Top 10 Small Business Ideas for 2012

Starting a small business takes a lot of planning and the ability to execute your business plans. Though it doesn't require a big capital for a small business however you cannot lose your capital as this will cause a serious trouble on the financial front at the same time your future expansion plans. If you have knowledge about how to run a business successfully, you won't be able to take a wrong move that can affect your business plans. Before we go on further to the small business ideas, refer to the tips for running a small business.

• Can it sustain your everyday expenses and can it profit you.

• Can it raise enough funds to get it running for a long time and can become a profitable venture.

• Is it something that is needed everyday and does it has an appeal to sell on a steady basis?

• Is it something that you know how to do and can you do it well?

• Is it something that you like to do and doesn't mind you at all doing it over and over again?

Now that we know our objective in putting up a small business let's go forward and see what are the best idea for small business this 2012.

1. Online business - this may include article writing/blogging, virtual assistant, translator, copy writer or bookkeeper, data entry, etc. This is one of the ideal business ideas for beginners would be to take advantage of various online business opportunities. By doing online data entry and online paid survey jobs, you can earn money per hour for your work. The more accuracy and consistency you show in your job, the more work you will get.

2. Mobile apps development - almost all people nowadays possesses a mobile phone and included on the mobile phone is application that people always uses. Calendars, Alarm Clocks, notepads are some example of applications that are commonly downloaded. Whether this is a businessman, a politician, an artist or just an ordinary person has a lot or even tons of mobile application.

3. Make-up artist or hair salons - Providing either makeup artist services or hair salons is yet another interesting small business idea. Makeup artists are in great demand in the fashion and entertainment industry. If you have the required makeup skills and talent, you can start your own company and do the makeup of television and movie stars. By providing good service, you can get long-term contracts which will increase your revenues greatly. The great thing about hair salons is that they are a sure thing. No matter how dismal the economic climate, women will still scrape together the money to get their hair done, even if they have to let their nails go. So hair salons with talented stylists and well-priced services will still be real money makers.

4. Cleaning services (pool, yard, garage etc.) - A cleaning service is a good business proposition for a person who relishes the idea of cleaning apartments, homes and commercial establishments. Housekeeping is an art and people are typically deterred by the prospect of getting grease, tough stains and odors out of carpets, keeping their bathroom clean and eliminating odors from their refrigerator. Hence, a cleaning service can be a steady source of income assuming that there are no immediate competitors. Otherwise, one would have to spend money on advertising and this may eat into one's profits. Cleaning services can operate round the clock since residential apartments are generally cleaned during the day while commercial buildings are cleaned after office-hours. Considering that cleaning services earn popularity and goodwill through word of mouth, a job that is well done will rarely go unnoticed.

5. Elder assistant or baby sitting - being a babysitter doesn't require you to have a license, with more parents needing to work and offering a home based child care can be a great way of starting your own business while taking care of your own kids too. The growing numbers of senior baby boomers also provide growing business opportunities for senior care. In-home care and senior residences are the obvious ones, but don't forget all the related opportunities such as driving, delivery, catering and cleaning services for seniors who want to stay in their homes. You can certainly develop your own business providing care for seniors.

6. Recycler - the best thing of being a recycler is that you're not just earning your own money and you're also helping the environment. Average homeowner doesn't always know where or how to recycle the stuff they've got. A pickup truck are all you'd need to start buying or simply offering to remove scrap metal, old computers, electronics, ink cartridges and other recyclable materials.

7. Event management/party planner - Event management or party planning can also be a good option for a small business. Event planners have to organize a particular event by taking into consideration the suggestions given by their clients. This job requires creativity, patience and ability to get work done from people on time. It can help you be a successful event planner if have a good team of creative professional that can help you organize the event under you.

8. Online selling - whether this is a pre-loved or brand-new stuff you can still earn big bucks. This is being popularized by e-bay. There are still some people who have a whole lot of money and are willing to spend it on the name products that matter. Luxury handbags, scarves, and shoes for women are still selling well, for instance.

9. Social media consultants - With the ever rising of the social media era and the giant social networking sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, and You tube, businesses have been taking advantage of this to gain more exposure for their brands and products. With more than 800 million active users in Facebook alone, business promotion in this top social networking site is now a priority for business owners and marketers. If you have the social media marketing skills that can outsource likes and follows for your client's business, then this business can help you earn cold cash on the Internet.

10. Pet related services such as pet sitter, pet cleaning and grooming services - Most Canadians and Americans loves pet especially dogs and feeding, caring for them and pampering their pooches a spending priority. Kennels, doggie daycare, dog treat bakeries and dog resorts are few of the things that you may want to venture in.

These are not necessarily ideas for businesses that anyone can start however you can get some idea on the list above. But in my opinion, these are business opportunities that are going to provide real chances to make money in 2012 and beyond. Business that is done right, in the right place and for the right people may be profitable enterprises for years to come. If you've been considering a sale in 2012, take your time and do it right. Plan ahead, research your market and stand out from the competition. Knowing the sales process is half the battle. With proper preparation, you can ensure a stress free transition and a financially successful exit from your business.

More detailed information and useful advice can be found at http://www.funded.com/ Created by Mark Favre, it offers expertise and assistance with developing and funding your concept, including a private forum for queries and discussions. If you need access to investors and funding providers, please do check our website.

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Top 7 Tips When Developing a Marketing Plan for a Mobile Car Washing Business

Before retirement, I ran a mobile car wash franchising company, over the span of several decades we set up franchisees in many states. Perhaps, the smartest thing we ever did was develop not only a workable business model, which obviously is important for franchising, but also a solid marketing plan. After all, if you're setting up new businesses in many different cities, you need a plan that will work, one which makes sense, and one which doesn't cost that much money.

Okay so, I'm sure you agree, and I'd like to talk to you a little bit about some of the tips and techniques when developing your own marketing plan for a mobile car wash business. Let's discuss this after you read the list below;

1. Determine Costs
2. Grid Marketing Program
3. Hire Flyer Distribution Teams
4. Join the Chamber of Commerce
5. Send-out Faxes and Sales Letters to Companies
6. Set-up a Fleet Sales Program for Businesses and Government
7. Reward Customers with Free Services for Referring Customers on Route

Okay so, first of all you need to set a solid budget, and determine the size of your territory. Then I recommend using a grid marketing program. That is to say grid-out your territory, and try to figure out what the best route will be to save you time in traffic, and to put your best customers on specific days of the week. Then I recommend that you hire flyer distribution workers, or you can do that yourself, and hit all the business districts with your flyers, and talk to customers, perhaps offering a one-time free wash, then ask if you can put them on a regular route and schedule.

While you are doing this, you should collect business cards from all the businesses in the area, and send them a sales letter, and a free wash coupon by fax. It also makes sense to send out fleet washing proposals to businesses and governments using the same methodology. I'd also recommend that you join the Chamber of Commerce, and perhaps even a service club in town, so that you are one with the community, and the business community knows they can trust you if you come to wash cars at their offices while people work.

Lastly, and this is perhaps the most important you should reward and thank your customers that refer you to their friends, and co-workers. Perhaps a free wash, or a free wax, or something of this nature is a great way to thank your customers for the referrals they give you on your route. If you do this, they will keep referring even more customers. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, http://www.washguy.com/ and now runs the Online Think Tank. Lance Winslow believes writing 24,222 articles by July 22, 2011 at 2:22 PM is going to be difficult because all the letters on his keyboard are now worn off now..

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Top Seven Tips When Starting A Business

Having your own business is fantastic! There are many benefits and rewards to running your own business including controlling your schedule, doing what you love, maybe working from home, etc. But just having a passion to own your own business isn't enough to guarantee success. Before you get started consider the following seven points, and then proceed with wild abandon!

1) If you can, continue to work another job while preparing your own dynasty. Having an additional income at the beginning of your new happy path will allow you the freedom of not stressing over the ticking clock and potentially dwindling resources. If money isn't an issue, hey, go for it like a man/woman on fire.

2) Get your focus on. A business plan is nice, as it gives you a path; however staying focused is the numero uno requirement of getting to where you want to go. If investing a ton of time into a business plan helps you process, go for it! If investing a ton of time into a business plan is more of a distraction do a different type of strategic plan. If you are a new business a business plans 'projections' are pure fiction, so create and implement a plan that is going to help you stay focused and forget what you 'feel' you should create.

3) Along the lines of staying focused, do not go out and buy a bunch of stuff that will just distract you. Same goes for office space. Until you know your specifics and have a focused timeline limit the distractions.

4) Know yourself...I am talking honest assessment. None of us are perfect so what we are looking for here is to know ourselves well enough to work with and around what we know may be self-imposed stumbling blocks, etc.

5) Know your family/friends...If you have a vision and in your gut know you are on the right path stay on it. Family and friends have the propensity to err on the side of caution or sometimes criticism when it comes to something they are not familiar with. Accept it is from a place of love, or jealousy or wherever and do not let it deter you.

6) Find the like minded...Find those who think like you and are on the path or down the path you want to go. There is tremendous value in tapping into the experience of someone who is ahead of you. Trust me, they will be flattered you asked.

7) Take action...Proceed with action rather than just chatter. It is up to you to act. Act on your own behalf as it will be you who experiences the outcome. Do not expect others to carry you. This is your deal and your experience. That is not to say don't ask for help (see #6). Just don't overextend your stay when tapping into others.

There are a ton of great ideas out there. Most of them never pass 'Go' and never collect their $200 though. So, above all else, remember all the planning and talking, consulting and confabbing in the world will not get you where you want to go. Plan, and then act.

Denise Dahl, MPA is the owner of Epiphany Planning & Development. She has over two decades of working with entities ranging from individuals to company's like Campbell's. Denise is a Coach, Consultant and Adjunct Professor. She focuses on consulting and coaching within the realm of action oriented growth and leadership. More information is available at http://www.epiphanyplanning.com/. Or visit her blog http://the-happy-path.com/.

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CEOs: LinkedIn Is Waiting for YOU - Don't Get Left Behind (10 Reasons to Get Started Now)

Have you been sitting on the sidelines or perhaps just dabbling with social media, maybe wondering what all the buzz is about? It can be overwhelming, with so many options from which to choose-LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google+, etc. With more than 800 million users worldwide, Facebook appears to be the tool of choice in the B2C sector. However, in the B2B space, LinkedIn has unlimited networking and marketing potential, and businesspeople around the globe appreciate the highly professional nature of the site. Here are 10 reasons why you and your company should jump on the bandwagon.

1. 140 million and growing. Yes, LinkedIn has 140 million users, and one million more are added each and every week. There are 500 million businesspeople on the planet, and that means almost one-third of those people have a LinkedIn account. Using keywords and other search criteria, you are able to find new customers, vendors, employees, and partners. Before cold calling, you can attempt to find the name of the person who holds the position you are looking for. This is done with Advanced People Searching-LinkedIn's #1 tool for growing your organization's top line revenue.

2. You already have a great network. Your network is one of your most treasured assets. It includes people from every area of your life-your community, industry, personal interests, etc. These people have helped you personally and professionally throughout the years. With LinkedIn's "3D capability," you can now see who your friends know and who their friends know. You may be just one introduction away from the person you or your salespeople, purchasing personnel or HR team are dying to meet.

3. The more you know, the more you grow. Most of us are pretty confident that the more we know about a company or the people within the company, the better chance we have of accomplishing our goal as it relates to that company or person. Well, step right up and access the largest keyword searchable professional database in the world. See what I like to call "resumes on steroids" for the people you want to meet. We would have paid big bucks for this database just ten years ago. Now it's virtually (and I mean virtually) free.

4. Your competition is waiting for you to look at them. Well, not exactly, but you really can see more about them and their people than you have ever had the ability to see. You can view their products and services, watch their slide shows, and view their customer testimonials. LinkedIn helps you see who has recently been hired and who has left the company. Reading the recommendations your competitor's employees have received from customers will give you insight into not only who their customers are but why they are satisfied customers. This should give you plenty to talk about at your next company strategy session.

5. Got a question? Just think-you and your staff can communicate with the world's foremost experts in your industry by accessing LinkedIn's Answers feature and Group Discussions. People are just waiting to meet you and discuss your most pressing issues. Getting involved in ongoing group discussions and lending your expertise will build your credibility with people who may then become your customers, vendors, strategic partners or employees.

6. 140 million and growing. I know I said this before, but this time I want you to think not about your searching 140 million resumes to find the right people and companies but about your company and your people being found by someone else. By strategically crafting your company page and directing your people to have the right keywords and information on their profiles, you can not only be found by people who are searching for your products or services but also improve your chances of being contacted by those potential customers or clients. I wonder how high in the search rankings your company and your people come up when people are searching for your products and services on LinkedIn. Developing and executing a strategic plan for your company's LinkedIn use will undoubtedly improve your visibility.

7. Your favorite nonprofit is counting on you. By this time in your career, you probably care about, support or volunteer for a number of nonprofit organizations. Maybe you even serve on a board or two. If you are interested in helping them grow and expand, there are parts of your profile that can be used to highlight your involvement and their mission as well as letting people know how they could be involved with the organization. In addition, if you have embraced LinkedIn and strategically grown your network, you should now be able to use LinkedIn to find people who may be interested in joining you in supporting your favorite nonprofit group.

8. Your staff is waiting for your move. In every area of your business, your employees look to you for leadership. Social media is a fundamental change to how we communicate with outsiders. If you do not engage at some level, your lack of interest may turn into a lack of interest throughout the company. Your enthusiasm for this exciting technology could be just the fuel your employees need to jumpstart your company's social media program, and LinkedIn is the obvious starting point.

9. Are you listening? Whether it is LinkedIn or other social media channels, people are talking about your company, people, products, and services. The company that puts together a consistent strategy for answering, helping, and educating the public will have a superior reputation over those that fail to engage. The world is waiting to hear from your company and all of your people. You are smart, your employees are smart, and your expertise is needed. If you don't provide it, your competitors will, and they may already be doing just that.

10. It might be fun. When was the last time you had a rush about something new you learned, something that took some time and effort, but once you accomplished it you had the proverbial top-of-the-mountain high? Well, maybe, just maybe, this is one of those times you should climb the mountain. Put on your boots, grab some water, and hit the trails. Oh, and by the way, I am sure you will find a few friends in your organization who would love to hit the trails with you. Have fun!

Wayne Breitbarth was once a skeptic and now is an outspoken proponent of LinkedIn, "LinkedIn Guru" Wayne Breitbarth is passionate about helping business professionals--from entry level to CEO--learn how to combine their previous experience and relationships with this innovative tool in order to more successfully brand and market themselves and their businesses. Wayne's diverse professional background uniquely positions him to assist not only individuals but corporate entities as well. With thirty years' experience in the areas of operations, finance, management, consulting, and business ownership, he is able to "put it all together" for his corporate and individual clients. In addition to his consulting work, Wayne is a dynamic speaker. His practical yet entertaining presentations have inspired audiences both locally, at many of Milwaukee's most prominent companies and organizations, and nationally, at conventions, industry association events, and corporate training sessions.

You can download a free chapter from his upcoming book "The Power Formula for LinkedIn Success" Kick-start your Business, Brand and Job Search" along with other free LinkedIn resources and weekly tips at: http://www.powerformula.net/.

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Tips For Writing And Producing Catalogs

Custom catalogs are a great way for businesses to release influential information regarding the latest gadgets and gizmos. But where most people err is their writing and catalogs design elements. These are crucial in convincing an otherwise unconvinced public that your company is the place to do business. Without the proper calls to action and an exciting design to boot, you have just another piece of stuffy marketing that doesn't do much good. Here are a few tips on keeping your custom printing fresh for every order you carry out.

Short and Sweet

This plays on people's ever-decreasing attention spans. Your words should be to the point and filled with a certain level of excitement about any particular product or service. If you can rouse their inner purchaser with claims of a better or easier lifestyle, you'll get people to read on. Custom catalogs are designed to give people minute bursts of information scattered about in a uniform way to encourage a smooth flow from page to page. Keeping the blather down will help your piece's marketability.

Reflect Your Values

The most well-known businesses in the world communicate by way of simplistic designs and color schemes to get you to remember them the next time you want food or an ice cold beverage. For some, it's these elements plus a particular font style or background image. The same can be said for a set of regularly issued catalogs. It's good to have some balance simply because your catalog has multiple pages and without the right content, you could easily lose a reader's attention.

Provide Offers They Desire

Depending on your particular demographic, your catalogs should always offer something worthwhile in order to get people to act. Many times this can be in the form of discounts and other promotional deals. Other times you simply need a buy-one-get-one or even a freebie giveaway to earn the respect of your constituents. Phrases such as "Buy Now," "Get It Exclusively Here" and "Register Free Today" can prompt customers to react in your favor.

Do It Online

For the best results at the lowest prices, you'll always find a good home on the internet. Browse around for one that provides the best custom options on catalogs. They'll have the tools to help you produce mass quantities of gorgeous 4-color printing and have them mailed for you too. The power of the internet is a tough force to be reckoned with when it comes to flat-out efficiency. May you reap the benefits!

Custom catalogs are like a well-oiled machine when you have the proper content in place. Market your business the right way with help from an online printer with the expertise you require today.

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Top 10 Signs Your Business May Be Broke: PART 1

Most of us know someone who is either employed by a business that is struggling financially, or we know a business owner who is not doing so well.

Unfortunately, libraries and bookshops are fully of positive literature on "How to Succeed in Business" and "Make Money in 60 Seconds", but there are very little references to "How to Know when to Close the Doors".

Have a look around, even search in Google. You will find thousands of articles and books all telling you how to succeed in business and make million's before you are 25. However, I am always surprised at the lack of reference material telling business owners how it is. The cold hard facts - what if your business is failing - what do you do? And just how difficult it is running a business and how many actually do fail.

So, is a failed business owner a failure? No, not at all. In fact many psychologists will tell you any entrepreneur needs to fail before they succeed as it is the only way they will learn.

However, this does not ease any immediate pain or help a business owner out of a hole.

In 2010/2011, suicide rates increased by 15% for Business Failures. The depression one can sink into as a result of a failed business is sometimes too dark for them to get out of. The guilt one feels and the pressure and stress can be life changing, and sadly for those with families and friends...sometimes life ending.

There are very clear signs that a business is in trouble financially. I am not going to cover company thefts or fraud. What I am writing about, in this article, is the average joe who's business is just not viable anymore.

It will be a harsh reality for a business owner to face. Often is the case that friends, employees and family know the business has failed before the owner is willing to accept it. We invest every bit of ourselves in our business. We become our business. From the minute we wake up, to the minute we go to sleep, it becomes our primary focus. To have that end has been likened to the death of a loved one, and one must be allowed to grieve.

So, to the point of this article. The signs a business is broke.

TOP TEN SIGNS A BUSINESS IS BROKE

1. You have contacted at least 5 different lenders and no-one will loan you any further funds

2. Your creditors list is 90 days out and bigger than any possible income or invoices on the debtors list

3. You have personally paid for staff wages more than twice in the past 2 months

4. Staff wages are consistently paid late

5. You are ignoring emails and calls - every day

6. Staff are resigning in droves

7. The minute you make any money it is all gone

8. Superannuation/Insurances are more than 12 months overdue

9. BAS/TAX returns are 12 months overdue

10. There is no money in the account (obvious, yet still not a sign for some)

Business Failure is not easy to accept - for anyone. It is time to provide good solid advice when the business is not succeeding.

Look out for our next article on what to do when the end is definite.

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Seven Great Skills You Need To Be The Best Leader Your Team Ever Had!

My favourite boss was handsome and charismatic with a wicked sense of humour. He walked the floor each Friday, stopping by a hundred or so desks just to say hi and ask what we were working on. He made a point of remembering our names and memorized snippets of personal news about each and every one of us. Jack Steele MBA didn't get to the top because he was a natural born leader. He got there because he watched how others operated, copied their strengths and worked hard to hone a few key skills. These are just seven of those skills he passed on to me and over the years, I've done my best to polish them.

Hold your people in the highest esteem - for as long as you can. That doesn't mean you condone failings. Every person you lead has massive potential. It is your job as leader to nurture, develop and encourage their growth, learning and their personal development. On the other hand, if your people continually screw up then deal with it. Mentor them, coach them, chastise them then get rid of them if you really have to. But don't forget that there are rarely bad workers, only bad masters.

Focus on the end game. If you can't see where you are going then how will you know you've succeeded? Having a clear vision of the future is vital if your team is to succeed. But please don't keep it to yourself. Present your vision with passion. Enthusiasm is infectious so fire up your team with a clear, well articulated picture of the destination. And when you do communicate it, make sure that everyone understands what the vision is. Ask for feedback. Prompt them to describe the vision in their own words. Don't assume that just because you design great slides, that everyone can see the road ahead.

Plan six weeks ahead. If there is a crisis at the end of the month, you are already set for the next cycle. This is one of the best pieces of advice I ever got. And planning is not just about listing down all the things you need to do. It is about taking your vision and mapping out the smartest way to achieve it. Mindmapping is a great tool to do this. Once you have created your list of planned activities, date them. Type every activity into a spreadsheet. Sort on the date and hey, you have a schedule. Now you can go into the detail and build your team's weekly task sheets and your daily To Do lists. Simple. Try it then practice it. But remember, only perfect practice makes perfect.

Be as organised as you can be. Build your daily task lists from your six week plan. But don't make your To Do lists too long. Unrealistic task lists become a stinging whip for even the most energetic teams. Make room for upsets and unforeseen demands that always shoot into your inbox, out of the blue.

Automate as much as you can. Don't waste time hunting for information. Build your PC dashboard with RSS feeds so you don't have to research stuff. iGoogle? is a great way to do this. Every contact should be on your phone and regularly sync this with your PC. Insist on reports in WORD so that you can cut, paste, highlight and review on screen within the team. Set your screen for a comfortable brightness and font size. With a solid folder structure and disciplined filing, all you need is a click or a tap to keep information under control.

Confront conflict before it gets out of hand. In my experience, the only folk who enjoy conflict are soldiers and psychopaths. The rest of us normal people avoid it at all costs. No-one wants a fight at work. But sometimes, you have to face that dismal boss, chastise that irritating colleague and call to account a poor performer. And if you want to be a good leader, you have to learn how to manage conflict. Wrapping up criticism in praise is always the best way to start the conversation. If you are on the receiving end of a vitriolic volley then smile, apologize and ever so gently walk away. When your attacker is calm, that is the time to bundle up your issues among the nice words. One warning though. If your target is a psychopath, don't try this tip. It doesn't work. Find yourself another job instead.

Use your wit whenever you can. Seeing the funny side of things in stressful times, laughing at yourself and bringing a sharp wit into play can make a massive difference to every team. People spend half their waking hours with people they didn't choose as friends. As their leader, if you make those eight hours productive AND entertaining no team will ask much more of you. Although if you work for an undertaker, this may not apply. Good leaders are neither born nor made. They work hard at it, with passion, with commitment and then over time, build up trust and respect so that everyone wants to follow them. Take these tips on board and you will soon be the best leader your team could ever wish for. Good Luck!

Charlotte StClair has thirty years experience in managing people, projects and companies. She has worked in many different organizations, in government and in the private sector. Charlotte is a writer on a wide range of business and IT related topics and can be contacted at http://www.772consulting.com/.

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Top Seven Tips and Things to Avoid When Washing Your Motorhome

Well, I guess it goes without saying that some of the things we think are the simplest to do, often cause the most aggravation. Perhaps it's because they are such easy jobs, that we forget some of the pit falls along the way. Today's discussion is about washing your own motor home and saving the money. It's not easy to find a truck wash, or a carwash which is willing to wash your RV. And if you hire a mobile car washing or auto-detailing service to come to your house and clean your motor coach, sometimes the price is a little overbearing.

You see, after I retired I bought a big motor coach and I went to every single city in the United States over a seven-year period. It was absolutely exhilarating and fun and I must say; what a great country we live in. Nevertheless, I often washed my own motor home because I didn't want to go to a truck wash which used hydrofluoric acid because it might ruin decals. Secondly, I wanted it done right, and therefore I did it myself.

Now then, I'd like to talk to you about some of the things you should avoid and give you some tips to help you clean your own motor coach just like me. Below are some tips;

1. Be very careful not to put too much water on top of the vehicle
2. Be sure to close the windows
3. Only use soft bristle brushes
4. Only wash the vehicle in sections
5. Use a shut off nozzle
6. Make sure wash water run-off stays out of the storm drain
7. Have a step ladder available to clean the windows outside

If you put too much water on top while you are washing, then it will puddle on top and could leak into the cabin, or drip down the sides and leave streaks. Worse, if the puddles are on top and you drive away it will go all over the side and ruin your perfect wash job. And if you leave your motor coach there for a while with the puddle-water on top, mosquitoes might lay their eggs.

I recommend using a soft bristle brush which is 18-inches wide, the kind of brush you might use on a hardwood floor. Also, make sure all the windows are closed because the water will leak in, especially if you are using a small pressure washer, or a garden hose with a powerful nozzle. Speaking of nozzles make sure you have a shutoff nozzles so you don't waste water. And speaking of water, make sure that your dirty wash water doesn't go into a storm drain and pollute.

Lastly, you need a stepladder to make sure that you clean the outside windows perfectly, because if you are inside your motorhome that's the most important part when looking out. Indeed I hope you will use these tips to do a perfect job when you clean your own RV. Please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, http://www.truckwashguy.com/ and now runs the Online Think Tank. Lance Winslow believes writing 24,222 articles by July 22, 2011 at 2:22 PM is going to be difficult because all the letters on his keyboard are now worn off now..

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Ten Rules to Follow for Small Business Success

You may have been looking at several entrepreneurs who run small businesses as easy as breathing. You may have also thought if you could do it yourself and get away from the boring 9-5 life.

Well, fret no more as there only 10 easy rules you will need to follow in order to succeed in running a small business until your heart's content. Get a pen and a paper and take notes because we will tackle all of the rules in this article.

Rule #1

Target - What you offer may not be what all people need. Focus on a target market and then work your way from there

Rule #2

Beat the norm - Whatever your competitors are doing, don't follow it, at least not right away. Be a rebel and deviate from the usual in order to make sure that what you offer actually sticks to the long term memory of people instead of the short term

Rule #3

Get Teammates - Don't just hire people to fill a spot, select the few that are actually interested in making your business grow.

Rule #4

Ride the wind - Time is your most important asset. Always make sure that deadlines are met and responses are quick.

Rule #5

Don't forget to say thank you - This may seem like something that is not really important, but a customer can become much happier if you express your gratitude when they do business with you. It's the little things that make customers come back for more.

Rule #6

Consistency - You will need to make sure that how the customers feel today, is the same with what they feel tomorrow should they require your services again. And you will also need to make sure that all customers are treated the same all the time.

Rule #7

Smile - Once again, it's the little things that count and therefore this shouldn't be treated with low regard. A simple smile can compliment your service and marks an impression on the customer.

Rule #8

Be optimistic - A positive attitude is always needed in running a small business. Remember, the glass is always half full and nothing else.

Rule #9

Don't go too hard - Soft selling is what you should be doing. Aggressive hard selling only makes customer want to get away from you. Solving their problems and satisfy their wants.

Rule #10

Don't be narrow-minded - Try and leave the comfort of your little corner and explore new things. Deviate from the standards and seek out new ways that may work for you in ways you never thought it could.

Learn more rules on how to run a small business successfully with some help from SquadHelp! Our large community, composed of small business owners, entrepreneurs and business experts know what it takes to do it.

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Industrial Distributors Are Captains of Industry - Here Are the Top 10 Reason to Love Them

Industrial distributors and distributors in general are a much maligned group. Going along with this is the under appreciation of salespeople. Death Of A Salesman is required reading for many students, but there isn't a popular book titled Death of An English Teacher. This article explains the value delivered by distribution, and why distributors truly are captains of industry. Here then is the list of why distributors are needed.

Manufacturers are good at making things. Manufacturing is very difficult, and the very best manufacturers focus on making products. Bringing those products to market is the realm of distributors.
Users can't possibly stock all the parts that may be required for maintenance and repairs. Distributors can because they are stocking for not just one company, but for thousands of potential customers. What a distributor can turn six to eight times per year, any specific customer may never need at all.
Distributors bring product knowledge to customers
Large distributors can even set up shop within a company's property. A big industrial customer can go to his distributor's parts window in his plant for parts and equipment. This form a symbiotic relationship
Dealers and distributors are your neighbors. Is the local little league sponsored by the BMW factory, or the local BMW dealership.
Distributors provide information online, in catalogs, and with trained salespeople. When a customer wants to know about a product, it is the labor of a distributor that brings the information.
Distributors bring scale to suppliers. A large dealer can bring thousands of customers to a specific product line. Suppliers reward and encourage this volume with better pricing. This preferential pricing is passed to some extent to the customers. So, distributors save customers money.
There is capitalist purity to distribution. An item is purchased for a manufacturer, a profit margin is added to that item, and an end user find the item to be worth the selling price, and the transaction happens. The distributor makes a profit with which a commission goes to the salesperson, a portion goes to overhead, a portion goes to taxes, and the balance is capital that can be employed productively in the economy.
The efficiency in modern distribution speeds items to the market resulting in less inventory system wide.
Although sales people are typically respectful and are flatterers, the author disagrees with Dante in that sales people do NOT belong in the eighth circle of hell in The Inferno

Hopefully this humorous little article may convince some folks that "cutting out the middleman" makes as much sense as "cutting out the school teacher". Go find an employe at a distribution firm and give him a big hug and than him for keeping the wheels of commerce rolling.

About Ed Stairman
Ed Stairman is CEO at A Plus Warehouse Equipment & Supply
Email Ed Stairman with any questions or comments
A Plus Warehouse is a nationwide distributor for Storage cabinets
As well as Lockers
A Plus Warehouse is your right source right now.
Calling is perfectly fine also at 800-209-8798

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8 Qualities Small Business Owners Need to Be a Good Leader

It is said, "Great leaders are made, not born, so anybody can develop effective leadership skills if they decide to develop themselves in this way." This is true. And leadership is just as important for small companies as it is for corporate America.

In fact, leadership is often thrust upon small business owners. When you create your venture from scratch, select the right team members, develop your strategies and business plans and lead your team towards your business goals step by step... and you have to be a leader, not a follower.

Here are 8 qualities you need to be a good leader for your small but efficient team of professionals in order to propel your business towards success.

1. Have a vision for your company and communicate it effectively to your team

It is not enough to just have a big vision. Involve your team in the development of this vision so that they feel connected to it. This will encourage them to work hard toward the fulfilment of that dream/vision.

Show your team the big picture, the future prospects and where you want to see the company five years from now and allow them to help give it shape. Let your team members understand their role in making the vision come true.
Communicate to them they are the pillars of the company and are not just cogs in the wheel.

2. Lead by example

Leaders are looked up to for inspiration. Be a hands-on leader, who offers help, pitching in where needed, guiding, mentoring and problem solving.

Step in where you are needed but avoid stepping on toes. Don't be over-bearing, over critical or take over other's work.

Your objective is to inspire your team, not to de-motivate your team.

3. Know your employees

Create a personal bond with your employees. This is especially important for small business owners as they have to motivate a small team to perform multiple tasks efficiently.

Getting to know employees on a personal level helps increase productivity, lowers attrition at the workplace and encourages them to put in extra effort.

4. Take ownership

Good leaders delegate intelligently. Distribute work according to the capability of each employee so that you can enable the best results. Knowing each employee on a personal level also helps you to better understand his/her work capabilities.

Don't accept under performance. It's your responsibility that all team members are performing at good levels. And when it comes to taking ownership and responsibility for the bigger picture, that's your responsibility, too.

5. Be a good listener

Leadership does not mean doing all the talking. You have to be an equally good listener. You have to listen to others with patience and understanding to keep them motivated, know their problems, ask questions and keep updated on what your team is thinking.

6. Be courageous and confident

Being indecisive can spell doom for any business. Be a leader who has the courage of conviction, can make bold decisions (based on carefully considered alternatives) and has the confidence to lead from the front.

Even if your decisions occasionally do not bring about the desired results, take the responsibility and acknowledge your mistakes. Learn from your mistakes so that you can avoid them in the future.

7. Have a positive attitude

A positive attitude, a smiling, confident approach and a warm, assuring persona is essential to be a leader who inspires his/her team.

Don't let everyday challenges and problems make you lose your own positive attitude. If the captain of the ship despairs, his team surely will.

Face every challenge as a speed breaker on the road, back your team 100% through thick and thin and be the voice of reason, not anger or stress.

8. Pick up leadership skills from other leaders

Leadership skills can always be honed and sharpened. The best way to do that is to confer with other business owners or undergo an executive coaching session. Executive coaching sessions on a one-to-one basis are great ways of identifying your own strengths and weaknesses.

You can join a CEO association or CEO club where you get to meet fellow business owners who have faced and overcome similar kinds of leadership challenges. There is nothing better than a reliable CEO club or association for getting hands-on tips from people who have "been there and done that"!

It is said, "Great leaders are made, not born, so anybody can develop effective leadership skills if they decide to develop themselves in this way."

This is true. And leadership is just as important for small companies as it is for corporate America.

Tom Bordon is a freelance writer who has extensively written about CEO corporate association. His articles focus on guiding CEOs, COOs and top level executives in making new business plans, and strategies in a CEO club in Atlanta or a CEO association.

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Budget-Friendly Tips to Success for Small Businesses

Plenty of small businesses follow tips that cost less and are technology savvy. These multimedia tools to manage, promote and market their business, reduce expenses and increase their revenues. These tools can be easily accessed, user friendly and cheap or even free.

Google it

Google offers so many free services that can help small businesses. Google has a tool called Google Places that lets business owners register the services and products of their business in their database of your specific business. Once someone searches for these services and products locally, your business shows on the list. This service is a big hit with businesses that are after a local crowd.

Flyers

Many sites online have templates and designs for flyers. Try going to sites like Microsoft and use the many different free templates that people made. Look for a design that fits your business. These templates have been preformatted so that they have a professional feel and look. This means that you don't need to get a professional graphic artist that might cost a lot to make your flyers. Once you have a flyer, you can distribute these or even place them in bulletins.

Free hosting services

Save money and time by using Google Docs. This free service is made for small businesses and has tips on how to succeed. This service lets small business owners upload different kinds of notes and documents where people collaborate and share them. You don't need to get hosting services to share important documents. The service is great since it tracks shearing which means it's easier to manage.

Groups

If you are looking for people who have the same interest as you do, but do not know where you can find them, look for or make a group. Thanks to social networking sites, you can find people easier by making communities and groups in LinkedIn and Facebook. These social networking sites were made to get people connected with people who share the same traits, ideas, personalities, goals, etc... members of these groups are most likely interested in your business.

Virtual phone systems

You can set up virtual phone systems and make your very own advertising channel while saving money. So many virtual phone systems available today are affordable, flexible and user-friendly. With the correct leverage, a virtual phone system can take you very far. You can minimize the need of answering services, setting up multiple extensions and even provide better support for your customers and clients.

Get on the path to success with expert help and direction from SquadHelp! Our large community of business experts and advisers are more than happy to share tips and ideas to increase your chances of achieving success.

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Top 7 Things to Avoid When Maintaining Your Pace in Fleet Truck Washing

If you own a mobile truck washing business, then you will be cleaning fleets of vehicles in the company yard of the firm that you have the contract with. There are some things you need to know if you hope to make money doing this, because it is all about production and efficiency. After all, you are giving the company a fleet discount, and you may be washing each truck or vehicle for a very low price, but you hope to make it up in volume due to the economies of scale.

Before retirement, I had franchised a mobile truck washing business around the country, and I'd like to give you some tips in improving your efficiency and maintaining a fast pace when cleaning fleets of vehicles. You must understand the money is in the time and efficiency, not in the per unit wash. Okay so let me give you some good solid tips for you to think about;

1. Use a high pressure hose that is light, but doesn't easily kink
2. Make sure debris stays out of your fresh water tank
3. Make sure no dirty wash water goes into any storm drain
4. Don't let the brushers get too far ahead of the rinsing man
5. When cleaning box trucks, do all the rear ends first
6. In cold climates be careful not to allow ice to form
7. Don't get too close to the decals

Your high-pressure hose should be lightweight so that you don't throw out your back trying to move it around, but it also needs to be double steel braided so it doesn't kink easily. When filling up your water tank you must make sure that the garden hose you use doesn't have any gravel around it, because that gravel can get inside the tank, and often it gets through the filters and into the pump. When this happens your pump's pressure will go way down, and then you have to take apart to get the grit out, which takes a lot of time.

You must also remember that you must do environmentally friendly washing, and use the correct methods, never letting water that's dirty go into a storm drain. When you are washing you'll have a crew of many people, and you have to make sure that the people brushing with the soap don't get too far ahead of the person rinsing, otherwise the soap will not come off, it will dry on, and you have to re-wash those vehicles to prevent streaks.

When cleaning box trucks I recommend that you do all the rear ends first, because they are all the same and you can do them quicker that way, then go ahead and wash the rest of the vehicles in a line. In colder climates you must be careful not to allow ice to form, and take a little road-salt with you to sprinkle all the puddles so you don't slip and fall. I once had an employee cut themselves very badly when they slipped and tried to grab a piece of the truck that was near them, and an old rusty bolt sticking out cut and sliced them open - many stitches big scar, expensive hospital bill as I recall.

Lastly, remember those decals with the company logos on them don't do too well when a hot-water pressure-washer nozzle is directly upon them. That pressure and power can rip the decals, and your customers will be very angry if you do that, the decals aren't cheap. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, http://www.truckwashguy.com/ and now runs the Online Think Tank. Lance Winslow believes writing 24,222 articles by July 22, 2011 at 2:22 PM is going to be difficult because all the letters on his keyboard are now worn off now..

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The Top 10 Web 2.0 Profiles for Online Branding

Ok, like we talked about in our backlinking for reputation management post, one of the easiest ways to start building your online reputation is to make profiles on the best Web 2.0 profiles available in your name. These sites have inherent domain authority in search engines that we can piggyback off of to easily rank for our keyword (your name). Web 2.0 sites and social networks are also built to have a great deal of share-ability and large user bases to share that content with. Thus Web 2.0 sites are great for online reputation management because of the social link building you can do- the audience is literally right at your fingertips!

So what were our criteria for picking these 10 Web 2.0 properties as the best for personal reputation management and web branding?

High domain authority and PageRank. Many social networks have massive authority because of the sheer amounts of users, content, links, and general reputation for being great sources of information. Search engines like information. For those unfamiliar with PageRank, its a factor Google considers and basically looks at the number of inbound and outbound links your site has in relation to the established authority of the other sites linking to it. We could write thousands of words on PageRank, unfortunately now is not the time. Just know that the higher the PageRank number (0-10) the more authority a domain has. Thus we're looking for social networks with a high PageRank.
Quality outbound links. That said, a site with extremely high authority is much more difficult to use for web branding if it doesn't give you quality dofollow links (as opposed to nofollow) to your other social profiles. Remember, the core of our strategy is to carefully interlink our social profiles to boost each other's rankings; this is hard to do if the sites you pick don't give you any good links to work with. Profiles that allow for anchor text links are especially attractive.
A customizable URL. Remember, Google gives a slight search bonus to URLs with your name in the domain, so we're looking for social media networks that also allow for this level of customization. Most major sites do allow for it these days, but oftentimes you only get to change it once so choose wisely.
A place to put CONTENT! Search engines love content, so key sites should have a way to post lots of it! Either a solid biography section or something that allows for blog-style posts. Being able to post is incredibly useful, not only for connecting with a larger audience but for helping a site gain authority and top the search results.
Limited personal information required. Some people want a web presence without giving away key facts like address, age, email address, phone number, etc. Most profiles require some form of this information, but most allow you to make it private. Moderate privacy is the norm, so we're excluding profiles that require a gratuitous amount of personal information.
The X-factor. Some of these choices won't be obvious based on the above criteria. The X-factor is simply anecdotal experience from our ends on what ranks and what doesn't. After all, a site can look great on paper (on laptop screen?) but not actually rank well for some reason or another in Google. Likewise some sites are pretty vanilla at first glance, but simply outperform some larger social networks.

So with that out of the way, lets get to it:

Honorable mentions:

Businesscard2, a professional site that provided a virtual business card. This site allows for a custom URL, has a biography section, built in links to a handful of the top social networks, and allows for full length post updates with anchor texts links, and sits on a cool PageRank of 6. The downside? Businesscard2 is merging with Workface, another professional profiling site sometime in early 2012. If Businesscard2 were to stick around it'd probably be around #5-7 in the list. Workface is great and all, but it requires more personal information and generally doesn't perform as well as the ole Bee-Cee-Two did. That said, workface would still probably make our top 20 list, so check it out!

Posterous. This could have easily been #10 instead of Tumblr as they share a great deal of similar qualities. Both are microblogging sites that many other wbe 2.0 profiles allow you to link to. In fact, based on our anecdotal experience Posterous typically ranks higher than Tumblr in search results. The reason preposterous didn't make the list was simple: even though it was a better star solo than Tumblr, Tumblr allows your to send far more quality links and updates to the rest of your sites.

10. Tumblr - the team player. Tumblr has a lofty PR8 and allows you to post tons of content of a variety of types (text, pics, links, podcasts, videos etc) extremely easily. It ranks well and it helps your other profiles rank well. 'nuff said.

9. Professional on the Web - We don't really have an explanation for this one. X-factor all the way! It doesn't allow updates, and it has a semi-customizable URL, but it also has some extra junk characters in there. Professional on the Web does have a PR6, and it allows for a lengthy about you section, and it has an open-ended quality link section as well. There's just something about this site that works. It just ranks well, and its links are extremely high quality. We can't put it higher in the list because it simply doesn't meet many of our criteria, but try this one out and you'll be pleased.

8. Google+ - the red-headed stepchild of social networks. Google+ is awesome for a few reasons- number one being awesome functionality and developers behind it. That said, the main public hasn't fully caught on yet and as such Google+ is definitely lagging behind the other social networks. They did just allow for business pages recently, so it isn't just for social users anymore. That said, the biggest penalty comes from not allowing a custom URL. You have to spend a lot of time on Google+ to get it to rank well. It works great if you have the time to be on it a few times every week and connecting with people, but not for your average busy professional. It does have a PR8 and is the spawn of the practical owners of the internet so you should still probably at least sign up for one, or something.

7. Multiply - Another social networking giant with a PR7. Multiply is a site that really has it all- massive user base, fully custom URLs, photo, blog, and video sharing, a completely customizable profile minisite, and great outbound links. In fact, multiply is probably the single best site that meets all our criteria to the letter. So why isn't it #1? Because there are bigger fish out there that, despite not being perfect on paper, perform much better in real life.

6. Profilepond - This is actually split sites joined together- Peoplepond and Companypond. You sign up for a generic Profilepond and then set up individual pages from there. This is another profile that is a little weak in some categories, but strong in the X-factor field. Profilepond just ranks well. It has quality outbound links, and allows for RSS feeds of some of the top social and Web 2.0 profiles also on this list. It doesn't allow for updates, and only has a PR4. Guess this is proof that PR isn't everything, eh?

5. Twitter - The undisputed microblogging king. There's been some debate as to Twitter's PageRank- the first half of the year it was a lofty PR9 but recently Twitter actually shows a PR of 0. We'll just call it 9 for all intents and purposes. And in terms of accessible user base, Twitter is probably on top, yet the reason we only put it at number 5: nofollow links. Every link on twitter carries no link juice; they simply don't count for helping your other profiles rank. In order to get a twitter onto page 1 of Google you're going to have to sink a lot of backlinks into it with no hope of return on those links. The good news is twitter ranks pretty damn well on its own off the strength of its own name combined with relatively steady tweeting. So yes, its good but not nearly #1.

4. Xing - Another allstar social network, only this one is from those crazy Germans. Quality outbound links, good network base, pages for company and individuals, and sittin' on a PR8. Not much to say, this is pretty vanilla. It ranks well, it helps your other sites rank, and it is a great social pillar to add to your online empire.

3. WordPress - We want the.com variant- WordPress.org is for hosting the WordPress software on your own website. WordPress.com is just a great free blogging site that you can name after yourself and use to churn out high quality content. WordPress is incredibly easy to use, and can rank for your name with just two or three posts on it. Not to mention the fact that you can add tons of great links as anchor text and a svelte PR9? Sign me up. And sign yourself up while you're at it.

2. Facebook - Some of you probably expected this at #1. Facebook is the undisputed king of the overall social scene - but it is by no means the best network for reputation management purposes. It suffers from the same problems Twitter does: lack of quality outbound links. That said, Facebook ranks so damn well on its own with just a bit of content and a few posts, and the traffic it can drive to your other profiles makes it an absolute must. People almost EXPECT you to be on Facebook these days, whether you're an individual or a business. Besides, it provides a great way to interact and is one of the best online reputation tools out there. And you don't have to sink a ton of extra backlinks into it to make it rank; most sites have Facebook-specific link and RSS feed spots anyways. BUT you're probably on Facebook anyways, so this point is probably moot =D

1. LinkedIn - The mac daddy of social networks for reputation management, lets take a quick look at why this at #1 over the almighty book of faces:

Both are a lofty PR9 and have massive built-in user bases to interact with.
LinkedIn is more professional in nature and potential employers, customers, and business partners almost expect you to have a LinkedIn the same way your friends expect you to have a Facebook.
It allows for 3 dofollow links of your choice, along with a spot to sync with your Twitter account. That's 4 MEGA quality outbound links to Facebook's 0. This is the main reason LinkedIn edge out the #1 spot, in case you were curious.
No full post functionality as of yet, but you can update your status and join plenty of groups and networks to add content and links to your profile to help it rank.

All that said, we like to think of LinkedIn as Facebook's slightly older & more grown up big brother; a lot of the same desirable traits, just a little more professional and grown up. And LINKS- juicy, juicy outbound links.

So that's our list! Got any points to challenge? Favorite sites that didn't make the cut? Let us know in the comments! Look us up on any of these networks for more tips on how to use it- we're on all of them and more!

This article was written by Clark Jameson, member of the Clean Name Blueprint staff.  For more web2.0 tips and online reputation management strategies visit our blog at Clean Name Blueprint.

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Top 10 Business Books to Inspire You and Your Business

1. Switched On - Sahar Hashemi

The founder of Coffee Republic gives her view of how to "switch yourself on" in the world of work and really engage in what you do. The book proposes eight entrepreneurial habits to make jobs more enjoyable, based on the simple principle that life is too short to just work for the paycheck. It's written in a way that applies to all types of companies and all levels and gives lots of examples from other businesses.

Best for - An easy, quick read; getting out of a rut

2. Bold - Shaun Smith

"How to be brave in business and win." This is the perfect antidote for all the dull corporations out there who think their job is to follow the pack. A dozen detailed case studies of businesses that have broken away from the norm and taken a "bold" approach to business, including brands such as O2, Virgin, Zappos and Burberry.

Best for - Ideas and inspiring stories from businesses around the world

3. Onward - Howard Schultz

The story of the most recent years in the Starbucks corporate history, as it struggled to re-connect with its customers and get back to its core values. A great example of a business which had seen huge success, lost its way and the courage of the management team to fight back to the top.

Best for - Bigger businesses that have stalled and need to enter a new phase.

4. How to be Brilliant - Michael Heppel

This is one of a series of books by Michael Heppel that include topics such as Customer Service, Time Management and Life Balance. This one is a blueprint to change your-self in 90 days. Heppel believes that most people settle for being OK or good at things, but we all have the capacity to be brilliant. Full of inspirational anecdotes and practical tools, this is a great book to dip into or follow as a 90 day plan.

Best for - Those days when you want things not to be quite as ordinary

5. It's not how good you are, it's how good you want to be - Paul Arden

With an advertising background himself, Arden uses an unusually creative approach to get across bite-sized ideas about having the vision and ideas to move forward. It's a small read (you'll get through it in an hour) and perfect as a giveaway to business colleagues, clients or course delegates who need that bit of inspiration.

Best for - Creative types or as a business gift

6. Everything you know about business is wrong - Alastair Dryburgh

Based on the author's column 'Don't You Believe It' in Management Today, this takes modern business myths and blows them apart. For example, that cost cutting is a bad way to boost profits, that you shouldn't always give 110% and that incentives don't encourage people to do useful things. Whether you agree with all the views or not it will definitely get you thinking in a different way.

Best for - Challenging the "givens" in your business, especially if it tends to look to the short term answers.

7. Great by choice - Jim Collins

10 years after the well-known book 'Good to Great', this book updates the ideas and focuses on how some companies can survive and grow amidst the chaos of business. Based on detailed research rather than just the authors own ideas, this gives a blueprint for how to act now - and many of the findings will surprise you.

Best for - Well researched themes and examples.

8. Customer genius - Peter Fisk

See the world from the customers perspective for a change. This book is a great guide in how to really understand your customers and drive your business based on their needs and views. Simple building blocks, practical tools and real business stories - this should be required reading for all those people who talk about valuing customers but don't actually do it.

Best for - Reminding you why you are in business at all

9. Dragons Den: Grow your Business - Stuart Warner

Whatever you think of the TV programme or them individually, Dragons Den has done a great deal to push new business ideas in the UK and encourage entrepreneurs. This book uses examples from the TV show that focus on the stage after start up, as you start to move into a bigger business.

Best for - TV addicts and celebrity inspiration

10. The Big Five for Life - John Strelecky

Written as a business parable, like the One Minute Manager series, but this is much more thought provoking. The book is very moving and poses fundamental questions about how you want to live your life and what that means for business.

Best for - reflecting on your purpose in life and business

For more business tips and inspiration, click here for our free report... http://www.ignitionkey.co.uk/signup.aspx.

Want help improving your business results? Visit our website to get our free report - "52 Ways to Boost Your Profits". Kate Marsden is founder of Ignition Key Ltd and has 20 years business experience working at Director level for a number for well-known organisations. Kate provides businesses with advisory, support, coaching and mentoring services to enable them to step change their performance and results. For more information visit http://www.ignitionkey.co.uk/

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10 Top Traits for Great Customer Service Whether You Are a Man or a Woman Entrepreneur

Let's begin with a reminder of the principles of customer care and the attributes we all need to have!

10 Top Traits for Great Customer service (whether you're a woman or a man)

1. Transparency

2. Honesty

3. Professionalism

4. Communication

5. Respect

6. Dedication

7. Reactivity

8. Follow-up

9. Feedback

10. Knowledge about customers and their needs

So are women entrepreneurs different then? The history behind the majority of women entrepreneurs is similar. More often than not women decide to set up a business because they have a genuine passion to provide a particular service or they want to develop and market a particular product. Sometimes it is from economic necessity but not as often as you might think but it is interesting that the woman who sets up a business from her kitchen table is somehow not regarded as highly as a man who works from his spare bedroom for two years before buying their first premises.

There is also the internal attitude, how we, as women entrepreneurs, view ourselves and our business ideas. At the risk of over generalising, the following facts hold true for the majority of women who set up in business: They want to build their business over the long term, not just get it up and running and successful and then sell it off and go onto something else They see customer satisfaction to be the cornerstone to this growth They are risk managers rather than risk takers and pay great attention to event he smallest aspect of their business They tend to set up on a shoestring, finding as many ways as possible to do something for no cost/low cost possibly because they know they will not be financed by venture capital or perhaps because they need to prove to themselves that their business will work before they go and ask for help They are highly motivated to succeed and determined not to give up These elements, except perhaps the last one, are not traditionally characteristics of male entrepreneurs. So where does this take women entrepreneurs when it comes to customer service and how does it affect their attitudes towards customers?

Do women treat customers differently from men? Women entrepreneurs see the customer as central to their enterprise and will consistently do whatever it takes to keep customers and add customers, sometimes to the detriment of their families and their health; for example, they will work through the night to get a job finished and may be less able than men to keep the boundaries between home and family life separate. Of course, male entrepreneurs also work all hours when it's necessary but they don't often have the additional responsibility of home and family to take care of which, traditionally, women do.

This is great for the customer, in the short term at least, but the downside of this commitment to customers is that many women entrepreneurs see a need to 'over deliver', to do more than they are being asked to do at the risk of other aspects of their business. Whether this is because of an innate lack of self belief, an upbringing as 'people pleasers' or something else is debatable; it could simply be a genuine desire to offer whatever it takes to keep the customer happy. But it is common that women will accommodate the needs of customers even if this means more effort and less remuneration or will accept tight deadlines and not even think of charging a premium price for the service.

On the upside, women are generally better listeners than men and are genuinely interested in their customers as people rather than /$ signs. So they will really listen to what the customer wants and try to provide it and, as they pay attention to detail, they can provide perhaps the smallest of add-ons which make the difference and help the customer feel an individual. Once customers get used to this, they will go on expecting it so beware the woman entrepreneur who gets so successful that, in time, she puts automatic responders into action to deal with customers- this takes away the personal touch and can result in a dropping off of customer loyalty.

What key lessons do women entrepreneurs need to take on board about customer care?

Choose you ideal client and target market and stick to it - you can't be all things to all people and if you try, you will end up being pulled in all directions. Later you can develop into other marketsBe clear about your boundaries between home and work and stick to themKeep your focus on your customers and confidently deliver what it takes to keep them coming backDon't lose the personal touch when your enterprise gets bigger or you will lose those original customers who supported your business when it started up

Action!

Make sure you have a written customer service policy rather than just something in your head. It needn't be long and complex but should note how you will treat your customers, what you will do if things go wrong and how you will systematically keep in touch with them.

Don't wait! Sign up for a FREE two-part webinar series for women when we will look at the issue of self confidence and how to get more of it. Places limited so book here for a place "Get Confident, Get Going or How to Take Tactical Steps To Build Confidence" https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/855277462 I am a qualified coach, training consultant and careers counsellor with special expertise in women's development and leadership.

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Lapel Pins - Top 10 Secrets To Success

PROOFREAD! MANY TIMES COMPANIES WILL OVERLOOK THIS IN A RUSH TO GET THEIR RECOGNITION PIN IN HAND.

1. Although the company creating the recognition pin will probably look at the order many times, typically they are working on numerous orders at the same time. To make matters worse, the company may not understand the meaning of the customization and draw incorrect assumptions about the pin's design. Nothing is more embarrassing than receiving employee recognition pins with egregious errors.

2. Maintaining the bottom line while remaining competitive must not result in the sacrifice of quality in the manufacture of classic lapel pins. Saving money is important, but if the money is being saved by producing a lesser quality pin, is the savings worth it? When purchasing employee recognition pins, customers need to make sure the pin company has a proven track record and possesses the ability to be innovative without sacrificing overall quality.

3. Buyers should do their research when selecting a recognition pin, determining style, quality, and overall appearance. Once determined, they should get quotes and proposals on the pins they want.

4. If high quality pins is what a company seeks, there is no room for procrastination. Although the turnaround time for pins is relatively short, companies should place their orders well in advance. This gives the pin supplier the time needed to deliver quality customized pins on schedule.

5. Obtaining pre-production samples is as important as proofreading. This affords buyers of employee recognition pins the opportunity to see them prior to the final product in case changes are needed.

6. Companies should ask questions. After all, it's their company the employee recognition pins represent. If companies are not familiar with the lingo, they should clarify their understanding of the process.

7. Buyers should remember to keep it simple. Most pins are branding tools. It's a good way to spark discussion about the company, so all a pin needs is the company name, company colors, and a few words about the goal or achievement if appropriate. Anything more is too much.

8. As for branding, do the employee recognition pins fit the company? Companies should ask if they want their employee pins to support the product or services they offer.

9. When it comes to cost versus quality, go with quality. Low cost does not make lapel pins the best choice. Recipients of customized pins can recognize shoddy quality and poor craftsmanship, as well as its tainted reflection on them and the company.

10. The big questions companies should ask are: How many lapel pins are needed? How big should the lapel pins be? Do the lapel pins require metal finishes such as shiny or antique? Will these lapel pins use soft or hard enamel colors? Would these lapel pins look better by sandblasting the recessed areas, feature epoxy, back text, clutch, or packaging? What is the production time for these lapel pins? Does the company need employee recognition pins for an event? Does the company need a sample of the artwork or the product before the final run?

Paul Stark is the owner of The Monterey Company, a U.S. firm that specializes in producing employee recognition pins, custom lapel pins, and other custom metal products. If you would like to learn more about Lapel Pins, click on the link.

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Personal Success in Business - The 10 Steps!

Being aware of your own approach to Business is the key to your success. How aware are you of your own response to challenges? How well do you manage yourself? What kind of 'leader' are you for your Business? How disciplined are you?

Do you even KNOW the 10 Steps to Personal Success in Business?

Believe it or not, this is an area that many business owners ignore and dismiss. They simply go from day-to-day until something happens to make them stand up and take notice. Being aware of how your mind works is an important foundation for growth. As a business owner and decision maker, it's your responsibility to be completely aware of every aspect of your business.

Here are the 10 Steps to Personal Success in Business.

Step 1 - UNAWARE / UNCONSCIOUS INCOMPETENCE

This is where you don't know anything and don't do anything. Things just happen. You live each day as if you photocopied it from the day before. You're at the bottom of the ladder to success.

Step 2 - REACTION

You're operating on animal instinct. It's fight or flight. You simply react to whatever comes your way without thinking. This is a very stressful place to be.

Step 3 - GROUP

This is where most people are, yet it's the most dangerous step. It's where you follow everyone else - the masses. It's comfortable here. You seek reassurance and guidance from peers, family and friends. The thought of breaking away is scary. Maybe you've had a great idea to break out and do something innovative but when you mention it to a network group, friends or family for their opinion, the response may go something like: "Are you kidding?", "Haven't you seen the news?", "I can't see that working!". So, you put the one thing that can TRANSFORM your life back in your pocket, agree with them that it's a bad idea and stay as you are. You're back in your comfort zone, feeling safe. You feel relieved, thinking everyone else is right - after all, you think to yourself, who would have supported if you had taken that next step?

It might be comfortable being with the group, but it holds you back. When you move out of the group, it's the best step you can take!

Step 4 - ASPIRATION

You want to BE more, DO more and HAVE more. How many times have you aspired to do something but done nothing about it? Have you ever made a resolution then forgotten about it? Can you remember a time when you used to think about doing something but never got around to it?

Having an aspiration is good, but without action, it doesn't amount to anything.

Step 5 - HESITATION

Now, you step forward into your future. But wait! You look around and then panic because you're on your own. Being a leader can be lonely and when you look behind and see the group, it's easier to step back into that old comfort zone. How many times has that happened to you?

Step 6 - DISCIPLINE

At last! This is the key step. It's when you take congruent action AND MOVE FORWARD. When you have the discipline to do this, you know you've taken the most important step towards your personal success. You no longer hear those people calling you back. All you focus on is your future, pulling you forward.

You've decided to do something positive and have taken the ACTION to do it.

Step 7 - EXPERIENCE

Almost immediately, by taking decisive action your knowledge increases. You learn new things and gain the confidence to continue moving forward. Others follow you, perhaps for the first time. You're now the leader. You gain the experience of having taken action and this experience encourages you to continue going forward, gaining experience of new situations all the time.

Step 8 - RESPONSE

Now it gets really interesting...With your new discipline and growing experience, you learn how to respond, rather than just react as previously. When you're confronted with an issue, instead of a quick reaction or hiding from it, you evaluate it, test & measure different options, and then respond with the best solution.

Step 9 - 'KAIZEN'

This is the Japanese principle of constant-and-never-ending-improvement or "ongoing change for the better". Your focus is on continuous improvement. This step is the natural state of successful people. It applies to every aspect of your business and your life.

Step 10 - AWARENESS

Finally, you display the characteristics of success. You Plan, Do and then Review. You've learned how taking action produces results and how the right decisions give you the right results. You're ready to start creating new steps of your own!

So, do you recognise the steps above?

Perhaps not. After all, most people are stuck in the Group level and don't know there's anything above them. Or maybe you've already stepped out and are taking action. You may even be further ahead. However, unless you've made it to the DISCIPLINE stage, the best you can ever be is in constant hesitation. This robs you of time, your most valuable non-recyclable resource.

Challenge yourself! How are you going to move up a level? How do you get away from following the masses? All it takes is just one step at a time.

Find out who the successful people are in your industry and find out what makes them successful. They are the few going in the opposite direction from the masses.

Study them. Follow them.

Remember, the power to your Personal Success in Business is developing yourself personally.

These 10 Steps are just one element of the 7 Principles of Business Success, developed from years of studying the best business models worldwide to create an easy model to follow.

Julie McGloin is co-founder and Director of award-winning Business Coaching and Development company, Straight Forward Success Ltd, which she runs with her husband and Master Business Coach, Anthony.
For further information about how to improve your business and for a free download of The 7 Principles of Success, visit: http://www.straightforwardsuccess.com/7-principles

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