Increase your Business Success through SMART Planning

Rosemary Hossenlopp © 2007 All Rights Reserved

Do you dream about actually having a weekend off?

You get time back into your schedule when you are SMART. No, this isn’t about intelligence. You don’t create stress and emergencies that steal your evenings and weekends when you plan your schedule and activities in a predictable and repeatable way. You gain more business revenue when you focus on key activities needed to achieve your business outcomes. This is SMART.

What is SMART? Use the following model to describe SMART planning.

S=Specific. Are your plans specific? We all know that we need a marketing plan but is it written down. Better yet, do you have specific focus areas? For consultants, marketing can mean speaking at your industry event. For people with physical store fronts, it can mean advertising in specific newspapers and flyers to your target customers.

M=Measurable. Are your plans measurable? Measurable means that your plans have quantifiable numbers. For network marketers, this means you set a goal to contact 300 people a month and make 10 presentations. This is bold goal. SMART goals are clear, specific and will stretch your capabilities to achieve them.

A=Attainable. Are your plans are attainable? Attainable means that you have the time, talent and resources to realistically achieve your goals. Think about what you need to do to increase sales. Do you need to be considered the industry expert for people to but from you? What do you need to do to get expert status? If you are a consultant, can you get speaking engagements to create a buzz about your talents and success? If you are a service provider, do you need more specific industry training? If you sell products on the internet, do you have the web presence that is needed to attract visitors to your site? If these questions raise doubts in your mind, your goals may be correct but you may need additional clarity on how to attain them. Make a list of how to achieve your goals. Make your goals clear. Then develop a plan on how to get to your goal. This organized approach coordinates both your mind and heart into planning how to do it.

R=Realistic. Are your plans are realistic before you kick-off a new product or service? Remember when we had bosses? They bullied us into signing up for projects that could not get done to motivate us and to make it seem like they were brilliant leaders. Those unrealistic bosses annoyed us and motivated us to be our own bosses. But then sometimes we repeat this mistake because we know that marketing and sales activities must occur to increase our business. So we make goals such as 10 more calls a day to new customers and fail because we don’t have time in our schedule for these calls. Stop. Don’t let wishful thinking motivate you into mentally signing up for good goals that you can’t do. Stop to reprioritize your schedule to understand how to make time for marketing activities. You may think that you don’t have time to plan but you don’t want failing your goals to steal your energy. Plan your priorities. This may be 10 phone calls a day. Write down your schedule or you can see what you can’t fit in and be clear to your employees and clients about when you can do it. It may scare you because it is bold to be honest with your employees and customers.

T=Time-Bound. Are your plans are time-bound before you kick-off a project? Time-bound means that your plans have specific dates that you want to achieve your goals. All business people are sales people. So you have goals on revenue. A SMART goal states that you will increase your revenue by 25% year over year.

You are SMART when you measure and time-bound your goals. You are SMART when you plan how to make your plans attainable and realistic. You are then clear about your future and this will increase your confidence that you will get there. Clients buy your confidence and then buy your products or services.


Rosemary Hossenlopp, MBA, author of Step into Your Future, A Businesswoman's Path to Profits, advises business owners on how to make more money with less stress. Get a Free Report. Go here right now. www.BusinessSuccessPlan.com


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How to Maximize Networking Opportunities

What is networking? Networking is a way to meet new leads, possible partners, idea makers, and/or problem solvers (“potentials”). Networking is a way to advertise your business and/or services. Networking is a way to expand your business, make deals, and make money!

A networking event is not a business card dumpster. In other words, you should not go to a networking event with the intention of dumping as many business cards as possible. The quality of a contact is far more important than the quantity. You do not want to shovel your business cards away or waste your time talking to somebody that has no chance of yielding any possible results for you.

Networking events can be dangerous. You would be surprised how many people go to these events thinking that passing out business cards constitutes effective networking. How is this different from passing out your business cards in front of a grocery store? The point is, you do not need to go to a networking event if all you want to do is pass out business cards. Networking events are your time to shine! Show who you are and what you and your company are all about.

Some guidelines should be followed in order to guarantee a successful networking event. First, DO NOT BE SHY! You are not going to these events to huddle in a corner and to hope somebody talks to you. This is not a sixth grade dance! Do not hide in the shadows! Do not wait for people to come to you. You have to be aggressive, but not pushy. Introduce yourself, strike up a conversation, and get the ball rolling.

Make sure you keep your meetings short. Although you are looking for quality, you can only do that by talking to as many people as possible. Remember, you are going into these events blind. Usually, you only have a general idea about the type of people that are going to be at these events. This means that you do not know their motivation level, their goals, their skills, or their business. As such, you need to meet many in order to benefit from the few. Keep your conversations short, sweet, and on point.

What should you talk about at these events? Logic tells you that you should pitch your business and tell everybody you meet everything about you and your business. I caution you not to do this. In these situations, you should use the restaurant metaphor. Think about it like this; when going out to eat, most people have an appetizer before they dive into the main course. Think about that in networking situations. Networking events are the time to give “potentials” a small taste of your business. Your goal at these events is to build curiosity, wonder, imagination, and excitement. By doing this, you will see a large increase in your follow-ups.

You need to bring a little hardware to these events. Bring business cards, a writing utensil, and a small notebook or notepad. Talk to people before forcing your card onto them. Do not waste a perfectly good business card on somebody you feel will yield no results.

Lastly, but most importantly, be polite, approachable, and yourself. You could have a great product, but if people do not like you, they will not work with you. Make introductions easy, make the conversation interesting, and most importantly, be polite. Your reputation travels fast at these events. Be the life of the event and make sure people remember you!

The Cashspeak Entrepreneur is the creator of Cashspeak! Money, Ideas & Motivation for the New Entrepreneur !


Visit today and learn how to start building success! Cashspeak! Money, Ideas & Motivation for the New Entrepreneur !

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Matrix Personnel

Matrix Personnel is a very fast growing recruitment company whose focus is narrowed to construction and rail industries.

Matrix Personnel supply the most effective, dedicated, reliable, experienced staff to all aspects of construction and rail industries. We supply all aspects of trades personnel (electrical and mechanical) to a broad variety of rail and construction industries.

Located in London, Matrix Personnel has well trained and dedicated staff that can respond and treat your request politely and satisfactorily at all times.

Matrix Personnel supply personnel with the following competencies (certificates) to LUL contractors and sub-contractors:

· Entry permit and fire awareness
· Track accustom
· Site Person in Charge (SOTT)
· First Aiders
· Track Trolley Operators
· PASMA
· Fire Watch Person
· Confined spaces of all categories
· Lift and escalator
· Quaf 54
· cscs

Above all, our building services division provides general skilled and semi-skilled labourers to engineering contractors both LUL and construction industries at large.
Skilled trades:

Plumbers
Electricians
Carpenters
Brick Layers
Plasterers
Testers
Painters
Decorators

Semi-skilled Labourers:
General labourers
Cleaners

Visit http://www.matrixpersonnels.co.uk/

Fran and John Andel who are based in Bedfordshire England have worked in adult education for over twenty years, in John's case, over 30 years! They have both worked for the Open University.

John has a BA (hons), MEd, and DipAE and Fran has a BA (Hons) and a Masters Degree. They are totally committed to maintaining a service for adults who want to learn in a friendly, sociable and enjoyable environment. This is they are organising trips and study days to back up our Distance Learning Courses. They already do this locally and know from experience how much students benefit from these 'days out'.

Adult education in its present diverse and stimulating form is under direct threat from government changes in educational funding and bureaucratic requirements.

This will soon mean you can learn for life, but only if you can afford expensive fees! The new funding strategies mean many 'academic' type courses will not be offered in AE any more. They will be priced out of existence. This is especially true of history, archaeology, literature, psychology and others course of the same type.

Fran's expertise is history, and so they put together this site to help adults to continue to have access these types of subjects. Thet try to keep the costs as low as we can, and as competitive as we can.

Their courses will range from the Prehistoric era right through to the English Civil War. They will include short ‘biography’ courses on various British and European monarchs.

They have tried to cut 'red tape' and 'form filling' down to a minimum. They have also taken off the pressure of having to take a public examination at a given time. Hopefully, we're giving students the freedom to study when they want to, where they want to and what they want to at their own pace.

Distance courses can be lonely, and so we've arranged a series of trips and study days through the year. Family and friends over 18 years of age are also welcome. They hope to expand these in the future.

Offering both whole courses structured around GCEs in Ancient History and British & European History, and short ‘Understanding History and Archaeology ’ courses, we aim to provide a varied, informative and entertaining service for anyone wanting to learn about the Past in a structured and enjoyable manner.

For more information visit: Lessons of history.

What Does Being an Entrepreneur Mean to You?

I AM AN ENTREPRENEUR! It sounds nice doesn’t it? However, the title of “entrepreneur” means nothing if you do not attach any significance to the word. We all see entrepreneurs on television (Donald Trump, Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, etc.), yet we never really grasp the concept of what being an entrepreneur means.

Achieving the success of those entrepreneurs will happen to .0000001% of the population, if not less! It is great to have “lofty” goals; however, you have to know what drives you and what motivates you.

To me, being an entrepreneur means freedom. Freedom from the daily grind of the nine to five routine, freedom to do what I want, and the freedom to spend as much time with my family as possible. Becoming a billionaire would be awesome, but that is not what being an entrepreneur means to me. A better life and the freedom to do what I want is what drives me.

Find out what being an entrepreneur means to you so that you can give your entrepreneurial journey some direction. Whatever you do, do not set a goal that is easy to achieve! If you do this, you will not feel the same sense of achievement and pride that you would feel had your goal been harder to obtain. On the other hand, you do not want to set a goal that is so hard that it is near impossible to achieve. If you do this, chances are you will get discouraged before you accomplish the goal and will eventually quit trying to achieve it.

Create your sense of achievement and drive for motivation by accomplishing a difficult, but not impossible goal!

A greater sense of achievement will give you greater motivation and ultimately greater success. So, what does being an entrepreneur mean to you? Find out and start your journey!

The Cashspeak Entrepreneur is the creator of Cashspeak! Money, Ideas & Motivation for the New Entrepreneur !


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Contsruction can be costly, but quality is priceless!

The Construction Company has been established for the purpose of serving the requirements of both the public and private sector. We are an independent local business offering a comprehensive service from inception to completion. With many years experience within the construction industry, The Construction Company have acquired an excellent team of builders with the capabilities of delivering projects on time and with the highest standards of workmanship. With an excellent reputation which is being built on, on a daily bases.

The Construction Companies extensive range of services include New Build, Refurbishments, Conversions, Extensions, Repairs and Maintenance. All works are fully insured and with stamp of approval from The UK Trades Confederation Quality Assurance. The Construction Company can transform your vision into a reality; we work with you to overcome any constraints the project might come under to give the best solution and render it cost effective.

The Construction Company's core business is carpentry. However due to ever changing cliental requirements on past projects they have always preferred that if additional works are to take place, that they be done under the management of The Construction Company, thus minimising confusion between trades and stress both to client and to the project.

We now employ an outstanding team of builders ranging from Electricians and Bricklayers to Painters and Decorators, and have a list of preferred sub contractors which we pre-vet and now use on a frequent basis to carry out the works below. All Sub contractors we use first issue us with a copy of their Insurance documents to provide added security for the prospective client.
For more information visit The Construction Comapany.

Little Pickle Designs

Little Pickle Designs are a family business dedicated to creating inspirational rooms for children. Little Pickle came about from designing their childrens rooms. They took great pleasure in designing and creating fun bedrooms for thier own children and when friends and family approached us to design and paint their children's bedrooms, little Pickle was born.

Little Pickle Designs offer a range of interior design services from painting a toy box to designing and providing a finished bedroom. To create fantastic rooms that you and your little ones will love, takes some planning. Luckily there is a simple design process that we follow. Each project is different and before they start any creative work it is important that they understand what you are looking for.

You may have a clear idea of what you want, but sometimes you may not. Either way, Little Pickle Designs can help you organise your thoughts and ideas. A good starting point with any room is always what the child likes. For older children it is easy to involve them, for younger ones it can be more difficult to know what their tastes or favourite colours are. A good way to find their favourite colours is to see which crayons are the shortest in the box. A theme can come from their favourite book, toys they play with or characters from television and film. As Children frequently change their minds about what they like, choosing an enduring theme is important. There are ways to incorporate themes into furniture and fittings that means you do not necessarily need to completely redecorate every couple of years. They can explore a variety of design techniques to accomplish this.

To learn more about who they are and what they do please feel free to explore our site. As a new business, we welcome your feed back. Let us know what you think. Click here to visit www.littlepickle-designs.co.uk.

Effect of Catalogs in the Customers Buying Power

Catalogs are created to make a list or record of products or services that are available to anyone who needs it. They are usually much more famous during peak seasons, or should we call it “shopping season”.

Catalogs help make a good and informed buyer. Since catalogs are designed in an orderly manner like that used inside the library where items are arranged in sections and then from there arranged alphabetically, it is much easier for the customers to locate what they want and where they want it.

Catalogs are usually used by people who have little time to shop or no time to shop at all. People like this rely on catalogs to do their shopping. People in this category sometimes include businessmen, old people and people with disability.

Through the use of print catalogs, customers can just shop at the comforts of their home and choose which product or service they would want to avail. Catalogs generally target the decision maker on the products that they are selling. And since the products or services are arranged in a systematical way, it is much easier to browse through catalogs to locate the product or service that you specifically need.

A well informed customer would also be a very happy customer. Catalogs help the customer decide on which items to buy and which items they benefit the most. Through the use of catalogs, they can make informed decision and be contented with it as well. it would also be a way to avoid buying unnecessary items that they don’t need.

Catalogs also help in maintaining the budget for the customers. In using catalogs, buyers can be informed if the product that they want to buy would suit their budget. Or they can also save up for the product that they want.

Most catalogs also have dedicated phone numbers for customers who cannot get out of their homes. This is one way for customers to interact with customer service representatives and ask questions on the products or services that they want.

An advantage of catalogs is that they can be opened on the leisure time of the customers. They are not hurried to make the decision right then and there. They can just skim the catalogs on their leisure time and if they though of any questions, call up the dedicated phone number right away and have their questions answered.

Some catalogs even have user tips and how-to articles that can really help in understanding the use of the products or services more. This also serves as a reference guide that can help customers remember to maximize the use of the product that they bought.

Catalogs serve as the window to all the products and services that you offer on your company. By providing catalogs to your customers and potential customers as well, you are letting them peek inside your store and see all the items that you want them to avail.

There are a lot of benefits a customer can get when they use catalogs for their shopping needs. The greatest advantage of catalog is producing a well informed buyer that can decide which item they need and which suits their budget. A catalog can be great if the person holding it knows how to use it wisely and if it serves its purpose n creating another smart buyer.


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Source: Article Alley

Effect of Catalogs in the Customers Buying Power

Catalogs are created to make a list or record of products or services that are available to anyone who needs it. They are usually much more famous during peak seasons, or should we call it “shopping season”.

Catalogs help make a good and informed buyer. Since catalogs are designed in an orderly manner like that used inside the library where items are arranged in sections and then from there arranged alphabetically, it is much easier for the customers to locate what they want and where they want it.

Catalogs are usually used by people who have little time to shop or no time to shop at all. People like this rely on catalogs to do their shopping. People in this category sometimes include businessmen, old people and people with disability.

Through the use of print catalogs, customers can just shop at the comforts of their home and choose which product or service they would want to avail. Catalogs generally target the decision maker on the products that they are selling. And since the products or services are arranged in a systematical way, it is much easier to browse through catalogs to locate the product or service that you specifically need.

A well informed customer would also be a very happy customer. Catalogs help the customer decide on which items to buy and which items they benefit the most. Through the use of catalogs, they can make informed decision and be contented with it as well. it would also be a way to avoid buying unnecessary items that they don’t need.

Catalogs also help in maintaining the budget for the customers. In using catalogs, buyers can be informed if the product that they want to buy would suit their budget. Or they can also save up for the product that they want.

Most catalogs also have dedicated phone numbers for customers who cannot get out of their homes. This is one way for customers to interact with customer service representatives and ask questions on the products or services that they want.

An advantage of catalogs is that they can be opened on the leisure time of the customers. They are not hurried to make the decision right then and there. They can just skim the catalogs on their leisure time and if they though of any questions, call up the dedicated phone number right away and have their questions answered.

Some catalogs even have user tips and how-to articles that can really help in understanding the use of the products or services more. This also serves as a reference guide that can help customers remember to maximize the use of the product that they bought.

Catalogs serve as the window to all the products and services that you offer on your company. By providing catalogs to your customers and potential customers as well, you are letting them peek inside your store and see all the items that you want them to avail.

There are a lot of benefits a customer can get when they use catalogs for their shopping needs. The greatest advantage of catalog is producing a well informed buyer that can decide which item they need and which suits their budget. A catalog can be great if the person holding it knows how to use it wisely and if it serves its purpose n creating another smart buyer.


This article is free for republishing
Source: Article Alley

Top 7 Things to Include in Your Business Plan

If you're really serious about making money with your new business, you must take the time to write a good business plan. A business plan is a roadmap that covers all the aspects of your business, and is vital if you're planning on applying for a small business loan.

A business plan is also something which intimidates many new business owners who have no clue as to what to put in their business plan. Depending on the nature of your business, your business plan can be an elaborate write-up and analysis topping 100 pages, or it can be a narrative of 10 – 20 pages. What are 7 "must-haves" for your business plan?

1. Mission Statement

A mission statement is where you state your purpose for starting this business. Perhaps you're starting a dog-treat bakery to sell home-made dog treats because you feel there are too many harmful additives put in pet food. Or, perhaps you're starting a hypnotherapy practice because you strongly believe in the power of the mind to heal, change bad habits or increase motivation. Your mission statement doesn't have to be long, but it does have to reflect your reasons for starting your business. If all you can think of is "I need to make money somehow," then you might want to consider a different business.

2. Describe Your Business

This is where you describe in detail all the aspects of your business. Are you a service-oriented business (therapist, hair-stylist, consultant, etc.)? Do you sell products? Give a description of your products. Do you use a wholesaler or dropshipper? Do you manufacture the products yourself? What makes your business unique?

3. Short-term and Long-Term Goals

This is where you state your long- and short-term goals. For the short term you would list your goals for the next few months to a year. You might have as your goals finding a business name, applying for a business license, taking some SBA classes to learn more about running a business, securing office space, or whatever you might need to begin your business. You might also include the income you expect to earn in your first year of business. For your long-term goals you might want to pick a three-year to five-year goal. Your goals could include future product lines and any future marketing plans. It might include opening new stores, offices, or starting new websites.

4. Potential Customers

This is where you list who your customers will be. Who will buy your product? Who needs your services? What are they looking for? Why do they need your product? This helps you focus on the type of marketing you need for your customers.

5. Competition Analysis

This is where you analyze your competition. How can you know your chances for success if you don’t know what you’re facing in the way of competition? In the example of the hypnotherapy practice you would want to identify all the hypnotherapists in your area. You would also want to include psychotherapists or alternative-health professionals who may also appeal to your potential clients, as well as hypnosis CDs offered on the internet. This can help you spot the areas where the competition is less. For example, if you're a hypnotherapist and find the competition is stiff for weight-loss or smoking cessation programs, try to find a niche which is less competitive.

6. Financial Analysis

It's important you take a realistic look at your finances. You need to write down all the money you pay out each month for personal and expected business expenses, versus how much you realistically expect to bring in each month. Remember to list everything: ISP charges, computer upgrades, office rent, electricity, products to sell, housing, medical expenses, charge cards, etc. Make sure you will be able to afford the business and your current lifestyle. You may find that you will need a small business loan to cover your expenses until your business is able to pay all your expenses. Or, if your business is one you can start on a part-time basis, you may find it's smart to take on a part-time job while building up your business, with the hopes of making your business full time in the future.

7. Marketing

This is where you list all the places where you'll be able to advertise or market your new business. This could include a blog, website, articles in newspapers, articles in online article sites, press releases, appearance on cable-access television, offering free presentations at local groups and organizations. Don't overlook anything. You'd be amazed how much business you can get by giving a free presentation at a local homeowner's association meeting or local chamber of commerce. Take advantage of local Toastmaster's group for gaining experience in public speaking.

Be sure to refer to your business plan from time to time to make sure your business stays on track. It's okay to make changes along the way as you find what works and what doesn't work. If you are using your business plan for a business loan, you may want to hire a professional business plan writer who can review your plan before submitting to funding sources.

Shari Hearn is a writer and creator of a career training website where you can learn about many different career options, including paralegal study.
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Shari Hearn is a freelance writer, hypnotherapist and website publisher.
www.trainingfordifferentcareer.com

A Few Hints for Better Business Negotiation

One of the most vital and virile aspects of our lives is that we WANT!

Business Negotiation: What do you want?

Obviously negotiation isn’t exclusive to the world of business. We WANT this and that and that and this almost every day of our lives. We negotiate at home, at play….everywhere. However, negotiation does play an essential part of a successful business and (this may come as a surprise) negotiation is based on the principle of “getting” AND “giving.” In other words, when it comes to business negotiation, you can’t “get, get, get” without “giving, giving, giving.” The art of business negotiation then is not to “get and “win” but to determine what needs to be given and what needs to be “gotten” in order to determine the best possible outcome for both parties involved in a business negotiation. In other words, you don’t have to think of business negotiation as learning how to get more. Think of business negotiation as learning how to make you AND your “competitors” happy.

Business Negotiation Step #1: Self-Assessment, a Superior Form of Preparation

The first step of good negotiation, (not to mention good writing and good communication) is to understand the interests and wants of your opponent or audience. Let’s say for instance that you want your corporate headquarters to hire an in-house employee as your division manager but your “opponent” wants to see someone from corporate headquarters installed in that position. Now of course you can see and hopefully defend your own point of view. After all, you probably know valuable information about the person that you would like to see hired and the benefits that she could provide. You are ready to fight for you own opinion but for as long as it takes you also need to be willing to fight for your opponent’s point of view (as a mental exercise of course).

Now. Take a step back, determine that your “opponent” is a good person who wants to see the success of the company just as much as you do, and then determine the pros and cons of his plan. You might realize that a new manager in your division may have the ability to determine new processes and new attitudes that when applied correctly could have positive benefits on the overall success of the company. You might realize that that your candidate is a little too familiar—even friendly--with the employees of your division and that a new candidate could be the means of inspiring more discipline into your division. You might also find that your opponent does NOT have solid reasoning to support his argument. Even if this is true, try to find those reasons on your own.

Business Negotiation Step #3: Let Your Opponent Win Too

Negotiation is not about making other people suffer. Negotiation is about getting what you want and helping someone else get what she wants. It can be tough, but remember that in order to get what you want and maintain relationships that are valuable or that could prove to be valuable you have to help the other guy or gal win. Take a step back before you enter a business negotiation, determine what it is that your opponent wants and various ways that you can help him or her get it. You will have to improvise (and so will she) but if you are truly interested in your opponent’s interests you will find that negotiation can indeed prove to be a much more satisfying experience than say---a bare fist boxing match.

Business Negotiation Step #3: Fight for Your Interests and NOT for Your Emotions

Have you ever noticed that interests often become our Achilles heal, our weak spots, our tragic downfalls? Why? Because our interests, when threatened, are very good at triggering our emotions, which also happen to be good at getting us to act in ways that we would prefer not to admit later on. When you enter a negotiation and you are prepared, remember to stay focused on your interests and on the interests of your opponent. Don’t let emotions carry you away to the land of imaginary “action without responsibility.”

To summarize, remember to prepare for a business negotiation by taking a look at your opponent’s point of view, by analyzing your interests and the interests of your opponent and then enter the business negotiation without fussy displays of emotion.

Practice the art of POWERFUL business negotiation.


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Marci Crane is a web content specialist for Innuity. For more information on business negotiation strategies, please feel free to learn more about VitalSmarts and its communication training options.

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