Top Tips on Mobile Friendly Email Marketing

Tips on Mobile Friendly
Email Marketing

More and more people are using android phones and i-phones to check their emails. As business people using email marketing we need to make sure our messages get through and are easily read on these new devices. Have a look at these top tips for Mobile Friendly Email Marketing on the BizSkills2000-Simple-Email-Marketing website.

Mobile Email Marketing

Some great tips and issues to think about in this article about designing your email marketing campaigns to be suitable for reading on mobile devices.

Read more on our sister website:

http://bizskills2000-simple-email-marketing.webs.com/mobile-email-marketing

How to improve your emails and generate more website traffic

Just read a great little article on how to improve your marketing emails to drive more traffic to your websites and blogs.......

Visit our specialist website now for full details:

http://bizskills2000-simple-email-marketing.webs.com/email-marketing-tips

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  

Making Your Business Appear Bigger

By Calum Macleod
How your business is perceived can make a big difference to its success. Appearing to be a large and successful business can help customers and clients trust your business and make them more eager to do business with you. Customers are more likely to trust a business that has been around for a long time and has previously served a lot of customers. It's a catch 22 that customers will trust successful businesses and that businesses need customers to first be a success.

Fear not though. There are ways to make your business appear like it is a large and successful company even before it is. Let's look at three ways to improve the impression that your company gives over to clients and customers.

1. Cover all points of contact

Every time a potential customer comes into contact with your business they should receive a consistent level of customer service and be exposed to your carefully constructed brand. If you call up a major retailer such as Tesco you will get an identical if not very similar response every time. If you visit the Tesco website you will be exposed to the same branding that you would come across in store and in the advertisements. Big business is consistent across many levels. That is what you need your business to live up to. Your contact centre should deliver a consistent and professional service whether it is staffed by 1 or ten receptionists.

2. Reviews

Once you get customers and clients make sure you make the most of them. Incite people to review your products or service. Nothing makes prospective customers and clients trust you more than seeing how well you have performed in the past. There are lots of sites where you can have reviews submitted to give you some independent validation. Don't be scared of negative reviews. Always ensure that you try to give the best service and reply to all negative criticism honestly and you'll do fine.

3. Association

If you can associate your business with success some of it can rub off. This can be a bit harder at the start when you have no actual large clients or associations to boast about but it's not impossible. You can sign up to official associations in your industry or offer to do something for free for big companies in return for being able to place their logo on your site.

There are lots of ways that a young company can compete. Your challenge is to make the best use of any advantage to you. To make your business more professional consider an outsourced call answering company.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Calum_Macleod

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7159710

Dale Carnegie quote about persistence bringing success

"Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all."

~Dale Carnegie

AWEBER Email Marketing Software Review

JUST PUBLISHED: "Increase Your Online Sales By Up To 300% ?"

Boost online sales with Aweber

Get the essential low down on Aweber Email Marketing Software from the review just posted on the Biz Skills 2000 website. Read what it can do power your online marketing campaigns to new levels of success! Visit http://www.bizskills2000.co.uk/free-factsheets-how-you-can-start-your-own-business/

Strategies to Keep Customers Coming Back to Do Business With You

By Jan Smith

There are many strategies to use to keep customers coming back to do business with you but the first one should always be honesty in all your dealings with them. Give them a good service or product at a fair price and never try to cheat them by 'putting one over' on them. People may not always be able to prove that you are or have cheated them, but many of them will know it instinctively.

Instinct is often an overlooked word in today's business environment but you ignore it at your loss.

Integrity in Business:

Integrity in the Oxford English Dictionary (circa 1964) is described as:

"integrity, n. Wholeness; soundness; uprightness, honesty. [ME, f. OF -te, or L integritas (integer, see-ty)]"

So basically it simply means honesty and wholeness in your business dealings or way of life. To live upright according to your word; and to deal with people in a sound, honest and wholesome way. This should always be your first strategy to keep customers coming back to do business with you.

Word of Mouth:

If you always follow the above strategy then good word of mouth (WOM) advertising will be given to you and this is advertising that you simply cannot, nor ever will be, able to buy. This is priceless and the very best advertising that you can ever have.

If someone a person knows recommends your business or service highly, then this acts as social proof that you are a legitimate and honest person to deal with. People always feel more comfortable dealing with someone that someone that they already know and trust, has recommended.

Quality Product:

There is absolutely no point in selling any product that you yourself, wouldn't use or recommend. This sounds too obvious a point but if you don't sell a product that offers good quality for the price being paid for it, then it can't be said to be a quality product.

Quality doesn't mean it has to be "gold standard". Most people, especially today on a very tight family budget, can't afford the "gold standard". What people today need is a quality product for a price that they can afford to pay, to do whatever the product is designed to do.

Quality Service:

Good service always starts with a friendly greeting. This is sometimes overlooked when people walk through your business door and you are busy or they arrive at an inconvenient time for you. People will always remember how they are treated long after the job is done.

Quality service involves more than a friendly greeting and a satisfactory job; it requires a relationship with your customer that can't be found anywhere else from someone providing a similar service to your own.

The above four principles of integrity, word of mouth, quality product and quality service will give any business in any industry, a firm foundation for a very profitable, long-term business well into the future.

All Business strategies today still depend on the basic foundations that have formed good business practices throughout time but today are often disregarded.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jan_Smith

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6932965

Entrepreneurs Universe: Lord Alan Sugar & The Apprentice

Entrepreneurs Universe: Lord Alan Sugar & The Apprentice: Lord Alan Sugar & "The Apprentice" The smash hit BBC TV show for entrepreneurs "The Apprentice" starts a new series on Wednesday ...

Reasons Why Some Businesses Fail

By Alexis Roth

"Lessons about business"

A lot of people dream of starting their own business, but many of them fail. This isn't just limited to small businesses, but some major corporations may also fail. There is no set way to keep your company afloat, especially during the recession. However, there are some set reasons as to why many businesses fail. If you are starting your own business, or have had one up and running for a while, here are some things to look out for to help keep your operation going strong.

Many people who decide to go at it on their own don't have a business plan set up. This may mean they set up a website or even a store front, but really don't know how that with get them from where they are starting out, to where they would like to be in 10 years. Successful corporations may have started out very simply with only two or three employees, but they knew where they wanted to be in the end. Have a game plan for how your business will do in that particular market. Sit down with your business partner(s) to go over how you would like to operate and manage your organization.

Once you have a game plan, make sure you have proper funding. Many of those who fail may have had a great idea and plan, but no funding. For most small businesses, you will have to expect that you yourself will not see any money for several years until your company is more established and has a constant cash flow. Money adds up fast and sometimes before you realize it. Of course one of the big costs is paying any employees you may have, paying for the office your work out of, any supplies, business insurance, and even paying for your website. Make sure you can create a budget that you know can sustain your company. Talk to a financial advisor if you need to, and check with investors to see if you can get some extra funding.

Keep in mind your customers and what product you have to offer. So, this one goes with the other two. You need to do some research as to what consumers want and need and what your product will do for them. If you are selling a hair brush that actually tangles hair more than brushes, and your consumers want a brush that will detangle, then your product is not going to be a big hit in stores. You will want to plan out what the product can do, how, and how it is helpful to customers. Look at different demographics as well. All of this information can be used when you present your business to possible investors. Investors will like to know that you have your product planned out and have already thought about the needs of your targeted consumers.

Remember why you started your business. Sometimes people who start something up lose track of what they originally intended to do. Keep focused no matter what happens. There are going to ups and downs from time to time, but you have to remember what you are here to do. If you can get everything already planned out and lined up then when you have these little bumps in the road it will be easier to pick up the pieces and keep going, or to change your game plan. Having things like your finances, business insurance, and worker's compensation already taken care of can help easy you a long as you work on your businesses success and not its failures. Remember, not all companies fail, some reach above and beyond what they expected.

Alexis Roth
Business Liability Insurance
Reasons Business Start-Ups Fail

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alexis_Roth

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6930158

Being effective in business......

Effective Leadership In Business

"Effective leadership is putting first things first. Effective management is discipline, carrying it out."

~Stephen Covey

Setting Up A Limited Company (Ltd) What Does It Mean?

By John T Hughes

Tired of being bamboozled by the term 'limited company'? As a freelancer or contractor, it is important to know the difference between working for an umbrella company or choosing to start up a Ltd company. Contractors, sole traders and limited companies are all different business mediums in which people chose to earn an income through. Choosing the best medium for you is a big decision and should be done through an independent advisor or a specialist contractor accountant.

Limited Company: Back To Basics

• A limited company is often shortened to the abbreviation Ltd, and usually appears after the company's name.
• Setting up a Ltd means that the business is owned by its shareholders, or that individual shareholders own a small portion of the business.
• A Ltd is known as having 'limited liability' structures in place. This is its first advantage. It means that if the company should fail, the shareholders of the company are not liable for its debts.
• Operating under a Ltd means investors or shareholders in the company can only lose the money they have invested and no more.
• Trading under a Ltd means that your personal and business finances are kept separate. This requires you to set up a bank account underneath the Ltd company's name. As a contractor or freelancer, the shareholder is normally simply the individual freelancer. You can however split the ownership between different people including family members.

When is starting a Ltd company a good idea?

Setting up a limited company or choosing to work through an umbrella company is in one of the options you need to consider once you've made the leap to become self employed. It may make the difference between becoming a successful contractor with a steady income, or your business floundering. It is always best to talk in person to a specialist contractor accountant as they can assess your individual circumstances and needs. Below are a few rough guidelines on whether an umbrella company or setting up your own Ltd company is the best option for you.

• If you are an established contractor, already contracting for at least 6 months, or planning to contract for the long-term or indefinitely, then starting up a Ltd company may be for you. You will already have a rough idea of the way in which freelancing works in regard to paying tax, NICs and claiming expenses.
• If you are new to freelancing or contracting than it is best to work under an umbrella company until you find your feet.
• Ltds are more suitable for higher earning contractors on higher rates of pay. If your earnings start reaching or tipping over a £40,000 per annum threshold (equivalent to £150+ a day) then setting up your own Ltd is more beneficial.
• Individuals starting Ltds will have a genuine interest in setting up their own business. A Ltd corporate structure looks more professional to customers and clients but a contractor should be aware of the added responsibility it entails.
• Setting up a Ltd is a sign of independence but in turn requires slightly more administration. Completing annual returns, personal and company tax returns, making payments and signing various documents all will have to be done. Also calculating your own expenses with receipts and bank statements will require the Ltd contractor to be more confident with their administration.
• Ltds must negotiate the minefield of IR35s, a piece of legislation introduced by HMRC. Does the IR35 apply to your Ltd company? There are helpful companies out there who can offer contractors a limited company service such as a specialist contractor accountant to deal with difficult HMRC paperwork.
• As discussed before, the limited company is your sole responsibility and you will need to arrange business insurances directly.

It is important to reiterate, filling out tax returns and completing other administrative paperwork can be a cumbersome task. If you are ready to progress to the next step in your career by becoming a Limited Company (Ltd) it can be a richly rewarding experience. If however the process seems too daunting then employing the services of a specialist contractor accountant is the best way of securing that all HMRC paperwork is filled out correctly and on time; avoiding big penalties from the tax man. A specialist contractor accountant can help you by either setting up a limited company or by managing an existing one for you.

For the self-employed, tax can be a headache. Forming a limited company can be an efficient way to manage tax affairs, but ensuring you get the right structure for your business is essential.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_T_Hughes

Business Quotes: The Economist......

Attributed to Laurence J. Peter:

"An economist is an expert who will know tomorrow why the things he predicted yesterday didn't happen today."

Coming Up With A New Business Idea

By Rolf D. Versluis

When you have made the decision that you want to start your own business the choices can be overwhelming. There are so many different things that you can do, so many people offering you advice, it can be tempting to fall into analysis paralysis. There are some basic concepts of new business formation that I have seen and thought about over the years that may provide you a starting point.

One of the most defensible businesses is a combination of product and specialized service that works with local customers who have a need. Retail examples are dry cleaners and restaurants. They each have special equipment like steam boilers or kitchens, have some level of consumables like dry-cleaning fluid or food, and expertise in the staff that make them into good, stable businesses. Although these are good businesses, they are not ones that I would choose to start. There is a lot of competition, profit margins are low, there is a lot of management involved, and there is no clear path to making enough money to fast growth. The combination of product and expert services with local customers is a good one, but it has to be in a more profitable arena

The things I look for in new business ideas are the following: 

• Combination of product and service.
• Clearly and narrowly defined customer base that is willing to spend money.
• Ability to create a barriers of entry to competition.
• Repeating sales instead of one-time sales.
• Customer acquisition and servicing cost low versus profitability.
• Future growth prospects.
• Initial investment of capital and time.

It is also very important to know your own interests. Again, with a whole world of business ideas to choose from, you should pick something that you enjoy and already have an interest in. There are ways to make money in just about anything. If your interest is music, then you should start something involving music because it will be fun and you probably know what musicians and music lovers want and need. Don't make things hard on yourself, but also don't go down the path of mediocrity. It would be easy and simple to take a job as musician or music instructor, but that is just a job. It is harder yet much more rewarding to come up with an unfulfilled need and meet it. 

• Know your own interests.
• Think about unfulfilled or poorly filled needs.
• With constant technology change, are there new and better ways to do things?
• Is there a new business concept in a similar industry you can copy?

Instead of striking out new in an entirely unproven direction, take stock of what you already do on a day-to-day basis. Some of the most successful new business were started by employees that saw an opportunity to address a profitable niche and were frustrated by their company ignoring it for so long. There are many great things about leaving the company that you work for and starting a niche business in the same industry, especially if it does not compete with your current employer: 

• Existing base of potential customers that you already know.
• Your industry reputation will help you succeed.
• Focus on niche market allows for clear definition of mission.
• Potential partnership opportunities with companies in your industry.

After coming up with your idea, there are many things you can do with it. Realize that it may be valuable, so don't go around telling everyone that you are going to do it. Conversely, realize there are few people out there who are willing to take on the risk of starting a new business, so you can discuss the idea in general terms to test the waters. Then see if there is already somebody doing this, whether it is in your market or somewhere else. If it still seems like a good idea, start running through the profitability numbers. If it still seems like a good idea, great! You can start making preparations and plans to take it to the next step.

Get business startup and operations perspective, as well as excellent online resources at Priority Cue.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rolf_D._Versluis

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6874796

Time Or Money - Which Would You Choose?

By Aaron Witnish

Firstly, there was a point in 2011 where I was working 80-90 hours a week managing a business and running my own Company. I believed this was success at the time. Hard work and long days.

Then I read a little book called the Four Hour Work Week, which identified I was mostly keeping myself busy, without achieving any defined results. The 'work' that I was doing was neither productive nor effective. Often it was fixing little minutiae (emails, design) that bared no weight to the return on my time investment. But, of course at that point my definition of success was hard work.

The 4HWW made me take stock of my life. What were the 20% of tasks that very producing 80% of my income and what 80% of tasks were virtually doing nothing (the email, design etc)?

I found that one 30-60 minute monthly task was producing almost 60% of my income and a further 3 actions (roughly 15% of what I was doing) were producing almost the rest of my Company's revenue.

I then proceeded to workout my living costs and lifestyle costs. It occurred to me within 15 minutes that I could completely eliminate my 50 hour full time management job and still maintain my current existence. So I eliminated 50 hours of work in August 2011.

I focused on the 30-60 minute monthly task and the 3 actions that were producing results for my business (research, marketing and systematization). As a result within 3 months of reading The 4HWW I had eliminated close to 70 hours of non effective time use.

Since August I've had the luxury of using my time for projects that I'm passionate about. Teaching others (coaching), business, learning, golf, writing and a bit of living as well.

So you need to sit down and look at how you allocate your time. What actions (generally 20%) are effectively producing your desired results and can you eliminate or delegate as much of the remaining 80% as possible?

Can you set shorter deadlines for your assignments (tasks) to force yourself to focus on execution and only the bare essentials (Parkinson's Law)? Are you addicted to your phone, social media or email? Is it possible to bundle those tasks and schedule them for a specific time either daily or weekly to avoid dealing with them one at a time. This way you can eliminate the 80% of calls, messages, emails etc from the bundle that aren't important to your results.

If you proceed to follow this formula (80/20) with the fundamental tasks in your life, you are much closer to freedom than 95% of people. Remember to choose only the essential tasks and don't waste the most valuable resource you have (time) before it runs out.

About this Author

If you would like 4 videos showing you how to apply these principles go to http://www.timerichsystem.com/ to get instant access right now.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Aaron_Witnish

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6867261

What's So Great About an Autoresponder?

By Suzanne Tregenza Moore

On virtually all email systems, there are options for use of an autoresponder. If you are scratching your head, wondering what an autoresponder is, it is a automatic message that is sent to those who your list members, based on WHEN they join. They are a great way to reach out to your new list subscribers consistently, and to leverage your time.

While there are a wide variety of ways they can be used, here are a few that might help you to get started:

1. Social Media Connection. Encourage people to like your Facebook page, follow you on Twitter, connect with you on LinkedIn, join your circles in Google+, etc.


2. Products and Services Awareness. Highlight specific products or services that you are part of your offering. Often we have items that we're not currently promoting to our list, but still have great value to our followers. Connecting new leads to a products and services page is a great use of an autoresponder. You never know when this might convert to a sale!


3. Connection to Valuable Content. Connect new leads with old blog posts that are still of great value. Just because you wrote something six months ago, doesn't mean it's not a great post for someone to read today, share your content again for new followers. Just make sure the ones you select are "evergreen" and not too seasonally focused.


4. Survey your constituents. You can either set up a full survey in SurveyMonkey, or you can ask a simple question and recommend that followers simply hit reply. This is a great way to get information about what your followers needs are, which can help you when you're developing new products or services.


5. Get to Know You. If you have an "About.." or "Interview with..." section on your website, you could share some of it and then suggest new sign-ups head to your website to learn more. They may enjoy learning about you, especially if they are really interested in your offerings.


6. Old Freebies. Make those who've just joined your list feel special by offering them an additional freebie. If you've retired one, send after people have been on your list for a little while, just to let them know that you care, and that they might just get something for nothing from you...everybody loves that possibility.

Assignment: Think of ten different items you could put into autoresponders. Then implement them!

Join Suzanne Moore for a free teleclass: Amazing Outreach with Autoresponders. Register here: http://TheImplementationStation.com/AmazingOutreach

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Suzanne_Tregenza_Moore

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6840742

"The Marketing Toolkit" book review by Biz Skills 2000

Marketing is such a key subject for the success of a small business that I would recommend spending any spare time you have (And yep, I do know we’re all busy people) researching and reading up on this topic. Put simply, if you don’t market your products well enough, you’ve got no sales, no revenue and no business.

Starting this introduction again, I should in fact be strongly recommending that you make time to find out about marketing for the long term good of your business - it really is that crucial.

Anyway, I recently came across a good book on marketing which I’ve found very useful. Marketing is a very broad subject, so if you’re still finding your way around and are a bit hazy about what to do next, then let me recommend “The Marketing Toolkit” by Jeff Della Mura.

Jeff’s book sets out to cover all aspects of the marketing spectrum in fifty bite-sized chunks. With much use of bullet points, simple explanations and real world examples I found this book relaxing to read, easy to understand and very clearly laid out. It’s very straightforward to find the topic you’re looking for and Jeff tries hard to link you from the topic you’re actually reading to other connected topics elsewhere in the book.

While the book covers all the fundamentals of marketing (like branding; advertising; wise words and sales literature; internet marketing and website design; communication and customer satisfaction) the book is carefully designed to show you the links between related components within any and all of these fundamentals in a building-it-brick-by-brick style. This greatly helps you to avoid overlooking something important that you realise you should have done when its far too late to stop the launch of your new marketing campaign.

One thing you need to know about this book is that its more of an “ideas book” than a “copy me” book. What I mean is that its a superb checklist of what you could be doing but you then have to read up somewhere else about the detail of how to do it. (Please take a look at my website www.BizSkills2000.co.uk for home study courses and free factsheets on marketing skills.)

To summarise then, I would rate “The Marketing Toolkit” by Jeff Della Mura as an excellent “dip in - dip out”  reference book at an affordable cover price of £9.99 when first published in 2009 - but see the advert nearby for the best price currently available on Amazon.

I always look forward to picking up “The Marketing Toolkit” every couple of months and just browsing through it. I always put it back down later on having found another great idea for my business, and so will you. Recommended.

• “The Marketing Toolkit” by Jeff Della Mura. Published by “How To Books”, Oxford 2009 ISBN 978 1 84528 285 1

How to Start a Green Business

By Ajaero Tony Ifeanyi

Indeed, "going green" is the big news anywhere these days. You can see it in people's faces; feel the excitement in the air. Yet everyone seems to have a hard time buying into the idea. To attract more prospects, most of today's successful green companies are focusing on other great benefits they can provide to their clients. You should too. This article will provide a great insight on how to start a green business. But before I go into the details of how to start a green business, I want to emphatically state that the information provided in this article does not in any way replace the need for you to conduct a feasibility study, write a business plan and do your own due diligence. Secondly, the information shared in this article is applicable to any locality; be it USA, Canada, UK, Nigeria, Ghana, etc.

Now when it comes to starting a green business, you have to understand that even if you have this noble "going green" idea inside you, the market appeal may not be enough as of the moment. But as the awareness of the need to preserve the ecosystem increases; consumers may likely switch over if you offer them other benefits such as cost saving features, or greater convenience and additional health benefits. Entrepreneurs keen on learning how to start a green business must understand the "green" appeal alone will not be enough; they have to offer other choices and benefits to convince their markets.

Whatever the case may be; customers still and will always want a good deal. To help save the environment may be a good rallying call, but economics still proves to be heavier down on people's pockets. Everything still boils down to the price factor; so you must take your cost into consideration before starting a green business. Without wasting your time, below are more tips on how to start a green business.

How to start a green business

1. Select your own niche
The business opportunities in the "going green" niche are enormous, and will continue to be because environment preservation has become the main calling in everyone's heart. With this trend, you can be certain to find a niche to satisfy.

2. Be an example
Of course, everything starts with you believing in your green products and allowing them to make changes in your life and business for the better. Whenever people notice your dedication to the earth-friendly lifestyle, they will be inclined to trust you and your ideas. This will also make you an expert in the field. Having a green attitude will reflect well on what your business is trying to promote.

3. Educate your potential customers
Consumers, especially those who are just new to the "green" idea are basically hungry for knowledge. They need to be sold on the idea of incorporating the use of green products in their daily lives. If you have done your homework and research, then you will be considered among their best sources for knowledge. You will also find yourself effectively able to communicate and interact with your customers well.

4. Know your best marketers
To better get a grip on the intricacies of starting a green business, you must understand the logic behind the idea of your customers becoming your best marketers at the same time. Green products is something that people discuss with fervor and enthusiasm these days, something that gives them hope from all these modern-day troubles we are facing. If you sell your customers on the idea of a healthier life, and they go home happy, then you can expect them to share the good news to their friends.

As a final note, I want to encourage you to keep your plans to start a green business alive because there's money to be made in that niche. All you need to do is to learn how things work in the green business industry. Think of all the knowledge acquired as a strong foundation for your green business.

And just before I drop my pen, I am giving you a once in a lifetime opportunity to download my Master List of Best Startup Business ideas and learn How to Make a Million Dollars Fast in less than a year.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ajaero_Tony_Ifeanyi

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6832207

Startup Business Urban Myths Exposed

By Harry Pinkman

Starting a business is the most exciting venture for every aspiring entrepreneur. Dreaming of being a boss, and thinking how wonderful it is to get paid for doing something they love, is what makes this venture attractive. For the entrepreneur, starting a business allows one to enjoy the rewards of being an owner. Unfortunately, when it is time to act, many make excuses not to start a business. Most excuses are myths that prevent them from taking the leap. This article will debunk several myths that discourage the aspiring entrepreneur from starting a business.

Myth 1: A great idea is necessary

Many entrepreneurs waste time chasing a great idea before they start their business. The reality is those who are successful begin with a simple idea. What matters most is how to execute the idea.

Myth 2: Starting a business is too risky

Those who have failed in their past ventures perpetuate this myth. Today, a prospective entrepreneur has access to more information and resources. All this helps to reduce risks in starting a business. Additionally, the budding entrepreneur has realistic expectations, and this is reflected in their projected budgets.

Myth 3: Business plan details

A detailed business plan is necessary to obtain a loan from a bank or a venture capitalist. If you are just starting out, write a simple business plan, and concentrate more on developing your product and marketing them as soon as possible.

Myth 4: A website will bring customers

Today, having a website is not enough to bring customers. An aspiring entrepreneur needs to be proactive and meet their target customers in places where they congregate, such as on Facebook, Twitter or on forums. The social media networks are perfect promotional tools.

Myth 5: Owning a business gives me freedom

Starting a business is the most critical part of being an entrepreneur. By necessity, the owner wears many hats. Only when the business is well established and making a profit, will the owner be able to hire employees and delegate tasks.

Myth 6: You need an MBA

A business degree is not a guarantee for success. Additionally, getting a business degree will give the entrepreneur more options to work with companies at a lucrative salary.

Myth 7: Starting a business is a lonely activity

Today's business is based on interacting with customers through blogs and social media. Additionally, an aspiring entrepreneur is also able to connect to other business owners globally through online forums.

All these myths are false alarms to discourage an aspiring entrepreneur from starting a business. Now that these myths have been debunked, they should not be seen as obstacles or excuses from starting a business - start your business and good luck!

Aon Hewitt are the international leader in human capital consulting, pension auto enrolment and can help if you need employee benefits consulting learn more at Aon.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Harry_Pinkman

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6825337

Which Area Is Keeping You From Getting Clients?

By Silvia Johnson

One of the things that keeps us from moving forward in our businesses is our inability to get clients. You may be thinking, of course that is the key to building out a successful business, but it doesn't answer the questions as to how you go about getting them.

The truth is, getting clients is super easy, when you are 100% aligned behind what you offer and understand your audience enough to know where they hang out and how to get their attention. Makes sense right? Well then why is it that you are still struggling or worried about the how? It most likely lies in one of the key areas I just mentioned. Did you miss them?? Well let me break it down and review them 1 by 1. 

1. 100% Aligned with Your Offer: If you don't believe that what you are providing is worth at a minimum what your charging, chances are you are dragging your feet and not promoting with gusto. You might be pretending to promote, but if you look closely, you are probably just doing busy work or distracting from the real conversations/marketing and then complaining about their not being any customers who are willing to buy. There are a few things to do in order to rectify this situation, but start with listing out your fears - what are you truly afraid of? Success? Failure? What specifically is holding you back? Get the answer to this and work through it, promoting and marketing become super easy.
2. Understanding Your Audience: Understanding how your audience thinks, what they feel they need and truly SPEAKING their language is the holy grail of business. When you can talk to them in a way that resonates, they are more likely to buy from you even if you aren't doing too much talking/marketing. How do you know if you are speaking to your audience in a way that resonates? Go find where they hang out and talk to them live. If you see lots of nodding heads and requests to know more - you are on the right path! If not, I suggest you ask to interview them for market research purposes and get in their own words, their frustrations and ambitions as they relate to what you do/provide. Once you have this information use their words to talk about your products or services and see what happens.
3. Knowing Where Your Audience "Hangs Out": Finding your audience is truly easy once you know who they are and you begin talking to them. So if you are still struggling in finding them, then it is because you have not clearly defined who they are. And if you haven't defined who they are clearly enough - then you probably are struggling with point number 2 as well. If this is the case, then go back and redefine who your ideal client is. I often recommend writing out a bio of the ideal client known as the ideal client avatar. Once you have clearly articulated who that person is, then find an 80% match to the bio you have created. Interview them as I suggested in point number 2 and you'll be well on your way!

Take time to assess where you are struggling based on the 3 points above. Then take a moment to create your very own plan of action to help you move forward. Going through this exercise will help you determine the quickest wins towards growing your business.

Silvia Johnson is a Coach and Consultant in the Silicon Valley with more than 10 years of experience. Silvia has a proven track record of helping organizations and people remove obstacles in order to help them in becoming highly effective and efficient. You can learn more about her experience and services on her website: http://OutsideTheCubicle.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Silvia_Johnson

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6830854