Business Marketing Strategy
by: Joy Gendusa
The term might sound like it is esoteric or stratospheric, so let’s take the mystery out of it so you can devise and implement your own business marketing strategy that fits in to your small business plan.
Strategy comes from a Greek word “stratagein” meaning “to be a general”. Think of a strategy as an overall plan of action needed to win a war. The smaller, detailed actions are called tactics. You can have tactical plans which help you achieve your strategic marketing plan or overall business marketing strategy. That’s simple enough, isn’t it?
A business marketing strategy or strategic marketing plan is an overall plan of marketing actions you intend to take in order to accomplish a specific goal for your company.
Start with a goal: $2 million in sales this year; expand into new premises by a certain date; double the size of the company in 2 years… whatever the goal may be. Something realistic but challenging. That's the "war" you want to win. Guess who the general is.
Then work out a simple, overall plan of the major marketing steps needed to accomplish that (for example):
1. Publish a newsletter for all existing customers and mail out quarterly.
2. Work out 4 special offers in the year and promote them to all our customers.
3. Set up on-line shopping and expand the web site.
4. Direct mail campaign promoting the web site to all customers.
5. Get mailing lists of (target markets) and do a series of 3 mailings of postcards to them and follow up on and close all leads.
6. Etc.
You get the idea. Don’t rush this. Do your homework. What worked in the past? Read up on successful marketing campaigns.
Your business marketing strategy needs to be laid out in the right sequence and you should have some idea of budget when you write it. “Run a series of 30 second TV ads during the Superbowl” might sound like a good thing to do but can you afford it? On the other hand, when you build your business marketing strategy you mustn’t try and cut corners. If you don’t promote heavily, it doesn’t matter how good your product or service is, no one will know about it and you will go broke.
What really works when it comes to marketing?
Many business owners don't have a good enough answer to this important question. I learned by a combination of study and trial and error.
From my own hard won experienceI have discovered that a real marketing campaign will take into consideration at least the seven points which are outlined below:
1. Target Your Market
Your marketing will produce the best results for the lowest cost when you target prospects with the greatest need for what you offer.
Identify the best people to send your postcards to. Design your postcards to appeal to their greatest need.
If you are able to break down your target market into sub markets you can then write postcards that specifically speak to the needs of those people (an example is breaking down your own customer list into customers who buy most often, customers who spend the most money with you, customers who have been your customers the longest and then making them special offers based on the category they fit into).
2. Create A USP For Your Business
USP stands for "Unique Selling Proposition".
It is a statement of what is different about your company and its products. Your USP gives the reason people should do business with you. It amplifies the benefit of doing business with you and your company. My USP is POSTCARD MARKETING EXPERTS.
Create your own USP and put it on all your promotional materials, invoices, shipping labels etc.
Use your USP to communicate the benefit of doing business with you and why you are better than any of your competitors.
3. Always Make an Offer
Make sure you ask your prospects and customers to do something when they receive your postcard. By offering them something you know they are likely to want and giving them a smooth path to respond on, you are making it easy and desirable for them to respond.
4. Create and Maintain a Database of The Customer Information You Collect From The Responses To Your Mailings
Most people who receive a postcard from you won't contact you the first time they receive one.
But once they contact you, you must create and maintain a database which allows you to repeatedly contact them with offers to respond to.
Fifty percent or more of many businesses' sales come as a result of following up with people who were previously contacted, but didn't buy right away.
No kidding, repeat contact does drive sales. One-time mailings can get response, but are bound to leave sales on the table. Those sales can be picked up with repeated mailings.
5. Take Away the Fear of Loss
People don't want to be fooled, plain and simple. Unfortunately trust does not run high today between customers and businesses in general. People have been disappointed too many times by being sold one thing and getting another.
A guarantee or warranty is a good way to reduce or eliminate the customers’ risk of getting something other than what they bargained for.
Guarantees and warranties increase response and sales by reducing customer risk.
6. Expand Your Product Line
Getting new customers is more expensive than selling to existing ones. By regularly developing new products and services to sell to your customers and offering these new products and services to them, you can expand your business efficiently and easily.
7. Test Your Postcard Promotions
Track the effectiveness of your postcard mailings. How many people responded to your mailing? What dollar amount of sales resulted from those responses?
Is the money you are spending to attract new business giving you a good return? What can you do to make your marketing more effective? Change your offer, headline, price, the timing of your offer. When you do track the results and improve your response.
These are the points to follow when designing your own marketing strategy. When you are done, you will have laid out the steps needed to accomplish your goal using existing resources to achieve a great marketing ROI (return on investment).
After that, you simply have to get those steps executed and that might require further planning but it is all in the context of your main business marketing strategy.
About the author:
Joy Gendusa founded PostcardMania in 1998; her only assets a computer and a phone. In 2004 the company did close to $9 million in sales and employs over 60 persons. She attributes her explosive growth to her ability to choose incredible staff and her innate marketing savvy. Now she’s sharing her marketing secrets with others. For more free marketing advice, visit her website at www.postcardmania.com
Friday, July 11, 2008
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Trading Psychology: Mistakes in a Trading Environment
Trading Psychology: Mistakes in a Trading Environment
by: Raul Lopez
When it comes to trading, one of the most neglected subjects are those dealing with trading psychology. Most traders spend days, months and even years trying to find the right system. But having a system is just part of the game. Don’t get us wrong, it is very important to have a system that perfectly suits the trader, but it is as important as having a money management plan, or to understand all psychology barriers that may affect the trader decisions and other issues. In order to succeed in this business, there must be equilibrium between all important aspects of trading.
In the trading environment, when you lose a trade, what is the first idea that pops up in your mind? It would probably be, “There must be something wrong with my system”, or “I knew it, I shouldn’t have taken this trade” (even when your system signaled it). But sometimes we need to dig a little deeper in order to see the nature of our mistake, and then work on it accordingly.
When it comes to trading the Forex market as well as other markets, only 5% of traders achieve the ultimate goal: to be consistent in profits. What is interesting though is that there is just a tiny difference between this 5% of traders and the rest of them. The top 5% grow from mistakes; mistakes are a learning experience, they learn an invaluable lesson on every single mistake made. Deep in their minds, a mistake is one more chance to try it harder and do it better the next time, because they know they might not get a chance the next time. And at the end, this tiny difference becomes THE big difference.
Mistakes in the trading environment
Most of us relate a trading mistake to the outcome (in terms of money) of any given trade. The truth is, a mistake has nothing to do with it, mistakes are made when certain guidelines are not followed. When the rules you trade by are violated. Take for instance the following scenarios:
First scenario: The system signals a trade.
1. Signal taken and trade turns out to be a profitable trade.
Outcome of the trade: Positive, made money.
Experience gained: Its good to follow the system, if I do this consistently the odds will turn in my favor. Confidence is gained in both the trader and the system.
Mistake made: None.
2. Signal taken and trade turns out to be a loosing trade.
Outcome of the trade: Negative, lost money.
Experience gained: It is impossible to win every single trade, a loosing trade is just part of the business; our raw material, we know we can’t get them all right. Even with this lost trade, the trader is proud about himself for following the system. Confidence in the trader is gained.
Mistake made: None.
3. Signal not taken and trade turns out to be a profitable trade.
Outcome of the trade: Neutral.
Experience gained: Frustration, the trader always seems to get in trades that turned out to be loosing trades and let the profitable trades go away. Confidence is lost in the trader self.
Mistake made: Not taking a trade when the system signaled it.
4. Signal not taken and trade turns out to be a loosing trade.
Outcome of the trade: Neutral.
Experience gained: The trader will start to think “hey, I’m better than my system”. Even if the trader doesn't think on it consciously, the trader will rationalize on every signal given by the system because deep in his or her mind, his or her “feeling” is more intelligent than the system itself. From this point on, the trader will try to outguess the system. This mistake has catastrophic effects on our confidence to the system. The confidence on the trader turns into overconfidence.
Mistake made: Not taking a trade when system signaled it
Second Scenario: System does not signal a trade.
1. No trade is taken
Outcome of the trade: Neutral
Experience gained: Good discipline, we only need to take trades when the odds are in our favor, just when the system signals it. Confidence gained in both the trader self and the system.
Mistake made: None
2. A trade is taken, turns out to be a profitable trade.
Outcome of the trade: Positive, made money.
Experience gained: This mistake has the most catastrophic effects in the trader self, the system and most importantly in the trader’s trading career. You will start to think you need no system, you know better from them all. From this point on, you will start to trade based on what you think. Confidence in the system is totally lost. Confidence in the trader self turns into overconfidence.
Mistake made: Take a trade when there was no signal from the system.
3. A trade is taken, turned out to be a loosing trade.
Outcome of the trade: negative, lost money.
Experience gained: The trader will rethink his strategy. The next time, the trader will think it twice before getting in a trade when the system does not signal it. The trader will go “Ok, it is better to get in the market when my system signals it, only those trade have a higher probability of success”. Confidence is gained in the system.
Mistake made: Take a trade when there was no signal from the system
As you can see, there is absolutely no correlation between the outcome of the trade and a mistake. The most catastrophic mistake even has a positive trade outcome, made money, but this could be the beginning of the end of the trader’s career. As we have already stated, mistakes must only be related to the violation of rules a trader trades by.
All these mistakes were directly related to the signals given by a system, but the same is applied when getting out of a trade. There are also mistakes related to following a trading plan. For example, risking more money on a given trade than the amount the trader should have risked and many more.
Most mistakes can be avoided by first having a trading plan. A trading plan includes the system: the criteria we use to get in and out the market, the money management plan: how much we will risk on any given trade, and many other points. Secondly, and most important, we need to have the discipline to follow strictly our plan. We created our plan when no trade was placed on, thus no psychology barriers were up front. So, the only thing we are certain about is that if we follow our plan, the decision taken is on our best interests, and in the long run, these decisions will help us have better results. We don’t have to worry about isolated events, or trades that could had give us better results at first, but then they could have catastrophic results in our trading career.
How to deal with mistakes
There are many possible ways to properly manage mistakes. We will suggest the one that works better for us.
Step one: Belief change.
Every mistake is a learning experience. They all have something valuable to offer. Try to counteract the natural tendency of feeling frustrated and approach mistakes in a positive manner. Instead of yelling to everyone around and feeling disappointed, say to yourself “ok, I did something wrong, what happened? What is it?
Step two: Identify the mistake made.
Define the mistake, find out what caused the mistake, and try as hard as you can to effectively see the nature of that mistake. Finding the mistake nature will prevent you from making the same mistake again. More than often you will find the answer where you less expected. Take for instance a trader that doesn’t follow the system. The reason behind this could be that the trader is afraid of loosing. But then, why is he or she afraid? It could be that the trader is using a system that does not fit him or her, and finds difficult to follow every signal. In this case, as you can see, the nature of the mistake is not in the surface. You need to try as hard as you can to find the real reason of the given mistake.
Step three: Measure the consequences of the mistake.
List the consequences of making that particular mistake, both good and bad. Good consequences are those that make us better traders after dealing with the mistake. Think on all possible reasons you can learn from what happened. For the same example above, what are the consequences of making that mistake? Well, if you don’t follow the system, you will gradually loose confidence in it, and this at the end will put you into trades you don’t really want to be, and out of trades you should be in.
Step four: Take action.
Taking proper action is the last and most important step. In order to learn, you need to change your behavior. Make sure that whatever you do, you become “this-mistake-proof”. By taking action we turn every single mistake into a small part of success in our trading career. Continuing with the same example, redefining the system would be the trader’s final step. The trader would put a system that perfectly fits him or her, so the trader doesn’t find any trouble following it in future signals.
Understanding the fact that the outcome of any trade has nothing to do with a mistake will open your mind to other possibilities, where you will be able to understand the nature of every mistake made. This at the same time will open the doors for your trading career as you work and take proper action on every mistake made.
The process of success is slow, and plenty of times it is attributed to repeated mistakes made and the constant struggle to get past these mistakes, working on them accordingly. How we deal with them will shape our future as a trader, and most importantly as a person.
About the author:
Raul Lopez is the founder of www.straightforex.com A site dedicated to provide high quality Forex training.
by: Raul Lopez
When it comes to trading, one of the most neglected subjects are those dealing with trading psychology. Most traders spend days, months and even years trying to find the right system. But having a system is just part of the game. Don’t get us wrong, it is very important to have a system that perfectly suits the trader, but it is as important as having a money management plan, or to understand all psychology barriers that may affect the trader decisions and other issues. In order to succeed in this business, there must be equilibrium between all important aspects of trading.
In the trading environment, when you lose a trade, what is the first idea that pops up in your mind? It would probably be, “There must be something wrong with my system”, or “I knew it, I shouldn’t have taken this trade” (even when your system signaled it). But sometimes we need to dig a little deeper in order to see the nature of our mistake, and then work on it accordingly.
When it comes to trading the Forex market as well as other markets, only 5% of traders achieve the ultimate goal: to be consistent in profits. What is interesting though is that there is just a tiny difference between this 5% of traders and the rest of them. The top 5% grow from mistakes; mistakes are a learning experience, they learn an invaluable lesson on every single mistake made. Deep in their minds, a mistake is one more chance to try it harder and do it better the next time, because they know they might not get a chance the next time. And at the end, this tiny difference becomes THE big difference.
Mistakes in the trading environment
Most of us relate a trading mistake to the outcome (in terms of money) of any given trade. The truth is, a mistake has nothing to do with it, mistakes are made when certain guidelines are not followed. When the rules you trade by are violated. Take for instance the following scenarios:
First scenario: The system signals a trade.
1. Signal taken and trade turns out to be a profitable trade.
Outcome of the trade: Positive, made money.
Experience gained: Its good to follow the system, if I do this consistently the odds will turn in my favor. Confidence is gained in both the trader and the system.
Mistake made: None.
2. Signal taken and trade turns out to be a loosing trade.
Outcome of the trade: Negative, lost money.
Experience gained: It is impossible to win every single trade, a loosing trade is just part of the business; our raw material, we know we can’t get them all right. Even with this lost trade, the trader is proud about himself for following the system. Confidence in the trader is gained.
Mistake made: None.
3. Signal not taken and trade turns out to be a profitable trade.
Outcome of the trade: Neutral.
Experience gained: Frustration, the trader always seems to get in trades that turned out to be loosing trades and let the profitable trades go away. Confidence is lost in the trader self.
Mistake made: Not taking a trade when the system signaled it.
4. Signal not taken and trade turns out to be a loosing trade.
Outcome of the trade: Neutral.
Experience gained: The trader will start to think “hey, I’m better than my system”. Even if the trader doesn't think on it consciously, the trader will rationalize on every signal given by the system because deep in his or her mind, his or her “feeling” is more intelligent than the system itself. From this point on, the trader will try to outguess the system. This mistake has catastrophic effects on our confidence to the system. The confidence on the trader turns into overconfidence.
Mistake made: Not taking a trade when system signaled it
Second Scenario: System does not signal a trade.
1. No trade is taken
Outcome of the trade: Neutral
Experience gained: Good discipline, we only need to take trades when the odds are in our favor, just when the system signals it. Confidence gained in both the trader self and the system.
Mistake made: None
2. A trade is taken, turns out to be a profitable trade.
Outcome of the trade: Positive, made money.
Experience gained: This mistake has the most catastrophic effects in the trader self, the system and most importantly in the trader’s trading career. You will start to think you need no system, you know better from them all. From this point on, you will start to trade based on what you think. Confidence in the system is totally lost. Confidence in the trader self turns into overconfidence.
Mistake made: Take a trade when there was no signal from the system.
3. A trade is taken, turned out to be a loosing trade.
Outcome of the trade: negative, lost money.
Experience gained: The trader will rethink his strategy. The next time, the trader will think it twice before getting in a trade when the system does not signal it. The trader will go “Ok, it is better to get in the market when my system signals it, only those trade have a higher probability of success”. Confidence is gained in the system.
Mistake made: Take a trade when there was no signal from the system
As you can see, there is absolutely no correlation between the outcome of the trade and a mistake. The most catastrophic mistake even has a positive trade outcome, made money, but this could be the beginning of the end of the trader’s career. As we have already stated, mistakes must only be related to the violation of rules a trader trades by.
All these mistakes were directly related to the signals given by a system, but the same is applied when getting out of a trade. There are also mistakes related to following a trading plan. For example, risking more money on a given trade than the amount the trader should have risked and many more.
Most mistakes can be avoided by first having a trading plan. A trading plan includes the system: the criteria we use to get in and out the market, the money management plan: how much we will risk on any given trade, and many other points. Secondly, and most important, we need to have the discipline to follow strictly our plan. We created our plan when no trade was placed on, thus no psychology barriers were up front. So, the only thing we are certain about is that if we follow our plan, the decision taken is on our best interests, and in the long run, these decisions will help us have better results. We don’t have to worry about isolated events, or trades that could had give us better results at first, but then they could have catastrophic results in our trading career.
How to deal with mistakes
There are many possible ways to properly manage mistakes. We will suggest the one that works better for us.
Step one: Belief change.
Every mistake is a learning experience. They all have something valuable to offer. Try to counteract the natural tendency of feeling frustrated and approach mistakes in a positive manner. Instead of yelling to everyone around and feeling disappointed, say to yourself “ok, I did something wrong, what happened? What is it?
Step two: Identify the mistake made.
Define the mistake, find out what caused the mistake, and try as hard as you can to effectively see the nature of that mistake. Finding the mistake nature will prevent you from making the same mistake again. More than often you will find the answer where you less expected. Take for instance a trader that doesn’t follow the system. The reason behind this could be that the trader is afraid of loosing. But then, why is he or she afraid? It could be that the trader is using a system that does not fit him or her, and finds difficult to follow every signal. In this case, as you can see, the nature of the mistake is not in the surface. You need to try as hard as you can to find the real reason of the given mistake.
Step three: Measure the consequences of the mistake.
List the consequences of making that particular mistake, both good and bad. Good consequences are those that make us better traders after dealing with the mistake. Think on all possible reasons you can learn from what happened. For the same example above, what are the consequences of making that mistake? Well, if you don’t follow the system, you will gradually loose confidence in it, and this at the end will put you into trades you don’t really want to be, and out of trades you should be in.
Step four: Take action.
Taking proper action is the last and most important step. In order to learn, you need to change your behavior. Make sure that whatever you do, you become “this-mistake-proof”. By taking action we turn every single mistake into a small part of success in our trading career. Continuing with the same example, redefining the system would be the trader’s final step. The trader would put a system that perfectly fits him or her, so the trader doesn’t find any trouble following it in future signals.
Understanding the fact that the outcome of any trade has nothing to do with a mistake will open your mind to other possibilities, where you will be able to understand the nature of every mistake made. This at the same time will open the doors for your trading career as you work and take proper action on every mistake made.
The process of success is slow, and plenty of times it is attributed to repeated mistakes made and the constant struggle to get past these mistakes, working on them accordingly. How we deal with them will shape our future as a trader, and most importantly as a person.
About the author:
Raul Lopez is the founder of www.straightforex.com A site dedicated to provide high quality Forex training.
Monday, May 12, 2008
A Beginner’s Guide to Affiliate Marketing
A Beginner’s Guide to Affiliate Marketing
by: Jason Gazaway
The dawning of the cyberspace era is at hand. The genesis of artificial intelligence is upon this particular moment in history as everyone in the industrialized world goes about utilizing one of the most sophisticated tools mankind has ever created.
Who, in this day and age, does not know about computers? They are machines capable of controlling operations expressible both in numerical and logical terms. The complex components used by these devices are the ones which enable them to carry out functions that even the geniuses of centuries past would not have imagined possible.
The existence of computers has spawned similar technology that is equally great. Who among those who live in the industrialized world does not know about the internet? It is the technology which enables people to publicly access a worldwide system of interconnected computer networks. It is also this technology which provides them diverse types of services responsible for making their lives unbelievably convenient.
These services include online chat which ignores distance and connects one person to another even across oceans and continents. There is also electronic mail which keeps people in touch in about the same manner. Still, the amazing technology called the internet offers other services like interlinked web pages and other documents of the world wide web. These services allow just about everyone to have access over large amounts of information usually not found in libraries and other like sources.
Consequently, the internet has gained an unbelievable amount of fame as a result of everything that it is able to offer society. Everyone is astonished by how it makes life convenient for those who rely on its utilization day in and day out. This fame has extended itself to those who are enterprising enough to be able to turn a dollar to two in one single day. As a result, the internet has become a complex abode for commercialism that spans everything concerning commerce and marketing.
And so it is through the vast and complex regions of the internet that affiliate marketing came to be. Affiliate marketing is an online marketing strategy that involves the promotion of a website. In this scheme, a person who is technically called an affiliate is able to make money online by simply listing other people’s websites on his own.
These websites are owned by people called merchants, the ones who technically operate the affiliate program. The affiliate promotes these merchants and their wares by merely displaying their link in his website, and whenever a customer clicks on a link and a purchase is made, a sale is generated as a result of that promotion. The merchant then pays the affiliate a commission, the amount of which has been decided on even before the transaction occurred.
It is important for the affiliate to remember that the website he uses as medium in the affiliate program which he is part of should only contain links that have something to do with himself or his product. Consistency is important if he wants to have a strong, solid market that he can count on to be able to generate the amount of sales that he wants to make. Then again, to be able to know and understand what would further interest those who visit his website, the affiliate should take extra effort in scrutinizing his market through and through. Studying the tricks of the trade is a must for anyone who wants to know a business step by careful step.
In getting an online business such as this underway, one is also required to have all the proper tools needed for a successful start. These include tracking software, websites, follow-up manager and a lot more. In addition to this is the fact that some online businesses train people for free, the reason why more and more are succumbing to this business and the wondrous opportunities it offers for financial growth. Here affiliates get paid and are able to realize goals and dreams that would have been impossible for them to achieve under normal circumstances.
The simple scheme called affiliate marketing is more than enough for someone to be able to make a lot of money online. This comes as a result of continual marketing efforts that are sure to bear fruit at the right possible time. The A to Z of affiliate marketing is as easy as it looks, but it also takes a lot of diligence and perseverance to be able to succeed in a business such as this.
About the author:
Discover how you can create a turnkey marketing system that builds massive downlines for you, attracts hungry prospects automatically, and generates income non-stop, 24 hours a day!
Find out more right here:
http://www.HowToBecomeSuccessful.com
by: Jason Gazaway
The dawning of the cyberspace era is at hand. The genesis of artificial intelligence is upon this particular moment in history as everyone in the industrialized world goes about utilizing one of the most sophisticated tools mankind has ever created.
Who, in this day and age, does not know about computers? They are machines capable of controlling operations expressible both in numerical and logical terms. The complex components used by these devices are the ones which enable them to carry out functions that even the geniuses of centuries past would not have imagined possible.
The existence of computers has spawned similar technology that is equally great. Who among those who live in the industrialized world does not know about the internet? It is the technology which enables people to publicly access a worldwide system of interconnected computer networks. It is also this technology which provides them diverse types of services responsible for making their lives unbelievably convenient.
These services include online chat which ignores distance and connects one person to another even across oceans and continents. There is also electronic mail which keeps people in touch in about the same manner. Still, the amazing technology called the internet offers other services like interlinked web pages and other documents of the world wide web. These services allow just about everyone to have access over large amounts of information usually not found in libraries and other like sources.
Consequently, the internet has gained an unbelievable amount of fame as a result of everything that it is able to offer society. Everyone is astonished by how it makes life convenient for those who rely on its utilization day in and day out. This fame has extended itself to those who are enterprising enough to be able to turn a dollar to two in one single day. As a result, the internet has become a complex abode for commercialism that spans everything concerning commerce and marketing.
And so it is through the vast and complex regions of the internet that affiliate marketing came to be. Affiliate marketing is an online marketing strategy that involves the promotion of a website. In this scheme, a person who is technically called an affiliate is able to make money online by simply listing other people’s websites on his own.
These websites are owned by people called merchants, the ones who technically operate the affiliate program. The affiliate promotes these merchants and their wares by merely displaying their link in his website, and whenever a customer clicks on a link and a purchase is made, a sale is generated as a result of that promotion. The merchant then pays the affiliate a commission, the amount of which has been decided on even before the transaction occurred.
It is important for the affiliate to remember that the website he uses as medium in the affiliate program which he is part of should only contain links that have something to do with himself or his product. Consistency is important if he wants to have a strong, solid market that he can count on to be able to generate the amount of sales that he wants to make. Then again, to be able to know and understand what would further interest those who visit his website, the affiliate should take extra effort in scrutinizing his market through and through. Studying the tricks of the trade is a must for anyone who wants to know a business step by careful step.
In getting an online business such as this underway, one is also required to have all the proper tools needed for a successful start. These include tracking software, websites, follow-up manager and a lot more. In addition to this is the fact that some online businesses train people for free, the reason why more and more are succumbing to this business and the wondrous opportunities it offers for financial growth. Here affiliates get paid and are able to realize goals and dreams that would have been impossible for them to achieve under normal circumstances.
The simple scheme called affiliate marketing is more than enough for someone to be able to make a lot of money online. This comes as a result of continual marketing efforts that are sure to bear fruit at the right possible time. The A to Z of affiliate marketing is as easy as it looks, but it also takes a lot of diligence and perseverance to be able to succeed in a business such as this.
About the author:
Discover how you can create a turnkey marketing system that builds massive downlines for you, attracts hungry prospects automatically, and generates income non-stop, 24 hours a day!
Find out more right here:
http://www.HowToBecomeSuccessful.com
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Home Business Success - 5 Things You Learn From Your Ex-Boss
Home Business Success - 5 Things You Learn From Your Ex-Boss
by: Gobala Krishnan
In the past, everyone could take pride in working for large, multinational companies. The current trend of downsizing and outsourcing, however, has brought major changes in the employment landscape. One thing for sure, as job security becomes a thing of the past, many are turning towards starting their own home based businesses.
Job security has its merits, and a home business is, arguably, not for everyone. But for those who are interested in making this shift, a change in mentality is absolutely important. There are many bad habits that lie dormant in all of us. You need to change these bad habits and develop new good habits to survive as an entrepreneur. And in many cases these can be 'borrowed' from your existing or former corporate work environment.
Here are some new disciplines that you can borrow from your working life, to develop and to practice:
1) Ownership and Decision Making
In corporate culture, you are responsible only for what your job requires you to do. In most jobs however, you are hardly responsible for the survival of the company. Your contribution, as compared to the whole, is only marginal. You can make mistakes and get away with it. Your job is easily replaceable.
As an entrepreneur, however, you may find the world to be less forgiving. A mistake can cost you your entire business. It is vital for anyone who wants to start their own home based business to think about this fact. You have to realize that success in a home based venture is directly tied up to your actions, and you need to take responsibility for everything that happens.
In your own business, you need to go beyond your capacity at times, stretching yourself more than you would as an employee. Taking responsibility also means being able to make the correct decisions as and when needed. When you work from home, YOUR decision is final. Although it may a little scary for an entrepreneur at first, these habits practiced over time becomes second nature.
It sure beats having to put up with corporate red-tape!
2) Developing a Creative Mindset & Taking Risks
Companies hardly, if ever, reward you for being creative. They do, however, reward you for showing up on time and completing your daily routines. You are rewarded not for being outstanding, but for being average.
As an entrepreneur, you need to shake off the bad habit of doing things the usual way, the "way it's always been done" There is nothing wrong with using standard procedures and methods. In fact, sticking to the 'rules' can help you make a decent living. But if you want the big money, like I do, you need to start thinking "Outside the Box". A little bit of ingenuity in your business can save you a lot of money and time.
Ingenuity involves finding solutions to a problem. You may, at any stage of your home business, realize that you just don't have an abundance of resources. Resources in this context can be money, time, expertise or just about everything else that you need, but just don't have...
As you might have figured, creativity comes with risk. Doing something new is more risky than doing it the old way, but the payoff is incredible. Thinking outside the box might result in failure, just as well as it might lead to amazing success. But risk is not necessarily a bad thing, especially when it is studied, anticipated and even welcomed.
So what do you do?
Most home business challenges can be solved, even if you are not a genius or have thousands of dollars to spend. If you can just use your ingenuity, you can find a solution to these challenges.
Figure out how to make the best of your advertising dollars. Figure out how to save time and automate your business. Figure out how to complement your skills using the skills of others. Small steps like these can go a long way in determining just how successful you will be.
3) Making Your Own Rules & Organizing Time
Imagine you arrive at work one day and find that the punch-card machine has been removed. The company also fired your boss, and the new rules say that you can come in at any time you want, bring your wife and kids along, and take as many breaks as you want. Shorts and a T-shirts are now the standard, accepted work attire.
What would you do?
I know what I would do - absolutely nothing at all! I would take advantage of the situation, and do absolutely no work at all. As days go by, I get lazier and eventually become a total slob.
A home business environment is not much different from the scenario above. In the absence of corporate rules, you must develop your own self imposed "home business rules". Set a time for work, for play, and for household activities. If you just decide to "go with the flow", you often get no where at all.
I used to think that money was the most important asset of my home business. Being quite naive, I thought that with more money, I could be successful faster. After all, money is king. With more money, I could buy more "big time" advertising, hire assistants and equip my business with the best software systems.
It didn't take me long to realize that time is more important than money. Money simply cannot buy time. But with more time, I can all make all the money I want. Put in another way, I would say that MORE TIME is more important than just MORE MONEY. But none of us, not you, nor me, can have more than 24 hours a day at our disposal.
So, as a home business entrepreneur, we need to ultimately learn how to make the best use of the time that we have. This easy to say, but it will take discipline to see it through. Discipline is not easy to achieve, but it CAN be done. Just focus on doing a little bit every day, and stick to the timeline you had laid out, and you will get into the productive rhythm that comes with discipline.
4) Continuous Self-improvement
The home business arena is highly competitive. As an entrepreneur you will need to keep up with any event that will effect your business, for better or worse.
Corporations usually have mandatory training courses for all employees. If you are someone who attended these courses just to get away from doing work, or just to get some extra sleeping time in the class, then you need to change your attitude.
As an entrepreneur you must to find ways to enrich yourself with more knowledge. Take that accounting class, attend that local business seminar and read related books. Don't see these as additional expenses, see them as long term investment. An investment in knowledge, after all, yields the best return.
Every type of business is subject to slowdowns. If you do not continuously improve your skills and knowledge, simply throwing in more money or hiring more people when that happens will not solve the problem. The only way to move forward, to get to "the next level" is to acquire new knowledge. New knowledge opens up more opportunities for your business.
5) Commitment to Your Goals & Deadlines for Success
"I want this on my desk by 2.00pm".
Sounds familiar? Most of us seek a home based business because we want to escape the pressures of a 9-5 job. The word "deadline" may send a shiver through your spine.
The irony, however, is that deadlines are EXACTLY what you need to succeed in just about anything. As an entrepreneur, these deadlines always are, and must be, self-imposed. There are many book on how to set and achieve goals (my recommendations at http://www.home-business-association.com/books/) and I suggest you read as many as you can.
Having family around you can be used to your advantage. Communicate your goals to your wife or husband. Promise your kids a vacation when you've finished a major task. Soon, you will get little "bosses" running around telling you to stop watching TV and get to your work. Well, at least they are "adorable" bosses!
An excerpt from the book 'Think and Grow Rich' by Napoleon Hill (pg. 15):
...a great warrior faced a situation which made it necessary for him to make a decision which insured his success on the battlefield. He... gave the order to burn the ships that carried them. Addressing his men before the first battle he said "You see the boats going up in smoke? That means that we cannot leave these shores alive unless we win! We now have no choice - We win - or we perish".
They won.
And no matter what YOUR goals are in seeking self-employment and an entrepreneurial life, with commitment to your goals and determination to meet your deadlines, you too will win. Take the positive aspects of your current of former work environment to build a healthy and productive home business mentality to ensure that you are heading towards success.
Here's to your success. Cheers.
About the author:
Gobala Krishnan is an internet marketer and home business owner. Visit his site at http://www.sfidreamteam.com to start your own Internet based home business today, and get a free kickstart package, one-on-one coaching and a clear, proven system to earn a six figure income
by: Gobala Krishnan
In the past, everyone could take pride in working for large, multinational companies. The current trend of downsizing and outsourcing, however, has brought major changes in the employment landscape. One thing for sure, as job security becomes a thing of the past, many are turning towards starting their own home based businesses.
Job security has its merits, and a home business is, arguably, not for everyone. But for those who are interested in making this shift, a change in mentality is absolutely important. There are many bad habits that lie dormant in all of us. You need to change these bad habits and develop new good habits to survive as an entrepreneur. And in many cases these can be 'borrowed' from your existing or former corporate work environment.
Here are some new disciplines that you can borrow from your working life, to develop and to practice:
1) Ownership and Decision Making
In corporate culture, you are responsible only for what your job requires you to do. In most jobs however, you are hardly responsible for the survival of the company. Your contribution, as compared to the whole, is only marginal. You can make mistakes and get away with it. Your job is easily replaceable.
As an entrepreneur, however, you may find the world to be less forgiving. A mistake can cost you your entire business. It is vital for anyone who wants to start their own home based business to think about this fact. You have to realize that success in a home based venture is directly tied up to your actions, and you need to take responsibility for everything that happens.
In your own business, you need to go beyond your capacity at times, stretching yourself more than you would as an employee. Taking responsibility also means being able to make the correct decisions as and when needed. When you work from home, YOUR decision is final. Although it may a little scary for an entrepreneur at first, these habits practiced over time becomes second nature.
It sure beats having to put up with corporate red-tape!
2) Developing a Creative Mindset & Taking Risks
Companies hardly, if ever, reward you for being creative. They do, however, reward you for showing up on time and completing your daily routines. You are rewarded not for being outstanding, but for being average.
As an entrepreneur, you need to shake off the bad habit of doing things the usual way, the "way it's always been done" There is nothing wrong with using standard procedures and methods. In fact, sticking to the 'rules' can help you make a decent living. But if you want the big money, like I do, you need to start thinking "Outside the Box". A little bit of ingenuity in your business can save you a lot of money and time.
Ingenuity involves finding solutions to a problem. You may, at any stage of your home business, realize that you just don't have an abundance of resources. Resources in this context can be money, time, expertise or just about everything else that you need, but just don't have...
As you might have figured, creativity comes with risk. Doing something new is more risky than doing it the old way, but the payoff is incredible. Thinking outside the box might result in failure, just as well as it might lead to amazing success. But risk is not necessarily a bad thing, especially when it is studied, anticipated and even welcomed.
So what do you do?
Most home business challenges can be solved, even if you are not a genius or have thousands of dollars to spend. If you can just use your ingenuity, you can find a solution to these challenges.
Figure out how to make the best of your advertising dollars. Figure out how to save time and automate your business. Figure out how to complement your skills using the skills of others. Small steps like these can go a long way in determining just how successful you will be.
3) Making Your Own Rules & Organizing Time
Imagine you arrive at work one day and find that the punch-card machine has been removed. The company also fired your boss, and the new rules say that you can come in at any time you want, bring your wife and kids along, and take as many breaks as you want. Shorts and a T-shirts are now the standard, accepted work attire.
What would you do?
I know what I would do - absolutely nothing at all! I would take advantage of the situation, and do absolutely no work at all. As days go by, I get lazier and eventually become a total slob.
A home business environment is not much different from the scenario above. In the absence of corporate rules, you must develop your own self imposed "home business rules". Set a time for work, for play, and for household activities. If you just decide to "go with the flow", you often get no where at all.
I used to think that money was the most important asset of my home business. Being quite naive, I thought that with more money, I could be successful faster. After all, money is king. With more money, I could buy more "big time" advertising, hire assistants and equip my business with the best software systems.
It didn't take me long to realize that time is more important than money. Money simply cannot buy time. But with more time, I can all make all the money I want. Put in another way, I would say that MORE TIME is more important than just MORE MONEY. But none of us, not you, nor me, can have more than 24 hours a day at our disposal.
So, as a home business entrepreneur, we need to ultimately learn how to make the best use of the time that we have. This easy to say, but it will take discipline to see it through. Discipline is not easy to achieve, but it CAN be done. Just focus on doing a little bit every day, and stick to the timeline you had laid out, and you will get into the productive rhythm that comes with discipline.
4) Continuous Self-improvement
The home business arena is highly competitive. As an entrepreneur you will need to keep up with any event that will effect your business, for better or worse.
Corporations usually have mandatory training courses for all employees. If you are someone who attended these courses just to get away from doing work, or just to get some extra sleeping time in the class, then you need to change your attitude.
As an entrepreneur you must to find ways to enrich yourself with more knowledge. Take that accounting class, attend that local business seminar and read related books. Don't see these as additional expenses, see them as long term investment. An investment in knowledge, after all, yields the best return.
Every type of business is subject to slowdowns. If you do not continuously improve your skills and knowledge, simply throwing in more money or hiring more people when that happens will not solve the problem. The only way to move forward, to get to "the next level" is to acquire new knowledge. New knowledge opens up more opportunities for your business.
5) Commitment to Your Goals & Deadlines for Success
"I want this on my desk by 2.00pm".
Sounds familiar? Most of us seek a home based business because we want to escape the pressures of a 9-5 job. The word "deadline" may send a shiver through your spine.
The irony, however, is that deadlines are EXACTLY what you need to succeed in just about anything. As an entrepreneur, these deadlines always are, and must be, self-imposed. There are many book on how to set and achieve goals (my recommendations at http://www.home-business-association.com/books/) and I suggest you read as many as you can.
Having family around you can be used to your advantage. Communicate your goals to your wife or husband. Promise your kids a vacation when you've finished a major task. Soon, you will get little "bosses" running around telling you to stop watching TV and get to your work. Well, at least they are "adorable" bosses!
An excerpt from the book 'Think and Grow Rich' by Napoleon Hill (pg. 15):
...a great warrior faced a situation which made it necessary for him to make a decision which insured his success on the battlefield. He... gave the order to burn the ships that carried them. Addressing his men before the first battle he said "You see the boats going up in smoke? That means that we cannot leave these shores alive unless we win! We now have no choice - We win - or we perish".
They won.
And no matter what YOUR goals are in seeking self-employment and an entrepreneurial life, with commitment to your goals and determination to meet your deadlines, you too will win. Take the positive aspects of your current of former work environment to build a healthy and productive home business mentality to ensure that you are heading towards success.
Here's to your success. Cheers.
About the author:
Gobala Krishnan is an internet marketer and home business owner. Visit his site at http://www.sfidreamteam.com to start your own Internet based home business today, and get a free kickstart package, one-on-one coaching and a clear, proven system to earn a six figure income
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Credit, Money and the Home
Credit, Money and the Home
by: Kimberly Flores
Did you know that money is mentioned in the bible more times that heaven or hell?
Does the idea of telling your spouse what you spent on marketing send chills down your spine? Why? Because you have nothing to show for it…yet?
Do you have a set budget you follow, including your online expenditures? Or, are you just throwing your money at whatever looks provocative at the moment?
Have you found out that PPC (Pay per click) search engines eat your money faster than you can check your credit card balance?
Don’t cry, I’m right there with you. Running up a credit card balance is very scary, hoping against all that your promoting will pay off. It can eventually show some profit if you keep at it, but where is the break-even point?
I know firsthand how this feels. Been there, done that.
Ok, the first thing you MUST DO: STOP USING CREDIT!
If you aren’t seeing any income, stop using your cards and instead set aside an amount in a savings-type account to draw from with a debit card. If you are receiving some commissions, or income, reinvest that rather than put your family’s livelihood on the line.
This is very difficult.
I have come to associate online marketing like gambling. It isn’t a sure thing, so it must be a gamble. This is a sin to me now. I am very cautious about where I put my money. I still invest in advertising mind you but I research it thoroughly.
I have searched and prayed for an answer to this question: “If I am to prosper as promised, I must follow Gods principles or I won’t be entitled to the promise”.
I found this resource that has helped me tremendously: http://www.crown.org/
there aren’t any affiliate links so I don’t get a dime promoting them but I am anyway.
I’ve learned so much from their vast assortment of resources.
I have set a budget and am trying diligently to stick to it, making at least 5% for marketing/advertising.
To quote an article from Crown:
Debt
Nothing in the area of finances has dominated or influenced the direction of our society during the past 50 years as much as debt. However, being debt free is still God’s plan for His people today.
The blessings of becoming debt free go far beyond the financial area; they extend to the spiritual and marital realms as well. No one who is financially bound can be spiritually free. The effects of financial bondage on a marriage relationship are measurable in the statistics of failed marriages.
Approximately 50 percent of all new marriages fail, and finances are listed as the leading cause of divorce by a factor of four to one.
What is debt?
Simply put, debt is something that is owed. The Bible does not prohibit a person from borrowing, but it does warn against surety—taking on debt without an absolutely sure way of paying it back. If collateral used to secure the loan can, in case of default on the loan, cover the balance of the money owed plus interest, the loan is not surety. However, taking into consideration that most debt in America is surety, we need to redefine debt.
Today, debt can be defined as a condition that exists when a loan commitment is not met or when inadequate collateral is pledged to satisfy the loan agreement.
Debt is not credit. Credit is the establishment of a mutual trust relationship between a lender and a borrower. Most often the undisciplined use of credit quickly leads to debt.
Establishing credit.
The best way to establish credit is to borrow against an acceptable asset, such as an existing savings account. Almost any bank will lend money up to the amount that is in the account and charge from 1 to 2 percent more for the loan than the prevailing saving rate. If within a year you pay back the amount borrowed, the total cost for acquiring the loan will be approximately $20. Then, by using the bank as a credit reference, you most likely can qualify for a major credit card, although the credit limit may be the minimum amount.
With disciplined use of the credit card and faithful payment of the bill, credit limits probably will be raised.
The best way to cancel an existing credit card or credit account is first to make sure the account is not delinquent. If it is current, you can send a letter to the accounts department, customer service, or business office of the bank that issued the card and request that your account be cancelled. Because the credit card is the property of the issuing bank, you also will need to cut the cards in half and send the cut cards along with your letter. Generally, banks will not accept a letter of cancellation unless the cut up cards accompany the letter and the account is current. Along with the letter you can either send a check to cover the outstanding balance or request payment arrangements. However, the payment arrangements they offer may or may not be the same as your previous monthly payment requirements.
Common attitudes that lead to debt
1. Ignorance. Many people, especially those in the baby boomer generation, never were trained how to handle money. The philosophy of today’s society is to spend and spend; if you don’t have the money to spend, charge it. If you want it, get it, because you deserve it.
2. Indulgence. In today’s American society we tend to feel that we should get what we want, when we want it. The whole concept of saving in order to buy seems to be a thing of the past.
3. Poor planning. No matter how noble our intentions may be, without a written plan that gauges and monitors income versus expenditures we will eventually find ourselves in debt and having financial troubles.
How to get out of debt
“The prudent sees the evil and hides himself, but the naïve go on, and are punished for it” (Proverbs 22:3). The following are steps that anyone can take to get out of debt and to stay out of debt.
1. Give to God first. The first fruits of all that He gives us—the tithe from our gross income—must be our first commitment. Without faithfully fulfilling this commitment, all other efforts will fail.
2. Stop all forms of borrowing. This includes credit card use, personal bank loans, family loans, student loans, and all consumer credit. The sooner you stop borrowing, the sooner you will be out of debt.
3. Develop a balanced budget. A balanced budget is the primary tool in any family’s plan for managing money. If you are in debt already, the budget will need to be fairly restrictive at least for a while.
4. Work out a pay-back plan with your creditors. Most creditors are more than willing to work with people who honestly want to repay them. Make sure that every creditor gets something, but stay within the guidelines of your budget.
5. Learn to trust God. God knows what you need before you ask, so begin to trust Him for the things you need but can’t afford. Do not charge to get them; wait for God’s provision.
6. Exercise self-discipline as a lifestyle. Curb impulses to buy. If it is not budgeted, don’t buy it.
7. Seek wise counsel. Many people need assistance in establishing and maintaining a budget and working with creditors.
8. Rely on God’s Word. Make all financial decisions based on the principles of God’s Word, not on the world’s financial principles and conventional financial wisdom.
Conclusion
God wants us to live debt free in order to serve Him to the utmost of our abilities and resources. If we are in debt, we are bound to the creditor and are not free to serve God to the utmost. If you are in debt, determine now to get out and stay out. Anyone can become debt free and stay that way, with desire, discipline, and time. With God’s help, it can be done.
End Quote
So my friend let us be prosperous in a productive way. I’ve enjoyed sharing my heart with you, forward this to any one you feel can use the stress relief, but leave the resource box intact.
About the Author
Founded by Kimberly Flores: Always looking to make a way in the wilderness. Here to get the information of the Power of the Web into your hands. Seeking out the profitable tools that the budding entrepreneur needs to get an edge. Home Biz Tips - send an email to testedtough@getresponse.com WEB: http://testedtough.com http://infonowservices.com
by: Kimberly Flores
Did you know that money is mentioned in the bible more times that heaven or hell?
Does the idea of telling your spouse what you spent on marketing send chills down your spine? Why? Because you have nothing to show for it…yet?
Do you have a set budget you follow, including your online expenditures? Or, are you just throwing your money at whatever looks provocative at the moment?
Have you found out that PPC (Pay per click) search engines eat your money faster than you can check your credit card balance?
Don’t cry, I’m right there with you. Running up a credit card balance is very scary, hoping against all that your promoting will pay off. It can eventually show some profit if you keep at it, but where is the break-even point?
I know firsthand how this feels. Been there, done that.
Ok, the first thing you MUST DO: STOP USING CREDIT!
If you aren’t seeing any income, stop using your cards and instead set aside an amount in a savings-type account to draw from with a debit card. If you are receiving some commissions, or income, reinvest that rather than put your family’s livelihood on the line.
This is very difficult.
I have come to associate online marketing like gambling. It isn’t a sure thing, so it must be a gamble. This is a sin to me now. I am very cautious about where I put my money. I still invest in advertising mind you but I research it thoroughly.
I have searched and prayed for an answer to this question: “If I am to prosper as promised, I must follow Gods principles or I won’t be entitled to the promise”.
I found this resource that has helped me tremendously: http://www.crown.org/
there aren’t any affiliate links so I don’t get a dime promoting them but I am anyway.
I’ve learned so much from their vast assortment of resources.
I have set a budget and am trying diligently to stick to it, making at least 5% for marketing/advertising.
To quote an article from Crown:
Debt
Nothing in the area of finances has dominated or influenced the direction of our society during the past 50 years as much as debt. However, being debt free is still God’s plan for His people today.
The blessings of becoming debt free go far beyond the financial area; they extend to the spiritual and marital realms as well. No one who is financially bound can be spiritually free. The effects of financial bondage on a marriage relationship are measurable in the statistics of failed marriages.
Approximately 50 percent of all new marriages fail, and finances are listed as the leading cause of divorce by a factor of four to one.
What is debt?
Simply put, debt is something that is owed. The Bible does not prohibit a person from borrowing, but it does warn against surety—taking on debt without an absolutely sure way of paying it back. If collateral used to secure the loan can, in case of default on the loan, cover the balance of the money owed plus interest, the loan is not surety. However, taking into consideration that most debt in America is surety, we need to redefine debt.
Today, debt can be defined as a condition that exists when a loan commitment is not met or when inadequate collateral is pledged to satisfy the loan agreement.
Debt is not credit. Credit is the establishment of a mutual trust relationship between a lender and a borrower. Most often the undisciplined use of credit quickly leads to debt.
Establishing credit.
The best way to establish credit is to borrow against an acceptable asset, such as an existing savings account. Almost any bank will lend money up to the amount that is in the account and charge from 1 to 2 percent more for the loan than the prevailing saving rate. If within a year you pay back the amount borrowed, the total cost for acquiring the loan will be approximately $20. Then, by using the bank as a credit reference, you most likely can qualify for a major credit card, although the credit limit may be the minimum amount.
With disciplined use of the credit card and faithful payment of the bill, credit limits probably will be raised.
The best way to cancel an existing credit card or credit account is first to make sure the account is not delinquent. If it is current, you can send a letter to the accounts department, customer service, or business office of the bank that issued the card and request that your account be cancelled. Because the credit card is the property of the issuing bank, you also will need to cut the cards in half and send the cut cards along with your letter. Generally, banks will not accept a letter of cancellation unless the cut up cards accompany the letter and the account is current. Along with the letter you can either send a check to cover the outstanding balance or request payment arrangements. However, the payment arrangements they offer may or may not be the same as your previous monthly payment requirements.
Common attitudes that lead to debt
1. Ignorance. Many people, especially those in the baby boomer generation, never were trained how to handle money. The philosophy of today’s society is to spend and spend; if you don’t have the money to spend, charge it. If you want it, get it, because you deserve it.
2. Indulgence. In today’s American society we tend to feel that we should get what we want, when we want it. The whole concept of saving in order to buy seems to be a thing of the past.
3. Poor planning. No matter how noble our intentions may be, without a written plan that gauges and monitors income versus expenditures we will eventually find ourselves in debt and having financial troubles.
How to get out of debt
“The prudent sees the evil and hides himself, but the naïve go on, and are punished for it” (Proverbs 22:3). The following are steps that anyone can take to get out of debt and to stay out of debt.
1. Give to God first. The first fruits of all that He gives us—the tithe from our gross income—must be our first commitment. Without faithfully fulfilling this commitment, all other efforts will fail.
2. Stop all forms of borrowing. This includes credit card use, personal bank loans, family loans, student loans, and all consumer credit. The sooner you stop borrowing, the sooner you will be out of debt.
3. Develop a balanced budget. A balanced budget is the primary tool in any family’s plan for managing money. If you are in debt already, the budget will need to be fairly restrictive at least for a while.
4. Work out a pay-back plan with your creditors. Most creditors are more than willing to work with people who honestly want to repay them. Make sure that every creditor gets something, but stay within the guidelines of your budget.
5. Learn to trust God. God knows what you need before you ask, so begin to trust Him for the things you need but can’t afford. Do not charge to get them; wait for God’s provision.
6. Exercise self-discipline as a lifestyle. Curb impulses to buy. If it is not budgeted, don’t buy it.
7. Seek wise counsel. Many people need assistance in establishing and maintaining a budget and working with creditors.
8. Rely on God’s Word. Make all financial decisions based on the principles of God’s Word, not on the world’s financial principles and conventional financial wisdom.
Conclusion
God wants us to live debt free in order to serve Him to the utmost of our abilities and resources. If we are in debt, we are bound to the creditor and are not free to serve God to the utmost. If you are in debt, determine now to get out and stay out. Anyone can become debt free and stay that way, with desire, discipline, and time. With God’s help, it can be done.
End Quote
So my friend let us be prosperous in a productive way. I’ve enjoyed sharing my heart with you, forward this to any one you feel can use the stress relief, but leave the resource box intact.
About the Author
Founded by Kimberly Flores: Always looking to make a way in the wilderness. Here to get the information of the Power of the Web into your hands. Seeking out the profitable tools that the budding entrepreneur needs to get an edge. Home Biz Tips - send an email to testedtough@getresponse.com WEB: http://testedtough.com http://infonowservices.com
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Apply For A Credit Card Merchant Account Online
Apply For A Credit Card Merchant Account Online
by: Shane Penrod
Who should ? Why, you should, of course, if you want to grow your business and maximize sales volume! In this day and age, more and more business functions are moving into cyberspace, which means that business owners must be ready to travel to this relatively unknown domain if they want to maintain strong customer ties and stay a step or two ahead of the competition. Don’t worry if you’re not Web savvy; most online processes that are geared to the general consumer are not hard to perform. In fact, most are downright easy.
First, find a lender that you respect that is willing to extend you a credit card merchant account online. This may be the bank where your business interests and accounts currently reside. Or you may choose to shop for another lender with better rates or services. Don’t rush into this decision, however. Plan some time in your schedule to carefully browse the many services offered through a host of financial institutions today. You can browse the Internet by typing in search phrases like “merchant account” or “merchant services” and seeing what Google or your favorite search engine can bring up. Then it becomes a matter of checking out each lender to find the one that will best fit with your business budget or growth objectives. Some companies may seem a little too shady, while others may not have been in business long enough to enjoy a solid reputation. Others may charge a frightful amount for the services you want. Ask around your local business community to see which merchant account providers others are using, and then compare those costs and services with those you find online. You can probably reduce your list to a few of the better underwriters in short order. Then you will need to make the final selection by comparing monthly and annual fees.
Applying for a credit card merchant account online is fast and easy. Just click on the lender’s home page link to “application” (or some variation thereof) and follow the links to the application page. Then type the requested information in each blank. Contact the customer service representative if you do not understand a question or if you are unsure how to answer it. Remember to print a copy of the application if you are able to do so, or keep a copy of the confirmation number if one is provided. Often a company will email a verification of your application’s receipt and tell you when to expect a reply. At least print this page, if nothing else, for your records.
After applying for a credit card merchant account online, sit back and wait to hear about the decision. Often this arrives within a few days or even hours by email, although some are mailed out by post. When you receive approval and open your merchant account, you can begin to accept credit card payments right away. You will be delighted to see how quickly your profits increase as customers begin taking advantage of this valuable service. Don’t wait—consider applying today for your credit card merchant account online.
About the author:
Shane Penrod is the founder of http://www.Merchant-Account-Quotes.com Specializing in allowing merchants the ability to shop and compare multiple quotes from national merchant account providers. For free quotes on merchant account rates and fees, please go to http://www.merchant-account-quotes.com
by: Shane Penrod
Who should ? Why, you should, of course, if you want to grow your business and maximize sales volume! In this day and age, more and more business functions are moving into cyberspace, which means that business owners must be ready to travel to this relatively unknown domain if they want to maintain strong customer ties and stay a step or two ahead of the competition. Don’t worry if you’re not Web savvy; most online processes that are geared to the general consumer are not hard to perform. In fact, most are downright easy.
First, find a lender that you respect that is willing to extend you a credit card merchant account online. This may be the bank where your business interests and accounts currently reside. Or you may choose to shop for another lender with better rates or services. Don’t rush into this decision, however. Plan some time in your schedule to carefully browse the many services offered through a host of financial institutions today. You can browse the Internet by typing in search phrases like “merchant account” or “merchant services” and seeing what Google or your favorite search engine can bring up. Then it becomes a matter of checking out each lender to find the one that will best fit with your business budget or growth objectives. Some companies may seem a little too shady, while others may not have been in business long enough to enjoy a solid reputation. Others may charge a frightful amount for the services you want. Ask around your local business community to see which merchant account providers others are using, and then compare those costs and services with those you find online. You can probably reduce your list to a few of the better underwriters in short order. Then you will need to make the final selection by comparing monthly and annual fees.
Applying for a credit card merchant account online is fast and easy. Just click on the lender’s home page link to “application” (or some variation thereof) and follow the links to the application page. Then type the requested information in each blank. Contact the customer service representative if you do not understand a question or if you are unsure how to answer it. Remember to print a copy of the application if you are able to do so, or keep a copy of the confirmation number if one is provided. Often a company will email a verification of your application’s receipt and tell you when to expect a reply. At least print this page, if nothing else, for your records.
After applying for a credit card merchant account online, sit back and wait to hear about the decision. Often this arrives within a few days or even hours by email, although some are mailed out by post. When you receive approval and open your merchant account, you can begin to accept credit card payments right away. You will be delighted to see how quickly your profits increase as customers begin taking advantage of this valuable service. Don’t wait—consider applying today for your credit card merchant account online.
About the author:
Shane Penrod is the founder of http://www.Merchant-Account-Quotes.com Specializing in allowing merchants the ability to shop and compare multiple quotes from national merchant account providers. For free quotes on merchant account rates and fees, please go to http://www.merchant-account-quotes.com
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
I Make Money Online. You Can Too
I Make Money Online. You Can Too
by: Tom Worsley
When I purchased my first computer over 10 years ago, I knew I wanted to put it to work and make money with it some how. But I knew nothing about computers or the Internet. I knew nothing about network marketing, search engine marketing, or even how to create my own web site. I knew nothing about e-mail marketing e-mail leads or how to set up an e-mail list.
I began searching the Internet for ideas. I quickly learned that you could join several affiliate programs and they would supply you with a free affiliate web page. Unfortunately getting good quality traffic to these affiliate web pages was somewhat of a challenge. And the Major search engines wouldn’t even list my new affiliate web pages. So once again I was left searching the Internet for ideas.
I kept reading over and over again to get your own domain name and create your own web site. Then incorporate all your affiliate links into your new web site. Create a theme and join affiliate programs related to that theme. But I knew nothing about creating a web site. And what the heck is HTML?
I began creating web pages on Microsoft publisher. These were very simple pages and now when I look back at them I have to laugh. They were anything but professional and publisher actually made many errors in the HTML code. But this was all just part of the learning curve. You have to learn to walk before you run.
Eventually I started writing my own HTML using Microsoft word and saving it as a simple HTML text file. To this day all my web page’s are created using word.
Since starting my online business I have probably joined 100s of affiliate program opportunities, re-modeled my web page over 50 times and spend more than 4 hours a day reading and learning how to further promote my sites to make more money. All this was done on my own with little to no training from others.
When I started I knew nothing and now my business is getting between 5-10 commission checks in the mail every month generated from sales or leads coming from my 6 web sites.
I get people that say to me all the time. I cannot do that on my own. Well if I can do it you can too. It just takes a little patients and the will to learn. If you want to make money online you need to act. You need to search for information and read all about how to create your own web site. Then you need to search for information on how to promote, advertise, and most of all how to get good search engine rankings.
Copyright © Tom Worsley
by: Tom Worsley
When I purchased my first computer over 10 years ago, I knew I wanted to put it to work and make money with it some how. But I knew nothing about computers or the Internet. I knew nothing about network marketing, search engine marketing, or even how to create my own web site. I knew nothing about e-mail marketing e-mail leads or how to set up an e-mail list.
I began searching the Internet for ideas. I quickly learned that you could join several affiliate programs and they would supply you with a free affiliate web page. Unfortunately getting good quality traffic to these affiliate web pages was somewhat of a challenge. And the Major search engines wouldn’t even list my new affiliate web pages. So once again I was left searching the Internet for ideas.
I kept reading over and over again to get your own domain name and create your own web site. Then incorporate all your affiliate links into your new web site. Create a theme and join affiliate programs related to that theme. But I knew nothing about creating a web site. And what the heck is HTML?
I began creating web pages on Microsoft publisher. These were very simple pages and now when I look back at them I have to laugh. They were anything but professional and publisher actually made many errors in the HTML code. But this was all just part of the learning curve. You have to learn to walk before you run.
Eventually I started writing my own HTML using Microsoft word and saving it as a simple HTML text file. To this day all my web page’s are created using word.
Since starting my online business I have probably joined 100s of affiliate program opportunities, re-modeled my web page over 50 times and spend more than 4 hours a day reading and learning how to further promote my sites to make more money. All this was done on my own with little to no training from others.
When I started I knew nothing and now my business is getting between 5-10 commission checks in the mail every month generated from sales or leads coming from my 6 web sites.
I get people that say to me all the time. I cannot do that on my own. Well if I can do it you can too. It just takes a little patients and the will to learn. If you want to make money online you need to act. You need to search for information and read all about how to create your own web site. Then you need to search for information on how to promote, advertise, and most of all how to get good search engine rankings.
Copyright © Tom Worsley
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