Thursday, November 11, 2010

How to Get Rid of ByteDefender Security

All the files present in the PC are very important and in case they are corrupted then it may be a great problem. Due to virus attack in the computer system the file system is corrupted moreover the registry settings are changed. In case you make use of fake security program to get rid of virus present in the computer system then your personal information may be revealed to other person and it may be misused. So, you need to be careful before choosing antivirus programs.
ByteDefender Security is one of the fake security programs; it claims that it removes virus and spyware. But the reality is dark, it does not function like a security tool but instead it corrupts the files present in the system. It shows fake alert messages and pop ups in the computer system. This program is spread through illegal websites; the victim of this program may have to pay lot of money for this useless security program.
Why should you avoid using ByteDefender?
  • This security program gets installed in the PC by itself.
  • Reputation of this security program is horrible.
  • Website of this program is poorly built.
  • Performance of this security program is poor.
  • Payments in this website are suspicious.
How to remove ByteDefender Security permanently from the PC?
  • You need to block the sites of ByteDefender Security.
  • It is necessary to stop as well as remove all the processes of this application.
  • You need to uninstall the DLL files and it is extremely necessary to delete all the ByteDefender Security program.
  • Registry settings need to be modified.
Even through these manual steps you would not be able remove the hidden files present in the system. It has capability to reproduce these files, moreover in case steps are not completed correctly then it may lead to complete crash of the system. So, you should make use of third party tools to remove this security tool permanently from the system. It is capable to scan the virus present in the system extensively and is able to remove them permanently from the system. For detailed information on the removing ByteDefender Security you can visit the link below.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Business Consultant Internet Marketing Small Strategy - Article Submissions

Running a business consultant internet marketing firm is one of the best types of businesses these days. In here, you assist other business establishments in making their names flourish in the industry. Now, who would have though that you can make money from lending others a helping hand? If you are running a similar business as this one, pay close attention to the business consultant internet marketing small strategy that I will be providing you with in here. Make sure to take note of the advantages that article submissions can offer you and your small business consulting firm.
Here are a few of the advantages that article submissions can offer you and your business consulting firm:
1. Articles submissions show your credibility to your target market.
Writing a few articles in a day about your personal experiences will allow your readers to know about your credibility and expertise in the business. Articles can become a medium that you can make use of in spreading the word about how good you are in the business.
2. Article submissions enable you to become uncovered in a lot of search engines on a variety of conditions.
One of the strategies of content submission is usually to intersperse your primary website search phrases into your write-up to ensure that your content articles will aid you in improving your look for engine ranking on your search terms. This will help you in getting organic targeted visitors on your web site on an array of keywords and phrases. You will discover that nearly all of these would have certainly not occurred to you as search conditions. Nevertheless, these conditions will be present in one or more articles or blog posts that you will write. Now, your goal in here would be to produce a call to action on your individual post pages to improve the number of subscribers to your newsletter, which serves as the primary call to action on your website.
3. Article submissions establish you as an expert.
With this, I will give an example about my personal experience. I submit 10 to 12 articles within a month through the use of a content submission service. Anyone seeking content articles that I have written in any of the major content banks will possibly locate at least 10 that I have authored. These days I searched my name, and observed numerous sites have listed me. I would say that about 98 percent of the results refer to me, and that a huge portion of those varieties are links to content blogs, articles banks, and ezines publishing my content articles.
4. Article submissions encourage joint ventures or strategic alliances with organization owners in other industries pursuing exactly the same target market.
I have been previously approached by a variety of other organizations who are seeking link exchanges, strategic alliances, and referrals solely based on reading about me. I have decided to pursue some of these, and I would have certainly not had the opportunity without applying article submissions as a way to spread the word out about my services and my firm.

Monday, November 8, 2010

Start a Business From Your Couch - Business Ideas That Don't Require You to Leave Your Seat

If you have dream of being proficient to make modest money from your home business, or earn money instantly instead of waiting for tomorrow, then building a start-up from home is your destination. Triumph in this sort of endeavor could imply having a business that practically runs itself while you purely sit back and gather the incoming cremation. Would not you akin to just relax on your comfortable couch in your fashioned jeans, nipping your favorite cocktail, and looking for the end of the day so that you can calculate how much you earned in a day without doing much of the effort. Of course, you would love it, and this kind of financial freedom is what so many money seekers search their whole life. Therefore, hit the couch and start a business from your couch - business ideas that don't require you to leave your seat.
In the virtual world of business today, there are many diverse opportunities to trails to make money instantaneously. Internet is accessible to many people with sparkling swift potentials, which gives your products exclusive response and massive selling probable. Think about how long it would take a businessperson fifty years ago to make his product known even statewide, let alone nationally or globally. Today you and your business are as big or small as you want it to be as there are no boundaries on the portal of internet.
Along with your brilliant ideas of starting a home business, there are also numerous resources to support and provide services, assisting you along the way. Web building and hosting professionals, web site design software, accounting and billing software programs and business software are the best options for a start up business.
Eventually, if you fancy earning money right away with your home business, perform an authentic research alone to start a business from your couch - business ideas that don't require you to leave your seat.

Home Business Entrepreneurs, Are You a Goat or a Sheep?

This article will reveal a trait that could foretell your future as a home business entrepreneur.
The good news is that if you don't currently have this trait you can learn it; and you will want to learn it at practically any cost. Yes, it's big...
Actually before we reveal this secret I'd like to pay attention to your initial reaction when you hear it. Why, because that will speak volumes about how big an issue this trait is impacting your business (and that could be interesting).
So back to the question are you a sheep or a goat?
Ok, so next to nobody wants to be sheep. Few people see themselves as a rather dumb creature that gets herded around quite easily.
But then again you're thinking - is a goat much better? Unless you're a farmer or rancher you likely aren't familiar with goat behavior but the difference in behavior is huge.
You see, if you were to enter a pasture where sheep were grazing they would do their best to ignore you and carry on with what they were doing.
On the other hand if you entered a goat pasture you better pay attention.
Why?
Because that goat is not only going to approach you, he's going to butt you! Yep, he's going to take the opportunity and charge you to see if he can't make something happen.
In business, a sheep will hear about a new strategy or tactic that is kicking butt (no pun intended) and will react by saying something like, "Oh that's interesting - I'm going to try that sometime".
Guess what? The time never comes...
The 'goat' home business entrepreneur reacts in a whole different manner. When this goat gets exposed with a new opportunity they charge into action immediately.
Advice is great, and taking action to see if something works is far, far better.
Putting things off turns into a habit that turns deadly very quickly for business.
Procrastination likely kills more business than any other issue. Every single time you put something important off you are making that muscle stronger and drifting further away from your target of success.
Find a picture of a goat and post it on your wall. Let it remind you that attacking opportunities immediately is a habit that will transform your home business.
As a home business entrepreneur this one habit can reignite your business from being a sparkler into a July 4th skyrocket.

Home Based Business

If you want to start a home based business that is more than just a part-time income, you will have to learn how to master some of the most important parts of working an online business that are directly related to the size of your income. Many different parts come together to build a successful online business, but there are a few specific things you can do that will maximize your income potential. In order to ensure you are doing all that you can, it is essential to educate yourself about what goes into building a successful business from home, and how exactly you can master each aspect and build the best possible business.
Here are three very important things you should focus on if you want to maximize your home-based business' income potential:
#1 - Focus on building the biggest customer list possible
If you want to maximize your home-based income potential, you should be focusing on building your list from the first day of business. Even if you don't have a single product yet, you should learn about list-building and put plenty of energy into this process. The size of one's list is directly related to the size of one's income. Thus, focusing on building a larger list is a top priority in achieving success with your home-based business.
#2 - Focus on the needs of the customers
Your customers are your source of income, so if you want to get the most money possible from them, you should focus on supplying them with the absolute best possible service. Find out more about them, build relationships with them through your list, and ask them exactly what they need or want, what you can do to help them achieve their goals, and then give them plenty of free information to help. When you give away good quality information for free, you can be sure that they will still be willing to pay you for your absolute best information.
#3 - Create different levels of products
There are different levels of customers, some have plenty of disposable income, some have very little, so if you want to ensure you maximize your ability to help them, create different product levels so that everyone can afford your services. Your products could range anywhere from a $10 ebook to a $1,000 home-study course, but ensuring you have products for sale to fit every type of customer's needs, you can ensure you will be making as much money as possible.

Starting a Home Business - Some Precautions You Ought to Take

Setting up a home business is stereotyped as the easy way out of an 8-hour job so many in the employed sector want to escape from. And yet, setting up a home business can be fraught with risks and challenges. If you are thinking of going on your own, you should take an inventory of these first before taking the plunge.
For one, you need to become a generalist. In your office job, you are perhaps a specialist. Your focus is on a specific area of your company's business, e.g., purchasing, logistics, finance, human resources, sales, marketing, and so on. You can afford to have blind spots because other employees are attending to those areas. Not in your home business, however. You will be involved in everything although perhaps on a lesser scale. The question is - are you thoroughly prepared in terms of the required knowledge and skills in managing a business? Your honest answer to this question gives you a clue on how truly prepared you are to set up your home business.
You will be using your own capital, of course, to grow the business. In your office job, you don't have to worry about capital. Your capital is basically your meal and transportation expenses in going to and back from work. For as long as you manage to spend below what your salary is, you have savings (a substitute word for profit) at the end of the month.
What if you fail? Do you have a back up plan? If your back up plan consists of going back to employment once more, how long might it take you to get another job? Once you find one, you would have lost any seniority. You will have to start anew with less security of tenure. And remember, applying for a new job while you are out in the cold will not give you any advantage in negotiating for better pay and other terms and conditions of employment. In a weak bargaining position of need, you might be forced to accept the first job that is available no matter how it falls short of your expectations. It may take sometime before you can go back to the level where you were before you took the adventure of entrepreneurship.
Observe sufficient caution before venturing into a home based business especially if going into it requires that you give up your current job. Unless you are very sure where you stand with respect to the precautions I have stated above, the best strategy for you might be to start a home business that you can do initially on a part-time basis side by side with your employment. Once you are already confident of its performance, then that will be the time when you can quit your job and go full-time into it.

Start A Home Based Business - How To Successfully Build A Six-Figured Home Based Business

Do you want to start a home-based business but have no idea what goes into building a successful business? If so, you are not alone, as most people who decide to start a home-based business have no formal training in business, but this doesn't mean you won't succeed. Often times, the most successful people don't actually have training in their fields, but what they do have is a burning desire to succeed, and a work-ethic that lets nothing stand in their ways.
So, if you want to start a successful business from home, don't let a lack of knowledge or experience slow you down, because it is very possible for someone to build a six-figure per year business from home with the right support and the right tools in their corner.
So let's take a minute and look at some of the building blocks of a successful home-based business:
1 - Set goals
Success requires that you know what you want and where you want to bring your business, so be sure to set both short-term and long-term goals, then strive to meet them every single day.
2 - Create your own products
If you want to make the most money possible, you must create your own products. Whether you build physical products or information products, you should strongly consider creating your own products.
3 - Learn to build a customer list
In the online arena, you absolutely must build a list of potential customers that you can sell to over and over again.
4 - You need a website
There's no getting around this these days, you need to put up a website so that you can reach people on a global scale. Not only is this the smart way to do business, but without it you will have little chance of succeeding.
5 - Learn how to satisfy your customers
Customer satisfaction is essential, especially when you are running your own business. Learn what you have to do in order to satisfy your potential customers, as this will likely lead them to become paying customers.
6 - Automate as much of your business as possible
You want to leverage your time as much as possible so that you can get more done with less effort. By setting as much of your business to work automatically whether you are there or not, you will enable yourself to do business around the clock 24/7.
7 - Learn how to find targeted leads
While you can build a fortune working online, you have to master the art of driving targeted leads to your website on a daily basis. There are many free ways to do this, simply try out a few, see what works best, and apply it with massive action.
8 - Learn to be persistent
Success with a home-based business will not come overnight, and anybody who tells you otherwise is just plain wrong. Expect to work hard for quite some time before making a significant income, be persistent and dedicate yourself to overcoming every hurdle, as this will help you achieve your goals of a more than full-time income.

Start A Home Based Business - 3 Things You Should Give Your Customers For Free

If you want to achieve success in with your home based business, you should be giving things to your potential customers free of charge. Not only does getting free information make your customers happy, but it will build stronger relationships and build trust with your customer. There is no need to give away your best products, but there really is a need to give away as much free stuff as you possibly can.
Think about those food-booths at the grocery store, how many millions worth of food is given away by these companies on a daily basis? The reason they do this is because when you give them a taste, they are more inclined to buy the product, but if they don't get a taste, there is little to no chance they're going to buy it. The same principle applies to your online home-based business; the more "free tastes" you give your potential customers, the more they are going to be willing to purchase from you.
So let's take a look at three great freebies you can give you your list of subscribers without feeling like you are giving away all of your secrets:
1 - Ebooks
People love free ebooks, mainly because information is something we are all seeking online. Let's say you have a few different ebooks, all falling into different categories, you can give away a full ebook to someone if it falls under the umbrella of the same niche. For example, if you are in the weight-loss business, you could offer your subscribers an ebook that teaches them how to build their arm muscles. Anything that you believe your customers will find useful is a great way to build the customer-business relationship. So don't be afraid to give away a quality ebook, it just might lead to another purchase.
2 - Course samples
Do you have a several day course that you sell for a couple hundred dollars? If you do, give them a taste by allowing them to see a couple days for free. Not only will this peak their interest in the course, but it will also give them some valuable information that they can use to improve themselves.
3 - Audio and video information
People will generally value audio and video products much more than simple ebooks and other written forms of content. If you do indeed have the means to create audio and video products, send samples to your subscribers so they can get a feel for your style. Even if you don't have any audio or video products yet, you can create a simple video and send them a link, they will value this and it is thus a great relationship building tool

Home Based Business Tips - How To Use Article Marketing To Increase Your Success

If you have your own home-based business, you know how difficult it can be to drive targeted leads to your website, and you are on a never-ending search for the most cost-effective and efficient way to get the right people to your business and to turn them into subscribers. With so many options out there, both paid and free, it is difficult to figure out which are worth the money and which will help your business grow the fastest.
For my business, the best technique as far as building my customer list and income has been article marketing. Not only is article marketing the best strategy for driving targeted leads to my online business, but it is completely free, which does wonders for my bottom line.
If you want to see how article marketing can improve your home-based business, take a look at the following three benefits of article marketing as they relate to your home-based online business:
#1 - They drive only targeted leads to your business
The one difference between all types online marketing and article marketing is that an article will bring only targeted leads to your business. Since someone who reads through your article and clicks on the link will only do so if they are truly interested in the content provided, this will weed out anybody who will not be interested in your business, increasing the conversion rate for your business.
#2 - Articles have instant credibility built-in
Not just anybody can produce a good article about their business, so when someone takes the time and effort to create a high-quality piece of content, they are building their own credibility.
#3 - An article pre-sells the customer by demonstrating your level of expertise
As a potential customer reads your article, they are in a way interviewing you and your abilities. If they like what you've offered, they are in a sense pre-sold on your expertise, and this will increase the success of your business.

Home-Based Business Tips For Success - 3 Ways To Build Credibility

Are you thinking about starting a home based business or already have one, but aren't sure how to increase your credibility and get your customers to trust you more? This is a very common concern to new home-based business owners, and it is something that has to be built slowly and over time. Building credibility is not a difficult thing to do, it only requires that you continually provide each customer with high-quality information, high-quality products and/or services, and friendly service.
Since most home-based businesses are built around the online marketplace, it is essential that you have the right tools in place to build this credibility automatically through your website and through your autoresponder system. If you want to succeed in building quality relationships with each customer who visits your business, the following three techniques are extremely effective:
#1 - Give away a free ebook that you wrote
Writing a book builds instant credibility, so a great way to build credibility with your potential customers is to write an ebook and send it to them, free of charge. These ebooks don't have to be long, they can be anything from your "Top Ten Tips" to your "Top 100 Tips", or anything in between. Provide an awesome ebook with great content and your credibility with the customer will soar.
#2 - Send them content that they won't find elsewhere online
If can can send the customers on your email list some incredible content that they won't find elsewhere on the Internet, you will build incredible trust and credibility. Because there is so much free content available online, if you can give them more they will thank you greatly for doing so.
#3 - Offer personalized email correspondence free of charge
The ultimate credibility-builder, even online, is to send your list an email asking them to contact you and tell you what you can do to help them. When you receive a response, write them back, and this will personalize your ability to help them and they will see you as more than just a website.

How to Organize Your Home Office Paperwork

A business run from your home, even if you are the only employee collects papers. It is important to handle each piece of paper that comes into your home office as few times as possible. Immediately decide if the paper needs keeping at all. Shred trash immediately and shred all discarded paperwork. Identity theft is alive and well, shredding is the best option. A cross shredder is more efficient than a single cut shredder.
You need to have a basic file system for your home office. At the bare minimum you need files such as: Correspondence, Tax Information, Purchases, Sales, Advertising campaigns,Unpaid and Paid bills. When first starting out, a simple multi-pocketed organizer seems ideal. However space disappears sooner than you expect.
Keep your filing system simple and close at hand. The file drawer in your desk, a stand-alone file cabinet nearby or even a file on wheels works perfectly. Use file folders, file dividers, and file labels. The time spent early on will pay huge dividends when tax time rolls around.
Set up an easy to reach and convenient place to keep catalogs and sale materials that arrive at your home office. Make a list of which suppliers you prefer and what you order from them. When it is time to re-order supplies you will not need to hunt down the name, size or style of the item that you need, it will be right there on your list.
Don't make your file system so complex that it requires a lot of thought to remember where to file what. Complexity leads to having stacks of papers standing around. Use the same methods in your home office that you use for the management and organization of your home.
Make checklists of routine tasks, such as sending out invoices and paying bills. Have a calendar easily available and use it for more than a doodle pad. Have a notebook on your desk near the phone. Write all notes in that one notebook. Schedule times to transfer important information from the notebook to permanent storage.
Don't forget to organize your computer, again using file folders and directories so that what you need is quickly available.
It is an excellent practice to scan all important papers so that you have an electronic copy of the information you need. Scan receipts needed for tax purposes and file them in your computer.
One vital thing to remember is to back up your computer. Keep a copy of the backup someplace other than your home or home office in the event disaster strikes. There are many online storage opportunities available to you.
If you are already using a home organizer for your home, your home office organizer will be easy to keep up to date.

Home Based Business: Start Your Own Weekend Business For Exactly Nothing

It's hard to find a good weekend Job - especially now. All the time you'll spend looking could be spent getting started on your own weekend business.
So what can you do?
We Americans don't appreciate what we have - so much freedom, and so much STUFF! We're going to share with you two cool ways you can start making money without money!
Way One:
What is a slightly used $5,000 treadmill worth? About 1,800 on eBay. How much would you pay for it? About $600. How would you find it? Place Free "Wanted" ads on Craigslist, and on Upillar.com.
How will be sure of the value? Check completed items on eBay before you go look at it. You need to know you'll make money before you burn gas!
Drag it home, put it on eBay and collect your profit! Does this really work? YES! It works with anything you want to deal in. You can even buy and sell guns on uPillar.com.
How do you start this without cash?
When you go see the treadmill (or whatever) and let's say you agree on a sales price of $600...offer to pay $200 more if you can just photograph it, sell it, and have the people pick it up there. Is this hard to do? No. Just write a little contract and have them sign it. You only have to do this a couple of times, and you'll have your own money.
Way Two:
Provide the above as a Service to the person with the treadmill. In other words, offer and provide the service of selling it for the person in exchange for say, 20% of the proceeds. Now you don't have to move the big treadmill! But remember, you can work with anything you want - it could be Barbie Dolls, or diamonds!
If you flip a treadmill, a Barbie Collection, a Swiss Watch, or a small farm tractor a week, will you be making $50,000 a year "just like that". YEP! Does it all sound like work? It is! Maybe it's easier to just go grab a $50K a year job right now. Why not learn the basics without paying for it? Then make a Major Effort, and reap the sweet rewards of success! Make $30-$50k per month if want to (I'm not kidding).
Could it be you?
Look, maybe you just need a job. In that case, do you really know the secrets to writing an effective Cover Letter and Resume? Please find out what the secrets are BEFORE you spend a lot of time looking for a job.

Start A Home Based Business - How To Successfully Satisfy Every Type Of Customer

If you want to start a home based business, you will have to learn how to satisfy every customer on an individual basis. It is unrealistic to expect that everyone will purchase a high-ticket item just because it is an industry leader, and for this reason it is extremely important that you have a range of products that will be reachable to everyone, no matter what their current financial situation.
Let's take a look at three types of products that can essentially teach the same but are drastically different in price:
#1 - The low-priced product
Let's say your business is all about helping people lose weight, and you want to provide someone who has very little income with a high-quality product that can help them lose their excess weight. For this type of customer, you could create a 40 page ebook that will only cost $10. Now, you may have the same information in the ebook that you have in your 1-month video tutorials, but because the ebook is easier to create it can be perceived to have less value, and so it will fit into a low-priced category that even someone with very little disposable income can afford.
#2 - The mid-level priced product
Now a mid-level priced product can range anywhere from $100-$1000 depending on your particular niche. If you have a product of this price, you will have to provide more value than you would compared to the ebook from example #1. So while you may in essence give the customer the same information, you could increase the value by including some audio or video component, which increases value and increases the ease by which the customer will achieve their results. While this product is more valuable to the customer than the first example, it should be less aggressive of a product than your high-ticket items.
#3 - The high-ticket priced product
Now this is the product that is for those with a higher level of disposable income and for those who are very interested in achieving the best results in the shortest period of time. As compared to the products in examples 1 and 2, this product should have added value that makes it more effective to the buyer. For example, something that has high-ticket value can be a consulting product, where there is either face-to-face instruction or 1-on-1 instruction over the phone. If you are more interested in an automated high-ticket product, you could put together a audio or video course that lasts several days to several months and provides more detailed instruction to the customer.

Benefits and How to Make Use of of Custom Lanyards

Did you ever hear of lanyards? Well, possibly you haven't; but it's for particular that you've observed one. In fact, it's a sure thing that you've seen at least five of these. What are they anyway? These are the numerous cords worn around one's neck which also goes by the name of ID strap, ID cord, or neck strap. Now that you simply determine what these are, it's time to know the advantages of having 1.
Lanyards are accepted as very well-liked, and not to mention common, because of its many uses, its handiness and its practicality. These are generally used as neck straps for ID cards used in schools and offices. This is simply because, especially in offices, ID's are extremely required, mostly for security reasons, and ought to always be visible. So with the use of a lanyard, it can hang from one's neck, perfectly visible, while also not putting it at risk of obtaining lost and still permits the individual to complete what he is supposed to complete, freely.
It's also very helpful in events and situations wherein the person needs both hands totally free to be able to work, but also with a require for some sort of ID cards to be effortlessly visible like stage crews in concerts, plays, theatrical presentations, conferences, trade shows, and so on. It is also used in seminars because it permits individuals to recognize every other without impairing their abilities to focus and do the activities that they're supposed to. It's benefits include being a subtle way of advertisement too with customized neck straps using the company's logo and name.
Lanyards have also turn out to be more than just ID straps nowadays. Some have been designed to hold mp3 players and mobile phones as well. So when you're on the go or very busy, it can aid in keeping your ID, mp3, or mobile phone from obtaining lost. So whether you wish to use it for promotional, commercial, or personal purposes, one thing is for sure: it's highly helpful and nearly everybody ought to have one.

Offline Advertising 101

Hello class, hope this lesson finds you all well and in good spirits. Just FYI, you are more than welcome to use any of my articles on your website or blog as long as you leave everything intact.
Today we are going to talk about offline advertising. At some point, you will consider marketing offline to promote your business. If you don't play your cards right, you can lose your whole advertising budget and gain nothing! Needless to say the hardest part of this whole equation is figuring out when, where, and how much to spend. If you get it right, you will get a nice return on your investment for years to come.
How will you make the right advertising decision? Well in order to make a good decision you must be armed with information. You need to know:
- What different types of advertising media are available. - Which markets these different methods can reach. - You need to know the demographics of who you'll be advertising too. - You need to know what your market is buying.
TV, radio, and print aren't the only methods to promote offline. Consider trade shows, press releases, billboards, word of mouth, telemarketing, branding, and direct sales to name a few.
The most expensive offline advertising will be radio, TV, and print. But these big boys can be bought for pennies on the dollar if you're willing to advertise during their 'non-primetime' hours. These times slots can still bring a lot of eyes and ears to your home marketing business.
Trade shows are a great way to get your business in front of a targeted audience and your appearance at the show could be a good angle for a press release. And the icing on the cake is that your press release may get you on the local news, radio, and newspapers!
A direct sales and/or telemarketing team can prove to be very lucrative, however it will require a huge investment of time and money to start. Then you're at the mercy of your sales team and your company may lose some respect.
When you think about Visa, you might think that "It's everywhere that you want to be." Or that a MasterCard is "Priceless". We all know that Wheaties is "The breakfast of champions." And that you can "Be all that you can be." in the U.S. Army. This is considered branding, or in marketing terms a USP (Unique Selling Proposition).
If you have a slogan and want to brand it, consider billboard advertising. It's relatively inexpensive and could be what get's your home marketing business inside peoples long term memory!
Whatever method or methods you decide to advertise with, make sure that you are testing and tracking the results. I can't emphasize that enough...you need to know where you are getting the best and worst return on investment. Once you learn what works best and how to exploit that method, you will enjoy success for years to come.

Commercial Real Estate - A Brief Glance At Commercial Window Cleaning Companies

Almost every building has windows and these windows eventually become dirty and require regular cleaning. There are many ways to do this. This article will look at a few of the methods employed by commercial window cleaning companies to do their job.
For every window-cleaning job, the choice of equipment to be used will first be determined by the height of the building, the site conditions and the amount of work to be accomplished. As a rule, the safest and less complicated way is the best way. This could mean accessing the windows from the inside of the building, alleviating the need for equipment required to reach extensive heights.
The most popular method for reaching high windows in a residential job is the tried and true extension ladder. Other equipment required for this job will be a good squeegee (commercial grade), a bucket to hold water and the cleaning agent, a scrubber, a sponge and some lint free towels (micro-fiber works best). While dish soap is most often used as the cleaner, there are better options available that don't leave behind a residue. Vinegar can also be added to the water to reduce streaks.
Extension ladders are a good means of accessing higher windows but are only appropriate to about three stories. Taller buildings will require some other method of reaching the upper windows. Rope access is a popular way of achieving this, using a configuration called a 'cradle' or a 'bosun's chair'. This is also the method used to suspend someone working on the side of a ship or boat but works just as well for window cleaners.
Another device common for reaching higher windows is something called a water fed pole (WFP). As the name implies, this is a telescoping pole hooked up to water which can deliver a cleaning stream up to 70 feet or more. Frequently, purified water is used and does a good job of cleaning without leaving behind any residue.
Government regulations and guidelines exist regarding safety and proper window washing operations. However, these regulations are typically not enforced in most countries. Window cleaning is considered one of the most dangerous professions in the UK, and every year sees deaths occur for those in this occupation.
As earlier mentioned, easier and safer are better in this line. Those who will be using scaffolding or hanging from ropes should receive proper training before they try this work. Technological advancements are continuing to improve the methods employed by commercial window cleaning companies but, as always, using the right equipment and employing accepted safety precautions are paramount.

Monitoring You CQC Compliance Post Registration

For any health or social care provider that becomes registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC), it is important that they understand that the registration itself is actually the start of a continuous process of review, monitoring, planning and improvement. As such, once providers have gained CQC registration, it is imperative that they monitor their continued compliance against the CQC's essential standards; the standards that they had to evidence that they were meeting when registration was awarded.
The CQC provide a number of documents and tools that enable providers to carry out self assessments and monitoring post CQC registration; these all work towards making the monitoring of compliance simple.
The most important tool available is the provider compliance assessment tool which has beendesigned to help providers easily assess how they are meeting the essential standards. This tool is an easy to use assessment aid that ideally providers should incorporate into regular monitoring and review practices, to ensure that compliance is maintained once registration has been granted.
The next resource available to providers is a CQC document entitled 'The Judgement Framework'. This document is used by CQC staff to determine whether providers are meeting the 16 regulations that relate specifically to quality and safety of care. As this document is readily available to providers, via the CQC website, it is possible for them to check themselves that they have appropriate evidence to demonstrate compliance, both prior to and post registration, and therefore continued monitoring throughout the year becomes a straightforward task.
A further document that can be used to support this continued monitoring is entitled 'Setting the Bar', and again this is available via the CQC website. This document again relates to the quality and safety standards but refers more specifically to the quality of evidence required to meet these standards. It also provides guidance on CQC responses if a provider was found not to be complying within a particular area.
The final tool available is the Quality and Risk Profile Tool which allows providers the opportunity to gather all of their CQC related data into one place, which will then be assessed to highlight any potential risk areas that need to be addressed with urgency.
With so many aids available, there is no excuse not to continue to monitor your compliance post registration; in doing so you will not only ensure that you are legally meeting the CQC standards but you will ultimately improve the service that you deliver to patients, visitors and staff.

Wholesale Unique Products - An Exceptional Way to Grow Your Business

If you are an avid wholesaler who keeps in touch with wholesale forums, blogs and experts advices, one thing you must have noticed that people always come up with a common question i.e. what kind of wholesale products should I sell on internet? Now, this is the question that has been answered so many times but still remains unanswered. The trends in wholesale businesses always change exactly in the same way as they do in retail businesses. It is because the ultimate destination is end users, whatever they prefer that will be the trend of wholesale industry as well.
Since the wholesale businesses have started, not a single wholesaler is there who has been working in the same niche since the beginning. There come several stages in wholesale business in terms of choosing exactly the same product what is in demand and the related how and why. Experts do not have any calculator that they can look ahead of time and tell you about the Wholesale Products that are going to be high in demand in upcoming times. Wholesalers have their own way of assuming the trends, for example, mostly wholesalers go for the products that are already being sold by the every other wholesaler.
Many wholesalers try to sell products that they think they have experience in. They also consider some products as "high in demand" and they start selling them. Do these all choices sound good? Should these questions be considered when developing a legitimate wholesale business? You all may not be agreed to them as yet. If being a wholesaler you choose to develop your niche and sell iPods, then what are the factors that you will consider to be in the same niche in which already multitudes of wholesalers are dwelling?
The answer to all these questions lie in two points, one is be competitive in your niche and secondly, choose something unique to sell. It is because people neither make enough searches about the products that they already know or they do not look for the proven products. Wholesale search engines and online stores also do not prefer to keep the same products for years. They always look for something unique to maintain great sales volume.
There must be a question that which products can be considered as unique products? The range of unique products that are available from wholesale suppliers is far wider than anyone can imagine. There are dozens of traditional products like hair care products, food items or beauty products that can be introduced to the rest of world and the customers will welcome them. There is a very small percentage of wholesalers and wholesale companies that have explored this side of wholesale business. There are numerous products lines that can be explored well to bring out the unique products. The various types of dresses, men and women's wear and jewelry items of any specific region can be a surprising addition for the casual buyer of the rest of the world.
Some wholesalers of unique products can be manufacturers as well. You can get several workers that can prepare the same items from the raw material and can customize the items according to the buyers' choice. All you need is to understand the details of working with the wide wholesale industry.
William King is the director of Wholesale and Manufacturers. He has 18 years of experience in the marketing and trading industries and has been helping retailers and startups with their product sourcing, promotion, marketing and supply chain requirements.

Are You Really Going to Use Book Value?

A few years ago, I was in a meeting with an attorney from a law firm with a good reputation. Part of our meeting had to do with calculating a private company's stock value. The lawyer wanted to use the book value of the company's equity. This is the amount stated on the company's balance sheet. I tried to explain to him that book value wasn't a good way to value the equity of a privately held company. I was astonished how vigorously he defended his method. He went on to say he used this technique to sell many companies and was actually going to use it later on that day to sell a cement business.
I find it interesting to hear people refer to book value as if it were the same as market value. Some people won't start negotiations until they check the book value. So what is book value and is it really value? Book value is an accounting figure carried on the balance sheet. It is imperative to know that it's easily manipulated. The IRS allows owners to choose different types of depreciation methods which directly impact book value.
Here is an example. Let's say you buy an asset for $55,000. To keep it simple, the estimated salvage value is $5,000 and Section 179 bonus depreciation doesn't apply; therefore, the asset's total depreciable amount is $50,000. The estimated useful life is five years.
If you decide to use straight-line depreciation, the book value is decreased $10,000 each year for five years. If you decide to use an accelerated depreciation method like double declining balance, the book value is decreased $20,000 the first year and $12,000 the second. Depreciation continues to decline each year after.
If you decided to sell the asset for its book value at the beginning of the third year and you were using the straight-line method, you would sell it for $30,000. If you were using the double declining balance method, you would sell it for $18,000.
Why do some buyers and sellers use book value as their price? It's because they mistakenly assume it's equal to some kind of value. Remember, book value for an asset is the original cost minus an estimated salvage value of the asset depreciated over a time period allowed by the IRS with a depreciation method chosen by the owner. Why do some owners choose one depreciation method over another?
Owners of privately held businesses and professional practices with taxable income like to accelerate depreciation. By using this type of depreciation, they can lower their tax liability in the short term. If they don't have a significant tax liability, they will typically use the straight-line method to save the tax benefit for later years.
The book value of a company's equity is directly linked to its assets because the book value of its assets minus its debt equals the book value of its equity.
If you sell a business or professional practice for book value, your chances of it being equal to market value are slim to nothing. If you used book value and have assets that are fully depreciated (their book value is zero), you are giving those assets to the buyer for free. By using book value, you're also not taking into consideration any intangible value that may exist. This includes the value of your goodwill, customer lists, trained staff, proprietary systems, and any patents or trademarks.
You should also remember that some assets actually increase in value. Works of art, wine, and precious metals, are just a few examples of assets that can be worth more than their original purchase price.

A Step by Step Guide on How to Get a Business Loan

On December 17, 2008, the prime rate in the United States was dropped from 4.00% to 3.25%, the level that it currently stands at right now. The lower interest rate was initiated by the Federal Reserve to stimulate lending to individuals and businesses, the first salvo in the war to combat economic recession. On the surface, it appears to have made very little difference. The economy in the United States still declined and unemployment rose to a record high rate of over 10% in some states. Despite that, there's no way of knowing how much worse things would be, were it not for the lower prime rate. Today, as the nation crawls out from the hole it's been in, businesses are beginning to look for funding to expand or in some cases just to stay afloat.
There is a process involved in getting this funding, requiring a step by step approach and some knowledge of exactly how to get a business loan. That process begins with an evaluation of needs, continues with an examination of loans and funding options available, and hopefully culminates in a business loan which will help your company achieve its goals. It's not as simple as it once was, when all you had to do was show up at your bank and put some collateral up to get a loan. Credit score is now a factor, as is credit and payment history. The nature and success rate of businesses in your industry will also be taken into account. After what was a horrific three year period for banks and lending institutions, you're not going to be approved for a business loan without some heavy duty footwork on your part.
Evaluating Your Needs for a Business Loan
Just because you can do something doesn't mean that you should. Before you apply for a business loan, evaluate the reasons why you need one. The economy is improving. Are you running in the red right now or are you managing to pay your bills and make a small profit? Taking out a loan to increase profit margins is one thing, but is the debt you're taking on worth the return you'll get back from it? Make sure when you calculate these numbers that you include the interest payments and any fees the bank charges. Add up total cost and then project returns and how exactly those returns are going to be realized. There has to be a plan of some kind and the bank will want to see it before they give you anything.
Where to Go for a Business Loan
A Treasury report released at the end of last year showed that major banks had decreased business loan balances by $1 billion in the last quarter of 2009. These were the same banks that received TARP funds from the federal government's bank bailout. Justifying the cuts as prudent management, they nonetheless all pledged, after some pressure from the Obama administration, to increase lending in 2010. Some of those pledges of more business lending came from major players in the banking industry. Bank of America (5 billion more), Wells Fargo (25% more), and JP Morgan Chase ($4 billion more) have all increased their lending this year, though much of the JP Morgan Chase lending is in the form of business credit cards.
There are also online resources available, including sites that will shop your loan request around to various banks, financial institutions and private lenders. There are different types of business loans, including working capital loans, merchant account advances, secured and unsecured loans. You can borrow against money that is owed to you and you can use your credit card receipts from recent months as proof of your ability to pay. You can even sell your future credit card sales or accounts receivables, an act that doesn't technically qualify as a loan, but bears mention here. No matter which way you go you'll be facing the same questions and need the same set of numbers to back up your request for funding.
What do Lenders look for in Business Loan Applicants?
A simple rule of thumb when doing a self-evaluation of what the bank will look for is to look at the five C's: Character, Capacity, Collateral, Capital, and Conditions. Character is about you and your credit score and history. Capacity is proving your ability to pay. Collateral and Capital are very similar. They both offer a guarantee to the bank that you'll pay them back. Conditions refer to your knowledge of your own industry and the plan that you have for use of the money you're going to borrow. If you did your homework in the earlier step "Evaluating Your Needs for a Business Loan" this should not be a problem. The bank or lending institution will see that you have a definite plan for the improvement of your company and look upon that favorably.
Communicating with the Lender: How to finally get a Business Loan
Once you've evaluated your needs for a business loan, asked yourself all the difficult questions about credit-worthiness, and chosen a lender to apply to, it's time to walk through the door and present your case. Communication is the most important element at this stage of the loan process. You need to have the ability to explain what you want, why you want it, and how you plan to pay it back. Have a solid business plan in hand, with a detailed explanation about how you will use the money from a business loan and what you plan to do about paying it back. The financial information you present about your company should be current and accurate. The bank will turn you away of you try to rely on the successes of yesteryear. You'll also want to present alternate sources for repayment should the first plan not succeed. Remember the climate you're running a business in right now and what the banks have been through recently. If you cross all your t's, dot your I's, and anticipate any questions you'll be asked, there's no reason why you shouldn't be approved for a business loan.

The OOMPH Factor

Forget the X Factor - do you have the Oomph factor? You know, that fire in your belly which made you do things and step into the unknown without as much as a backward glance.
Oomph is all about vivacity, energy and enthusiasm - but I think its more than that - it's that little bit of something special, that 'je ne sais quoi' that just sets some people apart from others.
It's that twinkle in the eye which differentiates the person who sticks at a job they dislike and complains about it, from the person who seems to have endless time, energy and courage, to get things done and make the changes when life and work dictates.
I bet everyone reading this will have, at some stage, made New Years' resolutions, or set goals, to be more active, to keep in touch with friends more, to do more with their children, volunteer more - whatever your stage of life - only to see their goals and resolutions fade away. How often have we been inspired by - envied even - someone else's determination to make things happen and then used a myriad of excuses as to why that couldn't or didn't happen to us.
Everyone is capable of getting that Oomph factor.
Eddie Izzard thought he could run 43 marathons in 51 days, on a diet of hot dogs and ice cream, with hardly any training. What a Comedian! Yet he did it. He also occasionally does his stand up show in French and German, as well as English. Not bad for someone who was kicked off his accountancy degree course.
People with OOMPH are everywhere in our communities - running the local football team or guides group, organising charity events. They are the people who don't just talk about doing things - they do things and get things done. They start new projects. They take on things others won't. They persevere when others give up.
In business terms, OOMPH is vital if you set up on your own, or if you're to be a successful partner or director - there's no one around to tell you what to do or check if you've done it. You have to have the perseverance to keep going - even in the tough and lonely times.
We recently spent a week working with a group of 10 and 11 year old children. Their hopes and aspirations were infectious - to be an architect, an engineer, an archaeologist, a fashion designer, to run an animal sanctuary. They hadn't been affected by others saying "ah yes but" or "that's so hard" or "you'll never do that". The worst one I heard once was, "oh you'll never amount to much". That one blighted someone's life for years.
It's bad enough if others say these things to us. But surely worse still if we learn to say them to ourselves. As a result we stop doing things, we give up on our ambitions, we give up on ourselves.
So what is the OOMPH factor? We're convinced this is about attitude, mind-set if you like. Therefore absolutely anyone can have it.
Whatever it is you want, start by thinking "OK, what if I could have..... or do.....?" In this day and age many things are possible.
  • Then, "and what would I need to do to have..... or do.....?" List out the things you'd need to do, for the various different ways you might achieve it.
  • You then have to decide - "am I prepared to do that?"
Ultimately this is about you taking personal responsibility for achieving the things you want - and for making a choice about whether you're prepared to put in the work or effort it will take.
And remember - success comes to those who do the things others won't do.
So no more procrastinating, no putting things off; no feeling stuck; no waiting for others to make a decision for you. Instead, decide and take action. Be one of those people with OOMPH.

Choosing the Right Third Party Logistics Provider

Logistics management has become a corporate focal point as companies look to trim costs without compromising safety and service. More C-Level professionals are realizing how successful supply chain management can significantly contribute to bottom line performance. Lean, efficient, reliable supply chains can translate into savings of up to 15-20%.
Receiving and delivering your freight intact and on time is vital to the sustainability of your business. Improving and maintaining service levels enables you to sustain your customer base and attract new business to increase market share. How do you compare to your competitors? Is your service top notch? Examining and refining your logistics management practices can make all the difference.
Effective supply chain management requires strategic and tactical approaches. It is often nearly impossible to handle all of this in-house effectively. 3PL providers handle the logistics management so your company can focus on quality products, service and smooth operation.
A good 3PL provider utilizes the latest technology to provide clients with exceptional analytics that can lead to greater operational insights. Using sophisticated software and supply chain expertise, your company can work with your 3PL to identify opportunities for operational improvements.
Successful logistics management is about details. Working with clients and carriers, moving freight and ensuring smooth operations requires strong leadership and flawless execution. The ideal 3PL excells at all of this and employs experienced and highly trained transportation planners. These planners partner with your transportation and customer service staffs and act as an extension of your business.
Effective logistics management can bring about competitive differentiators. Successful supply chain management leads to lower costs and improved service. Both rely on choosing a quality 3PL provider.

The Disappearing Profit Margin

During boom times a company didn't have to worry too much about their profit margin. Give the customer a good product and he will keep coming back. A lot has changed since then.
In the old days, a label that said "Made in the USA" represented a standard of excellence. It meant that the product would last forever. Today it means very little.
Does anyone remember the Maytag washing machine repairman in the TV commercial standing around looking bored and woebegone because the Maytag washing machines were built to last without repair problems? Those are fond memories and whenever one of my newest, greatest, most up-to-the-minute pieces of equipment breaks down, I dredge up that wonderful memory and wish for the good old days.
Nowadays, most of our manufacturing is done in foreign countries and our products are built with planned obsolescence. This is just a nice way of saying they are planned to break down a day after your warranty expires. Mine seldom last that long and most stores give you a very limited amount of time to exchange or return the item. I've had to get into the habit of saving the packaging that comes with every item because if I have to return or exchange something, I am now being held responsible for it being returned in its original packaging along with my receipt. After that small window of opportunity to deal with your neighborhood store, you are then having to deal with the manufacturer.
Is it any wonder we have turned to Internet sales for buying our merchandise? If we can't build a relationship with the salespeople and store managers of the businesses close to us, we might as well purchase our goods online where we can at least get it cheaper before having to deal with the manufacturer.
I was always a strong advocate of bringing my business to local stores and supporting the neighborhood in which I live. But things started changing several years ago. Too many employers and employees have stopped seeing the customer as a real person. They started seeing him as a way of meeting their financial targets and their discussions are more about metrics than about customer satisfaction. Not that metrics aren't important. They are, but without satisfied customers keeping you in business, metrics are a dead issue.
During last year's holiday season, one store was particularly busy. One of their employees was telling me that there was an angry man on the phone who complained about being put on hold for twenty minutes. He wasn't abusive and he didn't yell at her. He only expressed his frustration with having been put on hold for twenty minutes while waiting for customer service to answer his call. She was annoyed with this man for his attitude and she let him know it. When I asked her what her manager had to say about that she said that he felt the same way and would have expressed the same attitude. I was shocked. This was during the worst economic downturn we had seen in years. I couldn't resist telling her that the next time something like this happens, she might want to say, "I'm sorry you had to wait so long. How may I help you?"
I remember shopping in this store many years ago and there were so many customers that the salesclerks ran their feet off trying to help all of them. They were pulling merchandise off the shelves so quickly and rushing to the checkout lines as if afraid that their purchases would be snatched away from them. This past year, by comparison, there were hardly any customers and very few were rushing to the checkout lines to part with their hard earned cash.
A large part of the shrinking profit margin has to do with the failing economy but since there are many companies that are still thriving, we have to look to the attitudes of employees as a possible reason for companies not meeting their projected sales targets. The next time you go shopping, look around you. See how many of the employees look like they want to be there. See how many of them smile at you and ask you if you found everything you need, and if you say that you didn't find what you need, see how many of them offer to track it down for you.
There is an enormous chain store that is always in the news in a negative way, yet whenever I go there, I am always greeted by someone at the entrance who smiles at me and welcomes me to the store. This must be a recent addition in the last several years and whoever was responsible for that customer service training, did an excellent job. If employers realized how their customer service training was directly related to their profit margin, they would make sure that everyone from the ground up was retrained and received extensive follow-ups to monitor their progress. These soft skills will be the heart of a company's ability to survive a failing economy.
After hearing about the terrible attitudes of employees and business owners, I heard another story that was its polar opposite. The CEO of a medium sized company was hiring the best people he could get even though there were no job openings and business was slow. He wanted time to train them properly and his theory was that these new employees would be so grateful for being given the opportunity to work for a good company and be paid top dollar at a time when unemployment was at an all time high, he would have their undying loyalty and they would give their all to the company. My guess is that this CEO's company will survive and thrive no matter what life throws his way because he knows the importance of building good business relationships and making his employees feel valued.
by Connie H. Deutsch
Connie H. Deutsch is an internationally known business consultant and personal advisor who has a keen understanding of human nature and is a natural problem-solver. She is known throughout the world for helping clients find solutions to problems that are often complex and systemic in nature and part of a corporation's culture or an individual's pattern of behavior. Connie's depth of experience lends itself to both corporate consulting and individual counseling. Perhaps Connie is best known for her "homework" assignments which serve as virtual road maps for moving clients through problems into living solutions.
In addition to her consulting and counseling practice, Connie has hosted her own weekly radio show, been a weekly guest on a morning radio show, has done guest spots on numerous radio shows around the country, and has appeared as a guest on a cable television show. Connie wrote a weekly newspaper Advice Column for sixteen years and has been invited to speak at local colleges and given lectures around the country. She also wrote the scripts for a weekly financial show on cable television.

Handling Mistakes Made in the Workplace

Let's be honest, everyone makes mistakes. We are after all all human and so human error will be part of our day-to-day lives, and that includes the way we act in our place of work.
Most people don't like or want to make mistakes in any part of their life, let alone in the work place where that mistake may impact negatively on their peers, their own reputation or the reputation of the company. Mistakes made can lead to financial losses for an organisation, they can put the quality of a company's work in a questionable light, they can add to the work load of those around you, and they can reflect badly on the individual who made the mistake in the first place. With all of this at risk, it's no wonder employees worry about making mistakes.
Some people however, can lose perspective when it comes to making mistakes. Some allow their fear of making errors to have a negative impact on their career progress - they worry that if they agree to take on a larger project or a greater level of responsibility that they will fail in some way, and so instead they decide not to accept the possibility of career advancement. Others mull excessively over mistakes they have made in the past, and they hark back to past mistakes made as a way of explaining a current situation. This is where those, 'if only I'd done', or 'If only I'd been' sentences come into play. Whilst these links from past to present may actually be true, there is nothing that can be done to rectify past mistakes now. Instead, the lesson that should be learned is that positively approaching a new opportunity, working hard to avoid mistakes but realising that you will make a mistake at some point is the best way forward for your own personal and career development.
There are other people however who refuse to admit mistakes, either because they truly don't see the mistake as being a particularly important issue or because they believe that admitting the mistake will have a hugely negative impact on the way that others see them, and on their position within their work environment. Generally, you'll find that people will be much more tolerant and accepting of a mistake that is made but admitted as opposed to a mistake that is deliberately hidden.
Being able to admit to a mistake that's been made, and then being able to act in a positive way that rectifies the mistake and allows you to go on and continue to grow positively at work is the mark of a successful person.
Try to remember therefore that it isn't logical to obsessively reflect on mistakes that you've made in the past - there is nothing you can do about them now. Instead, focus on the positive lessons you have learned through mistakes you've made before, and the techniques you have learned to ensure that you don't make the same mistakes again. And in the future, if you find that you end up making a mistake at work, don't hide it through embarrassment or self preservation. Look to rectify the mistake and mitigate the consequences as soon as possible. Then strive forward, to continue to experience working life in as positive and fulfilling a way as possible.

Seize the Holiday Spirit!

Christmas is on the way bringing hustle and bustle and lots of money to retail establishments! Families are preparing their holiday plans, purchasing gifts, and readying themselves for the most expensive time of the year for consumers. Are you ready to seize the moment?
People often express anxiety as to how to bless their friends and family over the holiday season, and you can make it easy to ensure their money is spent at your establishment.
Globally, companies have been grabbing the moment to cash-in on the holiday season. United States companies like Facebook and Amazon.com have formed partnerships to allow their clients the added bonus of giving gift cards to their friends and family.
In South Africa, plastic gift cards are rapidly replacing paper gift certificates for their ease of use, fraud prevention and the added benefit of data collection.
Other benefits include:
  • Frequent shopping and convenience - Cards can be reloaded, creating opportunities for repeat store visits.
  • In-store credit - Instead of using paper credit vouchers or cash back, plastic cards can be issued for merchandise returns and in-store credits.
  • Advertising - A card in the customer's wallet is a constant advertisement. We like to call it the 'mini-billboard'.
  • Promotion - Plastic cards are great as a marketing tool! Gift cards can be treated as a new product line that you can broadcast to your customers and clients. The added option of utilising a cleverly designed hang-tag gives more promotional weight to your card system.
  • Increase Sales
Studies have shown that establishments that have gift cards as part of their product line have increased sales turnovers. For example:
  • 61% of customers spend more than value of gift card
  • 10-20% of a card's value may never be redeemed
  • Stores acquire cash upfront before delivering the product or service
  • Client money is turned into store credit
  • Customer's cash kept in-store
  • Store gains new customers
  • Gift cards encourages repeat business
Truth is, there is no better time to launch your Christmas Gift Card programme than today! CardsPlus has all the tools you will need from plastic cards printed in a jiffy to a manage-it-yourself gift card programme, RewardsPlus... all at a very reasonable cost!