RSS Feeds
A proven way to increase blog traffic is to run a blog contest on your blog. I just wrapped up a contest on one of my blogs and it was a huge success. There are some lessons that I have learned that are very helpful if you are considering running one on your blog.
My first tip is to keep it simple. I have learned that people do not like to jump through many hoops. If you make it to difficult then people will not enter. For my latest event, I only required that the sign up to my RSS feed and follow me on Twitter. This takes less than 2 minutes and everyone can do it. By taking this simple approach, I increased my subscriber base by over 245 and increased my followers to over 400.
My second tip is that you have to have great prizes. I have found that cash is king and works the best. If you cannot afford to pony up the cash yourself, you can always try to recruit sponsors for your contest. Many bloggers and companies are willing to provide cash or prizes for the exposure, traffic and links that go along with being involved in a contest.
My last tip is to have a definite end date and do not make it too long. I have found that a 1 month contest works well. If you make it too long people will not enter.
There you have it, three important tips to keep in mind for your next blog contest.
For more Blog Contest tips be sure to check out DailyBlogContest.com If you are looking for more Blog Promotion tips, check out TycoonBlogger.com. This article was written by Dan "Tycoon Blogger" Keller.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dan_Keller
Sabtu, 06 Juni 2009
11.44
File Under :
Tips Blogging
Introduction
Using the internet to receive constantly updated links to specific websites is known as RSS, or Rich Site Summary. Once connected to a website employing RSS, you receive links to the news and stories on that website or sections of that website. With each RSS "feed" you get a summary with a main website link (There can be other links, too). Clicking through the main web link will take you to the webpage where the RSS feed originated.
RSS feeds are very beneficial to the internet marketer. They provide the latest information without readers even having to visit a webpage. Therefore, you can update your products page, blog, digital catalogue, or whatever, and your website fans will be notified immediately. These updates act to encourage your followers to visit your website(s) frequently.
As you might guess, RSS webpages are usually updated constantly, and constantly updated webpages have an advantage: the search engine spiders visit these RSS pages more regularly. This helps to increase your website exposure through the organic search engine searches and speeds up indexing of your site if it is new.
Now, using RSS feeds in your internet venture to drum up business requires an understanding of two types of RSS feeds: RSS feed advertisements and subscription RSS. Let's go over each.
Advertising Feeds
RSS feeds can contain contextual ads and advertisements. These ads, however, should always be related to the RSS webpage or the content of the RSS feed. Contextual ads are, by far, the most effective because they allow RSS feed ads to be very targeted. In the past, banner ads and text ads reigned, but RSS advertisements are much better since they can be so focused.
Subscription Feeds
Subscription RSS feeds are made to sell quality internet content. The RSS feed, for example, provides a chapter of an online e-book. Then, if the reader follows through the RSS link, he/she is brought to a page where he/she can purchase not only the entire e-book, but subscribe to the author's ezine or internet course. The ezine or internet course is, of course, posted and used through an RSS feed. Note that this model works best when the content is distinctive and valuable.
Other Ideas
Search engine optimization (SEO) techniques are not forgotten in RSS feeds. A major advantage of RSS is that it can give SEO through backlinks. If lots of people take your RSS feed and put it on their blog, you will get backlinks. Google, especially, will give your website (where the RSS feed came from) more authority and a higher ranking in organic search results. Remember, however, that backlinks cannot be randomly linked from any webpage without relevant text links. Know that a good backlink to your website is comprised of a text link with a relevant keyword phrase to the subject of your webpage.
If you use RSS, you'll want to consider using RSS submission software to increase the base of your audience. Not only can RSS submission software save you money and time, but it can allow you to submit your RSS feeds to directories than maximize exposure and potential to acquire backlinks. Now, before you just go and buy any kind of RSS submission software, you need to look for software with three qualities: one, you can add your website description and optimized keywords and keyword phrases for search engine results; two, the software submits RSS feeds to directories that rank well in the search engines and are tested continually; and, three, the software has a one-time fee.
For more information on RSS and other Web 2.0 strategies, I recommend the free report available at http://www.eyeitfinditbuyit.com/web20stampede.htm
Tim Alexander is a chemist, freelance writer, and internet marketer. He has been internet marketing for over one year.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tim_Alexander
Jumat, 20 Maret 2009
Mission and vision statements generate a lot of attention in the business world, ever wonder why? Building a successful business is part of the motivation. After all, you should understand exactly why you are in business. Your employees should not only reflect this but deliver on that understanding and of course, the marketplace should be taking you seriously. All that from mission and vision statements you ask? Yes. Understand that developing your business mission and vision statements is your guide to accomplishing your future business success. We have all heard the adage "there is no such thing as a free lunch." There is no one else that can speak to your business as you can. That means the work to develop these statements is primarily yours.
The following exercises speak to your mission (starting point, or reason for existence) statement and vision (your future destination) statement.
1. In this first exercise your job is to list the strengths and expertise of your business or organization. If you are starting your business list those aspects for your proposed business. Write your answers down. Keep it simple but thorough. Remember your employees or marketplace cannot read your mind.
2. Describe your business in detail. Make your mission statement broad enough to include future products/services but detailed enough to be realistic.
3. Honestly describe why you are in this business. The answers listed here are often eye opening and serve as the anchor words for your statement.
4. What products or services are you going to provide in this business, and who is your market? Be sure to speak to your business product or service and its effect on people.
5. What values will you practice? What does your business offer that will make a difference to your employees, your clients, your community, your industry, your partners?
6. What is your business' measure of success?
7. Does your vision statement reflect your business with clarity, commitment and provide the ability to communicate with your employees, your clients and the marketplace?
When you have completed these exercises you will understand exactly why you made your decision to become a business; or create your organization; why you chose to offer a service, or your product. You will also find a true appreciation for the mission and vision statements of successful businesses around you and the opportunities you have in joining their ranks.
Don Midgett is the author of Mission and Vision Statements: Your Path to a Successful Business Future, 81 pages in digital format (pdf) at http://www.missionvisionstatement.com
Don is the managing partner for the GenesisGroup, helping organizations and leaders discover their full potential. Don specializes in workshops on mission and vision, strategic planning, and team building.
To begin your path to success, write your mission and vision statements! Need help? You can find it at http://www.missionvisionstatement.com - visit NOW - subscribe to our free newsletter, Mission Vision News, to learn more. Ready to go? Then purchase my e-book on mission and vision for one of the best business purchases you will make!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Don_Midgett
With the advancement in technology, it is found that businesses are now venturing into going online to promote and to expand their business horizons. One of the biggest ways in which many retailers have been found to branching out into is online warehousing through companies like Salehoo. This has become one of the best ways to make big profit without doing too much of work. Warehousing and drop shipping has become one of the most popular and well-established business these days. it is one business that has the ability to reach more than millions of people at one time through the internet.
The concept behind how warehousing and drop shipping works is very simple. Many companies are businesses allocate space and pay rent for the space to hold their product in. products sometimes are sold and sometimes they are not sold. However, we look at it; there is only one thing that can affect the sale of the product. That is by the marketing of the company, which is pretty much bound to the small space that the business has its entire inventory in. when you take up online warehousing, you have a chance to be able to promote your business catalog online through advertising with the help of drop shippers. These drop shippers get the customers who want the produce that your business has and drop ships it to the customer end. This is how drop shipping and online warehousing works. There are several very successful companies that have been following the practices of warehousing and offer the same services, like salehoo.
When you take up drop shipping, you are looking at doing business at a minimal cost. It is as good as creating an online store to display all the products that you would want your company to have without actually needing to hold onto stock. When a customer orders from your catalog all that the drop shipping company does is ships the article to the buyer straight from the warehouse. This method of retailing has become a huge success amongst homemakers and retired personnel who have a lot of time to spend from home and on the internet. Drop shipping is the next step of the future when it comes to warehousing and retailing.
Compare Salehoo with the Top 3 Wholesale Directory. Salehoo Wholesale featured on Oprah and CNN Business! Find out why Salehoo is considered the Top Wholesale directory by Businesses!
Get 2,000,000 Wholesale Products right here. 100% Guaranteed Cheapest Wholesale prices! Discount link available only from this site!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Zach_Minoshe
09.11
File Under :
Tips Blogging
As a blogger it is sometimes difficult to come up with original content on a daily basis. I see way to many blogs that are not updated often or simply neglected all together. This is a shame and I suspect that the blogger has giving up because they think they have nothing to blog about about. In my opinion, there is always something to blog about. Here are some easy suggestions that you can use if you are at a loss for ideas to post on your blog.
One of the easiest post ideas is to write about a current event and then provide your opinion. For example, what do you think about American Idol or Britain's Got Talent. If you're a niche blogger, I am sure there is news that happens all the time that you can write about.
Another easy post idea is write about something that annoys you. I know for me I can write all day on that subject, but think about what really bugs you and tell others. I have found that these types of posts attract a lot of comments as people like to get things off their chest.
My last idea is to write about something that you discovered on the Internet. For example, have you been to a really good blog lately, how about a new Twitter tool or a new Facebook app. The list is endless as the Internet keeps growing daily.
I hope that you can use these suggestions and remember update your blog as there is always something worth sharing.
For more tips on how to Promote Your Blog be sure to check out TycoonBlogger.com. If you are looking to increase blog traffic how about running a Blog Contest This was written by Dan "Tycoon Blogger" Keller.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dan_Keller
Whether you are planning to start a brand-new business, expand an existing company, or get financing for a business venture, you will need to write a business plan. A business plan not only lends your business a sense of credibility, but also helps you to cover all your bases, increasing your chances of success.
Although writing a business plan can be a lengthy, intimidating project, it is not necessarily difficult. Here is an overview of how to write a successful business plan.
What to Include in Your Business Plan
Your business plan needs to demonstrate that you have thoroughly considered all aspects of running your business. To that end, the standard business plan has nine major sections, covering everything from your business’s mission statement to a detailed financial analysis.
Executive Summary
The first – and most important – section of your business plan is the executive summary. This section is so important that it should literally be the first thing the reader sees – even before the table of contents! However, it should also be written last, as you’ll have a better understanding of the overall message of your business plan after you’ve researched and written the other sections.
One of the most important parts of the executive summary is the mission statement. The mission statement is only three or four sentences long, but it should pack the most punch out of everything else in your business plan: Those four sentences are responsible for not only defining your business, but also capturing the interest of your reader.
The rest of your executive summary should fill in the important details that the mission statement glosses over. For instance, your executive summary should include a short history of the business, including founder profiles and start date; a current snapshot, listing locations, numbers of employees, and products or services offered; and a summary of future plans and goals.
This section is a candidate for a bulleted format, which allows you to list main points in a manner that is easy to scan. Avoid using too much detail – remember, this section is a summary. A page or two is usually sufficient for an executive summary.
Market Analysis
The next section of your business plan focuses on market analysis. In order to show that your business has a reasonable chance for success, you will need to thoroughly research the industry and the market you intend to sell to. No bank or investor is going to back a doomed venture, so this section is sure to fall under especially close scrutiny if you are looking for financing.
Your market analysis should describe your industry, including the size, growth rate, and trends that could affect the industry. This section should also describe your target market – that is, the type or group of customers that your company intends to serve. The description of your target market should include detail such as:
• Distinguishing characteristics
• The needs your company or product line will meet
• What media and/or marketing methods you’ll use to reach them
• What percentage of your target market you expect to be able to wrest away from your competitors
In addition, your market analysis should include the results of any market tests you have done, and an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors.
Company Description
After your market analysis, your business plan will need to include a description of your company. This section should describe:
• The nature of your business
• The needs of the market
• How your business will meet these needs
• Your target market, including specific individuals and/or organizations
• The factors that set you apart from your competition and make you likely to succeed
Although some of these things overlap with the previous section, they are still necessary parts of your company description. Each section of your business plan should have the ability to stand on its own if need be. In other words, the company description should thoroughly describe your company, even if certain aspects are covered in other sections.
Organization and Management
Once you have described the nature and purpose of your company, you will need to explain your staff setup. This section should include:
• The division of labor – how company processes are divided among the staff
• The management hierarchy
• Profiles of the company’s owner(s), management personnel, and the Board of Directors
• Employee incentives, such as salary, benefits packages, and bonuses
This goal of this section is to demonstrate not only good organization within the company, but also the ability to create loyalty in your employees. Long-term employees minimize human resource costs and increase a business’s chances for success, so banks and investors will want to see that you have an effective system in place for maintaining your staff.
Marketing and Sales Management
The purpose of the marketing and sales section of your business plan is to outline your strategies for marketing your products or services. This section also plans for company growth by describing how the growth could take place.
The section should describe your company’s:
• Marketing methods
• Distributions methods
• Type of sales force
• Sales activities
• Growth strategies
Product or Services
Following the marketing section of your business plan, you will need a section focusing on the product or services your business offers. This is more than a simple description of your product or services, though. You will also need to include:
• The specific benefits your product or service offers customers
• The specific needs of the market, and how your product will meet them
• The advantages your product has over your competitors
• Any copyright, trade secret, or patent information pertaining to your product
• Where any new products or services are in the research and development process
• Current industry research that you could use in the development of products and services
Funding Request
Only once you have described your business from head to toe are you ready to detail your funding needs. This section should include everything a bank or investor needs in order to understand what type of funding you want:
• How much money you need now
• How much money you think you will need over the next five years
• How the money you borrow will be used
• How long you will need funding
• What type of funding you want (i.e. loans, investors, etc.)
• Any other terms you want the funding arrangement to include
Financials
The financials section in your business plan supports your request for outside funding. This section provides an analysis of your company’s prospective financial success. The section also details your company’s financial track record for the past three to five years, unless you are seeking financing for a startup business.
The financials section should include:
• Company income statements for prior years
• Balance sheets for prior years
• Cash flow statements for prior years
• Forecasted company income statements
• Forecasted balance sheets
• Forecasted cash flow statements
• Projections for the next five years – every month or quarter for the first year, with longer intervals for the remaining years
• Collateral you can use to secure a loan
The financials section is a great place to include visuals such as graphs, particularly if you predict a positive trend in your projected financials. A graph allows the reader to quickly take in this information, and may do a better job of encouraging a bank or investor to finance your business. However, be sure that the amount of financing you are requesting is in keeping with your projected financials – no matter how impressive your projections are, if you are asking for more money than is warranted, no bank or investor will give it to you.
Appendices
The appendix is the final section in your business plan. Essentially, this is where you put all of the information that doesn’t fit in the other eight sections, but that someone – particularly a bank or investor – might need to see.
For instance, the market analysis section of your business plan may list the results of market studies you have done as part of your market research. Rather than listing the details of the studies in that section, where they will appear cumbersome and detract from the flow of your business plan, you can provide this information in an appendix.
Other information that should be relegated to an appendix includes:
• Credit histories for both you and your business
• Letters of reference
• References that have bearing on your company and your product or service, such as magazines or books on the topic
• Company licenses and patents
• Copies of contracts, leases, and other legal documents
• Resumes of your top managers
• Names of business consultants, such as your accountant and attorney
Writing a Successful Business Plan
Despite the quantity of information contained in your business plan, it should be laid out in a format that is easy to read. Just like with any piece of business writing, it is important to craft your business plan with your intended audience in mind – and the bankers, investors, and other busy professionals who will read your business plan almost certainly won’t have time to read a tedious document with long-winded paragraphs and large blocks of text.
Business plans for startup companies and company expansions are typically between twenty to forty pages long, but formatting actually accounts for a lot of this length. A strong business plan uses bullet points throughout to break up long sections and highlight its main points. Visuals such as tables and charts are also used to quickly relay specific information, such as trends in sales and other financial information. These techniques ensure that the reader can skim the business plan quickly and efficiently.
Think of your audience as only having fifteen minutes to spend on each business plan that comes across their desks. In that fifteen minutes, you not only have to relay your most important points, but also convince the reader that your business venture merits a financial investment. Your best bet is a well-researched business plan, with an organized, easy-to-read format and clear, confident prose.
Sabtu, 14 Maret 2009
An economic downturn is a phase of the business cycle in which the economy as a whole is in decline.This phase basically marks the end of the period of growth in the business cycle. Economic downturns are characterized by decreased levels of consumer purchases (especially of durable goods) and, subsequently, reduced levels of production by businesses.
While economic downturns are admittedly difficult, and are formidable obstacles to small businesses that are trying to survive and grow, an economic downturn can open up opportunities. A well-managed company can realize the opportunity to gain market share by taking customers away from their competitors. Resourceful entrepreneurs capture the available opportunities, from an economic downturn, by developing alternate methods of doing business that were never implemented during a prior growth period.
The challenge of successfully navigating your business through an economic downturn lies in the realignment of your business with current economic realities. Specifically, you, as the business owner, need to renew a focus on your core clients/customers, reduce your operating expenses, conserve cash, and manage more proactively, rather than reactively, is paramount.
Here are best practices that will help you to successfully navigate your business through an economic downturn:
Goals:
The primary goal of any business owner is to survive the current economic downturn and to develop a leaner, more cost-effective and more efficient operation. The secondary goal is to grow the business even during this current economic downturn.
Objectives:
• Conserve cash.
• Protect assets.
• Reduce costs.
• Improve efficiencies.
• Grow customer base.
Required Action:
• Do not panic… History shows that economic downturns do not last forever. Remain calm and act in a rational manner as you refocus your attention on resizing your company to the current economic conditions.
• Focus on what YOU can control… Don’t let the media's rhetoric concerning recessions and economic slowdown deter you from achieving business success. It´s a trap! Why? Because the condition of the economy is beyond your control. Surviving economic downturns requires a focus on what you can control, i.e. your relevant business activities.
• Communicate, communicate, and communicate! Beware of the pitfall of trying to do too much on your own. It is a difficult task indeed to survive and to grow your business solely with your own efforts. Solicit ideas and seek the help of other people (your employees, suppliers, lenders, customers, and advisors). Communicate honestly and consistently. Effective two-way communication is the key.
• Negotiate, negotiate, and negotiate! The value of a strong negotiation skill set cannot be overstated. Negotiating better deals and contracts is an absolute must for realigning and resizing your company to the current economic conditions. The key to success is not only knowing how to develop a win-win approach in negotiations with all parties, but also keeping in mind the fact that you want a favorable outcome for yourself too.
Recommended Best Practice Activities:
The Nuts and Bolts… The following list of recommended best practice activities is critical for your business' survival and for its growth during an economic downturn. The actual financial health of your particular business, at the outset of the economic downturn, will dictate the priority and urgency of the implementation of the following best practice activities.
1. Diligently monitor your cash flow: Forecast your cash flow monthly to ensure that expenses and planned expenditures are in line with accounts receivable. Include cash flow statements into your monthly financial reporting. Project cash requirements three-to- six months in advance. The key is to know how to monitor, protect, control, and put cash to work.
2. Carefully convert your inventories: Convert excess, obsolete, and slow-moving inventory items into cash. Consider returning excess and slow-moving items back to the suppliers. Close-out or inventory reduction sales work well to resize your inventory. Also, consider narrowing your product offerings. Well-timed order placement helps to reduce excess inventory levels and occasional material shortages. The key is to reduce the amount of your inventory without losing sales.
3. Timely collection of your accounts receivable: This asset should be converted to cash as quickly as possible. Offer prompt payment discounts to encourage timely payments. Make changes in the terms of sale for slow paying customers (i.e. changing net 30 day terms to COD). Invoicing is an important part of your cash flow management. The first rule of invoicing is to do it as soon as possible after products are shipped and/or after services are delivered. Place an emphasis on reducing billing errors. Most customers delay payments because an invoice had errors, and therefore, will not pay until they receive a corrected copy. Email or fax your invoices to save on mailing time. Post the payments that you have received and make deposits more frequently. The key is to develop an efficient collection system that generates timely payments and one that gives you advance warning of problems.
4. Re-focus your attention on your existing clients/customers: Make customer satisfaction your priority. A regular review of your customers' buying history and frequency of purchases can reveal some interesting facts about your customers' buying habits. Consider signing long-term contracts with your core clients/customers which will add to your security. Offer a discount for upfront cash payments. The key is to do what it takes to keep your current customers loyal.
5. Re-negotiate with your suppliers, lenders, and landlord:
i) Suppliers: Always keep your negotiations on the level of need, saying that your company has reviewed its cost structure and has determined that it needs to lower supplier costs. . Tell the supplier that you value the relationship you have developed, but that you need to receive a cost reduction immediately. Ask your supplier for a lower material price, a longer payment cycle, and the elimination of finance charges. Also, see if you can buy material from them on a consignment basis. In return for their price concessions, be willing to agree to a long-term contract. Explore the idea of bartering as a form of payment.
ii) Lenders: Everything in business finance is negotiable and your relationship with a bank is no exception. The first step to successful renegotiations is to convince your lenders that you can ultimately pay off the renegotiated loan. You must point out to your lenders why it would be in their best interest to agree to a new arrangement. Showing them your business plan and your action plan that includes your cost-savings initiatives, along with "the how" and "the when" of the implementation of your plan is the best way to achieve this goal. Explain to them that you will need their cooperation to insure that you can survive, as well as, grow your business during the economic downturn. Negotiated items include: the rate of interest, the required security to cover the loan, and the beginning date for repayment. A beginning date for repayment could be immediate, within several months or as long as a year. The key is to realize that your lender will work with you, but that frequent and continual communications with them is critical.
iii) Landlord: Meet with your landlord. Explain your need to have them extend the term of your lease at a reduced cost. Make sure you have a clause in the lease agreement that entitles you to have the right to sublet any or all of the leased space.
6. Re-evaluate your staffing requirements: This is a very critical area. Salaries/wages are a major expense of doing business. Therefore, any reduction in the hours worked through work schedule changes, short-term layoffs or permanent layoffs has an immediate cost saving benefit. Most companies ramped up hiring new employees in the good times, only to find that they are currently overstaffed due to slow sales during the economic downturn. In terms of down-sizing your staff, be very careful not to reduce your staff to a level that forces you to skimp on customer service and quality. Consider the use of part-timers or the current trend of outsourcing certain functions to independent contractors.
7. Shop for better insurances rates: Get quotations from other insurance agents for comparable coverage to determine whether or not your present insurance carrier is competitive. Also, consider revising your coverage to reduce premium costs. The key is to have the right balance-to be adequately insured, but not under or over insured.
8. Re-evaluate your advertising: Contrary to the other cost-cutting initiatives, evaluate the possibility of increasing your advertising expenditures. This tactic realizes the advantage of the reduced "noise" and congestion (fewer advertisers) in the marketplace. The downturn period a great opportunity to increase brand awareness and create additional demand for your product/service offerings.
9. Seek the help of outside advisors: The use of an advisory board comprised of your CPA, attorney, and business consultant offers you objectivity and provides you with professional advice and guidance. Their collective experience in working with similar situations in past economic downturns is invaluable.
10. Review your other expenses: Target an across-the-board cost-cutting initiative of 10-15%. Attempt to eliminate unnecessary expenses. Tightening your belt in order to weather the downturn makes practical, financial sense.
Proactively managing your business through an economic downturn is an enormous challenge and is critical for your survival. However, through well-planned initiatives, an economic downturn can create tremendous opportunity for your company to gain greater market share. In order to take advantage of this growth opportunity, you must act quickly to implement the above best business practices to continue realigning and resizing your company to the current economic conditions.
Copyright © 2008 Terry H. Hill
You may reprint this article free of charge in your newsletter, magazine, or on your website, provided that the article is unedited, and that the copyright, author's bio, and contact information below appears with each article. Articles appearing on the web must provide a hyperlink to the author's web site, http://www.legacyai.com
Terry H. Hill is the founder and managing partner of Legacy Associates, Inc, a business consulting and advisory services firm. A veteran chief executive, Terry works directly with business owners of privately held companies on the issues and challenges that they face in each stage of their business life cycle. To find out how he can help you take your business to the next level, visit his site at http://www.legacyai.com
