|
|
| Small Business Information |
|
|
|
|
Business Relationships Defined
What makes a business relationship? What really makes a business relationship? This may be very hard to define as it goes beyond just meeting the person and chatting about something you have in common. A relationship is developed over a period of time and usually does not happen instantly. I once met a person at a Rotary function and this person was ideal for me as a business partner. I spent some time chatting with him at the event; we exchanged cards and agreed to meet on another occasion to discuss our mutual needs. Approximately 3 months went by before we had a chance to re-connect. At that time we found that we both had a common interest in viewing movies and both our spouses did as well. It was at this point that we decided to go to the movies as a group that weekend. This was the beginning of the business relationship. We had something in common that we both enjoyed. It has now been 2 and a half years later and I am just starting to do business with this person. This story simply means that you do not make instant business relationships, they must be nurtured. In another example, the process was much quicker. I met a CPA at a networking and problem solving meeting, and we instantly discovered that I had some services he required and we agreed to meet to discuss the project. We also created a business relationship in that I agreed to help his son to write his first book. This relationship took a period of two months, not two years. What really makes a relationship is a common interest or goal and a fit for what you each have to offer. A business relationship is not a one way street, there must be give and take or it will fall apart. If you have the expertise necessary, the development of the relationship will be shorter than if you have to search for something that will click. Personal interests, the direction you want to take your business, even your focus, all come into play. Bette Daoust, Ph.D. has been networking with others since leaving high school years ago. Realizing that no one really cared about what she did in life unless she had someone to tell and excite. She decided to find the best ways to get people's attention, be creative in how she presented herself and products, getting people to know who she was, and being visible all the time. Her friends and colleagues have often dubbed her the "Networking Queen". Blueprint for Networking Success: 150 ways to promote yourself is the first in this series. Blueprint for Branding Yourself: Another 150 ways to promote yourself is planned for release in 2005. For more information visit http://www.BlueprintBooks.com
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Mobile Truck Washing, Case Study Most folks in the pressure washing business are happier to do business cleaning concrete or flat work, because it appears to be easy. Some do both fleet truck washing and concrete, which makes sense. But what some do not understand is once you are totally efficient at truck washing you can surpass the dollars per hour that those in concrete cleaning generally charge. I have been washing fleets of trucks for over 12 years. What I have found is that our car wash guys www.carwashguys.com which is a mobile car wash business ended up being a fleet washing business and not only for car washing. This is because customers needed services and kept calling and we were able to do the work as good as any company could. Creative Metrification - A Technique to Improve Some things in business are relatively easy to measure ? these are the "hard" metrics such as sales volume and profit, production per man-hour, time without an accident, shipments without error, number of customers served, on-time delivery, etc. Other, "soft" metrics, are more difficult to quantify, but with a little creativity, measurement can be made of just about anything. Small Business Survival Tips No matter what kind of small business you have, you need read these "small business survival tips" which will help you to succeed. Implementing an Internship Program CONSIDERING COMPANY NEEDS: In identifying your needs for the internship, you need to examine the chief responsibilities of the position. And the broader they are, the more flexibility you will be giving yourself and the intern. Decide upon how often you will need the intern. Gauge any time factor related to the responsibilities you are assigning. Remember that the intern will not be as experienced as a regular employee would, he or she will need additional time to get acquainted with computer and other systems, your style of office management, and other on-the-job factors. Next figure your ability to offer a stipend. Not only will offering money bring you more qualified applicants, but it will suitably reward the intern. Many managers find it easy to offer a stipend in terms of travel expenses or living expenses, while also supplying miscellaneous costs. Accounting Methods ? Cash and Accrual When starting a business, you have to determine the method you are going to use for accounting and paying taxes. The two choices are the cash method and the accrual method. An Example of Business Automation - eCards with pizazz The last time I spoke and went into a bit of detail on business automation. Today I would like to give you some details of how I actually used it personally so you get to see first-hand what I wanted, how I went about doing it and finally executing it. Tracking Revenue For MORE Profits The revenue history is a vital piece of your power page and you need to record that information. Keeping track of client revenues should not be done in a paper format, it should be recorded electronically. It is too easy to make mistakes when calculating by hand, the results of the data entry can then be recorded into your power page. You need to date these numbers as they can change quite rapidly and you will want to know if there is a growth pattern. You will also be aware of diminishing returns and flat areas. Familiarize yourself with how they report earnings because each company has their own unique way of presenting the information to the public or its employees. You are probably asking yourself why you would bother tracking financial earnings of a company you are doing business with, or even one that is not yet a client. Believe it or not, financial information gives hints as to the success of the sales force, the marketing efforts, and the leadership of the executives. The financials can paint a picture that says more than what you are being told. If you still do not believe me, read through the next example. Detailing Business Options So you want to get into the auto detailing business and are not sure what options are right for you? It is a difficult choice indeed and there are so many options. Let me tell you a few having been in the industry some 27-years, we have seen a lot of businesses come and go and we have seen what works. Concrete Cleaning Discussed at World of Concrete Expo 03 If you are in the pressure washing business and are serious about what you clean on the ground floor, I suggest you attend the WOC. The WOC is the World of Concrete Expo in Las Vegas, which is held once per year. Each year it grows and is now one of the largest trade shows in Las Vegas. We spent two days walking the halls, meeting vendors, potential customers and learning about new materials, cleaners and equipment. Small Business and Branding ? Why and How? When we speak of branding most of the time people try to relate it to big business house, however, the fact is that every business needs to establish their brand in order to survive the competition. This is nothing new; experts and management gurus had been preaching the same sermon for years now but what they have not told is why you need to brand your small business? How is branding going to help you to establish your business? How can you establish your brand without spending a fortune on it? Boston Suburban areas a good choice to run a business BioTechs even with the latest news had shed over 1000 jobs two years ago, as it was reported by The Financial Times, WSJ, and Bloomberg that only 17 of the nearly 1300 BioTech firms were actually profitable. In 2002 the number of jobs were in the 30,000 range in Biotech. 600 layoffs came from Millennium Pharmaceuticals. And the VCs are were barely interested as they hardly even look at tech deals with all of them netting less than 3 Million in venture capital for computer software and less than 10 million in biotech in 2003. But that was then and this is now. Unemployment has dropped, money is flowing the fallout mortgage loans stopped bleeding and money is coming back for investment in all sectors. Nano and Biotech both good. Work is a Four Letter Word I love work, I can watch it all day. The Key to a Successful Business Where would a business be without a business plan? A business plan sets the course for the future of the business. It gives the business owner or manager a sense of direction, listing the objectives and goals of the business from the outset. The Skills Gap: It Pays to Use Experts By outsourcing to skilled professionals you'll be able to grow your business without adding overhead. Are You Using a Chess or Checkers Small Business Marketing Strategy? Until the day I learned to play chess I loved playing checkers. Both games require a strategy that maximizes a player's ability to capture her opponents pieces without first losing her own. Checkers was fun. But the complexities of chess lead to more satisfying victories and defeats. Uncover Free Veins Of Gold By Prospecting Online Guru Newsletters (Part 1 of 2) Incredible as it sounds, you have a goldmine of free business advice and resources available to you for starting an online business. Many entrepreneurs are taking advantage of the unbelievable opportunity of financial independence by starting an Internet business. Operating Your Small Business ? Everything Really Is a Project Do you operate your business as a series of projects, using project management tools and skills to advance your projects from conception to completion? Or perhaps you're new to project management tools and skills and haven't considered applying them to your own business? Most of us fall somewhere in between. (P)Refer to Grow Your Business (Although this article is geared towards small business owners, the information is just as applicable to a similar personal situation, only the action is slightly different.) Private Investigator Tactics A Private Investigator is a professional trained in the art of investigations and surveillance. Otherwise known as Private eyes or, these professionals are for hire 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Many investigators have backgrounds in CIA, FBI, military, special forces, police, and government. I assume you all have heard of the famous Sherlock Holmes, and his trusty side-kick detective Watson. They were a type of private investigator. Today's private investigators use modern technology along with investigator training to serve the public and attorneys, police investigations, insurance investigations, and so much more. Small Business Planning -- Three Myths Are you -- like 70 percent of small business owners -- working without a plan?
|
| home | site map |
| © 2005 |