Identity Crisis

2012-01-27T09:05:00.000-08:00

Get Inside Your Web Site Visitor's Head

A customer said to me recently about Google Analytics on your website, which gave her some very valuable information about what people are clicking on arrival to the home page. I recommend it in this way, the level of analysis, which is much more than most people. But even if you did not go in this area, you can still do a lot to understand Web site visitors and keep them on track.
The secret is to understand that anyone who visits the Web site asks four basic questions:

    Why me? Why is the right fit for me?
    Why so? What are the benefits for me?
    Why? What is your right to make these claims?
    Why now? What is urgent for me to act?
They must answer all four questions before they want to buy (regardless of the "shopping" means for your business - such as buying a product, calling you, the booking deadline, the registration of events ,...).
So let's look at these four questions ...
Why Me (Fit)?
If you have never seen a Web site before their first question is whether they are even in place at all. So the home page should clearly identify the ideal site visitors and demonstrate their understanding of their problems and aspirations.
It sounds simple, but it's amazing how many websites do not do!
Look on the homepage now and ask yourself whether a site visitor first or the first time. As for you, change it!
Why is it (benefits)?
After they assured that they are in the right place, which then look for evidence that it is worth digging deeper. The next step is to clearly define the benefits of your offerings.
If you know what you are looking for products and services, the home can lead directly to sales letters or flyers for these victims. If you think you need more convincing, on the home page should lead to high-quality content that addresses their concerns, further explains how you can solve them, and then leads them to the sales letters and flyers.
Why You (the Authority)?
Before deciding to invest with you (even if you are just giving their e-mail or picking up the phone), they want to know about you. Why should go over the gazillions of other options that are only a mouse click? What makes it different? Do you have the appropriate knowledge, experience and education?
Often appears in the About Me page (or About Us, if you have a team), so make sure it is well written, and demonstrates its power.
Why now (Rush)?
Finally, even if they understand the benefits and trust, there is a built-in tendency to postpone decisions. After all, if there is no urgent need to take a decision, but it may well procrastinate. So, sales letters and leaflets to explain why they should act now.
Some products have a natural built in pressure due date or limit, and in these cases, it is easy to emphasize the urgent need for action (for example, the early bird registration, sale of Christmas, with a limited number of places, and so on).
Other products do not have this natural pressure and it seems contrived when you try to create an urgent need for no logical reason. In such cases, look for ways the environment may have changed for site visitors, so something that is not a matter of urgency, in the past has become more urgent.
So how does a stack of a Web site?
It is a good hard look at the Web site - from the point of view of site visitors - and make sure you provide convincing answers to these four questions. You can be sure to discover you're on the right track, and the need for minor changes. Or may be shocked to realize how much you lose! Either way, you can find this useful exercise.
Gihan Perera is the coach of the Internet for speakers, trainers, consultants and other professionals. He is the author of "Fast, Flat and Free: How the Internet has changed Your Business". Visit http://GihanPerera.com and get free e-books, seminars and more.

2012-01-27T08:58:00.001-08:00

2012-01-26T12:24:00.001-08:00

Living on the margin, in any capacity is not healthy. If you make $50K and you live to your means and spend $50K then there is no room or margin for error. In other words, when those inevitable breakdowns happen, you get stressed and have to scramble for the extra money making life a little tougher. Doesn't the dishwasher or your car transmission fail at the worst times? Typically, as we make more money, we spend more money because isn't that the reason we strived to make more money in the first place? It's definitely a consumer mindset we are all vulnerable to and upon which the media and advertising directly focuses on since it's our obvious weakness.
Networking on the margin is equally as stressful and detrimental as living on the financial margin. You go out to events, shake hands, pass out cards, chit chat and move on to the next event. Once you go to one mixer, sure enough you will be invited to others and as you gain momentum, you will see your weekdays and nights filling up with events. At first you feel great; most of us are animals that by nature like to be included in groups because it strengthens our sense of belonging and self esteem but soon you find yourself with no "down time" to follow up and strengthen those valuable relationships which you made so much effort to initiate in the first place. The margin allows for those spontaneous meetings which often come up because someone wants to review an idea or project with you. How can you have time for those unplanned events when you're rushing around from one group meeting to the next? If you try to squeeze everything in then you end up short changing your business and family because you won't have enough energy to juggle all of it. Networking and allowing yourself time to follow up, make calls and spontaneously set up meetings with key contacts is only possible when you have allotted scheduled gaps of time to be free.
The margin in your life, whether it's financial, networking, relationships or whatever you invest your energy into is that gap of resources which you don't allocate and leave open and free to allow for the unplanned events which happen in life. My feeling is that special things happen in the "margin" because since circumstances and our energies are always shifting, it always you to accommodate for those events in a stress-free fashion. Living below your means, only keeping a handful of close relationships near you, networking within your capacity to follow up and build strong relationships makes life much more manageable and productive.

Lester M. Salvatierra has 15 years experience as a licensed Finance Specialist with First U.S. Finance. He helps small to mid-size companies lease or finance a wide variety of equipment and special projects nationwide. He is passionate about referral marketing and is a business networking coach in Ventura County, California. Sign up now to follow his business networking blog at: http://theRogueNetworker.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lester_Salvatierra

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6838502

2012-01-26T12:23:00.001-08:00

The Chinese New Year is symbolized by a new animal zodiac, determined by a 12-year cycle. Today starts the Year of the Dragon, considered a very auspicious year. In ancient times the dragon was a symbol reserved for the Chinese emperor, and it is considered to be an extremely powerful sign. Chinese New Year celebrations traditionally lasts 15 days, from the first day (during a new moon) to the 15th day (a full moon). The Chinese like to align their actions with cosmic forces (astrology).
This year is considered lucky for marriage, babies and businesses. Many Chinese couples are having fertility treatments so that they can have a Dragon baby. In Chinese culture, the Dragon is a symbol of good fortune and intense charismatic power.
This is a year when we may be able to achieve what seemed impossible before. Abundant good energy is available however, make sure you manage your energy wisely, so you don't get exhausted.
It is also a good year to take financial risks as good returns are to be expected, especially so if you are born in the Year of the Dragon - 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, and 2012.
The People born in the Chinese Year of the Dragon are free spirited creatures who believe that rules and regulations are for other people. Naturally confident and very fearless, they are usually very successful.
They're passionate in all they do and they do things to the best of the ability in a grand fashion. Unfortunately, this passion and enthusiasm can leave Dragons feeling exhausted and interestingly, unfulfilled.
Always one to lend a helping hand to those who need it, a Dragon's pride can mean that they are often unwilling to ask for or accept help from others.
Millions of ethnic Chinese, Koreans and Vietnamese across Asia are ringing in the new year with fireworks, feasting and family reunions.
This is a good time of the year to do some cleansing. Take a three day detox using green juices, super foods or try the Master Cleanse. Have a detox bath with Epsom salts and your favorite essential oil. Visit a sauna or a mineral bath at your local spa.
From Beijing to Los Angeles to Sydney, people hoping for good luck in the Year Of The Dragon are visiting temples and lighting incense, cleaning house and setting off firecrackers, celebrating with banquets and watching street performances. Why not take advantage of this auspicious year and set some big goals for 2012?

Alchemy Wellness offers a full suite of products and services for peak mental and physical performance, detoxification and rejuvenation. Our focus is on programs that cleanse and energize using organic, wild-crafted superfoods and cutting edge nutraceuticals, and energy medicine. If you are ready for radiant health sign up for our free report.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Josse_J._Ford

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6838408

2012-01-25T13:20:00.000-08:00

Innovation cannot exist on its own - it must be twinned with strong marketing strategy and support. To explain why I say this, I have devised a chart with a catchy acronym of WMNC (Wants, Marketing, Needs, Competition).
There is a difference between what users think they want and what they actually need. You can see this in the choice of clothes we wear, the properties we try to buy and even in the friends that we keep. This of course provides rich pickings for style based TV programmes and personalities such as 'What Not to Wear' (Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine) and Location Location Location (Phil Spencer and Kirstie Allsopp).
But the problem is that customers will only buy your product if they actually want it. It needs to go beyond the recognition that the product is needed. Products can be sold to those who want them but not necessarily to those who need them regardless of the level of innovation. This is where marketing comes in. Marketing plays the role of ensuring that the message gets across such that the customer actually wants what they need.
What if the customer already wants your product? Does that not solve the problem and therefore reduce the need for marketing? Yes, it solves one problem, but then creates another one. If the customer already wants your product and knows that they need it too, the chances are that there will be a fair amount of competition in the market already. Hence your product will not actually be innovative, but more of a "Me Too" product.
You can chart your new product idea onto a table where needs and wants are opposite ends of the vertical axis and marketing and innovation are opposite ends of the horizontal axis. Now create a quadrangle between 4 points (one on each of the branches of the 2 axes. In example 1 the need for the product and the desire are strong, but there is little competition and it is not expected that a great amount of marketing would be needed to reach the intended volume of sales. This is an ideal situation and should be exploited as quickly as possible. The quadrangle is a thin diamond shape in line with the vertical axis.
Example 2 is the opposite. Here there is strong market competition, but a weak need and little demand. This would require a significant amount of marketing to make the project worthwhile, and is perhaps best left for the competitors to fight over. The quadrangle is again thin, but this time in line with the horizontal axis.
In reality your new products are likely to be a mixture of both, but it is well worth keeping this relationship in mind and looking for ways that you can shift your WMNC distribution to be thinner and taller as in example 1.
So here I leave you with the challenge of coming up with new product innovations which will match example 1 and a further challenge to come up with a better acronym than WMNC!
Enjoy the opportunity!

FREE download:
"Taming New Product Development - 60 top tips to maximise the effectiveness of your new product development activities"
http://www.TamingNewProductDevelopment.co.uk

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Daniel_Rowntree

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6840243

2012-01-25T13:16:00.000-08:00

Although the laws vary from state to state, garnishment is a tool used by creditors to satisfy the indebtedness of an employee. It is a court order so it should never be ignored by the person or company receiving it. If you as the employer fail to comply with it you can be held responsible for your employee debts.
For this reason you need to be fully aware of the standard methods for dealing with a garnishment. You also need to be careful with the actions you take if you are ever served with one.
Always Answer A Court Order
When a garnishment is served upon an employer, the court usually provides paperwork that the employer must complete and return. Even if the employee no longer works for the company, the employer must file an answer with the court and explain why the company is not able to comply with it. In some states, employers who fail to answer can become responsible for the employee's debt by default.
Do Not Fire the Employee
Unless the company has a written policy stating that wage garnishment is a terminable offense, employers should not fire an employee if this happens for the first time. The Consumer Protection Act (CCPA) prohibits the firing of an employee due to one single garnishment, and some states offer additional protections to citizens. This protection may not extend to an employee who has accumulated multiple debts and is sued by many creditors.
Types of Repayment
A non-continuing garnishment has to be completed in one single payment regardless of the amount. This can be difficult to bear for someone with an average salary.
A continuing garnishment is spread over several months and remains in effect until the debt is paid in full, so this may require multiple payments.
The type determines what percentage of disposable earnings is allowed to be deducted. This may also vary by state.
States With Restrictions
Pennsylvania, South Carolina, North Carolina and Texas do not allow garnishment for creditor debts. However, all states do allow it for tax liens, student loan defaults, child support, and in some cases, alimony.
Many employers are unaware of the laws surrounding wage garnishment, especially the fact that ignoring a court order could make them liable for the employee's debt.
Therefore, it is important to understand the laws in the states where your business operates to be sure that your company complies with them.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6840216