15 Techniques for Winning Negotiations

By Mike Daley

As a small business startup or current owner, learning negotiating skills is very important. Believe it or not, there are literally thousands of negotiations that can affect your business and your bottom line. These can be items as simple as getting a discount for your business cards or as complicated as a facility lease. It might be negotiating pay plans with employees or payment terms with a supplier.

The bottom line is most schools do not teach the art of negotiating. And believe me, it is an art, a talent, a skill! For some small business owners it comes naturally. For most of us, learning the art of negotiations comes through necessity, effort, and experience.

Here are 15 techniques that you might consider as you become a master of negotiating: 

1. Always leave some money on the table.
2. Never compromise on your principles.
3. Try to judge what's fair from the other side's point of view.
4. Write down your goals and scenarios before every negotiation.
5. Ask questions.
6. Information is power.
7. Discuss only broad terms and conditions on the onset.
8. Whenever possible, let the other person make the first offer.
9. If you must make the first offer, make it high.
10. Always encourage the other party that we are making a deal.
11. Always come down very slowly if you are selling, and up very slowly if you are buying.
12. Never give up a concession without getting one in return.
13. Never lose track of how many concessions you have given up.
14. Be skeptical about deadlines. Most are negotiable.
15. Never let an issue be discussed unless you are prepared. Sleep on it.

The next time you are in a position of give and take, you are in negotiation. As a small business owner, this can happen more frequently than not. Most of the time there will be no clear winner but rather some manner of satisfaction on both sides. When this results, your negotiations have probably been successful. The important thing is to understand that the skill of negotiating is a learning process. The four Ps of negotiating: plan, patience, persistence, and practice are crucial to developing strong alliances and relationships that can continue in the future.

Think about these 15 principles and watch as you get the discount, free rent, the next sale, or extended payment terms. Then get ready to move on to the next negotiation, because there is always another one right around the corner.

MJD Business Advice LLC is owned by Mike Daley, an award winning, small business expert, who has over 37 years of experience helping entrepreneurs start, grow, buy, and sell businesses as well as conducting many seminars and training programs. The business website is http://www.mjdbusinessadvice.com Some of the specialties at MJD Business Advice LLC include business planning and execution, financial forecast reviews, capital infusion strategies, strategic marketing, and sales process improvements. We develop and help you implement the processes to get to the next level of success. Let's Grow Together! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Daley

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6273152

Email Etiquette 101

By Patty Juan 

Email is probably the most common form of business communication in use today. Whether you are a solo business owner or an employee of a large corporation, you probably send and receive email messages many, many times each day. But truth be told, too often many of us send email messages that have a tendency to sound snippy, bossy, or even ditsy. Even worse, we sometimes fail to send a reply altogether.

Oftentimes, we are sending emails to people whom we have never met in person. These relationships are based solely on the emails we send back and forth.

You are not a snippy, bossy, angry person. And you absolutely are not ditsy. Do you want Mr. Smith to think you are snippy, bossy, angry, or - heaven forbid - ditsy? And of course you want Mr. Smith to know that his email message is very important to you.

Here are a few dos and don'ts that will help you showcase your professional image and allow your true intent to be read with a smile each and every time you click send:

• Always include a concise subject line. This will make clear what your message is about and will help recipients prioritize their inbox.
• If this is the first few communications with someone, begin the message with a greeting, such as "Dear Mr. Jones." It's polite and it's professional. Later on "Hello, John" is perfectly fine.
• Do not write your message in all caps. It sets an angry tone, and NO ONE LIKES TO BE YELLED AT.
• Do put your main point in the opening sentence. Let people know exactly what you are writing about. They are just as busy as you are.
• Do write short, polite paragraphs. Your message should not be a novel.
• But... don't be so short so that your tone is bossy. Read over your message. Do you sound bossy? "If you have a moment, I would like to speak with you right away," sounds so much nicer than, "I want to talk with you ASAP." I am not seven, and you are not my father.
• Please do not use abbreviations or acronyms, unless you are 15 and texting your BFF.
• Do use spell check. Never skip this step. Never.
• Please do remember to say please and thank you. You have manners. Please use them.
• And finally, do always reply to an email within 24 hours. If you need more time, for instance, you are not sure how to respond, send a brief reply to acknowledge you received the email and provide a time or date when you will be back in touch. After all, do you like to be left hanging?

Send the right tone from the beginning and showcase your professionalism and efficiency. It's your business. Be an expert!

If you struggle with setting the right tone in your email messages, there is a new email plugin called ToneCheck. ToneCheck checks for emotionally charged words or sentences within email messages and works similarly to spell check. Any angry or potentially accusatory phases will be highlighted, giving you the option to rephrase your message. At this time, ToneCheck works exclusively with Outlook, but will soon expand beyond Outlook as market demand increases. It does seem very useful and worth checking out.

Patty currently owns and operates eXPERT Business Support Services. Patty teams up with small business owners and corporate executives who are looking to cut administrative costs and improve their business' efficiency. Her enthusiasm and honest work ethic, together with her 25 years of experience in the corporate world and as an independent contractor, are the foundation and core of eXPERT Business Support Services. Patty loves spending time with her family, surfing, and devoting time to Habitat for Humanity and to her local chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, which aims to protect and preserve our oceans and beaches. Visit http://www.expertsupportsvcs.com and see what an expert can do for you.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6278196

Is Modern Technology Good For Your Business?

By Jason Robert King 

We all use technology in our businesses, at least to some degree, but is technology good for your business, or your health?

Nowadays technology influences our lives and businesses in many different and subtle ways. We're so used to using it that it's easy to forget that ten years ago most of it wasn't even invented. You might use DVDs, Podcasts or the Internet for your learning material. You'll probably use spreadsheets to track different aspects of your business and word processors to write documentation.

Then there's email, social networking (Twitter, Facebook, etc) and of course the flat screen monitor you're probably reading this on. All good stuff you might be thinking and it sure makes your life easier, right?

Yes I agree, until it goes wrong and it goes wrong a lot, all the time, but why?

Are You Fighting Bad Technology Too?

I've been involved in the software industry for around 20 years now and I've been using the internet since the early 1990s, well before most people knew it existed. I consider myself reasonably tech savvy as a result.

I think that most (but not all) people will agree that technology has transformed our lives, usually for the better. However, the reason I'm writing this post at all is because I still think it performs badly. I'll give you some examples as to why, going back no more than the last two days.

Yesterday, Excel crashed on me losing half an hours work, auto save failed so it was gone for good. As of last night Facebook no longer lets me post to my own account from my iPod Touch.

I did a little keyword research before writing this post and the tool crashed, taking ages to close properly and restart.

The internet connection I'm using is extremely slow and drops out occasionally losing it altogether for a few minutes at a time. Whilst trying to submit some articles to a website earlier I had to give up because I saw nothing but "timed out" errors and I lost yet more work.

Oh, and my wireless mouse stops working every few days with a flat battery and my spare (with a wire) has a mind of it's own.

I'm sure there's more and there will be by the time I manage to publish this, but I'm sure you get the picture.

This isn't intended to be a rant, because believe it or not the last few days haven't been particularly bad as far as fighting technology is concerned.

But it does feel like a fight sometimes, with more time and effort being taken fighting the tools to make them work than solving the original problem or performing the task at hand.

Why Is Technology So Bad?

Having used computers since they first appeared in the home I'll use them as an example as to why I think technology fails to work much of the time.

I believe it's for two main reasons:

Software - computers (and many other gadgets) run a lot of software nowadays, they run it simultaneously, it's often from different providers and it's very complex.

Technology is young - although we're at the cutting edge with computers and software it's easy to forget that it's still very young, extremely young in fact.

It's these two reasons which cause so many problems with modern technology. Most of it runs software, your phone, your car, your washing machine, your TV. Software by its very nature is complex and very prone to errors.

Most technology around now wasn't even invented ten years ago. We're only at the very very beginning of the Information Age. It may feel like we're well into it sometimes but we're really not.

If this were the Industrial Age (which is long gone now) we wouldn't have even invented steam powered machinery yet, we'd still be peddling the machinery ourselves.

So, is technology good for your business? I still think Yes when it works, but when it breaks it stops being a help and can cause you some immense stress.

Do I think things will improve any time soon? I'm afraid not. While we remain at the cutting edge and on the fast, exciting part of the curve we'll always be a few steps ahead of what we can actually do well.

Technology will continue to advance at an astonishing rate, but it'll continue to fail and cause us problems at a similar rate.

However, unless we plan to live in a cave we just have to live with it because in this day and age it's near impossible to avoid technology, especially in business.

Jason is a freelance Software Engineer who is a keen blogger, has run a number of online businesses and is also in the property letting business. His interests include researching and teaching the business mindset, his goal being to learn all there is to know about how to be a successful entrepreneur and to pass this information on to others. For more information visit: http://BusinessMindsetExpert.com or follow him at http://Twitter.com/JRKtm Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Robert_King

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How to Be of Value As a Twitter User

By Henrik V Blunck 

How to be of value on Twitter is a question of bringing tweets others find useful. When you target a niche you need to write tweets that benefit others, and while you should also retweet what others say to add even more value, there are still good rules as to how you can be a reel power tweeter.

Everyone can write a tweet. 140 characters is easy to write. But getting content into each tweet involves being able to say things in a short and direct manner. One Danish author created a multi-user platform where people could write stories. Only 39 mini-stories have been written, but the idea attracted the attention of journalists and was mentioned in a couple of newspapers. So being unique can suddenly cause you to get even more exposure than anyone would ever have guessed.

Similarly, when people you follow write prime content, it's best to retweet. Don't begin rewriting content, but be a real power tweeter by sharing with your followers also. That shows involvement, and will earn you some goodwill for future retweets of what you share on Twitter.

Good tweets are tweets that share things with others. It may be the occasional smalltalk information about local weather, but your primary focus should be on targetting niches that fit your line of business. In that way you create a professional presence, but having a private side to tweets also shows that you are a real human being with emotions and thoughts about things that happen around you.

Politics should be avoided in branding a company name, but could be useful in showing who you really are when you have a personal profile on Twitter. Disagreements are best handled in DM with other users rather than wasting your followers' time with needless debates. Even though you might find the debate interesting you end up losing followers if they feel you are too persistent in your line of reasoning. Carefully considering whether what you write will benefit your followers should be your primary focus before you click that Tweet button.

Installing a tool for your desktop such as TweetDeck will work wonders since you can be more timely with your tweets, and you save a lot of time by not having to log in to your Twitter account through a separate tab in your browser. Implementing what you have now learned should help you become of even greater value to your followers, and is worth remembering right away.

I thank you for reading this article. You will benefit from checking out my blog on earning money online over at http://www.blunck.dk/earning-money-online which also deals with blogging, writing and numerous other topics relating to living from good use of your pen. Furthermore, you can find me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/henrikblunck Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Henrik_V_Blunck

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6119281

27 Top Money-Making Tips On Using Twitter For Marketing

The social networking phenomenon Twitter is so popular and so big that any business, particularly an internet based business, cannot afford to miss out on its potential as a great tool for marketing. Its tremendously valuable to marketers because of its capacity to target a specific audience and communicate with them in real time.

I've just posted a new article on How To Use Twitter As A Marketing Tool on the Biz Skills 2000 website, so please take a look and help yourself to a free download at  http://www.bizskills2000.co.uk/free-factsheets-how-you-can-start-your-own-business/  Let me know if you found it useful, and also send me your requests for factsheets in the future that would help your business andrew@bizskills2000.co.uk 

Also, take a look at our Home Study Business Course on "Tweeting For Profit: The Internet Marketers Guide To Success" available on our website at www.BizSkills2000.co.uk  

7 Big Reasons Why Your Business Should Be Using Twitter For Marketing

Not quite sure what Twitter is? Even less sure how it can benefit your business? Want to know more and understand the huge marketing opportunity your business is missing out on? ......Then read this Biz Skills 2000 article on using Twitter for marketing.....


http://www.bizskills2000.co.uk/free-factsheets/ 

How to Do an Effective Product Launch

By Simon Harding 

You have decided to make a new product for your company. You already have completed the initial steps of product development. Now, all you have to do is product launch. You may think that this is the easiest step of your product development. Do not take product launching for granted. If the launching is effective, it can give profitable impact to your company while an ineffective one will just waste your efforts of developing a new product.

Take time in planning out how you will launch your products. This is important because you will never have a second chance once you have launched your products. It's a do or die. It is either you will have a successful launching or not. Because of this, you will have to make sure that everything will be fine when you launch.

Launching is the big day for you and your new product. This is the reason why you will need to have the necessary preparation for it. If you overlook even a single factor, you may end up having major problems on your big day. Of course, you don't want this to happen. You would want to have a smooth and glitch-free launching possible.

The first thing that you must consider in a product launch is the targeted market. This is an important tool that most marketers tend to neglect. You can determine the target market by doing some research. You have to consider their age, financial capacity, habits, wants, needs, and other things that might help you. After you determined your target, you will now have an easier time to determine the product that thy will likely purchase.

Now that you have the idea for your new product, you will have to make people know about it. You can achieve this by sending out promotional advertisements and materials. Using the internet for this purpose will be very helpful. You will be able to reach out to a large number of people.

Also, you can take a look at the present launching strategies. Determine how the successful products were launched. Find out how they were delivered in the market, when and where the launching took place.

After you have launched your product, you should not leave it that way. Products will also reach a time where they have to be updated. When you have to update your product, make sure that people will know about it. You can make use of several marketing techniques to accomplish this. Make people know that you have made some innovations and tell them what the new product's advantages are. This will entice them on getting your updated product.

The process of product launch is not as simple as you may think it is. There are different considerations and planning that you must take note. You must dedicate your time and effort in making the launching successful. This will ensure that you will not meet any trouble during the launching which may drastically affect your products

Remember that launching is as important as making the product itself. Because of that, you need to plan well for that big day. For more information about Product Launch, visit us at http://www.workrightsapp.com/ now! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Simon_Harding

How to Raise Your Profile Through Talks and Events

By Bernadette Doyle 

So much about business today is about marketing. How do you connect with customers? How do you tell them about your products? How do get them to want to buy from you? Essentially the most important part of marketing is creating a profile that people want to associate with. Talks provide you with the perfect opportunity to raise your profile and connect with potential customers.

Your Event doesn't need to be Big to be Effective

When people think about putting on an event they think they have to have an audience of 500 people. But even a training session to just 20 people can help you raise your profile. When you put on an event it provides you with a great opportunity to get the word out about your business and what you are doing. The marketing for the event puts your business in the spotlight. Traditionally 20% of the people you invite or target will attend your event.

Initially you may not think that this is a great result, but remember that the remaining 80% are still getting to hear about your business. You may not get their attention the first time around, but your next event may be something that interests them. They are still being made aware of your business.

More Talks and Training Seminars can raise your Profile

If you start to put on regular talks about a variety of topics you will soon start to have a noticeable profile. With regular events it doesn't take long to build up the perception in the marketplace that you are an expert in your industry. When I started out I was giving talks about once a month. But then I sat down and strategized a bit and worked out that if I did more events in a month and focused all my energy on marketing those talks I could really boost my business. It was a big step but the result was a snowball effect. When I sent out an invitation that listed several seminar dates it immediately boosted my profile. People sat up and took notice. If I had so many events on a key area of expertise then I must be worth listening to. The more talks I did, the more people got to hear about me.

Talks create a Personal Connection with Customers

Hosting a special event, a training session or a live seminar gives people the opportunity to get to know you. That personal connection with potential clients shows them who is behind your business. This is especially valuable if you offer a consulting service or are in an industry where there is a high level of personal input. When clients know who you are and get to hear what you are about they will be more inclined to buy from you.

Why giving talks and hosting events is so effective in raising your profile

• Marketing an event provides a wider scope of exposure for your business. More people get to hear your business name and what you are doing.

• People may not respond to an invitation to your event but they still become more aware of your business and who you are.

• When you give talks on key areas of expertise you can become known as a leading authority in your field. This raises your profile significantly.

• People who attend your talks and are impressed with the event are likely to tell co-workers, friends or business associates about you. In this way your business gains further exposure.

Talks are an excellent way to set your business up for success. Talks help you to establish a presence in an industry and raise your profile. By hosting events you can become known as an expert in a certain field. This then forms a solid platform from which you can launch other marketing efforts for your business.

Bernadette Doyle is a marketing specialist who helps entrepreneurs become client magnets and attract a steady stream of their ideal clients. She publishes a free, weekly newsletter for trainers, speakers, coaches, consultants, complementary therapists and solo professionals. If you'd like to receive invaluable tips and advice on how to attract clients with ease, register at http://www.clientmagnets.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bernadette_Doyle

X Factor - 10 Business Lessons to Be Learnt

By Caleb Storkey

I watched the X Factor Finals this weekend and I'm not proud of it. And what's more, I even at one point shed a slight little tear, before saying 'Oh Bless her' as I reflected on... the person whose name I'm already forgetting- was what it...ah...come on...the one with the 'recording voice'...oh my I seriously have forgotten...I'm racking my brains...gonna have to Google it. That's it Rebecca! Yes, Rebecca made me a cry for a moment...funnily enough, I'm sure we'll all forget her within a few months.

Now there are loads of interesting questions you could explore about the X Factor? I admit having the words interesting and X Factor in the same sentence is a risky move. But nevertheless...

Where do these acts learn to develop their craft, and inner confidence without the years and years of performing on the 'toilet circuit?' Is Elton John right in his assessment that the artist is being automatically sold a really short shelf life by not having the space to learn the live craft? "Why aren't they going on tour? What's happening? They can't survive, I know, by just making records."
What happens to the acts five years from now after the X Factor machine swallows them in and spits them out to make room for the next wave of X Factor finalists?

Or as one of my friends Hannah McGuigan puts it on Facebook- X Factor: Bad Telly, Bad Music and criminal for dominating the music industry with un-original, mindless, sob-story induced media hyped rubbish.... Discuss?

I'm not sure where I sit with the X Factor. Part of me detests it for all the obvious reasons. A few years ago I would have been a zealot against it- looking in pity at anyone who admitted that they'd watched it. The manipulation, the ripping people off, the way the artists were used (remember the Steve Guy- I enjoyed reading his story), and the painfully dull, sickly music. Then I got married. And lots of things happen. In some areas of your life you change for the good, as your partner talks to you straight and helps you see the error of your ways. And in other areas of your life, you watch the X Factor on a Saturday night (I'm sure part of my straight talking back, was that we were never going to watch crap on TV). Now I'm one of those suckers who's actually interested. And oh my word, I have to confess it, I even watch the Xtra Factor too. I'm so sorry. I know it's beyond evil. Help me, as I don't know what's gone wrong with me.

But I have to find some redemption in this, and so now I want to show you (and my wife) that actually all those Saturday and Sunday nights of watching X Factor was all for research. So therefore I have come up with X (ten) points to consider with (vague links) back to X Factor. Out of nowhere these poor innocent souls get catapulted into fame and stardom, and all the pressures that come with it. And in many offices up and down the country, as others spend their time watching X Factor the inspirational entrepreneurs are working late into Saturday night. And if you are one of them, and your close to going through the roof, then I want to encourage you with some X Factor inspired wisdom. If you are about to grow and find amazing success in your business:

* i. Make sure you can cope with the meteoric rise. Others may benefit, you may benefit for a while, but make sure you've got the checks in place to prevent you from falling: think Subo, Gareth Gates etc. Don't let your support figures simply be those who will financially benefit from your success, as they'll have mixed agendas. Whether they be coaches, old friends, mentors, family, people you read, speakers you listen to, you need to get yourself plugged in. Deep genuine support; people who not only want you to achieve, but also want to see you whole, healthy and fruitful in all the areas of your life.

* ii. Make sure your rise is either on the back of lots of time developing your craft or skill, or where you've put enough time in your schedule to learn effectively as you go. If you don't develop your skill, understanding or knowledge but sit back and let everyone else do that for you, there will come a time when you are redundant to need. Develop your skill carefully as it's not enough just to do the profile stuff.

* iii. Make sure you're house is in good order. As things grow, cracks show and if everything is covered over with a few positive Facebook status updates it's all going to come tumbling down. Under more strain, there is less emotionally energy to go around and things get missed in the rush. It feels understandably even justifiable because things are so busy. Whether it be your family, your finances, your friends, your 'personal' affairs, get your house in order.

* iv. Make sure you don't take yourself too seriously. There's nothing more painful than watching Simon Cowell talk about One Direction 'making history' because a group could win the show for the first time. Well I also made history today by farting 39 times in the hours between 11am and 12pm today. More than I've ever done between 11 and 12pm on a Monday. Check me out! Don't think that everyone really is as bothered about what you're doing as you are. You'll avoid overstepping your ego level and looking like a chump. Humility is the beautiful ingredient that helps you both keep your feet on the ground, and see that the world evolves around far more than you.

* v. Make sure you keep yourself in check. You are your biggest potential disaster. You are the one that could make everything go wrong, so keep an eye on your ego, the decisions you make, who you surround yourself with. Put time aside for yourself to reflect, to exercise, to be with friends, to relax and wind-down, to love others and give outside of your own focused project.

* vi. Make sure you trust the right people with the money. Often Entrepreneurs are so busy going for that meteoric success that they rely on others to look at the tracking, flow and control of finance. When money is involved, lots can go wrong, and when it does it can be significantly painful. Get someone who is reliable, carries integrity, efficient and competent and you trust.

* vii. Pick the right team mates: your manager, your PR agency, your backing band, your publicist...or your Finance Director, Sales Director, Operations Director and your Managing Director. Where possible develop staff for beyond their current jobs, so that when you go meteoric, they are able to cope with the growth pressures. It's one thing for you to be learning on the job, but if your whole team is then there's going to be a few problems as things go wrong. Pick your team, and make sure they're right for the job.

* viii. Make sure that your infrastructure can cope with the growth. Things go wrong when you are suddenly needing to communicate with greater multiples of people - whether it be your iPhone app reaching your X Factor fan base, or your Customer Relationship Manager system carrying out automated communication to your customer base. Don't try to build it all when you suddenly need it, else you will always be behind and under a lot of strain.

* ix. See when the sell-by date is going to come, and plan ahead for how you will react. Don't wait for things to happen to you, but strategically keep your finger on the pulse of the market and know how to react. Read the signs by gathering the right data, and learning to analyse it.

* X. Get as close to people as you can. Whether it be your fans, or whether it be your customers, make sure that you've got a way to ensure that you can hear the truth about what people feel about you and your service. You might not like being told as Alexandra Burke got told, that you've put a few pounds on your ass, but it's better to have clarity as to what your clients think of you, then leave your companies 'performance' to chance. Find the right balance though. Inane comments from idiots aren't helpful. After all, even The Simon Cowell shared that he stopped reading the comment on the X Factor Blog from people who are just out to hurt him, because they were all so negative and unhelpful.

And, I know that last point, because I read his book... For research. I promise! Caleb Storkey Caleb Storkey is a passionate communicator who loves to engage, inform and interact with his audience. Caleb speaks honestly and frankly about entrepreneurship, leadership, social media, management, personal development, future trends & technologies, marketing, sales and customer experience, spirituality, psychology and personality profiling. Pulling together images, videos, stories and stimulating questions, Caleb Storkey loves to explore and open up new ideas to people. Visit calebstorkey.net for more information. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Caleb_Storkey

7 Common Obstacles to Online Business Success

By TJ Philpott

Online business success tends to elude many and for varying reasons none of which can not be easily overcome. The typical business entrepreneur entering the internet 'arena' generally have little or no experience building a business or even being their own boss! Although lacking experience is not enough to keep you from being successful online more problems can arise and compound themselves when you factor in the distracting internet environment!

Here are 7 common obstacles that tend to increase the difficulty for many of becoming successful online when they are building a business.

Info Overload

One thing about the internet is that you will never be at a loss for finding new information on any subject imaginable. The problem with this is that when building a business you need to be focused on what it is you are trying to achieved and not allow yourself to get distracted. Believe you me the internet can easily distract you with everything it has to offer!

Lack of Direction

As mentioned above focus is very important when working online and this also means you need to know what to focus upon. Without a plan or definite set of objectives you will find yourself 'floating' aimlessly chasing after many opportunities but accomplishing nothing! As in life, in order to be successful online you need to have some sort of direction since without it you are lost!

Lack of Passion

The importance of having a certain level of enthusiasm or passion for what it is you are doing can not be talked about enough. This passion will bring with it plenty of energy and motivation that you are going to need since it will take some time to establish yourself! Many people lack this and therefore seem to 'fizzle' out after a short period of time.

Indecision

As a business entrepreneur you will have many decisions that will have to be made and quite often they will need to be made quickly. The internet is a dynamic and fast paced environment that presents many changes and opportunities. Your ability to think fast and move even faster will be a major factor in the degree of success you experience. Indecision on your part will result in many lost opportunities and plenty of frustration.

Business Inexperience

In most cases people working online did not start out with a lot or any previous experience as entrepreneurs. Knowing how to develop a plan of action and also how to manage yourself and time are key assets in order for you to become successful online. None of these 'skills' are difficult to learn but they can not be overlooked since in doing so it will makes your efforts all the more difficult and the results less rewarding.

Negative Influence

It is very important to surround yourself with positive minded people who share the same interest as you. Critics, skeptics and people who in general are afraid to take a chance at anything will be the first to tell you it can NOT be done! They live in fear of another person who succeeds at something they are not willing or motivated to try therefore they will be a source of negative reinforcement. Building a business is hard enough so you do not need people like this making you question yourself all the time!

Easily Discouraged

Earlier on we spoke of the need for having a passion for what you do and this is a major reason why. The results you are looking for will likely not occur overnight so you will need to continue applying effort and be patient. The thing about failure is you do not really fail until you actually give up and getting discouraged easily tends to make you quit your efforts before you experience success.

Achieving business success on the internet comes with some inherent but minor difficulties that can be overcome. In most cases the problems usually can be traced back to an overall lack of experience at building a business or even managing yourself. In either case the average business entrepreneur is quite capable of learning what they need to know and acquiring the needed experience. On the other hand when you consider the distractions that the internet environment presents, these minor problems tend to get magnified! The discussion above reviews 7 common obstacles that result from these 'conditions' and as you can see none of them are insurmountable! It boils down to your own ambition and desire to become successful online and if this desire is strong enough these obstacles can be easily overcome!

TJ Philpott is an author and Internet entrepreneur based out of North Carolina. To learn more about achieving business success online and to also receive a free instructional manual that teaches valuable niche research techniques for your online marketing needs simply visit:http://blogbrawn.com/ Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=TJ_Philpott

Sales Letter Writing Needs Motivation

By Michael Raju

I can sit here all day giving you tips and hints on headlines and phrases that sell. But none of it will do you any good if you just plain hate sitting down at the keyboard.

If you can't stand writing, you're in good company. Most of us feel the same. I once asked a high school English teacher how many of her 300 students liked to write. "Oh, about 9 of them," she said.veryone from Mark Twain to Bart Simpson has faced a blank sheet of paper for hours with no idea of what to put on it. Well let me give you a few ideas from my office of professional writers. In the world of non-fiction writing, being a professional doesn't necessarily mean being a great writer. It does mean you have to be able to conjure up great copy every single day, even when you don't feel well or aren't in the mood. The first step is just to get something on paper--anything!

And I do mean anything. Just start writing down whatever comes to mind. If you can't think of anything, write "I'm sitting here and I can't think of anything to write." Yes, that sounds pretty stupid. But it's exactly the technique a lot of top writers use to get the creative juices flowing. Next you'll find yourself typing "I need to write a sales letter to promote my new software. Its software to help people gets organized.

Most people have lots of information, but they can't remember where they put it. This software has people organize their information in a system that makes it super easy to find, in just seconds." Wow! You're writing, you're telling your story, and best of all, you're not worrying about being bad because you know you can go back later and change it all. One top writer copies and pastes favorite lines from other sources (like the client's web site.) Then she rewrites those sections in her own words so that they are completely original. That's enough to get her going. Next she fills in additional fresh copy between the blurbs she has already completed. Even on days when she would rather be anywhere but behind a computer, she cranks out first rate copy in record time. Another method is to just start talking. Talk into one of those little tape recorders you get at Radio Shack. Pretend you're telling your best friend, your mother, or Paris Hilton all about your big idea. Go into all the details.

Talk it all out. Later, go back, listen, and take notes. Your notes will be the start of your email message. Don't type very well? 60 percent of North Americans can't type. Hunting keys often makes writing frustrating if not impossible. Follow in the tradition of a great many very famous writers. Pick up a cheap ballpoint pen and write down your ideas with the good old handwriting you learned in second grade. Then have someone type it up. The key is to just get something, anything, on your computer screen or on paper. Once you have that, start to edit. The copy will take on a life of its own and the writing will come easier. Or, simply hand your first attempts to a professional writer. Most can churn your notes into polished copy faster and cheaper than they can write entirely new copy.

www.killer-sales-letters.com www.the-gurus-apprentice.com [http://www.the-gurus-apprentice.com] Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Raju

How To Make And Keep Your New Year's Business Resolutions

By Deborah Schultz

Like yearly plans and goals you choose for yourself, it can be just as hard to keep business resolutions. Knowing where you're starting from is the beginning for success in any attempt. You need a benchmark to measure where you're coming from and see your progress. Sometimes the goals that you make are too broad. Defining goals makes them easier to track. Breaking goals down will also lead to more success. Finishing a bunch of little milestones can make you feel more accomplished than tackling one big project. Finally, don't keep them to yourself. Sharing your resolutions can give you more accountability and push you to avoid the public embarrassment of telling someone you failed.. There are things that you can do to be more successful and achieve the goals that you set for your business.

Good goals start from baselines that you set. Knowing where your business is in a specific area will help you readily see improvement. When goals have specific targets, they are easier to track. Tracking goals helps you see progress. That progression will keep you motivated in an unending circle of accomplishment.

Make sure that your goals are realistic. A goal that you know you can achieve is much more likely to be met than pie in the sky objectives that end up exactly there. Being a realist keeps the goal in a positive light, instead of something that is unattainable and therefore, negative.

Simplify your goals by breaking them down into smaller parts. Aiming for those areas where you know you can succeed, and taking them one step at a time, instead of trying to eat the whole elephant, will help ensure your success. Achieving a small goal in one key area will keep you more motivated. Breaking down goals helps them be more realistic. When you make goals that are part of a larger vision, you are more apt to see that vision come true. Setting realistic goals for your business sets you up for success in achieving them. As you move from smaller to larger goals, with an ultimate vision in mind, you will see that making goals brings success. And you will be more apt to use goal setting as part of your business plan.

At the very least, you need to share your goals with your employees. Getting everyone on the same page will help make your business goals a team effort. Better yet, get their input and use it for even more cooperation. If you are working by yourself, then at least print out your goals so that you physically see them on a regular basis. Sharing them with a colleague or mastermind group will force you to be more accountable to keeping them. Helping others with their goals may give you the encouragement to keep your intentions when things get hard.

Setting goals for your business is one of the best ways to improve it. Things happen and your goals may need to be changed or prioritized. Everyone gets discouraged and can revert back to old habits. The trick in achieving goals is to keep going and know that keeping resolutions will help your business stay on the path to success in the new year.

Deborah Schultz is a marketing consultant, specializing in helping small businesses use the Internet to attract more businesses and build their customer base. To get your free report on 57 ways to Turbo Charge Your Website go to http://www.precisionmarketingstrategies.com. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Deborah_Schultz