Hub You - Internet and Businesses Online

Same Stuff - Different Day?
Any time is a good time to sell creatively. Uncertain economic times are an excellent time to sell creatively. And, poor economic times require that salespeople sell creatively. What exactly do I mean when I say sell creatively? When you look at the sales process, there are six major pieces: attitude management, prospecting, presentation skills, disarming sales resistance and closing and servicing the customer for repeat and referral business. Let’s look at one (and there are many) creative approach in each of the five areas.1) Attitude management: It is easy to maintain a positive outlook and attitude when things are going well. It is a challenge at best to maintain it when the world seems to be falling apart at the seams. I am fully aware of the disappointment that can be caused by lost sales or customers. It is during these times that the real pro’s are able to rise above all of the negative hoopla and push on – no matter what. This takes courage, stamina, belief and an exceptional ability to put the negatives aside even though they seem to be assaulting you from every side. This requires the ability to compartmentalize your life and business - which is to focus on what you can do and not what you can’t, what you have and not what you don’t, where you are and not where you are not yet.2) Prospecting: This is an easy one: creative salespeople rely on referrals, strategic alliances, networking co

eting. The online store signs up with an affiliate network for a fee. The network then displays links to the retailer’s website for coupons, deals, promotions, and sales. Website owners copy these links and display them on their own websites in the hopes that their visitors will click on them and place an order. The website owner is paid a commission for each visitor who goes to an affiliate’s site and makes a purchase. Commissions on sales range from 3% to 10%. Hence, the birth of the online coupon website to earn commissions by bringing traffic to online retailers signed up with affiliate networks.

Opening A Dollar Store - Bigger Store Advantages
There are many theories about the right size for your first dollar store. If you are opening a dollar store I recommend that you open the largest store possible. However, I also caution that it is critical to have adequate funding to properly operate a larger store.Opening a dollar store requires more money than one would think. While the total investment in inventory will likely be smaller than opening a retail store in another product line, replenishment is a much bigger investment than would be expected. Not having backup cash available for replenishment merchandise can doom your store to failure.The presence that a larger store makes can create a buzz in the community. The larger size allows the store to carry a much wider assortment of products. It is also possible to carry a wider range of items in both brands and features within a product category. This creates the opportunity for more sales.Opening a dollar store with a larger retail sales floor positions the small entrepreneur to more successfully compete head-on with major national chains. Larger stores almost eliminate the competition associated with smaller locally owned dollar stores.Opening a dollar store that is larger also opens the opportunity for complementary business operations. Case lot sales and wholesale distribution are both very possible.With the higher volume that a large store must sell lower cost of goods

In my twenties, I had dreams of becoming a millionaire by the time I was 30 years old. In my thirties, I had dreams of being a millionaire by the time I was 40. I’m sure I will have many more dreams as I grow older, but reality has set in and I’ve realized that my destiny lies in other pursuits. To compensate for this, I have found ways to make the money I do have last longer and travel further. One of those ways is through the use of “online coupons.”

Over the last 10 years, shoppers have figured out that they can avoid lines and traffic and get better prices on the internet than in the shopping malls. Since most online purchases are made across state lines, the cost for shipping is usually offset by not having to pay sales tax. When you drive to a brick and mortar store, park in the parking lot, and walk into the store, you are now trapped since there is no way you are leaving to visit other stores to comparison shop. On the other hand, the internet is located in your living room where thousands, if not millions, of stores compete against each other driving prices as low as possible. In addition, online stores pay much lower rent for warehousing their products compared to retail lease prices for brick and mortar stores. This allows them to lower their prices even further and keep much larger inventories on hand. Obtaining better prices online is quickly outweighing the impulsive need to have your purchase immediately upon checkout from a brick and mortar store. This is increasing the number of online shoppers every year as people across the country catch on to what others have already figured out.

Now I’m not saying that the great prices found on the internet are anything to sneeze at, but that wasn’t enough for me. Since my first online purchase in the late 90’s, I have become addicted to saving even more money by utilizing online coupons, coupon codes / promo codes, and cash back shopping.

Online coupons are just like normal coupons that you would use at the grocery store, but they are only for purchases made on the internet. Instead of cutting them out and providing them at the checkout counter, online coupons are redeemed during the online checkout process. There are two types of online coupons. The first is a “coupon code” which I’ve also seen called a promo code, promotion code, promotional code, and a discount code. The shopper just needs to enter the coupon code in the appropriate place during checkout and the discount is reflected immediately. The other online coupon I have encountered is usually provided by online coupon websites. Once you click on the coupon-embedded link displayed on the online coupon website, you’re directed to the retailer’s website in a new browser window to shop as you normally would. The coupon discount is automatically factored into the price at checkout. I find this method easier than tracking down coupon codes (but maybe not as much fun).

But when I discovered another method of saving money called Cash Back Shopping, online coupons alone weren’t enough for me. I’m going to share a secret with you that took me a number of years to uncover about how online shopping works. In order to generate sales, online stores use a method of marketing called Affiliate Network Marketing. The online store signs up with an affiliate network for a fee. The network then displays links to the retailer’s website for coupons, deals, promotions, and sales. Website owners copy these links and display them on their own websites in the hopes that their visitors will click on them and place an order. The website owner is paid a commission for each visitor who goes to an affiliate’s site and makes a purchase. Commissions on sales range from 3% to 10%. Hence, the birth of the online coupon website to earn commissions by bringing traffic to online retailers signed up with affiliate networks.

Leadership and Tony Soprano
Television and movies, like history, can provide us with insights on leadership – both good and bad. The mob boss as a leader is not new. It has been explored in both movies and on television going back to the early days of both forms of entertainment. The latest television mob boss will soon be gone. Left to the world of reruns and DVDs. What was Tony Soprano taught us about leadership? Is he a leader to be emulated or to be avoided? In spite of the profession (crime), I say that many but not all of Tony’s traits are those of an effective leader regardless of the profession or field.ListeningWhether it is his lieutenants, his opposition or his “customers”, Tony Soprano has demonstrated time after time that he is a good listener. Not that he lets people go on and on. He is looking for the facts so he can make a decision. A big part of every leader’s job is to listen. Many leaders are very poor listeners. An effective leader must learn to listen: to employees, customers or clients, professional peers and others. The more a leader listens, the more she will have better points of reference for any issue or decision that arises.CommunicationAlthough Tony Soprano does not have a Harvard MBA, he is a good communicator. He knows how to get his message across to those around him. He is clear and to the point with his lieutenants and other underlings. Tony is clear in his business dealin

lk into the store, you are now trapped since there is no way you are leaving to visit other stores to comparison shop. On the other hand, the internet is located in your living room where thousands, if not millions, of stores compete against each other driving prices as low as possible. In addition, online stores pay much lower rent for warehousing their products compared to retail lease prices for brick and mortar stores. This allows them to lower their prices even further and keep much larger inventories on hand. Obtaining better prices online is quickly outweighing the impulsive need to have your purchase immediately upon checkout from a brick and mortar store. This is increasing the number of online shoppers every year as people across the country catch on to what others have already figured out.

Creating A Polished And Professional Car Wash Business Plan
Many full time workers looking for a turn key business opportunity are drawn to businesses such as car washes.After all, at least from a distance, these businesses seem to practically run themselves, with little for the owner to do but stock the supplies and collect the cash.The reality is quiet a bit different, and the first step to creating a car wash enterprise is creating a polished and professional car wash business plan.Why It Is Important To Create A Car Wash Business Plan? It is important to create the car wash business plan before the first car enters the new business, especially since starting up such a business can be quite an expensive undertaking.If the car wash business is already established, it can take quite a bit of cash up front to purchase it, and in order to raise the cash for it a solid car wash business plan can help.Building A Car Wash From ScratchIf the car wash is to be built from scratch, startup funding will be needed to buy a suitable lot, build all the buildings, put in all the equipment and buy all the initial supplies.Again, any lenders or investors will look to the car wash business plan before making a final decision. It is easy to see, therefore, why the car wash business plan is such an important document.The Different things You Will Need To Include In Your Car Wash business PlanThe car wash

I’m not saying that the great prices found on the internet are anything to sneeze at, but that wasn’t enough for me. Since my first online purchase in the late 90’s, I have become addicted to saving even more money by utilizing online coupons, coupon codes / promo codes, and cash back shopping.

What! No Bonus!
In 1997 I moved to Colorado to work as a research engineer. We lived in a small town in the mountains. That’s when I learned that my company had given bonuses in past years but they stopped them because the local merchants were always badgering the company about the bonuses that didn’t come and the smaller- than-usual bonuses.I didn’t learn this from the company; I learned it from the guy at the hardware store.When your company cut your bonus and said, “We had to do it because the local merchants complained to us,” they may not be kidding.Then again, it is reasonable to dump a bonus plan that has gotten out of hand and too expensive.Our company solved the program by giving a quarterly productivity pay increase that could be raised or lowered according to productivity. We all liked that. One engineer was fired however because the company didn’t think he was worth the increased pay he was getting through the increased productivity of the factory workers.From what I learned down at the local hardware store, the factory folks would drop in, pick up a washing machine or refrigerator, and tell the owner that they would pay for it as soon as they got their bonuses. Then they would get no bonuses or a too-small bonuses.The storeowner would say, OUCH!”That’s when he would call the factory: “You guys have got to pay a decent bonus over there so that your employees can pay for the

checkout and the discount is reflected immediately. The other online coupon I have encountered is usually provided by online coupon websites. Once you click on the coupon-embedded link displayed on the online coupon website, you’re directed to the retailer’s website in a new browser window to shop as you normally would. The coupon discount is automatically factored into the price at checkout. I find this method easier than tracking down coupon codes (but maybe not as much fun).

The Five Key Elements and the Five Key Steps to Successful Branch-Division Planning
The Operation/Branch plans must define the objectives, timeline and resources required to meet the growth objectives of the business unit, department or branch.Analysis of opportunities is useless if it doesn’t degenerate into work. Operational planning, by definition, results in action plans for day-to-day work.Branch/Operation PlanningThe Five Key Elements:1. A definition of services to be provided2. Initiatives that support the End Game Vision--- What are the Branch Goals?3. An examination of available synergy4. A commitment to timing and sequence of major steps5. An agreement to measurement criteria and targetsThe Five Key StepsStep 1 – A Definition of Services to be ProvidedCriteria:• It must be future oriented• It must focus on the external environment• It must consider local competition, customers and products• It must consider branch weaknesses as well as strengths• It must match strengths to local market needsTypical Questions:• What is the purpose of your business?• What business are you in now?• What business should you be in?• What are you good at?• What have you failed at?• What differential advantage do you have over your competitors?• What differential advantage do they have over you?• What markets do you serve?Step #2 – What

Soon after, cash-back shopping sites began to appear. These sites give back a percentage of the commission they earn, in the form of cash-back, to the actual online shopper making the purchase. So now online shoppers could redeem valuable coupons, such as 15% off your entire order from the retailer and then earn another 2- 5% cash-back from the online coupon website. On most cash-back shopping websites, money accumulates in an account and is then paid quarterly by check to the shopper. The fact that you can combine online coupons with cash-back shopping makes cash-back shopping websites that offer coupons a much better option than the plain old online coupon websites of the past.

Now that we have a brief history of online shopping under our belts, let’s move onto my latest discovery. I recently found a website that has taken online coupons and cash-back shopping to another level. Until now it was only possible for website owners to make commissions from affiliate networks by displaying coupon links on their websites. However, the site I found, www.CouponCactus.com, allows shoppers to earn money as well as save money.

Coupon Cactus developed a program so its members can automatically display a link to their own “Cactus Page” in the signature line at the bottom of all of their emails. If a person reading your email clicks the link in your signature line and makes a purchase through your Cactus Page, you will earn a commission. Nearly every area of the online arena has been utilized for major profit, except for the real estate in our own personal emails. To demonstrate the power of marketing in personal e-mails, here’s an example. Let’s assume the average person sends 10 emails per day, including both original emails and forwarded emails. If you send an email of interest to 10 friends, such as a funny joke or story, by tomorrow it will be in 100 inboxes and it will be in 1,000 inboxes by the day after. In the span of just two days, your one email with a link to your Cactus Page could reach 1,100 potential online shoppers. That’s not to mention the other nine emails you wrote that day. I personally send about 100 emails per day and have already begun to reap the benefits of Coupon Cactus membership. I’ve actually earned more than I’ve spent over the holidays! It was then that I was driven to seek out the owner of Coupon Cactus to find out more about how they came up with this idea and what was on the horizon.

I had the chance to interview David Fitterman, President & CEO of Coupon Cactus, LLC, which hosts the www.CouponCactus.com website, an online coupon, coupon code, and cash-back shopping website with a commission program for the average shopper.

John: David, first I’d like to thank you for giving me the tools to make some cash this holiday season on top of some very cool coupons I used to buy presents.

David: It’s our pleasure! You know, it’s not just a holiday thing though. Our members are pretty smart and they’ll be earning money year-round. I knew the idea made sense, but I’m surprised at how fast it’s taken off.

John: So how many members do you have, and what are the different ways the website is being used?

David: Sorry John, I can’t reveal any specific details about our membership since privacy is of the utmost importance. But I can say that we’re very pleased and much further along than we’d imagined at this point. We already have some great success stories about the ingenious ways

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For those companies and corporations engaged in the Rent-a-Car Business it sure makes a lot of sense to develop a strong community good will strategy using a top notched public relations program. Many people may not realize this but after 911 the Rent-a-Car Companies saved so many stranded travelers.

One of the smartest things that a corporation, which uses lots of energy can do is find a way to develop its own energy source and then sell what it does not use back to the grid. There are many incentives from a tax standpoint for this and it makes for some excellent public relations and community goodwill exploits if it is done correctly.

Watch out for Internet Business and Work from Home scams! This article describes one common trick used by unethical Internet Marketers, and points out where to go for further information.

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