Some people feel it's safe to assume they're an employee of a particular company that hires them to do a job. Though if you are hired as an independent contractor, you're not. Being an employee and an independent contractor of a company are totally separate and here is why:
If a company hires you as an independent contractor, you are hired to perform a range of duties and that is it. No different than if you cut your neighbor's lawn every Saturday morning. You would not put on the job application that your neighbor is your current employer. Why? Because your neighbor is not a business. You can chose not to mow their lawn and if your neighbor fires you and pays the kid down the road a few extra bucks to take your place, you can't collect unemployment insurance. Your neighbor is also not responsible for withholding income tax. This is your responsibility.
When you are hired as an independent contractor, you are virtually your own boss. You dictate the manner in which you do the job. Though despite how long it took you to do a job, the fee agreed upon may not exactly balance the amount of time spent if wages were given per hour at let's say a more known business establishment.
You also control the time in which you can get things done. You can work around your own schedule to make sure things are prepared and completed. Being an independent contractor doesn't make things better or more profitable, but it does give you flexibility and more freedom.
Though some, eager to gain work, may be naive when it comes to their own rights and the company's obligation to ensure those rights are carried out. For instance,a company may decide to write a contract that dictates the manner, time, and other details of the way you are to perform your duties. Whether or not this is ignorance on the company's part, signing it keeps you under their control, especially if you are unaware of your rights. Still feeling confused on how to tell the difference; this article should give you more insight. Good luck and make sure you are the one who retains control of your work.
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Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Who Told You Starting Your Own Online Business is Easy?
People join the online industry so they can have the freedom and income that they know they deserve. The one thing a lot of people aren't aware of is that it isn't simple. I'm not saying that it's not possible, it just isn't going to happen overnight.
There's just really no easy way to build an online business. It takes time, hard work and dedication. But don't despair because it can be done. So many people get information overload and that's when the frustration sets in. You just need to take one step at a time.
The most important thing you can do for yourself is to get the education you need. That can come in the form of courses, communities, training calls, seminars or private coaching. The problem I find for many is that they don't know what to search for or who to follow.
So many people waste so much time searching for all the different answers to their burning questions about what this industry is all about, how do you truly know what is the best direction to take, how do you really build your own successful business, what do you need to do, how much do you need to invest, what are the steps you need to take and how the heck do you get started. All great questions and you can end up wasting so much time searching for all these answers.
Although starting your own business is no easy task, it is so rewarding. Once you start learning what is necessary and then applying what you have learned, it's so exciting. It's like a little kid that just learned how to read.
Unfortunately, there is no shortcut to success. But, if you work hard and are dedicated to learning, success will follow. I have dedicated myself to helping others learns what it truly takes to building a successful business. It is so rewarding watching other's succeed in this industry. Don't let anything hold you back.
There's just really no easy way to build an online business. It takes time, hard work and dedication. But don't despair because it can be done. So many people get information overload and that's when the frustration sets in. You just need to take one step at a time.
The most important thing you can do for yourself is to get the education you need. That can come in the form of courses, communities, training calls, seminars or private coaching. The problem I find for many is that they don't know what to search for or who to follow.
So many people waste so much time searching for all the different answers to their burning questions about what this industry is all about, how do you truly know what is the best direction to take, how do you really build your own successful business, what do you need to do, how much do you need to invest, what are the steps you need to take and how the heck do you get started. All great questions and you can end up wasting so much time searching for all these answers.
Although starting your own business is no easy task, it is so rewarding. Once you start learning what is necessary and then applying what you have learned, it's so exciting. It's like a little kid that just learned how to read.
Unfortunately, there is no shortcut to success. But, if you work hard and are dedicated to learning, success will follow. I have dedicated myself to helping others learns what it truly takes to building a successful business. It is so rewarding watching other's succeed in this industry. Don't let anything hold you back.
Friday, March 20, 2009
10 Easy Tips to Boost Your Landing Page Conversion Rates
According to web landing page eye tracking studies, you've got approximately 8 seconds to grab your prospect's attention. People scan web pages quickly from left to right-so it is important that your landing pages have proper layout and easy readability.
Use these 10 easy steps to tweak your landing pages and boost conversion rates:
Tip #1 - Headlines count. One of the first places your prospect's eyes focus on is the headline. A prospect scans the headline for particular words that grab his or her attention. Put the headline at the top of the page. Make your headline a benefit-oriented headline that integrates keywords.
Tip #2 - Use caution with images. There is nothing wrong with using images to add some interest to your pages, but use caution. Don't just throw up an image for the sake of putting something up. Use images that are relevant because images can distract the prospect away from the message you are trying to communicate. Product shots draw attention. Stock photos usually don't perform as well as a "real-life" photo. Images should have a real purpose; otherwise, you only distract the prospect from reading the message. Copy near an image seems to get special attention, such as captions. Take advantage of this and write captions that relay information with a purpose.
Tip #3 - Layout of landing page elements. Keep the landing page layout simple. Try to keep your landing pages to a one-column, no more than two-column style. Having more than one column increases the chance of distracting the prospect and moving them away from your primary selling message. Don't place any other elements to the left or right of your sales copy message. This will encourage the prospect to move away from the sales message and pay more attention to the distracting elements.
According to a webinar on eye-tracking in relation to landing pages, Marketing Sherpa publisher, Anne Holland, said that her team increased conversion rates by 64% simply by tweaking elements on a product landing page. (No sales copy was changed.)
Place the following elements in this "simple" format, (one element right after the next) to improve your conversion rates:
• headline • subhead • image • copy
Tip #4 - Make pages that are easy to read. Remember the average prospect only stays an average of 8 seconds. You need to keep their attention with pages that are easy on the eyes. Prospects will not stay around to try and figure out how to read a difficult page.
Follow these rules for easy readability:
Don't use too small a font size. Use at least a 10pt font. Using a 9pt or smaller is too difficult to read.
Don't use serif fonts (this is used for print). Use sans-serif fonts for online copy.
Use black text on a white background. Don't use white text on a black or dark background (even though pale gray text is fashionable, it is difficult to read).
Keep your copy flush left. Don't center the headline, subheads or the copy. This is a common practice on the web, but it makes it difficult to read. Try to keep the headline to one line, but if a headline is more than one line, keep it justified left-don't center long headlines. Centering a headline confuses the brain.
Tip #5 - Ditch navigation from the page. The landing page should be used primarily to sell your product or service. Don't take the precious time you have to capture the prospect's attention and divide it with yet another distraction-a navigation bar. Remember the landing page is to try and sell the prospect.
Tip #6 - Make sure the primary search keywords are in your headline, subheads and copy. You should do keyword research to find out what keywords your prospects are using in their search for your product or service. Integrate these keywords into your headline, subheads and copy.
Tip #7 - Match the exact keywords from the originating sales page or email copy to the landing page copy. This re-emphasizes that the prospect is in the right place. Don't just mimic the theme of the originating page, but also the keywords and copy. Conversion rates are 25% higher when the exact keywords are repeated on the landing page.
Tip #8 - Maximize your form buttons. Here are a few recommendations when using form buttons:
- Don't use "reset" buttons. They can be clicked accidentally, clear the form information and cause frustration so that the user abandons the page.
- An "Add to cart" button is better than a "Buy Now" button. It gives the user the perception that he or she has more control over the sale. "Buy Now" seems more intimidating.
- Use action-oriented copy on your submit buttons, they outperform the plain, "Submit" button. For example: "Click here to get your Top 10 Landing Page Tips report" may get more clicks than, "Submit". It is best to try and match the original headline copy or offer in the submit button copy.
- Test button copy. Different copy on buttons may do better on different landing page offers. One size doesn't necessarily fit all in this case.
Tip #9 - Avoid lengthy forms. Do you enjoy filling out those long-winded forms online? Your prospects are no different. Avoid fields that are unnecessary. Every question or form field you put on a form lowers the conversion rate. Dump the fax number field. Only put form fields for data that you really need to collect; otherwise, you risk having the prospect abandon your page.
Tip #10 - Give the user a more secure feeling on landing /checkout pages. Place an extremely short "privacy" statement by the last form field or close to the submit button to give the prospect confidence that their information is secure. Don't make a lengthy statement, this can cause panic and give the opposite impression. An example of a short privacy statement would be something like the following: (i.e. We value your privacy and don't give any of your information to other parties.)
Use these 10 easy steps to tweak your landing pages and boost conversion rates:
Tip #1 - Headlines count. One of the first places your prospect's eyes focus on is the headline. A prospect scans the headline for particular words that grab his or her attention. Put the headline at the top of the page. Make your headline a benefit-oriented headline that integrates keywords.
Tip #2 - Use caution with images. There is nothing wrong with using images to add some interest to your pages, but use caution. Don't just throw up an image for the sake of putting something up. Use images that are relevant because images can distract the prospect away from the message you are trying to communicate. Product shots draw attention. Stock photos usually don't perform as well as a "real-life" photo. Images should have a real purpose; otherwise, you only distract the prospect from reading the message. Copy near an image seems to get special attention, such as captions. Take advantage of this and write captions that relay information with a purpose.
Tip #3 - Layout of landing page elements. Keep the landing page layout simple. Try to keep your landing pages to a one-column, no more than two-column style. Having more than one column increases the chance of distracting the prospect and moving them away from your primary selling message. Don't place any other elements to the left or right of your sales copy message. This will encourage the prospect to move away from the sales message and pay more attention to the distracting elements.
According to a webinar on eye-tracking in relation to landing pages, Marketing Sherpa publisher, Anne Holland, said that her team increased conversion rates by 64% simply by tweaking elements on a product landing page. (No sales copy was changed.)
Place the following elements in this "simple" format, (one element right after the next) to improve your conversion rates:
• headline • subhead • image • copy
Tip #4 - Make pages that are easy to read. Remember the average prospect only stays an average of 8 seconds. You need to keep their attention with pages that are easy on the eyes. Prospects will not stay around to try and figure out how to read a difficult page.
Follow these rules for easy readability:
Don't use too small a font size. Use at least a 10pt font. Using a 9pt or smaller is too difficult to read.
Don't use serif fonts (this is used for print). Use sans-serif fonts for online copy.
Use black text on a white background. Don't use white text on a black or dark background (even though pale gray text is fashionable, it is difficult to read).
Keep your copy flush left. Don't center the headline, subheads or the copy. This is a common practice on the web, but it makes it difficult to read. Try to keep the headline to one line, but if a headline is more than one line, keep it justified left-don't center long headlines. Centering a headline confuses the brain.
Tip #5 - Ditch navigation from the page. The landing page should be used primarily to sell your product or service. Don't take the precious time you have to capture the prospect's attention and divide it with yet another distraction-a navigation bar. Remember the landing page is to try and sell the prospect.
Tip #6 - Make sure the primary search keywords are in your headline, subheads and copy. You should do keyword research to find out what keywords your prospects are using in their search for your product or service. Integrate these keywords into your headline, subheads and copy.
Tip #7 - Match the exact keywords from the originating sales page or email copy to the landing page copy. This re-emphasizes that the prospect is in the right place. Don't just mimic the theme of the originating page, but also the keywords and copy. Conversion rates are 25% higher when the exact keywords are repeated on the landing page.
Tip #8 - Maximize your form buttons. Here are a few recommendations when using form buttons:
- Don't use "reset" buttons. They can be clicked accidentally, clear the form information and cause frustration so that the user abandons the page.
- An "Add to cart" button is better than a "Buy Now" button. It gives the user the perception that he or she has more control over the sale. "Buy Now" seems more intimidating.
- Use action-oriented copy on your submit buttons, they outperform the plain, "Submit" button. For example: "Click here to get your Top 10 Landing Page Tips report" may get more clicks than, "Submit". It is best to try and match the original headline copy or offer in the submit button copy.
- Test button copy. Different copy on buttons may do better on different landing page offers. One size doesn't necessarily fit all in this case.
Tip #9 - Avoid lengthy forms. Do you enjoy filling out those long-winded forms online? Your prospects are no different. Avoid fields that are unnecessary. Every question or form field you put on a form lowers the conversion rate. Dump the fax number field. Only put form fields for data that you really need to collect; otherwise, you risk having the prospect abandon your page.
Tip #10 - Give the user a more secure feeling on landing /checkout pages. Place an extremely short "privacy" statement by the last form field or close to the submit button to give the prospect confidence that their information is secure. Don't make a lengthy statement, this can cause panic and give the opposite impression. An example of a short privacy statement would be something like the following: (i.e. We value your privacy and don't give any of your information to other parties.)
Monday, March 16, 2009
Why is Business Logo Design Important For a Business?
number of reasons why a logo design is important for a business are many some subtle and others so glaringly obvious that they almost don't need stating and the word 'almost' is important here.
We are sorry if we are stating the obvious but some many times business professionals miss the most obvious reasons why a Logo design important for a business and why therefore investing in a professional custom logo design can be the most important investment any company can make.
The logo of a company is often the first thing that a customer or supplier sees from your business, it is on the signage, your company vehicles and on your letterhead and as they say "you never get a second chance to make a first impression." And first impressions are important.
Custom logo designalways proves to be affordable logo design if it is produced by a logo design service because it will be clean, smart and well designed. A good logo design service can also make a small company look much larger which can have all sorts of advantage.
It is important to remember that the design of your logo is at the heart of your company's corporate identity and whether you company is large or small the design of the logo therefore has a great impact on the presentation of your company through its deliverables such as stationary, website design, brochures, signage and vehicle livery and so there is no point using cheap logo design.
Once you have your logo design in place and the identity deliverables established around your logo you will find that you company begins to establish a brand identity some of this process is organic and parts can be proscribed by designers and consultants however all of the process depends upon the quality, excellence and most importantly the appearance of your logo.
By using a clever logo design that appeals to people of a similar mind set or persuasion you can position your business within your chosen niché market or industry Greenpeace is a perfect example of an organization which has successfully appealed to a niché market with it's logo.
Their logo is on a green background and although it is uses and has a very 'non-corporate' feel it looks as though it is graffiti sprayed on a wall thus appealing to eco-warriors everywhere.
We are sorry if we are stating the obvious but some many times business professionals miss the most obvious reasons why a Logo design important for a business and why therefore investing in a professional custom logo design can be the most important investment any company can make.
The logo of a company is often the first thing that a customer or supplier sees from your business, it is on the signage, your company vehicles and on your letterhead and as they say "you never get a second chance to make a first impression." And first impressions are important.
Custom logo designalways proves to be affordable logo design if it is produced by a logo design service because it will be clean, smart and well designed. A good logo design service can also make a small company look much larger which can have all sorts of advantage.
It is important to remember that the design of your logo is at the heart of your company's corporate identity and whether you company is large or small the design of the logo therefore has a great impact on the presentation of your company through its deliverables such as stationary, website design, brochures, signage and vehicle livery and so there is no point using cheap logo design.
Once you have your logo design in place and the identity deliverables established around your logo you will find that you company begins to establish a brand identity some of this process is organic and parts can be proscribed by designers and consultants however all of the process depends upon the quality, excellence and most importantly the appearance of your logo.
By using a clever logo design that appeals to people of a similar mind set or persuasion you can position your business within your chosen niché market or industry Greenpeace is a perfect example of an organization which has successfully appealed to a niché market with it's logo.
Their logo is on a green background and although it is uses and has a very 'non-corporate' feel it looks as though it is graffiti sprayed on a wall thus appealing to eco-warriors everywhere.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Frequently Asked Questions About Call Answering Services
Whilst many small businesses have heard about call answering services, virtual offices and virtual PAs, some still struggle to understand how they actually work. How are they able to 'take' my calls? How do they know who is calling for each company? How do they get the messages over to me? What follows is a frequently asked questions guide that should hopefully cover most aspects of this telecoms service.
Does a prospective user of a call answering service need any special equipment or software?
Normally no additional equipment or software is required. It's not the case that call answering services 'take' the calls from clients but rather that they are 'given' to them as calls are diverted by the client. Most telecoms providers have a simple system (usually a code that you enter into the handset) that allows incoming calls to be diverted, a lot of the time this is already set-up and can be used instantly.
If I divert my calls then where will they be answered?
The calls will be answering usually wherever the call answering service or virtual office is physically located. Many small businesses may feel that because of their client base they may need to employ a service locally or at least one where the accents are going to sound local. Some providers will outsource calls to overseas facilities which would definitely give a negative impression to clients that conduct their business locally. Service providers should always be asked whether or not calls will be answered in-house or not?
How will they know that the call is for my company and answer it correctly?
The majority of call answering services operate by giving each client their own unique telephone number that they can divert to or give out to callers direct. Provided the client has diverted to this unique number, then all calls for them can be identified by the operator answering the call. An added benefit of giving each client their own number is that they can divert multiple phone numbers to the call answering service be it their direct line, mobile number, office number or all at the same time- the calls will all be coming into the same number and therefore answered in the correct company name.
What if I have VIP clients that I always need to speak to?
A lot of small businesses actually employ call answering services to work as their full time receptionist so that the operator uses your directions on how calls are to be responded to. If you have a list of VIP callers then the operator can transfer these through to you as if he/she was sat at the front desk (provided you have a direct line or mobile that is not being diverted back the service). Other inquiries can be sent to you at close of call via email, txt message or sometimes fax.
As more and more small businesses look to reduce costs, to many the idea of outsourcing their calls is an attractive one. For many it can mean there is no need to employ a full time member of staff to act as a receptionist, some even go as far as giving up their office space and working from home!
Does a prospective user of a call answering service need any special equipment or software?
Normally no additional equipment or software is required. It's not the case that call answering services 'take' the calls from clients but rather that they are 'given' to them as calls are diverted by the client. Most telecoms providers have a simple system (usually a code that you enter into the handset) that allows incoming calls to be diverted, a lot of the time this is already set-up and can be used instantly.
If I divert my calls then where will they be answered?
The calls will be answering usually wherever the call answering service or virtual office is physically located. Many small businesses may feel that because of their client base they may need to employ a service locally or at least one where the accents are going to sound local. Some providers will outsource calls to overseas facilities which would definitely give a negative impression to clients that conduct their business locally. Service providers should always be asked whether or not calls will be answered in-house or not?
How will they know that the call is for my company and answer it correctly?
The majority of call answering services operate by giving each client their own unique telephone number that they can divert to or give out to callers direct. Provided the client has diverted to this unique number, then all calls for them can be identified by the operator answering the call. An added benefit of giving each client their own number is that they can divert multiple phone numbers to the call answering service be it their direct line, mobile number, office number or all at the same time- the calls will all be coming into the same number and therefore answered in the correct company name.
What if I have VIP clients that I always need to speak to?
A lot of small businesses actually employ call answering services to work as their full time receptionist so that the operator uses your directions on how calls are to be responded to. If you have a list of VIP callers then the operator can transfer these through to you as if he/she was sat at the front desk (provided you have a direct line or mobile that is not being diverted back the service). Other inquiries can be sent to you at close of call via email, txt message or sometimes fax.
As more and more small businesses look to reduce costs, to many the idea of outsourcing their calls is an attractive one. For many it can mean there is no need to employ a full time member of staff to act as a receptionist, some even go as far as giving up their office space and working from home!
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Malaysian Natural Rubber Industry in a Nutshell
The natural rubber industry in Malaysia has a decent start when 22 rubber seeds out of a batch of 70,000 that Sir Henry Wickham collected from the Amazon jungle in Brazil in 1876 were sent to the Singapore Botanic Garden for trial planting. Singapore and Malaysia, formally known as Malaya were British colonies.
The rubber trees quickly flourished in Malaya. Large areas of jungle were cleared and planted with this type of tree. Large scale planting by the Government was started in 1988 when Henry Hicholas Ridley was appointed the Director of the Singapore Botanic Garden. He encouraged the planting of this crop.
The planting gained its momentum shortly after Henry Ford of Ford Motor started making motorcar. Motorcar industry requires natural rubber tyre. This caused the demand for natural rubber rocketed.
Current position of Malaysia
Malaysia now is the fifth largest consumer of natural rubber after China, USA, India, Japan; the biggest consumer of latex, out of which the biggest producer of glove, catheter and thread and the third largest producer of natural rubber.
Back in 1980's, Malaysia is the largest exporter of the raw rubber (Standard Malaysia Rubber - SMR); now it is one of the biggest importer and consumer of the natural rubber and major exporter of the rubber products.
The natural rubber industry in Malaysia consists of 2 sectors i.e. (i) upstream sector - cultivation of rubber trees and (ii) downstream sector - latex products and furniture.
The manufacturing industry of natural rubber has achieved a remarkable progress with the launching of Industrial Master Plan (IMP 1985-2007). In the last 17 years, total natural rubber consumed by the industry increased by 209% from 187 592 tonnes to 579 248 tonnes. Export earnings of the industry increased by 438% from RM1.87 billion to RM10.09 billion in 2007.
Being an uprising sector, rubber wood has been successfully accepted as an alternative timber to the natural forest species for products like mouldings, furniture and carpentry. 80% of total wood furnitures exported from Malaysia comes from the rubber wood.
The popularity of the rubber furniture and demand for the rubber wood soared when its nearest compatible wood - ramin suffered short supply.
As the price of the rubber wood remains low, the rubber wood furnitures are very competitive in the market. Moreover, it has very high value added features.
The rubber wood output can be maximized by planting the tree based on 15 year cycle and regular annual replanting.
Factors inducing the growth of the industry
Research and Development
In the public sector, RRIM (Rubber Research Institute of Malaysia) and LGM (Lembaga Getah Malaysia) has been in place for 75 years conducting research and development.
The areas covered by RRIM are plant science, agronomy, plantation management, processing, rubber and rubber product technology, the wood furniture design and manufacturing.
Tun Abdul Razak Research Centre (TARRC) in the United Kingdom deals with research and development on the consumer end.
Besides, Malaysia Rubber Board (MRB) instills new technologies for adoption in private sector especially in rubber product manufacturing companies.
In private sector, large plantation agencies have their own in-house research & development facilities.
The rubber trees quickly flourished in Malaya. Large areas of jungle were cleared and planted with this type of tree. Large scale planting by the Government was started in 1988 when Henry Hicholas Ridley was appointed the Director of the Singapore Botanic Garden. He encouraged the planting of this crop.
The planting gained its momentum shortly after Henry Ford of Ford Motor started making motorcar. Motorcar industry requires natural rubber tyre. This caused the demand for natural rubber rocketed.
Current position of Malaysia
Malaysia now is the fifth largest consumer of natural rubber after China, USA, India, Japan; the biggest consumer of latex, out of which the biggest producer of glove, catheter and thread and the third largest producer of natural rubber.
Back in 1980's, Malaysia is the largest exporter of the raw rubber (Standard Malaysia Rubber - SMR); now it is one of the biggest importer and consumer of the natural rubber and major exporter of the rubber products.
The natural rubber industry in Malaysia consists of 2 sectors i.e. (i) upstream sector - cultivation of rubber trees and (ii) downstream sector - latex products and furniture.
The manufacturing industry of natural rubber has achieved a remarkable progress with the launching of Industrial Master Plan (IMP 1985-2007). In the last 17 years, total natural rubber consumed by the industry increased by 209% from 187 592 tonnes to 579 248 tonnes. Export earnings of the industry increased by 438% from RM1.87 billion to RM10.09 billion in 2007.
Being an uprising sector, rubber wood has been successfully accepted as an alternative timber to the natural forest species for products like mouldings, furniture and carpentry. 80% of total wood furnitures exported from Malaysia comes from the rubber wood.
The popularity of the rubber furniture and demand for the rubber wood soared when its nearest compatible wood - ramin suffered short supply.
As the price of the rubber wood remains low, the rubber wood furnitures are very competitive in the market. Moreover, it has very high value added features.
The rubber wood output can be maximized by planting the tree based on 15 year cycle and regular annual replanting.
Factors inducing the growth of the industry
Research and Development
In the public sector, RRIM (Rubber Research Institute of Malaysia) and LGM (Lembaga Getah Malaysia) has been in place for 75 years conducting research and development.
The areas covered by RRIM are plant science, agronomy, plantation management, processing, rubber and rubber product technology, the wood furniture design and manufacturing.
Tun Abdul Razak Research Centre (TARRC) in the United Kingdom deals with research and development on the consumer end.
Besides, Malaysia Rubber Board (MRB) instills new technologies for adoption in private sector especially in rubber product manufacturing companies.
In private sector, large plantation agencies have their own in-house research & development facilities.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
5 Tips to Build Your Network
Building a quality database with A+ clients can sometimes be difficult when you're first starting out. Sometimes you need to think outside the box and be intentional about who you want to do business with on a regular basis.
Word of mouth referrals are the best referrals that you can receive. There is already a trust factor involved. Keep this in mind...people like to refer other people. Just make sure you educate your referral source on how to do it the right way so, you don't lose even one referral.
Be sure that you get the contact info of the person being referred to you. You want to be in control of the referral. Don't just let someone say, "Oh just call Joe, he can help you." You want to educate your referral source to call you with the person's info first, and then you can contact them.
Quick Tips To Build Your Network
1. When building your network really think about who is your "ideal client?"
2. What groups do you belong to? What groups would you like to belong to? What groups have you
belonged to before?
3. Always build relationships with people you know. They are most likely to refer
you. Send an intro letter letting them know exactly what you do and ASK for a
referral. What's the worst that could happen?
4. Take someone you met to lunch. Find out how you can refer each other. Who else do they know that
may benefit from your services?
5. Don't re-create the wheel. Contact someone that you admire and know you could learn a thing or two
Word of mouth referrals are the best referrals that you can receive. There is already a trust factor involved. Keep this in mind...people like to refer other people. Just make sure you educate your referral source on how to do it the right way so, you don't lose even one referral.
Be sure that you get the contact info of the person being referred to you. You want to be in control of the referral. Don't just let someone say, "Oh just call Joe, he can help you." You want to educate your referral source to call you with the person's info first, and then you can contact them.
Quick Tips To Build Your Network
1. When building your network really think about who is your "ideal client?"
2. What groups do you belong to? What groups would you like to belong to? What groups have you
belonged to before?
3. Always build relationships with people you know. They are most likely to refer
you. Send an intro letter letting them know exactly what you do and ASK for a
referral. What's the worst that could happen?
4. Take someone you met to lunch. Find out how you can refer each other. Who else do they know that
may benefit from your services?
5. Don't re-create the wheel. Contact someone that you admire and know you could learn a thing or two
Friday, March 6, 2009
Secret Wealth Tip - How to "Build Bridges to Success"
Do you use video marketing to earn more prospects for your business? If you don't, you should highly consider it. Using video marketing for your business will build you a bridge to success!
Have you ever heard of the phrase, "A picture says a thousand words?" Well, a picture does say a thousand words, but have you ever heard this phrase, "An video says a million words?" Not to many have! That phrase is totally true and here's how you can build a bridge to success through Know, Like and Trust!
Building A Know - People get to know you when they see you! Whether it be your landing page, your blog, you tube or any other kind of site where you can submit video, take the opportunity to do so! It is that much quicker for people to get to know you by seeing you than by reading you.
Building a Like - Now that people are getting to know you by your video, they are now getting to like you. By seeing you and hearing you, people will like you because you are giving them an online, visual presence of yourself. What a better way to get a person to like you!
Building a Trust - You have now gotten people to know you and like you from your visual presence and this is where the trust comes in. The more that people see you and the more that people like you by your visual presence, they automatically begin to trust you. What is better than trust?
Building know, like and trust relationships builds paying customers thus building bridges to success.
Have you ever heard of the phrase, "A picture says a thousand words?" Well, a picture does say a thousand words, but have you ever heard this phrase, "An video says a million words?" Not to many have! That phrase is totally true and here's how you can build a bridge to success through Know, Like and Trust!
Building A Know - People get to know you when they see you! Whether it be your landing page, your blog, you tube or any other kind of site where you can submit video, take the opportunity to do so! It is that much quicker for people to get to know you by seeing you than by reading you.
Building a Like - Now that people are getting to know you by your video, they are now getting to like you. By seeing you and hearing you, people will like you because you are giving them an online, visual presence of yourself. What a better way to get a person to like you!
Building a Trust - You have now gotten people to know you and like you from your visual presence and this is where the trust comes in. The more that people see you and the more that people like you by your visual presence, they automatically begin to trust you. What is better than trust?
Building know, like and trust relationships builds paying customers thus building bridges to success.
Zari Industry Losing Glitter Amid Turbulent Times
Small scale units in India's zari industry are facing a tough time. A double whammy of fluctuating prices and the bleak global economic outlook has adversely affected the top-line growth and revenues of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which constitute a major segment of the zari industry. Many of these firms have reported loss of business during the past few months. Zari suppliers across the country are facing an acute shortage of demand for zari from sari makers and imitation jewellery manufacturers. The contraction of orders along with rising operational costs has left the industry in a dire state.
Traders in the sector are vexed by the fluctuating prices of silver, gold and copper, which are the chief raw materials required by the zari industry. During the past few months, small scale zari makers and suppliers have suffered heavy losses owing to the volatility in raw material prices. The traditional zari manufacturing centres-Surat in Gujarat; Bareilly, Varanasi and Agra in Uttar Pradesh; and Jaipur and Barmer in Rajasthan are witnessing a 25% to 35% decline in business volumes. Moreover, small scale sari suppliers, who were hoping that the wedding season would boost the demand for zari, are also largely disappointed. This year, the wedding season too has failed to perk up sales and draw additional revenues.
Given the market situation and the low demand for genuine zari, small scale manufacturers are compelled to switch to cheaper raw materials like polyester film coated with aluminum. While some traders are not making fresh purchases, others are resorting to other businesses like textiles and jewelery to beat the slowdown. With raw materials becoming expensive and demand for zari recording a sharp fall, the SME zari manufacturers are left with no option but to cut down their production till they find buyers for their existing stock. As it may take a while for the market to recover, small zari traders need to tread cautiously.
Traders in the sector are vexed by the fluctuating prices of silver, gold and copper, which are the chief raw materials required by the zari industry. During the past few months, small scale zari makers and suppliers have suffered heavy losses owing to the volatility in raw material prices. The traditional zari manufacturing centres-Surat in Gujarat; Bareilly, Varanasi and Agra in Uttar Pradesh; and Jaipur and Barmer in Rajasthan are witnessing a 25% to 35% decline in business volumes. Moreover, small scale sari suppliers, who were hoping that the wedding season would boost the demand for zari, are also largely disappointed. This year, the wedding season too has failed to perk up sales and draw additional revenues.
Given the market situation and the low demand for genuine zari, small scale manufacturers are compelled to switch to cheaper raw materials like polyester film coated with aluminum. While some traders are not making fresh purchases, others are resorting to other businesses like textiles and jewelery to beat the slowdown. With raw materials becoming expensive and demand for zari recording a sharp fall, the SME zari manufacturers are left with no option but to cut down their production till they find buyers for their existing stock. As it may take a while for the market to recover, small zari traders need to tread cautiously.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Avoidance Behaviors - Pain-Free Joint Installations
This joints' a rockin'... Understanding Movement
The first and most-important requirement of an expansion joint is the movement it allows. What does this mean? Movement is usually described two ways, such as a unit of measure (2") or a percentage (50%). Obviously with one of these callouts on the plan, you can calculate the other. For example, when a 4" joint is required to have 50% movement that means the joint will need to compress 2" and expand 2". This type of movement is called out as: ± 2". This callout leaves little interpretation.
There are a few who would argue that in the above example the ±2" callout for the 4" gap is 100% movement. This is due to a +2" and -2" movement giving you a total of 4" of movement equaling the total joint width. However this is not typical. With a 100% callout, which is fairly standard, a 4" joint would compress 4" and expand 4" in total.
The most common or standard movements are 25%, 50% or 100%. So, if you have the option, is one movement better than the other? In terms of price and available options, yes. For example, the structural engineer has determined 2" of movement is needed at a particular location. We can take this movement and design for a 2" structure gap that will require 100% movement or a 4" gap with 50% movement. Either one of these examples will give you the two inches of required movement. This is a fairly generic example, but figure the lower the percentage of movement the more options for joint covers you will have; with a higher percentage of movement, the systems become more complex to move that dramatically and with that the price of the system and the installation problems go up exponentially.
Saving on fire barriers This leads us into fire barrier systems, which are one of the most important, expensive and mislabeled components of an expansion joint. There are two main types of fire barriers - mineral wool, which resembles a type of insulation, and fire blankets. Each type has its place in the industry.
First, mineral wool is inexpensive in comparison to blanket, and makes it fairly easy to get a higher fire rating. However, it cannot meet a hose-stream test for vertical studded applications, at least not yet. Mineral wool also has a relatively small movement capability due to the fact that it needs to be highly dense, since it is held in place by friction. This means for the majority of applications they are only good for thermal movement. This ties back to movement - smaller movement means less expense for the fire barrier.
On the other hand, fire blankets can be installed in almost any application and they have better movement capability than the mineral wool. Almost all fire blankets come standard at 50% movement. This option is a requirement once you get into large joint widths or large movement needs. They are hose stream approved for studded walls due to the fact that - if the studs start to lose their integrity - the fire barrier will not fall out since it is fastened to the studs rather than friction held. The only major downside to fire blanket over mineral wool is the overall price. Therefore, fire barrier should be called out very accurately on plans to maintain a reasonable budget.
New systems - greater options The last decade has ushered in a new era of visually pleasing systems made of better materials that have replaced outdated, heavy, over-engineered joint covers. One major change has been in expansion - joint mounting system and methods.
Many recessed-mount systems (system needs a block-out in the slab) no longer require concreted anchoring. They have been replaced by an easier expansion bolt hardware style. Popular seal systems have also come a long way in types of materials used to make up the seal. A dual durometer seal is a great example of a major improvement - a hard material is used for the barbedpart of the seal, which allows it to "click" into place, while a softer material is used for the rest of the seal. This allows for greater movement in the seal.
Joints have been slow to follow the construction trend for cleaner, lighter, more aesthetically pleasing products. However, many new systems are now being designed to hide the joint almost in its entirety. Many systems are now using the surrounding finishes in conjunction with the expansion joint system to hide the joint or blend it into the interior design.
Design tricks can also save money Reducing the visible part of the joint path can be taken a step further in the proper design of a building. Expansion joints can be easily hidden between walls along the path but, be very careful with this approach as fire codes may come into play. For instance, a chase wall may "hide" the joint, however there is still the need to provide adequate fire protection along the joint ... and how can an inspector determine proper materials and installation if those materials are inside the wall?
Also in certain cases a finish can be used to cover an expansion joint. For example, a ceiling tile condition can absorb some movement and reduce or eliminate the need for a joint system. This also holds true for a 1/2" expansion joint not expecting a lot of movement with a carpeted finish.
Watch out for accessories Sometimes, even with the best intentions and plans, the design and installation of the building finish accessories can be the biggest problem to foresee or overcome. For example, something as simple as a doorway or a window in the joint path, without the proper design, can cause a big problem when you get the movement you design for.
It is also important to consider finish accessories and their proximity to expansion joints. Accessories include such items as countertops, cabinets, handrails, lockers, and toilet partitions. Now, you might be thinking, "Who in their right mind would mount a cabinet over a joint?" and that would be an honest response. However, I've seen it done, and often the accessory ends up pulling out of the wall once movement is introduced.
To wrap up, if you want to avoid having to take a lot of your favorite pain reliever, it's important to approach expansion joints and cover systems with the following mindsets:
> Have a clear understanding and agreement on the movement designed and specified
> Select the appropriate fire barrier system to save on cost while achieving the needed rating
> Research new joint systems and materials to find the best fit and avoid heavy, over-engineered products
> Remember that design and finish tricks can easily hide joints
> Avoid installing accessories in close proximity to joints
Matt Scheeler is the Product Manager for InPro Corporation's JointMaster line of expansion joint and fire barrier systems. He also was a senior estimator for InPro.
The first and most-important requirement of an expansion joint is the movement it allows. What does this mean? Movement is usually described two ways, such as a unit of measure (2") or a percentage (50%). Obviously with one of these callouts on the plan, you can calculate the other. For example, when a 4" joint is required to have 50% movement that means the joint will need to compress 2" and expand 2". This type of movement is called out as: ± 2". This callout leaves little interpretation.
There are a few who would argue that in the above example the ±2" callout for the 4" gap is 100% movement. This is due to a +2" and -2" movement giving you a total of 4" of movement equaling the total joint width. However this is not typical. With a 100% callout, which is fairly standard, a 4" joint would compress 4" and expand 4" in total.
The most common or standard movements are 25%, 50% or 100%. So, if you have the option, is one movement better than the other? In terms of price and available options, yes. For example, the structural engineer has determined 2" of movement is needed at a particular location. We can take this movement and design for a 2" structure gap that will require 100% movement or a 4" gap with 50% movement. Either one of these examples will give you the two inches of required movement. This is a fairly generic example, but figure the lower the percentage of movement the more options for joint covers you will have; with a higher percentage of movement, the systems become more complex to move that dramatically and with that the price of the system and the installation problems go up exponentially.
Saving on fire barriers This leads us into fire barrier systems, which are one of the most important, expensive and mislabeled components of an expansion joint. There are two main types of fire barriers - mineral wool, which resembles a type of insulation, and fire blankets. Each type has its place in the industry.
First, mineral wool is inexpensive in comparison to blanket, and makes it fairly easy to get a higher fire rating. However, it cannot meet a hose-stream test for vertical studded applications, at least not yet. Mineral wool also has a relatively small movement capability due to the fact that it needs to be highly dense, since it is held in place by friction. This means for the majority of applications they are only good for thermal movement. This ties back to movement - smaller movement means less expense for the fire barrier.
On the other hand, fire blankets can be installed in almost any application and they have better movement capability than the mineral wool. Almost all fire blankets come standard at 50% movement. This option is a requirement once you get into large joint widths or large movement needs. They are hose stream approved for studded walls due to the fact that - if the studs start to lose their integrity - the fire barrier will not fall out since it is fastened to the studs rather than friction held. The only major downside to fire blanket over mineral wool is the overall price. Therefore, fire barrier should be called out very accurately on plans to maintain a reasonable budget.
New systems - greater options The last decade has ushered in a new era of visually pleasing systems made of better materials that have replaced outdated, heavy, over-engineered joint covers. One major change has been in expansion - joint mounting system and methods.
Many recessed-mount systems (system needs a block-out in the slab) no longer require concreted anchoring. They have been replaced by an easier expansion bolt hardware style. Popular seal systems have also come a long way in types of materials used to make up the seal. A dual durometer seal is a great example of a major improvement - a hard material is used for the barbedpart of the seal, which allows it to "click" into place, while a softer material is used for the rest of the seal. This allows for greater movement in the seal.
Joints have been slow to follow the construction trend for cleaner, lighter, more aesthetically pleasing products. However, many new systems are now being designed to hide the joint almost in its entirety. Many systems are now using the surrounding finishes in conjunction with the expansion joint system to hide the joint or blend it into the interior design.
Design tricks can also save money Reducing the visible part of the joint path can be taken a step further in the proper design of a building. Expansion joints can be easily hidden between walls along the path but, be very careful with this approach as fire codes may come into play. For instance, a chase wall may "hide" the joint, however there is still the need to provide adequate fire protection along the joint ... and how can an inspector determine proper materials and installation if those materials are inside the wall?
Also in certain cases a finish can be used to cover an expansion joint. For example, a ceiling tile condition can absorb some movement and reduce or eliminate the need for a joint system. This also holds true for a 1/2" expansion joint not expecting a lot of movement with a carpeted finish.
Watch out for accessories Sometimes, even with the best intentions and plans, the design and installation of the building finish accessories can be the biggest problem to foresee or overcome. For example, something as simple as a doorway or a window in the joint path, without the proper design, can cause a big problem when you get the movement you design for.
It is also important to consider finish accessories and their proximity to expansion joints. Accessories include such items as countertops, cabinets, handrails, lockers, and toilet partitions. Now, you might be thinking, "Who in their right mind would mount a cabinet over a joint?" and that would be an honest response. However, I've seen it done, and often the accessory ends up pulling out of the wall once movement is introduced.
To wrap up, if you want to avoid having to take a lot of your favorite pain reliever, it's important to approach expansion joints and cover systems with the following mindsets:
> Have a clear understanding and agreement on the movement designed and specified
> Select the appropriate fire barrier system to save on cost while achieving the needed rating
> Research new joint systems and materials to find the best fit and avoid heavy, over-engineered products
> Remember that design and finish tricks can easily hide joints
> Avoid installing accessories in close proximity to joints
Matt Scheeler is the Product Manager for InPro Corporation's JointMaster line of expansion joint and fire barrier systems. He also was a senior estimator for InPro.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Starting a Home Based Business
Working out of your home with an internet business can be the most rewarding experience, both personally and financially, that a person can undertake. The internet has made more millionaires than any other vessel in history, and you don't have to any education or experience to obtain the riches that the internet has to offer. We all want to make more money, spend time with our family, and these are only a few of the fringe benefits that owning an internet business can provide. However, individuals that have made their fortune on the internet have certain characteristics about them that have allowed them to be successful. These riches were not obtained overnight, and they were not obtained without realistic expectations.
Lets look at some of the things that would prohibit you from being successful online...
Are you currently unemployed?
I see so many people sign up for internet programs these days that are not currently employed and expect that an internet business will provide for their families right off the bat.
Businesses on the internet are not 9-5 jobs that pay by the hour, they are "businesses", and most pay by commission. As with most businesses, there are things that have to be set in place before you are going to start attracting customers. This does not happen overnight, this is something that you will put in place over time. When this is done over time, your commissions will grow and grow to the point that an internet business will replace your current income or career.
Are you unwilling to invest your money?
Many programs on the internet offer free sign-ups, free products, and free websites to help an individual get started in a internet home business. This is fantastic, because in order to make money on the internet, you have to have a product to sell, and your going to need a website to enable your customers with a place to go to purchase your products. However, visitors won't know that your website exist unless you advertise it. Many high traffic sites on the internet will allow you to advertise your products on their site for a fee.
Getting your website listing on the search engines is free and will supply you with a never ending traffic stream. But many search engines are unwilling to list free affiliate websites. The way that we overcome this is to build our own sites and link them to our affiliate websites. Building your own website will cost you around $25. So as you can see, if you cannot initially invest at least $25 - $50 a month on your internet business, your probably not going to succeed.
Are you unwilling to invest your time?
I spend about 2 hours a day online through the week working on my business. I am advertising and submitting my website to various search engines, directories, and other high traffic sites. I am critiquing my website, sending emails to my affiliates in training, making deals with other webmasters, etc.
I also do an enormous amount of reading. I have found that entrepreneurs who have made a fortune on the internet are only too happy to share their knowledge on how they got there. Some days I put in more time and some day's I don't work at all. But, I know that every hour I spend on setting my business up is just one step closer to reaching my financial goals. If you are unwilling to invest your time...your probably not going to succeed.
Are you unwilling to give up your skepticism?
Many times I have an affiliate sign up for my program, and the first thing I hear is how they have been burned by another internet business. While I'm sure there are millions of internet scams out there, I see a common characteristic that all these people seem to have...they don't DO ANYTHING!
When people sign up for my program, the first thing that I do is suggest that they complete a short online training on how our program works and the compensation plan. I have a statistics page that will tell me when the affiliates in my down line complete the training, I can see when they have made a sale or signed up an affiliate of their own. All these people that claim to be scammed in the past never even get past the online training. Then oddly enough, they will have enough gall to email me the next month and ask where their paycheck is?
Do people actually believe that they will earn a paycheck just because they signed up? Is this why so many believe that they have been scammed in the past? Are they so naïve that they think a company will pay them when they have made no sales? If any of these things sound remotely familiar...your probably not going to succeed.
In closing, operating an internet business is not a get-rich quick program, nor can you be successful if you are unwilling to invest some time and money. You must have some realistic expectations and stay focused on the goal at hand. If you are capable of doing these things, you can expect many handsome rewards in the future for your time and effort.
Best wishes for your future success and prosperity!
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