Do you have an Unbelievable Selling Proposition?

Would you like to create and sustain long term business growth, increase revenue and profits, and achieve financial security?

The most important aspect of every business are the clients? Would you agree? Most business owners are throwing away valuable money to bad marketing that doesn't even reach their ideal client. You need to identify ideal clients and understand their ideal buying process. Your selling proposition is key in determining the success of your business. It is important to begin with the end in mind and work backwards through reverse engineering. Marketing is the only way to attract new clients. Let's begin with the basic principles for your ideal client: know, understand, and deliver a solution.

There are two important aspects you need to look at when knowing your ideal client:

• Demographics-ability, need, interest

• Psychographics-why someone wants to buy your product

It is helpful to get a snapshot of your current clients to begin this exercise. This enables you to match the needs and wants of your clients and the needs and wants of you.

Example: Is your current client married/single; family oriented; how old; who has the buying power. You may have a product that only men can use, but their wives usually get it for them so you would need to target women instead of men. It is important for you to serve the right client so you get referrals and service from them over and over again. The ideal client will be your client for life. Always remember wants are always more powerful than needs. That is why it is important to focus on the wants and needs of your clients.

Do not compete on price. There will always be someone to undercut your price. You need to provide more value and the client will pay for it because of their wants. If you are in this situation then you are sending out the wrong marketing message to your clients.

It is really important to make your business innovative your business and make it really unique. This is where a killer selling proposition comes into effect. Focus on the decision maker and user. The end user may not always be the person involved in buying the service or product. Does your business exceed your customer's expectations? Can you improve what you do offer?

Find three hot buttons that your clients always want. For example: a family with a broken pipe wants the problem to be fixed right away. Then state what this means to your ideal client. I want quality materials and proper experience.

Follow with two more hot buttons and what the client wants from the hot buttons.

Example:

Hot button1: plumber doesn't show up on time ever

What this means to your client: loss of work time and wages

Hot button 2: plumber doesn't fix the pipes properly

What this means to your client: more money and time away from work

Hot button 3: plumber is not neat and clean

What this means to your client: customer goes home after work to a messy house

Now figure out how your business addresses these wants. Put it in the form:"We… to meet the want described above and offer …this solution to you.

For example: We arrive early to your house so you don't miss valuable time at work.

In the innovation section it is important to use "we could" statements. What additional steps could I take?

For example with the plumber above: We could inspect the rest of the pipes in the house to eliminate future disasters and this will save the client another call and emergency while saving the client money.

Help with the elevator speech…"What do you do?"

1. Do you know how…

2. What we do is…

Example:

Start out with : Do you know how frustrating it is to wait around for the plumber while losing wages at work"

What we do is arrive on time to fix your pipes so you don't have to miss important parts of your life.

Now, for your selling propostion. Make the above statement into one sentence or a phrase that will make people ask "How do you do that". A good exercise for this is to write what you do in the middle of a piece of scrap paper and then surround what you do with benefits. Start combining these words until your selling proposition is effective.

Maggie Yue gives you financial freedom through predictable revenue and clients for your small business. She adds her personal touch to give you a tailored program that gives you sustainable results for the long term.

The Power of Marketing

If we analyze the physical world, there's one principle that all famous, wealthy, or powerful individuals have to deal with in order to establish or maintain their wealth or social position. This is the principle of marketing.

In a social world, marketing is always the main force behind success. To promote the success of the individual, skills in marketing are more important than skills in any other field.

Let me clarify the last statement with an example. Suppose you are a skilled researcher who has just discovered the cure for aids. In order for this cure to do any good, the world has to know about it and believe in its effectiveness. No matter how important your product, idea, or accomplishment, it is of no value unless people know about it and use it.

Marketing was used throughout history to promote public personalities.

Even religion has its roots in marketing. During the time of Christ, Israel was full of prophets. Some of them even claimed to have risen from the dead. Why do so many people worship Christ today and no one has ever heard of any other prophet from that time period?

Many Christians would like to attribute Christ's popularity to Divine Will. But in this case, God used the marketing ads written by Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John and the skills of St. Paul and other holy apostles to turn Christ into Europe's most popular prophet and his Church into a world power.

If you think about it, all religious institutions are actually the ad agencies of the gods or prophets that they serve.

Effective marketing does not need to necessarily market the best product. Sometimes you don't even need a product.

Thirty years ago IBM had one of the greatest marketing teams in the world. In 1980 they decided to create a personal computer. They needed an operating system for their PC. There were two companies that were possible suppliers. They were Digital Research headed by Gary Kindall and Microsoft headed by Bill Gates. Kindall was a brilliant engineer and programmer. He had designed the first operating system used by personal computers. It was called CP/M. Bill Gates was a college drop out, whose company was working on the Basic programming language and did not know how to create an operating system.

Kindall being a technical person, never fully appreciated IBM's marketing power. When IBM came to possibly license his CP/M software, he went flying and let his wife Dorothy handle the negotiations. She treated IBM as a big "corporate alien" and could not reach an agreement with its representatives. She felt IBM's non-disclosure agreements were too harsh, and demanded more money to license the CP/M operating system.

The first time IBM's people contacted Bill Gates, he sent them to Kindall, since he had no operating system. After encountering "corporate alien abuse" from Dorothy Kindall they went back to Gates. This time Gates bought an operating system for $50,000 and hired its developer to fix bugs and add improvements. Gates also signed IBM's non-disclosure agreements, and licensed the system for a suitable fee. Even though it was inferior to CP/M, IBM's marketing power soon made Gates' operating system, PC-DOS, very popular.

IBM made a major mistake by just licensing the software, instead of buying it. Because Microsoft retained the rights to it, Gates was able to sell it to the manufacturers of IBM clones under the name MS-DOS. That's why Microsoft became a powerful corporation, and Bill Gates became extremely rich.

We can see how powerful marketing can be. When IBM started marketing its coming PC, they lacked a critical component to make their computer work, the operating system. Instead of getting the best they settled for a very buggy imitation. Yet in the end the IBM PC became the most popular architecture for PCs in the world and Microsoft's operating system became the world's best selling pre-windows operating system.

The marketers with the least real-world skills run the world.

There is a group of marketers that can discuss practically any subject, but they understand very few. The one thing that they're really good at is marketing themselves. We call these marketers politicians.

If you follow most politicians, you see that from the day they take office, they are doing everything they can to make themselves look good. Every day in office is really a preparation for the next election.

Unfortunately, they serve as our lawmakers. They usually have little knowledge of the issues and favor the most influential lobby. Since the majority of the world's lawmakers are politicians, they exert the strongest influence over world affairs. In other words, they effectively run the world.

A marketing campaign doesn't have to be truthful to be successful.

The Internet is full of all kinds of MLM and Ponzi marketing schemes that are making millions for the marketers perpetuating them. People want to believe in things that will give them health, wealth and happiness.

A currently active con-artist marketer is Kevin Trudeau. If you Google his name, you will see references to his books and some of his other fantastic products.

This skilled marketer mainly uses television infomercials to hype his miracles. Many of his products are phony and his books mix real research with ridiculous assertions.

Even after having many of his claims discredited and doing a couple years in prison, it seems that nothing can stop a determined marketer like Kevin. He's still going strong and raking in the cash.

Self-help is another form of marketing that claims to teach you the principles of success.

W. Clement Stone was a successful salesman who made a fortune selling insurance and started the Combined Insurance Company(now Aon, Inc). He believed that the secret to his success was his positive attitude. He wrote books that preached the value of having pma(positive mental attitude).

Proponents of the self-help movement always use pma as a starting point in their attempts to market the secrets of success.

It's always good to maintain a positive attitude, but usually this is not a significant factor leading to success. W. Clement Stone had a highly intense personality. He was the type of salesman that refused to take no for an answer. He was an extremely pushy workaholic that became a leader in his field. The personalities of most people lack the "boldness" and "determination" of Stone. It's easy to make daily positive affirmations, but very difficult to change your personality into one that mimics W. Clement Stone.

That's why many self-help customers are repeat customers. There will always be a market for books, lectures, tapes, and DVDs that help point people in the direction of their unattainable dreams.

In a Corporate Alien run world, the rich remain rich because they use their wealth to effectively market themselves and their projects.

If Paris Hilton got tired of partying and decided to start a software company, she would be more successful than if a poor, but expert programmer tried to start the same type of business. Paris doesn't have to know anything about software, she could hire all the experts she wants. The next day after informing the media of her plans, every TV announcer around the world would be shouting the news: "Paris Hilton reforms and goes into business."

Even if she didn't have celebrity status, her wealth would be able to market her company better than someone with a limited budget no matter how smart he was.

To be financially independent you must put marketing first and real-world skills second.

I know now that if you go to school and learn a practical skill like engineering, medicine, or computer science you are preparing yourself to work for someone else. If you learn marketing, even if you know nothing else, you are preparing to be financially independent.

I never liked marketing. I thought that if I could be good at something practical I could become financially independent. I've had plenty of ideas, but I never knew how to market them, nor did any of my close friends. So I had to work for others most of my life.

If you are born into a poor or middle class family, you have to be excellent at marketing, unusually bold, and not always entirely honest to force your way into the upper class. A lot of us just lack the personalities required to make such a transition. That's why financial independence continues to elude us.

Thinking Like An Entrepreneur

The definition of an entrepreneur is someone who doesn't just run a business, they live their business: willing to take risks, and willing to do the work. Its easier said than done when you are talking bout creating wealth. Having the right mental attitude is the key. Here are a few guidelines to help you maximize your success as an entrepreneur.

Dream Big Dreams – Be a visionary! Entrepreneurs are people who can see what others cant. They have the ability to predict the future.

Faith, A lot of it – With faith in yourself, You have no limits to what you can do. Have the courage to re-invent yourself and see yourself as greater than you ever imagined.
Strict Work Ethics - You must make committed decisions. Typically, you won't make money instantly - it will take time to build your wealth - so being consistent is key! Consistency and focused effort will produce results.

Be Imaginative – Think out of the box. Be innovative. Ingenuity is what fuels progress and wealth. If people aren't laughing at your vision, your goals aren't big enough. Take the lid off!

Focus – Use the 80/20 rule in whatever you do. Here is the rule of thumb. 80% of your time should be invested on activities that will directly make you money

Overcoming Adversities – Obstacles are inevitable. Train your mind to accept the challenge because it breeds personal growth, strength of character, and allows you to remain flexible.

Falling Forward – I believe the only way to succeed in life is to make mistakes. As long as you learn from your mistakes, you are not failing. Success is a poor teacher anyway.

Research – Do your homework on your own industry. Position yourself as a resource to gain the competitive edge in your market or industry.

Persistency – Go forward for what you want. Be persistent and fortitude will help you achieve the goals.

Carrots – Have you seen a donkey pulling the cart with a carrot dangling in front of it? What is your "carrot"? Dangle it in front of you so that it becomes a driving force for you.

These are some of the guidelines of the mindset of an entrepreneur. How many qualities have you had now?

How People Buy - The 4 Steps From Problem to Purchase

Did you know that every single time we make a purchase we do the same four things? Did you also know that the world's most successful businesses are now organizing their corporate structures around helping customers with these 4 basic steps? It is no longer enough to just understand the value of your products and services. You must understand the actions people take once they decide to find a solution to their problem to ensure you are not missing out on big opportunities to satisfy your customers, and build customer loyalty.

Let's assume for the moment that someone knows they have a problem, and they've decided they want to solve it. There are 4 steps to finding a solution that people always follow:

1. Search for things that could address the need or want


2. Decide on a solution and set out to get it


3. Take it and get it ready to use


4. Use it

All problem solving can be broken down into these four basic stages. Here's a more familiar way to look at it:

1. Go shopping


2. Place an order


3. Take delivery


4. Start using it

Let's look at the four stages in a little more detail.

Go Shopping

Think about the last time you needed something. What did you do first? I was fixing the brakes on my son's bicycle the other day, and needed an extra hand to pull the brake handle. "Hey Logan, can you come pull the brake handle?" I asked someone around me for help. I wanted a new cell phone plan because I learned that my bill was regularly twice as high as my fiancés. "Honey, what company do you use again?" Her response: "I think I have a pretty good plan, but why don't we go the mall and ask someone who actually knows. There are at least 4 cell phone stores there". So we did.

Searching for solutions generally starts with asking your friends, family or co-workers. If you're still not sure you seek out an expert for more advice. You may even test-drive, or try on a few things to see what you like best. Finally you pick something you either like, trust or recognize from the suggestions offered.

Place an Order

Placing an order can be as simple as "I'll take this one". It can also be a complex series of decisions on options, delivery methods and payment options. When I placed an order for my new cell phone, they wanted to know if I would like to add a case, how I wanted to pay, and if I would like them to transfer my contacts over from my old phone to my new phone.

When I worked with equipment for utilities and industrial plants there were dozens of ordering options for different voltage levels, cabinet types, communications equipment options, system configurations or configuration services, wiring harnesses, the list goes on. The sales people didn't even know all of the available options. There was a separate orders team to guide customers through the ordering process and ensure they got a solution that fit their needs correctly.

Take Delivery

So after the order has been placed, someone needs to fill your order. With my recent cell phone purchase the same person who sold it to me and took the order then took my old phone, went to the back room, and came out a few minutes later with my new phone. It was all set up complete with all the contacts from my old copied onto it. I have no idea whether he did it himself or handed it to a technician to do. Frankly, I don't care. I just know my salesman took care of it.

In the industrial world, taking delivery is a little more complicated, but it follows the same basic steps. Instead of going into the back room, the equipment is ordered from a factory, and team of people are engaged in building and configuring the equipment. Shipping is then arranged with the customer including transport and cross-border customs clearing. On first deliveries the customer often comes to the factory to do some tests and provide formal acceptance. Some changes are almost always made at this point. After shipping the first ones to the installation site, an engineer is often deployed to help set it up and ensure everything is working correctly. All part of the delivery process.

Use It

And finally you get to use it. But the story doesn't end here, there's more. Remember when you got that brand new PC home? You got it set up, you started using it, and then you tryed to print out that first piece of paper and nothing happened. You tried everything you could think of and still nothing happened. Enter Customer Service.

Even after things are delivered and paid for, people still need help. If you get good help you are happy, and you go back to that store and recommend them to your friends. If you get bad help, or no help, you may never go back there. You will also probably make sure everyone you ever meet looking for something similar knows to stay away from that company because they will cause them nothing but pain. After all, that's what happened to you.

A pleasant experience with the Customer Service team after you buy something is often the difference between loving and hating the people that sold it to you.

Summary

Whether we realize it or not there are 4 steps we all go through every time we purchase a product or service.

1. Shop for potential solutions


2. Decide and order something


3. Get it


4. Use it

It is not enough to have a great product, or friendly customer support. You must address all four stages of the customer decision making process if you hope to build a long term relationship, and a long term business. Remember all successful businesses help themselves by helping others.

Can Network Marketing Help New Entrepreneurs Learn Vital Business Practices

As the corporate United States starts to decrease people seek a new way of earning an income. Many rush into a business, and due to lack of understanding about how to make a business successful they fail. There is a way to get into business and work at home all with a small investment. Can MLM Network Marketing be the best way to learn how to run a successful business?

Points covered in this article:


* Why start business from home?


* MLM Network Marketing defined?


* Plusses of joining a MLM Marketing opportunity

::: Why start a home business? :::


You may want to become financially free or be able to set your own work schedule. Some of the reasons people choose to work at home are:

- Save time from travelling


- They have small children and want to be at home with the children


- They have small children and can't afford nursery care


- Make more money then in day job


- Live in a remote place where transport is hard


- Disabled and homebound

Starting a home business does have many benefits. One of the many drawbacks with starting any kind of a business is that of finding an idea, creating a lengthy business plan, and one of the hardest ultimately getting finance for your business idea. Not to mention the headache with worrying how you are going to pay that finance back.

::: What is MLM Network Marketing :::


MLM Network Marketing is a system of business which allows people to market the products. In effect you become the salesman for the company. This has the added benefit of cutting out the middleman and putting you in its place. MLM Network Marketing allows you to earn more profits with this system. The biggest earners are sales people. Even Bill Gates from Microsoft wouldn't be a billionaire if it weren't for the good sales people bringing us their great software.

::: Benefits of joining a MLM Marketing opportunity :::


Network Marketing opportunities can come to the rescue. With a low investment required to get started, MLM Network Marketing can be one of the best ways to get into business much more easily. When you decide to join a MLM Marketing opportunity, you are given the ability to plug into a proven business with a proven product.

Network Marketing opportunities give you a blueprint you can follow to become successful. When you join a MLM Marketing opportunity you are starting a new lifestyle. A lifestyle which is part of a downline of people who are committed to success, not just their own, but your success as well.

One of the biggest benefits I have seen with being part of the MLM Marketing opportunity is the whole ethos about how MLM Network Marketing works and why it works. MLM Network Marketing fundamentally says "I win - only when you win", and this is a fantastic model to follow. When you buy products which promises to make you wealthy, even though the person producing that product may have your interest in mind, it still doesn't fully create the win-win which we see in MLM Network Marketing.

MLM Network Marketing does require work. MLM Network Marketing is no easy ride, but with commitment to achieving your success, a MLM Marketing opportunity can be the best thing you decide to join. MLM Network Marketing promises so much, and MLM Network Marketing can deliver as long as you commit to your success. With consistent effort you can find financial freedom with MLM Network Marketing, as long as you put in the effort necessary to succeed.

To your success,

Kozan Huseyin ~ Network Marketing Expert, Internet Marketer, Life Coach, Writer.

Early Struggles of Entrepreneurs and How to Manage Them

Most regular 9 to 5 employees would give up all they have just so they can enjoy a sense of accomplishment that owning their own business brings. But of course, these entrepreneurs did not get where they are without making plenty of sacrifices and encountering a lot of challenges. To prepare you for the "entrepreneur road" that you plan to travel on, here are some of the struggles that these people encounter.

Funding


Starting a business requires capital, no matter how small the business is. This means entrepreneurs have to have a source of funds which will shoulder cost of the initial operation of the business. If you have saved money for starting up a business, you are lucky because you will not need to borrow any money from other people and not cause you to worry when the time to pay them comes. If you are considering borrowing, make sure you are borrowing an amount, which you can pay whether or not you will succeed as an entrepreneur.

Before going to banks or other lending institutions, entrepreneurs first try asking financial support from friends or families. If you want, you can offer paying more than what you will be borrowing to show that you are considering it a business deal. Of course, make sure that you will be paying them according to your agreement.

Time


Many start-up entrepreneurs have difficulties with time management. In most cases, they do not have enough human resources to manage all activities during the first days of your business. You could find yourself juggling so many things at the same time. In order to avoid feeling burned out or stressed, entrepreneurs learn to prioritize their activities. You can start by planning your activities carefully and listing down which require your attention most.

Planning


Despite a well-thought of business plan, entrepreneurs also experience some problems with planning. You can attribute this from lack of experience and knowledge. The good news is this predicament offers much opportunity for learning. You are actually lucky for living in such a modern today where access to information is convenient and easy. Devour as many information as you can from books and the internet to create your own formula to become a successful entrepreneur.

Troubleshooting


Another concern these entrepreneurs have trouble with is solving problems. Technical problems should always be dealt with by professionals. Never attempt to do it yourself as this could be disastrous for your business. On the other hand, problems that do not require expertise on a particular field should be solved as soon as possible. Smart entrepreneurs never make the mistake of leaving everything to later.

The road to success may be a bit difficult especially if it is your first business venture. Just remember that patience and passion are very important. In no time at all, you are the one who will be offering advice to new entrepreneurs.

Eight Effortless Exercises to Improve Tradeshow Performance

Tradeshow exhibitors have something in common with the rest of humanity: We'll do what is easy, but avoid what those things we find to be or perceive as difficult. It doesn't really matter what sphere we're talking about: human nature dictates that more often than not, we seek out the smoother path, the gentler grade, the easier climb.





So in order to appeal to human nature and improve your tradeshow performance, I offer you this: Eight Effortless Exercises you can do with your team. Nothing here is particularly difficult, yet all are devastatingly effective. If your team can implement what they learn during these exercises on the tradeshow floor, I can guarantee that you'll be very pleased with the result.





1. Go Over the Goals





Booth staffers function best when they have full knowledge of what as an organization, you're trying, to achieve at the show. A show where you're launching a new product and want to raise brand awareness is, in some ways, a fundamentally different exercise than a show where you're simply attempting to reinforce existing relationships and move as much product as possible. Meet with your team and spell out exactly what you hope to accomplish. This is a good time to let them know what you expect on an individual as well as an organizational level.





2. Play Trivial Pursuit





How well does your team know your products and services? How about your company's structure, organization, and public image? You might be surprised. Test your team with a friendly game modeled after Trivial Pursuit™ or Jeopardy™. Instead of random trivia questions, use questions centered on your products and services. Make sure these questions range from the everyday -- detailing features and benefits -- to the relatively off-topic -- are your products manufactured in the country? If not, where, and under what conditions? This exercise will reinforce product knowledge and help your team be prepared for whatever questions come their way.





3. Body Language Bingo





This is a fun exercise. Snap pictures (or use pictures you already have) at a tradeshow and industry event. You want images of people slouching, eating, ignoring attendees, chatting with peers, and otherwise behaving badly at shows. (I wouldn't recommend using pictures of your own people, in the interest of company harmony, but that's up to you!)





Create little bingo cards detailing the bad behaviors, and distribute them to your team. Display the images on a screen and have them identify problem behaviors. Again, this will reinforce to your team what they shouldn't be doing. For a little fun, give the first person to call "Bingo" a prize.





4. Sew Their Pockets Shut





Ok, you don't really want to sew their pants pocket shut -- but consider distributing double sided sticky tape that your staffers can use to close their pockets. This will encourage them to keep their hands out of their pockets, a behavior that tradeshow attendees consistently identify as unattractive and off-putting.





Remember to play fair. Give your booth staffers something productive to do with their hands to overcome the natural tendency to fidget. Often, having something official to do with their hands relieves a lot of anxiety.





5. The Name Game





Relationship building is easier and more effective when you use the other person's name. Study after study has shown that people universally respond positively to hearing their own name, as long as it doesn't seem affected and forced.





Do role playing exercises focused on learning the other person's name and working it naturally into conversation. To make it more realistic, have both parties wear fake 'show badges' with a name that's not their own.





6. Do the Demo





Before the show, have your team members actually practice the demo you expect them to perform during the show. This gives them time to familiarize themselves with the equipment -- critical, as many salespeople generally aren't 'hands on' with the merchandise -- and become comfortable demonstrating it.





7. Teach the Technology





If you're using card scanners or other lead gathering technology, schedule a time to actually teach your team how to use it. You want your team to be proficient with the equipment and not spend valuable, limited show time trying to figure out how to work the scanner.





8. Finesse Follow Up





Maximize the return you realize on the show by following up on every lead. Delegate responsibilities before the show and introduce an element of accountability: simply by letting your team know what they're expected to do and when they're expected to do it, you'll see a marked increase in return.





You see? That wasn't so hard! These effortless exercises don't require much in the way of equipment or money, just a little time. Considering the impact that enhanced tradeshow performance can have on your bottom line, isn't it worth it?

Change in Business - Personal Experience

The year is 1993 and three young men, who share a penchant for business, are searching for the right materials to get involved with after deciding that distribution as compared to manufacture is the way ahead in the day's particular climate.

The studies went on for almost two years and as luck would have it, a relative of two of the men controlled a soft drink's production factory; it was then intimated to the men that if they could source a certain product for him, even at the same price, he would give them a contract.

The men duly did this, the product was sourced and the new business was up and running.

Over the following several years, the product range expanded and the customer base continued growing, using the same business model of distribution with ever-increasing storage facilities, creating an ability to from an efficient part of any company's supply chain management.

Then, as is the subject title of this article, the business had to change, was forced to change -- through clever marketing and good fortune we won a supply contract for packaging related materials that we did not even supply!

Hence we suddenly required a great deal of additional space, a great deal of new equipment and guess what? We were involved in a business model which went against the grain of every ounce of our studies and took us in a totally different direction to that planned. Thus, we had changed.

One may argue that business is always the same -- it's just the commodity that changes.

So there we were with 45000 square feet of storage and manufacturing space, a large work force, health and safety issues and lorries to boot-everything we had planned against -- but we had a contract.

However, the years went by and we began to see a pattern emerging throughout the country of manufacturing businesses closing around UK in favour of moving to Eastern Europe or indeed the Far East.

Since our business was primarily in the field of primary or secondary packaging and it is essentially manufacturing company's that use packaging we decided that it was time to sell the business as too many companies were chasing an ever-decreasing market.

So when we received an offer from our managers to buy, we accepted it and moved on.

Summarising, it is no longer possible to be inflexible in business and more than ever, since general market knowledge is greater than ever before due to the internet, the customer must be treated with kid gloves and cannot be pressed too strongly.

Whereas in times gone by, it was relatively easy to work with decent margins, even on generic products, customers can access swathes of information at the press of a button, thus forcing the seller's position down and down.

This is all very well but it must be remembered that a business producing anything or storing anything must work off a decent profit level to be able to maintain the standards of quality and delivery performance.

Jack Canfield Wears Many Different Hats

During the time I have taken it upon myself to write a series of articles elaborating a little more on the 26 different speakers in the smash hit movie entitled The Secret, I have learned a lot about each of these individuals. One of the greatest discoveries I have found thus far comes in the way of Jack Canfield of Chicken Soup for the Soul book series fame. One of the surprising facts that struck a very strong cord for me was his educational back ground. As it turns out, Jack holds a BA in Chinese History from Harvard University and a Masters Degree from the University of Massachusetts… and he's worked as a workshop facilitator, a psychotherapist, and a teacher as well!

To top it all off it doesn't even begin to stop there. Jack has also been responsible for being the Founder of two organizations that include Self Esteem Seminars out of Santa Barbara, CA. and The Foundation For Self Esteem located in Culver City, CA. as well. He serves as the president of Souperspeakers.Com and he has collaborated with his fellow affiliates from The Secret –Bob Proctor and Rev. Dr. Michael Beckwith D.D. in a joint venture called the Secret Science of Getting Rich Seminars also known as the SGR Program. Then there are his books as mentioned earlier and now the movie The Secret.

His fame has put him on PBS, BBC, CNN, Good Morning America, 20/20, and he's been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Larry King and even Montel Williams has asked him to appear on his television program. If all his accomplishments and his notoriety don't impress upon you how The Law of Attraction has worked for him in all aspects of his life, then I am afraid your apt to not get the idea at all! It is quite obvious the joy and sense of gratitude he conveys for his wife and their children in the DVD The Secret.

If you've seen his appearance on that movie/documentary you know how much it deals with his life today as well as his childhood and being raised in a home with two alcoholic parents, an abusive father and in the end –becoming a child of divorce after his parents finally called it quits when he was just 7 years old. I think the fact that he has let his past go, is so appreciative of his many blessings and is attempting to let people know how The Law of Attraction can be put into practice so as to make all their dreams come true speaks volumes about his hope for a happier existence for all. He had a chance to turn his whole life around by applying the principles laid out to him by his mentor the late Multi-Billionaire W. Clement Stone. Stone himself went from Rags to Riches, so when he first began mentoring Jack he knew first hand how to apply the secret! Perhaps now is the time for you to start applying the secret so as to bring more abundance into your own life…after all, what's the worst that could happen besides learning to take control of your own life and what you think about and feel about?

How Kid To Make Money Fast

It is hard for a person under 18 years old to make money online. Almost all programs, and payment systems are asking the person to be 18 years old or older. CashCrate, a program that you get paid cash for surveys online is accepting members 13 and older. So basically you can make money even if you are not 18 years old.

This is a great opportunity from children in the United States and Canada to make extra money each month, and you can make about $1000 if you really spend some time there, or you can just make a few extra bucks for the things you like.

No, CashCrate is not a scam, like many other programs, that will promise you a lot, and after you join it will give you a lot less than expected, or nothing at all. The Internet is full of free lists of paid online surveys but you can not trust any of them because 90% of them are scams. CashCrate has been running for over a year now, and has a forum where in a section members are asked to post a scanned image of their checks, so that the program can be trusted by others.

The checks are sent in the mail monthly, on the 20TH, and you need to make at least $10 in order to receive one. I have made those in less than 1 hour after joining CashCrate.

In addition to that, there is a great referral program there, which will give you 20% of what your referrals make, and 10% of what the people they refer make. Note that this money, is not taken out of their accounts, it is just extra money you make, this way if a person will join as your referral will be the same as he joins by himself.

Signing up for this program is totally free, they will not ask you for any financial information, just for your home address, because they need that to send your checks. If you want to see a tutorial about it, and more information you can go to the blog I made about this free money making method:

http://CashCrater.blogspot.com

The Average Day of a Successful Entrepreneur

I was having a conversation with fellow speaker Ari Galper of Unlock the Game at a recent event we spoke at. We were talking about how copy is in absolutely EVERY aspect of your marketing. A lot of people think copy is something they will get to eventually. Or they will hire someone to do it for them. But Ari put it in a way that I really had not thought of before. He said, "We are ALL in the publishing business. You should share with your list what an average day is like for you and how important writing is on every level." Okay, Ari. Good idea. Here is my average day (if there is such a thing):

• 5:30am Get ready for the day, get the kids to the bus, walk the dog
• 7:30am Drive to and from Tae bo, shower
• 10:30am Write emails (COPY)
• 11:00am Write article for ezine (COPY)
• 12:30pm Lunch
• 1:00pm Write promotional email for list (COPY)
• 1:30pm Write affiliate email (COPY)
• 2:00pm Meditate
• 2:30pm Write promotional (COPY)
• 3:00pm Write landing page copy (COPY)
• 3:30pm Write emails (COPY)
• 4:00pm Phone calls
• 4:30pm Boys come home, FAMILY TIME

So of my working hours, OVER HALF of my time requires copywriting skills. Yes, I'm a trained copywriter, but all entrepreneurs should really be spending this much time marketing. In other words, you should be spending this much time WRITING COPY. Think about ways you can improve your copywriting skills this year. Pay attention to your junk mail. Raise your awareness to how other marketers are trying to get your attention. Study the works of those who have already cracked the copywriting code. Every year you don't have copywriting under your belt dollars are slipping --no, pouring -- away. The good news for you is it's never been more economical to get this skill down solid in record speed. Just poke around my copywriting closet and get your copy on at HALF PRICE. www.redhotcopy.com/closet.htm

The Entrepreneur's Guide to Taking Control of Your Time

After all, the most common reason for people to start their own businesses is to allow them to take control of their lives and find a better work-life balance.

How much Much is your Your Time Worth?

Let's say you want to earn £30,000 / $50,000 per year from your business. After weekends and holidays, you work 200 days of the year and you do 10-hour days. That means your time is worth £15 / $25 per hour. Remember that when deciding how you are going to spend it.

Definition of Time Management

Time management is the organisation and execution of work and leisure activities based on always prioritising what needs to get done.

Advantages

• Achieve control over your life


• Balance work, rest and play


• Be pro-active rather than reactive


• Relieve pressure and stress


• Stop working on time


• Increase your personal sense of achievement

Action Checklist

Plan your year first and your day last

1) Enter key yearly planning dates in your diary:


• Regular Meetings


• Known one-off events – trade fairs, company accounts, Board board meetings


• Holidays


• Family Occasions


• Planning days

2) Plan your next month:


• Count the available unplanned days available


• Duck less important events


• Reserve a free day each week


• Reserve key task time (review sales, do expenses, plan marketing activities)

3) Plan this week:


• Develop regular habits (e.g., review of weekly figures, preparation of management accounts, writing down expenses, etc.)

4) Plan each day at the outset:


• List and prioritise jobs. Give each a time and a deadline


• Make a list of phone calls and allocate a time when you will get through them


• Tackle jobs based on the impact they will have on the business


• Do the tough jobs before the more enjoyable ones


• Don't be too ambitious


• Be ruthless with paper and post that you don't really need


• Make a list at the end of each day of what you did not get done and a list of what you want to do the following day


• Build an 'interruption hour' into the day

Get the Whole View

At the end of each week, think about what you have achieved in the context of your monthly and yearly business goals.

Get a Diary Format

To be really efficient, you need to create a diary format that helps you plan ahead and prioritise. You should also include leisure activities in this diary to ensure you are balancing work and pleasure.

And Finally……

Don't forget to reward yourself for achieving your goals. Go out to dinner, buy yourself something or take a holiday.

If you manage your time well, running your own business will be the best job in the world.

How to Choose the Best Business Card Printing Services

When you are interested in buying some business cards you want to know where to go to get the best services. Generally, choosing the best business card printing services is not that difficult if you know the criteria you should use. The following tips will help you learn what to look for when you are trying to find a business card printer.

Quality

One of the most important things you should look for when trying to find business card printing services is a company that offer high quality business cards. Nobody wants to pay for business cards that come out looking like a kindergartner created them. That is why you should look for quality first. Ask other users of the service and see how they liked the quality. If plenty of other clients report that the service was outstanding and the quality high then you should feel comfortable choosing that service. New services aren't out of the question; just make sure you ask a lot of questions up front to ensure that you receive the quality you anticipate.

Price

Another important aspect is price. You don't want to spend too much money on your professional business cards because you can get professional cards for a low price. However, you do want to shop around a bit and see what average prices are. If you find similar business cards that are of significantly different prices then choose the cheaper ones unless that service has received really bad reviews. Lots of times business card printing services mark their prices up just to make more money even though they don't provide a better service than other services. So, make sure you evaluate service along with the price to determine which company you choose.

These are just a few tips to help you make a decision when it comes to choosing a business card printing service. Remember that you should have an idea of your budget and what you are looking for up front. If you want color business cards make sure you check out what colors are available. You want to make sure the printing service offers all the colors you are interested in first and then you can make a decision. To make a decision and then ask about colors would simply be a waste of time if certain colors were unavailable.

All of these suggestions will help you choose the best printing service for you and you will ultimately receive the best business cards.

How to Think Like an Entrepreneur

Creating your own wealth is easier than you think! Having the right mindset is key. The definition of an entrepreneur is someone who doesn't just run a business, they live their business: willing to take risks, and willing to do the work. There are a few guidelines to help you maximize your success as an entrepreneur:

1. VISION - DREAM BIG!


Be a visionary! An entrepreneur must have Eyes of Faith vs. Human Eyes. Human eyes see what is - Eyes of Faith see what can be. Visionaries can see through time and see the future.

2. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF


You have no limits to what you can do. Have the courage to re-invent yourself as greater than you ever imagined.

3. STRICT WORK ETHIC


Consistency and focused effort will produce results. You must make committed decisions. Typically, you won't make money instantly - it will take time to build your wealth - so being consistent is key!

4. THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX!


Ingenuity is what fuels progress and wealth. If people aren't laughing at your vision, your goals aren't big enough. Take the lid off!

5. FOCUS


80% of your time should be invested on activities that will directly make you money

6. OVERCOMING OBSTACLES


Challenges are inevitable. Train your mind to welcome challenges. It breeds personal growth, strength of character, and allows you to remain flexible.

7. FAILING FORWARD


The only way to master every aspect of the business is to make mistakes!

8. RESEARCH


Do your homework on your industry. Position yourself as a resource to gain the competitive edge

9. FORTITUDE!


Be a pit bull for what you want. Persistence, tenacity, and fortitude will help you reach your goals

10. REWARDS! REWARDS! REWARDS!


Always keep your eyes on the prize. You can do it!

Looking for the Best Business Opportunity

What's the best business for you? Work for somebody or own your own company?

There are many kinds of businesses that flood the market today aside from owning your own business, meaning you run and finance it, there are others which are also businesses in their own way. All of these are businesses and each has their own advantages and disadvantages as you try to work them out. Should you wish to enter these ventures, it is good to have some knowledge of what you are getting into.

Working for somebody. The first of kind of business which most of us usually enter into at some point in our lives, is becoming employed as an employee to a company now our own. If you are a newbie at this business the first thing you should remember is polishing your resume. The resume is your way of getting into the business of becoming employed by an employer you wish to work for. Another thing that you should remember is do some research of your own about the company you wish to work for, so that when you get to have the chance to become any employee of that organization you already have some knowledge of what kind of business you are getting into.

Becoming an employee is considered a business since you enter into a contract with that organization you wish to work for, that you will render services for their company and a corresponding compensation is given for the services rendered. Your function as an employee a business in a sense that you work for the company and they pay you for the work you have done for a corresponding period of time.

Employment is a good business choice for those who do not want to handle running their own business. When you are an employee, only the responsibilities given to you by the boss would be the things that you have to do routinely or regularly depending on the kind of job that you have. On the other hand, if you own the company, you would be more concern in making a profit on your business endeavor or at least making it break even if income is not a lot.

Working for somebody may have its advantages and disadvantages. When you enter a contract to work for somebody, there is a fixed salary, wage or compensation that would be given to you by your employer. Unlike if you own the business, profits could go up or down depending on the performance of your business in the industry. But as an employee, you will usually have a fixed compensation and sometimes fringe benefits as added financial benefits for the services you render. Somehow this is liked by several members of the labor market since you have a steady means of income even if the industry is not doing very well.

Sometimes it has its disadvantages, like when companies retrench employees meaning lay off, which they call streamlining to save on labor cost and restructure their companies in a way that they use less man power to save on cost. This is a difficult situation for an employee, if it happens, he or she have to look for a new job and compete with other would be employees in the job market.

Owning your own company. When you talk about business most of the time you are reminded of these terms: sole proprietorships, partnerships, cooperatives, private and public limited company and the franchises, which were taught to us in college accounting. Yes, these are all business ventures. Should you wish to enter them, you definitely have to have capital or funds to sustain the business and or partners with you to finance your business. These are all businesses where you need capital and need to make profit to earn money.

Owning your own business may seem easy but not. Some people say they started with a small capital to have their own businesses and some of these stories are true. But most would say it was hard work that got them where they are right now.

True, owning your own business could be a difficult job. It is a business and a job at the same time. You have to be good with a lot of things in order for you to get that magic profit and income after sales or after a service rendered. Any of the businesses mentioned earlier, like the sole proprietorship, partnership and franchises would use a lot of hard work and funds to get them working.

If you would like to have your own business, make sure you would like the kind of business you would like to get into. If you are thinking of that right now, make sure to do some research on the industry of the business that you would like to venture in. Just like job hunting you should do some research on the industry of the business you feel you want to compete in. Knowing your competition would be a very good start, getting to know and feel the industry before jumping into the pool would be a splendid idea before you spend your hard earned cash in financing a business you hardly have knowledge in. Having little knowledge about the business would increase your chances of failing to succeed in it. So do the research and draw the math before diving into your chosen industry.

Having your own business would be fun, as long as you are making profits. If you are break even it is still would be fun. But business is just like any game, sometime you are at a loss and sometimes you are winning. So if you are losing money in your business, consider that you are losing a game. Even if you say that, 'this should not be happening', businesses are just like cards on the table, sometimes your up and sometimes you are down. Remember this, so that when you have your business you would not feel so bad.

Having a business is gambling with other players in the industry you are playing with. If it happens that you got lucky with your marketing strategies at one point in your operation, and increase your sales, if you are into sales, there might come a time that a new competitor would beat you with the sales and you might lose some of your consumers of the product. In this game you lost over your competitor.

Businesses have life and life sometimes has its ends. There certain industries which have had their life ended because of either new innovations and technology and others have conquered time and space even through years of operation. The life of your business would depend on how you plan your business for the future. This is a very important aspect of your business. If you wish to have your business handed down to your future generation, you have to plan it that way and ahead of time, to know where you want your business to go and plan on where you want it to be headed.

Top Ten Characteristics of a Successful Entrepreneur

There are certain characteristic traits needed to start and run a business. Most of us already have good characteristic traits or we can develop them over time. Have you ever wondered whether or not you have the characteristic traits to become successful in business? See the list below for the top ten characteristic traits of a successful entrepreneur.

1) Organization


2) Motivation


3) Honesty


4) Perseverance


5) Vision


6) Adaptability


7) Competitiveness


8) Risk Taking


9) Confidence


10) Persuasiveness

The ten characteristic traits listed above are a few of the many that you will need to possess to get started in a business and become successful in it. You may want to make note of two traits from the list above that you already possess as an entrepreneur. Or, you may want to make note of two traits that you need to develop to become a successful entrepreneur. Now you can make plans to develop these and other traits, if you do not already possess them.

As a woman, you may have to work a little harder than a man to develop some of the characteristic traits listed above. For example, some women may find it difficult in their new company to be competitive because as a child they may have been told that "a lady is to be seen and not heard," therefore she may not be as aggressive as she should be in her business. However, many women have found out that once they learn how to play the game, the rules become easier to follow.

Are you interested in starting a business?

To the new and experienced entrepreneurs, getting help with your small business is very crucial to your success. Getting the right help will cause you to avoid costly mistakes, and it can also help you to save a lot of time, money and energy. You will need to get the right help to form the legal structure of the business, financial, management, procurement/certification, marketing, pricing products, preparing a business plan, and more. If you are a business owner who is wondering if you can take your business to new heights, contact Dr. Waters at tina.waters@waienterprises.com

Smarter Marketing in a Slow Economy

More often than not, when times get tough marketing gets the bullet. In some cases where there has been an incorrect allocation of resources within a company this may be justified. But in most cases it is a mistake. Sometimes a very costly one!

Marketing, when done properly, will attract customers to your business and convert their interest into paid sales - money in the till.

When the economy is slow many managers think, "Let's reduce expenses" and look for those expense items that seem to be irrelevant to achieving immediate sales. Marketing activities such as advertising, public relations, lead generation, research and sales incentives may be targeted.

However, history has shown that it is the companies who continue with aggressive, yet relevant, marketing during the slow times that are first to emerge when the economic tide turns. The continued marketing efforts maintain a premium position in the mind of their customers.

When their customers are ready to buy whom will they think of? The company they have heard from regularly and know about, or the company they dealt with many months ago and haven't heard from since (Are they are still in business? The customer wonders).

This isn't to say you shouldn't look for more economical marketing methods to squeeze as much value as possible out of scarce company resources. Quite the opposite! It is during slow economic times that you can often get the best advertising rates, the lowest prices for production, and the most attractive partnership deals. As other companies curtail their spending, suppliers and media owners are desperate to fill capacity. They are more willing than ever to secure regular customers.

When you consider your marketing options, seek lower cost (and more efficient) activities such as:

Look closely at cost per thousand for alternative media vehicles and carefully choose your target audience. Try to minimise waste.

Commit to a longer advertising campaign to lock-in a very low rate, and look for value-added opportunities for editorial, features or promotions that enhance your standing as a preferred advertiser.

Fine tune your media 'flights' to ensure you are reaching high worth customers at the most effective times. Cancel the fringe times.

Use smaller advertisements, but run them more frequently.

Incentivise your sales team to concentrate on new business.

Look for cost effective public relations exercises that will keep your product name in front of prospects. Work with partners in a win-win scenario.

Join forces with a business selling complementary products and produce an offer to be sent to each others customers.

Check with publishers for 'remnant' space, and get on their list for last minute cancellations. Let them know you are interested. Have some standard advertising material prepared to use at short notice.

Shop around for production quotes. Look outside your usual suppliers.

Consider email marketing to maintain communication with customers. It's low cost and flexible.

Do you have a web site?

- How can you use it to generate leads more cost effectively?

- Can you use it for communication with customers, product releases, newsletters etc?

Approach potential partners that you thought were previously unattainable. Their approach may be more flexible now.

Target customers of the opposition. Let them know you are still going strong and want their business.

Maintain your market presence during the slow times and you will be on top of the 'wave' when the market picks up. The multiplier effect of this situation can be quite astounding, ensuring your company has a real head start in the strengthening economy.

What Is Your Business Development Strategy?

Developing a business requires a strategy. You must be clear about your methods and objectives to be able to quantify your goals. Aside from the capital required, business development will predominantly depend on how you manage your people as well as your resources.

To be successful in your business development, you should first be aware of some of the most important qualities that you should possess as an owner or manager. Here are some of these qualities.

Patience


A successful business does not happen overnight. It would take years to polish your product and also hire employees who would want to stay for the long-term as much as you want them to be a part of the company. Along the way, there will be a lot of mistakes and your patience will be stretched to the limit. It is also normal that you will feel very frustrated with some of your employees' performance and you should try very hard to train and motivate them. In addition to patience, you should also try to stay calm and composed especially when making crucial decisions.

Open-Mindedness


Being open minded is very important. You can achieve this by accepting that not all things can be in your control. If you continue believing that they are, you will end up frustrated. Set realistic targets and provide allowances for revisions, delays and errors. In addition to this, you should also be receptive to suggestions which could improve your business output. By being open to changes, you are allowing your business to adapt easily. This is actually one of the keys to long-term business success.

Motivated


When establishing or developing a business, make sure you are dedicated and commitment. During difficult times, you may be easily frustrated and feel like giving up. You should understand that as your business grows, it becomes more complicated. Just like bringing up a child, developing a business requires constant attention, which could be tiring. During setbacks or failures, you may even feel depressed. If you need to get motivated in an instant, you could try hypnotherapy to alter your behavior. Your subconscious is said to be more receptive to changes especially if you are under hypnosis.

You must remember that business development is a serious matter and the fact the many people depend on you should be enough to make you dedicated and committed. In the end, you are the first one who will enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Article Marketing - How to Use Article Marketing for a Local Business

I think that article-marketing would be just as effective in a local business, as it is for me. I know a number of people that use article-marketing to promote niche websites. Not local websites, but niche websites that don't have anything to do with internet marketing. And the article-marketing that they do is just as productive as the one that I do.

Now I don't have any personal experience with anyone who has done it on a local basis.. My guess would be that the articles should be geared both towards the subject and also include the locality in that article.

And as for keywords, I think that two things would happen. Number one: search-engine rankings would go up, just like with any other article-marketing. And number two, the people that would read those articles, for example, dog-training in Denver..

If someone were to read that article and there's perhaps a dog-training [sic] brick-and-mortar company right here in Denver--then I think that there would be some significant traffic driven to their website.

I think that there would be a little bit of an overlap--or a bleed-out. Because some people that don't live in Denver would read that article, and perhaps wanna do business. So I would recommend that if someone was building a local business, and writing articles, that perhaps they would set up two links.

One link for local people--and then another link that would go to another site that would allow them to monetize that traffic, somehow. Or even someone else's site, and again have some type of a commission structure, or a linking structure. So that is someone doesn't live in Denver but still wants that product and likes that article, then that particular visitor could be monetized.