Spiga

So You Want To Be A Consultant

Writen by Beverley Hamilton

You've left the corporate world behind.

You're excited about running your own business

You know you've got lots of valuable knowledge and experience to impart

You know you are entering an exciting new phase in your life.

SO WHAT?

So have hundreds of other people. What makes you different? What makes you so sure you'll succeed?

* What are you actually going to do?

* What are you actually going to sell?

* Who are you actually going to sell it to?

* What are you actually going to need?

* What is your business actually about?

AND WHO SHOULD CARE?

If the answers to these questions and many more like them are not crystal clear to you, be prepared to become another statistic; and depending on which statistics you read small business failure rates are anywhere between 30% and 90% within the first 3-5 years.

SO DID YOU DECIDE TO BECOME A STATISTIC?

Well if you haven't addressed some simple foundations for establishing and running your own consultancy you have already unwittingly taken that decision.

So here are 10 things you must know BEFORE you open for business.

1. Know why you are setting up your business

2. Know how your business and your life interconnect

3. Know what part you want to play in your business

4. Know why you have a business that is different

5. Know what you and your business stand for

6. Know what the profile is of your ideal client

7. Know what benefits you will add to your ideal clients

8. Know how you will lead and manage your business

9. Know what support you will need to make your business succeed

10. Know that you must have clarity around the above 9 points if you have any chance of truly succeeding rather than just surviving

Consultants have been called many things, many of which are unrepeatable here! So what can you achieve that will change the face of consulting? What is it that you can provoke, challenge and innovate that will mean as a consultant, you

* Create value and not just add value

* Change behaviours and not just reinforce behaviours

* Challenge conventional thinking and not just agree with conventional thinking

* Innovate in what you offer and not just imitate with what you offer

* Define and measure results and not just talk about results

The world doesn't need another "same as" consultant. The world does need challengers, innovators, success driven inspirers who can help their chosen clients take their businesses One Step Further.

© Beverley Hamilton 2005

Beverley Hamilton works with independent business consultants to help them grow a profitable consultancy and still have time for their life. You can get my Free Ecourse Discover the 5 Most Common Incorrect Assumptions Independent Business Consultants Make and a complimentary subscription to Quickstart, the newsletter specifically for consultants. Go to One Step Further for more instantly accessible resources. Your future Your choice

A Lesson From Quotthe Apprenticequot That Can Make You A Master

Writen by Karon Thackston

I have to admit, I was curious. When I saw previews of a new show called "The Apprentice," it made me want to at least watch the premiere to see what was going on. Immediately, I was hooked. The whole idea of candidates - from all walks of life, not just college grads fresh from their commencement ceremonies - vying for a position in one of Donald Trump's organizations piqued my interest. What kept my interest were the real-life advertising lessons every business owner needs to be reminded of.

Take, for instance, one episode where the teams were challenged to create an ad campaign. I was, needless-to-say, on the edge of my seat for the entire show. One team immediately decided to phone the client and setup an appointment to find out about the product, the end user, and other aspects that would make a big difference in creating the campaign. (Smart move!)

The other team, however, said they didn't have time to talk with the client. They were running behind schedule. Meeting with the client - in their opinion - would just waste an hour or two that could have been spent on more important tasks. (Excuse me?)

What happened? First of all, my husband came charging into the living room asking, "Do you believe that? Even *I* know you have to talk to the customer first!" Yes, he had been listening to me after all.

In the end, the campaign from the team who did speak with the client won the challenge. Once the losing team arrived in the boardroom, the project leader, Jason (Mr. "We Don't Have Time To Talk With the Client"), really got it from all sides.

Donald Trump's assistants, George and Carolyn, made a point of bringing up the fact that the client was not contacted. Jason's own teammates made a point of bringing up that the client was never contacted. And Donald? To quote, Donald said, "That was a HUGE mistake… you're fired!"

This was fairly early in the show so you would have thought the other contestants would have learned from Jason's mistake. Not so. There was yet another episode where an Apprentice put what they wanted over what the client wanted/needed.

In this task, the teams were charged with selling Donald's new product, Trump Ice (bottled water). The winner was simply the team who sold the most in a given period of time. Nick, a salesman by trade, was immediately confident his team would win if they would just step aside and let him work his magic.

Ereka, the project manager for Nick's team, urged Nick to sit with her at the computer and research the market and the customer base for bottled water. Nick wouldn't even hear of it. To quote, "Telling me how to sell is like someone telling the Pope how to pray." So off went Nick using his same "high energy" sales pitch on every customer and focusing on what Nick wanted to sell - instead of finding the best benefits for the clients.

What happened? Nick flopped time and time again. A teammate (Bill) jumped in during one sales meeting and helped the client to understand the benefits of buying Trump Ice. Bill made the sale.

In the boardroom, George immediately noted his disappointment in how little the team seemed to know about their prospective customers. And Donald chimed in by saying he had no idea why Nick thought his sales skills were so great when he had no clue about the customers he was selling to. Ouch!

The bottom line? The team lost. Why? Because Nick was busy trying to sell what he wanted to sell, and in the way he wanted to sell it, with no regard for the customer whatsoever.

The moral of the story? Know your customers. They are the ones with the money. It doesn't matter what you like. If *they* aren't happy with your site, your copy, your graphics, your product, or your service… they'll abandon you cold.

When you're creating a business plan, when you're writing copy, when you're creating a website, or developing a brochure. It's not about you… it's all about them. If one of the richest and most profitable businessmen in the world tells you target market research is vital to success, you can bet it is a wise strategy to follow.

Karon Thackston © 2004

About The Author

Copy not getting results? Learn to write SEO copy that impresses the engines and your visitors at http://www.copywritingcourse.com. Be sure to check out Karon's latest e-report "How To Increase Keyword Saturation (Without Destroying the Flow of Your Copy)" at http://www.copywritingcourse.com/keyword.

Creative Ways To Save Money In Small Business

Writen by Rhonda Winn

Operating a small business on a shoestring budget is a reality for most small business owners today. That can be difficult to face when you need extra help or new equipment. These factors can deter some business owners from moving forward but a person who truly embodies the entrepreneurial spirit will press on with determination and a clear purpose. Those who do not often can find themselves shutting down their business pretty quickly. And that is a fate we all would like to avoid.

Managing your income and your accounts is not the most exciting aspect of business. Especially when starting out and so it's something you'll most likely avoid. But it doesn't have to be a dreadful activity. In fact, you'll most likely begin to impress yourself with all the new ways you're saving and more importantly, making money.

  • Look for installment plans whenever possible.
  • Pay bills on time but not too early.
  • Work with students or qualified beginners.
  • Use open-source web software.
  • Hire your kids (it helps them learn about money management and it's tax deductible).
  • Recycle paper (print back and front).
  • Look for loyalty discounts from your vendors.
  • Buy in bulk.
  • Use templates before hiring professionals.
  • Continuously check prices for regular expenses.
  • Buy refurbished equipment.
  • Opt for low-tech whenever possible. (Some of us prefer an old fashioned date book instead of a PDA)

Exercising a consistent plan to save money will keep you conscious of your budget and will help you avoid cash-flow problems in the future. Also, you're less likely to succumb to overspending when things are going well.

There are many other creative ways to save money. You can log on to small business forums to get new and creative ideas. Keeping costs in control, while not sacrificing quality, is an important part of owning any type of business. It's important to maintain a consistent plan and hopefully you'll have more money to reinvest in your business.

Copyright © 2005-2006 Rhonda Winn - All Rights Reserved. Rhonda Winn offers free small business resources and business plan templates at her web site http://smallbizstartupkit.com Visit today to sign up for a small business e-course and receive three free small business e-books instantly.

The Sbas Savviest Program

Writen by Christopher Hurn

Forget everything you've ever heard about the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The negative connotations may have been warranted in the past, but the SBA is different these days. The SBA is worth every penny of its more than $22 billion budget on the basis of a single program alone: the SBA 504 Loan Program for small business owners who want to acquire or develop their own facilities.

In fact, SBA 504 loans may rank as one of the most effective domestic economic development programs the federal government administers.

Lots of entrepreneurs –– and far too many bankers, ironically –– dismiss the SBA on the basis of its 7(a) lending program that always seems to need supplemental appropriations by the U.S. Congress.

The 7(a)'s reputation may or may not be deserved, but some of its negativity has managed to soil other truly effective SBA programs.

SBA 504 loans, by contrast, are a dynamo. They work; they work well; and unfortunately by some of the historical problems in the SBA's 7(a) program, a dark shadow has been cast over 504 loans causing not many people to know about them.

In fact, for too long, I have heard many otherwise knowledgeable lenders dismiss SBA 504 loans based on faulty and out-dated information.

I've been providing SBA 504 loans for more than eight years. Over two years ago, I founded Mercantile Commercial Capital, LLC to focus exclusively on providing 504 loans, and we're still the only lender nationwide to primarily do this. To date, we've closed more than 60 loans worth a total of more than $67 million in only 30 months of business. We offer other financing options too, but SBA 504 loans are by far our most popular and most rewarding program.

So far, every qualified 504 loan proposal we have submitted to the SBA has been approved and funded, or is soon to be funded.

The SBA knows the 504 is a hot property. Funding has grown about 22 percent a year since 2000. Last year, 504 loans helped fuel about $10 billion in total capital investments for 8,000 small businesses throughout the U.S. In fact, these loans helped create about 75,000 new jobs last year through the "equity savings" small business owners experienced.

Entrepreneurs, real estate brokers and accountants are gradually waking up to the fact that 504 loans were designed to level the playing field for small businesses in the marketplace. With 90% loan-to-cost financing of most commercial real estate projects, 504 loans are very powerful.

For the borrower, SBA 504 loans offer long-term, below-market, fixed-rate financing at better terms than are available from any private sector lender. And if that wasn't good enough, borrowers generally put half as much money down for 504 loans, which enable them to grow their businesses a lot faster. For every $50,000 of SBA guaranteed funds, small business owners need to create or retain one job in the next two years. It is in this way that 504 loans have become an engine for economic growth in America.

Lending amounts are generally not capped or limited and only non-public, for-profit businesses qualify. Three financial qualifications, however, set some limits: the borrower's small business must have a tangible net worth under $7 million; the operating company's net income for the previous two years must average less than $2.5 million annually; and the borrower cannot have liquid, non-retirement assets greater than the total project amount.

Most small businesses have no trouble meeting these qualifications. In fact, over 98 percent of all businesses in Florida, for example, qualify for SBA 504 loans.

What sorts of businesses make the most appropriate SBA 504 loan candidates? We see an extraordinary number of service professionals (physicians, attorneys, accountants, etc.), and we also finance plenty of franchisees, manufacturers and distributors. But in truth, any business with a track record or at least some solid, related experience is an appropriate SBA 504 loan candidate. The 504 Loan Program collateral requirements are generally limited to the commercial real estate facility that the loan finances, and approvals and closings happen in days and weeks, not in multiple-months as it was in the past.

Historically, the SBA was usually considered a lender of last resort. But compared to ordinary commercial financing, 504 loan terms and conditions are so good that for almost every small business, an SBA 504 loan should rank as their top choice.

Bankers have any number of reasons they've dreamed-up why not to consider SBA 504 financing and, to be candid, I'm okay with that. It just means we'll be here to help a lot more small businesses grow with our focus on the SBA's savviest program: 504 loans.

* * *

www.mercantilecc.com

Chris Hurn is President and Chief Executive Officer at Mercantile Commercial Capital, LLC, a leading provider of SBA 504 loans for business owners.

Chris actively participates in, among other things, the business development, underwriting and marketing functions of MCC. Previously, he worked as a senior management consultant, financier and executive with companies such as GE Capital, Heller Financial and NAI Realvest Partners. He has advised, financed and helped many small to mid-sized businesses throughout Florida and the Northeast for over ten years.

Where Can People Find Information About Starting A Business

Writen by Tim Guba

Approximately 200,000 new businesses are started each year. More people are expected to start a business for themselves this year than ever before. With economic fluctuations rippling through the business world, more and more people are getting laid off every day.

People often need help finding the information they need to become a successful business owner; especially first time business owners.

The following 10 points of information further explain the kinds of detailed, practical business information that are available:

1. Business Startups

There is tons of information on how to start a business, but almost nothing on starting a SPECIFIC KIND of business. We have scoured the Internet for just this kind of information and brought it all together in one, convenient, easy to use location.

2. Home-based Business

According to the latest census information (2002), the number of businesses with one or more owners but no paid employees grew nationwide from 17.0 million to more than 17.6 million.

Approximately 600,000 new businesses started in the United States. This represents a growth rate of 3.9 percent, an increase from 2.7 percent over the previous year. These are small businesses which make up more than 70 percent of all businesses.

They may be run by one or more individuals, can range from home-based businesses to corner stores or construction contractors and often are part-time ventures with owners operating more than one business at a time.

Are you one of these people? Are you thinking about joining the ranks of the self-employed? We have all the information you need right at your fingertips.

3. Money & Finance

Income, revenues, cash flow, P&L, balance sheets... If these terms are foreign to you, we have just what you need - the best information on money and finance for small business, step-by-step instructions that will lead you to the pathways of financial success.

The tools that help you build your business bigger profits in a shorter amount of time.

4. Taxes & Accounting

Are your receipts scattered around in several piles? Do you have them all saved in an old show box? We can provide you with information that can show you how to organize your financial records and take (some of) the pain away from tax time.

You'll find accounting methodologies and techniques for getting the biggest slice of the pie and paying no more than your fair share of taxes.

5. Internet Marketing & Sales

Marketing & Sales is the lifeblood of any small business. We carry products that can help you market and sell your product or service like a seasoned professional.

There are books on Internet marketing strategies that can literally produce thousands of sales per week. Plus we have resources that can show you how you can sell and market anything online.

Don't know much about sales? We can help! We offer information on learning sales techniques that you can use in any business. Practical core selling skills that can be used anywhere.

6. Website Design

The core to any Internet business is the website. We have an abundance of resources that can show you the proper strategies to use when creating a website, how to go about actually coding in the website, graphics, audio, video, PHP, HTML, JavaScript, and much, much more.

We can show you how to take the mystery out of creating a website and turn you into a webmaster. It really isn't very difficult at all. And the more you know, the more you can do.

Learn how to create effective ad banners, use forms to collect customer email addresses, run user polls, use RSS news feeds, and hundreds of other great, profit enhancing techniques.

7. eBook Self-Publishing

The absolute best way to extend your knowledge, share important information on tightly focused subjects, expand your grasp of leading-edge concepts, and become fully aware of the surrounding vast universe of information that is the Internet, is through the eBook.

Our extensive library of ebooks cover a wide range of subject matter all geared toward the new, or soon-to-be-new, business owner. Learn how to create a hot-selling eBook in 7-days or less. Discover the secrets to ebook publishing success. Find out how you can make online profits in as little as 30 days; it's all right here. 8. Motivation & Inspiration

Fire, energy, and passion - these are the things that drive an entrepreneur forward. When the rest of the world says you can't and you believe in your heart that you can the drive to succeed is like a fire in your soul.

But, we are all only human, subject to disappointments, setbacks, and failures. When your have run out of steam and have stalled along the road to success, nothing goes farther than a little bit of motivation and inspiration.

Find the right message to rekindle your entrepreneurial fires, become inspired to move forward and carry on. Pick yourself back up, dust yourself off, and take those next few steps toward success. Re-ignite the passion that got you started, live each day for what you were meant to do, find the energy to push yourself to the peak and say "I have done it."

We have just the right motivational and inspirational products that can help you pull yourself up out of the blues and keep you moving on the path of enlightenment.

9. Newsletter

The newsletter is one of the most widely used forms of business communication in use today. They are typically jam-packed full of useful business articles, how-to guides, business news, guest columns, and thought provoking editorials.

Newsletters come in weekly, monthly and sometimes quarterly flavors. These publications cover a wide variety of subject matter from what's going on in Washington, SBA happenings, and the latest business rules and regulations to obtaining grant money to start a business, tax laws, and how we can better our lives through helping others, plus many, many more topics.

The e-InfoCenter Newsletter is a feature-packed value, and if you subscribe right now, you can get a 1-year subscription absolutely FREE.

Forget about keeping up with the Jones', try keeping up with the business world instead!

10. Business Startup Guide Kits

We carry complete business startup packages that can guide you throughout the processes it takes to structure, establish, and create a living, breathing honest-to-goodness business.

Learn how to start almost ANY kind of business, such as:

~ A Daycare Business

~ A Catering Business

~ A Cleaning Business

~ A Web Design Business

~ A Graphic Design Business

~ How to Become a Real Estate Agent

~ Becoming an Event Planner

~ Starting a Bed And Breakfast

~ Becoming a Professional Organizer

And there are many, many more. These Startup Guide Kits will show you everything you need to know all in one handy package.

With economic instability constantly rupturing the business environment, people find themselves out of work or forced into an early retirement. And with Social Security's uncertain future, what is a person supposed to do?

Starting and running your own successful business is probably the best answer. And where can you find the best information about starting a business in high-quality products, at an excellent value, with unparalleled customer service?

Just where can people find information about starting a business?

One of the best places is right on the Internet, at e-infocenter.com.

Tim Guba is the Executive Director of G/Media Technologies, LLC. He has started, owned, and operated several various businesses throughout his career. Having numerous certifications in the computer industry, he is highly regarded as an expert in Information Technologies.

http://www.e-infocenter.com/

Copyright 2005 Tim Guba. Please feel free to pass this article on to your friends, or use it in your ezine or newsletter. It's a shareware article.

How I Became A Gazillionaire Almost Overnight

Writen by Jeffrey Hauser

It actually began when I was in my early twenties, so it wasn't exactly overnight. I had just graduated with a marketing degree from college and joined a local New Jersey ad agency as their art director. I learned the secrets to being a good designer and production person and carried that with me when I moved out west a few years later. There, I opened my own advertising agency and sold it five years hence.

I hired on with a Bell System division as a marketing consultant and began stashing money into a 401K and pension fund. During that same period, I bought and sold five homes, each one a bit more profitable than the last. All the while, I concentrated on living the good life, putting some extra money in savings and paying cash for anything I could afford. Let me repeat that: I only bought what I could afford. That meant no luxury items unless the money was available, including cars.

So I was one of the small percentage that never had a car payment. Instead, I learned to do without and stayed away from temptation. I hated interest payments and only held a mortgage as my lone debt. Sure, I always had credit cards, but they were paid off every month. That was over a period of 25 years. During that time, I raised a daughter, owned a second home in the mountains and an executive, five bedroom, four bath home in a gated community. Did I mention I also lived the yuppie dream and had his and her Mercedes?

But that's all ancient history. After I retired, I bought a small home for cash and now drive a Honda Civic. I still travel the world and enjoy eating out on occasion. So what do I have to show for nearly 35 years of hard work and planning? Today, I'm worth….hmm, but that would be telling, wouldn't it? Suffice it to say that I'm very comfortable and it's all due to planning in my late twenties and early thirties. I've invested and been quite conservative in my approach. Today, my wife and I run a web-based Health Information and Doctor Referral site that just might be the easiest to use and most informative, advertising-free, health site on the Internet called, thenurseschoice.com and certainly worth a look.

But, despite that shameless plug for my business, please understand this concept. I reached the seven figure mark by doing without the decadent items and still managing to spoil myself and family. Becoming wealthy isn't about working harder, just smarter. Begin your journey at an early age and it becomes much easier as the years go by. And you too can be a gazillionaire or at least write articles like one.

Jeffrey Hauser's latest book is, "Inside the Yellow Pages," which can be viewed at http://www.poweradbook.com

He was a sales consultant for the Bell System Yellow Pages for nearly 25 years. He graduated from Pratt Institute with a BFA in Advertising and has a Master's Degree in teaching. He had his own advertising agency in Scottsdale, Arizona and ran a consulting and design firm, ABC Advertising. Currently, he is the Marketing Director for thenurseschoice.com, a Health Information and Doctor Referral site.

Freight Bill Factoring Driving Your Trucking Company To Grow

Writen by Marco Terry

Growth in the trucking industry is all about freight volume. The more freight you move, the faster your company will grow. But big volume comes with a catch – slow paying customers. Unfortunately, waiting 30 to 45 days to get paid is very common in the industry.

But what if you cannot afford to wait 45 days to get paid by your clients? What if you need to buy fuel, pay drivers or pay for repairs? Employees and suppliers seldom like to wait to get paid.

Needless to say, going to the bank for financing is not an option. They usually do not like to finance small and mid sized businesses. Unless, of course, you have tons of assets, three years worth of financial statements and you have great credit.

So, now what? What are your options?

If you own a trucking company, there is a solution that will provide you with plenty of financing. And as opposed to bank loans, this financing is tied to your freight bills. The more you invoice, the more financing you qualify for.

This solution can provide you with the necessary funds to buy fuel, pay drivers and pay for repairs. And it is available to freight companies of any size. The solution is called freight bill factoring (or freight factoring for short).

Freight bill factoring works as follows:

1. You deliver the freight and invoice your customer
2. You send a copy of the freight bill to the factoring company
3. The factoring company advances you up to 90% of your invoice (10% held in reserve)
4. Once the factoring company gets paid, they rebate you the remaining 10% less their fees

As opposed to bank loans, factoring has no arbitrary high limits. You can factor as many freight bills as you can generate. So, as your company grows, so does your financing.

Factoring is a great tool to finance growing trucking companies that need money to grow. It allows you to take on new opportunities to drive your company to the next level.

About Commercial Capital LLC

We specialize in business financing. We can provide you with a free freight bill factoring, freight factoring or invoice factoring quote. For an immediate consultation, call Marco Terry at (866) 730 1922.

How A 27 Year Old Rafting Co Earned An Extra 390000 With Easy Tourism Marketing Changes Part Ii

Writen by Tim Warren

Our case study of the California river rafting company Whitewater Excitement, Inc. and Adventure Business Consultants continues. Part I and II reveal specific tourism business, marketing, E-marketing and operational tools and strategies that earned this travel company with over 45 competitors, an increase in sales and profits of over 40% and made them one of the largest most successful rafting companies in California.

If you haven't read part I of this step by step, how-to case study in small business success, do it now.

Customer Service & Operations Improvements

Numerous staff and operational improvements were put into place to enhance WWE's existing quality service. The new additions to customer service will increase repeat guests and referrals for many years to come. Guides where very happy that tips increased through more post trip guest connection. New signs were added to the inside of the bus that said. "If our staff and guides have added fun and value to your vacation experience, please tip your guides. They deeply appreciation it. With gratitude, The Whitewater Excitement Team."

A Guide Safety Board was posted to keep track of each guide's safety and service record on the water. Better safety and customer service has been emphasized with through staff communication and incentives. You can never go wrong by providing continual training in safety and customer service to your staff.

Remember your staff is your most important asset. Customer service works both internally within your team and externally for your guests.

Thank you postcards sent by trip leaders to guest after each trip was new for this operator. Far too often tourism professionals overlook the importance of developing relationship before, during and after guest visits. At the very core of the tourism business is service. Thank you's are always appreciated and will lead to higher referrals and repeat guests. Get your guests to market for you, it always costs less and is more effective.

For better customer service and a major increase in your referral and repeat business, read the checklist - 9 Keys to Outstanding Customer Service".
http://www.adventurebizsuccess.com/ 9principlesservice.php

10 - 1 Return on Investment

According to Whitewater Excitement's owner Norm, 2003, 2004 and now 2005 where record years after 27 years in business. This was especially rewarding for him and his staff since so many tourism businesses were down in '02 and '03. From 2003 - 2005, Adventure Business Consultants provided ongoing weekly meetings, executive coaching and project management in all areas of Whitewater Excitement's business: marketing, E-marketing, sales, management, operations, publicity and strategic planning. Combined efforts, marketing investment and teamwork yielded Whitewater Excitement approximately a 10 to 1 return on investment. This includes all search engine optimization fees, consulting fees, paid advertising, etc. which has made Norm and staff very happy, busy and preparing for an even better future seasons.

Adventure Business Consultants now provides consulting, executive coaching and project management for Whitewater excitement as they launch even more strategies to improve customer service, marketing and staff happiness for '06 and beyond, but in a reduced capacity. Because so many of the objective first laid out in the comprehensive business/marketing analysis action plan for Whitewater Excitement in'02 have been accomplished, Adventure Business Consultants role and investment was reduced.

The strategies and systems put in place from the teamwork of these two companies will increase arrivals and profits for many years to come.

Many people worldwide are making a great living pursuing their dream working in the hospitality, tourism and outdoor industries. Why not you? Don't let your dreams turn into nightmares of struggle, overwork and financial loss.

Attention Travel Professionals

Increasing your tourism arrivals, profits and success is like farming. You have to plant the right seeds in good soil, water and feed. And over time and your garden will bear abundant crops well beyond your investment. Investing in your education and having a professional tourism marketing and business consulting firm can cut 2-5-10 years off your learning curve, save you lots of money in expensive mistakes and increase your profits and arrivals.

Since 1994, Tim Warren, author of Tourism Marketing Success and founder of Adventure Business Consultants, has helped dozen's of ecotourism, adventure travel, nature and cultural tour operators, travel agents, destinations, tourism associations and boards around the world with training, consulting and creating exceptional marketing material. For Free periodic News, tips, tools and specials that you can use to increase your travel business success. -- Tourism Marketing Business Success - http://www.adventurebizsuccess.com

The Keys To Success In Business

Writen by Steve Hill

Success in business has nothing whatsoever to do with salesmanship, little to do with a knowledge of your company's products or services.

It is owing to some far more basic fundamental principles which will determine your success or failure at anything you do in life.

They are your A,B,C's, Attitude, Belief and Consistency. Taking them in reverse order.

Consistency

We get up every morning, we brush our teeth wash, get dressed have breakfast. We are consistent in our actions. We do it every day. We need to do the same in being consistent with our tasks associated with our business for the days that we have chosen we are going to work, be it 1 or 7 days a week. We need the 6 marbles in our left pocket or left side of our bag and transfer 1 marble to the other side every time we have carried out a positive action i.e. seeing a customer, talking to someone about the business, etc. etc. We need to do it consistently. We need to have transferred all 6 marbles (better still 10) by the end of the day. We need to concentrate on the actions not on the result. I'll repeat that, we need to concentrate on the actions not on the results.

When we go mountain climbing, if we would continually look at the summit we would soon trip up and fall. We need to concentrate on every step at a time, one after the other and as surely as the sun goes down we will reach our summit.

Belief

An absolute and genuine belief in our business, it's products and services and what it can give it's customers.

Attitude

Possibly the most important of these three but useless on its own. It's no good having the best attitude in the world if one's sitting on one's own in a closed room not talking to anyone. So what is attitude apart from how one feels about oneself and others. I describe it like this.

Your face is transparent, totally transparent and your attitude shines through whether it's positive or negative. The first second that a prospective customer sees you maybe even before you see him, your attitude comes through. The customer sees it, maybe only subconsciously and will react accordingly. We all know that the first thing any salesperson has to sell is themselves even before they open their mouth. If they can't sell themselves they might as well turn round and go home and go back to bed. If they can't sell themselves they wouldn't be able to sell packet of peanuts or a Mars bar.

Another description of attitude, when I took my 14 year old daughter recently to Disneyland Paris we went one evening to an aquatic circus. Very unusual, people diving, dancing and somersaulting on water. It was a spectacular show. What made it even more enjoyable (we were sitting on the front row) was the fact that all the performers without exception were obviously really enjoying themselves. They were loving every minute of it and gave it their all. Their attitude really shone through like a beacon and this made our enjoyment total.

So when we get up in the morning and do our consistency things let's get a really big warm smile from within feeling good about ourselves and keep that all day. When we go about our business we need to keep out good attitude with us. If we can't also be in the place where we are physically there's no point being there in the first place. It's easier to ride a horse in the direction that it's going.

So those are my 3 all important ingredients that determine one's success or failure at anything in life.

Stephen Hill helps to promote a number of websites including:

cheaper phone calls

stuttering advice

Choosing A Business Tax Service

Writen by Don Kransteuber

There are a number of ways that you can find tax services companies. The yellow pages is a good place to start for companies in your area but, depending on where you live, the list of names may be extremely long. It is a good idea to ask your friends, colleagues and business partners to recommend the tax services that they have found helpful and efficient in the past. Then you can call the tax services professionals that you have on your list and discuss your requirements.

The first step in finding the best tax services for your needs is deciding what level of help you require. Perhaps you simply need someone who can file a simple tax return but has to wade through your slightly disorganised accounting documents, or maybe you have a number of employees and need assistance sorting out their tax withholdings or you may even want all of these tax services, and more. The size of the tax services company may also be an issue. You may want one person to be able to perform all of your tax work, especially if you are only a small business owner or you may want a team of tax professionals and you want to find tax services that have a number of specialists available. Once you have identified the type of tax services then you can begin your search more easily. Your available tax services budget is obviously going to be an issue but you should try to allocate as much money as possible to ensure that you can afford the best possible tax services. Remember that you can incur heavy fines if you have incorrectly filed your tax return or are late paying any type of tax that your business is liable for.

Apart from professional qualifications and references one of the most important points to consider when assessing which of the tax services companies you want to use is whether you feel comfortable with the person you are dealing with. At the end of the day you are going to trust them with your financial records and it is essential that you feel that you can depend upon the person.

Every business, at some time, needs the help of some type of tax services at some stage. Large organisations usually have their own tax services department with accountants and tax lawyers but small companies often have to hire tax services on a regular basis to help keep their tax returns and other issues in order. It is important to know how to find the best tax services, no matter what type of business you are involved with.

Learn more about Tax Software and gain access to a wide variety of resources at http://www.alltaxsoftware.info. You'll find articles, resources and links to helpful sites.

How To Set Up A Nail Salon Studio

Writen by Robert Geoghegan

First things first - you must get trained to be a professional nail technician. You can receive training at any number of establishments, so look in your local yellow pages for beauty or nail courses. Maybe working for someone is the next step, so as to gain experience.

Once you are qualified and feel confident that you can hack it at fending for yourself in the business world, then proceed to the next step. If you feel that you can offer a service that clients are going to want to pay for, then the next step is to find a location.

You may decide that to go mobile is right up your street, in this case your overheads are going to be a lot lower than having a shop to look after.

Location, location, location

All to often you see budding entrepreneurs opening up right next to each other, this is great if there is enough business to go round. Don't expect to be able to undercut the competition and put them out of business - this isn't groceries and people don't always go for the cheapest. You will have to do some research and try to find out how much potential business there is, find out from the local authorities the population and the ages and income. You must also have a 'good feeling' for a particular area.

Finance

If you have a wealthy partner then 'bingo' you can get them to pay for everything. All other mortals will have either saved or borrowed their way to self-employed freedom. Finance is an angel and a devil at the same time - try to make sure that every penny is accounted for and don't over commit yourself, especially at the start. When the money starts rolling in, then you will know how much debt you can afford and investing in new equipment or fittings for your salon will give the edge in a competetive market.

Premises

After you have found your premises and negotiated on the lease - remember, some landlords can be nicer than others and rent free periods may be available or you may be able to negotiate the rent. If the rent does seem too much, then look elsehwere, but sometimes premises in a good location which may seem expensive could actually make more money for you. Good premises do not come up for sale very often, and when they do you are going to wish that you had a very rich partner.

Fitting Out

Choose you decor wisely, and don't go over the top unless you have deep pockets. You are creating an image, the style is up to you and it could make or break you. Spend some time researching this and I would suggest visiting establishments to get ideas e.g restaurants, bars, hotels even shops - the big companies spend huge amounts of money 'fitting out', probably more on the designers fees than the actual fittings. These companies know whats right, and you should copy them or if not copy, steal a few ideas. Do a lot of the work yourself to save money, and you will feel a sense of achievment knowing that you did it. The devil is in the detail, so make sure that you pay attention to the little things - it can make all the difference.

Customers

These can be a fickle bunch, they know what they want (sometimes!) so just hope they want you. If you have done everything right, everything should be fine - so don't worry. It may take a while to build up a client base, so you must have finance in reserve to support you until you are making enough to support yourself. Do your research and offer the new fashions that are all the rage elsewhere in the world e.g nail art. Nailart has so many variations these days, even a specialist can usually only master a particular type. Digital nail art which is provided by a machine may be a good option as the training although intense does not take years to master and the results can be fantastic.

Footnote

If you have thought about setting up in business for yourself, but never had the nerve then you will never know what you have missed. Don't think that its easy to be your own boss though, you need special qualities - leadership, initiative, ability to make quick good decisions, low stress level and above all a good sense of humour (helps when everything is going wrong).

Robert Geoghegan, Operations director of Digi Printers ltd, based in the UK. An electrical engineer by trade, but happened upon nail art technology through his wifes beauty business. Now has an indepth knowledge of digital nail art machines. Digi Nail Art Machines

It Spending Educate Your Clients On Smart Purchases

Writen by Joshua Feinberg

Often, clients will ask you for advice on their IT spending plans. In this article, you'll learn some ideas to help your clients plan their IT spending.

Suggest Your Clients Upgrade Their Machines

Your clients also could earmark the budget surpluses for upgrading and replacing PCs more regularly. Because entry-level PCs are often one-half to two-thirds less expensive than top-of-the-line models, they'll still be way ahead of the game.

Just don't forget to factor in a few hours of configuration time for each PC upgrade (yet another value-added service your company can provide), from an older to a newer PC.

IT Spending Requires an Investment Mindset

Also, whenever possible frame your client discussions in terms of "investments", as opposed to "purchases" or "expenses". Get your clients thinking about how planned PC hardware purchases should provide a positive return on investment (ROI).

Don't let your clients fall into the trap of thinking of PCs as office equipment. Take time to explain to your clients how PC-related assets have a much greater impact on the success or failure of their business than a fax machine, photocopy machine, filing cabinet or water cooler.

Educate Your Clients about the ROI on IT Spending

Be sure to impart how technology investments can make or break a small business. So, before your clients contemplate any major IT spending, discuss the expected cost and the benefits, as well as how they'll measure these benefits.

Copyright MMI-MMVI, Computer Consulting 101. All Worldwide Rights Reserved. {Attention Publishers: Live hyperlink in author resource box required for copyright compliance}

Joshua Feinberg, co-founder of Computer Consulting 101, helps computer consulting business owners get more steady, high-paying clients. Learn how you can too. Sign-up now for your free access to field-tested, proven computer consulting secrets at Computer Consulting 101.

Small Business Payroll Services Are They Right For You

Writen by Jeremy Sacco

Even the most meticulous and experienced human resources professionals find that handling payroll can be a headache. For many small businesses, payroll services offer an attractive and valuable alternative to in-house processing. They can provide a less expensive, simpler means of paying employees, filing taxes, and performing other essential but mundane tasks.

Is a payroll service right for your small business?

Extremely small firms with a stable, salaried staff and minimal changes in tax obligations may well be better off processing internally; it can be more convenient and cost-effective if your needs are straightforward.

However, even for small businesses, processing paychecks internally is not always as cost-effective as it appears. At minimum, it costs valuable hours of employee time every pay period plus expensive accounting software and training. In addition, the person who handles your payroll needs to keep up to date on changes in personnel, deadlines, and tax requirements. Without the proper knowledge of payroll procedure and access to a sound payroll program, it is easy to make mistakes.

Payroll outsourcing can be an affordable way to remove this burden. If your employees work varying amounts of hours each week or if you have significant turnover, a small business payroll service can be a time-saving and cost-effective alternative to internal processing. Using a small business payroll service can also be helpful if you have to pay payroll taxes for multiple states.

Even if your payroll expenses are quite stable, companies with more than 10 employees may find that the time saved by outsourcing payroll easily makes up for the low costs.

What do they do?

Small business payroll services typically handle a range of payroll tasks, including calculating paycheck and tax obligations for each employee, printing and delivering checks, and providing management reports. Paychecks can be issued on a weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, semi-monthly or yearly basis.

Additional payroll-related services that may carry separate fees include automatic check signatures, direct deposit, and handling of W-2s. Many services now offer tie-ins with 401(k) and Section 125 mutual fund plans, allowing employees to set up automatic deductions from their paychecks.

Many small business payroll services offer the option of filing state and federal payroll taxes for your business, as well.

How does it work?

Each pay period, payroll data has to be "called in" to the payroll service provider. While this used to be done via a phone call or fax, almost all data is now transferred electronically.

The standard method is by modem. The provider will supply software for tracking each employee's pay rate, deductions, and vacation time. You simply enter the relevant information for that pay period, and information is automatically transferred to the payroll service provider.

Some providers also offer Web-based payroll data entry. You enter employee information on a secure Web page, which feeds directly to the provider. This method is gaining acceptance, but is still less popular than modem-based communication.

How much does it cost?

Basic small business payroll services typically cost between $3 and $5 per check, including add-on fees for direct deposit, tax filing, and check delivery.

There are often fees for adding or dropping employees, adjusting employee information, and setting up your account, and these fees can differ dramatically from provider to provider. Make sure you are looking at comparable pricing when evaluating different providers.

Ready to buy? Get free quotes from multiple payroll service vendors.

This article brought to you by the experts at BuyerZone.com, the leading online marketplace for business purchasing. From copiers to forklifts to software to phone systems, BuyerZone.com can help you make smarter purchases for your business.

Visit http://www.buyerzone.com for more expert advice or to get FREE quotes from leading vendors in over 120 business purchasing categories.

Buy A Small Business In The Uk

Writen by Peter Arkwright

Looking for a serious investment opportunity? You may want to consider buying a small business in the United Kingdom. There are several ways to turn a good profit in small business, but there are some important things to keep in mind if you are looking for an investment opportunity, especially if you are an investor from the United States, Canada, and elsewhere.

Any investment opportunity naturally comes with some risk. Foreign investors will need to calculate an additional variable when figuring up the possible amount of profit margin, loss ,and potential for both, as well as the exchange rate. How well is your currency doing against the British Pound? Be sure to include some "wiggle room" in your budgeting for fluctuations in the exchange rate.

For those already living in the UK, concerns such as taxation and local regulation are familiar topics. To those in overseas locations, it's important to look up the laws of the land pertaining to your type of business, the taxes for which you will be liable, and how to properly account for them. This may seem elementary to those with experience in putting money into an overseas investment opportunity, but for the first-time investor in a UK small business, there are many laws and policies that might surprise you. The key is to do your homework, get the advice of a good UK legal expert, and be prepared for a new and different way of doing business.

If you want to buy a small business in the UK, it's good to do a bit of research into the type of business you want to use as an investment opportunity. Are there ways that you can expand the business onto the Internet? Can the Internet be a help to you in increasing sales, market visibility, or media awareness? All of these factors are important to keep in mind. The most successful small businesses are the ones whose owners know how to take advantage of the Internet, while still meeting local needs and demands with speed and precision. It's not so different than doing business anywhere else in the Western world. It's important to understand how the buyers in your area of the UK respond to and utilize the Internet when it comes to commerce.

You'll also want to give your competing businesses a good hard look to see how they are using the Internet. Are you thinking of investing in an already crowded market? If so, you'll need some fresh ideas to give your version of the business a new approach so that you can set it apart from the competition.

A UK investment opportunity in small business may bring some unexpected surprises if you are considering investing in a "rising star" business. For example, twenty years ago, nobody had ever heard of a "cyber café". Today, cities are full of places that offer Internet services, games, coffee, and more for a price. This concept has become a very important part of many communities. Those who took the initial risk a few years ago, putting money in what they saw as a good investment opportunity, are reaping their rewards today.

Those who buy a small business in the UK often find that the investment opportunity is well worth the risks. With some research, a bit of financial planning, and the expert advice of a UK legal advisor, you can turn a potential opportunity into a major success. If you are living in America, Canada, or elsewhere, you owe it to yourself to pay a visit to the United Kingdom to see for yourself just what kinds of investment opportunities await you there.

This article is free to republish with the signature block

Peter Arkwright recently retired from the military; he is now the Managing Director of Bizseller4u Ltd - Providing business solutions in sales, advertising, funding, debt collection and recovery plans.

If you would like any more information on this subject then please visit our website at http://www.bizseller4u.com

Wholesale Dropshipper Scams Exposed

Writen by John Hodgeman

The Internet is bombarded with middlemen and rip-off artists masquerading as wholesale suppliers, or seeking to make money off of retail business owners who are searching for wholesalers. Unfortunately, these scam artists make it impossible to find real wholesale suppliers in the search engines.

You see, wholesalers don't have to advertise to the public to find their ideal customers. They know where to find their ideal customers, and so do you for that matter. Their ideal customers are highly-visible, established retailers. Since REAL wholesale distributors are not advertising their services in public venues like search engines, who is advertising their business at the top of the wholesale search results? Mostly scammers, unfortuntely.

These cut-throat scammers make it incredibly difficult for you to find real wholesale suppliers as they all try to beat each other to the top rankings of the search engines for all kinds of wholesale search terms. Even worse, the prolific nature of these scammers make you doubt even the most legitimate of wholesale distributors. How do you know a real wholesaler when you find one? We'll teach you how to find real wholesale distributors and avoid the wholesale scams.

Over the next few weeks, I'll be writing a series of articles explaining the types of wholesale scams you'll find on the Internet so that you can avoid them. A little later in this series of articles, we'll discuss where to find real wholesalers. But first I want talk about one of the worst scams - the wholesale list scam.

The first scammer to watch out for is the pay-to-access wholesale directory. Wholesale Suppliers are by nature of their industry well hidden businesses, and this hidden market breeds a ton of sites on the Internet claiming to have the solution to your wholesale search dilemma. They'll claim there are thousands of wholesalers and drop shippers in their directory - THE SECRET SOURCES THAT NO ONE ELSE HAS. Unfortunately, the truth is that most are just eager to scam you out of your hard earned money while they deliver you a directory of garbage with little on the list even resembling a wholesale distributor.

These wholesale list vendors have been around on the Internet for a decade, and most are selling the same garbage lists recycled over-and-over again. Most of them are outdated and filled with dead links. Others are just listing the top search results of garbage wholesale listings that appear in the first few pages of the search engines. And others are trying to pass off a bunch of middlemen who are kicking them a sales commission for sales that they refer. Even worse, most of the suppliers on their lists sell to the general public - a huge clue that they are just discount retailers, not true wholesalers.

If you do decide to buy a wholesale list or a wholesale directory membership, I highly recommend that you ask questions about how they built their wholesale directory and the types of suppliers that they list. Additionally, make sure that you have a legitimate money-back guarantee from the wholesale list vendor. Please read everything in their site pertaining to what you're buying and what rights you have toward a refund if you aren't satisfied.

There are some directories out there that will connect you with a few good suppliers, but they are few and far between. The few suppliers that you'll find aren't worth the steep prices or the effort that you'll have to put in just to find a few wholesalers who will work with you. Besides, you shouldn't have to pay the steep prices to find public information.

John Hodgeman has researched and uncovered numerous scams in the corrupt online dropship industry. He has written special articles to help people avoid dropshipper scams.

With five years of experience in the online dropshipping industry, John has discovered over two dozen legitimate drop ship compananies, wholesalers, independent suppliers and buyer/seller communities he would encourage you to do business with.

He provides this report in a valuable information package on his website, dropshipperpackage.blogspot.com

Small Business Resources

Writen by Michael Russell

If you are looking to get your small business off the ground, you will be happy to know that the Internet provides you with the means to do so. With instructional articles and forums, your knowledge about small business management will increase tenfold and in the arena of business, knowledge is equivalent to power. Read more in this article.

Small Business Resources. If you are running a small business, then you will love the fact that the Internet affords you the unique opportunity to access a variety of small business services. In fact, the Internet can guide you to resources that can help your small business become successful. Moreover, you will find that managing your l business becomes a far easier task.

Small Business resources can provide you with information pertaining to business basics, banking basics, advertising hints and strategies, proper software applications for business management, business management strategies, marketing fundamentals and much more. In fact, when you research resources on the web you will be pleasantly surprised by all of the information available to you.

Articles are an excellent source of information and can help you learn how to manage your business successfully. Frequently articles pertaining to small business focus on the minute details of business management and you can read about anything from proper tax applications to how to motivate your employees. What's more, such articles are frequently offered to you for free or at minimal charge and the information they contain is invaluable.

Alternatively, you can access forums where you can discuss small business issues with like-minded individuals: individuals that are encountering or have dealt with the same issues that concern you. Forums are a wonderful way to discuss how to motivate employees, how to handle tax issues, how to increase your bottom line, how to affectively use merchant accounts or how to handle the day-to-day workings of yourl business. You can also get some great advertising ideas.

Perhaps you have a brick and mortar business and you are looking to extend your business to Internet consumers. Then the Internet will definitely provide you with the services that you need to get your web-based business started. You can sign up for merchant accounts, find web hosting for inexpensive monthly payments, and get your business online within a few weeks. Plus, small business resources will advise you about the best way to pursue your Internet business and how to get yourself successfully established on the World Wide Web.

Looking for a way to manage your home office? Again, small business resources can provide you with exactly what you need. You can learn how to successfully establish your home office so that your small business runs as eficiently as possible. You can also learn about office organization, the right kind of equipment to purchase, what you will need to run the successful home office, how to establish a business, marketing, financial planning and more. In the end, if you are looking to get your small business off the ground, you will be happy to know that the Internet provides you with the means to do so. With instructional articles and forums, your knowledge about small business management will increase tenfold and in the arena of business, knowledge is equivalent to power.


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Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Small Business
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Point Of Sale Systems How To Choose One Thats Right For Your Business

Writen by Mark Henry

A point of sale (POS) system can have a dramatic impact on the way you run your business -- and on your bottom line. Choosing the right one requires careful planning.

Here are some of the things you need to think through to make a good decision when selecting POS equipment and systems for your business. Use this list as a starting point for your planning process.

* First of all, price should not be the main consideration when buying a POS system. The improved efficiency, greater flexibility and better reporting should pay for the investment in a reasonable period of time.

* Don't start off by calling for lists of features of various POS systems. Instead, start with a comprehensive analysis of what your business requires.

* Do you have operations spread over multiple locations? What are the implications?

If you run a restaurant, for example, you may need to keep some parameters common across locations while varying others. For instance, your menu may be identical at all locations, but prices of some items may vary from one outlet to another. The system you choose must be capable of implementing such differences.

* How easily can you make changes to the system? You can be sure that your business will keep changing in many respects -- employees join and leave, prices go up or down, your product range expands, locations get added or deleted and so on.

Ask yourself if the programming interface will easily allow your employees to execute such changes.

* Will it be possible to make changes ahead of time? For example, if you're beginning a special promotion on November 15, can you input the price changes well in advance and set the system to automatically effect the changes on that date?

This as well as other types of flexibility are essential for many retail operations.

* To what extent will the POS system need to integrate with your accounting system? Does it have to be real time? Or is it enough to have an export of entries at day-end?

* If you are running a bar, does the POS system need to work with liquor control devices? A liquor control device tracks pours from bottles. This makes billing easier and reduces shrinkage.

* Will the credit / debit card processing system in the POS equipment work well with your merchant account?

* Will the system allow you to implement special deals for frequent shoppers? For instance, each purchase could have points associated with them and these points could eventually translate into lower prices or free gifts.

* What reporting capabilities will you need? If you work across multiple locations, will the system give you an online real-time report of transactions completed?

Most dealers will have sample reports available. Ask to see them so that you can compare better.

* In most cases, the POS system will have to be upgraded as your needs evolve and expand. How quickly can the dealer respond to your needs?

Also, most dealers put out regular software upgrades. Are they included in the contract or does the dealer charge extra for them?

For the sake of avoiding compatibility problems, plan to purchase new hardware of the same kind as the original. That way you'll ensure everything works well together -- and even if there are problems, you can get the dealer to handle it.

* Support is a critical consideration. What happens if your POS system goes down? This can have a serious impact on the business. You need to get a detailed written agreement on how the dealer is going to handle breakdowns.

The dealer may try to diagnose and solve the problem over phone initially. If that doesn't work, they may send support staff to your location. And if the problem can't be solved quickly, you may need to get equipment on loan till your system is repaired.

POS system downtime can have serious implications. Make sure you get the support you need.

The above list should help trigger ideas about the kind of issues you need to look at. Do your planning well before deciding on a POS system for your business.

Mark Henry is a systems consultant and has written on POS systems, tips for choosing the right point of sale equipment, how point of sale systems need to fit in with the business environment and other related topics.

It Consulting Business Skills For Success

Writen by Joshua Feinberg

In addition to technical skills, you need business skills to run a successful IT consulting business. In this article, you'll learn some skills that will help you remain in the IT consulting business for years to come.

Learn How to Manage Your Money

You know a bit about financing. You need to know about where to raise funds when things are a little slow with your IT consulting practice. You'll need to know how much capital you are going to need, You'll also need to be able to anticipate when things are going to run low and how to proactively run around that.

Learn How to Multi-Task

In the IT consulting business, you are going to need to work on a lot of different projects and with a lot of different clients all at once.

Learn How to Negotiate

You need to be able to do some lobbying and act as a politician at times. You'll do this by building consensus among clients and fighting factions in the workplace.

For example, the accounting department may really want an application but the applications department absolutely hates it. If your main decision-maker of the account says that the application must be installed, what do you do? You've got to be diplomatic to make it happen.

Learn How to Handle All the Aspects of a Project

Project management skills are really important you have to bring together a lot of different pieces - especially when you are talking about a big LAN rollout. You are going to have to be getting involved in purchasing on a pretty regular basis especially if you are going to be doing product reselling.

Research skills are really key here - especially putting together complex networks and researching and putting together solutions. Being resourceful, knowing who to turn to for what.

The Bottom Line about IT Consulting

While technical skills are important for IT consulting, you need business skills to stay in the IT consulting field for the long haul.

Copyright MMI-MMVI, Computer Consulting Blog. All Worldwide Rights Reserved. {Attention Publishers: Live hyperlink in author resource box required for copyright compliance}

Joshua Feinberg can help you get more steady, high-paying computer consulting clients. You can learn how too. Sign-up now for Joshua's free audio training program on the Computer Consulting Blog.

Schedule Your Store Based On Your Customers Needs

Writen by Jerry Robertson

Proper scheduling can make a noticeable difference in your sales and profits. Many stores schedule on employees needs instead of what is best for your customers. Yes, you need to consider your employees availability to work, but part of the hiring process should to consider the flexibility of the employee's times to work.

It is common in many large corporations to have their best employees to work days Monday- Friday. The problem is that most businesses are busiest during evenings and weekends. This means many large corporations fortunes rest on the customer service level of part-timers many of them kids in high school. This can be a huge advantage for the small business to compete with the large retailers.

There are many factors to consider in making your schedule. You must consider specific tasks to be done and the peak hours of your customers. It is common for a business to have too much help in the slower times or when the manager/ owner is present. Here are just a few issues that I have seen in scheduling:

1. Too many people right when the store opens. Many stores are slow or just have a few customers until lunch time. It is best to stagger the employee's times.

2. Some stores have too many employees after closing. There may be a last minute customer, but five employees are not needed to help this customer. If an owner saves 15 minutes here and an hour their, at the end of the year, it will add plenty to the bottom line without sacrificing customer service level.

3. Employees write their schedules. They come in and or leave whenever they feel like it. This can result in poor service levels or excessive help when not needed. The owner / manager needs to make a schedule and make any adjustments to the schedule.

4. Here is a problem especially if you have part-timers working for you. Certain employees don't work well together. They are more interested in chatting with each other instead of serving the customers.

5. Too many employees taking lunch and or dinner together. This often leads the store short to keep your customer service levels superior. Also, many stores are busier during this time because the customers are on break or off from work.

There are many issues to consider when scheduling for your store. The bottom line is to take care of your customers while controlling your payroll.

Jerry is a seasoned retail veteran with over 25 years of retail management / consulting experience. He has a fantastic record of increasing sales and profits by utilizing creative solutions. You can get free tips, articles, resources, newsletters, and small business forums at: http://www.jrobconsult.com

Where To Find A Cash Windfall Of 10000 To 1000000 You Never Knew You Had

Writen by Jay L. Abraham

There is a rather famous true story called "Acres of Diamonds".

It is about a successful farmer who risks everything searching the African continent for diamonds. Ultimately he dies sick and penniless, while the new owner of his farm uncovers on his property the largest single diamond ever known to man.

Point of fact: After helping hundreds of thousands of entrepreneurs and business owners, I'll lay odds that this story is true for YOU in more ways than you are currently willing to admit to yourself.

No matter where you are on the success continuum, your ability to generate tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in immediate windfall income is well within your reach.

I know firsthand, because everyday, I am paid handsomely to do just that by my clients and associates.

Now, no one likes to be told that they are sitting on a diamond mine, especially when they don't see it for themselves. So please allow me to give you some advice which could potentially generate a cash jackpot of between $10,000 and $1,000,000 almost overnight.

"What's the secret?", you ask impatiently.

I'll tell you flat out: Your hidden wealth is buried in your email list... it's hiding in your client list... and it lies dormant in your vendor list. I could go on and on.

Here's the secret in a nutshell: One of the places your hidden wealth lies is in the trusted relationships you've cultivated with people over the years.

Let me prove my point with a quick example. I recently did a consult with a client who has a wonderful nutritional product. His own clients are very enthusiastic about the results they get.

At the same time, although he is successful, he is also cash poor. He needs a cash infusion of hundreds of thousands of dollars to be able to fund the building up of his business.

What's the solution? A banker? An angel investor? A partner? Venture capital? Maybe, but I think there might be an easier way.

Here's what I suggested to him: I told him to write a heartfelt letter to his most devoted clients which tells his story and includes an offer that they pre-pay for a year's worth of his product to help him build his company. In return for their support, they'll receive very preferential discounts and unique bonuses from him.

Will the strategy work? Maybe. Maybe not. We won't know until we test it. But the premise is sound because the odds are exceedingly high that many of his clients will empathize with him and want to be a part of his success by helping him achieve his goals.

Why?

Because they trust him.

Now some of you will be a bit hard headed and say "But I don't have a product" or "I don't have a client list" or "I don't have a business".

So let me say it again: YOUR windfall opportunity lies in the trusted relationships YOU have cultivated. And your wealth-building opportunities will be kaleidoscopically different from everybody else's.

Here another way of looking it:

Wealth = Opportunity = Trusted Relationships

Now here's the big question. Whether you own a business or not, how can you put this information into action immediately?

My answer for you: Well, the most success-certain way I know is by engineering joint ventures with people. It's my absolute favorite way of building businesses... generating enduring streams of income... and especially creating instant windfall profits.

Of the $7 Billion in profits I am credited with, at least $2.5 Billion has been generated doing lucrative joint ventures.

Solely by learning how to become a joint venture deal-maker who understands the money-making opportunities and "money connections" that exist all around you, you could turn-around almost any problem... make almost any amount of money you desire... and live a life most people only dream of.

Try it! I think you'll be pleasantly surprised the results you achieve.

About The Author

Jay Abraham is a legendary business builder and marketing genius. Jay is also one of the worlds foremost experts on Joint Ventures. If you'd like to learn more about Jay Abraham's new EXTREMELY AFFORDABLE six month Joint Venture Mentorship program, go to http://jvexperts.com

sales@jvexperts.com

Packing Material Thats Cheap

Writen by Michael Temple

Shipping materials can be expensive! Even the styrofoam "peanuts" can cost a great deal. Here's a great idea for packing paterial that is bio-digradable, easy, and best of all...CHEAP!

Popcorn! Yep, popcorn! It is a wonderful packing product if it is done right. Here's how to make it the right way for using in your packaging:

1. Go down to your local goodwill store, or jump on eBay (tm) and find a popcorn air pumper. They are usually cheap, and you may even want to get 2 or 3 if you need a large quantity of packing material.

2. Find some large bags of popcorn. There's no need to get fancy about what kind you get. The cheapo kernals work just as well for the packing as the expensive brands. Remember, you're packing with it, not eating it.

3. Put the popcorn pumper over a large sealable container and "fire that baby up. Make large quantities of popcorn at one time and let it cool. After it cools you can put the lid on and save it for packing at anytime you wish to use it.

4. Put a note in the box that you pack that basically says: "We are conscious of the environment! Your item has been packed in all natural popcorn using a method that is non-greasy and environmentally safe. Please feed to the birds or re-use at your discretion. Thank-you!"

I have used all natural popcorn on many occasions with a good deal of success. There are products that you may not want to pack in popcorn. Things like ephemera and other items that are permeable to smell may not be something that you will want to chance packing in popcorn. Keep in mind, if it can soak in a smell, it can soak in a popcorn odor. Make decisions with care!

Michael Temple is a retired auctioneer, speaker and the owner of Antique Power Dealers, an antique and collectible business resource. (http://www.antiquepowerdealer.com) He is also the author of the report, "6 Costly Mistakes Antique Buyers and Sellers Make...and How to Avoid Them!" You can own a copy by asking for it. Send your request to: freetips@antiquepowerdealer.com

Township Story

Writen by Jason Mordecai

Called by many names; townships, informal settlements, or squatter camps, they are an integral part of South African life, both in rural and urban areas. A collection of ramshackled structures made of corrugated iron, cardboard, wood, fencing, whatever can be found to create a home. The roads between the shacks are better described as worn pathways, some too small for a vehicle to pass, others wider with space for vehicles and informal trade to mingle with playing children. R.D.P. (Reconstruction and Development) housing projects are interspersed with the shack-lands, where the government has built small brick houses, which will ideally and ultimately house all of South Africa's homeless. Amongst the shacks; schools, clinics, churches or missions, spaza shops, shabeens and taverns are found. The services that are usually conspicuously missing are police stations, post offices, and health outlets (apart from clinics, which dispense medicine and traditional healers).

The interior of most shacks are dark and stuffy, leaky in summer and draughty in winter when the paraffin stoves used for cooking and warmth far too often lead to fires, unable to be contained before spreading fast and far and with tragic consequences. These conditions are totally unsuitable for people living with compromised respiratory diseases such as those that are the symptoms of HIV/AIDS.

Informal trade is done from spaza shops, which are general dealer stores set up inside shacks, caravans, under gazebos or trees, or in containers. In the same way, hairdressing services, telephonic services and clothing are sold. Shabeens and taverns are bottle stores and restaurants.

Business is usually quiet during the daytime on weekdays, as most people who are employed and most children who are in school are not available as consumers. Children are often responsible for the shopping as their parent's work, and it is becoming more and more common as AIDS spreads, that children are required to look after sick parents, run the household and look after siblings.

In the evenings and on weekends, the streets come alive with people shopping, trading and visiting each other. Music blares, cars are washed and children use the streets as their playground. Township life is truly community based living, and it is this quality that makes this physically challenging environment, a special one.

The Spaza shop is often a central area for residents who generally do not have refrigerators, and must purchase food daily basis. It is the Spaza shop's central position in a community that makes it a perfect point to distribute health products and indeed even as a place to distribute information and knowledge.

THE CREATION OF HEALTH SPAZAS

With the above scenario in mind, Fevertree has initiated a concept into the townships of a rather unique type of Spaza shop. The main aim of the Health Spaza is to start as it were, health shops like the health stores you find in more affluent areas of the city. Many of these health shop owners have told us that they are increasingly seeing township dwellers who prefer to come through there doors with minor ailments as the advice is free and the products are affordable (well some of them at any rate). I am sure that the rich and poor both can agree on the fact that a visit to a medical practitioner is costly, as is a visit to a Sangoma or traditional healer.

The Health Spaza saves the township dweller the trip into a shopping centre. On their own doorsteps, they now have available a shop (or a container, gazebo or ice-cream box style bicycle) that caters for the minor ailments we all suffer from such as flu in winter, the twinge of arthritis, and a biggie – male potency. Products sold, have been carefully selected according to a set of criteria, which include market related pricing and the all-important fact the products must be natural and good for our consumers.

To say that the shop is truly a health Spaza, or even to say that Fevertree as a company has any claims on it is not entirely true. The ownership of the Health Spazas is in the hands of local township dwellers. Fevertree's role is to assist them to set up the business and give them the required training to operate as a small business and as health product consultants. As it is a new idea, and in the world of new ideas, people are usually a slow species to catch on, the Health Spaza has diversified itself to the extent that it is also a Photo Spaza, taking ID photos, licence photos, and photographs for all occasions. This diversity is the hallmark of the Fevertree spaza business model. Strangely enough the two odd bed fellows, photography and health products seem to complement each other well, at times the photography drawing customers to both sides of the business, and sometimes the health products attracting customers.

The scope of the spaza business model also includes for new and innovative products and services, for instance we have identified an awareness and need for solar power. Another issue is that of whether the Spaza should be mobile or static We anticipate that other ideas will surface in time, and we would like to encourage our readers to submit ideas to us (1 million brains are far better than two or three). To submit an idea, contact us through our website www.fevertree.za.com

Jason Mordecai is an educator and researcher with interests in Neurolinguistic Programming, Psychoneuroimmunology, herbalsim and entrepreneurism in Africa. He currently runs Fevertree, an innovative business that sources and supplies raw materials and products focusing on African Medicinal herbs. For more information see his website http://www.fevertree.za.com

Wholesale Ebay Products For Ebay Sellers Find The Best Wholesale Hip Hop Brands For Ebay

Writen by Donny Lowy

Wholesale eBay products for eBay sellers: Find the best wholesale hip hop brands for eBay

Wholesale eBay products are a great way to make inroads on eBay. While the majority of eBay sellers are focused on selling items they find lying around in their homes, or on selling items they find at garage sales, you can develop a profitable eBay business by setting up a system to sell wholesale products.

If you are looking for a great wholesale product to sell on eBay you should consider wholesale hip hop brands.

Wholesale hip hop brands make a great eBay seller because they are a product which is desired by a large customer base.

And since you want to build a repeat business for in your eBay business, it makes all the more sense to deal with wholesale hip hop brands, since customers repeatedly will use them.

How can you find wholesale hip hop brands?

The following are the best methods for locating sources for wholesale hip hop brands.

1. Call manufacturers of wholesale hip hop brands, ask them for their overstock and discontinued inventory. This is a great way to purchase wholesale hip hop brands at below the list wholesale price.

2. Contact wholesalers and find out if they have wholesale hip hop brands from last season. Even if you have to hold the merchandise for another 6 months, the savings you will be able to obtain will translate directly into your profits.

3. Look for wholesale hip hop brands which were made for a specific occasion and are now sitting around collecting dust. While they might have a logo on or a distinct look to them, eBay buyers will look at them if the price is right.

Wholesale hip hop brands can be a perfect item for eBay provided that you have the right wholesale supply.

Donny Lowy operates the following wholesale sites:
http://www.closeoutexplosion.com
http://www.wholesalequest.com
http://www.wholesalecloseoutforum.com

Franchisor Prospect Checklist Sample Form

Writen by Lance Winslow

Due to the over regulation in the Franchising Industry and the litigation it is important to keep impeccable records. From the first phone call, email to the signing of the franchise agreement everything should be documented. Below is a checklist we created for our franchise company and one I wish you would consider when creating your own. I recommend you copy this article and then modify it to fit your business model.

You must understand that without proper documentation you might find your company entangled in meaningless and wasteful litigation instead of spending the time on expanding your market share and brand name. Below is our sample checklist we use at the Car Wash Guys, you may have this and modify it at will, I dismiss any copyrights to you. Now remember our Franchise is a specialty type business, mobile car wash and the franchisee must be in excellent physical condition, where as your business model may wish to screen for other things.

1. Telephone Interview with Founder or Designated Person. (Minimum 30 min.) Friendly conversation; Lots of listening. Notes will be taken on "Pre-Screening Phone Worksheet". This worksheet will be kept in a file if prospective franchisee is qualified. A resume will be asked for at this point. It should be faxed or mailed to headquarters. If none is available, one will be created from the phone interview.

2. Resume Is Reviewed and compared to notes from phone interview for consistency. If it is acceptable, then we proceed. If it is not, process ends here. If, during the phone interview we created a resume for the prospective franchisee, it will be mailed to them so they can use it in their next interview. We will also send a copy to A Contract Employment Agency, a company with whom we network. They in turn will send us qualified prospects.

3. Timed Run is performed by prospective franchisee. Designated Person will time prospective franchisee on a running track. He or she must run one mile in under 7:30 minutes. "Timed Run Form" will be signed and dated by both prospective franchisee and Designated Person. If , He or she fails test, they will be given a workout schedule based on their actual time. They may try again in two weeks, or when they feel ready.

4. Ride Along with a crew. Two crews will be assigned to a new prospective franchisee. After the run, on the same day, prospective franchisee will spend all day helping a crew.

Second Ride Along will occur the following day with a different crew to assure that the prospective franchisee understands how much work there is.

5. File Is Created in prospective franchisee's name. Included are: Pre-Screening Phone Worksheet, Resume, Timed Run Form, Ride Along with Summaries from Crews. This checklist will be paper clipped to front of file.

6. Letter Of Intent is asked for from prospective franchisee. When received it is put in file and "Request to Join Team" form is sent out.

7. Request To Join Team Form is mailed to prospective franchisee. It must be mailed back in 15 days or prospective franchisee must go back and work on a third crew for one day. Hesitation means they are not quite sure yet or they falsified information.

8. Reviewing Of Request To Join Team Form will be screened by two Ride Along Crew managers and three other franchisees or independent contractors, a woman not associated with our company, a Quality Control consultant, a customer or the founder. All people Involved get one vote except Founder; he gets three. (Unless there is a third Ride Along Crew, then he gets only two). Prospective Franchisee must have 2/3rds. (12 Total, 8 to win!)

9. Request To Join Team Form Is Faxed to our favorite leasing company if they will be borrowing to buy the franchise or Wells Fargo Bank where the credit card processing will be done. Leasing company will notify us if prospective franchisee is credit worthy and fax us a TRW print out. Wells Fargo will do a background check and see if prospective franchisee qualifies for a merchant account.

10. Extensive Background Check will be done by a contracted private investigation firm. Check will include: FBI Report, Court Records, etc. He/she must pass or other arrangements must be made.

11. Meet With Prospective Franchisee - This will be the first official one on one meeting. Present at this meeting will be prospective franchisee, and his advisors, spouse, parents, investors, etc. Also present: Founder or Designated Person and eight other associates, members of the Executive Committee and franchisees or independent contractors.

12. Vote On Prospective Franchisee to determine if prospective franchisee is good enough. All information will be on the table, literally. On the table will be: Credit Report, Wells Fargo Approval Application, Leasing Company Tentative Approval, FBI Report, Court Records, Letter of Intent, Etc. He/she will be able to defend themselves against hearsay or false information on collected documents. Other items on table will be Pre-Screening Phone Worksheet, Resume, Timed Run Form, Ride Along Summaries and of course, The Request To Join Our Team Document. All nine people vote; Anyone absent will have their vote replaced by Founder or Designated Person. (2/3rds to win)

13. Approval will initiate a distribution of agreements for the prospective franchisee to sign:

Franchise Agreement

Franchise Offering Circular

Leasing Application for Equipment

Cellular Agreement

Supply Ordering Agreement

Non-Disclosure Agreement

Bank Account Forms & Merchant Account Agreement

Non-Competition Of Other Franchisees Promise

Fictious Name Statement

Document Receipt Form.

14. Returning of Forms - The prospective franchisee will return signed forms. No payment may be taken for 10 business days. We will use fifteen days to be safe. He/she may be placed in training until then.

Lance Winslow

Types Of Restaurant

Writen by Bill McRea

Many entrepreneurs are thinking about putting up their own restaurants. Restaurants are generally seen as good business ventures because people are always looking for food. There are different types of restaurants that businessmen can look into starting up and the decision regarding what type of restaurant or what style to put up is based on different factors.

The decision regarding the general concept of a restaurant business will be dependent on different major things. Listed below are some of these factors:

Location

The style of the restaurant will be dependent on the location of the restaurant. For example, if someone is thinking about putting up a Chinese-style restaurant in a place where this type of restaurant abounds. He might want to tweak some details about his restaurant to be able to have a competitive advantage against the other Chinese restaurants in the area. Perhaps he would stick with the general concept of having a Chinese restaurant because the place is popular for this type of food but he might want to add different types of cuisine as well, perhaps go into fusion cooking.

Target Market

The target market is very important in determining what style of restaurant to put up. A busy place where class B society thrives maybe an optimum location to put up a midscale fast food restaurant. Different restaurants cater to different types of people and no one restaurant aims at capturing the whole of the market because it would just end up in confusion.

Availability of Materials

If a person is thinking of putting up a restaurant, he might want to look closely at the availability of the materials in the area. For example, a seafood restaurant will depend greatly on the availability of fresh ingredients and seafood in the local market. If not, the owner will have to look for other alternatives which can cost him additional money.

Availability of good cooks

There are more than enough restaurants in many areas today. The only thing that separates the good ones from the normal ones are the types of cooks. The style of the restaurant should match the skills of the hired chef. There are good chefs who can easily adjust to styles which they aren't really accommodated with but these chefs are very hard to find and perhaps, they will ask for a very hefty salary.

Personal Preference

Of course, every business is built upon vision and the personal preference of the owner will ultimately determine the style of restaurant that he will start. There are ways to beat the normal odds which go against the success of new restaurants.

There are a lot of different styles of restaurants which one can choose from. These are:

Steakhouses

These restaurants usually cater to the middle and upper class markets. These are also usually oriented towards families and have a very relaxed and homey atmosphere. The meals in steakhouses are usually deemed as good buys. There are also the high-end steakhouses which concentrate more on the quality of the meat which they serve.

Seafood Restaurants

There are different types of seafood restaurants. There are the quick-service ones, the ones which cater to the middle class and the higher-end ones which cater to the upper class. The quick service seafood restaurants are very much similar to fast-food restaurants. Generally, seafood restaurants offer a wide variety of seafood and they serve it in different fashions.

Casual Dining

This type of restaurant caters to almost all kinds of people. People go here to be able to have a lot of food choices and enjoy the relaxed kind of atmosphere. The prices in casual dining restaurants are usually not that high.

Pizzeria

There are basically two choices in creating a pizzeria. The first one is to construct a full-blown restaurant which doesn't only serve pizza but many different kinds of food as well. The other choice is to specialize in pizzas and a few other items such as beer.

Coffeehouse

More and more people are being enticed to go to coffeehouses. These coffeehouses offer the coziest atmospheres for small talk and coffee conversations.

These are only a few of the choices that you have in developing a concept for your restaurant. Explore other choices and stick with the one which satisfies the heart most.

Bill McRea is the publisher of Knowninfo a premium website dedicated to providing Information, Marketing Strategies and great eBooks like How to Start A Successful Restaurant Business. Visit our site daily for updated information, and unique products.