Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Public Speaking - Which Is Most Important, Delivery or Content?

When making a presentation, is it the content of your talk, or your delivery of it that will contribute the most to the success of your talk? In short, the answer is both.

By Bob Malloney

Many presenters have been misled by presentation skills trainers into thinking that delivery is all-important. This is based on a misunderstanding of research carried out by Albert Merhabian into face-to-face communication. Merhabian concluded that the impact of your message is delivered by:

Words 7% - Tone of voice 38% - Body language 55%

Taking this research at face value, many presentation skills trainers therefore argue that what you say is relatively unimportant compared to how you sound and how you look. Undoubtedly it is true that if you look very nervous and mumble in a monotone voice, the audience will probably not listen to what you are saying. However, if you want to give a presentation that achieves something and is valued by the audience, this is a dangerous conclusion. The research really applies to the emotional nature of communication. For example, if I told you I was happy, but I looked and sounded sad, you would not believe my words (7%), but would instead believe my tone of voice and body language (93%).

To be successful, your presentation has to provide value to your audience. If you audience does nothing differently as a result of listening to your talk, my argument is, what was the point of you giving the talk? If the world is the same at the end of your talk as it was before your talk, what was the point in giving it?

To provide value then, your talk has got to achieve something and to do that it must have the right content. It is no use just having a ‘subject’ to talk about, you need to have a mission! For example, don’t give talks just to provide information. So many presenters just tell their audience about what they do. No audience will be interested in this and consequently will do nothing as a result of listening to it. All the audience are interested in is ‘What’s in it for me’. So don’t just tell them what you do, tell them what you can do for them.

Once you have sorted out your content, you can then concentrate on the delivery. To keep people’s interest you need to vary your tone of voice, just as you do in normal conversation. If you feel strongly about something we need to ‘hear’ that it’s important to you, as well as take onboard the words. The answer to presenting with emotional variety is to keep your language very simple. If you use complex or formal language, you will become so concerned with getting your words out fluently that you will sound serious and lacking in emotional variety.

You also need to look and sound confident. Have a strong ‘mission’ for your talk and keeping the language simple will make it far more likely that you will be more confident in your delivery. To make it even easier to deliver your messages, try to wrap as many of your messages as possible into stories or examples. Don’t give abstract examples; make them real, add some human interest and if you can, some humour as well.

So, by keeping to a few simple messages that provide value to your audience, you give yourself a chance to deliver them with confidence and emotional variety and achieve something by getting the audience to do something as a result of listening to you.

Bob Malloney, a personal and business skills trainer for over 20 years, can help you to make a real difference to your working life, all from the comfort and convenience of your PC. Streaming video courses that replicate instructor-led training in Personal Organisation, Presentation Skills, Relationship Selling and Negotiating Skills. Register now for a free, no obligation 7-day trial at > http://www.videocoaching.tv

Monday, April 26, 2010

Think About Networking In A NEW WAY

If networking isn't about collecting business cards, then what is it?

By Marsha Egan

Instead of thinking about a network, let’s envision a net.

If you place yourself at the center of this net, you can see how your direct links, or connections, extends outward. And each of those links extend outward as well. Yet they are all interconnected. This is what we want our net to look like, and even more, to “work.”

I meet too many entrepreneurs and business people who believe or act as though their selling efforts are all direct one on one transactions with their prospects and customers. What they don’t realize is that when they build a network, much of the selling and prospecting can actually be done by other people. A network helps you multiply yourself.

In my networking workshops, I ask the question, “ How many friends and acquaintances, conservatively, do you think you have?” The answer usually ranges between 200 and 500. My next question is, “How many people do you think each of those people know?” Then we do the math. Conservatively, if each of these people knows only 200 people, that person is “ connected” to 40,000 people, only one person removed! Just imagine the numbers with the second and third levels of connection!

So the first hurdle to overcome in building a network is to recognize how powerful connections can be. This is the very important people side of the business that many have a hard time acknowledging or understanding.

In any business, there are relationships to be built. These enable positive progress. We call these relationships a network. People’s careers rarely progress solely through individual work; there are usually several people involved in an individual’s successful career or business.

Many people cringe at the suggestion of “networking.” They feel that they may be building insincere relationships or compromising their true selves by rubbing shoulders with higher-ups in the organization. So, out of principle, some very capable people don’t network.

So, let’s set the record straight. Networking is not about collecting business cards. It is not about pretending to like someone that you aren’t. It is not about catering insincerely to a boss or potential clients.

Networking is about building reciprocal, synergistic relationships with people throughout your organization, your business community, and your life. It is caring about others’ progress more than you care about your own. It is establishing trustful, supportive bonds with people who share your goals, or your business goals.

The powerful side of building this network comes with your delivering excellent quality and service. As you build your network, and you provide great service, your network will start to work for you. People will talk to people. Satisfied clients will refer you to others. You are net will actually work.

So, when we look at networking as a sincere effort to build mutually beneficial relationships, it can actually be fun! When you take the focus off of yourself, and place it on others, your whole picture of building relationships can change. You become other directed, rather than selfish. You become caring rather than self—absorbed. You become interesting rather than boring. Doesn’t this sound better?

This approach puts a different focus or in how you can build and enjoy your networks. Instead of collecting as many business cards as you can, and writing the obligatory mail merge letter the next day, you can give yourself permission to have one or two more lengthy, other-focused conversations with people at a networking event.

“Other focused” is a key word in this equation. Many people make the error of trying to get the person to know about their business, as their primary objective of the conversation. People see through this immediately. If you show a true interest in the other person, and avoid trying to talk about yourself in the first several minutes of the conversation, you will go a long way to building what can be a mutually beneficial relationship.

The reality is that the strong majority of people will turn around and ask you about your business, after you have shown a true interest in theirs. This is how reciprocal relationships are built.

One word of caution. Reciprocal relationships don’t necessarily mean immediate benefits. You’ve got to be patient. A network is built over years. One person at a time.

And the more sincere, and helpful you are, and the better quality you deliver, the more mutually beneficial (and and fun) your network will be. Yours will be a net that works!

Marsha Egan, CPCU, PCC is CEO of The Egan Group, Inc., a Reading, PA based professional coaching firm. She is a certified executive coach and professional speaker, specializing in leadership development and can be reached at marsha@marshaegan.com or visit http://www.marshaegan.com .

Friday, April 23, 2010

Tweeting Your Business To The Next Level

Twitter should be the newest addition to your marketing campaigns. Check out this article for some tips on how to get started.

By Anton Pearce

Twitter Marketing for a Small Business

The newest player on the social networking scene is Twitter. Marketing in this venue still relatively new, and for the owners of small businesses especially, this type of advertising is not only cost effective but just plain effective. It’s easy to use Twitter even if you don’t know much about computers or social marketing.

Twitter is like a mini blogging site. You can send tiny messages of 140 characters or less to whomever you wish. The newest flavor in social networking sites, Twitter can be used to build personal networks or business networks.

Different Ways to Use Twitter Marketing

While there are many different ways to incorporate Twitter into your marketing campaign, some of the more common uses are strictly to share information. Since you can share tiny blurbs of information with a huge number of people at the click of a button, Twitter is great for keeping your Twitter followers updated. It can be used to share public service announcements, news updates, business news and friend and family updates. It is built for disseminating information almost constantly.

Because Twitter is designed to constantly feed current updates to your followers, it is a natural for marketing a business. The proper way to share business information over Twitter is to tweet a link for a website containing the complete information. For business owners sharing their information over Twitter lets your prospects and customers discover you. Twitter does have very strict etiquette when it comes to advertising, and by offending the protocol, you can quickly alienate followers and potentially damage your brand.

Twitter is a great tool for promoting your company’s events. Twitter is designed to share timely news, so promoting today’s lunch special would be appropriate, but tweeting about month old news is not appropriate. Keep your tweets conversational and very personal in tone. Any advertising should be in a ‘by the way’ fashion, not ‘in your face’ advertising.

Twitter Marketing can have Lots of Personality

The more personality that your brand has, the easier it will be to tweet about. A unique voice will make your tweets entertaining. You can always wrap your tweets around a kernel of important information, and then deliver them in an entertaining and conversational manner. Your followers will look forward to hearing from you, and you will be able to get your message out constantly which is a great way to market your small business.

Another place where Twitter is incredibly valuable is with your customer contact. Twitter is designed to be conversational, and it is a great way to keep a dialogue going with your customers and prospects. You can head off service problems before they escalate, and you can solicit feedback from your customers. This is particularly helpful to make sure that you are building a good reputation for your company. Twitter allows you to correct problems and retain customers.

For more advanced guidance, sign up for Anton Pearce's 'Clients on Tap' ezine. It's absolutely free and will show how to implement systems that generate all the clients you need for your professional practice. You can do it yourself or get it done for you, either way this ezine is essential reading if you want to get your online marketing systems set up right without wasting a lot of time and money.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Explanation Of LLC: What Is An LLC? Why Create One? And How To Do Setup

Seattle CPA Stephen L. Nelson answers the question, "what is an llc"?

By Stephen Nelson

The limited liability company option still triggers questions and confusion among business owners, entrepreneurs and investors, and that’s too bad. One can rather economically provide an explanation of the LLC by answering three questions: what is an LLC, why should one consider the LLC option, and how does someone create an LLC or limited liability company:
What is an LLC?

An LLC is a legal fiction created when someone (perhaps you) files some paperwork with the appropriate state agency asking for permission to create a new limited liability company. If the state grants you permission-which it will if you do the paperwork correctly—you or you and your partners now own an entity that can do a lot of things that, normally, only humans can do.

This sounds confusing, but consider the fact that your dog can’t sign contracts. Nor can your dog own property. Nor can your dog earn income or borrow money.

In a similar fashion, a comfortable leather chair that sits in your living room also can’t do these sorts of things—sign contracts, own property, earn income, borrow money and so forth. As a general rule, only people can do these sorts of things.

The LLC however is an exception to this general rule. An LLC, once it exists, can sign contracts. The LLC can own property. The LLC can also earn income and borrow money—and pretty much do all of the business-y things that a regular human being can do.

Why Setup an LLC?

People setup LLCs, or limited liability companies, for two reasons: liability protection and tax planning.

The liability protection angle is perhaps the easiest to understand: If you operate some business or hold some investment, you can be liable legally for bad things that happen in the business or in the investment by virtue of your ownership. If the business borrows money and then can’t repay the money, for example, you by simple virtue of your ownership may be forced to pay off the borrowed money.

If you own a business or investment through an LLC, however, you aren’t liable for the debts or obligations of the LLC merely because you’re an owner or co-owner. In other words—and this is the part of all this that’s fiction—state laws will say, “Oh, no, it’s not Joe that owes the money. It’s Joe’s LLC… “

Note: A corporation legally protects business owners and investors the same way that a limited liability company. The people who own the shares in the corporation are not simply by virtue of owning those shares legally obligated for the debts of the corporation. As with an LLC, the law considers the corporation to be legally separate person.

Limited liability companies also produce some unique tax planning benefits—specifically the ability to have an investment or business taxed in whatever saves the most tax. For instance, an LLC can be disregarded as a separate taxpayer if that is clear (which means its income and deductions get reported on its owner’s tax return). And an LLC can be treated as a regular corporation or as an S corporation for tax purposes.

How Does Someone Create an LLC?

Procedurally, you create an LLC by filing articles of organization, also sometimes know as articles of formation, with the secretary of state in the state where you’ll operate your LLC. For instance, to create an LLC in California, you file articles of organization with the California secretary of state.

The articles typically name the LLC, identify what the LLC will do, and name the registered agent (a real human being) whom the state can contact if it has questions.

Tip: Many though not all states’ secretary of state websites supply downloadable forms you can utilize to present the articles of llc formation information.

In addition to the articles, people usually create an operating agreement. Akin to a partnership’s partners agreement or a corporation’s bylaws, the LLC operating agreement provides the rulebook for the limited liability company’s activities and specifies how the owners of the LLC operate the LLC.

Finally, in cases where the LLC will employ people or will have multiple owners, the LLC needs a taxpayer identification number from the Internal Revenue Service.

Experienced entrepreneurs and investors as well as small business people operating on a tight budget can often setup an LLC on their own. However, commonly business people and entrepreneurs also work with a paralegal service (if all they do is document preparation) or with a local attorney or accountant (if they need legal or tax advice).

Seattle-area tax accountant Steve Nelson occasionally teaches the LLC versus S corporation graduate tax class at Golden Gate University. He's also the author of the LLCs Explained FAQ article, Explanation of an LLC and the FAQ article, LLC vs LLP.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Simple Ads That Made Mini 'Fortunes' Why Not For You Too

Writing ads is a skill that most haven't a clue about. Marketing agency people are the worst at it. Most advertising freelance consultants stumble their way through it all. But, done right, it can open the profit floodgates for you.

By Nick James

Writing ads is a skill that most haven’t a clue about. Marketing agency people are the worst at it. Most advertising freelance consultants stumble their way through it all. But, done right, it can open the profit floodgates for you.

Below are ‘little ads’ that caused big impact. Study them. Pull them apart. Look at the underlying architecture behind them. For when you do, you’ll develop the essential mindset necessary for creating your own mini- blockbusters.

1. MILLIONAIRE CONSULTANT SEEKS INVENTORS, MANUFACTURERS, IMPORTERS, AUTHORS, ETC WITH UNIQUE PRODUCTS SUITABLE FOR PROMOTION TO HOMEOWNERS, DO-IT-YOURSELFERS, GARDENERS, AND HOBBYISTS. SEND YOUR INFORMATION IN CONFIDENCE TO…

This ad was run once, on a Sunday, in the business section in a two inch box.
Results. 280 people replied. And, it was followed by a complete deluge of business and profits.

2. EVEN THE GREATEST FINANCIAL PLANNER IN THE WORLD WILL GO BROKE WITHOUT A CONSTANT STREAM OF CLIENTS. FOR FREE REPORT, PLEASE CALL…

This 138 quid ad has led to sales over the years, that has gone into the millions, literally.

3. HOW TO MAKE £4000 SITTING AT THE KITCHEN TABLE IN YOUR UNDERWEAR. CALL 24 HOURS FREE RECORDED MESSAGE LINE…

This ad was syndicated and licensed around the world and made JEFF PAUL a millionaire many many times over.

Lastly, an ad that’s a little divergent from the norm of things around here, but I thought you’d be intrigued to read advertising copy at its best.

4. SINGLE BLACK FEMALE SEEKS MALE COMPANIONSHIP, ETHNICITY UNIMPORTANT. I’M A VERY GOOD LOOKING GIRL WHO LOVES TO PLAY. I LOVE LONG WALKS IN THE WOODS, RIDING IN YOUR 4X4, HUNTING, CAMPING, FISHING TRIPS, COSY WINTER NIGHTS LYING BY THE FIRE. CANDLELIT DINNERS WILL HAVE ME EATING OUT OF YOUR HAND. RUB ME THE RIGHT WAY AND WATCH ME RESPOND! I’LL BE AT THE FRONT DOOR WHEN YOU COME HOME FROM WORK, WEARING ONLY WHAT NATURE GAVE ME. KISS ME AND I’M YOURS. CALL XXXXXXXXXXXXX AND ASK FOR DAISY.

15,000 (fifteen thousand!) replied to that advert (for a dog).
Enough said.


There are a few resources that help you create the best ads you can possibly write. My most recommended book is by one of the kings of copywriting, John Caples. His genius book TESTED ADVERTISING METHODS, is still applicable today.

Although Caples was born in 1900 and lived on till 1990, he is still considered one of the all time great copywriters. Caples mentions that he has seen one advertisement sell 19 ½ times as much goods as another. This statement dramatises the difference between good ads, and those that are simply bad.

The true power of words and the impact they can have is what makes savvy marketers, rich and the desperate, non-clued marketers, struggle. Master this most precious of skills.

Nick James is a true example of a self made success. He offers the inside track in every aspect of internet business creation and development. Right now he's giving away a Free Income Secrets DVD for only £1 S&H while stocks last! Free Nick James DVD

Friday, April 16, 2010

The Most Important Seven Seconds Of Your Sale

Did you know that studies have shown that people who are meeting us for the first time form an opinion about us in the first seven to seventeen seconds after they set eyes on us? I found that awe inspiring. It just goes to show you how vital the first few moments are when you are meeting potential new clients. If you are in marketing you need to use those seconds to your advantage.

By Steve King

Did you know that studies have shown that people who are meeting us for the first time form an opinion about us in the first seven to seventeen seconds after they set eyes on us? I found that awe inspiring. It just goes to show you how vital the first few moments are when you are meeting potential new clients. If you are in marketing you need to use those seconds to your advantage.

So how can you tip the odds of those first seventeen seconds giving out a good impression, in your favour? I reckon I have learnt a bit about that over the years.

First of all most people respond very well to knowing that they are the centre of your undivided attention. Even if they claim not to be the type of person who likes to be the centre of attention they will subconsciously form a more favorable impression of you if you make it clear that you are far more interested in their needs than your own.

Make it all about the client form the start. We all know people who never stop talking about themselves. Think about it, do you ever like them?

The second thing I have realized is that it is not enough to just sit there and appear to be listening you have to actively show that you are engaged in what they are saying. I have a friend (clearly not a close one) who is forever scanning the room with his eyes while you are talking to him, it is very disconcerting and I now find myself trying to avoid social situations with him. I just don’t feel like he is interested in what I am saying. This is the last thing you want your client to think about you. Look at them and give appropriate verbal responses. Let’s face it if you can’t do that much you are probably not going to make the sale.

A lot of people say you should use the name of the new person frequently. While it is undoubtedly a good idea to let the person know that you are interested enough in them to remember their name I have a warning to sound about this one. Whenever I meet someone who throws my name into every second sentence I immediately think they are trying to charm me, I then question why that would be. Use the persons name by all means but not so much that they question your motives or doubt your sincerity. That is clearly not the result you are looking for. In the sales game it is probably a disaster.

It is important to make all these important opening moments in any relationship work for you and convincing someone that you are genuine and sincere person is vital but you probably are anyway, you are just giving them a chance to realise that as quickly as possible.

Lastly, I would say that if this first meeting does not get across the impression you were hoping for don’t despair. Though it is true that we never get another chance at a first impression human relationships are complex and built up over time. A follow up second and third can change the conclusions they came to in those first seventeen seconds. I firmly believe this. Surely we all have friends that for what ever reason we did not like when we first met them?

If you're interested in learning more about the art of selling, be sure to check out http://www.beginnersguidetosales.com/ where Steve will take you on a step-by-step journey through an easy to follow sales process. You can also visit Steve at Marketing Matters by clicking http://www.steveking.biz

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Small Business Tax Returns - 3 Critical Tax Mistakes You Don't Want To Make

Every year the IRS delays the processing of millions of income tax returns for the same reasons. Here's the scoop on three of the most common tax preparation blunders and how to avoid them.

By Wayne M Davies

Every year the IRS delays the processing of millions of income tax returns for the same reasons. Here’s the scoop on three of the most common tax preparation blunders and how to avoid them.

Mistake #1: Forgetting to sign the return. If you omit your signature, the IRS will not process the return. Instead, they’ll send it back. And if you are married filing jointly, both spouses must sign, and if one spouse signs but the other doesn’t, the IRS will treat such a return as invalid and return it. The solution: e-file your return and the signature issue disappears.

Mistake #2: Math errors. Simple calculation errors are also quite common. With the proliferation of tax prep computer software programs, you would think this problem would have gone away by now. But plenty of folks still do their return the old-fashion way (i.e. via pencil and paper), so if your one of those types, what can I say? I respect you, but must insist you consider spending a few dollars this year on to automate the process. Not only will you eliminate the likelihood of a math error, but you’ll save time and lots of it. Instead of spending 5, 10, 15 hours or more on your return, using a software program will cut that down to 2 or 3 hours.

Mistake #3: Missing forms. Perhaps this blunder is the most understandable of the three. After all, who isn’t overwhelmed by the mind-boggling number of forms you have to prepare for the typical small business income tax return?

The problem here has to do with the omission of the forms that support the main income tax form for your particular type of enterprise. What do I mean by “the main forms”? Sole proprietors file Schedule C; regular corporations use Form 1120 and S corporations use Form 1120S; partnerships prepare Form 1065. Those forms are not the issue. It’s all the other forms that feed numbers into those main forms that folks tend to forget. Let’s call these forms the “supporting forms.”

Here’s a quick review of the most common supporting forms:

Form 4562 is used to report depreciation expense, amortization expense and the Section 179 expense deduction. So if you purchase fixed assets such as computer equipment or office furniture, you must show the details of these purchases on Form 4562. This form is used by business entities of all types.

For sole proprietors, two other common supporting forms are Schedule SE and Form 8829. Schedule SE is use to calculate the hated self-employment tax and Form 8829 is for the home office deduction.

The point here is this: if you report an amount for depreciation expense or the Section 179 deduction for newly purchased equipment on Schedule C Line 13, then you better include Form 4562 with your return. If you take the home office deduction on line 30, be sure to include Form 8829. And if you have a profit on Schedule C Line 31 of at least $400, then you must also prepare Schedule SE. Using a software program will eliminate the possibility of forgetting these supporting forms and schedules.

Looking for more small business tax tips? For a free copy of the 25-page Special Report "How To Instantly Double Your Deductions", visit http://www.yousaveontaxes.com . Wayne M. Davies is author of 3 ebooks on tax reduction strategies for small business owners and the self-employed.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

The Easiest Approach For Getting Referrals For Your Small Business

Now here's a secret about customers or clients who refer that can be worth a great deal of money to you. Understand that the person who refers once can and will refer many more people, many more times if motivated to do so. Once a customer or client has referred someone to your business then that source of referral should be worked like the goldmine that it is.

By Dan Kennedy

Many business owners and executives, professionals and even sales people have all sorts of mental hang-ups about asking for referrals. However, most of those hang-ups are invalid and I find that those who ask get!
...simply ask for them.

Now here’s a secret about customers or clients who refer that can be worth a great deal of money to you. Understand that the person who refers once can and will refer many more people, many more times if motivated to do so. Once a customer or client has referred someone to your business then that source of referral should be worked like the goldmine that it is.

You should know that massive research by major to consumer direct sales companies and organizations indicates that the average person has an immediate circle of influence of fifty-two. Fifty-two other people.

The typical executive, for example, knows about fifty other people at a similar executive level in his own or closely related industries. This number tells you that each customer or client who comes through your business could bring you as many as fifty other customers or clients.

You should also know that research by the American Management Association indicates that the average satisfied customer only tells three other people about the satisfactory experience. Moving that person from telling three to telling fifty does require some definite action on your part. That action needs to focus on the giving of recognition and appreciation.

When a satisfied customer sends someone to you the sender should immediately receive some recognition and appreciation. Possibly a quick thank you note or telephone call at bare minimum. That should happen right away. Subsequently some type of thank you gift is usually appropriate and effective.

We send steaks, books, clocks, calculators, small electronic items, knife sets, all sorts of things. I recommend gifts that you do not ordinarily sell and a different gift each time the person refers. You will really be amazed at the positive results from this kind of action.

You’d also be surprised, incidentally, at the negative results of not doing this. The client who refers once and fails to get recognition and appreciation will probably never say anything to you, but to himself and often to a friend or associate he does say, “Can you believe it? I sent that guy a customer and never got as much as a thank you.” And then he never refers again.

Again it’s interesting to note that a basic success principle often discussed in personal development context is also a marketing strategy. It’s called the, “Attitude of Gratitude.”

Finally, if you want to even more directly stimulate referrals from your customers or clients you might want to consider the second party gift certificate idea. Here’s how this works:

You’re a satisfied regular customer of a clothing store. The owner of the store says to you, “John as you know, most of our customers come as referrals from other customers and we appreciate that and try to encourage it. This month we’re doing something interesting that you might want to help us with and be able to do a favor for your friends too.”

The store owner then gives you a ten dollar gift certificate negotiable only by a second party that you, the customer, addresses to and sign it over to. This idea works extremely well for just about any kind of retail business, service business, home products business, restaurants, stores, beauty parlors, carpet cleaning companies and so on.

If you’ll use this idea, you’ll again want to follow it up with recognition and appreciation to the customer who does pass along a coupon that is ultimately redeemed by a new customer.

Author Info: Dan Kennedy is internationally recognized as the 'Millionaire Maker,' helping people in just about every category of business turn their ideas into fortunes. Dan's "No B.S." approach is refreshing amidst a world of small business marketing hype and enriches those who act on his advice.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Home Based Business: Development in 3 Degrees

Too often businesses start very well but deteriorates gradually due to that lack of commitment. If you really want to achieve great riches, you will have to put some work into it. 3 steps that can help you develop your home based business successfully.

By Dev Maritz

Why is your home based development so important to get right from the start that can allow you to reap the rewards consistently?

First of all, I am here to tell you that becoming rich overnight does not exist. Quite a few dishonest Marketers use this style to get you buying from them. The sales page on the website will normally promise riches the next day and they do ruin lives by practising such methods.

Your home based business development comes from daily planning and followed up with determination.Too often businesses start very well but deteriorates gradually due to that lack of commitment.If you desperately want to become your own boss, hard work needs to go into it.

So lets start the 3 steps of developing your home based business:

1.Finding your niche market

Finding a profitable market where you can promote yourself is very important. The mind set of chosing the correct niche must be spot on due to many failures that occured doing the opposite. So which one should you choose?

Normally it is your hobbies that you are passionate about that can generate a great income for your home based business. If you are passionate about fishing for example, you will know more about that niche than the average joe will.

You will also have to concentrate on how strong the competition is in that certain area of your choice. The more saturated it is, the more difficult it will become to be recognized. “Google Trends” is a fantastic tool to find out what people are searching for at this present moment. Also the keywords taken from those tools can help you establish the number of searches in the google rankings. If you have less than a two hundred thousand, it is a good sign that your home based business can enjoy great exposure if implemented correctly.

2.Expand your knowledge further on your niche

Imagine having already the knowledge in a particular field and then defining that further to an expert level. This will allow you to stand out far above the other home based business owners and be seen as the person “to go to” for advice.

Researhing and learning additional elements of that niche contributes to your success.We never stop learning new ways from this world and it can only take us further in life.

3.Understanding what your customers need from that niche

One way you can profit from attaining this information without paying for it, is the right website(s). Yahoo answers have millions of question about every niche you can possible think of. If you search for your market on the website, you will quickly establish what people want and need on a daily basis.

Isn’t that a great free tool that can be used under the radar for a better approach? You can even join Google groups and forums to comprehend the habits of your future customers.

Taking time daily to digest what people need through these sites will be a great help for you in the years to come. These 3 steps for your home based business development is the first gateway that needs to be considered. After doing all that research, everything else will become a second nature.

Dev Maritz has been a succesful home based business owner and teaches many people to take the same approach. If you found this article useful, come and get you free e-book now for more information at :=> http://www.Your500ADay.com

Monday, April 12, 2010

Quick Tips To Get High Powered Publicity For Your Business

Find out the insider secrets to using publicity to empower your business and corporate communications strategy. You'll learn how to stay visible to your target audience, build awareness of your brand and encourage interested prospective clients to take action.

By Annie Jennings

What can business learn from successful businesses that use publicity strategies to stay in front of their clients and customers? Plenty! Getting publicity on your business allows you to create a substantial and compelling competitive advantage for your business. Want to be at the top of your industry? Publicity is the key.

One thing many businesses may wonder about is if accessing the media for publicity and brand name awareness costs a ton of money. The answer is no. You can get publicity for your business easily and within your budget.

In addition to staying visible to your target audience using publicity on radio shows, in newspapers and magazines and on TV shows, successful business go the extra mile for their customers and your clients and customers love these businesses for it.

Clients want to make investments in services that provide a return on their investment and they want guarantees so they don’t wind up wasting financial resources.

Be center stage in your industry. Stay competitive in publicity and promotion and make sure it is you or your business commenting on the issues in the news and not your competitors.

Stay consistent in your publicity outreach as this is important to creating your company’s competitive edge as clients want to do business with the vital companies making a difference.

Get quoted expert media placements, publicity on your company, be seen and heard in media including Radio, TV, Magazines, Online and Newspapers.

Be engaged in the success of your target market. When your business becomes part of the success model of other businesses you have achieved a great goal. Ask yourself, what if I were the client, what woudl I want to see available in products and services to bring my company to its next level of success? Once you discover the answer to this question create products and services that your marketplace and your clients can use to add profits to their bottom line.

One of the best business strategies is to understand what your client needs to go to their next level of success and create these resources for them. Stay cutting edge yourself too so you are always one step ahead of the services your client will need.

As your clients integrate your products and services in their business model, be working on the next higher level product as soon these new products will naturally be in demand. Always strive to create the better mousetrap for your clients to ensure your success!

Business publicity secrets can be yours! Annie Jennings PR is an expert public relations firm that works with individuals, businesses and corporations who wish to stay visibile and create their competitive advantage with publicity. Contact Annie Jennings PR and a national publicist can let you know how publicity can help you achieve your highest level of publicity success.

Monday, April 5, 2010

Declaring What You Don't Want Causes Self Sabotage

Are you putting more energy into declaring what you DON'T WANT than you are into declaring what you DO WANT? When you make a declaration of any kind, you are giving it your full attention and putting yourself into alignment with creating even more of it. For example, if say that you really DON'T WANT to have money problems, then "money problems" is what your mind is focused on and, as the popular saying goes, "What you focus on will E X P A N D."

By Troyann Williams

What happens when you put more focus on what you DON’T WANT than what you actually DO WANT?

When you make a declaration, you put yourself into alignment with that declaration and you create even more of it. For example, if say that you really DON’T WANT to have money problems, then “money problems” is what your mind is focused on and, as the popular saying goes, “What you focus on will E X P A N D.”

So it stands to reason that any declaration you make regarding what you DON’T WANT, i.e., unhealthy relationships, to be overweight, stress and anxiety, etc., is telling your mind to pay strict attention to and E X P A N D upon what you actually DON’T WANT. Making a declaration about what you DON’T WANT only serves to create a ripe opportunity for you to sabotage your efforts to have what you actually DO WANT.

Perhaps you are thinking to yourself, “Well, I say I don’t want money problems, but my mind knows the difference. It knows what I mean.” Perhaps somewhere inside yourself you know that when you say you “don’t want money problems” it actually means that you DO want financial prosperity, however, by making your declaration focused on the negative, you have given your emotional power over to the very thing you say you DON’T WANT; i.e., “money problems.”

Whenever I begin working with a new client, I always start by asking them to give me a full description of what they WANT. More often than not, they will give me a very lengthy list of all the things they DON’T WANT. When I point out to them that they only told me about what they DON’T WANT, they have a great deal of trouble telling me about what they actually DO WANT.

So consider this scenario; pretend for a moment that you are out in the country and you happen to be in a barn. The barn catches on fire and out of a sense of fear and self preservation you begin running AWAY from the burning barn. As you run away from the danger and threat of the burning barn you continue to turn back and look at what you are running away from. As you are running forward and continuing to look backward you trip on a rock and fall down, or perhaps you run right off a cliff, or you run into the street and get hit by a car. My point here is that looking back at what you are trying to get AWAY from will only cause you to feel the fear of what you are trying to get AWAY from; i.e., the danger of the burning barn. As you give all of your attention and focus to the burning barn you might assume that you are moving toward safety, when in reality you are doing nothing more than running away from the burning barn. If you are lucky you may make your way to the safety you desire, however, was it the specific place of safety you really wanted for yourself.

In order to E X P A N D the good stuff into your life you must get VERY CLEAR about what you DO WANT and work to stay focused on moving TOWARD that which you DO WANT.

Recently, one of my clients emailed me to tell me that, as a result of getting very clear on how much money he wanted to make on an annual basis, he almost immediately began to see signs of moving forward, TOWARD the money he wants to attract. Most significantly, the week after clarifying and declaring his money goals a friend called him - completely out of the blue - and asked if he would come to work for him - and get this - at the exact salary that my client wrote down the week before. Now, it doesn’t usually work quite that specifically, however, I will tell you that you will ALWAYS get MORE of what you DO WANT if you are very CLEAR about what you DO WANT and you FOCUS on getting more of what you DO WANT.

What are you currently declaring for yourself? Are you making declarations about what you “DON’T WANT”? Money problems, health problems, relationship problems, job problems?

It is vital that you clarify what you DO WANT. Do you want to create financial prosperity, an abundance of phyical energy and well-being, happy and loving relationships, or perhaps a way of feeling like your life has meaning and purpose? What you actually WANT will not come into your life until you begin to purposely move toward it.

Problems are what you get when you take your eyes off the goal. So get clear on your goal and stay focused on it until it E X P A N D S and fills up your life!

I hope you find joy and happiness on your journey! Troyann

Troyann Williams is a highly renowned SuccessEsteem Coach. Troyann has devoted her life to developing products and services that help people shift their self-sabotage behaviors into SuccessEsteem for reaching greater levels of happiness and prosperity. For a FREE GUIDE: Recognizing the 5 Most Significant Ways You May Be Sabotaging Your Own Efforts to Be Successful, go to ==> http://selfsabotagebehavior.com/freegiftoffer01.htm