Actual for You - Business

Getting to the Era of Modern Transportation
The history of the species as described by Evolutionists discuss the theory of hunter-gatherer tribes roaming around, having seasonal patterns knowing where to find the food and transporting themselves by walking. Later agriculture based became prevalent as the most recent activity. And we know from written history of the last 10,000 years that mankind transported them selves for water, food, battle and later trade on the backs of animals, in the hulls of boats and on people powered apparatuses.The first pilgrims came to Plymouth Rock to set up that first colony by way of boat, as did Columbus to the West Indies before in 1492. Leif Erickson is said to have come over 1000 years earlier. As the colonies grew they built up the area, by building trails and roads. Later on we built inter coastal boat transportation, then trains, trolleys, barges, submarines, cars, trucks, buses, blimps, aircraft, helicopters, etc.Today transportation impacts every single part of our daily life and it is the Flow of Transportation, which is the one of the most important flows to insure quality of life and higher standards of living. If you ever have the opportunity to visit some of the Transportation museums in the New England States including the Trolley Museum in Maine;http://www.trolleymuseum.org/and The Land Cole Transportation Muse

Don't try to design your own marketing materials unless you are a qualified graphic artist, trust me, they will not reflect the image you want to project. It's not just important for them to look good but they also need to have an attention getting headline, message and clear call to action.

Hiring a good graphic designer is tough; many designers are not what they say they are. Ask me for a referral or have me help you - with my sales and marketing expertise and one of my talented graphic designers we can create outstanding marketing materials that will make you stand OUT from your competition.

7. Branding - Includes Signage like Nametags, Shirts with Logo, Vehicle Signs, Banner, Promotional Products and Giveaways - the more your name is in front of people's faces the better. You want people to recognize your brand on everything you do and everywhere you go. Find a good promotional products company from your local chamber of commerce or ask me for a referral.

8. Good, Reliable Vendors - Includes industry vendors as well as those for your business development like printers, mailing houses, delivery services, rental companies, assistants - you'd be surprised to know you're probably spending too much money in one or more of these areas right now. Find reliable, inexpensive sources, if you need referrals to companies I recommend, just ask me!

If you are thinking there is absolutely no way you can get all this done yourself or you just don't know how to do something on this list then I would suggest you find an expert in that field to help you. Delegate that task to someone who knows best how to accomplish it and can do it much more efficiently than you.

The cost of outsourcing such tasks far outweighs your valuable time spent trying to figure it out yourself and who knows if you'll figure it out to the best for your busines

Business Cards
Business cards are a modern variation of calling cards and trade cards. Calling cards were used as means of introduction. These were used by messengers to announce the arrival of their superiors beforehand. The cards collected would serve as a list of who have came and went, and whose visit was to be reciprocated. Similar to their original purpose, business cards serve as a reminder of a social or business encounter.The person the card has been left with will have a tangible reminder of the meeting and is left with the owner of the contact information. Soon enough, the need to exchange contact information grew. Developments in printing aided the evolution of more elaborate and colorful business cards. However, this trend was balanced out by a need for simpler and cheaper cards. This sort of printing was too expensive for mass production.Business cards may contain either personal information or information about the company they are affiliated with. Entrepreneurs and small or home office professionals who don't have big marketing systems rely largely on word of mouth and business cards. Today, however, business cards have evolved from just being pieces of paper printed with plain text to cards that have striking visual graphics. This, of course, leaves more of a lasting impression.There are many kinds of business cards in

For Small Business Owners & Entrepreneurs

One thing I've found in my many years of entrepreneurship is that smart marketing is the key to success. I've worked with so many different types of small business owners, entrepreneurs, coaches and consultants from all kinds of industries and no matter what the business is; I've found that if the person doesn't know how to market it and they don't get help to do so, the business just doesn't survive.

The following 8 items are what I consider a good small business start up checklist; if you are in business or thinking about getting into business you will want to make sure you have or are working on all of these things constantly. The mix of all of these necessary items works well to maximize your exposure, credibility, expert status as well as build your database and help you make informed marketing decisions.

1. Realistically Defined Target Market - Most small business owners actually have way too large of a target market to be realistic in order to market to them all with the limited time and budget available. More than likely you might want to narrow down your market or define your niche even more with specific demographics and psychographics; then you'll really begin to see unique opportunities that might become available to reach that market. And don't forget about all your referral sources - they are your target market too! If you go to the Small Biz Products page of my website, you can sign up to receive my Free Report - “How to Define Your Target Market in 5 Easy Steps” - .

2. Marketing Plan - This plan should outline everything you could possibly do in your marketing based on who your target market (ideal client) is and the best ways to reach them including various guerilla marketing techniques, promotions, ideas and co-promotions. Then you need to stick to your well-researched plan and not get sold or steered away by random advertising opportunities. This should also include a

Publicity Plan - Including pertinent media contacts, press releases, article submissions and event listings for ongoing exposure - If you're not submitting press releases regularly to the local media, local organizations you belong to, etc. you are missing FREE opportunities to get additional exposure for your business.

Your Marketing Plan should also include an Advertising Plan - Including Timeline & Budget - More than likely you're not spending enough money on advertising, period end of story. If it's done in the right places, places that reach your target market, with a good message or headline and for a reasonable length of time you should see good results. If you only try it once or go too small or have no idea to effectively design your ad - you will not get results. Learn about all the advertising mediums in your target area, who they reach, their demographics, what kind of circulation they have based on their cost, etc.

Your Marketing Plan should also include an active Networking Plan - Including any pertinent organizations, associations, chambers or other professional group that brings in referrals or is a good venue for prospecting or business development - Pick 2-5 organizations you believe are the best to either promote your business or build your business in, join them and then become as active as you possibly can so you become the well known expert in your field. Volunteer your time generously and most of all put their events on your calendar before ANY other client meeting or job BECAUSE …these are your advertising dollars NOT being spent!

To put a quick Marketing Action Plan into effect for your business right away, sign up for one of my JumpStart Your Marketing 1-on-1 Planning Meetings at . I have a unique talent for developing just the right blend of marketing strategies for every budget and business.

3. Database - Inputted/Formatted in the computer with all Clients, Prospective Clients, Referral Sources & Contacts - you need one place where everyone you have ever known or done business with is housed in the computer so it's easily mail merged for one - sort them if you can by hot, warm or cold prospect or referral source. Then you should regularly stay in touch with your database through effective Database Marketing and Follow Up in order for you to be On the Top of Their Minds when the topic of your service/product comes up.

This can include letter and email templates, a system for following up to Hot, Warm and Cold prospects and ongoing database marketing - If you are not doing quick follow up after you meet someone/anyone then you are missing opportunities and they will forget about you. You want to follow up with everyone you meet within 48 hours and then continuously, you need to make this automatic, systematic and practical so it will get done - delegate it if you have to.

4. Website - Including Domain Name (s), Hosting, Reciprocal Links, and Internet Submission - you are missing out on sales if you do NOT have a website - but a professional website is a must, not a home-made, amateur site; that will hurt you and your credibility. It doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg, but the goal should be to inform, entice and capture - capturing the contact info from everyone who visits your site should be your most important goal - because then you can continue marketing to them either by mail or email and the more likely they will use you or refer you. The content on your site needs to also be compelling, attention getting and filled with keywords to attract the search engines. Hiring a good web designer or developer is very important and very hard to do because many have talent but some do not and say they do. You really want a web designer that also has some sales and marketing experience although in my experience, that is the hardest thing to find.

If you want a complete website evaluation on what you should do, have and how much it should cost contact me at katrina@ksawamarketing.com; I have a JumpStart Your Website service. I work on my client's websites all the time making them more effective and functional in order to make more sales. I bring in my web designer that fits with each client's style and budget.

5. Email Marketing - Distribution Lists, Program for Email Marketing, Newsletters, Promotions - Email marketing is the cheapest form of marketing anyone can do these days but there are spam laws to follow and email etiquette you should strive to follow so you look as professional as you can. See www.spamlaws.com for more tips on what to look out for in your email marketing and you can also download my E-Book - “The Top 5 Mistakes People Make in Their Email Marketing” - .

There are online email programs you can use to really make your emails POP but remember to send people info that they want to read, not just what you want them to read. When you consult with me, we evaluate the best format and program to use for your email marketing campaigns as well as figure out how often you should send them, what to say in them and how to make more money with them.

6. Professional Marketing Materials - Business Cards, Letterhead, Envelopes, Brochure, Sales Packet, Flyer, and Postcard - whatever is necessary to reach your target market - they need to be professionally designed, printed and presented! Don't try to design your own marketing materials unless you are a qualified graphic artist, trust me, they will not reflect the image you want to project. It's not just important for them to look good but they also need to have an attention getting headline, message and clear call to action.

The cost of outsourcing such tasks far outweighs your valuable time spent trying to figure it out yourself and who knows if you'll figure it out to the best for your busines

Managing Poor Performance with Consequences
Fred, a manager, needs to teach Grant, his employee, that there would be consequences for poor performance. Let's use a three-month project that Grant had failed to start as an example of how to go back and fix a problem that Fred inadvertently caused.Step One: Delegate clearly. This was the step Fred did do pretty well. He specified the results he was looking for, by when, and what costs.Step Two: Set a benchmark for partial completion. In the future, Fred needs to establish benchmark dates when sequential pieces of the project must be accomplished to insure completion before the drop dead date his management is expecting. He also needs to check for understanding and ask Grant if he needs help.To insure Grant will get the new process, Fred must specify when he wants Grant to get back to him with the first part of the project done. . . in this case, choice of a vendor and preliminary budget figures. Because this is now a rehab project, Fred can't allow too long a time before the first deadline. He also can't miss checking in on the agreed upon date.Step Three: Deliver consequences for less than stellar performance. If, by this first deadline date, Grant hasn't found a vendor and started to put together the costs, it's time for Fred to apply pressure to

d co-promotions. Then you need to stick to your well-researched plan and not get sold or steered away by random advertising opportunities. This should also include a

The cost of outsourcing such tasks far outweighs your valuable time spent trying to figure it out yourself and who knows if you'll figure it out to the best for your busines

Using Google Adwords To Make Money With Your Business
With any online business the main key to success is generating targeted traffic for your website. There are a number of different ways you can go about doing this, however everyone wants to see fast results, and the only way to achieve such results is to spend money on advertising. Probably the most fastest way to bring in high quality targeted traffic to your website would be Google Adwords.For those that of you that do not know what Google Adwords is its a place you join and pay money for your ads to be shown on the side of Google for keywords you pick. The keywords you choose are targeted around your business and product which results you in receiving highly targeted traffic.Now picking your keywords to use can be very difficult especially if you are in a very completive business. Some keywords could get up to has high as a dollar or more per click. You would probably want to stay away from those keywords, and stick to the cheaper ones that are more targeted. If you can pick high targeted keywords you will increase your ROI. So how much should you spend for each keyword? Well each keyword will be different. It all really depends on how popular the word or word phrase is. That is why if you can be as specific as you can the cost for the keyword will greatly come down.I usually tell people not to spend no

r Marketing 1-on-1 Planning Meetings at . I have a unique talent for developing just the right blend of marketing strategies for every budget and business.

The cost of outsourcing such tasks far outweighs your valuable time spent trying to figure it out yourself and who knows if you'll figure it out to the best for your busines

Is Your Career On Technology Overload?
In a time of dot.com fallout, mergers, reorganizations and downsizing how is it that a host of IT and IS professionals consistently propel their careers upward and others take a series of lateral moves? They may be thinking like a technology expert and not like a business partner.In a recent survey by RHI Consulting, 97 percent of CIO's indicated that they look for well-developed soft skills when hiring IT staff. Are your job skills on technology overload? If your energy is solely on developing technical skills and getting the latest certification you may need to make some adjustments before you short-circuit your career.Skills needed to perform successfully in today's IT job market can be grouped into two categories: hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills refer to the multitude of programming languages that you've mastered and the various certifications that you've obtained. They describe WHAT you do. Soft skills or critical business skills address: How well you provide other departments with service, products or information to help them do their jobs. How well you listen to and understand their concerns. How well you solve business problems that will help the organization succeed. Whether you plan a life-long career in IS or technical support you need to master soft skills. They describe HOW WELL you get the job done.

with keywords to attract the search engines. Hiring a good web designer or developer is very important and very hard to do because many have talent but some do not and say they do. You really want a web designer that also has some sales and marketing experience although in my experience, that is the hardest thing to find.

The cost of outsourcing such tasks far outweighs your valuable time spent trying to figure it out yourself and who knows if you'll figure it out to the best for your busines

Mobile Home Transporting
Here Are Some Things That May Help You, With Your Move.First of all, get a signed contract. You don't know all the people who have given their hard earned money to get their home moved, only to have their move date changed constantly or have their homes damaged by inept movers. And when the home is finally moved, it is not set up right. Remember, by having a signed contract, you have the legal right to make sure your home is taking care of.Make sure the Toter driver moving your home has LIABILITY and or CARGO INSURANCE. This covers your home if there is damage and it's his fault. Your mover should have this insurance in his truck at all times, so don't believe any excuses, and demand to see it. I've repaired many homes that were damaged by careless toter drivers, who didn't have a lick of insurance. The main reason you will get a low bid for a move, is because these guys have low overhead. If we didn't bother with insurance or drove toters that shouldn't even be on the highway, our overhead would be low too.Also, What I like to suggest to customers, is to contact their homeowners insurance agent, and inquire about MOVING or TRIP insurance. This will cover any damage to your home, that is not our fault. Just going down the highway, you can break a window, crack a ceiling, or pop trim off a wall. This is really not our fa

The cost of outsourcing such tasks far outweighs your valuable time spent trying to figure it out yourself and who knows if you'll figure it out to the best for your business? Your marketing is the most important thing you will ever do in running your business. If you don't believe that, then save this article somewhere safe and when you go out of business in 2-5 years, find it and read it again.

About the Author Katrina Sawa, Solopreneur Marketing Expert, helps entrepreneurs and independent consultants build their database of clients and prospects, determine the best ways to market their business to their target market, teach them how to network, develop follow up systems, marketing and advertising plans and find ways to get free or low cost publicity which all lead to more customers and increased sales!

Katrina has been named "The Networking Queen" by her peers and clients ever since she founded her business in 2002. She was always found out mingling at chamber of commerce mixers, business networking events and expos and any event she could attend where her target market would be in attendance. Consistent networking and follow up is the primary reason Katrina has been so successful in her business.

An avid gardener, party planner and softball buff, Katrina enjoys the sunshine of Northern California. She grew up not too far from the Sacramento area and then received her B.S. in Business, Marketing Concentration, from California State University, Sacramento.

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You know you're right for the job but how do you convince the interviewer you're the one?

The interesting role of a Human Resources (HR) Manager ranges from interviewing prospective candidates, to providing the best possible environment for task efficiency at a minimal cost to the company.

Do you jump at every new business idea that comes along and then tell yourself that you can always get a real job if this new thing doesn't work out? You're a CE or creative entrepreneur and it's time you quit telling yourself these lies and learn how to live and prosper as a CE.

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