2-Step Process to Help You Achieve Your Goals

What goals do you have for your life? If you have goals, is it just
in your head? Or do you have a methodology to manifest them? There is
a  systematic process to think of anything you want, and ultimately
acquire it. Sounds like magic, doesn’t it? That is because by using a
process, the results are so effective that it seems like something out
of a fantastic anecdote.


RELATED: 10 Brilliant Steps to Attaining Your Own Goals


For the beginner, I recommend the following undemanding two-step process:

Step 1: Elaborately envision the goal.

For example, if your goal is to move into a new house by the middle
of next year, then close your eyes and picture the house clearly. Be
specific; for example, be specific about the neighborhood.


And the smell… Imagine what everything would smell like! Can you
smell your favorite food that you are cooking in your new huge kitchen?
Can you smell the faint fragrance of the roses in the backyard through
that open window? Can you get the soft whiff of the ocean as it roughly
clashes on the rocks a few hundred feet from your balcony?


Can you hear it? Can you hear the ocean? Can you hear the pale, but the unmistakably robust sound of the waves?


Touch the leather on the recliner. Can you feel the abounding
texture? Can you see the deep luxuriant color? Can you smell the plush
tang of rich leather?


If you have trouble conjuring up images of your own creation, then
you must spend more time dreaming about the things, which make you
happy. Certainly, if you practice the above exercise again, you will see
the difference. You may need some practice in conjuring up the future
reality.

Step 2: Write it down.

Write it down in detail. Write it and read it. Read it every day.


Do not forget those details that make the goals worth living. For
example, just do not envision the house, envision it with the people you
love and care for in it with you.


Take one goal at a time, and you will realize that how you acquire
your objectives is not important, but the reasons you want to acquire
them are. The reasons are the feelings you create in yourself, when you
envision your dreams so unmistakably.


RELATED: Importance of Setting Your Goals in Writing


There are many paths to the goal. In fact, there are infinite paths,
with infinite variables intermingling at every possible junction. We
often make the mistake of concentrating all our energies on this most
complicated arrangement.


Remember, if you take one goal at a time, then there is only one
goal, that one dream. All paths lead to that one goal. Concentrate on
that, and everything in your life will be orchestrated to gently deliver
you to your goal.


In my book, If You Row, You Will Not Drift: Perfect Life Management – The Life Wizard,
I take the techniques of management of the Fortune 500 companies, and
use to run our everyday lives. So you can finally get organized and row
ahead with a purpose. The secret here is the management of your
thoughts, and its final direction toward everything that you want.


As I conducted the goal manifestation process every time I thought of
having something worthwhile in my life, the stronger my faith got.
Perhaps it is the combination of vision, determination, and prayer. Or
perhaps it is something so unexplained that the universe throws at us,
which the humans cannot even conceive at the present time, but it works
every time. Of course, it takes time, but eventually it works.

6 Powerful Law of Attraction Quotes to Help You Change Your Life!

24 hours a day, 7 days a week, the law of attraction is working in
your life. It doesn’t even matter whether you are aware of it or not, or
if you want it to or not – it never stops. This is why it is so
important to learn how to control your thoughts and feelings so you
attract positive things into your life.


The following law of attraction quotes from the hit movie, “The
Secret”, focus on your thoughts and feelings. If you study these law of
attraction quotes and start applying them to your life, you will begin
to experience magic in your life like you never imagined!

Law of Attraction Quotes 1:

“You become and attract what you think.”


Your thoughts are far more powerful than you may have ever realized.
While this may seem to be a new concept, it’s been around for centuries.
The Bible states something very similar, that you are what you think.
It’s all about focus. If you focus on negative things, you will attract
negative things into your life. If you focus on positive, happy things,
the Universe will send happy things your way. You must choose your
thoughts carefully. They will determine everything you attract into your
life!

Law of Attraction Quotes 2:

“People think about what they don’t want and attract more of the same.”


If you habitually think about everything you want but don’t have in
your life, you will never attract the things you desire. Instead, you
just attract more lack. For instance, if you are like many people who
often think or say, “I never seem to have enough money”, you will keep
attracting “not enough money”. If you don’t want scarcity, then you must
stop thinking about what’s scarce in your life.


RELATED: Think Success: The Power of Visualization

Law of Attraction Quotes 3:

“What you focus on with your thought and feeling is what you attract into your experience.”


The best way to begin attracting the things you really desire is to
begin changing your thoughts and emotions to reflect those things. The
tricky part here is to not think in terms of not having them (as
discussed above), but to act and feel as if you had everything you
desire right now. That’s how you begin attracting them. The next quote
explain this a little more…

Law of Attraction Quotes 4:

“The Law of Attraction is simply figuring out for
yourself what will generate the positive feelings of having what you
want now.”


What you feel most of the time plays a key role in what you attract.
So, if happy, joyful, grateful emotions dominate your life, positive
things will come your way. One of the best ways to create positive
feelings is to imagine already living the life of your dreams. Really
get into the feelings of having that life…the more you feel those
positive feelings now, the more quickly you will attract that life. To
put it another way, you must believe it (and feel it) to see it!

Law of Attraction Quotes 5:

“Happy feelings will attract more happy circumstances.”


It is so very important that you find ways to shift your feelings so
they are more positive. The more things you can feel joyful, happy, and
grateful about, the more you will attract positive, wonderful things.

Law of Attraction Quotes 6:

“What we think about and THANK about is what we bring about.”


Gratitude is really important when it comes to making the law of
attraction work in your life. No matter what is currently going on in
your life today, there is always something for which you can be
thankful. Once you start focusing on gratitude, you will be amazed how
much you will find that you can “thank about”. Do this, and your life
will change dramatically!


Hopefully you are beginning to see the wisdom and power in these
famous law of attraction quotes. Write them down, memorize them, and
review these law of attraction quotes several times a day. As you do
this, begin shifting your thoughts and feelings to those which will
allow you to attract the things you truly desire!

How to Become More Successful by Getting Rid of Everything Rotten in Your Life

Below is an excerpt from the book Letting Go of Your Bananas: How
to Become More Successful by Getting Rid of Everything Rotten in Your
Life Hardcover by Daniel T. Drubin





This is a book for anyone who feels they’ve fallen short of their
career potential, or wondered if the things they do—or don’t do—at work
are sabotaging their careers.


The truth is, most people learn their greatest lessons not from
grasping the brass ring, but from letting go of negative influences and
behaviors. Now, Dr. Daniel T. Drubin helps readers identify what he
terms the “rotten bananas”—unhealthy habits, relationships, jobs, and
beliefs—that are holding them back, while providing job-saving,
step-by-step advice on how to get back on track, including ways to:

• Increase resourcefulness
• Take responsibility and win “the blame game”
• Enhance fearlessness
• Remain purposeful, passionate, and persuasive
• And more

Letting Go of Your Bananas: What You Can Do

• Make a list of your rotten bananas.
• Decide what or whom you are no longer willing to accept in your life.
• Be willing to get into the pain of changing your destiny.
• Make the tough decisions.
• Embrace the consequences of your decisions.
• Be totally honest with yourself and others.
• If you need help letting go of your bananas, get help.
• Remember, you only grow when you let go!
• He who has a strong enough why can bear almost any how.

Key #1: Letting Go of Your Bananas

All barrier busting and personal growth begins the moment you are
willing to accept the truth about yourself. And the truth is, most of
your bananas, or limitations, whether real or imagined, have been
created either by you or by someone important in your life. So much of
what we become in our lives has a great deal to do with the people and
beliefs we were exposed to as children. Children tend to be wide open to
suggestion and to modeling the behaviors of those around them, to the
point where they sometimes take on the characteristics of people who
influence their lives. Without an effective way to filter out some of
the things they are exposed to—some of which may not be in their
ultimate best interest—they become pre-programmed to think and act a
certain way. The good news is that regardless of what you may have been
exposed to early on, or for that matter later in your life, you can
change your life by using your free will and power of choice.


You
get to decide right now if you want to continue on your present path of
life and have those obstacles keep you where you are, or do whatever is
necessary to go beyond those barriers. You decide which of the bananas
in your bunch are worth keeping and which of the rotten bananas you want
to rid yourself of.


I have been told that the way they used to capture monkeys in Africa
was by placing bananas in the bottoms of narrow-necked jars. When a
monkey came upon the jar, in an effort to remove the banana, it would
put its hand into the jar and grab on to the banana. Unwilling to let go
of its food, the monkey was now stuck with a jar on its hand, which
made it rather easy to catch. What does this have to do with improving
the quality of your life? Everything!


When it comes to our lives, the majority of us tend to grab on to
something or someone and refuse to let go. We then convince ourselves
that we simply cannot survive without that person or thing, and we
refuse to let go. In fact, we will even hold on to people, things, or
habits that we consciously know are bad for us. It may be a bad
relationship or job or a bad belief or physical habit. We cling to what
we have—the safe, the secure, and the familiar—even when we know it’s
unhealthy and preventing us from living a better life. And while we want
to go beyond where we are in life, most of our actions indicate that we
are willing to stay exactly where and how we are. We just will not let
go of our bananas, our sameness, our habits, our comfort, or our past.

The monkey eventually learns that if it refuses to let go of the
banana, the fruit will rot and start to stink, yet the monkey still
holds on. The same is true for us. If we refuse to let go of the things
or people that hold us back, life starts to rot and then stink. The only
way to go beyond where you are in your life is by being willing to let
go of the things, people, habits, and beliefs that keep you where you
are instead of where you want to be.


Letting go of your bananas begins with the power of one: one bold
action, one brave decision, one limitless vision, one great question,
one new idea, one burning desire, or one act of kindness. As soon as you
are willing to embrace the fact that you can change the quality of your
life and act on that belief, your world changes for the better.


One of life’s biggest challenges is the challenge of letting go.
While on an intellectual level I am certain you can understand and
appreciate what I am referring to, each of us has been created with a
built-in mechanism that wants us to maintain the status quo. Despite how
much we want a better life, we do tend to stick with what we know to be
safe and comfortable. Face it: keeping things the same, even if your
life situation is awful, is safe compared with abandoning what you have
and facing the unknown. The unknown is where all of your personal and
professional potential lies. The known, on the other hand, is the life
you are living right now. Your choices are few and simple: Keep things
as they are and resent being limited or opt for the discomfort of change
as you face the unknown. As long as these choices are just about the
only two choices available to you, you get to choose your destiny.
Choose sameness and you get more of what you have. Choose change and
letting go and a whole new world of possibilities awaits you.


Rickey Henderson, the greatest base stealer in the history of
baseball, had a decision to make each time he contemplated stealing a
base. He could choose not to steal the base and remain exactly where he
was, or he could run the risk of leaving safety and comfort for the
possibility of something greater. Ricky understood that if he wanted to
get to second base, the first thing that he had to do was take his foot
off first base. First base represented Ricky’s banana; beyond first base
lay the potential to help his team and set new standards of
base-stealing excellence. The same can be said of a trapeze artist. To
get from one side of the net to the other, he or she must be prepared to
let go. To get to a better place in your life, a place beyond your
barriers, a place without rotten bananas, you must be prepared to let go
of the known. Letting go of the bananas in your life requires courage
and the willingness to live with the consequences of your decisions.
Only those of you who are prepared to face the risks associated with
letting go of the existing and embarking on the quest for a better
future will have the opportunity to bask in the glow of life overflowing
with personal opportunity and professional victories.


If you have chosen to remain the same, clinging on to the bananas in
your life, you may as well stop reading now and give this book to
someone you know who is prepared to change his or her life. On the other
hand, if you are the fearless warrior I believe you are, this is the
time when you have to decide what and who stays in your life and what
and who must go. It’s a tough choice. Most of your choices will involve
how much you really want to bust out of your present life into a more
rewarding one. The more you want to exchange your present for a more
gratifying future, the more risk you will need to take. Letting go of
the big bananas in your life will provide you with the opportunity for
big change and big barrier busting. Or you can play it safer and let go
of the smaller bananas in your life and experience smaller change.
Regardless of the choice you make, the most important thing is that you
have chosen to no longer settle for your present life circumstances, and
you are moving consistently and intently in the direction of your
dreams.


Life is a mirror, and what you see in your personal universe is an
absolute mirror image of your feelings, thoughts, and actions. If you
perceive that you have barriers, you’re right, and the only thing that
really matters when you have obstacles or barriers is your level of
resourcefulness. Those who want the most out of life can get it if they
are highly energized and creatively resourceful. That’s right:
everything that exists in your present state of life is a direct
reflection of all of your feelings, thoughts, and actions. Change your
feelings, thoughts, and actions and you change your life. Change your
life and your rotten bananas disappear and your barriers begin to fall.
Because your life is a mirror, what you are experiencing in your life
right now is also a direct reflection of all the effort and energy you
have invested in the quality of your life up to this point in time. If
you want to enjoy a better and more gratifying life—a life without
bananas—you must begin by altering what you see when you look at and
analyze all the aspects of your life.


All personal growth begins the moment you are willing to accept the
truth about yourself. And the truth often hurts. We become so bogged
down in denial that we often refuse to face or accept the truth and take
personal responsibility for our lives. At one point when I was not
satisfied with the condition of my life, I asked a person for whom I had
tremendous admiration and respect to tell me the truth about what he
thought my problem was. After making certain that I really wanted to
hear it, he told me he thought I was “the most selfish person he had
ever known.” His comment just blew me away, and my feelings were hurt. I
didn’t see myself that way at all. Only after putting my ego and
feelings aside was I willing to consider his comments. And when I was
truly honest with myself, I saw that he was right. That one moment of
truth and incredibly painful comment changed my life. You just have to
face the truth about yourself if you want to tear down the barriers and
let go of the stinking bananas in your life. Once you have faced and
accepted the truth about who and what you are, as well as who and what
you are not, you can make the decision to totally invest all of your
physical and mental energy into ridding your life of all rotten bananas.


The truth for most of us is that over time it becomes increasingly
easier to defend the sameness in our lives. We settle for the status quo
and believe we are doomed to living the life that others have dealt us
rather than taking control of our own destiny. In order to make
ourselves okay with our day-to-day existence, we are capable of
justifying, explaining, and defending how we managed to wind up where we
are. Remember, taking personal responsibility for one’s life is the
highest form of personal growth. In fact, I never did meet a person who
couldn’t perfectly explain his or her situation in life. Barrier busting
and letting go of life’s bad bananas is an ongoing tug of war between
where you are and what you aspire to be. It’s the constant battle
between clinging to the convenience of remaining exactly where you are
versus the confrontation, chaos, and pain of changing the condition of
your life. As I have always said, “You are in the pain or in the pain.”
Cling to your bananas and not like the feeling, or let go of them and
face the unknown. Either way you are going to be uncomfortable. My
personal philosophy has always been that as long as you are going to be
uncomfortable anyway, you may as well opt for the discomfort of change.
Only then will you be able to fully enjoy all that life offers. Once you
are willing and able to see the truth about your past you will be able
to create a better present and future. Then you get to toss out all of
your stale, rotten, and smelly life bananas.


As I had mentioned, getting rid of your stale, rotten, and smelly
bananas requires courage and confidence. The reason we need so much
courage is that we are literally addicted to our own lifestyles and
situations. The best definition I have ever heard for an addiction is:
“When you can never have enough of what you really don’t want.” As much
as we complain and want a banana-free existence, there is a part of us
that just loves our smelly, rotten, and stale lifestyle. Our approach to
life is more about settling for the status quo than reaching for the
stars.


To advance beyond where you are, you must be prepared to make some
very tough decisions and willingly accept the consequences of those
decisions. In life, decisions drive behavior, and altered behavior
creates altered outcomes. Remember, people who take emotional ownership
of their lives win.


Very often, the stale bananas in your life have to do with the
quality of your relationships. If your relationship bananas are working
for you, that’s great. On the other hand, if you are clinging to some
stale, rotten, and smelly relationships, you have some decisions to
make. Basically, when it comes to decision-making you have three
choices: settle, fix, or flee. You can keep things exactly as they are
and settle for the life you have, you can fix the situation and make
things better, or you can flee the situation, remaining in a state of
total denial. Of those choices, only you can determine what the best
course of action is for your life. Just be prepared to live with the
result of those choices.


I never could understand why some people opt to remain in destructive
or abusive relationships. As a child I remember members of my family
who would not speak to other members of the family. Children would not
talk to parents or to their siblings. When I asked my father why his
brother did not speak to his father, my dad had a list of reasons that
made perfect sense, at least to my uncle. While I know this isn’t likely
to happen in your family, these are the types of rotten bananas that
can get in the way of experiencing a better life. People who choose to
cling to their rotten bananas know that things are lousy, yet they just
keep coming up with world-class excuses to stay where they are. Very
often they are so immersed in their negative life condition that they
cannot even see beyond their barriers and instead settle for a life of
limitation and pain.


If that sounds like you, go get professional help now. Face it: Some
bananas are so big and stinky that you need help. There are people and
organizations that will support you in doing what is in your own best
interest. Frightening? Of course. If it were easy to let go of all of
life’s rotten bananas, we would live in a world that is perfect. Take a
look around; life and the world are far from perfect, and that’s okay,
because it provides us with a challenge. Your job is to give up looking
for perfection and trade it for day-to-day improvement. Remember,
letting go of all of your bananas is about the daily direction that each
day of your life takes. As long as you are continually moving in the
right direction each day, despite how difficult that may be at times,
you become closer to living a life free of limitations.


Remember, improving the quality of your life takes work, focus,
consistency, and a burning desire to maximize the positive moments of
each day of your life. As with so many things in life, there is always a
trade-off. You have the ability and power to choose consciously to rid
yourself of all of your personal limitations. Take stock of every single
thing that holds you back and exchange those limitations for a life of
limitless potential, a life that is more personally and professionally
rewarding.

How to Stand Out from the Competition

Whether you’re a computer technician, financial planner, real estate
broker, copywriter, or other service provider, you’ve got lots of
competition. There are plenty of other people in the same business going
after the same prospects as you. You may be wondering how you’re ever
going to get more clients and take your business to the next level.





One thing’s certain; you can’t expect to stand out from the crowd
using the same marketing strategy everyone else does. If you want to
transform your business, you need to first transform your marketing.


Imagine you raced cars for fun on the weekend. In accordance with
class rules your car and everyone else had 75 horsepower and skinny
tires. Further more every aspect of your car and driving strategy was
highly regulated by these rules. Your acceleration and speed would be
limited. Races would be very close and it would be tough to win.


Now imagine that the class rules were suspended and you dropped a 400
horsepower engine in your car, added big road gripping tires, you could
modify it any way you wanted and there were no limitations on how you
drove and, best of all, everyone else was following the old rules.


You’d have a big advantage. Your car would leap to the front of the pack and stay there. You’d bring trophies home every week.


Marketing the way everyone else does will keep your business stuck in
the slow lane. Stick to a typical marketing approach and you’ll get the
same results.

Want to stand out from the competition?

Stop doing what everyone else is doing and start using the strategies
that help you stand out from the competition and get more clients.
There are no marketing rules you have to stick to; it’s results that
matter.


Here are three ways to distinguish yourself from the competition and grow your business.

1. Target Your Market More Precisely

It’s a common marketing mistake to think that the more types of people you appeal to, the better. The opposite is true.


Your prospects are rarely looking for generalists. They want someone
who has the knowledge and experience to provide the solution to their
specific problem.


Be precise about the ideal clients you want to you serve. Define your
target market by industry, by size, by length of time in business, by
the problem you solve, etc. Of course, you want to make sure that your
target market is large enough for your business to be highly profitable.


When you are clear about whom your products and services really help,
you’ll attract more clients and you can charge more because of your
specialization.

2. Position Your Firm As Experts

Your expertise and that of your competitors may be the same. You’ve
all had many years of experience and are successful to varying degrees.
So how do you stand out?


If you want your prospects to see you as an expert in your field,
don’t expect them to seek you out on their own. Demonstrate your
expertise and give them a reason to contact you.


Create a free, irresistible offer that shows your prospects how well
you understand their problems and can solve them. Offer a free test
drive, a free report on a relevant business topic, or a free
consultation or estimate.

3. Build Strong Relationships With Prospects

‘Out of sight, out of mind.’ Once you’re out the door, off the phone,
or your prospect has left your web site, they’re going to forget you.
They are going to forget you just when you want them to get to know you,
trust you and think of you when they are ready to buy.


How can you make sure you have a stronger relationship with your prospects than your competitors do?


Stay in contact once a week or once a month. Give
your prospects ideas they can use that continue to demonstrate your
expertise and present them in a personal, engaging way. Your prospects
are more likely to buy from the person they know the best.


Take Action to See Results. If you’ve been in
business for a few years, you may have heard these three marketing
ideas. Are you using them to grow your business? For many business
people, these aren’t secrets or new ideas, but they have yet to put them
into action.


Targeting, Positioning and Building Strong Relationships
are three simple things you can do that the majority of your
competitors, if not all of them, are not doing. Do these three things
well and you’ll add more horsepower to your marketing and stand out from
the competition.

Understanding the Added Values You Provide Customers

Your customers, or would-be customers, need to be informed and
reminded of what added values you provide them — extras that can save
them money, time, and aggravation. Yet too many business owners and
managers can be ignorant of what those competitive advantages are. The
seafood supplier didn’t communicate that he was selling fresher salmon
with longer shelf life, and thus enhancing his customers’ bottom lines,
until a competitor threatened his market share.


You
could be providing a lot of extras to your customers without realizing
how much you are actually saving them. Or, if you do not provide
meaningful extras now, you might consider adopting them. They can be
critical competitive advantages.


Consider the following:

Terms

If you are a small or medium-size company up against a category
killer, you might have flexible financing terms that the big guys can’t
match. For example, a lumber company in the Northeast enjoyed a robust
business with little substantial competition until Home Depot began to
close in. One Home Depot box opened twenty miles away, and then another
just ten miles down the road. Observers predicted that the lumber
company would soon be bulldozed out of business.


Surely, it couldn’t compete on price, not against Home Depot’s buying
power. Lumber is lumber. So it concentrated on hitting Home Depot where
it was vulnerable. It offered more — flexible credit arrangements for
its most important customers — small contractors who often lack lines of
credit from banks. The lumber company didn’t have to drop its prices to
stay in business. It adopted new competitive advantages.

Guarantees

It is common for attendees at my seminars to tell me that their
companies are “the only ones in our industry offering multi-year
guarantees” on their products. But when I ask if they make a big deal
about the guarantee to prospective buyers, most admit they do not.


The reason is usually the same: “If we emphasize the guarantee, too many customers may take advantage of it.”


That’s a pretty lame excuse. Either you offer a guarantee or you
don’t. If you are confident enough in the product to guarantee it in the
first place, make a selling point of it. Statistics show that a very
small percentage of customers in any business actually use the
guarantee. But the guarantee takes a lot of risk out of the buying
decision and clinches a lot of deals.

Inventory turns

One of my favorite stories about inventory turns involves a clothing
manufacturer who sold women’s clothes to boutiques around the country.
When I asked him what differentiated him from his competitors, he said
he thought his clothes were “wearable.”


“As opposed to what?” I asked, trying not to laugh. He began to talk
about design, fabric, cut, and so on. When I queried what his
competitors we’re saying, he shrugged and said, “I suppose the same
thing . . . but I know my stuff sells much better.”


I asked him what his customer, the boutique owner, cares about most.
“Whether or not it sells,” he said. So I asked if his shop owners
measured inventory turns. He answered that some did, some did not. I
suggested that he teach them how to measure inventory turns and then he
could prove to the shop owners his clothes sold better. My point was
that he should stop selling “wearable clothes” like everyone else and
start selling inventory turns. Moving the goods is what matters.


Note: Be sure you can back up your boast. Your buyers will know soon
enough if you can’t. As with any competitive advantage you claim, make
sure you deliver.

Materials

One client in the home-improvement business who sold siding knew his
product was “stronger and better” because of the materials he used. But
he didn’t know how to convey that without sounding biased and
subjective. Upon asking his employees a series of questions I learned
from one of his engineers that the company’s product has a higher wind
load rating than any competitive product. In many geographic markets,
the higher load rating influences buying decisions. So if your materials
are stronger and provide customers with a benefit, shout about it in a
way that is measurable.


Delivery. If you provide the same product as your competitors but you
offer better delivery service, you have a competitive advantage. But
how important is it? The Compleat Company, which sells promotional
products, decided to find out. The Seattle-based company polled its
customers about the importance of its on-time delivery. It found that
its customers not only valued that service highly, they had a pretty low
tolerance for being late.


Eighty-eight percent of its customers defined “on-time delivery” as
being on schedule 97 percent of the time or better. Only 4 percent of
its customers would accept an on-schedule rate of less than 93 percent. A
manager from Compleat told me that the company is now focusing its
energy and resources to make sure it meets that expectation. When
Compleat’s customers want their deliveries, they will get them.

Information

In business as in war, intelligence can be priceless. In Business @
the Speed of Thought (Warner, 1999), Bill Gates writes: “The most
meaningful way to differentiate your company from your competition, the
best way to put distance between you and the crowd, is to do an
outstanding job with information. How you gather, manage, and use
information will determine whether you win or lose.”


Knowing what your competitors are doing, and keeping up with trends
in your industry, are basic forms of intelligence, and essential if you
are going to run a successful business. So is listening to your
customers. (Your own and your competitors’.)


The more competitive the business you are in, the more important the
role of intelligence. You can’t afford to get caught flat footed if,
say, a labor strike shuts off deliveries of critically needed material.
Or if commodity prices suddenly spike or drop. Or consumer confidence
sinks. Or if new products being developed by your competitors threaten
your markets.


No matter what business you are in, failing to keep a weather eye on
changes in your industry can be fatal. A lot of this “intelligence” is
hardly proprietary. It simply amounts to smart business practices born
out of experience. If you are a B-to-B supplier who sells to retailers,
your customers’ success determines how well you do, too. Your experience
can help your clients avoid common mistakes.


Small and medium-size businesses are often in the dark about key
developments in their industries. They lack the time, money, and
expertise to gather and evaluate that information. But that doesn’t mean
it isn’t important. Consider the prices they pay for the goods or
services they buy. Advance word of radical price shifts, or new products
that will make others obsolete, can save them from missing a buying
opportunity, or from laying in inventory that will soon become obsolete.


Keeping your customers informed of trends can only make them
healthier, and in turn create more business for you. Word of mouth from
your sales force is one time-honored way to accomplish this. But in this
age of the Internet there are other effective ways, too, from e-mail to
Web sites that keep clients posted on prices and other industry
developments.


One of my former clients, the Institute for Trend Research, in
Concord, New Hampshire, analyzes market and economic trends and makes
accurate predictions as to when those trends will change. Its business
is its forecasting expertise in a wide range of sectors, from industrial
construction and agricultural market movement to interest rates,
commodity prices, and inflation.


Subscribers to the company’s publication EcoTrends get an important
bonus: a discount on EcoCharts. EcoCharts, using raw data that the
subscribers provide themselves, tells them which indicators included in
EcoTrends correlate best to their specific businesses. ITR has defined
four phases of economic movement; if the trends that affect your
industry are in Phase C, then you are expecting a downturn. Your actions
might include a reduction in inventory and training, an avoidance of
long-term purchase commitments, and deeper concentration on your cash
and balance sheet. On the other hand, during Phase B, an upward trend,
you would accelerate training, increase prices, consider outside
manufacturing, and open distribution centers. This kind of information
can provide companies with powerful competitive advantages.

Training

Many large companies offer specialized training for their customers,
free or at cost, so they can run their business better. McDonald’s runs
its own academy for new franchise owners, for example, so they can learn
to avoid common pitfalls and maximize the return on their investments.
The company draws on the experiences of thousands of other franchise
owners and shares that knowledge, because it is vital to their own
business. I often recommend to clients that if they invest heavily in
training they should make a competitive point of it. For example, “We
invest half a million dollars each year training our employees” or “. . .
training our customers.”




Excerpted from Creating Competitive Advantage: Give Customers a Reason to Choose You Over Your Competitors
by Jaynie L. Smith with William G. Flanagan Copyright © 2006 by Jaynie
L. Smith with William G. Flanagan. Excerpted by permission of Currency, a
division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this
excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing
from the publisher.

What is Business Intelligence?

The goal of every business is to be successful by gaining new
customers and retaining old customers. A crucial way of achieving this
end is through Business Intelligence, or simply BI.


Business intelligence can be defined as a process of collecting
information in the area of business. An essential idea of business is
that data is enhanced into information and then into knowledge. Business
use BI to gain an advantage in the marketplace by understanding their
customer’s needs, customer’s decision-making processes, and economic,
cultural, and technological trends. Business intelligence involves
analyzing not only the customer but the entire industry as a whole.
Finally, business intelligence is driven by a goal set by the company.
The goal can be short term or long term.

History of Business Intelligence

Business intelligence was first referred to in Sun Tzu s Art of War.
Tzu claimed that in order to win a war you had to have complete
knowledge and understand of your strengths and weaknesses as well as
those of your enemy. This is the core idea behind modern business
intelligence. A company must know itself better than anyone else, and
know its customers and competitors better than anyone else. It is ironic
how much business and warfare are alike. In BI, one must sift through
heaps of data (both external and internal) for management to then device
strategies for marketing and where to take the business.

Key Performance Indicators

In BI, the present state of business is assessed by the use of Key
Performance Indicators (KPI). Data is becoming available to businesses
faster as more organizations implement KPI. In the past, data was
available after one or two months, which did not help businesses adjust
their strategies in a timely manner. More recently, however, banks have
tried to make data available sooner and with shorter intervals,
especially for businesses that have higher operational/credit risk
loading (I.E. wealth management and credit cards). Some companies can
get data weekly, which helps them adjust their strategies more
efficiently than ever before.

Business Intelligence Tools

Business intelligence involves collecting quite a bit of information
and analyzing it. Many business use tools to achieve this. A few of the
data tools are data modeling, data warehouses, and data mining. Data
tools help employees collect the data and analyze it efficiently. Data
tools are for organizational purposes mostly. Online Analytical
Processing (OLAP) is used in the analyzing process. OLAP is sometimes
simply referred to as Analytics, which is based on the hypercube or cube
and dimensional analysis.


Some businesses also use software vendors for BI tools. There are
quite a few enterprises offering BI technology. If a business does not
get the BI tools themselves, then software vendor will provide a
business with tools, and sometimes software support and BI professionals
who will help the company analyze results and collect data. Some
companies providing BI software are Siebel Systems, Microsoft, Altius
Consulting, Business-Soft, and SAS Institute.

How Business Intelligence Can Help Your Business

Businesses understand that knowing the customer is the key to
success. Business intelligence is the path through which a business can
collect data about the customer and analyze it. Business intelligence is
also about knowing the market, including competitors and market trends.
A business that has the most accurate understanding of its marketplace
will be more adequately prepared for the continual changes that
inevitable occur in markets. Business intelligence is an important
concept for any company to understand, because it will help them to gain
new customers, retain old customers, and see a positive ROI.

10 Ways Small Businesses Can Compete With the Big Boys

When mass marketers like Wal-Mart and Home Depot move into town, many
small businesses become fearful for their very survival, particularly
if these businesses become direct competition. Yet despite the emergence
of these multi-million dollar businesses, many small businesses
continue to thrive and profit in the highly competitive marketplace.





You may not be able to compete with the big boys
head-on, but who says you can’t make big money? The key is to do things
that they do not do. Here are some strategies your “little” business
can survive and thrive against the big boys:

1. Provide exceptional customer service.

Treat every customer as your best customer 
and you will be BETTER than the big guys. As a small business owner,
you can concentrate on small details — every client is important, every
suggestion is heard, every phone call is important. A larger company can
afford to throw away clients if they complain. They may also not feel
the pinch of losing three or four clients a week; since they figure that
they will get them back next week –  or so they think.


Read the article “How to Knock the Socks Off Your Customers.”

2. Pamper your existing customers.

When the big boys and mass merchandisers come to town, now is the time to strengthen the loyalty of your existing customers.
One way is to develop loyalty programs designed to increase overall
satisfaction and customer loyalty. You can focus on rewarding customers
who have repeat purchases, such as discounts for frequent purchases,
special “loyal customer only” sales, or gifts to frequent buyers.


However, it is important to realize that not all freebies will work —
a free t-shirt may work for one business but customers of another
business may not find it meaningful. You must choose a program that your
clients would want and respond to positively.


Read the article “Membership Programs: Turning Occasional Buyers Into Loyal Customers.”

3. Consider collaborating with similar businesses.

Join with small rivals to form a ‘cluster’ that can act as one body to rival bigger competitors. Forming an alliance or partnership with other businesses,
even your rivals, is one of the best way to level the playing field and
compete with major players without being at a disadvantage because of
their superior size. As an alliance, you can harness some of the buying
power of mass merchandisers by teaming up with other businesses, even
just for basic supplies. This will allow you to cut down your costs and
get cheaper inventory. By teaming up with other small operators, you can
compete with big rivals by sharing the cost of marketing, such as
getting a stand in a major industry trade show – something that you may
not be able to afford on your own.


Read the article “How to Cultivate Strategic Alliances and Win-Win Partnerships“.

4. Use “loss leaders.”

A “loss leader” is defined as a product on which you lose money-but
through which you also generate sales of other products in your mix. The
idea is to price selected items at cost (or even below) in order to
entice customers to go to your store; and then hope that these customers
will buy more once they are inside the store. Another approach would be
to sell a product at a loss, bundled with another that is profitable,
such as offering “two for the price of one.” The goal is to entice
customers in with irresistible offers, that they will buy other things
more profitable to your business.


Read the article 60 Time-Tested Marketing Offers

5. Develop a niche and focus on it.

Big Boys like Wal-Mart or Best Buy have a little of everything; while
you can have a little of most things and everything of one or two types
of products. This will establish your store as the place to go when
buying those items. The way small businesses can compete is to carry
extensive items in one or two product areas. Specialize or focus on a
narrow, deep but profitable niche. 
You can win against the giants by looking for gaps in the market that
are either neglected or poorly covered by big companies. For example,
you can be the only florist in your area that has all the supplies
necessary for elegant parties — and the staff that knows how to pull it
together.


Read the article “How to Create a Profitable Niche for Your Business“.

6. Take care of your employees.

Pay attention to your employees and treat them right.
Treating employees fairly is much more crucial for a small firm. Even
with the rising unemployment, finding quality personnel is not fairly
easy for a small business. If one decides to leave your business, there
is no reserve or pool of talent. Even with a complete staff, you may
find that numerous aspects of management or operations may fall into the
lap of one person, which tends to make extreme time demands on that
person.


Read the article How to Manage Employees

7. Use technology to your advantage.

Technology, now more advanced and affordable to small and large
companies, provides the tools and power for small businesses to compete
on an equal basis wit the big boys. It is the biggest improvement to
level the field between the big and small boys. Voice mail, broadband
Internet access and two-way radios, for examples, can increase
efficiency by allowing small business owners to get more done in a
timely and professional manner. Computers also allow for more efficient
and professional customer invoicing, job pricing, and inventory
tracking. If you are still not on the Web, better start now as a web
site can provide you with an inexpensive, comprehensive, and
professional advertising in front of your customers.

8. Present a very professional image.

Small firms competing with big businesses will find that first
impressions are vital. Image is crucial to winning the trust of
potential customers and retaining the ones that you have. You must be
professional, even if you are working from your kitchen table.
Professionalism should be seen from every aspect of your business —
 from the way you dress, answer the phone, or design your business
cards. Plus, always give the impression that your business is thriving,
well established and efficient. Many customers do not mind that they are
dealing with small specialist firms; as long as the business has the
credibility that they are looking for. Think big and chances are your
customers will too.

9. Emphasize the uniqueness of your products.

People are often attracted to the idea of getting something unique
from a smaller, independently owned business, but are used to the larger
selection a chain store can offer. In your marketing and advertising
messages, highlight the originality of your stock as compared to the
universal stock a chain store offers.


Read the article Successful Brand Development: Branding Strategies for Your Small Business

10. Give your store character.

Most big retailers have the same look, often impersonal, in every
city. Make your store stand out by giving it an inviting character. Make
shopping in your place relaxing. Greet customers as they enter the
door, and let them know that you and your staff are nearby if they need
any help. Never let customers wander around the store not finding what
they need and no one to help them.


When a big boy moves into town, don’t be afraid. You may not be able
to fight big rivals on their own ground because you simply don’t have
the resources; but you can often steal a march on them by being more
agile, creative and committed.

25 Skill-Based Home Business Ideas

There are many other types of home-based opportunities which may
require more specific skills, longer training or more time to get up and
running. They are no less useful, however. Here are a few skill-based
home business ideas for you.


Accounting/Bookkeeping


Small businesses may be especially reliant on contract help for this
type of work since many of them may not be large enough to have their
own accountant and/or bookkeeper on staff.


Beautician


This is a popular home-based business. An investment in the essential
beautician supplies and chair can get you started. There is a licensing
course that varies by state. All you need for this, other than the
start-up merchandise, is an extra room in the house or a garage. If
you’re working for someone now and were wondering how to break away, it
only takes a few dollars and your clientele to follow you. This happens
quite frequently.


RELATED: How to Start a Hair and Beauty Salon Business


Canning


Walk into a country restaurant like the Cracker Barrel and the first
thing you see is a foyer/waiting area where there is a variety of goods,
including a number of specialty food items. Pickles, sauces, jellies,
many of them homemade, all sitting and waiting for a buyer. And people
will buy these specialties! Specialty coffee shops and gourmet stores
are always on the lookout for the new treat they can feature. Why not
sell to these stores if you have a talent for this kind of cooking? You
can start out part-time and see how the demand and the income goes from
there. The next time you’re in a specialty food store, ask about their
distribution.


RELATED: How to Start a Food Business


Chair Caning


Country styles for homes are as popular as ever and the ability to
cane chairs can bring in a sizable amount of side income if you have the
talent for this type of work. If you’re already doing it as a hobby,
you’ve already established the necessary work shop, know where to get
materials, etc. The only thing that remains is who to distribute to, a
decision that may involve both private and public sales. There are
locals who would certainly hire you to handle a chair or two for them
personally. There are also specialty furniture stores and outlets with
whom you can also contract. You’ll have to do a little research on it,
but the possibilities are there to expand a hobby that may already give
you many hours of joy. It’s time to cash in on this hobby and get your
home-based business off the ground!


Cheese making


Like making jellies and pickles, the art of cheese making can also be
turned into a tidy profit center for you, distributing to some of the
same chains and specialty food stores. Cheese has been and will continue
to remain a sought after food.


RELATED: How to Start a Food Business in Texas


Chimney Sweeping


Wood burning stoves and fireplaces are still dominant home items and
the skill of chimney sweeping is a fine one with a number of business
opportunities to choose from in plying this trade. Very little equipment
is necessary and it won’t take long to become proficient at this work
if you have the ability and liking for physical labor.


Consulting


If you’ve been in a specific field for a length of time, you’ve
likely built up an arsenal of knowledge about your subject. The more you
know, the more you can offer any person or firm interested in breaking
into, expanding or becoming more competent in this area. If your name is
recognized, so much the better. Consultants can earn high hourly fees,
expenses paid for.


RELATED: How to Start a Successful Consulting Business


Floral Arrangements


You don’t necessarily have to grow flowers to do this. You can
purchase, make up elaborate flower arrangements and resell them. Dried
arrangements and wreaths are popular in season. Some advertising and
competitive pricing can generate a substantial workload for you.


RELATED: Starting a Flower Shop or Florist Business


Apiary


Raising bees for honey can be a part-time effort if you have an
interest in this type of activity. This is not a business for those with
no experience, but for those already doing something along this line,
or have a hobby in this area.


Balloon Rides


Popular in areas where the weather is nice year-round, hot air
balloon rides are popular gifts for special occasions like a birthday,
anniversary, Valentine’s Day and other holidays. Those of you who are
trained aeronauts can step into a needed void as a pilot for this craft.
You can start as a pilot, perhaps, and then accumulate capital to
invest in your own balloon. Other than advertising and the cost of the
balloons and their upkeep, little else is required except some wide open
spaces.

Home maintenance


How many times have you heard that someone is looking for help to do a
few odd jobs around the house. Or for a painter? Or someone who can do a
variety of work from landscaping to electrical wiring? If you’re good
at putting up wallpaper, laying carpet and other assorted tasks,
advertise! The more diverse the skills you publicize, the better your
chances of regular employment.


RELATED: How to Start a Handyman Business


Insurance Sales


Many people start off in this field on a part-time basis until they
realize that a few sales a week will triple and quadruple the income
they’re used to making. This field is not for everyone. It requires
extraordinary discipline and a desire to succeed along with the belief
that you’re assisting people with their financial goals and objectives.
But if you can handle it, the insurance profession can be one of the
most lucrative for working out of your home. Overhead is relatively low.
You can get licensed through your state’s insurance department, located
in your capital city. It may require a certain amount of training and
definitely an exam, but once passed you can seek out insurance companies
who would be glad to work with you. Think of what your niche market
might be. Who are your natural business associates and friends? These
will be your first potential clients and you might test them by
determining their interest in having you do an analysis of their
financial goals and objectives.


Kennel operator


If you like animals and have adequate room in your property, this
could be a strong home-based opportunity for you. Pets will always need
to be boarded and, although some capital will be required to set it up,
it can be a lucrative business just for doing what you love — taking
care of animals!


Mail-order business


This is a new rage among the home-based opportunity seekers in this
country. You can start your own mail-order business quite easily and if
you advertise in the right publications, generate an ample amount of
business.


Meals for handicapped


Contact
your local social services for the disabled and elderly to see if there
are any openings for someone who can cook meals out of their house and
deliver them. This often involves a hot meal for lunch and a cold meal
for dinner which is left with the client at the same time. If you like
to cook, this can be another outlet for your talents.


Music


There are a number of opportunities for those with musical talent,
especially songwriting. There are plenty of great voices out there, but a
dearth of good material to sing. Some of the better artists along with
the up and coming ones are always on the lookout for new artists adept
at this skill.


If you can play instruments, you can also teach young children and adults alike how to play. You can tap the growing home-school market
during the day, and focus on giving lessons in the afternoons and
evenings to school kids and working adults. You can choose to give
lessons in your client’s home, or ask them to come to your house.


However, check zoning restrictions
in your area if your students are coming to your house. Neighbors may
complain with regards to the traffic flow in and out of your home.
Remember, zoning rules are typically not imposed — unless the government
authorities receive complaints from neighbors.  


Pet breeding


As long as you’re considering a kennel career opportunity, you might
think about breeding, an animal specialty that can earn you many
dollars. Breeding can be by specific request or you can simply breed to
produce animals for local pet shops like hamsters, cats and dogs. This
business can be run in conjunction with the kennel. You can sell to the
pet shops or take your business directly to the public which can earn
you a higher fee, since you don’t have to pay the retailer.


RELATED: 10 Pet Small Business Ideas


Real Estate


Sales If you like houses and don’t mind working the evening/weekend
hours, this could be a very rewarding career for you. Sales of houses
can earn large commissions. You have to be very organized and always on
the lookout for new listings, but once you’ve sold a few houses in an
area, word of mouth will bring your next clients. The real estate market
has been depressed the last few years, which creates an opportunity for
those who are adept at selling homes. Sellers will tend to migrate
towards the successful Realtor. There is a licensing course involved,
but you can take this while you’re still working at your old job. Like
insurance, many people start this business part-time, until they sell
their first big house and see how much money they can make from one
sale.


Rental Property Manager


If you live in a vacation area with a number of condominium units,
you will likely see numerous advertisements for someone to manage the
units for rental. There could be some small maintenance duties required,
too. But essentially you are collecting rent, advertising for new
renters and managing the properties for the owner(s). It may well
require that you live in the complex, but this can often be part of the
compensation package. What a great way to live near the beach or in some
fantastic resort spot. This can be the job for those people who have
gone on vacation and wish they didn’t have to go back to real life.


Repair of Equipment


Every home is equipped today with all the modern conveniences:
television, VCR, stereo, refrigerator, microwave, stove, dishwasher,
etc. All you have to do is know how to fix these pieces of equipment and
you’ll have a new home-based business. This might be combined with the
general all around maintenance business opportunity mentioned earlier. A
skilled repair person is difficult to find, as is the general odd-job
fix-it-up person. If you have any talent in these areas, there are
plenty of local options for you to attract business. People can’t do for
long without their conveniences and the demand will be there for the
work. Consumers will bring the appliance into the repair shop, but in
this age of handiness, they would rather have someone come out and
repair it – it’s easier!


Secretarial Services


Small businesses can be counted on to look for help on a contract
basis from someone with specific secretarial skills. A physician’s
office may be looking for a medical records person or an insurance
billing clerk on an independent basis. The entire medical field, in its
movement towards managed care, is looking for simplified answers to
common administration tasks. This isn’t the only industry utilizing
outside secretarial services. If you have the skills and the small
capital needed for the basic equipment, you’re in business!


RELATED: Starting a Home-Based Secretarial Business


Sharpening Services


In many hardware, sewing and fabric stores, you may notice an
advertisement for sharpening services. Scissors and other craft tools
can be sharpened less expensively than purchasing a new one. Often these
businesses contract out the labor for the service. If you know how to
sharpen these types of objects, perhaps even doing it for yourself as
you knit or make crafts, then you can turn this into a lucrative side
business. You just call on your store clients once or twice a week and
pick up new work and drop off completed jobs. It’s an unusual, but
needed service.


Sign Design & Painting


Everywhere you look across this great country, you’ll find signs!
Homes, businesses and individuals are all sign candidates. Advertising
for and specializing in all type of sings and banners and even
billboards (if you learn how), can create a substantial side business
which will grow into full-time, profitable work for you.


Telephone Answering Service


Many small businesses are one or two person shops which have only an
answering machine to pick up calls should they have to leave the
premises. There is a great amount of business lost as a result. This can
cost the firm thousands of dollars as someone hangs up when they can’t
reach a human voice and dials another number where they can. As an
answering service, you can be that human voice at the other end. Even if
you are just taking the message, people have confidence when they can
talk to a person in a service-oriented business. If you can add a couple
of lines to your existing home phone system, you’re in business. With
just a few clients, you’ll generally be taking messages during the day.
There are organizations who look for answering services to be on later
call for product ordering and similar tasks. This can be a very
profitable venture – just for talking on the phone!


Writer


There are a number of chances to obtain work doing copywriting. The
written word is still very much in demand and you can attract a
substantial amount of business in this area from smaller firms – even
just for their basic correspondence. Distressingly, people don’t possess
the same writing skills as they did en masse a few years ago and hence
could use the assistance. The better a letter or document or brochure is
crafted, the more likely the business will do well. This means work for
writers in all phases of industry. A computer at home can be all the
overhead you’ll need.

Business Ideas 2014: Trends for the Home-Based Entrepreneur

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Trends represent a shift in consumer needs and demands, and business
ideas are often spurred by growing trends. It is important for
home-based entrepreneurs to think beyond the common home business ideas
out there and consider trending markets.


Trends represent the biggest demand, which in turn means healthy
profits and bottom line. It is what consumers want, and what they are
buying. Unlike fads which are short-live, trends have greater staying
power.


RELATED: Use Social Trends to Find Market Opportunities in Business


Here are some growing trends that offer home business entrepreneurs with huge opportunities in 2014 and beyond:

Trend: Healthy Living

Consumers are increasingly seeking active lifestyles and healthy
food. More and more individuals are focusing on health, wellness, and
active lifestyles. The health and wellness trend has seeped into a
number of areas, including how people eat, where they shop, and what
clothes they are wearing. People are becoming aware of the importance of
getting fit and maintaining healthy lifestyles, while capabilities to
track overall fitness have improved.


This growing awareness of the importance of living a healthy
lifestyle has created opportunities for small business entrepreneurs.
Here are some business ideas that are enjoying success due to the
wellness and health sector:

• Fitness accessories, an example of which is Swiggies Wrist Water Bottles created by Julie Austin
• Employee wellness services and programs to help encourage employees to be healthy while reducing healthcare costs
• Fitness apps such as Hot5, SwimTag and RunKeeper
• Organic food, such as Amy’s Kitchen natural frozen food brand
• Personal fitness such as Alissa Harakal, a personal trainer in the Washington D.C. area

Trend: Sustainable and Ethical

Consumers have started to grasp the concept of sustainability. While
many are still unable to change their consumption habits, an increasing
number of people want to be “good.” They want to consume, but they want
to do it guilt-free. And businesses are responding by providing
eco-conscious products that will allow these consumers to indulge, but
without the guilt.


Even high-fashion brands have adopted the trend: Gucci has been
selling sunglasses and footwear made with biodegradable plastics. Stella
McCartney uses biodegradable rubber soles with mock croc and faux
leather uppers for her shoes. Products can be expensive and chic – but
created with a view to sustainable living.


Some business ideas that follow the guilt-free trend include:

• Healthy foods that offer guilt-free indulgence
• Biodegradable clothing and accessories
• Ethical fashion

Trend: Mindful Living

One of the biggest trends in recent years is mindfulness. Mindful
living is the craving for a sense of reflection and ease, far away from
the overstimulation caused by everyday life. It is the desire to clear
the clutter in the mind, find balance and life and focus on the present
moment.


On the Web, a search of the term “mindfulness” in Google Trends shows a strong upward trend:




Some of the growing segments with regards to mindfulness practices include:

• Yoga and meditation such as the ideas mentioned in the 5 New Age Home Business Ideas
• Mindfulness and Emotional intelligence training programs – this is a good market for executive coaches and consultants
• Websites focusing on tools to help achieve mindfulness
• Accessories and fashion (e.g. for yoga practitioners)

Trend: Mobile

The mobile device has reshaped communication. More and more people
use mobile devices to keep connected and access the Web at anytime,
anywhere. It helps empower people by giving them access to education,
health, financial and other important tools. As a result, mobile is
changing how businesses interact with their customers. For entrepreneurs
who spend more time away from their desks, mobile devices have allowed
us to do our business on the go.


RELATED: 10 Trends in Small Business Retailing


Here are business ideas focused on the mobile trend:

• Mobile-ready websites, such as responsive web designs
• Wearable devices
• Location-based services
• Mobile security
• Mobile apps and games

Starting a Family Child Care Business

One of the easiest home businesses you
can start is a family daycare business, where you take care of your
neighbor or friend’s children in your home. States normally require
daycares to be licensed, but some states allow unlicensed family child
care businesses provided they don’t exceed the number of children
allowed.

What is a Family Child Care Business?

A family child care business provides care for a small group of
children in the caregiver’s homes. It is often considered as the
smallest type of day care business.


A family child care business is home-based and provided in the home
of the business owner. In comparison, child care centers have its own
separate facility other than the owner’s residence and have more
caregiver staffs to care for groups of children. The Office of Personnel
Management describes child care centers as, “either privately operated
for profit by a chain or individual, or operated by non-profit agencies,
such as churches, public schools, government agencies, or non-profit
vendors.”


Family child care businesses are registered or licensed in most
states — depending on the number of children. Regulations vary from
state to state; but most states require family child care providers to
also undergo criminal background checks, training and be subjected to
regular state inspection.


In Wisconsin, a day care business is classified as a family child
care business if it is taking care of 4-8 children, as compared to a
group child care center which takes care of 9 or more children.


In Virginia, licensing starts when the daycare business has 6 or more
children under its watch. According to the Virginia Department of
Social Services, which governs licensing and regulation of daycares in
the state, “the Code of Virginia mandates the licensure of family day
homes that provide care for six to twelve children (exclusive of the
provider’s own children and any children who reside in the home).”
Therefore, you can operate a family daycare business, without the need
for licensing, in your home for up to 5 children.

Starting a Family Child Care Business

The first step in starting your family childcare business is to
prepare a business plan. Even if you will not be applying for a bank
loan, a business plan helps you to think through your business – what it
needs, who it will benefit, how much it will cost, and what is its
potential. Thinking through the business includes knowing how you will
reach your target market, or even how to approach the neighbor you think
would benefit from your services.


For detailed information on what you need to start a family child care business, read the article What Do You Need to Open a Daycare Business?


It is also important that you learn the tax rules affecting daycare
centers, especially if you are going to open one from your home. Read
the IRS instructions for child care businesses. Read IRS Publication 587, Business Use of Your Home (including Use by Daycare Providers).

As for the licenses and requirements in your state, check out our state by state listing of contacts for licensing and regulations governing child care businesses

Global Wholesale Distribution and Price Market Research

One possible business you can start on the Web is global wholesale
distribution. This requires choosing an industry to target (e.g. brand
named consumer electronics), obtaining a list of verified suppliers from
a reputable source, and selling the items you’ve purchased in your own
market for a profit. The global wholesale distribution business entails
moving merchandise from foreign suppliers and manufacturers to your
customers. You can choose to sell your items directly to consumers to
merely act as a distributor to existing retailers.


Price is one of the key factors in choosing the right global
suppliers for this business. Here are some tips on how to research
prices for your global wholesale product sourcing business:

Comparing Supplier Prices with Current Market Prices

The seemingly overwhelming task can be easily made simple by breaking
up the enormous mass of information and your ultimate goal into
smaller, easier-to-tackle modules.


Assuming that each of your suppliers is reputable and honest, your
first task will then be the compare the prices of your suppliers to find
how they rate against the current market value. The goal here is to
find the products that will generate an acceptable level of profit to
add to your portfolio of products for sale.


Regardless of the method of e-commerce you choose to sell your items
through, building your portfolio of revenue generating items and selling
them at the same time will increase your chances of sale due to the
natural synergy of your portfolio (assuming that all of the items are
different enough from each other to be competitors within their own
markets).

Auction Sites versus Regular E-Commerce Websites

Keep in mind when you’re comparing your supplier prices, or
performing your market research that you distinguish between market
prices obtained through auction sites such as Taobao (Chinese auction
site) or eBay and those gathered from non-auction e-commerce shopping
cart sites. Whilst they may appear to sell the same product (for example
Apple iPod Touch with identical packages) on both sites, prices are
generally lower on auction sites because of the inconsistent warranties
available, product conditions, new/used status, and general
accountability of sellers trading on auction sites as compared to
operators selling from there own purchased domain named website with
site related guarantees. It is not to say that you cannot make a decent
profit from auction sites and not grab an absolute bargain from
non-auction e-commerce shopping cart sites. The point is to distinguish
between the two markets because there are some marked differences in the
behavior of both buyers and sellers of each.

Tracking Your Research

To keep track of your market research you should make use of
available software specific to the monitoring of prices and market
trends. If this is not readily available you can easily develop a
spreadsheet suitable for your needs. When developing your own
spreadsheet you may find it useful to list your column headings from
left to right in the following order:

• Supplier
• Product
• Price
• Market Price #1
• Market Price #2
• Market Price #3
• Market Price #4
• Market Price #5
• Average Price (avg prices 1-5)
• Average Profit (Average Price – Price)
• Average Return On Investment % (Average Profit / Price)*100

Whilst simple, this spreadsheet will allow you to view all of the
prices at the same time and give you the opportunity to sort the higher
performing items from the lower performing ones. From here you should
set a baseline Return On Investment level and choose to sell only items
achieving equal to or greater than that goal (e.g. only Apple iPod Touch
units achieving an ROI equal to or greater than 15%. A note should be
made that because of the price movements of any given market as well as
the rate at which new products are released and developed – consequently
making current items not-so-current items – your market research is
only valid for a limited amount of time only. This means that once you
have decided on your suitable product no time should be wasted from that
point to the time of sale.

For Your Benefit

It will be extremely beneficial in your early days as an Internet
Wholesale Trader if you can train your mind to think along the lines of
Return on Investment whenever you think of adding new products to your
portfolio. In the end, it doesn’t matter where you want to sell your
products, implementing a process that systematically evaluates the
ability of a product to generate a profit will mean that you can measure
the feasibility of almost ANY product or service out there. This will
ensure possibly limitless product options within the general scope of
your business and your current product knowledge because you will be
thinking more on how beneficial selling that product will be for you
instead of simply how much you’d like the product for yourself, or how
cool it is.


Like many professions, your success in Global Product sourcing and
Wholesale Trade will depend on your ability to put into practice the
good lessons you learned and learn from your mistakes. Whether or not
the information you have just read will help you directly in your
current business practices, it should at the very least, get you
thinking in the right direction towards wholesale sourcing success.