Is The Business Idea Right For Me?

Is The Business Idea Right For Me?
The number of business opportunities increase every single
day. New business seekers have a myriad of ideas from
which to choose. There are specific guides available in
assessing the financial viability of a business venture and
the revenue modeling assistance abounds. For some though,
it is a matter of taking a step back from the trees to look
at the forest and really think about some basic areas that
once answered positively can give you a sense of peace
about a business entry decision.

In choosing a business idea that you can be passionate
about, look for...

- A proven system with a team emphasis, an inspiring
network of entrepreneurs one that replicates easily and one
in which you do not need to recruit family or friends. The
system should be fresh, professional, and authentic. A
legitimate company will offer a complete system, including
support. You need to bring something to the table too,
sharing your energy and talents as you know them or as they
unfold to you.

- Strong leadership. Select leadership with care. Look for
a mentor who teaches taking the higher road. A strong
leader is a mentor who takes pride in creating an
environment that enriches lives ' assisting others to "go
as far as you can see and then you can see farther".

- A solidly capitalized company with a "ground floor" like
opportunity without the "ground floor" risk. An established
company with an emerging market presence is far better than
one saturated and tired or the new companies whose
management may have a short-term plan for the company that
could leave you without an income stream overnight. Solidly
capitalized companies are important if you are going to
depend on them for your income.

- Systems that incorporate mega-trends in the industry
provide hallmark opportunities and bridge generations.
YouTube, MySpace, Orkut, FaceBook and others are
enterprising social networking avenues. This enables many
to choose from a broader marketing venue.

- Financial strategizing and revenue modeling are important
aspects that fuel your income generation. Choosing a
company with an exceptional product is fine, but spend most
of your efforts discerning the value of the compensation
plan. If you think this is not important or that they are
"all alike", you have not looked far enough. Revenue
modeling and financial strategizing support may cause your
learning curve to be enormous; however, you will be a
better person for it. Go in with a "can do" attitude. In
addition, look for a team-made-millionaire mantra with
networking that inspires you.

- A feeling of compatibility. Aligning value systems
provides the assurance decisions and directions will follow
best business practices. The law of attraction will
certainly be at work in your life and the universe will
meet you.

Finally, as you consider an opportunity you can do a litmus
test so to speak, asking yourself," If I go forward with
this business, is any part of the process irreversible."
Asses well your answer. If it is largely irreversible then
you deserve to think carefully before entering.
Conversely, if most of your actions could be reversed then
it can give a sense of calm about making that green-light
decision.

----------------------------------------------------
Financial Strategist Nancy Quinlisk helps thousands of
young families and those on the horizon of retirement to
create wealth for the future. She charts the way for
developing a solid plan and teaches how to replicate the
system for others, thus dispelling the common myths that
sabotage wealth cycle development.
http://www.powerof12online.com

The Marketing Secret You Need to Know Before it's Too Late!

The Marketing Secret You Need to Know Before it's Too Late!
What's keeping you from making those phone calls, writing
that newsletter, going to networking functions and all the
other things you need to do to market your business, so the
world knows you exist? Could it be that little pest called
fear?

I read a wonderful article in the recent Science of Mind
Magazine, April 2008, by Rev. Dr. Jesse Jennings. He
related this significant event.

In 1930 Pluto, the 9th planet in our solar system, was
discovered. In 2006, Pluto was demoted ' kicked out of its
status as a planet and downgraded to just a large ball of
rock and ice. As a result, people now refer to reducing
something important, to being not important, as being
"plutoed". It's a great analogy to think about when you're
letting something stand in your way, or when you're letting
fear keep you from doing what you need to do to build your
business.

Recently I made the decision to "pluto" a commitment I had
made. Not long after I began attending a teleclass, it
became clear that the content was not what I expected, and
it would not be useful in my business. Because I felt
guilty, I fretted and fumed through a few of the
teleclasses. After all I did pay good money, which was
non-refundable...

Every week I felt like I was wasting my valuable time
listening to information I did not intend to use. I
finally realized I was staying in the class because I was
"afraid" of what people would think if I gave it up. After
talking it over with my coach, it became clear what I had
to do. I "plutoed" that teleclass, and I'm glad I did! As
a result of letting go or "plutoing" that class, I made
room for another in-depth marketing class that will better
serve me and you, my clients and readers.

So what can you "pluto" in your life and/or business? What
are you currently committed to that you need to release, or
demote, so you can make room for taking action and
overcoming your fear of marketing? Could it be you're
hiding behind things you're tolerating instead of taking
action on your goals?

Use the following toleration checklist to evaluate a
commitment, situation, or anything that may be standing in
the way of making the progress you want to make. If you
find yourself complaining about "not enough time" you may
want to consider getting rid of, or at least minimizing
some of the things you are tolerating, such as the
following.

- Letting e-mail and the internet invade your scheduled
work time.

- Excessive clutter that makes you feel stifled when you
sit down to work.

- Excessive personal phone calls during your scheduled work
time.

- Friends and family who want you to do errands for them
because you're home.

- Never getting around to doing your "To Do" list, because
you're reacting instead of taking charge of your day.

- Not getting the support you need to get the job done
because you think you can't afford it.

- Feeling like you can't do anything about your tolerations
because you might hurt someone's feelings or be a "bad"
wife or mother.

- Letting other people's "garbage" ruin your peace of mind,
so you don't feel like working ' so you don't...

The list could go on and on, but it's likely you're
allowing these tolerations because of fear - fear of
failure, success, hurting someone else, hurting yourself -
yada, yada, yada... The secret I have found to overcoming
fear is action ' clear, consistent, intentional, targeted
action. So the next time you catch yourself in the middle
of these, or other tolerations, take charge and "pluto"
them out of your life.

Here's my coach's challenge for you: take 30 minutes to
stop and take stock of your life. See what you can "pluto"
to make room for taking consistent action steps towards
your goals. The sooner you get going, the sooner you'll
get out of the energy draining rut you're in. You'll be
glad you did!

----------------------------------------------------
Would you like to learn more about how building a
soul-based business can create a thriving business that
feeds your spirit and bank account? Visit my website at
http://www.soulpreneursuccessstrategies.com to check out my
free "Creating Money" ebook, free articles, and Soulpreneur
Coaching Services.
Sandy Reed, the Soulpreneur's Coach, is a business coach,
writer, ex-corporate manager, and co-owns her own
successful home-based business.

Does Your Old Resume Say "Has Been"?

Does Your Old Resume Say "Has Been"?
If you're a job seeker over 50, you may be feeling ignored
by employers. You're certainly not ready to retire, but
young recruiters seem to put you in the geriatric
generation. If you're feeling symptoms of age
discrimination, your resume could be the culprit,
categorizing you as out of date and over the hill.

There are three reasons your resume may be keeping you out
of interviews. Your resume is due for an update if:

1. Your technology skills date you from the stone age

2. Your key industry words are decades old

3. Your resume format doesn't follow current trends

Don't despair if your resume is out of date. You can
perform an extreme resume makeover by using the tips below.

1. Get up to date on your industry's technology.

Check job descriptions from various sources within your
industry to see what technologies employers are looking
for. Determine which technologies are missing from your
resume. Then decide what you need to learn or do in order
to fill that technology gap. Adult education classes,
college classes, or even online learning are all great ways
to catch up.

Be aware that technology terms are often used as keywords
to filter the best resumes from electronic databases. If
your resume doesn't have them, it may never be seen. Make
sure your technology skills aren't leaving you behind.

2. Make sure your resume is using current terminology.

If you have just been adding to the same old resume over
the years your early entries reflect outdated terms. Bring
your resume up to date with the help of publications from
your industry's professional associations. If you don't
belong to any professional associations, you might be
missing out on the latest industry-speak.

Another good resource is online job postings. Search job
descriptions in your field for recurring terms. Learn to
use the current terminology for your industry correctly and
effectively.

3. Make sure your resume reflects today's trends in resume
format and style.

A decade back, the old-fashioned reverse-chronological
format worked fine for you. But now that you have more
experience, it may not be your best choice. The more
advanced hybrid format will showcase your skills and
expertise in a greater level of professional presentation.
With a hybrid resume, potential employers will form an
impression of you based on your best accomplishments, not
just your most recent job description.

Many of the old resume rules just don't apply any more.
For example:

* "Limit your resume to one page." This idea went out with
the advent of electronic resumes.

* "End your resume with References Available Upon Request."
It's already assumed.

* "You should show every job you have ever held and give
each equal importance." Employers are interested in the
most relevant information, so don't go back any further
than what relates to your current career objection.

* "Your resume should go back no more than ten years."
Don't use an arbitrary number to determine how much to
include on your resume. Use the rule of relevancy to
decide how many of your jobs to include.

* "One resume should handle everything." Not so! For
greater effectiveness adjust your resume to different
fields or industries.

Finally, make sure you use the correct electronic version.
You'll want to have (1) a standard Word format (for
printouts and email attachments), and (2) a Plain Text
version for "text only" online forms.

Let your experience work for you rather than against you.
Update your resume and you'll see increased interest from
employers. Your new resume will be a better reflection of
your hard-earned skills, talents, and expertise.

----------------------------------------------------
Deborah Walker, Resume Coach, and former executive
recruiter understands from an insider's view the resume
errors that can spell disaster for "post-50" job seekers.
Her resume advice has helped many continue to reach their
career objectives regardless of their age. Visit Deb at
http://www.AlphaAdvantage.com

Proposing a Joint Venture Offer that Cannot Be Refused

Proposing a Joint Venture Offer that Cannot Be Refused
Joint ventures are an excellent strategy for increasing
your market reach and overall revenues. However, the
question is, how can you entice a prospective partner to
join you in a lucrative joint venture? Not everyone can
see the big picture quite as vividly as you can ' and
therefore, it is important to employ strategies to make
sure you both are on the same page of excitement.

Increasing the value of the partnership

There is only one bottom line to attracting a joint venture
partner: provide significant benefits. Of course, this is
easier said than done, and therefore, there are several
strategies you can take to enhance the lure of your joint
venture proposal.

- Craft your proposal with only the partner's perspective
in mind. You already know what the joint venture will
bring to your benefit, so there is no need to re-hash this
information in your offer. Instead, your proposal should
truly focus on how your potential partner can benefit
significantly from this joint venture.

- Clearly outline all of the benefits. What seems obvious
to you may not be apparent to your potential partner.
Being too clear is never a flaw, but vagueness is always a
fallacy. Make sure that you specifically highlight all of
the benefits to your potential partner, whether tangible or
intangible. Of course, the partner will gain additional
sales and revenues, but what about the intangibles, such as
increased branding, new market segments, and free exposure
to a target audience? The revenue benefits may not be seen
immediately, but certainly offer long-term benefits.

- Make your offer standout from the competitors. Chances
are that if you are approaching a potentially lucrative
partner for joint venture purposes, then other companies
are doing the same thing too. Making your joint venture
enticing means standing out from the crowd. If you are
willing to provide your potential partner with a higher
commission than the industry standard, then make sure to
mention that first. This will attract their attention,
motivating them to read through your entire proposal and
absorb the benefits.

- Be exclusive. If you have joint ventures with anyone and
everyone, then the most lucrative potential partners will
not be enticed. Why would they want to joint venture with
you when your partnerships are already saturated? Make
sure that your joint venture proposal feels exclusive, and
you can discuss the reasons why this proposal is unlike the
others already out on the table.

- Demonstrate your understanding of both lists. When you
show your potential partner that you have a full
understanding of both your customer bases, this
demonstrates that you fully understanding the prospects of
the joint venture. Point out both why and how your
customer list benefits the joint venture's endeavours. The
more specific you can get, the more enticing the offer is.

Joint ventures go above and beyond the standard affiliate
marketing. Typically, joint ventures can offer significant
rewards for both parties that supersede the affiliate
relationship. Subsequently, the work you put into enticing
your ideal partner will be worth the payoff in the end.

----------------------------------------------------
Christian Fea is CEO of Synertegic, Inc. A Strategic
Collaboration Marketing consulting firm. He empowers
business owners to discover and implement Integration,
Alliance, and Joint Venture marketing tactics to solve
specific business challenges. He demonstrates how to create
your own Collaboration Marketing Strategy to increase your
sales, conversation rates, and repeat business.
Contact: christian@christianfea.com
http://www.christianfea.com

How to Outfox Your Competition

How to Outfox Your Competition
Sometimes the competition seems insufferably huge and
almost impossible to contemplate. To help you get a handle
on competition, here are 3 things to know and 10 steps to
take to do something about it.

1. Knowing your competition is just part of knowing your
market. Whether you like it or not, competition is part of
every market landscape eventually and it is vital to know
who is on the playing field. Examining your competition
will help you understand your market better and will also
stimulate your creative marketing activity. Just as you
must learn the needs and objections of your customers, you
must learn what competition you are facing in order to know
what to do to succeed.

2. Fighting the competition doesn't help you get business.
In fact it will usually hurt you. In the end, the other guy
is just like you, trying to make his business as successful
as he can. Let your competition do his best, and use what
you know to do yours. Maybe you'll both succeed. Bashing
the competition or getting into price wars hurts everyone
and is simply bad form. Even worse, fighting others can
distract you from the important thing, building and
promoting your own business!

3. Your most important weapon is knowledge. Market research
is homework for being successful. A thorough and realistic
understanding of your market (including your competition)
is what will allow you to take the necessary steps to
outfox the rest of the field. It will help you to position
yourself in the marketplace, put your brand on everyone's
lips, create demand for your products and even price your
products or services properly.

So just who is your competition? Are they in the position
to take your customers? Most importantly what can you do to
compete against them? Finding the answers can involve some
work, but they also may surprise you. You can hire
expensive companies to do this research for you, but here
is a simple program you can do yourself just by paying
attention and using a simple tool like the internet:

1. Pay attention. Watch your mail. Read the paper. Look at
the billboards as you drive down the highway. Listen to
your customers or people you know and notice what they are
hearing about. Ask questions if necessary. Write down
things that you notice, and save promotions that you
receive or think are good.

2. Run a search. Be one of your own customers for a moment
and pull up one of the major search engines like Yahoo or
Google. Put in your main product and see who you find. Do
you recognize the companies? Who is there? Who is not? How
are they getting there? Take notes.

3. Make a list of your competition. By doing the above, you
should have an idea of who is out there. Take stock of what
you are up against. If you are doing business in a certain
geographic area; concentrate on those companies within your
territory. But note that you can learn a lot by looking at
other areas too. Add new competitors as you find them.

4. Find out who they are. Review their websites, starting
off in the About or Company Profile section. Here you will
get an idea of how they present their company and its goals
and purposes. Read about the executives and the company
background, this will give you a feel for whom and what
they are.

5. Check out their PR or News section.There you will find
the latest information regarding new products, personnel,
company changes, etc. What is their positioning? Are they
trying to be the leader in the marketplace? Are they
actually the leader? Are they trying to be different in
some way?

6. Consider how they locate prospects. Where do you see
their promotion? Internet? Direct mail? TV? Other places?
Does it seem to be working? What might they be doing that
you don't know about? How easy is it for customers to
contact the company?

7. Study how they sell. What is their sales process?
Compare it to yours in terms of ease of use and most
importantly, actual sales. Do they sell their goods or
services online? In person? Over the phone? Compare pricing
points. This will be valuable information. Look for
incongruities, for example if a price on a product seems
low to you, does that mean they are losing money on it? Are
they using that pricing point as lure to upsell?

8. Learn how they deliver their products. Many companies
describe their services right on their websites. What types
of products do they sell? What are the specific features?
Is there anything different about the way that they deliver
them? Note how this compares to your products and your own
delivery methods.

9. Compile all the data you have been gathering. Putting
this valuable information on a spread sheet as a comparison
chart or some other simple form will prove to be very
valuable. You will want to update it regularly to stay up
to date on what the competition is doing. It will not only
help you now, but will assist you in predicting what they
might do in the future as well, especially in the areas of
pricing and distribution.

10. Work out your own strategy to compete. Now that you
have done your homework, the hard work begins. Sit down
with your top people and review this information. Get
everyone on the same page and then put together a strategy
that not only outflanks your competitors but positions you
realistically and positively in your customer's minds. This
is not about competitor bashing, but about making yourself
stand out. Make any needed changes in your operation. Put
together a promotional plan and get it going. Increase your
piece of the pie or bake a bigger one!

----------------------------------------------------
Ken Daniells helps business owners and organizations to
increase income and profits using practical, but often
overlooked marketing basics. He is the founder of BOOM!
Ink, a marketing company dedicated to helping small
business owners market effectively and grow. For more free
articles, tips and advice, visit http://www.boomink.com .