"Without ambition one starts nothing. Without work
one finishes nothing. The prize will not be sent to
you. You have to win it." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small steps.
-- Henry Ford
Did you know that subscribers to Bob Osgoodby's Free Ezine the
"Tip of the Day" get a Free Ad for their Business at his Web
Site? Great Business and Computer Tips - Monday. Wednesday. And
Friday. Instructions on how to place an ad are in the Newsletter.
Subscribe at: http://adv-marketing.com/business/subscribe2.htm
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A Beginner's Guide to Internet Marketing - Who Should You Believe?
By: Jason DeVelvis
If you are new to the Internet Marketing arena, you are probably
confused by all of the information that you have read. There is
so much information out there that it can be overwhelming even to
the most seasoned Internet Marketers. There is a multitude of
beginner's Internet Marketing information. There is even a whole
lot of conflicting information that is passed around. You are
told to do this or that, then told why you shouldn't do this or
that by yet another Internet Marketing Guru. Who should you believe?
Okay, take a deep breath, and try to forget everything you've heard.
It is time to start over at the beginning - by first determining
which Guru you need to listen to.
Not all Gurus are alike - and not all Gurus are actually Gurus!
This is the first step in determining who you should be taking
advice from when it comes to a beginner's guide to Internet Marketing.
When you find an Internet Marketing expert that you think you would
like to follow, you need to do some research. There are many who
claim to be experts five minutes after turning on their very first
computer. These are not the people you want to follow. There are
many who use methods that aren't quite ethical - or even legal.
Again, these are not the experts you want to take advice from.
The hard part is determining who is who in the Internet Marketing world.
Get the guru's name. Do a search in any search engine, and read
everything that you can find about that person before sending them
any money. Next, visit one of the quality Internet Marketing forums,
and ask the other members what they think of a particular marketer,
and who they would recommend for a beginner's guide to Internet
Marketing. If possible, try to find a forum where the person in
question is not a member. (Note: a guru may be well-known in one
forum and not known at all in some others)
Visit the guru's website, and download any free information that is
available. See what they have to say in their free materials before
you spend money on their products. You will eliminate many using this
method. Is the material written in a language you can understand? Does
the writing seem professional? Do they seem like they have something
to say that others are not already telling you?
If you like what you've seen so far, look to see what their product
offers are for a beginner's guide to Internet Marketing. Does it seem
like you will get a lot of value for your money? If so, it is time to
subscribe to the guru's free newsletter. See what kind of content they
send you. If it's just a bunch of advertisements, this guru may not be
the right one for you. But if they give you valuable content, then you
may have found your guru.
About The Author:
Jason is a successful Internet Marketer, and posts regularly on his
Adventures In Internet Marketing http://www.adventuresinim.com/ blog.
Take a minute right now to sign up for his newsletter! http://www.jasondevelvis.com/
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Minding Your Global Manners
By Lydia Ramsey
To say that today's business environment is becoming increasingly more
global is to state the obvious. Meetings, phone calls and conferences
are held all over the world and attendees can come from any point on the
globe. On any given business day you can find yourself dealing face-to-face,
over the phone, by e-mail and, on rare occasions, by postal letter with
people whose customs and cultures differ your own. You may never have to
leave home to interact on an international level.
While the old adage "When in Rome , do as the Romans do" still holds true,
business clients and colleagues who are visiting this country should be treated
with sensitivity and with an awareness of their unique culture. Not to do your
homework and put your best international foot forward can cost you relationships
and future business. One small misstep such as using first names inappropriately,
not observing the rules of timing or sending the wrong color flower in the
welcome bouquet can be costly. There is no one set of rules that applies to
all international visitors so do the research for each country that your
clients represent. That may sound like a daunting task, but taken in small
steps, it is manageable and the rewards are worth the effort. Keeping in
mind that there are as many ways to do business as there are countries to do
business with, here are a few tips for minding your global P's and Q's.
Building relationships: Few other people are as eager to get down to business as
we Americans. So take time to get to know your international clients and build
rapport before you rush to the bottom line. Business relationships are built on
trust that is developed over time, especially with people from Asia and Latin America .
Dressing conservatively: Americans like to dress for fashion and comfort, but
people from other parts of the world are generally more conservative. Your choice
of business attire is a signal of your respect for the other person or organization.
Leave your trendy clothes in the closet on the days that you meet with your foreign guests.
Observe the hierarchy:
It is not always a simple matter to know who is the highest-ranking member when you are
dealing with a group. To avoid embarrassment, err on the side of age and masculine gender,
only if you are unable to discover the protocol with research. If you are interacting
with the Japanese, it is important to understand that they make decisions by consensus,
starting with the younger members of the group. By contrast, Latin people have a clear
hierarchy that defers to age.
Understanding the handshake: With a few exceptions, business people around the world
use the handshake for meeting and greeting. However, the American style handshake with
a firm grip, two quick pumps, eye contact and a smile is not universal. Variations in
handshakes are based on cultural differences, not on personality or values. The Japanese
give a light handshake.
Germans offer a firm shake with one pump, and the French grip is light with a quick pump.
Middle Eastern people will continue shaking your hand throughout the greeting. Don't be
surprised if you are occasionally met with a kiss, a hug, or a bow somewhere along the way.
Using titles and correct forms of address: We are very informal in the United States and are
quick to call people by their first name. Approach first names with caution when dealing with
people from other cultures. Use titles and last names until you have been invited to use the
person's first name. In some cases, this may never occur. Use of first names is reserved for
family and close friends in some cultures.
Titles are given more significance around the world than in the United States and are another
important aspect of addressing business people. Earned academic degrees are acknowledged. For
example, a German engineer is addressed as "Herr Ingenieur" and a professor as "Herr Professor".
Listen carefully when you are introduced to someone and pay attention to business cards when you receive them.
Exchanging business cards: The key to giving out business cards in any culture is to show
respect for the other person. Present your card so that the other person does not have to turn
it over to read your information. Use both hands to present your card to visitors from Japan ,
China , Singapore , or Hong Kong . When you receive someone else's business card, always look
at it and acknowledge it. When you put it away, place it carefully in your card case or with
your business documents. Sticking it haphazardly in your pocket is demeaning to the giver. In
most cases, wait until you have been introduced to give someone your card.
Valuing time. Not everyone in the world is as time conscious as Americans. Don't take it
personally if someone from a more relaxed culture keeps you waiting or spends more of that
commodity than you normally would in meetings or over meals. Stick to the rules of punctuality,
but be understanding when your contact from another country seems unconcerned.
Honoring space issues: Americans have a particular value for their own physical space and
are uncomfortable when other people get in their realm. If the international visitor seems
to want to be close, accept it. Backing away can send the wrong message. So can touching.
You shouldn't risk violating someone else's space by touching them in any way other than
with a handshake. Whether the world comes to you or you go out to it, the greatest
compliment you can pay your international clients is to learn about their country and
their customs. Understand differences in behavior and honor them with your actions.
Don't take offense when visitors behave according to their norms. People from other
cultures will appreciate your efforts to accommodate them and you will find yourself
building your international clientele.
(c) 2005, Lydia Ramsey. All rights in all media reserved. Reprint rights granted so
long as the article and by-line are reproduced intact and all links are made live.
Lydia Ramsey is a business etiquette expert, professional speaker, corporate trainer and
author of MANNERS THAT SELL-ADDING THE POLISH THAT BUILDS PROFITS. She has been quoted
or featured in The New York Times, Investors' Business Daily, Entrepreneur, Inc., Real
Simple and Woman's Day. For more information about her programs, products and services,
e-mail her at lydia@mannersthatsell.com or visit her web site http://www.mannersthatsell.com
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The Many Faces Of Fear by Jim Blasingame
Anyone who has contemplated forsaking the perceived, if not real, security
of employment to start a business has come face-to-face with the real
possibility, as well as the dangers, of failure. Indeed, countless
prospective owners discontinue their entrepreneurial pursuits for fear
of losing too much -- the risk being just too great.
As an actual -- or prospective -- business owner, no doubt you've experienced
these feelings. If so, congratulations, because believe it or not, in
business, fear can be a good thing.
Not paralyzing fear -- the kind that comes when a person is ignorant of how
to prevent or recover from a potentially dangerous situation. But rather
the kind of fear that motivates you to take the necessary steps to be aware,
knowledgeable, capable, prepared, decisive, and effective.
The Many Faces Of Fear
There is one thing about fear that is insidious: It's a shape-shifter, capable
of appearing in many forms. The challenge for small business owners is to
recognize fear in all of its shapes so we can be prepared to deal with it in a productive way.
Here are some of the faces of fear, followed by what they might sound like.
First on the list is the Big Daddy: unremitting, cold sweat, cottonmouth fear,
in its default shape.
Fear: "What if I can't cut it as an owner?"
Fright: "What if I order all of this stuff and no one buys it?"
Terror: "What if I'm buying the wrong business?"
Panic: "What if my pricing for this bid is too high -- or worse -- too low?"
Dread: "I hate having to fire an employee."
Trepidation: "I don't think I will be able to get a business loan from the bank."
Anxiety: "How will I ever be able to compete with the Big Box competitors?"
Shock: "What do you mean our best customer has signed a contract with a competitor?"
Fight Fear With Performance
Performance is the best way to minimize -- if not eliminate -- these fears.
But performance only happens when some other things are in evidence, which
I call the fear-fighting tools: awareness, knowledge, experience, training,
planning, preparedness, decisiveness, and execution.
Armed with the fear-fighting tools, fear becomes not only manageable, but
actually can be the kind of productive stimulus that creates opportunities.
But if you're short on any of these, the fear you feel is probably well
founded and actually trying to give you good advice.
In any of its many forms, fear can be an immobilizer or a motivator. The
only way to make sure it's the latter is through performance, which comes
by being armed with the fear-fighting tools.
Write this on a rock - Once you have full command of the fear-fighting tools
you can replace fear with its archenemy, total confidence.
You can read hundreds of articles by Jim Blasingame and the Brain Trust
members from The Small Business Advocate Newsletter by clicking here.
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What look for at Estate and Garage Sales - Tips for thinking outside the box by Lynn Dralle
Another chapter in our ongoing series on eBay:
Thrift Stores, Garage and Estate Sales - Tips for thinking outside the Box
I hear every now and then that some of you are having problems finding merchandise.
I have to tell you that if you have money to spend for stock, there is always a place
to spend it (that was something that my grandmother always said!). She is so right.
eBay is changing the way we do business both on the retail and wholesale side. You
just need to start thinking outside of the box.
For the past three years I have had a favorite charity sale here in the desert.
I always have scored big time at this sale, so two weekends ago found my mom,
my sister and me in line at 6:30 am. I was appalled to find that it was picked
over before it even opened. The only thing I could figure out was that someone
had gone through first and taken everything that could be sold on eBay. I have
heard of more and more charity sales and thrift stores doing this. It does present
a challenge to those of us who rely on these channels for merchandise. However,
it doesn't have to shut us down.
I have to admit that even I was discouraged after visiting that charity sale and
also stopping by my local thrift store. My local thrift store has started pricing
dinner sets in the $100 to $200 range. Please! Sets that used to be marked $10 to
$20 are now being priced at top retail (even higher than Replacements prices).
However, I have come to some interesting conclusions about how to combat this.
I want to offer you some tips and tricks:
First - Think outside the box I have started visiting my thrift store more often.
I stop by every other day. I look for things that are not easily identifiable--items
with small signatures or no signatures at all. Instead of looking for the sets of
fine china-I am focusing on stoneware and other dinner sets that are still priced
below $10. At my same thrift store I picked up a Noritake Running Free (Sailboat)
stoneware set for $7. The ladies who do the pricing didn't think it was great but I
sold it in 8 different auctions on eBay for over $300. Here is one of those auctions.
Second - Hit Garage Sales on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays I typically only go out
on Saturday mornings to garage sales. Because of the disappointing results earlier
this month, I decided to go out on a Friday. There is much less traffic and competition
on these off days. I have to tell you that I scored big time on a Friday morning this
past weekend. I found an estate sale where the lady just wanted to get rid of things.
She had an incredible collection of antique books that her husband had collected for
over 40 years. I asked her how much for the entire lot. She thought and thought about
it and finally said $100. Wow! I got over 600 books for about 15 cents each. Check out
my auctions to see some of these books that I have up for sale now.
Third - Stock up during the season This brings us to Stocking up during the season. Garage
sale high season varies by location. Here in Palm Desert, our best garage sale time is
from October until April. I have decided to hit it hard and pile up inventory for the
slow summer months-when everyone has left the 120 degree weather. With those 600 books
and everything else I have been buying, I have more inventory than ever before. I have
just converted a spare bedroom into a stock room and will start putting things away for
the sparse months. I encourage you to do the same.
Fourth - Take things for free You may have to put more items on to make money-but if you
have the time, this can work to your advantage. As I mentioned earlier, hit garage, estate
and charity sales on Sundays and stock up. My favorite charity sale gave things away by
Sunday afternoon. The great estate sale that I had gone to on Friday, called me on Sunday
to say, 'Please come and take what is left' For Free! You can't go wrong. Especially if
you have the time. Time is money and this is never truer than on eBay!
Author: Lynn Dralle, the Queen of Auctions, See Lynn in Country Home Magazine
http://www.thequeenofauctions.com/index.html
Copied from: November 8, 2005 Volume I, Issue 11
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Your sucess is our focus; to that end, we will always endeavor to bring you the most current and vital information to assist you on your road to success. If you have an idea for a topic or have a question, please feel free to email me directly at: fran@modernopportunity.com
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