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Gail Martin |
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Business/Sales |
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2007-10-22 |
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Stories sell. Stories reach us in a deep and memorable way that sales pitches do not. What is the story of your business? Sometimes, part of the story is about you, the business owner. Sometimes, the story is built around the owner’s passion to right a wrong. If you don’t think your business has a story to tell, here are five ways to uncover your Real Story: #1: The owner’s story: Some types of stories reach very deep into the American consciousness. Stories about second chances, self-made successes, hard-working newcomers who realize the “American dream” and reinvention speak to very deeply held beliefs about who we are. I have one client who came as an exchange student from China, received her education here and met her husband. Because of the gift of a pearl necklace from an aunt, this client and her husband now own a pearl importing and jewelry design business. Her story of reinvention and adaptation while retaining her roots has gotten her media coverage and positive exposure for her business. #2: The product’s story: What need does your product meet? I have a Laundromat customer who doesn’t just give people clean clothes—he helps them show their love for their families and succeed in the workplace by having a neat and clean appearance. In his city neighborhood of recent immigrants who are climbing the ladder of prosperity, family and self-respect are very deeply held values. Do your services or products offer people security, good health or a chance to succeed? What is the need that prompts your customer to buy? #3: The business’s story: Has your business overcome adversity? We cheer for the businesses that found a way to come back after 9/11 in the TriBeCa neighborhood of New York City or after Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. Has your company weathered bad times, lopsided competition, succession crises or problems and come back stronger than ever? People love a come-back story (notice that Rocky Balboa has six movies!). #4: Your customers’ stories: Go beyond testimonials. A case study tells the story of the problem and how your company solved it—but it’s really a story about a hero, a dragon and a damsel in distress. The dragon is the business problem—for example, a project badly behind schedule and over budget. Your company is the hero. The client is the damsel in distress. Every good adventure has a few plot twists to keep our interest—what challenges happened on the way to slaying the dragon? Did you lose key project personnel when you needed them most? Did a piece of crucial equipment break or get delayed in shipping? Details like this make your story compelling. And then there’s the happy ending—how your company solved the problem and what it meant for the customer—significant dollar savings, productivity enhancement, the ability to compete in new markets. Help listeners feel the real benefit. #5: The story of your mission: Is your company part of your mission in life? Do you want to make the world a better place through the product or service you provide? Perhaps you became a lawyer because someone in your family was taken advantage of, and you want to make sure that others receive justice. Maybe you learned martial arts because you were robbed and ended up opening a studio to teach others to be safe. Your mission goes beyond your personal story to have a broader impact and make a difference in the world around you. Even the most mundane business can have a mission. Maybe you repair cars, but your commitment is to keep people from being endangered by breakdowns or from losing their jobs because of unreliable transportation. How do you make a difference? Telling the Real Story of your business makes a powerful connection with potential customers. It can be the springboard to compelling media coverage. It can differentiate you from competitors in ways they can’t copy. Once you uncover your Real Story, it affects the way you communicate about your business and the way you think about yourself, your products and your customers. Gail Z. Martin owns DreamSpinner Communications and helps companies in the U.S. and Canada tell the Real Story of their business through exceptional writing and marketing. Gail has an MBA in marketing and over 20 years of corporate and non-profit experience at senior executive levels. She leads webinars and teleseminars for organizations and professional associations on marketing topics, and she is the author of The Summoner and The Blood King novels in the Chronicles of the Necromancer fantasy adventure series. Sign up for a FREE email mini course, FREE marketing conference call and a FREE teleseminar on Telling Your Real Story, at http://www.DreamSpinnerCommunications.com. Find out more about Gail’s books at http://www.ChroniclesOfTheNecromancer.com. Contact Gail at gail@dreamspinnercommunications.com to start telling the Real Story of your business.
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2 |
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Benny Mitchell |
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Business/Small Business |
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2007-09-28 |
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The most commonly asked question by any businessman is “How to maximize the sale of my business?” Apart from following some basic rules that are followed by some famous business entrepreneur your own response to every favorable and unfavorable situations that generally prevails in any business and the application of your skill and brain is also required. The rule of thumb to make your business successful is to think with the head and not with the heart. The basic requirements for maximizing sale depends on proper planning in advance and the planning should not be the product of emotion without any practical calculation, pre-planning your confidential marketing effort to gain exposure to multiple buyers and getting informed by attending seminars regarding tax issues, estate planning and asking your CPA or lawyer to recommend “general knowledge” seminars that might assist to stop making a multitude of costly mistakes unknowingly. Next are the tax obligations that make it difficult for any quick fixes that give rise to immediate benefits. Therefore plan well in advance by brushing up your corporate structure on an ongoing basis. Make a note that if you are structured as a corporation, then after tax dollars on sale depends on whether you proceed with an “asset” sale or a “stock” sale. If you are proceeding with an asset sale then the proceeds will be taxed at the corporate level as well as the individual level when the remaining proceeds are distributed to the stockholders and if you are proceeding with stock sale then the proceed will be taxed on capital gains. Therefore to minimize tax obligations make planning in advance for the sale of your business. Watch out for the favorable time to sell your business to maximize the amount of cash you receive. Low interest rates and a low economic process with plenty of liquidity and a floaty economy create an ideal scene for a potential buyer to pay significantly for a business that demonstrates a consistent track record of growing revenues and profitability. There are several other reasons that persuade the small business owner to sell. Health problem and mental outwear has a great impact deteriorating the value of the business. So it is wise to sell the business for a good price while the business is floaty. A decision to sell can be very difficult therefore it is wise to seek outside objective advice from respected professionals because they will provide you with a fresh insight that will assist you in making good strategic decisions for the future of your business.
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Sue Stebbins |
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Business/Management |
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2007-08-03 |
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The recent media buzz about 'The Secret' has entrepreneurs asking, "How can I put the Law of Attraction principle to work for me in my business?" It's all about the power of focus. As home-based business owners, network marketers, or coaches, you are often reminded of the importance of goal setting. You already know that goals should be SMART - specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. So, how does all of that detail relate to using the law of attraction to manifest massive results in your business, beyond what your efforts have created thus far? The good news is, if you are clear about your business goals, your task is half completed. To really put the power of focus to work for you, you will need to begin asking yourself some probing, insightful and imaginative questions: Who will I BE when I achieve this goal? What will I HAVE when I achieve this goal? What things will I DO when I achieve this goal? You need to feel and really focus on what it would be like to have already achieved your goal! Will you feel exhilarated? Enthused? Satisfied? Peaceful? Joyous? Free? Who will you "be" when this goal is achieved? Will you be successful? Respected? Loved? Admired? Generous? What "things: or circumstances do you imagine surrounding yourself with as you achieve this goal? Will you drive a finer vehicle? Move to a larger home in a lovely neighborhood? Treat yourself to weekly bodywork sessions? And what will you be DOING differently as you achieve this goal? Travel more often? Spend more quality time with family and friends? Express a hidden talent? The law of attraction, at it's essence, states that the dominant focus of your thoughts and emotions is what you will attract. Recognizing the power of focus is key to understanding the relationship between your thoughts and your ability to manifest your desires, whether they are business goals, relationships, or travel plans. Identifying your goal is a commendable and key initial step, but to use the law of attraction you must engage focus - the feeling power of your imagination. You must be able to see, hear, touch, taste, and inhale the fragrance of the achievement of your goals. Once you have committed your goals to paper, you are already in a 3% minority, as compared to a vast majority who do not have any written goals. Your next step, actively focusing on the end feeling of your goal, places you among the very few. This is the place in the "manifesting your dreams" process where business-minded people often falter; since you've been trained to foresee every possibility in order to formulate contingency plans for your business, your focus may frequently be dominated by "what if's" of the negative variety. - "What if I don't sell my quota this month?" - "What if don't reach director status this quarter?" - "What if I can't generate enough income from my coaching clients?" - "What if I don't have enough projects to keep me busy?" If your predominant focus is on contemplating worst-case scenarios, the law of attraction states that this IS what you will attract. One of the most powerful tools to assist you in clarifying your goals and taking aligned action is to use the services of a personal coach and/or a likeminded support circle, sometimes known as a "mastermind" group. This type of support can assist you to begin to shift those "what if" questions to a much more powerful, creative mindset. - "What if I achieve this goal easily?" - "What if I achieve big breakthroughs in life and business?" - "What if the capital/people/resources I need are available to me right now?" - "What if I were introduced to the perfect person to collaborate on/invest in/promote this project?" - "What if everything falls into place perfectly?" - "What if my coaching practice was overflowing with perfect clients?" - "What if I was wildly, satisfyingly, incredibly successful?' It is at this point that most of you begin to demand, "How?" "How will this happen?" "What else do I need to do to make this situation come about?" "How can I make A, B and C happen?" Putting the power of focus to work in your business means learning to gently detach from the "how." The power of your focus is more effectively placed on "what" you want, and "why" you want it. Detaching from the "how" puts the law of attraction to work for you in it's most powerful capacity. By leaving the how's to the law/God/the Universe/the Divine/(insert your word of choice,) you open to receiving the essence of your desire in a way that may not exactly match your stated goal. It may exceed your original intention, or it may manifest in a wonderful way that your conscious mind could not possibly have imagined. When you allow this aspect of the creation process to be orchestrated by law of attraction, you can relax and begin to take the necessary receiving steps to bring your goals/desires into the realm of physical reality. Unlike traditional methods of goal achievement, the power of focus (through the law of attraction) utilizes aligned action. Aligned action differs significantly from conventional doing, doing, doing. "If it's to be, it's up to me," is a classic entrepreneurial mantra, but the truth is that when you consciously use the power of focus to manifest your goals, you summon a greater power than solely your own dogged efforts. Aligned action involves choosing actions that are aligned with your end result! Do you envision yourself working 14-hour days (to the detriment of your health and your family) once you have achieved your business goals? Do you envision awakening at 3:00 am, obsessing about finances, your client list and your unworthiness to succeed? These (and many other) actions originate from a place of perceived scarcity and lack, and a fearful mindset. The key to putting the power of focus to work for you is to take action in your business with choices that feel good, celebrate your progress, and are in vibrational alignment with your imagined success. According to law of attraction, your very focus on your current reality of "what is" rather than "the end result" is keeping the success and achievement you desire at arm's length. As you continue to contemplate what you don't have, you continue to attract more of the same - not enough, wanting more. Wishing and hoping that you will achieve your business goals is NOT the same as committing yourself to using the power of focus to envision your success in as much juicy detail as you can muster, while having a firm intention to bring it into your reality. So take your carefully outlined goals and invest them with the love and imagination that they (and you!) deserve. Feel how wonderful, freeing and life-enhancing it is to stand in the place of already being, having and doing what you ardently desire and imagine for yourself and your business. Take actions that are in alignment with your vision. When you encounter decision-making opportunities in your business where the foregone conclusion is based upon "should," "must," or negative "what if" situations, pause and consider taking action that feels more truly in alignment with your intended outcome. The power of focus (a.k.a. the law of attraction)is a powerful universal law which, once understood and utilized effectively, can catapult your business and your life to incredible heights. To your success!
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Carla SanGaspar |
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Business/Advertising |
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2007-03-26 |
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Business cards play a vital role in our very competitive world. Every business person should not leave the house without the ease of having a business card to hand out to every potential customer. Rather than writing all you contact information in a piece of paper every time you meet a prospective customer, giving out a business card is far easier and more economical. This could help both of you save time and effort. And the chance that it will be considered a scratch paper would be avoided. Business cards help create a first impression for your company on you business. It is also a very successful marketing tool. In order for customers to remember that business card you handed out and not be included with those placed inside a drawer, you should also out in it more than just your contact number. Putting in your business cards the products or services that customers can avail from you would be an effective way of maximizing the space on your business card. Avoid making your business card look like any other persons business card. Make use of fonts that would be readable and that would communicate your identity and message. The color that you are going to use should be chosen wisely as well. Will you use a lot of color combination for your business card? Always keep in mind as well that the use of a lot of color in printing could cost you lots of money as well. Decide on the right grade of paper you want to use for your business card. Business cards are usually printed on cover stock. Establish what kind of paper you want to use for your business card. Are you going to use smooth paper stock or a textured paper? Find out which business card printing company can handle your business card printing for you. Remember that you are giving them the opportunity to help you make the best form of advertising tool that you can have. In looking for a business card printing company that will be conducting the business card printing for you, ask if the kind of equipments they use can ensure you that you will only be provided with products of high quality. Make sure that you were able to relate to their team of printing experts as well what you want your business card to look like. Business cards are an easy way to generate a lot of customers. It can be handed out and passed out to anyone that may be in need of your service. Business cards are easy, handy reference to contact you in case potential customers and loyal customers alike would be in need of your service.
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charen smith |
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Internet Business/Internet Marketing |
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2008-02-11 |
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You know for a fact that your business needs to be advertised in order for you to increase your sales. And in any marketing campaign, one of the basic tools used by most is commercial printing. Having something tangible for your target clients to read and hold on to is essential for you to be retained in their minds. But how do you maximize the benefits you get from commercial printing your marketing collaterals? There are several ways to do it: 1 – Your customer is your priority. The only way you can make a difference in your marketing collateral is if you know your customers and clients – their wants, needs, desires. What’s important to them? What problems do they have? What are the demographics of your target market? What would make them interested in your products? What benefits are they looking for? When you are able to answer these questions, then you’ll be able to supply your target audience with the most appropriate ad that would be beneficial to both you and your clients. With a better understanding of your customer, you’ll be able to provide not only a stronger message but also better solutions to their problems. 2 – Your headline should be attractive. Ever heard of a sensual headline? It’s not something dirty or pornographic, mind you. When we say sensual, we mean headlines that are so attractive that your target audience would be hard put to resist them. In addition to your graphics, the next element that can appeal to your target readers’ emotions and senses is your headline. If you have a headline that is extremely appealing to your prospects and customers then you would have done a good job indeed. Always keep in mind that your customers are your priority. Build a headline that speaks of the benefits that they would gain when they purchase your product or avail of your service. A strong benefit statement would be very difficult to resist. 3 – It’s all about YOU. When I say ‘you’, I mean your customers. Forget about yourself or your company. Your customers don’t give a hoot about that. Their only concern is their welfare. So build your message on that fact. Entice them with the benefits and offers that identify with their needs and wants. Make them an offer that they can’t resist by providing them a means to make their lives better and help to solve their issues and problems. 4 – Tell them stories. Who doesn’t love stories? I don’t know of anyone who doesn’t, that’s why it is worthwhile on your part to integrate your stories in your marketing collaterals. The more appealing your story, the better. Finally, give them a reason to act on your message. Getting your target audience to read your material is not enough. Most important is to get them to act according to your call. Call you, visit your website, go to your shop – whatever it is, the most important thing is to get them to act on your message. A material that doesn’t get your target readers to take action is a useless marketing indeed. For more information, you can visit this page on Color Printing
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Sam Miller |
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Business/Management |
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2007-07-13 |
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The performance of the sales department of your organization is probably tied to such measurements as the total revenue or sales revenue per product. You may even have geographical information such as revenue from the Northwest or the Gulf States. But in truth, the revenue is not a totally effective tool to measure the effectiveness of the sales department. As with any key performance indicators, there need to be a combination of measures which take into account by the scope and the quantity. Calculating the revenue produced with the existing sales department is simple. It's a mathematical calculation. But, by drilling down in the key performance indicators for the sales department, you begin to get a better picture of the effectiveness of the sales department. For example, if the only performance indicator used for the sales department is the revenue for the company, the changes in revenue may have nothing to do with the sales department at all. It could be the effectiveness of the marketing campaign, or it could be the fact that the only other supplier of the product just went out of business. Perhaps the niche group that you're selling the product to just became much larger, such as a product which targets people over the age of retirement. The point here is that measuring the revenue is not a complete nor necessarily accurate measurement of the performance of the sales department. However, if you were to measure the number of new leads developed by the sales department during as specific time period, or the ratio of leads to sales, then you begin to get a more accurate picture of how well the sales department is doing. Once you have developed measurement tools to help you define such statistics, then it is a fairly easy step to defining how effective the sales department is in doing the job of selling. While isolating performance indicators so that you're measuring performance in the person or department where the responsibility lies is critical, the company can't lose sight of the fact that many elements may operate to make a successful overall business. In setting key performance indicators to measure the company's progress toward reaching its goal, it is the process which is as important as the results. Using concepts such as the Balanced Scorecard process especially the modified versions which have become popular in the last decade is an excellent tool to first define and agree on goals and objective, then to define the measurement tools which will be used to determine if the objective is being met. In the above example, the marketing department may be responsible for increasing the visibility of the product by a marketing campaign, but it is up to the sales department to take those leads and convert them to sales. Neither department would be effective without the expertise of the other, but at the same time, each must be measured by the effectiveness of what they contribute to the mix.
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William Winch |
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Business/Home Business |
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2008-01-04 |
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Keeping track of your budget is an absolute necessity for home-based business owners looking for success. Money is precious, especially when you don't have a lot to work with, and you want to do your best to maximize the results of your investments. Experience and observation has taught me that skipping over this detail can cause devistating results not only to your business, but to your life as well. Money is not easy to make, but it sure is easy to spend...especially in Network Marketing. Everyone and their brother will try to convince you that their program will make you rich. Do yourself a favor and set yourself up for success first by following the tips outlined below. Before you even think about spending any money to start a home-based business, you must write out your current monthly expenses and earnings. Just get out a sheet of paper, one of those outdated writing tools called a pencil, and make two lists. Subtract your expenses from your earnings and the amount staring you in the face is the magic number. You want this number to be as high as possible because it will be the basis for your business budget. If it isn't above zero, find a way to get it there. If you are serious about starting a business to earn extra income, you may have to sacrifice a few luxuries. What you do not want to do is continue those luxuries if it is causing you to get into debt. Once you find the extra money, even if it's only $50 a month, that is what you want to base your business budget on. It is great to dream big and have faith in your company, but reality is where you currently live and you need to keep yourself grounded. Think about the expenses that will make that $50 generate more money for you and use that as a starting point. Is it proper marketing education? Is it product inventory? Is it advertising? It certainly isn't a brand new calculator, new business checks or a new suit. Greed isn't a good business building characteristic anyway. The most important thing to remember is never spend more than you are making. The only exception to this rule is if you find an educational or business program with a written guarantee for success. Too many people fall victim to these online systems that require you to spend money on over-priced leads without a single shred of guarantee that they will work. This has significantly increased the drop-out rate in marketing to 95%. Watching fellow colleagues of mine get themselves into horrendous financial debt in this way was one of the observations that led be to find a guaranteed program. Another observation that led me to change my way of thinking was my ability to keep a close watch on how my expenses related to the program I was working. I'm talking about every cent, including things that most people overlook like stamps and gas mileage. Luckily I only saw a $500 loss before I called it quits, and even then I watched it ride out for a whole year before I saw my investment finally break even. When you compare an itemized list of your business expenses with your profits, you not only can keep track of how well you are doing, but how well you will do in the future if you keep working the same plan. Most network marketing companies will offer a business plan for you to follow that seems great on paper, but be very cautious. They do not have the time to properly educate every distributor who signs up on how the be a successful business owner and marketer. that would take too much time and would take money out of their pockets. What they do instead is play a numbers game and count on your hard earned dollars to work for them long after you are gone. 16% of all distributors who quit the business go on to remain a customer and usually convince a few of their friends to remain loyal as well. Expensive trips to expensive seminars that ensure your ability to "see the big picture" will do nothing but give you inspiration while your credit card racks up a high interest rate. If your company cannot ensure a guaranteed plan to follow that focuses on marketing education, you will probably only get as far as enrolling a few customers before wind up quitting. Start thinking outside of the box and seek education that teaches you how to market any product, not just theirs. Anything can happen in this world, and a prsoperous company can go belly up just like anything else. Be prepared for situations beyond your control by spending your education dollars that can work for any business. On the same note, do not spend any part of your advertising budget on "work from home" leads or flyers. Focus instead on finding people who have a want, need or desire for your product. These are the people who will go on to be your biggest business builders. Ten people who have a strong connection to the product or service they are selling will be worth more than a thousand who are only in it for the money. Why? Because those who simply join a business for the sole purpose of making money will eventually quit when they don't make a huge profit int he first few months. It's easy for them to quit because they have no connection with the product or service. Another thing you should do to maximize the results of your budget is to invest your business profits back into your business. Don't use it to pay your way into the movies or indulging yourself at a fancy restaurant. This is the mistake most people make that contributes to their business failing. Putting your profits back into your business is the only way to increase your budget allowance and build momentum. Contrary to what some people may try to convince you to do, you do not need thousands of dollars every month to build a home-based business. How much you will need will be based on trial and error. Once you have found a solid plan that works in your favor, the monthly expenses for that plan will present itself. Once you begin to see your profits exceed your allotted monthly business budget, it is ok to buy that suit or use it for a vacation. Just remember to always save at least 10% of those profits for the future. Money isn't everything unless you do not have any, and life will always present waves of problems. A financial security blanket is the only way to arrive at those problems in style and handle them a minimal amount of stress. There are a lot of details to which you need to pay attention in order to successfully grow a business and keep it moving forward. The simple daily activity of budgeting your money will make or break your business. Understanding this is part of the mindset that it takes to bring in 20-30 people a week into your business. It was only when I decided to focus on keeping a sensible budget based on the techniques above that my business began to show a decent profit. I help other people learn from my mistakes because I believe there is no need for a 95% drop-out rate in network marketing. All it takes is the proper educaton and a change in the way you do your thinking.
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8 |
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Business/Management |
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2007-11-10 |
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There comes a time in every small business when it is time to look past the help of friends and family and actually delve into hiring personnel. In some cases this comes sooner rather than later in the business’ development, yet the inevitability of this step lends credence to the notion that each and every entrepreneur needs to learn how to successfully harness and maximize the power of the workforce he or she will eventually hire. If you have ever entered a store and noticed workers that seemed to mill around aimlessly and were not busy at all, then you will have come face with the danger sign that spells low morale, decreased productivity, and quite possibly also a general malaise brought on by employee dissatisfaction. While you may hope that this will never occur in your business, the truth of the matter is simply that the fresh faced applicant with the crisp resume and the hopeful look when facing you during the interview will at some point, sooner or later, have the potential to turn into a lackluster, inattentive, dissatisfied, and also less productive worker. When harnessing and maximizing the power of the workforce you have hired, you will need to honestly assess the state of affairs in your business. Do not just go by gut feel but also take a look at the numbers. Confer with your senior management and get all the input you can before you decide on a course of action. Once the data is in and it is time to deal with the issues at hand, there are a number of steps needed to ensure that you will get the most out of each and every worker who is currently in your employ: * Privately meet with the worker or workers whose work performance has slipped. Be mindful that this is not a performance evaluation or a shake up but instead a joined fact finding mission. The worker may not realize that her or his productivity is lacking; conversely there may be work environmental factors in play you may not be privy to. Tread lightly and give the worker the freedom to speak up and out without fear of repercussions. Come to a consensus with the worker what you, as the boss, can do to help the employee get back to his or her highest level of productivity. * If the problem at hand is a lack of clear and detailed direction about how to perform a certain task, you will do well to ensure that the worker will receive both. This will require a certain level of time and effort spent on supervision, but in the end the outcome is well worth the extra effort. Should you decide that you do not wish to spend this additional time and effort, you will stand to lose an employee whom you have paid for to have hired and trained. While it is tempting to rather think of replacing the worker, it is wise to first try and give the clear and detailed instructions needed. When seasoned with specific praise for improvements achieved, you will have most likely turned around a dissatisfied and unproductive worker. * On the flipside, if a highly motivated and skilled employee is subject to micromanaging by a supervisor her or his work performance will suffer. Seeking to place this worker with a more hands-off manager will once again allow the person to flourish and do their best for the business.
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9 |
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Business/Business |
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2008-05-05 |
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Most businesses start out thinking the first thing they need is a great business plan. The popular myth is that potential lenders will place great stock in your business plan as a major consideration for approving the financing you need. While a well written business plan will assist you when you are seeking financing, it is far down on the lender’s list behind things such as your business management team’s experience, your past business successes and your “lending character “. Having a plan for accessing the business capital you need to execute your business plan is what is required to bring your business success. Not having a viable business financing plan is the direct cause of why 90% of all new businesses fail. Your lending character means the lender sees you having the ability and stability to repay the loan. They also ask how far they believe you can take the business to maximize the potential earnings and therefore their chances of getting repaid. The first thing a lender is going to look at is how did you structure the business and were you responsible and knowledgeable in that. Are you Incorporated or an LLC? If not you are declined for a business loan and everything becomes based solely on you as an individual. Did you do your EIN, State, business licenses and bank filings correctly? If not, you are declined because lender’s require attention to detail. A simple business credit report check by a lender will quickly show whether or not you are even in the ballpark for getting approved for financing. If the lender finds that you haven’t bothered to insure that your business has active reports with all three major business credit reporting agencies, then of course you are immediately declined. Next, the lender will look at the character of your business credit reports. What do they say about your business? What kind of payment histories have you had with debts that are easy to get such as vendor trade lines, small business credit cards, equipment leases, etc? If your business has no credit history or very minimal history then no lender will even consider your business for a larger loan when you have no track record of paying smaller debts. If you pass these simple tests, now a lender will get to the heart of you business loan application and it is only at this point that you even get the opportunity to present your funding request. Unfortunately as high as 90% of all business loan applications never get to this point, because most business owners never take the time to complete the initial steps. So you have made it this far, The next question you need to ask is what is a lender going to want to see? Debt service! Here is where the lender finally looks at your business plan (or at least the financial pat of it) to determine if your business can debt service the loan. To make this determination a lender will test the reality of your numbers. Basically this means do your numbers add up and do they make sense. If you don’t know anything about accounting you had better get help. When a lender looks at your projected financial statement and finds simple accounting errors, then in most cases you will again be declined. They don’t want to lend money to someone who cannot produce a simple proof and loss statement; or someone that can’t balance a balance sheet. There is a lot of help out there, get some. Next, a lender will look at the market niche section of your business plan. While most business owners think that this is the place that sets them apart from the competition, it actually is the part where lenders will compare you to your competition. Here is where lenders must see that you have done you market research. Can the revenue claims that you are making in your financial projections be backed up by the actual market demographics for your specific business industry, location, customer base, etc.? It essentially comes down to the need for your product or service. All of this can seem overwhelming and in truth it can be. It is the reason that 97% of all business loan applications get declined. The overriding reason is that business owners are not taught this in school and typically only gain this knowledge through years of brutal experience that normally includes having one or two failed businesses under their belts. This will give you plenty of information to get you started on putting together a business funding request. In my next article I will cover some of the other aspects of your business plan. For a full version of an excellent business funding guide do a search on Google, Yahoo, or MSN for " Business Funding Workbook".
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10 |
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Michiel Van Kets |
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Internet Business/Internet Marketing |
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2008-03-28 |
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Are you still sitting in your office waiting anxiously for the phone to ring or expecting a lot of foot traffic to come through your door to learn more about the services you offer? Not yet doing business online? Have you investigated the power of the World Wide Web? Or are you still hoping that your business will soar because of that advertisement you placed in your local newspaper or radio? Forget those old time marketing methods. If you are not harnessing the power of the Internet, you may as well just go home for the rest of the day thinking what in the world you’re missing. You need to reach your potential customers by using methods that appeal to them – and those methods are based upon the Internet. If you are not already using the web to grab customers, please reconsider because you need to use the Internet to stay ahead of your competitors and those new coming companies. There are many marketing strategies to establish your local business in the midst of cut-throat competition. Referral marketing is used to highlight the unique features of a product. Cause-related marketing is also frequently used by many businesses. Recently, the field of online merchant advertising evolved to assist small business owners worldwide. Harnessing marketing opportunities are serious aims and objectives of any local business establishment. Companies offer competitive, affordable packages for the-web-and-maximize-profits-for-your-local-business-1.html>local business registration. Online business portals help local business owners and professionals by providing full-page business profiles and services. Unlike print out ads, are one chance attractions. Exposure to the Internet has become very important for local businesses. Why? With an Internet presence, your company can obtain business opportunities anywhere – from clients just up the street or across the globe. Advertise your business online and eyes everywhere will be reading about you. So getting faster recognition isn’t what you want? There’s no end to the possibilities. Sure, you will target your local customers, which is what you are expecting and hoping for. Sitting in your office and let the Internet do your job isn’t what you wanted? And also have the chance to reach out to customers, not in just other areas, but the world. No newspaper ads can do that! And do not think that you need to be a technical expert to get your company up and running online. For a local business owner, it is easy to use the-web-and-maximize-profits-for-your-local-business-1.html>local affiliate programs without requiring a lot of technical expertise. Web portals offer the best marketing tips to ensure local merchant success. In the past, marketing techniques like traditional print services were used to identify and acquire customers. As technology is improving, the Internet has proved that local business owners need to advertise on the web if they intend to gain new opportunities, be competitive and expand in the future. This ensures you that your business is operating everyday of the week, everywhere in the world. As more individuals become Internet savvy, it is a preferable option to switch over to modern marketing technologies.
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11 |
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Robert Williams |
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Business/Business |
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2008-05-04 |
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Business cards are used to promote you as well as your business. Business cards are one of your most powerful tools when it comes to promotion. Your contact information is on the business card making it easily distributed and easily accessible to clients and potential clients. If you take your time and be creative when you are designing your business cards they can be a more effective promotional tool. Attractive design dresses up your business cards. It is important to remember to use a font that is easily read. You should also provide multiple ways for people to contact you. All of these factors are important, but the copy on your business card has the ability to really grab the attention of prospective clients. Well written business card copy can make the card more effective. Business card copy is one of the most overlooked and misunderstood tools in business promotion. Most everyone remembers to add their business name as well as their name, title, business address, and phone number some even remember their email address. All of these things are important for your clients to be able to contact you. You can utilize your business cards to add incentive for your clients to contact you. Company slogans are used in advertising, these slogans stick in their customer's minds. A catchy and creative tagline on a business card can do the same thing. Space is limited on business cards so tag lines need to be fairly short. You can use word play or rhyme to create a memorable tagline. Action words that highlight the benefits of your products and services can help increase the effectiveness of your tagline. Putting your website's address on your business card gives clients a way to learn more about your business. You can also list a couple of your helpful features that your website has on your business card. For example you could include, "Free templates available for your use at http://www.yourwebsitesname.com". This provides incentive to go to your webpage to see what your business is all about. Advertising ongoing promotions and sales can be done with business cards as well. If you offer discounts or customer referral programs mentioning it on your business card can increase awareness. If your business makes sales online may also want to think about adding online coupon codes on your business cards. Having your clients pass out business cards to friends and family can also be a great way to generate business. You can leave a stack in the salon or with your hair dresser for them to pass on to clients too. The back of your business card can be utilized as well. You can use it to print coupons or to list your products and services. Witty quotes or testimonials can also be placed on the back of your business card. Putting a schedule or a checklist on the card can transform it into a valuable tool for your clients giving them incentive to hang on to the card. The possibilities of what the back of the card can contain is limited only by your imagination. If you are adding value for your customer and it fits neatly on the back of your business card go for it. Your business card copy is important. Good business card copy will increase the chances your card won't end up in the trash as soon as you are out of sight. Make the most of the space provided, give good contact information, and give your clients a reason to look you up.
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12 |
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sean McPheat |
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Business/Business |
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2008-03-04 |
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Branding your business is very important in the competitive world of business. You need to stand out of the crowd and be noticed. Branding will establish your position in your market. It will help your business to become a household name. Here are some tips to help you: 1. Be sure your business name tells people who you are, and what you do. It is very important that your business name tells your customer exactly what your company can do for them. For example, if you are selling an autoresponder service it is good to mention the word autresponder in your business name. If you are selling golf equipment then the word golf would be good in your name and if you are able to put equipment into the business name it is even better. 2. Make your business name memorable: Your business name should be short and easy to remember. This is very important so that your customers remember your business name. If you have a long name, try to shorten it. Like Kentucky Fried Chicken shortened their name to KFC. This is easy to remember and helps to brand your business and make your business a household name. 3. Have an eye catching unique logo: Your logo can quickly become your special salesman: This is one of the main factors in branding your business. A logo must be unique to your company, so that it can always be identified with your business and nobody else. It should be on all your promotion material and letterheads. Of course it must always be featured on your website. For these reasons your logo must be eye catching and memorable. It doe not have to be very colorful, in fact two colors are usually sufficient, but it must attract the customer by design and style. You should try to have a logo that is relative to what you sell. 4. Have a mascot: A mascot is good to brand your business. An example would be the Mitt at Arbey’s fast food restaurant. This little mascot was first introduced as a spokesman for TV advertising. They developed his character through this medium and the Mitt became associated with Arbey’s advertising. This can be done with any business by using a little mascot like this, which is related to your industry. TV media is one of the best ways to advertise and establish your mascot. 5. Use a slogan-branding promise: A business slogan is very effective in branding your business. It usually is related to your product and is memorable. It can often depict a promise or guarantee of your product or service. KFC “We do chicken right,” is an example of this. The slogan declares that when you eat KFC chicken it is going to taste good and you will enjoy as they “do chicken right.” It is short and memorable so that people will remember it. This little phrase is on all their signs and advertising and soon became a popular household phrase. 6. Have an online presence: A website is an important part of branding these days and is a must if you are going to get ahead of the competition. It will have your logo and your slogan as part of the header. Your business name will be the domain name. Your website will help to brand your business in the minds of your potential buyer and customers. A website will give information about your company and products. The URL or address of your website should be on every piece of promotional material. It should also be on your letterhead and definitely on your business card. 7. Have a unique business card: Many business cards get trashed or lost. This is because the card is not very noteworthy. It does not catch the recipient’s eye and is not remembered. However, if you want to really brand your business you will need to have a memorable business card. It should have your logo, slogan and business name with all your contact information. However, to avoid the trash basket or getting lost it should have something more. Make your business card unique and memorable. It will then become a powerful way to brand your business. Branding your business is very important and these points are just a few ways to do it. Branding your business will make your business unique and memorable in your customers’ eyes. When you brand your business you are in effect making sure that your company is noticed and stands out from the crowd. This is very important in the competitive world of business and should be carefully planned and implemented. When you brand your business, you allow your customers and potential buyers to identify your particular business and they will be more inclined to buy from you. BIO Sean McPheat is a leading authority marketing consultant and helps businesses across the UK, Europe, US and the Middle East. Sean’s marketing services include direct mail, internet marketing, sales copy, sales training, telemarketing, PR and strategic alliance marketing.
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13 |
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Business/Business |
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2008-05-05 |
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No one ever got into a business with the intentions not to make money or to expand throughout the coming years. It is the hope of every business owner that their "baby" is profitable, as well as display a reasonable amount of growth. One of the best ways to achieve the goals that are set for a business is to implement effective marketing plans. There are many different approaches to consider, such as increased promotion, persuasive advertisement, as well as positive customer interaction. Without proper business marketing techniques, a company stands to lose ground with the public, as well as with competitors. I know you must be thinking about how much it will cost to market your business, but trust me; there are ways to make sure that it isn't an expense you cannot handle. There are numerous approaches a business owner can take to maximize what they have, as well as save money. Maximize Your Contact Information Make your presence known through everything you do or send out to others. This means plastering your contact details on all of your marketing emails and packages. Don't forget to include your logo, address, phone number, and website address (when applicable) on your company letterhead and business cards. Your company name should be visible and recognizable. Make sure your business doesn't go unnoticed or is easily forgotten. This is a great way to not only promote your business, but to also build a connection with the public. Sometimes a catchy slogan is effective in making sure clients associate your business with a specific line of products or services. Take Advantage of Article Writing It doesn't cost much to promote your business through the writing of articles pertaining to your company. Try to place business promotion at the end of the article. The next step is to enter the article into a directory, magazine, newspaper, or Ezine. The best way to use this method is to send out your articles to the type of venues your target audience will most likely frequent. Say It With a Press Release Spread the news of your company through the creation of a press release, which is great to announce the expansion of your business. This is also a great way to alert the public when a new product is available. It doesn't cost much to pay publications to print a press release. Embrace the Internet Don't ignore the power of a forum, discussion or message board. Choose a few reputable forums to post. Do not concentrate on marketing your business at first, market your interest and knowledge in your field and then once you develop a trusted presence, you may plug your business every once in a while. Everyone Likes Something For Free Another smart business practice in the wonderful world of marketing is to give away free items or services. This satisfies current clients and customers, as well as attracts a new crop of potential buyers. This is a great way to build relationships with the public and depending on your freebies, the cost is minimal. Use All Media Outlets Television and radio possess a power over the people that cannot be denied. Business promotion can be quite beneficial when you branch out to all kinds of media outlets. Sometimes, you may not get the response you hoped for, but you will have at least tapped into a different market you may not have reached before.
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14 |
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RBoduch |
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Business/Advertising |
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2008-05-05 |
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Effective copywriting is one piece of the puzzle. But you also need some basic business essentials. Sure, great ad copy is a crucial component to marketing success, but it's not the be-all-and-end-all some people seem to think. It's this kind of "cure-all" approach that sometimes gives advertising a bad name as the truth gets exaggerated in an attempt to sell inferior products. Here are 5 essential prerequisites -- basic business essentials -- you need to maximize your results: Business Essentials -- Ingredient #1: A Customer-Oriented Focus. It demands that you take a look at the big picture and think long-term. Invariably, this means that you avoid the get-rich-quick mentality at all costs. Your purpose in business is to not just make the sale, but to forge a relationship. Be significant, helpful, caring, advantageous, and unique to your customer and you'll be handsomely rewarded in return. It's the law of cause and effect in action. Build a reputation for continually delighting customers and they'll come back and buy from you again and again. Not only that, but they'll tell others too. These are the most profitable sales you'll ever make. If you need to find new customers each time out, you're rowing upstream and forever spending money in search of sales. The get-rich-quick artists aren't interested in relationship building, they simply want to extract cash from anyone they can, as quickly as they can, and they flee the scene to avoid any fallout. It's hardly a strategy for long-term growth and profitability. Business Essentials -- Ingredient #2: A Quality Product. Don't even think about creating advertising copy if you don't first have a quality product to take to market. It doesn't have to be the absolute finest quality widget ever engineered, but it must offer some advantage to the marketplace. It helps if your product is an exclusive - something not easily obtained elsewhere. If you're not thrilled about what you're selling, this lack of enthusiasm will come through in your copy. If you're not absolutely convinced that what you have to sell offers quality, unique advantages and solid value to the buyer, don't even try to convince others. To do so means you're pushing a product upon your audience, rather than pulling them towards it. Business Essentials -- Ingredient #3: An Irresistible Offer. Your product alone should never represent your entire offer. If you want to sell by words alone, you need an offer that is so attractive, no sensible person could pass it by. Prepare an overall package that is worth far more than your product alone. This is easy to do. Simply think in terms of appealing premiums, bonuses, coupons, consulting packages, gifts, accessories, etc. and you can create an offer that is 100% exclusive - no matter what you're selling. Business Essentials -- Ingredient #4: A Hungry Market. Identifying a target market is a definite requirement. Ideally, your product and your offer should be shaped and molded to suit the specific desires of your tightly defined niche market. Spot a hungry market with unfilled or poorly filled "wants" and offer the ultimate solution. That's how you stack the deck in your favor. Business Essentials -- Ingredient #5: The Resources To Market Effectively. It doesn't matter how outstanding your product, offer and copy is... if you don't have the capability of reaching your audience in a big way. In direct mail, there are postage, production and list rental costs involved. With web marketing, it's ezine advertising, search engine optimization, and pay per click (PPC) ads. If you don't factor these expenses in at the start and plan for them, you're creative copywriting and product development efforts could be hampered right off the bat. It takes adequate capitalization to run any business and there are costs involved if you want to maximize your marketing. Proper planning helps transform an unexpected expense into successful investment that propels your business forward. Launching any enterprise without these basic business essentials is futile. When you have these 5 business essentials in place, your copy is not only easier to write, it's far more convincing. And copy that's far more convincing, converts a lot more prospects into customers. More resources at www.makeyoursalessoar.com
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15 |
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Internet Business/Internet Business |
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2007-09-04 |
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Many of the visitors to your home business website will remain just that: visitors. What is it about a home business website that keeps potential customers returning and eventually beginning to buy your products? Here are a few ways you can make the most of your home business website. The most important part of your home business website is making the site very easy to navigate. All of your home business information should be easily accessible to site visitors. If the home business website is confusing or even slightly complicated, this will turn away many potential customers right away. Slightly less crucial, but still very important, is your home business website design. Have you laid out the home business website with colors that work well together and don't blind the eye? Is your font easy for anyone to read, and professional looking? These are the very first important questions to ask yourself when assessing your home business website, or your plans for a home business website. Also, be aware that information from your site visitors is crucial for your success. Find out how customers found your home business website, because this will enable you to advertise your home business in a more directly targeted way. It is also beneficial to get the names and addresses of your website visitors. Provide a sign up form on your home business website that allows customers or potential customers to receive email messages from you. You may want to offer some sort of contest or drawing in order to encourage customers to sign up for your home business email list. Be sure to make them aware of how often you plan to email them. In other words, if you send out only one or two home business emails per month, this information would help put people at ease, knowing they will not be receiving an inbox full of messages. Additionally, your home business website can also provide testimonials from previously satisfied customers. You can help give credibility to these testimonials by adding pictures, website addresses, etc. of the businesses and people your home business has helped in the past.
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16 |
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Sensei J. Richard Kirkham B.Sc. |
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Recreation Sports/Martial Arts |
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2007-12-25 |
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I've had martial artists and other fighters hire me to analyze their punches and kicks and I've even received a video to analyze a frisbee throw due to my background in kinese, movement education, exercise phys and martial arts. One of the most misunderstood kicks I analyze is the roundhouse kick. We will define the roundhouse kick for the purposes of this martial arts article as a kick executed from a cocked knee position whose arc travels approximately parellel with the ground as the knee snaps straight 80 degrees to 90 degrees and travels across your centerline striking with the shin down to the top of the foot. Most martial artists I've met think this is one of their weakest kicks when it could actually be one of their most powerful weapons in their arsenal of kicks, punches, and other strikes. If you're the average martial artist, you throw your rear-leg roundhouse kick from a front stance snapping your leg across your body depending on the weight of your leg and the snap of your knee for power. Power is a combination of mass (weight can be used in this example) and speed. Kinetic energy (energy of motion) is 1⁄2 mv^2 that's half mass times speed (velecity) squared. The more mass, or the more of your body you put into your kick, and the greater the speed of your kick (snap of your knee for example) the more powerful your kick will be. So now you're going to tell me that you already get most of your body into your roundhouse kick anyway. I will make you a gentleman's wager (as soon as I find a gentleman) that this martial arts article will, if practiced correctly, increase the power of your roundhouse kick by about 30% minimum. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Let's make some more general statements about striking power -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The closest moveable joint to your center of gravity is your hips. If your hips do not go towards the direction of your strike you are losing power. If your non-striking limb on the same side of your body you are striking with moves in the oppostie direction of your strike, you will lose power. Speed is a more important factor in striking power (kinetic energy) than mass Antagonistic muscle groups are those muscle groups which hinder a wanted movement. If the antagonistic muscle groups are tense during a strike the strike will be slowed down as well as more energy being consumed for future strikes. If the strike is slowed down power will be lost. Breath, held in the lungs, can get in the way of proper movement So what we now see is that during the roundhouse kick, or any other martial arts strike for that matter, is we want to stay as relaxed as possible, use as many of our muscle groups as possible in the correct timing (gross coordination), and breath out as we strike. We can also conclude from the statements above, that the roundhouse kick should not be treated as a solely lower body strike. Many althletic coaches will tell you that the sprint, for example, is at least 50% upper body work. The same facts applies to the roundhouse kick. If you can get the muscles of the upper torso involved in the strike, there will be a greater mass and greater intertia (basically follow through ability) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Biggest Mistake I See Almost All Martial Artists Make When Executing the Roundhouse Kick is... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- not getting a good upper torso rotation into the roundhouse kick. Remember this powerful fact ...? If your non-striking limb on the same side of your body you are striking with moves in the oppostie direction of your strike, you will lose power. Almost every martial artist I have seen execute a roundhouse kick whips his arm backwards in the oppostie direction of the kick. This means if you are throwing a roundhouse kick with your right leg towards your centerline to the left your right arm is whipping to the right in the oppostie direction. This, by its very nature, precludes you from getting your upper torso muscle groups involved with your roundhouse kick to your greatest potential and therefore, you lose power. I've heard every excuse in the book for executing a roundhouse kick in this manner; I won't be able to keep my balance. Well you couldn't keep your balance the first time you learned to do the kick could you? I see full contact fighters executing the roundhouse kick that way? I've seen them get knocked out too. They're human beings just like you and me. We can all improve. If I kick the way you are showing me I will over-extend myself and not be able to stop to throw another technique. Not in the beginning because you will have more power and intertia in your roundhouse kick than you are acustom too. Practice practice practice. It feels like my ankle is twisting off when I get I turn my shoulders into the roundhouse kick like you said. Remember my statement - If your hips do not go towards the direction of your strike you are losing power. Be sure to pivot your supporting foot as you execute your roundhouse kick. Look, I've done this kick both ways. You think I started doing the roundhouse kick like this? Nope, but I'm doing it this way now and I kick – real – hard . -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Increasing The Power of Your Roundhouse Kick Pivoting Drill -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I received a lot of emails with questions about the martial arts ezine article on increasing the power of your roundhouse kick, so before once again directing the serious martial artists to my printable ebook Step by Step Learn Internal Energy Strikes with the bonus section Taking Strikes and Coming Back for More I would like to discuss a very simple drill with you to increase your power of your roundhouse kick with a very simple pivoting drill. Now, if you haven't read the first martial arts ezine article on increasing the power of your roundhouse kick you'd better go read that first Pivoting and Power in Your Roundhouse Kick Remember the statements I made in the previous martial arts ezine article on increasing the power of your roundhouse kick? The closest moveable joint to your center of gravity is your hips. If your hips do not go towards the direction of your strike you are losing power. This is the hip motion I referenced in the frequently asked questions in the previous roundhouse kick martial arts article. The hip motion must follow the arc of the roundhouse kick so the hips must also rotate in a circular motion. A sloppy pivot will force you to land your strike during the eccentric phase of your kick. Eccentric motion is the slowing down phase or follow through phase of a motion. All explosive type motions, should reach their peak at the release point or striking point of a motion in order to get the most power. Throw a baseball and attempt to stop your throwing arm motion at the release point of the ball. Notice how you slowed down before actually releasing the ball? Notice you did not throw the ball very far? The same thing happens with impact types of motions. If you slow down before you strike you will lose power. We can basically say, the greater the pivot of your support foot (the further you turn your left foot counter-clockwise if you are striking with your right leg) the greater potential for power in your roundhouse kick. Now let me give you three more powerful facts. A stretched muscle is more efficient than a relaxed muscle. Thus the the wind up of a pitch, the back-swing in a tennis serve, and the chambering of the traditional reverse punch. The further a limb travels the greater the potential for speed. See the same examples above. Some would argue that this point reduces economy of motion and therefore decreases the possibility of striking an attacker. I agree, but remember I am discussing facts of increasing power, not facts of combat for the moment. Similar examples can be made with the long jumper and pole vaulter who attempt to time their jumps at the peak speed of their run before fatigue sets in and slows them down. The further a limb travels the greater the potential for more large muscle groups to assist in the motion. i.e. Gross motor coordination and yes the distance diminishes with repetition of proper motion. Learning to Pivot Your Foot More for Your Roundhouse Kick Okay so you now understand about power in your roundhouse kick and how to acquire power in your roundhouse kick, but the only way to to actually get power in your roundhouse kick is repetition of proper motion. Let's try an experiment (experiment for you I already know the outcome) Stand in a front stance with your right leg back. Not too long, regardless of your style of martial art. Now execute a roundhouse kick with your right leg sensing your pivot with your support foot. Now execute a a roundhouse knee strike with the same arc as your roundhouse kick, again sensing the pivot in your support foot. Which strike gave you the most pivot? That's right! The roundhouse knee strike did! Why? A shorter lever, a larger muscle mass requiring less fine motor skills, fewer joints involved in the motion so less gross motor coordination is necessary. Now you need to execute several repetitions of the roundhouse knee strike continuously sensing the pivot of your support foot. After executing several repetitions of the roundhouse knee strike you will now execute several repetitions of the roundhouse kick. While you are executing the roundhouse kick try to sense the same amount of pivot in your roundhouse kick as you did in your roundhouse knee strike. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Is That It? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- So that's it Rick? That's all you have to tell us? No there's a lot more, but one more thing I want to add to this kicking drill. Remember this statement and analogies? A stretched muscle is more efficient than a relaxed muscle. Thus the the wind up of a pitch, the back-swing in a tennis serve, and the chambering of the traditional reverse punch. And this statement and explanations? The further a limb travels the greater the potential for speed. See the same examples above. Some would argue that this point reduces economy of motion and therefore decreases the possibility of striking an attacker. I agree, but remember I am discussing facts of increasing power, not facts of combat for the moment. Similar examples can be made with the long jumper and pole vaulter who attempt to time their jumps at the peak speed of their run before fatigue sets in and slows them down. So something else I want to add so you can get the sense of the most power you can get from this particular kicking drill. Put your right leg back in a front stance. Rotate your left foot counter-clockwise as far as you can. Rotate your hip to the right as far as you can. Put as much weight on your right foot as you can. You should now feel like a stretched rubber-band. Now you need to execute several repetitions of the roundhouse knee strike continuously sensing the pivot of your support foot and the whip-like action you are getting from your stretched muscles. After executing several repetitions of the roundhouse knee strike you will now execute several repetitions of the roundhouse kick. While you are executing the roundhouse kick try to sense the same amount of pivot in your roundhouse kick as you did in your roundhouse knee strike and the whip-like action you are getting from your stretched muscles. Slowly over the weeks you will be able to minimize your gross motor movements and economize without losing power. Don't hurry on this kicking drill. Remember, it took you a while to develop other economized yet powerful strikes and it will take you a while to improve your roundhouse kick as well. I am reminded of a fable. This is paraphrased as I do not have it memorized; A master was walking with a student. The student asked the master, “Master, how long will it take for me to become as skilled as you? The master thought carefully and said, “Ten years of training at least.” This seemed like a long time to the student. The student asked, “Master, what if I train twice as long as twice as hard as everyone else? The master thought carefully and said, “Twenty years.” The student asked the master, “Master, what if I train three times harder than anyone else and do nothing but train hard.” The master thought carefully and said, “Thirty years.” The student was perplexed. “Master, why do you increase the time it will take me to be as good as you every time I tell you I will train harder and longer to be as good as you.” The master replied, “Because when you have one eye on the horizon you only have one eye to see where you are going.” Concentrate on what you are doing now my martial arts readers. The goals will come as you practice. You'll find drills to increase the power of your kicks and punches in my printable ebook with pictures Step by Step Learn Internal Energy Strikes with the bonus section Taking Strikes and Coming Back for More. http://kirkhamsebooks.com/MartialArts/InternalEnergyStrikesEbook_m.htm Enjoy Rick
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17 |
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Tony Colon |
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Business/Home Business |
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2008-01-17 |
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How is your business doing? Is it growing, stagnating or losing ground? If your business is not growing, it could be the result of a poor business idea or plan, a lack of advertising, or the mismanagement of your business resources. Let us face it. Running a successful business enterprise is not the easiest thing to accomplish. Your struggles could be the result of factors beyond your own control or factors within your control --- your own actions and decisions. Factors Outside Your Own Current Control If your business is stagnating or dying, there are several factors that could be the cause of your current financial discomfort: -Your local economy could be suffering stagnation or negative growth. -Your competition might be fiercely competing for your customer base. -The building, into which you have signed a lease, might be seen by local residents as the home of businesses that fail, so they will not support you until you have proven your long term viability. -You could be in a terrible location and trapped by your lease. Factors Within Your Own Control On the other side of the coin, there are several more factors that could be causing you pain that are well within your control: -You are not spending enough time planning for the future of your business. -You are not spending enough time or resources on developing and distributing good advertising. -You do not have enough staff available to fill incoming orders or to serve interested customers. -You are simply mismanaging your financial or human resources. The Most Abused Human Resource In Most Businesses By watching the activities of many small business owners, one has to ask themselves if the business owners are masochistic? According to website dictionary.reference MASOCHISTIC - adj : 2. The deriving of pleasure, or the tendency to derive pleasure, from being humiliated or mistreated, either by another or by oneself. 3. A willingness or tendency to subject oneself to unpleasant or trying experiences. How is it that I can even venture to suggest this definition fits the behavior of many small business owners? Simple. Small business owners often submit themselves and their families to the demands of their business. Sometimes to the detriment of those involved in their lives. Of course, one could argue that the small business owner is sacrificing his or herself for the long-term benefit of their families and themselves. Well, one could argue that. And in some cases, the argument would be true. In other cases, the argument would not even remotely be true. The Danger In Failing To Understand The Value Of Your Own Time The deadliest consequence in any business is the failure of the owner to understand the value of his or her own time. Even a thriving business can die under the weight of an owner who does not place the proper value on his or her own time. Some owners work long hours for little return because they do not understand their own value. Some of these owners will eventually quit their business for a job that could provide a higher living wage. Others, while thriving, may keep themselves doing tasks that can be and should be done by others. Sometimes, the business owner wants to believe that he or she alone can do the task, or they want to do the things they most enjoy. In the end, these folks fail because the important tasks that should have been done for the purpose of growing the business or meeting the demands of the business have gone undone. The business collapses because they did not take care of the most important facets of their business. Planning, Goal Setting And Measuring Could Change Your Future Planning will permit you to see where you want to go and how you hope to get there. Goal Setting permits you to make certain specific determinations about your business. One such goal that should be set early and regularly is the level of income that you want to derive from your business. Measuring lets you see the true state of your business at any one point in time. Measuring at regular intervals lets you see a moving slide show that will deliver an honest picture of the continuing state of your business. Additional measuring will permit you to see how much your time could be worth and how much you are really paying yourself. Your measurements should also permit you to put a cost on the specific tasks and functions that are required in the operation of your business. Making The Right Decisions If the amount that you want to be paid and could be paid is higher than the cost of doing the task that you are doing, then you should wisely consider having someone in your employment handle the task. Properly managing tasks and delegating the work at hand can make or break your business. Make the correct decisions and you will be treating yourself better than the average small businessperson. I wish you and your business the very best.
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18 |
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calai |
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Business/Advertising |
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2007-06-04 |
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Generate more business and gather more responses from clients. Maximize the potential of the postcards you send out and watch your business grow into an empire. Postcards are convenient advertising materials that you can easily distribute to your loyal clients, potential buyers, target audience and anyone else on your mailing list. The postcard is a hardy and handy printed material that is easily recognizable. Its versatility allows your businesses to create a multitude of messages to deliver to your audience. You can use postcards in any marketing or advertising campaign to promote your products and services. It will deliver direct and high-impact messages that will attract and influence your targeted audience. Promote your business and boost your company image by utilizing your postcards in the following ways: Thank you Notes Have postcards printed to function as thank you notes. Businesses can send these out to their patrons or new-found clients that have made your company or products their choice. Not only is this a polite manner of acknowledging transactions and partnerships with clients, it can be likened to a PR practice wherein you can promote your products while building the business’ good image. Invitations Your postcards can double as a promotional tool and an invitational card. Postcards can be made to solicit a call to action from your target audience by announce events that your audience can participate in. Gather your clients round and have them partake of your company’s activities or promotional events. Postcards can be made as invitation for fund-raisers that your company sponsors. You can also invite clients to celebrate with your company on anniversaries or milestone events. Promotional Tool Spread the word about a new product or service that your business is now offering. Postcards can also highlight other products or services that your clients may be interested in. Discount card You can use postcards to advertise certain discounts or bargains to keep them updated. Postcards can also function as a redeem card clients can take advantage of by bringing the postcard to your business establishment to obtain the discount, thus, enhancing your sales activity. Postcards can be made to function according to your marketing strategies. Make the most out of your postcards, not only by utilizing them in the abovementioned ways, but by designing it effectively. The contents, the layout and the graphics all contribute to an effective postcard. KISS Observe the rules of KISS - Keep It Short and Simple. There’s no room for overly lengthy and complex discussions. This helps you be more direct with your messages in marketing your products or services. Contact Details Postcards are sometimes seen as a one-way communication tool. Compared to other print media, the postcard does not automatically come with a business reply card. To ensure that your clients respond to your postcards or messages, make sure that the contact details are complete and distinct. Place the necessary details such as the company’s website, email address, phone numbers, fax number and even the address. Create a distinct look and feel to your postcards. Match the theme with the message you wish to impart. A great design does wonders to liven up your postcard and excite your audience. Consequently, postcards must be printed in high-resolution, where it comes out sharp and the colors vivid. Nothing arrests the attention of your audience more than with high-quality, full color postcards. Follow these pieces of advice and reap the rewards of marketing with postcards. Let your business become a success through effective marketing. Make use of the postcard today and trust your postcard printing only to printing companies who have had years of experience in the printing industry.
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19 |
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carolyn clayton |
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Business/Business |
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2008-03-10 |
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The document referred to as a business plan is not optional; not if you want your business to be a success. Your business plan is essential to ensure that your business makes it past the starting line. Your business plan should be realisti |