
Grow Your Business With These 4 Keys to a Winning Workshop

03/11/2011 09:16pm
Offline marketing is sometimes ignored by solo service professionals but it shouldnt be! By holding workshops and in-person appearances in your local area, you can increase your income, raise your public profile, and build a foundation for a stronger business in the future. In addition, you help build your relationship with your audience. Youll be able to get to know your local target market while youre earning revenue from the event AND laying the foundation for future upsells to other products and/or services.Here are four steps you can use to create a winning local event that can build your solo...

Expose Yourself!: Five Tips to Successfully Market Your Book

03/11/2011 04:03pm
Congratulations -- you've published a nonfiction book. But so have thousands of other writers this month alone. And with the explosion of self-publishing options in the last few years, putting your book on Amazon is like placing your prized needle in a haystack. More accurately, it's like placing your hay in a haystack. So how do you get your book exposure beyond your Mom's reading club and your own list of Facebook friends? The good news is that most authors don't know how to aggressively publicize their own books, or even that they should, so there's plenty of opportunity to separate...

Meet Ms. Fix-It

03/10/2011 05:02pm
Meet Ms. Fix-It:How To Turn Home Renovation Headaches Into A Successful BusinessAfter the purchase of our first home, my husband and I were faced with the all too familiar challenge of finding reliable home improvement contractors. At the end of a 60 hour work week we had little time left to search for qualified plumbers, painters, carpenters, etc. and were forced to blindly pick a name from the Yellow Pages and hope for the best. After one too many afternoons of waiting for contractors who didn't show, it occurred to me that if we were having difficulty finding reliable...

Negotiating With Contractors

03/10/2011 04:59pm
In todays economy, many homeowners looking for the best home improvement value on a limited budget. While negotiating with contractors on price can be a slippery slope, below are some tips on how to advise clients who need to cut project costs but dont want to sacrifice on quality:1. Discuss specifics on materials. For example, if you're installing a hard wood floor, you may be able to save several thousand dollars on materials by choosing flooring that runs 10/square foot vs. 14 that is just as good.2. Have your financing ready. Most contractors are more receptive when they know that a...

Launch A Home Business On a Budget

03/10/2011 04:54pm
Despite what many think, starting a business doesnt have to deplete your lifes savings. Many successful businesses have been launched from home with a little investment and a lot of determination. Several years ago I launched a Homeowner Referral Network (HRN) business with a 5000 loan from my husbands retirement savings plan. Not only was I was able to repay the loan in less than six months but my business has grown into a cottage industry nationwide grossing more than 2 million in revenue to date. If you have the desire to start your own business but...

The New Math

03/09/2011 01:11pm
Math was my favorite subject in school. Numbers dont lie. An answer is right or wrong. 4+4 8, never 0, never 9. There is no subjectivity: right or wrong, black or white, yes or no, it is a binary response. Math is exact, there is no room for ambiguity or opinion. Interpretation is unnecessary. The beauty lies in its simplicity. You can trust numbers. Time is based and calibrated with numbers. Like math, it is exact. It is either 8:01 AM or it is not. Precision.Sports are based on numbers. Competitive sports...

Former ‘Bachelor’ and ‘Bachelorettes’ Pick Chantal O’Brien over Emily Maynard for Brad Womack

03/09/2011 09:58am
By Cupids PulseCupid ExclusiveWith The Bachelor final rose ceremony less than a week away, single women are placing their bets on who they think ABCs two-time Bachelor, Brad Womack, will give that final rose to on March 14.Its down to this seasons two fan favorites: soft-spoken southern mother Emily Maynard and sassy, slaphappy divorcee Chantal OBrien. Based on Womacks infamous dumping of both DeAnna Papas and Jenni Croft in season 11, many fans wonder if hell leave his final two picks heartbroken as well.While everyone has an opinion, nobody can be sure what will happen. Even Bachelor reality TV...

No Tildes on Tuesday

03/08/2011 06:33pm
Appreciating All Heritages: A Direct Link to an End of BullyingDuring an era when there is increased bullying in schools, and warranted of our legislators continued attention, my childrens chapter book, No Tildes on Tuesday, has arrived at a significant, and crucial time. My book is yet another means for educators (teachers, counselors, social workers), and even parents to utilize in order to engage children in effective, healthy conversations about marginal issues and topics that some, in years past, dared to discuss. All being said, I would love for my story via my book to be in the hands,...

What Business Sellers Look for in a Business Buyer

03/08/2011 05:35pm
This article provides potential business Buyers with valuable insights about being prepared to successfully deal with business sellers and their brokers in todays competitive economic climate. Many articles and books have been written about what a business Buyer expects from business Sellers when searching for a business. And, the business brokerage community has done much to educate business owners about preparing their businesses for sale. Well-coached and educated Sellers know what Buyers want, and what it takes to sell their businesses. For example, in our brokerage practice, we prepare our seller clients to meet Buyer expectations. We...

METRO DETROIT VEGFEST IS MARCH 27

03/08/2011 01:24pm
VEGFEST IS MARCH 27 AT SUBURBAN COLLECTION SHOWPLACECelebrity chef Tal Ronnen headlines popular vegetarian tastefest expoROYAL OAK, Mich., Feb. 18, 2011 In response to growing interest in a plant-based diet, VegFest, metro Detroits premier vegetarian tastefest and expo, has once more outgrown its location and will move to Suburban Collection Showplace, formerly known as Rock Financial Showplace, for its annual event on March 27.Presented by VegMichigan, the event features notable local and national speakers, including Oprahs vegan chef and author Tal Ronnen, and former Detroit Piston and NBA champion John Salley, back by popular demand. Visitors can hear talks...

Bargain Hunting

03/08/2011 12:32pm
Who doesnt love finding a great sale? What is even better is when someone takes the time to compliment you on your latest find. After receiving the flattering comment we usually thank them for their kind words but will also have to share with them that we saved a whack load of money on the item they are admiring. I will be the first to admit that I will always keep my eyes open for upcoming sales because I refuse to pay full price on certain things. There are two particular items that I am more than willing to pay full...

The Death of Dreams

03/08/2011 12:25pm
I am often asked this question that has so many in a conundrum: how does one find or tap into what their passion is in life? My answer in most cases is this. Stop sabotaging your potential by your negative self-talk.Sometimes I think that it is not life itself that brings about fatigue in so many of us. I believe that it is our never-ending thoughts that can lead us down the road of exhaustion. Our mind never stops. Even when we lay our heads on the pillow at night our brain is working overtime. We have so many thoughts running...

Heart of Business - Customer Service

03/08/2011 12:01pm
This may be the most discussed aspect of business. Why? Because it is extremely important to any company no matter what the industry. Then it would make sense that most of the training given to employees would be about customer service. Yet this is not what I have seen through the years in management.There are employee orientations talking about benefits, employee injuries, attendance policies, employee handbooks, etc. Now orientations are good and let new employees know where things are and where to find things in the facility but there isn't a lot of training going on in regards to customer service....

You're Intuitive: Use it or Lose the Benefit

03/08/2011 11:44am
Have you ever heard or just known things that you havent admitted to yourself or others? Have you felt that telling feeling in your heart or knowing in your gut that people call womens intuition (that is available to men as well)? Have you ever had a feeling that something was going to happen, and it did? Perhaps you were at the right place at the right time without thinking about it; you had a feeling that you should stop in on a client, and it turned out that he had been meaning to get in touch with you. Have you...

Guilty as Charged

03/08/2011 10:21am
When I was younger, I had a relationship that broke my heart. Adverbs, adjectives and accolades did not do him justice. He was the perfect man. No matter how many times he showed his true colors, I was steadfast in my belief that he was perfect. I languished in my illusion (actually delusion) of his perfection. I was in love. I didnt know what to do. There was no expert who could guide me. No published Q A pertinent for my situation. I searched for a plan, a guidebook, and a path to success: how I can get the storybook...