An investigation organized by Egg says consumers have greatly underestimated the amount that credit cards are used throughout the United Kingdom, what this means is consumers are spending a lot more than they think. The investigation revealed that when consumers thought they had spent was £236billion was in fact £437 billion, some difference! How come there is such a big difference?Well most of us usually pay for everything with the plastic...more
What would you feel if you hand a black colored and "menu type" business card? Would you cringe in embarrassment? Or would you feel proud that you are handing something these people do not see everyday? Have you thought about the power of what an unusual business card design can do? One of the keys to success in a business is to show your customers and potential customers that you are different and far superior than your competitors. The usual...more
Penny Stocks - Turn Your Pennies Into DollarsWe've all heard about the investor how bragged about his 100% or 1000% return on a stock or about the guy who made it rich by investing in small caps, undiscovered stocks that made it big. In theory, it seems to be too easy. Invest in a couple of penny stocks, then sell them when they move up. Unfortunately, it is too easy. Too easy to lose money unless you know what to look for.First, lets have a look at what types of companies trade on the OTC BB or Pink Sheets. Stocks that no longer trade over $1 on the Nasdaq These include companies that fell from grace (Enron). While it is possible that they may see better days in the future, the odds are stacked against them. Its usually best to avoid trading these stocks. If you feel that the temptation is too much, wait until the stock begins to rebound. If you try catching a falling knife, you will get hurt.New Start UpsEvery year there are hundreds if not thousands of companies who decided to go public. Whether they need the money to expand their business, or are looking to cash out their equity, its a natural progression for a company with a compelling story, and a great track record to go...more
Getting your initial qualified prospects to make a sale tois often called front end marketing. When we run marketingwith the expectation of immediate responses by the consumerto whatever message you put out there, whether it's YellowPages, newspaper ads or direct mail, this is called directresponse marketing.Before seeking out prospects, having a...more
When looking for a personal loan, borrowers normally have two options to choose from - unsecured personal loans or secured personal loans. Unsecured loans are loans where the borrower does not have to officially put down any collateral against the loan. They are open to both homeowners and tenants, although some providers of unsecured loans prefer...more
Our 'socially accepted' working life in the Western World presently stands at around 50 years. We generally have the ability to seek work at a little before the age of 15 and are expected to graciously retire at around 65 years.So tell me, how much of your '50 year allocation' have you spent building your own business so far? How many years have you spent building someone else's? And most importantly, what are actually willing to do with the time you have left?Your Business AdvisorsSo who do you think might be the best person to advise you on how to best use what's left of your working life? Should you speak to your accountant, lawyer, financial planner or coach first?I'd suggest that there are two people that you should consult before you speak to anyone else. Those two people are(i) the 15 year you, (ii) the 65 year old youThe 15 year old you.Can you remember the kid you were when you were 15 years of age? What sort of attitude did you have? What kind of beliefs did you have about the world around you? What dreams did you hold for how you were going to spend your future career?What if you asked the 15 year old you whether or not now was a good time to set up your business? ...more
The food service industry is usually a fast paced and often precarious one. Advertising is critical in a restaurant and there are many ways to use a button maker machine in this industry. When the advertising budget is tight, a button-making machine...more
Taxes on wealth or simply wealth tax is the tax levied on the value of wealth owned by a person. As the term 'wealth' carries with it a broader meaning, generally capital transfer taxes (which include inheritance tax and gift tax), property tax, and...more
An example of creative real estate investment? When I was young, I had a job that paid $3.40 an hour, and I somehow saved enough to buy my first piece of real estate - 2 acres near where I lived. It cost $3,500.I spent a few hours removing brush,...more
When two or more people agree to form a partnership which will mutually benefit each of them they are entering into a Joint Venture (JV for short). Many online entrepreneurs are recognizing the value of combining forces with others online to create a...more
The keyword in this phrase gives us a hint - "competitive". The competitive marketing analysis is an in-depth study of your business's competition and the markets available to you in order to ensure your advertising and public relations budget...more
The following is the most comprehensive ever explanation to the most mysterious phenomenon of Capitalism - the Business Cycles. In order to ensure that the article can be read by any well educated reader, I have minimized the economics jargon and...more