An impending redundancy from his well paid corporate job in the banking industry left Geoff Alexander pondering his career direction. Rather than apply for other corporate roles, he used the experience as a catylst to follow his entrepreneurial aspirations.
In October 2004 he established his own marketing company. Out of that he spawned the idea for a separate online company called BeautyandHealth.com...
The Interview.
DS: What inspired you to quit your well paid corporate job and set up the Beauty and Health Ltd?
GA: Well, I had been growing restless for some time, and had been evaluating various opportunities outside my 'day job'; when notified that my position was going to become redundant, this seemed like the perfect time to 'go it alone'. Beauty and Health was one of a several ideas that were brought to fruition as a result.
DS: Did you have any help setting up Beauty and Health Ltd or were you going it alone?
GA: I sought advice from numerous areas and read extensively. I still own 100% of the shares.
DS: What was the biggest challenge you faced in bringing your idea to fruition? How was it overcome?
GA: One of the biggest challenges was the steep learning curve for the everyday practicalities for setting up and running a business, and having to re-learn and apply marketing techniques to the online world.
DS: What makes you most proud about your achievements with Beauty and Health Ltd?
GA: I think the fact that, from scratch, I learnt to build, market, and run an online business.
DS: How did you actually fund your business to get it off the ground?
GA: I set up the company using savings and redundancy compensation.
DS: What attributes make a successful entrepreneur?
GA: A dream or goal, desire, self-belief, tenacity, ability to learn, adaptability, resourcefulness…. to name a few!
DS: What do you believe are the necessary elements for a business venture to succeed?
GA: Timing is important, but you need to have USP's (Unique Selling Points) and a hungry market. Then you need have to have sufficient resources, or else find out how you can access the specific resources that you need to make it work.
DS: How essential do you see a University education in acheiving success as an entrepreneur?
GA: I would say that it is not essential to have a University education to be an entrepreneur; you only have to look at the Rich List or the number of dropouts that have made fortunes! However, having completed an MBA at one of the top schools in Europe, I would have to say that it has given me essential knowledge, confidence and very good contacts.
DS: What are the three most important lessons you have learned about business and entrepreneurship?
GA: There are many lessons that I have learned since taking the plunge, so to name only three is difficult - but amongst the most important are definitely: 1) you HAVE to have a deep belief in yourself and be persistent…if something doesn't work out as planned, modify your approach; 2) Be prepared for the unexpected! Often success is determined by the amount of uncertainty you are able to cope with; 3) be flexible in your approach to dealing with problems as they arise - the higher your goals, the more obstacles you will need to overcome.
DS: What advice would you give to an aspiring entrepreneur?
GA: You really have to believe in yourself - even when those around you doubt you or knock your ideas. Then you need to be persistent, and willing to learn from your mistakes, and more importantly, from others' mistakes.
DS: What's the number one book you would you recommend to aspiring entrepreneurs?
GA: I have read many books that have inspired me, but for an all-encapsulating book I would recommend would be 'Think and Grow Rich' by Napolean Hill.
DS: What memorable mistakes, if any, have you made in business? What did you learn from them and how can they be avoided?
GA: As an entrepreneur, it is easy to think that you have to do everything yourself - however there will always be someone more specialised in each discipline you will need to address as a business owner. The trick is to discover how to obtain the maximum output for minimum input, or to become increasingly efficient as time goes on.
DS: What are the best and worst things about being an entrepreneur?
GA: The best thing about being an entrepreneur is the immense sense of freedom that you have - the downside to this of course is that whether you succeed or fail is largely down to you!
DS: Are there any other thoughts, insights, or advice for aspiring entrepreneurs that you'd like to add?
GA: Though it sounds like a cliché, I would say that you have to have a clear idea of your short, medium and ultimately 'long term' goals - this will give you direction and focus when the inevitable curveballs are thrown your way!
Home » Archive for April 2016
Generating Leads Through Telemarketing
Telemarketing is one of the most common ways that a business can generate leads. It is a versatile approach. Lead generation telemarketing can be inbound or outbound, meaning that systems use prerecorded messages and can dial either random numbers or numbers from an imported list.
Telemarketing is one of the few lead generation techniques that is flexible enough to be immediately adaptable to new situations. The telemarketer can answer questions or provide additional information as needed in response to the potential customer's comments. Also, while prospective buyers may ignore direct mail or advertisements, they will not ignore a ringing telephone. Once the person answers the phone, a good telemarketer can generate a lead.
Inbound lead generation telemarketing involves the prospective customer calling the company to find out about their products or services. This is the best kind of lead generation telemarketing because the potential buyer has already shown interest by making the call. It is then up to the telemarketer to say the right things in order to retain the prospective buyer's interest. Often, people will call for information about certain products or to see if there are any sales or discounts available. It is up to the telemarketer to be able to provide the caller with all of the necessary facts that the caller asks for.
Outbound telemarketing is less successful than taking inbound calls. It is difficult because it often involves what is called cold calling. This is when a lead generator makes an unsolicited call to a potential customer. The person has no idea who is calling them or why. A high percentage of people react badly to being cold called. It takes someone with great communication skills and the ability to handle rejection to make a successful cold caller. Other times, the callers are equipped with a list of potential leads. The caller's responsibility is then to verify that the person is indeed interested.
Another option for lead generation telemarketing is to use a lead generation system. Lead generation systems are machines programmed to dial phone numbers and deliver a recorded message when the phone is answered. Many people hang up on these machines, but they are a cost effective way to generate leads. Some lead generation systems can be given a list of potential leads to call, thus increasing the chance of success.
Lead generation telemarketing is a great, flexible, adaptable way to gain new customers. People with good communication skills are often very good at this type of work.
Telemarketing is one of the few lead generation techniques that is flexible enough to be immediately adaptable to new situations. The telemarketer can answer questions or provide additional information as needed in response to the potential customer's comments. Also, while prospective buyers may ignore direct mail or advertisements, they will not ignore a ringing telephone. Once the person answers the phone, a good telemarketer can generate a lead.
Inbound lead generation telemarketing involves the prospective customer calling the company to find out about their products or services. This is the best kind of lead generation telemarketing because the potential buyer has already shown interest by making the call. It is then up to the telemarketer to say the right things in order to retain the prospective buyer's interest. Often, people will call for information about certain products or to see if there are any sales or discounts available. It is up to the telemarketer to be able to provide the caller with all of the necessary facts that the caller asks for.
Outbound telemarketing is less successful than taking inbound calls. It is difficult because it often involves what is called cold calling. This is when a lead generator makes an unsolicited call to a potential customer. The person has no idea who is calling them or why. A high percentage of people react badly to being cold called. It takes someone with great communication skills and the ability to handle rejection to make a successful cold caller. Other times, the callers are equipped with a list of potential leads. The caller's responsibility is then to verify that the person is indeed interested.
Another option for lead generation telemarketing is to use a lead generation system. Lead generation systems are machines programmed to dial phone numbers and deliver a recorded message when the phone is answered. Many people hang up on these machines, but they are a cost effective way to generate leads. Some lead generation systems can be given a list of potential leads to call, thus increasing the chance of success.
Lead generation telemarketing is a great, flexible, adaptable way to gain new customers. People with good communication skills are often very good at this type of work.
Generate Word of Mouth in Six Steps
Do you want a low cost way to generate more customers for your business? This article provides six simple steps to get customers to come to you.
Let me ask you a simple question - do you want your customers to say positive things about your business to other people? I bet you do, because as we all know "word of mouth" is one of the most effective and low cost ways to find new customers. And the most effective way to generate"word of mouth" is to provide extraordinary customer service.
Remember - the difference between ordinary and extraordinary is just that little bit "extra." So what is that little bit extra?
I recently decided that I needed a new pair of training shoes. I was suffering from sore calves after exercising and put it down to the state of my shoes. (And before you say anything, there's no way I'm putting it down to old age).
A visit to a local sports shoe store resulted in me walking up and down the length of the store in my bare feet with my suit trousers rolled up to the knee. Two sales assistants were sitting on the floor watching my progress.
After much discussion between us they recommended two pairs of shoes that I should try. New shoes were purchased; no more sore calves and I told you it wasn't old age.
These sales assistants provided that little bit "extra."They made me feel important, they were warm and friendly, they responded to what I had to say and they listened to my complaints about my aching muscles. I've now recommended that sports shoe shop to several people.
Research tells us that customers want two basic things from a supplier: -
Firstly, they want quality core service. - In other words,they expect your product or service to work, to do what you say it'll do. (However, do this alone and you'll only provide "ordinary" service).
Secondly, they want friendly caring service - They want to be acknowledged, to feel that someone is interested in them as an individual and that they're cared about. (This is what provides that little bit "extra").
Here are Six Steps to add that little bit extra and generate word of mouth:
1. First impressions are vital - It therefore makes good sense to consider what you look like and sound like. In a face to face situation it's important to make eye contact and smile. On the telephone, it's not what you say as an initial greeting that matters, but more important, how you say it.
2. Warm and friendly - This is what most people want and it makes your life easier too.
3. Use names appropriately - A person name is one of thewarmest sounds they hear. It says that you have recognised them as an individual.
4. Respond - If a customer says something, the intention was for you to hear it. And if you hear it, it's a good idea to acknowledge it.
5. Actively listen - When you think about it, most people aren't very good listeners. We'd all rather be talking. You have to work hard at listening particularly if you want to let the other person know that you care. Many people listen but don't show that they're listening. You've got to do all the nodding head stuff and look like you're interested. And remember over the phone; occasionally make some indication that you're still there.
6. Close positively - At the end of an interaction it's a good idea to make a positive statement on a business level and a personal level. Say something like - "If you have any further problems then please phone me on this number and I'm sure you'll enjoy your holiday next week."
Make no mistake about it, providing friendly caring service creates that little bit extra and generates word of mouth for your business
Article Tags: Generate Word
Let me ask you a simple question - do you want your customers to say positive things about your business to other people? I bet you do, because as we all know "word of mouth" is one of the most effective and low cost ways to find new customers. And the most effective way to generate"word of mouth" is to provide extraordinary customer service.
Remember - the difference between ordinary and extraordinary is just that little bit "extra." So what is that little bit extra?
I recently decided that I needed a new pair of training shoes. I was suffering from sore calves after exercising and put it down to the state of my shoes. (And before you say anything, there's no way I'm putting it down to old age).
A visit to a local sports shoe store resulted in me walking up and down the length of the store in my bare feet with my suit trousers rolled up to the knee. Two sales assistants were sitting on the floor watching my progress.
After much discussion between us they recommended two pairs of shoes that I should try. New shoes were purchased; no more sore calves and I told you it wasn't old age.
These sales assistants provided that little bit "extra."They made me feel important, they were warm and friendly, they responded to what I had to say and they listened to my complaints about my aching muscles. I've now recommended that sports shoe shop to several people.
Research tells us that customers want two basic things from a supplier: -
Firstly, they want quality core service. - In other words,they expect your product or service to work, to do what you say it'll do. (However, do this alone and you'll only provide "ordinary" service).
Secondly, they want friendly caring service - They want to be acknowledged, to feel that someone is interested in them as an individual and that they're cared about. (This is what provides that little bit "extra").
Here are Six Steps to add that little bit extra and generate word of mouth:
1. First impressions are vital - It therefore makes good sense to consider what you look like and sound like. In a face to face situation it's important to make eye contact and smile. On the telephone, it's not what you say as an initial greeting that matters, but more important, how you say it.
2. Warm and friendly - This is what most people want and it makes your life easier too.
3. Use names appropriately - A person name is one of thewarmest sounds they hear. It says that you have recognised them as an individual.
4. Respond - If a customer says something, the intention was for you to hear it. And if you hear it, it's a good idea to acknowledge it.
5. Actively listen - When you think about it, most people aren't very good listeners. We'd all rather be talking. You have to work hard at listening particularly if you want to let the other person know that you care. Many people listen but don't show that they're listening. You've got to do all the nodding head stuff and look like you're interested. And remember over the phone; occasionally make some indication that you're still there.
6. Close positively - At the end of an interaction it's a good idea to make a positive statement on a business level and a personal level. Say something like - "If you have any further problems then please phone me on this number and I'm sure you'll enjoy your holiday next week."
Make no mistake about it, providing friendly caring service creates that little bit extra and generates word of mouth for your business
Article Tags: Generate Word
Gehring Goes Live with ETO ERP Encompix in Just Six Months
In Six Months Gehring LP Goes Live with ETO ERP Encompix. A full service machine tool operation in Farmington Hills, Michigan
Established in 1976, Gehring L.P. launched its North American operations in Farmington Hills, Michigan.
The 50,000 square foot facility provides a full service machine tool operation, engineering and assembly of custom precision honing machines, comprehensive research and development services, contract honing services, tooling re-work services, a highly skilled team of service technicians, spare parts and in-house manufacturing of super-abrasives by another Gehring Group member, Diato L.P.
After a six-month implementation Gehring L.P. went live on Encompix, the nation's leading ETO (Engineer-to-Order) ERP system. The implementation or champion team was comprised of eight representatives from each department, including both end-users and managers. As with most successful implementations, the president was heavily involved and committed to the project's success.
Adrian Mitrea was the project manager for the Encompix implementation. According to Mitrea, "We are seeing a streamlining of our processes with better communication between departments. Our people can see the whole process and not just their piece. They now understand the effect their work has on downstream operations, and we now have the discipline to make things happen the right way. This is a direct result of having a single, integrated system."
According to TR Cutler, spokesperson for the ETO Institute (http://www.etoinstitute.org - www.etoinstitute.org), "This Gehring implementation is indicative of the type of efficiency process many ETO manufacturers are completing to stay competitive in a global economy."
Encompix (http://www.encompix.com - www.encompix.com) has filled the manufacturing software requirements of Engineer-to-Order companies since 1992. The company name reflects the commitment to developing business application solutions that encompass the complex areas of project-based and job-based manufacturing.
Encompix provides ETO manufacturers with a competitive advantage by improving bottom line results.
Encompix
http://www.encompix.com - www.encompix.com
513-733-0066
Established in 1976, Gehring L.P. launched its North American operations in Farmington Hills, Michigan.
The 50,000 square foot facility provides a full service machine tool operation, engineering and assembly of custom precision honing machines, comprehensive research and development services, contract honing services, tooling re-work services, a highly skilled team of service technicians, spare parts and in-house manufacturing of super-abrasives by another Gehring Group member, Diato L.P.
After a six-month implementation Gehring L.P. went live on Encompix, the nation's leading ETO (Engineer-to-Order) ERP system. The implementation or champion team was comprised of eight representatives from each department, including both end-users and managers. As with most successful implementations, the president was heavily involved and committed to the project's success.
Adrian Mitrea was the project manager for the Encompix implementation. According to Mitrea, "We are seeing a streamlining of our processes with better communication between departments. Our people can see the whole process and not just their piece. They now understand the effect their work has on downstream operations, and we now have the discipline to make things happen the right way. This is a direct result of having a single, integrated system."
According to TR Cutler, spokesperson for the ETO Institute (http://www.etoinstitute.org - www.etoinstitute.org), "This Gehring implementation is indicative of the type of efficiency process many ETO manufacturers are completing to stay competitive in a global economy."
Encompix (http://www.encompix.com - www.encompix.com) has filled the manufacturing software requirements of Engineer-to-Order companies since 1992. The company name reflects the commitment to developing business application solutions that encompass the complex areas of project-based and job-based manufacturing.
Encompix provides ETO manufacturers with a competitive advantage by improving bottom line results.
Encompix
http://www.encompix.com - www.encompix.com
513-733-0066
Furnishing Your Home Office
There are a wide variety of choices when looking to find the perfect home office chair. It is quite possible to find a chair that offers good ergonomic support and also perfectly matches your home office décor.
It is most important to find a chair that it is comfortable for the user. Many chairs feature adjustable parts that enable an individual to attain maximum seated comfort. Good lumbar support helps to prevent discomfort or injury as a result of sitting for a long period of time. A thick cushioned seat is an important feature when selecting a home office chair. It is much easier to be productive in a home office if one is free of the aches and pains that can be associated with being seated.
Once a home office chair is selected, be sure to read and understand the instruction manual that accompanies the purchase. The manual will offer suggestions on how to make appropriate height adjustments to the seat, arm rests, and back support. It is critical to make the proper adjustments for your individual body type to attain proper sitting posture while working. Maintaining a proper sitting posture increases productivity and helps to prevent back strain and possible injury. An additional feature that may be added to a home office chair is a tilting head support that can help to reduce neck strain. If the adjustment mechanisms seem to be faulty, the chair should be returned or replaced.
A home office chair with a sturdy five-prong, swivel base will allow a user to easily turn the chair as needed to multi-task. Quality castors will also allow the chair to glide effortlessly across the floor when necessary. Remember to choose a home office chair that offers comfort and support first. Once these criteria are met, you can choose a color that it matches your new curtains.
Article Tags: Home Office Chair, Home Office, Office Chair
It is most important to find a chair that it is comfortable for the user. Many chairs feature adjustable parts that enable an individual to attain maximum seated comfort. Good lumbar support helps to prevent discomfort or injury as a result of sitting for a long period of time. A thick cushioned seat is an important feature when selecting a home office chair. It is much easier to be productive in a home office if one is free of the aches and pains that can be associated with being seated.
Once a home office chair is selected, be sure to read and understand the instruction manual that accompanies the purchase. The manual will offer suggestions on how to make appropriate height adjustments to the seat, arm rests, and back support. It is critical to make the proper adjustments for your individual body type to attain proper sitting posture while working. Maintaining a proper sitting posture increases productivity and helps to prevent back strain and possible injury. An additional feature that may be added to a home office chair is a tilting head support that can help to reduce neck strain. If the adjustment mechanisms seem to be faulty, the chair should be returned or replaced.
A home office chair with a sturdy five-prong, swivel base will allow a user to easily turn the chair as needed to multi-task. Quality castors will also allow the chair to glide effortlessly across the floor when necessary. Remember to choose a home office chair that offers comfort and support first. Once these criteria are met, you can choose a color that it matches your new curtains.
Article Tags: Home Office Chair, Home Office, Office Chair
Fueling The Ideal - Marketing With Articles
It's that time of year again ... pages of backpacks, notebooks and back-to-school clothing fill every circular that hits your mailbox. And you're off to the races ... the races being the mall, p...
It's that time of year again ... pages of backpacks, notebooks and back-to-school clothing fill every circular that hits your mailbox. And you're off to the races ... the races being the mall, plus every other store in between.
You're in the same spot you were last year this time, getting ready to head off to work while your kids head off to school. Back to hugging them goodbye in the morning and seeing them just long enough in the evening to say I love you and tuck them in.
Wouldn't it be fantastic if the easier schedule of the summer lasted all year long? No more spending all your hours away from your kids just to earn enough money to cover the essentials and pay daycare?
Take it from someone who knows both sides of the deal here and believe that there's no time like right now to make the transition from the regular grind to working from home. As the proud Mom of a 2005 honors graduate who's heading off to college soon, I know first hand what a major impact working from home has had on his success.
When my son was very young, I worked a full-time job away from home, plus at least one part-time job on weekends. This meant that my son was in daycare while I worked. As a single parent who didn't receive child support (for years) though, I had no other choice.
A few years later in the 1990's, I decided there had to be a better way so I started a part-time medical billing service from my home. This allowed me to give up the outside part-time job and gave me the practical means of earning the much-needed income. Best of all, it gave me the priceless opportunity to take care of my son while I worked. I quickly saw that I was onto something great here ... what a concept!
I moved from the east coast to California with my son in 1995 where my first full-time job was with a consulting firm co-owned by a professional speaker. After some negotiations with my boss, we entered into an agreement by which I would work mornings in the office, leave to pick up my son from school in the afternoons and work from home the rest of the day. It worked out incredibly well ... so well in fact, that in 2000, I decided to leave the consulting firm and start my own full-time home based virtual assistant business.
Starting from scratch, I knew that gaining exposure for my business was essential if I wanted to be successful in my new venture. I also knew that traditional forms of marketing are very expensive and quickly gobble up the profits, particularly in the early stages. However, I also remembered a technique that I used successfully for my former employer.
Besides being a consultant and professional speaker, he was also an author, so his goals included increasing his number of speaking engagements and selling more copies of his books. He hoped to accomplish these goals by establishing himself as an expert in his industry, which meant having his work published by every major magazine in his field.
Committed to accomplishing his goals, he gave me a list of those publications, so I drafted a query letter based on one of his story ideas and e-mailed it to the editor of one of the magazines. The editor responded in short notice and offered my employer an article assignment. They published my boss's article soon afterwards and featured it on the cover of the magazine, producing an onslaught of calls to the office!
Writing and submitting that one article produced several paid speaking engagements. This new marketing intrigue fascinated me, so I fine-tuned my article submission process creating logs and checklists, and within a few months, my boss had accomplished his goal of publication in every magazine on his list!
Even online and in-print publications we hadn't contacted began calling and e-mailing in request of articles. The results of writing and submitting articles was so successful that we put other major marketing techniques on hold so my boss could travel to his paid speaking engagements.
As my interest and experience grew in this area of marketing, I knew that if it worked for my boss that it would work for other professionals as well. Soon, I was earning over half my income handling article submissions for other professionals.
Then I realized that if this technique worked for other professionals that it would work for me too in building my own business. And it has worked for me!
This same marketing technique, which I call marketing with articles, has been the success behind my own business. I've used it to expand my client base and build my virtual assistance business into a solid income-generating company, which has allowed me to work full-time at home for the past five years. As my son is getting ready to leave for college, my personal goal now is to help other parents be successful in achieving their career goals while living the dream of staying home with their children.
The concept of marketing with articles does not require a professional writer. Anyone can be successful in building their business and gaining credibility as an expert in their industry or area of expertise by writing and submitting free reprint articles to online and in-print publications. The key to success is in reaching your target audience with resourceful information that is valuable to them.
Editors of both online and in-print publications are in constant demand of quality content for their readers. They have a continuing need to publish content that appeals directly to their target audience, which is where you come in. By writing and submitting free reprint articles to publications that reach readers in your market, you have the opportunity to establish yourself as an expert and gain a generous amount of exposure for your business.
True, you aren't earning money for actually writing the articles, but you are earning a huge payoff here. Not only do you establish your credibility as an expert in your industry or area of expertise, but you earn significant exposure for yourself and your business. Most editors will include your byline with your articles, which gives you the opportunity to include your name and contact information, plus the URL of your web site. Readers come to recognize your name and relate it with certain topics. The more articles you write and submit, the more exposure you gain!
The marketing with articles technique helped turn my dream of working from home full-time into a precious reality that has made a positive impact for both my son and me. As he goes off to college, he'll be leaving with all the benefits of having had a mom who found a way to support him financially without the high cost of being away from him all day. Me, I'll have the benefit of knowing that the bittersweet wind I'm putting beneath his wings comes from my deepest desires for his complete success!
(c) 2005, Davis Virtual Assistance. Reprint rights granted to all venues so long as article and by-line are reproduced intact with links made live.
Article Tags: Away From, Working From, From Home, Would Work, Other Professionals
It's that time of year again ... pages of backpacks, notebooks and back-to-school clothing fill every circular that hits your mailbox. And you're off to the races ... the races being the mall, plus every other store in between.
You're in the same spot you were last year this time, getting ready to head off to work while your kids head off to school. Back to hugging them goodbye in the morning and seeing them just long enough in the evening to say I love you and tuck them in.
Wouldn't it be fantastic if the easier schedule of the summer lasted all year long? No more spending all your hours away from your kids just to earn enough money to cover the essentials and pay daycare?
Take it from someone who knows both sides of the deal here and believe that there's no time like right now to make the transition from the regular grind to working from home. As the proud Mom of a 2005 honors graduate who's heading off to college soon, I know first hand what a major impact working from home has had on his success.
When my son was very young, I worked a full-time job away from home, plus at least one part-time job on weekends. This meant that my son was in daycare while I worked. As a single parent who didn't receive child support (for years) though, I had no other choice.
A few years later in the 1990's, I decided there had to be a better way so I started a part-time medical billing service from my home. This allowed me to give up the outside part-time job and gave me the practical means of earning the much-needed income. Best of all, it gave me the priceless opportunity to take care of my son while I worked. I quickly saw that I was onto something great here ... what a concept!
I moved from the east coast to California with my son in 1995 where my first full-time job was with a consulting firm co-owned by a professional speaker. After some negotiations with my boss, we entered into an agreement by which I would work mornings in the office, leave to pick up my son from school in the afternoons and work from home the rest of the day. It worked out incredibly well ... so well in fact, that in 2000, I decided to leave the consulting firm and start my own full-time home based virtual assistant business.
Starting from scratch, I knew that gaining exposure for my business was essential if I wanted to be successful in my new venture. I also knew that traditional forms of marketing are very expensive and quickly gobble up the profits, particularly in the early stages. However, I also remembered a technique that I used successfully for my former employer.
Besides being a consultant and professional speaker, he was also an author, so his goals included increasing his number of speaking engagements and selling more copies of his books. He hoped to accomplish these goals by establishing himself as an expert in his industry, which meant having his work published by every major magazine in his field.
Committed to accomplishing his goals, he gave me a list of those publications, so I drafted a query letter based on one of his story ideas and e-mailed it to the editor of one of the magazines. The editor responded in short notice and offered my employer an article assignment. They published my boss's article soon afterwards and featured it on the cover of the magazine, producing an onslaught of calls to the office!
Writing and submitting that one article produced several paid speaking engagements. This new marketing intrigue fascinated me, so I fine-tuned my article submission process creating logs and checklists, and within a few months, my boss had accomplished his goal of publication in every magazine on his list!
Even online and in-print publications we hadn't contacted began calling and e-mailing in request of articles. The results of writing and submitting articles was so successful that we put other major marketing techniques on hold so my boss could travel to his paid speaking engagements.
As my interest and experience grew in this area of marketing, I knew that if it worked for my boss that it would work for other professionals as well. Soon, I was earning over half my income handling article submissions for other professionals.
Then I realized that if this technique worked for other professionals that it would work for me too in building my own business. And it has worked for me!
This same marketing technique, which I call marketing with articles, has been the success behind my own business. I've used it to expand my client base and build my virtual assistance business into a solid income-generating company, which has allowed me to work full-time at home for the past five years. As my son is getting ready to leave for college, my personal goal now is to help other parents be successful in achieving their career goals while living the dream of staying home with their children.
The concept of marketing with articles does not require a professional writer. Anyone can be successful in building their business and gaining credibility as an expert in their industry or area of expertise by writing and submitting free reprint articles to online and in-print publications. The key to success is in reaching your target audience with resourceful information that is valuable to them.
Editors of both online and in-print publications are in constant demand of quality content for their readers. They have a continuing need to publish content that appeals directly to their target audience, which is where you come in. By writing and submitting free reprint articles to publications that reach readers in your market, you have the opportunity to establish yourself as an expert and gain a generous amount of exposure for your business.
True, you aren't earning money for actually writing the articles, but you are earning a huge payoff here. Not only do you establish your credibility as an expert in your industry or area of expertise, but you earn significant exposure for yourself and your business. Most editors will include your byline with your articles, which gives you the opportunity to include your name and contact information, plus the URL of your web site. Readers come to recognize your name and relate it with certain topics. The more articles you write and submit, the more exposure you gain!
The marketing with articles technique helped turn my dream of working from home full-time into a precious reality that has made a positive impact for both my son and me. As he goes off to college, he'll be leaving with all the benefits of having had a mom who found a way to support him financially without the high cost of being away from him all day. Me, I'll have the benefit of knowing that the bittersweet wind I'm putting beneath his wings comes from my deepest desires for his complete success!
(c) 2005, Davis Virtual Assistance. Reprint rights granted to all venues so long as article and by-line are reproduced intact with links made live.
Article Tags: Away From, Working From, From Home, Would Work, Other Professionals
From desktop to doorstep - the Affinity Button - a new concept in armchair shopping
A recently launched shopping portal website, http://www.affinitybutton.com - www.affinitybutton.com , is creating widespread interest in the UK offering visitors to its website a means of generating funds for a charity or good cause of their choice simply by browsing through the wide selection of products and services on offer through the website.
More than 200 charities and good causes have registered with the website since its launch in January this year, and visitors to the site are growing every day at a significant rate.
"Give us a year", says Project Manager Andy Kay, "and we aim to see every desktop in the UK equipped with one of our Affinity Buttons. They can be downloaded very easily, cost nothing and give our Buttonholders the chance to window shop from the comfort of home, see a range of great products on offer and raise money for their selected charity automatically whether they decide to buy anything or not. Every Buttonholder has a unique account with us, and can check exactly how much activity they have generated, and how much they have raised for their selected charity or good cause"
The number of companies offering their products and services on the website is also growing very quickly. "Everybody I speak to sees the tremendous potential of this website to attract business for them", says Andy, "as the number of our Buttonholders grow, and very soon we expect our registered buttonholders to reach the million mark, anybody wanting to offer products and services to an on-line audience really can't afford to ignore this website. We can bring them hundreds, even thousands, of visitors - after that, it's up to them, and what they are offering, to attract business".
The Company's latest initiative, 'clicks for schools', aims to attract schools nationwide, their pupils and parents/guardians as Affinity Buttonholders, and is focussing on vendors attractive to this category of web shopper/browser. "We are careful to ensure that all products and services offered through the Affinity Button website are entirely safe for all age groups to view", explains Andy. "Whilst parents can set parental controls on what their children are able to view, we want to be sure that this sort of control is unnecessary so far as children visiting our website is concerned, and this policy is also re-assuring to our site vendors also".
For more information about affinitybutton.com and details of current promotions and offers available, telephone Andy Kay on 01260-299735 or e-mail mailto:andrew@affinitybutton.com - andrew@affinitybutton.com
More than 200 charities and good causes have registered with the website since its launch in January this year, and visitors to the site are growing every day at a significant rate.
"Give us a year", says Project Manager Andy Kay, "and we aim to see every desktop in the UK equipped with one of our Affinity Buttons. They can be downloaded very easily, cost nothing and give our Buttonholders the chance to window shop from the comfort of home, see a range of great products on offer and raise money for their selected charity automatically whether they decide to buy anything or not. Every Buttonholder has a unique account with us, and can check exactly how much activity they have generated, and how much they have raised for their selected charity or good cause"
The number of companies offering their products and services on the website is also growing very quickly. "Everybody I speak to sees the tremendous potential of this website to attract business for them", says Andy, "as the number of our Buttonholders grow, and very soon we expect our registered buttonholders to reach the million mark, anybody wanting to offer products and services to an on-line audience really can't afford to ignore this website. We can bring them hundreds, even thousands, of visitors - after that, it's up to them, and what they are offering, to attract business".
The Company's latest initiative, 'clicks for schools', aims to attract schools nationwide, their pupils and parents/guardians as Affinity Buttonholders, and is focussing on vendors attractive to this category of web shopper/browser. "We are careful to ensure that all products and services offered through the Affinity Button website are entirely safe for all age groups to view", explains Andy. "Whilst parents can set parental controls on what their children are able to view, we want to be sure that this sort of control is unnecessary so far as children visiting our website is concerned, and this policy is also re-assuring to our site vendors also".
For more information about affinitybutton.com and details of current promotions and offers available, telephone Andy Kay on 01260-299735 or e-mail mailto:andrew@affinitybutton.com - andrew@affinitybutton.com
Friction favors the defense because An attack takes time
One of the reasons the defensive form of warfare is so strong is the difficulty of launching a surprise attack. "In theory," says Clausewitz, "surprise promises a great deal. In practice, it generally...
One of the reasons the defensive form of warfare is so strong is the difficulty of launching a surprise attack. "In theory," says Clausewitz, "surprise promises a great deal. In practice, it generally strikes fast by the friction of the whole machine."
In theory, the 1916 battle of the Somme was going to be a surprise attack. But after moving a million men into position and waiting a week for the artillery to do its job, the Allies were left with little surprise.
The larger the operation, the less the surprise. A small company might be able to surprise a big company with a new product. But Ford is unlikely to pull any fast ones on General Motors. The friction of the whole machine gets in the way.
When you look at case histories of leaders who were taken by surprise, you usually find they had ample warning. Leader gets overrun when they ignore those warnings or pooh-pooh the efforts of the competition.
In Mein Kampf, a book that sold some 10 million copies Hitler told England and France exactly what he intended to do. A decade later he did it.
An attacker in a military campaign not only tends to sacrifice surprise but also wastes time in bringing the forces into action. Because of logistics problems, it can be days or weeks before the full force of an attack is felt by a defender-time that can be enormously useful to the defense.
On D day, only 156,115 troops were put ashore on the Normandy beaches in spite of a massive effort. Because of transportation and supply problems, it took several months to build up Allied strength to the millions of troops necessary to ensure success.
In a marketing attack, transportation is usually not a problem. A company can deliver products to thousands of outlets in days.
The bottleneck is communication. Getting a marketing message across to million of customer can take months or years. There is often plenty of time for the defender to blunt the attacker's sales message by under cutting it in one form or another.
But to take advantage of time, the defender has to remain alert to potential threats from any direction.
One of the reasons the defensive form of warfare is so strong is the difficulty of launching a surprise attack. "In theory," says Clausewitz, "surprise promises a great deal. In practice, it generally strikes fast by the friction of the whole machine."
In theory, the 1916 battle of the Somme was going to be a surprise attack. But after moving a million men into position and waiting a week for the artillery to do its job, the Allies were left with little surprise.
The larger the operation, the less the surprise. A small company might be able to surprise a big company with a new product. But Ford is unlikely to pull any fast ones on General Motors. The friction of the whole machine gets in the way.
When you look at case histories of leaders who were taken by surprise, you usually find they had ample warning. Leader gets overrun when they ignore those warnings or pooh-pooh the efforts of the competition.
In Mein Kampf, a book that sold some 10 million copies Hitler told England and France exactly what he intended to do. A decade later he did it.
An attacker in a military campaign not only tends to sacrifice surprise but also wastes time in bringing the forces into action. Because of logistics problems, it can be days or weeks before the full force of an attack is felt by a defender-time that can be enormously useful to the defense.
On D day, only 156,115 troops were put ashore on the Normandy beaches in spite of a massive effort. Because of transportation and supply problems, it took several months to build up Allied strength to the millions of troops necessary to ensure success.
In a marketing attack, transportation is usually not a problem. A company can deliver products to thousands of outlets in days.
The bottleneck is communication. Getting a marketing message across to million of customer can take months or years. There is often plenty of time for the defender to blunt the attacker's sales message by under cutting it in one form or another.
But to take advantage of time, the defender has to remain alert to potential threats from any direction.
Franchise History
The history of franchising could be traced back to the beer industry where
many brewers allowed certain pubs to obtain leaseholds and sell their beer.
Indeed this practice is very common today, especially in the United Kingdom
where companies such as Punch Taverns offer an opportunity to would be
franchise owners who pay a lease on the property and work closely with the
owners at a local and national level.
In the early 1950's franchising suddenly started to increase in popularity and the principles have remained the same throughout the years as the parent company have executive decision over most marketing and trademark issues but the franchise owner enjoys the luxury of being able to piggy back on the success of national chains such as Pizza Hut or Blockbuster.
Modern franchise history is also linked to small work from home business
such as Avon, Ann Summers and other party plan based franchises that allow
many business minded people the opportunity to start up a low risk franchise
and learn tips and techniques that may help when moving onto bigger
franchise opportunities.
Many years ago starting a franchise could be a lonely experience but with
the birth of the internet you now have access to franchise success stories,
franchise case studies and even franchise forums where franchise owners share
their success and also highlight franchise opportunities that don't deliver
on their promises. Recent history suggests that owning a franchise has even
become a good status symbol and many companies now actively recruit on the
basis of assessment centre tests and other criteria.
Webmasters feel free to reprint this article providing you leave the resource box below..
Kevin McNally
http://www.qwfranchise.com - http://www.qwfranchise.com
Quality World Franchise
Article Tags: Franchise History
many brewers allowed certain pubs to obtain leaseholds and sell their beer.
Indeed this practice is very common today, especially in the United Kingdom
where companies such as Punch Taverns offer an opportunity to would be
franchise owners who pay a lease on the property and work closely with the
owners at a local and national level.
In the early 1950's franchising suddenly started to increase in popularity and the principles have remained the same throughout the years as the parent company have executive decision over most marketing and trademark issues but the franchise owner enjoys the luxury of being able to piggy back on the success of national chains such as Pizza Hut or Blockbuster.
Modern franchise history is also linked to small work from home business
such as Avon, Ann Summers and other party plan based franchises that allow
many business minded people the opportunity to start up a low risk franchise
and learn tips and techniques that may help when moving onto bigger
franchise opportunities.
Many years ago starting a franchise could be a lonely experience but with
the birth of the internet you now have access to franchise success stories,
franchise case studies and even franchise forums where franchise owners share
their success and also highlight franchise opportunities that don't deliver
on their promises. Recent history suggests that owning a franchise has even
become a good status symbol and many companies now actively recruit on the
basis of assessment centre tests and other criteria.
Webmasters feel free to reprint this article providing you leave the resource box below..
Kevin McNally
http://www.qwfranchise.com - http://www.qwfranchise.com
Quality World Franchise
Article Tags: Franchise History
Four Ways To Make The Case For Outsourcing
"Businesses today are kicking into survival mode," says Bill Allison, managing director for the Pacific Southwest Management Solutions & Services Group at Deloitte & Touche. "With a sluggish e...
"Businesses today are kicking into survival mode," says Bill Allison, managing director for the Pacific Southwest Management Solutions & Services Group at Deloitte & Touche. "With a sluggish economy and increased competition, shrewd executives turn to outsourcing as the most cost-effective strategy to meet the bottom line and seek a higher return on investment."
Outsourcing, especially in the information technology (IT) arena, is a mechanism that allows businesses to compete effectively and sustain market dominance in the future. According to Allison, it is something most midsize companies should think about if they want to be poised for success. Here are four arguments he suggests you can make in favor of IT outsourcing.
1. Time efficiency
Technology allows businesses to create effective solutions when faced with a challenge. Generally the more demanding and complex the business, the more important the technology infrastructure becomes. Still, there are companies that continue to run their business on an IT infrastructure that has not been upgraded in years. These companies are jeopardizing their pecking order in a competitive marketplace. Ultimately, these companies spend too much time on IT problems stemming from a dated system, and too little time focusing on the customer.
Outsourcing eliminates the challenge of fixing IT problems (e.g. the system is inefficient, the space capacity is limited), as well as the time spent on recruiting and retaining skilled IT work force. Dedicating less time to IT issues allows a business to deliver a higher rate of customer satisfaction and more time to focus on new opportunities.
2. Cost-effectiveness
Outsourcing can be based on leveraging an external service provider's economies of scale and expertise. Many companies share a platform for outsourcing, meaning they reap cost benefits by sharing the provider's data center services and IT infrastructure already in existence for its other clients. This enables the business to accomplish new projects that were once considered too expensive.
3. Rapid time to market
A company that launches a new startup division will typically require highly automated processes. Outsourcing places those responsibilities on to a team of outsourcing experts who can quickly and successfully link the company's system to its vendors and customers. An outsourcing provider can get you up and running with a single, seamless solution to support multiple users in different geographic locations.
4. Best practices
The ability to create and sustain shareholder value is what businesses want. Outsourcing helps achieve that, but you need to be careful about what you outsource and whom to outsource it to. Outsource correctly, and you can position your company to outshine your competitors and make your investors happy.
However, outsourcing decisions that are not carefully strategized will prepare you for declining market share and decreasing margins. Businesses considering outsourcing should develop an "internal characterization." If you were your own customer, what would you like to see improved, emphasized or removed altogether? An honest answer usually requires a fresh, outside perspective that is handled by an unbiased party qualified to take a holistic view of your business.
Internal characterizations performed with in-house personnel might capture the issues, but peering into the mirror can be more effective with a neutral set of eyes. A mistake to be avoided is basing your outsourcing decisions on what you think you are good at, instead of what you should be good at.
As for deciding whom to outsource to, ask yourself, "What is the basis of competition in the outsourcing vendor's industry?" Is your vendor appropriately integrated to deliver against the dimensions of performance that matter most to you? If so, you have made the right choice. If not, look elsewhere.
"Businesses today are kicking into survival mode," says Bill Allison, managing director for the Pacific Southwest Management Solutions & Services Group at Deloitte & Touche. "With a sluggish economy and increased competition, shrewd executives turn to outsourcing as the most cost-effective strategy to meet the bottom line and seek a higher return on investment."
Outsourcing, especially in the information technology (IT) arena, is a mechanism that allows businesses to compete effectively and sustain market dominance in the future. According to Allison, it is something most midsize companies should think about if they want to be poised for success. Here are four arguments he suggests you can make in favor of IT outsourcing.
1. Time efficiency
Technology allows businesses to create effective solutions when faced with a challenge. Generally the more demanding and complex the business, the more important the technology infrastructure becomes. Still, there are companies that continue to run their business on an IT infrastructure that has not been upgraded in years. These companies are jeopardizing their pecking order in a competitive marketplace. Ultimately, these companies spend too much time on IT problems stemming from a dated system, and too little time focusing on the customer.
Outsourcing eliminates the challenge of fixing IT problems (e.g. the system is inefficient, the space capacity is limited), as well as the time spent on recruiting and retaining skilled IT work force. Dedicating less time to IT issues allows a business to deliver a higher rate of customer satisfaction and more time to focus on new opportunities.
2. Cost-effectiveness
Outsourcing can be based on leveraging an external service provider's economies of scale and expertise. Many companies share a platform for outsourcing, meaning they reap cost benefits by sharing the provider's data center services and IT infrastructure already in existence for its other clients. This enables the business to accomplish new projects that were once considered too expensive.
3. Rapid time to market
A company that launches a new startup division will typically require highly automated processes. Outsourcing places those responsibilities on to a team of outsourcing experts who can quickly and successfully link the company's system to its vendors and customers. An outsourcing provider can get you up and running with a single, seamless solution to support multiple users in different geographic locations.
4. Best practices
The ability to create and sustain shareholder value is what businesses want. Outsourcing helps achieve that, but you need to be careful about what you outsource and whom to outsource it to. Outsource correctly, and you can position your company to outshine your competitors and make your investors happy.
However, outsourcing decisions that are not carefully strategized will prepare you for declining market share and decreasing margins. Businesses considering outsourcing should develop an "internal characterization." If you were your own customer, what would you like to see improved, emphasized or removed altogether? An honest answer usually requires a fresh, outside perspective that is handled by an unbiased party qualified to take a holistic view of your business.
Internal characterizations performed with in-house personnel might capture the issues, but peering into the mirror can be more effective with a neutral set of eyes. A mistake to be avoided is basing your outsourcing decisions on what you think you are good at, instead of what you should be good at.
As for deciding whom to outsource to, ask yourself, "What is the basis of competition in the outsourcing vendor's industry?" Is your vendor appropriately integrated to deliver against the dimensions of performance that matter most to you? If so, you have made the right choice. If not, look elsewhere.
Four Tips for Finding Top Niche Markets
Finding the right market to sell your product or service to is important when it comes to online marketing. This is where the importance of choosing the correct niche market to build your business around is important. Discover four tips to help you in this process.
If you want to make it in the Internet business world, you need to know how to find top niche markets. You will need to learn about niche markets and what they are, and how to find customers who are passionate and about a product or service. Research also is important. Promoting a product or service to a niche market is not about you falling in love with it first and then trying to sell it to people. It is about you providing the product or service people are seeking. Making money on the Internet can be done if you pick a profitable niche, create a site around that niche, get traffic to the site, and then make money from that traffic.
Before you sell on the Internet, you should first assess your own interests and strengths. What are you passionate about? What do you do well? Giving careful thought to questions like this can guide you to the type of business to start. However, the problem that most would-be Internet entrepreneurs have is in choosing the right market. What do you sell? Who do you market to? Well, this is where niche markets come in.
What are Niche Markets?
Niche markets are groups with similar interests, hobbies, and needs. They are a hot and hungry market and so passionate about their interests that they are willing to spend money related to it. This is one of the many bonuses to working with niche markets. One has a potential customer base that is ready to buy.
Typically, there are 4 things to look for when choosing a niche: demand, competition (you want some but not an overwhelming amount), money possibilities, and content possibilities.
Four Tips to Choosing A Niche Marktet
1. Make sure there is a demand. When it comes to demand, you must make sure there is a market to sell to. Doing keyword searches with tools such as Good Keywords, Overture, and Wordtracker, can help you assess the market demand for your product or service idea. In addition, you will do much better at picking a specific topic or area and honing in on that as opposed to trying to deal with a broad range of subjects. When you have a more narrowed topic, you will be able to provide your customers with specific information based on their interestes that will keep them interested and coming back. In other words, you become the expert.
2. Competition: It is important to research the competition. Too much competition can indicate market saturation and too little a lack of interest. It's important to find a balance between the two. It is important to see what is out there so that you can make your product or service better than your competitors.
You can also use local libraries and bookstores to find more information about your niche. This research is very important so that you can stay on top of the market and provide accurate and up to date information to your customers. This is another way to stay ahead of the competition.
3. Look for money potential. Sometimes, a product or service might sound ideal and a profit puller, but in reality is the opposite. So, make sure you do careful research to protect yourself against setting up something that will fail to begin with.
4. Make sure that you can quickly and easily build meaningful content on your site for your niche. This will motivate people to keep visiting your site, which can equal to more sale conversions.
Other strategies necessary to starting a niche based business would be would be to create a profitable webpage; attract targeted traffic to the webpage; write a good sales letter; build a database of customers and subscribers; sell more niche products to them; run an affiliate program; automate your niche business.
Are You Willing to do What it Takes?There are several things that you will need if you are planning on being successful. First, KNOW that you will be successful. You need an attitude that says, "I know I can" not "I think I can". You also need to know how to find your potential customers. You might have a great product or service but are you able to target the right people and let them know about it?It is your job while marketing to find those customers and appeal to them, reel them in, catch their attention. You can?t just expect them to accidentally stumble into your lap. It will take work to be sure you are targeting the right group of people but once you have done that and you have a great product, the sales will begin to flow in.
There are also many different products and software programs available to help you find and target your specific niche. You might want to take advantage of these to really get the most from your marketing plan. If you take the proper steps, you can be earning a ton of money from the internet!
Article Tags: Four Tips, Niche Markets, Make Sure
If you want to make it in the Internet business world, you need to know how to find top niche markets. You will need to learn about niche markets and what they are, and how to find customers who are passionate and about a product or service. Research also is important. Promoting a product or service to a niche market is not about you falling in love with it first and then trying to sell it to people. It is about you providing the product or service people are seeking. Making money on the Internet can be done if you pick a profitable niche, create a site around that niche, get traffic to the site, and then make money from that traffic.
Before you sell on the Internet, you should first assess your own interests and strengths. What are you passionate about? What do you do well? Giving careful thought to questions like this can guide you to the type of business to start. However, the problem that most would-be Internet entrepreneurs have is in choosing the right market. What do you sell? Who do you market to? Well, this is where niche markets come in.
What are Niche Markets?
Niche markets are groups with similar interests, hobbies, and needs. They are a hot and hungry market and so passionate about their interests that they are willing to spend money related to it. This is one of the many bonuses to working with niche markets. One has a potential customer base that is ready to buy.
Typically, there are 4 things to look for when choosing a niche: demand, competition (you want some but not an overwhelming amount), money possibilities, and content possibilities.
Four Tips to Choosing A Niche Marktet
1. Make sure there is a demand. When it comes to demand, you must make sure there is a market to sell to. Doing keyword searches with tools such as Good Keywords, Overture, and Wordtracker, can help you assess the market demand for your product or service idea. In addition, you will do much better at picking a specific topic or area and honing in on that as opposed to trying to deal with a broad range of subjects. When you have a more narrowed topic, you will be able to provide your customers with specific information based on their interestes that will keep them interested and coming back. In other words, you become the expert.
2. Competition: It is important to research the competition. Too much competition can indicate market saturation and too little a lack of interest. It's important to find a balance between the two. It is important to see what is out there so that you can make your product or service better than your competitors.
You can also use local libraries and bookstores to find more information about your niche. This research is very important so that you can stay on top of the market and provide accurate and up to date information to your customers. This is another way to stay ahead of the competition.
3. Look for money potential. Sometimes, a product or service might sound ideal and a profit puller, but in reality is the opposite. So, make sure you do careful research to protect yourself against setting up something that will fail to begin with.
4. Make sure that you can quickly and easily build meaningful content on your site for your niche. This will motivate people to keep visiting your site, which can equal to more sale conversions.
Other strategies necessary to starting a niche based business would be would be to create a profitable webpage; attract targeted traffic to the webpage; write a good sales letter; build a database of customers and subscribers; sell more niche products to them; run an affiliate program; automate your niche business.
Are You Willing to do What it Takes?There are several things that you will need if you are planning on being successful. First, KNOW that you will be successful. You need an attitude that says, "I know I can" not "I think I can". You also need to know how to find your potential customers. You might have a great product or service but are you able to target the right people and let them know about it?It is your job while marketing to find those customers and appeal to them, reel them in, catch their attention. You can?t just expect them to accidentally stumble into your lap. It will take work to be sure you are targeting the right group of people but once you have done that and you have a great product, the sales will begin to flow in.
There are also many different products and software programs available to help you find and target your specific niche. You might want to take advantage of these to really get the most from your marketing plan. If you take the proper steps, you can be earning a ton of money from the internet!
Article Tags: Four Tips, Niche Markets, Make Sure
Forums... What They Are And WHY They're Essential For Anyone 'Considering' Starting An Online Business.
This article describes the importance of Forums before starting a online business and how to use them to find and create new idea's for products or services.
Well... first off, let's define exactly what a Forum is so that you'll be able to relate to what I'm about to explain within this article.
The simple definition of a Forum is... it's a online community with a open discussion that allows you to 'Post' questions or queries related to a specific topic.
You can find Forums online related to any topic under the sun, so it doesn't matter what the question is that you might have because there's a Forum out there with hundreds, if not, thousands of members ready and willing to give you helpful Tips and Advice to the questions you have making your life and decision making that much easier.
I can't stress this enough, especially if you're New to Internet and the Internet marketing scene.
Now, for the last segment of this article on want to focus on WHY forums are essential for Anyone who is considering starting an online business.
Well, the main reason is this... Forums are a great way to research your market you are considering developing a Product or Service for.
Why, you ask?
Simply because this is where people go to post there questions about a certain problem they're dealing with and the 'Rule Of Thumb' is... when creating a Product or Service (no matter what kind of product or service it is) make sure it solves a -- Problem.
This is the KEY ingredient to the success of your Product or Service.
Seriously, take a look at all the Posts from the members and note which ones share the most common threads.
If you see alot of common treads, that means there's potential for a Product or Service to be developed.
By doing this simple task it will save you Time and more importantly... MONEY, because who would spend the Time and Money researching and developing a Product or Service if there was NO demand for it. Right?
You see how this works.
It Pays to do a little research.
And Research is the KEY ingredient for a successful Product or Service and Forums are simply a great place to get started, especially for anyone considering starting an online business.
Now, with that said, what you need to do now is figure out what you would ENJOY doing as a online business and draft up a business plan from there.
This is a VERY important step.
Then, go to your favorite search engine and search out a few forums within the area of business your interests lie and become a member.
Take notice to the main topics and write them down on a notepad so you can look over them later to see if there's any potential.(Remember, the most common threads)
It's that simple.
I truly hope this article helped you and opened up your mind up to the endless possibilities that await you online, no matter what business your considering.
We all need Answers and Forums are simply the BEST place to get them answered.
Article Tags: Anyone Considering Starting, Anyone Considering, Considering Starting, Online Business
Well... first off, let's define exactly what a Forum is so that you'll be able to relate to what I'm about to explain within this article.
The simple definition of a Forum is... it's a online community with a open discussion that allows you to 'Post' questions or queries related to a specific topic.
You can find Forums online related to any topic under the sun, so it doesn't matter what the question is that you might have because there's a Forum out there with hundreds, if not, thousands of members ready and willing to give you helpful Tips and Advice to the questions you have making your life and decision making that much easier.
I can't stress this enough, especially if you're New to Internet and the Internet marketing scene.
Now, for the last segment of this article on want to focus on WHY forums are essential for Anyone who is considering starting an online business.
Well, the main reason is this... Forums are a great way to research your market you are considering developing a Product or Service for.
Why, you ask?
Simply because this is where people go to post there questions about a certain problem they're dealing with and the 'Rule Of Thumb' is... when creating a Product or Service (no matter what kind of product or service it is) make sure it solves a -- Problem.
This is the KEY ingredient to the success of your Product or Service.
Seriously, take a look at all the Posts from the members and note which ones share the most common threads.
If you see alot of common treads, that means there's potential for a Product or Service to be developed.
By doing this simple task it will save you Time and more importantly... MONEY, because who would spend the Time and Money researching and developing a Product or Service if there was NO demand for it. Right?
You see how this works.
It Pays to do a little research.
And Research is the KEY ingredient for a successful Product or Service and Forums are simply a great place to get started, especially for anyone considering starting an online business.
Now, with that said, what you need to do now is figure out what you would ENJOY doing as a online business and draft up a business plan from there.
This is a VERY important step.
Then, go to your favorite search engine and search out a few forums within the area of business your interests lie and become a member.
Take notice to the main topics and write them down on a notepad so you can look over them later to see if there's any potential.(Remember, the most common threads)
It's that simple.
I truly hope this article helped you and opened up your mind up to the endless possibilities that await you online, no matter what business your considering.
We all need Answers and Forums are simply the BEST place to get them answered.
Article Tags: Anyone Considering Starting, Anyone Considering, Considering Starting, Online Business
Formglas Goes With ETO ERP Encompix
Formglas recently joined the fraternity of Engineer-to-Order/ project-based manufacturing companies by going with ETO ERP Encompix
Formglas, Inc. (http://www.formglas.com - www.formglas.com) recently joined the fraternity of Engineer-to-Order/project-based manufacturing companies. Formglas placed an initial order for 20 seats of Encompix with implementation and support services. Formglas, located in Toronto has 4 operating divisions. The primary division (commercial construction) provides custom gypsum-based products to the construction industry. The gypsum products are used in place of heavier, more expensive, more flammable materials like wood. Formglas specializes in providing ornamental ceiling and wall fixtures to the Casino and cruise ship industries. Their other divisions are architectural, fireplace and CNC Pattern.
A typical project for them begins with a quotation to provide a certain amount of a product that has been designed by an architect to a customer building a large facility. Formglas provides a quotation in number of pieces and feet using several custom dimensions. They make a pattern (mold) to use in the production of the final product. Formglas is like many of mold makers in their system requirements. Once the patterns are complete the company makes a recipe of gypsum or glass and then manually presses the gypsum into the pattern. The gypsum dries, is finished, (painted, sanded, etc) and then stored for shipment to the job site. The shipments and production schedule are timed in accordance with the project site build schedule.
The company was using a custom developed job tracking system and AccPac accounting. The company tried to implement Made2Manage ERP three years ago, but failed when they realized how project-oriented they were, rarely making the same item twice.
Atul Swarup, the VP of Finance, was the driving force behind the system, leading the charge to allow for a new culture to develop in the company. The competitors for this account were Lilly (Infor), Epicor (Vantage), Navision, and Made2Manage. Atul spoke to five Encompix reference accounts including a visit to Weber Manufacturing in Midland, Ontario.
Encompix (http://www.encompix.com - www.encompix.com) has filled the manufacturing software requirements of Engineer-to-Order companies since 1992. The company name reflects the commitment to developing business application solutions that encompass the complex areas of project-based and job-based manufacturing. Encompix provides ETO manufacturers with a competitive advantage by improving bottom line results.
http://www.encompix.com - www.encompix.com
e-mail protected from spam bots
513-733-0066
Formglas, Inc. (http://www.formglas.com - www.formglas.com) recently joined the fraternity of Engineer-to-Order/project-based manufacturing companies. Formglas placed an initial order for 20 seats of Encompix with implementation and support services. Formglas, located in Toronto has 4 operating divisions. The primary division (commercial construction) provides custom gypsum-based products to the construction industry. The gypsum products are used in place of heavier, more expensive, more flammable materials like wood. Formglas specializes in providing ornamental ceiling and wall fixtures to the Casino and cruise ship industries. Their other divisions are architectural, fireplace and CNC Pattern.
A typical project for them begins with a quotation to provide a certain amount of a product that has been designed by an architect to a customer building a large facility. Formglas provides a quotation in number of pieces and feet using several custom dimensions. They make a pattern (mold) to use in the production of the final product. Formglas is like many of mold makers in their system requirements. Once the patterns are complete the company makes a recipe of gypsum or glass and then manually presses the gypsum into the pattern. The gypsum dries, is finished, (painted, sanded, etc) and then stored for shipment to the job site. The shipments and production schedule are timed in accordance with the project site build schedule.
The company was using a custom developed job tracking system and AccPac accounting. The company tried to implement Made2Manage ERP three years ago, but failed when they realized how project-oriented they were, rarely making the same item twice.
Atul Swarup, the VP of Finance, was the driving force behind the system, leading the charge to allow for a new culture to develop in the company. The competitors for this account were Lilly (Infor), Epicor (Vantage), Navision, and Made2Manage. Atul spoke to five Encompix reference accounts including a visit to Weber Manufacturing in Midland, Ontario.
Encompix (http://www.encompix.com - www.encompix.com) has filled the manufacturing software requirements of Engineer-to-Order companies since 1992. The company name reflects the commitment to developing business application solutions that encompass the complex areas of project-based and job-based manufacturing. Encompix provides ETO manufacturers with a competitive advantage by improving bottom line results.
http://www.encompix.com - www.encompix.com
e-mail protected from spam bots
513-733-0066
For Entrepreneurs A Simple IRA May Be Best
Q: I own a small decorating business and I'll be the first to admit that I don't know anything about taxes or retirement plans. I'd like to set up a 401(k) or an IRA or some other kind of retirement plan for me and my three employees. What are the various retirement plan options available for a small business owner and in your opinion, which would work best for me?
-- Wanda S.
A: Wanda, I appreciate your confidence in my humble opinion, but asking me for financial advice is like asking Donald Trump for a recommendation on hair care products. I can tell you what works best for me and my business, but you'll need to do your homework and seek professional advice to figure out what would work best for you. As a side note, I hear that Donald Trump is coming out with his own line of hair care product soon to be called "Big Head." The formula is 1% mousse, 1% liquid nails, and 98% hot air. It should be a big seller among the high brow, comb-over crowd.
Here's my best advice on retirement plans: find yourself a financial advisor (or financial planner) who is has experience working with small businesses and have him or her explain the options available and make a recommendation as to the type of plan best suited for you and your business. When I say "financial advisor" I'm not talking about your know-it-all brother-in-law or your accountant. I'm talking about a broker or financial planner (or other licensed professional) who has a proven track record of making his clients money and is an expert on IRAs, 401(k)s, mutual funds, etc.
The best way to find a good financial advisor is to ask for referrals from your most successful friends and associates. Find the richest, stingiest man in town and ask who his advisor is. Meet with several advisors, explain your situation, and ask for their recommendations. You should also make sure the advisor is a good fit for your personality and your business. If all goes well you will be doing business with this person for many years to come, so make sure the relationship feels comfortable to you and that you are confident in the advisor's ability to manage your money.
Let me give you a quick overview of a few of the retirement plans available to small businesses so you at least have an idea of what's out there before you start your search for a good financial advisor.
As a small business you basically have three types of retirement plans that you can take advantage of: the Self-Employed 401(k); the Simplified Employee Pension Plan or SEP IRA, and the Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees or SIMPLE IRA. Each allows you to make pre-tax contributions to the plan, which lets you save for retirement and lessen your taxable income by the amount of the contribution. Your investments also grow tax-deferred until withdrawal.
A Self-Employed 401(k) is an option for self-employed individuals or business owners with no employees other than a spouse. The business can be a sole proprietorship, a partnership, or a corporation, including S corps. You can make salary deferrals to this type of plan of up to $14,000 for 2005.
Next is the Simplified Employee Pension Plan or SEP IRA. A SEP is an option if you earn a self-employed income from a full or part time business, even if you are covered by a retirement plan at your fulltime job. A SEP allows you to contribute up to 25% of earned income, up to $41,000 for 2004 and $42,000 for 2005.
My preferred type of retirement plan is the Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees or SIMPLE IRA. The SIMPLE IRA was created to make it easier for small businesses with 100 or fewer employees to offer a tax-advantaged, company sponsored retirement plan.
With a SIMPLE IRA you and your eligible employees may contribute up to 3% of earned income (with a maximum contribution of $10,000) on a pre-tax basis to individual SIMPLE IRAs. You must deduct Social Security and Medicaid from your gross income, but you can then make your SIMPLE IRA contribution before other taxes are levied, effectively lowering your taxable income.
As the employer you must make "matching" or "non-elective" contributions into your employees' SIMPLE IRA accounts. Matching contributions means that the business matches the elective deferral contributions made by employees. For example, if the employee opts to contribute 3% of his salary to the plan, the employer must match the 3% contribution.
At first you might cringe at matching your employees' contributions, but as the business owner and an employee yourself this can be great news. As an employee of your own business you can contribute up to $10,000 to your SIMPLE IRA and the business can then match your contribution dollar-for-dollar, which means that you can put up to $20,000 in tax free dollars into the plan per year. The cost of the contributions is also deductible as a business expense.
The non-elective contribution option requires that the company contribute 2% of every employee's earned income to the plan on the employee's behalf regardless of whether or not the employee contributes to the plan himself. For 2005 the maximum contribution you would be required to make is $4,200.
Like a traditional IRA, you can withdraw money from a SIMPLE IRA at any time; however distributions within the first two years of participation are subject to higher early withdrawal penalties than traditional IRAs or Roth IRAs. Withdrawals within the first two years are subject to a 25% early withdrawal penalty. Withdrawals taken after the first two years are subject to a 10% early withdrawal penalty.
As the employer, the advantages of a SIMPLE IRA include: company contributions to the plan are tax deductible as a business expense; plan documents are simple and easy to administer; administration costs are low; and there is no government reporting required by the employer.
The advantages of a SIMPLE IRA for your employees include: contributions are immediately 100% vested; contributions and earnings are tax-deferred until withdrawal; employees can contribute 100% of earned income up to $10,000 for 2005; and employees can direct their own investments within the IRA.
This is a complex topic and I've just tipped the iceberg here, but hopefully this will give you enough information to get the investment ball rolling.
Here's to your success!
-- Wanda S.
A: Wanda, I appreciate your confidence in my humble opinion, but asking me for financial advice is like asking Donald Trump for a recommendation on hair care products. I can tell you what works best for me and my business, but you'll need to do your homework and seek professional advice to figure out what would work best for you. As a side note, I hear that Donald Trump is coming out with his own line of hair care product soon to be called "Big Head." The formula is 1% mousse, 1% liquid nails, and 98% hot air. It should be a big seller among the high brow, comb-over crowd.
Here's my best advice on retirement plans: find yourself a financial advisor (or financial planner) who is has experience working with small businesses and have him or her explain the options available and make a recommendation as to the type of plan best suited for you and your business. When I say "financial advisor" I'm not talking about your know-it-all brother-in-law or your accountant. I'm talking about a broker or financial planner (or other licensed professional) who has a proven track record of making his clients money and is an expert on IRAs, 401(k)s, mutual funds, etc.
The best way to find a good financial advisor is to ask for referrals from your most successful friends and associates. Find the richest, stingiest man in town and ask who his advisor is. Meet with several advisors, explain your situation, and ask for their recommendations. You should also make sure the advisor is a good fit for your personality and your business. If all goes well you will be doing business with this person for many years to come, so make sure the relationship feels comfortable to you and that you are confident in the advisor's ability to manage your money.
Let me give you a quick overview of a few of the retirement plans available to small businesses so you at least have an idea of what's out there before you start your search for a good financial advisor.
As a small business you basically have three types of retirement plans that you can take advantage of: the Self-Employed 401(k); the Simplified Employee Pension Plan or SEP IRA, and the Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees or SIMPLE IRA. Each allows you to make pre-tax contributions to the plan, which lets you save for retirement and lessen your taxable income by the amount of the contribution. Your investments also grow tax-deferred until withdrawal.
A Self-Employed 401(k) is an option for self-employed individuals or business owners with no employees other than a spouse. The business can be a sole proprietorship, a partnership, or a corporation, including S corps. You can make salary deferrals to this type of plan of up to $14,000 for 2005.
Next is the Simplified Employee Pension Plan or SEP IRA. A SEP is an option if you earn a self-employed income from a full or part time business, even if you are covered by a retirement plan at your fulltime job. A SEP allows you to contribute up to 25% of earned income, up to $41,000 for 2004 and $42,000 for 2005.
My preferred type of retirement plan is the Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees or SIMPLE IRA. The SIMPLE IRA was created to make it easier for small businesses with 100 or fewer employees to offer a tax-advantaged, company sponsored retirement plan.
With a SIMPLE IRA you and your eligible employees may contribute up to 3% of earned income (with a maximum contribution of $10,000) on a pre-tax basis to individual SIMPLE IRAs. You must deduct Social Security and Medicaid from your gross income, but you can then make your SIMPLE IRA contribution before other taxes are levied, effectively lowering your taxable income.
As the employer you must make "matching" or "non-elective" contributions into your employees' SIMPLE IRA accounts. Matching contributions means that the business matches the elective deferral contributions made by employees. For example, if the employee opts to contribute 3% of his salary to the plan, the employer must match the 3% contribution.
At first you might cringe at matching your employees' contributions, but as the business owner and an employee yourself this can be great news. As an employee of your own business you can contribute up to $10,000 to your SIMPLE IRA and the business can then match your contribution dollar-for-dollar, which means that you can put up to $20,000 in tax free dollars into the plan per year. The cost of the contributions is also deductible as a business expense.
The non-elective contribution option requires that the company contribute 2% of every employee's earned income to the plan on the employee's behalf regardless of whether or not the employee contributes to the plan himself. For 2005 the maximum contribution you would be required to make is $4,200.
Like a traditional IRA, you can withdraw money from a SIMPLE IRA at any time; however distributions within the first two years of participation are subject to higher early withdrawal penalties than traditional IRAs or Roth IRAs. Withdrawals within the first two years are subject to a 25% early withdrawal penalty. Withdrawals taken after the first two years are subject to a 10% early withdrawal penalty.
As the employer, the advantages of a SIMPLE IRA include: company contributions to the plan are tax deductible as a business expense; plan documents are simple and easy to administer; administration costs are low; and there is no government reporting required by the employer.
The advantages of a SIMPLE IRA for your employees include: contributions are immediately 100% vested; contributions and earnings are tax-deferred until withdrawal; employees can contribute 100% of earned income up to $10,000 for 2005; and employees can direct their own investments within the IRA.
This is a complex topic and I've just tipped the iceberg here, but hopefully this will give you enough information to get the investment ball rolling.
Here's to your success!
Five Ways to Speed Up Business Cash Flow
At one point or another, almost every business runs short of cash. Whether due to normal fluctuations in demand or an unexpected decline in sales, cash shortfalls are the bane of every company, and are responsible for sleepless nights for many business owners.
Yet, there are a number of simple ways that you can reduce your dependence on your company's line of credit and increase the cash that you need. Here are five no-cost methods to try:
Increase Receivables Collection Efforts: This is the easiest and fastest way to generate cash but, surprisingly, most companies do a terrible job of it. Start by calling all customers whose invoices are between 25 and 30 days old to ensure that they have your bill and to find out when it is scheduled for payment. These are the easiest collection calls to make and they often result in faster payment. And, it allows you to quickly rectify problems that may delay your check.
Get Payment In Advance: Another often overlooked technique is to simply ask customers for advance payment, or for a partial payment for goods and services. This approach is especially valid with large purchases, or on work where you'll incur significant expenses before being able to deliver the final product. Most customers will agree to such a request without asking any questions.
Invoice More Frequently: Many companies send out invoices once a month, typically at the end of the month. That gives buyers who purchased early in the month up to 30 additional days to play with your money. The frequency with which you prepare bills will depend on your business, but most companies can justify preparing invoices at least weekly.
Shorten Your Payment Terms: Most accounts payable departments schedule your payment based on the terms printed on your invoice. If you provide 30-day terms, don't expect to get paid before then. However, many customers won't even notice if you change your payment terms to 15 days, or request payment upon receipt of your invoice. You'll still have to nudge the same "slow pays," but your good accounts will probably process your invoice more quickly.
Accept Credit Cards For Payment: This isn't really a no-cost method, since you'll have to pay a service fee to the bank that clears the transaction. But, you'll get paid within days and eliminate much of the clerical support required to follow up on payment. Those savings alone often more than offset the service charges. And, your customers might even thank you for the frequent flier miles they pick up by using their credit card.
There is, of course, one other important way to quickly generate cash for your business, and that is to increase your attention to sales. In all but a handful of cases, increased sales will make cash flow problems disappear.
Yet, there are a number of simple ways that you can reduce your dependence on your company's line of credit and increase the cash that you need. Here are five no-cost methods to try:
Increase Receivables Collection Efforts: This is the easiest and fastest way to generate cash but, surprisingly, most companies do a terrible job of it. Start by calling all customers whose invoices are between 25 and 30 days old to ensure that they have your bill and to find out when it is scheduled for payment. These are the easiest collection calls to make and they often result in faster payment. And, it allows you to quickly rectify problems that may delay your check.
Get Payment In Advance: Another often overlooked technique is to simply ask customers for advance payment, or for a partial payment for goods and services. This approach is especially valid with large purchases, or on work where you'll incur significant expenses before being able to deliver the final product. Most customers will agree to such a request without asking any questions.
Invoice More Frequently: Many companies send out invoices once a month, typically at the end of the month. That gives buyers who purchased early in the month up to 30 additional days to play with your money. The frequency with which you prepare bills will depend on your business, but most companies can justify preparing invoices at least weekly.
Shorten Your Payment Terms: Most accounts payable departments schedule your payment based on the terms printed on your invoice. If you provide 30-day terms, don't expect to get paid before then. However, many customers won't even notice if you change your payment terms to 15 days, or request payment upon receipt of your invoice. You'll still have to nudge the same "slow pays," but your good accounts will probably process your invoice more quickly.
Accept Credit Cards For Payment: This isn't really a no-cost method, since you'll have to pay a service fee to the bank that clears the transaction. But, you'll get paid within days and eliminate much of the clerical support required to follow up on payment. Those savings alone often more than offset the service charges. And, your customers might even thank you for the frequent flier miles they pick up by using their credit card.
There is, of course, one other important way to quickly generate cash for your business, and that is to increase your attention to sales. In all but a handful of cases, increased sales will make cash flow problems disappear.
Five Ways To Find Outsourcing Clients
Researchers at Gartner Group predict that 80 percent of U.S. companies will have engaged in high-level outsourcing discussions by 2004, with the greatest interest in applications and business process ...
Researchers at Gartner Group predict that 80 percent of U.S. companies will have engaged in high-level outsourcing discussions by 2004, with the greatest interest in applications and business process outsourcing. Also of increasing interest and demand is the use of offshore delivery centers in an outsourcing strategy.
Often used interchangeably with "offshoring," the term "outsourcing" has much broader-reaching implications. Whereas offshoring typically refers to hiring supplemental manpower (usually from countries like India) on a per-head-count hourly rate, the practice of outsourcing exceeds this staff augmentation mentality. Today's sophisticated outsourcing paradigm embraces a global delivery model, risk management/governance contingencies, and long-term service level agreements (SLAs) that span both technology and business process services.
Just as the market definition and scope for outsourcing services has evolved over the past decade, so too has the purchasing audience. Historically, IT executives have been the primary buyers of outsourcing services, largely due to the technology intensive nature of early outsourcing arrangements. While the CIO's role is still integral to the decision-making process, financial and business-line executives and CEOs are now driving the need for more business process-focused outsourcing solutions and therefore have emerged as a new buyer.
Mid-sized professional services firms like Kanbay International Inc. (http://www.kanbay.com - www.kanbay.com) that specialize in a particular market niche (e.g. financial services) are in a strong position to reach today's newer, middle-tier market with global application management and business process outsourcing solutions. Kanbay engages a number of innovative strategies to differentiate itself and educate this vertical market on the value of outsourcing.
"The rise of the outsourced economy is creating a new set of management challenges -- and opportunities. While the industry's top players have created the demand for global outsourced solutions, more mid-tier companies are getting into the game. This has opened up a viable market for managed solutions providers to serve this customer segment," said Shiraz Patel, president of Kanbay Managed Solutions Inc.
How to find clients
Patel leads the Kanbay subsidiary that provides financial services clients with global delivery options and a mature governance model for application management outsourcing (AMO) and business process outsourcing (BPO). He offers the following advice to IT services/software and professional service firms looking to enter the outsourcing market. Kanbay has successfully employed a number of these venues in its own marketing approach:
Seek objective analyst opinions. Meet at least quarterly with industry analysts such as Gartner, Aberdeen and IDC, who cover outsourcing industry and managed solutions companies. Schedule in-person visits to brief these groups on your firm's history, client experience and vision. Likewise, analysts can help validate your marketing approach, serving as third-party, unbiased advisers that in turn educate potential customers, partners and investors. Many analysts host conferences and publish newsletters and special reports on outsourcing topics in which you can participate.
Participate in industry/educational forums. Outsourcing conferences enable companies like Kanbay to showcase their clients' success stories and achievements. This interactive, peer-to-peer format allows business prospects in a similar industry to address common challenges, learn by example, and to meet the outsourcing partners behind customer achievements.
Host seminars and Webinars. In a market saturated with hundreds of seminar offerings, companies like Kanbay have the most success with brief (two hours or less), highly targeted programs that demonstrate solutions geared to business challenges within a specific industry. Webinars are also attractive to sponsors and clients alike because they are cost-effective, require no travel and contain similar content to live seminars.
Leverage the media. The media is a powerful and influential source for educating potential customers on outsourcing trends and solutions. Consider contributing to publications that feature customer case studies, quote industry experts and publish opinion articles authored by outsourcing company experts.
Evaluate your partnership strategy. Many smaller and mid-sized firms are attracted to the deep expertise and capabilities of the large outsourcing companies, yet often find their services cost-prohibitive. When targeting this market segment, companies like Kanbay offer a blended model for the financial services industry, engaging with clients and managing risk-similar to larger outsourcers with whom Kanbay partners -- but at competitive rates.
Article Tags: Business Process Outsourcing, Business Process, Process Outsourcing, Financial Services, Managed Solutions
Researchers at Gartner Group predict that 80 percent of U.S. companies will have engaged in high-level outsourcing discussions by 2004, with the greatest interest in applications and business process outsourcing. Also of increasing interest and demand is the use of offshore delivery centers in an outsourcing strategy.
Often used interchangeably with "offshoring," the term "outsourcing" has much broader-reaching implications. Whereas offshoring typically refers to hiring supplemental manpower (usually from countries like India) on a per-head-count hourly rate, the practice of outsourcing exceeds this staff augmentation mentality. Today's sophisticated outsourcing paradigm embraces a global delivery model, risk management/governance contingencies, and long-term service level agreements (SLAs) that span both technology and business process services.
Just as the market definition and scope for outsourcing services has evolved over the past decade, so too has the purchasing audience. Historically, IT executives have been the primary buyers of outsourcing services, largely due to the technology intensive nature of early outsourcing arrangements. While the CIO's role is still integral to the decision-making process, financial and business-line executives and CEOs are now driving the need for more business process-focused outsourcing solutions and therefore have emerged as a new buyer.
Mid-sized professional services firms like Kanbay International Inc. (http://www.kanbay.com - www.kanbay.com) that specialize in a particular market niche (e.g. financial services) are in a strong position to reach today's newer, middle-tier market with global application management and business process outsourcing solutions. Kanbay engages a number of innovative strategies to differentiate itself and educate this vertical market on the value of outsourcing.
"The rise of the outsourced economy is creating a new set of management challenges -- and opportunities. While the industry's top players have created the demand for global outsourced solutions, more mid-tier companies are getting into the game. This has opened up a viable market for managed solutions providers to serve this customer segment," said Shiraz Patel, president of Kanbay Managed Solutions Inc.
How to find clients
Patel leads the Kanbay subsidiary that provides financial services clients with global delivery options and a mature governance model for application management outsourcing (AMO) and business process outsourcing (BPO). He offers the following advice to IT services/software and professional service firms looking to enter the outsourcing market. Kanbay has successfully employed a number of these venues in its own marketing approach:
Seek objective analyst opinions. Meet at least quarterly with industry analysts such as Gartner, Aberdeen and IDC, who cover outsourcing industry and managed solutions companies. Schedule in-person visits to brief these groups on your firm's history, client experience and vision. Likewise, analysts can help validate your marketing approach, serving as third-party, unbiased advisers that in turn educate potential customers, partners and investors. Many analysts host conferences and publish newsletters and special reports on outsourcing topics in which you can participate.
Participate in industry/educational forums. Outsourcing conferences enable companies like Kanbay to showcase their clients' success stories and achievements. This interactive, peer-to-peer format allows business prospects in a similar industry to address common challenges, learn by example, and to meet the outsourcing partners behind customer achievements.
Host seminars and Webinars. In a market saturated with hundreds of seminar offerings, companies like Kanbay have the most success with brief (two hours or less), highly targeted programs that demonstrate solutions geared to business challenges within a specific industry. Webinars are also attractive to sponsors and clients alike because they are cost-effective, require no travel and contain similar content to live seminars.
Leverage the media. The media is a powerful and influential source for educating potential customers on outsourcing trends and solutions. Consider contributing to publications that feature customer case studies, quote industry experts and publish opinion articles authored by outsourcing company experts.
Evaluate your partnership strategy. Many smaller and mid-sized firms are attracted to the deep expertise and capabilities of the large outsourcing companies, yet often find their services cost-prohibitive. When targeting this market segment, companies like Kanbay offer a blended model for the financial services industry, engaging with clients and managing risk-similar to larger outsourcers with whom Kanbay partners -- but at competitive rates.
Article Tags: Business Process Outsourcing, Business Process, Process Outsourcing, Financial Services, Managed Solutions
Five Unique Ways To Get Free Advertising
1. Give TestimonialsWhen you purchase a product or service and it exceeds your expectations e-mail the business a testimonial. Tell them in the testimonial the benefits you got from the product or ser...
1. Give Testimonials
When you purchase a product or service and it exceeds your expectations e-mail the business a testimonial. Tell them in the testimonial the benefits you got from the product or service. Give them permission to publish the testimonial on the web site if they include your sig file at the end.
2. Leave A Message
When you visit a web site with a discussion board leave a message. You could post a question, interesting content or a compliment about their web site. Include your signature file at the end of the message. Some discussion boards let you post your banner ad or text link.
3. Sign Guest Books
When you visit a well designed web site leave a compliment on their guest book. You could give them a compliment on their content, ease of navigation, graphics etc. When you post your compliment include your sig file so other people will see it when they sign the guest book.
4. Write A Review
When you visit a web site you enjoyed a lot write a review for the web site Write about the benefits you gain from the site, the web site design, interesting online services it offers etc. E-mail the review to the web site. Tell them they can publish it on their web site if they include your resource box at the end.
5. Send An E-mail To The Editor When you read a good article or enjoy a certain e-zine, e-mail a compliment to the editor. Give the editor permission to publish the compliment in their e-zine if they include your signature file at the end. The editor may post it on his or her web site.
1. Give Testimonials
When you purchase a product or service and it exceeds your expectations e-mail the business a testimonial. Tell them in the testimonial the benefits you got from the product or service. Give them permission to publish the testimonial on the web site if they include your sig file at the end.
2. Leave A Message
When you visit a web site with a discussion board leave a message. You could post a question, interesting content or a compliment about their web site. Include your signature file at the end of the message. Some discussion boards let you post your banner ad or text link.
3. Sign Guest Books
When you visit a well designed web site leave a compliment on their guest book. You could give them a compliment on their content, ease of navigation, graphics etc. When you post your compliment include your sig file so other people will see it when they sign the guest book.
4. Write A Review
When you visit a web site you enjoyed a lot write a review for the web site Write about the benefits you gain from the site, the web site design, interesting online services it offers etc. E-mail the review to the web site. Tell them they can publish it on their web site if they include your resource box at the end.
5. Send An E-mail To The Editor When you read a good article or enjoy a certain e-zine, e-mail a compliment to the editor. Give the editor permission to publish the compliment in their e-zine if they include your signature file at the end. The editor may post it on his or her web site.
Five Tips to Obtain Credit for Small Businesses
Obtaining credit is necessary for many small businesses. Knowing what steps to take in this process can greatly increase an approval from a financial institution. Here are five tips to assist entrepreneurs in this process.
As many small business owners know, financing is crucial to the financial health of their enterprise. While some small business owners have the resources to launch their business, most look to the credit market for financial help. Indeed, the banking industry is an important source to gain necessary capital. However, many entrepreneurs may not realize that that applying for commercial credit requires a great deal of preparation. Here are five tips to assist entrepreneurs in improving their chances of getting credit approval.
Tip #1: Decide on the type of commercial loan that is needed. Loan options include short-term loans, intermediate loans, long-term loans, and lines of credit.
Short-term loans are usually for less than a year. They typically provide interim working capital for a business temporarily in need of cash.
Intermediate loans are often used for business set-up, the purchase of new equipment, expansion, or an increase in working capital. This loan can be anywhere from 1-3 years.
Long-term loans are for major capital improvements, acquiring fixed assists, and business start-ups. The loan term is usually from 3-5 years and repayment installments are on a monthly or quarterly basis.
A line of credit gives a small business the ability to borrow money repeatedly, up to the credit limit. The lender will usually perform a review once a year, at which time the borrower is asked to update financial statements.
Tip #2: Make sure all paper work is in order. Applying for commercial loans can be very tedious and requires much more documentation than applying for consumer credit. So, the key is to be prepared. In addition, entrepreneurs who have carefully put together the needed paperwork to include the loan purpose, the amount of money needed and for how long, and a repayment schedule proposal will be viewed more favorably by many lenders.
Tip #3: Develop a well thought out proposal. The proposal should include the loan purpose, the amount of money needed and for how long, and a repayment schedule proposal. Points to include are the business description that tells the nature of the business, product and service, a personal profile, and a business plan that outlines the corporate strategy for the next three to five years. Additional points to add are supporting documentation that supports the information outlined in the proposal, and collateral that will be used to secure the loan. Financial statements, both personal and for the business, are important as well.
Tip #4: Seek advice! It is important for entrepreneurs to talk with someone who has gone through the process of obtaining commercial credit before a lender is approached. This is especially important for the first time buyer. Entrepreneurs can approach mentors, qualified business counselors, business support groups, and the U.
S. Small Business Administration. This step will increase the chances of getting a favorable credit decision.
Tip #5: Be prepared to pursue various options. Sometimes, financial institutions will say no. Once again, obtaining credit can be difficult, especially for entrepreneurs who are first-time borrowers. However, since financial institutions have different standards, an inability to meet the standard of one lender does not mean one fails the standards of all. It is highly possible that credit approvals can be gained with another lender. So, it is important to keep seeking until a lender is found.
Obtaining credit is necessary for many small businesses. Knowing what steps to take in this process can greatly increase an approval from a financial institution. Now, put these five tips into practice and be on your way to getting the credit you need for your business venture.
Article Tags: Five Tips, Small Businesses, Small Business
As many small business owners know, financing is crucial to the financial health of their enterprise. While some small business owners have the resources to launch their business, most look to the credit market for financial help. Indeed, the banking industry is an important source to gain necessary capital. However, many entrepreneurs may not realize that that applying for commercial credit requires a great deal of preparation. Here are five tips to assist entrepreneurs in improving their chances of getting credit approval.
Tip #1: Decide on the type of commercial loan that is needed. Loan options include short-term loans, intermediate loans, long-term loans, and lines of credit.
Short-term loans are usually for less than a year. They typically provide interim working capital for a business temporarily in need of cash.
Intermediate loans are often used for business set-up, the purchase of new equipment, expansion, or an increase in working capital. This loan can be anywhere from 1-3 years.
Long-term loans are for major capital improvements, acquiring fixed assists, and business start-ups. The loan term is usually from 3-5 years and repayment installments are on a monthly or quarterly basis.
A line of credit gives a small business the ability to borrow money repeatedly, up to the credit limit. The lender will usually perform a review once a year, at which time the borrower is asked to update financial statements.
Tip #2: Make sure all paper work is in order. Applying for commercial loans can be very tedious and requires much more documentation than applying for consumer credit. So, the key is to be prepared. In addition, entrepreneurs who have carefully put together the needed paperwork to include the loan purpose, the amount of money needed and for how long, and a repayment schedule proposal will be viewed more favorably by many lenders.
Tip #3: Develop a well thought out proposal. The proposal should include the loan purpose, the amount of money needed and for how long, and a repayment schedule proposal. Points to include are the business description that tells the nature of the business, product and service, a personal profile, and a business plan that outlines the corporate strategy for the next three to five years. Additional points to add are supporting documentation that supports the information outlined in the proposal, and collateral that will be used to secure the loan. Financial statements, both personal and for the business, are important as well.
Tip #4: Seek advice! It is important for entrepreneurs to talk with someone who has gone through the process of obtaining commercial credit before a lender is approached. This is especially important for the first time buyer. Entrepreneurs can approach mentors, qualified business counselors, business support groups, and the U.
S. Small Business Administration. This step will increase the chances of getting a favorable credit decision.
Tip #5: Be prepared to pursue various options. Sometimes, financial institutions will say no. Once again, obtaining credit can be difficult, especially for entrepreneurs who are first-time borrowers. However, since financial institutions have different standards, an inability to meet the standard of one lender does not mean one fails the standards of all. It is highly possible that credit approvals can be gained with another lender. So, it is important to keep seeking until a lender is found.
Obtaining credit is necessary for many small businesses. Knowing what steps to take in this process can greatly increase an approval from a financial institution. Now, put these five tips into practice and be on your way to getting the credit you need for your business venture.
Article Tags: Five Tips, Small Businesses, Small Business
Five Tips To Create A Master Plan For Professional Success
To improve your chance for business success, you should create a master plan. This is your big picture…a visual map of how success looks to you.
But success doesn't just happen; it requires focus, constant planning and hard work. To help you, here are five strategies for creating a master plan for achieving success:
1. Imagine the possibilities: Think of 101 things you want to accomplish in the next 10 years. Have fun with this and let your imagination run free. Be specific and personalize your list by beginning each sentence with "I am" or "I will." For example, "I will complete at least three professional development courses this year. "Or, "I am the most successful salesperson in my company."
To get you started, here are a few questions that can help you gain focus:
What do I want to do?
What do I want to have?
Where do I want to go?
What contributions do I want to make?
What do I want to become?
What do I want to learn?
How much time do I want off for fun?
Whom do I want to spend time with?
How much money do I want to earn, save and invest?
Once you make your list of goals, prioritize them. Place a 1 by the most important goal, 2 beside the next most important and so on. But before you do that, write down the most important reason you want to accomplish each goal and the biggest benefit you will receive from each. This will help you stay focused and motivated.
2. Create a picture goals book: To improve your focus on your new lifestyle, create a picture book of your most important goals. Simply start collecting pictures in a large photo album.
3. Use an ideas book: Get a basic notebook and jot down your daily observations and insights. This is a powerful tool to expand your awareness. You can use your book for business ideas, sales tips presentation skills, money-making projects or quotes you have read. If you're more a computer person, you can start a Word document called "Great Ideas."
4. Visualize, think, reflect and review: Use your imagination to create positive, winning pictures. The sharper your images are and the more intense you feel, the more likely you are to create the result you desire.
5. Develop mentors and mastermind groups: Surround yourself with business people who have more experience in areas where you are lacking. Your master-mind group should have four to six people who meet regularly to share ideas and support each other. These are power alliances that can help you achieve your goals much faster than you could on your own.
But success doesn't just happen; it requires focus, constant planning and hard work. To help you, here are five strategies for creating a master plan for achieving success:
1. Imagine the possibilities: Think of 101 things you want to accomplish in the next 10 years. Have fun with this and let your imagination run free. Be specific and personalize your list by beginning each sentence with "I am" or "I will." For example, "I will complete at least three professional development courses this year. "Or, "I am the most successful salesperson in my company."
To get you started, here are a few questions that can help you gain focus:
What do I want to do?
What do I want to have?
Where do I want to go?
What contributions do I want to make?
What do I want to become?
What do I want to learn?
How much time do I want off for fun?
Whom do I want to spend time with?
How much money do I want to earn, save and invest?
Once you make your list of goals, prioritize them. Place a 1 by the most important goal, 2 beside the next most important and so on. But before you do that, write down the most important reason you want to accomplish each goal and the biggest benefit you will receive from each. This will help you stay focused and motivated.
2. Create a picture goals book: To improve your focus on your new lifestyle, create a picture book of your most important goals. Simply start collecting pictures in a large photo album.
3. Use an ideas book: Get a basic notebook and jot down your daily observations and insights. This is a powerful tool to expand your awareness. You can use your book for business ideas, sales tips presentation skills, money-making projects or quotes you have read. If you're more a computer person, you can start a Word document called "Great Ideas."
4. Visualize, think, reflect and review: Use your imagination to create positive, winning pictures. The sharper your images are and the more intense you feel, the more likely you are to create the result you desire.
5. Develop mentors and mastermind groups: Surround yourself with business people who have more experience in areas where you are lacking. Your master-mind group should have four to six people who meet regularly to share ideas and support each other. These are power alliances that can help you achieve your goals much faster than you could on your own.
Five Reasons to Incorporate a Company Offshore
Forming a company offshore can benefit many business owners regardless of the size of their operations: here is an explanation of the five main benefits associated with offshore company incorporation.
When it comes to the term 'offshore' used in conjunction with company incorporation, the term 'offshore' generally refers to any jurisdiction other than one in which the company incorporated will conduct the majority of its activities.
Usually such a jurisdiction has some degree of taxation or reporting benefit attached that makes it attractive to the company owner, and the concept of incorporating a company offshore will bring at least one of the following five benefits to a business owner: -
1) Ease of Operations - depending on the jurisdiction and the type of business activity to be conducted under the company name to be incorporated, the operating restrictions, auditing and accounting requirements and standards to which the business and its employees and directors must adhere are often far less restrictive offshore than onshore.
Exceptions to this rule are financial services based companies in many jurisdictions for example, who have to comply with extra regulatory legislation for the protection of the company's clientele.
The advantage of easing operations particularly for a small or start up company is a reduction in operating costs and in the amount of time a company's directors have to dedicate to form filling and report filing.
2) Reporting Simplification - this ties in with the first benefit; in the majority of offshore jurisdictions favoured for company incorporation the company activity reporting requirements are often far fewer and simpler as the business activities entered into by the company are conducted outside of the jurisdiction in which it is incorporated.
Furthermore personal information relating to the company's directors and shareholders need not be declared in all cases or the extent to which personal information is required is far less intrusive.
3) Taxation Reduction/Negation - the reduction in taxation liability is one of the main benefits associated with investing offshore, opening an offshore bank account or incorporating a company offshore.
If you set up your company in a low or no tax jurisdiction you could potentially save yourself substantial amounts of money legally. Often the rules are that if the company incorporated in a particular jurisdiction never derives an income from the local economy it can operate tax free.
It's therefore possible to use an offshore company in an overall international business structure and ensure profits are posted in the offshore jurisdiction and so no tax is liable! Many international corporations operate in this way and actually negate their tax liability fully.
4) Asset Protection - by operating a company offshore, i.e., outside the jurisdiction in which the company operates, it is sometimes possible to position assets away from the reach of any potential litigious action and also to shield business transactions from the eyes' of the competition.
5) Personal Privacy Protection - the level to which a director or shareholder's personal information is required, held, visible or investigated offshore is likely to be far less invasive and intrusive than onshore. It is also possible to appoint nominee directors and secretaries for offshore companies in many jurisdictions thus keeping the true company owner's identity shielded.
The information contained in this article cannot constitute advice. Each individual's circumstances are unique and whether or not offshore company incorporation is something that could benefit your business can only be determined with personal advice.
When it comes to the term 'offshore' used in conjunction with company incorporation, the term 'offshore' generally refers to any jurisdiction other than one in which the company incorporated will conduct the majority of its activities.
Usually such a jurisdiction has some degree of taxation or reporting benefit attached that makes it attractive to the company owner, and the concept of incorporating a company offshore will bring at least one of the following five benefits to a business owner: -
1) Ease of Operations - depending on the jurisdiction and the type of business activity to be conducted under the company name to be incorporated, the operating restrictions, auditing and accounting requirements and standards to which the business and its employees and directors must adhere are often far less restrictive offshore than onshore.
Exceptions to this rule are financial services based companies in many jurisdictions for example, who have to comply with extra regulatory legislation for the protection of the company's clientele.
The advantage of easing operations particularly for a small or start up company is a reduction in operating costs and in the amount of time a company's directors have to dedicate to form filling and report filing.
2) Reporting Simplification - this ties in with the first benefit; in the majority of offshore jurisdictions favoured for company incorporation the company activity reporting requirements are often far fewer and simpler as the business activities entered into by the company are conducted outside of the jurisdiction in which it is incorporated.
Furthermore personal information relating to the company's directors and shareholders need not be declared in all cases or the extent to which personal information is required is far less intrusive.
3) Taxation Reduction/Negation - the reduction in taxation liability is one of the main benefits associated with investing offshore, opening an offshore bank account or incorporating a company offshore.
If you set up your company in a low or no tax jurisdiction you could potentially save yourself substantial amounts of money legally. Often the rules are that if the company incorporated in a particular jurisdiction never derives an income from the local economy it can operate tax free.
It's therefore possible to use an offshore company in an overall international business structure and ensure profits are posted in the offshore jurisdiction and so no tax is liable! Many international corporations operate in this way and actually negate their tax liability fully.
4) Asset Protection - by operating a company offshore, i.e., outside the jurisdiction in which the company operates, it is sometimes possible to position assets away from the reach of any potential litigious action and also to shield business transactions from the eyes' of the competition.
5) Personal Privacy Protection - the level to which a director or shareholder's personal information is required, held, visible or investigated offshore is likely to be far less invasive and intrusive than onshore. It is also possible to appoint nominee directors and secretaries for offshore companies in many jurisdictions thus keeping the true company owner's identity shielded.
The information contained in this article cannot constitute advice. Each individual's circumstances are unique and whether or not offshore company incorporation is something that could benefit your business can only be determined with personal advice.
Selling Truth as a Differentiator
It's become vital to the success of insurance and financial advisors that they differentiate themselves with their exemplary ethics, that they operate by a higher moral code and that they communicate that higher standard to their clients. Why? Because research proves that ethics builds trust, and trust sells - in the long-term and - in the short-term, as well.
The last few years have been a period of heightened scrutiny and scandal for the financial services industry. Most recently, the SEC issued a report on pension consultants regarding conflicts of interest and the objectivity of advice given to retirement plan sponsors. It's become vital to the success of insurance and financial advisors that they differentiate themselves with their exemplary ethics, that they operate by a higher moral code and that they communicate that higher standard to their clients. Why? Because research proves that ethics builds trust, and trust sells - in the long-term and - in the short-term, as well.
Taken from the SEC report and the information provided by the Dept of Labor, below are Affirmations of Ethical Behavior for Financial and Insurance Industry Representatives. The Ten Affirmations of Ethical Behavior
1. If registered with the SEC or a state securities regulator as an investment adviser I will provide my clients with all the disclosures required under those laws (including Part II of Form ADY).
2. I will describe any relationship I have with money managers that I recommend, consider for recommendation, or otherwise mention to the plan.
3. I will describe any payments I receive from money managers I recommend, consider for recommendation, or otherwise mention to the plan for consideration.
4. I have prepared policies and procedures to address conflicts of interest or to prevent conflicting payments or relationships from being a factor when providing advice to my clients.
5. I will monitor and reconcile the amount of commissions paid when using brokerage commissions to pay consulting fees and alert plan sponsors when consulting fees have been paid in full.
6. I have established procedural steps to ensure that the plan receives the best execution for its securities trades when the consulting fees are paid with the plan's brokerage commissions.
7. I will describe any arrangements with broker-dealers under which I will benefit if money managers place trades for their clients with such broker-dealers.
8. If hired, I will acknowledge in writing whether or not I have a fiduciary obligation as an investment adviser to the plan while providing consulting services.
9. I will acknowledge whether or not I consider myself a fiduciary under ERISA with respect to the recommendations I provide the plan?
10. I will describe the percentage of my plan clients that utilize money managers, investment funds, brokerage services or other service providers from whom I receive fees?
Post these affirmations on your website and include them in your marketing materials. If you complete the affirmations for prospective clients, you will have distanced yourself from the scandal ridden and differentiated yourself in an industry where the value added to products and services is quickly commoditized
The last few years have been a period of heightened scrutiny and scandal for the financial services industry. Most recently, the SEC issued a report on pension consultants regarding conflicts of interest and the objectivity of advice given to retirement plan sponsors. It's become vital to the success of insurance and financial advisors that they differentiate themselves with their exemplary ethics, that they operate by a higher moral code and that they communicate that higher standard to their clients. Why? Because research proves that ethics builds trust, and trust sells - in the long-term and - in the short-term, as well.
Taken from the SEC report and the information provided by the Dept of Labor, below are Affirmations of Ethical Behavior for Financial and Insurance Industry Representatives. The Ten Affirmations of Ethical Behavior
1. If registered with the SEC or a state securities regulator as an investment adviser I will provide my clients with all the disclosures required under those laws (including Part II of Form ADY).
2. I will describe any relationship I have with money managers that I recommend, consider for recommendation, or otherwise mention to the plan.
3. I will describe any payments I receive from money managers I recommend, consider for recommendation, or otherwise mention to the plan for consideration.
4. I have prepared policies and procedures to address conflicts of interest or to prevent conflicting payments or relationships from being a factor when providing advice to my clients.
5. I will monitor and reconcile the amount of commissions paid when using brokerage commissions to pay consulting fees and alert plan sponsors when consulting fees have been paid in full.
6. I have established procedural steps to ensure that the plan receives the best execution for its securities trades when the consulting fees are paid with the plan's brokerage commissions.
7. I will describe any arrangements with broker-dealers under which I will benefit if money managers place trades for their clients with such broker-dealers.
8. If hired, I will acknowledge in writing whether or not I have a fiduciary obligation as an investment adviser to the plan while providing consulting services.
9. I will acknowledge whether or not I consider myself a fiduciary under ERISA with respect to the recommendations I provide the plan?
10. I will describe the percentage of my plan clients that utilize money managers, investment funds, brokerage services or other service providers from whom I receive fees?
Post these affirmations on your website and include them in your marketing materials. If you complete the affirmations for prospective clients, you will have distanced yourself from the scandal ridden and differentiated yourself in an industry where the value added to products and services is quickly commoditized
Great Ideas and Radical or Disruptive Innovation
We're all looking for great ideas right? There are a few Creativity and Innovation principles that are relevant before we discuss practical application:
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.
There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be defined as consisting of a number of ideas, a number of diverse ideas and a number of novel ideas.
There are distinct processes that enhance problem identification and idea generation and, similarly, distinct processes that enhance idea selection, development and commercialisation. Whilst there is no sure fire route to commercial success, these processes improve the probability that good ideas will be generated and selected and that investment in developing and commercialising those ideas will not be wasted.
Great Ideas and Radical or Disruptive Innovation
We're all looking for great ideas right?
There are a few Creativity and Innovation principles that are relevant before we discuss practical application:
a) Franklin (2003) states that successful innovations tend to be moderately new to the market, based on tried and tested technology, save money, meet customers' needs and support existing practices. By contrast, the products that fail tend to be based on cutting-edge or untested technology, follow a "me-too" approach, or are created with no clearly defined solution in mind.
b) There is a perception that radical innovations break from the past and are resultant from disruptive leaps. While some radical innovations follow this pattern, the vast majority of radical innovations result from cumulative incremental changes. That is, continuous tinkering, toying, experimentation and improvement results in greater "originality" vastly more often than "waiting for the big idea." The Internet is a good example: though often perceived as a radical leap, it is actually the result of many years of incremental improvements traceable back to the solid-state transistor and beyond.
c) Ideas can be measured in many ways, but one of the most useful measures is to benchmark for feasibility along the S-curve. That is, what are the practical impediments? For example, a time machine is less likely to reach commercialisation as a whole host of technological impediments stand in the way, whereas an idea for a new flavour for soda does not have that degree of obstacle.
Taking the above into account, we will discuss some ideas that have had significant commercial success by applying (inadvertently) the above principles:
a) EasyJet or South West airlines. The no frills airline model has found success - and can be defined as a radical shift - by simply operating at vastly lower prices - prices that previously would have been considered to be "outside the box." This business model obeys Franklins rule, is an incremental change and has low impediments.
b) GlassedDirect.co.uk - a recent success story that follows the above principles to provide, would you believe it, cut price specs. This is similar, by the way, to Dell, as the business model has been successful combining the Internet and Mail Order.
c) IPod - follows Franklins rule, is an incremental change and didn't have too many practical impediments.
So what is the lesson? To generate ideas that have a chance of commercial success, think outside the box but stick to the three rules above.
These and other topics are covered in depth in the MBA dissertation on Managing Creativity & Innovation, which can be purchased (along with a Creativity and Innovation DIY Audit, Good Idea Generator Software and Power Point Presentation) from http://www.managing-creativity.com - http://www.managing-creativity.com.
You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.
Kal Bishop, MBA
You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made and the author's name and site URL are retained.
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.
There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be defined as consisting of a number of ideas, a number of diverse ideas and a number of novel ideas.
There are distinct processes that enhance problem identification and idea generation and, similarly, distinct processes that enhance idea selection, development and commercialisation. Whilst there is no sure fire route to commercial success, these processes improve the probability that good ideas will be generated and selected and that investment in developing and commercialising those ideas will not be wasted.
Great Ideas and Radical or Disruptive Innovation
We're all looking for great ideas right?
There are a few Creativity and Innovation principles that are relevant before we discuss practical application:
a) Franklin (2003) states that successful innovations tend to be moderately new to the market, based on tried and tested technology, save money, meet customers' needs and support existing practices. By contrast, the products that fail tend to be based on cutting-edge or untested technology, follow a "me-too" approach, or are created with no clearly defined solution in mind.
b) There is a perception that radical innovations break from the past and are resultant from disruptive leaps. While some radical innovations follow this pattern, the vast majority of radical innovations result from cumulative incremental changes. That is, continuous tinkering, toying, experimentation and improvement results in greater "originality" vastly more often than "waiting for the big idea." The Internet is a good example: though often perceived as a radical leap, it is actually the result of many years of incremental improvements traceable back to the solid-state transistor and beyond.
c) Ideas can be measured in many ways, but one of the most useful measures is to benchmark for feasibility along the S-curve. That is, what are the practical impediments? For example, a time machine is less likely to reach commercialisation as a whole host of technological impediments stand in the way, whereas an idea for a new flavour for soda does not have that degree of obstacle.
Taking the above into account, we will discuss some ideas that have had significant commercial success by applying (inadvertently) the above principles:
a) EasyJet or South West airlines. The no frills airline model has found success - and can be defined as a radical shift - by simply operating at vastly lower prices - prices that previously would have been considered to be "outside the box." This business model obeys Franklins rule, is an incremental change and has low impediments.
b) GlassedDirect.co.uk - a recent success story that follows the above principles to provide, would you believe it, cut price specs. This is similar, by the way, to Dell, as the business model has been successful combining the Internet and Mail Order.
c) IPod - follows Franklins rule, is an incremental change and didn't have too many practical impediments.
So what is the lesson? To generate ideas that have a chance of commercial success, think outside the box but stick to the three rules above.
These and other topics are covered in depth in the MBA dissertation on Managing Creativity & Innovation, which can be purchased (along with a Creativity and Innovation DIY Audit, Good Idea Generator Software and Power Point Presentation) from http://www.managing-creativity.com - http://www.managing-creativity.com.
You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.
Kal Bishop, MBA
You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made and the author's name and site URL are retained.
Good News About Getting Published
So you want to get a book published and add "author" to your resume. A decade ago, there weren't too many options for professionals and consultants to get into print. If a traditional publisher wasn't interested in your tome, your only other option was to spend tens of thousands of dollars with a subsidy press or custom printer. And then, without ready distribution, good luck trying to sell the books.
But all that has changed. Thanks to new technologies, today it is not only possible to produce a professional-looking copy of your book for under $1,000, you can also market the book through reputable sales channels.
Alternative publishers are able to print both paperback and hardcover books as they're needed due to the bold new digital publishing technology known as "print-on-demand." Simply put, print-on-demand turns the traditional economics of the $27.5 billion publishing industry upside down. Going digital allows books to be produced in small quantities -- even one at a time -- almost instantaneously. No longer does publishing require behemoth offset presses, hangar-size warehouses and fleets of trucks.
There are challenges, of course. Because print-on-demand books are not typically stocked on bookstore shelves, authors need to do a good job of marketing through publicity, direct mail and the Internet. But if you are a nonfiction author willing to be a self-promoter and whose book targets an identifiable market, then alternative publishing may be right for you.
With print-on-demand, your book is stored digitally until a customer orders it. At that point, a printing and binding machine creates a slick, high-quality paperback or hardcover book, all ready for shipping.
Print-on-demand has enormous implications for writers, readers, publishers and retailers. Because titles are produced "on demand," there are never wasted copies ("remaindered" as they used to be dubbed in the old days). Paperbacks and hardcover books are priced competitively, with authors receiving royalties of 30 percent or more. Compare those with traditional publishing industry standards of 5 percent to 15 percent, and the appeal becomes a bit clearer still.
One of the leading publishers of print-on-demand books for professionals and consultants is 1stBooks. Established in 1997, 1stBooks is the world's leading provider of publishing and marketing services for authors of all genres, with over 18,000 titles in its catalog, and over 500-plus new books added each month. All of its authors are considered self-published and retain all rights to their books.
"Alternative publishing levels the playing field and democratizes the publishing process," said Robert McCormack, president of 1stBooks, in a recent interview with Writer's Digest. "Authors who might have not fit or did not want to use the traditional publishing model can see their works in print."
Print-on-demand is not, however, for every would-be author, says McCormack. There is no economy of scale, and the unit cost of printing one copy is exactly the same as printing 10,000. So, if there is a guaranteed market for at least 500 to 1,000 of your books, the economics of a traditional print run from a custom printer are better than print-on-demand in many cases.
As a result of the depth and breadth of the 1stBooks growing catalog, the company made an arrangement with the Ingram Book Group to distribute paperback and hardcover editions of its titles at thousands of bookstores worldwide. The deal uses the latest Print-on-Demand technology offered by Ingram's subsidiary, Lightning Source. Because these books are generated one at a time, they neatly sidestep the high costs traditionally associated with bringing new books to the marketplace.
Self-publishing doesn't mean you're going it alone, either. 1stBooks authors have access to a comprehensive range of publishing and promotional services, including a full-time promotions staff, personal project coordinators and nationwide distribution through over 25,000 bookstores and book retailers, via the Internet at Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com, Borders.com and the 1stBooks Web site.
The current 1stBooks basic publishing package entails a $399 fee to create an e-book from scratch. Of that total, $300 is a deposit and is subsequently refunded through 100 percent commission on the author's first sales until the amount is completely paid. An extra $199 is required for paperback publication, with royalty rates paid at the author's choice of 50 percent, 30 percent, 20 percent or 10 percent.
Similar packages are available through other alternative publishers like iUniverse, xLibris and Infintiy Publishing.
Alternative publishers have made a conscious decision to offer their services to everyone, rather than give control to an elite clique of editors and agents, as is often true in traditional publishing. While incoming manuscripts are checked for formatting before a new title goes online, alternative publishers do not edit for style and content. These companies do not make value judgments about the literary merit of books. The author decides what the public reads, and the public decides if it makes good reading or not. It is a purely market-driven approach, and allows almost anyone to make a new book available to millions of readers, at a small fraction of the cost of traditional publishing methods.
Article Tags: Alternative Publishers, Traditional Publishing
But all that has changed. Thanks to new technologies, today it is not only possible to produce a professional-looking copy of your book for under $1,000, you can also market the book through reputable sales channels.
Alternative publishers are able to print both paperback and hardcover books as they're needed due to the bold new digital publishing technology known as "print-on-demand." Simply put, print-on-demand turns the traditional economics of the $27.5 billion publishing industry upside down. Going digital allows books to be produced in small quantities -- even one at a time -- almost instantaneously. No longer does publishing require behemoth offset presses, hangar-size warehouses and fleets of trucks.
There are challenges, of course. Because print-on-demand books are not typically stocked on bookstore shelves, authors need to do a good job of marketing through publicity, direct mail and the Internet. But if you are a nonfiction author willing to be a self-promoter and whose book targets an identifiable market, then alternative publishing may be right for you.
With print-on-demand, your book is stored digitally until a customer orders it. At that point, a printing and binding machine creates a slick, high-quality paperback or hardcover book, all ready for shipping.
Print-on-demand has enormous implications for writers, readers, publishers and retailers. Because titles are produced "on demand," there are never wasted copies ("remaindered" as they used to be dubbed in the old days). Paperbacks and hardcover books are priced competitively, with authors receiving royalties of 30 percent or more. Compare those with traditional publishing industry standards of 5 percent to 15 percent, and the appeal becomes a bit clearer still.
One of the leading publishers of print-on-demand books for professionals and consultants is 1stBooks. Established in 1997, 1stBooks is the world's leading provider of publishing and marketing services for authors of all genres, with over 18,000 titles in its catalog, and over 500-plus new books added each month. All of its authors are considered self-published and retain all rights to their books.
"Alternative publishing levels the playing field and democratizes the publishing process," said Robert McCormack, president of 1stBooks, in a recent interview with Writer's Digest. "Authors who might have not fit or did not want to use the traditional publishing model can see their works in print."
Print-on-demand is not, however, for every would-be author, says McCormack. There is no economy of scale, and the unit cost of printing one copy is exactly the same as printing 10,000. So, if there is a guaranteed market for at least 500 to 1,000 of your books, the economics of a traditional print run from a custom printer are better than print-on-demand in many cases.
As a result of the depth and breadth of the 1stBooks growing catalog, the company made an arrangement with the Ingram Book Group to distribute paperback and hardcover editions of its titles at thousands of bookstores worldwide. The deal uses the latest Print-on-Demand technology offered by Ingram's subsidiary, Lightning Source. Because these books are generated one at a time, they neatly sidestep the high costs traditionally associated with bringing new books to the marketplace.
Self-publishing doesn't mean you're going it alone, either. 1stBooks authors have access to a comprehensive range of publishing and promotional services, including a full-time promotions staff, personal project coordinators and nationwide distribution through over 25,000 bookstores and book retailers, via the Internet at Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com, Borders.com and the 1stBooks Web site.
The current 1stBooks basic publishing package entails a $399 fee to create an e-book from scratch. Of that total, $300 is a deposit and is subsequently refunded through 100 percent commission on the author's first sales until the amount is completely paid. An extra $199 is required for paperback publication, with royalty rates paid at the author's choice of 50 percent, 30 percent, 20 percent or 10 percent.
Similar packages are available through other alternative publishers like iUniverse, xLibris and Infintiy Publishing.
Alternative publishers have made a conscious decision to offer their services to everyone, rather than give control to an elite clique of editors and agents, as is often true in traditional publishing. While incoming manuscripts are checked for formatting before a new title goes online, alternative publishers do not edit for style and content. These companies do not make value judgments about the literary merit of books. The author decides what the public reads, and the public decides if it makes good reading or not. It is a purely market-driven approach, and allows almost anyone to make a new book available to millions of readers, at a small fraction of the cost of traditional publishing methods.
Article Tags: Alternative Publishers, Traditional Publishing
Good Fences Make Good Neighbors in Business and Life
Establishing good boundaries is an essential time management skill for creating a successful professional life. This article gives you solid tips on how to protect yourself and your time.
If you say "yes" to most things that come your way, you may be a nice person, but you're probably not a very happy one. Establishing good boundaries is a big challenge for many people. And it is an essential time management skill for creating a successful professional life.
Here are a couple of key tools for establishing healthy and effective boundaries:
- Set specific periods of every day when you take calls and answer email. Don't become a slave to email, the phone or IM.
- Learn how to say "no¨ in a socially acceptable way. Use a neutral tone of voice, not overly excited or defensive and not in a depressed, eeyore-like way.
For example, if you're asked to serve on another board or committee, you might say something like this: "I love what your organization does, but I've made a commitment to spend more time with my kids, so I can't take on anything more right now. But thanks for asking.
- Get your boss to set up regular meeting times with you to discuss important issues. Waiting around for answers you need about a project is a time termite - an activity that eats up your time and your life.
Here's a golden time management tip nugget: We teach people how to treat us. If you are constantly interrupted by email or instant messaging, for example, if you always respond immediately, you are training the senders that you will always be available, instantly. In some situations that can be handy, but most of the time, it is just a huge time termite that you must learn to control or it will eat you alive.
This is the same with the infamous "open door" policy. While it is excellent management to be available to your staff and/or co-workers on a regular basis, it is insane to be available 8 hours a day (or 10 hours, or, God forbid, "24/7" one of the worst concepts ever created). Teach and train your staff (and your boss, if you have one!) when you are unavailable for visits or interruptions (barring true emergencies) for critical project time.
Question: If you jump every time someone calls, emails, IMs, pops their head in your door or otherwise initiates contact with you, what does that make you? Answer: a jumping bean. Not a human being. So which are you?Consider this article to be an official coach permission slip to erect strong, healthy boundaries - a good, solid fence. As Robert Frost said, Good fences make good neighbors. If it makes it easier to blame your change of behavior on someone else, just tell them your coach (that would be me) told you that you had to do it! Remember, good boundaries will help you take back your life.
If you say "yes" to most things that come your way, you may be a nice person, but you're probably not a very happy one. Establishing good boundaries is a big challenge for many people. And it is an essential time management skill for creating a successful professional life.
Here are a couple of key tools for establishing healthy and effective boundaries:
- Set specific periods of every day when you take calls and answer email. Don't become a slave to email, the phone or IM.
- Learn how to say "no¨ in a socially acceptable way. Use a neutral tone of voice, not overly excited or defensive and not in a depressed, eeyore-like way.
For example, if you're asked to serve on another board or committee, you might say something like this: "I love what your organization does, but I've made a commitment to spend more time with my kids, so I can't take on anything more right now. But thanks for asking.
- Get your boss to set up regular meeting times with you to discuss important issues. Waiting around for answers you need about a project is a time termite - an activity that eats up your time and your life.
Here's a golden time management tip nugget: We teach people how to treat us. If you are constantly interrupted by email or instant messaging, for example, if you always respond immediately, you are training the senders that you will always be available, instantly. In some situations that can be handy, but most of the time, it is just a huge time termite that you must learn to control or it will eat you alive.
This is the same with the infamous "open door" policy. While it is excellent management to be available to your staff and/or co-workers on a regular basis, it is insane to be available 8 hours a day (or 10 hours, or, God forbid, "24/7" one of the worst concepts ever created). Teach and train your staff (and your boss, if you have one!) when you are unavailable for visits or interruptions (barring true emergencies) for critical project time.
Question: If you jump every time someone calls, emails, IMs, pops their head in your door or otherwise initiates contact with you, what does that make you? Answer: a jumping bean. Not a human being. So which are you?Consider this article to be an official coach permission slip to erect strong, healthy boundaries - a good, solid fence. As Robert Frost said, Good fences make good neighbors. If it makes it easier to blame your change of behavior on someone else, just tell them your coach (that would be me) told you that you had to do it! Remember, good boundaries will help you take back your life.
Glass Computer Desks and the New Style of Modern Offices
Glass computer desks are sleek, well-designed, professional-looking computer desks for modern offices. Apart from looking great, they are just as functional as wood or metal computer desks. They accommodate all the benefits of regular computer desks like flexibility, versatility, and style, and they are ideal for office as well as home use.
Glass computer desks can be made to fit any room and budget. Glass desks are usually made with durable materials comprising of environment-friendly blue tempered glass and are supported by strong, power-coated, heavy-duty steel frames. In many models, the monitor table can be adjusted to any angle and height for optimal comfort. In addition, some glass computer desks are equipped with a built-in anti-glare tinted glass for reduced eye strain. Many models will have metal inserts pre-drilled for easy assembly and disassembly. Most are also accompanied by a manual that contains comprehensive instructions for assembling or disassembling the unit.
The most striking feature of glass computer desks is their beautiful design and look. They are just as convenient as regular computer desks. They are also provided with adjustable, modular attachments for convenience and flexibility. Besides, they can be shaped like corner computer desks to optimize floor space or to make use of unused corners.
Glass computer tables can accommodate computer peripherals as well as additional accessories like the CD ROMs, printers, scanners, and modems. They are also being designed as per requirements for attaining ideal height, width, and storage space. In addition, ergonomics is not compromised when shelves are modeled for easy access all accessories.
Article Tags: Glass Computer Desks, Glass Computer, Computer Desks
Glass computer desks can be made to fit any room and budget. Glass desks are usually made with durable materials comprising of environment-friendly blue tempered glass and are supported by strong, power-coated, heavy-duty steel frames. In many models, the monitor table can be adjusted to any angle and height for optimal comfort. In addition, some glass computer desks are equipped with a built-in anti-glare tinted glass for reduced eye strain. Many models will have metal inserts pre-drilled for easy assembly and disassembly. Most are also accompanied by a manual that contains comprehensive instructions for assembling or disassembling the unit.
The most striking feature of glass computer desks is their beautiful design and look. They are just as convenient as regular computer desks. They are also provided with adjustable, modular attachments for convenience and flexibility. Besides, they can be shaped like corner computer desks to optimize floor space or to make use of unused corners.
Glass computer tables can accommodate computer peripherals as well as additional accessories like the CD ROMs, printers, scanners, and modems. They are also being designed as per requirements for attaining ideal height, width, and storage space. In addition, ergonomics is not compromised when shelves are modeled for easy access all accessories.
Article Tags: Glass Computer Desks, Glass Computer, Computer Desks
Going public: The process for small and mid-size companies to go public.
It's the dream of every person who starts a business to some day see it trading in one of the stock exchanges even after they are no longer associated with the company. The first step (#1) is simple s...
It's the dream of every person who starts a business to some day see it trading in one of the stock exchanges even after they are no longer associated with the company. The first step (#1) is simple since most small company are already incorporated and have a board of directors, so we will start with #2.
Step. #2. Engage a consultant but not before doing a background check. This is a must because the consultant who is supposed to be working for you may be the very person to destroy your dream.
Simply type the consultants name in Google and if nothing comes up, try the brokerage firm they were last associated with, to find out if they have been disciplined, or convicted of some crime by the Securities and Exchange Commission or some other regulatory body.
Many individuals when barred from participating in any securities transaction or from acting as consultants still do so in a stealth manner. Hoping that you will be impressed with their sales pitch and not bother looking into their background.
The reason most consultants do not have websites is because they do not want the regulators to find out that they are involved in stock market related activities.
Step. #3. If you are not using a securities attorney, ask the consultant to recommend a good one, he will probably know several. A good attorney is critical since you want him to know the process and has done this many times before.
Step. # 4. Have an audit done, this a requirement and must be
done prior to any filing with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. The CEO needs to take an active part in the auditing process since under the new corporate governance
laws the he must affirmed the final audited financials as being
accurate.
Step. #5. The officers and directors of the company must decide what method they are going to use to achieve their goal of becoming a public company. This can be accomplish through
a reverse merger and by doing a Regulation D (504) offering.
A reverse merger is accomplished by the purchase of, and reverse merger into an existing public shell company.
This is inexpensive compared with the conventional initial public offering (IPO), this is also a simplified fast track method by which a private company can become a public company.
For more information on reverse mergers visit: http://www.genesiscorporateadvisors.com - www.genesiscorporateadvisors.com or read my article on http://www.ezine@articles.com - www.ezine@articles.com under small business.
Regulation D (504) offering: Under the Securities Act of 1933
any offer to sell securities must either be registered with the SEC or meet an exemption. Regulation D provides three exemptions from the registration requirements, allowing smaller companies to offer and sell their securities without having to register the securities with the SEC.
While companies using a Regulation D exemption do not have to
register their securities and usually do not have to file reports with the
SEC, they must file what is known as a "Form D" after they first sell their securities.
This offering is not exempt from State securities filing requirements.
With an regulation D (504) offering you are permitted to raise up to a
million dollars within a year but there is no minimum amount and in order to go public you must sell to minimum of 35-40 investors at least a round lot (100 shares) each.
This offering is not exempt from the securities Act of 1933 anti fraud provision. (No securities are exempt from this provision).
Step # 6. Have a broker dealer file a form 15c211. Again your consultant will introduce you to a broker who will file the 15c211and be a market maker in the securities of the company.
For more information visit: http://www.genesiscorporateadvisors.com - www.genesiscorporateadvisors.com
Joseph D. Quinones
mailto:josephquinones@genesiscorporateadvisors.com - josephquinones@genesiscorporateadvisors.com
It's the dream of every person who starts a business to some day see it trading in one of the stock exchanges even after they are no longer associated with the company. The first step (#1) is simple since most small company are already incorporated and have a board of directors, so we will start with #2.
Step. #2. Engage a consultant but not before doing a background check. This is a must because the consultant who is supposed to be working for you may be the very person to destroy your dream.
Simply type the consultants name in Google and if nothing comes up, try the brokerage firm they were last associated with, to find out if they have been disciplined, or convicted of some crime by the Securities and Exchange Commission or some other regulatory body.
Many individuals when barred from participating in any securities transaction or from acting as consultants still do so in a stealth manner. Hoping that you will be impressed with their sales pitch and not bother looking into their background.
The reason most consultants do not have websites is because they do not want the regulators to find out that they are involved in stock market related activities.
Step. #3. If you are not using a securities attorney, ask the consultant to recommend a good one, he will probably know several. A good attorney is critical since you want him to know the process and has done this many times before.
Step. # 4. Have an audit done, this a requirement and must be
done prior to any filing with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. The CEO needs to take an active part in the auditing process since under the new corporate governance
laws the he must affirmed the final audited financials as being
accurate.
Step. #5. The officers and directors of the company must decide what method they are going to use to achieve their goal of becoming a public company. This can be accomplish through
a reverse merger and by doing a Regulation D (504) offering.
A reverse merger is accomplished by the purchase of, and reverse merger into an existing public shell company.
This is inexpensive compared with the conventional initial public offering (IPO), this is also a simplified fast track method by which a private company can become a public company.
For more information on reverse mergers visit: http://www.genesiscorporateadvisors.com - www.genesiscorporateadvisors.com or read my article on http://www.ezine@articles.com - www.ezine@articles.com under small business.
Regulation D (504) offering: Under the Securities Act of 1933
any offer to sell securities must either be registered with the SEC or meet an exemption. Regulation D provides three exemptions from the registration requirements, allowing smaller companies to offer and sell their securities without having to register the securities with the SEC.
While companies using a Regulation D exemption do not have to
register their securities and usually do not have to file reports with the
SEC, they must file what is known as a "Form D" after they first sell their securities.
This offering is not exempt from State securities filing requirements.
With an regulation D (504) offering you are permitted to raise up to a
million dollars within a year but there is no minimum amount and in order to go public you must sell to minimum of 35-40 investors at least a round lot (100 shares) each.
This offering is not exempt from the securities Act of 1933 anti fraud provision. (No securities are exempt from this provision).
Step # 6. Have a broker dealer file a form 15c211. Again your consultant will introduce you to a broker who will file the 15c211and be a market maker in the securities of the company.
For more information visit: http://www.genesiscorporateadvisors.com - www.genesiscorporateadvisors.com
Joseph D. Quinones
mailto:josephquinones@genesiscorporateadvisors.com - josephquinones@genesiscorporateadvisors.com
"Getting PR in your town: Realities to remember"
In business, getting effective media coverage is often crucial to success. Doesn't matter how good you are if they don't know you're out there.
But, there are realities to remember about the media, wherever you do business. Some of them are:
There is a risk to all PR. Getting media coverage is a gamble. Unlike advertising, you don't pay for public relations. Of course, that's what makes great media coverage so sweet. It amounts to a positive third-party endorsement of you with the credibility that paid advertising can never have. When a business owner works hard to get a reporter's attention and that effort translates into a positive, enthusiastic story - almost nothing feels better.
But the reality is: Just as much effort can be put into securing media coverage for a story that, unfortunately, may never materialize. There are a thousand reasons why the media doesn't pick up on a perfectly good story, but timing and luck is a factor, even when all the best efforts are made.
The media market you live in can determine how much and what kind of media coverage you can get. For example, I live and work in Houston - the fourth largest city in the United States. This can be fortunate or unfortunate. What makes Houston the energetic, vibrant place it is, is also the reason there is fierce competition for media coverage here.
Business people who live in small to mid-sized markets like Baton Rouge, Syracuse, Santa Fe, and Mobile, can enjoy a whole different kind of relationship with the local media. Here, reporters and writers are likely to have children in the same schools as your kids. Their wives and husbands may work in the same place where you or your spouse works. Smaller market media-types are likely to live in your neighborhood or go to your church. Lots of good stories develop out of personal relationships that just are not possible to develop in a huge city like Houston or Boston or Philadelphia.
Of course, it works both ways. Business owners who live in small markets are also limited to a fraction of the potential customers available to you in a big city. What can you do about these public relations/media truths?
Work smarter to get media coverage. Look at your business objectively through the eyes of a reporter and decide what could be the most newsworthy story about your company. This takes practice and you can hone this skill by reading some of the hundreds of books available on the media. Just go to Amazon.com or Barnesandnoble.com and key in the words "public relations." You'll be amazed at what comes up.
Learn to read your newspaper with the eyes of a media pro. Familiarize yourself with the names and styles of reporters who regularly write about topics where news about your business might fit in. Remember, most reporters have "beats," which means they are basically writing about the same topics over and over. You won't see many automotive columnists writing pharmaceutical stories.
Adjust any negative, self-defeating attitudes you might be harboring about coverage in small community newspapers. All the time, I hear people say they don't want to waste their time pursuing media coverage in small newspapers. "Nobody reads them," they say. But, this is wrong!
As Richard Laermer, the powerhouse PR exec says in his book, Full Frontal PR: "The big secret is that most journalists read the small news outlets to find great stories before they hit the mainsteam. Do you think," asks Laermer, "that these reporters dream up all those stories on their own?"
In fact, community journalism is big business in cities and towns all over the country. The best evidence is the sky-high cost of advertising in these newspapers. It isn't cheap - which is a sure sign that people are reading these newspapers.
Getting media coverage is not a snap, but it is far from impossible, if you deal with the realities and go from there.
But, there are realities to remember about the media, wherever you do business. Some of them are:
There is a risk to all PR. Getting media coverage is a gamble. Unlike advertising, you don't pay for public relations. Of course, that's what makes great media coverage so sweet. It amounts to a positive third-party endorsement of you with the credibility that paid advertising can never have. When a business owner works hard to get a reporter's attention and that effort translates into a positive, enthusiastic story - almost nothing feels better.
But the reality is: Just as much effort can be put into securing media coverage for a story that, unfortunately, may never materialize. There are a thousand reasons why the media doesn't pick up on a perfectly good story, but timing and luck is a factor, even when all the best efforts are made.
The media market you live in can determine how much and what kind of media coverage you can get. For example, I live and work in Houston - the fourth largest city in the United States. This can be fortunate or unfortunate. What makes Houston the energetic, vibrant place it is, is also the reason there is fierce competition for media coverage here.
Business people who live in small to mid-sized markets like Baton Rouge, Syracuse, Santa Fe, and Mobile, can enjoy a whole different kind of relationship with the local media. Here, reporters and writers are likely to have children in the same schools as your kids. Their wives and husbands may work in the same place where you or your spouse works. Smaller market media-types are likely to live in your neighborhood or go to your church. Lots of good stories develop out of personal relationships that just are not possible to develop in a huge city like Houston or Boston or Philadelphia.
Of course, it works both ways. Business owners who live in small markets are also limited to a fraction of the potential customers available to you in a big city. What can you do about these public relations/media truths?
Work smarter to get media coverage. Look at your business objectively through the eyes of a reporter and decide what could be the most newsworthy story about your company. This takes practice and you can hone this skill by reading some of the hundreds of books available on the media. Just go to Amazon.com or Barnesandnoble.com and key in the words "public relations." You'll be amazed at what comes up.
Learn to read your newspaper with the eyes of a media pro. Familiarize yourself with the names and styles of reporters who regularly write about topics where news about your business might fit in. Remember, most reporters have "beats," which means they are basically writing about the same topics over and over. You won't see many automotive columnists writing pharmaceutical stories.
Adjust any negative, self-defeating attitudes you might be harboring about coverage in small community newspapers. All the time, I hear people say they don't want to waste their time pursuing media coverage in small newspapers. "Nobody reads them," they say. But, this is wrong!
As Richard Laermer, the powerhouse PR exec says in his book, Full Frontal PR: "The big secret is that most journalists read the small news outlets to find great stories before they hit the mainsteam. Do you think," asks Laermer, "that these reporters dream up all those stories on their own?"
In fact, community journalism is big business in cities and towns all over the country. The best evidence is the sky-high cost of advertising in these newspapers. It isn't cheap - which is a sure sign that people are reading these newspapers.
Getting media coverage is not a snap, but it is far from impossible, if you deal with the realities and go from there.
Get the Best Catering for Your Summer Wedding in Philly
If your dream is to get married by the waterfront, then The Lake house Inn in the Philadelphia area may be the perfect place for you.
A Wedding by the Lake
"The Grounds. The terraced landscape provides a lovely spot for the wedding ceremony. Overlooking the lake, this area provides a romantic backdrop, with 360-degree views of the luxuriant estate." Make sure you accompany your special day with the best catering Philly has to offer! Although your order can be totally customized, starting off your reception with light, delicious wraps, hummus and veggies is perfect for a lake wedding. Offer your friends and family only the best food by having it catered by our expert team and delivered to the site for you. Take care of your partygoers with fresh hot coffee, an array of teas, and unlimited sodas for refreshment. Have one less thing to worry about by using only the best catering in the whole Philadelphia area!
Gambling for an Indoors Wedding
What place is more exciting and luxurious than a casino? The SugarHouse Casino right here in Philadelphia is known as the venue that never sleeps. This is the type of wedding where rich, decadent desserts are a must-have! Just imagine fudgey brownies, mouthwatering coffee cakes, chewy cookies, and all kinds of cupcakes! Make your order custom and unique for your wedding and only offer the best, most delicious dessert catering options to your hungry partygoers! And what about a towering plate of soft and hard cheeses with bread and crackers to hold them over until dinner? The logistics of your event should feel invisible to you as the bride and groom, let Waterfront Gourmet handle the food so you can handle the fun! Get a quick insight into what some other customers have said, "The café is clean and modern, sandwiches are fun and creative, coffee is fresh, and staff are super friendly." "I remember the service being especially friendly, like we all lived in the same small Southern town. Definitely recommend".
If casinos aren't your cup of tea, there are a ton of beautiful locations to host your summer wedding where our team can expertly manage your catering. Some of the best include The Racquet Club of Philadelphia, Hotel Monaco, the Kimmel Center, and the Warwick Hotel Rittenhouse Square. No matter your destination or theme, it's paramount that you choose a catering company that can rise to any occasion with the best staff and unparalleled catering services! We're equipped with everything from the resources, to the highest quality products like Illy coffee, and experience with catering weddings and receptions. Our combination of free delivery on all catering orders gets better and better with our assortment of scrumptious club sandwiches made with turkey, tuna, roast beef and chicken salad. We can keep it totally fresh with a fresh fruit tray or assorted vegetable tray. In addition, a salad tray can provide a healthy side to a working lunch.
For all of your catering questions, please don't be shy and contact us! We'd be happy to discuss our food menu, catering options and pricing. We know that your day is unique to you, so we want to answer all of your questions that you may have about your special day and leave you feeling comfortable and excited! We're even happy to speak with your wedding planner if they're making the calls for you, let's get started!
A Wedding by the Lake
"The Grounds. The terraced landscape provides a lovely spot for the wedding ceremony. Overlooking the lake, this area provides a romantic backdrop, with 360-degree views of the luxuriant estate." Make sure you accompany your special day with the best catering Philly has to offer! Although your order can be totally customized, starting off your reception with light, delicious wraps, hummus and veggies is perfect for a lake wedding. Offer your friends and family only the best food by having it catered by our expert team and delivered to the site for you. Take care of your partygoers with fresh hot coffee, an array of teas, and unlimited sodas for refreshment. Have one less thing to worry about by using only the best catering in the whole Philadelphia area!
Gambling for an Indoors Wedding
What place is more exciting and luxurious than a casino? The SugarHouse Casino right here in Philadelphia is known as the venue that never sleeps. This is the type of wedding where rich, decadent desserts are a must-have! Just imagine fudgey brownies, mouthwatering coffee cakes, chewy cookies, and all kinds of cupcakes! Make your order custom and unique for your wedding and only offer the best, most delicious dessert catering options to your hungry partygoers! And what about a towering plate of soft and hard cheeses with bread and crackers to hold them over until dinner? The logistics of your event should feel invisible to you as the bride and groom, let Waterfront Gourmet handle the food so you can handle the fun! Get a quick insight into what some other customers have said, "The café is clean and modern, sandwiches are fun and creative, coffee is fresh, and staff are super friendly." "I remember the service being especially friendly, like we all lived in the same small Southern town. Definitely recommend".
If casinos aren't your cup of tea, there are a ton of beautiful locations to host your summer wedding where our team can expertly manage your catering. Some of the best include The Racquet Club of Philadelphia, Hotel Monaco, the Kimmel Center, and the Warwick Hotel Rittenhouse Square. No matter your destination or theme, it's paramount that you choose a catering company that can rise to any occasion with the best staff and unparalleled catering services! We're equipped with everything from the resources, to the highest quality products like Illy coffee, and experience with catering weddings and receptions. Our combination of free delivery on all catering orders gets better and better with our assortment of scrumptious club sandwiches made with turkey, tuna, roast beef and chicken salad. We can keep it totally fresh with a fresh fruit tray or assorted vegetable tray. In addition, a salad tray can provide a healthy side to a working lunch.
For all of your catering questions, please don't be shy and contact us! We'd be happy to discuss our food menu, catering options and pricing. We know that your day is unique to you, so we want to answer all of your questions that you may have about your special day and leave you feeling comfortable and excited! We're even happy to speak with your wedding planner if they're making the calls for you, let's get started!
