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Angel Investors: Who They Are & When Are They Appropriate

Angel investors are individuals who invest in emerging business ventures. Angels typically provide both capital and know-how to companies who are in either their start-up or expansion phases. To reflect the increased risk of investing in such firms, angels seek a higher rate of return versus traditional public stock investments. Angel investors fulfill the financing need that exists between cap. . .

Data Visualization Flash Charts: Information in a Flash

Flash chart, flash map, flash graph may be mistaken for flashy visual aids. It is true that many data visualization tools are flashy and consequently overwhelming and counterproductive, but the market has produced data visualization capable of simplicity and speed-thus “flash” does not stand for flashy; it stands for information in a flash. Data visualization has been adopted as normal practice. . .

Collaboration Software: Index of Collaboration Software Technologies

Collaboration Software Collaboration Software, also known as group collaboration software or groupware, is software which allows cooperation on a business document between multiple parties on multiple computers. Collaboration software also allows the integration and merging of document changes and versions on a business document. There are two types of collaboration software: IT centered and lo. . .

The Power Of A Story

If you want your marketing to be effective, you absolutely must connect emotionally with your prospects. And one of the best ways to do that is by telling a story. A good story disarms your reader or listener. He forgets for a moment that you are trying to sell him something and instead relates with what is happening in your story. He connects emotionally with what is happening, and eventually . . .

Do You Really Know Your Prospect?

I’d like to introduce you to someone. I don’t actually know his name, but I’m hoping you do. I’m hoping you know quite a bit about him. He’s your target customer – the person most likely to buy what you have to offer. He is the person responsible for your paycheck. He pays your rent and feeds your kids. Or at least, he will, once you convince him to buy from you. But to convince him, you have t. . .

Supreme Court Decides Against Grokster In File Sharing Decision

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled peer-to-peer sites such as Grokster, Kazaa and Morpheus can be held responsible for copyright infringement by their users. In a rare 9-0 decision in favor of Plaintiff MGM, the Justices held that a business distributing technology with the active intent of promoting copyright violations could not escape liability for subsequent copyright infringements. Although . . .

The Lead: Sinking The Hook Into Your Prospect

You only have an instant to capture your prospect’s attention. No matter the medium – a sales letter, print ad, or commercial – she’s going to make an almost instantaneous decision about whether you are worth her time or not. So you’d better start off with a bang. Hopefully, you already have a good headline. The words that come after it are your lead, and it’s their job to sink the hook into yo. . .

Expecting the Unexpected Can Save Your Tradeshow

Catastrophes come from out of nowhere. Massive thunderstorms can roll through a region without a moment’s notice, knocking out power and phone lines. An iffy meal at a local restaurant, and you have a staff member flat on their back with food poisoning. Open up your sales materials only to discover that you have all the wrong literature – and that it’s printed in a language you can’t read! What. . .

The Monkey With The Wooden Apples

There once was a happy monkey wandering the jungle, eating delicious fruit when hungry, and resting when tired. One day he came upon a house, where he saw a bowl of the most beautiful apples. He took one in each hand and ran back into the forest. He sniffed the apples and smelled nothing. He tried to eat them, but hurt his teeth. They were made of wood, but they were beautiful, and when the oth. . .

How To Write Your Headlines That Grab Your Prospect's Attention

It doesn’t matter if you’re writing an article, a newspaper or magazine ad, a web page, or even a Yellow Page ad. If it has a headline, that headline is the most important component of the entire package. Waste it, and you’ve wasted your time. Your headline is like an ad for your ad. It is responsible for getting the attention of your prospect and enticing her to read what you have to say. If i. . .

Backpacking Trips - Ten Essential Items

I've had backpacking trips that included rain, snow, lightning, rockslides, altitude sickness, and twenty-mile days - all in a summer weekend. Wilderness trips can be dangerous, but you can make then less so, by having the following ten essentials in your backpack. 1. Knowledge. What good is a compass if you don't know how to use it? Play with matches if your fire-making skills are shaky. Lear. . .

Online Guide to Public Records

Are you interested in whether your business colleague contributed to the presidential campaign? Wondering who owns the abandoned lot on the other side of town? Or on a more persona note, are you trying to trace your family tree and can't remember Great-Aunt Susie's third husband? You might find your answers through an online public records search. Due diligence applies, as the data at . . .

Making the Intangible Real

How do you make the intangible real? How do you take an idea or concept, something that can't be seen or touched, and convey its essence to others, quickly and easily? That challenge faces many of us in this age of information and knowledge marketing. In advertising and other marketing communications, we have to convince prospects to respond to words and ideas. Intangibility is a challenge I of. . .

Concept Combination For Creative Problem Solving

There are many creative problem solving techniques used by inventors to come up with new solutions to old problems. For sheer innovation, though, it's hard to beat the technique of concept-combination. Just start combining ideas and things, and voila, you're having fun - and maybe creating something new. Innovation or Inovation? Combining the concept of search engine misspellings with article w. . .

10 More Tips For Selling Your Own Home

Selling your own home can be a time-consuming and frustrating process. Sometimes, though, in the right market, it makes sense to save thousands of dollars in commission and do it yourself. If you've decided to give it a try, use the tips here to do it right, and to avoid common FSBO (for sale by owner) mistakes. 1. Understand value. It isn't what you think your house is worth, and it doesn't e. . .

The Teamwork Alphabet

What differentiates a great trade show exhibit from a so-so one? The booth staff! The best displays are manned by a coordinated team working together to ensure the exhibit’s success, rather than a haphazard handful of employees who happened to be available that week. How do you transform your staff members into a strong team? Just remember your ABC’s. A: Assign creative, intelligent, and enthu. . .

For Sale By Owner Is A Mistake

Don't sell it yourself! Sometimes a "FSBO," or house "for sale by owner" can sell as fast, and for as much as it would have if listed with a real estate agent. Sometimes. Before you decide to give it a try though, consider the following ten points. 1. Most buyers work with agents. They look through MLS listings. If you don't list with an agent, most buyers will never see or hear about your ho. . .

A Backpacking List - Skills To Learn

Have you ever had a backpacking trip that was a disaster - even though you brought everything you needed? Maybe you had matches, but couldn't get that fire going. You need more than good gear to assure a safe and enjoyable wilderness experience. You need to know how to do a few things, and the following list will get you started. 1. Learn firemaking. Practice in your yard if you have to, but t. . .

7 Powerful Ways To Jump Start Your Sales

1. Publish testimonials. Along with your customer testimonials, include testimonials from other respected marketers. You'll be able to gain instant credibility for your offer because many of your visitors will already view your endorsers as experts. 2. Offer a limited time bonus. You'll get more of your visitors to purchase from you because they won't want to miss out on your special deal. 3.. . .

Safe Solo Backpacking Tips

Solo backpacking means peace and quiet. No one to talk to means no words are put between you and the beauty around you. The miles just flow. It's entirely up to you to say when you eat or take a break. Want to jump in that alpine lake? It's your decision alone. It's a unique experience. A solo backpacker also is vulnerable. Twist your ankle, and there's nobody there to help you. Have you ever b. . .

10 Fresh Ezine Publishing Tips To Maximize Your Success

1. Archive your issues or offer a sample issue. You'll be able to get more of your visitors that are on the "fence" to join your ezine, giving you a bigger list to market your products to. You'll also be able to get more new advertisers as many of your visitors will check out the kinds of ads you run, how many ads are published in each issue, and so forth before they purchase ads from you. 2.. . .

Manage Communication to Add Value

Management guru Tom Peters says white collar workers and managers in functional departments need to protect their futures. They have to learn "the difference between doing totally acceptable work and creating very new value...." he notes, in an Industry Week article. In other words, people in departments like Human Resources and Finance need to become entrepreneurial. With that in mind, let's l. . .

You Can't Fool Mother Nature

In the 1970's, there was a margarine commercial with the message of "you can't fool mother nature."  This statement never held more true than it does today. Up until the very early 1900's, the farming and livestock in this country was grown and raised using natural and organic methods.  It was just the way it was done and it didn't need to be called "organic". In the last 50 years or so, more . . .

Technology & Communication

A study a couple of years ago found that 63% of executives were making fewer business trips because of technology. Instead of a plane trip, face-to-face meetings and a plane trip back, they used email, videoconferencing, or online meetings, according to the Accountemps study. If you're a manager who's spending less time with a suitcase and more with a mouse, you'll want to pay attention to the . . .

The Key To Creative Real Estate Investing

With a job that paid $3.40 an hour, I saved $5,000. I used $3,500 of it to buy my first piece of real estate - 2 acres near where I lived. As you can guess, this was many years ago. A few hours removing brush, and it was ready to sell. I hand-painted a sign, and two weeks later sold the land for $4,750, with $250 down, $100 per month, at 11% interest. With the capital gain, my annual return on . . .

You Can't Direct the Wind but You Can Adjust the Sails

Guidelines: You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy sent to article@itsm-made-easy.com would be appreciated. Format: 60 words per line Word count: 671 words (3926 chars) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- "You Can't Direct the Wind but You Can Adjust the Sai. . .

7 Steps to an Online Home Based Business

Copyright© Trent Brownrigg http://www.home-business-team.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). 7 Steps to an Online Home Based Business Are you thinking about starting an online home based business from scratch but don’t rea. . .

S Corporation - What Is It?

For many small businesses, the “S” corporation is the business entity of choice. The “S” in S corporation refers to a tax designation. All corporations are created the same way under state law. A small business must then chose a tax status, to wit, “C”, “S” or non-profit. Important issues concerning S corporations are covered in this article. C Corporation v. S Corporation Federal tax laws aut. . .

Add, Subtract, Change : A Problem Solving Technique

How do you like to solve your problems? Do you prefer to use the more creative problem solving techniques, or the systematic ones? You'll get the best of both with the add-subtract-change method. Add, Subtract, Change I am sitting here looking at my bicycle as I write this. To come up with new ideas in bicycle design, all we have to do is look at the elements that are there and ask three things. . .

Best Brainstorming Techniques

Have you been in a "brainstorming" session where each person just defended their own ideas? Worse is when people don't suggest ideas at all, for fear they'll be attacked. That's no way to brainstorm. Brainstorming is using the power of many minds, and ideas should flow freely and trigger other ideas. How do you make that happen? The Key To Good Brainstorming You have to have a good leader to ha. . .

Arguments Steal Mind Power

Have you ever noticed that arguments are rarely "won?" Even if you think you won an argument, what did you win? If there really is a loser, he at least learned something, right? What did you get? Ego satisfaction, debating practice, and diminished mind power. Arguing Diminishes Mind Power? There are times when things need to be debated, but most of the time, it really isn't productive. Do you w. . .

How to Train your Brain to keep you healthy and happy.

When you are unhappy what do you do? Do you go out for a meal? Go to the cinema? The theatre, perhaps? Do you go shopping? Perhaps you like a drink to overcome your unhappiness. Or do you get a buzz from jogging or going to the gym? Whatever it is scientist are in the process of proving that internal change is the only thing that can give you health and happiness. Everything else is an illusion. . .

Improve Your Mind Power With Spanish

Our "mind power" is largely in the way we use our words, and limited by our vocabulary. Words, and the concepts they express, are different in each language, and there are differing common expressions. That's why when you learn a new language, you learn new ways to think. Most Americans see money as something created, not as a static quantity to be divided up. This is no coincidence. English is. . .

Mind Power Games

Want a fun way to tune up your brain? Why not use some classic mind games to help you increase your brainpower and get you out of your thinking "ruts." Good mind games habituate you to using creative problem solving as a normal part of thinking about things. One lateral thinking puzzle you can try right now involves nine dots, layed out three by three. You have to connect them all with four str. . .

The Significance of the Mundane

This article begins with a tip of the hat to a scholarly publication called the Journal of Mundane Behavior. Unlike other publications, which herald important issues, this one trumpets everyday, but rarely noticed, behaviors. It sees what the rest of us overlook because that stuff is so, well, mundane (my dictionary defines 'mundane' as being ordinary or common). For example, I just read an art. . .

Email Newsletter Software

What software do I need? Should I create my newsletter in a word processor or email program? Which email program should I use? Those questions came from a visitor to the Manager’s Guide to Newsletters website. She planned to start an email newsletter that would go to parents of students at her school and wanted to know about the software she would need. In response, we’ll look at these two imp. . .

The Power of Beliefs

Years ago I had the opportunity to meet a woman who reinforced my understanding of the power of beliefs. A woman who is probably one of the most powerful individuals I will ever encounter. I met Chris in 1986 while taking the Dale Carnegie course in Santa Rosa, California. Although not in class the first week of a twelve-week training; Chris showed up during the second week. Class was well un. . .

Starting an Errand Service Business

If you are thinking of starting a home based business, one idea is to start an errand service. With this home based business you will be running errands for people who either do not have the time or would rather pay someone else to do them. What You Will Need You will need a reliable vehicle (preferably a van), a pager, a cell-phone and a small area where you can call your office. It is also p. . .

20 Ways To Increase Your Traffic And Sales Using Free Follow-Up Autoresponder...

An autoresponder course is a group of articles or information set up to be sent out separately over a set period of time by e-mail. People just e-mail your autoresponder to receive the free course and it is sent out automatically over time. You can find f.ree follow-up autoresponders to use by typing it into any search engine. Below are ten ways to use them to i.ncrease your traffic and sales. . . .

Donating Cars To Charity - New Tax Rules

On June 3, 2005, the IRS released guidance on charitable deductions for donated vehicles. The American Jobs Creation Act (AJCA) radically changed the amount of the deduction taxpayers can claim for their donated car. Fair Market Value v. Actual Sales Price When donating a car to charity, a taxpayer traditionally was allowed to deduct the fair market value. The new law changes this valuation to . . .

Using A Word List To Solve Problems

To creatively solve problems you need to get your mind looking in new directions. You can systematically do this by using a list of words, primarily adjectives, to create "what if?" scenarios. You start with the question, "what if it was..." and then insert a word from the list. The "it" in the question is the problem you're trying to solve, or the solution or situation that exists now. Using ". . .

The Best Travel Games

Car travel games are a tradition wherever families take vacations or long trips by automobile. Long drives are always more tolerable with some diversion or entertainment, and reading might not be the best choice, at least for the driver. Why not try some games that everyone in the car can play? "Blue Car" Travel Games These are travel classics. Each person guesses how many blue cars will pass i. . .

Mind Power Through Mindfulness

Basic mindfulness exercises put you in a state of awareness where distractions are let go, and your mind power is able to function more effectively. They help you think more clearly and concentrate better. They are also easy exercises to do. More Mind Power in Minutes A basic mindfulness exercise starts with sitting down, relaxing and breathing deeply through your nose. Close your eyes and be a. . .

Your Internet Business is Like the Stock Market

© 2005 - all rights reserved As savvy stock market investors know, chasing after the one "hot stock" with the possibility of bringing instant riches is not a wise idea. You know the old saying, "Don't put your eggs in one basket". This type of thinking carries a high risk. If your stock goes up and you are smart enough to sell, then you've made money. However, if your stock falls, you just . . .

Protect Your Business With Non-Disclosure Agreements

Every business should protect proprietary information when dealing with independent contractors, vendors and other businesses. The best way to do this is to use a non-disclosure agreement, often referred to as an “NDA.” What is an NDA? An NDA is an agreement between two parties to protect confidential information disclosed in a business transaction. The proprietary information can include busin. . .

Corporation – What Is It?

Simply put, a corporation is a form of business entity. You probably already know this, so this article delves into a few of the particulars. Separate Entity For legal purposes, a corporation is considered a separate legal entity from those forming it. Although it is not a living person, a corporation generally has the same rights. It can own property, enter contracts and claim constitutional r. . .

California Limited Liability Company – An Overview

Many people are surprised to learn that the LLC business entity is a fairly recent phenomenon. Wyoming was the first state to legislate the creation of LLCs in 1977. Most states didn’t jump on the LLC bandwagon until 1988 when the IRS classified the LLC as a pass through entity for tax purposes. This ruling turned LLCs into the popular monster they are today. Now every state has legislation all. . .

Music For A Better Life

Would you like to pop in a CD and have a better quality of life, and even self improvement? There are three ways you can use music to accomplish this. Music For Motivation Put on energetic music, and even doing housework seems less like work. Using music to motivate yourself or change your mood is an area where you can trust your experience and experimentation. When you find the msic that energ. . .

What do Your Clients Need?

"Every person who has ever started a business, I imagine, thought he had a good idea. It's the smart person, and the rare person, who tries to find out the most important thing: do other people think it's a good idea?" Those words of wisdom come from Bernard Kamoroff, author of "Small-Time Operator: How to Start Your Own Small Business, Keep Your Books, Pay Your Taxes and Stay Out of Trouble!". . .

Identity Theft – Impacting Your Taxes?

If your identity is stolen, your finances can quickly become a nightmare. A less obvious problem is the effect identity theft can have on your taxes. Identity Theft Generally, thieves steal your personal data for the purpose of running up credit card charges or opening and abusing new accounts. A developing trend in the identity theft field concerns schemes impacting your taxes. Selling Social . . .

Contrarian Marketing at Benetton's

Perhaps, with apologies to Dale Carnegie, we should call this article: "How to make enemies AND influence people." The subject: United Colors of Benetton's campaign to promote its clothing, using photos and stories about death row prisoners in the U.S. It's what journalist James Bone of the Times of London called the "latest in a string of deliberately provocative campaigns". In an age when mos. . .

Stronger Willpower Today

Have you ever wished you had stronger willpower? How can you make yourself stop doing things you don't want to do? There are ways, and the first thing to do is to redefine the concept of willpower. Self Awareness Instead Of Willpower It's hard to resist temptation sometimes, isn't it? That piece of cake calls to you. What's the simple answer to this? Don't stand in front of the cake! Don't go t. . .

Communicating When A Crisis Strikes

How would you handle communication if your business or practice got into a crisis situation? I was pleasantly surprised when my Internet service provider responded competently and quickly to a technical crisis. And, we can learn to communicate more effectively by studying its response. The crisis occurred when hackers attacked its system at the same time that the company was upgrading its syste. . .

Employment Taxes - What Are They?

If you have employees, you are responsible for paying a variety of taxes at the federal, state, and local levels. You must also withhold certain taxes from the paychecks of your employees. So, what are employment taxes? Employment taxes include the following. 1. Federal income tax withholding 2. Social Security and Medicare taxes 3. Federal unemployment tax (FUTA). Federal Income Taxes/Social S. . .

California Businesses Incorporating In Nevada

California is a notoriously bad state to do business in. Regulations, worker’s compensation and tax issues overwhelm companies. Seeking relief, many incorporate in Nevada. Unless done carefully, this decision can lead to disaster. Doing Business - Jurisdiction Jurisdiction is a legal term used to define who has authority over something. Applied to this article, the term refers to the issue of w. . .

Negotiating A Cheap House

When you bought your home, you offered less than you were willing to pay, right? That's the most common negotiation technique. For experienced investors, however, that's just one little secret among the many more powerful ones. What else can you do? How To Make An Offer 1. Offer an odd amount, like $161,793. This gives the impression that you know something the seller doesn't. They may think y. . .

10 Ways to Sabotage Your Website Traffic and Send Visitors Packing

If you’re running a website or online business, your number one goal should be to build traffic. The following are ten ways to drive traffic away from your site. Make sure you aren’t making these mistakes. 1. Links Open in the Same Window: If links to other sites don’t open in a new window, then you are giving your traffic away. Don’t expect site visitors to use the “Back” button or remember w. . .

Penny Stock Investing

The Nature of Penny Stocks For anyone new to investing in penny stocks, you should first be made aware of the differences between these micro-cap stocks and the more conventional blue-chip and mid-cap investments. Unlike buying shares in a large, stable company like Ford or IBM, you are dealing with speculative investments. Penny stocks literally trade for pennies per share, or for as much as. . .

Dump that Overhead Projector!

What is it about overhead projectors that causes us to become lousy communicators? Why do our speeches or presentations lose much of their steam when we use overheads? Well, for starters, we often give more attention to the overheads than the audience. It can't be helped. After all, we have to pick up the right overhead, separate it from the next one, get it on the projector properly, check it . . .

Story Telling With a Purpose

For a brief time, I tried to sell life insurance. And, the operative word was 'tried' I can assure you. Although I thought I did a good job on the presentations and scripts provided by trainers, I did not make a single sale. On the other hand, the veteran who trained me didn’t spend much time with presentations or scripts. He simply told stories about clients who spared their loved ones great . . .

Correspondence From The IRS – Yikes!

It’s a moment every person dreads. You pick up the mail and there is an envelope from the IRS. It’s not a refund check. What do you do? Don’t Panic Each year, the IRS sends out millions of “correspondence audits” to taxpayers to request payment of taxes, notify them of a change to their account or request additional information. These audits normally cover a very specific issue, often notifying. . .

Medical Billing Software Provides Easy Access to 2005 CPT Code Book

Multiple data bases, multiple servers, superbills, synchronization, multiple logins, reports, backups, workstations. Honestly, there is enough to worry about already in managing medical offices. On top of all of that there are multiple codes to remember and refer to? Medical billing software services have been developed to streamline the medical billing process, not simply by allowing practices. . .

Maximizing Your Yellow Page Investment

Yellow Page users are the hottest of all prospects – someone who has made the decision to buy, and now is looking for a place to do it. Does your ad convince them that your business is that place? It doesn’t have to be the biggest, although that can certainly help. And if you do it right, it won’t even matter if your business is listed first. What matters is that your ad is the most persuasive.. . .

Get Personal: Letters vs. Direct Mail

One of the reasons direct mail works is the personal aspect. It’s ostensibly a letter from you to your prospect. Because of this, the more personal you make it, the better your response will be. If you’re mailing to 100,000 people, putting your prospect’s name on your letter is about as personal you can get. But there are times when you can – and should – send out highly personal letters to in. . .

Why is My Restaurant Not Full Every Monday Night?

In a quest for customers and to keep those customers, restaurants are now compelled to develop a marketing plan. Marketing plans are a crucial component for anyone who has the desire to make their restaurant a success. Marketing plans are a crucial component for anyone who has the desire to make their restaurant a success. In a quest for customers and to keep those customers, restaurant are now. . .

Voices In Your Head

Doctor Julian Jaynes wrote about a woman who talked daily to her long-dead grandmother, who she saw sitting in a chair each morning. As far as the doctor could tell, the woman never suffered any ill effects from this. In fact, she readily accepted that it was a hallucination, which didn't bother her at all. She just found the conversations, and her grandmother's advice, helpful. Advice From Gho. . .

Selling Your House: Ten Tips

One of the biggest mistakes people make when selling a house, is not understanding real estate value. It doesn't matter at all what you think your home is worth. The value of your home, and any improvements you made, is determined by buyers. What you enjoyed about your house is irrelevant when it's time to sell it. Think in terms of what other people want, and use some of the following tips. Ho. . .

Mechanical Poetry; Part Two

What do you do when you want to write poetry? I hope your answer is "I start writing." Even writing a bad poem is better than waiting for the "right words." You can always throw it away, and the process has begun. You'll start to find the words sooner than if you just waited. Here are some more ways to get started. Sing A Poem Try a little experiment - alone in the basement if you must. Describ. . .

Developing A Focused Marketing Strategy

You want all of your marketing messages to have a single focus, so they pull together instead of competing with each other. Great! So how do you come up with one? First, there are several things you need to know. Who is your target? As specifically as possible, who are you trying to sell to? Don’t just say “women,” say, “fashion conscious women age 18-35.” Say, “stay-at-home mothers of preschoo. . .

Marketing: Are You Focused?

In early 1992, President George H.W. Bush was riding high. He was sitting on an almost unprecedented 80% approval rating following the first Gulf War. Conventional wisdom pegged him as a shoe-in for a second term. Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton faced an uphill battle. He was largely unknown at the start of 1992, facing a very popular incumbent. Worse for him, his opponent “owned” foreign policy. . .

Marketing: Can I Trust You?

We live in an unprecedented era of communication. Because of this, your prospects are literally bombarded from all directions with marketing messages. They’ve heard so many hyped claims, that they automatically distrust them all. How can you avoid this in your marketing messages? How can you convince them that what you promise is what you will actually deliver? First of all, tell the truth. Do. . .

How To Think Clearly

Does your mind sometimes feel like a television station you can't quite tune in? You know there's an interesting program on - or several, but everything is mixed with static. What if you could "tune in" at will, have clear thinking whenever you want it? Try some of the following. Ten Clear Thinking Techniques And Tips 1. Take a walk. Science will eventually prove this to be a great way to impr. . .

Mechanical Poetry - Part Three

Have you ever read the lyrics of a Simon and Garfunkle song? Pure poetry. Want to write poems like that? Start copying them. Let me explain. The Myth Of Creativity Creativity is somewhat of a myth. It isn't that it doesn't exist, but people's ideas about it are mis-informed. Many believe that to be creative is to come up with something completely new. There isn't an artist or inventor out there. . .

Two Leadership Traps: How To Get Out Of Them. How To Avoid Them (Part 1)

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: 684 Summary: Most people fail in their careers because of leade. . .

Who Are You, Anyway?

Self-identity? Who are you really? We identify with many things, but this is just a process in our minds. In fact, this identification causes us to suffer. Your favorite basketball team loses, and you suffer as though YOU lost. Your car is damaged and it feels like YOU are hurt. Somebody attacks who they think you are, and it is as though they could actually reach inside and poke at your true . . .

Two Leadership Traps: How To Avoid Them. How To Get Out Of them (Part 2)

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: 619 Summary: Most people fail in their careers because of lead. . .

How To Remember Things

What's the biggest problem with memory tricks? Remembering to use them, of course. There are many memory techniques that work well, but you'll forget them when you need them most - unless you make using them a habit. So when you take the time to learn a technique, use it until it becomes automatic. Here are some to try. Using a Story-List I went to a party as a child. There was a game that invo. . .

Ice Axe, Crevasses, No English

Climbing the glaciers to the summit of Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador isn't highly technical. It is mountaineering, but how hard can it be, considering I went to 20,600 feet the first time I used crampons and an ice axe? Okay, I used them once for practice, on a sledding hill near my house. I climbed forty feet while people walked by with their sleds, telling their kids to stay away from me. It's . . .

Fix and Flip: A Real Estate Formula

You've bought a house, a fixer-upper you can make some money on. What improvements and repairs should you make? First of all, you need to know this before you buy, as I explained in another article. Before and after you buy, though, you need to have some simple rules with which to start analyzing possible fixes. Return On Investment A young couple was very disappointed when I told them there ho. . .

Anger in The American Family: Learn to Respond Rather than React

Case #1. Brianna, 32, would get instantly outraged when her ex-husband threatened to file for custody of their two small children. Deciding to respond differently, she bit her tongue, and remained quiet when he began threatening an escalated legal battle. Unable to get the usual reaction from her, he calmed down and instantly became rational and more reasonable. Case #2. Tom, 42, would become b. . .

The Surest Way to Boost Sales

If you have a small business and you are looking to boost your sales and make the public aware of your business, how do you going about doing this? There is one sure way that I know to boost sales and create awareness. It may not be sexy, but it WORKS! The best way to "start" marketing any business is to develop a marketing plan. And before you decide you don't have the time or expertise to cr. . .

The Power of Taglines - Take My Tagline Test!

An effective logo/tagline combination can be one of the best ways to successfully brand your business. But you don't have to take my word for it. Do any of the phrases below ring a bell? See if you can identify which companies each of the following taglines belongs to. You'll find the answers at the end of the article. But before you read ahead to get the answers, take a few minutes to test t. . .

What Does Your Logo Say About Your Business?

And not only your logo, but also your website, your brochure, your business cards and any of your marketing materials for that matter. Yes, colors do matter They communicate feelings and emotions. They represent ideas and thoughts. So before you create a logo or any other piece of marketing make sure you select the right colors to communicate a personality that accurately represents you and y. . .

Should You Offer Commissions For Customer Referrals?

As a small business owner you may find yourself in a situation where you want to partner with another business but they are asking for a commission on your services. You will want to be prepared to handle such a request BEFORE you find yourself in this situation. Whenever someone asks you for a commission in exchange for marketing your product or service, it is basically an affiliate or referr. . .

Reach Thousands of Your Prospects, Absolutely Free

I'm big on getting maximum marketing exposure at the lowest cost possible. After all, most small business owners don't have huge marketing budgets, so finding inexpensive ways to market is a necessity. Recently I was able to get free marketing exposure for my business to 100,000 people. It was something that took an hour or two of my time and the payoff was huge. And you can do it for your bus. . .

Marketing with Special Reports. It's Cheap, Effective, and Easy!

Providing your prospects or customers with information products is a great way to provide extra value or to provide an incentive for them to make a purchase or to register for your ezine or newsletter. And if you write a report or article and provide it as a free download from your web site, you have no printing or delivery costs and you can drive traffic to your site. If you don't like discou. . .

Print Advertising: Knowing Waht To Put In Your Ads

So you've decided to run a print ad in your local newspaper. The paper may have even told you they could produce the artwork for you if you just tell them what should be in the ad. Problem is, you're not sure what should be in the ad. The first thing you need to do is answer the following question: What is your objective for the ad? You need to know what result you expect the ad to accomplish . . .

My Marketing Budget Is Small. How Can I Make The Most Of It?

For example, it may not make sense or be necessary to market consistently all year long. Are their times when your particular industry is slow and customers are not likely to purchase? Conversely, are their times during the year when customers are more likely to be in the market for your product or service? Schedule your marketing activities to take advantage of these peak times and to avoid w. . .

Publishing Special Reports And Ebooks At No Cost

So you'd like to start publishing special reports and ebooks to use as marketing tools and to sell as products. But you have no budget to get this new venture going. Here's a tip to help you get up and running at no cost. The traditional route to publishing digital products is to purchase software designed specifically for creating PDFs, such as Adobe Acrobat. But there is another option that. . .

Marketing Effectively To More Than One Audience

What's a small business owner to do if they have more than one audience to market to? Perhaps they need to attract clients but they also need to recruit business partners or vendors. Do they need two marketing plans or can they use one plan that tries to address both aspects? This is a great question that applies to many different types of businesses who find they need to market to more than o. . .