Three years ago I was not a runner. I was somewhat athletic but I certainly was not a runner. Now, here I was, approaching mile 22 of my first full marathon and self doubt was starting to creep in. “What was thinking? The longest I had ever run during training was 20 miles. What made me think I could get to the finish?” Every ounce of my body was screaming in pain. The worst part was the pain was so much more than physical; it was total mental and physical exhaustion beyond anything I had ever felt before.
So what could I do now? I had visualized myself finishing this race everyday for at least 100 days. I had given up so much of my summer fun to train and push myself to complete this challenge. I had recruited the support of my friends and family. So what could I do now that my body was screaming NO? I let my vision guide me through the pain.
With my little sister running alongside me, pushing and encouraging me, there was only one answer; just get to Todd. You see Todd is my husband and he was waiting for me at mile 22 so that he could “bring me home”. In preparation for the marathon, I had asked various members of my friends and family to run alongside me during consecutive segments of the race so that I would always have someone to help pace me. It turns out, Todd and Sarah’s job was about much more than pacing. They were great support to help me through the toughest physical and mental challenge of my life.
Why did I choose to run a marathon? It is simple, the search for constant and never ending improvement. I have learned to always keep challenging myself and to make big goals that both excite me and scare me at the same time.
For me, becoming an entrepreneur and starting my own business in specialty medical sales was one of the biggest and scariest goals I had ever set.
I was a nurse. I had transitioned to medical sales after a few years and I found that I was pretty good at it. I had a strong work ethic and I related well to the people I was selling to. But, I was educated as a nurse. I really knew nothing about starting a business. The self talk and self doubt were very loud voices in my head.
These voices are built over time from past experiences. These voices are there to keep us in our comfort zone. I believe most people listen to their inner voices when they have a big idea. A person might see a beautiful house and think “boy, I would love to have a house like that”. And then in the next thought they would have cancels that idea, with a negative like “I could never afford that”.
Well that’s exactly what I did at first. I pushed the idea …
I love entrepreneurs! Generally, I’ve noticed a drive and a determination that takes creative-minded, bootstrapping, do-it-yourselfers a long way. Those who show true ingenuity, persistence, and resilience inspire us all to have a brighter attitude.
I also love entrepreneurs because they ask me to help them with things like logo and graphic design, social media strategy, and web-based user experience. Oh, and I charge for those things, so it’s doubly-nice.
One thing I’ve noticed, however, about super-entrepreneurs is that their minds tend to race about 10,000 RPMs with cool, new ideas. I really wonder how many ideas are eventually left laying in the dust, not because they weren’t good ideas, but because not quite enough thought and planning went into them.
Having received tons of emails with ideas from entrepreneurs hoping to take an idea big-time, I thought I’d throw together this list of the six things I either say, or want to say in response. They are mostly questions, not recommendations, but the questions themselves are often overlooked.
Is it possible?
I know this one sounds obvious. If it weren’t would I be asking about the idea to begin with? And aren’t all things possible to those who believe? Certainly, but quite a few great ideas are laying in graves because the technology was either not ready, or too expensive.
Who else is doing it?
Use search engines and social networks to scout out the potential competition. Sometimes you wind up jumping into an arena filled with insurmountable competition. You’re probably not going to start the business that will topple an Amazon or Apple.
Can it be done well remarkably?
Doing something well doesn’t make it successful. Doing it well enough to get noticed does. Can you execute the idea in such a way that people will buy into it?
Do I have accesses to the resources to get it done?
This thought may sound strange, but some ideas are good (or noble) enough that you should consider handing it off to someone who can get it done. And every good entrepreneur knows that “resources” aren’t limited to the money in your pocket. It includes the money in other people’s pockets as well!
Is the idea something I’m passionate enough about to stick with over the long haul?
Pretty self-explanatory. Most of us have been there, burying an idea for which we had great enthusiasm, but didn’t see the gap between enthusiasm and real passion.
Can it be monetized?
This is the slimy question nobody thinks anyone should ask, but it must be faced. Why? Because if it can’t be monetized, it can’t be sustained or expanded. Sometimes that’s okay. Sometimes a good idea needs to piggy-back some other more profitable concept. Sometimes, the idea needs to go back into the incubator though.
These questions are seeds. You may have more to face. But at least face these and use them as a filter for every new idea. Let your genius lie asoak in the probing process. If an …
Starting a business in Australia is an undertaking that many ambitious entrepreneurs decide to have a go at these days. Due to this, starting a business in Australia is no longer a long and complicated process. There are several online companies that offer generic legal documents and same day issue of company registration (ACN) with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). In addition to this the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) have developed there own online application system where almost anyone can apply for an Australia Business Number (ABN), Tax File Number (TFN), or tax registrations such as GST.
Given this information you could be forgiven for thinking that starting a business in Australia could be quite easy, that’s because it is!! (The only hard thing about starting a business is getting your business to make money!) It just seems difficult because there are several different agencies or commissions that you need to deal with in order to setup your small business.
It when people get to this stage it all begins to seem a little hard and start to ask themselves.
Which agency do I need to apply to first?
What do I need from that agency?
Why do I need it in the first place?
How do I make an application??
After looking into this process it became obvious that the issue didn’t lie with the individual application processes at each professional agency. Most of the applications have detailed help with easy to interpret information throughout the process. The issue lied in tying all the applications together to construct a business. With that in mind below is the order, which any entrepreneur would need to follow when starting a business in Australia.
1) ASIC
Company registration and attain CAN Number
2) ATO
Apply through the ABR website for the following
ABN Number
Tax File number
GST (Maybe)
PAYGW (Maybe)
3) Bank Accounts
You will need your ACN, ABN and TFN to be eligible to open a business bank account. By law all you need is a photocopy or printout of your ACN registration to open a bank account. However depending on the bank and how up to date they are its best just to take all three numbers in to avoid frustration and a second trip to the bank.
4) Insurance
Which insurances you need (if any) will be specific to your business. Some of the more common ones are public liability and workcover insurance.
5) Accounting Systems
Depending on the size of your business you may choose to use a bookkeeper or accountant to look after your books. There are also computer accounting software such as MYOB or Quickbooks that enable you to look after you own books as well as integrating the information with you financial professional as well.
Completing the above 5 steps should generally take you anywhere from a day to a week. The ASIC and ATO registrations should usually be completed within a day, the only thing that will potentially draw the process …
Mobile marketing should be part of your business plan but it is difficult for newcomers to understand and apply correctly. There is so much to learn both on the marketing side and the technical side. Use the stops outlined below to make the most of your mobile marketing campaign.
Focus on understanding your customers. You will be able to reach out to your customers only if you understand how they think and what they want. If you cannot determine what your customers want, you won’t make any profit from them. Therefore, when you first meet a customer, you should try to find out exactly what they are looking for.
QR codes are being used more and more on advertisements to appeal to the smartphone-using audience. Customers can then use their smart phones to reach your website and find coupons. Have the QR codes on collateral like catalogs, business cards, posters, and brochures. If a customer wants to know more about your business, a QR code is a way that they can do that instantly.
Mobile content should be easy to read and to the point for the success of your campaign. Make sure they know your message and can absorb it, as quickly as possible!
Ask your friends to test your website, advertisements and emails. You could even pay someone to test it for you if you want an unbiased opinion.
Craft a mission statement more for your purpose than anything if you want to stay on track in social mobile marketing. Adhering to your principles will help you to keep on the straight and narrow.
To improve your own social marketing, keep an eye on your competition’s efforts. It’s imperative to distinguish yourself from your competition.
Mobile platforms that are designed as standalone also need home bases to be successful. Your mobile presence is dependent upon driving your customers to that base, or keeping contact with those who are already in contact with you. Don’t base your whole approach on the use of a mobile platform.
Expert mobile marketers deploy various aspects of their marketing strategies in sequence. You should too. You can start with a text messaging campaign, expand into using mobile websites, then incorporate mobile apps and eventually deliver videos to mobile devices. Keep progressing and improving your overall mobile marketing campaign. Use all resources that you have at your disposal.
Use a short code that is dedicated. While it may cost a little more, it is important in protecting your brand. It offers some legal protection for you as well.
If your business decides to have a mobile app, be sure that your users will appreciate using it. If it is a useless or annoying app, it could be ignored by your prospects or potential prospects.
Mobile marketing is a beneficial tactic to gain knowledge in, and the more you know about it, the better you will do in business ventures. Once you understand your options, you’ll be able to choose the best techniques for your …
Are you struggling to design a mobile marketing campaign that includes all of the major strategies? In this article, we will provide tips that will enable you to have success in mobile marketing.
Never forget that everything about your marketing campaign is designed for your customers. At the heart of effect mobile marketing lies the ability to know the wants, needs and objectives of your clientele. If you cannot get a handle on what it is your customer wants, you will not make any gains from them. If you want to be successful, you need to learn about them.
Short and sweet is an important key when it comes to appealing to all of your consumers. They need to be able to quickly digest the message you want to convey.
Money investment should be considered necessary if you want to have a decent website that works on mobile devices. Creating a mobile site that appeals to potential customers can be difficult. Outsource this to qualified candidates if you want things to go smoothly.
Every successful mobile campaign should have a home base. Being mobile is a way to urge people to check out your home base, and also to stay in contact with those customers who are already avid visitors at your home base. Do not develop your business solely on a mobile platform.
A customer base typically remains the same unless market factors prompt a change. However, this doesn’t always apply to mobile customers. Many dynamics outside the realm of your particular market can cause fluctuations in this customer base. You will have to stay on top of all new technology if you are going to stay competitive.
If you want to see your profits skyrocket, mobile marketing can be one of the easiest ways to achieve this. More and more people get a smartphone every day and are doing more on those phones. Mobile devices and social networks are great platforms to advertise your products and services. In order to be successful, you must bring marketing directly to the customers.
Remember that the audience you are targeting are people and they are busy, just like you. Keep this in mind during your conversation.
Always strive to create advertisements that have the potential to go viral, thereby maximizing their effectiveness. They just might pass it on to their friends and greatly increase your mobile marketing reach.
Expert mobile marketers deploy various aspects of their marketing strategies in sequence. This is an excellent way to handle your own approach. Begin with simple texts and calls, then expand your campaign to include things like video content and social networking. Use all of the tools you can.
Dedicated short code is the best choice. Keeping tight control over your brand is worth the extra cost. It can also provide you with some level of legal coverage.
There are very simple fundamentals behind any mobile marketing technique. Usually the only differences are in the level of technology involved and how that technology is …
If you are interested in adding people to your network but you are unsure of how to do it, read this article. Many people are not sure how to increase the number of subscribers to their email marketing list, but this article can help you find out how to go about doing so to meet your goals.
Experiment with, and evaluate, different email layouts. The beginning of your emails should include new information and offers. Trying out different layouts will help you find what works the best. After you have identified which format is most effective, you should continue utilizing it. This will give your consumers an idea of what they could expect from you, as well as giving them information on where they could read about you.
Keep in mind that the ultimate goal with email marketing is to get your product sold. What you want is for every email to entice the reader to buy. Announcing special offers, debuting new products, and revealing new information about existing products are just a few of the tactics you can use to build this momentum.
Increase the value of your email content by including helpful information. Provide subscribers with special access to informative articles not available elsewhere on your site. Include offers for your products or services. Send out holiday greetings and specials, not just when you desire something.
It is very smart to include an opt-in button for people to sign up with you. That may appear to be a large amount of effort, but you are guaranteed that the person really wants your emails, which erases the chance that you and your ISP will run into trouble.
Limit your email communications to once a week. Your customers may be very busy and have to go through a lot of messages throughout the day. Once you start sending more than one email per week, you may find that people don’t bother opening them, or even delete them. This is a waste of all your hard work.
The link to unsubscribe from your list should be clearly visible. Do not leave readers without an easy way to opt out of your mailing list, and do not make it difficult to find. People should feel like they have a choice and they are not forced to view your emails.
It is critical to get someone’s permission before putting someone on your list for email marketing. Anyone who does not want your email will consider them spam, and your reputation could suffer. If your service provider gets complaints they may ban you from doing business there.
Mix up the format of your emails every once in awhile to keep things interesting. If your email marketing messages are typically in HTML format, then every once in a while, send out a message in plain text format. When written well, this can actually come across as rather simple and intimate, giving your customers an emotional avenue towards your products and services.
This information should have …
As an investor in real estate, the moves you do are similar to chess moves and not checkers. One wrong move and your business could go under. Fortunately, these mistakes can be avoided by educating yourself, and this article will help you get started.
Protect your growing real estate business by establishing a LLC or other business entity. The purpose of this is to make sure that you and your investments are protected. On top of that, the business dealings can quality for tax credits.
Make sure that you dedicate a good amount of time to the business and learning about the business too. You must budget your time wisely if you want to make good profits consistently. Quitting your bowling league, for example, might be something that has to happen in order for you to be successful.
Locate and speak with other investors that are into real estate. It is essential that you connect with those who have more experience in order to get good advice. Their knowledge can prevent you from making mistakes and save you some money. You can find others with the same interests on the Internet. Join forums to learn as much as you can.
Do not make the assumption that property values always increase. That can be a costly assumption. The most reliable investments are the ones that will give you a cash flow almost immediately. Any raise in property values is going to just benefit your profits.
Join online forums, blogs, or other groups. You will find advice and encouragement and be able to benefit from those more experienced than yourself. There is a chance you may be able to speak to them personally also.
When determining a potential investment property, try choosing one that will appreciate. Purchasing anything near water or close to other businesses will be beneficial to you later on. As time goes on, you will get better at estimating how much the value of a property will increase by.
Think about the possibility of getting rental income from any property you plan on purchasing. This will let you make a lot of money while you’re renting the house out to the people you get to stay there. After that, you can then sell the home for the profit you desire.
It is wise to have a capable handyman who charges reasonable prices available if you’re buying investment property. This will help you to fix any issues that come up during your ownership. This handyman can also be on call for problems after hours that the new tenants experience.
Property management company’s can save you time, money and reduce stress. They do cost money, but they are often worth it in the end. Property management can screen the renters interested in your property, as well as take care of repair costs. This will allow you time to search for other properties to invest in.
Investment in real estate does not seem so hard when you have sound advice behind you. …
Many people don’t know where to start when it comes to learning about real estate investment. If you want to know a few things on the subject, then this article is a good place to be. Keep reading for a great education about this subject.
Learn about real estate before investing money in it. You are going to learn many techniques and strategies that can help you when investing in real estate. Read more information in books and watch seminars and videos on real estate investing so you gain the upper edge.
When you’ve made the decision to invest in real estate, make it professional by setting up an LLC. This will allow you to be protected along with any investment you may make. Additionally, you’ll get to take advantage of tax breaks from business matters.
When looking at your business strategy, understand your sunk costs that go beyond the general price of the home. There are closing costs, legal fees, staging costs, and other items that can greatly affect your profits. When you are calculating your margins, make certain you add all your costs to the line item list you are making.
Remember to select places that a lot of people know in order to gain lots of interests from clients. This will give your property more value when it is time to sell. You should also seek low-maintenance properties.
Do not make the assumption that your property will go up in value. This is an assumption that can be quite dangerous regardless of the type of property you own. You should probably just stick with properties that you know you’ll get cash from right away. The goal is to generate profit from the properties that you purchase.
Look for properties that you can raise the value level in without spending a great deal of cash. Purchasing a home near a body of water, for example, is generally a good idea. Think about the big picture and the chances its value will increase.
It is wise to have a capable handyman who charges reasonable prices available if you’re buying investment property. Otherwise, your profits can be spent on expensive repairs. A skilled handyman can handle lots of different jobs. It is also a benefit to have a handyman on call for your tenants.
You must be able to earn that money back that’s invested in your property, and a bit extra. If you’re only breaking even, you’re wasting valuable time. Make the necessary changes that are needed, and always ask for more than what you’ve paid.
Think about employing a professional property manager. Though you will have to spend money to do so, the investment is often worthwhile. The company will find potential renters, screen them and collect rent. This gives you time to find other properties to invest in.
Investing in real estate can be easy to understand once you have the right advice. Learn as much as you can about real estate to become more familiar with …
Before trying to use email marketing for your business, you need to know how it works. Avoiding the spam folder and making sure that your customer actually reads what you are sending is crucial. Read on to get more great advice on email marketing.
Send emails to people who are familiar with you and request your notifications. When you do a mass mailing to random recipients, they are often received in a spam filter. They will wonder if they know you and whether or not they care about what you’re offering. They’re likely to delete your email, wasting everyone’s time.
Make sure you include limited promotions and special offers in your newsletters; this will keep your customers interested and always on the lookout for future emails. This email strategy has the dual benefit of rewarding your customers for their subscription to your newsletter and inspiring them to recommend that their friends and family do the same. Referrals are an invaluable way of increasing your email list and customer base.
Utilize various resources and learn as much as you possibly can about the concept of email marketing. There are lots of books both online, as well as in libraries. In addition, lots of local classes and workshops can be discovered in your area. Therefore, it would help you to attend these when you can.
Prior to contacting customers through email, be sure to obtain their permission to do so. All unrequested emails are spam, whether or not that was the intention of the sender. Sending out emails to large groups of individuals without permission might violate ISP policies.
Keep in mind that the ultimate goal with email marketing is to get your product sold. Thus, each and every message ought to increase the likelihood of a sale. Do this by creating emails that offer product information – new and old – as well as information on special discounts.
Don’t send more than one email marketing message per week. Most likely, your subscribers receive dozens of emails every day. Customers may skip your emails if they receive too many of them.
It is wise to have a clean, unsubscribe link. Don’t fail to include one or bury it so that it is not readily apparent. It is important that your customers feel in control and that they aren’t being forced into anything.
Remember, that many of your email subscribers will be reading your mailings on mobile devices, like smartphones. Many mobile devices have lower resolution than the average computer monitor. Figure out what your restrictions are and then work within them.
The emails you send out should entice your customers. Customers who get something out of working with you are more likely to buy from you. For example, clicking on a link and making a purchase could award them free shopping.
By following the tips found here, you can produce a campaign that is reader worthy. You can use these tips to improve your current projects or start working on a brand …
Article marketing, also known as submitting articles you have written to online directories, effectively promotes services and products, making it very popular among marketing affiliates. If someone goes through a link in your writing to purchase a product, you will earn a commission. Read further to gain valuable information on marketing your articles.
Do not limit your content to the strict AP style and grammar. It is acceptable to be less formal in order to achieve the best search engine optimization. Doing so will make your work fit better with what the search engines are looking for. The AP guidelines will still help you write fluid content, but ease up on the rules to gain improved results from search engines.
When writing articles, try to maintain your own unique voice. When you do, you’ll have an article that is much more appealing to readers. Be honest about things when you write, and allow your style to shine. This engages your readers and it encourages them to come back.
Make certain that you submit high numbers of articles. When posting articles to places such as blog networks, be sure to remain consistent. To promote a specific keyword, post multiple articles based on it. If your particular keyword is in a competitive category, plan on a minimum of five article submissions to directories and double that to blog networks. After you have done that you should make 50 or more posts within private blogs to ensure you obtain the desired ranking.
Do your best to provide original content. Keeping your content interesting and original will keep readers coming back. Search engines are totally hardcore about duplicate content, so ripping off others’ content won’t do you any good long term.
Many sites will pay you for each click on your articles. These can be lucrative, but it largely will depend on how much promotion you do to bring people to your article to bump up the views. If you have a passion for writing, then this can be a very lucrative business for you.
Make your articles short, begin with a good introduction, and keep it under 500 words. Most online users have short attention spans. Get to the point quickly or you will lose them. Explanations are for later. The first couple of sentences need to draw them in quickly.
The content you provide on your website should help your reader resolve a concern. If someone finds practical value in reading one of your pieces, it is likely they will search for more of your work.
Match the content with your topic. If someone is seeking one topic, yet finds information on another while using a particular keyword, s/he is bound to be disappointed. This will not result in a good online reputation for you and your site. In addition to this, search engine crawlers take note of this, which can damage your reputation even more.
If you are a good writer, you can find a market that values your talent. If …