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Why Hire a Professional Transcriptionist to Convert Your Dictation or Audio R...

In a discussion forum for non-fiction writers (where I had posted my introduction of myself and my professional transcription business), another member replied and mentioned that for simple dictation, she uses a voice recognition software program. When what she had said really sank in, I felt like someone had punched me in the stomach! Then my reaction was huge dismay and questioning, "Why sho. . .

Leading Bad Actors To Be Good Performers

PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in newsletters and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required: mail to: brent@actionleadership.com Word count: 978 Summary: Leaders are occasionally afflicted by "bad actors". . .

Writing To Overpower Your Competition

by Karon Thackston © 2005 http://www.learn-copywriting.com "We don't have any competition. We're a truly a one-of-a-kind company." I've heard that line from clients for years. I wish it were true, but it's simply not. In fact, it wouldn’t matter if you held a monopoly on your particular product or service; you'd still have competition. How? Because your competition doesn't come from a si. . .

The Six Most Annoying Characteristics of People in Business

If you are in sales or customer service and your job centers around "dealing with people" you'll find this article interesting. It's not surprising that when the world doesn't work right we can blame people for it. I tend to be an observer of human nature and since I write and speak on this topic I thought I would give you the 3 most annoying characteristics of people. Naturally you don't have . . .

In Leadership, Good Enough Is Pretty Bad

PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in newsletters and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required: mail to: brent@actionleadership.com Word count: 331 Summary: Having a "good enough" attitude is a serious stumb. . .

Closing the Gap on Your Career Goals

If you still picture a steady progression up the ladder when you think of your career goals, it is time to shift your thinking. For most people, climbing the career ladder is no longer an option. The working world has changed so dramatically that linear career paths rarely exist, except as historical symbols. But, without those trusty rungs to show the way, how do you figure out the next step. . .

Tax Reduction Tips

In the rush to get tax returns prepared and filed by April 15th, many overpay their taxes. Following are a few tax reduction tips that could help you save a bundle. Tax Credit For Starting A Small Business Pension Plan Establishing a pension plan can help you retain important employees. What many business owners don’t realize is a tax credit can be claimed if the business has 100 or fewer. . .

Oh No! Not Another Meeting!

We’ve all had that reaction at one time or another when someone suggests there should be a meeting to resolve a problem, make a plan, or update each other on our progress. Often, it seems that the same topics are discussed over and over, but even though everybody has good ideas, the issues never get resolved. Meetings can be an effective way to solve problems, or just a frustrating waste of t. . .

If Real People Ran the Bank - I (a spoof for the heart)

Banish Loans Forever If ordinary, hard-working, people ran the bank... the very first thing to get rid of would be loans. Absolutely no more loans! Because once they’re gone, there wouldn’t be any more: - Due dates - Interest charges - at any rate of interest - Late fees or penalties - Liens - Applications or rejections - Credit reports [Old joke - If it weren’t for bad credit, I woul. . .

Best Negotiating Tips When Buying An Used Car

Being a good negotiator doesn't have to be difficult. Sooner or later everyone has to negotiate with someone if they want to get a good deal on a purchase. When you are trying to negotiate with a car dealer, you should know that they are very practiced in the art already. You will need to know how to get through their car speak in order to be successful. Since you now know how to calculate yo. . .

The Gold is in the Opt-in List

When I consult with small and home based business owners, more times than not one of the greatest concerns they have is how to increase reach to a targeted market while keeping costs down. Hands down, effectively using the power of the Internet is the cornerstone to achieving this outcome. More times than not, companies are not using their Internet presence as effectively as they can. I often . . .

10 Sizzling Ways To Get More New E-zine Subscribers

1. Swap an e-zine ad. A super way to get more new subscribers is to trade ads. For best results, use ads you've already tested, and track your swaps so that you won't be in the dark about which e-zines bring you in the best results. 2. Use your "thank you" page to swap a recommendation. You'll be able to get more new readers by promoting your e-zine to a targeted audience. 3. Keep an archiv. . .

CEOs And Boards Are Locked In A Spiral Of Doom

PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in newsletters and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required: mail to: brent@actionleadership.com Word count: 700 Summary: The relationship between boards of director and CE. . .

4 Strategies That Will Help You Develop An Effective Action Plan

1. Your goal Planning a career move is much like mapping your route for a road trip. If you don't know where you are going, you can't decide how to get there, but if you do know where you are going, you'll get there faster. Goals like "Go back to school" are too general and not specific enough. You have to translate these goals into specific statements such as "Enter a college accounting progr. . .

How to Promote Your Business by Entering Contests

You are probably hard at work promoting your business (and if you’re not, you should be!), but if you haven’t submitted your profile to any contests yet, you may be missing a golden opportunity. Receiving an award for your business can increase your company’s credibility. Winners can brand their businesses as “Award Winning” in subsequent advertising and often receive a logo or emblem to note t. . .

5 Steps to Stress-Guard Your Family

5 Tips to Stress-Guard Your Family Part 1: Recognize the importance of family stress management Joe and Emily live in Southern California with their three young children. Both work and must commute 2 hours daily on busy freeways, often not getting home until 7:30 PM, exhausted and depleted. Stressed, they have little patience for the antics of their young children. This results in frequent sho. . .

Giving Thanks... A Universal Gift

In the USA we celebrate Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday in November every year. However, I've come to understand that there is great, POSITIVE power in having an "attitude of gratitude" all year long, that can create measurable differences in your life. No matter where in the world you call home, and whether you traditionally take a day to celebrate the idea of giving thanks, or not -- let . . .

10 High Powered Ways To Increase Your Traffic

1. Trade links with other web sites. They should be related to the subject of your web site. Instead of trading links, you could also trade banner ads, half page ads, classified ads, etc. 2. Start an e-zine for your web site. When people read each issue they'll be reminded to revisit your web site. They'll see your product ad more than just once which will increase your orders. 3. Form an onlin. . .

Home Fragrance in Vogue

The home fragrance market is booming. From perfume, toiletries, and cosmetics to pre packaged foods. It is currently a multi billion dollar industry that continues to show strong growth. The strongest growth has taken place in the last 5 years and is expected to continue through 2007 and beyond. Western Europe, Japan, and the US continue to lead with 65 percent of demand and over three-quarte. . .

10 Time Management Tips for Busy Professionals

If you feel like your life moves faster than a Nascar race, you’re not alone. We are living in a time where dual income families and single parent homes are the norm, a sharp contrast to the happy sitcom families we grew up watching on TV. So how do you get everything accomplished when there are only 24 hours in a day? The first step is to reprioritize. Does it really matter if you’re house. . .

Need a New Idea? Try Changing Your Perspective

One definition of creativity states that creative people look at the same thing everyone else does, yet they see something no one else does. But even creative people (which includes all of you, of course) can run into roadblocks every now and then. Sometimes it's not possible to see something different. Sometimes you've just been staring at a problem for so long it's now impossible to look at i. . .

Need a New Idea? Try Changing Your Perspective

One definition of creativity states that creative people look at the same thing everyone else does, yet they see something no one else does. But even creative people (which includes all of you, of course) can run into roadblocks every now and then. Sometimes it's not possible to see something different. Sometimes you've just been staring at a problem for so long it's now impossible to look at i. . .

Networking on the Net

Networking is one of the most effective ways to find clients for any consulting or professional services business. But if you limit your networking to only what you can do in person, you'll be missing out on a huge number of possibilities. Networking is more than entering a room full of people and exchanging business cards. It's creating a pool of contacts with whom you can exchange clients, . . .

Are You Making These E-Commerce Excuses? (part 1)

A year ago, I had big plans to re-vamp my web site. I was going to publish my e-newsletter twice a month – every month, and I was going to upgrade my own e-commerce capabilities. Those were my Internet marketing “resolutions” for 2004. And I broke them all. *Every single one.* (One of them I broke even before the month of January was over!) For every goal, I had an excuse. And the excuses won.. . .

10 Cool Ways To Attract People To Your Web Site

1. Give people a free subscription to your e-zine. Almost everyone is publishing a e-zine nowadays so it's important to give something extra with the free subscription. You could offer a free gift or advertising when people subscribe. 2. Provide your visitors with free content. Your content will be more attractive to your visitors if it's up-to-date or original. You could also offer peo. . .

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IS TURNOVER BACK IN VOGUE? ONE TREND TO PAY ATTENTION TO IN 2005

Upper Saddle River, N.J. - January 10, 2005 - With the start of the year, a flurry of articles have appeared, talking about what we can expect in the way of business trends during 2005. One of the most alarming issues is the intention of many employees to seek new jobs now that the economy is starting to improve. A recent joint survey by Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) and Caree. . .

The Elements of Expertise

Bill Connington is a New Jersey-based financial advisor who is actively working to position his firm, Connington Wealth Management, as a specialist in helping physicians deal with investment, retirement planning, and money management issues. Bill publishes articles about investing in magazines like Physician’s Money Digest and Dermatology Today. He is creating a special report about investing. . .

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The Power of Partnering

“Get the sale at any cost.” “Make more calls.” “Tell them what they want to hear.” Sales professionals in virtually every industry are under tremendous pressure to close sales. It is not uncommon for them to hear comments similar to ones above from their sales manager, supervisor, or boss. But this approach does not create trust with customers and does not encourage repeat business or a lasting. . .

Compensation Resources, Inc. Releases Its 2003-2004 College Graduate Salary S...

Compensation Resources, Inc. Releases Its 2003-2004 College Graduate Salary Survey Upper Saddle River, N.J. - May 2004 - Compensation Resources, Inc. has released the results of its 2003-2004 College Graduate Salary Survey. The purpose of this study was to obtain compensation data and information on recruiting and hiring trends for recent and new college graduates. The survey sampled compensa. . .

Compensation Resources, Inc. Releases Its 2004 Turnover Survey

Upper Saddle River, N.J. - September 2004 - Compensation Resources, Inc. has released the results of its 2004 Turnover Survey. The purpose of this study was to obtain turnover statistics and trends. Data was compiled from survey questions that were developed by CRI and distributed to companies in over ten industrial classifications, in addition to Not-for-Profit organizations. The survey sam. . .

Exhibiting Wizardry

The world is suffering from a severe dose of Pottermania. Even if you don’t have kids, it’s impossible not to have heard about Harry Potter. In a relatively short time, he has cast his magical spell and become a veritable household name. His creator, J.K. Rowling has managed to pull off a feat that hasn’t been seen in decades — motivating kids to read because they want to and not because they h. . .

Small Business Marketing Magic

Once upon a time, in 1969, there was a young woman who had a dream of starting her own company. She had ideas, talent and work ethic to spare but what she didn't have was cash. After careful research she found that marketing would cost more than all the other aspects of her business combined. Out came the credit cards, family loans and savings. After a few months the woman realized that she. . .

What Does Your Organization Really Reward?

PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in newsletters and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required: mail to: brent@actionleadership.com Word count: 900 Summary: The author contends that most organizations reward. . .

Make More Money with Marketing Metrics

Do you measure the results of your marketing tactcis? You should. Knowing which marketing endeavors pay dividends will save you time, money and effort by allowing you to focus your marketing budget on tactics that work. Learn how to measure the effect of your marketing efforts to make more money. Do you know how effective each of your individual marketing tactics is? Many small business owner. . .

Is Procrastination Holding You Back?

When you look at your marketing to-do list, do many of the items on it look all too familiar? Have entries like "call Donna Sanchez" and "follow up with Floyd Corp." been copied from a previous week? Putting off unappealing tasks may be human nature, but for an entrepreneur, procrastination can be deadly. Delays in contacting a prospect can lose the business to the competition. Failing to ge. . .

10 Effective Ways To Reduce Your Business Costs

1. Barter If you have a business you should be bartering goods and services with other businesses. You should try to trade for something before you buy it. Barter deals usually require little or no money. 2. Network Try networking your business with other businesses. You could trade leads or mailing lists. This will cut down on your marketing and advertising costs. You may also try bartering go. . .

Get Your Product to Market on Any Budget

A recent survey revealed that 40% of American workers have considered starting a business, but many fail to pursue their dreams due to funding constraints. While there are people who invest thousands of dollars to launch their businesses, there are just as many businesses that were started with just a few hundred dollars and some ingenuity. Michael Simmons, the founder of Kinko’s, rented a s. . .

I want to create……

What would you like to create? A peaceful life, a successful life, a good life, a sculpture, a piece of art, a book? What is it that you would like to create? Whatever you want you can achieve it. All you have to do is follow your natural compass. Remove the rubbish that takes you off course and let the natural you come through. It is not the case of adding new behaviours to create what you wan. . .

Are You Making These E-Commerce Excuses? (part 2)

Last time, we started to take a look at the most common reasons why most people don't make progress on their e-commerce and Internet marketing goals. Today, we continue the discussion. [See part 1 of this article at http://www.ecommercediva.com/articles/excuses2.html] ------------------------------------------------- Excuse #5: " I just don't have time. I'm too busy dealing with [customers, c. . .

How to Control Your Anger: Retreat and Think it Over

How to Control Your Anger: Retreat and Think Things Over Jim and Mary Jones loved each other deeply, but often went into horrific verbal battles over any number of issues. They would argue and yell for hours, often into the night, leaving both of them exhausted, emotionally disconnected, hurt and resentful toward each other. Both became so upset they were flooded with negative feelings which pr. . .

TCICommercial.com Gives Free Disk Space for Commercial Brokers.

For Licensed Commercial Real Estate Brokers, marketing their properties to their target market has been an ongoing struggle. This past week TCICommercial.com (the commercial side of TheCreativeInvestor.com) has announced they are giving away 1MB of online storage space for photo and files for Commercial Real Estate Brokers. Brokers can advertise an unlimited amount of properties into TCICommerc. . .

Benefiting From a Regular Exhibiting Workout

How often do you exercise your exhibiting muscles? Do you have a regular workout designed to increase your tradeshow dexterity and boost your results? Whether you’re looking for strength training to increase your competitive edge, flexibility to improve your marketing strategy, or just general overall fitness, a regular conditioning workout program is a must. Before beginning an exercise progr. . .

Motivational Operations

PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in newsletters and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required: mail to: brent@actionleadership.com Word count: 1179 =========================================== Summary: Brent. . .

Buddha in Your Back Pocket

The other day I was late for something. Not very late. In fact, I was actually on time but an angry voice berated me anyway, saying, "You are late! There will be no seats left. You wouldn't run late if you were more organized!" It was a terrible feeling, especially because the voice was partially right. Who was this voice yelling at me? It was my nemesis – the Shrew who lives in my head. We all. . .

Marketing Your Shows the 4 C's Way

The media has the power to influence your tradeshow efforts whether it be in television, radio or print. Your job is to target your endeavors to create a positive company image and brand awareness of your products/services. How do you do that? Outlined below are 27 important points to help maximize your tradeshow effort. Before the show 1. Define and select your target audience so that you . . .

Get Angry And Then Get Results

PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in newsletters and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required: mail to: brent@actionleadership.com Word count: 510 Summary: Many leadership situations are emotionally-charged. . .

How To Use A Powerful Leadership Tool To Step Up Sales Results

PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in newsletters and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required: mail to: brent@actionleadership.com Word count: 995 ========================================== Summary: Brent. . .

The End Of Marketing

PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in newsletters and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required: mail to: brent@actionleadership.com Word count: 965 words =========================================== Summary: . . .

The Key to High Productivity is Energy Management

People have tried prioritizing tasks, blocking out parts of their day for certain tasks, implementing new systems and getting better at delegation. While all of those things can make a difference, there is something else that will have an even greater impact on your productivity. The key to high productivity is energy management more so than time management. Let me start to explain this conce. . .

3 Strategies to Market Your Business Even When There’s No Money

Many small and home based businesses know they need to market and yet, have little or no money to do so. Sadly, many use this as a reason not to market. Even on a limited budget you can promote and gain visibility for you and your business. The following three strategies have proven extremely effective for countless businesses as they can for you. 1. Press Releases – Very effective and they of. . .

7 Tricks for More Holiday Web Sales

"Black Friday" has just passed, marking the traditional start of the holiday shopping season. Web sales are already at a record high this year and the fourth quarter of 2004 is projected to bring in $22 billion in online sales alone – a whole third of the sales for the entire year. (Source: eMarketer.com) And since Friday, your in-box has been overflowing with all those new orders... right? Or. . .

Avoiding ID Theft and Credit Fraud

AVOIDING ID THEFT AND CREDIT FRAUD Article excerpted from the new book, “How to Do Space Age Work with a Stone Age Brain” TM copyright 2004, all rights reserved, by Eve Abbott, the Organizer Extraordinaire Each year billions of dollars in credit fraud is perpetrated on unsuspecting citizens. With so much personal information publicly available (or easily available to someone with medium computi. . .

1-2-3 SORT Your Way to Clarity

Article excerpted from the new book, “How to Do Space Age Work with a Stone Age Brain” TM copyright 2004, all rights reserved, by Eve Abbott, the Organizer Extraordinaire 1 - 2 - 3—SORT! Every time you start to clean up your office so you can work better instead of harder—that big backlog of information is just too overwhelming. Sorting can actually put you into a better working space in very s. . .

Monitoring Website Availability

Monitoring your website's uptime is imperative to the success of your online endeavors. Why? While it's important to know if your website is running and your host is providing a good service (so you can receive money back or a credit if there is a guarantee), it’s even better to be proactive about getting it back online faster so you don’t lose search engine positions, miss out on possible reve. . .

Are You Taking Care of Business?

Too often, when we say we are "taking care of business", we think about the paperwork, the accounting, the inventory, etc... the trivial things that are important to get done in order for our business to run smoothly and efficiently. While necessary, they are not the most important. We need to change our thinking about what "taking care of business" means. We need to make sales in order to hav. . .

Creating Information Products For Money, Image And Success

There has never been a more exciting and profitable time to create your own online product. Recent breakthroughs in the costs of software, broadband, online hosting, and teleconferencing combined with the explosion of internet sales, makes it easier than ever before for any coach to create their own products. Even better, with the advent of automation, it's never been easier to automate the en. . .

A New Age Of Small-Unit Leadership

PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in newsletters and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required: mail to: brent@actionleadership.com Word count: 828 =========================================== Summary: Brent . . .

Get Out Of The Stone Age: Give Leadership Talks

PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in newsletters and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required: mail to: brent@actionleadership.com Word count: 715 Summary: ManAy leaders have the wrong idea of what is impor. . .

Only the Weak Ones Quit

Only the weak ones quit. Is that true? There is a story of a CEO of a multi-national company who decided to withdraw a product from the market when it had consistently failed for nine months and eaten up millions of pounds in advertising, promotions etc. Was he weak? He could have maintained the myth of success and stayed in the market and gradually withdrawn, costing him and his company many m. . .

My House is the Best Contest is over!

RealEstateGates.com ( http://www.realestategates.com ) is happy to announce that My House Is the Best international contest ( http://www.realestategates.com/favorite-house.html ) organized by the portal is successfully over. According to the rules of the contest, all the votes are to be summed up in the course of the contest, and three winners along with one to be granted the Consolidation Awa. . .

How to Select a Legitimate Home Business

Copyright© Trent Brownrigg www.work-at-home-jobs-iowa.com I grant permission to publish this article, electronically or in print, as long as the bylines are included, with a live link, and the article is not changed in any way (grammatical corrections accepted). How to Select a Legitimate Home Business With an increasing amount of scams on the internet posing as legitimate home businesses i. . .

The "Greatest" Leaders Are Often The Worst Leaders

PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in newsletters and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required: mail to: brent@actionleadership.com Word count: 860 =========================================== Summary: So cal. . .

Leadership Like White-Water Canoeing

PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in newsletters and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required: mail to: brent@actionleadership.com Word count: 909 =========================================== Summary: Despi. . .

Ringing Doorbells Without Howitzers

PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in newsletters and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required: mail to: brent@actionleadership.com Word count: 700 =========================================== Summary: Reduci. . .

Are Creative Stereotypes Holding You Back?

Here's a quick quiz: 1) When I see a see a sunrise, I'm moved to: A. Compose a poem. B. Try and capture the beauty with my paints and brush. C. Stumble drunkenly into bed -- boy that party was a lot of fun. D. Cover my face with my pillow and go back to sleep. Who in their right mind gets up early enough to look at sunrises? 2) At work, I'm the person my coworkers go to when they need someone . . .

The Secret to Writing Memorable Sales Copy

Want to know the secret to creating MEMORABLE promotional copy? Sales copy that actually stays with your customers long after they've finished reading it? Then master the art of using words to create pictures in your customers' heads. If you can describe your products or services in such a way that it forms images in your customers' heads, well, then you've just created something that will last. . .

Make Lots of Money with No Work

Recently I received an email message that went something like this, “I want to do exactly what you are doing in my business.” Come to find out what this person wanted to “do” was make lots of money using the Internet without having to work at it. I almost fell out of my chair. I wasn’t sure if it was from the fact that I was now in my tenth hour of working that day and I was tired or being tak. . .

What makes a champion?

Imagine for a moment that you are a champion. You are the best in your town . No, you are the best in your country. How does that make you feel? Good yeah? You are a champion. What are you the champion of? What is your major strength? Are you a good leader? A good strategist. A great tactician. A team builder perhaps. A great listener. Perhaps you have the ability to develop and grow the skills. . .

One Size EMR Does Not Fit All

One Size EMR Does Not Fit All Is there an electronic medical record system ready for the 21st century? Is there an affordable electronic medical record system? Can a good EMR help to reduce my business’s medical liability expenses? 21st Century Specs You Need for Your EMR This is a time of fast-paced business. To be blunt, if your current EMR does not keep up with 21st century needs, than you. . .

The ‘Leader's Fallacy' May Prove Howard Dean's Undoing.

PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in newsletters and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required: mail to: brent@actionleadership.com Word count: 475 Summary: Howard Dean may fail at achieving the goals he ha. . .

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10 Classic E-zine Advertising Tips

1. Target your advertising. The more targeted the e-zine is for your offer, the greater your response will be for your proven ad. 2. Track your ads. Don't leave your ad campaigns to guesswork. Use ad tracking to show you exactly which e-zines and ads are most profitable. 3. Run your ad for multiple issues. You'll get a better response, and possibly save money as many publishers offer special d. . .

7 Questions to Ask Before You Advertise

Most business owners and managers keep a fairly close eye on their marketing budgets. And nothing throws a budget out of whack faster than advertising. Advertising, or paying good money to get your message in front of your target market, still has a place in your marketing mix, although it's not quite as effective as it once was. If you're going to advertise, you need to be smart about it --. . .

It's Spring - Time for a Compensation Program Tune Up

It's Spring - Time for a Compensation Program Tune Up Now that winter has passed, the annual ritual of spring cleaning is in full swing. Spring cleaning is more than cleaning the windows and clearing the cobwebs that hid in the corners during the winter. “Spring is a time to take a serious look at your compensation program and begin planning for the next budget cycle. Depending on your organiza. . .

Top 3 Reasons Why Your Headlines Fail

Many professional copywriters estimate that the headline contributes 80% or more of the success of any ad, article, or sales letter. One direct marketing expert goes so far as to credit the headline with 100% of the success or failure of any ad or sales letter, because if the headline fails to pull the reader into the main body of the ad or sales copy, then there is no chance of success! Think . . .

How to Create an Operations Manual

An operations manual can act as a tool for training employees and empowers them to your business running smoothly when you are out of the office. Though it may seem like a lot of work, the effort put into your operations manual can save you money that could otherwise be wasted on mishandled procedures and employee training time. Every operations manual is different so yours should be tailored . . .

What Do I Need to Start Scrapbooking?

The best thing about scrapbooking is that although there are a plethora of scrapbooking supplies available on the market, you really don't need a lot to make your very first scrapbook. Basically, all you need to scrapbook is an album, some glue, a pair of scissors, and some photographs or newspaper clippings. Any fabric, ribbon, or bits of leftovers from other projects can be used to embellish . . .

Writer's Block Begone!

Back when I was in college, I belonged to one of those professional associations for the video industry. (I was a student member.) The monthly newsletter had a column called "Writer's Block." Although called Writer's Block, no one ever wrote about this mysterious and debilitating condition. So, finally, one day I decided to tackle the subject. I don't remember much about the article except it s. . .

Three ways journaling can boost your creativity and your business

I have a friend who has struggled with her creativity for a long time. She's extremely uncomfortable thinking of herself as "creative." We've been working together on it, and making progress. One of the tools that's really helped her has been journaling. From Julia Cameron's The Artist Way to Natalie Goldberg's Writing Down the Bones to Linda Trichter Metcalf, Ph.D. and Tobin Simon, Ph.D.'s Wri. . .

6 Steps to Attracting Black Customers Online

In the rush to keep up with technology, many African-American business owners are so busy trying to add the latest bells and whistles to their Web sites, get to the top of the search engines, and learn the latest database technology that they often forget this simple fact: people do business with other *people*, not computers. Understanding the importance of relationships is key to attracting . . .

Why bank overdrafts may be a bad deal for you

Many banks actively encourage their clients with low balances to overdraw their accounts. That means, if the customer writes a check or uses her debit card and has insufficient funds in the account, the bank clears the check by granting a temporary overdraft (a short-term loan), up to a specific limit. The customer is saved from the problems of bounced checks or interrupted shopping sprees. So. . .

Using Technology to Get and Keep Your Foot in the Door

In years past it was easier to get your foot in the door of a prospective client than it is today. Competition has increased, your prospect has more demands on their time and a simple visit to the Internet can offer many prospects the same choice you are offering for less money. So what can you do? Not only do you have to do front-end marketing and promotions to gain new customers, you absolut. . .

How to Command the Respect of Your Team

How to Command the Respect of Your Team (c) Mike Bosse 2005 | All Rights Reserved When I was a child my father would take me ice fishing with him and his buddies. I remember very clearly the first time he took me out on the ice. I was so excited to be included in his fishing trip that I couldn’t sleep the entire night prior. So at 4:00am when my father came into the room to wake me, he wa. . .

How Writing Radio Can Help You Become a Better Writer

Knowing how to write, and write well, is a skill that will come in handy in all sorts of situations. And if you combine good writing skills with the persuasive selling tactics found in, say, copywriting, you'll be that much more ahead of your competition. Of all the different types of writing I've done in my life (and believe me, I've tried practically all of them) writing radio has made one of. . .

What to check out when you apply for a payday loan

Are you thinking of going in for a payday loan to meet an unexpected expense? If yes, look into these seven things before you finalize one. This checklist can help you make smarter choices. You might even end up saving some serious cash! First thing to consider -- do you really need that cash advance? Sure, you need cash right away, but have you looked at other options? The fact is, a payday lo. . .

Facts you should know about loan types

When you set out to borrow, you often come across terms like unsecured loans, revolving loans, adjustable rate loans, etc. While these terms are more or less self-explanatory, it is still useful to be clear on their exact meanings and what they imply before you finalize a loan contract. Unsecured versus secured loans As the name implies, a secured loan is one where you offer collateral of some. . .

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Tax Jokes and Quotes

Tax Jokes and Quotes Do you realize that some tax forms ask you to check a box if you are BLIND? Quote: “Two years ago it was impossible to get through on the phone to the IRS. Now it's just hard to get through. That's progress.” -Charles Rossotti, former IRS Commissioner Disappointed that you never had time to write the great American novel? Don’t fret, just go dig out your past tax . . .