Март 2012

How the rich get Richer and how you can get richer too

In the next couple of paragraphs  and until the end of this series, I will be revealing certain truths that would guarantee that you get richer that you are now. I am giving you full assurance that the information contained in this article will work for you, not just because it is working for me but also because it is already working for countless others. So if you are ready, seat back and get ready to be exposed.

In putting together this write up, I had to carry out some very extensive research and I was able to find out that aside every other thing, the rich get richer by using three very important ingredients. I call these ingredients OPI,OPM, OPT. OPI is short for “other peoples’ idea” and so you can guess the other two- “other peoples’ money ” and  “other peoples’ time”. Now that we have set the ball rounding and we are already in the mid field, let score a goal.

OTHER PEOPLES IDEAS:

The truth about life is that ideas rule the world, Microsoft was first and idea before it became the source of income for the wealthiest man in the world. The idea to begin the social networking site facebook was an idea  but the idea because the source of income on Mark and the others. The point I am trying to hammer here is that the thing that makes you rich and increase your riches is the Ideas that you are willing to implement. I hear people say that they do not have an Idea of what to do but I wonder how this is possible.

Listen, when you feel you don’t have an idea look at other people for ideas, don’t get me wrong I am not trying to Imply that you are not capable of thinking out great ideas but if you are to be very objective even that idea that since like it was entirely your was most likely inspired by an event or occurrence that was not entirely your making, so why the hypocrisy? Now that I have given you some stroking, let me show you 5 ways to get ideas for other people without them even knowing it. If you are ready for this great revelation, then let your eyes more your mind to the next paragraph.

1. Listen to yourself: A lot of times, we find that we are so engaged in activities that we find it very hard to even listen to ourselves. But in solitude you will find altitude. Talk to yourself and ‘borrow brain’ look inward think of all the things that you can do. Take a step further and write  something down.
2. Listen to People: The first step to getting OPI is to listen to people, People will always have something to say, either verbally, in a blog, on an online community in a book and so one.  The catch here is that you must be willing to listen to people be hungry for information. Try to know a little about everything without looking like an information pest, people are generally put off by individuals that come on strong, take it easy and let people talk.
3. Get Help: There are many things we can do if we put our minds to it, but the point here is that life is too short to learn everything by ourselves. Although you know how to design a website, it might not be a bad ideas to seat back and allow another person seat on the front row and do the job. In the process of seating at the back ground you are getting help, if you choose to be smart you would be learning some of what he know. Don’t be afraid  to get help when you need it, only cowards are afraid to get help.
4. Start something: Most of  the inventions came as mistakes  of other inventions, for instance the microwave oven was stumbled upon mistakenly but it has found application in many  homes today. In the process of  doing something, stunting ideas will come your way. Stop seating down start with what you have. It time to move to the next point in this write up- OPM

Part two of this article will be uploaded next week but I would really love to read you comment so WRITE ON !

How not to plan your Company’s Future — Five common mistakes when identifying customer needs?

How not to Plan your Company’s Future
5 common mistakes when identifying customer needs

By Jeff Mowatt

When managers plan their business strategies, common sense dictates that these game-plans should be in line with customer needs. The first step in planning is therefore to identify customer preferences. Unfortunately, most conventional approaches to determining customer needs are flawed. Here are five of the most common methods used to gather customer opinions along with their drawbacks. Keep these often-made mistakes in mind when planning your business strategy.

Mistake #1 — counting cash
One way to find out what customers think — indirectly at least — is to look at revenues. The assumption being that if revenues are increasing then customers must be happy. Dangerous. A repeat customer isn’t necessarily loyal. Customers may come back more by default than desire. If that’s the case, the moment your competitor finds a way to truly satisfy your customers, those repeat customers will abandon you. Or, if your team is providing support services to internal customers, you may be setting yourself up to be outsource. So, even though your revenues may indicate that you have happy customers, unless you do the research, you are potentially vulnerable. Business leaders whose companies endure are those who do not just assume that customers are happy, they create the right systems to know it.

Mistake #2 — counting complaints
Some managers assume that if they merely reduce the number of customer complaints, they are satisfying more customers. In reality, fewer complaints often mean that fewer customers are angry enough to complain. It doesn’t necessarily mean that they are happy. When it comes to measuring complaints keep in mind your own experience when visiting a restaurant with mediocre service. It wasn’t bad enough to complain. But, it wasn’t good enough to bring you back. If the restaurant manager was only counting complaints as a measure of customer satisfaction, he or she’d be off track.

Mistake #3 — trust focus groups
A popular method of collecting customer information is using focus groups. This is where a manager or consultant gathers a group of customers and asks their opinions. Consultants often like focus groups because the information looks scientific and they can charge a fee for conducting them. It’s been my experience, however, that focus groups tell you a lot more about group-think than anything else. In virtually every focus group I’ve been asked to observe, opinion leaders in the group influence the responses of others. That alone renders focus groups practically useless in terms of finding out what individuals really think.

Mistake #4 — paid phone surveys
The most promising way of identifying preferences is to have a one-on-one conversation with the customer. The problem is that the conventional approach to interviews receives miserably low response rates. Imagine you’re at home one evening when the phone rings. An unfamiliar voice on the line says, «Hello Mr. or Mrs. So-and-so, we’re conducting a survey on…» You’re thinking, «Not again,» and end the conversation — click.

As an alternative, rather than using standard telephone surveying, the manager of the company uses a resource I often recommend to my clients -business students. Picture yourself again at home. The phone rings. When you answer, a youthful voice says, «Hi, I’m a business student at the local university. For my marketing class I’m doing a project where I’m conducting a survey on such and such.» You find yourself saying, «OK, kid, let’s make this quick.» Response rates soar. Bonus — students work for the price of Kraft Dinner!

Mistake #5 — trust high ratings
On a customer survey, you can ask, «Overall, are you satisfied with the service?» And you may get results that show that 96% said, «Yes.» But be careful how you interpret those results. This is where many managers assume that they’re getting an A+ score. Think of the question again; it asks if overall you are ‘satisfied.’ In other words, the survey is asking if the service is adequate. By responding ‘yes,’ customers are not saying that they were impressed or even pleased-merely that they were satisfied. It doesn’t mean they feel loyal. Imagine your sweetheart talking to a friend and describing you as being adequate. You’d probably see that as reason for concern! It certainly isn’t reason to think you’re getting an A+ performance rating. Yet, that’s exactly what so many managers think when they see a 96% customer-satisfaction rating.

The lesson is that managers need to stop interpreting high percentages the way we did in high school. If you have a 98% customer-satisfaction rating you may still have serious problems in customer loyalty. According to marketing research expert, Dr. Mike Heffring, «It has been shown that it’s the percentage of people who give you excellent or outstanding ratings (e.g., nine or ten on a ten-point scale) who matter. If you increase that percentage, then market share actually moves. If you don’t, then you may feel better if the percent satisfied goes up but the impact is insignificant.»

Identify what customers really think
In other words, when it comes to planning your corporate strategy, the focus becomes, What do managers need to do to shift customers from being ‘satisfied’ to being ‘delighted’? Just make sure as you do this, that you also ask yourself if your current information is telling you what your customers really think.

Learn the Easy Way to Generate Quality Traffic

{When you are making a new website for your business, you are nearly a perfectionist with making sure that it all goes just according to plan. These are important things to consider, but they may be wasted effort if you cannot bring in the targeted traffic that you will need in order for your business to enjoy continued success. You might create a great artistic masterpiece, but if no one sees it then it will not really be doing much good for you. Traffic is always one of the most important things that any website needs to survive, and yours will be no different. There are many different ways that you will find that can help you to generate traffic, whether it be for free or a paid service, and you will really be left to your own devices to decide what is best for you. This article examines some of the techniques that are available to you for bringing in more traffic, specifically the type of targeted traffic that you need to succeed.|The Internet continues to expand in terms of the amount of people that use it every day and it shows not signs of slowing down soon. The new introductions of social media technologies has greatly expanded the way in which Internet technologies can be used, and many of these outlets are now a part of the everyday routine. How will this help you as an internet marketer, though? First of all, you can know that you will have an ever growing market to tap into which means that you will be able to sell to more and more people. Moreover, the expansion of new technologies has led to an increase in the avenues that you have available to reach your customers. Most people find themselves more connected to the Internet than ever before, and as this happens the amount of money that is changing hands also increases, leaving you with a great opportunity to earn some income. But if you’re just starting out, it can get confusing with what traffic source to choose and how to exactly start with it. In this article we will look into workable traffic creation tips that can help you get the most out of your campaign.|Many people will tell you that getting targeted traffic to your site can be hard, well the truth is it doesn’t need to be that difficult. Some internet marketers have these techniques perfected while others continue to struggle. One of the chief causes of trouble with generating traffic for a site is that people do not expend an appropriate amount of energy making sure they are offering value. If you are giving a good value proposition to your market, you should not have any trouble finding the traffic you need. You have plenty of options at your disposal, deciding which methods to use will depend on different things. This article looks at some advice that will help you start off on the right foot when you begin your new traffic generation efforts.|One of the problems that all Internet marketers run into at some point is consistently generating traffic flow for their websites. There are many novice marketers that do not know where to begin, and have no real idea how to seriously generate good targeted traffic. Many people have wasted and lost large sums of money by investing too much money in fruitless campaigns or at the wrong time. And the rest of them have put in hours and hours of hard work jumping from one traffic creation technique to another. There is more information available on the web than any sane person would know what to do with, so lots of people just seem lost. Getting clear on who your market is and how you will reach out to is important before taking any steps. Yes, you can drive quality traffic to your site successfully but for that it’s important to set goals, put in the effort and be persistent. The following article will give you some pointers on how to get exposure of your site to those who need to see it.|The Internet truly is vast in terms of the ways you can use it. There are countless different methods that you will be able to try to make a living online. The internet allows you to tap into every market conceivable as an internet marketer. You simply need to know how to target the correct audiences and make the sale. There is plenty of info on internet marketing out there, is it as simple as these people make out?

Lots of people find it hard to get high level traffic to their sites, however it is only difficult if you do not do your research and know how to proceed. You will find the internet offers plenty of advice on how to market your site and draw visitors in who are likely to buy. This can be good but can also be counter productive, the more you read the more confused you will get. The more you try to learn and go deeper, the more confusing it gets. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. Generating traffic really is not brain surgery. In fact it is mainly common sense, knowing how to reach the correct people. This short article is designed to educate you on how to successfully target the correct audience and bring in the traffic you need.

One of the great new ways to bring more traffic to your site is to use photo sharing sites, like Flickr. Are you wondering how this is done? Your strategy will be to post pictures on the site that somehow are of interest to your market. There are numerous people that spend their days looking through all of the material on these sites, so you will want to post material here so that it can be found easily. In order to maximize the potential of this plan, you will want to draft a well thought out description that will go well with your pictures and then tag them appropriately. These photo sharing sites all work with tagging capabilities, this works in your favor as it can make your photos easy to find by anybody searching for related keywords, your pictures should rise in popularity and will help get exposure for your site. You should not take lightly the potential gains you can receive from using this method of traffic generation.

One of the best ways to attract the traffic you desire is to be seen in places that your targets are known to frequent. Find out what forums and discussion boards they visit frequently and what kind of information they share there. Knowing this will give you some good insight into what sorts of things they are interested in discussing and what they need to know more about. After you have figured out what sorts of forums are frequented by your niche, the simplest course of action will be for you to hang out in these places and give valuable insight to the community. How should you accomplish this, though? Start by giving out quality information through answers and advice for the community. Most of the forums have an option to add your website’s link in the signature, so the more people are exposed to your signature, the higher traffic you will receive. Since you are posting on a forum within your niche, you should receive well targeted traffic and pull in plenty of conversions.

If you have the money to spend, you might consider using banner advertising and media buying to bring in more high quality traffic for your site. There are plenty of high traffic sites within your niche that will be happy to post ads for you once you have gotten in touch with them. Many of these sites will be running Google’s AdSense advertisement system, so they will be able to list your ad on their page for the fixed fee. All in all, traffic generation should not be a problem if your marketing plan is in place and you actually put in the effort. You might have to wait a little while as the plan kicks into high gear and everything gets rolling, but after things start working you will be able to cruise to great traffic generation. It all comes back to the planning and organization of the plan in the beginning which allows you to have an efficiently run enterprise.

Leasing Office Space: in Agreement With Your Landlord

Do you have a growing business? If so, are you thinking of leasing or buying a larger office space? If you have larger funds to invest in premises, consider buying, else leasing will work best for you.

Here are a few strategies for dealing with landlords, to make the most of your lease deal.

Look beyond permitted uses: Generally, a lease agreement will specify the uses that the space leased out to you, can be put to. Ensure that your agreement allows you to conduct the entire range of present as well as planned activities. If your business is on a growth path, it is a good idea to take a larger space than you need at the moment, so that you can accommodate your future needs as well. In the interim, you could sub-lease the extra space to another business, provided your agreement allows you to.

Opt for a short term lease: Even though your business has a long-term goal, sign a short term lease agreement, if possible. You will find many landlords offering discounted rates for long-term lease contracts, but be cautious while dealing with such matters. With a shorter lease, you have greater flexibility to deal with any changed requirements in the future.

Take into account rent increases: Every long term lease agreement will specify a periodic increase in rent. In case your agreement is for a short term, insist that your landlord gives you adequate advance notice in writing about the intention to increase rent after the current tenure lapses. Usually, rent increases fall within an acceptable range – understand this beforehand.

Beware of maintenance and other charges: Find out the extra charges that you may need to bear — like HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning) and any other building maintenance overheads. Check if there is a cap to all these charges and try to get an idea of the periodicity of increase.

Ask for allowing alterations to the space: Usually, landlords will not allow you to make any alterations to the space they have leased out. However, you can request for a clause that allows you to make any alterations or improvement with the landlord’s consent.

Check the renewal option: If you plan to renew the lease, try and negotiate easier terms to your advantage. After all, not having to find a new tenant will save the landlord time, effort and brokerage fee. In the bargain, the landlord might agree to a rent that is a bit lower than the market price. From your perspective, you need to know when to begin the lease renewal process, and what terms apply in the interim.

Consider all the above points before signing up any lease agreement for your office space. Above all, have your real estate broker or lawyer go through the terms of the lease agreement in advance. Experts can assist you in leasing office space and ensuring that you find the right space at the best deal possible. You could also learn a lot from books like “Leasing Office Space You Can Afford: Everything Companies Need to Know-From Finding Great Space, and Negotiating the Lease,

How to Choose a Location For a New Hotel

Choosing the right location is key to the success of your new hotel. Although a large hotel can change the very nature of a street and neighborhood, the success of a small hotel is more likely to be impacted BY its surroundings. It is important to look closely at the neighborhood and beyond when considering your hotel’s location.  

Who are your customers?  

To know if the hotel’s location is right for you, a hotel entrepreneur must first ask «who are my customers?» and then «what do they want to be near to?» The right location for pleasure travelers may be very different from the right location for business travelers. Will your customers value being near downtown and the conference centers and event spaces where their business sends them? Will they be looking to enjoy the serene countryside and regional attractions? Will they be looking for recreation like skiing, the beach, lakes, or theme parks? Will they want access to the best restaurants and attractions the city has to offer? Regardless of the answers to these questions, it would help your customers if you were accessible to the local airport, train and bus stations, and car rental locations.  

The Neighborhood  

Start by looking at the closest potential neighbors and then move outwards. Are there high-quality businesses in the nearby area that either offer services your customers may want to use or that may even help you fill your rooms, like museums or banquet halls? If there are, do the legwork of talking to the owners about how they might partner with your new hotel to offer promotions to their customers.   Alternately, are there neighbors which might be a nuisance for some customers (ie nightclubs, casinos, bars) or that are entirely undesirable for travelers (ie abandoned lots, garbage dumps)? If you won’t be adding parking, is there parking available nearby at prices that won’t be prohibitive for your driving customers?  

Talk to Owners and Neighbors  

When you find a location that is for sale, don’t just speak to the owner. Speak to neighbors to hear what they know about the owner and the previous tenants at the location. Learning about this history can put you in a much better negotiating position when the time comes.   Also remember that you can renovate an appropriate building into a hotel rather than building from scratch. If tenants in a building look like their businesses are in bad shape, the landlord may be waiting for the right offer to come along to take over the space with a successful business. Look for these opportunities which may not have a «For Sale» or «For Rent» sign posted.