Women in networking know the power of social contacts and spheres of influence, and how they are integral in creating any movement, supporting any cause or generating new business. Few people, though, have the talent to organize, bring people together, or network with others to get things done. This is a skill, and a highly valuable one. The oftentimes difficult thing in life is to be able to take the talents that we have and to develop them to their fullest. If we can pull that off, not only do we individually benefit, but we help others to realize their own potential at the same time. What’s often missing, however, is a vehicle for those talents to blossom.
Online social networking is a relatively new phenomenon. For those of you with social networking skills, the vehicle for both business and personal growth may be just a steps away. Here are some tips that may generate some new ideas if you are in the market for starting a business.
The power of networking is often underestimated, but in some businesses it is not only important, it is the ONLY thing. Several companies, often called hybrid or network marketing companies rely solely on individual entrepreneurs to build business networks of customers and like-minded business owners. These companies have compensation plans that offer unlimited profits.
If you have a knack for networking and are willing to learn how to social network online, you can develop a business that far exceeds an income that is limited by the hours you exchange for dollars. You can start in a business on the internet with virtually no investment AND advertise it all over the web without paying a cent. Do some homework and think about starting a business online where you can turn your real world social networking talents into a lucrative online social media business.…
When people talk about starting their own business, the fear of the risk involved is often the key factor holding them back. There is an assumption that launching a business is akin to gambling – one unlucky roll of the dice and everything will come crashing down. They believe that anyone willing to go out on their own must have an incredible tolerance for risk or a substantial lack of fear. In fact, the most successful entrepreneurs are relatively risk-averse. There is a lot at stake when you put everything you have into the next great business idea, and true entrepreneurs work hard to mitigate every potential threat before it becomes an issue.
Four of the most common risk-related concerns are financial, lifestyle, career, and ego. Of course, there is some inherent risk in going out on your own, but there are legitimate ways to manage and mitigate those threats. This article discusses the realities of lifestyle risk and what you can do to manage that risk before you dive in to the world of entrepreneurship.
The perceptions of lifestyle risks tend to be relatively accurate. Most people understand that starting a business requires sacrifice – time, spending habits, heightened stress. During the early stages of any new business, the founder is going to spend every waking moment and a good portion of sleeping time obsessing about all that needs to be done. Your time may be more flexible, but for every one of your kids’ soccer games you attend, those hours of work will likely be made up in the wee morning hours. The responsibility of entrepreneurship can weigh heavily as well, leaving many business owners a walking ball of stress. And, depending on your financial situation, you and your family may be enjoying Ramen noodles for every meal during the earliest stages of your venture.
The trick to handling these lifestyle changes is to acknowledge their reality and consciously manage them as best you can. Keep the lines of communication open with your spouse or partner, family and friends. Become obsessive about managing your time and what needs to be done next and work through your to-do lists as efficiently as possible. Know that you will be working 82 hours a day most days and that you will constantly feel under pressure. Then make a plan to deal with those facts.
Give yourself a break. Do the things that you need to do to take care of your physical and mental health. Block out time to exercise, schedule important family events and treat them like mandatory meetings. Keep a pen and notepad with you to jot down ideas or tasks that are distracting you. If you are feeling particularly stressed, take a step back and do something that relieves stress for you. At the start or end of each day, reset your priorities and make a plan. Be realistic about what you can accomplish in a day and focus on completing those tasks. Reward yourself when important milestones …
Any online business knows just how important business marketing is. Business marketing is simply indispensable for any business because it gives website owners a chance to convey their image and message to the public. There are a lot of unique ways for online business owners to market their website. We can’t really say what the best marketing strategy is for your particular business, but there are quite a few ones that are across the board successful. Some of them are article marketing, commenting on blogs or on forums, and creating content on various web 2.0 sites. The reason as to why these marketing strategies are highly preferred is because they are free. All you would need to do is work hard and everything else will fall into place.
Article Marketing
Articles marketing is considered to be one of the pioneers of internet business marketing. Essentially, online marketing works by creating a lot of high quality articles and distributing them to different article directories. At the end of every article is what’s called a resource box. The resource box contains the information regarding the author and a backlink to the site that is being optimized. Article marketing allows the site to be exposed not only to the viewers of the article directory but also to different search engines by increasing its page rank. This is doubly beneficial for the site and makes business marketing more blossoming.
Commenting on Forums and Blogs
Commenting on forum and blogs is less popular than article marketing but is just as effective. In essence, forum and blog commenting are executed by posting comments on related forums and blogs. The comments are proceeded by a link that points back to the website. This is highly effective when executed on related blogs and forums because it specifically targets an audience for the site. Posting on random forums or blogs will just make it confusing to the people and won’t yield any meaningful results.
Content on Web 2.0 Sites
Creating content on certain web 2.0 websites is also a highly beneficial form of business marketing. You see, web 2.0 sites have high page ranks. What this means is that they have good credibility and they’re highly regarded by search engines. Search engines put a lot of emphasis on web 2.0 websites simply because they’ve got a good reputation that they’ve maintained over the years. Search engines put a lot of importance on web 2.0 sites simply because they have a good reputation that they have maintained over the years. Content can come in a lot of different forms. Content can come in the form of an article, a picture, or a video. Similar to article marketing and forum and blog posting, a back link is attached in order to expose the site.…
This is a very good question to ask as many people think that we only need one mentor. I would disagree with that. I believe we need a mentor for every different area. Let’s look at a golfer. A professional golfer may have a mentor for their golf swing, another on the fitness side of the game and a third mentor may be a psychologist to help them with mental preparations.
Recently I was listening to an interview with the broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby, son of Richard Dimbleby and brother of David. In the introduction we were told that throughout his life Jonathan had at least two mentors. His first mentor was while he was a show jumper; and many people thought he would go on to represent Great Britain in the Olympics. He had another mentor when he entered broadcasting at the BBC. Jonathan’s first mentor was brilliant while he was show jumping, but when he started working at the BBC he needed a different type of mentor. He needed someone who was a broadcaster, a person already doing the job, to help him as he started his broadcasting career.
A mentor is someone who you learn from; they have been involved in that field for some time, whether it is sport or business. They will help and guide you along the way, giving you the support you need at every stage. You can have a mentor in many different subjects. I have mentioned golf, show jumping and broadcasting and this is just the tip of the iceberg. The Quakers have promoted mentoring for many years for business. George Cadbury was mentored by Joseph Rowntree and both men are famous British chocolatiers. The Business Secretary Vince Cable recently promoted mentoring for those setting up in business, “Mentoring is a very effective way of promoting start ups, with high productivity amongst established businesses”.
Many people when they are looking to start a business now look for an opportunity that includes mentoring. Recently when we were looking at a business idea, we looked for an opportunity in which we were able to learn from a mentor.…
Back in 1981, I was just starting my career in television production, and working as the Unit Manager on a location drama. One day, I learned a lesson that would serve me well some 20 years later, when I came to develop a small business. The lesson that I learned in 1981 was that any small detail can really screw up a production. This is how I described it in my book entitled “Don’t Let Your Dream Business Turn Into a Nightmare”:
One day, one of the lighting guys wasn’t feeling well and left the set early. At the end of the shooting day, word was sent out to the set from the production office that the call time for the following day was being moved up from 7 a.m. to 6 a.m., because the production had fallen behind schedule, but the lighting guy didn’t hear the announcement because he had gone home early.
And you, as the Unit Manager, didn’t think of calling him at home to inform him of the scheduling change.
Ordinarily, that might not be a big deal, but this time, it was.
Because -the next morning, as the convoy of production vehicles was pulling out of the television station to make its way to the set – a small town about an hour north of the station -the huge lighting truck remained in place – and a bolt of white hot terror ran from the top of your head down to your toes, as you realized that the driver of the lighting truck was still in bed, because you hadn’t thought to call him to tell him about the change in call time.
Soon there would be 40 people standing around on the set while the lighting crew was waiting for the truck to arrive so that they could set up for the first scene- and whatever time they had hoped to pick up by virtue of the earlier call time would be entirely lost.
So you got into the truck yourself – and without a license to drive a rig that big or any idea of where the gears were – you willed the vehicle to the set – sweat pouring down your face -and you never forgot how that felt, for the rest of your career in television production – or the rest of your life.
The fellow whom I forgot to call was named Mike, and everyone called him “Mikey”.
Forgetting to call “Mikey” almost ended my career in television production before it began.
But the lesson that I learned stayed with me -and so, when I was developing my small business, which was a spa for men, I made a list of everything that I felt could go wrong – every single small detail that I could think of – that had the power to ruin my business.
And I checked that list every single day.
If you are developing a small business, or if you are already running one, ask …
The toughest part of article and blog marketing is coming up with interesting topics to write about. Typically, the way you write up a publishable article differs a bit from what you put on the company’s blog. Articles tend to be more fact-based and educational, while blog posts provide an opportunity for more of a personal, op-ed bent. In either case, you need something to start with. Here are some ideas for each of these writing tasks:
Topic Ideas for Articles
The purpose of publishing online articles is two-fold – to increase the number of backlinks to your site and to encourage potential customers to click through to your business site. Thus, article topics should focus on what your potential clients want and need to know.
Start with what you do and how you get it done. Break it down by product line, single service, or some step in the process. Explain why what you do is important, and how it benefits your customer. Publishable articles typically must be at least 500 words (about 6 to 8 paragraphs) but rarely need to be much longer. This means that you can write a separate article not only for each product or service you offer, but for individual features of each – what the feature is, what problem it solves or benefit it provides, why it’s a great deal, and where to find them. Bam – 500 words. Do not sell in your article… save the sales pitch for your resource box or the landing page on your website.
For example, a hardwood floor retailer has started carrying a line of glues that have low VOCs. An article may compare standard glue to low VOC glues, explain the differences, explain why a low VOC product is a better choice and in what situations, and how to identify a low VOC product. Then, in the resource box, the reader is directed to the landing page on their website that provides more information on the new line of low VOC glues and a way to contact their company to order.
Once you have published an article for each product and feature, you can always start over again. While you generally cannot submit the identical article twice, the odds are that writing a fresh article on the same topic will end up with a different approach than the previous one. Any time you add a new product or discover a new benefit, be sure that idea goes on your article topics list.
Aside from products, services and features, effective article topics include any tangentially relevant subject that would get your target market thinking about what you offer. For example, if you sell dog grooming supplies, write about different breeds of dogs and the best matches of lifestyle and breed. People thinking about getting a new dog look for that type of they will be looking for the supplies you sell. If you sell tile flooring, publish articles about the allergy problems carpet can cause.
If …
Many people are finding that the internet offers a tremendous number of business opportunities to the entrepreneur. However, knowing what to look for when comparing opportunities will help you to make the wisest investment when you are starting a business. There are a few tips for choosing an internet business that will help you to identify the legitimate opportunities from the scams.
BE WARY OF FALSE PROMISES
Just like a land-based business, there is no “get rich quick” scheme on the internet that is going to work. When you are looking at opportunities that begin with making promises about little or not work and lots of money fast, be wary. There are many scams on the internet, put there by people who are preying on people that need to make money.
There are individuals who have several different sites on the internet offering different business opportunities. These people use different names for each website so you don’t know that the same guy is selling the dream under a different domain. This type of person is getting rich by ripping people off, not by selling a legitimate business opportunity.
A legitimate business opportunity will have a history and a paper trail. Do not take the testimonials on the website at face value, remember that those cool records of earnings are very easy to recreate and make up using Photoshop, be aware that if the seller had made a gazillion dollars using the secret formula they are selling, they would not need or want to sell the secret formula to strangers. The secret formula for them is to make money off of people looking for a fast buck.
RESEARCH THE PRODUCT
Before you enter a business opportunity be sure that you research the products that you are going to sell. While most people do not think of affiliate marketing as “selling”, it is exactly that. In order to build a successful business, you must have a passion for the products you sell and they must be reliable and dependable.
Think about the investment of time and money that will be involved in selling the product and becoming the leader in the industry. It is much easier for a person to market a product or service that they are passionate about. If you are going to sell another person’s product on your website, make sure that you test it, try it, and feel comfortable that it will do what you are promising people it will do.
The internet community is global, but very small. An individual who gets a bad name on the internet for their business practices is soon found out. These individual may be able to scam a few individuals, but anyone researching the individual can easily find their history of complaints and unscrupulous actions. Therefore, it is important that you maintain a reputation for reliability, dependability, and have a product or service that you can over-deliver on easily.
CONCLUSION
Doing the proper research and getting a clear idea of the …
In a recent article written by Marty Zwilling (Entrepreneur: Challenge Yourself Before You Invest), he discussed several risks of starting a business. One of the risks he stated was: “Being a startup founder is not a job, but a lifestyle, getting married versus staying single. In fact, it’s more like being single, since founders usually have no one to lean on, no one to make decisions for them, no one to blame, and no vision to follow but their own.”
I completely agree with this statement and propose this question to the audience: When starting a business do you need a business mentor?
The simple answer is “Yes” and here are several reasons why:
Someone to be answerable to. It is often too easy for an entrepreneur to procrastinate when it comes to performing tasks that consume a lot of time, are boring, difficult, etc. A business mentor will help keep you on track by continuing to ask what your goals are and pushing you to succeed.
Someone to help you refine your business ideas into reality. You have great ideas… some of them; however, are raw and need refinement to be put into reality. A business mentor has the experience necessary to help you hash out the details of your idea and bring it into fruition.
Someone who can bring a wealth of new ideas to your business. A business mentor has been there before and understands what works and doesn’t work. As an entrepreneur your goal is to learn as much as you can and then use the lessons he/she teaches you to grow your business and become successful.
Someone outside looking in. As an entrepreneur, one of the hardest things to do is take a step back and see your business from an outsider’s point of view. A business mentor is an excellent resource to get this pivotal feedback.
There are many reasons why an entrepreneur should find a business mentor; however, how do actually find a business mentor? When looking for a business mentor the first place to check is your friends and family. As people who know you extremely well and vice versa there should be a level of trust already established. This should allow you to comfortably ask the question, “What do you think about this?” If friends and family are not for you, these are some other options available: SCORE, people in your extended network, complete strangers, indirect competition, industry leaders, and paid consultants.…
Of all the fundamentals that entrepreneurs need to know to succeed, technology provides the most new opportunity and the most constant change. Computer literacy is not an option, it’s an absolute necessity. Every business needs a website in the same way every business needed to be listed in the Yellow Pages 25 years ago. The marketing opportunities on the world wide web must be understood and evaluated to ensure the best decisions for your venture. The technological tools and capabilities available to small business are expanding every day, and only those entrepreneurs savvy enough to keep up are going to survive and thrive in the new economy.
You Need a Computer
The ability to use a computer is pretty much a given these days, though there is the rare entrepreneur who is still uncomfortable with the idea. The advent of the internet makes most things much easier, from conducting industry and competitor research to keeping in touch with your customer base. Excellent accounting system and contact management software decrease the time spent on these non-core competencies while simultaneously making related data more accessible and useful than the old ledger books and rolodexes ever could. Email is the preferred form of communication for many, from vendors to customers, so current business owners need to be prepared.
Your Business Needs a Website
A website for your business is an absolute necessity. Whether a simple 3 to 5 page business card site or a full-blown ecommerce store, having a web presence is no longer a luxury, it’s a must. What you need depends on your industry and business model, but failing to represent your business online is likely to become a fatal mistake. However, simply posting a website is not enough. Doing so without performing the appropriate SEO (search engine optimization) is pointless. It is akin to placing a billboard on Mars — if nobody sees it, it might as well not exist. Effective SEO tactics are not particularly complicated, but they take some time and research to ensure you are making the best use of your time.
Get Involved with Social Networking
Social networking is the new frontier for marketing a business. It’s hard to say whether that will continue or if and when consumers will become immune to the constant barrage of messages, but for now it is essential to exploit the opportunities available on these social websites. The contacts you gather through your activity on social sites and from opt-in mailing lists from your own site provide excellent direct marketing opportunities. Email newsletters and promotions are extremely effective, and cost you only a bit of time and effort. Email blasts to your customer base keep your company in mind. Even if they don’t open all of them, they are repeatedly exposed to the business name, a psychologically important outcome!
Consider a Smart Phone
In addition to basic computer operations and internet opportunities, the newest technologies can help entrepreneurs stay organized and manage their time more effectively. Smart phones are not …
So you think you’d like to start a vending business. Do some soul searching and make sure you are the right type of person. Ask:
· Are you an entrepreneur? This is someone who must assume all the risks of a business, but can also guarantee the benefits.
· Are you self-motivated? There is no 8-to-5 in the vending business; you work until everything is done. On the other hand, there are days when the hours just fly. The really great thing about vending machines is they conform to your schedule: They can be installed just about anywhere, generate sales 24/7 and can be serviced most any time. But it’s up to you to make it happen.
Best ways to get started:
The more information you can get about vending, the better off you will be.
· Contact NAMA, the National Automatic Merchandising Association, the trade association that handles issues involving the food and beverage vending industry. They have information on all aspects of the business, including education, health and safety, government affairs, NAMA-certified vending machines, publications, expos and careers. You can reach them at (312) 346-0370 or .
· Work for a vending company. You will learn if you really like the business, and find valuable shortcuts, like installing and loading vending machines, buying product, inventory and accountability. Of course, you can learn all that on your own after starting a vending company, but it takes time.
· Check with (or find) appropriate business counsel:
– Accountant – How best to run the paperwork for the best return – on profits, as well as taxes. Also ask if you should set up your company as a sole proprietorship, corporation or LLC.
– Attorney – To set up your corporation and advise on any legal implications
– Banker – Open new accounts solely for the business (don’t use your personal accounts)
– State, county and federal governments – Any licenses, permits and other paperwork
Some people avoid all this; they just jump in, set up a couple locations, find out they like the business. . . and then have to go through all this. What a hassle. Do it right from the start and you’ll be able to focus your newfound excitement and energies on building your vending business.
A few words of wisdom
Buy the right brand of vending machine – this can make or break your company. Check out the NAMA-certified vending machines and buy one of these. Call a vending company in your town and ask what brand of vending machines they use. If you have decided to buy a particular brand of machine, ask the vendor if he has heard of it or has any experience with it. There are only 5-7 brands of vending machines that I would buy. See my article: “What types of vending machines should I buy?”
Look at what Coke and Pepsi buy when you’re considering drink machines. They have more machines out than any vendors. Find the brand name and …