Many service business owners these days are "giving away" their business services - and then wonder why people aren't hiring them in droves. In the name of "marketing," business owners are providing way too much information for free. Some shifts in thinking are necessary if these business owners expect to be in business years from now. Even trained coaches, I believe, do too much pro-bono work. Why? They say that they need to practice, but the...more
1. Choose opportunities more wisely and waste less time because I have my plan in place (P 6)2. A single page can contain all the elements you need to tell your employees, board of directors, potential partners or banker where you are taking your business and how you are going to get there. (P 17)3. The most important reason to have a business plan is to clarify your thinking, regardless of the size of your company (P 18)4. It facilitates...more
It's a given, isn't it? If you're in business, your number one job is to market. If you keep your business a secret - don't let people know how you can help make their lives better and what you do, you won't be successful - because no one will know that you're in business. How well you network, which is the "letting people know how you can help them" part, may well determine whether you succeed - or fail.There are four main types of organizations where networking opportunities for business owners exist. There are 1) business networking groups, 2) service-oriented groups (Rotary, Elks, Soroptimist, for example), 3) our local Chambers of Commerce, and 4) business-specific groups (realtors-only, coaches-only, etc.)Which one is best for you? Well, in all of the groups, you are connecting with other business owners, getting to know them personally and professionally, building trust, and forging new relationships that can potentially bring you business. However, with business networking groups, the main focus, the primary objective, is to boost each member's business. And isn't that a great objective?Business networking groups are "exclusive," meaning that only one member in each...more
Ten Rights: For Owners of Service Businesses 1. You have the right to price your business services right!2. You have the right to raise your prices at any time.3. You have the right to say no to those who only want to "pick your brain."4. You have the right to set boundaries that are in line with your integrity!5. You have the right to terminate...more
For years Michelle Murphy had the dream of owning her own business and being her own boss. Not everyone can afford to jump into entrepreneurship with both feet. There are so many options to consider, such as medical benefits and food for the children. It may seem trivial but those little guys do like to eat.Early 2004 a situation presented itself...more
Success is about making fewer mistakes - why you should read this Guide?Whilst failure is one of the best ways we can learn, learning from others' experience is far less painful - and that's essentially the point of this guide! Learning from others makes achieving your own goal quicker and easier, plus lets face it, making unnecessary mistakes is just plain dumb!Spend just 2 hours digesting the information in this guide and you could save years of trial and error. Which route do you think will put your e-commerce venture into profit fastest? Whether you are thinking of starting a new Internet business, or you already run your own business and are interested in developing a website or perhaps an e-commerce operationAbout the authorOliver Phillips runs the web development company eantics Ltd (http://www.eantics.co.uk/) and as a qualified Accountant, has also built intranet financial systems for an FTSE quoted UK PLC. His e-commerce operations have twice reached the finals of the UK DTI sponsored e-commerce Awards, and eantics has just launched the french property website, PFS France...more
The current home buying frenzy has resulted in rapid escalation of home values during the last several years. Certain areas of the country have seen values climb by 100% or more during the last four years. Many first time home buyers have sat on...more
A new idea is merely the combination of two or more old ideas. The creation of a new idea is the critical first step in establishing any business. People who dream of setting up their own business but don't succeed, generally fall into one of three...more
Over the last few years, most investors who have tried 'buy to let' (buying additional properties in order to rent them out) have profited spectacularly as the property market in most of the world boomed like never before. Historically unprecedented...more
Microsoft has always been known for two things - outstanding products and even more outstanding product support. Microsoft Business Solutions (MBS) continues the tradition by providing excellent customer support for partners and customers...more
Even a well-planned teleconference can go poorly. Some people treat any meeting as a casual social activity instead of as a serious business project. And a teleconference brings special challenges because people attend them in the privacy of their...more
Teleconferences can be a boon or a bust. On the positive side, they allow people at different locations to attend meetings without having to travel. On the negative side, they can degenerate into frustrating struggles with uncontrolled babble. This...more