changes in website
April 30, 2005
I am updating my website at learnsmallbusiness.com because I didn’t have enough room to put a lot of content on the site. I had a plan that only allowed 5 pages. Well needless to say I just keep my domain name there now. Expect some improvements in the design in the upcoming weeks.
Simple Tips For Getting Your Loan
April 27, 2005
Simple Tips For Getting Your Loan
Author: T. O’ Donnell
So, you want to get a loan?
Here are some simple tips that will help you make an informed
decision about what kind to get, and who to get it from.
First ask yourself: do you really need it?
Can you manage without it?
Is it for something frivolous, like a holiday?
Could you get the money by other means: part-time job, from a
relative, the sale an asset?
Don’t put a monkey on your back if you can avoid it.
A loan varies according to:
The amount borrowed;
The interest rate;
The type of rate (fixed or variable);
The term (repayment time in months or years);
Deposit (downpayment);
Associated fees (broker, origination, prepayment etc.);
Insurance required by the lender.
You are buying money for more than it cost the lender. Simple.
It’s a mistake to only care about the interest rate; there are
also arrangement fees and prepayment penalties to consider.
Many ‘no fee’ credit lines have a pre-payment penalty. This is
how brokers and lenders make their money. Work out the total
cost of your loan before committing.
To ensure you get the best terms, keep your credit-line as
small as possible. Loan officers tend to count the total line
of credit available as a liability.
Pay off small debts before the due date. Cancel credit cards
you are not using. Consider their interest rates and fees,
when deciding which cards to keep.
If your spending is out of control, don’t put your home at risk
by getting a home equity credit line to pay off your credit-card
debts.
Shop for rates when the market is calm. Rates change from day
to day, so compare lenders. The quotes you get should all be
from the same time period.
Submit a neat application form; it shows you’re business-like
and efficient. It will be read and assessed by a human being;
appearances count.
Only pay up-front fees to well-known institutions, or ones
highly recommended by trusted sources.
Don’t sign documents without reading them. As soon as possible,
before you close the deal, review the documents you’ll be
signing, and make sure you understand them, so you won’t have
to sign them in a hurry.
Keep a copy of every cheque you write for your loan. If you
call your lender about your loan, make sure you get the full
name of the person with whom you speak. Make a note of it. You
may be dealing with a large bureaucracy, and will need to refer
to this conversation later.
If you find yourself in a dispute with a lender, don’t send
correspondence to the same address you send your payment. You
need to deal with the decision-makers, not the account clerks.
About The Author: About the author: T. O’ Donnell
(http://www.tigertom.com/personal-loans-uk.shtml) offers
personal loans, advice, an ebook and a loan calculator, in
London, UK.
Tips For Starting Your Home Based Business
by Loring A. Windblad
There are many reasons why people choose to start a home-based
business. Some of these are:
1. Dissatisfied with your present employment situation.
2. Out of work due for whatever reason.
3. You need to be home to care for young children.
4. You need to be at home to care for an infirm family member
or aging parents.
5. You really want to be your own boss.
6. You really could use an additional income source.
7. You wish to have more time to spend with family or friends.
Over the years I have identified two of the most important
factors in recognizing people who should not be starting a home
based business. If a prospective entrepreneur says something
like…
“I’m broke — I need to make some fast money!”
or,
“I really want to start a home-based business but I don’t want to
spend any money on the business until I start making some money.”
…it is certain that they have not addressed reality and, with
that mindset, they will most certainly fail.
First, It takes a lot of time to successfully market and promote
a new business and, if it is an internet business, a whole lot of
“savvy” and information and resources you have probably never
heard of. For a pretty good “first start” effort at setting up
your internet business, see my article Tips For A Successful
Internet Business.doc, also available through this resource –
GoArticles.com. If you are planning a home-based business in order
to spend a lot of time with young children or care for the
elderly, a full-time business (and income) may not be a realistic
objective.
Second, spend some time researching your business idea. The
internet is a great source of information.
Third, learn as much as you can about small business. go to
http://www.sba.gov/ and navigate to the sections dealing with
home based businesses.
Fourth, write a business plan. Beyond my own eBook on starting a
Home-based Business, here are a couple of Small Business
Administration website locations that should prove useful:
http://www.sba.gov/starting/indexbusplans.html
http://www.sba.gov/library/pubs.html
Finally, seek the advice of a tax professional. See my article on
taxes and choosing your tax man for some valuable tips and
insight into this aspect of your Home-based business.
Whatever your reason(s) for starting a home-based business and
whatever kind of endeavor you choose, there are a few common
steps you need to take in order to launch your business and be
successful.
Right now your first step should be to learn all you can about
beginning a successful Home-based business. I have written
several articles, which I’m turning into an eBook, on all the
basic tips you need to start your own successful Home-based
Business, be it truly “at home” or “on the internet”. Check the
following article list and pick out all you believe would be
helpful to you:
1. Do I Really Need A Business Plan.doc
2. Writing A Homebased Business Plan.doc
3. Tax advantages of a homebased business.doc
4. How to Set Up Easy, Efficient Bookeeping.doc
5. Should You Pay to Join a Home Business Opportunity.doc
6. There’s No Such Thing As A Free Lunch Anymore.doc
7. How to Make Your Hobby Pay.doc
8. Tips For A Successful Internet Business.doc
9. Telecommuting, The New Way To Work From Home.doc
10. Writing Effectively Part 1.doc
11. Writing Effectively Part 2.doc
12. Home Based Business Time Wasters.doc
Then email me and request all the articles — by title — you
decide you will need or will be helpful to you…and get started
on your new successful Homebased business life. I’ll email your
articles to you in MS .DOC format. They’re free. Or go to my
website and download the complete eBook — for free. But give it
until April because its not yet written — it’s still just a
plan that needs to come together. The full eBook will have a few
more topics and chapters than the article list above.
I’m always amazed at the number of people who seem to think that
magic is somehow created when you put in the words “home based”
ahead of “business”. It’s still a business…it just happens to
be based in the home…and you have to treat it “as a business”,
keep regular business hours, and do everything you would do if
you went to the office in order to have a successful “home-based
business”. There simply are no substitutes for hard work and
focus.
Copyright © 2004 Loring A. Windblad
About Loring: Loring Windblad has operated his own HBBs for
nearly 40 years, is a published author and freelance writer.
Loring has written grants, business plans and resumes that got
the job done right. His latest HBB endeavor is
http://www.organicgreens.us
111387007734980144
April 18, 2005
Things to think about before selecting a network marketing company.
So you’re interested in becoming involved with network marketing. Great. That’s a great way for you to acheive financial freedom. There are hundreds of network marketing companies out there. How do you choose which one to work with? Here are some suggestions.
1. Visit the website. Is the emphasis on products or recruitment? If the emphasis is more on recruitment than products, I would not join such a program because of the amount of work necessary to keep a team of people motivated to produce results.
2. Is the product something that will require a customer to make a regular purchase?
3. Is it easy to explain the product?
4. Is the entry fee high?
These are a few things to consider before joining a network marketing company.
Visit http://www.learnsmallbusiness.com for more business tips.
111386956706180262
April 18, 2005
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April 13, 2005
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Do You Really Want Your Own Business? (audio)
April 12, 2005
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Do You Really Want Your Own Business?
April 11, 2005
Do You REALLY Want Your Own business???
by Michael Harrison
Do you REALLY want your own business? It may sound a silly question but there are motivational issues to consider before you start!
The ideal of being your own boss is very attractive and casually asked most people would say, “yes to be my own boss would be great.”
However, it needs to go farther than being the ideal. Having your own business is super. But what is it that you are really setting out to achieve?
1. Is it.
Freedom from employment?
Freedom from 9-5?
Freedom from boredom?
Freedom in general?
2. Or are you wanting
To be rich?
A better lifestyle?
More time with your family and friends?
More time for sports and recreation?
3. Or do you need to
Fulfil a long held ambition?
Create a product from your world beating idea?
Create something which will be your legacy to – your family, your community, mankind?
Express your creative talents?
Create income?
I have pulled these questions out of the air to illustrate a vital issue for consideration in your thinking and motivation when starting your own business. There are probably others that I have not thought about at this moment and if I have not covered yours please apply the thinking to your situation.
What matters is that as you decide to make the leap into the exciting business of becoming independent you must be clear on your motives. Your motives, their priority and your honest understanding of them will have a direct bearing on your chances of success.
The points listed under section 1 are in my view understandable but no real foundation for starting a business. If you want to escape you will need to be very clear on what you are escaping from and where you are escaping to, you do not want to start a business only to find that you are not really suited to it.
The points made in sections 2 and 3 are more positive. Giving them and any others specific to your circumstances close consideration and priority ranking will lead to an understanding of why you want to make the change in your life. What is your motivation and what goals you are setting for yourself?
How exciting! Changing your life. It’s important so let’s do it properly. Clearly understand what is motivating your desire for change, when you understand that you can start to work out what type of business you are best suited to and how to go about creating it.
If you are seeking inspiration you may find it here: ideas for your own business http://be-your-own-business-expert.com/Business_Ideas.html
Article by Michael Harrison, consultant, author and Business Builder. Learn from an expert. Go to: http://www.be-your-own-business-expert.com
111306501634705088
April 9, 2005
audio for Christian Business Opportunity post
How to Get Your JV Partner to Accept Recommendations from You
By Abe Cherian
One of the brightest moments in my business career were
when I was visiting with my joint venture partner and
talking about our future relationship together. I remember
asking Bill over and we instantly made friends. Simply by
chatting about events we both enjoyed doing for our
business.
One of the most effective ways to start out a business
relationship, is by asking your future JV partner over to
meet with you at your office or home. Why? Because you have
an incredibly powerful offer to make to them, and if they
aren’t sharp enough or interested enough, to come and see
you, then they are not going to work with you!
Even though you both may see things for mutual gain, you
must stay in control. You’re the fuel making this marketing
networking machine run hard and fast. If they are too
complacent to not wish to come into your domain at the
first meeting, then they are not the winner here.
The thing to realize is not to get hung up on one person or
another. Just politely brush them away and move on to the
next. In fact, you only need one or two good relationships
in each field to complete the circle and take care of your
customers. The real beauty of all this, besides them giving
you recommendations and paying for some, or all of your
advertising, is much deeper than that. The real beauty is
that your customers will be well taken care of!
It would be highly unusual for a customer to have a team of
dedicated professionals taking care of you in this manner.
One of the side benefits for you is that you will have this
team to work on your own situation, usually at little or no
cost. Often, you can set up an arrangement where these
people will do work for free or at a discount for you. Of
course, you should offer them help when they have personal
needs, as well.
Another important fact to look at is your Unique Selling
Proposition you bring to the table when you are able to
tell a new prospect, how your team works together to
maximize the efficiency of managing their purchase of your
products or services. Do you think your USP is a little
better than what your former competitors say? I would say
so, because you have to have a totally different attitude
to make this work. You have to be from a place of service
with a customer-centered psychology.
For example, when you’re meeting with a customer of an
associate, and after listening to them, you know that they
are really not ready to consider your product or service
right now. Maybe later, but not now. In your heart, you
know that you have to tell this person that he/she should
really think about the future carefully before they pour
all their money into whatever your offering.
If this were you, would you lead your customer over the
hump? Would you “lead” him/her to the conclusion that doing
what you say is the right decision…instead of telling
your customer to consider whether doing anything right now
is wise? You see, if you ask the right kinds of questions,
and listen to what people really tell you, you’ll always
know in your heart what’s right. And if you always do what
your heart tells you is right, you’ll get more business
than you’ll know what to do with, because of the positive
energy you create when you do the right things.
Can you imagine the amount of trust you can build with an
associate when you tell his customer and him, that this
person (or business) isn’t in the right position to buy
just yet, and you advise waiting until uncertainties are
resolved? The trust will be a bridge into the heart of not
just the customer, but the professional, as well.
Appealing to a professional’s need for more customers will
get the relationship started. They’ll see you as a person
who can help them solve their own marketing problems. After
you’re in the door, developing this trust and showing the
compassion I’m describing will help secure you into other
professional’s lives and the lives of their customers.
About the author
Abe Cherian is the founder of Multiple Stream Media,
a company that helps online businesses find new
prospects and clients, who are anxious to grow
their business fast, and without spending a fortune
in marketing and automation.
http://www.multiplestreammktg.com.
Web’s #1 site to find “free resources to Plan, Build,
Market, and Maintain your website”:
http://www.multiplestreammktg.com/resources.html
