tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70277754627493738472024-02-08T05:33:56.319-08:00Business CenterAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087441173870769813noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7027775462749373847.post-62709317675100717372012-11-04T19:31:00.000-08:002012-11-11T19:31:22.875-08:00Promote Your OnBine business<div id="article-content" style="text-align: justify;">
"In business, the competition will bite you if you keep running. If you stand still, they will swallow you." -WILLIAM NUDSEN JR<br />
Your
online business gives you the opportunity to sell products/services
cost effectively anywhere in the world but your competition has the same
opportunity. You should be forward thinking always seeking to improve
on your strength against the competition. Seek out new opportunities
and devise strategies to take advantage of these opportunities so that
your online business will stay ahead.<br />
Attract prospects/customers<br />
Online
customers have so much choice of websites,products,services and
suppliers this is why you should spend some time,effort and money to
attract customers/prospects.One of the most effective ways to attract
people is the search engines. Over 70% of online visitors use the search
engines;and a huge percentage of these people are buyers.One of your
objective in to get listed on the search engines,to make this happen you
need to make the pages on your website search friendly.<br />
Follow these tips to make your pages search frendly;<br />
1. Insert meta description tags and meta keyword tags between the head tags of your webpage:<br />
* your title tag should be between 5 and 12 words-it must contain your best keywords and also describe your site<br />
* meta description tags should be between 5 and 20 words<br />
* meta keyword tags should be between 0 and 50 words<br />
2. you should use keywords three or four times in the body of your webpage<br />
3.
Submit your website to search engines- add your site to the major
search engines/directories and monitor results. Only resubmit if your
site does not get listed. You can use automatic tools or you can
hand-submit to each site. The latter approach takes more time but at
least you can be sure your site has been submitted!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087441173870769813noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7027775462749373847.post-74816432254263190182012-10-21T19:31:00.000-07:002012-11-11T19:32:50.706-08:00High Cost of 'Not Doing<div style="text-align: justify;">
9/11, 2001 has hit a whole lot of business. But the most badly hit
was air industry. US airlines were virtually on the ground for most of
time rather than in the sky. As old adage says. Planes are safer at the
ground. But they are built to fly and that where they should be all the
time. Almost whole aircraft industry was badly hit by being grounded.
Million of jobs evaporated and billion of dollar went under drain. All
these were due to not doing anything.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Peter Drucker, in his book 'Managing for result' defines the cost point in the whole supply chain.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1. Productivity cost</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
2. Support cost</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
3. Policing</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
4. Waste or Idle time.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Drucker
accept that to some point all three cost centre productivity cost,
support cost, policing cost are imperative to any business. It takes
massive investment to produce something and market it successfully. A
corner cutting here and there can be welcomed but you can't remove any
of these three cost centre at all.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But waste rarely needs to be
analyzed. It is usually quite clear that this or that cost cannot
produce results; whether we can do anything about it is another thing.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But waste is very hard to find.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
These
fact are hidden the accounts book only. The normal available account
will not show this. You need to dig hard to find these unacceptable
costs to your product and services,</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In it services industry or any
knowledge intensive industry, major concern of any top management
people in 2001 was the bench period. As industry defines it as a time
when your know ledge worker are sitting idle in the absence of project.
This cost awesome money to any organization and pull it into big
trouble. Lucent technology faces the similar effect in 2001-02.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Although
to avoid these waste effort and tools are totally outside of
conventional approach to cost control and cost cutting. They required
major, prolonged efforts, but the fact is most cost cutting, let alone
the across-the-board cut, does not even touch waste. Yet, in business
waste is real cost centre. It required a lot of systematic planning and
organized effort to recognize a waste in the supply chain and get rid of
it.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087441173870769813noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7027775462749373847.post-25679662135529803872012-10-14T19:30:00.000-07:002012-11-11T19:30:36.453-08:00Host a Successful Fundraiser<div id="article-content" style="text-align: justify;">
Hosting a successful fundraiser is no accident. It requires
planning, commitment, and more than a little bit of salesmanship. If
this sounds like a lot of work, make no mistake about it, it is. But
it's rewarding work, it's meaningful work, and done the right way, it
can be fun work. Fundraisers present wonderful opportunities to
generate both income and good will for your organization, to raise
community awareness for your cause, and to create a sense of camaraderie
within your group. These tips are designed to help your organization
get the most from your fundraiser, in every sense of the word.<br />
When
planning your fundraiser, the first question to ask is "when?" Timing
is very important and depending on the kind of fundraiser you want to
hold, certain times of the year of the year are better than others. The
fall and spring, with their temperate weather, are wonderful seasons if
you're going door-to-door, having a bake sale, or holding a car wash.<br />
If
you're tying into a specific event like an Oktoberfest or school fair,
then the dates are predetermined, but if you're opting for the brochure
or "pre-sales" method, you have some flexibility over your schedule.
Generally speaking, a two-week period is ideal - anything longer than
that tends to be counterproductive. Avoid times that coincide with
school holidays when people may be out of town. Not only do you want to
have a lot of people around to buy your product, you want to be sure
that you'll have plenty of volunteers on hand to help.<br />
Once you've
decided when, the question becomes "what to sell?" Selecting the
product for your group to sell is in itself an art form and there are
many factors to consider. Who are your expected customers? What image
do you want to convey? If you're a sports team, perhaps you want to
choose a healthy product. If you're raising funds for Juvenile Diabetes
then obviously, you don't want to pick candy. Of course, there are
several generic products that appeal to almost everyone, such as
popcorn, gift wrap, coffee or citrus. Often an answer is suggested by
the season - spring bulbs, Halloween pumpkins, or Christmas trees or
ornaments are excellent seasonal fundraising items.<br />
The decision
of what to sell goes hand-in-hand with "what company should you choose
to provide the product?" This can seem overwhelming at first - search
the Web for fundraising companies and you'll get over 3 million pages to
sort through, and sadly, not all of these companies are reliable. Get
referrals from other groups if possible, or consult unaffiliated,
information driven websites like the Fund Raising Ideas Center for more
ideas and advice.<br />
Advance promotion is a key element of any
successful fundraiser. A week or two before the actual selling begins,
start spreading the word. Send letters home to parents and ask them to
network on your behalf. Utilize the media - almost every outlet has
some version of a Public Service Announcement that they offer free of
charge. Put up posters where it is allowed (but be sure to take them
down when your event is over).<br />
When you are ready to begin
selling, it's time to "rally the troops". Hold a kick-off session
during which you explain the financial and tangible goals - "We need to
raise $5000 for new uniforms. That breaks down to X-amount of sales per
person." Make sure that the tangible reason (the new uniforms, the
trip to Paris, the care packages for troops stationed overseas) is part
of the sales pitch. If you're working with a fundraising company that
offers to send a representative to explain the finer points of selling,
then by all means take them up on it!<br />
During the fundraiser,
monitor the progress and keep everyone updated. Offer incentives to the
person or team that sells the most. It's almost a cliché, but the
"rising mercury in a thermometer" tote board is a visual tool that
really works!<br />
When the actual selling is over, there are still a
few things to do. If you've opted for a pre-sales version of the
fundraiser, you have to place the order with the company and arrange a
time for the goods to be delivered. Make sure you schedule enough
people to unload and distribute the product, and have a plan for dealing
with damaged merchandise or incorrect orders. As far as getting the
goods to your customer, deliver them in person whenever possible. A
personal thank-you note from the student is a wonderful touch and will
give your customer a nice, warm feeling that will carry over until the
next event.<br />
</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087441173870769813noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7027775462749373847.post-79736884252702610152012-10-07T19:29:00.000-07:002012-11-11T19:29:29.430-08:00Five Ways to Improve Your Bottom Line<div style="text-align: justify;">
"A penny saved is a penny earned", the old adage attributed to Ben
Franklin, only tells half of the story. A penny saved is really better
than a penny earned, because you don't have to pay taxes on it. Here,
then, are some time-honored ways for you to save money and improve the
bottom line for just about any business:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1. Review and Update Your Business Goals</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Many
people are adept at staying very busy while accomplishing nothing of
value. Don't fall into this trap--and, if you do--dig out as quickly as
possible.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In order to succeed, you must set clear goals. If you
have employees, those goals also need to be communicated to them. While
there are many good and noble goals you can set for your business, one
of the most profitable that I often ask myself is "what can I do that
will make the most money the fastest?"</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This doesn't mean that
other goals such as contributing to good causes or providing excellent
customer service aren't important. If you don't provide excellent
customer service you won't be in business very long anyway. But goals
can often be clarified by setting them in order, and determining which
will bring the quickest, most long-lasting financial results to your
business is a great place to start.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
2. Find your Niche and Develop a Competitive Edge</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
While
it's hard to compete with the "big boys", there is plenty of room for
small businesses to find their competitive niche. My competitive niche
happens to be log furniture. While there is competition in that niche, I
don't have to compete with the "big boys" such as Walmart when it comes
to selling log furniture. Tracking down Amish suppliers on lonely
country roads, developing relationships with those suppliers, picking
up, packing and shipping log furniture just isn't part of their business
plan. And it probably never will be.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Your niche will probably be
something different than shipping log beds, but you can be sure that
there is a niche open to you. The key is to find the profitable
activity that your business does best, and focus on that.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
3. Hire Superior Employees Who Share Your Company Culture</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If
your business is large enough to require employees, be careful who you
choose. In my experience, it's better to pay more for top-notch
employees who won't require daily baby-sitting, than to nickel and dime
it with job-hoppers who are perpetually unmotivated, late to work, or
enmeshed in personal problems so deep that they can't perform their job.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Everybody
goes through difficult times in their life, and you need to be
sensitive to that. Your company will be miles ahead, however, if you
can find employees with the emotional energy to buy into your vision and
get excited about their jobs.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
You can find, develop and keep that
kind of employee by investing significant amounts of time to recruiting
and training. Make sure your compensation package is attractive, and,
if at all possible, offer health insurance. Incentive compensation or
profit-sharing plans can also be quite helpful in motivating employees
to previously unheard of heights of achievement.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
4. Standandize and Simplify your Procedures</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It's
amazing how much time developing a simple form can save a company. The
more people involved in your business, the more important it is that
you have a set of standard procedures to follow. This will reduce
training time when employee turnover occurs, lower the chance of errors,
and increase efficiency in all aspects of your business.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
5. Measure the Results of Your Efforts</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Company
and personal goals need to be quantified to determine if the desired
results are being achieved. Key areas of measurement include the cost,
quality, quantity and timeliness of work to be done. Each of these
areas can have a profound impact on the bottom line of a business.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Cost:
It goes without saying that if two Amish furniture suppliers offer
similar quality, furniture design and delivery timing--but one is
substantially lower in cost than the other, I go with the lower cost
supplier. There are a few exceptions to this rule, but not many.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Quality:
Quality is everything in most businesses, and log furniture is no
exception. I'm not the least bit interested in shipping defective
furniture from Michigan to California and back again, all because a
customer wasn't happy. That is a total waste of money, and hits the
bottom line directly. This is why we are such sticklers about quality
control, and why it's been nearly four years since a customer even
thought of returning an item.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Quantity: Generally speaking, if
you sell more, you make more. This is certainly the case with rustic
furniture suites, especially with the high cost of shipping today. As a
result, our website is focused around selling larger orders. We're
always happy when somebody orders a log bed, but we try to make it
appealing for them to buy a nightstand and dresser too, by offering
truly significant discounts. Regardless of your business, you can
likely do the same. It's generally easier to sell more product to an
already existing customer, than to go and find new customers.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Timeliness:
Late deliveries cost money--at least they do in our business. It
costs money to overnight packages that could have been sent by UPS
ground or the postal service. It costs big money to expedite pallets of
furniture. In addition, there is the stress, hassle and
disorganization that comes with rushing around to do things at the last
minute. This is why I try to leave a timing "cushion" in every
furniture order I process. Regardless of what you're selling, you
should too.</div>
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<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087441173870769813noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7027775462749373847.post-67002082977859840532012-09-30T19:27:00.000-07:002012-11-11T19:27:49.612-08:00Marketing To Non-Marketable Customer<div id="article-content" style="text-align: justify;">
Buzz marketing, also known as 'word-of-mouth marketing',
'guerrilla marketing' or 'stealth marketing' is an art of human kind to
involve the trendsetters in any community to carry the brand's message,
thus creating an interest in, and a demand for, the brand with no overt
advertising.<br />
Nirmalya
Kumar, professor of marketing, director of center for marketing and
co-director of A.V. Birla India at London Business School.<br />
When
Dietrich Mateschitz formulated the drink "Red Bull" in 1987 for
Australian market, bars initially refused to stock it, seeing it as more
of a medicinal drink than a mixer. However snowboarders and clubbers
soon recognized the boost it gave them. They started to bring it with
them to non - alcohol bars and pubs.<br />
Red Bull has mastered the
buzz marketing. In the 8 sales area in US, the representative scouts for
the hot spot. They distributed their branded refrigerator and some
goodies to the bars and clubs. If other conventional establishments ask
for Red Bull, they refuse them to retain the credibility and uniqueness
of their community and clubbers. To connect this community, Red Bull use
to organize a two - week annual music festival.<br />
Red Bull first
marketing technique was to distribute and target the teenagers and
college goers. They went where these guys goes. Then Red Bull went
around the cities full of Red Bull cars and distributed the drinks to
anybody who need energy- Free, the construction workers, Athletes and
all.<br />
Coke and Pepsi recognized a new segmentation of their market
and tried to capture it with big marketing budget. They created energy
drinks. But after millions of write off they are distance number 3 and
4. Red Bull is still the king of energy drink with 65% of market and
that is with the fraction of their spending.<br />
Five years back on
internet, Google started it operation in the dorm of two Stanford guys
(You do not need to know there name, I guess) they created a system for
search and marketed it on net with minimal of advertising. End result,
after 3 years they become numro uno in search - marketing in the
presence of heavy spenders like Yahoo, overture etc<br />
That the power
of Buzz marketing. Gone are the days when you write a Cheque for your
ad agency and agency will do the marketing. According to Philip Kotler,
advertising is a lazy way of marketing and branding. You outsource
almost everything, even your brand's undergarments. Traditional marketer
thinks that job is over. But buzz marketing is an engaging art of
marketing. It is a hard way to market a product and services. Most of
marketers do not like it. Because they like their comfortable
air-condition rooms.<br />
But in real world, you can't close your eyes
and think that your competitor will take pity on you. They are here to
eliminate you. Buzz marketing is not a passé' anymore. It is here and
happening.<br />
CEOs, be aware, if your people are saying they need
different budget for branding, marketing and sales. Think again, someone
is not ready to move his butts.<br />
</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087441173870769813noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7027775462749373847.post-46727961874789018272012-09-16T19:26:00.000-07:002012-11-11T19:27:03.406-08:00Incorporating Tips<div style="text-align: justify;">
Capitalizing a new business entity is a critical step of the
formation process. Failing to take the step can lead to serious legal
problems if the entity is ever sued. So, what is capitalization and what
steps must be taken?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Capitalizing Your Corporation</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"Capitalization"
essentially refers to funding your corporation. In essence, you are
providing substance to the entity in the form of money or property.
Typically, the funding process works in two ways.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Corporate Stock</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
You
must own stock in a corporation to be considered a shareholder. You are
already familiar with this concept if you trade on the stock market.
For instance, assume you bought stock in Sirius Radio in anticipation of
Howard Stern moving to the station. You purchased stock through a
brokerage or retirement vehicle by exchanging money for shares.
Technically, you are a shareholder in the corporation. Your own
corporation is no different.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The fact that you paid money to have a
corporation formed does not make you a shareholder. You must exchange
property, cash or services to obtain stock from the entity. Only then
are you a shareholder in the entity. This is more easily explained with
an example.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Assume I start a corporation for the purpose of
providing consulting services to other businesses. The corporation is
formed with 10,000 shares and I am going to be the sole shareholder. I
have cash and certain assets that I am going to use as part of the
business. I decide to exchange $3,000, a copier, fax machine and
computer equipment for stock in the entity. This exchange should be
reduced to writing, but will constitute the capitalization of the
corporation.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Corporate Loan</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
You can also loan money to a
corporate entity for start-up costs. There is no prohibition against a
shareholder providing money to a corporation. The loan process should
not completely replace the purchase of stock. From a tax perspective,
however, dividing your initial capitalization into a partial loan can
have distinct advantages.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Inadequate Capitalization</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
State
laws govern the formation of a corporation. Inevitably, these laws set
forth amounts or formulas for determining the minimum capitalization
amount required for a corporation. You must review the laws in your
state to determine the amount and make sure you meet the contribution
minimums.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Failure to properly capitalize you corporation can
result in disaster if the entity is ever sued. Simply put, the suing
party may argue that the lack of capitalization means the corporation
was never a viable entity because it had insufficient funds to back debt
obligations. The argument gets complicated, but suffice to say you are
in serious trouble if a court agrees with the argument. Typically, the
court will "set aside" the corporate entity, exposing each shareholder,
director and officer to the risk of personal liability.
<br />Obviously, such a scenario would be a disaster.</div>
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<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087441173870769813noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7027775462749373847.post-33111032640309501122012-09-02T19:25:00.000-07:002012-11-11T19:26:07.444-08:00Choosing an Intimate Conference Venue<div id="article-content" style="text-align: justify;">
So you're looking for a conference venue? Not the size of the Taj
Mahal, but something just as impressive. A venue with the right amount
of space, flexible catering, including accommodation and the right
facilities.<br />
This
is where the elegance, style and the intimate nature of an
independently owned hotel works well as a conference venue. These venues
add their unique character and extraordinary service to your event.
Finding the perfect environment sets the necessary tone, playing an
important part in achieving your desired outcome.<br />
Whether you're
hosting a meeting, conference, workshop, training course or social
occasion here are a few things to look for in a hotel venue.<br />
<b>Space,</b><br />
Does
the hotel have the space you require? Whether the focus of your event
is a meeting, banquet or an exhibit, space can be the a factor that is
usually underestimated.<br />
Avoid hiring a venue that is big enough to
seat 200 when you're only hosting a 20-person meeting. You only want to
consider venues that can handle the event you're planning. It is
advisable to schedule a visit with your potential host prior to the
event ensuring the venue meets your space requirements.<br />
In the
case of an event where the number of guests is uncertain, make sure
there are sufficient break-away rooms to avoid congestion.<br />
<b>Catering</b><br />
Bear
in mind that catering needs to meet the special dietary requirements of
your guests. Hotels have a flexible menu and unlike a catering company,
the kitchen is at hand when you need it.<br />
<b>Conference Styles</b><br />
Check
to see if the hotel can host various conference styles including a
theatre for presentations, a classroom with a blackboard, a reception
area and of course a boardroom.<br />
<b>Location</b><br />
Find a
centrally located venue, close to stations and some of the areas main
attractions as well as being within easy reach of the airport. With easy
access by rail, tube or road, your guests will arrive for your event in
good time and ready for the day you have planned.<br />
<b>Equipment</b><br />
Small
details like air-conditioning make a huge difference. It helps a great
deal if the hotel is equipped with latest audio-visual facilities, this
way you can avoid lugging around your own equipment or having to rent
from a supplier.<br />
Another thing to check for is high-speed Internet or wireless Internet.<br />
<b>Accommodation</b><br />
The
one drawback with venues like convention or conference centres, is that
you would need to use a nearby hotel for accommodation. If your event
is extended by more than one day, a hotel becomes rather convenient.
Depending on the number of guests, most hotels will provide a discount
on accommodation.<br />
The hallmark of an independently owned hotel is
the unique ambience provided by the venue. Staging an event in the right
setting is conducive to a receptive audience. The wrong venue, whether
inappropriately large, under serviced or under equipped, can have
undesirable results.<br />
Consider one of your local hotels the next time you host an event.<br />
</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087441173870769813noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7027775462749373847.post-15720078466935275222012-08-26T19:24:00.000-07:002012-11-11T19:25:12.333-08:00Buying a Franchise<div style="text-align: justify;">
The concept of franchising is a couple of centuries old. The
franchising business and world economies have developed simultaneously.
The term 'franchise' comes from old French where it meant freedom, or
privilege. Franchising goes back to the feudal times when the feudal
lords granted permission to their slaves and common men to hold fairs,
markets, ferries, and even allowed hunting on their lands.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In
the middle ages, kings used the concept of franchising when they gave
contracts, or franchises for most of the commercial activities like
developing roads, wells, and brewing ale.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As the concept of
franchising developed further, it was seen as the right to monopoly that
a person got to perform any kind of a commercial activity. As time
passed, several franchises became a part of the European Common Law.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Singer
Sewing Machine Company is considered to be the father figure of
franchising as most of the concepts of franchising developed by them,
form a part of modern day franchising contracts.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The way in which
Singer made its sales and provided services is considered to be modern
retailing that is a part of franchising. In the 1850s, Singer brought
together teams of salesmen and dealers who were given the rights to
distribute sewing machines in different regions. They made written
contracts for franchising, which are the basis of modern-day franchise
agreements.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
At this point in time franchising was seen as the
right granted by the manufacturer to sell and distribute products and
service to the franchisee. Big oil refineries, automobile manufacturers,
and many others also started following the concept of signing written
agreements for franchisee distribution.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Proper business format
franchising came into being, in the United States and other countries of
the world, after World War II. This was the time when soldiers returned
from the war to be back with their families and the baby boom took
place because of which different and newer products and services became
essential.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This was when the concept of franchising developed the
most. It made its presence felt in the U.S. economy. This was also the
time when most of the hotels and motels developed. With the increase in
the number of franchises, the 60s and 70s saw a time when every second
person was into the franchising business.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The decades of 60s and
70s also brought about a number of frauds in the franchising business.
There were people who duped many others by taking money from them in
return for a franchisee that did not exist and escaped with the money.
On the other hand there were also many franchise businesses that went
bankrupt. This was when the need for strict regulations for franchising
business was given a thought.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In the year 1978, the Federal Trade
Commission ordered that all the franchisers/manufacturers were supposed
to submit the Uniform Offering Circular or UFOC before receiving money
from the prospective franchisers. The UFOC provides the details of the
franchise company, gives their history, audited financial statements,
information of the officers, and the contract, or the franchise
agreement.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
At present, the franchising is seen as the most lucrative business option for many people who aspire to own a business.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087441173870769813noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7027775462749373847.post-43087909055507037072012-08-19T19:23:00.000-07:002012-11-11T19:23:24.237-08:00China Media Booms<div style="text-align: justify;">
No one really knows how many television stations there are in China.
Best estimates put the number at 5,000. Yet, just over ten years ago
there were no more than 40. The number of newspapers has increased from
around 200 to more than 2,500, radio stations have blossomed from a 100
to 1,200 and TV and radio penetration is now over 85 percent.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In
just, 10 years, the media in has exploded. But it is still heavily
regulated and owned and controlled by the state run Communist Party.
Most local media is pro-China in its content and style and is used as a
tool for control and influence over the country's huge population.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
There
are also limits on foreign journalists - where they can travel and to
whom they can speak. Overseas media regularly have their offices
screened and their activities are closely monitored.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Taiwan, Tibet and human rights issues are strictly off the editorial agenda.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Despite
this, consumerism has well and truly arrived in China. There's now an
increased sophistication in the market - and marketing communications,
brand management and reputation building have become big business.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
There
is no such thing as privately owned media in China - and foreign
companies are restricted. Consumerism is driving up advertising revenue.
The dominant Chinese television network, CCTV is said to earn a total
of 1 billion yuan or A$200 million a year.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So in this environment
how can Australian companies effectively get their message across and
plan marketing communications strategies in China?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The first thing
to understand is how companies will have to work in a very complex and
constantly changing regulatory environment.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"China is very
conscious of reforming its media and has some relatively progressive
thinking internally about where to take it," said Gary Davey CEO of Star
TV in Hong Kong. "But it's going to take a very long time because they
are equally sensitive about the importance of control."</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
An older
generation of bureaucrats still sees the media, and television in
particular, as a propaganda device and any attempt to reform it into a
commercially driven business raises great suspicion amongst the Chinese
leadership.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In the past the News Corporation owned STAR TV has
upset Chinese authorities and Davey is quick to point out the
sensitivities of the Chinese marketplace, especially when it comes to
cultural differences.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"You might be able to run a successful
State-run security operation by trying to force your own cultural values
down someone else's throat, but you certainly can't run a business
doing that."</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
STAR TV has had to develop strategies that fit these
realities. "We've created new companies with Chinese partners to play a
part in the evolution of the policy," Davey said.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The days of
handing out long red envelopes filled with cash to journalists at press
conferences in China could also well be over. The industry is trying to
clean up its act and has recently released a new code of practice for
both public relations professionals and journalists.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The local
media is still very pro-China in its content and style but the practice
of accepting cash and gifts in return for running positive stories is
now being phased out.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Tony Turner has worked in corporate
communications in China for over 25 years and is the Hong Kong based
Chairman of the Rowland Company.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He says in the past there has
been a degree of cronyism, corruption and lack of transparency in the
media but that is changing as Western-based multinationals entered the
market with a new set of communication standards.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"What we've got today in Hong Kong is a highly professional, highly inquisitive and free media," he said.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Turner believes many multinationals don't want their name tarnished by being caught for paying journalists.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"The opportunity for PR and professional PR is as great as it ever could be," Turner said.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This
view is reflected in Beijing where Gua Hu-ming heads up the China
International Public Relations Association. He says PR as a profession,
started in China 15 years ago and first appeared in joint venture
hotels.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In the past it has been standard practice for reporters to
accept cash and gifts in return for running positive stories or even
working in conjunction with investors to ramp up the stock market.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But this is changing Mr Gua believes the Chinese media and journalists are becoming more professional.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But what impact is the Internet having on traditional news sources and PR campaigns?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Dr Xueli Huang is an expert on Internet marketing based at Edith Cowan University in Perth.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He says Internet usage is growing in China with 60 million users but news content is still heavily controlled.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Most
users are young and cannot afford a computer. Instead they use Internet
cafes to send emails and their main news sources are limited to
international news sites such as the BBC World Service and CNN.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"I
don't think the Chinese Government will ban all the news sites, but
Government will certainly want to control political sites."</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Bandwidth
is also a problem in China. Huang believes newspapers, radio and TV
will still provide local news because of the time in downloading
information from the Internet and the lack of infrastructure.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So if you are doing business in China here are 12 success tips for implementing a successful marketing communications plan:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1.
Understand cultural differences. Be sensitive to local communities and
understand the complex and varied structures of the Chinese media. They
are not uniform and often controlled at a local, provincial and national
level. I will never forget the cultural shock of seeing an armed
red-guard standing on a pillbox outside a TV studio in Guangzhou asking
for my official ID. Improve your cultural literacy by understanding the
culture and history of those you're doing business with. Respect these
differences and don't impose your own values & perceptions on how
the local media should treat you.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
2. Use a local spokesperson.
Depending on the news value of the story, you will have a better chance
of gaining media coverage the more Chinese you make your message. Using a
local spokesperson will give you greater credibility. For example in PR
campaigns for Nokia and IBM in China, they use local Chairmen who are
Chinese because they are well respected and have deep Chinese roots.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
3.
Know your point of difference - what you do in your own backyard you
also have to do in new markets. Find out what makes you or your service
or product unique in the marketplace? How will it stand out from the
competition. In the past cultural differences have been used as an
excuse for dubious practices not acceptable back home. This has changed.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
4.
Clarify your communication objectives? What do you want to achieve? To
inform or entertain? To provide information? To build a profile? To
influence public opinion? Personal marketing? Marketing or launching a
new product or service? How will cultural diversity and differing news
values influence this? News values differ in China. Often issues will be
reported one or two days later and not with the urgency or timeliness
of the Western media.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
5. Define your target audience? Who is your
target audience? General public? Customers? Competitors? Suppliers? What
age are they, what level of education, what beliefs and values,
geographical location, how do they use the local Chinese media? How
credible is the media your target audience uses? Does it still have
credibility even though it is controlled? The media is evolving and
becoming more respected.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
6. Identify the best channels of
communication. What is the best way to reach your target audience? TV,
Radio, Internet, newspapers - local or national? Do your homework on how
news is structured and gathered. Investigate who is reporting on what.
Find out the nuances. TV has the highest penetration, while the Internet
is growing amongst younger Chinese.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
7. What is your key message?
The media is becoming more competitive and market driven. They need
readers and viewers to stay viable in the new economy. How can you make
your message appealing and newsworthy? Distill what you want to say into
three key points. Always check translations of media releases. Have
them retranslated back into English to check for accuracy.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
8.
Build your case? When building your case look for the China angle. What
are the features, advantages and benefits of your message for your
Chinese targets? What evidence and proof do you have that is seen as
credible and independent within their cultural belief system?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
9.
What is the China hook? What will make your message or news release
stand out from the rest and appeal to the values of Chinese journalists.
You are not successful in China until the local market tells you.
Giving money to Chinese journalists is no longer acceptable. Use more
legal and ethical incentives such as providing transport, lunch or a
gift or souvenir item.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
10. Develop long-term relationships with
the media. Visit and meet journalists face to face. Network, get to know
them and involve them in the story. There is now a focus on the
interactive brand experience. For example in a recent mobile phone
campaign local journalists were involved in trailing the product prior
to launch. They were asked for their feedback and engaged proactively in
its development providing them with ownership of the product and
subsequent story. Relationships and personal connections, or guanxi are
very important in China and especially so in cultivating good media
contacts.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
11. If you have to face the media yourself ... Use the
Three Golden Rules to Perform at your Best = Know Your Topic, Be
Prepared, Relax.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
12. Seek Professional Help. For maximum impact,
effectiveness and value seek the advice of a media and communications
professional that can help your company see the media as an opportunity
not a threat.</div>
<div style="overflow: hidden; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087441173870769813noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7027775462749373847.post-56560484202935519102012-08-12T19:22:00.000-07:002012-11-11T19:22:30.300-08:00The Pains of Change with Clients<div id="article-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<b>This month we discuss what so many professionals miss with
their prospects and that often cause surprises after the project has
started. </b><br />
It
is discussing the pains of change with clients. The problem is that
very often clients invite your to their sinking ships hoping that you
get their sinking ships into smooth cruising mode again within a day or
two, and often for a competitive(ly low) fee.And when this doesn't happen (According to Dr. Edgar Schein, over <b>90% </b>of
consulting projects fail because of undisclosed events, non-discussable
and lack of action on clients' sides), very often consultants get
blamed for failing to achieve the projected results. But who is in the
driving seat? You or the client? Who is the decision maker? No, not you?
Thus final outcomes cannot be in your hands. And you must communicate
this to your clients.<br />
However, making consultants responsible for
the outcomes of their clients' projects is just as futile as making
parents single-handedly responsible for their kids' accomplishments.
Consultants, just like parents, are not the ultimate decision-makers.<br />
You
can't even guarantee whether or not your clients get out of bed in the
morning let alone whether they use or discard your advice. In plain
English: You are NOT in charge. The client is.<br />
Regardless of what
parents do for their kids, and regardless of how much they help their
kids to achieve it, if the kids consciously DECIDE to get involved in
crime or drugs, the is not a dickybird parents can do about it.
Responsibility for achieving results and authority for making decisions
come hand in hand. You can't separate the two.<br />
By nature people
are scared of the unknown aspects of change, and, interestingly, when
the change process is promoted to be a smooth ride and a neat slope with
a steady gradient, some people get excited and jumps on the
opportunity, but some people become extra cautious.<br />
So, how does
the military handle total buy-in from new recruits? Read the next
paragraph from General Patton preparing his troops for battle.<br />
<blockquote>
"You
are not all going to die. Only two percent of you right here today
would die in a major battle. Death must not be feared. Death, in time,
comes to all men. Yes, every man is scared in his first battle. If he
says he's not, he's a liar."</blockquote>
The US Navy's SEAL
Unit vehemently promotes the most intense part of their training, called
"Hell Week". They tell potential recruits about all the pain and
suffering they have to endure in order to become full-blown members of
one of the most respected units in the American military machine.<br />
And
guess what, when people are mentally prepared for the hardship, they
can better take it. And attrition rate in the military is a lot lower
than project failure rate in the world of consulting.<br />
In the world
of professional services there is the current situation, the desired
situation and the unknown "swamp" clients have to go through to reach
the "promised land."<br />
The key is to tell clients that it is a swamp
full of alligators and mosquitoes not a rose garden with colourful
butterflies, the journey to cross the swamp to the promised land will be
more of a tough hike with blood, sweat and tears than a pleasure cruise
with cute waitresses and celebrity hunks.<br />
Clients know what is
happening to them right now, and often can get a concept of what can
wait for them in the promised land, but still, they are scared to death
of crossing the swamp. And since you have crossed many swamps many times
and arrived at many promised lands, you can tell your clients about
what to expect on the journey and what to take with them. You can
recommend them to take a rifle and a big knife, and leave their make-up
sets and iPods at home.<br />
When I defected from Hungary in 1988 with
no money and no English, I knew I was in for a pretty rough ride. I knew
I could end up being deported right away or being dumped into a refugee
camp living like a rat until I would have a chance to find work and be
released to the normal world (a.k.a. the rate race. Oh these fiendish
vermin are everywhere). Just like me, many of my friends were fed up
with the communist system, but unlike me, in spite of knowing the
beauties and benefits of the promised land, they found the swamp too
scary to cross, and decided to stay.<br />
Many prospective clients are
like that too. And the sooner they decide whether or not they are
willing to cross the swamp with you, the better it is both for your
piggy bank and sanity. Imagine you go through several meetings, write a
proposal and then the prospect pulls back. A sort of "projectus
interruptus" when a prospect withdraws before something "serious"
happens. Arrrrrg!<br />
So, during your initial discussion you've
outlined and evaluated clients' cost of staying where they are right
now, and the value of getting to the promised land. This actually
establishes your value, which is a basis of your fees. (For more on this
see "It's All About Your Value: Service Professionals' Guide to
Setting, Raising and Safeguarding Fees" <br />
So,
now clients is excited about the opportunities waiting for them at the
promised land, and mistakenly assume that you do all the necessary work
and you actually carry them on your back to the new destination. This
sets up false expectations, and if something unexpected happens (always
does), you get blamed for everything, including the Spanish inquisition.<br />
<b>So, let's start and communicate this pain of change.</b><br />
Ask
prospects about their concern and worries regarding the change effort,
and then elaborate on each item to the level of details as necessary.
Then bring up whatever has been missed. If prospects express concerns
about mosquitoes only, then bring up the alligators. Tell prospects that
if they step off the path, the swamp can swallow them. These are not
scare tactics, like "Unless you buy my fire alarm system, your kids will
burn alive and you will hear them scream for the rest of your life."
This is different. Here you use fear to make a buying decision.<br />
Your
prospects have already made a buying decisions based on their values.
All you do is just fill them in on the details of what may or may not
happen during the journey across the swamp. Take some time together to
discover all the perceived dangers. If they don't happen that's great,
but if they do happen and your clients are not properly prepared, then
they freak out like injured animals, they can become totally
unpredictable and you can be in pretty deep yoghurt. That is what some
clients demand their money back or threaten to take you to court. It can
be pretty nasty.<br />
So, for a moment remember your first day at university.<br />
<blockquote>
"People, you may feel a bit crowded right but relax. In a few months half of you will be out of here."</blockquote>
So,
students understand that unless they are willing to work their butts
off, they will soon be out with no hope in hell to retrieve the tuition
they paid at the beginning of the course. And if they want to come back
later, they have to pay again.<br />
The other important point is to
make buyers understand that before the situation improves, it will
worsen. It is the same as people shortly before dying often get
seemingly better get, and then without much fuss, song and dance they
irreversibly kick the bucket.<br />
Therefore you must discuss the pains
of change while making the conceptual agreement with buyers. They must
know what they are about to get into. Remember, fear of failure is a
huge withholding power in people's lives.<br />
In most organisations change takes place at five levels:<br />
<b>1. ASSET LEVEL: </b>For
industrial organisations assets are the buildings, computer systems,
production lines, the fleet of company cars and the photocopier. For a
professional service firm it is their people. This is such basic change
as buying a new photocopier. However, some people may insist on keeping
the old copier because they are used to it.<br />
<b>2. ROAD MAP LEVEL: </b>This
is plans, systems and processes that enable organisations to go from A
to B and actually navigate through the jungles of commerce throughout
its lifetime. The road map also includes, policies, procedures, code of
conduct, scripts and every piece of information that can be codified
into written documents. Change at this level seems to be easy, but at
this level we don't know whether or not people are interested in
changing at all.<br />
<b>3. CAPABILITY LEVEL: </b>This is the skills
and competencies of the people organisations employ to produce what they
produce. This includes both explicit (learnt through memorising
information) and tacit (intuition, finesse, gut feeling, "trench work."
Basically cellular level knowledge) experience. Two police officers can
have the same level of explicit knowledge, but the one who has
personally led numerous raids on drug operations where the bullets were
flying has significantly more tacit experience.<br />
This is why it is
huge mistake to hire people (employees, contractors or advisors) based
on resumes (explicit knowledge). I dare to say Donald Trump's assistant
knows more about real estate than most realtors out there who are
certified to the hilt and registered with every association that has
something to do with real estate. The person can be explicitly amazing
but tacitly amazingly incompetent. Your expertise is about 20% explicit
knowledge and 80% of tacit information (intuition and gut feeling,
trench work, basically cellular level knowledge).<br />
The mistake here
is that by sending people to training courses, managers expect instant
performance improvement from their people as soon as they return from
the course. But people do need time to turn the new information into new
skills. For a doctor a fairly long time goes by between the first
anatomy lesson at medical school and the first real heart surgery. I've
never come across a doctor who can operate on people one day after
graduation. A law school graduate must be invited to the bar to
practise. It can only happen in the world of commerce that after
graduation a freshly minted MBA demands, and often receives a senior
management position with a corner office a personal secretary, some
mind-numbing bonuses (on what?) and a company Mercedes.<br />
<b>4. INTENTION LEVEL: </b>This
is the major driving force behind and change initiative. It is fairly
easy to change things, but changing people is a horse of a different
colour altogether. We have discussed many times how important it is to
align organisational objectives and strategies with personal goals, and
this is the perfect place to see this alignment in operation. When it
exists, people buy into the change relatively easily (All right, let's
factor in the general fear of change), especially if they see that
everyone around them will go through the same change process.<br />
For
every desire for change there is an opposing desire of keeping things
the same. At this point the best thing you can do is to find the pros
and cons for both situations.<br />
<b>5. VISION LEVEL: </b>This is
really the essence of the change effort. Many people say "I want to
start exercising", but only a very few, who actually start, have
overarching reasons, let's call it visions, to actually get started and
maintain it in the long run. I know a company that espouses on its
website that they are the best IT firm in the vicinity, while the
president is encouraging people to do half-repairs, so they can return
and milk clients over and over again. He himself lives pretty high on
the hog and works hard on how to explain to his people why there is no
pay increase and, again, the company can't afford to pay bonuses.
Basically, he is a rotten lying SOB.<br />
<b>Post-Reading Provocation</b><br />
*
Look back on your projects and try to count how many times your clients
have been surprised and even shocked by unexpected setbacks. Have you
ever been blamed for these setbacks?<br />
* After discussing the
current and the desired situations, how could you discuss the potential
pain based on the five change levels listed above?<br />
* How can you
communicate more effectively that creating the desired results, while
you and the client are mutually accountable to each other, is the
client's sole responsibility since s/he is the final decision-maker.<br />
</div>
<div style="overflow: hidden; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087441173870769813noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7027775462749373847.post-7024435865808567832012-08-05T19:20:00.000-07:002012-11-11T19:21:08.971-08:00Productivity on the Job<div id="article-content" style="text-align: justify;">
Increased productivity means people like Jane and Phil earn effectively higher wages than their parents.<br />
Here's
why: Every time a company makes an improvement, a productivity
improvement, it increases its value and its income. Whether it reduces a
cost or adds value for which consumers will pay more, it increases its
earnings.<br />
Some of those increased earnings go to higher (real)
wages for employees, some goes to investors, and some goes back into
improving the business. When we say real wages, we mean after inflation.<br />
Consider
this: Phil, a carpenter who builds homes, buys a new, compressed-air
nailing gun, and now frames a house in 18 and a half days, rather than
19 days as he did with his old nailing gun. He still gets paid the same
amount for framing a house, but his productivity went up, so he gains
(in effect) a half day's pay. Part of that gain helps pay for the new
nailing gun, part goes toward other new tools, and part goes into his
pocket since he's an employee and owner of the business.<br />
In time,
of course, all Phil's competitors will close this productivity gap by
getting new nailing guns of their own, and that will push down the price
that homeowners pay for framing. But, for now, Phil's productivity
advantage increases the amount he earns as an employee and owner.<br />
Productivity
improvements don't come only from better technology, like better
nailing guns. They also come from improvements in processes that allow
employees to work more effectively. In many cases, that's as simple as
improvements in communication between two people who work together.<br />
Probably
the most important thing to know and remember about productivity
improvements is that there are so many little ones. Sure, we all know
about the big breakthroughs like electric lighting, the automobile, and
the computer (well, some of us might argue about that)), but just as
important, or perhaps even more important, are the literally millions of
small improvements made every year. Individually, they don't mean much,
but collectively they've generated an enormous increase in our
productivity.<br />
Because of productivity improvements he made at
work, Phil's real wages have gone up. Because of the millions of big and
small improvements throughout society, just about everyone else's wages
have gone up, too.<br />
</div>
<div style="overflow: hidden; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087441173870769813noreply@blogger.com