Will You Add? - Internet and Businesses Online

Outsourcing Website Services - Can Your Business Benefit?
Would it surprise you to know that Compaq Computer™ outsources? How about Underwriters Laboratories™? Gateway Computers™? Yes, even the Chicagoland Area Chamber of Commerce™! I have been involved with projects involving each one of these companies. They all outsourced specific portions of their projects. Even Hyperformance Media out-sources specific project requirements! Every business does not know every other business.What I mean is, your business can not know everything there is to know about printing (for example). Therefore, in certain situations, it would benefit your company to outsource this service to some printing specialists. It could save you time, money, and benefits, leaving your employees their time to continue to do what they do best, their job - with minimum productivity loss!In this simple example you can begin to see the many benefits.* You have professionals creating the desired product.* They will do a better job in less time.* No need to buy additional equipment or software.* No set-up, no training, no lost time.* No payroll, benefits, or accounting headaches.* Your employees remain focused on their goals and your business productivity!These are just a few of the many reasons used to justify the outsourcing of some projects versus attempting to do everything in-house.Your business website is a mission-critical marketing tool. Used properly, your website should be your most outspoken salesperson. Your business should be getting more business from the Web, if not doing business on the Web.The successful marketing of your business website should NOT

if you have any problem you know where to go and who to talk to in order to get any issues resolved.

Since the business you are dealing with is online finding them shouldn’t be a problem, but the company should also provide other means of contacting them in case you have a problem with the product.

Check to see if they offer a phone number and hours of business. If you are at all uncomfortable with dealing with a particular company, call them, you may find that a simple phone call will set your mind at ease. Suddenly you have a name and voice to go with the company.

Look for a physical address, a street address is always more viable than just a PO box. Either way this gives you another method of communicating with the company, and if your issue could lead to legal action sending a registered letter to the offending party can be very useful.

Is this the End of the Sales Letter?
For a while everyone used to talk about sales letters, you could buy a pack of sales letter or get sales letter software to help you out. But things have started to change, I don’t know if people have gotten more sense or maybe the penny has finally dropped?But, every where you look now everyone seems to be talking about building mailing lists and profiting from them. I’ve even noticed that there has been an increase in the free e-books in circulation about mailing lists. Is this the end of the sales letter?When you look at it even with a very good sales letter the response rate can be only 2-3%, but by building and maintaining a good mailing list the response rate can be 10% and more. The problem with a sales letter is that the prospect only usually comes to it once has a quick look decides “Yes” or “No” to themselves and off the go. So with a 2-3% response rate you lose out on the other 98% of your customers. Some of the “experts” claim that the main reason for having a website is to collect e-mail address and nothing else. Once you have the e-mail address you can follow up on your prospect as often as you want until they either buy something off you or unsubscribe.So where does that leave you, should you pull down that sales letter and put your copywriting books away?Well no, but you should consider building an opt in web page as your first point of contact with your prospect. Give something of value away or get them to sign up to an e-mail course you’ve put together, so now you have an excuse to contact them over a period of time and build up a relationship. When they start to get to know you and trust you, you’ll start to see your sales letter conversi

Online Shopping

I will never, ever buy anything over the Internet! Have you ever said this? I have heard this statement from a number of people. The first question I ask them is; Why? When I ask them this question I get a range of answers but the most popular responses are: ‘I don’t know who I’m giving my information to, how can I trust them’, or ‘The internet is not secure enough’, or ‘There are thieves everywhere on the internet.’

Let go through a little scenario.

You take your family out for a nice supper at a local restaurant, and have an enjoyable meal. The waiter/waitress brings the bill, you check to make sure it right and then hand over your credit card, they walk away to process the transaction. The server brings you the bill and the slip, you sign the slip and hand it back, the server should check to make sure that your signature is correct and hands back your credit card. This sounds like a normal transaction that happens countless times everyday around the world.

Now let’s look at what really happened here. When you handed over your credit card to this individual you gave them a wealth of information whether you realize it or not. The server has now walked away with your card and an unscrupulous person might take advantage of this. The information available to them to copy at their leisure is your credit card account number, the expiration date, the security number on the back of the card and a copy of your signature. This is more than enough information for a thief to use to purchase goods on your card.

We don’t normally think about this because using our credit cards at the local restaurant or store is a normal part of life for most of us. We have a face and usually a name to the person that we are dealing with and that gives us a certain level of comfort, an perhaps instills a certain amount of trust in the individual and the business we are dealing with, but do we really know the person we are dealing with, in most cases probably not. So what we work on is the perception of trust.

Now this is a pessimistic scenario, most people are honest, and law abiding and the overall stats around credit theft in this manner is extremely low, so I don’t want to alarm anyone but instead wanted to use this example to make my point. Doing business over the internet can be no more risky than handing your credit card over to the complete stranger serving you in the restaurant.

So now let’s look to see what happens when you purchase goods on the Internet.

You surf to a site where you find something that you either really want or need. You go through the process to order the goods and come to the screen where the company is now asking you to enter your credit card number, this generally causes the customer to pause to contemplate whether or not taking the next step is the right thing to do. This is the right reaction, you are about to enter some sensitive information on a form where this information will be sent electronically over the internet to the company that you want to deal with. So to make you more comfortable in placing an order there are a few things that you should look out for.

Making your Shopping Experience Comfortable.

When dealing with the store down the street you know how to find them if there are any problems with the products you purchase. You have an address, a phone number and most likely the name of the person that you are dealing with, so if you have any problem you know where to go and who to talk to in order to get any issues resolved.

Annual Report Themes – Ideas for Non-profit Annual Reports
Many nonprofits organize their annual reports to reflect the set up of the organization. If three different programs were implemented last year, your annual report would need to include three sections describing those programs. Though that is one of the easiest ways to structure an annual report, it's not one of the most compelling methods of telling your story.Developing a theme for the year is a better way to organize an annual report. The theme must flow throughout the document and it can also appear as the title on the report's cover.Here are three themes that any nonprofit could adapt for its annual report:Results that Speak for Themselves. Having people who greatly benefit from your work talk about your accomplishments is much more effective than speaking about your accomplishments directly. The inclusion of personal profiles or anecdotes is a great way of showcasing how your accomplishments are improving lives.Step by Step. Showing annual progress is important even if the goals of your organization will take years to actualize. You want to showcase how all of your achievements, even small ones, are stepping stones along the path to something greater. Using text and graphics are an excellent way to highlight achievements, no matter how small.Reaping What We Sow. A creative approach is to use a garden analogy to describe your accomplishments, from planting seeds (the origin of projects), to pulling weeds (overcoming obstacles), to harvesting the fruits of your labor (enjoying your achievements).

is correct and hands back your credit card. This sounds like a normal transaction that happens countless times everyday around the world.

So now let’s look to see what happens when you purchase goods on the Internet.

Making your Shopping Experience Comfortable.

12 Tips On the Elements of a Successful Interview
Throughout the many years of my recruiting experience, I have collected feedback from employers and candidates alike. Fact: You will get hired because of the solid job you do during the interview. Remember: The interview is your opportunity to present yourself at your best. It is an opportunity to make a positive impression about you. How do you make your interview a successful one? From many feedbacks as well an my own personal experience, please allow me to share with you a few of these elements of a successful interview: Be prepared – research the company you are meeting with.With the enormous amount of information available today, organization except any potential candidate to know about the organization. Read the web site which will supply you with a lot of information. In the event that there is no web site, call the company and ask to pick up annual reports, employee newsletters, promotional material and a corporate brochure. Where applicable, ask your recruiter for information. You need to find out what the company does, what a person in your position might be doing, and whether the company has growth potential.Bring extra copies of your resume. Print your hard copy resumes on 100-gsm-weight paper, either white or ivory available at any office supplies store.Be presentable, clean, tidy, and neat. Ensure that you dress for the position you are applying for.Be punctual! It is good practice to arrive 10 minutes prior to the start of the interview. In the event that you are running behind, stop and make a phone call! Tell the interviewer that you will be late, ask whether that is suitable with their timetable. In the event that it is not suitable, re-sc

name to the person that we are dealing with and that gives us a certain level of comfort, an perhaps instills a certain amount of trust in the individual and the business we are dealing with, but do we really know the person we are dealing with, in most cases probably not. So what we work on is the perception of trust.

So now let’s look to see what happens when you purchase goods on the Internet.

Making your Shopping Experience Comfortable.

Quick Bookkeeping Tip: 3 Key Points for Your New Home-Based Business
Congratulations on deciding to be your own boss. Remember these three key points and you will be on your way to a good start in your new home-based business.Keep business & personal receipts separate.Open a credit card in your business name and use this for business, not personal expenses. If you are a sole proprietor and not using a ‘trading as’ name, pick one of your credit cards that you will use for business purposes only. Don’t mix business and personal charges on any of your credit cards. Even if you are shopping, and have items in your cart that are business purchases, have the cashier ring two separate sales so you can charge one to your business card and the other to your personal card. While the people in line may give you dirty looks, you can console yourself with the fact that you are making purchases that will help reduce your taxable income, while theirs probably are not.Open a separate business checking account.Deposit all checks from your customers into this account and use it to pay all of your business expenses. If you are ever audited, this shows the IRS that you treat your side business as a real company, with all the bookkeeping that goes with it. If you have a ‘trading as’ name, your bank will most likely require you to open a business account. However, if you use your name as your business, you can open a new personal account and save on the bank service charges you would be charged for a business account.Apply for all business licenses that pertain to your business.If you operate a home-based business, be sure to obtain any licenses that are required from your local government. Check your state’s website for informat

want or need. You go through the process to order the goods and come to the screen where the company is now asking you to enter your credit card number, this generally causes the customer to pause to contemplate whether or not taking the next step is the right thing to do. This is the right reaction, you are about to enter some sensitive information on a form where this information will be sent electronically over the internet to the company that you want to deal with. So to make you more comfortable in placing an order there are a few things that you should look out for.

Making your Shopping Experience Comfortable.

How to Create a Positive Work Atmosphere
Positive versus Negative WorkplacesWe have all worked in places where we grew to dread getting up in the morning, and a few of us have had the pleasure of working for a boss who makes us feel like we can do anything. Let’s take a look at the differences between a positive and a negative work environment.Signs of a Negative Work Environment• The boss is unfriendly.• The boss is critical.• There is high employee turnover.• There is low employee morale.• People watch the clock.• People don’t get much performance feedback.Signs of a Positive Work Environment• The boss demonstrates interest in the employees.• The boss has an encouraging attitude.• Employees like working there.• There is evidence of company pride and loyalty.• People know where they stand with their supervisors.Thousands of books have been written on the subject of managing and motivating people, and as many training seminars are conducted on this subject around the world every day. And yet it’s interesting that even with all of this available information, few companies succeed at creating a positive work environment. Let’s see what’s involved.Four Key SkillsCreating a positive work environment is based on four key skills. They are:1. Tell people what you expect of them.2. Show interest in your team members.3. Create an encouraging environment.4. Recognize and reward good performance.Skill #1: State Your ExpectationsTelling people what you expect of them means doing the following:• Communicating expectations clearly• Having a specific job description

if you have any problem you know where to go and who to talk to in order to get any issues resolved.

If you have questions about how a company operates, call them or send and e-mail. You’ll be able get a sense about a company, in the way they respond and how prompt they are at responding at customer requests. If they don’t respond in a professional manner then perhaps you shouldn’t deal with them, or if it takes them a long time to respond to your request then you would have to wonder if this is the same service you would receive after the sale. Technical Queues to Look for.

There are also other technical queues to look for as well. You are going to be sending sensitive personal and financial information over the internet so you have to make sure that the company that you’re dealing with is looking after your interests as well.

Encryption:

The web page where you enter your personal and financial information should be protected by encryption. The form of encryption is called SSL (Secure Socket Layer) this is the industry standard for making secure transactions over the internet.

To verify that your information will be encrypted you should look for a visual clue that the web browser makers have built into the browser. For Internet Explorer users a small pad lock will appear at lower right hand corner of the browser window. If you see this you know that your information is being protected. For Firefox users a key will appear at the bottom right hand side of the screen to indicate that the information entered on the web page will be encrypted.

Depending on where you are in the world there are two commonly used levels for SSL encryption, 40-bit or 128-bit encryption, 128-bit being the stronger of the two types of encryption. In North America the two browsers mentioned offer 128-bit encryption.

The latest versions of the most popular web browsers, Internet Explorer and Firefox offer 128-bit encryption. You can download the latest versions of these browsers from the following links.

Firefox:

http://www.getfirefox.com

Microsoft Internet Explorer:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/default.mspx

Most companies doing business online also present a logo for the company that they use to provide the encryption, you might see logos like these. Insert logos for thawte and verisign . To make you more comfortable investigate these companies, the two mentioned here in this article are very well known and reputable sources for SSL encryption.

The link tells a story too.

When you surf to a web page that you believe to be secure or feel that should be secure you can also look at the link a the top of the page. The first charactersof the URL (Universal Resource Locator) determine what kind of information will be displayed on the screen. For example a normal web page will start with http://, this tells the web browser to expect a web page.

When a web page is supposed to be encrypted the URL will start with https://, the additional ‘s’ tells the browser that the information collected and sent from the this web page will be encrypted.

So http: //www.mystore.com/buyhere.html is not an encrypted web page where https: //www.mystore.com/buyhere.html is encrypted. Just because the URL starts with https doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t look for the visual clue at the bottom of your browser, look at them both. Making Payments over the Internet. When most people think of shopping online they assume that they will have to use their credit card to ma

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In today's constantly on the go society, people want to eat healthy. They don't want to go out, have take out or stop at a local grocery store, however. A personal chef can help.

European Cost and Competitiveness The Institute of Certified Public Accountants recently published its first tracking research report - CPA Business Barometer - on the state of the economy and the issues facing Irish business. Some real concerns emerged around costs and competitiveness for all European Businesses. There was specific evidence that subsidiaries of foreign companies are under significant scrutiny regarding costs that they incur. There is also concern in European political circles about the pace of growth in labour costs and productivity versus the emerging states in Europe and the Far East. These are big issues in assessing competitiveness.

A Business Plan is a process of how a business owner, manager, or entrepreneur intends to organize an entrepreneurial endeavor and implement activities necessary and sufficient for the venture to succeed.

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Will You Add? - Online Shopping a Common Scenario

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