FINDING THE RIGHT WHOLESALER

Finding the Right Wholesaler

When you want to sell products in retail, the first thing you need to do is to find a reliable and trustworthy wholesaler. This is because there are a lot of wholesalers who do not deliver on their promise once you want to do some transactions with them. In fact, wholesalers are getting a bad reputation because of the few companies that cheat on their customers. And added to this is the fact that the inventory you will buy from these wholesalers may not necessarily sell in the market. So before you enter into the retail business, here are some tips you may find helpful.

The first thing you need to do is to conduct market research on your target market. You need to know if the product you wish to sell will actually be saleable to them or not. This is because while a particular product may sell well in one area doesn’t necessarily mean it will also sell well in another area. So even before you search for a wholesaler, you must know if the product you intend to introduce to your target market is actually viable because it would be a waste of time if you spend too much time searching for a reliable wholesaler only to find out that the product you want to sell isn’t going to be saleable in the actual marketplace.

The next thing you should consider is the product choice. Once you had determined which industry you want to enter, it is now time to know which product you need to stock up on. You should note that it is more viable to enter a niche market that will buy your particular product than enter the mass market at once.

Meanwhile, the third step is finding the right wholesaler. There are many sources and directories you can look up to find suppliers. But the advertisements and the websites you visit may not necessarily contain reliable suppliers that will really deliver the kind of product you requested. So it is recommended that you put up safety measures in place even before you pay for these products. You can find these wholesalers from online directories and even sourcing agents but always remember never to pay in advance unless trust between the two of you had been established.

It is also important to have patience in order to find the right wholesaler with the best price. However, you should not expect these wholesalers to provide unrealistically low prices. If there are establishments that offer prices that are too low then you need to conduct thorough research first before doing business with these kinds of establishments. Then the last step you need to remember is to have faith in yourself because having confidence is important for success to be possible.

Together we shall win,

Adesegun Akitoye

http://www.

WHEN TO QUIT A BUSINESS

When to Quit a Business

It is undeniable that a lot of business stops their operations because the income from the business is no longer enough to sustain the expenses it incurs. In some cases though, you can also see several businesses cease operations even when it generates enough income simply because the business owner had decided to get involved in another business. And in some even rarer cases, the business stops operations because there was an offer from the competitor to buy out the shares so that they will become the market leader. If you do encounter this situation, it is important to conduct a cost-benefit evaluation about whether the offer is financially viable.

There are still many other reasons why a business ceases to operate but in a franchise business, the reason for quitting is usually quite common. Some of the reasons that franchise owners cite is the high cost of the royalty fee they have to pay together with the cost of doing the actual business. In addition, there are the overhead expenses, the rental fees, the salary, and the miscellaneous expenses a franchise has to deal with. And while other businesses encounter the same problems, a franchise usually incurs more expenses because they have to buy the products they sell from a specific source; this limits their ability to take advantage of cheaper alternatives.
Another reason why a franchise business may cease is that the product or service they might be selling is already of trend. For example, there are cases when a particular kind of food suddenly becomes popular because of the uniqueness of its shape but there is the possibility that the customers may lose interest once the company stops creating new offerings.

However, despite the challenges you have to face in a franchise business, it is important to remember that the essential characteristic of a businessman is perseverance. You should take note that in some industries, you will have to sustain losses in the first few years of operations before you can enjoy profits. So you need to take this into consideration also before you decide to close your business. But if despite your best efforts, your business still continue on its downward trend, then you obviously have no choice but to cut your losses and hope you can get back your capital upon liquidation.

But the failure of one business should not discourage you from seeking out other business opportunities because this will hinder you from success. You should just count these failures as the price for experience so that you will know what to do the next time you encounter these problems. Because definitely, going into business is a worthwhile endeavor that will enable you to realize your potential while deriving profit at the same time.

Together we shall win,

Adesegun Akitoye

http://www.repeatrich.blogspot.com

HOW TO IMPRESS POTENTIAL BUSINESS INVESTORS

How To Impress Potential Business Investors

In order to win over any potential investors for funding your business you have to impress them with your business acumen and not try to dazzle them with exaggerated information. In most instances for every goal you present their response is going to be asking how you are going to achieve that step. This will continue through every step of the process until they are satisfied that your business proposal is sound and that you can meet the goals established.

Most investors are savvy in the ways of business and can quickly see right through hyperbole and hopes. They may agree with you potential on the surface but they are going to need reassurances that if they put their money into your business plan their investment won’t be dashed along with your hopes. They will be looking for contingencies if the roadmap you present in the form of a business plan runs into a dead end street.

Establishing bullet points and datelines for each goal to be met will be a good starting point on your business plan, but will nothing to impress investors. They not only want to see what the goals are that have been established, they want to see how you plan to meet each goal. Any steps along the way will also have to be explained as well as contingency plans in the event that one of the steps is not made.

In addition to your business plan there are two other things investors want to see including your attitude and the product or service. Even with the best business plan if the product has a very limited customer potential base, and lacks the possibility for repeat business most investors will not look upon your plan favorably. A few investors may be in it for a short term profit spree, others will be in a project for a long run hoping to realize as much profit as possible. It will up to you and your products potential to impress them with the long-range goals and profit potential to even get their attention.

Your attitude will also be a key to unlocking investment funds. If you walk into a meeting with potential investors with a negative attitude, chances are their response will match your attitude. Showing enthusiasm for the product or service will indicate to the investors that you believe in your product and are willing to stake your future on the future of the company you are trying to create.

Be prepared to discuss your personal experience and expertise with the type of business you want to start as well as your personal stake in the process. You will have to document everything you tell them and by being prepared to answer any question they may ask about you, the product and company without having to promise to get back to them with an answer, will go a long way towards impressing your investors.

BUDGETING YOUR MONEY WHEN YOU OWN A BUSINESS

Budgeting Your Money When You Own A Business

One of the most difficult things to do when you start a new business is putting together a budget. Without any financial history on which to base income and expenses, it may seem like guesswork, but as part of any business plan a tentative budget can be established with some thought and anticipation for the future.

In most businesses there are two main categories, income and expense. Under your expense category there can be several sub-categories often falling into two main areas of controllable expenses and uncontrollable. While many business owner claim they can control every expense involved in their business, they are simply kidding themselves as some things such as utility cost, the amount of rent and other so-called fixed costs can, and do change, with the owner having no control.

Other expenses such as payroll, insurance and advertising can be subject to a budget, but they are considered controllable expenses. If the business begins to fall off, you can control some of these expenses by laying off employees and cutting back on advertising. However, living by a budget will help maintain profitability in many respects but can also turn against you in the long run.

Depending on the viability of your business it often a better investment to bite the financial bullet on employee wages and still provide good customer service to the remaining customers until business picks back up. By trying into everything yourself not only will you burn out quickly, but if no one is taking care of the customers, it will not take long until there are no more customers to care for.

There are two ways to budget your business money and that is through set dollar amounts and percentage of income. Many businesses will budget their controllable expenses by the dollar and non-controllable by percentage of income. Obviously a good part of the owner’s time is going to be based on bringing money into the business and how much they have to spend on controllable expenses will be in direct relation to income.
For example, a company earning $20,000 a month in income has budgeted six percent for payroll, providing $1,200 for payroll. If the income level rises to $50,000 the budgeted payroll percent does not change but the dollars available for payroll climbs to $3,000. With an obvious increase in business to create the additional income, the owner will probably need the extra help to take care of business.
There are many other expenses that fall into the payroll account such as worker’s compensation charges, Social Security tax paid by the employer and paid vacation time or other perks determined by the employer. While a budget may be difficult to establish for a new business, it is a necessary evil for all business owners.

SCAMMERS TARGET STAY AT HOME MOMS

Scammers Target Stay At Home Moms

Once the kids go back to school and mom has a little more time on their hands they may begin to consider ways to bring in some extra cash. Spending time on the internet searching for work at home opportunities can often be rewarding, provided you understand that there are many scams being offered, many targeted for the stay at home parents looking to make money.

Working at home is an inviting concept and many opportunities exist that present a legitimate means of finding work. Unfortunately, there are plenty more where the only ones who make money are those offering the opportunity. Beware of headlines such as “Learn how to crack the code to internet riches,” and “I was a victim of 37 scams until I stumbled across this opportunity.”

When looking through offers for an internet business opportunity you need to ask yourself some serious questions about the offer. Many will carry a similar theme indicating they have found a way to make bundles of cash online and want to share the secret. You need to ask yourself, why? Here is perfect stranger, willing to share with me the secret they use to make millions of dollars online. Of course this secret is not going to be free, and sometimes it is available for a limited time price of just $19.95 and you will receive their complete information package of how you can make money.

Why aren’t they sharing this information with family and close friends so they can have an entire family of wealthy relatives? Why are they offering this opportunity to strangers? Possibly because their family and friends were suckered into their last get-rich-quick scheme.

One of the most prolific scams online is signing up to be a secret shopper. There are many companies that do use secret shoppers to visit stores and restaurants and turn in a review to the company informing them how a particular unit is performing. To claim this company can hook you up with many companies where you can get paid up to $40 an hour doing things you love to do and keep everything you bought, is nothing more than a scam.

Yes, these companies have the names and addresses of the companies that use secret shoppers and that is what you will be buying. Once you send in your payment, which varies from $19.95 to $39.95, you will receive a list of companies that use secret shoppers and instructions on how to fill out their online applications. If the company is looking for more shoppers they might contact you for a future interview. Most of these offers carry no guarantee that you will ever be chosen to be a secret shopper, let alone get paid $40 an hour for going to a restaurant.

A LOOK AT THE BUSINESS OF KIDS

A Look at the Business of Kids

There are few areas of modern business growing as rapidly and successfully as that of franchising. It is a great way for young entrepreneurs to get their foot into the business world. Take an existing brand, expand it, put your own spin on the best of the ideas, and work a business model that has been proven to be successful. Among the franchising opportunities in America today, few of them are as popular and youthful as that of the kid’s market.

Toy stores and other franchises geared toward the younger set are quickly becoming one of the top franchise markets of today’s world. Perhaps it is because young businessmen are not so far removed being kids themselves that they can remember what children of all ages like to play with and what is likely to appeal to that set. Whatever the reason, the fact cannot be denied that the kid’s market is to be taken seriously by the wise businessman.

What makes the kid’s market so valuable in today’s business world is the fact that today, more than ever, kids are in control of their parents income. This was not true fifteen or twenty years ago. Americans spend more than 100 billion dollars a year for their children’s necessities, not to mention their entertainment. With this kind of money in the economy up for grabs, it’s no wonder the kids’ market is thriving. That number, according to many industry analysts, is only going to grow in the coming years, far ahead of the rate of inflation.

One of the reasons for this rapid growth in the industry could be the disappearance of the traditional one-working-parent family system. While this is decried by some family experts, the fact remains that many families are now home to two working parents, trying to juggle career and children rather than doing one or the other. This leads to two things: more expendable income and less time with the children. This means children must fend for themselves when it comes to their entertainment many times, and this of course leads to greater amounts of spending in that area.

In addition to entertainment items, what cannot be ignored are the huge opportunities in the world of providing day care and extra-curricular activities for these young children. Combined with the need for necessities, it has created a wide open world of franchise possibilities. The market cannot be ignored by anyone wishing to enter an industry with unlimited growth potential. If you are someone who wants to go into business for yourself but aren’t sure what market to focus on, you could do worse than build something around the kids market. It’s not going anywhere, and it could provide you and your family with a wonderful income for years to come.

TIPS ON CONDUCTING A BUSINESS INTERVIEW

Tips On Conducting A Business Interview

When businesses grow to the point of needing outside assistance, i.e. employees you must be prepared to conduct a business interview. There are key factors that will allow you to know if an employee is in fact the right person to add to your business efforts. There are four main areas to probe when preparing to hire an employee. These areas include honesty, tardiness, work ethic and personal history. Be prepared to ask about each of these areas in the depth that you see fit without over stepping any personal boundaries.

Honesty

Honesty can be a quality that is difficult to find in this day and age. The rise in employee theft is shocking. Due to this the majority of companies have a type of psychological questionnaire that is requested to be filled out prior to hiring. This form asks questions about how the employee feels about taking home any item as minute as an office ink pen. Other questions include what actions would he or she take if they were aware of another employee stealing merchandise or supplies. Though it is true that one could lie on this form but 75% of people fill out these applications or questionnaires in honesty. This type of information is needed to protect yourself and your business. You would not want to hire someone who feels that it is okay to “skim off the top” by taking miscellaneous items home. These items add up and you are out of money and trust.
TardinessAsking an employee about how they feel about tardiness is an absolute must. Though you may be shocked to hear what some people deem as fit excuses for missing work, you need to know if an employee is in fact reliable. Asking an employee if being a minute, five minutes or ten minutes late is tardiness? Ask them which is worst one or five? You will be surprised to hear from that golden employee who says one minute or five minutes they are both late and unacceptable. This is what you are looking for.
Work EthicThis is an area in which you will be asking questions such as if the employee you are working with leaves for lunch and returns late, will you continue to work while they are away or feel that it is okay for you to use this extra time to sit back and relax? Is it okay to do the minimum or should you strive to perform your duties as well as ill co-workers? You can get sense of how your employee will work for you.
Personal HistoryIt is always a safe practice to issue a background check on future employees. You cannot be safe enough with people who have a history of violence or mental illness, even drug use. This is not saying that this information should be used to discriminate against someone but it leaves it to your personal discretion and allows you to at least be aware of what consequences could lay ahead. Another test is a drug test. Even the most straight-laced appearances can coat an employee with a drug problem.
These questions are all a matter of business protection. You work hard to create, run and build your businesses success and you should not have that affected by an outside party. Protection is key and by following the above suggestions you will be able to hire on the best suited employee for your business.

FINDING THE PICTURE - PERFECT BUSINESS

Finding The Picture-Perfect Business

Taking family portraits and wedding pictures is probably best left to the professionals with the right equipment for the job, but there are opportunities for good amateur shutterbugs to provide photography services for homes as well as businesses. Real estates agents are always using photography services for pictures for newspapers and home sale magazines and may be looking for someone who can do a quick turnaround for their houses for sale.

Taking pictures of houses is fairly simple, provided the weather is good and the house doesn’t move while having its picture taken. Most can be done with an inexpensive digital camera and sent by file transfer to the agent or broker. Very few agencies will be working with prints in this electronic age, but if they do, there are several one-hour services around that can allow you to offer same-day service on photographs.

Online auctions always sell better with photos of the items being listed and there are some folks who would like to sell their used household items but do not have a camera with which to take the pictures. You can offer to go to their house, take pictures of the items and download the images onto their computer so they can use them on the auction sites. Alternatively, if you hand them a media disk they can download them at their leisure and keep them for back up in case they need them again.

Neighbors and friends may want pictures of little Johnny or Susie at their birthday party but do not want to hire a professional photographer. Picking up a few bucks from a neighbor or friend may make some feel somewhat uncomfortable, but it is your time and camera doing the work. Do not hesitate to inform them that yes, you can take the pictures but your time is worth something.

With many bakeries offering to put pictures on cakes there is a need for decent pictures of the birthday boy or girl to decorate the confection. Unfortunately, many bakeries will not use professional studio photos due to claimed copyright laws and an original picture will be needed.

If you are any good at taking pictures, you may consider giving your services as a wedding present. The way many make this work, is they buy a few rolls of film and shoot pictures at the wedding, the reception and other shots the couple want for their album. Once you finish, hand the film to the couple to take to the lab of their choice for processing.

Once the prints come back they can choose the ones they want for enlarging and have their entire wedding album transferred to DVD for future use. Your wedding gift cost a few rolls of film and the time at the wedding, where you probably would have been anyway.

SOME NETWORK MARKETERS NEVER SEEM HAPPY WITH THEIR JOB

Some Network Marketers Never Seem Happy With Their Job

Practically everyone knows someone who has a new business proposition just about every week. It could be a relative, a close friend or neighbor that is constantly pushing the next great idea that promises to make everyone they know enough money to live on for the rest of their life. Very few of these acquaintances however, will ask about last week's plan because either they did not pay enough attention to know about it, or they just do not care.

In most cases, it is a case of misplaced trust and over enthusiasm. Network marketers love these kinds of people. They are the ones that easily convinced to join their program and they try to use the same sales pitch that they fell for on everyone in their warm network. That is, the people they feel closest to that probably aren't going to slam the door in their face or hang up on them when they call. They probably have Caller ID and simply don't answer their phone when they see it is from them.

They always seem to be on their cell phone, dressed in designer clothes and always seem to be on their way to meet someone important. One thing you cannot fault them for is their enthusiasm. The problem is, most of these marketing addicts have one thing in common, in that they expect instant gratification and when reality sets in about their current love, they dump it as quick as they signed on and move on to another, more promising project.

It is the hook that these folks jump on and the minute the line gets a little tight, they want to spit out the hook and find another tasty bait. They believe all the hype about earning a lot of money in a hurry and when it doesn't happen, they are on the prowl for a new idea. If they would spend as much time working on their current project as they spend on seeking out new ones, they would probably be a lot richer by now and not seem so desperate when they meet their personal network.

The truth is, they are wallowing in the promises of fast, easy money and when they discover they have to offer training to their downline and may have to actually do some work, they think they have been swindled. They probably were, but it isn't because they don't have to work, it's because they believed they could get rich on someone else's labor. They forgot about the need to train others.

Their upline may make a call or two to them to see what they can do to help them out, but most of the time they really do not care if one of their members drops out. Anyone they may have recruited now belongs to the next person in their upline and there will be thousands of others ready to take their place in the line. It is a constantly flow of fresh bodies that keeps many of the marketing programs alive and neighbors and family on their toes.

THE REALITY OF GUARANTEED RESULTS

The Reality Of Guaranteed Results

Thousands of emails and hundreds of free offers for getting into your own business flood internet mailboxes on a daily basis. Free trial offers that promise a full refund if the buyer is not completely satisfied with the first (insert number of days here). However, while a majority of these offers may be for a legitimate business opportunity, the concept has been spoiled by a few who don’t really want to get involved with issuing refunds. Chances are your money has been spent on another enterprise and until it takes off, the refund will be slow in coming.

Before filling out the send it now form with your personal information and credit card number, make sure you can find the contact information on the website. Don’t be fooled into believing that information will be available when you receive your download or welcome information pack. A person or company that hides behind an email address and gives offers no other way to get in touch with the company, is probably not going to be around long enough to issue a refund.

Most companies offering guaranteed results have many specifications you have to follow in order to achieve the success they promise. Their idea of part-time and full-time may not by the same as yours as many times, the work that has to be done will far exceed 40 hours per week. While many people understand that owning their own business will require a significant investment in time, 80 to 90 hours per week working on a proven plan for making money is not what they had in mind.

Also consider the investment you are being asked to make. Many companies not only want to sell you their technology included in their website, but will also want monthly fees for continuing to use their name. While many franchises charge for their name and reputation as well as training materials, supplies and other items used in the business, many online companies charge only for their name. The value of their brand is subjective, usually set by them, and you have nothing with which in can be compared.

Before investing any money, check with the Better Business Bureau both in your area as well as the area in which the company is located. There may also be internet blogs that talk about companies and their ability to swoon their customers into sending them money and getting nothing in return. Run their name through some search engines to see if they show up and search for the products they claim to sell. If they can’t be found online, chances are your page for their products will also be hidden from view. Without internet traffic your website will be meaningless.

Together we shall win,

Adesegun Akitoye

http://www.repeatrich.blogspot.com

THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF PRINT MARKETING

The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Print Marketing

When you run a business a lot of your focus will be on marketing. Three traditional methods that have been used by businesses for years includes newspapers, magazines and the yellow pages. However, many businesses are starting to turn their attention towards internet and other forms of technological marketing. So some may wonder if there are still benefits to using these forms of print marketing.

When it comes to newspapers there are several advantages to consider. With newspapers you can reach a large group of people while also targeting a specific geographic area. Newspapers allow you to have flexibility in deciding what size ad you want to place and where you want it printed in the newspaper. This means you can make your ad as large as necessary in order to communicate what you are trying to sell.

You are not limited by your newspaper ad, readers can return to your message again and again so you can have continuous exposure. You will usually have free help from the newspaper in creating and producing your ad copy. Newspapers are adapting to the changing market conditions and offering quick turn-around. Therefore, running an ad today can result in customers viewing your ad within one to two days.

Magazines provide a way for businesses to have a more focused marketing option. However, it is also a more expensive alternative to the newspaper method of advertising. Businesses choose this method of marketing if they want to reach a highly targeted audience. By using magazines you can advertise to your audience through publications that focus on your specific audience or has topics of interest to your audience. Since you have a high reader involvement with the magazine you will have more attention placed on your advertisement. Magazine ads are better for color reproduction and full-color ads, this means that even small ads will stand out in a magazine.

The oldest tradition of print marketing is the yellow pages. Today there are several different forms of yellow pages that allow people to promote and advertise their business. In addition to the general yellow pages that the phone companies give out you can also use specialized directories that are targeted towards specific markets. There are even internet directors now that you can use for advertising your company.

With yellow page advertising you can have wide availability since nearly everyone will use the yellow pages at one time or another. It is a non-intrusive way of marketing. It is an action-oriented method of marketing since your audience will actually be looking for what you provide. Yellow page ads are reasonably inexpensive and your responsive can be easily tracked and measured. Finally, yellow page marketing offers increased frequency.

Together we shall win,

Adesegun Akitoye

http://www.repeatrich.blogspot.com

WORKER'S COMPENSATION AND WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Worker’s Compensation and What You Need to Know

If you’re getting into small business entrepreneurship for the first time, you’ll need to know the ins and outs of the Worker’s Compensation program. This program is available and mandatory for most businesses to carry in the event that one of their workers is hurt on the job. In these instances, it falls to the business to pay the medical bills, and without Worker’s Compensation, just one incident could be enough to sink a new company. The Worker’s Compensation insurance not only covers the cost of trips to the hospital, but follow up doctor’s appointments, prescription drugs, and even surgeries that may be called for in the event of an accident. Though Worker’s Compensation can be costly, it is there to protect the small business owner from law suits. If an employee signs on with Worker’s Comp (which you should provide and make mandatory for all your workers), he essentially waives his right to bring legal action in the event of an accident.

The Worker’s Compensation program was started in the early years of the twentieth century when work related law suits were getting out of hand. Enormous settlements, far exceeding what was required for medical expense, were being handed out as punishments to companies for failing to provide safe work environments. Not only was this disastrous for small business men, but itusually resulted in workers being fired and even blacklisted in some instances from the industries they used to make a living.

Of course, the current system of Worker’s Compensation has more than its share of detractors. These people argue that the mandatory program provides another reason for larger corporations to outsource much of their work to offshore factories in order to avoid both the chances for law suits and the program’s premiums. Others argue that these corporations will find reasons anywhere to hire cheap labor from other countries, and the Worker’s Compensation reason is just another excuse. On the other hand, even small business owners have their problems with the system, and some of them argue that the premiums are too high and make it difficult for new businesses to hire a workforce at a reasonable salary.

There are also increased movements toward privatizing Worker’s Compensation, rather than having it available through the government. Already a couple of states have adopted private funds for Worker’s Compensation insurance, which has lowered the cost of premiums and given in turn better care for the workers themselves. While some insist that a program this important should be left in the hands of the state governments, others disagree, pointing to examples where competition based insurance programs provide the best of both worlds to both employees and businesses.

Whether the future provides for a continuation of the trend in privatization or a full scale reform of the system as a government program, Worker’s Compensation is not going anywhere. If you are starting your own business, familiarize yourself with the requirements for your district and state and make sure to budget accordingly. There are sometimes differing levels of insurancedepending on inspections of your workplace and the nature of your business, so take advantage ofany programs you can use to keep costs low.

FINANCIAL FREEDOM REVERSE MORTGAGE : YOUR 401K AND FINANCIAL FREEDOM

Financial Freedom Reverse Mortgage : Your 401k and financial freedom

The 401k has but one drawback. You can’t get the money out right away. If you take out the money before you reach the age of 59 and six months, you will be slapped with a 10-percent penalty, and it will be taxed as regular income. Don’t let this scare you. This is don’t touch money anyway. Plus, you have your three months of emergency living expenses in your money market account.

You can borrow against the plan at any time. In the unlikely event that you do have to withdraw and pay the penalty, Chances are the tax deductions and the tax-deferred financial freedom reverse mortgage growth will still make contributing a smart move.

If you work for a small company, your company may have a Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees. SIMPLEs allow annual contributions of up to $7,000. SIMPLEs aren’t exactly 401ks, but, for the most part, they are similar.

If you are self-employed, you won’t have a 401k, but there are other retirement plans available to you. The two most common plans are the Keogh and SEP through a financial freedom reverse mortgage. The Keogh allows you to save the most money, but it requires a good deal of paperwork. The SEP or Simplified Employee Pension is easier to set up, but you may not be able to save as much as the Keogh.

If you have employees, both plans require you to include your employees in the plan. This caveat may make it sensible for a business owner not to set up a plan at all. Since each financial freedom reverse mortgage plan has their ups and downs, and affects not only you but also your entire business, it is best to speak with a tax advisor before starting one.

You may not have any employee-sponsored retirement plan. That’s okay, just max out your Individual Retirement Account or IRA, which is a tax-friendly account available to just about anyone.

Retirement plans vary from company to company, so it’s worth a trek down to your human resources department. Please do this trek soon, as in tomorrow. Remember, the earlier you start, the more money you’ll wind up with. When you enter the cubicle maze of the human resources department, the person you’re looking for is the plan administrator.

The plan administrator knows all about your company’s plan. She may be an actually employee of your company or, if you work for a small company, the plan administrator probably works for an outside firm that handles retirement accounts. Either way, HR will know where the plan administrator hangs out.

You want to find out how much you can contribute to the plan. Amounts vary from company to company and can depend on your salary. You want to find out when you can start contributing. Some companies may want you to work for them for a little while before taking advantage of the plan. If you’re under 21, you’ll have to wait until you can buy alcohol before contributing to a 401k.

http://www.financial-freedom-made-simple.com/finding-financial-freedom.html

Together we shall win,

Adesegun Akitoye

http://www.repeatrich.blogspot.com

DIFFERENTIATE GENERIC MARKETING LEAD FROM QUALIFIED MLM NETWORK LEAD

Differentiate Generic Marketing Lead from Qualified MLM Network Lead

If you can believe the hype propagated on the Internet, large quantities of leads are the lifeblood of the network marketing business. It does not matter if you are involved in multi level marketing (MLM) or any other kind of marketing network endeavor, the failure to generate leads is most commonly equated with the failure of the business venture while success in generating these leads is considered the surefire way of succeeding in the business of your choice. Even though there is a kernel of truth to this school of thought, it leaves out a most important object lesson and caveat: to differentiate generic marketing leads from qualified MLM network leads.

An unqualified lead is anyone and everyone you might meet on the street. Complete strangers whom you hand a business card in passing are unqualified leads. Your family and circle of friends are perhaps the best examples of unqualified leads! They could be leads simply because out of love and respect for you they will permit you to give them your sales presentation, but they are unqualified in that they have not actually expressed an interest in the product you are selling or the company you are representing. Do not misunderstand: there is a chance that any lead, no matter how generic and unqualified, may be turned into a qualified lead, yet this is a time consuming process that relies on the skill, product knowledge and determination of the network marketer.

On the flipside of this coin is the qualified lead. Usually it is a person who has sought out you or your website to get more information about the product you are selling, the service you are providing and also the business you are representing. Similarly, a qualified lead is someone who is familiar with the network marketing industry and wants to become involved but might still be searching for just the right niche to buy into. Such leads are worth their weight in gold! Does this mean that each and every qualified lead will turn into a customer or down line candidate? By no means! As a matter of fact, the individual may decide that your product or business and she or he simply do not represent a good fit. Fledgling marketers may also turn off qualified leads because of incompetence. Yet by and large marketing to a qualified lead is a lot easier than trying to turn a generic lead into a qualified one.

Thus it is a questionable practice for the beginning marketer to purchase leads sights unseen. Nine times out of ten this transaction will cost a fair amount of money and net the marketer generic leads, such as may have been generated with a “make money while you sleep ad” or similar promotions. Conversely, purchasing qualified leads is a lot more expensive yet also an investment well worth making! These leads are usually collected during network marketing seminars when individuals are being introduced to the concept and express interest in learning more about the industry or the wellness aspect thereof. Yet keep in mind that even if you differentiate generic marketing lead from qualified MLM network lead and not spend even one penny on an unqualified lead, you may still not close the deal! There is no guarantee in network marketing, only a leg up.

Together we shall win,

Adesegun Akitoye

http://www.repeatrichrelief.com

STARTING A SMALL BUSINESS FROM THE GROUND UP

Starting a Small Business From the Ground Up

From the housemaid in a small Texas town near the Mexico border to the CEO of a multimilliondollar corporation in the middle of Silicon Valley, all of us at one time or another have dreamed ofopening our own business and making ourselves rich, rather than helping someone else get there.What’s great about today’s business climate is the relative ease with which young and oldAmericans alike, foreigners and natives, college educated and non, can start their own smallbusinesses. If you’ve been dreaming of dropping out of the corporate grind, the minimum wageslavery, or just want to have more control over your destiny, read on for a look at how you toocan become a sterling example of the American dream gone right.

You may be thinking: but I have no money. It takes money to start your own business. This istrue, but seldom to people open their small business with their own money. Fortunately, we live ina country that encourages the entrepreneur, as long as he or she can demonstrate that they knowwhat they’re doing. Banks are perhaps more eager to hand out small business loans than any othertype. There are plenty of government agencies that can also be counted upon to give money to theaspiring small businessman. And then there are venture capitalists and angel investors who maketheir entire living putting money into startup companies in the calculated risk that they will see apositive return on their investment strategy. All you need is a great idea, a solid and completebusiness plan, and the type of personality that can convince those with money to hand it over.

If the business you’re planning to open is in the same field you’ve already been working in, youprobably have a list of contacts already in the field. Now, there are ethical and legal considerationshere. You can’t simply steal clients using inside information you have from working at anothercompany. You can, however, use you contacts in the manufacturing and vending fields to helpyou get started. If you have personal relationships with your customers, there’s nothing wrongwith letting them know you’ll soon be going into business for yourself. If they choose to give yourcompany a shot, you should be in the clear. On the whole, however, it may be best not to go intodirect competition with the company you’ve worked for. You can then use your coworkers andmanagers for help in getting off on the right foot. If your new business is at right angles with thecompany you’re leaving, you may be able to help each other.

Your next step is to research the marketplace. This should be done before anything else. Youhave to know what has worked in your chosen field and what hasn’t. What has been tried beforeand what might make a big splash in the industry. Don’t come to the dance with nothing new tooffer. You can compete on prices, and you can compete on service. But the best form ofcompetition comes in exciting innovation. Think of at least one great idea before you open yourown business. Something no one else has tried. You will set yourself apart right from the start,and sometimes that’s all you need.

Together we shall win!

Adesegun Akitoye

STARTING AN ONLINE BUSINESS WITH WHAT YOU KNOW

Starting An Online Business With What You Know

If you are considering starting an online business, before selecting any one business think about all of the products or services you buy online and which ones spark your interest the most. As a basic rule of thumb, if you do not buy it or will not buy it online there is little reason to believe that many more people will buy it. A product that you have used, and are happy with, is probably the best chance for success in starting a home business.

The best way to sell any product is to have a full understanding of why people will buy it, not just that people do buy it, but the reasons they give for offering up their cash to own it. One of the top door-to-door cosmetics companies recruited their sales team not through fancy marketing plans and glitzy advertising, but through the users of their product. Once people became familiar with them and were repeat customers, they were offered the chance to purchase the merchandise at wholesale prices by becoming a distributor.

Many of them jumped at the chance as they could not only save some money on their own products, but could money by selling the great products to friends and neighbors. When you look through offers for online businesses you will want to consider if any of them can meet the same criteria. Is the product something that you personally have a use for and are willing to buy? Is it something your friends and neighbors would be willing to buy from you? Is it a good product at a fair price and has little competition?

If you can answer yes to these three questions, you should probably jump at the opportunity being presented. However, if you cannot envision a market, have no idea what the product does, only that you can make a fortune if someone, somewhere is willing to buy from you, then you will probably end up looking for another line of work. It is important to understand the market for the product and not only how you will make your first sale, but to whom.
How much potential customers are willing to pay for the product will depend on a number of variables, among them the real and perceived need for the product. Consistent hyped advertising often drives up the demand for a product, but once it hits the market if it doesn't meet the customers' expectations, plan on a bunch of returns as well as angry customers. On the other hand, if the market for a specific product is soft and demand is high, it can lead to lots of sales with very little profit.

For example, if you have found an opportunity to sell organic toothpaste that promises to whiten the teeth and eliminate gum disease and cavities, it may sound like a great product. With a price in line with many of the major brands you believe there may be a good market among people between the ages of 40 and 60, but market research also shows that many in that age group are already loyal to other brands and are not likely to change, dropping the price is one option. However, marketing with the objective of grabbing market share can bankrupt a company unless they first create product awareness based on its original price.

Together we shall win!

Adesegun Akitoye

TIPS TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM ONLINE BUSINESS SCAMS

Tips To Protect Yourself From Online Business Scams

As products and services appear on the Internet and there is proof that money can be made through these venues, copy cats, hackers, and scam artists are quick to create twin sites that will easily fool consumers and those looking for work at home opportunities. Bank information, personal information (SSN), and physical money are taken fraudulently creating victims of fraud, Internet scam and identity theft. Far too many people believe that this cannot happen to him or her, as this is just not the case.

The Despicable Scam ArtistsIf you were to take the time to look into the numerous scams and bogus business offers found online it would turn your stomach. It is disgraceful and frightening to see those online surveys, government grants; mystery shoppers and data entry clerks all make the list for scams online. Opportunities that were once available are now cause for red flags and alarms when searching on the Internet.

The Unfortunate VictimsThe appeal of working from home can often prove to be more harmful than helpful for many who become victims of fraud through false business opportunities. Millions of dollars from career hopefuls are sent to online business addresses and promises of careers for home businesses are left unmet as a scam artist takes the money and runs. Once you become a victim of fraud you become full of paranoia. You no longer have a trust for businesses in general. It is an awful feeling to think that there is not a single business remaining that you can put your own personal information and money into.

Guidelines For Scam ProtectionFollowing these suggestions can keep you from becoming a victim. Prevention is the only way to help us and others to keep life for us safe as possible. If we take the time to protect ourselves, perhaps we can begin to deter those scammers, hackers and online thieves.* Research a company or business prior to personal involvement. Look for records online showing proof that this is a legitimate business.* Protect your personal information such as your social security number, home address, telephone, email, or bank account details.* Do not send checks or other payments prior to receiving written information from the company. * Search for details of a business through the better business bureau.

Prevention and Knowledge Is KeyKnowing how to protect yourself and your loved ones when searching for online opportunities is a must. Thought the Internet is a useful tool it has transformed into a portal for thieves, predators, scam artist and other disgraceful types to prey on men, women and children alike. If we do not take precautions the cases of fraud and scam victims will continue to increase and the Internet will become an even greater threat to personal well-being. You can learn more about Internet scams on the Internet or through other media such as books at your local library. Arm yourself with knowledge and share it with those around you. Each and every person who is aware of Internet scams is another step towards ending it.

Together we shall win!

Adesegun Akitoye

FORUM MARKETING NETWORK BUSINESSES FOR THE BEGINNER

Forum Marketing Network Businesses for the Beginner

The numbers of fledgling marketers who take to forum marketing network businesses are legion! Unfortunately, so are also the numbers of marketers who will return to the same forum the next day and when attempting to log in will find out that their forum persona was deleted and accesses as well as posting privileges have been summarily denied. What happened?

Generally speaking, the odds are good that your forum posts were considered spam by enough of the other players that an administrator was contacted who eventually took action and banned you from the network. The fine line that exists between forum marketing network business and spamming is often a heated topic of discussion on said forums themselves and there is no hard and fast answer.

Yet in an effort to make it easier for the newbie, forum marketing network businesses for the beginner is a three step process.

1. First and foremost, you need to decide which angle you want to market. In other words, are you looking for down line candidates or for product customers? In the same vein, do you want to find individuals who not only want to buy your product but then also turn around and sell it? Each and every angle requires you to use a different approach.

In other words, each and every angle requires you to write your forum posts with great care and expertise – perhaps this is one of the reasons that this is a task most commonly outsourced to an experienced freelance writer.

2. Secondly, you need to create your forum persona. Stay away from obvious monikers that will have other forum participants roll their eyes and instantly steal your credibility. Examples include “make money losing weight” or “wealthy marketer.”

Instead, opt for a persona with a respectable name or handle, if you do not want to use your real name. Next, you need to create a profile. This is a great opportunity to mention your business and also your role in it, but do not turn the forum profile section into a cut and paste job from the company website. There is not a persona live who will read through a lengthy promotional profile. Last but not least, if the forum permits, create a signature. This could include a link to your website, but it will be more effective if it includes a link to a personal blog or even online newsletter with a gripping teaser.

Something like “how a candy bar at three in the morning cost me two hours of sleep and $10” is an example of a headline that will lead to click through traffic simply because it seems to implausible and everyone wants to know more about the story. Do not disappoint the website visitor but instead deliver a gripping tale or blog entry so when you change your signature to feature the next article, those who know you will come and look.

3. Last but not least, do not post lengthy wellness product reviews in a gardening forum. Similarly, do not post an explanation on how to lose weight in a forum dedicated to childhood diseases and autism.

Two cardinal sins are incorporated in this approach: a lengthy posting and an inappropriate venue. Only post in forums that are somehow related to your business. Secondly, keep the posts short and simple, especially when you discuss your product.

Together we shall win,

Adesegun Akitoye

http://www.repeatrichrelief.com

BUILDING AN AFFILIATE MARKETING NETWORK VIA THE CLASSIFIEDS

Building an Affiliate Marketing Network via the Classifieds

Almost everyone who discusses the merits of an affiliate marketing network likely focuses on the pay-per-click versus pay-for-performance aspects of this advertising tool, and rightfully so! Online these two programs alone have shown themselves to be the work horses of a successful and diversified affiliate marketing network while at the same time not demanding an undue strain on a company’s promotions budget.

Thus, start up companies in general and home based small business entrepreneurs in particular gravitate to this form of self-promotion like bugs to a strong light source in the dark of night. Yet just like the bugs, many of the smaller businesses get burned not because the product was unsuccessful or the presentation less than professional but instead because the interest simply could not be generated by the participants in the affiliate marketing network who chose to sign up.

In general, those signing up to post links and banners or search boxes onto their sites are looking for the heavy hitters which will lend credibility to the webmaster and her or his site, while smaller merchants are usually avoided because they simply do not offer that air of mainstream acceptance to a site.

In the same vein, many of the webmaster who do sign up for the smaller business affiliate marketing network will most likely be startups themselves, thus in a way countermanding the business’ efforts of reaching a large number of potential customers. Even though the money spent on this kind of advertising is low, it hardly merits the results that are being yielded.

Interestingly, a new trend is developing which is finding great acceptance with smaller businesses and which is proofing to be a money maker to such an extent that it threatens to leave the tried and true pay-per-click or pay-for-performance affiliate marketing network in the dust for home based entrepreneurs: classified ads. Building an affiliate marketing network via the classifieds may sound odd but the more careful attention you pay to this trend, the more sense it makes.

With a few words you have the chance to advertise your network and generate a far-reaching interest in the business. While not each and every online or print publication will permit you to post your ads, in general you will find that you can start getting out the word about your network by posting in a few free, online publications. Research the high traffic sites and post your ads in accordance with their submission guidelines – a much overlooked fact that may get your ad buried if not carefully observed!

Use strong marketing words that require a response by the reader, such as “clicking” or “visiting” and rely on heavy hitters like “proven” or “guaranteed” – only if you can back up the claims, of course. Add a measurable and real benefit to the action, and the odds are good that you will have a visitor for your site. Turning the visitor into a qualified lead, of course, is up to the quality of your site and actual network.

Together we shall win,

Adesegun Akitoye

http://www.repeatrichrelief.com