7 Ways to Make Your Business Love You Back

1. Show your talent

Portfolio - post your portfolio online, you will be able to show future clients that you have the right mix of skills and qualifications to do the job. When you post your portfolio online you will be visible to everyday opportunities, recent studies show that more than 1/3 of Americans go online daily and 2/3 go online at least once a month. No matter what line of work you are in, you have a potential audience of people online. Do not simply keep your portfolio on your own site. Showcasing your portfolio in different websites you will be able to reach over 215 million online visitors in the US.

In this way you will be able to show up your competition, small businesses have grown 46% faster utilizing websites than those who don't - American City Business Journals. Also, you will be able to reach more people.

2. Making your business famous

Profile/Video - your profile is the first chance to make a connection with your future clients, to really make a positive impression.

It's almost like the first meeting face to face, like the first hand shake. Studies show that the first 30 seconds in any meeting determines the future relationship. It's really important to make a great impression. Create an online profile and video to be able to show your talent to the world. Humans remember 20% of what we hear and 30% of what we see, but 50% of what we both see and hear. 85% of the information taken into the brain enters through the eyes and the largest part of the brain is set aside to process information taken in visually.

3. Customer loyalty = loyal business

Feedback, survey, web presence, customer service - satisfied customers tells 3 friends, angry customers tell 3,000.

Study of 1,000 retailers show that 43% of customers abandoned a provider because of a negative experience and 30% felt that they were not treated as valued customers - Acumen Research Group

Studies show, when you receive positive feedback on our website, you can increase sales by 15-20%. Feedback can give you credibility - you'll get positive feedback if your customers are satisfied with their product or services you provide. "in the end... there is only one point of view that matters, there is only on perspective that matters... the customers." - Jeffrey Gitomer.

4. Make a new friend

People like to do business with friends, make a friend, make more business. Build your customer base with name recognition. Becoming a recognizable name is not that easy or everyone would do it but something you can do to help your chances is to post your portfolio everywhere, go to trade shows, get involved in your industries community network.

Everyone wants referral business, yet few people understand how to get it. It always seems that our competitors are benefitting from word of mouth advertising through referrals. This all depends on making the right connections. * People will do business with people they have been told they can trust.

For example, if you are a personal shopper and you network and build a relationship with a personal trainer. When this personal trainer has a client who has lost a lot of their weight, they will need and want to buy new clothes that fit them.

Here is where the referral process kicks in. If you have a relationship with that personal trainer, you can refer customers back and forth. With our networking system you can maximize your referrals through other professionals, while building relationships and positive word of mouth advertising.

Keep connected - most clients will need to be revisited again in the future. They will probably need your services again. Take time to catch up with past clients may lead to new work. It's a good idea to organize your contact info of your past clients so that you can easily follow-up in the future.

5. Blogging and Networking

Creating a blog is a great way to reach clients who have a specific interest in your company, or share your interests, product or services. You can post opinions, create product reviews, talk about new services you offer and this will attract visitors and new clients while influencing others. Blog post will help you draw traffic to the blog itself and they will convert to clients. If you run a blog with an active readership you will benefit from hugely improved name recognition. *You have the knowledge and ability.

A blog is one of the best and cheapest methods to share your voice with others. Additionally, your credibility can be helped as well with just a profile and portfolio it's very difficult for visitors to know and understand you. With a blog you will become more transparent to your readers and that can give you added credibility that can help you attract more inquires. Networking is a great way to improve your business. Building a strong network of friends and colleagues can lead to more referral work, opportunities and sharing of clients.

Also, tapping into your network of friends and associates is an excellent way to leverage knowledge of your competition. You need to think out of the box, here is what I mean, you need to not just depend on your friend and associates, you need to talk with everyone about your network. Make your network different, talk about something that stands out and is important to people and offer new information in it. Ideas where you can increase visibility for your network - coffee shop, fitness or sports gym, car wash, malls, etc.

6. Party with your business - events, seminars, trade shows

An event will give you the advantage of meeting with your clients face to face. You'll have the chance to personally connect with your clients.

You should make all your events educations, interesting, fun and something memorable. You should offer something new and helpful for your clients and it should be about what you do to help them and what you can offer for them to improve their business.

Studies show that through event education, it will be easy for you to get connected to your future clients, also you will appear less "sales" and more helpful and caring about your clients.

7. Sell your stuff

You create it, you can sell it. You design your own stuff, you have your own brand to sell and you area proud of it but you don't know how to get it out - utilize online shopping.

In 2006 online sales were $146.4 billion and in 2007 it jumped 19% to $174.5 billion- National Retail Federation (NRF). By this option you will reach your target faster and more easily. The #1 activity on the internet by consumers today is purchasing - US Dept of Commerce.

Author Name: Oz Ahmad of Yougoz Group, an online community where people match with qualified professionals in Fitness, Health and Fashion. Visit us at: http://www.yougoz.com/.

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The 4 Basic Pillars of a Successful Online Local Marketing Plan

I recently wrote about the many challenges small and medium sized business owners face while constructing and implementing a successful internet marketing plan. The often insurmountable challenges we pointed out were 'time' and 'money'. Small business owners are consumed with what they do best; operating their business and making sure their customers are satisfied. In addition, many owner/operators also manage the marketing direction for their companies and do not have substantial budgets for advertising and outside marketing services.

There are still local businesses that have virtually no online presence, but most have tried at least a few forms of online marketing. For example many businesses have a website, built by a neighbor's son or the local web design company and may have even set up a Facebook page. Perhaps they even have one of the large PPC (Pay-Per-Click) firms running a Google campaign for their company. Most small business owners have put together their online marketing strategy over a period of months or even years and have purchased a few services along the way from outside marketing companies. As any good business person would do, they try to keep the parts that are working and get rid of the parts that are not yielding results.

The inherent problem with this type of "hit or miss" strategy is that the success or failure of an individual online marketing strategy is often interdependent on the strengths or weakness of other parts of your online presence. Let's discuss the four main components of a local online marketing plan.

The Four Pillars of Success: Marketing Plans for Local Business

Pillar One: Targeted Web Traffic

Having a business website posted on the web is not going to create traffic from prospective customers all by itself. Websites need to be marketed in order to generate a steady flow of traffic for your business. Many business owners have the common misconception that having the prettiest website is somehow going to translate into a successful website. If I had to choose between a gorgeous website not positioned to gather traffic versus a simple, perhaps even 'ugly' website, that is positioned properly to gather significant local web traffic, I would choose the latter.

What is Targeted Web Traffic?

Local business websites can receive targeted web traffic from a variety of sources and methods. Let's first discuss what the term targeted traffic means. In the most basic sense, targeted web traffic could be defined as a web user who visits your site that possesses at least one criteria or characteristic that you believe would fit within your definition of a potential customer. An example could be as simple as their location. If your business sells pizza or dental services, you might be interested in any consumers that live within 5-10 miles of your business, but you would not be interested in consumers that live 1,000 miles from your business location. Another example of a targeted web user is someone that is specifically searching for your product or service or has previously expressed an interest. The point we are making is that your goal as a local business marketer, is to position your website to receive traffic from local consumers that have (or are likely to have) interest in your products or services.

Paid versus Free Web Traffic

Local web traffic comes from a variety of sources and all of them should play a role in driving targeted traffic to your business. There are some sources that you need to pay for on a per click basis or per impression basis and others that can be free, provided that you do the necessary legwork to position your website to take advantage. Developing an efficient mix of web traffic for your business will take time but this is the first part of a local marketing plan. The purpose of this article is not to delve too deep into the benefits or pitfalls associated with any specific source of targeted web traffic but rather to demonstrate that traffic is only one part of an overall marketing plan. Web traffic is only valuable to your business if your website has the ability to effectively engage with visitors and provide a mutually beneficial experience. If your web visitors reach your site and leave within 5 seconds, there isn't much benefit to either party.

Pillar Two: Websites that Engage and Convert Your Customers

The manner in which your website presents your business to web visitors has a profound effect on how efficiently your site will help potential customers take the next step in engaging with your business. Website visitors will typically decide in a manner of seconds if they are on a page or site that can satisfy their needs. Most websites will fail this first test and lose potentially valuable traffic before 'the game' even begins. This is often referred to as 'relevancy'. Simple, if your site doesn't instantly appear to provide the information, services, products etc. that the web user is interested in, they will move on to a site that does. The second and equally important requirement for a successful local business website is 'engagement'. Visitors must be enticed to take the 'next steps' with your business. This can be accomplished with a variety of simple techniques and is also a topic that will not be covered in great depth in this article. The point we are stressing is that the quality of your website design, from a marketing perspective, plays a significant role in the success a local business will have in converting web traffic into new customers.

Pillar Three: Tracking, Analytics and Tweaking

Internet marketing is part science and part art, but the results are pure math. Your business pays real money to engage in internet and offline marketing efforts and you are expecting new customers that pay you real money as a result. The entire marketing process needs to be measured, tracked and periodically studied. This is the only way to make adjustments to your marketing plan in order to make as cost effective as possible. A few basic procedures can be implemented on your website and in your business workflow to give business owners the tools to monitor how well marketing efforts are performing and where change can and should be made. Tools can be used to help determine how well your traffic is performing, how well your website is performing and even how well your staff is performing. When you spot a weak part, you at least know where to make some tweaks. In addition, if you are using an outside marketing professional, they should be able to provide assistance with this, as opposed to just selling you one piece of the puzzle. The cost of a click or an impression may not mean that much to your business, but the value of web lead, a customer phone call or a store visit that results in new business is meaningful. The bottom line is you must have some concrete method to measure your marketing outcomes in order to determine if you are spending your money wisely.

Pillar Four: Customer Communication

The internet has made inexpensive and free tools available for even the smallest local business owner to engage in an ongoing conversation with potential and existing customers. Businesses that are not taking advantage of these tools are leaving too much money on the table and certainly not maximizing the benefit (e.g. new business) they can extract from web visitors. Direct response may be your businesses primary goal, but not every potential customer you engage with is ready to make a buying decision immediately; but they may be ready in the near future. You will want to make sure your business is on "the top of their mind' when they decide to move forward. Tools such as email, social media and even your website can be used to maintain an ongoing conversation with your prospects, so when the time comes for them to make a purchase, your business is positioned as a top choice and is easily accessible. To make this a reality, your web traffic, your website and your tracking need to be in sync with each other.

Successful local marketing plans are built over time and are not about the latest "fad" or "get rich quick" scheme. Creating a winning formula for your business and one that can have staying power can be achieved by first understanding the basic components of success. This article only covers this "tips" of the four essential "icebergs" you will need to explore, but successful business plans must be laid upon solid foundations.

Jamie Keane is a local marketing expert and one of the writers and producers of a series of instructional videos that teach local online marketing for small and medium sized businesses. Local Marketing Internet Secrets teaches local business owners how to do many internet marketing tasks in-house saving them money.

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How To Increase Your Business By 20% In 30 Days Or Less (This Method Is Offline And POWERFUL)

How can you get your small business neighbors to expand your business?

If you look at a radius around your brick and mortar business, there are probably hundreds of small businesses of different sizes, and very few are in direct competition with you. What if you could put 90% of them to work helping you grow your business. And what if you could do it for peanuts, chump change, a few bucks? Would you do it if you knew it would result in an increase of your business by 20% in the next 30 days? What is it?

What have you done for your neighbor lately?

Stroll through the strip center down the street and you'll see a lot of small business people with their arms on the counter of their business, as though gravity didn't exist and they are literally holding down that counter. Do you think they have a minute to talk to you? Sure they do. American small business people are warm and friendly and open to ideas. I know, I have recently visited over 100 small businesses.

When I walk in the door, I smile, and I say, "Hi, I would like to ask a favor." This makes them a little nervous. It wakes them up. If they seem a little too defensive I say, "I'm not selling anything," and they relax a bit. Next I say, "My son has an iPhone, iPod, and iPad repair shop near here, and I'm just helping to get it going. We have a simple referral system - we will pay you $10 for every person you send us, who ends up doing at least a $45 repair".

Now I have their attention.

I go on, "Here's how we keep track of it. We code our cards." (and I show them the cards, which have a white square where we hand write with a marker a code like 15B). "We link your name with the code in our computer. If a card comes in the shop with 15B on it, we know it's you, and we put $10 cash in an envelop with your name on it." We call you to let you know it's there, and you can pick it up when you like."

How many businesses in your area have YOUR cards on their counter?

I buy clear plastic card holders at Staples for $1.29 each. We make up "kits" with about 40 marked cards in zip lock bags. We also mark and include a magnetic card so they can stick some place. In the bag is a small letter with the rules of the referral system on it, so they know what we have agreed to, in writing.

As soon as they agree to join, I ask for their business card, write their name on it, and the code from that kit (in this example it would be 15B) and I have everything I need to enter in the Excel file we use to track the system.The last thing I do is take the cards out of the bag, put them in a holder, and I place them on their counter. This works like a charm, well over 90% of the time. Stop and think about this. We place our business cards on other businesses counters, in a holder, all day long.

Does it really work? YES!!!

I have been marketing to build small businesses of my own (and now my children) for over 30 years, and I can tell you nothing works very well without massive action. You can't expect to place your cards in 10 businesses and to get a 20% bounce in 30 days. However, if you put your card on 200 counters in the next 30 days, you probably will. You can easily get your cards on 25 counters a day, so we're only talking about 8 days of walking around strip centers in a radius out from your shop or store or office, using a variation of the above script.

What about your customers?

Customers love to refer you if they love you. You may worry about offending them with the offer of money. We sign nearly every customer up, and pay them when they refer. Some say, I'll refer you, don't pay me. We tell them we have to pay them or we can't handle the system, and we suggest they give the money away to someone who can use it.

Does it matter what business you're in?

Yes. The Apple device repair business is profitable, but it can't afford to pay more than $10. If you're writing insurance, you can probably afford a lot more. The same with cars, wedding dresses, and you name it. The higher the "thank you" money, the better it will work, and the more they'll stick with it, calling you for more cards. If you decide to do this, jump in with both feet and don't look back.

What should you do next?

We'll gladly answer any question you have about the above referral system or about any Apple device. It is our pleasure to answer it for you, for free and without any obligation of any kind. We have done thousands of repairs to iPhones, iPads, and iPods. We are a family run business with two locations in Southern California. You can contact Kort or Scott Linden at http://www.iTechRepairPlus.com.

Thanks for reading this - Scott R. Linden

P.S.

If you have an iPhone, iPod, or iPad which needs repair we offer 3 services:

A. We offer Valet service if you are within 15 miles of 91740 (Glendora, CA). We'll come get it and bring it back fixed, the next day.

B. We have a mail-in service that is really fast if you are in California.

C. Come and see us at the shop at 631 East Arrow Highway, Glendora, CA 91740. You don't need an appointment and we can complete most repairs in an hour or less. You can check us out on yelp by entering "iPhone repair plus."

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10 Step Guide to Successful Business Development

Starting your own business is no joke and will require some considerable preparation on your part as an upcoming entrepreneur. In order to increase your chances of success in business, you will need to master powerful business development steps.

Here is the 10 step guide to a successful business development:

1. Develop personal and business objectives 

Many businesses fail because the business owners do not have a sense of direction. Developing and stating your personal and business goals will serve as your roadmap and provide you with a sense of direction.

2. Identify a feasible market sector for your product(s) and or service(s) 

Some people fail in business not because they do not have the finances to start-up their business but because they have a product or service that no one wants to buy. In order to reach professional development in business, you will need to listen (attentively) to the marketplace. Clearly identify an unmet need of customers prior to developing a product to satisfy their needs. Yes, you may be a smart business person, but if the market does not support you, you can say a big farewell to attaining professional development.

3. Work on your marketing plan 

The main purpose of developing a marketing plan is to simply explain how you wish to create and maintain clients/customers in order to make a profit. The plan will also need to state the following: 

- Your target market 

- How you intend to penetrate the market 

- Why your sales campaigns will be successful 

- How much you will sell within the period of one year and over the next 5 years.

Your marketing plan will eventually be a pretty strong part of your professional development plan.

4. Write down a rough version of your company's business plan 

This is an outline of the path that you wish to take your business, a breakdown of your company's strengths and weaknesses and a framework from which your official business development plan will be created.

5. Find out your monetary needs 

Some companies fall flat like a pack of cards because they do not know diddly squat about the cost of keeping their company in business. As soon as you have developed your business plan, it is easier to determine your monetary requirements.

6. Put together your main teams 

Before you develop your official business development plan you need to ensure that you form a good management team.

7. Conclude your financing requirements and put together an official professional development plan 

Your business plan should without a doubt, show that your business can sell a sufficient amount of goods and or services to make a reasonable profit and is also good enough to attract prospective backers. Remember, this document will be used in order to secure financing to launch your business - so it has gotta be good!

8. Come up with a good marketing strategy to obtain financing 

You will need to come up with a solid marketing plan to sell yourself and your business to financiers to raise money to get your business off the ground.

9. Market your business plan effectively and attract funds on your terms 

Use negotiating tools which will give an edge over your competition and make it possible to attract funds on your own terms instead of just on your investor's terms.

10. Market your goods and or service(s) and manage your business effectively in order to achieve your objectives. 

As soon as your business has taken off, you will require a pretty strong management tool and marketing techniques in order to attain a successful professional development.

Christopher Fitzpatrick is an expert author for Horizon Speakers and Seminars - a achieve objectileading Irish company that provides World-Class Speakers, Events & Training!

For more insights on Business Development go to http://www.horizonspeakers.com

P.S. Make sure to download your Personal Power Pack from our website - a free exciting compilation of audios, videos and books from the world's best motivational and inspirational speakers!

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Need Help Driving Your Business Forward?

A business analysis can help any business run more effectively. With multiple tools in their strategy, many companies this year will hire a business analyst to assist in raising profits, turnaround and overall productivity. The following is a list of benefits as to why having a business study is a great idea for any company

1) Business analysts have a unique skill set. They are normally third party and completely objective without bias in favor of the company. Therefore, they are able to be honest and realistic without underestimating potential competitors. One popular tool many business analysts use is called a SWOT analysis. This acronym stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats and essentially tells a company what they are doing well, where they can improve, where they could potentially benefit and what could potentially harm them.

2) Improving strategic planning. Many companies are great at targeting a large market and conceiving of possible solutions to problems they may encounter. However, when a company hires a business analyst, they are seeking input from a very detailed and focused individual. By improving strategic planning, a company will be more focused on specific details on how to improve efficiency and where to concentrate their efforts. As this relates to the SWOT analysis, strategic planning could involve weaknesses and opportunities.

3) Improving systems analysis. Another difficulty many companies encounter involves the high tech aspect and maximizing profits from investments. The under utilization of many tools, including computers, means that a company could be earning more money. A businesses analyst will be able to objectively state where the company could be increasing profits and recommend new strategies involving technology, such as software for accounting or even social media for networking.

4) Cleaning house of unnecessary costs. A business development consultant will help a company increase profits by telling them where they can cut costs with minimal, if any, damages to the organization. For this reason, business analysts are extremely beneficial to the higher ranks within an organization. Cutting costs means more profit which means more money for the share holders and an increase in potential investors. Conversely, this may mean a recommendation to fire employees. Keep in mind many people depend on companies for their livelihood. Firing loyal employees to save a few dollars is not ethical in the long run if it can be avoided.

5) Develop timelines. One of the most useful tools a business analysts has is when it comes to allocating time for projects. They will be able to say how long any potential assignment should run and when and if it should terminated. Included in timelines are goals for the future. Keeping a business' eye on the long term is necessary for success in any industry.

A business analyst is a very useful individual. They use tools like the SWOT analysis to understand a company's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. They can objectively recommend plans for improving strategic planning, high tech oriented issues and clean house of unnecessary costs. Finally, they are long term minded and can help establish timelines. Consider some business development advice for your business venture and improve efficiency in the future.

A Business development consultancy is there to help you improve. Business development is something all companies can and should strive for.

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The Importance of a Business Plan for a Small Business

If you're one of the many people thinking about starting a small business, having a business plan is one of the first things you should have on your list of things to do. It doesn't matter if you're starting a small business from home or away, having a plan for your business is considered a blue print for a successful small business. What is a business plan and why do you need one?

A Business Plan
A business plan is simply a plan of what your goals are for the business, and how you plan to go about accomplishing them. Some people refer to it as a vision for your business. I like to refer to it as a blue print or a road map to accomplishing your goals.

Your plan should be spelled out in clear and defining terms and be kept simple. It should be a written document and used as a tool in managing the business.

A plan should include but is not limited to the following:

1. A statement of your business purpose
2. A description of your company
3. The goals of your company
4. The structure of the company (sole-proprietorship, partnership or corporation)
5. The product or service that you are selling
6. A market analysis of your product or service
7. Resources spent (time and money)
8. A financial plan to include financial statements
9. Information about the managing principals in the company
10. How you plan to manage and operate the company

The Importance of a Business Plan
The success of a business starts with a business plan. The plan defines your business as to what it is and how you plan to achieve the goals of the business. It presents a clear picture of your business in terms of goals and objectives.

The plan reflects how you plan to operate your business. How you plan to market your product or services. It provides a financial picture of the company.

If you are looking for money to fund your business, you're going to need a plan for your business. When you go to borrow money, lenders and investors are going to want to see written documentation in a business plan of your financial situation. Why do they want to see this information? Lenders and investors want to see this information because they are the ones taking the risk in lending your business money.

Once you have a plan in place, it's important that you follow it. If you're achieving your goals you should stick with the plan. If you are not achieving your goals then you will have go back, analyze your plan to find out what is working, what is not working and why it is not working.

A plan is not etched in stone. It is subject to change. As time goes on, things change in this world and businesses like everyone else are subject to change. A good plan will reflect changes that a company has to make to keep it competitive and successful.

Where can you find samples of a business plan for a small business? If you go into any of the search engines such as Google or Bing and type in "samples of a business plans for a small business" you will find websites with this information.

This is why it is important that a small business should have a business plan. If you look at those small businesses that are successful, you will find that most of them all started with and have a plan for their business.

The Author
Larry Zinamon has had a home based tax business for over 20 years. A few years ago he started doing work as a network marketer. If you are serious making money online, then you'll want to join the fastest growing community of home based entrepeneurs, by visiting Larry's website at http://www.PerfectWorkAtHomeOpportunity.com today.

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5 Quick Steps for Choosing a Location to Sell Your Products

One of the most important steps of launching a successful product release is choosing the location where you will sell your products. "Place," one of the 4 Ps of marketing, is key to converting sales. The ideal location for selling your products is a place where members of your target market frequent and come prepared to buy. Five quick steps will help you make the final decision on where to sell your goods.

Step 1. Identify your target market first and foremost. This is the group of people you believe will be most likely to need or strongly desire your product. If you're unsure, you can determine the target market by performing market research on companies similar to your own.

Step 2. List places where members of your target market frequent. For instance, if your target market is teenage girls, possible places include the mall, movies or the beauty section of the local pharmacy. Investigate whether these people come to these locations with money or motivated to make a purchase. List as many potential locations as possible.

Step 3. Decide on the specific area (or areas) that you want to target with your new product. Narrow it down to a town or city based on information about your chosen target market. You can use an online demographics reporting service like ZipSkinny to find areas densely populated with members of your target market.

Step 4. List the cities or towns you want to target alongside the types of places where you could potentially sell to your targeted customer (such as local malls). Match the places to the cities and start developing a list of the specific businesses and locations where you want to sell to your customers so that you can contact each place to ask about retail opportunities. For instance, if you decide to sell in local mall A in Anytown, Michigan you might list and contact the mall management office there to ask about the cost of renting a kiosk to sell your products to customers.

Step 5. Write down a short marketing plan describing how you plan to reach customers in each of the specific places you identified in the previous two steps along with cost considerations and other details. Narrow down the list based on the options that best fit your budget and other requirements. Finalize distribution or rental agreements to service customers in the places you've chosen.

Parker Williams is a small business expert and Internet marketer and one of the founders of Start Up a Small Business -- a website that teaches newbie entrepreneurs how to start up a business step by step.

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Promoting Your Small Business Using Printed Coffee Mugs

Promoting any small business can be a tough task, especially in today's world where competition is at an all time high and the number of small companies continues to grow. A lot of small business owners decide to promote their businesses by using common yet effective go-to methods such as newspaper advertisements, flyers, local affiliates, and business cards. However, since today's world is populated with high levels of competition, small businesses really want to think outside of the box when it comes time to promote their name. To do this, unique promotional items, such as printed mugs, can be used as a way to advertise a small business' products or services. While the traditional methods may work, nowadays unique promotional programs are a must.

So why should a small company use items such as printed coffee mugs to promote visibility? When looking at the facts, the use of ceramic mugs is pretty high, as many people drink coffee and tea on a daily basis. Since printed coffee mugs are already popular items, any small business can take advantage of this and turn a printed coffee mug into one that is still useful but promotes the business' name at the same time. Because coffee mugs are used daily, mugs printed with a small business' name, logo, and contact information can truly make any promotional program extremely successful and profitable.

Small companies should also consider using printed mugs for promotional purposes because they are affordable. Small businesses typically do not have large budgets for advertising, but with printed ceramic mugs, a couple hundred dollars can go a long way. Small companies don't have to worry about rearranging their budget to use ceramic mugs to promote their name. Instead a small company can safely purchase printed mugs and when used properly, these mugs have proven to be very effective in attracting new customers.

Designing Printed Coffee Mugs

When using printed mugs for promotional purposes, a small company will of course want to ensure that the mugs are not just coffee mugs. Instead, each mug needs to have a promotional feel to it. This means that the mugs need to have your business' name, logo, contact information, and maybe even a business slogan. Small companies should also design their printed mugs in a way that they are unique. Since coffee mugs are so common, it's important that a small business' mugs are different looking. This can be achieved in many different ways, from using vivid colors, special fonts, and even engraving.

To beat some of today's most fierce competitors, small companies should consider unique ways to promote their business name. by using printed mugs, a small company can spend a relatively low amount of money in exchange for an effective and unique promotional program. With special marketing methods, a small business is sure to experience a growing number of customers which means that success and profits too will experience growth.

Printed Coffee Mugs are a great way for small businesses to get their company name and logo seen by new customers. One of the most popularly consumed beverages, coffee is a morning routine that your company will soon become part of. Like ceramic coffee mugs, Custom Travel Mugs are also a popular promo that people everywhere will love. Shop DiscountMugs.com today to custom design yours!

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How to Earn More Money While Working for Your Home Office

If you are a freelancer working from home then your future is in your own hands. It will be up to you to keep yourself motivated so that you can earn the right type of cash. One of the most important ways that you will do this is by becoming more productive. You can assist this process by designing your home office so that it encourages productivity. The aim of this article is to teach you how to do just that.

Tips for Increasing Productivity in Your Office

Here are just a few tips for how you can earn more money while working in your home office:

You will want to design your home office space so that nothing interferes with your flow of work. This means getting rid of any unnecessary distractions. You will also want all the furniture placed for the most convenience. It goes without saying that your desk and chair need to be ergonomic so as to protect your health.

You should always have a clear outline of the work you need to do for the day. A great way of doing this is to purchase a whiteboard; you then put this somewhere that you can see it. Before you finish at the end of each day you will want to write down all the tasks for the following day. This way when you come into your office in the morning you will be ready to go. It is usually best if you put the hardest tasks at the beginning of the list.

You will want to clear any clutter from your desk at the end of the day. It can really damage your productivity levels if your environment looks messy.

You may not realise it but the colour scheme in your office has a huge impact on your mental performance. If you want to be more productive then choose a colour for your office that promotes energy - a bright colour will help with this.

Some people are finding that using a stand up desk greatly increases their productivity. The other benefit of this is that it will also help keep you health. You do not need to spend a fortune on your online desk; you will find instructions for how to make your own online. This is something that can really change the way you work.

Working from home can help cut your costs by quite a bit, so take advantage of this and try to find other to increase your business profit.

James T Lees writes for and on behalf of Blueprint Office. They offer offices in the UK the finest in contemporary office furniture and accessories.

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5 Top Small Business Marketing Blunders You Should Never Commit

There are tons of small business resources available both online and offline. Many of these resources can help you to avoid mistakes that others before you have made, thereby saving you time and money. Let's talk about the five most common small business mistakes and how to avoid them.

1. Don't make a website or own websites that are outdated - Without a proper website, your business is practically non-existent. In addition, if your site was built eight years ago, it is likely to be very outdated according to today's standards.

Outdated websites are not as easy to find in the search engines and they don't really create a confident or respectable business image. There are a lot of free small business resources online that can help you make your website look professional and stay up to date. A simple Google or Yahoo search will bring up thousands of results to choose from.

2. Don't limit your marketing on just one method - While the introduction of the Internet has enabled buyers and prospective buyers to browse and shop at their own pace, direct mail is still a very important part of the marketing process.

3. Don't spend all your money on PPC - PPC or pay-per-click advertising works, but it has to be used properly, or else you could stand to lose a lot of money. PPC campaigns, if used correctly can drive a lot of quality traffic to your website.

Establish your company's reputation first, and then use PPC in addition to your existing marketing strategies. There are many small business resources available on learning PPC and understanding how the process works, and informing yourself as early as possible will help you to avoid very costly mistakes in the future.

4. Don't spam or bombard people with ads - A lot of business owners think that loud explosions are a way to get customers, either through email, direct mail or spamming. Although you will be getting the attention of a lot of people, you may find that it angers the very people you are trying to get to buy from you. This can leave a bitter taste in people's mouths, and do the exact opposite of what you intended.

5. Don't do campaigns without tracking the results - A lot of business owners do really great until you get to the part where they are supposed to track things. The best marketing strategy in the world is useless until you have a system in place to track all important variables.

Without tracking, how will you be sure that your marketing is successful?

Hopefully the above tips will help you to avoid serious mistakes that can be deadly for the life of your business. It is often better to research as much as you can before jumping to make any decisions.

By researching and evaluating all of the possible small business resources available, you'll be sure to avoid pitfalls and costly mistakes in the future.

Discover how I can help you in your business using this small business resources.

If you have found this post helpful, visit my website to learn more about small business internet marketing.

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7 Secrets to Designing a Simpler Business for Your Life

I have this phenomenon that has been going around in my head and heart for the last few months.

I want my business to be simpler.

As may be true for you, I have been through stages in my business where I have been too stressed, too overwhelmed and too exhausted. I was working too hard and often felt I was just spinning my wheels and not really moving forward in spite of all my hard work.

As my business has grown I have realized I needed to make things work more smoothly and easily.

And funny as it may sound, the older I get the simpler I want things, especially my business. So, I have been making extra effort to streamline.

Here are some secrets I have discovered that I want to share with you. It's so strange how so often I can make things more difficult than they need to be. Do you ever do that?

Secret #1: Rome wasn't built in a day and neither will your business. Keep moving forward every day but be gentle with yourself.

Secret#2: Don't do this alone. Running your own business is not for the faint of heart but it can be one of the most satisfying things you'll ever do. Surround yourself with like minded peers and always have at least one coach to learn from, to support you and to keep you accountable.

Secret#3: Create blocks of time for your work. Do not start out your day with checking emails. All this does is put the people writing the emails in charge of your day. Start out with the projects that you need to get done but aren't your favorite things to do. Get them done and over with.

Block out 45 minute for smaller projects and 2-3 hour blocks for bigger projects. By 'blocking' out times, I mean no email, no kids, no pets etc to distract you. Close your door. Don't answer the phone. You will be amazed at how much more you will get done!

Secret#4: Only take on new projects or commitments that really jazz you. Be sure you know the amount of time they will take, how much will be asked of you and what you will reap in return financially. (In case you forgot this is a business not a hobby.)

If you have previous commitments and they are no longer working for you (more time than expected, more work than expected, less money than expected) then simply bow out. I know that can be hard to do but you need to do that to honor your commitment to yourself to keep things simple.

Secret #5: Create systems in your business. What is your system when someone gives you their name and email and gets on your list? What is your system when a client signs up for one of your programs or services? When you have systems like these in place you don't have to figure out each time what your next step should be. It's all set up. Keep it simple!

Secret #6: Hire help! You cannot do this all by yourself. Well, I suppose you can but you will totally burn yourself out and unless you know all that needs to be done (website, auto responders etc) then you will do things wrong and create more problems. There are VA's (Virtual Assistants) and personal assistants everywhere for a very reasonable investment. Your sanity is required in this simple business of yours! Hire help!

Secret #7: Keep a launch calendar. This is simply a calendar, on-line or on your desk, that will take you through the next year or year and a half. Now don't let that panic you! This is part of making your business easy.

You probably have tons of ideas of things you want to do in your business. New programs and services that you want to offer your clients. That's great, but if you have them set up on a calendar you can be clear about when you are offering what. That way you aren't wondering each week or each month what you are going to do next. It's all planned out and you know when each launch (promotion) is going to happen. Keep it simple.

I hope this is all helpful to you. As I mentioned earlier, my big goal for myself is keeping my business simple. Life gets complicated enough!

You don't need to follow every new bright, shiny nickel out there! Pick and choose wisely what works for you, for your business and your life.

Do you have the Moxie it takes to start and sustain a thriving coaching business? Find out at http://moxiemastermind.com Kim Kirmmse Toth transitioned from 23 years as Licensed Clinical Social Worker to building a high 5 to 6 figure coaching business while enjoying her free time doing the things she loves. If you are a savvy woman (or even gentleman) and a heart-centered solopreneur who wishes to grow an exceptional, heart based on-line business, let Kim show you the way at http://www.positiveaginginc.com.

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Make Money Online - 4 Simple Methods!

Do you want to learn some of the best ways to make money online? In this article, I'm going to go over some of best ways that you can learn how to make money online fast. Whether you just want to make some side income, or turn it into a full-time career, anything is possible online. More and more people are coming to the Internet on a daily basis to make their purchasing decisions. Billions of dollars in currency is exchanged on a yearly basis, so don't think you get a small piece of this pie? In this article, I'm going to go over some of the most common and easy ways to make money online.

#1. YouTube. We all know that video is extremely popular nowadays, but how can you make money from it? Well put it simply, there are a ton of methods. Monetize through Amazon.com, click bank, AdSense and CPA offers. If you get a YouTube video go viral that is monetized well, you are sitting on top of a small gold mine! Also, video is only going to get more popular in the coming years, so jump on it now and start building your you tube empire.

#2. Facebook. Nowadays, everyone and their mother is on Facebook all the time, but did you also know you can make a boatload of money on there as well? Some of the most popular ways to earn money on Facebook, are Facebook fan pages, and Facebook pay per click. So let's say for example, you have a Facebook fan page targeting people who love German shepherds, if you had thousands of people who were a fan of your page, you could then market dog related products to these people. It doesn't get much easier than that.

#3. Twitter. Another great way to make money online is by using twitter. Using twitter, is a great way to get targeted traffic to your twitter page, and get people to follow you, and then earn cash by promoting various offers. Say for example, you have a twitter page focused on rare bottles of wine, you could build up a list of followers interested in bottles of wine, and then market various affiliate wine offers to them. This method applies to any niche you can think of and is one of the easiest ways to make money online.

#4. Building websites. This is a very broad and general term of how to make money online. Basically, if you can get your website ranked on the first page of Google, you can earn a lot of money from the massive amount of traffic you get. Once you are on the first page, and have people coming to your website, then you simply put up an offer related to your website, sit back, and collect money.
These are just four ways you can make money online, there are literally thousands of different methods that you can use to start earning cash.

Dwayne Garrett is the author of several eBooks and popular software applications. Serious Inquiries Only: I'm Giving Away 9-FREE Videos Which Reveal EXACTLY How To Make Money Online Fast!! Get Your FREE Videos Now!

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3 Steps That You Must Follow to Make Money Online

To make money online, you must follow these 3 steps.
• Must have
• Right for you
• Perform & adhere with the plan.

Must have:
Let us go to offline business model and mention that you want to begin a "coffee shop". You should have a location, equipment to make coffee, serving plates, table, chairs, background in the coffee shop, money register etc.,

If you compare this to online, it will be website, cool looking webpage that carries your content, payment gateway etc.,

Everything you have in offline coffee shop, equivalent of that must exist in your website in one form or other to provide the goods or service to the clients.

Even in offline world, you may not build a coffee making machine or table chairs your self, you will pay for this form somebody who makes it or offering it.

You require to know to provide your goods or service in internet, what are the must have. Similar to before beginning coffee shop, you would go to couple of coffee shops to comprehend what do they have. Similarly, you require to spend a couple of time to go by ways of couple of similar sites that provides goods or service like your business.

Right for you: 

The most crucial element in offline coffee shop, how to make good coffee that your clients love.
In online, it is mentioned "content is king" ie. that good quality coffee is key to offline success. Good content that your clients love is key to online success.

If you know, how to make splendid coffee, it is good. Go ahead. if you do not know, you can still get into coffee shop business by ways of franchisee business.

In online, this is called "affiliate marketing".
Depending on your comfort and right for you, you may determine either offer your goods or service or sell other people goods or service.

Execute & adhere with the plan: 

Once you have determine your must haves and what is right for you, it is time for action. This is a a extremely easy step where most of the people stop. It is simple to feel contented with the exploration and a couple of time fear of failure prevents you from taking the real action. It relies on your inspiration level, how desperate you wish this success etc., In reality nothing will happen, until you start executing the plan.

In a couple of case, people start performing the plan, however as a result of lack of focus or inspiration, they drop the ball and move to another new thing before ending up what was previously started.

In offline, coffee shop proprietary watch how the business is doing may bring changes listening to buyer feedback as well as consult other business owners to continuously improve the result.

Online, it is same. It is vital that you watch your business, seek feedback from the buyer and other successful business proprietary to perform and adhere with the plan.

To your online success,

Sam Sank

For more information to kick start your online business & download free internet marketing library (7 ebooks worth $189), visit http://www.sam-sank.com

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