|
Archives
July 15, 2010
Important Techniques You Must Master... Two Vital Steps for
Thriving in This Economy... What Have You Done for Me
Lately?... Get to Know the Latest Digital Tools for Info
Marketers...
and More.
Important Techniques You Must Master
By Adrian Newman, Founder of e-Wealth Daily
Today, I want to share with you a few ways you could quickly
spot money-saving opportunities for your own business.
1. Separate your wants from your needs. Does your business
really need all that expensive high-tech equipment? Or do you
just want to have it? Ask yourself this for each and every
expense your business has. While there are plenty of things you
simply can't do without, there are also plenty of things you
don't need to get by. Waiting a little longer to make huge
upgrades that aren't essential or decorating your office are ways
to save money for more necessary items.
2. Know that the sticker price is just a suggestion. Suppliers
know that businesses can provide them with a steady stream of
income. This makes them far more open to negotiating prices if
they see you as a long-term client. Always ask for pricing
alternatives and bulk discounts. You'll never get a discount if
you don't ask, and it doesn't hurt to try. Remember, you are
building a relationship with your suppliers, so the situation has
to work in favor for both you and them. Keep your promises
and honor your end of the bargain when necessary.
3. Explore your options when shopping for equipment and
supplies. There is really no end to the number of alternatives
you can find to satisfy your business needs. You can run to the
big-box office supply chain, or you can try the mom-and-pop
store nestled into a tight corner of your town. There are also
police and government auctions to explore, and even flea
markets and large liquidation warehouses can help you save
huge amounts. And don't forget to shop around online. There
are so many retailers setting up shop online that competition is
fierce and this could mean some great savings as well. By
comparing your options, you may even find that you don't have
to sacrifice quality to save a few dollars.
4. Be a stickler for detail. Running a business is certainly
expensive, but ignoring your spending habits can make it even
more costly. Track all of your spending, even on small office
items. Over time, you will probably notice patterns forming
and these can open up saving opportunities. Also know where
your supplies are going. By recycling paper clips and other
small items, you could even eliminate a few extraneous costs.
And certainly keep an eye on your utility bills. If you don't
have a thermostat that can automatically reduce your energy
consumption when your business is closed, you certainly
should get one.
Keep these suggestions in mind when you are mulling over
your business expenses. Pinching pennies is good business as
long as it doesn't interfere with your ability to satisfy your
customers.
What Have You Done for Me Lately?
By Doug D'Anna, the "Hundred-Million-Dollar Man"
You have full control over whether or not people listen to you.
If you seem to be a viable source of important, useful or
valuable information, people will listen to you. You can gain
credibility by being a friend, being charismatic and
entertaining, or being in some position of power, i.e., having
knowledge that the other person desires. You need to be able to
offer the other person some type of reward for conversing with
you.
Here are some of the methods you can employ to reward your
listener and get a positive reaction from him or her:
Know the person you are speaking to. Know what they like,
what they dislike, what they need or want, and go from there.
Remember their name and things they've told you about
themselves. Continue conversations later on based on the
things they have told you.
Be knowledgeable. If you are a good source of interesting
information, people will listen. Keep up on current events and
have a general overall acquaintance of many topics of interest.
People love to discuss sports and entertainment...find out what
suits the other person and run with it.
Do not criticize or complain. If you do this, you are only
alienating your listener and driving them away, not pulling
them toward you. Avoid an argument at all costs and never tell
someone they are wrong. Instead, tell them you have a
different opinion. Also, make sure you admit when you have
been wrong.
Let people think good ideas were theirs. This is the ultimate
sign of selflessness, and it takes a lot of practice. Every once in
a while it backfires, but take it on the chin. Semantics don't
matter. If you let the person think they are the important one,
you will win in the end through your powers of persuasion.
Keep practicing, and human nature will prevail.
Empathize with people. Put yourself in their shoes and offer
genuine compassion and concern for what they are
experiencing. Mirror their emotions. If they are happy, be
happy for them. If they are upset, sympathize. If they are
curious, discover something with them.
Challenge people. And I don't mean this in a negative, spiteful
way. I mean that healthy competition gives people the desire to
excel, as does a push to achieve more. If your neighbor says his
new dog can dance on its hind legs, say, "I'd sure like to see
that" not "Yeah, right." Find the positive in every situation
and push it to its outer limits.
Engage people. The best questions are ones that cannot be
answered with a single word or sentence. Start the discussion
and get people to volunteer their thoughts. Ask questions that
require an opinion if you really want to get people to begin
talking. Most importantly, don't interrogate.
Validate what they say to you. "Is that right?" "I see your point
of view," and "What an interesting thought" are all statements
that make the other person feel as though you are paying the
utmost attention to them.
Two Vital Steps for Thriving in This Economy
By Michael Newman, Self-made Millionaire
Most people are no stranger to money troubles, especially in
economic times such as these. However, things may not be
quite as bad as they seem when your focus is turned in the right
direction.
Staying focused on the right things may be difficult at first, but
it can be accomplished by doing a couple of simple tasks. The
first, as we discussed yesterday, is to start paying attention to
the financial matters over which you possess complete control.
These are mainly the ways you spend your money.
However, instead of just thinking about them, write them
down. This way, you can follow the next few steps I'm going to
outline much easier.
Once you've got your list together showing where your money
goes, look at them and ask yourself the questions, "Do I really
need to spend this much on these items?" and "Is there a way I
can spend less on these items (what are my alternatives)?" After inspection, you may come to find that you have
considerably more money than you thought, or draw the
blueprint for any changes you may have to make to live the
lifestyle suited to your income.
The next step is to take your findings and create a budget. A
budget can be created by estimating your monthly expenses on
goods and services, and writing them down. You'll need to
sticking to the budget. If you find your estimations were off,
you can adjust your budget accordingly. Your budget will help
to ensure that you don't overspend and can maintain the
lifestyle to which you've grown accustomed.
If you're still stressed out about money issues after taking these
steps, then take a few minutes and write down all your money
fears. When you're finished, look at them and take some time
to figure out the possible solutions to the problems you've
highlighted. Now, this may take a bit of time, but it will be all
worth it in the end, because, if your fears come true, you'll have
an idea of how to handle the situation.
Financial situations only control your life as much as you let
them. It's important to realize that you do have control over
your finances, and that the greater economic problems of the
nation are secondary to your personal economy. By managing
your own issues, you can greatly reduce the effects of the
country's economic troubles.
Get to Know the Latest Digital Tools for Info Marketers
By James Burt, Online Marketing Expert
There was a time not so long ago when people were using
typewriters, abacuses and telegrams to operate their
businesses. But then along came computers, calculators and e-mail to relieve those items of their place in the professional
world.
It's always a two-sided coin when times change in business and
new technologies and practices become the norm. On one
hand, these new developments usually make business practices
move quicker and increase productivity. On the other hand,
they often put people out of work and cause great upheavals in
whatever business you're working in. Worse, a business pro
either has to adapt to them or get a new career.
It's sad sometimes, but usually necessary. Science and
technology are there to serve people, and we've used both in
the past repeatedly to improve our health, consumption, and
business practices. The latter can really affect information
marketers, especially these days.
I've mentioned before how little you need to operate as an info
marketer. While some people get upset about how computers
and technology make life more complicated, a lot of
advancements make info marketers' jobs that much easier and
compact. The trouble is that many info marketers just aren't hip
to these new developments are. Here are a few you should take
note of:
--- Digital accounting: While doing some tutoring recently at a
language center, I checked out an education center in the same
building. They offered a two-week course on "QuickBooks." This is a digital accounting program slowly becoming the norm
with businesses and their accounting needs. If you are an info
marketer who does your own taxes and finances, "QuickBooks" or new accounting software is worth
considering. You can keep all of your info on your hard drive
and don't have to put up with stacks of papers on your desk.
--- Newer laptops: Laptops are nothing new. The briefcase-sized computer used to be the material of spy films, but they
are now a very common phenomenon. If you've already got
one, you're a true soldier of the info marketing field -- you can
write your content in a diner and send e-mails anytime. But if
you've been to a computer shop lately, laptops have changed.
They are quieter, less bulky, and have the same features of any
office grade PC. Maybe your existing laptop isn't making the
cut anymore. Perhaps it's time to slide over to the computer
shop for an upgrade or replacement. Go and check 'em out!
--- eReaders: Related to the above, laptops are so good for
anything you need these days that they are all you might need
for your info marketing business. But if you find yourself with
some freed up cash, a pocket eBook might be a good
investment. Processed word content is going from books and
magazines to pocket eBooks that people can read on the
subway and carry like an "iPod." If you think your content
might be marketable for pocket eBooks, consider getting your
hands on one to see what possibilities lie ahead. Study them
and see where they can fit into your enterprise.
--- Digital imaging: Info marketers are content people. They
need very few graphics and images for their products. Thus it's
good to know that there are a lot of programs that can help you
make your logos, headers, and images right from your own
home. And you don't have to pay for them. Programs like "Paint.net" can be downloaded and used to create/manipulate
great graphics. If you can shell out a bit of cash, programs like "Adobe Studio" have even more options for working with
images and photos.
There are even more options to be sure, but we'll save that for
another newsletter. But the message is clear: technology is not
your enemy. It can be difficult to adapt to, especially as an info
marketer, but it's often worth it to help business blossom even
more.
|
