the added advantage of being able to be read from more 'angles' than is possible on your desk-top or lap-top and one never knows from which angle inspiration may peep out.. A pencil at hand is vital to jot down fleeting brain-waves.

Either which way the results are instantaneous.

Now all those helpful articles, which would normally be scanned and most probably canned...are Saved, Read, Applied! You've not only finished reading the article, you have even assimilated the information.

Approaching the nuts and bolts of an online biz in this simple way indirectly tackles other major obstacles too.

Procrastination for one gets a well-deserved kicking.

On another level, seeing immediate changes in your efforts brings back a host of lost emotionsenthusiasm, optimism, confidencepassion

The Universe gears up to respond affirmatively to the proper use of intelligence.

Even the spouse notices something's going on!!! :-)

With Finest Regards,

Jerome D'souza

Jerome D'souza, an evolving network marketer feels the newbie's plight - the programs that go nowhere, the raised eyebrows of friends and family, the amused tolerance of an otherwise loving spouse. Jerome feels and offers a helping hand through his website at http://www.freebookongettingrich.com

Getting Down To Basics With A Web Site

2008-10-26T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Tristan Jud

What is a web site? A web site is a associated collection of web pages on the world wide web, consisting of files that are organised into a hierarchy. Each file/document can consist of a combination of graphics, text, audio video and other dynamic or static material. A website is most commonly used as a communication medium between a business and client or business and business. They can usually be accessed by using a search engine or typing in the web site address or domain name into an internet browser.

56% of businesses surveyed identified that they had already recovered their investment in e-business, with 22% of businesses that have recovered their investment achieving a greater than 50 percent return on that investment.

In July 2003 some 49% of all small to medium enterprises indicated a potential to use e-commerce to sell their products.

What are the benefits? A website is a dynamic and cost effective way to reach new and existing customers, on a local, national or global scale.

A carefully constructed website, like those developed by Able Net Design, can attract the right users and may thus establish the following benefits.

Visual Display - Showcase of products services to likely customers
Sales - Bring forth additional recenue and greater awareness
Information - Supply further information to new and existing customers
Ehanced service - By providing a further contact method for customers

Other great facts 68% of all small to medium enterprises surveyed indicated that their expectations for all e-commerce have been met.

32% of all small businesses and 63% of medium businesses surveyed, use the internet for receiving payment.

45% of small and 64% of medium businesses surveyed use the internet to make purchases.

44% of small and 84% of medium businesses surveyed have a web site.

82% of small to medium enterprises surveyed who are connected to the internet search for information regularly.

93% of internet-connected small to medium enterprises surveyed use email as a form of communication.

81% of small and 98% of medium businesses surveyed are connected to the internet.

Source: 2003 Yellow Pages ® Business Index - Special Reports July 2003

Introduction To Turnkey Websites

2008-10-25T13:00:00.003-07:00

Writen by Mark Kenny

What exactly is a Turnkey Website?

Recently many opportunities have arisen which involve turnkey websites. A turnkey website is a fully developed and researched automated website, that is complete ready to go as soon as you purchase it.

It's not necessary to hire a huge team of web developers to setup your website. Or to hire market analysers to ensure there is a market for your website. Everything has already been completed and personalised by the designer of the turnkey websites during the setup of your site.

Turnkey Websites are built around pre-existing, proven opportunities. Opportunities such as dropshipping, ebay trading assistants, clickbank, adsense, amongst others. These are business that people are continually making money online.

These websites make it easy to make money online. They are a massive shortcut into the world of internet marketing.

Turnkey Websites normally come complete with your own choice of domain name and a hosting account. All you need to do, once you've made the purchase is to start marketing the site. A small hosting monthly fee will normally be payable.

Yes, you should be able to make changes to it and edit your site but marketing it should always be your number one priority. The quicker you market your site the quicker you'll receive your first payment or commission.

Mark Kenny is an eBay expert who specialises in launching eBay related turnkey businesses. You can see his selection of Turnkey websites at: http://www.Trading-Web-Solutions.com or read his blog via http://www.Trading-Web-Solutions.com/blog

Canadian Store Fixtures

2008-10-25T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Jimmy Sturo

Canadian store fixtures serve the basic function of holding and displaying items in stores. It is an ideal way to attract customers to buy products on display. The fixtures are available in different types, models, sizes, and shapes. You can find them in unique designs and personalized styles. The fixtures can be free standing or fixed. Free standing fixtures are standalone models, and are convenient for stores with less space. Free standing ones come with wheels for easy transportation. Fixed fixtures are placed on walls or floors for permanent use.

Canadian store fixtures are made of different materials; it could be metal, wood or acrylic. Acyclic fixtures are more commonly used because of its durability and ease in handling. Another advantage is that these fixtures are available at reasonable and affordable rates.

Like other store fixtures in the market, the length and breadth of Canadian store fixtures can be adjusted without removing the items on display. There are store fixtures for slate walls and grid walls. The capacities and prices vary with models. Mannequins, gondolas, shelves, racks, easels, display cases, and showcases are some of the commonly used store fixtures.

Canadian store fixtures are custom made according to the specific requirements of individuals. One can design or specify models that match with store furniture, walls, and roof colors. The fixtures are custom made for retail stores, trade shows, and exhibition stalls.

There are a number of manufacturers, retailers, and suppliers of new and used store fixtures throughout Canada. Ontario Store Fixtures in Weston is one of the leading manufacturers of store fixtures in Canada. Located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Eddie's Hang Up Display Ltd is one of the largest fixture distributors in western Canada.

They have over 2500 store fixtures and retail supply products.

Store Fixtures provides detailed information on Store Fixtures, Store Fixture Parts, Metal Store Fixtures, Antique Store Fixtures and more. Store Fixtures is affiliated with POS Systems.

Business Phone Systems

2008-10-24T13:00:00.003-07:00

Writen by Ken Marlborough

An integral part of any business endeavor is to have an efficient and reliable business phone system. Since customer service is the name of the game nowadays, it is important to have a phone system that will make it easy for any company to reach out to its target clientele. An effective business phone system is one that benefits both the company and its customers, so that one can easily get in touch with the other without encountering any problems. A complicated phone system, such as one that provides several automated choices, will surely make a potential buyer move on to another company that is less complex.

Currently, the available phone systems can be classified into three main kinds: KSU-Less phones that are more suitable for small businesses, Private Branch Exchange (PBX) systems that are more appropriate for large corporations, and Key systems, which serve as the middle ground for the first two types.

For a start-up company, it is essential that you select and establish an appropriate business phone system. It is important to factor in the size of your company, the needs of the target clientele you want to address, and the allocated budget in putting up such a system. You should also consider your future plans for expansion, whether in the short-term or in the long-term. In looking for a suitable phone system, you can try to do some research first on what systems are currently available in the market. Try to compare the capabilities of each system and their prices. Analyze the options and decide what features are necessary for your business. In order to strengthen your decision, it is recommended that you ask for professional advice. There are information services offered by suppliers of business phones. After doing your research and consulting with these experts in the business phone system, then you can make an educated decision.

For an already-established company that wants to improve its phone system, the same factors are important: business size, customer's needs, budget, and expansion plans. You should also look at your current phone system, to determine whether or not it can be expanded at a lower cost as opposed to total replacement. Again, it is important to conduct research and consult with professionals in the business phone system.

Whether you are starting up your company or expanding on your existing operations, a business phone system that is effective and reliable can contribute significantly to your company's success in creating a satisfied customer base.

Business Phone Systems provides detailed information on Business Phone Systems, Small Business Phone Systems, Affordable Business Phone Systems, Professional Business Phone Systems and more. Business Phone Systems is affiliated with Business Phone Services.

Benefits Of Online Shopping

2008-10-24T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Jamie Jefferson

When it comes to shopping, more and more of us are letting our fingers (and our mice) do the walking.

Online sales are expected to hit $211 billion this year. That is a rise of 20 percent over last year and comes just three years after the industry hit the $100 billion milestone, according to the 2006 State of Retailing Online report from Shop.org and Forrester Research. Here are seven reasons it makes sense to shop online:

1. Lower prices. Online shopping can reduce overhead costs in a variety of ways, which can translate to lower prices for you. In fact, one 2004 study found online prices to be 6 to 16 percent lower than offline prices.

2. More savings with online coupons. Many times, shoppers can save even further with an online coupon or coupon code. According to a 2005 Bizrate/Shopzilla report, 71 percent of online shoppers said they were able to find better discount offers and sales online, as compared to shopping through a catalog or traditional retail merchant. Online retailers may issue a button or text link that will apply an automatic savings to your order, or they may issue a specific coupon code to be entered at checkout.

3. Research capabilities. The Internet allows you to easily compare products and prices, so you can be sure that the item you purchase is the exact item you want. Online merchants can publish much more information about their product on a website than they could affordably publish in a print catalog. And online stores give you the ability to share information and reviews with other shoppers who have firsthand experience with a product or retailer. As Internet connection speeds continue to increase for larger segments of the population, these types of interactive features will become even more important. Zappos.com, a leading shoe retailer, for example, allows you to view most shoes from as many as eight different angles, including a close up.

4. Increased selection. Warehousing logistics can be much simpler for an online retailer, and many of the online superstores have a staggering inventory to choose from. Plus, as a consumer, you can avoid the inconvenience of physically traveling among online stores to comparison shop. A simple online search can lead you to the right product at the right price, fast.

5. Convenience. An online store allows you to shop 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. So you can shop at your leisure, regardless of your time zone. This is particularly important for those of us who are limited in our ability to get to a brick and mortar store. The elderly, as well as parents of young children, for example, may have a more relaxed shopping experience in front of the computer screen.

6. Saves time. So much of the vast variety of products and product information is easily searchable. Plus, there is no traveling, parking, and walking involved.

7. Environmental Benefits. Recent studies are showing that shopping online leads to reduced fuel consumption and air pollution, because so much of our car travel is dedicated to shopping. Plus, shopping online reduces the need for print catalogs and excess packaging. And downloadable items purchased online eliminate the need for any kind of material goods at all.

Jamie Jefferson is a frequent contributor to Momscape.com. Visit today for the latest online Coupon Codes including Overstock Coupons

Phishing Scam

2008-10-23T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Samuel Stambler

A lot has been written about all known kinds of scams including "Phishing". But criminals keep on throwing their nets and having quite a good take. Therefore we have to continue exposing the phishing attempts. And since "it is better to see once than hear 10 times" I want to share with you 2 emails that I have recently received.

These are really similar letters (in fact it is almost the same one with tiny differences). The letter(s) are as follows:

Subjects:

1. We were unable to authorize charges to the Credit Card Number you provided.

2. Your Amazon Account will be Closed!

"Dear AOL Client, (Dear Client)

As part of our security measures, we regularly screen activity in our network.

We recently noticed the following issue on your account: A recent review of your transaction history determined that we require an update of your account in order to provide you with secure services.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

You must click the link below and fill in the form on the following page to complete the verification process.

http://webmail.aol.com/mail/

(http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html)

We thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. Please understand that this is a security measure intended to help protect you and your account.

Sincerely,

AOL (Amazon) Billing Department"

As said, I clicked the link and saw a "secure" form asking for my name, address, credit card details and so on. It is clear that filling out this form would cause me a substantial financial loss. But how do I know that these letters are phishing? Simple: I am not and have never been a client of AOL. And how would l know if it weren't, say, a letter "from my bank"?

In reality, it is very difficult to reveal a scam without special knowledge. But a normal person cannot be expected to know all the technical details. Besides, even a great amount of knowledge doesn't always help to prevent deception. As in O'Henry's story "The Gentle Grafter. Modern Rural Sports", a most technologically educated person can be duped by cunning swindlers playing on the person's primary instincts and emotions.

So I will not elaborate on the techie methods. I would only like to note that the links in the letters are spoofed: in the letter, the "Amazon" link location is in India! What I recommend is to be armed with COMMON SENSE and follow a number of IRON rules:

- Legitimate companies do not send impersonal letters (they know your name/ID, while the phishers - do not);

- Legitimate companies do not ask for sensitive information via email;

- NEVER give your personal or financial information to an organization that you don't know;

- NEVER give your sensitive information if you have not initiated the interaction (since you cannot know who the correspondents really are);

- NEVER send via email your personal or financial information (it is not a secure method);

- Regularly check your bank account and credit card statements;

- If you received a phishing letter forward it to spam@uce.gov.

Be careful !

The Author: Samuel Stambler. Owner of http://www.readerspot.com

Bomb Ten Easy Steps To Blow Up Your Next Big Presentation Guaranteed

2008-10-23T13:00:00.000-07:00

Writen by Harrison Monarth

Your next presentation is just around the corner. To ensure devastating impact, just follow these ten steps and watch your career catch fire.

1. Avoid Excessive Research

Research is for geeks and bookworms. Do you really want to bore your audience with a bunch of statistics and facts that they can easily get from the library or from Google?

You want to tell people your version of how things work, not someone else's ideas that have been posted all over the Internet already.

2. Be Spontaneous

Preparation and rehearsals are for amateurs, or actors. By practicing your presentation you only sabotage your chances for spontaneity. Just scribble down a few notes and stuff them in your pocket in case you need them for reference. This allows you to improvise as you go, keeping your talk lively and interesting. People hate predictability.

Plus, by rehearsing your presentation you run the risk of having a bunch of know-it-alls give you unwanted feedback, which may tempt you to make last-minute changes. Do you really want to start over? Remember, this is YOUR show!

3. Always Start 15 Minutes Later

When you go to a 7:30 movie, what time does the feature presentation actually start? Around 7:45. There are usually at least 15 minutes of commercials and previews, to allow people enough time to settle in for the big show.

If this strategy works for multimillion-dollar movies, it will work for you too.

Besides, if you start your talk right on time you'll only get distracted by the latecomers.

4. Calm Your Nerves

To avoid getting nervous prior to your presentation, have a big meal and an alcoholic beverage right before you start your talk. Both will help you relax to the point where you wish you could take a nap. If food and beverages are not available at the time, head to the nearest pharmacy and get some cold medicine or sleep aids. But don't overdo it. All you want to do is take the edge off, not go to sleep.

5. Open With a Joke

People like to laugh. Telling a joke at the beginning of your talk will serve as a great ice breaker. And if they hate the rest of your presentation, at least you made them laugh right at the start. And first impressions are the most important.

If you can't remember any good politically incorrect jokes, pick on someone in the audience. That's what stand-up comedians do. Before long, you'll have the audience roaring and in a great mood.

6. Ignore the Audience

When you finally get up to speak, don't look anyone in the eye. They'll just make you nervous with their constant staring!

Also, if people shake their heads or roll their eyes while you're speaking, you won't get distracted by looking at them, so you stay right on track with your presentation.

7. Use Jargon Liberally

You're the expert, right? You speak a specialized language that only you and a handful of other experts in your field know. You've earned the right to use it. If your audience can't keep up, it isn't your problem. Maybe next time they'll be better prepared and study up on the topic you're speaking on.

8. Don't use Audio Visuals

PowerPoint is the devil. It's complicated and technical and cumbersome to drag around. Plus it adds unnecessary preparation time. And who's going to set it up? What if there aren't any electrical outlets or they're too far from the front of the room? You don't want to burden yourself with all these technical details. Skip the fancy technology.

9. Time is Money

What you have to say is too important to fit into a predetermined time slot. You might take twenty minutes, you might take two hours. If inspiration strikes during your presentation and you think of additional information your audience should know, are you supposed to withhold it? That wouldn't be very ethical. Pack as much detail as possible into your speech.

On the flipside, if you run out of things to say before your allocated time is up, people can get back to work and you'll have directly contributed to office productivity. It's a win-win situation.

10. Leave Quickly

Audiences are infamous for asking questions after presentations, and if you stick around you'll only set yourself up for annoying Q & A sessions.

Obviously people weren't paying attention while you were speaking, so why should you reward them by answering questions that you most likely covered during your talk?

Watch the President the next time he makes a statement to the press. As soon as he's said what he wants to say, he heads for the exit, with reporters shouting questions after him. Does he waste his time? Neither should you. Perhaps the audience should take notes next time.

Harrison Monarth is a Speech Coach whose firm helps Fortune 500 Executives, Political Candidates and Professional from Finance, Technology and Sales convey their message with impact. For information contact GuruMaker School of Professional Speaking at 866-806-4366 or 720-394-7999. Read his blog at http://www.gurumaker.typepad.com/

5 Keys To Choosing Plate Rolls

2008-10-22T13:00:00.003-07:00

Writen by E.G. Hellerson

Unfortunately, many buyers end up purchasing equipment that lacks the capability and flexibility to meet production volumes and tolerances, simply because they don't understand all available options and considerations.

Between diminishing factory orders and increasing labor and energy costs, companies that use plate metal in their fabricating processes are finding their profit margins increasingly pinched.

Yet, manufacturers must still invest in new production equipment -- whether to replace obsolete equipment or to take advantage of new business opportunities -- in order to remain competitive.

Manufacturers must make careful assessments when evaluating the addition of new plate-rolling equipment. Debt capital is still available to purchase new machinery, but paying back the loan will not yield a satisfactory return on investment unless the equipment adds value to the production.

In an effort to help manufacturers optimize plate rolling operations, 5 key considerations are offered in order to choose a proper plate bending machine.

1. Work with an equipment dealer that is willing to discuss your specific plate-rolling needs

Customers must know the correct questions to ask, in order to get the correct answers. Each manufacturer faces unique challenges, and through systematic querying an astute sales representative can determine exactly what equipment will work best for their process.

Customers need to discuss issues such as inside diameters, material type, tolerances and the desired shape of the finished product. As an example, some products, such as those found in the pressure vessel industry, demand a maximum of 1 percent out-of-round on their diameters or they are considered defective. By using an underpowered plate roller, too much of a barrel effect can render such a product useless and quickly erase any potential profit margin.

Manufacturers must also carefully consider whether they wish to roll conical or parabolic shapes to take advantage of a broader market. Hydraulically operated four-roll machines are ideal for this type of work by eliminating surface scarring, thereby decreasing the need for grinding the lamination (bullnosing) on the minor diameter edge of a cone.

Accurate conical rolling is further achieved through features such as torsion bar parallelism, as opposed to electronic systems or proportional value systems that merely maintain a theoretical balance. Finite parallelism allows the machine to be adjusted to its full conical tilt and back to parallel in only five seconds.

Matching plate-rolling equipment to the specific needs of a manufacturer requires attention to detail. It is imperative that the dealer you work with is willing to sit down with you and discuss the specific needs of your business. There are many issues that need to be addressed, many of which a purchasing manager may not initially foresee.

2. Factor in the properties of the material to be rolled

A metal's temper and yield strength must be matched with the customer's application to correctly determine the specifications of the plate roller. This is especially important since steel characteristics have changed drastically over the past couple of decades. What was once known as mild steel no longer exists.

Even though drawings call for a plate to be rolled down to the same dimensions, a tougher material will require a much higher-rated rolling machine. In absence of such considerations, defects will result and the manufacturer will end up with excessive scrap.

Today's steel is much stronger and requires more strength to bend. Thanks to detailed classifications by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, countless varieties of steel abound: A36, A516 grade 70, Hardox 400/500 series and AR 200/300 series, for example. And these different steels require varying pressures to roll.

3. Carefully consider bending diameters

All machines achieve precise measurements at 50 percent of the full-rated value. Therefore, given a 1.1 roll geometry, a 3/8-inch machine with a 10-inch top roller can consistently roll 3/16-inch plate to 11-inch ID without any barrel defect.

As a rule of thumb, most machines can roll plate at 1 1/2 times the upper roll diameter. Hence, given a 10-inch-diameter top roll, inside diameters as tight as 15 inches can be obtained. However, new machines that incorporate planetary guides are able to keep approximately 50 percent more area of the plate under bend-pressure during the rolling operation, thereby achieving ratios of 1.1 times the upper roll diameter. This creates a 30 percent advantage on tight diameters.

The tighter the diameter, the more bend pressure required. For instances where thick material must be rolled into tight inside diameters (ID), the diameter of the top roll and the layout of the machine can make the difference between a product whose cylindrical edges meet and one that won't close.

4. Incorporate both side and vertical supports to prevent unwanted bends

When rolling a cylinder, once the inside diameter is more than 200 times greater than the thickness of the material, the weight of the material becomes sufficient to bend the cylinder as it exits the top roll and gets further away from the machine. Without proper support, unwanted radii result.

Purchasing a machine with both side and vertical roller supports easily solves this problem.Some manufacturers attempt to skimp on this ancillary equipment by resorting to "makeshift" support such as a forklift or overhead crane. However, this shortcut ties up the use of equipment that can best be utilized elsewhere. Because it cannot adequately support the material, unforeseen bends can still appear.

Adequate support requires both side and vertical roller-supports, as designed by the manufacturer of the plate-rolling machine. Once employed, plate rolling becomes a one-man job instead of two. This frees up valuable manpower that can be re-routed to other jobs.

5. Stay within ideal operating parameters of the machine

It is recommended that manufactures identify what material and what thickness represent their highest volume of work. Then (a company) can deliver a machine that will camber to that specification, thus conserving valuable production hours and eliminating large amounts of scrap.

Quality rolling machines are usually cambered at 50 percent of the full-rated value of the machine. Hence, a 1-inch machine is cambered to roll 1/2-inch plate at a nearly perfect edge.

Disregarding this important fact can result in out-of-spec product that the customer will not accept. Problems most commonly arise when rollers attempt to push the upper limits of their plate roll. If 5/8-inch plate is rolled through a 1-inch-rated machine, a small degree of barrel effect will likely occur. This may or may not be an acceptable margin for error.

However, when plate thickness approaches the upper end of a machine's rating, then severe defects can occur. Unless corrected with a shim, it will not be sellable. Conversely, when very thin material is rolled through a machine rated for very thick plate, the finished product may come out tighter in the center than at the ends. Again, time consuming shimming is necessitated to correct for this "hourglass" effect.

Robert E. Heller is the current President of E.G. Heller's Son, Inc. For more information about the proper selection of metal fabrication equipment contact, E.G. Heller's Son, Inc., at 800-233-0929 or 818-881-0900, or visit http://www.hellerson.com.

Business Career Advice Stop Feeling Guilty About Time Off

2008-10-22T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Paul Megan

Are you sitting at your desk dreamily imagining yourself on a South Seas vacation? Or maybe a rollicking holiday with the family? Or maybe you'd prefer to stay home and watch some DVDs.

Wanting to take some time off shouldn't make you feel guilty. In fact, in her new book, "Time Off for Good Behavior," Mary Lou Quinlan writes that seven out of 10 people fantasize about leaving work for a few months.

What's more, she reports that taking a break can help you feel less burned out. It can help you organize your life goals. Most people don't realize that taking time off--guilt free--isn't as difficult as it might seem.

So don't feel like you're condemned to remaining chained to your desk. Here are six options you can check out:

1. Make a plan. Think about why you want time off. Do you just need a few days to relax? Or are you looking to completely assess your career?

2. Figure out how much time off you'll need to come back fully refreshed.

3. Count your days off. Figure out how many vacation days you have. Add in any remaining sick or personal days.

4. Check out company policy. You may be eligible for a sabbatical with full or partial pay. Or you may have the option of re-entering the company after an unpaid leave.

5. Talk to your employer. If the company doesn't have a policy or spell out the details of flexible time off, now is the time to find out what the company can offer you.

6. Negotiate for what you need.

The point is you shouldn't be afraid to take some needed time off. It may be just what you need to get your life back in focus and prioritize what really important.

Furthermore, if you are a valued employee, your boss expects you to come forward with recommendations that show how the company will benefit from your time off.

Taking the time to spell out your ideas in a way that shows both concern and awareness of your expectations can result in a mutually advantageous arrangement.

Paul Megan writes for EEI, the world-class pioneer in alternative job search techniques and non-traditional career advancement strategies . . . since 1985. Grab our stunning FREE REPORT: "How To Lock Up A High-Paying Job In 14 Days (Or Less)!" Click on RSS. http://www.fastest-job-search.com

It Service Management

2008-10-21T13:00:00.003-07:00

Writen by Jason Gluckman

The Internet has undoubtedly conquered every aspect of the business arena. It is rare to find business offices without computers these days. Practically a hundred percent of the business offices in the United States own computers to process their business transactions. This holds true in other first world countries such as Japan, Western Europe and China. In a simplified concept, the face of the earth is basically connected to the worldwide web that makes business more profitable and accessible.

Information technology is soaring these days. However, connectivity does not solve the entire problem, and it is a fact that cannot be ignored. But, the availability of cost-effective IT service management opens doors for network problem solutions. Internet connectivity coupled with high quality IT service management pave way for an increasingly competitive, technological future for the entire world to enjoy.

The IT department chiefly handles IT service management. It is the IT section that goes through the administration of computer and technology infrastructures to keep the business systems going on the right track. Moreover, the IT department is usually referred to as the Management Information Systems division.

A real efficient IT service management team can only be possible if the IT department is has competent specialists who assist in the areas of end-user technical support, network management, desktop management, business applications, voice and data communications and strategic planning. No one can perform the maintenance tasks in these arenas but skilled IT experts. IT-related businesses are in-demand in the world, so IT service management must meet the needs and wants of the proprietors by solely providing solutions to network and technical problems.

It proves effective to partner with an ever ready IT service management team that is able to provide the minimization of downtime and assign personnel who can solve technological issues. Moreover, with proper IT service management, not only the organization's customer service is improved, but also the cost efficiency, business strategies and top-notch, service quality.

Service Management provides detailed information on Food Service Management, Service Management, IT Service Management, Service Management Software and more. Service Management is affiliated with Project Management Training.

Do Your Homework Before You Create Your Product

2008-10-21T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Tamra Forde

Here's another great idea that the gurus are using to create high profit online products.

It's called an 'ask page' and is designed to let the potential customers tell you what they want to buy.

For example: If you were going to write an ebook about growing vegetables, why not put up a page, asking your potential customer what would be their number one question about growing vegetables.

Take your top 30 questions and use them as the bases of your product.

Now assuming you don't know diddly about growing vegetables. What you do is...get someone who does know about growing vegetables, to write an e book for you!

Now you might be wondering, who that might be? Easy! Just go to www.elance.com and get someone to do it for you. This is a website where people reverse bid to do the work for you.

This means they bid to the lowest price to see who will get the job.

How Good Is That?

People are willing to pay money for products that answer common questions about topics they are interested in.

· Bird watchers will buy an e-book that helps them find more birds.

· Aspiring musicians will pay for books that will help them learn how to play their favorite instrument.

· Job seekers will buy e-books telling them how to find a new career.

The problem is that most of us are not experts in lots of subjects and don't know what a potential consumer wants to know. That is where the market research comes in.

You can build a page dedicated to asking potential customers what they want to know and then use their information to create your product.

It's that simple and easy!

Try it our before you think you have great idea and you fall in love with your product because most times people really don't love your product like you do!

Tamra Forde
Director of Marketing
Freedom Business Opportunity
http://www.freedombusinessopportnity.com
info@freedombusinessopportunity.com

The Most Overlooked Principle To Getting Venture Capital

2008-10-20T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Abe Cherian

Venture capital is a possible source of funding for new relatively unproven enterprises that appear to have promising futures. However, such money is often hard to come by.

Be realistic in your quest for venture capital. Venture capital firms expect a business to be able to return their investment not only with interest, but with a large profit.

Many venture capital firms are affiliated with banks, insurance companies, other financial institutions and large corporations.

Some are owned by individuals or private groups of investors and a few are publicly held. Once you accept venture capital, you have relinquished some of your autonomy and accepted the understanding that the venture capital firm will take a large share of the profits you earn.

As an entrepreneur, you should understand the nature of a vendor firm, before pursuing this as a financing source. This type of investor expects a projected return on investment that is directly related to risk. The greater the risk, the greater the return expected.

Typically however, an investment firm will not be interested in getting involved with a new firm until the business has established itself in some way, so the risk factor can be determined.

The venture capital firm and its interest usually depends upon the stage of the new firm's development. Once the new firm has established itself and has a working organizational structure, a viable business plan and start up arrangement, a venture capital firm may be interested.

However, some firms prefer a later stage of new business development, perhaps when the new company is in its second or third round growth state and needs more capital either to carry out expansion plans or to tide it over until a merger or public offering carries it to the next stage of corporate growth.

A company's business plan serves as the primary analytical tool for the venture capitalist. In analyzing the plan, a venture capital firm would most likely focus on three features.

The product or service. Investors seek product or service innovations that give the company a strong competitive advantage. A new idea, backed by market surveys (measuring the appeal of the product or service and its potential market) may be tempting to such investors. Management capability.

No matter how good the product or how innovative the service, the quality and experience of the management is a key factor in the success of the business.

The astute investor is well aware of this and looks for solid evidence of such skill. The industry's growth. Investors also want to be sure that the product or service is in a growth field. A significant or revolutionary product improvement, by itself, may not have appeal in a declining product or service category.

Most venture capitalists purchase common or convertible stock rather than burden the fledgling enterprise with interest payments on debt or debentures. They may possibly want more than 50 percent ownership.

Additionally, while the venture capitalists may insist on sitting on the Board of Directors or offering management and technical advice, they are rarely interested in the day-to-day management of the business, unless its survival and their investment is at stake.

Keep in mind that the minimum investment is generally from $50,000-$500,000, but investment ceilings are almost unlimited.

You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter on your web site as long as the byline is included and the article is included in it's entirety. I also ask that you activate any html links found in the article and in the byline. Please send a courtesy link or email where you publish to: support@multiplestreammktg.com.

Abe Cherian's online automation system has helped thousands of marketers online build, manage and grow their business. Learn how it can benefit you too. http://www.imediatools.com

Sole Proprietorship Partnership Or Corporation

2008-10-19T13:00:00.003-07:00

Writen by Paul Taylor

Starting a new business can be a daunting task. There are hundreds of decisions to be made. Who, what, where, and when are not just for English class anymore. Another question that must be answered is "What form will my business be?" There are several factors to be considered and there are pros and cons for each type. In this article, I will try to briefly explain the differences between the business forms.

Sole Proprietorship: Most people are familiar with this type of business. This form is one person or married couple that usually operate the business by themselves. This is the "Mom and Pop" type of store. The owner receives all of the income from the business but is also responsible for all for the liabilities that the business incurs. The income or loss is also reported on the personal income tax of the owner. Most small businesses are started as this form of business. This is the easiest of all of the types of businesses to open.
General Partnership: In this type of business organization, there are two or more partners. The income is split between the partners, usually based on the amount of money or assets that each partner invests in the business and each must report his share of the income on his personal income tax form. Each of the partners have unlimited liability for the debts of the business partnership. Another drawback to this type is problems can arise between the partners. However, sometimes another opinion in a decision is just what a business needs.
Limited Partnership: A limited partnership is similar to the general partnership. All of the general partners have an unlimited liability for the business debts. However, a limited partners liability, as the name implies, is limited to the amount of the contribution that he has made to the business. Usually, a limited partner does not have as much input as the other partners and like the other partnerships must report income on personal tax forms.
Corporations: A Corporation is usually viewed as a separate legal entity with many of the rights and responsibilities of a person. The investors have limited liability; shareholders are not responsible for the corporation's debts. The corporation files its taxes just like an individual. If the corporation makes a profit and distributes dividends, it cannot deduct the dividends from its taxes and the individual recipients must also pay taxes. Therefore, a corporation is taxed twice on its earnings. A corporation has other tax benefits that an individual does not.
"S" Corporation: An "S" corporation provides the owners the benefit of being treated as a partnership on income tax, while also being treated as a corporation for other purposes.
Limited Liability (LLC): All of the members in a limited liability company have limited liability for the debts of the business. This form of business is similar to an "S" corporation because it is usually treated as a partnership for income tax purposes, but has the benefit of limiting the liabilities of the owners.

This is a brief description of the types of business that can be operated. Each of them has many more variations that are not present in this article and an attorney should be consulted to aid you in your decision. Each form has its benefits and drawbacks and the decision should be weighed carefully.

Although corporations allow limited liability to the principals, many creditors such as banks, other companies, and landlords may require a personal guarantee from the shareholders. A partnership may be a good decision; although, one of the partners may be dealing with a "hard head."

Take your time to weigh the pros and cons of each type of business and pick the one that is right for you.

Paul Taylor is a business owner that helps other business owners and entrepreneurs locate wholesale distributors for their business. Visit his website http://www.WholesaleMap.com for your wholesale needs or for more information about starting a business.

Franchise Rule Making And Political Climate

2008-10-19T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Lance Winslow

Last Summer the Federal Trade Commission put forth a report for the Franchise Industry; 432 pages of study. This report asks Franchise Industry participants to comment on only certain aspects of franchising which were addressed between 1995 to 1999. It is good to see that the FTC is finally doing something after 10-years of sitting on their rear ends with a stick up their butts, however one has to ask what about the issues between 1999 and 2005. Thus this exercise is completely flawed if it's goal is to bring the franchise rule up to date with consideration to the newest technologies of today in 2005. The process was also started during the ned of an election cycle. They should have known then that when Bush was re-elected it was quite conceivable that there would be a downsizing in government due to Federal debt loads as well as a downsizing of staff.

The expanding market will pick up those who are willing to put in an honest days work in the real world. So, then we need to look at simplifying the process to run more efficiently at the Federal Trade Commission with fewer people, since they will be out on the street, which is where they should be after terrorizing American Businesses and Franchisors. The easiest way to do this is to make the rules simple for less unnecessary opinions, case filings and regulatory oversight at the Federal Trade Commission, since there are other more important things to work on.

If Kerry were elected there is no doubt that larger businesses would call for more domestic and international protection of their markets and less regulation, thus more exemptions for larger corporations. The comments in this report reflecting million dollar accredited investors or sophisticated and knowledgeable investors would be very apropos to a Kerry Administration judging by his senatorial voting record. This would also mean these rules we are discussing now will continue into the next period in a political climate calling for less regulation not more.

Either way the FTC Franchising Division knew or should have known that the near future trend will be less government spending and less regulation. The country cannot survive and prosper borrowing two-billion dollars per week with consumer and capital money flows going out of the country at this rate due to greener pastures for manufacturing, outsourcing and investment for relief from over regulation and future unanticipated taxation.

The Federal Trade Commission has no business meddling with the franchising industry as there are no real issues in franchising of any significance hurting consumers; fraud is non-existent. John Edwards if he became the Vice President might like to see more trial lawyer suits to command presence and there would have been a switch from government control of law or referee scenarios of the game to controlling by private right of action.

The Federal Trade Commission's job then might be more aligned to this present way of doing things here in this report. Taking advice from outside attorneys who wish to use the government to manipulate laws making more lawsuits possible and continued higher awards, which is where the Federal Trade Commission in this rule-making endeavor is taking us now. Think about it.

Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

An Introduction To Viral Marketing

2008-10-18T13:00:00.003-07:00

Writen by Silke Stahl

Viral Marketing is the hot topic at the moment, but many don't really understand what the term means. As this is an internet based business, and therefore Internet Marketing, we need to look at it in internet terms.

You know when someone sends you a joke on email and it's a good one you want to pass it on. From your mailbox you open your list of friends names and post the joke on to everyone you know, or everyone on your "joke list", a list of people you pass jokes on to.

Next time you do this, have a scroll down the email to see the list of people it has come from at the head of each mailing. Each person who sent the joke on will have sent it to everyone on their "joke list". You'll see quite a few names you'll recognize, some of who will be on your own list.

This is "Viral" the joke has been passed on like a virus from person to person. Everyone they come in contact with has passed it on to everyone else they know.

The trick with viral marketing is to duplicate that process with your products and the business opportunity itself pass your store's website URL on to everyone who cleans their house or takes nutritional supplements, or who might, and get them to do the same with everyone they know.

Also, a lot of people who start using the products are going to want to get the products at wholesale. So they want their own store. So they sign up under you! And you get the commission not only on what they buy, but on anything people they know buy from them, and for anyone who signs up under them, who will be in your second line!

So, just as you send a joke you get to your "joke list", you need to get the biz opp to anyone who has a biz opp list. Congratulations, you have just been introduced to Listbuilding!

Marketing tools

Why use marketing tools? A lot of people on the Net aren't looking to join a program, they are already in one. It doesn't matter that ours is better than theirs, if they never look at the opp and consider it, they ain't gonna signup.

What we can give them however is a way to market what they are already selling. So we offer them our marketing tools. In doing so, they join our downline for that program, and so does anyone else they sign up. This gives us marketing methods to get our biz opp out to people who DO want to see it!

Listbuilding

Remember the analogy earlier about the joke list? What you have there is a list of people you send jokes to. How did you build that list? Your list of friends who you send jokes to. How did you get on the list of someone else, the person who sent you the joke?

What you need to build for your biz opp is what is known as an "opt in" list. This is a list of people who have chosen to join your list to receive information from you.

Building a list is vital for many reasons.

SPAM is the first and foremost it is illegal to send spam unsolicited email to people who haven't asked for it and didn't want it. Junk mail.

Despite the legal ramifications, look at the basic logic. Why send your biz opp to someone who doesn't want to see it? Why send a letter to someone who will just bin it without even opening it? Why send an email with a link to your site if the person receiving it doesn't want to know so won't even go look at it?

You may have the best biz in the world and sell the hottest products but if you can't get people to it, you aren't going to make a sale!

So we use listbuilding tools so that you have people to send your biz opp to! These are known as VLBs Viral List Builders.

And a great way to advertise your VLB is on a Traffic Exchange program a TE, Surf Exchange, Surf 4 Hits, etc. (What's in a name?)

Once you have a list of people who opted in to hear from you, and you have made initial contact and built up a relationship, then you can show them a biz opp that works for you, and then help them build their own business.
Congratulations - you've just become a mentor!

Silke Stahl is an International Internet Marketer and Home Business Entrepreneur.

Visit her website at: http://www.SilkeStahl.com

and her forum at: http://thestork.proboards20.com

Why A Business Coach

2008-10-18T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Lesley Moore

Why would an intelligent, hard-working, executive need a Coach? Unless you are in business for yourself, isn't that what your superiors are for? It would seem logical to assume that everyone in the corporate world has someone to report to, hence replacing the need for a Coach. What many find, though, is that the bigger the company, the bigger the challenges and the less time he/she may have for you.

So how do you know if you could benefit from having a Coach? You work hard and you are successful, yet deep inside you feel you could be challenging yourself even more. Unsure of how to get to the next level, you continue setting goals, but find that most days ultimately end the same as the day before. With a Business/Executive Coach, you would have the opportunity to bridge the gap between expectation and performance, so you don't find yourself constantly creating new goals, yet ending with the same results.

What you know and what you have done to be successful thus far, only goes as far as your own horizons, but with a Coach you can:
 Learn to work harder, but with less stress.
 Redefine what's really important.
 Create the passion to overcome challenges.
 Refine and build upon your existing skills and talents.

A Coach will focus on the strengths that already exist within you and help you to reach your full potential. A potential that you didn't know existed.
Are you ready to:
 Manage more effectively?
 Increase profitability?
 Organize time more efficiently?
 Project confidence?
 Redesign an existing career or jump into an entirely new one?

Then I would say what are you waiting for? It sounds like a Coach is just what your career could use right now!

Lesley Moore is President and Owner of LifeScope, Life and Executive Coaching. She specializes in working with individuals in transition, empowering them to create a life they love and with professionals to help them bridge the gap between expectation and performance. She is also a Personal Fitness Trainer and a Freelance Writer. Lesley graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in Journalism and has studied coaching through the Mentor Coach Program, which is recognized by the International Coach Federation. For more information about Life and Executive Coaching, visit her website at http://www.LifeScopeCoach.com or e-mail her at lessmore4@comcast.net.

A Retirement Job A Great Way To Stretch Your Retirement Savings

2008-10-17T13:00:00.002-07:00

Writen by John V. W. Howe

As a part of your retirement planning, have you thought about a retirement job?

Continued income from a post retirement job can have a very substantial positive impact on your retirement finances.

Let's do a fast calculation and see the impact of an after retirement job on your retirement finances. Let's calculate the amount of investment that you need to generate a monthly income of $1,000 per month.

To do this we need to make a few assumptions. Assume the income generation rate of your investments is five percent (5%). Let's assume that we are not going to take any principle from your investments to do this. This will leave the principle intact for use later after you have stopped working in your retirement job.

The calculation is how much principle is needed to generate $12,000 per year ($1,000 per month). The formula is principle divided by the income interest rate ($12,000/.05 = $240,000). I think you will agree that is a large amount necessary to generate $1,000 of income per month.

However, a thousand dollars per month is not too large an amount to expect to make in a retirement job and just look at the impact that it has on preserving your retirement investment.

Three retirement calculators on the Net that include income from work after retirement in the calculations are the AARP Calculator, the Employee Benefit Research Institute Calculator, and the MSN Calculator. The MSN calculator is especially easy to use and is very visual so you can see the results as you change the variables.

These calculators have a weakness since they ask for the amount of annual income from a job after retirement, but they do not ask for the age when that income will stop. They assume the income will continue until death which may not be accurate. We are all living longer, but most of us will not be working at age 90.

These three retirement calculators are the more realistic calculators on the Net. They help us calculate how much money we will need to retire. However, they do not help us manage our retirement funds after we retire.

Once we retire, the variables involved in calculating retirement finances are greatly reduced. Unless Aunt Bess leaves you an unexpected inheritance in her will, you know what your retirement savings are that have to last your lifetime.

Unless inflation runs away during our retirement, the major variables we have to consider are how much we budget to spend each year, the amount we make from our retirement job, and how long we choose to work at that retirement job.

A retirement calculator that will help you plan your after retirement finances can be found at the Retirement Jobs Online website (http://www.retirement-jobs-online.com). This calculator will help you determine how long your retirement savings will last under various different situations.

As part of your retirement plan, you can use the Internet and work from home on your own schedule to generate the income that will extend your retirement savings. Use the calculators mentioned above to see the real impact income from a retirement job can make on your retirement finances.

Thousands of people are using the Internet to make a full time living. Why not use it for retirement work and make some money to boot? This will be a nice supplement to your retirement income from your investments and Social Security. And you can have some fun in the process.

I wish you a great and productive retirement.

John V. W. Howe is an entrepreneur, author, inventor, patent holder, husband, father, and grandfather. He has been involved in entrepreneurial activities for over 40 years. He founded http://www.boomer-ezine.com and http://www.retirement-jobs-online.com to help Boomers (baby boomers) become entrepreneurs when they retire.

How To Write A Powerful Sales Copy

2008-10-17T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Randy Sei

Like what many marketing gurus said, having traffic alone is not sufficient to ensure that you have a successful Internet Business. The key to success is "Conversion". If you have 100,000 visitors to your web site but only 10 of them were making purchases, you are still not as successful as someone who has 1000 visitors with 5% conversion rate (i.e. 50 purchases). The reason for low conversion rate could be lack of targeting in your ads. That is very important but not my topic of discussion today. Another reason which could be more important could be poor sales copy. If you have low conversion rate, one of the area you should seriously look at is your copy.

There are 3 very important key components that you must have in your copy to ensure that you have higher conversion rate. They are:

1. Unique Selling Proposition.
2. Think the same frequency as your target market.
3. Powerful Headline.

1. Unique Selling Proposition. You copy must have an Unique Selling Proposition. There are hundreds if not thousands of competitors out there. Why must your target audience buy YOUR PRODUCT or even buy the product from YOU (if there are so many people selling the same product)? You need to be able to articulate all the strengths to your audience. That's is not enough! You need to be careful that you are selling your benefits not features. You must first understand their pains, their concerns, their frustrations and provide them with solutions to their pains etc. You need to list down clearly how each of their challenges can be addressed and how they can enjoy the benefits your product or services will bring them.

2. Think the same frequency as your target market. When you communicate with your target market, you need to understand their demographics. Like what many said, heart-ware is more important than hardware or software. Understanding the emotions of buyers and communicate at the correct level with your target audience will get you going. If you are trying to address too wide and audience, you may be in for trouble. That's why most marketing gurus ask you to find your niche. You need to know their fear, their objections so that you can present your message in such away that will keep their fears in check and objections answered. For example, providing a guaranty so that you can address the fear of buying a wrong product. Sometimes customers fear that they purchase a product that is not suitable for them. That makes them think twice. If a strong money back guaranty is given, they will be more willing to take the risk since the risk is no longer there.

3. Powerful Headline. Looks like I am putting the most important thing last. Surely, the headline is what your reader see first and it has to be powerful and captivating. Without which, the rest is useless. The head line must grab the attention of the readers. It must make them wanting to continue to read on. You need to arouse their curiosity positively. One of the very effective head line is "HOW TO .....". Things like "how to make $20,000 in a week...", "How to lose 20lb in 3 months..." are some of the examples. You should avoid headlines that are too general like "the value of quality services..." "the internet business guide book..." etc.

So, bearing these in mind, the next time you write your copy, make sure the above 3 components are there. I wish you success in you Internet Marketing Business.

Randy Sei owns www.bizgenerator.com and www.bizgenerator.com helping people achieving financial freedom with Internet Business. He is also a trainer in IT business.

Bar Code Label Manufacturers

2008-10-16T13:00:00.003-07:00

Writen by Richard Romando

Some companies deal in designing bar code labels and selling them to other establishments. These bar code label manufacturers print both preprinted and custom designed labels according to the specifications provided by the ordering company.

Preprinted labels are ready to use labels that are sold in the market. They are available in bundles of 100, 250, 500, etc. Bar code label manufacturers create preprinted labels with technologies such as reflective printing or photocomposition. Photocomposition is an expensive process, but it produces almost authentic and high quality bar codes. Bar code labels made by photocomposition are sold at higher prices than reflective labels. Companies that do not have their own bar coding equipment buy bundles of them from the market for their use.

Manufacturers also customize bar code labels according to the requirements from the ordering company. They can change the size, color, numerical and alphabetical information, nature of the bar coding, etc. as the ordering company suggests. Information such as name of the company, date of shipment or loading, location, etc. is mentioned on customized bar code labels if needed. Manufacturers use specialized software to design the labels.

Naturally, bar code label manufacturers use high-end equipment to manufacture their labels in bulk. Several companies rely upon bar code manufacturers to buy their labels as it not only saves them money, but also time and manpower.

Computers, scanners and printers are all used in conjunction to design, test and print labels. Sequential numbers are provided on the labels so that they can be used to manage inventory. If desired, manufacturers will also place information in the form of alphabetical and numerical codes on the labels.

Bar code label manufacturers also sell other things such as nameplates, location tags, sealing tags and bar code scanners and printers.

Bar Code Labels provides detailed information about bar code labels, bar code label printers, bar code label software, bar code label makers and more. Bar Code Labels is the sister site of Bar Code Software.

Spotting And Preventing Professional Suicide

2008-10-16T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD

"This job is killing me!" That statement may seem to be an exaggeration, but in looking closely at the work environment, it has become apparent there is a serious malady affecting the productivity of organizations. This malady has been coined 'professional suicide,' by a company which was among the first to become aware of the problem.

Professional suicide, a widespread but rarely studied phenomenon is costing companies not only dollars and cents but the talents and skills of many bright, creative and committed key employees. The syndrome affects talented hard driving employees with strong accomplishment needs. Those most likely to be affected are good employees who constantly operate in a crisis situation because of management's lack of planning or leadership. These initially highly motivated employees begin the suicidal process within three to five years after developing a solid record within the organization. The despair of not achieving what they want in what seems by now to be an absolutely hopeless situation has begun to undermine their self-confidence and bruise their egos.

These upwardly mobile employees suddenly reverse course. Their work begins to deteriorate. They lose interest and fail to keep up with new on-the-job developments. They develop physical complaint, many classically psychosomatic (migraine headaches, ulcers, high blood pressure, frequent colds or flu) and seem unable to change this downward spiral. Sometimes they quit on the flimsiest of pretexts and take another job beneath their capabilities. Many times they become disruptive, overstep policy bounds, or do things they surely know they will be fired for doing. In short, in many ways they rapidly and illogically destroy their careers and sometimes themselves.

What causes this apparent self-destruction? It is the result of a battle between specific characteristics of both the individual and the organizational environment. In the individual, problems have arisen in the satisfaction of basic needs common to all human beings. These basic needs described by Maslow as the "Hierarchy of Human" needs are recognition and a sense of self-esteem, growth and development (self-actualization), a sense of purpose and a structure from which to view the world. When people are unable to meet these needs in the organization they leave or become disruptive because they're frustrated.

A frequent cause of professional suicide is that the behavior required for survival demands unacceptable violations of a person's values. Not being able to be totally candid with individuals on projects is one example. On projects, the rule is that team effort is expected, but in the end individuals aren't rewardedthe team is king. If an individual works only in team efforts they will seldom receive individual recognition. This lack of individual recognition begins to erode their egos and self-esteem. Sometimes people are asked to falsify records, or to sign off on unfinished projects. These requests leave them struggling with their ethical valuestheir responsibility toward colleagues pulls from one side and a sense of personal honesty and integrity pulls from the other.

If the way to survive in an organization requires individuals to be deceptive or surreptitious, they will either avoid doing what it takes to get head in that organization and retire in place, or do what it takes and feel guilty when they survive and progress. The degree to which the situation degrades, devalues, or shames the person is highly individual.

The organizational characteristics that create and foster professional suicide are in direct opposition to basic individual needs. These characteristics are manifested by management's lack of setting specific goals and objectives or the 'rules of the game' are confusing. Cohesive work groups and teams are not fostered or are non-existent. Evaluation, feedback and individual performance reviews are carelessly managed or ineffective. Reward systems based on organizational results (merit increases) are non-existent or poorly defined. Anxiety, competition, and guilt, rather than a reward system are used as motivators. And ambiguous communication (or none at all) with employees is the norm rather than the exception.

This lack of clear communication provides a powerful scapegoat for managerial incompetence. If subordinates get into trouble when tasks were poorly defined they take the blame, after all, they were toldalbeit the communication was ambiguous.

Dr. Donald W. Cole, author of Professional Suicide, a Survival Kit for You and Your Job (1981, McGraw-Hill) conducted a study of corporate life. The style of corporate leadership he identified as necessary for keeping people healthy and productive offered a clear vision for the futureengage the employee in goal setting and planning; provide performance evaluations on a regular basis along with recognition and rewards. This style of management may seem self-evident as a good one, but it has proven remarkably difficult to implement.

It has long been known that people need to have a sense of direction. We need to have the security to anticipate what is going to occur as a result of the actions we plan to take or have taken. We need to know if what we are doing is important and valued. And finally, we want to have a sense of belonging to an organization that provides opportunity for growth and development.

When management doesn't provide adequate information for employees to anticipate probable outcomes, anxiety ensues. Employees need to have feedback to stimulate growth and development. Without feedback people begin assuming the worst and the anxiety that results leads to reactive behavior, which is actually a protective response. This protective behavior occurs so the employee can survive in what s/he perceives as an unfriendly environment.

Thus, the once bright, creative and committed employee retires in place merely treading water until official retirement. The cycle of productive decay is the deterioration of the very skills we need to stop the spiral of productivity loss. These employees figuratively and literally get into a cycle of personal and professional suicide.

The threat posed by professional suicide to the employee and its equally dangerous threat to the organization is obviousindividuals lose their careers and the organization not only loses its best employees, but also incurs the expense of replacing them, which is estimated to be approximately $60,000 per person. In some organizations this could mean the difference between success and failure.

In order to prevent employees and the organizational structure from the suicidal cycle, we need managers and leaders with vision and the ability to set goals and define a purpose. Communication, feedback, support and encouragement provide a sense of personal worth and freedom from work overload.

Management can take the following steps to reduce the incidence of professional suicide and increase the effective management of highly motivated employees.

1. Establish specific organizational goals. This reduces the nebulous character of organizational objectives and establishes a framework against which personal goals can be set.

2. Develop a plan for meeting organization and personal goals and objectives.

3. Develop team building activities and manage by group commitment.

4. Implement formal and informal performance reviews at regular intervals. Initiate a reward system (merit pay) based on the achievements of the individual, thus avoiding rewarding psychological one-upmanship.

5. Implement training programs in interpersonal competence to improve communication and provide opportunities for more effective problem solving.

6. Executive management needs to assume responsibility for clarifying the rules of the game, the reward system and what it takes to get ahead.

7. Provide opportunities for decompression and periodic revitalization through sabbaticals, conferences, stress reduction programs and the like.

8. Reduce anxiety by goal setting and corporate clarity about purpose and function.

9. Establish skill inventory for each employee and maintain a workforce planning effort for career paths.

10. Conduct continuous studies to continually promote organization improvements and correct organizational deficiencies.

In addition to improving productivity and retaining highly motivated and talented employees, organizations can reduce the number of discrimination suits by taking these steps to prevent professional suicide. It has been established that the majority of discrimination lawsuits occur as a result of poor supervisor-to-employee relations. Poor relations derive from lack of communication, support, goal-setting and letting employees know they are valued. This being the casecorporate leaders are well advised to seek out, train, and reward those employees who have vision and can effectively communicate with their employees. Without this leadership we can only anticipate an escalation of professional suicide as we become more and more technologically advanced.

In looking for the signs of professional suicide one will often see nothing. It takes a keen eye and ear to detect the subtle behaviors that are the beginning stages of the suicidal process. These signs are often considered temporary and thus are not equated with the downward spiral of an individual's performance. When the suicidal process begins it's usually the little things that go unnoticed until the employee's performance has slipped dramatically. At this point management recognizes that something is drastically wrong and confronts the employee, whose self-esteem has already deteriorated. When confronted the employee responds defensively while feeling both neglected and unworthy of attention at the same time.

The subtle signs of professional suicide begin with minor infractions of the established norm of the department, workgroup or organization. These infractions are often contrary to the established norm of the individual as well. Any behavior change in the employee is significant and needs to be noted to determine whether it is temporary or the beginning of a suicidal process. If the employee has had personal changes or difficulties that would explain a change in behavior or work habits, and agrees that a change is necessary, management can assume that the current infractions are only temporary.

However, close observation is important to note whether or not, after a reasonable period of time, the behavior remains on a positive course. If the employee's behavior does not meet the established norm, then further discussion is warranted, for both the individual's and the organizations sake.

These minor infractions are not alarming unless they become habitual or chronic. Management needs to tread a fine line between being nosy and noticing the beginning of a trend. It's important for management to address reasons for the existence of minor infractions before they become habitual or chronic.

These bothersome and perhaps suicide indicative infractions include consistently arriving to work late with no explanation (or spouting poor excuses) long lunch breaks, coming late to or missing meetings, falling asleep during meetings, little or no participation in meetings, failure to return phone calls to customers, clients, or colleagues, missing deadlines, poor quality of work, and lack of enthusiasm and interest.

When management does not ask the employee what has caused his/her behavior to change, the employee may perceive that s/he's not important or respected. Otherwise, the employee reasons, why are these infractions unnoticed? Whether the infraction is due to a personal problem or burnout, the employee wants to be noticed. If the infraction is not corrected within a reasonable length of time it is important that management contact the employee again. Thus, the unacceptable behavior is corrected before it deteriorates further. If management fails to handle the corrective process adequately, the second stage of the deterioration beginsdisruptive behavior, more serious infractions that are manifested as psychosomatic illness and deterioration in dress or appearance. The situation has reached a crisis, and the final stage of the suicidal process begins. This final stage is often manifested by severe self-destructive behavior, such as substance abuse, obesity, anorexia, accidents and inability to 'get along' wit the rest of the staff. In this last instance, the employee usually manages to find others to blame, therefore avoiding taking responsibility for their current situation. The final stage may last one to two years before the individual is fired, quits or succumbs to self-destruction.

The problem is often viewed as an individual's inability to conform to the organization, which leads management to attempt to get the individual to conform. While this may be true in part, management needs to look at the needs of the individual. For most people a sense of self-worth is a bigger factor than the job and the contribution to the world. People want to grow and develop and have a sense of self-actualization. People need a safe and secure place from which to view their present, past and future in order to be creative and productive. When the management meets the needs of the individual, the individual can better meet the needs of the organization.

If you believe you are in an organization which fosters professional suicide, the following steps can prevent you from becoming a victim:

1. Negotiate with management to develop organizational and individual goals and objectives.

2. Establish good communication with management

3. Initiate establishing formal and informal performance reviews and goal setting

4. Develop a plan for meeting the goals and objectives

5. Initiate team building activities within your work group

6. Attend training programs in interpersonal competence

7. Engage in activities that provide decompression and periodic release of stress and frustration

8. Reduce your anxiety by checking information, with, management. Avoid assuming the worse

9. Establish your skill inventory and plan to manage your career goals

10. Conduct ongoing evaluations of your organization and how you can improve and correct organizational deficiencies.

Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD, Entrepreneur, personal and professional Life Coach has 25 years experience. She has consulted to Fortune 500 CEO's, Vice Presidents, business owners, and people of all walks of life. http://www.drdorothy.net

Cctv Security Camera Systems

2008-10-15T13:00:00.003-07:00

Writen by Damian Sofsian

One camera does not a system make is the rule of thumb to remember when you consider what type of security camera system you need. A recent technological breakthrough that has been applied to home security systems is the CCTV system, or Closed Circuit Television system.

CCTV camera security systems were initially developed to monitor commercial properties and public places, but have been adapted to home security systems in recent years. These days, it's more prevalent than any other type of security system that might function without a TV. The difference being that with CCTV camera security systems there are no wires between any number of cameras you might employ and the TV set or sets you might choose to view them from. Essentially, you are a mini TV network, broadcasting the "show" from several different locations in and around your house or place of business to one or more TV sets, upon which you can see what the camera sees.

This equipment is so sophisticated, so advanced that the cameras, recording devices and TV sets can interface with other features of your security system and actually be activated by motion, entry or any other intrusion onto your property or into your house that you may require. Wealthy celebrities and other security conscious individuals have extensive CCTV camera security systems that monitor every entrance to their house and property possible, and will turn on lights, alarms and alert the police at the slightest irregularity.

For extremely security-conscious individuals, CCTV camera security systems provide additional features not available on other security systems. The most important of these is remote viewing. You can actually see what is going on in your home or business without having to be there. You could be anywhere in the world, on business, on vacation or just out for the evening around town and with your cell phone or a laptop computer or any internet browser, you can tap into your CCTV security camera system and see what's going on your property, in your home just as if you were there. What a convenience! You can enjoy your time away from home, secure in the knowledge that everything is as it should be with a simple check in on a cell phone or lap top computer. For many people, this feature is the selling point that leads them to purchase a CCTV security camera system.

Security Cameras Info provides detailed information about home, wireless, hidden, fake, and wholesale security cameras, as well as outdoor, remote, business, and other security camera systems. Security Cameras Info is the sister site of Metal Detectors Web.

Medical Billing Enteral Nutrition Billing

2008-10-15T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Michael Russell

In the world of medical billing, there is a sub domain all to itself. It is called enteral nutrition. Once upon a time, this was something that would have never been considered to be billable, which is part of the reason that this particular sub domain has its very own CMN. To understand how the CMN works, we first have to know a little something about enteral nutrition itself and what it is.

In modern times, it has been determined that there are people who are ill because they don't get the right kind of nutrition. Years ago, we weren't so health conscious. The 60s saw the days of white bread and preservatives and nobody even knew what the word fiber stood for. Health food stores were the exception rather than the norm. Then, suddenly and without much warning, people started getting very sick and coming down with diseases that we were able to determine were directly related to nutrition. Over time, we began to take nutrition more seriously and started to pay more attention to what we were eating.

In the early days of medical billing, it was almost impossible for a doctor to prescribe nutrition supplements for a patient and expect to be able to bill for them. It was just unheard of. You have to understand that in the early days of modern medicine, it was just that. Medicine. The thought of treating anything with food was not even a consideration. Those days are long gone. Today, enteral nutrition is not only billable, but it is also very big business for the medical profession. This serves a multitude of purposes.

For starters, it gives the physicians another source of income. Being able to bill a patient for something that years ago didn't exist is certainly a welcome addition. Aside from that, there is the revenue for the enteral nutrition manufacturers themselves. Products like Enfomil and Similac are big business. Of course there is the additional revenue for the billers and the companies who make forms for the enteral products.

Are their problems with enteral nutrition and enteral billing? As with anything else in the medical billing industry, of course there are problems. For one thing, we are dealing with products which, though they are not drugs, can interact with drugs that the patient may be taking or just flat out not agree with the patient at all and make the patient ill. Some patients have very violent reactions to many enteral nutrition products. Nausea and even vomiting are not uncommon. Sometimes it takes a while to find a product that the patient can tolerate.

On the billing end, there is always all the red tape involved with determining if the patient is eligible to get enteral nutrition and if so, how much are they supposed to get per day and how much the carrier will allow to be billed per day. Yes, they dish this stuff out by the spoonful, literally, which makes billing enteral products a real pain.

In our next installment on medical billing, we're going to cover the GE0 record CMN, which is specifically designed for enteral billing

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Medical Billing

Trapped In A Box The History Of Carton Revealed

2008-10-14T13:00:00.003-07:00

Writen by James Monahan

We may not be aware of it but the simplest of materials we use for covering our food has been around for over centuries. Take a peek inside your pantry and try to see if you can find a milk carton, a carton full of eggs or even a carton of your favorite breakfast cereal.

Indeed, this centuries old packaging material is the carton.

Carton is often made out of a composite or of materials made out of two or more components. Cartons can be made out of a mixture of paper, pulp, wood or leaves. Its durability and stiffness makes it ideal for packaging heavy materials.

The carton has existed even before food manufacturers have used it for carrying eggs, milk, cereals, baking powder and other types of food. Although there have been a lot of materials discovered and used for wrapping and encasing, the carton still remains one of the most often used for packaging.

The carton first appeared in the 15th century in China and served different purposes. However, the first commercial carton was not used up until the 1817 when it was first produced in England.

The durable and sturdy carton that we know of today, on the other hand, would not have even existed if English hat makers in 1856 did not think of using it to line the bases of the hats they made. In fact, before this, carton was just a flimsy, thin type of paper that was not even considered to use for packaging.

The corrugated carton is the type of carton that has pleats attached to sheets of carton. These pleats of carton serve as support for carton sheets as it makes it more rigid and suitable for carrying weighty materials.

When the first corrugated cardboard was patented in 1856, it was mainly used in England for the bases of tall hats that were of fashion to English gentlemen.

It was only in December 20, 1871 when Albert Jones of New York, New York filed the patent for the corrugated carton. However, the corrugated carton Albert Jones patented back then only had a single-sided sheet of carton with the pleats attached to it.

The corrugated carton, from which the modern corrugated carton would be based from, was not produced up until 1874. During this time, Oliver Long, took Jones' design and incorporated another sheet to make it more stiff and suitable for packaging heavier materials.

Now bear in mind that these cartons were just sheets and were not yet the carton boxes that we know of today.

In 1890, an American named Robert Gait "accidentally" invented the corrugated carton box. Robert Gait was a printer and paper bag maker. While printing an order of seed bags, the metal ruler used to crease the bags swung and cut the bags instead.

Through this, Gait discovered that creasing and cutting the bags would make it easier for manufacturers to make pre-constructed cartons.

Instead of using the seed bags that he was printing on, he creased and cut corrugated cartons instead. So when the 20th century rolled in, wooden crates were replaced by cardboard boxes made out of corrugated carton.

Today's corrugated cartons are more intricately designed than those of the cartons used in earlier centuries. At present, the outer sheets are made to be puncture resistant. The pleats are also made up of a stronger wood-based type of paper to make the cartons sturdier and compression resistant.

Who would have thought that a piece of carton used to hold your day's breakfast can have so much history?

James Monahan is the owner and Senior Editor of TopCartonSites.com and writes expert articles about cartons.

Fax Services Do You Really Need It

2008-10-14T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Paton Jackson

Fax services (Also known as internet fax) have made a big breakthrough during the last year. Is this a temporary or insignificant phenomenon or are fax services going to replace the traditional fax machines? How would you know if fax services are worthy for you? Find the answers to these fascinating questions in the next few minutes.

Internet fax is a new method to send and receive fax using emails Fax to email or email to fax. It seems that fax services are the next natural phase in the evolution of the fax technology. Being such, the internet fax has only advantages over the fax machines. Here are two of them:

1. Working with fax services costs less than working with fax machines No maintenance needed, no ink, no papers. No extra phone line etc.

2. Working with internet fax saves a lot of time No more waiting for faxes to arrive or trying unsuccessfully to send a fax. Sending and receiving faxes using the most popular business communication method saves hours of wasted time a year.

Without a doubt, fax services are here to stay and they are probably going to replace the fax machines in the next century.

How would you know if fax services are worthy for you? If your answer is "yes" to one of the following questions, than you should get an internet fax:

1. Do you communicate daily with suppliers, customers, or colleagues?

2. Do you find yourself (or your employees) standing by the fax machine at least once a week?

3. Is time a dominant factor in your life or business? Do you want to save some of your wasted time?

4. Do you want to save up to hundreds dollars to your business a year?

Fax service will significantly improve your life. Tit has improved mine. Try it.

911 Corp. executed a research to find the best fax service. Find out the results only on Fax services best provider and information . More about time management - http://www.911makemoretime.com

All About Scrap Metal Recycling

2008-10-13T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Jon Wuebben

Worldwide metal production is ascertained directly through ore deposits from mining, smelting, and refining. What are secondary metals? They are metals discarded through industrial and manufacturing operations or as commercial products that are now obsolete. The benefit that recycling provides is that we return these waste materials back into the general manufacturing so they can be used for the production of new metal products, thus saving costs and making things more efficient in general. The secondary metals industry is involved in all aspects of this process, from locating scrap, to getting it to a recycle facility and then re-using the material for new metal-based products.

What's the rationale for determining if scrap metal is worth recovering? Its potential for profit. In terms of the basic factors that determine if a particular metal should be recycled, the following areas are looked at:

How pure are the recovered products, what's the market for the recycled products like, and what is the true dollar value of the metal?

How much will it cost to collect and transport?

How much will it cost to sort and transform it into reusable metal?

How much will it cost to dispose of any residual material?

The advent of the industrial revolution in the late 19 th and early 20 th centuries fueled the consumption of metals significantly. During the 20th century, this trend continued and grew exponentially. By the 1980's, the annual production of metals worldwide was a hundred times what it was in the 1880's. Naturally, this incredible rise in need for metals and the production of metal-based products has led many people to question if there is enough metal reserves in the world to keep up with demand. Is it sustainable? Is there an unending amount of metals in the earth? No, on both accounts. Scrap metal recycling is a natural part of the chain of use. Metal reserves are found, they are made into a usable form, a product is manufactured from it, the product is used, discarded, and then the metal is used again. It just makes ecological sense it's using the earth in a smart way. With recycling, there is a huge amount of metals in use that will be recoverable at some future point.

Aluminum recycling is a large portion of the scrap metals industry. In 1993, in a survey of Western countries, 28 percent of the total recycled scrap materials were made up by aluminum. The others that were a significant part of the total included copper, lead, molybdenum, tin, and zinc.

Scrap recycling is the process of recovering secondary metals, and is subdivided into three different classes of metals. They are:

Home scrap : This is what remains after a primary metal product is sold and is generated in a smelting or refining plant.

New or prompt scrap : This type of scrap can easily be reprocessed for use in primary metal manufacturing, it is essentially the remains of the general manufacturing process.

Old scrap : This is the type of recycling that we are most familiar with. Old scrap is recovered from consumer goods that are no longer being used. This could potentially include discarded, used, or worn-out products. Also could include metal products rendered obsolete by technological advances or production overruns.

In terms of product applications, metals are rarely used in their pure and absolute form. It's also tough and expensive to remove alloy elements from metals, so usually the alloyed materials are recycled as alloyed metals only. The various metals that make up the alloyed metal are not taken out to be used in their pure state.

Scrap metal recycling makes economic sense. It also shows our responsibility to the earth and to the efficient use of our precious natural resources. If there's one positive thing that is happening in this area, it's that the trend to recycle more continues.

Applied Recovery Systems Inc. is a privately held company located in central Texas. They have been in the business of scrap metal chip processing and briquetting since 1992, all to save companies money and help the process of recycling aluminum, brass, copper, steel, and cast iron. Research and development will continue to be an integral part of the Corporation's objective so as to better serve the chip processing needs of its customers.

How A Business Growth Specialist Can Turn Your Business Into A Success

2008-10-12T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Lori Osterberg

How does a business growth specialist differ from someone who specializes in marketing, sales, or even in business management?

When you hire a specialist, you're hiring someone who understands their area of expertise, and can help you improve the way you are currently doing business with that technique. They may offer you ideas, strategies, and even individual techniques to help you get your business back on track, and moving in a forward motion.

But the one thing most specialists won't do is guarantee you growth. They will help you improve your current systems, but whether or not the ideas you paid for will help grow your business is another matter entirely.

A business growth specialist will help you create strategies that will help you improve the leads, and ultimately the sales of your business. They will have strategies to share that can help you find prospects, and turn them into quality leads. And while all of this can cost a considerable amount of money, its important to keep in mind that what you put into this type of service can ultimately double or even triple your profits in a short period of time.

So what should you look for when hiring a business growth specialist?

Years of experience. Becoming a specialist at anything has its price. Longevity will provide you with an indication of how well a person has done within an industry.

When you're interviewing potential consultants, the best place to start is to find out their backgrounds. What makes them qualified to do the job? What positions did they hold for other companies, or if they own the company, what businesses have they worked with?

Recognized as an expert in their field. Most consultants specialize because they are passionate in one area of industry. They may love helping telecommunications firms market their businesses. Or they love training small medical offices the importance of online marketing.

As they become better known in this area, they will start becoming recognized within the industry itself. For instance, if a marketer really understands key marketing tools for the small medical office, she will be able to write articles, and even speak at conferences directly related to the medical profession.

Has a proven track record. If someone has chosen a specialty, they usually have worked within the industry for a number of years, and have a deep knowledge of the subject matter.

Whether you are browsing through a website, or talking to the specialist in person, find out what their background is. What clients have they worked with? What is their educational background? Have they studied under one of the industry leaders? What are other people saying about them?

A business growth specialist usually achieves success in a variety of ways. They not only understand the industry, and the nuances of the business, but also how to help you catapult your business in ways you may never have thought of. A specialist's job is to maximize your potential.

If you're ready to achieve new levels with your business, maybe it's time to find a specialist.

Business growth specialist Lori Osterberg helps business owners build successful businesses. She consults with owners to show them how to develop a strong Internet presence, and provides many services such as paid search, search optimization, and online copywriting services for websites, press releases, articles and other online marketing tools. Receive her FREE ezine at http://www.VisionOfSuccess.com and http://www.VisionBusinessConcepts.com.

Attracting Visitors To Your Trade Show Booth

2008-10-11T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Ron Adler

After you determine that you will be exhibiting at a show; get your killer display; scheduled and train staff; and have everything set up on the show floornow comes the hard partgetting people to visit your booth! There seems to be a never-ending push for creativity and innovation in this area, and truly there is no magic answer, but there are a few things that can help.

Be Important to Attendees Be sure that you're exhibiting at a show where your product and service is highly relevant and needed by the show attendees. It's also not a bad idea to choose shows where you're NOT one of a thousand companies that do the exact same thing you do. Search for shows where your product or service is highly relevant, but where you stand a chance of being one of only a few companies that do what you do.

Have an Eye-Catching Display Your booth display must be well done, and tell an intriguing message quickly in order to catch a show attendee's eye. A display company can show you thousands of options and provide valuable consulting about the types of graphics to use, the size of your signage, etc. Another smart approach is to pay attention to the exhibitors at any shows that you attend and determine which booths are being visited and why, then try to apply those principals to your exhibit.

Have Good Give-Aways One sure-fire way to attract people to your booth is to give away something of value to that audience. We've all seen the "collectors" at shows the attendees who do nothing more than fill their free tote bags with free stuff but most companies are willing to endure that in exchange for finding some good prospects in the mix. Give-aways need not be expensive. Companies on tight budgets can give away white papers or inexpensive give-aways that are just as attractive as the pricey ones.

Give-Away Tip When choosing a promotional item give-away, think about the end user and the item's longevity. Giving away a light-up ball or toy is sure to be given to a child when the visitor returns home. That may keep the item in front of your prospect at home, but if you're a business-to-business company, it's not the ideal place to have them think of you. Choose items that can be used at work for an extended period of time. Some tried and true favorites are pens and pencils, post-it notes, calendars, calculators, mouse pads, and computer screen cleaners.

Motivate Your Staff Getting people to stop at your booth and talk to you is tricky most people do not have time to stop and talk with each exhibitor, and are apprehensive to stop. In addition to the items above, your booth staff must be friendly, approachable, knowledgeable, and just a tiny bit aggressive. Greet visitors and passers-by, and whenever possible inquire as to what need or business challenges bring them to the show. It's also a good idea to acknowledge that they may be on a tight schedule, and ask their permission to follow up with them after the show. After obtaining their contact information, make a note to follow up

Ron Adler has been working in the exhibit industry with Adler Display (http://www.adlerdisplay.com) for over 30 years. Ron has designed and created some of the most unique and creative displays in the mid-Atlantic region including several Visitor Centers in Maryland as well as dozens of exhibits for museums and hospitals throughout the United States.

Ebusiness Innovations

2008-10-10T13:00:00.003-07:00

Writen by Elizabeth Morgan

The term Ebusiness refers business carried out on the Internet. As information technology has experienced a boom in the last decade, business opportunities on the Internet have also increased. All businesses face tough competition, and businessmen try to gain an edge over their competitors by seeking new strategies and innovations.

A major advantage that an E-businessman has is competition can be done on a global scale without spending or investing too much time or money. The information technology revolution has made it possible for entrepreneurs to work and carry out their business activities from home.

New inventions and innovations are performing the job of a catalyst in this field. Software such as customer relationship management (CRM) that helps an organization or a company to serve their customers in a more efficient manner have become crucial to the survival of a business. The enterprise resource planning software is another example of software that helps in increasing and automating other functions such as logistics, manufacturing, distribution, planning, invoicing and accounting. The ERP software also handles other business activities such as marketing, human resources, and strategic management.

A major advantage that this software provides is it can process and handle enormous amounts of data in an efficient manner. Another advantage that software such as ERP offers is that they have considerably reduced production costs, inventory costs and transportation costs and increase the scope and range of any business that uses them.

Other inventions and innovations that have affected Ebusiness in a favorable manner are voice mails, e-mails, discussion forums, Emarketing, online transaction processing, electronic fund transfers and data conferencing. Among these, the most important functions are Emarketing and supply chain management. Supply chain management includes production and distribution planning, production scheduling, strategic network optimization, order promising and demand-planning and collaboration. Emarketing is another powerful marketing innovation that provides marketing solutions by using the Internet, email, ebooks, database and mobile phones.

These innovations have become indispensable to almost all Ebusinesses and will definitely improve business practices and ethics in the foreseeable future.

Ebusiness provides detailed information on Ebusiness, Ebusiness Solutions, Ebusiness Software, Ebusiness Consulting and more. Ebusiness is affiliated with Make Money Online With Surveys.

Business Secrets Revealed1 Business Is Production

2008-10-10T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Pnk Guru

Business is a single word or a subject, when analyzed gives a bundle of meanings and explanations. We define business in various ways on diverse circumstances.

Generally, business is a profession of producing goods and services for a profit. When we say production, this involves the human labor primarily and machinery as a labor saving device and raw materials for conversion into consumable products.

Products are too many:
These products are commodities or goods of human needs. They may be wholesome products or spare parts or semi processed materials for being assembled, merged or integrated into the final product.

These may be solids, liquids or gases; may be vegetative in origin, metals, or chemicals in nature; they may be naturally grown, cultivated with agricultural techniques or produced with engineering expertise. They may include living beings, birds and animals too.

Products are enormous:
To understand the enormity of the products, let us visit some of the places.

Sweets and savories:
Let us go to a sweet stall! Just see the sweets and savories made out of flours of cereals, say rice and wheat and protein rich grams like Bengal gram and green gram etc. You can see at least one hundred items there. Here, the main ingredients are sugar, milk, spices, and essences with the flours.

Bread, butter and jam:
Now, move into a bakery, where you will see hundreds of items made with the combination of wheat, sugar, cream, spices and essences.

Grains and spices:
The next is a grocery store, selling all food grains, pulses, spices, condiments and their bye products, besides cooking oils. They sell processed, semi-processed and Ready-to-eat food packs also.

Fresh and juicy:
The nearby 'vegetables and fruits' stall supplies all the vegetables, fruits and fresh fruit juices. Instant coffee, tea and other beverages are also available if you wish to drink sip by sip.

Hot and tasty:
The next is a hotel, where you get food cooked and supplied instantly. See a fast food counter also. The menu says about 100 items of mouth-watering dishes.
A petty shop selling toffees and chocolates along with biscuits and homemade candies is a common feature.

Food alone too many:
We have been trying to list only food products sold in a few locations. There are very many more varieties and brands in food products alone.

Others uncountable:
If you make a list under basic clothing, building materials, plastics, cosmetics, stationary, drugs, chemicals and many more categories, the list will go infinite.

Engineering goods immeasurable:
If you enter into engineering industry, there is boundless number of machines, spares and products needed by countless industries like agriculture, automobile, building construction, medicine etc.,

Now, as an entrepreneur, feel the vastness of goods, enormity of products, immensity of bye products and sheer size the market. The man made goods available for the humankind in this large world is huge, its requirement is massive and the market is mammoth.

Please understand that these products are for you to produce. If you wish to become a product oriented entrepreneur, the scope is wide and the choice is vast.
You need to select the best suitable for you.

Characters of products:

Monopoly with no competition:
If you get an agency for kerosene or gasoline, you are lucky. People will come in queue to buy your product. This is a monopoly product, available only with you as a licensed dealer in that area.

Duopoly with one competition:
Selling toffees and chocolates in the market is not an easy joke. If you are a dealer of a good branded chocolate like 'Cadbury's' and biscuits like 'Britannia', you are comfortable. These are all duopoly products, distributed only by two marketers with minimum competition.

Even in branded popular toffees also, there are similar products having same taste. Those like "Lacto king" will buy "MahaLacto" also as a choice. There will be a market shift in favor of a brand if there is inadequate supply of another brand of similar kind.

Oligopoly with too many competition:
If you are a seller of a 'brand less' item, your competition is high. As a number of persons will distribute the products, you have always-tough time to sell your goods. This is oligopoly market. There are too many competitions. You are at risk financially.

Primarily the business is product oriented:
In general, the business is product oriented. The wants are unlimited. Likewise, products availability is also boundless. The human population and the market are ever growing. The demand, supply and the population are too big and they offer great opportunity to the entrepreneurs.

To make all these things favorable to him, the entrepreneur must select a suitable product with unique features. That should have good potential demand and easy manageability in the market. This is very common suggestion.
We have tried here only to reveal the "open secret" that business is primarily product oriented.

In course of time, we shall release very good business strategies, sale techniques and business ideas highly suitable to the budding entrepreneurs.

The aricle is drawn from own business experience and knowledge gained by the author in a period of time. He is authoring a e-book titled"How to get rich in any business?" please visit: How To get Rich In Any Business?

Gdi Global Domains International Inc Review

2008-10-09T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Alastair Harris

If you have been on the internet for any length of time looking at business options you will eventually come across someone promoting GDI to you. So this article is to answer some of the basic questions about GDI. Is this Business opportunity a scam? Do they have a product or service that is worthwhile? What is the potential of this opportunity? I will seek to answer these questions as objectively as possible.

*Scam!?*
If you have come to this article you are probably already considering whether GDI is a serious business opportunity or a scam! To determine if GDI is a scam the first question one must ask is are they marketing a worthwhile product or service or are they just another MLM or pyramid designed to take your money without giving you anything other than promises of great rewards and riches? The answer yes they have a genuine product/ service. In this case web hosting.

*The Service Outlined*
They provide a web hosting service. It is true you can get free website hosting on the net, in fact this very article is an example of a free web host and you can get good results from them, but there are a number of things you sacrifice.

Firstly if you are using a free web host provider there is always some form of cost, normally they require you to carry free ads on your site. (web1000 is an exception but you can't even put banners on it and its editor is painful to use).

While having ads on your website at first this may not seem to be a problem, consider this, if you want this site to be your main business portal and hub, you may end up advertising your biggest competitor, not a smart move. You don't have ownership of your site. You may own the intellectual material but if the free web hoster changes their rules, goes out of business or just updates the way their system works there is not a thing you can do about it. Even with blogger you have to share your adsense revenue with them 50-50. That's why I recommend if you are serious about having an online business your main site be one that you own and that means paying for it.

In the case of GDI this means $10 a month. That's US Dollars, so if you are in Australia like me, thats not so good, if you operate in Euro's or pounds, thats great for you. For that you get a web site, 6 pages, 10 e-mail addresses and a domain name, its also includes a domain/site builder, domain and e-mail forwarding, use your own web builder, parking service. The only criticism I have is I would think 10 pages, rather than 6 would be better. However each page can have a huge amount of data. The 10 e-mail address means if you have 10 different businesses, affliliates programs or whatever you can devote an individual e-mail to each one and can with the forward even arrange to have them forwarded to a single box.

The other great advantage is the ability to choose a domain name. Most of the good .com names are long since gone. Further in the case of many of the other endings like .au, .us, .uk, etc many companies exist solely in buying up the best domain names to make a killing selling them to someone else at highly inflated prices. GDI with the .ws avoids this pitfall by ensuring the domain name is not sold as a separate entity, but only with the web hosting service. This stops domain name hording in its tracks. .ws is still new and now is the time to get the domain name you want. No additional $20 yearly fee for just the domain name registration.

*The Business Opportunity*

The fact is not everyone out there needs a web host. Let's examine why one has a website. Normally one either has a website for one of two reasons - BUSINESS or PERSONAL.

In the case of personal websites many people want their own personal e-mail addresses and have a website for a number of reasons, stay in touch with family with an open letter, express their beliefs or opinions on a world stage, to satisfied their own ego and sense of importance, create photo albums, join a community, etc. Some people will pay the $10 a month to have a website. As time progresses I think this will increase as more and more people become web aware and want to have their own address/ place on the web. With the highly transitive nature of the human population with greater movement than ever before in the history of the world one of the best ways people will be able to stay in contact with friends will be via the net. Consider how many people from school do you know twenty years later. Have you moved city, state, country, if you have you probably have lost contact with them. If you wanted to track them down how would you? I know I would do it via the web. This will be increasingly easy as people have personal web pages.

In the case of a website for Businesses most companies have a website for further advertising their company, some do have direct sales as well over the net, and some are nothing but internet based businesses, e.g. Ebay. In the case of a website for a business, I would think that what GDI offers is not big enough to meet their needs. Save for a landing page, redirect page or just the Domain name, GDI is aimed at the small internet business user. Thats not necessarily a bad thing but it is fact that has a bearing on the business opportunity. If GDI wants to grow further they will need to look at offering reasonable upgrade packages for the bigger players.

In the case of a small first time business wanting their own website with six pages GDI is not a bad option as it also gives them a source of secondary income.

It has the potential to be a good source of income as each person you bring in gets you $1 a month. Not a huge amount really, you would need 10 people just to pay for you hosting fee, but the winner here its that you get a $1 for each person they introduce down to five levels, the power to leverage the work of those below you is what appeals here. That can result in some good returns. You won't become a millionaire over night, but you can have a great income stream.

You might be thinking, I'm too late and missed the GDI wave. No I don't think so, not at this time this article is written. GDI members now are in the tens of thousands, not until its reaches 100's of millions will the wave subside. I don't think new customers will ever complete dry up either, because each year more and more tech. savey students finish school, and they brought up to believe they each need their own modern gadgets, including mobile phones, e-mailing, and even their own personal website. For kids who are spending $50 plus a month on mobile phones alone, $10 a month for their own website is nothing. I'm waiting for the day you no longer send in a resume into a prospective employer but just give them your web address and they can look up your life themselves. Thus I think the potential of GDI is long term, yes after the initial wave there will be an eventual slowing - there is no such thing as an infinite possiblity - there are 6 Billion people on the planet, once the majority of them is a customer you have reach the finite limit. Any company unless they have plans to further develop a service or introduce new products knows a market does reach a saturation point where growth slows. Not so good for an MLM company as their customers are also their business partners. Any MLM that wants to succeed must either sell a product the needs replacement over time - i.e. tupperware (where did I leave that lid, oh well time to another party and order another), or offer new services or products to the same downlines.

There are numerous ways to advertise GDI online. I myself am no great saleman. I hate cold calling, I hate door knocking, I hate feeling like I am invading someone personal space or coming across as pushy. That's why I love internet advertising. The buyer is in total control, no pushie saleman, don't like the sales pitch go to another site. There are several program set up to advertise GDI for you, programs like turbo GDI and Hits2U, both are cost effective.

In summary, if you need a web host, GDI is a option, particularly in relation to Domain names, if you don't need a web host and don't know someone else who does then its probably not for you.

http://gdi-review.blogspot.com

http://www.turbogdi.ws/team/alstar70/lsn7.shtml

How Corporations Can Use Real Estate To Access Untapped Capital

2008-10-08T13:00:00.003-07:00

Writen by Mike Myatt

Most corporations of any size and scale have large investments in the land and facilities necessary for the successful operation of their business. While making corporate investments into real estate assets may seem to be a reasonable strategy at first glance, they are rarely investment or capital driven decisions, but rather operating decisions that in retrospect usually fail to maximize the leverage and value of their land and facilities beyond what is typically provided for within traditional ownership and financing structures.

When an operating business finds itself in need of low cost capital their corporate real estate assets should be evaluated as a source of readily accessible quality capital. While a number of financially engineered solutions are available to maximize corporate real estate assets the most commonly used structures center around Sale Leaseback transactions. Sale Leaseback transactions are popular solutions for the following reasons:

Improved Financial Statements: By moving corporate real estate assets "Off-Balance Sheet" financing solutions are engineered that create no mortgage or other indebtedness to be carried as debt on your company's balance sheet. The immediate boost in cash without offsetting debt can improve the overall financial health of a business. Book income typically increases in the transaction's early years, with rent payments less than the interest and depreciation under conventional financing. With our solutions, the book value of company assets is effectively understated enhancing your company's Return on Assets (ROA).

Financial Flexibility: Corporate real estate transactions are not bound by formalized loan industry or REIT requirements, giving lenders flexibility to meet the operating needs of your business. Rents can be fixed for the full lease term without inflation adjustments or any percentage rent. Rents can also be stepped to be lower in the early years or reset periodically to take advantage of improved credit, interest rates and other conditions. We can also address unexpected financial and business contingencies.

Operational Control: Most lenders offer programs that will allow you to retain complete operational control of the property for as long as it is required in your business.

Low After-Tax Cost: The lease payment under a sale leaseback structure is fully deductible over the lease term, making the after-tax cost to your company less than with alternative forms of asset-based financing and less than the market rent you would typically pay. For federal income tax purposes, a company can only depreciate buildings and other physical improvements, but not land. Most sale leaseback solutions factor the value of the land into the rent. The rent is fully deductible, effectively enabling you to depreciate the cost of the land.

Credit Tenant Property Can Provide Similar Financial Benefits To the Issuance of Corporate Bonds: If a business is deemed to be a credit tenant or its financial equivalent its corporate real estate assets can be effectively be used to secure management-free cash flow with exceptional liquidity and high leveragability performing like corporate bonds while preserving the benefits that real property offers. Because of the secure character of credit tenant property investments, properties can be leveraged far more highly than traditional real estate. Based on the lease guarantee by the tenant, non-recourse financing may be arranged with a 1.0 debt coverage ratio, llowing for financing Up to 100% loan to value. Income from an investment grade tenant over the length of a multi-year lease offers reliable returns comparable to those of corporate bonds. Credit tenant leases are usually written for terms ranging from 10 to 25 years. Lengthy terms eliminate concern about tenantturnover normally associated with real estate ownership.

Near-Zero Volatility: Many of the corporate real estate programs today offer fixed rent structures providing full inflation protection. Because the key value determinant of credit tenant property is the long-term corporate guarantee, this asset does not experience the cycles affecting other real estate markets. Long-term, highly leverage financing removes interest rate risk and minimizes pricing volatility. Circumstances affecting traditional real estate, such as changes to surrounding property, local politics and market swings have little impact on credit tenant property values.

Liquidity: The long-term corporate guarantee of rental income and expense coverage combined with the tenant-based financing enable corporate real estate assets to be traded with exceptional liquidity not typically associated with real property. Most lenders will allow businesses to convert existing fixed real estate assets into cash at fair market value at what may be a premium over book value. Funding can also be used for new construction including the cost of the land acquisition. Proper use of corporate real estate as a financing tool will eliminate the need for a business to tie up capital or credit in land or buildings.

A wide variety of sale leaseback structures are available from lenders who have a practice area dedicated to corporate real estate finance. When developing your capital formation strategy make sure you evaluate corporate real estate assets as a viable vehicle for accomplishing your goals.

Visit http://www.pacificsecuritycapital.com to learn more about our services.

Mike Myatt is Executive Managing Director of Pacific Security Capital, a leading commercial real estate investment banking firm providing commercial real estate loans, structured finance, investment sales and advisory services. Contact Pacific Security Capital at 1-800-844-6085 or by visiting the company website at http://www.PacificSecurityCapital.com

Leveraging The Enterprisewide Knowledge Base

2008-10-08T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Tony Jacowski

The surety and effectiveness of a Six Sigma project relies heavily on leveraging the enterprise-wide knowledge of the project implementation team. Hoping for the best could hardly have any meaning, provided the team lacks overall knowledge of the goals, customs, and the treasury of knowledge and practices of the overall organization in specific and cross-sector knowledge in general. It is crucial for the project implementation team to know alternative practices and strategies available within the organization, and current status of the project.

Leveraging the Existing Knowledge Base In Six Sigma

The knowledge levels expand as per the following in an enterprise:

1. The HOW and WHY of process flow, the implementation goals and the change management strategies

2. Knowledge about the enterprise including the goals and the current juxtaposition, alternatives, etc.

But it is easily noticeable that the availability of ready information on both is chronically lacking. The way to move ahead in situations such as this can be with the trusted tools of knowledge sharing such as brainstorming, innovation and organizing ideas which help get ideas out of the box.

At the core, Six Sigma isn't self-sufficient and it somehow inexplicably still remains in a rut that it is enough to be experienced about problem solving whenever one is encountered. So, as a logical consequence, it cultivates habits which draw lines between tool-specific knowledge and overall knowledge which leads to lost opportunities due to lack of initiatives for innovations and broader perspectives.

Valuable Areas For Knowledge Beyond The Project

Enterprise-wide knowledge is quite capable of an all around contribution to the overall cause of the Six Sigma implementation. Tackling a multi-faceted problem with problem-specific specialization is futile and will blunt the effectiveness of the project team.

Take a look at DMAIC again; in the measurement stage, selecting the right metric is only half the job. But knowledge that tells you how to simplify and foolproof it; and in the control stage questioning things rationally: how could anything be sound? Why couldn't there be mistakes, how can measurement and control processes be automated for best of implementation, etc.

Opportunities for Leveraging Enterprise Wide Knowledge

Take the 2 instances that are extremely effective ways of bringing knowledge to surface.

1. Retrospect- Looking back to review as to the gains of pilot project or an actual project and the reports of a review committee. Retrospect helps to gain insight into the reasons of success or failures.

2. Action Reviews- This is a fact-finding exercise which focuses on the slippage between two parameters, such as what has happened and what was planned.

Accessing enterprise knowledge can't be possible just by forceful ownership. Use of congenial and facilitation techniques must be resorted to, to bring out cross-departmental knowledge. Some other techniques to bring such knowledge to the surface are below:

1. Peer Assist programs by face to face interactions

2. Evaluating contextual relations between projects

3. Final, stage-specific, project documentation

Home And Office Bottled Water Delivery In Northern Virginia

2008-10-07T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Jon Stout

Throughout the United States many consumers and businesses are electing to purchase bottled drinking water instead of tap or well water. The trend is clearly on the rise. A recent study of the bottled water industry indicates that U.S. bottled water sales and consumption continue to multiply at double digit rates as consumers and businesses increasingly choose bottled water as a beverage of choice. (Source: International Bottle Water Association Press Release dated April 13, 2006, http://www.bottledwater.org) Many consumers are choosing bottled drinking water over tap or well water because of the level of contaminants and bad chlorine related taste.

This increase in demand is significant as bottled water has also gained considerable share from the Carbonated Soft Drink (CSD) market. The CSD market share was also reduced as a result of the recent program to ban the sale of CSD products in school systems.

Private label drinking water is the fastest growing segment of the total bottled water industry.

Why the Strong Demand for Bottled Water?

The continued growth in bottled water consumption is mainly comprised of four elements, which are as follows:

Good taste and quality of the product

Convenience of delivery

Supplier customer service

A product line offering that meets the needs of the customer

Country-wide, the bottled water industry has moved quickly to respond to the needs of the market and customers, which results in the increase in bottled water demand and consumption. This trend has also proved evident in the heavily populated area of Northern Virginia in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area.

The Northern Virginia Market for Bottled Water

Northern Virginia population has grown dramatically in the last ten years largely due to the massive homeland security build up after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. This huge influx of population stressed the existing water infrastructure for both tap and well water. Tap water, although tested against FDA standards, still contained a number of potentially hazardous minerals and chlorine additives to kill bacteria. Well water, subjected to chemical and organic pollution and not tested by any government agency, proved also to be undesirable and not beneficial to health.

The State of Virginia ranks among the highest in terms of violation of EPA maximum contaminant levels. The constant influx of population into Northern Virginia will continue to stress the water infrastructure. (Source: Water on Tap: What You Need to Know: http://www.epa.gov/safewater/wot/pdfs/book_waterontap_full.pdf)

Many of the new arrivals in Northern Virginia are young urban professionals with young families. Most of these people seek healthy alternatives for their drinking water supplies.

Because of water quality problems in Northern Virginia, the growth in bottled water demand seen throughout the country is repeated locally. Strong demand for high-quality, good tasting water coupled with the convenience of local delivery resulted in the emergence of bottled water firms with product and service offerings of varying quality.

5 Valuable Tips for Selecting a Bottled Water Supplier

In Northern Virginia there are many choices facing the consumer that seek an alternative to tap and well water. It should be revealed, however, that the many suppliers in the market are diverse and not uniform in their product quality and service offerings. The best suppliers meet the customer's expectations in 5 critical areas: Tips for the best choice in each area are listed below.

1. Quality and Taste of Water

Choose the purest, best tasting water. There are many types of water that vary in quality and taste. The United Sates Food and Drug Administration (FDA) defines a number of water categories including Spring Water (water from an underground source) and Purified Water (including distilled water). Each category defines a specific type of bottled water with Purified Water containing no minerals or other contaminants. For more information on Purified Water visit http://www.ElementH2O.com

In addition to quality, taste is an important consideration. The taste of bottled water should be light and refreshing without any hint of after taste. Not all bottled water products meet these criteria, but those that do are very popular. Take a taste test before deciding to purchase.

Purified Water removes all contaminants, which allows many experts to believe that the distilled/oxygenated Purified Water process produces the highest quality, best tasting bottled water.

2. Broad Product Offering

The consumer should look for a company that offers home delivery of high-quality coolers, 5 gallon jugs, small package (12 and 20 oz.), PET products and water accessories. All products should be user friendly and commercial grade with bottle handles, spill-proof caps and other features that ensure the water supply will be convenient and safe.

Since private label water is now available for corporate events, weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and other memorable occasions, a supplier that offers private label drinking water combined with high-quality private label design and production is a plus.

3. Total Customer Satisfaction

Many bottled water suppliers promise customer satisfaction, but few deliver on that promise. A good way to test whether a supplier can guarantee satisfaction is to place a telephone call to the supplier's customer service department. If you reach a human voice on your first call then probabilities are very high that you will receive customer satisfaction; if you receive voicemail or a recording however, then the supplier values cost cutting more than customer service.

Poor customer service will rapidly offset a seemingly low price. Consider total value including customer service and product quality before agreeing to a "price only "offer.

4. Ease of Ordering

Ease of ordering should be a priority and long term contracts should be avoided. Frequently, some suppliers will quote a very low price but require an onerous one-sided long term contract. The best way to order is with a simple agreement that does not include penalties for cancellation and is customer oriented.

Ordering off the internet is very convenient if the site is truly interactive. Choose a supplier that has an interactive site where a customer can select the type and amount of water, establish delivery schedules, use a credit card for payment with guaranteed security and modify their account on demand.

A limited number of suppliers offer the ability to design private label drinking water on the internet through highly interactive e-commerce sites. The best sites offer multiple layered tools that provide for advanced graphic design and powerful label messages.

Those suppliers who have invested in a powerful, interactive site offer their customers added convenience and flexibility when creating brand messages on private label drinking water.

5. Complementary Products

Home and office delivery of bottled water also offers a distribution channel for other products like coffee and tea. Similar to bottled water, complementary products often vary greatly in quality and customer service satisfaction. The consumer should choose a supplier who offers products of high-quality supported by the best customer service.

Bottled water offers a healthy alternative to tap and well water in Northern Virginia; and home and office delivery offers convenience to consumers and businesses. The quality of product and service offerings in the marketplace differs significantly however. Therefore it is beneficial to the consumer to investigate any potential bottled water supplier with care.

Jon Stout is the Chairman of the Board for Element H2O, a bottler in Chantilly, Virginia offering only Ultra Pure bottled water products and private label opportunities for small and large businesses in all 50 states and Canada.

Elements H2O's clients include businesses in the health and fitness and hospitality industries, fitness centers, gyms, large and small hotels, day spas, catering companies, and many others.

You can reach Jon Stout at 1-866-4-PURITY, or by email at jon.stout@ElementH2O.com

Estimating The Market For Construction Equipment Sales

2008-10-06T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Chris Warren

Heavy construction equipments are required in all parts of the world. Their demand has increased all the more after the growing economy in the Indian sub-continent, Middle East, Far East and Oriental nations as well.

Countries like China, Singapore, etc. are developing at an exponential rate in the area of infrastructure development. Chinese infrastructure has become so strong in the recent past that even the interior cities and remote areas are also well laid with clean broad roads, buildings, shopping malls, bridges, etc. All this growth has let to increase in the construction equipment sales.

Construction equipment sales had been most in the western regions in the decades of sixties to mid-eighties. But in past twenty years the economical growth in the eastern part of the globe had been exponential. The rise in the middle class and better earning resources has led to the growth of the economy. This growth has called for more development of residential and commercial outlets, etc. The increase in the development of such outlets has led to increase in the construction job works. These job works have adapted to the changing developmental pattern thus construction equipment sales have gathered pace equivocally.

More and more builders and architects have come together and large construction companies have built boulders all along the economical growth. Huge towers, shopping malls, big broad roads, expressways, highways, bridges, flyovers, etc. have led to the increase in construction equipment sales. Since all this development work calls for larger companies to shoulder all kinds of job works, many companies have made strategic partnerships, joint ventures, governmental bodings and alliances with the domestic counterpart for better growth. All these large companies have built up their own construction fleet along with the construction specific manpower.

These construction equipment sales are usually related to the iron and steel prices. Since there have been more excavations for the iron ores and new outlets, iron and steel market has grown at a healthy pace in these developmental decades. The large projects require heavy capital investments. In developing countries the cyclic rotation of capital is more regulated and strategic. Thus the investors are able to opt for large borrowings and generate their own capital for purchase of heavy construction equipments. Thus the heavy equipment sales in these countries are more properly funded and less prone to financial risks.

In case of construction equipment sales pricing is also an important factor. It determines the extent of sales or whether the constructor would prefer to go in for rental equipment. Pricing also acts as a determinant of demand in the market. Demand is led as per the specific country, availability of these equipments in the region, prices of iron and steel, etc. moreover, for the construction equipment sales financing of the purchase of the construction equipment acts as an added advantage and gives a competitive edge in selling the equipments. Financing the purchase leads to increase in the construction equipment sales of the manufacturers.

Thus construction equipment sales are more or less directly dependent on the pricing structure and financing available, as it gets included in the project cost. These sales are more prevalent in the growing economies where more infrastructure developments regularly take place.

Chris Warren, Construction Equipment Sale engineer - focusing on Construction Equipment and Heavy Equipment Auctions

Powerful Product Names

2008-10-05T13:00:00.003-07:00

Writen by Kurt Mortensen

Like company names, names for products and services may express a benefit to customers or a personality trait. More than with companies, however, product and service names must be strongly competitive.

Use market research to focus on qualities that motivate sales or counteract buyer resistance, as evident in names such as Ziploc, FunSaver, Energizer and Nice 'n Easy.

Also, know the competition thoroughly so your name communicates an advantage others do not, or expresses the same advantage even more compellingly. Decide on a word or phrase that identifies your product or service, such as "health snack" or "payroll service," and make sure the names you generate sound right with these identifiers.

Sometimes a name is successful because it's paired with an effective visual image. For example, Berkeley Learning Technologies shows its name with a bacon-lettuce-tomato sandwich, while Turtlewax explains the logic of its name with the image of a hard-shelled turtle.

Typeface also makes a difference, setting a tone that can carry as much meaning as the words themselves. Script, for example, is often used to convey elegance, reinforcing that aspect of the name or giving a not-particularly-elegant name a new dimension.

With at least two other people, go through all the names generated and narrow them down to 10-15 candidates. It's helpful to write the names on index cards and keep the cards displayed over the course of several days so you can live with the names and get to know them.

When judging names, be sure to say them aloud. Could receptionists happily answer the phone all day with that company name? Is a product or service name one you'd feel comfortable asking for in stores or by phone? If you're contemplating a cute name, is it an in-joke or will it grow stale over time? And will a company name remain appropriate if you expand?

After you finalize your shortlist of names, test them out on at least 30 strangers -- ideally in focus groups convened by an ad agency or marketing firm. Ask these people not only their order of preference but also what each name connotes, and give more weight to the opinions of potential customers.

Finally, after assembling all this information, decide on a list of six or more top choices, and put them through a trademark search to determine if they're already trademarked or available for use.

Conclusion

Persuasion is the missing puzzle piece that will crack the code to dramatically increase your income, improve your relationships, and help you get what you want, when you want, and win friends for life. Ask yourself how much money and income you have lost because of your inability to persuade and influence. Think about it. Sure you've seen some success, but think of the times you couldn't get it done. Has there ever been a time when you did not get your point across? Were you unable to convince someone to do something? Have you reached your full potential? Are you able to motivate yourself and others to achieve more and accomplish their goals? What about your relationships? Imagine being able to overcome objections before they happen, know what your prospect is thinking and feeling, feel more confident in your ability to persuade. Professional success, personal happiness, leadership potential, and income depend on the ability to persuade, influence, and motivate others.

Kurt Mortensen's trademark is Magnetic Persuasion; rather than convincing others, he teaches that you should attract them, just like a magnet attracts metal filings. He teaches that sales have changed and the consumer has become exponentially more skeptical and cynical within the last five years. Most persuaders are using only 2 or 3 persuasion techniques when there are actually 120 available! His message and program has helped thousands and will help you achieve unprecedented success in both your business and personal life.

If you are ready to claim your success and learn what only the ultra-prosperous know, begin by going to http://www.PreWealth.com and getting my free report "10 Mistakes That Continue Costing You Thousands." After reading my free report, go to http://www.PreWealth.com/IQ and take the free Persuasion IQ analysis to determine where you rank and what area of the sales cycle you need to improve in order to close every sale!

Want To Expand Your Business Try Walking Barefoot In The Grass

2008-10-05T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Diane Hughes

I hear it all the time. "I want to expand my business, but I don't know how." Many online small business owners have this challenge. In all actuality, it's not a business problem... rather a creativity problem.

For any given industry, there are dozens of ways to expand, reach new customers, develop new products, and offer more services. However, the struggle comes with trying to think of new ideas. "Where do I expand to?" "How do I reach new customers?" "What products or services should I add?" These are all questions that can seem overwhelming to someone stuck sitting in front of a computer all day.

One way to open your mind to new possibilities is to get creative. When your creative juices start flowing, all sorts of ideas pop into your mind. Some may seem silly or inconceivable, but others will cause you to have "light bulb moments" where you're amazed that you didn't think of the idea before.

To break the monotony and open the floodgate of creativity, try doing some of the following. They are all "kid-like" activities designed to eliminate the humdrum business thinking you've become accustomed to and free your mind to unlimited possibilities.

1. Walk barefoot in the grass. When was the last time you took your shoes off and strolled around your yard? While you're walking, notice the birds in the trees, the crickets beneath your feet, and the shapes of the clouds overhead. Take time to just relax and dream again.

2. Buy a set of building blocks. Or you can borrow some from your children! Use your imagination to construct anything you want. Be unique... think like a kid and create a true masterpiece.

3. Forget about being wrong. Kids never care if they're wrong. If you tell them they can't do something, they simply say, "Oh yes I can!" Rather than looking at new business ideas from a "it'll probably fail" point-of-view, take the "oh yes I can" stance.

4. Rearrange your office or workspace. Sometimes just the slightest change in your routine can spark creativity. Change the placement of your desk, add some plants, hang an overhead light, or alter some other aspect of your workspace.

When you take the time to nurture your creativity, it will pay off in ways you never imagined. And isn't that the point? Learn to imagine the unimaginable and make your business soar!

About The Author

Diane C. Hughes * ProBizTips.com

FREE Report: Amazingly Simple (Yet Super Powerful) Ways To Skyrocket Your Sales And Build Your Business Into A Tower of Profits! ==>> http://madmarketer.com/diane.

How To Get Started Or Restarted In Your Mortgage Business

2008-10-04T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Tom Domin

Whether you're new to the mortgage business or been sitting on the sidelines for a while, this is a great time to get involved and jump-start your mortgage business.

The U.S. housing market is still encouragingly active...thirty year interest rates although fluctuating are still below 7.00%...home equity interest rates have risen enough to force many folks to refinance and eliminate the higher rate line of credit...and, over 21 trillion dollars in adjustable-rate mortgages are ripe for conversion in the months ahead, to other mortgage products.

Here's what you need to do:

1. Make a list. Yes...you need to make a list of everyone you know. You've heard this before...the moneys in the list...and it's absolutely true. Make sure that you have their address, phone number, and email address if possible, plus and any other information you may have about them.

2. Send a personal letter to each of them. Tell them that you are now in the mortgage business and you are ready to help them any way that you can. Automate your list on your computer to make this function as easy as possible.

3. Follow-up a few days later with a phone call. Re-introduce yourself and your business. Ask if they have any questions about credit and/or mortgages. Ask questions that help you fill-in the blanks and take lots of notes. Offer your private number (cell phone number) in case they have any questions.

4. Send a hand written "Thank You" note expressing your gratitude for the time they spent with you and the information they provided. Very few people use "Thank You" cards today...you'll be remembered for using them.

5. Send holiday cards, birthday cards, postcards, articles and informative industry information each and every month there after. You'll eventually be accepted as an expert and trusted advisor, because of the valuable information that you continue to provide.

6. Never stop building your list. Set a personal goal of adding new contacts each day and then follow the same steps for each addition to your list.

This is the beginning of your database and your new mortgage business. Maintain your list, up-date it, and continually add to it. Handled correctly your database will result in mortgage referrals every month. The larger your database, the more referrals you'll receive.

By effectively using your database, maintaining an exceptional service level, and keeping your name in the forefront of your contacts mind...you have a great chance of generating business right away.

About the Author: Tom Domin has over twenty-five years of experience in sales and training in Real Estate and as a Licensed Mortgage Broker. He is currently publisher of "Tom's Mortgage Tips" a twice monthly Mortgage Newsletter for Mortgage Professionals. You can sign-up by visiting http://www.MortgageMarketingToolKit.com/.

Profit Potential Of The Product Life Cycle

2008-10-03T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Mike Ralph

Every product has a life cycle and the various stages of this can produce different profit margins and as such it is best to be aware of the product life cycle when looking at your selling margins going forward, first lets define the Product Life Cycle:

The timescale within which a product is introduced leading to a growth in sales, before sales mature and begin to decline, possibly even ending in the product being withdrawn.

So as can be seen there are four clear sections which I will discuss further using the pending launch of the Sony Playstation 3 as a working example, we all know the Playstation 3 is coming, developer releases and games conferences have seen examples and demos which has meant that the press have latched on and the hype is starting to grow. So much so that to say it is going to be a hot product is an understatement. As such this gives a great working example to illustrate the product life cycle on your product selection choices.

Stage 1 - Introduction Phase

With all consoles at launch the demand well outstrips the supply which ensures that the market price of the product will be artificially high, the reason being that there will be relatively few suppliers with stock and basically people will pay anything for the product. From your perspective you have no competition in the marketplace and you are guaranteed to sell them at a large mark up. This is one of the best times to sell and your margin will be through the roof.

Stage 2 - Growth

The supply is starting to catch up with demand, which in turn means that there are going to be more people with the product and hence the price will start to fall. Increased advertising by Sony and increased press coverage will ensure that the demand rises and as such you can make a continued profit (albeit at a lower rate). Early growth stage is the key are as you approach the latter end the market starts to get saturated with sellers. A good part of the cycle to be selling in as the volume sales counter the reduced margins and provide a great selling base.

Stage 3 - Maturity

This is probably the hardest stage of the cycle to operate in and unfortunately the point where most sellers start to sell, product supply is normal and lots of sellers that have seen the previous profits made jump on the band wagon to get a slice of the action. Sales start to stabalise and then Sony will start to introduce differentiated product into the marketplace to maintain sales such as a limited edition designed Playstation 3.

The effect of all these sellers coming into the marketplace means that price wars and intense competition occur, the market is basically becoming saturated and this is where you see the bigger players leaving the marketplace as the margin produced by the product sale is no longer 'worth the effort'. These big players leaving the market also compounds the problem because the product they were buying now become more available to Joe Bloggs and they join the sale battle and so on.

Profit wise this is a bad time to sell, the margin per unit will be low compared to the effort that it takes to market the product. It is best to drop your price to cost and clear your stocks and look to the next product.

Stage 4 - Decline

We all know there will be a Playstation 4 (probably named differently) and the market starts to decline because people are waiting for the new model to come out, maybe even a competitor brings out a console that will 'take up the slack' during the interim period. This generate intense price cutting in the marketplace and the price can drop significantly from day to day.

Try not to carry stock into this phase as the likelihood is that you will be selling at a loss. If you are carrying stock then consider the loss leader principle.

The hardest part of selling any product within the profitable sections of the product life cycle is judging the time of each stage, every products life cycle is different with some having longer stages than others and even some missing stages completely and going from introduction straight to decline.

The key is to become an early adopter and aim to get the product early and maximise the market potential of the product, using the Playstation 3 example this will be extremely difficult for the majority of sellers however every product has a life cycle and every product has the potential to make profit so limiting yourself to a specific product is like throwing money down the drain.

Mike - Webmaster and eBay Power Seller at Free Ebay Templates.

We offer free templates, information and product sourcing to enable you to develop your online auctions into a sustainable, long term income stream.

We also operate a Ebay Forum where any advice can be sought on any aspect of Online Trading.

How To Choose A Corporate Gift Basket

2008-10-02T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Roy Thomsitt

In recent years gift baskets have become extremely popular, with an increasing number of options available, plus a number of speciality baskets, such as golf enthusiasts, new baby and gourmet baskets. Another type of basket in great demand is the corporate gift basket.

In choosing corporate gifts, a company has to decide what it is trying to achieve in giving the gift at all. Like any marketing decision (and let's be honest, this is marketing), the choice needs to take into account costs, purpose and likely benefits, as well as any possible adverse reaction if a bad choice is made. So, your corporate gift basket, if that is the general choice you make, should be appropriate not just to the recipient but the level and importance of the business relationship you have with them.

I am stating the obvious in saying that the corporate gift basket you send needs to both please the recipient, and further your business relationship with them. But it should also be kept in economic proportions. If you are sending to a customer who spends $50m a year with you, and you send them an obviously cheap $15 gift basket, the gift is likely to do your business relationship more harm than good. Send a luxury gift basket worth $990 to a customer who spends $100 a year with you, is not a sensible decision, unless they happen to be a great friend of yours; in which case, it is not really a corporate gift anyway.

When making your choice of gift basket, and what to include in it, then do think very carefully. The best marketing, the best customer relationships, are built on an individual basis. Ask yourself: do I not prefer to be treated as an individual, and receive gifts that are personalized? Of course you do; it shows the giver has thought about you and taken you into account as a person. Treat the corporate gift process like a mass mailing addressed "Dear Sir or Madam", and you will damage your customer relationships.

It follows, then, that your choice of corporate gift baskets should be well tailored for the recipients. An element of personalisation is very important, especially for large (spending) customers and their company executives. Just having something engraved can bring a touch of personalisation, even if all customers have exactly the same contents in their gift basket.

What To Put In A Corporate Gift Basket?

Deciding what to put in corporate gift baskets requires a bit of thought, which benefits from the "know your customer" rule. Once you have decided on the budget for each basket, and the type of gift that would be appropriate, it is then a matter of being selective within those criteria. For Christmas gift baskets, some advance planning is definitely needed so you can source the best value and quality of products.

You can find suppliers of corporate gift baskets online who appreciate the need for personalisation and will offer a range of options for you. So, if you choose appropriate quality products to fill the basket, and they are suitable for your gift "target", you can then have one or more items personalised.

Should you decide to have a basket with just one item personalised, then ensure that is placed strategically at the top of the basket, so the recipient sees quickly that you have thought about them as a person. The more individual touches you are able to add to the contents of the basket, the better for your customer relationships. But always remember, your choices must be appropriate.

The types of gifts you can put in the basket are really only limited by imagination. Engravable items can include wine boxes, golf flasks, cufflinks, business card cases. Really, just about anything you can engrave. If you have a gift in mind you cannot engrave, then a metal plaque added could be engraved, such as with a wooden pen box or executive filing case. The more you use your imagination, the more individual your corporate gift basket will be.

This corporate gift article was written by Roy Thomsitt, owner/author of the Gifts For Xmas website, and the Xmas Ornament website.

How To Earn Extra Income Online Lesson 3

2008-10-01T13:00:00.003-07:00

Writen by Farid Aziz

Let's continue our lesson about "The Concept of Demand and Supply"...

In the previous lesson, we found out that the Demand for "flower" is 2,296,287.

How about the "Supply"? The Supply simply means...how many sites are related to a certain subject, in this case "flower". Now let's go to:

http://www.Google.com

I typed "flower" and the results... Voila! There are 65,800,000 link results in Google. That means, the Supply for "flower" is 65,800,000.

Now let's open a spreadsheet and create 4 columns. The first column should be entitled "Keyword", "Demand" for the second, "Supply" for the third and the last one should be "Demand/Supply Ratio".

I'm telling you, this is not just a Read-and-Do-Nothing kind of lesson, but this is a Read-Understand-and-Do-It lesson... So get going..!

Now once you have the spreadsheet, you can find out about the other interests in your list. How their Demand and Supply is doing. If the Supply is too big, that means you have too many competitors in that field and you don't want that!

For example, let's see how "web business" is doing...

The Demand for "web business" in Overture during March 2005 is 3208. Let's say in Google the number was 25,664 (actually, Google's Demand prediction is not very important, because we only need to see the comparison of several keywords. We only need the ratio of Demand/Supply...which one has the biggest ratio with the smallest number of Supply).

How about the Supply in Google? I found the number was 1,000,000,000! That is 1 billion competitors..! I would certainly cross "web business" out of my list...

What we are looking for is one keyword with acceptable Demand and not too many competitors. And to find this keyword you have to play a lot with phrases. Don't be too general so the Supply is crowded, yet don't be too specific so the Demand is poor.

Let's get back to "flower". Although the Demand is good, but you see that the Supply is also enormous. Now when I typed the keyword "flower" in Overture, the result also displayed other related keywords. I saw the keyword "flower seed" has 132,821 for Demand (I know... not as good as "flower"), but wait a minute...the Supply in Google was only 4,060,000! This is better than "flower" because it's too general.

Take a look at the keyword "easter flower". The Demand is 243,624 (bigger than "flower seed") and the Supply was 2,810,000! So, if you are a "flower" kind of guy, creating an "easter flower" niche is a good alternative...

But, don't rush into a decision now. We still can't determine whether "easter flower" is profitable or not. Not before we go through the next breakdown...

Farid Aziz is the author of "How to Make Money Onine with Your Hobby". Visit http://Internet-Marketer.blogspot.com to grab your FREE copy of "Internet-Business-In-A-Box", a kit worth US$ 497.00.

Get The Most From Your Investment

2008-10-01T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Kathleen Gage

Business expos can be an excellent marketing investment and an outstanding way to build your business. On the other hand, if not treated as an integral part of your marketing strategy, they can become a huge waste of time, money and energy.

To gain the most from your investment develop a plan for before, during and after show preparation.

Determine goals and outcomes. Decide why you are at a show before you are there. Are you there to increase sales, have a presence in the marketplace, introduce new products, and/or enhance or solidify your image? Unfortunately, many companies decide while they are at the show and then management feels they have wasted their investment.

Train staff and management. A great deal of how an exhibit is remembered is based upon the personal contact made with company representatives. Although money is invested in the booth, the promotional products, brochures and other external items, many companies fail to invest in personnel training. A walk around virtually any show indicates how true this is.

Train your team how to meet and greet visitors; engage in an interactive conversation; welcome booth visitors without overwhelming them and capture contact information of prospects. Train your team to have a mindset of being a resource before they are a vendor. Rather than immediately jumping into a sales presentation on the showroom floor use the time to build relationships with current and potential customers.

Promotional products can be a great way to be remembered or be a quick addition to the trashcan. When offering promotional products make sure your team knows when and how to offer them. Whatever you use, your promotional product should reflect your company's overall theme.

Post show follow up. Incredibly, only a small percentage of leads are ever followed up on after a show. If you don't follow up you are literally letting money slip through your fingers. Keep in touch while you are fresh in the prospect's mind. Devise a system that allows for timely follow up to all show leads. Don't expect prospects to get in touch with you. Your job is to be proactive in keeping in touch.

Expos and shows can be very effective marketing strategies. With proper planning you can gain an incredible return on investment and reap great benefit all the way around.

By Kathleen Gage and Lori Giovannoni

Kathleen Gage & Lori Giovannoni are keynote speakers, authors and business advisors. Access the FREE eBook, Get More Business, by visiting http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/getmorebusinessfreeebook.htm

Give Back To The World The Internet Makes It Easy And Free

2008-09-30T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Jesse Somer

A week or so ago I wrote an article entitled, 'On-line charities are a perfect place to see how people help the world, and inspire you to join a good cause.' This is a little follow-up article just to tell you about an amazing site that a friend told me about after reading the first article. It's called www.thehungersite.com and it's an incredible concept that has obviously struck a chord with many people, as there are now several links for five other similarly constructed sites. The main concept is that if visitors go to the site and simply click on the button 'Give free food-Click here', 1.1 cups of staple food will be given to undernourished and starving human beings in the world. How can this be true? All we have to do is click a button and food is given to hungry people? Yesterday alone the site had given a total of 148,735 cups of food. Since its inception on June 1, 1999 (6years in existence), over 417 million cups of food have been given by the site's sponsors and supporters.

This is how it works. The site is sponsored by many organizations, the two main ones being the Mercy Corps and America's Second Harvest. The sponsors have to pay to have their banners advertised and all of the proceeds go to the charity. After you make a click the many sponsors' ads come up and one has the opportunity to buy merchandise or give donations that go directly to the cause. To give food you don't have to buy anything, just click, but I figure that people who buy things and give a little extra are what make the system work. I don't really know exactly how it does function, but the site stipulates that you can go back every day and just clicking on the button gives people food. They want you to tell your friends and colleagues of course, and I guess the more visitors the site receives, the more chance that people also purchase a few items from what looks to be like very reputable organizations.

So One click gives 1.1 cups of staple food to the hungry. Well, at one of the affiliate sites (similar concept) www.therainforestsite.com, click on the button called, 'Save Our Rainforests: Click here', and 'Thank you! Your click has funded the preservation of 11.4 square feet of endangered rainforest. Please click every day and support the sponsors below, who pay for your gift.' comes up on the screen. On June 01 alone, visitors who clicked on this button protected 1,025,008 square feet of endangered land. The site stipulates that they give 100% of collected revenue from sponsor banner advertising to their charity partners, who use it to protect wilderness land. Since the site's advent in 2000, 1.2 billion square feet (29,000 acres) of endangered forestland has been protected and preserved.

There are four other sites built out of this same construct: www.thebreastcancersite.com who fund free mammograms, www.thechildhealthsite.com who help provide basic health services to children around the world, www.theliteracysite.com who provide books for children, and www.theanimalrescuesite.com who give food and care to rescued animals in shelters and sanctuaries.

I really think that these sites are an incredible step forward in showing that people in our society are becoming more aware and compassionate in relation to the world around them Have a look at some of these sites and see just how easy it has become to lend a helping hand to the Earth and the marginalised people and creatures who share its magical life force.

Jesse S. Somer
M6.Net
http://www.m6.net

Jesse S. Somer hears a lot about how people do wrong in life, but after seeing the ingenuity that humanity used to make these websites, you have to admire the wisdom and compassion that many of us are learning.

Safety Training Videoes

2008-09-29T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Jason Gluckman

Safety training videos are made so that we don't panic in a crisis and put our lives in danger. These show us how to handle a fire, an earthquake, an accident or a natural disaster. They also include ordinary things like safety tips on climbing a ladder, driving or housekeeping. Countless websites and video production units make and sell CDs and DVDs of video clips on almost everything under the sun. If you do a Google search on safety training videos, you will come up with a minimum of 7,530,000 hits in less than .2 seconds. To choose a good video from this list is not easy. It is advisable to buy videos after having a short preview of what they contain.

Here are some websites which produce safety training videos for everyday purposes, and the categories of videos they sell to the public.

Safteytrainingnetwork.com has videos on almost all day-to-day situations. They have videos on alcohol and drugs, human resources, electrical and kitchen safety, infection control, healthcare, head protection, solid waste management and even employment law. Their videos are widely varied, covering topics from blood-borne pathogens safety and asbestos safety to ordinary things like recordkeeping and first aid.

Coastal.com specializes in producing instructional videos on safety training in coastal areas.

National Safety Compliance is an organization that looks into safety training from all aspects. Their training programs include videos and instructional material. Their videos include crane and hoist safety, transportation, ergonomics, fire safety, hotel safety and office and school safety. These cost anywhere from $200 to $500, and can be ordered online.

Trainingprofessionals.com focuses more on individual safety training, rather than group situations. These include construction safety, confined spaces, personal protective equipment and defensive driving.

Training Videos provides detailed information on Training Videos, Management Training Videoes, Police Academy Training Videoes, Safety Training Videoes and more. Training Videos is affiliated with Worker Compensation Insurance.

The 3 Vital Steps To Online Success Part 1 Of 4 An Overview

2008-09-28T13:00:00.002-07:00

Writen by Robbie Pugh

Since its inception the Internet has brought fame and fortune to many individuals. For example, news broke not so long ago, of a couple from the UK who, in double-quick time, grew an online dating agency from zero to an income of hundreds of thousands. The value of their business is reckoned to be in the multi-million dollar range.

Since then, I heard of one gal who has struck gold selling bras and underwear and a guy who is making a nice living with his website on fly-fishing. Fly-fishing for heavens sake! Who would have thought there was any money in that? But there most certainly is. It's a niche site offering a niche product. The perfect ingredients for online success!

More often than not the product or service is so simple, we ask ourselves: why didn`t I think of that? I`ll bet many of you can recall similar success stories. Indeed, anyone with a spark of life inside them will think: I can do that. That is when the dream starts; to emulate these successful entrepreneurs; to make a good living and be truly independent.

This, of course, is the sheer beauty of the Internet. The small guy can succeed. If you do it right you do not have to compete with the big guys, in fact if you try you will surely fail. But before I get ahead of myself, let me ask you a couple of questions:

Firstly, why should you start an online business?

Without doubt the Internet provides a wonderful opportunity to set up your very own business at a minimal cost, capable of reaching a potential audience of countless millions.

Compare this with the cost and time in setting up a traditional business: the costs of premises, purchasing and stocking inventory, employing staff, overheads... the list goes on. The potential reach of your customers is also very limited with an off-line business by comparison with the Internet. The world really is your oyster. I think we can safely conclude there is no comparison.

Secondly, is it easy?

No, it most emphatically is not! But I tell you, it is a darn sight easier than starting a regular business! And it requires far less capital. But it still necessitates work, lots of work. And be in no illusion about one daunting statistic, namely that 95% of all new online ventures fail! You read that right, the odds are stacked against you! There, what do you think of that for a bit of honesty?

But now that you have been warned I can promise you one thing: with application, diligence, determination and a lot of perspiration you CAN succeed. And, it is to be hoped, beyond your wildest dreams. You can build a business for the future. And remember this, once you have built your site, it can go on creating income for you for years to come! Many have, why not you?

So, how do you go about getting online in the first place and then building your very own successful online business and, furthermore, with no Internet experience. This is where you are going to need help. Did you know there are three vital steps you must take to succeed with an Online Business? Well, that`s where this series of articles really begins.

Over the next three articles I shall elaborate on precisely these three steps. So, watch out for Part 2, which deals with the options open to you for getting your very own website up and running.

Robbie Pugh offers you honest, down-to-earth advice on how to build your very own successful online business. If you are really serious about an online business, or maybe you are already online, this is a site you must check out. http://www.grabonlinesuccess.com

Internet Euphoria

2008-09-28T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Moreah Vestan

Recently, I got to help a friend who'd never been on the Web log on. It was probably even more exciting for me than for her. My great pleasure, my mission, is to stimulate discovery and focus on fulfillment. For example, I'd cooked black-eyed peas in the crock pot last week and couldn't find a recipe in my cookbook. Then I went to www.google.com and did a search and found hundreds of recipes in less than a minute! Where can a person discover more than on the Internet? I don't compare that delight with the glory of Nature or the intimacy of friendship, but all that knowledge at one's fingertips is intoxicating!

For me, part of the joy is in finding resources that I can pass on to various people in my life. On my coaching web site I have links to about 150 sites on several topics that are important to me. I've often thought it would be great to be on retainer and be a clipping service. If you were my client and wanted more information on career choices or home loans or hormone replacement therapyyou name itI'd play hide and seek on the Web and tell you what I found. Being on the Internet makes me feel part of the larger world. I rarely watch the evening news, but when I log on, the welcome screen always gives the top news in the world, with places you can go to check on stocks, weather, entertainment and more. The feeling I get when I open my Personal Filing Cabinet and read Incoming Saved Mail is akin to my response to a letter from a loved one in the mail box. It's like a gift I wasn't expecting, a spontaneous offer to go on a two hour outing. Some of the emails are unwelcome, but I can hit delete or tuck them unread into an appropriate folder. I have folders for my weekly AskYourself newsletter, Puget Sound Coaching Association, Humor, Web Resources, Stock Market, Events, Travel, Writing, and other areas of interest.

For me, the email folders are comparable to a photo album something I can revisit to tickle my memory muscle. Sometimes reading just the subject line puts a huge grin on my faceI remember the joke or scenario. Loving to share as I do, I have to restrain myself from forwarding wonderful humor and great lists to everyone I know. People who know me well appreciate my desire to be useful, and forgive me when I get carried away. It's hard for me to believe there are people who can afford a computer web access who don't rely on the Internet for quick communication. Perhaps I'm a bit addicted to it, but no more so than to snow-covered mountains, intimate talks with friends, a good book, a Handel concerto, or popcorn with butter by the fireplace. I'd be proud to introduce the Internet as my friend to anyone, and I value my friends. You'll have to pardon me; it's time for me to go there!

Moreah Vestan Communication Trainer, Life Coach, Columnist http://communicationcoaching.net Author: Pleasures and Ponderings: From Nun to Nudist to Now http://www.pleasuresandponderings.com 206-938-8385

Why Resell Rights Products Are The Simplest Way To Own Your Online Business

2008-09-27T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Sheridans Student

Resell right products are the hottest products on the internet right now. Why? Well, there are lots of reasons. Let's break it down for an easier explanation. This is the list that you have to do to have an online business:

· Find a product to sell. Not just a product but a product that can sell itself. In other words, products that people are looking for each and every day.
· Design your sales page. If you are not a web designer, then you have to hire someone who can do it for you. Their rate is about $40-$60 an hour.
· Set up a Credit Card processing on your website. It is a must for anybody selling anything online.
· Find a web hosting company. You have to upload your website so that people can see your sales page.
· Promote your website and products. This is the most important part. How successful your business is going to be depends on how you promote your products.
· Watch the orders come in. After you do all the things mentioned above, then you can relax a little bit and watch the orders come in.

Seems to much work for you?

If you buy Resell Rights Products, you OWN your own products. You're not selling other people's products. Most of resell right products come with ready-to-take-order website. You just have to plug-in your information. That's right. You be the boss!

The products AND the websites are provided for you. They're automatically taking orders from your very own customers. All you have to do is wait and see orders coming in to your bank account.

Sheridans Student is the owner of http://www.ebizbest.com. Please visit his website for the best deal of resell rights collection. Lowest price guaranteed or your money back

10 Steps To Successfully Sell Your Business

2008-09-25T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by John Reddish

Getting your best deal when you sell your business is a major challenge. Unfortunately, it is a process all too many business owners take too lightly. They end up settling for less when they fail to employ strategic business thinking to all elements of the selling process and transaction. To help you get your best deal; I have developed a ten-step process you can follow to help you achieve your goals.

One thing I've found is that getting your best deal often depends on recruiting and using the right team of advisors. These advisors include your attorney, accountant, financial planner and consultant and/or investment banker. These professionals comprise the team you will need to achieve the most dollars and the best terms. Each has his/her own specific skills and you will need them all. The few dollars you spend for professional assistance (usually 10%, or less, of what you receive from the sale (as you receive it) will more than pay for itself in getting you a better outcome. The steps in this process appear deceptively simple but require discipline, hard work and sometimes painfully honest self-assessment. They are:

#1 Develop two written lists of goals -- your lifestyle goals and your business goals. In short, what do you want to happen in your life once you've sold the business? Develop each set of goals separately. This helps you keep perspective. Compare both lists. Don't be surprised to see conflicts. Resolve all conflicts between the two goal sets and prepare a coordinated list, keeping business and personal goals separate but on one sheet of paper. Share the list with your leadership team. They will, in most cases, be staying on (and locking them into their jobs may be key to achieving your objectives). Ask them for their opinions -- in writing -- of both the goals and the potential impact of attaining the goals on their areas of responsibility.

#2 Use your lists of goals to generate a criteria checklist. Items for this checklist include: minimum selling price (see #3 below) required to close any gaps in your financial (estate) plan and ensure success in your retirement or in your next endeavor; type of buyer most suitable to run the business; timetable for sale; objectives to achieve prior to any sale (including employment contracts, shadow equity or equity for key team members); transition period and contract for you; desired terms and conditions; and, other financial issues. Divide your completed checklist into MUST items, those things a buyer and/or sales transaction must have for you to close a deal, and LIKE items, those which while nice to have are not essential to the sale. A good, solid checklist takes time to develop, but it will keep you on target.

#3 Pricing is important. While you MUST get your minimum-selling price, you will almost certainly want more. In addition, you probably want to establish an asking price that allows some room for negotiation. You should have your consultant or one of the other team members prepare (or commission) an independent valuation of the company. The valuation will give you a good starting point in establishing a realistic pricing strategy. Ideally, the valuation should allow you to compare several valuation approaches to the company's worth. These computations can be based on: multiples of earnings approaches; asset value plus goodwill; or some of the many sophisticated cash flow models. Knowing how much to ask and under what terms are central to your success.

#4 Take a look at all the preparations completed to date BEFORE even looking for a buyer or dangling a tantalizing "carrot" in front of an eager prospect. Be brutally honest with yourself. Have you considered all the contingencies? Have you reviewed and considered all your financial plans? Would strengthening the business over a short period result in a greater selling price or better terms? ARE YOU READY TO LET GO AND WALK AWAY?

#5 Evaluate specific potential buyers against your checklist. Prospective buyers for small- to medium-sized companies can be found in local and regional publications, as well as The Wall Street Journal, under Business Wanted or Business Opportunity. Investment bankers, venture capitalists, local banks, accountants and attorneys, in addition to many business brokers, are all potential referral sources for transactions. Your management team may be ready and willing to make you an offer. A family member might want to continue the business. Customers and/or vendors and/or competitors might have interest. Research companies and individuals whose business interests fit your criteria, but don't make any announcements until you are truly ready to go public and tell the world. (Once you announce the company is for sale, there will normally be more "tire kickers" than you want to deal with.) In addition, some competitors will almost certainly use such information as a way to attempt to "raid" your key accounts. Match every prospect against your MUST's. If you discover a "must" missing, move on the next prospective buyer.

#6 Develop a short list of prospects composed of those who inquire, those whom you feel might make a good match and those whom you feel might make a good transaction. Rate them on their potential attractiveness on their potential ability to complete the deal, grow the company and complete all payments to you. Once you have a working list to go with your criteria you, or preferably a member of your team, can begin making contacts. A significant show of interest results in the prospect signing a Confidentiality Agreement. It is at this point that you will normally begin to disclose financial and other data to the prospective buyer.

#7 Once the Confidentiality Agreement is in place and as you prepare to disclose information, have your team conduct a thorough due diligence review to qualify any prospective buyers -- companies or individuals -- identified above BEFORE releasing your own information. Serious buyers should insist on reviewing records, tax returns, financial statements, public disclosures and other documents. They should speak with your accountants, attorneys and advisors. They should want to speak (and this needs to be handled very sensitively), with your vendors, customers and employees. They should also be prepared to prove they can complete the transaction. Due diligence is essential to both sides in crafting a win-win deal.

#8 Begin the challenging task of negotiating the sale. My advice to clients (buyers and sellers, alike) is to strive to control the terms rather than the price. Several years ago, I negotiated a deal in which the seller and buyer were far apart in their estimates on what the company was worth. We structured the agreement of sale so that the net present value, the cash value today, equaled what the buyer wanted to pay, but the total dollars for the transaction over time were more than the seller originally asked. Both sides felt like they won. Other advice I give my clients is to go gently into negotiations. Realize, particularly in the initial discussions leading to the transaction that you may be perceived as an entrepreneur more interested in having the business "adopted" than in sold; or as a large, inflexible, corporate type intent only on selling a product line or division before a certain date or at a certain price; or as shareholder representatives who don't know the business or its potential or future and just want out. Getting past these perceptions is key to enhancing deal value. All require different approaches and great sensitivity.

#9 Identify and align your options in relation to being paid at closing and after the sale. Knowing what you want is critical to getting it. A brief list of options includes: a strictly cash sale due at closing; a tax free exchange of stock; cash plus a promissory note plus an employment contract; cash, a promissory note and a non-compete agreement; venture capital. The list goes on. Be sure at closing that you have removed yourself from any contingent liabilities arising from transactions in the old company. Such transactions may include: unpaid taxes; unexpired leases; lender UCC's (Unified Commercial Code filings) that have not been satisfied. Failure to clear these items could result in costly comebacks at a later date. Allow an average of from 2-6 months for serious buyers to identify and line up funding sources.

#10 Closing can be tricky and unfortunately has been the unraveling of many deals. Again, go gently. A deal isn't done until all parties have signed off on the transaction. One deal I witnessed fell apart at the closing table when one of the advisors, claiming he was "emotionally moved" by the integrity exhibited by both sides, read a poem he had written for the occasion. After the closing, your new life begins. You are either out the door or an employee who will (probably) be out the door once the new ownership gets a handle on running the business. (Employment contracts notwithstanding, most former owners are asked to leave long before their due date.) More importantly, the "buck" now stops somewhere else. Remember that and stand aside. Whatever your choice, good fortune and good luck to you as you explore your options.

If you explore selling your business, getting the right professional help can mean the difference between a successful sale and the frustration of time, effort and hope wasted. Solidify your standing in the sale by completing your research and consultations with your advisory team members in advance. With proper planning, you can get the very best deal when you sell your business.

John Reddish works with and speaks to entrepreneurs and top executives who want to master growth, transition and succession, helping them to get results faster, less painfully and in ways that work for them. Author, speaker, consultant and mentor, John is a member of the National Speakers Assn. For booking and product information: http://www.getresults.com. Or call 800.726.7985 in the US, 01.610.388.9335 internationally, or at johnr@getresults.com.

Vested Business Brokers

2008-09-25T13:00:00.000-07:00

Writen by Steve Valentino

Hiring the expertise of a vested business broker is a good strategy, especially when doing business. If you are thinking of buying or selling your business, the foremost thought on your mind is, of course, how you will be able to optimize your sale or purchase. Getting the services of a reliable and knowledgeable vested business broker can make a huge difference.

Vested business brokers act as the middlemen between buyers and sellers. They may have ready resources, such as a long list of clientele who are ready to make purchases or people who are itching to sell businesses or properties. Vested business brokers may also be in contact with a wider network that, in turn, can put you in touch with more possible buyers and sellers.

Aside from these perks, the services of vested business brokers usually include some form of promotion, like advertisements and publicity, which can speed up the sale or purchase of your item.

Business deals, such as the buying and selling of a business or property, usually includes a fair amount of paper work and can take up a lot of your time. If you do not want to be bothered by the technical details, then you can hire a professional to address your needs. Vested business brokers can take care of everything from setting up meetings, making credit inquiries and even doing your paperwork. With these people at the helm, all you need to worry about is getting a fair deal.

The buying and selling process can be complicated. Many of the business dealings involving buying and selling can be taxing. That is why you need someone reliable who will take care of your assets and your money. You want someone who is smart enough to know a good deal when he stumbles upon one and turns away from a bad deal as soon as the warning signs flash.

Business Brokers provides detailed information on Business Brokers, Small Business Brokers, Business Loan Brokers, Business Broker Network and more. Business Brokers is affiliated with Internet Businesses For Sale.

Succeeding In Business 15 Ways To Assure You Come Out Ahead

2008-09-24T13:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Alicia Smith

There are a number of things you can do today to create a successful business. The key to success is founded in adopting a positive attitude and investing your time and effort to take consistent daily actions. Here are some great ways to get started.

1. Take action. Successful business owners are people in action. They don't sit around waiting for things to happen. Instead, they make things happen. Adopting a mindset of taking action is key to maintaining and sustaining the momentum you need to be a business success. Sometimes we don't feel like doing anything. But, an idle business can mean financial disaster. You should always keep a list of simple things you can do to either market your business, improve your skill set or to make your business operations run more smoothly. Taking any action, even one small step each day, will keep you moving forward towards accomplishing your business goals.

2. Make sales calls. Closing sales is the lifeblood of your company. First you must create a process for generating prospects. Making direct sales calls, implementing direct mail or email marketing campaigns, offering teleclasses or giving speeches are some of the best ways to build a pipeline of interested prospects. Craft a well-scripted sales presentation that addresses the prospect's needs, introduces the features and benefits of your product or service, and handles any objections that might be posed. Finally you need to close the sale. While strong skills are required in all of these areas, the most critical part is developing relationships with your prospects and customers. There is no substitute for a face-to-face conversation with an inquiring prospect, and no better way than to begin building a personal relationship with a potential client.

3. Network. The best way to make sales is to create relationships with others who want to buy from you. Get out and meet others. Join groups that you enjoy that include members who would most likely be interested in your products and services. By mingling with others, sharing about yourself and your business, you'll feel more alive and energized. Not only will you have the chance to meet new people, but you might also create some opportunities that can propel your business to a new level. Networking is a great tool for increasing your visibility and a necessity for anyone who desires success.

4. Complete the 90-Day Marketing Marathon. One of the quickest ways to jumpstart your business is to enroll in the 90-Day Marketing Marathon E-course (www.90daymarketingmarathon.com). Available in editions for both coaches and micro business owners, this intensive program will motivate and inspire you to take daily actions to market and promote your business. Each lesson is carefully crafted to teach you something about marketing that you can implement immediately. You'll learn about crafting and sending letters of introduction, writing a top ten article or e-course, asking for referrals, networking, writing press releases, and many more marketing tactics. You'll also be able to enjoy additional helpful resources that accompany many of the lessons.

5. Write articles and publish them online. Writing articles and publishing them online is one of the easiest things to do to generate business. Not only do they add to your credibility, but also they increase your visibility as they are disseminated all over the Internet. Go to websites like www.eZineArticles.com or www.topten.org to get ideas about articles currently being written. You can write a simple top ten article and post it on any number of free or fee article submission sites. These articles, along with your full contact information, subsequently find their way to various websites or are included in published newsletters. Writing articles is a wonderful way to get known far and wide in a short period of time. They also create "links" back to your site giving you increased web traffic and exposure.

6. Teach teleclasses. One of the best ways to build your business is by offering free or fee teleclasses. A teleclass provides a way to share what you know with others while at the same time giving the audience an opportunity to experience your "live performance." By offering a course through a teleclass format, you can extend your reach to a global audience, opening up the opportunity to gain clients from near and far. Teleclasses also offer other benefits in that they can be taped and repackaged for sale, showcased as a "special offer", or even posted as content to your website. As an added benefit, teleclasses are both time and cost efficient.

7. Send out 10 letters of introduction each week. A letter of introduction is a great way to introduce you and your business to your local community or target market. If you are just starting out, you can mention the grand opening of your business and perhaps include a free offer for a complimentary consultation or a free product sample. You might consider enclosing a copy of a recent article you have written or a complimentary assessment. Include a note that you will be calling in one week to follow up. This will give you a reason to make telephone contact, which might be the beginning of building a relationship with a future customer.

8. Update your website. One way to stay "fresh" in the eyes of prospects and current clients is to update your website at least weekly. Change something on your home page. If you make use of quotes or testimonials, change them or move them around. Add a new article or delete old content. Make sure that any time sensitive information is properly updated. If you don't have new content to add, ask your colleagues if they have something that you might be able to use. If you need articles to post, you can go to any number of online article banks, or even try www.topten.org Finally, don't forget to check all of your links to make sure they are functioning properly.

9. Return phone calls promptly. Now more than ever, time is of the essence when it comes to doing business. You never know when you might be missing a time critical opportunity. Always return phone calls as soon as you can. Your prompt response demonstrates to prospects and your current clients that you value serving them and that you respect their time and their deadlines. In today's competitive environment, if people don't get the prompt attention they desire, it's easy to do business elsewhere. In order to make it easier and more time efficient to return calls, set aside one or two times during the day when you can do so without interruption.

10. Respond to emails promptly. Today, email is a more common method of communication than the telephone. As with returning telephone calls, emails left unattended can send negative messages about you and your business. When you don't answer emails promptly, you are perceived as not on top of things, that you aren't detail oriented or worse, that you don't care about your customers. Don't hesitate when it comes to communications. As with telephone calls set aside a couple of times each day to respond to email.

11. Get involved in your community. Successful business owners get involved with their community. You can donate your time, services, or products to local charities or social programs. You can offer to speak for free to various community groups like the Optimists, Lions, and Rotary clubs. You can even start your own group to benefit the community and its members. Not only is this a great way to network and create visibility for your business, but also it's a wonderful way to give back and help those who need it most.

12. Engage in public speaking. Public speaking is a wonderful way to build visibility and credibility for your business. Whether you are speaking for a fee or for free, speaking engagements are a great way to introduce your products and services to others. More importantly, they provide a way for you to establish a personal relationship with prospects by providing a face-to-face opportunity to interact. Consider public speaking engagements as "instant networking" opportunities with you as the featured guest.

13. Be customer centered. Successful business owners are 100% customer-centric because they know they will be out of business without customers. Being customer-oriented means that you design, develop and market products and services that meet the specific needs of your clientele. You design customer service programs that address questions and concerns efficiently and effectively. You answer emails and return telephone calls promptly. Adopting an attitude of service to others is the best way to ensure that everything you do is for your biggest fans your customers.

14. Surround yourself with terrific people. Business owners who want to be more than average, associate, partner and network with other highly successful and exceptional people. The best way to learn the ropes of success is to surround yourself with those who have already achieved it. By learning from the knowledge and wisdom of others, you will reduce your own learning curve and make your own success much faster and easier. Consider partnering with others who have a complimentary service and product or choose to create something new from which both of you can benefit. Or you might engage in fusion marketing opportunities where you market and promote each other's offerings.

15. Adopt a learning mindset. Successful business owners are knowledge seekers. They are on a continual quest to improve themselves personally and professionally. You've probably heard the phrase "Knowledge is power". Seeking out new knowledge, whether by reading a book, taking a teleclass, or learning from the feedback you receive from your customers or clients can be invaluable when it comes to moving your business forward. An attitude of learning from everything we encounter is what keeps our perspective fresh and our ideas flowing. We need new input to create new output. Surround yourself with interesting people, things, and ideas. These are the roots from which successful businesses are born.

Alicia Smith is a Coach and Trainer whose specialty is helping business people to Make Money Now. She has taught over 10,000 people how to improve their business bottom lines. To learn more about her courses, products and services, please visit http://www.AliciaSmith.com