Franchising has become one of the most important and effective business growth strategies in the past quarter century. Although franchise system development dates back centuries to the times when monarchs awarded territories to tax collectors, current franchise business systems date back decades to the Singer Sewing Machine strategy of granting rights to individual business people to sell Singer products in various regions.A Franchise strategy...more
People used to think that they had enough on their benefits with their credit cards. They thought that the rewards they get and the low interest they have is already enough to last a lifetime.However, there are instances when they get to have the chance of seeing promotions like 0% APR. Now, this is really something. But the question is, is it true? Is there a great probability that credit card companies can actually offer a 0% APR?For most...more
Do you sometimes wonder where your customers have gone? In a study by the International Customer Research Institute, individuals gave the following reasons for becoming "non-repeat" customers:* 1 percent died (makes you wonder how they responded)* 3 percent moved* 5 percent said friendships* 9 percent said competition* 14 percent were dissatisfied with the product* 68 percent cited an attitude of indifference by employeesHow many times do you think that employee attitude is communicated by phone? Very often the telephone is the first and only contact that people have with your organization. Make sure that this experience is the best you and your employees have to offer so that first-time callers become repeat customers.Smile when you answer the phone. Even if your hair is on fire or the last caller chewed you out, pause for a moment to put a smile on your face and in your voice. Believe it or not, people can hear you smiling through the phone.Answer the phone on the first ring, certainly no later than the third ring. If people have to wait through rings four and five, they begin to think that you have closed for the day, gone out of business or just don't care. We live in a world...more
Using sample business plans and their structure, along with studying as many business plan examples as you can, will provide you with the necessary framework to consider your business from every possible angle.Starting or running your business without a business plan is akin to being a human without a skeleton!Not only will using a sample structure...more
In the consumer marketplace, people may pay extra for a designer label, a recognized brand or products with celebrity endorsements. When a business invests in capital equipment, however, all the above becomes meaningless unless the equipment performs, meeting or exceeding expectations. While price, delivery and aesthetics are the usual factors...more
As with everything else these days, the stock market has gone online. If you can shop, pay bills, and do your banking online, why not invest too? Investing online is not as big of an ordeal as some people make it out to be. The key is to know what you want before you start.When opening a new account, investors need to answer the regular questions, such as the type of account they want and how it will be funded. When selecting an account type the kind you choose will depend on whether or not the account is taxable or tax-deferred, and also whether it is for just you or you and someone else.You will also have to decide whether your account will be "cash" or "margin." A cash account means you are only able to place trades for investments with money in your account. A margin account gives you a credit line from your brokerage firm. You can also have a "margin account with options," which means you are purchasing the right to buy and/or sell a stock at a specific price. Options are quite complicated and usually only purchased by traders with experience and large portfolios. After choosing the type of account money must be deposited. The initial deposit can be sent to the firm by check...more
Estimates show that around 90% of consumers use search engines to find websites. When they undertake a search for your company name or brand, your hope is that your own website is high up on the list. However, you do not have control over what...more
Up until the 20th century, buying and selling was simple. Businesses were largely local which allowed for a close relationship between suppliers and consumers. Competition was non-existent and the opinion of consumers was felt to be irrelevant. The...more
Sometimes skimping on things can save you good money. But skimping is not always the wisest business strategy. For example, I could've written this article in the windows program notepad as opposed to Microsoft Word, and saved a good $500 and never...more
Dear Website Owner,The process of selling a website or domain name can be demanding and time-intensive. Yet with some key tips the process can be made much more simpler and effective.The first step you must do is determine the value of your website....more
Earning Season is always volatile to stock prices. Traders jerk in and out depending on the outcome of the report. For example, Texas Instrument (TXN) reported that its third quarter earning of 2005 rising 12% year over year. And yet, TXN fell after...more
So you know what products you want to sell, but how do you pick the right company? By asking questions, but what questions should you ask?Make sure to ask questions like these:How much is the commission (also called discount) some companies start you...more