Crosspost - Top 10 Marketing Strategies For Small Businesses

Source - http://linkd.in/110RaoU

#1 Be able to describe what you do/what you are in one clear sentence. Donald Trump is correct, that elevator speech is really important. Ask a friend or colleague to give you an honest evaluation of your description. Does it give the listener a basic understanding of what you do? If not, make it a priority to work on it. Before someone can decide if they may need your product or service they must first understand what you’re saying.

#2 Be UNIQUE in ALL that you do. Don’t just give it lip service. If you’ve decided to adopt a unique approach to make your business memorable (tagline, business signature, giveaway, mascot, illustration, photo, color scheme, etc) be sure to use it consistently in your marketing efforts. It should become part of your brand.

#3 Use your mission statement as a filter for all that you do. Once you’ve clearly decided what your marketing goals, strategies, targets and tactics ARE, it should be easy to identify those things that DON’T fit. For example, if you have identified the best marketing vehicles to reach your customer then it’s very easy to say “no” to those salespeople offering you marketing opportunities that don’t fit your plan.

#4 Don’t jump-process….Discover your target market and your points of difference before you start marketing. Your printed collateral materials, Web site, and advertising will be much more effective and less expensive to produce if you have your marketing strategy established first. Then you’re simply following your plan in all that you do. Avoid the “shotgun” approach or “reactive” marketing.

#5 Give back to the community…strategically. There are so many great causes and organizations out there and you can’t do everything. So, pick the ones that will best position you with your target market.

#6 Network efficiently and effectively. If you don’t feel that you are a competent networker, now is the time to learn how to be or hire someone that is. Enough said.

#7 Remember that inconsistent advertising is wasted money. A prospective customer must be exposed to the same message in the same way numerous times before they are ready to entertain a buying decision. Pick an advertising vehicle where you can afford to have an ongoing and consistent presence.

#8 If you do trade shows, have a plan and work the plan. Companies participate in trade shows for a variety of reasons. Unless you have a success plan, you won’t know if it worked.

#9 Look for ways to establish yourself as an expert in your field. Speaking engagements, publication articles and volunteer leadership roles can all help label you as an expert in your field.

#10 Keep all marketing communications clear, brief and focused…Did I mention brief? Enough said.

Visionary Research - Chats about Neo-Amish - Part 1

Neo Amish its a quirky little term I came up with years ago trying to describe to a friend of mind what I had in mind when I talked about creating a farm where people could come and learn what it was like to live in the 1800's at the beginning of the industrial revolution much like the Amish do but with modern tech such as using the Internet to sell the crops grown or using GPS to figure out where to put a garden plot so it gets the most sunlight.

 

“But why even do it who would even want to see the farm” My friend asked me. I told him I think more and more people are starting to realize how fragile our current food production system is, how much we don't know about where our food comes from, who makes sure our food is okay to eat and what people are doing to crop food faster and more than ever.

 

“Isn't growing food faster and more than before a good thing”, My friend replied. Not always I told him, chicken now a days are grown with 24 hour artificial lighting, almost force fed with food laced with growth hormones and antibiotics. A chicken today is ready for market almost a full 30 days before one that is raised organically. The factory raised chicken is raised so fast that a good number die due to their organs and bones simply can not keep up. Also eating these growth hormones not a good thing. To be rude and crude, look at how many girls are starting their periods at 7 and 8 instead of 10-13 like they did a few decades back.

 

Also overuse of antibiotics has led to the rise of super-bugs, the antibiotic resistant strains of flu, TB and staph infections. You have to remember I told him, that virus evolve and mutate to become better at what they are born to do. Its a arms race, we come up with better antibiotics and the virus response by building a better defense. Pretty soon they are going to be viruses that could wipe out humankind if we don't stop.

 

“What about the work load, how will you find people willing to do the back breaking labor with no modern tools” He mused, Again I expected this comment. Its what people have done for years, most of the world still works this way. We are setting ourselves up for failure because the more we rely on machines and other people the less of a person we become. I think people are really starting to thirst for the experience the adventure of their forefathers. Of knowing they can tell people you see that cabin, I built it by cutting the wood by hand, by shaping the wood by hand. Also they know that cabin will probably outlast any quickly and shoddily build house of today.

Blog Update - Please Read

This blog will be moving soon to . Come join the fun.

Business News Blips for 01/20/2013

*  Run Your Business Like the U.S. Postal Service and Thrive  aka I have to disagree hard upsells are a turnoff - http://bit.ly/10KlZ1a

*  6 Surefire Ways to Get Business Referrals - http://bit.ly/WjLTC8

*  The Surprising Origins of 10 Major American Brands  -http://onforb.es/VGNBiJ

*  Why More Than 2M U.S. Workers Per Month  Leave Corporate Jobs -http://onforb.es/VeWP8n

*  5 Ways to Recruit Top Talent During Rapid Growth - http://on.mash.to/VeWVgi

*  8 Public Speaking Lessons from 57 Inaugural Speeches: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly -http://onforb.es/WQ0Daq

*  Bobby Knight and Mike Krzyzewski Knew It: The Business Value Of A World-Class Coach -  http://onforb.es/UcvSiU

*  The Age of Small Business - http://bit.ly/11JKVVB



 

Small Business Owner Confidence Still Low, Says NFIB

Source - http://cortineo.wordpress.com/2013/01/16/small-business-owner-confidence-still-low-says-nfib/

Data released last week by the National Federation of Independent Business, or NFIB, reveals that small business owner confidence did in fact increase in December, but still remains at one of the lowest readings in history.

In December, the NFIB reported that the small business optimism index rose 0.5 point to 88.0. December’s gain, however, followed a near 6.0 plunge in November – one of the steepest declines ever. The report stated that the recent increase is consistent with recession behavior, and is not pointing to an expansion.

“Were it not for population growth supporting consumption and net new small business creation, we would have no growth at all,” the NFIB report stated. The 88.0 reading in December was the lowest since March 2010.

The group’s chief economist, Bill Dunkelberg, said that small business owners were left with “no new information about the economy’s future” at the end of 2012 because “Congress played chicken right up to the end of the year…the ‘eleventh hour deal’ has brought marginal certainty about tax rates.”

Dunkelberg went on to say that “let’s not forget what is looming on the horizon: a debate over the debt limit and a regulatory avalanche of historic proportions about to spill out into the country.”

Also noted in the report: small business owners reported a miniscule increase in job creation, with an average of 0.03 new workers per company. 41% of owners “tried to hire or hired” within the last several months, but 33% reported “few or no qualified applications” for open positions. Overall, the report cited December as “more of the same, uncertainty right up to the last minutes of 2012 and then over the cliff.”

Worth noting, though, is that the NFIB does expect housing to recover, which is no doubt good for small business. Their report also stated that “car sales will be solid in 2013 as well.”

To download the entire report, visit NFIB.com.

Small Business Owner Confidence Still Low, Says NFIB

This is really sad, but in the age of diminishing company loyally, the demand for more flexible and the ability to take your business anywhere at anytime. This should be the time the government should be very proactive in encouraging small business instead of crushing it and letting the old big business dinosaurs of yesteryear still roam.

For the Parents: How do you Raise an Entrepreneur?

Source - http://www.entrepreneur.com/blog/225233

Tomorrow's business leaders and startup founders will be today's young kids whose parents have raised them with an entrepreneurial spirit -- a skill that is increasingly important as young people flood the startup world and the freelance economy grows.

As a parent, you inspire entrepreneurship by fostering the emotional skills your child will need, such as comfort with risk, effective problem solving, and a positive attitude toward failure.

 

"It’s all about shaping the child’s behavior," says Dr. Andrea Vazzana, clinical assistant professor of child psychiatry at New York University Langone’s Child Study Center. "Social emotional skills are important and the earlier you can help a child with them, the better."

Here are five parenting tips to help you foster entrepreneurial qualities in your kids

1. Model effective problem solving. To prepare kids to find business ideas in everyday life, bolster their problem solving skills while they’re young. When problems come up in your child’s life, brainstorm solutions together. Help them identify the problem, think of all the possible solutions, weigh the pros and cons, and choose the best option.

“The more parents can break down what’s needed within that problem solving task, really verbalize it, and talk it out with the child, the better off the child will be,” Vazanna says.

2. Help kids learn from failure. As a parent, you influence your child’s willingness to try, fail, learn, and try again -- an essential skill for entrepreneurs. To do this, frame criticism as a learning opportunity by helping your child practice the skill or brainstorm what they could do differently next time.

When you offer suggestions for improvement, bookend them with specific praise on either side. “This is called a feedback sandwich,” Vazanna says. “The child doesn’t feel so harshly criticized; they can take away a positive message.”

3. Let kids make decisions. An entrepreneur’s confident decisions are rooted in early independence. When kids are toddlers, you might give them the choice of spinach or broccoli with dinner, or let them choose their outfits. “You’re exposing them to what it feels like to make a decision, and helping them feel good for being able to do that,” Vazanna says.

When kids are young, limit choices to a few options. “Kids can get overwhelmed if they have too many choices,” Vazanna says. As they get older, loosen the reins and trust them with bigger decisions.

4. Foster a sense of mastery. Entrepreneurs take huge risks, but being comfortable with uncertainty doesn’t happen overnight. Kids need the freedom to test their boundaries and master fears while they’re young.

When your child faces a risky situation, help at first, then transition them toward independence. “Tasks should be progressively more difficult,” Vazanna says. “This gives the child a sense of mastery.” By setting them up to succeed, you empower them to feel confident taking risks.

5. Teach constructive ways to challenge the status quo. Kids are often taught to follow the rules blindly, a habit that inhibits entrepreneurship. Instead, teach kids to challenge norms constructively by articulating their rationale. Ask, what do they think needs to change, and why? What do they propose instead?

You need to lead by example. “The ways parents talk to each other and to children models that behavior,” Vazanna says. Your behavior helps kids understand how to question norms diplomatically and when to just follow the rules.

For the Parents: How do you Raise an Entrepreneur?

Crosspost - 6 Ways to Recharge Your Business in 2013

Source - http://mashable.com/2013/01/01/recharge-your-business/

 

For the entrepreneur, this time of year typically means a mad dash to wrap-up remaining projects, close deals, and squeeze in time for family and friends. As the days get shorter, it starts to feel like time accelerates faster than ever -- leaving you less and less time to accomplish your year-end goals.

However, amidst the holiday chaos, it is possible to stay grounded and set the foundation for a successful year to come. Here are six ways to help you recharge your business in the New Year.

1. Get your priorities in line: Time management is a year-round challenge for business owners, but schedules get even tighter during the holidays. That’s why it’s more important than ever to know your priorities. Set a stopwatch for 20 minutes and write down everything that needs to get done. Then, give yourself another 10 minutes to assess which of those tasks are the most important to yourself, your business and your family. Keep that list in mind as you start each day -- and make sure all your activities are centered around those core priorities.

2. Ditch the New Year’s resolutions: A FranklinCovey survey found that 80% of people who make New Year’s resolutions will break them. And a third never make it to the end of January. If you’re one of the many people who have left a string of resolutions behind, it’s time for a new approach.

Rather than creating your resolutions for 2013, use the end of the calendar year to reflect on your business and market. What were some of the best things that your business accomplished this year? What were some of the biggest mistakes? Don’t rush to begin planning the new year until you’ve celebrated your wins and acknowledged your mistakes.

3. Evaluate your year as a business leader: In addition to reflecting on your business, this is a good time to reflect on yourself. After all, as an entrepreneur, you don’t exactly get a yearly performance review. Being as objective as possible, write down your strongest characteristics as a leader -- and your weakest. Then, think about how each of these characteristics impacted your business, team members and partners during the year. This type of objective self-assessment can help you pinpoint areas to improve in 2013.

4. Build important connections: As a good entrepreneur, you’re looking out for interesting opportunities around every corner. And the end of the year offers a bevy of parties and events. Make some time to take advantage of these networking events and meet new people. Sometimes a simple party is the key to a great new client, collaboration or partnership that will pay dividends in the new year.

5. Show the love: During this hectic time, it’s all too easy to become inwardly focused -- where you’re thinking more about crossing things off your list than what (or who) really matters. Of course, holidays are the time for family and friends, but I’m also talking about the professional relationships that matter to you.

Think about the most important people you’ve worked with throughout the year -- whether it’s a devoted assistant or a colleague who keeps introducing you to great contacts. Then, let them know just how much you appreciate them.

6. Unplug and recharge your batteries: No matter how busy your schedule gets, every entrepreneur should take some much-needed time away from the office and digital devices. Take advantage, since this is often the one time of year when people expect you won’t be working (unless, of course, you’re involved in some kind of seasonal business). Downtime is the only real way to hit the reset button, both personally and professionally. And it will open the door to fresh perspectives and new inspiration.

How will you refresh and recharge your business this holiday? Tell us in the comments.

 

Crosspost - 5 Social Media Habits to Make This Year

Source -  http://www.inc.com/john-brandon/5-social-media-habits-to-adopt-2013.html

Start out 2013 with a new lease on your social networking life. Get more out of Facebook, Twitter, and more with these tips.

Over the past year, I've experimented with social media in a number of ways. I wrote about Sprout Social, an app for tracking Twitter and Facebook success. (My goal was to hit 800 followers on Twitter--I'm now at well over 3,000.) I wrote about promoting your brand on Pinterest, and how to raise your Klout score. Along the way, I learned some key lessons about keeping the social media fires burning.

1. Target the influencers.

You've probably heard this one before, but it bears repeating. Targeting 100 major influencers can be exponentially more effective than than getting 5,000 less influential followers. The reason? When an influencer retweets what you say or comments on a link, you can reach hundreds of thousands of Twitter or Facebook users in an instant. But having 5,000 (or even 50,000) followers who are not really that interested in what you have to say is a dead end. If you make a mobile app, try to get the attention of a pundit who covers that space. If you do real estate consulting, see if an expert in your area will follow your tweets.

2. Put a face to a name.

I developed a habit of always looking up the details for new followers or those who retweet my posts. Social media is supposed to be social, so get to know those who are following you. This helps in several ways. Our brains are wired for visual cues. When you see that Joe Smith lives in Texas and likes Red Bull, you'll form a mental connection. When you develop a rapport with someone (say, you joke with them about Red Bull) that encourages more retweeting and a more social connection. (The same is true in real life, by the way.) A tighter bond with people goes both way--you'll also retweet what they say. One tool to help you see the real person behind a post is called Rapportive.

3. Always respond.

I used to avoid this one. When someone didn't like one of my tweets, I'd ignore it. But in reality, creating a dialogue helps further the social connection, even if it seems like a negative topic. One example: I've seen people post about how they hated one of my articles. Instead of ignoring the criticism, I'll try to interact with them and discuss what they didn't like. Maybe it helps me improve as a writer. But it also means everyone else is seeing that I care enough to respond--I'm not just an AI bot. (That said, it's still okay to ignore trolls who are only stirring up dissension, or automated responses from those bots.)

4. Schedule yourself.

I have not always followed this dictum, but it does work. Like any blog or news site, the more active you appear on Twitter or Facebook the better. Scheduling posts with a tool like HootSuite, where you can set a post to go live at a later date and time, means you are making sure you have an active presence. It's also a good idea to target "prime time" on the social graph, such as just after the workday starts or right before people leave for the day. And, don't forget to do this for multiple time zones.

5. Venture beyond Twitter and Facebook.

The two most popular social networking sites get all of the attention, but that also makes them easier to ignore for people who have been using those services for a while. Newer sites like Pinterest might be a better place to develop a following, depending on your subject matter, because they have a critical mass of people clicking around and checking them out. And while I've been critical of Google Plus, there is a loyal base of tech pundits there. Keep an eye out for emerging social hotspots.

 

Rant - What I think the goverment could do to help small businesses

Taxes - We have some of the highest business taxes in the world, this with very complex and confusing tax laws. Added to the fact they the tax laws actually encourage business to offshore money and labor with creates a very uneven playing field for the small business owner.

Education - Sadly most public education is still geared toward creating drones for mass factories. This needs to change, schools need to encourage risk taking, the pain of failure and the glory of success, thinking for one self, strong work ethic and give them the skills they need to complete in the global workforce.

Leveling the Playing field - Its very hard to compete when large corporation are allowed to vote in those that will help them. File patents on anything and everything. Have priority given to them in contracts and if they fail given bailouts instead of letting them go under like they should in capitalism.

 

Rant - What I think the goverment could do to really help small businesses

Taxes - We have some of the highest business taxes in the world, this with very complex and confusing tax laws. Added to the fact they the tax laws actually encourage business to offshore money and labor with creates a very uneven playing field for the small business owner.

Education - Sadly most public education is still geared toward creating drones for mass factories. This needs to change, schools need to encourage risk taking, the pain of failure and the glory of success, thinking for one self, strong work ethic and give them the skills they need to complete in the global workforce.

Leveling the Playing field - Its very hard to compete when large corporation are allowed to vote in those that will help them. File patents on anything and everything. Have priority given to them in contracts and if they fail given bailouts instead of letting them go under like they should in capitalism.

 

Musing - Ozymandias

Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley

I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed:
And on the pedestal these words appear:
“My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!”
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away

—————————————————————

I didn’t really realize the depth of this poem when I first read it when I was in middle school. I came across it a couple of years later when researching ideas for D&D adventures I re-read it and understood its deeper meanings. A man from a kingdom that has fallen, Rome, Britian and soon the US and all the others after will fall there is no stopping it. Empires are not meant to stand, no matter how glorious or how powerful. Time will render them asunder.

All that is left is ruins for those that come after us to puzzle over why did this empire rise and why did it fall. However the lesson that man seems to constantly fail to learn. Those who fail from history are doomed to repeat it.

 

Crosspost - How to Tell Your Company's Story

Source - http://www.entrepreneur.com/blog/225397

Every startup and small business has a story to tell, something that will connect potential customers to your brand. As a business leader in the social media age, you have an opportunity to draw devoted customers by rethinking the way you express your company’s core value.

Foodily, a new online recipe database, set out to brand themselves as the largest recipe aggregator on the web. But after hiring LoveSocial, a Vancouver-based social media agency, they realized that wasn't the story to tell.

Founder Azita Ardakani redefined Foodily's core value, saying it gives you the opportunity to spend more time eating at home with family and friends. On social media, she asked consumers to share their favorite dinner table memories and what it means to them to eat at home. "We saw a natural conversation erupting," she says.

What made Ardakani’s interpretation of Foodily's core value so much more successful was that it created an opportunity for human connection. "Human connectivity is the DNA of social media," Azita says.

In order to engage customers, strive to create that emotional pull. Try these three tips to articulate your core value and humanize your brand.

 1. Expand your idea of value. To stand out in today's market, define your value in human terms, not in business terms. "[Companies] often look at their core value in direct correlation with sales," Ardakani says. "That commercial carrot is very distracting to who they are and who they could become."

Your real value is about what you believe in, what you’re trying to do in the world, and how you make others’ lives better. "You need to drill down to why you matter," Ardakani says.

You might ask: How is your product being created? What is your office culture? You're looking for the thing that your organization truly cares about -- an aspect of your business that makes you unique and valuable to the world around you.

2. Establish common language. Your company's core value is a bit like your vision -- everyone at your company needs to be on the same page. "A CEO and employee might describe the company totally differently," Ardakani says. "[Common language] creates internal alignment about who you are."

Ask a handful of people in various ranks and roles to share five adjectives they'd use to describe the company and two aspects of the business that are unique or valuable. Look for themes or especially strong responses, and synthesize them into a clearly defined description.

3. Give your brand a human voice. Once you know why you matter and how to describe your value, choose the type of person that could best deliver that message. "You’re creating a persona," Ardakani says. Is it feminine or masculine? Mainstream or quirky? Opinionated or open-minded? If your business was a human being, who would it be and what would it care about?

That clarity leads to a real and relatable persona that helps you build a loyal customer base. "The brands that have been most successful in the social space have humanized their business" Ardakani says. "They've stayed true to who they are and been really open and honest."

Sample - Tracers in the Dark

I wrote this poem a few years ago as I saw that IMHO the US increasingly giving up freedoms for a false sense of security.

Of letting the government tell us what is good for us and listen to the interests of big business above the common good.

-------------------------------------------------

--Tracers in the Dark--

The sunlight of freedom has been fading for years, now is the coming darkness.

Money the paper god will fail to save you, its worthless as the paper its printed on.

Religion the opiate of the people will not save you. It serves to fleece the simple minded of thier paycheck.

Government will not save you, for they will be the ones blotting out the sun.

I believe in myself and my god is made from earth and steel
I worship its avatars Colt, Enfield, and Kalashnikov.

In the coming night, the light of freedom will be nothing but tracers in the dark.

 

Musings – What do you think of the rise of digital copies of books (Nook, Kindle, Google Books)

I believe its a interesting concept, however I still have my mis-givings about it. I am abnormal for a IT worker that I am not a early adopter of technology I still have a DVD player, a cell phone that does number but dial and receive calls and a PS2. My main concern is with a digital copy you have purchased a good you do not wholly know (one of the major reasons I do not use iTunes). I am a full believer in if I purchase a item then that item is mine to do with as I please (with the exception of making copies to sell). With E-readers like the Nook and Kindle the books you purchase are on the companies servers and not in your hands.

Musing - How close is Sci-Fi to Fantasy

Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible (or at least non-supernatural) content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities. Exploring the consequences of scientific innovations is one purpose of science fiction, making it a “literature of ideas”.

Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common. Fantasy is generally distinguished from science fiction and horror by the expectation that it steers clear of (pseudo-)scientific and macabre themes, respectively, though there is a great deal of overlap between the three, all of which are subgenres of speculative fiction.

Above is the definition of the two major fiction genres.

I have debated internally with years with myself and other people. How close is Science Fiction and Fantasy? And should the various grey areas (steampunk, disealpunk, magepunk, cyberpunk) be how we define any work that crosses the two genres?

The cornerstone of my debate is science fiction is magic and if magic is understood then its science fiction. Alchemy is one example. To some it’s magic to create gold from lead or to create a potion to allow one to fly. However if turning lead into gold was a scientific formula where it was innately understood. How the chemical transformation was done then its science fiction.   Another example is mythology the things that the gods of the Roman pantheon did where magic. Zeus turning into a ram, or the universe being formed from the flesh and bones of Chronos. Is it magic or science fiction since as A. Clarke summed it up “Any advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic”

Sample - Furry Kung Fu Redneck Aliens the Reality TV Show Part 1

The following Media Development Sample is Rated R

I came up with this idea looking for a cartoon I used to watch (Super Duper Sumos - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Duper_Sumos), just got me thinking I could write a story about with a bunch of adjectives strung together. I fiqured alien martial artists who became rednecks over the years in a stylized version of the US would be very interesting. Right now I am not sure if this would do better as a comic/graphic novel or as a story.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dale “BigBoots” McCoy looked at his brother and smiled. “U couldn’t hit the big ass of the mayor’s daughter throwing like that”. Earl “SmokinFist” Hatfield spat a glob of Redman at his brother and smiled back “Aleast I don’t have to take a weed whacker to my mane”. BigBoots leaned back and threw the hubcap, his cybervision showed him the target , a good sized boulder 2 miles away. “Aleast here most people think our manes are punk redneck mullets, it’s not like Eargoth IV where they thought we were warlocks and tried to fry us with solar flares”. SmokinFist’s curse confirmed that his throw had hit the target.

BigBoots laughed, “I remember that those where the days, how long have we been on this mudball SmokinFist?” SmokinFist seemed perplexed with the arrival of the TV crew. “Too damm long” SmokinFist muttered under his breath. As the crew approached with BigBoots and SmokinFist’s girlfriend, Juggles, nicknamed named for her impressive rack. Juggle was the daughter of a mad scientist whose breast enlargement drug went horribly wrong or right depending on whom you asked. Juggles breast size was a impressive 88DD cup with her close to 7 foot size and 14 inch tongue. Many man desired her however to date BigBoots and SmokinFist where the only ones that survived knocking boots with her. She had literally explosive orgasms, lately they have been getting worse, BigBoots broke a nail climbing out of the 12 foot crater.

Sadly her Dad’s genetic tinkering had left Juggles with a disability of sorts, peppermint acted like chloroform on her. As the TV crew gathered around the host a tall gangly 6′ black slicked back hair, too prefect of a tanned toned body stepped forward. “Dave Watercrest” the man said shaking hands and flashing perfectly straight and bleached white teeth, an expression that would look normal on a shark. SmokinFist looked at the TV spokesman and almost bloodied his lip by biting it so hard to keep from laughing as he remembered why the TV crew was there. The American Republic King wanted to make some Konga bucks from the heroics of these two. Not to mention it was a plea deal to keep them from serving time in the Compton Ultramax for augmented Humans for destroying most of Mt Rushmore
fighting a super-intelligent monkey called Brass Monkey.

Code Snips - Classic ASP Random Banner Code

This is some old code I came across a few days ago. I wrote it back in the late 90's its Classic ASP code to go to a Access database and randomly select a record that contains banner information and display it for the user to click on it.

<%@ Language=VBScript %>

<%
Response.Buffer=True

'Define our ADO constants
const adOpenStatic = 3
const adLockOptimistic = 3

'----- Create and Open Connection
Set MyConnection = Server.CreateObject("ADODB.Connection")
MyConnection.ConnectionString = "Banners"
MyConnection.Open

'----- Pick Ad from database
SQLBanners = "Select * from Banners"
Set Banners = Server.CreateObject("ADODB.Recordset")
Banners.CursorType = adOpenStatic
Banners.LockType = adLockOptimistic
Banners.Open SQLBanners, MyConnection

Randomize Timer
Banners.Move Int(RND * CInt(Banners.RecordCount))

'----- Increment Shown field value
Banners("Shown") = Banners("Shown") + 1
Banners.Update

'----- Create and display Response
ImageString = ""
ResponseString = "URL=" & Banners("URL")
ResponseString = ResponseString & "&BannerID=" & Banners("BannerID") & """>" & ImageString & ""
Response.Write ResponseString
Response.End

Response.End

'----- Clean up memory
Banners.Close
MyConnection.Close
Set Banners=Nothing
Set MyConnection=Nothing
%>

Crosspost - 10 Reasons why Now is the Best Time to Start an Internet Business

Source - http://7pillarsofsellingonline.com/start-a-internet-busienss/

Time to Start a Business

The Story…

This one is a personal story.

I yearned to start a business. A business offered the freedom and the fulfillment that I was looking for.

Before starting the business, I decided to leave my job working at one of the Big 4 Accounting firms and enter sales to help me gain the skills I’d need to own a business someday.

Well…the heartache, frustration, and worry were almost unbearable.

Our neighborhood Boy Scout troop came by for their fundraiser that year. We had contributed regularly in years past, but we took their little donation form, and thanked them, but didn’t donate.

The embarrassment was almost too much for me.

I wasn’t making hardly enough with the sales job…we now had just pennies in the bank.

I took the leap of faith and started a business.

The business that we (my wife and I) started was selling physical products on the Internet. It helped me pick myself back up, feel accomplishment again…and…importantly, provide for my family.

There was just one problem…the country was entering one of the worst recessions in living memory while I was just getting the business going.

How could an Internet business survive during such unstable times?

Isn’t it a mistake to get involved in a business when things are so uncertain in the world?

Maybe…or maybe not…

Having built my Internet business in and through a very difficult economic period, and earning more than I ever had at my previous corporate job, I can tell you that a great business can be started at any time.

You may be reading this when times are great, but economies move in cycles…

There are advantages to starting a business in hard times, but whether in hard or good times, now is always a good time to start.

Here’s why (reasons during bad and good times):

1. Suppliers and Manufacturers are hungry for Business

In tough times, suppliers and manufactures are hurting. They need business and welcome business even if it’s from the small one-person company.

Businesses that would have turned up their noses at the “small guys” welcome every order they can get.

Manufacturers from overseas are willing to sell smaller quantities making it easier for you to buy their products with a smaller investment. You can then sell that inventory and reinvest the profits in your own business.

When times turn good again, you’ll have the advantage of an existing relationship with the suppliers, and they’ll continue to do business with you.

2. Folks are Thinking about Surviving not Building a Thriving Business…Reducing your Competition

When things are great, lots of people are willing to jump on the business bandwagon.

But when things turn south, folks tend to hunker down, cut their spending and just try to get by.

They’re not thinking about the opportunities out there.

That’s a plus for you because it creates less competition.

3. You’ll be set for Great Gains when the Economy Turns Around

By making a business work during tough economic times, you’ll be set for the turn around when things start hopping again.

You’ll already have the business built up, the systems in place, and the engine running. It’ll be time to outpace the competition who will just barely be thinking about getting started and ramping up.

It doesn’t mean that your gains will have to wait until things turn around. Our business has allowed us to travel the world even during a tough economy.

You’ll also have the wisdom that comes from having lived through difficult times and will avoid the mistakes that overzealous business owners make when the economy heats up.

4. It’s Never Been Easier to Get Started

Think about it: you can register a business online in under an hour.

The US registration and most state registrations can be done online. Finish the registration, and BOOM, you’re in business.

The Internet has changed the way we transact. You can now start a business without leaving your home.

The psychological barrier of “starting a business” keeps many from doing so, but now it’s so easy to get going there’s almost no reason not to.

5. More Tools that Give You an Advantage

In the past, if you wanted to sell real-world products online, you either needed to store your products in your garage or rent expensive warehouse space.

Now-a-days with programs like Fulfillment by Amazon, it’s a streamlined process where you don’t have to worry about warehouse space or shipping one order a time.

If you want build a blog following in your product niche, it’s never been easier to setup a blog with free tools like WordPress.

There are also dozens of options for setting up your own retail website where the major work has been done for you such as the Amazon WebStore and other eCommerce solutions that are very inexpensive compared to a few short years ago.

Other tools such as QuickBooks and TurboTax make it easy to keep your records in order.

The Internet itself is a huge boon to small business owners, because as a business owner if you have a question, you can search for an answer posted online from someone who’s been through what you’re going through.

In other words, you don’t need to know everything before getting started. There are plenty of tools and information to help you along the way.

6. Christmas is Just Around the Corner…

Even if you’re reading this in January, Christmas and the Holiday Shopping Season will come up faster than you think.

Selling online, whether from your own website or on Amazon or eBay, you’ll find that during the holidays, sales can jump to 5 times the normal number in a given week.

If you’re selling summer water toys, your holiday sales jump won’t be as big, but you’ll still be surprised what happens during the holidays.

It’s something to think about and plan for when starting a business selling physical products online.

The marketplaces like Amazon.com will give you a huge jump in sales if you’re doing things right.

So even if it’s January, look forward to the time you have to test and get products ready for the holidays.

Products need some time in the marketplaces to gain traction, so the sooner you can get your products there, the better.

7.  The Future is Determined by What You do Today

Tomorrow turns into today in less than 24 hours. Are you prepared?

Okay, a little dramatic there, but really, if you want something in the future, you need to start on the path to get it today.

You might want a debt free home, freedom to set your own schedule, means to travel the world…

Whatever it is that you yearn for, it’s not just going to happen by itself.

Action is necessary–Action taken today.

8. Opportunities don’t Last Forever

Have you ever had an idea, not done something about it, and a few years later seen the product you envisioned being used by someone?

It’s frustrating, and it’s a reminder that opportunities don’t last forever. Opportunity means “favorable time”…and that favorable time doesn’t mean time stands still.

That’s why getting started soon is so important.

9. Advantages of Starting Early

The early bird gets the worm.

Some opportunities are available to a select few. Others are available to all of us.

In either case, getting started early can give you a big advantage. You’ll have more experience and know-how to face the challenges that the late-comers have never seen.

It’s like looking back at the stock market and saying, “Why didn’t I buy Apple stock when it was only $8.59? I could have made a fortune!”

There’s an advantage to taking action sooner rather than later.

10. Think of What You’re Missing if You Wait too Long

Dreams.

Not the type where a velociraptor is chasing you down the halls of your middle school…no…we’re talking real dreams…the ones where you see yourself in the home you’ve wanted, the car you’ve wanted, the feeling of the sand between your toes on a warm weekday at the beach without having to worry about a job.

Have you ever had the thought, “I should have done this years ago”?

Maybe it was when you decided to leave that dead-end job or when you finally took that vacation you’ve always wanted.

Don’t let those dreams die.

Work towards them by discovering the engine that will take you there.

The vehicle to help me get on the path to realizing dream after dream was starting a business.

For you, it might be the same, or it could be something totally different.

The point is, find what will help get you there; seize the opportunities today.

Starting a Business isn’t for Everyone

Better put, running a business isn’t for everyone. It takes guts…a step into the unknown…

But other than an inheritance or the lottery (neither are very good plans)…where is there reward without a challenge?

Chances are if you’re reading this, you’re among those who can and will succeed because you value learning, you want to do it right, and there’s no good reason in the world not to.

If you’ve wanted to start a business selling physical products online, or have a business and want to turbo-charge your sales, sign up for the free newsletter where you’ll learn the secrets to running a successful business online.

Musings - Reasons why now is a god time to go become a Entrepreneur

With a bad economy and uncertainty in the markets, a few people have told me it's the worst time to start a business. However, I feel differently and here are my reasons.

Large Corporations have been buying up or muscling out small businesses. This has created an area where small business, instead of competing and trying to take on the big boys, should focus on filling niche markets or focus on consulting on what is the next big thing.

More and more people are looking for a fresh start to be able to work more on their terms and to have a larger say in the direction of the company. A small business can offer many perks that a larger business cannot--like bringing your dog to work with you or a flexible schedule. To some people, money is not everything. One of the reasons I dropped out is I felt like I was slowly killing myself at work. My health problems where mounting and my happiness was at an all time low shortly before I left the rat race.

Secondly, people are able to move quickly to take advantage of shifts in the market. It's no longer good enough to know what is going to happen tomorrow, but you have to know what is going on next week. Larger businesses would be well advised to use smaller companies that are more nimble as consultants to learn where to invest their resources for maximum gain.

I am not an expert in business, however, I do believe I present some very logical arguments and paths forward for small businesses.

Crosspost - Must-Have Skills to Succeed in 2013

Source - http://www.globalvis.com/must-have-skills-to-succeed-in-2013/

By GlobalVision International | Published: December 27, 2012

As 2012 draws to its end, many professionals in the translation localization industry are making new resolutions and revisiting their skill sets looking for ways to increase their success chances in 2013.
Here are 10 skills to consider outside language-related learning.

1- Lean – workers and companies have become very lean over the past four years. Everyone expects more for less and these expectations will continue in 2013. Streamline and optimize your cost structures to help reduce your fixed and variable costs.

2- Negotiation – negotiation skills can help you stretch the pie. Gone are the days where you can impose your own salary or price. Negotiating each deal has become the new norm. Every penny spent these days is scrutinized.

3- Win-Win – Learn the art of forging a win-win relationship with your boss, clients and partners. You can’t get ahead anymore at the expense of your peers or vendors.

4- Cash Management – Strong cash flow management is now paramount. Upfront payment terms and on time collections are becoming more important for many businesses. Watch your cash flow like a hawk and make sure your collectibles are current on a biweekly basis.

5- Flexible – Be willing to take on a new role or customize your service offering to meet special needs. By being flexible, you can win jobs that otherwise would go elsewhere.

6- Innovative – Don’t work for technology. Instead, have technology work for you to help you automate your processes and methodologies to cut costs.

7- Logical – Do you have clients that insist on a win-lose deal? Reason with them and use logic. Clients understand that you carry overhead and that you need to cover your expenses to stay in business.

8- Realistic – Don’t expect economic miracles to happen in 2013. Most companies have set their plans and budgets with the fiscal cliff looming. Hope for the best, but do plan for another slow year ahead.

9- Global – look for potential upside overseas in terms of either new revenues or lower costs. Overseas suppliers and workers can help reduce your cost and overhead and overseas clients can make up any deficit from local ones.

10- Patience – If things don’t pan out in the first quarter, work for the long haul. The economic recovery will take place, it is only a matter of time and the one that is equipped with all the above skills and with patience will persist.