Spring is finally on it’s way and it’s reminded me of the importance of planning for success…

Last year I got out in the garden and did a complete overhaul. I watched several of those garden DIY shows, drew myself a little plan and then followed it.

I took quite a bit of time creating my plan and it included year round plants as well as seasonal flowers so that the garden would be enjoyable all throughout the year.

It was hard work but really great fun! Our garden had been a little neglected over the years so out came all the old weeds and out came the big dead tree. We then carefully tended to the remaining healthy plants and implemented our garden makeover. A lovely little water feature went in along with quite few plants and a dozen or so bulbs.

Quite a bit of work later and it was done.

Now months later I’d completely forgotten we even planted bulbs but sure enough a few tulips started poking their heads above ground a little while ago and now they are in full bloom. That lovely splash of colour reminded me strongly of the importance of forward planning.

The successful entrepreneurs of the world didn’t get there by accident. They planned to get where they are. Some of them have had a bit of good luck along the way but all of them dared to dream of success and then put steps into action to get there. If they hadn’t followed their dreams up with planning and action they wouldn’t have got where they are. Simple as that.

If you want to reach your goal turnover or your magic number of regular clients, you need to follow their lead. Decide clearly what it is you want then go for it.

Make a plan of how you are going to get there. Where is the extra income going to come from? Exactly how many new clients do you need per week? And where are you going to find these people?

Then go out and follow your plan. The plan might change or evolve as time goes on but just get started and then follow your plan with determination.

Tulips don’t just magically appear, you need to plant the bulbs that create them and you need to make sure you do that in the right type of soil.

The same goes with clients. Sure some of them will just rock up on your doorstep but they are few and far between. To get a large and loyal client base that regularly book and buy from you, you need to learn what works then create plans that will make this happen.

If you just sit and wait for a horde of people to arrive at your door, you might be waiting a while. But if you get out there, give your potential clients a reason to want to find out more and then spend the time build a relationship with them, you will find your business growing quickly in exactly the direction you want it to.

Rebecca Kepple specializes in helping business owners massively increase their client base and profits. To get instant access to her free insider secrets report ‘The Top 7 Secrets for Massively Increasing Your Client Base’ visit: http://www.wellbeingbusinesssecrets.com/freereport.

Just browse the internet or open up the Yellow Pages. How many solicitors are listed in your town? How many plumbers? How many dentists? The list is long in most cases.

The dilemma that immediately confronts the thinking business owner is: “Why should anyone select me, rather than someone? We all have about the same level and quality of service, we all have prices within the same basic range, and we’re all equally accessible, and so on.”

What is the answer to this dilemma? Many people might jump in and say: “Prospects tend to choose the one with the lowest price.”

But this is simply not true. Study after study shows that price is seldom the primary factor in making a decision to choose one dealer over another. If it were so, no luxury, premium or high quality goods or services would ever be sold.

The fact is, many factors enter into why people choose one business over another, and often the choice is merely random. Not everyone is a discriminating shopper who weighs every factor before choosing a product or service.

This is where positioning comes in. If you want customers to choose you, then you need to position yourself against the competition in a way that makes you stand out, and which gives good reason for people to choose you.

One of the best ways to do that is to foster an image of yourself as being “an expert in your field.” In other words, you want people to think: “Sure there’s a lot of good solicitors in this town, but Liz Smith is a solicitor’s solicitor – she’s an expert, she knows more about the law than the average solicitor.”

How would people obtain that view of Liz Smith? Well, what if she published a book of tips on workplace law?

What if Liz Smith also conducted free seminars in law, or offered her services to local schools to come in and talk to young students about the law and how it affects our lives? And what if she also used those opportunities to promote her book? And since Liz Smith has published a book on local laws, it’s likely a local radio station and newspaper will grant her an interview to talk about her book, and why she wrote it.

She may also get invited onto TV and radio programming when basic law topics are discussed – reporters usually invite the person who’s an expert, and the person who “wrote the book” book is mostly likely to be that individual.

Positioning yourself as an expert means doing something that makes you stand out as an expert. That can be:

Writing a book.

Publishing a regular newspaper column on your area of expertise.

Giving seminars.

Getting yourself listed in key directories, such as “Who’s Who”.

Getting yourself invited on TV and radio talk shows.

Getting to know editors and reporters and telling them they can call you when they need information involving a story that involves your expertise. They’ll then quote you and get your name into news stories, which is among the very best kind of free publicity you can get.

Establishing a “hot line” to answer questions in your field of expertise.

Issue press releases related to the latest development in your field, and list yourself as a resource for further information.

You don’t have to be a solicitor or a professional. A car mechanic, a plumber, a builder – anyone can do all of the above and establish themselves as the “go to guy” when it comes to questions or information in any particular field.

Don’t think you can write a book, or don’t have time? Hire a ghost-writer to write it for you – it’s a time-honoured tradition used by thousands of people all the time. The bottom line is, in today’s strenuously competitive marketplace, becoming viewed as the “expert in your field” can be the ultimate positioning tool. Better yet, once you establish your position as “expert” you may never have to compete on price again. Many people will be glad to pay premium prices for “the best”.

Finally, your positioning activities can actually earn you money while you promote and bolster your image. Sales of your book can mean a healthy additional income, and you can charge admission for seminars. When you are interviewed by local media representatives, it’s like getting top-notch advertising for free.

The benefits of positioning are many. We urge you to start considering and planning to put your positioning strategy into play right now!

Power Marketing System is an audio and web based marketing program designed to help small to medium enterprises increase their profits and outsell their competition. Explode your business today. Get the FREE audio now. Visit: http://www.powermarketingsystem.co.uk

Expanding the business? Buying a company vehicle? Adding of proprietary assets? Or, simply keeping business finances liquid. These are some of the major reasons why businesses take on loans. The question is what type of loan?

For entrepreneurs who wish to maintain 100% control of their businesses and are willing and confident to keep up with a monthly obligation to a lending body for the fulfillment of debt payments, a debt financing is opted.

In today’s economy, however, there is an obvious difficulty in finding a lending institution that would be willing to invest in new businesses. For this reason, equity financing or equity loans are more popular nowadays.

Equity loans are not directly returned to the lenders. Instead, these lenders, or better referred to as investors, become the business owner’s partners as they are technically sold rights to the business. This way, the investors gain a certain amount of influence on how the business is run.

Though equity loans are not technically repaid, investors do have the intention of regaining the cost of their investment in the long run, and more. What this means is that investors have the interest to grow the business towards success by providing a portion of the capital, business management advice and, if necessary add more business contacts.

In return, they expect high profit returns as a result of the business success that does not only cover the initial outlay of funds but generate additional income as well.

Contrary to debt financing, however, equity loans allow investors a portion of the business control. There is now a need to get along with the new partners, whose points of view on the operation of the business will now matter.

A few suggestions on how to maintain a jointly favorable association with equity investors include:

1. Keep it simple. Clearly explain the bigger picture. Investors are generally not interested in the nitty gritty of the business operations. So, unless they ask, keep it low.
2. Be able to comprehensively discuss the business financial standing. Investors are deeply interested in cash flow issues, profit projections and the like. Keep them updated.
3. Maintain a proper channel of communication with investors. Assign a point person. It is not advisable to allow investors to converse with anyone and everyone in the business organization.
4. Be honest with your investors. Present sales figures as is and don’t go over the top on your projections in hopes of impressing your investors. The truth will eventually come around, so cut through the round-about and paint the real picture to your investors.
5. Do not deny information. Bad news is bad news regardless of how it is delivered. In order to maintain trust among investors, be timely in the conveyance of news, whether good or bad.
6. Give investors easy access to information. Consider a website access.
7. Be professional in all dealings. Maintain the confidence of your investors by demonstrating your leadership skills in all aspects of the business.

Once you know the secrets keep your business attractive to investors, equity loans need not be a point of hesitation but must be viewed as opportunities for growth.

E. Linares is Chief Visionary Architect at Commercial Magnet:: the new face of the online lending marketplace where borrowers and lenders connect; 6 points of service to help build your wealth! Visit http://www.commercialmagnet.com today.

A virtual assistant will comprehensively help you grow your business and keep you productive. But how do go about finding the right fit for your organization? Here are several important points you need to know when researching and hiring a virtual assistant team or solo entrepreneur for your organization.

First – Realize What You Need!

While a professional virtual assistant can help you organize yourself to be able to delegate appropriately you should have an idea of what type of Virtual Assistant you need. For instance, if you have a web designer but they are a little pricey a virtual assistant with a web background is ideal! If you are a Real Estate agent a virtual assistant with a Real Estate specialty is just the ticket. There are also Law, IT, Transcription, Translation, Microsoft, Mac & Accounting specialties (and I am sure much more).

Second – Where to Look…

There are many venues available to find your virtual assistant; as a matter of fact there may be too many! You can research on Google and other search engines but this can be timely and certainly isn’t great quality control. Another way to search is to visit the top virtual assistant associations where there are certain regulations to abide by and only some of the best VA firms are members. You can also use sites like Craigslist, Elance & Guru to find your next virtual assistant. Another great way is to contact a virtual assistant firm who employs several VA’s and can match you with the virtual assistant you need. Also asking your colleagues for a referral can go a long way.

Third – Stay Out of the Employee Mindset!

Although virtual assistants are providing you with primarily administrative services, virtual assistants are not employees. So you would treat the hiring process & your future relationship like a partnership or vendor relationship. Just like any other vendor you would have certain expectations like:

-they should have a professional website,
-they should have references and a track record that you can verify,
-when you inquire about a virtual assistant’s services there should be some materials they provide to help you understand their services and the process of getting things organized to begin working with each other.

Fourth – Make it Official!

Once you have chosen a virtual assistant you want to make sure that everything is on paper so both you and your virtual assistant understand what the goals, payments and deliverables are between you.

-Be prepared to sign an agreement, proposal or contract.
-If their contract does not state it, you may also want to draft a confidentiality agreement.
-Virtual assistants can work hourly, by retainer or by project fee and usually require deposits:

Hourly – Per hour rate given for each project.
Retainer – A certain amount of hours are purchased monthly for a discounted hourly rate – paid upfront.
Project Fees – Per project rate is usually given if you are working on a project basis. An estimate range is given for the project and the virtual assistant will usually require a deposit and then submit the final bill which should be around the estimate given at the beginning of the project.

-Don’t be surprised if a virtual assistants hourly rate is above $30 an hour. Even though most have the understanding that an administrative assistant costs $15-$25 per hour, it costs alot more to pay a full time in-house assistant.

You can have a whole virtual team or just one VA. Or hire an established company with a team of VA’s. But whatever you choose you will be saving money, time and increasing your productivity! Good luck with your virtual assistant search!

Melinda Janicki, Lead Virtual Assistant & Marketing Specialist – I am an Administrative & Marketing Virtual Assistant with more than ten years of experience. Find out more at http://www.ondemandvirtualservices.com.

How do you create a breakthrough in your business or your life? It’s hard to see the possibility, to see that you can create a breakthrough, especially when times feel hard or tough but what it comes down to is getting out of your own way. How do you stop your own success? Do you sabotage yourself? You can create a breakthrough with intention.

The first step is to listen to your inner dialogue, the statements that get in your way, the internal dialogue that stops you in your tracks. By creating a new paradigm you can shift the old limiting belief system to a new empowering belief system. As a coach and facilitator of this process I have observed client after client make shifts and get out of their own way. By doing just that, they create a breakthrough!

What I have witnessed is people creating break throughs by looking at themselves, their beliefs and their behaviors. How do you do this?

First is understanding: Beliefs lead to behaviors which produce results.

So often, when we aren’t achieving what we want and need we change our behavior. Underlying our behavior are our beliefs. If those beliefs are limiting beliefs then we must shift and change the belief. Since we are in charge of our beliefs we do have the power and the ability to make this change. First, look at your behaviors.

What are the behaviors that limit your success? Some limiting behaviors that I see with business owners are: procrastination, not following up with leads, not asking for referrals, The next part of the process is to look at the underlying belief. What do you say to yourself about the behaviors? In essence what do say to yourself; that inner voice; that justifies the behavior (the excuses for the behavior). Now, some of these excuses are things that you believe to be true. Perhaps you are telling yourself — they are only going to say no, or I’m not good enough; or they won’t buy. What are your limiting beliefs?
Shift the beliefs.

The key to the breakthrough is to shift the belief. This is more than positive affirmations. This is taking control of your inner dialogue and changing it. Often our inner voice is saying things to us we wouldn’t allow people to say to our children. The trick is to replace the inner dialogue with more empowering dialogue and stop the negative talk. If you are telling yourself you aren’t good enough, then how will people believe you are? In Jinny Ditzler’s book she recommends creating a new empowering paradigm that is positive, short, written in the present tense. A new paradigm for the example we have been working on could be: “I am more than enough”.

How do you live the new paradigm; because that is really the key? It is a great first step to identify how you are getting in your own way or sabotaging yourself. It’s not enough. Creating the new paradigm is another great step. Living the new paradigm is the real key. Read the new empowering belief everyday, several times per day. Use the new words for your inner dialogue when the old inner chatter appears. Take control of the inner dialogue. Post the new empowering paradigm where you can see it several times per day. You can also write about how it is impacting your life. Journal about how changing your paradigm produces different results. Always write in the present tense, as if those results are happening right now. Practice your new paradigm. You can also create a CD with a brief meditation that talks about your new paradigm and the changes that have taken place.

The bottom line is that you are in control of creating the breakthrough. A coach can help you figure out the paradigm, and keep it on track. Use the tools that you have to create your breakthrough results.

Donna Price is a Business Success Coach working with small businesses and independent professionals on effecting positive change. Get her free report “The 8 Keys to Business Success” at http://www.bizology.biz/special-report.html

When you first started your business, the excitement was raw and tangible. With every step forward everything in you wanted to jump for joy, though you contained yourself (most of the time). Your dream was becoming reality. Your business was seeing success. Life was just plain good.

Fast forward a few years. Same dream, same business, but with a different feel. You’re still making money and still a success, but the excitement is all but gone. So, what’s the deal?

When a business is in its first years, you are establishing a structure. The problem is, once that structure is established, everyone thinks that it shouldn’t change – to stick with what you know (because that’s the easiest way). It becomes a comfort zone and no one wants to depart from a comfortable location. Besides, very few people deal well with change.

But change is exactly what you may need. If aren’t prepared for change, your business may reach a plateau ; no gains or loses, just one stagnant line of the same old thing. The passion you had when you started the business will dwindle and may be snuffed entirely.

It’s time to revitalize! Not only will it put the flare back into coming to work each day, but will also provide for an opportunity to boost sales.

1) Get Everyone Involved
Make the revitalization a team effort. Get everyone together and let them know that it is time for change and that you’re serious about the venture. Get everyone’s input.

2) Reevaluate Core Elements
Examine the important stuff and make sure it is working. Is your logo really making sense to the customers? Does the name truly reflect the company and the product? Is it time for the vision of the company to take an alternate route?

3) Brainstorm New Ideas
Try to create a new element to the business, whether it’s a new use for your product, or a new product all together. Try a new advertising outlet. Don’t forget to include everyone. A great way to accomplish this is to have each employee write down five new ideas for the business. They may not all be great, but some are bound to at least get the juices flowing.

4) Eliminate the Tolerations
Every company has something they are just “putting up with” because they don’t want to go through the process of finding something else. But those tolerations are holding you back. Figure out what they are and find a way to make them into something you’re excited about.

Your business should always be evolving. Consider having a yearly revitalization meeting so that you keep the fire going. After all, no one wants to see their dream become another bland day at the office.

Internet entrepreneur Michelle Cramer wants to help you become more successful in your small business ventures. Read more marketing articles and design business cards online at GreatFX Business Cards, http://www.greatfxbusinesscards.com

Whether you have already written a book or you are thinking about writing one, you need to decide whether to publish your book the traditional way, or whether you should self-publish. Let’s have a look at both ways to see which one might suit you best.

Self Publishing

Many authors who can’t get published the traditional way, still believed in their book, and went out and self published it any way. If you self publish your book first, it does not prevent you from traditionally publishing later on. Many people have achieved great success self publishing and then traditional publishers have signed contracts worth 10 times what they would have received initially. If you are not a proven author then the traditional publishers like to bank on a sure thing and so you won’t get the big contract you might like. Once you’re self published and selling well, you are a more valuable and can get a much better contract with the traditional publishers.

Traditional Publishing

If you start off with a traditionally publisher and then change your mind and decide to self publish, you can run into some legal problems. The reason is because when you publish traditionally, you sell the rights to your book. You no longer own your book and are not able to make any decisions regarding what happens to it. The publisher owns your book and determines how much money you will make. I would reccommend that if you haven’t written a book yet, it is important to know how to publish your own book because you’ll learn not only how easy it is but how much money you can make!

With the right information, you can leverage your published book into a substantial annual income. You can use it as a calling card for your business. You can use it to enhance your expert status and credibility. You can use it as the foundation of a new business. You can use it to build a sales funnel and increase back end sales and repeat customers. You can use it to increase your opportunities. When you publish your book you will have created a great thing. It’s available for all of the world to see and experience and you can sell your book 24/7. Best of all, the tools and technology available today makes it easy to print, publish, distribute, market and fulfill your customers needs all while you’re taking care of other things, or having fun!

Knowing what your options are and educating yourself about self publishing is a powerful step in the right direction – the direction of changing your life for the better and fulfilling your dreams of being a published, and wealthy, author!

Geoff Wainwright publishes his own books and enjoys helping other people publish their books. The publishing business is very enjoyable and can be highly lucrative.
Find out how you can publish a book and sell a million copies at http://www.WriteSelfPublish.com.

The word “niche” comes from a French word that means to nest. Niche marketing is targeting a product or service to a small portion of a market that is not being readily served by the mainstream product or service marketers. Nearly every business fast food chains, convenience stores, even Wal-Mart was begun to fill perceived voids in the market place. However, niche marketing usually refers to small or moderate size businesses or farms that produce a specialty product or service for a limited segment of the market.

Niche markets are sort of like finding a little cubby hole with benefits and negatives to be carefully weighed out. Finding a niche is somewhat difficult in the agriculture field. Very few people are able to find something that will work for them; however, the niche market is becoming a much more achievable concept and will continue to improve.

This improvement can be attributed to the current move in industry toward variation and versatility. As an example, one hundred years ago farming was marked by self-sufficiency. One farmer may have had cattle, hogs, horses, 40 acres of corn and a huge melon patch. Being able to provide for ones own needs was imperative. Generally the concept of raising something different is looked down upon.

The key to capitalizing on a niche market is to find or develop a market niche that has customers who are accessible, that is growing fast enough, and that is not owned by one established vendor already.
It is critical to identify a niche and serve it properly. First, there are plenty of niche markets to choose from. There are literally thousands of underserved niche markets within real estate and more developing every day.

Have a good idea for a new business or product? Friends and relatives aren’t always the most objective evaluators of a new business concept, nor do they know where to find the hard data and industry operating ratios you’ll need.

The most common mistake most people make is to overestimate potential sales of their new product or service. Many also spend tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars developing their product or company in a vacuum without spending a dime on market research.

In essence, niche marketing is a business strategy in which, depending on the needs and interests, real products are marketed to real people. Niches are essentially small markets. Niche markets are run by the fervor of real people.

But in conclusion the niche marketer beware ensure you have a real chance of profiting by doing the research that is necessary so as not to implode with a business that really wasn’t.

Gav Shannon is a Network Marketing Professional who writes about different topics that he feels may be of an interest.If You want to know more about him go to http://www.gavshannon.com

The seven criteria for choosing an entity formation company are:

1. Look for a company that will ask you questions to determine the best entity for your situation-before they quote you a price! Imagine seeing your doctor for a physical. He walks in the room, says hello and goodbye as he hands you a prescription – and never gives you an exam! You might as well have diagnosed yourself by the “dartboard method”.

2. Look for a company that understands-and will explain to you-multi-state taxation rules. These rules affect the state(s) in which your entity will have to register so you can do business. Beware of companies that tout tax savings in a tax-free state when you live and operate your day-to-day business in another state. States like Nevada do have powerful benefits, but tax savings are not typically one of them unless you live and work in Nevada.

3. Look for a company that fully discusses your situation with you, so you know you’re making the best decision about which entity will maximize your outcome. Your “exam” should involve many in-depth, tailored questions, rather than a following a “cookie-cutter” approach. What cures someone else is not necessarily what will cure you! Remember, if you’re looking for “easy”… if you’re looking for minimal effort – expect proportional results – or worse.

4. Look for a company that knows the subtleties. Ask them why 71% of all C-corporations, if audited, would pay 35% tax on all profits earned, along with hefty penalties and interest that might cripple their businesses. Does the company you’re considering know why?

5. Look for a company that weeds out inaccurate information and researches to find what will work best for you. It’s no accident that successful people recognize and take advantage of golden opportunities that others miss. Look for a company willing to take the time to thoroughly analyze your situation, so you can take advantage of your “golden” opportunity.

6. Look for a company that makes sure all your questions are answered before you form your entity. A disturbing trend in the industry is to “get the money now”‘ and promise answers down the road. If a company won’t answer your questions BEFORE you give them your business, chances are good that they won’t be able to answer them AFTER – no matter how many books, tapes, or seminars they offer.

7. Look for a company with current testimonials. The true measure of a company’s customer service record lies in the success of current and past clients. Ask for current testimonials. Many companies present you with client quotes dating back several years. And check the Better Business Bureau to see if they have a complaint history, assuming they qualify for listing. NCP’s testimonials are written by clients about 30 days AFTER incorporating with us!

Scott Letourneau is the CEO of NCP,Inc. and an authority in helping people form entities,grow their business,and protect the assets of that business. For more info contact: Scott Letourneau at 702-367-7373 or http://www.nvinc.com/aboutNCP.htm

All businesses will, at one point, need financial help in some way or another. Small business loans are a great way to maintain your business in a healthy financial position, but acquiring one can be a very complicated task, since the requirements for it are very extensive. Some of its most basic requirements are: Having a perfect credit score and having personal assets to use as collateral, that alone already makes it a hard to secure financial resource.

So, what’s left for the business owners with a poor credit history? The answer for that question is: look to an unsecured business cash advance. These types of cash advances are a great alternative to the traditional small business loans, some of the features that easily stand out are the fact that these types of advances don’t require any personal collateral as guarantee nor it requires that the merchant holds a perfect credit score and history. Of course there are some requirements, and the most basic ones are:

1) The merchant has to process credit cards as a form of payment and it has to have a monthly processing volume of at least $2500.

2) The merchant cannot have an open bankruptcy.

3) The merchant can’t have any tax lien (unless under a payments plan)

4) The merchant has to have at least 1 year remaining in its business location lease.

5) It has access to at least the past 4 months of credit card statements.

6) The business is 1 year old at least.

If compared with a small business loan, the application and funding process is very simple and fast. Merchants can apply online or over the phone. The application is a simple 2 pages form, and the documentation needed is very small. The approval process usually takes place in as fast as 24 hours, and after the merchant has been approved, the lender wires the funds in as little as 7 days.

In contrary to a business cash advance, being funded by a bank is a very complicated funding method. You, the merchant will need to provide the lender with all the pertinent documents showing that you can qualify for their loans, some of the requirements for secured loans are:

1) The merchant has to have a perfect credit score and history. Often times a FICO score of 750 or more is required.

2) The merchant needs to provide the lender with personal assets to be used as collateral.

Besides having those requirements, the approval process for a bank loan can take up to 2 months and the actual funding can take up to 4 to 6 months.

Cash advances don’t have fixed monthly payments, nor they have interest rates, instead the lender will charge a onetime fee, that will be repaid on an open term of 6 to 9 months as a small daily percentage from credit card transactions, a cash advance goes with the flow of your business, as you only payback when you sell in credit card transactions, you will never pay a late payment fee.

David Castro often writes articles about Unsecured Business Loans for Merchant Resources International – To Learn more Visit Us at http://www.cashprior.com