Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Bring Value to Others - Ways to Become Rich

"Try not to become a man of success, but rather to become a man of value. He is considered successful in our day who gets more out of life than he puts in. But a man of value will give more than he receives."
- Albert Einstein

One of the favorite quotes of many people who mean well is "to s/he who much is given, much is also required". That actually isn't true. In fact, when you become the mega success that you were born to be, nothing will have been given to you; you will have earned it.

Second, nothing will be required of you. You have free will to do whatever you please. At the same time, I want to make an appeal to you. I am asking that you freely choose to the man or woman of value that Einstein speaks of above.

And I don't think you'll have a difficult time doing this at all. Every other multi-millionaire that I've known of has talked about how fun and wonderful of an experience it is to freely give to other.

Multi-Million dollar mentor Christine Comaford has been noted as saying that she has given away over HALF of her entire net worth. She also says that it is one of the most GRATIFYING experiences of her entire life. And, like many things that I am asking you to do, you don't have to wait until you have millions to give away until you can experience that level of gratification.

Start small, but start now. Look for causes, organizations, and even individuals that you can give to (not necessarily money; remember that time is your most valuable asset!). Begin to experience on a small scale what it is like to give freely.

Then as your success grows, increase your giving as you are able to do so. You will experience ever-increasing happiness, fulfillment, and quality of life from the contributions you make to the people and world around you.

By : Lawrence_Cole

"Breaking Bad" Entrepreneurialism - Bad Business Model

I am a Breaking Bad (AMC, Sunday nights) addict. The lengths people will go to in order to earn the big payday. The risks taken in order to make the big haul.

It's a terribly bad business model because not only is it highly illegal, the characters are working for somebody else making batches of Heisenberg blue meth.

They have lost control and fear for their very lives. I always come away from each episode feeling relieved I've never ever had a shred of a thought about trying to make it big doing something so over the edge and morally bankrupt.

Oh, I've had my moments of trying to make money online in the early days of the Internet. I most definitely got involved in a few shady businesses here and there because I was naive.

They never paid off, I lost money, and it taught me well that you can't make money doing nothing, or almost nothing. When it sounds too good to be true, count on the outcome: it simply IS too good to be true.

Run as fast as you can in the other direction for something tried and true and honest as the day is long. Legal and legitimate businesses are all over the landscape for you to consider. That's the only direction for success.

That's your only hope of having success online running or being involved in your own home business. Don't let the dream die, mind you, but be good and sure you won't have to spend much, if anything, to be involved.

Then, your biggest investment, by far, is your time. If you can afford to while away many hours pursuing something you love, you'll at least come out ahead in "satisfaction from proaction."

Breaking Bad is a tremendous show in my opinion. But, this guy will only be breaking good, of that you can be certain.

By : Grant_Gerver

Friday, May 21, 2010

How to Get Cheaper Transcription Rates

There are two common questions asked when inquiring about transcription services. The first is, "When can you have it back," and the second, "How much will it cost? " Discovering how to get cheaper transcription rates just takes a little lesson in what transcriptionists look for when quoting a project.

Quality of Audio

The quality of an audio file plays a major role in the cost of the project. Of course, clear audio is welcomed and many times will cost less to transcribe. However, audio with background noises, multiple unintelligible sections, and speakers who are cutting each other off or too far away from the microphone may result in higher per minute/hourly rates.

Cost-Saving Recording Tips

Some individuals don't mind paying more for transcription, but for those money conscious people, here are a few tips to keep the cost of your next transcription project down.

1. Record in an area with no distractions. Background discussions, noisy restaurants, even recording while driving will often produce unwanted noises.

2. Have the speakers identify themselves. Even for the seasoned transcriptionist, it can be difficult to distinguish one voice from another when there are multiple speakers. When recording conferences, mastermind groups, or Q&A sessions ask the speakers to introduce themselves before speaking.

3. Use "yes" and "no" in place of "uh-huh" and "ums."

4. Let the speaker finish their sentence before asking another question and vice-versa. This cuts down on blanks and editing time.

It is much easier to contract a transcription service and say you have a project with clear audio, the speakers identify themselves, and the conversation flows nicely than telling them there is "some" background noise, "some" of the speakers do not identify themselves, and there are "some" areas that may be difficult to understand.

This raises an automatic red flag that the audio is not good quality and it could end up costing you more than expected since most transcriptionists will quote a rate once they have listened to a sample of "bad audio."

Follow these rules and you will never have to pay extra for bad audio again. The transcription service will be happy with the quality and you will be happy with the price. It's a win/win situation.

By : Kimberly_Best

Start Your Own Business - 5 Positive Signs That Will Determine If a Business is Right For You

Starting any type of business is a serious undertaking. You want to make sure that any business that you start is the right one for you. However, the question is, 'How do you know that a certain business is right for you?' The best way to find out is to determine how it makes you feel.

If a certain business makes you feel like you're back in high school and you can't get a date for the senior prom, then that business is not for you. On the other hand, if it makes you feel like dancing the night away (and the morning and afternoon, too), then not only is it a good fit, but may also be a lifesaver.

However, there are also other factors to consider when deciding whether or not a business is the right one for you, and you must examine them very closely before choosing either way.

You're an Expert You know the business inside and out. In fact, you know it so well that if you were to appear on "Jeopardy" (the TV game show) as a contestant with your business expertise as the only category, you would not only be the big winner, but would also amaze the millions of TV viewers watching the program. As an expert, you are highly confident in your knowledge of the business, and therefore would be a big handful for your competitors.

It's a Labor of Love It's something that you absolutely love, and could do all day long. You would love the business so much that you'd almost end up having a strange extra-marital affair with it.

You would do the business every single minute of the day, if sleep wasn't such an important health issue. Also, you would almost forget that it's lunchtime, and persist in your work as the clock ticks pass the noon lunch hour.

You would be love sick if you were away on vacation, and the business couldn't go with you. You would talk about it, and drive others crazy as a result. It would be the love of your life; next to your spouse and children, of course.

You are the Best Salesperson for Your Products and Services You could sell the products and services with ease. Your unique selling proposition would make you highly competitive in the marketplace, and potential customers would see you as the authority. In turn, they would know that they could trust you., and would therefore do business with you.

You would neither need nor want to be pushy. However, you would be affectionately persuasive when it came to helping your customers, because you know the benefits of your products and services.

You Can Afford It Whether you personally had the cash to purchase the business or not, you would get the startup funds through creative financing and clever negotiation. You would then tap into your labor of love for the business, and make it very profitable. This would ultimately ensure that you could afford it in the near future.

The business would remain in the "black" throughout your period of ownership, because of your wise economic strategies in connection with expenditures, profits, losses, and investments. You would take care of it well enough for it to regularly increase its annual profit margin.

It Needs You The business couldn't do without you. It's very survival would depend on your leadership and decision-making. In your presence, the business would operate smoothly.

However, out of your presence, it would not do as well, because you know it better than those left to manage it. It could only exist, because you make smart decisions to ensure both its survival and growth.

No one could run the business the way you could, and it wouldn't want anyone at the helm but you anyway. It would allow you to spend how you saw fit, because you would do so sensibly. It needs you as its leader, ruler, and chief.

By : Anthony_Thompson

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Prevents Spills and Leaks For a Cleaner and Safer Workplace

When working in factories, manufacturing companies and other industrial businesses, spills and accidents are almost always unavoidable. Being ready for such occurrences is the best way to prevent the unnecessary messes and accidents that go along with the spills.

But using ordinary rags and cloths to for taking up spills may not be very effective as they are not made to absorb all types of liquids.

Rags are best used for absorbing water but not oil, lubricants and other solvents. This is why you will need a more specialized type of absorbing tool to prevent the spread of oil spills and other liquids.

One product line that is sure to help solve these problems for you is the Spilfyter Absorbents. Its material is specially made to absorb all types of liquids effectively; this includes water, oil, coolants, lubricants and other harsh solvents.

They also have oil only products that specialize in absorbing oil and other oil-based products only. Their product line includes universal socks, industrial mats and sorbent pads which all have specific jobs to accomplish.

Universal socks are used to prevent the scattering of liquids on the floor, especially if there are leaks on the equipment or machineries being used. Due to its shape and elasticity, it can be placed around equipment with a customized fit.

The socks won't be displaced very easily thus ensuring that it does its job by sticking close to the leak and absorbing and liquids that go out. Industrial mats are placed along high traffic walkways to absorb liquids that may be scattered by wet shoes.

Sorbent pads can be placed along shelves to absorb drips and stains, and it can also be used to wipe up excess liquids in case of accidental spills. So keep a clean and safe working environment in your factory by using these absorbent products today.

By : John_F_Smith

How to Discover Topics For Safety Talks

It is a well established fact that safety talks have a considerable effect on workplace safety. People who practice this, will tell you that it increases awareness, it provides a forum for staff members to express their opinion and to give feedback regarding hazards, unsafe behavior and remedies to potential accidents.

A lot of people in leadership positions say that they have difficulty in providing subjects which will engage their team during the team talk and maintain their interest. This article explains the multiple sources for information that can be used in a safety team talk.

One of the prime areas to consider is current events in the workplace. As a leader you will spend time listening to staff members and it won't be long before a safety issue is raised. You can make a note of the issue and the circumstances surrounding it and use this in your next safety team talk.

Make certain that you always carry a notebook with you so you can jot things down because there is nothing worse than getting the story wrong when you come to tell it at their safety team talk.

One of the most important factors to remember is that whatever you talk about must be of interest and relevant to the group you're addressing. Think about your people, their aspirations, their jobs and pick a subject which will mean something to them.

If you read the safety material such as articles published in safety magazines, you will never be without a subject to discuss and safety team talk provided you make it relevant for the group.

The other source of subjects and information is what people are talking about in terms of safety. If you listen carefully to what other people say, what they complain about, what they recommend and what they say, you'll find a rich source of subjects to discuss in your safety talk.

When you are jotting down notes for your next safety talk, focus on a safety rule, a first aid hint, a housekeeping item, an unsafe practice and anything that is related to the workplace and safe behavior. Emphasize a hazard, ask the group for solutions to improve safety.

Tell the group about a safety tip. You will never run out topics if you approach safety team talks in this fashion. If you plan your talk, you will always be able to make it interesting and engage the group. Remember, always try and get comments from the group members about the subjects and potential improvements. Safety team talks are a great tool in the workplace.

By : Peter_L_Mitchell

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Team Building Ideas

Team building events are a great way to engage employees, encourage cooperation, illustrate the benefits of team synergy, and allow your employees to have some fun. There are tons of great team building ideas out there to choose from, but in case you need some help here are some of the most popular ideas:

Scavenger Hunt

One of the most popular team building ideas, scavenger hunts are a great way to break up long afternoon of lectures, or can be incorporated it into a Friday afternoon fun day. Each team is challenged with finding particular items, or completing specific tasks. A scavenger hunt team building exercise is a great way to get your group out of the office, and encourages cooperation as well as critical thinking.

Amazing Race

Everyone loves this series, and a team building event that is based on the show can really get your employees excited. It is also an excellent way to encourage teams to explore their local surroundings when they are away at a conference. Racing as the clock, teams need to decide which tasks they will complete, and which team members are the strongest competitors for each task. Only by working together will they succeed, and by ensuring huge team member has a chance to shine many will discover new skills.

Advertising Company

Team building ideas that help your employees explore the product or service that they sell can help companies improve their bottom line, while teaching employees valuable team skills. Each team has to come up with a pitch for a product, and incorporate it into a magazine ad, commercial, or other form of marketing. This is a terrific team building idea if your company is marketing a new product.

Sports Day

On the surface this type of activity may seem like pure fun - which is perfect, because your employees won't even know that their learning something. Teams compete against each other in a series of tasks that are designed to challenge the team's ability to work together. By the end of the day everyone has had a lot of fun, and has improved the way they communicate and cooperate.

Improv

Besides helping team members work together, an improv session can increase confidence, and enhance all employees' ability to think on their feet. Before they are "on" each team is told what they are expected to do - and they only have a short amount of time to decide how they will go about doing it. The result is pure fun, but educational as well.

Many of these ideas require a lot of planning, as well as props and equipment. For the most part, you will get better value if you hire a team building event company to execute your idea, that way you can participate as well.

By : Angela_Heidt

Team Success - 5 Myths About Team Working

Teams have the potential to deliver far greater results than any one individual could working in isolation. At the same time, there are some myths about team working that you need to be alert to if you are a leader.

Myth 1: Teams always work

When we read about the great achievements of teams it is easy to believe that they are always the solution to any problem. The truth is this is not the case. Teams will deliver a better result when they need the collective effort of all team members to deliver the result. If one or two people can achieve the result working alone, then there is no need for a team.

Myth 2: Successful teams never have conflict

It would be fair to say that you are never going to make progress if the team is always in hostile mode. At the same time, teams do not need to be conflict free to deliver results. What matters is how conflict is dealt with. It is also worth remembering that there is a huge difference between healthy and unhealthy (destructive) conflict.

Myth 3: It's all about goals

Yes, a team needs a clear purpose or goal that it is to achieve but, at the same time, goals by themselves do not achieve anything. As well as clear goals, you need to create the right conditions and foundations for teams to prosper.

Myth 4: The leader must be the most senior person

The leader of the team may be one person nominally or may even rotate. Contrary to what people often believe, the most senior person does not always need to be the leader. Sometimes, especially if it requires some specialist knowledge, it can be beneficial to have a leader with that knowledge.

Myth 5: People work best in teams

Many of us thrive in teams but there are others who find teams a challenge. Trying to fit someone into a team who is not a natural team player may well be counter productive. It might, for example, be better to have that individual provide a support role rather than being a core team member.

The Bottom Line

Teams clearly have the potential to deliver or contribute towards great results but, to create more success, be alert to some of the common myths about teams.

By : Duncan_Brodie

Friday, May 14, 2010

The Art of the RACE - Strategies of Business Success

Business success is a combination of so many things. The right attitude, the right behaviors and the right actions. I have outlined the 4 key factors here that can help you stand out and stand apart from others in your market place who have a similar offer.

Relationships is the first factor I want to share with you. No business can be successful without strong and encouraging advocates! An Advocate is someone who has your back and knows what you are working to accomplish.

They offer you value and support by sharing their feedback and their resources which also includes their network. Seek advocates out and do whatever it takes to build a strong bond and alliance with the very best people.

Action is the second factor and is what is missing for most people. Not just any action but the consistent action that will move you forward and support the accomplishment of your goals. Too many people get swept up in the minor details and mistake busy work for taking action.

Choose specifically what action habits need to be done day in and day out if you are going to be a rock star of business success. There are examples of what to do everywhere you turn if you look in the right places for ideas.

Creative input is the third factor and includes adding value and standing out in a unique way. Don't just seek to find out what others are doing and do it better, be better! What can you do to be better at what you do?

How can you add value to your product or service that isn't in line with what anyone else is doing. Everyone is creative but most people just tell themselves they are not and so it becomes true. Spend time honing your creativity and look for excuses and possibilities to use and express it.

Expert status is a state of mind and also the forth factor that I want to share with you today. Experts seem to be everywhere. People know of them and seem to run across what they are up to everywhere they turn.

If you want to be one of those experts you'll want to figure out what they do, where they can be found and how they get their message to the masses. There are a great number of platforms from which to get attention.

Choose one to start with and get out there and starting being seen. Being seen equals being liked and trusted if you do it the right way.

These 4 factors are the key to business success and can take you far down the road you are looking to travel. Make time to cultivate each of these ideas and skills and put them to use everyday in your business life.

Know what you want to accomplish and then set out to get it! Your success is a choice, your choice! Stop waiting for it to happen and go make it happen!

By : Helen_Raptoplous

3 Key Steps For a Great Market Study

The market study and competitive review must reach beyond the commonly available to compel investors and to drive your business plan. This requires a few key approaches to achieve. First, the study must be supported by a good study founded on the general market information.

This does not make a great study and unfortunately too many studies stop at this point. Second, the study must extend itself to get behind the scenes and to ferret out the underlying not commonly understood facts.

Third, the study must provide analysis and organization to tie the first two areas together as a unique competitive position. The third step is where differentiation originates.

In review, the three areas are:

1. General market background and information,

2. Behind the scenes market facts, processes, trends, and developments,

3. In depth analysis of the first two areas as it relates to the business supported by the study identifying differentiating opportunities and initiatives.

In more detail, the general market information encompasses industry news, general news, government reports, survey sources, and market research company information. In general most studies tend to rely on the first two. However, a study should be thorough and including the last three is an important part of the process that is often under delivered effecting negatively the final product.

Next, one of the greatest opportunities and generally largest weakness of studies is the information is not actually "unique". A good market study will include actual research with competitors, sources of substitutes, and with academic research.

In short the study, should go beyond what you can find on the real estate. Did you know that Milton Hershey (the founder of Hershey Chocolate) not only visited competitor sites, but on trips to Europe actually applied for work in candy factories to learn more about production methods?

Have you considered that Bill Gates early experience as a programmer gave him a competitive advantage developing Microsoft. While these actions were far beyond the scope of a market study, they show how important reaching beyond the commonly available can be.

Finally, in depth analysis means not only looking at the facts and figures, but based upon the information offering actionable ideas to achieve a competitive advantage. For example, did you know that 36% of new households will be Hispanic over the next decade?

If you are in consumer products, how can you gain an advantage over your competitors with this? Perhaps you should include Spanish home pages on your websites. Will you make hiring Spanish speaking staff a priority? What is your competition doing and how can you use this information to gain long term traction?

Taking these three steps will result in a market study that stands out for the quality of work, the uniqueness of information extending beyond the common place, and action focused analysis providing a real competitive advantage.

By : Blake_Dale_Ratcliff

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Professional Data Networks and What They Can Do to Help You

When you are looking at professional data networks, and what they can do to help you, there are a number of technical problems that can be handled to make your business Internet experience better and all of your business communication needs may be linked for better capability and functionality.

Professional networks offer support for connectivity issues, help to manage email accounts, offer website hosting, and help with other technical problems including firewall changes.

They can help with the integration of your business communications, whether through computer networks, telecom services or mobile communication systems.

The goal of a professional data network includes providing telecom and computer network technologies that deliver multiple, interactive services.

They can offer protective measures for all of your business electronic communications and Internet access by offering blocks and filters to access of programs that are considered inappropriate for your business computers.

There are some professional networks that include hardware packages, where all of your computers and peripherals are purchased, installed, maintained and disposed of, when the needs arise.

Your computer systems can be monitored, access to email can be controlled, and websites that are inappropriate can be blocked, but these are only a few of the services they can provide.

Many professional data networks evaluate and improve the performance of your network, and can provide integrated service for mobile services, video and voice services, in addition to conventional electronic data.

Because networks are constantly evolving, there should be focus on communication sub-networks that are integrated through layers.

Each layer of your business communication systems can be affected by your network speed and user requirements that might be increasing, so these are examined and options are considered that will enhance capabilities, through improvements that have been made in technology and equipment.

With the rapid evolution of wireless and optical fibre communication, there are many opportunities to give your business networks and telecom services more capacity and functionality because application requirements are constantly changing to keep up.

For many growing businesses, keeping up with the changing technologies that are available can be difficult, but there are many plans and equipment that have seen improvements and are available at less cost than might have existed a few months ago.

The majority of growing businesses need expert help they can get from professional data networks, especially when they are not knowledgeable in all forms of business communication networks, including telecom, broadband and mobile communication systems.

Once your business has had a professional telecom consultancy, you might discover that there are better options available, even if you upgraded equipment or changed providers just a few months ago.

Staying up-to-date can be important to your business telecom communications and networks that handle your electronic data.

No matter what type of business you are in, there are experts that can make your business more efficient and productive through a review of your business communication systems and a telecom consultancy or taking advantage of services provided by private company can offer some helpful solutions for all of your business communications.

By : Lawrence_BT_White

Networking at Conferences - How to Choose the Right One to Attend

Networking works! Whether you are a Brick and Mortar Business or an online business - networking events are happening everywhere - Online, Live and Local. Live events and conferences are a great way to network with others in your business field.

Human interaction builds strong relationships especially relationships that may have started online. They are also a great way to practice networking skills in person. But what events are right for you? The trick is knowing where to look.

Here are a few suggestions:

Check local Business organizations for posted events.

Visit your favorite blogs/websites for information. If these people are speaking or attending a conference they will want to let their readers know about it.

Visit online forums. Business forums usually have a place where they list upcoming events both online and offline.

Visit social networking sites.
These are great for business connections - Facebook and Linked In are two main places where many people or groups post events and send out invites.

Now that you have found some options, how do you choose one? Look at what your goal is for attending the event. You will want to choose live events that are relevant to your business. You wouldn't attend a crafting seminar if you sell gardening supplies.

And, you probably would pass on a seminar that highlights how offline businesses can get into online markets if you already own an online business.

Here are some pointers to making a decision:

• Check geographic location - Your first time out, you might want to stay close to home to lower costs. Money is often tight when you are starting a business.

• Look at event registration costs - Will you recoup the fees?

• Look at the speakers -
Who is coming to regale you with their business savvy? If the speakers involved are other business owners or role models in your industry that you have wanted to meet, don't pass up the chance to have your questions answered and gain some insight and knowledge from a skilled speaker. Adding a face to face will really help gel your connections as well. Contacts made at events can have long lasting benefits.

Choosing a live event to attend doesn't have to be a hard decision. Gather as much information as you can about upcoming events, their location and fees so you can map out your networking strategy. And it should all be about strategy - why you want to attend and what you will gain from attending.

This past year I attended the Niche Affiliate Marketing Systems Conference in Atlanta - I chose to go for a few reasons:

1. I wanted to learn more about Affiliate Marketing and how it works.


2.
It was an opportunity to meet two of my clients in person - one from British Columbia and one from California, as well as a Colleague from Washington State. I am from the East Coast of Canada so it would be rare for me to meet these people in person.

3.
There were many other top internet marketers there I have been following online for more than one year and it was a chance to listen to their wisdom in person as well as meet them face to face.

When you make conference/event choices by strategically choosing reasons why or why not to go you will find your investment well worth it!

By : Kathy_Colaiacovo

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Creating the Products Section of Your Marketing Plan

If your company is in distress, you will need a marketing plan to present to investors and other key proponents of the business.

This document will outline the strategy you will use in the transformed company and why this strategy will work. You can give information about why the strategy employed by the previous company was failing for insight on the new approach.

In the Products section of the marketing plan, you will describe those products and services you will keep in the post-turnaround period

. Include a general description of the product/service and an in-depth description of the unique features of each product/service you are keeping and why it will work in the post-turnaround stage of this process. Include the reasons why it was working before and why it will be working after the turnaround.

In this section, go into detail about the particular strategies you employ with each product or service, and why a particular product or service has been chosen over those that are being terminated. Also discuss the niches for these products and services here.

Don't forget that in this stage of the turnaround, you are cutting out those unprofitable products and services. You are not doing the major restructuring yet. That is in a later phase. This initial phase is more of a temporary fix and something that will buy you time until you can make more fundamental and long-lasting modifications to the company.

This means that you will be removing products and services and you will have fewer offerings when you complete the plan. In the Turnaround Phase of the overall process, you will implement these changes.

By : Andre_Larabie,_Ph.D.

Creating New Innovation While Solving Problems

Businesses use many techniques to develop innovations. One approach to innovation development deals with problems experienced in your own business or in your industry. Problems provide an opportunity for innovation by asking (and answering) five key questions:

1. What Happened? Identify details regarding the specific problem and determine whether the problem is related to a client, a product, a service, your entire industry, or a problem with your internal business procedures. Determine exactly what happened, such as dates, locations, people/businesses involved and other relevant details. These details will be used later to help prevent future problems.

2. Why Did it Happen? Determine why the problem occurred by evaluating when it happened and why the problem occurred at this time, but has not happened before. Identify what details were different this time that may have caused the problem. Determine where in the process the problem occurred and review the "chain of events" that led up to (or caused) the problem.

3. Lessons Learned to Benefit the Company? What lessons can you apply from the problem to benefit the company by improving your product or strengthening your client relationships? Prepare a written case study that documents the problem, what happened and how the problem was solved. This case study will be valuable for handling similar situations in the future.

4. How to Prevent Future Problems? Conduct a brainstorming session to identify at least two or three things you can do to prevent the problem from happening again in the future. Look at the causes of the recent problem and the events leading up to the problem. Identify ways to make changes to procedures and/or systems to avoid future problems, and document these changes. When looking for ways to prevent the problem from happening again, look to other industries for examples of how those industries solved similar problems.

5. Evaluate and Refine Changes - OK, this last one is not really a question, but it's an important part of the innovation process. Test and evaluate the two or three changes you identified in the brainstorming session. See which of the changes works best to solve the problem. Continue by refining one or more of the original changes based on your evaluation to produce the best solution to the problem.

The above process illustrates one example of creating innovation that strengthens your business. Consider developing an innovation strategy to identify a steady stream of innovations throughout your business using multiple identification techniques.

By : Steve_Sponseller

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Buy a Cheap Tanning Salon and Turn it Into a Highly Profitable Money Spinner

You may have been dreaming of opening that tanning spa you always wanted to own. I can't blame you because the industry makes about $5 Billion a year in the US alone.

If you want a piece of the action but can't afford to start a salon then, you have to be a little more creative with your business plan. With a limited budget as initial capital you can forget about being so lavish as to buy the best and most up-to-date tanning systems in the market.

Definitely turn a blind eye to those dealers who will sell their products at incredibly high prices. Realistically speaking, it is better to buy a cheap tanning salon that is for sale.

You can have that gorgeous and modern spa later on when you have enough cash to upgrade and renovate your facility.

You might wonder why there are businesses that sell so cheap. I think the reason behind this is the owner would just like to cut losses or simply get back his initial investment. Maybe he didn't make that much profit due to lousy outdated marketing or mismanagement.

That is something you can fix given the right guidance on how to run a business in today's world. A cheap tanning salon doesn't necessarily have to remain a money pit if new marketing and management styles are implemented.

Many outlets lose money because they still use old school marketing ideas that don't work anymore. These days you will need more internet based promotions and presence to reach a wider range of customers.


By : Betty_P_Davis

Small Business Success Strategies - Lessons From the Olympic Games For Growing Your Small Business

Are you in awe when you watch the Olympic Games? Isn't it amazing to see the absolute mastery and control of the athletes, whether it's in ski jumping or bob sledding or ice skating. Read on for important lessons we can learn from these athletes to grow our business.

Of course, comparing yourselves to an Olympic athlete can be intimidating. Just remember, you won't be competing with them on their turf. You've got your own.

So what small business success strategies can you learn from them that would help you with growing your business and getting more customers? A lot.

1. Olympic athletes focus on their strengths

Every athlete has a specific sport - ice skaters never compete in bob sledding or skiing. They all specialize, and not just in an arbitrary way, but they play to their strengths. They have figured out exactly where their passions and their aptitudes intersect, and have put in enormous work towards building their skills in that exact area.

And so should you. Focus on what you enjoy and do best, and do more of it. In fact, focus your entire business on your passion and strengths. This is where the importance of having a narrowly define niche comes into play. Succeeding as a generalist is tougher than being an expert in one area. And being the best is not as hard as it may seem if you focus to be the best at ONE thing.

2. Olympic athletes know that it doesn't take a huge increase in performance to outperform the competition

Think about it. How much better is the athlete who comes in first in comparison to the second or even the tenth? It's really an incredibly tiny difference, right? For example in the women's downhill skiing event, gold medalist Lindsey Vonn was just.056 seconds ahead of silver medalist Julia Mancuso. And in the men's downhill event, only 0.09 seconds separated first and third place!

How can you put that to work for yourself?

So often we think that we have to be incredible so we hold back from doing something. For example: launching a new program or service, making a difficult outbound call, writing an article or giving a speech - any of these on your to do list?

Yes, we should always strive to be our best but not at the exclusion of actually doing it. Letting go of perfectionism and focusing on doing the best we can (while striving to get better) is one of the most important small business success strategies we can learn from Olympic athletes.

By : Sue_Clement