Guerilla Marketing

Chitika for Blog monetization

arvind@nuttymarketer.com (Arvind Kumar) — Sun, 12 Feb 2006 07:13:51 PST

Hey Friends.

It is great product and very much in the copetion in Adsense and Yahoo. Try this today Now.

www.chitika.com

Arvind

Internal PR: The Inside Story of Successful Businesses

arvind@nuttymarketer.com (Arvind Kumar) — Fri, 03 Feb 2006 02:09:06 PST

Some of the greatest PR stories an organization has to tell about itself are well-known to everyone except its employees. How can this be?

An organization can become so focused on getting their message �??out there�?? that they make one of two mistakes: the management assumes everyone working for the company already knows what is going on, or they simply fail to dedicate the time and energy to keep their own people in the loop. It�??s a common pitfall encountered by for-profits and non-profits, large and small. Left unattended, it can lead to poor morale, increased turnover, and an image problem for the organization.

Never underestimate the value of do-it-yourself PR �??- the idea that the leader of an organization can be a persuasive spokesperson. Second only to the organization�??s president and CEO, in terms of credibility, are the company�??s employees. Since most people assume that everyone who works for a wage is in it for the money, someone who sings the praises of their employer�??s products, services or programs has a very persuasive effect on their audience, be they friends, relatives, acquaintances, or complete strangers. Let�??s admit it, we enjoy being part of a team that recognizes the contributions of its people, produces or provides something of value, and supports community projects.

So what motivates employees to speak out positively on behalf of their employer? It�??s simple �??- tell them what the company is doing, what their role is, why it is important, and solicit their comments and suggestions. This internal communication is an essential type of PR.

Some simple suggestions include:
�?� Conduct monthly or quarterly meetings where all employees are given an update on the organization�??s goals and progress, can participate in the meeting, and receive recognition for their contributions.
�?� Solicit suggestions for improvements in the workplace, sponsor contests for the best ideas, and publicize the results.
�?� Give employees a first-look at new products or services and the plans to promote them.
�?� Produce a monthly employee newsletter and/or create an intranet site that discusses company news and highlights employee initiatives and community projects.
�?� Select a charitable cause that is related to the company�??s mission, provide employees with an incentive to volunteer, and publicize their efforts.

When employees are informed about what their organization is doing and recognized for their role in its success, they will become some of your best spokespeople.

Peter terHorst is president of SymPoint Communications. For more information, visit http://www.sympoint.com

© 2005 SymPoint Communications. All rights reserved. You are free to use this material in whole or in part in print, on a web site or in an email newsletter, as long as you include a complete attribution, including a live web site link. Please notify me where the material will appear.

The attribution should read:

"By Peter terHorst, SymPoint Communications. Please visit http://www.sympoint.com for additional articles and public relations services."

Gravitational Marketing for Small Businesses - Ninth Law: Successful Marketers Don't Use Guesswork

arvind@nuttymarketer.com (Arvind Kumar) — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 23:54:05 PST

Louis Gerstner, chairman of IBM, says, �??you can't manage anything that you can't measure.�??

Obvious, yet profound.

As we said before, traditional advertising generally only works by chance. The truth is, all advertising is a guess. What works for one business may not work at yours.

What worked last year, may not work today.

The key is to constantly run small tests, measure the results, and roll out your system on a larger scale.

But if you can't measure the results �?? as is the case with traditional marketing �?? you can never know what works and what doesn't �?? so you have to keep doing everything. That's why the agencies and the media made it this way.

So you spend lots of money and never quit.

John Wanamaker said, �??I know fifty percent of my advertising is wasted�?�I just don't know which fifty percent.�??

We know it's the same scenario in most independent small businesses and independent sales professionals' stores and you know it is that way at yours.

STOP IT!

Stop wasting money now.

What if we could show you how to stop the endless waste you create with your marketing every month?

What if we could teach you a skill that you can use forever anytime you are trying to sell or any other business venture that would make you able to know what a good place to spend your marketing dollars is and what was a worthless hole.

Keep reading...there's more to come.

In the tenth Law of Gravitational Marketing for Small Businesses, you will learn the driving force behind all purchasing decisions.

Jim and Travis are the authors of �??The Ten Tall Tales Of Traditional Advertising That Cost You Tons�?? and their newest release, �??The Small Business Owner�??s Guide To The Galaxy: Jim & Travis�??s Super-Stellar, Out Of This World, Step-By-Step Guide To Generating Leads, Attracting Customers and Making Sales.�?? Get FREE small business marketing tips, shortcuts and secrets - RIGHT NOW - at http://www.GravitationalMarketing.com

Business and Technology

arvind@nuttymarketer.com (Arvind Kumar) — Sat, 28 Jan 2006 09:51:51 PST

By Arvind Kumar

CEO, Nuttymarketer.com

Email Marketing Campaigns

Email marketing campaigns allow you to get in front of your clients time and time again, at a fraction of the cost of printed mailings. E-newsletters also add value to your web site, can boost holiday sales and can make your marketing job easier.

Email Communication is Dying - What's Next

Currently there are 3 main types of broadcast Internet messaging systems that you can use to deliver newsletters, e-zines and other informational materials to your customers.

Viral Mutations Of Email List Building: Creating New Strands! Part 1

The virus known as influenza has been around for thousands of years. Yet, no one on the face of the earth has ever been able to beat or destroy this damaging virus.

Marketing Via Email: Why Aren't People Replying

Chances are if people haven't requested to receive an email from you then you are wasting time. Let me guess your routine:

Email Marketing: 8 Reasons Why It is Ideal for Small Businesses

Email has revolutionised business communications over recent years and has rightly earned the label of the Killer Application of the Internet. The use of email marketing has had a similar and profound impact for companies looking to promote their products and services.

Get Free advertising links from Google PR7, PR6, PR5 websites. Visit Nuttymarketer.com Article submission service

Cheeky Gorilla Marketing Solution from Nuttymarketer.com Google PR3

You Can Start a Profitable Home Based Business

arvind@nuttymarketer.com (Arvind Kumar) — Fri, 27 Jan 2006 03:21:57 PST

So, you want to start a home based business? According to the U.S. census, there are over 700,000 businesses in the United States with no employees, so you�??re definitely not alone. The best part is that about 20,000 of those businesses had gross receipts of over $1,000,000! That is over a million dollars for a single person, working out of their home. Obviously not every person starting a business is going to make anywhere near that kind of money. You need to have several things to even have a prayer of getting a solid, profitable business going. The type of home based business you are looking for is one that can pay you a very handsome profit, year after year, and allow you to take enough time off to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

So, how do you get such a business started? First, you need a plan, a real, solid business plan. The plan should encompass everything pertaining to your business;

�?� What type(s) of products or services you are selling

�?� Who your target market is

�?� How you will market your chosen products and/or services

�?� A complete financial plan including: your sources of financing, expected expenses, initial revenue projections (realistic ones)

�?� What resources you need to begin your business such as: office equipment, finances, vendors, a website, etc.

�?� Where you expect to be in one year and three years

A business plan is essential for a number of reasons. First, it causes you to think through your business carefully. You can make sure you have covered all your bases and that no details have been missed. Next, it will be a necessity in the event you need to seek financing. Investors will want to see a well thought out business plan.

The first decision you need to make when starting your home based business is: what will you be selling? There are many options. Do you have much needed expertise in a certain industry? If so, you could start a lucrative consulting business. Consultants in certain industries make $100 - $200/hr. Some are paid as a percentage of the money they save the client. That can be extremely profitable. I�??ve personally seen consultants save businesses over a million dollars a month! If you had a fee structure such that you only received 5% of the savings, you would get a $600,000 annual paycheck! That is an abnormal, but by no means an isolated example.

You could start an online store. It is much easier to begin an online store than a bricks n�?? mortar operation, however you still have a lot of work to do. You�??ll need to, as with every business, evaluate your target market. Who are you selling to? What types of products will you be selling to your target market? You have distribution and fulfillment decisions to make as well. Will you be using a drop shipper, or will you be stocking products yourself?

Most small internet businesses, except for those that are selling products they produce or source locally, use drop shippers. The advantage to a drop shipper is you never touch or stock the products you sell. They are shipped directly from the fulfillment center to your customer. The advantage is obvious. Your inventory carrying costs are reduced or eliminated completely. You need not have a staff to package and ship your inventory either. The disadvantage to using a drop shipper is that you usually pay a little bit more, 3% - 5% on average, than you would if you used a traditional wholesaler. Many traditional wholesalers have fulfillment departments specifically for e-commerce businesses. You�??ll have no minimum orders, but possibly a small set up fee, usually less than $100.00. Beware of the many, many fake wholesalers on the Internet. A real wholesaler will typically be used by many online and bricks n�?? mortar businesses. They will buy directly from the manufacturer or importer of the products. They will not charge you a membership fee or a larger fee to get better pricing. They make their money from selling you products, not from marketing you a price list.

You could sell information products. There are four ways to obtain information products for your business:

�?� Create the products yourself

�?� Contract a third party to create them for you

�?� Purchase resale rights to an existing products

�?� Sell other�??s products as an affiliate

Information products are delivered as hard copies of books or other recorded media such as tapes or CD ROMs, or they are downloaded directly to your customer�??s computer. The download method works very well because you are paid instantly when the product is downloaded if you are selling your own products. If you are selling as an affiliate, you�??ll typically be paid bi-weekly or monthly. In either case, you need carry no inventory. You can sell the same product over and over again, creating a nice revenue stream. Many successful home based businesses use this approach.

Another very popular home based business is selling other businesses products as an affiliate. This approach has many advantages. You carry no inventory. You are not selling the products yourself, but being paid a commission for sales to customers referred by you. You don�??t have to deal with many of the headaches and expenses of traditional businesses; returns, customer service and inventory. There are many affiliates making substantial profits every month using affiliate marketing. The disadvantage is that due to low barriers to entry and low risk, there is substantial competition. You have to differentiate your business to be successful.

There are many ways you can join the exciting and profitable world of home based business. You�??ll free yourself from the problems of the traditional job market and enjoy a whole new life. Make the leap!

Steve writes about a multitude of business and finance topics. He has been a principal in several businesses both online and bricks n�?? mortar, including one that grossed over $1.5 million a year. See The Home Based Business Opportunities Guide for great home business opportunities and valuable information about growing your home based business.

Personal Debt Problem - How to Get Out of Debt

arvind@nuttymarketer.com (Arvind Kumar) — Fri, 27 Jan 2006 00:05:29 PST

By Michael Press

Consumer debt is a problem that affects millions of people. While the average household debt ranges from $6000 - $8000, there are individuals living with a $20,000 and $30,000 credit card debt �?? sometimes higher. Overcoming debt is challenging, but possible. Here are a few tips to help you eliminate your debt.

Eliminate Credit Card Debt without Bankruptcy

Although there is no way to make debt miraculously disappear, there are ways to help you eliminate the debt. Many televisions commercials and grant programs advertise free money to get out of debt. However, bankruptcy is the only option for never having to repay debt. Of course, bankruptcy is very damaging to your credit. Thus, this should only be utilized as a last resort.

Obtaining a home equity loan or refinancing your home is a great way to pay off credit card balances. Because home equity loans have a low interest rate, you will have the opportunity to get a low fixed rate, which allows you to pay off your debt within a specified term. Home equity loans have varying terms. Nonetheless, you will become debt free within a few years.

Refinancing your home is another great method. Because refinancing creates a new mortgage, be prepared to pay closing cost and other fees. However, the cash you receive at closing is perfect for eliminating or reducing debt.

Get a Vehicle Collateral Loan

If you are not a homeowner, consider paying more than the monthly minimum. For large debt amounts, getting a second job to pay down balances is a smart choice. If you own your vehicle, consider getting a personal or debt consolidation loan using your vehicle as collateral. The interest rate on vehicle loans is fixed, and the terms short.

Debt Management and Credit Counseling

A credit counseling and debt management agency is an additional tool for eliminating debt. These agencies have relationships with various credit card companies. They are able to negotiate lower interest rates. Moreover, credit and debt counseling agencies consolidate your debt. You make one monthly payment. Within a few months, you will realize a decrease in your overall debt amount.

Here are our Recommended Debt Consolidation Companies Online.

Carrie Reeder is the owner of ABC Loan Guide, an informational website about various types of loans.

The Small Business Marketing Secret You Can Learn In The Cereal Aisle

arvind@nuttymarketer.com (Arvind Kumar) — Wed, 25 Jan 2006 22:06:10 PST

Have you walked down the cereal aisle lately?

There is a lot you can learn from sitting surrounded by the boxes and bags of artificially sweated corn, rice and wheat for a few minutes observing marketing in action.

If you look closely, you will see solid marketing, the result of leading experts. Just visiting your local grocery store�??s cereal aisle is like attending master�??s level seminar in marketing.

You�??re probably thinking that all the sugar has made us crazy but I assure you - we�??re not.

Here�??s why the cereal aisle in your local grocery store influences how your potential customers choose your business over your competitors�?? or why they don�??t!

Take yourself back in time to a day where you were riding in the back of a shopping cart. You�??re crouched down, hanging out over the side, grabbing at a world of marvelous packages, boxes and bags as they move by you just out of reach.

You�??re mom is wisely pushing the cart just far enough away from the shelves to keep your grubby-little-paws from reaching their contents.

Finally you can sense it. You are getting so close to the Holy Land!

THE CEREAL AISLE IS NEXT!!

This is what you�??ve been waiting for. This makes the trip all worth it. This is your reason for living. This is what you know you were put here to do. You get to pick the cereal for the week.

By now you are a master at this. You�??ve done it so many times. You know what you�??re going to pick. You just need to be let loose.

So what makes the choice so obvious?

You haven�??t tasted all the cereals on the shelf. In fact, you haven�??t tasted even a small fraction of them, some you haven�??t even shaken, looked at or even picked up.

But you know which one you will pick in a single instant.

Which one???

What�??s the name of the cereal you are going to pick?

The name??

The name of the cereal doesn�??t really matter.

It doesn�??t matter because you don�??t make a decision on which to buy based on the name or the contents or what it tastes like.

You buy based on which one has the best offer or the newest, hottest toy �?? The free prize, the bonus. That�??s what you�??re after.

It�??s the buried treasure you�??ve been searching for!

Now, let�??s get back to the present. I know you are thinking �?? that�??s what kids do when they pick breakfast cereal and not what my prospects do when they chose my business or my competitors.

Wrong �?? The decision making process was created, refined and sharpened right then in the cereal aisle all those years ago and continues to be used to this day �?? you just don�??t realize it.

Your prospects pick you over your competition based NOT on how good you are.

A better mouse trap does not mean more business and if you think it does you are destined to fail.

Don�??t get us wrong, we feel having a superior, scendsational product that exceeds expectations is a MUST but it is not what gets new customers.

What gets new and more customers is the bonus, the free prize, what�??s new.

People are always interested in what is new, because with new, brings possibilities, solutions and opportunity.

No one is interested in reading yesterday�??s newspaper.

You have to constantly be coming up with new stuff for your customers and prospects.

It doesn�??t have to be revolutionary changes �?? little things work.

Let us go back to the cereal example. Cereal companies stimulate tons of sales just by changing the color of a marshmallow or adding a new one. They change the color of the box or put a clever game or offer attached to buying it.

It�??s so easy and so effective and so vital, but so often missed.

Do you see the opportunity in that last statement? As long as you are not in the cereal business you have a major advantage if you just do this one simple thing.

Jim and Travis are the authors of �??The Ten Tall Tales Of Traditional Advertising That Cost You Tons�?? and their newest release, �??The Small Business Owner�??s Guide To The Galaxy: Jim & Travis�??s Super-Stellar, Out Of This World, Step-By-Step Guide To Generating Leads, Attracting Customers and Making Sales.�?? Get FREE small business marketing tips, shortcuts and secrets - RIGHT NOW - at http://www.GravitationalMarketing.com

Business Management - Be Aware Of Fear And-Greed

arvind@nuttymarketer.com (Arvind Kumar) — Mon, 23 Jan 2006 01:34:49 PST

This is probably such a day as many others. Business as usual. Nothing wrong, no alerts, you loose some, you win some. You go with the flow and let your profits grow.... Do not think that this jargon is for investment managers only; business management and investment management is not that different.

When you are in the business arena you know that you have to follow the market. You watch the competition, you check the trends and you respond to other incidents that you are involved in. Until that special moment.

It starts with rumors, than it�??s the talk of the town. And then it appears; a new trend. Nearly invisible at first, a big monster a few moments later. Then people will ask you; what are we going to do?

From the investment market we know that the market behavior is powered by fear and greed. When the oil price is rising, we fear that it will not lower again, when the US dollar is under pressure it will never go up (a European worry) and if the stock market plunges it will not recover for years. Closer to the truth is that any movement will have its counterpart. The question is timing. When you are familiar with investments you probably know that you should not try to time the market. Yet does this mean that you should always go with the flow? You cannot (always) stop the flow. But you could try to make a few changes especially when you feel that something is wrong.

Take the following heading of a recent article: �??bankers enter car-insurance market in order to provide a global service�?? (a free translation of the Spanish heading in the business paper �??Expansion�??). Why do all of a sudden a group of bankers enter into this service, where we know that car-insurance, is not really profitable? Especially bankers that are carrying a portfolio of possible investments should know that the choice for this option excludes some other one. The first few banks will envision an opportunity and respond with greed to new earnings, where a few others fear to be left behind and join the team �?? after all.

This is only one (recent) example of fear and greed, but there are examples to be found on a daily basis. Besides the example of the old versus new economy just check in your organization where you hear about the following arguments: �??If we don�??t follow we will be left behind (you can hear the child say �??me too�??) or �??if we take this step we are the first and the profits will follow forever.�??

If you are aware however of the fact that each person and company is unique you can benefit from this by selecting those investments or decisions where they fit with your (personal) or organizational profile. If you can trust on the success that your company harvested in the past, you should be confident to continue the same line for the future. If you want to outperform with your team, you should stay alert for the fear and greed around you.

© 2005 Hans Bool / Astor White

Hans Bool (The Netherlands) is the founder of Astor White a consulting company dedicated to (the human side of) management consulting and e-advice. He has many years of experience in (project) management, consulting and business architecture. He studied economics and has recently published the book: �??How to manage your organizational portfolio �?? just stick to your rules�??. http://www.astorwhite.com

Business Growth: The Five Rules that Goliath Forgot

arvind@nuttymarketer.com (Arvind Kumar) — Sun, 22 Jan 2006 23:20:52 PST

Most big businesses are less agile than their smaller counterparts. Often, it�??s smaller, nimble companies that spot the opportunity in the market. The big corporation lumbers along a couple of years later. By that time, the opportunity has vanished or it�??s been locked up.

But there�??s an irony here. And it�??s this. Most large companies don�??t just pop into existence. They are small businesses that have survived and thrived. So, for at least part of their history, they knew what it took to grow and to change �?? to create and dominate markets.

As companies mature, they concentrate on being big. They put processes and procedures in place. They form committees to create policy. They appoint planning task groups. They forget how they used to think and behave.

And as a result, they slow down. They become less innovative and more defensive. They find growth harder to come by. And their core markets are threatened by changing consumer demands, by new business approaches, and by niche competitors.

Consider these two businesses. Goliath Worldwide has good people, huge budgets, and decades of experience. It launched a series of successful brands in the 1950s and 1960s, and then went international in the 1970s. In the 1990s, they cut costs and returned to the core. Now it�??s struggling, even in the markets it helped to create.

The newcomer -- David Inc -- is growing the market and taking share. Four years ago, they launched a range of products called �??Dinc�??. At first they sold through specialist outlets; last year they began selling through major retailers; now Dinc is growing its segment at the premium end of the market, and it�??s seen as a �??must-have�?? brand by the retailers.

Somewhere along the line, while Goliath was growing so successfully, it was also losing sight of the things which made it work. What has Goliath forgotten that David is doing right -�?? and can Goliath learn to be agile again?

Forgotten Rule One. Spend extraordinary amounts of time with your customers.

Goliath Limited conducts plenty of market research. Their agency filters the results and presents them to the marketing team each month. The marketing team selectively publishes research results via email on a quarterly basis. Most of the emails are unread.

David Inc's managers just spend time with their customers, at least half a day each week, whether it�??s watching them in stores, shadowing them in everyday life, or observing them in focus groups.

You may believe that David�??s approach is unproductive. But what could be more unproductive than working without a deep knowledge of what your ultimate customer wants?

Here�??s an example. Michele Ferrero, the late boss of Ferrero (one of the largest confectionery businesses in the world) used to spend two days every week just watching shoppers. He created a steady stream of hugely successful new products (including Ferrero Rocher, Tic Tac and the Kinder Egg) which have perfectly met the needs of consumers.

And here�??s another. Terry Leahy, the boss of Tesco, spends a day a week in his stores, talking to customers and staff. Is he wasting his time? Well, Tesco is the largest retailer in Britain, and it�??s pulling away from its competitors.

Forgotten Rule Two. Get under the skin of your competitors.

Goliath Limited has a specialist competitor intelligence desk. Every two years, the desk produces profiles of all major players in the marketplace. Pages of data, charts and analysis. Yet Goliath continually underestimates its competitors. For years, the sales forecasts have assumed that Goliath will grow faster than their market, which means taking share from competitors. But they never say which competitor, or how.

David Inc is rather less formal. It has polled its own employees about Goliath�??s strengths and weaknesses, and has made a guess at its likely strategic priorities. In fact, Goliath won�??t start writing next year�??s plan until September, but David has already intuited two-thirds of the sales and marketing activities that Goliath will come up with! So they can get on with pre-empting them right now.

Sales and marketing professionals know that they have to stand in their customers�?? shoes. It�??s exactly the same with competitors. The best way to understand your competitors is to stand in their shoes. That means looking at the market from their perspective and figuring out what you would do if you were them.

Here�??s an anonymous example. (Companies who successfully outsmart their competitors don�??t want to publicise their methods.) I worked with a major UK business to understand a dangerous new competitor. We put ourselves in their boots and effectively plotted our own downfall. Then we turned it around and figured out how to pre-empt them.

Three months later, this competitor published a trade ad which set out its four strategic priorities. We had predicted them all correctly, and the sales and marketing campaigns to beat them were already under way...

Forgotten Rule Three. Build your business on insights.

Goliath Limited has a sprawling annual strategic planning process, run at Goliath HQ. It begins in April and the plan is eventually issued (to selected senior managers) just before starting work on the operating plan in September. A lot of experienced managers contribute to the process, but Goliath is aware that the plan never really comes to life in the business.

By contrast, David Inc�??s strategy looks chaotic. Conversations are regularly held with people across the business, particularly with people at the outside edge of the business -�?? people who work with customers and suppliers. In the �??cockpit�?? at their open plan office, the directors write up every single idea on the wall and solicit comments and further thoughts.

They build -- and rebuild -- their whole business on insights. An insight is hard to define, but you�??ll know one when you see it! It�??s a high value nugget of information that helps you see things in a different way.

If you look at successful innovative products, you can often see the insight that lies at the heart of them. The iPod (and its equivalents): �??I don�??t want to carry around a pile of CDs, particularly as I only like two or three songs on each.�?? Bratz (the dolls that gave Barbie a slap): �??I like the sassy attitude of female celebrities -- it�??s part of their glamour.�?? The Smart car (the Swatch on wheels): �??why should I -�?? or my business -�?? give up my individuality when I buy a small city car?�??

Most big businesses are rightly concerned with Knowledge Management. But managing insights is even more fundamental. It takes courage and energy to DO something about an insight, rather than saying �??that�??s interesting�?? and letting it drop.

Forgotten Rule Four. Have a purpose you�??d risk your house for.

Goliath Worldwide has a vision statement -�?? �??to provide superior returns to shareholders�??, and a profit share plan. If the company beats its consolidated profit target, managers can earn a bonus of up to 8% of their annual salary. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don�??t. It depends more on the target and the economic climate than on what the managers do.

The directors of David Inc took out mortgages to start the business. If they don�??t meet their profit target, they could literally lose their homes! But they�??re not worrying about that, because they have an overriding sense of purpose. And it�??s not �??to provide superior returns to shareholders.�?? They know that they�??re making products they�??re really proud of. They�??re genuinely making their customers�?? lives better, and they feel that they�??re making the world a better place.

Big companies set great store by a vision and mission. Here�??s a fairly typical vision statement. �??The Gillette Company�??s Vision is to build Total Brand Value by innovating to deliver consumer value and customer leadership faster, better and more completely than our competition.�??

Now this isn�??t wrong, or misguided. It�??s just not very interesting. It won�??t create a buzz. Nobody�??s going to take a bullet in the chest for it. A vision and mission are fine. But a well-thought-through purpose, on the other hand, is bold, clear, maybe impudent, certainly inspiring. It provokes a response.

Take Apple. When Steve Jobs was reappointed CEO of Apple, a reporter asked him �??Can you turn Apple around?�?? His answer: �??The goal is not to turn Apple around. The goal is not to move back into profit. The goal is to make the best computers in the world.�??

Forgotten Rule Five. Treat business as a journey, and involve everyone.

Goliath Worldwide has a massive formal quarterly briefing process, which cascades through the organisation. Part one of the briefing is about the future �??- about aspirations; part two is about the recent past -�?? about financial results. It is fair to say that the two parts are not linked, and that strategy is not tracked. Directors brief senior managers, who brief junior managers, who brief non-managers. Very few reactions are passed back up the chain, and when they are the response is defensive.

David Inc�??s three owners go round the company briefing everyone themselves. They describe their business as a journey. They talk about what�??s working and what�??s not working. They have a scorecard �??- a set of a dozen metrics that they always use �??- to tell the story of the company�??s progress. Sessions are informal. Wine is taken. Questions and suggestions and challenges are welcome. Valuable insights come out of the discussions.

Many successful business leaders describe business as a journey �?? Jack Welch, Bill Gates, Richard Branson. But only a few companies take that idea forward and involve all their employees in the journey.

One way to do this is to create and publish a �??balanced scorecard�?? -�?? the concept developed by David Norton and Professor Robert Kaplan. This is a set of linked measures which tell the story of what a business is trying to do.

Another way is to create a cockpit, with details of the journey charted on the walls (e.g. the strategic direction, a map of the marketplace, �??engines�?? such as brands or technologies, and measures of progress).

If these ideas are well implemented, and pushed widely around the business, they make strategy a continuous process owned by everyone.

Conclusion and tips

These are the lessons that big businesses once knew but have forgotten. All of them can be re-learned and put into practice.

If you can�??t change your whole business, then focus on your unit or branch or division or team. Or on yourself.

�??Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.�?? Henry Ford

So how do these lessons also apply to individuals?

Spend time with your customers. Start by booking a couple of hours to visit your own personal customers, whether they�??re inside the company or outside. Ask them how they use your services. Ask them what they really need. Ask them what they like and what they don�??t like. Ask them how you could improve what you do. Is there anything you could stop doing? Look for opportunities to make things easier for both of you. Most of all, find out what they love.

Climb into your competitor�??s boots. Look at your services from a competitor�??s point of view. (If you don�??t have a competitor, lucky you; try imagining that a seriously impressive colleague of yours IS a competitor.) What would they say are the rules of the game in your field? What do you have to do to be world-class? What do you have to do to take your game to the next level?

Build your business on insights. As you talk to people, get them to tell stories about using your services. Note down the positives �?? their hopes and ideals �?? and the negatives �?? their frustrations and compromises. These unwitting moments are how people give you insights.

Define a purpose that makes you feel proud. Choose one of those insights that most resonates with you, and set about bringing it to life in your work. A great way to be fulfilled in your work is to make your customers�?? lives even a little bit better.

Lay out your journey and measure your success. Goal-setters achieve more than people who drift. But goal-setting can be a dry activity. By thinking of your life and career as a journey, with milestones on the way, you can make it more interesting. And the journey will be shaped by what you now know about your customers, your competitors, your insights and your purpose.

Bon voyage!

© 2005 Charles Kingsmill. You are free to use material from this article in whole or in part, as long as you include complete attribution, including live web site link. Please also notify Charles Kingsmill where the material will appear. The attribution should read: "By Charles Kingsmill. Please visit Charles�??s web site at http://www.StrategyXL5.com for additional information and resources on growing your business." (Make sure the link is live if placed in an eZine or in a web site.)

Charles Kingsmill works with medium and large businesses who have set themselves challenging growth targets. His services include Strategy Action Teams and Competitor Wargaming. Visit Charles�??s website at http://www.StrategyXL5.com where you can download a growth questionnaire and free workbooks, as well as subscribing to his e-zine �??Mission Control.�??

Business Growth: The Five Rules that Goliath Forgot

arvind@nuttymarketer.com (Arvind Kumar) — Sun, 22 Jan 2006 23:13:20 PST

Business Continuity Testing Starts with the Risks

arvind@nuttymarketer.com (Arvind Kumar) — Sun, 22 Jan 2006 22:10:50 PST

All business continuity analysis should be risk based, and risk prioritised to deal with the important business risks first. This means that any risks to your business need to be identified, examined and dealt with. There are 4 options for dealing with each risk:

1. Reduce the risk. Reducing the risk falls into 2 categories �?? reducing the likelihood of the problem occurring and reducing the impact of the problem if it does happen. A simple example is that by having a fire alarm you are reducing the likelihood of a fire spreading unseen and by installing a sprinkler system you are reducing the impact of fire.

Reducing the risk is often referred to as mitigation. For example, data backups are a form of mitigation. They reduce the impact if a problem occurs which affects the primary data source. Any mitigating actions require testing to provide assurance they work when required.

2. Transfer the risk. This is an interesting option which may be seen as a get-out, but which is a perfectly valid thing to do. By transferring a risk it becomes someone else�??s problem and you therefore have the risk covered. We are not talking about blaming someone else, or even transferring the risk to someone else in the company.

For example, there could be a risk that office space will not be available in the case of a disaster in the main location. Therefore the risk can be transferred to a third party company which organises office space for disaster recovery and keeps offices available for companies who need such a recovery service.

3. Accept the risk. By accepting the risk of a potential problem you are at least aware of its existence and can plan for it happening. If it is a risk that would have no impact for an acceptable period of time it should still be noted but you may decide to take no action until it occurs.

Almost by definition, accepting a risk is also reducing the impact of the risk as you are aware of the potential problem and can write it into your business continuity plan.

4. Ignore the risk. This option should never be selected. There is never a reason for ignoring a risk once it has been identified. A risk can be accepted (acknowledged) but must never be ignored.

Once the actions for each risk have been identified, then anything put in place to help cope with a risk needs testing. However, many companies either test nothing at all or try testing every facet of a business continuity plan. Both methods are doomed to failure. The answer is to adopt a risk based testing approach from two perspectives: the business continuity plan is fit for purpose and it will work when invoked.

A health check (testing the plan is fit for purpose) needs to be performed by someone other than the authors of the business continuity plan. Ideally it�??s performed by an independent third party that specialises in testing business continuity plans, but it could be a disinterested party from another part of the company. Independence is essential here for an objective assessment.

Testing the plan will work when invoked, must be viewed in a business context and the elements of the plan prioritised so that the risks with the most business impact and likelihood are tested first. This approach and the techniques to perform business continuity testing in a cost effective manner are the subject of other articles.

Copyright Acutest UK 2005

A Streeb is an experienced practitioner of business continuity testing at Acutest, an independent consultancy specialising in business continuity assurance and software testing services. For more information on this topic visit http://www.acutest.co.uk or send an email to enquires@acutest.co.uk

What Type of Small Business Should One Start?

arvind@nuttymarketer.com (Arvind Kumar) — Sat, 21 Jan 2006 03:07:23 PST

Have you been considering a new business of your own? And you just you could have invented that killer tiny iPod players? Well here is a quick thought on the comment of the new digital video slim-line iPod:

Indeed. What I have observed is that people spend on the Maslow Hierarchy of needs;

1.) Preventing Death; I.E. military defense and health care

2.) Respect from fellow man; I.E. things that make them look good

3.) Sex; I.E. things that make them look, feel or attract a sexual partner

4.) Personal Entertainment and prevention of Boredom

5.) Seeking Knowledge; I.E. Exploration

For proper marketing should hit a few of these, the more you hit the better, even better if you hit all six and then simply stand in the way of the money flow to get whatever you need. Charge a fair price if it is an item or service that you wish to get repeat customers and all their referrals, this is the best type of business indeed.

It might be wiser in the developing of your business to hit heavy on number one of the first few items if you can. Hurricane safety kits for the home; I.E. if you do not have a Hurricane preparedness kit in your home for the next Hurricane well, you and all your family could die. Whatever business you decide as the best for you always remember to keep it simple. Interesting question indeed and thanks for asking, but do think on it before you take the plunge into entrepreneurship.

Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs

Your Roadmap For Small Business Success

arvind@nuttymarketer.com (Arvind Kumar) — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 22:36:06 PST

Small businesses are the fastest-growing aspect of American industry. But what does it take to start a successful small business? It takes marketable skills, energy, confidence, and vision.

A successful entrepreneur must also have determination and tenacity, and of all the skills these two are perhaps the most important. An entrepreneur must know when something cannot be done. An entrepreneur never gives up after the first failure. If an entrepreneur doesn�??t succeed one way, then he or she finds another way.

If you�??re serious about starting your own business you have to ask yourself some very important questions. �??What do you do best?�?? �??What do you like to do?�?? What does the market want?�?? If you find one answer for all three, you are going to succeed.

However, it takes more than a good attitude and self-examination on which to build a business, you need to choose your business field carefully, taking advantage of all your personal skills and experience. You must have a strategic plan for the marketing and management of your business.

Certainly you�??ve got to be a go-getter and you�??ve got to be determined. But you�??ve also got to take a business-like approach to starting your own business with good market research and a solid business plan.

Most successful businesses aren�??t founded in a vacuum. They tend to be started by entrepreneurs who already have substantial experience in their fields. They know their customers and their needs and how to fill them. Finding the right niche is very important. The best way to find your niche is to draw from your personal experience in a specific field.

Once you know what to do, you�??ve got to find customers who want to pay for your products and services. And that requires serious business research.

You need to analyze your customer base. Learn who they are and how they can be reached. Calculate how much it will cost to reach them to communicate your availability. You have to learn what the market will pay for what you have to sell. Under pricing your products or services is one of the biggest mistakes a new small business person can make.

Scout customers in the field, subscribe to trade magazines, gather catalogs from potential competitors, and most importantly spend time doing research on the Internet. Every small bit of market information can contribute to a larger portrait of the market and the customers that compromise it. This market information provides the nucleus of a formal business plan and marketing plan.

A good idea is simply not enough for business success. You need a plan for how to manage your business after you get started. You need to know what to do and when to do it. A business plan is important for any size business but it is particularly important for start-ups. Just having a plan gives your small business a leg up on the competition.

A business plan is your roadmap for success. Amazingly, less than half of all businesses have a formal plan and that in itself is a big reason why new businesses have such a high failure rate. You don�??t need to hire an outside consultant to design your business plan, but you should take the discipline seriously if you prepare it yourself.

A business plan should include an executive summary that explains the business environment in which your company operates and how you plan to succeed in this environment. Your plan should include an industry analysis, market analysis, business description, and your competitive advantage.

Your plan should also explain how your company works with a discussion of both internal and external operations. You should include a marketing plan, organizational structure, operational plan, funding needs, and financial statements.

If you plan to see outside funding from investors or financial institutions, a formal business plan is essential. But even if you do not need start-up money, a sound financial analysis is still vital.

Many new companies fail because the owner has not carefully analyzed the businesses cash flow. To be a successful entrepreneur, you must know the cost of supplies, the expense of manufacture or service delivery and their profit margins. You need to define exactly how you plan to make money in your business.

Franchise companies can take some of the leg work out of starting a business by providing a proven business plan, local and national marketing support, and in some cases, business supplies and customer leads. But franchises can be expensive and difficult to evaluate.

On the positive side of a starting a franchise, you can often cut a better deal in terms of market information, access to training and market awareness. On the negative side, you pay a lot for everything you get. As a business owner, you need to decide whether what you get is worth what you pay for it.

You need to analyze the franchise�??s disclosure information carefully, particularly the financial requirements. What are the total cash requirements? What do you pay in royalties, advertising contributions and supplies? Are you required to purchase supplies from the franchiser? If you are, analyze the pricing to make sure that you are not overpaying.

Before you start a franchise business you should contact present franchisees. Franchises companies are required to disclose the names and locations of previous purchasers and will often have interesting stories to tell. Checking references is obviously a very important but frequently overlooked step as well.

Before committing to a franchise purchase, you should also look at their own goals and attitudes. You have to be willing to accept that a franchise company will tell you how to run your business. If you want to follow your own plan, you probably shouldn�??t buy a franchise.

Family matters don�??t need to be included in your business plan, but they shouldn�??t be overlooked. Starting a business can be a strain on family relations, particularly if the business begins in a home office. You�??re going to be putting in long hours, particularly at the start. And for a while, family relations can be strained. So it helps if everyone is pulling for you.

Many entrepreneurs begin home-based small businesses for flexibility, as a way to spend more time with their families. But they quickly learn that they still have to be disciplined about their use of time for work and family.

You have to set limits for your family. If you are going to work at home, you have to make clear that there are times when you should not be disturbed. Your children have to be educated about what you do and why you cannot be distracted when you are working. And when your office moves from your kitchen table to another location, you have to learn how to come home and dedicate time to your family in return for their understanding during the work day.

Take time out to spend with your family, perhaps at the end of the day, to be with your children and then alone with your spouse after the kids are in bed. Give yourself permission to take some time off.

Being able to budget your time wisely between you business and your family will determine a large part of your success as a business owner. After all, even the most successful entrepreneurs need a life, too.

Copyright© 2005 by Joe Love and JLM & Associates, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.

Joe Love draws on his 25 years of experience helping both individuals and companies build their businesses, increase profits, and achieve total success. He is the founder and CEO of JLM & Associates, a consulting and training organization, specializing in personal and business development. Through his seminars and lectures, Joe Love addresses thousands of men and women each year, including the executives and staffs of many of America�??s largest corporations, on the subjects of leadership, self-esteem, goals, achievement, and success psychology.

Reach Joe at: joe@jlmandassociates.com

Read more articles and newsletters at: http://www.jlmandassociates.com

Debt Consolidation Secured Loans: A Race to Your Debt Free Future

arvind@nuttymarketer.com (Arvind Kumar) — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 02:43:49 PST

A debt consolidation secured loan is particularly used for debt settlement. A debt consolidation process brings together or consolidates various debts and multiple payments like store, gas and phone bills, home improvements, medical bills, taxes, education, overdue rent etc. These are then repaid with one loan, one monthly installment, one loan lender and low interest rates. This means, that if you have several monthly payments or a number of different loans, you can make things easier by consolidating them and taking one single loan to pay off the total debt. This loan reduces the borrower's monthly payments by lowering the interest rate or extending the repayment period or sometimes both. Secured Debt consolidation should be accompanied with low interest rates; otherwise debt consolidation doesn�??t make any sense. With a Debt Consolidation Loan you can borrow from £5,000 to £75,000 and up to 125% of your property value in some cases.

A Debt consolidation secured loans is self-explanatory. Being a type of secured loan, collateral of some kind is required to assure the lender of payback, either by repayment of the entire loan amount or by repossession of the collateral property. Here, the lender is not risking anything because he has ownership to the collateral, until repayment. Real estate (your home or property) and vehicles such as cars and trucks are the most common collateral for debt consolidation secured loans because of the ease with which a lender can determine the value and find a market for them. Collateral with the highest value should be used since a greater value in comparison to the loan amount can help you get lower interest rates and better loan terms i.e. you may end up paying lesser than you would by using collateral with a lower value.

Features of Secured Debt Consolidation Loans:

· Secured debt consolidation loans require the borrower to offer their home or any securable asset as collateral. This helps the borrower to benefit from the excess of equity in their home.

· The debts are settled by first clustering them into one and the single loan is divided to repay each of them individually.

· The low interest of this loan makes it even more attractive.

· Secured debt consolidation loans are repayable over a longer period of time in small and affordable installments.

· Secured debt consolidation usually has a loan term of 10-30 years

Secured Debt consolidation is ideal for those who have debts exceeding £5000 with three or more individual creditors. It would work if you have expendable income of £100 or more. Secured Debt Consolidation is best for large amounts like £25,000. If you don�??t have the necessary disposable income, then take small loan amounts. This way you would clear some of pending debts and be in a realistic position to pay back.

Many people think they can't get a loan if they have bad credit, CCJ�??s, arrears or a past bankruptcy. Don't let this stop you getting the cash you need. Secured Debt Consolidation is possible with bad credit as well. However, it can affect your chances of getting lower interest rates and better loan terms. All this depends on how comfortable a lender feels with the borrower�??s collateral and credit history. Because you have bad credit, it is important that you know your credit score. A credit score above 720 is considered a good credit score while that below 600 is a bad credit score. For an unsecured borrower, knowing your credit score gives you power to get correct rates. If you don�??t know your score then you may be charged more for bad credit score.

Debts can be sorted on ones own till they are small. They however, become big when they are not repaid on time or when they are ignored for a long period of time. Only credit that cannot be managed or is not being repaid requires debt consolidation. Secured debt consolidation can very easily be a source of further debt problems. With no debt problems on hand, after debt consolidation, you might be tempted to spend more and get further into debt. Remember that even though your monthly payment is less, a longer loan term will cost you more.

Marsha Claire is offering loan advice for quite some time. To find personal loans, bad crdit loans, or Secured Debt consolidation loans visit http://www.chanceforloans.co.uk/

Boost up your business growth

arvind@nuttymarketer.com (Arvind Kumar) — Wed, 18 Jan 2006 22:32:52 PST

A top executive called up me late in the night. He was still awake at 3 o�??clock. He told me that he has not been sleeping for last 3 nights. Problem at his working place is working it effect on his marital life with wife. Although problem in professional life was manageable to some extent. But the bottom line was heading towards south. He was always busy in solving problems to the extent of guilty of ignoring the happening in market. He wanted help in solving problem.

What could be the solution of his problem? Is there a permanent solution to any business situation? Chemistry of business is a fast changing genes very different from human being. There could not be any fix solution leave alone a permanent to any problem. Problems in business are bound to raise their heads sooner or later. Would you like to keep solving the problem at the cost of growth?

My observation and suggestion is, if your time is getting messed up more than 30% in day to day problem of your business, there may be a very serious problem at hand. It is the clear sign that either you need a person to solve these problems and get the house in line or you are heading straight into the dead wall. It is just matter of time; you will end up at the street which will go nowhere.

All the top executives are guilty of this trait. We all are taught that solving problem is most important as old saying goes. If you are not a part of solution, you are part of problem. But let me explain no organization has survived and moved on to become leader just by solving problem.

Take example of Digital, Compaq, and Amdahl etc. They all got problem, they solved it but in the process loose there focus on the innovation. As Peter Drucker said, �??The market is a harsh who will dismiss even the most faithful servant without a penny of severance pay�??. All these one time king of industry went in to spirals of problems and lost the ground to others at other players. Compaq ate up DEC and HP ate up Compaq. Now HP is facing the same dilemma.

If we see the market and the market leaders. It is very clear that growth can solve a hell lot of problems itself. In fact in a growing company problems just do not arrive at all. But you can�??t grow all the time that is law of market. But you have to innovate in your business insight to see new market to jump in before your old one kill you under its own falling weight. Only opportunity not the problem can solve the problem permanently. It is the death time of any organization when its innovation engine dries up. If they can�??t see any new market and opportunity. They will get killed in this race where any product life is getting shorter day by day.

Digital and Compaq became leaders in their respective segment by exploiting the opportunity. And innovating new offering to customer. And when they became leaders, vanity killed their innovative minds and in the process they got terminated by others.

So solve your problems but relax and do not loose you sight on opportunities. As old adage goes, our productivity is directly related with our ability to relax.

Arvind Kumar is an internet marketer and consultant for last 3 year. He is founder and CEO of www.nuttymarketer.com . You can reach him at arvind@nuttymarketer.com .

Your Estate Planning Basics

arvind@nuttymarketer.com (Arvind Kumar) — Wed, 18 Jan 2006 02:07:19 PST

You have probably accomplished a great deal with your life. Over the years you have worked, planned and saved. Perhaps you have even made some sacrifices to achieve your current level of success. It�??s a sure bet that you will want to pass along your accumulated assets rather than hand them over for court costs, taxes or attorney fees.

Estate planning is the relatively simple process by which you prepare legal documents outlining your wishes for your estate upon your death. It can be difficult to plan for the end of your life, but this planning is necessary to protect your family and your assets.

What is your estate?

Your estate refers to your property, those things you own, including your total assets and liabilities. Your property includes your home, car, accounts (i.e. bank, retirement, and brokerage), jewelry, insurance policies and so forth.

The language of estate planning

It is understandable that the idea of planning for your family after die can be a little frightening. Familiarity with the terms used in estate planning will help you begin to develop some comfort with the process.

Estate: Refers to your property or those things that you own.

Property: Includes two categories, real (as in real estate/your home(s) and personal, which includes everything else such as stocks, bank accounts, car(s), jewelry, and so forth.

Intestate: Is a pre, or non-planning state. Dying intestate means that you have died without creating a will or trust to outline your desires for distribution of your estate.

Trust: Eliminates many of the financial risks in planning for the transfer of your estate from you to your heirs upon your death. Risks include taxes, probate, lawyers, creditors, judgments, etc. A trust can provide for the management of your estate if you become incapacitated as well reduce death taxes and assure a smooth transfer of your property according to your wishes. Trusts can be revocable or irrevocable. Talk with your tax or legal advisor about the benefits of each.

Probate: The process by which your personal property is legally transferred to your heirs upon your death. The probate process also identifies rightful heirs and determines how your assets will be distributed among them. Probate can be quite expensive (up to 10% of the net worth of your estate) but the expense can be avoided with estate planning.

Will: A written, legal document outlining your wishes for your real and personal property upon your death. You can also appoint a guardian for any minor children.

Beneficiaries: These are the people you assign to benefit with distribution of your real and personal property upon your death.

Your will can be an important tool of your estate plan. The goal of the estate plan is to allow you, rather than probate court and attorney, to maintain control of your assets. Planning allows you the opportunity to set forth clear directions and desires for your assets in the event of your death or physical or mental incapacitation.

Estate planning is a necessary and painless process. You will afford yourself peace of mind and you will smooth the road for your heirs in terms of property transfer upon your death.

Amy Nichols is a freelance writer and contributing author to http://www.howtowriteawill.com/, a site providing free estate planning tips and information.

What is Strategic Planning?

arvind@nuttymarketer.com (Arvind Kumar) — Tue, 17 Jan 2006 21:51:39 PST

If you own small business or lead a FORTUNE 500, multi-national company, most business leaders ultimately want to leverage previous successes and eliminate causes of prior failures. This is a difficult and complex process that begins with strategic planning.

Sometimes it is not enough to focus on day to day operations, leaders must have the discipline to take the time and effort to clearly define where the organization is now and best determine where the organization must be within a specific timeline.

Today�??s business environment is very dynamic. Changes in the marketplace are faster and more diverse than ever. Intensifying competition and rapid technology advances make for constant worry of your organization�??s eventual obsolescence. Ultimately your customers are never satisfied and will go elsewhere if you do not give them what they want!

What is Strategic Planning?

Strategic planning focuses on obtaining accurate and unique information relevant to your business objectives, presenting same in an articulate written or oral form, to ultimately position the company or organization to most effectively leverage existing resources for the purpose of gaining market share within reasonable profit metrics and within a specific timeline.

Strategic planning requires creativity, innovation and non- inear thinking. It is focused on defining causality within a leadership perspective. It is much more than a descriptive �??what happened�?? reporting function; it is more about what �??will or should happen�?? to or within an organization to reach their defined successes.

Strategic planning is about the future, not the past. It is about long term thinking, not near term. It requires making assumptions about your organization�??s future.

Does Strategic Planning Work?

Strategic planning more often than not does not work. All the time and money that has been spent by so many companies on strategic planning has been ineffective for four fundamental reasons:

1) No clearly defined business objectives to begin with

2) The belief among organization leaders that the strategic planning process is finite, a once a year task, a necessary management evil �?� versus a dynamic, ever- hanging need to look into the organization�??s future. A desire to �??Plan the work and work the plan!�??

3) Too much debate among the planners about the forecasts and not of the ASSUMPTIONS made in the strategic plan forecasts themselves

4) Lastly, and most importantly, failure to execute the defined tactics necessary to drive the planned strategies.

It is difficult to effectively plan for the future of an organization and to motivate leaders to do the same when the strategic planning function has long been fraught with a valid representative history of failure. However, if business planners strive to understand WHY and HOW strategy planning most often fails, they will significantly improve their odds of achieving future planning success. It has also been proven that the rewards of effective planning success are worth the effort!

Define a Strategic Planning �??Champion�??

There are so many demands today on business leaders. If there is no planning discipline within the organization, there will only be reactive responses to future business challenges not proactive tactics to form the organization�??s purpose and related successes. There must be a �??champion�?? within the organization who makes strategic planning an ongoing priority within the organization. This requires an ongoing commitment from senior management and a constant priority given to strategic planning processes. A shared commitment to strategic planning is theoretically important but practically best maintained with anointment of one person to constantly drive the priority among the organization�??s leadership.

A strategic plan should be considered a �??live�?? document, constantly being updated and upgraded, addressing valid changes within the assumptions made in its development. Business or organization strategies and their associated tactics are integrative, should cut across; a broad number of issues, organizational functions and entities. An effective strategic plan will pragmatically force change within the organization to ultimately drive improvement OF the organization and its products or services offered.

About the Author:

Mark Smock is 30+ year veteran of business leadership and is President of http://www.business-buyer-directory.com, the FIRST International business buyer directory of its kind. Business Buyer Directory provides a non-traditional means for proactive business buyers to locate businesses for sale worldwide that meet their exact registered purchase criteria.

Eliminate The Competition!

arvind@nuttymarketer.com (Arvind Kumar) — Fri, 13 Jan 2006 01:58:24 PST

Tom's of Maine decided not to compete with Proctor and Gamble. They went for the 100% Natural Market and carved out a very nice piece of the toothpaste business.
Are you offering customers something different from your competitors? Do your customers have needs you are not adequately meeting? Do you talk to your customers? Do you shop your competitors? Do you shop your own store?

We are privileged to live and work in a market of 350 million people. Including our northern NAFTA neighbors, from sea to shining sea we have the largest single language, single culture market in the world.

For Guerrillas, this is very exciting news. It means that you can do almost anything you want to do and make money doing it. If you want to do it, odds are, in this vast market, somebody will pay you for it. If you want to make it, they will want to buy it. Guaranteed.

Can't you remember thinking about a new product or an improvement on an existing product. And, voila, next month, there it is on the shelf of your favorite store! Your product ideas are just waiting for eager buyers intent on improving their lives with it.

Remember, your business is a lot like that. The key is in finding the right combination of features to set you apart from your competitors.

We remember the story of the guy in the mall whose neighbors on both sides were having their annual sales. Store A had a big sign across their window reading, "SUPER SALE." Store C had an even larger one saying, "COLOSSAL SALE!!!" What was the Guerrilla in Store B going to do to differentiate his store? A bigger sign? A bigger sale? No, he simply labeled his door, "MAIN ENTRANCE."

Your marketing identity niche should be wide enough that it will capture the biggest number of customers and narrow enough so that you have no immediate competitors. If you are successful you will have competitors soon enough, and you'll have to reset your niche to eliminate them.

We want you to note that, in the previous paragraph, we used the word identity niche, not image niche. Image implies a false representation. Nothing upsets buyers more than buying a product or service and discovering that it didn't live up to the marketing claims.

When you carve out your niche and declare it, make sure it's an accurate projection of your true identity. Remember this niche may be anything from low-price, high-volume to up-scale and high-end. You may only cater to older women or to young kids. Your niche may be a combination of all of these factors and more. The important thing is to make your niche big enough to get a lot of customers from your territory, and small enough to eliminate any competitors. That's quite a challenge and a lot of work, but once you've done it, get ready to make some big bucks with your business!

What's Your Online Niche?

arvind@nuttymarketer.com (Arvind Kumar) — Thu, 12 Jan 2006 23:34:31 PST

With thousands of businesses rushing into cyberspace (recent figures show more than 10,000 new domain names registered last month alone!), it's important for your business to have a unique product or service niche. It's also crucial for your online presence to add value to what you're doing off-line. Otherwise, you're a me-too business that stands little chance of rising above the increasing noise level on the Net.
I am reminded of the "unique niche" problem every time I get a request for marketing advice from someone selling a MLM or network marketing scheme. Check out a newsgroup like misc.entrepreneurs or one of the business opportunities ad areas on a major online service, and you'll see lots of "Make Big Money" ads that basically all look alike. I'm often unable to help the people selling these opportunities, because they have failed to consider or even understand the importance of having something that offers a specific advantage to the customer. These people are usually so focused on getting people to sign up on their networks that it's not important to them whether the actual product being sold (long distance services, vitamins, whatever) has any intrinsic advantages over dozens or hundreds of other similar products offered for sale on the Net. It has never occurred to them that at some point, somebody has to be buying those vitamins or that long distance service or else there's no business for a distributor, and no reason for distributors to join such a network. And when I ask these MLM mavens to tell me the basic advantage of their product, they're often unable to supply an answer.

But the noise level in the MLM businesses is only a harbinger of things to come in many other online businesses. It's no longer possible to be the first or only business on the Net in many fields, and being on the Net isn't, by itself, a unique advantage. The challenge is to find a key business advantage that makes you successful, and to leverage that advantage with the unique capabilities of cyberspace.

If you can't be the only bookstore or realtor or travel agent or publicity consultant on the Net (and you can't), find a specific niche (sports books, vacation condos, "green" vacations, or PR for law firms, for example) where you can stake a claim. Of course, you can't claim a niche unless you can truly serve it, but often you can focus your efforts on a more specific market segment and use that specialization as a marketing weapon. By promising to do one thing really well, you'll have a better chance of gaining the credibility that will lead to sales.

If you already have a successful off-line business, think about how you can add online value to your off-line efforts. Think about why your customers come to you now, and how you can add convenience, service, information, communication, or other values to your business by going online. Don't just take what you're doing off-line and move it online in the hope that being there will somehow make people stand up and cheer: leverage the cost-effective information distribution and communications capabilities of the Net in the service of your customers and your organization. Give customers a larger selection of items at lower prices, or offer a series of articles about your field that will be helpful to your customers. Ideally, your online presence should be so great that your customers would get an online account just to take advantage of it. The closer you come to reaching this goal, the better your chance of profits on the Net.

"Find a need and fill it" is not just a slogan on concrete delivery trucks. It's a time-tested marketing maxim that holds true in cyberspace and elsewhere. The Net is not a niche; it's just another marketing arena. The sooner you focus on delivering real online value, the healthier your cash flow will be.

Getting Traffic to Your Blog �?? All About Blog Traffic Exchanges

arvind@nuttymarketer.com (Arvind Kumar) — Fri, 06 Jan 2006 01:18:43 PST

If you�??ve been into Internet Marketing for a while, you probably remember the old traffic exchange programs and the banner exchange programs. Things change fairly fast on the Internet, and now there are blogs and blog traffic exchange programs. If you have a blog, and getting traffic to your blog is important, than you need to know about blog traffic exchanges.

First, blog traffic exchange programs work much better than the old traffic exchange programs did. If getting traffic to your blog matters, getting set up with one or more of these exchange programs is vital �?? no matter what your niche market is. This will considerably increase your readership very quickly.

However, there are some blog traffic exchange programs that really aren�??t worth joining. Participating in a blog traffic exchange program does take time. In some cases, you will be able to purchase your credits, but in order to get the traffic without paying for it you will be required to visit other member�??s blogs. This typically gets you one visitor for every two blogs that you visit �?? and the visitors that come from blog traffic exchange programs are not targeted. This means that there is no guarantee that the visitors coming to your blog from the program have any interest in what you blog about.

If your blog is highly specialized, meaning that it is a very specific niche, you probably won�??t do well with blog traffic exchange programs. However, if your blog is of general interest, meaning that it isn�??t specific to any particular niche market, blog traffic exchange programs may work very nicely for you when it comes to getting traffic to your blog.

Blogazoo at http://www.blogazoo.com is one blog traffic exchange program. However, there are many steps you must take before you can register your blog. For instance, you must visit ten other blogs before your blog will be listed. You must register to use the program. However, there are many features at Blogazoo that will be useful to you if getting traffic to your blog is what it is all about for you.

BlogClicker at http://www.blogclicker.com is also worth consideration. You visit other member�??s blogs to earn credits. For every two visits to other blogs, you will receive one. You can also purchase credits instead of visiting the other blogs. Two other blog traffic exchange programs are Blog Crowd at http://www.blogcrowd.com and Blog Exchange at http://www.blogexchange.com.

The best blog traffic exchange program available today is Blog Explosion at http://www.blogexplosion.com. Like other blog traffic exchange programs, Blog Explosion is free to join, and only one account is allowed per person. However, you can add multiple blogs to your account. You can refer new members and earn 10% of the traffic that they earn. Blog Explosion has full statistical reports that you can view, and many member features and tools.

At Blog Explosion there are monthly contests with free visitors as prizes, there is a monthly traffic lottery, and the Battle of the Blogs. You can also win daily mystery credits. There is a member�??s profile directory where members can find blogs of interest, chat rooms, a Podcast directory, and a knowledge directory. You can even rent your blog space to other members. This is why almost 30,000 bloggers choose Blog Explosion over the other blog traffic exchange programs. Remember if you are trying to build up a readership for a niche blog, blog traffic exchange programs may not work well for you.

Jason frequently gives tips like this to the subscribers to his newsletter. Visit Adventures In Internet Marketing and subscribe to his newsletter today!

Blogging for Your Work at Home Business

arvind@nuttymarketer.com (Arvind Kumar) — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 23:52:45 PST

Were you aware that Blog is now an official word in the dictionary? Do you even know what a Blog is? If you have a work at home business, you ought to learn. Blogging is an effective and inexpensive way to promote your work at home business. It is simple and can yield good results.

If you haven�??t seen the multitudes of blogs on the Internet and you have no idea what this strange word is about, a blog is a web page made up of posts arranged in chronological order. It is similar to having a journal or weblog on the internet. They range from personal blogs in which people post journal-like entries or opinions to business blogs which are what you would consider for your work at home business. Blogging for your work at home business can actually be quite a useful tool.

Blogging software has become simplified for even the beginner user. It allows you to avoid the pitfalls of having to learn HTML, and instead does it for you. Sites that offer blogs usually have low cost or free blogs, which offer your home based business the ability to be present on the internet for little to no cost. You will not have to hire some website designer to come in and create an entire website or wait for them to update your site when you have new information. Blogging becomes your web advertising tool for your work at home business.

The best thing about blogging for your work at home business is that you are also able to offer others the benefit of your expertise. If you are a consultant or information-based work at home business, you can bring consumers to you as they look for know-how on the internet. Each post can be a tip or lesson to help clients and entice customers to use your services. Not a writer? Hire a blog writer for a small fee to post for you.

Still not sure? Try looking at some different blogs on the internet to see if blogging for your work at home business is something you want to consider. Great free blogging sites like LiveJournal or Blogspot offer free blogs. You can even use your blog to earn extra revenue through advertising programs like Google AdSense and partnering with other companies.

Read the rest of the article here: Blogging for Your Work at Home Business.

Download the Free Work at Home Manual (Free $97 Value!) and receive valuable tips, strategies and techniques designed to grow a very successful Home Based Business.

Blogging for Your Work at Home Business

arvind@nuttymarketer.com (Arvind Kumar) — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 23:43:17 PST

Knowledge is business

arvind@nuttymarketer.com (Arvind Kumar) — Tue, 03 Jan 2006 01:55:48 PST

�??Knowledge is the business fully as much as customer is the business. Physical goods or services are only the vehicle for the exchange of customer purchasing power against business knowledge�??.

Above statement was made by Peter F. Drucker, a prominent Management and marketing guru.

Any economic result is the result of differentiation. What is that niche you posses that make you hot property in any market. It comes from knowledge. Knowledge is held by organization people. One day all labour can be automated by machines. But knowledge specifically is a human asset. If you have knowledgeable people you can target the sky. Books are more collection of information. Internet is one of the best medium for generating information on particular subject. But information is not a business.

Knowledge itself is not a business when used inside. When it do not produce value to the holder of knowledge, it is useless. It becomes business when applied outside of a business, to the customer, market and end-uses.

Mittal steel is king of steel market today. It posses a peculiar knowledge of converting non- performing public business and factory into highly profitable steel producing entity. It has done this numerous times Laxmi Mittal, Chairman and managing director, and his people do not change much in the plants. According to Aditya Mittal, CFO, and son of Laxmi Mittal, they apply their knowledge and past experience to turn thing around, Mittal steel turned their early acquisition around in 18 months. But now they have refined their knowledge and make any plant they capture profit producer within 6 months. That�??s where I say business is knowledge and knowledge is business.

Looking at GE, they have an uncanny ability to mark a new opportunity and jump into it in a big way. GE is one of the leader and rare gem in America to dominate the whole 20th century. None have done that. They posses best of best talent in the market. But still there is no example of a business which they have acquired and which is the leader in its market. They messed up with RCA, and their finance acquisition. Yet they are king with GE capital, a blue eye child of GE.

So what make an organization successful in a specific area, while a distant runner in other area? Assets and money could be acquired but it is the knowledge which turns that asset into real business.

That why an old edge say. Give me 10 knowledgeable people and I will conquer the world.

Customer Newsletters: Are You Neglecting Yours?

arvind@nuttymarketer.com (Arvind Kumar) — Tue, 03 Jan 2006 00:38:29 PST

Have I got News for You. . .

Just like your oldest jeans, your existing customers can be relied on to perform, but are they in need of a bit of love and attention? They�??re your best source of business, so don�??t let them down.

Tell me what you want

I recently surveyed some newsletter readers, asking them to rate its content. Staff profiles and company news barely scraped into the top 40. What was the number one demand from these cynical readers? Special offers and new products.

What about what the company wants? It�??s usually two things: to improve the corporate image (strengthening loyalty), and to make more sales.

But it�??s not impossible to combine all three goals.

Relationship Building

At its best a newsletter can be intimate, warm and friendly �?? like a phone call from an old friend. And with luck, this warm fuzzy feeling will send your customers straight to their wallets...

The award-winning smoothie company innocent sends out email newsletters that are just like a witty note from a good friend. The newsletter is a fabulous read, and brightens up rainy Monday mornings without pushing any products.

Think of it as a first date. What are your reader�??s interests? What will you talk about and what sort of person will you be? Chatty or formal? Humorous or technical? Casual or sophisticated? Old or young �?? or young-at-heart?

Think about how your brand is already perceived and what sort of voice you should use to address your customers. If you�??re not using a copywriter, is there somebody in-house who is the same age or level of expertise as your customers? Run it by them first.

Why not identify competitors who are already producing newsletters and sign up to see how they�??re pitched?

Humour is one of the best ways to get your customers on side. Don�??t take yourself too seriously �?? this isn�??t an advert or a press release. Start with the relationship-building, and work up to the selling later.

Basic News Writing

Here�??s a crash course in writing news.

�?� The pyramid technique is used by journalists every day. The story is set up like a pyramid, with the most important message in the first line, and the detail gradually being introduced as people read.

�?� The first line must be simple and attention-grabbing. The pyramid technique involves picking out the key benefit and opening with it. In other words, instead of this: Between April and July this year, Hodson�??s Organics was reviewed by an independent panel of auditors, who reported that our apples were 50% cheaper than supermarkets and vegetables were over 60% cheaper.

...This first sentence should read: Hodson�??s vegetables are 60% cheaper than supermarket organics, according to a recent audit.

The next sentence will provide detail about the secondary findings, and the following sentence will explain the time period and the auditors�?? role. Readers lose interest more quickly than you might think �?? so don�??t tease them!

�?� Pop in some quotes

If there�??s a human-interest angle to your story, that�??s what you should lead with. After all, this is supposed to be an interesting newsletter, not just a sales tool. Quotes and photos from key figures will brighten it up and give the story credibility �?? take a look at any newspaper to see this technique in use.

�?� Photos

You don�??t have to hire a press photographer! Recently one company�??s sales staff were heading off for world trips. They were instructed to take some pictures of anything exciting they saw or did. When they got back there were tonnes of great stories and pics for the newsletter!

�?� Relevant subheadings

Help people to pick out the bits they want to read. This is vital in a newsletter �?? especially when readers are trying to skip over the adverts!

Adding Value in an Instant

Try:

�?� Staff articles or cartoons
�?� Web links for further information (Lastminute.com use this trick)
�?� Expert articles (look at Crocus)
�?� Celebrity endorsements (see Figleaves)
�?� Competitions �?? even a small prize usually works (innocent smoothies
�?� Cut-out coupons

Tip-top Feature Ideas

Awards and reviews of the company or products
Gifts or recipes for special occasions (seasonal �?? if relevant)
Company fundraising (what did you do for Children in Need?!)
Staff news or profiles (but keep it short)
Product improvements
New products
Features on �??the faces behind the products�?? or where the products start life
Top sellers chart
Events (successes and future dates)
Promotions & Special Offers
Competitions
Invitation for feedback
Feedback and responses

Tips on production

Layout

�?� 5-6 articles per A4 page keeps the reader awake. Keep words, sentences and paragraphs short.

Email Newsletters

�?� The list of recipients belongs in the �??BCC�??, not the �??CC�?? field. This way nobody sees anybody else�??s address.

�?� Think carefully about what to put in the subject line. It shouldn�??t be too long and it shouldn�??t be something vague like �??December Update�??. I delete anything with a remotely odd subject-header these days, to avoid emails about sex toys and African widows�?�

�?� Link to the newsletter on your web page (Because lots of email servers will send a huge attachment straight back)

�?� Provide a functional link for unsubscribing. (Just make the newsletter dazzling enough to convince them not to.)

Recipients

�?� Your own customer list is heaps better than buying in a list of names. Allow people to opt-out easily �?? and don�??t send out the newsletter too often �?? you risk becoming a stalker-by-mail�?�

THIS ARTICLE FIRST APPEARED IN 'CATALOGUES TODAY', 2004

Anna Hinds is a UK-based freelance copywriter, specialising in websites, catalogues and newsletters. Find out more at http://www.copyqueen.co.uk

The Web Can Wait

arvind@nuttymarketer.com (Arvind Kumar) — Mon, 02 Jan 2006 22:11:29 PST

"Web site, Web site," seems to be the magic marketing mantra every Net wannabe is chanting these days. Encouraged by dozens of born-yesterday web site providers, thousands of companies--from one-person shops to corporations that should know better--are leaping onto the Web with few specific goals and even less preparedness. One firm I know spent weeks preparing a Web site and actually launched it before it dawned on them that they needed a credit card merchant account to process orders from the site. As dozens of orders came in, our Web-happy friends found out that credit card merchant accounts can be difficult to get for firms doing business on the Web.

Another firm I know offered a discount for Web orders but didn't bother to tell its telephone operators about it. People called to check on the status of their orders and got people who knew nothing about the special deal. Many other firms are planning to hit the Web without even a rudimentary understanding of e-mail, discussion groups, or other online marketing weapons. Few of these Web-obsessed marketers stop to wonder how the orders will get to them (e-mail, usually), and few think through the process of taking an electronic order, confirming it, and fulfilling it quickly.

Unless you're an old hand at Net basics like participating in discussion groups, using e-mail, and transferring files, take the Net one step at a time.

* If you're worried about somebody stealing your pet domain name, then by all means register it now. Registering a domain name doesn't mean you have to put it to use in a Web site right away. Instead, pick a discussion group and start participating.

* Come up with a good e-mail signature and add it to your discussion postings, and then you'll be able to practice sending e-mail to people who write you asking for more information.

* Try posting an ad or announcement on an online service's classified area, or on a commercially-oriented discussion group like those in the biz.marketplace hierarchy. Lots of companies take dozens of orders a week from ads like these without a Web presence at all.

* Visit as many Web sites as possible, and pay attention to what you like and don't like about them.

By starting small, you'll hone your Net skills so they're second nature. You'll refine your message so it's just right before you start attacking on major fronts like the Web. And further, you'll pick up lots of free information as you go along about how to avoid mistakes others have made.

The Web is growing incredibly fast by every estimate, but it'll still be there in six months. In fact, secure transfers and seamless video and audio will be that much easier to do by then. So unless you're already getting all you can out of simpler online marketing measures (and I'll be you're not), let the Web wait until you're ready to launch a presence that does your business proud.