How to Make Your Business Success
The Secret to Becoming Rich
by: Elise Fisher
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Search Engine Optimization
How to Make Your Business Success
Search Engine Optimization
Search Engine Optimization And The Magic Fairy Dust
by: Bill Platt
There is only one thing that all webmasters agree upon... They all want to be at the top of the search engine results for search terms that will drive traffic and consumers to their website. The truth is that the search engines are like our childhood game of King Of The Hill. Only one person can be at the top of the hill and the top of the search results. Only ten websites can be on page one of the search results. When a new website moves into the top ten, another must be removed. For any given search term at any given time, there are only ten web pages on page one of the search results, and there are millions of web pages that did not make page one, who may or may not catch a few stragglers from the search engines. How Can A Website Break Into The Top Ten? Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is an industry that has sprung up around the concept of helping their clients improve their rankings in the search engine results. When you talk to SEO professionals, they generally point to a two-pronged approach to search ranking optimization. A website owner needs to optimize their on-site real estate for the search engines, and they need to build inbound links to their website. On-Site Search Optimization Challenges The trick with on-site search optimization is that you must cater to multiple audiences on your website. * You must provide simple navigation and an attractive interface to the human visitor; * You must provide good sales copy to your human visitors, for the purpose of converting them from shoppers to buyers; * You must provide text copy for the search engines to read; and * You must optimize your content to help the search engines know what topics and keywords they should pay attention, so that they can give their users the right web page for the right search terms. A web page that draws good search rankings is useless if the web page cannot convert the human visitor to a buyer. Many website owners get caught up in the process of optimizing a web page to get it to the top of the search results, and they forget that the human visitor knows where the Back Button is in his or her browser. Once your visitor has hit the Back Button, they will go to someone else's website and buy from them, instead of you. Most website owners have the alternate problem. They consistently convert a significant number of visitors to buyers, but they have to rely on various forms of paid advertising to get visitors to their websites, since they do not rank in the search engines. I recently spoke with an individual who spends ,000 per month on pay-per-click advertising to get targeted traffic to his website. He said he consistently earns back his money, but he was still looking for a better way to get ranked in the search engines, so he joined my client list. On-Site Search Engine Optimization Basics According to the search engine companies, there are more than one thousand calculations that determine how well a website will rank in their search engine result pages (SERPs). The Google engineers are fond of saying that if you build your website for human beings instead of search engines, then your website should rank well in their algorithms. To a certain degree, this is a good strategy. Think about how magazines are constructed: The Table Of Contents shows story titles, brief descriptions, and page numbers telling you where you can find a story. On the story page, the title will be in big, bold font. Sometimes, the magazine will include a brief blurb about the story, in italics or font that is a bit bigger than the story font. Pictures support the story with captions that further develop the story, by describing the picture. Major subsections of the story have their own subheadings. And, the primary body of the story is in regular plain text, with only an occasional bolded or italicized word or phrase. By analyzing the title and other large text on the page, a person who is flipping through the pages of a magazine can quickly assess the story content and make the decision as to whether they want to read the full story. In the most simplistic way, this is how the search engines analyze a websites' content to decide which web page will best serve their users' needs. Off-Site Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Basics Since the inception of Google, and with Yahoo and MSN recently, the number and quality of links pointing to a website play a significant role in determining how well a web page will rank in the search results. I have heard people suggest that as much as 75% of the value given to a web page in the search results is based solely on the number and quality of links pointing to a web page. I tend to believe a more conservative number (50.1%) will apply. Inbound Links Are More Important Than Page Content To prove this point, type "click here" without the quotes into Google, Yahoo and MSN and check the Adobe pages that come up in the search results: #1 in Google, #2 in Yahoo, and #1 in MSN. When you pull up those pages, search the page to find the individual words "click" or "here" in the text of those pages. They are not there. This has happened because millions of people have linked to these Adobe pages with the embedded anchor text, "click here". Next, let's analyze those specific web pages from the perspective of each of the search engines: * Google's #1 result - Google PageRank 8. (www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html) Links to this web page: according to Google (31); according to Yahoo (nearly 12 million); according to MSN (6,400). * Yahoo's #2 result - Google PageRank 10. (www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer) Links to this web page: Google (15,200); Yahoo (700 thousand); MSN (32). * MSN's #1 result - Google PageRank 8. (www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash) Links to this web page: Google (0); Yahoo (2.9 million); MSN (778). On Google's top result, they show 31 inbound links total for that web page. But, Yahoo claims that there are more than 12 million links to this page. That is a huge difference. On Yahoo's #2 result, MSN gives 32 links, Google gives 15,000 links, and Yahoo claims it has 700 thousand links! That is another huge difference between the link counts from the search engines. On MSN's #1 result, MSN shows a strong link count, but still nowhere near Yahoo's 2.9 million links. But, how does a web page with zero links in Google get a PageRank 8? What Do These Numbers Mean? Google has always said that they will never show us all of the links that we have pointing to our websites, because anything we can see in the public search results, our competitors can see also. So, for me it really is no surprise that we cannot see all of the links that point to Adobe pages, or to the links we have created that point to our clients and ourselves, by querying the search engines. Also, the sheer numbers of inbound links do not rule the roost. Google's #1 result (PR8) is actually shown in Google, before Yahoo's #2 (PR10) result. The Proof For Link Building Is In The Search Engine Rankings Recently, a fellow who works as a SEO "professional" told me that be believed my link building system was a sham. I showed him that on the top 51 keyword phrases we use to market our original commercial website, we had 11 number one results, 31 top five results, 34 top ten results, 47 top thirty results, and 51 top 100 results within the Google search results. Additionally, it was shown that only three of those results competed with fewer than one million search results according to Google, with the remaining 48 pages competing with one million to 533 million pages. Ole boy tore up Google trying to track how it was possible for me to have accomplished what I claimed. He finally concluded that since Google would not show HIM how I was able to rank so well in their search engine results, then I must have been lying. According to Yahoo, we have over 12,000 links from third-party websites. According to our site statistics, we received traffic from more than 16,000 unique web pages during 2006. And Google still swears that we only have 42 inbound links to our website! Magic Fairy Dust My nemesis concluded that since HE could not prove through Google how I was successful in getting good search rankings, then I could not have accomplished such results by the methods I claimed. Okay, I admit it. I used the exact same method that Adobe used to get to the top of Google's search engine rankings. I have a pocket full of magic fairy dust. Whenever, I do not like how my websites rank in the search engines, I sprinkle my magic fairy dust on my modem. If you don't like where you are ranked in the search engines, then I suggest you forego the search engine optimization companies altogether and instead run over to the corner store to get your own magic fairy dust. You might have to shop around a bit, but it is out there.
Money Management
How to Make Your Business Success
Money Management
Money Management And Payday Loans
by: Max Hunter
There are a number of ways that people can use to manage money to stay out of debt and even establish savings over time. Establish a Budget The first, and maybe the most important step, is to set a budget for yourself and stick by it. Take a look at your household income and outgo. Set the budget up to accommodate your payday schedule. In other words, if you get paid once a month, then you have to budget accordingly so that you won’t run out of money before the end of the month. If you get paid every two weeks, or every week, figure out which of your bills have to be paid on each payday. It is absolutely essential to set some money aside for emergencies. Even if it is only $20 per payday, having some cushion will keep you from having to borrow money when something unforeseen occurs. There are all kinds of budget sheets available to help you figure things out and many of them are free on the Internet. However, it is not hard to make your own. Just make a list of your income and when it arrives, as well as a list of what has to be paid when. Check each item off and date it when it is paid. Don’t forget to budget adequate amounts for items like food, gas, entertainment, etc. If you have those items in your budget, it’s also a good way to track how much you are actually spending on them each month. Get Organized A good way to begin the budgeting process is to sort out all of your legal and financial papers and file them so you can find what you need when you need it. For example put bills that are due on the 10th of the month in one folder, and bills that are due on the 25th in another folder. Once you have paid a particular bill, shred it and dispose of it, in order to save confusion. Any other financial information, like savings accounts, mutual funds, etc. should also be stored in appropriately labeled folders. At the first of the year, when your tax documents start coming in, put them all in one folder with the tax forms. When April 15 rolls around, you won’t have to dig through piles of mail on your desk to come up with all of the appropriate documents and forms. Items like insurance policies should also be labeled and file so that you can readily find them if and when you need them. Find Ways to Save Money Do some brainstorming about your expenses and how you could possibly cut back on them. It is wise to write them down on paper because it is less easy to dismiss them that way. For example, can you cut down on the amount of gas you use by taking public transportation? If you eat out often, consider making more meals at home. Examine your buying habits. Do you go shopping when you are depressed? Do you go grocery shopping when you are hungry? Do you purchase items advertised on the shopping channel without every leaving your easy chair? These are all practices you can change. Find healthier activities for when you are feeling down – go for a long walk instead of going shopping. Make a grocery list and carefully plan what groceries you need for the coming week, then go to the store and buy them. Coupons can be advantageous if you buy name brand items, but store brands are often cheaper in the long run. Watch the weekly sales flyers in the local newspaper and buy items like meat when they are on sale. It’s handy to have something in the freezer to fix, and less costly in the long run than making a quick trip to the store after work and picking up only what you need for that night’s meal. Find Ways to Make More Money Get an extra part time job, or work overtime at your regular job, if possible. Clear out your attic or your garage and have a yard sale. You may be happily surprised at the amount of money you can bring in. These days, many people make money selling items through online auction sites like ebay, and don’t have to sort and tag and have people running all over your yard for a day. If there is a local farmer’s market, consider something you can sell there. If you have extra produce from your garden, or are a good baker, you will find that people are readily willing to buy things that you can grow or make. If you make extra money, don’t increase your expenses. Either use it to pay off bills, or put it away for savings. Choose Credit Carefully If you have to have a credit card, shop around for the best deal. Some credit cards have yearly fees that have to be paid whether you ever use the card or not. Interest rates vary widely. Make sure you know what the interest rate is and shop around for the lowest. If you charge something, pay it off before the end of the month, then it won’t cost you any interest on the card. Don’t use more than one credit card. It’s too easy to get into the cycle of living on the credit cards and never really paying more than the interest on them. This is a practice that will get you deeper into debt in the long run. Payday Loans If you have an emergency and need to get a payday loan, make sure you investigate and find the one that is the best deal for you. The amount of interest charged varies widely from company to company and so does the repayment period. Find the loan that gives you the most flexibility for the least fees. Try to never roll your payday loan over, but pay it off in full by the due date.
Make Your Money
How to Make Your Business Success
Make Your Money
Make Your Money Work For You
by: Alison Bolger
Do you want to know the real truth about how to get wealthy? The answer is very simple. All you need to do is make your money work for you, instead of you having to work for your money. Talk to all the people who have become wealthy and I bet they’ll all tell you that they make their money work for them. They may not have started out with any money but they learned that if they were smart with what money they did earn they could make it work for them instead of the other way around. This rule does not discriminate. Every one has an equal chance to do this and it is never too late to start. Why hasn’t someone explained this to you before you ask? Why didn’t you learn this at school? You are probably like the majority of people who went to school. You went to learn how to get a job and work for money for the rest of your life. Wouldn’t you rather have been taught how to make your money work for you? Did any of your teachers show you how to do this. Not likely. They probably didn’t know how to do it either. You were probably told from a very early age to get a good education so that you could get a good job. This good job would assure you of a steady income for the rest of your life. If you were lucky, and got a really good job where you earned lots of money, then you might be able to save up enough money for the deposit on a house. Then you could spend the rest of your life paying off your mortgage and hopefully have a few dollars left to save for your retirement. Did anyone tell you that by the time you get around to retiring, your savings probably wont go very far. Forget about a pension because there probably won’t be one by the time you retire. Well, if that’s the case then once you retire it won’t be too hard to have to start scrimping and economizing as you’ve done that all your life anyway so you are well qualified. Your only worry now is that you hope that your money won’t run out before you do. Well before it’s too late, just how do you go about making your money work for you? Well there are dozens of ways you can do this. The first thing you need to do is find out from the experts how they do it. You need to be prepared to start educating yourself on the different options that are available out there. Jamie McIntyre of the 21st Century Academy offers a free DVD and e-book that will give you some great ideas on how to get your financial intelligence off to the right start. Find out what hundreds of others are doing to transform their lives by learning how to make their money work for them. To check out Jamie’s free offer go to www.learnwealthysecrets.com and click on the 21st Century link.
Affiliate Program
How to Make Your Business Success
Affiliate Program
How To Create A Marvelous Business Opportunity From An Affiliate Program
by: Mario Churchill
If you are creating an affiliate program to improve the performance of your company in the Internet, you have to make sure that you’re offering your future affiliates the best tools to make their jobs easier. If you want to make your affiliate program into a business opportunity, you need to concentrate first on giving your affiliates the opportunity to earn as well. How to Create a Marvelous Business Opportunity from an Affiliate Program The most important thing to remember when managing affiliate programs is that its success will largely depend on how well your affiliates will perform. You can increase the chances that they’ll perform better by making their jobs as easy as possible. The Proper Way to Make Banners – These are the most eye-catching of all types of advertisements, but they can also be quite troublesome. Customers might be turned off at the amount of time required for downloading large banners in websites. While it won’t hurt to host and offer a few large banners for those inclined to use them, it’s better if you offer a greater selection of smaller banners for your affiliates. Compensate for the minimal size of your banners by making them as visually attractive as possible. Play with colors and choose words and graphics carefully. The Proper Way to Write Text Ads – Many affiliates prefer to host text ads of merchant websites because they use up lesser space and bandwidth without sacrificing effectiveness. When creating text ads for your affiliates, always make sure that they are short but detailed – they must clearly sum up the important benefits your products or services are offering. They must also have a catchy title – one that grabs the attention of the reader right away. Secondly, and in the odd chance that your affiliate might prefer to create his own text ad regarding your products and services, make sure that your program offers writing tips and suggestions to help them in this endeavor. Why Pop Ups and Pop Unders aren’t Cool – They used to be an entertaining novelty but not anymore. Nowadays, most people consider this type of advertisement – especially pop ups – as an online nuisance because they keep appearing when they’re not needed. As much as possible, avoid offering affiliates pop ups because they might just work to your disadvantage. If necessary, offer them pop unders instead. Etiquette for Email Advertising – Sending marketing newsletters through email is always an excellent strategy because it allows you one-on-one time with your reader to talk about your company’s products and services. Many people, however, have abused this opportunity by sending SPAM. In spite of its reduced credibility however, most consumers are still willing to give email marketing a chance…but just once, and if you still blow it off then you’ll have to suffer the consequences for eternity…or until you get a new and valid email address, that is. It’s important to brief your affiliates on the dos and don’ts for email marketing. The first rule that they mustn’t ever breach is the frequency of sending emails. Naturally, they shouldn’t flood a person’s inbox with the same email over and over. Secondly, they must always offer the reader a choice to not receive emails anymore by automatically taking off their names from the list. Thirdly, they must focus on keeping the content of their email as short as possible while managing to sound interesting at the same time. Always remind your affiliates to end their letters with a call for definite action. Regular Meetings – Hold regular meetings with your affiliates. Meetings must be done in both group and individual basis so that they can benefit from interactive learning as well as individual consultation. While you may not be their employer, you are still the person they’re looking up to for advice and support and it’s important that you give them these as much and as often as you can. Pay Them Right – Lastly, as this is essentially a business opportunity for you and your affiliates, money is the tie that binds both of you together. If you want them to display a stellar performance, make sure that you show them why they have to. Pay them the rates they deserve and equally importantly as well, pay them on time.
Home Business
How to Make Your Business Success
Home Business
Home Business Evaluation Guidlines
by: Jim Leo
Whether you are looking for a part-time opportunity or a full-time career change, selecting the right business venture is clearly a major part of your formula for success. Thousands of potential homebased independent distributorships, franchises and network marketing opportunities are being offered in newsstand opportunity magazines, on those spam e-mails you receive regularly, or from friends and relatives who are convinced they've found the holy grail to make you both wealthy. Unfortunately, many people jump at opportunities based on advertising hype or unsubstantiated promises and are quickly disappointed. There's nothing wrong with a company promoting its opportunity in the best light, or with your friends focusing on the potential benefits available in their own ventures. It's just that you need to separate facts from illusions, reality from fantasy and true potential from the enthusiastic sales pitch of the people who stand to profit from your involvement. They may have taken a leap of faith themselves without having done their own due diligence. There are many good opportunities for those willing to work and work hard. Any business that offers real opportunity requires real effort. Just remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Here are the six questions you should ask to help you make educated decisions about your time and money investment. 1. How long has the company been in business? If they've been around for several years, they'll have network marketing operators who have already paved the way. Ask for references. And if they won't give you any, dig deeper to find out why. If this is a start-up venture, look for signs of financial stability. Are they properly funded to deliver on the promises they promote? 2. Who are the people behind the company? Do they have proven business expertise? Have they had other successes prior to this business that assure you they understand what it takes to succeed? Do they have a successful network marketing background? If not, is a member of their executive team or a consulting organization guiding them? 3. Are the products or services of personal interest to you? You usually won't do well in a business when you can't personally relate to the products. Would you buy this product yourself? Would you recommend it to friends even if you weren't paid to do so? Have you actually tried the product? 4. What type of training is offered in the beginning? You can't do what you don't know, so make sure you have access to beginning and ongoing training support. 5. Does the company offer great support tools? Do they provide a time-tested and proven marketing and sales system, as well as tools to help you? Video and audio training or sales presentations, printed literature, catalogs and a strong Web site linked to an online e-commerce catalog are all considered standard sales support. Linking your personal Web site to the company site is a must when marketing branded consumer products–you need this to ensure sales credit for your customers' online purchases. 6. How do you earn your money? If you're buying products or services at wholesale and marking them up for your profit, the company should have a suggested formula for profitability. Is it rich enough to return your investment quickly? Is the compensation plan easy to understand? Find out whether the profit percentages are paid on retail sales, wholesale after retail commissions are deducted, or on an amount selected by the company based on product profitability. Don't judge the plan solely on the promotional copy. Ask questions and make sure you understand when you'll receive your profits. Also, ask someone you trust who has network marketing experience to evaluate how the money will flow. The company should have a detailed explanation of their plan to help the novice work though the complexities. Good compensation plans can be complex. Don't let this scare you. Just take the time to understand the reward for your investment. You can't afford to make hasty decisions in choosing a network marketing business. Your time is your life. Waste your time, and you waste your life. Making good decisions means seeking out the facts. It's well worth the effort–it saves you time and money by eliminating the bad choices and finding winners. One other thing: Sometimes you'll make your decision based on pure emotion and gut feeling. If the opportunity is recommended by a friend, as is the case with most network marketing programs, look upline several levels from your sponsor to determine the type of support you'll receive in building your business. You rarely succeed alone. It takes a team effort matched to a good product and support system. But in the end, the dollar bill won't sprout wings and fly into your mailbox. You have to make it happen. Advantages Requires a lower initial fee than a franchise. Although the number of low-investment franchises has increased, the fee to get into a business opportunity is still considerably lower. The FTC requires a $500 minimum investment for an opportunity to be considered a business opportunity, but there are many that fall under this set fee, although most average around $2,000 to $3,000. A proven system of operation or product. Existing systems serve to maximize efficiency and returns and minimize problems. It's simply a matter of passing on experience, still the best teacher. Whether they admit it or not, most people like having their hands held once in a while. During crises, the parent company is there to help the licensee over the bumps. Many people like this idea of safety in numbers. Intensive training programs. In any new business, a lot of time and money are consumed during the learning period. A good business opportunity venture can eliminate the majority of ineffective moves through an intensive training program. Ongoing counseling. Most business opportunity ventures offer support not only through training but also through counseling from a staff of experts who offer assistance that no independent could afford. Legal advice is available to a certain degree. The most efficient accounting systems—perfect for that particular business—have been designed by experts in the field. Some licensors offer free computer analysis of records, and through comparison with other units can pinpoint areas of inefficiency or loss as well as profitable aspects of the business that are being neglected. No ongoing royalties. In a business opportunity, unlike in a franchise, there are no ongoing royalties to pay to the seller. The profits are all yours.
Financial Freedom
How to Make Your Business Success
Financial Freedom
Financial Freedom - The Main Positive Personalities Of Millionaires
by: Thomas Tsai
Financial freedom is a topic that is of interest to every one. Almost all of us are in search of a foolproof plan for financial freedom. One can get many suggestions on this regard from others. One person may advise you to look for job change. You may get a suggestion from another about beginning a small at-home business. Some people try to enrich their knowledge about the stock market, real estate market and other investment opportunities in their endeavor for financial freedom. Learn from millionaires Let us analyze these millionaires that have been successful in their lives and accomplished their objective of financial freedom. They all have had some skills that have helped them in financial freedom. Here are some key elements of their personality, the strategies they adopted and the rules they followed in their lives. Importance of working with people The biggest advantage that these millionaires have in financial freedom is that they are masters in the art of team work. Having the right kind of people to work with you and knowing how to handle them is the most important tool that you have in your hands for financial freedom. You can observe that whenever and wherever someone has made a great fortune there¡¦s a group of talented people was involved. Power of decisiveness Power of decisiveness ability is also very important for financial freedom. You should have the ability of going through the pros and cons very quickly to reach at any decision. Once, you make it a habit you will always be at an advantage over others when it comes to cashing on any opportunity. The characteristic of persistence Every one who is successful in financial freedom is persistent with his work. You should also be ready to develop this quality. Instead of giving up at an early stage you should be prepared to work for extra hours. Make use of whatever you do for getting new ideas for financial freedom. Go through the financial related magazines that provide many useful suggestions in this regard. Write down these ideas and analyze them on a regular basis. You don't know when a particular idea clicks and you get an opportunity to reach your goal. Resourcefulness of time An important characteristic that is present in the personalities of all millionaires is good time management. Understand the importance of time. When you are putting all your efforts into making money then wasting time can be detrimental to your efforts. After all, all of us have been grown up listening to the popular phrase "Time is money" right from our childhood.
Developing a Growing Business
How to Make Your Business Success
Developing a Growing Business
Developing a Growing Business
by: Stuart Tan
Many people crave to develop a growing business. Unfortunately, few people can actually develop one successfully. You see, many people, just like you, start off but get distracted by not being able to have a vehicle for success. I'd suggest that you look at some of the leverage factors for the internet. Leverage Factor #1 - A successful business model. If you have not built your own business model, you should adopt one from someone else. For instance, marketing using network marketing, affiliate marketing and so on are useful, but you need to have a program that allows you to derive multiple streams of income all at one go. If you don't already have a business online, or are just interested in looking for someone to provide you one, you might want to explore this one at http://www.mysuccesscollection.com/. Leverage Factor #2 - Learning and expertise. To build a bigger base, you definitely need to increase your knowledge. With the right kind of knowledge, you will find that you become more credible and people get attracted to you directly. If you had a database of thousands of hours of a learning library, I think you'd skew the chances to your favor, don't you think? I've discovered that it's the learner with the right attitude who actually is able to master the skills necessary to grow the business. Leverage Factor #3 - Teams and collective effort. Let's face it - nobody really succeeds on their own. There's really no such thing as a self-made millionaire - only a team-made one. IF you want to leverage, you have to find not just the team, but the way to build the team up effectively. I suppose you might want to be a leader as well, and that takes #2 - your learning. Over time, an effective and growing business could be in your hands. To find out more about this opportunity and gain access to mentoring to excellence, please visit http://www.MySuccessCollection.com/stuartmastermind/
Are You Rich Enough
How to Make Your Business Success
Are You Rich Enough
Are You Rich Enough To Give Your Lender a $100,000 Tip?
by: Heather L Giles
Borrowing money costs consumers more these days than ever before. Not many people can afford to fork over 100,000 in cash for a home. A very small percentage of the population can do this. The rest of us rely on our sweat and brains to get us through and make it happen. The little guy will always struggle since the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. With the current legal pirating going on these days in the mortgage industry, personal budgets tighten as consumers walk the tightrope of income versus expenses to make ends meet. The rising prices of gas and food items only add to the crunch most families feel in today's world. Purchasing a home for your family does not necessarily strain your budget if you apply this simple but important principle to a seemingly complicated issue. The basic idea here involves paying your lender extra payments called advanced principal payments. This concept will shave years and thousands of dollars off your mortgage costs. While a spreadsheet program helps to determine principal and interest payments, your amortization sheet will do for a ballpark savings. The key to this relies on sending in your next months principal along with this month’s payment. So, if your monthly payment costs 700 a month, for this payment, 75 dollars for principal, and 625 for interest, follow your amortization chart until you find the month you owe now, and see the principal cost for your next month’s payment. Add this amount as extra principal to the payment you send. The difference can range to a few cents to a couple of dollars for your next months principal. So for this payment, you send in the 700, plus 76 as advanced principal payment. You just saved yourself 624 in interest, and knocked off a month from your mortgage. Let’s recap with a real life example. You purchase a house for 100,000 with an interest rate of 6.5 percent. You finance it for 30 years. The first 2 years of your loan results in payments of 12,859.20 in interest, and 2310.19 in principal payments. If you apply the technique of advanced principal payments, at the end of your first year you will pay 6,432.72 for interest, 2310.19 in Principal, and reduced your loan time by one year. The extra payments for one year cost you an extra 600 or so, but save you 6426.48 in interest. All together you actually save 5826.48 in interest. Not sending in extra principal payments will cost you a total of 127,000 in interest over the life of the loan. Your 100,000 house ends up costing you 227,000. By applying this simple idea to the lifetime of your loan, you will potentially shave tens of thousands of dollars off of your mortgage costs, and also get your deed years earlier without being tied to the much higher 15-year mortgage loan.
12 Ways Leaders
How to Make Your Business Success
12 Ways Leaders
12 Ways Leaders Tell Their People They Are Important
by: Andrew Cox
Leaders know the old saying "How you act shouts so loudly I can't hear what you're saying" is the truth. They use it to their advantage. Leaders know the greatest sense of accomplishment and importance often comes from non – monetary rewards, and from positive recognition from the person who is the boss. And they know they can do it without "breaking the rules" or incurring big expenses. Many managers feel constrained by the rules and regulations of their organizations. They feel that their hands are tied when it comes to rewarding their people – that their actions are controlled by others, and there is little of any real value they can do to motivate their people. Here are 12 Ways leaders let their people know how important they are: Way #1 – Leaders truly believe the work performed by their people is important. This may sound pretty basic, but that is an absolutely essential belief. Without it there is simply no way people can be convinced that what they do is important.. How often have your heard – or been guilty of saying – or thinking – "Oh, she's just the receptionist" or, "He's just the janitor" or "They're just trainees" or "They're just a staff weenie?" Way #2 – Leaders expect the best from everyone, and settle for nothing less. Nothing makes people feel more important than high expectations for their performance. Leaders make sure their people share in setting the expectations. Way #3 – Leaders create goals that are shared and that show the tie in of individual work with the success of the organization. Way #4 – Leaders select the best – in every opening they have. Every tool is used to ensure that the best possible decision is made on who is selected. People watch very carefully to see who is picked – they need to be involved in the selection process whenever possible. Leaders know that actions taken in selection communicate how important the open position is. Who is selected is seen as a direct reflection on the quality of the people in the organization. Way #5 – Leaders are their people's institutional champion! What's that mean? When their pay is wrong, leaders get it right. When their reviews are scheduled, leaders ensure they are done accurately and on time. When their raises are due, leaders make sure they are handled properly and on time. Leaders jealously guard their relationship as the go to person for their people. Institutional support people can help, but leaders know they are the key contact for their people. Way #6– Leaders are absolutely intolerant of unsafe, disruptive or other negative behaviors. They act on them quickly and decisively, and never let their people see them knowingly ignore a bad situation. Leaders know these situations will not go away, regardless how much "wish'in and hop'in and pray'in" might be done. Way #7 – Leaders know that trust and respect are not the same thing as being liked. It is nice to be liked, it is absolutely essential that people trust and respect their leader. As a comedian said: "If you want to be liked, get a dog." Way #8 – Leaders cultivate a climate of civility for their people. In their relationships with their people, they make sure their actions reflect a fundamental respect for others. Way #9 –Leaders get every one of their people some form of self development activity on a regular basis. It may be a seminar, it may be tuition refund, it may be a book, it may be a CD set, it may be reimbursement for a Webinar or a podcast, it may be a Community College course – it does not have to be expensive and time consuming, but the act of creating added value through the investment of personal effort supported by organizational resources is a powerful way to express importance. Way #10 – Leaders respect their people's time – it's their most valuable asset. Leaders start meetings on time, end them on time, keep meeting commitments. They do what they have to do to ensure their people have the use of as much of their work time as possible. Way #11– Leaders keep the rules and policies to an absolute minimum. If there is workable set of cultural and organizational "Way's Of Doing Things" then the basis for treating people with individual regard exists. If they don't exist, leaders set them in their own area of responsibility. Way #12– Leaders celebrate the successes – they create the opportunity for group recognition to happen all over the place – if Safety is an issue, they create a Safety Award process that celebrates progress. They make the celebration events frequent, the rewards modest – but they do it all the time. Leaders know the frequency of awards and the opportunity for celebration are as important, actually more important, than the annual lunch or dinner or whatever. Did you notice one thing about all 12 Ways? Not one of them deals with lots of money, or more capital, or new policies or procedures. All do require beliefs and behaviors – and they are the most challenging, most high leverage efforts that can be made to improve an organization. It's always tempting to do a feel good seminar, or buy something, or take some action that shows a high level of commitment to the people.. But the truth is that the way to greater success is through a focused, day to day effort to improve the level of commitment of the people in an organization, and that takes hard work, leadership and the acceptance of change. If you can see Ways that can help you organization or your work group or yourself in this article, take them and run with them – they are the basis for successful managers becoming successful leaders.
8 Mistakes Human Resource
How to Make Your Business Success
8 Mistakes Human Resource
8 Mistakes Human Resource Directors Make When Looking To Hire The Right Entertainment
by: MAGICTAINMENT
A CEO approved, HR tested, corporate party entertainer not only amuses your audience, but also eases the pressure on you before and during the party. It is a fact hiring the right corporate tested and approved party entertainer can be a little disheartening, Use this top “eight” list as your personal, stress-free guide to help you locate and know when you have the perfect corporate entertainer. Lets begin: 1. Guarantee: Does the entertainer offer a 100% Guarantee? If No, hang up your phone and call one who does (for a listing of nationwide entertainers offering a 100% Guarantee send an email with this request to:info@MagictainmentShow.com). You have enough to think about, without wondering and hoping if the entertainers you hire are the “right” ones! A full-time specialized corporate entertainer should be offering you a 100% tear-up your check Guarantee. A good example is: "Our Iron Clad, 100%, No Weasel Clause Guarantee is: If we do not provide the services we agree to, you can take your check and tear it up. Pay us nothing - GUARANTEED! Yes, we are so confident your guest’s will have one of the most memorable, exciting, fun-filled and amazing event/parties ever when you have us entertain at your company’s party. This is the reason we can and do offer this, our no strings attached guarantee. We will make you look like a real-hero. 2. Show time: Corporate entertainer’s performances are generally available in several durations - usually from thirty-minutes to two hours (or more upon request). Attention: The amount of time the entertainer performs DOES NOT GUARANTEE you will be “getting your money’s worth”. One entertainer may offer an hour show and really be a flop, where another corporate proven entertainer who is seasoned, audience-friendly, fun, witty, amazing, memorable awesome-show deliverer may be there for thirty-five minutes and your guests go wild with excitement, jaws drop in awe, cheer with laughter, and after the event you successfully pulled together, all your guests approach you, shake your hand and tell you how great the event was, ESPECIALLY the entertainment. 3. Testimonies: Read the testimonies on their web site and promotional materials. A full-time pro will be able to provide you with plenty of testimonies from company’s like yours upon request. 4. Games and Give-Away: While most entertainers generally have a set program, most will do their best to include any special requests you may have. If additional supplies or prizes are required, such as a fun interactive / team-building game and quality prizes, there will be additional fees. A pro will provide appropriate prizes and games (not all corporate entertainers offer give-away & games, but this is a plus - less for you to do) 5. Feeling secure: Professional corporate performers will provide you with an invoice via mail, email, or fax. It is always a good sign you are talking with a professional corporate entertainer when they provide you with written confirmation of your booking, so there is no confusion in regards to the date, time, address, or requirements for your event/party. Note: Each entertainer has differing pricing schedules and may include a travel charge to your location in addition to their standard prices. Ensure these charges, if any, are included in your written confirmation along with the details of any deposits required so there are no embarrassing surprises at your party. 6. Are they a pro? Disappointingly, there are lots of self-proclaiming “corporate entertainers” who call themselves professionals, but do little more than put on bad shows, waste your money and embarrass you, the host. Anyone who buys a few cheap tricks from a web site can call themselves a corporate entertainer (‘magician’). So how do you recognize an awesome entertainer? Here are a few valuable tips (questions to ask before you make the final agreement): A. At least 5-10 years of professional experience. B. Do they have an up-to-date web site. It is true, having a web site does not guarantee the entertainer is good, but this is one sign of someone who is serious about their business (especially if they have a vanity site name). C. A professional will customize each show accordingly (keeping in mind their audience and age group). This makes them a great catch and will make you look like a real hero with your guest’s and most of all, your boss. …Again, a full time professional entertainer’s web site should tell you what you need to know. D. Is there material “appropriate” or are you in constant “fear” they may use blue material during the performance. A true pro will never use off color jokes and will not be degrading to your audience. 7. Agency: Is the corporate entertainer you are thinking about hiring associated with talent agencies. If the entertainer is hired through an agency or has an agent this is usually a great sign these individuals are true pros. Also keep in mind many professional entertainers with 5-10 years experience do their own bookings as well. 8. Fees: Many HR directors call entertainers asking for price quotes, looking for the least expensive corporate entertainment rate in the area. Note: You receive what you pay for. When you hire an entertainer (CEO qualified, audience-friendly, comedy magicians/illusionists), price is definitely an indicator of a few things. The lower the price, the more likely the magician is not a full time pro and not as experienced, and the quality of the entertainment will show (your guest’s will know). You receive what you pay for! A full time professional is very easy to work with. They DO NOT think they have “arrived”, though they may have a celebrity status, they carry themselves well and do not belittle others. They will not make major demands which can become taxing and ridiculous. Note: Full time professional entertainers are extremely reliable and can work with you and your team to enhance your event. At times if the situation calls for it, pros can reverse gears and are ready to perform at a moments notice, for instance, someone did not show up, it starts to rain, food is delayed, etc. >>>a truly professional corporate entertainer is willing and always ready to adapt to your needs! Comedy Magicians/Illusionists always have something up their sleeve at a moments notice should the need arise !! Now That’s MAGIC!!
7 Profit Multiplying Trading Strategies
How to Make Your Business Success
7 Profit Multiplying Trading Strategies
8 Mistakes Human Resource Directors Make When Looking To Hire The Right Entertainment
by: MAGICTAINMENT
A CEO approved, HR tested, corporate party entertainer not only amuses your audience, but also eases the pressure on you before and during the party। It is a fact hiring the right corporate tested and approved party entertainer can be a little disheartening, Use this top “eight” list as your personal, stress-free guide to help you locate and know when you have the perfect corporate
Lets begin:
1Guarantee: Does the entertainer offer a १.00% Guarantee? If No, hang up your phone and call one who does (for a listing of nationwide entertainers offering a १।00% Guarantee send an email with this request to:
mailto:info@MagictainmentShow.com). You have enough to think about, without wondering and hoping if the entertainers you hire are the “right” ones! A full-time specialized corporate entertainer should be offering you a 100% tear-up your check Guarantee. A good example is: "Our Iron Clad, 100%, No Weasel Clause Guarantee is: If we do not provide the services we agree to, you can take your check and tear it up. Pay us nothing - GUARANTEED! Yes, we are so confident your guest’s will have one of the most memorable, exciting, fun-filled and amazing event/parties ever when you have us entertain at your company’s party. This is the reason we can and do offer this, our no strings attached guarantee. We will make you look like a real-hero. 2. Show time: Corporate entertainer’s performances are generally available in several durations - usually from thirty-minutes to two hours (or more upon request). Attention: The amount of time the entertainer performs DOES NOT GUARANTEE you will be “getting your money’s worth”. One entertainer may offer an hour show and really be a flop, where another corporate proven entertainer who is seasoned, audience-friendly, fun, witty, amazing, memorable awesome-show deliverer may be there for thirty-five minutes and your guests go wild with excitement, jaws drop in awe, cheer with laughter, and after the event you successfully pulled together, all your guests approach you, shake your hand and tell you how great the event was, ESPECIALLY the entertainment. 3. Testimonies: Read the testimonies on their web site and promotional materials. A full-time pro will be able to provide you with plenty of testimonies from company’s like yours upon request. 4. Games and Give-Away: While most entertainers generally have a set program, most will do their best to include any special requests you may have. If additional supplies or prizes are required, such as a fun interactive / team-building game and quality prizes, there will be additional fees. A pro will provide appropriate prizes and games (not all corporate entertainers offer give-away & games, but this is a plus - less for you to do) 5. Feeling secure: Professional corporate performers will provide you with an invoice via mail, email, or fax. It is always a good sign you are talking with a professional corporate entertainer when they provide you with written confirmation of your booking, so there is no confusion in regards to the date, time, address, or requirements for your event/party. Note: Each entertainer has differing pricing schedules and may include a travel charge to your location in addition to their standard prices. Ensure these charges, if any, are included in your written confirmation along with the details of any deposits required so there are no embarrassing surprises at your party. 6. Are they a pro? Disappointingly, there are lots of self-proclaiming “corporate entertainers” who call themselves professionals, but do little more than put on bad shows, waste your money and embarrass you, the host. Anyone who buys a few cheap tricks from a web site can call themselves a corporate entertainer (‘magician’). So how do you recognize an awesome entertainer? Here are a few valuable tips (questions to ask before you make the final agreement): A. At least 5-10 years of professional experience. B. Do they have an up-to-date web site. It is true, having a web site does not guarantee the entertainer is good, but this is one sign of someone who is serious about their business (especially if they have a vanity site name). C. A professional will customize each show accordingly (keeping in mind their audience and age group). This makes them a great catch and will make you look like a real hero with your guest’s and most of all, your boss. …Again, a full time professional entertainer’s web site should tell you what you need to know. D. Is there material “appropriate” or are you in constant “fear” they may use blue material during the performance. A true pro will never use off color jokes and will not be degrading to your audience. 7. Agency: Is the corporate entertainer you are thinking about hiring associated with talent agencies. If the entertainer is hired through an agency or has an agent this is usually a great sign these individuals are true pros. Also keep in mind many professional entertainers with 5-10 years experience do their own bookings as well. 8. Fees: Many HR directors call entertainers asking for price quotes, looking for the least expensive corporate entertainment rate in the area. Note: You receive what you pay for. When you hire an entertainer (CEO qualified, audience-friendly, comedy magicians/illusionists), price is definitely an indicator of a few things. The lower the price, the more likely the magician is not a full time pro and not as experienced, and the quality of the entertainment will show (your guest’s will know). You receive what you pay for! A full time professional is very easy to work with. They DO NOT think they have “arrived”, though they may have a celebrity status, they carry themselves well and do not belittle others. They will not make major demands which can become taxing and ridiculous. Note: Full time professional entertainers are extremely reliable and can work with you and your team to enhance your event. At times if the situation calls for it, pros can reverse gears and are ready to perform at a moments notice, for instance, someone did not show up, it starts to rain, food is delayed, etc. >>>a truly professional corporate entertainer is willing and always ready to adapt to your needs! Comedy Magicians/Illusionists always have something up their sleeve at a moments notice should the need arise !! Now That’s MAGIC!!
7 Keys to Identifying an Ideal Partnership
How to Make Your Business Success
7 Keys to Identifying an Ideal Partnership
7 Keys to Identifying an Ideal Partnership
by: Melanie Benson Strick
In the world of small business, it seems there is often a common quest: to find the ideal business partner. Usually this stems from a need to “get rid of” the roles or tasks that we struggle with. Like marketing, finance or sales. I know when I first started my business I was desperate to find a partner who was better at marketing and sales than I was. I was convinced that if I could get that off my back and just focus on being a great coach that my business would thrive! Well four years later, I never did find that partner but I did find a way to experience a thriving business. I realized the value of marketing partners. Marketing partners are other entrepreneurs who are willing to cross-market your products and services to their prospects and clients. But there is still a catch. And it’s the same kind of catch that comes with any type of partnership – from marriage to business. Not everyone is “ideal partner material.” It’s kind of like kissing a lot of frogs before you find your prince (or princess.) Sometimes you have to get clear on who you want to play in the sand box with so you don’t have to kiss too many frogs. So I thought I’d share with you my 7 Keys to Identifying an Ideal Partnership. Partnership Mindset. Does this person really have what it takes to be a partner? Not everyone is cut out for it. As a matter of fact, some people make lousy partners because they are just too independent or they don’t like playing with others in their sandbox. It’s important to understand why someone is pursuing a partnership. Do they just want quick sales or are they really excited to align with your business long-term? Alignment of Values. Knowing your top 3 values can help you clarify if you have what it takes for the long-haul. If one person’s core value is independence and the others’ is collaboration, it may make for a rocky approach to achieving the goal. This is particularly important if you are joint-venturing on a project deliverable. Shared Vision. Do you share a passion for what the outcome looks like? Do you both see a similar outcome? Or does one person want to go off on their own opportunities and the other wish to have a long-term alliance. Have you ever known a married couple where one wants kids and the other doesn’t? Eventually they part ways. Sharing a vision of the desired outcome is important to keeping harmony in the relationship. Compatible Work Styles. This is a biggie. Do you both envision working long, hard hours to accomplish the goals? Does someone have kids that require their attention first? Are you both willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done? Complimentary Strengths. If you both love to do the same thing and no one wants to do the other stuff, then you will have work out how that gets done. Will you outsource it? Or will someone learn it? Make sure you are both qualified to do what your role is – or else it can lead to tension and frustration. Just as you would take time to explore if your love interest would make good marriage material, I encourage you to take some time to explore if your fellow entrepreneur would make good “partner” material. There is nothing worse than finding out in the middle of your project that you don’t like doing business with the person. Once you have explored the keys above and are ready to move forward, be sure to establish your working agreement (I even suggest having a contract.) If you follow the steps in the Unstoppable Goals Method together, you will find that you have a strong foundation to create “unstoppable” success together. Happy partnering!
Monday, December 24, 2007
5 Business Success Planning Tips
How to Make Your Business Success
5 Business Success Planning Tips
5 Business Success Planning Tips
by: Megan Tobin
Plan, Do, Achieve - Business Success Action planning can help you get there fast! Let me ask you three questions - Does business success planning sound more fun than business planning? To be successful in business, do you need to take action? Do you take action more quickly and easily when you are having fun, or when you know that your action will make a difference? Answering 'yes' to any of the above questions indicates that you are ready for business success planning - an action-oriented approach to help build your business faster. The driving force behind this is the thought that you can move faster and with more ease when you focus on doing what you enjoy and when you understand key requirements to grow your business. This eliminates the worry and loss of time that results when you have no business success plan. Knowing your ultimate destination, planning and considering your options along the way, and taking focused action to meet milestones, will help you reach that destination one win at a time. This is a key aspect of business success planning - a fun variation on old-fashioned business planning. It's not just creating a plan document. It's an action-and-results oriented approach to plan, do and achieve business successes, which helps you to maintain business building momentum and, also, adds to your credibility along the way. Plan, do and achieve, starting with 5 Business Success Planning Tips to move forward fast: 1. Get clear on your purpose and products, and pace yourself – Understand and be able to convey your vision, your mission and why you are in business. Identify and plan competitive products/services to sell today and tomorrow. And, pace yourself. Outline timelines for milestone achievement that will help you to reach your ultimate destination, and get into action. Think about what products and services you will sell to meet your goals. How will you do it? Why are you the one to deliver this, and what sets your business products and services apart from the competition? Do you have a mantra and mission that propels you forward? Do you know that this is not an overnight journey? Have you identified milestone achievements, so you can pace yourself to get where you need to go? 2. Write it all down – Document everything along your business journey! With good documentation, you will be surprised how much of the work will already be done when you need to share information for marketing, sales, financing, staffing or other business requirements. Think about customer needs, existing and future products, competitors, suppliers, human resources, etc. Write you findings down to keep track and make sense of them as you explore your business development and take action. It will help you to understand and think through your business, how it will work and the requirements to be successful. Compiling your business success plan along the journey assures that the documentation will be ready when you need it. 3. Validate your plan, share it and always be open to revising it – Share your findings and action results with "independent parties." Listen carefully to their reactions and recommendations. Be open to making revisions that will help you achieve your milestones and your ultimate goal. Think about what it will take to be successful, including predictions and thoughts on products, services, financing, market demand and competition. Consider how you will respond to market, technology, financial and other business changes today and tomorrow. 4. Get help to develop and maintain your success plan in order to meet milestone commitments, and be willing to adjust your course as necessary – While you definitely need to commit to milestone achievements and testing your plan out, you may need to change course slightly or shift your business to reach your destinations. Working with a business consultant or coach can help you navigate shifts and stay on track to meet your mark. Think about what help you need to commit to milestone achievements and testing your plan out. Identify and hire qualified resources who are committed to milestone achievement and your longer-term business success. Where will you find this help? 5. Do the math – Think through (and document) the financial requirements for your business in the near, medium and long-term. Think about the capital you need to realistically prepare for and attain milestone achievements. How will you track business progress to measure efficient capital deployment and to remain in business? Your investment in the business in terms of time, money and effort is only worthwhile if you know and understand your business financial requirements and can fund activity along the way. This is key to reaching milestone achievements and, then, longer-term vision. Use these tips to make your business ownership journey success-oriented and rewarding. You can even aim to make it downright fun! © 2007 Time2Market Inc. All Rights Reserved
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