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1. Marketing

Marketing

Also posted at Tomorrows Home Business Community

Trust Is Critical When You Date, Bungee Jump and Sell Online, KickScore Research Shows
Original article at Smallbiz Technology
By Ramon Ray

We all know how important trust is.

Some guy in a clean uniform and a firm handshake approaches you, you feel pretty good. Some creep in a sloppy uniform, tangled hair and blood dripping from a meat knife makes you cringe.

Your web site is no different.

When customers or prospective customers visit your web site they want to feel that they can trust what they are buying (or even just reading) from your web site. The more information you have online about your business the more comfortable shoppers will feel in buying from you. If you are not a brand (an already trusted brand) like Amazon.com, WalMart or some other retailer. You will need to do a LOT to build trust, with each mouse click, with new visitors.

KikScore, a service which provides a reputation score to web sites, in a recent survey, found the following insight from the survey:

With the substantial increase over the last few years in online shopping, consumers have become aware of the constant threat of hackers, scammers, and identity thieves that operate online. Now consumers are increasingly searching for and hiring local service businesses such as contractors, lawyers, plumbers and landscapers. These shoppers and consumers that perform local searches raise growing concerns about the trustworthiness of the businesses that they find online. Increasingly, if shoppers and browsers visit a website and feel that it is not trustworthy, consumers will simply leave and go to another website. According to findings from the KikScore survey, the fear of being defrauded or being a victim of an online scam has led more than 90 percent of consumers that shop online not to complete a transaction.

Shoppers and Browsers Want More Information About Small Businesses

Consumers are increasingly demanding to have access to more information relating to who they are about to buy from or hire. Shoppers and local seachers, now more than ever, seek information about the reputation of an online business, the management team and their track records. These are just some of the key findings in the KikScore Online Trust Survey about shoppers newfound demand for reputational information and tools that provide greater transparency behind a business:

Over 60 percent of website visitors are more likely to buy from a small business website that posts information and details about the management and owners.
87 percent of consumers feel safer buying from websites that feature information about the business behind the website and its financial track record.
More than 90 percent of website visitors that perform local searches are more willing to trust a service business that posts information on their website about their business history and track record.
85 percent of consumers who conduct local searches would be more willing to hire a small business service provider if the business’ website had a trust seal that displays reputational information about the business and management team behind the website.

The Surveys Implications: Small Businesses that Provide Reputational Information Will Sell More

As small businesses operate, sell and serve during the holiday season and beyond, they need to understand the shifting trend to consumers seeking information about online businesses. Therefore, online businesses that provide this reputation information will have a leg up on their competition whether consumers find their websites through local search or other channels. Raj Malik, CEO and Co-Founder of KikScore, said, Small businesses can win the battle of online trust by being more transparent. The path to do so is by displaying more information on a website namely about the business itself along with information about the reputation and track records of the business owners. KikScores recommendation to address this new trend is for small businesses to display information to website visitors about the following items:

Management information for the small business;
Financial history of the business and the managers;
Location information for the business;
Website history and security details;
Information about privacy, customer service, return and other polices;
Actual customer feedback about the small business and services; and
Certifications and awards for the business and management.

The Surveys baseline findings is that an asymmetry of information exists between website visitors and online small businesses. Therefore small businesses that take the actionable steps outlined in the report and utilize the correct tools can directly address this asymmetry that exists with shoppers and local searchers that are seeking products and services online. Small businesses that display important reputational information to website visitors will find themselves conveying a sense of trustworthiness and credibility online which will help yield greater conversions as well.

Community
And here is a community that allows you to grow and for information gathering for people who think outside the box. You will gain valuable information on marketing.

Marketing can happen for you, if you are motivated. Now, this marketing community that is where you can work and gather as much information that you need to succeed. The community name is Tomorrows Home Business Social Community and is located at this address http://tomorrowshomebusiness.ning.com.

In this marketing community, the business entrepreneur will be able to read blogs and watch videos for business, or just for pleasure. With a few RSS feeds coming to the main page, the entrepreneur can even stay informed of what is happening in marketing and around the world. There is something here in this community for everyone.

Groups like the Maniac Marketers come in and post their blogs in the community, giving valuable information for their Health and Wellness businesses. If you would rather watch videos of the TriVita videos, you can do that, too. Or if you just want to hang out and relax, you can do that, too! There are many music videos like Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Pink Floyd, Eric Clapton, and Seasick Steve! Or if you want to learn about handcrafts or see the equally oldest Ford antique car, a 1903 Model A Ford, you can do that, too! Or maybe you need an inspirational video clip! There are many choices of inspirational clips, such as Al Pacinos locker room speech in Any Given Sunday, or Mel Gibson as William Wallace motivating the Scottish men men before battle in Braveheart; or Sylvester Stalone as Rocky and how he motivates himself in the boxing ring, or even his inspirational conversation with his son, and who can forget those chants for Rudy in the movie Rudy!

When you become a member of Tomorrow's Home Business Social Community, there is a profile created just for you. You can use the standard set-up on your page. Or you can be as creative as you want to be. For an example check out my profile page at Terry Allisons Profile Page. I use my profile page as a dream-building tool. I have always wanted a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. I have learned to keep this dream in front of me.

A marketing community for people wanting to find out more information on how to market their own work at home business.

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Terry L. Allison, Sr., #13134349 1 Star
Independent TriVita Affiliate Member
Skype: allisonmarketinggroup
Phone: 859-858-9246
Creator of Tomorrows Home Business Social Community
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2. Marketing

Marketing

Also posted at Tomorrows Home Business Community

Learning Lessons in Small Business Leadership
By Small Business Trends
April 16, 2012

Small business leadership is a crucial skill for all entrepreneurs. In fact, better leadership will make you a better entrepreneur on many levels. Leadership is not just a word. It affects your business profitability on many levels. Have a look!

Better Productivity

Cultivating your mobile workforce. The mobile workforce trend is probably here to stay. There are benefits in this trend not only for your employees but also for you if you embrace the concept and what it has to offer. How can a mobile workforce work for your company. More Leadership, Less Management

Avoiding toxic work attitudes. Something as simple as word can change your life, the word should for example. Here are some thoughts about how words and judgements can effect us negatively in our business decisions. How are judgements leveled by others affecting you? The Savvy Copywriter

Better Execution

Captivating your audience. Whether speaking to a group about your business or brand or giving a talk about business in general, your presentation will be critical. How do you improve your presentation skill to make them the best they can be? TweakYourBiz

Understanding ROI. While this post is about social media return on investment, of course, ROI is something to be considered in every part of your business. What to be a success in your business? Focus only on what works and avoid other considerations. Analytical-Solution.com

Better Opportunities

Leading the new vanguard. Crowdsourced companies are a whole new animal. What will leading one really mean. You do not have to wait to find out. Go behind the scenes in this slideshow of a crowdsourced company in action. WSJ

Finding the real opportunity. Def Jam Records founder Russell Simmons covers a variety of topics from leadership to better attitudes toward work in this wide ranging session with other business leaders. One of the key takeaways for entrepreneurs however is to find what is missing. Inc.com

Better Marketing

Avoiding big marketing mistakes. Have you made these? You would not be alone. Understand the importance of changing your mindset and going for the best decisions when coping with a tough economy. Going to extremes will openly hurt your business and is not a good way to handle decisions. Talk Business With Howard

The Three Stooges guide to PR. Or how not to handle PR campaigns from a leadership position. In this post we look at leadership missteps when it comes to managing your marketing and promotion message. EMSI

Better Sustainability

Maintaining great vendor relationships. If you want to know the key to maintaining sustainable business services over time, the key may be in maintaining and nurturing great relationships with the vendors that support your business. Do not simply chase the next big thing. Small Biz Diamonds

Building a future with small business. The following post is definitely NOT an unbiased look at the pros and cons of working for yourself versus working for others. In fact, the post expresses the point of view that starting a business of your own, or at least investing, are the only scalable ways of creating sustainable wealth. Free From Broke

Community
And here is a community that allows you to grow and for information gathering for people who think outside the box. You will gain valuable information on marketing.

A marketing community for people wanting to find out more information on how to market their own work at home business.

3. Marketing

Marketing

Also posted at Tomorrows Home Business Community

4 Ways to Overcome Marketing Challenges Forever
Original article at About.com Marketing
By By Laura Lake

For most small business owners, marketing is an overwhelming concept. They need and want marketing solutions that ensure a smooth-running, profitable business yet most do not know where to begin or how to focus their efforts.

The essence of marketing is to understand your customers needs and develop a plan that surrounds those needs. You might be surprised to find out that 90 percent of small businesses do not even have a marketing plan. It is difficult to reach your destination if you do not know where you are going!

Four common marketing challenges that small businesses face include:

Lack of Focus
Poor Execution
Customer Disconnect
Lack of Monitoring and Measuring Results

Community
And here is a community that allows you to grow and for information gathering for people who think outside the box. You will gain valuable information on marketing.

A marketing community for people wanting to find out more information on how to market their own work at home business.

4. Marketing

Marketing

Also posted at Tomorrows Home Business Community

5 Advantages Small-Time Bloggers Get, and Lose
Originally posted at Business Insider
By Lisa Barone, Outspoken Media

I received an email the other day from a blogger just getting started. Actually, she has been at it for more than a year and was frustrated that her community and audience were not growing as quickly as she had hoped. She dreams of being a Brogan. Or a Bloggess. Or an Erika. Someone famous enough to have legions of Twitter followers, Facebook fans and adoring commenters. I gave her some tips on how I thought she could increase engagement on her blog, as well as her own branding, but then I also gave her a piece of advice I do not think she was expecting.

I told her to appreciate her smaller community. And to use it. Right now. Because once it grows, she will not be able to get that time or that freedom back.

So many of us think the key to social media success is to grow our audience as large as it can be. And that is one indicator of success for most people. But you want to be growing the right audience, and to do that, it means learning and finding yourself when you are still small and taking advantage of the things that small size gives you.

Below are five advantages bloggers get just starting out that, if they are not careful, they will lose when they bigger.

1. The Ability to Try Stuff and Fail

No one is going to lie to you: It is a nice feeling to hit publish and immediately see 50 new comments sprout up. But most bloggers also miss the days when they could fail as freely as they once could. When they could try out different voices, media types, styles and ideas without having to worry how their audience was going to react and or what the commenters would say. Your community is the most supportive and accepting when it is still young and small and growing. Take advantage of that and learn from it.

Embrace your smaller stature by using these days in your blogs life to be fearless. Blog like no one and everyone is watching all at the same time. Take risks. Try things. Big things. Yeah, you will fail sometimes. But in doing that you will also find your voice, the one that will save your butt time and time again once you get bigger.

2. The Chance To Really Get To Know Your Audience

When there are only 15 people commenting on your blog with any sort of regularity, it gives you a great opportunity to get to know those 15 people. You not only learn their names, but you learn their issues, their trouble spots, the subjects that get them riled up, and maybe even their kids names. You can have email conversations or Google+ hangouts to learn more about them. All of this information helps you to target content toward them which, in the end, will make your blog stronger as it grows. When your RSS numbers begin to explode, it will be difficult to maintain this level of intimacy with the people who stop by your house every day. Have coffee with your community now to help serve them better in the future.

3. Talking to an Audience Who Gets You

One of the best perks of a smaller audience is the ability to talk to people who really understand you. They get your jokes, your sarcasm, and they are interested in all your personal stories. These things do not always convert so well as your audience grows. People become offended. Or they misunderstand. Or you end up spending half your time explaining what you meant to people who now think you are a terrible person for making that kick a puppy joke. Enjoy this time. You will still be able to crack jokes when you are bigger, but you will have a larger responsibility to watch your mouth. Hopefully by then you have crafted your blog persona so you understand what is funny to your type of people and what they will send you nasty tweets about.

4. Your World View Is Not Skewed Yet

I will make tons of friends for saying this, but smaller bloggers are often more in tuned with reality. Or at least, they are more in tuned with their readers reality. They are worried about things like connecting with their audience, trying to do it all, and making sense out of all these social networks that keep popping up. Big-time bloggers are annoyed at their 500 pending Facebook requests, about the ToS of that new social network, and about all their apps not perfectly syncing together. The reason small business owners make really awesome bloggers? Because they share the same world view as the people they are trying to serve. Do your best to hold on to that world view as long as you can.

5. Fewer Distractions

One of those first world problems mentioned above is all the distractions that come with being a popular blogger. The emails from people wanting to pick your brain. The phone calls. The pitches. The discussions that break out you spend your whole day moderating. When you are not dealing with that, it allows you to put 100 percent of your time and your focus on your blog and what you are trying to build there. The big bloggers wish they were you right now. Make them weep by taking advantage of it.

Growing your audience is great and it should be on your list of goals. But before you go chasing those larger waterfalls, realize the opportunity and the benefits that are in front of you right now. You do not need to be big for your blog to be awesome. There is an equal amount of value that comes with having a small audience, sometimes even more value. Instead of wishing you were larger, focus on nurturing that.

Community
And here is a community that allows you to grow and for information gathering for people who think outside the box. You will gain valuable information on marketing.

A marketing community for people wanting to find out more information on how to market their own work at home business.

5. Marketing

Marketing

Also posted at Tomorrows Home Business Community

Four Ways LinkedIn Can Help Your Business Grow
Original article posted Entrepreneur
By Jason Falls

If you joined LinkedIn and filled out your profile thinking it was essentially an online resume, you are probably missing out on a world of opportunity. And no, we are not just talking about finding a new job.

Sure, LinkedIns profile features are essentially the same questions you would answer on a resume. But there are more than 150 million people there who are ready to do business. It is, after all, the professional social network.

Here are four ideas that can help you turn LinkedIn into a prime source of new prospects for your business:

1. Attract a crowd.
One of the easiest ways to use LinkedIn is to create thought leadership content in your areas of expertise. Not only can you share interesting content from your own blog or website as status updates on LinkedIn, you also can dive into LinkedIn Answers and leverage LinkedIn Groups.

LinkedIn Answers operates like any question and answer site. You browse through to a category of your choice where you either post a question for those following that topic or answer queries from others. Providing a helpful answer can not only make you seem like an authority but might also lead the asker to rate your response as the best. If you collect a few Best Answers, those indications show up on your profile.

By joining Groups related to your areas of expertise and starting or participating in discussions, you also can soft sell yourself to a new audience of colleagues and prospects.

Over time with both LinkedIn Answers and Groups, other users will be curious about who you are, click through to your profile and ask to connect with you, and hopefully to do business.

2. Get found.
The second-most popular Internet activity behind checking email is search, according to the Pew Internet and American Life Project. LinkedIn is no exception and its search function can benefit you if your profile is optimized for search.

Try to think like someone who may want to hire you or do business with you. If you are a sales manager for an industrial lubricants business, for example, you might consider using the headline Industrial Lubricants Expert rather than Sales Manager if you hope to attract marketing prospects.

In short, cleanse your profile of descriptions of simply who you are and replace them with explanations of what you do.

3. Flip the search coin in your favor.
You should also be using LinkedIn to scout for prospects. For instance, if you typically sell to procurement officers or chief financial officers in the construction industry, click through to LinkedIns Advanced Search. Enter the keywords procurement or CFO, then add filters for the construction industry.

By doing so, you should have a search result showing only your prospects. If you have a premium LinkedIn Account ($24.95 per month), you can save your search and it will be updated automatically when new people join LinkedIn that fit your criteria. That is like having a lead generation engine at your fingertips.

4. Try LinkedIns light CRM.
Another premium feature is LinkedIns profile organizer. This can allow you to save a particular prospects profile so you can find it easily.

As you reach out to that person, you can keep notes about your contacts with him or her. The notes will appear whenever you revisit the profile.

While this is not robust customer relationship management software, it can help save time and keep you organized.

Keep in mind that contacting LinkedIn users you do not already know can be tricky, especially if you do not want to come across as a spammer. You get three free In Mail credits per month with a basic account and more if you upgrade to a premium account. You usually can email fellow members of LinkedIn groups even if you are not connected to them directly. So if you find someone you wish to contact, check the persons profile to see which groups he or she belongs to and join one or two yourself.

LinkedIn advises you to connect only to people you know. That means you probably do not want to shift into full cold-call sales mode. But expanding your network, making your expertise available to others and prospecting in a low-key way can make LinkedIn a valuable marketing tool.

Community
And here is another community for information gathering for people who think outside the box. You will gain valuable information on marketing.

A marketing community for people wanting to find out more information on how to market their own work at home business.

6. Marketing

Marketing

Also posted at Tomorrows Home Business Community

Is Procrastination Holding You Back?
Original article at About.com Market
From C.J. Hayden

When you look at your marketing to-do list, do many of the items on it look all too familiar? Have entries like call Donna Sanchez and follow up with Floyd Corp been copied from a previous week? Putting off unappealing tasks may be human nature, but for an entrepreneur, procrastination can be deadly.

Delays in contacting a prospect can lose the business to the competition. Failing to get the word out about an upcoming event may forfeit dozens of opportunities. Wasted marketing time can never be recovered. By the time you realize you might not make your goal for the month, quarter, or year, it may already be too late.

Finding tasks on your to-do list week after week is a clear sign you are procrastinating, but it is not always this obvious. Can you identify with any of these situations?

Feelings of overwhelm. You have a backlog of work that seems insurmountable. You wake up in the morning already thinking about everything you must accomplish that day. It seems impossible to get it all done. If you are routinely unable to complete what is on your list in the time available, you may be creating the problem yourself by putting tasks off week after week.

Making excuses. You find yourself constantly having to make excuses to your business buddies, referral partners, potential clients, or even your coach about why you never followed up on that great referral, that important sales call was not made, the marketing package was not sent, or the proposal was not written. After a while, the excuses begin to sound flimsy, even to you.

Trivial pursuits. You notice that you are doing unimportant chores, rearranging your desk drawers, filing old business cards, shopping for just the right desk, surfing the Net, while neglecting crucial marketing activities.

Overflowing pipeline. A form of procrastination unique to entrepreneurs and salespeople is continuing to develop new leads instead of contacting the prospects you already have. If you are spending more time attending networking events or reviewing lists of names than getting on the phone, putting your fingers to the keyboard, or driving to appointments, this problem may be yours.

If you ARE procrastinating, what then? Begin to change this habit by getting in touch with your motivation to do better. What rewards, tangible and intangible, do you get from your work? Remind yourself of that payoff on a daily basis. Post a picture or note that represents those rewards to you on your calendar, phone, or dashboard.

Break down each of the activities you are having trouble with into small steps. Pick what seems like the easiest place to start, and block out time on your calendar to make a beginning. You may find that once you are taking action, the rest seems much less difficult than you had feared.

If you find that you really do have too much on your plate to have enough time for marketing, it is essential that you cut back on some of your other activities immediately. A business without marketing is not a business; it is a hobby.

Create more accountability for yourself by telling a buddy, support group, or coach exactly what you plan to get done each week. Ask them not to accept any excuses from you, and to remind you why you said you were doing all this in the first place. You can partner in this way with a colleague by setting up a weekly check-in where each of you reports to the other.

It may take time to break the procrastination habit, so give yourself permission to fail a few times. Remember that even a small amount of progress may be allowing you to achieve more than you ever have before.

Community
And here is some community information for people who think outside the box. You will gain valuable information on marketing.

A marketing community for people wanting to find out more information on how to market their own work at home business.

7. Marketing

Marketing

Also posted at Tomorrows Home Business Community

Four Small-Business Lessons from The Hunger Games
Original article at Entrepreneur By Kara Ohngren

Twenty-four tributes between ages 12 and 18 are chosen at random from the districts of Panem, a totalitarian state in post-apocalyptic North America, to compete in a barbaric fight for survival. Losing means certain doom, but winning promises a life of luxury. Unless you have been asleep in a cave in the ruins of District 13, you are probably familiar with the plot of the best-selling book series The Hunger Games.

Suzanne Collins epic trilogy follows Katniss Everdeen, the fictional 16-year-old who volunteers for the games after her younger sister is chosen as a tribute. To mark the release of the first film in the franchise, we look to Katniss for lessons to be learned about surviving on your own. (Warning: Spoilers abound.) If you follow this guide for your business, perhaps the odds will be ever in your favor.

1. Know your strengths.
There, resting on a mound of blanket rolls, is a silver sheath of arrows and a bow, already strung, just waiting to be engaged. That is mine, I think. It is meant for me.

Katniss knows her strengths. As a gifted hunter, she realizes there is no one in the arena better with a bow. Likewise, be sure your business plays to your talents and interests. If you have no experience with computers, a tech company probably is not your best bet. Create a company in an area where you consider yourself ahead of the competition in experience and know-how, and you just might survive.

2. Fill a need.
Sitting on my sleeping bag is a small plastic pot attached to a silver parachute. My first gift from a sponsor! I unscrew the lid and I know by the scent that it is medicine.

When Katniss sponsors see her suffering from terrible burns, they know immediately she will need medicine if she is to survive the night. They spring into action, sending her a soothing ointment to stop her pain. Before you start your new venture, you must identify an unmet need in the marketplace that your company can fill. Take a look around your community and see if there are any wounds on which you can put some entrepreneurial ointment.

3. Master the basics.
He shows us a simple, excellent trap that will leave a human competitor dangling by a leg from a tree. We concentrate on this one skill for an hour until both of us have mastered it.

When training for the arena, Katniss and her fellow tribute and ally, Peeta, opt to skip the more-advanced combat classes in favor of learning survival basics, such as snares and camouflage. This is an important lesson for an entrepreneur. Before starting your own enterprise, learn the basics. Take an entrepreneurship class and pick the brains of other small-business owners in your area. Those early lessons will help prevent easily avoidable and costly mistakes down the road.

4. Be yourself.
Then I remember Peetas words on the roof. I am more than just a piece in their Games. Rue was more than a piece in their Games. And so am I.

At this key moment in the story, Katniss realizes that no matter what the outcome of the Hunger Games, she will be true to herself. So she promotes herself to the audience as not only a great fighter, but also a loyal friend. She chooses to honor her fallen friend Rue rather than flee into the wilderness. This noble action is rewarded with a much-needed gift of bread from Rues home district. As an entrepreneur, never be afraid to show your true self. Potential customers respond to a business they can relate to. So, if you are young and hip, flaunt it. If your business is socially conscious, let it show. And like Katniss, you will be rewarded.

Community
And here is some community information for people who think outside the box. You will gain valuable information on marketing.

A marketing community for people wanting to find out more information on how to market their own work at home business.

8. Marketing

Marketing

Also posted at Tomorrows Home Business Community

5 Final Ways to Qualify Marketing Help
Original article at Small Business Trends
By John Follis

In this final part of my three part series on qualifying marketing help I offer a few more ways to do it. Why so many? Because the difference between hiring marketing help and hiring the right marketing help can make, or break, your business. It is one of the most important, and toughest, decisions any business owner will ever make. And, like a marriage, it is better to do some extra qualifying upfront to avoid being stuck later because you did not.

To recap the list from part one (of this three part series) titled 3 Ways to Qualify Marketing Help:

Google them.
LinkedIn Profile.
Website Bio.
Find out how well they know Social Media.
Results.
The Work.

Now, for my final few:

7. Awards and Press: This one can be a bit controversial because while awards can be a great litmus test for some, for others, not so much. The argument is that few award shows factor in results as a winning criteria. I can appreciate that argument. Also, if an agency is doing lots of boasting about their awards, it is often a way of overcompensating for weaknesses in other areas. On the other hand, if someone has no awards, that is not good either. So, seek a happy medium.

Press-worthy work is another good litmus test because great press can be a great, free, added benefit for you. So, find out if they have gotten any. If they have, are we talking the local Penny Saver, or The New York Times?

8. Are they a respected industry thought leader? The more respected they are in their industry, the better the chance they are truly good at what they do. How can you know? Do they get invited to speak? Do they get interviewed? Have the agency principals been published in the trades? Are they on Wikipedia?

9. Do they make it easy to work together? This is one you might not have considered. The fact is that investing in marketing help is a scary proposition for most business owners, especially first-timers. A smart marketing resource will be aware of that and have an easy way to start the process and test the waters.

10. Are they driven and truly passionate about their business? It is one of the most important, yet most overlooked items on the list. If you are passionate about your business you will want to work with someone equally passionate about theirs. Sometimes you can simply hear it in their voice or see it in their eyes. You can also tell by how they present themselves online. Does it feel inspired, or rudimentary?

11. How well do they market themselves? This one almost seems dumb because you would assume that any marketing firm looking to help you would be awesome at their own marketing. Not true and I have heard all the excuses: Well, I guess I am like the shoemaker with no shoes. Or Hey, I am just way too busy with my clients. Or yada, yada, yada.

Do not buy it. The last thing you want to do is to hire a marketing firm that sucks at marketing themselves.

To conclude I will repeat a last key point that I mentioned in my first post regarding referrals. Referrals are an obvious, logical way to find help and they often work out fine. I do not list getting referrals as a qualifier because everyone already knows that. What they may not know, and what this series addresses, is that a referral is just a starting point.

I could probably add a couple more to this list, but if you follow these 11 guidelines you will be well on your way to finding the right, qualified, marketing help. This is the final installment of this three part series. Check out part two, 3 More Ways to Qualify Marketing Help.

Good luck, and Happy Qualifying.

Community
And here is some community information for people who think outside the box. You will gain valuable information on marketing.

A marketing community for people wanting to find out more information on how to market their own work at home business.

9. Marketing

Marketing

Also posted at Tomorrows Home Business Community

3 More Ways to Qualify Marketing Help
Original article at Business Trends
By John Follis

I would like to say that while this topic is intended for small business owners seeking marketing help, I was pleased to see so many positive comments from other marketers. So, if that is you, keep reading and maybe you’ll pick up a tip or two on ways to fine tune your current presentation.

My first three ways to qualify a marketing resource were:

1. Google them and see what you can find.

2. Check to see if they have a LinkedIn profile.

3. Read their website bio.

My next three ways to qualify a marketing resource are:

4. Find out how well they know Social Media: Sure, everyone is talking about Social Media. What you will want to find out is how involved they are with it and how effectively they are putting it to use. But even better than asking them, do some simple online investigating. Some specific questions to answer are:

Do they have a great blog? If so, when was their last post? Was it interesting, current and relevant?
How is their Facebook Brand Page?
How is their YouTube Channel?
Do they Tweet and if so, what about? Are they tweeting about the bar they are drinking at or something that reflects true marketing intelligence? You will find all this out pretty quickly just by logging in.

5. Results. Ultimately, it comes down to this, right? And, yet, how many marketing firms truly have a lot to say about it? Well, they better if they want to be seriously considered. So, on their website do they display great testimonials and case studies? Just a couple or a bunch? The more they show, the more you might be convinced that maybe you will be the next one.

6. The Work. This may be the most important litmus test of all because you cannot possibly consider anyone if you do not seriously like, or better yet, love their work. So, when you visit their site make sure you give yourself more than enough time to review and fully digest their work. It will be well worth the time you invest.

Community
And here is some community information for people who think outside the box. You will gain valuable information on marketing.

A marketing community for people wanting to find out more information on how to market their own work at home business.

10. Marketing

Marketing

Also posted at Tomorrows Home Business Community

3 Ways to Qualify Marketing Help
Original article at Small Business Trends
By John Follis

Getting good marketing help is one of the biggest challenges facing small businesses today, according to Anita Campbell, CEO of Small Business Trends. Anita acknowledges that, marketing is more challenging today than ever and business success is all about finding the right outside service providers and using them wisely.

A common theme with small business owners is that they cannot afford the expense of marketing help. I have learned that whenever someone says they cannot afford something it usually means they do not see the value of it. Savvy owners and managers do see the value of good marketing help. The problem is: finding and qualifying it.

Referrals are certainly a logical way to do it. And, often times they work out fine. On the other hand, what is right for one business may be wrong for yours. If you understand that a marketing service is only as good as the top person (or people) behind it, learning as much as you can about that person is one of the best ways to qualify a marketing service and see if they would be a good fit for you.

Here are 3 ways to do that:

1) Google them. This is the broadest most objective way to get the scoop on anyone. It is a great way to get a full picture. I call it G-cred for Google credibility. Just be sure you have got the right person since there are probably tons of others with the same name. You can get around that by adding a key word or two to refine the search, like adding the industry or profession. You might also add a geographic location. Since the person you are searching for is supposed to be a savvy marketing pro it would not be real hard to find them, regardless of their name. So, if their G-cred sucks, consider that a reason to rule them out.

2) LinkedIn Profile. Since every professional has one, you can also search there. Again, there could be tons of others with the same name so be sure you have got the right one. LinkedIn will provide a good sense of where they come from and how professionally qualified they are to service your business.

3) Website Bio. If you are checking out their website there should be a bio on it. Let me rephrase that. If you are checking out their website, there better be a bio on it. That said, I am amazed at the number of companies that do not post any bio info about the company leadership. That is pretty dumb because all it does is raise a flag. As mentioned earlier, a company is only as good as the top people behind it. If a site does not include a great bio of the boss you have got to wonder why.

Rather than viewing marketing as an expense, Anita Campbell says that marketing is an investment to help you achieve your revenue goals faster. She adds that

Not finding the right outside resource will probably hobble your business.

Do these things and it will increase your odds of getting the right marketing help that your business deserves.

Community
And here is some community information for people who think outside the box. You will gain valuable information on marketing.

A marketing community for people wanting to find out more information on how to market their own work at home business.

11. Marketing

Marketing

Also posted at Tomorrows Home Business Community

Baby Boomer Entrepreneurs: Trick or Trend
Original article at Business Insider
By Tim Berry, Palo Alto Software

Thanks to the Wall Street Journals 8 Monday Morning Must Reads, I discovered USA Today’s Older entrepreneurs find new niche in startups. This does not surprise me at all, but it was good to see it in print. The quick summary:

Over the past decade, the highest rate of entrepreneurial activity belongs to the 55 to 64 age group, according to a study by the Kauffman Foundation, a Kansas City, Mo.-based entrepreneurship institute. The 20 to 34 age bracket has the lowest rate. Kauffmans latest study shows that about 23 percent of new entrepreneurs in 2010 were in the 55 to 64 age group, compared with 15 percent in 1996.

Much as I like these numbers, theres a bit of a statistical ruse here. Basic demographics. The trend may not be anything more than the influence of sheer numbers.

The line there is births per year, and the pop up in the line, the blue portion, is the baby boom years. The so-called baby boomers, me included, were born from 1946 to 1958. They are the blue portion of that birth rate line above. So in 1996 we were 50 to 38, and therefore not included in the 55-64 stats. In 2010, however, we were 64 to 52, right in the sweet spot of the statistics. So it might easily be that the pop in the stats is not a change in trends, but a reflection of higher numbers of people in the 55-64 age group.

On the other hand, I hope it is not just statistical distortion. I would like to think it is a reflection of increasing longevity and a decline in the strength of the myth of retirement. I think retirement is a social tradition developed in the past for very old people; to a lot of the baby boomers, me included, it is a nightmare. But careers change and life changes around the ages 55-65, as kids grow up and careers stagnate. And a 60-year-old competent person has another 20, 30 or more years of life expectancy. That is a long time to sit in a rocking chair. For my part, I posted here just last week about me getting involved in new startups. And I have posted here before on how much I do not want to retire, ever.

Furthermore, there is a bit of a push and shove in these statistics. Try leaving a job and getting another when you are 55 to 64. Good luck with that. So you build your own job. And more power to you.

Community
And here is some community information for people who think outside the box. You will gain valuable information on marketing.

A marketing community for people wanting to find out more information on how to market their own work at home business.

12. Marketing

Marketing

Also posted at Tomorrows Home Business Community

Is the End Near for Traditional Advertising?
Original article at Entrepreneur
By Mikal E. Belicove

The demise of in-your-face marketing and advertising is close at hand, to be replaced by what Facebooks Paul Adams terms a form of advertising that depends on many lightweight interactions over time.

Adams is Facebooks Global Brand Experience Manager, a job that allows him to spend the balance of his day researching and designing better ways for businesses and people to communicate and interact. Before that, he was a senior user experience researcher at Google.

Adams claims that to really reach todays consumers, companies and brands will need to build relationships with them rather than simply grabbing their attention or utilizing disruptions as an advertising tool. In other words, marketers should be progressive rather than aggressive, adding a fifth P, and stands for Participation, to the traditional marketing mix of Product, Price, Place and Promotion.

Much like the way we develop friendships over a period of time, an entire generation of advertisers will need to plan their marketing scenarios around the concept of building relationships. We often meet new acquaintances through friends. We chat them up, maybe catch them later at a party with other mutual acquaintances, discover we have similar interests, and, before you know it, we are all packed up and off on a weekend ski trip together in Vermont.

We should build our relationships with potential clients and customers the same way. And we can begin that process by subtly promoting our brands in passing, as an aside to a bigger discussion or conversation. Like Adams says, lightweight, not heavyweight. With the advent of the World Wide Web, there is so much information out there for us to absorb and so little time to absorb it. As a result, the best way to introduce new products, content or ideas to consumers will be seamlessly, naturally and subtly through word-of-mouth interactions.

Adams believes, as I do, that within a few years, the web will need to evolve to become more personalized to our own requirements. Websites need to contain information that is more relevant to our very particular wants, desires and needs. This personalization, fostered by a social fabric that is woven throughout the user experience online, needs to seamlessly greet visitors with information about what their friends and associates are watching, reading, recommending, commenting on and more. Further, it should move to replace random display ads, pop-up messages or banner advertisements. Those direct, heavyweight, ads will fall by the wayside, like so many other obsolete processes and technologies.

Adams goes so far as to say heavy-handed commercial content does not sit well with consumers, because it is not part of real life. While I would not go that far (think about Clint Eastwoods, Halftime in America Super Bowl commercial), I do believe that personalized interactions, especially ones that reflect a trust and a willingness to listen to one anothers opinions, will go a long way toward sealing the deal.

Community
And here is some community information for people who think outside the box. You will gain valuable information on marketing.

Marketing can happen for you, if you are motivated. Now, this marketing community that is where you can work and gather as much information that you need to succeed. The community name is Tomorrow's Home Business Social Community and is located at this address http://tomorrowshomebusiness.ning.com.

A marketing community for people wanting to find out more information on how to market their own work at home business.

13. Marketing

Marketing

Also posted at Tomorrows Home Business Community

Great Customer Service Captures a Consumer
Original article at About.com
By Laura Lake

Customer service is the key to turning a prospective buyer into a customer. Often, people think that the buying choice is made via price, but nothing could be further from the truth.

When you provide exceptional customer service a customer is willing to pay more for that service.

Take for example BMW, the BMW vehicle is an amazing car and let me put a disclaimer here. And yes, I own one. Now, with the disclaimer out there let me explain to you why I bought a BMW. It is true I went and test drove the car because of the amazing reviews, but I purchased the car because of the service. When I go to my local BMW dealership to have service done, I pull the car into the service garage, they take the key and I am escorted into the service area where I am greeted promptly. Everyone in that dealership smiles and says hello. They always take care of me and my car and they never return my car back to me dirty.

I could have purchased a car that was a lot less expensive than a BMW, but I bought the BMW experience and this is my second one and I have no regrets.

That is just one example of how great customer service can sell a consumer on your product or service and make the price a secondary thought rather than the primary.

How is your customer service? Are you creating loyal customers or pushing them into the arms of your competitor?

Community
And here is some community information for people who think outside the box. You will gain valuable information on marketing.

Marketing can happen for you, if you are motivated. Now, this marketing community that is where you can work and gather as much information that you need to succeed. The community name is Tomorrow's Home Business Social Community and is located at this address http://tomorrowshomebusiness.ning.com.

A marketing community for people wanting to find out more information on how to market their own work at home business.

14. Marketing

Marketing

Also posted at Tomorrows Home Business Community

Content Marketing. Understanding the Why and How
Original article at About.com
By Laura Lake

What is content marketing? Content marketing is using relevant and valuable information to attract potential customers to you. This information will not only attract but, if done correctly, will engage your target audience and drive profitable action to your business.

I am always amazed at the looks and responses I get when I am speaking to a client and I explain to them they need more content. I am then almost always questioned why?

Think of content as a way of interacting and communicating with your customers without selling.

Need proof it works? Think of an article you read that captured your attention and really engaged you. Did you look to see who the writer was? Were you interested in the company that they worked for and the products or services that they offered? If they were using the skills of content marketing, I can almost guarantee you did.

A great article can market your product or service in a way that the consumer is not interrupted. You are using that article to educate your consumer and create an awareness on information that is important to them. This makes your potential buyer more intelligent.

A successful content marketing strategy will deliver consistent valuable information to your target market, when this strategy works you turn the consumers you have targeted into buyers.

Look, it is no secret that consumers are tired of traditional marketing. This is why you see a rush to social media and permission based marketing rather than intrusive marketing that does not allow consumers to make the choice of when they want to be marketed to. Why do you think consumers skip commercials, tear out magazine advertisements, and turn on online ad blockers? Because they are taking back control and they will decide when they want to be marketed to.

As a business, you have to be smarter in your marketing efforts and this includes writing content that is not only interesting but relevant and valuable to the market you are targeting.

How do you know if your content is marketing for you? It is easy really. Answer the following questions when reviewing your content or use them as a guideline when creating new content.

Is it targeting a specific market? If not the content will be too broad to attract a targeted audience.

Is your content informative, relevant and valuable to those you are targeting? Or is it just a sales pitch?

Does it educate your target audience about your industry without being too sales oriented and pushing just your products or services?

Does your message include a subtle marketing message that grabs the readers attention and gets them interested in what you offer? The key is the marketing message must create an interest and a desire for what you have to offer without trying to close a sale. Think of it as leaving a faint fingerprint on the mind of the consumer who is reading.

Does it leave the reader wanting more?

Does it stir emotion within the reader and inspire action?

If you answered yes to the above questions, you have a good piece of content that you can use to market the products or services that you offer. If you were unable to answer yes to all of the questions you will want to tweak your content until you can.

You can use content marketing in all areas of your marketing including print, media, events and online. You want to make sure that your website has content that markets to your audience. You also want to make sure that if you have a blog, you are also using it for content marketing. Content marketing is valuable and often leaves a longer impression than any other method of marketing.

Community
And here is some community information for people who think outside the box. You will gain valuable information on marketing.

Marketing can happen for you, if you are motivated. Now, this marketing community that is where you can work and gather as much information that you need to succeed. The community name is Tomorrow's Home Business Social Community and is located at this address http://tomorrowshomebusiness.ning.com.

A marketing community for people wanting to find out more information on how to market their own work at home business.

15. Marketing

Marketing

Also posted at Tomorrows Home Business Community

How to Ask for Business on Facebook, Twitter
Original article at Entrepreneur
By Starr Hall

As you are meeting new people online, having conversations, posting, building exposure and handling new opportunities daily via social media, you are going to have to draw the line at some point with the back and forth, also known as time wasters.

If someone is continually asking for your advice, free product, tips and so forth, respond no more than three times, spending a maximum of three minutes each time, before you ask for the business. If the contact does not respond or decides to not do business with you, there is no need to offer additional expert advice and-or tips and guidance for free. People will respect you if you respect yourself and the value of your experience and advice by adhering to this 3-3 boundary formula. If you spend even a few hours every week going back and forth with the same person who is never going to do business with you, then you might need to keep your day job.

If your business revenue has either leveled off or declined, it is worth looking into whether your sales team is asking or has stopped asking for the business. If you find they are doing constant back and forth, crossing their fingers in the hope they will eventually get the buy from a customer, cut to the chase and send an email, note or even make a phone call to ask for the business, mentioning your previous contacts and guidance you have provided.

So why most people do not ask for what they want? First of all, most people do not even know what it is they want, which causes a delay in asking before you even start. What exactly do you want from the people you talk to and communicate with, whether it is online or in person? You need to determine what this is. Start by writing out the top three things you would like from the people that you meet. Maybe it is connections, maybe you want to make a certain dollar amount per contact, or you may want to access their knowledge. Get in the habit of asking people who you meet the very first time, What would you like from me? How can I help? Ninety-nine percent of the time you will find people looking back at you like a deer in headlights. Be patient while people figure out how to respond.

The second reason people do not ask for what they want is the fear of rejection, or on the other end of that, the fear of success. Just do it. If the person says no, it is no loss because you were not doing anything with them prior to you asking. There is always someone else at the next turn ready and willing to cooperate with you.

To impress upon you the importance and power of asking, here are a few examples of successful asking:

By asking for emails on your blog posts, you can greatly increase your email database by broadcasting the posts through Twitter and LinkedIn.
Get booked for paid speaking engagements by looking for opportunities in conversations around your area of expertise and asking to be the speaker.
Secure a book publishing deal by looking for publishing professionals in your industry on LinkedIn and asking if they would publish your book and telling them why they should in two paragraphs.
Invite your contacts to sign up for a free monthly teleconference. You might start with only 25 on a call, but if you stay with it, you can have several thousand people on your telecalls before you know it.
You could secure monthly paid columns on major media and blogs sites.
Secure new clients weekly by simply letting them know how you can help them (give specific details, not generalizations), and then just ask.
Become an asking machine.

Community
And here is some community information for people who think outside the box. You will gain valuable information on marketing.

Marketing can happen for you, if you are motivated. Now, this marketing community that is where you can work and gather as much information that you need to succeed. The community name is Tomorrow's Home Business Social Community and is located at this address http://tomorrowshomebusiness.ning.com.

A marketing community for people wanting to find out more information on how to market their own work at home business.

16. Marketing

Marketing

Also posted at Tomorrows Home Business Community

Create a Content Strategy
Build Your Content Strategy in 3 Phases
Original article at About.com
By Laura Lake

Content is seen as the force multiplier when it comes to marketing. It has an impact on social media marketing, search engine marketing and public relations. Just look at how a content strategy works with your marketing efforts:

Social Media Marketing. Content fuels your social media efforts, because without content social media is like having a vehicle with no fuel. It is just all show, with no go.

Search Marketing. Content wows your search engine marketing efforts. It used to be enough to have keyword-rich content and inbound links. With these two things gaining search engine rankings was fairly easy. That is changed. It is not enough to have just keyword-rich content and links, you now must have high quality content and publish often to gain high ranking results in search engines.

Public Relations. Content drives public relations. Your ability to create fresh content around the needs of prospects and customers has become more valuable than a product or service announcement.

We use content in our:

Newsletters
Websites
Sales or Marketing Letters
Thank You Letters

Content writing can feel like a never ending process. If you are the person doing the content writing it can feel like you are filling bottomless buckets. So when we add on the need for social media channels like:

Blogs
Facebook
Twitter
Google Plus
YouTube

It can be overwhelming. Who has time? Where do you start? How do you stay organized? Where will all of the content ideas come from? I hear you and I am here to help. Creating content can feel overwhelming, but when you chunk it into 3 phases it can become more manageable and less frustrating, I promise. We know that a content strategy works and we know that it can help with all of our marketing efforts so not doing it is, well simply not an option.

Let us get started, shall we?

Introduction to the Three Phases of Content Strategy Development

Phase 1. Think Ahead. Get Organized
Phase 2. Squash Writers Block and Generate Ideas Easily
Phase 3. Utilize Social Media to Help Drive Content

Phase 1. Think Ahead. Get Organized

The Where When and How Often

In this phase there are 3 questions you must answer:

Where do you need content? List every area that you must supply content to. (Newsletter, Website, Blog, Facebook, Twitter, etc)
Which Channels? (Social Media, Print, Video, Web)
How often do you need to post content in these channels?

Create a Content Schedule and Calendar

Create a content schedule, but be realistic. Do not set a schedule that you know is unattainable. It will only leave you frustrated.
Make a decision on how often you will draft new content daily, weekly or monthly?

Based on how often you will draft new content develop a content calendar. It does not have to be sophisticated. The simpler you can make it the better. A content calendar helps when it comes to staying organized with your content.

Organize your calendar by:

Channel (Web, Mobile, Email, Print, Television)
Audience
Program
Format (Text, Video, Photos, Presentations)

I use a weekly content calendar that lists the days of the week on the left and the channels that I need to write for as columns on the left. This allows me to create a plan on what I will write and when.

As you start to create your content strategy and draft your schedule mark each item accordingly:

Must Do
Like to Do
Ok to Bump

Give yourself flexibility!

Category Organization

Create category folders either in a master folder stored on your computer, your email folders or your internet bookmarks. Use these category folders to help keep your thoughts and ideas organized. Trust me, being organized helps ease the process of content creation.

Sample categories might include:

Fact Sheets
Web Pages
News
Photos
Videos

This is where you will store resources that you want to refer to later to assist you in triggering and creating content. I would also recommend checking out tools that can help speed up this process by allowing you to tag content, keep track of notes and create categories. Three of my favorites include:

Delicious. Social bookmark service that helps in discovering, saving, organizing and sharing information.
Evernote. Virtual software that can be used for note-taking.
Webnotes. A tool that lets you highlight text and add sticky notes to web pages.

Now, that you have created your calendar, you have listed the channels that you need to write for, marked items that are a priority and gotten organized where do the content ideas come from? Good question!

Phase 2. Squash Writers Block and Generate Ideas Easily

This is the phase that many people get stuck in. There are several ways to generate ideas. Consider trying one of the follow exercises or utilizing resources that are at your fingertips:

Brainstorm
Mind Mapping
Tickler or Pending File. Use those tagging and category tools from Phase 1
Stories
Old Archives. Content recycling rule. For every piece of content you recycle you must create two new pieces, do not cheat yourself.
Web and Email Analytics. This data will show you what people are looking for.

When all else fails and you still feel stuck consider using outside resources:

Social Media Listening Tools
SocialMentions
Google Blog Search
Google Alerts
Twendz
Surveys
Content Aggregators
AllTop
Mainstream Media Headlines
Trade News

When creating content think in terms of:

Lists (Top 5, Top 10, Most Popular)
How To
Review
Tips
Question and Answer Interviews
Opinion Pieces

Phase 3. Utilize Social Media to Help Drive Content

How does social media fit into the content mix? Social media is the marriage of content and conversation.

Social media conversations can be made into content by:

Highlighting trending topics
Publishing Q and As
Summarize Debates

Use social media to drive content for you by using it to:

Asking questions
Soliciting feedback from your followers
Refining your content ideas based on comments that you receive.

Keep a clear and workable plan, collect ideas and data, write your content or get others to help. Implement and allow content to serve as a force multiplier for you in social media, search marketing and public relations. Start with a goal of at least one new piece of content per week. It is a start. The more you do it, the easier it gets!

Community
And here is some community information for people who think outside the box. You will gain valuable information on a work at home business.

Work at home can happen for you, if you are motivated. Now, there is a work at home community that you can work with and gather as much information that you need to succeed. The community name is Tomorrow's Home Business social community and is located at this address http://tomorrowshomebusiness.ning.com.

In this work at home community, the business entrepreneur will be able to read blogs and watch videos for business, or just for pleasure. With a couple of RSS feeds coming to the main page, the entrepreneur can even stay informed of what is happening in the world. There is something here in this community for everyone.

A work at home community for people wanting to find out more information on starting their own work at home business.

17. Marketing

Marketing

Content Marketing. Understand the Why and How
Original article at About.com
By Laura Lake

Are you using content to market your business?

Content is king. I know, you have heard it and if you have not I am afraid you have had your head in the sand and it is time to dig it out. It is true content is very important when it comes to marketing and I am going to show you why.

I know that the majority of people hate to write and I have to be honest when we mention to clients that content is important they often look at us with a look that could kill. I understand, honest. We are all wearing different hats, we are all busy beyond belief and now I just added one more thing to your plate. I love to write, I know that is not everyone's passion. Believe me I get it. However, with that being said I think when you understand the value in content you will want to start writing immediately or at least outsource it so you can begin using content to market your business.

Content has the ability to leave a longer impression than any other type of marketing method. Do you know why?

If the content is relevant and valuable to the reader and it keeps their attention, it i is non-interrupted marketing. It means you have their attention, and they are listening.

Consider the last article you read that held you captive, more than likely if the content was doing its job you wanted to learn more about the writer. What company did they work for? What was their experience? Where could you find more information?

Can you think of an article that made you feel that way and think that way? If so, you were just sucked into content marketing.

Like all areas of marketing there is a strategy to effective content marketing and if you do not do it right you could fail miserable leaving consumers with a bad taste for you company in their mouth. Take a few moments and learn the why and how of content marketing, you will be glad you did.

Community
And here is some community information for people who think outside the box. You will gain valuable information on a work at home business.

A work at home community for people wanting to find out more information on starting their own work at home business.

18. Marketing

Marketing

Small Business Guide to Creating an Effective Online Presence
Four Components that will Make Your Website a Marketing Powerhouse
Original article at About.com
By Laura Lake

There was a time that a website was sufficient. If you had a website built, spent a little time on search engine marketing you would see traffic to that site increase over time. You did not really have to do much, a brochure website with little or no activity was just fine.

Times have changes, search engines have changed, the way people use the internet has change. Has your website changed? Have you grown with the times in creating an interactive online presence that will attract prospective clients and customers? The majority of small businesses have not created an online presence that is effective in sales, but it lacks the functionality to assist with business processes and customer service.

Let us take a few minutes and score your website. Do not worry. It is easy and you can do it yourself.

Do you receive more than 5 inquiries per month via your website?
Do you have website analytics installed on your website?
If you answered the above question with a yes, do you visit those analytics on at least a monthly basis to monitor your traffic and their interaction with your website?
Have you updated your website within the last 3 months?
Do other websites link to you? If you do not know you will need to mark this with a no.
Can you customers or prospects get basic answers via your website?

How did you do? If you answered no to more than 2 questions above, your online presence is not an effective sales or marketing tool for your business and when visitors come to your website, they are often left with wondering if anyone is home.

Now, let us look at four main components of an online presence that every small business should evaluate.

Interactive Website
In 1996 when I started in online marketing most businesses did not think that a website was even necessary, but they did not want to be left out they would move forward in purchasing a website and having it developed for them. Websites required understanding programming languages to build and update. This could often be very costly for businesses, because businesses evolve and change. We add new services, we add new products, and sometimes our key employees change and all these things require website updates.

The good new is technology has changed. There are now platforms that can be built to grow with your business. Website can be easily updated, even by your receptionist. No programming knowledge is required. There is no reason a website should appear stale or dated. If your website is not on one of these platforms it is time to consider making a change. Your website cannot limit you, it must enable you to keep your website fresh, up-to-date and growing with your industry in order for it to serve as an online marketing tool.

Content Marketing
Content is still king, this has not changed over the years, it is just become more important. You have probably heard of content as blogs, I prefer to call them content centers, so that you do not get the impression that content is about telling others what you had for lunch. Content marketing is about sharing information about your industry and your business with your target market. Content plays a vital role in getting ranked in search engines and it also helps to build credibility and trust with those that are interested in what you have to offer. It takes a commitment and it takes consistency, but it can help you in creating an online presence that changes your business.

Search Marketing
Search marketing makes the difference of whether people find you or not when searching for your targeted keywords. In a report released by Pew Internet in May of 2011 research showed that 92 percent of online adults use search engines to find information on the Web, including 59 percent who do so on a typical day. Are they finding you? It is true that the search engine marketing game has changed, but for small businesses that are local I believe it is to their benefit. When people search using Google, the most popular search engine local results will now often top national results, but you still have to be there. Are you there? Do you even know? Google your targeted keywords and see for yourself. If not, this is something you should not take lightly, because it means your target market is finding your competitors not you. I can hear some of you now, our target market is the older generation, it is not that important to us. Really? Well, on this topic I will leave you with this and perhaps you will reconsider. Among the oldest internet users (age 65 plus), 87 percent are search engine users. Still think it is not important?

Social Media Marketing
I know, the majority of you are tired of hearing about social media marketing. I understand, but again it is something that cannot be ignored. The key to using social media marketing to create an interactive on presence is make a determination on what social media outlets are right for your business. Determine which networks are not only important to you, but also decide which ones you can keep up with, engage and be active. Do not create a social media presence and leave your profiles dormant, this is much worse than not having a social media presence. Here is how I guide businesses on making a determination on what social media network are right for their business:

Twitter. A network of strangers.
LinkedIn. A network for professionals.
Facebook. A network of family and friends.
Google Plus. A growing network that will combine all of the above and impact your search results.

There are other components that can aid in creating an interactive and effective online presence for your small business, but before you got a step further make sure you have the four components listed above in place and running smoothly.

Community
And here is some community information for people who think outside the box. You will gain valuable information on a work at home business.

Marketing effectively can happen for you, if you are motivated. Now, there is a marketing community that you can work with and gather as much information that you need to succeed. The community name is Tomorrow's Home Business social community and is located at this address http://tomorrowshomebusiness.ning.com.

In this marketing community, the business entrepreneur will be able to read blogs and watch videos for business, or just for pleasure. With a couple of RSS feeds coming to the main page, the entrepreneur can even stay informed of what is happening in the world. There is something here in this community for everyone.

Various professional groups in and post their blogs in the community, giving valuable information for their Health and Wellness businesses. If you would rather watch videos of the TriVita videos, you can do that, too. Or if you just want to hang out and relax, you can do that, too! There are many music videos like Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Pink Floyd, Eric Clapton, and Seasick Steve! Or if you want to learn about handcrafts or see the equally oldest Ford antique car, a 1903 Model A Ford, you can do that, too! Or maybe you need an inspirational video clip! There are many choices of inspirational clips, such as Al Pacinos locker room speech in Any Given Sunday, or Mel Gibson as William Wallace motivating the Scottish men men before battle in Braveheart; or Sylvester Stalone as Rocky and how he motivates himself in the boxing ring, or even his inspirational conversation with his son, and who can forget those chants for Rudy in the movie Rudy!

A marketing community for professional people wanting to find out more information on starting and promoting their own business.

19. Work at Home

Work at Home

Small Business Guide to Creating an Effective Online Presence
Original article at About.com
By Laura Lake

How is your website working for you?

Have you updated it within the last four years?

If not, you may be behind the times. It is important for small businesses to have an effective interactive online presence, without it you could drive customers away from you, rather than towards you.

While some may view this article as a review of the basics, I believe that many small businesses are missing the opportunity to use their websites as a sales and marketing tool, but also help them in streamlining business processes and customer service.

Your web presence is vital in todays marketplace, just take into account the following statistics provided by Pew Internet in a research report published in May 2011:

78 percent of adults use the internet.

Age Ranges:
18-29	94 percent
30-49	87 percent
50-64	74 percent
65+	41 percent

65 percent of online Americans use social networking sites.

92 percent of online adults use search engines to find information on the Web, including 59 percent who do so on a typical day.

As you can see the internet has become a part of our daily lives. We use it to research, shop and network with others. It is time for small business owners to get serious about their online presence and make sure that they are serving as an effective marketing tool.

Community
And here is some community information for people who think outside the box. You will gain valuable information on a work at home business.

A work at home community for people wanting to find out more information on starting their own work at home business.

20. Work at Home

Work at Home

How to Make the Move From Big-Business Employee to Small-Business Owner
Original article at Entrepreneur
By Jane Porter

Within just three months, Avi Yashchin went from helping manage a 42 billion dollars Lehman Brothers portfolio to working out of a makeshift office wedged between two of his four roommates beds. After the Lehman Brothers collapse left him jobless in 2008, Yashchin started CleanEdison, a New York-based job-training company that focuses on the green-building industry. It was a move that forced him to revamp his approach to business. You always have someone else to do things for you in a big corporation, he says. The pendulum really quickly (swung) the other way.

To avoid running into his roommates girlfriend in her towel, Yashchin interviewed potential hires at the Starbucks across the street from his apartment. He became a pro at assembling furniture and replaced the legal counsel he had had at his beck and call at Lehman with a 200 dollar database of legal documents. We did everything on a shoestring, he says. But over three years, Yashchin grew his revenue to more than 3.5 million dollars last year and hired 22 full-time employees.

To make the move from corporate employee to entrepreneur, you need to develop a new mindset. Here are six steps to help ease the transition:

1. Read the fine print on your corporate employment agreement.
When leaving a company to start your own, closely review your written employment agreement, says Ross Kimbarovsky, a former attorney who worked with small businesses on intellectual property issues for 13 years before starting his own company in 2007. Some companies will include confidentiality and noncompete provisions that bar you from disclosing their proprietary information and from working in a certain market or geographic radius for a period of time. Just because such restrictions are in writing, does not mean they are valid or that you can not change them, Kimbarovsky says. In such cases, professional legal help is advisable. The last thing you want is your former employer threatening to sue you when you are starting your (company), he says.

2. Leverage your former employer.
Before Richard Palmer co-founded Nehemiah Manufacturing Co., a Cincinnati-based maker of baby-care and yard maintenance products in 2009, he had worked for Procter and Gamble, Ernst and Young and Deloitte. Although he had not worked at P and G for eight years, Palmer and his business partner, also a former P and G employee, had stayed in touch with contacts there. Their connections enabled them to partner with P and G on a licensing agreement that today is Nehemiahs primary revenue source. Maintaining relationships with former corporate colleagues is one of the best ways to expand your business, says Palmer, who also leveraged his connections at Deloitte to get clients when he worked as an independent consultant before starting Nehemiah.

3. Be prepared to put in even longer hours.
Often, people want to become their own boss because they are tired of the long thankless hours in a corporate job. But be wary. If you are making this change because you are fed up with the corporate world and no longer want to work 12 hours a day. You might be in for a shock, says Kimbarovsky, who often worked through the weekend when starting crowdSPRING, a Chicago-based design and writing services company. You are going to be doing a lot of stuff on your own.

4. Look outside for help.
Because you no longer have vast corporate resources at your disposal, everything falls on your shoulders in a small business. That means it is important to seek outside help and expertise. Palmer often looks to suppliers for product ideas. We can be faster and have a lot higher quality when we are willing to team with others to bring things to market, he says. Making outside connections also means leaving the office and picking up the phone more often than you did in your corporate job. I went from somebody who people were calling all day to (making) a hundred phone calls a day, says Yashchin.

5. Choose a target market wisely.
In a large corporation, it is easy to think in terms of capturing very large markets, but as a small-business owner, you will probably need to zero in on a specific consumer segment. In the corporate world, you really have the power to get the entire market, says Diego Saenz who left Wackenhut Corporation in 2000 to run PetPlace.com, a Boca Raton, Fla.-based pet health and information site. As a start-up you are going to get a subset of the entire market. Choosing that subset may require some trial and error. In the early stages, PetPlace.com focused on the veterinarian market until Saenz recognized there are a lot more pet owners than veterinarians. In 2006, he and his partner sold the veterinary website and focused on the pet owner market, a move that tripled revenue to 3 million dollars in 2010.

6. Take risks.
In large corporate bureaucracies, major decisions are seldom made in a hurry. But as an entrepreneur, be ready to take more risks and make more decisions on the fly. Nine years into running PetPlace.com, for example, Saenz realized the company needed to improve its cash flow. Without a business plan or a warehouse to store inventory, he bought a thousand bags of kitty litter to sell online as an e-commerce experiment. A year later, after expanding its product selection, the e-commerce site generated sales of 1 million dollars and today accounts for a significant part of the business. When you are building a startup, you need to be more aggressive about taking risks to build your brand, Saenz says. We did not have the answers, but we figured it out along the way.

Community
And here is some community information for people who think outside the box. You will gain valuable information on a work at home business.

A work at home community for people wanting to find out more information on starting their own work at home business.

21. Internet Marketing Agency

Internet Marketing Agency

Originally posted at Tomorrows Home Business Community

As companies realize how valuable high search engine rankings can be for business, they often want to know how to develop their own search engine optimization (SEO) capabilities. The answer depends on the approach that is desired: train existing personnel, hire an outside consultant or build a new team of employees. Many companies do not have the time or the knowledge to train their own personnel. At the Internet Marketing Agency, we do. Here are the functions we use for marketing any business.

Project management: At least one person should develop measurable SEO goals, delegate tasks and follow up to be sure objectives are being achieved.

Technical SEO and data analysis: Any SEO project requires data analysis in the form of keyword research, traffic measurement and goal evaluation. Someone should be able to draw conclusions from the data your SEO efforts produce.

Content creation: In many cases, SEO activities require large amounts of new content in the form of articles, infographics and other images. So a creative mind is a must on your SEO team.

Link building: Because back links can play a tremendous role in your website's rankings, SEO teams should have at least one person who will pursue link-building opportunities and solicit back links.

Web development: In addition to back links, a number of other variables figure into SEO, including site speed, internal linking and navigation, and content indexing. You'll need someone who can modify your site according to the latest SEO standards.

The professional marketing agency at Internet Marketing Agency

Posted by
Terry L. Allison, Sr., #13134349 1 Star
Internet Marketing Consultant
Skype: allisonmarketinggroup
Phone: 859-858-9246
Creator of Tomorrows Home Business Social Community

22. Work at Home

Work at Home

Twitter Makes Room for Your Ad Dollars
Original article at Entrepreneur
By Mikal E. Belicove

It used to be that advertising on Twitter was limited to large companies and brands that could afford it and with whom the microblogging platform chose to work. But come late March, any business or brand, regardless of its size, can promote their product or service on Twitter by using a new self-service tool similar to the ones offered by Facebook and Google AdWords.

To kick things off, Twitter announced a partnership with American Express late last week to give the first 10,000 eligible Amex merchants and cardholders who sign up online initial access to the advertising program. Amex reports that the program is still open to interested businesses. All other businesses are expected to be able to advertise on Twitter by late spring or early summer.

Before you sign up, however, it might help to know how your message might get across on Twitter. Advertising on the mircoblog falls into one of three distinct offerings:

Promoted Tweets are messages that businesses have paid to promote at the top of search results on Twitter.
Promoted Trends are paid placement of a topic in Twitters Trending Topics list.
Promoted Accounts are paid placement of an advertisers Twitter handle in users Who to Follow widget and page.

So, is Twitter a good place to spend your advertising dollars? Investors and businesses seem to think so. With an investment of about $1 billion, Twitter generated about $150 million in revenues last year and could amass $260 million this year with 90 percent of those totals coming from advertising.

One reason why Twitter has been so successful in attracting ad dollars may be due to the broadcast nature of the platform. Unlike Facebook, where users have a reasonable expectation that dialogue will occur between one another, Twitter users are accustomed to one-way communication. In fact, less than 10 percent of Twitters registered users create about 75 percent of its content. In essence, Twitter is the worlds largest opt-in, permission-based messaging platform, and, if I tweet about my cat being sick, I am likely to appreciate a local veterinarians Promoted Tweet or Account, which may miraculously show up a few minutes later.

Still, small businesses and brands should proceed with caution. Approximately 20 percent of the sites registered accounts are not even active, so visions of tens of millions of tweeters seeing your ad may likely turn out to be a mirage. Also, Twitter users might react negatively to an onslaught of ads.

Unlike Facebook, which has featured display advertising since 2007, and has attracted 500 million new users since that time, Twitter has remained relatively free of such distractions. Promoted Tweets, Trends and Accounts show up on occasion, but nothing like what might occur when every corner business or merchant is invited to advertise on the platform. Generally speaking, while there is nothing necessarily new about annoying ads, Twitter users are not one bit shy about broadcasting their feelings, often with a vengeance.

The best way to proceed may be to carefully test Twitters new self-service advertising platform when it becomes available in a few months. Run a few ads ad up the tweetpole and see if anyone salutes.

Community
And here is some community information for people who think outside the box. You will gain valuable information on a work at home business.

A work at home community for people wanting to find out more information on starting their own work at home business.

Posted by
Terry L. Allison, Sr., #13134349 1 Star
Independent TriVita Affiliate Member
Skype: allisonmarketinggroup
Phone: 859-858-9246
Creator of Tomorrows Home Business Social Community

23. Work at Home

Work at Home

10 Powerful Management Insights from Apple, P and G, Yum Brands and Gilt Groupe
Original article at Entrepreneur
By Carol Tice

My book pile has begun to bulge with new how we did it books by managers from established, brand-name corporations, and one newer disruptive startup, the luxury-fashion, flash-sale ecommerce hit Gilt Groupe. So often these tomes are overflowing with self-aggrandizing blather, but, to my surprise, this crop has some useful tips on how to start and grow a successful business.

Here is a rundown on the management traits these solid-gold brands used to get their startups off the ground, and to keep driving their companies forward.

From When Core Values Are Strategic: How the Business Values of Procter and Gamble Transformed Leadership at Fortune 500 Companies, by Rick Tocquigny, who chairs the P and G Alumni Network, a high-powered former P and G execs who went on to lead other top companies:

Instead of hiring people with fancy resumes, hire people who fit your culture and are teachable.
Build a strong brand and do not change it.
Focus all your products on the consumer by studying and listening to customers and innovating accordingly.

From Inside Apple: How Americas Most Admired, And Secretive, Company Really Works by longtime Fortune editor Adam Lashinsky:

Appoint a DRI, or Directly Responsible Individual, for every task.
Create a confrontational workplace culture where workers feel free to challenge others opinions.
Have a system of secrecy that builds excitement and a sense of ownership from launching projects in an outbuilding that flies a pirate flag to erecting walls around off-limits lockdown rooms.

From Taking People With You: The Only Way to Make BIG Things Happen by David Novak, chairman and CEO of Yum! Brands, which owns KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut:

Create a recognition culture. Novak was once horrified to find a 30-year company executive who only heard how great people thought his contributions were a few weeks before his retirement. Now, Yum! managers all over the world give out unique recognition awards, from miniature Taj Mahal statues to rubber chickens.
To lead people and achieve big goals, ask three questions: What is the single biggest thing you can imagine that will grow your business or change your life? Who do you need to affect, influence or take with you to be successful? What prescriptions, habits or beliefs of this target audience do you need to build, change or reinforce to reach your goal?

From By Invitation Only: How We Built Gilt and Changed How Millions of People Shop by two of the co-founders, Alexis Maybank and Alexandra Wilkis Wilson:

When you build strong relationships with your management team before you launch, it makes it easier to execute on your vision. Execution is more important than the idea.

Community
And here is some community information for people who think outside the box. You will gain valuable information on a work at home business.

A work at home community for people wanting to find out more information on starting their own work at home business.

Posted by
Terry L. Allison, Sr., #13134349 1 Star
Independent TriVita Affiliate Member
Skype: allisonmarketinggroup
Phone: 859-858-9246
Creator of Tomorrows Home Business Social Community

24. Work at Home

Work at Home

Hitting the Road and Taking the Business with You
Original article at Entrepreneur
By Patrick J. Kiger

Back in the day, The Who did a song, Going Mobile, about the joys of jettisoning an old life and hitting the road as a carefree, air-conditioned gypsy. Fiftysomething photographer Fran Reisner actually has had the nerve to give the mobile lifestyle a try.

Last year, the former Dallas resident, author of a 2011 book of whimsical canine portraiture, The Dogs of Central Park, decided to simplify her life after her daughter left for college. Reisner sold her home, got rid of most of her possessions, and took her business on the road. She brought along her two dogs and only what she could fit in a Winnebago.

Reisner filled me in on what shes discovered about living and running a business on the go.

SA: How has your experience been so far?
FR: The experience has been amazing. I do not miss my home or things. What I feel is free, unburdened and excited about each new day. Where my life was once so pre-designed and controlled by me (to some extent, it did not always work out as planned) I am now living with blind faith that the road will open itself up to me. Other than a few projects I am working on, such as The Mountain Dogs of Colorado, which has me in Colorado right now, I am happy not knowing whats around the next bend in the road. The mystery makes it exciting for me.

SA:What actually is involved in this sort of switch to a mobile lifestyle?
FR: There was nothing simple about downsizing. Nothing! It was a grueling process in all honesty, and I did it in seven weeks time. I purged 4,300 square feet worth of home and studio, a lifetimes collection of things. What I have left is either with me or tucked in a 10-foot-by-10-foot storage space. People asked me many times during the process if it was difficult to let go of my treasures. My answer was always the same. It is just stuff. I would resigned myself to this understanding long before going through the process. I began to look at those things as an anchor in my life. Without them I am free and unburdened. It was not a pre-designed plan, but well thought out and handled in a very focused and organized fashion when the time came. Every hour of every day for seven weeks was lived out with sheer grit and determination, but then I have had a lifetime of practice of doing just that to a lesser degree.

SA: How did the financial aspect of it work out?
FR: I have made it a life-long goal to live as debt-free as possible and managed to keep it that way. My mortgage being my only real ongoing debt, and I was fortunate to have equity there. When the economy grabbed us all by the throats, and as I began the process of shutting down my business and had less income, I resisted the option of borrowing on that equity. Instead, I hunkered down and lived the last few years like a college kid, very lean. That does not mean I am retired by any means. I have a daughter to get through college and many years of living ahead of me. I am focusing on several projects right now that I believe will pan out. I am a determined and resourceful gal, and I trust that my efforts will generate income. I do not need much to live a happy and content life. That is one of the advantages of living a simpler life.

SA: Do you have a business plan for continuing your career on the road?
FR: Most of my business over the last 20 years was shooting custom portraits on commission, and I am still doing that. People can contact me and we will set something up when I am headed their way. I am also working on an online gallery of the art I am creating as I travel. In addition, I am working on more books in my dog series.

SA: What did you actually keep and bring along with you, in addition to your photography equipment, that is?
FR: I kept the basics, and in all honestly, still more than I need. I am unloading things as I go. It was hard to say what and how much I would need. I am learning as I go. It was kind of like packing for a really long trip. Clothing, toiletries, linens, dishes, tools, a couple of lawn chairs. The toughest part was office stuff. I had no idea what I would need, but I had to assume I would need at least the basics. I took my laptop and some backup drives, and ditched my big printer and bought a smaller one.

SA: How do you stay organized?
FR: This, I have to admit, has been a struggle for me. It was my habit to lay things out in an orderly way, lined up in order of priority. My bills to be paid in a file in my desk drawer. My folders of projects hanging next to me on the wall. My file cabinet (BIG) in the closet behind me. My stapler and tape and adding machine in front of me, and pens and highlighters and markers in the drawer. My printer on a shelf above my computer. Paper and notepads close at hand. Lack of that space is still taking some getting used to, but what makes officing most difficult is that I cannot leave things laying out while driving down the road. If I do, they are guaranteed to end up in a heap on the floor. I know this from experience.

SA: To what extent do you plan your itinerary, and to what extent is serendipity involved?
FR: So far most of my travel has been a meandering path to places I knew I wanted to see, or people I wanted to spend time with, family and old friends. The joy is not only in seeing those people and places, but everything in between. It is a beautiful world out there! Some of it is planned, though. I knew I wanted to be in Colorado in the winter to work on my book, and as time (and I) drew near, I did have to do some planning, the exact itinerary coming together only days in advance of my next destination here. Interestingly, I am traveling Colorado by car. I left my RV in Arizona, winterized just in case of a deep freeze while I am away. Since I am here for at least three weeks, and not knowing what weather I might encounter, it seemed smarter to travel in my all-wheel-drive Honda through the mountains in the dead of winter. Now, much of the planning is finding pet-friendly accommodations as I go, and I am changing locales every few days.

SA: Are there tools, innovations, technological advances, etc., that make this sort of lifestyle change more feasible than in the past?
FR: Do not get me started on technology. I think all of our lives would be much simpler without it. That said, we are here in the age of technology, and the path I have chosen and goals I have set would be very difficult without it. I shoot digital. I communicate via email. I now bank online. (My mail lags WAY behind me.) I blog. I use a GPS to keep myself going down the right road. (It would be hard to do this solo with a folded paper map while driving 52 feet of metal down the highways, where there is often no place to pull over.)

The biggest frustration is lack of consistent internet connection. Most RV parks have free WiFi, but it is often weak at best. I have a little personal WiFi device, but my plan is not inexpensive, and the data (upload and download) is limited. Since photographic images are big and take up a lot of bandwidth, I try to find a good free connection for blogging and such. This is almost always a source of frustration for me.

SA: What advice would you give to someone else contemplating becoming a modern nomad?
FR: This life is certainly not for everyone, and driving a big RV would not be for the weak of heart, but I hear a resounding choir singing I would love to do what you are doing! I am very happy with my decision. But I would not necessarily recommend jumping off the high dive, as I did, as the best way to start. If you have never owned or traveled in an RV, try renting one first and taking it on a long road trip. There is more to this life than meets the eye, and it is not all glamorous. For example, every time you stop [at an RV park], you have got to hook up the electricity, water and sewer lines, and then go through the reverse process when you leave. Campsites and fuel are not cheap, and then there are the regular maintenance costs for the vehicle, which can get costly. I think a good long test drive would be like wearing a life jacket when taking that first leap into the water. Probably the smart thing to do.

SA: Is there anything you miss about your old lifestyle?
FR: I miss being closer to my daughter (although I still see her every few months), and I miss my close friends. Other than that, no... not really. I have all the memories I can carry along with me. The rest was just stuff.

Community
And here is some community information for people who think outside the box. You will gain valuable information on a work at home business.

A work at home community for people wanting to find out more information on starting their own work at home business.

Posted by
Terry L. Allison, Sr., #13134349 1 Star
Independent TriVita Affiliate Member
Skype: allisonmarketinggroup
Phone: 859-858-9246
Creator of Tomorrows Home Business Social Community

25. Work at Home

Work at Home

12 Leadership Traits You Need to Thrive in Tough Times
Original article at Entrepreneur
By Carol Tice

Trying to grow your business in this sluggish economy is a little like trying to swim through Jell-O. Ineffective or uncertain leaders definitely need not apply.

So what does it take to lead a small business through this ongoing economic mess? The blogosphere is humming with ideas lately. Here's a roundup of the important traits for entrepreneurs in 2012:

1. Listen. Tune in to what workers and customers are saying, and you will find great ideas for how to move forward.

2. Give credit. Workers love leaders who acknowledge their ideas.

3. Be yourself. In our age of sound bites and phony smiles, tell your story honestly. It is rare and refreshing, and makes workers feel like they know you, and want to help you succeed.

4. Communicate. So much company dysfunction can be prevented with clear communication. Otherwise, workers are in the dark. And soon, they will not care.

5. Do not be trendy. Avoid the strategy du jour problem. Choose a course and stick to it.

6. Beat anxiety. Stop worrying and turn your negative emotions of regret, fear, and sadness, into teachers that help shape your character.

7. Be service-oriented. Leaders can be sort of self-involved, forgetting that they are in a position of leadership. To serve customers, shareholders and workers stay focused on others.

8. Be accountable. Define the results you want, and acknowledge when a screw-up is your fault.

9. Use empathy. Demographic changes have foisted more and more women into the workplace. Make sure your communication and leadership style is a fit for todays workforce.

10. Share the big picture. If your workers do not know the companys overall goals, it can be hard for them to solve problems. That leaves you having to micromanage every problem instead of being able to delegate and offer guidance.

11. Keep your cool. The days when being a screamer worked are long gone. If workers are worried about whether you are in a good mood today or not, little gets done.

12. Think like an immigrant. When you arrive on new shores, you often see the business world with fresh eyes. Use your unique perspective to spot opportunities others are missing.

Community
And here is some community information for people who think outside the box. You will gain valuable information on a work at home business.

A work at home community for people wanting to find out more information on starting their own work at home business.

Posted by
Terry L. Allison, Sr., #13134349 1 Star
Independent TriVita Affiliate Member
Skype: allisonmarketinggroup
Phone: 859-858-9246
Creator of Tomorrows Home Business Social Community

26. Work at Home

Work at Home

Could Your Business Survive Without You?
Original article at Entrepreneur
By Joanna L. Krotz

We had a perfect storm, says John Nida, remembering the night of December 31, 2008.

As general manager of Wölffer Estate, a boutique vineyard and riding stable business set on 175 picturesque acres in the elite Hamptons on Long Island, New York, Nida was already feeling the effects of that falls financial panic. Then, on New Years Eve, he got the news that the visionary founder, 70-year-old Christian Wölffer, had suffered a fatal accident while vacationing in Brazil. It was a shock, says Nida, now 45. Christian lived larger than life. He was amazing and talented.

Wölffer, a German-born venture capitalist and real estate investor, had the foresight in 1979 to snap up 14 acres of potato fields in the sleepy village of Sagaponack. Nowadays, Sagaponack, which is often called the most expensive ZIP code in the country, welcomes multimillionaires like Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein, TV personality Jimmy Fallon and piano man Billy Joel.

Over the decades, Wölffer expanded the farm into a 55-acre award-winning winery and 100-acre equestrian facility. Yet he had to consistently pump in money to keep the enterprises afloat. By 2006, he decided Wölffer Estate had to become self-sustaining.

It was a financial decision divorced from any real exit plan. But it ended up saving the business when he suddenly died two years later. Ironically, as the new year dawned, Wölffer Estate was already on track toward a brighter future.

Running a business versus supporting a hobby
John Nida joined Wölffer Estate with scant knowledge of wine or thoroughbreds. An Arizona native, schooled at Shorter University outside Atlanta, his resume emphasized corporate finances. In 2006, as an independent asset manager, he took on a two-month review of Wölffers far-flung global investments. The two connected. To Nidas astonishment, Wölffer asked him to stay on as general manager. I love a challenge, says Nida, and took the plunge.

It was a very different business when I came into it, he says. It came out of Christians passion for horses and wine, so it was very intimately run, really as a hobby. He knew it was not working properly, but he traveled a lot. He wanted someone with business aptitude to run it, someone he could trust.

After three months of digesting the business, its assets, market drivers, key people, product, customers, Nida drafted plans for short- and long-term strategies. He got Wölffers buy-in and began making changes. The kicker was that Wölffer would not invest one more dime. All changes had to be self-funding.

The biggest thing to shore up was human resources, says Nida. Self-admittedly, Christian was not a people person and did not like day-to-day operations. Nida made key hires for professional sales and marketing. To elevate the brand, he boldly pared the product line, focusing on high-quality wines and redesigning the labels.

He also embraced the Hamptons. Our tag line for years has been, Be part of the experience, says Nida. The winery offers year-round tastings, music and charity events, a wine club for top-tier customers, and its Tuscany-style tasting room to rent for private parties and weddings. Nowadays, the winery and a lucrative summer roadside stand are destinations for tourists and residents alike.

Harvesting success
It was fortunate that I stepped into the role before the crisis hit, says Nida, referring to Wölffers sudden death. By then, the strategic plan and development team were established. Facing the double shock of losing the founder and dealing with a recession, Nida says, We did not overreact and we did not get overwhelmed. We had been steadily moving forward. We were confident that we had the right products and people in place.

The proof is in the impressive bouquet: Since 2006, Nida has more than doubled sales, from 12,000 to 25,000 wine cases. Since 2008, revenue has jumped 49 percent, fueling an increase in profits of 52 percent. We are just about beyond 100 percent capacity, says Nida. Wölffers grown children inherited the business and Nida continues as general manager. Looking ahead, he envisions growth by acquisition to expand production and burnish the brand.

Planning your exit strategy
Of course you are irreplaceable. But sticking your head in the sand about an exit plan could be ruinous. A recent LegalZoom survey, conducted by Zoomerang, found that a staggering 75 percent of small-business owners have no formal succession plan. To start shaping a strategy, consider the Wölffer Estate lessons and this advice:

Start your exit engine. Boomer owners will be hitting their 70s over the next decade and starting to retire, points out Gary Curtis at accounting firm Haskell & White in Irvine, California. An estimated 8 million boomer-owned businesses could go on the block within a short window of time, pulling down prices. So begin planning now, whether the exit will be through acquisition, a merger, a new partnership, an asset sale, liquidation, an IPO or handing off to a successor.

Consider emotional issues before financial ones. You are in denial if you think this is only about money. Separate personal and business goals, and be clear about what you want. Plus, says Don Troy at accounting firm DiCicco, Gulman and Company, based in Woburn, Massachusetts, some business owners try to force the next generation into the business even when there is no interest or when the children do not have the required level of competence to succeed."

Call the pros. You need a professional appraiser to put a price on the company. It is a tricky business because there are many ways of determining the value of your business, says Ross Kimbarovsky, co-founder of crowdSPRING and an intellectual-property lawyer. If your exit strategy is to sell your business before your die, a business broker or investment banker will negotiate better than you can. Tax lawyers, accountants and estate planners can identify waste, maximize cash flow and minimize tax liabilities to ready the company for sale or valuation.

Stop thinking it is 2007. Multiples and returns are definitely lower and buyers are not willing to pay, says Curtis. Financing is tight. Calibrate your expectations to the new normal.

Community
And here is some community information for people who think outside the box. You will gain valuable information on a work at home business.

A work at home community for people wanting to find out more information on starting their own work at home business.

Posted by
Terry L. Allison, Sr., #13134349 1 Star
Independent TriVita Affiliate Member
Skype: allisonmarketinggroup
Phone: 859-858-9246
Creator of Tomorrows Home Business Social Community

27. Work at Home

Work at Home

Seven Business Goals of Social Media, and How to Get Started
Jason Falls, CEO of Social Media Explorer, explains how business owners can take a strategic approach to social media marketing.
Original article at Entrepreneur
By Teri Evans

Many business owners become overwhelmed when attempting to figure out how to use social media to grow their business. But they do not have to, according to Jason Falls, author and CEO of Louisville, Kentucky-based Social Media Explorer, a social media marketing, digital marketing and public relations consulting service.

In order to understand what you want to accomplish with social media, you first have to understand what is possible, Falls says. He encourages entrepreneurs to first identify one or more of these seven business goals for social media before even getting started:

1: Enhancing Brand Awareness
2: Protecting Your Reputation
3: Enhancing Your Public Relations
4: Extending Your Customer Service
5: Building a Community of Advocates
6: Facilitating Research and Development
7: Driving Sales and Leads

Falls shares examples of strategies business owners can use to achieve their social media goals.

It is not always about dollars. I think that is something people get caught up on when they start using social media, Falls says. They are like, Okay, I have got a Facebook page, a Twitter account and a blog, so where is the money? Well, you have got to figure out what you want to use social media for strategically and approach it like you would any other business (initiative).

And here is some community information for people who think outside the box. You will gain valuable information on a work at home business.

A work at home communty for people wanting to find out more information on starting their own work at home business.

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Skype: allisonmarketinggroup
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28. Work at Home

Work at Home

How to Redefine Your Business in a New Market
Original article at Entrepreneur
By Jane Porter

What happens if you get your market research wrong and sales do not take off?

You do not have to call it quits, but it is clearly time to consider a new customer focus, and fast. You cannot just say, If we build it, they will come, says Kevin Daum, author of Roar! Get Heard in The Sales and Marketing Jungle (Wiley, 2010). You have got to go where the business is.

Here are three ways entrepreneurs have refocused their companies to jumpstart their businesses, and you can, too.

Number 1. Change the focus of your service. When Greg Muender was a junior in college, he founded TicketKick, a San Diego-based company that helped contest speeding tickets for California drivers. Back then, in 2008, he thought pinpointing his core market, college-age men, was a no-brainer, given their high number of speeding tickets. In those early days, Muenders customers came almost entirely by word-of-mouth, and business was slow.

But about a year after starting TicketKick, Muender got a call from a driver who had received a ticket in the mail showing that a camera had caught him running a red light. Muender did not know what to do for the customer, but he could not afford to lose the business. As he looked into the matter, he found that most drivers were stumped when it came to disputing red light tickets based on camera surveillance.

So many people are online researching a red light camera ticket, Muender says. A lot of people do not even know those exist. Recognizing the vast market potential, he developed a strategy for disputing such tickets, using previous traffic court cases and analyzing photos for discrepancies. He revamped his website to change the primary focus from speeders to red-light runners caught on camera and scrapped plans to run ads in fast-car blogs and magazines. The calls started pouring in. We were seeing everything from 18-year-old males to grandmas, he says.

With TicketKicks new focus, revenue more than doubled to $815,000 last year. Now, the work we do really gets us traction, says Muender of his eight-person company. We are not just spinning our wheels.

Number 2. Shift your geographic target. When Nick Blitterswyk and his partner started developing the technology for their wind turbine manufacturing company, Urban Green Energy, in 2008, they had a specific market in mind: U.S. urban areas like Manhattan. They designed their turbines to look attractive, make little noise and perform well in low wind speed conditions.

A year later, when the first sale came in from a university in Australia, the partners were shocked. International business had never been on Blitterswyks radar. He thought that sale might be a fluke, but when orders followed from Lebanon and Aruba, he realized he probably was wrong about his core market. The turbines were particularly popular in emerging markets where cell phone towers are largely diesel-operated. The companys low-vibration design means its wind turbines can be used as a cheaper alternative to diesel energy without disturbing tower signals.

Realizing he had been focusing on too narrow a market, Blitterswyk turned his attention to drumming up international business. He opened a Bejing office, designed multilingual ads and webpages, and established partnerships with distributors in 60 countries.

Today, Blitterswyks China office and factory employ 110 people, nearly four times more than his New York headquarters, and he is hiring more multilingual people. The international focus is paying off. Sales tripled to $5 million in 2011, with 70 percent coming from outside the United States.

Number 3. Reach the right age group. When Matt Griffin invented a novelty brownie pan and started Bakers Edge in Carmel, Indiana, in 2005, he assumed he would be selling mostly to women age 35 to 50. His pan contained three extra walls so that each brownie had at least two corner edges. But concerned that few people would share his love for brownie edges, Griffin second-guessed himself and played up the variety of foods his pan could be used for, such as lasagna and cookies. Despite the broader focus, early sales were sluggish.

About a year later, at a hobby and gift show in Indianapolis, Griffin noticed that the few customers stopping by his booth were far younger and trendier than he had expected. They did not care about the versatility of the product. What they loved, like Griffin, were corner brownies. The next day after he printed new signs with a new name, Edge Brownie Pan, people lined up to buy.

Griffin kept the new name and contacted retailers like ThinkGeek.com and U.K.-based Firebox.com, which sell to a hipster audience. Sales grew from $68,000 in 2005 to $1.25 million last year. We boiled down the essence of the product to something that is easily understood even by its name as opposed to having a very generic sounding product, he says. It is more important to have a singular strong message that is focused toward a specific group of people. You stand a better chance of gaining momentum.

And here is some community information for people who think outside the box. You will gain valuable information on a work at home business.

A work at home communty for people wanting to find out more information on starting their own work at home business.

Posted by
Terry L. Allison, Sr., #13134349 1 Star
Independent TriVita Affiliate Member
Skype: allisonmarketinggroup
Phone: 859-858-9246
Creator of Tomorrows Home Business Social Community

29. Work at Home

Work at Home

What Project Runway Can Teach You About Business
Original article at Entrpreneur
By Carol Tice

Entrepreneurs often start a business so they can work at what they love. But here is the rub: Business success usually comes from a focus on pleasing the customer, not pursuing your own bliss.

Two talented fashion designers learned this lesson the hard way on Lifetime networks new season of Project Runway All Stars. Here is what happened:

First, an assignment to design a cocktail dress for the Muppets Miss Piggy to use promoting her new movie went awry for Mila Hermanovski. She designed a mod, 1960s-themed black-and-white dress, because, as she says: That is my aesthetic.

The problem? Miss Piggy is more of a colorful personality. Also, runway gowns usually use eye-catching hues rather than black or white. Color works better in fashion magazine layouts, so a colorful dress gets the star more press.

Hermanovski was true to her aesthetic...but she failed to meet her client's needs. The gown was what she wanted to do, not what would work best for Miss Piggy. In the end, she remained in the competition, but just barely.

Apparently her fellow competitor Anthony Williams was not paying attention to his client either, as he had a similar flub in last weeks episode. The assignment was to make a fashion-forward look using at least 50 percent of the clothing the designers purchased off New Yorkers they saw on the street. Williams put together a kicky ensemble, but only a small fraction of the fabric came from his man-on-the-street donors.

In the view of the judges, also the designers customer, in this case, he failed to fulfill the commission. So despite his popularity with viewers, he was out.

It was a little surprising to see two designers in quick succession make this basic flub, taking their focus off the customer. After all, this is the All Stars show. All of these designers know their stuff and were previous Project Runway contestants.

But when they followed their own ideas instead of staying focused on what the customer wants, they were shown the door. It is always a tricky line to walk, as customers often come to you because they like your style. Even so, if you do not listen carefully to what those customers want, you can end up with no sale.

How does your business balance your passion with pleasing customers?

And here is some community information for people who think outside the box. You will gain valuable information on a work at home business.

A work at home communty for people wanting to find out more information on starting their own work at home business.

Posted by
Terry L. Allison, Sr., #13134349 1 Star
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Skype: allisonmarketinggroup
Phone: 859-858-9246
Creator of Tomorrows Home Business Social Community

30. Work at Home

Work at Home

Whether you agree with the gaming industry or not, there are some lessons to be learned about business in the following article. A person can take this advice and apply it to a traditional or an internet work at home business.

Moshi Monsters and the Mistake That Launched the Multimillion-Dollar Business
Original article at Entrepreneur
By Jason Fell

You have probably harvested crops on Farmville. You have almost certainly bruised up some pigs playing Angry Birds. But have you heard of Moshi Monsters? It is one of the biggest and fastest-growing online games for kids in the U.K. and is poised to hit it big in the U.S.

Moshi Monsters is the brainchild of Michael Acton Smith, the 37-year-old founder of Shoreditch, England-based entertainment company Mind Candy. Started in 2008, Moshi Monsters is a childrens game with a social networking element that allows users to adopt and care for their own pet monsters in a virtual world. Users pay a $6 monthly fee to play the game.

By February 2011, the site had amassed 35 million users worldwide. That number jumped to 50 million users last June.

With about 100 employees and a product line that now includes Moshi-branded toys, a magazine and Moshi TV, Mind Candy is aiming for monster growth. Last year, the company says it generated more than $100 million in gross sales on all Moshi Monsters-related products.

But Smith, who had previously co-founded a popular online retail site called Firebox.com, did not have the smoothest of entries into the competitive childrens entertainment industry. In 2005, Mind Candy first launched an online scavenger hunt game called Perplex City. But despite early acclaim, the game had a meager 50,000 paying users after two years, and Mind Candy burned through $9 million of the $10 million Smith had raised in startup funds.

On the brink of going out of business, Smith used the $1 million he had left and the lessons he had learned from the failure of Perplex City to create Moshi Monsters. Here, Smith shares three of the biggest lessons that helped him build a multimillion dollar business:

1. Hire slow and fire fast.
When developing Perplex City, Smith says he made the mistake of hiring friends, and friends of friends, instead of seeking the most qualified people who would mesh well with the company. He was also too slow about replacing those lackluster employees.

Before I knew it, I had a company full of people who did not know what they were doing, Smith says. If you do not take your time and find amazing people, it can be hard to execute on your amazing ideas.

2. Do not believe the hype.
With Perplex City winning awards and generating lots of buzz, Smith says he and his team focused too much on all the accolades instead of growing the business.

We were told that we were the future of the entertainment industry and unfortunately got carried away with all the hype, he says. I ignored the fundamentals of the business and basked in the spotlight of the attention.

3. Listen to your gut instinct.
It got to the point, with Perplex City, that I would wake up at 4 a.m. every morning and just lie there thinking, what is going on? Smith recalls. I did not enjoy going to work. Nothing about it felt right.

Smith knew that Perplex City was not going to survive, but did not act fast enough to save it. If you do not think something is working, it is the job of the entrepreneur to stop and make critical changes, he says.

And here is some community information for people who think outside the box. You will gain valuable information on a work at home business.

A work at home communty for people wanting to find out more information on starting their own work at home business.

Posted by
Terry L. Allison, Sr., #13134349 1 Star
Independent TriVita Affiliate Member
Skype: allisonmarketinggroup
Phone: 859-858-9246
Creator of Tomorrows Home Business Social Community

31. Work at Home

Work at Home

Five Tips for Retooling Your Business
Original article at Entrepreneur
BY Donald Todrin

As a business debt solutions provider, I am finding that there are many entrepreneurs whose companies survived the recession, but are still struggling to make the bottom line.

They never turned to the real solution, which is management by the numbers, not by the heart or gut.

Maybe you used to give your customers 60 days to pay you, or paid a noisy creditor right away because you felt bad you could not pay. But you do not have that luxury any more.

You can no longer afford to be sentimental. Revenues are down, competition is fierce and thus profit is reduced. The business has been in a car wreck and needs some serious triage. It is time to get smart.

Here are some steps you can take to retool your business post-recession:

Stop being a bank for your customers. Cash is king. That means very short-term or no term payment rules for customers. In other words, give them only a few days to pay you. You can accomplish this, too, if you are an important supplier adding value. If you are not important or valuable to your customers, you better change that, quickly. Otherwise, you are floating a loan to your customers, be it for 30 or 60 or 75 days.

Start collecting. If you have not already, make sure you have a collection strategy and an employee dedicated to manage it. I have seen collections nearly double for businesses that put in place a consistent collection process. No matter what you decide on how to collect, base your policies on the principle of clients keeping their word, even if their word ends up changing. Basically, be easier on the businesses that are up front about what they can do, versus the ones that lie to you. Have them make a payment commitment and hold them accountable for keeping their word.

Prioritize your paying. On the other side of the equation, make sure you are paying the most important vendor first, such as your landlord and the Internal Revenue Service, and not less important vendors that complain the most, such as a bank that is provided a secure loan. (The bank is more likely to work with you if you do not pay.) I often advise small-business owners to write all the checks they need to pay for the month, making a pile for each week. They should wait until Friday, then send out checks in order of importance until the cash for the week runs out. Any checks left over go into the pile for next month. This way, you always pay the highest priority first.

Get rid of inventory. I find that businesses often tie up way too much cash in inventory, and this is not a good practice. Sure, you might miss a potential sale occasionally because you are out of stock of something, but that is better than missing a rent payment because you do not have the cash. I once remember a client who literally had tears in his eyes when he liquidated $1 million-worth of component parts for $125,000, but the move saved the company.

Add value. Figure out meaningful ways to add value to the products or services you are providing. Adding value allows you to mark up higher and be more profitable. The name of the game is figuring out ways to be special. That included extended guaranties, customer education, intense service, knowledgeable sales people and customized delivery. Most important, define your niche and exploit it. Do not be everything to everybody. Be profitable by adding value. Providing excellent service is an important area to look at when it comes to adding value.

Make the Web a money-generator. Is the website wasting your money, versus generating sales for you? It is time to really grasp the Internet, especially social networking. That means dedicating time to create an online community of customers and potential customers using Facebook, Twitter, video, blogging and on and on. Turn to Google AdWords, too, and get smart about your website analytics. Maybe you do this, or maybe you recruit a local college student to do it. But do it.

Think outside your history. The Great Recession permanently changed the U.S. economy. If the business is not performing well, you need to ignore what you were and reconsider what you want to be. Experiment changing everything, and see what works. Manufacture or import, use brokers or salespeople, sell direct through the Internet or open stores, distribute or not. Find your niche, your specialty, your unique opportunity. Reinvent yourself and focus on boosting profitability, instead of gross revenues.

Also, do not be afraid to also cut your losses if debt is too high. Do the workout and save the business. Get rid of debt and negotiate a sharp reduction of the personal guarantee with your lenders. Managing impossible debt service is a slow boat to self-destruction.

And here is some community information for people who think outside the box. You will gain valuable information on a work at home business.

A work at home communty for people wanting to find out more information on starting their own work at home business.

Posted by
Terry L. Allison, Sr., #13134349 1 Star
Independent TriVita Affiliate Member
Skype: allisonmarketinggroup
Phone: 859-858-9246
Creator of Tomorrows Home Business Social Community

32. Veretekk Gold System

02.09.2012

Veretekk Gold System

Click the Image Below to View the Video!

The Veretekk Gold System is the quintessential example of the merging of singularities. What this means is this. Certainly, one can go out and purchase an autoresponder system. One can purchase a lead generation package, or perhaps even buy expensive, and non-producing leads. One can go and find a web conferencing system, and yes, even buy hosting from services on the Internet. Buying a software package that does the work for creating compelling lead capture pages can be purchased for a modest price. Literally ALL the systems that Veretekk offers, can be found elsewhere, but NOWHERE can one find them ALL under one system!

Veretekk is the complete and total CMS (content management system) that enables people to advertise their business, any business, very effectively on the search engines in 2012.

Veretekk, in operation since 1996, has evolved, with Tom Prendergast, the CEO and Founder, working alongside Mike Darling, the President of Veretekk, to produce Veretekk to the level of competency that no other system can come close today today, called Veretekk.

Loyal and motivated Veretekk Gold Subscribers come together and are taught the essentials of marketing, advertising, research and the significant how tos of Veretekk in daily online meetings, and one weekly conference to talked about the up and coming features and system reports that all can benefit from attending. Veretekk, at the Gold System Level costs only $54/95 per day! For as little as $$1.84 per day, anyone can come and subscribe and being advertising their business using the powerful assets found within the Veretekk Gold.

Even though there is a Silver Level Subscription, that will in now way allow the proper promoting of a business. Without upgrading, and fully developing a habitual ritual of implementing specific information on a daily basis, no forward motion can be seen.

Just a few of the more exclusive parts of the Veretekk Gold System will be found below.

Lead Generation:

With scores of unique Traffic Portals, you are assured of attaining the best, unique, exclusive lead data. Your exclusive leads mean they are looking forward to your call. Or, you can easily transfer individual, groups or all your leads to other Veretekk subscribers that are in your downline. This can virtually create a tsunami of downline success never attainable before.

Verification:

All data, traffic and search engine rankings for each Traffic Portal is fully verified and verifiable. Never wonder if your ads are pulling, if your email is effective, if your data is accurate. The systems fully account for every action you take inside the system or on other sites, you control the reports.

Traffic Initiation:

Once you activate the full portfolio of marketing and promotion tools for each portal, the traffic and leads start rolling in. Just push a few buttons and your on your way. That easy!

Link Integration:

Easily link up to 10 other sites, promotional services, banner exchanges, etc. with a few pull down menus and a couple of buttons to push. One of the scores of systems that pour traffic and leads into your system with every conceivable marketing and advertising system on the Internet. All of your portals are fully integration automated.

Custom Configuration:

Each one of your Traffic Portals has it's own unique domain name. You can also edit the Title, Meta tags, Hidden copy and text, links, photos and look of each one of your portals. You can also setup each portal to have a different set of sequential autoresponders that start mailing when the lead verifies their email address. This system fully integrates with Inetekk's Veretap systems too. This means, Veretap subscribers can automatically choose to have their leads automatically enrolled into Veretap's tap root automated recruiting systems.

There are just few reasons to consider subscribing to the most powerful advertising system found on the Internet today! For all Gold Veretekk Subscribers, this content and accompanying text, is fully able to be distributed to your respective team members.

Terry Allison
Internet Marketing by Terry Allison
Veretekk Trainer

33. Work at Home

Work at Home

Every night on the news, the media is so arguementative about where our economy stands and which way it is going. In most cases, the news is very dreary on the economy and why lies in store for us. I do not know about you, but I really get tired of hearing that crap. We can not rely on another institution, especially our government to look out for our best interest. People need start having the same entrepreneurial spirit that our country was founded on. The following article is politics makes a mess of the issue of economics, and the media adds to the confusion. At the end of the article, there is a place to go to start making a change to your situation.

Why Can't Mainstream Media Connect the Economic Dots?
By Bill Frezza
February 6, 2012

Politicians and journalists sure seem to believe that voters have the attention span and reasoning ability of a two-year old. Convinced that we are unable to hold multiple concepts in our minds long enough to judge how they fit together, you can count on being barraged with disconnected appeals to raw emotions.

Nowhere is this more apparent than in the way Washington concocts its complex tax and regulatory policies, and in the media's childish analysis. As dumb as they think we are, do politicians really believe that they are smart enough to fine tune the economy, counting on their media enablers to justify ham-handed interventions through sound-bite politics?

Consider the balance between capital and labor.

Every day, corporations evaluate investment alternatives that make tradeoffs between man and machine. Do we put more workers on a second shift or buy capacity-boosting equipment to increase the output of our existing workforce? Do we hire more people to bring a part of our supply chain in-house or invest in software to monitor suppliers product quality and delivery performance? Do we risk entering a market dominated by legacy providers burdened with expensive union workforces, investing in a modern new factory in a right-to-work state, or instead play it safe and just hire more salesmen to increase market share in our existing business? Do we bet on an increase in demand by building up inventories, stockpile cash for a rainy day, pay the cash out in dividends to shareholders, or hire more lobbyists?

Unless Washington succeeds in leading us into Mussolini-style public-private fascism, corporations will always have choices that politicians cannot control. Policy makers can try to lure them in one direction or another, but most company managers are perfectly capable of holding multiple concepts in their minds to judge how best to pursue their interests over the long term.

For example, government policies that make employees more expensive artificially tip the balance away from hiring and toward investment in technology and capital equipment. This allows corporations to get more output from fewer of people. Yet in the name of helping the working man and with the applause of the media, Washington continually lards on mandated employee benefits, such as Obamacare, and other onerous employment regulations that do exactly that.

Low-tech service businesses that rely on unskilled labor offer inexperienced young workers, including those with little formal education, their first step into the world of employment. Raising the minimum wage prices the most vulnerable out of that job market, hurting the very people the sound-bites claim to be helping. Yet even Mitt Romney has fallen into that trap, proposing that the minimum wage be automically adjusted for inflation. With this kind of help youth unemployment will soon approach that in Europe.

Recent reports indicate the same kinds of distortions emanating from tax policy. Although the U.S. has one of the highest statutory corporate tax rates in the developed world, currently at 35 percent, few corporations actually pay that rate. In fact, total corporate federal taxes in fiscal 2011 reportedly fell to 12.1 percent of U.S. earned profits. How can this be?

Look no further than the congressional sausage factory. With broad bipartisan support, a temporary bonus depreciation tax cut was enacted that allowed companies to write off investments in capital equipment in one year, rather than depreciating it over the life of the equipment. Unsurprisingly, this lured cash off of balance sheets, helped to barely inch GDP growth into the positive numbers, and was very popular with the business community.

But no one knows whether this burst of capital investment will produce the best outcome for the economy over the long run-whatever that means, and to whom. The politicians that passed the law certainly do not. We can be sure, though, that their complex machinations produced a different outcome than if they simply reduced the corporate tax rate to a more internationally competitive level, say 15 percent, while eliminating all loopholes and special deductions, allowing the market to guide decisions on how to allocate resources. Doing so would incidentally increase total corporate tax revenues, an outcome you think would appeal to a government constantly in arrears. But what politician has the courage to stand up to the sound-bite attacks that would surely follow a call to reduce tax rates on greedy corporations?

OK, so courage is in as short a supply as brains in Congress. Yet while howling about unemployment, how can politicians justify a higher overall tax rate, coupled with special bonus depreciation and other write-off goodies, over tax simplification, even though this tilts the playing field against labor? Of course, getting out of the way means vastly reducing the incentives that generate campaign contributions, a horrifying thought for most members of Congress.

Politicians may be right that voters do not have the attention span to figure this out, and the media analysts who are supposed to inform them are largely to blame. After all, look at the tempest kicked up last week when most analysts reporting on Mitt Romneys, I do not care about the really poor, gaffe could not even get to the end of a paragraph to make a judgment. Given the idiotic commentary this remark generated, how can we rely on media pundits to examine multiple tax and regulatory policies through the lens of their actual outcomes, rather than their emotional tenor? Is it any wonder voters are misinformed?
Bill Frezza is a fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, and a Boston-based venture capitalist. He can be reached at bill@vereverus.com. If you would like to subscribe to his weekly column, drop a note to publisher@vereverus.com or follow him on Twitter @BillFrezza.

And here is the community information that I promised, so you can gain valuable information on a work at home business.

A work at home communty for people wanting to find out more information on starting their own work at home business.

Re-Posted by
Terry L. Allison, Sr., #13134349 1 Star
Independent TriVita Affiliate Member
Skype: allisonmarketinggroup
Phone: 859-858-9246
Creator of Tomorrows Home Business Social Community

34. B-12 Vitamins

B-12 Vitamins

Top 5 Nutrient Deficiencies
By Brazos Minshew, TriVita Chief Science Officer

Every year for more than 20 years the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has coordinated data into a report called the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, NHANES. This information is used to help us understand what nutrients are deficient in our diet and in our food, and how these nutrient deficiencies may eventually lead to preventable disease.

The NHANES survey uses questionnaires to sort out dietary deficiency from absorption deficiency. For example, a person may have adequate Vitamin B-12 in their diet yet, after age 50, they may absorb Vitamin B-12 so poorly that blood tests will show a serious deficiency. Also, the process of homeostasis may leech minerals such as calcium and magnesium from our bones. While a blood test may show adequate levels of these minerals, a diet survey would indicate that we are not eating enough magnesium and calcium to sustain good health.