If you have a business merchant account you will not have to chase down outstanding debt. The cost is not that high and you don’t have to buy traditional credit card processing equipment. Now they have what is called a lab terminal, which allows you to use your web browser to manage the transactions. The systems are completely secure and most business merchant account providers team up with larger companies that offer great advantages.

Costco’s Business Merchant Account
One of the biggest secrets we learned about business merchant accounts is that Costco provides a fantastic deal on credit card processing through Nova Systems. It’s such a great deal it can actually pay for your entire Costco membership. Here are some particulars:
All of the monthly statement and gateway fees are waived – savings of $25 – $50 per month
Very competitive discount rates on Visa and MasterCard.
You can add on processing for American Express and Discover – you will find that even though American Express transaction fees are higher, it is a very popular card with small businesses.
The charges billed are transferred quickly and directly into your business bank account – this is a lot faster than doing your billing or invoicing once a week or so.

Paypal

Paypal is a popular alternative to traditional business merchant accounts. Paypal is very easy to set up and the set up is free. There are restrictions though on what you can do and how you can withdraw your money. The largest drawback is the negative connotation of being an ebay related service where people sell garage sale stuff as a hobby.

The Bottom Line on Business Merchant Accounts

Business merchant accounts will help you get paid faster. There are fees involved but the customer convenience and no hassle approach to receiving your money make it worthwhile. There are different business merchant accounts available so do your homework and choose the one that makes the best sense for you.

Copyright MMI-MMVI, Small Biz Tech Talk. All Worldwide Rights Reserved. {Attention Publishers: Live hyperlink in author resource box required for copyright compliance}

Business Merchant Account – Get One is a post from: Smooth Move Marketing

Online jewelry sales in the U.S. market hit $2.45 billion in 2006, an increase of 20 percent from 2005, according to data from IDEX Online Research. Online sales comprised 3.9 percent of all jewelry sales of $63.0 billion in 2006. For those who fear that it is unsafe or unwise to purchase watches online, this should provide comfort and reassurance. With outstanding return policies and quality guarantees, consumers can rest assured that even if their purchase is not exactly what they hoped, they can return or exchange the watch for something more to their liking. Online security is so advanced that there is little risk of information getting into the wrong hands. Shoppers are encouraged, however, to read both the return policy and guarantees are before submitting their order.

One website that has built an excellent reputation for quality and customer service is KenmarWatches.com. Kenmar Watches has been selling wristwatches on the internet since 1997, and carries well over 125 brands. They offer 100% customer satisfaction and you can even receive your new watch in 24 hours or less.

Styles Of Wrist Watches

While there is a wide variety of watches on offer today, the general categories of watch are listed below. Keep in mind that many of today’s watches blur the line between one type and another, so when buying a watch online, the information provided here should be used only as a general reference.

Dress Watches: Keep it simple. One rule of thumb is to consider what would look best if you were standing on the red carpet at an awards ceremony. Dress watches are often thin, plain, and crafted from a precious metal, such as gold or platinum.

Designer Watches: Often, by the time a person has made a name for themselves in the watch world, they previously made a name for themselves in some other medium. This is not always the case, however, and there are scores of designers who specialize solely in wrist watches (such as Longines, Pulsar, Seiko, and Tissot), but by-and-large designer Wrist Watches are created by other popular fashion, furniture or accessories designers, including Anne Klein, Betsey Johnson, Dolce & Gabbana, DKNY, Ed Hardy, Armani, Fendi, Gucci, and Locman.

Sports Watches: As the name implies, sports wrist watches are often rugged and frequently display bells and whistles such as a stopwatch (“chronograph”) or waterproofing. Many sports watches are water-resistant to some degree, and nearly always have large, prominent hands. Two important sub-categories are Diver and Pilot watches.

Which Watch Wrist Watch?

Probably the most important thing to consider when buying a watch is personal style. Beyond that, one might consider whether or not the prospective owner has other watches. If this is to be the bearer’s only watch, it is best to go with a simple sports model, one that will not be out of place at the gym, but will look equally appropriate at a job interview. When shopping for a watch online, look into the website’s return policy, in case you and the watch recipient have different tastes and styles!

The next consideration is size. Watches have gotten bigger and bigger in recent years. When you Buy Watches online, be sure to read the description for exact measurements. If you already own a watch, compare the size of that timepiece to the ones you are looking at on the internet. However, a good return policy at an online vendor (such as KenmarWatches.com) can ensure that even if the size is too large or too small, the watch can be returned for a more comfortable size.

If you are purchasing a watch online to give as a gift, many websites offer wrapping and gift options, including allowing the gift recipient to exchange for a watch of their specific choosing. This is one more reason why more and more people buy watches online.

Buy Watches Online is a post from: Smooth Move Marketing

That leads me to a huge pet peeve: Sending out press releases via e-mail to a list of editors. From my experience it’s never – ever – worked. I no longer try it and suggest you don’t either. It’s a waste of your time and all of the editors. Instead:

1. Focus on a handful of your “dream publications.” For me, I’d like to get into Fortune Small Business, Entrepreneur magazine and the Wall Street Journal. When picking your publications, think of your target audience. What do they read and why do they read it?

2. Pick the section you’d like to appear in. You never know, but chances are you won’t appear on the cover of the publication in your first attempt at placement, instead, focus on sidebars, resource listings and short news sections. Almost all print pubs have them. Look at it as the waiting room for bigger and better stories on the unique products and/or services you offer.

3. Find out who the editor is. Once you have your section, find out who’s in charge of it. You’ll need the person’s name, e-mail address and the most important element of successfully getting placed in the publication . . .

4. Learn what the editor needs. The number one thing you’ll need to know about the editors you’re targeting is the kind of information they want to publish in their sections. There are two ways to do that: You could ask, but then that could open up a can of worms if the editor doesn’t want to get calls – and most don’t. Or, you could compare a few back issues of the publication to find out what they’ve published in the past.

5. Create the pitch. You’ll want to start your pitch by stating your understanding of the editor’s needs. Then list – in clear bullet points – how your news fits his or her requirements. Note: Always leave your phone number in the text of the pitch e-mail to give the editor easy access to you – and your story.

6. Repeat steps 1 through 5 until you get a response. Sound tedious? Maybe. But at least the time you spend on this will reap much better results than sending one release out to thousands of editors – right along with other business people hungry for coverage.

Bottom line: It’s about building relationships with editors. And the only way to build a relationship is to find the need and fill it – consistently and considerately.

Your 6-Step Plan For Press Release Placement is a post from: Smooth Move Marketing

According to Kosciewicz, the Web today has grown into an “architecture of participation” that facilitates social networking through devices such as blogs, wikis, RSS, podcasts, and more. Forrester Research has published studies that show that traditional marketing is continuing to lose credibility. For example, in 2002, 78% of respondents in a survey said that ads are a good way to learn about a new product. In 2004, that number had dropped to 46%. In 2002, 14% of respondents agrees that companies generally tell the trust. As pathetic as 14% is, in 2004, it had declined even further – down to 7%. Social networking as a means of marketing overcomes this lack of consumer trust because it relies on the word of the consumer rather than the word of the producer. Research from Datamonitor reported that 85% of repondents in a survey indicated that word-of-mouth from friends, family, or colleagues is more trustworthy than corporate-generated content.

So how do you take advantage of social networking to sell more product? Simple – you open yourself up. You plant the seeds of a community to grow up around your site by using devices such as blogs, customer reviews, and forums to give a voice to your customers or prospective customers. The caveat is that you must be high quality. You must have high quality service and a high quality product. If not, avoid this marketing method.

Kosciewicz outlined four important rules for using social networking on your web site:

1. Guide but don’t control.
2. Never censor.
3. Don’t be afraid of the negative.
4. Don’t be paranoid.

If you open up a forum on your site but then restrict what people are allowed to say, such as removing posts that are negative toward your company or that mention your competitors, then you will do more damage than good to your reputation. Use negativity as a way to improve your business. If people are negative, look at that as feedback and act on it. Make changes, and then let your community know about it. Don’t worry about your community talking about your competition. Your attitude has to be that you are the best, so why worry about it?

As a community develops around your web site, certain members will establish themselves as more influential than others. They will be more outspoken, and will be the ones who often respond to others. Cultivate these members, because they can be powerful allies. Once you have identified the more influential members of your community, contact them regularly, give them free product, become their friend. Feed your influencers information, and they will distribute it for you. But do not make it appear that you are only interested in them because they can help you sell stuff. You need to be genuine.

Measuring the impact of social networking is difficult. Unlike other forms of marketing, there is no direct connect between social networking activity and sells. What you will want to do is track traffic to pages such as customer reviews, referral links, etc.

Social networking can be a powerful marketing tool, if you have a high quality product and are not afraid of an open dialogue with your customers.

If you would like help implementing a social networking strategy for your web site, call Work Media at 1-888-299-4837 or email info@workmedia.net.

Profiting From Online Social Networking is a post from: Smooth Move Marketing

William Thomas Pecora, NJ was awarded with the Charles H. K. Halsey Scholarship that earned him a thousand dollars of annual scholarship at the Princeton University. Pecora was awarded with a bachelor’s degree from the Princeton University in the year 1933 where he majored in subjects like Geology and Geological engineering. Later on, after the completion of his graduation degree he stayed back at the Princeton University itself as a teacher in Geology.

William Thomas Pecora, NJ worked as a field assistant to Mr. Erling Dorf who was an American geologist like him as well. They worked together on the subject of Paleozoic stratigraphy in a place called Montana. In 1935, Pecora joined the Harvard University to do graduate studies on petrography and optical mineralogy. He had received a grant from the Holden Fund as a means of finance for his field work in the period between 1937 and 1939. The location of the fieldwork was the western fringe on the mountains named Bear Paw. The petrologic study about the Boxelder laccolith was the subject of his doctorate thesis. It was in the year 1940 that he received his Ph. D. degree from the famous Harvard University.

William Thomas Pecora, NJ was also the intercollegiate champion in fencing of United States in the year 1933. He was sent to Germany in the year 1936 as a member of the United States Olympic fencing team to the Summer Olympics held in Berlin. He was married to Ethelwyn Elizabeth Carter who was from the Franklin County in Kentucky on the 7^th of April in the year 1947. The couple had two children William Carter Pecora and Ann Stewart Pecora who were born in the years 1949 and 1953 respectively.

William Thomas Pecora, NJ died on July the 19^th in the year 1972 at the George Washington University Hospital after he underwent a surgery for diverticulitis in the month previous to the one he actually died.

Background Of William Thomas Pecora, NJ is a post from: Smooth Move Marketing

You’ve just cleaned out the attic and straightened up the garage. You’ve identified items you no longer need, but they certainly have a cash value to them. You could really use the money, but you don’t want to post the information on eBay. What to do? You create a classified ad!

Unlike in times past, the classified advertisement you run with your local paper will more than likely have exposure beyond the printed copy. Smart newspaper publishers, knowing the inroads that the internet has had on their businesses, now allow advertisers to have a copy of their advertisement appear online. This is important as newspaper readership is dropping rapidly as internet usage continues to climb sharply. Still, a printed copy is smart especially if the classified ad section of your local paper is popular.

When designing your ad, you need to come up with an eye grabbing title. The title you choose will help the reader decide whether they want to read more or continue scanning their eyes toward other ads.

List the item you are offering for sale predominately within the name of the title. If you have several items to sell, consider a catchy title such as, “30 Year Contents of Attic” which will indicate to readers that you probably have antiques. If you state, “Assorted Sporting Goods” you will attract people who are looking for a bowling ball, fishing equipment, children’s toys, etc. The key is attracting the reader and encouraging them to read your ad.

Beyond the title, the following five points will help you in your campaign:

1. Be descriptive The clearer you present what you have to offer for sale, the better your responses will be.

2. Do not abbreviate Not everyone understands what an abbreviation means. Spell it out and erase all doubt!

3. Specify the price Particularly if you are selling just one item, list the amount you want for that item.

4. Highlights I like ads that stand out. If the newspaper offers decorative symbols, characters, or fonts use them to draw the reader’s eyes to your listing.

5. Ad campaign One day listings only work for popular items. Do you believe your item will sell if you list it for just one day? If you list it longer, you can always cancel the ad. Remember to find out what the newspaper’s policy is about online ads too. Your buyer may only see the ad online.

Some newspapers will design the ad for you, if you find writing ad copy to be a difficult task. Not everyone is gifted in writing clear, concise copy. If they want your business, they should be happy to provide this service.

5 Print Ad Essentials! is a post from: Smooth Move Marketing

One of the main forces driving the increasing need for team building exercises is the changing nature of the workforce itself. At an ever increasing rate, company resources are being allocated with scarce margin for error. Companies simply are not hiring or they are doing so only after the need is so acute that it can no longer be ignored. Even then, it can take weeks, even months, before the Human Resources department can add additional personnel and get them through the process.

The need for team building has become so severe because resources are so very scarce. Businesses had the luxury in years past to completely dedicate personnel to projects which arose throughout the year. In these razor thin times, the only option to contend with projects such as accounting changes, new product line launch, software upgrades and training—any issue that is out of the norm but significantly demands time and resources—is to create teams out of existing resources.

Team building is now a critical factor in Corporate America. Specialists from an assortment of departments from within the company are asked to dedicate a portion of their time to complete various projects throughout the year. The people chosen to form these teams depends upon the nature of the project itself. Different projects will demand different skills and personnel. People must constantly immerse themselves in these teams and bring their particular skill set and experience to the table and help solve the “big picture” issue.

Team building training is a crucial aspect in having the quality personnel in place when special projects arise throughout the year. It is impossible to just throw together various people with different skills and expect them to cooperate and come up with a solution to a problem. People have always required addition training to acquire additional skills. Team building training gives employees the tools they need to better work together in high stress, demanding projects and complete them in the time frames allotted.

Team building training needs to be continuous and updated and practiced regularly in order to keep people effective during projects. A training specialist or human resources professional should conduct all team building training as they have the skills and experience necessary to improve group productivity.

Anything But Team Building is a post from: Smooth Move Marketing

A closer look at work from home is a post from: Smooth Move Marketing

What is the primary reason your customers or clients come to you? Or purchase your product or service? What is the Number One problem you solve for them? Do you know? Are you certain? If you don’t, your marketing could be missing the mark, and you could be missing out on sales.

Uncovering Your “Key Selling Point”

This is the Single Marketing Message that is the central message in all of your communications about your business, product or service. It can be difficult for small business owners to determine what their single marketing message should be. Why? Because they are too close to their business. And, because they are viewing their business from their side of the desk.

Keeping your marketing customer-focused can be a challenge

Even if we know we should be looking at our business from our customers’ perspective, it’s often easier said than done. As a result, it is easy to get caught up in all the amazing features of our product or service and the reasons we THINK our clients are attracted or are buying.

But sometimes our vantage point is clouded by our own perceptions and beliefs. And those perceptions and beliefs may be inaccurate. So how do you pinpoint the real reason customers are attracted to your product or service and the true reasons they are choosing to buy?

There is an easy way to stay on track

Very simply, YOU ASK THEM! Okay, I know it seems obvious, but you’d be surprised how often we don’t think of the obvious.

Your prospects and customers (and yes, even your rejecters — those who visit but don’t buy) can provide great insights about the benefits they value most in your product or service and why they chose to buy.

Whether you have a lot of customers or only a few

You don’t have to have a large customer or prospect base to do some research to see if you are on track. Even if you only have a handful of clients or customers, contact them and ask them what they like most about your product or service.

Talk to your Clients or Customers

(1) What is the one thing that got them to purchase?

(2) Have you delivered on that promise?

(3) What do they like least about your product or service?

(4) How could you improve your product or service?

(5) What else (in your business category) do they have a need for?

(6) How else could you help them be successful, be happier, or solve whatever problem your product or service solves for them?

Talk to your Rejecters

If you choose to survey rejecters (which I have done very successfully for years for one of my clients) find out why they DIDN’T buy.

(1) Ask them what product or service they bought instead of yours? And why?

(2) Ask them what that competing product or service offered that yours did not?

(3) Ask if there is anything you could do to get their business in the future? Product or service changes, additions, deletions?

Talk to your Prospects

Do you have a list of prospects — those who have expressed an interest in your product or service but have not yet purchased? Perhaps they have subscribed to your newsletter or ezine.

(1) Ask them for feedback on your newsletter or ezine content.

(2) What topics are they interested in learning more about?

(3) How can you help them to be more successful, happier, etc?

(4) Find out what they want and who they are

And in all three cases — Clients/Customers, Rejecters, and Prospects — if it seems appropriate, ask for a little information about who they are. Age, gender, profession, where they live, how much they typically spend in your product or service category.

This will help you get a better understanding of your target audience and you’ll know if you’re attracting the kind of people you thought would be interested in your product or service. And if you need to change your marketing strategy to reach a different audience, or to perhaps change your target audience.

It will help you better serve them

The more you can learn about your prospects and customers the better you can serve them. And the more effectively you can market to them.

You may be in for a surprise

I’ve had clients tell me they thought they knew why people were buying from them until they asked. And what they heard surprised and shocked them.

Very often what you hear can help you zero-in on a Unique Selling Proposition that you never thought of. And because it came from the mouths of your customers you know it is compelling and effective.

Don’t change everything based on a few opinions

My only caution is if you only have a handful of customers or prospects to survey, don’t make any major changes or decisions until you are able to validate your findings among a larger group of people.

Or at least test any changes you do make before making a final decision to overhaul your entire business or marketing plan. Common sense is the rule here. Just use your own good judgment and don’t over-react to comments made by only a handful of people.

You can ask in a number or ways – Choose what works for you

There are any number of ways to collect research from your prospects and customers. You can telephone them, email them, mail them a written questionnaire, or you can meet with them in a group (called a focus group) to collect their opinions.

You can be as formal or informal as you feel comfortable. Typically the larger number of clients you survey, the more formal the survey. If you have only a handful of people to talk to, simply pick up the phone and call them.

Don’t be afraid to ASK

Don’t be afraid to ask for opinions on your products or services or how you can serve your clients better. What you find out could be extremely valuable in helping you to build and grow your business.

Don’t forget to say “thank you”

You will also want to consider offering an incentive to encourage your prospects and clients to participate or respond. A bonus, such as a special report, or a discount on a future purchase is a nice way to show your appreciation for them taking the time to respond to your survey.

(C) 2005 Debbie LaChusa

Customers: The Key To Successful Marketing is a post from: Smooth Move Marketing

It’s important to note that when you establish a fixed price contract you do that with a customer – not a client. Until a customer has proven that they’ll be with you through the duration they are a transaction related customer. They are not a long-term client yet. When you first start out with somebody if you set up a price fixed contract the customer will be a lot more receptive because they perceive lower risk.

This perception may mean a lower margin for you because your fixed price contract is less per hour than you normally charge. Don’t worry about this. The more important objective here is to turn this customer into a client after you have established the willingness and ability to pay.

Fixed Price Contract Conditions

Doing price fixed contract work is only viable if you have very a defined project. It is very difficult to do with an emergency service call. You don’t know what you’re walking into. Keep that in mind. Don’t do foolish things like committing yourself to spend three days on a server rebuild for a fixed rice contract of $250.

Include in every fixed price contract two or three sentences that explain that it is subject to credit approval. If you grant credit, always leave yourself an out if they refuse to give you a credit application or the credit application is incomplete. This first fixed price contract is the riskiest. Because of this you want to do things that are in your own best interests.

The Bottom Line on Fixed Price Contracts

The key thing to remember with fixed price contracts is that you are more likely to get stuck with the first bill with a new customer than anywhere else. Use fixed price contracts as way to entice new customers and to lower your risk of nonpayment. Your goal is to turn these fixed price contract customers into long term clients but first you need to know how willing and able they are to pay their bills.

Copyright MMI-MMVI, Computer Consulting 101. All Worldwide Rights Reserved. {Attention Publishers: Live hyperlink in author resource box required for copyright compliance}

Fixed Price Contracts For First Time Customers is a post from: Smooth Move Marketing