Technorati Tags: business plan for dummies

Technorati Tags: business plan for dummies

Technorati Tags: business plan for dummies

• Starship Troopers – Interplanetary Bugs Make For Space Camp
  [Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] This is one of those flicks that, if you see it sitting on a rental shelf, you might wrinkle your nose or roll your eyes, and pass on it. I found out, that might be a bit hasty. Read on and see why…
• Old-Fashioned Dark Comedy Fun With a Kick – And the Next Great Dog Star Introduced!
  [Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] I confess, I am a David Hewlett fan, also, I’m a Stargateophile (gatephiliac?) and pretty serious fanatic, however, I don’t automatically and blindly “love” everything out just because it’s attached to Stargate, either SG-1 or Atlantis. I like to think I have an independent mind to some extent. So feel free to measure this review according to my possibly biased tastes…
• The Wedding Singer – Singing Sandler and Darling Drew, Who Woulda Thought It?
  [Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Adam Sandler is a very talented guy that chooses some very oddball parts. But when he is allowed to show his stuff, it’s good. He’s also reached a cult status, so that it’s almost “uncool” to not like a Sandler film. Well, I prefer taking each film and role individually, not just liking or disliking something because of who is in it. But, to be honest, I really did watch this movie originally to visit the 1980s once again…
• Poseidon – Ship Sank, Movie Didn’t – If You’re a Real Disaster Fan
  [Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Being a fan of the original movie, The Poseidon Adventure, and Irwin Allen disaster movies (well, most any disaster flick, actually), I wanted to see Poseidon very much. And being a big Kurt Russell fan made it even more of a “must see” for me.
• Book Review – The Atkins Essentials by Atkins Nutritionals, Inc
  [Book-Reviews:Weight-Loss-Diet] For those who are not familiar with the real details of the Atkins Plan, this book will answer the questions that the media and other misinformed, yet well-meaning, people unknowingly generate. Get some solid answers and learn for yourself whether the Atkins plan is for you or not.
• Book Review – Low-Carb Sweets and “The Art of Self-Indulgence” by Sharon Allbright
  [Book-Reviews:Cookery-Cookbook] This is one of the most delightful cookbooks I’ve read recently, with over 100 easy-to-follow recipes, helpful tips and warm guidance and support. From the delightful, bright cover to the rosy-colored pages, this cookbook is completely charming.
• Review – Low Carb is an Easy Online Interactive Cookbook
  [Food-and-Drink] I was recently introduced to a fresh, fun and innovative cookbook that I can’t wear out, no matter how much I love it. And that’s only the beginning of its advantages and delights.
• Book Review – Is Your House Making You Overweight, Sick, Or Tired? By Margaret Rouse Shontz
  [Book-Reviews:Self-Help] External Diet Perception – An fascinating theory. This book is based on the theory that there are definite connections between external factors, in this case in our homes, and health.
• Book Review – Healthy Carb Cookbook For “Dummies,” by Jan McCracken
  [Book-Reviews:Cookery-Cookbook] There’s more to a “Dummies” cookbook than recipes, and in this book, there are terrific, common sense tips to information on how to get the most benefit from living right in this fast-paced world. The author obviously knows her chops, so to speak. She has done her research and provides information that I have not found readily available about low and healthy carb.
• Movie Review – In Crossroads, a Story of Forgiveness, Dean Cain Proves He Doesn’t Need a Cape to Fly
  [Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] My personal movie tastes are varied, and my satisfaction is not necessarily dependent on typical “good movie” standards. I’m often forgiving of what some may call flaws, errors, substandards, story holes, weak plots, campy acting or predictability. My main criteria is basic–does the movie engross me, hold my attention, stay with me and most importantly, entertain me? If I answer yes, then it’s a good movie. It’s simple. Read my short review of Dean Cain’s Hallmark Hall of Fame movie to see how it fits my criteria for a “good” movie.
• No Cost Search Engine Marketing
  [Internet-and-Businesses-Online:SEO] As a matter of fact, I recommend NOT wasting money on pay inclusion in most cases because it doesn’t offer enough of an advantage (and many times the fees give you absolutely no advantage–the only exception are the few sites that guarantee placement within a specific timeline). Focus your online marketing and gain positive and targeted traffic without paying out for “expedited listings” or “submission software.”
• Review – Comparing 4 Popular Web Analytics Services
  [Internet-and-Businesses-Online:Web-Development] What Web analytics service is the best for you? The first thing to consider is, what one is easiest for you to analyze and use…which one saves you time, money and headaches while providing the right variety of in-depth information on your site visitors?
• Book Review – Why Can’t I Lose Weight? The Real Reasons Diets Fail And What To Do About It
  [Book-Reviews:Self-Help] There are truckloads of diet books available that claim to have the “secrets” of weight loss, or the diet supplement or plan that is the long awaited magic bullet. Many are gimmicks, some are completely misleading, and others only touch on the problems but offer no real solutions. Not the case with the book, Why Can’t I Lose Weight?
• A Day in the Life of a Website
  [Internet-and-Businesses-Online:Traffic-Building] If your Website had a mind of its own, what would it be thinking… about you?
• Book Review – Which is More Round, the World or Your Tummy? Offbeat Reflection on Serious Living
  [Book-Reviews] When was the last time your mind danced when you read a book?
• SEO, Site Marketing and Web Analytics: Digital Dream Team
  [Internet-and-Businesses-Online:SEO] A Website presence has become standard operating procedure for any business ….
  Once your business site has been designed, built and set in motion, the fun begins.
  And the name of this game is SEO (Search Engine Optimization).
• Clever Interactive Online Cookbook – Review of Low Carb Is Easy Cookbook
  [Book-Reviews:Cookery-Cookbook] Low Carb Is Easy is a clever meshing of an interactive cookbook and an information Website. To get you started, the cookbook software contains a database of over 100 recipes tested and approved as low carb, low GI (Glycemic Index), and tasty – with most being only three carbohydrate grams or less. It is easy to import or add your own recipes and those you collect on the Internet, and it is very customizable.
• Top 5 Reasons to Track Your Website Traffic
  [Internet-and-Businesses-Online:Web-Development] Whether you rely on search engine traffic, press releases, pay per click
  advertising, banner ads or any other marketing strategy, with a good traffic
  reporting service, and through the use of Web analytics, you will gain untold
  advantages.
• Visitor Traffic Statistics 101, or, The Who, What, When, Where, Why & How of Web Analytics
  [Internet-and-Businesses-Online:Internet-Marketing] Learn the basics of Web analytics and how important it is to be able to
  accurately track your Website visitor traffic. General traffic numbers are not enough to give your site the competitive edge it needs to succeed online
  today…
• Can What You Don’t Know About Web Analytics Hurt Your Site? “Yes” is an Understatement!
  [Internet-and-Businesses-Online:Site-Promotion] Do you know how many visitors your site had yesterday, or last week? Not
  generic “hits” but actual page views? Do you know what keywords are used
  by your site visitors to find you? Are you aware of which search engines
  visitors use to find your site? I hope your answer is yes.
• Online Dating Tips for the Digital Age of Romance
  [Relationships:Dating] We are romantic creatures. We are social creatures. With these two elements sharing our genetic code, we have little choice but to seek out someone with whom we can feel free to share our romantic gestures.
• Low Carb Cookbook Review – 15-Minute Low-Carb Recipes by Dana Carpender
  [Book-Reviews:Cookery-Cookbook] Busy, busy, busy. Today’s schedules and fast paced, multi-tasking lifestyles make it difficult for most of us to find the time needed to prepare and serve balanced, nutritious and tasty meals. I am no exception. Since I tend to be a problem-solver by nature, I decided to gather a collection of quick, fast and easy low-carb recipes so I could save time in the kitchen but still stick to my low-carb lifestyle.
• Low-Carb Cookbook Review – Low Carb Christmas Cookin’ With an “Old-Fashioned” Cook by Jan McCracken
  [Shopping-and-Product-Reviews] “I love low carbing, but I’m getting so tired of the same old foods.” “I wish I had time to figure out how to convert my family recipes to low carb!” “I love finding old recipes done low carb!” Do any of these comments sound familiar?
• Saint Valentine Never Had it So Good
  [Health-and-Fitness:Weight-Loss] Early records report that in 496 A.D. Pope Gelasius honored St. Valentine by declaring February 14 in his name… Valentine’s Day has since evolved into a day to celebrate love and romance, to shower one’s object of affection with rich, lavish, luxurious gifts, glittery trinkets, shiny baubles, precious gee-gaws and love’s liquor… chocolate.
• Spring Forage
  [Health-and-Fitness:Weight-Loss] There are those who associate winter with an increased appetite. Short days, low light, shivering and bundling up against the chill all seem to make many of us want to eat more. Especially more comfort foods, because we tend to get “cabin fever” or just feel lethargic from the lack of sunshine.
• Message to Online Writers – Don’t Give Up On A Good Idea
  [Writing-and-Speaking:Writing] Writers are a huge segment of the Internet these days. I’d even go so far as to say that without today’s online writers, the Internet would not be flourishing and as useful as it is.
• No Matter How Goud The Infomation (Get It All With Clean Content)
  [Internet-and-Businesses-Online:Web-Design] Why wood you tak content like this seriusly? No mater how good the infomation, if is riddiled with typos its asta lavista baby. You lose.
• Writers Helping Writers – A Noble Legacy
  [Writing-and-Speaking:Writing] Writers are among the few professionals in the 21st century that still willingly and enthusiastically help their laboring sisters and brothers. I know this for a fact because every writer I have met online over the last decade has been kind, helpful and very generous with their knowledge, experience and even that most precious commodity among writers… their time.
• Search Engines Can Be The Online Writer’s Best Friend
  [Internet-and-Businesses-Online:Ezine-Publishing] The Internet has opened up an incredible amount of opportunity and resource for writers. It has even inspired a whole new breed… those who write exclusively for online markets. As the Internet grows, so does content demand, and accordingly, the need for writers.

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Technorati Tags: business plan for dummies

The basic rule when thinking of owning any kind of business is the chances for success favor buying an existing business. There are pluses and minuses for either choice, but the statistics for success favor an existing business. The reasons become very obvious with a little study on the part of a potential buyer.

The cost difference

Is there a cost difference between the new franchise and buying an operating franchise? There can be quite a difference both ways depending on the financials of the existing franchise. If the business has good numbers and is showing a decent profit, it will be worth more than a franchise that is opened and started at a new location. The customer base has been started and, depending on the length of time the franchise has existed, the base could be significant and almost guarantee continued success.

Location

The location can contribute greatly to the cost, as location of a business that depends on walk-by or drive-by traffic is valuable. A new franchise may not have the same numbers of people going by. This lack of traffic will show up in sales over time. An easy way to view this principle is to think about a two-week fair. If it is well attended, the merchants will do better than if there is a low attendance. The same is true of a corner business with or without traffic. The low traffic will mean lower sales. These facts are a proven difference between two businesses that depend on people stopping by the business.

Why is the owner selling?

This element of a sale of an existing business is critical when talking of price for the business. If the owner is burned out and tired of the day-to-day running of the franchise, it may be possible to buy a good business at a bargain price. Some owners will sacrifice some money just to get rid of the business. If they are really ready to leave, this can work in the favor of the buyer. Money talks and a cash offer with no strings may be all it takes to pick up a good business at a bargain price.

An estate sale or a sale that is brought on by divorce may also offer the potential to buy the business for a very good price in relation to what it is really worth. Hire an expert business evaluator and see what value they come up with compared to the asking price. If there is a significant difference in your favor and you can afford the price, seriously consider making the deal.

Existing traffic and road changes

Make it a point to see if there are likely to be any street changes or surrounding business changes that will affect the traffic that supports the business. This factor alone can make a huge difference in considering the purchase or not. Do not get surprised in this way as you can see the business die due to lack of traffic. This is not something you want to learn about after the purchase.

If the business is in a shopping center, make sure that the anchor stores are staying, as they supply the traffic for all of the businesses in the center. An active grocery store is always a good traffic builder for the other businesses in the shopping center.

If the business is in a rented property, make sure that the lease can be assumed or negotiated with favorable terms. If the business includes a building, make sure that you have the building inspected for possible repairs that may be needed. Again do not get surprised after the purchase.

Can all existing franchises be bought?

The answer to this question is it depends on the buy-back agreement the owner has with the franchiser. It may also depend on a clause called the right of first refusal. This clause gives the franchiser the right to meet the offer of any buyer.

So the answer is it depends on the agreement the old owner has in his contract of purchase when the purchase was made with the franchise company. These terms can have a direct effect

With these possible restrictions, the franchise owner may want to sell, but the contract roadblocks may be too difficult to overcome except by selling it back to the franchise company. The reason for these buyback contract restrictions is the franchise company wants to control who owns a franchise Their contract rules may be so restrictive that the old owner has no choice.

Can a franchise contract be negotiated?

In most cases there is very little that the franchise company will negotiate since they do not want to lose control or cause problems with their other franchise owners. The more successful the franchise is, the less negotiating room there is likely to be in the purchase contract. They just do not have to make concessions to potential owners, as they can get whatever they need without doing any negotiating.

If there were some room for negotiating, a potential buyer would be wise to see what the other owners of franchises were able to finalize in their contracts. At least you know what was available in the past between the buyers and the franchise people. Knowing what was possible is absolutely an advantage to the negotiation of contracts between the buyer and the franchise company. If the deal comes down to something that you could not live with, walk away and try finding a different business venue. After all there are hundreds of franchises available to the people who want to own a business. Ask your questions and listen closely to the answers. If an agreement is drawn up, make sure you have it looked at by a good business attorney. Do not assume any thing that is not in writing and in detail if it is important to your decision.

Conclusions

All business purchases should be studied and broken down into a plus-and-minus analysis. When the list is down to a few, then a clear-eyed comparison should be made between the business opportunities. Ask yourself: do you have enough capital to make sure you are successful? Do you need to have a stellar beginning that may not happen? Is your business plan realistic or filled with best-case scenarios? If there are too many ifs in your plan, then it better be looked at again and revised.

Analysis of an existing business and ways to make it grow or become more efficient are critical to continued success. Getting answers to all of your questions and having the answers verified are steps that need to be taken seriously. Assumptions are for fools and lazy buyers. Do not be either, as it will cost you later. There are never any dumb questions. There are just dummies who do not ask the questions. Buying a business right is hard work. It is just part of the pathway to success for you as a businessperson. Verification of all answers is the secret to buying a business and keeping surprises to a minimum.

And now I would like to offer you free access to information on a powerful integrated system of marketing, sales & advertising so you can thrive instead of survive in today’s economic environment.

Henthorn is president of Spiral Marketers, a marketing firm which includes a number of partnerships that range from cutting-edge software development, business and personal improvement coaching, online e-commerce businesses, and more.

He was formerly was president and principal broker of a resort / commercial real estate brokerage in Honolulu which specialized in representing sellers in transactions up to $50MM.

Learn how to turn $1 into $6 all day long now:

It’s smart to have a franchisor with great training and ad support, but you can do more! Get tools for growing franchise business sales, marketing, advertising, and public relations to boost franchise success

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If you work in marketing communications, you’ve probably seen this scenario a dozen times: A harried sales guy, shirts-sleeves rolled up to the elbow, storms into your cubicle. “I got a hot sales call in Toledo in three weeks. I got to have a brochure to leave behind,” he says, smacking his fist into his open palm.

You sigh. So it begins — yet another brochure. And you know how it’ll end: Thousands of dollars and multiple late-nights-against-deadlines later, he’ll have his brochure. But the company won’t have the sale. And you’ll have a coat closet stacked with bulging boxes of forgotten collateral.

Is there a better way to support sales? Something you can leave with prospects that’s just a bit more memorable — and more effective — than the standard brochure with its forced march through company “visions,” product descriptions, and corporate bios? Yes, indeed. I offer eight suggestions, not as comprehensive answers to every sales-communications situation, but as inspiration and provocation for creating material less likely to gather dust — and more likely to draw your company closer to a sale.

1) Make it a magazine. David Ogilvy once asked why print ads had to look like print ads — why not make them look like articles? I say, why not go one step further and make your brochures look like magazines? Instead of the usual ho-hum content, create articles that position your company, products or services as ways to solve problems or achieve customer-desired goals.

For about a decade, Baystate Health Systems in Massachusetts has published a beautiful four-color glossy magazine, AlphaSights, that they distribute to referring medical professionals in central Massachusetts. Distributed three times a year, AlphaSights is loaded with articles about new procedures, protocols and initiatives at its flagship hospital, Baystate Medical Center. It’s been a phenomenal success: The first issue alone attracted an increase in referrals that more than offset the entire year’s production costs.

2) Make it useful. Here’s another lesson from healthcare. Every day, legions of pharma and medical device representatives leave tons of samples, coffee mugs and brochures in physician offices across the country — clutter, clutter and more clutter. In a competitive field, how do you stand out?

One medical products manufacturer got wise. They developed a pad of forms, 8.5” x 11”, with pre-assigned check boxes and fast, no-brainer ordering fields a physician can complete in seconds. All she has to do is fill a few boxes, sign it, and run it through a fax machine to order the product. In a crowded field of competitors, this manufacturer got the most orders — not because it had the nicest mug or the most beautiful brochure, but because they left something behind that made their product the easiest to get.

3) Make it educational. Give your prospects a taste of your expertise. Professional services companies have been doing this for your years with the ubiquitous white paper, a kind of extended essay about a relevant topic of business interest.

Why not apply the “report” idea to products and consumer services as well? For years, the Wall Street Journal has been offering personal finance guides as subscription lures. Anything complex could benefit by an educational report that simplifies: Imagine a guide to countertop selection for a kitchen remodeling firm, or an explanation of housing values for real estate agencies. With a little research and imagination, these businesses and others like them can distinguish themselves as authorities, not just other runners in the pack.

4) Make it handy. Two of my current clients are getting lots of mileage by packaging tips — handy advice and/or insights that are just long enough to be helpful, but short enough to be easily digested. It’s a format people love — in fact, you’re reading a tips-based article right now!

The key is to break your know-how into bite-sized bits busy people can consume on the fly. Of my two “tips” clients, one is targeting the multi-billion dollar mergers and acquisitions market with a “top ten tips” guide; the other runs a tips-based website on a variety of subjects that interest consumers — and draws eager sponsors who want to reach them. Upscale or down-market, tips attract favorable attention either way.

5) Make it “keepable.” When I was a kid, a mechanic’s garage just wasn’t real if it didn’t have at least one “girly” calendar, sponsored by a “Joe’s Auto Parts” or “Cranwick’s Plumbing Supply” on its walls. Cheesy? Perhaps. But you can be sure that the target audience saw the sponsor’s name and phone number every day — often long after the calendars expired!

In addition to calendars, consider attractive posters, playing cards, puzzles and entertaining cubicle toys. Of course, you want to select options that are as closely associated to your business, proposition or message as possible. I know of one enterprise that creates decks of custom cards for authors (especially consultant or motivational authors), with each card serving as a chapter or topic summary. The decks are much more memorable than business cards or brochures, yet are less cumbersome and expensive than giving away free copies of books themselves.

6) Make it from the customer’s point of view. If the familiar brochure format still remains as your best option, then at least consider changing the perspective. Too much collateral is narcissistic, packed with empty chest-beating that attempts to wow the reader with the company’s alleged greatness.

Instead, write from the customer’s point of view. Skip the boring company history and honor’s won stuff, and talk about the real problems or issues your customers face. Then tell them how you solve these problems with precise, specific evidence that makes your claims credible. By adopting this shift in perspective, you demonstrate empathy with the customer — you’re on their side — and you show a grasp of real-world circumstances prospects can recognize and respect.

7) Make it mailable. Or, if it’s going to be shared by hand, easy to ship or transport. In any event, consider how you’re going to distribute your new collateral before you commit to creating it.

Years ago, I worked on a spiral-bound booklet that the client adored. Unfortunately, the spiral binding bulged within its envelope and jammed the post office’s machines. Worse, the book was an awkward size — just small enough to rattle around in an ordinary cardboard “express” envelope. While the design was lovely, the project was impractical and ultimately failed its intended purpose. Don’t make the same mistake: If you’re distributing in large quantities, make it easy to mail.

Make it work for you. A final thought: You’re not in the business of publishing collateral for its own sake; you should always have a specific marketing or business goal in mind for each piece you create. Everything you make must serve a dynamic role in your sales process, an objective that moves the prospect one step closer to buying. What do you want the customer to do as a consequence of getting or receiving your piece? Whatever that is, make it explicit.

If nothing else, at least end your collateral copy with a “call to action,” a directive to phone, write or otherwise respond to you. If you can provide an incentive — a discount, a premium, a free analysis — all the better. But at the very least, ASK for the response and tell readers exactly how to reach you.

Jonathan Kranz is the author of Writing Copy for Dummies, [http://kranzcom.com/book.html], and the principal of Kranz Communications, http://kranzcom.com, a marketing communications and public relations writing firm specializing in B2B and consumer services marketing. He offers customized in-house and on-site marketing and PR seminars, and is a popular speaker at professional association events, meetings, workshops and conferences, http://kranzcom.com/speaking.html

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Technorati Tags: business plan for dummies

If you are a homeowner looking for a 2nd mortgage or wanting to refinance your existing mortgage you’ll need to find a good mortgage lender. The Internet has simplified the process of getting a great mortgage loan. Here are some tips to help you find a reputable mortgage lender using the Internet.

Talk to Your Friends about Their Mortgage Lenders

Many of your friends and neighbors have already used the Internet to refinance or take out a 2nd mortgage. Ask these people how the process went for them and what recommendations they have for you. Referrals from people you know are a good way to learn about the good and bad experiences different people have had with different mortgage lenders and brokers.

Mortgage Brokers and Lenders Don’t Have Your Best Interests at Heart

A predatory lender is anyone trying to take advantage of a homeowner and their mortgage loan. Mortgage brokers are notorious for this. Brokers are in their business to make a buck; the loan they may be pushing you to accept may simply have a kickback for them. Often, the points you are being required to pay at closing are simply a bonus for the mortgage broker. Don’t fall for high pressure sales tactics or a fast talking snake oil salesman. Some lenders tack unnecessary mortgage fees on their loans and lie or withhold information from the borrowers. These practices are illegal; however, that does not seem to deter many lenders and brokers. Carefully review all of the fine print associated with a loan and ask questions about the fees. If you think you smell a rat, you probably do. Mortgage brokers and lenders are a dime a dozen, take your business somewhere else.

Check With The State and Better Business Bureau

Mortgage lenders and brokers are required to be licensed in the States they operate. Make sure your lender or mortgage broker is legitimate and properly licensed before doing business with them. Any mortgage broker or lender that has allowed their license to lapse is a warning sign for you to take your business elsewhere. There are consumer protection organizations such as the Better Business Bureau that can help verify credibility. These organizations maintain records of complaints against unscrupulous mortgage brokers and lenders. Do your homework and shop around for your new mortgage and you will avoid being taken advantage of by predatory mortgage brokers and lenders.

Louie Latour has twenty years of experience in the mortgage industry. He is the owner of Mortgages for Dummies, a mortgage help site devoted to saving homeowners money with a free guidebook “Five Things You Need to Know Before Refinancing a Mortgage.” Sign up for your free guide today at: http://www.refiadvisor.com

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How to write a hotel business plan provide some example?

i need a bussiness plan .
i deside to write for hotel business.

Technorati Tags: business plan for dummies

If you think you can’t make money marketing your home based business online you’d be wrong, really wrong. You don’t have to be a genius or a computer wiz to market online. You can do these super simple and best of all free methods even if you’re not that great on the computer. So don’t keep your business in the stone age any more. Catapult it into the future by marketing online for free. It’s so easy anyone can learn to do it!

1. Blog Marketing

All home based business owners should have a home based business blog. Blogging is easy because all you really have to do is talk about your life and your business. You can update your blog with articles, pictures, videos or just a few paragraphs about your business. You can start off using a free blog program like Blogger or Wordpress and eventually add a domain name and host it yourself.

2. Forum Marketing

Forums or message boards are simply a collection of people who share a common interest. There are tons of home based business forums out there. They are free to join and all you have to do is talk! Talk about your business, answer questions or even ask a few yourself. Just make sure you add a signature to the bottom of your posts. That will be your free advertising for your business.

3. Free Classified Ads

Craigslist and Backpage are the most popular but there are lots of other sites too. Lets face it, newspaper adds are expensive and are rapidly becoming a thing of the past. Free classifieds are free and effective!

4. Video Marketing

The hottest way to talk to people about your business is video marketing. With video marketing people can see your face hear your voice and you can say anything you want about your business! Youtube.com is one of the most popular websites on the internet and it’s simply something every home business owner should be using.

5. Article Marketing

Article marketing is free and all you need is computer and a few thoughts of your own. Not so sure if article marketing works? You’re reading this article aren’t you?

6. Twitter Marketing

Twitter is becoming extremely popular thanks to celebrities and home based business owners. Even the president has a Twitter page. By adding followers and talking about your business you can get the word out about promotions, new products or anything else related to your business in a really fast and easy way!

7. Yahoo Answers

Yahoo answers allows people to go online and ask questions about anything. If you lurk in the business/ finance section you’ll find people constantly asking if there are any good ways to work from home. That’s where you jump in! It couldn’t be more simple.

Use these 7 easy strategies to market your business this year and start making money using the internet. Once you find out for yourself how easy online marketing can be you’ll never go back to doing anything else!

Dan Himes

http://www.excellwithus.com
360-936-9039
portlandsuccess@gmail.com

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Technorati Tags: business plan for dummies

Where can I find a free flower shop business plan?

I am starting a flower shop and don’t think spending $99 to some unknown website is the right way to start. Does anyone know where I can see a free business plan so I can get some ideas for my own business plan? Thanks!

 Mail this post

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How do i formatt a business plan?

Go to http://www.sba.gov , http://www.score.org or http://www.bplan.com for sample business plans and instructions on how to write a business plan.

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Technorati Tags: business plan for dummies

There are only three ways to increase your gross commission income.

1. Increase the number of units you sell.
2. Increase the sale price of the units you sell.
3. Increase the fees that you charge.

All of these ways lead to more income. Both take effort and a good strategic plan to execute. In the end, they don’t happen by accident. In this article I will deal exclusively with how to increase the sales price of the units you sell.

The biggest challenge for Agents who are trying to increase their sales price is breaking into higher priced marketplaces. Many times those marketplaces are dominated by long-time established Agents who work hard to keep control of them. To really establish or increase your presences in any marketplace you have to take it from someone else. I know a lot of you are going to find that last statement uncomfortable, but it’s the truth. There are only so many deals in the higher end marketplace annually. Your efforts will not substantially increase the number of transactions. You can raise awareness and selection of those people who are considering buying and selling, but your efforts have little effect on the total inventory units sold. The marketplace might go up a few transactions but not enough to help you establish a presence. To really establish a strong foothold in a new marketplace, you will have to take it from someone else. Before you decide to enter a new marketplace you must be prepared to take transactions that you want from someone else. I believe there are many Agents who are uncomfortable with this concept. They hope that everyone can all get along and all make money. You can, unless you want a greater amount of the marketplace.

When you want greater market share, you create controversy and potential conflict. The truth is successful people think differently than unsuccessful people. When you are trying to take market share away you have to think like a General. When in competition for market share … you are at war. Again, I am sure some people are uncomfortable with that analogy, but it is true. There is no doubt that Coca-cola is at war with PepsiCo; that McDonald’s is at war with Burger King; that Budweiser is at war with Miller. In each of these examples there is one company with a larger market share and another that is trying to get it. There are companies at war with each other in the real estate field as well. There are national wars as well as regional and local wars. There are also neighborhood wars for market share.

If you are at war you have to think like a General. Generals do a few key things, the first is:

1. Define the objective and direct all efforts toward that objective: The General sets a clear, obtainable goal. They understand how that goal is to be measured. The goal must be defined in detail. For this example it should be number of units in a marketplace: listing-side units, sale-side units, and buyer controlled sales, within a certain time frame. It could also be marketplace percentage of the gross sales. What is the objective you really want to achieve?

2. Understand the steps to success: Success has a process to be followed. A great General understands the steps and applies them with his army in the right order.

Step 1 – The goal will shape the plan

Each goal that you can imagine determines the plan you have to apply; the more compelling, concise, and concrete the goal, the easier the plan to create. The probability of success also increases in relation to the clarity of the goal. The errors or adjustments you make also reduce as your clarity increases. The clearer and more broken down into chunks your goals are, the higher the probability of accomplishment.

Step 2 – The plan determines the action

The plan you use sets the specific action steps that you need. Having a clearly defined plan allows you to understand the action that needs to take place. Without a plan you might be taking action steps in the wrong direction. You could be using an improper route to achieve results.

Step 3 – The Action creates the results

Success in the final analysis is about action. It is about taking the actions that are necessary to increase the likelihood of the results you want to happen. For most Agents who want more deals, more income, more quality of life it’s all about doing. All those results are contained in the actions you do and how consistently you do them. A great General has a plan that is action orientated, and he and his army carry out those actions. If the General doesn’t carry out the actions and expects the army to do it for him, failure is sure to follow. As a General, the consistency of what is said and what is done is essential.

In trying to increase the sale price of the units you sell, you need to target areas that have the price range you want to do business in. You need to evaluate the individual market share of the dominant players in those market areas. You also need to try to find out what they are doing to attract the customers and market share they have. The next step is to evaluate if you have any current customers in that area. The best way to gain a stronger position is to work with your current clients to expand your reach. To straightforwardly tell them that you are trying to raise your sales price and expand into a certain market section, and can you help me out. Most of your clients that are in your corner will be happy to help. They could write a testimonial letter for you. You could then mail this out to the neighborhood. Then phone follow up behind it. Getting them to call you when they hear anything in the neighborhood is essential.

Another very effective way to expand in a marketplace is working with high probability listing prospects. Two excellent high probability listing prospects are expireds and FSBOs. These people have identified they want to sell. If they are in the area you want to expand into, the match is powerful. The key for expireds and FSBOs is going to the door if you can. Since you are trying to take market share away in a new area, you need to be physically visible in that area. By directing your efforts to these areas, FSBOs and expireds, it shows success by listing and selling these when others could not.

There are a number of ways to expand your business in terms of sales price. Some are quicker and more rejection oriented, like expireds or FSBOs. Some will take longer and are easier, like working through your current clients. What is the timeframe you want to achieve this in? For you to have more market share, someone has to have less. There is no way around that issue. The only question is what are you prepared to do?

Dirk Zeller is an Agent, an Investor, and the President & CEO of Real Estate Champions. His company trains more than 250,000 Agents worldwide each year through live events, online training, self-study programs, and newsletters. He’s the widely published author of Your First Year in Real Estate, Success as a Real Estate Agent for Dummies®, The Champion Real Estate Agent, The Champion Agent Team and over 300 articles in print.

Real Estate Champions is a premier coaching company. Training covers a wide spectrum from new agents, to seasoned, as well as those interested in real estate marketing or real estate investing.

You can get more information by visiting Coaching And Tools For Realtors, Online Training For Realtors, Realtors-Build Your Business

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