If you're attacking your market from multiple positions and your competition isn't, you have all the advantage and it will show up in your increased success and income.
Read More..The goal is to win. It's not about making money. I have many much less risky ways of making money than this (buying Chelsea football club). I don't want to throw my money away, but it's really about having fun and that means success and trophies.
Read More..Roman Abramovich (Roman Arkadievich Abramovich) is a powerful Russian oligarch and oil billionaire, who was born on October 24, 1966 in Saratov, USSR (Russia). He lost his parent when he was a teenager and became adopted by uncle. Abramovich had a difficult childhood. He served for the Soviet Army and was educated in the Industrial Institute, that is based in Ukhta.
Early 90 s marked a privatization and free enterprise establishing, and Abramovich was one of them people who started business. In a period of few year he has established 5 enterprises, however Abramovich was accused of criminal activities. In 90's Abramovich was protected by the Russian president Boris Yeltsin.
Abramovich gained the majority shareholder in an oil company called Sibneft and in the aluminum producing company called RusAl (it is the largest in the world). Additional to his business and commercial activities Abramovich is involved in politics as well. He was the elected representative of Chukotka in the Russian Duma (1999) and Abramovich has made lots of investments into Chukotka region.
Roman Abramovich owns an English Premiership football club Chelsea F.C. since 2003.
In the year 2005 Abramovich was named as the wealthiest man in Russia (Forbes Magazine research).
Abramovich is interested in Formula One and due to his Jewish background Abramovich supports projects in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv
Copyright: Popmonk.com
Anthony J. Robbins: Famous American Motivational Expert
Posted by The Team of Spirit Labels: Succes StoriesFamous for : Being a best selling self help author, coaching world leaders, holding energy packed seminars, and for being the big smiling guy on them annoying television infomercials.
Robbins details : Born - USA February 29, 1960 Lives - USA
Book Reviews : Awaken the Giant Within - Tony Robbins Books
Anthony Robbins (Tony Robbins) is a best selling self help author, motivational speaker, and advisor to many world leaders, sports professionals and business people. He is an internationally recognized personality and has appeared on countless infomercials, television interviews, talk shows, radio programs, and has even appeared as himself in the romantic comedy "Shallow Hal" starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Jack Black.
Tony Robbins was born on the 29th of February 1960 (leap year), California, USA. He became determined to change his life after a particularly low period in his life where he was struggling to pay his bills, over weight and without direction.
Robbins transformed his life and developed systems to change the lives of thousands more. Neuro-linguistic programming or NLP became an integral part of Robbins' current philosophy and teachings. His popular motivational technique "neuroassociative conditioning" was developed from the teachings of NLP.
Anthony Robbins gets his message out to an international audience of millions through his best selling motivational books, audio programs, motivational seminars, motivational coaching and the philanthropic work that he and his companies do with the less privileged members of society. Some of his popular motivational products include:
Awaken the Giant Within: Book & Audio Program
How to Take Immediate Control of Your Mental, Emotional, Physical, and Financial
Best selling self help book where Tony Robbins sets out to teach the reader strategies to achieve success in life, overcome phobias, improve relationships, and to make lasting change by eliminating destructive habits.
Unlimited Power: Book & Audio Program
The New Science Of Personal Achievement
Robbins shares some of his Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) techniques to learn how to eliminate phobias in minutes, create rapport with strangers, and to duplicate the success of others.
Anthony Robbins has created an almost fanatical group of followers worldwide with people prepared to pay thousands of dollars to attend his motivational seminars and workshops, but he also has his critics. One area critics talk of is his firewalking workshops where participants are encouraged to walk barefooted across hot coals. Critics say it is simple logic and not the power of the mind that gets people across the coals without burning their feet.
Robbins is also an active and generous philanthropist. The "Anthony Robbins Foundation" had its beginnings in Robbins giving out bags of groceries anonymously to impoverished families at Thanks Giving each year. The organization now feeds more than 500,000 people each year worldwide during Thanksgiving, Easter and December holidays. Inspiration, education and training are also delivered to disadvantaged people in society.
Copyright: Woopidoo.com
People often ask me how I became successful in that six-year period of time while many of the people I knew did not. The answer is simple: The things I found to be easy to do, they found to be easy not to do. I found it easy to set the goals that could change my life. They found it easy not to. I found it easy to read the books that could affect my thinking and my ideas. They found that easy not to. I found it easy to attend the classes and the seminars, and to get around other successful people.
They said it probably really wouldn't matter. If I had to sum it up, I would say what I found to be easy to do, they found to be easy not to do. Six years later, I'm a millionaire and they are all still blaming the economy, the government and company policies, yet they neglected to do the basic, easy things.
In fact, the primary reason most people are not doing as well as they could and should, can be summed up in a single word: neglect.
It is not the lack of money - banks are full of money. It is not the lack of opportunity - America, and much of the free World, continues to offer the most unprecedented and abundant opportunities in the last six thousand years of recorded history. It is not the lack of books – libraries are full of books - and they are free! It is not the schools - the classrooms are full of good teachers. We have plenty of ministers, leaders, counselors and advisors.
Everything we would ever need to become rich and powerful and sophisticated is within our reach. The major reason that so few take advantage of all that we have is simply, neglect.
Neglect is like an infection. Left unchecked it will spread throughout our entire system of disciplines and eventually lead to a complete breakdown of a potentially joy-filled and prosperous human life.
Not doing the things we know we should do causes us to feel guilty and guilt leads to an erosion of self-confidence. As our self-confidence diminishes, so does the level of our activity. And as our activity diminishes, our results inevitably decline. And as our results suffer, our attitude begins to weaken. And as our attitude begins the slow shift from positive to negative, our self-confidence diminishes even more ... and on and on it goes.
So my suggestion is that when giving the choice of "easy to" and "easy not to" that you do not neglect to do the simple, basic, "easy"; but potentially life-changing activities and disciplines.
To Your Success,
Jim Rohn (Copyright Jim Rohn International)
www.Woopidoo.com
The branding company Interbrand and the BusinessWeek magazine have teamed up again to rank the world's leading super brands. The best brands in 2006 are a lot like the ones featured on the list in 2005, except for some jostling from long established companies and just a few new comers finding themselves on the elite 100 list. The United Kingdom based exclusive clothing and apparel company Burberry and the Japanese based car manufacturer Lexus (owned by Toyota) are the only new kids on the block, with the former taking 98th position and the latter rocketing straight up to 92nd position.
At the top of the best one hundred brands there is very little change from last year. There are no changes at all until 7th position, with Toyota moving from 9th last year to 7th this year.
The top 6 are long established brands with a global reach and marketing strategy that has been difficult to challenge. The fizzy drinks maker Coca-Cola has clung to the title of the best brand in the world with it's ever present marketing campaign and a range of innovative new products. The remaining top 6 brands include Microsoft (2), IBM (3), General Electric GE (4), Intel (5), and the phone manufacturer from Finland, Nokia reclaiming position 6.
Interbrand ranks each brand by calculating the net present value of the earnings the brand is expected to generate from July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2006. More than one third of the brand's earnings must be derived from countries other than where they are based and they must have earnings of at least 2.7 billion dollar before they are even considered. Their marketing and financial data must also be publicly available and they must be recognized by people outside of their customer base.
This is the 6th annual brands list that Interbrand has put together in association with BusinessWeek. Notable winners for 2006 include the Internet giant Google with a 46% increase in brand value, Starbucks with 20percent, eBay with 18percent, and Motorola with an 10percent increase in value. While the biggest losers list included Gap with a drop of 12 places and a 22 percent decline, Ford with 16percent, Kodak with 12percent, and Heinz with a 10percent decline in brand value.
CEO of Interbrand, Jez Frampton said "In the majority of cases, those who made the ranking are proactively managing their businesses through a brand lens. They have recognized that their brand should be the central organizing principle given the incredible value they represent. The need to measure and manage brand performance continues to be a critical priority for senior management as evidenced by the incredible interest shown in this ranking.”
Copyright Woopidoo.com
The branding firm Interbrand and the BusinessWeek magazine have teamed up again to rank the world's leading super brands. For the seventh consecutive year the number one brand in the world is the brown fizzy soft drink of Coca-Cola. The global giant is slowing though as the company is spending a lot of time focusing on the healthier beverages that people are continuing to choose over the classic Coke beverage.
The Internet search engine and advertising company Google was the biggest gainer on the global brands list for 2007 with a 44 percent increase in brand value. Google is ranked 20th with a brand value of about $17.8 billion. Last year they had a brand value of $12.3 billion and were ranked 24th.
Business Week spoke with Google's vice-president of marketing David Lawee to ask him about the meteoric rise of the company. Lawee says his job is made easier by the quality of the products that Google releases; "When you have a great story to tell, you just have to tell it. Your job as a marketer is infinitely easier. We have a great story to tell." He also said "The challenge for us is to continue to outdo ourselves. That's a challenge for a lot of brands. Brands aren't static things. They're like people. They grow, they learn, they evolve. Now we're almost 10 years old. We know we have a lot to learn. But we're trying to be our own person. That's a little bit different from the way branding used to be done."
This is the 7th annual global brands list that Interbrand has put together in association with the BusinessWeek magazine. Notable winners for 2007 include the Internet giant Google with a 44% increase in brand value, the Spanish owned clothing brand Zara with 22%, Apple computers with 21%, Nintendo with 18%, and the Starbucks coffee giant with a 17% increase in value. While the biggest losers list included the American car maker Ford with a drop of 17%, Gap clothing brand dropped 15%, Kodak with 12%, Pizza Hut with 9%, and the mobile phone maker Motorola with a 9% decline in brand value.
Interbrand ranks each brand by calculating the net present value of the earnings that the brand is expected to generate. More than one third of the brand's earnings must be derived from countries other than where they are based and they must be well recognized outside of their main customer base. Their marketing and financial data must also be publicly available which excludes large privately held companies like Visa. Airlines are excluded, as are pharmaceutical brands this year, and insurance companies have been allowed this year for the first time.
When talking about the measuring of brand value, Interbrand's Group Chief Executive Jez Frampton said they have "always placed great emphasis upon the need for a balance between the logical and the creative. Brands, after all, live in our heads and our hearts. But ultimately, brands are value generators for business. Increasingly, we need to understand how brands deliver value and use this information to better inform business decisions."
In a report put out by Interbrand, they said "Leaders plan for their success by creating, managing and implementing strong strategic visions that make businesses stand out and command attention. The successful brands recognize and commit to this as a cycle of activity, prospering while they deliver economic value to the brand and their organization."
Copyright by Woopidoo.com
BrandZ has released their third annual list of the top 100 most powerful brands in the world, with the Internet search engine Google coming in at number one. The dollar value of the Google brand has increased by 30% to an estimated $86.1 billion according to the BrandZ Top 100 list.
The marketing research firm Millward Brown Optimor created the BrandZ Top 100 list to measure the dollar value of the largest brands worldwide. The list shows that a company's value is not just in it's people, factories, or machinery, but also in the brand of the product or service being sold. Brandz top 100 shows that a brand can be measured, managed, and grown to benefit the company.
The top five most powerful brands of 2008 have remained the same as last year, with all 5 brands increasing their value by at least 15%. After Google is the General Electric brand in second position with an estimated brand value of $71.4 billion. Microsoft was third on the Brandz Top 100 with $70.89 billion, the soft drink Coca-Cola was fourth on the list with a brand value of $58.2 billion, and China Mobile reclaims its 5th position with a value of $57.2 billion.
Technology was a standout performer on the list with major tech brands like Google, Microsoft, IBM, Apple, HP, Cisco, Oracle and Intel all increasing in value. The technology brands on the BrandZ Top 100 list increased in value by 33% over the past 12 months. Mobile phone operators were the only category of brands that performed better than technology, with a brand value increase of 35%.
CEO of Millward Brown Optimor, Joanna Seddon said "This year’s brand ranking demonstrates the importance of investing in brands, especially in times of market turmoil. Strong brands generate superior returns and protect businesses from risk. Our data shows that strong brands continue to outperform weak ones in terms of market share and share price during recessions."
Copyright by Woopidoo.com
by J. Christa Thomas, Lawyer
A recent trend has been for employers to try to classify employees as independent contractors. I am aware of many instances where employers have tried unsuccessfully to categorize an employee as an independent contractor. When the employee failed to remit Canada Pension Plan, income tax or Employment Insurance Premiums, the Minister looked to the employer for the unremitted payments. More importantly many of these employers have found themselves being audited by the Minister of National Revenue.
The mere existence of a formal Independent Contractor Agreement is not determinative of the issue. Regard must be had to all aspects of the relationship. In determining whether an individual is an employee, courts look at the following factors:
(i) whether the employer had the power of selecting, controlling and/or dismissing the individual;
(ii) whether the employer had the right to exercise power of control over the individual;
(iii) ownership of the tools;
(iv) chance of profit; and/or
(v) risk of loss.
If the person would likely be classified as an "employee" one must have regard to the employer's liabilities. An employer is entirely liable for source deductions relating to an employee, such as income tax, Canada Pension Plan, Employment Insurance Premiums and Employer Health Tax.
If an individual is an independent contractor, he/she will be responsible for his/her own remittances of Canada Pension Plan, Employment Insurance Premiums and income tax. The Minister of National Revenue may at any time reassess the individual on the basis that the individual was not an independent contractor but was an employee. This often occurs where the individual has not or can not make the required payments. The Minister could then, in the absence of payment by the individual, require the employer to remit contributions on behalf of the individual.
Notwithstanding the fact that an Independent Contractor Agreement has been executed between an individual and an employer, if the individual's employment is terminated the individual may still claim damages for wrongful dismissal and the relationship between the individual and the employer will be subject to the scrutiny of the court to determine whether the individual was an independent contractor or an employee. If found to be an employee, the individual may also look to the employer for unpaid vacation time.
By: Jim Clemmer
"A passionate interest in what you do is the secret of enjoying life, perhaps the secret of long life, whether it is helping old people or children, or making cheese, or growing earthworms." — Julia Child, American cooking expert, author, and television personality
The French call it joie de vivre, which means joy or love of life. We wrestled long and hard with putting into words the core values that brought us together and define the kind of organization The CLEMMER Group aspires to be. The first cornerstone of our four core values is Passion. Our definition describes our own aspirations and a key quality we find in highly effective leaders:
The CLEMMER Group is brimming with joy of life. We are passionate and we have fun. We have a contagious, positive outlook. We give and get deep meaning from our work. We experience life with an ever-increasing depth. We nurture the hearts and souls of each other and those we serve.
We celebrate our successes along the way. We cultivate the seemingly unnatural — but vital — skill and habit of appreciating and being thankful for what we have and what we've accomplished. We don't just focus on the mountain of unattained goals yet to be climbed, we periodically stop to enjoy the view from the vantage points we've reached.
We believe that organizations, systems, processes, and technology serve people, not the other way around. We love and celebrate the richness of life and infinite human potential in the services we provide and the way we live.
The author and poet, Samuel Ullman, wrote, "Age may wrinkle the face, but lack of enthusiasm wrinkles the soul" (now there's a scary thought — just imagine the leathery, shriveled souls of apathetic people). Enthusiasm is a word that comes from ancient Greek meant "having the god within." Enthusiasm, passion, and love are key drivers in our lives. When we connect with our inner spirit, we feel the most intensely alive. During these moments, our inner voice whispers, "this is the real me."
A teacher was discussing a picture of a family with her first graders. One little boy in the picture had different color hair and skin than the other family members. One student suggested that he was adopted. A little girl, Jenny, chimed in, "I know all about adoptions because I was adopted." "What does it mean to be adopted?" asked another first grader. "It means," answered Jenny, "that you grew in your mommy's heart instead of her tummy."
Passion and love are affairs of the heart, not head. We aren't rational creatures. Take parenting for example. Some days the decision to become parents seems so irrational as to be insane. On those "doubt days," it's easy to understand why some animals eat their young. Credit card bills or election results point to a few more cases of less than rational decisions. Humans use thinking and reason to solve problems and make plans. But it's our hearts more than our heads that move us. Most so-called "rational thinking" is merely justifying actions that start with our feelings. We often make decisions that "feel right," then start looking for the "facts" to support them.
In many organizations, what's often called leadership is really management. Activities such as planning, analysis, problem solving, strategy, process improvement, goal setting, measurement, and such are critical. And they call for good intellectual thinking. But for all their importance, they don't add up to leadership.
Leadership is emotional. Leadership deals with feelings. Leadership is made up of dreams, inspiration, excitement, desire, pride, care, passion, and love. The areas of our lives where we show the strongest leadership — including our communities, families, organizations, products, services, hobbies, and customers — are where we're most in love.
How many times have you thought "I need more customers!"?
If you find that you often feel that you need more customers, then consider this...
85% of new businesses fail within the first five years of operation, and, of those that survive, another 85% will fail within the next five years? The major contributing factor for these failures is that these businesses have focused their resources on finding or "targeting" customers to serve.
There is a common belief held by most business owners that all of their business problems would be solved if they could just figure out the secret to "finding and getting more customers."
And, that is their biggest mistake!
The never-ending search for more customers requires an abundance of people, time, and money... resources which are usually in short supply in most businesses. In such an environment, the effort put forth to "find" customers is actually depleting the business of its energy, creativity, and enthusiasm...commodities required to serve these customers in a satisfying way. And, since dissatisfied customers do not return, the business must keep finding more customers to replace those they have lost.
So, with each repetition of the cycle, the business has less and less ability to provide the level of service that would satisfy the types of customers it originally intended to serve. So, the number of complaints the business receives continues to increase...and eventually, the complaints outweigh the compliments. The word spreads throughout the community. It becomes harder to find customers to serve. Debts then exceed profits. The business fails.
Conversely, those 15% that succeed have structured their business in a way that "attracts" only perfect customers and clients.
I invite you now to replace the thought "I need more customers" with the conviction that "I now attract only perfect customers."
What's the difference?
It's the difference between a successful business and one that struggles to survive. It's the difference between a profitable business and one that pinches pennies. It's the difference between a thriving business and one that is hanging on by a thread.
The Lighthouse Test
How can we tell if our business is structured to "attract" customers to serve?
There is a simple test. We call it the Lighthouse Test.
Imagine a lighthouse standing strong and erect on the rocky shores of a beautiful ocean. On this particular day, the water is calm, the sky is blue, and there are many boats out to sea. Yet, out in the distance, there is a storm cloud forming on the horizon. It is coming closer to shore very quickly. The sky is getting darker, the waves are getting rougher, and many of the boats are being tossed about on the water. As the rains and the winds pick up strength, so does the power of the beam of light emanating from the lighthouse. Some of the boats, anxious to move quickly to a quiet and protective harbor, are relying on this beam of light to guide them safely to the spot. The darker the skies become, the brighter the light shines.
Please also notice that not all of the boats are in need of this beam of light to guide them to safety.
Some have more confident captains and crew, while other boats have equipment that can handle the storm effectively.
Now, imagine that the lighthouse gets upset because some of the boats are choosing not to come to its harbor. Because it wants to protect and serve all of the boats in the sea, it sprouts arms and legs and begins running up and down the beach, waving its arms, doing its best to catch the attention of all the boats. What would be the result?
Most likely, the boats that were depending on the light to guide them would by now have been destroyed in the chaos and confusion caused by the light moving up and down the beach Other boats, led by their curiosity, may come closer to shore to get a better look at the spectacle of a lighthouse running up and down the shore, and then head back out to deeper waters. While others would be perfectly content to stay where they are...out at sea. The end result, very few boats are served safely and securely.
The test lies in asking ourselves when, as business owners and managers, how often are we the lighthouse standing securely on the shore attracting the boats (customers) to us with our light and how often are we running up and down the beach looking for boats (customers) to serve?
WHEN WE ARE LOOKING FOR CUSTOMERS TO SERVE, WE FIND "CUSTOMERS FROM HELL"
When we are looking for people to serve, we must expend a lot of energy. First, we have to figure out where we are most likely to find the greatest number of customers. And, then we must spend more time and money experimenting with the right way to catch their attention. And, once we've caught their attention, we then must convince them that we have what they want. By the time we have actually found someone who is willing to try what we have to give them, we are exhausted!
So, when this customer tells us that they are not completely satisfied with our products, our policies, or our pricing, we are more than willing to make compromises to satisfy them ... truth be known, we are simply too tired to put up a fight. Thinking that we have won the war, we feel we can afford to let them win these smaller conflicts...especially in light of what it would cost us to go out and hunt down another customer to replace this one.
Yet, if we had more strength and solvency, we might be more willing to listen to the tiny inner voice that says, "Be careful...this one could be more trouble than their worth. This is a customer from hell."
Yet, we ignore the voice because we need to make back the money we spent on our marketing and sales program. Or, we convince ourselves that these customers must be perfect for us because they responded to our advertising or clicked on our hyperlink, or we are afraid that the competition will serve them if we don't. Inevitably, though, the voice turns out to be right. By the time we end our tortured relationship with this customer, we feel that no amount of money in the world would have been enough to compensate us for the cost of the experience. We blame the customer for the poor quality of the interaction, but the truth is that, as business owners and managers, we are solely responsible for who we chose to serve.
And, when we create advertising campaigns or promotional strategies that fail to clearly convey the bright light of our unique business distinctions, we find customers that other businesses should be serving.
As soon as we hear that tiny inner voice warning us that we have found a "less-than-perfect" customer, it's a signal that our own distinctive light has gone out. It no longer has the power and brilliance to attract only perfect customers and clients.
Take a moment to picture one of your most perfect clients -- the one person with whom you most enjoy working. If you're like the majority of business people, the client you describe as perfect is the one who respects and values your time, trusts you to have his or her best interests at heart, comes to you with realistic expectations, happily pays what your product or service is worth, is intelligent, trustworthy, and sincere, and refers your business to their friends and family. Perfect customers make you feel needed, appreciated, respected, and understood. Even more, they reconnect you with the passion and purpose that puts joy in your work--the very reason you got into your business in the first place. And, when you think about it, these perfect clients often come to you easily; there was an immediate spark of attraction and connection with this client as if synchronicity brought you together at the perfect time and place.
So...are all of your clients or customers perfect? If your answer is "no," then consider a new marketing model... one that transforms your approach, attitudes and behavior to create the synchronicity that easily attracts perfect clients and customers to your business.
The Strategic Attraction™ process works for every business, just as successfully as it has for Dan Krohn, attorney.
"After working with the Strategic Attraction™ process to identify my perfect client, I became convinced that there are indeed more than enough such perfect clients to keep me busy. The work started to flow in, and it's been coming in at an increasing rate ever since. What's more, I have the extraordinary pleasure of working almost exclusively with clients whom I like -- a luxury few attorneys ever experience!"
Copyright 2001 PerfectCustomers Inc.
By Laura Lake, About.com
Internet Marketing can attract more people to your website, increase customers for your business, and enchance branding of your company and products. If you are just beginning your online marketing strategy the top 10 list below will get you started on a plan that has worked for many.
Start with a web promotion plan and an effective web design and development strategy.
Get ranked at the top in major search engines, and practice good Search Optimization Techniques.
Learn to use Email Marketing Effectively.
Dominate your marketing niche with affiliate, reseller, and associate programs.
Request a free web site analysis from an Internet marketing coach or Internet marketing consultant.
Build a responsive opt-in email list.
Publish articles or get listed in news stories.
Write and publish online press releases.
Facilitate and run contests and giveaways via your web site.
Use email autoresponders and handle your e-mail efficiently and effectively.
By following the above tips you'll be on your way to creating a concrete Internet Marketing Strategy that could boost your business substantially.
How to Know if You Are a Searchlight or a Lighthouse
How many times have you thought that dating is too hard and you will never find that perfect person?
PerfectCustomers, Inc., is a catalyst for a new reality in relationship-building known as the Strategic Attraction Planning Process™, to empower people to replace the thought "It's hard to find that perfect person for me" with the conviction that "I now attract only the most perfect relationship to me." Most people agree that looking for Mr. or Mrs. Right takes a lot of energy. First, you must figure out where you are most likely to find the type of people you are interested in dating. And, then you must spend more time and money experimenting with the right way to catch their attention. And, once you've caught their attention, you then must convince them that you are what they want.
So, when this prospective mate tells you that they are not completely satisfied with you -- your qualities, your interests, your friends, your personality, etc. -- you are more than willing to make compromises to satisfy them ... truth be known, you are simply too tired from the chase to put up a fight. Perhaps, thinking that you have won the war, you feel you can afford to let them win these smaller conflicts...especially in light of what it would cost in time and energy to go out and hunt down another prospective mate to replace this one.
Yet, if you had more strength and confidence, you might be more willing to listen to the tiny inner voice that says, "Be careful...this one could be more trouble than its worth."
Perhaps, though, you ignore the voice because someone has told you that you are being 'too picky.' Or, this person has more potential than the last one. Or, you don't want to consider losing this person to the competition. Inevitably, though, the voice turns out to be right. By the time you end your tortured relationship, you feel that no amount of money in the world would have been enough to compensate you for the cost of the experience.
PerfectCustomers promotres that this is the inevitable result when you approach dating as a game to be won -- and it's up to you to find the prize.
THE LIGHTHOUSE TEST
PerfectCustomers suggess taking the "Lighthouse Test" to determine if you are ready to give the game and begin using the universal Law of Attraction to bring the relationship that is a perfect fit for you right to your door.
Imagine a lighthouse standing strong and erect on the rocky shores of a beautiful ocean. On this particular day, the water is calm, the sky is blue, and there are many boats out to sea. Yet, out in the distance, there is a storm cloud forming on the horizon. It is coming closer to shore very quickly. The sky is getting darker, the waves are getting rougher, and many of the boats are being tossed about on the water. As the rains and the winds pick up strength, so does the power of the beam of light emanating from the lighthouse. Some of the boats, anxious to move quickly to a quiet and protective harbor, are relying on this beam of light to guide them safely to the spot. The darker the skies become, the brighter the light shines.
Notice that not all of the boats are in need of this beam of light to guide them to safety. Some have more confident captains and crew, while other boats have equipment that can handle the storm effectively.
Now, imagine that the lighthouse gets upset because some of the boats are choosing not to come to its harbor. Because it wants to protect and serve all of the boats in the sea, it sprouts arms and legs and begins running up and down the beach, waving its arms, doing its best to catch the attention of all the boats. What would be the result?
Most likely, the boats that were depending on the light to guide them would by now have been destroyed in the chaos and confusion caused by the light moving up and down the beach Other boats, led by their curiosity, may come closer to shore to get a better look at the spectacle of a lighthouse running up and down the shore, and then head back out to deeper waters. While others would be perfectly content to stay where they are...out at sea. The end result, very few boats are served safely and securely.
PerfectCustomers states that the test lies in asking yourself what percentage of time do feel like the lighthouse standing securely on the shore attracting the boats (prospective partners) with the power of your inner light and how often do you feel as if you are running up and down the beach looking for boats (prospective partners) to meet?
PERFECT POTENTIAL PARTNERS COME RIGHT TO YOUR SHORE
Take a moment now to consider the qualities of a prospective partner that you would descirbe as perfect for you. Some of the qualities you might include about this person is that they are some one who respects and values your time, trusts you have his or her best interests at heart, and comes to the relationship with realistic expectations. Perfect partners make you feel needed, appreciated, respected, and understood. Even more, they reconnect you with the passion and purpose that puts joy in your life.
According to PerfectCustomers, the key to ensuring that you are only attracting the most perfect potential partners lies in the asking of four simple questions which comprise a Strategic Attraction Plan™.
1. What Are the Qualities of My Most Perfect Partner?
2. What Makes My Perfect Partner Tick?
3. What Do I Want My Perfect Partner To Expect Of Me?
4. What Do I Have To Improve To Be More 'Attractive' To My Perfect Partner?
That's it. The Process is very simple. And, PerfectCustomers, Inc., guarantees that shifts will occur within 48 hours of answering these four questions. In addition to the thousands of their clients who have had amazing results with this Process, they believe that this Process is the key to their own successful marriages. In fact, Stacey met her husband of 10 years within two days of creating her Perfect Partner Attraction Plan. They were engaged within 3 weeks and married within four months of their first meeting.
The most perfect relationship is the one that supports us in being everything we are meant to be in this world and beyond. This may be a radical concept for those of us who believe that we have to sacrifice ourselves in order to have a relationship. We are simply inviting you to play with this Plan and see what happens. Are you ready to play?
For more information on how to develop your Perfect Romantic Partner Strategic Attraction Plan
by: Brian Bartes
When you think of “success” what comes to mind? Maybe you think of a business owner with a wife, two kids, a dog, and a white picket fence surrounding a big suburban house? Maybe you think of a single, up-and-comer businesswoman with a fancy apartment in the city and a closet full of designer clothes? In reality, “success” is what makes you happy, not what makes society happy. Perhaps the two individuals in the examples above are successful—but only if they’re happy.
When you think of “success” what comes to mind? Maybe you think of a business owner with a wife, two kids, a dog, and a white picket fence surrounding a big suburban house? Maybe you think of a single, up-and-comer businesswoman with a fancy apartment in the city and a closet full of designer clothes? In reality, “success” is what makes you happy, not what makes society happy. Perhaps the two individuals in the examples above are successful—but only if they’re happy.
People view success very differently. Let’s say two women both in their early thirties have comparable account manager positions in an advertising agency. One, named Kristy just returned from maternity leave, and the other Lynne has no children and is focusing on her career. Kristy is very content because she is able to put in her eight hours a day and then go home to her baby. She likes her job, but she is working just to collect a paycheck. She isn’t looking to advance her career. Lynne is very ambitious and has many professional goals. She’s working overtime and taking on extra projects to prove herself to management. She’s often praised for her determination and good work ethic. When comparing the two employees side-by-side, Lynne “appears” to be the more successful employee because Kristy does only what is required of her to get the job done and Lynne goes above and beyond. However, in actuality both employees feel that they’re successful in their own minds. What does success mean to you? Maybe it means:
• Raising a family.
• Spreading the word of God.
• Climbing the corporate ladder.
• Sending your kids to college.
• Serving your country.
• Staying sober.
• Traveling the world.
• Helping the less fortunate.
• Running a marathon.
• Buying a sports car.
• Skydiving to conquer your fear of heights.
If you haven’t determined what success means to you, you might feel lost. You might wonder what your purpose is in life. You might try to figure out in which direction you should go. So, how do you determine what success means to you? Try this simple approach:
1. Take time. Take some time and really think about what makes you happy.
2. Make a list. List what you need to do to achieve this happiness.
3. Break it down. Break down the steps into achievable tasks, so you can actually see the progress you are making.
4. Evaluate your progress. Success doesn’t happen overnight. Keep close tabs on your tasks and make sure that you are not only following through with them, but that they still support your goal of happiness.
5. Reward yourself. Reward yourself for progress and completion of a job well done! When you know what success means to you, you will feel purposeful, fulfilled, and content. You won’t worry about keeping up with other people or trying to live by their standards. You should also respect other people’s definitions of success. So, do what makes you happy and you can say “Yes, I am successful!”
About The Author
Brian Bartes is a top personal and business success coach. His bi-weekly newsletter is filled with strategies that support you in achieving greater success in your personal and professional life. Subscribe today at his website, http://www.lifeexcellence.com/. This article may be used with the author’s name and website included. Please email a link or forward a copy of the publication if published.
Read More..
By: Kristine Geimure
Being an entrepreneur is about more than just starting a business or two, it is about having attitude and the drive to succeed in business. All successful Entrepreneurs have a similar way of thinking and posses several key personal qualities that make them so successful in business. Successful entrepreneurs like the ambitious Richard Branson have an inner drive to succeed and grow their business, rather than having a Harvard Business degree or technical knowledge in a particular field.
All successful entrepreneurs have the following qualities:Inner Drive to SucceedEntrepreneurs are driven to succeed and expand their business. They see the bigger picture and are often very ambitious. Entrepreneurs set massive goals for themselves and stay committed to achieving them regardless of the obstacles that get in the way.
Strong Belief in themselvesSuccessful entrepreneurs have a healthy opinion of themselves and often have a strong and assertive personality. They are focused and determined to achieve their goals and believe completely in their ability to achieve them. Their self optimism can often been seen by others as flamboyance or arrogance but entrepreneurs are just too focused to spend too much time thinking about un-constructive criticism.
Search for New Ideas and InnovationAll entrepreneurs have a passionate desire to do things better and to improve their products or service. They are constantly looking for ways to improve. They're creative, innovative and resourceful.
Openness to ChangeIf something is not working for them they simply change. Entrepreneurs know the importance of keeping on top of their industry and the only way to being number one is to evolve and change with the times. They're up to date with the latest technology or service techniques and are always ready to change if they see a new opportunity arise.
Competitive by NatureSuccessful entrepreneurs thrive on competition. The only way to reach their goals and live up to their self imposed high standards is to compete with other successful businesses.
Highly Motivated and EnergeticEntrepreneurs are always on the move, full of energy and highly motivated. They are driven to succeed and have an abundance of self motivation. The high standards and ambition of many entrepreneurs demand that they have to be motivated!
Accepting of Constructive Criticism and RejectionInnovative entrepreneurs are often at the forefront of their industry so they hear the words "it can't be done" quite a bit. They readjust their path if the criticism is constructive and useful to their overall plan, otherwise they will simply disregard the comments as pessimism. Also, the best entrepreneurs know that rejection and obstacles are a part of any leading business and they deal with them appropriately.
True entrepreneurs are resourceful, passionate and driven to succeed and improve. They're pioneers and are comfortable fighting on the frontline The great ones are ready to be laughed at and criticized in the beginning because they can see their path ahead and are too busy working towards their dream.
The secret of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) success
Posted by The Team of Spirit Labels: Succes StoriesBy Badrishah (See below)
Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) is a very well known restaurant in the world. It is rated at number 60 as the world most well known brand by BusinessWeek (McDonalds at number 9 and Nescafe, 23).
Its history spans almost 80 years when it started at Corbin (Kentucky-USA), in the 1930s. During this period the United States was under The Great Depression with almost 25% unemployment rate. The hard time was probably one of the biggest factor in forcing Harland Sanders ("The Colonel") to start experimenting with various mix of spices and herbs, trying to get the best formula for his recipe. (If we still remember the Asian Economic Crash 1997-2002, one of the last remaining business that kept going during the recession was the food industry).
By 1939, the recipe was already perfected and the Colonel had expanded his restaurant to accomodate 142 seats. This was a fairy large restaurant, the size is equivalent to several tennis courts.
However there was one problem. The WAITING time! It took almost 30 minutes for the chicken to properly cooked. Turn the gas bigger and you risk of having the chicken cooked on the outside but still red with blood inside.
Saved by the Pressure Cooker
Thanks to technology, in 1939 pressure cooker was introduced. Pressure cooker allow liquid to boils at higher temperature. Water for example normally boils at 100 degree Celcius, but with a pressure cooker the sealed lid doesn't allow air or liquid to escape and enable water to boils higher at 125 celcius.
This significantly shortened the time for cooking and as an added advantage, the nutrients (hence the taste) are retained making the food more delicious. Since the boiling point is much higher, this would also kill more germs and make the food last longer.
It should be noted that The Colonel spotted the pressure cooking technique just weeks after it was introduced. This means he was always looking for ways to improve the taste and the time it takes to cook the famous kentucky fried chicken.
Time means money.
Every minutes saved means less time waiting and more satisfaction to the customers. This would also encourage a first time buyer to become repeat customers.
The Colonel is also a smart guy. He can read the writing on the wall. By early 1950s, he probably heard rumours that an Interstate Highway is going to be built BYPASSING his town. This could have a devastating effect on his business. He is now probably under serious dilemma. When the Interstate was finally opened in 1955, it caused a huge diversion of traffic away from his town.
Owning a big percentage in a small town VS Owning a small percentage in a large country.
Seeing an end to his business, the Colonel auctioned off his operations. Confident with the quality of his fried chicken, the Colonel started travelling from town to town franchising his recipe. He visited countless restaurants, promoting his recipe by cooking fried chickens for the owner and the workers.
The first franchise was awarded to Pete Harman of Salt Lake City. A handshake agreement stipulates a payment of a nickel to the Colonel for each chicken sold. This is one of the real strength of the franchise system. It provides a stream of money albeit the sum is initially very small.
Building a franchise network is like building a pipe for money to flow to you. In the beginning, the cost is huge because you have to set the infrastructure, digging the earth, linking pipes, bypassing obstacles etc. In the beginning the volume of water flow (money) in your pipe is also dismal.
After a few years of hard work, the effort will start to bear fruits. A penny here, a penny there, ten pennies from this town, a hundred pennies from that city, a thousand pennies from this district, ten thousand pennies from that state and it happen EVERY DAY! Before long it started to make a huge impact on your income.
The KFC secret recipe: Does it matter?
It is an open secret that the KFC is made of a mix of 11 herbs & spices. Using modern spectrometer, we can blast the Colonel spice with X-ray photoelectron or burn them with a specially designed gas and study the result.
With a database of results made with similar technique using all spices & herbs known to mankind, it would take just weeks before we could identified the exact names and percentage of those 11 spices. However, DOES IT MATTER?? Does it really matter to know the exact names and compositions of those spices?
An average businessman would think the secret recipe is so valuable and willing to pay millions for a copy of it.
A genius businessman would not pay even a penny!!
It is the franchise system, not the spice recipe.
Have you been to a night market ("pasar malam") and tried the fried chickens sold by the hawkers? Have you ever been to a small restaurant or a foodstall and found out that the fried chicken was so crispy and delicious?
Then you were wondering why this small time businessman did not make a fortune out of his "secret recipe"!
The next time you visited the restaurant again, did you notice that:-
• sometimes there was nobody to take orders
• sometimes it was closed without properly giving a notice in advance
• sometimes the table was in a mess and nobody to clean even after 5 minutes you were seated.
• sometimes the sink was dirty and choke full with food residual.
• sometimes the fried chicken was overcooked, and at other times it was undercooked.
• sometimes the fried chicken was too hot and at other times it was not so spicy.
What is the point?
The "secret recipe" represent only a small percentage of the success of the KFC franchise. If I were to give a percent, it may not represent more than 20% of the total success.
THE SUCCESS IS DUE TO THE FRANCHISE SYSTEM!!
In a franchise system, everything is documented and there are strict rules for running the business. For example:-
• The chicken must be cooked in a pressure cooker and left for 15 minutes
• The size of each of the chicken parts must at least 8 cm wide and weight 300 grams
• The chicken must be marinated overnight
• The age of the chicken when they were slaughtered must be between 60-70 days
• The minimum size of the restaurant must be 24x60 feet
• The color of the logo, the chair and the table must be yellow and the floor is dark grey.
• The toilet must be cleaned every 3 hours.
• The sink must be cleaned every 30 minutes
• The windows must be cleaned every morning
• Food left unsold after 15 minutes must be discarded.
• The worker must wear company-shirt and trousers. No jeans, corduroy or leather.
• 5% of gross earning must be used for local advertisement
• 1% of gross earning must be used for national level advertisement
• 3% must be used for R&D to develop new recipes & local brand.
• The food must also be offered in discounted packages (e.g 2 chicken, 1 fries, 1 glass of pepsi)
• The food can be ordered seperately / "ala carte" but no discount applies.
• The restaurant must have air-condition.
• Etc.. etc..
This long list of standard operating procedures is actually the key to the success of the franchise. The long list is actually an accumulated wisdom and know-how the franchise system have developed after a few decades of operation.
Finally we found the holy grail!!
THE "SECRET RECIPE" of KFC SUCCESS IS ACTUALLY THE WHOLE FRANCHISE SYSTEM!!
About The Author
Badrishah is an ex University Sains Malaysia (USM) student who spent 1 year studying franchise system & the success and fall of businesses.
He is a member of MFA online forum.
2005-2007 Copyright Reserved
The top two motivating factors for Australians planning to buy a franchise before 2010 are the potential to earn and the enhanced lifestyle offered by the change of career path, a recent survey found.
In the national independent online survey, commissioned by Mortgage Choice, of people in the 25 to 55-year age group earning $60,000+ per annum, the top reason for running their own franchise was ‘income potential’. However, running a very close second was ‘improved lifestyle’.
Interestingly, the top two choices for 25-30 year olds were ‘improved lifestyle’ and ‘flexibility with the ability to control your own time/movements/etc’ — ‘income potential’ was third — while the top two for the 51-55 year group was ‘income potential’ and ‘channelling your experience into your own business’. For them, ‘improved lifestyle’ was fifth on the list of priorities.
Mortgage Choice National Manager Corporate Affairs, Warren O’Rourke said this stark contrast in responses for the older and younger generations was not so surprising. “Australian society is realising more and more that Generation Y and the younger Generation X want to work to live, not live to work,” he said.
“The objective of the survey was to determine drivers of behaviour when it comes to Australians looking to purchase a franchise. We wanted to take a good look at the current temperature of the market for potential franchisees.”
Overall, the top three reasons for respondents planning to run their own franchise business were: ‘income potential’, chosen by 47.3 per cent of respondents, ‘improved lifestyle’ (45.3 per cent) and ‘flexibility with the ability to control your own time/movements/etc’ (44.5 per cent). The next few were: ‘looking for stimulation, challenge and personal achievement’ (45.0 per cent), ‘security of being your own boss’ (40.03 per cent), ‘channel your experience into your own business’ (26.7 per cent) and ‘more time for family’ (25.0 per cent).
So which industries’ franchise numbers will we see growing as a result of these franchisee-to-be? Australians who love their food will be very pleased.
The most popular response to the question regarding franchise system industries being looked at to buy within was ‘retail — food, restaurants and cafes’. This was the most popular option for every age group apart from the 51-55 year group, whose top option was ‘business and professional services’ (chosen by 47.81 per cent).
Overall, 27.2 per cent said ‘business and professional services’, 21.2 per cent said ‘health, beauty and personal services’, 19.2 per cent chose ‘domestic services’, 19.0 per cent said education and training services’ and 18.6 per cent said ‘financial services’.
It is worth noticing how the interest in ‘white collar’ franchising continues to grow with a healthy percentage of respondents considering business and professional services and financial services as viable options.
The Entrepreneurs Strength and Curse
by David Mammano
Otherwise known as the idea train, an entrepreneurs' way if thinking is her biggest strength and, if not carefully managed, could be her biggest curse.
I probably have a new idea every day. And at the time I have it, I usually get so excited that I think it's the next best thing. In mind, at that time, I have just made Steve Jobs look like an amateur.
Ok Dave - whatever...
But, at the same time, some of my ideas are pretty good. I wouldn't have a successful business if they weren't. And of course, some of my ideas are....let's say, put on hold.
If I actually acted on all my ideas, my company would have imploded a long time ago. One can stretch a company too thin where it begins to lose focus. I started in this direction a few years ago. A member of my team made a comment to me that was very enlightening. She said, "I feel as though lately we are growing like a shrub instead of a tree."
It was a very powerful statement and made me think about pruning the shrub so we can grow like a tree again. And we have.
Now when I have ideas, I present them to my managers first to flesh them out. This can be a frustrating experience because entrepreneurs and managers think differently, thank God. If he's smart, the entrepreneur has surrounded himself with detailed managers who can say no to him when appropriate. Most entrepreneurs don't like their ideas to be grilled and possibly put on hold or nixed for the benefit of the company. So, he will give his managers the right to set him straight if the idea is not the best for the company at that time; or needs to be altered/killed.
Of course, I can do whatever I want within my own company. But in my mind, it's not my own company. If I don't have the buy in from management and the rest of the team the idea will never take shape.
So here is my 10 step plan on how to entrepreneurs can deal with their ideas:
1) Marry well. Your spouse should be the first one to tell you if the idea has merit or if you're smoking something. You can save your team a lot of time if your spouse can nix the idea first. My wife has a special talent to see through my special"forest" and if I am in "DaveLand" with one of my ideas, she'll let me know. "DaveLand" is actually a great place! The sky is red and there is fun everywhere (and great food), but it's not for everybody...
2) Hire well. It's obvious, but some ego maniacs surround themselves with minion-like people. I have empowered my team to challenge me and let me know when I am getting off course. If I did not do this years ago, my idea train could have derailed the company.
3) Develop a process to discuss ideas with your management team. Form a R&D committee or just have a discussion at your weekly manager meeting
4) Explain the opportunity or problem to solve and see what they come up with first.
5) Present your thoughts at a very high level. Don't get tactical yet. Just the 50,000 foot view.
6) Be calm. Don't try to "sell" your idea. Stick to discussing the opportunity in a calm, rational way and let the conversation flow. If your managers feel they are being sold an idea, their BS meter may go off. This could really change the direction of the discussion.
7) Ask them to pitch the idea back to you. Then ask, "What does it look like when we, as a company, execute this idea really well and so that it doesn't strain the company?"
8) On a white board, brainstorm all the reasons why you shouldn't move forward with the idea. Then, list all the reason why it's a good idea.
9) Listen half as much as you talk.
10) Be ready to walk away from the idea, or alter it.
It seems like a lot to go though, I know. Many entrepreneurs might be reading this and saying, "Bull! The reason I started a business is to do whatever I want, whenever I want!" That may work if you are a one man show. But if you have people working for you, you'd be smart to rely on their intelligence to guide you. Hopefully, that's a big reason why you hired them.
Another big reason to go through this process is the actual execution of the idea. Traditionally, entrepreneurs are builders of ideas but not always great at seeing them through. You'll need your team to embrace the idea if you expect them to execute it well.
Bottom line; make sure you allow really great passengers on your idea train who can help you drive.
Enjoy your ride.
An Indonesian businessman has scattered 100 million rupiah ($10,700; £5,406) in banknotes from a plane to promote his new motivational book.
Tung Desem Waringin said he would rather share money for a promotional campaign with people who needed it.
His plane flew over a sports field in Serang city, 60km (40 miles) west of Jakarta, dropping four loads of bills of small denomination.
Crowds had been gathering after rumours of the stunt spread on Saturday.
Mr Tung, 42, admitted his scheme was a little "crazy", but said he wanted to create "a rain of money" over Jakarta.
He had been refused permission to conduct the flight over the capital amid security concerns.
Millions of Indonesians live below the poverty line and distributions of free food and aid regularly draw large crowds.
Basically, you might look at marketing as the wide range of activities involved in making sure that you're continuing to meet the needs of your customers and are getting value in return. Marketing analysis includes finding out what groups of potential customers (or markets) exist, what groups of customers you prefer to serve (target markets), what their needs are, what products or services you might develop to meet their needs, how the customers might prefer to use the products and services, what your competitors are doing, what pricing you should use and how you should distribute products and services to your target markets. Various methods of market research are used to find out information about markets, target markets and their needs, competitors, etc. Marketing also includes ongoing promotions, which can include advertising, public relations, sales and customer service.
Marketing is the wide range of activities involved in making sure that you're continuing to meet the needs of your customers and getting value in return. Marketing is usually focused on one product or service. Thus, a marketing plan for one product might be very different than that for another product. Marketing activities include "inbound marketing," such as market research to find out, for example, what groups of potential customers exist, what their needs are, which of those needs you can meet, how you should meet them, etc. Inbound marketing also includes analyzing the competition, positioning your new product or service (finding your market niche), and pricing your products and services. "Outbound marketing" includes promoting a product through continued advertising, promotions, public relations and sales.
Definition: A portion of a market that you've identified as having some special characteristic and that's worth marketing to
Creating a good niche involves following this seven-step process:
1. Make a wish list. With whom do you want to do business? Be as specific as you can: Identify the geographical range and the types of businesses or customers you want your business to target. If you don't know whom you want to do business with, you can't make contact.
These days, the trend is toward smaller niches (Targeting teenagers isn't specific enough; targeting male, African-American teenagers with family incomes of $40,000 and up is. Aiming at companies that sell software is too broad; aiming at Northern California-based companies that provide internet software sales and training and have sales of $15 million or more is a better goal.
2. Focus. Clarify what you want to sell, remembering this: a) You can't be all things to all people and b) "smaller is bigger." Your niche is not the same as the field in which you work. For example, a retail clothing business is not a niche but a field. A more specific niche may be "maternity clothes for executive women."
To begin this focusing process, use these techniques to help you:
· Make a list of things you do best and the skills implicit in each of them.
· List your achievements.
· Identify the most important lessons you have learned in life.
· Look for patterns that reveal your style or approach to resolving problems.
Your niche should arise naturally from your interests and experience. For example, if you spent 10 years working in a consulting firm, but also spent 10 years working for a small, family-owned business, you may decide to start a consulting business that specializes in small, family-owned companies.
3. Describe the customer's worldview. When you look at the world from your prospective customers' perspective, you can identify their needs or wants. The best way to do this is to talk to prospective customers and identify their main concerns.
4. Synthesize. At this stage, your niche should begin to take shape as your ideas and the client's needs and wants coalesce to create something new. A good niche has five qualities:
1. It takes you where you want to go--in other words, it conforms to your long-term vision.
2. Somebody else wants it--namely, customers.
3. It's carefully planned.
4. It's one-of-a-kind, the "only game in town."
5. It evolves, allowing you to develop different profit centers and still retain the core business, thus ensuring long-term success.
5. Evaluate. Now it's time to evaluate your proposed product or service against the five criteria in Step 4. Perhaps you'll find that the niche you had in mind requires more business travel than you're ready for. That means it doesn't fulfill one of the above criteria--it won't take you where you want to go. So scrap it, and move on to the next idea.
6. Test. Once you have a match between niche and product, test-market it. This can be done by offering samples, such as a free mini-seminar or a sample copy of your newsletter.
7. Go for it! It's time to implement your idea. For many entrepreneurs, this is the most difficult stage. But fear not: If you did your homework, entering the market will be a calculated risk, not just a gamble.
Once your niche is established and well received by your market, you may be tempted to rest on your laurels. Not a good idea. Ask yourself the following questions when you think you have found your niche--and ask them again every six months or so to make sure your niche is still on target:
· Who are your target clients?
· Who aren't your target clients?
· Do you refuse certain kinds of business if it falls outside your niche?
· What do clients think you stand for?
· Is your niche in a constant state of evolution?
· Does your niche offer what prospective customers want?
· Do you have a plan and delivery system that effectively conveys the need for your niche to the right market?
· Can you confidently predict the life cycle of your niche?
· How can your niche be expanded into a variety of products or services that act as profit centers?
· Do you have a sense of passion and focused energy with respect to your niche?
· Does your niche feel comfortable and natural?
· How will pursuing your niche contribute to achieving the goals you have set for your business?
AMA releases new definition of marketing
Chicago—The American Marketing Association (AMA) has unveiled a new definition of marketing to reflect the discipline’s broader role in society.
The new definition reads, “Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large.”
It will be used as the official definition of marketing in books and taught in university lecture halls nationwide, according to the AMA.
“One of the most important changes to American Marketing Association’s new definition for marketing is that marketing is presented as a broader activity,” said Nancy Costopulos, CMO of the American Marketing Association. “Marketing is no longer a function—it is an educational process.”
The previous definition read, “Marketing is an organizational function and a set of processes for creating, communicating, and delivering value to customers and for managing customer relationships in ways that benefit the organization and its stakeholders.”
—Kate Maddox
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)