Sharpen Your Marketing Skills with Four Tips from the Bowling Alley

Sharpen Your Marketing Skills with Four Tips from the Bowling Alley
So there I was, with a bowling ball in my hands for the
first time in twenty years, watching the 12-year-old in the
next lane throw one strike after another. I scored an
embarrassing 13 in the first game.

My brain was at odds with my body in even the simple
question of which foot would start the stride. Game two,
frame two, I threw a strike, then two exquisitely arching
gutter balls. That's when it occurred to me that marketing
a business and bowling share four basic rules.

1. Stay in Your Lane. If you want to score, the first
objective is a focused aim that sends your ball into the
heart of the pins. Marketing "lanes" - the boundaries that
define our target markets - aren't as clearly defined as a
bowling alley, but the concept is the same. Focus on the
heart of your client base, and design your marketing
message to hit your prospect's most intense desire.

2. Find and Perfect Your Own Stance. My bowling partner
towers over me by six inches. He told me to stand behind
the dots, take four strides, and aim the ball down the
middle of the lane. That process worked for him, but not
for me. If I stood a bit closer to the line, took three
strides, and aimed for the right edge of the lane to adjust
for a wicked left hook, my numbers were better. There is no
one-size-fits-all process for marketing, either. You have
to be willing to design, test, and fine-tune your process
until you find the approach that brings results.

3. Gain from the Gutters. Even the pros experience a
momentary loss of focus, or that slight twist of the wrist
that spins a ball into the gutter. What makes them pros is
their ability to register the error and make immediate
adjustments. In 2002, one of the world's largest auto
companies ran two ads that alluded to "adult activities" in
the back seat. Public backlash was intense, and the ads
were swiftly pulled. As much as we want to avoid gutter
balls in our marketing and advertising, they do happen.
Smart marketers wipe the beer-foam from their faces, adjust
their stance, and focus on throwing the next ball straight.

4. Build a Great Team. The 12-year-old whiz kid in the
next lane said a lighter ball would improve my game. She
was right. In the third game, I scored 74 - a 175.6 percent
increase over game one, if my calculator is correct. I've
joined the "Bad Bowlers Club" at the local lanes because I
am unable to see my form and delivery at all, much less
objectively. As advertising guru R. H. Williams says, "It's
hard to read the label when you're inside the bottle."
Business owners have the same issue in marketing.They're on
the inside looking out, full of product knowledge and often
answering questions one one is asking. Investing in the
objective perspective of those experienced in the field
brings stronger results.

Parting Thoughts: Whether you're aiming for the ten-pin or
the ten-million dollar sale, success is the result of
focus, practice and patience. With the right attitude and
approach, marketing can become a sport you love, and one
that brings you higher rewards than ten perfect frames at
the lanes.

----------------------------------------------------
Linda C. Anger is President and Principal Writer/Designer
of The Write Concept, Inc., located in SE Michigan. Her
mantra in life and business is: "Those who say a thing
cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it."
http://www.thewriteconcept.com

Is Your Home-Based Business Reaching its Full Potential?

Is Your Home-Based Business Reaching its Full Potential?
Owning your own business can be extremely rewarding. The
satisfaction of knowing that all of your long hours and
hard work are directly benefiting you and not nameless,
faceless executives is priceless. But, is your business
everything that you thought it would be?

If you are among the many millions of people who own a
home-based business, you like so many others likely started
by following a dream. When you began your business what
was your vision? Was it finding independence from bosses,
having the potential for unlimited income, or was it simply
to be able to spend more time with your family. Whatever
your goals were, have you managed to achieve them? Do you
wake up each morning with the knowledge that you are doing
something that you enjoy, and by extension, something at
which you excel?

If not, you should ask yourself a few important questions.
What are your priorities for your business? What are the
tasks that you enjoy most? What are the duties that bring
the greatest revenue to your business? Now think about the
answers to these questions. What if you could take some of
the other duties, the ones you find most tedious, off of
your plate? Imagine being able to use the time saved to
concentrate on those aspects of your business that generate
the most profit, or that you enjoy the most.

Until recently, it was not economically feasible for most
home-based business owners to delegate many of these
undesirable tasks to additional employees. But, with the
internet-based technology that is available today, it's no
longer necessary to hire staff. There are many duties that
can be outsourced to provide extra time that can be used on
these more desirable obligations. For example:

• Financial matters can be tended to by an Accountant or a
Bookkeeper.
• Website design and maintenance can be handled by a Web
Designer.
• Administrative duties can be looked after by a Virtual
Assistant.
• Search engine optimization can be taken care of by an
Internet Marketer.

And, there are many other options available to you. Doing
an internet search for the task(s) you would like
outsourced should provide you with a large selection of
companies or individuals to whom you can outsource. The
cost for these services doesn't have to be astronomical.
You can contract work per project, per hour, or for more
regular assistance, on a monthly basis. Outsourcing some
of the activities you enjoy least, might actually allow you
to increase your income. It is estimated that the average
small business owner spends up to 3 hours of every 8 hour
work day on administrative tasks. How much more money
could you make if you could spend this time on profit
earning tasks? How much more would you enjoy your work if
you didn't have to perform the duties you dislike?

There are very few tasks that can't be outsourced. This is
not to say that you should go out and hire an Accountant, a
Bookkeeper, a Virtual Assistant and a Website Designer.
But, if you find you are spending too much time on
bookkeeping and you can't stand it, find the right person
and contract work to them. If you know you should be
article marketing, but you can't stand writing, hire a
professional Writer or a Virtual Assistant.

Evaluate what you love about your business and what tasks
earn you the most profit and focus on these. Outsource as
little or as much as you see fit. It could be the approach
you have been looking for to have your business reach its
true potential. Don't let the fact that you don't have the
resources to hire staff impede your business' growth. In
this technological age, virtual contracting is becoming
quite common. By getting the right help, your business can
be the dream you envisioned when you started it.

----------------------------------------------------
Kelly Sims is a Virtual Assistant and President of
Virtually There VA Services. To find out more about
virtual assistance and how using a Virtual Assistant can
simplify your life, visit her website at =>
http://www.virtuallythereva.com . While you're there,
don't forget to sign up for her free monthly newsletter
providing useful information that enhances and simplifies
the lives of busy entrepreneurs.

Caliber P-3600 Touch Screen GPS and MP3 Player

Caliber P-3600 Touch Screen GPS and MP3 Player
The Caliber P-3600 GPS Navigation system is precisely
calibrated. It is an easy to use GPS navigation unit. The
caliber P-3600 GPS navigation system comes with a 3.5 inch
wide screen color LCD touch screen. And it has a clear
audio guidance so you will not have to be looking at the
GPS while you are driving. You do not want to get your eyes
of the road and you know for sure where you are going even
without a GPS navigation system. And it includes a secure
digital card slot.

This Caliber P-3600 GPS navigation system gives good voice
directions and it gives audible alerts as approaching
turns. And if you missed an instruction because someone was
talking to you, you can touch an icon in the screen and it
will repeat itself the last instructions. The on-screen
route indicator gives you an idea of what is ahead. This
way you can take advantage of the winding roads that you
will drive through and the Caliber P-3600 GPS navigation
system will help you be more cautious in driving.

You can set your route for the shortest and the fastest way
to your destination. You can just touch your screen and it
will automatically zoom in that area. The Caliber P-3600
GPS navigation system automatically adjusts for day and
night use. It helps you cut down on or adjust on sunglare
and other lighting changes. And when you have made a wrong
turn the GPS unit recalculates and gets you back on track.

This portable gadget GPS navigator helps you get to your
destination quickly and easily. It is pre-loaded with
highly detailed up to date NAVTEQ street level data for the
United States and Canada. Waas-enabled, SIRF-GPS antenna
that helps you find your way to any address. And it
includes multimedia functions for playing movies, MP3's and
viewing pictures for your own pleasure. And it can give you
access to 40 categories including restaurants, ATM's, gas
stations, hotels, airports, and shopping centers. You have
nothing to lose when you have Caliber P-3600 GPS navigation
system.

Convenient and versatile is the right words to describe
this little toy with great features. It also gives you the
multitude of personalization options so you can find
information when and how you need it. The touch screen
makes keying destination easy and quick. The easy to use
menu control system is packed with a Smart speller keyboard
which can take you to the nearest or closest match as you
type your destination. It also has a trail mode option
which lets you track down landmarks and waypoints so you
can always find your way back. And when your battery is low
you can use the cigarette lighter cord and you will no
longer have problems regarding with power.

The SD card has no limit in the capacity you insert and it
has a headphone jack as well. And you can also update it on
the Caliber website. So what more can you ask for in the
Caliber P-3600 GPS Navigation system.

----------------------------------------------------
Online retailer offering consumer electronics products,
including cellular phones and accessories, personal
computers, and computer components. For a selection of
Bluetooth GPS Navigation systems with integrated Music
Player capabilities, go to the following website to find
out more information
http://www.netfreez.com/catalog/GPS_Navigation-145-1.html

Internet Fax And Your Small Business

Internet Fax And Your Small Business
Operating a small business can be a very worthwhile venture
for any individual seeking financial independence. Mainly
because a small business can be the source of a full or
part time income for any entrepreneurial person who desires
to put in the work and effort to make it prosper.

With the advent of the World Wide Web operating any type of
small business has suddenly become available to anyone
wishing to fulfill their dream of financial liberation. The
Internet has opened up a whole realm of possibilities that
never existed before the Information Highway became more
than just a figment of Al Gore's imagination.

However, starting any business (big or small) does take
some initial capital or funds to get started. Setting up an
office or workplace, even if it's located in one's own
home, does take some ingenuity especially if funds are
limited.

Despite limited resources, most budding entrepreneurs will
realize presenting and projecting a professional business
image is extremely vital to the success of any business.
More importantly, your patrons, customers and clients must
be able to reach you with one click of the button or mouse.

Using Internet Fax is one way of achieving this
professional image for your small business. Internet fax is
simply using the Internet and your current email system to
send and receive faxes anytime, anywhere. You receive a
local or Toll-free fax number for your business and an
online interface (site) where you can store your faxes.
Internet fax is quickly becoming the way business faxing is
done.

Plus, one of the biggest advantages of using Internet fax
is the low set-up costs: there is no extra phone line and
no cost of a fax machine. If your faxing requirements are
very modest you can even get a fax service for under $20 a
year!

Another advantage of using an online fax service is
accessibility, as our businesses and our lives become more
mobile, we want to be connected at all times. Internet fax
gives you this quick connection to your business and to
your customers, no matter where you are or the time of day.

Using Internet fax with your small business is simply a
smart way to proceed. Lower costs, easy accessibility,
convenient and efficient... these are some of the reasons
most start-up businesses are using or switching to Internet
fax for all their faxing needs.

The different Internet fax service providers have many
affordable plans and services available to any business.
Most fax business services are completely scalable, as your
business grows your faxing requirements can be easily
adjusted to match your needs.

Most fax services also offer fax broadcasting and a whole
range of communication services should your growing
business require them.

There are many well known fax service providers. The major
ones you have probably heard of before: eFax, MyFax,
Trustfax, Send2Fax, RapidFax... however, there are other
smaller fax service providers you should be made aware of
if you're looking for a fax service for your business.

For example, don't ignore smaller fax service providers
such as MetroHiSpeed out of Seattle, or Faxage out of
Denver... you might find you get more personal service with
a smaller company rather than with a larger company which
handles millions of clients.

Regardless of which fax service you choose for your small
business, make sure you find one that suits your needs and
it is a service which you are comfortable using. Make sure
you shop around and compare the different companies and
plans. Don't forget you're purchasing a long term business
service, any savings will be greatly multiplied over the
long haul - so choose wisely.

Just remember, starting up any business can be a daunting
task but with the proper tools and services that task can
be made easier. Using Internet fax should be one option
that is at the top of your list mainly because the rewards
and benefits are well worth it.

----------------------------------------------------
For a handy online comparison chart of all the major
Internet Fax Service Providers click here:
http://www.onlinefaxguide.com

For more detailed reviews of the different online fax
services try here:
http://www.bizwaremagic.com/internet_fax_service_guide.htm
2007 Titus Hoskins. This article may be freely distributed
if this resource box stays attached.