Upper Saddle River, N.J. - December 2004 - Compensation Resources, Inc. has released the results of its 2004 Year-End Compensation Survey. The purpose of this study was to obtain compensation data used for trending and planning purposes at companies of all sizes and shapes. Data was compiled from survey questions that were developed by CRI and distributed to companies in over 14 industrial classifications, in addition to Not-for-Profit...more
Why real estate, or why property, some people ask when looking for an investment. Well, as far as I am concerned, real estate/property investment is, and always has been, the most powerful type of investment for building wealth. It has been said that over 90% of the world's millionaires got there by owning property. The reason property is such a powerful way to build wealth is due to one key concept: leverage.Once I realised this, I...more
Happy NEW YEAR!!!!! I hope you rang in the New Year with your loved ones and I pray that you had a wonderful time doing it. As the New Year approaches, how do you plan to take your business to new heights? Will you cut out unproductive products, services, and marketing tactics? Will you finally have set hours? Will you advertise more and where? Will you hire extra help so you can concentrate on more important tasks? What ever your goals are, make sure you take a week (maybe even a month) to contemplate the direction of your new business, do a little research, determine where you've been and where you want to go, and then actually write down a new business plan. If you haven't already done so, it's also a good time to carve out a brand for your business. What does your business promise its customers? What one thing can your customers be sure to receive when they come to your business? What makes your business stand out from your competitors? What do you offer that is different and/or unique? How can you capitalize on that? Once you've determined your brand, it's time to revamp your marketing materials to convey your brand. After all, your brand is your...more
It's early January as I sit down to research and write this newsletter. I launch my web browser, surf over to MSN.com, surprised to find the feature article displaying a picture of Santa Claus with the caption "It's not too late to have your presents arrive on time." Somebody's been procrastinating - either Bill Gates or me (maybe I...more
What does it mean to refinance? Why would someone want to refinance? There are many cases when a person would refinance. When we use the term refinance, we are typically referring to a loan such as a car or house loan. It may also be a business loan. For the purpose of this article, we are going to discuss the home loan but most of the same rules...more
It's the time of year when calendars crowd out the books and magazines in bookstores and are even on sale at reduced prices. But there's a special kind of calendar that all good public relations professionals use - the editorial calendar. According to Shannon Cherry, using editorial calendars is one of the most effective, yet most overlooked tool in a publicist's toolkit. "Most people avoid using editorial calendars because it takes some time to research and compile," she says. "The top PR professionals do this every year and I've personally found that outcomes are well worth the time - especially when you end up getting featured in a key article in a major publication." Cherry is the president of Cherry Communications (http://www.cherrycommunications.com), a public relations and marketing firm which helps small businesses, consultants and entrepreneurs to be heard. Except for the year and the names of the months, these calendars bear little resemblance to the glossy hang-up calendars in the stores. No swimsuit-clad models, lush scenery, puppies, kittens or cartoons of Dilbert. Editorial calendars are usually bare-bones lists of upcoming issue topics and major...more
Ok, you say, I know I need a budget, but how do I prepare one? The most common budget period is one year, but this can vary depending on whether or not your business has seasonal or cyclical fluctuations. For example if you run a Christmas...more
For those of you who were not psychology majors the "psyche" is someone's mind. What motivates them. What are they thinking. How can you better understand them. All of which is important to those of us in lease purchasing. In fact, it is...more
Got a huge need for publicity and a tiny publicity budget? You don't need to have a Madison Avenue-sized advertising budget to make your name known. Here are five ideas to help you promote your company:1. Write a column. Go to a local paper, no...more
Are you ever frustrated or hesitant when you talk to prospective customers because you can't readily explain why they should come to you rather than go to your competitors? Sure, you might have your 30-second elevator speech, but then they ask...more
What is a portfolio and do I really need one? A portfolio is simply a group of investments held by an investor. It's a very carefully chosen selection of businesses and generally, yes; it's a good idea to have one. Let look at it this way....more
If you don't have much Blackjack experience, it can be daunting stepping up to the tables for a game. You can, however, hide the fact of your inexperience very simply by remembering these straightforward rules. (Note - the rules of BlackJack...more