Relationships Lead to Sales

The area that your businesses home office occupies needs to be well established by you and your employees. The best area for your business to pick up the easy sales should be in the community surrounding although it can be easier said than done. In order to ensure that none of your competitors move into your home territory, there are a few methods you can use. The best technique to use and accomplish this goal is to build solid relationships in your neighborhood through personal interactions. All your business dealings are centered around these relationships.

If you want your current customers to stay loyal to you keep in constant contact with them. A great habit to get into is to make personal visits to all of your current customers as often as your schedule allows. Your customers will feel like they are dealing with a person instead of a business and will develop a bond with you on that level. Competitors will have little chance at stealing these clients since your will have a personal connection with them.

Potential customers are a whole different animal. Many people feel like if these customers already told you 'no' that they aren't worth your time. However all it takes is one bad experience for them to look for a new provider. You should be the first person that they call when they need to make the switch to a new provider. So the first time that they have a major issue you will be on speed dial since you have been in touch with them this entire time.

Make sure you establish relationships with anyone and everyone in your local area to get the most business out of it. People often mistake the word 'no' for 'never' instead of what it really means; 'not now'. This type of mentality is the key to separating yourself from your competitors. By being in constant contact with those in your community you will develop a reputation as a stand up business person to deal with.

Tips For Hiring Great Freelancers

If you run a business of your own, you probably put a great deal of emphasis on the importance of hiring the "right" employees, but you will also reach a point when you need to hire consultants or freelancers for projects (sometimes small projects, sometimes large), and it can be difficult to know if you are following the right steps to hire good workers. If you are running a business - regardless of whether it is a small business or a large business - here are a few tips you can follow in your efforts to "hire" the best people for the jobs you have.

Have patience: When you have a freelance project that needs to be completed, the temptation can be to post an ad on a job site and to hire someone from the first few freelancers who respond. It is also important, however, for you to remember that this project of yours is important; if you give it enough time, you will likely receive hundreds of inquiries regarding the job you have posted, and even though it will feel nice to "get it over with" and hire someone right away, it will be much better in the long run if you take the time to make sure you are putting the project in good hands.

Look at the resumes: Any good freelancer will also have a freelance resume that they can send; unless you are unable to pay for an experienced freelancer, you should make sure you take the time to look over these resumes, setting aside the resumes that display experience and a history of good work.

Ask for samples: A great way to narrow down the "applicants" for a freelance job is to ask for samples of their work, but an even better way (perhaps the best way of all) is to ask them to do a small test assignment for you. When you take this final step, you will be able to truly discern which of the qualified applicants are the right applicants for the assignment you need taken care of.

Tips For Using Twitter To Increase Your Business Presence

It seems that Twitter is everywhere nowadays - in the news, on the Internet, and even in casual conversation; what's more, we seem to hear whispers of all the ways Twitter can help us improve our business, but many of us - as hard as we try - cannot quite comprehend how using Twitter will help us grow our business. Of course, it's not like the concept of Twitter is all that difficult to grasp - after all, the site is really nothing more than short messages of 140 characters or less (a lot like a facebook status update, but with fewer characters), but the problem is more that it is difficult to understand the right way to use Twitter in order to make it a good tool for business.

When you are attempting to use Twitter in order to promote your business, one of the big mistakes you will want to avoid is using this tool strictly to promote your business; while this seems like the natural approach to take (after all, if you're there to promote your business, you might as well do so), it can actually be extremely counter-productive, as most regular users of Twitter use the site as an escape from the drudgery of their workday responsibilities - and one of the things they are least likely to do is follow a company whose tweets contain nothing but business-specific information on products and tools and other business-related things!

Instead, you should make it your goal to also mix in items that will entertain your followers, or will otherwise create enjoyment for them - for instance, tweeting trivia questions about your business, or profiling a specific employee, and (with permission, of course) tweeting trivia information about them - and you can even consider using Twitter to give products away for free to your followers.

Tips For Networking For Business The Right Way!

Networking is one of the most important things you can do in order to get ahead in business, but in many circles these days, "networking" has gotten a bad name - and of course, the reason why it has gotten a bad name is because people have gone about networking the wrong way! In order to use networking to help you increase your business opportunities and prospects, you not only need to know what it takes to network; you also need to know what it takes to network the right way.

One thing that has caused networking to get a bad name lately is the bad name that has been created by salespeople; rather than being seen as people who truly believe in their products and want to help others, salespeople are seen as people who will do anything to convince others to buy something so they can make a quick buck. Because of this perception, many genuine salespeople now have a hard time making people realize that they are being genuine, and networking has followed suit; most people - rather than networking in order to get to know others who they can help, and who can also help them - end up networking with only one idea in mind: "How can these people help me get ahead?" This leads people to immediately put up their guard when they perceive that someone is "networking" with them, as they do not want to be "used" by someone else.

If you are hoping to network the right way, you will need to come to a point where you honestly and genuinely care about the people you are coming in contact with - a point where you are not only hoping that these people can help you get ahead, but where you are also hoping you can help these people in turn!

Your true intentions will shine through when you approach networking in this manner, and rather than putting up their walls when you try to approach these people, they will greet you with open arms, ready and willing to help you succeed!

Tips For Drawing Readers To Your Website

If you have started a website - regardless of whether it is for business or just for fun - one of the big things will be drawing readers to your site. After all, there is not much of a point in running a website if it has no readers - and it is not very likely that readers will simply "happen upon" a site! In order to build your website, you have to get the word out there, and no matter the kind of site you run, the principles are the same.

The first step of creating a website that will draw readers is to make sure the design of your website is appealing. You not only need to make it your goal to create a website that readers want to visit; your goal should also be to design the website so people actually want to "hang out" on it! In order to create this, you need to either know what you are doing, or you need to hire someone who knows what they are doing!

Your next step will be putting content on the site that will be both appealing and useful to readers. Even if your website is for your business, it cannot simply be "useful information"; it also has to be presented to the reader in an appealing manner! You will need a fair amount of content built up before you can start to draw readers; this means that you should not worry about readers early on. The site will be ready when readers start to come if you take the time early on to focus on adding as much content as you can every day.

Once you have structured a website that is appealing and have started to load it with content, you will finally be ready to attract readers. The best way to attract readers is to create content that will encourage your early readers to share the page with others. This can be anything from viral videos to funny, engaging stories, to contests that require people to visit the website in order to actually sign up for the contest! You will start to see your website grow and grow as others begin to do all the work for you; and once you reach this point, your only job will be to make sure you keep loading the site with content!

Flax Seed Oil

There is a lot of push for people to eat more omega fatty acids. You can eat fish and take fish oil pills, but another option is looking at flax seed. Flax seeds produce oil that is known as flax seed oil or linseed oil. Linseed oil has been used for years in paints, furniture polish, and even linoleum flooring, but interest is beginning to form around this seeds health benefits.

Flax can be used similar to grains but technically it isn't a grain. It can be ground into flour or left whole to create a whole grain bread. Whole flax seeds can be kept around for months keeping their nutritional integrity. Flax seed oil can go rancid quickly, so it is only good in a ground state for a short amount of time. For making your own flour the best option is to have a grain mill.

Flax is high in protein compared to wheat, and is considerably higher in omega 3 fatty acids. The omega fatty acids are incredibly important for our bodies. It is believed that omega 3 fatty acids may help protect our hearts, fight against cancer, and basically aid our over all health. If you want to learn more about the health benefits a good read is The Healing Power Of Flax.

This book makes very a very compelling argument about flax’s health benefits.

If you don’t relish the idea of having to keep a grain mill and flax seed around your house there are plenty of flax seed supplements that you can purchase. Or you can easily find pre ground flax seed also but this should be stored in the refrigerator to keep the oils from going rancid as quickly as they will if they are stored in the cupboard.

Tips For Dealing With An Abrasive Boss

There are plenty of different approaches that bosses take – and of course, each boss is probably taking the approach that they feel most comfortable with, or that they feel is most effective; but even when you realize that an abrasive boss is acting the way they act because they feel more “comfortable” with this, or feel this is “most effective,” this does not make it any easier to deal with it! Working for an abrasive boss provides you with several different things you can do – and as long as you follow these tips, it will make your work life a whole lot easier.

First of all, you need to realize that you can still be polite and cordial to your boss without being a pushover; continue to treat your boss with the same level of respect and courtesy you would a boss who treats you with respect and courtesy, but do not allow yourself to get “bullied” by them or the approach they are taking with you.

Bosses tend to feel like it will make employees feel they have to "please them" if they are abrasive, but it is important – as an employee working for such a boss – that you keep in mind the fact that you are the person you should be trying to please; you should always feel like you are working hard, and like you are doing the best job possible, and as long as you feel this way, it will not matter how your boss feels!

And of course, it will be important for you to recognize that nothing is making you "have to" put up with the way this boss is treating you; you can always look for another job – one where your boss treats you with respect.

When you go into work with an abrasive boss in this manner – being polite without being a pushover, working to feel good about your performance instead of to impress your boss, and realizing that you can always look for another job – it will be much easier to be productive at work (and even to enjoy work!) in spite of having an abrasive boss.

Do Dilbert Cartoons Have Any Effect On Morale?

Not only are you familiar with Dilbert as a member of the business world, but as a boss in the business world, you probably even think that Dilbert is sometimes funny. After all, these cartoons are not making fun of you, right? But then again, it is easy to second-guess this sentiment when you start to see Dilbert cartoons tacked up on the cubicle walls of your employees. Sure, it seems silly to be concerned about the effect that these cartoons might have on morale, but you also probably start to think about the fact that you have, after all, read articles that talked about how Dilbert cartoons create a negative environment. And so you are forced to ask the question for yourself: Are Dilbert cartoons bad for the morale of your employees?

First off all, one must remember that humor and laughter is good for morale. Certainly, these cartoons are posted on people's walls because they induced a laugh, so this is a sign in the right direction.

The issue, of course, is that many of these cartoons induce laughs by poking fun at corporate culture. And when you see a cartoon on someone's wall where the boss is made fun of, it is difficult to keep your mind from wandering to the question: Why did this employee post this particular cartoon on their wall? The solution, however, might not be as simple as just banning the cartoons from people's cubicles. After all, you are sure to make employees think you are completely out of touch with the way they feel if you make such a brash decision.

Don't just order that all comic strips be taken down from office walls; instead, you ought to take the time to look at these comic strips yourself. The reason many of these strips are thought to be funny is because they make fun of the things that are wrong with corporate culture; if your employees think these strips are so funny, there is a chance that the problem does not lie with the comic strip itself. The problem might be a whole lot closer to home; perhaps the problem is with your company and the way it is run!

While this discussion might seem somewhat trivial on the surface, it is important to note that many companies actually have banned Dilbert from cubicle walls. Every boss wants to improve morale around the office, but instead of banning humor and hoping it will do anything but alienate employees, you should aim to improve employee morale by improving all the ways in which your business itself is run!

Managing Upset Customers

One of the biggest keys to success in your business will be making sure that you know how to manage customers who are upset, or who have a complaint about the way they have been handled by you, your employees, or your company.

When a customer is upset with you, they will be able to ruin some of your business prospects if their complaint is legitimate, and if they share their complaint with others, but when you are able to fix a situation with an upset customer, they will often be so impressed with the way you handled things that they will end up sending more customers your way!

The first thing you need to do is to acknowledge the problem - regardless of whether you feel the complaint is legitimate or not; when you acknowledge that their complaint and convey that you understand the complaint, you will be on the right path to making the situation better.

The second step will be for you to work to resolve the problem - but the mistake that many people make when trying to resolve a problem with a customer is that they allow the customer to dictate the terms of the resolution. It can be difficult to maintain the balance between keeping the power in your hands and still being helpful, but this is an importance balance to maintain - otherwise, you may end up with a customer who is not satisfied no matter what you do.

And finally, you need to recognize that there will, in fact, be customers who are not going to be satisfied no matter what you do; these are the customers who tend to complain with every company they deal with, and the best way to deal with such customers is to do the best you can and then send them on their way!

It is not always easy to manage upset customers, but it is one of the most important aspects of keeping your business in good shape - and when you can start to do this effectively, you will maximize the positive news that customers spread about your company.

Tips For Using Social Media To Promote Your Business

One of the greatest tools at the disposal of any business these days, in order to help them promote their business, is social media, but when it comes to social media, one issue many people face is that they do not know how to use it to their advantage in an optimal manner, and because of this, they do not get nearly as much out of social media as they should be able to.

The first (and perhaps greatest) rule of social media is that you use it to interact with with customers and potential customers; the main reason social media is so popular is because it gives people a great way to connect and interact with others - not because it gives them a great way to get something sold to them - so meet people at their desires by using social media as a tool for interaction!

The fact that social media makes it easy for people to share information is another reason why social media is so valuable for businesses; although you will be using social media primarily to interact with people, there will be times when you use it to share important or useful information with those who you are connected with - and when you do this, you should also encourage these people to use their social media presence to share this information with others!

And finally, try to figure out ways by which you can incentivize sharing - such as random drawings held for those who have spread the word through social media - and then, put your website as well as your social media platform to work letting people know about these opportunities; in this way, you will increase the chances that people will share your site with others, and will thereby increase the effectiveness of your social media efforts.

As you work on social media as a means to drive your business forward, keep these tips in mind, and in no time at all the results you desire will start coming along as well!

The Things You Need To Know In Order To Do Your Own SEO

One thing that will be extremely important when you are using search engine optimization in order to propel your website higher in search engine rankings will be that you have an understanding of all the basic things you need in order to succeed in search engine optimization; after all, if you are doing your own SEO work, you may not lose any money if your results are poor, but you will lose time – and when you are running your own business, time can be just as valuable as money!

Just as you would if you were advertising in a more traditional manner, it will be important that you know exactly who you are targeting in your search engine optimization efforts; by understanding who you are targeting, it will be much easier for you to know what keywords to use, as you will be able to gain a greater understanding of what keywords your target demographic is likely to search in order to find you.

Once you have determined who you are targeting, you will also be able to start narrowing down your options of keywords you can use; in picking keywords, you will want to take the time to make sure these keywords are both highly searched and low in the way of competition, as this will give you the greatest chance of moving higher up search engine rankings pages, and of bringing yourself new clients and customers as a result.

And finally, you should know that your website itself will be one of the most important things in your search engine optimization efforts; because so much of SEO is focused on the keywords you are using, many people fail to also pay attention to what will happen once people arrive at their website, but realize that you will still need an appealing website that provides good information so that those who visit your website will eventually become customers.

It can sometimes take a while to learn all the search engine optimization basics you will need to know, and to implement all these little things, but when you take the right approach, with this knowledge in mind, you will eventually see results, and your business will continue expanding because of this!

How To Network To Expand Your Business Contacts

If you have a desire to enjoy success in the world of business (and of course, if you are in business, you want to achieve success!), understanding how to expand your business contacts through networking is one thing that will be especially important; of course, some people hear the word “networking” and think of those thoroughly insincere people they may have come across who were clearly talking to others purely for the sake of furthering themselves, but effective networking does not have to be like this - and in fact, is unlikely to be like this at all!

When you are networking, the first thing you need to focus on is simply being friendly and personable when you are around people in person; practice this even outside of business, and you will get in the habit of always being friendly to others, which will help you to build relationships rather than just “building contacts."

Nowadays, it is also important that you expand your thinking - as far as networking goes - to ideas through which you can network online; there are several social media tools you can use for networking online, such as Twitter and Facebook, but another great way to network online is to engage in cross-promotions with another company, wherein you promote their products on your site, and they promote your products on their site, which will expand the reach both of you have!

And many businesses make the big mistake of failing to realize that their customers are part of their network as well; your customers can spread good word (or bad word) about your business more quickly and more effectively then anyone else. Because of this, it will be important that you not only make sure to always treat your customers well - which will, of course, make them more likely to spread the good word about your company - but that you are also always looking for ways to make it easy for your customers to spread the word about your company, and to make them want to do so!

Setting Ground Rules For Resolving Conflicts In Your Business

If you run your own business, you will find that internal conflicts in the business can quickly dismantle everything toward which you are working. Even though you are unable to - and probably unwilling to - be involved in solving every conflict, you can have a hand in the way every conflict is solved by having ground rules in place. Having such ground rules is of the utmost importance, as it enables your employees to solve their disputes in a calm manner with as little mess as possible!

When setting the ground rules for resolving conflicts, one of the first things you want to make sure you do is detail and document the processes. You want your employees to be able to police themselves and resolve conflicts on their own, as this is the ultimate goal when it comes to employee conflicts. But if your ground rules are not detailed and documented, your employees will be trying to solve their conflicts without ever knowing if they are following protocol.

Open communication is another important aspect of conflict resolution within a business, and it will be up to you to make sure that your business has an environment that employees feel is conducive to open communication. Communication should always start from the top and work its way down, which means that your employees should feel comfortable communicating with you because of the way in which you communicate with them! Once you create an atmosphere in which your employees feel comfortable communicating with you and other managers, they will also feel comfortable communicating with one another.

Of course, it is also necessary to have a step in place in the conflict resolution process that enables you or a manager to step in and mediate should the employees be unable to work things out on their own. In this way, you can ensure that you still have a clear view of everything that is going on in your business, and will be able to keep things under control.

Few things can derail a small business as quickly as conflicts among the employees. But set ground rules that direct and enable your employees to take care of their conflicts on their own as much as possible, and you will find that your business is running much more smoothly!

The Eight Essential Steps To Conflict Resolution!

How To Become Better At Sales

People who are in sales for a living realize how important sales are (after all, they depend on sales for their livelihood!), but it is also great for people in every area of life to understand the importance of sales, as sales reach much further than just sales in business; regardless of what you do for a living - or what you do in life - here are a few things for you to keep in mind in order to become better at sales.

One mistake a lot of people make is that they try to sell a product, but if the person to whom they are trying to sell the product has no connection with them (or worse, if they do not like them!), the sale will probably not be made; in sales, one of the most important things is knowing how to sell yourself - recognizing that people are a lot more likely to buy something from you if they like you and trust you from the start.

Many salesmen make over-the-top promises that they cannot keep (and that they have no intention of trying to keep), but instead of making promises that you will be unable to keep, you should instead make it your goal to always go over and above what the person is expecting of you, as this will give them a much more satisfying experience with you, and will bring you more business in the long run, as people are likely to spread the word about you if they have a good experience (in the same way they are likely to spread the word about you if they have a bad experience!).

And keeping in mind the fact that people are likely to talk to others about their experience with you, realize that it is up to you to fix any problems or issues the person to whom you made the sale deals with in the aftermath. One of the best things you can do in sales is to realize that your responsibility does not end when the sale ends - but rather, your responsibility ends only when the customer is one hundred per cent satisfied!

Why Do Small Businesses Fail?

Most American small businesses end in failure, despite the fact that many people dream of one day running a successful small business of their own. In fact, if you look ten years down the road from the start date of most small businesses, less than 5% of them are still around. If you own or plan to own a small business of your own someday, you can avoid failure yourself by becoming aware of the major mistakes so many small businesses make.

Poor location: Most small businesses exist with a physical location, which makes their location an important element of survival. Lots of people jump the gun on starting their small business because they are so excited and filled with anticipation. While they should be waiting for the "right location," they instead going with whatever becomes available, neglecting the fact that they will likely remain in that location for as long as their business remains alive. Another motivation for people to take a lesser location is because of a lower price; but the extra money for a good location will pay dividends in the long run!

Saving money: Trying to save money on a location is not the only place where small businesses fail because they try to save money. Lots of small businesses hurt themselves in the long run by saving money in the present on presentation or creation. But if you want people to support you by spending money on the product you make or service you provide, you first have to spend money making and presenting the product or service!

Name recognition: Consumers already know the names of the big brand names, which is one major reason why the big brand names stick around. People are more likely to spend money on a product or service whose name they already know, which is why small businesses need to go out of their way to create name recognition. You can use advertising, promotions, an online presence, or even a combination of the above to start stirring up name recognition.

If your dream is to run a small business that sticks around for a long time, it is certainly a dream you can achieve. But before this dream can become a reality, you need to make sure you understand the most common mistakes people make, and you need to know how to avoid them!

How To Use Search Engine Optimization With Affiliate Marketing

If you are wanting to test the waters of affiliate marketing - either for a bit of extra money on the side, or in an effort to be your own boss and make a living from home, on your own time - one thing you should realize is that it will be of the utmost importance that you are able to figure out how to get people to your website (after all, you will not generate many sales if you are generating no traffic!); affiliate marketing and search engine optimization are both powerful tools if used properly - but if you are wanting to get the most out of affiliate marketing, you will have to pair it with great search engine optimization!

When you are setting up a website, you will want to make sure you have an understanding of what you are targeting within your content; you will either want to go with a very narrow and specific target (picking a niche that you will focus on, and sticking with this throughout all the content on your website), or you will want to go very broad (exploring lots of different topics and products, and realizing that some will be misses, but that others will be hits).

Another thing you should realize is that some people are taking to the Internet simply to search for information and knowledge about products, while others will be looking for an opportunity to buy; as you create a website that is keyword-intensive, make sure these keywords will be attracting people to your site who are ready to make a purchase, instead of attracting those who are just wanting to gather some information.

And also, realize there is no reason for you to limit yourself on your website to just your affiliate marketing, as you can also make money on your site through pay-per-click ads. As you continue to beef up the content on your website, doing so in such a way that you will rise in search engine rankings, you will be able to seriously boost your income with a nice rotation of ads that get people to click on them - and that get extra money to keep on coming your way!

Designing An Effective Business Card

A business card is one of the most important tools you can use to promote both yourself and your business to potential customers and clients.

Whenever the opportunity strikes, you will be able to hand out your business card if you have one handy to give. But even though a business card can be a great tool, it can also be completely pointless if you do not know how to design your business card effectively. A business card, of course, needs to include a name and phone number, but it also needs to inspire people to call that phone number!

Even if you have a conversation with someone before giving your business card to them, they might not remember late where each business card they have came from. Depending on who the person is and the circles they typically find themselves in, they may end up with several business cards in their pocket each day. A business card must state who you are and how to reach you, of course; but also, it must state - in a very clear manner - what it is you do! If your company's name does not make it perfectly clear what the company does, at least make sure the card itself makes it perfectly clear!

A logo should also be included on the business card, but in a subtle manner, rather than in such a way that it takes over the whole card! Remember: Even though the logo is an important element, it is only one element of the card; it should be noticeable, but it should not be the focal point.

Also, pay a little bit of extra money to make sure you are getting high-quality business cards, as this will reflect well on your business. If someone is looking for a plumber, for instance, and they have nothing to go off of but a few business cards, they will choose the highest-quality, most professional-looking card.

Your business card can do a lot to help your business, or it can do very little; in fact, it can even be a detriment! Take the time to make sure your business card is effective, and spend the extra money to make sure it looks great!

Resolving Conflicts In A Family Business

The idea that it can be too difficult to separate "work life" from "family life" causes many of people to advise you to never work with family, but if you are already involved in a family business, this advice does not do much to help you; instead, you should acknowledge that conflicts are inevitable in any form of business - and when it comes to participating in business with your family, it is essential that you know how to resolve these conflicts, as they will otherwise be able to injure relationships in both work and family.

The best way to resolve conflicts within the confines of a family business is by having a structured plan in place that you can follow whenever you run into conflicts; you need to wait until a time when no conflicts are occurring in order to come up with this plan, as this will enable everyone to give their input into the process without a current issue getting in the way.

If the conflict that you have run into is about something of a minor and/or interpersonal nature, the two people involved should work it out between themselves whenever this is possible, avoiding the need for mediation from someone else in the family or business; for such conflicts, a designated room or area should be set aside for the two involved in the conflict to have their discussion, as this will allow the rest of the work space to remain a peaceful environment that is conducive to work while the two in conflict resolve their issue.

On the other hand, if the issue in question deals with the entire company or family, having a process that will allow both sides of the argument to be heard by everyone will be useful, after which everyone in the family can vote on the issue to complete the resolution.

Once these processes have been agreed-upon and put in place, it will be easy to follow these processes in order to resolve conflicts at work, without allowing these conflicts to trickle over into your regular family life.

Understanding How To Get A Small Business Loan

These days, many people are thinking about starting up a small business of their own - either because of layoffs, because of the difficulty in getting a job in the current job market, or simply because of a dream someone has to work for their own self - but before you can start a small business of your own, you will need a small business loan! When you know what you are doing, it is not difficult to procure a small business loan - but of course, you must first know what you are doing!

The first major step in getting a loan to start your small business is to write a detailed business plan. In this business plan, you need to make sure you project the first three years - at least - of the business you plan to start, and the plan should be as detailed as possible (including your startup expenses and your projected month-by-month profits over that span of time).

While many people naturally think of going to a national bank in order to get their small business loan, it can actually be more difficult these days to get a loan from a national bank because of the recession. You might actually be better off these days setting up a meeting with the manager of a local bank - in this way, you can make a connection with someone who is high up in the local business hierarchy and can have a better chance of procuring a loan, all at the same time.

Finally, you will have to do your monthly debt-to-income ratio for the bank, and you will have to give them a record of your last three income tax returns. After this, the bank will do a credit check on you, and then - if all goes well - you can finally receive that small business loan you have been waiting for! Once you have this loan, you will be able to start your business, and then you can enjoy all the perks that come with running your own business!

Tips For Coming Up With Creative Ways To Drive Your Business Forward

Within the world of business, one thing you will quickly realize is that you are always competing with others - whether this competition is direct or indirect, and whether this competition is visible or invisible - and if you are not constantly moving forward in your business, you are likely falling behind your competitors; because of this, it is important that every business owner knows the steps they can take in order to make sure they are always driving their business forward.

One of the best ways to drive your business forward is to set goals for your business that seem outlandish; too many businesses set their sights too low - coming up with goals that they know they can achieve, and then striving to barely achieve them - but when you set goals at the beginning of each year that seem as though they are outlandish, you will put yourself in a position where you are searching for ways to accomplish these goals - as outlandish as they may have seemed to be!

In addition to always assessing where you feel your business stands, you should also make it a habit to regularly collect input from your employees; after all, those who work for you will have the best understanding of how things are going out there in the field, and you can use this input and information to adjust your approach to each thing you are doing with your business.

And one of the best ways to drive your business forward is to have others who are spreading the word about your business for you; of course, the best ways to accomplish this these days is with the Internet - using your website, your blog, your facebook page, and your Twitter to recruit loyal customers who will help you to notify others of all the things you are doing as a business.

By taking these steps to always drive your business forward, you will set yourself up for constant forward movement - which will put you in a place where you are staying ahead of your competitors, instead of falling behind!

Tips For Spreading The Word About Your Business

If you run a small business of your own, one thing you should acknowledge to yourself is the fact that just about every well-known business - even the ones that are household names - pour lots of time and money into advertising; the reason for this, of course, is that spreading the word about a business is an important component of the success of that business, and if this is the case for the household names, it should be the case even more so for you!

When you are making an effort to spread the word about your business, the first place you should look to is the advertisements that cost money; this can include radio ads, print ads, billboards, and Internet advertising - and as you focus on these areas of advertising, you should make sure you do so with the explicit understanding in mind that you are wanting to make your company stick in the minds of those who see and hear your ads!

In addition to the advertisements you can pay for on the Internet, you can also spread the word about your business online without spending a penny; as you work to promote your business, make sure you are building a strong online presence, through your website, through a blog, through facebook and Twitter, and through anything else you can think of, as this will be a completely free way for you to draw new visitors to your site - and to your company!

And of course, there is word of mouth - the oldest form of advertising of all; always remember and acknowledge that your current customers are your most valuable assets, and as such, you should aim to treat them with the utmost respect - always doing your best to take care of them, and always looking for ways to encourage them to spread the word about your business.

When you spread the word about your business with this approach, you will be able to get the most out of your efforts - and will be able to continually see an increase in the business you are generating!

Tips For Using The Buying Cycle To Your Advantage

If you are running a website for your small business, or for search engine marketing, one thing you will probably be doing is using search engine optimization in order to target people who are searching for the product or service available on your site; while this is a great start to driving traffic your way and making money as a result, you should also realize that there are a few more things you should pay attention to in order to make sure this traffic turns into sales - namely, the way the buying cycle works these days.

There is a high percentage of consumers who will head to the Internet these days when they are about to buy a product (especially a product that will cost a decent chunk of money - which is where your focus should be, especially if you are a search engine marketer), and the first thing people are likely to do when they go online is compare the specs on different products; while it is fine to bring traffic your way at this point, one thing you should also realize is that you are unlikely to convert this particular traffic into profits!
The reason it is going to be difficult for you to turn this traffic into profits is because most people will move from this point to A) asking friends (perhaps on Twitter and facebook) for opinions on the products they have looked at, and B) looking up reviews of these products; this is another big spot in the buying cycle that a lot of people target on their sites, but it is not a big part of the buying cycle for actual sales!

Finally, you will reach the end of the buying cycle, when consumers will be searching keywords such as "best deals on" the particular product, or "best prices on" the product in question; because this is the part of the buying cycle when the most sales are going to be made, this is the part of the buying cycle you will want to aim to target in your keyword approach, as this will bring you the highest conversion rate!
If you want to make money on your website, bringing lots of traffic your way will be important, but another aspect that will be just important is converting this traffic into sales - and when you understand the buying cycle, you will be well on your way to doing this!

Exploring The Four Most Important On-Page Ranking Factors

When you are search engine optimizing your website, it will be important that you turn your efforts toward both your on-page and off-page ranking factors; of course, each is as important as the other, but because of the fact that on-page ranking factors give you more control, this is the best (and most natural!) place to start for exploring the things you will want to do.

When it comes to the on-page ranking factors on your site, the first thing you will want to look at is your text, as your text will be a big part of where search engines end up ranking you; firstly, it will be within your text that you put your keywords - which are a big part of the way search engines see your website - and secondly, readers will read your text, and they will be more likely to share it with others (and to keep returning themselves) if it is good!

When it comes to the work you are doing within your own website, the next thing you will want to focus on is your headings and subheads; this might seem like something you can push to the side, but realize that search engines use these tags to determine what your site contains, and to determine the order of importance of your content, so taking advantage of these will help you quite a bit!

The text used in your navigation menus is another thing worth paying attention to on your website; rather than labeling different pages as "Page 1," "Page2," and so on, label your pages with descriptive keywords, as this will help visitors and search engines alike.

And finally, one of the most important things of all on your website (and one of the most often overlooked aspects of search engine optimization) will be the tags that readers do not see, but that search engines do; take the time to properly apply everything from image tags to title tags to meta description tags, as all of these things will go a long way in positively influencing your search engine ranking!

Tips For Overcoming Obstacles At Work

When a seemingly unconquerable problem or project stands in your way at work, the frustration can end up seeping into every other area of your life; after all, most people spend more time at work then they spend doing anything else, and when things are not going well at work this can make life as a whole rather difficult. In spite of the fact that each work problem is its own unique beast, there are still a few things that anyone can keep in mind in order to help them overcome obstacles at work; next time you face an obstacle yourself, take this approach, and watch as the problem starts to disappear.

It can become easy to try the same things over and over again and wonder why they are not working when you are trying to overcome an obstacle at work, but a much better approach to trying to overcome an obstacle at work is to try to approach the problem from a different angle. In addition to trying to approach a problem from a different angle on your own, it sometimes will help if you enlist the help of others in devising an approach to this problem; try to cultivate a group of people at your job who you feel comfortable going to when you're faced with an obstacle, and these people can help brainstorm with you until you come up with a solution.

And even though it might seem like conquering a problem at work will require you to keep trying until you finally knock it out of the way, sometimes the best thing of all for you to do is simply take a bit of a break from the problem; when you do this, you will often find that you will come back with a solution suddenly in mind!

Next time you are faced with a serious obstacle at work, keep these tips in mind – and watch as you are able to conquer the problem much more quickly than you would otherwise be able to!

How To Find A Job: Quickly!

There are times when you are looking for a job that you will be keeping your eyes open for "the right job" - a job that you hope to stay in for years and years - but there will also be less-fortunate times when you simply need to find a job, and find one quickly; regardless of the circumstances that cause you to arrive at this point, it will be important to know how to find a job quickly when this situation arises; here are some tips to help you find a job without delay!

A resume is the first thing you are going to want, and even if you are applying to places that only require you to fill out an application, you will set yourself apart from others applying for a job if you take the time to make sure you have a clean, clear, professional resume that you can give them.

It will also be important that you submit your resume correctly, and while there is no "wrong way" to submit a resume, there is certainly a "right way; instead of simply going into a place of business and handing your resume to the person who greets you, ask to speak to a manager, as this will only take a few extra minutes to do, and it will enable the manager to put a face to the name when they shuffle through the resumes.

And realize that a lot of people go months without finding a job, and they wonder why they are unable to find something - but they neglect to realize that they are only approaching a few places each week; it only takes a few minutes to submit a resume for a job, so once you have your resume ready to go, you should make sure you are submitting it to at least ten places every single day, doing everything you can to get yourself out there.

And of course, when it comes time to interview, make sure you are dressing in a sharp, professional manner - regardless of what the job is for - and you should make sure you are practiced in the sorts of questions you might be asked, which will enable you to answer them in a proper and impressive manner.

You can keep on looking for that "dream job" - even continuing to look for it while you start work at this new job - but it is always better to get hired quickly and have a job until that dream job finally comes along!

Tips For Using Groupon To Grow Your Business

These days, it seems like Groupon is everywhere – with people always talking about it, with ads for Groupon always showing up online, and with many of your favorite restaurants or shopping stops offering great deals through Groupon – and if you own a small business of your own, you might have started wondering how you can use Groupon yourself. The process for signing up for and running a deal through Groupon is really a very easy, but setting up your deal in such a way that it is successful is a bit more complicated, so make sure you read this guide to help you get started!

Some people make the mistake when running a deal through Groupon of offering people something that is a “throwaway item,” but realize that it is extremely important to offer something that people actually want; even if you only break even through the Groupon deal you are offering, this is still advantageous, as you will be bringing in new customers – many of whom will keep coming back!

Being fully aware of what day the Groupon deal is going up on the Groupon website will also be very important, as there will be many people who want to call with questions; be prepared to spend the day by the phone the first couple days that the ad is up so that you can answer any questions that come in and can keep the purchases rolling!

And if you have other deals in place as well when customers start coming in to use their Groupon coupon, it will go a long way in securing these new customers as regular customers; come up with some deals that will appeal to customers, and advertise them in your store, as this will stick in people's heads and make them much more likely to continue coming back so they can keep getting “great deals” from you!

How To Get Along With Others On Your Project Team

If you are on a project team at work, nothing can be worse than finding that you do not get along with the others. Of course - if the project will be going on for a while, and you will be stuck with these people every day - it is vital that you find a way to get along with them! Even though you might not care for everyone on the team, you can still get along with them (even the worst of them!) by following these tips.

You need to recognize, first and foremost, that it is not always important for you to prove that you are right. If you are on a team with a "know it all" who (naturally!) tends to be wrong most of the time, this can be especially difficult, but it is still important. Oftentimes, the majority of the members on a project team will be absolutely wrong about something, but this "something" will be something that has no real bearing on the project; you will begin to notice this as you realize that you do not always have to prove you are right. In this way, you need to learn to correct the rest of your team only when it is absolutely necessary - in essence, picking your battles.

You will likely encounter conflicts and frustrations with the way some of the others on your team work, and picking your battles extends to these situations also. In the end, it is better - for you, and for the project - that you only assert your strong opinions when it is necessary. Especially when you are around the same people every day, it can be difficult to be "the bigger man," but this will pay off in the long run.

If others on your project team try to take credit for work that they did not actually do, being the "bigger man" extends to this as well. In the end, your superiors are likely to recognize who has truly done the best work; after all, if you have noticed, they will notice as well!

Being on a project team can be about more than completing the project well; it can also be about simply surviving to the end! When you follow these tips, you will be able to survive and even thrive to the end of the project.

How To Find Items You Can Buy And Sell For More Money

If you are hoping to make some extra money - or even if you are wanting to find a creative way to eventually make a full-time living - one idea to consider is finding items that you can buy and sell for profit; with the great reach provided to each and every person by the Internet, it is quite easy these days to find a way to sell the things you have, which means that the main thing you will need to figure out is exactly where you should go to buy these things that you can resell.

Garage sales are a great place to look for things that you can resell for more money - and are perhaps the best place of all for really excellent deals; on Saturday mornings, go out and peruse the items for sale at different garage sales, and you will be surprised at how much good stuff you find - but make sure that you also go in with an idea of what it is you are looking for, lest you end up with a whole bunch of stuff you do not really need, and are not really able to sell!

Along the same lines as garage sales is estate sales, and while you will not find nearly the deals at estate sales that you would at garage sales, you will be able to find some really top-notch stuff; always keep your eyes open for different estate sales that are going to be taking place near where you live, and look for items that you feel will be easy to sell (and easy to ship!) so that you can quickly turn a profit.

And even though you will have to typically pay more money at an antique store than you would have to pay at a garage sale or an estate sale, you can also find some real treasures at antique stores if you shop correctly; visit antique stores and get a sense for what they are carrying, then head online to find which of these you might be able to sell for more money on your own.

A lot of times, people sell things at a low price simply because they need to get rid of these things - and this is the perfect opportunity for you to swoop in and buy this item yourself, before turning around and selling it for a profit!

Using YouTube To Promote Your Business

Anyone who owns a small business has certainly spent time cooking up marketing schemes, and has probably realized that YouTube might be a nice area to explore. And while YouTube can certainly be a great way for you to promote your business, you can also go about it the wrong way, in which case it will be a poor way to promote your business! Before you take the time to try to launch a YouTube campaign for your business, you need to recognize what you need to do for the campaign to go well.

One of the first things you will want to do is create your own YouTube channel, one that is specific to your business. This alone will go a long way in helping you, as people will be able to subscribe to your channel and will become more and more familiar with you.

Next, you need to figure out what other businesses similar to yours have done on YouTube to be successful and promote themselves well. And here's a hint: If a business has videos with lots of hits on them, these are the businesses that have done well promoting themselves on YouTube! Do not copy anything they are doing, of course, but take ideas from them as to how you will approach things yourself.

If you want a video of yours to go viral, also keep in mind the fact that you need to give people a reason to share the video. Take the time to make sure your video is more than just someone talking about the company; do something eye-catching, and people will start to spread the video for you.

The best way of all to get people to help you spread the word about your company is for you to let them make the videos for you! Depending on what sort of small business you have, you should consider having a contest - allowing people to make a video promoting your business, and giving a free, high-priced item to the best video. In this way, you can spread the word about your company much more quickly than you have the ability to on your own!

For the savvy marketeer, YouTube is a goldmine just waiting to be tapped; figure out the best way or ways to use it yourself, and watch your business soar!

Timing Your Request For A Raise

With the way that the economy is right now, many people are in a position where they feel that it would sure be nice if they could get a raise at their job - but at the same time, many of these same people are in a position where they are nervous about asking for a raise, lest this request cause their superiors at their job to look at them in a negative light. In all actuality, it is true that management expects their employees to seek raises - and when the employee in question has been doing a great job at work, this is not at all an offensive request - but even once you realize that this is the truth of the matter, it will still be important that you understand how to time your request for a raise correctly, in order to maximize the end results.

Waiting for your annual performance review is the best way to ask for a raise; you can go into the performance review, if you have been doing an excellent job at work, knowing that it is likely you will be commended for the hard work you have done; when the performance review begins to wrap up, be prepared to present your case for a raise - not only letting your boss know that you would like a raise, but also letting them know how much you feel you deserve.

On the other hand, if there is not a performance review upcoming for you, or if you work at a company that does not conduct regular performance reviews, figuring out the right time to ask for a raise can be a bit more difficult. The main thing for you to make sure you realize is that you should request a raise when you are in the setting of a formal meeting; if you do not have a performance review looming on the horizon, you should request a meeting with your boss, and in this meeting you can present a clear case as to why you deserve the raise you are requesting.

And one mistake a lot of people tend to make is that they are afraid to ask for a raise - but once you get past the fear of asking for a raise, you will also need to keep yourself poignantly aware of the fact that there is a right time and a wrong time to ask for a raise, and if you realize you are approaching this at a "wrong time," you should be ready to bail and wait for another opportunity!

Taking A Look At Things To Remember When Writing A Press Release

When you are writing a press release for your business, it will be important that you make sure you are taking the proper steps; after all, a press release can certainly be a valuable tool for your business, but if you are not writing your press releases properly, they will actually be nothing more than a big waste of time.

When putting together a press release, it will be vital that you keep in mind the fact that the majority of people do not want to spend a whole lot of time "getting to the point" when reading something; because of this, it is important that you use the first paragraph of your press release to "summarize" the press release (the way you would normally summarize a piece of writing at the end), so that readers know everything they are about to be reading, before they even read it!

Once you have used the first paragraph to summarize the press release, you can use the next few paragraphs to expound on the things you summarized - making sure that you are sticking to the point while focusing on creating interest throughout, always with the primary goal of "engaging the reader" at the front of your writing efforts.

Finally, you will want to wrap up your press release nicely and properly; if you have followed the first two steps correctly, you will still have people reading at the end of your press release, and you can create a call to action by providing positive information about your business, along with contact info (including your website URL, so readers can follow this to your site!).

By taking these steps as you write your press releases, you will ensure great results - with lots of people reading your press release, and lots of people coming your way because of it - instead of ending up with a press release that turns out to be nothing more than a great big waste of time!

How To Deal With Criticism At Work

With the amount of time and energy you invest into your job, it can seem like your job is your "life" - no matter how much effort you might put into trying to convince yourself otherwise - and because of this tendency for people to feel this way about their jobs, it can be a tough pill to swallow when they encounter what they feel is unwarranted criticism or negative feedback about their work. While dealing with criticism in an area into which you invest so much of your own time and energy can be difficult, it is also quite possible to deal with this criticism in an appropriate manner, as long as you take the proper approach.

As far as "handling criticism in the workplace" goes, you will first need to realize that you should accept it when it comes your way; if your boss is giving you criticism at work, it is likely because they see something that they feel you should fix, and arguing with them is not going to make the situation any better!

Once you have accepted the criticism, get away for a little bit to a place where you can be by yourself; in this "alone place," think about the criticism you were given, and establish whether there is anything you can take away from the things that were said. You should use this time as an opportunity to acknowledge the things about your performance that are worth commending, but you should also see what truth and means for learning you can take from the things that were said to you.

Finally, the most important part of dealing with criticism at work is reminding yourself that - no matter how much time you spend at your job - your job is not your life, and there are things in your life that are more important than your job! When you come to this realization, it will be much easier for you to learn from criticism given to you at work, without getting weighed down by the negative aspects of the criticism in question.

Making The Cold Call Work For You

One of the oldest sales techniques is the cold call. It is also widely ridiculed and derided! Most people do not enjoy receiving cold calls, and this is one of the main reasons why the practice of cold calling is so mercilessly made fun of. In fact, a lot of people don't like having things "sold" to them at all! You have probably experienced this yourself, at the wrong end of a bad cold call. And by knowing this, you already know the biggest key to cold calling: Do not do it the way everyone else does! If someone automatically thinks, "Oh, gosh, here's another cold call," you have already lost the first battle. Instead, you need to figure out how to cold call differently.

Firstly, understand that you need to put in some research. A little research can go a long way, and can save you a lot of time. Instead of calling people blindly - as if putting a scarf over your eyes at the firing range - research can help you call in a more focused manner. There are plenty of avenues by which you can gather good information to help your cold calls, but research and studies of your own are the most valuable of all.

When you call, you have to have confidence. One of the best ways to improve confidence - in fact, one of the best ways to improve your overall success - is to have a script. And stick to this script once you have it in place! This script should not be word-for-word, but rather, it should provide you with a general outline of what you want to say and the order in which you want to say it. Furthermore, you should aim to perfect and refine this script over time. Add things onto the script when you find that they work. When you find that something does not work, take it out.

As you gain more experience, you can start customizing your script depending on the flow of the conversation, or on who you are speaking with. Soften things up a bit if you are speaking with a small business owner. Maybe stiffen up a bit - becoming more formal - when speaking with a high-ranking executive. You will become more and more adept at making adjustments the more cold calls you have made.

Some companies have decided to cut cold calls out of their strategy altogether, claiming that they no longer work. But if you know how to use them, cold calls can be a huge help for your business!

How To Stay Focused While Working

Surprisingly, there are lots of jobs that require nothing more from the employee than that they be a warm body in a seat - and this does not just go for jobs such as being a security guard at a building in a downtown area, but also goes for a lot of office jobs, as many such jobs have employees who spend about half their time in the office doing things that are not related to work at all. If you work at such a job, it will not especially matter how much you are able to focus when you are at work, but if you work a job where you are paid for the work you do - or where your performance is tracked and weighted - you will need to learn how to focus while you are trying to get your work done; if this is the case for you, here are a few ways to make this a reality.

When people get paid for the work they do, one mistake they will often make is that they try to continue to work no matter how tired their brain gets; one of the best ways to stay focused while working is to realize that your mind has limits, and when you figure out what these limits are, you will know how long you can work before you need a break – and you can work to gradually increase the amount of “good work time" you have.

Another thing that can help people focus while they're working is finding a good spot that works for them; figure out the atmosphere that works best for your work, and find spots that fit this criteria – and as you find more spots, you can even rotate which spots you use, so that you will always be able to work in an area that works for you!

And when it comes to staying focused while working, the biggest part of all is strengthening your resolve – simply deciding that you will not get distracted by other things; when you work at your computer, especially if you work online, it can be easy to become distracted, but when you strengthen your resolve, defeating one distraction at a time, you will soon find that you are working a whole lot better!

Studying In Order To Advance In Business

Many people go through their whole careers thinking that the only way to get a promotion is to "know the right people," or to "just get lucky." And although luck certainly plays a small role in one's advancement and growth in business, this role is much smaller than many people tend to imagine. The mistake many people make in business actually has nothing to do with luck; it is simply a misstep of failing to be prepared to take advantage of (or to even recognize!) their opportunity when it arises. Whether you are a small business owner, an employee at a large company, or even a manager hoping to move up higher in the ranks, it is important that you understand the value of studying to advance in business.

Understanding what your competitors are doing is the best way for you to study if you are a small business owner. You should certainly take a look at the things your competitors do poorly or incorrectly, but even beyond this, you should take a look at the things your strongest competitors do right!

It can often feel as though it is impossible to ever get noticed if you are an employee at a large corporation. With so many employees who are just like you in so many ways, it can seem absolutely random whether an employee's hard work gets rewarded or not. If you are an employee in this position, it can seem like all your studying is getting you nowhere at all. But if you continue to increase in knowledge and expertise regarding the corporation for which you work, you will be prepared to seize your opportunity when it comes - and the law of averages holds that this opportunity will come in time!

It is very easy for managers to sit back and forget that there is still more to accomplish. But for a manager, they must remember that study is important, as they are not only responsible for their own selves, but also for those in their charge!

Take thirty minutes each day to study a bit more about your business and the business around you, and you will be pleased with the growth of your knowledge and with your ability to seize your opportunity.