Are trade shows in your marketing plans for 2006? There
are times when smart exhibitors don`t exhibit but visit shows
as attendees to gather new ideas, scope out the competion
and look for opportunities. Walk the aisles, see what?s new, plan purchases for the
coming year? Is this the show wh...
Recent legislation enacted by the State of Maryland forces employers with more than 10,000 employees to spend a minimum of 8% on health care. Known as the Wal-Mart law, because Wal-Mart is the only employer in the state directly affected by the law, it seeks to recoup dollars the state contends Wal...
The following message is the best explanation of price vs. value that
ever has been stated. You may wish to have it, or part of it, typed up and made available on your web site or as a declaration on a stand-up in your place of business. It buries the notion of "price is everything", even on commo...
Forums have become a common feature in many websites. With good free scripts available, and paid scripts being relatively cheap, it seems that every new website has its own forum(s). But is it wise to add forums to your website? In this article I`d like to take a look at the pros and cons of adding ...
Does a headline like this scare you? <<... IP and other companies have shut plants, cut thousands of
jobs, sold timberlands ... includes the potential spin-off or
sale of its beverage packaging, >>
it should because the consolidation is not over yet. Don`t despair just because we are in the "dog ...
One commonly overlooked method of advertising offline is flyers. Flyers are extremely easy to create. They also allow you to exhibit some of your creative side, making it just that much more fun to make money. In some areas, you may be able to put up over 1,000 flyers! The more flyers you put up the...
"He Hate Me" was the nickname of Rod Smart, a leading rusher in 2002 for the Las Vegas Outlaws of the now defunct XFL pro football league. Looking for an edge, the XFL allowed players to put nicknames on their uniforms. "I was always saying, `he hate me,` all through camp in Vegas," Smart said. "If ...
1. Your Most Valuable Asset A mailing list of valued customers is the single most important asset you have. Loyal customers will spend an average of five times more in your business than new customers. Plus it costs ten times more to acquire a new customer. When choosing a mailing list, first iden...
Journaling For Fun and Profit!
Buy A Business Worth At Least A Million Dollars And You`ll Never Have To Deal With Crooked Sellers
By Art Hamel - 1/4/2008
I am always railing on and on about why people should buy businesses worth at least a million dollars or more. That are big, with lots of cash flow and with a management team already in place who know what they are doing -- so you can just sort of step in and let things go "as is" and not have to t...
What is a Marketing Plan Anyway?By Charlie Cook - 1/4/2008
Building a business that grows steadily in size and profits is like building your dream house. First, you identify what kind of home you want, then you and your architect plan and create blueprints for your house, then you`d build it, move in and enjoy it. Now imagine that you didn`t have the time ...
So What is a "Server" Anyway?By Anthony Licate - 1/4/2008
I was in the middle of a sales meeting when I was asked, ?Anthony, what is a server, anyway?? Those within the field of business hear this word thrown around all the time. Some business owners know their companies have servers and know their companies need servers, but are unclear about what a ser...
The Steamroller EffectBy Tamara Dourney - 1/4/2008
There is an unnerving trend facing American businesses today: small companies are finding themselves embroiled in legal battles with an alarming frequency. These independent businesses, many of which are small-scale operations that survive on a meager budget, are faced with defending their intellect...
Is Your Company Growing Fast Enough for You?By Chris Anderson - 1/4/2008
Are you frustrated by the lack of growth in your firm, or the effort required to squeeze any up-tick in performance? Are inadequate policies and procedures a root cause? To find out, take this simple self assessment to see if this may be inhibiting real growth at your company. Q. Can you take an ext...
Getting to Know Your Local City Council MembersBy Lance Winslow - 1/4/2008
The easiest way to meet city council members is to meet them at an event. Usually city council members have a phone number that is listed. Many will not ever answer the phone, but events they must be cordial and open to all. Explain who you are and your business and thank them for some endeavor th...
Custom Logo Floor Mats - A Customer`s First Impression of Your BusinessBy Cliff Bell - 1/4/2008
You see them when you enter hotels, motels and businesses of all types. I`m talking about floor mats with an imprint of the the business` custom logo. They serve a practical purpose. They provide a method for the customer to remove dirt and moisture from their shoes, thus avoiding slips and falls. T...
How To Receive Payment as a Freelance Translator?By Khalid Belamdini - 1/4/2008
A problem most freelance translators are facing with is how to
receive payment. In particular: How to receive payment for small jobs. Many translation agencies are reluctant to pay small fees via wire transfer due to the transaction fees; often they will send you a check instead. And I suppose I do...
A PR Question For Chinese ManagersBy Robert A. Kelly - 1/4/2008
As the practice of public relations in China continues to mature, it seems appropriate to ask whether Chinese business managers ? tutored as they have been by European, North American and other PR specialists ? continue to apply major public relations emphasis to print and broadcast communicati...
Innovation Management ? what are the practical impediments?By Kal Bishop - 1/4/2008
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation. There are distinct processes that enhance problem identification and idea generation and, similarly, distinct processes that enhance idea sel...
Why Do I Need A Patent?By Jim Johnson - 1/4/2008
We all hear the word "patent" thrown around a lot in the media and in advertising, but what is a patent anyway? What is it`s purpose, and what are the guidelines for getting a patent? Well, let`s say that you have invented a new product or process that has never been done or produced before. If you ...
7 Questions to Ask Before You AdvertiseBy Michele Pariza Wacek - 1/4/2008
Most business owners and managers keep a fairly close eye on their marketing budgets. And nothing throws a budget out of whack faster than advertising. Advertising, or paying good money to get your message in front of your target market, still has a place in your marketing mix, although it`s not qui...
10 Ways To Propel Visitors To Your Order PageBy Rojo Sunsen - 1/4/2008
1. Write your ad copy like you`re talking directly
to your visitors. Use the words "you", "your", and
"you`re" a lot in your ad copy. 2. Visit business discussion boards regularly. You
could discover helpful advice, online resources and
give your own two cents worth. 3. Gain free advertising by...
Successful Managing Through DelegationBy Andrew E. Schwartz - 1/4/2008
Managers should avoid the tendency to constantly delegate to the same one or two capable individuals. This practice only overloads the best personnel while slighting all others. As with delegation in general, there may be occasions in which work must be divided among several individuals for example,...
Projector Hire - Choosing the Right One for Your PresentationBy James Hunter - 1/4/2008
Calling a projector hire company will often get you confused as they ask:
- What lumens do you need? (Lumens is the brightness of the projector)
- What resolution do you need? (Resolution is the number of pixels at which the display device does not have to expand or compress the input signal...
By Kevin P. Dervin - 1/4/2008
Small business marketing is not like taking a family vacation. Did anybody take a family vacation this summer? Do you have children of your own, or do you remember what it was like when you were a kid taking a trip somewhere? I can still remember the family vacations as a youngster growing up...
How To Quickly Make Money With Your Website?By Tim Gorman - 1/4/2008
Quickly making money with a website is the dream of all new online marketers but can it be done and if so how is it done. This article tells what I did in order to start making money in less than 3 weeks with a brand new website in the competitive insurance industry. The first step I took was to de...
Building a Strong Brand: Align the Points of TouchBy Rod Whitson - 1/4/2008
One of the simplest ways to build a strong brand is to make sure that every point of contact that prospects and customers have with your company reinforces the brand promise. Although relatively simple in theory, ?touch-point alignment? often proves difficult in practice. Consistently reinforcing yo...
How to Write Fundraising Letters That Motivate Donors To Make Donations to Your Non-ProfitBy Alan Sharpe - 1/4/2008
Motivating strangers to give their money away is one of the hardest jobs around. It?s difficult to do face to face. And it?s even tougher to do in a letter. But it can be done. And your chances of receiving gifts in the mail increase once you employ some of the tested methods that are used by leadin...
Be A ResourceBy Ramona Creel - 1/4/2008
What is one of the greatest ways to add value to your business? Nope, it`s not giving away free merchandise, offering special discounts, or even creating a preferred customer club. One of the most valuable commodities that you can provide your customers is INFORMATION. WHAT`S THE PROBLEM? Think abou...
Creativity & Entrepreneurship: The Creative Evolution of an Intellectual Property©By John Joseph Kennedy - 1/4/2008
In each of us, there is a creative spark - a unique purpose and destiny for which we are born. Most of us have forgotten what that special gift is, or we are afraid to live it. My successful secret formula as outlined in my seminars, e-book and CD`s will help you unlock your creative potential and d...
The 5 Things You Must Know About Accepting A Check By PhoneBy Wayne Akey - 1/4/2008
Accepting a check by phone, fax or web is a great way to
increase revenues, decrease collection headaches and offer
new payment options BUT there are several essential ?things?
that you MUST know. First let?s talk about all the great benefits:
1) You don?t have to wait for a customer to mail i...
Creative EmulationBy Kevin Eikenberry - 1/4/2008
In business we have a number of ways or tools that we use to stimulate improvement. Most of us could recite these in our sleep: ? Brainstorming ? Benchmarking ? Problem solving When these things fail, or we realize that perhaps there are better ways to do these approaches, we do the next likely thi...
How To Be the Ultimate American ConsumerBy Eric Johnson - 1/4/2008
Feel like a lemming lately? Ready to follow the crowd into the great plunge of Ultimate American Consumerism? Just in case you need a little help, here is a tongue-in-cheek look at how to continue the process of becoming the Ultimate American Consumer! 1. Always spend right at the level of your afte...
Project Management: Performance Metrics MatterBy Ryan Leibowitz - 1/4/2008
A study has shown that many project managers do not sufficiently keep track of the performance metrics of their teams. This results in consistent cost overruns, going over schedule, failing to meet expectations in quality, and seeking new employment elsewhere. Think about it, what are you managing r...
10 Reasons It`s Still Great To Be A Telemarketer!By Dr. Gary S. Goodman - 1/4/2008
Every year, a survey is published that lists the nation?s best occupations as perceived by the general public. Supreme Court Justices appear in the top ranks, and as you might expect, surgeons make the cut--but why not telemarketers? Before you dismiss the idea, consider this fact: Many of the most ...
6 Ways to Keep Them Coming BackBy Leah West - 1/4/2008
It is estimated that it can take the average consumer 5-7 times to see a product they like before purchasing. So with that in mind, how do you get your website visitors to come back to your site so they can see your product again? Jay Conrad Levinson, author of Guerrilla Marketing said, "Content is ...
Business ForumsBy John Kovacs - 1/4/2008
Forums are a community where a group of webmasters can post a discussion on different topics, like running an online business, web promotion, marketing, web design, etc. You can post questions asking for advice and learn a great deal of knowledge from others who participate. You can also participat...
The $500.00 A Month PlanBy Julia Tang - 1/4/2008
One way to make extra money or start a business of your own is by placing advertising which will pay a good profit. Selling printed information by mail can br financially rewarding. Classified advertising is the cheapest way to get into Mail Order and it is often possible to raise a fortune fr...
The Heroic Entrepreneur: Profiting from Your BrillianceBy Donna Gunter - 1/4/2008
If you look up the definition of hero in Webster`s, you`ll find a definition something like, `A person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life: soldiers and nurses who were heroes in an unpopular war`. Some heroes in our lives ha...
How to Snuff Out the Competition Without Leaving a MarkBy Woody Quinones - 1/4/2008
Does the competition drive you crazy? Are they relentless about taking your clients away? Are customer loyalties becoming a thing of the past? In our ever changing world, it seems securing business these days comes down to, who will provide the most service at the lowest possibl...
Temporary Employees and Operational Problems; Your Use of Temps Might Reveal Warning SignsBy Jeff Simon - 1/4/2008
A recent Washington Post article, described the life of temporary employees working at an automobile plant in Kentucky. Working at a fraction of what permanent employees make at the plant, some employees had been working as temps for extended periods, as long as three or four years, when early indic...
Obtaining Self-ConfidenceBy Shamus Brown - 1/4/2008
A reader recently asked me the following:
"I enjoyed the information you provided on your website, however you never mentioned how important Self-Confidence is in a sale. I have been told that I am an excellent sales person, however I lack the self-confidence to close the sale. Self Confiden...
By Michelle Murphy - 2/14/2007
You are attending a conference or a seminar, whether for business or for educational purposes. You register in advance and don?t give it another thought. These things take care of themselves don?t they? As an attendee, I have often done the same thing. You appreciate all of the detail but you don?t...
Increase Your Profits by Training your peopleBy Lorraine Pirihi - 2/9/2007
Hi!
What impression do outsiders get when they call your business?
Is it a welcoming greeting such as "Thank you for calling The Office Organiser, this is Lorraine", or do they hear:
"Lorraine`s phone"
"Hold the line" (before you even speak)
"Hold the line please" (before you have even...
What is ?Shorting Stocks??By Cory Bain - 2/3/2007
What is ?Shorting Stocks??
The whole idea of shorting stocks is to make money from stocks that are going down in price. When you short stocks, you are essentially selling stocks that you have borrowed, in other words you do not personally own them.
First, you need to have a margin account in or...
Escaping FinanceBy Parone Dinanz - 1/30/2007
Personal finance is a scary subject for some people because it conjures up all sorts of personal fears about budgeting, managing investments and buying Vs renting a home. Fear and anxiety are common responses to the topic of personal finance regardless of an individuals level of education or ex...
The Key To Success - Choose The Right PartnerBy Mel Dunn - 1/20/2007
Do you promote yourself as offering prompt, reliable and quality service?
Of course ? none of us promote ourselves as anything less, and equally we strive to provide this level of service all the time.
So what happens when you take your networking to the next level, and start to offer referrals,...
Giving and Selling MoreBy Florie Lyn Masarate - 1/19/2007
Set a deadline for people to order. Tell them that if they do not order until a certain date, they need to pay for something that they should not have paid for in the first place. If they like your products, chances are they would try and make the deadline you made.
Money back guarantee. This rea...
Five EASY Ways to Improve Your Business WritingBy Melinda Copp - 1/16/2007
Have you ever wondered why some people can make millions writing books, and others (maybe you) can?t even complete a simple business letter worth reading? Sure, natural talent probably accounts for some of their writing success. But really the best-selling authors achieved that level of success by d...
Three Proven Steps to Improve Your Home Business Advertising Response in Just 10 Days.By Bob Markovsky - 2/3/2006
Newspaper advertising is a tremendous source of new business that for so many businesses doesn?t ever reach its true potential. These 3 steps will help you change that forever!
You?re about to find out the mistakes that your competitors keep on making, and to start using techniques proven to grab...
