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The price of love of fear of loss. If we wouldn’t be sad by the loss of a loved one or by being rejected by someone we deeply love, love would have no bond, no intimacy, and no joy. To love is to risk the vulnerability of our inner most being. At least that’s what the most genuine and delicious level of love requires. Some love is virtually involuntary. It seems you have no choice but to love. To love without restraint. One case where this is most potent is with young grandchildren.

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I’ve been hearing rumors that telesummits are dying, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. The model is changing, but there’s never been a better way to boost your list building than hosting a telesummit.

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A few years ago, Chris, a great friend of mine, was attending a summer concert featuring a Beatles Tribute band. They were dressed up like a 1965 version of John, Paul, George and Ringo. They had their accents and music down. They were an amazing group of musicians perfectly imitating genuine rock stars. And they were fake. After twenty minutes Chris couldn’t handle it. He actually left his family sitting on the grass and spent an hour walking home.

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Being an entrepreneur is an amazing journey. At some point in this journey, you’re going to need a team. Your industry, size of business and future goals will determine what kind of key players you need on your team. Now when I say team, I don’t mean a dozen full-time staff members or subcontractors. I mean key people you can use when you need them…team members you trust.

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Working as a virtual assistant for the past seven years, I’ve worked with a wide variety of clients. Different industries, personalities and managing skills can either make for a good relationship or a bad one. Having a team of my own, also allows me the opportunity to see things through the eyes of a client. I’ve made mistakes when working with team members, just like any entrepreneur. Being on both sides of the coin affords me the ability to know what clients want, and also what team members want. Here are my top dos and don’ts when working with team members.

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Our nation’s economy is burning and many of our dreams are going up in smoke. But are they? We live in a time when the relentless pursuit of society’s definition of success is blow-torching our happiness. Our peace. This always happens when we adopt goals that are thrust upon us. For years the media has programmed us with discontent. They have sold us the illusions that an endless spending spree is non-stop happiness. Most of us bought. Now we all have to pay.

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As busy entrepreneurs we juggle a lot of balls. Client requests, team member demands, family demands…the list goes on and on and on. When you have so many balls in the air, eventually you’re going to drop one. It happened to me today. I received an email from a client asking me if I sent a promo email out last week. I created the template, but for whatever reason, the email never got sent. So what do you do in a situation where you’ve dropped a ball…an important one and now you have to face the music?

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Yesterday I had a pretty severe “Mohs” surgery on the left side of my face! Yes, it turns out that a lifetime of surfing comes with a downside. Having my face directly exposed to the sun for five decades is a lot like sticking your head in a microwave. When I started surfing in the 1960’s, there was no such thing as sun block. Coppertone was for sissies. So I was tattooed with non-malignant skin cancer on my left temple which if untreated would take over my face like a wine stain on a white linen napkin. “Mohs” surgery is a lot like “mowing” the skin off your face.

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Yesterday I went to a funeral. Mary was the 94 year-old grandmother-in-law of one of my best friends, Michael. Mary is a fearless soul that left a big impression by simply being herself. Her life was the great American Dream. Italian immigrant. Little education. Came to San Diego from Chicago with her husband, Tony, in the 1940’s with zero money. Despite her and Tony’s lack of education, they did what they shined at. Cooked. They opened and ran Italian restaurants. Mary’s secret was her sauces.

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Sometimes the most out-of-the-box thing a company can do is look outside for help in creating new ideas. Not just outside the company, but outside the industry. Every industry and company has its own culture, and that culture often produces a kind of "traditional target blindness". The same ideas keep coming up because the same people are tasked with coming up with new solutions to old problems. But, eventually a company either innovates its way to the top of the industry or it stagnates its way into bankruptcy.

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3 Simple Tips for Highly Effective Email Organizatio In this day and age, we tend to let our emails control us instead of us controlling our emails. Here are 3 tips to help you get your email back under control. 1. Folders – folders allow us to organize our email for easy finding. My ...

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Why are so many companies spending time on things that don’t work? It seems amazing to me how consistently companies keep throwing money at advertising that doesn’t work. Foolish, right! What if you had an unlimited amount of money to market your business? Well, as a small businesses that ...

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The concepts surrounding the drive to Six Sigma quality are essentially those of statistics and probability. In simple language, these concepts boil down to, “How confident can I be that what I planned to happen actually will happen?” Basically, the concept of Six Sigma deals with measuring and ...

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It is easier to close a sale when a prospect has sought YOU out, rather than when you approach them. One of the reasons for this is that when a prospect approaches you, the business relationship starts out on a more equal footing. Contrast the situation where a prospect approaches YOU with ...

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When it comes to finding the perfect office bag, nothing combines elegance and functionality quite like premium leather laptop bags. These bags are not just accessories; they are a statement of style and professionalism. Whether you’re commuting to work, traveling for business, or simply need a reliable and stylish way to carry your essentials, a leather laptop bag is an excellent choice. The Allure of Premium Leatherr

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Understanding the Cost of 5000 Hair Grafts: A Comprehensive Guide

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Solar chargers have revolutionized the way we keep our devices powered, especially during outdoor adventures and travel. They provide a sustainable and efficient alte ative to traditional charging methods by harnessing the power of the sun. However, like any other electronic device, solar chargers require proper maintenance and care to ensure their longevity and optimal performance. In this article, we will explore how to maintain and care for your solar charger, ensuring it remains a reliable companion on all your adventures. Understanding Your Solar Charger

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When it comes to travel, convenience and style are essential. A good carry-on backpack can make your travel experience smooth by offering both functionality and fashion. As we look ahead to 2024, travelers are increasingly opting for backpacks that combine sleek designs, premium materials, and thoughtful features. Whether you're a frequent business traveler or someone planning a weekend getaway, a reliable carry-on backpack can simplify your journey. Below, we explore the six best carry-on travel backpacks for 2024 that are perfect for any type of trip.

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Non-invasive face lift treatments have become increasingly popular as individuals seek ways to rejuvenate their appearance without undergoing surgery. These treatments offer a range of benefits, including minimal downtime and reduced risks compared to traditional surgical face lifts. Here’s a comprehensive overview of the safety and efficacy of non-invasive face lift treatments, along with detailed FAQs. How Non-Invasive Face Lift Treatments Work 1. Types of Non-Invasive Treatments

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Traveling can be an exhilarating experience, whether it’s for leisure or business. One of the essential items that can significantly impact your travel experience is your choice of luggage. Among the various types of travel bags available, the duffle bag stands out for its versatility, durability, and ease of use. Here’s everything you need to know about selecting the perfect duffle bag for your travel needs. What is a Duffle Bag?

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Goa, with its pristine beaches, vibrant culture, and laid-back lifestyle, has always been a top destination for travelers seeking a mix of relaxation and adventure. But for those who want to experience the ultimate in luxury, staying in a private villa with a pool is the perfect choice. This guide will take you through everything you need to know about luxury villas with private pools in Goa, from the best locations to what to look for when booking your stay. We'll also explore why ultra-luxury villas in Goa offer a unique and unforgettable experience, especially for families.

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Introduction: Dental anxiety or fear of pain is a common conce that prevents many individuals from seeking the dental care they need. At Dentally.in, we understand the importance of providing a comfortable and pain-free dental experience to ensure our patients' well-being and promote optimal oral health. In this article, we will explore the concept of pain-free dentistry, the techniques employed by the best dentist in India to minimize discomfort, and the benefits of choosing a dental clinic that prioritizes patient comfort. Understanding Pain-Free Dentistry:

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Introduction: As we age, taking care of our oral health becomes even more critical. Dental care for seniors is vital to maintain healthy teeth and gums, ensuring a comfortable and enjoyable lifestyle. This comprehensive guide will delve into the unique dental needs of seniors, offering valuable insights, tips, and information on finding the best dental clinic near you for exceptional care. Dentally.in is dedicated to providing top-notch dental services, ensuring seniors receive the best dental care for their specific requirements.

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Liposuction is a cosmetic surgical procedure that aims to remove stubborn fat deposits from various parts of your body, resulting in a leaner and more sculpted physique. If you're considering liposuction as a way to enhance your physical appearance, you'll be delighted to know that there are many qualified plastic surgeons offering their services in Beverly Hills, Thousand Oaks, Los Angeles, Oxnard, Palmdale, and other cities across Califo ia.

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Delhi, the national capital territory of India is one of the most populous cities in the country. With a population over 21 million, it is needless to say that there is an ever-increasing demand for healthcare services. The city boasts of some of the finest medical facilities and clinics offering cutting-edge treatments using state-of-the-art technology that are on par with global standards.

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The patient may experience anxiety as they get ready for surgery. You've never had this operation done before, so of course, you have anxieties, regardless of how skilled your surgeon is or how many times they've done it. The same holds for oral surgeries such as dental implant surgery. Since many people experience anxiety during dental treatments, some patients may have greater anxiety during dental implant surgery than during other types of surgeries.

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Digital marketing has emerged as the most popular trend in today's market, and businesses are leveraging a suite of tools to enhance their online presence. Digital marketing initiatives cover an array of strategies that seek to increase your website traffic and pull potential customers into your sales funnel.

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After determining that breast augmentation is the best surgery for you, selecting the best breast augmentation surgeon in Palmdale to assist you with this life-altering next step may seem overwhelming. It's alluring to believe that any good surgeon will produce the same results, but this is not the case.r

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India's exports have grown in recent years due to a combination of factors, including: Economic reforms: India has implemented a range of economic reforms, including liberalization of trade policies, reduction of tariffs, simplification of customs procedures, and improvement of infrastructure. These reforms have made it easier for Indian companies to do business and compete in the global market.

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A skilled, board-certified liposuction surgeon in Santa Barbara is essential to achieving excellent outcomes from every plastic surgery procedure. Your recuperation, on the other hand, could greatly affect the quality of your outcomes. Poor restoration preparation ahead of time or carelessness during recovery could lead to poor outcomes or difficulties.

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Amid an increase in cases of the exceedingly contagious Omicron type of Covid-19 across the nation, India's booming industrial sector expects an increasing need for industry workers. Especially in the distribution sector in 2022. Although the possibility of a third wave has been discussed, there is a great potential that it will express itself by speeding up the transition in consumer behaviour. It will be toward a more digital environment and cause long-term alterations in online buying habits.r

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As per the exporters, the execution of India's complete free trade deal with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will assist enhance the nation's exports and creating lakhs of employment. The implementation of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and India on Friday was welcomed by Narendra Goenka, the chairman of the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC), who stated that it would further reinforce India's strong position in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).r

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Quick overview:r

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Have you remembered hearing that breast implants have a ten-year lifespan and must be supplanted? This is a common misunderstanding: breast implants are not like a gallon of milk; they do not have a set life span or go rotten after a particular period. The reality is that several women who undergo breast augmentation surgery in thousand oaks and are satisfied with their outcomes for many years thereafter.r

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“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything” — Plato These immortal words have always been the gospel truth and they ring even more true during these times when the world has been asked to stop, go back, stay alone and blink along with only hope at their disposal.

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Liposuction is a cosmetic surgery that removes the extra fat under the body. The surgery last for 1-3 hours and results are obtained instantly. This is a useful surgery to make your body look more beautiful and proportionate. There is plenty of information you can find on the internet. If you are considering to undertake the surgery then you must be aware of everything. Here we have grouped 10 most significant liposuction facts one must know before the surgery.

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Like we talked about last week, summer is the hardest time to keep the productivity train moving, when there are so many better things to do with your time – splashing in the pool, chasing after the ice cream truck, and late nights outside, just to name a few. So today, I’m sharing 10 of my favorite new tools to make everything a little easier on you this summer (and year around).

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If your to-do list feels endless and you’re drowning in work, you’re not alone. So many of us as small business owners feel that way. And yet often, we don’t seek support because the perception is that it eats away at our profits. I see over and over again with my clients that the opposite is true. The more they free up their own time to do the important work that only they can do, the more work gets done efficiently, and the more profits they make.

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Today, I want to make things easy for you. (Actually, I want to make things easy for you everyday. That’s my job!) I know how much you must have going on right now, so I’m sharing 20 easy-to-swallow tips for leading your business to success in 2016. 1. Never stop learning and investing in yourself if you want people who work for you to do the same. 2. Take care of yourself. If your cup isn’t full, you have nothing to pour into others. 3. Celebrate your own wins. Celebrate your teams’ wins even more.

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There are less than 4 months left in 2015, but that gives you plenty of time to meet and exceed your revenue goals for the year, if you’re smart about it. These four ideas will turn up your sales volume before New Year’s… 1. Find the money sweet spot. Ever heard of the hedgehog concept? Jim Collins made it famous. Think of your business as 3 circles of a Venn diagram: * What you’re passionate about doing. * What you’re really great at. * What the world will pay you for.

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It’s tried, true, and tested. Writing consistently on your blog is one of the best ways to… Increase audience engagement and your own authorityr Grow a bigger following through SEO and list growthr Sell more products and services (cha-ching!) However, that’s easier said than done. Writing regularly takes time, effort, and practice. Here are 5 strategies to make regular blogging easier and more effective:

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Taking things off your plate can be hard. You want your work to be excellent, and you’ve probably been burned before by VA’s or employees who don’t even come close to meeting your standards. So if you’re like a lot of business owners, you have a usual excuse for why you hold certain projects close to your vest. Here are the five I see most commonly, and the truths about them. It’s just like they say: the truth will set you free. Myth: “I’d love for someone to take things off my plate, but no one can do what needs to get done as well as I can.”

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I remember the moment I realized I needed to grow my team from being a solopreneur to a multi-VA company. It was clear as day that I needed to expand, and yet, I was scared to death to pull the trigger and hire my first contractor. Did I really need another person? How would I ensure the extra expense was covered? Was I hiring the right type of contractor? If you’ve ever thought about those questions, here are 5 ways to know it’s time to grow (and how)… 1. Your Time is Being Vacuumed

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Opting for a varicose/bulging vein treatment in Los Angeles is often an all-new and unfamiliar experience for a majority of patients. As a result, most patients become very uncertain about the whole process at the onset. Here are 5 things you should know prior to going for treatment for bulging veins in legs in LA. 1. Selecting a reliable surgeon or medical practitioner

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Every once in a while, I’ll find that I’m making myself nuts over everything there is to get done in a day. Ever feel that way? As entrepreneurs, there’s a lot to do, and once you pile family, friends and community on top, it’s easy to feel like the to do list is going to smother you. Before you go crazy, are you making any of these common time management mistakes? 1. Doing All Things at Once

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How many times a week do you find yourself saying something like this? “Things are good. I’m just so busy. There aren’t enough hours in the day.” Part of the crazy life of being an entrepreneur is learning to feel good about being busy, to not stress out over being busy, and to thrive when you’re busy. The other part of it is making sure you’re spending your very in-demand time wisely. We all try to do that, right? But let’s be honest… Most of us fail at it. Or at least we feel like we’re failing at it.

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The kids are out of school. Vacations are being planned. The air conditioning is on full blast. And productivity is… not what it was a few weeks ago. Can you identify? It’s hard to stay productive during the summer, when you not only have a lot going on, you also have more fun things to do with your time than work! And one of the benefits of being an entrepreneur is that you have the luxury of taking time off to go on an ice cream run or head to the beach.

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Over the years, I’ve seen so many entrepreneurs fall into the same traps of running telesummits. They usually swear them off, declaring, “I’m never doing one of these again!” …Right up until they see the hundreds and hundreds of new email addresses on their lists as a direct result of the telesummit. I’m here to tell you there is a better way! It doesn’t have to be stressful, overwhelming, or feel like juggling knives! Here’s how you can avoid driving yourself nuts while putting on a successful telesummit: 1.Book the right speakers (and only the right speakers).

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If you’re like most of the small business owners I work with, the marketing emails you send take up a lot of your time. They’re worth it because they drive traffic to your landing and sales pages that lead to increased income, but they can be complicated and time-consuming. However, there are ways to automate your email marketing efforts to take the burden off you and make them more efficient and effective at the same time. 1. Get the most out of new subscriber follow ups.

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You may have heard that podcasting is the next big thing – the way to grow your business, a new mechanism to make money, and a different medium to connect with a whole new audience. But if you’re anything like me, you’re wondering… “How am I going to build an audience for a podcast? I’m not looking to invest 100 hours in something that no one listens to.” Podcasts can get a great return on the investment of your time and money if you follow a few simple, proven steps to marketing it effectively.

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At this time of year, especially, marketing your business is easily the first thing to go when you have a full day with lots of tasks that just can’t wait. But it is possible to efficiently market your business to the right people without it taking all of your time. So here are the 7 best ways to grow your audience while saving your time.

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If I’ve heard it once, I’ve heard it a hundred times… lady on phone “Telesummits don’t work for me.” “I’ve tried it. It didn’t grow my list. Products didn’t sell. Speakers were unhappy,” and on and on. Here’s my response… That’s because you didn’t do it right. I don’t mean to be harsh, but telesummits do work, if you do them correctly.

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Being an entrepreneur is hard enough already. Add to that the hustle and bustle of the holidays and the end of the year for your small business, and you’ve got a recipe for stress. Even worse, many of us unconsciously keep work habits that make everything more difficult. So make sure you’re not doing any of these 8 things that drag you down and make your days less efficient.

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By now, you’ve heard that you should have a sophisticated marketing funnel firmly in place. But for many business owners, that advice is like hearing you should floss twice daily. It sounds good in theory, but it’s not quite there in practice. There’s a good reason for that. Developing a marketing funnel can be complicated and time consuming, and it’s easy to push to the back burner.

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Hiring mistakes can cost you a lot of time and money, even if you’re only hiring contract-based virtual assistants. These common hiring mistakes apply from your first VA all the way to your team with lots of full time employees. 1. Their Job Descriptions Aren’t Clear – If you want them to do a little of everything, but you still want to have your hands in everything, chances are, you’re going to bump heads and waste time. And of course, time is money. Define what they will do really specifically, allowing that to evolve as you go.

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This is the perfect time of year to think about goals – goals you’ve accomplished so far in 2015, goals you still want to meet before the year ends, and goals you start setting for 2016. There are the 3 determinations to figure out what your goals are and whether or not you are meeting them. Determine your priorities. If we’re being honest, you probably have 20 ideas for your business swimming around in your head right now, don’t you? Come on, it’s ok. I do too!

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There’s only one month left in 2015. So I’ve put together a list of my top 20 ways to manage your time, get it all done, and stay on track without getting overwhelmed between now and New Year’s. 1. Slow down and focus on one thing at a time. Multi-tasking isn’t going to get it done faster and certainly not better. 2. Create a plan for your day, giving yourself enough time to get each thing done. 3. Remember that how busy and stressed you are is a choice. Choose calm and focused. 4. Do a time audit and see how you can use your time better.r

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Dental braces are essentially wired appliances that orthodontists, for the most part, make use of to bring about a correction of crowded or uneven teeth or jaws. A number of people who are in need of dental braces start wearing them in the course of their early teens. However, adults too can take advantage of wearing braces. The primary goal of dental braces is the proper alignment of your teeth and jaws for creating an even bite and a pleasing smile. What is the significance of dental braces? Dental braces come up with corrective treatment for the following. Overcrowded teeth

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Digital marketing is evolving at a very fast pace. Every now and then, new algorithms, KPIs, or fresh SEO tactics come into vogue and committing to a particular digital tactic becomes tough for marketers to handle. These diverse approaches always entice Social Media Marketing Companies in their quest for finding something more attractive and innovative.

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If you’re anything like me, you’ve been counting the days until your kids are back in school. School has started back up around here and I must say, it’s nice to have peace and quiet again! I love my kids, but I’m more productive when school is in session. However, school starting always reminds me that there are only four full months left before the end of the year. It’s time to buckle down and work smart to meet your year-end goals. Here are 5 steps to get back in the groove… 1.Glance in the rear view mirror.r

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For many of us as business owners, we feel unprepared for the leadership roles we find ourselves in. Perhaps you wanted to grow a small empire, and maybe you had management experience previously in your career, and yet I talk to so many entrepreneurs who still don’t feel confident about their ability to lead. It’s a common myth that leadership skills are either something you are either born with or you’re not. The reality is that leadership is a learned skill that you can take steps to improve.

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The difficulty and angst associated with the loss of one or multiple teeth because of trauma, gum disease, degeneration or a fracture have been, to a certain degree, assuaged by the ever-increasing awareness that dental implants come up with excellent replacement options for failing or missing teeth. Read Also: Discover All On 4 Dental Implants For You • No longer are dental implants considered as a 'rare' dental treatment.r

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Biscuits or cookies? Cookies or biscuits? Bickies or biscuits? An adorable sweet treat in the morning and evening, to go with a freshly brewed cuppa coffee or tea! Melting moments? Are you game? Some people say 'biscuits,’ while others prefer to call them 'cookies.’ There is always a relentless bone of contention to decide which term to use for describing exactly what we dunk in our tea or coffee. Well, it looks like, there's actually a pertinent reason for the variance in the two names, which in fact does accurately represent two different types of baked goodies!

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I get a lot of questions about what makes an online business manager different than a virtual assistant. You might have wondered about this yourself… Which one is better? What are the advantages of each? Who should I hire? So today, I’m putting them head to head, outlining what each of them do so you can hire the right person for your team. The Virtual Assistant (VA) Operating as one-stop shop, they do a little of everything: admin, web design, email marketing, social media, simple graphics, copywriting, organizing, and project management.

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Happy New Year! January is a great time to take a good look at what worked in the past year, what didn’t, and what you want to do differently in the year to come. I’ve got lots of exciting things coming down the pike for my business, but there are always areas that I could improve in too. One of those areas for me is time management. The nature of my business is really fast paced, so while I would love to sit down and devote a full, uninterrupted hour or two to one project, that’s just not easy to do. Maybe you can relate.

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If you are looking for the best wordpress web designer and services then you have to definitely consult the best company so that they will provide professional services for the clients. The WordPress development company will offer the wide range of services and facilities. Perhaps you need not get compromised with the professional services they provide. Advantages of wordpress web design services

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In the present scenario, everyone is looking for reliable and best dentists who can offer best services. Many people suffering from a dental problem often look for dentists who can relive them dental problem as well as provide them best oral solutions. However, if you are a dentist then how you can attract your customers in different states of USA is a huge issue, which often comes before different dentists practicing in the USA?

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Although in present era most of the works in any company and small or large-sized organization is performed by machines and computers still nothing can replace human resources. Without skilled as well as unskilled human resources it will be difficult for any organization to complete daily work processes that help in generating profit for the organization. As we know different companies operating in varied industries have a different requirement. Therefore, a different set of skills are required in human resources, which make the operations of any organization smooth in long-run.

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In case you are carrying any business irrespective of its size you must want that it should grow as well as you can generate maximum returns on the investments you have made. However, in this regard, the major question arises that how a business owner can achieve this dual goal of growth and high profitability. A business owner can achieve this dual goal by hiring digital marketing agencies, which can perform various tasks for your business as well as help you in getting SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, and threat) analysis.

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Today, digital marketing is the essential part of any kind of business. Also, the fact is that if you are not present online still, then you might be surely losing the potential clients which no one wants to lose as now the customers are activated over the internet. No matter in which sector your business, you need to reach out to the customers so as to make the customers aware of your presence. Do you want to make your presence online in Los Angeles?

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Do you have any idea about the working of the bankruptcy? Well, there are various individuals around the globe which does not have any kind of the knowledge of working of bankruptcy law for them. Well, it is a kind of law which helps in getting rid of the debt. What is Bankruptcy?

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I’m sure I’m not the first person to tell you to test, test, test. It’s really easy to say, but the fact is, not enough of us are actually doing it. I’m guilty myself too. I split test email subject lines and changes on landing pages here and there, but there’s a ton I could be testing that I just… don’t. Life gets in the way. But the fact is, there is so much value you can gain through testing.

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Do you have those pesky blue, red, purple spider veins? Do those veins jut out and irritate you? Of course, you don’t need to press the panic button. Spider veins are small, fine-drawn blood vessels that appear under the skin. They’re harmless and the best answer to treat them is through Sclerotherapy. What are spider veins?

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The latest trend among entrepreneurs for fast list growth is starting to eat away at the popularity of the traditional telesummit. It’s the giveaway summit, and you might remember that I offered one a few months ago. They’re win-win-win scenarios for your fans, partners and your business, so read on to see if a giveaway summit is perfect for you… They take less time than telesummits. Because you don’t need to record interviews, giveaway summits will save you some time. But keep in mind, they still require a good deal of back end set up, working with your partners, and promoting.r

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Whether you have a large, full time staff or one full time employee and then a number of contractors or other types of team members, you still do a lot of managing, delegating, and serving as a leader. Even if you’re a true solopreneur, you need leadership skills to keep yourself motivated and your business moving in the right direction so that one day, you can lead an empire. So here are a few lessons from top leaders that apply to even the smallest business empires… “To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart.” —Eleanor Roosevelt

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I know legal stuff sounds pretty boring and dry, right? But consider the consequences… lawsuits, your products stolen from you without any laws being broken, fines and penalties, and higher taxes. Now do I have your full attention? It’s important you know these basics as a business owner. They’ll keep you, your clients, and your products safe, and they aren’t that hard to implement, once you know these 5 basic rights and obligations. 1. Photos

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As a multi-VA business owner, I’ve hired a lot of VA’s over the years. At the same time, I’ve been hired as a VA and later, as an OBM many, many times. So I’ve learned a few things about how to hire and how not to hire VA’s. Here are my top 7 tips so that you don’t have to make the mistakes I’ve seen (and done)! 1. Shed the employee mindset. Hiring a VA is different than hiring an employee, and if you approach it the same way, you’re setting yourself and the VA up for failure. Approach the process as the start of a partnership rather than an employer-employee relationship.

Published · 1,634 views

Are you ready for everything the next few months is bringing your way? The holidays, the end of the calendar year (and fiscal year for many of us), school wrapping up for our kids, the parties, the shopping, the cooking… and trying to get work done in there somewhere. Whew! It’s exhausting just thinking about it. And it takes a toll on our productivity and well-being. Work suffers as a result of the stressed late-nights with too much to get done, and that just leads to more stress.

Published · 1,515 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

Fall 2018 is just around the corner and the bridal runways are chock-a-block with styles that are all about the bold and daring. In close link-up with the traditional bridal, hotly awaited new minimalism, sho off all the added trims, feels of a piece of the luxe and futuristic. Out of the ordinary ideas and effortless niceties that are beyond words or description have sealed the bridal take on chutzpah and given the kiss of life to weddings in finally coming out fresh and untouched.

Published · 908 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

Today, I want to go into more detail about how to set one up that’s going to increase your sales and be easy to maintain. Let’s get started. 1. Opt In – We’ll start with someone subscribing to your list. This is one you’ve probably got covered already. If you have any kind of freebie that incentivizes subscribers to join your list, you’re off to a good start.

Published · 1,464 views

I’ll be honest, I’m always a little skeptical of the latest and greatest trends, especially on social media. So I’m not going to be one of those experts who tells you, “You just HAVE TO get on Periscope!” Maybe it could be great for you. Maybe not. But I’ve talked to several business owners lately who simply wonder “What is Periscope? What would I even do with it?” So today, I want to share what Periscope could do for your business, so you’re informed and can make the right call for you. Here are 5 reasons to get on Periscope:

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Marketing assumes an imperative part in changing a business into an effective brand. The necessity of Digital Marketing or says SEO services in San Diego has seen a noteworthy ascent, these days. More business houses are choosing it for a broad client reach.

Published · 1,496 views · Rated 5/5 from 2 votes

Do you have to run and get your phone if you leave it in another room? Do you check Facebook so often there are hardly any new posts since the last time you checked (half an hour ago)? Does your email inbox run your life, with notifications popping up and grabbing your attention every time you settle in to get work done? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you might be on your way to a digital burnout, which can hurt your online business if you’re not careful.

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Many business owners assume when they are starting out that a VA (Virtual Assistant) is a VA. But actually, there are several different specialties within the VA industry. Hiring the right type of VArnfor your unique needs means they handle work more efficiently, saving you time and money, and they serve as experts on a particular specialty. If your needs have grown beyond one VA, or you mostly have one type of task you need assistance with, a specialty VA could be the right fit for you at this stage of your business. Here are the 5 common types of specialty VA’s. Techs

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Every day I talk to entrepreneurs who are interested in hiring a virtual assistant (VA) or an online business manager (OBM). So over the years, I’ve heard it all – the good, the bad, and the ugly. If there’s one thing I’ve heard over and over again, it’s this… “I need someone to take things off my plate, but no one can do what needs to get done as well as I can.” It’s time to dispel this myth. If you feel like you’re the only one who can do what you do, you’re right (partially). You ARE the only one who can: * See the big picture and goals for your companyr

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In case, you never had a media strategy in place, obviously with the correct media tools, you may speculate about the benefits you can harvest while going that route. Is only buying ads, right? How much strategy can you actually put in? Brands that don’t plan and position media advantageously disturb their potential impact in the negative by: · Increasing advertising costs pointlessly and cannibalizing available media impressions

Published · 746 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

Ushering in your business in Minneapolis with the launch of your company website can be a landmark event. However, as a general rule, the fear of not leaving an indelible mark in the rapidly evolving online world befalls on you. You might have an awesome and exceptional idea, your offers are worthwhile to your customers, and you have a fully operational website. Now what? How can you capitalize on the marvels of the internet and rake in more moolah for your website? Allow your target audience to find you. There lies the answer.

Published · 1,224 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

How many podcasts did you listen to at the beginning of 2015? How many are you listening to now? I know for me, it’s at least doubled. Podcasts are exploding, and for good reason. They have the ability to… * Laser target your perfect audience * Develop a relationship with them where fans feel engaged * Lead to sales and sponsorship opportunities At the same time, they’re a lot of work. And it’s easy to feel like you’ve missed the boat – like if you didn’t start your podcast at least a year ago, it’s hopeless.

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Like great wellbeing and youth, a large portion of us underestimates our hair - that is, until they're gone. For some individuals, a hair transplant can help bring back what resembles a full - or possibly a more full - head of hair. If that falling up top or going patchy truly troubles you, hair transplant can be one approach to feel progressively sure about your looks.

Published · 852 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

Much to your dismay, the inevitable happens. Something that you hoped would never happen to you. Unfortunately, either you’re being menaced with someone potentially taking you to court or you’re hopelessly behind paying your arrears on a bill or you’ve already been slapped a lawsuit.

Published · 853 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

If you wonder where your time goes, how you don’t get more done each day, or how to fit in everything there is to do, your time management style might be hurting your ability to be productive. It helps to do a time audit, where you find out what you’re doing at all times for a few days so you can get a really clear grasp on where your time is going. Usually, how you think you spend your time and how you actually spend your time are very different. I know that can be the case for me. Here’s a simple way to do a time audit:

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There was a time when we would all sit tight for Thanksgiving, Halloween, and Christmas gatherings to spruce up. In addition, there were summer, lawn, and BBQ parties and obviously, the kitty parties. Now fast forward and bring a slice of the current times. It’s as good as a far cry from the days gone by. Nowadays, we simply look for a “why” to party, deck out, drink, dance and make merry. There are mixed sorts of parties, some of which we are nearly ignorant of. Equally clueless we get when it comes to dressing up for a good many numbers of these dos.

Published · 846 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

At this time of year I often find myself thinking that I didn't spend as much time with my family and friends as I would have liked. It's just so easy to get caught up in the day to day hustle of things that need to be done.

Published · 1,312 views · Rated 4/5 from 1 votes

As a serial entrepreneur my passion lies in helping business owners create and sustain profitable and successful businesses. In today’s uncertain economic environment it is essential that business leaders have the tools to navigate through the tough waters and help drive our economy to a more stable place. More than ever before, each and every aspect of a business needs to be charging on all levels; sales, marketing, accounting/finance, operations, customer service, human resources, etc.

Published · 1,345 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

There is no doubt about it - meetings take up a good amount of our time on a weekly basis. Think back for a minute on all the time you spent in meetings this past year - whether they were one-on-one meetings or a group meeting in a conference room. WOW, that's a lot of time spent meeting! Was it all necessary? And how much time was spent traveling to and from those meetings? Would some of them have been just as effective without everyone in the same physical place? Do all meetings need to be face-to-face meetings? That's a question people don't ask often enough.

Published · 1,656 views · Rated 3.5/5 from 6 votes

Many organizations believe that one of the biggest challenges they face when implementing a virtual office is managing mobile or remote workers. It is unfortunate that they let this perception stop them from reaping the many benefits of a more flexible workplace. Remote management is not radically different from managing people on-site.

Published · 2,382 views · Rated 2/5 from 3 votes

Chances are you work as part of a small team. It may be your whole office or just one department in a larger organization, or you may be part of a team that changes with each project. Regardless, your projects typically involve exchanging files back and forth, copious e-mail threads, and the need for viewing a shared group of contacts and calendar. Wouldn't it be great if you could have a central place to keep everything related to each project and the ability to access to it from anywhere?

Published · 1,193 views · Rated 3.3/5 from 3 votes

Dear Graduating Students, The time has finally come for you to move ahead and transition from your college, vocational, and/or technical education environments into the world of business. You may have already chosen a specific industry to “make your mark” and are facing the reality that the ...

Published · 2,082 views

In the business that I own, I am fortunate everyday to have the opportunity to meet with other business owners, executives and leaders from a broad cross-section of industries. Up until about 60 days ago, there continued to be a sense of optimism and confidence that they would survive and even ...

Published · 1,703 views

Ever try to complete a jigsaw puzzle without a picture of the finished product? Then you’ve got a good idea how tough it is to create a strategic plan when you don’t know where your business is headed. To many business owners, strategic planning is an intimidating process. At first glance, it ...

Published · 1,970 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

A questio I am often asked by people who would like to telecommute is, "How do I approach my manager or boss about this subject?" Many people fear that if they suggest telecommuting, or even working from home occasionally, that they will be viewed as "less than serious" about their job. Of course, if your company already has a formal telework plan in place it is much easier, but what do you do if they don't? Before you approach your boss or manager there are 2 main things you need to consider: • Is my job right for telecommuting?

Published · 1,318 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

Balance has always been important to me in my life. For most people, the balance between work time and personal time is, unfortunately, weighted too heavily in the direction of work. It is more common than ever before to have a two-income household with both parents working just to make ends meet. It can be difficult to make time for family and recreation. Even if you're not a parent, you probably still find yourself challenged with finding more time for your personal life and not being consumed by work.

Published · 1,463 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

In order to move into the “Now Moment” we must understand two things. The first thing is that we are not our minds. We are a spirit being created by God with a soul and a body. The mind is a tool to solve the situations that come up in this world. We tend to identify ourselves with our past. When we are thinking about the past or the future we are not honoring the Now Moment. If we attach fear to these thoughts we are projecting fear into our future. The only place we have access to God is in the now. That is evident by his name “I am that I am”. When we pray, we are in the now.

Published · 2,030 views · Rated 1/5 from 1 votes

We are all addicted to some form of chemical released in our bodies. In may be a socially accepted addiction such as requiring praise in your life, approval from others or being part of a team. Some addictions would be labeled positive and some negative, but they are all addictions never the less. Over the years we have developed these addictions. Our subconscious will attract situations in order to meet our biochemical addiction each day. Drugs, alcohol and smoking are definite physical addictions however so are victimization, sex, fear, distrust, control, arrogance and stress.

Published · 1,435 views · Rated 2/5 from 2 votes

In the business that I own, I am fortunate everyday to have the opportunity to work with business owners, executives and leaders from a broad cross-section of industries. Up until about October 2008, there continued to be a sense of optimism and confidence that businesses would survive and even ...

Published · 1,590 views

True abundance lives in our relationship with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. When we get to know the heart of God we begin to know our true self because we were made in His likeness and image. We were created to fellowship with Him and live in power, dominion, and authority. We manifest things into reality through our subconscious mind. “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” Heart is the Hebrew word “nepehesh” or subconscious. Our subconscious holds our belief systems. You will always know what you believe by what you’re manifesting into reality.

Published · 1,243 views · Rated 3.7/5 from 3 votes

“It’s like pushing a boulder up a steep hill!” At one time or another, every business owner has uttered this statement. “Sometimes it feels like all this weight is ready to roll back over me!” What a powerful metaphor for the challenges of entrepreneurship. Whether you’re starting a new ...

Published · 1,342 views

In order for a Christian seeking their assignment (purpose) in life, the “WHO” they are must be received before the “WHY” they exist or “HOW” they can achieve can ever be touched on. The Body of Christ for the most part has forgotten who they are. We have an “identity crisis” as a people. We really don’t believe what the word of God says about us because we are forming the opinions of ourselves based on what a Pastor, Priest, Elder, fellow Christian, parent or teacher has told us.

Published · 1,931 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

SummarynA regional professional services firm was struggling with some of the less positive aspects of rapid business growth. The desire to maintain a “small family firm culture vs. a territorial corporate culture, generational obstacles,, and high turnover were combining to chip away at the ...

Published · 1,433 views

If you’re like me you probably spend a good deal of time on the web searching for information. It might be industry news, mentions of yourself or business in the press, news stories for your blog or newsletter, or how to get ink stains out of your rug.

Published · 1,573 views · Rated 4.5/5 from 2 votes

Psalm 37:4 says “Delight yourself in the Lord and HE will give you the desires of your heart.” What does this passage mean? To the typical Christian in today’s society it means, “Be happy and in joy because of your relationship with your Lord God and for what he has done for us as a people, and He will fulfill your heart’s desire”. Now let’s break it down and see what the original meaning from the Hebrew means. The word delight comes from the Hebrew word, anag, meaning “make yourself moldable and pliable”.

Published · 3,314 views · Rated 3.6/5 from 5 votes

When an individual pursues the “Path to Purpose” or the “assignment” God has called them to do in this life, they will have many opportunities to quit this road and go down a more comfortable path than what God has planned for them. Some Christians may choose the path God had not planned for them in the pursuit of comfort or rest, but this road is a place of no spiritual growth. The process of living in God’s purpose can be a painful road to follow.

Published · 1,171 views · Rated 2.5/5 from 2 votes

If innovation is the fastest means to wealth creation, why is it so few people engage in it? There are many answers to that question, but two stand out. The first is fear of change – a primal fear that appears to be hard-wired into our psyche. Change to many means something we will have to deal with, usually as a problem. With this mind set, change is to be avoided at all costs. The second reason people avoid innovation is their internal belief system.

Published · 1,212 views · Rated 1/5 from 1 votes

As we begin our new calendar year in business, we notice that the economic landscape has changed, and is not likely to return to what passed as normal. The economic impact to our economy from the credit crisis has been nothing less then stunning. We now need to put first things first, and ...

Published · 1,142 views

Networking is an extremely beneficial business activity, but most people just hate to do it. In fact, most people will do almost anything to get out of going to a networking event. It often works like this. For one reason or another, you find yourself going to a networking event. As you walk in the door, you scan the room and realize you don’t know a soul in the room. You look for the bar, thinking a drink might be the best thing. You find something to drink and a place to stand. Eventually someone walks by and you strike up a conversation.

Published · 1,317 views

Have you ever experienced a misunderstanding over what you thought was something clearly communicated without any emotional component? Did you ever have an unexpected impact on a person to whom you were communicating and had no understanding as to why? People refer to Communication as a ...

Published · 15,451 views

Conflict is inevitable. It is proof that we are all unique individuals with distinctive values, opinions and perceptions. Conflict can be both a positive driver and a counterproductive force in the workplace. Unresolved conflicts can sabotage the effective functioning of any organization, and ...

Published · 1,603 views

“Where do you believe you are limiting yourself?” This is a question we continuously ask our clients. The reflection of the question will lead to the discovery and exploration of your “Limiting Beliefs” and can serve you whether to: overcome the fear of making a decision, recapture the ...

Published · 1,023 views

In my summary article, Top 10 Business Issues For 2009, I stated that the global economic crisis had changed things in a structural way, and we will not return to the way we have done business in the past. This next series of articles will expand on the top 10 list originally published. ...

Published · 1,156 views

If you want to learn a lesson well, sometimes it’s good to study from the (really) old masters. So, here are network marketing tips from Satan himself talking about some strategies that might be useful in your business. Satan says, “With the economy the way it is, Hell is pretty much filled to the brim with investment advisors, loan officers, and bankers, so I have some free time on my hands. I am always asked how you get your hands on all those lost souls. The answer is obvious, I network.

Published · 1,346 views

The legendary football coach Vince Lombardi called the notion of a ‘born leader’ a myth. To Lombardi, success was a matter of passion, commitment, and sacrifice — not genetics. So does this mean that anyone can become a leader? While it is theoretically possible that many people have the ...

Published · 1,493 views

Entrepreneurs recognize the need for a plan that lasts. With today’s current economic state, a good education may mean very little to getting a good job. Even if you get that job, you may find yourself working in a field other than that which you attained a degree, or you may find yourself job hunting in a few short years of landing your dream job.

Published · 996 views

The only way to maintain mental sanity in the uprising culture of the super-industrial economics is to stay with your defunct purpose in it's vast blue clarity. It is wrong economics to create jobs without pensions and social securities. It is like to swim in a tidal ocean with just one hand. It is an unbalanced economics only made to cough out profit without a sense of responsibility. We need neither blind acceptance or blind resistance to the emerging surprises of the future in the super-industrial paradigm realities.

Published · 1,613 views

As a serial entrepreneur my passion lies in helping business owners create and sustain profitable and successful businesses. In today’s uncertain economic environment it is essential that business leaders have the tools to navigate through the tough waters and help drive our economy to a more stable place.

Published · 1,234 views

To become a star-producer in your career is the easiest thing to do if you understand the powers sparking within you. The men and women in the stardom beaker of live have about 84 percent of what all of us has. But have mastered the dynamics of the power berthing within them and engage it rightly and timely to ride effortlessly to prominence. Having this understanding is just one thing, and the ability to engage it at the right time, right format and in the right place is altogether what the stars knows that all of do not know.

Published · 2,544 views

In recent days, we have seen numerous rivers flood above the levies while communities sandbag like crazy to keep the water out of their homes and businesses. If the flood persists or gets worse, we know that there is only so much that can be done before the levies burst and flood through the community. Well, there is a flood of regulation, mandates and industry requirements coming to every community in this country. And, you can’t just bail water and hope that it will go away.

Published · 1,038 views

The field of employment that applies to custodial maintenance, janitorial services, or environmental health services has long been without a certified training program. Now that GREEN has come along and focused our attention on the health impact of cleaning, more and more conversation depends upon applying Green practices. This will cause more companies to ask the question, “what are the best Green practices, and how can they be applied to custodial services?”

Published · 960 views

In a convenience-driven world, it is so much easier to grab whatever you need from the store shelf. What is not being addressed is the long-term health impact of using chemically-based cleaning and household products. Any discussion about how well the products work is a foregone conclusion. Most popular products will do the job that they were designed to do. So, it is just as well to ignore the hype and brag of brands promoted on the media.

Published · 950 views

For any number of reasons, small business entrepreneurs look for an investment opportunity to make it in their own business venture as opposed to having one or more income streams from salaried positions in the workforce. Most likely have to borrow to finance not only start up and initial fees costs, but also to cover working capital requirements for some time. Those new to self employment know they need a proven business model. Friends may have suggested network marketing options, and yet the very public front of a successful franchise system is more attractive.

Published · 1,996 views

Imagine buying a car that had no quality control or eating food at a restaurant that bribed the inspector to leave them alone. No one wants to get into an airplane that has not been inspected by a trained professional from time to time. This is the case for 90% of the Green business certifications on the market. The public wants to know that a Green business has done more than design their own logo with a graphics program or bought a certification sight-unseen from an Internet vendor.

Published · 848 views · Rated 2.7/5 from 3 votes

When thinking holistically about sustainability in buildings, “green cleaning” should be included along with your energy and carbon management programs. This article discusses the history of “green cleaning” and key success elements for facilities, the procurement and verification process. One reason it is important to consider “green cleaning” activities is that ONE accident or chemical spill on the evening news could hurt your facility’s “green” image, even if you have saved a ton of energy!

Published · 908 views

In the last 30 years, the franchise has grown into one of the most recognized and reputable business models on a worldwide basis. According to the International Franchise Association, there are over 767,000 franchises in the U.S. alone, providing nearly 10 million jobs and contributing $624.6 billion in business annually. In the UK, the franchise industry is growing at twice the rate of the entire economy according to a NatWest/British Franchise Association study released in 2009.

Published · 1,139 views

It’s often the case that during an initial meeting with an entrepreneurial leader, he or she will proclaim, “I bear the entire burden of the business, the weight on my back is overwhelming!” While employees walk into an organization with a different mindset than employers and high level managers, with the right people on the team, the same passion and care could be shared among the entire organization.

Published · 1,249 views · Rated 3.3/5 from 3 votes

I see way too often small businesses that are way too dependent on the CEO/owner, and typically overlook the need to have a contingency plan. Whether it’s pushed to the side because it’s not perceived as “mission critical” or whether the owner refuses to face the reality that disaster can strike (“I’m Superman and my will to move forward overpowers the ability to get sick”), the fact remains that a small business could be crippled by the owner having serious health issues.

Published · 1,403 views

Taking on a small business franchise as the recession eases may be less of a risk than you think. It is certainly easier in a recession to find the better performers and the strong brands, as well as a product or service with a demand that is still growing and will outlast your long term exit strategy.

Published · 834 views

We’re now well into February 2011 and those New Year resolutions likely are forgotten dreams. Except for that one significant promise, to become master of your own destiny and invest in your own business.

Published · 833 views

It’s never a bad time to launch your own business. While a start-up venture in a booming economy seems destined for success, the smart selection of the right franchise opportunity can lead to success whether times are good or bad.

Published · 695 views

If you are a typical business owner you may be worried about the economy and what effect it will have on your business, you may be worried about the competitive environment, and you may be worried about your employees. These are just a few of the challenges that may be keeping you awake at night. It always seems that you are in the middle of a storm and you are doing your best to ride out the storm, but my question to you is: Is it really a passing storm or is it the way in which you view your business. I do not want to sound like a pessimist, but business as usual no longer exists.

Published · 2,868 views

If you are living in Singapore, this might be the right time for you to be a freelancer. The demand for the freelancers is on the rise in Singapore. It is in marked contrast to the traditional approach of Singaporeans of securing a permanent job with a company. Are there any Freelancers in Singapore?r

Published · 3,450 views · Rated 5/5 from 2 votes

It is no more a hidden fact that the Singapore is known to be a favorite business destination for global entrepreneurs. From last few decades, the Republic has been attracting a massive number of foreigners to incorporate a company in Singapore. Just like foreigners, local Singaporeans are also showing overwhelming response when it comes to company incorporatio Singapore.

Published · 1,705 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

When my employer downsized and I first wanted to start my business, I wanted to consult a lawyer, because I had several questions coming up in my mind. I approached my friends, relatives and searched in the internet to locate a lawyer to answer my questions. I realized that my questions will have to be answered by lawyers in different areas of law. It was not feasible for me to hire each of those lawyers and seek consultation. It took me several hours of time and effort to come up with a solution.

Published · 2,090 views · Rated 4/5 from 3 votes

I HATE MY JOB… By John Grubbs …as a supervisor and there is nothing I can really do about it. I accepted this promotion to supervisor because I need to improve things for my family. I can’t stand confrontation and don’t like dealing with other people’s problems. I don’t really know what I am doing, I haven’t received much training and I am simply “winging it” almost daily. No one told me that supervision would be like this and I am not sure what I should do next. If I admit the truth, I will be viewed as a failure and the company will never offer me another opportunity in the future.

Published · 1,636 views

Here’s a Banana For Your Baby… (your business) One of the most difficult parts of serving entrepreneurial leaders is telling them a part or their entire baby (their business) is ugly. Some self proposed consulting experts say; “focus on the positives, build on successes” and not to risk their monthly retainers.

Published · 1,997 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

Happy Spring everyone! It’s so good to finally see the daylight well into the evening hours! It’s time again to shed our winter gear and Light-en Up and Power–Up in attitude and spirit. There is still much uncertainty out there as we turn the corner of this recession. We don’t have much control over what’s happening in the economy or job market, so remember – we can’t rule the world, but we can control our piece of it! Amid all the doom and gloom, uncertainty is the enemy of the heart. We have the power to not just survive, but thrive…in spite of it all!

Published · 1,238 views · Rated 4/5 from 1 votes

Happy Spring everyone! It’s so good to finally see the daylight well into the evening hours! It’s time again to shed our winter gear and Light-en Up and Power–Up in attitude and spirit. There is still much uncertainty out there as we turn the corner of this recession. We don’t have much control over what’s happening in the economy or job market, so remember – we can’t rule the world, but we can control our piece of it! Amid all the doom and gloom, uncertainty is the enemy of the heart. We have the power to not just survive, but thrive…in spite of it all!

Published · 1,271 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

It is quite easy to spend thousands of dollars advertising your business. But you can market your business without spending a fortune. In marketing, expensive is not always best. A good example is advertising in the Yellow Pages. It is very expensive, and for listings that may be no more valuable than a door stop. What happens if your business moves, changes phone numbers or adds services? That listing is locked in for a year! So what do you do? Intelligent small business marketers are using the internet. An online business presence is absolutely essential to compete today. Why?

Published · 955 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

I was recently reminded how some of the best solutions are also the simplest whilst working with a client. The client runs has a small business and was getting increasingly frustrated by their inability to get his team to achieve things to his high standards. Some of his team were new to the business, whilst others had been with him for several years. It's a story I've head repeated many times by managers over the years and when I do, there's a tried and tested tool in my toolbox which I find helps a lot...r

Published · 2,620 views · Rated 2/5 from 10 votes

There is no doubt about it-social networking, or social media if you prefer, is all the buzz. A report just out by Forrester's Research indicates that 51% of online Americans have joined a social network. Another 73% are consuming some form of social content on a regular basis. People are connecting with, listening to, following and collaborating with each other online at an amazing rate. Some people are using it for personal reasons. They are sharing their recipes, their photos and their ideas to stay up to date with their friends and family.

Published · 1,078 views

Have You ever felt like building a list of your own prospects, but did not know where to start? I, sure have been there. I wanted to build my own list, but I put off doing it, because I thought it is not necessary and did not believe that MONEY is in the list. Why should you build your OWN list? As per my experience, there are four reasons. 1. To learn about your Target Market. Who are they? What do they want? How can you help them with their problems? What is their geographical location? 2. To Develop services/products using YOUR strengths/skills that benefit them. 3.

Published · 1,581 views · Rated 4/5 from 4 votes

Declining reimbursements, increased overhead, implementation of the Affordable Care Act, the rush to litigation are but a few of the reasons to "sweat the small stuff" in the medical arena. If you don't think you need to pay attention to the details when it comes to making your patients happy as well as healthy, think again. If ever there was a time to mind your medical manners, it's now.

Published · 1,625 views

When it comes to generating and selling an info-product, there are a few types of methods to choose from. It's either you are creative or innovative Creative means, you observe the market and uncover a valuable info-product. Innovation is taking an current product and improving on it (cell phones with new features come to mind). I’ll cover innovation in more detail later. Finding the right approach may determine the success of your product launch.

Published · 878 views

By MaryEllen Tribby The other day I was tired. Not just yawn tried, but so tired my head hurt, my feet hurt and everything in between hurt. To make matters worse, I had a zillion and one things that needed to get done that day, important things. Including hosting a bi-monthly Q & A Coaching Call for my one of my favorite group of folks, my Inbox Empire community.

Published · 1,845 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

Why Do Leaders Seek Mediocrity? By John Grubbs While conducting research for my upcoming book... “Idiots Love Mediocrity”, I have discovered some powerful reasons that explain why leaders seek mediocrity rather than excellence for the organizations they serve. Surprisingly, the challenge for excellence is often “not more difficult” to achieve. It simply requires a different mindset when presented with a problem.

Published · 2,315 views · Rated 2.8/5 from 4 votes

What really causes unwanted behavior on the job? For many years companies have been searching for the answer to this question. Why do employees put themselves in harm's way, create a defective product or treat that customer in a terrible manner? What happened to common sense? Does it exist? And worse, what happens if we try to rely on "common sense"? Too often we attempt to treat the symptoms rather than the disease. Think of it this way, not too many of us can stand the idea of pain when it comes to our body.

Published · 2,121 views

Happy New Year, everyone! It’s hard to believe that we’re already more than half way through January! As I’ve traveled around doing my thing these past few years, so many people have asked me how I stay so upbeat and positive! Everyone goes through tough times, and I’m no exception. We’ve all had our share, especially these past couple of years. How we navigate them and “bounce back” is critical to surviving and thriving… personally and professionally. You’ve heard me say so many times, we are people first in the workplace, then employees!

Published · 1,579 views · Rated 4/5 from 2 votes

Recently to my great surprise, I found out that the show “24” was coming back to television for a new season. This is my favorite TV show of all times. It is filled with well-developed characters, intriguing story lines and suspenseful cliffhangers that end each episode. If you are not familiar with the show, the entire season takes place during one consecutive 24-hour period. The day revolves around the main character, Jack Bauer.

Published · 1,201 views

It’s Christmas week and we are all busy. Unfortunately, many people hear the word ‘busy’ and think ‘stressful’. Well, this does not have to be the case. As a matter of fact, busy should mean fun, joy and excitement. I want you to have less stress and more joy this holiday season. That is why I created the following list. But before we get to the list I want you to remember, you are equally as important as everyone else! Which means a couple of things: 1) Stop trying to make everything perfect.

Published · 1,524 views

Your Web site provides online consumers with a valuable service. A successful online presence will clearly and accurately showcase a company’s products or services to curious visitors. Make every effort to provide content that is both enjoyable and memorable. In short, your Web site should provide online visitors with a pleasant “experience”. Your design, content and marketing should be about creating a positive and noteworthy experience. “Products are made; services are delivered. Products are used; services are experienced.”

Published · 869 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

“I love working from home, I get so much laundry done and today I even cleaned out my refrigerator.” This was a comment I overheard the other night while waiting for the PTA meeting to start at my daughters’ school. Unfortunately that was far from the first time I have heard a work at home mom say something like that in the last couple of months. When I hear this, my first question is “how’s your business going?” And inevitably I hear “well I just don’t have time to focus on developing new products or work on my marketing plan.” Is it any wonder?

Published · 1,406 views

Four years ago when my daughter, Mikaela, was just ten years old she was given an assignment for school. She was to write a story about what she would do if she was given a piece of land. When I came home from the office, she asked me if I would read her story to make sure it was okay. I said, “Of course… I’ll do it after dinner.” After dinner Mikaela asked again if I could read her story. Again, I said I would… But this time, after I put her little sister to bed.

Published · 1,210 views · Rated 1/5 from 1 votes

I have loved baseball since I was a little girl. My dad took me to my very first Yankee game when I was six years old and boy I was hooked! Over the years I have had my favorite Yankees. Currently, Jeter is the man. Yet, of all the years that I have been a fan and of all the line-ups I have witnessed, the mid 70’s still stands out as the classic line-up in Yankee history. It included greats like Graig Nettles, Lou Pinella, Thurman Munson, Reggie Jackson and of course my all-time favorite New York Yankee . . . Bucky Dent!

Published · 1,236 views · Rated 1/5 from 1 votes

In today's marketplace, the effects of the economic crisis, have inspired fierce competition; for the apprehensive consumer's hard earned dollars. As such, retailers and service providers have had to reassess their their marketing strategies; and ethical approach to business.

Published · 917 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

Have you ever felt passionate about starting or expanding your own enterprise, but did not know where to start? Does your head and heart compete with each other to make a decision? Are you stuck and can't move forward? I sure have faced these challenges. Over a period, I have learned ways to monitor my emotions and thoughts and developed a technique that works for me. I have used this technique for making a decision to hire a service provider, do my daily business tasks, implement a new idea etc.

Published · 1,509 views · Rated 2.3/5 from 3 votes

As a business owner, I'm sure that you would readily admit the importance of staying in contact with your customers and getting as much information from them as possible. Of course, you would not want to push that fine line and do so at their discomfort because that would end up costing you the customer in the long run. There are some ways for you to get information from your customers, however, that will benefit you and your business and help you to increase your bottom line. One of the ways that you can do so is by offering surveys to your existing customers.

Published · 783 views

It really isn't such a big mystery. When my family and I moved back to South Florida from Texas, people wanted to know "why?". Everyone thought there was a big juicy story to be told. But, the bottom line was that it was simple. We did not enjoy living in Texas. Now don't get me wrong; there are some perfectly lovely people in Texas. However, it just wasn't for us. You see, I'm a New Yorker at heart and quite frankly every time I heard the word "dang" or "y'all" it was like nails on a chalkboard.

Published · 1,324 views

Launching your website and embarking on a search engine optimization endeavor, is much like revisiting your social interactions; of school. High School social life, in particular. Your pubescent self esteem and, in this instance the success of your website; is based upon your popularity. On the Internet, this is said to be achieved by establishing meaningful links; using strategies like link building and performance based SEO. In the eyes of Search Engines, these act as a vote and a means of measuring your credibility, and in turn; your popularity.

Published · 762 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

What is happening to our next generation of leaders? Have we become a nation that inspires mediocrity? Are we going through a metamorphosis and don't realize it? Do we really believe excellence comes without effort? Are we all getting infected with the mediocrity disease? The tired example that still fits in my mind is the propensity to give the "participation" trophy. In an effort to make all the players happy, everyone gets a trophy. Is the happiness what we truly seek? Or, have we lost the intestinal fortitude to inspire hard work and better effort for the reward?

Published · 1,742 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

“Well, I don’t want Annie to be mad at me – we are so close, she really is my best friend,” I heard this woman at Whole Foods say. It seemed like a harmless enough comment when I heard it. Boy was I wrong. First, let me say I do not spend my days ease dropping on complete strangers conversations at the grocery market. However, this particular woman was on her cell phone in line right in front of me. It was kind of hard for me, and the other people in line, not to hear her.

Published · 1,585 views · Rated 1/5 from 1 votes

Consider for a moment that your Web site is a tourist attraction. Would you spend time and money building a monument/attraction, that no one could get to; or worse, didn't know it was there?

Published · 1,202 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

You could have endless debates about practically any topic related to the business world. You might argue over the best type of business… A traditional brick-and-mortar business… Or an online information publishing business… Or something in between. You could debate the most important skill set required to run a business. Many will declare it marketing expertise… Others will insist it’s the ability to create quality products… Still others will state it’s relationship-building prowess.

Published · 1,561 views

Print ads, pay-per-click ads, direct mail, radio, and television. There are dozens of marketing channels that you can use to effectively get your message out to millions of potential customers. Now, you may be using all of these marketing methods ... and even more. But I want to be sure that you aren't neglecting one of the fastest-growing types of marketing available today.

Published · 1,318 views · Rated 1/5 from 2 votes

Entrepreneur, is the one who assumes the responsibility and the risk for a business operation with the expectation of making a profit. It takes courage to be an Entrepreneur. To assume the responsibility and the risk for a business operation, he needs to learn to conquer fear. Conquering fear is not a RESULT, but a PROCESS. Here are the seven steps to conquer "fear of unknown". 1. Acknowledge that you do fear something. It could be in your personal or career or business life. 2. Identify the type of fear that you are you facing.

Published · 2,071 views · Rated 3/5 from 4 votes

Have you ever asked, why in the world didn’t they teach you about financial intelligence in high school? Jim Rohn said that “if they would have taught Wealth 101 and Wealth 102 in high school, I would’ve taken both courses.” I totally agree with him. Financial education, that is, practical, useful information that will put money in your pocket is hardly ever taught in most school systems. Instead, most of us were taught how to dissect some type of animal, like a frog (in my case it was a cat!).

Published · 2,747 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

I personally subscribe to ezines and newsletters relating to business and personal development. After reading the ezines and listening to David Riklan's (founder of self growth) teleseminar I understand that there are following five ways an Entrepreneur/Small business owner can benefit by publishing his own newsletter/ezine. 1. Create and Maintain Relationship with Customers/Prospects: It is very important that your customers and prospects are aware of on-going benefits of products/services that you offer. They also need to understand the VALUE and USE your products/services.

Published · 1,688 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

It’s a self-marketing tactic I’ve really come to hate… I’m talking about “networking.” Sure, I’ve been hearing all about networking for years. I’ve even used the word myself! But when you get down to it, networking is cold, sterile… and it seems self-serving: one person trying to form a web of contacts whose sole purpose is to do something for him. That’s not how I want to do business. Lately, I’ve been rethinking what “networking” means. For instance, when I meet people at a so-called “networking” event, what is my end-game?

Published · 1,735 views · Rated 1/5 from 1 votes

It was just about a year ago. I was sitting in my gorgeous newly built home in Austin, Texas, looking out at our resort- style pool set against the picturesque Texas Hill Country, and thinking – this house does not make a home. That was the exact moment I knew we needed to move back to Florida - back to our cozy cottage style house, back to the beach, back to our family and friends! That is exactly what we did. We moved back to our home in Florida. And in doing so and in conjunction with some serious research, I discovered ten severe habits that work against us – not for us.

Published · 1,176 views

Determining what is essential and what’s not essential is key for a successful business. So here is a secret I have not told many. It wasn’t always this way for me. I wasn’t born with a magical playbook. I developed my success playbook over years and years of trial and error. I developed systems that work… strategies anyone can put to use. And it all starts with five essential skills you must master.

Published · 1,471 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

Chasing the money will never make you rich. Working 60, 70 even 80 hours a week alone will never make you rich. Sitting around and manifesting success will never make you rich. However, taking deliberate, purposeful, effective action is what makes you rich: rich with inner fulfillment, rich with joy and happiness. Not to mention, it makes you rich monetarily as well. Great Things Happen in Three's

Published · 1,448 views · Rated 1/5 from 1 votes

"Mom, I think I want to be president," Connor said. "Is that so? I thought you wanted to be a professional baseball player," I replied. "No, not when I grow up..." he explained. "I want to be president NOW." That's right! Connor, my 10-year-old, was nominated for class president. He had 24 hours to think about the responsibility of this prestigious position and either accept or decline the nomination. After my husband and I spoke to him about what he thought his duties would entail and the commitment he would undertake, Connor decided to go for it.

Published · 1,778 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

It was just three years ago that I quit the security of having a wonderful corporate CEO job, working for one of the few thriving organizations in a dreadful economy. Many people told me I was nuts. They knew that jobs like mine were few and far between. They were right in saying that the unemployment rate was one of the highest our country had ever seen. They were right in saying that the housing market was in shambles. They were right in saying that the stock market was a mess. And, they were right when they said starting your own business was hard.

Published · 1,520 views

Do you know what you want to do with your life? Really know? Do you want to start your own business? Ready to join the ranks of famous entrepreneurs? Entrepreneurs, who set their own hours, make the amount of money they desire, and spend more time with their family. Entrepreneurs who make their dreams and their vision come true on every level. Many times these dreams go beyond what most people think. These dreams include philanthropic endeavors - such as starting and running a foundation for childhood cancer, diabetes or MS.

Published · 1,299 views

On any given day, most of us dedicate time to our children, spouses, careers, friends, charities, churches, parents, siblings, clients, household activities, and, oh yeah, if there is a little extra time left in the day, ourselves. So why is it that only a select few of us can make it look easy… while so many look like they have been run over by a tractor trailer? The answer is simple. Most working moms don’t evaluate the project or the task at hand before they begin. This holds true whether they are working on their business lives or on their personal/family lives.

Published · 1,295 views · Rated 4/5 from 1 votes

I’ll never forget seeing Uncle Tony in the hospital bed... Doors of hospital rooms are so big and wide – they make you feel exposed just standing there. And that smell is always there... some mix of chemicals and medications that's supposed to smell “clean,” but doesn’t. The smell and the feeling of exposure disappeared when I saw Tony. My favorite uncle, reduced to a shadow of the man he used to be. Warm sunlight streamed through the window, but seeing him gave me chills. It was hard to believe this shrunken, frail man was my Uncle Tony.

Published · 1,547 views

Teaching our kids certain skills and personal habits just isn’t good enough. We need to lead by example and live the skills and traits we teach. Not only when it is convenient, but all the time. Here is a list of what I believe to be the seven most important characteristics and skills we need to instill in our children and live ourselves every day. I think of them as my core values for my family. The 7 Most Important Characteristics to Teach Our Kids

Published · 1,825 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

Even though it was two years ago, I can still remember the conversation like it was yesterday. My friend, Janet, called me in hysterics the night of her company holiday party. Earlier that evening she was mingling with many co-workers. As the night went on, she found herself deep in a conversation with one of her male co-workers. And before she knew it, she was being hit on harder than a hammer to a nail. And not only did this “prince charming” know she was married, he was married as well! Well, over the next year, the situation got so bad that she eventually left the company.

Published · 1,923 views · Rated 5/5 from 2 votes

“I know it’s a lot of money, but for every pair of shoes purchased, a pair is donated to help kids all over the world who can’t afford shoes.” These were the words of my 13-year-old daughter as she was convincing me to buy her not one, not two, but three pairs of TOMS shoes! Even though I thought three pairs of shoes at $77-a-pop was a bit extravagant; I justified the decision in my head, telling myself that I would be helping kids who weren’t nearly as fortunate as my own.

Published · 1,642 views

While working with and studying entrepreneurial legends including but not limited to, Steve Jobs, Richard Branson, Steve Forbes, Michael Masterson, Bill Bonner and Marty Edelston for nearly 25 years I have concluded there are three main reasons people start their own businesses. They are: 1. Money 2. Freedom/flexibility 3. Cause/passion

Published · 1,382 views · Rated 1/5 from 1 votes

Why DO Idiots Eat Their Young? And, Is it a Bad thing? If we compare the typical "idiot" in business to the starving family patriarch in the cruelest of winters, interesting parallels start to surface. Consider the challenge of feeding a family to the typical business leader that must financially feed his or her team. Imagine the bad winter as analogous to the challenging business climate and the story starts to sizzle. While we love our children dearly, in rare cases there are those families that take for granted what most of us consider to be precious.

Published · 1,147 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

Smart organizations use strategic planning because it helps them:

Published · 1,168 views

There is one thing that all of us want for our business and that is to see a level of success that will help keep us in business and to move us into the future. Although many of us tend to focus on finding new customers and new leads in order to build our business, we may be neglecting some of the best customer opportunities that we have at our fingertips. After all, there is a formula that states that 80% of all of your business can come from 20% of your customers.

Published · 805 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

Do you have your “game plan” for growing a sustainable business figured out? If not, it’s not too late. A Strategic Plan is Your “Game Plan” Having a simple, clear guide that you will actually use is critical to your overall success. Think of it as your “game plan.” Football coaches have an overall “game plan” going into their season and for each game. Hockey coaches have a “game plan.” Pilots submit a “flight plan” for each flight. They plan exactly how they will get from their starting point to their destination. Strategic Plan Moves You towards Your Visionr

Published · 1,609 views

Being green is something that everyone can do … and the steps taken by each person, large or small, add up in making a big difference for the planet and all of its residents. An assortment of options for getting involved follows. Earth Green Celebrate Earth Day, on the official day or one designated by you as your own personal kickoff date for creating a green future.

Published · 4,132 views

Stop blaming economy and take complete responsibility for every thought you think and action you take. However much we may try, it is impossible for us to change any one or the, circumstances. Make a commitment to stop blaming economy, people and environment. The only thing that you have complete control is your THOUGHTS. This is easier said than done.

Published · 1,708 views · Rated 3.3/5 from 3 votes

One of the most important things for you to remember when you are in business is that your customers are your lifeline. Many of us tend to focus on gaining new customers but even paying attention to your existing customers can often help you to improve your business and your profitability. Of course, there are a variety of ways you can keep in contact with your customers that should be considered. Here are a few tips that can assist you with maintaining contact and even improve relations with your customers using the Internet.

Published · 951 views

The holiday season has arrived. From Thanksgiving through the New Year, there will be the usual round of business/social events including cocktail receptions, luncheons and dinners. Some will be stand up events; others will be seated. Whatever the venue, one thing you can count on is that there will be food and drink involved and people will be watching you eat.

Published · 1,131 views

Those who are in business realize how important it is to research carefully and to remain in contact with their customers. This information is going to be invaluable in helping them to stay in business and in providing everything that is necessary for their customer’s needs. Although there are numerous ways for you to be able to do this, one important way that should not be overlooked is by giving surveys. There are a variety of online survey tools that can be used for this purpose and you might be surprised with the benefits that are available once you begin using them.

Published · 1,236 views

Entrepreneur, is the one who assumes the responsibility and the risk for a business operation with the expectation of making a profit. It takes courage to be an Entrepreneur. To assume the responsibility and the risk for a business operation, he needs to learn to conquer fear. Conquering fear is not a RESULT, but a PROCESS. Here are the seven steps to conquer "fear of unknown". 1. Acknowledge that you do fear something. It could be in your personal or career or business life. 2. Identify the type of fear that you are you facing.

Published · 2,472 views · Rated 4/5 from 1 votes

As a business owner, it is very important for you to make sure that you are staying in regular touch with your clients. In addition, you want to have new contact with any additional individuals who have an interest in what you are offering. This has always been the case but now, with the use of the Internet, it is possible to stay in touch with those individuals in different ways. Here are a few of the ways that you can use in order to contact your clients regularly and to increase your existing business.

Published · 1,072 views

Most business owners recognize the need to keep in contact with their customers and to gain contact with potential customers that have not yet used their services. This has always been the case but in today's electronically connected world, it has become much easier. If you are interested in keeping regular track of your customers and reminding them of the fact that you still have services that you can provide for them, here are a few ways that you can do so using the Internet.

Published · 975 views

Strategic planning can be either a boon or a bust for an organization. Many people bring “baggage” to the process. Some people have had terrible experiences. They vehemently oppose committing time and other resources to it. Others yawn, glaze over and are completely skeptical that the process can produce any measurable results. Others enthusiastically embrace the process and produce extraordinary results.

Published · 1,149 views

Although many businesses are going to focus on bringing in new customers, you should never ignore your existing customers in favor of doing so. There is a rule in business that states that 80% of your profits are going to come from 20% of your customers. That is why it is very important for you to continue to contact your existing customers and to provide them with what is necessary to keep them happy.

Published · 888 views

Surveys can be an invaluable tool to continuously capture your target customer. In the past, surveys were often considered a mixed-bag when it came to results. The paper-based nature of them, limited their reach. Today, companies that specialize in survey software can create surveys that are logically dynamic - not only responding to answers, but also modifying subsequent questions, in response to each answer, to produce more engaging questions throughout the survey.

Published · 1,204 views

We live in uncertain times. The continuing war in Iraq and Afghanistan, terrorism, an economy that has been in the doldrums for a couple of years with only faint hints at a possible rebound, continued corporate layoffs and downsizing, etc. Many people in our community have recently been laid off and are looking for answers. They are asking themselves meaningful questions. How do I support my family, pay my mortgage, cars, etc? What about the children’s education, health insurance, etc? How do I prevent this from happening again? Where can I make some money??

Published · 1,285 views · Rated 2.8/5 from 5 votes

Like many of you, I spend a lot of time on the road in my “roving office” and enjoy listening to a variety of music and talk as I travel. Recently, “What’s Going On?,” Marvin Gaye’s 1971 social commentary about the environment came on and got me thinking about how common this phrase has become.

Published · 1,334 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

One of my last positions in the corporate world several years ago involved the administration of the employee survey that took place every other year. As the manager of the employee strategy, I interacted with employees at every level of the organization. Overseeing the data collection, analysis of participants’ responses, and the cross-functional action planning processes for improvements that followed was very “engaging” and interesting work. Many employee surveys are developed and based upo Gallup organization research.

Published · 1,744 views · Rated 3.5/5 from 13 votes

Have you ever wondered, why your business is not picking up, even though you are working so hard? I sure have. I decided to read and get coaching on improving the efficiency of my business. There may be several ways to improve the efficiency of a business. Here are the five sure ways to improve ...

Published · 1,165 views

No matter what the industry or business sector, “Positive Workplaces” are built on successful people-to-people relationships, beginning with the most critical component, the partnership between managers and employees. This relationship sets the tone and impacts the workplace. The workplace environment drives employees; those people, who ultimately, drive your business. Working brings us into close and frequent contact with others.

Published · 3,911 views

It’s hard to believe…it’s holiday time again! The time of the year when we can be a bit more light-hearted…right? With all the right-sizing, wrong-sizing, down-sizing and messages of doom and gloom in today’s world, many gloomy faces are present in the workplace. ...

Published · 3,491 views

• Did you know that 75% of employees are unhappy in their current job? • Have you ever thought about how your attitude affects… • Personality and work performance? • Your employees, your customers, your relationships and your work environment? • Workforce ...

Published · 16,699 views

Do you know why you where born? What’s your purpose in life? From 1999 until 2006, I searched for my purpose in life. Your purpose may not be something you discover right away, rather it is part of a process. Discovering your purpose requires that you carefully examine where you are and ...

Published · 2,170 views

As leaders and managers, we must be tuned in to the many facets of diversity in today’s workplace. It’s not only the right thing to do, but “just makes cent$.” An effective “people strategy” built around diversity includes many dimensions, some we can see and other we cannot. One dimension - ...

Published · 5,420 views

Have you ever provided your name and email address for receiving a Quote for Insurance OR Refinancing a Mortgage? Have you ever watched a FREE presentation/Webinar after providing your name and email address? Have you ever bought products online? If you answered YES, then I am sure you must have received a Follow up email to educate you the options available/promote their product or services/get your feedback about the product.r

Published · 1,564 views

Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen dramatic changes in the financial services and credit markets. The stock market has been like a roller coaster ride; business giants have failed with billions of dollars to the rescue, and more… As they work their way through this unprecedented economy ...

Published · 1,569 views

Fostering A Diverse and Inclusive Workplace – It Just Makes “Cent$!” As kids in elementary school, we learned about America being a “melting pot,” a nation of immigrants, each year welcoming hundreds of thousands of men, women, and children from different countries, races, and religious ...

Published · 3,116 views

Positive Self-Talk for Good Health: It's Good Business! Zig Ziegler’s terrific book, “Success for Dummies,” has had a tremendous impact on my life. I first encountered the book when I began teaching “Introduction to Business” at Housatonic Community College in Bridgeport, CT, a few years ago. ...

Published · 1,311 views

Positive Self-Talk for Good Health: It's Good Business! Zig Ziegler’s terrific book, “Success for Dummies,” has had a tremendous impact on my life. I first encountered the book when I began teaching “Introduction to Business” at Housatonic Community College in ...

Published · 1,150 views

As we approach another holiday season and roll into the beginning of another new year – personally and professionally – it’s natural to reflect a bit. Ever the time for looking at where we are, where we’ve been and, with a sense of hope, where we’re going. New budgets, new goals and, of ...

Published · 1,014 views

Personal time and the ability to plan daily in my opinion is a source of power that cannot be leveraged. I am writing this at 11 AM today. I will get to experience another 11AM and that will be ONLY tomorrow. I can never get back this same moment. If personal time is so precious, should we not use it to our best advantage? Planning daily is one of the best ways to use your personal time effectively. Every minute spent in planning saves as many as 12 minutes in execution

Published · 1,816 views

Do you want to run your business with peace of mind? If your answer is Yes, then you must take the following SIMPLE five actions. 1. Allot 10-15 minutes to plan your day on paper. This process will free up your time and clear clutter from your mind. You will make decisions and take action ...

Published · 1,034 views

Creativity is generally associated with artists, painters and writers. However, to run a productive and profitable business, a business owner must be creative. First, as a business owner you must acknowledge your decision to operate your own business as a bold and creative step. However during ...

Published · 1,045 views

When I started my own business I had variety of emotional conflicts that prevented me from taking consistent action. I am sure you can relate to this feeling. My conversation with clients revealed that apart from having several fears, the following three types of fears impacted the business ...

Published · 1,022 views

As an entrepreneur it is very essential that you set your financial goal. A goal must be a ( SMART} one-S-specific, M-measurable, A-achievable, R-realistic and have a T-timeline. Let us say you set a goal of making $10000 in next two months. This is a SMART goal if you have at least made say ...

Published · 1,071 views

Follow-up may seem to be a boring topic for discussion, but in my personal, career and business experience, I have benefited immensely by making a simple follow up call or email or letter. One simple follow up email has helped my clients achieve phenomenal results, generated thousands of dollars ...

Published · 1,213 views

As a business owner, I'm sure that you are aware of the importance of keeping in touch with your customers. Not only is this going to help to bring in repeat business, it will also allow them an opportunity to pass along information from you that may be of benefit to somebody else that needs your services. In any case, businesses have been enjoying the success of regular contact with their customers for many years. Here are some of the ways in which you may keep that contact and how you can expand your reach to a certain extent beyond those that have already taken advantage of your services.r

Published · 1,028 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

Do you ever feel that no matter what you do for your business, you just can’t seem to achieve the level of success you desire? Have you wondered why it seems that success comes easy to some while you seem to be stuck in a rut? You can visualize and make all the positive affirmations you want, ...

Published · 3,279 views

Have you ever felt passionate about starting or expanding your own enterprise, but did not know where to start? Does your head and heart compete with each other to make a decision? Are you stuck and can't move forward? I sure have faced these challenges. Over a period, I have learned ways to ...

Published · 1,059 views

During the times of recession, by default, we are prompted to think and ask the following questions to ourselves. Everywhere I read and hear about recession. I have not made any money this month. I am afraid. I feel stuck. How can I run my business? I am not getting any new clients. No one ...

Published · 1,157 views

If you’ve been working for any length of time like I have, you’ve experienced the full gamut of managers – from the terrific to the terribly toxic. The terrific inspire us to do our best, encourage and teach us, recognize our efforts and create an environment where we want to come to work each ...

Published · 1,635 views

Today's job applicants are encountering a lack of courtesy that is all too common. Businesses are flooded with applicants for every opening and many are showing a lack of respect for job seekers by failing to respond to their applications. Most employers request resumes and other documentation ...

Published · 904 views

Have you ever thought about how much rudeness may be affecting your bottom line? What is the cost to your company when you or the people who represent you lack proper manners? Do you know how many clients are turned off by employees who would rather carry on a conversation with each other than ...

Published · 1,263 views

Last week I accompanied a friend to a doctor’s office. The waiting room was packed. People were sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall and slumped over furniture. A few of the lucky ones had chairs. Everyone looked miserable. For the most part the only sounds were moaning, ...

Published · 1,008 views

The ability to connect with people is essential to success in any business. Professional networking events present opportunities to interact with others on a personal level and to develop profitable relationships. These occasions are critical for anyone who wants to grow a business or promote ...

Published · 1,171 views

"There's not anybody who really cares about using voice messaging the way I envisioned it." According to Gordon Matthews, the inventor of voice mail, he never anticipated that his automated message system would be used to confuse and frustrate business callers. He didn't foresee how many ways ...

Published · 902 views

When it comes to holiday greeting cards, to send or not to send is often the question. Once you have decided in the affirmative, you then have to determine who to include on your list, what kind of card to choose and how to address the envelope. There are lots of reasons for sending those ...

Published · 1,062 views

For many years, companies have been using surveys to ask questions to their customers and potential customers as well as to survey their employees. The benefits of doing so are well-established and can not only help you to achieve more success with your business, it can help things run much more smoothly. In today's world, there are options that are available which were not available just a few short decades ago. What are those options and have they changed the benefits that are available when serving your customers and employees?

Published · 995 views · Rated 3.3/5 from 4 votes

Can you close a sale in just seven seconds? You can do it even faster if you make a great first impression. Seven seconds is the average length of time you have to make a first impression. If your first impression is not good you won' t get another chance with that potential client. But if you ...

Published · 1,012 views

Business travel is often a necessity whether you work for a Fortune 500 company or own a small home based business. Only so much business can be conducted by telephone, e-mail, computer and fax. There will come a day when you need to travel for business and how you conduct yourself will make all ...

Published · 1,065 views

Many a business meal starts with a soup course. Unless you have already begun by munching on the bread, this is your first opportunity to demonstrate your table manners-to impress or un-impress-your dining companions. Choosing the right spoon is step number one. If the table has been preset, ...

Published · 992 views

If you are involved in sales, and who isn't, you know the terms, techniques and tips for attracting potential customers, creating the desire to buy, gaining trust, closing the deal and maintaining relationship. Each step in the process is critical to the desired outcome: productive and ...

Published · 1,009 views

We all make mistakes, but often it is hard to admit them and more difficult yet to say those key words, “I’m sorry.” When you have offended someone in business, a sincere apology is essential if you wish to continue the relationship and move on. Some times words are enough. ...

Published · 1,124 views

For the past month you have been attending more than the usual number of parties and receptions, and the end is not yet in sight. You knew before you arrived at these business related events that you were expected to be on your best professional behavior. No letting down your guard so you ...

Published · 997 views

Imagine this. You return to your office following lunch and find Katie Couric and her camera crew waiting for you. She smiles politely and says she has a few questions to ask you. Your first thought is "How fast can I get out of here?" Television interviews, whether filmed on the spot or in a ...

Published · 1,284 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

To say that today's business environment is becoming increasingly more global is to state the obvious. Meetings, phone calls and conferences are held all over the world and attendees can come from any point on the globe. On any given business day you can find yourself dealing face-to-face, ...

Published · 994 views

One thing you can count on during the holiday season is the obligatory office party. No matter what the size of the organization, there is always an effort to bring coworkers together for one more moment of merriment. Some people look forward to the chance to mix and mingle outside the confines ...

Published · 992 views

Imagine this: you've worked for hours putting together the proposal that your prospective client requested and are finally ready to hit the send button. You envision the recipient checking e-mail immediately and contacting you within a few hours to seal the deal. You have a mental picture of ...

Published · 1,010 views

My name is Anita and I’m a therapy junkie – or, rather, I was. Like many people, I spent much of my time looking for something that would ‘fix’ me. In particular, I wanted something that would cure the Irritable Bowel Syndrome that had plagued my life for over a decade, ...

Published · 1,065 views

One of the most frequently asked questions I receive is, "What is the biggest business etiquette faux pas that people commit today?" In a world where rudeness is rampant, it's hard to narrow the list. Business people constantly violate the rules of etiquette with their e-mail practices, their ...

Published · 2,094 views

"You can't shake hands with a clenched fist."n- Indira Gandhi The most significant gesture in business and in life is a handshake. In many cultures it is the unspoken message that accompanies our words. A handshake often takes place when you meet someone new, when you are greeting someone you ...

Published · 1,300 views

Have you recently received a gift from someone with whom you do business? Were you the lucky recipient of a basket of gourmet foods, a plant for your office or a gift certificate for your favorite restaurant? Businesses are constantly looking for ways to show appreciation to their customers. ...

Published · 1,078 views

Personal time in my opinion is a source of power that cannot be leveraged. I am writing this at 11 AM today. I will only get to experience another 11AM and that will be tomorrow I can never get back this same moment. If personal time is so precious, should not we do what ever it takes to use it ...

Published · 1,137 views

When I ask Small Business owners what they would look for, when hiring Atto eys, I get one of the following answers: I DON'T need an atto ey at this time. When I need an atto ey, I will think about it. Atto eys COST too much. The process of hiring an atto ey INTIMIDATES me. As a Small ...

Published · 1,171 views

Have you ever got excited about a great business idea, but did not implement, as you had the Fear of failure? If you thought that way, you are not alone. Probably you were afraid to take the next step, because of the big risk you may have to take. One way to breakthrough Fear of failure in a ...

Published · 1,057 views

When I started my own business I had variety of emotional conflicts that prevented me from taking consistent action. I am sure you can relate to this feeling. My conversation with clients revealed that apart from having several fears, the following three types of fears impacted the business ...

Published · 981 views

Cash flow is the lifeblood of a business. Hence it is essential for a business owner to always keep track of his finance. 1. Insufficient Resources/Capital As an entrepreneur it is natural to start a business with small investment called capital. It is OK to be conservative. However it is ...

Published · 1,059 views

When I ask business owners how their business is doing, I get one of these answers: Business is going on well but I get too tired at the end of the day. My health is not in good shape and I am unable to devote much time to do my business. Do you fall in one of this category? If yes, then you ...

Published · 1,245 views

When I ask Small Business owners what they would look for, when hiring Business Consultants, I get one of the following answers: My business is not very big at this time, to hire a Business Consultant. When I need a Business Consultant, I will think about it. The thought of hiring a Business ...

Published · 1,001 views

When I ask business owners why they are in business, I get one of these answers: I want to be my own boss and have freedom to do what I am PASSIONATE about. I want to have TIME freedom. I have excellent SKILLS and EXPERTISE. I can make more money in less time and do not want the employer to ...

Published · 1,045 views

Many people know how to navigate place settings and know when to use each utensil. How to hold those knives, forks and spoons, where to put them when you are not using them and what to do with them at the end of the course or the meal may still be a challenge. Glancing around you while dining ...

Published · 916 views

The job fair, once limited to the college campus, is quickly becoming a favorite tool of America’s recruiters. The thought of milling about with numerous would-be employers and hundreds of competitors can be overwhelming. If you go with a well thought out plan, a good attitude and your ...

Published · 945 views

A day in the life of every businessperson is made up of a series of meetings and greetings. Whether you are making the initial contact with a client or a colleague, you want to get off on the right foot. Doing so will make the first encounter and subsequent ones go smoothly and easily. Getting ...

Published · 1,007 views

When a colleague, a coworker or a business associate loses a family member, do you find it difficult to offer your sympathy? Do you worry that you will use the wrong words or that you will intrude on the other person’s grief? As a result, how often have you ended up not doing or saying ...

Published · 1,293 views

The dinner napkin has been around for a long time, centuries in fact, and it has taken on a number of forms and uses. When meals were eaten entirely with your fingers, it was the size of a bath towel. It wasn't until the introduction of the fork in the seventeenth century when hands remained ...

Published · 1,043 views

You return to your office from an afte oon meeting and decide to check e- mail. You wonder where your day went after spending hours downloading messages, reading some, deleting others, crafting replies and filing those that you want to work on later. Your e-mail box was full when you arrived ...

Published · 965 views

One of the most important things that you can do if you own and operate a business is to make sure that you are regularly surveying your customers. This will allow you to know what they think about your existing products and the service that you provide. It will also provide you with some valuable insight as to what you can do to come up with new services and products that they will continue to purchase from you. After all, there is a formula that states that 80% of your business comes from 20% of your customers.

Published · 754 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

Don’t think you have time? Then you definitely NEED a Virtual Assistant. Don’t know how to find a good Virtual Assistant or what to delegate to the Virtual Assistant you have? Visit www.speakassist.com for valuable resources to help you get started and to delegate more effectively to your ...

Published · 1,370 views

May and June are still the most popular months for getting married but a wedding can be held at any time of the year. How do you decide whether or not to attend the wedding of a co-worker or business associate? The simple answer depends upon your relationship with the person inviting you. If ...

Published · 1,015 views

Do you sometimes wonder where your customers have gone? In a study by the International Customer Research Institute, individuals gave the following reasons for becoming “non-repeat” customers:nn· 1 percent died (makes you wonder how they responded)n· 3 percent movedn· ...

Published · 1,226 views

Since Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, people who previously had limited or no access to public places now move about with a degree of ease in the workplace. While these people have their challenges with sight, hearing or movement, those who work with them are often ...

Published · 976 views

Summer has arrived, marking the beginning of the barbeque season. This is the time of the year when the grill is hauled out and cleaned off, the required cooking utensils are inventoried, the lawn furniture is hosed down, and the sauces and rubs are added to the grocery list. It is also the time for revisiting your barbeque etiquette.

Published · 1,184 views

You know your business is not running at it’s maximum efficiency. You have a high need to turn this around, and after reading a bunch of articles, taking to people you trust, you know you need help but don’t know exactly what kind. The people you know and trust that have helped you along the way are great but over time have developed their own opinions on your company or business endeavor and are no longer providing the break through ideas you are looking for, or they are and because of your close relationship you may not always listen.

Published · 864 views

When you're ready to invest, you'll likely consider the amount you have available to invest and what you want your financial gain to be over a specific period. You may be quite specific about these factors, or maybe you care only about the bottom line and how much you stand to lose or gain. For your own peace of mind, it's wise to determine your level of risk tolerance for your investments. Understanding your own wants and desires related to your finances will largely determine how you decide to allocate your funds.

Published · 1,294 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

Those darn treetops are at it again! Anyone who has taken the time to read a recent piece entitled “On Treetops” knows what I am alluding to. At a point along my daily jogging path, regally stand a dozen or so trees as silent witnesses to my labor. But are they really silent? You will recall, if you read the previous work, that at this particular place on my chosen path only the tops of the trees are visible. Most of the trunks, lower branches, and roots are obscured by a bridge but, to return to the question, are the trees silent?

Published · 1,979 views · Rated 5/5 from 2 votes

Are you a list freak? I have attempted to be one many times in my life but without success. I even bought a fancy organizer to remind me to start every day by making a priority list. Problem is I keep forgetting to open the organizer and fill in the spaces under the “Today’s Tasks” column. You think perhaps writing down priorities is just not a priority for me?

Published · 1,241 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

While jogging recently along my usual path I was touched deeply by some treetops. Part of my route involves traversing a bridge that elevates to treetop level. On this particular day, the changing leaves, combined with the unusual vantage point, pried open thoughts of good endings.

Published · 2,062 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

Have you ever provided your name and email address for receiving a Quote for Insurance OR Refinancing a Mortgage? Have you ever watched a FREE presentation/Webinar after providing your name and email address? Have you ever bought products online? If you answered YES, then I am sure you must have received a Follow up email to educate you the options available/promote their product or services/get your feedback about the product.r

Published · 1,782 views

Toxic Relationships Every person reading this piece is either in, has been in, or knows someone who has been in, a toxic relationship. The term is self-descriptive, the relationship is poisonous, and it is deadly. Remaining in this type of relationship may or may not lead to physical death but the emotional toll it takes is no less devastating.

Published · 2,774 views · Rated 5/5 from 3 votes

When I transitioned from and employee to an Entrepreneur, I felt very uncomfortable to set a financial goal, as I was afraid of not reaching the goal. When I was an employee, I was mentally programmed to get paid for the hours I worked. However, that is not the case for an entrepreneur. As entrepreneurs, we get paid for results, solving problems and our creativity. This fact reinforced my fear of not achieving the goal. Over a period of time, I discovered that it is OK to set a financial goal, but constantly keep these two things in mind while pursuing your financial goal:r

Published · 2,016 views

Increase Your Monthly Cash Flow by Utilizing the Internet! Times are tight for some, which means investment opportunities are great for others...More Millionaires where made during the Great Depression – then in any time in history! (Oh by the way – These times are almost upon us again!) An investment in the proper internet tools can provide you with immediate cash! Either way, I'll assume you can use more cash…Having the ability to control your cash flow is the foundational step to building true wealth. Why?

Published · 1,190 views

Successful Marketing is a combination of a number of factors. It involves a series of steps, the utilization of tools and the expertise to execute from start to finish! My name is “Polar Bear Joe” and I’m going to show you these steps with a little help from my friends! Then you will have the knowledge to apply learning on how Internet Technology can “Fast Track” you to “Successful Marketing” no matter what business you’re in! That’s Right!

Published · 795 views

Do you want to grow your business this year, attract more customers, keep your current ones and increase your bottom line? If you answered "yes" to any of those, here are my top ten business etiquette recommendations for you. 1. Be on time for meetings, presentations, workshops and networking events. People who habitually arrive late send a clear message that their time is more important than everyone else's. They develop a poor reputation, and they miss out on information and opportunity. Keep in mind that if you are not five minutes early, you're late.

Published · 1,222 views

Fundamentally, long-term financial security is about the ability to create value, or at least investing in others who create value. In the simplest terms, financial security is often obtained by solving problems, or creating a unique product that solves a problem for a large market of consumers. This is something that absolutely everyone is capable of doing. We're all good at something, and most people are good at a lot of things... hence, plenty of possibilities to create great value. Anyone... absolutely anyone... can do this.

Published · 891 views

Questions That Come Up Before Taking Vacation As an Entrepreneur, have you ever put off taking vacation? Are you afraid of losing new clients? Are you afraid of losing revenue? Even if you did take vacation, do you feel guilty? When I first, transitioned from an Employee to an Entrepreneur, my answer to all these questions were "YES". It took a couple of years to understand my emotions and change my mindset.

Published · 1,700 views

Like many people, you may experience times in your life when you're seeking something, but are unsure what of what it is. Maybe you want to live a life that has purpose, reward and challenge or perhaps you desire more excitement. Whatever type of greater fulfillment in life that you seek, these 5 secrets for living a more satisfying, fulfilling life will start you in the right direction: 1. Do what you truly enjoy. Have you always wanted to read more books, write poetry or travel to Europe? • Whatever it is you really love to do, make a plan right away to do it and do it often.r

Published · 2,996 views · Rated 5/5 from 4 votes

If you want to be part of something large, dynamic, and well respected, well then, Master Franchising might be right for you. If you do not want to re-invent the wheel, and you do not want to build your empire alone, and If franchising appeals to you, then this is the road to empire! You might not want to start your own franchise company, nor do you simply want to own one or more franchised units, so you might ask yourself, “Is there an in-between?” The answer is yes! The answer is Master Franchising. This method provides for amazing profit!

Published · 969 views · Rated 1/5 from 1 votes

Franchising is a developed relationship between two parties. Most people considering “franchising”, look at it from their perspective. However, what about the Franchisor? Most don’t realize the risk they take with the Franchisee! Especially on the International Market!

Published · 1,017 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

A good deal is rare! You have to Hunt for it! And there's no better place to "HUNT" for bargains than the internet. The key word is "HUNT." Or go on an internet hunting expedition for your favorite items. According to the experts, it's best to continually check prices and availability. Don't wait until the last minute, unlike travel, most internet shopping does not involve distressed inventory, instead, be shopping on the internet on a regular basis for the things you want to buy. Do your internet research - Do your own price comparisons, too:

Published · 1,504 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

Marketing can be extremely challenging for small business owners, especially in a tough economy. But marketing your business online can be a rewarding and less expensive alte ative to traditional advertising. An online marketing campaign will help you find, engage and inform customers while tracking results in a way that can’t be matched offline.

Published · 684 views

Deciding on if “Franchising” is right for you requires some investigation on your part before you dive into a franchise agreement. Below are the four levels of franchising. It is best to consider all aspects of each level, before deciding upon a level in which you will be investing in. Single-unit Franchises: A franchisee has the right to operate one franchise unit. Most franchisees enter the world of franchising by owning or investing in one unit. It is a great way to get in and understand the system before taking on more units.

Published · 859 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

Warning! – Adhering to Your Business Advisors Lies will place you on the Endangered Species list! Have you heard this before? "It’s a Numbers Game! – OR - "You Just Need To Get on the Phone and Make the Calls" Honestly, it almost makes me sick to write that... And the sad part is I could go on and on with even more lies your business advisors have been telling you!...but I'll save those for a little later. The reality is that times have changed. And more importantly, society as a whole has changed.

Published · 824 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

I want to share with you the #1 Rule that I've discovered to succeed in today's modern society. Once you understand this rule and put it to work in your business, you'll be blown away at the results you experience. I know I was...because it literally turned my own business around ove ight. Here it is! Straight Up! The #1 rule that you must understand is that you have to learn how to be “invited” into your prospect's world as a welcomed guest and expert, not a solicitor and pest. Let me explain.

Published · 1,064 views · Rated 1/5 from 1 votes

When I ask depressed business owners how their business is doing, I get one of these answers: Business is going well and I am successful. As it is hectic, I get too tired and feel like a depressed business owner. Even though I started my business with great inspiration, as my health is not in good shape, I am losing the inspiration that I initially had.

Published · 3,714 views

Website ranking takes less than a second... ...and it hinges around your website copy. 9 times out of 10, when searchers are looking for your website, they're acutely distracted by an occurrence e.g. 'a tidal wave of poo-polluted water invading their home' (read on for a visual). So if they can't find your website or your website copy doesn't immediately capture their interest and persuade them to use you, they'll bounce off. Stink...that means less calls for you. Visual example:

Published · 658 views

The ultimate and perfect website copy gets your web page ranking on the 1st page of Google...right? Not necessarily. People are now being taught how to get on the 1st page of Google. While good website copy has achieved this in the past, now ‘trickery' means that the 1st page of Google is often crammed full of dubious website listings optimised for the key word or phrase for advertising, rather than a web page filled of the information being sought. More and more I'm seeing typical 1st pages of Google full with the 5 listing types below:

Published · 650 views

Would you like to feel more in control of your day? Developing a morning routine that will boost your productivity can help you stay on top of your commitments for the day. Many people benefit from rising early and following a set routine every morning. While this won't benefit everyone, it might be just what you need to feel more in control of your daily life! Consider these ideas when developing a morning routine:

Published · 2,979 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

Happy Spring everyone! It’s so good to finally see the daylight well into the evening hours! It’s time again to shed our winter gear and Light-en Up and Power–Up in attitude and spirit.

Published · 1,400 views

When disruption in daily life happens it can take a toll on the self employed/home based business owners/entrepreneurs. When I say that, I don't mean that people who go to office to work are not affected, but I wish to share my comments/observations as an entrepreneur.

Published · 1,710 views · Rated 2.5/5 from 2 votes

Have you ever put off taking action because of self doubt? Have you ever thought of writing an article or creating an audio that you wanted to, but did not do it because you thought that there is nothing great/significant in what you are delivering? Did you ever write down your monetary goal and made a list of what you wanted to do with the money and landed in one of the following situations? 1. You did not reach your monetary goal, but were able to accomplish everything written in your list.

Published · 1,619 views · Rated 4/5 from 1 votes

A Strategic Approach to Building Trust with Offshore Teams

Published · 395 views

Setting up a transcription portfolio is a necessity of every Business. Such tasks involve translation, editing documents, data entry, preparing ppts, and transcribing. Now some people might think that these tasks are very easy and can be performed by any normal employee but most of the times normal employee fail to complete such normal tasks with precision which result in failure of data, wrong translations and irrelevant presentations.

Published · 866 views

Personal growth can help you achieve many things. Not only can it get you further in your career and endeavors but it can also help get you further with your relationships. Personal growth and development is very important. Below are five simple ideas to help have more personal growth. Educate Yourself

Published · 1,736 views

Companies that want to get the most out of their email campaigns have seen their trials and efforts fail due to a lack of budget and resources, which are necessary to build any successful campaign. Instead of turning to experienced professionals, they choose to grind in-house or hire someone not so experienced to try and make improvements. But this is not how result-driving campaigns are developed. This requires appropriate marketing insights, creative skills, writing skills, coding skills, and delivery experience.

Published · 835 views

Mental health is a major conce to everyone. While there is nothing wrong with seeking professional help, in fact, it's strongly recommended to everyone. But everyone doesn't have access to a therapist and some people cannot afford to pay for a session. And even if you have good mental health, it never hurts to seek professional care. But here are the 5 ways to improve your mental health at home. Meditation

Published · 1,161 views · Rated 4/5 from 1 votes

Whether it's due to a recent breakup or loss in the family, the process of grieving and healing is one that everyone will experience within their lifetime. Unfortunately, it's one of those things that is not avoidable, but it doesn't have to be something that consumes a person. While the process of healing is one that is unique to everyone who goes through it, there are a few guidelines that apply to mostly everyone when it comes to becoming whole again after suffering some sort of loss.

Published · 1,139 views

Introduction In this day in age everyone is looking for the next best way to get healthier. From dancing workouts to fancy diets, the options are endless. However, if you are looking for a diet plan that is one step above the rest check out the Le-Vel Thrive shake diet plan. If you are looking to lose weight, then this diet is for you. But it is also flexible enough to be for those just looking to manage weight as well. This diet is perfectly formulated to increase health, energy and convenience!

Published · 1,753 views

Some people have tried to lose weight but have not been successful. They may have tried diet and exercise and still need some extra help. Some weight loss pills will help jumpstart a person's program. These weight loss pills have been tested and have shown to be effective. These are some of the best pills for weight loss in the world. Overall Health and Energy

Published · 2,114 views

Some products are a waste of money. Other products are worth all your money. Differentiating between the two groups is sometimes more difficult than you’d imagine, but that’s all about to change. Find out some of the products you’ll be glad you spent your hard-ea ed money to buy below. If you want to improve your life, any of the products listed here can help make it possible. Coconut Oil

Published · 1,781 views

There are so many ways that we can be healthy at work. But sometimes it's hard to find the time. So I enjoy the small things that I'm able to do. If you sit at a desk, do a little yoga stretching. Not to mention that it will also help wake up your Mind. Always remember to get a good night's rest The day before. This is going to have a significant impact on how your day will go. Shut off all electronics an hour before bed. This way, you will have a much deeper sleep.r

Published · 1,220 views

When a person is looking to lose weight they may want to see results quickly. They may get discouraged if they are dieting and exercising and not seeing the results. These are some tips on how to lose weight fast and get into great shape. The Thrive Experience is one supplement plan that can aid with this fast weight loss. Intermittent Fastingr

Published · 1,234 views

With major distractions in the world around us, it can grow difficult to continuously reach for your potential. Sometimes life gets us down, unforeseen circumstances, clutter, and lack of self confidence can get us in quite the rut. Through organization, focus, and preservation there is a light at the end of the tunnel for you to get back on track. This article will outline 3 major ways to keep on a steady race towards your highest potential.

Published · 1,102 views

Exercise is an important part of any weight loss plan, which starts the trouble for many hopeful people. Finding the motivation to workout is not easy for all of us. In fact, some people would rather do just about anything than getting on the treadmill or heading to the gym for a workout. It isn't that these people don't want to lose weight and feel great. It's that a workout is boring and mundane. There's nothing appealing about running, walking, lifting weights, or performing other types of exercises.

Published · 1,049 views

Allowing children to spend plenty of time outside is definitely something crucial when it comes to their physical and their cognitive development. When children spend a good time outdoors plane, they are able to develop their cognitive skills at the right place. They are able to play around with their imagination, and they are able to use their social skills as well. Allowing children to play outside for a good period of time is necessary in order for them to develop the skills that they will need in the future.

Published · 971 views

It's not always easy to feel like our best selves. The phrase itself is fairly common these days. But in many ways that can actually speak to the difficulty in attaining the goal. People usually talk about feeling like their best selves because they're working so hard to achieve the goal. What's much less common is discussion from people who feel they've actually mastered it. However, there are some people who've managed to actually reach this elusive goal. And we can learn a lot from them.

Published · 1,188 views

In-House Development Building an In-house team brings more control over development for your particular project and increases the engagement within the group, which also increases productivity. You try to hire trusted people who clearly understand your corporate culture and are goal-oriented. However, to make it work, there are certain conditions a particular have to follow like-

Published · 657 views

Research as shown that people who spend time in nature are happier and have less mental problems than people who do not have the chance to spend time in nature. It is not hard to imagine why this is since we as humans have only lived in cities for a few thousand years and are not adjusted on a biological level to city life.

Published · 1,221 views

Outsourcing refers to the method of transferring a facet of the company’s operations to a third-party firm. this could occur within an identical country or end in a cross-border transfer of virtual employees. Additionally, the outsourcing is also permanent or linked to a fixed-term contract for the performance of services.

Published · 653 views

In this technologically advanced world, where services and products can be availed with just one click, it is critical for every business owner to establish their online presence. After all, the Internet is one of the greatest tools in this modern world, using which you can reach your customers living in any part of the world.

Published · 884 views

It's time for you to stop believing in the myth that putting yourself first is selfish. Putting yourself first does not mean that you're a terrible person. It is natural to desire to prioritize your loved one's needs and wants because you want them to be happy. Loving others does not mean that you can't love yourself too.

Published · 926 views

Simple Ways To Remove Toxins From Your Body And Life It seems there are more toxins and chemicals in the body and environment now more than ever. This is due to an increase in population, an increase in the way things are made and a variety of other reasons. To help combat this, there are many things you can do to help remove toxins from your body and life. Below are just a few simple ways. Drink Plenty Of Water

Published · 1,313 views

Traveling is known to be something that is very fun and enjoyable to do with your close friends and family members. Traveling can have the ability to transform your life and change the way that you view life as well. Here are some great ways that traveling can change your life completely for the better. The benefits of traveling: Improve Your Mood

Published · 1,090 views

Shopping for a new car is never easy. The price of purchasing a reliable vehicle has multiplied over the years and there are various factors that come into play when a driver arrives at a decision conce ing one of the most important purchases they will ever make. A car buyer must consider the car's history of accidents or lack thereof, the fuel efficiency of the vehicle, whether they will have access to repair services and other benefits from the dealership and so on.

Published · 1,318 views

There are a few key things to consider as you start your search for an offshore graphic designer. Let's take a closer look: Determine your needs You have to examine your needs if you need a single person or a team. Knowing your needs before hiring a graphic designer helps you determine if they fulfill your requirements. Consider geographic location

Published · 733 views

Digital marketing has evolved from being just a next-door call to a brief model of diversity and promotion enhancement strategy. Every brand requires a team of people who are sufficient enough to handle every aspect of Digital Marketing.

Published · 677 views

For moms, it can become a lot harder to be able to give themselves the time that they need and to make sure that they are properly taken care of their body. With so many things are constantly going on in their lives, it is important that they take the time and sit down to make sure that they are giving your body the necessary care and love that it deserves. Here are some great ways that moms can start taking better care of their health. Taking the necessary Care with Thrive

Published · 1,556 views

Do you want to cut down on effort, time and expense? Then outsourcing data entry services to an offshore location is the ultimate solution for you. As your data entry expert co-workers are from a different time zone, they carry forward your business through 24 hours a day. Still, there are some pros and cons that you should consider first. When you properly understand the outsourcing procedure, where you weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing data entry services, you automatically come to the decision if it is most suitable move for your enterprise or not.

Published · 885 views

Le-Vel Thrive is a great product that increases creativity, focus, alertness, and leaves you energized and refreshed while helping you lose weight. How does this product work? What meals are acceptable to eat while taking this product and losing weight with it? How do you get started with Le-Vel Thrive? After trying Le-Vel Thrive, you may want to pitch in and help any way you can, and there are multiple ways to do it. How Does it Work?

Published · 770 views

Le-Vel Thrive is a great product that increases creativity, focus, alertness, and leaves you energized and refreshed while helping you lose weight. How does this product work? What meals are acceptable to eat while taking this product and losing weight with it? How do you get started with Le-Vel Thrive? After trying Le-Vel Thrive, you may want to pitch in and help any way you can, and there are multiple ways to do it. How Does it Work?

Published · 1,365 views

The Best Program For Health They're are literally hundreds of programs and systems for consumers for wellness. Find the right products and programs can be costly and frustrating to get the desired results. The Thrive program from Le-Vel is an inexpensive program for individuals to reach fitness goals, feel their best, and the opportunity to make money with products that truly work. What is Thrive?

Published · 1,796 views

People often associate the great outdoors with physical vitality. And to be fair, there's a lot of truth to the idea. Being outside often gives us a chance to really stretch our muscles and get some exercise. But most people would find a surprising health benefit if they lived away from the city for a year or more. It's not just good for physical health. Getting away from the city is great for mental health as well.

Published · 1,411 views · Rated 4/5 from 1 votes

There are some of the important factors that one should possess in the field of work so as to impress the management. Possession of such skills can make a person be more fascinated and have a good sense in the line of duty. One can be among the critical thinkers if he pushes the matters of the dev skill to a higher level in the area of health care. This will be important in the arena of decision making of the organization.

Published · 1,778 views

By MaryEllen Tribby "I was so inspired by your presentation! Now I finally understand what I need to do to start my own business," Cynthia said. This was just one of many comments I heard after delivering my presentation at the Glazer/Kennedy Info Summit a while back.

Published · 1,165 views

I recently called a local restaurant to place a take-out order for lunch. The phone rang numerous times before a perky voice answered and said, "You have reached XYZ restaurant. Our hours of operation are 11 AM to 8 PM Monday through Saturday. If you give us a call tomorrow, we'll be happy to help you." Well, hello, it was already "tomorrow." It was Monday and after 11 AM when little Miss Merry said they would be open and happy to help me.

Published · 1,008 views

"Conversation: a vocal competition in which the one who is catching his breath is called the listener."rn- Anonymous In today's fast-paced high tech world, we think that we are communicating more efficiently and effectively with other people. But are we really? Good communication means good listening-something we rarely do. Most people would rather chatter on than listen so they talk over other people, they interrupt, and they finish sentences for others. They fail to listen.

Published · 1,137 views

By MaryEllen Tribby How many times in your career have you heard the term "Deal Breaker"? Probably about a million, right? Well the problem with that term is it only gives you half the information, hence leaving you wide open for a 50% failure rate. That's right if you want to make the big deals, multi six- and seven-figure deals you need to understand BOTH the deal breakers and the deal makers. So today I want to share some of my very favorite deal breakers and deal makers. These seven strategies are so profound yet so simple - you can start implementing them today.

Published · 1,123 views

Have you ever got excited about doing something and got stuck? It could be offering your expertise and charging for the same or selling your own product or someone else's product as an affiliate. The first question that comes up is What is the guarantee that my expertise/services/product will produce revenue? Will someone pay for my service? As soon as we ask ourselves this question, we get hung up from moving forward. I have been there several times. In fact as entrepreneurs, we experience this moment almost every day.

Published · 1,749 views · Rated 4/5 from 1 votes

When a colleague, co-worker or business associate loses a family member, do you find yourself stuck on the etiquette of sympathy? Do you wonder how you should handle this kind of situation? Do you worry that you will use the wrong words or that you will intrude on the other person's grief? As a result, how often have you ended up not doing or saying anything and later regretting it?

Published · 770 views

One day as you are approaching the two lane bridge leaving the island where you live, you look up and see an ambulance with lights flashing coming over the top. There is a pick-up truck and a small car in front of the ambulance. If you pull onto the bridge, the ambulance is stuck.

Published · 769 views

Workforce stability is a key to any company’s longevity. Turnover is not only expensive from the practical dollars and cents perspective—the cost of recruiting, hiring, and training—it also means that you lose a sense of the company’s history when people leave. That “corporate memory” is important, and it takes workforce stability to develop it. A stable workforce also means that your people get to know each other and build strong relationship, and, in a positive upward spiral, those relationships contribute to the stability of your workforce.

Published · 2,703 views · Rated 3.4/5 from 56 votes

Whether you’re a business owner or an entrepreneurial-style manager, you’re going to spend a great deal of your time taking care of other people—employees, vendors, business associates, friends, and, of course, family. “Taking care of” can mean nurturing, of course, but in this context, it also means problem-solving, mediating, motivating, and sometimes even scolding. When you’re the go-to person, you’ll find yourself being many things to many people, and if you’re not careful, you won’t have enough energy left for yourself. That’s why you must remember to take care of you.

Published · 1,992 views · Rated 3.4/5 from 63 votes

A certain amount of redundancy is important in any organization because you need backups. You don’t, for example, want to have just one individual be the only person who knows how to do a key job. On the other hand, you don’t need too many people doing the same job, either. You want to get rid of the fat and keep the muscle. It’s easy for a rapidly-growing organization to get fat—and it’s just as easy for a company operating in tough times to get too lean. It’s a lot like the human body: We put on a pound or two, and we don’t really notice it so we don’t worry about it.

Published · 1,721 views · Rated 3.3/5 from 43 votes

Compatibility is an important element in strong, long-lasting marriages, and it’s also the key element in strong, successful employer/employee relationships. Consider this: You want every person you hire to have the basic tools to succeed, and a critical part of that is being sure the individual’s skills and personality is a good match for the job.

Published · 3,718 views · Rated 3.4/5 from 48 votes

As an avid reader and author, I am a big supporter of the First Amendment and the right to free speech and freedom of expression. But as a business owner, I have the right to limit the speech and expression of employees while they are on the job. I have, for example, the right to insist that my employees not use profanity when they are speaking with clients. I also have the right to establish a dress code that employees must abide by while working.

Published · 1,955 views · Rated 3.4/5 from 51 votes

To create an effective marketing campaign that will drive growth in your company, you have to know your customer—and this isn’t as easy as it sounds. There are two angles to the issue of knowing your customer. One is to have a clear picture of your prospective customers. Who has a need for your product or service, is likely to buy it, and can afford it? For individual consumers, you’ll want to know their demographics—how old they are, where they live, how much money they make, how many children and pets they have.

Published · 1,659 views · Rated 3.4/5 from 50 votes

Most companies tend to invest most of their development resources in the underperformers, the salespeople who are struggling. They tend to pay far less attention to the top or even the mid-ranking performers. Consider the flaws in that approach: If you’re a top performer bringing in the revenue, how does it make you feel to see all that attention being focused on the people who can’t get the job done?

Published · 1,882 views · Rated 3.4/5 from 55 votes

If you’re in business, you’re going to make mistakes and you’re going to occasionally fail. That’s okay, because that’s how you learn and how you get better and grow. The key is to minimize the impact of your mistakes and failures. Make your successes big and your failures small, and you’ll always come out ahead. The best way to do this is to test before you implement. Never assume that any idea will work; always test it for proof.

Published · 1,582 views · Rated 3.4/5 from 54 votes

Business is war and the competition is the enemy—right? Wrong. Though competition is a fundamental aspect of being in business, savvy entrepreneurs know that viewing competitors exclusively as adversaries is not only shortsighted, it’s potentially damaging. A better strategy is to build alliances with your competitors and let them help you become better and stronger. Here’s how: 1. Know who your competitors are. This sounds basic—so basic that it’s often overlooked by many business owners and salespeople.

Published · 3,163 views · Rated 3.4/5 from 62 votes

According to its website, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is an independent agency of the federal government that “helps Americans start, build and grow businesses.” It’s true that you can go to the SBA and they will tell you how to start and run a business, how to get all the necessary licenses and permits, how to keep your records and pay your taxes, and so on. But they’re also going to tell you that you need all of your ducks in a row, your business plan completed, checked and double-checked, and absolutely everything just right before you open your doors.

Published · 1,729 views · Rated 3.4/5 from 51 votes

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me. You probably learned this rhyme as a child and maybe chanted it to a playmate who was teasing you. It would be nice if it were true, but it’s not. Words can hurt. They can also help. They’re powerful. And their strength is not only in how other people talk to you, but in how you talk to them—and how you talk to yourself. For example, I don’t have problems. Problems are negative, they’re anchors that can drag you down. My competitors have problems they have to deal with.

Published · 1,929 views · Rated 3.4/5 from 50 votes

Remember the 80:20 rule? Outstanding customer service aims to go even better than that. You may not get everything perfectly right, but getting most of it right will be much, much better than the majority of your competition. Ten Tips for Outstanding Customer Service 1. Be Your Customer - Walk in their shoes, listen with their ears, see with their eyes... Encounter your business the way your customers do and experience what they experience. Stand in line, call your support center, report a complaint, check on an order.

Published · 1,676 views · Rated 3.4/5 from 14 votes

Organizations rarely go it alone when they implement a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) strategy and its supporting technology. That's because it can get overwhelming: business strategies, technology, budgets, operational processes, change management issues, and more. Good CRM practices and principles apply to companies across many industries.

Published · 1,143 views · Rated 2.7/5 from 6 votes

by: Geoff Ficke The greatest Greek philosopher, Aristotle, is widely studied and discussed to this very day for his keen observations on the human condition. For almost 2400-years Aristotle’s numerous writings, philosophical tracts and pithy comments on men and their relations toward each other and their environment have been dissected for the many layers of meaning that can be conjured from attempting to decipher his reasoning and logic. He enchants us still.

Published · 1,554 views · Rated 1.7/5 from 3 votes

Several years ago I wrote an article entitled “How Do You Choose the Best Marketing Consultant”. The article was posted on my website - www.DuquesaMarketing.com - and on numerous print and internet links. The content was written to advise layman of the many options and obstacles that should be addressed in their search for experienced and competent consulting help. Common sense, some inside-baseball tips and guidance on avoiding shyster’s constituted the bulk of the articles copy points.

Published · 1,264 views · Rated 2.2/5 from 6 votes

by: Geoff Ficke Words matter. How we express ourselves is the most important indicator of the type of person we are and the type of life we lead. In my work as a marketing consultant I have the opportunity to meet hundreds of people each year. They are usually attempting to bring a product, service or idea to the commercial marketplace. I rarely physically meet them, most contacts being made by mail, phone or e-mail.

Published · 1,711 views · Rated 2.3/5 from 3 votes

There are many keys to success in business, but one of the biggest is taking action. People think action simply means being busy, but nothing could be further from the truth. The key component to a successful business is not just action, but taking deliberate, massive, focused action, consistently, over time. When you’re doing something every day that’s focused on your goals, that’s what will catapult your business. That’s what will take you from the bottom rung of the ladder to the top – all in one fell swoop, because it’s deliberate, massive, focused action.

Published · 751 views

When considering when to add additional income streams in your business, timing is critical. And, the right time depends on where you currently are in your business. Before adding additional income streams to your business, you need to really focus and hone in on the one thing you’re uniquely good at, or the one thing people know you for the best. When you get to that point is when you should be thinking about what’s next. Before you’re clear about these things, it would be premature to think about adding an income stream to your business, as it would more than likely fail.

Published · 1,167 views

Marketing is the basis for everything you do in your business. Everything is marketing. Not all marketing is created equal. The best marketing builds authentic relationships with your clients and prospects. Many people think of marketing as manipulative or forcing people to do something they don’t want to do, or that’s not in their best interest. That’s not marketing at all.

Published · 812 views

A lot of times we equate our doings in our businesses to gambling. If you’re one of the people that thinks this way, you might want to reconsider! Save your gambling for Las Vegas. If you feel like you’re gambling with your business, it’s because you haven’t invested in the proper planning and strategy you need. You may be doing things willy nilly, by the seat of your pants, or just throwing mud on the wall without really thinking about why you’re doing what you’re doing, or how to do it.

Published · 1,067 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

As entrepreneurs and small business owners, sometimes we have a tendency to hide behind our computer screen, spending hours answering questions, filling your time being busy on the Internet…or maybe even wasting time on Facebook or other social media outlets. Here’s the question to ask yourself: Are you filling your day with busy work or are you being productive?

Published · 775 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

You may have heard it said before, many times – the adage that good enough is good enough – and it’s true, as long as you don’t put out junk in your business. So, the question becomes how do you make sure you’re not putting out junk. You pay attention to the little things in your business because the little things mean a lot.

Published · 927 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

You hear a lot about purpose, mission and vision, and a lot of people struggle with what that means exactly. Most likely, you’ve created a vision for your business and maybe even a bigger vision for your life, or the world, regarding the changes you want to make. You may be asking yourself, “What does this have to do with business? What does this have to do with marketing?” So, here’s the thing you need to think about… what’s the best way to set up your business so that it follows the same mission, vision and purpose you’ve set for your life?

Published · 1,171 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

Consistency in your marketing and consistency in your business equals huge success. You want to always be top-of-mind. Always be dripping on your clients with information, with marketing, with what’s next. What’s the next thing that you would like for your clients to do?

Published · 799 views

Consistency in your business is integral to its success. If you continually make good, sound decisions that move your business forward, you’re going to have great success. Consistency, over time, is a huge formula for business and marketing success. If you’re consistent in making the small decisions (the small “yeses” and the small “no’s”), and focus on the details of your business, this is where you’re going to make a big difference in your business. This is where you can set yourself apart from everyone else.

Published · 966 views

Most business owners learn very early on that they need to delegate, and most need to delegate more business responsibility than they do. When you start delegating and your business grows, the challenge becomes how to delegate without abandoning your responsibilities. There is a line that all business owners walk, where you want to delegate, but you’re a bit afraid to – especially at first, because you think no one else can do things as well as you can, or you simply are afraid things won’t get done at all if you don’t do them.

Published · 947 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

Have you heard people say that long sales letters don’t work? Some people claim they’d never read one. It’s always interesting when people say that.

Published · 712 views

Do you run your business or does your business run you? A lot of small business owners put themselves in an unlikely position in their own companies. Consider this scenario: the company owner who has thirty individuals working for him in the business does all the work. Or is very heavily involved in the day-to-day operations. What is the stage? Do you find that your company is so dependent on you that you just can’t move away from it? Would it not be great that your business would look after itself? Well, then – here is the good news! It’s possible.r

Published · 1,194 views · Rated 3.3/5 from 12 votes

Every individual has a personality, but did you know your business has a personality as well? Your business personality will take on the characteristics of your personality, or sometimes it will reflect the whole make up of your team. Often, just like your own personality, your business personality will have different facets. There may be times when things are playful and casual, and other times it will be more formal and serious. You have to decide which approach is most appropriate depending upon the different situations that arise in your business.

Published · 1,069 views · Rated 1/5 from 1 votes

Are you vanilla? Do you just blend in with the crowd? Are you just one of many doing the same thing over and over again? Or do you stand out? Do you have something that really grabs people’s attention? Do you wow people? Sometimes it’s the silly stuff that will make you stand out, but it doesn’t always have to be that. You don’t have to dress up in a superhero suit to get noticed. It will get attention though! It is different!

Published · 835 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

Have you ever been frustrated in your business? Have you ever been just so frustrated with your business and in your business that you’ve said something like this – “That’s it! I’m finished! It’s not worth all of this! I’m just going to work at Starbucks!” Or something like that… Not many people are willing to talk about this, but most business owners, if they’re being honest, will tell you they have said this, or something similar, at one time or another. Now, are they serious? Are they really going to work at Starbucks? Probably not, but they are seriously that frustrated.

Published · 823 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

To put it simply, no one likes having to write checks…to spend or invest money. Writing checks means money is leaving your account, and no one likes money leaving their account. However, it becomes a little easier when you know the money is being well invested and, two, that you’ll be making the money back quickly because of how you invested it. This is about the investment you make by having mentors and coaches.

Published · 664 views

How a Pre-Sell Campaign Will Mitigate Financial Risk andr Confirm Market Acceptance for New Consumer Products by: Geoff Ficke Our Consumer Product Development and Marketing Consulting firm typically works with two types of clients. One is a startup requiring total support and guidance from conception through market launch. The other is to provide re-boot services for already existing product that has been unsuccessful in the marketplace. The startup is a far easier project to control and nurture.

Published · 1,429 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

How do you market your business? Are you doing the hope-and-pray method of marketing? Did you put up your sign, turn on the open for business sign, hand out your business cards, maybe put up a website, and then hope and pray that someone comes in or will do business with you? So you do all those things, and then what? Maybe new clients and business come, maybe they don’t. That’s not effective. And unless you’re Coca Cola, Nike, HP, or a company like that, you probably don’t have millions of dollars to invest in your marketing campaigns to compete with big businesses like that.

Published · 930 views

How do you make decisions? How do you make decisions in your business? Here is a philosophy that will serve you very well if you apply and use it… Say yes and figure out the details later. It’s also important to plan, but for most people if you apply say yes and figure out the details later, it will take you a lot farther than always needing to know the how and all the other details before you commit.

Published · 764 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

Do you have a pla B in your business? What if the things you’ve planned in your business, or that you’re working on today, whatever it is, doesn’t turn out exactly the way you wanted? What if your big launch doesn’t produce, or that email campaign doesn’t perform the way you want, or that team member you just hired doesn’t work out… do you always have a fallback position? What is your pla B?

Published · 1,022 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

Irresistible free offers are used for a lot of things, and one of the biggest is on your website, or other places, to build traffic. On your website, you ask people to give you their name and their email address, and in return you give them an irresistible free offer, filled with great value and content. There are two key words here: the first is irresistible, and the second is free.

Published · 820 views

How do you use a squeeze page to build your list? A squeeze page, or a landing page, is simply a one page website. It’s just one page where people can do only one thing. They can’t go check out your products and services. They can’t go see when your events are. They can’t do anything else. They have one choice and one choice only. That one choice is to get the free thing you’re offering or maybe they can sign up for a teleseminar or webinar. You use a squeeze page to build your list.

Published · 832 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

Do you have a tendency to hold on to things in your business too long? Maybe it’s your team, staff or employees, maybe its programs that are no longer profitable. Holding on to things because they’re familiar or because it’s comfortable can get in the way of moving your business to the next level.

Published · 1,005 views

Monetize your child’s dreams and passio When you were a child do you remember pretending you were a fireman, police officer, nurse or doctor? Or how about the old Nike commercials where everyone dreamed of wanting to be “Like Mike”? As in Michael Jordan, one of the greatest professional basketball players to ever play the game.r

Published · 1,332 views · Rated 3.4/5 from 10 votes

Have you spent any time lately considering the pull-marketing strategy you’re using to attract ideal clients to you? Pull-marketing strategies go beyond turning on your open for business sign, setting up your website and hoping that people find you. That’s the hope and pray method of marketing, and it doesn’t work (except in the movies).

Published · 623 views

Thinking about your business the same way you think about your health may seem like a strange analogy , or even illogical, but when you really break it down and think about it, there are a lot of similarities.

Published · 813 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

The need for instant gratification in business is becoming more prevalent, especially in the world of internet marketing, because things happen so quickly online. You can test and quickly measure to get information on whether or not things are working, and this just perpetuates the need for instant gratification.

Published · 755 views · Rated 4/5 from 1 votes

If you’re thinking about niching your business you need to decide what the best niche for your business is. Niching simply means that you take an area, a subculture or group, and market to them specifically – you narrow your focus specifically to that group. By finding a niche, you’re focusing what you’re doing and who you’re marketing to, and your business gets easier. It’s easier to find clients and it’s easier to talk specifically in the language of that particular niche or group of people – in other words, it’s easier for you to “speak their language.”

Published · 724 views

Are you and your business more like a fire hose or a dripping faucet? As marketers and business owners, we sometimes want to give everything we know to our clients, as soon as they come to us. That’s being the fire hose. You have all this information in your head, that you have accumulated over the years and you open up the fire hose and try to give all that information to your clients and prospects in the first ten minutes they know you. And, you want to give them everything you know, every time you talk to them.

Published · 885 views

Most business owners have leaks somewhere in their business…like the leaks in a bucket when it has holes in it. Does your business have holes in it? If you’re being true to yourself, to your business, and to your clients then the answer is yes, you do have areas in your business with holes. Every business does. So, if you have holes in your business and your business bucket is leaking, what are you doing about it? Do you even see the leaks? Do you even know they’re there?

Published · 803 views

How do you make money with live streaming at your events? There is certainly money to be made with live streaming at your events, if you do it right. The first thing you need to do is decide if you’re going to live stream your event. Now, there are some advantages and some disadvantages to live streaming, so you really need to think about those before you decide one way or another. If you already have a video crew at your event videotaping then live streaming is just one more service to add. And it’s an additional service that can add a stream of income to your event.

Published · 893 views

As a business owner, sometimes you have to make tough decisions and sometimes you don’t want to make those tough decisions, but are forced to. The thing you have to remember is, it’s just business. I know you’ve heard people say that and maybe it sounds a little cold or doesn’t feel right from a business perspective, or from a personal perspective, but the bottom line is sometimes in your business you have to make tough choices.

Published · 1,012 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

Do you look for ways to make more money in your business and to maximize what you’re doing with your clients? If you are, great! If you’re not, you should be.

Published · 530 views

Marketing and technology today really leans on social media heavily as one of the media that’s getting used a lot. It seems like every day a new social site pops up, and it quickly becomes a hit, so we feel like we have to get in on it, start using it and taking advantage of it in our business. It makes absolute sense to take advantage of social media sites too, because most of them are free. Any time you can market your business for free it’s a great opportunity, but only if you do it right.

Published · 770 views

Hosting live events is something most people do at some point in their business, especially if you’re an Information Marketer, and for many people it’s one of the ways to catapult your income.

Published · 873 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

When you go to the movies, you buy a ticket, maybe some popco and a drink. When you go to get your haircut, you pay for the haircut and maybe you leave a tip for the hairdresser. When you need to go somewhere, you pay to put gas in your car. So with all these things in life that you have to pay for just to do anything, why does the word sales make so many people cringe?

Published · 850 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

Can you think of anything in this world that’s absolutely perfect? If you can, it’s probably doubtful that it’s man-made. Are you making the mistake of treating yourself, or your business as if it has to be perfect? If you are you really need to stop. Too often, you strive to achieve perfection in yourself and in your business, and all you’re doing is giving yourself an unrealistic goal. Stop white-knuckling life and stop trying to be perfect. No one expects you to be perfect, except you.

Published · 693 views

Springtime tends to be a time for clearing out the stuff you don’t need or want in your life anymore. Maybe you go through your closets and pack up clothes and shoes you don’t want, or you go into the garage and find tools you don’t use, and you get this stuff out of your way. Why? Because it’s good to purge this unneeded, unwanted, unnecessary stuff from your life once in a while and to declutter.

Published · 744 views

One of the concepts that technology has sufficiently delivered on is speed. The communication that once took months to send over oceans and across lands now only take seconds in the form of an email. The ability to reach out to someone only takes a moment in pressing the ‘send’ button on our cell phones via text messages and phone calls. We have even upgraded from horse and buggies to speedy cars with all sorts of style. The point is speed. We have become a society that relies on speed to get things done and expects things to get done in a certain speedy manner.

Published · 725 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

One of the problems with business in general, Information marketing, and some niche businesses, is that everybody’s fishing in the same pond. So, what’s the best way to grow your business even with heavy competition? Let’s say your business universe has 100,000 people in it, and everybody’s going after that same 100,000 people, because everybody’s going in the same direction. When you’re competing in the pool of 100,000 everybody’s already heard it and you have to work harder to get their attention.

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Taking Shortcuts in Order to Secure Investment Funds Is the Pursuit of Fools Gold and Insures Failure by: Geoff Ficke Just today, on a single Linked-In group I visit, I have seen at least five naked pitches seeking funding for a new consumer product, concept or invention. This occurs almost every day on these sites. The efforts are always clumsy, transparent, sophomoric, and can only lead to futility.

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Would you like to see better response rates from your marketing? The number one thing to always look at is your headline. Now this could be any marketing. It could be direct mail, it could be your email marketing, or it could be in your sales letters.

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The concept of upselling is certainly not a new idea. The goal of upselling is to increase your profit.

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by: Geoff Ficke Since the beginning of time, until the middle of the 19th century the production of goods was conducted on an artisan, piece by piece basis. Over these many centuries the center of the individual’s universe was the local environ where commerce and enterprise were conducted on a small scale, often bartered basis. The idea of mass production was impossible to fathom.

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The Lesson of “I, Pencil” An Essay on Economic Freedom for the Ages As a young college student studying economics in the 1960’s I was exposed to the writings and philosophy of Leonard Read while researching a paper on Adam Smith’s enlightened principle of the “Invisible Hand”. Mr. Read had founded the Foundation for Economic Education (FEE) in 1948. As I conducted my sophomore research I noted that the thoughts and articles of Leonard Read were inevitably intertwined with the ideas of the capitalist pioneer Mr. Smith. At that time I stumbled upon an essay that Mr.

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If you think the most important thing in your business is marketing, you’re wrong. The number one, most important thing in your business is your list. You build your list partially by marketing, but it’s not a numbers game, so no matter how big your list is, it may not reflect how successful your business is. So, if the most important things isn’t how big your list is, then what makes your list the most important part of your business? It’s the relationship, the connection you have with the people on your list.

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There’s a lot of skepticism and questions about direct mail and more specifically about whether direct mail still works or not. A few of the things to consider when you’re thinking about sending direct mail is whether to use a live stamp or not? Should you use a live stamp or is it ok to use stamps.com or something similar? What about using the machine in my office? The answer is you want to use a live stamp every time. Every single time!

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Maybe you’ve done some online or offline research, or just a general observation, and noticed there are a lot of businesses out there. And, maybe you’ve noticed some, or maybe many of those businesses are just like yours. Does this worry you? If you’re doing things in your business that set you apart, you really shouldn’t be worried at all. When you do things in your business that set you apart, that give you even the slightest edge over your competition, you’ll see a huge difference in the way people – your clients – respond to you.

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by: Geoff Ficke We live in perilous financial times. As the markets have imploded, home prices cratered, jobs lost and incomes uncertain many people have become very risk averse. Very understandable! Many of us are more focused on maintaining our resources than expanding them in the face of so many unknowns. The American dream to successfully start and grow a self-owned business is always going to be with us. However, in times like these, some entrepreneur’s have become less willing to take the plunge into the ownership class.

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In business, you often hear the phrase “under-promise and over-deliver.” This concept is a myth and can actually cause harm to your business. Don’t ever under-promise…just over-deliver! Promise what you’re going to give people, and then give them more… but don’t intentionally under-promise.

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Are you a celebrity? Have you ever thought about using celebrities in your business? You might think it’s too expensive for you to use celebrities or that you can’t afford it. It can be expensive, if you’re looking to use names like George Foreman, Kathy Ireland or Barbara Corcoran.

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It’s the end of your business day. That’s enough work for one day, and you’re turning off the lights in your office or your shop. You’re going home. Do you feel fulfilled? Do you feel as though you accomplished everything you wanted to do today? Or are you really not sure if you accomplished anything? A lot of times, as a small business owner, you might find yourself taking the shotgun approach to your day.

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When it comes to putting out new things, whether it’s a new marketing campaign, a product, a teleseminar, or webinar or anything for your business, you have to understand that you can’t just put out one message. People need to see and hear about your something new more than once. As a matter of fact, your clients and prospects need to hear about everything you’re doing in your business more than once.

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Do you ever think about the ripple effect of your actions or the actions of your business? In the image of the ripple effect, you have a pebble or a small stone, and that pebble is falling into this big source of water – maybe it’s a pond, or a lake, or maybe an ocean. Regardless of how big that water source is, the point is that there are always ripples. Those ripples keep moving outward and expanding outward, pushing other ripples into a course because of the action of one small pebble or maybe even one small drop of water.

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More and more, people are going to school and getting degrees, and learning new things. Now, there’s no doubt they may be able to teach you something you didn’t already know, but does that automatically make them a guru? This is a question that comes up a lot in marketing and business. What makes a guru anyway? What qualifies somebody to be your mentor or coach…or do they need any special qualifications at all?

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When did the word marketing become such a bad term? When was it that marketing became associated with manipulation and the idea of making people do something they don’t want to do? As a business owner, you should be in love with marketing, because it’s a tool – a tool that allows you to get your message out to the world. It allows you to show your clients and prospects exactly what difference you have to offer that will make an improvement in their lives.

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You hear a lot of talk about the importance of building your list. Your list is made up of all your potential customers, and all the people who have invested in your business. You can go out and buy a list, as well - that’s up to you. However, one great way to get people on your list is with your IFO. Your IFO is your Irresistible Free Offer. It’s very specific, and targeted, so it attracts only the exact people you want on your list and in your database.

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Business owners know many many things. Business owners do many many things. Do business owners do too many things? That’s a difficult question. At the startup phase a business owner wears a lot of hats trying to keep a lean and mean business. Now let’s hope that they’re only doing things where they have a sufficient level of knowledge and preferably expertise. Even if this is the case (generally it’s not the case) there are not enough hours in a day, weeks in a month, or months in a year. Leap year is a time to celebrate. It means there’s one extra day to get things done.

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It’s important that people know who you are, what you stand for, and how you got to the place you are in your business. That’s why your story is so important to the success of your business, and telling your story ensures that you attract the right clients.

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Do you have a map? Not a map to get down the road. Not a GPS that talks to you and tells you which way to turn, but a marketing plan. Do you have a Marketing Automation Plan or MAP? Not having a MAP is the reason so many people think of marketing as troublesome. They don’t automate things and they don’t reuse and repurpose. You have to automate your marketing so things are happening while you’re sleeping, playing or while you’re working on other things. This is ideal for entrepreneurs who are always pushing for the next thing.

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by: Geoff Ficke I am always amazed when I see well educated, seemingly worldly people make themselves look and sound silly by promoting ever more aggressive expansion of government. We are currently in our national election cycle, admittedly the silly season for politicians. This year, however, the “nanny state” prescriptions on offer seem particularly vacuous. The one absolute I KNOW about government is this: Government is not in business to solve problems, government is in business to institutionalize problems! Bureaucracies evolve to protect and expand their turf.

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The hit television drama “Mad Men” recently began its third season to rave critical reviews and spectacular viewer ratings. The program, which is focused on the professional and personal lives of the associates of a New York City advertising agency in the early 1960’s is a magnetic period piece, featuring the fashion, lifestyle, dalliances and social interactions of a diverse group of contemporaries employed by the Sterling Cooper Agency.

Published · 1,581 views · Rated 2.5/5 from 4 votes

Winston Churchill’s Famous War Cryr Is Fully Applicable for Today’s Entrepreneurs Arguably, the courage and moral leadership provided to the western world by Winston Churchill was the key instrument essential to keeping World War 2 from ending early, and ever so badly for the cause of freedom. The ability to use words as a tool for effecting an outcome was never so vividly displayed, before or since. A demoralized and near beaten people took heart, did not quit in the face of overwhelming losses and turned an imminent route into ultimate victory.

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by: Geoff Ficke One of the qualities that we look for when evaluating prospective clients for our consumer product marketing consulting firm is PASSION. If an entrepreneur is not passionate about the product or business idea they are attempting to commercialize we cannot help them. Passion is palpable, easily identifiable and crucial to success. The following are 10 benefits that every inventor or entrepreneur should consider when evaluating the passion they bring to their project.

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Watching the Chicago White Sox win the World Series for the first time since 1917, I was struck again how wondrous this beautiful sport still can be. The purest American game, baseball teaches so many of the values we appreciate in all areas of life. Hard work, doing the little things, hustle, overcoming adversity and never quitting are lessons we learn playing Little League baseball. My firm specializes in small business development and boot strapping entrepreneurs. The virtues we see in every baseball game are directly applicable to success or failure for inventors and companies.

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If there were an Entrepreneur’s Hall of Fame, Wayne Huizenga would be a charter member. Most people recognize the Wayne Huizenga as being the former owner of the Florida Marlins baseball team, and the current owner of the National Football League’s Miami Dolphins. These are the types of gaudy baubles a billionaire entrepreneur collects. However, his success came from the most elemental business: trash hauling. Mr. Huizenga started as a small time cartage operator for a waste disposal firm in south Florida. He worked his way into sales and ultimately bought a small firm.

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Mercenary soldiers have been used by nation states since Biblical times. The Romans used Goth mercenaries to fight Hannibal and his Carthaginian army. The English used Celtic warriors to defend them against the Vikings. The British used Hessians during the Revolutionary War here in the United States. Mercenaries have enjoyed a very mixed reputation as long as government entities have utilized this soldier-for-hire service. The most successful use of a mercenary army almost certainly must be the late 20th century prowess displayed by a company named Executive Outcomes.

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One of the biggest mistakes business owners and entrepreneurs make is not having business systems in place to run their businesses. Systems either run your business or people do. That might sound odd because it seems obvious that you need people to run your business systems. And, you are absolutely correct, you do need people to run the systems, systems you have in place for them to follow, systems that make their jobs simpler and more duplicatable.

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My first professional job after finishing college and Marine Corps service was with a small cosmetic company in the early 1970’s. The beauty industry at that time was in the golden age of its creativity, growth and competitive balance. There were numerous firms able to exist and flourish by specializing in servicing a highly diversified retail universe with product lines that targeted narrow, specific demographic categories. Alexandra de Markoff, Imperial Formula, Andrea, Frances Denney, Germaine Monteil and many others were prominent brands of that time that no longer exist.

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by: Geoff Ficke This week I had the opportunity to launch a new product at the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association’s annual trade show in Orlando. This is an annual fair that brings together the manufacturers of all size to present and introduce new wares for the youth market. As in all industries, the competition is fierce, the innovations many and the marketing strategies are endlessly varied. During lulls in the actio I walked the floor and did a bit of networking.

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Today poetry is not a culturally prevalent or popular art form utilized to convey deep thought or the meaning of ideas. To be sure, there are contemporary poets, published works of poetry are available and the United States still recognizes a living “poet laureate”. However, for vast swaths of modern populations, poetry seems so prim, almost Victorian. So what can the words of a bygone poet, or poem, offer modern product marketers, inventors, entrepreneurs and designers that would inspire and motivate their efforts?

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The importance of a professional business presentation can not be overstated in determining the fate of a new business opportunity. Nevertheless, it is amazing how many times the presenter does not apply these same essential professional requirements to their own person. You only get one chance to make a great first impression. Make the most of it! This goes far beyond the obvious elemental issues of personal care and hygiene.

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I am going to relate this true story out of a sense of frustration. Hopefully, my experience, and disappointment at seeing a wonderful opportunity torched by sloppiness, will enlighten others to maximize the chance to succeed in their chosen endeavor. Great ideas need to be properly fertilized, cultured and harvested. Taking shortcuts always results in failure. My consulting firm reviews hundreds of new product ideas, inventions and small business projects each and every year. We have been doing so for over two decades. Very few of the deals we review ever become commercial realities.

Published · 1,285 views · Rated 2.7/5 from 3 votes

One of the most difficult tasks a new prospective entrepreneur faces is the construction of a Sales Model. Many books devoted to instruction for writing a business plan devote little or no attention to this vital exercise. The knowledge needed to assemble a quantified, qualified and clearly narrated Sales Model is essential to convey the scope and validity of an opportunity. The most elemental data point required to commence assembling a strong sales proposition is the Cost of Goods (COG).

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by: Geoff Ficke I have written in the past about the huge commercial opportunities afforded divergent products and inventions, as opposed to convergent features added to existing products. Divergent products are truly groundbreaking, destructive, disruptive breakthroughs. However, very few truly innovative divergent technologies are invented and make it successfully into the marketplace. The original light bulb, the phonograph, the radio and the steam engine are examples of innovations that set the standards in their respective product categories and are still in use today.

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The American economy is the growth engine of the industrial world and will continue to be so, as long a steady stream of innovative, divergent products is successfully created. The history of capitalism is replete with cycles of unique, needed product and technology advances that exponentially expand the economic base and evolve into completely new industry categories. No country comes close to America in dynamism, creativity and energy in pursuing cutting edge new growth opportunities. Why is this so?

Published · 2,132 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

An Alte ative, Inexpensive Way to Penetrate the Market For a New Product My consulting firm receives an average of 2 new product submissions from entrepreneur’s each day. Last year we viewed almost 700 such offerings. They ranged from the silly to the spectacular. The majority of these concepts actually possess some commercial merit. Nevertheless, fewer than a dozen of these will ever make it to market. There are many reasons for the paucity of successful product launches. The process is challenging and many people are not up for the fight.

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by: Geoff Ficke Many of the inventors and entrepreneurs we deal with in our consumer product marketing business approach us with dreams of selling product to the masses. This can be lucrative and a proper launch strategy in cases where all of the stars in the galaxy line up properly. How often does that happen? Mass marketing success is contingent on economies of scale, production advantages and large budgets for penetrating a clamorous commercial environment.

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by: Geoff Ficke Any visitor to modern Egypt, or viewer of a travelogue on this amazing country is awed by the antiquities visible everywhere. The Sphinx, hundreds of pyramids and mausoleums, temples and statuary are testament to the brilliance of this 4000 year old culture. These relics have survived the ravages of time, weather, wars and invasions. Almost entirely forgotten, however, is the ancient Egyptian fetish for personal health and cleanliness.

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Part of the holiday season is about giving and receiving gifts. Most of us like doing both – giving and receiving, whether we admit it or not. When we give gifts, we certainly want to be sure that the recipient knows it came from us.

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It’s easy to make costly mistakes at your live events. Most time, you make these mistakes and you’re not even aware that they might be costing you money…and probably some goodwill with your attendees. Recently, an event promoter asked for the volume of the music to be really cranked up during break. The idea was that people would be inspired to move around and that the loud music would really get their juices flowing and the excitement up.

Published · 533 views

What does it mean that somebody provides done-for-you services? It can mean a lot of things but essentially it means you hire somebody to take care of developing things like newsletters, fliers, ezines, marketing plans and other things like that, that help you get your business done.

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Having good strategies in place is one of the biggest factors in making your business a success. With that in mind, are your numbers lower than you'd like them to be, and are you conce ed about them? Are you seeing less people registering for your events? Are you finding sales to be lower than normal? Are your percentages down? Maybe you aren't getting as many people are register for your teleseminars. Does any of this sound familiar?r

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by: Geoff Ficke Any reflective student of history is often amazed at the products and processes invented and discovered in the ancient world that we take for granted today. Paint, gunpowder, weaponry, cement, the arch, beer, silk, papyrus, champagne, and so many others remain at the center of modern society and commerce in one form or another. Two of the most interesting ancient inventions are among the most popular consumer products of modern times, chewing gum and chocolate. Chocolate was first harvested and converted into a consumable drink by the Aztec’s in Mexico.

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There’s a lot of talk these days about being authentic, especially as it relates to your business. The question is: what exactly does that mean? Some business owners have taken this to mean they can say and do whatever they want to, because it’s just them being authentic. Everyone’s talking about it in different ways lately, but it seems everywhere you go, somebody’s talking about being authentic. The dictionary defines authentic as “the quality or condition of being trustworthy or genuine.” It also used words like genuine, real, and character.

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There is no more accurate American descriptive phrase of the rags to riches success then: “He pulled himself up by his bootstraps”. The pioneers, backwoodsmen, cowboys, whalers and other prototypical American hero classes all possessed an air of courage, self-reliance, and belief that they could beat the odds. They are wonderful samples of entrepreneurs at the most elemental level. My favorite method of starting a business, launching a product or service is the old fashioned, do it myself, Bootstrapping.

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Often times it may seem like you have a lot of work to do in your business, from writing newsletters, emails, articles and blogs, to generating audios and videos for distribution. Because we want to reach out to our customers in every way imaginable, we sometimes forget how easily we can turn one product into many.

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It’s never easy, in life or in business – making decisions. There is no magic formula or magic crystal ball that can show you the results of your decision before you make them. So how do you know when you’re making the right decision, or even good decisions? As a business owner, you know how important it is to at least make good decisions. Bad decisions can be costly, and in extreme cases, even put you out of business. Not being able to make a decision can be the thing that keeps you from doing what you want in your business.

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One of the greatest driving forces of business is your ability to implement and execute actions in a speedy and efficient way. Being able to move your business forward relies on creating systems, plans and blueprints, and then putting them into action. And not just any action, but massive action…massive, focused, directed action. This may sound like a lot of work, but it encompasses one of the concepts that’s extremely important to your business, and that’s leverage.

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Are you using social media in your business? Not are you using Facebook or Twitter and going on there while you’re at work and playing games or making random posts. The question is: are you using social media to build your business and to increase your profits? You absolutely can make money with social media and you should if you're a small business owner or entrepreneur. You want to think of social media like you do the other types of media you use in your marketing. You have direct mail, television, radio, internet and other media outlets you should be using in your marketing.

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Every sports fan knows the story of a sports team competitively peaking at the right time on the road to winning a championship. The Pittsburgh Steelers won the 2006 Super Bowl even though they only had the second best record in their division. In addition, they had to overcome the huge hurdle of playing three straight playoff games on the road in front of hostile crowds. Entering the tou ament, the Steelers were not favorites to win a championship. But they did.

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Recently my marketing consulting firm was approached by the owners of a young organic tea company seeking guidance in piercing the retail product distribution channel. The entrepreneur’s behind the venture were hard working, passionate and fully committed; both personally and financially. They had an excellent product.

Published · 1,406 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

There is an old adage in the funding community: “Investing $1,000,000 to fail is expensive, investing $5,000,000 to succeed is cheap. Investors will respond to funding needs based on real world assumptions. They will be very cautious when assessing a venture’s real funding requirements. Think of investment capital as fertilizer. If a farmer applies too little he harvests a poor crop or worse. Too much fertilizer and the harvest will likewise be disappointing. Experienced, successful farmers know their fields, their climate, crop planting patterns and their equipment.

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Do you ever feel like an alien? I’m not talking about the kind that’s green, from another planet and oozes nasty fluids. I’m talking about the feeling you get when you feel like you’re the only one who cares that the store clerk is having a personal conversation with her co-worker, while staring right at you, and still just goes right on talking as if they were the only 2 people in the world. Do you ever feel like you’re the only one who knows how to pick up the telephone and have a conversation with somebody to solve a problem or handle an issue?

Published · 566 views · Rated 1/5 from 1 votes

We all strive to be number one, meaning we want to be the best, we want to finish first and we want to be ahead of the pack. The number one is the worst possible number there is in business and marketing. Why? A lot of business owners use one marketing message, only one media to get their message out, have only one stream of income in their business, are only doing one thing or have only one product or service they offer. This strategy is really scary if you take some time to look at it.

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Do you see your clients? Do they see you? Those may seem like strange questions, but when you really think about it, they really aren't. Do you see your clients where they are or do you see them where they could be? Do you see your clients beyond the here and now and in a place of massive success, which they are striving toward?

Published · 552 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

Every year for the past 12 or 15 years I have taken a Friday off in the middle of December and spent the day with my best friend in Atlanta doing some Christmas shopping. We always have a great time, being silly and having fun, while getting the majority of our shopping done for the season. We always start off the day with a nice breakfast.

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My firm looks at hundreds of new product ideas, concepts and inventions every year. Many have great potential. When reviewing these opportunities the creator inevitably asks some form of the following: “Before spending any money, how can I get a feel for the potential success of my new idea?” Consumer research, focus groups and test marketing are commonly utilized by established companies to gauge the market reception and viability of new product offerings. Even limited, controlled programs such as these are beyond the reach of most entrepreneurs.

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Do you ever start your day and before you know it, it's just gone? Time is gone and you can't figure out where your day went. You're looking at what you've accomplished and the only answer you can come up with is... nothing at all. Have you taken the time to think about what's happening? What's draining your day? What's keeping you from completing the tasks you needed to get done?

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by: Geoff Ficke My Company routinely reviews more than 600 new product ideas, concepts, prototypes and models during most years. During a soft economy, such as today’s, we see even more as people become more desperate to chase a dream. Pursuit of the “American Dream” almost always involves entrepreneurial activity. During this business cycle we have been inundated with a slew of energy related offerings.

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by: Geoff Ficke As a young, struggling college student in the 1960’s I became entranced with the life, philosophy and writings of the great American thinker Eric Hoffer. Hoffer’s life story was almost mystical, his thinking so lucid and the concepts he presented were so fresh that I could not get enough of this great mans ideas. Only now do I fully realize how my adherence, to the thoughts of Mr. Hoffer have positively affected my professional life to this very day. Eric Hoffer was born in Germany. His family immigrated to America when he was a toddler.

Published · 2,285 views · Rated 2.5/5 from 2 votes

by: Geoff Ficke One of the greatest literary and science works of the ancient world, rarely studied today, was the Opus Majus. The amazingly futuristic content of the Opus Majus was virtually a modern tutorial, written in the 13th century, on an array of literary, scientific and philosophical topics. The writer was the eclectic, brilliant Franciscan friar, Roger Bacon. Bacon was born to a prosperous English family in the 13th century, attended Oxford University at the age of 13 and soon commenced a career as a teacher at Britain’s most famous university.

Published · 1,549 views · Rated 3.3/5 from 4 votes

Marketing is one of the most powerful tools you have in your business. Once you can begin to think of every aspect of your business as a form of marketing, you begin to think like a marketer instead of just a business owner. Your brand, your logo, your colors, your personal style and the way you greet customers, clients and prospects is all marketing. The way your staff presents themselves and everything having to do with your business; it’s all marketing.

Published · 714 views

Are you following-up with your prospects? Do you do enough follow-up? You may think the sale stops at the end of an event, or the end of a call, or at the end of the first step of however it is you go about making sales in your business. This is simply not the case. If you don’t follow-up in every way imaginable you might as well say “I give up, if you don’t want anything I have after this, you’ll never hear from me again.” And if you do that in your business, you’ll probably be shutting your doors before you know it. Don’t give up…instead, follow-up.

Published · 715 views · Rated 1.5/5 from 2 votes

Their Successors Often Lose Focus And Greatly Damage These Franchises If you are of a certain age you will vividly remember the following names: Helena Rubenstein, Faberge, Germain Monteil, Trigere, Revlon, Elizabeth Arden, Max Factor, Schwinn, W. T. Grant, Montgomery Ward and Chuck Taylor. Each name represented a hugely successful consumer product brand. Each of these brands was grown from the entrepreneurial seed of a visionary. Unfortunately, each was subsequently abused, in several cases terminally, by non-visionary corporate bean counters. A classic example is Revlon.

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A friend was effectively eliminated from the traditional corporate work force in the early 1990’s. It was traumatic. He was a college graduate. He had climbed the corporate ladder, rapidly, inexorably. He enjoyed a six-figure income, a second home, club memberships, prosperous investment accounts, wonderful benefit packages, a College investment plan for his three kids, sports cars and extensive travel. He was devastated!

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At the conclusion of every sales presentation the salesman will have achieved one of three results: a sale is made, a sale is lost or valuable information is gleaned that can result in building a relationship. The third result can be called identifying the “hot button”. Obviously, the purpose of every sales presentation is to close the sale, and this is the only acceptable outcome any good salesman expects.

Published · 5,633 views · Rated 3/5 from 3 votes

How a Cool Food Product Lost an Important Marketing Advantage - and Died Recently I was interviewed by a national small business magazine about a topic that is all too real; and very problematic for small businessmen. The author of the story was trying to solve a simple problem that many of us have faced, and face every day. How to protect a product concept that cannot be protected by patents or copyrights? Here is the problem and some thoughts on the best ways to protect your work product. The product in question in this case was a cake.

Published · 1,469 views · Rated 2.5/5 from 2 votes

In the 1920’s Germany was in tatters. The formerly great empire was dismantled, the powerful army humiliated by its defeat in World War I and the population starved, cold and living in despair. Businesses that had been successful before the war were decimated by the outcome. There was no way to earn a living. For many Germans the only reasonable option available to pursue a better life was to immigrate to America. Before the outbreak of World War I, Max Ste had operated a successful textile business.

Published · 1,433 views · Rated 2/5 from 2 votes

Several years ago my marketing consulting firm reviewed a most clever, novel, exceedingly commercial concept in casual footwear. We met with the designer who had created the collection and were excited by everything we saw in the initial presentation. The footwear possessed a universality of use and amazing styling cues that would make them a “must own” for every woman interested in shoes, meaning every woman everywhere.

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Authenticity! We hear a lot of people using that word these days and a lot of people are talking about being authentic in your marketing. It’s a very interesting concept to look at as you read headlines and study marketing. You’ve seen them. We’ve all seen those outrageous headlines that we all know can’t really happen but appeal to our sense of wanting things to be easy and to be able to get rich quick and all that. How about this one for example…“$12 Million in 12 Weeks” – saw that one recently and it actually made me laugh out loud.

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There are hundreds of thousands of business plans floating around and attempting to find a funding home. I receive hundreds of business plans annually myself, and can definitely state that 99% of these documents are laughable as presentations of an exciting investment opportunity. I am not referring to the value of the product being described, rather the presentation that purports to describe an exciting investment situation. One of the reasons that so many plans are so poorly written, and there are many, many additional reasons, is that the writers do not understand how plans are read.

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As in so many consumer product categories, it would seem that there is little room left for innovation in mature businesses like liquor. Most of the world’s best selling alcohol brands have pedigrees that extend back for generations, if not centuries.

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by: Geoff Ficke In early 20th century America the vast majority of people living in rural areas eked out a living in agriculture. Farms were small, often sharecropped. The planting and harvesting was labor intensive and horses provided the only source of energy for mechanized tilling. The vagaries of weather and drought have always made farming difficult. Crops were mainly grown for consumption by the farmer’s family, with any extra produce bartered for needed goods. We are all aware of the history of Henry Ford and his invention of the production line to mass-produce Model-T’s.

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Whatever happened to the Stanley Steamer automobile? From the production of Stanley’s first model in 1897, the Company outsold every other firm that produced internal combustion powered vehicles until the brands demise in 1924. The Steamers were safe, durable and easily maintained. So what killed the Stanley Steamer? The Stanley Automobile Company was founded by twin brothers Francis and Freelan Stanley. The cars gained fame when a model set the world land speed record in 1906, covering one mile in 28.2 seconds.

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One of the easiest ways to attract ideal clients and prospects is a really simple thing that will make you stand out to people who would be interested in doing business with you. It’s talking about what you believe. While that might sound strange, it’s something every person in business should be thinking about. • What do you believe about your business? • What do you believe about life in general? • Why do you get out of bed every morning, and do what you do?

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Appraising your employees has many benefits. Appraisals help to develop your staff, improve your company's performance and help you plan better. They help identify training needs and can form the basis for pay reviews. They also record progression, and can be helpful for career and succession planning, for individual staff members, core roles and the company in general.

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by: Geoff Ficke One of the great benefits we enjoy about the consulting work we do is having the opportunity to review the inventiveness of hundreds of entrepreneurs each year. It truly is amazing how many of these creative talents push the envelope of novelty. There is no such reality as the oft stated: “I have seen it all”. None of us have seen it all, as the volume of freshly executed innovative products and concepts being nurtured, is never ending. And yet, so few of the projects we review ever make it past our initial critique and pre-product development criteria.

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You have your business up and running and you have some products and services set up to offer to clients and prospects. Sometimes this is the part where you might begin to feel a little stuck, because you begin to wonder how to set your prices. Maybe you have a business where prices are already set, that’s fine because then you don’t have a choice – or maybe it’s bad because you don’t have a choice. More than likely you have a business where you need to really think about what you’re going to charge your clients for what you’re offering.

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The question that comes up a lot regarding events is do I or do I not give attendees a schedule? The question to answer is why would you not give a schedule out? Is there a valid reason why you don’t want your attendees to know what is coming up next and what to expect from your event?

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by: Geoff Ficke In 1930, a young engineer was sent by his supervisor to spend time working on the floor of a Minneapolis auto body shop. The reason for the working visit was to review the performance of his employer’s principal product, industrial grade sandpaper, in actual use as a car door was being sanded. The young mans name was Richard Drew. While in the repair shop, young Mr. Drew was exposed to a rougher work environment than he was used to. The floor of the shop was loud, dirty, and, well, quite profane.

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One of the bigger mistakes we see new entrepreneurs and startup businesses make is to try to hit a home run right out of the box. My experience in the days when I played baseball, and in building a solid business foundation, is that when purposely trying to hit home runs, you usually strike out. The homer usually comes when you just try to make contact with the ball and put it in play. My consumer product marketing consulting firm counsels dozens of entrepreneurs every year. Very often, these admirable, ambitious go-getters are driven to be as big as they can be, as fast as they can be.

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by: Geoff Ficke As readers of my articles well know, I run a marketing and product development-consulting firm. We review hundreds of novel consumer products, new service concepts and prototypes each year. The level of creativity contained in some of these offerings is truly stunning and always amazes. Entrepreneurs have always found the United States to be the mother lode of places to birth ideas and bring them to successful fruition in the worlds most aggressive, cluttered marketplace.

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How to Turn an Ancient Scottish Peat Bog into Marketing Gold Many years ago, as a young entrepreneur seeking to launch my very first consumer product, I discovered the importance of having a Unique Selling Proposition (USP) to establish my brand’s niche. My partner and I had developed a very superior multi-use skin moisturizer that we positioned as working in conjunction with a novel loose powder make up. The performance of the treatment and color cosmetic system was far superior to anything on the market at the time.

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Most inexperienced entrepreneurs are unaware of the many options and alte ative strategies available to push a new idea or invention to market. The most common approach they seek to implement is a classic funding round. When this avenue fails, and with overwhelming frequency it does, the idea often is dropped. Driven inventors attend invention trade fairs, venture capital conferences, small business incubators, and network at every possible opportunity in search of funding and working capital for their invention.

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by: Geoff Ficke We take the simplest devices for granted in our modern technologically advanced world. We turn a tap and water is delivered, hot, temperate and cold. We hit a wall switch and darkness is overcome by light. We open the refrigerator door and peer into a compartment that contains climate controlled stored foodstuffs. These conveniences are omnipresent in the developed world in the early 21st century. And yet, we reflect little on the simplest, most important inventions that make all forms of product possible. Consider the humble screw.

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by: Geoff Ficke One of the most illuminating professional experiences of my life was my first visit to the elegant center of British Bespoke male haberdashery, Saville Row in London’s exclusive Mayfair district. I was a young man, just starting my career in the international cosmetic business and, while knowing of the worldwide reputation for excellence of English hand tailored gentleman’s clothing, I had never experienced this level of quality and artisan craftsmanship.

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One of the best ways for small business owners to secure a successful future is to always be considering the next thing - the next product or the next service to put out. Not only considering what that next thing is, but how it will be made, marketed and sold. This is one of the best strategies you can use in your business, because it allows you to focus on the future of your business instead of your present condition.

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Recently, I’ve had a lot of people saying things to me like “Oh, Diane, you’re so lucky” or “How do you know all these famous people, and how do they know you?” or “Opportunities seem to fall in your lap, how does that happen for you?” Well, it was suggested to me that I share some of my secrets, so I’ve decided to do just that.

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Industries Pioneered by Immigrants Prove America Still World’s Center for Opportunity My first job after service in the Marine Corps was with the Revlon Cosmetic Company. Revlon was founded by the iconic business man and fashion arbiter of the day, Charles Revson. The business in the 1940’s, 1950’s and 1960’s was totally identified with Mr. Revson; his lavish lifestyle, marriages, famous temper and hugely successful product launches were regularly trumpeted by the business press of the day. Charles Revson was a visionary.

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I have often written and referred to the difference between convergent and divergent products. Convergent products are simple design improvements on existing models already being marketed. The push button radio, the car radio or a clock radio are examples of convergent products. These examples simply add features to the divergent “alpha” invention of the radio. The invention of the radio was truly a monumental breakthrough divergent product. It was revolutionary and totally new. Most new product introductions are simple line extensions, or convergent products.

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Does your marketing strategy include an integrated plan? You have a variety of ways to market your business - including advertising, direct mail, social media, email marketing - just to name a few. All of these enable you to reach out to your clients to let them know what’s going on in your business and the products and services you have available for them. Each of those systems has its own marketing strategy. When you integrate your marketing strategies together you’re making your marketing message stronger.

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Every television viewer has seen the infomercial spot showing the forlorn, wanna-be inventor, crushed, their idea being successfully marketed by another party. He did not get a patent. The answer offered in the commercial, contact an Invention Submission Company, get a patent, market your product or opportunity to thousands of corporate decision-makers, get rich. This is the American Dream, is it not? One of the saddest aspects of my work as a new product development and marketing consultant is the whole area of invention submission firms.

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Without a doubt, advancements to technology have certainly opened the doors to new methods of marketing. With so many options in the way of digital marketing some of us may find ourselves asking if direct mail is an old, outdated marketing method. The answer is no. Absolutely not! Using good direct response marketing techniques and strategies is a tried and true way to market your business. Direct mail, if done properly, will never be out of date. After all, look how long it’s been working as an effective marketing strategy already.

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This is a question that has no absolute answer. In many aspects of life an entrepreneurial spirit is useful. For our purposes, we will stick to the commercial and business areas and narrow the field of possible answers within this scope. I believe that theoretically any person can be a successful entrepreneur. Unfortunately, this is far from true in the real world. Most people do not have the mix of drive, ambition, passion, fearlessness and creativity requisite in most successful entrepreneurs. Look at the lifestyle and career choices made by the vast majority of people.

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I am often asked if these are good times for new enterprise opportunities? Should I wait? Is the economy down? Is it a good funding market? Is competition too intense? These, and dozens more stated conce s are nothing more than self-imposed hurdles to movement. Now is the best time in history to start a business, launch a product or offer a cutting edge new service. More people than ever before have jobs. More people than ever before own homes. More business incorporations are established each year than the previous year.

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Is there a difference between strategy and tactics? It probably depends on who you ask, but I see a big difference between the two. We talk a lot about and utilize strategy in our business and for our clients as well. So many things revolve around marketing and business strategy. Tactics has a negative connotation, like using a tactic to get you to do something. It’s sort of like the subtle difference between persuasion or influence and manipulation.

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Have you ever found yourself faced with some new insights in your life, or a new theme in your life or just found yourself struggling? We all have, and I'm no different. Several months ago, I was struggling - going through a difficult time in my life, as many of us do at times - when a good friend of mine said if you ever feel like you have to fight, then it’s the wrong situation because life should never be about fighting, forcing or struggling. Instead, things in your life should just flow.

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A fitting metaphor for the young 21st century, and the ever-increasing intrusiveness of government at all levels, is this weeks news stories detailing the total lack of progress in rebuilding the World Trade Center. This is the cherry on top of the proverbial bitter bureaucratic sundae. Is this the America of yore? What has happened to us? Utilizing the relatively primitive construction techniques of the Depression era, the Empire State Building was conceived and constructed in 410 days. Men were hungry and desperate at that time. Government, pre-New Deal, was much smaller at all levels.

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One of the biggest conce s for many business owners is how to be authentic in their marketing. You want results from your marketing, but you also want to avoid the in your face or the hard core marketing approach. You also want to avoid the negativity based marketing that relies on bashing others to make your point. You want to expose all the great things about your business and let your customers know why your business is the best option for them, without creating an image that’s not representative of your business or who you are as a person.

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Most of the entrepreneurs we interview in our consulting business have a very unrealistic conception of what excites and disappoints investors. The dream of many inexperienced inventors seeking to fund their opportunity is to build a substantial infrastructure. Their business plan identifies the need for factory space, equipment, staff, and many other fixed costs. Investors want to see a plan that maximizes return on investment. High fixed costs are the enemy of a great profit margin.

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Sometimes when we get into business, we know what our products are going to be and we have a firm hold on our price points, but we don’t necessarily have all the necessary knowledge or skills to put it all together to get people to buy. Having a sales process is an important factor in sales and it also becomes important in having repeat customers or clients who buy from you over and over again.

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When it comes to list building most small business owner aren’t ever really satisfied with their results and most wonder if they could do a better job of attracting ideal clients to their list. It’s often said that the person with the largest list has the biggest business. The person with the biggest list doesn’t always have the biggest business because there are many other factors that go into building a successful business. It’s not only the size of your list that counts, it’s how you use your list and the relationship you have with your list that counts most.

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Have you ever noticed how successful people always seem to have a very wide net of friends and acquaintances? Howard Hughes became an infamous recluse only after he was fabulously wealthy. His network of business associations enabled him to excel in aviation, manufacturing, heavy industry, oil, movie making and hotel/casino ownership. He tapped into the best managers, engineers and executives available within each industry he tackled to manage his properties and provide essential expertise. Most people are very lucky if they have two or three truly close personal friends in a lifetime.

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Let’s face it, nobody confuses writing or reading a Business Plan with a Bruce Willis action movie or a Tom Clancy novel. A Business Plan is a serious presentation that details an economic opportunity being offered for funding, licensing or sales consideration. Detail, research, financials and harvest options, key elements of any plan, can be dry, less than electric stuff.

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Most people lead rather ordinary lives, built around family, job, church and hobbies. This is fine for most. The need to pay the bills leads many to engage in work that is unfulfilling, boring and stifling. That so many people work at energy sapping employment should be a motivating factor in seeking entrepreneurial opportunity. Sadly, most people are totally risk averse and eliminate themselves from the potential rewards available almost exclusively to entrepreneurs. The perceived risk taker (the entrepreneur) is, in actuality, not the real risk taker.

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It’s not uncommon to find that as businesses grow they have a tendency to lose sight of the very things that made them who they are. That thing is the relationships the business has built and maintains with its list - the people on your list who have contributed to our success. Your clients! People are so important, they’re the most important part of your business. They’re in our coaching programs, they have invested in our products and services and many of them have watched us develop from individuals with an idea into full-fledged businesses with missions and goals.

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We have all heard some version of the old saying, “find something you enjoy doing and make your living in that field”. For most people that would seem to be easier said than done. Millions of these working Jane’s and Joe’s go to employment that is not physically, psychologically or financially particularly rewarding. They toil to earn a basic living and count the days until Friday, Holidays and vacations. Clients, students and entrepreneurs often ask me how to they can find a career that is fulfilling, exciting and lucrative.

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The magic word that every consumer loves to hear more than any other is, FREE! Sales promotions offering a free sample or product inducement are always exceedingly popular. Human nature being what it is, the opportunity to obtain something of perceived value for nothing is usually very desirable. Creative entrepreneurs can craft and develop a very effective, and free, promotional tool for their business or invention. The ability to utilize public relations is a key component of any successful enterprise.

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by: Geoff Ficke Modern travelers take the open road for granted. We can hop into exquisitely engineered modern vehicles, pop onto smooth, straight freeways, well lit, with excellent signage and many roadside conveniences. We can cover as much ground as we might like in any direction, in relative comfort and safety. Much that we love about modern road travel was actually available 2500 years ago to the ancient Romans.

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“an aggregate of functions involved in moving goods from producer to consumer” – Webster’s Dictionary, definition of “marketing” “to give up property to another for money or other valuable consideration” Webster’s Dictionary, definition of “selling” Many new entrepreneurs do not understand the difference between selling and marketing. In mature businesses, sales and marketing departments often are competitive with each other. The marketing department creates advertising, sales promotion, sales collateral, display and branding strategies applicable to a product.

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A question all business owners should ask themselves, especially if they do their own marketing, is this - is my marketing manipulative or influential? In order for you to make that distinction, you have to know the difference between the two. Take a minute to think about what your business provides for people. Are you giving your clients things they want and need and things they can benefit from? Or, are you just convincing them to buy anything from you because you need to make money and it’s what’s best for you – with no regard for what will benefit them the most?

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by: Geoff Ficke In the modern world we take for granted the availability of innumerable sources providing accurate measurements of time. Telling current time is so readily available that we have lost sight of the profound importance of knowing time, to the hour and minute. For most of human history accurately measuring time was irrelevant. There was no need for watches; clocks, clock radios or digital time reads on car dashboards. Until the flowering of the industrial age in the second half of the 19th century most people worked in small plot agriculture.

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Are you a business coach? Do you have a coach? What do you think is the most important aspect of coaching? Do you focus on mindset issues or business first? There’s no clear-cut answer, no answer that spans across the board and fits all situations because each person, every business owner and every coach is different.

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During the 18th century the royal courts of Europe were starved for exciting and fresh entertainment formats. The staid choral recital, piano concerto, plays and opera had been standard fare in all of the great palaces for centuries. Each court strove to offer something more modern, more cutting edge and contemporary. In 1769 the Empress of Austria, Maria Therese invited a member of her entourage named Baron Wolfgang Von Kempelen to attend a conjuring show. Conjuring was a form of the emerging art of magic presentations.

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I have always tried to teach my children the difference between needing and wanting a product. This is a value judgement that applies to every human, many times in surprisingly differing ways. People born to great wealth view need far differently than those of us born to the lower classes. I might need an efficient baby stroller for my grandchild, while a Beverly Hills grandpa needs a Bugaboo (the Danish stroller that can sell for well over $1000). Both do the same job, I need a stroller that safely holds and transports my grandchild for about $130.

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by: Geoff Ficke Each week we receive a number of unsolicited business proposals in our marketing consulting business. Some are submitted by mail, some by e-mail and a number are the result of phone contacts. We have developed a methodology of quickly weighing the commercial viability of each. This is important as we strive to manage our time, and potential clients can receive proper initial guidance from us as they pursue their goals and dreams. The key initial indicator we evaluate when weighing a newly presented Business Plan is the Executive Summary.

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by: Geoff Ficke For most of history natural and man made disasters were treated as simple “Acts of God”. After the event, the effected populations were left to fend for themselves. They rebuilt their lives as best they could but there was no agency or provider that could be approached for assistance. Charity was virtually unknown in any organized way. Governments were distant and not in the business of administering relief funds. Thus, a commercial opportunity was noticed, addressed and successfully harvested. In 1670 there was a massive fire in London.

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When you go to the movies, you buy a ticket, maybe some popco and a drink. When you go to get your haircut, you pay for the haircut and maybe you leave a tip for the hairdresser. When you need to go somewhere, you pay to put gas in your car. So with all these things in life that you have to pay for just to do anything, why does the word sales make so many people cringe?

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KISS Is Just A New Turn On An Ancient Theorem Most of us are familiar with the colloquial term “keep it simple stupid” or KISS. The phrase, often used derisively to pan a complex over-analysis of a problem, is part of the current idiom. The assumption that simplicity is the preferred route to successfully discovering the answer to a particularly complex problem is actually grounded on a 700-year old philosophical theorem: Occam’s Razor. William of Occam was a 14th century Franciscan friar from England.

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“The Big Idea” that will make an entrepreneur successful is not obtainable by filling in the blanks on a magic invention template. Where do ‘The Big Ideas” come from? Why are some people able to develop exciting concepts and others, though constantly scheming, achieve nothing of value? How do serial inventors repeat success, again and again. Entrepreneurs are born, not made. Thomas Edison performed over 1000 experiments before perfecting the electric light bulb. Think of that fact, and apply it to people in general. He failed 1000 times before getting it right.

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Every business requires a structure that will withstand necessary legal and governmental scrutiny. The choice of how to organize a new enterprise should be made based on the needs and capacity of the owner(s) to maintain and detail the records, history and finances of the business. Many simple service businesses are set up as a sole proprietorship. The lawn service I utilize is a sole proprietorship. I make out the check in the name of the person providing the service.

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by: Geoff Ficke As we slog along under the full weight of the current financial calamity, there is much weeping and gnashing of teeth about the future of the United States. Many of our countries fiercest enemies and critics are gloating over their perception that our wave has crested and we have entered a period of steep decline as an economic, military and cultural power. Amongst the citizenry, there is a palpable sense that the country is on the wrong track.

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Patent numbers are issued sequentially, beginning with the number one. Patent number one was issued to Samuel Hopkins on July 31, 1790. It took 75 years for the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to issue patent number 1,000,000. Patent number 7,000,000 was issued February 14, 2006. It took only seven years for the USPTO to move from issuance of patent number 6,000,000 to 7,000,000. What does this mean? Simply, there is more creativity now that at any time in history. The old saw that “there is nothing new” is completely wrong.

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Can you think of anything in this world that’s absolutely perfect? If you can, it’s probably doubtful that it’s man-made. Are you making the mistake of treating yourself, or your business as if it has to be perfect? If you are you really need to stop. Too often, you strive to achieve perfection in yourself and in your business, and all you’re doing is giving yourself an unrealistic goal. Stop white-knuckling life and stop trying to be perfect. No one expects you to be perfect, except you.

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Persistence Pays Off For Driven Product Marketers and Inventors of WD-40 Along with duct tape, probably the most common product handymen keep in the garage for tackling household chores and repairs is the ubiquitous lubricant spray WD-40. I am a mechanical klutz. But when something needs fixing in my home, I simplistically grab the duct tape or a can of WD-40 for use in my first line of attacking the problem at hand. WD-40 is a classic example of a product innovation that defines the persistence required of successful inventors and entrepreneurs when facing hurdles.

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by: Geoff Ficke William Shakespeare” famous quote from Hamlet, “When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions”, is particularly relevant today. All of the news seems bad. The negative numbers are huge. The human devastation seems interminable. Governments everywhere seem to have lost control. Debt is perverse on a personal, corporate and governmental level. This glass seems to be mostly empty. It is not! From the depths of disaster grow the seeds of opportunity.

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During my many years of reviewing and analyzing inventions, new products and service offerings I have been amazed by the innate fear of selling expressed by so many otherwise capable entrepreneurs. There exists a palpable fear of selling that mimics vertigo, arachnophobia or a fear of snakes. This fear should never stop a project from successfully entering the marketplace. Ponder the daily aspects of life virtually all of us experience. We seek out, and interview, for jobs. We seek out, then court, and marry our mate.

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Let’s consider the example of an entrepreneurial inventor attempting to market his newest creation: a portable hydrostatic body fat test appliance. Design is complete, testing is finished and results exceeded initial assumptions, several working prototypes have been built, UL Approval is in hand, patents filed and a business plan has been customized. The wellness aspects of the unit make it timely and potentially very lucrative if handled properly. Most entrepreneurs would consider the status of the above-described project to be advanced and well positioned.

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You are an entrepreneurial inventor with marvelous ideas in your area of expertise. The ability to create models, prototypes and concepts flows easily from your fertile brain. Nevertheless, all you have to show for your creative efforts is a garage full of dead end stuff, despite all of your efforts. Many creative people have an area of knowledge in which they excel. They are in their comfort zone there and can appear to be a master of this precise universe. However, taken just a bit outside the protective lines of this tight little planet, they are lost souls.

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For many years I felt that if you scratched any American you were scratching an entrepreneur. This is the country where entrepreneurial activity is most possible and seemingly every citizen has an idea with commercial potential. Sadly, over time, I realized I was wrong. If you scratch most Americans you are most likely scratching a dreamer. The difference between a dreamer and a doer is profound. Successful entrepreneurs might have initially dreamt of success, but they will not stop there.

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The 10 Commandments of Selling Every successful entrepreneur must achieve a level of sales competence. Short of spending valuable capital on hiring sales professionals, there is no alte ative. Selling is to business as fertilizer is to agriculture. Nothing happens in a company until somebody sells something. There are natural born salesmen. However, with application, practice and determination, anyone can hone selling skills and develop a style compatible with their personality. As an old sales manager, I have had the opportunity to work with every level of sales talent.

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The 16th century was a time of amazing transformation in Europe. The Dark Ages were gone, the Black Plague had run it course and Middle Age fears and superstitions were slowly disappearing. The printing press had been invented and it was completely revamping the way people communicated. Columbus had discovered the America’s and the great age of exploration was in full swing.

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One of the great entertainment values available to almost anyone with a cable television service is the History Channel. The volume and quality of wonderfully instructive and entertaining programming on offer is amazing. I have never watched a reality show, or a celebrity dancing display, but I rarely miss the exciting offerings of the History Channel. Recently the channel has been immersed in the subject of Egyptian antiquities.

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What does it take to turn an idea into a product? How can I realize financial gain from my idea? Where do I start? These and many other questions swirl around would-be inventors and entrepreneurs as they seek to bring new products and services to market. The process can seem daunting for anyone making a first attempt and confronting the typical hurdles and roadblocks the marketplace utilizes to cull the field. I look at hundreds of products each year and have done so for almost 30 years.

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by: Geoff Ficke Cement is the most widely used building material in the world and has been for thousands of years. The historical record confirms that the ancient Persians, Assyrians and Babylonians used cement in the binding and affixing of mud bricks. The Egyptians also used cement in construction. It was the Romans, however, that perfected the production of slaked cement that made many construction advances possible. The basic materials that the ancients used to make cement were readily available, then as now.

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What does the following list of companies have in common? A&P Hudson Motor Car Co. Montgomery Ward TWA Horn and Hardart Studebakerr Indian Motorcycler Bonwit Teller Woolworthr Bethlehem Steelr Polaroid LTV These Companies were successful, recognizable brands in their respective categories. They were publicly traded and a number were in the Nifty Fifty in the 1970’s and/or the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The element they all have in common (and with hundreds of other equally recognizable names) is that they did not innovate.

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During a recent quick business trip to New York City a normal, everyday travel occurrence ignited a recurring observatio I enjoy more and more frequently. The Entrepreneurial Spirit is booming in America! While sitting in a dank Yellow Cab, crawling in the normal snail paced city traffic, I struck up a conversation with my driver. His name was Aquil and he was a native of Pakistan. After the normal chatter I asked Aquil how long he had been driving. “Three years,” he said, “but I am really not here to drive, I am setting up an import/export business”.

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The first commercially successful mouthwash product is still one of the most famous: Listerine. First marketed in the late 19th century as a surgical antiseptic, the product enjoyed modest success. Listerine was created by Dr. Joseph Lawrence and Jordan Lambert and named in honor of Dr. Joseph Lister, the pioneer of antiseptic surgery. In distilled form, Listerine was sold in the early years of the 20th century as a floor cleaner and gonorrhea treatment. However, it was only in the 1920’s that the product started to sell in great volume, and only because of a clever marketing strategy.

Published · 2,546 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

Anyone that flies regularly knows the blank feeling that sweeps over us as we hear that our flight has been delayed, or worse, canceled. Minds race while reviewing how to kill time, are there alte ative travel options, can I reset the meeting I had scheduled on the other end of the flight? As modern air travel has disintegrated into a cluster debacle of ever growing proportions, the many hours we waste on travel hassles leads to vexing choices and forced idleness.

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by: Geoff Ficke Recently, Michelle Obama famously commented that for the first time in her life she was proud of her country. Her remarks were widely critiqued and rightly so, as she is potentially the next First Lady of the United States. Her delayed burst of enthusiasm for the land of her birth is no doubt enhanced by the fact that her husband, a black man with a limited resume, is unexpectedly the front runner for the Democratic Presidential nomination. As the years have past and I enter the winter of my life, I find myself enduring a first time attitude adjustment of my own.

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by: Geoff Ficke Almost every living individual is being effected adversely in some way by the international economic meltdown we are experiencing today. The genesis of this severe financial downtu is attributed to the United States government encouraging the expansion of homeownership to people who would have historically been deemed unworthy of obtaining credit.

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It Also Offers Entrepreneurs an Amazingr Lesson About Competition Mapping the human genome had been a goal that modern bio-scientists yearned to conquer for decades. Human genome, basically a map of each humans cell make-up, if properly researched and documented, could provide the answer to myriad mysteries, including: why we age, genetic markers, causes and cures for diseases and many more questions previously thought unobtainable. The drive to chart this monumentally complex scientific puzzle lead to an interesting competition.

Published · 1,226 views · Rated 1/5 from 1 votes

Almost every person in the world takes a certain pride in being a reasonable person. They will make prudent choices based on their background and attitudes. The safe decision minimizes the chances of being wrong. No one likes to be wrong. The safe decision, however, carries little upside reward benefits. You are expected to pay your bills. Pay your taxes. Drive responsibly. Not yell fire in a theatre. Doing these things nets you no special extras. All of the great ideas or advances in history have evolved from unsafe, unconventional ideas.

Published · 1,519 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

Strategy is a term that gets thrown around a lot in business, especially when it comes to marketing. Sometimes we use the word to the point of forgetting what it really means to have strategy in your business. Strategy is much more than what you’re doing. Strategy is about knowing why you’re doing what you’re doing.

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by:Geoff Ficke Virtually every modern household has a basic wheelbarrow stored away. The use of the wheelbarrow is ubiquitous in construction and basic home chores. The design, form and function of the wheelbarrow has not appreciable changed for 700 years. And yet, this simple tool is one of history’s great advances in creating labor productivity. No one knows who invented the wheelbarrow. The Chinese used crude, primitive sorts of wheeled carts, similar to the modern unit, as early as the 1st century.

Published · 3,472 views · Rated 1/5 from 1 votes

I grew up in the 1950’s playing basketball hour after hour on city playgrounds. The public courts of the day were nothing like those found today in most American towns. There were no lights, a steel, kidney-shaped backboard (ugh!) with bent rims, occasionally a steel chain net and no lines painted to properly delineate the free throw line and out of bounds. The surface was often rough and cracked. You had to know where the ball would give a true bounce and where you could lose control because of the uneven surface. But we played on for endless hours in all weather.

Published · 5,672 views · Rated 2.7/5 from 3 votes

The questio I receive more often than any other is: “What is the mistake you most frequently observe inventors or entrepreneurs making?” The answer is an easy one. Most unsuccessful entrepreneurs try to get to market by taking shortcuts. We live in a commercial maelstrom. The marketplace is constantly chu ing, changing, adapting. Successful marketers are constantly adjusting, anticipating, re-inventing.

Published · 1,381 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

Amazing changes in the retail marketplace over the last 15 years has created new, different obstacles to successfully launch a new product. Marketing romantics muse glowingly about the old days when there were supposedly multiple placement opportunities in every level of retail. True, there were. But on closer inspection, there are as many options now, if not more. People and organizations are not usually open to change. Change is hard, requires a different thought process, imagination, flexibility.

Published · 1,847 views · Rated 2/5 from 2 votes

Any traveler to London is naturally overwhelmed with the many sites, sounds, history and majesty of this glorious ancient capital, especially first time visitors. Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, the Thames, Big Ben the Horse Guards, 10 Downing Street, St. James Park, St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Old Bailey and Hyde Park Gate are only a few of the famous must see locations tourists consume in the vast spread of this vibrant metropolis.

Published · 4,750 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

The world is currently fixated on the international credit crisis and the role banking has played in this debacle. We take it for granted that commerce flows quickly and accurately across borders and frontiers. A resident of Maine can purchase a tank of gas at home, or in Italy with the same credit card. The purchase will be accurately debited to their account, their credit limit will be adjusted and the merchant will receive an electronic transfer of the charge into their account almost simultaneously.

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The Prolific Inventor That the World Has Mostly Forgotten We learn at an early age that Ben Franklin was America’s first great inventor; Henry Ford invented mass production, Thomas Edison the light bulb and the phonograph and the Wright Brothers invented the first airplane. These men, and a few others, are well remembered and honored for their spectacular achievements. Their legacies are tribute to their genius and the possibilities available to any American willing to exploit our capitalist system that honors and rewards innovation.

Published · 1,288 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

by: Geoff Ficke Albert Einstein’s famous “Theory of Relativity” (e = mc2) is as familiar to many millions of people as a popular modern commercial limerick for a soft drink or a jingle for a candy bar. Even though very few amongst these millions actually understand the scientific premise of the “Theory of Relativity”: people innately understand its import and relate it to its brilliant creator, the wild haired genius Albert Einstein. The famous equation is to energy, as H2O is to water.

Published · 2,221 views · Rated 2.3/5 from 3 votes

by: Geoff Ficke One wintry night in 1933, Percy Shaw found himself driving his automobile on a remote country road in England. The night was moonless; the fog hung densely and there was a persistent mixture of rain and snow belting against his windshield. The road was little more than a lane, with no signage, no shoulders, winding and curvy. Any error in judgement would be very costly indeed. As Mr. Shaw slogged along he suddenly came upon a rise in the road and was startled when a small Morriss Minor automobile appeared right at the crest of the grade.

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I am often asked by aspiring entrepreneurs for tips that are essential to being successful in launching a new commercial venture. Below I have assembled the big 10, something like the 10 Commandments, only for entrepreneurial success. The items covered below are not negotiable in the process of taking projects. Trying to short-circuit the list is a death knell for any start-up. The Ten Commandments for Entrepreneurs #1 Never Take Shortcuts! The market is unforgiving. You only get one shot at making a GREAT First Impression!

Published · 3,132 views · Rated 3/5 from 3 votes

by: Geoff Ficke Successful entrepreneurs are people that always see opportunity in any situation. By nature they are positive and constantly seek innovations that address wants and needs that they identify in their contemporary environment. Currently we are in a dark economic period, and this will prove to be a fertile time for the introduction of novel innovations that will reward their creators with significant profit. The world’s most famous, widely played and sold board game is Monopoly. Lizzie Phillips created the first version of the game that was to evolve into modern Monopoly.

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One of life’s great pleasures is travel. The opportunity to view distant lands, experience new food and drink, sample exotic cultures and meet local citizens is always rewarding. One of my most prized experiences when I visit any new land is to sample local produce, manufactured goods and learn about local industry and commerce. When I visit Geneva, Switzerland I relish the opportunity to shop, research and be amazed by the fabulously artesian craft of exclusive watch making found in the city’s endless jewelry ateliers.

Published · 5,716 views · Rated 2.6/5 from 5 votes

by: Geoff Ficke Prospective entrepreneurs are always encouraged to think outside of the box when striving to commercialize their idea for a new business. The ability to see things differently and identify a niche for a product is so essential. Unfortunately, there is no book, course or advice that enables a person to perfect this skill. Some of us stumble into an opportunity. Others are introduced inadvertently to an idea in their line work or at home. Many other successful entrepreneurs do develop an ability to see things a bit more weirdly than the rest of us.

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by: Geoff Ficke I recently saw the movie “The Prestige”. The story is about two ferociously rival magicians and is set in the 1890’s. A sub-plot in the movie conce s the largely forgotten rivalry between scientists and inventors Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison. Entrepreneurs today can learn much from the Edison/Tesla saga. Thomas Edison is one of the most famous and revered Americans of all time, and deservedly so. School children are taught that he harnessed electricity, invented the light bulb and the phonograph.

Published · 5,349 views · Rated 3/5 from 6 votes

His Contributions as a Practical Inventor Should Be Equally Revered Every school child is imbued with a history of the American Revolution that glorifies the great accomplishments, political, military and social, of the famous founding fathers. We learn that George Washington; the Father of the United States was a great military leader, farmer, politician and stoic face of the revolutionary movement. Benjamin Franklin was an inventor, publisher, diplomat, self-made millionaire and audaciously wise man.

Published · 1,691 views · Rated 1/5 from 1 votes

I recently met a bank executive who had been laid off in a corporate downsizing. The man was understandably conce ed about his and his family’s future. He lived in an area that was experiencing exceptionally stark economic circumstances. This gentleman had received a modest severance package, and this slim lifeline was of crucial importance to his immediate future. My marketing consulting firm had been asked by the former bank executive to review a business opportunity he was considering investing in.

Published · 1,273 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

We could easily spend days talking about the masterful marketing techniques of the cruise industry. If you’ve never been on a cruise and you get the chance, you should take it. There are great marketing and business lessons to be learned on cruises. Just watching and paying attention to how they market everything and thinking about how it pertains to your business can make the cruise so worthwhile. This isn’t about selling you onto a cruise. This is about lessons learned just by watching what others do. The cruise industry is an industry that really capitalizes on what they do.

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It’s pretty much understood among those currently on social media that pretty much every business needs to have a presence there in today’s world. However, you might be surprised to find out, especially if you are active on social media, and have been for awhile, there are still people every single day, who are joining Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and all the other social media platforms that are out there – many of them are businesses and business owners.

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by: Geoff Ficke I recently visited the exciting, ancient city of Rome, Italy with my family. Of course, we all know that this city by the Tiber River is basically an open-air museum, with stunning historic relics every where one looks. The Forum, the Coliseum, the Trevi Fountain, the Borghese Gardens, Hadrians Arch, the catacombs, the Vatican and Sistine Chapel are only a few of the popular tourist destinations that all visitors feel compelled to visit. We did visit these and many more beautiful, famously important spots.

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by: Geoff Ficke One of the signal economic thinkers of the 20th century was the Nobel Prize winning economist Milton Friedman. His many books and papers, interviews and television specials have left us a valuable trove of thoughts and observations that should serve as guideposts during our current difficult economic times. His death has left a void that no contemporary thinker has been able to fill. That is most unfortunate, especially now. Recently, I revisited my copy of Professor Friedman’s signature work, Free to Choose.

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Seneca “The Younger”, the great ancient Roman philosopher famously observed, “If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable”. The intent of his words is clear. Knowing where you want to go is the essential prelude to planning how to get there. Unfortunately, many people go through life without a plan or a goal, and those people usually end up right where they start from. Most families have a set vacation time to relax and undertake various forms of leisure together.

Published · 1,093 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

During the 1990’s a number of examples of new business terminology cane into vogue. Among these was the term Business Model. The usage of this term has become so capricious that the original definitions and intent of these two words has been diminished and confused. In essence, the Business Model is simply how an enterprise will organize processes to make money.

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For many entrepreneurs the creation of a business plan is the biggest hurdle in the development process of their fledgling enterprise. There is a mystery, almost a dread in many people when discussion of a business plan requirement is first broached. They conceptualize a boring, dry, painful experience and many would like to avoid this step if at all possible. What is a Business Plan? A business plan is a document that qualifies, quantifies and narrates a commercial opportunity.

Published · 1,188 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

Studies indicate that entrepreneurs are born, not made. As a serial entrepreneur myself, having worked with dozens of successful entrepreneurs, I can confirm that this is a truism. No two are exactly alike, but they are different from those who fail, or worse, never try. I am often asked what makes an entrepreneur. In answering, I use the quote made by Supreme Court Justice Harlan when asked how he defined pornography. “I know it when I see it”. Entrepreneurs have a demeanor that separates them from the herd. They are different.

Published · 1,719 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

H. F. S. Morgan launched his eponymous car manufacturing company in England in 1909. For a century, through world wars and great economic turbulence, Morgan Motor Company has produced some of the most stylish, desirable automobiles ever produced. Unless you are a classic car enthusiast, you probably have never heard of Morgan and more unfortunately probably never seen one of these magnificent machines on the road. They are exceedingly rare and that has gone a great distance in cementing the desirability of the mark. Morgan’s initially were 3-wheeled cycle cars.

Published · 1,399 views · Rated 2/5 from 2 votes

My first sales manager, a grizzled old veteran with a no excuses allowed attitude used to tell me, “there are no lousy products, just lousy salesmen”. As a rookie salesma I thought the comment surely a strange one. Of course, there are bad products I thought. I know a bad product when I see one. I was wrong. The point is I can see bad products because someone is selling them. They are on the market. It takes a real salesman to sell an obviously deficient product. I have sold luxury goods, services, foodstuffs, mass-market lines, and internationally.

Published · 1,716 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

Fact: In 2005 over 500,000 new business incorporations were organized in the United States. Fact: Of these 500,000 new businesses less than 1,000 received venture capital funding. There are vastly more entrepreneurs seeking start-up funding than there are available funding sources and investment pools. This is a fact. And yet, 499,000 incorporations occurred in 2005 without the cover of an investment funding commitment. Many of these new businesses will fail.

Published · 1,510 views · Rated 3/5 from 3 votes

The type of business structure you organize for your new enterprise is greatly determined by your personality, realities, needs and experience. Millions of people in the United States never enter into any type of formal business structure. This includes the bulk of the black or underground economy. It is estimated that the underground economy consists of about 10% of all commercial activity in the United States. This includes legal and illegal activities. A kid cutting your grass for $20 is technically working black. The handyman that repairs your patio for cash might be working black.

Published · 1,494 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

What is your definition of the word “luck”? Not the Webster’s Dictionary definition, your definition. Is it being in the right place at the right time? Picking the right dealer in a casino? Turning up at a party where you meet your current wife (could be good or bad luck)? Entrepreneurs seem to be so lucky, so often. People see their success and attribute much of their good fortune to luck. What luck that they thought the idea would work. The luck of the Irish for old Doyle, don’t you think?

Published · 1,611 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

by: Geoff Ficke Many years ago I watched a television news interviewer allow Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings, the de-facto dictator of Ghana at that time, to rant about the absolute rape of his tiny, poverty stricken west African nation, by multi-national companies like Nestle. Ghana’s major export product was the cocoa bean. Nestle, Hershey and other major chocolate purveyors were Ghana’s major customers for the cocoa bean.

Published · 1,290 views · Rated 2.5/5 from 2 votes

The American economic system of capitalism is unique in the industrialized world. Forms of capitalism exist in many countries, and the one general statement that applies to its usage is that capitalist countries are always more prosperous than non-capitalist states. That being stated, why is American capitalism so advanced, successful, admired and feared? We all know that America offers the most dynamic advanced economy in the world.

Published · 1,419 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

by: Geoff Ficke During my many years of lecturing university business school students on entrepreneurial topics I have been pleased, and surprised, at the relatively large numbers willing to take the plunge and pursue new business opportunities. The surprise is that modern students are willing to forego a corporate job right out of school; a job that for so many has been a pre-occupation (and the dream of tuition strapped parents).

Published · 1,227 views · Rated 3/5 from 5 votes

Most businesses lack adequate systems to get things done efficiently and effectively in their businesses. Anything and everything, from how the phone is answered, to processing refunds, to running successful events can and should be systematized. Standards should be put in place so everyone knows what is expected of them and their job position.

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As an SEO consultant and blogger, I enjoy sharing case analyses with my clients and readers. Here’s a recent one. A flower shop owner in the Midwest found SEO Trump on Google two months ago and contacted me. Her story: frustrated about sagging sales, she had hired an SEO company to optimize her ...

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An increasing number of my SEO clients are now evangelizers of Twitter. However, many are still not big fans. Yesterday a client sent me a link to a recent Nielson report which indicates that “more than 60 percent of U.S. Twitter users fail to return the following month.” Well, she didn’t ...

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The ability to succeed as an entrepreneur is one of the most rewarding experiences any person can enjoy. Seeing your product on a store shelf is an amazing rush. Knowing that your service is benefiting the public is incredibly rewarding. Beyond the obvious monetary rewards, the knowledge that you have achieved a level of success most people can not even attempt is a significant gift. So what does an inventor, or creator, do to advance their opportunity if they do not have classic entrepreneurial makeup.

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Do you ever get stuck in your business? Not sure what the next thing is, what the next service is you want to offer, what the next product or products need to be, or when the next marketing sequence needs to go out? It happens to all of us. Here’s the thing to think about. The answers to those questions are typically in your numbers. Measuring and business numbers are typically things most small business owners and entrepreneurs don’t like and don’t really want to deal with. Do you feel that way? Measuring, measuring, measuring…knowing your numbers - it’s critical and here’s why.

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Are you ready for the new year that is right around the corner? How wonderful...a brand new year lays at your feet. What are you going to do with it? Take a look back at January 2009. Compare where you were then with where you are now. Check your progress. Are you happy with it? Another year gone by. Sigh. It's scary how fast it went. Are you better off than you were last January? Are your relationships more rewarding? Is your bank account bigger? "You may delay but time will not." Benjamin Franklin You are too old to waste time.

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by: Geoff Ficke College Campuses Are Amazing Resources for Entrepreneurs to Utilize When Launching a Business Recently I read about a new cosmetic product that was launched on a college campus. This bootstrapped product was taking advantage of a resource that can be available to all, but is rarely accessed by any. The entrepreneurs behind the novel lip balm Kisstixx offer an example of just one way to leverage the benefits that are present in abundance on university campuses everywhere.

Published · 1,277 views · Rated 2.7/5 from 3 votes

Blogging has become very popular and many bloggers are making money and enjoying notoriety. If you've been blogging for a while and haven't acquired the success you had hoped for, the tips in this article may be what you need to help you increase your following and your income. Blogging can be enjoyable and accomplished with minimum effort, but it does require working smart and consistency. Read on to learn proven techniques to create a popular blog. I have listed below eight basic and necessary steps that will help you increase your popularity.

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by: Geoff Ficke Drop the Dreams and Establish Solid Goals and Plansr In Order to Succeed in Start-up Business Recently I watched a television show which featured Inventions, Small Business Start-ups and Entrepreneurship as central program topics. A panel of experts reviewed product submissions and interviewed the prospective entrepreneurs about various aspects of their projects. The interplay was interesting, and disappointing.

Published · 1,348 views · Rated 2.7/5 from 3 votes

When I was a college student, I got an 'A' in my Accounting 101 and 201 classes. Then I entered the "real" world and almost SUNK the family business because I had no idea what I was doing with the "real" accounting. You see, the examples in the college text book used financials that were correct. That means, the dollar amounts in the accounts could be trusted, and were assumed current and accurate. The "Real" World... Well, when I took a swing at entering my accounting data I made a big "Slinky knot" mess out of my Peachtree accounting file. Ooops.

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During a January 1980 television interview, then British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher stated, “No one would remember the Good Samaritan if he’d only had good intentions. He had money as well”. Our current times make this keen observation particularly relevant. We continually are bombarded with facts and figures conce ing fai ess, income distribution, giving and sharing the wealth. I am a capitalist. In certain circles that assertion is met with derision, claims of selfishness and images of Dickensian hoarding. I plead guilty.

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For SEO professionals, the use of JavaScript has been controversial. It’s extensively applied to validate forms, detect browsers and enhance web site functionality, but anyone with some knowledge of SEO would tell you that JavaScript may hinder search engine crawlers, making part of a site ...

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As one of the most important off-page SEO factors related to ranking, back links pointing to your site are generally weighed by number and relevance. The more links from authoritative and related sites/pages, the better ranking potential a site has. In addition, proper use of anchor text can ...

Published · 903 views

What questions do SEO clients ask most often? The top-te FAQ certainly includes “how can my site get a Page 1 (or 2 but no lower than 3) Google ranking?”. Well, I always tell my clients it depends on how strong their competitors are and what keywords and phrases to target. When a web site has ...

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Page Content is the text or copy that appears on a web page. It is a very important component of the SEO (Search Engine Optimization) process. Generally, in any printed book or brochure text, all content is relevant to the viewer, and the more illustrations, the better and the more ...

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Links are electronic connections pointing from web page on one site to web pages on another site (exte al links), or between web pages within the same web site (internal links). Logistically, a link is a connector between 2 points (web pages). From a communication point of view, a link, by ...

Published · 947 views

The holiday season provides a great opportunity to significantly increase your return on social media marketing. Increasingly people are turning to the internet to find the perfect gift, the perfect recipe, or the perfect idea for decorating their home. This is an opportunity to make your social media marketing efforts pay off. This article will give you some great ideas on how to use the holiday season to your advantage and increase traffic to your social media profile.

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In the search engine optimization industry, Black Hat refers to techniques that are against Google’s Webmaster Guidelines. Some spamming gimmicks do provide short-lived gains for keyword rankings, but the rogues get penalized eventually, just like they used to in those old-fashioned movies. A ...

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You’ve seen the guy on stage spinning the plates. He starts at one end and gets a plate spinning, then moves to the next plate, and the next, until he gets to the end of the line of plates. The hope is that when he gets the last plate up and spinning, all of the plates are still spinning and then he can go stop each one, take it off the stick it’s been spinning on and all of the plates are in one piece. That’s success for the plate spinner.

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Marketing to the general public can produce income and give you a good financial life. Marketing to a niche can make you very wealthy. And, digging deep into a niche can make you wealthy beyond your wildest dreams – like money raining from the sky kind of wealthy. If that’s the kind of wealthy you’re looking to be, it’s time to start considering niching your products and services to more specific types of clients.

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If there’s anything you should make time for in your life, its reading and jou aling. You can learn a lot from books, whether they’re business books, marketing-related books, biographies, or even fictional stories. In addition to learning from reading, you will more than likely also find great stories and information you can pass on to your prospects and clients as well. But, you might be asking yourself, who has time for that reading, right?

Published · 1,432 views · Rated 2.7/5 from 3 votes

Today we live and work in a very competitive world. Whether you are a brick and mortar retailer, an information marketer, an internet marketer a small business owner of any kind, you need to find ways to stand above your competition an all areas of your business. There are probably many other business owners who have products – services and niches similar to yours. Here are 5 tips to Stand Up in your niche and separate yourself from all others…. 1. Provide clear solution for your clients and help them achieve their goals.

Published · 868 views

Do I really need to be using social media in my business is a common question and one more and more business owners seem to be asking more and more lately. Is social media right for my business? Do I really need to add this media to what I’m doing now? The list of questions goes on and on and on. The question behind the question, and the real question, business owners really are asking is can my business profit from social media? What are the real advantages of adding and using social media? Those are the answers they really want.

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by: Geoff Ficke 10 Bullet Point Options for Bootstrapping Your Small Business or Consumer Product Opportunity Almost every small or micro-business, entrepreneur or inventor faces a harsh financial reality when starting out. They have little or no access to venture capital, financing or grant money. The funding source that is realistically available to them is family, friends and their own ability to bootstrap their business.

Published · 2,786 views · Rated 1/5 from 1 votes

by: Geoff Ficke 5 Tips for Small Businesses and Start-ups to User To Appear Bigger tha They Really Are For many years I have worked almost exclusively with entrepreneurs, inventors and small businesses seeking to start, or grow a business against daunting odds and competitive disadvantages. We specialize in Consumer Products, packaged goods that are marketed in every category and sales channel. Despite the deck seemingly being so stacked against these micro-enterprises it is amazing how many succeed.

Published · 1,421 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

by: Geoff Ficke A “Wanna Be” Entrepreneur in Reality Is a“Wantrepreneur” and Will Never Be Successful Very few of the hundreds of Consumer Product projects that my Branding and Marketing Consulting firm review each year ever go much beyond the talking stage. Talk is cheap. Dreamers dream. Successful entrepreneurs are relatively rare. The necessary makeup to compete in the marketplace of ideas and products is in fairly short supply.

Published · 1,639 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

by: Geoff Ficke Adopt a Pre-Sell Strategy to Drive Interest in Your Projectr Before Seeking to Attract Investment Funding Recently I met with a prospective client who presented my Consumer Productr Marketing and Branding Consulting firm with an overview of his project, its development status and needs. The opportunity seemed to have legs until we reached the point in the discussion where funding took center stage. I listened as this entrepreneur, with great passion and skill, pitched his reasoning and support data for a funding round that he felt necessary to move ahead.

Published · 2,300 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

Being consistent in business means building not only your credibility but also your dependability factor with your clients and others you do business with. Sometimes, credibility may seem like one of the hardest things to build in your business, but once you have it, it brings some of the most beneficial rewards.

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Do you want to make more money while working less? We’re always looking for additional income streams in our businesses and ways to do things that generate money but don’t create more work. You’re busy and have enough work to do between staff and everything you’re managing in your business. Think about this…is there a way, in your business, right now, that you could create an income stream, or streams, where you are the conduit through which the product or service comes, but you aren’t actually the one providing the service?

Published · 1,163 views

Having grown up on a 75 acre farm, nobody ever talked about working right. Everybody talked about working hard. As you can imagine, we worked hard on the farm. We got up early, and with 75 acres there are a lot of things that have to be done – most if it having to do with chickens, pigs, cows, and horses, gardens and fields. Growing up on a farm, was a great way to grow up, it was a great life, and a lot of fun.

Published · 900 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

by: Geoff Ficke Brand Extension Can Be a Key to Growing and Evolving a Consumer Product Line or Service Switzerland is the couture watch capital of the world. A visit to Geneva and its surrounding cantons exposes the traveler to the hundreds of exotic watch brands made in this famous horology center. Eponymous watch stores, displays, advertisements and billboards and jewelry stores are ubiquitous. Each brand prides itself on the customization, detail, amazing complications and old world craftsmanship that is present in each artisanal timepiece produced.

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by: Geoff Ficke Business Plan Mills Turn Out Documents That Arer Expensive--and—Mostly Useless to Entrepreneurs!

Published · 1,472 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

We know what is happening with our banking system and businesses both in the UK and abroad are having difficulties getting finance, and the bank is one of the main areas where we discuss our business cash flow issues. We do talk to our accountants, who should be more supportive and productive, I have found to be the opposite in many ways, I am not saying all accountants but there are a fair few that will only do the basics .i.e.

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by: Geoff Ficke Consider the Menu of Services a Project Will Requirer Before Interviewing Professional Consultants Google the word “Consultant” and millions of links immediately pop on to your computer screen. Refine the search term and a smaller, but still massive army of sites will become available for search. Consultants are everywhere and offering every imaginable service.

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by: Geoff Ficke Consumer Product Market Penetration is Much Easier If Exclusivity Is Key to the Lines Branding Strategy Recently I had the opportunity to visit and work several Trade Shows while on an extended business trip through Europe. One was a huge Beauty Product expo in Italy, another a jewelry fair in Switzerland, and a Gourmet Food Show in England completed the itinerary. Each of the venues would be considered apex convocations within their industry space. Each offered a range of products touching many price points.

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by: Geoff Ficke Consumer Product Marketing Success Depends Much More on Being First and Executing tha Simply Being First Recently I had the opportunity to review a new beverage concept submitted for consideration by an entrepreneur. This young chap had collected reams of information, concrete data on his drink’s wellness benefits, packaging renderings and marketing trend information on the mass market soft drink category. His due diligence was impressive and seemed indicative of a driven, passionate innovator.

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by: Geoff Ficke Converting an Idea to Income Is a Process That Requires Planting and Fertilization, Not Hope and Dreaming Under the category of inexperienced blind hope, a surprising number of people that approach my Consumer Product Development group with a new business idea want us to find someone who will buy the concept in its undeveloped form. This always amazes, even after so many years of hearing these vapid elevator pitches. A person has an idea, they have performed little or no due diligence, and they believe it has commercial value. Daffy!

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Sometimes amazing things happen during our travels, but if you don’t take the time to notice and get excited about it, you might miss it. On a recent trip, something amazing happened. It was a long day. Up at 4:00am to leave for a long day of flying and connecting flights, no problems, until baggage, where there was a bunch of people still standing around when everybody else seemed to have picked up their bags and left.

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I wanted to discuss the DSO Calculator, known as the Debtor or Days Sales Outstanding. Before you go running to the Bank for help, that’s if they give you the support you require, you must look internally at the infrastructure of the Credit Management process. Whoa there, slow dow Graham you have started to lose me already!! OK, OK let’s start at the beginning and work up to what I mean.

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As marketers you don’t often hear us talk much about listening to your gut or your intuition, or whatever you call it. Mindset is a favorite for some. Whatever you call it, it’s something we’ve been working on a lot over the course of the last year or so and although we haven’t talked much about it, it’s been noticed. Many people have noticed the changes that are occurring. We still have a long way to go, but it’s a journey right? One we’re very much enjoying right now too.

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It is a matter of conce that many businesses do not seem to be taking reasonable steps to defend themselves against fraud. According to BDO Stoy Hayward's research, less than a third of UK businesses have a fraud-training programme and 40% do not have any fraud prevention measures in place. The recession may be prompting businesses to cut costs by scaling down or dismantling the internal controls which act as a check on fraud - this could turn out to be dangerously counter-productive.

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Sometimes we can’t see the forest for the trees. I am always amazed when I see a client, marketer, or entrepreneur stop doing what’s working. And, sometimes I even begin to twitch when they give me the reason they stopped.

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It doesn’t matter what level of marketer you are, you either have already, or will at some point in your career, make this mistake. You are going along and things are going pretty well. You’re in the middle of a marketing campaign and you’re getting good results with what you’re doing. You get through the entire campaign and have tremendous results – better than you ever got before with any program you’ve done.

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You just made some sales, whether it was from the platform, on a teleseminar, after sending an email or your online newsletter, or from a direct mail piece. It doesn’t matter how you made the sales, you’re feeling pretty good about it. Most marketers think this is the end of the road, that their work is done. The smart marketers, like you, know this is just the beginning. This is where the fun starts. The real money is made after the initial sale, on the backend. Your follow-up system can decrease refunds by as much as 53% and increase backend sales 100 times, or more.

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by: Geoff Ficke Sourcing and Defining Volume Pricing Is an Absolute Must for Aspiring Consumer Product Entrepreneurs I have been mentoring a young female entrepreneur for several months. She is not a client of my Consumer Product Branding and Marketing Consulting firm. This earnest lady has a very interesting concept in the Infant and Juvenile product space. Like so many aspiring first time business owners she is confused about how to best organize her enterprise and move from a hobby project to a fully commercial model.

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Today we live and work in a very competitive world. Whether you are a brick and mortar retailer, an information marketer, an internet marketer a small business owner of any kind, you need to find ways to stand above your competition an all areas of your business. There are probably many other business owners who have products – services and niches similar to yours. Here are 5 tips to Stand Up in your niche and separate yourself from all others…. 1. Provide clear solution for your clients and help them achieve their goals.

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by: Geoff Ficke The 5 Absolutely Essential Personal Traits Needed to Become a Successful Entrepreneur

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Many business owners start by putting their product, or service, first when they in their business. If you’re thinking about starting a business, or even adding a new component to your existing business, starting by thinking about your product first is one of the biggest mistakes you will make.

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by: Geoff Ficke The Most Useful Funding Technique for Funding a Business Startup Is the Oldest: Bootstrapping My Consumer Product Development and Marketing Consulting firm is approached almost daily by entrepreneurs seeking to launch a new enterprise. For many of these aspiring business owners their primary conce is the funding requirements they believe will be required to enable execution of a proper launch. Many assume they need to raise funding from angel investors, venture capital or banking sources. Very few will succeed by taking this path.

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In business planning, it is essential to conduct market research on continual basis. This is to keep up with what’s new and what’s not in the market, and of course, to maintain a competitive edge. However, there are companies that opt to skip doing market research to avoid additional expense. But you must take in mind that running a business cannot be about going with your gut. You can’t stop unnecessary things to happen. Business is a gamble.

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by: Geoff Ficke Words Used to Present Your Business Proposition Must be Carefully Chosen This week I was forwarded a Business Plan from a Venture Capital principal for whom I perform consulting services. This gentleman had read the elevator pitch for the product and had initial interest in the proposition. He requested that I review the document in detail and mark up the key points that would be of much, or of no interest to his firm and make a recommendation as to the viability of the project.

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Last week I was speaking to an advisor of mine. We had talked about writing and creativity. She perceived that I was a creative person. I told her that I grew up avoiding reading and writing because I was criticized and punished frequently by parents and teachers. Of course, I avoided working on those skills because I was weak in them. I convinced myself that I didn’t like to read, because I read slowly and couldn’t write because I couldn’t spell. This issue really affected my self confidence all through formal schooling and as an adult. As an adult, I was diagnosed as dyslexic.

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5 Questions That Must Be Answered Before Attempting to Fund or Launch Your Consumer Product I am constantly amazed at the naivety of first time entrepreneurs and inventors when it comes to the due diligence they must conduct in order to get their idea, concept or prototype to market. Even with the amazing information tools at hand in the 21st century, so many still try to fake out the marketplace by taking shortcuts. This is the equivalent of death by neglect.

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The easiest way to keep in touch with your client base, that’s prospects and buyers is to use an electronic newsletter or Ezine. Brick and mortar businesses of all kinds can also benefit from an online newsletter or Ezine. Why an Ezine? Generally, is free to deliver, only costs in your time or your assistant’s time to publish, it’s fast to put together when comparing to a print newsletter and you can deliver it more frequently.

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by: Geoff Ficke A Case Study in Very Bright Successful People Making Really Bad Product Marketing Decisions As my readers know I run a Consumer Product Development and Marketing Consulting Company. We review hundreds of Inventions, Innovations and New Product Concepts each year. These are submitted by individuals, small and micro-businesses, occasionally multi-national Companies and run the gamut from Foodstuffs to Sporting Goods to Giftware to Cosmetics. If it Sells in Retail Stores or is marketed to consumers we have probably worked in the space.

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by: Geoff Ficke A Great Example of Building a Successful Start-up Gift Marketing Business from a Nice Personal Habit

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by: Geoff Ficke An Example of Remora Marketing That Launched ther National Chain Drug Store Boom Before the middle of the 20th century there were no national chain drug stores. The neighborhood pharmacy was typically owned by a local druggist. There were multi-door local groups of stores in some big cities. For the most part these pharmacies filled physician’s scripts; operated a soda fountain and carried only a minimum inventory of basic over-the-counter Health Aid products. The multi-aisled, heavily stocked, promotional stores we know today were still in the future.

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Are you a ravenous student who just can’t seem to get enough books, tapes and courses in your niche, field, or in some topic area that makes a big difference in your business? Or, is the idea of reading a book, listening to an educational CD or DVD, or going to a seminar or workshop, to learn, appalling to you? If you’re reading this, it’s more likely you’re a ravenous student who just can’t seem to get enough, you devour books, you’re constantly listening to educational or self-help materials (even when you’re exercising or on an airplane), and you invest mightily in yourself.

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How many times have you gone to a seminar and listened to a speaker and thought, or said to yourself, or out loud, what did that have to do with the seminar topic I came here to learn about? If you have asked that question, it is a result of the event promoter not spending enough time thinking about the message to market match between the speaker and the audience or it was a result of the event promoter not talking about the speakers ahead of time and building value for the topic they are talking about and selling on.

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When you go places and do things, do you look for the marketing and business lessons that are there? Some companies will show you good examples and some will show you not so good examples, but you can learn from all of it…and all companies, no matter if they are large or small, they all have the potential to do things right and things wrong. Let’s first consider the hidden money in your business. And, then, we’ll find some other interesting examples of where other companies have found hidden money in their businesses and how they are capitalizing on it.

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Superbowl happens only one time every year, and I’m a huge sports fan, so I really enjoy that time of the year. For the first time in history, the Superbowl has just been granted to an “outside” stadium. This year, I was even more excited because I’ve followed Peyton Manning since he was in college at the University of Tennessee, where I am an alumnus. So, I am also an Indianapolis Colts fan too.

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There’s a lot of talk these days about being authentic – especially as it relates to your business. The question is, what exactly does that mean? Some business owners have taken this to mean they can say and do whatever they want to because it’s just them being authentic. Everyone’s talking about it in different ways lately, but it seems everywhere you go, somebody’s talking about being authentic. The dictionary defines authentic as “the quality or condition of being trustworthy or genuine.” It also uses words like genuine, real, and character.

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by: Geoff Ficke Before Asking Others to Invest in Your Project Prepare to Answer the Question That Always Comes Recently I reviewed a Business Plan that was submitted with a goal of raising a $2 million angel funding round. The product was a Hair Care Accessory that had real commercial potential. If I were grading the plan in one of my classes I would have given it a solid B. I was smitten with most of the assumptions that the document detailed to support the projects viability, except one.

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by: Geoff Ficke Customizing Products and Services Presents Entrepreneurs a Great Way to Bootstrap a Business We live in a world where mass production and scalability have enabled consumers around the world the opportunity to enjoy a wider range of Consumer Products and Services than ever before. Large scale production drives down prices. Items that were once luxuries are now within reach of masses of consumers on every continent.

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On an episode of Celebrity Apprentice, it became apparent to me that making decisions is something a lot of people struggle with – even very successful people … and celebrities. When asked directly by Mr. Trump who should be fired, nobody would give a direct answer. And, it’s important to note that this resistance is apparent in both the women and the men.

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par • a • digm (p r -d m , -d m ) n. 1. One that serves as a pattern or model. 2. A set or list of all the inflectional forms of a word or of one of its grammatical categories: the paradigm of an irregular verb. 3. A set of assumptions, concepts, values, and practices that constitutes a way of viewing reality for the community that shares them, especially in an intellectual discipline. You may remember the old story about paradigms?

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Every year for the past 6 or 8 years I have taken a Friday off in the middle of December and spent the day with my best friend in Atlanta doing some Christmas shopping. We always have a great time, being silly and having fun, while getting the majority of our shopping done for the season. We always start off the day with a nice breakfast.

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by: Geoff Ficke Having a “Better Mousetrap” Is Not Enough to Propel a New Consumer Product to Success This past week I reviewed a new Skin Care concept. My Product Development and Consumer Product Marketing Consulting firm reviews hundreds of projects in numerous categories each year. Many are presented in ways similar to this Anti-Aging range of topical creams and lotions: incomplete and poorly.

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by: Geoff Ficke How a Simple Box Concept Changed World Trade And Fostered the Rise of a 3rd World Middle Class

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Authenticity! We hear a lot of people using that word these days and a lot of people are talking about being authentic in your marketing. It’s a very interesting concept to look at as you read headlines and study marketing. You’ve seen them. We’ve all seen those outrageous headlines that we all know can’t really happen but appeal to our sense of wanting things to be easy and to be able to get rich quick and all that. How about this one for example, “$12 Million in 12 Weeks” – saw that one recently and it actually made me laugh out loud.

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by: Geoff Ficke In a Jobless Economic Recovery Why Not Create Your Own Job?

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Information Marketing has actually been around since the Stone Age. Think about it….

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Make Color & Style Indispensible Elements to Sell More Products Have you never visited a Williams Sonoma store? Notice how the toaster they sell for $300 per unit is always displayed so prominently. Have you ever asked yourself who needs a $300 toaster when a perfectly acceptable bread toaster can be purchased for under $20 at any big box mass merchandise store? What is the impulse that makes a consumer spend such a premium on an otherwise mundane, everyday small electric appliance? Simple, color and style!

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Let’s take a few minutes to discover just how important mindset really is, not only to the success of your business, but to your overall success and happiness in life too. Mindset is really the mental attitude that determines how you will interpret and respond to situations. It’s about how you look at things, what you expect and how you respond – in every aspect of your life. Mindset and mental attitudes are important in these major areas in our lives: • Mental • Emotional • Physical • Spiritual • Financial

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by: Geoff Ficke One Mans Junk Creates Another Mans Fortune - Similar Opportunities Exist Almost Everywhere for the Ambitious In 1989 a Canadian college dropout named Brian Scudamore stopped at a McDonalds to grab a cheeseburger. While waiting for his food order he noticed a dented, beat up old pick-up truck inching though the parking lot. The bed of the vehicle was loaded with assorted junk. The doors of the battered, rusting vehicle were ado ed with a hand painted sign that proclaimed that the owner hauled junk for a fee.

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by: Geoff Ficke The Cincinnati Native Who Created the Pet Food Industry in the Mid-19th Century

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by: Geoff Ficke The Importance of Focus Groups and Their Alte ativesr To Consumer Product Marketers and Entrepreneurs My Consumer Product Development and Marketing Consulting firm offers a variety of services to clients. One that we frequently utilize, and is often misunderstood is the creation and management of Focus Groups. What is a Focus Group? What is the real purpose of a Focus Group? How much do they cost to organize? Can a novice Marketer organize a worthwhile Focus Group?

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by:Geoff Ficke The Most Under-Utilized Resource Entrepreneurs Neglect to Take Advantage of Is Local Universities

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by: Geoff Ficke The Nearly Forgotten Fashion Pioneer Who Changed the Way Women Dressed

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by: Geoff Ficke The Old Adage “You Get What You Pay For” Is Especially Important to Service Providers in Today’s Economy The 19th century British essayist John Ruskin once presciently stated, “There is scarcely a thing in the world that some man cannot make a little worse, and sell a little more cheaply. The person who buys on price alone is this man’s lawful prey”. Great wordsmith that he was, Mr. Ruskin’s stylish prose has been re-engineered in more modern form to become the universal adage “You get what you pay for”.r

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by: Geoff Ficke The Simple Mundane Product Invention that Changed a Sport and Created a Fortune When I was a young boy growing up in Kentucky almost every town of any size had a drug store, a dry goods store, a grocer, a gas station and a billiards parlor. At any time of the day local men and boys could be found whiling away the hours just hanging out, playing or watching games of pool played in the gray, poorly lit, smoky halls that held a few well-wo billiard tables.

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by: Geoff Ficke Unique Small Businesses Have Become Highly Desirable to Multi-National Companies

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by: Geoff Ficke Want to Kill a New Business Opportunity? Avoid These 5 Often Repeated Mistakes I review new Business Opportunities for a living. My Consumer Product Development and Marketing Consulting firm is besieged with presentations, Executive Summaries, product prototypes and Business Plans. It is a tribute to the ingenuity and creativity of people that the urge to invent is so common. Unfortunately, very few of the projects we review will ever see a retail store shelf.

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by: Geoff Ficke What Is 3-F Funding and Why Do Entrepreneurs Need to Understand the Vetting Process for Securing Funding? Many years ago, when I was a young, ambitious, aspiring entrepreneur I was imbued with the conceit that venture capitalists, investment banks or angel investors would fall over themselves to invest in my first project. I was passionate about my product. I quickly discovered that investors were decidedly not.

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One of the most common questions we get asked is “What exactly is Information Marketing?” What does that term mean? What is it all about? Some people call it information products, some people call it information marketing. It’s been a struggle to figure out how to describe what exactly Information Marketing is to people who don’t know. It’s sad too, because it is the best business in the world. Every business, no matter what business you’re in, you should have at least a part of your business be some sort of Information Marketing…whether you ever make any money with it or not.

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by: Geoff Ficke Why Don’t Business Schools Produce more Entrepreneurs? For most of my life I have been a serial Entrepreneur. Even as a kid growing up I knew I wanted to control my own destiny. In order to be free and self-supporting I was constantly seeking opportunity in every way possible. This ambition has lead to a lifetime of interesting challenges, ups and downs, adventure, travel and an array of experiences that I could never have experienced if I had gone the corporate job route. I am always amazed that more people, especially in America, do not take the Entrepreneurial path.r

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Why Are Immigrants So Successful as Entrepreneurs While Fewer & Fewer Americans Even Try? This week I had a Speaking Engagement scheduled in Jackson, TN. Upon arrival I settled into my hotel and it being early evening I asked the front desk attendant what restaurants he would recommend for dinner? He mentioned a brand new Chinese place within walking distance of the hotel. I decided to give it a shot.

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by: Geoff Ficke Why Is Laser-Like Focus So Crucial and Yet So Difficult for Entrepreneurs to Maintain When we work with small businesses, entrepreneurs and inventors in our Consumer Product Marketing and Branding Consulting group we constantly find ourselves using and reinforcing the importance of the word “focus” to prospective clients. It is crucial to their success. It is also, often in the shortest of supply.

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by: Geoff Ficke What was true when written in Sophocles revered 5th Century B.C. text Phaedra, is ever-more true in the 21st century. Other than the lightning struck few who win a lottery prize, fortune, and success in life is not given easily, and certainly not to the faint hearted. The opportunity to succeed in any endeavor is available to all fortunate enough to live in free societies, but in reality this blessed gift is seized by few.

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by: Geoff Ficke 4 Crucial Elements to Include in Your Consumer Product Branding Strategy When I started to Market Consumer Products 40 years ago the term “Branding” was one I never heard. The term was not one that enjoyed the currency it enjoys today. In the years since formal Branding and Branding Strategies have become key foundational elements that Marketers employ to imprint their products in the psyche of consumers.

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by: Geoff Ficke 5 Examples of Remora Fish Marketing That Can Jump Start Your Product’s Sales & Marketing Everyone is fascinated by sharks. They are so dangerous, explosive and mysterious. Television documentaries detailing their habits, hunting techniques and brutality are ubiquitous, As exciting as the video footage of the lives of sharks is to viewers the little fish that rides the backs of the “alpha” predators receives just the opposite sort of attention. The Remora fish goes almost unnoticed.

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by: Geoff Ficke 6 Things You Need to Know In Order to License Your Product My Marketing Consulting, Branding and Product Development firm receives numerous queries on Licensing Consumer Products, Services and Concepts every week. Most inquiries are of no value as the hopeful Licensor has not organized proper due diligence that potential Licensees will require. The following are 6 Points to address before attempting to present a License opportunity. 1. Who is the Competition?

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A Baby’s Illness Was Responsible for One of the World’s Most Revered and Iconic Brands There is barely a household anywhere in the world that is home to a baby that does not have a supply of Gerber Baby Food in the cupboard. The product is ubiquitous. The label is one of the most recognizable in the world. The story behind the germination of the brand is a testament to the old adage of opportunity arising from ones life’s experiences.

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by: Geoff Ficke A Simple 20-Step Test That Will Confirm Whether or Not a Product Development Project Is Market-Ready For almost four decades my Consulting firm has worked with entrepreneur’s to design, develop, package, Brand, Market and Sell a vast range of Consumer Products. Our job is to save clients time, money and mistakes. This goal is best achieved when we are involved in a nascent project from inception. Unfortunately this is not always the case.

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by: Geoff Ficke An Eccentric Lifestyle Popular in the Early 19th Century Has Left Us the Simple Graham Cracker and More! The Presbyterian Reverend Sylvester Graham, an early 19th century proponent of an extreme, aesthetic lifestyle, is largely forgotten today. During his life, however, he was amazingly popular and many of the theories he espoused are actually popular to this day, though he is rarely credited with their acceptance. He was also widely reviled and a controversial figure of derision.

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by: Geoff Ficke An Old Mustard Brand Teaches the Power of Marketing Exclusivity

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by: Geoff Ficke Business Should Offer More tha Just a Product They Should Try to Offer a Buying Experience The hugely successful entrepreneur Debbi Fields was once asked what it felt like to be a winner in the cookie business; she replied, “I never felt like I was in the cookie business. I’ve always been in the good feeling business. My job is to sell joy. My job is to sell happiness. My job is to sell an experience”. This is a mantra that all Entrepreneurs should emulate when creating their Business Model and Brand Marketing Strategies.

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by: Geoff Ficke Classic French Milled Soap Offers a Lesson in Creating A Proprietary Marketing Niche for Common Products One of the most difficult realities an aspiring Consumer Product Marketer must confront is how to present their Brand as a fresh, original, worthwhile counter-offering to their much more established competition. What makes the line, service or item unique? Modern Marketing Consultants call this trait a Unique Selling Proposition (USP). This is a fancy inside baseball term that simply identifies the product “niche” the brand will fill.

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by: Geoff Ficke Competition Is to Successful Marketing As Fertilizer Is to Fruitful Agriculture Many believe that marketing a consumer product or service would be so much easier if we could have the field of commerce solely to our project. It only seems logical that if your business enterprise had the only peanut butter, pet food or toothpaste on the market you would prosper greatly. A monopoly certainly seems to be the “Holy Grail” that any marketer would desire to protect and enhance their certainty of success. It’s just that this is not so.

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by: Geoff Ficke Did a Fragrance Really Trigger the Events That Led to the Infamous Beheading of Marie Antoinette? Jean-Francois Houbigant launched his famous Perfume atelier and shop on the Fauborg St. Honore in Paris in 1775. This was during the gilded age of French royalty and of the elite that that parasitically clung to the Court. Luxury, hedonism and sensuality were the cornerstones of life for these denizens of hedonism.

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by: Geoff Ficke Entrepreneurial Creativity Is Still Rife in the Fashion Jewelry and Cosmetic World

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by: Geoff Ficke Ayrton Senna, the great Brazilian Gran Prix driver, once famously was quoted: “To survive Gran Prix racing, you need to be afraid. Fear is an important feeling. It helps you to race longer and live longer”.

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by: Geoff Ficke For 100 Years Women Have Enjoyed the Luxury of Jean Patou’s Joy Fragrance French furrier and tanner Jean Patou moved from Normandy to Paris in 1910 intent on building an eponymous fashion house. He opened Maison Parry and sold his entire collection in 1914 to a single American client. Just as his fame was obtaining traction with the fashionable haute couture clientele of Paris World War I intruded.

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by: Geoff Ficke For Seven Generations a Unique Business Has Brought Happiness and Beauty to Millions Each Spring Newark, New York does not spring to mind as a base for horticultural genius. Not to be confused with tough, rough hew Newark, New Jersey, this small farming area became the original home of one of the greatest horticultural enterprises in the world. From humble beginnings as a nursery servicing local gardeners Jackson & Perkins became the largest purveyor and developer of sub-species of roses in the United States.

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How a Long Forgotten Shipping Magnate Removed His Name from Restaurant Menus around the World Ever enjoyed a meal of Lobster Wenberg? You will not find the dish on any fine restaurants or diner’s menu today. In fact, the dish existed as Lobster Wenberg for less than a month at Delmonico’s in the 1890’s. This epicurean delight has thrived ever since, but the name has changed, and the man who was responsible for popularizing the treat has been forgotten.

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by: Geoff Ficke How Modern Gastronomy Has Been Influenced by The Commercialization of Ancient Condiments Several years ago I had the good fortune to re-visit the ruins at Pompeii near Naples, Italy with my family. I had been to the ancient site some 30 years before, but the excavation of the volcano shrouded city had progressed a great deal in the interim and there was much that had not yet been discovered on my earlier visit. Our very informative guide advised us that archaeological work and discoveries would be ongoing for many decades still.

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by: Geoff Ficke How One of the Fashion World’s Earliest Great Innovators Lost Everything by Lack of Innovation

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How to Change a Product Negative into a Positive Virtually every consumer product comes to market with an Achilles heel. There is an inherent limitation, design shortcoming or performance kerfuffle that is almost always present. Nevertheless, many of these products become very successful commercial brands. How do brands turn negatives into positives?

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by: Geoff Ficke How to Fail at Launching a Clever, Novel Consumer Product! The current economic malaise has created a surprising level of interest from entrepreneurs keen to launch a bevy of assorted consumer products. Our Marketing Consulting and Product Development firm is reviewing more submissions than we have seen in years. Every product category from Sporting Goods to Health and Beauty Aids to Fashion and Jewelry and everything in between seems to be drawing inventors seeking to launch their creations.

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by: Geoff Ficke How to Market a New Consumer Product Idea-The Mindset Required

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by: Geoff Ficke How to Self-Analyze Your Consumer Product Idea To Facilitate Bringing It to Life Today I was approached by a person with an interesting Consumer Product concept they hoped to bring to market. The idea potentially has considerable utility. I say “potentially” because it is still only an idea. I am often asked how to gauge whether a new Consumer Product idea, service or concept has real viability to be successful in the contemporary volcanic Retail Marketplace. Here are three rules to use to self-screen your concept before attempting to build and market the idea.

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by: Geoff Ficke How We React to Failure Defines How Much Success Most People Can Attain In 1954 the manager of The Grand Ole Opry told Elvis Presley, “You ain’t going nowhere son. Go back to driving a truck”. After his first audition the great actor Sidney Poitier was told by the casting agent, “why don’t you stop wasting people’s time and become a dishwasher or something”. Basketball Hall of Famer’s Michael Jordan and Bob Cousy were cut from their first high school teams.

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by: Geoff Ficke London Offers the World’s Most Exciting And Historic Retail Shopping Scene Recently I had the opportunity to take a quick business trip to London. As always, I made sure to save some extra time to enjoy the street life and unique shopping opportunities that abound in this historic city. I am a perpetually reticent shopper. In London, however, visiting shops is a form of entertainment that can’t be matched by any other city. Even I succumb when in this great old city.

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by: Geoff Ficke Making a Minor Product Usage Change Can Propel Major Sales Advances In the middle of the 20th century pre-packaged foods and mixes were not as ubiquitous as they are today. Typically, a middle class home had a housewife present and preparing her families meals from scratch. The advent of mass-market consumerism would rapidly change this tradition.

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by: Geoff Ficke Marketing a Product Is Most Effective When Presented Through Story Telling Many years ago, when I was just a young rookie salesma I was fortunate to fall under sway of a wonderful veteran sales manager. His name was Milton Lupow and he became a mentor, teacher and coach as I struggled to climb the ladder to success. The lessons he taught stick closely to me until this day and at every opportunity I introduce Mr. Lupow’s concepts to my clients. When I became a sales manager, then an executive and business owner I appreciated his imparted wisdom even more.

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by: Geoff Ficke Multi-Tasking Now Is the Crucial Difference Between Success and Failure for Entrepreneurs The early 20th century British politicia James Maxton once famously quipped, “If you cannot ride two horses you have no right in the circus”. The same is true for aspiring entrepreneurs. The ability to apply oneself to multiple tasks, and most importantly, to act in a timely fashion is crucial in achieving goals.

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by: Geoff Ficke Securing Professional Help - How to Market a New Consumer Product Idea The last article in this series considered the mindset and attitudes required to be a successful marketer of consumer products and services. We discussed whether to utilize professional Consulting firms or to take the plunge and self-market your project. Here are some ideas on securing talent on a local, regional, and possibly pro-bono basis.

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by: Geoff Ficke Seek Out Honest Criticism of Your Business Plan And Learn to Accept and Act on It! Four decades ago I studied a college course in English Literature. W. Somerset Maugham’s famous novel “Of Human Bondage” was required reading. It was a bit of a slow go, but one line has stuck in my cranium and been of particular use in my business career; “People ask you for criticism, but they only want praise”.

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by: Geoff Ficke Successfully Approaching Marketing Professionals - How to Market a New Consumer Product or Idea Many inventors and entrepreneurs are so excited about their concept that they neglect to learn, or practice proper business etiquette when soliciting marketing or investment assistance. This can ruin their opportunity, or at the least set prospects back sharply. The following are some simple rules to follow when making initial contact or presentation of your exciting new product or marketing concept. Never Utilize Mindless Platitudesr

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by: Geoff Ficke The 5 Most Important Items to Fully Address For Entrepreneurs When Writing Business Plans A good portion of my work is devoted to writing and reading Business Plans. My Consumer Product Development and Marketing Consulting firm works extensively with small businesses, foreign Companies seeking United States Sales and Distribution, Inventors and Entrepreneurs. The solid Business Plan is the keystone that is essential in successfully driving a new venture to success.

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by: Geoff Ficke The 5 Personal Traits Essential for Achieving Entrepreneurial Success I have worked with Entrepreneurs, Inventors and businesses large and small all over the world in my career as a Consumer Product Development and Marketing Consultant. For every 20 opportunities we review, possibly one will take the plunge and commit to the arduous processes required to successfully launch a new product, service or business. Why is it that such a small percentage of possible new enterprises ever even attempt to become a start-up, much less succeed?

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by: Geoff Ficke The Challenge for Big Companies Is Not to Be Slow! That Is the Opportunity for Entrepreneurs

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by: Geoff Ficke The Classic Toy “Mr. Potato Head” Would Neverr Become a Success in Today’s Overprotective Society In the late 1940’s a Brooklyn-based inventor named George Lerner began to attempt to license a toy concept he had developed. The idea was to take pieces of fruit and vegetables and dress them with human facial features made from tiny plastic parts. The goal was to enable kids to create funny faces on their veggies.

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by: Geoff Ficke The Great Department Store Visionaries Created Much More Than Vast Retail Palaces Before the middle of the 19th century retailing was a disorganized, semi-professional business. Small general merchandise stores carried minimal stock levels and were often limited to local goods and produce. Mass production created by the industrial age was just beginning, so quality and availability of product was uneven at best. Brand names were rarely seen on store shelves in different towns, and never in different countries.

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by: Geoff Ficke The Importance of “Instant Gratification” When Marketing Consumer Products I remember as a little boy the excitement of shopping for a new car with my father. Dad was a Chevrolet man. He always bought cars from the same dealership and the same salesman. We would walk the lot, climb into various models, review the stickers for price and features, and then dad would go into a little cubicle with the salesman and make the deal.

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by: Geoff Ficke The Pioneer of Personal Success Literature Should Be Required Reading for Today’s Leaders

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by: Geoff Ficke The Rarest Most Exclusive Garment Wool in the World is Not for Sale For centuries the famous weavers of Kashmir have gathered and produced shawls from the rarest fiber in the world, Shahtoosh. These fabulous, prized shawls are so exclusive that the name Shahtoosh, meaning “king of fine wools”, is synonymous with exclusivity. The Kings of Persia were especially partial to this most unique wool, thus the name Shahtoosh.

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by: Geoff Ficke The Simple Wisdom We Learn from Studying Ancient Greek Rhetorical Form Chiasmus The ancient Greeks perfected and gifted to us the unique rhetorical form known as chiasmus. Simply stated, chiasmus is a figure of speech in which two phrases are inverted to display a parallelism. There are many examples of this device that have become famous and have entered everyday usage. One of my favorites is attributed to Ben Franklin, America’s first great Entrepreneur, Innovator and a Founding Father of the country; “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail”.

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by: Geoff Ficke The Simple, Ubiquitous Modern Screw Created Fortunes and Enabled Mass Production to Flourish Every human seems to have screws lying around our homes and offices. They tend to accumulate like dust particles. Open a drawer or a utility box and there will be a jumble of screws of different types and sizes littered among other assorted pieces of flotsam and junk that we collect and never seem to lose. Occasionally we go looking for a screw for a unique application or task and usually, we will find just the unit to complete the chore.

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by: Geoff Ficke The Importance of Crude Prototypes in Launching And Marketing New Consumer Products The most spectacular example of stunning product design extant in the world today must surely be on display in Marinello, Italy at the Ferrari Auto works. Ferrari is the apex of beauty; exclusivity, performance and technology, all bundled into one visually stunning work of mobile art. The famous Prancing Horse icon, seen racing down a winding road, attached to a Ferrari is one of the most beautifully alluring visions in the world.

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by: Geoff Ficke Time Is Never on the Entrepreneur’s Side In the early 1960’s, when the Rolling Stones were trying to become successful as a “blues band”, their first commercially successful recording was a ballad called “Time is on my side”. For the Rolling Stones time certainly has been on their side. For almost five decades this grizzled group has entertained audiences all over the world with their songs, videos and concerts. They are Rock and Roll's richest, most famous (or infamous) and successful group.

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by: Geoff Ficke Two Centuries Ago “The King of Chefs, the Chef of Kings” Created the Modern Gourmet Cooking We Know Today

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by: Geoff Ficke Using Trade Shows to Launch or License Your Novel Consumer Product Is Key Each business day we are approached by entrepreneurs, small businesses, and inventors from all over the world seeking guidance and asking how best to launch and successfully commercialize their consumer product or service innovation. In almost every case investment monies are very dear. There is no one universal answer as every situation is unique. However, we find that we almost always include a suggestion of industry specific trade show participation as a key piece of the answer.

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by: Geoff Ficke Weave a “Freemium” Business Model Element Into Yourr Consumer Product Marketing Strategy

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by: Geoff Ficke What Lesson Can Entrepreneurs Learn from a Bespoke Suit Maker and M&M’s Candy? Recently I read a profile of a relatively new business, Astor & Black that makes bespoke tailored gentlemen’s suits. The Company sends salesmen direct to their clients home or office and custom fits garments. There are thousands of fabrics to choose from, each suit is cut by hand to specific measurements and delivered in four to six weeks. The cost for an Astor & Black suit is about one-fourth the price of a Saville Row crafted suit.

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by: Geoff Ficke Our consumer product marketing and product development group just returned from launching two new products at a large trade show in Bologna, Italy. This was a cosmetic-beauty product show, the largest in the world. There were over 3000 vendors displaying their wares, from the largest brands in the luxury cosmetic space to start-up ventures with virtually no sales history. The show was visited by over 100,000 buyers from 120 countries.

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by: Geoff Ficke You Can Only Succeed at Life or Business If You Keep Moving

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With the increasing demand for dentists in the city, there is a high demand for dentists in the Bundoora area. This has led to a lot of new businesses opening up and providing dental services to people. Dentist Bundoora offers a lot of dental services to people. The following are some of the businesses that offer these services:

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When one has to start planning to boost his company’s growth then various factors have to be considered. Revising and updating the company’s sales strategy, working on the processes and procedures, we can say that there are plenty of steps which the individual has to take in order to see a meaningful growth and success down the road for his business.

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Aspiring entrepreneurs are everywhere around us. You will find some who have been nursing their ideas for months or even years and then there are those who come up with brilliant business ideas every Monday morning. However, most are held back by the frightening statistics that speak of the businesses that do not make it past the ideation stage. It, therefore, makes sense to first validate your business idea before going ahead with setting up the business. Landing Pages

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When was the last time you thought about the importance of a healthy diet? The food that you eat every single day impacts your quality of life. Moreover, it is always important to realize how it affects you as it can motivate you to adopt healthier eating habits. Here are three health benefits.

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Deciding on a photographer to assist you in capturing your baby’s first precious days is quite a task. Here are a few questions to ask your potential newbo photographer before you decide to hire him. Does He Have A Studio Or Will He Travel To Your Home?

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Growing your small business is not easy and it usually takes a lot of time. In order to see its growth, everything starts with the business owner. You must also be willing to learn and shape your company towards a better path.

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Generally, in our country, we are associating our identity based on our profession. You might have come across retired people also cherish and claim their status based on past professional accolades or achievements only. Even we introduce ourselves to others by quoting what we do. That is inherently we perceive job is essential for self-identity (saints or philosophers are exceptions!)

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If you’re new to the world of getting healthy, the enterprise might seem intimidating or overwhelming. But don’t worry. There is a wide range of relatively simple tips you can use to make wellness an integral element of your lifestyle. Below you’ll find a few simple wellness techniques that can really take your health to the next level: Incorporate Meditation into Your Lifestyle

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Getting into business is relatively easier than running it successfully by fulfilling all the stakeholder's expectations.It requires disciplined approach in managing business processes. As we witness in most of the small, medium size organizations, the business head seems to be busy in managing the business outcome, but with little focus on the business performance review.Despite multiple priorities and engagement with different stakeholders, the business head must do some important ritual or activities which he can not entirely rely on others.r

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As we are working with SME's on improving profitability, one familiar pattern we are observing in most of the organization. Even though, the team puts effort to maximize the plant utilization as much as possible by producing all SKU's(varieties) and at the end of the day profitability is in red or not as per desirable percentage. This type of scenario is prevalent in a manufacturing system which follows "High Varieties, low volumes, and dedicated or fixed facility." (Sometimes the team struggles to maximize the output due to forecasting error, changeover and priority clashes)

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As we are working with more SME organizations, we are observing two types of business heads or owners.One type of business owners involves themselves almost full time on managing all aspects of operational activities on a daily basis and not giving much focus on the business aspects of profitability and growth.The other type of business owners or heads delegates entire activities to be professional and not much familiar with business aspects. In both types of personalities, we see benefits and drawbacks as well.

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Availing a Personal Loan is a convenient solution to meet your financial requirements. Particularly with the presence of Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFC), applying for a Personal Loan takes only a few minutes, with minimal formalities required for loan disbursal. These loans can be availed over a concise period. Applying for a Personal Loan without any prior considerations is never advised. Mainly, you must always keep your Personal Loan tenor in mind while planning to opt for such a loan.

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From customer's perspective, Lead time is the time taken between customer placed the order for product/service and the time the customer received the product/service. This lead time may be further broken down into supply lead time, manufacturing lead time, distribution lead time and so on. Those classifications are internal to the organization, and the business head must focus on to reduce the overall lead time continuously. Why lead time reduction is an essential focus for the business/business head? Lead time reduction is important from four perspectives.

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Whenever we ask this question to business heads, most of the business heads connect to profitability. If the profitability is moderate or positive, then they think that they are managing the business effectively. Of course, profitability is one measure of business efficiency, but that alone does not indicate the management effectiveness. Consistency, increasing trend percentage of profitability is a function of managing many parameters effectively.

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“Be happy with what you have and are, be generous with both, and you will not have to hunt for happiness.”--William Gladstone One of the means of being happy is to be always in generous mindset. By definition, generous can be explained as “freely giving or sharing money, time, knowledge or any valuable resources of yours to others”.r

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Being in winning mindset is a quality of highly successful people and it is required to be happy always irrespective of the exte al environment. Being in winning mindset is fundamental for learning all experiences and achieving success in life.This is something making the ground clean and fertile, so that any new seeds can be planted and fruitful results can be attained.But in reality, there are some hindrances to being in winning mindset always. First, let us aware of winning mindset now and then address the obstacles.r

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