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Articles from September 18, 2011

Reduce Risks with a Turn Key Automated System

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Another major advantage of a turn key, automated home based business is you don't have to risk your time and money on something that hasn't yet been tested. Imagine starting an online crafts store. You work hard to design your website, invest in promotions, stock craft-related inventory, set up order processing, and install a customer service phone line. Then after about a year, you discover the business is just not going to work out. It's not bringing enough profit to carry on. You've just wasted a year's time (and money) on something that doesn't work.

With a turn key business, the testing period is usually over even before you get started. Someone else has gone before you to see what works and what sells. From the Web presentation to the closing of the sale, the entire pathway to success has already been explored. All you have to do is get on the right pathway and start promoting.

Many business opportunities do require a start-up investment, but this if often minimal when compared to normal business start-up costs. You may risk a small amount of money, but you can work hard to promote and earn that money back plus a healthy residual income without future risk. Once you get started making sales and find out what works, you can do it again and again. Many MLM companies will also provide you with a plan of promotion that has already been tested, which is an added bonus.

Looking to the Future

The potential of a turn key, automated home based business is amazing. Once you find a few advertising methods that bring a good response rate, you can roll out larger campaigns for more sales. You'll have a team of experts to help you sell the product, so all you'll have to worry about is finding effective ways to get new people to your website. You can make money from home while leveraging the skills of others. And, of course, those who work to help you will receive benefits from every sale. It's a win-win opportunity.

Also, you'll have the flexibility to work on your business any time of the day. The Internet is not limited to certain hours, so you can start promotions early in the morning or late in the evening. You'd be surprised at the number of people surfing the Web during wee hours of the night looking for a home business opportunity.

With a turn key, automated home based business, you'll be able to enjoy wealth from home without the many headaches of starting your own business. Start realizing your home business dreams today!

Do You Have to Be Aggressive to Make Sales?

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We could say that Unlock The Game™ actually takes the "middle ground" between passive and aggressive by being authentically unassuming, yet effective - and that this is the most stress-free and effective way to sell.

What do I mean?

I mean that you have to shift away from assuming that every prospect is a fit for your solution.

It's sort of like the legal concept of "being innocent until proven guilty."

We can't afford to make any assumptions about "fit" until our conversation with the prospect indicates that we've mutually arrived at that conclusion.

The aggressiveness that turns off prospects sets in when you assume, every time you pick up the phone, that you have a solution for them.

Your tone of voice and language gives them that message long before they've even had a chance to agree that they have a problem you might be able to help them solve.

But if you can manage to find that middle ground of not assuming anything while also communicating in a low-key, unassuming manner, you'll discover a whole new effectiveness you could never have imagined.

Can prospects sense when you're assuming too much?

Sure they can -- because most of us have been conditioned to present or talk about our solution as a way to engage prospects so they'll reveal their problems to us.

But that logic is completely flawed, because when you launch into your solution to someone who doesn't trust you yet, all you do is allow them to pigeonhole you as a stereotyped "salesperson."

So how do you make this concept of being unassuming but effective a reality?

First, learn to start conversations by focusing 100 percent on generating discussions around prospects' problems, rather than pitching your solution the second you hear an opening.

Second, learn to begin those conversations by converting the benefits of your solution into problems that your solution can solve.

Third, after you and your prospects have identified a problem or problems, you can then engage in a discussion about whether fixing those problems is a priority.

It's only at that point that prospects have finally given you implicit permission to share your solution with them.

Jumping in with solutions prematurely will only land you back in the trap of being perceived as "aggressive."

Earn Money at Home with Unique Home Employment Opportunities

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For stay at home moms, retirees and anyone that wants a new job, home employment may be the ideal solution.  There are many different ways to earn money at home within the reach of anyone who wants to find them.  Join the more than three million people estimated to be working at home now.

Many Advantages when You Earn Money At Home

Anyone who is willing to work will be able to have a successful home-based business.  Whether it is full or part time is up to you.  It doesn't matter if you have children at home, or have other obligations, you can work at your own pace and on any schedule you choose.  You will be able to earn money at home without having to leave the comfort of your own surroundings.

Think of the advantages of working for yourself at home.  You won't have rigid hours and bosses to answer to.  You can have your own business with the computer or other equipment you already have, without costly offices and overhead.  You will have the freedom to make your own decisions and will eliminate the stress and costs of commuting.

Working For Others At Home

There are numerous possibilities in home employment.  Depending on your interests, you can work for yourself or other companies and earn money at home.  There is a great need for assembling products at home for all manner of companies.  There are directories offered on the Internet that will give you a comprehensive listing of companies needing workers.

By purchasing a directory like this, you will be able to study the entries and pick out one or several that appeal to your interests or skills. There are also companies that will pay you to do clerical and computer work, telephone polls, background checks and process insurance claims.

Be Your Own Boss

If you would like to work as your own boss and earn money at home, there are services that people need and will pay for.  Helping people find credit solutions and money brokering is an opportunity that's in demand today, and you'll need no prior experience.  There are companies who will train you in these services.  You will collect the fees yourself without going through a middleman.

Start Your Own Business

If you have a unique product or service to offer, you may want to open your own Web business.  There are sites on the Internet that will help you get started and many are free.  Another way to earn money at home is to join a free affiliate program online and sell the products of others through your own website.  You can earn extra money by advertising for other companies, and receive commissions from the sales it generates.

For anyone with ambition who wants to earn money at home, the sky is the limit. Start looking now for the kind of job that you would enjoy doing at home.  Make your life more fulfilling and profitable by taking control of your destiny.

No More Selling Scripts? 5 Ways to Be Yourself Again

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I knew right away that he was using a structured sales script, and that triggered the negative "salesperson" stereotype in my mind.

I didn’t want to hurt his feelings so I let him continue with his pitch for a few minutes. Then I gently said, "Hi, Steve." He was so startled that he completely stopped speaking. He had no idea how to react to my simple, normal greeting.

Why? Because he was totally focused on his selling script and not on my reaction to it.

If you’ve been selling for a while, chances are you’ve been asked to use sales scripts to make cold calls. And even if you feel scripts are unnatural and impersonal, you’ve probably used them anyway because they were the only way you knew to start a conversation with prospects.

Maybe you’ve even made some sales using scripts.

But here are some questions you need to ask yourself.

How do you really feel when you use a script?

How do your prospects feel when they know you’re using a script? (And they do know.)

Most important, how many sales are you losing because you’re using a script?

When people call me and ask how they can throw out their scripts and cold call the natural way, the first thing I do is ask them whether they’re willing to role-play with me using their script.

As soon as they start reading their script, a couple of things happen. I hear their voices go up in volume so they sound enthusiastic. They also talk faster, and their voice takes on a canned, robotic quality. All these things trigger the negative "salesperson" stereotype.

After a few moments, I gently stop them and tell them they’re sounding like a totally different person from the one who called me and talked with me so naturally about their sales issues.

You know what they always say? "Ari, you are so right. When I use a script, I feel as if I can’t be myself. I feel like a robot or an actor, and it’s very awkward and uncomfortable. Is there any way I can be myself again?"

Here are 5 ways to throw out your linear selling script and be yourself again:

1. Admit that scripts make you sound "scripted."

When you begin your sales script, prospects detect the very subtle change from your natural voice to your unnatural scripted voice within seconds. "Fine," you might say, "I’ll just work on making myself sound natural." But that in itself creates a conflict.

The first step is to realize and admit that you can’t "work at" being natural. However, you can let go of your script as a crutch. The idea may sound scary at first because you’ve been programmed to believe you have to have a script to make a successful cold call. It is possible to learn another way to make calls without a linear step-by-step script.

2. Start your cold call as a conversation, not a one-way pitch.

If you’re used to scripts, you’re probably shaking your head and wondering, "How the heck will I know what to say without a script?" You might want to ask yourself why you think you won’t know what to say, because the reason for that is important. It means you’re basing your call on what you have to offer -- and not on what’s important to the prospect, because you haven’t found that out yet.

Pitching your solution as soon as you begin a call is one of the biggest problems with linear sales scripts because you trigger sales pressure and cause prospects to react with defensiveness or even abrupt, immediate rejection.

Here’s another option. Write down 2 or 3 core issues or real problems (not benefits or features) that your product or service solves. Then take that "problem statement," as I call it, and put it into words your prospect can understand. In fact, the wording should be so familiar to your prospects (because those are the words they use every day in their business) that when you start discussing the issue, they’ll feel a sense of comfort knowing that your mental focus is on helping them solve problems, not on making the sale.

3. Create openings rather than forcing a "yes."

Selling scripts are designed to be linear and step by step so you can move calls in the direction you want them to go. From the traditional selling point of view, that direction is toward a "yes," because if you don’t get a "yes" at the beginning of the cold call, you’re not "selling." But that’s the biggest problem with scripts. They give you only one path to follow.

If you can start a conversation that triggers a "What do you mean?" response from your prospect, you’ll find you can explain yourself in a natural way that creates a two-way dialogue, which in turn lets you learn what you need to find out by flowing with the conversation, without feeling you’re getting off-track. Developing your problem statement makes this much easier.

4. Tape-record yourself talking with someone you know. Then record yourself reading your script.

Have you ever heard yourself calling a prospect and reading your script? Probably not. That’s why most people who use scripts think they sound natural. They’ve never heard themselves. But if you do this simple exercise, you’ll hear the same kinds of differences I hear when people role-play with me.

In our day-to-day personal relationships, we simply want to get to know and communicate with others. But when we go into sales situations using scripts, we have an agenda -- to make the sale. And because scripts trigger the perception that that’s all we want, the people you talk with sense this immediately and put up their guard. Between our hidden agenda and their reaction, there’s no chance to build trust through communication. Also, because we've been taught for so long that we have to control the process, we never stop to think that scripts make it impossible for us to be flexible in how we communicate and build trust.

5. Set a new goal for your calls. Focus on simply opening the conversation rather than trying to control it, so prospects will feel comfortable telling you the truth about their situation.

Does surrendering your use of a script seem scary? Try this alternative and see how it feels. Begin the conversation with "Hi, maybe you can help me out for a moment..." Most people will respond with something like, "Sure, how can I help?" You can say, "I’m just calling to see if (problem statement)...," which makes it easy for the prospect to reply, "What do you mean?" or "Tell me more." And after that, the possibilities of your conversation are endless.

What do I mean by this? If you target their issues, create a conversation around the problems or issues you know they’re facing, and explain how your solution solves those problems -- in a conversation that is completely void of sales pressure -- prospects will share their truth with you. They’ll tell you whether solving the issue is a priority, whether they have the resources to commit to it, and everything else you need to know.

When you let go of a linear script, you’ll find that you’ll no longer fumble for words if prospects get "off track" by taking the conversation away from your sales process and into their buying process. In fact, that’s exactly what you hope they’ll do, because that means they’re telling you the truth.

Now that you understand why linear step-by-step scripts create the negative "salesperson" stereotype by making it impossible for you to be your natural self, you can begin learning how to engage total strangers on the phone in ways that feel as comfortable as calling a friend.

Yes, it’s possible, and don’t let anyone tell you it’s not.

Better late than never?

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Have you ever sat back and wondered about the corporate decisions made by the executives at Microsoft?  Well, I certainly have.  It never ceases to amaze me how utterly clueless these people are.  The blogosphere has been ablaze this week, with the news that Microsoft is entering the portable MP3 player market.  One pundit or another is claiming that the new Microsoft Zune will be the ultimate iPod killer.  On the other hand, there are a number of us that have serious doubts about Microsoft's ability to penetrate a market that is already saturated with their competitor's products.

However, one cannot help but wonder why they have waited this long.  Apple has been playing in this space for years now, as have dozens of other companies in the consumer electronics industry.  I can see the logic behind a wait-and-see approach, but this is a sad case of too little, too late for Microsoft.  With the intellectual resources and working capital that Microsoft possesses, I am continually astounded by their lack of initiative in certain market spaces.

So why is a company that is an obvious titan in their chosen industry, so afraid to take chances?  Is Bill Gates so preoccupied with his philanthropic work that he has allowed his company to drift off into the sea of irrelevance?  When they are making moves, like their recent announcement of the upcoming Zune MP3 player, I seriously have to wonder what they have been doing for the last five years.

I realize that Microsoft has an unlimited marketing budget, but do they honestly think that they have any chance of penetrating the market that Apple so obviously dominates?  Perhaps they have developed a novel way to turn back time, but in my humble opinion this may well be a complete waste of time.

For all the naysayers out there, I am aware that the Zune project is comprised of a number of strategic initiatives for Microsoft.  Yes, the MP3 player is but one element of a larger corporate strategy in play here.  Honestly, I wish Microsoft the best of luck in these new endeavors.  Hopefully, they will release a product that will give Apple the motivation to develop their next-generation handheld gadget.  AppleBerry, anyone?  In this industry, competition drives innovation.  Microsoft certainly is competitive, but have they ever been truly innovative?  Time will tell.  Unless, of course, Bill has found a way to turn back time.  Now that would be innovative!  You heard it here first, kids.

So you want to become a Florist? The Pro and Cons of Flower Shops and Florists

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You've always liked flowers and you think the idea of turning emotions into floral expressions sounds like tremendous fun. You are between careers and have been investigating business opportunities in your community. Yesterday, while perusing a business for sale paper in your local town, you notice that a family owned flower shop is up for sale. The ad says it's a turnkey operation. This is your lucky day. Or is it?

Let's look before we leap, OK? Here are some issues to be considered:

1. What is the current status of the Florist business and it's accounting?

You should be able to see the financial records and consult professional help if needed.

2. Does the business have a good reputation?

If there are negative opinions about the business, you may need to consider a name change and making a big show of the change in management. Factor in the cost of a face-lift on the faзade of the physical facility.

3. What assets are included in the selling price?

If you are buying the building, equipment, and inventory, you need to carefully assess the age, condition and viability of these items. For example, there may be Ј20,000 worth of inventory in the store, and the seller may be able to provide the monetary value by showing invoices. However, if the inventory is out of date or not in keeping with your business plan, the value of that inventory to you may be quite a bit lower than that the Ј20,000 it is valued at.

Are you also buying the Accounts Receivable as an asset? If this is the case, you should do some serious research into the exact state of these accounts. Many traditional florists have struggled with in-house accounting. They have extended credit as a matter of tradition, rather than good business sense and have found themselves in cash flow trouble.

4. What liabilities are you purchasing?

You'll need to be very clear about any outstanding debts or unpaid bills you will be taking over. Be sure that you hire professional help to highlight any such debt in your sales agreement. Because of seasonality of the flower and florist UK business and the existence of house accounts, many retail florists have difficulty with cash flow; you should avoid any situation where you will be paying bills run up by the previous owner.

Also, you should take time to consult with the flower Wholesalers that you will be buying from. Discuss payment terms and lay the way for a healthy business relationship with a reputable Wholesaler or perhaps more than one.

5. What about the business name and goodwill associated with that?

What value does the existing business Name have in the marketplace? , If it has good value, you probably won't want to change the name of the business. In any case, consider a clause in the bill of sale limiting the use of the name by the previous owner in the future. This can be very sticky in the case of an owner's own name, for example "Green and Co. Florist, Florist UK, Florist Scotland etc ".

6. Will you need to hire new staff, or will the existing staff stay with the business?

Sometimes a previous owner chooses to stay on and work for the new owner in a period of hand-over. This can pose tremendous difficulties for all involved, so tread lightly on this territory. It's an extreme analogy, but think about the difficulties in open adoptions between birth and adoptive parents. Everyone has their own style in the florist business and it can be difficult to accept change or let go of something you have worked very hard to build up over the years.

That said, many valuable members of staff at successful florists have weathered the change in ownership of their place of employment. You should always make every effort to retain good people, as they may make your integration into the management of the business much easier. Of course, it's all about relationships.

7. What is the best time to buy the business and start running?

Take the holidays into account when you plan your purchase of a flower shop. Valentine's day is the single largest day, but Christmas is more of a marathon. Mother's Day, weddings, proms, graduations and anniversaries team up to make the spring months a nice busy time. Depending upon your market, the summer can be a difficult time to make ends meet.  Ideally, you would take over a shop with enough time to get your feet wet before a holiday, but not with so much down time that your funds dry up before you can get going.

8. What other opportunities exist, and at what cost?

Here's the acid test. Take the time to sort out the options. Let's work on the assumption that you WILL own a flower shop in the next year. Take a big sheet of paper and draw a line down the center. At the top of the left column, write "Buy a Flower Shop". In the Right column, write "Open a New Flower Shop". Now draw a line through the middle of the paper, so you have a top and bottom. The top left if for Strength's. Top right for weaknesses. Bottom left for opportunities, and bottom right for threats. Fill in the grid with as many items as you can figure out.

Ask your trusted business friends and floral professionals for help. You'll be considering such items as the finances and the marketing plan of your business. When you have completed this exercise, you should have two things. One is a good tool to help you make a decision. The second is the beginnings of a business plan.

Whatever your decision, a business plan is essential. It is your roadmap for success and will be necessary for a business loan. It is worth the extra time at the onset of this journey to compare the options and make the best decision you can.

Gail Michie is a Floral Industry Professional with many years of experience in the retail and wholesale sectors of the industry. She believes the common goal should be to sell more flowers to more people, more often.

For reasons out with her business and its successful operation, Gail is looking to sell the business soon.

5 Key Elements of a Successful Home Based Business

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Who wouldn't want to work from home? You can make your own hours, forget ever having to commute, and never have to answer to a boss. Plus, as a home based business owner, you have the potential to earn exponentially more than you ever will by punching a time clock.

Yet, there are so many home based business opportunities available that it's often difficult to choose the one that is a good fit for you and that has the income potential that you need. To help you make your choice, here are five key elements to look for in a home based business.

1. Go with Network Marketing

While it's true that not everyone succeeds at network marketing, the principles behind it are sound. After all, network marketing is essentially using and selling products through word of mouth. This approach allows you to reach out to an ever-growing number of people and reap the financial rewards of building your own downline. Because network marketing cuts out the middleman, your earning potential increases. In the process, you create the potential for residual income while enjoying low overhead and the opportunity to work when and where you want. Furthermore, when you take advantage of Internet-based network marketing, you are not bound by geographic boundaries; your customers and downline can reach global proportions.

2. Choose a Company that Offers Multiple Products

Every day, you use dozens of products. Some home based business opportunities focus on one product, while others focus on many. When you do the math, it's easy to see why it's preferable to choose a company that allows you to become a member and have access to a wide variety of products, as well as to sell those products.

3. Find Cutting Edge Products to Use and Sell

Few people need more candles, kitchenware, or knick-knacks. What they really need and want are information and mobile technology products, such as DSL, VOIP, and broadband. Baby boomers in particular are looking for values in discount shopping, travel, and professional services such as legal services and health services. Companies and entrepreneurs are always on the lookout for cutting edge business software, conference calling, SEO services, marketing products, and video production services.

4. Look for a Solid Compensation Plan

Compensation plans vary from company to company, so be sure to find one that gives you the greatest earning potential. A single paid matrix is an excellent approach, as is a 3 x 9 monthly matrix commission.

5. Gain Access to Business Building Tools

One of the premises of network marketing is that you don't need to reinvent the wheel; the infrastructure for a successful business model already exists. When reviewing home based business opportunities, especially those that are Internet based, find one that allows you to grow your business through duplication, so that you can immediately get up and running. The company you work with should also have a support system that includes mechanisms to capture leads, create ads, and develop solid marketing strategies. Moreover, there should be a sense of community, camaraderie, and mutual support.

Launching your own home based business can not only lead you to a debt free life, but can also enable you to travel the path of true financial freedom.

Receipt-label thermal paper launched

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Since it does not require ink, a thermal printer is also more economical. The only thing you have to spend on is the paper itself. ThatЎ¦s why a thermal printer is perfect for business use.

Plain paper faxes now have saturated the market and the prices have dropped so low that anyone can afford one. With rebates you may even get one for free. The only problem may be that you may not be able to afford the supplies that go into them. Laser, inkjet, and thermal transfer rolls are the options that you have. The cost per page varies but believe me when I say that the money is not in selling machines, it is in selling supplies. You can shop smart though and look at the cost per page. This is the price of the toner or supply divided by the supply yield. Spending a little more on the machine for a lower CPP can save you a bundle of money.

Thermal fax machines were the ones with the long roll of paper and each fax would be cut to the size that is transmitted. You could make some cool banners with those things because you could set them to not cut and it would continue to spit out the paper! They were pretty much bullet proof. The major problem was the paper. It would curl and you had a hard time working with it. If it was exposed to the sun or heat it would turn a dark black and all of the information was lost. They were very economical compared to laser or ink jet fax machines. The only supply that you were required to purchase was rolls of paper.

For simple printing tasks (as in printing receipts), you might want to try using a thermal printer. A thermal printer is economical because it produces image or documents by selectively heating coated thermal paper. Once the thermal paper passes over the thermal print head, it is then impressed onto the paper and produces images or texts.

Credit – Over the Limit

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Imagine you had a credit card was a $500 limit, and in the run-up to Christmas, you nearly maxed out your card. Before taking that last shopping trip of the season, you went online to check your balance and saw that you had $19 of available credit. "No matter," you say to yourself, "I'll pay the balance in full when I get my Christmas bonus from the office." The only other charge you made was for a couple of mochachinos at the local coffee house, but two days later you were shocked to learn that you somehow went over your credit limit! Worse yet, your card company hit you with a $29 fee! The Mochachino That Broke the Camel's Back

This can happen a lot easier than you might expect. In the above example, you may have recently "paid at the pump." Oftentimes a gas station charges your card only $1 at the point-of-purchase and applies the remainder of the charge to your card later that day (or the next day). Let's say you had $17 in gas that you forgot about. That would reduce your available credit to $3 ($19 - $17 + $1 for the refunding of the temporary charge). Then when you bought two $2.50 drinks, you pushed your balance to $502, exceeding your credit limit by $2, and receiving a whopping $29 fine. It happens all the time.

The real question should be, "Why do credit card companies let this happen?" After all, couldn't they just reject your card at the coffeehouse? The gas station reserves the funds on your card even before it charges them, so shouldn't you not be able to buy the coffee and go over your credit limit? It depends. Some people would find this embarrassing fate more horrible than the $29 over-limit fee, particularly if the second coffee was for a romantic interest or client. But the reality is that credit card companies exist in the world to make money. There's nothing wrong with that, but you need to be aware of the fees and expenses associated with your card and do your best to avoid them. Tips for Avoiding Over-Limit Fees

1. Use a separate card for your gas purchases. Since "pay at the pump" can distort your true balance, it is wise to use one card exclusively for gas. This can be an actual gas card or just a regular card card that you designate as your own gas card. It might be okay to have some recurring charges (cable bill, subscription charges, etc.) also on the card, but don't use it to make "discretionary" purchases. If you have $200 of recurring charges on your card and you typically spend $80 a month on gas, this means you'll only need a card with a $300 limit. Then again, $500 would be better for a little cushion in case you spend more on gas - either because you take a trip or because gas prices to through the roof!

2. Check your balance on a daily basis. If you maximize the benefits of your credit cards by nearly maxing them out each month and then paying off the balance in full, then you need to spend a little more time making sure managing your cards. Check your balance online every day and look at the itemized charges. Sometimes charges don't show up right away, so be on the lookout for anything that's missing. And if you do use your card for gas, make sure you keep your gas receipts so you know how much you really spent when your statement still says "$1."

The Real Cost of Exceeding Your Limit

No one likes paying $29 extra for a couple of coffees, but the even greater cost of going over your credit limit is the damage it does to your credit. Many card companies begin charging you the maximum interest after just one overage - and not the card you went over on. An entirely unrelated company might also jack up your interest rate, even though you've always paid your bills on time with them, so do everything you can to avoid going over.

Credit cards are wonderful tools, but they come with serious responsibilities. You should be using a credit card to your advantage - whether that means getting an interest-free loan every month by paying your balance off in full, or just the simple security and satisfaction that having extra buying power at your fingertips can bring. But when you start paying $29 fees and higher interest, you are letting the powerful tool wield itself against you. Be a smart consumer, but also check the over-limit fees and practices of cards before you sign up for them. No one intends on exceeding their credit limit, but it does happen to most people, so be aware!

Sincerely,

James