Though it may sound a little bit "cloak and dagger," corporate spying is a huge, billion dollar problem that presents a certain amount of danger for almost any size business. There are many ways to keep your strategic and competitive information secure, but no option is better than on site document shredding. You may be asking yourself what documents need to be shredded in order to best protect yourself, and you might be surprised at the ways...more
Interested in using postcrard marketing but dont have an idea where to start? Here are a few ideas thatll help you get those creative juices going. Grand Opening/Open Houses:Grand Opening postcards or open house postcards are a great way to drive traffic to your local business. If your customers happen to be any resident in your local areaSaturation direct mail campaigns are a great way to deliver your marketing message to everyone in your...more
Again the Fed raised interest rates. And if you haven't felt the noose tightening yet, you certaininly will now. With rates continuing their gentle climb and the refinance market now nothing but tumbleweeds, you MUST TAKE IMMEDIATE STEPS NOW if you want to survive in this industry.Here are 10 immediate action steps you can take now. And, I emphasize the word "ACTION":1. Give yourself an instant raise. Find a mortgage company that pays a small salary plus commission, or one that has a very high commission structure like many net branch companies do. Again, my recommendations are: Allied Mortgage, Carteret Mortgage, and 1st Metropolitan. They were my top three picks from my past article on mortgage net branching. They pay upwards of 70% or more and even if you only do a few loans a month, you can still make out pretty well. Ask yourself, how much you are earning now?2. Stop loan fallout. Review all of your current loan procedures and notice at what stage the majority of loans are killed at. Is it during the sales pre-qual phase? Is it during processing? Is it at the closing table? Wherever your loans fallout is where you should focus and scrutinize your efforts. (If you...more
An ideal lawyer won't just have a string of impressive credentials or gold lettering on his door. He or she'll be caring, concerned, and devoted to their work. You ought to think carefully before laying your trust in a lawyer when all said and done in some cases your life, future, money or property will be in his hands.Other than doing encompassing...more
Have you ever tried to launch a performance improvement plan, but didnt have enough support from executive management? Chances are the initiative lacked focus, direction, and ultimately was unsuccessful. This is because executive management plays the biggest role in keeping leaders within the organization focused on whats importantand thats...more
Conscious Business or Capitalism is about balancing the 3 "Ps" - people (your team, investors, vendors and customers), profit, and the planet, whether your focus is evolutionary, economic or environmental.The Conscious Capitalism Institute (CCI) has found that businesses that adopt this model outperform the S&P 500 long term. Any business can operate this way. Weve been using it for years to train micro-businesses (those earning under $1 million per year) to embrace business holistically through our BrandU Business Profit System curriculum.Here are 10 ways you can improve your business, community and the planet:1.Focus on the triple bottom line. Instead of reaching for profits only, think people, profits and the planet in all your business practices. For instance, define a higher purpose for your company...as just one example, you could show a commitment to green, environmentally sustainable practices and communicate this to your staff and customers. People will see you are in business not only to make payroll, but also to make a difference.2.Look to your own passions and anchor them to your business and your brand. When your business and your passion are aligned, you can parlay...more
1. Close the door on ill-fitting clothes and get help to reduce debtDont buy clothes which you hope will fit you when you lose weight, but in reality will stay hanging in the wardrobe for years. You can get help to reduce debt from debt solutions...more
Many startup 'from-home' businesses utilize Microsoft Excel to keep track of their expenses and invoices, but that's just barely scratching the surface of what the powerful spreadsheet can do for you. If you're looking into running a janitorial...more
When you run a business from home, you need all of the tools at your disposal to make keeping track of the details easier -- but some tools, like Microsoft Excel, can take a startling array of forms. A collections business can utilize Microsoft...more
Author: Chris HaycoxWith high-tech, it's nearly as hard to look back a year and figure out what went on as it is to look forward and make predictions. In both directions there is a lot of haze – variously called hype, vaporware, PR and lying with...more
Social networks started out as personal and fun but quickly caught the attention of businesses looking for new avenues of promotion and sales. Creative social media marketing will help you achieve some top business goals, including:- Generating Web...more
Starting a small business is easy. Making it successful is not. Small businesses have about a 50/50 chance of being around in 5 years. But after reading this article your chances will probably improve to about 90/10 in favor of long term existence....more