5 Strategies to Grow Your Business Now

In today's economy, many businesses are struggling to keep their heads above water. They find themselves under a lot of stress and looking for ways to recession-proof their businesses. I love Michael Gerber's book E-Myth because it teaches entrepreneurs how to systematize their business so it runs smoothly and as expected. In times like these, business owners often find themselves wondering what they could do to protect them for the future. Here are 5 tips that you can use right now:

1. Perform a Financial Makeover Now is the time to be financial focused and trim the fat! As business owners, we sometimes have a tendency to set and forget, but in a recession, it is critical to focus on every element of the business's finances. Look at what is essential to you business and identify wasteful spending. How can you save? What can you leverage? Renegotiate all contracts (even if the contract isn't up yet). Bottom line - eliminate expenses that are not essential to your business.

2. Automate, Outsource and Redistribute Now is the time to be working on your business, not in it. It is so easy to fall into the trap of doing everything yourself - don't do it. Look for solutions that add value, make sense and can be leveraged. Your time should be focused on building your business and developing strategies to grow your business. Bottom line- automate, outsource, and redistribute the tasks that take you away from growing your business.

3. Create More Value For Your Customer

Now is the time to tell your customers you love them! Show them why they should continue to do business with you and a simple way is to create more value for the same price. Take a look at what little bit extra you could throw into the pot. A free service? A free widget? An extended contract at current prices? Whatever works for your business. Bottom line - Do everything you can to keep your clients and attract more.

4. Network Like a Maniac

Now is the time to reach deep into your network and make connections. Building up social capital is one of the best marketing strategies a business owner could use to build their business. To be an effective networker, you need to be genuine and not be looking for something in return. Offer your gift of knowledge, compassion and connections to help out others. The ROI on that action will pay off for years to come. Bottom line -Friends give friends work.

5. Stay Focused on The Future

Now is the time to position yourself for the future and in order to do that, you must remain focused. Although these are tumultuous times, begin smart and strategic will bring you out ahead of your competition. You should always be thinking about what action you can take that will move your business forward. Bottom line - never lose sight of the prize.

Kellie D'Andrea is the creator of the BLAST 9O Day Coaching Program and teaches biz owners how to build the business of their dreams for a life of freedom, profits and fulfillment. Interesting in growing your business, sign up for her FREE mini course "The Empowered Entrepreneur" and learn how to take the journey to freedom, profits and fulfillment at http://www.kelliedandrea.com

Understanding the Business Cycle

Business Cycle or Economic cycle is a term that refers to fluctuations in the production and/ or economic activity over a period running into several months or years in an entire economy. Such variations happen around a growth trend that is long term. It involves a shift between expansion or boom periods and recession periods. The fluctuations are generally measured using real gross domestic product. Business cycles are said to be a certain type of fluctuation that is found in the cumulative economic activity of various nations that have their primary work in business enterprises. A typical cycle consists of expansions and contractions in economic activity. The business cycles can vary anywhere from one year to even a dozen years.

The Business cycle of a company indicates specific economic activity that has a bearing on the company's operations at any given point in time. During the life of a company four points of business cycles are possible - economic upturn, peak, economic decline and recovery. It is evident that economic upturn is the most coveted state for all companies because it is indicative of continuous business growth and future growth prospects too. In this period sales are high and earnings are healthy. The company has surplus and has better profits. It is in a position to pass on benefits to employees and acquire assets. A company that is wise always knows that "economic upturn" cannot continue forever and plans for the possible downtrend period. Economic peak is when the company is at the pinnacle with good profits but there is hardly any scope for growth.

In the period of decline a business has lost customers to competition or recession trends; it might have made a wrong diversification decision and so on - it faces losses. Recovery phase is when the company starts moving up the ladder again to regain the lost glory.

Roland Poitevin is a dedicated writer with a passion for business and environmental issues. You can check out his new web page at Flag Poles for Sale which helps people find the best deals on flags poles for sale and information they are looking relating to this subject.

Is SoyLicious a Profitable and Legit Opportunity? SoyLicious Review

I decided to investigate an opportunity called SoyLicious due to the number of scams running online, this is what I found out...

Wax About Us?

SoyLicious recently launched their company and is generally a newbie in the candle-making industry. The company was built to provide eco-friendly alternatives to candle products, among others. They mainly manufacture and sell soy bean wax candles that are made from recyclable resources, apart from the other products up in their shelves.

They have made the conscientious responsibility to deviate from the use of paraffin wax. It is probably not so known to many that paraffin wax is derived from leftover residue in gasoline refining, yet these aromatherapy candles that are paraffin-based are sold in the market, which claim for themselves that these are health-enhancing products.

Light Me Up

The first class soy bean wax they use in making their candles and tart chunks come from two kinds of beans that are found in American soil. These ingredients are made with natural oils that create that creamy consistency, apart from the vibrant colors that makes their candles attractive.

SoyLicious offers aromatherapy fragrances that invigorate your senses. They also manufacture soy soaps that help achieve that natural environmental touch to your atmosphere.

Their candles are environmentally safe and biodegradable. They burn cooler and longer, which clearly speaks for the value of your money.

Wax In, Wax Out

The moment you decide to join the SoyLicious family, you are provided with your own www.Soylicious.com website to help you start out your network. You can use it for instant online recruitment but you also get to have a venue where you are able to interact, connect, and share ideas and concerns with your fellow affiliates.

The company has designed five ways to earn a profitable compensation for its affiliates.

One of these ways is, for every online order you get, you immediately receive a 40% commission and double your points commission with every earning of the distributors in your team. This goes the same with the orders placed online. There are no monthly quotas that must be met, simply because the monthly membership fee allows you to receive USD 45.00 worth of candles every month.

From what I've seen so far, it seems to look like a legit opportunity. 
 
However, this company does not provide a solid marketing plan. You will be told to market to your family & friends, do home parties, prospect random people. All the things most people find undesirable. Look elsewhere for lead generation techniques to get your business rolling. 

Hassan Ajmal Is an Expert Internet Network Marketer Who Has Generated Up To $9,578.79 In 35 Days And Is Going To Teach You To Do The Same. Steal His Knowledge With His FREE CD @ http://www.onestepfortune.com

The #1 Mistakes Business Owners Make

Many times, people enter into business with the greatest of intentions. They have a passion or a specialize skill that they believe they can put into a business model and begin to offer their services. Unfortunately, many entrepreneurs make a fatal mistake and do not go through the necessary activities to ensure long term success.

The number one mistake entrepreneurs make is not having a plan. Most think that they do not need to put together a business plan or believe that they need a long, comprehensive business plan resulting in them opting out of the exercise completely.

Most jump into their business venture with an idea and a passion and move quickly into the day to day of running a business rather than taking the time to properly plan and strategize every element of their business that would support growth and sustainability.

The simple act of developing a business plan forces entrepreneurs to think about key elements that will impact their business from defining the product or service being offered, the demographics or customer base your product or service will be targeted towards, the competition in your area, opportunities for growth and not to mention the financial projections and cost estimates.

As businesses go through the five stages of growth, a business plan will assist the business owner in making early decisions that will yield long term success.

A business plan should be an evolving process and used over and over again as a tool to support growth, creativity and resource alignment and does not need to be a long document. Many successful businesses use a one page business plan template that has proven to be quite successful. The goal is to get involved in creating a process that you revisit often.

In today's market, there are many professional who are well equipped to assist you with putting together a plan, not to mention numerous do-it-yourself software applications such as www.businesspro.com. These plans are only as good as the information and forecast you put into it so it is extremely important that you remain objective and to use this as an opportunity to uncover potential obstacles that you may need to overcome. It is also a good idea to solicit the help of trusted advisors to review and comment. They often will uncover aspects that you may have missed or need to elaborate, or point out unsupported assumptions that need to be addressed.

A solid business plan can be the blueprint for operating your business for the first few years of business and support any requirements of creditors and lenders who may require that you have one. Your financial projections can act as your first year's budget and a guideline for spending and investing your cash. More importantly, a well thought out plan with independent review will become the roadmap to success.

Kellie D'Andrea & Associates

Kellie D'Andrea is the creator of the BLAST 9O Day Coaching Program and teaches biz owners how to build the business of their dreams for a life of freedom, profits and fulfillment. Interesting in growing your business, sign up for her FREE mini course "The Empowered Entrepreneur" and learn how to take the journey to freedom, profits and fulfillment at http://www.kelliedandrea.com

5 Proven Headlines That Generate Response

In the world of marketing, you have less than 3 seconds to grab the attention of the reader for them to take the next step towards your product. The same holds true in article marketing. A great headline can lead to sales success and a poor headline can lead to failure, therefore your headline is a critical.

Your headline is the first thing your readers will see, so make sure you make a great first impression by choosing a headline that is appealing and attractive to your potential readers. Visualize yourself standing in front of a magazine rack trying to select the right magazine to read. You first will go to your favorite name brands because you trust those sources and are familiar with them, but chances are you do not make the decision to purchase before checking out the headlines on the cover. Even after you review them, you glance at the other magazines and will gravitate towards the headlines that appeal to your interests at that very moment. Article marketing involves the same psychology. Even though you have subscribers to your articles, you need to entice them to click on your article to read further and your headline is the tool to do that.

There are several techniques out there, but here are 5 of my favorite (and proven) headlines:

1. The Question: "Does the recession have you worried for your future?"

The question appeals to your readers who are looking for answers and who isn't looking for answers these days? Find out what your audience searches for and create an article that provides them the answer.

2. The How To: "How to improve your golf swing in 10 days"

These work very well because people love to learn new things. The critical element in these types of headlines is to focus on the benefits your readers will achieve by learning your new technique, system or strategy.

3. The Command: "Social Media Explained"

Command headlines are a great way to attach to a current trend and can also be a wonderful way to position you as an expert. Look for your most important benefit of an emerging trend and turn into a commanding headline.

4. The List: "7 Early Warning Signs of Teenager Angst"

People love lists and they are the easiest to write. Turn your headline into a list message so your readers know they are going to be given tips in an easily digested format.

5. The Testimonial: "Kellie D'Andrea BLAST Secrets- Our Sales Grew by 40%"

Testimonials are great because your clients create the message including the headline. People relate to others they feel are independent and objective and a testimonial is a great way to provide that proof and demonstrate your successes.

Once your readers know that you are offering valuable information that they are interested in, they will want to read further. Your headline is like the shinny wrapping paper and the big bow on a wonderful present. Dress it up and excite your readers to open the package and be rewarded by your wonderful gift.

Kellie D'Andrea is the creator of the BLAST 9O Day Coaching Program and teaches biz owners how to build the business of their dreams for a life of freedom, profits and fulfillment. Interesting in growing your business, sign up for her FREE mini course "The Empowered Entrepreneur" and learn how to take the journey to freedom, profits and fulfillment at http://www.kelliedandrea.com

Training - Seven Secrets of the Stellar Trainer

If you do training for a living, three requirements are a given: (1) You should obviously be an expert in your subject matter; (2) interpersonally, you should have the ability to get along with a variety of people and possess a dynamic, engaging presence in front of a group; and (3) you must be able to effectively teach and facilitate adults to generate tangible results.

Those are the basics. But really stellar trainers who excel at their craft know the power of these seven secrets.

1. Introduce Yourself. I'm talking about before the workshop ever begins. Meet and greet every single participant individually. As every attendee arrives, take the initiative, walk up to each person, proffer a handshake and introduce yourself. It's magical what happens when participants feel that personal connection from you.

2. Do Class Introductions. At the beginning of the program, always have group introductions. It doesn't matter if they all know each other - people like to talk about themselves and to feel like you're interested in them. If they do all know each other, then make the introductions a little "deeper," asking them to share a personal tidbit about themselves or something relevant about the training topic (i.e., "Tell about one of your experiences with bad customer service").

3. Give And Take And Engage. Don't lecture. Engage in a real give-and-take experience with participants. Be sure to talk to everyone, connect with them using eye communication and a conversational style. Remember that adult learning takes place on an experiential basis. The more your attendees can participate in the process, the more effective their learning will be. Even if you have to impart a lot of information, avoid a brain dump. Invite the group's participation and questions.

4. Employ Variety. Add interest by using different forms of A/V (audio/visual): a flip chart, props, and/or models along with your PowerPoint slide show.  Variety is also important in training tools: use checklists, demonstrations, and tip sheets; intersperse interesting, real life examples. Different training methods can also be used for different objectives: small group break-out sessions work well for problem-solving; role playing will help them understand interactions and reactions; games or puzzles can be a fun way to show how an outcome is achieved or to justify certain processes.

5. Show No Annoyance. Never show irritation or frustration with problem participants. This might be someone who's simply clueless about "training etiquette" (does a lot of side talking) or someone who's angry or defensive about being there, or already knows it all. As the trainer - the leader of the group - you cannot lower yourself to that problem person's level. You need to exhibit good manners and a positive attitude. Other participants will admire you for your grace.

If you have the misfortune to have a class full of attendees who are unfocused, rude, distracting, and generally creating an environment that is not conducive to learning, then you need to take charge and invoke the commitment of the group. Simply drop everything and initiate a heart to heart with the class. Find out what they want out of this class, why they're here, if they truly would like to learn anything, what you can do to make the process most effective for them. When the group understands that you're trying to work with them, you can win their cooperation.

6. Debrief Every Exercise. Adults thrive on experiential learning. Exercises and role plays and games are excellent tools for illustrating a point. But make sure participants know the reason behind everything you do. Just because you happen to know a fun exercise or game doesn't mean it will be appropriate to the audience or suit your educational purpose. Make sure there's a point and always debrief the exercise, inviting the participants to contribute their thoughts and ah-ha's from it.

7. Enjoy Yourself. Demonstrate real pleasure in sharing your expertise. Participants can spot phoniness, so come from a genuine place or else don't be there at all.

Barbara Busey has had her own training business since 1990 and developed her own proprietary presentation skills program, The Compelling Speaker. She now offers the Compelling Speaker Certification, a turnkey system -- complete with training content & technique, business strategies, and marketing guidelines -- that positions communicators to make a living training other business professionals to become more compelling speakers. Go to http://www.compellingspeakercertification.com to learn more about this unique business opportunity and sign up for the special report, "Do You Have What it Takes to Run Your Own Training Business?"

Submitting a Bid Proposal For Business

Writing a tender is a combination of a letter of introduction to another business or entity whose work projects you are bidding on and a bid or price for your services.It may also be known as a bid proposal.

If you have not been prequalified with the organization whose project you would like to offer a bid on, you will need to provide them with your business particulars in order to become one of their potential preferred suppliers.

All organizations who are collecting bids on a project will want to know who your business insurance carrier is, your business equipment, your employees, and letters of recommendation from other completed projects. You are then free to make a bid or a tender for the project. Since you do not know what the other bids will be, you will have to prove in writing how you intend to satisfactorily complete the project with the price that you are submitting to the project director. You should give a start-up date when you will be able to mobolize your equipment and your employees to be at the project site. A list of your suppliers should be included for any products or equipment that you will have to purchase or rent to do the work. An estimated projection of the time that you will need to complete the work should be in your tender, and, to protect yourself, you should state contingencies like weather or other unforeseen events that might cause your completion date to be extended. Since the business that you are tendering your services to has the option of choosing even a lower bid, part of your tender should be a detailed explanation of why your business is more qualified to provide the service that they are seeking and your expertise in doing the kind of work that they will need to have done to complete their project. A professional tender includes a cover letter, referrals, contracts completed, qualifications of employees and equipment. The most important part, of course, of a business tender is your bid or price for doing the work. A lump sum is usually tendered and your reasoning for coming up with that price should be broken down.

There are many companies advertising on the internet that offer specialist tender writing services or bid proposal services. Many will offer an initial free consultation and may even offer the option of a persuasive proposal template should you wish to prepare the tender or bid yourself.

Copyright (c) 2009 Ianson Internet Marketing

Lousie G is a prolific business author and business consultant. Louise has been instrumental in the development of successful marketing strategies for many leading internet businesses. Examples of Louise's work can be found at http://www.momentumconsultinguk.com for tender writing services.