The Hidden Job Market

The Hidden Job Market
Should you rely completely on advertising to look for jobs?
Advertising can get expensive for employers if they
continually had to post for openings. In large companies,
the turnover rate can be high with retirement, relocation,
illnesses, etc. With those kinds of vacancies companies
could conceivably expect to run a continuous employment
spot in the newspaper. This could take a big bite out of
their budget.

To avoid this many recruiters will turn to their employees
for possible transfers between positions. Many offer cash
as an incentive for recommendations from their employees
(this is where networking comes in handy). Word of mouth is
often a good way for companies to get people interested. In
short, they're looking for other, cheaper ways to draw in
potential employees. If you sit back and wait for something
to show up in the newspaper, you would be missing out on
some incredible opportunities. Set goals for yourself by
continuously checking the Internet as well as checking
local advertising.

The Internet is a huge resource for job listings. Due to
the expense of taking out ads in newspapers, many companies
have turned to the Internet for help in filling vacant job
positions. Most companies have their own websites, and this
is an excellent place to check for possible job openings.
If you have certain companies or specific occupations in
mind then seek out their websites. Make them your favorites
so you can check them every single day. Send an electronic
resume to all the places that you would like to work. If
you have a specific talent or education that you wish to
utilize in employment then seek out Internet groups where
people gather for that specific purpose. Listening and
interacting with others that have the same goals as yours
can open up many opportunities. Check out organizations
such as the local Chamber of Commerce to find possible
opportunities from local companies.

There are many career websites that you can visit to find
opportunities. Learning how to use the Internet effectively
will give you access to a huge hidden job market and
increase your odds in finding that perfect job you are
looking for.

Many of the top jobs are not advertised and this makes it
important to brush up on yout networking skills. The bigger
your network, the more chance you have of being told about
a job or your next career move. these unadvertised jobs can
often be the key to your success.

----------------------------------------------------
For more information on the recruitment process, and to get
a free job hunting report, visit Claim That Job at
http://www.claimthatjob.com .

The Imminent Challenge for Financial Analysts: Riding Out the Down Cycle in the Financial Markets

The Imminent Challenge for Financial Analysts: Riding Out the Down Cycle in the Financial Markets
The recent series of layoffs on Wall Street is a rude
awakening to many financial analysts that the financial
industry is cyclical and highly correlated to the ups and
downs of the economy.

After experiencing the longest stretch of economic growth
in US history, many have forgotten that it is not uncommon
for a financial analyst to experience one or two down
cycles during his/her career life. Layoffs or even closures
are all normal happenings of the industry.

Accepting that this is part of the trade, rather than face
the uncertainty of job security with fear or being
immobilized by the pain of layoff, take an active role in
re-evaluating your career strategy.

Just like an investor who would employ different strategies
during a bear market than in a bull, brainstorm for
strategies you can employ during this down cycle so you
will be well positioned when the economy turns around.

What if you survived the layoff? Yes, your job is secure
but chances are your work pressure will be cranked up
multiple notches. There are fewer people on the team and
the same level of expectations for performance in a flat
market. Time management and stress management are
definitely invaluable skills to help you through this
difficult period.

What if you don't? If you are being downsized, or you think
your layoff is impending, the silver lining is that this is
the perfect time to reassess your career path so you can
create the experience to help you be more aligned with your
long-term career goals.

This is a good time for you to look into other related
fields to gain a fresh perspective of your work. Move
sideways, for example, from the sell-side to the buy-side
if the opportunity arises. Switch from a large institution
to a hedge fund. Relocate to another city or even country
for a different experience. Take up some classes to enhance
your knowledge. Undertake that personal project that you
have never found the time to do.

Some of you may have to temporarily settle for a position
with a less attractive compensation package but the shorter
work hours may just provide you with the work-life balance
you never knew you missed. The extra time on your hands can
also be used to develop a passive income stream for added
financial security against the next down cycle.

Remember the down cycle is as much a part of your career as
the up cycle. If you are in the industry long enough, you
will inevitably experience it at some point. Look for the
possibilities during the uncertain times. Make the best out
of it and design it as part of your journey towards your
long-term career success.

----------------------------------------------------
Corinne Lor is a success coach for financial professionals
in the banking and finance industry. She has experienced
firsthand the biggest booms and some of the most
sensational busts in the industry and enjoys sharing her
knowledge with others. http://www.financialanalystblog.com

Continual Improvement

Continual Improvement
A common perception of the requirement 'continual
improvement' contained within the ISO9001 Standard (8.5.1)
is that in some way it relates to an improvement of product
or service. Some more serious thought might reveal this to
be a misinterpretation, as the document is not a product or
service specification, but a system for controlling the
quality of the product or service through the output. Title
- ' ISO9001:2000 Quality management systems -
Requirements'. So, in so far as the Standard relates to
the organisations' output, it defines a control and
assurance system that should provide a measure of
conformance for the outgoing product. The improvement
requirement refers to the manner in which this control is
affected.

Herein lies the real problem with the ISO9000 series, as it
has little to do with management in the normally accepted
definition of that word, and certainly nothing to do with
business management, which is about efficiency,
effectiveness and costs. Pressured into an ISO9000 regime
by (in the UK) a government sponsored initiative intended
to improve the nation's international image for quality,
organisations large and small adopted the standard and
registration in the belief that this alone would enhance
their status in the market place. At the beginning this was
true, but when competitors were similarly equipped with
their registered status certificate, and none of them
demonstrably better than the other, buyers returned to
their original practice of buying against criteria that did
not include ISO9000 registration. Clearly the Continuing
Improvement aspect of the document was either a myth,
wasn't being implemented, or didn't relate to what the
customer wanted.

It seems obvious that if a product or service has achieved
an acceptable standard of 'quality' (whatever that might
mean to the purchaser), any further improvement that is to
be seen by the purchaser will be in the areas of cost and
availability. These are not features that concern the
ISO9000 fraternity; however, they do impact on the
customer's perception of that product or service.
Logically, they also impact on the task of Sales and
Marketing people who have the responsibility of persuading
potential customers of the uniqueness and superiority of
their product. Here we find the Standard at its weakest and
Continuing Improvement a sham.

If an organisation were to adopt a different approach to
the management of the business, to the management of
Quality if you prefer, and that approach directly addressed
the cost of generating and delivering the organisations
product or service, THAT would result in improvement, and
probably continual improvement.

Why would this be different to the laboriously developed
ISO9000 management system? For the simple reason that every
top management team understands one language - money. A
rationally constituted cost measurement scheme would
include 'error free' cost estimates, plus actual
measurement of costs incurred due to a failure to achieve
the error free working. We call this the cost of
non-conformance, or perhaps more acceptably 'Transaction
Costs'. If executive managers could be persuaded to
abandon ISO9000 theory in favour of the collection of
honest cost data such as this, business would - overnight,
become more profitable because of the actions they would
take - or have taken for them - to rectify the clear
overspend found by this approach.

Generally this will not happen. Not due to any difficulty
or inability to collect this data, but an inbuilt belief by
virtually everyone not familiar with Eastern Cultures that
error & failure is an inevitable consequence of human
endeavour.

In the meantime, managers and their acolytes continue to
hang onto the support strap ISO9000, firm in the belief
that a documented system and its certificate will - as with
the Wizard of Oz - be an adequate substitute for objective
thought.

----------------------------------------------------
Meon Consulting, founded by Ed Bones, was formed to assist
clients with managing their businesses in a manner
compliant with ISO9001/14001. Ed had earlier held a number
of senior posts with Hi-Tech companies in the UK, Europe
and the USA. He has written and lectured on full range of
topics on quality improvement and TQM.
//http://www.rent-an-auditor.co.uk.To obtain your FREE
Presentation please visit
http://www.rent-an-auditor.co.uk/contactus.html

Bulgarian Property Trend

Bulgarian Property Trend
Buying abroad and renting in Britain could well be the new
trend for young property buyers living in the UK. This
trend is being demonstrated by first time British buyers
choosing Bulgarian property over the UK

Nearly one in four are now priced out of the UK property
market altogether, so it's no surprise that they are now
considering alternatives that will give them that
all-important first step without succumbing to the UK's
sky- high property prices. With talk of 100 percent
mortgages, shared ownership schemes and 75-year loan terms,
UK home buyers are looking to the Bulgarian property market
to make their first home purchase.

The average UK house price is now in excess of
£200,000 as quoted by the BBC and recent interest
rate rises coupled with a bleak economic outlook have not
aided the situation. The burden of a lifetime of mortgage
payments is weighing heavily on young homebuyers' minds.
Added to this, a survey with National Savings and
Investments showed that a massive 84% of 18-24 year olds
believe that buying their first home abroad is more viable
than buying it in the UK. The National Savings and
Investments survey revealed that in London, 36% of first
time buyers would consider buying abroad as an alternative
to purchasing in London. .

Research from Quest Bulgaria Magazine indicated that the
Bulgarian property market is still buoyant and looks set to
grow even further. It seems there is no better time than
now to invest in Balkan bricks and mortar. Despite this
positive forecast, many first time buyers remain reluctant
to actually put down roots in Bulgaria. This could be due
to preconceptions about the country which include, fear of
the language barrier, its reputation for being a haven for
senior citizens and worries about employment prospects.

UK salaries are disproportionately low when compared to the
rising house prices, so it is not unusual for British
twenty somethings to opt for a life back home with Mum and
Dad instead of venturing onto the property ladder. The high
deposit and crippling mortgage of UK property ownership
need not elude potential homeowners. A Bulgarian bolt-hole
can provide a rental income and potentially build equity if
the Balkan market performs according to expectation. The
buy-to-let market is on the up in Bulgaria, which coupled
with the country's very low taxation of just 10% shows
there is a huge financial incentive to make your first
property purchase there.

Bulgarian property offers enormously good value for money
and house prices are currently forecast to rise on average
by 15% this year. If you're banking on a quick return, look
for up-and-coming areas in the process of regeneration.
Similarly, improvements to transport links are usually a
sure sign that an area is going up in the world. Low cost
airlines tend to have a ripple effect on the surrounding
areas of any airport they add to their ever-expanding
routes.More and more people are making the most of long
weekends and cheap flights for mini breaks overseas.
Nowadays, it is normal for people to take frequent trips to
second homes instead of traditional, single longer
vacations. This broadens the scope for Bulgarian property
investment with some regions enjoying both long summers and
ski-friendly winter seasons.

Regions with the best transport links offer a compromise
between buying for pure investment and full-scale
relocation. It is financially possible to live and work
between two countries. Working in London and then spending
your weekends in Sofia or Varna is now perfectly possible.
It's worth bearing in mind that, under the UK's flexible
working legislation, parents with a child under the age of
six and certain adult carers have a legal right to request
flexible working hours. Even if you do not fall in this
category, it might be worth asking your employer if you can
work flexibly. An employer may only refuse a request from
an eligible employee should there be recognised business
grounds for doing so. With high-speed internet connections
available in Bulgaria, employees can take the opportunity
to work from their Balkan home.

The UK is awash with TV shows on property renovation,
taking these elements and applying them to a Bulgarian home
could pay dividends too. Many will agree that the UK
property market is saturated with developers making
renovation bargains thin on the ground. By comparison,
Bulgaria is packed with potentially lucrative properties,
from ready-made holiday apartments to serious building
projects.

----------------------------------------------------
Nicholas Marr is CEO of overseas property portal at
http://www.homesgofast.com his knowledge has been gained
comes from the relationships he has numerous Bulgaria based
real estate agents and developers at
http://bulgaria.homesgofast.com/

Wedding Planner Career - Tips on Preparing the Wedding Budget

Wedding Planner Career - Tips on Preparing the Wedding Budget
Once you have gotten a basic idea of what the couple is
imagining, you can begin to figure out how much the
couple's dream wedding will cost, and how much money the
bride and groom (or their families) are planning to spend.

Obviously, not every couple has unlimited funds to plan
their nuptials. A good wedding planner will be able to take
the couple's picture perfect wedding and scale it down to
size as necessary to fit their budget. However, the budget
will definitely influence many of the couple's decisions
about the wedding. There are two ways to determine the cost
of the wedding. The couple's first option is to set the
budget and plan the wedding accordingly. The second option
is to plan the couple's dream wedding and figure out how to
fund the affair later.

Factors that will affect the cost of the wedding:

- Date and Time
- Formality
- Number of Guests
- Food
- Flowers, Music, and Photography
- Ceremony and Reception Venues
- Location

You will quickly learn ways to manipulate these factors to
cut costs as necessary. The bride and groom must be able to
prioritize their wish list. If the couple's dream wedding
is a black-tie affair in June with a catered, sit-down meal
for 500 people in an expensive hotel ballroom, the couple
better have a lot of cash or be ready to make some
compromises. A good budget will take into account every
aspect of the wedding. Your role is to help the bride and
groom find ways to choose the most important elements and
downscale in 30 other ways as necessary. The black-tie
affair in the fancy hotel ballroom could cost significantly
less if the couple chooses to have the wedding during an
off-season month or day (think a Friday night in April or
November) or has a late-evening reception with drinks and
dessert. An open bar, designer gown, live music, or
elaborate floral arrangements are all expensive options
that can be scaled back to cut costs -- unless the couple
is set on that specific detail. Odds are the bride and
groom are not the only ones with big ideas for their big
day. Parents and families on both sides will likely have
their own idea of what the wedding should entail. If the
couple's parents are footing a large portion of the bill,
remind the bride and groom that their parent's opinions
should be taken into consideration.

----------------------------------------------------
For more information on how you can become a wedding
planner and get paid to plan weddings, visit
http://www.mommyempire.com/

Stop Selling! Learn How To Ask For Sales Referrals.

Stop Selling! Learn How To Ask For Sales Referrals.
Sales professionals work too hard. Stop selling! Let your
customers sell for you through sales referrals. But first
you need to learn how and when to ask.

With a referral, there is instant trust and your selling
cycle time is reduced. The time it takes the referral to
buy is usually much less than any other lead source. What
this really means is less hassle and more sales.

You can ask anyone for a sales referral. In the Business to
Business world, that usually means clients and prospects.
Clients are the best referral source because they know you
and they know your products or services. Never miss a
chance to ask a happy client for a referral, and a
testimonial letter while you are at it.

You can also ask prospects. Suppose you call a prospect
only to discover that your product or service doesn't match
a need. You can still ask for a sales referral at the end
of your call. What's the worst that can happen? They say
"no." No big deal. Move on. But sometimes, just sometimes,
they provide you with a name. And that's a great start.

Ask for sales referrals at the end of your visit or
contact. AFTER you have completed your primary objective.
Sales referrals seem easy enough but there is a bit finesse
required. Here's how NOT to ask for a referral: "Jim, do
you know of anyone who might be interested in my services?"

This is NOT the recommended method because it is far too
easy for your customer or prospect to say, "Ahh...no." The
'no' that they give you is often reflexive in nature; an
automatic response to a closed ended question. In other
words, they respond negatively out of habit. You could be
missing tons of opportunities.

The BETTER way to ask for the sales referral is this:
"Sandy, can you give me a name or two of someone you know
who might be interested in these types of products?"

The difference is subtle but significant. By asking for a
"name", your client has to THINK about names. It is not
quite as easy to give you a dismissive "no." Usually, they
tend to do a mental scan of friends and associates. This
scanning pause helps reduce the automatic, reflexive 'no'
response.

Of course, they can and sometimes will, say "no." But by
asking for a name you increase your odds and improve the
chance for success. It is as simple as the ABC, 123 Sales
Results System found in the book Up Your Bottom Line.

Oh, one other point - sales referrals demonstrate good
behaviour. Make sure that those giving you referrals also
get rewarded. Remember, any behaviour that gets recognized
or rewarded gets repeated. Ask about our referral reward
program, and let me know what yours is so that I too can
help you get more business.

----------------------------------------------------
Bob Urichuck is an International Speaker, Trainer and
Best-Selling Author. Learn personally from Bob in the areas
of Sales, Motivation, Leadership and Team Skills. Bob
presents a series of great ideas and strategies with
combination of facts, humor, and practical concept in a
high-energy and self-discovery process that you can apply
right away to achieve results. Subscribe to Bob's Free
Newsletter, worth $297, visit http://www.BobU.com Now!

3 Steps to Getting The Most Out of Conferences and Workshops

3 Steps to Getting The Most Out of Conferences and Workshops
Once you return home from a conference or workshop, it's
easy to forget all the things you learned and promised
yourself you'd implement.

After all, you're back in your regular environment: your
family needs attention after you've been gone, work tasks
have piled up, personal items need handling. How are you to
"catch up" and incorporate all the new things as well?

Here's my simple process for ensuring I implement and put
new ideas into action as soon as I return from a conference
or workshop:

1. Create an Action List.

While at the workshop, I make an action list of all the
ideas I want to implement in my business - some are new and
some are refining things I'm already doing.

The important thing to note here is that I do NOT censor
this list - everything I think of goes on it.

2. Take a day.

If possible, take a day or 1/2 day when you get home to
unpack, get back in the swing of things and take a good
look at your Action List (mine usually runs 2-3 pages).

Review the items and decide which make sense for your
business right now, in the next six months and in the next
year.

Once you've separated the items into different lists, take
out the "right now" sheet:

Are there items which can be done in 10 minutes or less? If
so, identify those items and schedule an hour for each
group of 5 activities over the next week (this allows a
little extra time). This will insure you make steady
progress soon after the seminar.

Do you have bigger projects? No sweat, break them down into
smaller chunks -- 30 minutes at most -- and schedule them
on your calendar.

By scheduling these activities *on your calendar*, you'll
have a start and end time for getting them done and
ensuring you got the most out of your time at the workshop.

File the other two lists in your tickler file for future
action.

3. Follow-up.

Chances are you've met new friends and potential clients.

Now's the time to drop them a brief note and let them know
you're happy to have met them and follow-up with any
information you may have promised.

And, remember, if appropriate for you, thank the speaker
for the seminar and all you learned.

Your Coaching Challenge

Think back to the last conference or workshop you attended.
Did you create an Action List of things to implement in
your business?

If not, schedule some time on your calendar to sit down
with the workshop binder, go through your notes and create
an Action List of everything you want to implement.

Then follow the steps I outline above for getting them
done! I set the intention to get at least one thing (new
idea, better way of doing something, etc.) from every
conference or workshop I attend - after all, the cost of
attendance is high: money, travel, hotel, and, most
importantly, my time and energy!

----------------------------------------------------
For the past 5 years, Sandra Martini has been showing
self-employed business owners how to get more clients
consistently by implementing processes and systems to put
their marketing on autopilot. Visit Sandra at
http://www.SandraMartini.com for details, compelling client
testimonials and her free audio series "5 Simple and Easy
Steps to Put Your Marketing on Autopilot".

How Do You Get Paid When You Make Money Online?

How Do You Get Paid When You Make Money Online?
The idea of working over the Internet with a work from home
business is one that many people are interested in.
However, the whole payment method question confuses many
and deters a lot of people from working from home online.
The question of how you get paid when you make money online
is a good one and it has quite a few answers. The good
thing is that it is not hard to make money online and
receive the money fairly quickly. You simply need to review
the different payment options available to you and then
decide what works best for you.

Checks

If you work in the same country as your clients then you
may opt to receive checks for your online work. You may
choose to be paid up front, after the work is completed, or
half up front and half on delivery. There are many methods
of how much you are paid and when and this is something you
need to determine with your client. When you make money
online and receive a check for the payment you will find
you save money in the long run because there are no fees
associated with cashing a check. However, the turnaround
time is longer and this might not be your preferred method
of payment.

PayPal

Many people who make money online choose PayPal as their
payment method. The reason why is because it is safe and
secure and very fast. You can be paid and have immediate
access to the money. This is excellent because you have
immediate gratification, so to speak, and know that you
have the money you earned. If you have a debit card through
PayPal you can take the money out of your account or else
you can transfer it to your bank account and that takes a
few days. There are fees associated with PayPal, but it
allows you to accept payments from clients worldwide and in
different currencies. For many, PayPal is worth the fees
for the convenience.

Moneygram/Western Union

Another option is to receive money through Moneygram or
Western Union. Simply give your client your name and home
country and they can send you money in this method. There
are fees associated with this as well that you may have to
pay or else split with your client. These methods are fast,
too, but you will have to pick the money up at a Moneygram
or Western Union location.

Bank Wire

You can always provide your banking information to your
clients and receive the money you make online via a bank
wire. This is slower than other methods and there are fees
associated with it as well, but it is an option for you to
receive the money you make online.

When it comes to making money online there are many options
for receiving payment. Some are faster than others and some
cost more than others, but the good news is that it is
actually pretty easy to get paid for the work you do
online. So, if you are interested in working over the
Internet you simply need to figure out the method of
payment that works best for you and then get started. It is
really quite easy and you will find that when you make
money online with any home based business opportunity you
have no problems actually receiving it in hand!

----------------------------------------------------
There are numerous ways to make money online with any home
business opportunity. Please visit our site at
http://www.homebasedbusinesst.com to see our selection of
work from home business opportunities.

Home Business Bookkeeping Made Simple

Home Business Bookkeeping Made Simple
Home Business Bookkeeping can become a nightmare. Whatever
the price individuals who are not adept at numbers don't
like to do bookkeeping. More often than not, these
individuals trust others to do their bookkeeping for them.
But it does come with a fee when hiring some one to handle
bookkeeping duties.

Once you start or begin a home business, bookkeeping
constitutes one of the most important duties that can't be
avoided. Bookkeeping, is really very simple once you think
about it. All you have to do is keep track of your daily
financial activities. It's almost like balancing your check
book, money in and money out.

Two common bookkeeping methods used by businesses are the
single-entry bookkeeping system and the double-entry
bookkeeping system. Single-entry bookkeeping uses only
income and expense accounts recorded primarily in a Revenue
and Expense Journal. Single-entry bookkeeping is adequate
for many small businesses. Double-entry bookkeeping
requires posting (recording) each transaction twice.

The primary bookkeeping record in single-entry bookkeeping
is the Revenue and Expense Journal, which is similar to a
checking account register but allocates the income and
expenses to various income and expense accounts

If you maintain good booking records, then it should be no
trouble to keep accurate financial statements. You'll be
able to see instantly if you are making a profit or taking
a loss. Here are a few effortless steps to help with your
record keeping.

1. Open up a business checking account at your local bank.
Use your business name if you have one. If not use your
name. Order your checks, check card, credit card and any
other related items you may need.

2. Go to your local office supply store and purchase a
business ledger or notebook so you will be able to keep
track of your daily, weekly and monthly activities.

3. Make two columns, one for income an one for expenses.
Then proceed in writing down your earnings for the day, and
your expenses on the other side. Add up everything at the
end of the list. You'll be able to put the difference of
the two, and label or mark it whichever way you choose.

4. Accurately maintain a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly
log. Continue maintaining your book and at the end of each
day, week, month and year summarize you total earnings. At
the end of the year you will need this information when
filing your quarterly or yearly income taxes.

You see! It's not that difficult to keep up with your
simple business bookkeeping it's like keeping a diary
except you are dealing with money. You don't have to be an
accountant or mathematician to do bookkeeping duties, it's
real simple tasks. You can go to your local library and
read some books on bookkeeping if you desire more
information. Home business bookkeeping can be fun once you
get use to it.

----------------------------------------------------
Paul Jesse is an author and webmaster providing free and
low cost opportunities to make money at home. He invites
you to visit his website at http://www.sheamarketing.com

Don't Be One of The Millions To Fall For Home Business Opportunity Scams.

Don't Be One of The Millions To Fall For Home Business Opportunity Scams.
If you are looking for a home based business or any other
way to make money working at home, then you've likely been
overwhelmed with the abundance of information. You can't
search for "work at home" on the internet without being
bombarded by millions of poorly worded ads - all of which
claim to be the BEST work at home opportunity.

So how can you find which one is truly best for you without
having to try them all? Well, there are a lot of factors,
but here are some highlights for you to consider before
jumping into a new business venture.

Working at home can be a great lifestyle, but it's not for
everyone. Find out if it's right for you by answering the
following questions:

- Are you a disciplined person (i.e. can you successfully
work without supervision?)

- How much time are you willing to invest in a
job/business? - Do you want to work 100% from home or would
you like to work outside the home a set number of hours per
week?

- How much money are you comfortable with spending to start
a business?

- How much money do you expect to make from your business?

- Do you enjoy working with others or do you prefer to work
alone?

Once you have the answers to these questions, you are ready
to confront the mounds of advertisements for work at home
opportunities. The next step is to see how well your needs
and wants fit into the businesses available to you.

Before agreeing to any type of business, it's helpful to
find someone who is already doing the business and ask them
the following questions:

- How hours do you work each week?

- What does your average daily business routine consist of?
(This will help you determine if you'd enjoy doing what
they're doing.)

- What costs are involved in starting and operating the
business?

- What is the product or service you sell?

- How much money can I REALISTICALLY expect to make working
the number of hours you'll put in?

Now that you have your answers, you can research home
business opportunities and write down the top 3 business
opportunities that you think appeal to you the most. Then
take your time to think it over thoroughly.

Starting a new business should never be a spontaneous
decision - especially if there is a large financial
investment. Take some time - at least a couple weeks! -
and sincerely think about and compare each opportunity
until you feel confident with the one you've chosen.

Finally, I do have a couple of words of warning for you
when searching for that "golden" opportunity.

If it sounds too good to be true, it most likely is.
Whether it's a business online or a traditional offline
business, all businesses require a lot of work. Anything
that claims to be easy, or that reportedly doesn't require
work should be quickly skipped over.

You should NEVER...I repeat NEVER have to pay someone just
to receive information about a job or business opportunity.

If an advertisement seems extremely vague, it's most
definitely intentional. A good number of "too good to be
true" offers don't give you all the details up front
because they know if they do, no one would be interested.

Most importantly, be well informed. Do not give ANYONE
your hard-earned money until you have the answers to your
questions and are fully confident that you're making a wise
financial decision. Running your own home business can be
very rewarding if you're willing to put in the necessary
research to find what kind of home business fits your and
your needs bests.

----------------------------------------------------
Paul McBride is a business consultant who specializes in
helping entrepreneurs start and operate part or full-time
online businesses from home. He focuses on financial
education, not currently taught in public schools, so his
clients not just receive increased business cash flow, but
also a knowledge of how to invest wisely and make
profitable long-term financial decisions. Get free
information at http://www.jpwealthintelligence.com/?t=ar8

Using the Media as a Strategic Alliance

Using the Media as a Strategic Alliance
Millions of people read the newspaper every day. Many
others read magazine articles. Most of those two groups
combined believe and trust the better part of what they
read.

What is published on those pages becomes regarded as truth,
or at least it holds an inkling of truth. The stories on
those pages are often the topics of morning radio shows, of
people chatting at work, and among friends. In short, the
stories that make it to print have an impact on consumers.

So therein exists a very effective form of collaboration
marketing. With the media, you are building the trust of
consumers, who will in turn be more likely to buy your
product or service. The trick is to get the newsmakers to
write about you and your business, and that starts with
news releases. In accomplishing that, you will form a
strategic alliance with you and the media.

Many businesses today have incorporated communication plans
into their marketing strategies. A large part of these
plans involve attaining the media, as an alliance begins
with writing news releases to local and/or national
publications. The key to success here is to have well
written releases. And if all else fails, have a well
written release. Yes, it's that important. The media
receives countless press releases each day and if it is not
in the correct form, or if you have a made a huge mistake,
your release is gone to the trash.

Hiring a communications firm to write them for you is a
great idea. They will also have a large media list with
specific contact information for publications in your area
and around the country. Getting your release to the right
person is important. These contacts can be found on your
own in most cases, although it make take a lot of work and
you may have to make your way through many gatekeepers to
find them. There are online services where if you
subscribe, you will have access to their media lists.
However, some of these sites can be hundreds of dollars to
obtain.

If you are going to give it a go yourself, here are a few
key things to remember in writing a news release. Never
call members of the press members of the press. It is
thought of as a negative term these days. So, at the top of
your page it should read 'News Release', not Press Release.
If the content of your release is time sensitive, then the
words - for immediate release' should be in the second
line. This will tell the media that the info in the release
has an upcoming expiration date. If it can be used for a
while, then it should read 'for release at will.' This will
give your release a longer shelf life and it has a better
chance of seeing its way to print. Be sure to include your
contact information. Keep paragraphs very short, one or two
sentences. Keep the entire news release to one page when
possible.

Consistency is going to play an important role in this
strategy. Forming a strategic alliance with the media will
be a key in your collaboration marketing plan. Some will
choose to send releases media once a month for an elongated
period of time. Some plans span 3 months, while others
choose a more secure year or more. Of course, not all
releases will turn into articles because big news happens
and you will get sent to the bottom of the pile. But
chances are if you consistently send your releases, you'll
see your name in print.

----------------------------------------------------
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 Ventures 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

Management Communication Techniques

Management Communication Techniques
Client Claire recently described her week as being 'fast
and furious.' We soon discovered that this was the story
of her life, not just one week. Claire has a full plate
and then some. She thinks, moves and talks fast. She
prides herself in being a quick learner, an expert in her
field. Silently, she berates those who cannot keep pace or
who slow her down with questions or concerns.

What Claire is missing in her 'fast and furious' pace is
her influence on those around her, those on whom she
depends and who depend on her. One-by-one, she is
alienating co-workers, associates and friends alike.

What's Claire's main challenge? She sees others not as
individuals, but through the role they play in her life -
what they can do for her. In seeing them as individuals,
she would notice how her communication affects them and the
ensuing results they produce for her. She would see how
uncomfortable people have become around her.

We can deliver the very same message with varying affects
on others. We can inspire them, soliciting enthusiasm and
eagerness to cooperate. We can educate, softly sharing our
wisdom or unique perspective. We can leave them confused,
uncertain, resentful, possibly in tears. How do you think
Claire left her recipients?

There are many subtleties in the way people actually hear
what we are saying. Each of us is more transparent than we
think. The first step is to look in the eyes of your
recipient. Who is this person? What are their concerns?
What motivates them?

Does this individual move at a fast pace, meaning that we
need to be succinct? Are they detail-oriented, needing
backup material? Are they familiar with your data or do
they need to be educated? Is their mind elsewhere
presently, meaning that this is not an appropriate time?
What is their incentive to cooperate or even listen to you?

Taking time to answer these questions will help you focus
on the recipient, not merely yourself; time to notice
subtleties that work best to get your message across
effectively such as pace, vocal tone, amount of information
and whether to put your message in the form of a question,
a statement or even in writing.

Finally, looking at your recipient as an individual allows
you to engage two of your most basic emotional needs in
relationships—respect and appreciation. A touch of
humor (not sarcasm) appropriately tossed in lightens every
setting.

Once Claire treats her team as humans trying to do their
best, foibles and all, her messages will be received in
such a manner to elicit amazing cooperation, which will in
turn take many things off her plate and result in a better,
more productive environment all the way around.

This is a great week to learn more about how you look at
those with whom you communicate? Do you deliver messages
fast and furious? How do you leave your
recipients—eager to cooperate and become more
creative in their work for you or resentful, even angry? Do
you berate them in your mind if they aren't a fast learner?
Must they all be an expert in their field? Or is there
another way? Enjoy your discoveries!

----------------------------------------------------
For the sake of keeping your career fresh and on track,
would you like to enjoy a weekly shot-in-the-arm from
Master Certified Coach Ann Golden Eglé? You can sign
up for her free weekly ezine, The Success Thought of the
Week, at http://www.gvsuccesscoaching.com .

Hold a Successful Meeting: At Last!

Hold a Successful Meeting: At Last!
Meetings have a bad reputation. It's unfair, really. It's
not the meeting's fault. It could be good, if only people
would let it.

While heavy-duty or especially difficult meetings require
more than a few little tools to be effective, you can
vastly improve the outcome of a routine meeting simply by
using a mere five of my favorite tools. Talk about
traveling light!

1. Invite the right people. It sounds simple enough, but
too often I see topics covered with a full group that only
apply to a sub-set of the group, on the excuse that, "this
is the only time we have them together." Likewise, if you
can't make a decision without Ms. X or Mr. Y, who will not
be in attendance, you have to seriously question why you're
having the meeting. You're not alone if you've done this.
I've been guilty of this sin myself.

2. Start with a clear objective for the meeting. And, by
the way, don't keep it to yourself! Send it to everyone.
Will you be making decisions? Getting input? Sharing
feedback? Particularly with routine meetings, it's tempting
to hold the meeting because it's what we do, or because you
think it provides some sort of bonding, but what are you
really trying to accomplish? People don't actually bond
very much in unproductive meetings that lack clear
objectives.

3. Set up a successful agenda in advance. Okay, for some
leaders setting an agenda at all would be progress! You
know who you are. :)

As you build the agenda, get real about how long it will
take to address each topic. You can't treat a complex issue
like ongoing poor product quality the same way you treat a
status report on a successful project. Yet, how often do we
find ourselves in a meeting in which these two topics have
roughly the same allocation of time? As a guideline, assume
that if the goal is to make a decision, it will take four
times longer than if the goal is to simply provide a status
report. If you know darn well that the status report will
actually stimulate a provocative discussion but no decision
is expected to be made, allow twice the time as for a more
routine status report.

For what it's worth, eliminate all status reports, if
possible. If it's really just a status report, with no
discussion needed, email should do the trick.

4. Visually track problem-solving and decision-making
discussions. If it's a virtual meeting, use a shared
document to track the discussion, such as Webex. If
everyone is in the same room, or if you're lucky enough to
have Telepresence, use a flipchart or whiteboard. I have
never understood the allergic reaction some people have to
flipcharts. It's not a sign that you're dummies just
because you can't remember the key points brought out five
or ten minutes ago. There's a lot going on in these
meetings, and visual tracking of the content keeps everyone
tracking together.

5. End with "Speak and Listen." This has become my favorite
tool to wrap up a meeting and ensure that what's really
important to the participants is out in the open, so it can
be addressed either in the next meeting or separately.

This is such a simple activity and it works equally well
for engineers, artists, teachers, accountants,
executives...you get the picture. Each person in the room
has 30 seconds to share whatever he or she wants to share.
There are no rules other than to be respectful. This is not
the time to flame your fellow meeting participants.

Go around the room in order, politely cutting the speaker
off at exactly 30 seconds. That includes the big boss - no
letting him or her prattle on over the time limit. Believe
me, after the first or second cut-off, everyone else will
be succinct.

Go two rounds, so that each person has spoken for up to 60
seconds. There is no discussion whatsoever during the
exercise. It is strictly about speaking and listening,
about getting in touch with each other's concerns and
perspectives.

This is also an excellent meeting opener, although
generally I use it as a closer.

Assuming your group is of a reasonable size, this should
take all of 5 - 10 minutes, and it has an impressive impact
on the team's sense of unity and cohesion. It also serves
the function of providing air time for what is important to
each person. You would be amazed at how far off your
assumptions can be from someone else's. For virtual teams
in particular, this is an essential opportunity for people
on the phone to really be heard.

----------------------------------------------------
Jennifer Selby Long, Founder and Principal of Selby Group,
provides executive coaching and organizational development
services. Jennifer's knack is helping clients navigate the
leadership and organizational challenges triggered by
change and growth. She knows firsthand that great plans
often fail because companies don't take into account the
human factors that come into play when implementing them.
Visit Jennifer at: http://selbygroup.com

5 Questions to Consider for FREE or Low-Cost Publicity

5 Questions to Consider for FREE or Low-Cost Publicity
1. Where do you go to get publicity?
- Media, all local newspapers, magazines, trade magazines,
business publications and local radio and television
stations if you are doing something that involves a
non-profit or charity as they normally only care about
publicizing public service announcements.
- Your chamber of commerce or other organizations you
belong to.
- Your clients and referral sources - Visitor's centers,
Community centers, Senior centers, Neighborhood or Merchant
Association

2. Who specifically do you talk to?
- Publication editors or assistant editors, television and
radio producers of specific shows.
- Chamber membership coordinators, newsletter staff or
editors, managers, etc.

3. How can you co-promote for more exposure and reduced
costs?
- Go in with other small businesses that compliment your
business on advertising, chamber inserts, ads or inserts in
papers, direct mail pieces, door to door flyers, etc.
- Send recommendation letters for each other to your
individual databases
- Collaborate on someone else's monthly newsletter (mailed
or emailed)
- Offer discounts or free gift certificates to each others
customers
- Display your brochures at their office and vice versa
- Offer to give your services to businesses for them to
promote as gifts to their clients
- Offer referral fees and/or discounts an promote them to
your referral sources and make sure to pay them promptly
and/or give gifts to those who refer to you 'be creative
- Use reciprocal website links and have an "I recommend
these businesses" page - Create ways for referral sources
to use your products/services in their promotions as trade
for exposure

4. What can you donate to whom for added exposure?
- When giving a gift for raffle or donation, DO NOT GIVE A
DISCOUNT OFF YOUR SERVICES, it needs to be a FREE, no
strings gift or it isn't a gift
- Donate your product and/or services to raffles, charity
event auctions, giveaways, etc. Include your card,
brochure, etc. Try to follow up with the winners if
available
- Write articles about a subject matter you are
knowledgeable in and offer them free to other people's
electronic newsletters and online publications, in return
for an identifier paragraph that links to your own website.

5. Where can you volunteer or sponsor for more exposure?
- Volunteer for events that can get you free exposure by
receiving in exchange booths, advertising, free publicity,
sponsor rights, exposure, etc. and then build relationships
with other volunteers in hopes for them becoming referral
sources
- Offer to speak at chamber and other organization events
and meetings, especially those that have members in your
target market. Build outlines and topics that are relevant.

----------------------------------------------------
© Copyright 2008 K.Sawa Marketing
Katrina Sawa is an Award-Winning Relationship Marketing
Coach who's helped hundreds of small business owners take
dramatic steps in their businesses to get them to the next
level in business, revenues and life. She offers one-on-one
coaching, group coaching and do-it-yourself marketing
planning products. Go online now to get started with her
Free Report and Free Audio at
http://www.jumpstartyourmarketing.com !

How Can We Swipe 2 Master Secrets From the Winning Olympic Bid to Use in Our Advertising Promotions?

How Can We Swipe 2 Master Secrets From the Winning Olympic Bid to Use in Our Advertising Promotions?
How many goose bumps did you get when the Olympic bid
announcement was read out, citing London as the victorious
city for hosting the 2012 Olympics?

Let me tell you that I was shaking with emotion when the
result was read out. It was such an exhilarating feeling.

Though, after the celebrations drew to a close, I decided
to take took a closer look at the winning bid. "Why was it
so successful?" I asked myself.

After collecting and putting all the pieces of the bid
together, I'm convinced that there were two strategies used
that any one of us can borrow and apply to effective use in
getting our advertising messages to be super responsive.

The first 'Master Secret' was the use of a 'CELEBRITY' to
spearhead the campaign.

It's true that the Olympic bid was somewhat spluttering mid
way through its campaign and something was needed,
something drastic was needed in order to lift the flagging
feeling of the bid.

Enter -(Lord) Sebastian Coe.

You may or may not remember the 800, 1500 meters and the
one-mile battles that happened between Coe, Cram and Ovett
in the early 80's. Now, THAT was compelling viewing!

With that pedigree and history behind him, introducing Coe
as the main ambassador of the bid, was a touch of genius.
It gave credibility and a unique tie in to what the games
were all about.

With hindsight or not, it's fair to say that the London bid
wouldn't have had the same sparkling result if it were left
to the politicians and other 'dignitaries' to lead the
challenge.

Reason?

They're not OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALLIST CHAMPIONS! And... most
are not 'favourites' with the general public.

So, how can you and I use the idea of a CELEBRITY to boost
our response in the market place?

Well, all we need do is find a 'Coe Comparative' in
whatever field we're doing business in.

Say we're a local butchers and we want to promote our new
range of quality meats that have a certain zing and flavour
to them. Something that just isn't available anywhere else
in the local area.

How about getting the editor of the local paper to be in
the promotions saying something like, " Geoff Swan of The
Local Gazzette Swears He'd Never Buy Meat From Anywhere
Else Than Blah Blah Butchers... The Meat's Just Too Tasty,
Just Too Succulent and Just Great Value!"

When everyone else's shouting 'we've got cut priced
sausages', you're wading in there with a 'glamour'
promotion that the likes of which many customers would
never have seen before.

And that means... interest and... custom, plenty of it!

That tie in with a celebrity alone will draw in the
customers. But, couple that with great offers, warm and
friendly service and a continual communication, it's
possible you'd dominate the local area in pretty quick time.

Or, say you're a local solicitor trying to get new clients,
why not do a promotion that says something like, " Nancy
Kwan of The Chinese Gourmet Cook in Henderson Road Had Her
Legal Problems Solved in Double Quick Time By Joe Blow
Solicitors."

Again, it's quite unlike anything the regular 'punter'
would've seen. And that 'uniqueness' in the marketplace is
what all businesses, practices, services, etc, strive for.

See, the publicity by having a 'CELEBRITY' attached to your
promotions, is like having an endorsement from someone in
the local 'public eye'. Someone the locals trust. A Seb Coe
if you will.

Okay, the second BIG SECRET that the London bid pulled out
of the hat was... presenting thirty children from a local
East End School to be part of the bid! It drew the
emotional strings like nothing else would have.

More than that, the children were a 'promise of the future'.

Meaning, the Olympic Games will give these children the
opportunity to have their minds and hearts filled with the
passion and inspiration and spirit to be someone great. To
achieve the highest honour in sport - THE OLYMPIC GOLD
MEDAL.

Having that promise 'come to life' in the form of those
children, was again, a master stroke.

So, how can you incorporate a 'promise of the future' for
your promotions and advertising?

Alright, let's say that you've a auto repair shop dealing
in cars that are 10 - 15 years old, and your expertise is
to 'bring back to life, good as new'.

Now, the way to bring the 'promise of the future' in the
marketing and promotion for this auto repair shop, is by
way of a testimonial picture showing a BEFORE AND AFTER
PICTURE.

Of course, the AFTER picture is the 'promise of the
future'. It's what all customers would want their car to
look like. It's what they want their 'old banger', to
aspire towards.

Showing a customer the powerful future plusses in what a
product or service will give them, is a proven and tested
way of ensuring the sale.

In what ways can you use these powerful 'OLYMPIC
STRATEGIES' to your benefit and gain?

If you spend a little time applying what you learn in these
emails, you'll see such an advantage in your business that
it isn't funny.

Go get 'em tiger!

----------------------------------------------------
Nick James is a UK based direct marketer and product
developer. During the last 5 years Nick has sold in excess
of £1.6 Million Pounds worth of products and sevices
online. Subscribe to his Free Tip Of The Week email at:
http://www.Nick-James.com