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Digg it UP - Burn Prevention for Entrepreneurs
Buy A Business Without Paying For An Attorney, CPA, Airline Ticket Or Even A Taxi Cab Ride e future? Is there anyway to rectify the situation now?After half a century of buying businesses, people still ask me why I spend so much of my time investing in buying businesses instead of real estate, the stock market and other things like that. And I always tell them -- and this is absolutely true -- the reason I don't do anything but buy businesses is because, in 50 years of doing so, I still have yet to come across a better investment than buying a business. In fact, nothing else even comes close in terms of both return on investment and risk. Let’s put it this way. If you get any financing at all, the cap rate on the average business with some financing is about 60 percent. What I mean by "cap rate" is you’re getting 60 percent of your money back every year. So, if you invest $100,000, you’re going to get $60,000 back a year. I mean, on real estate you invest a $100,000 and you’re going to get 10,000 ba It is important to periodically reassess the pricing of your products or services. Check out the rates of the competition, carefully assess the time and materials that you use for each product, or the value of your services. You must now decide whether to raise your pricing, and if so, when? And for who? While it always seems like plain old common sense to r Running a Wedding Planning Business Rookie mistakes. We are all guilty of them. Whether it's letting a client slide without a contract, entering a long-term agreement with a vendor we soon come to loathe, underpricing our products or services, or allowing someone to get too far behind on their invoice before we cut off the faucet...each mistake hurts. If we are lucky it only hurts our pride, but quite often we get burned - that is, we take a hit in the pocketbook, too. Something most small business owners cannot afford. The important thing is - what will you do now?When running a wedding business you get personally involved with the clients for whom you are planning the event.Depending on the professionalism of others (wedding providers, hairstylist, photographer, hired personnel etc) you have to always be prepared that something may not go as you've planned and be able to come up quickly with a back up solution.This is not an eight hours per day job. You have to be flexible and to meet and extend your clients' wishes. And being available for them when they need advice or just a reassurance (although is late in the evening or during the weekend) will do your business and your reputation a lot of good. And in this business a good reputation means more than expensive publicity in magazines or on the radio.Survey the market and keep an eye on the competition. You can't cover the whole market, so think which target suits you best (professional Contracts You neglected to get one of your clients to sign a contract. Oh, you sent it to them alright. They just didn't sign it. You just didn't say anything. How can you correct this mistake? Well, the good news is, since you are not in a contractual relationship, you can present the contract to the client again. This time don't just let the subject slide. Ask the client to review the contract and request it back by a certain date. If the deadline comes and goes; talk to the client and try to get to the heart of the issue. Are they concerned about committing to a long-term contract? Perhaps you can offer a shorter trial period. Is there particular wording in the contract that concerns the client? This, too, may be negotiable. Pricing Ever quoted someone a price that you wanted to take back the second you heard yourself say it? Classic rookie error. This may be a slight problem with short-term projects or small quantity purchases. For ongoing projects, the financial repurcussions can be quite unsettling. How can you prevent yourself from making such a commitment in the future? Is there anyway to rectify the situation now? It is important to periodically reassess the pricing of your products or services. Check out the rates of the competition, carefully assess the time and materials that you use for each product, or the value of your services. You must now decide whether to raise your pricing, and if so, when? And for who? While it always seems like plain old common sense to ra You Bored Me at Hello - Top Three Strategies for Networking Your Brand ketbook, too. Something most small business owners cannot afford. The important thing is - what will you do now?"You had me at hello," those famous words from the movie Jerry McGuire let Tom Cruise know that Rene Zellweger's character was hooked from that point and the rest of his talking was unnecessary. When in networking situations, many small business owners leave people with a slightly different feeling. If questioned for the truth, what would likely be said is, "you bored me at hello!" That is definitely not a great way to grow your business into a powerful name brand. Networking works, but not if you leave your prospects bored.Networking opportunities are everywhere. You can find them at Chamber of Commerce and Better Business Bureau events, not to mention when you are in line at the grocery store. There are even groups of people who regularly meet solely for the purpose of networking. Unfortunately, all of the networking opportunities in the world will not help grow your business unless Contracts You neglected to get one of your clients to sign a contract. Oh, you sent it to them alright. They just didn't sign it. You just didn't say anything. How can you correct this mistake? Well, the good news is, since you are not in a contractual relationship, you can present the contract to the client again. This time don't just let the subject slide. Ask the client to review the contract and request it back by a certain date. If the deadline comes and goes; talk to the client and try to get to the heart of the issue. Are they concerned about committing to a long-term contract? Perhaps you can offer a shorter trial period. Is there particular wording in the contract that concerns the client? This, too, may be negotiable. Pricing Ever quoted someone a price that you wanted to take back the second you heard yourself say it? Classic rookie error. This may be a slight problem with short-term projects or small quantity purchases. For ongoing projects, the financial repurcussions can be quite unsettling. How can you prevent yourself from making such a commitment in the future? Is there anyway to rectify the situation now? It is important to periodically reassess the pricing of your products or services. Check out the rates of the competition, carefully assess the time and materials that you use for each product, or the value of your services. You must now decide whether to raise your pricing, and if so, when? And for who? While it always seems like plain old common sense to r The Career Benefits of Getting Clear! u can present the contract to the client again. This time don't just let the subject slide. Ask the client to review the contract and request it back by a certain date. If the deadline comes and goes; talk to the client and try to get to the heart of the issue. Are they concerned about committing to a long-term contract? Perhaps you can offer a shorter trial period. Is there particular wording in the contract that concerns the client? This, too, may be negotiable.Recently, I had one of those "aha moments" while in the bathroom – I might have been brushing my teeth. I'm told that we are more creative around water – and I certainly find my bathroom a great creative lab for me! Anyway – the thought I had was, "Fear fogs the brain."Now that may not be a profound thought– but it was to me – and I've been seeing how this situation operates more and more as time unfolds. The less fearful we are, the more present we can be with our lives, our work, and our relationships.Let me give you an example. I have a new client who resides and works on the east coast. He's bright, accomplished and terribly unhappy with his present job situation. From the outside looking in, you might say he has it all – a good job, a great wife and family – yet he feels unsettled.Truth be told, he feels like he's living a lie. And authenticity is one of his highest Pricing Ever quoted someone a price that you wanted to take back the second you heard yourself say it? Classic rookie error. This may be a slight problem with short-term projects or small quantity purchases. For ongoing projects, the financial repurcussions can be quite unsettling. How can you prevent yourself from making such a commitment in the future? Is there anyway to rectify the situation now? It is important to periodically reassess the pricing of your products or services. Check out the rates of the competition, carefully assess the time and materials that you use for each product, or the value of your services. You must now decide whether to raise your pricing, and if so, when? And for who? While it always seems like plain old common sense to r Belize Company Incorporation erns the client? This, too, may be negotiable.Simply put, offshore company incorporation in Belize is not only easy, it is highly effective when it comes to overall tax reduction planning and securing privacy. One of the most interesting and attractive features of an IBC in Belize, and a feature that sets International Business Companies incorporated offshore in Belize heads above most others is the level of security and privacy afforded the company, its shareholders and directors. The names, identities and any information relating to the shareholders and directors of the company are 100% confidential; they never appear on any official document or record and as stated; if this isn't enough privacy for you then nominee directors and shareholders can be appointed. The names, identities and any information relating to the shareholders and directors of the company are 100% confidential; they never appear on any official document or record and as st Pricing Ever quoted someone a price that you wanted to take back the second you heard yourself say it? Classic rookie error. This may be a slight problem with short-term projects or small quantity purchases. For ongoing projects, the financial repurcussions can be quite unsettling. How can you prevent yourself from making such a commitment in the future? Is there anyway to rectify the situation now? It is important to periodically reassess the pricing of your products or services. Check out the rates of the competition, carefully assess the time and materials that you use for each product, or the value of your services. You must now decide whether to raise your pricing, and if so, when? And for who? While it always seems like plain old common sense to r How to Insure Job Security e future? Is there anyway to rectify the situation now?The attorneys I coach have one common problem. They don’t have enough hours in the day to do everything they need to do. Most are working long hours and that “To do” list keeps growing not shrinking. So it is no wonder that when I suggest that they find time to market their practice they think I am just plain daffy!If you are working in a successful law firm with plenty of business, why bother to market yourself? When clients are flowing in it is hard to imagine that it will ever stop!During the past few years here in Boston there have been law firms that closed down because they were no longer profitable, law firms that merged with other law firms, and lawyers who were asked to leave their firm because they weren’t covering their overhead. What used to feel like a stable environment now feels very unstable. What can an individual lawyer do?Nothing is constant in the work It is important to periodically reassess the pricing of your products or services. Check out the rates of the competition, carefully assess the time and materials that you use for each product, or the value of your services. You must now decide whether to raise your pricing, and if so, when? And for who? While it always seems like plain old common sense to raise our prices for new clients, it is much more difficult to raise rates for current clients. This is definitely one of the reasons that the business plan and marketing plan come in so handy before we've stepped into the muck. Nevertheless, the new year, or the client's anniversary, are appropriate times to approach the subject. Word of advice - don't just send a higher invoice with a sticky note, "Prices went up. Must eat. Thanks!" Instead, inform your clients ahead of time through a letter or phone call that your prices must be adjusted, due to cost of living, etc. We've already established the importance of learning from rookie mistakes, as a business owners. But, how can you prevent getting burned in the first place? An important element of developing your business plan is checking out your competition. This helps you determine how to make your organization stand out among its competitors. As you learn about these organizations, or even talk with them, you will discover policies and procedures that they have developed. This knowledge should spark questions about the policies and procedures that you plan to implement. Networking with other business owners, both in and out of your industry, is also a wonderful source of information. Many business owners are happy to share their learning experiences and advice. Consider some of the areas you'll want to give special attention. Payment Policy Spell out your payment terms clearly. Many businesses post this information on their website, or in a prominent place in their stores, so that it is easily accessible to both current and potential clients. When negotiating a contract with
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