Google Apps Setup 888-898-4787 VIRUSwoman.com Google Apps Setup Small Business
viruswoman asked:
Watch this Google Apps Enthusiast give his Perspective about Google Apps. Read More about Crisantos below. Crisantos Hajibrahim served in the United States Marine Corps as a Communication
Small Business – Mad Patten
letfreedomringusa asked:
Small Business – Mad Patten
Can Your Small Business Afford Not to Have a Web Site?
Can Your Small Business Afford Not to Have a Web Site?
I’ve been accused of being opinionated by more than one person in my life, but try as I might to work on that part of my personality, it remains pretty much the same. So, in this article, I’m going to discuss my “opinion” on one reason why, even if your target market is strictly local, your small business can’t afford not to have a web site.
Keywords:
small business web site
I’ve been accused of being opinionated by more than one person in my life, but try as I might to work on that part of my personality, it remains pretty much the same. So, in this article, I’m going to discuss my “opinion” on one reason why, even if your target market is strictly local, your small business can’t afford not to have a web site.
A few statistics from Statistics Canada to start us on our way-. In 2003, there were about 12 million households in Canada, and of those 8 million had regular access to the internet from work, home and/or school. Around 60% of the total households had a computer and internet access at home.
Ok, so now we know how many households had access to the internet, but what were they using it for? Almost 90% used the internet for browsing, but more importantly for our discussion- 34% used the internet for purchasing goods and services, and by the way, that’s almost double 1999 figures for purchasing goods and services on the internet.
Industry Canada reports that in 2000, Canadian ecommerce sales were $7.2 billion, a whopping 73% increase over 1999 numbers. And no, it’s not a typo, it really is $7.2 BILLION! I’d say there’s a pattern brewing—internet usage and sales are increasing rapidly.
And, according to Industry Canada, Canada captured only about 4% of global e-commerce in 2000. Now, numbers may not be my strong suit, so feel free to correct me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t that mean there was 180 billion dollars spent globally in ecommerce?
Let’s look for a moment to the United States. www.tamingthebeast.net reports statistics and forecasts collected during December 2001—157million online users forecast to spend $47.8 billion in online retail revenue in 2002. By 2006, the forecast is 210 million users spending $130 billion in retail revenue.
The numbers alone will probably convince many people to invest in a small business web site, particularly if they’re in an industry where their target market isn’t restricted to a purely local one.
But, you say, my business is just a little local shop. Why should I get a web site for my small business? What good will the internet do me? I’ve heard that one before. In fact, the guy I’ve heard it from most is David.
He’s the guy with the auto shop in my article “I Don’t Need a Business Plan—Do I?” Long story short, his mother in law finally convinced him to write a business plan and his business is making some money, but in my opinion, it could do better with some marketing. I’d really like to convince him to spend some marketing dollars (he’s a little cheap sometimes), but so far, no dice. Anyway I digress.
Let’s use David’s business as an example. So, his business is in Saskatoon, a city with a population of just over 200,000 over five years of age and almost 90,000 households in 2001, according to Statistics Canada. Nearly every household has at least one vehicle in Saskatoon, so that means there are around 90,000 potential vehicle problems for David’s shop.
Of course, not every vehicle is going to break down in a year, and David isn’t going to get all of them to use his shop, but you get the idea. And mind you, some of them will break down more than once. A certain 1988 Jeep YJ comes to mind…
In Saskatoon, 72.5% of households had access to the internet in 2003, so around 65,000 households had internet access. And that’s not including the rural population surrounding Saskatoon who also have vehicles that need a mechanic from time to time. Now, let’s say David goes marketing-crazy and spends $2500 for his web site (which in my opinion is way too much money for a static small business web site).
But it does no good to have a web site if it isn’t found. Statistically, when people enter a word or phrase into a search engine, they’ll stop looking after the third page. That means, that in order for your web site to be positioned so people will actually click on it, it needs to be in the top 30 web sites for your particular key words or phrases.
So, lets assume that the $2500 David spent includes some good search engine optimization. His web site copywriter makes sure to research and find relevant keywords, and uses them well in his site.
She adds his site to small business directories, and does more of her seo magic, and low and behold, three months in, David’s site comes up #2 in a Google search for “auto repair Saskatoon”. Now there are a potential 65,000 clients for David’s business because they’ll find it in a search engine.
If he only reaches .1% of those 65,000 (not 1%, but point 1%), he could have 65 new clients, and you know your bill is going to be more than 100 bucks every time you take your car to the shop, but assuming just $100 for an average bill, he’ll gross $6500, making that $2500 web site money well spent. I’d be willing to bet he’d make that much on maintenance alone, never mind repairs.
Now that I think about it, I’ve never approached David about a web site from this angle. I think I might show him this article. He’s a logical sort of guy, and it just might convince him to get one.
How to Sell to Anyone
How to Sell to Anyone
We all have those difficult customers to whom we are required to sell. From the demanding, abrasive buyer to the individual who never seems to make a buying decision, we encounter challenging people on a regular basis.
Keywords:
sales, sales skills, selling
Let’s face it. We all have those difficult customers to whom we are required to sell. From the demanding, abrasive buyer to the individual who never seems to make a buying decision, we encounter challenging people on a regular basis. Part of the reason this happens is due to the disconnect we have because of conflicting personalities. This article will look at the four key types of people and how to improve your results with each.
Direct Donna. Donna is very direct in her approach. She tends to be forceful and always wants to dominate or control the sales call. Her behavior is aggressive, she points at you while she talks, interrupts your to challenge you, and she seldom cares about hearing the details of your new product or service. Instead, she demands that you “cut to chase” and “tell me the bottom line.” Donna is very results-focused and goal-oriented and hates wasting time.
To achieve the best sales results with this individual you need to be more direct and assertive. Tell her at the beginning of the sales call or meeting that you know how busy she is and how valuable her time is. Tell her that you will “get right to the point” and focus your conversation on the results she will achieve by using you product or service. Resist the temptation to back down if she confronts you because you will lose her respect. To Donna, it is not personal, it’s just business.
Lastly, be direct in asking for her business—you don’t have to dance around this issue.
Talkative Tim. Tim is a gregarious and outgoing person but very ego-centric. He is often late for your meetings and his constant interruptions and long stories cause your sales calls to go beyond the scheduled time. He appears to be more concerned with listening to himself talk which is frustrating because you don’t always get enough time to discuss your solution.
Relationships are very important to Talkative Tim so invest more time in social conversation. Even if you don’t see the point in this, he will appreciate the gesture and will like you more. This person often makes buying decisions on intuition and how he feels about the sales person.
Be careful not to challenge Tim because he will feel rejected and when this happens he will “shut down” and become unresponsive. During your sales presentation, tell him how good your solution will make him look to others in the company or how his status or image will improve. In other words, appeal to his ego.
Steady Eddie. Soft-spoken, Eddie is a “nice” fellow who seems more focused on his team and coworkers than on his personal results. He is very quiet compared to some of your other prospects and can be difficult to read. But most frustrating is his reluctance to make a buying decision. Eddie’s mantra seems to be “I’m still thinking about but thanks for following up.”
Structure and security is important to these people and it is difficult for Eddie to make changes. He often contemplates how the decision will affect other people within the organization. That means you need to slow down the sales process, demonstrate how your solution will benefit the team, and remove as much risk from the decision-making process as possible. Soften your voice and make sure your sales presentation flows in a logical manner. Use words like “fair” “logical” and “your team” in your presentation.
Analytical Alice. She reads every point and specification about your product or service and regardless of how much information you give Alice, she always wants more, including written guarantees and back up documentation. She is very difficult to read and it is extremely difficult to get her engaged in an open conversation because personal feelings and emotions do not enter the picture when Alice makes a decision.
Whenever possible, give Alice a written, bullet-point agenda of your meeting—beforehand. Ideally, email it to her a few days in advance so she can prepare herself. Make sure it is completely free of typos, spelling mistakes and punctuation errors. When you meet, follow the agenda in perfect order and if you make any type of claim, have supporting documentation available for her to read.
While the approach to use with each of these people may not make sense to you or seem completely rational, it is critical to recognize that how you naturally and instinctively sell may not be the best way to get results with someone else. Modifying your approach and style, even briefly, will help you better connect with your customers and prospects which means you will generate better sales.
© 2008 Kelley Robertson, All rights reserved.
Local networking events
Local networking events
Build your business network by talking to EVERYONE you meet and then keep a catalog of names, contacts and resources. When you find yourself in a bind and need to dip into your resource pool, you will be prepared. Keep in touch with these people, and talk to them to find out what new information, job or contacts THEY have acquired.
Keywords:
business,networking,customers,services,internet,MLM,Business
Have you ever been invited to a networking breakfast? Or a networking lunch? These may should sort of strange to the person who has never been to one before, but these types of situations are key to moving yourself to talk with others about what you do, how you do it, and what you provide in the form of services and products.
Many areas have their own type of networking events
These include business meetings to talk about the economy, or business meetings to set new ordinances for the local surroundings – everywhere you have people; you have the opportunity to ‘do’ additional networking. The more people you know and talk with the stronger your network of business contacts and customer contact is going to become.
The first step to successful local networking is going to involve doing it
You need to get out there, and be where other business owners are, or at least where large groups of people are going to be found. Next, you need a good opening question. The best question you can ask a person when you are networking is, what do you do? This is not only going to open the door to talking with another person, but also it is going to open the door for that person in turn to ask you what you do – which is just what you want them to ask you!
Networking should be done in conversation when you are in situations where you don’t know someone all that well. Business cards are often given out, and passed around. If you are heading off to a club meeting, or a networking business affair, you should also have marketing materials with you, such as a brochure or some type of printed matter to show and tell others what you do. As others find your materials handed to them, or presented on a table of information, they have something tangible to take with them, read later, and to think about later.
Collect phone number, emails and information about other businesses. As you collect information about others, you will soon learn that you can use this information after you are back at the office, back at your own business. Create a marketing package for each individual that you have met. Mail out the information with a personal note from you, that it was great talking with you, and you just wanted to share some additional information about your business with them, in case they ever have a need for a product or service that you provide. This is very straight marketing, after the initial networking event, make it work for you!
Planning for the Unthinkable
Planning for the Unthinkable
Emergency planning, disaster recovery – these topics have been in the news a lot lately in the United States. It is only when something dreadful happens that suddenly we wake up to the fact that planning for an emergency is important. Do you have a plan for yourself, your family and your business?
Keywords:
emergency,plan,disaster,business,attorney,recovery,contingency,will,health care proxy,meeting place,back up,
As a child I can remember going through the tunnel that connects East Boston with Boston holding my breath. Absurd behavior? Sure, but in my mind I was preparing for the time when the tunnel would run out of air.
A friend told me that as a child he taught himself to write with his left hand even though he was right handed. His reason was that he wanted to be sure he could write even if something happened to his right hand.
Emergency planning, disaster recovery – these topics have been in the news a lot lately in the United States. Inadvertently I did it as a kid but it isn’t a subject that as an adult I like to think about. In fact I avoid it!!
As an account executive at AT&T one of my responsibilities was to be sure my customers had disaster recovery plans. Everyone wants their telephone to work no matter what happens. And yet even so it wasn’t something my clients wanted to address. Many thought the possibility too remote. Others had too many other projects on the table that they said took priority.
It is hard for an estate planning attorney to convince someone he or she needs a will. It is only when something happens in a person’s life like a serious illness or death that suddenly what was on the back burner comes to the forefront.
It is only when something dreadful happens that suddenly we wake up to the fact that planning for an emergency is important. When Terry Schiavo was in the news many who didn’t have health care proxies took the opportunity to sign one. After Hurricane Katrina suddenly people are now looking at contingency planning.
Governments too have been challenged where contingency planning is concerned. If there are disaster recovery plans my guess is that few thought about the possibility of everyone having to evacuate their homes. If there were evacuation plans at all then most likely they would have ended by everyone going to a public building. Who would have considered busing people away from the area entirely?
Katrina has been a horrific event for us all. Looking at the lessons though and making our plans accordingly is extremely important.
So one lesson I know I have learned is that I want to be sure that federal, state and local governments have a really clear plans that are coordinated with each other. I want to know about these plans too because I have a responsibility for myself, my family and my business.
As I think about this however I am uncomfortable about my own planning. What do I do in the event of a disaster? I can feel my own resistance in even thinking about it!
Several months ago my mastermind group was talking about backing up their computer files. One member of the group actually took his back up disc to another location to be sure that if a fire or flood hit his office he would still have his files. I was really impressed by that and started to think about it for myself. The possibility seemed remote then but certainly now I do see the point.
What are your plans for your business, yourself and your loved ones? Start to put your own disaster plan together now.
Take action
1. The SBA has an excellent website for preparing for a disaster in your business. Check it out
http://www.sba.gov/disaster_recov/prepared/getready.html
2. The Red Cross has some excellent information for individuals: http://www.ready.gov/npm/individuals.htm
3. Make a list of the people who must know this plan and review it with them.
How frequently should it be reviewed? Select a date or dates and put them on your calendar.
***************************************
Inner working of One Laptop per Child (OLPC) Mesh Networking
More information gebloggt on geekvideo.blogspot.com
United Yacht Sales’s Video Collection of Laxury Yachts
By: unitedyacht
About the Author:
Buy Watches Online
Buy Watches Online
Kenmar Watches has been selling wristwatches on the internet since 1997, and carries well over 125 brands. They offer 100% customer satisfaction and you can even receive your new watch in 24 hours or less.
Keywords:
Buy Watches Online, Buy Watches, Wrist Watch, Watches, Sport Watches.
For the ultimate in variety, availability and selection, there is no better way to purchase wristwatches than to buy watches online.
Online jewelry sales in the U.S. market hit $2.45 billion in 2006, an increase of 20 percent from 2005, according to data from IDEX Online Research. Online sales comprised 3.9 percent of all jewelry sales of $63.0 billion in 2006. For those who fear that it is unsafe or unwise to purchase watches online, this should provide comfort and reassurance. With outstanding return policies and quality guarantees, consumers can rest assured that even if their purchase is not exactly what they hoped, they can return or exchange the watch for something more to their liking. Online security is so advanced that there is little risk of information getting into the wrong hands. Shoppers are encouraged, however, to read both the return policy and guarantees are before submitting their order.
One website that has built an excellent reputation for quality and customer service is KenmarWatches.com. Kenmar Watches has been selling wristwatches on the internet since 1997, and carries well over 125 brands. They offer 100% customer satisfaction and you can even receive your new watch in 24 hours or less.
Styles Of Wrist Watches
While there is a wide variety of watches on offer today, the general categories of watch are listed below. Keep in mind that many of today’s watches blur the line between one type and another, so when buying a watch online, the information provided here should be used only as a general reference.
Dress Watches: Keep it simple. One rule of thumb is to consider what would look best if you were standing on the red carpet at an awards ceremony. Dress watches are often thin, plain, and crafted from a precious metal, such as gold or platinum.
Designer Watches: Often, by the time a person has made a name for themselves in the watch world, they previously made a name for themselves in some other medium. This is not always the case, however, and there are scores of designers who specialize solely in wrist watches (such as Longines, Pulsar, Seiko, and Tissot), but by-and-large designer Wrist Watches are created by other popular fashion, furniture or accessories designers, including Anne Klein, Betsey Johnson, Dolce & Gabbana, DKNY, Ed Hardy, Armani, Fendi, Gucci, and Locman.
Sports Watches: As the name implies, sports wrist watches are often rugged and frequently display bells and whistles such as a stopwatch (”chronograph”) or waterproofing. Many sports watches are water-resistant to some degree, and nearly always have large, prominent hands. Two important sub-categories are Diver and Pilot watches.
Which Watch Wrist Watch?
Probably the most important thing to consider when buying a watch is personal style. Beyond that, one might consider whether or not the prospective owner has other watches. If this is to be the bearer’s only watch, it is best to go with a simple sports model, one that will not be out of place at the gym, but will look equally appropriate at a job interview. When shopping for a watch online, look into the website’s return policy, in case you and the watch recipient have different tastes and styles!
The next consideration is size. Watches have gotten bigger and bigger in recent years. When you Buy Watches online, be sure to read the description for exact measurements. If you already own a watch, compare the size of that timepiece to the ones you are looking at on the internet. However, a good return policy at an online vendor (such as KenmarWatches.com) can ensure that even if the size is too large or too small, the watch can be returned for a more comfortable size.
If you are purchasing a watch online to give as a gift, many websites offer wrapping and gift options, including allowing the gift recipient to exchange for a watch of their specific choosing. This is one more reason why more and more people buy watches online.
Mac Spoof: Networking [High Quality]
The PC and Mackintosh found a way to zip files on the network side and in peace. More Info: Call www.truenuff.com of www.truenuff.com for more
