Your Home Business Offering Writing Services Fast-Start - 5 Tips

Want to make a great income from your writing? Start a writing services business. There are many services you can offer, including copywriting, Web writing, and creating resumes and bios.

The more experience you have, the more you can charge for your services. If you're completely inexperienced, your first priority is to get some writing jobs so you can create your portfolio.

When you run a writing services business you'll initially write from home, and this can present some challenges. Ensure that you have the agreement of family members before you start, and set up your home office in a room with a door you can close.

So let's look at five tips for success.

1. You're a Seller - Find the Buyers

As a writing services provider, you're a seller, and you need buyers. As your business grows, you'll collect a stable of regular buyers, who will have you on a retainer. These are your "anchor" clients - see Tip #4.

You can find clients anywhere. Start local. Businesses, associations and clubs in your city will occasionally need your services, so send out some letters, and post a classified ad. You won't get responses immediately, so follow up on your letters, and post your ad for at least three months.

People need to see your name several times before they contact you.

Can you advertise online? Yes, you can. However, if you're a completely new writer, without a portfolio, then it's harder to get clients in the online environment than in your local area.

2. Create a Business Plan

Your next step is to create a business plan. This is a forecast of: your clients, the types of services you provide, your marketing (advertising), your costs, and your income goals.

Your business plan gives you direction. It can be very short - keep it to a single page. Then create projects and tasks which will help you to achieve your income goals.

3. Set Deadlines for Each Stage

Set goals and deadlines for the number of clients you want to get and the income you want to make in six months, one year, and three years. Yes, this is all guess-work. However, it serves as a road map. You'll find that you always achieve your goals much more quickly than you expect IF you set them first... so do set goals and deadlines.

4. Get Anchor Clients

Your anchor clients - those clients which buy your services regularly - keep you in business. Aim for around six to ten anchor clients.

If you have just one anchor client, this is dangerous. Businesses hit hard times, change their procedures, and go out of business. So ensure that you have at least six anchor clients at any one time. This protects you and your income.

5. Find a Mentor

You need a mentor - someone who is doing what you want to do, and has been doing it successfully for at least three years.

You may find a mentor in your local business community.

Your mentor's primary function is to act as a sounding board, and to inspire you and give you ideas.

6. Bonus tip: get an accountant to help you with your finances. Once you get busy, you'll be glad of the help.

10 Tips For Getting the Most Marketing Benefit From Your Business Cards

Business cards are among the least expensive marketing tools a business person has at his disposal, yet they are typically very poorly used, if they are used at all. Here are some tips for maximizing the marketing power or your business cards.

1. Carry your business cards with you at all times. This sounds obvious, I know, but you would be amazed how often a business person doesn't have business cards on hand when they are needed. Even if you manage your contacts through your PDA and you love to "beam" your contact information to others, still keep those business cards in your wallet, business card holder, pocket, briefcase, and car.

2. Make sure your employees, spouse and close associates also carry your business cards with them. I have picked up more than one client who learned about me through a conversation with my husband, who reached into his wallet and handed over a business card.

3. Hand out a business card as you introduce yourself at meetings and networking events. Not only do people appreciate seeing the name they just heard, but putting a business card in someone's hand as you introduce yourself engages three senses while you have their attention (hearing, sight, and touch). The more they are engaged, the more likely they will remember you, which is the point, remember?

4. Consider having your photo printed on your business card. People like to see who they are working with. Seeing your picture later will help them remember you. Also, it has been documented that seeing a photo on a business card and a website tends to help people develop trust faster than when they don't see a picture. If you are concerned about your appearance, do something about it or get over it. Touch up your rough edges with some photo editing software if you must, but get your face out there!

5. Be creative with your business cards. Of course, you want to make sure that your name and contact information are legible, but you should use the opportunity to express a bit of who you are with your business card. Maybe you can do that through a creative use of color or your logo. Perhaps you will want to add a unique slogan. Consider a double-sided card design. I saw a card recently with contact information on both sides. I saw another with a web address on the back. The back is also a good place for a catchy slogan.

6. Leave cards behind when you call on someone who is not there. Write individual notes on these cards to make them more memorable and personal. Be sure to use the other person's name n your handwritten note.

7. Hand a card to the secretary when you arrive for an appointment. This will help her get your name right when she notifies her boss that you are there. It also makes sure your contact information is in the hand of the person who will probably be entering it into the data system. By the way, business cards are the business descendent of calling cards, small cards with the visitor's name on them, which were used to announce the visitor to the person being visited. Presenting a card when you arrive for an appointment demonstrates a little class and etiquette.

8. Include a business card in greeting cards you send to customers or prospects. Especially if your business card has your photo on it, this will help them remember who you are, and remind them of your contact information. If they misplaced your card, this is a way to get it to them again without forcing them to ask for it. Also include your card with gifts you give to clients.

9. Look for opportunities and appropriate places to leave your cards behind for others. The right places for this will depend on your business and target market. You can ask business owners to allow you to leave cards in a holder on their counters. This is particularly appropriate if you have a complementary (but not competing) business. Also, don't be afraid to leave one or two laying around here and there (on bulletin boards, near ATMs, etc.). It's a good place if it is somewhere where your clients or prospects will be.

10. Use your business card for ads in newsletters and local publications. The term "business card size" is a common term for one of the sizes of ads available in most publications. You don't have to use your business card for the ad copy, but if you have a good business card (photo, nicely designed, easy to read), why not?

There are many ways you can use business cards to help market your business. Don't be stingy with your cards. Hand them out freely. Personalize them with notes. Don't assume that just because you gave someone your card in the past that they still have it, or that they transferred the contact information before misplacing the card. You will undoubtedly see a rapid return on your investment as you begin to use your business cards more.

7 Tips to See If Your Retail Business is Running As Well As it Should

Most independent business owners decide whether they are successful or not by simply seeing if there is more money in their jeans at the end of the month or not. Or they wait for their accountant to report what type of year they had. Or they go by the "feeling" they have at the end of a month. It doesn't have to be guesswork. Reports of various kinds can help you see in real time how well your business is running, where you should grow and what proactive steps can be used to avert disaster.

1) Year over year sales. While obvious, this is necessary not just to look at this year compared to last, but also the previous three years. Is there a trend to your business growth?

2) Customer counts. Most POS systems can do this report easily for you. If not, simply tally the number of transactions you had for the month. Comparing this to previous years helps identify whether you are truly growing your base.

3) Average order amount. Your POS system can do this as well. If not, simply divide your monthly gross by your customer count. Comparing this to previous months and years helps identify if your crew is upselling. A business can only grow incrementally unless customers leave with more than one item.

4) Turnover. Have trouble with people quitting on you? Always hiring? Take your monthly schedule and divide the number of W-2s you sent out with the number of shifts on your typical schedule. For example, if you have only 4 employees including full and part-time and you sent 12 W-2's in January you would have a 300% turn. It could be a symptom of poor management resulting in employees voting with their feet. Look at your management style to cut turnover. My way or the highway ended with crew cuts.

5) Mystery shops. While we always take care of our regulars, they'll more than likely always return because they have a relationship with you. The important test is how well new customers are treated. An independent mystery shopping service can anonymously give you feedback. While a shop is only a moment in time, after several on an ongoing basis, a clear picture emerges. Decide what your standards are - everyone is greeted within 15 seconds for example- and build your scorecard with it. Use it to reward good actions more than punish.

6) Category sales. The big trend in retail now is additional services that can contribute to the bottom line. By having, say a dozen categories, you can quickly analyze where the true growth in your business is coming from. Then add to those product categories while reducing less-performing ones.

7) Employee individual sales as a % of monthly sales. Not everyone can sell well and sales figures don't lie. Low sales are often a great indicator of interest in your business. Everyone can have an off month but if there is a pattern, you can intervene before a disgruntled employee ruins you. My philosophy: when the mind goes, the body should follow. Do employee reviews on all of your employees in February and July.

The most sophisticated POS systems can be setup to automatically to email most of these reports to you on the first of each month. That way you can't forget or procrastinate. Put the reports in a 3-ring binder after you have reviewed them or entered their information into a spreadsheet.

By reviewing each of these seven indicators, you can continually work to have a well-running business.

How to Turn a $15 Business Into a $100,000 Income Stream?

How can I put my message to you clearly without giving you the impression that I want to sell you something? How can a doctor prescribe you medication without making you feel that he is selling the drug for the pharmaceutical company?

Good advice on the Internet laced with sales messages, are so prevalent that you will have no clue how to separate them to make it believable. Today anyone can doctor screen shots, income, earnings and tell you how much money they are making. Although this is true, there are also many success stories of real, honest and extremely hard working people who are successful online because they were hungry enough to achieve the success they desired.

My success strategy is made up of many methods. One among them is to gather motivated, eager buyers of my smaller priced products and turn them into bigger paying clients. It works and it works for both of us. When they buy my smaller priced product, they have already demonstrated their willingness to spend money. Now, I go one step further to let them know that I am here to help them make sales and profit as well.

I use 2 small priced business programs which have been around on the Internet for a very long time. This is important as it builds trust in people. No body wants to be a part of a fly by night kind of an operation. These small affordable business programs costs $5 and $15 each. Due to its cost structure, I generate a lot of sales and consequently I get a lot of new leads and referrals via PayPal. I then use these leads to sell them a bigger ticket items. More than half of them convert into customers.

I have been using this strategy since 1999 and have generated thousands of leads and thousands more in direct and indirect sales. Not every small ticket item will work as efficiently as with the ones I am involved with. I made sure that the programs I was selling were of good reputation and were in operation for a while.

But you get the idea. The trick is to get a motivated customer who is willing to get started. Once your motivated customers make money, they will be more inclined to buy from you and pretty much for the rest of your life, as long as you provide them value for their money.

Start small and then sell big. You will be pleasantly surprised how much money you can make this way.

Success in Business - Some Critical Steps to Get You There

Yeah, I know, you have read all the "how to" books on creating, starting, developing, and growing your business opportunity; all written by some guru who has seen and done it all. If they have seen and done it all in building a business, why are they not using that talent to build their business instead of writing a 'how to do it' book. I will let you answer that question yourself.

In the meantime I will tell you that from the beginning of recorded time, there have been successful entrepreneurs that have utilized a sometimes unusual or misunderstood blend of ideas methods or formulas. Some are relatively simple, others more complicated, but in today's age of split second communication and information sharing, it is a little easier to uncover the secrets of successful entrepreneurs and use their strategies to your best advantage. The drawback to this is that the information age has made competition more keen for every business and it involves more of a struggle to compete and grow. The reality is that in today's marketplace 80% of all business that are start ups will close their doors within five years, and a high proportion will know last even the first 12 months. Depressing New? Sure it is, but the fact is that if you stay true to a few simple and time tested basic business tenants, you can success if you have dedication, determination, and a work ethic that says; I will succeed;

Start with a vision that allows you to see and look beyond today- spell out your aspirations; where do you want to be five years from today? Ten years from today? Define that vision and convey it to all those around who have a hand in the ultimate success. This is called having leadership skills, and it necessary to build a health climate for your associates and customers to buy into your vision.

It is inherent in human behavior to stretch beyond our self imposed level of comfort when the value of the rewards are clearly defined and deemed to be attainable. This is truly the mother of innovation, and when the restraints are removed from the confines of the existing perceived "comfort level" almost anything can be achieved, whether that is a new product or service, an improvement to an existing product or service....the boundaries are endless.

The leadership skills of the successful entrepreneur and successful business are essential into converting the ideas outlined above into a cohesive plan that can be conveyed to all members of the team. What is the timing and nature of the new product or service? When and how will it be brought to market? what role will I play in its success? The business plan can and should be modified so that everyone has a clear direction and what role they play in the ultimate success.

The role of all those involved in the direction of the venture and what role they play in it can be enhanced by finding and exploiting those in the organization who exhibit leadership and team building skiils. Such skills may present themselves at any stage of the organization, and should be uytilized all levels to unsure steady progress in all phases of successful business development and the growth of the successful entrepreneur.

We have just discussed the role of utilizing those who have strengths on your team. It is also important to recognize the weaknesses of those who may lack leadership skills, but can play a vital support role to the advancement of the goals of the team. They may be just as relevant in a supporting role as those who take active leadership roles. A strong entrepreneur has the ability to recognize the proper role for all those on the team.

Another key factor is the ability to have the personal contact with not only each other, but with your customers. Any organizations strongest asset are its people, and recognize achievement both privately and publicly with those who have excelled in their performance. It is just basic human nature that when an individual is recognized for their achievement, either monetarily or otherwise, it is a great encouragement to strive to higher goals for the betterment of the organization.

Consistently produce quality products and/or services and an equal amount of customer service, and the rewards will speak for themselves with the further growth of your successful business, but will have the additional effect of reinforcing the feeling of your customers that they are doing business with a key player in their filed and should continue to do so. It is all about credibility and your customers confidence in you and your team. Customers know when they are greeting a quality product or service, but be careful not to over emphasize your successes. After all, this is ultimately what they expect out of a successful entrepreneur.

Finally, value your customer and give the due respect to his or her decision if they ultimately decide to go with a competitor rather than you. Respect their preferences, likes and dislikes, etc. Did your product/service actually provide the solution to his/her problem, or what is an issue with price, delivery, or some other other intangible? Treat your customer with the utmost respect whether you win or lose an order. Your reputation is everything in business. It takes a long time to cultivate a good one, and it can be tarnished in a very short period of time.

By all means, always take into account the effect of your actions on your reputation. It can mean the difference of getting the next order because you were able to maintain the standards of a successful entrepreneur and successful business.

The 10 Most Common Reasons Why a Business Opportunity Will Fail

The one fact that most people do not realize about starting a business opportunity is that around 90% of all businesses started will fail or go out of business within their third year. Some business will never make it past the winter depending on their product or service. This is just fact. This statistic is not secluded to traditional, international, home-based, or any other type of business opportunity individually. It includes them all. Let's run through the 10 most common causes of failure in a business opportunity.

1. Under capitalized - Starting and operating business costs money. If you run across a business opportunity that has a no cost start-up and no operating expenses......run! Without sufficient capitol to keep your business going, until it is profitable, it will sink. No doe, no show.

2. Lack of a System - Most new business owners, of course, have very little knowledge about running a business and have no mentor, or go-to man. They are left alone to succeed which can be very difficult without the lack of experience. This is probably the reason why most self-made millionaires attempted and failed and several businesses before they were a success.

3. No Mentor - This goes hand in hand with the lack of a system. In business it is everyone for themselves. Business is a cutthroat operation. The strong survive and the weak die. To go and ask the donut shop around the corner how he made his store successful is compared to presidential candidates asking each other their campaign secrets and techniques. You might as well ask him to turn over to you a portion of his bank account.

4. Poor Vision - Poor vision starts from the moment you came up with your business theory or idea. Would it work? What product or service do you offer? What is the supply and demand? Is this the right timing for this business opportunity and is this the right market for it? Will my products or services hold their value and be of use long term? A lot goes into a business and failure to look forward into the future could be disastrous.

5. Location, Location, Location - This part is self-explanatory. In a traditional retail business, location is everything. You may have the best business opportunity in the world but without the location, you are going to fail in retail. Other business opportunities don't need location to be successful. When depending on the public for your profit, this is vital.

6. Poor Marketing - Every business opportunity will require some form of marketing to create business and to be successful. People don't know you are selling guns unless you have a sign up or tell them you are selling guns. A poor marketing campaign will drown you quicker than any other reason for failure.

7. Lack of Ambition - It takes a pretty ambitious person to start a business opportunity. Without ambition, you are like a car without any gasoline, dead! There has to be some fuel behind the idea.

8. No Personal Development - If you think that anyone has been successful in any business opportunity without working on themselves personally, you are ignorant. This is vital. Knowledge, self improvement, positive thinking, creates excitement and motivation.

9. Poor Planning - In order to build a home, you must have everything drawn up on paper, measured out on the plot of land, and financed before you even begin. Failure to have a successful business plan, step by step along the way, will result in confusion and frustration. This is tied directly to vision. See it before you build it.

10. Bad Product of Service - You know, I believe that a good salesman could sell ice to an Eskimo or camels to the Middle East, but if you have a product that people don't need or want, you are up the creek without a paddle. Supply and demand with a good, well priced product comes from research. Resort communities need hotels. Lakeside communities need boats and fishing supplies. Find a need and you will have a product.

Ten-Figure Guide - Home-Based Business

In Home-Based Business Boom Part I we saw that people in record numbers are leaving the work-a-day world with the express purpose of working for themselves. And not just being self-employed, but actually working out of their homes. The vehicle that is making this business shift possible, of course, is the global connectivity of the Internet. Interestingly enough, statistics prove that many who are venturing in this direction are becoming successful in their endeavors.

Here to Stay or Just a Fad?

Is this just a fad? A passing fancy that will soon burn out? It's difficult to say at this point. What we do know is that thousands of employees in the workplace are becoming disillusioned, disappointed, dissatisfied and disgusted with their day-to-day commute and their unappealing working conditions. While this growing disillusionment may have been true for a couple of decades, the vehicle wasn't available to make it possible to break free. Now it is fully in place. Now one person can become a global business entity and work from the kitchen table.

Will It Be Best for You?

As you hear more and more about working from home, you hear the advantages such as: no more boss (that's a biggie); no more commute (a close second biggie), no more office politics; more family time; take control of your destiny; flexibility (i.e. your own hours); less stress and pressure. That's just a few from a very long list.

Is it as wonderful as people make it sound? Is working from home the best answer for every person? Will it be right for you?

The only way you will know if it's right for you is to stop looking at everything through rose-colored glasses and get painfully honest with yourself. Let's look at a few quality traits that will be required to be your own boss and to work from home.

Self Disciplined

Self discipline is at the top of the list. It is crucial that you will work as hard for yourself (or harder) than you would for a demanding boss. You must be a self-starter and not prone to procrastination. There's no backup in this situation. If you don't do it - it won't get done. Period.

Entrepreneurial Spirit

Striking out on your own requires an entrepreneurial spirit. That means you're a person who is always thinking outside the box. You see things with a vision. You don't mind taking a risk. (A calculated risk, that is. You're not a gambler.) You don't need the "group" surrounding you to get things done. The thought of working alone from day to day doesn't bother you in the least.

Focus and Determination

Whatever business you choose to go with, be assured there will be ups and downs. There will be good days and bad days. Your focus and determination must be so secure that you are able to maintain a straight course, even when the storms blow and the winds are contrary. It will be your determination to succeed that will keep you on an even keel.
Confidence and Courage

What does it take to make you feel that you are a failure and will cause you to give up and quit? While this is closely related to focus and determination, in this case it is dealing with your knowledge of who you are. When something goes wrong (and be assured, it will) is this your typical reaction? "I knew it. Everything I touch falls apart. I can't ever do anything right."

If your self confidence is shaky then this may not be the time to quit your day job. If you see yourself as a loser in the workplace - chances are that working from home will not change your perspective. To succeed on your own, you will need a clear understanding of who you are and what you are capable of accomplishing. And the confidence and courage to pull it off.

Opportunities Abound

If you are looking to work from home, this is a great time. Never has there ever been such a wide range of opportunities. By doing your research you will find such things as network marketing, internet marketing, internet businesses, direct sales and myriads of other online money-making programs now available. There is certainly no lack of opportunity

The question is not whether there is a wealth-creating opportunity available; the important question is - will this be the correct path for you to take? Only you can answer that question.

If it is for you, get excited. Because the whole world is at your doorstep. (Or better yet - at your kitchen table.) Go for it!

Think About Starting A Resale Rights Business

Hey guys, if you are starting a business, here is something for you to think about, "resale rights". On the internet there are many types of businesses of which you can get started. The Internet is the perfect place to build a business. However, not all internet businesses are equal. Some require you to develop products for you to sell online. Not every one has sufficient time to get down to selling products they themselves have personally developed. Most people just don't have the time to invest in their own line of products. However, if one is interested in making money online they can indulge in the resale of other peoples products. Here's where resale rights come in.

When you get the resale rights to other peoples products, you have the ability to sell them as if they were your very own. You don't just get a little commission like you would from many affiliate products but, you get 100% of the profit. That is completely to your benefit.

However to survive in the resale rights business you need to obtain products that have these rights. The best place to find these products is from one of the many resale rights packages or membership sites on the market today. This is the absolute cheapest way to find loads of these products for you to sell as your own.

Now here's the thing you need to remember. If you are really serious about creating a cash generating online business using resale rights then there has never been a better time for you to get started. With resale rights products you instantly own excellent products that really sell. These products often take thousands of dollars to produce and you can get them for pennies on the dollar. The great thing is that these information products are the best selling products on the internet today.

You might be thinking that with all the resale rights marketers selling these products today, that the market is saturated and that you won't be able to sell anything. Well, listen to this and believe what I am saying, there could be nothing further from the truth. People love information that can help them better there daily lives. Whether the information is about how to train of groom their pet dog or how to start a business, people are interested in information that can help them.

Keep in mind that a resale rights business is no different than any other kind of business. You will need to work at it to make it successful. Just remember this, its inexpensive to start compared to other businesses and its a lot more profitable than most. Believe me, you would do well to get on this bandwagon.

The Good Assistant Knows - It's All About Business

In utmost sincerity, as an assistant, your job has nothing to do with how much you like (or dislike) your boss; how much you're paid (or not paid); how much praise you receive (or don't receive). Whether you're the assistant to the neighborhood drycleaner, an intern at a media outlet, or the executive assistant to the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, the good assistant knows it's all about the business. Period.

In fact, the "job" isn't to appease the employer, rally behind the team or make sure there are donuts on Friday mornings. The "job" is always to consider, "Is it good for the company?" If you ask yourself this question each time you hear idle gossip, each time your employer asks for your honest opinion, or simply answering the phone, you'll never go wrong by considering first, "How will this effect business?"

The good assistant knows that the boss isn't necessarily the person who signs your paycheck, or the person whose name is on the door. Your boss - your real boss - is the corporation itself. As an assistant, you have a higher calling than many even in upper management. You are likely privy to more information than many department heads. You're probably one of the first to know that a new candidate will be hired - or that a long-term employee will be fired - long before the information is made public. You can never take your position for granted.

The good assistant knows there's a fine line between 'lunching' with her colleagues and 'hanging out' with the gang. While she appreciates sharing encouragement with others over a meal, she recognizes that after-hours social events could cause confusion among those same peers, especially those who are not mature enough to respect her clearly-defined position within the organization. Letting her hair down, particularly among co-workers, could diminish respect for her in the eyes of others. To the good assistant, respect is key to her success, and she guards it closely.

The good assistant knows when idle chit chat is fun and when it's disturbing. She's never in the company of others who are tarnishing another's reputation, but she's good for a joke or two, and even enjoys a harmless prank (that doesn't detract from getting the job done).

A good assistant knows when to keep silent. She knows it's not important for others to know what she knows, but it's equally important for her to know what others know...and what they think they know. At the same time she's a trustworthy colleague.

She understands that everyone has a bad day once in awhile, and doesn't pre-judge simply because someone's made a thoughtless comment. And if she's the offender, she knows how important it is to apologize - and be sincere when she does.

The good assistant is tactful, never tacky...and always reveals truth as she knows it to be...even if that truth is painful to reveal, and even more painful to hear.

She's encouraging and helpful, and her compliments are seasoned with good taste and fine words...not simply sugar-coated to hide her true feelings. If she says it, she means it.

She has the admiration of others in the company since she's proven to be valuable in times of distress, a pleasant breeze after "it" has hit the fan, and strong shoulder to lean on in times of professional strife and personal duress.

Her humor is always tasteful. And her poise is matched by her consistent attire, always clean and classy. Her wardrobe is not gaudy or trashy. You won't get a glimpse of her underwear, and her cleavage is never revealed. To her, "Dress Down Day" doesn't mean flip flops and bare midriffs, though she might dress in attire that is more casual than usual.

Her nails don't resemble eagle's claws, but are clean and manicured.

The good assistant does whatever comes next. She isn't above emptying the trash, cleaning the kitchen or stocking supplies in the restroom when necessary.

She's the heart of the organization, the confidante to the person in charge, and defender of all those in need of support.

And lastly, while the good assistant knows that she's a valuable asset to the company and that it simply couldn't thrive without her, she's gracious enough not to say it.

Writing For Business and Marketing

Whatever it is you need to write for your trade or business, it deserves your complete attention for your business to prosper. Anyone who can hold a pen or can sit in front of a computer can write something to make his intentions known, but for the writing to take effect immediately and forcefully, a writer needs to take into account a few essential points.

Before you start to write, arranging your thoughts is an absolute necessity. You might like to take notes while you think. During this process, you will need to:

* Analyze your readers by thinking about these questions: What age group is the audience and what are their needs in relation to your business? Then, evaluate the readers' viewpoints. What do they want to know? What do they need to know? Also imagine what details, if any, need to be included.

* Analyze your own credibility. Are you being ethical? Are you hurting your company by writing to others private information or technical knowledge that is not copyrighted yet? Are you hurting someone or some group by holding back information? Are you trying to exaggerate a point unnecessarily or omit some crucial data? Can you increase your credibility by providing proof that supports your proposal or the point you want to make.

* Even if you put forward a perfect proposal or a perfect report, what type of questions can you anticipate afterwards?

Then, make a list of the things you are going to write, and organize them in groups of similar ideas. This will be, roughly, the body of your text.

Before you start writing the initial draft, make sure you understand these basics:

* Decide what the main idea is and put that down first. Make sure your purpose in writing this proposal, ad, text, etc. is immediately clear to the readers.

* Readers remember the first sentences best and the ideas introduced the earliest. In other words, first come first served. Put the least important ideas at the end of the text.

* Start each paragraph with a strong sentence that introduces or summarizes what the paragraph will contain. Then, you can reinforce it with supporting sentences. One idea per paragraph is the way to go. Do not flood a paragraph with different ideas.

* Short sentences and short paragraphs make the text easier to read. A short sentence is twenty words or less. The shorter the sentence, the greater the comprehension; therefore, it helps to keep the introductory sentence of each paragraph short. Then, vary your sentence lengths to make the text interesting.

* The tone of the text is also important. Always be aware of the tone you are using, because tone shows your attitude. Stay away from negative tones like condescending, accusing, angry, etc.
* Use active voice. Active voice talks to the reader directly, and it makes the writing sound more sincere and less boring.

* Use transitional words like, moreover, consequently, in addition, etc., to link ideas together.

* Use headings and subheadings so the reader can find the content more easily.

* If what you are writing is a business letter or you are addressing a specific person but you are not sure of the title ( Mr. Dr. Mrs. or Ms. ), leave out the title and use the person's first and last name; e. g., Dear John Doe.

* If you are using a template, do not use the words or phrases of the sample. You need to be original to make your point.

Things to avoid, because they will either be boring or they will be misunderstood:

* Jargon and curse words

* Words with double meanings

* Clichés

When the situation allows, write in a friendly, conversational style. Write as if you are speaking to a specific person. Business writing does not need to be formal all the time.

Then, your method of writing should not be hasty. Write the first draft without correcting, so you do not lose any fresh ideas. Afterwards, go back and revise your text. When you revise, read what you have written aloud, and listen to find out if the writing flows well, or you may use a tape recorder and listen back.

The visual design of the text is important, too. The text should be centered on the page and each page should look balanced.

Effective writing is not only important for facilitating your business, but also, it shows the image of your company and the kind of person you are; therefore, it is necessary you take every caution with it.

The Enlightenment - Apply For a Business Credit Card

I was scanning the contents of the classified ads one day when I stumble upon the section where it says "Apply for a business credit card now". So I called a friend of mine on the phone who happens to have a small business. She owns an internet café. I asked her if she has a business credit card. She told me she don't have one. I asked her how she financed her company with no credit card at her aide. She said that she sought the help of a money lending establishment instead of going to the bank and applies for a business credit card.

I asked her why not? She answered that she doesn't trust business credit cards because of its hidden charges and interests. Plus it will take so much of her time applying and wait for several days for the approval. And it is difficult for her also for her to have a business credit card because she doesn't even own a personal credit card. Going to a lending establishment is more to her preference and she wanted a fast and swift response for her financial needs.

I told her maybe she just needs a little more information regarding the matter. It would be better if she was informed appropriately so she would not be skeptical in applying a business credit card.

And so, I asked her if she can come with me. We will be credit card hunting and maybe I might get to change her mind. And she agreed to come with me. She admitted that maybe its time for her to have a credit card. she confessed that she already paid her balance at the lending establishment and she would like to try for a credit card this time.

And then I told her, we could go to her shop the search for credit cards online. That way, she can both look out for her business and at the same time explore for possible business credit cards. She readily agreed. We decided we go out tomorrow.

The next day, I went to her shop and my friend was busily talking to her staff, giving out instructions. I greeted her and she looked up and she told me to get inside her little booth. I waited for her there. And then she came in and we work on her computer.

We found a website that offers many business credit cards. We run through the selection and we scrutinized every credit card we found until we found something that caught her attention. We read the terms and conditions, the promotions, the rewards and then she hit the "apply now" panel.

It's a good thing I made her to apply business credit card. Because right now, she is enjoying the credit card that she applied online plus the rewards she earned can be redeem anytime.

How to Start a Business on a Budget

Often we are hear many lies about starting a business. For many the term 'you need money to make money' comes to mind. And though this maybe true in some respects, it is not the case for the many businesses which actually start and succeed.

What is a business? A business in its simple sense is a value creator. In the form of products or services the point is that the business creates value. And this value does not simply need to be to a consumer, it can be to other businesses, in an intriguing way. For example a company that has stocks will be able to trade shares, and this in a way inadvertently creates value.

The main point above was to dispel the view that you need money to make money. You are a business in your own right. You create value, and as an entrepreneur you create value. This value can be immense.

For example, you may not have much money, but with that money, a man or woman with an idea and a plan, can easily raise the money to start a business. This business can have its funding from business loans and even from venture capital or angel investors. The point is that you don't need the money to start a business, whether that is small, medium or big.

By far the easiest way to get into business is with a home business. The benefit is that it is more self contained. You don't need to write big business plans, you don't need to get funding, and you can fund the business easily. If you only have a few hundred dollars, you can easily start a home business, and the benefits are immense. With a home based business you will not need expensive rent on retail or office space, you can get the business off the ground in your bedroom or a spare room - like how I and many others who have created successful businesses started.

I simply love home business, the concept and idea and for many reasons. The first is that for many people, they feel like if they only had the money, they could get office or retail space, and make money with it, because they had what is needed, but this is far from the truth. The fact is that many people who start a business fail, because they believe that with money they can make money.

A home business also gives you access to many successful home business opportunities. These opportunities are ready to run. Many of them have created big success, and can do the same for you. The added bonus is that these opportunities show you a plan that has made that business successful.

Another option for home business is that of freelancing. Instead of working for one employer, freelancing to many clients can help you earn more, and at the same time not have to wait so long until you start earning money in a business.

As always all these options allow you to grow in your own pace. A business, even in retail space requires time to get established. A business from home allows you to test and grow your business, and when it reaches the necessary size can be put into a retail or office location and soon get staff and expand.

How Good Does Your Business Look?

While there are many different aspects that go to make up a great business, appearance is the one that can sometimes get less attention than it deserves.

Yet it is also one of the most important. It doesn't matter whether the business is situated in a warehouse or in one of the most modern office blocks in the area, appearances do matter and if you don't pay enough attention to it your business will suffer as a result.

If you have ever visited the offices, warehouses, studios or shops owned by another company and they have been less than impressive when it comes to appearance, you will know how that makes you feel. The business itself could be one of the nicest and most efficient ones in town but if that doesn't extend to the tidiness (and worse, the cleanliness) of the premises, then it doesn't exactly make you feel good about doing business with them.

But it is completely different when you enter a building owned by a company that does all it can to look after its clients and customers. The feeling of cleanliness is evident from the moment you walk through the door and it conveys a feeling of care and attention. Any company which puts this much effort into how it looks is obviously going to be paying attention to every detail of their work too.

In this sense, the way you present your business to your clients is an extension of the way you actually do business with them. If you take care and pride in your appearance then people will naturally assume this extends to everything you do.

And in turn, if you don't make any effort to keep your buildings looking fresh, clean and tidy, that doesn't project a very good image to your clients. You've probably been into an office which has looked disorganized and untidy and it doesn't exactly make you feel relaxed and comfortable. What's more, if your office looks like this it is much harder to clean and more dangerous to work in anyway. Just imagine tripping over that huge stack of paper you keep hidden behind your desk, for example.

But it's not just the interior of your buildings that needs attention. Don't forget that people will see the exterior long before they even reach the front door, so it's just as important to keep that looking just as good. Regular window cleaning, good exterior maintenance and perhaps even planting and greenery if your building has the grounds for it can all help to convey a positive image that draws people in and makes them feel confident that you can do a good job.

It's unfortunate that some people are so focused on doing their jobs and driving their business forward that they miss the little things that can make all the difference to everyone else. And they will improve your own view of the business you have worked so hard to build as well, which is never a bad thing.While there are many different aspects that go to make up a great business, appearance is the one that can sometimes get less attention than it deserves.

Yet it is also one of the most important. It doesn't matter whether the business is situated in a warehouse or in one of the most modern office blocks in the area, appearances do matter and if you don't pay enough attention to it your business will suffer as a result.

If you have ever visited the offices, warehouses, studios or shops owned by another company and they have been less than impressive when it comes to appearance, you will know how that makes you feel. The business itself could be one of the nicest and most efficient ones in town but if that doesn't extend to the tidiness (and worse, the cleanliness) of the premises, then it doesn't exactly make you feel good about doing business with them.

But it is completely different when you enter a building owned by a company that does all it can to look after its clients and customers. The feeling of cleanliness is evident from the moment you walk through the door and it conveys a feeling of care and attention. Any company which puts this much effort into how it looks is obviously going to be paying attention to every detail of their work too.

In this sense, the way you present your business to your clients is an extension of the way you actually do business with them. If you take care and pride in your appearance then people will naturally assume this extends to everything you do.

And in turn, if you don't make any effort to keep your buildings looking fresh, clean and tidy, that doesn't project a very good image to your clients. You've probably been into an office which has looked disorganized and untidy and it doesn't exactly make you feel relaxed and comfortable. What's more, if your office looks like this it is much harder to clean and more dangerous to work in anyway. Just imagine tripping over that huge stack of paper you keep hidden behind your desk, for example.

But it's not just the interior of your buildings that needs attention. Don't forget that people will see the exterior long before they even reach the front door, so it's just as important to keep that looking just as good. Regular window cleaning, good exterior maintenance and perhaps even planting and greenery if your building has the grounds for it can all help to convey a positive image that draws people in and makes them feel confident that you can do a good job.

It's unfortunate that some people are so focused on doing their jobs and driving their business forward that they miss the little things that can make all the difference to everyone else. And they will improve your own view of the business you have worked so hard to build as well, which is never a bad thing.

Conscious Business - The Secret Principle Helping You Integrate Your Spirit and Your Vision

You may be asking how to walk this fine line between creating a hugely expansive vision, and not having it bring up negative emotions. I want to share a principle here that will help you walk this line with ease, trust and joy. This is something I learned walking through my own challenges along the entrepreneurial journey. Because, let's face it, it's not easy to create a whole new and exciting vision for your business (and your life) when you may not know where our next month's rent (or sometimes your next day's meal) is coming from.

The principle is that of speed. Often, when you think of speed, you think of executing an action in the physical world. The speed in which you make a follow-up call, gather information, get a product to market, make more money, build your website, etc. It's all about the physical, tangible world of "making things happen."

But, the speed I'm talking about here, to keep you energized and inspired about your vision, is the speed in which you reconnect to your Source when the feelings of fear, doubt, despair or lack creep in. When you're able to raise your awareness to the infinite supply of the Universe and to the Divine Perfection of your life, you'll see that whatever is happening in the moment is part of the Divine Plan. You'll be able to manage the negative emotions more easily and rise back up into the higher emotional states much more quickly.

No matter how difficult a challenge you may be facing, the ability to connect with Source quickly is the key to moving through it. This principle really showed itself to me when I experienced a miscarriage with my second baby. I had wanted nothing more than to bring another child into our family. So, you can imagine my despair when I miscarried the day after Christmas in 2006 (after having announced the pregnancy as a gift to our families on Christmas day). I remember when the loss finally hit me on a deep emotional level four days later; I simply crumbled into a pile of tears on the cold tile floor in my bathroom. I sobbed uncontrollably at the depth of the loss I experienced in miscarrying.

But, during my intense and cathartic cry, I somehow made my way to my journal and began to write about what I was experiencing. Through my writing, I was able to reconnect with Source and the feeling that somehow, this too, was happening in alignment with my Divine Plan. I shifted how I related to my loss and despair and gained a new perspective in which to move through this experience... right in the middle of the moment I was feeling it the deepest. The speed in which I consciously connected to Source was integral in the rapid and radical transformations I made in my life and my business as a result of this loss in my life.

I trust you're beginning to see how it is possible to create a vision larger than anything you've dreamed of before, while being able to manage any negative emotions that come along with that vision. You maintain a conscious awareness of the infinite abundance of the Universe/God.

In the world of high performance sports training they do something called speed drills, where the sole focus of the exercise is to consistently increase speed. Consider this your own personal speed drill. It may take a while to strengthen your speed "muscles" because they may have become atrophied over time. Right now you get to recondition those "muscles" to respond to heavier and heavier loads. The "load" in this case is the size of your vision, and the negative emotions that may surface when you're scared of it. The more expansive your vision is, the heavier the load is which means you have more resistance to work with. The beauty of this is that it's an opportunity to delve into your spirituality and connect with Source more deeply than ever before.

Magazines on Business and Administration

Business journalism is a dedicated segment of journalism that tracks, records and analyzes and then interprets the economic changes that take place within the business society. Dedicated magazines on Business and Administration include everything on personal finance and business within the local and international markets and at the malls, performance analysis of well-known and not-so-well-known companies and overall business reviews.

Magazines on Business and Administration and related content offer investors, both big and small, the opportunity to deliberate and carefully invest, instead of blindly plunging into the finicky and fluctuating business world. This form of journalism covers news and reviews and special feature articles about people, places and issues related to the every field of business. The publishers of these magazines publish content on the who's who of the business world and the various set ups within the industry causing a revolution in manufacture.

There are a number of online and offline resources for magazines on Business and Administration and related content that can be identified today. There are general newspapers and magazines, ezines and the radio and television news channels that carry news dedicated to a particular business segment. These magazines offer investors the opportunity to scrutinize the industry they are interested in and weigh the pros and cons of the investment, which could involve all that they have at hand.

By reading these magazines, you can review the content of each segment carefully and avoid an unnecessary bankruptcy by taking the right steps at the right time. These magazines provide detailed and in-depth information on different types of businesses and financial publications.

Business coverage within the magazines on Business and Administration and related content gained prominence in the 1990s. This was subsequent to, and arose out of the world wide investment in the stock market and genuine investments in various business undertakings. A popular business magazine is the much and rightly hyped Wall Street Journal. The content of the magazine is appreciated all over the world and their journalists are widely respected for the accuracy of predictions made and the sneak peak reviews they make possible to the Bulls, Bears and Sharks of the business world.

Today, it is possible to access the content of these magazines both online as well as offline. There are a number of dedicated resources all over the world that make this access possible. You can thus analyze and segregate information within the business world to add to the percentage of guaranteed profitability. The online Magazines on Business and Administration and related content make it very convenient to access and assess the information from the comfort of your living room or bedroom, and in the privacy that is to take important investment decisions.

Legal Documents - 8 Situations When Your Business Needs Them

If you are the owner of a Small to Medium Enterprise, it's likely that the last thing you want to do is worry about the fine details of legal documents, contracts, business agreements, and similar pieces of paperwork. You may want to get on with the running of your business, but if you don't have the correct legal documents in certain situations you pay a high price, whether it is in legal fees, settlement costs or simply lost business. Here are eight common business situations in which you should have accurate legal documents, either through consultation with a lawyer or by using business document templates.

You are moving into new offices...

To fully comply with health and safety regulations, you'll need a number of legal documents if you move into new premises, including a fire safety assessment and a health and safety risk assessment.

You are dealing with an outside company...

In addition to a clear and accurate business contract, giving clear descriptions of the product or service that you expect to receive, you may also want to consider getting a confidentiality agreement if you are working with other companies and independent contractors, especially if they are likely to have access to sensitive company information as part of their work.

You are hiring...

You need to make sure that your employee contracts are properly drawn up legal documents that clearly define the responsibilities, expectations and conditions of employment.

...or firing...

If one of your employees isn't pulling their weight, you might want to show them the door straight away. But it isn't that simple - ignore the legal requirements for dismissing an employee and you could leave yourself open to costly litigation. You need to follow a clear process of official verbal and written warnings - these warnings and the dismissal need to be carefully worded business documents.

You need a written company policy...

Discrimination against age, religion, gender and sexual orientation can all cause businesses a serious legal headache; a clear and comprehensive equal opportunities policy is a vital document to refer to in any dispute or disciplinary issue you have with your staff. Equally important can be company policy documents concerning maternity leave, harassment and bullying, and drugs and alcohol.

You receive a flexible working request...

Any adult carer or parent with a child who is 16 or under has the legal right to apply for flexible working if they've worked for your company for more than six months. If you do reject an application, you must give a legitimate business reason for the refusal, and give them the right to appeal. Make sure any communication you have with the employee is compliant with the laws on flexible working.

You need a disclaimer...

Whatever your product or service, it is likely that you will need some kind of disclaimer to protect yourself if this product or service is misused or causes injury. Even a single legal loophole in a document like this can be highly damaging to a business - make sure any disclaimer that you have is a carefully worded legal document that fully protects your business.

You need to make a complaint...

Complaints to other companies need to be carefully worded. If the dispute becomes serious, any correspondence you send or receive may become vital and if you make a mistake early on it could come back to haunt you.

How to Be a Good Recruitment Consultant

In order for someone to be good as a recruitment consultant they require a blend of several types of skills, without these the role can be very demoralising and unsuccessful.

It is not hard to land yourself a role in recruitment, after all recruitment is a sales role and therefore does not necessarily require a strong academic background. But for many being a good recruitment consultant is incredibly difficult - so I will try to explain why it is so difficult and how you can position yourself to be the best possible success you can be. Remember as with any other sales positions the 80/20 role generally applies. So 80% commission will be earned by 20% of the sales team, if you want to be part of that 20% then read on and hopefully you can fine tune your recruitment skills.

This is more prevalent in agency side recruitment as there is a whole other breed of recruiters whom work internally and on-site for clients/Recruitment Process Outsourcing companies. The same attributes will still be relevant for both types of consultant but it is a slightly different role meaning a slight difference in approach and behaviour. I will go through some areas of differentiation though and tips for both types of consultant.

Firstly, let's explain why the role can be difficult. Recruitment consulting can be very boring, mundane and repetitive on a day-to-day basis, I'm not really selling this to you am I!

The type of character required to be successful as a consultant must be prepared for this and deal with that aspect of the role. On the flip side it can come with much reward; you actually deal with people everyday giving you a great insight into human nature. You can earn high commission, probably earn salaries not nearly possible in other positions at a very young age; making a deal gives you a good buzz and sense of fulfilment when a candidate is truly grateful for (helpful to) your assistance in finding a new role. Therefore if you are considering going into a career in recruitment take note of the above. Really have a look at yourself and ask yourself if it is really what you want to do, then assess whether you have the right background to succeed. I'm not saying if you don't have every attribute naturally you can't succeed but then if you are willing to work hard and learn new skills you will be successful. The basic background behaviourally to be a good consultant is determination, the ability to listen, resilience, honesty, pro-activity, monetary drive (not with everyone but it will help) and competitiveness.

The two that are most important here are determination and the ability to listen, without these two you will find life very difficult.

So you think you have the behavioural attributes and you are keen to start a career in recruitment, now let's assess the skills you can develop on the job and tips to be successful. If you are working as an agency side recruiter you will be exposed to much more of a sales position and with a sales position comes hard targets/high expectations to deliver. You will be expected to develop business from scratch (most of the time) and start making money for your employer as soon as possible.

Right, before you start your role do as much research as to your market, companies in the market and the skills profile to the type of person you will be recruiting on a day-to-day basis. The more you do at this point the faster you will hit the ground running. On starting, make sure you develop a disciplined day plan designed every morning/evening, break up the day into segments and make sure you stick to this. It is very easy to get sidetracked, but keeping focus is very important to being a success, the more focus you have the more identity you have for what you want to achieve which will mean better results. Be open and honest with everyone you deal with and treat people with respect, if you really do stay in recruitment for years you will be surprised how many times you will come across the same people, so remember what goes around comes around.

When developing new business, try to do something different and stand out from the crowd. I would say this is one of the ways you can really put yourself in that 20% of high achievers, don't just pick up the phone and mindlessly cold call. Do your research; read industry press, websites regarding fast growth companies, attend networking events in your sector, market your services via email in a way recipients will open their mail - use headings such as "as discussed" etc. You see you have to be slightly clever about doing things, if you employ a variety of tactics and work hard I guarantee you will see a healthy reward. The reasons for failure are on your shoulders ultimately, if things aren't happening for you then CHANGE your tactics.

I have really focused on the agency side consultant, so let's look at how to be a good on-site recruiter. You will be less sales focused from a new business perspective but still will feel the pressure of targets. To be good in this market you must be much more consultative and client facing (you may sit with a client), with the ability to multi-task successfully as often you will have a wide range of open requirements. You will be dealing with recruiters yourself so the ability to communicate effectively to them and handle other stakeholders in the process is important. On-site recruiters need to balance the use of external agencies and resourcing by their own methods successfully, as they are judged not only on filling roles but cutting costs - not making as much money as possible like an agency consultant. You should be communicative, open for trying new resourcing methods and pro-active in your approach.

Hopefully this provides an overview of what makes a good recruitment consultant and the little tips that could help you be more successful. Remember like any job it is not easy being successful, but if you have the drive and ambition to succeed then you can make anything happen.

How Do You Handle "Problem Areas" in Your Business?

I take one of four approaches to something I cannot do, do not like, or don't understand (any of these three reasons make it a "problem area" in my mind).

1) Learn it. I don't deal well with failure so I just do whatever I have to do to improve. Whether it's research online, practice/rehearsing, or calling in someone else to teach me to do it, there's a way to make it happen if I really need to learn something.

2) Get backup. If there's something that you absolutely can't avoid, find a way to have a "backup" available when you need it. I fill this role for my design partners for a cart I work with. If they get stuck on a design or coding issue, they know they can email me and I'll reply ASAP with a solution or help in the right direction. The end client does not ever need to know they were stuck. And when I get stuck with certain programming, I have a php expert who I can call in. Knowing that you've got a relationship with someone, a colleague or even a paid by the incident support team, can be a huge relief when you need that help.

3) Outsource it. If it can be outsourced, then I'll outsource it either to my VA or a hired temp for the specific project. Some familiarity though is needed on my part to outsource something, or else a very well established relationship of trust with the outsourcer, so I know whether they're completing the task properly.

4) Don't do it. It took me a while but I've accepted that option 1 (learn it) cannot be the answer for every problem area. There are a few specific services that I do not offer. If the problem area is created by a product or service that isn't essential, consider what would happen if you just didn't offer it. It might not be the end of the world.

Sometimes these are combined for a problem area. For example, my monthly accounting statements. I outsourced them until I found a system and learned to do it myself. Now I can do it in less than an hour instead of wasting half a day every month so I moved from option 3 to option 1.

There are my four strategies for handling problem areas in my business. Consider these next time you run into something that feels like a problem area in your business.