Popcorn and Other Marketing Mistakes In a Changing Economy

Copyright 2006 Dave Kahle

Ten years of competitive hell!

That was the title on the seminar brochure I received recently. As I survey some of the forces flowing through our economy, and witness the way in which they effect my clients, I have to agree. The Information Age is certainly one of the most turbulent times business people have ever seen.

And the force causing the greatest turbulence is rapid, unrelenting change. Consider this. In 1900, the total amount of knowledge that mankind had was doubling about every 500 years. Today, it doubles about every two years. And the pace continues to increase. One futurist predicts that today's high school seniors will have to absorb more information in their final year alone than their grandparents did in their entire life.

At the same time that things are changing rapidly, competition is increasing in almost every industry. Foreign competitors have entered our markets, the wave of corporate downsizing has transformed thousands of displaced executives into reluctant entrepreneurs, and the knowledge explosion continues to evidence itself in new technologies that often provide radically different ways of accomplishing some task.

The result?

Burgeoning competition in almost every industry. I have yet to meet an executive who has said, "I have fewer competitors today than I did three years ago." Continually growing numbers of competitors seems to be a characteristic of our economy that we are going to have to live with for the foreseeable future.

Unfortunately, these forces of rapid change and growing competition have brought a cloud of confusion to CEOs and sales executives trying to grow their businesses.

One common response to this cloud of confusion is what I call "Popcorn." Imagine kernels of popcorn simmering in hot oil in the bottom of a popcorn popper. As the heat grows, one of the kernels explodes and rockets off against the side of the popper. A few moments later, another kernel explodes and shoots off in another direction. Before long, the canister is full of careening kernels bouncing in every direction.

That's my analogy to the way in which many businesses attempt to increase their sales when the temperature created by growing competition gets hot. As the heat of the situation grows, they know they have to do something. Then along comes a good idea and, pop, like a kernel of exploding popcorn, they lunge at the good idea.

The good idea can be anything. Maybe it's a media representative who suggests a new advertisement. That sounds like a good idea. So, "pop" off they go after that. Or it could be a salesperson suggesting that a computer program will solve their problems. That sounds like a good idea, so "pop," off they go after that good idea. Next is an advertising agency suggesting a new brochure. That also sounds good, and "pop," like kernels of corn exploding in every direction, they expend money and energy in short term "good ideas."

Like kernels of popcorn, they frantically chase lots of good ideas hoping that one will be the answer to the marketing problems. The problem is that these good ideas rarely have any relationship to one another. And, they generally present superficial solutions to problems which are often deeper. The company's time and energy is diverted toward these superficial "good ideas," and away from the deeper solutions.

For example, an advertisement in a trade journal may be a superficial solution for a company that does not have a system for identifying qualified prospects. And a new brochure may be a superficial response for an organization that doesn't have feedback mechanism in place to adequately understand its customers.

The unfortunate consequences are often more pressure, more confusion, and more energy expended in the wrong places.

Is there a better way? Sure. A far more effective response is to create a powerful sales and marketing system. A sales and marketing system provides an interconnected, measurable set of processes and tools that ultimately result in increased sales. Where would McDonald's be today without a system to consistently produce hot hamburgers? Where would Ford be if they had no system to design and build new automobiles? The keys to success for these businesses has been their ability to create and manage effective systems to accomplish their goals.

Sales and marketing can be treated in exactly the same way. The process of acquiring customers and then expanding the business with them can be systematized. If you're successful in creating a working system, you'll be investing your resources in the most effective way, and producing predictable, regular sales results.

Your sales and marketing system should start with a thorough understanding of the needs and interests of the prospects. Fold into that an honest awareness of the unique value your company brings to the market, and you have the beginning framework for your system. Your system should focus on the highest potential market segments, and develop segment-specific processes and tools to help you reach your market in the most cost-effective way.

When your system is designed, you'll also have a set of criteria in place to help you adequately assess the potential in such things as advertisements, brochures, computer programs, etc.

A well-designed system allows you to move out of the desperate reactive mode characterized by "Popcorn" and into a confident pro-active mode.

Here are seven questions to determine whether you're operating from the "Systems" perspective or the "Popcorn" mind set.

1.  Do you have specific, realistic objectives for your sales and marketing efforts?

2. Have you precisely identified your highest potential markets segments?

3. Have you identified the sequence of decisions that a typical prospect goes through to come to a decision to buy your product or service?

4. Have you identified the key activities and processes that must take place on a monthly basis in order for you to reach your sales objectives?

5. Do you have a monthly measurement of the quantity and quality of your key marketing activities?

6. Are you able to track exactly how much it costs to create a customer?

7. Do all of your marketing collateral (brochures, ads, etc.) directly support the purposes and processes of your system?

Obviously, a positive answer to those questions indicates that you have a well defined sales and marketing system in place. That means that you have gone from reactive to pro-active marketing, and that you're well on your way to regular, predictable sales. Negative answers mean that you have some work to do to bring your sales and marketing efforts into a proactive mode to allow you to successfully compete in the turbulent 21st Century.

Renegade eBay Strategy - Feedback

Let's talk about feedback. We all know that feedback is an essential component of eBay, in fact it's probably a large part of why the company has been so successful. In marketing terms we might refer to feedback as social proof. I'll explain what I mean. We all make decisions based on what others do, yes we are influenced by others to an extraordinary degree.

If someone tells us that they enjoyed a great meal or watched a really good movie, chances are that we'll do the same, based on their recommendation. That's social proof.

The principle works on eBay too. When we read the feedback comments left by buyers and sellers we take note. If those comments are predominantly positive then we naturally trust the person behind that account.

So not only is feedback an essential aspect of eBay that virtually all buyers and sellers devote significant amount of time to reading, it is one that deserves more attention than you give it now.

For most sellers, leaving feedback is a few rushed words, fairly generic, and posted without much thought. The renegade seller on the other hand realizes that there is an opportunity to make more of this important aspect of eBay.

Firstly, don't leave feedback to chance. Rather than letting buyers write the first thing that comes into their heads, prompt them a little. How can you do that without seeming impolite or demanding?

Send out an e-mail around the time you expect them to have received their item, and politely ask them not to leave feedback until they are 100% satisfied. If there's something that needs to be fixed, tell them you want to do that. Let them know that you live for happy customers!

Next, guide them as to what to write. Suggest to them that your customers are delighted because of the fast shipping, friendly service, fair mailing costs, quality of items, and any other benefits you can think of. This is an NLP technique that plants the thought in their mind, so that when they come to leave you feedback, you've already told them what to mention! Is this deceiving customers? No, not if you genuinely do deliver these benefits. You are simply helping to remind them.

Another important renegade feedback strategy is to include a marketing message in the feedback YOU leave. For example, instead of the usual, "Great transaction, recommended eBayer etc etc" that most buyers and sellers default to, use the space to further promote your items.You might say, "Thanks from BobMillsPosters.com -- eBay's #1 Collectable Poster Store."

In the above example, notice that the feedback message points people back to a domain name, which would be either the eBay store or your own website. Also, notice that the first letter of each word is capitalized -- an effective marketing technique to make the wording stand out.

Remember, feedback comments stay on an account for a very long time, so use that precious 'real estate' wisely.

Financial Incentives for Your Business to Use Solar Power

When it comes to running a business, much of the necessary focus is on the bottom line. Many businesses, however, fail to realize they can seriously cut energy costs by going solar.

Tax Incentives

Federal and State governments know the best way to initiate change is to provide an economic benefit. When it comes to energy, governments try to make the use of solar energy as economically attractive as possible to businesses. This is done through granting tax incentives in the form of tax credits and deductions. Depending upon which government agency is involved, federal or a particular state, corporations can get tax credits and deductions ranging from 10 to as high as 35 percent of the cost of purchasing and installing solar energy systems.

Net Metering

On top of the tax incentives given to businesses for going solar, a majority of states now offer incredible cost savings through net metering. Net metering refers to state laws that require utilities to purchase power generated from solar systems used by businesses at the same price the utilities would otherwise charge the business. If the business is producing energy in excess of what it is using, the energy is sent into the utility grid and the building power meter actually runs backwards. Since many businesses are closed two days a week, this effectively means the utility is buying the power on said days. Net metering is an incredibly effective means of slashing utility costs.

Solar Loans

Businesses can gain further benefits through going solar by taking advantage of government solar financing programs. These loan programs offer incredible terms in an effort to promote the use of renewable energy and make sense for both new construction and renovations. Typically created as state programs, these “solar loans” offer financing for the purchase and installation of the equipment. The loans typically have seven to 10 year terms, and are offered as no interest or extremely low interest financing. Combined with the economic benefits of net metering, such loans make the decision to go solar a slam dunk.

Each state tends to handle the promotion of alternative energy in different ways and with different benefits. When combined with federal programs, businesses can reap a financial benefit from using solar energy sources.

Sales Training Tip – How To Retain Top Sales People

There are four primary reasons a good sales person, who is producing at high-levels at a company, will choose to leave that company.  Surprisingly, the top reasons are not about money.
    
Top Reasons a Good Sales Person Will Leave A Company

1.    Lack of feeling that the company “cares” for them
2.    Lack of personal or intangible satisfaction and reward
3.    Lack of a defined or desirable career path and future
4.    Lack of sufficient or desirable income

Let us look at each of these areas and see how to prevent the problem.

1 - Lack of feeling that the company “cares” for them
The number one reason a sales person will leave your company is that deep down, they feel as if you and the company do not really care about them. They feel as if the company just cares about making money and could care less for their health and welfare.   How do you make them feel like you really care for them?  Simple:
Really care for them!

As the sales manager, you should take the success of your sales people personally.  Your sales team should know that you would face upper-management, the government, the competition or anyone else, to defend them and help them succeed. Your sales team should believe that you put their success above your own. And you should because when they succeed you succeed.  You have to be the captain who goes into battle in front of the troops leading them.  When your sales team knows that you will take a proverbial bullet for their sake, you will never have to worry about retaining good sales people.  Again, the answer for making sales people believe that you care for them is to really do it.

2- Lack of personal or intangible satisfaction and reward –  In this, I am referring to the things that make the sales person feel good about himself or herself and what they do.  Most sales people or their management may not even realize this, but this is a critical area of needs fulfillment.  Everybody has to “feel” good about themselves.  The job has to give you some heightened level of self-esteem, especially in the business of sales.

Remember a sales person is already thought of in many circles as a charlatan or a con artist.  There are many slang terms and pejorative labels that are often automatically attached to a sales person in the eyes of many consumers.  Public trust becomes a big issue in the life of a professional sales person and with that public trust, comes personal trust.

A sales person must be made to “feel” as if they perform an honorable and trustworthy function in society.  The problem is that when this atmosphere is not present for the sales person it does not materialize in a recognizable fashion. In other words, the sales person does not go up to the management team and say, “You know, I don’t feel important or like I am performing an honorable job function…”

No. In fact, the sales person will rarely understand exactly what is making him or her feel less than enthusiastic about the job.  This problem will manifest itself in a number of symptoms that often seem unrelated:

a.    A lack of enthusiasm
b.    A erratic closing average
c.    A feeling of being overworked
d.    A feeling of repetitiveness
e.    Erratic work ethic and increased time off
f.    Forgetting the “basics” or taking “short-cuts”
g.    An overall attitude of, “I just don’t care…”


These are some signs that this sales person does not “feel” important.  Below are a few ways to help solve this problem:

    Have a clearly defined company and departmental mission statement and vision statement that include the wide reaching effect of the product or service.  (Look for Ask-The-Expert article “How to keep motivated”)

    Continuously explain to the sales team the entire scope and importance of a sales person’s mission. For example, if you sell cars, a car sale does more than just satisfy the car buyer.  A car sale helps the community, it helps the buyer’s family, it helps keep two dozen people employed at the dealership, it helps sell more petroleum, it helps the economy, and more.  Find the long-range affect of your product or service and help the sales people understand their real importance.

    Supply personal gratification in private and recognition in public.  You should have regular private conversations with your sales people, keeping in touch with their wishes and dreams and their problems.  Learn how to “listen.”   Seek out the sales person’s personal goals and objectives in private. 

    Does she want to get married?
    Have a baby?
    Does he want to go back to collage one day?
    Does she want to get into management?
    Does he want a new car?
    Does her and his family want to move to a bigger home
    Etc.

Take a personal interest in the life of your sales people.  They will tell you what is on their minds—listen.  

Make complements and uplifting statements in public.  Recognition for hard work and a job well done is critical to a sales person’s mental health.

    Ask the sales person to teach the newer sales people.  This is a powerful management tool that solves many potential problems. When you have a seasoned sales person who is beginning to loose the enthusiasm for the sales process as things begin to become routine, have that sales person help you in teaching a sales training class or having newer sales people watch them.  Promote the sales person as a “long-time expert,” to the newer sales people and charge the veteran sales person with helping to train the new recruits.  Find a way to add bonus or override income for the sales person and this will help him or her begin to refocus.


3 - Lack of a defined or desirable career path and future – This is simple but often overlooked. Make sure you know exactly where your sales people want to go in their career and in life.   Make sure that your company has incremental steps of promotion.  Often a sales company will have two positions: 

1.    New Sales Person or rookie or probationary period
2.    Sales Person

Some offer a few additional steps like

3.    Sr. Sales Person
4.    Manager

It is important that you have a number of “steps” that a sales person will have something to work for all the time. Also, make sure that your company’s goals match with the sales person’s.  Often you will have sales people who view the company as a means to a NEW BEGINNING and not as a means to an end. This is fine, as long as you know what they want.  For instance, you may have a sales person who’s goal is to earn enough money to start a bridal shop.  Fine. But when you know this, you know how to help motivate this person.

4 - Lack of sufficient or desirable income – Your sales people should be the highest paid in your industry. How do you do this?  You hold your sales team to the highest standards of excellence in the industry. You hold your sales team to the highest levels of accomplishment in and customer satisfaction the industry.

How can you do that?  You hold your company to the highest level of product or service in the industry.  So often a company will think that they can provide the best service yet pay their sales people the least. This does not and will not ever work.  Many companies pay their people just barley enough to keep them from quitting. In return, most employees work barley enough to keep from being fired.   No. Pay your people the most you can pay them and hold them to the highest standards.

When it comes to retaining good sales people the old adage is key:  The more you help other people get what they want, the more you will get what you want.

Finally A Top Secret Way You Can Get Google AdWords Pay-Per-Clicks FREE

A gentleman from New York discovered what he calls an "oversight" on the part of 99.9% of all marketers that allows him to get otherwise paid-for advertising at Google as well as all other search engines that allow sponsored ads.

And no, nothing about his "secret" is illegal - nor does it require that you know someone on the "inside" at Google, Yahoo, MSN, Overture and others.

Instead, the New Yorker boasts proudly "...this is something that I caught onto just before 2000 when there was so much search engine craze running around, and started doing small just to test things at first ... but which I later expanded on after getting the hang of it."

This same fellow went on to start and operate sixteen separate online companies selling everything from pet food, DVDs, children's toys & games, books, software, and sold not only his own manufactured products but became an affiliate for other web businesses - all the while applying his mastermind secret.

Over the course of nearly eight years the New Englander confesses "I've actually gotten over $87 million in advertising that using my secret I never had to pay for ... and the largest share of which was more recently in Google pay-per-clicks as well as other forms of pad advertising at search engines ... all of which I got for free ..."

So powerful is his secret that he's able to monopolize any niche online, and can always secure the top premium spots just above the usual organic results featured at most search engines.

He still has to set up an account with the search engines - but after applying his secret he is removed from having to pay for all the costs otherwise involved.
Again, nothing about his secret is either illegal or robs from the search engines.
One spokesperson from one of the most popular search engines said chuckling after being made privy to this amazing secret "Wow! Ha! This is really unique ... and in my expert opinion it would only serve to enhance and bring more business to us at [name of search engine withheld for legal & confidentiality reasons] and not cause us to lose business in the slightest. Amazing!"

The northerner revealed that in this nearly eight years' period of time since applying his secret he's done well over $300 million in sales revenue with a most diverse line of products, and most recently in the last two years netted nearly $166 million after really "buckling down and pressing my secret to its fullest potential."

Now to everyone else's fortune, the city slicker is releasing his secret for getting an unlimited amount of pay-per-click ads to the general public. But he's not promising any of us for how long.

A bit of an eccentric, the gentleman says "We'll see just how long I can make it available before it saturates things."

One famous public web guru pointed out that although this man may gain economically more so as a result of the publication of his secret "he's already so amazingly rich that whether he continues or discontinues its sale will neither make nor break the man, but not grabbing it for yourself while it's still available could prove disastrous for you as you may only have one chance, and a very limited one at that, to get this."

It is currently available at:

http://googlejunky.com

...so you may want to head on over there now and get it.

It's in a very easily readable format and is quickly and readily understood and mastered by anyone with even a 4th grade reading level.
While you're there, why not scroll down and review for yourself the huge successes others are now having with this incredible breakthrough in targeted advertising now made freely available to the rest of us?

To your success,

Mike@googlejunky.com

Email Punctuation Pointers

When sending email messages, it’s easy to get in a hurry.  But, remember there’s a huge difference between dashing off a note to a friend and sending a message to a customer or colleague. 

When sending email in a professional environment, the message should be professional.  And, that includes using proper punctuation.  (Phooey!  You were hoping I’d say you could break all the rules, weren’t you?)

There is one area of email that gets a little foggy.  This is the rule that deals with punctuation at the end of sentences (e.g., periods, question marks, exclamation points). 

In typed letters, there are two spaces after the punctuation at the end of the sentence.  This originated from typewriters, which needed this space to create a distinct break between two sentences.  Computers allot space proportionally.  So, a break can be created with only one space. 

In emails, you will see two different formats.  Some people will use only one space after punctuation that ends a sentence.  They will also use only one space after colons.  Other people still use the two spaces. 

Example

Those who prefer one space consider those who use two spaces to be “old fashioned.”  Those who prefer two spaces consider those who use one space to “not be conservative or professional enough.”

The decision as to whether to use one space or two is entirely up to you.  The only rule to follow is that you must be consistent.  Either use one space throughout the message or two.  Don’t mix and match. 

You want the message to appear as though you know the rules and made a conscious choice.  You don’t want the message to look as though you have no idea what the rules are, so you just randomly added spacing.

While you may be able to choose one space or two, you don’t get to make choices about other punctuation.  All of the other old rules are still in effect. 

In case I’ve whetted your appetite for more information on punctuation rules, here is another tip.

Fanboys

When do you use a comma to separate two thoughts in a sentence, and when don’t you?  The quick answer is “FANBOYS.”  This is an acronym which stands for the words:

•    For
•    And
•    Nor
•    But
•    Or
•    Yet
•    So

When any of these words connect two independent clauses, you need a comma.  That’s nice.  Now, what in the world is an “independent clause”?  It’s a phrase that can stand alone.  In other words, it has a subject and a verb.  It can be a complete sentence all by itself. 

For example – The conference call has been cancelled, and it will be re-scheduled next week.

A dependent clause cannot stand alone.  It doesn’t contain both a subject and a verb.  Therefore, it’s dependent on the rest of the sentence.

You don’t use a comma to connect a dependent clause to an independent clause.  To say it more simply, if one of the phrases cannot stand alone (doesn’t have a subject and a verb), then you don’t need a comma.

For example – The conference call has been cancelled and will be re-scheduled next week.

Whether you’re ending a sentence or checking for FANBOYS, take the time to punctuate properly.  Your customers and colleagues will respect you for it.

Email Grammar Tips

You may think there is no connection or relevance between constructing email messages with grammatically correct sentences and conducting the functions of a competent businessperson.  However, your clients may disagree. 

In order for customers to buy your products or use your services, they must have confidence in your abilities.  Using proper grammar is important to make a positive impression.

The same can be said for internal correspondence within a corporation.  Coworkers in other departments may not know anything about the work you do, but they may know English grammar.  And, they may be quick to point out when you don’t use that English grammar properly.

Since space prohibits a lengthy discussion on proper grammar, the following is a brief discussion of one common grammatical problem.  Watch for these errors when composing your email messages.

Fewer or Less
Determining whether to use the word “fewer” or the word “less” can be tricky.  Here are two techniques to help.

1.  Quantifiable Method

One technique is called the quantifiable method.  Ask yourself if you can count the individual items (e.g., apples, paper clips, calculators) or if you can’t count the quantity (e.g., food, time, patience). 

•    If you can count the items, use “fewer.”

•    If you can’t then count the items, use “less.”

For example, you can count the number of email messages you receive.  And, most people want FEWER messages!  Why?  Because they’d like to spend LESS time on email.

2.  Much or Many Method

Here is the second technique to help you determine whether to use the word “fewer” or the word  “less.”  This method is a little quirky.  But, hey, “quirky” is more fun and that makes it easier to remember. 

If you can rephrase the sentence by using the word “much,” then you select the word “less.”  On the other hand, if you can rephrase the sentence by using the word “many,” then you select the word “fewer.” 

•    Many = “fewer.”

•    Much = “less.”


Example

The following example demonstrates how to determine when to use the word “fewer” and when to use the word “less.”  This example illustrates both the quantifiable method and the quirky “much or many” method.

Determining When to Use “Fewer” or “Less”

Quantifiable Method:

    •    If you can count the items, use “fewer.”

    For example:     There are fewer than six cars in the parking lot.

    •    If you cannot count the items, use “less.”

    For example:     We had less gasoline in the car than we thought.


Much or Many Method:

    •    If you would use “many,” then use “fewer.”

    For example:     She doesn’t have many students.
     Therefore, she has fewer students.

    •    If you would use “much,” then use “less.”

    For example:    I don’t have much time.
Therefore, I have less time.

Regardless of which method you use, be aware of the impression you’re making with your email messages.  You’ll suffer LESS stress if you can retain MORE customers and staff by being professional.

Email Grammar Guide

Just because email messages are sent quickly doesn’t mean they can be composed in a hurry.  Sorry!  You were hoping I’d say little pesky things like grammar aren’t important.  But, they are.

Here are a few grammar pointers to get you started on the right track for sending proper email messages.  This isn’t an exhaustive list.  Entire text books are devoted to grammar.  But, these few tips will be helpful.

Incorrect Modifiers
Put modifiers in their proper place.  Sure – as soon as I tell you what a modifier is, you can tell it where to go. 

Modifiers are adjectives and adverbs.  Adjectives are used to modify nouns and pronouns.  Adverbs are used to modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.  One way to help remember this is that most adverbs end in the letters “ly.” 

Example - Using Modifiers Correctly

The following example demonstrates how to use adjectives to modify a noun and how to use adverbs to modify a verb.

When modifying a noun, use an adjective:

    •    He did a poor job. 
    •    She is a frequent contributor.

When modifying a verb, use an adverb:

    •    He did the job poorly.
    •    She contributes frequently.

Noun/Pronoun Agreement

Another common grammar problem is when the pronoun doesn’t agree in number with its antecedent.  Or, in plain English, that means incorrectly using a plural pronoun to modify a singular noun, or vice versa.  The most common offender is using the plural “they,” when the sentence really calls for the singular “he” or “she.” 

Example

This will become clearer when you read the following example.  The illustration also offers several options for rewording these statements in order to make them correct. 

Sample of Single Versus Plural Pronouns

The following statement is incorrect.  The noun and pronoun do not agree. 

“When a customer is upset, they need to vent.”

Here are several ways to reword the statement to make it correct:

    •    Rewrite it in the plural: 

        “When customers are upset, they need to vent.”

    •    Use he/she: 

        “When a customer is upset, he/she needs to vent.”

    •    Re-use the noun: 

        “When a customer is upset, a customer needs to vent.”

    •    Re-word the statement: 

        “An upset customer needs to vent.”

Recent Phenomenon

This specific problem is a recent phenomenon.  Long ago, “he” was the standard pronoun used to refer to both sexes.  In current times, we have tried to be more politically correct.  This leads to the he/she issue.  Errors on this issue not only lead to poor grammar, but they may offend someone.

Future Trend

Now that you’ve had a quick history lesson, let’s look to the future.  In a few years, it may be acceptable to use the plural pronoun “they” with a singular antecedent. 

However, those times haven’t arrived yet, despite what you may see to the contrary.  So, don’t use plural pronouns with singular nouns until you receive the official memo from the Proper English Grammar Gurus. 

Grammar Surprises

Here’s a final point about grammar.  You may be surprised by who becomes upset if your messages aren’t grammatically correct.  Your customer, colleague, or boss may use incorrect grammar all the time.  However, that doesn’t mean they don’t recognize improper usage when they hear it or see it from others.  In other words, they may be holding you to a higher standard.  Make sure you measure up.

Ebooks As Powerful Marketing Tools

===================================================
Ebooks are Promotional Powerhouses
===================================================

Ebooks are part of the new frontier of cyberspace.
They are an entirely new medium for sharing marketing
information, ideas, techniques, and expert knowledge.
Each day the number of people accessing the Internet
grows, causing the exposure of your ebook to increase
incrementally. It's obvious why electronic
self-publishing has become so popular so quickly.

The publishing industry, I hope, does not intend to
forever banish the printed word to the dustbin of
history. Books in print have their own special
qualities and merits, and the world would be
diminished by their disappearance.

Having said that, let's look at what makes ebooks so
important and so unique. Ebooks have certain abilities
and qualities that other mediums do not possess.

For example, ebooks are fairly easy to produce, and
their production cost is inexpensive. Just think about
it: you don't need a publisher, an agent, a printing
press, offset film, ink, paper, or even a distributor.
You just need a great concept, the ability to write it
or to hire a writer, and the right software.

Additionally, ebooks are easily and rapidly
distributed online. They are also easily updated; they
do not require a second print run. All you need is to
go into your original creation and modify the text or
graphics. Because of this flexibility, ebooks can
change and grow as fast as you can type.

Ebooks are also immediately obtainable. You don't have
to go to a bookstore or search through endless titles
at an online bookstore. All you have to do is download
it from a website, and presto! It's on your computer,
ready to be read.

Ebooks are interactive. This is one of the most unique
and specific qualities that ebooks offer. You can add
surveys that need to be filled out, order forms for
customers to purchase your products or goods, sound
and video that draw your reader into the virtual world
of your ebook, even direct links to relevant sites
that will expand your ebook outward. The potential is
virtually limitless.

Ebooks have a particular kind of permanence that other
mediums do not possess. Television shows and radio
shows air once, and then may rerun a few times. Ebooks
remain on your computer for as long as your choose,
and they can be read and reread whenever you choose
to. They can even be printed out and stored on the
shelves of your traditional home library.

Another wonderful quality is that ebooks have no
barriers in terms of publishing. You don't need to go
through the endless process of submitting your
manuscript over and over again, and then once you land
an agent, having the agent submit your manuscript over
and over again. Nor do you have to shell out thousands
of dollars for printing a self-published book. All
ebooks require is a writer and appropriate software.
Figure out your market, write your book, post it on
your website, and with the right business savvy, your
audience will come to you.

Finally, you have creative control over your ebook.
You don?t have to compromise with an editor or the
publishing trends of the time. You don't have to
haggle with a designer or wait for copyedited galleys
to arrive by snail mail. You are in complete control
of the design and the text.

How to Use ebooks for Marketing and Promotion

There are innumerable ways to use ebooks to promote
your business and drive quality traffic to your
website. Once posted on your site, you can turn them
into a daily course, which brings your customer back
to read the next chapter. You can use them as a free
gift for making a purchase or for filling out a
survey. Put your ebook on a disc, and you will have an
innovative brochure. Blow your competition away by
inserting the disc into your sales packages.

The most effective marketing products are those that
are unique. Copyright your ebook, and immediately, you
have a powerful tool that you, and you alone, can
offer to the public. People will have to visit your
site to acquire your ebook, which increases the flow
of quality traffic and the potential of sales and
affiliate contacts.

Make sure that you keep your ebook current. Update it
frequently as the market and trends change. Add new
advice and techniques to show your prospects how your
goods or services can enrich their lives. By
constantly keeping abreast of new trends and
techniques, you can continue to see profits from your
ebook for years after your original creation.

Another phenomenal advantage of ebooks is that you can
test their marketing potential without putting out
hardly any cash at all. You can even produce an ebook
one copy at a time, each time you receive an order,
eliminating the need for storage and inventory. By
this method, you can gauge the saleablity of your
ebook, and make adjustments as necessary until the
orders start pouring in. Ebooks allow you to learn
about your market and customer habits and motivation
over a period of time, without risking your precious
financial resources. They also provide you with an
invaluable way to gather marketing information, which
you can use in many different facets of your business.

Use your ebook to discover what the specific goals and
problems are in your specific industry. Then figure
out how to solve these problems, and publish an ebook
with this invaluable information. This will increase
the value of your business, upgrade your reputation,
and get you known as an expert in your field.

You can extend the value of single ebook by breaking
the book down into chapters for a serial course, into
special reports available on your website, or into
audio or visual tapes. Ebooks can be broken down into
several different promotional materials by excepting
some of the articles and using them to promote your
product. You can include a catalog in your ebook to
promote all the products or services you sell. You can
include a thank-you note for reading your book and an
invitation to download a trial version of your
product. Or you can include a form for your audience
to contact you for further information or with
questions, thereby building your business
relationships and your mailing list.

Using ebooks in this manner helps to cut the cost of
individually producing separate promotional materials.
You can use a single ebook to entice new prospects and
to sell new products to your current customers.

No other medium has this kind of flexibility and
ability for expansion. Think of your ebook like a
spider spinning a beautiful and intricate web. Now go
and create that web, and see how many customers and
prospects you can catch!

Donald Trump, True Leader, True Business Man

Through the years we have watched Donald Trump Rise and Fall, only to rise again.  A man that truly understandings the ups and downs of business.  It is believed that a good business man must be humbled a few time before greatness.  This is the only way a good leader can be developed.  A business person must know what they have to lose.

Donald Trump is a amazing person.  His true leadership shows in his approach to his employees.  He does not judge them for their education, but by their performance and ability to lead.  Not all great leaders can have degrees.  Street smarts and business experience can crush a college educated person.

Here are a few items we would like to point out about Donald Trump:
- A person that knows success and tells us to brag about. Blow your own horn.
- Do not judge a person by their education, but always respect those who have one.
- Learn to make the deal, buy knowing what you want and how your going to get there.
- Surround yourself with great people.

Business Subjects That Donald Trump Would Be A Great Influence:
- Master of great real estate deals.
- Marketing, What your doing and what you have already done
- Leadership and People Skills, Respect those around you, yet everyone one knows who is in charge.

Donald Trump has proven to be a household name to us for his accomplishments.  Many folks down play his forwardness and horn blowing ways, but he always seems to be on top.  Mr. Trump is someone to watch, learn and understand.

A site has been provided for you to understand Donald Trump better, at http://www.searchtrump.com . A site devoted to Donald Trump and his leadership.

You can also email  trump@nwcustomwebs.com with any of your questions.

Does Your New Product Qualify For A Patent

If you've created something unique and something you believe to be marketable the subject of patents should be of immense interest to you. Without a patent your idea could be stolen from you. With a patent in place the concept, and its financial rewards, are yours for a minimum of 17 and a maximum of 20 years.

Does your new product qualify for a patent, however? To determine this you'll need to not only prove its uniqueness but to also make sure it's not disqualified for category.

In the United States, for example, the issuing federal agency is the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. This agency offers utility patents, the most common form of patent, on brand new designs that can prove usefulness. They can even patent new varieties of foliage such as plants.

What cannot be patented, however, are new pharmaceuticals that are determined to be unsafe, nuclear weapons, phenomena theoretical in nature, inventions that aren't operable, non-operational changes such as aesthetic improvements, inventions whose primary purpose would be seen as illegal, and those considered by the patent office as "whimsical," i.e., serving no serious purpose. As of this writing the patent office also refuses "immoral" patents, but a change is in the offing that will eliminate this category from patent refusal.

One of the criteria used by the US PTO to determine uniqueness and thus eligibility for a patent is whether someone who is considered an expert in the field in which you're introducing a new product would consider the product not only useful but also unique. You will, therefore, delay your application for a patent until you've determined that the answer to this is yes. You'll want to provide the PTO with the name or names of experts who have attested to the usefulness and unique nature of your creation.

This is where you must be careful. Sharing your idea prior to its patent could result in its theft if you don't take precautions. Besides carefully studying the credibility and ethics of those from whom you seek a professional opinion of your new idea or product, you'll also want to carefully document your step-by-step creation - from original concept to completion.

Purchase a notebook. It doesn't need to be anything fancy - just a diary sort of concept that notes each and every move made and every idea generated that helped to bring your concept and product to fruition. While in this day and age you're probably more prone to use a word processing system to do so (and that's a great idea for backup since you can not only keep it on your hard drive but save it to CD, DVD or disk) you'll first want to record these steps, in your own handwriting, in your notebook. Make sure you date each step as well.

The process for earning a patent from initial application averages two years. However, while that process is pending you will still have proof that you're the inventor by showing the PTO documentation of application number and official date of filing. If applying online, you'll have this information in minutes. If you apply by mail, the documentation should arrive within eight weeks.

Once you've received your patent, you'll have protected your new product or idea from infringement. What this means is that were anyone to try to claim it as their own, or to duplicate it and use or sell that duplication, you could sue for damages.

Business Entity Options

When forming your new business structure, you must consider the best possible alternative of the available business structures.  While a sole proprietorship is the easiest type to create, there is no separate identity.  Personal liability belongs to the owner.  Should there be a lawsuit, accident or you incur debts that you can’t repay, your personal assets are at risk.

The type of entity you choose should be based on careful consideration.  Each state has specific rules for the structure of each type of entity.  You should investigate the type of entity, the rules and laws pertaining to each in your state and at a federal level.

The choices are – sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability partnership, corporation, C corporation, S corporation, and  LLCs.  Sole proprietorship provides the least protection while corporations and LLCs offer limited personal liability for debts or judgments against the company.

When creating your entity, you should use an attorney to create written documentation of the entity’s organization and structure.  Your attorney, accountant or CPA can advise you of the legal and all tax consequences of your choice.  Doing a little research prior to contacting a professional will reduce the time spent with an expensive professional.  Do your due diligence to protect yourself and your family.

Business Creativity: Dr. YKK Quotes

"Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what you want to achieve and they will
surprise you with their ingenuity."
        —General George Patton


"If you can dream it, you can do it."
        —Walt Disney


“One of the nicest things about problems is that a good many of them do not exist except in our imagination”
    —Steve Allen


“Having fun unleashes creativity. It is one of the seeds you plant to get ideas.”
    —Jack Foster


“The ultimate creative thinking technique is to think like God. If you’re atheist, pretend how God would do it.”
    —Frank Lloyd Wright


“The innovative company understands that innovation starts with an idea and ideas are somewhat like babies – they are born small, immature, and shapeless.”
    —Peter Drucker


“The hallmark of creative people is their mental flexibility… Sometimes they are open and probing, at others they’re playful and off-the-wall. At still other times, they’re critical and faultfinding. And finally they’re doggedly persistent in striving to reach their goals.”
    —Roger von Oech


“If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange, then you and I still each have an apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each one of us will have two ideas.
    —George Bernard Shaw


"The Empires of the future are the Empires of the mind."
      —Winston Churchill

Business Aimed to Success - To Do List

Yola Eve
Business Trainer
VIP Quality Software

You need to find an ideal way of organizing and supporting your business. You can develop your own style, embrace your inner talents, find “your and only your” way to Success.

Every starting out specialist who is about to organize their own practice wants to be successful right from the start. How to do that? Where to find a perfect way to run private Biz? Does one have to spend years in order to become successful? I would say no to years and multiple business start outs.

Many people want and I say they can run their business perfectly well from the start, while continuing to develop. From my own experience, I went and I have talked to successful people. I learned about their mistakes, I put reminders for myself to achieve more at my starting level. And I did it.

They say that road to Success is hard-work. I would agree on that.
They say that if you are not born as a businessman you have to work hard for years to get the necessary skills. Well, I am not sure about that.
They say, this is my favorite one, that:
“He is just lucky… He has done nothing to obtain what he has already… He has a good karma.” LOL

There is a new tendency that I accepted and followed. I started to develop habits of rich people from the beginning. My business is small and it was only in my own efforts to run it properly. I had no accountants or business advisors in my family. None of my friends had their own ventures. I had nobody to turn to. Nobody could actually give me an idea how to run my business and organize myself successfully. But I have done it anyway. Thanks to the already successful people, psychologist and business trainers who have helped me to bring out the best in me.

I looked at them. I studied them. I worked with them. I did it all in order to fix my internal problems and fear of failure that was passed to me in my childhood. I am sure many people can relate to me. Because, our parents didn’t always know how to teach us in a better way. They were raised by their parents who have given them whatever they could. And sometimes these things are not best to work positively in our lives. Anyway, I worked through my problems, because I really wanted to be successful in my life. I was motivated to create better life for myself, my family and my child.

Everything happened for me the moment I understood that I can be successful and wealthy only if I develop something of my own. Something that works in my life. Something that could help other people to make their lives better.
But how to do that? How to find something of your own? How to develop and implement it in your business?

The search is actually not that long.

You put a goal and ask yourself:
“What is my, and only my, talent?”
The answer will come to you in time. Sometimes it can take a few months, sometimes a few days, sometimes a few minutes for the answer to come to you.

After that, you take another important thing and put it to work. Your faith.
Do you completely believe in yourself? If no, you should work on it. I wouldn’t give any advice here because every person completely differs from another. The answer is within you. The only common suggestion is to visit, once again, a successful and experienced specialist, psychologist, business trainer. Tell them what you need exactly, they will help you out.

Do another thing for yourself. Set a specific time and date for yourself when you want this faith to appear in you and you will be ready to start doing something. Time and date will help you organize yourself better. It will make you move forward faster because you have triggered your subconscious and super conscious mechanism in order to succeed. There is a saying that “If you really want something, the whole Universe will help you to achieve what you want.”

Now, back to our Success Stairs. You have to climb them. 
Your fist successful step is to keep track of every work you do throughout a day. Believe with all your heart in everything that you do and list what you were doing in your small achievements To-Do List. That is how you will be able to keep track of what is done and what still needs to be done. That is how you will be able to gain more faith in everything you do.

Learn how to organize yourself. Set deadlines what and when needs to be done, created or finished. Set estimated time for every work that you do. That is a key to successful time management skills. 

Make a to-do list of all your services sold to your customers. Create your own client database to keep track of your clients. Communicate with them to get to know their special needs and see if you can fulfill them and implement it in your business.


Put your computer, organizer, to-do list software to work. They will help you organize yourself better, concentrate on what your have to do and in what priority everything needs to be set. Let your organizer be your silent assistant. It will alarm you when you have to do something important step by step.

List your ideas for the future. Remember, you have to write them down. Brilliant ideas come and go. They have a tendency to vanish in our daily routine mind work. That is why your every idea, even crazy one, must be written down on paper or a computer. From my experience, these ideas accumulate and then some of them can bring you “your and only your” true Success.


P.S. Good luck in your Business. Be successful in everything you do.
Don’t forget to download for free your “how to organize your business” to do list.

Can Businesses Learn from the Military?

A few years ago I left the forces after serving a full 22 years. I joined the Army straight after leaving school; it still seems like yesterday when I walked into the careers office in Barnsley as a spotty eek. After numerous test, medicals and a 2 day assessment I was told I was going to be a vehicle mechanic ‘B’ in the REME (Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers), a right mouthful when I was full of beer and attempting to chat up a young filly. Funnily enough when I enrolled in the REME I was not told I would be spending the first year after basic training in a technical school, if I had known this prior I would defiantly have tried something else. During my career I became knowledgeable in a host of subjects, some unmentionable, the ones that are printable include; vehicle engineering, health and safety, human resources, general management. During my career I worked in some fantastically well organised, well managed places and unfortunately some not so good places. This leads me to the question; can a business really learn from the military? Since leaving the forces I have been involved in a few business ventures, generally poor unsuccessful ones. Looking back I honestly believe if the management of these businesses employed a more military type attitude they would have not failed so easily. So what do I mean by a military type attitude? I certainly do not mean acting like the cast of Bad Lads Army. This is what I mean: In normal business life the main motivator is money or the fear of the boot. This is probably why so many people nowadays change job so frequently. These should not be the only motivation tools a company employ. The Army uses the best motivation tool there is ‘Time Off’. Of course having your workforce at home most of the time is counter productive. In the early 90’s I managed a small vehicle workshop in Berlin. I had one military worker and one civilian. During the quiet periods I would call for the dice to be brought out, sometimes as early as 8am. The dice were thrown by all of us, the lowest combined score from 2 throws meant that person had to man the telephone all day, whilst the winners disappeared either home or to the local golf course. This management tactic as well as others ensured I had a happy workforce, production statistics don’t lie they showed an overall output increase. Other methods in different places included production meetings in the local pub, rewarding my hardest worker by giving him 5 days off; this certainly spurred the rest of the lads on and a host of other methods. Of course there were times when I worked with unmotivated, self opinionated, lazy soldiers, on these occasions I adopted a sterner approach. I then look at the majority of workers in everyday business life; I see they are generally unmotivated, unless they are self employed. I wonder if this is because they are not well managed. My guess would be they are not managed at all. My cousin works in a very busy establishment as soon as his boss leaves the office, everyone logs on to EBay. How counter productive is that? To conclude in my opinion many lessons can be learned from the British military in how to manage and run organisations. I should send my article to the BBC maybe they will run a programme on it, now that would be funny. About the author - Peter Arkwright recently retired from the military, he is now the Managing Director of www.bizseller4u.com A new portal that allows people to list their Business for Sale This article is free for republishing

Breaking Business Plans Down to Smaller Steps

Most of us know what a business plan is. We know that it includes product information, marketing strategies, financing, facilities and a customer profile. Yet how many of us know that the comprehensive report is just a piece of paper without the commitment of the owner? That’s right it is “garbage” without strong psychological traits that help to adhere to the plan. A business plan changes depending on the personality strengths of the owner. Within the business plan it is beneficial to map out the financial budget for a certain length of time. In most businesses this plan includes all major expenses for the year. Adhering to a year plan may be difficult because they are not able to do that in their personal lives. For example, if one has a hard time saving 10% of their income how are they going to adhere to a budget that requires them to put money away for future development in their small business. The plan may include a year improvement plan but should be broken down into monthly or weekly goals so that the owner can follow it closely. Let’s say an owner wants to build additional fresh fruit space and it is going to cost him/her about 8,000 dollars. The owner hasn’t been able to put this money away for the past couple of years due to inability to stay committed. Then have them take $200 out of their earnings each week by writing a check and placing it in a box. At the end of the year they can count up the checks, rip them up and write one big one for their expansion project. The same applies to marketing. If an owner wants to market to everyone in his neighborhood who has children it doesn’t make sense to just state this fact and then not break it down into steps. For a small owner it may appear as though the task is too big him/her to handle. Break it down so that this month they will purchase the demographics list of homeowners with children, then the next week develop the sales letter, the third week turn it into the printer, so on and so forth. By breaking down larger business plans into small steps small managers are more able to keep focus on building and developing their long-term goals. Both the yearly and the monthly/weekly goals complement each other. The overall business plan acts as the ultimate improvement while the monthly/weekly goals acts like the road map. It is important to remember that the ultimate achievement of goals depends on the actually personality and traits of the owner. Writing out strategies that don’t follow the normal way they work and look at life is likely to be unfulfilled.

Business Card, Here To Stay?

For as long as I have been alive (all of 27 years) business cards have been a very popular way to solidify a contact. Printing of the cards has gotten to be more quality for less money and so everyone and their brother has a business card. When I was real young it was a phone number and maybe a fax number if the office was real up and coming on the technology scene. Now technology has taken over business to the point that it is a valid question whether or not there will be business cards in the future. Are they really necessary? Well at one time yes it was a great idea and people actually held on to a business card and used them as a contact card that they would pop in their rolodex. Now no one has a rolodex and it would take just as long to look someone up in the online yellow pages than it would to flip to the right rolodex file to look up a name and a number. So basically I think that they are out as we know them. That is not to say that they are out for good. No technology has a way of finding a way to stick around. Now we are seeing business cards in the form of mini cd-roms that not only have the name and address but also a personal introduction to the person and work of the giver as well as a overview of the company for which the donor works. This can be as simple as a pdf file or as complicated as an animated tour with interactive features. We are also seeing things like an electronic business card that can be sent to one another with wireless connections between portable digital devices. This is becoming the thing to do and the business card can automatically update a contacts list in that person’s default email software. So the little paper business card that used to be all the rage is phasing out but the concept is not dead. Rather it is taking on a life of its own with technology and ingenuity being its vitality. Who knows maybe in the not too distant future we will have holographic business cards that can be sent from the chips in our wrist that also contain all the other information that we used in our daily life including our shopping lists and bank account information.

Grabbing Buyers From Reviews & Guides

One of the lessons that eBay has learned in recent years is that content is king. To be honest, until recently even eBay themselves admitted that the site lacked content. In other words, the site did not have much in the way of useful information; it was purely a place to buy products or services.

Some of the most recent developments to encourage user-provided content were: eBay Wiki, eBay Reviews and Guides and eBay Blogs. By eBay's own admission the aim of these sections is to build valuable content that will encourage users to come back to the site more frequently, as well as to influence the search engines in a positive way to increase the visibility of the site overall.

These features have been largely ignored by most eBay users, but they present a powerful opportunity for the switched on seller (that's you). How so? In return for providing content to these sections of the site, eBay promises a nice payback. It's a ‘you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours' kind of arrangement.

The opportunity that exists in eBay Reviews and Guides is great because it's a flexible and open format.

According to eBay's own definition, Reviews and Guides (which are actually independent sections of the site in their own right) were provided as a way for users to research suitable products and benefit from the wisdom of eBay members that have experience in a particular product category, either as a seller or as a user. ‘Reviews' contains comments and ratings about all kinds of commonly sold items on eBay.

Note that eBay limits reviews to specific types of products that they list. ‘Guides' are short articles or reports that contain information and opinions about almost any topic you can think of.

There are two key ways to benefit from these sections of eBay:

1.Use the free information as a research resource for creating your own information products.

2.Write informative and useful information about the niche that you sell in, and then promote your own products.

The first point should be self-evident. Reviews and Guides is a rapidly growing information resource that's available for free, so it's a great tool for research when creating information based products.

The second area is a little more complex, but don't be put off, because it represents an outstanding way to generate interest in your eBay listings, for free. Here are some of the ways you can use Reviews and Guides:

1. Have a friend or relative post an objective review of your product. Make sure it's realistic and credible, and be sure to include details of what makes your product superior to the competition.

2. Write a Top 10 products review for your industry (guess which is No.1?)

3.Write a ‘white paper' report about a product that you sell.

4. Write a guide that explains how to use your product.

5. Write a guide that explains unusual uses for your product.

6. Write a guide that explains the pitfalls to look out for in hiring a service you offer.

7. Write a guide that gives tips and advice within some aspect of the niche that you sell in.

8. Write a guide that explains how to replace or repair a product.

Be as creative as you like, and remember that you can include pictures, photos, illustrations, basic formatting, and eBay links to specific products or eBay searches. If you do use any kind of photo or drawing, make sure it closely relates to the content and that it enhances rather than detracts from the text (that's a common mistake).

Also, in preparing your writing, ask yourself what people would be most interested in reading about. After all, you want to attract as many readers as possible. As with any copywriting, the headline (and title) that you select are the most important aspects to consider in drawing readers in.

Obviously, don't stop after producing your first one, aim to produce a steady stream of reviews and guides to increase your presence and influence on eBay (and the search engines that love this type of solid content). Set a goal of producing at least one review and one guide each week. If you can do more, even better.

Both reviews and guides can be voted on by readers, so make sure you keep an eye on that, as you want to maintain a favorable impression.


Please read and re-read the following information so that you fully grasp it. The two most important aspects of writing an eBay Guide are the links and the tags. Links are clickable text that will redirect the user automatically to another page within eBay. There are two types of links available to you – links to specific product pages, and links to eBay searches. I recommend that you use the latter because product pages will change from time to time, whereas searches will always be valid.

When you create a guide, eBay will help you create a search link by prompting you to enter relevant words to search for. This is much easier to do than it sounds.

For example, if you are in a niche selling guitar accessories, you would include words like guitar pedal, guitar stand, guitar amp, guitar strings, and so on. In identifying the most suitable words and phrases (tags), ask yourself, “If I was to search for this type of article, what search words would I enter?”Now, this is the clever part. If you give this some thought, it's possible to create a search term that's so specific that it only brings up your items in the results page!

For example, going back to the example of selling guitar accessories, if your store name was ‘ABC Guitar Accessories' and your listings had the word ‘ABC' in them, your search terms would be ABC guitar pedal, ABC guitar stand, ABC guitar amp and so on. Again, the aim is to create search terms that are so specific that your listings are the only ones that match, so they are the ones that are displayed.

This is a very powerful tool because you are now able to influence readers of your guides to visit your listings, and yours alone. Since you've just provided them with useful information in your guide, it makes sense that you are starting to build a rapport with them, and they are far more likely to buy from you than another seller as a result. It's simple human nature at work.

Tags

The other element of an eBay Guide to give attention to are the tags.

The word ‘tags' is simply ‘eBay speak' for keywords. Keywords are words or phrases that eBay prompts you to enter when you create your guide, to help others locate the guide in the future. It's the search terms that will cause your guide to be found, so you can see how important they are.

As an example, if your guide was ‘Tips for Planning the Perfect Hawaii Vacation', your keywords would likely include:

Hawaiivacation
Maui
Ohau
Kaui

There's a balance to be had in how specific your keywords are because you are only allowed to submit a maximum of four. For example, if you used the keyword expression ‘Hawaii surfing vacation' you would lose out on a lot of other more general searches.

Finally, as you might imagine, it's easy to spend hours in these areas of the site, so be careful not to fall into that trap. Use these features as tools to increase your presence on eBay, but don't get bogged down with them.

Delivering "The Right Stuff"

The following is an excerpt from the book Creating Competitive Advantage
by Jaynie L. Smith with William G. Flanagan
Published by Currency; April 2006;$19.95US/$26.95CAN; 0-385-51709-2
Copyright © 2006 Jaynie L. Smith and William G. Flanagan


Your customers, or would-be customers, need to be informed and reminded of what added values you provide them -- extras that can save them money, time, and aggravation. Yet too many business owners and managers can be ignorant of what those competitive advantages are. The seafood supplier didn’t communicate that he was selling fresher salmon with longer shelf life, and thus enhancing his customers’ bottom lines, until a competitor threatened his market share.

You could be providing a lot of extras to your customers without realizing how much you are actually saving them. Or, if you do not provide meaningful extras now, you might consider adopting them. They can be critical competitive advantages. Consider the following:

Terms. If you are a small or medium-size company up against a category killer, you might have flexible financing terms that the big guys can’t match. For example, a lumber company in the Northeast enjoyed a robust business with little substantial competition until Home Depot began to close in. One Home Depot box opened twenty miles away, and then another just ten miles down the road. Observers predicted that the lumber company would soon be bulldozed out of business.

Surely, it couldn’t compete on price, not against Home Depot's buying power. Lumber is lumber. So it concentrated on hitting Home Depot where it was vulnerable. It offered more -- flexible credit arrangements for its most important customers -- small contractors who often lack lines of credit from banks. The lumber company didn’t have to drop its prices to stay in business. It adopted new competitive advantages.

Guarantees. It is common for attendees at my seminars to tell me that their companies are “the only ones in our industry offering multi-year guarantees” on their products. But when I ask if they make a big deal about the guarantee to prospective buyers, most admit they do not.

The reason is usually the same: “If we emphasize the guarantee, too many customers may take advantage of it.”

That’s a pretty lame excuse. Either you offer a guarantee or you don’t. If you are confident enough in the product to guarantee it in the first place, make a selling point of it. Statistics show that a very small percentage of customers in any business actually use the guarantee. But the guarantee takes a lot of risk out of the buying decision and clinches a lot of deals.

Inventory turns. One of my favorite stories about inventory turns involves a clothing manufacturer who sold women’s clothes to boutiques around the country. When I asked him what differentiated him from his competitors, he said he thought his clothes were “wearable.”

“As opposed to what?” I asked, trying not to laugh. He began to talk about design, fabric, cut, and so on. When I queried what his competitors we're saying, he shrugged and said, “I suppose the same thing . . . but I know my stuff sells much better.”

I asked him what his customer, the boutique owner, cares about most. “Whether or not it sells,” he said. So I asked if his shop owners measured inventory turns. He answered that some did, some did not. I suggested that he teach them how to measure inventory turns and then he could prove to the shop owners his clothes sold better. My point was that he should stop selling “wearable clothes” like everyone else and start selling inventory turns. Moving the goods is what matters.

Note: Be sure you can back up your boast. Your buyers will know soon enough if you can’t. As with any competitive advantage you claim, make sure you deliver.

Materials. One client in the home-improvement business who sold siding knew his product was “stronger and better” because of the materials he used. But he didn’t know how to convey that without sounding biased and subjective. Upon asking his employees a series of questions I learned from one of his engineers that the company’s product has a higher wind load rating than any competitive product. In many geographic markets, the higher load rating influences buying decisions. So if your materials are stronger and provide customers with a benefit, shout about it in a way that is measurable.

Delivery. If you provide the same product as your competitors but you offer better delivery service, you have a competitive advantage. But how important is it? The Compleat Company, which sells promotional products, decided to find out. The Seattle-based company polled its customers about the importance of its on-time delivery. It found that its customers not only valued that service highly, they had a pretty low tolerance for being late.

Eighty-eight percent of its customers defined “on-time delivery” as being on schedule 97 percent of the time or better. Only 4 percent of its customers would accept an on-schedule rate of less than 93 percent. A manager from Compleat told me that the company is now focusing its energy and resources to make sure it meets that expectation. When Compleat’s customers want their deliveries, they will get them.

Information. In business as in war, intelligence can be priceless. In Business @ the Speed of Thought (Warner, 1999), Bill Gates writes: “The most meaningful way to differentiate your company from your competition, the best way to put distance between you and the crowd, is to do an outstanding job with information. How you gather, manage, and use information will determine whether you win or lose.”

Knowing what your competitors are doing, and keeping up with trends in your industry, are basic forms of intelligence, and essential if you are going to run a successful business. So is listening to your customers. (Your own and your competitors’.)

The more competitive the business you are in, the more important the role of intelligence. You can’t afford to get caught flat footed if, say, a labor strike shuts off deliveries of critically needed material. Or if commodity prices suddenly spike or drop. Or consumer confidence sinks. Or if new products being developed by your competitors threaten your markets.

No matter what business you are in, failing to keep a weather eye on changes in your industry can be fatal. A lot of this “intelligence” is hardly proprietary. It simply amounts to smart business practices born out of experience. If you are a B-to-B supplier who sells to retailers, your customers’ success determines how well you do, too. Your experience can help your clients avoid common mistakes.

Small and medium-size businesses are often in the dark about key developments in their industries. They lack the time, money, and expertise to gather and evaluate that information. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t important. Consider the prices they pay for the goods or services they buy. Advance word of radical price shifts, or new products that will make others obsolete, can save them from missing a buying opportunity, or from laying in inventory that will soon become obsolete.

Keeping your customers informed of trends can only make them healthier, and in turn create more business for you. Word of mouth from your sales force is one time-honored way to accomplish this. But in this age of the Internet there are other effective ways, too, from e-mail to Web sites that keep clients posted on prices and other industry developments.

One of my former clients, the Institute for Trend Research, in Concord, New Hampshire, analyzes market and economic trends and makes accurate predictions as to when those trends will change. Its business is its forecasting expertise in a wide range of sectors, from industrial construction and agricultural market movement to interest rates, commodity prices, and inflation.

Subscribers to the company’s publication EcoTrends get an important bonus: a discount on EcoCharts. EcoCharts, using raw data that the subscribers provide themselves, tells them which indicators included in EcoTrends correlate best to their specific businesses. ITR has defined four phases of economic movement; if the trends that affect your industry are in Phase C, then you are expecting a downturn. Your actions might include a reduction in inventory and training, an avoidance of long-term purchase commitments, and deeper concentration on your cash and balance sheet. On the other hand, during Phase B, an upward trend, you would accelerate training, increase prices, consider outside manufacturing, and open distribution centers. This kind of information can provide companies with powerful competitive advantages.

Training. Many large companies offer specialized training for their customers, free or at cost, so they can run their business better. McDonald’s runs its own academy for new franchise owners, for example, so they can learn to avoid common pitfalls and maximize the return on their investments. The company draws on the experiences of thousands of other franchise owners and shares that knowledge, because it is vital to their own business. I often recommend to clients that if they invest heavily in training they should make a competitive point of it. For example, “We invest half a million dollars each year training our employees” or “. . . training our customers.”

Excerpted from Creating Competitive Advantage by Jaynie L. Smith with William G. Flanagan Copyright © 2006 by Jaynie L. Smith with William G. Flanagan. Excerpted by permission of Currency, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

Author
Jaynie L. Smith is the founder of ICS Marketing and president of Smart Advantage, Inc., a management consultancy whose clients include hundreds of middle-market businesses. She also serves as the Florida chair for The Executive Committee (TEC), an international organization of over 11,000 CEOs. She resides in Hollywood, Florida. Visit her website at  www.smartadvantage.com .

Cash Gifting: Is There Room for Everyone in Cash Gifting?

It seems that everyone is looking for that one fantastic opportunity to develop a home-based business these days. Why not? Who wouldn't like to be able to work from home, or the beach, or the road as they travel? A lot of people think that all Internet marketing opportunities are over-saturated - that only those at the top of a given opportunity actually generate any sizable income. They are wrong.

While the overall picture of Internet marketing plans and programs may seem incredibly saturated, many people overlook cash gifting programs. For whatever reasons, they do not understand the wonderful opportunity presented by these safe and secure gifting systems - and it's costing them a lot of money and freedom! Here are a few quick facts about Internet marketing in general:

- There are over 300 million people in the US alone;
- There are over 6.6 billion people on the planet now;
- The Internet is a powerful vehicle that allows your business endeavors to span international borders;

While there are over 18 million active home business entrepreneurs in the US alone, there are only 16,000 people participating in cash gifting programs. 16,000 out of 18 million - that's a market that has massive expansion potential!

Check out these facts about cash gifting:

- Cash gifting works, and it works fast! While many MLM "opportunities" promise the moon, cash gifting delivers cold hard cash in speedy fashion.
- There is no way to be cheated in modern cash gifting programs. They are strictly monitored to ensure equal opportunity and advancement for all members. If you are promoting the program, the money will be there.
- Of the 16,000 people who are registered in cash gifting programs, only half of them are working the plans. That means that there's just that much more opportunity for an inspired individual!
- Cash gifting is by no means an MLM scheme. When you join a gifting program that provides excellent mentoring, you are on the road to massive cash generation.

If you have been thinking about getting involved in an Internet-based business, then you definitely need to explore the cash gifting realm further. There are so many bogus scams out there in cyberspace. People get disheartened and create massive failure rates. Over 99% of all home-based business endeavors fail miserably within the first six months.

That's because they didn't check into cash gifting!

The cash gifting realm presents us with unparalleled opportunity for online cash generation. And unlike most Internet-based business plans, it is definitely not over-saturated. Learn more today!