You Can Make a Fortune on Ebay …But Only If You Get Going!

Would you be surprised if I told you over 12 million people visit Ebay a month. I haven’t checked all the sites on the Internet, but I doubt there are many sites bringing in that much traffic.

Keywords:
Ebay, wholesale directories, selling, marketing

There are a number of things you need to make money on the Internet, but the most important is targeted traffic. Think about it, having a good product won’t make you money if nobody sees it, a good headline, good copywriting, nice website, none of these things will make you a dime if nobody sees them.

Just knowing that targeted visitors are the most important part of making money will do us no good unless we take action. How are we going to take action? We get going, going to where the targeted traffic is, and the traffic is at Ebay. Would you be surprised if I told you over 12 million people visit Ebay a month. I haven’t checked all the sites on the Internet, but I doubt there are many sites bringing in that much traffic.

Ok we have solved one of the main problems with making money, we now know where we can get targeted visitors, but don’t be fooled thinking it will be a piece of cake just because we overcame the main problem. You see we are not the only ones that know where the traffic is, so we are going to have a lot of competition.

What can we do about the competition? I would just send them an email and ask them to stop selling so I could sell my products and make a lot of money. Now if that doesn’t work there are a few more ways we can beat the competition. It might be easier if I just list them below.

1. Since most visitors use the search tool to find a product on Ebay we would want to make sure we were using the best keywords we could come up with that describes the product we are selling.

2. We would also want to take our time and make sure we list our product in the correct categories.

3. If we can find a unique product with little competition that would be great, but we will need to be careful with this,

because if no body is selling it, it could be because there is little demand for it.

4. If we find a product that we can buy at a lower cost than our competition then we could sell it at a lower price than the competition.

I think we have a good idea how to sell on Ebay, but we need a product to sell. If you are new to Ebay you could start by selling products you have around the house. That is how I started, I did a check on Ebay to see what products were selling and what they were selling for. If there was a high demand for it and I had one, I would take a picture of the product and offer it up for auction. You would be surprised at some of the objects people will buy.

After you have sold all you have around the house you will need to get a tax number from your state tax office and sign up with a wholeseller. You can search the Internet to find a wholeseller, but there are lists you can buy that will save you a lot of time and will list the top wholesellers. You can find wholesellers that don’t require a tax ID, but I would not use these, because I don’t think you will get the best price or best products from them. Since there is so much competition you want to make sure you have the right product at the best price.

There is no way I can cover the whole process of selling on Ebay in one article, but I hope this has been some help to you.

Good Luck!

Share This

It’s All About Speed

(speed) n. 1. Mathematics & Physics. Distance traveled divided by the time of travel. 2. Business & Life. The ratio of results to time invested.

Speed is distance (results) divided by time, period. Some leaders confuse this with the “fool’s gold” formula: action divided by time. This is a costly and destructive illusion that produces one of two fatal results: either attempting to avoid speed altogether by deferring action, and becoming stagnant—or “red-lining” the culture …

Keywords:
organizational speed, leadership, leadership lessons

(speed) n. 1. Mathematics & Physics. Distance traveled divided by the time of travel. 2. Business & Life. The ratio of results to time invested.

Speed is distance (results) divided by time, period. Some leaders confuse this with the “fool’s gold” formula: action divided by time. This is a costly and destructive illusion that produces one of two fatal results: either attempting to avoid speed altogether by deferring action, and becoming stagnant—or “red-lining” the culture into a pattern of unbridled acceleration. So speed either becomes the great enemy, or part of the self-crafted mirage masking fundamental flaws in strategy, execution, or both.

Review any business periodical or annual report, and you will likely read about the virtues of rapid action or the wisdom of waiting. This makes for great copy, but when the anesthesia wears off, we’re left with a debilitating hangover and the sobering reality that action isn’t the problem or the answer: It’s all about Speed.

Life may be full of choices, but speed isn’t one of them. Speed is no more optional than gravity or evolution. Speed is part of every marriage, every friendship, every contest, every physical and emotional interaction on the planet. And without question, speed is a critical component of any business model. Ultimately, all business results are measured against the one constant in the universe . . . time.

Revenue is measured against time. Service is measured against time. Customer loyalty, production, earnings per share, debt, turnover, cost of goods sold, tax burden, gross profit, net profit—any metric you, your employees, your leadership, or your competition can come up with, is inextricably tied to time. But we can’t manage time. If we are to increase speed, we have to work the other side of the equation—the results side. More specifically, we must identify and leverage those resources that create results.

Yeah, I know. Leverage is one of those “consultant” words we all get so tired of hearing. But it may be the only word that accurately describes exactly what a leader is supposed to do—multiply force. In fact, if a leader can be likened to any inanimate object, then lever fits the bill.

Let’s face it, if a leader already possessed all the force necessary to achieve the objective(s), he wouldn’t complicate things by involving other people. And if the people already had enough force to accomplish the objective(s), they wouldn’t need a leader. So . . . it’s the leader’s responsibility to multiply force – - leverage current resources to increase the ratio of results to time invested.

Most sources of competitive advantage today—technology, talent, capital, intellectual property, even superior product – have an incredibly short shelf life. And when the grease gets hot (yesterday’s advantage becomes today’s norm) organizations can become extremely vulnerable.

Specifically, we’re at the mercy of three distinct populations keenly focused on their own survival and prosperity:

- Acutely perceptive employees who ultimately determine the organization’s level of discretionary effort

- Increasingly sophisticated and unforgiving customers

- Faster, more nimble competitors poised to create and fill the next void

Organizations that consciously manage and monitor speed (pair high velocity business practices with their other sources of competitive advantage, to meet more needs for more people in less time) strengthen their culture, grow their customer base, and dominate their market.

Leaders who neglect speed – fail to incorporate a systematic, deliberate process for increasing the ratio of results to time invested—are Frying Bacon In the Nude . . .

It might feel good at first, appear very liberating, and even produce short-term gains. But without the right disciplines in place, we’re dangerously overexposed and very likely to get burned—even permanently scarred—by one or more of these three critically important constituencies.

High Velocity Leaders simply won’t take the chance. They understand the critical nature of speed, its role in meeting their market, and the key disciplines necessary for producing Better Results in Less Time.

Top performers in every arena consistently (relentlessly) commit themselves to the fundamentals. They religiously apply just a handful of basic principles that give them that slight extra edge. So it should come as no surprise that fast, agile companies—and the people who lead them—exhibit a powerfully simple method of leadership thinking.

Specifically, they express, model, and reward five distinct disciplines. The 5 Disciplines of High Velocity Leaders:

SPEED®

S tructure
(repeatable processes and transferable tools for key tasks)

P ersonal Accountability
(taking, and expecting, personal responsibility for corporate results)

E mpathy
(understanding how and why a person/group thinks, feels, and acts)

E ducation
(establishing learning as a 24 / 7 / 365, job-critical responsibility)

D irection
(clearly communicating where we’re going and why)

Consider the common characteristics shared by all five:

- All are present to some degree in every company—including yours.
- All are unrealized to some degree in every company—including yours.
- Each has an immediate and direct impact on performance.
- All are as dangerous in their absence as they are powerful in their presence.

Combined, they strengthen (exponentially) any other form of competitive advantage we may possess.
And most importantly, all five are under our direct control: Simply put, they can and should be managed.

WHY SPEED?
Speed Kills (The Competition)

In virtually every industry, the first to market enjoys as much as ten times (10X!) the profit of its nearest competitor. More importantly, after this first leg of the race is over, the Law of Compensation kicks in. And with few exceptions, prosperity is distributed in direct proportion to the quantity and quality of service rendered. In other words, organizations that meet the most needs for the most people with an increasing “economy of motion” dominate their respective markets.

Speed Cures . . .

Speed, as a method of leadership thinking and a cultural mentality, displaces a variety of organizational pathologies. Like a powerful antibiotic, speed travels through the corporate bloodstream neutralizing the debilitating diseases of procrastination, apathy, confusion, malicious compliance, blame, and victim thinking.

The 5 SPEED® disciplines literally increase the organization’s metabolism—transforming the corporate body from a pot-bellied couch potato into a sleek, agile athlete—teeming with vitality, armed with momentum, and uniquely “fit” to meet the rigors of an increasingly competitive marketplace.

Momentum is a natural by-product of—and increases or decreases in direct proportion to—speed. Momentum is the “wonder drug” of achievement. This intangible, yet powerful, resource allows athletes to play with pain, salespeople to endure temporary defeat, friends to forgive transgressions, and leaders to produce extraordinary results through ordinary people. Like compound interest for the diligent investor, momentum works while you sleep. It magnifies original effort and rewards consistent discipline.

Speed is Exponential . . .

Even incremental shifts in speed produce quantum results.
At a distance of 100 yards, raising or lowering the barrel of a high-powered rifle by as little as 1/8th of an inch will alter the strike point of a bullet by as much as 4 to 6 inches on the target. Also, as in business, environmental variables such as the amount of gunpowder (new technologies, high-caliber talent) or windage (competition, economic recession) must be factored in to produce consistent results.

The skilled marksman, recognizing this, has a pre-determined plan for adjusting his sighting device a certain number of “clicks” to compensate for these variables as they appear. To take the analogy one step further, you’ll find that most sportsmen will use sandbags as a stabilizing device when initially sighting in their weapon. And when hunting game in the field, they will try to reproduce this advantage, if possible, by using a nearby tree or rock to prop their rifle up against.

Likewise, the five SPEED® disciplines stabilize our business practices. They help us guide and direct precious momentum to strike our targets accurately within an acceptable margin of error. Speed is not an additive—nor is it a simple multiplier. Because it truly is an exponential variable, one small degree of speed advantage can compensate for otherwise insurmountable differences in other resources. By the same token, one small degree of speed lost can render any other form of competitive advantage useless.

Lessons From The Quick & The Dead:

In this age of advanced technology, rapid change, accelerated communications, and increasingly sophisticated customers, two distinct types of organizations are beginning to emerge: The Quick . . . and The Dead!

Like the fearless gunfighters of Wild West lore, anyone traveling in the fast lane must be keen of eye, steady of hand, and driven with steeled resolve. The road is narrow, and paved with stones (problems and opportunities) of every shape and size. On either side of the white lines lie fatal SPEED® Traps: business practices that destroy momentum, consume resources, and severely reduce the ratio of results to time invested. Between the ditches of this commerce autobahn are fast, nimble competitors, fickle customers, and wayward employees.

There is no other road to success, no 4th quarter shortcut to prosperity. Your only decision—your only source of leverage—is the extent to which you choose to preach, practice, and promote the five key disciplines of High Velocity Leadership . . .

High Velocity Leadership SPEED® CHECK:

S tructure
Do my people have repeatable, transferable processes for key tasks?
Have I clearly defined roles and responsibilities?
Have I created a culture that values structure as an implementation tool?
Am I personally using structured processes to achieve objectives?
Am I rewarding my people for using repeatable, transferable methods?

P ersonal Accountability
Do I hold people individually responsible for meeting company objectives?
When my people fail, do I hold them responsible for returning the learning to the
organization?
Have I created a culture that values personal accountability as a business tool?
Am I consistently asking myself “What can I do? / What could I have done?” when
planning strategies and evaluating results?
Am I rewarding people for taking personal ownership for corporate results?

E mpathy
Am I tailoring my management approach to reach a variety of communicating styles?
Am I helping my people customize their strategies and tactics to impact many different
“frames of reference” (mind-sets, points of view)?
Have I created a culture that values empathy as a business tool?
Am I personally investing the time and energy to understand my people before trying to
be understood?
Am I rewarding thinking/behavior geared to meet the unique needs of different
employees and customers?

E ducation
Am I effectively using new information to create new results?
Am I providing my employees with practical training that helps them drive our business
strategies more effectively?
Have I created a culture that values education as a business tool?
Am I personally participating in some type of learning activity on a regular basis?
Am I rewarding my people for engaging in self-development?

D irection
Do my people have a clear sense of where we’re going – and why?
Are my decisions and actions consistent with our stated goals?
Have I created a culture that values direction as an implementation tool?
Do I personally understand and agree with our direction?
Am I rewarding my employees for utilizing direction as a basis for making critical
decisions?

Share This

Lessons From the Bad Meeting Contest

Here are the winning entries from a bad meeting contest and comments on what to do so that you can avoid these problems.

Keywords:
effective meetings, bad meetings, business meeting, facilitation, steve kaye, facilitator, leadership, one great meeting

Here are the winning entries from a bad meeting contest and comments on what to do so that you can avoid these problems.

> Short, Expensive, and Useless.

First, she sent a letter to a prospective client in New York, proposing a meeting. Then she phoned to confirm the meeting. Although she never spoke with this prospect, his assistant seemed to agree to the meeting. So, she and her boss flew from Illinois to New York. When they arrived, they learned that the man whom they expected to meet had been transferred to another office. His replacement agreed to meet with them for a few minutes. He was polite, unprepared to discuss their offer, and not interested. It was an expensive, short, and useless meeting.

Comment: The sender of this story admitted that this was a valuable learning experience. The lesson: always confirm essential elements of a meeting with the key participants. In this case she should have spoken with the VP and confirmed interest in holding a meeting. Just sending a letter and talking to an assistant proved to be insufficient.

We can never ask too many questions. In my business, I will even call the hotel to confirm that my client has reserved a meeting room.

> Open Hostility.

People were gathering for a seminar on “congeniality in the work place” when two men began arguing in the back of the room. Soon they were shouting at each other. The seminar leader walked to the front of the room and asked everyone for their attention so the seminar could start. But the agreement seemed to increase in intensity. When the seminar leader politely asked the two men to join the seminar, one of them shouted back “chill out man!”

The leader repeated his request for cooperation. And the men responded by complaining about the way the leader had requested their attention. Some of the other participants spoke up in favor of the seminar leader, which soon led to pushing and shoving. At this point, someone called security. Eventually, the two men were led out of the room, in handcuffs, by police.

The seminar leader then continued the program using the argument as an example of how to deal with disruptions. (Remember, this seminar was on congeniality at work.)

Comments: If an argument (or any other disturbance) is happening before a meeting, you must put it to rest before stating. If you think you can influence the people who are causing the disturbance, go to them. Acknowledge that they are having a disagreement by saying “you seem to be having a argument” or “you seem to be mad about something.” They will most likely agree with you. Then ask if they can put their disagreement aside so that you can start the meeting. Or ask them to move to another place. If they continue to be abusive, I recommend that you excuse yourself by saying, “okay, excuse me,” or “excuse me, I’m going to let you be” and then call for help.

If confronting hostility seems like more than you want to take on, call for help. It is better to let professionals deal with such situations.

Remember that your goal is to end the disturbance without becoming involved in it. Always avoid physical contact with hostile people.

> Follow Me, I’m Lost.

This reader arrived early for the meeting, which is a good thing to do. But the chairperson arrived five minutes late with two other attendees. Then the three of them spent the next ten minutes talking about local sports. Finally, the chair announces that “we may as well start” and asks “does anyone know why I called this meeting?” One attendee proposed a topic. Another proposed another topic. Someone else suggested that the second issue had been resolved. Then they spent the next 45 minutes arguing over the relevance of these (and other) topics. No one took notes. Nothing was accomplished. At the end of the hour, the chair adjourned the meeting by saying, “okay, let’s continue this next week.”

Comment: No one would go on a trip without a destination. But people hold meetings without a goal. And the cost is huge.

Suggestion: Always prepare an agenda. If you don’t have time to prepare an agenda, you don’t have time to hold the meeting.

Share This

Management Consultancy interviews – planning to succeed

“Recruitment at management consultancies is highly buoyant but the competition for these positions is still intense – according to one survey there are over two hundred applicants for every role in strategy consulting! The vast majority of these will be screened out at the C.V. stage and go no further – but if you do get through to the interview stage the following advice may prove highly valuable. ”

Keywords:
managemeny consultancy, recruitment

The following article arose from discussions between Mindbench and its clients about where candidates go wrong in interviews. This prompted us to carry out a qualitative survey with clients, candidates, HR personnel and recruitment consultants involved in the management consultancy sector to establish some of the key skills and major pitfalls of …

Recruitment is buoyant – so is the number of candidates

The current market for recruitment at management consultancies is highly bouyant – indeed it appears set to reach record levels this year. However the competition for these positions is still intense, with record numbers of MBAs looking for work in the sector! There are over two hundred applicants for every role in strategy consulting – the vast majority of these will be screened out at the C.V. stage and go no further – but if you do get through to the interview stage the following advice may prove highly valuable.

Understand whom you are applying to

A significant skill-set in consultancies of all types is research – and the less published information available the more important consultants become to their clients – and the more these skills are tested. It is very important that you don’t waste time in the interview room – also that you display a genuine interest in the company and it’s work – good research is the key! Research the company on the internet – not only on their own website, but follow any links they may give, search press articles, industry associations and look at their clients’ sites. Try to fully understand what type of work they do and what is it like to work for them. Know which industries and sectors they operate in and who their major clients are. Never be afraid to pick up the telephone and ask other people’s opinions. Talk to anyone who has worked in the sector or ideally at that firm! Again, a good recruitment consultant should be able to put you in touch with such people.

As in life – it is all about selling! In this case you are there to sell yourself into the consultancy – make it easy for them to hire you! Show them how your qualifications, qualities and experience will match and enhance their own – but you can only do this successfully if you understand what they do and who for. Corporate culture has become more important in recent years and consultancies in particular have embraced this idea. Again their website should furnish you with a good overview of how they see themselves as a work-environment – but remember, this is how the like to see themselves. Speaking with a current or former employee will give you a better insight.

The ideal candidate

First of all we discussed the key characteristics that a candidate should possess and – crucially – be able to demonstrate during the interview process:
• Strategic thinking – is this candidate able to think in terms of strategic direction?
• Analytical rigour – does this candidate think in a logical, methodical way?
• Mathematical ability – does the candidate have the mathematical aptitude to cope with financial modelling, understanding of statistical analysis, corporate financial reporting etc
• Commercial awareness – is this candidate able to think in terms of pricing, competitive environment etc?
• Intellectual curiosity – is this candidate sufficiently curious to go beyond the surface and seek out the detail and underlying reasons?
In addition to identifying these specific qualities a number of less tangible facets were mooted. These are traits that a consultancy would ideally like all it’s consultants to have, but are rather more difficult to identify or display:
• Drive – has the candidate demonstrated the necessary levels of drive and ambition so far in their career?
• Focus – can the candidate demonstrate the ability to ignore distractions and follow the main thrust of a project?
• Ability to manage people – has the candidate shown a willingness/ability to manage others, in any environment? This can be managing down (staff, subordinates), managing colleagues or managing upwards
• Commitment – is there a willingness to work long hours and under pressure
• And finally, “Depth of character” – this last trait proved the most difficult to define. The following quotes from Consultancy Recruitment Heads were inciteful in summarising their views:
“As long as the candidate is reasonably intelligent and willing to work hard we have in place training plans and mentoring systems that will enable us to pass on all the skills our consultants need to fulfil their roles – the one thing that you cannot teach is character… and it’s probably the most valuable trait of all!”
“How do you recognise it in interviews? We look at the prepared responses that candidates give to the more predictable questions, and we also try to ask them some questions they won’t be prepared for! But ultimately – you know it when you see it!

Successful interviewing

It is in the consultancies’ interests to allow you an opportunity to sell yourself to them. They want you to be able to demonstrate your qualifications, your abilities, your enthusiasm and – to some extent – your personality!
You need to be able to do this effectively and efficiently – so BE PREPARED!
Preparation will allow you to speak fluently about whichever facet you are called upon to discuss – as well as talking about yourself and your achievements in a structured and logical manner. These are all highly attractive abilities in a consultant!
The best way to prepare for this is PRACTICE!
• Think about the questions you are likely to be asked
• Search on the internet and in libraries for further examples
• Talk to the recruitment consultant or the interview co-ordinator
Work out some answers to these questions that allow you to show your best qualities and highlight your achievements.
We would also highly recommend that you practice answering these questions out loud. Find some friends or colleagues and arrange to spend some time asking each other interview-style questions and listening to responses. Discuss your own and others performance – there is no substitute for ‘performing’ in front of other people!
The ultimate goal in these situations is a difficult balance to achieve:

“Be prepared – sound spontaneous!”

Share This

Get A Grip On Your Internet Goals To Bring In Sales, Not Woes.

As far as search engine marketing tactics go, your goals must be defined and long term oriented to attract targeted, high-lead-yielding web users with the greatest potential of conversion to customers. SEO, or search engine optimization is NOT a one-time shot. Winning the lottery or discovering oil will get your rich quick. Hiring an Internet marketing company to do a job and leave will not get your rich, ever.

We will examine the importance of long term goals as they appl…

Keywords:
Internet marketing, search engine marketing, search engine optimization, online marketing tactics

As far as search engine marketing tactics go, your goals must be defined and long term oriented to attract targeted, high-lead-yielding web users with the greatest potential of conversion to customers. SEO, or search engine optimization is NOT a one-time shot. Winning the lottery or discovering oil will get your rich quick. Hiring an Internet marketing company to do a job and leave will not get your rich, ever.

We will examine the importance of long term goals as they apply liberally to search engine and general Internet marketing, and show you how to view your web marketing strategy with knowledge, confidence and vision. See your target clearly, not through the rose-colored glasses so many marketing geniuses and false gurus try to slip over your eyes.

WHY TALK ABOUT GOALS?

Because too many people still don’t understand that building a well optimized site, establishing and maintaining search engine rank, and helping your customer base continue to grow takes effort and time.

Because the Internet can most definitely help your business and probably increase your sales immensely, but not overnight.

Because nothing is free.
Getting on the first page of a search is not free. It takes money for someone to research if it’s even feasible to attempt high ranks with your product or if an ulterior approach must be developed. If you have the expertise to do it yourself, it takes your own, valuable time to build and rebuild your pages for long term gain. It takes time for changes to be picked up by the search engines and ranked.

OPTIMIZATION DOESN’T HAPPEN JUST ONCE

This is another concept many people misunderstand, where some shady SEO’s take advantage, and what fuels a lot of ulcers. If you optimize a page for a targeted keyword phrase and you, I, or someone doesn’t keep supporting that page by adjusting and tweaking the optimization techniques as the competition changes, as the internet changes, and as you add new content, then your money will be a wasted.

You might pay thousands of dollars for someone to successfully get you top the top three pages across the main search engines if you have a particular non-competitive niche or unique approach to a competitive one. And you could get record sales that first month you reach those great positions!

But, then your competition starts outranking you, your unique approach is now hindered by copycats, search engines have changed their focus and algorithms, you’ve just purchased raw materials, hired extra help because you thought your demand had spiked, and invested in a bigger office. Three months later you’re screaming at your web guy who rightly says, “I’m sorry, I did what you paid me to do!”

BUILD YOUR SITE LIKE YOUR BUSINESS

As you must build your business, so must you build your web site. It should have a solid and strong foundation that will keep it at the top once it gets there. You are much better off investing in a web design or optimization firm that’s going to stay with you for several months. Invest in monthly maintenance programs so your new pages are continually changed to match the Internet and competition.

Remember, every main page on your site should be optimized. Each page is a chance to be ranked in a search engine. Monthly maintenance plans may seem like a lot of money, but when you add up the time it takes and the amount of constant research and tracking involved, it’s a valuable investment. If your serious about your presence on the Internet, don’t sell yourself short.

Just like traditional marketing, Internet marketing has multiple thrusts and targets. You wouldn’t try to brand a new national company by running one ad in the local newspaper, right? You’d hit all sides of your market with PR stories, advertising, maybe telemarketing, parties, and incentive programs. And you’d track every move and response and lead and sale to five decimal places.

It’s the same principle with Internet marketing. The best part is that dollar for dollar
marketing on the Internet costs almost nothing.

If you have a pay per click campaign, it is even more important to have a good handle on that. It’s very easy to waste thousands of dollars because you didn’t continually modify your ads and target your keywords.

DEFINE THE GOALS

Whether web design and development, maintenance, search engine optimization, or any Internet marketing endeavor, always begin with a clear vision of where you want to go. If you hire a company to work with you, let them help you define those goals.

Even a simple website that is nothing more than an online brochure has a purpose. Understand what that purpose is. And don’t let anyone touch your site in any way that doesn’t have a clear idea of what the objective is!

By outlining where you are and what you are striving for you will spend your money wisely, and get the most beneficial results from your Internet marketing.

Share This

Getting People to Keep Your Cards

No matter how you design your card make sure that they effectively provide the information that the customers need to know.

Keywords:
business, cards, printing, services

For an entrepreneur a business is more than a piece of paper. It represents their image and years of effort, hard work and dreams. But for other people they are just another advertisement, another piece of clutter to file. To them, your business card may be nothing more important than any other business card that crosses their desk at any given time. So, as a business man how can you make your card attract attention, gets kept and actually used?

Often, it pays to think of the reason why people keep business cards in the first place. Understanding this concept can affect the design and effectiveness of your card. There are some reasons why people even keep business cards. For one, they use them as link to a supplier or resource. Let’s say you are in the construction business and you meet someone who sells hard to find equipments. You will probably keep their business card to contact them whenever you need equipments. Second, you may keep them as a contact to a colleague. Perhaps from time to time you need to contact your business associates or work with other members of the industry. Having their business cards can facilitate contact much easier.

You may also keep business cards for non-business reasons such as when socializing and organizing parties. Likewise, you may retain business cards for the purpose of referring them to someone else. Like for instance, your neighbor needs someone who washes windows. You will probably pass on the card to him so he could contact them.

But often people see business cards simply as contact information for a customer or potential customer. With a little planning you can avoid that routine and make you cards unique and more useful to customers.

There are dozens of ways you can use to encourage customers to hold on to your business card. Most of these ideas center on providing information that the customer may find useful. By using a unique format such a tri-fold format or by adding relevant information on the flip side of the card, you can add value to your business card that makes them worth keeping. For instance, you can include at the back of the card a calendar that lists typical upcoming events. Let’s say you own a coffee house. You can promote events such as live bands, karaoke nights or comedy nights at the back of the card.

Nevertheless, no matter how you design your card make sure that they still effectively provide the information that the customers need to know. Remember that your card may be passes on to someone else or the recipient may be trying to remember you later after a long day of meeting people at a convention. So, make those cards do the sale for you.

Share This

Fishing & Lead Capture – Part One of Three

The first in a three part article series about lead capture and email marketing – from a different perspective.

Keywords:
lead capture,email marketing,network marketing,list building,internet marketing,direct marketing

“Those worms are good enough to catch the sunfish around the edge, but you gotta use some liver and cast out to the middle to catch the big cats.”

The ol’ fella was right – good advice for that place and time. I caught more catfish that day than I had all summer.

Fishin’ and lead capture. They’re not so different.

Right bait… right place… BAM! You get a strike – someone drops their contact info into your autoresponder form to get some of that sweet smellin’ bait you’ve offered them.

Then you set the hook – and verify their subscription.

To protect yourself, your business and your subscribers, always use a subscription verification to make sure they are actually interested in reading your material.

Some will confirm. Some will not. But that doesn’t mean the trip is over.

You keep on fishing.

…and eventually you get another strike.

Once you get the hook set (receive confirmation of a new subscriber), it’s time to real in your fish – deliver your lead to a sales page for your product or service.

You can’t just lift your rod, crank the reel like a lunatic to drag the fish to the boat. You could easily break the line and lose your new lead.

You have to use a little finesse.

Let him take some slack (give up some great, free information), and allow just a little room to run.

Ease him in – guide him and reel up the slack as you go.

Show your lead – your new friend – that you can be trusted. Don’t lose ground by sending junk in an effort to make money.

Closer and closer he gets until you have EARNED his trust – and his business.

Then you hold him up by the ankles and pose for a picture. (just kidding)

This is the first in a series of three articles devoted to the exciting art of lead capture and list marketing.

In part two we will talk more about your bait, presentation and setting the hook. Don’t miss it.

Share This

Webmasters Improve Your Adsense Earnings, Monetized Income

Webmasters who have been there and done it have quite some useful tips to help those who would want to venture into this field. Some of these tips have boosted quite a lot of earnings in the past and is continuously doing so.

Keywords:
adsense,google adsense,making money with adds,adds

Webmasters who have been there and done it have quite some useful tips to help those who would want to venture into this field. Some of these tips have boosted quite a lot of earnings in the past and is continuously doing so.

If webmasters want to monetize their websites, the great way to do it is through Adsense. There are lots of webmasters struggling hard to earn some good money a day through their sites. But then some of the “geniuses” of them are enjoying hundreds of dollars a day from Adsense ads on their websites. What makes these webmasters different from the other kind is that they are different and they think out of the box.

Here are some 5 proven ways on how best to improve your Adsense earnings.

1. Concentrating on one format of Adsense ad. The one format that worked well for the majority is the Large Rectangle (336X280). This same format have the tendency to result in higher CTR, or the click-through rates. Why choose this format out of the many you can use? Basically because the ads will look like normal web links, and people, being used to clicking on them, click these types of links. They may or may not know they are clicking on your Adsense but as long as there are clicks, then it will all be for your advantage.

2. Create a custom palette for your ads. Choose a color that will go well with the background of your site. If your site has a white background, try to use white as the color of your ad border and background. The idea to patterning the colors is to make the Adsense look like it is part of the web pages. Again, This will result to more clicks from people visiting your site.

3. Remove the Adsense from the bottom pages of your site and put them at the top. Do not try to hide your Adsense. Put them in the place where people can see them quickly. You will be amazed how the difference between Adsense locations can make when you see your earnings.

4. Maintain links to relevant websites. If you think some sites are better off than the others, put your ads there and try to maintaining and managing them. If there is already lots of Adsense put into that certain site, put yours on top of all of them. That way visitor will see your ads first upon browsing into that site.

5. Try to automate the insertion of your Adsense code into the webpages using SSI (or server side included). Ask your web administrator if your server supports SSI or not. How do you do it? Just save your Adsense code in a text file, save it as “adsense text”, and upload it to the root directory of the web server. Then using SSI, call the code on other pages. This tip is a time saver especially for those who are using automatic page generators to generate pages on their website.

These are some of the tips that have worked well for some who want to generate hundreds and even thousands on their websites. It is important to know though that ads are displayed because it fits the interest of the people viewing them. So focusing on a specific topic should be your primary purpose because the displays will be especially targeted on a topic that persons will be viewing already.

Note also that there are many other Adsense sharing the same topic as you. It is best to think of making a good ad that will be somewhat different and unique than the ones already done. Every clickthrough that visitors make is a point for you so make every click count by making your Adsense something that people will definitely click on.

Tips given by those who have boosted their earnings are just guidelines they want to share with others. If they have somehow worked wonders to some, maybe it can work wonders for you too. Try them out into your ads and see the result it will bring.

If others have done it, there is nothing wrong trying it out for yourself.

Share This

Rescuing concrete floors from holes and adhesives

As companies attempt to retrofit floor spaces and walls, carpeting and vinyl tile are often removed or repositioned. These renovations usually end up exposing large areas of adhesives, underlayments, and
sprawling holes from anchors, studding, and equipment. Now there is a solution with step by step instructions and help.

Keywords:
Concrete floor coatings, industrial flooring, garage floor seals, building maintenance, facilities management, flood resistant, mold resistant.

As companies attempt to retrofit floor spaces and walls, carpeting and vinyl tile are often removed or repositioned. These renovations usually end up exposing large areas of adhesives, underlayments, and
sprawling holes from anchors, studding, and equipment. Now there is a solution with step by step instructions and help.

Remodelers often can see no alternative but to reinstall similar adhesives and floor coverings like carpet and tile. This is unfortunate because hard epoxy, urethane, and glass emulsion surfaces offer less expensive and longer wearing alternatives.

If concrete is exposed to wear, it will eventually deteriorate. Friction wear, erosion, and contamination all play a role. Dust, cracks, crumbling, rough surfaces, and the inability to keep the environment clean are symptoms of a floor that has not been protected and is moving towards an unserviceable condition. Carpeting often holds contaminants in place and can be a growth medium for mold and mildew. Vinyl tile cannot hold up under heavy wheeled traffic, is subject to lifting when wet, and has a soft finish which can be contaminated by solvents and dyes. In contrast, laminated epoxy coatings create a wear-barrier between a floor and its environment. These laminated surfaces not only keep the concrete from deteriorating but also provide a protective plate over it. Contaminants and hazards, like PCBs, heavy metals, and toxic chemicals, are kept away from the porous concrete. Properly applied, these laminated surfaces can provide decades of protection and service.

Epoxy coated floors can cure, rather than just cover over, the holes that exist in even the most devastated floors. Customers are often surprised how holes from old walls and equipment stands can be made
to disappear when filled with 100% solid epoxy and then ground flush. The process is quick, easy, and long lasting.

Supplies that may be needed include adhesive removers, oil removing detergents, and durable long lasting epoxy fillers for holes, joints, cracks, and crumbling surfaces. Kits of materials can be customized to owner specification and delivered directly to the job site. Kits include full directions and 24/7 help
lines staffed by seasoned flooring experts, so professionals and amateurs alike can successfully install a quality floor.

Web visitors can obtain free, job-specific quotes on materials or nationwide turnkey installations by completing a simple questionnaire at www.concrete-floor-coatings.com.

For photo examples and more detail, visit www.concrete-floor-coatings.com

For more information, contact Harvey Chichester at: harvey@concrete-floor-coatings.com

Phone: 1-800-466-8910 or 952-888-1488 (24/7)
###

Share This

Seven Secrets to Buying a Franchise

There are great benefits to owning a franchise. You often can sell goods and services that have instant name recognition and can obtain training and ongoing support to help you succeed. But be cautious before you sign on the dotted line.

Keywords:
franchise buying, buying franchise, franchise information, business information, entrepreneur, business buying, buying business

There are great benefits to owning a franchise. You often can sell goods and services that have instant name recognition and can obtain training and ongoing support to help you succeed.

But be cautious before you sign on the dotted line.

1. Know How Much You Can Invest – A franchisor may tell you how much you can afford to invest or that you can’t afford to pass up this opportunity. Before beginning to explore investment options, consider the amount you feel comfortable investing and the maximum amount you can afford.

2. Know What Type of Business is Right for You – A franchisor may attempt to convince you that an opportunity is perfect for you. Only you can make that determination. Consider the industry
that interests you before selecting a specific franchise system. Ask yourself the following questions: Have I considered working in that industry before? Can I see myself engaged in that line of work for the next twenty years?

3. Realistically Evaluate Your Own Background and Skills – If the industry does not appeal to you or you are not suited to work in that industry, do not allow a franchisor to convince you otherwise. Spend your time focusing on those industries that offer a more realistic opportunity.

4. Take the Time to Comparison Shop — Talk to or visit several franchisors engaged in the type of industry that appeals to you. Get answers to the following questions:
• How long has the franchisor been in business?
• How many franchised outlets currently exist?
• Where are they located?
• How much is the initial franchise fee and any additional start-up costs?
• Are there any continuing royalty payments?
• How much?
• What management, technical, and ongoing assistance does the franchisor offer?
• What controls does the franchisor impose?

5. Get Substantiation for Any Earnings Representations — Some franchisors may tell you how much you can earn if you invest in their franchise system or how current franchisees in their system are performing. Be careful. The FTC requires that franchisors who make such claims provide you with written substantiation. Make sure you ask for and obtain written substantiation for any income projections, or income or profit claims. If the franchisor does not have the required substantiation, or refuses to provide it to you, consider its claims to be suspect.

6. Avoid High Pressure Sales Tactics — You may be told that the franchisor’s offering is limited, that there is only one territory left, or that this is a one-time reduced franchise sales price. Do not feel pressured to make any commitment. Legitimate franchisors expect you to comparison shop and to investigate their offering. A good deal today should be available tomorrow.

7. Study the Franchisor’s Offering — Do not sign any contract or make any payment until you have the opportunity to investigate the franchisor’s offering thoroughly. The FTC’s Franchise Rule requires the franchisor to provide you with a disclosure document containing important information about the franchise system. Study the disclosure document. Take time to speak with current and former franchisees about their experiences. Because investing in a franchise can entail a significant investment, you should have an attorney review the disclosure document and franchise contract and have an accountant review the company’s financial disclosures.

Share This