5 Tips for Improving Your Web Site
 5 Tips for Improving Your Web Site |
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Sunday, November 11, 2007
5 Tips for Ensuring Your Customers’ Privacy
| 5 Tips for Ensuring Your Customers’ Privacy |
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5 Tips for Dealing with a Computer Virus
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Isolate. If you suspect that you have been infected by a computer virus, unplug the infected computer from the office network. If the virus has spread to other machines, remove the network from the Internet to avoid spreading the virus. Some viruses can send copies of themselves automatically, so limiting exposure is critical.
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Diagnose. Run a virus scanner program to determine what is causing the problem. If your computer does not have a virus scanner, you will need to purchase and load one. There are many to choose from, such as McAfee, Symantec or TrendMicro, and costs range from free to under $100. Often, the virus program will identify the virus that you're dealing with.
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Treat. Virus scanning software can clean up the virus on your computer. 90 percent of the time, these programs will be sufficient enough to figure out the problem. However, when a virus is so new that there are no "definitions," you will need to go to your vendor and look for new updates.
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Learn. After putting out your virus fire, look for opportunities to enhance security on your computer or network. Make sure that your virus software is up-to-date and consider adding a personal firewall in order to provide additional protection.
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Protect. Keep your virus software updated and renew annually. Always be sure to back up your computer systems to protect against the loss of important data.
5 Tips for Domain Naming
1. Create an online identity. Get a Web domain now, even if you aren't building your site until later.
2. Pick three domain names that fit your business. Your first choice may be taken, so have a few domain name ideas. If your top three picks are available, consider getting all three. It's not too expensive and then you have flexibility to create a site for a special promotion or use a special landing page for an event.
3. Check out domain name vendors. You can register your domain with your choice of vendor. Here are some well-known domain name registrars:
- Network Solutions, www.networksolutions.com
- Yahoo Domains, www.yahoo.com
- GoDaddy, www.godaddy.com
- 1and1.com, www.1and1.com
- Domaindirect.com, www.domaindirect.com
4. Keep your renewal current. Don't forget to renew your domain name. Businesses have been known to let a name expire and then find that their Web site has disappeared from the Internet. Don't let that be you.
5. Once you have a domain, name your URL mycompany.com, place your URL on every marketing and business document that you produce. Let your company be known.
5 Tips on Electronic Contracts
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Business Planning
5 Tips for Developing Policies for Your Business
Let SCORE help to develop policies for your small business.
5 Tips for Effective Business Planning
Achieve success with these small business planning tips.
5 Tips for Making the Most of Your Business Plan
Create a plan that helps your small business succeed.
5 Tips for Using Colleges and Universities to Help Your Business
Get cheap help from business schools or your alma mater.
5 Tips on Budgeting
Learn the keys to successful small business budgeting.
5 Tips on Building a Sound Business Plan
Get assistance on the essentials of a sound business plan.
5 Tips on Exit Strategies
Get these tips on preparing your exit strategy.
5 Tips on Preparing for Change
Learn to anticipate and react to changes in the market.
5 Tips on Technology Planning
Incorporate technology when starting or growing a business.
5 Tips to Help You Prepare for Growth Spurts
Tips for preparing and managing your business’s growth.
5 Tips to Jump Start A New Business
Great tips on branding, Web sites, sales & marketing.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
eCommerce Trends: How Online Storefronts Provide Options for Business Online
Thanks to new online technologies, the Internet now affords everyone an opportunity for profits. One of the latest business trends on the Internet is something called Effortless Commerce, an integrated, turnkey managed eCommerce solution that enables even those folks who don't have their own websites to sell and deliver content to a worldwide audience. The technology enables people to profit from their content who otherwise could not easily do so. They can literally create a product, put it on a storefront for sale, and make profits.
Electronic commerce, commonly known as e-commerce or eCommerce, consists of the buying and selling of products or services over electronic systems such as the Internet.
Let's say you are a personal trainer who has a new DVD to sell, or a young aspired musician with the latest music that you would like to get out to the world. Spending money for a website is not possible. You have explored the route of getting a manager and sales team to sell your product into retail stores, but this cuts into the percent of profits that you could make. Where can you turn?
The amount of trade conducted electronically has grown dramatically since the wide introduction of the Internet. The Census Bureau of the US Department of Commerce estimated that U.S. retail e-commerce sales for the second quarter of 2007 was $33.6 billion, an increase of 6.4 percent (0.8%) from the first quarter of 2007.
Online storefront using Effortless Commerce requires no coding or technical expertise. People have the option to offer products in downloadable formats so that their customers can purchase physical disks, digital downloads, or both. Their online store will automatically display options in the local language and currency for visitors; provides automated calculation for taxes, filing, and also payment; has special pricing for content suppliers; editing, and graphic design services; uses an On Demand Production Engine whereby CD/DVD products are manufactured upon purchase with zero inventory; offers automated order processing ... everything happens automatically and on time, from the time of purchase until shipping products; multiple shipping methods and delivery globally; provides email notifications to customers with shipping confirmations and tracking numbers; and features automatic payment.
Another trend in online business is a new phenomenon called pretailing, which Garter says, "consists of the multi-channel shopping activities consumers do before they even visit a retailer's Web site or local store. Pretailing will increase in importance as consumers get access to more retail information and services on the Internet." (Source: Gartner Group, 28 February 2007)
And if you don't think that eCommerce is important enough to the global economy, according to the PriceWaterhouseCoopers' Global Entertainment and Media Outlook 2006-2010, online advertising spend predictions will reach $26 billion by the year 2010.
Common Mistakes on the Personal Statement and How to Avoid Them
Careless Errors
There is really no excuse for careless errors, and having even one in your application can affect the way you are perceived. You have more than enough time to proofread and have others look over your essay. If an error slips through, your readers may assume that you are careless, disorganized, or not serious enough about your application.
Remember that spell check does not catch all possible errors, and even grammar check is far from perfect. In addition to typographical errors such as repeated words, you have to read the essay carefully to catch mistakes in meaning that might come in the form of a grammatically correct sentence.
Let these humorous but unfortunate examples be a lesson to read your essay carefully for unintended meanings and meaningless sentences:
-It was like getting admitted to an Ivory League school.
-Berkeley has a reputation of breeding nationalists and communists.
-I'd like to attend a college where I can expose myself to many diverse people.
-I was totally free except for the rules.
-In a word, the experience taught me the importance of dedication, friendship, and goals.
-I have an extensive knowledge of the value of intelligence.
-I envy people with a lot of time in their hands.
Vague Generalities
The most egregious generalizations are the ones that have been used so many times that they have become clichés. For example, "I learned the value of hard work." That statement doesn't tell us anything insightful or interesting about the writer's character, because it has been said so many times as to become meaningless.
Generalities come in the same form as clichés, except with different content. They are always superficial and usually unoriginal, but haven't quite reached the level of predictability that would make them qualify as clichés. Consider this before-and-after set to learn how to evaluate this factor in your writing:
Before: In the first project I managed, I learned many valuable lessons about the importance of teamwork.
After: In the first project I managed, I made an effort to incorporate all my colleagues as equal members of a team, soliciting their feedback and deferring to their expertise as needed.
Terms like "valuable lessons" and "teamwork" are vague and do not really convey anything meaningful about the applicant's experience. In contrast, the revised version explains the team dynamic in more detail, showing specifically how the applicant exercised teamwork principles. The passage should go on to include even more detail, perhaps by naming a particular colleague and discussing his interaction with that person.
Sounding contrived is a problem related to overly general writing. Applicants often have preconceived notions about what they should be discussing, and they try to force those points onto the experiences they relate. The best way to counteract this tendency is to start with your experiences and let the insights flow from there. Think about your most meaningful experiences and describe them honestly. Often you will find that you don't need to impose conclusions because the personal qualities you're trying to demonstrate will be inherent in the details. If you decide that clarification is necessary, the transition should still be natural.
Summarizing Your Resume
Perhaps the most common personal statement blunder is to write an expository resume of your background and experience. This is not to say that the schools are not interested in your accomplishments. However, other portions of your application will provide this information, and the reader does not want to read your life story in narrative form. Strive for depth, not breadth. An effective personal statement will focus on one or two specific themes, incidents, or points. Trying to cram too much into your essay will end up in nothing meaningful being conveyed.
"A straight autobiography should be avoided, although interesting and pertinent autobiographical facts should be included. But the statement should be more future-oriented than past-oriented. I don't really want the story of a student's life but rather plans for and a vision of the future."
-Graduate English Department, UCLA
Sensitive Topics
Don't get on a soapbox and preach to the reader; while expressing your values and opinions is fine, avoid coming across as fanatical or extreme. Avoid mentioning subjects that are potentially controversial; it is impossible for you to know the biases of members of various admissions committees. Religion and politics normally don't belong in these statements, although there may be exceptions (an applicant who has held an important office on campus or in the community would likely want to include this fact). Personal political views usually are not appropriate for personal statements. Any views that might be interpreted as strange or highly unconventional should also be omitted because you want to avoid the possibility of offending any of the individuals in whose hands the fate of your graduate school application rests.
Gimmicks
Don't use a gimmicky style or format. Your "clever" or "original" idea for style probably isn't, and it may not be appreciated.
"Avoid cuteness; we've had people who have done career statements in the form of a miniplay, for example. You want to sound like a professional."
-The Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University
Long-Windedness
Sometimes the same writer who relies too heavily on generalizations will also provide too many irrelevant details. That's why most essays submitted to EssayEdge are returned with significantly reduced word counts and, conversely, suggestions for additions. The problem is that writers often don't consider what is actually necessary to include, or they repeat points freely.
Example of Irrelevant Detail: "After a meeting with my adviser, I returned home to think over the matter more carefully. Ultimately, I came to the conclusion that my interests in physical properties and mental life would best be explored in a double major of biology and psychology."
In this example, we learn nothing about the applicant from the mention of his meeting with an adviser. What's relevant are his interests and the decision he made based on them. The details about how he arrived at the decision are not illustrative of his character in any way and are therefore superfluous.
Example of Redundancy: "The class taught me a great deal about the value of literature. I learned that literature can both instruct and inspire, and this understanding has changed the way I read every text."
The first sentence is unnecessary because the second sentence makes the same point with more specificity.
In addition to superfluous content, you also have to watch out for wordy writing. Wordiness not only takes up valuable space, but it also can confuse the important ideas you're trying to convey. Short sentences are more forceful because they are direct and to the point.
Before: "My recognition of the fact that the project was finally over was a deeply satisfying moment that will forever linger in my memory."
After: "Completing the project at last gave me an enduring sense of fulfillment."
Certain phrases such as "the fact that" are usually unnecessary. Notice how the revised version focuses on active verbs rather than forms of "to be" and adverbs and adjectives.
Big Words
Using longer, fancier words does not make you sound more intelligent, since anyone can consult a thesaurus. Simpler language is almost always preferable, as it demonstrates your ability to think and express yourself clearly.
Before: "Although I did a plethora of activities in college, my assiduous efforts enabled me to succeed."
After: "Although I juggled many activities in college, I succeeded through persistent work."
Be mindful of the common pitfalls associated with writing the Personal Statement. By developing a well written statement, admission committees will take notice and you’ll stand out from the crowd.
8 Mistakes to Avoid When Naming a Business
If it's off, the rest of the building is off, and the misalignment becomes amplified. So if you have that gnawing sense that choosing a name for your new business is vitally important - you're right. With 18 years in the naming and branding business, I've witnessed the good, the bad, and the really bad. Here's how you can avoid the worst of the mistakes and get off to a good start.
Mistake 1: The Committee (Getting all your clients, employees and family members involved)
We live in a democratic society and it seems like the right thing to do - involving everyone in an important decision. This approach, however, presents a few problems. The first and most obvious fact is that you will end up choosing only one name - so you risk alienating the very people you are trying to involve. Second, you often end up with a consensus decision, resulting in a very safe and very vanilla name. A better method is to involve only the key decision makers, the fewer the better, and select only the people you feel have the company's best interests at heart. The need for personal recognition can skew results - so you are best served by those who can park their egos at the door. Also, make sure you have some right brain types in the mix. Too many left brains and the name often ends up too literal and descriptive.
Mistake 2: The Train Wreck (Taking two words and colliding them head on)
When forced to come up with a creative name, many aspiring entrepreneurs will simply take part of an adjective and weld it onto a noun. The results are names that have a certain twisted rationale to them, but look and sound awful. Someone starting a high-end service franchise then becomes QualiServe. It's a bit like mixing chocolate syrup with ketchup - nothing wrong with either, but they just don't go together. Other common truncations include Ameri, Tech, Corp, Tron, etc. The problem with this approach is that it's simply forced � and it sounds that way.
Mistake 3: Where's Waldo? (Names so plain they'll never stand out in a crowd)
The first company in a category can get away with this one. Hence, you have General Motors, General Electric, etc. But once you have competition, it requires differentiation. Imagine if Yahoo! had come out as GeneralInternetDirectory.com? It would be much more descriptive, but hardly memorable. And with the onslaught of new media and advertising channels, it's more important than ever to carve out your niche by displaying your uniqueness. Nothing does that better than a well-conceived name.
Mistake 4: The Atlas Approach (Using a map to name your company)
In the zeal to start a new company, many businesses choose to use their city, state or region as part of their name. While this may actually help in the beginning, it often becomes a hindrance as a company grows. One client came to me with complaints he was serving more of the market than his name implied. He had aptly called it St. Pete Plumbing since he hailed from St. Petersburg, Florida. But yellow page shoppers assumed that was also his entire service area. With a little creative tinkering we changed the image of St. Pete from a city to the image of St. Pete himself, complete with wings and a plumber's wrench. The new tag line? "We work miracles!"
Other companies have struggled with the same issue. Minnesota Manufacturing and Mining was growing beyond their industry and their state. To avoid limiting their growth they became 3M, a company now known for innovation. Kentucky Fried Chicken is now KFC, de-emphasizing the regional nature of the original name. Both of these companies made strategic moves to avoid stifling their growth. Learn from them and you can avoid this potential bottleneck.
Mistake 5: Cliche' You Say? (A good name is worth a thousand words)
Once past the literal, descriptive stage, the thought process usually turns to metaphors. These can be great if they are not overly used to the point of trite. Since many companies think of themselves as the top in their industry, the world is full of names like Summit, Apex, Pinnacle, Peak, etc. While there is nothing inherently wrong with these names, they are just overworked. Look for combinations of positive words and metaphors and you will be much better served. A good example is the Fortune 1000 data storage company Iron Mountain, which conveys strength and security without sounding commonplace.
Mistake 6: Hide the Meaning (Make it so obscure, the customer will never know!)
It's great for a name to have a special meaning or significance. It sets up a story that can be used to tell the company message. But if the reference is too obscure and too hard to spell and pronounce, you may never have the opportunity to speak to that customer. They will simply pass you by as irrelevant. So resist the urge to name your company after the mythical Greek god of fast service or the Latin phrase for "We're number one!" If a name has a natural, intuitive sound and a special meaning, it can work. If it's too complex and puzzling, it will remain a mystery to your customers. This is especially true if you are reaching out to a mass audience.
I pushed the envelope a little on this one myself, naming my branding firm Tungsten, after the metal that Thomas Edison used to create brilliant light. However, my clientele consists of knowledgeable professionals who appreciate a good metaphor and expect a branding firm to have a story behind its name. It's also a way to differentiate my services (illuminated, bright, brilliant). So while it works for a branding firm, it would not do well as an ice cream parlor.
Mistake 7: The Campbell's Approach (Using alphabet soup to name your firm)
This is a trend that is thankfully wearing off. Driven by the need for a matching domain name, many companies have resorted to awkwardly constructed or purposefully misspelled names. The results are company names that sound more like prescription drugs than real life businesses. Mistake 2 sometimes gets combined with this one and results in a name like KwaliTronix (or worse - mistakes 2, 4 ... 7, resulting in KwalTronixUSA). It's amazing how good some names begin to sound after searching for available domain names all night. But resist the urge. Avoid using a "K" in place of a "Q" or a "Ph" in place of an "F." This makes spelling the name and locating you on the Internet all that much harder.
It's not that coined or invented names cannot work; they often do. Take for example, Xerox or Kodak. But keep it mind, names like these have no intrinsic or linguistic meaning, so they rely heavily on advertising � and that gets expensive. Many of the companies that use this approach were either first in category or had large marketing budgets. Verizon spent millions on their rebranding effort. So did Accenture. So check your pocketbook before you check into these types of names.
Mistake 8: Sit On It. (When in doubt, make no change at all)
Many business owners know they have a problem with their name and just hope it will somehow magically resolve itself. The original name for one of my clients was "Portables," which reminded some people of the outdoor restrooms or the portable classrooms - neither one a good association. This added to the confusion when phone operators tried to explain their new concept of moving and storage. After some careful tweaking, we came up with the name PODS, an acronym for Portable On Demand Storage. The rest is quickly becoming history as they expand both nationally and internationally. Peter Warhust, President and one of the original founders states, "For the record, changing our name to PODS was one of the best moves we ever made."
Exercise Experience, a former Florida-based company, was frequently confused with a health club. In reality, they sold very high-end fitness equipment. This brings up a very key point - it's better to have a name that gives no impression than a name that gives a wrong impression. Much of the ad budget we spent on Exercise Experience was used to clarify that they sold fitness equipment. This was valuable airtime that could have been put to better use selling the equipment rather than explaining the business. Ultimately, the company folded. It's not to say it was solely because of the name, but I believe it was a factor.
Mike Harper of Huntington Beach, CA, bought a thirty-year-old janitorial and building maintenance company named Regency. We both agreed it sounded more like a downtown movie theatre than a progressive facilities management firm. After a thorough naming search, we developed the name Spruce Facilities Management. Spruce not only conveyed the environmentally friendly image of a spruce tree (something important to the client), it also meant, "to clean up." The new tag line fell right in place Spruce "The Everclean Company."
It's only a matter of time before Southwest Airlines and Burlington Coat Factory and others who have successfully outgrown their original markets begin to question their positioning. Much like 3M and KFC, they may need to make a change to keep pace with their growth and image.
In the fever to start your new business or expand a current one, take time to think through some of these issues. According to the late Henry Ford, "Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason why so few engage in it." Albert Einstein took it one step further claiming, "Imagination is more important than knowledge." By tapping into your creativity and avoiding these potential pitfalls, you'll be able to create a name that works both short and long term � one that allows for future growth. Like the original cornerstone of a building, it will support upward expansion as your company reaches new heights.
Negotiation Skills Training: The Sales Multiplier Close
The company must have offered some free gift my wife wanted to get us to agree to an appointment.
On the appointed day and time a salesman was at our front door with a vacuum cleaner and some other stuff.
He sets up his vacuum on our living room carpet. This was about 20 years ago so I don’t remember all the specific details. I do remember he put some dirt on our carpet and showed us how well his vacuum cleaned it up. Then he vacuumed a section of our carpet that already looked clean. But when he showed us how much dirt it picked up from the clean section my wife and I were surprised.
When he told us the price of the vacuum cleaner we were even more surprised. I didn’t think they even made vacuums that expensive. We told him that was more money than we had budgeted for a vacuum cleaner. “No problem,” he said he had an affordable monthly payment plan we could take advantage of.
I told him I didn’t feel comfortable with the idea of making payments on a vacuum cleaner. “No problem,” he said again. He had a bird dog referral plan we could take advantage of.
Then he got out a sheet of paper with 10 lines on it. He asked us to write down 10 of our friends who we though might also like a good quality vacuum. He said he would call on them and for each one he sold he would send us a bird dog rewards check for the referral. He explained we could put that money toward our payments.
I thought, “What a great bird dog close.” The customer gets help with their payments and the salesperson multiplies his sales.
In negotiation skills training I teach salespeople negotiation skills that create win-win results. It’s sales training with integrity. Assuming it’s a product the customer wants the bird dog close is a great win-win solution.
Your negotiation skills training action item:
If you want a big jump in your referral leads, my sales advice is, start using the bird dog close and make everyone happy.
How to Take Your Customer’s Money
For a publisher to be able to achieve the goal of multiple revenue streams, it will have to integrate payment processing into its site. This will enable the site to sell products and services (such as downloadable reports and software, branded merchandise, software, etc), charge subscription fees for access to premium content and promote and sell events (seminars, webinars, courses, etc.). This can be a torturous process unless you know what you are doing.
This is a quick guide to getting started, based on my experience of launching sites all over the world, including the U.S. and the U.K.
Ways of Taking Money
The first task you will need to undertake is setting up the means to process the payments. There are essentially three ways to do this:
• An online payment provider such as PayPal or Google Checkout
• A payment service provider (PSP) such as WorldPay, Patrasys or NetBanx
• A combination of a payment gateway and a merchant service account
I will quickly go through the pros and cons of all three.
Online Payment Provider
PayPal is the world's biggest online payment provider. Most people on the Internet have either used PayPal or are familiar with the service it offers. PayPal enables an individual to receive a payment from a customer by credit card. PayPal manages the transaction from the time a credit card number is entered into a website to the time the money is deposited in your bank account.
Pros
• Simple and cheap to set up
• High acceptance rate of new clients
• Global
• Improving all the time; customers without a PayPal account can still pay you through PayPal
Cons
• A nasty habit of freezing clients' accounts, and it can be tricky to get them reactivated
• Very poor customer service
• Perception that PayPal is a service associated with ‘cheap' websites; this is changing as PayPal launches new services and has started to appear on bigger e-commerce websites
Google Checkout is an alternative, but it is years behind PayPal. It is worth keeping an eye on.
Payment Service Providers
PSPs are similar to PayPal. They manage the whole transaction from the credit card being inputted into a site to the funds being deposited in your bank account. The biggest PSP is WorldPay (http://www.worldpay.com). Others include SecPay (http://www.secpay.com), Netbanx (http://www.netbanx.com) and Patrasys (http://www.patrasys.com).
Pros
• Single provider takes care of the end-to-end transaction process
• High acceptance rate of new clients
• Generally good customer service
Cons
• Very expensive set-up and transaction fees
• Difficult set-up and integration
• Often hold funds for up to 60 days, which can kill cash flow for a small business
Payment Gateway with Merchant Service Account
All major banks have a merchant service division which is responsible for enabling clients to process credit cards. These are called merchant service providers. If you go to your bank and say that you want to start accepting credit cards on your website, they will point you in the right direction. Once you have a merchant service account, you need to have a payment gateway. This is a service that enables the transaction to take place on your site. It checks that the credit card is valid, checks for fraud and verifies all the personal details. Most banks try to sell website owners both their merchant service account and their gateway product. In my experience, bank-provided gateways are clunky, hard to integrate and very expensive. There are far better services in the market. In the U.K., I use Protx (http://www.protx.com) and in the U.S., Authorize.net (http://www.authorize.net).
Pros
• Cheapest transaction rates
• Rapid transfer of funds into your account
• Good customer support from most banks
Cons
• It can be very hard for new businesses with no trading record to get a merchant account.
• There can be problems getting a gateway and merchant service account to work together.
• Banks can be reluctant to allow annual subscriptions.
My Recommendation
If you are starting a new business with no trading record, my recommendation is to use PayPal to get started. Once you have a trading record, go to your bank and apply for a merchant services account. If you get one, then switch to processing payments through this account and a cheap gateway service.
How To Have Success With A Home Business
1) Have A Goal
The most successful minds in history have always set goals for themselves. Don't just set them, but write them down and hang them somewhere of prominence where you can refer to them often. Set a long term goal and then short term goals that will lead you to your long term goal. Set a time limit for all of your goals. Evaluate your progress often.
2) Prioritize Your Day
Make a list at the beginning of each day of the most important things that you need to accomplish that day. Go through the list systematically and complete each task in its entirety. When the day is over, go back through your list and make sure that all of the items were completed. If not, place them at the top of your list for the next day. Prioritizing your day will make your time more productive.
3) Schedule Breaks
You need time during the day for yourself. Make breaks a part of your daily routine. Fit them into your day and limit them to a time that works for you. Make sure that you are getting enough hydration and nutrition. This will be vital to your mind clarity and productivity. Allowing yourself breaks will help motivate you to complete your next tasks.
4) Avoid Distractions
While it is important for your productivity to take adequate breaks, it is also just as important to avoid potentially hazardous distractions. When working from home it is so easy to get wrapped up in a phone call with a friend, a television program, or personal chores. Allow time for these things in your personal time, but make sure that they are not creeping into your business day. They will only pull you in and thus make your day less productive.
5) Enjoy Yourself
Enjoy what you're doing. The likelihood that you are a focused and driven personality type is very high if you have chosen to work from home. Just remember to not take yourself too seriously, relax, and have fun at what it is you're doing. If you like making others successful as well, focus on how the task you're completing will help them.
6) Have A Mentor
Don't just go into this new endeavor alone. Find someone who has been or is currently successful from home and ask them if they will mentor you. Some of your best advice and guidance could come from someone who has already gone through what you are.
7) Create Balance
People who work from home above all need balance. Allow yourself time for your family and hobbies. You may think that you are using your time frivolously, but really you are rejuvenating yourself to work more efficiently. If you don't allow yourself time for enjoyable activities, you will burn yourself out. Entrepreneurs who have balance between work and their personal life end up being the most productive in the end. So take that long walk or go out to dinner. You will have balance and enjoyment in your life and business endeavors if you allow time for yourself and things that you love.
Small business tips for hiring a contracting company
The Basics
Set up a meeting with the contractor in person to discuss your needs. Not only does this allow you to better assess the character of the contractor, but it also allows the contractor to better assess your property and services that you will require. Upon your introduction to the contractor, take notice if they meet the following: English speaking, punctual, professionally courteous, and if they are taking notes when you speak to them about your concerns. These basics of business practice reflect much of what you can in regards to the service you will receive from the contractor. For example, if a contractor is not taking notes when you are speaking to them about your needs and concerns about the property, they may likely not be prepared for a job and charge you more money in the long run for multiple site visits and repairs.
Ask for references
Potential contractors should provide at least 3 references to you who can vouch for the quality of their service. When contacting the references, be sure to ask them to rate the following aspects of service on a scale of (1-10) along with a reason why: Punctuality, Competency/Knowledge, Pricing, Reliability, Emergency Response Time, and their Overall rating.
Digging Deeper
Ask the contractor if they practice preventative maintenance. Costs can be greatly reduced by using a contractor who will take the time to prevent problems before they occur. This includes lubrication, leakage checks, wiring checks, and testing of major systems in your facility.
Make sure the contractor provides an estimate in writing. This is very important so that no hidden costs or fees are sprung on you in your final bill. Be sure that the estimate clearly defines the work to be completed and includes all aspects of work that you require.
Subcontracting
Companies that subcontract more than 5% of their work are going to cost you more money than they will save you. This is very important aspect if you are hiring a company that will mantain your property from top to bottom.
Still having doubts? Get a second opinion!
Many contractors say you need a complete system overhaul when something major happens in your building. The truth is that many times a loose wire or belt could be replaced and could save you tons. The best way to check to see if you are being taken advantage of is to call another contractor for a free job estimate.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
8 Small Business Trends for the 21st Century
8 Small Business Trends for the 21st Century
Russian Skittles Commercial
Running a small business requires a focus on the present daily operations. With time restraints looking ahead becomes difficult. However, in order to succeed you need to know what’s ahead to better plan and avert danger. The 21st century presents plenty of changes that will impact your small business in the future. Here are 8 small business trends for the 21st century:
The Small Business Revolution: The face of entrepreneurship is changing from the white middle-aged college educated male to a new class consisting of immigrants, women, baby boomers, and the younger digital generation. These groups are better prepared for success.
The boomers have a vast repertoire of skills and experiences while the youth possess a risk-taking attitude with very few financial commitments.
According to the Kauffman Foundation, Americans aged 55 to 64 start a business at the highest rate of any age group—28% higher than the adult average. A growing number of employees will value the path to entrepreneurship continuing the small business revolution. Look for greater political clout and financing for small business.
An Empire of One: Forget the hiring headaches, managing problems, and added paperwork of running a business with employees. According to the Census Bureau, small business without payroll makes up more than 70 percent of America’s 27 million companies, with annual sales of $887 billion.
An empire of one can operate in a low-cost of location such as the home office and be more nimble than larger companies. One-person businesses can take advantage of outsourcing many functions while focusing on core strengths. The empire of one model will be appealing to more and more corporate employees leaving behind big companies with limited pensions and job security. Small businesses built around the empire of one model will be able to weather the perfect talent storm on the horizon.
The Perfect Talent Storm: A fast aging population, a rapid declining pool of younger workers combined with global competition creates the perfect storm for a serious labor shortage. Unlike past labor shortages, this is a global phenomenon impacting workers in many areas and businesses of all types. It will continue for much of the decade.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. is heading for a shortage of 3 to 6 million workers by 2012. Immigration provides little comfort with other countries facing similar talent crunches; retaining citizens will be a top priority. This storm means small businesses will have to compete aggressively for talent and learn how to fully engage the hearts and minds of employees.
The Innovation Age: The most important asset that will be fully realized in the future is the 3lb creative universe in our heads. Our true competitive advantage is our ability to create and execute new business ideas. Although we have mastered the fundamentals of business such as sales or marketing, we have yet to grasp the concept of innovation. Smarter companies will leap ahead with the understanding that innovation is a process dependant system as opposed to a flash of genius.
The current perceptions of innovation are it’s all about big ideas and primarily technological. Big ideas have a much lower success rate than small innovations. Innovations can occur in all aspects of business from new customer service ideas to improvements in operations. An idea isn’t an innovation until it is applied and turning a profit. The future belongs to small businesses that can turn innovations into profits.
The Customer Voice: Marketing has primarily been a one-way communication to the customer. The rise of Web 2.0 with blogs, podcasts, wikis, and community websites has created a powerful mechanism for customers to shout back.
The time is limited for companies to hide behind poor service and imperfect products. Company and people searches on search engines such as Google will continue to be a means for buyers to discover the truth behind marketing copy.
Consumer opinions good and bad will shape the success of business. Savvy small businesses will monitor what is being said, use the feedback to improve and manage their reputation. Listening to your customer is more than an overused term but part of the new reality of business.
The Heath Care Crunch: The only hurdle to speed up the small business revolution is the health care crisis. The current malaise of the heath care system in countries around the world will see no signs of dissipating. With more expensive medical advances and aging populations living longer, the price of quality health care will continue to be a burden on small business.
Leaving behind company medical benefits to a start a business is risky for many. With new programs such as Health Savings Accounts, the ability of workers to leave corporations and be self-employed will be improved. A shift in treating disease to prevention will be needed to reduce costs and risks in the current system.
Knowledge Expiration: Like a carton of milk, the usefulness of knowledge expires over time. In any field, new discoveries over throw theories to create new ways of thinking. In the world of business, the assumptions and facts of today are tomorrows old way of thinking. As our world accelerates in knowledge creation, information will continue to change.
Nimble small businesses have the opportunity to learn new ideas and immediately apply them to their companies. Successful companies will learn how to unlearn and constantly challenge procedures, skill sets, and ways of doing business.
The Angry Planet: The global warming crisis is creating havoc in all parts of the world; interrupting supply chains, closing operations, devastating lives and businesses. Insurance firm Swiss Re predicts weather disasters will reach $150 billion per year in economic cost in a decade more than double of today's costs.
Without the resources of large corporations and limited government aid, small business will be the most vulnerable to the fickle demands of Mother Nature. According to a recent NFIB National Small Business Poll, man-made disasters affect 10% of small businesses, whereas natural disasters have impacted more than 30% of all small businesses in America. Disaster planning will be a necessary component of business survival in the 21st century.
These trends are already set in motion. Take the steps today to set your business goals and direction around foreseeable events emerging.
Want to Be an eBay Millionaire? Consider Moving to New Jersey, Tennessee
Want to Be an eBay Millionaire? Consider Moving to New Jersey, Tennessee
Martin Lawrence-Racism(stand up comedy)
The online marketplace recently ranked its most active communities for buying and selling.
An estimated 750,000 Americans now make all or part of their living on eBay -- and many of those online entrepreneurs hail from smaller towns, according to eBay's "Community Counts" project, which identified the site's most active communities.
Read more on www.inc.com.How To Make A Million Dollars With Deal-A-Day Type Site
How To Make A Million Dollars With Deal-A-Day Type Site
Why You Should Knock Yourself Off.
Deal-a-day sites--websites that sell one deeply discounted product each day--are sprouting up all over. They sell pretty much everything, from jewelry to electronics, in limited quantities at up to 90 percent off retail prices. These sites resemble blogs in that they're updated frequently and usually provide catalog summaries of previous deals shoppers can browse.
Deal-a-day sites were pioneered in 2004 by Woot.com in Carrollton, Texas. Founded by electronics wholesaler Matt Rutledge, Woot's product selection emphasizes computer components and electronic gadgetry--all at closeout prices.
Today, nearly 100 deal-a-day sites can be found on the web, many started by e-tailers looking to expand. One such entrepreneur is Ellen Craw, general manager and co-founder of Bits du Jour, which started in 2006. It sells downloadable software discounted 40 percent to 50 percent on average. Craw is also general manager and co-founder of sister site Ilium Software. She co-founded both companies with CEO Ken Morse, 48, and CTO Dan Amstutz, 50. The sites log combined annual sales of nearly $1 million. "I was a big fan of Woot," says Craw, 54. "I checked their site every day to see what they had and because it was so much fun."
[Via Entrepreneur Magazine]
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Unwanted Horse Web Site Launched
Unwanted Horse Web Site Launched
Podvertising To Grow Fivefold, But Remain Niche
A new Web site launched this week, UnwantedHorses.org, focuses on the unwanted horse problem in America and says it's time for a new view about horses.
"While many horse owners are devoted to their animals and keep them for life, the sad fact is that too many people only want to keep a horse as long as it is useful for something," said Steve Smith, co-founder of the Rolling Dog Ranch Animal Sanctuary, a Montana nonprofit that specializes in caring for disabled animals, including blind horses.
"More than 100,000 unwanted horses were slaughtered in America in 2006, and that is tragic evidence that we need to tackle the unwanted horse problem in a fundamental way--by rethinking our relationship with these wonderful animals," Smith said. While banning horse slaughter is essential, he noted, this gruesome practice is only a symptom of the problem.
The new Web site argues that a horse must be recognized for having intrinsic value as an animal, above and beyond whatever economic value it might also have. What needs to change, according to the site, is "the horse-as-tool mentality, where the animal's value is measured only by its usefulness to the person."
The Web site acknowledges that this new view will be controversial and will require a sweeping cultural change in the horse industry, and a change in mindset for millions of individual horse owners.
Smith said his nonprofit was motivated to create the site because of all the calls and emails they received from people who wanted to surrender their horses.
"No matter how long they had owned the horse, no matter how much the horse had done for them--these people had no loyalty to the animal," Smith said. "It never occurred to them that maybe--just maybe--their horse deserved a well-earned retirement."
The new Web site also offers specific steps on what individuals can do to help reduce the number of unwanted horses in America, and provides concrete recommendations for horse owners who find themselves with an unwanted horse.
The site is at www.unwantedhorses.org/index.html.
10 Simple Ways to Lower Your Computer Support Bills
10 Simple Ways to Lower Your Computer Support Bills
8 Simple Rules for Rating A Business Opportunity
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When in doubt, reboot.
Before you consider an issue a real computer support problem and call your computer consultant, always reboot first.Exit out of whatever files and programs you're working on. Then run through a Shutdown and Restart sequence to reboot your PC.
If you suspect the problem involves something hardware-related, such as a network card, modem, mouse, keyboard or sound card, go one step further. Shutdown your PC. Turn the power off for a minute or so and then power your PC back up again.
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Protect against viruses with a strong defense.
Adopt a strong defense to guard against expensive emergency computer support service calls for virus-related problems.Make sure every PC, notebook and server in your office is licensed for antivirus software, has antivirus software installed and properly configured—and most importantly gets refreshed at least once every two to four weeks with up to date virus definitions, also known as signature files.
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Take a hard line on unauthorized software installation.
Many end users in offices of all sizes mistakenly assume a personal computer (PC) is their personal asset and that they can install whatever software they like.However since installing unauthorized software can lead to enormous piracy liability, virus infections and major operating system and application instability, it's in your best interest to take a hard line with your staff and co-workers.
Make one person in your office in charge of installing and maintaining all software—period.
And while you're at it, have this same person keep all software diskettes, CD-ROMs, license agreements and installation codes locked up.
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Invest in power protection before you need it.
Are your computers ready for brownouts, blackouts, surges and sags? Do you have adequate surge protection measures in place? Do you have an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) fully charged up, tested and ready to go?If you answered "Not Sure" or "No," you're certainly not alone. Your computer and phone systems may be a lot more vulnerable than you realize.
Make sure every piece of sensitive electronic equipment in your office has some kind of surge protection or battery backup power. Also, regularly test your uninterruptible power supply and monitor its related software log files.
For more power protection tips, see How to Keep Your Small Business Computer Systems Safe from Summer Storm Damage at http://www.smallbiztechtalk.com/news/archives/tips050701-ht1.htm.
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Learn how to use your backup/restore software and tape drive before you have an emergency.
Don't wait until your CEO inadvertently deletes a folder of important Microsoft Excel files to learn about and test your backup/restore system.By then, you'll likely be in a panic and need an expensive computer consultant service call.
Set aside time to ask questions now and take good notes. Learn how to check if your automated backup routines are running properly and if data is making it onto the tape as expected. Be sure that you can handle any required manual backup and restore procedures.
Also, add a recurring event to your electronic organizer or Microsoft Outlook calendar to test your tape backup system, at least once a month, to make sure you can successfully restore a group of files.
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Schedule proactive maintenance well in advance and during normal business hours.
The best way to protect against emergencies is to prevent them in the first place.Don't procrastinate. Schedule your computer consultant to come in and run through basic proactive maintenance. If at all possible, have this done during normal business hours, to keep the cost down and to let your computer consultant see end users in action.
Ask lots of questions and take good notes. If you believe that a picture is worth a thousand words, you may also want to capture screen shots of key configuration settings. For details, see Add a Screen Shot to a Microsoft Office Document at http://www.smallbiztechtalk.com/news/archives/tips011402-tl.htm.
If you're not watching over your computer consultant's shoulder at least 25 percent to 50 percent of the time, you're probably not getting maximum value out of the visit.
If your computer consultant refuses to share his or her knowledge with you, find another small business computer consultant. Knowledge transfer is just too important to your company's success with technology.
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Launch your Web browser to get solutions for common problems with software applications and operating systems.
For example, with popular Microsoft products like Microsoft Office and Microsoft Windows, you can search Microsoft's online Knowledge Base at http://support.microsoft.com.This is roughly the same information that's used by both Microsoft support professionals and most computer consultants.
Many of the major hardware vendors, such as Dell Computer (http://support.dell.com), also have similar computer support resources available for their products.
For a list of more online resources, see 10 Great Web Sites for Free Small Biz Do-It-Yourself Tech Support at http://www.smallbiztechtalk.com/news/archives/tips012802-ht1.htm.
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Use built-in Help features in your software applications.
Don't overlook integrated Help functions available in most software applications.For example, in the Microsoft Office family of applications, you can always reach the Office Assistant from the Help pull-down menu. In many cases, pressing the F1 key on the keyboard also launches a Help screen.
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Visit a newsgroup for free advice.
For example, Microsoft has online newsgroups where you can post questions and get answers from peers and "official" volunteers (called Microsoft MVPs).Find out about available Microsoft newsgroups at http://support.microsoft.com.
Again, many of the major hardware and software vendors also have similar newsgroup resources available.
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Take notes, lots of them!
Chances are, whatever computer support problems and resolutions you tackle this week will be relevant at some point down the road.Logging computer support problems also gives you a great paper trail for documenting your most common computer support issues and challenges. In addition, the logs are great tools for planning training programs and resolving vendor disputes.
There's no reason why you can't take a few simple steps to reduce your utilization of expensive outside computer consultants. Conserve your technology budget for high-end projects that command professional expertise. Use these ten tips to plan how you can lower your computer support bills.
Copyright ©2001-2002, KISTech Communications Corporation, Used by Permission
Joshua Feinberg is an internationally recognized small business technology expert, speaker, trainer, coach, columnist and author. His latest book, What Your Computer Consultant Doesn't Want You to Know (Small Biz Tech Talk Press; ISBN 0-9714153-8-2; $19.99), exposes 101 money-saving secrets of expensive techies. To read a free excerpt or order Joshua's book, contact Small Biz Tech Talk Press at Toll Free 1-866/832-4397 [866 TECH-EXPERT], 1-561/642-4220 or online at Small Biz Tech Talk .
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Hailing a taxi with a mouse click
Hailing a taxi with a mouse click
5 Ways a Website Can Help Your Business
Business travelers have been going online for a decade to book airline tickets, hotel rooms and rental cars. But until recently they still had to hail a cab the old-fashioned way
Now, 34-year-old New York cab driver and entrepreneur Jason Diaz is trying to change that. Six months ago, he launched 1-800-cab-ride.com in hope of using the Internet to create a national brand and sales organization for the highly decentralized taxicab business.
"I want to do for the taxi business what 1-800-flowers.com did for the flower delivery business," Diaz says.
Americans spend more than $12 billion a year on taxi rides, Diaz says, which makes the taxi business about as large as the ice cream industry. And taxis carry more customers each year than do all the rental car companies combined. "But there's no Dreyers or Breyers, and no Hertz or Avis or Enterprise. There are no big name brands. It's all mom and pop."
Backed by private investors — he won't say who, or how much they've invested — Diaz created 1-800-cab-ride.com by enlisting locally owned cab companies from around the USA into a network that extends to about 40 major markets. He's adding about five markets a month.
Currently, only about 300 people a day book taxi rides through the service, Diaz says. But he is expecting rapid growth.
Flat fee charged
Travelers can schedule a cab ride with as little as 10 minutes advance notice, though the company guarantees only that a cab will be available within three hours of booking. Travel agents can also book cab rides online for their clients at the same time they book airline tickets and hotel rooms.
The company quotes a flat fee at the time a trip is booked. It includes fare, tip, taxes and tolls. The customer must pay with a credit card at the time of booking. That reduces the need for business travelers to carry cash and improves the accuracy of corporate expense reporting.
It also eliminates the possibility that a dishonest driver will sell the customer's credit card number.
Another selling point for business travelers: If anything goes wrong for customers — a laptop left behind, for example — the company can pinpoint their cab quickly.
Diaz sells the service to local cab companies by highlighting the potential for greater productivity and increased revenue. He says 60% of drivers' time is spent "doing nothing but waiting for the next ride, just hanging out."
Local operators keep most of the fare and pay 1-800-cab-ride.com fees for sending them business. In competitive big-city cab markets, the fares represent money the cab companies wouldn't otherwise get.
"It's well worth it to them to share a part of that incremental revenue with us," Diaz says.
Rick Hewatt, owner of Checker Cab of Atlanta, which has been in business for 60 years, signed up because he saw Diaz's proposition as "an opportunity to bring us additional sales and to get us into the world of online reservations."
James Hickey, senior director of marketing and sales at Chicago's Flash Cab and 303 Taxi in the suburban Chicago area, calls 1-800-cab-ride.com a "really great idea."
"I've heard many, many horror stories of people who've had bad experiences with cabs when they've gone to other cities," he says. Diaz's plan assures travelers a clean, safe cab with protection against overcharging, he says.
Brian Deely, a financial planning associate from Tacoma, Wash., says he's sold on the concept after one use last month in Houston. "I found it online very quickly," he says, "and the really cool thing about it was that I paid right then and there."
He's planning to use the service again on a trip to Las Vegas, and expects to use it on trips elsewhere. "It sure beats having to scramble for transportation after I land," Deely says.
Still drives occasional shift
For Diaz, his venture is the combination of two loves: big business and taxis. He first got interested in the cab business during his college days at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, where he earned a bachelors degree in 1995.
After graduation, Diaz landed a job as a management consultant in New York.
Motivated by the murder of a friend in a street crime, Diaz threw himself into the creation of a crime-watch-on-wheels called Cab Watch. The non-profit trains cabbies to look for and report crime.
Along the way Diaz got his hack's license and still occasionally pulls a shift behind the wheel. Eventually he left his consulting job to focus on his taxi business interests, which includes TaxiPass. That company allows local customers to buy taxi credits from ATM-style machines.
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How to Make a Lot of Money as a Franchisee
How to Make a Lot of Money as a Franchisee
Make More Money With Adsense
This is such a fun topic. It reminds me of the joke we used to tell as kids, “How can you immediately double your money? Fold it in half and put it back in your pocket!” So how can you make a lot of money as a franchisee? At the risk of sounding trite, the easiest way is to start by selecting a franchise opportunity that is capable of making a lot of money.
Actually, there are a number of things you can do to increase your chances of making good money as a franchisee. Though picking the right opportunity where others are making a lot of money is a good start, it is no guarantee you will do the same. The key secrets to making as much money as possible include:
1. Starting with the right definition. This goal begs the question, “what is a lot of money?” Many people think of this answer first in absolute terms such as making a fixed amount like $100,000 per year. I think it is wiser to define “a lot of money” in terms of return on investment. If you can invest $5,000 and get a return of $25,000 per year, I’d contend you’re making a lot of money on that investment by any reasonable standard of measure.
2. Starting with the right opportunity. It’s essential to select an opportunity that matches up well with you, in which you are willing and capable of performing the primary role of the franchisee. As just one example, I know of a franchise that cleans public restrooms. This can be an intensely profitable business with a great return on investment, but many people simply wouldn’t want to be involved in such a business. Their reluctance would probably mean they wouldn’t make a lot of money, because they couldn’t project the excitement and enthusiasm necessary to sell a prospective customer on the value of a sparkling urinal.
3. Keeping the investment size reasonable. A host of franchises can produce a great return on investment. Make sure you focus on ones where the per-unit investment is reasonable given your net worth and the liquid capital you have available to invest. Remember what your mom told you about not putting all your eggs in one basket.
4. Reinvesting to achieve your absolute goal. If you find an opportunity that fits well for you and has a great return on investment, and you’ve got your first unit up and making a lot of money, you can reach your absolute number goal by acquiring additional units. This can either be done through further out-of-pocket investment or through the reinvestment of the profits you’re making into growing the business. I have a good friend who owns more than 40 haircutting franchises. The return on investment in each unit is great, but the absolute dollars in any one unit don’t meet his overall total income goal. He found that by adding additional units over time through the reinvestment of profits, he could realize a total income far in excess of what his absolute goals were when he started the business. In the example mentioned in the first point, if you want to make $100,000 per year, make four of the $5,000 investments and you’re there.
5. Following the system. The biggest reason to get a franchise, as opposed to starting an independent business, is to acquire the rights to use a proven system to achieve predictable results. A good franchise company has developed its systems through extensive trial and error and should be able to tell a new franchisee exactly what to do to make a lot of money. All you should have to do is execute the system well to achieve the success you want. If you want to make a lot of money, don’t be an innovator—just pick a great system and execute it well, and you’ll get your wish.
6. Capitalizing your business properly. This is a corollary point to the one about making sure the size of the investment for each unit is reasonable for you. There are many ways to capitalize your new business, including using all cash or using some portion of your cash combined with loans or leases to come up with the total investment. Most franchisees use a combination approach. When you’re evaluating how to capitalize your business, keep in mind that the service costs of loans or leases will reduce the amount of money you’ll have for other purposes. Too much leverage can be very dangerous and get in the way of making a lot of money.
7. Working with a good accountant. One of the hard lessons of life is that there can be a big difference between the money you make and the money you have. The difference is taxes, and they take many forms. One of the most important steps to making money that stays in your pocket is to use a good accountant to help you structure your business entity and ongoing activities in a manner that reduces the tax bite whenever possible. The entity selection can help you avoid double taxation of earnings and/or business specific taxes like B & O tariffs. In terms of your business activities, some techniques can be as simple as the timing of investments and major purchases or the type of capital structure you use. It’s typically well worth paying some accounting fees to ensure you’re minimizing the tax bite if your goal is to make a lot of money in your franchise.
Finally, keep in mind that in any successful franchise system, many people have traveled the path before you. Whether they are other franchisees or the franchisor, take advantage of their experience by asking for advice whenever you have doubts or your results aren’t what you expected, especially when you’re first starting out. They’ll be happy to help you, and you can return the favor to other new franchisees in the future.
Jeff Elgin is the "Buying a Franchise" coach at Entrepreneur.com and has almost 20 years of experience in franchising, both as a franchisee and a senior franchise company executive. He's currently the CEO of FranChoice Inc., a company that provides free consulting to consumers looking for a franchise that best matches their needs.
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Writing a Meaningful Mission Statement
Writing a Meaningful Mission Statement
The Strange Story of the "Crackpot" Mail-Order Prophet
Scores of business planning and strategic experts will state a mission statement is mandatory for your company direction and fund raising. Other advisors suggest writing a mission statement becomes a meaningless few sentences collecting dust somewhere in your office. Is a personal and corporate mission statement necessary for success in today's hostile business climate?
Do You Need A Mission?
The answer depends on whether or not the mission statement you compose has significant meaning to you, or is just another corporate exercise in futility. A mission statement can guide your company in good times and bad. A meaningful mission can act as a moral and corporate compass. It can help you make decisions aligning with your values and goals.
Speaker and author, Laurie Beth Jones of "The Path: Creating Your Mission Statement for Work and for Life" states, "It is the key to finding your path in life and identifying the mission you choose to follow.
Having a clearly articulated mission statement gives one a template of purpose that can be used to initiate, evaluate, and refine all of one's activities."
3 Keys of Meaningful Mission Statements
Sample Mission Statements:
The Elephant Sanctuary: "A Natural-Habitat Refuge Where Sick, Old and Needy Elephants Can Once Again Walk The Earth In Peace and Dignity." One powerful statement that evokes emotion and instant attachment to the cause of this organization.
Sun Microsystems: "Solve complex network computing problems for governments, enterprises, and service providers." A simple mission statement identifying who their market is and what they do.
Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream: A product mission stated as: "To make, distribute & sell the finest quality all natural ice cream & euphoric concoctions with a continued commitment to incorporating wholesome, natural ingredients and promoting business practices that respect the Earth and the Environment." This mission inspired Ben and Jerry to build a cause-related company.
Joe Boxer: "JOE BOXER is dedicated to bringing new and creative ideas to the market place, both in our product offerings as well as our marketing events. We will continue to develop our unique brand positioning, to maintain and grow our solid brand recognition, and to adhere to high quality design standards. Because everyone wants to have fun everyday, JOE BOXER will continue to offer something for everyone with fun always in mind."
Each sample mission statement conveys the business founder's core beliefs and values. Anyone who knows or has met, Nicholas Graham of Joe Boxer, knows his company is about being zany and fun. What CEO would call himself the "Chief Underpants Officer?" It is all about your mission expressed through your business.
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