Small Business

Must Have Business Stationery Items

2009-06-10T02:56:00.001-07:00

If your profession requires you to stamp a lot of documents or correspondence everyday, you probably understand how a stamp pad and other related accessories play an important role in this process. However, it does not mean that to realize this you have to be an office employee or a notary. Many people do like to indulge in stamping whenever they need to send out letters, invitations and even give out gifts. The point is that along with a stamp, the related stationery also demands a certain amount of importance!

When it comes to stamping, most people prefer a stamp that comes with a stamp pad. Better to say they prefer getting a traditional stamp. When you consider having such a stamp, you are bound to take care of all the things that are required to stamp your documents and other correspondence. Thus, like you look for the best stamp, you should also look for quality accessories, like stamp pads and stamp pad ink.

Getting quality stamping accessories means you are making your stamping experience more enjoyable. You will find many shops around you that offer stamp pads and accessories. Their items are very thoughtfully designed in an attempt to give customers a great stamping experience. Along, they are very durable and convenient to use.

When you want to give your stamp a different look, considering new stamp pads and accessories can help you to a great extent. They would definitely meet your requirements. For example, for a different look of the stamp, you can change the color of the ink that you are going to use on the stamp pad. There is no doubt it would look very different and innovative. Likewise, you can discover a lot more things in order to personalize your stamp of approval. Getting a bit creative would help you come up with innovative ideas!

Thus, for different personalized look of your stamps, you do not need to get several stamp pads. Getting a quality stamp pad and accessories can prove to be the best way to do the same. You can use them in your office for authenticating documents and at home to personalize your belongings and gifts. Change the color of ink whenever you feel like, keeping in mind the concept of the events! Isn't it a good idea?

Successful Advocacy Days - Four Tips to Make the Most of Your Association's Advocacy Days

2009-06-10T02:55:00.000-07:00

If your association has decided to have an advocacy day, you're probably wondering where to start. Sending advocates to visit Congress or their state legislature can be a daunting task, from getting the meetings scheduled to making sure your advocates can effectively deliver your message.

Here are a few tips to help improve your advocacy days:

1. Have a clear message. The decision to have an advocacy day usually comes from some legislative activity that is important to your association. But you need to be clear about the purpose of your event. What is the ask? Do you want support for a bill, increased funding for a program? It's acceptable to have "meet and greet" advocacy days, where your group comes in and says, "this is who we are and this is what we do," but you can do that only once. If there is nothing in particular that you want from legislators, why have advocacy days?

2. Hit your targets. Because time is limited during advocacy days, you want to make sure that your legislative targets are covered. Find out which legislators sit on the committees that are in charge of your issue and make them the priorities. That means making sure that constituents from their districts are in attendance. If you see holes in your targets, go through your membership roster and find people from those districts and invite them to your advocacy days. Your database cannot do this for you. You have to pick up the phone and ask. It's amazing what people will do if you just ask.

3. Be flexible. When scheduling meetings for advocacy days, remember that it is not like scheduling a meeting with the dentist. Legislators are busy and your events may be planned for days when members are in special hearings or committee meetings or when they aren't in session until late in the day. Don't fill your advocacy day with luncheons or special speakers. That will make it difficult for you to say yes when you're offered a meeting at the only time the legislator is available. As part of remaining flexible, your advocates need to be available from early morning to early evening. Make sure they aren't planning to leave early or arrive late.

4. Train your advocates. When it's all over, advocacy days are only as good as the training. Your advocates don't need to know the history of the bill or how a bill becomes a law, but they need the background on your ask so that they can be confident in their discussions with legislative offices. Some statistics and financial figures are helpful, but don't weigh your advocates down with information that they don't really need. During the training portion of your advocacy days, it's crucial to show your advocates how to connect the data and their stories to the ask. Many associations use a demonstration, some use role play, but before you send them on meetings, make sure they know what the ask is and how to get to it.

For more information about successful advocacy days and other programs to maximize the potential of your grassroots networks, visit http://SoapboxConsulting.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Angela_R._Taylor

Is Your Business Helping You Reach Your Life Goals?

2009-05-28T22:44:00.000-07:00

People start businesses for a variety of reasons. Some just dream of getting rich. Others are sick of working for somebody else. Still others think they know a better way, so they embark a venture all their own. I even know a few people who simply started businesses because of some happy accident. They didn't really intend to start a business. It just happened through a series of circumstances they never planned.

Over time, businesses change. What may have once been the very passion of their life become a 100 pound weight hanging around their neck. They now feel enslaved to a business that no longer serves their life goals. They're trapped inside their own business, with no apparent way out.

If that sounds like you, this list of thoughtful questions might help you get unstuck.

1. What's changed - in your business?

If your business is no longer scratching your itch, what changed? Think about the changes that have happened. When you first started, what caused the rush of adrenaline? Is that "cause" still around? Or maybe it's you who changed. Maybe the things you once needed have now been fulfilled and you have a new itch that requires a new type of scratch.

2. What's changed - in your life goals?

We all experience changes in our life. Our goals when we start our career are very different than our goals after 30 years of work experience. Make a list of the things you now hope to accomplish. List your current goals.

3. What activities in your business hinder those goals?

Yes, it's a negative approach, but if you're struggling with your present business you may as well face down reality. You could approach it like this, "What activities in your business advance those goals?" We're approaching this from a "what's wrong" approach though - not a "what's right" approach. We're trying to fix things.

4. What can you do about those activities or things that hinder your personal goals?

Brace yourself. The answer may come back, "Nothing!" If that's the case, you likely understand your options. Get out. How? Well, that's a different list and a whole "nother" story.

But, maybe there are things you can do to get the business back on track and in harmony with your personal goals. Not long ago I was working with a dealer who wanted to walk away from his business. However, his goal was a target price that simply wasn't founded in reality. His need, or goal, had little to do with the actual value of the business. Result? No sale. Just one miserable business owner.

A better approach is to figure out how you can realign your goals with your business. You should absolutely make changes in your business to get things back in alignment with your personal goals. However, only do that if it will enhance the business. Don't do anything to put your company at risk because you're having a mid-life crisis.

I've known some 30-something business owners who inherited the business from a retiring father and their personal goal was to buy a $100,000 sports car. The business wasn't helping them reach that goal fast enough, and they got stupid. Putting your business at risk for such selfish goals aren't exactly what we're talking about. We're talking about more "this isn't what I want for my life" type goals.

Change what you can, if it will also make the business better. Face the realities of the things you can't change. Decide if you can live with them. If you can't, start building your exit plan.

5. Be careful what you wish for - you just might get it.

"I want to move to the coast and golf," said the owner. He sold the business and did just that. He and his wife of 40 years sold just about everything they had. They left behind the kids and grand-kids. They moved to their dream house in their dream city. For a year, they did what they wanted. After a year, bored completely out of their mind, missing friends and family - they moved back. The coast and the golfing were only things they thought they wanted.

Make sure that your life goals are truly what you want. There are countless men and women who thought they wanted something, only to have obtained it and found tremendous disappointment. Carefully examine your life goals.

Business isn't just about money. It's not just about the things money can buy. It's fundamentally about something more powerful, desire. It might be the desire to determine who we interact with. Maybe it's the desire to live where we want. Maybe it's the desire to determine our own schedule. It can be a thousand different things. And it's not possible to have it all. Don't believe that lie. Every desire comes with a price tag. Your job is to make sure you're willing to pay the price for whatever you desire.

Businesses exist only because somebody wants them to. Make sure you still want yours to exist. Before you dismiss those thoughts, think about two other groups of people who have a vested interest in your decision: your employees and your customers! Get what you need, but don't be too selfish.

Randy Cantrell is the President of Bula Network, LLC, a business accelerator for independently owned small businesses. Read his blog at http://bulanetwork.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Randy_Cantrell

Proven Tips For Business Finance

2009-05-28T22:43:00.000-07:00

In the last part, you learned some of the very basic facts about business finance. In this part, I will tell you how to deal with the problem of cash shortage and an array of other such factors that contribute to the success and failure of your overall business venture. Here you go.

Cash Is King
When you encounter a cash shortage problem, the first thing that you should do is to inform all the people who are going to be affected because of this. For example, you can start by giving a call to your suppliers and explore your options for renegotiating the credit terms, such as by creating a provision for installments or by extending the due date - something that you can afford. This will not only help you battle the problem efficiently but you will also be able to restore people's trust in your business.

Strictly Follow A Set Procedure For Payment
While you are documenting the terms and conditions for sales, make sure to include payment terms as well. Follow this payment procedure strictly. If a customer is asking for credit, you should grant the same only after checking their background thoroughly. For example, you can do this effectively by getting references from other suppliers that the customers are dealing with.

How To Chase Debts
Chasing the debts the right way is also very important for your business finance. You must follow a set procedure for it as well. For example, an effective way is to sending a duplicate invoice mentioning the due date for the payment and when the due date expires, you can follow up by giving a telephone call to the customer.

Realistic Forecasting
Forecasting can be a good thing for your business as long as you are realistic and not conservative about it. Always remember, realistic forecasting is the foundation for ordering raw materials, negotiating premises, and raising money. While you are estimating about the various components, make sure that your analysis and estimation is based on some facts. At the same time, you also need to be consistent about this forecasting. For example, monthly or weekly forecasting is much better than just one annual forecasting.

Keep Proper Records For Everything
Keeping thorough records for each and everything is also essential for the health of your business finance. If you do not have enough time to do it yourself, you always have an option to hire a professional bookkeeper for this purpose. The objective is to keep a firm track on where your money is going out and coming from. Computerizing your accounts is a good way to do that. There are lots of software programs available in the market that can make the process much easier and more efficient for you.

Last, but not the least, you should always keep in mind that everything is negotiable - whether it is payment terms with your suppliers, the rate of interest payable to bank, and the due date of the debts, and the amount of installments for loans. So, negotiation is also a good part of healthy business finance.

Gaining good control over your business finance is the key to success in your venture. You can visit my website for more business finance tips that will eventually give your business a solid base.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alexander_Miller

Small Business Loans

2008-09-02T03:48:00.000-07:00

Small business loans are helpful to safeguard business against losses or adversities. They are very beneficial to all small business entrepreneurs. Small business loans provide capital to increase the profit margin and aid in production capacity. To run a small business is a Herculean task, more so when there is such hard competition. It becomes very difficult for a small business to survive among the race without proper fund. Thus opting for small business loan is a smart decision to overcome this hassle.

To apply for small business loans borrower has two options, with or without collateral. Secured small business loan is offered with collateral. Low interest and small monthly installments are its benefits. Long repayment duration also gives relief to the borrower. He can borrow big amount here, as this loan is secured against your property. Unsecured small business loan does not require any collateral. No security is offered. However borrower has to bear high interest rate and big amount as monthly installments.

Small business loans are also available for people with poor credit history. Earlier these people were turned down by the creditors. Their poor credit was a curse to get them small business loan. But bad credit small business loan has changed the scenario; this loan is designed for people with adverse credit. Small business loan can be taken to meet any business requirements. To get in touch with the lender, you should seek help from internet. It will give you all relevant information regarding the loan and its procedure to follow.

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Small business loans

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joanne_Elizabeth

He Swore That The Check is in the Mail But it Never Arrived

2008-08-25T22:28:00.002-07:00

If you own a small business, as I do, I'm sure that you've often been told, "The check's in the mail." At best, you must wait several days before you get access to the money. This can be a major hardship when the amount is large. What if the check never arrives? Then you have to contact your customer or client and hope that they really intended to pay you. You tell them that their check "must have gotten lost in the mail" and sheepishly ask them to send a replacement. Then the process repeats and you hope that this time the check finally arrives. Even if you do actually receive the check, there is of course a delay until you actually get your hands on it and deposit into your bank account. There has to be a better way!

I've found a great solution to this dilemma. There is now software available that allows you to receive the check information by telephone, FAX, email, web form, or in person and immediately print the actual check, which you deposit right away into your bank account. If the check is from an intra-state bank or the amount is under $1000, my bank gives me immediate access to the funds. Otherwise, there is a 5-day hold, which would also have been the case if I had to wait for the check to arrive by mail. So in most cases, I get immediate access to the funds. Wow! It doesn't get better than that. Using this software has greatly improved my cash flow. It could probably do the same for you.

It works with any laser printer. No special toner is required. Checks produced by this software even have the machine-readable numbers at the bottom and are accepted by every bank in North American and most other places. I recommend that you use the same type of security paper as the one suggested for well-known account software, such as Quickbooks(tm) or Quicken(tm).

That paper is inexpensive and is available at most office supply companies and at the above website. It is specially manufactured with a number of features that help to prevent check fraud. For example, if someone makes a photocopy of the check, the word VOID is plastered all over the copy, making it unusable.

Dr. Rubinstein is a practicing psychiatrist who has replaced the income from his lucrative medical practice through online marketing. He not only offers a wide range of products on dozens of websites, but he also teaches Internet marketing through an online multi-media training program as well as a personal mentoring program.

The software is called "Immediate Check Deposit" and it's available for download at http://immediate-check-deposit.com

Dr. Rubinstein can be contacted at ezinearticles@doctorduplicator.com or (219) 864-2501.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_N._Rubinstein,_M.D.

Commission Agreements - 4 Myths That Can Needlessly Expose Your Small Business to Legal Claims

2008-08-25T22:28:00.001-07:00

Although several of the small business owners I have encountered in the past few years thought they were immune from being sued for unpaid commissions by their salespeople, they learned -- too late -- that New York's Labor laws dictated otherwise. As part of their Monday morning quarterbacking, these business owners came to realize that had they invested a modest amount of additional time and resources into drafting a comprehensive and clear commission agreement in the first place, they certainly would not face exposure to paying commissions at a salesman's wished upon (rather than agreed upon) terms, and perhaps could have prevented litigation altogether. After some further analysis, it seems that these business owners' surprise (and Achilles' heel) was the product of their belief in one or more of the following myths:

Myth #1 - Signing bonuses are inherently discretionary - New York's courts have held that where a signing bonus is guaranteed as a term of employment that is tied to the salesperson's job performance (such as the sale of a new account), and further, is not expressly made subject to management's discretion, the bonus is deemed wages under the Labor Law, and thus, cannot be forfeited if earned prior to termination and/or resignation.

Myth #2 - "If it Isn't Written, It Doesn't Exist - contrary to popular belief, just because a commission agreement is oral doesn't necessarily mean it is unenforceable. In that regard, while an employer can change the terms of an at-will employee's agreement prospectively, it cannot change the terms of the agreement retrospectively. Simply put, once the salesperson has already earned commissions at an agreed upon rate, the employer cannot go back and refuse to pay those commissions.

Myth #3 - Termination for Cause Is Cause for Forfeiture of Commissions - New York's Labor Law clearly states that commissions which are earned during employment (i.e., vested), cannot be forfeited as a matter of public policy.

Myth #4 - If It Isn't Clear from the Contract that a Commission is Owed, the Salesperson Can't Collect - a fundamental, and nearly uniform rule of law is that any ambiguity in a contract is construed against the drafter of the contract. As a practical matter, this means that the courts are obliged to side with the salesperson with regard to any provision in the agreement that does not make it patently clear as to whether, and if so, how much, commissions are owed for a particular sale.

As the foregoing makes clear, it certainly pays to have well-crafted and clear agreements with commission salespeople. The short-term cost in time and money will not only help avert misunderstandings, and thus safeguard company morale, but will likely save you untold sums of money by either minimizing, or preventing entirely, the costs of litigation.

Copyright (c) 2008 Law Offices of Jonathan Cooper

Jonathan M. Cooper is an attorney in private practice in New York, and has represented small businesses and individuals in the trial and appellate courts for over a decade. For further information about his firm, please visit http://www.jmcooperlaw.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jonathan_Cooper

Starting a Small Business - Twelve Questions to Consider

2008-08-25T22:28:00.000-07:00

Here are twelve questions that you should consider when starting a new business.

1. What is your product or service idea? Are you making a product or delivering a service? What is the need in the market that you will serve? This is the "what". If you can define the specific product or service you want to deliver in a paragraph or two, it will help you to focus on the "how". Try not to be too general. Instead of "Photography" consider refining it to "In-home baby, child and family photography" or some other more specific area. You can always broaden it later.

2. What geographic area will you serve? If you intend to run a mail-order business, you may not have geographic limitations. However, if you have a product or service that is locally deliverable, such as a store, restaurant or in-home service, a pin on the map will define where your business will exist, but from what demographic areas will you draw your customers? Will these demographics change during the week or year? If you have a business where you travel to your customers, consider making a map to clarify your served area. Draw a shape to enclose the area where you want your primary market to be, from which you expect to get most of your business. Make another larger one which would be areas you would consider servicing but in which you would incur higher costs or longer times to deliver your product or service. And then define the third area, in which you may consider delivering services for a higher price or other consideration.

3. What is your competition? Do some research. The phone book, internet, chambers of commerce and personal contacts are all good sources of information. Try to identify each of your competitors' strengths and weaknesses, and think of ways you can operate your business that will overcome their strengths and will take advantage of their weaknesses.

4. What skills are needed to operate this business? Think beyond the actual craft or product. You'll need marketing, selling, customer service, accounting and bill paying, web and computer skills and more. beside these tasks and skills, note which things you do well and don't do well. Be honest, and think about a plan that will either improve your skills, or will bring into your business someone who can coach your or will do these things for you.

5. What equipment or resources do you need? Again, thinking in terms of three levels is helpful. First level, what do you need to barely operate the business out of your home or a small space? You may have most of all of these things now. You don't want to go into large debt just starting your business, so keep this level "bare bones". Next level, what would you need to establish a firm base for growth? That may be better equipment, a better place, or more machinery. You can take this list and make it your "grow as you go" list - as your sales come in, you can divert those early profits to growing your business to the second level without incurring additional debt. Third level, think about if your business was making $1 million per year, or per month. What would that business look like? That distant view may help you lay a stronger foundation in the first two levels to support growth.

6. How will you enter the market space? Few businesses succeed without an initial push. Do you have friends, relatives or local businesses upon whom you can count to give you some business and exposure? How about a press release and grand opening celebration? TV coverage is good, as are reviews in the paper and online. You may want to think about some initial marketing and advertising strategies to get your word out there. Also think about the best time of year to start, where your investment is most likely to generate sales and awareness.

7. How will you define and market your brand? Every business has a brand identity. People will associate your brand in different ways. Are you tailoring your product or service to a value market or upscale crowd? Will your customers come from retail, commercial, government or industrial areas? Naming your business and products will impact how people perceive your business. Would you rather buy from "Joe's Cheesecake" or "The Cheesecake Wonderland?" Describing your lower cost offerings as "value-oriented" instead of "bargain" creates a completely different customer impression.

8. What processes to you need to define and standardize? Regardless of what you do, customers will expect you to do it the same all the time. Consistency or the lack of it will very much impact how much repeat business you receive. Some key processes are customer contacts (phone answering, greeting), delivering the product, cleaning or preparing your business, soliciting and accepting customer feedback, pricing and specials, just to name a few.

9. What are your compliance obligations? Do you need to collect sales tax? If so, how much and in what areas? How often do you need to report tax and income? Do you have licensing and permitting to deliver your product or service? Do you have medical or board of health compliance requirements? Do you have to notify customers of any potential risks? Are you required to have specific insurance coverage or law enforcement clearances? Sometimes, a conversation with a similar business owner in a non-competing market will open your eyes to compliance issues that you did not originally know. You may also want to talk about how to structure your business: Sole proprietorship, partnership (lots of risk), Limited Liability Corporation (LLC) or other structure. If you run a business from your home, there are tax, permitting and zoning implications.

10. What pricing and policies do you want? Pricing will of course affect your profitability. Make sure you can clear a profit after all of your costs are covered. As a new business, you probably don't want to be the highest or lowest price in your served area. Set prices too high and you may not get any business. Price too low and you risk being ignored by all but the most value-conscious customers, and being branded as "cheap". Your policies will influence your customers' experiences. Will you refund money? How do you handle scheduling, deposits and cancellations? Will you accept credit cards or bill the customer? How will you deal with past due accounts? Will you offer discounts, and if so, to whom? Will you have employees? What policies do you need to define for them?

11. How will you fulfill the customers' needs? Imagine the moment you deliver your product or service to the customer. How will they receive it? Will there be packaging or presentation technique that must be followed? If you deliver a service, how will your appearance, professionalism and quality of work be observed? Where will you obtain your supplies or services? Can you get samples and make contacts at trade shows or other venues to develop your supply chain?

12. How will you measure your success? Sales and profitability are just two measurements of success. How about customer satisfaction? Will you perform formal or informal surveys? Will it be obvious to you if your customers are happy or not? What is their rate of referring you to their friends and associates? If you don't know how your business is doing from the outside, you can't fix it from the inside.

Don't let these questions intimidate you. Instead, use them to build a more complete business plan, expose your weaknesses and highlight your strengths.

To continue your business journey, consider joining a chamber of commerce, industry group or web forum where other like-minded business people can offer support and feedback. Good luck with your business!

John Huegel is a photographer in the Erie, Pennsylvania area who specializes in Seniors, Dance Studio, Families and other groups. He is active in many charitable and volunteer activities in the Erie area. His work can be seen at http://jhphotomusic.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Huegel

Small Business Achievement Thinking by Stopping the Blame Game

2008-08-04T22:15:00.002-07:00

Don't be a player of the blame game. Your small business will have problems. Errors will happen by your vendors, customers, suppliers, your staff and you. Don't focus on blame. That is a waste of time and energy. Focus on correcting the issue and moving forward. Stopping the blame game is a great way to empower your small business towards accelerated growth.

It is our human nature to divert blame. We never want to be at fault. Accept that mistakes will happen. Not everything that happens in your small business will be a good thing. You can't be perfect and stop every bad thing from happening. What you can do however, is to not play the blame game.

I remember a story from my consulting years. I was a junior consultant on a large accounting project and I remember one of the managers stating that he wanted to bring in a tape recorder to the meetings to record the client comments. He was certain that he had listened to them and did what they had wanted. The client dissatisfaction with an accounting system, was their fault because they couldn't specifically explain what their requirements where.

The clients might not have been specific enough in their descriptions of their needs, but my manager was really missing the point. Do you appreciate it when people prove you wrong? Does 'proof' that you were wrong help the situation? This is a best case scenario of the blame game. This manager wanted to bring in a tape record to help him document the blame. What a waste of effort.

He could have paraphrased, and asked better questions, and repeated their requirements to encourage more effective communications. Assigning blame is a time waster. Collaboration is productive, and a great asset to help you build your small business.

Work to stop the blame game in your workplace. Stopping the blame game is a great strategy to empower you to grow your small business.

Recession Proof Businesses - How to Beat the Current Recession

2008-08-04T22:15:00.001-07:00

Do you like to find out how to beat the current economic recession with recession proof businesses? If your answer is yes then read this article till the end.

There is no doubt that many global economies are in a downturn at the moment or are facing a serious risk of going into a recession. The degree of this downturn or economic recession varies from country to country, but the fact remains that not all sectors of the economy are facing this plight. Globally there are some sectors of the economy that are thriving right now. This article will show you one of the sectors that is thriving at the moment and where to find information on how to build recession proof businesses and beat the current recession.

If you have been watching the news, apart from the US 2008 presidential election coverage then you must have seen headlines like:

Oil prices continue to soar,
Gas prices reach an all time high,
Food prices reach record highs,
Up to US 80,000 employees have lost their jobs so far this year alone,
US bankruptcies up by 50%,

These are all signs of an economic recession, in fact to quote a very prominent US Billionaire Warren Buffett "By a common sense definition, the US economy is already in a recession". We all know that when the US economy is in trouble then the rest of the world Economies will sooner or later follow suit.

The fortunate thing is that not all sectors of the economy are facing an economic recession, one such sector is the eCommerce sector. Indeed online business is booming right now, and there are predictions that this growth will continue till 2012. Here is what some business experts are predicting:

Epsit.net; "Global e-commerce revenues will reach $115 Billion this year"
Forrester Research; "each year every household will spend $3,649 spend online"
Forrester Research; "E-commerce growth is estimated to reach 204 billion US$ in 2008 and to hit 334.7 billion US$ by 2012

As a result online businesses have been rightly termed recession proof businesses.

These are some of the reasons why e-commerce is a recession proof business:

People who shop online are more likely to be wealthier than the average consumer,
Online shoppers are people who face far less economic challenges, and they are generally more optimistic about the future,
There are many reasons why more and more people are shopping on-line now and will continue to do so in the future, these include: Trying to save money on gas, saving time, avoiding crowds, comparing prices, finding any product they want, and being able to buy at any time of day (e-businesses are open 27/7)

With the right knowledge, tools and information, you too can benefit from the booming e-commerce sector. In fact in 2007 thousands of ordinary people with no formal technical training, ecommerce background, or sales experience, set up their own successful businesses and quit their days jobs and are now enjoying a different lifestyle.

What is Your Small Business Technicoloured Coat?

2008-08-04T22:15:00.000-07:00

Firstly, it is very important to have a Technicoloured coat, because this is what sets you apart from other businesses, so if you don't have one already, this is something that you need to work on before moving to the next step. Secondly, you can only have one Technicoloured coat, in metaphorical terms, anything else is a T Shirt that goes underneath. Your TC is the ONE thing that differentiates you, you can have other points of difference, but they are not as strong or as important.

Here are a few guidelines on choosing your Technicoloured coat (TC).

If you are a lawyer or a gardener, a real estate agent or a florist, I realise that there are a lot of others in the same market, so your technicoloured coat is not going to be that you are a florist. But what about the fact that you may specialize in roses for weddings, or that you are the only florist in Southport, or that you are the only florist with 20 years of experience in making gift baskets. This is not the only thing that you or the only advantage or selling point that you have, but this is the major one that stands you out from other businesses.

Let us look at some areas that can stand you apart from the rest.

Location

Are you the only Pilates Physio in Ellerslie, are you the only Mens Barber in Bethlehem? The only business to specialize in offering something in a certain region. A location based Technicoloured Coat is something that will make you stand out from people within that region, for example if you are the only school uniform suppliers in Whangarei, then great for those in Whangarei but people in Sydney don't care about that. This is quite fine if you are only selling to people in Whangarei, but don't make your Technicoloured coat location based if you are trying to sell outside of that region. There is one case though where you can break this rule, when the location is something beneficial in itself eg. The only Hawkes Bay Pinot Gris grown on the slopes of Te Mata Peak and is sold all around the world, the fact that it is NZ made is appealing to foreign buyers and Hawkes Bay has other certain attributes in the wine industry.

Experience

Have you been a painter for 30 year or have you travelled to 10 different countries researching the residential architecture? Are you the only nutritionist to have written a thesis on the continued affects of childhood obesity? The only specialist in tropical fish to have worked in a famous aquarium before starting your own business. Experience is a strong Technicoloured coat to have as it is very hard to replicate by the competition eg. you cannot get 30years experience over night. Make sure that your experience is relevant though, if you have 30years experience in signwriting, then great, especially if you could say we have been in business for 30years and still have clients since day one. This all shows that you must offer great service and know what you are doing as you wouldnt be in business otherwise. It is when a business shows that they have 30years experience in painting and yet they are pitching for my car signage that I wonder about their credentials. So make it relevant or dont make experience your technicoloured coat.

Specialty

Is there an area that you specialize in? Specalise in residential property sales over 1million dollars or specialize in selling Mountain bikes and equipment. This TC is one of the easiest to control, but everything you do needs to be focused around your specialty to build up the reputation. If the Mountain Bike shop also stocked kids bikes and some road bikes and some touring cruisers, then they are muddying the waters of their specialty. Be careful not to specialize too narrowly eg. Selling only Downhill Mountain bikes. This can narrow your market too greatly, the upside of it is that the Downhillers see you as a specialist store. My word of warning here is to ensure that you have enough people within your market to specialize that narrowly, if yes, then fantastic you have found yourself a Technicoloured Coat.

Price

I do warn you that price is a dangerous one, because it is easy to be undercut on price and you are then left with little differentiation. Price can help back up your specialist area, but it shouldn't be your only point of difference. A cheap price can often undo the perception of your expertise or specialty, so do be careful here. Price can be your under-shirt as in you are a specialist Running Shoe store, and you have some of the best prices in town. It is not your Technicoloured coat though, that is being the specialist in Running Shoes.

Package

It could be that you are the only business to package together Roofing, Plumbing and Electrical. Packages can often be easily replicated unless it is your experience and knowledge that is your point of difference. Packages can be a great way of becoming a one-stop-shop for consumers so therefore you are selling the convenience, if I could go to one place to get my hair, nails and facial done, it saves going to three different places, if a real estate agent, lawyer and mortgage broker all combined forces, it could make the house buying process a lot easier. So what is a way in which you could package your own products or services or combine with others to create a package that stands you out from the rest.

A Guarantee or Warranty

This can be a Technicoloured coat, if you are the only Plumber to guarantee no leaks in your shower installations, or a business coach who guarantees a 20% increase in a customers bottom line. Maybe you are the only nutritionist to guarantee that if you dont lose 10kg you will get your money back. Be careful though that you can follow through with the guarantee and that it isnt going to make you bankrupt. If you are not willing to put your money where your mouth is in terms of your warranty to back it up, then it could do your business a lot of harm in the future.

Brands and Range

You may have exclusivity on a certain brand for a certain area, this does fall into Location too, stocking certain brands can make you stand out. So too can having the widest range or an exclusive range. Some brands can back up a Specialist Technicoloured Coat too, if that is a sort after brand or range of brands for that specialist area. With a service it could be one person's brand that stands them out from the rest, this is generally based on experience or speciality. So choose the strongest of the three for that to become the Technicoloured Coat.

So, do you now have a Technicoloured coat? To be able to use this Technicoloured coat it needs to be in a strong sentence.

This becomes your mantra in terms of letting the world know how you are different. For example:

- We are the only Plumbers with a 10year no leak guarantee.

- We are the only qualified physiotherapist, pilates business in the central Auckland region.

- We specialize in cost effective marketing for small businesses

- We specialize in high end NZ and Italian furniture.

This statement becomes your internal Marketing Mantra. When you are putting together an ad, an editorial or your website, you need to ask yourself, am I conveying my Technicoloured coat. In hindsight you could even create your brand name around this statement. It must become the basis from which you promote your business, product or service because this is the thing that stands you out from the crowd.

Why, promote yourself as being the same as everyone else? If everyone was selling banana cakes made from the same recipe at the same school fair, it is going to be pretty hard to stand out, but if you were the only one with chocolate cake you have a point of difference, so that point of difference is what you would promote on the sign on the table. We have to get this right, and from the beginning otherwise we are merging in with the competition rather than standing out and having an advantage.

10 Tips to Help Your Small Business Web Presence

2008-03-11T22:45:00.001-07:00

If your a small business owner and are wanting to gain a large presence across the globe you know that you need to improve your online visibility. Offering another place for your customers to see your product is a great opportunity to gain valuable business, but if someone is looking for a product and doesn't know were to go how will they find you?

New business owners need to add SEO to their vocabulary. That is Search Engine Optimization, which means being visible through organic content on search engines. You can also gain visibility by advertising through keywords on certain sites like Google. Being on the first page based on your particular keywords is a necessary if you are trying to gain web traffic.

How can you make your site more efficient when it comes to SEO? 10 tips for small business owners to optimize their site

1. Build keywords into the title of each one of your pages, don't put welcome to...
2. Make sure you have meta tags on each one of your pages.
3. Make sure your headlines in your site help summarize your article and make sure it helps draw out keywords for your site.
4. Make sure you submit your site to google, msn, & yahoo in their submission galleries. This will allow them to crawl your site.
5. Have a blog on your site that allows people to comment. This blog should be daily or weekly tips to your customers.
6. Write articles and submit them to ezinearticles.com and goarticles.com. These are free places to submit your articles.
7. Have press releases sent out over the web and locally with your site address on the release.
8. Digg your articles or have someone stumbleupon your site.
9. Create a myspace and a facebook to gain customers in the social networks.
10. Write a monthly newsletter and send it out through your email list. Make sure you have a place for people to get on the email list.

These little tips are just a start to help your business website, but i suggest you checkout highrankings.com. Also, checkout hubspot.com.

If you have any questions or need advice on getting a consultant please email us at questions@businessonthemound.com.

Blogging and SEO - A Perfect Small Business Internet Marketer Match

2008-03-11T22:43:00.000-07:00

It has become pretty obvious that blogs have been become an important part of marketing for almost any type of online business. They are unmatched resources when it comes to connecting with customers and potential customers.

But, there is an additional benefit that shouldn't be over-looked: there impact on your Search Engine Optimization efforts. Blogging can greatly enhance any websites natural search results through regular postings, and natural keyword placement. There in fact is no stronger way to market ones website for free than by blogging with natural keywords.

Similar to article marketing, posting daily blogs with the keywords of your business included can have remarkable effects on the ranking of your site in any given search engine, and thus net you more traffic. One key to gaining more traffic from keywords is to use 'niche' keywords. These are keywords or keyword phrases that may be searched for less often, but that have less competition. This means you may be able to rank much higher for these keyword. An example: The keyword term "baseball" is certainly searched for often, but there are millions of websites optimized around this keyword. However a keyword phrase like "Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz news" would have fewer competitors. The longer keyword also increases the likelihood that your blog contains exactly what the visitor is looking for.

Getting picked up in search engines can lead to increase volumes of traffic heading to your site every day. There are top keyword placers that use blogs to retain huge amounts of daily traffic to their sites just by integrating a variety of niche keywords into their posts. The amazing thing about blogs is they are often picked up by the search engines almost as quickly as one posts to it, which makes it an even more powerful tool for SEO purposes. Our experience has been that blogs that take advantage of Google's Blogger or Wordpress are quickly indexed.

Another way blogging can help your site's search engine ranking is by the quality score. Most search engines, including Google rank sites with a quality score, the more unique, user provided content, the higher it appears the quality score becomes. If a website is just a sales page, and a few pictures, the quality score will most likely be low. But if a site has a blog on it, with fresh, daily posts, the quality score becomes much better, and thus the site gets ranked much higher when people are searching for your niche, or keyword terms.

If you haven't considered a blog for the pure marketing aspect of it, it's probably time you considered it from the SEO perspective. You've got nothing to loss but website visitors.

Business Negotiation Tips For Small Business

2008-03-02T21:22:00.001-08:00

Negotiations are things we do almost every day of our lives. However, many of these negotiations do not make much difference to us in the big picture, so we tend to take them lightly. However, when you are negotiating for the business as a small business owner, then it will be very useful if you follow the business negotiation tips for small businesses. These are very important for getting the outcome that is beneficial for everyone concerned. A successful business negotiation can make a great difference for you and your business.

Do Not Shy The very first business negotiation tip for small businesses is that you should be willing to negotiate. There is no point in avoiding talking about money. At other times, people may be right when they believe that it is demeaning and rude; but when a business negotiation is going on, you cannot afford to be unwilling to talk about money. On the contrary, it may become an expensive affair.

Do Not Show Emotions Another business negotiation tip for small businesses is that you should not involve yourself emotionally in the deal. Attaching yourself emotionally to win the deal will produce a negative impact. Emotionally involved people even start shouting, threatening and wanting to get their way by using any means necessary, resulting in a negative exposure of their image. Here, you should keep in mind that a deal can take place only when both parties believe that they are gaining something from it. On the contrary, such intense emotional behavior may force the other person to walk away from the table.

Don't Be Deceived By Rules Tricks One more business negotiation tip for small businesses is to not let the other person deceive you by showing you any type of rules. For example, if you make some changes in the contract before signing it and the other party tells you that you cannot make such changes, then you are stuck. In this situation, you must tell them categorically that since both the parties are signing the contract, it is not possible that only one party has the rights to make changes in the contract. Many experienced negotiators use these tactics because they understand that most of the people do not wish to break any rules. If it happens to you, then ask the other person to show you the proof of existence of such rules. However, if the other party has any objections, then they can be resolved by sitting together.

A very important business negotiation tip for small businesses is that you should not open your mouth first when it comes to naming the figure. For successful business negotiation, you must learn how to make the other person say the figure first. Once he speaks his mind, ask for an even better figure, even if it is above your expectations.

Web Advertising for the Small Business

2008-03-02T21:20:00.000-08:00

If you run a small business, advertising costs must be figured in as part of your overall expenses. If you have received quotes for phone directory ads, business association block ads, and mostly any other print media, these costs are quite high. So, what if your budget is small, perhaps negligible? Will you be left outside of the advertising arena or are there other avenues to help you get the word out? The answer in one word is: yes. Let’s explore ways you can “get the word out” through online means…yes, via the internet!

The rise of the internet has spawned an entire industry with it. You may remember in the late 1990s stories of dot.com companies who made a fortune and then went bust. The “irrational exuberance” of that era has, thankfully, passed by and in its place is a much more rational, but very lively market.

Today’s biggest players online are search engine providers led by Google, Yahoo!, and MSN. Between them, these three search engines dominate the market. Mostly everyone today searches the internet for products sold by small businesses to large corporations and these are the people you want to target. Indeed, while Christmas season sales typically increase around 4% year over year for “brick and mortar” retailers, the internet has been seeing year over year increases of 30% and higher! No small business operator should exclude the internet when crafting a marketing plan.

Speaking of the search engines, both Google and Yahoo! have their own advertising networks. Google has its AdWords program while the Yahoo! Publisher Network is a comparable, though newer program. This is where you, as a small business owner, can do some of your advertising. By selecting the advertising plan that works for you, you can have your ads appear on web sites in your local area or across the world and be charged a small amount per click. In other words, you don’t pay for advertising unless someone clicks on your ad and goes through to your site. To keep clicks from getting out of control you determine the price per click and the amount per day, week, or month you are willing to pay. No busting of your small business budget!

Banner or text ads on select sites can also be helpful for your small business. If there is a web site you like and you suspect that a lot of your customers would frequent that site, contact the webmaster to learn what his advertising charges would be. Perhaps in exchange for submitting a few helpful articles, the webmaster would waive your advertising fee altogether. Or, at the very least, accept any other help you could provide [moderating a forum, answering questions, etc.].

Another way of getting the word out is through your own web site. No, you don’t need a web professional to establish your site, but it does help to have someone who can guide you through the set up process. At the very least a few pages is what you will need, so set up costs shouldn’t be terribly expensive. In addition, figure on paying monthly hosting and domain name fees but these expenses should be no more than $100-$125 per year. Pay a little extra for a web professional who can help you optimize your site [make it search engine friendly] and you’ll get your money back much quicker. Finally, check with your accountant for small business tax deductions.

You can also generate plenty of attention by writing articles, just like the one you are reading now. No, you don’t need to be a professional writer, but if you can clearly convey your thoughts and present a plan of action for your readers [such as: buy my product] you can get what amounts to be free advertising. How so? By submitting what you write to article submission sites for wider dissemination. By including helpful links in the author resource box you can cause search engines to make your web site much more visible as your article gets reprinted on other web sites. Furthermore, readers will perceive that you are an “expert” and will likely inquire to find out just what you are all about. You can call this, “small business advertising on the cheap!”

No, as a small business owner you don’t have to be strapped by high advertising costs -- who has the cash to spare? Instead, the internet offers to you several cost effective ways of informing people about who you are, what you do, and where they can find you.

Select the marketing plan that works best for your small business. A mixture of all four points is a great plan of attack for many small business owners…just like you!

Starting a New Business Requires More Than Just A Good Idea!

2008-02-29T21:47:00.000-08:00

The most important thing you can do to prepare for starting and operating your own business is to develop a business plan. This can take time and energy, but it forces you to really solidify your business idea. You can carefully plot exactly what your business, financial and expansion goals are. And this will help you progress in all other areas of starting your business as well. Without funding for startup costs, many successful businesses would never have been able to even open their doors.

Once you've done this, you will realize the significance of unsecured start up funding. Rarely does an individual have the savings or personal resources to put a business plan into action completely on their own. Often, even when one thinks this is the case, deeper development and planning dissuades this initial thought.

Small business funding can be a rather involved subject, filling shelves upon shelves of books at libraries and bookstores. The truth is though, you don't need a how-to book to get good funding. You simply need a good lender. Being able to determine once is what really counts.

A unsecured small business start up loan gives you the startup funding you need, but getting a startup business loan can sometimes be more difficult than it seems. Most lenders today require collateral for small or large start up business loans, but collateral may be something you have never thought of before. When you obtained a mortgage, your home served as the collateral. When you got a car, the vehicle was the collateral. But when you're seeking a new business loan, you probably don't have the commercial collateral you need yet. Your only option then is to offer your personal assets as security for the loan-which is a risk you understandably may be hesitant about.

Collateral is often the biggest obstacle to the prospective business owner. Not only does a new business not yet have any commercial collateral to provide; but it is asking a lot for an entrepreneur to put his hard earned personal assets at risk in order to start a new business venture. Yet, without collateral, getting a unsecured business loan can sometimes seem impossible.

The good news is, though rare, some companies have specialized programs for exactly this scenario. An unsecured business start up loan can get a new business owner the funding he needs to cover initial business costs, without having to provide collateral and place his or her assets risk. With this type of financing plan, the lender utilizes something the borrower has worked hard for and should be able to take advantage of - his good credit. With this approach, the lender can still an unsecured business start up loan at great rates and with a variety of programs.

The small business loan application process can also be made difficult by the imposition of restrictions on how the loan proceeds can be used. This takes away the borrower's freedom to use the funds as he or she may have seen fit. You can escape these hassles by using an online application for a unsecured small business loan.

Today, web lenders offer a new window of opportunity for small businesses and individuals that need a fast start up loan approval process. Time is money! Lenders now offer cash in as little as 72 hours, with no tax forms, no business plans, and no collateral! Such lenders offer the straightest line to unsecured business loan funding, at great rates. In the modern world, financial products as efficient and dynamic as the business world must be available.

Applying for a unsecured small business loan is easy, all the business owner need to do is just go on line and submit their loan details. Then the lenders will refer back to you with the loan decision in a few days.

Outsourcing Services For Small Business Owners

2008-02-29T21:45:00.000-08:00

If you are an owner of a small business (1-4 employees), chances are you do not have enough time to prospect for new clients, as well as take care of your current clients. Generally, you are faced with daily administrative tasks, which are very time-consuming. You barely have enough time to focus on developing your business. This is where a Virtual Assistant (VA) comes in. If you retain the services of a VA, you will gain valuable time. With this extra time, you can concentrate on growing your client base. In addition, you will have more time to provide your current clients excellent customer service.

Examples of tasks that you can outsource are: bookkeeping, scheduling appointments, returning phone calls, answering phone calls, managing e-mails, making reservations, typing and mailing correspondences, creating and managing your database, updating your website and blog, etc. These are just a few examples of projects that can be farmed out. Tina Hilton of Clerical Advantage wrote a four-part series post on Home Office Warrior's blog, "The Top 100 Ways a Home Office Warrior Can Utilize a Virtual Assistant." Her post gives you an idea of what type of projects you can outsource. Virtual Assistant Networking Association (VANA) also has a series of top10 reasons to use our services.

Nonetheless, the business world has been conditioned as to the role of administrative assistants. In the past, administrative assistance was generally performed at "the office." With the advent of technology, services are now performed from our offices. However, the previous type of working relationship or the role of traditional administrative assistants still exists in the minds of some business owners and/or employers.

We are independent entrepreneurs, as well as small business owners, not employees. We do not report to you; we work with you. We don't have interviews with you; we have meetings with you. If we have to directly report to you or have to go through an interview process, the relationship becomes that of employee/employer. If this is the case, you then are required to pay employee-related fees. If you hire an employee at $20.00 per hour, the average cost will be $76,960 a year. If you retain the services of a Virtual Assistant at $35.00 per hour, the average cost will be $36,400 per year, a difference of $40,560. Please visit http://www.rjswordprocessing.com/vacost.html to see a cost comparison chart.

There are still some business owners and/or employers who are accustomed to the traditional methods. We have to get used to the concept that we are business owners. As business owners, rather than employees, we are aware of what is involved with your small business operations and what it takes to grow a business. This experience and knowledge can be beneficial if you are attempting to develop your business.

Our industry has grown significantly, because of the exponential growth of small business owners. We are the perfect solution for small business owners who need administrative assistance. There are many benefits, including saving money, space, and time, if you outsource your administrative tasks.

Can You Afford To Employ A Dual Agent In A Business Sale?

2008-02-26T02:01:00.000-08:00

The pitfalls of hiring a dual agent in a business sale transaction

Most people have heard of dual agency in the context of a real estate transaction and have some awareness of the issues surrounding dual agency. In spite of the inherent conflict of interest, many people do not mind transacting residential or commercial property using a dual agent. The reason is pretty straight forward - while there is risk of not getting good representation, the downside is typically small. Property values are driven by comps and cap rates and in most cases, the amount of money left on the table is a small percent of the transaction value. The commodity nature and relative liquidity of real estate also helps make buyers and sellers comfortable with the risk level.

But does this logic apply to business sale transactions? Businesses, compared to real estate, are illiquid and the valuations and the ultimate closing prices vary dramatically from business to business. The deal amount can also change dramatically through the duration of a deal. In Business sale transactions, not having a fiduciary agent working for you can cost you plenty.

Let us start with an explanation of "fiduciary duty". An agent used to represent a buyer or seller in a business transaction has a fiduciary duty. A fiduciary duty is the highest standard of care imposed at either equity or law. A fiduciary is expected to be extremely loyal to the principal. Among other responsibilities, a fiduciary must not put their personal interests before the duty and a fiduciary must not profit from the fiduciary position without express knowledge and consent of the principal. A fiduciary also has a duty to be in a situation where there is no personal conflict of interest and where there is no conflict of interest with another fiduciary duty.

In light of large sums of money at stake in a business transaction and these fiduciary responsibilities, let's look at the three key issues faced by a dual agent in a business sale.

1. Conflict of Interest

This is by far the most obvious and most damning part of being on both sides of a business sale transaction. A business intermediary is obligated to serve the best interests of his or her principal. Buyers and sellers by definition have conflicting interests. Who should the intermediary be loyal to? Is the agent looking after your best interests? Some agencies will tell customers that they will assign separate individuals to the buying side and selling side and create a Chinese wall.

In practice, the wall between the two sides in the same company, even in a large company with processes to cover this type of conflict of interest, let alone a typical small to mid market intermediary, is more akin to a sieve than Chinese wall. An agency in this situation is in violation of the standards of being a fiduciary.

2. Advocacy

Any competent agent will tell you that, when two principles' interests are in direct conflict, the agent cannot advise, advocate, or give allegiance to either party if such counsel gives one party an advantage over the other. Not remaining neutral or showing favoritism would be illegal and can make the agent liable to potential damages. A careful dual agent would shun the risk of advocacy and will tell you that they will be extremely careful to represent both parties equally and fairly. In other words, both parties lose "advocacy" for their best interests! Is this what you pay your agent for? Wouldn't you rather pay an agent that advocates your interests?

In practice, providing equal service to two parties is difficult and, even if the agent is highly ethical, agent's biases and self interests may tip the scales in difficult situations.

3. Sensitive Information

A business sale can take an extended amount of time and the seller or buyer may experience one or more personal events which, while not affecting the performance of the business being transacted, may have substantial impact on the negotiations. The agent may become aware of this sensitive information which, if disclosed to the other party, could harm one party and benefit the other. If the agent has one principal, clearly the agent will develop a strategy to minimize the impact to the principal. How does a dual agent handle this type of information about a client? Would you trust your sensitive information with a dual agent?

In practice, the agent ends up playing favorites or in a worst case scenario, one or both of the parties' interests are sacrificed in the interest of "getting the deal done".

Summary: Business sellers and buyers need to carefully pick their agent in a business sale transaction. Providing equal service to both clients is practically impossible in most deals. In the best case scenario, neither the seller nor the buyer is getting an advocate. In the worst case scenario, one or both of the parties are being sacrificed. For this reason some states do not permit dual agency. Much can be lost by employing agents who put themselves in the position of being dual agents and thus not living up to the fiduciary standards.

How To Make Selling More Really Simple

2008-02-26T01:59:00.000-08:00

How many friends, family and associates do you know who have been employed in sales at some time in the past? How many of them weren't very good at it?

The answer to the first question is easy, probably quite a few. At some point or other in their lives many people have had a go at selling even if only as a student or in their first job. You may not know the answer to the second one... it's probably most of them!

Probably most of them.

Oh, for sure, they'll tell you that they did well. They'll tell you that they sold bucket loads! They'll tell you that they were a top sales performer. They'll even talk knowledgeably about how to sell. It's amazing what a good game people who only sold for a few weeks and never had any sales training can talk! They'll talk about open questions and wants and needs like they know what they're talking about but... seriously... most of them failed!

Not all, but most!

Top salespeople lead an enviable life. They earn great money. They win promotions. They have job security. They have respect, opportunity and friends. They have freedom, career choices and financial independence. They have fun, challenge and variety.

So if you had all of that, why would you leave? Mostly only if you weren't getting those things at all! I met a friend of a friend in the pub the other night and he looked scathingly at me when I said that I was a sales training expert and told me that he left sales for "more security" and opportunity. He earns in a month what I earn in a day. I recently heard that his company are looking to "cut back" in his department. Nuff said!

But why this tirade? And why today?

Simple. This week I worked with a really great team of salespeople. They were enthusiastic, interested, open and up for it. They embraced the fact that selling is simple and they wanted to master those simple skills. Sales is so simple in fact that nearly anyone could be very successful in sales. Selling is straight forward enough that everybody in the training room could achieve phenomenal success if they commit and take action...

So if selling is so simple why can't everyone do it?

Because selling is about attitude. Selling is an attitude. Selling is an attitude that leaves behind a trail of techniques. Now don't get me wrong here... sales skills are very important, very important indeed. Anyone who has been through a sales training programme with me or who has attended one of my sales seminars will know just how important I believe sales skills are...

But they're not the key factor in this equation. They're only a part of the equation. And on the other side of that equation is attitude. Without the right attitude you won't be able to access your skills. Frankly, without the right attitude, you're in trouble. If you can get and maintain the right attitude then you will make a success of yourself in sales and selling. Period. If you can't, you won't. It's goodnight sweetheart!

I would far rather hire someone with all of the right attitudes and potential and train them on the skills side than I would wrestle with someone with all of the skills and experiences who cannot be bothered any more! The former salesperson I can train because they want to learn, the latter I have to re-motivate and re-educate. Possible but much harder...

You've probably worked with or recruited a salesperson who had all of the right attitudes but was light on skills. They probably did pretty well. It usually gets put down to "beginner's luck" but it's not "beginner's luck", its "beginner's attitude".

And it's at this point that many people not in sales might be tempted to conclude that sales and selling is easy. Something for thickos, something that anyone can do.

Just so wrong!

The hardest thing in the world is getting, keeping, maintaining and improving the right attitude. In sales you never know when you might run into someone who is going to be your best ever client. You never know if the next sales call is going to win you a multi-million account. You never know which meetings are going to convert and which aren't...

And this makes it hard because you have to be on top sales form for every call. Top sales form for every presentation. Top sales form for every meeting. Top sales form for every negotiation. Top sales form for every conversation. Top sales form for every communication. Top sales form. Top sales form. Top sales form.

Not for you the mindless "going through the motions" that some non-salespeople can get away with for periods of time. You have to be switched on, tuned in, fully focused, up for it, raring to go, playing from a 10, on the ball...

Salespeople often say to me that cold calling (for example) is repetitive and boring...

Wrong attitude! You have to be on top sales form for every call. It could be your umpteenth call of the day but it is the initial contact with you for your potential clients. You have to be on top form, you have no safety net!

To make matters worse, salespeople get faced with problems and challenges every day. Problems, complaints, rejections and client objections are something we have to deal with every day and we must stay on top sales form.

So if selling is so simple, why can't everyone do it?

Because selling is about taking personal responsibility for your own attitude, your own behaviours and your own results. Selling is about smiling when you don't feel like smiling. Listening when you don't feel like listening, Caring when you don't want to care. Standing up when you feel like lying down. Pushing on when you feel like giving up. Firing on all cylinders when you feel like throttling down. Taking responsibility when you want to pass the buck.

Selling provides virtually unrivaled opportunities for anyone who is prepared to commit themselves. Your degree won't help you. Your qualifications and exams won't help you. Your CV won't help you. The only person who can help you is you. And that's too much of a leveller for most people.

Small Business and The Bush Administration

2008-02-19T02:14:00.001-08:00

Small businesses are the lifeblood of the United States of America and our economy. There can be no doubt that this great nation's productivity is owed to the small-business people. 10% of all Americans are small-business people and enjoying their American dream and ownership of a small business. In the United States of America 76% of all jobs come from small businesses.

Many people believe that it is the large corporations, which provide the most in our economy and that is simply not so. The large corporations do have lots of money flow, the stock market, investment banks able to channel money to help them grow fast and strong. But in the and it is the small businesses of America that make this country so great.

President George Bush reiterated this truth to the American people in a speech at the Meyer Manufacturing Co. in Ohio in September of 2006. He indicated that he was impressed with what they were able to do and believed a good part of it was because of the employees and the strength of leadership in that small business.

President Bush has been very good during his administration’s terms in office on making sure that taxes were kept low for small business. Additionally, put forth more investment incentives such as the bonus depreciation schedule to buy new equipment and help small businesses.

To commemorate the 20 year anniversary of Metal Gear Solid, here is the Metal Gear franchise. The very first Metal Gear was a stealth game from creato

2008-02-19T02:11:00.000-08:00

This article is for those of you who are considering the possibilities of opening up your very own small online business in hopes of a successful establishment. There are so many different things that you should learn about regarding what it takes to manage any type of online business because within any online business, large or small, there are very important factors that help in determining whether or not your small online business will be successful or not. Throughout this article I want to provide you with some very interesting and hopefully very helpful ideas for anyone out there that is considering the possibilities of opening up their own small online business. Hopefully you can retain this information and use it throughout the duration of making preparations to do something such as this. If you can do enough research about what it takes to manage a small online business, including all other aspects of that online business, you can be better prepared for a much more successful future.

Once you have chosen to open your own small online business there are so many questions that you should consider asking yourself beforehand, that will be very helpful in the long run. Some important things that you should think about asking yourself before opening your small online business would include things such as, how bad do you want it, why do you want it, what are your expectations, what are your wants and desires of owning your small online business and how long will it take to achieve all of this?

Bad Credit Small Business Loans: Possibilities Beckon

2008-02-18T03:38:00.000-08:00

You wish to finance in your small enterprise. But, your present financial situation does not permit you for that. You can arrange cash by availing small business loans. Again you have a problem for that…your bad credit score. Do you know that arranging small business loans is also possible for those borrowers who have a bad credit score? Bad credit small business loans are available in loan market.

A wide range of usages made bad credit small business loans popular among those businessmen whose credit score is bad. You can use these loans for gearing up a new venture, escalating present business, purchasing equipments, repaying business debts, setting up new office or as business capital.

Two types of bad credit small business loans are available in loan market; secured and unsecured. Secured option is available against a security. Any valuable object can be used as security. It could be your personal property or commercial property. On the other hand, unsecured option does not claim anything against the lending amount. However, with secured option, you can borrow the amount, ranging from £3000- £75000. This option is obtainable for 3-25 years. And the unsecured option allows you to borrow any sum in between £1000-£10000, which is repayable within 1-10 years.

However, bad credit small business loans offer chance to all types of bad credit scorers to finance in their business. So, whether you are facing CCJ, IVA, arrear, default, bankruptcy or late payment, you can easily finance in your small enterprise with bad credit small business loans.

You need not face much hassle to avail bad credit small business loans. Many lenders like banks, lending companies offer these loans. You also can opt for online option in order to avail bad credit small business loans. But do remember to compare various loan quotes in order make the interest rate affordable.

Small Business Loan - Small Business Loans Are A Real Business Boon

2008-02-18T03:37:00.000-08:00

It offers a number of products that are designed to aid small businesses but the most frequently used is the loan guarantee, wherein the agency is not the actual lender but it offers a guarantee to the lender which enables the business to obtain the loan it needs. The SBA programs specifically try to aid woman and minority entrepreneurs in establishing businesses.

The SBA offers small business loans and also offers small business grants that are awarded in response to a grant proposal written by the small business operator. These products are awarded without a requirement for repayment. However, if the business does not qualify for one of these grants, there are plenty of small business loan packages that will fit the needs. To apply for a small business loan you will need to have EIN or Employee Identification Number and a Certificate of Limited Partnership. You will need a copy of the business plan and you will need to list each and every existing creditor, in addition to the accounts receivable. For a small business loan you will have to demonstrate that the business is basically solvent and that the incoming cash flow is sufficient to repay to loan without tapping the business assets, For example, if your own the retail space in which the business is located, it cannot be sold in order to raise the necessary funds to repay the loan.

A small business loan may be an alternative to a form of debt consolidation or other debt management product. It can be used to pay off existing debts or at least pay down the debts to reduce the amount of interest owed and ultimately paid. However, taking out a small business loan will mean that the business is assuming a new debt. It will be to the benefit of any business person to confer with a debt management consultant prior to taking out a small business loan. Speaking with a trained business debt management consultant about the business debts can allow the business owner to put them into perspective.

Additionally, the business debt consultant will be able to educate the business owner regarding the many various options to deal with business debt. This will make the individual aware of all of the options and in a good place to make an informed decision regarding taking out a small business loan or making use of any other business debt remedy.

To React Is Human, to React Positively Is Divine

2008-02-13T02:46:00.000-08:00

Irresistible forces drive enterprises in directions that are usually unanticipated and unplanned for, which means that the organization can become disoriented, as sometimes happened to sailing ships rounding Cape Horn during monster electrical storms with gale winds and towering seas. Reactions like shock, amazement, curiosity, smugness, groundless optimism, defensiveness, distrust, reckless risk-taking, and confusion are among those that can result in the face of such forces.

However, employing positive reactions can turn the power of irresistible forces to your advantage, like building a wind farm with pivoting propellers to generate electricity in unpredictably windy areas. Confronting your very human (and usually inappropriate reactions) to irresistible forces is the beginning of helping your enterprise to use irresistible forces in a more deliberate way to create beneficial results.

Dealing with irresistible forces can be very time consuming and emotionally demanding. Those strong emotions can easily distract you from acting in the ways necessary to turn the irresistible forces into your favor. When the emotions divert you from pursuing your own or your organization's best interests, you have just experienced a stall (a bad thinking habit that delays improvements).

Psychologically, irresistible forces tend to take us back to our childhood, when almost every aspect of our lives seemed to be controlled by someone or something other than ourselves. Resisting that temptation to become overwhelmed like an enraged two-year-old shouting "No!" to an apparently hostile universe is important for organizational progress.

While automatic habits of any kind can delay organizational progress, these behaviors become much more harmful when they arise because of strong emotions. The magnitude of irresistible forces will often cloud clear thinking with negative emotional reactions that are experienced by those who have to lead and manage. And the danger is increased by the tendency of the individual or organization to be immobilized by the magnitude of the power involved when first perceiving the irresistible force, a little like the victim who stared entranced by a cobra and failed to retreat to safety.

In addition, enterprises often view irresistible forces as temporary aberrations that must simply be "overcome" for the time being. The most common approach is to work longer and harder, and to cut costs to overcome the effects of the trend on the business involved. This approach is like trying to keep the Titanic afloat by bailing water by hand.

Appreciating that irresistible forces must be dealt with from a long-term viewpoint, being aware of the dangers, and recognizing the stalls that are likely to result in response to irresistible forces are the foundations for irresistible growth breakthroughs.

He Was Promoted To Manager

2008-02-13T02:45:00.000-08:00

In the beginning of year 2007, he was thinking of running marathon, he wrote down this goal and pasted it on the wall. Steven also told all his friends, colleagues, relatives that he wanted to participate the marathon race. Ironically, he just said only but no action.

One month later, Steven was involved in the car accident and his left arm was injured, he needed help from colleagues to write reports for him because he was left -handed.

At that time, he thought he could use this as an excuse, but after some deep thought, he felt embarrassed not to run marathon.

Luckily, he met a marathon group, the group leader encouraged him to start running marathon, he finally made it .

He feel motivated whenever he see motivated words on other participants' shirts. Since then, he run regularly and build up his confidence level.

Because of the positive mindset, it helped him hit the sales target and was promoted to manager. He now encouraging people to run marathon.It can test your endurance and maintain the positive mindset towards work, life. Note: The Marathon is a long, grueling race which traditionally closes the Olympic events. It is taken from the amazing achievement of the Greek runner Pheidippides, who ran over twenty-six miles in for hours, taking news to Athens of the Persians' defeat at the Battle of Marathon in 490 B.C.