Why You Shouldn’t Outsource Your Online Business

Why You Shouldn’t Outsource Your Online Business
Outsourcing is starting to become common practice. Some
times it makes sense to outsource projects that are needed
for your online business, but most of the time when
starting a new online business it makes more sense to do or
at least be very involved with the work that’s being
done. This is something that I’ve personally
experienced and has helped me in a big way.

I’m talking about getting dirty with the work that
needs to be done, not just working with your market, but
getting your hands dirty when it comes to setting up your
websites, writing your sales letters, making phone calls,
sending emails, installing scripts, managing lists,
customer service, creating your own graphics, etc.

Many marketers will outsource much, if not all of the
above, but of course, this costs money. Sometimes it costs
a lot of money that some people just starting don’t
have. It’s also going to cost you a lot of time,
especially when you’re outsourcing something new that
you haven’t had any experience with before.

So here’s some advice to you. The next time you put
up a website, create a product, or purchase and install a
script, do everything yourself. Install the scripts, build
the graphics, write the sales letters and handle customer
service requests directly. Of course you can and probably
will need to get some help, but there are tons of resources
available on the internet to learn these things.

Later in your online business career, it might make good
sense to hire people to do the work you used to do. But
you will already know how to do the things that you are
outsourcing which will allow you to know how to oversee the
work that is being done. Once you know how to do these
things, it will give you masses of confidence to work with
your own business.

If you outsource from the start , then what will you do if
you want to change your products around, add a new service,
add some bonuses, add a backend product, write some fresh
new ads, change your sales letter around, or experiment
with a new method that you’ve discovered? You
can’t unless you hire someone to do it for you,
simply because you didn’t learn how to do it
yourself. This will cost you lots of time and money.

Never pass up the chance to learn something new.

So the next time you purchase a script, why not follow the
instructions and try to install it yourself? For many
things, once you’ve done one, you’ve done them
all. Create your own graphics, test and track your own
sales letters. Once you’ve mastered all these things
and are making money, then consider hiring someone to do it
for you to save time, but not before, or your business will
not be able to compete with competitors that have more
experience than you.

----------------------------------------------------
Casey Dunham, owner of GreatOnlineBusinesses.com,
successfully owns and markets several online businesses.
Casey enjoys helping other entrepreneurs achieve the
financial and time freedom that comes with owning a
successful online business.
If you would like to start you own online business and
receive Casey’s help in the process, visit his
website at: http://www.AutomaticBuilder.com/28203

How to Network with Other Business Owners

How to Network with Other Business Owners
Business networking is both an art and a science. The
advent of E-Networking has opened up a new online world of
“Mega-Networking.” From the proliferation of
social networking sites like My Space - hugely popular with
the teen and twentysomething crowd – to more
structured, in-person networking groups like Business
Networking International (BNI), there have never been
better opportunities for expanding your network. Still,
many of the proven “rules of engagement” apply,
because, whatever the method, it’s all about
relationships.

With that in mind, there are three basic kinds of business
networking:

1) Traditional networking – Face-to-face meet &
greets at business functions, social events, club meetings,
etc. In addition to joining an association specific to your
industry, check out your local Chamber of Commerce or
Rotary International chapter.

2) “Structured” networking clubs –
Professional groups like Business Networking International
(BNI) require a significant time commitment but can be
tremendously helpful in finding new business.

3) Online or E-Networking – Internet-based networking
websites such as LinkedIn and Facebook take
“six-degrees-of-separation” networking and make
it digital.

Here are the things you need to know to maximize your
networking efforts:

•Perfect your elevator pitch Prepare and rehearse
your one-minute “introduction speech” in
advance. This breaks the ice and also serves as a good
conversation-starter.

Resources: Learn more about crafting a great elevator pitch
at BusinessKnowHow.com. Need inspiration? Read successful
elevator pitches and tweak your own at
YourElevatorPitch.com.

•Be a joiner Join professional trade groups.
Volunteer. Become actively involved in your industry
associations. Make a name for yourself; don’t hide
behind the scenes.

Resources: You can join local chapters of Fast Company
magazine’s Company of Friends group to stay
connected, or more freelance-oriented groups like Guru.com,
where you can find work and search for freelancers to work
for you.

•Give before you get Remember that networking is a
two-way street. Be ready to reciprocate. Kevin
Spacey’s Hollywood agent character said it best in
the film “Swimming with Sharks:” You’ve
got to give action to get action!”

Resources: Don’t dismiss the power of social
networking websites like Friendster and Knowmentum. These
can be a source of great connections.

•Take advantage of online networking opportunities
The newest trend in networking provides unique
opportunities to connect with colleagues online and expand
your network exponentially.

Resources: LinkedIn is a popular E-networking site, as is
Ryze. Some online networking sites are geared towards
specific industries. EntreMate, for example, specializes in
connecting entrepreneurs who are looking for business
partners.

•Follow up Cultivate your relationships. Send notes
after meeting a new contact. Be proactive about staying in
touch. Recognize that it takes time to build a relationship.

Resources: The Riley Guide offers additional information
and advice about networking.

Finally, keep in mind these basic networking guidelines:

•Dig your well before you’re thirsty –
the best time to develop your network is before you need it!

•Be a great listener. You’ll expand your circle
of friends when you show sincere interest.

•Offer assistance. Networking is not a one-way street.

•Just like there’s a right way to “work a
room,” you must observe proper
“netiquette” when you’re networking
online.

----------------------------------------------------
Lou Bortone is an award-winning writer, marketer and
television producer who spent over 20 years in the
television industry, including several years as Senior Vice
President of Marketing & Advertising for Fox Family
Worldwide in L.A. Today, Lou specializes in helping
entrepreneurs create breakthrough video for the Internet.
Email Lou at lou@theonlinevideoguy.com or visit
http://www.theonlinevideoguy.com

With these tips Taxi Driver Accounts do not have to be Taxing

With these tips Taxi Driver Accounts do not have to be Taxing
Taxi drivers in the UK must fill in a self assessment tax
return if they have worked as a self employed taxi driver
at anytime during the financial tax year. Self assessment
tax returns should be filed by 30th September each year
although the final deadline is the following 31st January.
Failing to file the taxi accounts by 31st January attracts
a 100 pounds late filing penalty with interest being
charged on any tax not paid by this date.

The simplest solution to preparing the taxi driver accounts
is to collect all the taxi receipts and expenses together,
hand them over to an accountant who will prepare your self
assessment tax return and might charge between 150 to 450
pounds for the privilege. That is taxing. Taxi driver
accounts does not have to be that taxing. You can prepare
your taxi driver accounts and self assessment tax return
yourself but do something.

These taxi driver notes in preparing the taxi driver
accounts and completing the self assessment tax return are
to assist that process.

Mileage Allowances

Taxi drivers can claim as an alternative to vehicle running
costs mileage allowances of 40p for the first 10,000 miles
and 25p per mile thereafter. You may not claim mileage
allowance and vehicle running costs. Should you choose to
claim the mileage allowance then keep good records of
mileage covered, purpose of journey.

Taxi Capital Allowances

If you bought a vehicle in the financial year 2007-08 and
used the vehicle as a taxi you can claim a first year
writing down tax allowance of 25% of the cost of the taxi,
restricted to 3,000 pounds for vehicles costing over 12,000
pounds. On vehicles purchased in previous tax years you can
claim 25% writing down allowance on the balance not yet
claimed. If you have bought and sold a vehicle used as a
taxi during the financial year the tax allowance is
restricted to any loss made on resale and any profit made
over the written down value is taxable as a balancing
charge. First year allowance on non vehicle assets in the
current tax year 2007-08 is 50% for small businesses.

Taxis bought on Hire Purchase

Claim capital allowances on the original cost of the
vehicle, interest and other charges count as business
expenses and go in the self assessment tax return box 3.61
Other Finance Charges

Taxi Running Costs

When completing the self assessment tax return taxi drivers
should enter fuel costs in box 3.46 cost of sales not
motoring expenses. Do not claim fuel expenses in the taxi
accounts when you are on holiday, the revenue will check
should they inquire into your self assessment tax return.
Taxi running costs also include repairs, servicing and
parts including tyres, road tax, taxi insurance and AA/RAC
membership. Include radio hire and taxi office costs in
general administrative expenses.

Household expenses

If you run your taxi business from home you can claim a
proportion of household expenses as business expenses in
the taxi accounts. Household expenses are likely to be
disallowed unless they are either specific to the business
or a specific area of your home is devoted entirely to your
taxi business. Using part of a room part time would not be
sufficient to include the household expenses in the taxi
driver accounts.

Spouse Costs

You can claim expenses for partners who work for your taxi
business and payments up to 100 pounds per week would not
attract income tax or national insurance however any
payments claimed in the taxi driver accounts must be real
payments for real work done. The Revenue naturally adopt a
strict view on taxi expenses claimed for partner work as it
is an area some people might use to reduce the tax
liability. Care is required to justify the partner as an
expense.

Other Expenses

Enter all business expenses in a named expense box on the
self assessment tax return. Avoid entries in box 3.63 Other
Expenses if possible as any significant amounts in this box
may give rise to an Revenue enquiry into the self
assessment tax return.

The best method of ensuring the taxi drivers tax bill is as
low as possible in the future is undoubtedly to
meticulously maintain good records of all taxi receipts and
expenses and mileage covered which offers the opportunity
for taxi drivers to compare the taxi running costs against
mileage allowances and choose the most tax efficient
option. General if the taxi cab capital allowances are high
vehicle running costs will be the best option and if taxi
cab capital allowances are low then mileage allowances may
well legally increase the costs you can claim and save you
money. The best taxi accounting software will automate the
comparison of taxi mileage allowances with taxi running
costs doing the taxi accountants work for you.

----------------------------------------------------
Terry Cartwright, a qualified accountant in the UK, designs
Taxi Driver Accounting Software at:
http://www.diyaccounting.co.uk/taxi.htm written on excel
spreadsheets for Taxi Drivers wishing to save money and
produce the self assessment tax return
http://www.diyaccounting.co.uk/taxi.htm

HELP!!! Can you help me find my images?

HELP!!! Can you help me find my images?
If you have lost an image it might be a good idea to check
your inbox another time.

It has recently been shown that the worlds largest
“image databases” are the mail servers within
Companies.

If you look closely at which file types are most commonly
found on mail servers, you will see they are image files
such as .JPG and .GIF.

If you in the past have used or are using the mail server
as an image server you should continue reading…
I’m going to tell you the solution.

We all know that it’s every Server Administrators
worst nightmare that the mail system wil crash. He may also
have no idea how to deal with increasingly huge involvement
of these unorganized files which take up a lot of disk
space - which include documents, programs and images.

I must admit that in almost every company I’ve worked
for, it is totally normal, if not unavoidable, that all
these types of files are floating around on the mail server.

But what does it actually cost the Companies? Let’s
take a look at an example – I’ll only need to
show you one before you’ll be convinced that this is
a serious and common problem.

A Bank displays photos of all their employees on their
website. The photographer mails a new photo of the latest
employee to the graphic designer who passes it on to the
marketing department, who finally e-mail it to their web
master.

At this point you can see where I’m going with this,
right?!

The purpose of the mail server is altered now and it has
become an “image server” as well and now
contains the original photo and two edited versions. So far
this has cost the Company more than $100.

Later the original photo has to be used in a printed
application and here arises the problem. Who, what, where
and why?! Where is the photo? Everyone is desperately
searching their inboxes.

The graphic designer who originally received the photo from
the photographer has now left the Company and as a result
they have to take the photos again.

The problem could have easily been avoided with an image
server, where images can be categorized and searched for as
if it was a Google search.

The photo or the image works as a “master
image” from which you can make eCatalogs, desktop
presentations, professional printing and web images in any
format – also pdf.

A carefully crafted digital master is a valuable asset that
can be repurposed and reused over a period of many years.

You only need to upload the image once to the image server
and it will thereafter be accessible by all employees of
the Company.

----------------------------------------------------
The Author has expert knowledge on image servers (see
http://www.image-server.biz ) and specializes in
integration, development and consultancy services with J2EE
technologies. He has a great experience with complex J2EE
enterprise projects involving advanced frameworks, web
services and legacy systems.