Sunday, 22 April 2012

Do Companies Really Need to Spend on a Good Logo Design?

A logo is a graphic design used by companies to promote their instant brand recognition and brand themselves. A logo is a company's identity. Given its importance and potential market exposure, the designing and selection of a logo is nearly as important as the company's name. It is one of the most important factors of marketing to come up with a good logo with respect to the business. An effective design should have a few different properties. It should most definitely represent the main objective of the company. It is usually a good idea to keep your logo simple and easily recognizable. A professional looking design portrays a strong image of the company and adds to market appeal to it.

Here are some of the main reasons highlighting the importance of designing a good logo.

1. Get yourself Recognized

Logos are designed to be the "face" of a company. They are a graphical display of a company's unique identity. Using colors, images and fonts, they are designed in a way that they are both, instantly recognizable and linked to the company's identity. They are also a way of referring to the company in advertising and marketing materials. It is very important to design a logo keeping in mind that whenever a customer looks at it, he/she should be able to instantly recognize it and link the design to the company.

2. Reinforce your business' identity

A company's logo is their identity. Hence it should be unique. When designing a logo it should be kept in mind
that this graphical image is going to be used to portray the company nearly everywhere. All the customers, current and potential would use this image to link the products or services to the company. A company should design their logo in a way that it very clearly shows the company's identity. When people should see the logo, the only thing that should come to their mind is the company to which the logo belongs to and their products or services. A logo is an integral part of a company's brand and image building.

3. Keep it simple and look big

Logos should be unique and easily identifiable by potential customers. Although there are infinite choices for color, visual elements and typography, a logo should be designed in a way that it helps convey information about the company. It is generally a good idea that a company's logo should be simple. Simplicity is a major factor in designing a logo. This is due to the fact that a simple logo is easy to distinguish and remember. A simple design greatly helps the people to understand the logo, remember the company and also keep the logo in mind. Adding too many images, colors or different fonts might make the design complex. It may not be recognized by the consumers at all times or it might even be just too difficult to keep in mind. A complex logo is also hard to interpret and link it to the company.

4. Gain your customers trust and exhibit professionalism

A professionally designed unique logo can be spotted by the client even from a distance and it can easily register itself into the minds of the customers. It shows the potential customers that the company is serious about what it does. A professionally designed emblem and branding techniques can greatly promote and develop a company's image for the public, but on the other hand, an unprofessional or a sloppy looking logo can ruin the public image. A professional design always attracts more attention of the customers and it gives out the feeling of trust and reliability. If the customers start trusting a certain company, they talk about it with others. A customer praising the company to other potential customers is the best possible way of marketing. A high quality and professional looking logo will give out certain positive messages to the consumers which would be beneficial for the company.

Four Biggest Mistakes That Cause You To Lose Your Clients

There are several common mistakes which almost all businesses (no matter the size) make that cause clients to leave and move to the competition. It is said that you should have a reserve fund to pay all business expenses and costs for two years after opening it in order to ensure company sustainability.

It might seem out of reach for you, especially if you're still in the growth stage of your business, but the truth is that it takes at least ten years for a company to become established; therefore it is vital that owner(s) take time, have unwavering perseverance and educate themselves as much as possible.

1. Keep an Eye on Both, Clients and Competitors

As a business owner you must pay attention to what their competition offers and how satisfied customers are. Assuming that your business has no competition or that your business will remain superior to the competition is a fatal mistake. Customers almost always have the option to do business somewhere else. Ensure that your company offers products and/or services of greater value than the competitors. Determine what your business provides that is superior to any other product and/or service and capitalize on this.

It is simple and quick to advertise your products and/or services in today's world. It is important to realize that it is just as easy for the competition to do the same. It is also simple for your clients to tell the world about their disappointment with your company in mere seconds. Determine what your company offers and how the consumer may benefit from this, then tell the world, through advertisements, especially on social media platforms.

2. Deliver on Your Promise

Another fatal error that most businesses make is to promise something that they cannot deliver. One simple, but excellent piece of advice is always under promise and over deliver when advertising. Make sure you detail your company's products and/or services in a clear and precise manner. You must not only exceed the clients' expectations, but consistently continue to do so. A business that clearly states what they intend to deliver and consistently does so will definitely keep more clients. Inconsistency can be the downfall of any company no matter how experienced the owners are.

3. Build a Strong Team

Weak team leadership can be the fall of a potentially winning team and the entire company. Anything that is worth creating must be constantly nurtured and must have a strong foundation. The foundation of a business team is you and/or the team lead. Any company's team must have strong leadership that constantly instructs, drives, and encourages them. The team must clearly understand what is expected of it and what goals it is striving to achieve during any given workday. Those companies that build strong, motivated, high performing teams are able to keep more clients.

4. Don't Underestimate the Power of Social Media

It is important that businesses keep up with customers' needs, desires, and degree of satisfaction. This is more easily done, in less time, than ever before due to the explosion of the World Wide Web. The internet and social media enable businesses to keep up to date with customer reviews, feedback, and opinions. Failing to understand the power of social media is a big mistake that causes businesses to lose clients as well as prevents them from getting more referrals. Most all businesses want to know how to get more referrals and keep them. Clearly detailing what your business will provide, consistently delivering on those promises, and knowing what consumers expect will result in numerous satisfied customer referrals.

Silvia Pencak, also known as Magnetic Silvia around social media, is the Brand Strategist specializing on small to medium business online branding.

There are many misconceptions around branding, especially among small businesses and Silvia is passionate about breaking these myths and inspiring entrepreneurs at all stages of development to move beyond what's known and possible.

Just as branding goes beyond visible and helps companies touch their clients' hearts and turn them into fans and customers for life, Silvia takes your business from where it is today to where it can be.

Does My Business Need Branding?

Simply put, your brand is the image of your business in the minds of your customers. It is a perception of who you are and what you stand for. Many experts describe a brand as a promise, an expectation that the consumer has about your product or service. But the important thing to know is that whatever the perception is, it is the reality for that consumer and changing that perception can take time, money and a lot of effort.

Indeed, we all have a mental image of the major brands out there whether it's McDonald's, Target, Buick or Kleenex. If I suggest that you think of laundry detergent, I'm certain a particular brand will come to mind. So what makes these brands so enduring, so easy to conjure up in our minds? It is two things: consistency and communication.

Let's take a hypothetical and typical small business - a hair salon. Now, most hair salons offer pretty much the same services - haircuts, blow dry, styling, color, etc. They might also offer manicures, waxing or even pedicures and some full-service salons offer massages, facials and more. So if Acme Hair Salon comes along and opens up in the neighborhood strip mall, just how do they go about separating themselves from all the other salons? How do they create a brand in the minds of customers?

We start with something called the UVP - the unique value proposition. Essentially, the UVP is what makes your business different from everyone else. You may have expertise in coloring hair, or doing wedding hair-do's, but whatever it is will form the core of your brand. Once you've determined what your UVP is, then you have to build your business around it. If hair coloring is your expertise, then make sure all of your staff are actually experts and can talk about it knowledgeably. Decorate your salon to show off your expertise and advertise it to everyone who comes in. You may even select a name for your business that reflects your UVP. This is the "communicating" part and it includes any advertising or promotion you do. Whatever your message is, it won't mean anything unless your customers hear it.

Next comes "consistency." You can't be the hair dye experts today and the wedding up-do experts tomorrow and the facial experts next week. If you are constantly changing your advertising message, logo, salon decor and even your staff, then pretty soon your customers will lose a sense of what your business is all about.

Let's get back to the big brands - McDonald's for instance. If you drove up to one of their restaurants and saw pink arches outside instead of "golden arches," you might decide not to go in. It would probably strike you as a fake version of the real thing. Or, if you went inside and all they served was tacos and burritos, you would be a little confused. The power of the McDonald's brand rests in the knowledge that no matter where or when you go there - whether it's in England, Russia, or right around the corner - you can buy the same hamburger made the same way with the same fast service.

One last thing: you have a brand already, whether you know it or not. Your customers and consumers in general have an image in their minds about you. The question is, is it the right one? Is it the image you want them to have about you? And if you're not sure, then this is a great time to get started on building the brand you want.

How to Start a Fashion Label: Getting the Edge

New York Fashion Week - who wore what during The Oscars, what Vera Wang has for brides this coming spring, which America's Next Top model wore Versace's creations better - if you've found yourself constantly tuned in to any of the above, can accurately match the designer to the star on the red carpet all the time or spend hours in front of the mirror fussing over the details of your every outfit, then you must have a passion for fashion. And if so, why not put your time spent watching E! to more productive use? Start your own clothing line!

How to start a fashion label, you may ask? Though it may sound easier that it actually is, if you have the right mindset, the motivation and determination, you can start small and gradually build your way up to the top to compete with Jessica Simpson's celebrity clothing label!

Decide on What You Want to Sell

As with any business venture, planning and foresight are the keys to making sure your entrance into the fashion world is smooth as a runway and doesn't see you flat on your face. Make up your mind on how to start a fashion label: do you want to produce more high-end clothes of the limited-edition, special-occasion variety or are you catering more to the mass market who prefer utilitarian and versatile articles? If it's the former, that means you'll be selling less for more, but are clothes made of quality materials and are one-of-a-kind designs, tailor-made and coming from a small batch. If it's the latter, you can go for less expensive materials and can produce a lot more clothes for a bigger market.

Break Out Your Sketches and Designs

If you're a fashion fan, you should already have a couple of these stored somewhere or lying around your place, even if you're not quite the artist. Don't worry, you're not aspiring to be the next Van Gogh; all you need is a clear concept of how you want your clothes to look. A clothing line reflects your personality, so how you dress and what kind of style you like will always come out in your designs. The key here is to remember to show some individuality and unique qualities that will make people want to buy your stuff. Imitation is the best form of flattery, true, but you may come off as a copycat and rip-off if you're not careful on how to start a fashion label.

Know Your Materials and Manufacturers

Having designs and having memorized each gown Nicole Kidman has ever donned, you should by rights know your fabrics as well, along with the other items necessary in making clothes. Being able to differentiate rayon from chintz and shaft buttons from invisible zippers is an essential skill, as knowing the difference between an A-line skirt and a peasant blouse is. If you can't sew garments yourself, you should find yourself a good seamstress or manufacturer that charges reasonably. Bulk orders come cheaper, so if you have a couple of designs, you might want them all created at one time. To get the best deal, shop around for prices of fabrics, accessories and other materials and compare rates for manufacturers and seamstresses. If you begin with a few key pieces that are eye-catching and good to wear, you'll soon find yourself taking more orders and before you know it, you can even write your own success story on how to start a fashion label!

How to Practice Transparency and Build Your Brand Value


Why should you emphasise transparency in your business activities?

Stakeholders hold all the power in brand-stakeholder relationships today. When businesses lie about their activities, stakeholders will react negatively and affect the brand's value. Lying to your stakeholders and deliberately hiding information that stakeholders are curious about (such as the ingredients in a food product) creates mistrust in the brand, which is why practicing transparency is so important - stakeholders react positively when they feel a brand is trustworthy.
By using transparency as a branding and communication tool, you are setting your brand up for success, as your stakeholders will perceive your communication and brand personality as being "real" and trustworthy.

If you are clear and truthful about your business activities, provide truthful information when questioned, and practice transparency in your business, your stakeholders will understand the motives and mission of your brand. Furthermore, through practicing transparency in your communication, stakeholders will feel that the business, brand and person/people behind these are more trustworthy. Your stakeholders might even support and defend your brand. Through this perceived trustworthiness, your brand will gain value, and especially when your actions and promises are fulfilled.

What business activities should businesses be transparent about?

Quick answer - you should practice transparency in all your visible business activities. The more you tell your stakeholders about your plans, activities and mission for the brand (and follow up on these), the easier it is for them to stand behind and support the brand. You should practice transparency on any activities that have an effect on your product/service, and create more value for stakeholders. Letting your stakeholders know about the changes you are making to your brand and business that will make their experience better, may even get your stakeholders excited about these future plans.

How can you practice transparency successfully?

Here are a few tips/examples of how you can practice business transparency:

- Announce your future plans for your business so your stakeholders can see what new products, services and value you will provide in the future. Remember that your stakeholders are the reason you started your business, you are creating value for them, and they are the ones who need to get excited about and benefit from future changes in the brand and business.

- Treat curiosity and questions from your stakeholders respectfully, answer truthfully as long as you aren't revealing any business "secrets" (such as your accounting/bookkeeping information, or in-depth knowledge that competitors may use to get ahead). Dialogue between you and your stakeholders is the key to positive results in co-creation, brand value, word of mouth and ultimately sales.

- Let your stakeholders understand your working processes. For example, if you are an online coach and provide services aimed at small businesses, let your potential customers know what to expect of the process. Use present or past clients as examples (provided they allow you to use their information), to clarify how you work, and give stakeholders an opportunity to understand and connect with your methods.

Sunday, 15 April 2012

How To Make An eBay Listing Private

Something that I am asked often my people is "How Do I Make My eBay Listing Private ?" Or what is a Private Listing ?

As you look around the eBay site you will often see the term Private Listing, or as you look through the completed listings you will quite often see ID Private. So what is this ?

Private listings are as the word says private. When you fitst look at the listing it appears normal but you will see in the listing that the seller and eBay have put that this is a private listing and that all bidders and buyers ID's will be kept private.

You often see these private listings take place when the items on sale are very high value or of a sensitive nature. Only the seller can see the ID of the person who wins. This protects the buyer from people seeing what they have just bought.

But let's flip the coin for a second. And let's say as a seller we see something we can buy and make a profit on, normally we just buy and hope no one sees what we are buying. But if it is a private listing we can buy and know that no one will ever know it us who has just bought that job lot of widgets to re-sell.

So if you sell in certain areas of eBay you should use a private listings and when you do, you will notice that your sales will be higher as people will know they can buy in safety.

How to Build a Successful Commercial Website

Commercial Website Success Tips

Because more and more people are buying products online, online business is growing dramatically. Most companies are converting from a brick and mortar only company to electronic commerce. A recent study found that over 25% of companies spend from half a million dollars to well over 5 million dollars on online versions of their store.

If you want to get create a successful commercial website, you should use the following recommendations as your basis for making a site that is efficient and effective.
1. Make sure you site's contact information is complete and accurate. Create an easy to find 'Contact Us' page that is clearly visible from the homepage. Most websites will forget about this, but if you want to look credible this is the first step.

2. Keep your website up to date. This should be relegated to someone other than the main webmaster. Product pricing and design updates are two things that should be reviewed at least monthly, if not weekly. You should also add relative content on a regular basis. This will help with search engine optimization. The longer your website goes without being updated, the more stale it becomes in the eyes of the search engines. This could mean a drop in your keyword's rankings.

3. Work on SEO for your website. Try to get ranked higher for the keywords that closely represent what your site is all about. Entire books are written about how to effectively do this. Search engine optimization is a must learn for anyone serious about running a business online.

4. Create a website that is easy to navigate. I can not tell you how many times that I have been to a website that was really interesting or had great prices, but I left because the navigation was terrible. The design of your layout should be uniform throughout all your pages.

5. It is wise to create a site map, index, and table of contents. This is especially true if you are working with a large website. Most of the people that come to your site will not go from point a to b throughout your entire site. They will want to go to the articles and sales pages that interest them the most. So develop your key categories in an index that is easily accessible from the homepage. You can also use subcategories, but do not overwhelm your audience. Use your links in the index so that people can find the section that they want to move to with relative ease.

How To Make Money With Zazzle

Making money with Zazzle is like any other online venture, it takes time and effort and a whole lot of patience, Zazzle is a very good business model for artists, designers and photographers of all types, if you can create it and size your drawings up to fit onto many gifts and products that Zazzle has in stock, then you can make money from this site.

Of course by simply being a good marketer you don't necessarily have to be any good at designing as you could just promote others products as an affiliate marketer as Zazzle has it's own in house affiliate program which you could earn up to 15% on each sale which is very good.

Zazzle has become the market leader for print on demand products with it's range of gift items and seasonal product range of calendars, cards and party invitations. I personally like the way you can knock out a single product in under 5 minutes if you have the image all correct and you can store all of your artwork images and photos on Zazzle too.

Making money with Zazzle - Creating A Store
By creating a Zazzle account you will be creating a store for all of your zazzle products to be housed and archived and this can be done simply at first, as all you want to be doing is creating new products quite regularly and build up some categories for your store items. Later on you will want to really have a good go at building your Zazzle store into a brand that you control, Zazzle makes it easy for you to customize your Zazzle store on basic and advanced levels, plus there is forum support and advice that will help you to get the best out of your Zazzle Gallery.

Each product that you create, should have a descriptive title, description and good keyword tags, so that your product can be found in the Zazzle marketplace and online in the search engines, although your main Zazzle Home page will have nofollow links in the text of your Zazzle Gallery description, you can still list offsite websites or blogs to promote your designs if you build up enough of a following.

You can create as many Zazzle stores as you like, so long as you have enough different email addresses to sign up and keep track of, this is especially useful if you want to break up your products into their own store as a separate category, for instance if you did a Zazzle store with just Christmas designs, then you may open another Zazzle account to create a Halloween store with Halloween designs on gift items.

When you yourself buy your own products, you actually get the affiliate commission also, which comes in handy if you want to buy some of your own products in bulk to which you get a discount. The main reason why people buy their own products is to sell them at other venues, either on Ebay or to further brand themselves by using some of their own products as offline marketing opportunities which present themselves as brilliant ways of marketing.

Seasonal Zazzle Marketing Ideas
By thinking in a seasonal sense you are cornering certain areas of the yearly markets, Holiday occasions such as Christmas, Halloween, Valentines Day, Thanksgiving and Birthdays. Also by spreading yourself in multiple target audience areas you are securing a viable business by covering your net far and wide across all angles.

But reading between the lines of the obvious Holidays there are other events that require some cool gifts and marketing to make you some money, so think along the lines of Weddings and events were the families gather, times when you know that your product designs can be used or planned to be bought to share in the event together.

Think of all the days in the year and find specific special days that could be targeted towards the right audience, St Patrick's day is one, national no smoking day could be another, keep bouncing around ideas all the time, think up new designs that fit many special days or events and plan them out into a schedule, so that you can map out all of your promotions and time spent on creating or sourcing new designs.

Away from all of the holiday days, you could then target special interests, such as fishing, sports, fantasy art, phrases and sayings, so long as the designs look colourful or they at least seem interesting. Imagine your Zazzle store as a real life brick and mortar store, as time goes on your product inventory grows and grows and so does your reputation as a top quality artist/designer or photographer.

By trying to anticipate what others like and what people are looking for is when you can really start to make money, you can find out a small portion of this information on Zazzle itself, as it lists the Top Products and Bestselling Products and also the Hot Searches, this is useful as you can start to create new designs that cater to these listed categories, but this does change quite frequently, so it's best to keep note at least 5 times a week of what designs could be worth investing time into creating for your Zazzle shop.

Zazzle Associate Promotions
You can promote any Zazzle product that is in the marketplace, so there is potential to make money from other peoples products, if you are committed enough to do so. Zazzle makes it easy to share and link out to all products, so that you can link and show a product image on your website or blog and even use Twitter to tweet a new product when it gets created or when you find it to promote.
There are a range of tools in your Associates center that will help you create affiliate links....

Zazzle Affiliate Promotion Tools

Store link
This is the basic linking tool that you can use to link to any Zazzle store that is active on Zazzle, so long as you know the correct store name, so check the spelling. Store names can be found below each product, so link to stores that are relevant to yours.

Product links
When signed into Zazzle you can click the Link link under each product and this will bring up a page to copy and paste some code to show the image on sites that accept html code and also you can bring up the link that will feature your special affiliate id code within it, so that when you link to any product and someone clicks through and buys, you get a percentage of the sale.

Zazzle Banners
Zazzle has some ready made promotional banners which you can use to promote Zazzle and earn from when someone buys through your own coded links, which is nice, but do use them sparingly,as people want to get more involved with your blog or website and will more than likely click an in text link more than a banner link, but never rule out a well placed banner though.

By clicking on each banner you will be presented with different size banners, so click the one you want and copy and paste the code on your site. Making sure you have your special 18 digit affiliate id in the code, you'll find this within your associates center.

Flash Panels and Blog Panels
These are like little windows that feature your products that rotate slowly through your current product ranges, you can place these anywhere that accepts this type of code, usually blogs or websites and they are a good promotional tool if your site gets a lot of traffic.

Merch Store At Facebook
You can link your Zazzle store to your Facebook account and feature your products there, again this is better when you have a network of interested people that like your products and either they may spread the word about your Zazzle products or they buy themselves.

Making Money Online - How to spot a Scam

The credit crunch has done wonders for online scammers they must feel like all their Christmases have come at once. There's not a person I know who wouldn’t jump at the chance to earn more money, we all have something that we want or need or have some emergency repair that we can’t afford. Those who have lost their jobs and face losing everything are the most vulnerable - what they need is an income, not a waste of time effort and money on a scam that will ultimately add to their despair.

EXPOSED: London Mum Makes £5,000/Month From Home And You Won’t Believe How she Does It!
Each time I see one of these adverts promising that you can earn £5K per week/month with just 18 hours a week work on the internet it makes my blood boil. I have been a HubPages member for a little over two years now and in the last few months I have increased my written output. I am slowly learning about back linking and promoting my articles online but my current earnings total is still less than $10. I don’t ever expect Hubbing to be lucrative enough for it to replace my full time income, but I enjoy writing and it would be lovely to earn a little pocket money.

Vulnerable desperate people are the target and they are being scammed left right and centre. I’m not stupid but I’ve nearly fallen for it during a time of desperation and unemployment, thank god I did some checking on the company promising me this easy solution to all my troubles and found it to be a scam. Sadly some people believe their eyes when reading web pages - but remember these people are pro's, they know how to hook you and it’s easy to make a website look genuine, reliable and professional.

Online Career Journal and it's many other subsites

An example of a scam website is careerjournalonline.com, it’s a website set out like an online news service or editorial page, there are plenty of recognisable institutions named “BBC, Sky News, Telegraph, FT.com” these recognisable and reliable names instantly add kudos to the site, it must be real if these reliable worldwide institutions have advocated it, it gives you peace of mind. At first glance the site looks genuine, it’s laid out as it should be but then you look closer, some of the text and images are pixelated, try clicking on any of the page banners at the top or any image, in fact any part of the site – you aren't redirected to the page you expect but rather to straight to Online Career Package.

The site owners rely on the potential customer being desperate, lazy or greedy and looking for a quick fix solution. They bank on that customer not checking around the rest of the page or running a Google search on the company name. As of April 2012 the site can no longer be found, but I have no doubt that something similar, with a different name but the same format, and probably by the same scammers will pop up soon.

Something for Nothing?

There are many online scams and the trick is always being able to spot them before you get sucked in. If it looks to good to be true it probably is, do your research. You cannot expect something for nothing, you have to work hard to fulfil your dreams and potential and no eBook or website is going to have the magic wisdom to hand you that success on a plate.

YOU CAN MAKE MONEY ONLINE WORKING FROM THE COMFORT OF YOUR HOME
Well yes, technically you can. I write on HubPages and my (nearly) $10 is technically an income (woo hoo break open the bottle of Champagne). I am earning money online – just not the thousands that these websites promise. Yes it is possible to have an online business that you run from home and you can be successful, but clicking through these types of websites and paying for information isn’t the way to do it.

Below are the T&C’s from the Career Journal Online Page, I wonder how many people read them. They are of course at the very bottom of the page and in a very small font. Preceding the T&C’s you will find a discussion forum that appears to have been added to in the last couple of days but is now closed so that you cannot comment. Cleverly some of the comments appear to be people asking for advice and some even seem sceptical about the scheme. They are of course reassured by other people who are using the programme that it is worthwhile and money can be made. The T&C’s admit that the Online Career Journal is not affiliated with the companies it claims such as the BBC. It also spells out that revenue is made though ad clicks to the site. It’s a shame that in researching this I have clicked on it an awful lot and they have probably made more today from my clicks that I have made on HubPages in the last two years.

Limited Offer, Time Limits and Expiry Dates

Extra pressure is applied to get you to sign up by way of limited offers, price reductions or limited places available. You will find if you let the closing date go by and check again a couple of days later, the date will have been changed again to allow you just enough time to apply - it's always just about to expire.

Don't be fooled by the promise of fast cash - Oh WOW the next checks go out February 1st? But how could I possibly have made money within a couple of days... good lord this must really work... and your first check can be between $300 and $1500...I'm in!
STOP. They make you feel like you are missing out on the deal of a lifetime, that you have to sign up now or you’ll be making a horrendous mistake.

If you fill in the form you are presented with a 5 minute timer to input your contact details and credit card information to pay $1.95 to 'join'. Anyone who is wary of credit card fraud should run a mile but with the pressure and the low price some people are enticed to sign up there and then. Giving your phone number and email address just opens up a whole other world of spamming for them. If the timer runs out the web page reminds you and asks if you require another 5 minutes - its always there prodding you to sign up.

It's a Load of Old Rubbish!

This is where my experiment/research ends as I am not willing to sign up to something (if indeed you do get anything) and give over my personal and financial details even for the sake of research. I urge anyone who gives these sites more than a one second glance to read the full site and have a click around or a quick Google search before going any further.

The fact that you've clicked through the site to start with means that revenue has been earned by 'them' and if they get you to sign up then ker-ching its quids in for the 'they' who run this site. Do yourself a favour, dont ever be enticed by get rich quick banners on websites, it's a load of old rubbish.

Best Ecommerce Advertising Solutions Sites For Small Business

Starting a new ecommerce website and online business can certainly be a challenge. Trying to figure out where the advertising money will work best, and which types of self promotion are going to give the best returns for the time and energy spent.

Getting a new ecommerce website up and receiving traffic does not have to be as hard as you may think. Yes it will take work, but with a couple of months of website promotion and content writing things should start to come around.

There are so many things to consider but staying on budget is very important. Take advantage of our list of the best programs to help you build an ecommerce site and be successful. Of course, this is coming from the prespective of a broke marketer. Always trying to give the reader a way to get things done inexpensively.

The costs of starting a new online business can add up quickly if you do not have a solid plan for your finances. Use this guide for a jumpstart and save a little money up front.

Ecommerce Websites And Free Templates

Blogger has an easy to use blog platform which can help you get traffic to a main website, or just use this as your online store when you first get started. Blogs are easy to update and change with a few clicks of the mouse.

Vista Print has a very nice selection of templates and will host a new basic site for free. Your business can look professional right from the start using the free website builder. You will also have the option to upgrade at any time. Upgrades can help you with search engine optimization and more.

Wordpress also offers a free blogging platform. These blogs are slightly better optimized for search engines versus Blogger blogs, they also take a little more technical know how to use, but may be worth the time.

Weebly is a very easy site to build a free website. Their slogan is "the easiest, most powerful, and affordable website building experience.

5minutesite Easy to build and very fast. Decide your keywords and choose a template to get started. Have another site that is pointing to your main ecommerce website with the keyword phrase of your choosing.

Mobile Site Galore Use an easy to build mobile website program and maximize your ability to reach new customers with mobile promotion.

Forms Of Advertising Solutions For Ecommerce Sites

Most of the ideas for marketing or advertising an online ecommerce website we provide our free resources or sites that will list your business for very cheap or free. The best forms of advertising a new ecommerce site is free to get the word out. You may choose to use additional methods which will probably be beneficial, but free ways to market your sites will always be the best way to get things started.Use this list to start promoting links to your business website and get free advertising.
Advertising your new business is neccessary to get the word out. There are several free advertising websites you can use to let people know about the services you offer. It really make no difference if you are running a very local business, or are trying to reach a worldwide audience. These sites will help you get in touch with potential customers.

Craigslist
Choose a city to advertise in and the register for a free account to start advertising in your local city or around the world.

Backpage
Get signed up and then advertise in the city of your choice and get links back to your sales page, along with some free traffic.

Uadpost
Get a free account and post unlimited ads in several cities around the world. Post as many advertisements as you like and choose the category that fits best.

Free Advertising Forum
Post advertisements in the correct catoegory and get visitors right away. This sites was built and managed by an online marketer.

Usfreeads
Site has been providing high amounts of traffic to advertisers for over 10 years online. Place your ad and get it live online instantly.

Useful Ecommerce Programs For Small Business

Shopping Cart Software
If you are just getting started online and need shopping cart software then this site may be what you are looking for. Be your own administrator with free hosting and a shopping cart system with a full range of powerful features.

Paypal
Well known secure online site which allows you to make payments over the internet, and accept payments. If you dont already have one then get signed up because it is free and makes working online even easier.

Presta Shop
Claiming over 100,000 sites have been created and started with Presta Shop they boast a great relationship with helping build Google friendly ecommerce sites for members. The first ecommerce project to be granted the open source award.

Sunday, 8 April 2012

Accounting Firms in Singapore Have a Premeditated Location

Singapore was listed as the leading economy in employing workers and trading across borders by The International Finance Corporation's Ease of Doing Business 2010. Thus many years before globalization re-defined trading, Singapore has already demonstrated its business prospective amongst the international business consortia. It has numerous small and large accounting firms, catering to a number of clients.

Accounting firms in Singapore have a premeditated location, impressive and striking infrastructure, complete access to international and domestic transportation, and natural seaport that is known to be one of the largest in the world. All these make Singapore the perfect destination for entrepreneurs.

CPA Firms are required far more than any other business support, and when it comes to contrasting a firm to software, there's no comparison, firms are always superior to the computer, particularly when there are changes that crop up in terms of tax law and information.  CPA Firms help us in many ways.


•    IRS audits are very difficult to deal with. It can lead to swift bankrupting of a business. One cannot deal with it alone as it involves serious risks. Certified Public Accountants firms are best in such situations. They provide help without falling victim to the government.


•    These firms not only help with preparing individual and corporate taxes, they also make sure that one gets the correct deductions. Getting the most deductions is the solution to move forward with any sort of filing. Letting Certified Public Accountants firms to see what they can do to make sure one has spent less and made more, especially when the quarterly and annual taxes are in, would help to save money a lot.


•    The people in Certified Public Accountants firms establish reputation by giving their clients advices and insider tips that most people don’t know, and not just in ways to get more deductions on their tax forms. It is the key to finding out the future of any business. They see what one overlooks which is its best part.


•    Accounting firms in Singapore have a premeditated location, impressive and striking infrastructure, complete access to international and domestic transportation, and natural seaport that is known to be one of the largest in the world.

Singapore was listed as the leading economy in employing workers and trading across borders by The International Finance Corporation's Ease of Doing Business 2010. Thus many years before globalization re-defined trading, Singapore has already demonstrated its business prospective amongst the international business consortia. It has numerous small and large accounting firms, catering to a number of clients.

The Zen of Entrepreneurship

Not long ago I worked for the U.S. Senate, hobnob with the powerful, and full of my own political ambitions. Many who come to Washington DC dreams of grandeur and a positive influence in society. Although I learned many valuable lessons about how the political system, I felt empty inside with my daily work. There was no reason for me to complain, because I had a good job after college, my parents were proud of me, and I had something "significant" to put on my resume. Something was wrong and I realized I was not alone. Many of my closest friends revealed that I had not have the same feelings of emptiness in the workplace and had felt the need to change careers.
What is Generation Y, that stirs the emotions is that they want to solve? Is it the fact that our parents spoiled rotten and we have no work ethic is not it? Maybe it's the education system that never gave us the trials and tribulations of the real world. I do not think any of the above reasons for our inability to resolve in a race. Instead, I blame our overview and optimism helps to have a positive impact on society.
It is safe to say that many of us have different ideas about how to make a positive impact on society, but I think it starts inside. I mean, I'm starting to sound like one of these New Age types, but there is some truth in this movement. We have a large untapped potential, vision and drive to create our own path. I think they are the focus of reflection on the inside, our way is an entrepreneur.
Our generation is one of the companies. We have already seen our first billionaire and Generation Y, which have produced $ 335,626,648 in new start-ups alone, while 2771 - The year 2010 generated sales revenue of 179 entrepreneurs from 30 years and younger Association according to the start of the United States. What does that have to be equated with happiness, though? I can not speak for the masses, but I can speak for myself and say with absolute certainty. "I am much happier as a businessman, as a desk jockey" Why am I happy? Because the production of my own idea and turned it into a reality is a thing of beauty. I am in complete control of my financial destiny, and with any luck, will be successful. I know because I'm part of Generation Y and how many of us, I see a great future for myself and my colleagues.
If you're wondering, this is a rally cry to see my brothers for Generation Y chance of entrepreneurship and, ultimately, this country back to work. It will fail, as I failed, but you learn from your mistakes and persevere to achieve success. Despite the prosperity of our nation is now desolate, I know that the most important ingredient to the economic health of the country is employment growth, and will be there to do? We will.

How to Setup a Company in Dubai

There are many great advantages of Dubai and Dubai company formation, company registration, for businesses that want to develop other lucrative clear boundaries. This represents a one hundred percent growth since 2005. This is the incredible progress and amazing-has come to this area in a relatively short time. Most of this growth is accredited to the massive oil and gas.
But today, regardless of the fact that around 24,000 barrels per day in Dubai, produces oil contributes only six percent of the national economy. The business of tourism has greatly reduced the oil in a big way. The technology also makes a name for himself here, with the world's most expensive hotel built here.
The service industry has been approved in a big way and to this end, the creation of companies in Dubai and Dubai logging companies that support corporate structures, such as free zones and other such incentives have been created. The energy costs are relatively low and are in the upper reaches of the infrastructure of existing communications. Dom Dubai welcomes not only entrepreneurs but also facilitates a smooth operation. This is evident by the quality of services offered to entrepreneurs who want to do business in Dubai.
This land is part of the United Arab Emirates (U.AE) located in the Middle East. Although the combination of several ways, still have its own tax laws, which vary from one emirate to another. The law is clear that for the formation of the company's Dubai Dubai company registration, tax is charged on every person subject to charges. People representing companies charged or who are permanently in the UAE established companies, the withholding tax, VAT, capital gains tax and income tax are not imposed for doing business in the Emirates. However, companies in the petrochemical, oil and gas taxable.
Before the foundation of Dubai and the Dubai company registration, you need a business license. There is also a four percent duty payable. Building materials, food, medicines and products for the zone are excluded.
However, if the products are a luxury, it is a liability for tax of ten percent. Cigarettes and alcohol to attract tax of one hundred percent and 50 percent.
Any company interested in training in Dubai Dubai company and record companies to have access to double taxation agreements with about 50 different countries including South Korea, India, Germany, France and China. The tourism business is booming beyond thinking as a result of massive injections of liquidity experienced in the industry. The glamorous lifestyle is used to promote the tourism industry. There was also the islands that were built, which play a key role in boosting tourism in the country, made by men.
For quality Dubai company formation and registration of companies, which has a broad and reliable infrastructure that is unparalleled in this country was founded. The Dubai Dubai company formation and registration of companies makes it much more attractive. Employers have several options available to them to conduct business efficiently, effectively and for free on the area.

Creating Credibility With Your Clients

In economics, a businessman who has faced all kinds of customers. Working with different types of customers is always a different scope and business opportunities. However, come with some real challenges too. The challenge is to deal with difficult customers and their needs in a timely manner. If you meet your customer needs effectively, this can be a big difference to the success of your business.

But not getting the kind of customers, customer behavior change also, and sometimes it is very possible that he is not the right answer to its customers. Your best customers are those that give the appropriate value of what they offer, the product / service and support that you pay on time and are easily treated. However, customers also can be difficult to part of the business and must be treated well. Because some customers, chances are you may not be the right answer, crime or aggressive behavior. Given these facts, decide whether they will represent untapped assets and opportunities for your business.

It is wrong to say that a difficult customer can be an advantage. When the opportunity to show the credibility of your company, working with them will be a good opportunity for your business. It also allows you to expand your business to new markets, new services or products to try and raise their standard when higher standards that will ultimately make a better society.

Difficult customers may pose some problems and issues that can be taken as a great opportunity, because they make an impact on their recovery skills, strengthening their loyalty, and help them tell their story of customer service. If you show great communication skills in need, actually an advantage for your company and its exceptional customer service is to demonstrate. If a client is in trouble or need advice that always expects a response from the provider of care and service experts who analyze your situation and a reasonable solution.

On the other hand, the customer can be difficult for our own creation, in a certain sense. Sometimes when we are doing in the process that we, and the expectations created in the process of handling a customer is missing, you can return later to haunt us. Once we acquired the customers are required to provide the best services. It is therefore important to manage expectations, always prove our worth, and show our thanks and appreciation for our customers.

If you are skilled enough to handle even difficult customers and to build credibility with customers who can certainly help in improving your business processes. If you can successfully manage personal conflicts, unrealistic work practices, issues related to payment and enforce, in fact, they are sure to attract long-term benefits. If one of your customers do not want to, not a bad idea to suggest, that employ the appropriate client service. Undoubtedly help you get out of the relationship on good terms.

Why Franchise Businesses became Popular

What is the most popular franchise in the Philippines? Franchise companies today are far from what it was in the past. According to many experts, most franchise companies in the past, large companies, such as fast food restaurants, convenience stores, shops, supermarkets, bakeries, and many more. Most popular franchises today, however, are composed of small businesses such as food companies and food-cart-stable.
The reason was popular franchises in the Philippines is the Philippines because of new franchise that many today, the need for easily, without the kind of requirements that large franchise companies and the amount of franchise fees can be acquired.
Lower costs of expensive franchiseOne of the reasons why franchises became popular, according to many experts, is due to its relatively cheap compared to the franchise fees to the cost of the largest franchises, like a fast food restaurant.
According to many experts, the cost may be a single convenience store franchise more than 1 million pesos. And that's just the brand and its own equipment, construction costs and the costs of its location, the franchisee is money that can be more than a million.
This is the reason why most Filipinos were able to exploit the potential of owning a franchise business Filipinos were rich. This was also the reason why the franchises were not as popular as it is today.
The popular franchise companies today are small businesses, such as food carts and food stand business. Part of the reason these types of franchise businesses in the Philippines has been very popular because of its size is smaller. Smaller, less expensive franchise costs, and according to many economists, the cost can go for a single food or food-cart-shed as low as 20,000 Philippine pesos.
Moreover, the place that does not require such franchise companies as large and that this is not the case usually does not include construction costs, so these types of companies for the popular middle-class society.

Easier to manageAnother reason why small business franchises, such as food purchases and business food stall is very popular because it usually is not necessary to its franchisees have gained experience in a managerial or a degree in management business.