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Friday, April 26, 2013

Growing Your Own Business

Running your own business should be exciting, challenging, rewarding and, ultimately, lucrative. However, it isn't always so. Many SMEs fail. Few achieve their full potential. Most grow for a while and then reach some plateau where, despite the best efforts of the business leader or the leadership team, they continue to bump along year after year.

Why is this?

It may be due in part to external factors like market turn-down, a worsening economy or your product starts to lose ground to competitors. Perhaps a change of staff has not produced employees who are as effective as the original small team.

Often, however, the answer is much simpler than that. Take a look in the mirror! The limiting factor for most businesses is the time, attention or knowledge of the person or group of people running it. The owners may grow the business for many years just by working hard, for long hours, but there comes a point where every new thing they have to do means that something they used to do no longer gets done. Even if the business has employed more staff, overall productivity is going down.

Managing a business and leading people is difficult to do well and it is unwise to try to practice it through trial and error. People often say, "I'll pick it up as I go along" - and the vast number of those businesses struggle. This is not a coincidence - these facts are related.

What can you do about it?

Start by recognising the limiting beliefs that are holding you back - your mind-set - and replace them with enabling beliefs.Take a look at the purpose: your vision of where you want to go, how you want to get there, what you believe in, what you value and what you do. What is your strategy for explaining what is special about your product and how it is a better proposition for your chosen market?
Systematization: this makes your business efficient, repeatable, resilient, reliable - and scalable.

Finally, think about engagement. People are much easier to manage when they are committed to the cause. They are also much more productive. An engaged workforce is aligned with the organisation's purpose, will feel proud to be part of a winning team and teamwork will come naturally to them as a result.

Thursday, April 25, 2013

First Step For Start Small Business

There are so many ideas when it comes to small business. Some are good and some are not so good.

I have a couple of commandments that I like to follow when I coach small business owners.

Never give up" Winston Churchill. You will be tested again and again to test your resolve. There will be days where you want to go back to the security of your job. This is the time where you need to be strong, emotionally strong that is. If business was easy everyone would be doing it. Franchises are successful because everything is done for you, you have systems in place. Even with a franchise, there is no guarantee of success. I remember one morning (1 am) when I started my shift, the Internet was done, the phone line wasn't working and I did not get one sale for the next 3 days. How did you think that felt? I was destroyed. I looked around my study with my motivational hand written pieces of paper stuck to the wall with blue tack. One of them said, "There is a silver lining in every cloud" I saw no silver lining.

All I saw was misery and a feeling of helplessness. However, I dusted myself off and got up again. The roller coaster ride of business is something that cannot be explained until you experience it. You can give me all the motivation and tutorials you want but when that phone stops ringing, all your fears come to the surface and that little voice in your head creates havoc. This will happen for the rest of your business life. Get on with it, be positive and do your best but never give up.

2    When you succeed, do not change as a person, show empathy. Time and time again I have seen successful people bragging about how busy they are and that they cannot keep up with customers. This trait is embarrassing and not recommended. The majority of people lie anyway in my experience. You don't need to advertise that you are busy. People are smarter than you think; they can work it out for themselves. You see, here lies the problem. If you are arrogant, then one day your business closes down, what do you do then? Do you hide in shame? Do you crawl under a rock? No.

Do not get in this position. People will resent you. When people ask how's business, you say business is OK, we are seeing improvements. That is empathy. You should tell people you are successful without big noting yourself. Nothing makes my father prouder than when people tell him how humble his son is. I take after dad. He is the same guy who arrived on a boat in Australia, nothing has changed. Sure, he has a better house and car but deep down he is still the same guy who grew up in a strict household

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Planned without Anyone Making a Decision

The real world often blame mistakes on others, rather as they attempt to hide their incompetence or inability to make it happen. We know that our society is moving in this direction, we can tell by the union workers who purposely do work slowdowns or even our Teleprompter in Chief. Now, then should we blame humans for acting like this, well, the answer is maybe. You see, everyone else is doing it, even their role models. Today, everything is about fake pleasantries, so-called group think. There is only one problem with all of this.

Nothing of any substance is getting done, anywhere. We have civic leaders, bureaucrats, 20-somethings, academics, politicians, and unbelievably even business leaders running around stroking each other's egos in an endless stream of meetings. No one anywhere will make a decision, not until they meet with "the group" and ask them what they think. Of course, the members of that group are also indecisive, so they have to go back to all the other groups they are also in and ask everyone there, all those people in turn ask their groups and friends, many of which are in the previous chain of groups, committees, boards, or whatever they attempt to call themselves.

Then they play the little musical chair pecking order games. Making sure everyone is okay with anything that is planned without anyone making a decision, eventually someone stands up and says "yes, let's do that," and then one-by-one others in all the other groups get on board with the new idea, that is after the next set of meetings, some of which get postponed, interrupted by holidays, and then held. The funny thing about all this, is that the person who thought of the idea and the person everyone was waiting to talk too, should have probably just agreed over the phone and told everyone else what they were doing.

But no, in the new way of doing things, everyone is asked for their input and thoughts, but no one can really think anymore, they just meander trying not to step on any one's toes. Meanwhile, they hold banquets, conferences, symposiums, seminars congratulating each other, giving out plaques, certificates, and frig gin door prizes and raffle prizes. It's all really a very sick joke indeed. Humans running around all afraid to make a decision, so worried about what everyone else thinks, when in reality none of them are thinking at all. Step back sometime and look at yourselves, it's quite pathetic.

Monday, April 22, 2013

CRM Possible For All Size Business

 Midsize company sales or service departments that do not take full advantage of modern CRM (Customer Relationship Management). Either they are using an ancient version with limited capability or they still rely on paper based processes. Some have invested heaps of money in a full ERP solution with supply chain, finance and human resource automation, but have never integrated a front-end sales and marketing solution.

The competition in the marketplace in general and from Microsoft and Sales Force in particular have made entry level CRM possible for all size businesses and departments. With all players focused on cloud based solutions and each offering their own set of integration options, there are many ways to spend very little money to get started, making it possible to invest and build on your solution as results are gained. Gone are the days of a twelve to twenty four month implementation plan before results can be gained.

CRM is intended to be a full life-cycle solution for managing customers from marketing to after sales support. The below is a sample sales solution that can broadly be implemented within five days and cost you less than $10,000. This give you a foundation to build onto. If you select a cloud based solution, you only pay on-going license fees based on usage and have no upfront hardware costs.

The functionality below are some of the areas you can consider implementing for under $10,000. Costs are kept in check by "time-boxing" the solution. The idea is to offer a time based solution that involves the key stakeholders to get a solution going within a week.

Sales Automation:

    Account, contact, opportunity and activities
    Basic work flow
    Customization of Objects and Fields
    Data mapping, transformation, migration and data
    validation
    Notes and Attachments
    Lead Management, Routing and Assignments
    E-mail templates and tracking
    Analytic, reports and dashboards
    Product catalog

 End user training Note there are many areas not included in the above, such as territory management, full life-cycle management, contract management, customer portals, Service dashboards, etc., but the above is more than enough to improve your business and establish a foundation for the future.The five days roughly include:

Day 1: Initiation and Analysis including a design workshop

Day 2 & 3: Configuration and Review - prototyping a solution based on design workshop for immediate feedback, allowing time for minor changes.

Day 4: Data Migration

Day 5: Training and Wrap-up

We are not promising a perfect solution, but instead a usable software that

allows room to maximum staff efficiency in rolling out a foundational improvement to managing your client life-cycle.

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Wholesale School Supplies

Need of some extra cash, consider selling school supplies. With the economy the way that it is, almost everyone could benefit from having a little extra cash in their pocket. With summer fast approaching, one of the ways you could easily earn some extra money is by selling wholesale school supplies. Just take a moment to think about it. Every school aged child out there has a long list of supplies that they need, and every one of their parents is looking for a great bargain. Whether you sell to your friends, family or coworkers, or decide to become a vendor at a local spot, selling wholesale school supplies just might be an easy way for you to earn that extra money that would come in so handy.

The secret to your success in this type of venture lies in finding the right supplier. If you take the time to search online, you can easily find a dollar store supplier that offers all of the school supplies that you could possibly think of. Some retailers even offer wholesale backpacks already filled with a variety of supplies. That would be a hot seller! These wholesale school supplies can be purchased in bulk for an amazingly lower price than you could find in any store. Not only can you save money, but you can pass those savings along to the people you sell to as well. Any time that you can offer someone a premium product at a not so premium price, you definitely have the potential to become very successful.

Not only are school supplies something that you can sell to almost everyone, but they are something that can be sold at many different venues as well. Think of everyone you know. Friends and family are always great to sell to. You might want to consider letting your coworkers know that you are selling as well. They will probably be happy to purchase their products from you. They will be able to save money on their children's needs and save time by not having to shop in the store. Even your coworkers without children might wish to purchase your goods. You can never have too many pens or pencils, especially if you work in an office environment.

Local fairs and festivals provide a great selling opportunity as well. You can usually rent vendor space for a small amount of money, giving you access to a wide variety of potential customers, and the chance to bring in a large amount of money in a short amount of time. Be creative and come up with some different ways to reach out to a lot of people. Your business might just do a lot better than you ever thought possible.

Selling something that everyone uses without spending a lot of money or taking up a lot of your time? It sounds like a dream come true, doesn't it? That just might be what selling wholesale school supplies really is. If this sounds like something you really think you can do, then take the initiative today to find a good dollar store supplier and start ordering those wholesale school supplies immediately.

Friday, April 19, 2013

Business Software Solution In Your Business Operations

 Business management refers to the technologies and applications that experts use to gather, analyze, and provide access to data and information about company operations. Effective online business intelligence software can enable companies to have a comprehensive knowledge of the issues affecting the company such as production, sales and internal operations. This software solution can then enable the company management to take proper actions. It is vital for any management application to have the capability to extract and present data in a meaningful way.

Simply put, business intelligence empowers the company to make faster and better decisions by offering the right information to all the right people, at the proper time. Normally, many employees find that they are suffering from information overload and require solutions that offer the analysis to make decisions effectively. Business intelligence applications offer tools that enable employees make informed decisions to be part of their natural and everyday work experience, whether they are dealing with strategic, operational or a tactical level.

Multi-dimensional data warehouse

The core of any business intelligence solution is the multi-dimensional data warehouse. In simple terms, this huge database, which contains all the data a company needs for performance management. The techniques of modeling that experts use to build this database are crucial to the function of the business intelligence solution. Normally, this data warehouse has time invariant data, integrated data and atomic data.

Time variant data means that the company tracks and records changes to data to produce reports overtime that show the changes. Integrated data means that the database has data from all or most of the operational applications of the company, and that the data is consistent. Non-volatile data means that the company never overwrites or deletes data in the database, once the data is committed it is read-only and static, and is retained for future reference.

  Source systems

Source systems are not exactly part of the business intelligence solution but they feed it. Hence, they should be the basis of any architecture of a business intelligence solution. When setting up the BI solution, it is vital that you consider all the kinds of data you require in your analysis. You need to consider information contained in databases as well as that in external data feeds.

To build an effective solution, you need to extract data from these sources. You will then need to transform the data after extraction. Once you are done with all the work of transformation, you need to load the data into your multidimensional model and easy to operate.

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Increase Your Salon Retail Sites To Promotion

Most of the tips we give out are consumer-based, so we thought it might make a nice change to offer some advice to the salons and freelancers out there - how to use your retail products to boost sales.

Retail sales make up a big part of your business. They can account for up to 50% of your net profit, meaning if you're not making the most of the opportunities presented by product sales, you're really missing a trick!


Put in a real focus on creative and knowledgeable selling and it will go down well with your customers and increase your salon's profit. Spending a little time maximizing the sales experience really will pay dividends.

Use Your Products

Always use the products you have in store, or are selling, on your clients during their treatment and tell them why you are using them and the benefits they offer. This is the perfect soft-sell opportunity. Using your salon's products on yourself also shows you believe in them. You can show customers the benefits of using the products over a longer length of time - free advertising never hurts. Also, ensure you and your team are trained and knowledgeable in the products you offer; the advice you offer should be tailored to suit each customer's needs.

Offers, Discounts, and Promotions

Offer exclusive products or items. This can be something small, but it will be something that sets your salon apart from others. You might also introduce link selling to increase your retail sales. This is done by linking items that can be used or worn together i.e. a body cream and a body exfoliate. Sell more than you originally aim for.


Let Clients Know About the Products

Use all your tools to educate your clients on the uses and benefits of your products and motivate them to purchase. Window and product displays, point of sale material, beautifully branded packaging and highly trained staff can all harmonies to embed retail opportunities into the professional salon experience!

This advice is contextual and cannot be promised to work, having said that, however, there can be said that if you do follow this advice (or similar advice, but boo on you!), you should start to see some positive results, These are, after all, just a few ideas we've had people tell us and hopefully will be able to help you on your way.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

T.G.I. Friday's Marketing & Economic Trends

T.G.I. Friday's faces challenges every day. Certain factors from their general and specific environment pose threats to the company. There are many ethical issues surrounding the business that contribute to social responsibility. However, T.G.I. Friday's does not let these factors stop them from continuing to grow and thrive in an ever-changing economy.

Just like any other business, T.G.I. Friday's is affected by its general and specific environment. The general environment of a business is the economic, technological, sociocultural, and political trends that indirectly affect all organizations. T.G.I. Friday's economic trends are extreme. Their business runs in seasons, as seen in any other restaurant. The business struggles and income is low during the fall months, as trends are seen that customers eat at restaurants less frequently during these months. Technology is an extremely important factor in how T.G.I. Friday's runs. From the smallest use of technology when rewards customers sign up online, to the greater use of technology when servers use computers to ring in orders, to the most important use of technology when the accountant uses computers to do the business's accounting, technology absolutely runs the organization. When it comes to the sociocultural component, T.G.I. Friday's does not target one demographic. There is a wide variety of customers, employees, and managers which can be found within the organization's walls. The political trends that affect T.G.I. Friday's are ever-changing. Many different laws regulate the way the business is run, such as advertising laws, serve safe alcohol awareness laws, food safety regulations, and even employee policies.

The specific environment of a business is composed of factors such as customers, competitors, suppliers, industry regulations, and advocacy groups. Some would say that the customers run the business. Fact is, without customers a business would not survive because it would not make money. Competitors threaten T.G.I. Friday's every day when they develop new menu items that are similar to their menu items, and sometimes even at a cheaper price. Suppliers can also run a business, because if a company has no supplies, they cannot open for business. There is industry regulation that is in place to ensure that every T.G.I. Friday's is the same atmosphere and the customer gets the same experience no matter which location they go to. Advocacy groups threaten the business because they are constantly trying to influence the way the business is run as well as change their practices. These are just a few of the threats T.G.I. Friday's faces daily, however it is not uncommon for any business to face these threats and many more.
 T.G.I. Friday's has a social responsibility to increase its profits in an ethical way. However, behind closed doors there lie

certain unethical practices that could hinder the business from flourishing. As seen in the movie Waiting, many restaurant employees cut corners to make their jobs easier. One might call these types of employees "half-cheeked" workers. Nevertheless, T.G.I. Friday's has a social responsibility of making sure their customers receive the most superior experience every time they enter the restaurant. Not only is it morally corrupt to allow these shortcuts to take place, it is also illegal and disgusting. T.G.I. Friday's strives for a sanitary, healthy environment for every customer, every time.

T.G.I. Friday's is a staple not only in the American diet, but also in international diets. Although their main focus is to prevail in the United States of America, global forces affect how the company is managed, and where new restaurants are developed. Sixteen countries include a T.G.I. Friday's restaurant, and the business continues to grow. Needless to say, T.G.I. Friday's manages extremely well in the ever-increasing globalization of the economy.

T.G.I. Friday's brand has become bigger than the founders ever imagined in 1965 when the first restaurant opened. The business has blown the competition away, not letting factors like the general and specific environment, ethical issues, or globalization become a downfall to the company. Through a combination of franchise and corporate locations, T.G.I. Friday's has become one of the largest chain restaurants in the world. Not only is their food served within the restaurants, but recently their food has been produced and packaged to be sold in grocery store freezers. All Customers and employees, alike, agree that T.G.I. Friday's is an atmosphere that is fun and inviting and attraction.

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Plan Of Team-Building

Your thinking of planning a team-building weekend, the most important thing is that everyone has a good time. However, despite the intentions behind team building, sometimes a weekend spent out in the rain and the cold while staying in a youth hostel bed leave a lot to be desired.

However, it does not have to be like this. Why not consider luxury corporate events venues the next time that you want to book a team-building event? There are lots of reasons why this could prove to be the perfect option for you and your team, and here are a few of the main ones.

Stay in Luxury Accommodation

No matter what you do during the day, whether rain or shine, your staff will know that they have a luxury experience waiting for them back at the hotel. Sometimes these weekends can get a bit depressing, but when you base yourselves at a luxury hotel specialising in corporate away days, you will know that your staff will have a great time whatever you all get up to.

Enjoy the Best Activities

When you choose a luxury hotel that is located somewhere deep in the countryside or even on the coast, you will likely get access to some fantastic activities, which may even be organised by the hotel itself. And for corporate events venues that offer luxury services, you can expect the very best activities available.


For example, you will probably be able to find classic activities like sailing, kite surfing, windsurfing, wake boarding, mountain biking and rock climbing. However, at the same time you may be able to enjoy some activities that are slightly out of the ordinary, such as bush craft and art classes. And if you really want to treat your staff, spa treatments will not go down badly at all.

Boost Staff Loyalty

One of the best reasons to hire luxury corporate events venues when organizing the ultimate team-building event is because it will show your employees that they are truly valued. If you just throw something together at the last minute and they don't have a great time, you have to ask yourself what this says to them. But if you go above and beyond and plan a fantastic weekend away in a luxury hotel with all the activities they could want, you will give your staff a real boost, and that will be beneficial for everyone when you are back in the office.

Conclusion

Enjoy a More Successful Event There is no better way to organize a team-building event than to book your weekend in a luxury hotel specialising  in corporate away days. Consider all of the benefits of this option and make sure that you all have a fantastic time and that you finish the weekend feeling like you have really got something positive out of it.

Monday, April 15, 2013

The Marketing Packaging and Labeling to The customer

The marketing packaging and labeling to the customer. It is at the point when a customer picks up the box to take a closer look at the packaging and label that you have your last chance to convince someone to buy what's inside.

If you didn't put as much care into the design and quality printing of the packaging as you did your outside-the-store marketing campaign, there's a good chance the customer will put the product back on the shelf. And for the person just browsing and not even aware of your marketing campaign, you've lost any chance of someone considering your product unless the packaging projects a compelling invitation to take a second look, and under closer inspection, convinces the shopper that yours is a quality product worth buying.

Marketing always attempts to reach consumers where they are, but product packaging is the only market medium that targets a consumer at a point when they're ready to buy - in the store - and who have already shown an interest in your type of product by walking down the aisle where it's being sold. It could be the aisle that sells lawn and garden items, cereal, pasta, home decorations, power tools, pretty much anything that comes in a package. Even if the product itself is on display, a shopper will check the box to read more details, see images of it in action, find out what it's made of or where it's made.

If the package looks cheap, poorly designed, or shows bad quality in printing, that impression the packaging makes carries over to the product itself in the consumer's mind.

One message in marketing and packaging

Packaging is not separate from marketing. Packaging is marketing, and needs to carry over the same colors and designs you use in your advertising campaign, and on websites, mobile devices and handout brochures, even though each media platform has its own set of design criteria. You don't want the colors on your packaging to be "close enough" to the colors you use elsewhere. Your printer should be expert in packaging and labeling to produce colors true to your marketing design elements.

Yet the color and design must still set it apart from its competitors on the shelf and draw attention from consumers. Packaging designed after the rest of marketing and advertising designs are approved could give you something that works well on a mobile device, but not at all on a store shelf. When packaging is designed as part of a marketing campaign, you may need to adjust for each medium, but key elements and a coherent design theme come through clearly in all of them.

Impulse Buying

Packaging and labeling may be the only message that reaches a consumer. A casual shopper without a list is out to pick up just a few things, and does not see the shopping trip as a mission to be completed as efficiently and economically as possible. On this trip, the consumer is open to cruising the aisles to find anything else he may need - or want.
Is the package for your product waiting for this consumer, set to reel him in? Maybe an advertising campaign reached this consumer, but not enough to drive him to the store. But now that he sees your package, does it click with the ads he's seen before and complete the impulse to pick it up? If it does, you have greatly increased your chance to make a sale.

Quality Printing

None of the design elements will be effective if you don't work with an experienced, well-equipped, quality printer. Someone who's trying to determine the quality of your product will have doubts if the packaging and labeling look cheap, have faded colors, text that doesn't doesn't have sufficient contrast against a background color, type hard to read, or a myriad of other problems that can occur without expert handling.

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Business Promotion and Marketing Products

Common step of marketing products for success the business. They want new ideas to promote their products too. This is where innovation in marketing can take place. Many of use also want to capture the attention of clients. If we are a business owner, this is essential. With a good marketing, there is a greater number of clients. Therefore, the more clients there is the better profits there will be. The sales of the company will spell the success of its operations. So in order to have a better profit, one should focus on good marketing. In this case, one can also use promotional items.

What is a promotional item? This is any types of items that will bear the company name. You can find them in every single type of item. Some people will use key chains. Others will be using tumblers and glasses. In other cases, items like a bag or a shirt can be used for promos. In order to capture the brand, one should also use items for marketing. This way, there will be a better scope of spreading your brand name. An item that includes a company name will increase its market share. The name of the company will have better recall among the users.

There are certain advantages in using promo items. The first one is brand recall. We all know that in order to have repeat clients, the name should be remembered. The clients can easily forget a brand name. But if they can have a reminder of some sort, this is easier. An item that bears the company name will be the reminder for people. Therefore, they will easily know what they need to buy in the future. Of course, the product should also be of high quality. Only this way there will be a repeat client

Another advantage of a promo item is the retention. Items like these can bear the brand forever. Unlike with ads on TV and print, they are disposable. With promo items, they can be running for a long time. So this means you can have return of investment at optimum level. With this in place, you can expect to run ad mileage longer. Of course, it will translate to better profits and revenues.

 It is good to use promo items because they are cheaper. If you are planning to put ads on TV and print, they could cost thousands. But with a promo item, the cost will be minimal. This should give you better profits with value difference. The lower your marketing cost is, the better. You can then improve your profits in the long run while benefiting from ads.

It is a good thing that you have many options for marketing. This is done with the use of promo items. If you can find a way to improve your profits, then pursue it. But with the available items.

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Interchange Reimbursement Fees

As you may, or may not be aware, each year, typically in April and then again in October, Visa and MasterCard make adjustments to their Interchange Reimbursement fees. If you accept payment for your goods or services, in your business, I assume you understand what "interchange" is. If, however, you don't, then it's time that you find out because they have a direct impact on your bottom-line.

This is especially the time of year for you to pay very close attention to your merchant statements. Typically, there is a section of "notifications" or "messages" that are used to inform you of things relative to your merchant account. I would suggest that you go back and grab maybe your February and certainly your March 2013 statements to see if there are any "alerts" of impending rate increases or fee changes, coming your way. See if there is any mention of rate hikes and make certain you get full of understanding of why and how they will affect your pricing.

You see, when Visa and MasterCard adjust their rates (and when I say "adjust" I mean upwards... of course), those increased costs are passed on to your processor. Then, they have to decide what to do about them: absorb the increases, pass on some of the increases, pass on all of the increases or pass on all of the increases PLUS SOME, to further help their bottom-line and hurt yours. If you're not fully aware of how you are currently priced and how, and if, any or all of the increases are being applied to you, you could be unknowingly paying to much.

If you have an interest in doing so, search for "Visa USA Interchange Reimbursement Fees" and then "MasterCard Interchange Rates". You will be taken to the respective sites where you can begin looking at current rates (understanding them is a whole other issue). If you go right away, they may not have the most current, April 2013, rates posted yet. However, that's a good thing because if you can pull, the October 2012 or even April 2012 rates, you'll have a point of comparison with new rates. While you're on each of these sites, spend some time and browse around. You'll find some helpful educational material relative to industry news and new developments that could be of benefit.

While I'm on the subject of "spring happenings", let me also caution you, or maybe just remind you, that spring typically brings on a surge of "newbie" credit card processing reps. These individuals, unfortunately, hit the streets ill-equipped to really be of any great benefit to you. They get some brief "product/service" type training and very little, if any, industry training. Then they are sent out to pound the pavement and "pitch" their offer. Many may sound enticing enough to get you to make the switch only to find out later on that you are paying higher overall rates or undisclosed fees. Simply, you absolutely need to make sure you are armed with thorough knowledge of this crucial service that you are paying for in your business. Low interest MasterCard interchange.

Friday, April 12, 2013

Career In Banking And Finance Jobs

High ranking profession in a society and build the careers in banking are both lucrative and rewarding, but at the same time are varied and diverse. Before choosing a career in finance, one should take a step back and consider which type of position would suit the individual.

Understanding Banking and Finance Careers

For example, should one apply for a career in retail banking or try for a more lucrative position within a multinational corporate bank? The final decision is an important one. Therefore, we hope this brief yet informative guide will help you find your way. 

Retail Banking

Retail banking represents the branch networks of High Street banks. The entry-level career in this type of banking is the counter teller whose job it is to deliver service with a smile to visiting members of the public. Duties mostly involve routine deposits and withdrawals of funds from personal and business bank accounts, but can include basic advice on various financial products. The qualifications required for this type of position are at least a secondary education and some form of customer service and cash handling experience. Other retail banking positions include personal managers and business managers, usually promoted from the counter staff, whose job it is to open new bank accounts, issue loans and offer advice about financial products including insurance and mortgages. Lastly, we have the bank manager who oversees the branch and its activities. Retail banking jobs do not require university qualifications and so thus are a perfect career choice for less academic individuals.

Investment Banking

Investment banking covers far more specialized financial services, looking after the needs of commercial, industrial and governmental clients. Careers in this field include investment bankers, stockbrokers and financial analysts. Duties consist of the setting up and management of corporate loans, the handling of company acquisitions and mergers and the day to day trading of stocks and shares. To qualify for an investment banking career, one has to boast excellent written and verbal interpersonal skills and have a good academic track record, i.e. A levels, with at least one degree in any subject. Graduate training courses and internships are available, but are in short supply, meaning competition for places is tight. A wise move for those wishing fast-track to high-end finance jobs would be to study for a degree in a related field, such as accountancy, economics or financial planning, and use such a qualification to move into a relevant finance banking career and bright future.

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Common Interview Questions and Answers

Common question and answers While every job interview is unique in its own way, most interviews come with a list of similar questions. Some questions are harder to approach and answer than others. Have you ever attended a job interview where the person you're meeting with asks, "Where do you see yourself in five years?" It's a trick question, really. The main point they're weeding through is how long you plan on staying with the company. Some will take this question and spin it to focus directly on them and not the company. This is a big mistake. Set some goals for yourself prior to heading to the interview. The goals you discuss should revolve around the company directly and what you're going to do to help it along.

It's important to know about the company you're going to interview with. The internet is a wealth of knowledge if you decide to use it to your advantage. Most companies have their own website and it's a good idea to understand what they're all about. Find out how long they've been in business and what is currently being practiced. Reading your potential employer's blog is an excellent way to stay on top of what the company is going through and what it practices on a day to day basis.

Make a list of your strengths and weaknesses prior to attending an interview. You're likely to be asked about both. Don't be too hard on yourself but at the same time, don't brag too much either. You'll want to find a fine middle ground that you'll be comfortable with.

Toward the end of an interview, the interviewer is likely to ask you if you have any questions. It's best to come up with something simple that he or she did not cover. This isn't the time to show off or to complain.
 No job is complete until the interviewer asks why you have left your last job. Don't use this time to point the finger and blame anyone at your former employer's office. You don't want to go on and on about how much you hated the mundane tasks are your former job. All jobs come with a job description and you're bound to dislike a handful of the tasks. No job comes with a list of things everyone will be happy with. So keep your answer simple and to the point.

Following up with the interviewer can be a sticky situation. It's a good idea to send an email thanking them for their time. This is a good time to ask any lingering questions you may have forgotten to ask during the interview.

These are just a few tips to take into consideration when heading over to your interview. 

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Four Tips To Start Successful Export Business

Successful Export Business started is certainly not an easy task, given all the competition that is out there. Even if you have chosen to start a business in a niche that is not as exploited as others, you still have to face massive competition. Having said that, the main question is: how do you find buyers for export?

If you want to expand your business horizons by increasing the target market and exporting goods all over the world, then selling your products at an international scale can be very rewarding, both financially and professionally. The secret is to find a buyer to whom you can deliver goods and services on a constant basis, as this will generate a continuous flow of cash. Here you will find several hints and tips on how to find buyers for export:

1. Learn How to Advertise Your Product

In the business world, advertising is everything - it can take your business to the peak of success, or it can lead it to failure in several months' time. Despite the fact that advertising does involve an initial investment, you will likely recover all the invested money within 6-12 months.

The media offers your business the visibility and popularity it needs to stand out from the crowd, to differentiate itself from the competition. By advertising your business in an efficient manner, you will not even have to struggle to find buyers - they will eventually come to you, if your business becomes an authority in its field of activity!

2. Get as Many Business Connections as Possible

Business connections are undoubtedly the fastest, cheapest and most efficient way to advertise your business without spending a fortune on marketing services - basically, these connections spread the word about your products and services (which is basically word of mouth marketing). Business connections can raise brand awareness for your business not only from one country to another, but also from one continent to another.

A great idea is to set up partnerships or joint ventures with foreign organizations that know the local buyers - this way, your business will get the visibility it needs. Nonetheless, this involves thorough market research as this is a long-term investment and there is no room for mistakes!

3. Attend Trade Fairs

Attending trade fairs is an almost guaranteed way to draw the attention of potential buyers, as they offer the exporter the opportunity to display products and services in front of a variety of interested customers. However, these trade fairs do require a certain budget and they are usually categorized by the types of products they display: there are electronics fairs, automotive fairs, fairs with products for babies and children and such. Also, attending a fair requires a well-defined marketing strategy that is aimed at the target market.

4. Buying Agents

This should be a last resort option, as buying agents usually do not come cheap (although this is not a general rule!). Basically, these are people who know the market and the buyers, and they advertise your product or service. They act as intermediaries between the supplier and the buyer, and they not only deal with contacting potential buyers.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Trench Work Site, Trench Shoring Equipment

You need to dig a trench at your work site, you will want to make sure that you properly shore up the walls to help promote safety and to ensure that you will not have to re-dig your trench. There are a couple of different trench shoring systems that you can use to help prevent the collapse of your trench walls, and matching the right equipment to the job is a must for safety and efficiency.

One of the easiest trench shore systems to use is hydraulic shoring in which hydraulic pistons are placed between steel plates or hard plywood sheets and then pumped outwards until they exert the proper amount of pressure on the trench walls. You can also find hydraulic trench boxes which are usually steel boxes with hydraulic pistons already attached. The hydraulic shoring system is generally used for temporary trench shoring and can sometimes be rented instead of purchased.

You can also use beam and plate trench shoring systems in which I-beams are driven into the ground to hold the metal plates against the sides of the trench. This method is usually used for larger excavations or over longer periods of time when hydraulics are impractical. For instance, if you need to use the open space in the trench to move equipment and personnel then you will probably not want to have horizontal hydraulic
presses spanning the top and bottom of the trench when a vertically placed beam can keep the walls secure. This method is also used for trenches with walls that are too far apart for most hydraulic pistons to reach.

Both of these trenching shoring systems, as well as other systems, will have their purposes, and the type of job you are doing will determine with method you use to shore your trenches. Since not every job is the same size or has the same requirements, you will want to evaluate each trench for the type of shoring system you will need to use. Make sure that the system you use can handle the weights and pressures applied to it, be safely installed and removed, and can be easily acquired.

You will not want to purchase a system and go to install it, just to find out that it is too big or too small for the job at hand. You can find systems to purchase and to rent, both online and in your local area, and many times these same companies will be able to offer you some advice and training so that you can better choose, install, and use your shoring system correctly and safely.

Monday, April 8, 2013

How to Attract Talent to a Small Business

Your goal is to attract the best talent and it's becoming increasingly difficult to do this. One of the reasons is because job seekers are getting savvy in terms of what they need to do to be noticed and what they need to include on their resumes.

US News and World Report has issued many articles for job seekers on how they can become irresistible to human resources departments. They are told to be likable and to only apply for jobs they are qualified for. While the latter is some of the best advice, few take it. As a result, you are stuck with piles of resumes that have no business being in the pile. If you are still going through resumes the old-fashioned way, you can be there for a very long time.

There are going to be some good resumes in the pile, and you need to locate them sooner than later to actually fill your vacancy in a timely manner. One of the best ways to attract the talent you need is not to tell applicants what they need but to use a new way of going through the resumes.

You have more technology available to you than ever before. One of the emerging technologies is the Applicant Tracking System. This will allow you to search through all of the resumes online in a short period of time. You can search for specific keywords, allowing you to grab hold of resumes from applicants who meet all of your criteria.

Maybe you're looking for a specific type of degree or a certain amount of experience. You can always go through the resumes on your desk one by one. However, when you want the best talent without spending days or even weeks looking for it, you can use a tracking system in order to speed up the process.

You don't have to rely solely on resumes to find out about people, either. With so many different platforms out there, you can tap into a lot of useful information as soon as you know where to look. The applicants are already one step ahead of you. They have several versions of their resume, they're connected on the social media platforms and they are prepared for an interview the moment you call them.

It's easy to know that the job seekers are ready to prove their stuff. The question is, will you be able to find them based upon your current level of technology?

There are plenty of new hiring manager tools out there for you to utilize and these will help you to find more qualified candidates for your open positions