Some companies decide to send customers a free newsletter to get an email list. But there are other ways to collect email addresses. Sometimes having a newsletter just doesn’t make any sense for your company. For instance, if you happen to sell dishwashers, how much information could you send your customer, daily, on dishwashers. So, instead here are a few other options for increasing your email list.
You could run a contest. The puzzle, game or task should be easy and straightforward so that you don’t frustrate the customer and you still get their email address in the end.
A great incentive to collect email addresses would be a free eBook. People love getting free stuff, especially eBooks that interest them. Remember, it doesn’t have to be 100 pages long; five to ten pages will work fine.
Surveying the customer is a great way to collect email addresses. You can find out what the customer likes/dislikes, and what they have problems with or need solutions for.
Advertise your opt-in offer in an e-zine or classified ad. It actually doesn’t cost tons of money and if you find the right place to advertise, you could see dramatic results.
Email signatures, or electronic signatures, also referred to as a, sig file is a three to six line footer that you can add to the bottom of each email message you send out with your name, company and a free report with a link attached. You will be surprised how many visitors you get this way. Make sure you track where you are getting your traffic by the different links you send out.
If a customer is interested in downloading an article from your web site, they will definitely have no problem providing their name and email address. They will love to receive more articles from you or have access to a members only area of your site with plenty of resources.
Offer your customers a free course or a free download to collect email addresses. They will love to get something for free. Customers who opt-in when something free is being offered think to themselves what have I got to lose. It a great deal for both of you.
Cruisetocash1 steve whitehead
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Work Your Hidden Profit Potential.
Direct marketing campaigns are truly effective when you precisely target customers likely to buy from you. This is done by Profiling and Modeling prospects and clients.
Dumb mass mailings are replaced with “surgical” campaigns that market to specific customers with accuracy using technology that is now available. Today, it’s possible to collect an enormous amount of information about customers, but to use it effectively you use it in “profiling” and “modeling”.
Both of these techniques are ways of applying external data to possible clients. They can be used to prospect for business or to zero-in on existing customers for your mailing. The goal is to predict behavior based on what you know about your customers.
These two methods are not mutually exclusive, and marketers often use them together. The difference is that profiling data is overlaid against an existing client database, and has a long life span. It can be used for several mailings, and in contrast modeling is used to sharpen the focus of a specific mailing.
In profiling start with the premise that you don’t want to deal with a customer segment, but rather an individual customer. Break up your client segment into clients who share similar tastes and buying habits. Then use demographic and behavioral information to create a useful snapshot of the customer.
Begin to gather this information from your existing customer database noting such things as frequency of purchases, buying habits, responses to marketing offers, and repeat purchases. Then start with your perceived prospects using alternate sources of data from purchased sources. Use all this data to break your customers into clusters that share purchasing traits.
Obviously, profiling and modeling add to the cost of your mailing project. You may wonder why you shouldn’t just stick to the old method of “recency-frequency-monetary” (RFM) analysis. The reason is that for RFM to work effectively you need data on the client’s purchasing habits, and that’s the rub! It only works for your existing customer and is of no use in finding potential clients.
What makes profiling/modeling cost effective is found in three current trends.
Rising mailing costs.
Computers able to compute mountains of data rapidly.
Higher quality customer data available.
In the past, direct marketers could mail out 400,000 mailings to find a strong market of 40,000 (1 customer out of 10 mailings was average). The dramatic increase in the cost of paper and postage has made this practice prohibitively expensive.
Computers today are capable of doing millions of computations per second. This makes analyzing mountains of data possible and not unthinkable anymore.
Higher quality customer data is more available today, and there are more sources available for obtaining it than ever before.
The result is that you can afford to do a lot of number-crunching before you spend a penny on postage. You can also weed out the useless names and mail only to your most likely prospects.
There are 6 factors to consider when building customer profiles:
Affinity profiling – analyzes current buying habits to better match customer to product. Knowing what kinds of product a particular customer is buying gives you the ability to build an “affinity matrix” showing what related products would stimulate more sales from him/her.
Demographic and psychographic data is also used for profiling. Demographics tells you a client is a 29-year-old, unmarried, male who earns $45,000 and drives a 2-year old Lexus. Psychographic data suggests that single young men who buy status-symbol cars are excellent prospects for other highly visible status products. Combining the two types of data yields a customer profile to someone marketing, say, the latest cellular phone.
Lifestyle Coding is used to enhance basic demographic information. Simply put – people in certain demographic categories will likely have similar hobbies and other interests.
Mapping is another useful tool in building customer profiles. Census data, topographic information, geographic coordinates, and zip code+4 postal data can be fed into a computer yielding maps that can be color coded to certain characteristics of consumers in particular neighborhoods.
Cluster Coding is a popular means of grouping people by lifestyle characteristics. Remember hearing the terms “Urban Up-and-Comers, Settled In, and White Picket Fence” used to describe market segments? These are known as “clusters”, each given a score according to affluence, social position, activities, and aspirations.
Survey data – can be used to enhance demographic, lifestyle, and other data to build a profile. This is collected directly from your customers via application forms, surveys, and credit histories. This provides a more personal portrait of the customer than merely census or demographic data.
The Direct Marketer of today has become more of a “surgeon” than a “shotgun hunter”. It’s no longer cost-effective to shoot at 400,000 prospects to get 40,000 clients, and with computers it’s easier to slice-and-dice data today.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Dumb mass mailings are replaced with “surgical” campaigns that market to specific customers with accuracy using technology that is now available. Today, it’s possible to collect an enormous amount of information about customers, but to use it effectively you use it in “profiling” and “modeling”.
Both of these techniques are ways of applying external data to possible clients. They can be used to prospect for business or to zero-in on existing customers for your mailing. The goal is to predict behavior based on what you know about your customers.
These two methods are not mutually exclusive, and marketers often use them together. The difference is that profiling data is overlaid against an existing client database, and has a long life span. It can be used for several mailings, and in contrast modeling is used to sharpen the focus of a specific mailing.
In profiling start with the premise that you don’t want to deal with a customer segment, but rather an individual customer. Break up your client segment into clients who share similar tastes and buying habits. Then use demographic and behavioral information to create a useful snapshot of the customer.
Begin to gather this information from your existing customer database noting such things as frequency of purchases, buying habits, responses to marketing offers, and repeat purchases. Then start with your perceived prospects using alternate sources of data from purchased sources. Use all this data to break your customers into clusters that share purchasing traits.
Obviously, profiling and modeling add to the cost of your mailing project. You may wonder why you shouldn’t just stick to the old method of “recency-frequency-monetary” (RFM) analysis. The reason is that for RFM to work effectively you need data on the client’s purchasing habits, and that’s the rub! It only works for your existing customer and is of no use in finding potential clients.
What makes profiling/modeling cost effective is found in three current trends.
Rising mailing costs.
Computers able to compute mountains of data rapidly.
Higher quality customer data available.
In the past, direct marketers could mail out 400,000 mailings to find a strong market of 40,000 (1 customer out of 10 mailings was average). The dramatic increase in the cost of paper and postage has made this practice prohibitively expensive.
Computers today are capable of doing millions of computations per second. This makes analyzing mountains of data possible and not unthinkable anymore.
Higher quality customer data is more available today, and there are more sources available for obtaining it than ever before.
The result is that you can afford to do a lot of number-crunching before you spend a penny on postage. You can also weed out the useless names and mail only to your most likely prospects.
There are 6 factors to consider when building customer profiles:
Affinity profiling – analyzes current buying habits to better match customer to product. Knowing what kinds of product a particular customer is buying gives you the ability to build an “affinity matrix” showing what related products would stimulate more sales from him/her.
Demographic and psychographic data is also used for profiling. Demographics tells you a client is a 29-year-old, unmarried, male who earns $45,000 and drives a 2-year old Lexus. Psychographic data suggests that single young men who buy status-symbol cars are excellent prospects for other highly visible status products. Combining the two types of data yields a customer profile to someone marketing, say, the latest cellular phone.
Lifestyle Coding is used to enhance basic demographic information. Simply put – people in certain demographic categories will likely have similar hobbies and other interests.
Mapping is another useful tool in building customer profiles. Census data, topographic information, geographic coordinates, and zip code+4 postal data can be fed into a computer yielding maps that can be color coded to certain characteristics of consumers in particular neighborhoods.
Cluster Coding is a popular means of grouping people by lifestyle characteristics. Remember hearing the terms “Urban Up-and-Comers, Settled In, and White Picket Fence” used to describe market segments? These are known as “clusters”, each given a score according to affluence, social position, activities, and aspirations.
Survey data – can be used to enhance demographic, lifestyle, and other data to build a profile. This is collected directly from your customers via application forms, surveys, and credit histories. This provides a more personal portrait of the customer than merely census or demographic data.
The Direct Marketer of today has become more of a “surgeon” than a “shotgun hunter”. It’s no longer cost-effective to shoot at 400,000 prospects to get 40,000 clients, and with computers it’s easier to slice-and-dice data today.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Help for Entrepreneurs
There’s good news for entrepreneurs who need help but aren’t ready to hire full-time employees. Between January and July 2004, the ranks of part-time workers grew from 24.3 million to 25.5 million according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It was also learned that from June to July the increase came from people who wanted to work part-time and not because they couldn’t find full-time employment.
It seems that 1.7 million part-timers hold two or more part-time jobs, and do this by choice. Such workers will be harder to convert to full-time employees because they like the diversity of different jobs.
This all translates into benefits for the entrepreneur who needs help but can’t hire full-time employees. The employment gurus don’t expect this part-time preference to pass anytime soon. It seems that the appeal of a reduced schedule is strong both for seniors and baby boomers nearing retirement. Parents who have interrupted careers to care for their children but still want to work may also explain the boom.
Entrepreneurs should eagerly look to this pool of workers and eagerly employ part-time help. A big reason is that employer-paid health insurance and other benefits add costs equal to more than 50 percent of the average employee’s gross earnings. A part-time employer can get by with a low-cost factor, and still find somebody reliable and efficient.
Looking at the boom of part-timers seems like a win-win situation for entrepreneurs and workers alike. Check the prospect out with your accountant and you may find that you come out a winner and less stressed.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
It seems that 1.7 million part-timers hold two or more part-time jobs, and do this by choice. Such workers will be harder to convert to full-time employees because they like the diversity of different jobs.
This all translates into benefits for the entrepreneur who needs help but can’t hire full-time employees. The employment gurus don’t expect this part-time preference to pass anytime soon. It seems that the appeal of a reduced schedule is strong both for seniors and baby boomers nearing retirement. Parents who have interrupted careers to care for their children but still want to work may also explain the boom.
Entrepreneurs should eagerly look to this pool of workers and eagerly employ part-time help. A big reason is that employer-paid health insurance and other benefits add costs equal to more than 50 percent of the average employee’s gross earnings. A part-time employer can get by with a low-cost factor, and still find somebody reliable and efficient.
Looking at the boom of part-timers seems like a win-win situation for entrepreneurs and workers alike. Check the prospect out with your accountant and you may find that you come out a winner and less stressed.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
HAVE 5,000 PEOPLE MARKET YOUR PRODUCT IN 30 DAYS
An excellent source for distributing your merchandise is by
"independent salesman".
There are individuals who sell on their own and are always on the
look out for good items to carry along with their regular
merchandise.
The best way to contact them is through magazines such as;
Making Profits
6255 Barfield RD.
Atlanta, GA 30328
or
Money Making Opportunities
11071 Ventura Blvd.
Studio City, CA 91604
Insert a good ad in the Classified Section of one of these
publications, for example; "brand new opportunity! Independent
salesman wanted nationwide. For information, contact (your name
and address). You will find yourself receiving thousand of
replies and you can be sure these independent salesman will do a
terrific job of selling for you, as they make money on
commissions only.
Another way is to contact "Wagon Jobbers"
A wagon jobbers is someone who takes any number of products from
different jobbers or manufactures, puts them in the truck or
station wagon and travel along his "route" selling to people whom
he knows will buy from him because they are his customers.
They are excellent salesman, and when given a decent commission,
can do a terrific job of selling your products.
The best way to contact them is to rent a "wagon Jobber" mailing
list from a mailing broker, and then write a detailed letter
describing the product you want to sell and what kind of
financial arrangement or commissions you are offering.
The more people you get to sell, the larger your profits will be.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
"independent salesman".
There are individuals who sell on their own and are always on the
look out for good items to carry along with their regular
merchandise.
The best way to contact them is through magazines such as;
Making Profits
6255 Barfield RD.
Atlanta, GA 30328
or
Money Making Opportunities
11071 Ventura Blvd.
Studio City, CA 91604
Insert a good ad in the Classified Section of one of these
publications, for example; "brand new opportunity! Independent
salesman wanted nationwide. For information, contact (your name
and address). You will find yourself receiving thousand of
replies and you can be sure these independent salesman will do a
terrific job of selling for you, as they make money on
commissions only.
Another way is to contact "Wagon Jobbers"
A wagon jobbers is someone who takes any number of products from
different jobbers or manufactures, puts them in the truck or
station wagon and travel along his "route" selling to people whom
he knows will buy from him because they are his customers.
They are excellent salesman, and when given a decent commission,
can do a terrific job of selling your products.
The best way to contact them is to rent a "wagon Jobber" mailing
list from a mailing broker, and then write a detailed letter
describing the product you want to sell and what kind of
financial arrangement or commissions you are offering.
The more people you get to sell, the larger your profits will be.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Hang On To Top Employees
The best way to keep your top employees is to know them better than they know themselves. Use this knowledge to create the career of their dreams, and they’ll stick to your company like glue. The new “biz-speak” for this is called Job Sculpting.
The concept of Job Sculpting as defined by career experts, Timothy Butler and James Waldroop, in the Harvard Business Review, is that good people will stay only in jobs that “fit their deeply embedded life interests---that is their long-held emotionally driven passions.”
To adopt this strategy, spend a lot of effort listening to your company stars. For each one of them, try to identify what life interests are dominant with them, and then offer them the assignments that satisfy this interest. It may mean simply adding another assignment to the existing responsibilities, or it may mean switching one set of tasks to another employee. It may even require moving your “star” employee to a different position altogether.
To learn what kind of interests you’re looking and listening for, use these 8 identifiable areas:
Application of technology.
Quantitative analysis ability.
Theory development and conceptual thinking.
Creative production.
Counseling and mentoring.
Managing people and relationships.
Enterprise control.
Influence through language and ideas.
If you have a top employee who has been working in the area of customer service, but lately seems dissatisfied, after talking with him/her you might learn they would rather be dealing with the vendors. Your star might be just the answer you’re looking for to find that latest innovative product that could be added to your stock (conceptual thinking), and employee B would rather interact with the customers. By a simple switch of responsibilities, you have two happy employees that feel they’re now contributing to your business and not just putting in time for a paycheck.
It’s always more cost effective for the business, and better for employee morale to keep your existing employees happy with their careers. It takes a toll on your business when you have to fill an empty employee spot with a newcomer who has to be trained in the way your company functions.
Time is money, and time used to train a brand new employee is the highest cost of doing business. However, the time spent by you to find out what will keep your top producers happy to be working for you – is the best investment you can make in your business.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
The concept of Job Sculpting as defined by career experts, Timothy Butler and James Waldroop, in the Harvard Business Review, is that good people will stay only in jobs that “fit their deeply embedded life interests---that is their long-held emotionally driven passions.”
To adopt this strategy, spend a lot of effort listening to your company stars. For each one of them, try to identify what life interests are dominant with them, and then offer them the assignments that satisfy this interest. It may mean simply adding another assignment to the existing responsibilities, or it may mean switching one set of tasks to another employee. It may even require moving your “star” employee to a different position altogether.
To learn what kind of interests you’re looking and listening for, use these 8 identifiable areas:
Application of technology.
Quantitative analysis ability.
Theory development and conceptual thinking.
Creative production.
Counseling and mentoring.
Managing people and relationships.
Enterprise control.
Influence through language and ideas.
If you have a top employee who has been working in the area of customer service, but lately seems dissatisfied, after talking with him/her you might learn they would rather be dealing with the vendors. Your star might be just the answer you’re looking for to find that latest innovative product that could be added to your stock (conceptual thinking), and employee B would rather interact with the customers. By a simple switch of responsibilities, you have two happy employees that feel they’re now contributing to your business and not just putting in time for a paycheck.
It’s always more cost effective for the business, and better for employee morale to keep your existing employees happy with their careers. It takes a toll on your business when you have to fill an empty employee spot with a newcomer who has to be trained in the way your company functions.
Time is money, and time used to train a brand new employee is the highest cost of doing business. However, the time spent by you to find out what will keep your top producers happy to be working for you – is the best investment you can make in your business.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Go For The Gold!
Perhaps you’ve planned it from the beginning, or maybe you’ve taken years to decide. Somewhere down the line will come the time to sell your business, and you want to make sure you come out on top.
“I sold my business” is a magical phrase for entrepreneurs. It conjures up of pictures of wealth, leisure and exciting new challenges. For many entrepreneurs, it’s the goal from day one.
“Selling might not be everyone’s objective when they’re starting out, but it should be” says Ned Minor. Mr. Minor is a transaction attorney in Denver, and the author of “Deciding to Sell Your Business: The Key to Wealth and Freedom.” It seems eventually, every business owner leaves their business either sitting down at a deal table or feet first on a stretcher.
The idea of working until your last breath is not uppermost in our minds when we start out on that exciting roller coaster ride known as “entrepreneurship.” But if you aren’t already planning a more graceful exit, you may come out on the short end of the stick.
When starting a business we’re usually so busy with the details involved in making it an eventual success that selling out is the furthest thing from our minds. But the day you start building should be the day you should start designing your exit. It should be the ultimate goal of your success.
Many entrepreneurs are successive business builders. The fact that they sell one business doesn’t mean retirement for them, it just means the opportunity to start another business that has been lurking in the back of their minds. In fact many entrepreneurs enjoy the building up of a business almost more than the profitable success it becomes.
What does a saleable business look like? It’s saleable if it’s “scalable” says Minor. There are small-and-steady businesses sold every day, but the big bucks come looking for a business that has huge growth potential. Every buyer thinks that he/she is smarter than the seller, and that they can double or triple the present business it’s doing. A business will fetch the best price only when buyers believe they can take advantage of significant future growth potential.
Selling a company’s future upside however, means proving your previous growth and validating your future growth strategy. You should start with 2 years of audited financials to backup the historical growth. Then be prepared to explain your business strategy and how it fits into the overall market. Be it through acquisitions that you’ve grown, then show how many more acquisition targets are still in the market. If through new product development, be prepared to give the details of your R&D pipeline and your ideas for future products.
Now as for buyers, there are two types. There are “financial buyers” who will typically pay a lower price because they have a fire-sale mentality. You need to find the strategic buyers out there, and paint a picture for them. Show them a great customer relationship, a great piece of intellectual property, an advantage in time to market, or a key employee. Show the strategic buyer how one plus one equals three.
Then again, why settle for just one buyer when you could have two? Having another buyer in the wings is a vital strategy in the sale process. Having a strong and visible alternative makes any acquirer sit up and take notice. There needs to be tension to the deal. Each side wants the other to think that they’re about to walk away; it’s the tension that gets the deal closed.
The best buyers are large, high-flying public companies with broad, strategic agendas and cash to spare. Selling to a public company also has other advantages and tangible benefits. Many transactions leave the seller with a fistful of stock, or worse, a long-term payout. A publicly traded acquirer makes an eventual cash payout more assured. Be sure to make your business sale more than a sale of your personal network and capabilities. Make it look like it’s worth the asking price, especially if you’re planning to leave after the sale.
Build a strong management team that can carry on when you’re gone. A team with clear policies and procedures, and a broad customer base which are the underpinnings of value. Your business should not just run without you, but be positioned to grow without you. Make sure your key employees are given incentives to stay on after you go, and make sure you communicate with them during negotiations. It’s crucial to minimize disruption.
The sale of a business is complex. If you’ve been in business for 10 years, then it has 10 years of potential liabilities, lawsuits, and bad accounting. Buyers want to know exactly where the business stands, so extreme diligence and complete disclosure on your part is essential. Sometimes what the buyer requests during negotiations is mind-boggling and you should hire some outside help to put it all together.
Getting the deal closed takes the talents of several people, and here’s a list of who you’re likely to meet on your way to closing.
On the Buyer’s Side:
CEO: The chief executive needs a vision of how the new company will fit into the existing organization.
CFO: This is the detail person, and a professional skeptic. In the long-term view, he/she will take the heat if reality doesn’t live up to expectations.
CPA: The buyer’s CPA (or accounting firm) will validate the seller’s numbers. Don’t be surprised if the CPA doesn’t argue for a lower purchase price based on historical profits. These are the “bean counters” of the deal.
On The Seller’s Side:
Investment Banker: He/she is a professional “quarterback” keeping both teams moving toward the goal. He keeps one eye on the sale price, and the other on the strategic best interests of the business owner.
Transaction Attorney: He’s the referee – there to make sure no one gets hurt. The transaction attorney’s focus is the sale contract, but he/she can also handle communication with the buyer.
CPA: The seller’s CPA should be advising the seller on the personal tax consequences of the deal, and how to handle the after-tax proceeds.
And you thought it was going to be easier to sell it than to start it, didn’t you? Remember, no deal is a sure thing until it’s done! Perhaps the only sure thing is that selling a business is never simple. It can be the most harrowing, and the most rewarding experience in the life of an entrepreneur. Take it slowly, with planning, strategy and guidance. Each step of the process can add value to the company, and get you closer to the finish line.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
“I sold my business” is a magical phrase for entrepreneurs. It conjures up of pictures of wealth, leisure and exciting new challenges. For many entrepreneurs, it’s the goal from day one.
“Selling might not be everyone’s objective when they’re starting out, but it should be” says Ned Minor. Mr. Minor is a transaction attorney in Denver, and the author of “Deciding to Sell Your Business: The Key to Wealth and Freedom.” It seems eventually, every business owner leaves their business either sitting down at a deal table or feet first on a stretcher.
The idea of working until your last breath is not uppermost in our minds when we start out on that exciting roller coaster ride known as “entrepreneurship.” But if you aren’t already planning a more graceful exit, you may come out on the short end of the stick.
When starting a business we’re usually so busy with the details involved in making it an eventual success that selling out is the furthest thing from our minds. But the day you start building should be the day you should start designing your exit. It should be the ultimate goal of your success.
Many entrepreneurs are successive business builders. The fact that they sell one business doesn’t mean retirement for them, it just means the opportunity to start another business that has been lurking in the back of their minds. In fact many entrepreneurs enjoy the building up of a business almost more than the profitable success it becomes.
What does a saleable business look like? It’s saleable if it’s “scalable” says Minor. There are small-and-steady businesses sold every day, but the big bucks come looking for a business that has huge growth potential. Every buyer thinks that he/she is smarter than the seller, and that they can double or triple the present business it’s doing. A business will fetch the best price only when buyers believe they can take advantage of significant future growth potential.
Selling a company’s future upside however, means proving your previous growth and validating your future growth strategy. You should start with 2 years of audited financials to backup the historical growth. Then be prepared to explain your business strategy and how it fits into the overall market. Be it through acquisitions that you’ve grown, then show how many more acquisition targets are still in the market. If through new product development, be prepared to give the details of your R&D pipeline and your ideas for future products.
Now as for buyers, there are two types. There are “financial buyers” who will typically pay a lower price because they have a fire-sale mentality. You need to find the strategic buyers out there, and paint a picture for them. Show them a great customer relationship, a great piece of intellectual property, an advantage in time to market, or a key employee. Show the strategic buyer how one plus one equals three.
Then again, why settle for just one buyer when you could have two? Having another buyer in the wings is a vital strategy in the sale process. Having a strong and visible alternative makes any acquirer sit up and take notice. There needs to be tension to the deal. Each side wants the other to think that they’re about to walk away; it’s the tension that gets the deal closed.
The best buyers are large, high-flying public companies with broad, strategic agendas and cash to spare. Selling to a public company also has other advantages and tangible benefits. Many transactions leave the seller with a fistful of stock, or worse, a long-term payout. A publicly traded acquirer makes an eventual cash payout more assured. Be sure to make your business sale more than a sale of your personal network and capabilities. Make it look like it’s worth the asking price, especially if you’re planning to leave after the sale.
Build a strong management team that can carry on when you’re gone. A team with clear policies and procedures, and a broad customer base which are the underpinnings of value. Your business should not just run without you, but be positioned to grow without you. Make sure your key employees are given incentives to stay on after you go, and make sure you communicate with them during negotiations. It’s crucial to minimize disruption.
The sale of a business is complex. If you’ve been in business for 10 years, then it has 10 years of potential liabilities, lawsuits, and bad accounting. Buyers want to know exactly where the business stands, so extreme diligence and complete disclosure on your part is essential. Sometimes what the buyer requests during negotiations is mind-boggling and you should hire some outside help to put it all together.
Getting the deal closed takes the talents of several people, and here’s a list of who you’re likely to meet on your way to closing.
On the Buyer’s Side:
CEO: The chief executive needs a vision of how the new company will fit into the existing organization.
CFO: This is the detail person, and a professional skeptic. In the long-term view, he/she will take the heat if reality doesn’t live up to expectations.
CPA: The buyer’s CPA (or accounting firm) will validate the seller’s numbers. Don’t be surprised if the CPA doesn’t argue for a lower purchase price based on historical profits. These are the “bean counters” of the deal.
On The Seller’s Side:
Investment Banker: He/she is a professional “quarterback” keeping both teams moving toward the goal. He keeps one eye on the sale price, and the other on the strategic best interests of the business owner.
Transaction Attorney: He’s the referee – there to make sure no one gets hurt. The transaction attorney’s focus is the sale contract, but he/she can also handle communication with the buyer.
CPA: The seller’s CPA should be advising the seller on the personal tax consequences of the deal, and how to handle the after-tax proceeds.
And you thought it was going to be easier to sell it than to start it, didn’t you? Remember, no deal is a sure thing until it’s done! Perhaps the only sure thing is that selling a business is never simple. It can be the most harrowing, and the most rewarding experience in the life of an entrepreneur. Take it slowly, with planning, strategy and guidance. Each step of the process can add value to the company, and get you closer to the finish line.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Monday, May 5, 2008
GETTING YOUR ARTICLES PUBLISHED
Test Your Idea:
To lead to a sale, your query must convince the editor that you have a clear idea of what you plan to cover in the article, and what approach you ‘re going to take.
So before writing the letter, think your article idea through carefully, and picture yourself describing the article to a friend.
Find Your Angle:
Finding your angle is often a matter of narrowing your topic. A topic like “Sports” is far too general, narrow it to say, “Table Tennis” is better. Often, reducing the story to a single dimension e.g., focus on a key person, place, or event – gives a salable angle.
When your subject is popular, you must give the editor a fresh approach. One way is to take an idea like “Overcoming Failure” and give it a twist to something like “Failure Can Be Good for You.” It needn’t be exotic to sell, something as mundane as “New and Improved” has worked by adding a new ingredient to the usual.
Research Helps:
While many queries can be written entirely from your own knowledge, a little research can pay big dividends by seducing the editor. Facts sell editors on an idea. Editors look for queries with many specifics: Don’t just write that “Last year millions of people suffered from yeast infections.” Tell how many millions – and why!
Research both the topic and the markets you’re aiming it at. A common reason for rejection is because of inadequate knowledge of the magazine.
Shaping Your Raw Material:
After you have the basics:
the idea
the slant/facts, and
the market
then you’re ready to write your query. A good query starts strong, and never lets up until the editor is sold. Follow the two newspaper dictums; The five W’s (who, what, where, when, why) which explains the story immediately, and “the inverted pyramid” which emphasized putting the most interesting information first. You’ll lose the editor’s interest if you save the best for last, and always remember EDITOR’S CUT FROM THE BOTTOM UP!
3 Main Sections to a Query:
The Lead Paragraph
The Summary
The Author’s Bio.
Each has a specific purpose: first, tell the editor what the story is, then why she/he should buy it, and finally who is going to write it.
The Lead – is aimed to hook the editor and make them want to continue reading.
Once you’ve aroused the editor’s attention, move directly to a summary of the article.
Summary - This section should convince the editor that you know where you want to go with the article; it should outline the points you plan to cover or provide factual information about your topic – giving only enough to prove that your story is real. Here you can mention your sources. Tell the editor who’ll you’ll be talking to, and if experts are they on the cutting edge of today’s technology. Also include here a working title for the article. Don’t spend a lot of time trying to get a provocative headline, because titles are often changed by the editor before publication.
Author’s Bio – is where you sell yourself as a writer to the editor now that you’ve sold him/her on the idea. Don’t be bashful; editors expect a bit of sell in the bio. There’s nothing wrong with saying, “I’m highly qualified to write this article because…” if a convincing reason follows. Start your bio with your publishing credits, and include magazines similar to the one you’re pitching if you can.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
To lead to a sale, your query must convince the editor that you have a clear idea of what you plan to cover in the article, and what approach you ‘re going to take.
So before writing the letter, think your article idea through carefully, and picture yourself describing the article to a friend.
Find Your Angle:
Finding your angle is often a matter of narrowing your topic. A topic like “Sports” is far too general, narrow it to say, “Table Tennis” is better. Often, reducing the story to a single dimension e.g., focus on a key person, place, or event – gives a salable angle.
When your subject is popular, you must give the editor a fresh approach. One way is to take an idea like “Overcoming Failure” and give it a twist to something like “Failure Can Be Good for You.” It needn’t be exotic to sell, something as mundane as “New and Improved” has worked by adding a new ingredient to the usual.
Research Helps:
While many queries can be written entirely from your own knowledge, a little research can pay big dividends by seducing the editor. Facts sell editors on an idea. Editors look for queries with many specifics: Don’t just write that “Last year millions of people suffered from yeast infections.” Tell how many millions – and why!
Research both the topic and the markets you’re aiming it at. A common reason for rejection is because of inadequate knowledge of the magazine.
Shaping Your Raw Material:
After you have the basics:
the idea
the slant/facts, and
the market
then you’re ready to write your query. A good query starts strong, and never lets up until the editor is sold. Follow the two newspaper dictums; The five W’s (who, what, where, when, why) which explains the story immediately, and “the inverted pyramid” which emphasized putting the most interesting information first. You’ll lose the editor’s interest if you save the best for last, and always remember EDITOR’S CUT FROM THE BOTTOM UP!
3 Main Sections to a Query:
The Lead Paragraph
The Summary
The Author’s Bio.
Each has a specific purpose: first, tell the editor what the story is, then why she/he should buy it, and finally who is going to write it.
The Lead – is aimed to hook the editor and make them want to continue reading.
Once you’ve aroused the editor’s attention, move directly to a summary of the article.
Summary - This section should convince the editor that you know where you want to go with the article; it should outline the points you plan to cover or provide factual information about your topic – giving only enough to prove that your story is real. Here you can mention your sources. Tell the editor who’ll you’ll be talking to, and if experts are they on the cutting edge of today’s technology. Also include here a working title for the article. Don’t spend a lot of time trying to get a provocative headline, because titles are often changed by the editor before publication.
Author’s Bio – is where you sell yourself as a writer to the editor now that you’ve sold him/her on the idea. Don’t be bashful; editors expect a bit of sell in the bio. There’s nothing wrong with saying, “I’m highly qualified to write this article because…” if a convincing reason follows. Start your bio with your publishing credits, and include magazines similar to the one you’re pitching if you can.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Friday, May 2, 2008
GET YOUR PRODUCT LISTED
An average mailing by a small, one person mail order company is
generally about a thousand pieces, and many such operators
rarely mail more than a hundred pieces per week. If you know
your conversion statistics, you know that the order return on
mailings is about 1% to 2% when using a rented list of names, up
to 5% or more when mailing to your own customer list.
Using those figures, the response rate would be about 2 orders
from a mailing of 100 when using a cold list, and about 5 to 10
orders when mailing to your own customer list for each 100
pieces mailed.
Contrast this to a major catalog mailing house such as Miles
Kimball, Hanover House, Lillian Vernon, Johnson-Smith or L.L.
Bean, each of whom might consider a mailing of six million
pieces a month or every few months.
Keep in mind that these are catalog merchandisers - mass
mailers, not manufacturers. Not publishers. Mailers!
They BUY what they sell from somebody. It could be from you!
WHAT ARE THEY LOOKING FOR?
Catalog houses are owned and operated by extremely sharp people
and they are highly selective in the products they choose for
inclusion in their catalogs, so to even be considered, your
product must pass some pretty rigid tests:
1. Since some catalog companies specialize in a certain type of
merchandise, they will choose only what they think their
customers will buy.
2. Virtually all of them will want to test-market a product
(possibly only a hundred or so) before making a complete catalog
mailing. If the test shows promise, they will purchase a large
quantity (1,000 to 5,000 or more) for their roll-out mailings...
and continue to purchase such quantities as long as the product
continues to sell.
3. Catalog mailers want to deal as close to the original source
as possible, such as inventor, the patent owner, copyright
holder, manufacturer or publisher. The reason for this is simply
that these are people who can offer them the largest discount on
quantity purchases. If you are merely one of many dealers who
had to purchase the product from a wholesaler who purchased from
a distributor, who purchased the product from the manufacturer,
you would not be in a position to offer the lowest price to the
catalog company.
4. The item in question should be new and unique, not something
that's been around for years. Naturally, it should be a good
mail order item.
HOW YOU CAN QUALIFY FOR ACCEPTANCE
First and foremost, you must look and act the part of an
established, professionally operated business. This means you
must have printed stationery with a company name that coincides
with the products you are offering, and all correspondence must
be typewritten.
If that seems trite and elementary, you would be surprised to
see how many companies receive scribbled hand written notes on
ruled paper with wording such as "I would like you to include my
product in your catalog." Sorry, it just doesn't work like that.
Even if you are not the actual inventor or manufacturer of the
product you are selling, you can qualify to have it included in
a large mailers' catalog where everyone can profit from it.
Imports are very popular catalog sellers, for instance, so if
you locate a new item from overseas, you can arrange to become
the U.S. distributor. Yes, it means a sizable investment for
stocking inventory, but if you have faith in what you plan to
sell, it should be worth investing in.
Before offering it to any catalog mailer, however, it would be
in your best interest to test-market the item yourself. You
certainly don't want to offer a "loser" to a major catalog
mailer. You'll want to be sure this is something that will sell,
so everybody is happy with the deal. Perhaps even more
importantly, it will bond your relationship with the catalog
companies and they will be eager to do business with you the
next time you come up with a new product.
PRICING YOUR PRODUCT
This is crucial. A price that's too high means it will not be
accepted; priced too low and you will not make a profit - no
matter how many are sold.
Keep in mind that some catalog mailers specialize in low priced
($10 or less) items, while others have geared their sales to the
higher bracket of $50 or more. When making a list of catalog
houses to approach, check their catalogs for prices of their
current merchandise.
There are three basic levels of retail prices:
1. The pre-established price by owner or manufacturer
2. Actual dollar value based on production costs
3. Perceived value by prospective buyers
If you are not the primary source for your product, the
manufacturer may have already set the retail price along with
distributor and wholesale discounts, so you will have to work
those figures in any deals made with catalog companies.
Assuming you have pricing control (granted by the original
source, or you are the originator) you can set the retail price
according to the production costs which can be a 5-to-1 or 10-1
ratio. If the item costs $1 to make, you can set a retail price
of $5 or $10 on it, depending on what you think it is worth to
the consumer.
SIMPLIFY YOUR PRICE STRUCTURE TO COMPANIES
The most common price structures are usually set in various
quantities like dozen or gross; or, 100, 500, 1,000, etc. Don't
use these price structures when trying to interest catalog
companies in your product. Right from the start, give them your
rock bottom lowest possible price.
For examples, if your usual prices are:
100 @ $4.50; 500 @ $3.75; 1000 @ $2.75 and 5,000 @ $1.95
give them your 5,000 quantity price no matter how many they
order for their original test. Even if they only want 100 for
testing, give them your $1.95 price - but be sure to tell them
this is your lowest price that is for regular 5,000 quantity
purchases, so they know they're getting the good deal.
TIME TO CREATE YOUR PROMOTIONAL PACKAGE
Company buyers are busy people, so you'll want to make your
presentation quickly, clearly, and distinctly, eliminating all
fluff and extraneous material or wording that might tend to bog
things down.
Here's what you'll need:
Descriptive folder or flyer about the product (Information sheet)
Glossy photo of the product
Possible advertising copy (although they will probably re-write
it)
Terms of your sale, including freight charges
Brief cover letter
(Optional) Sample of your product IF it is small, light weight,
inexpensive, and if you think it will impress the company.
Send this mailing package via First Class Mail!
How many of these promotional packages should you mail? Only you
can answer that question, but here's a tip: Don't expect only 10
or 12 to produce much response for your product. It might
require 50 to 100 or even 500 such mailings before you begin to
see worthwhile results. Of course, a lot depends on the product
itself and whether it is for the general public or restricted to
a more selective audience.
Whenever possible, try to determine what type of merchandise
each catalog house offers before sending them your offer. If
they cater only to men and your product will be used primarily
by women, why waste time and money? The same would apply to a
low priced item such as $5 offered to a catalog house whose
clientele happened to be sophisticated or wealthy people
accustomed to buying merchandise in the hundreds of dollars.
Match your product with the catalog company's line as closely as
possible.
HANDLING THE BUSINESS
If your product is a good one and if you have made a good
impression in your promotional materials, sooner or later you
will get an order for a trial quantity.
Fill the order promptly. Use sturdy boxes and have your own
shipping label (printed with your company name & address) on
each carton, typing the catalog company's name and address with
the customer's shipping number above the name.
SELLING ON CREDIT
Unlike the conventional mail order business, selling to catalog
houses is not a cash-with-order type of operation. It's
conducted on credit, so you'll need invoices to send to your
customer after shipment has been made. There are a few
variations of credit terms, but the best for you will be
"Payment due EOM or 2% discount within 10 days. "EOM" means end
of the month following the date of shipment.
Use your best judgment whether you will ship prepaid or bill
your customer for the shipping charges.
HERE'S A FINAL TIP
If you can get some free publicity for your product along the
way, it can help you reach catalog houses in addition to
bringing you additional sales.
Check magazines that are read by the type of people who will use
your product and look for departments such as "New Products."
Many magazines carry such a department under different titles.
Send a publicity package to the editors which will include the
glossy photo of your product, News Release that tells who will
be interested in the product and why, and a brief cover letter.
If you get a few magazines to accept your offer, they will give
you a mention in their New Products department. This will in
turn bring you a few or a few hundred orders, depending on the
circulation of the magazines and how much demand there might be
for your product.
More importantly, it can link you up with some catalog houses.
They often scan magazines looking for new products to be
featured in their catalogs. Thus, instead of you contacting
them... they will contact you.
The end result is that it can bring you many retail orders as
well as attract a few catalog house buyers who will ultimately
sell your product in their catalogs.
If each catalog house mails 10 million catalogs a year, and your
product is featured inside, I shouldn't have to tell you how
many products can be sold this way. Better stock up now!.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
generally about a thousand pieces, and many such operators
rarely mail more than a hundred pieces per week. If you know
your conversion statistics, you know that the order return on
mailings is about 1% to 2% when using a rented list of names, up
to 5% or more when mailing to your own customer list.
Using those figures, the response rate would be about 2 orders
from a mailing of 100 when using a cold list, and about 5 to 10
orders when mailing to your own customer list for each 100
pieces mailed.
Contrast this to a major catalog mailing house such as Miles
Kimball, Hanover House, Lillian Vernon, Johnson-Smith or L.L.
Bean, each of whom might consider a mailing of six million
pieces a month or every few months.
Keep in mind that these are catalog merchandisers - mass
mailers, not manufacturers. Not publishers. Mailers!
They BUY what they sell from somebody. It could be from you!
WHAT ARE THEY LOOKING FOR?
Catalog houses are owned and operated by extremely sharp people
and they are highly selective in the products they choose for
inclusion in their catalogs, so to even be considered, your
product must pass some pretty rigid tests:
1. Since some catalog companies specialize in a certain type of
merchandise, they will choose only what they think their
customers will buy.
2. Virtually all of them will want to test-market a product
(possibly only a hundred or so) before making a complete catalog
mailing. If the test shows promise, they will purchase a large
quantity (1,000 to 5,000 or more) for their roll-out mailings...
and continue to purchase such quantities as long as the product
continues to sell.
3. Catalog mailers want to deal as close to the original source
as possible, such as inventor, the patent owner, copyright
holder, manufacturer or publisher. The reason for this is simply
that these are people who can offer them the largest discount on
quantity purchases. If you are merely one of many dealers who
had to purchase the product from a wholesaler who purchased from
a distributor, who purchased the product from the manufacturer,
you would not be in a position to offer the lowest price to the
catalog company.
4. The item in question should be new and unique, not something
that's been around for years. Naturally, it should be a good
mail order item.
HOW YOU CAN QUALIFY FOR ACCEPTANCE
First and foremost, you must look and act the part of an
established, professionally operated business. This means you
must have printed stationery with a company name that coincides
with the products you are offering, and all correspondence must
be typewritten.
If that seems trite and elementary, you would be surprised to
see how many companies receive scribbled hand written notes on
ruled paper with wording such as "I would like you to include my
product in your catalog." Sorry, it just doesn't work like that.
Even if you are not the actual inventor or manufacturer of the
product you are selling, you can qualify to have it included in
a large mailers' catalog where everyone can profit from it.
Imports are very popular catalog sellers, for instance, so if
you locate a new item from overseas, you can arrange to become
the U.S. distributor. Yes, it means a sizable investment for
stocking inventory, but if you have faith in what you plan to
sell, it should be worth investing in.
Before offering it to any catalog mailer, however, it would be
in your best interest to test-market the item yourself. You
certainly don't want to offer a "loser" to a major catalog
mailer. You'll want to be sure this is something that will sell,
so everybody is happy with the deal. Perhaps even more
importantly, it will bond your relationship with the catalog
companies and they will be eager to do business with you the
next time you come up with a new product.
PRICING YOUR PRODUCT
This is crucial. A price that's too high means it will not be
accepted; priced too low and you will not make a profit - no
matter how many are sold.
Keep in mind that some catalog mailers specialize in low priced
($10 or less) items, while others have geared their sales to the
higher bracket of $50 or more. When making a list of catalog
houses to approach, check their catalogs for prices of their
current merchandise.
There are three basic levels of retail prices:
1. The pre-established price by owner or manufacturer
2. Actual dollar value based on production costs
3. Perceived value by prospective buyers
If you are not the primary source for your product, the
manufacturer may have already set the retail price along with
distributor and wholesale discounts, so you will have to work
those figures in any deals made with catalog companies.
Assuming you have pricing control (granted by the original
source, or you are the originator) you can set the retail price
according to the production costs which can be a 5-to-1 or 10-1
ratio. If the item costs $1 to make, you can set a retail price
of $5 or $10 on it, depending on what you think it is worth to
the consumer.
SIMPLIFY YOUR PRICE STRUCTURE TO COMPANIES
The most common price structures are usually set in various
quantities like dozen or gross; or, 100, 500, 1,000, etc. Don't
use these price structures when trying to interest catalog
companies in your product. Right from the start, give them your
rock bottom lowest possible price.
For examples, if your usual prices are:
100 @ $4.50; 500 @ $3.75; 1000 @ $2.75 and 5,000 @ $1.95
give them your 5,000 quantity price no matter how many they
order for their original test. Even if they only want 100 for
testing, give them your $1.95 price - but be sure to tell them
this is your lowest price that is for regular 5,000 quantity
purchases, so they know they're getting the good deal.
TIME TO CREATE YOUR PROMOTIONAL PACKAGE
Company buyers are busy people, so you'll want to make your
presentation quickly, clearly, and distinctly, eliminating all
fluff and extraneous material or wording that might tend to bog
things down.
Here's what you'll need:
Descriptive folder or flyer about the product (Information sheet)
Glossy photo of the product
Possible advertising copy (although they will probably re-write
it)
Terms of your sale, including freight charges
Brief cover letter
(Optional) Sample of your product IF it is small, light weight,
inexpensive, and if you think it will impress the company.
Send this mailing package via First Class Mail!
How many of these promotional packages should you mail? Only you
can answer that question, but here's a tip: Don't expect only 10
or 12 to produce much response for your product. It might
require 50 to 100 or even 500 such mailings before you begin to
see worthwhile results. Of course, a lot depends on the product
itself and whether it is for the general public or restricted to
a more selective audience.
Whenever possible, try to determine what type of merchandise
each catalog house offers before sending them your offer. If
they cater only to men and your product will be used primarily
by women, why waste time and money? The same would apply to a
low priced item such as $5 offered to a catalog house whose
clientele happened to be sophisticated or wealthy people
accustomed to buying merchandise in the hundreds of dollars.
Match your product with the catalog company's line as closely as
possible.
HANDLING THE BUSINESS
If your product is a good one and if you have made a good
impression in your promotional materials, sooner or later you
will get an order for a trial quantity.
Fill the order promptly. Use sturdy boxes and have your own
shipping label (printed with your company name & address) on
each carton, typing the catalog company's name and address with
the customer's shipping number above the name.
SELLING ON CREDIT
Unlike the conventional mail order business, selling to catalog
houses is not a cash-with-order type of operation. It's
conducted on credit, so you'll need invoices to send to your
customer after shipment has been made. There are a few
variations of credit terms, but the best for you will be
"Payment due EOM or 2% discount within 10 days. "EOM" means end
of the month following the date of shipment.
Use your best judgment whether you will ship prepaid or bill
your customer for the shipping charges.
HERE'S A FINAL TIP
If you can get some free publicity for your product along the
way, it can help you reach catalog houses in addition to
bringing you additional sales.
Check magazines that are read by the type of people who will use
your product and look for departments such as "New Products."
Many magazines carry such a department under different titles.
Send a publicity package to the editors which will include the
glossy photo of your product, News Release that tells who will
be interested in the product and why, and a brief cover letter.
If you get a few magazines to accept your offer, they will give
you a mention in their New Products department. This will in
turn bring you a few or a few hundred orders, depending on the
circulation of the magazines and how much demand there might be
for your product.
More importantly, it can link you up with some catalog houses.
They often scan magazines looking for new products to be
featured in their catalogs. Thus, instead of you contacting
them... they will contact you.
The end result is that it can bring you many retail orders as
well as attract a few catalog house buyers who will ultimately
sell your product in their catalogs.
If each catalog house mails 10 million catalogs a year, and your
product is featured inside, I shouldn't have to tell you how
many products can be sold this way. Better stock up now!.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Gas Prices Got Your Bottom Line?
If you’re a small business or entrepreneur you can bet your bottom dollar that the high gas prices are affecting you. It probably will be your “bottom dollar” too!
Regardless of what the politicians are telling us, and regardless whether you deliver your products to the client or not the price of fuel is affecting you. It’s affecting your business because it’s affecting the consumer – your consumers.
In a recent survey done by the National Retail Federation they state, “Whether gas prices pose a fiscal or psychological concern consumers are affected regardless of income.”
Some interesting stats show that from the number of adults nationwide16.4% delayed a major purchase such as cars, TV, or furniture. Dining out has been reduced by 25.2%, 31.2% decreased vacation travel plans, 17.3% are spending less on groceries, and 23.7% are spending less on clothing.
That equates to the fact that restaurants, travel agencies, motel/hotels, car dealers, furniture stores, and retail clothing stores are all going to be affected by gas prices. If any one of those listed is the business you’re doing, then your bottom line of profits is definitely affected. The interesting part of all that is that it didn’t matter if those polled were in the $50K+ income bracket or less than $50K, the results were the same.
The only distinction seemed to be that adults in the age bracket of 45-54 years of age had the highest percentages but with the same outcome. For instance of the 25.2% of adults that reduced dining out, 28.6% of them were in that age bracket, and so on down the line. The survey also noted that 70% of the consumers of that age group were impacted by higher gas prices.
As you might have guessed, when these survey figures were broken down by region the West was higher in all categories than the NE, Mid-West, or Southern regions. Still only 5.7% of us have increased carpooling.
It’s a fact, whether we like it or not, that every penny spent on gasoline is a penny kept from retailers. Looking beyond just the retail industry, what about the service business. The cost of doing business for a repairman is going to increase as the expense for gasoline increases, and ultimately his prices will reflect that increase. It doesn’t matter whether he’s doing electrical, roofing, renovating, plumbing, whatever service drives up to your home is going to cost more in the long run.
Ultimately, as the domino effect goes into play, those who can least afford price increases will be the hardest hit. Seniors and retirees on fixed incomes just have to suck it up and bear the price increases. As the survey pollsters have said income levels didn’t vary results of choices, it still varies the ability to handle the domino effects. If income remains stationery but prices rise, there’s definitely an affect on those with fixed incomes.
For the entrepreneur to overcome the situation it requires some really extreme methods. Following are some tips to keep your expenses down:
Order supplies online, anticipating a price increase, and have them delivered to you.
Research your competitors online and save the gas.
Group doing an errand or two when they’re in the vicinity of a scheduled client meeting.
Do more of your business by mail, email, or on the internet. You can do just about anything from paying a vendor to transferring funds from one bank account to another on the internet, and you don’t use any gas. The only time you have to go to the bank is to make a deposit.
If you conduct business at Trade Shows and have to travel find ways to cut corners. Carpool to the airport with a colleague or even a nearby competitor. (You’re both going to be doing business at the same show anyway.) Perhaps, you can combine two trips with only one return home after the second trip. Perhaps putting an ad in the Trade Show program can save you making a trip. (You could use that plan for the less important trade show.)
Consider whether media advertising for your business would be cheaper than what you’ve been doing in person considering gas prices.
That’s just a few ideas to get those little gray cells working. After all, as an entrepreneur you’ve done marketing on a shoestring before. I’m sure you can come up with at least ten more ideas than I’ve given you. You might also want to check out the web site: http://autos.msn.com/everyday/gasstations.aspx?=(put in your zip code)
At that site you can find the cheapest gas prices in your area. I’d venture to say that these rankings change daily, so check it out when you need gas.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Regardless of what the politicians are telling us, and regardless whether you deliver your products to the client or not the price of fuel is affecting you. It’s affecting your business because it’s affecting the consumer – your consumers.
In a recent survey done by the National Retail Federation they state, “Whether gas prices pose a fiscal or psychological concern consumers are affected regardless of income.”
Some interesting stats show that from the number of adults nationwide16.4% delayed a major purchase such as cars, TV, or furniture. Dining out has been reduced by 25.2%, 31.2% decreased vacation travel plans, 17.3% are spending less on groceries, and 23.7% are spending less on clothing.
That equates to the fact that restaurants, travel agencies, motel/hotels, car dealers, furniture stores, and retail clothing stores are all going to be affected by gas prices. If any one of those listed is the business you’re doing, then your bottom line of profits is definitely affected. The interesting part of all that is that it didn’t matter if those polled were in the $50K+ income bracket or less than $50K, the results were the same.
The only distinction seemed to be that adults in the age bracket of 45-54 years of age had the highest percentages but with the same outcome. For instance of the 25.2% of adults that reduced dining out, 28.6% of them were in that age bracket, and so on down the line. The survey also noted that 70% of the consumers of that age group were impacted by higher gas prices.
As you might have guessed, when these survey figures were broken down by region the West was higher in all categories than the NE, Mid-West, or Southern regions. Still only 5.7% of us have increased carpooling.
It’s a fact, whether we like it or not, that every penny spent on gasoline is a penny kept from retailers. Looking beyond just the retail industry, what about the service business. The cost of doing business for a repairman is going to increase as the expense for gasoline increases, and ultimately his prices will reflect that increase. It doesn’t matter whether he’s doing electrical, roofing, renovating, plumbing, whatever service drives up to your home is going to cost more in the long run.
Ultimately, as the domino effect goes into play, those who can least afford price increases will be the hardest hit. Seniors and retirees on fixed incomes just have to suck it up and bear the price increases. As the survey pollsters have said income levels didn’t vary results of choices, it still varies the ability to handle the domino effects. If income remains stationery but prices rise, there’s definitely an affect on those with fixed incomes.
For the entrepreneur to overcome the situation it requires some really extreme methods. Following are some tips to keep your expenses down:
Order supplies online, anticipating a price increase, and have them delivered to you.
Research your competitors online and save the gas.
Group doing an errand or two when they’re in the vicinity of a scheduled client meeting.
Do more of your business by mail, email, or on the internet. You can do just about anything from paying a vendor to transferring funds from one bank account to another on the internet, and you don’t use any gas. The only time you have to go to the bank is to make a deposit.
If you conduct business at Trade Shows and have to travel find ways to cut corners. Carpool to the airport with a colleague or even a nearby competitor. (You’re both going to be doing business at the same show anyway.) Perhaps, you can combine two trips with only one return home after the second trip. Perhaps putting an ad in the Trade Show program can save you making a trip. (You could use that plan for the less important trade show.)
Consider whether media advertising for your business would be cheaper than what you’ve been doing in person considering gas prices.
That’s just a few ideas to get those little gray cells working. After all, as an entrepreneur you’ve done marketing on a shoestring before. I’m sure you can come up with at least ten more ideas than I’ve given you. You might also want to check out the web site: http://autos.msn.com/everyday/gasstations.aspx?=(put in your zip code)
At that site you can find the cheapest gas prices in your area. I’d venture to say that these rankings change daily, so check it out when you need gas.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Frugal Marketing for Entrepreneurs
How many e-mail messages do you send everyday? You’re probable missing out on a simple, inexpensive marketing tool. Seize the opportunity to promote your business to a highly targeted market without spending a dime by utilizing your e-mail signature line.
If your email signature line only contains your name and contact information, you’re missing out on advertising to e-mail recipients that have opted for communications from you.
These people are key members of your unofficial marketing network. They are your prospects, clients, press contacts and colleagues and your signature line is the perfect, unobtrusive space for a unique promotional pitch.
Try these tactics to turn your “sign-offs” into sales:
Highlight what your company offers.
Offer an incentive for recipients taken a specified action.
Use the associated web address for the incentive, if it’s also on your site.
Give better visual positioning to the promotion rather than contact info.
Play with eye-catching fonts and colors.
Use less than 64 characters/line so that words don’t wrap to a new line.
Write a “signature” for different categories of recipients.
Change your signature copy frequently.
Never miss a chance to get your product or company noticed.
Another thing that many entrepreneurs don’t think about is the letters they send out. They are merely accepted as solving a problem or answering a need, when you can carry the e-mail idea over into every piece of mail you generate.
On the company letterhead simply add a line at the bottom of page 1. It could be a “tag line” of sorts made up of a slogan that “brands” your services or business. Try to come up with something unique so that every time it’s heard the prospect thinks of you.
Examples of this would be, “Good to the last drop,” which of course is Maxwell House Coffee. “Finger-lickin’ good,” which is KFC chicken, and so on. You get the message of what I’m saying. Play around with this until you come up with a pearl that is uniquely you.
If your business/service does not lend itself to this idea, then focus on increasing your credibility by using a “membership” tag line. For instance a funeral home would be less than tasteful using the line, “Our clients are dying to visit us;” but they COULD use the line “Members of Undertakers Assoc. of America” at the foot of their letterhead. This establishes immediate credibility in the mind of the recipient, even if the letter they received was a direct mail advertising letter.
When you’re an entrepreneur in today’s marketplace you have to be inventive and creative to buck the “big boys” on the block. I suggest that every entrepreneur read about the life of P.T. Barnum to get a better understanding of a truly great entrepreneur.
It isn’t always the almighty dollar that gets the best advertising for our business; it’s the best IDEA that makes you stand out in the crowd.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
If your email signature line only contains your name and contact information, you’re missing out on advertising to e-mail recipients that have opted for communications from you.
These people are key members of your unofficial marketing network. They are your prospects, clients, press contacts and colleagues and your signature line is the perfect, unobtrusive space for a unique promotional pitch.
Try these tactics to turn your “sign-offs” into sales:
Highlight what your company offers.
Offer an incentive for recipients taken a specified action.
Use the associated web address for the incentive, if it’s also on your site.
Give better visual positioning to the promotion rather than contact info.
Play with eye-catching fonts and colors.
Use less than 64 characters/line so that words don’t wrap to a new line.
Write a “signature” for different categories of recipients.
Change your signature copy frequently.
Never miss a chance to get your product or company noticed.
Another thing that many entrepreneurs don’t think about is the letters they send out. They are merely accepted as solving a problem or answering a need, when you can carry the e-mail idea over into every piece of mail you generate.
On the company letterhead simply add a line at the bottom of page 1. It could be a “tag line” of sorts made up of a slogan that “brands” your services or business. Try to come up with something unique so that every time it’s heard the prospect thinks of you.
Examples of this would be, “Good to the last drop,” which of course is Maxwell House Coffee. “Finger-lickin’ good,” which is KFC chicken, and so on. You get the message of what I’m saying. Play around with this until you come up with a pearl that is uniquely you.
If your business/service does not lend itself to this idea, then focus on increasing your credibility by using a “membership” tag line. For instance a funeral home would be less than tasteful using the line, “Our clients are dying to visit us;” but they COULD use the line “Members of Undertakers Assoc. of America” at the foot of their letterhead. This establishes immediate credibility in the mind of the recipient, even if the letter they received was a direct mail advertising letter.
When you’re an entrepreneur in today’s marketplace you have to be inventive and creative to buck the “big boys” on the block. I suggest that every entrepreneur read about the life of P.T. Barnum to get a better understanding of a truly great entrepreneur.
It isn’t always the almighty dollar that gets the best advertising for our business; it’s the best IDEA that makes you stand out in the crowd.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Friday, April 25, 2008
THE SECRETS OF FREE ADVERTISING
The opportunities for getting free advertising for your product
or services are limited only by your own imagination and
energies. There are so many proven ways of promoting your
objectives without cost that it literally boggles the mind just
to think of listing them.
One way is to write an article relative to your particular
expertise and submit it to all the publications and media dealing
in the dissemination of related information. In other words,
become your own publicity and sales promotions writer. Get the
word out; establish yourself as an expert in your field, and
"tag-along" everything you write with a quick note listing your
address for a catalog, dealership opportunity, or more
information.
Another really good way is by becoming a guest on as many of the
radio and television talk shows or interview type programs as
possible. Actually, this is much easier to bring about than most
people realize. Write a letter to the producer of these programs,
then follow up with an in-person visit or telephone call. Your initial
contact should emphasize that your product or service would be of
interest to the listeners or viewers of the program--perhaps even
saving them time and money.
Other ways of getting free or very inexpensive exposure include
the posting of advertising circulars on all free bulletin boards
in your area, especially the coin-operated laundries, grocery
stores, and beauty and barber shops. Don't discount the idea of
handing out circulars to all the shoppers in busy shopping
centers and malls, especially on weekends. You can also enlist the
aid of the middle school students in your area to had out
circulars door-to-door.
Some of the more routine methods include having a promotional ad
relative to your product or service printed on the front or back
of your envelopes at the time you have them printed with your
return address.
Be sure to check all the publications that carry the kind of
advertising you need. Many mail order publications just getting
started offer unusually low rates to first-time advertisers; a
free-of-charge insertion of your ad when you pay for an order to
run three issues or more; or special seasonal ad space at greatly
reduced rates. And there are a number of publications that will
give you Per Inquiry (PI) space--arrangement where all orders
come in to the publication, they take a commission from each
order, and then forward the orders on to you for fulfillment.
Many publications will give you a contract for space. In this
arrangement you send them your ad, and they hold it until they
have unsold space, and then at a price that's always one third or
less the regular price for the space need, insert your ad. Along
these lines, be sure to check in with the suburban neighborhood
newspapers.
If you send out or publish any kind of catalog or ad sheet, get
in touch will all the other publishers and inquire about the
possibilities of exchange advertising. They run your ad in their
publication in exchange for your running an ad for them of
comparable size in yours.
Finally, there's nothing in the world that beats the low cost and
tremendous exposure you get when you advertise a free offer.
Simply run an ad offering a free report of interest to most
people--- a simple one page report with a "tag-line" inviting the
readers to send money for more information, with a full page
advertisement for your book or other product on the backside. Ask
for a self-addressed stamped envelope, and depending on the
appeal for your report and circulation of the publication in
which your ad appears, you could easily be inundated with
responses!
The trick here, of course, is to convert all these responses, or
a large percentage of them, into sales. This is done via the
"tag-line," which issues an invitation to the reader to send for
more information, and the full page ad on the back of the report,
and other offers you include with the complete package you send
back to them. As mentioned at the beginning of this report, it's
just a matter of unleashing your imagination. Do that, and you
have a powerful force working for you that can help you reach
your goals.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
or services are limited only by your own imagination and
energies. There are so many proven ways of promoting your
objectives without cost that it literally boggles the mind just
to think of listing them.
One way is to write an article relative to your particular
expertise and submit it to all the publications and media dealing
in the dissemination of related information. In other words,
become your own publicity and sales promotions writer. Get the
word out; establish yourself as an expert in your field, and
"tag-along" everything you write with a quick note listing your
address for a catalog, dealership opportunity, or more
information.
Another really good way is by becoming a guest on as many of the
radio and television talk shows or interview type programs as
possible. Actually, this is much easier to bring about than most
people realize. Write a letter to the producer of these programs,
then follow up with an in-person visit or telephone call. Your initial
contact should emphasize that your product or service would be of
interest to the listeners or viewers of the program--perhaps even
saving them time and money.
Other ways of getting free or very inexpensive exposure include
the posting of advertising circulars on all free bulletin boards
in your area, especially the coin-operated laundries, grocery
stores, and beauty and barber shops. Don't discount the idea of
handing out circulars to all the shoppers in busy shopping
centers and malls, especially on weekends. You can also enlist the
aid of the middle school students in your area to had out
circulars door-to-door.
Some of the more routine methods include having a promotional ad
relative to your product or service printed on the front or back
of your envelopes at the time you have them printed with your
return address.
Be sure to check all the publications that carry the kind of
advertising you need. Many mail order publications just getting
started offer unusually low rates to first-time advertisers; a
free-of-charge insertion of your ad when you pay for an order to
run three issues or more; or special seasonal ad space at greatly
reduced rates. And there are a number of publications that will
give you Per Inquiry (PI) space--arrangement where all orders
come in to the publication, they take a commission from each
order, and then forward the orders on to you for fulfillment.
Many publications will give you a contract for space. In this
arrangement you send them your ad, and they hold it until they
have unsold space, and then at a price that's always one third or
less the regular price for the space need, insert your ad. Along
these lines, be sure to check in with the suburban neighborhood
newspapers.
If you send out or publish any kind of catalog or ad sheet, get
in touch will all the other publishers and inquire about the
possibilities of exchange advertising. They run your ad in their
publication in exchange for your running an ad for them of
comparable size in yours.
Finally, there's nothing in the world that beats the low cost and
tremendous exposure you get when you advertise a free offer.
Simply run an ad offering a free report of interest to most
people--- a simple one page report with a "tag-line" inviting the
readers to send money for more information, with a full page
advertisement for your book or other product on the backside. Ask
for a self-addressed stamped envelope, and depending on the
appeal for your report and circulation of the publication in
which your ad appears, you could easily be inundated with
responses!
The trick here, of course, is to convert all these responses, or
a large percentage of them, into sales. This is done via the
"tag-line," which issues an invitation to the reader to send for
more information, and the full page ad on the back of the report,
and other offers you include with the complete package you send
back to them. As mentioned at the beginning of this report, it's
just a matter of unleashing your imagination. Do that, and you
have a powerful force working for you that can help you reach
your goals.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Is Franchising Your Bag?
Are you wondering what the hottest franchising trends are? Much of the recent success in that area is traceable to two demographic trends: Americans are getting older and feeling pressed for time. Doesn’t sound too bright, but it means booming business in franchising circles.
Now I am by no means a Franchise Guru. I’ve never owned one, worked for one, or even considered one and for good reasons.
First, when I started my publishing and publicity business I wasn’t flush financially enough to pay the “freight” on a franchise. Secondly, it seems too much like working for another corporate business to me. Things are done their way or no way, and you work for two – you and the piece the company takes. That doesn’t mean that it can’t be your cup of tea, because many entrepreneurs love franchises.
I’m not going to expound as a franchise expert, but rather I’ll give you the facts about the hottest ones to look at if you like franchises. Despite the status of the economy it seems the most stunning growth in franchises in 2004 has been in the senior-care segment. Seven senior-care companies ranked in the top 500 in Entrepreneur magazine have grown a total of 370 units in one year, and almost 39% in the past year.
Experts say that despite the large increases, this market hasn’t peaked yet. By 2010, 39 million Americans will be 65 or older, and that’s almost 20% of the North American population. About 30% of non-institutionalized seniors live alone, per the Dept. of Health and Human Services Administration on Aging. Many of them need extra help at home or companionship.
As the nation ages and boomers turn 60, this segment of the population will grow. “Elder care will replace child care as the number one social issue,” predicts Jeff Huber, vice president of Home Instead Senior Care – a franchise that grew from 356 to 448 units this past year.
The next hottest area is kids. Parents want their kids to have fun and be well-educated and will spend money to ensure this in good times and in bad. Children’s products and services segment of franchises have grown steadily over the year and become one of the top 5 overall categories in term of unit size in 2004.
What’s changed? Spending on children is now being fueled not only by baby-boomers, but by Generation X – a group that has $736 billion in spending power. Another change in the market in the past 25 years is the increase in dual-career families. According to some in the industry, this is an ideal time to enter the education sector of franchises for kids.
Kids’ fitness programs are also growing. Caryn Burnier, franchise sales director with Stretch-N-Grow International, says they have added 50 units last year. “We expect to see more children enrolled in fitness programs in the coming year,” says Jerry Perch, vice president of sales/marketing for the 92-unit Kinderdance International Inc. franchise.
Last, but not least, the tech industry is rebounding from its nose-dive in the past. This is because there is an increased dependence by people and businesses on their technology. People need advice on what to buy and what not to buy, and what is the proper solution to their particular need.
Computer Moms International Corp., a training and support provider, has seen a shift in its client base since it started 10 years ago. The greatest demand for services from the Computer Moms group has shifted to the business market, and the group added 30 franchises last year. The experts claim that the demand for quality full-service training and tech support is vast now and expected to become greater.
Following on the heels of those three areas are franchises in the area of Home Improvement, Fitness, Income Tax Preparation, Business Consulting, Specialty Ice Cream, and Coffee. So, if you’re in the market for a franchise type business pay heed to the up-and-coming hot leaders and let somebody else go for the 7-Elevens.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Now I am by no means a Franchise Guru. I’ve never owned one, worked for one, or even considered one and for good reasons.
First, when I started my publishing and publicity business I wasn’t flush financially enough to pay the “freight” on a franchise. Secondly, it seems too much like working for another corporate business to me. Things are done their way or no way, and you work for two – you and the piece the company takes. That doesn’t mean that it can’t be your cup of tea, because many entrepreneurs love franchises.
I’m not going to expound as a franchise expert, but rather I’ll give you the facts about the hottest ones to look at if you like franchises. Despite the status of the economy it seems the most stunning growth in franchises in 2004 has been in the senior-care segment. Seven senior-care companies ranked in the top 500 in Entrepreneur magazine have grown a total of 370 units in one year, and almost 39% in the past year.
Experts say that despite the large increases, this market hasn’t peaked yet. By 2010, 39 million Americans will be 65 or older, and that’s almost 20% of the North American population. About 30% of non-institutionalized seniors live alone, per the Dept. of Health and Human Services Administration on Aging. Many of them need extra help at home or companionship.
As the nation ages and boomers turn 60, this segment of the population will grow. “Elder care will replace child care as the number one social issue,” predicts Jeff Huber, vice president of Home Instead Senior Care – a franchise that grew from 356 to 448 units this past year.
The next hottest area is kids. Parents want their kids to have fun and be well-educated and will spend money to ensure this in good times and in bad. Children’s products and services segment of franchises have grown steadily over the year and become one of the top 5 overall categories in term of unit size in 2004.
What’s changed? Spending on children is now being fueled not only by baby-boomers, but by Generation X – a group that has $736 billion in spending power. Another change in the market in the past 25 years is the increase in dual-career families. According to some in the industry, this is an ideal time to enter the education sector of franchises for kids.
Kids’ fitness programs are also growing. Caryn Burnier, franchise sales director with Stretch-N-Grow International, says they have added 50 units last year. “We expect to see more children enrolled in fitness programs in the coming year,” says Jerry Perch, vice president of sales/marketing for the 92-unit Kinderdance International Inc. franchise.
Last, but not least, the tech industry is rebounding from its nose-dive in the past. This is because there is an increased dependence by people and businesses on their technology. People need advice on what to buy and what not to buy, and what is the proper solution to their particular need.
Computer Moms International Corp., a training and support provider, has seen a shift in its client base since it started 10 years ago. The greatest demand for services from the Computer Moms group has shifted to the business market, and the group added 30 franchises last year. The experts claim that the demand for quality full-service training and tech support is vast now and expected to become greater.
Following on the heels of those three areas are franchises in the area of Home Improvement, Fitness, Income Tax Preparation, Business Consulting, Specialty Ice Cream, and Coffee. So, if you’re in the market for a franchise type business pay heed to the up-and-coming hot leaders and let somebody else go for the 7-Elevens.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Five Easy Steps to Staying Motivated
Motivating yourself to excel at your job or to be an example to your employees, should not be something you do only when the spirit moves you. It’s an ongoing process that should include every facet of your business life. This means your mental attitude, physical well-being and appearance, work atmosphere, your interaction with others (clients and employees alike), and your off-the-job environment.
Motivational experts get paid big bucks to tell professionals, striving for success, that they must constantly examine these factors. How do you do that? Follow the 5 tips that follow, and watch the changes.
Maintain a Positive Attitude – Let’s realize that life is only 10% of what happens to us and 90% how we react to it. We’re responsible for our own actions and attitudes, and changing them when appropriate. When you’re around people/things that are uplifting and positive, you feel that way. You have more confidence in yourself, and know you can change whatever needs changing. If you can make your workplace such a place you’ll find happier workers and higher production. You might even find your employees look forward to coming to work!
Leave Personal Troubles Home - Everyone has problems, but they don’t belong at work. Turn your attention and energy entirely to your on-the-job tasks. This will actually be good for you because you’ll get a mental break from your troubles.
Create Positive Affirmations - The reason for writing goals for your business is the same as creating positive affirmations on paper. What your eyes see and ears hear, your mind will believe. Try it! After you’ve written them down, read them aloud to yourself – and do it every morning when you get into work. You’ll be amazed at what happens. Come up with a set of new ones every month. Statements such as, “I’m an important and valuable person,” or “I know I’ll make good use of my time today.” Repeating them out loud everyday at a set time will help reinforce positive actions.
Make Sure Break Times Are Really Break Times - This is an area where most bosses/entrepreneurs fall down. You become so intense about the project or situation you’re working on that you don’t ease up. Thinking that it’ll be solved in the next few seconds, and then you’ll get a cup of coffee can lead you right up to quitting time. Regularly adhering to a specified break schedule, even if you’re the boss, releases the tension. If you work on a computer this is even a greater problem because before you realize it – you’ve been working in that same position for hours. The best answer to this is to set yourself a reminder on your appointment calendar for every 2 hours, and let the computer reminder chime send you the alert to move around.
Exercise, Exercise, Exercise - I know that lately it seems that “exercise” is the cure-all to every physical ailment or your love life, but despite that there is some truth to that ugly word. By “exercise” I don’t mean that you should go out and join a gym and spend your lunch-time, 3-days-a-week there working out. What is really beneficial and workable is that at those chiming alerts from your computer, get up and walk around your desk or room. Maybe go outside and get the mail and enjoy the sunlight (if you’re an entrepreneur that has a home office), or just get up and do a few stretches. Concentrated, tense thinking – typing - plotting plans - or whatever your work, makes all those muscles tighten up and knot up. Then when we move we “ooh” and “ouch” because we’ve knotted up into a ball of tension. Periodic stretching, even at our desk, or just getting up and walking over to the window and getting a different view can help. One of the greatest disservice modern business décor has done to us, is making our offices pristine, sleek, unencumbered spaces. There is nothing more relaxing than getting up from your desk and walking over to a peaceful, serene, seascape or pastoral painting and just drinking it in visually. Momentarily transporting your mind out of work and into that place does wonders. A few good paintings and less shiny chrome in offices would benefit us all.
It only takes a little concentrated effort on our part to keep motivated and productive, which leads to success. I know you’re going to hate hearing this, but it’s true anyway – and that is, “WHEN LIFE GIVES YOUR LEMONS – MAKE LEMONADE!”
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Motivational experts get paid big bucks to tell professionals, striving for success, that they must constantly examine these factors. How do you do that? Follow the 5 tips that follow, and watch the changes.
Maintain a Positive Attitude – Let’s realize that life is only 10% of what happens to us and 90% how we react to it. We’re responsible for our own actions and attitudes, and changing them when appropriate. When you’re around people/things that are uplifting and positive, you feel that way. You have more confidence in yourself, and know you can change whatever needs changing. If you can make your workplace such a place you’ll find happier workers and higher production. You might even find your employees look forward to coming to work!
Leave Personal Troubles Home - Everyone has problems, but they don’t belong at work. Turn your attention and energy entirely to your on-the-job tasks. This will actually be good for you because you’ll get a mental break from your troubles.
Create Positive Affirmations - The reason for writing goals for your business is the same as creating positive affirmations on paper. What your eyes see and ears hear, your mind will believe. Try it! After you’ve written them down, read them aloud to yourself – and do it every morning when you get into work. You’ll be amazed at what happens. Come up with a set of new ones every month. Statements such as, “I’m an important and valuable person,” or “I know I’ll make good use of my time today.” Repeating them out loud everyday at a set time will help reinforce positive actions.
Make Sure Break Times Are Really Break Times - This is an area where most bosses/entrepreneurs fall down. You become so intense about the project or situation you’re working on that you don’t ease up. Thinking that it’ll be solved in the next few seconds, and then you’ll get a cup of coffee can lead you right up to quitting time. Regularly adhering to a specified break schedule, even if you’re the boss, releases the tension. If you work on a computer this is even a greater problem because before you realize it – you’ve been working in that same position for hours. The best answer to this is to set yourself a reminder on your appointment calendar for every 2 hours, and let the computer reminder chime send you the alert to move around.
Exercise, Exercise, Exercise - I know that lately it seems that “exercise” is the cure-all to every physical ailment or your love life, but despite that there is some truth to that ugly word. By “exercise” I don’t mean that you should go out and join a gym and spend your lunch-time, 3-days-a-week there working out. What is really beneficial and workable is that at those chiming alerts from your computer, get up and walk around your desk or room. Maybe go outside and get the mail and enjoy the sunlight (if you’re an entrepreneur that has a home office), or just get up and do a few stretches. Concentrated, tense thinking – typing - plotting plans - or whatever your work, makes all those muscles tighten up and knot up. Then when we move we “ooh” and “ouch” because we’ve knotted up into a ball of tension. Periodic stretching, even at our desk, or just getting up and walking over to the window and getting a different view can help. One of the greatest disservice modern business décor has done to us, is making our offices pristine, sleek, unencumbered spaces. There is nothing more relaxing than getting up from your desk and walking over to a peaceful, serene, seascape or pastoral painting and just drinking it in visually. Momentarily transporting your mind out of work and into that place does wonders. A few good paintings and less shiny chrome in offices would benefit us all.
It only takes a little concentrated effort on our part to keep motivated and productive, which leads to success. I know you’re going to hate hearing this, but it’s true anyway – and that is, “WHEN LIFE GIVES YOUR LEMONS – MAKE LEMONADE!”
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Finding Your Potential
If you want to make more of your talents - live up to your full potential
- you have to learn to use them. You have the power to change your habits
- to acquire new skills and fully use the skills you now have. You can
improve your performance, your productivity, and the quality of your whole
life.
What makes a high achiever? Is it luck, intelligence, talent, dedication?
All of these things figure in - they all make a difference. But we all
know intelligent, talented, hard-working people who do not consider
themselves very successful or even happy. And we know people who are not
exceptionally bright but seem happy and successful.
So there must be something else, some secret to success. Actually there
are several secrets to achieving your peak performance - living up to your
full potential.
Your success at business, friendship, love, sports - just about anything
you try - is largely determined by your own self-image. Your unhappiness
is something you choose. So, you're thinking no one chooses to be unhappy.
Well, maybe not - but you have to consciously choose to be happy,
self-confident, and successful.
Happiness is elusive when we go after it directly. So is self-confidence.
Both seem to be more "side-products" than something you can achieve in and
for itself. So how, then, can consciously choosing to be these things be
of any value? Well, the secret is to focus on other things.
First, focus on your potential. Begin by making a complete and accurate
assessment of your potential. To do this you must take an inventory of
yourself - you will make a few lists. Sit down and make a list of all the
things you can do well. Be honest with yourself. When that list is done,
make a list of all the things you like to do, even if you think you can't
do them well. Then, make a list of all the things you would like to do, if
you could. Now list your hobbies.
Then, go back to the list of things you can do well. You are probably
being much too hard on yourself. Most of us are. We have this little
voice in our heads telling us things like: "You're so dumb," or "You can't
learn to do that," or "You never do anything right," or similar nasty
things. And even worse, we listen to that voice as if it's telling us the
gospel truth. So now, shut off that voice - you can do it - and add a few
more things to the list of things you can do well. Pretend you are your
best friend - it's amazing how much more forgiving and charitable we are
with our friends than we are with ourselves. Now that you are your best
friend, you should be able to add a few more items to your "do well" list.
But do be honest - don't list things you feel you really can't do well.
Next, go to your list of things you like to do but you feel you don't do
well. Speaking as your own best friend, do you think there are some things
on this list that could be moved to your "do well" list? There probably
are. If you like to do it, chances are you do pretty well at it. Treat
your hobby list in the same manner.
Next, go to your list of things you would like to do if you could. Ask
yourself, "Why can't I do this, if I'd like to?" Put your reasons on
another list. OK. So you have a lot of lists going - what good is that
going to do? Well, you have just made an assessment of yourself. If you
have been truly honest in making these lists, it may even be a fairly
accurate assessment. Probably it isn't, but that's OK. This assessment
isn't carved in stone. It's subject to change. But for now we will work
with what's on the lists. At least you have a place to start.
Look over your lists again. You are focusing on all the things you feel
you can't do and the reasons why you can't do them, right? Well, don't.
FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN DO - FOCUS ON YOUR POTENTIAL. Make it a habit to
focus on your strengths. Don't forget to include your undeveloped
potential, as well. Train yourself to focus on your potential instead of
your limitations.
Now that's not to say that you should ignore your list of reasons for not
doing some of the things you would like to do. Not at all! But look at
them from the viewpoint of your strengths. For instance, you'd like to
play basketball but you think you are too short, so you don't even try. In
this case, you are looking at it from the viewpoint of your limitations.
Now, when you look at it from the viewpoint of your strengths, you would
say, "Well, I may be pretty short to play, BUT I am fast. I can handle the
ball well. I have a lot of stamina. I can't change being short, but I can
refuse to let my limitations overcome my strengths."
You see the difference? Focusing on your limitations lets those
limitations make your decisions for you. Focusing on your strengths lets
YOU make the decision. To go back to our example: when you've decided to
overcome your height limitations to play basketball - something you really
want to do - you will be more determined to develop your strengths to
compensate. You will do well, because you will be doing what you really
want to do and you will be determined to develop the full potential of your
strengths. Very few people concentrate on fully developing any of their
strengths. That's where you will have the edge. You know your true
disadvantages but your determination, your singleness of purpose, will
inspire you to fully develop the talents and skills you do have.
OK. You probably have no interest in playing basketball. Then go to your
assessment of yourself. What do you have a major interest in? What do you
have a natural aptitude for? Go for it. Devote yourself to something you
really like to do. Don't choose something just because you think you could
make more money at it than you could by doing something else that you would
really rather work at. You won't work to develop your full potential. You
may start out with enthusiasm, but you will soon flag. It will be a chore
to go to work. You'll probably find yourself hating to go. It'll be
difficult to work on improving your skills because you don't like what you
are doing. You probably won't be working up to your potential. Your
success will probably be limited by your growing lack of interest and your
happiness will surely be affected.
If, however, you devote yourself to something you really like to do, you'll
enjoy your work, you'll be enthusiastic, and you'll probably find yourself
working on improving your skills just for the sheer joy of it. You will be
working to reach your full potential. You'll probably soon find you are
making more money at this truly interesting occupation than you ever
dreamed possible. And because you like what you are doing, you will be
happier.
When you know you are working to your full potential and you enjoy your
work and begin to feel successful, you will find that self-confidence and
happiness soon follow.
But, you must be realistic and honest with yourself. If you set goals that
you can't possibly reach, you are setting yourself up for failure. You
will make yourself frustrated and unhappy. The key here is a realistic and
honest assessment of your potential.
Although most people will be unnecessarily harsh in their assessments, it
is easy to become too hopeful when you start breaking down barriers. If,
for instance, you're extremely interested in and fond of music and would
love to be a singer, it would be unreasonable to set a singing career as
your goal if you can't sing a note (some talents are inborn). But if you
are knowledgeable about the music business and would be happy being
involved in some other capacity, then it would be reasonable to pursue a
career in the business.
Be wary of making otherwise perfectly reasonable goals unattainable because
of stringent time frames. When you set a goal, you will most likely set
times for achieving certain steps along your way to achieving your final
goal. Even if you don't set the time frames formally, you will probably
have a pretty good idea of how long you are giving yourself. It's wise to
sit down and formally set these goals. Think about it and give yourself
reasonable time to achieve them. Make a deal with yourself to view these
time limits as flexible.
Don't get discouraged if things don't work out as planned. Sometimes
finding our place takes both time and error. All of us experience failures
of one magnitude or another. The key is to view the failures as a learning
experience - if nothing else, failures teach us what not to do. Remain
flexible. As long as you keep focusing on your strengths and potential,
the right thing will come along - and probably sooner rather than later.
But don't quit at the first sign of boredom. Even if you have truly found
your niche, you will not feel enthusiastic 100 percent of the time.
Don't worry about others - don't compare your progress with that of others.
No matter how successful you are, there will be someone else who, to you,
looks like she's got it made - who looks like she's getting where you want
to go faster and easier than you are. Maybe she is. Maybe she isn't. Who
cares? Focus on your own achievements. Work to develop your skills and
talents to their full potential. Compete with yourself - your short term
goals should be based on today's accomplishments. If you have reached
Point A today, make Point B your next objective - improve yourself and
don't worry about the other guy.
OK. You have decided what your ultimate goal is. Make sure it is a
definitely defined goal. "Someday I want to be famous" just won't cut it.
Define exactly what you want to do. Define a reasonable time frame. Know
what you have to do to get there. You don't need to know every little
detail, but you do have to have the big picture and many of the details.
If you have a goal in mind but don't know what it takes to reach it, then
you need to find out. Do some reading, talk to people who know, ask
questions and LISTEN to the answers. Think that sounds like a lot of work?
Well, remember what you are preparing for - your success and happiness.
Surely you want to put a little effort into that! Anyway, a little
reseach into what it will take for you to reach your goals isn't too
difficult.
Train yourself into making this "research" the next focus of your life.
You will be focusing on your strengths, on your purpose, and on learning
and doing. If you have chosen a goal that is right for you, focusing on
these things and devoting the necessary time should not be too difficult.
It may take a bit of self-discipline at first, but your determination and
interest will carry you through until the focusing process becomes a habit.
When you have a real desire to accomplish something, initiatative should
only require an occasional shove - but you may need to give it a nudge now
and again.
Get into the habit of visualizing your success. Now sitting around and
daydreaming in generalizations about it is not what we mean. You need to
visualize specifics. To return to the basketball example, daydreaming
about being carried off the court on your teammates' shoulders is just
daydreaming. Picturing in your mind how you will work a play if your
opponent makes a particular move, picturing your exact response to it, is
visualizing specifics. If you run through specific moves in your mind, you
will be prepared when the need for those moves arises.
Don't be afraid to use your imagination to visualize new and better ways to
accomplish things, as well. Here in your mind, you can try doing things in
ways that are different from the usual. This is a creative process - you
may have heard of creative thinking. Training yourself to think creatively
is largely learning to let your imagination work on methods that are
different from the "way things have always been done." It's breaking away
from the idea that a thing can be done effectively in only one way. It's
looking at a problem from all angles. Just play a game of "what if." Ask
yourself, "What if I did this thing this way?" It's OK to get a little
crazy sometimes. But, you must also spend some of your thinking time at
specific visualizations of the moves you need to make to accomplish your
goals.
Visualizations are important but actual physical practice of your skills is
important, too. Practice the boring little skills that are necessary as
well as the skills that you enjoy. Don't let yourself rely on just the
things that come naturally and easy to you. Develop your limited
potentials as well as those that you feel are your assets.
Work on developing the more general attributes that are important to almost
any goal:
Success comes more easily to those who have a pleasing personality. This
is not to say that you should bend to eveyone's wishes or scrape and bow.
Rather, develop an attitude that is respectful of other's opinions but true
to your own beliefs. Be flexible - don't be so rigid that you can't accept
another's opinion when it is superior to your own. Be willing, even eager,
to learn from others. Changing your opinion in light of more facts is a
sign of strength of character, not weakness. Be willing to extend a
helpful hand, be a team player. Develop a sense of humor. Be polite and
caring - but be your own person.
Learn to guard against emotional responses. You are susceptible to errors
of judgement when you let your emotions get in the way. Of course,
everything we do is done based somewhat on our emotions, but strong
emotions have little place in decision making. Hold your emotions in
check. Try to delay decisions if you are in an emotional state. Learn to
ignore your emotions and use reasoning to arrive at your decisions.
Develop the habit of enthusiasm. Enthusiasm works like a magnet - it draws
people and success. It's a pleasing personality trait that people like to
be a part of. It seems to be contagious - the people around you become
enthusiastic, too, and become more cooperative. Enthusiasm sparks
initiative and singleness of purpose.
We've talked of working to develop habits - the habit of focusing on your
goals, the habit of focusing on your strengths, the habit of learning and
"researching," the habit of visualizing, the habit of enthusiasm. Now we
will talk of habits in a little different light - breaking them. First,
assess your habits looking for the ones that may be displeasing to others.
Offensive habits can hold you back from success - they are often a part of
an unpleasing personality. Look for things like grumbling or grunting at
people instead of answering, gazing at anything but the speaker when
conversing, smirking or sneering when you don't agree - anything that is an
automatic, displeasing mannerism. It will be very difficult to assess your
habits accurately. After all, a habit is something that we do without
thinking much about it. You will have to spend some time at this and be
very conscious of yourself. Ask someone you trust to help you with this
assessment. It may take a lot of work to break yourself of displeasing
habits. Try substituting a different, more pleasing behavior for the habit
you wish to break.
OK. You have set definite goals, you have a definiteness of purpose, you
have researched and know the specific steps to take to achieve the goals,
you have resolved to be flexible and to develop a more pleasing
personality. Now what?
Well, just because you have a clear purpose, know what you want, are
willing to work on developing your potential, and willing to be a nice
person, success will not drop into your lap overnight.
You will probably find that one of your first steps in achieving your goals
will be to take a job somewhat below where you hope eventually to be. But
you've already analyzed the steps to your goal, so you presumably have
planned for this. However, you do want to advance and, of course, as
quickly as possible.
As you advance toward your goals, you will undoubtedly run up against some
difficult people (maybe even difficult bosses), and there will be times
you'll need to deal effectively with them. Since you are working on
becoming a nice, enthusiastic person and a team player, you already have
half the battle won. Your attitude is as important as the other guy's
attitude when you are dealing with difficult people.
Always keep in mind that your job is a training field for you. You are
getting paid as you learn the things you need to know to achieve your
goals. Pretty good deal, right? If you view your job as a paid
opportunity to advance toward your goals, you will be an asset to your
boss. You will also be a happier, more productive person. Viewing your
job in this manner will allow you to view the difficult people you will
inevitably need to deal with as an opportunity to grow. From them and the
situations they create, you will learn to negotiate with, side-step around,
and draw out the best in others without letting yourself become upset.
Each time you successfully deal with one of these people you will gain
confidence and probably friends to add to your support network. The skill
of negotiating with difficult people and the confidence you have gained
from these encounters comes in handy when you are ready to ask for a
promotion or raise - even if your boss happens to be a nice person.
Successful negotiation is not a contest of wills - it is working together
to solve a problem or come to an agreement. It is an opportunity to learn
how others feel about the issue.
Always be prepared. Know who you are talking with. Always know as much as
possible about the person. Know about the person's marital status, family,
hobbies, education, difficulties, attitudes, and whatever else you can
learn. The information may give you an understanding of the person. If
you know the circumstances, you will more easily find the most effective
way to get your point across. At the very least, the information will make
the person seem more familiar which will give you more self-confidence.
Know the issue - not just your opinions about it. Be able to back up your
opinions with reasons and research. If you are asking for a promotion,
know the demands of the job in question. Know and be honest about how much
of the job you are already qualified to do and how much additional training
you will need. If you may not be as qualified as someone else applying, be
prepared to negotiate for a smaller-than-offered salary until you are fully
trained - remember the training is worth a lot to you. Be enthusiastic and
focus on your strengths - don't boast but give an a simple and accurate
listing of the strengths you feel make you a good candidate for this job.
The strengths you cite can and should include specific job related skills,
your present accomplishments on the job, your interest in the field (not
just this job), your enthusiasm, your ability to work as a team member, and
other personal traits that will be an asset on the job.
Always enter into negotiations with a calm and reasonable manner. Don't
let emotion and emotional outbursts have a place at the negotiating table.
You must be in control of yourself if you want to get your point across.
People are more likely to listen to your views if you present them in a
calm and reasonable manner. Present your ideas with conviction but don't
try to intimidate others or be demanding. State your views simply,
completely, and orderly. When you are expressing an opinion rather than a
fact, use a qualifying "I think" or "In my opinion." When others are
expressing their views, listen carefully and ask questions if something
isn't clear. Don't disagree until you are sure you understand their
position. When you do disagree, do so in a pleasant non-threatening way.
"I see what you mean, but . . ." or "I can understand why you think that,
but . . ." are a couple of good ways to begin a statement of disagreement.
Be courteous and leave them a chance to save face.
Be prepared to face people who are not calm and reasonable. Don't let them
get to you. Remain calm and reasonable and even be a little sympathetic.
Let's say you have entered into negotiations with your boss for a raise and
he blows up with, "I can't afford to give you a raise. This business isn't
exactly a gold mine. Don't you realize how tough times are?" Remain calm.
Put yourself in his shoes. Try to find something you can agree and
sympathize with. For instance, look sympathetic and agree, "I know you
have a lot of expenses and you work hard to keep this business going. It
must be really difficult for you sometimes." This will probably not be the
response he expects. It will probably take the wind out of his sails.
Most likely he will calm down, and since you are sympathetic to his
problems, he'll be more willing to listen to you. If you remain calm,
reasonable, and sympathetic, he will calm down. When he is calmer, discuss
with him the reasons you are a valuable asset to him. Don't threaten but
calmly and reasonably discuss the bargain a small raise is. With that
small raise, he'll be keeping a happy and fully trained employee who knows
the company. When you consider the expense of finding and training another
individual, giving you a raise is a bargain for your boss.
Play "Let's Make A Deal." Be prepared to deal. Don't expect to get
everything you want. If you are willing to gracefully make some
concessions, you will be more likely to arrive at a satisfactory deal.
After all, a negotiation has at least two opposing sides. This means
someone else has something they want, too - even if that something is
simply to leave things as they are. Arrive at a compromise that everyone
can live with. Remember, you are working at long-range goals, and you may
be negotiating with them again.
Developing your potential more fully is a key to happiness and fulfillment.
Although we have primarily discussed this in terms of a job, these same
concepts can be used in many other areas of your life.
In developing your potential to it's fullest, you will want to become a
more efficient person - get more done in less time - so you can take full
advantage of the opportunities that you make for yourself. You will note
that most effective, successful people seem to accomplish a great deal.
It's true that this is partly due to enthusiasm, but there's more to it.
The first barrier to efficiency is procrastination - putting off getting
started. Sometimes you know you are procrastinating. You may not want to
do the task at hand so you keep putting it off until tomorrow. The thing
to do is to look at it from a different angle. If it'll have to be done
sometime, tell yourself, "why not do it now, and get it off your back."
And that's just where it is! On your back dragging you down. Putting
things off makes everything harder to do. If you keep putting things off,
you'll soon have several things piling up, and then the sheer number of
tasks you have backed up will make it seem impossible to ever get caught
up. This affects everything you do try to do.
Sometimes you don't even realize you are putting things off. You may keep
yourself extremely busy doing things of little importance to unconsciously
give yourself excuses for doing the things you really should be doing. You
say to yourself, "Look how busy I am. I just can't get everything done."
But the result is the same as when you know you are procrastinating. It
soon bogs you down. All you are doing is "running in place."
So how do you beat procrastination?
The first step in beating procrastination is to admit to yourself how often
you do it and assessing your methods of doing it. Not very difficult,
really, when you become aware of the tactics some of us use to hide from
ourselves what we are doing.
The key in overcoming procrastination and becoming more efficient is
organization. Plan ahead. Know what you want to accomplish today, this
week, and in the long haul.
Make lists. The lists for today will probably be more detailed than the
longer-term lists. That's OK. Now look over the lists and rank the tasks
in order of importance. Make three or four groupings based on importance.
Within each group, star the things you least like to do.
Each day you will have a "today" list to work on. Tackle the tasks that
are most important first. If you have several "most important" tasks on
your list, take on the least liked things in that grouping before you do
the better liked ones. When you have accomplished a task, check it off.
You'll be surprised what a good feeling you have when you check things off.
What a sense of accomplishment! It's an incentive to do the next task on
the list. When you have completed the tasks in the first grouping, begin
on the list of next importance. Again do the starred items in that group
first. Keep on checking things off as you get them done.
Do you see what is happening? You get the most pressing, least liked tasks
out of the way early in the day when you are fresh and rested. As the day
goes on you will feel less and less pressure. You have reserved the less
important tasks for the end of the day when you will be more tired.
With this system you will have not only increased your efficiency but also
reduced some of the stress in your day. Stress can get in the way of
efficiency. Your new efficiency will help you develop your potential. It
is, in fact, a part of living up to your potential.
Another important part of efficiency is in delegating work. If you are in
a position where you have assistants or designated people under your
supervision, you need to learn to delegate. If you are not in such a
position yet, you still need to know - since you're working on developing
your potential you very likely will be some day.
Delegating work is difficult for many people. Some find it hard to ask
others to do things for them - others find it hard not to demand that
others do tasks. Delegating is an art.
First, you need to realize that the people under your supervision are
PEOPLE. Seldom, if ever, should you demand - that takes away self respect.
In order to achieve a happy and co-operative crew, you need to help them
build self-respect and self-confidence. A happy and co-operative crew is
an asset to you. Demands do not promote self-respect and co-operation.
Oh, it's probably effective to demand in the short run - but in the long
run you will be better off to gain co-operation without demanding.
People who are asked to do a task, are given explanations and clear
instructions, and are praised for a job well done will grow in
self-respect. They will also respect you as a good supervisor. If you
hesitate to ask for their assistance, your crew will feel that you do not
trust them or have faith in their abilities. This affects their
self-respect and, as a reaction, will affect their respect for you, as
well.
When you delegate work, don't delegate just the "junk" tasks. Your crew
needs to be given some important tasks to do as well as unimportant ones.
The important task gives them a sense of the respect you have for them and
the faith you have in their abilities. It's a good idea to save some
"junk" tasks for yourself. Perhaps the most respected and effective boss
is the one about whom the crew says, "She never gives us anything to do
that she wouldn't do herself." Why? Because, by her actions the boss is
saying that, though her position is above theirs, she is still just "plain
people."
Delegation of tasks is important because you can gain in effectiveness and
get more done if you properly supervise a crew. Don't feel embarrassed or
hesitant about delegating work. If it helps you to shine, it helps your
crew shine, too. A well-run, effective department is a credit to the whole
team. With proper delegating, you can help your crew achieve their
potential as well as achieving your own.
All of us have untapped potential - perhaps even areas of genius - that we
have neglected to develop. Whether your concept of success has to do with
business, love, friendship, sports, a combination of these or something
else, more fully developing your potential will help you achieve your
goals. If you can learn to assess your potential, set realistic goals,
and go after those goals with determination, organization, and purpose, you
will use your potential more fully, gain confidence, and be a happier and
more successful person.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
- you have to learn to use them. You have the power to change your habits
- to acquire new skills and fully use the skills you now have. You can
improve your performance, your productivity, and the quality of your whole
life.
What makes a high achiever? Is it luck, intelligence, talent, dedication?
All of these things figure in - they all make a difference. But we all
know intelligent, talented, hard-working people who do not consider
themselves very successful or even happy. And we know people who are not
exceptionally bright but seem happy and successful.
So there must be something else, some secret to success. Actually there
are several secrets to achieving your peak performance - living up to your
full potential.
Your success at business, friendship, love, sports - just about anything
you try - is largely determined by your own self-image. Your unhappiness
is something you choose. So, you're thinking no one chooses to be unhappy.
Well, maybe not - but you have to consciously choose to be happy,
self-confident, and successful.
Happiness is elusive when we go after it directly. So is self-confidence.
Both seem to be more "side-products" than something you can achieve in and
for itself. So how, then, can consciously choosing to be these things be
of any value? Well, the secret is to focus on other things.
First, focus on your potential. Begin by making a complete and accurate
assessment of your potential. To do this you must take an inventory of
yourself - you will make a few lists. Sit down and make a list of all the
things you can do well. Be honest with yourself. When that list is done,
make a list of all the things you like to do, even if you think you can't
do them well. Then, make a list of all the things you would like to do, if
you could. Now list your hobbies.
Then, go back to the list of things you can do well. You are probably
being much too hard on yourself. Most of us are. We have this little
voice in our heads telling us things like: "You're so dumb," or "You can't
learn to do that," or "You never do anything right," or similar nasty
things. And even worse, we listen to that voice as if it's telling us the
gospel truth. So now, shut off that voice - you can do it - and add a few
more things to the list of things you can do well. Pretend you are your
best friend - it's amazing how much more forgiving and charitable we are
with our friends than we are with ourselves. Now that you are your best
friend, you should be able to add a few more items to your "do well" list.
But do be honest - don't list things you feel you really can't do well.
Next, go to your list of things you like to do but you feel you don't do
well. Speaking as your own best friend, do you think there are some things
on this list that could be moved to your "do well" list? There probably
are. If you like to do it, chances are you do pretty well at it. Treat
your hobby list in the same manner.
Next, go to your list of things you would like to do if you could. Ask
yourself, "Why can't I do this, if I'd like to?" Put your reasons on
another list. OK. So you have a lot of lists going - what good is that
going to do? Well, you have just made an assessment of yourself. If you
have been truly honest in making these lists, it may even be a fairly
accurate assessment. Probably it isn't, but that's OK. This assessment
isn't carved in stone. It's subject to change. But for now we will work
with what's on the lists. At least you have a place to start.
Look over your lists again. You are focusing on all the things you feel
you can't do and the reasons why you can't do them, right? Well, don't.
FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN DO - FOCUS ON YOUR POTENTIAL. Make it a habit to
focus on your strengths. Don't forget to include your undeveloped
potential, as well. Train yourself to focus on your potential instead of
your limitations.
Now that's not to say that you should ignore your list of reasons for not
doing some of the things you would like to do. Not at all! But look at
them from the viewpoint of your strengths. For instance, you'd like to
play basketball but you think you are too short, so you don't even try. In
this case, you are looking at it from the viewpoint of your limitations.
Now, when you look at it from the viewpoint of your strengths, you would
say, "Well, I may be pretty short to play, BUT I am fast. I can handle the
ball well. I have a lot of stamina. I can't change being short, but I can
refuse to let my limitations overcome my strengths."
You see the difference? Focusing on your limitations lets those
limitations make your decisions for you. Focusing on your strengths lets
YOU make the decision. To go back to our example: when you've decided to
overcome your height limitations to play basketball - something you really
want to do - you will be more determined to develop your strengths to
compensate. You will do well, because you will be doing what you really
want to do and you will be determined to develop the full potential of your
strengths. Very few people concentrate on fully developing any of their
strengths. That's where you will have the edge. You know your true
disadvantages but your determination, your singleness of purpose, will
inspire you to fully develop the talents and skills you do have.
OK. You probably have no interest in playing basketball. Then go to your
assessment of yourself. What do you have a major interest in? What do you
have a natural aptitude for? Go for it. Devote yourself to something you
really like to do. Don't choose something just because you think you could
make more money at it than you could by doing something else that you would
really rather work at. You won't work to develop your full potential. You
may start out with enthusiasm, but you will soon flag. It will be a chore
to go to work. You'll probably find yourself hating to go. It'll be
difficult to work on improving your skills because you don't like what you
are doing. You probably won't be working up to your potential. Your
success will probably be limited by your growing lack of interest and your
happiness will surely be affected.
If, however, you devote yourself to something you really like to do, you'll
enjoy your work, you'll be enthusiastic, and you'll probably find yourself
working on improving your skills just for the sheer joy of it. You will be
working to reach your full potential. You'll probably soon find you are
making more money at this truly interesting occupation than you ever
dreamed possible. And because you like what you are doing, you will be
happier.
When you know you are working to your full potential and you enjoy your
work and begin to feel successful, you will find that self-confidence and
happiness soon follow.
But, you must be realistic and honest with yourself. If you set goals that
you can't possibly reach, you are setting yourself up for failure. You
will make yourself frustrated and unhappy. The key here is a realistic and
honest assessment of your potential.
Although most people will be unnecessarily harsh in their assessments, it
is easy to become too hopeful when you start breaking down barriers. If,
for instance, you're extremely interested in and fond of music and would
love to be a singer, it would be unreasonable to set a singing career as
your goal if you can't sing a note (some talents are inborn). But if you
are knowledgeable about the music business and would be happy being
involved in some other capacity, then it would be reasonable to pursue a
career in the business.
Be wary of making otherwise perfectly reasonable goals unattainable because
of stringent time frames. When you set a goal, you will most likely set
times for achieving certain steps along your way to achieving your final
goal. Even if you don't set the time frames formally, you will probably
have a pretty good idea of how long you are giving yourself. It's wise to
sit down and formally set these goals. Think about it and give yourself
reasonable time to achieve them. Make a deal with yourself to view these
time limits as flexible.
Don't get discouraged if things don't work out as planned. Sometimes
finding our place takes both time and error. All of us experience failures
of one magnitude or another. The key is to view the failures as a learning
experience - if nothing else, failures teach us what not to do. Remain
flexible. As long as you keep focusing on your strengths and potential,
the right thing will come along - and probably sooner rather than later.
But don't quit at the first sign of boredom. Even if you have truly found
your niche, you will not feel enthusiastic 100 percent of the time.
Don't worry about others - don't compare your progress with that of others.
No matter how successful you are, there will be someone else who, to you,
looks like she's got it made - who looks like she's getting where you want
to go faster and easier than you are. Maybe she is. Maybe she isn't. Who
cares? Focus on your own achievements. Work to develop your skills and
talents to their full potential. Compete with yourself - your short term
goals should be based on today's accomplishments. If you have reached
Point A today, make Point B your next objective - improve yourself and
don't worry about the other guy.
OK. You have decided what your ultimate goal is. Make sure it is a
definitely defined goal. "Someday I want to be famous" just won't cut it.
Define exactly what you want to do. Define a reasonable time frame. Know
what you have to do to get there. You don't need to know every little
detail, but you do have to have the big picture and many of the details.
If you have a goal in mind but don't know what it takes to reach it, then
you need to find out. Do some reading, talk to people who know, ask
questions and LISTEN to the answers. Think that sounds like a lot of work?
Well, remember what you are preparing for - your success and happiness.
Surely you want to put a little effort into that! Anyway, a little
reseach into what it will take for you to reach your goals isn't too
difficult.
Train yourself into making this "research" the next focus of your life.
You will be focusing on your strengths, on your purpose, and on learning
and doing. If you have chosen a goal that is right for you, focusing on
these things and devoting the necessary time should not be too difficult.
It may take a bit of self-discipline at first, but your determination and
interest will carry you through until the focusing process becomes a habit.
When you have a real desire to accomplish something, initiatative should
only require an occasional shove - but you may need to give it a nudge now
and again.
Get into the habit of visualizing your success. Now sitting around and
daydreaming in generalizations about it is not what we mean. You need to
visualize specifics. To return to the basketball example, daydreaming
about being carried off the court on your teammates' shoulders is just
daydreaming. Picturing in your mind how you will work a play if your
opponent makes a particular move, picturing your exact response to it, is
visualizing specifics. If you run through specific moves in your mind, you
will be prepared when the need for those moves arises.
Don't be afraid to use your imagination to visualize new and better ways to
accomplish things, as well. Here in your mind, you can try doing things in
ways that are different from the usual. This is a creative process - you
may have heard of creative thinking. Training yourself to think creatively
is largely learning to let your imagination work on methods that are
different from the "way things have always been done." It's breaking away
from the idea that a thing can be done effectively in only one way. It's
looking at a problem from all angles. Just play a game of "what if." Ask
yourself, "What if I did this thing this way?" It's OK to get a little
crazy sometimes. But, you must also spend some of your thinking time at
specific visualizations of the moves you need to make to accomplish your
goals.
Visualizations are important but actual physical practice of your skills is
important, too. Practice the boring little skills that are necessary as
well as the skills that you enjoy. Don't let yourself rely on just the
things that come naturally and easy to you. Develop your limited
potentials as well as those that you feel are your assets.
Work on developing the more general attributes that are important to almost
any goal:
Success comes more easily to those who have a pleasing personality. This
is not to say that you should bend to eveyone's wishes or scrape and bow.
Rather, develop an attitude that is respectful of other's opinions but true
to your own beliefs. Be flexible - don't be so rigid that you can't accept
another's opinion when it is superior to your own. Be willing, even eager,
to learn from others. Changing your opinion in light of more facts is a
sign of strength of character, not weakness. Be willing to extend a
helpful hand, be a team player. Develop a sense of humor. Be polite and
caring - but be your own person.
Learn to guard against emotional responses. You are susceptible to errors
of judgement when you let your emotions get in the way. Of course,
everything we do is done based somewhat on our emotions, but strong
emotions have little place in decision making. Hold your emotions in
check. Try to delay decisions if you are in an emotional state. Learn to
ignore your emotions and use reasoning to arrive at your decisions.
Develop the habit of enthusiasm. Enthusiasm works like a magnet - it draws
people and success. It's a pleasing personality trait that people like to
be a part of. It seems to be contagious - the people around you become
enthusiastic, too, and become more cooperative. Enthusiasm sparks
initiative and singleness of purpose.
We've talked of working to develop habits - the habit of focusing on your
goals, the habit of focusing on your strengths, the habit of learning and
"researching," the habit of visualizing, the habit of enthusiasm. Now we
will talk of habits in a little different light - breaking them. First,
assess your habits looking for the ones that may be displeasing to others.
Offensive habits can hold you back from success - they are often a part of
an unpleasing personality. Look for things like grumbling or grunting at
people instead of answering, gazing at anything but the speaker when
conversing, smirking or sneering when you don't agree - anything that is an
automatic, displeasing mannerism. It will be very difficult to assess your
habits accurately. After all, a habit is something that we do without
thinking much about it. You will have to spend some time at this and be
very conscious of yourself. Ask someone you trust to help you with this
assessment. It may take a lot of work to break yourself of displeasing
habits. Try substituting a different, more pleasing behavior for the habit
you wish to break.
OK. You have set definite goals, you have a definiteness of purpose, you
have researched and know the specific steps to take to achieve the goals,
you have resolved to be flexible and to develop a more pleasing
personality. Now what?
Well, just because you have a clear purpose, know what you want, are
willing to work on developing your potential, and willing to be a nice
person, success will not drop into your lap overnight.
You will probably find that one of your first steps in achieving your goals
will be to take a job somewhat below where you hope eventually to be. But
you've already analyzed the steps to your goal, so you presumably have
planned for this. However, you do want to advance and, of course, as
quickly as possible.
As you advance toward your goals, you will undoubtedly run up against some
difficult people (maybe even difficult bosses), and there will be times
you'll need to deal effectively with them. Since you are working on
becoming a nice, enthusiastic person and a team player, you already have
half the battle won. Your attitude is as important as the other guy's
attitude when you are dealing with difficult people.
Always keep in mind that your job is a training field for you. You are
getting paid as you learn the things you need to know to achieve your
goals. Pretty good deal, right? If you view your job as a paid
opportunity to advance toward your goals, you will be an asset to your
boss. You will also be a happier, more productive person. Viewing your
job in this manner will allow you to view the difficult people you will
inevitably need to deal with as an opportunity to grow. From them and the
situations they create, you will learn to negotiate with, side-step around,
and draw out the best in others without letting yourself become upset.
Each time you successfully deal with one of these people you will gain
confidence and probably friends to add to your support network. The skill
of negotiating with difficult people and the confidence you have gained
from these encounters comes in handy when you are ready to ask for a
promotion or raise - even if your boss happens to be a nice person.
Successful negotiation is not a contest of wills - it is working together
to solve a problem or come to an agreement. It is an opportunity to learn
how others feel about the issue.
Always be prepared. Know who you are talking with. Always know as much as
possible about the person. Know about the person's marital status, family,
hobbies, education, difficulties, attitudes, and whatever else you can
learn. The information may give you an understanding of the person. If
you know the circumstances, you will more easily find the most effective
way to get your point across. At the very least, the information will make
the person seem more familiar which will give you more self-confidence.
Know the issue - not just your opinions about it. Be able to back up your
opinions with reasons and research. If you are asking for a promotion,
know the demands of the job in question. Know and be honest about how much
of the job you are already qualified to do and how much additional training
you will need. If you may not be as qualified as someone else applying, be
prepared to negotiate for a smaller-than-offered salary until you are fully
trained - remember the training is worth a lot to you. Be enthusiastic and
focus on your strengths - don't boast but give an a simple and accurate
listing of the strengths you feel make you a good candidate for this job.
The strengths you cite can and should include specific job related skills,
your present accomplishments on the job, your interest in the field (not
just this job), your enthusiasm, your ability to work as a team member, and
other personal traits that will be an asset on the job.
Always enter into negotiations with a calm and reasonable manner. Don't
let emotion and emotional outbursts have a place at the negotiating table.
You must be in control of yourself if you want to get your point across.
People are more likely to listen to your views if you present them in a
calm and reasonable manner. Present your ideas with conviction but don't
try to intimidate others or be demanding. State your views simply,
completely, and orderly. When you are expressing an opinion rather than a
fact, use a qualifying "I think" or "In my opinion." When others are
expressing their views, listen carefully and ask questions if something
isn't clear. Don't disagree until you are sure you understand their
position. When you do disagree, do so in a pleasant non-threatening way.
"I see what you mean, but . . ." or "I can understand why you think that,
but . . ." are a couple of good ways to begin a statement of disagreement.
Be courteous and leave them a chance to save face.
Be prepared to face people who are not calm and reasonable. Don't let them
get to you. Remain calm and reasonable and even be a little sympathetic.
Let's say you have entered into negotiations with your boss for a raise and
he blows up with, "I can't afford to give you a raise. This business isn't
exactly a gold mine. Don't you realize how tough times are?" Remain calm.
Put yourself in his shoes. Try to find something you can agree and
sympathize with. For instance, look sympathetic and agree, "I know you
have a lot of expenses and you work hard to keep this business going. It
must be really difficult for you sometimes." This will probably not be the
response he expects. It will probably take the wind out of his sails.
Most likely he will calm down, and since you are sympathetic to his
problems, he'll be more willing to listen to you. If you remain calm,
reasonable, and sympathetic, he will calm down. When he is calmer, discuss
with him the reasons you are a valuable asset to him. Don't threaten but
calmly and reasonably discuss the bargain a small raise is. With that
small raise, he'll be keeping a happy and fully trained employee who knows
the company. When you consider the expense of finding and training another
individual, giving you a raise is a bargain for your boss.
Play "Let's Make A Deal." Be prepared to deal. Don't expect to get
everything you want. If you are willing to gracefully make some
concessions, you will be more likely to arrive at a satisfactory deal.
After all, a negotiation has at least two opposing sides. This means
someone else has something they want, too - even if that something is
simply to leave things as they are. Arrive at a compromise that everyone
can live with. Remember, you are working at long-range goals, and you may
be negotiating with them again.
Developing your potential more fully is a key to happiness and fulfillment.
Although we have primarily discussed this in terms of a job, these same
concepts can be used in many other areas of your life.
In developing your potential to it's fullest, you will want to become a
more efficient person - get more done in less time - so you can take full
advantage of the opportunities that you make for yourself. You will note
that most effective, successful people seem to accomplish a great deal.
It's true that this is partly due to enthusiasm, but there's more to it.
The first barrier to efficiency is procrastination - putting off getting
started. Sometimes you know you are procrastinating. You may not want to
do the task at hand so you keep putting it off until tomorrow. The thing
to do is to look at it from a different angle. If it'll have to be done
sometime, tell yourself, "why not do it now, and get it off your back."
And that's just where it is! On your back dragging you down. Putting
things off makes everything harder to do. If you keep putting things off,
you'll soon have several things piling up, and then the sheer number of
tasks you have backed up will make it seem impossible to ever get caught
up. This affects everything you do try to do.
Sometimes you don't even realize you are putting things off. You may keep
yourself extremely busy doing things of little importance to unconsciously
give yourself excuses for doing the things you really should be doing. You
say to yourself, "Look how busy I am. I just can't get everything done."
But the result is the same as when you know you are procrastinating. It
soon bogs you down. All you are doing is "running in place."
So how do you beat procrastination?
The first step in beating procrastination is to admit to yourself how often
you do it and assessing your methods of doing it. Not very difficult,
really, when you become aware of the tactics some of us use to hide from
ourselves what we are doing.
The key in overcoming procrastination and becoming more efficient is
organization. Plan ahead. Know what you want to accomplish today, this
week, and in the long haul.
Make lists. The lists for today will probably be more detailed than the
longer-term lists. That's OK. Now look over the lists and rank the tasks
in order of importance. Make three or four groupings based on importance.
Within each group, star the things you least like to do.
Each day you will have a "today" list to work on. Tackle the tasks that
are most important first. If you have several "most important" tasks on
your list, take on the least liked things in that grouping before you do
the better liked ones. When you have accomplished a task, check it off.
You'll be surprised what a good feeling you have when you check things off.
What a sense of accomplishment! It's an incentive to do the next task on
the list. When you have completed the tasks in the first grouping, begin
on the list of next importance. Again do the starred items in that group
first. Keep on checking things off as you get them done.
Do you see what is happening? You get the most pressing, least liked tasks
out of the way early in the day when you are fresh and rested. As the day
goes on you will feel less and less pressure. You have reserved the less
important tasks for the end of the day when you will be more tired.
With this system you will have not only increased your efficiency but also
reduced some of the stress in your day. Stress can get in the way of
efficiency. Your new efficiency will help you develop your potential. It
is, in fact, a part of living up to your potential.
Another important part of efficiency is in delegating work. If you are in
a position where you have assistants or designated people under your
supervision, you need to learn to delegate. If you are not in such a
position yet, you still need to know - since you're working on developing
your potential you very likely will be some day.
Delegating work is difficult for many people. Some find it hard to ask
others to do things for them - others find it hard not to demand that
others do tasks. Delegating is an art.
First, you need to realize that the people under your supervision are
PEOPLE. Seldom, if ever, should you demand - that takes away self respect.
In order to achieve a happy and co-operative crew, you need to help them
build self-respect and self-confidence. A happy and co-operative crew is
an asset to you. Demands do not promote self-respect and co-operation.
Oh, it's probably effective to demand in the short run - but in the long
run you will be better off to gain co-operation without demanding.
People who are asked to do a task, are given explanations and clear
instructions, and are praised for a job well done will grow in
self-respect. They will also respect you as a good supervisor. If you
hesitate to ask for their assistance, your crew will feel that you do not
trust them or have faith in their abilities. This affects their
self-respect and, as a reaction, will affect their respect for you, as
well.
When you delegate work, don't delegate just the "junk" tasks. Your crew
needs to be given some important tasks to do as well as unimportant ones.
The important task gives them a sense of the respect you have for them and
the faith you have in their abilities. It's a good idea to save some
"junk" tasks for yourself. Perhaps the most respected and effective boss
is the one about whom the crew says, "She never gives us anything to do
that she wouldn't do herself." Why? Because, by her actions the boss is
saying that, though her position is above theirs, she is still just "plain
people."
Delegation of tasks is important because you can gain in effectiveness and
get more done if you properly supervise a crew. Don't feel embarrassed or
hesitant about delegating work. If it helps you to shine, it helps your
crew shine, too. A well-run, effective department is a credit to the whole
team. With proper delegating, you can help your crew achieve their
potential as well as achieving your own.
All of us have untapped potential - perhaps even areas of genius - that we
have neglected to develop. Whether your concept of success has to do with
business, love, friendship, sports, a combination of these or something
else, more fully developing your potential will help you achieve your
goals. If you can learn to assess your potential, set realistic goals,
and go after those goals with determination, organization, and purpose, you
will use your potential more fully, gain confidence, and be a happier and
more successful person.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Figuratively Speaking
I’m tired of reading those boring business articles, and I’m thinking that you might be too. So, as you read on, relax and put down the pad and pencil, and enjoy a few chuckles with me.
Some interesting trivia compiled by Clark Consulting has to do with that business giant, Donald Trump:
Percentage of professionals surveyed who say it’d take more than the prize of $250,000 for them to intern for Trump was 38%
Percentage who say that Donald himself couldn’t pay them enough to work for him was 27%
How well do you perform as a boss?
Percentage of workers who would cover for their boss if he/she made a mistake was 46%
Workers who wouldn’t cover for their boss was 45%
Men who would cover for their boss was 51%, women was 40%
What do your workers think?
Workers who say not asking for help when they need it is the biggest mistake when networking is 37%
Not keeping in touch with contacts was thought to be the biggest mistake by 25%
Not thanking people for their help was considered a mistake by 22%
Percentage of workers who burned their bridges with past employers was 13%
How do we feel as Americans about work?
Those who feel as though they live to work rather than work to live equals 34%
Citizens who feel our culture places a higher value on success at work than success at home was 74%
Those who felt that the American value of hard work and long hours has had a positive effect on our culture was 33%
How about the opinions of female workers?
Percentage of women working for privately held businesses owned by women was 52%
Women working for privately held men owned businesses was 38%
We owe those enlightening figures to the U. S. Chamber of Commerce, and from the Census Bureau we find that:
In minutes, the average length of an American’s commute to work is 24.4
The average commute in North Dakota, the state with the quickest drives to work, is 14.8 minutes.
The percentage of Americans who drive to work is 77%
Those who car pool is 10%
Those who use public transportation is 5%
Now that you’re armed with all those figures and statistics, the next speech you give to your favorite organization can be peppered with some fascinating trivia.
This may not seem like a very valuable business articlee often forget in our zeal to be a success that there must be time made for laughs. Every once in a while we must remember what Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Not he is great who can alter matter, but he who can alter my state of mind.”
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Some interesting trivia compiled by Clark Consulting has to do with that business giant, Donald Trump:
Percentage of professionals surveyed who say it’d take more than the prize of $250,000 for them to intern for Trump was 38%
Percentage who say that Donald himself couldn’t pay them enough to work for him was 27%
How well do you perform as a boss?
Percentage of workers who would cover for their boss if he/she made a mistake was 46%
Workers who wouldn’t cover for their boss was 45%
Men who would cover for their boss was 51%, women was 40%
What do your workers think?
Workers who say not asking for help when they need it is the biggest mistake when networking is 37%
Not keeping in touch with contacts was thought to be the biggest mistake by 25%
Not thanking people for their help was considered a mistake by 22%
Percentage of workers who burned their bridges with past employers was 13%
How do we feel as Americans about work?
Those who feel as though they live to work rather than work to live equals 34%
Citizens who feel our culture places a higher value on success at work than success at home was 74%
Those who felt that the American value of hard work and long hours has had a positive effect on our culture was 33%
How about the opinions of female workers?
Percentage of women working for privately held businesses owned by women was 52%
Women working for privately held men owned businesses was 38%
We owe those enlightening figures to the U. S. Chamber of Commerce, and from the Census Bureau we find that:
In minutes, the average length of an American’s commute to work is 24.4
The average commute in North Dakota, the state with the quickest drives to work, is 14.8 minutes.
The percentage of Americans who drive to work is 77%
Those who car pool is 10%
Those who use public transportation is 5%
Now that you’re armed with all those figures and statistics, the next speech you give to your favorite organization can be peppered with some fascinating trivia.
This may not seem like a very valuable business articlee often forget in our zeal to be a success that there must be time made for laughs. Every once in a while we must remember what Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Not he is great who can alter matter, but he who can alter my state of mind.”
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Entrepreneurs In The Land of Credit!
No matter who you are, what type of business you’re in, or how long you’ve been around – we all at one time or another have visited the “land of credit”. It is vital to the reputation of your business that we learn some tips about credit and how to not let it ruin us. It’s a smart move, especially in today’s political and business climate, when credit laws are changing at what seems like minutes and not months.
“Old-school” business mentors have fostered the idea that a man’s word was his bond, but in today’s business world the majority of people are always assuming – and assuming the worst. Creditors, debtors or anyone that base their theories on assumptions are headed for failure, and yet it’s done everyday. When people fail to pay their bills on time, many creditors assume the debtor doesn’t have the means to pay the debt. These creditors will often set up an arrangement or lower the amount so that you can repay the debt. This is a step to credit repair, however it takes you to contact the creditor and apprise him or her of your situation.
Staying in contact with your payments each month can help you avoid bad credit and getting into such a situation. If you have several bills on hand and all the bills are pressing, it makes sense to pay off the debt that benefits you the most. After this is paid then you can set aside an amount toward the next debt. Once you follow this strategy it allows you to work your bills down gradually thus repairing your credit standing.
If you don’t have the funds to pay the entire bill, at least pay the minimum amount due so that you can continue using the service. Many debtors assume they are in debt and there’s nothing that they can do to resolve their problems, and this is the process of giving up on life. When we give up, it leads to stress and the answer is often right in front of our nose. Creditors are business people too, and if approached properly will usually try to work with you.
Of course making the wise decision ahead of the game is the ultimate solution to maintaining good credit. If you research the marketplace before coming to a purchasing decision, you’re well on your way to avoiding bad credit and credit repair hassles.
Many people when taking out a home mortgage loan are not aware of the options available to them. They’ll walk in the bank door, fill out the application, and accept the terms & conditions when offered to them. There are many families and individuals who filed bankruptcy because they couldn’t afford their homes anymore, and primarily because they didn’t take the time to check the marketplace first and search the options available to them.
Being informed and educated are two of the best tools offered to us. There are mortgage loans that offer overpayments and underpayments, and these loans include vacation packages and lump sum payments to the borrowers. There are also other loans available that offer low mortgage monthly installments and low interest rates with insurance policies attached that will pay your mortgage if you are sick, unemployed, or in an accident.
On the other hand, there are mortgage loans that have high interest rates, high mortgages and balloon payments attached. When balloon payments are attached to home mortgages it is almost guaranteed that in a few years you’ll be searching for a solution to repair your credit. There are many home lenders who will not tell you the truth about the variety of home loans available because they are making money and you’re a source of income. It’s important to scope the terms & agreements carefully, as well as reading all fine print on any loan contract before you sign. If you’re applying for a home loan and want to avoid bad credit, it makes sense to learn what the fees include and how much those fees are.
There are some home loans that offer an “acceleration clause”, which covers you if you miss mortgage payments. The lender will apply the clause by allowing you leniency providing you make payments the following month on time. This type of loan is great for avoiding bad credit, foreclosures, and repossessions. The marketplace is swarming with realtors and other sources that will help you get a mortgage loan affordable to you with benefits included, make sure to do some checking before you choose one.
Here are some tips about loans that we’ll all take out during our life:
Car Loans – When applying for a car loan it’s also important to research the marketplace before agreeing to any terms & conditions. Make sure you find the best deals affordable to you. In college I learned the secret golden rule of car dealers, and that is that most dealers up the fees on cars by 15%. This means that if you negotiate wisely with the dealer you can get a reduction on the vehicle up to 15%.
Credit Cards – A word of advice when applying for credit cards, stay away from cards that have fees attached and high interest rates. Avoid credit card offers that have upfront fees or offer a high line of credit for a fee.
College Loans – Always consider investigating student loans before committing your self to a personal loan agreement. You may be qualified for a student grant from the government if you take the time to research the opportunities.
In my next column we’ll delve deeper into this question of keeping a good credit reputation and solutions for repairing bad credit.
-30-
KNOW THE SCORE
by Maureen Stephenson
Building Credit History
Building your credit history is important in today’s time, especially since the laws are changing. We are moving into a system that is making it difficult for us to get ahead unless we have excellent, or at most good credit history.
Credit is important to rent, obtain student loans, and apply for loans or credit cards, as well as getting jobs and especially for entrepreneurs wanting their own business. Nowadays if you do not have a major credit card, it is nearly impossible to make purchases at some areas.
Bad credit only leads to frustration and headaches we want to avoid. If you have bad scores on your credit report, it takes seven long years before the credit is cleared and ten years for bankruptcies to be removed from your files. Therefore, if you want to save yourself some headaches it is time to get started building your credit history.
To do this you have to keep constant watch of the activities on your credit report. To obtain copies of your credit report contact the three B’s. TransUnion, Equifax and Experian have updated copies of your reports. To find out more information go online to get the information needed to get your copies. After you review, your credit reports make sure there are no false claims against you on the report before you proceed to clear up your accounts. If you notice, any false claims make sure to file a dispute immediately with each credit bureau. You are protected under law and it is the credit bureaus obligations to investigate the claims and clear up any mishaps.
After your have cleared up any allegations made against you, your next step is knocking down the accounts on your credit report. It is time to save money, and start building a credit history. Building credit is essential for your future survival. You might want to start by applying for a personal loan or else a credit card. If you are turned down, ask a family member or friend to co-sign with you to get the loan or credit card. Make sure your family member or friend has established credit and their history is not delinquent.
Once you get the card or loan, make sure you meet each month’s installments. If you miss any payments the co-signers are responsible to pick up the tab. do not make enemies, pay your dues on time. After about six months of using your credit card or else paying on the loan you will have notoriety and able to apply for credit cards or loans in your own name.
After about one year, you will have built your credit if you continue this procedure and can then apply for a home mortgage loan or car loan. It depends on your income and age when bank lenders investigate your case to determine if you qualify for a loan. Therefore, if you are in your forties and just getting started building credit your applications will take longer for consideration. Getting started early is the trick to building a stable credit history. Now if you have a credit history already you want to maintain payments to avoid complications.
Once you establish a bad credit history, it is harder to get back on your feet again. The best solution for maintaining, building, or else reestablishing credit history is to keep a close monitoring system on your financial tabs. Remember, credit history is important to your future and nowadays everyone judges you by your credit.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
“Old-school” business mentors have fostered the idea that a man’s word was his bond, but in today’s business world the majority of people are always assuming – and assuming the worst. Creditors, debtors or anyone that base their theories on assumptions are headed for failure, and yet it’s done everyday. When people fail to pay their bills on time, many creditors assume the debtor doesn’t have the means to pay the debt. These creditors will often set up an arrangement or lower the amount so that you can repay the debt. This is a step to credit repair, however it takes you to contact the creditor and apprise him or her of your situation.
Staying in contact with your payments each month can help you avoid bad credit and getting into such a situation. If you have several bills on hand and all the bills are pressing, it makes sense to pay off the debt that benefits you the most. After this is paid then you can set aside an amount toward the next debt. Once you follow this strategy it allows you to work your bills down gradually thus repairing your credit standing.
If you don’t have the funds to pay the entire bill, at least pay the minimum amount due so that you can continue using the service. Many debtors assume they are in debt and there’s nothing that they can do to resolve their problems, and this is the process of giving up on life. When we give up, it leads to stress and the answer is often right in front of our nose. Creditors are business people too, and if approached properly will usually try to work with you.
Of course making the wise decision ahead of the game is the ultimate solution to maintaining good credit. If you research the marketplace before coming to a purchasing decision, you’re well on your way to avoiding bad credit and credit repair hassles.
Many people when taking out a home mortgage loan are not aware of the options available to them. They’ll walk in the bank door, fill out the application, and accept the terms & conditions when offered to them. There are many families and individuals who filed bankruptcy because they couldn’t afford their homes anymore, and primarily because they didn’t take the time to check the marketplace first and search the options available to them.
Being informed and educated are two of the best tools offered to us. There are mortgage loans that offer overpayments and underpayments, and these loans include vacation packages and lump sum payments to the borrowers. There are also other loans available that offer low mortgage monthly installments and low interest rates with insurance policies attached that will pay your mortgage if you are sick, unemployed, or in an accident.
On the other hand, there are mortgage loans that have high interest rates, high mortgages and balloon payments attached. When balloon payments are attached to home mortgages it is almost guaranteed that in a few years you’ll be searching for a solution to repair your credit. There are many home lenders who will not tell you the truth about the variety of home loans available because they are making money and you’re a source of income. It’s important to scope the terms & agreements carefully, as well as reading all fine print on any loan contract before you sign. If you’re applying for a home loan and want to avoid bad credit, it makes sense to learn what the fees include and how much those fees are.
There are some home loans that offer an “acceleration clause”, which covers you if you miss mortgage payments. The lender will apply the clause by allowing you leniency providing you make payments the following month on time. This type of loan is great for avoiding bad credit, foreclosures, and repossessions. The marketplace is swarming with realtors and other sources that will help you get a mortgage loan affordable to you with benefits included, make sure to do some checking before you choose one.
Here are some tips about loans that we’ll all take out during our life:
Car Loans – When applying for a car loan it’s also important to research the marketplace before agreeing to any terms & conditions. Make sure you find the best deals affordable to you. In college I learned the secret golden rule of car dealers, and that is that most dealers up the fees on cars by 15%. This means that if you negotiate wisely with the dealer you can get a reduction on the vehicle up to 15%.
Credit Cards – A word of advice when applying for credit cards, stay away from cards that have fees attached and high interest rates. Avoid credit card offers that have upfront fees or offer a high line of credit for a fee.
College Loans – Always consider investigating student loans before committing your self to a personal loan agreement. You may be qualified for a student grant from the government if you take the time to research the opportunities.
In my next column we’ll delve deeper into this question of keeping a good credit reputation and solutions for repairing bad credit.
-30-
KNOW THE SCORE
by Maureen Stephenson
Building Credit History
Building your credit history is important in today’s time, especially since the laws are changing. We are moving into a system that is making it difficult for us to get ahead unless we have excellent, or at most good credit history.
Credit is important to rent, obtain student loans, and apply for loans or credit cards, as well as getting jobs and especially for entrepreneurs wanting their own business. Nowadays if you do not have a major credit card, it is nearly impossible to make purchases at some areas.
Bad credit only leads to frustration and headaches we want to avoid. If you have bad scores on your credit report, it takes seven long years before the credit is cleared and ten years for bankruptcies to be removed from your files. Therefore, if you want to save yourself some headaches it is time to get started building your credit history.
To do this you have to keep constant watch of the activities on your credit report. To obtain copies of your credit report contact the three B’s. TransUnion, Equifax and Experian have updated copies of your reports. To find out more information go online to get the information needed to get your copies. After you review, your credit reports make sure there are no false claims against you on the report before you proceed to clear up your accounts. If you notice, any false claims make sure to file a dispute immediately with each credit bureau. You are protected under law and it is the credit bureaus obligations to investigate the claims and clear up any mishaps.
After your have cleared up any allegations made against you, your next step is knocking down the accounts on your credit report. It is time to save money, and start building a credit history. Building credit is essential for your future survival. You might want to start by applying for a personal loan or else a credit card. If you are turned down, ask a family member or friend to co-sign with you to get the loan or credit card. Make sure your family member or friend has established credit and their history is not delinquent.
Once you get the card or loan, make sure you meet each month’s installments. If you miss any payments the co-signers are responsible to pick up the tab. do not make enemies, pay your dues on time. After about six months of using your credit card or else paying on the loan you will have notoriety and able to apply for credit cards or loans in your own name.
After about one year, you will have built your credit if you continue this procedure and can then apply for a home mortgage loan or car loan. It depends on your income and age when bank lenders investigate your case to determine if you qualify for a loan. Therefore, if you are in your forties and just getting started building credit your applications will take longer for consideration. Getting started early is the trick to building a stable credit history. Now if you have a credit history already you want to maintain payments to avoid complications.
Once you establish a bad credit history, it is harder to get back on your feet again. The best solution for maintaining, building, or else reestablishing credit history is to keep a close monitoring system on your financial tabs. Remember, credit history is important to your future and nowadays everyone judges you by your credit.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
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