Anyone who is closely related to an accountant knows that there are not four, but five seasons in a year: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, and 'Tax Season.' During the other seasons, we accumulate leaves, snow, and mosquito bites. During 'Tax Season' we accumulate paper. And more paper. And if you have a small business or investments--even more paper.Whether you hire someone to prepare your taxes or attempt to decipher the forms...more
Time was, in the country, the local "doc" was as likely to get paid with a couple of chickens as a couple of dollars. Doctors these days won't stand for that, of course, but while some people have moved completely away from barter and stayed there, others have embraced it wholeheartedly.Today I worked on a barter deal with a web designer to do search engine optimization on my web site in exchange for some articles. I HATE doing SEO, and I...more
I used to see a chiropractor who handed out a little leaflet entitled "Dr. Hickman's Guide to Success in Business." It was very nice, had his picture on the front and was professionally printed. On the inside it said, "Get a job and go to work every morning." There is a secret to success, believe it or not, and I'm going to tell you what those people who are "successful" do, that people who are "not successful" do not do, either because they're unwilling or because they don't know it would make the difference.Successful people do the things no one likes to do.They do the "grunt work" of marketing and running their businesses. They stuff envelopes. They follow up with prospects. They do the research and find web sites willing to link to them. They do what no one else wants to do, and it pays off.In my business, the things no one like to do include asking, "Would you like to hire me as your coach today?" and finding links to my web site. What are the things no one wants to do in your business? How can you make yourself do those things even though they're "yucky," tedious, boring and obnoxious? What will the results be if you do those things? How will you know...more
As the kids say, how cool is this? You're a business, non-profit or association manager and, finally, you decide to do something positive about the behaviors of those important outside audiences of yours - behaviors that MOST affect your operation. What you're doing, of course, is creating the very external stakeholder behaviors that will...more
If you think, 'it's just an interview for a temp job -- no big deal,' that's where you're mistaken. Some wonderful opportunities, networking connections and careers have resulted from temporary positions. Temporary assignments today run the gamut from receptionist to CEO and beyond. And since an agency is usually the first...more
Question: How to deal with ultra skeptical offline or be it Internet surfers in order to reassure them and get them to happily open up their wallets? I like that "happily open up their wallets"! Your customer should be happy to open his/her wallet. When business is done right, everybody wins and nobody loses. You're happy to make a sale and your customer is happy to be getting a good value for the money. Here're a "small" list of things you can do to remove skepticism. Use testimonials Show a photo of yourself Show a photo of your products Show a photo of your office State your complete address and contact information Use testimonials (Again!) Use flash audio buttons on your website. Do an introduction. Speak their language. (This goes back to understanding of your target market. If you're selling to golfer, there are buzzwords and 'in-speak' that is specific to their game. Use those in your sales letter.) Understand their hot buttons and push them hard. When you hit them on the right spots, a lot of them will simply ignore the skepticism. If you're selling moneymaking staff, see if you can prove your claims by showing bank statements,...more
With graduate debt averaging over £12,000, the ability to spread the cost of further education using a student credit card is obviously attractive. Adding to their appeal is the fact that these cards are relatively easy to obtain. Unlike many...more
As eyes look forward to a new business year, many small business owners and entrepreneurs are hoping that this upcoming year will be the one that catapults them into success. But according to Shannon Cherry, APR, businesses often overlook a key...more
Here is a step by step guide for buyers looking to buy a condo in any area. These are important tactics to make a solid and accurate judgement on the property you're looking to purchase.- When purchasing a condominium make sure that you ask for...more
1. Never discuss your household finances over the phone with the collection department. What you don't know is that you are being qualified and not know it. This is the easiest and fastest way to get a turn down. Request a homeowners assistance...more
In today's hectic business environment, it is vital that we are all on the same page, right? But how do we know if we meet those standards? Business owners and executives can avoid the uncertainty, and that's where ISO 9001 certification...more
When you invest in the stock market for ever-increasing cash dividend income, verses trying to make a buck in the stock market, your mindset will change. There will no longer be a fear of losing money in the stock market. With the right type of...more