Last month I was invited to participate in a charity golf tournament in Las Vegas to celebrate the life of the late dancing legend Gregory Hines. The event was held to raise funds and awareness of the tragic disease that took this entertainer's life. Although we were focusing on this serious matter, it was a true pleasure to meet all the celebrities and people whom I would not normally have the opportunity to meet while living here in San Diego....more
It's Friday night, you're sitting at a restaurant, and as your meal arrives, the server says, "Now, don't touch that plate. It's hot." What's the first thing you do?Well, 99% of the time you're going to touch that plate, right?I call it the 99% rule. It's closer to 100%, but I give myself a little "out" for those who wish to find a loophole in it.After years of studying human behavior, I've come up with a few of these 99% rules that I wish to...more
Staying ahead of the marketing curve seems to be a never-ending quest. Marketing doesn't have to be as complex as some people make it out to be. It's simply a matter of understanding who you are marketing to - your ideal customers - and then coming up with a system that keeps your name in front of them. A huge part of the system is creating enough value for your customers that they want to hear from you. Another aspect of marketing is knowing how to continually reach and increase your market in the most cost effective manner possible. One way to increase reach and do so cost effectively is to find other businesses who share a similar market. These can be complimentary businesses and even competitors. What better way to get your foot in the door of a new market than with the endorsement that comes from a joint venture?Solo marketing efforts are no longer as effective as they were in the past. True strength lies in utilizing the power of joint ventures. It is probably one of the most compelling marketing strategies you can implement. With so many people competing in any given industry, an appropriate joint venture can stretch your marketing dollars and increase your market reach....more
No matter how great your idea is, if the market isn't ready for it, or if it's already saturated, you just won't profit from it, at least not at the moment. So how do you know if it's just another great idea or a money tree ripe for the picking? How about some basic market research. There are a few ways you can go about this. You can hold a focus...more
The complete article together with preactical excersises and Coaching tips can be found at www.my1stBusiness.com.Getting on the radio can be a great tactical move as part of your overall publicity effort, but you do need to have a story idea or an angle to present on a particular topic. Selling yourself as a guest on a talk show is a great way to...more
Defining a long-term investment in the stock market.For some "long term" would mean holding a stock position over the weekend. For others, it may mean holding a security for at least 1 year for the purpose of declaring a long-term capital gain, thus saving on taxes.The rigid definition of a long-term investment in the stock market would be holding a security for a minimum of 5 years, to as long as 30 years. I'm going to tell you my definition of a long-term investment in a security by telling you a story. A true story! My Mother worked as a teller in a small bank in Dover, New Jersey. The name of the bank was called The Dover Community Bank. While working at the bank (she eventually became a branch manager) she enrolled in the bank's dividend reinvestment plan, making purchases of the stock through pay-roll deductions from her paycheck. She continued purchasing the stock through the years, having the dividends from her shares in the bank reinvested into more shares every quarter. By the time she left the bank (in the early seventies) she had accumulated around 300 shares of The Dover Community Bank. My Father, when he retired, had the dividends from those shares sent home - to...more
Leaving school, getting a new job, or even a raise at your current one, has most people considering their next great purchase. Few think about the affect this could have on their future. Rather than pay down the debt they carry, many...more
You know the game, don't you? Someone invites you to help them solve a big problem and every great suggestion you make is met with, "Yeah, but that won't work becauseĀ ." Frustrated and defeated, you finally give up. Next time someone tells you about...more
Credit Card Management Services, Inc. is a fully licensed 501(c)(3), non-profit, credit counseling agency whose mission is to provide compassionate, professional debt management counseling and education in an ethical manner with efficient, timely and...more
Home equity loans and home equity lines of credit continue to grow in popularity. According to the Consumer Bankers Association, during 2003 combined home equity line and loan portfolios grew 29%, following a torrid 31% growth rate in 2002. With so...more
As we near the end of summer, here is a question I have for you, "Are you using the right form of energy to grow your business?" Are you having trouble growing your small business as fast as you want? Are you making all the right moves and still...more
To survive in business, you've got to focus your attention on the areas that will guarantee you success. Your clients are your greatest asset. Taking the time to educate them and connect with them will pay big dividends over the long haul. There are...more