April 30, 2008

Utilize Features And Benefits In Your Marketing To Increase Your Bottom Line...

Features and benefits...two VERY IMPORTANT aspects in an effective sales ad or product offering. Learn how you can drastically improve your total sales by effectively utilizing features and benefits in your marketing materials!

Whenever you have a product or service that you are offering to the public, there is usually a description of the features and the benefits of the product in question. The features of the product describe exactly what the product is. The benefits of the product describe what the product does.

For example, let's say you were marketing an IPOD. Well the feature of the IPOD would be that it can store up to 80 gigabites of music and video. The benefit of the IPOD is that you can take your music and video wherever you go without having to take your computer with you.

To help your potential customer make an informed decision as to whether or not purchase your product it is important that both the features and the benefits be present. This is because they are both important factors that a target prospect should know in making an informed decision.

With that being mentioned, you would remember this very important slogan...

Facts tell, stories sell.

The features of the product are the facts. The facts tell you more information about the product. The benefits of the product are the stories. The stories sell you on the product. One of the biggest mistakes people who don't understand marketing make is that they use their marketing to go over all of the features of the product and don't spend enough time focusing on the benefits.

For example, if you are selling an e-book, it's fine to let the prospect know that the ebook is 85 pages, include some of the chapters and topics that the ebook covers and let them know that the ebook is in PDF format. All of this information is important and a prospect cannot make a buying decision without knowing this vital information. However, this information is not what's going to make the prospect make the decision to buy.

Don't forget what I mentioned earlier, facts tell, stories sell.

What will make the prospect make the decision to buy is by sharing the benefits of the e-book. You want to share what the prospect is going to be able to be, do, have and experience as a result of purchasing this e-book.

I was reading a sales letter the other day and here's a line that gives you a perfect example of a powerful benefit. The line was in all red letters and it said the following:

"Here's how you can turn your passion or hobby into a 6-to-7 figure income"

Think about it.

Who DOESN'T want to earn a 6-to7 figure income doing what they love? Everybody would like to make that type of money doing what they love. That's what makes this benefit very powerful. Your marketing should be no different eitherFeature Articles, you want to ensure that you do the same. You will drastically increase your overall sales and make the money you want to make with your business by including the benefits associated with your product or service along with the features.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

Mark Garland is the owner of Analyzed Marketing Solutions. He helps individuals and businesses to gain an online presence through learning to effectively market themselves. You can gain access to his valuable online training system at: http://www.AnalyzedMarketing.com/business_area

Multilevel Marketing Business Opportunity : Acheive Success Online

One recent internet business trend is the mlm business opportunity. It requires a simple set of skills that most businesspeople should already possess, but like any other home based online business it does demand more internet skills than the typical job.

Multilevel marketing or mlm is a business theory that punctuates the sale of products or services through a network of representatives. So your ability to sponsor distributors plays an essential role in the success of such a business.

Typically the success in this kind of company is achieved when you can successfully pitch your warm market and recruit them into your opportunity. With the advent of the internet, traditional networkers are realizing that they can make a substantial income by working only through the internet.

Like most home based careers an mlm business opportunity online will take a lot of work in order to get to the point where you are making enough money to quit your regular job. In order to be successful in this type of business you should exhibit a few basic attributes.

You must have decent internet skills, meaning that you should not only be able to easily e-mail and research but also have at least a beginning knowledge of html code. This will make it easier for you to update or change html code on your website which may be necessary. Basic html familiarity can be learned simply by reading a few tutorials on the internet. It will also greatly improve your chances of success to learn about search engine optimization in order to attract search engines to your site. This will become a major aspect of your business just as the internet as a whole should.

Once you have an internet presence and have figured out how to maintain it you should have at least some interest from both potential customers and people wanting to be recruited for such an mlm business opportunity online. In order to capture and captivate these consumers and potential distributors so that they remain fascinated, you must follow up on each lead.

This means e-mailing them several times as the majority of people tend to only make a purchase after seeing an offer multiple times. To easily ensure that they see this offer several times you should have an autoresponder to cut out the work of e-mailing each person individually more than once.

Another good skill to possess in this business is writing. The more articles that you submit to different websites, the more links that will point back to your site. You can also post blogs on your own website objectively placing specific keywords in them for search engines to crawl and index.

This is where an understanding of search engine optimization comes into play. If you are not a great writer or do not have time to develop interesting copy, you can pay freelance writers to write for you. However, this evidently is more expensive than completing it yourself so be sure to plan for it if you select not to write.

As long as you are somewhat internet savvy, a good salespersonFeature Articles, and either a good writer or willing to pay for one you may have what it takes to succeed in an mlm business opportunity online. With hard work and some research you can eventually replace your current job with such a career.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

Don Downes is a successful internet marketer who works with other industry leading internet marketers from around the world. He specializes in helping others achieve multilevel marketing success through the power and leverage of the internet. To learn more, check out Don's ==> Xocai website.

April 29, 2008

Do your materials scream "This has nothing to do with you!"?

How to get the client interested in your product by appealing to them

Just today, I received an invitation in my email announcing an open house, from a lady that helps you find your life destiny.

Moving to a new location is always exciting for you the owner... but what does it mean to your customers?

What is in it for them? Why should they care?

When you have an announcement like this to share make sure you tell them how it impacts them.

Look at the wording on their invite:

Please join us... in celebrating our new training facility Clients, family, and friends please drop by to enjoy our open house

Date: Time: Location:

Logo

Please RSVP by

WOW! I can barely contain my excitement. Where in there does it say the magic word? From the customer's perspective, they open this invite and all it says (to them) is "SO WHAT?"

So they have a new facility good for them.

NOT ONCE in this invite is the magic word, YOU, mentioned.

So this invite is not about the customer it is all about the company.

Surprise, surprise... ok, maybe not that much of a surprise as this is the most common mistake small, medium and large businesses make assuming the customers "get it". They assume the customer should be excited about their announcement... even though it really means very little to them.

My suggestion: anytime you have a new event or announcement to make create a theme party to it! Make it exciting and make it ALL about the customer. Give them compelling reasons to perk up and listen. Give them real reasons why they should care and attend or take action.

Show them you actually care about them (the paying customer) not about your new building or new website or new brochure.

I would have done something like this (this is quick off the top investing a couple hours and you can make this shine):

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

With your generous support, encouragement and feedback we have listened and acted. Starting on ____ you finally get access to the tools you asked for.

Announcing the Pirate Pete's Customer Appreciate Party (or whatever theme party you create).

Because we love you, our devoted customer, we have a present waiting for you.

Join us at the Pirate Pete's Customer Appreciation party:

Date: Time: Location:

FREE Door prizes, FREE treasure maps to some big surprises, FREE Spiced Parrot Juice

And FREE Early bird RSVP prizes for those who act the fastest.

Don't be a scurrrvy dog... be there on time... or walk the plank (bring this invite with you and the secret code will be revealed that may make you a winner)

NOTE: The pirate idea could be used for any business pirates are HOT right now.

You can find darned near anything you want on the net! There was an entire site dedicated to "Pirate Talk how to talk like a pirate"

Make any event or announcement about the customer and you will see a huge difference in response you get. In this case they got so caught up in the excitement about their new move they forgot who actually paid for the move THE CUSTOMERS!

Without them, there is no doors to open... never forget.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

Troy White, The Marketing Results Mentor and Expert Copywriter helps clients achieve HUGE growth surges in their business in very short periods of time. If you're an entrepreneur in need of quick cash flow surges ' here is the quick-hit solution to put money in your bank.... The Wild West Wealth Summit! Make sure you visit http://www.WildWestWealth.com or sign up for the Free Cash Flow Surge Newsletter at http://www.CashFlowSurges.com

Your Small Business is Big Enough to Accept Credit Cards

Small online businesses can get the benefit of credit card processing.

The Internet has become a great place for those people who have always nurtured the dream of owning their own business. Instead of having to rent our buy space all one has to do is secure a domain name and sign on with a hosting service. And with drop shipping, e-store owners don't even have to maintain inventory.

Indeed, the low overhead that comes with having one's business online also makes it easier to turn a profit. And that has made the virtual world even more enticing for the entrepreneur as the financial risks and rewards are much more easy to juggle.

However, no successful business can become static or things start to erode. That is why most online business people keep an eye out for anything that will help their business grow. Perhaps a fancier site design or maybe switching some items being sold to see if that kicks some fresh energy into the mix.

One avenue they might pursue is the idea of credit card online processing services. Some might just like the idea while others have heard about all the good things that merchant services could bring. Several studies have shown that an Internet business with merchant services will see increases in traffic, repeat business, sales and profits. All great things to help anyone's business grow to the next level and beyond.

However, here is where many online shopkeepers scuttle their own efforts. They let their assumptions carry more weight than any facts they may come across as they research the ability to accept payments online.

They assume credit card processing is for bigger businesses.

They assume credit card processing costs will outweigh any financial benefit.

They assume that there isn't a plan that is structured for a business like theirs.

And they get wrapped in up in their assumptions that they start to treat them as facts and they forget about merchant services as a way to build their bottom line. And that's too bad because assumptions are hardly ever factual if any research has been added to the mix.

This is why it is so vital, no matter what size business you have that you are willing to drill down and get some facts before you make any decision that will affect your business.

It is true that there will be several merchant services providers that might think you are too small for credit card services - and most banks fall into this category - but keep in mind that any company that says you aren't big enough usually means you aren't big enough for them to offer services to and make a profit.

And that means you have to stay active and keep looking because there are a lot of great merchant account companies out there who can let you accept credit cards at a price you can live with. But it's up to you as the business owner not to be easily dissuaded, because that can mean your business might not reach the profitability that it potentially could realize.

So the key things to remember are don't confuse your assumptions with factsBusiness Management Articles, and that credit card online processing services can help your small business become a big business.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

Jim Osterman is a Web content developer with CardAccept.com, a leading credit card processing company that helps businesses grow by setting them up to accept payments online.

April 28, 2008

How Can You Find The Right Work At Home Business Opportunity That Fits You

Do you want to start your own home business but you need to know some ideas to help you find the right one for you? If you do than you need to know the best ways to find a work at home business opportunity that fits you and why it is important to do this. Find out more now.

Do you want to start your own home business? If you do than you need to know how to choose the right business opportunity for you. There are some things that you can do to get ideas for an internet business.

There are many places to look to find opportunities that you can start checking into. One thing that you need to know is that the most important thing you can do before starting a business is the research to find the right one. This is important because the more you like what you are doing the more success you will achieve.

When you find a work at home business opportunity that you are interested in, you want to save it somewhere that you can find it later. You need to make sure that you take the time and check out each opportunity thoroughly.

This is a very important step in finding the right home business for you, if you don't do this than you will find yourself jumping from one opportunity to another and never making any money.

Here are some of the ways that you can use to find a work at home business opportunity that is right for you.

One: Forums, This is a great place to go because a lot of people go to forums to talk about home business and to promote their own business. You can go search through the forums to find out what other people are doing to make money online.

One other good thing about using forums to find a work at home business opportunity is because if you don't find something that interests youScience Articles, you can always ask others their opinion about the best opportunity.

Two: Search engines: This is an obvious one but it is still effective for finding a work at home business opportunity. It will take time so you want to make sure that you set aside enough time to really research all of the different opportunities that you find.

Three: Blogs: These are a great way to find an opportunity that you can use to find your own home business. You can even find review blogs that has reviewed different opportunities.

These are just a few ways that you can use to find a work at home business opportunity. You just need to start looking and you will soon find that you have found more opportunities than you can ever look at. Just remember to choose the home business you will start very carefully because this will definitely impact your future success with your business.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

Mark Molina is a husband and father of two who never gave up on his dream to find the perfect home based business of Time Freedom. Now he can show you how to work at home on the internet too! To see the business that Mark found after three years of research, go to http://snipurl.com/23dww

Everyone Is All A-Twitter About Twitter

According to the Twitter FAQ, "Twitter is for staying in touch and keeping up with friends no matter where you are or what you're doing." But it's not only for social purposes ' there can be many benefits to your business as well. Follow a few simple rules and you can stay "top of mind" with your customers and potential customers.

I personally have been Tweeting for a few months. But I use the phrase "tweeting for a few months" loosely. I haven't been all that consistent with it, and I definitely didn't have a strategy. I just thought it was kind of cool.

Recently I've started paying more attention to it for a few reasons; my mother-in-law was at a librarian conference recently and attended a session on Twitter. I got into a conversation with her about it, and then the next day I saw John Reese's email about Twitter. It seems like there is a lot of twittering about Twitter going on. What is Twitter?

According to the Twitter FAQ, "Twitter is for staying in touch and keeping up with friends no matter where you are or what you're doing."

Wikipedia says, "Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that allows users to send updates via SMS, instant messaging, email, to the Twitter website, or any one of the multitude of Twitter applications now available".

Basically Twitter asks the question, "What are you doing?" and allows you to send a short update (your tweets are limited to 140 characters) to your followers (family, friends, colleagues, customers, potential customers etc).

Twitter allows you to send and receive updates (also called tweets) via your browser, email, instant messaging clients and SMS (using your cell phone). No matter where you are, you can tweet!

I haven't been following Twitter since day 1, so I'm not going to comment on it's evolution but I will speculate that as its popularity grows, as more and more marketers use it, 2 things are inevitable:

1. Rules on Twitter etiquette will continue to evolve as we learn what we like and dislike about it, and as we respond to the inevitable abuse of Twitter (don't mean to sound negative but it happens with each exciting new opportunity ' people end up abusing it).

2. More and more companies will jump on board and try to get in on the conversation.

Start Twittering, (or is it Tweeting?)

Remember, when you first join Twitter, it can feel like a lonely place. When you aren't following anyone and no one is following you, you may find yourself asking "what is the point?" I've heard so many people say they just don't get it. In fact, I've said that myself.

The key is to find the Tweets you want to follow so you can keep your finger on the pulse of your niche. The next key is to start building your followers. More on that in a minute.

How can Twitter help your business?

The more contact you have with a potential customer, the more likely you are to get their business. You can stay "top of mind" through Twitter. Let them know what's new in your industry, in your company etc. You become a source of quick news flashes for them.

Here are just a few of the benefits of Twitter: - It reminds people that you exist

- It shows people you have something to say

- It shows them that you are human

- It allows you to mention new offers, sales and breaking news immediately

- It allows you to form a more casual relationship

- You can use Twitter to promote your social bookmarking submissions.

- You can ask for referrals, suggestions, feedback and help, and people will respond.

Twitter is also fun and is contributing to the new language we are constantly developing. For example "Twitterference" ' the intrusion of twitter updates on your phone making it hard to have a conversation on your phone.

Finding Followers:

Start by reaching out to your friends, family, mailing list etc. You can also add your Twitter link to your email signature line; add links to your website and Blog. Mention your Twitter account in your newsletter.

Twitter Rules

One cardinal rule (that is in your best interest to follow): if you use Twitter as a pure sales tool, you will lose followers quickly. As with all forms of social media, it is about creating a conversation and sharing news ' it's not all about you shoving your sales message down their throats.

Tweets are limited to 140 characters. This is to allow them to be easily sent over mobile SMS systems.

You aren't able to embed HTML with the exception of hyperlinks. (But they are no-follow links, so they won't help you in your SEO quest for backlinks) Bonus: Twitter automatically uses the TinyURL service to shorten links.

Don't tweet too much, or too little. There is no magic number and it varies according to your audience. Some people say don't update more than once per hour. Others say not more than once or twice a day. I tend to be in the once or twice a day camp. If there is breaking news and some days you just have to update more often then it's OK. If your tweets are valuable information people will be more tolerant of frequent updates.

On the other hand if you are too quiet, people have nothing to follow so make sure you find that balance and tweet just enough to keep people informed but not annoyed.

Don't forget that your profile shows a history of all your tweets, so if a new person comes along and sees that you don't have many tweets they may decide you aren't worthy of following. Also if your past tweets aren't informative or interesting, you lose some potential followers.

You'll find that sometimes you get involved in personal conversation with someone. Try to avoid doing too much of this. Not everyone will be interested in your personal communications. If you do need to do this, put the @ symbol in front of somebody's name ' this indicates that this message is for them.

One thing to keep in mind about personal conversation tweets - some people who are following you may not be following the person you are talking to. This means they get only one half of the conversation. One suggestion is to word your tweet so that spectators have an idea of what you are talking about. That way, they can feel more included in the conversation.

Trust and Twitter

With so much hype in marketing, people are really looking for a company that can trust. You can build trust with prospects by allowing them to get to know you, and by providing them with information. Twitter allows you to do just that.

A great tip: look at your own Tweet history ' is the information valuable, does it build trust? Would you want to follow yourself?

Get tweeting!

It may take some trial and errorFree Reprint Articles, and you probably want to check out what others are tweeting about to get a feel for the style. But don't spend too long lurking ' check it out and then jump on in.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

Jennifer Horowitz is the Director of Marketing and co-owner of http://www.EcomBuffet.com Since 1998, her expertise in online marketing and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) has helped clients increase revenue and achieve their business goals. Jennifer has written a downloadable book on Search Engine Optimization and has been published in many SEO and marketing publications.

April 26, 2008

Not Investing in Merchant Services Can Cost You

Online business people must invest in their business

The decision on whether or not to add credit card processing services to an online business' site is driven by several factors, one way to make the decision is by playing the "what if" game.

As in: "What if I (the Internet retailer) decide against the investment in credit card online processing? What will it cost me?"

Those are worthwhile questions. It is hard to put a hard-dollar figure on what the lack of merchant account services will mean to a business, but there are some facts that need to be weighed carefully.

Internet access into people's homes grows by the day. As does their access at work. Not to mention from their mobile phone. And we're talking about some form of high-speed access, which allows users to get the most from their browsing experience.

Not only are kids growing up with the Internet, as well as online shopping, but seniors are getting acclimated as well, meaning that 'net usage is touching every demographic segment of society.

And the shopping patterns on the Internet have come mainstream. There was a time when it might have been a novelty, then morphed into a way to get hard-to-find or specialty items, but now people are procuring all kinds of everyday items from their computers.

The cumulative affect of all of the above is that the potential audience for online shopping is enormous and only gaining users by the day.

Fold into this the fact that when people shop online they want to use their credit cards. Paying that way offers speed and convenience, as well as a measure of buyer protection from most of the major card companies. People shopping with their credit card in hand are the majority.

And here is where the lack of credit card processing is going to cost a company. With all those people going online, with more and more people shopping online and with the majority using their credit cards to shop online any site that does not have a merchant account is going to stand out like a sore thumb.

Loyal customers become loyal customers because they get what they want from a retail entity - whether it be real-world or virtual. And one thing they are going to want in increasing numbers is the option to use their credit card. They want it so much that if you don't have merchant services they are going assume something is less than trustworthy with your site.

So we're back to the initial question - do you really want to have your site seen as less that legitimate because you don't have credit card online processing. And what is it going to cost you when a shopper hits your site, only to realize after they have filled their shopping cart that you don't accept cards?

Two things are likely to happen. One, they will zip to a site that gives them the payment options they want. TwoFree Articles, they will never be back.

And what does that cost? Still think you can't afford credit card processing?

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

Jim Osterman is a Web content developer with Charge.com, a leading credit card processing company that provides innovative merchant services solutions.

How To Make Money With Social Networking

Making money with social networking is kind of like various other forms of getting traffic. Depending on who you talk to, you will get different opinions of whether they like it or not. n this article we want to take a look at how you can combine making money and social networking.

Getting traffic via social networking could be a great way of making money. Different people like different things and social networking is no different.

In this article we want to take a look at how you can combine making money and social networking.

It is hard to believe that as an industry Internet marketing is less than 15 years old. Social networking itself is really only a couple of years old and the first large social network was MySpace. Now today Facebook and many others, rival MySpace for members and opportunities to promote your business.

If they are trying to build an Internet business many people that join social networks also blog. This makes sense because you can piggyback the two easily together. Depending on the industry that you are in you can get new blog readers via joining a social network.

It is important that the social network you join relates back to the theme of your business. There are social networks that are available on almost anything. If you want to join a more broad social networks such as Facebook you can join or start a specific group the relates to the theme of your website as well.

Another thing you want to do is control who you let be your friend. Again using face book as an exampleFind Article, you can only have 5000 friends. If you let anybody and everybody join you will quickly fill up your guestbook and it may contain friends that really have no interest in what you're trying to accomplish with your business.

If you would like to eventually create business partners via social networking it is important that you participate in discussions and be helpful. You cannot always just be selling and in that way it's much like discussion forums.

If you are the type of person who is naturally curious you may be able to offer new ideas to your group that they are not aware of. This is an actual way for you to develop your own credibility as well as for you to build relationships.

People naturally become curious about what you do to make money and this really is where the benefit of social networking comes in. You are passively soft selling your friends without really ever selling at all.

This is the best way to combine social networking and making money. You will be great at this and a great opportunity awaits you in the future if you're the type of person that is naturally social.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

Mark Molina is a husband and father of two who never gave up on his dream to find the perfect home based business of Time Freedom. Now he can show you how to work at home on the internet too! To see the business that Mark found after three years of research, go to http://snipurl.com/23dww

April 25, 2008

Strategic Planning in Small Business, is There Such Thing?

"The vast majority of small business owners do not plan", I think that we can regard this statement as a ruling. But why is it so? As far as my knowledge reach, the reason for this derives from two different aspects: First, the lack of time that every small business owner face, which exists mainly because of the centrality of the small business owner in the day-to-day management tasks that are crucial for the maintenance of the small business. Second, the skills, or lack of skills, to establish a profound strategic planning process that will evolve into strategic plan that will lay out the small business goals and objectives and the necessary resources needed to achieve those objectives. Such skills are not as common even when we are dealing with large business top managers, but contrary to small business owners large business top managers do have the access to professionals in the field of strategic planning and the necessary resources to hire them, and this is what makes the whole difference.

Analyzing strategic planning conducted by small business owner raises some questions: do all small business owners sentenced to lag behind their corporate colleagues regarding strategic planning? Is there something that the small business owner can do in order to narrow the gap? And if there is, what will be the benefits to the small business owner?

Small business owners will never have the necessary resources needed to close the gap with large businesses regarding strategic planning process and implementation. But frankly I don't think that they should put neither their time nor their money in the elusive quest to narrow this gap. What small business owners can and should do is to understand that a small business is not a large business regarding its abilities and needs with the only exception that it's employ fewer employees. If this understanding become a common knowledge to the small business owner, it is rather obvious that he or she should adopt different approach regarding strategic planning. The idea that strategic planning at small business should not come in a rigid form, that dictate a step by step formula what the small business should do and how it's need to act at every possible situation, opens a whole new set of alternatives to engage at some sort of strategic planning from which the owner and its business will be the main beneficiaries. The benefits to the small business from engaging in any sort of strategic planning could be as follow: The understanding of the small business owner how he sees the objectives of its small business as for today and what he plans to the future. Defining the resources needed to achieve those objectives and plans. Insight what are and will be the risks while trying to implement its present and future plans.

Dr. Rami Schayek combining the academic world with a fieldwork as the CEO of several small businesses coincident with coaching many other small and medium businesses.
Terms: Articles may be reprinted provided content is not edited and links are kept live.

Home Based Business Ideas To Look Into

The great thing about the internet is there are always new home based business ideas emerging. Add these with the continuous success of certain opportunities like affiliate marketing and you have a wide array of possibilities to look into. The sky is the limit for what you accomplish on the internet.

There is no limit as to how many opportunities you jump on. You can take on affiliate marketing and sell items on EBay at the same time. The only thing holding you back is yourself. As long as you have the drive and determination to succeed online, you will find success. So what are some of the home business ideas?

As mentioned, affiliate marketing has continued to bring people success. As with the internet as a whole, there is no limit as to how many affiliate programs you join either. However, it is recommended you take on no more than four or five at a time because of the time you will have to invest in each. But with the proper marketing, you can have a great amount of success with affiliate marketing.

The next opportunity is doing any type of freelance work available. This gives you the chance to make use of your skills you have. If you are a good writer, there are plenty of freelance writing positions available. If you can design web pages brilliantly, there are graphic designing jobs open. Freelance work can be one of the best full time jobs on the internet.

EBay has emerged over the past few years as a great way to make some extra money. While it is not necessarily the way to make a living off of, you can make some good money off of selling items. People make money in one of two ways; selling their own items and selling items for more than they purchase them for.

While there are several programs to choose from on the internet, a couple of the new programs bringing people high incomes is Success University and Abunza. Despite being around for a short period of time, people are making thousands of dollars a month with these two programs. They have incredible commission plans and a product that is worth investing in.

The most logical home based business idea is simply starting your own site. There is no limit to what you can do with a web site of your own. You can sell your own products, make money off of pay per click advertising, and even promote affiliate programs. If you do not yet have a web site of your own, it is definitely worth looking into.

Would you like to have a real web site business? Mana Aroontut invites you to visit their full service marketing business website for everything you need to start and run your own online business. Their services include advertising, mentoring, and a full service training and support package to help guarantee your success. Learn more here: www.MillionDollar-Affiliate.com/pips.html


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April 24, 2008

Simple Bookkeeping Spreadsheets

Accounting software is used by accountants to enter many complex financial transactions into the financial books of account and is almost invariably based upon double entry bookkeeping principles. A major advantage to those companies and the finance staff is the extent to which financial information contained in the database can be queried for financial control purposes.

An accountant needs to not only ensure the financial records are accurate but also retrieve any part of the accounting records to answer accounting questions on the accounts, provide a legal basis for the transactions and report the financial statements at regular periodic intervals.

The small business has different accounting needs which are better described as bookkeeping than accounting. For non limited companies that do not need to produce a balance sheet then a simple income and expenditure account can be produced much simpler using single entry bookkeeping principles.

Less financial control is often required from small business accounting software as the bookkeeper is often the owner manager who already has an intimate knowledge of each transaction. Books are still required for tax purposes and a solid requirement of preparing a set of financial books for tax purposes is that each entry is supported by third party evidence.

Examples of third party evidence would be sales invoices, purchases invoices and bank statements. Financial transactions where no receipt exists can still be entered in the business books although all transactions not carrying third party evidence could subsequently be disallowed for tax purposes and certainly would be if the amounts entered indicated unusual income or expenditure.

Producing an income and expenditure statement using single entry bookkeeping is little more than making two lists of financial transactions. Those lists being one of sales income received from sales invoices or receipts issued to customers and the other of purchase expenditure being from purchase invoices received from suppliers.

To record sales income it would not normally be sufficient to simply add up the total of the invoices as such a summation does not leave an audit trail of the items which have been included. A written list of sales invoices does provide an audit trail.

Sales accounting for a small business accounting purposes can be either a manual list of the sales invoices or by using a spreadsheet package a list can be made on a bookkeeping spreadsheet. Using a spreadsheet for the bookkeeping has advantages as simple formula can be used to add up the column totals.

The essential information to enter for a sales invoice would be the date of the sale, name of the customer, sales invoice number if applicable and optional a brief description of the item sold. In the next column would be the total sales invoice amount. If items like value added tax are required to be accounted for then an additional column would be required to accommodate the vat or sales tax accounting.

A further small complication might be if at the discretion of the small business owner additional information was required from the bookkeeping records to indicate the totals of the different types of products and services then additional columns could be incorporated to enter the net sales figures in these columns.

There it is then, a simple list of sales invoices to satisfy the sales accounting requirements for a small business where a balance sheet is not required.

On the expenditure side of the business the bookkeeping can also be a simple list of the purchase invoices and receipts showing the amount spent. The list should also produce an audit trail by showing the date of the purchase invoice, name of the supplier, purchase invoice for identification purposes and the total amount spent.

Usually tax returns are the main purpose of producing small business accounts and invariably some analysis is required to show what the expenses have been spent on. That is not difficult to achieve and as with the sales accounting the owner manager can add additional standard columns to the bookkeeping spreadsheet.

The expenditure analysis columns do not need to be a different column for each type of expenditure. It is better to set up and group the analysis columns in general headings which can accommodate all the expenses.

Such columns may include stock, other direct costs, premises costs, general administrative costs, transport and delivery costs, repairs and maintenance, travelling and hotel costs, motor costs, bank and legal costs and other expenses. It is better not to enter too many items under a general heading of other expenses as this is more likely to be investigated as the type of expense has not been precisely identified.

One important column to also include is for asset purchases as fixed assets usually have different tax rules applying to the claim of the expense against tax and should be separated from other expenditure.

Having set up two bookkeeping spreadsheets the task is then to produce the income and expenditure account by collecting the totals of each of the analysis columns. The sales total is the sales turnover from which is deducted the totals of each of the expenditure classification totals with the result being the net profit and loss of the business.

Where stock is bought and sold a further adjustment may be required to account for the difference between opening and closing stock. This is done by taking a physical stock check and valuing the stock at the start and end of the financial period.

On the income and expenditure account adjust the stock purchases figure by adding the value of the opening stock and deducting the value of the closing stock. The result is not the stock purchases total as shown in the bookkeeping spreadsheets but the cost of the goods which have been sold to produce the sales turnover being reported.

Simple bookkeeping for a small business accounting purposes can be two lists of sales and purchases supported with sales invoices and purchases invoices.

Terry Cartwright a qualified accountant at DIY Accounting in the UK designs Accounting Software on excel spreadsheets providing complete Small Business Accounting Software solutions with single and double entry Bookkeeping Software for both limited companies and self employed business

Why It Is Easy to Make Money Online

Simply put, it is easy to make money online because you can transfer information directly to a buyer, anywhere in the world, in a matter of seconds. If you are selling information or a product that can be downloaded, you have an advantage over those who operate otherwise.

Consider the following elements when deciding how to make money online: Your Ultimate Goal, Your Personal Situation, and Intended Investment. These three elements will match you to the right type of money-earning opportunity—and there is something for everyone.

What is your ultimate goal? Ask yourself how much you want to make, what you want to accomplish with more money, how long you intent to work toward your goal, and at what intensity. You could want a six figure income in six months, or you could want to double your current salary. Make that decision now so it is clear to you.

What is your personal situation? Ask yourself if your family—your children, your parents, your wife, etc.—will be a source of stress or support. Will they give you the time you need to work your business? Do they want to partner with you? Will they bring negativity to your focus? Be sure and lay down some ground rules and expectations ahead of time so that all of your family is on the same page.

How much can you invest in changing your financial future for the better? It is okay if you can invest nothing but time, as long as it is consistent with your ultimate goal. Expecting to make six figures in six months without investing a dime is not likely. However, a $60 investment can yield you plenty.

Regardless of your personal goal, situation, and investment, the important thing to remember is that you can make money online. So jump right in and enjoy your success as I am enjoying mine.

------------------------
Lesley graduated with a bachelors of science degree in Business Marketing from the University of Delaware. She has been able to transform twenty years of marketing, sales, and event planning positions into successful online marketing strategies. Lesley continues to help people make money online every day.

April 22, 2008

Work at Home : Tips On How To Be Successful To Make a Living at Home

When you work at home, you often need some ready cash in order to get started. The financial backing may be to pay more a membership in a listing service, or to receive some needed training, or the purchase an e-book that tells you about methods or procedures that will help you toward your financial goals. You may even need to purchase additional equipment in order to do the job you want to do. If you are as strapped for cash as many people who begin the journey toward financial freedom at home, you are probably looking for a way to get started in your chosen business. Here are some ways you can use to get that initial boost financially in order to get started quickly.

Use your nest egg

When you work at home, you can plan ahead for your project by setting aside a few dollars from each paycheck or by cutting back on a less than vital expenditure and dedicating the savings toward your new project. After all, the enjoyment of anything that you succeed at is in direct proportion of the effort that is required to achieve the success. It is surprising how much can be put toward savings when you make a dedicated effort toward a goal.

Sell something you don't need

Would you sell an unneeded item to provide the needed equipment and resources to work at home? Most people would rank their priorities so that they could accomplish something by getting rid of an item they no longer need. You could easily have a yard sale and get a few hundred dollars toward your goal in just a single weekend. Some areas have consignment auctions where you take your unwanted goods to an auction house and receive the cash after the sale, less the amount for auctioneer's fees. Of course, you can also offer items at one of the online auction sites.

Tap your friends and family

Even if your friends and family can't come up with cash to help you work at home, they may be able to help in other ways. Perhaps their creative talents can be used in designing a web site or a product label. Maybe they will offer to provide labor temporarily to ship your product. Perhaps they have a computer or printer that they are willing to let you use temporarily or permanently. Sometimes family members are willing to come up with a short term low interest loan to you so that you can get your business started properly.

Barter

Barter arrangements or no money down arrangements are more common and easier to obtain than you might think. If you offer to trade services for goods, or vice versa, you can often set up a scenario where your work at home cash outlay will be much less than you would normally expect. Remember, not only do you need to find backers for setting up your business, but you must create a cash flow that will allow you to continue your business.

Choosing Work from Home or Work at Home as your major information source on work from home programs makes a lot of sense. You'll find numerous tips as well as other valuable information and a FREE Report here to learn more.

The Mistakes I Made in my First Year Online

My website is just over a year old, so I've been reflecting on my first year and the mistakes I made. I think at the top of the list would have to be the fact that I didn't ask this question of other marketers:

What would you do differently in your first year if you knew then what you know now?

Here are my own answers to that question:

1) Trying to go in too many directions at once. In my first year of internet marketing, I was like a kid in a candy store. I could see and smell success all around me and I knew I wanted some, so I tried a little of this and a little of that. End result - not a lot of progress. I switched lanes way too often. Sort of like following one car for several blocks, then choosing to follow a different car on a whim. Needless to say, you don't reach a destination that way.

2) Being a serial buyer. Along the same lines, I was intrigued with way too many products, many of which were useless. I wish I could have back some of the money that I spent foolishly so that I could spend it with forethought and planning.

3) Not sticking close enough my mentors. I have a couple of people that are at the core of any success I have achieved. At the top of the list is Ken Evoy, the brains behind Site Build It. If you purchase a site through Site Build It, one fringe benefit is an incredible forum full of very experienced and helpful people (many of whom have sites in the top 1% of all websites). In fact, the forum alone is probably worth the price of SBI.

Another example of sticking close to people that are willing to teach you, Napoleon Hill in "Think and Grow Rich" talks about needing a Master Mind group - in other words, putting your head together with others who have similar goals. Or in his words, he defines the Master Mind as "Coordination of knowledge and effort, in a spirit of harmony, between two or more people, for the attainment of a definite purpose."

An old friend of mine used to say, "A smart man learns from his mistakes. A smarter man learns from the mistakes of others." I probably didn't have to make all the mistakes I made, if I had only listened to those with more experience.

4) Not using a daily or weekly planner. I rely way too much on my brain. I expect myself to remember things, and often I let myself down. When I sit down to work, I find myself often wasting time "warming up" because I don't remember where I left off or what I was trying to accomplish. This is one big thing that I am working on in the coming year - making out a schedule for the coming week at the beginning of the week, so I remember exactly where I'm trying to go.

Mistakes aren't all bad - they always offer lessons. Or as John Powell said, "The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing." I'm looking forward to a better year because of the mistakes I made last year.

Valerie Dansereau is a banker turned entrepreneur. Visit her website at www.work-at-home-parenting.com. For more information on building a site through Site Build It, visit Build a Website.

April 19, 2008

Women Entrepreneur: Pulling It All Together

there you are, in a boardroom meeting with a few of your business colleagues, and in walks a woman. As you observe her, you think to yourself, " Now she's really got it together. This woman has got it all figured out. She's got this one nailed to the floor." What do you see?

As you know a businesswoman's appearance is her business card; only much larger in size. It's also a part of the first impression package. Without even actually knowing someone, you can gather a great deal of information about them: whether they're confident or not, if they take themselves seriously, if they know what they want, if they are responsible, or whether they're happy. Of course, appearance says a lot, but it's not just about what's on the surface of an individual that matters. It's about what lies beneath, and body language says plenty. Now if you have your superficial act together, then your body language should match. For instance, would you take someone seriously that has all the confidence in the world, but looks like a bum? Not on your life.

In the business world, body language is tantamount to your success. What you are saying must be congruent with the picture you are showing, and role you are playing. Many of us forget, potential clients and business partners are looking for this. So therefore you must be congruent, that is you must know what you want, be confident in yourself and what you do, as well as take yourself seriously. This includes looking your best, and staying fit as it exhibits that you care about your well being. This is translated as being concerned about the welfare of others. Clients tend to think, "If they care about their well-being, then they must care about their business." This means clients and customers. It is important to realize that your clients and business partners are always making connections about you. They are attempting to draw logical conclusions regarding doing business with you.

The brain is our internal switchboard; it's also our central control. It sorts and applies information about incoming stimuli to decision-making. In many instances, people don't have any memory to recall upon when making decisions about others. By and largely, the client/professional relationship is very much this way, especially in the beginning. The brain works almost frantically sizing up people and situations from a very small amount of information. Although this prospect seems daunting from an entrepreneurial aspect, it's actually just the opposite. This is your time to shine for the spotlight is upon you.

Three Important Pointers:

1. Eye Contact is Essential: Look at whomever you are addressing square in the eye. This is how you are connecting from a visual standpoint. But most essentially, this says you are solid in your position, are being forthcoming and authentic. "I'm an open book." It also is an indicator that you are paying attention to what someone is saying to you.

2. Smile. Be Energetic and Upbeat. This says that you are happy with what you do. It also says, "If you find out more about me, you will be happy too." Yes, people are firm believers that happiness is catching.

3. Don't Slouch. How many times have you heard this growing up? This says you are confident and proficient. Slouching and poor posture is often associated with laziness and irresponsibility.

Being your own boss, and the queen of your empire requires you to think as your clients and business partners do. In other words, instead of looking at yourself face on as in a mirror, view yourself from another perspective---from over there.

Copyright (c) 2008 Aunice Reed

Visit: www.myunlimitedsuccess.com to Learn How to Increase Your Entrepreneurial Success. Aunice Reed is a Professional Success Coach & NLP Master for Women. Visit Her Blog: www.womensspecialtygroup.typepad.com

Communication Skills in Business

Communication skills are an absolute must for any business. It is not only necessary for senior executives but also essential for middle level and lower level management executives.

A senior level executive has to communicate with investors and managers. At the lower levels one has to communicate effectively with their peers.

For selling any product or services good communication skills are a must. It is not the most intelligent and capable people who succeed in business. People who can communicate and make good impression are the one's to succeed.

Good communication skills are not just considered an additional weapon in your armory, but they are absolutely essential to succeed.

To negotiate any deal, to meet the suppliers and get the best terms and conditions or to meet your own teams to generate ideas for the next quarter, good communication skills come in very handy.

In business people generally have a quite a few issues to sort out with their clients, government agencies and suppliers etc. Good communication skills are required to resolve any of these issues successfully.

If your communication skills are inadequate it would be hinder your ability to resolve these issues successfully

Communication skills require listening capabilities. So is the ability to speak skillfully is not very easy. Particularly talking to an angry set of people or frustrated people could be far more difficult.

Communication skills have to be developed and honed over a period of time. Even though most people in business think that they are good communicators, this does not have to be necessarily true.

You have to identify the defects in your communication skills and modify it, while retaining the good parts.

If you are a good communicator people will listen to you and engage you in a dialogue. It means that you will be confident of facing any situation.

The author has a master's degree in science. Blogs at wilybusiness.blogspot.com/ bnsridhar.blogspot.com/

April 17, 2008

China Sourcing, Keep An Online Record Of Ideas

Finding it hard sourcing goods from China? Are there so many Chinese wholesale dropship companies that sourcing new product leaves you drained. The solution may be boxedup the web 2.0 wishlist that is taking the social networking world by storm.

So your China product sourcing mission is turning into a disaster... There seems to be double the number of companies out there to source from and triple the number of products. You're pretty sure you've 'found' and noted down the same product three times, and you have no idea which company several of the products you have decided to take a closer look at came from.

One option you could consider is Boxedup.com a 2.0 website designed to help people shop on the internet.

While it is primarily aimed at the end user market Boxedup.com presents some pretty powerful functions that could benefit eBay traders and online shop vendors who do China sourcing, particularly when it comes to sourcing and marketing.

So what is boxedup anyway and what does it have to do with product sourcing?

Boxedup is an internet service which makes it easy for users to make lists of the things they want to get online. There is also a social element added in with users being able to see what each person wants and has, as well as making friends and sending messages.

Initially being formed as gifttagging.com, before being changed to Boxedup.com at the start of this year, the site's ease of use and intuitive usability have made this website popular with the web 2.0 crowd who are more than interested in keeping everybody up to date about everything that is happening in their lives. However, the program's ability to easily lift pictures, the product location and product name off the website make it a potentially valuable tool for people sourcing Chinese products, especially as the person making the list can state how many, or how few, people see the lists.

Like any web 2.0 application designed for general use the program takes very little to install.

It simply requires you to sign up to the service, after which you will be taken to a page where you are given the option of downloading the buttons for Internet Explorer or dragging buttons up to your shortcut bar if you are using Firefox. Once you have signed onto the service and installed the buttons you should have no problems adding products to your list.

The next step, if you are using Boxedup to source products, is to go into your profile and ensure that your list isn't visible to anybody but yourself. This way you can be sure that you won't tip off competitors or potential customers about an item you intend to source from China.

When you find a product you just click on the 'add to Boxedup' button. The application will then scrape the website address, product photos and product name of the page and take you to another page where you enter in a description, some tags to remind you why you think you liked it and the products price.

Once this is done all you need to do is click the submit button and your product ideas will be stored in a list which will show you the price, the website it came from, a photo and a description at the touch of a button.

Another powerful function Boxedup could play is in site and marketing promotion due to its function as a social networking site.

One of the functions of Boxedup is as a social networking site where people often make purchase decisions on items other people have, so toget program users buying your products and visiting your page all you need to do is to put several items that you have that you want to market onto the 'things I want' category.

This can then be displayed on your site as a flash widget to act as a'staff pick' promotion while also been left in the public eye on the main site, which essentially works as free targeted advertising, drawing people you your website that you know are more likely to buy.

Don't delay. The China sourcing and marketing opportunities combined wishlistComputer Technology Articles, social networking sites like Boxedup offer are huge and worth exploring today.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

Rose Li is the PR Manager for Chinavasion.com. Chinavasion.com is the world's leading online drop ship wholesaler for MP4 players and other consumer electronics. Accredited by Validated Site, ScanAlert, and Verisign, and listed in all the leading B2B directories, Chinavasion.com is the market leading online wholesale electronics shop for eBay dropship sellers and importers worldwide. For more details visit: http://www.chinavasion.com/ or see what products Chinavasion staff think are worthwhile at http://www.boxedup.com/chinavasion

Outsourcing Your Editing Work is Good Business

Whether it is for print or electronic publication, for in-house or public dissemination, every document must go through the process of ensuring its accuracy and quality. Your documents are in many ways how the public sees you. High quality, professional documents send the message that you are a high quality, professional company.

Not all companies have the staff they need to perform the intensive work required to ensure their documents reflect the company's high standards. Many companies find that maintaining an editing staff does not fit within their budget; others realize they do not have the expertise in translating documents into another language.

By outsourcing your editing jobs to The Editing Service, you will ensure your documents reflect your high standards, at a fraction of the cost of employing an in-house editor. Instead of paying someone to be on the job 40 hours a week, whether the workload warrants it or not, outsourcing your editing jobs will cost only what the job requires without the concerns of additional payroll expenses.

Outsourcing is the smart way to solve many of the business challenges you face on a frequent basis, and we all know it's better to work smarterFree Reprint Articles, not harder.

The Editing Service provides free advice on how to get the most out of outsourcing your editing jobs.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

Edward Maurer is president of The Editing Service, which provides an extensive range of editing, copy writing and product development services for foreign and domestic companies and individuals.

April 16, 2008

What makes you get up in the morning?

What makes you get up in the morning? Is it the challenge of doing good business or possibly making a positive impact on someone's life? Maybe it's the idea that today, like every other day, will bring opportunities to learn something new or overcome a fresh challenge.

Well, that's what gets us up in the morning, too. We here at The Editing Service begin each day looking forward to what it will bring in the way of doing a good job for someone. It's our "marching orders," the reason we do what we do, our mission.

What we do, in a nutshell, is words. We make them, we fix them, we move them around. In short--we make them make sense.

Like you, I'm sure, we read a lot of documents, reports, news stories and entertainment articles on a daily basis. Also, like you, we constantly find problems large and small in what we read. Maybe the language is unclear, or maybe it's poorly structured with all sorts of grammatical and punctuation errors. And, as often as not, it's more than a little confusing, especially in documents translated from other languages, and almost anything written by computer professionals. Now, to be fair, folks who speak different languages from the bulk of us, like computer and IT pros, don't realize they're using language most of us can't understand.

That's what gets us out of bed, the idea that we can help people like you who don't have the time or assets to do your own writing, editing and interpretation. Your time is better spent doing what it is you do to make your business run, not dealing with your writing issues. And, most likely, you really don't enjoy having to do it, either.

Well, my friends, we do. I mean we take time to get out of bed, brush our teeth and look for those challenges you face, so we must enjoy doing it. (We really do.)

Take a few moments to see what we offer you through our various services. See how we can make your life easier, and your business more effective. And don't be shy—if you don't see what you need, contact me personally. One way or another, I'll see you are well cared for by us or one of our associated businesses.

Thank you for your time. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
We provide these and other services:

Copy Writing : Effectively communicating your story and information to your potential and existing customers is paramount to doing good business. Often times, a business person will know what he or she wants to say, but not how to say it in the most effective manner. Also, knowing the audience is important to how business documents are written. -The Editing Service will write your documents for you. We understand the nuances of written communication and how how write for an audience, even when you may not know who that audience is.

Copy Editing : Editing ensures a document complies with proper grammar, usage and spelling. Very simply put: it ensures that what is in the document is what the author intended, and meets the audience's expectations.-The Editing Service can edit your original copy to ensure it is properly structured and spelled, and grammatically correct.

Brochures, Pamphlets, Flyers and etc.... Sales are driven by the information you provide your customers, and those who would be your customers. Often times, an attractive, visual representation of what you offer is more effective than words alone. What you need are sales sheets, flyers, brochures and other marketing products to establish yourself in the mind of your customers and, just as importantly, those who you want as customers.-The Editing Service can provide a full range of brochures, pamphlets and flyers for your business, organization or group. We can do everything from writing the copy for you to developing and delivering the completed product to your location, or even mailing them for you.

Rewriting/Restating : A document can be given a new lease on life to reach a new audience. Your audience may have changed since you developed the document, and you now need to change it to fit that new demand. Often times a document that is readily understood by a professional audience is too technical for a general audience and needs to be rewritten for that purpose.-The Editing Service can rewrite documents so they fit the new applications you have in mind for them. This effectively extends the life of a document and helps maintain your communications continuity.

Product Instructions: Instructions tell users of your product how to use it properly and safely. If your customer is confused about how to properly use your product, you open yourself to the prospect of losing that and other customers, or, in worst-case scenarios, you can be held liable for the failure of the product.-The Editing Service will ensure your instructions are accurate and readily understandable. In many cases, we will also run tests to ensure their accuracy and edit or rewrite them accordingly.

Interpretive Editing : The modern economy has provided myriad opportunities for companies to provide services on a global scale. Regardless of where a business is based, the Internet has provided unfettered access to customers world wide who speak many different languages. While this access and freedom of communications has empowered even the smallest companies to compete in any marketFree Reprint Articles, it has not solved the problem of how to effectively communicate in a foreign language.-The Editing Service will ensure your translated documents are understandable by English speakers all over the world.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

Edward Maurer is president of The Editing Service, which provides an extensive range of editing, copy writing and product development services for foreign and domestic companies and individuals.

Home Based Internet Business: Your Sucess Depends on Your Attitude

It has been proven repeatedly that with the wrong attitude, one will not stay successful in their business very long. Unbelievably, attitude is the strongest determinant of your personal financial success.

Having the right skills is important to be successful in home based business online. However, having the right skills alone will not be enough to hold your success for very long. Unbelievably, attitude is the strongest determinant of your personal financial success.

Business structure, compensation plan, products and training systems are all important factors of your business. Nevertheless, they are just useless tools in the toolbox without the right attitude. They will not do anything in building your success. As an Internet marketer, I learn that attitude holds important role in home-based Internet business. I believe that your attitude can make or break you.

Being coach able is very crucial. There is no faster way to fail in this business than stepping into the business assuming that one's already know what is going to work and what would not. It is true that each one of us have our own strengths and weakness. It is also true that different methods would give different results to their users. However, it is important to remember that if some methods work in the past, it can work again.

It is wise to seek advice from people who is already successful in the business. You can then follow through their suggestions. When something does not seem to be working, instead of assuming that the concept itself is flawed, you might want to ask for advice what to do differently.

Another important thing I learn is: understanding your purpose. Ask yourself what is the purpose for you of doing this line of business. Like many others, I believe that there is a potential to generate steady income in online home-based business. A big part of motivating people to put their efforts to achieve their goal is by keeping the original purpose alive in their minds. It is important to find your own purpose that inspired you to get involved in online business.

You will find ups and downs in your business along the process. When things are not so promising, I learn it is important to stay positive. It would not only make you more successful in the end, but also make life more enjoyable while you are getting there. Achieving your goal is important, but you can also learn important lessons from your journey.

Being said that your attitude can determine your success, the good news is: attitude is the one thing that you have control over. You might not be able to do anything to change your company's business structure, compensation plan, products or training systemsScience Articles, but you can always change your attitude. Make commitment to learn what you need to change because your financial success depends on it.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

Lily Boynton is a full time internet marketer. She provides tips and ideas on home based business opportunities at: http://www.plug-in-4-profit.com

April 15, 2008

Acheive an Awsome Residual Income With Affiliate Programs

Having several quality affiliate programs in your home based business will guarantee you a residual income as long as you work at it. You must do your homework in the beginning and make sure it is a good product that people want and will be willing to pay a monthly fee for because if the quality is there you will be able to generate a strong residual income.
Find Article

Copyright (c) 2008 Jim Suzak

The first step in earning recurring income is to find customers one at a time. Then you have sell a product or program that pays you over and over again. This is what is meant by a residual income home based business opportunity

You just need to take the time to find these opportunities because they are all over the internet. You can use Google or your favorite search engine to hunt for these income opportunities.

There are a number of residual income opportunities online that you can promote. You will have to decide on which ones interest you and also which opportunity has the best reputation that you can count on for your home based business.

Having several quality affiliate programs in your home based business will grant you a residual income. You must do your homework and make sure it is a good product that people want and will be willing to pay a monthly fee for because if the quality is there in the program you will be able to make a strong residual income.

One of the largest affiliate programs and in the world is ClickBank. They have recently started offering products and programs to to the home based business owner so he can also earn a residual income as well as quick cash. They have e-books in their program so if you have an interest in that area it will also generate a handsome residual income.

Another opportunity for the home based business owner is the multiple tier affiliate program. If you can recruit some top selling affiliates you will make money every month on the sales your that your downline makes. Big ticket programs and products are great for this.

Promoting membership sites that other people have set up is another way of earning money. This is a great opportunity to get involved with because when people sign up for membership sites they are usually expecting to have to pay monthly for access to these type of sites.

Another way to very easy money is a joining a membership program for website hosting. You will be able to earn residual income when people pay a monthly fee to host their websites.

These are a few of the many different affiliate marketing programs that you can choose to start your home based business with. Remember to look at each individual residual income opportunity thoroughly.

Find the best opportunity that will hold your interest and start to promote your business with it. Work hard to get your first residual income opportunity profitable and then look to keep on adding programs and before long you will have a residual income producing machine.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

I have been been building a strong foundation for my residual income and you could do the same with the use of several affiliate marketing programs. It does take patience but the rewards of a continuing residual income will be satisfying. Check-out my web site for details on how to start your own residual income opportunity money making machine. --> http://www.DynamicInternetProfits.com

The Smart Steps To Start Making Money Online

Before you can start making money online, there are a few simple things you need to get started. As soon as you have taken care of the few beginning steps, you will be on your way to having success on the internet.

Gearing up to start making money online is an exciting activity, but before you jump in you need to know where to begin. Once you have put the following steps in order, you will be well on your way to beginning your successful internet business. This article will help you get started on the internet.

Step one is formulating a detailed plan to bring you online success. Having a plan will allow you to prepare for any obstacles you may face down the road. It will also give you an idea of what you need to do to get where you want to be. Within your plan you should include what product you want to promote, who your target market is and how you will generate traffic to your site.

Once you have come up with a plan, you will need to go about finding a domain name that reflects your business identity. A domain name is the URL or internet address that people type into their browser to visit your site. You want to make it perfectly clear to people what they can expect to find at your site. Within the domain name you should include your company name, the product name, or any keywords you will be targeting on your site.

After selecting the perfect domain name it is time to find a web hosting company. The web hosting company is the company that will keep your web site up and running so you can start making money online. Take the time to find a safe and reliable company. You do not want an unreliable hosting partner as this could effect the uptime of your website.

Once you have taken care of the first three phases, it is time to start creating your web site. This entails creating fresh and enticing content and visually appealing graphics. Make sure to integrate the two smoothly so there is a good balance. You want your site to look professional while still being lively.

It is essential to begin marketing your site as soon as it is up and running. Do not wait for the site to be further developed because this is only delaying potential business you could be generating. Updating your site will be an ongoing project, in fact the best websites are always updated regularly, however until you start marketing you will have no business coming in.

Finally, the most important step to start making money online is looking after your clients with the best customer care you can offer. Customer service is critical to having success online. Take the time to address every visitor's needs promptly. You will be surprised at what quality customer service can do for your business. Over time you will begin to build relationshipsComputer Technology Articles, which leads to return customers and further business. Personal contact will take you a long way on the internet.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

About the Author: You can get more great online business advice from Dominic Turner including more tips on how to start making money online from his site http://www.LifeChangingPlan.com

Sales is a Game of Chess

Sales is very much like a game of chess! First of all, think of it as FUN! That's right. Sales is just a fun game and sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. But, it's fun all the same. There are certain moves and strategies that you need to learn in order to succeed.

Sales is very much like a game of chess!

First of all, think of it as FUN! That's right. Sales is just a fun game and sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. But, it's fun all the same.

There are certain moves and strategies that you need to learn in order to succeed.

You also need to pay close attention to your opponent (aka: prospect). You need to study them closely in order to assess what your next move will be.

Every single person has human needs that need to be filled. It is your job to zero in on what needs your prospect has. You then play your part accordingly.

The needs that most prospects have are:

- Money

- Security

- Status and Power

- Praise

- Personal growth and transformation

People buy benefits and solutions to their problems. So, if they are poor they want a way to be rich. If they feel that they have no control over their life, they want a way to feel in control.

Prospects don't want information; they want answers!

It is our job as salespeople to:

1) Find out their needs

2) Help them understand how we will fill their need

Unfortunately, most salespeople begin their sales conversations by inundating their prospect with all the wonderful features of their product or company. The salesperson tells the prospect that their product is the newest on the market. Or perhaps their product is the best value.

Believe it or not, People actually don't care about this. They don't care if the product is the best price if it doesn't solve their problems.

People care about how their life will change because of you and/or your product.

The features of your company should all be explained on the company website ' that is where your prospect should go to learn about your product.

The only conversation you should have with a prospect about the product facts are by answering their questions. Never start out your sales conversation by listing out all the wonderful things about your product.

Instead, start by asking questions! That is the most important job that you have.

You ask questions so that you can figure out their needs and problems. Unfortunately, most salespeople do not ask enough questions. They perhaps ask two or three questions and then move on into "presentation mode."

The second most important part of sales is to listen to their answers. You need to carefully hear what your prospect is saying. If you listen, your prospect will reveal an enormous amount of information to you.

Once you understand where they are coming from, you can then plan your strategy accordingly.

Remember, sales is much like a game of chess. Even though it can be funFeature Articles, you need to practice and refine your moves until you become an expert!

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

Jessica Swanson is an extremely successful entrepreneur, marketer and life coach who has achieved a high, six-figure income. She has mentored hundreds of others on how to achieve the same results. You can visit her at: http://www.JessicaSwanson.com

April 14, 2008

Imagine SuperCharging client meetings

I don't know if you have ever been in the scenario where you are about to walk into a meeting, you know that this guy you are meeting has the potential to give you an order that will take you to the next level.

Your hands are a bit sweaty, you really have prepared long and hard for this, and it just HAS to work out. What's even better; though this is the first time you have met them, they have come to you on the back of a recommendation, because you took the time to put a referral system in place along with great testimonials.

You know you have what they need, you have even swotted up on your sales training and you have the line of questions that every great sales person would start off by.

After he shakes your hand, you do the rapport building small talk, and then he asks that question… The one you were dreading……

What is the question and how you should answer it to supercharge your sales calls?
That question is "Great tell me what you can do for me"

All the preparation, all the great questions just seem to evaporate from your mind and you resort to that age old trap that all sales people and business owners seem to fall into;

The Pitch!

Yes, the good old sales pitch, the 2 minute elevator speech, the presentation - all of which have you conducting a monologue, telling the guy at the receiving end everything that you already know.

And were you aware that they will take in less than 7% of what you tell them, and only that much is you happen to guess correctly exactly what is relevant to them - A highly unlikely prospect.

What's wrong with that, I mean you might even have taken the hugely positive step of preparing your value proposition and created a set of power questions that you can use and so you know the pitch has to be good.

Yes to a point - Once you have nailed your value proposition, so that you know exactly who your prospects are, what they want and how they can get great value from it, you are now ready for the next step.

The next step is to get them to understand how THEY can get value from your offering.

And yes, you are indeed right when you guessed that people like you and your prospects hate to be told things - you all probably like to figure it out for your self.

Because when you figure it out for yourself, you are far more likely to start owning the idea.

So do you know how to respond to THAT question, the one that can throw all your plans into disarray yet?

You respond by telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, with complete sincerity - you say;

I would love to tell you all about how XYZ got ABC benefit from using our service, but I really don't know if that is relevant to you, until I know a bit more about your own needs and desires and what currently might be causing you pain - is it OK if I just ask you a couple of clarification questions.

And then when they allow you, you get back on track with your power questions, that will clarify whether or not the guy sitting opposite you will actually understand how they feel they can benefit from your offering.

You may not even be aware of how powerful the language you use everyday is and as you start to use some of the techniques that my executive coaching clients or my sales coaching clients have learnt, you could continue to SuperCharge your client meetingsFeature Articles, with more positive results than even you thought possible.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

This article was written by Peter Lawless, founder of 3R Sales and Marketing - a sales and marketing company with consultants who will create your marketing strategy and grow your business in Ireland. For previous articles like this, visit 3R's infocentre. Alternatively, subscribe to Success, our free monthly newsletter with sales and marketing tips and services.

April 13, 2008

Small Business That Is Open To All

The high costs of starting up even a small business discourages most people and keeps them working for a low salary or a boss that is never satisfied with their performance. It is hard to blame them when most small businesses require a minimal investment of twenty thousand dollars. That is a lot of money to the average person that is heavily in debt. Even if they had the money to make that kind of investment there is no guarantee of success. Investing in a new small business is a big gamble when statistics show that most of them are out of existence before five years. But there is still a great small business that is available where the startup costs are less than one hundred dollars. It sounds like a wonderful dream but it is true.

There is no better office than a kitchen and its table. If there is something that customers want they will be ready to receive it even in a kitchen or at its table. There are countless things that a knowledgeable business person can offer a customer that is sitting comfortably across the kitchen table sipping a freshly brewed cup of coffee. But before they can be helped it is important that they be interviewed to discover their needs. Most people require a series of interviews. But in a short time they will be helped by a talented "Life Skills Coach" that possesses wisdom and insight.

The best way of helping customers is by give them the information that will help them help themselves. People are very complex and have a variety of needs that are unique. That is why it might take weeks or even months before a "Life Skills Coach" can clearly understand what a person truly needs. There are countless ways of helping a person, some of them might be very simple like directing them to the right government agency. But the more complex problems require much thought and analysis. The customer then becomes a patient that requires compassion, understanding, and good guidance. They can be sure to get it from their talented and hard working coach.

Possessing the experience and talent to help others is best served by going into business as a "Life Skills Coach". The start up expenses are less than one hundred dollars because all that is needed is a card and a small ad in the local newspaper. Having a cell phone is a big help but a land based home telephone will also work if it can be hooked up to take messages. The office expenses will only be the costs of burning a kitchen light and the cup of coffee that is offered to customers.

The added beauty of being a "Life Skills Coach" Is that success will be gauged only on the ability to help others. If just one person can be helped to give up smoking the word will be spread. The kitchen table will once again be used only for food. A large desk will be next to it where hundreds of customers will be interviewed and helped. This small business idea can be successful, because there are over forty thousand people that call themselves a "Life Skills Coach" and they are making money.
melpol

www.associatedcontent.com/melpol

Trustworthy Support for Your Small Business

Small business owners wear all the hats required by their operation, and for many, that's part of the fun. Who wants to do the same thing every day? Besides, you're a holistic thinker, you like to keep your attention on the big picture, your finger in every pie.

Because you're excited about your product or service, and even more importantly because you're a wide-angle thinker, your business is doing okay, maybe even well. If you've been at it a while, perhaps you really take pride in its smooth operation; and when you hit any bumps in the road, you're ready for them. You may even venture to say that you feel fulfilled, connected, and satisfied.

On the other hand, perhaps you're just starting a new business, or you've been struggling to get one off the ground, or maybe you've been noticing declining sales, not to mention your own declining energy in a business you've had for some time. For just about everyone, there comes a point in your career when you're working hard at something and you're dedicated to it, but somehow you do not feel fulfilled, connected, or satisfied.

You could use some support. How ridiculous that this is not everyone's first thought when personally perplexed in any way. We carry some ancient taboo against asking for help. Rather than seek assistance, people will assume tons of guilt over the fear that they're not capable of doing it all themselves. If this describes you, here's a news flash for you: No Man or Woman is an Island! You may feel like one, but that's an illusion.

Finally - or better, right in synch with your business plan timeline - you decide to get that support. You think about hiring employees. The logic appears to be seamless: I will pay people to be at my place of business and do work for me. This will reduce my work load and support the health and growth of my business.

This system has been in place from time immemorial, although there's always been an inherent flaw. The business owner replaces his/her previous work load with new tasks associated with staff management; and though the return on your hiring investment can benefit your bottom line, is it by a convincing margin?

The problem is that an employee's self-image differs so widely from the business owner's that there's little realistic hope of shared conviction about the business. An employee is supported by you; it is not a situation in which, technically speaking, you are supported by them. Your employees may like you, be respectful and skilled, and fulfill your work needs well, and still not be a support to you beyond the specifics of their job description.

Nor should you, the business owner, expect any more. As one who has endured the rigors of business start-up, you should know that what it takes to own the operation is entirely removed from what it takes to be an employee. Your fundamental motivations and personality types are very different.

Instead of hiring a traditional employee, think about the merits of working with a virtual assistant (VA) for your small business. A VA is a business owner just like you, and understands what it is to be self-employed.

Though many VAs specialize, for the most part a VA is not a coach, or consultant, or therapist. But because you and the VA are collegial small business owners, you may well come to rely on this relationship for the motivational, organizational, and even emotional support it can provide.

A VA accomplishes administrative tasks for you through an independent B2B contract; and if you work over time with one, not only will your work get done professionally, but the VA will likely also become a virtual partner in your business! You can turn to him/her for advice, friendship, and peer feedback almost as you would with an honest-to-goodness partner.

VAs often declare: My success is your success. VAs encourage a cooperative market, where everyone wins. Go ahead, get online and find a virtual assistant company that looks right for you. The internet connects islands to one another!

Mary H. Ruth operates Virtual Writing & Communications Solutions, supporting businesses and professionals. Please visit her website at www.asthemoonclimbs.com and her blog at maryhruth.wordpress.com.


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Tips For Online Shopping Safety

If you would dearly love to purchase goods online, but are concerned about safety, there are some things you can do to minimise the dangers. For a start, always make sure that the URL address starts with https, rather than just http. If the page has a padlock icon on the page, click on that to check that their security certificate is actually registered to the name of the business.

If you use a credit card rather than a debit card to pay the transaction, you can contest any transactions that you think are fraudulent before paying your monthly account. If you must use a debit card, it could pay you to link it to a special bank account that you keep only a small amount of money in.

Never give unnecessary information online. You should only need your card number, the expiry date and the code on the back of it. You name and address will also be needed of course, but only supply your phone number and email address if you trust the site. Never give your card PIN, or your social security number.

Some sites are specially designed to install malware on your computer, so if the site you are on is offering a deal that seems too good to be true, be suspicious and leave. And never click on an unknown link from your email box.

Find great bargains and discounted merchandise in your next online shopping expedition with Deals Direct (www.dealsdirect.com.au). Find bargains and discount prices on thousands of hot products in over 27 categories - everything from Baby to electronics, from Perfume to Tools, from Jewellery to CDs.

April 12, 2008

Passport To Wealth or My Internet Business ~ One in the Same

My Internet Business will launch soon. I have heard dates of April 1, 2008 and I have also heard late spring. What is this business and is it the same as Passport to Wealth or is My Internet Business a scam?

Passport To Wealth Members are getting a discounted rate to transfer their membership to My Internet Business. My Internet Business is not Passport To Wealth, it is however a company that is created by the CEO of Passport To Wealth. Darren Goudry, founder and CEO of Passport To Wealth has partnered up with some other people, these "other" companies or people are currently not known. My Internet Business is being pre-marketed to the members of Passport To Wealth.

The assumption is that these products are again your standard ebooks and software bundles being offered by many other companies online today. What about the products? Are they the same old Passport to Wealth products re-packaged? This answer is not yet out however from the presentations and digging I found that there are four different product packages ranging from $495-$2995 and they call these products software and ebook libraries.

The compensation plan offers direct commissions on your first sale as well as nominal overrides on your team sales. The My Internet Business compensation plan is not a pass up program. It is my belief that Darren Goudry and the other founders of this business have recognized that Pass up programs are flawed and outdated.

The My Internet Business Conclusion is that this business is not a scam. However, My Internet Business, as of today seems to offer the same ebooks and software that can be purchased by many other internet businesses. I choose not to get involved with My Internet Business for several reasons. First, the products are not unique and so not create market demand, second the compensation plan has weak overrides. It s my desire to participate in a business that offers better override commissions to create more leverage. The structure is set that to create a substantial income you must do most of the selling.

Passport To Wealth, will it stay around or will My Internet Business take the members of Passport To Wealth? I encourage you to continue to look into other business opportunities prior to starting with My Internet Business. Again, My Internet Business is not a scam and it is not Passport To Wealth, however it is founded by the owner and CEO of Passport To Wealth, Darren Goudry

Joshua Valentine is a top interner marketer who has a passion for helping others achieve their goals dreams and aspirations. To learn more about Joshua Valentine and his Team of Marketing Mentors Click Here