Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2009 Harold German
Each year hundreds of thousands of organizations in the United States experience the negative effects of workplace crimes firsthand. These detrimental and costly experiences lead to considerable losses in productivity, assets, workplace/employee morale, and tragically, even life. They also usually require resorting to the hiring of security consulting firms or security companies. Crimes known to occur in work-type settings include: theft, vandalism, assault, kidnapping, arson, rape and murder, among many others. Mitigating your exposure and risk to these security threats begins with identifying vulnerabilities in your organization that would be conducive to these crimes. One of the first steps that are taken by security guard companies in this process involves conducting an effective security assessment, to expose on-site weaknesses that can create the kind of conditions necessary for the perpetration of these crimes.
Different types of organizations have different types of security needs. For instance, the usual security concerns of an industrial plant facility manager may be different from those of the owner of a car dealership. Where the car dealer may be mostly concerned with keeping his/her assets safe when the dealership is closed, the industrial plant facility manager may be focused on securing the on-site and logistical safety of all manufactured goods or substances, as well as keeping employees and local residents safe. In fact, while many organizations view security as a simple service involving the protection of people and assets, there are a myriad of security deployments that can be implemented to address a wide variety of security challenges. In consideration of these varying deployments, a security company has various factors to consider, including:
Crime Risk: Is there a high crime rate in the area?
Types of Assets: Are there on-site assets to be protected? If so, are they portable, or difficult to transport?
Traffic: Does the establishment receive pedestrian traffic?
Types of Substances: Are there on-site substances or raw goods/materials to be protected? If so, are they consumable or hazardous?
Time: Is the establishment open 24 hours a day, or only during business hours?
Accessibility: Is your establishment located above, or on, ground level?
Stress: Is the establishment a high-stress atmosphere?
All of these factors can have a significant effect on the type, and manner in which, a security application is deployed. In addition to the on-site scenarios indicated above, consideration must also be given to behavioral and motivating factors that can influence certain types of crimes, and identify specific types of offenders. For instance, depending on your type of organization, a theft may be more likely to be perpetrated by an employee than a complete stranger. Below is a general guideline for behavioral or motivating factors associated with the following crimes:
Theft: Dispassionate crime. Objective is personal gain.
Assault: Passionate crime. Objective may be revenge. Usually committed by employees or their spouses/ex-spouses, relatives, friends or associates.
Fraud/Product Tampering: Passionate crime. Objective may be revenge or personal gain. Can be committed by employees, customers or contractors.
Vandalism: Can be Passionate or Dispassionate crime. Objective may be revenge or boredom/recklessness. Usually committed by young adults/adolescents or disgruntled employees.
For each of these crimes, the deployment of visual deterrents, such as security guards and surveillance cameras, has a varying degree of effectiveness. For instance, a passionate offender, such as the ex-spouse of an employee whose mind is unequivocally set on an on-site assault, is less hindered by the presence of security cameras than the burglar, whose goal is to perpetrate a theft without getting caught. By understanding the security factors pertaining to your specific organization, as well as the types of risks your organization may face, you, or your security agency, can develop an efficient and effective security plan, which in the long run, can save you a considerable amount of time, money and resources.
About the Author:
Harold German is a renowned author and contributor, with appearances on CNN and in noted international publications, such as The Economist. Mr. German covers news regarding security guards, safety technologies and information about how to start a security company. He is a senior writer for Partner Service Sites. Copyright (c) 2009 Harold German, http://www.arrowsecurity.net/
Read more of Harold German's articles.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Free Fax Trials - Are They Worth Trying?
Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2009 Titus Hoskins
Internet or online fax seems to be all the rage at the moment with both companies and individuals switching over to this more modern way of faxing. A major part of this change is all the free fax trials many online service providers are offering to get you to switch. But is a free fax trial worth taking or is this just another slick marketing/selling gimmick?
Before we can tackle this issue, you should first know a little something about Internet faxing in order to fully discuss your options. Online fax is simply using your email system and your Internet connection to send and receive your faxes. Your faxes are sent in an email, as an attachment, usually in TIFF or PDF formats - although there are countless different formats you can use.
In order to start online faxing, you have to sign-up to an Internet fax service provider who will give you your own toll-free or local fax number. You also get an online account or interface where you can store your faxes and you can also send your faxes from there. Your fax provider acts as your intermediary to handle all your faxes. Keep in mind, you can still send and receive your faxes thru the old traditional fax machine.
Why Are People Switching To Online Faxing?
One of the main reasons is accessibility, you can get your faxes anywhere you have Internet access and these days that's just about everywhere on the planet. It is truly portable since you can send and receive your faxes from laptops, PDAs, netbooks, cell phones... you are no longer tied down to only receiving your faxes at the office.
It is also paperless, inkless, more secure and much more cost-effective than the traditional fax machine and since everything is handled with computers and the web, there is no need for an extra fax phone line which can mean major savings for companies just starting up. Another major advantage, online fax is completely scalable for businesses, you can quickly add lines/accounts when you need them.
Free Fax Trial - Should You Try One?
Now most of the major online fax service providers offer you a free 30 Day Trial so you can check out their service. This is not exactly a bad idea because it is always wise to "Try before you Buy". You can test out the quality of the service before you sign on the dotted line.
However, since this will usually be a long-term business service, doing your homework now can save you major expenses over the long haul. Compare and shop around before you sign up for any given fax service - even if they're offering a free trial. One major catch, once you have your new fax number circulating with all your contacts, it might be hard to change it. Many companies will let you "port" your fax number but some don't or you have to pay a fee.
So thoroughly check out any fax service you're thinking of signing up for. Most monthly charges run around $10 but there are cheaper options out there so shop around if you're on a tight budget. Also find out the cost of extra pages - most companies offer 300 (incoming/outgoing) free faxes a month. Some companies charge by the pages, while others charge by the minute.
Overall, taking a free fax trial may just be your best option since you can check out the service before finally going with it; any issues with faxing, support or the service will generally be evident in that time frame. If the service is not up to your standards, just drop the service and try another, either way you can't lose!
About the Author:
To compare prices and services of the different Internet Fax Services just use this handy online Comparison Guide: online fax services. Or if you want more detailed information on Internet Faxingtry here: free fax trial.
Copyright (c) 2009 Titus Hoskins. http://www.bizwaremagic.com This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached.
Read more of Titus Hoskins's articles.
Copyright © 2009 Titus Hoskins
Internet or online fax seems to be all the rage at the moment with both companies and individuals switching over to this more modern way of faxing. A major part of this change is all the free fax trials many online service providers are offering to get you to switch. But is a free fax trial worth taking or is this just another slick marketing/selling gimmick?
Before we can tackle this issue, you should first know a little something about Internet faxing in order to fully discuss your options. Online fax is simply using your email system and your Internet connection to send and receive your faxes. Your faxes are sent in an email, as an attachment, usually in TIFF or PDF formats - although there are countless different formats you can use.
In order to start online faxing, you have to sign-up to an Internet fax service provider who will give you your own toll-free or local fax number. You also get an online account or interface where you can store your faxes and you can also send your faxes from there. Your fax provider acts as your intermediary to handle all your faxes. Keep in mind, you can still send and receive your faxes thru the old traditional fax machine.
Why Are People Switching To Online Faxing?
One of the main reasons is accessibility, you can get your faxes anywhere you have Internet access and these days that's just about everywhere on the planet. It is truly portable since you can send and receive your faxes from laptops, PDAs, netbooks, cell phones... you are no longer tied down to only receiving your faxes at the office.
It is also paperless, inkless, more secure and much more cost-effective than the traditional fax machine and since everything is handled with computers and the web, there is no need for an extra fax phone line which can mean major savings for companies just starting up. Another major advantage, online fax is completely scalable for businesses, you can quickly add lines/accounts when you need them.
Free Fax Trial - Should You Try One?
Now most of the major online fax service providers offer you a free 30 Day Trial so you can check out their service. This is not exactly a bad idea because it is always wise to "Try before you Buy". You can test out the quality of the service before you sign on the dotted line.
However, since this will usually be a long-term business service, doing your homework now can save you major expenses over the long haul. Compare and shop around before you sign up for any given fax service - even if they're offering a free trial. One major catch, once you have your new fax number circulating with all your contacts, it might be hard to change it. Many companies will let you "port" your fax number but some don't or you have to pay a fee.
So thoroughly check out any fax service you're thinking of signing up for. Most monthly charges run around $10 but there are cheaper options out there so shop around if you're on a tight budget. Also find out the cost of extra pages - most companies offer 300 (incoming/outgoing) free faxes a month. Some companies charge by the pages, while others charge by the minute.
Overall, taking a free fax trial may just be your best option since you can check out the service before finally going with it; any issues with faxing, support or the service will generally be evident in that time frame. If the service is not up to your standards, just drop the service and try another, either way you can't lose!
About the Author:
To compare prices and services of the different Internet Fax Services just use this handy online Comparison Guide: online fax services. Or if you want more detailed information on Internet Faxingtry here: free fax trial.
Copyright (c) 2009 Titus Hoskins. http://www.bizwaremagic.com This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached.
Read more of Titus Hoskins's articles.
The Difference Between SubDomains And Add-On Domain Names Basics
Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2009 John Khu
Let us assume that you have a very good domain name with you. Did you ever know that you could add and compliment another domain in addition to your existing domain name? These domain names are known by the names like sub domains or add-on domains. However, they are almost like slaves to the main domains and they at under the command of the main domain name. These domains are simply the sub directories designed and added to the main domain name at the time of hosting them. This is because they do not posses their own control panels. However, such domains will have their personal index files and CGI Bin folders to help them make unique and special for your web site.
Before you create one of these sub domains and ass-on domain names, you may wish to understand the main differences between them. In fact, the only thing that is common to them is that you can add them to your main domain. They are the additional domain names that can act as subordinate to the main domain name. With an add-on domain name, it will have its own stand-alone URL after its creation. On the other hand, a sub domain is a simple URL that creates a link to the mother domain name.
Example: Add-on domain: www.orchidflowersinthewild.com Sub domain: www.blog. orchidflowersinthewild.com Another significant difference is the cost involved in creating these domains. Add-on domain always comes with a fee attached to it while sub domains are free and you can create as many sub domains as possible with your web-hosting package. You will need to pay an annual fee to register and use an add-on domain name. Add-on domains always share your resources from your existing web-hosting package. It means that you will get additional features from an add-on domain name just like your domain name. It will also possess its own FTP link and other related utilities.
Procedure to add an add-on domain name: Initially, search for a domain name and register when you find it. Once you buy that, you can link its DNS to your web-hosting server. Once you add it to the server, log on to your account and check for its listing in the control panel. Now, fill the name of the domain and install it in the main directory. Wait until you complete the installation process.
On the other hand, you can easily create a sub domain within the main domain name directory. Sub domains are very useful if you are planning to add more web pages within the parent directory. For example, if you want to add a blog to your web site, then you can create a sub domain like www.blog.orchidflowersinthewild.com You can place a link on the main page of your web site and when a user clicks on the link, he or she will navigate to the blog page. Almost all web-hosting packages provide unlimited numbers of sub domains with the purchased hosting package.
About the Author:
John Khu is an author and also a seasoned professional with vast experience in expired domain name business. He is also the owner of the path breaking web sites called http://www.expireddomainsecret.com and http://www.expireddomaingains.com which provides complete and up-to-date information on expired domains and their eternal secrets.
Copyright © 2009 John Khu
Let us assume that you have a very good domain name with you. Did you ever know that you could add and compliment another domain in addition to your existing domain name? These domain names are known by the names like sub domains or add-on domains. However, they are almost like slaves to the main domains and they at under the command of the main domain name. These domains are simply the sub directories designed and added to the main domain name at the time of hosting them. This is because they do not posses their own control panels. However, such domains will have their personal index files and CGI Bin folders to help them make unique and special for your web site.
Before you create one of these sub domains and ass-on domain names, you may wish to understand the main differences between them. In fact, the only thing that is common to them is that you can add them to your main domain. They are the additional domain names that can act as subordinate to the main domain name. With an add-on domain name, it will have its own stand-alone URL after its creation. On the other hand, a sub domain is a simple URL that creates a link to the mother domain name.
Example: Add-on domain: www.orchidflowersinthewild.com Sub domain: www.blog. orchidflowersinthewild.com Another significant difference is the cost involved in creating these domains. Add-on domain always comes with a fee attached to it while sub domains are free and you can create as many sub domains as possible with your web-hosting package. You will need to pay an annual fee to register and use an add-on domain name. Add-on domains always share your resources from your existing web-hosting package. It means that you will get additional features from an add-on domain name just like your domain name. It will also possess its own FTP link and other related utilities.
Procedure to add an add-on domain name: Initially, search for a domain name and register when you find it. Once you buy that, you can link its DNS to your web-hosting server. Once you add it to the server, log on to your account and check for its listing in the control panel. Now, fill the name of the domain and install it in the main directory. Wait until you complete the installation process.
On the other hand, you can easily create a sub domain within the main domain name directory. Sub domains are very useful if you are planning to add more web pages within the parent directory. For example, if you want to add a blog to your web site, then you can create a sub domain like www.blog.orchidflowersinthewild.com You can place a link on the main page of your web site and when a user clicks on the link, he or she will navigate to the blog page. Almost all web-hosting packages provide unlimited numbers of sub domains with the purchased hosting package.
About the Author:
John Khu is an author and also a seasoned professional with vast experience in expired domain name business. He is also the owner of the path breaking web sites called http://www.expireddomainsecret.com and http://www.expireddomaingains.com which provides complete and up-to-date information on expired domains and their eternal secrets.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Strengthen Your Advertising with SEO Copywriting
Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2009 Enzo F. Cesario
Advertising should be part of any growing business. Regardless of what your business does, customers have to know about your product or service in order for them to use it. As the Internet becomes a primary source for consumer knowledge and increasingly, purchasing, it's imperative that your company gets its message out through this medium. However, advertising on the Internet works differently than traditional advertising in that the customer must find the business instead of a business coming to the customer.
Copywriting is the creation of text used in advertising, regardless of medium. This covers every aspect of an advertisement: promotional flyers, jingles, slogans, billboards, and web pages. All of these strive to put your product or service in the best light possible and are aimed directly at the consumer; except for web pages. With web pages there is another audience your advertisement must also target: the search engine.
What's a Search Engine, and Why Isn't it Finding Me?
Think of a search engine as being a giant phone book: customers looking for a type of business will often look up that category and start by calling the first listing. Because phone books are indexed alphabetically, almost every category will have a business with a name beginning with "a," or even "aaa." Likewise, Internet users who aren't familiar with the category they're looking at will start with the first link they see when they search for something. However, dozens or even hundreds of factors determine the placement of these pages. This is where SEO comes in.
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. Like naming your business "AAA" for placement in a phone book, SEO techniques match web pages with the criteria that search engines use so that they are placed as high on a search as possible. Web pages are placed on search engines through the use of a web crawler. This is a program that systematically searches for new web pages and categorizes them. Because the Internet is so massive, these crawlers are designed to weed out useless pages and concentrate on unique ones that will be useful to people who are doing the search. Search engines use dozens of factors in their algorithms to find and place web pages. They are very secretive about the specific factors so that no one can cheat their system by writing a web page just so it will be placed on top. While the specifics are unknown, there are a few things all search engines use to categorize pages: the number of links to a page, its ranking on website traffic sites, and keywords in the page.
Use SEO and Play By the Rules
We all depend on getting accurate, useful results from search engines. Search engine companies actively modify their criteria to keep spam from showing up on their pages and to keep their users happy. Therefore the best way to use SEO to get people to your web page is by playing by the rules; pages that have useful information will stay on top of searches, while those that don't are quickly removed.
So What CAN I Do to Get My Business Noticed?
Many search engines sell ads, but any reliable service will not sell search placement, nor does advertising with them influence your place on their searches. There are three things you should be concerned with to ensure a good ranking:
1. Keyword indexing: HTML pages can use meta tags that tell search engines what topics a page covers. It is important to include as many words related to the subject of a web page in its meta tags. However, placing popular but unrelated words, such as a celebrity's name, or hiding keywords behind backgrounds or images on a page to generate search results will quickly get the page ignored.
2. Good linking: Links are very important to getting your page noticed, but only if they're from reliable sources and are written to emphasize keywords. Links from known link sellers will not improve your page rank, and will cause consumers to distrust your site. Linking within your site to appropriate pages and getting others in a related area to link to you will help your page ranking immensely.
3. Limited web crawling: This may seem counter-intuitive, but there are some pages that you may not want to show up on a search engine, like temporary pages or login screens. Most search engines consider internal search pages to be spam, and allowing them to be crawled will lower your search ranking. This can be prevented using the robots exclusion standard: a text file named "robots.txt" placed in the root directory of a domain will tell crawlers which parts of your web site to skip.
SEO is vital in copywriting for Internet-based advertisements. Properly implemented, it will help keep your page on the top of search lists. By creating good links, using accurate keywords, and limiting web crawling to useful pages, you can ensure customers can find you.
About the Author:
Enzo F. Cesario is a Copywriter and co-founder of Brandsplat. Brandcasting uses informative content and state-of-the-art internet distribution and optimization to build links and drive the right kind of traffic to your website. Go to http://www.Brandsplat.com/ or visit our blog at: http://www.brandsplatblog.com/
Copyright © 2009 Enzo F. Cesario
Advertising should be part of any growing business. Regardless of what your business does, customers have to know about your product or service in order for them to use it. As the Internet becomes a primary source for consumer knowledge and increasingly, purchasing, it's imperative that your company gets its message out through this medium. However, advertising on the Internet works differently than traditional advertising in that the customer must find the business instead of a business coming to the customer.
Copywriting is the creation of text used in advertising, regardless of medium. This covers every aspect of an advertisement: promotional flyers, jingles, slogans, billboards, and web pages. All of these strive to put your product or service in the best light possible and are aimed directly at the consumer; except for web pages. With web pages there is another audience your advertisement must also target: the search engine.
What's a Search Engine, and Why Isn't it Finding Me?
Think of a search engine as being a giant phone book: customers looking for a type of business will often look up that category and start by calling the first listing. Because phone books are indexed alphabetically, almost every category will have a business with a name beginning with "a," or even "aaa." Likewise, Internet users who aren't familiar with the category they're looking at will start with the first link they see when they search for something. However, dozens or even hundreds of factors determine the placement of these pages. This is where SEO comes in.
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. Like naming your business "AAA" for placement in a phone book, SEO techniques match web pages with the criteria that search engines use so that they are placed as high on a search as possible. Web pages are placed on search engines through the use of a web crawler. This is a program that systematically searches for new web pages and categorizes them. Because the Internet is so massive, these crawlers are designed to weed out useless pages and concentrate on unique ones that will be useful to people who are doing the search. Search engines use dozens of factors in their algorithms to find and place web pages. They are very secretive about the specific factors so that no one can cheat their system by writing a web page just so it will be placed on top. While the specifics are unknown, there are a few things all search engines use to categorize pages: the number of links to a page, its ranking on website traffic sites, and keywords in the page.
Use SEO and Play By the Rules
We all depend on getting accurate, useful results from search engines. Search engine companies actively modify their criteria to keep spam from showing up on their pages and to keep their users happy. Therefore the best way to use SEO to get people to your web page is by playing by the rules; pages that have useful information will stay on top of searches, while those that don't are quickly removed.
So What CAN I Do to Get My Business Noticed?
Many search engines sell ads, but any reliable service will not sell search placement, nor does advertising with them influence your place on their searches. There are three things you should be concerned with to ensure a good ranking:
1. Keyword indexing: HTML pages can use meta tags that tell search engines what topics a page covers. It is important to include as many words related to the subject of a web page in its meta tags. However, placing popular but unrelated words, such as a celebrity's name, or hiding keywords behind backgrounds or images on a page to generate search results will quickly get the page ignored.
2. Good linking: Links are very important to getting your page noticed, but only if they're from reliable sources and are written to emphasize keywords. Links from known link sellers will not improve your page rank, and will cause consumers to distrust your site. Linking within your site to appropriate pages and getting others in a related area to link to you will help your page ranking immensely.
3. Limited web crawling: This may seem counter-intuitive, but there are some pages that you may not want to show up on a search engine, like temporary pages or login screens. Most search engines consider internal search pages to be spam, and allowing them to be crawled will lower your search ranking. This can be prevented using the robots exclusion standard: a text file named "robots.txt" placed in the root directory of a domain will tell crawlers which parts of your web site to skip.
SEO is vital in copywriting for Internet-based advertisements. Properly implemented, it will help keep your page on the top of search lists. By creating good links, using accurate keywords, and limiting web crawling to useful pages, you can ensure customers can find you.
About the Author:
Enzo F. Cesario is a Copywriter and co-founder of Brandsplat. Brandcasting uses informative content and state-of-the-art internet distribution and optimization to build links and drive the right kind of traffic to your website. Go to http://www.Brandsplat.com/ or visit our blog at: http://www.brandsplatblog.com/
Creating an Info Product That (Practically) Sells Itself
Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2009 Judy Murdoch
Last week, I was talking with a colleague about information products.
My colleague works with managers who are struggling with software development projects helps get those projects back on track.
He's great a what he does, loves his work and has tons of great ideas for creating information products.
But he hasn't made much progress around creating an information product.
Why?
In his own words, "I've created one product but no one bought it. I'm not sure why but I'm worried that what I know just doesn't translate well into something people will pay for."
It's a common issue: you love your work and the clients you work with love your work too. But you wonder whether what you do will translate well if you're not doing it in person.
================================================
Love + Market Need = $$$
================================================
If you want a product that practically sells itself and that you feel good about offering to your customers your product must meet two conditions:
#1. Your product is based on your talent, expertise, and joy
#2. Your product helps other people solve a problem that is bothering them RIGHT NOW
If the product doesn't meet condition #1, it doesn't matter how much people want it, you will not be able to solve their problem because you lack the expertise and passion to do so.
If the product doesn't meet condition #2, people won't buy your info product because they don't want or need it.
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Finding the "Sweetspot"
================================================
The "sweetspot" is the set of problems which meet both conditions: the problems you are good at and enjoy solving AND for which there is market opportunity (problems customers REALLY want solved).
Envision two circles whose edges overlap so that they share a common area (like the Mastercard logo). The area of overlap is the sweetspot for your product.
If you're going to create just one information product this year, you want to create one in this sweet spot.
There are 4 steps for identifying products in the sweet spot.
=== Step 1. List Common Problems You Help Customers With ===
Take a moment and think about the customers you've been working with over the last three months or so.
Once you have some specific customers in mind, jot down all of the problems you helped them with. (Although your clients typically come with one specific problem, there are usually several others related problems or you may uncover a larger, more basic problem as you learn more).
For example, here are common problems that a project management consultant deals with:
Project team members lack skills to complete their tasks
Team members fail to communicate progress and/or problems with each other
Project manager isn't available enough to give team direction
Team lacks good tools for tracking their progress
Upper management doesn't support project and doesn't provide enough money, right people, etc.
Unrealistic deadlines and goals
Project gets bogged down because of unnecessary steps
=== Step 2. Identify Your Favorite Problems to Solve ===
Looking at your list put a check mark next to the ones that evoke an "I want to do that more!" response in your heart.
Don't over-think this. The response you're looking for is a sincere "More!" not a "should want to do more."
Shoulds, woulds, and coulds lead to products that don't sell.
Now, do the same thing but this time check ones in which you feel genuinely proud of the results you helped the client achieve.
Also include those which are still works in process but you feel good about your contribution so far. Again, don't overthink this step.
Now circle all the problems you listed that have two check marks.
These are the product ideas that go into the "Love" part of the equation.
For example, our project management consultant looks at his list and realizes that some of the problems are "people problems" (right people with right skills and knowledge) and other problems are "tools and resource problems" (right software and procedures).
Because his background is in software design he decides the problems he really wants to create products around are the tools and resource problems.
=== Step 3. Identifying Marketplace Needs ===
Now that you have identified one or two problems that you enjoy helping people with and excel at providing, let's look at opportunities in the marketplace.
Some specific actions to find those opportunities include:
What is already selling in your area of expertise: Search Google, Bing, and Amazon.com using keywords that describe the problem area.
What frustrates people most in your area of expertise: Monitor discussion forums (Yahoo groups and Google groups), blogs and social network sites (Facebook, Linked in, Twitter)
What recurring topics show up in publications on your topic?
As you look at the marketplace, jot down the problems/questions that keep coming up.
Important: A "gap" doesn't necessarily mean there are no products or services out there providing solutions.
If a question seems to be coming up again and again it suggests there's a need for fresh insights, perspectives, and voices. Maybe yours.
Example: Among the problems our project management consultant sees coming up:
Whether or not a project needs project management software
What to do when you need to "fire" someone from your project team
What to do when team members are sabotaging your project
What is the best project management software for a project
How to find bottlenecks in a project
How to create a good time estimate for completing projects
How to convince upper level management to increase your project's budget
=== Step 4. Finding Sweetspot Product Ideas ===
You've identified problems you're good at solving; you've identified gaps in the marketplace, now it's time to identify the "Sweet Spot" for your products.
Looking at the problems you circled in Step #2 and the problems and questions you listed in Step #3, look for any problems that satisfy both conditions:
#1. Problems you are good at solving and enjoy solving
#2. Problems that continually crop up in the marketplace
Create a new list with the problems that meet both conditions. These are your "sweetspot" product ideas. Products that, with the right marketing message and support, will practically sell themselves.
Example: Looking at both lists, the project management consultant chooses the following problem as a basis for his next information product:
Finding and dealing with bottlenecks in your project
Since his expertise and interest is in process improvement, it makes to create a product that will help teams find and eliminate steps causing bottlenecks.
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Bottom Line
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You can create products that will practically sell themselves if your products solve problems you love to solve and solve problems that your customers keep asking about.
With one or two products that meet these criteria plus a good marketing message and timely promotions to your prospective buyers you really can make a difference and grow your bottom line.
About the Author:
Judy Murdoch helps small business owners create low-cost, effective marketing campaigns using word-of-mouth referrals, guerrilla marketing activities, and selected strategic alliances. To download a free copy of the workbook, "Where Does it Hurt? Marketing Solutions to the problems that Drive Your Customers Crazy!" go to http://www.judymurdoch.com/workbook.htm
You can contact Judy at 303-475-2015 or judy@judymurdoch.com
Follow Judy Murdoch on Twitter.
Copyright © 2009 Judy Murdoch
Last week, I was talking with a colleague about information products.
My colleague works with managers who are struggling with software development projects helps get those projects back on track.
He's great a what he does, loves his work and has tons of great ideas for creating information products.
But he hasn't made much progress around creating an information product.
Why?
In his own words, "I've created one product but no one bought it. I'm not sure why but I'm worried that what I know just doesn't translate well into something people will pay for."
It's a common issue: you love your work and the clients you work with love your work too. But you wonder whether what you do will translate well if you're not doing it in person.
================================================
Love + Market Need = $$$
================================================
If you want a product that practically sells itself and that you feel good about offering to your customers your product must meet two conditions:
#1. Your product is based on your talent, expertise, and joy
#2. Your product helps other people solve a problem that is bothering them RIGHT NOW
If the product doesn't meet condition #1, it doesn't matter how much people want it, you will not be able to solve their problem because you lack the expertise and passion to do so.
If the product doesn't meet condition #2, people won't buy your info product because they don't want or need it.
================================================
Finding the "Sweetspot"
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The "sweetspot" is the set of problems which meet both conditions: the problems you are good at and enjoy solving AND for which there is market opportunity (problems customers REALLY want solved).
Envision two circles whose edges overlap so that they share a common area (like the Mastercard logo). The area of overlap is the sweetspot for your product.
If you're going to create just one information product this year, you want to create one in this sweet spot.
There are 4 steps for identifying products in the sweet spot.
=== Step 1. List Common Problems You Help Customers With ===
Take a moment and think about the customers you've been working with over the last three months or so.
Once you have some specific customers in mind, jot down all of the problems you helped them with. (Although your clients typically come with one specific problem, there are usually several others related problems or you may uncover a larger, more basic problem as you learn more).
For example, here are common problems that a project management consultant deals with:
=== Step 2. Identify Your Favorite Problems to Solve ===
Looking at your list put a check mark next to the ones that evoke an "I want to do that more!" response in your heart.
Don't over-think this. The response you're looking for is a sincere "More!" not a "should want to do more."
Shoulds, woulds, and coulds lead to products that don't sell.
Now, do the same thing but this time check ones in which you feel genuinely proud of the results you helped the client achieve.
Also include those which are still works in process but you feel good about your contribution so far. Again, don't overthink this step.
Now circle all the problems you listed that have two check marks.
These are the product ideas that go into the "Love" part of the equation.
For example, our project management consultant looks at his list and realizes that some of the problems are "people problems" (right people with right skills and knowledge) and other problems are "tools and resource problems" (right software and procedures).
Because his background is in software design he decides the problems he really wants to create products around are the tools and resource problems.
=== Step 3. Identifying Marketplace Needs ===
Now that you have identified one or two problems that you enjoy helping people with and excel at providing, let's look at opportunities in the marketplace.
Some specific actions to find those opportunities include:
As you look at the marketplace, jot down the problems/questions that keep coming up.
Important: A "gap" doesn't necessarily mean there are no products or services out there providing solutions.
If a question seems to be coming up again and again it suggests there's a need for fresh insights, perspectives, and voices. Maybe yours.
Example: Among the problems our project management consultant sees coming up:
=== Step 4. Finding Sweetspot Product Ideas ===
You've identified problems you're good at solving; you've identified gaps in the marketplace, now it's time to identify the "Sweet Spot" for your products.
Looking at the problems you circled in Step #2 and the problems and questions you listed in Step #3, look for any problems that satisfy both conditions:
#1. Problems you are good at solving and enjoy solving
#2. Problems that continually crop up in the marketplace
Create a new list with the problems that meet both conditions. These are your "sweetspot" product ideas. Products that, with the right marketing message and support, will practically sell themselves.
Example: Looking at both lists, the project management consultant chooses the following problem as a basis for his next information product:
Since his expertise and interest is in process improvement, it makes to create a product that will help teams find and eliminate steps causing bottlenecks.
================================================
Bottom Line
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You can create products that will practically sell themselves if your products solve problems you love to solve and solve problems that your customers keep asking about.
With one or two products that meet these criteria plus a good marketing message and timely promotions to your prospective buyers you really can make a difference and grow your bottom line.
About the Author:
Judy Murdoch helps small business owners create low-cost, effective marketing campaigns using word-of-mouth referrals, guerrilla marketing activities, and selected strategic alliances. To download a free copy of the workbook, "Where Does it Hurt? Marketing Solutions to the problems that Drive Your Customers Crazy!" go to http://www.judymurdoch.com/workbook.htm
You can contact Judy at 303-475-2015 or judy@judymurdoch.com
Follow Judy Murdoch on Twitter.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Tips About Vacation Villas In Chianti, Tuscany
Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2009 Teresa Cambi
Travelers who enjoy wine, food, beautiful scenery and a relaxed pace will love Chianti. Not only is the region home to its namesake wine which is one of the most beloved and popular wines in the world, but it is also home to some of the most characteristic farmhouses and villas in Tuscany.
The combination of incredible wine, food and vistas make Chianti one of the most idyllic places to take a vacation. Finding a holiday villa in Chianti is not difficult, and traveling slowly around the region will send you back home as a new person.
The region is obviously very famous for its wine. Chianti is one of the most popular wines in the world. So for those that are seasoned wine lovers it is a paradise. A Chianti farmhouse with a pool is not only the perfect base to go on wine tours from, but it is also a fantastic way to take the edge off of warm summer nights. What could be more enjoyable than relaxing around a pool sipping the tasty wines bought on wine tours?
Food in Tuscany is amazing. And agritourism attracts foodies and gourmands in droves. Settling into a vacation villa with a pool, Chianti laid out before you to explore and then beginning your tours of the region is amazing.
Whether you are viewing farms and livestock or are more focused on the many restaurants that serve up traditional Tuscan fare, returning to your holiday villa in Chianti satiated on bistecca, fagioli and every other offering will be sure to but a smile on your face.
Scenery in Chianti is worthy of every postcard you have ever seen. The vistas from hilltops, vineyards and even the terrazza of a vacation villa with a pool in Chianti will take your breath away. Slowly rolling hills that are green year round and boast vineyards and olive groves galore are dotted with villages and farms. Characteristic cypress trees outline many of the hills and guide the eye along roads and driveways.
The typically Mediterranean climate makes renting a Chianti farmhouse with a pool an ideal solution for lodging. The long, lazy summer days, and fresh spring and autumn days mean that time by the pool in Chianti is a three season option. Dinner in April under an umbrella while gazing at the hillsides, refreshing dips after hot summer days or an open bottle of wine on the terraza while watching the October sun slide down behind the hills.
Chianti is a region that can relax and soothe even the most weary traveler. A wine novice can emerge from the region with a new found love for the Sangiovese grape. The budding chef will return with ideas for recreating dishes at home.
The naturalist will have time in stunningly beautiful sparsely populated hills. The photographer will come home with too many wonderful photos to be able to choose the best. With the setting of the region, all it has to offer and its proximity to everything in Tuscany, Chianti is an ideal location for a relaxing vacation.
About the Author:
Specialized in marketing and communication, Teresa Cambi is expert consultant for several real estate agencies. She also collaborates with many online tourist guides, writing articles about the most popular travel destination in Italy. She currently works as press officer for http://www.castellodibibione.com/ a beautiful holiday villa in Chianti with swimming pool and wellness centre.
Read more Articles written by Teresa Cambi.
Copyright © 2009 Teresa Cambi
Travelers who enjoy wine, food, beautiful scenery and a relaxed pace will love Chianti. Not only is the region home to its namesake wine which is one of the most beloved and popular wines in the world, but it is also home to some of the most characteristic farmhouses and villas in Tuscany.
The combination of incredible wine, food and vistas make Chianti one of the most idyllic places to take a vacation. Finding a holiday villa in Chianti is not difficult, and traveling slowly around the region will send you back home as a new person.
The region is obviously very famous for its wine. Chianti is one of the most popular wines in the world. So for those that are seasoned wine lovers it is a paradise. A Chianti farmhouse with a pool is not only the perfect base to go on wine tours from, but it is also a fantastic way to take the edge off of warm summer nights. What could be more enjoyable than relaxing around a pool sipping the tasty wines bought on wine tours?
Food in Tuscany is amazing. And agritourism attracts foodies and gourmands in droves. Settling into a vacation villa with a pool, Chianti laid out before you to explore and then beginning your tours of the region is amazing.
Whether you are viewing farms and livestock or are more focused on the many restaurants that serve up traditional Tuscan fare, returning to your holiday villa in Chianti satiated on bistecca, fagioli and every other offering will be sure to but a smile on your face.
Scenery in Chianti is worthy of every postcard you have ever seen. The vistas from hilltops, vineyards and even the terrazza of a vacation villa with a pool in Chianti will take your breath away. Slowly rolling hills that are green year round and boast vineyards and olive groves galore are dotted with villages and farms. Characteristic cypress trees outline many of the hills and guide the eye along roads and driveways.
The typically Mediterranean climate makes renting a Chianti farmhouse with a pool an ideal solution for lodging. The long, lazy summer days, and fresh spring and autumn days mean that time by the pool in Chianti is a three season option. Dinner in April under an umbrella while gazing at the hillsides, refreshing dips after hot summer days or an open bottle of wine on the terraza while watching the October sun slide down behind the hills.
Chianti is a region that can relax and soothe even the most weary traveler. A wine novice can emerge from the region with a new found love for the Sangiovese grape. The budding chef will return with ideas for recreating dishes at home.
The naturalist will have time in stunningly beautiful sparsely populated hills. The photographer will come home with too many wonderful photos to be able to choose the best. With the setting of the region, all it has to offer and its proximity to everything in Tuscany, Chianti is an ideal location for a relaxing vacation.
About the Author:
Specialized in marketing and communication, Teresa Cambi is expert consultant for several real estate agencies. She also collaborates with many online tourist guides, writing articles about the most popular travel destination in Italy. She currently works as press officer for http://www.castellodibibione.com/ a beautiful holiday villa in Chianti with swimming pool and wellness centre.
Read more Articles written by Teresa Cambi.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
How Can Blogging Help My Company Grow?
Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2009 Enzo F. Cesario
It is an indisputable fact that the world's economy is moving more toward the online model of exchange. Amazon and Google stand as icons of companies that began as small projects, only to grow into massive successes, largely due to the successful marketing of their services. The question then arises, how can a small business take advantage of the opportunities presented by the Web in order to make a profit?
Same as it Ever Was
At its core, online marketing follows the same principles as any other means of marketing - a provider has a product or service they wish to sell, so they advertise in order to draw potential customers' attention to the information they've put together. Just like television commercials, online marketing has to be creative and informative to truly catch the attention of the discerning customer. We've all heard of popup and banner ads that do nothing but hog resources and annoy potential customers rather than attract them to the product, and that result is hardly healthy for any business.
And Now for Something Completely Different
One method that sidesteps the click-away tendency is the use of a blog to market the product. Blog is a shorthand term for web log, and refers to a serial, online journal or record intended for regular viewing. Examples of blogs include noncommercial ventures such as personal diaries posted to Livejournal, the daily record of campaign events for the more tech-savvy politicians, and 'hobby' blogs that cover an activity such as cooking or model airplanes. However, they can also include outright commercial ventures, such as a blog intended to promote a new product, consisting solely of video posts explaining the various advantages to the new product.
It's Easier Than Herding Cats
Some blogs strike a balance between these two extremes. Consider the highly successful LoLCats website. This site began solely as a hobby, posting humorous images of cats. However, due to effective word of mouth promotion among people with similar interests, the site grew quickly, spinning off additional sites and generating an extraordinary amount of advertising revenue. The site has grown so much that Time magazine reported the company was purchased for two million dollars in 2007.
Now, this result is obviously not the norm. For every cheezburger success story, there are thousands of blogs that toil on in obscurity, accomplishing nothing at all. The differences can be many, but they can be boiled down to concerns relating to effective marketing.
Give it the Old College Try
Let's say that a user named Ron has a passion for low budget college cooking, and wishes to make money writing about it. Ron starts a small blog, using the popular Wordpress blogging system, and begins posting two or three times a day. He posts recipes, money saving ideas, and 'bet you didn't know' material, building a decent sized archive. To get an audience, Ron begins visiting and participating in cooking and college related forums, mentioning his blog and its goals to his audience, gathering new users with patient, active efforts.
Eventually, Ron takes two steps toward commercial success when he monetizes the blog through an advertising revenue program (such as Google's AdSense), and by using the blog to promote his new eBook, "Collegiate Cuisine". To hook readers, he promises not only recipes he's already included on the site, but special tips on inexpensive ways to get cooking tools and a few new recipes he hasn't shared yet.
Will this model work? Perhaps. If Ron is too pushy, he might turn people off to his product before they ever come to his site. If he's too timid, his message will get lost in the tide of the Internet. If he chooses poorly in the ads he allows on his site, users won't click and the ads will generate no money. So the second key is research and careful attention. Ron and other blogging marketers have to study the market, pay attention to peoples' needs and input, and adjust their presentation accordingly.
But is There Any Money in it?
To return to the point that there is money to be made in blogging, one would be remiss not to pay attention to the successful Problogger. In the classic 'make money teaching others to make money,' tradition, this is a blog that makes its revenue by teaching users how to make money through professional blogging. Many other sites, such as FreelanceWritingGigs, swear to Problogger's integrity and efficacy and the site does provide a great deal of information. So there clearly IS money to be made in the blogging-as-marketing world.
Back to the Basics
The key to blog marketing is the same key to any business venture, appropriateness. The savvy businessman will evaluate their entire business, and do the research to determine if blogging is a vital addition to what they're trying to accomplish. Blogging allows for a wider audience than local advertising, which could lead to expanding into nearby cities, or shipping to distant locales. It is an option that should seriously be examined, and approached with the same degree of research and caution as any business venture or proposal.
About the Author:
Enzo F. Cesario is a Copywriter and co-founder of Brandsplat. Brandcasting uses informative content and state-of-the-art internet distribution and optimization to build links and drive the right kind of traffic to your website. Go to http://www.Brandsplat.com/ or visit our blog at: http://www.brandsplatblog.com/
Read more of Enzo F. Cesario's articles.
Copyright © 2009 Enzo F. Cesario
It is an indisputable fact that the world's economy is moving more toward the online model of exchange. Amazon and Google stand as icons of companies that began as small projects, only to grow into massive successes, largely due to the successful marketing of their services. The question then arises, how can a small business take advantage of the opportunities presented by the Web in order to make a profit?
Same as it Ever Was
At its core, online marketing follows the same principles as any other means of marketing - a provider has a product or service they wish to sell, so they advertise in order to draw potential customers' attention to the information they've put together. Just like television commercials, online marketing has to be creative and informative to truly catch the attention of the discerning customer. We've all heard of popup and banner ads that do nothing but hog resources and annoy potential customers rather than attract them to the product, and that result is hardly healthy for any business.
And Now for Something Completely Different
One method that sidesteps the click-away tendency is the use of a blog to market the product. Blog is a shorthand term for web log, and refers to a serial, online journal or record intended for regular viewing. Examples of blogs include noncommercial ventures such as personal diaries posted to Livejournal, the daily record of campaign events for the more tech-savvy politicians, and 'hobby' blogs that cover an activity such as cooking or model airplanes. However, they can also include outright commercial ventures, such as a blog intended to promote a new product, consisting solely of video posts explaining the various advantages to the new product.
It's Easier Than Herding Cats
Some blogs strike a balance between these two extremes. Consider the highly successful LoLCats website. This site began solely as a hobby, posting humorous images of cats. However, due to effective word of mouth promotion among people with similar interests, the site grew quickly, spinning off additional sites and generating an extraordinary amount of advertising revenue. The site has grown so much that Time magazine reported the company was purchased for two million dollars in 2007.
Now, this result is obviously not the norm. For every cheezburger success story, there are thousands of blogs that toil on in obscurity, accomplishing nothing at all. The differences can be many, but they can be boiled down to concerns relating to effective marketing.
Give it the Old College Try
Let's say that a user named Ron has a passion for low budget college cooking, and wishes to make money writing about it. Ron starts a small blog, using the popular Wordpress blogging system, and begins posting two or three times a day. He posts recipes, money saving ideas, and 'bet you didn't know' material, building a decent sized archive. To get an audience, Ron begins visiting and participating in cooking and college related forums, mentioning his blog and its goals to his audience, gathering new users with patient, active efforts.
Eventually, Ron takes two steps toward commercial success when he monetizes the blog through an advertising revenue program (such as Google's AdSense), and by using the blog to promote his new eBook, "Collegiate Cuisine". To hook readers, he promises not only recipes he's already included on the site, but special tips on inexpensive ways to get cooking tools and a few new recipes he hasn't shared yet.
Will this model work? Perhaps. If Ron is too pushy, he might turn people off to his product before they ever come to his site. If he's too timid, his message will get lost in the tide of the Internet. If he chooses poorly in the ads he allows on his site, users won't click and the ads will generate no money. So the second key is research and careful attention. Ron and other blogging marketers have to study the market, pay attention to peoples' needs and input, and adjust their presentation accordingly.
But is There Any Money in it?
To return to the point that there is money to be made in blogging, one would be remiss not to pay attention to the successful Problogger. In the classic 'make money teaching others to make money,' tradition, this is a blog that makes its revenue by teaching users how to make money through professional blogging. Many other sites, such as FreelanceWritingGigs, swear to Problogger's integrity and efficacy and the site does provide a great deal of information. So there clearly IS money to be made in the blogging-as-marketing world.
Back to the Basics
The key to blog marketing is the same key to any business venture, appropriateness. The savvy businessman will evaluate their entire business, and do the research to determine if blogging is a vital addition to what they're trying to accomplish. Blogging allows for a wider audience than local advertising, which could lead to expanding into nearby cities, or shipping to distant locales. It is an option that should seriously be examined, and approached with the same degree of research and caution as any business venture or proposal.
About the Author:
Enzo F. Cesario is a Copywriter and co-founder of Brandsplat. Brandcasting uses informative content and state-of-the-art internet distribution and optimization to build links and drive the right kind of traffic to your website. Go to http://www.Brandsplat.com/ or visit our blog at: http://www.brandsplatblog.com/
Read more of Enzo F. Cesario's articles.
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