Now every one knows that you are not doing nature a service by providing the bees a place to live by setting up a bee hive, they are quite capable of doing that themselves. Your main intention is to harvest honey, and a lot of it. The best way is to set up a bee hive and regularly inspect it for the produce.
By inspecting the supers in the hive you will know that it is time to collect your share of the honey hive when you notice the supers have honey comps and are closed with caps of wax. All you need to do is to take out the honey combs and get to the honey – easier said than done!
Now harvesting the honey fro the bee hive will not be such a problem for the experienced bee keeper. You will need to wear special be keeping gear that will prevent you from getting stung by the ferocious little creatures that can get pretty aggressive if someone tries to steal their food.
Bee keeping gear consists of light colored clothes, because bees are attracted to bright colors. You must also stay calm if they swarm over your face mask. You will also need some additional tools such as a scraping tool and a smoker.
When you are sure the supers are full, you can proceed to encourage the bees to leave the super. Some chemicals available in the market will make this task easier. One very popular chemical that is used to scare the bees away is called 'bee go'. This is applied to what is called a fumer board when the bees get a scent of the 'Bee Go' the bees move to the base of the hive. This leaves the hive free from any bees ready for you to take out the honey combs. Fisher Bee Quick is another good chemical that assists in removing he bees from the hive without harming them. They just find the scent very offensive and move to the bottom of the hive.
Once you have safely removed the honey filled honeycombs from the hive you need to extract the honey from it. You must first remove the wax caps from the cells. These wax caps seal the honey within the combs. You can use a metal knife to remove the wax caps, this is better achieved if the knife has been slightly heated on a fire as it melts the wax a little. It is, in fact, better to warm the knife by dipping it into a basin of hot water.
The honey will begin to drip from the comb once the caps are removed. It is best that you place the comb on a cheese cloth that has been placed over a pot to collect the honey. The honey will strain through the cloth leaving the caps behind.
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Cash is king right? When in business .... ANY size business .... managing your cash flow is key to survival, not just growth. So .... how do you best go about ensuring you have your ducks in a row? Read on folks .... and pay attention.
Before you consider improving parts of the process, it’s important to bring the entire process under control. The process is the simultaneous timing of receipts and payments. How do you know if you’re in control? For most companies you could say you’re in control if you can predict cash balances within 10% accuracy, over the next 30 days.
Any business can get into control fairly easy but it takes a little discipline. Start by preparing a realistic schedule of receipts summarized by week. Typically these are outstanding customer invoices. Schedule receipts based on customers past payment patterns not you terms. Don’t kid yourself, in this environment plan for delayed customer payments.
Next prepared a weekly schedule of payments your business will be making over the next 30 days. Be sure to include all your expected payments such as payroll, payments to suppliers, installment loans, etc. Rank payments by penalty to pay beyond terms.
Finally, starting with your current cash balance, prepare a weekly schedule that adds your receipts and subtracts your payments. This will provide a weekly projected cash balance.
Update the forecast every week using new cash balances. In weeks where receipts were below forecast you have to consider slowing down your payments. When you see a heavy cash receipts week coming near you should attempt to confirm that customers will be paying as you are planning.
Once your cash management is under control here’s a few ways to improve the cash flow:
1 . Calling customers in advance
2. Make collections a priority with your sales team
3. Corrected invoices slow receipts. Monitor invoice corrections closely. Make sure invoices are accurate and in format acceptable to the customer
4. Reduce credit limits for customers paying slow due to their own cash problems.
5. Stick to your payment schedule for major items
6. Be reliable. Communicate clearly and in advance to all stake holders when moving off agreed terms. This includes employees, lenders, shareholders, and suppliers.
7. Include your management team in the process. You’ll need their help and support to be successful.
8. Control on what you can control.
9. Delay unnecessary spending indefinitely. Ask yourself if the expenditure is not made will it kill the company in the next three months? Three months later if you're still alive, ask the question again.
There you go .... now you have a plan. It's up to you to put it into action.
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You will find the curb side honey stand just as common in the rural parts of the United States as you will find the Lemonade stand in the city. It is common for the American farmer to set up a roadside stand to sell off his surplus produce for the season. This is a very effective way to sell off and make some money off the extra vegetables and fruit produced in the farms in the countryside. These same stalls selling farm produce can be used to sell all the honey you have collected from your bee hives. Setting up and selling honey in this fashion is called curb side honey sales.
It is important to set up a large sign on your curb side honey stall indicating that you are selling fresh honey from your bee hive. Make the sign as simple and precise as you possibly can. Use ink or paint to write on the sign and make sure it contrasts with the background of the sign. Remember that people drive by very fast and the sign must be large enough for them to be able to read from at least 50 feet away. Remember you sign should be clear and short. Desist from drawing on your sign. Drawing bees on your sign might have people thinking you are warning them of the presence of hostile bees in the area. This may not assist you in your sales endevour.
Examine your honey for floating dust and other remnants of the hive before setting it up for sale. Make doubly that you have strained your honey before trying to sell it on your curb side honey stand. Any signs of dirt or wax from the hive can put a customer off and he or she will never return. Hygiene is the key to getting customers to return to your sale stand. As with the inside of the container and the contents you should take pains to keep the outside of the containers clean as well. Remove any signs of dripping honey from the rim or the outside of the container and then dry the container so that dust will not stick to it on the curb side.
You should, if possible, offer you customers a variety of honey in a variety of jars. This means you should have many sizes of honey jars they can choose to purchase. Many people prefer to buy large containers of honey because they are not sure the honey will not crystallize. A good idea is to decorate your stall with flowers, or perhaps you could even sell the flowers along with your honey.
If you have a shaded section of your front yard this is the best place to set up your honey stand. Try to sell some food stuff along side your honey, which is your main product. Sweet corn, banana peppers and more could really be an added attraction. The shaded part of the lawn will make your products look like they are farm fresh and attract a lot of passers by.
You should also develop a salesman's spirit and mingle with your customers. This is one way of ensuring that your customers will return time and again.
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First, let me be clear. You should consult your attorney or tax professional before you hire anyone as a contractor or employee to find out what is right for you and your business situation. That being said, unless you are in an industry where it just can't be done, you should use contract labor whenever possible. The benefits of hiring a contractor instead of an employee far outweigh the risks.
Many years ago I grew a simple idea into a multi-state, mutli-location business in less than ninety days through contract labor. My competitors gladly went to work for me, giving up some of their profits and a lot of their headaches. They preferred to do the work and let someone else manage the business. That's because many small business owners start their business by firing their current boss. They are skilled at a task and they gain the trust of a few customers. Believing it must be easier to own the business than it looks, they venture into the enterprise never understanding that labor is far different from management.
There are generally two reasons entrepreneurs and small business owners don't use contract labor. The primary reason they don't use contractors is they simply don't think about contract labor as an option. Most business owners have worked for someone else prior to launching their enterprise. Having been an employee, they naturally think that hiring employees is part of the businesses ownership experience. Of course it doesn't have to be that way. Many business owners manage huge enterprises and multiple locations successfully by using contractors to render the services they provide.
The second reason small business owners and entrepreneurs don't use contractors is the perception that by using a contractor you loose control of the task. Nothing could be further from the truth. You may lose control over how the work is performed, but you never lose control over the final result. As the business owner, you are always responsible for the end result, and using contract labor doesn't change this fact.
For the little control you'll lose by using contractors, you'll gain much more. Contractors deliver a result for a fee while employees sell you their time for a fee regardless of results. Contractors are responsible for their time and taxes while you will be responsible for the time and taxes of employees. With employees, you will be responsible for numerous reports and will be required to comply with countless governmental regulations. With contractors your obligations are far less.
Again, contact your attorney or tax professional before hiring a contractor or employee to determine what is right for you and your situation. But strongly consider contracted labor to facilitate the growth of your business before you hire an employee.
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Are you a business owner struggling with your business and blaming it on the economy? It's not the fault of the economy.
Business success or failure is due to the owner's decision making process, not the economy. Why?
As a business coach I get to see what's happening in a lot of businesses, and I see that, frequently business owners, who have been making poor decisions during a good economy, just make worse decisions during a bad economy. In fact, the outcome, good or bad, just gets multiplied.
The belief that the economy will cause pain usually results in the fact that it does, not because of the economy but because of the decisions that were made because of the expectation that things are going to get tough. The already bad decision making, is just amplified by the owner himself as he "expects" worse things to happen.
Here are just a few of the poor decisions.
Most people believe that they have to live within a budget, and the way to do that is to cut costs to the bone.
Business decisions based on "cutting costs" usually cut critically needed things instead of looking on the RIGHT things to spend on that would increase the income and profits at this critical time.
For instance, I ask my coaching clients a series of questions that almost always get answered wrong.
What would you do the first time that your sales doesn't pay your overhead expenses?
For a small business the usual way of dealing with this means that you "pay the overhead" and take the difference out of your pocket, or you just "don't pay the overhead" and fear that the landlord will be knocking. The next steps that are usually taken are to reduce spending on things like marketing (while justifying that action with a statement, "it didn't really work that well anyway.")
However, the RIGHT answer was to identify what was the biggest return for which type of marketing, and how to increase the results of that marketing. Of course that question should have been asked before you were in this situation, but now that you are it MUST be answered NOW, and not where can you cut. Cutting typically takes out just a few dollars, while finding what marketing and other items to invest in usually can make 10's, or 100's of times increase. Get the point?
Actually, doing this before you are in this economy would have meant that you wouldn't be struggling now, but, since you are, we stil must deal with it right now.
Always consider that your business is a MULTIPLIER and not an EXPENSE that needs to be fed.
I'm not saying that there aren't businesses that are sponges, absorbing money out of your pocket, there are. But, as I've worked with lots of businesses, I usually see business owners with businesses that have a nice multiplying effect make the same false assumptions that they have to cut back and stop spending on the multipliers, causing a loss of 10 times what they saved.
Let's take a look at a decision that most business owners make about the economy.
One of my clients is a small manufacturing company, does about $200K in sales a year, but rarely had a significant profit at the end of the year even in a good economy. But, as the economy started sliding they went from just barely able to pay the bills to not being able to pay the bills.
The next steps they took were to
1. Reduce marketing efforts
2. Lay off employees
The two worst WRONG things to do.
Frequently business owners make decisions based on THE BOTTOM line, not realizing where the multipliers are in the business. So instead of doing what would increase the income, they start cutting out things, thinking that they will remove enough to at least break even.
So, when the bottom line is zero or negative, they started looking for places to cut instead of places to increase the bottom line. When I started talking about profit margins and got blank stares I could tell they didn't get it. After a little reviewing, we finally came to the conclusion that they made 60% on every dollar sold, which is a more than respectable profit margin. So they were baffled as to why they were losing money.
They sold $200K a year, and made $120K (60%) in profit. When we dug even deeper, it was obvious. They had an overhead of $120K, which ate up their whole yearly profit. Now when the economy started sliding their sales dropped below $200K to about $190K which wasn't really that bad of a drop, but now there isn't enough to pay the overhead.
So, their next decision was not only cutting out expenses, it was literally cutting the throat of he business.
I've discovered, with all of the businesses I've worked with, that this seems to be a normal thought process among most businesses. "Where do I cut?" is one of those "shoot yourself in the foot" decisions that is rampant among small business owners. It's something we were taught to do as kids. Living within a budget meant that we had to stop spending, not finding ways to generate more.
As we went looked at this business, it was obvious that they made 20 times what they invested in marketing as sales. They are a very profitable business when you look at it this way. So, cutting $1 out of marketing would remove $20 from the bottom line. Not a good decision, but a very typical one.
Of course, another decision usually made shortly after this one is, "Who do we let go?" Just keep in mind that employees are the ones who deliver the product that's sold for 20 times what you invest in marketing. Employees also have a multiplying effect on your business, or they should be anyway. So, cutting them could have a similar impact.
With a 20 times multiplier from marketing to sales, what do you THINK you should have done?
Increase marketing of course? Put money where your results are.
If you looked into who survived the Great Depression in the 30's, who do you think survived? Those cutting back, or those spending more on marketing?
Of course, you MUST know what marketing is working and what the multipliers are so that you can invest in the right ones.
Do you want to learn more about how to increase your business nearly overnight?
I have just completed my brand new guide Secrets to Doubling a Business Nearly Overnight. You'll also get a free invitation to join a mastermind group of other business owners as they build their business. Hear what works and doesn't work.
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Effective Leaders rely on communication to interact and convey thoughts, ideas and feelings towards other people. Poor Leaders today often practice another form of communication called "ghosting." This communication "ghosting" is becoming more prevalent in our society. It is a combination of unwillingness to engage other humans on an intimate level coupled with the desire to remain anonymous in all aspects of human relations.
This creates artificial barriers to effective communication and leads to apathy towards relationships, misunderstandings and a disconnect in the workplace. In other words, he or she becomes a ghost.
And the worst thing is this. Conflicts become escalated. A small thing now becomes a big thing. Mountains grow from these molehills.
The end result; the person practicing this strategy becomes isolated, unable to lead teams effectively, uncommunicative and un-influential, a poor Leader.
Here are 5 strategies to start to process of learning to communicate and becoming an effective Leader.
First, start by describing the results of poor communication in a work environment. Ask the other person to describe how they see the situation. Ask them if they can see themselves becoming more effective at communication and how that affects their career. Help them see themselves as effective communicators and how that enhances their careers.
Next, help the person select an appropriate course of action that includes seminars and workshops on communication, leadership courses and building a reading list of preferred authors. Have the person being counseled report back on a monthly basis what he or she learned from reading and studying. Ask them to lead small study groups or Lunch and Learns in the workplace, sharing the information they have learned with others.
Then they become the meeting facilitators. They become the face of the company, meeting with customers and suppliers, if possible. Maybe they become the voice on the phone for follow-ups, or the person that collects and correlates employee survey information. Any activity that causes them to interact with any other person is desirable.
Another strategy is to have them organize and plan company functions, or trade shows or community events. All of these cause the person to interact with others outside of their comfort zone and become easier with initiation of communications.
Finally, congratulate them on their efforts. Let them know what they have accomplished. They will start to appreciate the results of effective communications and in turn, become effective leaders.
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Sir Francis Bacon, Lord Chancellor of England in 1621 stated "Knowledge is Power". In a similar vein, the late John Fitzgerald Kennedy, 35th President of the United States offered the following statement:
"In a time of turbulence and change, it is more true than ever that knowledge is power".
So what do these two similar quotations mean for us in today's business world one might ask? Clearly, we have moved from an agriculture era through the industrial era to what can now be identified as the knowledge era. The amount of information, that is knowledge, multiplies faster today than it did even a short ten or even five years ago.
For most of us, ten years ago if we wanted to purchase supplies for our business or even goods to sell, we consulted a paper catalogue. We selected the item and quantity we wanted or needed. Orders were primarily placed by phone. For most of us, a sales person who called by on a regular basis picked up our order. Today, we simply log onto the computer, search for the product, place and pay for the order within a matter of minutes.
Perhaps your business was smaller in those days and everyone knew what each other did and how it was done. In many instances, people may even have covered more than one responsibility.
The issue of knowledge of how the business of today is organized and conducted is considered to be a salable commodity. However, few people recognize that knowledge shared grows. As a leader, the more people you have that know how to do the day to day functions, the more time you have to work on and not in your business.
Look around your organization. If you or any of your senior leadership team were required to be away from the business for an extended period of time;
a) Would your business continue to operate just as if that leader were there?
b) Would clients recognize a decrease in service quality?
c) Would your business still be there for you to come back to after an extended absence?
If the answer to any or all of these questions is YES, then it is clear that you are sharing your knowledge and your leadership team is sharing knowledge amount themselves. You are no doubt sharing knowledge.
Should the answer to all questions be NO, there is a good chance that you are employing a closed style of leadership. Information is being kept by individuals to make themselves indispensable. This may appear to be a good thing in the short run, but if you wish your business to survive in the long run, now is the time to figure out a way of sharing the knowledge your leadership team has.
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Are you a business owner struggling with your business and blaming it on the economy? It's not the fault of the economy.
Business success or failure is due to the owner's decision making process, not the economy. Why?
As a business coach I get to see what's happening in a lot of businesses, and I see that, frequently business owners, who have been making poor decisions during a good economy, just make worse decisions during a bad economy. In fact, the outcome, good or bad, just gets multiplied.
The belief that the economy will cause pain usually results in the fact that it does, not because of the economy but because of the decisions that were made because of the expectation that things are going to get tough. The already bad decision making, is just amplified by the owner himself as he "expects" worse things to happen.
Here are just a few of the poor decisions.
Most people believe that they have to live within a budget, and the way to do that is to cut costs to the bone.
Business decisions based on "cutting costs" usually cut critically needed things instead of looking on the RIGHT things to spend on that would increase the income and profits at this critical time.
For instance, I ask my coaching clients a series of questions that almost always get answered wrong.
What would you do the first time that your sales doesn't pay your overhead expenses?
For a small business the usual way of dealing with this means that you "pay the overhead" and take the difference out of your pocket, or you just "don't pay the overhead" and fear that the landlord will be knocking. The next steps that are usually taken are to reduce spending on things like marketing (while justifying that action with a statement, "it didn't really work that well anyway.")
However, the RIGHT answer was to identify what was the biggest return for which type of marketing, and how to increase the results of that marketing. Of course that question should have been asked before you were in this situation, but now that you are it MUST be answered NOW, and not where can you cut. Cutting typically takes out just a few dollars, while finding what marketing and other items to invest in usually can make 10's, or 100's of times increase. Get the point?
Actually, doing this before you are in this economy would have meant that you wouldn't be struggling now, but, since you are, we stil must deal with it right now.
Always consider that your business is a MULTIPLIER and not an EXPENSE that needs to be fed.
I'm not saying that there aren't businesses that are sponges, absorbing money out of your pocket, there are. But, as I've worked with lots of businesses, I usually see business owners with businesses that have a nice multiplying effect make the same false assumptions that they have to cut back and stop spending on the multipliers, causing a loss of 10 times what they saved.
Let's take a look at a decision that most business owners make about the economy.
One of my clients is a small manufacturing company, does about $200K in sales a year, but rarely had a significant profit at the end of the year even in a good economy. But, as the economy started sliding they went from just barely able to pay the bills to not being able to pay the bills.
The next steps they took were to
1. Reduce marketing efforts
2. Lay off employees
The two worst WRONG things to do.
Frequently business owners make decisions based on THE BOTTOM line, not realizing where the multipliers are in the business. So instead of doing what would increase the income, they start cutting out things, thinking that they will remove enough to at least break even.
So, when the bottom line is zero or negative, they started looking for places to cut instead of places to increase the bottom line. When I started talking about profit margins and got blank stares I could tell they didn't get it. After a little reviewing, we finally came to the conclusion that they made 60% on every dollar sold, which is a more than respectable profit margin. So they were baffled as to why they were losing money.
They sold $200K a year, and made $120K (60%) in profit. When we dug even deeper, it was obvious. They had an overhead of $120K, which ate up their whole yearly profit. Now when the economy started sliding their sales dropped below $200K to about $190K which wasn't really that bad of a drop, but now there isn't enough to pay the overhead.
So, their next decision was not only cutting out expenses, it was literally cutting the throat of he business.
I've discovered, with all of the businesses I've worked with, that this seems to be a normal thought process among most businesses. "Where do I cut?" is one of those "shoot yourself in the foot" decisions that is rampant among small business owners. It's something we were taught to do as kids. Living within a budget meant that we had to stop spending, not finding ways to generate more.
As we went looked at this business, it was obvious that they made 20 times what they invested in marketing as sales. They are a very profitable business when you look at it this way. So, cutting $1 out of marketing would remove $20 from the bottom line. Not a good decision, but a very typical one.
Of course, another decision usually made shortly after this one is, "Who do we let go?" Just keep in mind that employees are the ones who deliver the product that's sold for 20 times what you invest in marketing. Employees also have a multiplying effect on your business, or they should be anyway. So, cutting them could have a similar impact.
With a 20 times multiplier from marketing to sales, what do you THINK you should have done?
Increase marketing of course? Put money where your results are.
If you looked into who survived the Great Depression in the 30's, who do you think survived? Those cutting back, or those spending more on marketing?
Of course, you MUST know what marketing is working and what the multipliers are so that you can invest in the right ones.
Do you want to learn more about how to increase your business nearly overnight?
I have just completed my brand new guide Secrets to Doubling a Business Nearly Overnight. You'll also get a free invitation to join a mastermind group of other business owners as they build their business. Hear what works and doesn't work.
Article Source
Indeed, there is a lot of highly negative news out there about the economy and the business climate. Many retail establishments are closing, some 70,000 of them. Those in the auto industry are worried and for good reason. With all the lay-offs, many are without work and some are considering on going into their own business, but, does that make sense right now? After all, business credit and commercial lending are tight and the consumers have stopped their spend-thrift ways.
The Franchise Business Opportunity Sector is not without its own headwinds, but things are not nearly as tough as they might seem. You see, many franchise chains are offering some in-house financing for their franchise opportunities, more-over many have extremely good relationships with financing firms. The US Economy has been hit hard, but on its way back up as the business cycle continues, the franchise companies have a superior advantage over other business models.
Amazingly enough, sometimes conventional wisdom is the opposite of what you should be doing, for instance the best time to buy a stock or mutual fund is not when everyone else is at the top. You make money after all by buying low and selling at the top.
Franchising is a lot like that; you want to get your franchise outlet up and running, as the up-cycle comes into play and ride it all the way up, build your franchise strong and then weather the next down cycle due to your strength in the local market and the goodwill you've built up through great customer service. I hope you will consider this while shopping for a franchise business opportunity that is right for you and your family.
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There are many steps you must take to be successful in business. Getting involved in your local chamber of commerce is one of them. While you may be successful without being involved in the chamber, your chances of success and of attaining your true potential as a business take a quantum leap when you join the chamber and attend meetings regularly. Here's why.
Loosely translated, the chamber of commerce is "the house of business". Chambers are the best place to meet new business contacts, clients, prospects, vendors and even potential new hires. The chamber is the best place to meet the people you will need to run and grow your business. You will be part of the business community that looks out for business interests and promotes and protects those interests from onerous governmental infringement.
What's more, as a member of the house of business you will be at the forefront of the latest trends. Most entrepreneurs find that it can be lonely at the helm of a new enterprise and subsequently they find themselves operating in a vacuum. With little more than their instinct and previous experience to guide them, disconnected entrepreneurs make more mistakes than those who are connected to a group of like-minded professionals who are having or have had similar experiences. There are seasoned professionals at the chamber who are in business and who have gone through what you're going through. Who better to learn from than those who have traveled the path before you? And best of all, as a member of the chamber, you'll have access to those people for as little as a dollar a day.
And at the chamber you'll find numerous events and programs that facilitate networking with your peers and prospects. You'll also find programs that will introduce you to the latest technologies and best practices and you will have opportunities to showcase your products and services. Are you looking for a way to serve your community? The chamber has numerous opportunities for community service as well.
Chamber membership is important, but involvement is vital! Make sure you get the most of your membership by attending events and getting involved. It's that important.
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Many of us dream of starting our own animal sanctuaries. In my world you hear this fantasy so often you'd think shelters would be as common as soy at a vegan convention.
After two decades of working at, and volunteering for, every ilk of animal rescue, in addition to attending seminars on founding sanctuaries, and driving past many more, I fancy myself quite knowledgeable on the basics of sanctuary operations. This is precisely why I don't start one.
Still, others have braver souls. So if I'm correct, and I am quite certain I am not, these are the basics of founding an animal rescue.
To begin with you need to buy a large piece of land with a reliable water source. These are only affordable in locations where no life could actually live. Next you need a detailed plan for robbing Tiffany's in New York. If successful, you will be able to put a minimal down payment on the structures and fencing necessary for housing the animals.
While construction is going on, run to the office supply store. Pick up 32,000 ink pens and a bathtub full of White Out®. Now begin the paperwork involved in founding a nonprofit organization. Also fill out applications for housing multiple animals within your state, county, town, city, cruise ship and/or ark.
Note: Nonprofits should have at least five members on their Board of Directors. Consider your options. Look for people with skills in marketing, business, accounting and fundraising. Of course, this is a futile search among animal people. But occasionally you may find one of us who can balance our checkbooks.
Once you've exhausted yourself with this whimsical, self-deluding fantasy of perfection, grab five animal lovers. Heads up! Each will believe they are the Jane flippin' Goodall of the dog world. As a result they will be convinced they know what is best for every mammalian species to evolve since the Triassic period.
Ultimately your Board of Directors will be composed of one perpetual whiner, one overbearing witch, two people incapable of compromise and the requisite vegan who takes every available opportunity to demand spinach as the facility's staple cat diet. FYI: If you stab this person with a letter opener, they will bleed green. At least that's what I've heard. I never actually . . . I mean.....accidents happen!
Moving right along. File, in triplicate, extra applications for housing the most basic wildlife, such as road kill squirrels, with Game, Fish and Parks, the Department of the Interior, the State Wildlife Managers office and The A.U.A. - don't ask.
Next, file the paperwork for insurance, payroll taxes, business licenses, dog licenses, driver's licenses and the ever popular License to Hold Three or more Licenses.
By the way, prior to filing anything, shred whatever forms you may have used White Out on. That's not allowed. Get yourself a bathtub full of gin and start over.
Okay, now organize your marketing plan. Consider marketing your reason for drawing every breath, only a tad more important than oxygen. If not, animals will come in ninety nine times faster than they go out. Ironically, money will go out ninety nine times faster than it comes in. Win, win? No, no!
You'll need a marketing/promo team who can maximize promotions at every opportunity. They must be capable of draining the smallest drop of publicity from every move your shelter makes. If they are doing their jobs right, Anderson Cooper and Barbara Walters should line up to mud wrestle for exclusive coverage of your annual dog jog. And of course, the loser should get the exclusive rights for coverage of the actual mud wrestling event.
Your PR team should even be able to see how saving a pug from a hangnail can be written up as a news release worthy of international distribution. Remember, this department is your rescue's life blood. Am I being too subtle?
While the mud wrestling pit fills with water, make sure you have a Keeper Staff whose total qualifications are not limited to having watched a full season of the Dog Whisperer, especially if you have a cat rescue. You don't want behaviorally challenged shelter dogs being pushed to the ground by behaviorally challenged animal handlers even if they have calluses on their remote control fingers. Again, not win-win.
It is vital to limit the scope of species you choose to work with. No rescue can be all things to all animals. Your facility will fill to capacity inside two weeks if you are not selective. Of course, if you limit yourself to just dogs or cats, you'll be full in one week.
In fact, if you can limit the scope beyond just the species you work with, it would help. To keep from getting overwhelmed, I recommend something along the lines of, Noah's Rescue for Two-Legged, FELV Positive, Calicos with One Blue Eye; or for dogs try, Bruce's Sanctuary for Dog Breeds over One Hundred Pounds and Starting with 'Z'.
Of course, parrot rescues can draw a line by only accepting animals whose owners actually put in the minimal sixty year commitment owning an exotic parrot requires from the beginning. Good luck finding those. The same theory goes for large tortoise species.
Don't forget to covet your volunteers. No matter how weird or pushy they are, practice saying, "thank you." Volunteers can do more than just clean cages and walk dogs. They enthusiastically tell people about their favorite animals available for adoption. They also contribute valuable life skills.
Have volunteers drive, teach, fundraise, do home inspections and yes, even write. They can compile mailing lists, build shelters, fix vehicles, give tours . . . Remember, without volunteers you have to do everything yourself. There is never enough time for that at any shelter.
By the way, if you feel that only you can care for the animals properly or you need to do it all yourself, you're just one teensy-weensy step shy of becoming the definition of an animal hoarder. Don't open a rescue!
Another consideration for your rescue will be how to go about placing animals. This is far more in-depth than hanging up an adoptions sign. What sort of applicants do you hope to recruit? Who will inspect the homes and when? Follow up on adoptions? Did you evaluate all animals involved for compatibility with other pets in the prospective home? Children? Teens? Males? Swimming pools? Loud dishwashers? Fear of floor tile? Funny? Yes. But, I am not kidding.
And finally, who is going to manage your membership program and publish your newsletter? A good membership program keeps you at the front of people's minds when they are looking to adopt, making out donation checks, wanting to attend an event . . . A great mailing list is like great sex. It should deliver multiple positive results every time! Sorry, guys. Deal with it!
Okay. I think we've touched on the minimum considerations for founding your nonprofit animal sanctuary. "Wait a minute, Nola, you ninny," you might be thinking. "How do I find the animals that need rescuing? You didn't cover that, you satirical, yet gorgeous, and brilliant, dream-stomping witch."
Thank you! Actually, I didn't need to cover the hands-on act of animal rescuing. You are about to meet every half-baked neonate who ever bought a kitten they didn't realize would eventually have a bowel movement. They'll start dumping their responsibilities on your step the moment your first fence goes up. It won't matter if the sign out front says, "Dyslexic, Orange-Spotted, Tree Frogs Sanctuary."
Follow up: If my article inspired you to learn more about founding your own sanctuary, then you weren't paying attention. Nonetheless, if you would like to learn more, the good folks at Best Friends Animal Society offer an excellent workshop for you. How to Start an Animal Sanctuary is an intensive, week-long class overflowing with specific details and considerations necessary for getting your non-profit shelter off on the right paw. I have attended the workshop myself and highly recommend it for anyone working in this business, or considering starting their own animal rescue. Visit the Best Friends website to learn more.
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If you are like most small business owners and entrepreneurs, you are a thinker. Your mind is overwhelmed with things to do, ideas to implement, and dreams to accomplish. When your mind is overloaded with task lists and new ideas, often the most important tasks and the most valuable ideas are missed or lost. Here's a simple way to solve this all too common problem. Write everything down.
You will be amazed at the great ideas you will discover reading through your previous notes. When you stick an idea with a pen you have created a physical tie to a mental thought. You are far more likely to act on an idea when you have written it down. It is as if we have an accountability factor to the note.
We've all had a great idea that we let escape the momentary place in our minds. Writing ideas down gives us a place to store them and opens new areas for ideas and problem solving in our minds. With a limited capacity for current ideas and information, our mind will store ideas that we are currently not acting on deep in our brain. While we may be able to remember that great idea we had last week, we can ensure access to the idea by writing it down. Each of us should have a journal or at least a consistent location for written notes that is easily accessed.
Another reason to write things down is to have a historical record of who, what, where, when and why things happen. This will be an invaluable resource when you need to resolve disputes, verify comments, or clarify commitments made by you and those you work with. This will ensure better management of vendor, employee, and customer relations.
One of the best uses of written notes can be found when you wish to examine the process of an event that you wish to repeat. Landing a client may involve several steps. Often those steps happen without planning however there was a process that was unknowingly developed and followed with the client. Writing the process down allows you to measure the future success of the process and to make adjustments to ensure greater success.
Keep a small notebook with you at all times and write down all new ideas and things you need to accomplish. Summarize your notes in one journal at the end of the day and transfer the things you need to accomplish to a list that you will prioritize for the next day. Date the notes in the journal and the small notebook for future reference and file the small notebook when filled. When you read through your journal you can easily reference the notebook to mentally return to the thought process you had when developing the idea you are referencing.
Write your ideas down throughout the day and be certain to summarize your day at the end of the day. You will be more effective and efficient, and you will be more open to new ideas.
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Is it possible for small businesses to go green without incurring huge expense? The answer lies not in your financial status but on your willingness and determination to initiate green practices. In the current scenario of economic depression, sustainable companies are sitting pretty with significant profits in their accounts.
At a time when businesses are surfing troubled waters, it might not be feasible for all to install solar panels or purchase hybrid fleet or construct eco-friendly offices. Nevertheless, these businesses can adopt simple practices that can go a long way to save energy and cut off extra expense. On the other hand, bigger companies can introduce comprehensive green measures into their overall work culture and infrastructure.
More often than not, printing companies come under direct scanner for issues related to environmental degradation. It's a fact that printing releases harmful chemicals into the atmosphere, which pollutes air and water besides giving rise to cardiovascular disorders and even cancer. These harmful chemicals are actually volatile compounds that are released during the printing process. There have been reports that these harmful compounds (also known as VOCs) cause birth defects.
Thanks to the growing buzz about green printers, there has been an increasing realization on part of various companies about the necessity of going green. Bigger printing companies can do a complete revamp of their set up like:
1. Changing to eco-friendly headquarters
2. Use of soy or vegetable-based inks, use of solar panels for energy
3. Use of recycled papers or duplex papers to enable printing on both sides
4. Arrangement to dispose or recycle e-wastes.
However, it is not possible for all printing companies to do a turnaround and become green printers at one go. They can follow some easy and affordable steps to go green. For instance, switching to recycled paper and using soy ink will are affordable green options. Besides, some of the common green practices - use of energy-saving bulbs and recycled coffee mugs, putting your computer to sleep mode during long breaks - helps a great deal towards imbibing the green culture.
Big or small company, expense should not come in the way of adopting a green culture. Every organization is individually responsible for making or breaking the ecological balance. Every single step towards going green will go a long way to save the environment from hazardous degradation.
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Are you a business owner? Or perhaps looking to be one? Then this article is for you.
There are many factors that contribute to a fantastic franchise. One of the most crucial is the people who run the franchise. Successful individuals in the franchising field have been found to exhibit personal traits which can be categorised into four (4) major groups. These groups comprise leadership, interpersonal, decision making and time management skills.
Leadership Skill
When it comes to leadership, being able to influence people effectively is key. A leader must be able to take charge of a situation and express himself/herself directly, and apply appropriate force when necessary. He/she can listen to perspectives of others in a reasonably objective manner and make necessary adjustments in his/her approach. He can still be aggressive to reinforce his/her position when opposition is encountered, without being too demanding. He/she is motivated to persuade others and derives satisfaction from winning people over to his/her point of view. He/she can take most setbacks in stride.
Interpersonal Skill
He/she has strong service motivation which encourage customer activity. Naturally, he/she is engaging and personable and can develop rapport quickly with others which makes it easy for others to get to know him/her. He/she puts in time and effort needed to develop long-term relationships. He/she networks with people, reaches out to others where the chance arises, thus creating effective alliances and teams. He/she may be sceptical at times, but regardless would likely to be viewed as supportive and responsive.
Decision Making Skill
Being a practical problem solver, he/she relies mainly on accumulated knowledge, common sense and experiences rather than on "gut instinct". He/she is also a calculated risk-taker who weighs both the advantages and disadvantages of a proposed solutions before moving implementing his/her recommendation. Decisions have been given much thought and reflect mature judgement. He/she may not be a highly abstract thinker, but will listen to input of others and be open to new ideas, yet be conscientious in gathering the necessary facts to support his/her decision.
Time Management Skill
Successful franchising people demonstrate a sense of structure and organisation in their approach. They are sensitive to organisational guidelines and requirements and operate by the rules, without coming across as rigid or legalistic. They have the most important details in hand, and adopt a systematic approach to manage priorities and daily demands. They switch gears when necessary while remaining focused on the basic plan. These qualities will support him/her in managing processes as well as in managing people.
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As we approach the new year, many prospective franchisors wonder whether developing a franchise operation is a wise decision with the U.S. mired in a recession. Conversely, prospective franchisees wonder whether purchasing a franchise makes senses given the current economic climate. The quick answer to both is that it may not be.
A company that is looking to franchise their business mainly as a means of raising capital would probably be wise to defer franchising. Of course, a company in this position should probably never consider franchising, but that discussion is for another time. The same holds true for an individual who may be investing their last cent (and available credit) in purchasing a franchise business. In both cases, with the need for immediate revenue so great and little room for error, neither may have the staying power to survive through the current economy. At the very least, both would likely approach the endeavor with a mix of fear and trepidation...certainly not the best way to begin a new business.
This caution stated, it is exciting to share that the current U.S. economy actually offers incentives that makes franchising a business or investing in a franchise an excellent decision for many companies and individuals. Although franchisors in general have experienced a decrease in franchise inquiries over the past six months (our clients report 25-30% fewer leads on average), franchises are continuing to be purchased nationwide. In fact, one of our clients (ALOHA USA) announced in November that they had just granted their 25th franchise since beginning to offer franchises in August 2007.
So what incentives are there in this economy for a company to consider franchising?
First, in times of economic uncertainty the number of individuals concerned with their job status dramatically increases, which in turn leads some individuals to consider starting their own business. Due in part to the economy and mixed with a little "I've always wanted to operate my own business," some ultimately choose to start a business. For other individuals, the opportunity to accept a buyout or early retirement package is the motivating factor for considering starting their own business. In both cases, rather than waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop, these people prefer to take destiny in their own hands. Of course, many prefer to do so with the assistance and support of a franchisor.
In addition to the "currently employed" candidates, a recessionary period creates tens of thousands of additional "forced" franchise candidates, who come from the ranks of the "recently unemployed." Consider that with each ¼% increase in the unemployment rate, more than 350,000 people are added to the pool of prospective franchisees (another upside of high unemployment is the availability of qualified employees to assist in running a new business). Even recognizing that many of the recently unemployed will seek and find other employment (eventually), there are thousands of others who choose (and in some cases, are forced) to consider starting their own business. Many of these individuals take retirement funds, buyouts and/or severance packages with them when they leave their employment so from a financial standpoint, they are often ideal franchise candidates.
Which brings us to another affect this economy, and more directly, the stock market is having on franchising. With many investment and retirement accounts hovering somewhere below sea level, many people have opted out of the market. Now they are holding onto capital which they realize they need to invest somewhere. The question is where? Once again, some decide that investing in starting their own business is a good option, and what safer way than following the proven business model offered through a franchise system?
So what are the economy-related incentives for potential franchisees?
I will share three of the major ones. First, one of the key expenses associated with starting a franchised retail business is lease space and construction costs . With lease space going begging right now in markets across the country, many franchisees are securing lease space at discounts unheard of even a year ago. On top of this, landlords are increasingly offering high allocations for build-outs. In the last month, one client's franchisee successfully negotiated an increase in the landlord's build-out allowance by 300% (gaining an additional $40,000), while at the same time negotiating a 25% reduction in the lease cost.
Further incentives are available in the advertising and marketing arena. Many media are aggressively discounting advertising rates to attract business. It appears that we will see continued discounts from traditional media in 2009. The opportunity to advertise now at reduced rates can have a dramatic impact on a company's bottom line following the recession period. McGraw-Hill studied the advertising expenditures of companies during the 1981-1982 recession. They discovered that companies who decreased their advertising during the recession increased sales an average of 19% following the recession while companies who continued to advertise during the recession increased sales by an average of 275%.
A third economic-related incentive relates to the cost of borrowing . Although credit requirements are much tighter than a year ago, capital is starting to flow again (think $70 BILLION bailout) and is available extremely cheap to individuals whose credit history, net worth and available cash meet the new requirements. The difference lower borrowing costs make to a company that is undertaking a franchise development program or to an individual who is purchasing a franchise cannot be understated.
When determining whether now is the right time to undertake a franchise expansion program or purchase a franchise business, prospective franchisors and franchisees should first evaluate their financial condition to determine whether they have sufficient capital to survive if revenues fail to meet expectations. During a recession, it is especially wise to follow the adage, "Hope for the best. Plan for the worst." A thorough evaluation should also be conducted relative to the type of business being franchised. Is it in a industry that normally holds its own during recessionary periods? This alone makes a franchise business an attractive opportunity during good times and bad.
If both of these questions can be answered affirmatively, you may want to act now to take advantage of the incentives afforded by the current economy. In doing so, history demonstrates that you will be well-positioned to reap the rewards that come following a recessionary period.
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"If he's going to keep acting like that, I'm not going to have anything to do with him."
"Those two are constantly picking at each other. They're bringing the morale of the whole department down."
"That division is always at odds with every-one else; they've never been team players."
Sound familiar? Is conflict like this a daily occurrence with your organization? Let's look at three major causes of conflict, and how you can channel that divisive energy into effective teamwork.
Cause #1: Lack of Direction, Lack of Purpose
This is very common in American business, whether it's found at the top of the organization as a lack of corporate direction, or at a department level as staff not knowing how their team fits in. It results in apathy and active misdirection, both symp-tomatic of the root issue.
Apathy. Let's face it, when staff don't know where they're going, or how what they do fits in with organizational direction, it becomes pointless to work hard. After all, the essence of "drive" implies a direction, so don't expect employee energy if a destination isn't clear. So that relates to stated direction. But, it's important to understand the more insidious problem of failing to clarify a group's role in helping the organization move toward a given target. This issue is most common in larger organizations, but can be found in smaller ones when the leadership gets out of touch. The conflict produced here isn't overt, but it's constant nature lowers morale into the pits.
Active Misdirection. There are always staff who are pushed to get things done, and if the direction isn't there, they WILL find something to complete whether it's compatible with other departments or not. This is especially troublesome in those types of organizations with specialized departments, such as hospitals. When a department's function requires people with specialized training, it's very easy for that group to become shortsighted and see their own work as an end in itself. Add leaders who don't work to make the department's part of the bigger picture clear, and you've got real trouble. The conflict arises in dealing with other departments, who see the unit's ingrown focus as a lack of teamwork and selfishness.
What Can You Do? A good leader must first work to understand the organization's direction. If you're not in executive management, that may require tactful discussion with executives to get clear on what the direction really is. But you need to be clear on it. Once that's accomplished, block out an hour to work through your group's part in moving the company toward its goal. It's always a good idea for you to be clear on this before you get with the team to discuss it. They will have questions, procedural issues, and plain old-fashioned grumps like "How are we supposed to do THAT...?", and you will be better prepared to answer them if your own mind is lucid. Finally, find relevant measures to report on performance, both to your own boss and to the staff in your department. This is a critical part often overlooked, but it serves to demonstrate to the working staff that they are accomplishing something worthwhile.
Cause #2: Lack of Organization Disorganization is frequently viewed as just a fact of life, but its effect on inter-personal conflict (as well as on perform-ance) is devastating. Look at some of the commonly heard comments within a disorganized department...
* Where's that part? I need it to finish...
* Why is this information always missing?
* The chart is gone AGAIN!
* I did that whole project, and now you don't NEED IT?!
Are those comments indicative of conflict? The most common outcome of lack of organization is frustration, and the anger that stems from that frustration. Lazy staff will just go along with it as inevitable, and grump about it around the water cooler. Conscientious employees will worry and fret over the extra work they have to do to "get it right". And they will work to get it right - up until the time they quit. You will find turnover heavily affected by disorganization in a unit. Whatever the habits of your workers, you will find that confusion within a department will produce sullenness, gossip, and low morale.
What Can You Do? Time spent analyzing the department processes and needs, and then developing a plan to correct issues, will pay off large dividends here. If you don't believe that, look at the "new ideas" that are a part of Lean: The Five S's. They are nothing more than old fashioned organization of the workspace to be productive. Once a work area is organized, and steps are taken to smooth the flow of work through the process, you've provided a means to have people take pride in their work. People who take pride have high morale, and people with high morale have fewer complaints and are much easier to manage.
Cause #3: Lack of Accountability
Welcome to the 21st Century, where accountability is considered out of date and even intolerant! Because that thinking is now common in our society, you will - as a leader - have to creatively demonstrate its importance. Perhaps the first thing necessary is for you to be convinced of its value yourself.
What Is Accountability? A good question to start with, but the meaning is "to hold responsible or answerable for actions". It's based on the principle of responsibility, and in mature people it begins with a willingness to take personal responsibility for one's actions. When applied to a department or work unit, it means that the whole group is held accountable for its actions or outcomes. Now that accountability usually takes the form of financial indicators because they're easy to measure. But the lack of account-ability in other areas is the starting point for conflict among staff. The conflict can take many forms: anger at other staff for not pulling their share of the load, dissatisfaction with leadership for playing favorites, or resentment when unrealistic expectations are foisted upon work groups (yes, leadership has to be accountable for its own actions!).
What Can You Do? To be effective in re-ducing conflict arising from lack of account-ability, leaders have to first understand that dialogue with the working staff is necessary. Why? Because developing agreement on what rules will be followed will generate self-policing among staff, and result in much less work for the manager or leader. Sure, you will still have to have requirements placed on the group by business imperatives, but that staff agreement on accountability will make a big difference. Once you've done that, you have one more job: enforce those rules fairly and every single time it's necessary. You will find that conflict will diminish and morale will immediately go up.
In Summary
Conflict within a group - or even between two people - is inevitable. But understanding its causes and working to reduce those sources is the job of a leader, and one that will make his or her work life much more enjoyable.
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For CEO's and company owners dealing with the hustle and bustle of employee and office management, general office and commercial floor cleaning may not rank very high on the list of essential priorities on a day to day basis.
However, general office cleaning and commercial floor cleaning is vitally important for any business- whether the company is frequented by customers or just a few employees during the course of a day.
A clean office is a reflection of the company as a whole; while a dirty or slippery floor can serve as a costly liability should someone get hurt on the property. Either way, commercial office cleaning is a staple and cornerstone for any successful business - especially in the customer service sector.
A Clean Office: A Reflection of the Company At Large
First, office and commercial cleaning is a reflection of the corporate operations from those looking from the "outside in". It reflects a company's attention to detail, their concern with appearances and general cleanliness.
Strict attention to such detail is important- especially in the hotel or restaurant industry, where a dirty office space during an initial consultation or contract signing may cause the potential customer to look elsewhere for their services. The simple neglect of office cleanliness may lead a customer to believe that particular space reflects the entire attitude of the corporation.
Dirty Floors: An Unnecessary Liability
Similarly, the presence of a dirty office or unkempt floors will not only cause a customer to take their business elsewhere, but it can also be an unnecessary lawsuit waiting to happen. If a company's floors are permitted to remain dirty, slippery and unclean, the condition could become a major liability should an employee or visitor slip and fall on the property.
The property owner can be held liable for unmopped spills, stains or slippery patches if they were caused by basic neglect of the office space. The company will then be faced with the costly and time consuming legal process, as an insurance claim or legal settlement will be paid out to cover the employee or customer's injuries.
A Simple Answer: Hire an Office and Commercial Floor Cleaning Contractor
For the relatively small cost of office and commercial cleaning (as opposed to an insurance claim or customer that takes their business elsewhere because of the filth), a company can have a clean space and shining floors by contracting with a commercial cleaning company.
The company can be contracted on a daily or weekly basis to perform stand alone floor cleaning to complete office maintenance. Similarly, providers can be found a variety of ways, including a basic internet search, Craiglist postings or a word of mouth recommendation from someone you trust.
Be sure when calling for estimates that you have information regarding the space handy, including figures on approximate square footage, number of restrooms, the presence of carpets vs. flooring and private office space. This information will ensure an accurate estimate and weed out potentially unqualified providers during an initial phone screening.
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Increasingly manufacturers and distributors are changing entire storage and packaging components to returnable containers. Beyond the public relations benefit of being environmentally conscientious companies, genuine corporate citizenship is frequently sincere and demonstrated through practice.
In the current issue of Metalworking Production & Purchasing, manufacturing journalist, Thomas R. Cutler, discuss the value of reusable packaging. The feature article is titled, “Employing Reusable Pallets and Containers Can Reduce Costs.” Cutler asserts that ultimately the profitability drives the decision to move toward reusables. It is precisely how many Canadian Purchasing managers are improving the bottom-line. Puslinch, Ontario based Numatech Industries Inc. is the leading converter of Corrugated Plastic products in North America. The company has several strategically located conversion facilities, providing corrugated plastic products to our customers. These products include O.E.M component parts, Printed Signs, Displays and Returnable Packaging in the form of corrugated plastic partitions, sleeves and totes. Numatech worked with David Madden, President of ContainerExchanger.com, who acknowledged that, “Initial investment in returnable packaging may cost more that one-time use packaging. However, savings are often quickly realized with returnable packaging because bulk containers, metal bins, and totes are used repeatedly and there are reduced labor costs with reduced or eliminated box assembly.” Additional cost-savings are realized through used reusable packaging including reduced material handling achieved with fewer moves from stackable containers, increased efficiency in floor space usage since plastic and metal containers can stack very high and enhanced quality since there are fewer rejects due to damaged packaging.
Used Plastic Reusable containers provide the most cost-efficient shipping approach possible; corrugated one-way packaging is the least effective and most costly. The quasi-e-Bay model of Container Exchanger positively impacts both the buyer and seller of packaging. The average price per trip for a corrugated one-way package is 54 cents versus a used plastic reusable container at 2 ½ cents.
The per piece packaging costs for used bulk containers and totes can be as low as 5% of the costs for a comparable expendable solution, depending on shipping volumes. Returnable containers provide a way to reduce costs and increase productivity in handling and distribution because the containers can go from processors to distributors to retailers efficiently.
Used pallets can take many different forms. Each pallet may be made from different materials and have different structural properties. There are plastic Export Pallets that are specifically made for the export market. These pallets are made from plastic, and therefore, they meet international shipping guidelines (while wood pallets must be heat treated before they are shipped internationally). Plastic pallets are often more durable than wood pallets, because they are generally all molded in one piece, while wood pallets require nails to hold all the pieces together.
Product handling is reduced with some of these returnable containers because produce is often packed directly into containers where it remains until purchased by the general public. Reduced handling eliminates product damage possibilities.
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Are you familiar with that old cliché "The Early Bird Gets the Worm?" Typically this passage means that success will come to those who make the effort to prepare adequately and follow through effectively.
Many businesses have taken advantage of this slogan by offering "value pricing" to their customers most notably on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving and the official kickoff of our Christmas shopping season. If customers perceive that they are getting a good deal, then this method of "value pricing" is successful for companies planning on profiting from high volume sales. We see evidence of this in the Thanksgiving Day newspaper advertisements, as well as direct mail, television and Internet promotional offers. The early birds are the massive crowds that show up on the doorsteps of a business at 3:00 or 4:00am to cash in on some killer "limited time only" deals. Periodically, you will also find many businesses offering "Early Bird Specials" during a designated time of the day, week, special occasion or to commemorate a holiday.
What happens if your company is the early bird, but you missed the worm (a customer)? Often, some businesses will be in the right place, at the right time, but fail to "work the hook" on potential clients, simply due to their lack of preparation. Oftentimes, you will only get "one" chance to make a first and memorable impression.
Recently, an incident report was conducted on a local small business (let's call it Company A), that examined their SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats). This company was definitely an early bird, but unfortunately made some simple, yet costly errors that forfeited the worm (their potential customer). Another bird (Company B) came behind Company A, charmed the worm and got it. What happened? In this particular situation Company A's weaknesses and threats outweighed their strengths and opportunities. They made a few common and critical mistakes that could have been avoided.
When Company A stated that they didn't understand what happened, post evaluations immediately showed 4 factors that clearly sunk the deal before it developed:
1. Lack of Commitment: The aspiration was there, but Company A lacked focus and discipline to take this desire to the next level. Where there is no commitment, nothing happens to your business, except a financial catastrophe. You may get the opportunity, but miss the possibilities, all due to the lack of commitment.
2. Disorganization: Company A's lack of commitment led to disorganization. Disorganization led to inadequate preparation. They did not generate a vote of confidence from this potential customer, because their presentation appeared to be amateurish and not professional. They definitely had years of experience and know-how, but putting their presentation in order was not a commendable attribute.
3. Deficiency in Time-Sensitivity: Company A did not respond quickly to inquiries these potential customers had. Company A had too many excuses on why they couldn't address their potential customer's immediate needs, as they should have. This customer (the worm) needed an immediate solution and Company A did not satisfactorily deliver any type of feedback to the potential customer. Slow response let to no sales.
4. Distractions: Company A became easily distracted by too many non-related business activities (including leisure diversions) and procrastinated on giving these potential customers the immediate solutions they needed to improve their business. Company A's priorities were clearly not in order.
In a nutshell, Company B came along with their hook, a strong presentation and commitment, then got the worm. In other words, they capitalized on what Company A didn't do and landed the contract. Company A missed the opportunity to not only get a new customer, but missed the opportunity of getting repeat business or referrals from this customer.
Company A became complacent. They assumed that this customer, which was a referral from another close business connection, would be a sealed deal and a definite given, simply by association. However, this type of overconfidence, non-commitment and lack of professionalism cost them valuable business.
In light of the state of our struggling economy, competition is beyond fierce. The lack of commitment, organization, attention to time sensitive concerns and focus can be a real turn-off. The ball is now in the consumer's court and this is the time that "exceptional" customer service must surpass "excellent" customer service. You must show, not just tell your targeted and current customers that your company is responsible, reliable, knowledgeable and professional. Potential customers will do business with you repeatedly when they discover the perceived value of your products and services is a trustworthy attribute. It is imperative that you follow-through and respond expeditiously. If you're going to be the early bird, make sure you come prepared to get your worm.
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Slogans are worthless as a marketing tool. It's not their fault. It's because we're asking them to do something they're not built to do. It's like trying to win the Daytona 500 with a Yugo. The poor thing just doesn't have the horsepower (or any other capabilities) to do the job. The same is true with slogans.
You are much better off if you scrap the whole idea of a slogan and replace it with a Unified Message. Here's why.
A Unified Message tells your customers why they should do business with you and what to expect when they do business with you. It's a statement of what the business promises to do for the customer. It tells not just what they'll do, but also how.
The great thing about a Unified Message is that it's developed by employees, management and customers. All three have input because it takes all three to know what the company should be doing for their customers. This also makes it much more likely that a Unified Message will be remembered and executed. Because everyone had a role in creating it.
It also is more likely to get implemented because customers know it, remember it and care about it. By definition, a Unified Message is meaningful and relevant to them. And a critical part of the process is to publish it, let your customer know about it in as many ways as you can.
Because your Unified Message is a promise to your customers and because it's important to them, they will pay attention to it. They'll tell you if you're delivering on it or not. And, if you ask them nicely enough, they'll help you implement it better.
One more benefit of a Unified Message (something a slogan could never do) is that it helps the company operate better. It tells the employees what experience they are accountable to deliver to their customers. It tells management what they need to empower employees to do. And, finally, it helps everyone know how they're doing because it provides an open standard that everyone understands.
So, forget the slogan. Let it go. Instead, build a Unified Message for your company.
One way to start is to simply create a list of customer service standards (or promises). Do this by getting management, employees and customers involved. Ask, "what do customers want?" Combine that with "what can the company do for them in a sustainable way?" The answers to these questions will tell you what your Unified Message needs to be.
Finally, remember, your Unified Message is not carved in stone. It's a living, breathing and evolving thing. Understand it will change over time as you and your customers and employees learn more about each other, Let it grow and develop naturally and it will serve your company well.
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Are you a business owner? Or perhaps looking to be one? Then this article is for you.
There are many factors that contribute to a fantastic franchise. One of the most crucial is the people who run the franchise. Successful individuals in the franchising field have been found to exhibit personal traits which can be categorised into four (4) major groups. These groups comprise leadership, interpersonal, decision making and time management skills.
Leadership Skill
When it comes to leadership, being able to influence people effectively is key. A leader must be able to take charge of a situation and express himself/herself directly, and apply appropriate force when necessary. He/she can listen to perspectives of others in a reasonably objective manner and make necessary adjustments in his/her approach. He can still be aggressive to reinforce his/her position when opposition is encountered, without being too demanding. He/she is motivated to persuade others and derives satisfaction from winning people over to his/her point of view. He/she can take most setbacks in stride.
Interpersonal Skill
He/she has strong service motivation which encourage customer activity. Naturally, he/she is engaging and personable and can develop rapport quickly with others which makes it easy for others to get to know him/her. He/she puts in time and effort needed to develop long-term relationships. He/she networks with people, reaches out to others where the chance arises, thus creating effective alliances and teams. He/she may be sceptical at times, but regardless would likely to be viewed as supportive and responsive.
Decision Making Skill
Being a practical problem solver, he/she relies mainly on accumulated knowledge, common sense and experiences rather than on "gut instinct". He/she is also a calculated risk-taker who weighs both the advantages and disadvantages of a proposed solutions before moving implementing his/her recommendation. Decisions have been given much thought and reflect mature judgement. He/she may not be a highly abstract thinker, but will listen to input of others and be open to new ideas, yet be conscientious in gathering the necessary facts to support his/her decision.
Time Management Skill
Successful franchising people demonstrate a sense of structure and organisation in their approach. They are sensitive to organisational guidelines and requirements and operate by the rules, without coming across as rigid or legalistic. They have the most important details in hand, and adopt a systematic approach to manage priorities and daily demands. They switch gears when necessary while remaining focused on the basic plan. These qualities will support him/her in managing processes as well as in managing people.
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The most important leadership decisions are often made without the benefit of objective data. In fact, I have been told by a few business owners that they choose top leaders the way they would choose a buddy. "Would I invite this person to a Bar-B-Que" or would this person fit in with the management team". Many base selection of top leadership on first impressions and social skills. While these are important, first impressions are incomplete and it's the information in our blind spots that result in poor selection choices.
To improve your ability to see into these blind spots and hire the right person the first time you must take two critical steps. Step one is to take a good look at your current leadership team's skills and abilities as well as their readiness to embrace the changes necessary for the transformation to become a Lean enterprise. This provides you with a clear view of their current skill set and the characteristics required of a candidate to fit and complement the team. Prepare for the addition of a new leader by discussing the challenges you discover with the team. Let them know that you are more committed to improvement than you are to harmony. No brilliant and charismatic change agent can overcome the status quo alone, so let your team know that you are committed to removing obstacle to positive change.
The second step is to establish a standard hiring procedure for key leaders. This will improve objectivity and save tens of thousands of dollars. The cost of hiring the wrong employee has been measured at one 150% of the person's salary and benefits. For executives this estimate grows to 400% of annual salary and benefits. It is prudent to have a hiring procedure for all tiers of responsibility. Any extra diligence invested in an objective procedure for top leadership selection will save money, momentum, and cultural fallout.
The most effective hiring procedures involve clear job requirements. In addition to these, make a list of the characteristics missing in your team's current skill-set. Once the field of applicants has been narrowed by the appointed team of leaders (including HR professionals) far sighted employers utilize the objectivity offered by selection specialists. These professional are able to predict performance by use of skilled interview and a cadre of more powerful psychometric tests that are unavailable to the average HR department. They act as sub contractor to the employer and must perform their service in compliance with best practices for selection decisions as outlined in the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing and the Principles for the Validation and Use of Personnel Selection Procedure.
The right leader will have the skill and style to complement and challenge your team. This leader will be the one that best fits the requirements of your goals for performance and culture. So first, clarify your leadership selection criteria so that the person you hire will be able to succeed. Then use the objectivity afforded by your improved hiring process to make the choice. By following these steps the environment will be prepared for the new member of the leadership team to get up to speed and contribute quickly and to be confidently followed by your key employees. You will gain confidence in securing the right leader and avoid considerable expense in money and cultural impact. As a bonus you will possess the knowledge of how to best manage and equip them to thrive.
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Have you ever noticed that companies with profit sharing perform the best, have happier employees with fewer turnovers; but it's the customer that really benefits the most? If this is really true why don't all companies have profit sharing? I don't have the answer, but I will show you why I believe everyone wins with a company whose philosophy is to provide profit sharing. Business can be compared to a wheel, and in order for it to run smoothly it cannot have any gaps or dents. The wheel consists of three parts; a company, employees and customers. If one part is missing, the wheel will not function. With profit sharing there are three winners; the company, the employees and the customers, a perfect smooth running wheel.
The company benefits with increased profits; these profits are due to cost savings, higher employee production and increased revenue from sales and service. By providing profit sharing with every employee, it creates an atmosphere of ownership and pride. Each employee develops the mindset of an owner and therefore works harder, smarter, more efficiently and creatively. With this mindset the employees see themselves as part of the team and like every successful team expect everyone to pull their weight and do a great job. When the company does well, so do all of the employees, everyone benefits. Operational costs are reduced because employees are looking for ways to do things more efficiently. Company supplies will last longer as no one wants to waste them; they are looking for savings to be passed along to them. Employees who work in this team environment have more fun at work and have less stress in their lives, less sick days and fewer turnovers. Employee turnover is not only disruptive to any company, but very costly with hiring and training.
However, the real winner of profit sharing is the customer! The customer will benefit with superior service. Superior service has to start with the positive attitude of the service provider. Happy employees make happy customers. Positive, can do attitudes, will be immediately recognized by the customer, as they will be seen as the special person they are. When customers are treated the way we would like to be treated, we know the end result is success. A happy satisfied customer will not only continue to do business with your company, they will also recommend your company to others. This is the best form of advertising. Word of mouth from people you know. Before today and during this recession, the customer has and will decide who wins and who looses. Treat your employees and customers as "Gold" and you will have a great company.
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The thing about Cabo, Mexico, is you’re surrounded by a lot of entrepreneurs. From the people peddling their wares on the sidewalk to the wait staff and crew members serving you (and working for tips), it’s a great place to study what to do if you want to put more money in your pocket.
The best case study took place on a snorkel cruise ship. We had already paid for the cruise, so they weren’t trying to sell us anything. Instead crew members were trying to up their tips. Here are 5 things they did and what you can do in your own marketing to increase your sales:
1. They gave great service. I must say in Cabo, I really didn’t have any bad service and this ship wasn’t the exception. Crew members offered you a drink as you got on board and they were always circulating the boat, collecting empty glasses and plates and asking if you wanted a refill.
I know, this one sounds like a no-brainer. So why is it that so many businesses DON’T do it? Take a hard look at the service you provide your customers and see if it really is as good as it could be.
2. They were entertaining. On the ride back after snorkeling, 3 of the crew members (the fourth was driving the boat) put on a show. They dressed up in costumes, provided upside down shot (you’re probably better off if you don’t know what these are) and danced for us.
People want to be entertained, especially in your marketing. The very worst thing you can be is boring. When you’re boring, people turn you off. Once that happens, you’re done. You can’t sell anyone anything if they’ve stopped paying attention to you. And the more entertaining you are, the more they’ll listen to you and the more they’ll buy from you.
3. They asked for the sale. In America, crew members probably would have put the tip jar on a table so you could drop something in on your way off the boat. Maybe they would have put a cute sign on it encouraging you to tip. Not here. First, crew members announced that if you had a good time, you should thank them by giving them a tip. Then they passed the jar around. Actually, they did more then pass the jar around, they walked around themselves and stood in front of you with it. Now THAT’S asking for the sale!
How many times do you put the tip jar on the table and hope for the best? For the greatest results, you have to make it clear what you want your prospects to do next.
4. They used social proof. While they stood there with the tip jar, they also had a running commentary about how much people were putting in (and they did it with a mike on so everyone on the ship could hear). So you would hear things like: “Come on, that’s the best you can do? What are you cheap?” You get the picture. Talk about shaming people to give you more money. (I know we probably put more in then we would have without those comments.)
Now, while I wouldn’t necessarily recommend shaming your prospects into giving you money, using social proof is always a good idea. How I would do it is by showing your prospects how many other people are doing business with you. If you have a lot of customers and you tell your prospects that, it adds to your credibility (People want to do business with successful, busy people. If you’re not busy, there’s always that niggling worry in the back of your prospects’ heads that perhaps you don’t know what you’re doing.)
5. They make it easy to tip. Dollars, pesos, whatever, they’ll take it. They make it easy to tip because they’ll accept what you have.
I’m always amazed at how difficult it is to do business with some people. They’ll only take checks or they’ll only take Paypal. When you limit the ways people can give you money, you WILL limit your sales. Make it easy for people to do business with you and you remove one more reason for them to say “no.”
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Look around you and notice that people are still spending. Your Job One in a down economy is to make sure they spend with you. Be creative, resourceful and watchful and you'll ride out the recession fine.
1. Add a personal touch. Call people you would ordinarily just email. Reply cordially and at more length to those who respond to your newsletter or blog. Reconnect with colleagues on a personal level. When you read magazines and come across an article you know would interest a certain client, rip it out and mail it with a sticky note attached. Such thoughtfulness reverberates much more than you might imagine. If you don't already send handwritten thank-you notes for referrals, begin now. Staying top of mind helps channel many different types of opportunities toward you.
2. Inject fun into your marketing. Which would you rather do business with, a company that at every opportunity reminded you of the dark cloud over your head, or one that made you smile? Forbes.com reports that both in 2008 and in the recession year of 2002, Halloween spending did not go down, even though most people were tightening their purse strings. According to National Association of Theatre Owners president John Fithian, movie box offices took in more money during five of the last seven recession years than during other years. If you're normally a dead-serious company, this might be a good time to lighten up a bit by creating a company mascot or passing along some self-deprecating jokes.
3. Shake up your routines. List all the constants in the way your organization operates - its "always"s. For instance, you always work Mondays through Fridays. Is it time to work Tuesdays through Saturdays - or just Tuesdays through Thursdays? You always hold your seminars in Chicago. Would they be more appealing in Charlotte? You always focus on one topic in your newsletter. What if you shared a grab bag of useful tips instead?
4. Keep an eagle eye on collections. Professional debt collectors say that the longer a bill remains unpaid, the more likely it is to become uncollectible. And of course, those who make noise get paid first. Big companies know this. I let my bills sit on the kitchen counter a little too long last month and received automated calls from both the telephone company and the electric company about it, even though the amounts involved were quite small. One tactic that can help your cash flow and prevent worries about uncollectible receivables is to offer a discount - such as 2 to 5 percent - for payment up front.
5. Ask for advice. If you're not sure which of these tips to act on or how to implement these suggestions, join a peer group - sometimes known as a Mastermind Group - to help you do so. It's no more complicated than each member of the group having a turn to pose a question, taking down all the suggestions offered, then sharing your thoughts on which ideas seem most promising so the group can propose additional possibilities. When being offered suggestions, don't interrupt with "No, that won't work!" or "Tried that one..." Simply listen and identify the ideas you like.
Above all, hang around with people who are determined to enjoy life as usual regardless of what the media say. Attitudes matter! Keep yours upbeat and you have a good chance of seeing your revenues go up, too.
By Marcia Yudkin >
1. Find a strategic business partner. Look for ones that have the same objective. You
can trade leads, share marketing info, sell package deals, etc.
2. Create a free ebook directory on a specific topic at your web site. People will visit
your web site to read the free ebooks and may see your product ad.
3. Brand your name and business. You can easily do this by just writing articles and
submitting them to e-zines or web sites for republishing.
4. Offer daily or weekly visitor bonuses. This will increase your repeat traffic and sales
because your visitors will visit regularly to get the visitor bonuses.
5. Start an auction on your web site. The type of auction could be related to the theme
of your site. You'll draw traffic from auctioneers and bidders.
6. Allow people to download software or e-books from your web site at no cost. Just
ask your visitors in return if they'll refer their friends to your web site.
7. Remember to take a little time out of your day or week to brainstorm. New ideas are
usually the difference between success and failure.
8. Create multiple streams of income with your web site. You could sell your own products,
join affiliate programs, sell advertising space, etc.
9. Model other successful business or people. I'm not saying out right copy them, but
practice some of the same habits that have made them succeed.
10. Give your visitors compliments in your ad copy. This can earn their trust and put them
in a good mood, in return they will be easier to sell too.
11. Take risks to improve your business. Sometimes businesses don't want to advertise
unless it's free, sometimes you have to spend money to get results.
12. Include emotional words in your advertisements. Use ones like love, security, relief,
freedom, happy, satisfaction, fun, etc.
13. Ask people online to review your web site. You can use the comments you get to
improve your website or you may turn the reviewer into a customer.
14. Out source part of your workload. You'll save on most employee costs. You could out
source your secretarial work, accounting, marketing, etc.
15. Combine a product and service together in a package deal. It could increase your sales. If
you're selling a book, offer an hour of consulting with it.
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