Career information about photography is important to access and focus on initially because it is a competitive market where the work is often attractive to many people. The photographer must have “a good eye”, imagination, and some creativity to do well in this field. That’s not all. Photographers love going into their own business. Accordingly, they must be able to maintain a business and to take advantage of opportunities provided by rapidly changing technologies. While seeking career information about photography you should first speak to one of your local photographers for information. You can ask questions about the job market in your area and how much training was involved before he/she considered themselves ready. You’ll find your local photographer will offer you insight that will be helpful in most cases.What as a photographer do you plan on achieving? Most would agree, the photographer is an artist, historian, and news event person. Perhaps you had already planned on your career and how you wish to achieve it. Career information about photography will prepare you for specific jobs but you should be aware of other elements related to the work. A photographer produces and preserves images that paint a picture, tell a story, or record an event. The successful photographer is required to have the ability to present a subject to achieve a particular effect while also selecting the appropriate equipment. A good photographer may enhance the subject’s appearance with natural or artificial light, shoot the subject from an interesting angle, draw attention to a particular aspect of the subject by blurring the background, or perhaps using different lenses to produce desired levels of detail at various distances.This is just an example of some of the requirements that a good photographer should possess. Career information about photography will vary according to what type of photography interests you. Underwater photography is becoming an exciting field of unexplored areas. Other photographers specialize in areas such as portrait, commercial and industrial, scientific, news, or fine arts photography.Portrait Photographers: The one’s we see most often who usually come with those special family events. They normally take individual pictures, group pictures and often work in their own studios. A lot of photographers specialize in taking wedding pictures, religious ceremonies, or school pictures.Commercial and Industrial: Career information about photography includes professionals who specialize in commercial and industrial photography. These photographers take pictures of various subjects, such as buildings, models, merchandise, artifacts, and landscapes. Why would a photographer go around taking these pictures? This is a specialized field wherein a lot of money can be made. The pictures are used in a variety of media, including books, reports, advertisements, and catalogs. The industrial photographer is usually hired in advance and knows what his assignment will be. He does not take pictures and try to find a buyer. The industrial photographer takes pictures of machinery, products, workers, and company officials. The pictures taken are usually for a specific purpose. In the future these pictures help engineer’s analysis projects, publicity, or records of equipment development or deployment, such as placement of an offshore oil rig.Field of Science: Career information about photography is common in the field of science. The recording of scientific data and procedures is often done by a photographer. The field of unusual phenomena or sometimes called ghost hunting uses special type of equipment and is necessary to help prove the existence of perhaps a haunting. Many things evolve when you work in the scientific field that is why a photographer must have knowledge in one or more areas of engineering, medicine, biology, or chemistry.Photojournalism: Photojournalists are people who take pictures of newsworthy people, places, and sporting events. They are news photographers who often cover political and community events for newspapers, journals, magazines, or television.Career information about photography would not be complete unless I reminded you of working conditions. The working conditions vary considerably from one type of a job to another. For instance, photographers who work for the government and advertising studios usually work a 5-day, 40 hour week. News photographers often work long, irregular hours and must be available on short notice. Some photographers work part time or on variable schedules.One last thing – Career information about photography should include the fact that a lot of photographers spend a small amount of time actually taking pictures because they spend a lot of time editing photographs on a computer and trying to find new business especially when they are self-employed.
Basics of Standard Renters Insurance
Planning on getting renters insurance? If you are then there are certain details that you should take into consideration and understand before you actually opt for one. This is mainly because renters insurance does have certain terms and conditions that may not just suit anyone.Insurance is not about protecting the building that you’re staying in. The insurance that your landlord is holding on his building does not include your safety and also the possessions that you have in the property. Taking that into view, below are some of the basics of standard renters insurance.First of all most standard renters insurance is broken up into two types which is HO-4 which is for renters and also HO-6 which is for condo owners. The policies in these insurances do include natural disasters such as fires or lightning, snow and also volcanic eruption. But one thing you should take into account is that most of these renters insurances do not cover floods and earthquakes. Why you may ask? The reason being that if you’re located in a flood or earthquake prone area the insurance agency would have to fork out a high amount in damages to their customers. Being that, most insurance agencies do not have policies that cover those two natural disasters. If you’re living around these types of places try to find the most appropriate policy for yourself as being safe is better than being sorry later on.Besides that another aspect that you should take into account would be the type of payment your insurance policy is entitled to give you if there are any damages or theft. There are two types of payment schemes available which are actual cash value (ACV) and also replacement cost average. ACV refers to a coverage scheme that pays you only the current value of an item. For example, you had bought a speaker set for $200 2 years ago and it got damaged recently, your insurance will only pay you back the actual amount of the speaker set today and not the $200 you had spent 2 years ago. Replacement cost average will pay for the actual cost of the item that you have lost. This method works by claims that you’ll have to submit to your insurance agency.
Reduced Sales in the Auto Industry Requires New Responsibilities For Automotive Advertising Agencies
The role of the automotive advertising agency in today’s consolidating auto industry must change to accommodate the needs of the auto dealers that they serve. Reduced sales volume and profits have forced auto dealers to reduce their automotive advertising budgets and sales staff. As a direct result, automotive advertising agencies are being challenged to deliver more for less and reduced budgets and floor traffic suggest that they must increase their areas of responsibility to justify their agency fees or risk losing accounts. More importantly, they must learn the auto industry from the auto dealer’s perspective if they expect to be able to contribute in any meaningful manner.Assuming that we all work our pay plans to maximize our own ROI in our chosen careers in the automotive advertising industry, I thought I would share some best practices regarding an auto dealership’s Internet sales processes with my fellow automotive advertising professionals to help them better serve their auto dealer clients. Not all of the situations I discuss will apply to every auto dealership so take note of ones that do and save the others for future reference in case they surface in some other form. I will cover common issues that are part of human nature. After all, the key to success in the car business is in the people – not in the franchise or facility – so most problems start and finish with people.The Internet Department — From The Dealer’s PerspectiveAs a former new car dealer and current consultant on dealer operations and marketing I am constantly amazed by the disconnect between dealers and their key personnel. I liken the miscommunication of their common goals — to sell more cars/service and make more money — to that of a long marriage. Courting equates to the interview and the first few months are like an extended honeymoon. Once the excitement wears off it is a lot of work to remember why you got married in the first place; but worth the effort!Dealers are people too! They often indulge their emotions in the hiring process based on the fact that they need help more than the applicants need the job! Great interviews get an applicant the job with the dealer’s hope and desire to solve a problem – not make a friend. Their business needs eventually outweigh their emotions and words like bottom line profits, accountability and the latest buzz words — verifiable R.O.I. — take over. Dealers should always have job descriptions and areas of responsibility along with supported compensation plans based on individual and department guidelines and objectives. Unfortunately, not many auto dealers have those today and few automotive advertising agencies are prepared to provide them.Today’s market losses have forced dealers to make difficult decisions that should have been made before a position was even considered. The survival of the fittest must apply! It’s a dirty job but someone has to do it and the Dealer must base his decisions on performance and individually contributed profits or we will all suffer the consequences! That observed deficiency is a perfect opportunity for a forward thinking and prepared automotive advertising agency to earn their fees when direct sales won’t support them by passing on the observed need to their auto dealer clients while providing them proven processes to satisfy them.Re-defining the role of the Internet Sales Manager, (ISM), at the Dealership – Customer Communication Center, (C.C.C.) vs. Business Development Center, (B.D.C.)The A, B, C’s of the car business — Always Be Closing — go beyond the showroom floor and apply to the ISM as well as their staff. The key to the close, however, is to know the answer before you ask the question, or at least provide a limited response that you can control!Based on your new found knowledge and understanding of the dealer’s requirements of their ISM, I suggest that you ask the hard questions before your dealer client does! The more you and the ISM are involved in the selling process in both vehicle sales and fixed operations the more productive and profitable you will be. The more accountable and verifiable your R.O.I. to the dealer the more secure your income and the account. Sell yourself and the added value that you bring to his Internet department to your dealer with the leverage of verifiable performance in a clearly defined position on the team beyond what most dealers envisioned from their automotive advertising agency and be paid accordingly.I propose that you literally have the tail wag the dog, so to speak, by suggesting that the Internet Department become more than a lead generator with limited selling responsibilities. All communications, before, during and after the sale can, should and soon will be handled over the internet and/or on the dealership’s website which should now be part of your shared area of responsibility with the ISM.Currently, Business Development Centers, or B.D.C’s., coordinate selling opportunities developed on the telephone, showroom floor, service drive, data base marketing and in many cases the Internet. They rely on linked technology like telephony systems, vendors, such as Whos Calling, and onsite data base management systems, (DMS), such as ADP or Reynolds and Reynolds and customer retention management systems, (CRM), like Higher Gear or DealerUps, that are all now available on the internet.Who is better prepared to coordinate communications and even transactions on the Internet than the Internet Manager supported by an involved and educated advertising agency? Who has the best understanding of computers, software and integrated links to access and apply information directed to the contacts sourced from the auto dealer’s automotive advertising investments? It better be you!Customer Communication Centers, or C.C.C’s. provide a more integrated and accessible central point of contact at the dealership for their customers in both their brick and mortar dealership and their online virtual showroom. All customer contacts for sales, service/parts and office should be channeled to one location from all sources including telephone, email, mail, internal DMS and CRM, Internet — you name it! The cross-sell opportunities between sales and service/parts by having one contact person suggesting shared opportunities is obvious but unlikely if they are handled by two different people or departments! Less obvious opportunities like customer complaints and key vendor communications provide the ability to turn a problem into a solution but only if channeled properly.The Internet is hosting telephone, DMS and communications through webinars and emails so take charge and credit with the dealer. Re-define your role at the dealership by increasing your areas of responsibility!Integrating the Internet into the selling process — Sales and Fixed OperationsMost dealers have been traumatized by software solutions they are still paying for and never used. Usually they require secondary input, are redundant with other more integrated systems to the selling process or just lack real world applications to their deal flow — which is driven by human nature on all levels. Inspect what you expect coupled with standards like you can’t manage what you can’t measure can be applied to support your close for enhanced opportunities for you, his staff and your dealer.Place the Internet C.C.C. squarely in the middle of all selling processes. Of course be careful what you ask for since an astute dealer will, and should, hold you accountable. No pain, no gain — so go for it!As admitted, the devil is in the details, and there is no standard application to apply to all situations. Deciding what to do and what to delegate, and how to best integrate with the auto dealer’s current systems to minimize disruption, is the key. Don’t throw out the baby with the bath water but expecting different results from the same action is a good definition of insanity.The auto dealer’s sales staff and service writers hate you — join the team!The automotive advertising agency has always been perceived by the auto dealer’s staff as an outsider and the ISM has only recently earned the respect that he deserves by the old car guys who may still be fighting the shift to the World Wide Web. The Internet Geek of the old days has matured into a key manager in most dealerships and the trend is growing! You can’t possibly expect to cross train on all aspects of operations — but you should try! Evaluate the current communications, customer and deal flow and create a business pro forma in concert with the ISM and the other department managers to develop a profit and increased R.O.I. for all involved and you will earn your position on the team.Inter-department squabbles in the car business will always exist but your new position on the team — if introduced correctly — will transcend individual motives to resist your efforts to improve everyone’s bottom line. Taking on the burden of helping the ISM and his team to make appointments and providing centralized communications — both internally and externally to the dealership — will free everyone else up to sell more cars, service and parts!Real time paperless reports available online — or in the DMS/CRM — will provide the department managers with the information and tools they need to do their jobs. Your complimentary secretarial services, automated and managed follow up systems to recapture lost sales opportunities coupled with your shared goal to increase appointments, sales and customer satisfaction is not a threat but a blessing!Establishing goals, accountability — getting paid on the bottom lineMost automotive advertising agencies and ISMs are involved in search engine optimization plans, (S.E.O.), and search engine marketing plans, (SEM), with applications on their website that track leads, conversions and R.O.I. — or they should be! Your goal should start with continuing your efforts to increase traffic to your auto dealer’s website rather than the telephone. It represents the most sophisticated tracking software available; now and for the foreseeable future. Your ability to track results is where your accountability part gets covered!Sales goals theoretically start with the dealer’s market share responsibility for the manufacturer, (M.S.R.), but fixed and semi-variable expenses quickly establish more pressing goals. Covering the Nut is a street level goal which must be met or none of the others matter. Have the dealer provide you with what he expects — or needs — and that should become your common goal!An example of a realistic goal for an auto dealership should be 4-5 generated appointments per day per person; selling one. This represents 120 + appointments each month, 80 +/- that show up and an additional 20 units per person per month based on a 25% closing ratio.Include areas that you and the ISM can directly impact and monitor like new and used vehicle sales — units and gross profit, sales and service appointments, customer satisfaction scores and all monthly sales or performance goals. Define the areas of responsibility that you will handle and decide on which ones you will delegate. Compute the budget, staff and facility you will need, online and in concert with your conventional advertising and community networking proposals, to develop the traffic required to achieve the sales and performance goals the dealer has established.Use industry guidelines as far as closing ratios and conversion ratios specific to the auto dealer’s franchise, size of market, staff, inventory and facility to “back into” your sales vs. traffic needs. Resource local media statistics, like cost per point, C.P.P., to determine the most cost effective media to dominate within your budget focused on the Internet customer and then dominate it.On broadcast, for example, a 5 plus frequency and a 50% reach coupled with consistent and coordinated dealer specific brand-tail messages, (branding and retail), over a ninety day period with creative directed to your dealer’s web site as well as a monitored 800 number will absolutely drive traffic.Of course expenses must be considered based on line item percentage guidelines vs. other expenses to preserve profits. Another common budget tool is to establish a per unit cap based on experienced expenses per unit which range from $250-$500 per car but it can double in certain markets. Pick a basis for your budget, any basis, and stick with it!Monitor shifts within budget based on results and R.O.I. per investment but never increase the budget without a proper risk to reward consideration and an acceptable projected R.O.I. The days of guessing are over; so be right!Do all of the above, design an agency fee tied to specific performance under your control and you will have deserved a bonus tied to the total dealership bottom line because you have contributed to it. More importantly, as a valued member of the team your agency relationship with your auto dealer clients and their staff will survive today’s downturn in the economy and the auto industry with its reduced conventional advertising budgets.
Two Tier Education System For Higher Technical Education in India
IntroductionWith ever increasing use of technology and the internet in India and ever growing demand and need for expanding the coverage of Higher Technical Education there is a wide scope of introducing technology in the way the Higher Technical Education is imparted in India. In today’s environment mostly the methods employed are labor intensive, limited to class room interaction, access to which is not available to students in the event of they missing out the classes due to certain reasons. In addition there are difficulties in explaining and demonstrating the complex subjects involving three dimensional figures/models. More over it is an accepted fact that it is difficult for the students to concentrate on a subject in a typical classroom environment for more than about 20 minutes. The best of students have often been found to be losing concentration after about 20 minutes of classroom teaching which mostly becomes monotonous in traditional class where teacher mostly resorts to one way transmission without initiating interactive discussion. Though interactive sessions offer little improvement but it is not always possible to initiate the interaction till the time the students have developed certain level of understanding of basic concepts and fully understand the prerequisite required for a typical course.BackgroundIn order to improve teaching learning process it is important that we go beyond the boundaries of classroom and fixed timetable limits. The teaching material must be delivered to the student at a time, pace and place which provides best learning environment for him. This may have lot of variation depending on individual students needs. The EDUSAT program launched at the initiative of the government has also not achieved the desired success though large numbers of terminals have been established all over India and best of Professors are delivering lectures in real time environment. The root cause of failure can be attributed to the fact that it is still not getting out of a typical class room environment. Though virtual classrooms have been created but still it is limited to formalities of a classroom.Use of technology in improving the teaching learning process normally termed as Educational Technology – also known variously as e-learning, instructional technology and learning technology – is the use of technology to support the enhancement of learning process. It impacts upon the learning process, e.g. in delivering learning materials, facilitating communication and providing assessment and feedback. This technology can effectively be used to enhance and supplement the classroom teaching wherein the material is once again made available to the student at a time, pace and place that is best suitable for his needs. It will fill in the blanks which he must have drawn while he was in the classroom and could not clarify his concepts due to certain reasons. More ever certain other things like tutorials, tests, assignments etc can also handled effectively on line thereby saving the valuable time of the competent faculty members which can be used for other more useful activities.Course management systems (CMSs), which are online systems, were designed and developed to support classroom learning in academic settings, such as universities and other Educational Institutes. CMSs provide instructors with the ability to perform the following tasks:• Place course materials online. Most CMSs provide pre-programmed buttons for the course syllabus, course schedule, and course materials linked to specific lessons, such as copies of readings and PowerPoint slides from lectures.• Track student progress through assessment features, which enable instructors to give quizzes and tests online, and an online grade book, where instructors can post student grades.• Discussion board, where instructors and students can discuss readings and continue class discussions between formal class sessions.• Other communications tools, which let instructors send announcements to classes and communicate individually with students.• Lock box for students, where students can store class materials in a safe place-either a presentation to give later in class or backing up class assignments in a safe place.• Course statistics, which provide information on the use of the course site, including who used the course site and when.• Examples of CMSs include the commercial products Blackboard and WebCT, and the open source system like Moodle.MotivationWith ever increasing need for automation in the education system and the Government having decided to go for decentralization in Higher Technical Education in a big way there has been mushrooming growth of Engineering Institutions all over India. Good faculty members with thorough understanding of basic through advanced topics are difficult to find. With the current system of the faculty resources being utilized only for the benefit of the students enrolled with the Institute/University employing the concerned faculty, the scarce resources are not being utilized optimally. With the current developments and availability of Information Technology tools it may be possible to share the rich experiences of the distinguished faculty resources of certain key institutions in a typical University by other inexperienced faculty members of the same university engaged in teaching similar or same subjects.The basic idea will be to introduce two tier system in the higher technical education. The first tier will involve a continuous and consistent effort made to train and educate the fresh and inexperienced faculty members by using real time interaction with a group of experienced faculty members located at a center of excellence. This will involve creation of a “Nodal Center of Excellence” for each of the course being offered by the university. Such nodal center will design and develop a course by using the best suitable and simple to operate tools available in course management systems to perfection. This course will compulsorily be subscribed to by all faculty members engaged in teaching same course all throughout the University. They can share the expertise available at the nodal center and also clarify the intricacies of the subjects on a day to day basis as the course advances in the semester.The second tier of the system will involve Individual teachers who are already subscribed to the first tier discussed above. Such teachers will run their own course management systems for the benefit of the students attending their lectures.In this manner all the center of excellence established everywhere can be shared by all the institutes affiliated to the university and also the university campus colleges. This will result in:-• Uniformity in the coverage of the syllabus and its standardization.• Discovering the shortcoming of the syllabus and a common platform for discussing the same for future revision.• Clarification of the basic through advanced concepts through the chatting/tools offered by concerned selected service of the CMS.• Standardization and sharing of the grading and assessment of the students without significant variation form teacher to teacher.• Moderation of the grading centrally.• Readily available standardized course material which can be developed by networking of teachers sharing same subject in the university but at different institutions.• Standardization of reference books and the topics to be covered.• Standardization of the depth of individual topics to be covered for each subject.• Typical standardization of question bank.• Development of reference standard study material at the center of excellence which can be shared by all other institutions.• Automation of tutorial submission, FAQ answers, question paper generation, and response to earlier similar question asked.• Provision of authenticated links to related and useful material for further higher study for research.The System can be Implemented in these steps:Conceive, design and develop a two tier education system based on nodal concept of center of excellence in Engineering Education (Higher technical education) typical to Indian Universities by selecting the best suitable tools offered by Course Management Systems (CMS) available and demonstrate the viability of the concept.(1) Step one:(a) Identify the essential and desirable features which should be offered by the nodal center of excellence, in typical Indian University environment, to make it effective in sharing and updating its resources.(b) Carry out comparative study of the available course management systems world wide and selecting the best suitable system for this purpose.(2) Step Two: Developing a comprehensive module in selected course which should preferably support following features:-(a) Learning Tools• Book marking• Student Area• Library and Information Access• Annotation• Glossary• Course Index/Search Engine• Learning Exemplars/Guidance• Access to Grades• Student Guide• Self-Assessment Exercises• Study Skill Building• Student Web Pages(b) Collaboration Tools• Discussion Options• File Sharing• Work Group Areas(c)Faculty Tools• Course Planning, Design, Templates• Automated Glossary• Automated Course TOC/Index/Search Engine• File Management• Instructor Guide/Course Exemplars• Web Search Tools• Multimedia Capability(d)Course Management• Course Pages• Student Management• Automatic student assignment reminders (currently none of the CMS offer this currently)• Course Archive/Backup/Replication• Course Revision• Online Help/FAQs• Administration Tools• Automated Registration• Security• Student Transcript(3) Step Three: Implementing the nodal concept of center of excellence in real time and initiate the process for demonstration purposes.Milestones completedNodal concept has widely been applied in service, telecommunication and repair & maintenance industry wherein certain nodal centers are created with all the facilities and expertise available at easily accessible place which can be accessed by the prospective customers. In telecommunications wherein certain communication nodes are created and users can hook on to these nodes for getting the desired services. In education system the concept has widely been applied in various admission management systems and placement services.The concept of creating the Nodal center of excellence has been experimented in India by EDUSAT which is based on real time lectures in virtual classroom environment. However it has not invoked much enthusiasm. The root cause for this can be attributed to the fact that the lecture tends to be monologue and is not at a place, pace and time as may be required by the perspective learner. More over it lacks personal contact between the teacher and the students. The proposed two tier system of education involving nodal concept is intended to supplement the classroom teaching. It will be designed to optimize the contact time between the teacher and students in a way that the most important tings are attended to during the contact period and things of lesser importance can be attended to by the course management system like tutorials, class tests, assignments etc.This concept can be related to the service industry where in a nodal point, which can be termed as centre of excellence, is established which caters to the training needs of service engineers who are placed all over the operational areas. These service engineers in turn provide service to the customers. In case they find they are not able to address the problem they consult the nodal point for further advice. Almost same concept is applied in case of maintenance support provided by most of the companies for maintenance cover provided to their customers.The defense forces are known to have been using multi tier system for their training, maintenance and repair needs, though their system is not automated but the nodal concept is well established. In the proposed system we intend to use the two tier system with automation by using Course Management Systems.
Businesses For Sale – Common Pitfalls to Avoid
The ability of our economy to prevail through the recent economic hardship felt worldwide, not only relatively unscathed, but in a stronger position than nearly all modern western economies, highlights the real strength of business, entrepreneurial ability and innovation in New Zealand. The opportunities for those with entrepreneurial skills and the desire to drive one’s own destiny, businesses for sale in New Zealand provide the perfect medium to achieve these ends. However, ensuring the correct business is purchased which matches your budget, experience, skills and knowledge is essential. Many new businesses for sale in New Zealand fail within the first year of operation, but there are several key decisions that will ensure success.Firstly, the decision to purchase an established business comes with it an established customer base, turnover, goodwill, staff and history of trading. Secondly, utilising a reputable and trustworthy real estate agency who is experienced in the sale and purchase of businesses in New Zealand will ensure that you are able to peruse a diverse range of potential companies, with the guidance and advice of a professional to aid in the final and correct decision.Real estate agents will guide you through the common pitfalls to avoid when searching for businesses for sale in New Zealand. One of the key pitfalls is lack of preparation prior to making an offer. The best business decisions are based on timely and accurate information. Real estate agents will ensure you have all the correct documentation to base an informed decision, including financial data, employment contracts and staff details, property and lease details, along with any other information pertaining to the long term viability and profitability of the business. Furthermore, the decision to purchase a business should be made on the financial acumen of the business and not a personal desire or liking. Obviously the business must suit the lifestyle desired and skills brought to the business; but only when the proposition is feasible.The unwillingness to leverage professionals, such as real estate agents, is another key mistake. Professional business consultants representing leading real estate agencies in New Zealand thoroughly understand the marketplace, often with insider information pertaining to the number and quality of businesses that are soon to be listed in the marketplace. Additionally, with their knowledge of available businesses for sale in New Zealand, they are able to provide a measure of comparative shopping, where the pros and cons of numerous enterprises can be assessed and evaluated to ensure that the business purchased is the best fit for you which will realise your dreams.
Looking At Coastal Businesses for Sale?
Coastal businesses for sale in New Zealand provide the prospective buyer a wealth of opportunities to continue the successful operation, or development of, a viable business operation that not only offers financial growth and security, but also a lifestyle change that can only be experienced in coastal environments. Consisting of three islands, New Zealand is blessed with a near endless supply of unspoilt and scenic coastal areas, ranging from secluded bays, sandy beaches, scenic harbours and inlets, and rugged coastlines. The popularity of such regions is proven by the population bases that are located in such regions. Being in high demand by both international and domestic tourists, many coastal businesses are based in the tourism and hospitality industries; sectors of the economy that are vital for the long term growth of gross domestic product in New Zealand and one of the mainstays of the New Zealand economy.According to statistics released by Tourism New Zealand, tourism is the country’s largest export earner and the number one contributor to the economy, surpassing the revenue generated by the farming and agricultural industries and contributing over $8 billion dollars each year. Furthermore, the data highlighted that this trend of growth is set to continue with average increases in profit of 4.3% experienced by the industry. Furthermore, international visitors are predicted to rise at a steady rate of four percent each year, with the income derived from international tourism forecasted to overtake that of domestic tourism in 2011.The Rugby World Cup in 2011 promises to provide a boost to the economy through tourism earnings. With New Zealand on showcase to the rest of the world and numbers of 85,000 extra tourists predicted to be in New Zealand for the largest sporting event of the year, there has never been a better time to secure a coastal tourism operation or business for sale in New Zealand. According to the Chamber of Commerce, the Rugby World Cup 2011 offers significant economic benefit, especially to those businesses within the tourism and hospitality industries. Furthermore, the event will highlight New Zealand and confirm it as one of the most desired international tourist destinations.The value of this will be represented with the spin-off effects of creating more desire and demand for tourism, and as a result, the profit generating ability of those businesses who are best able to take opportunity of these increased numbers and popularity. Coastal businesses for sale in New Zealand are steadily increasing in their demand as many astute business persons are realising the revenue opportunities of coastal, tourism and hospitality businesses. Not only do they provide a future income, but they do this in an area that is under high demand by international and domestic tourists. Secure your own piece of paradise and consider viewing coastal businesses for sale today.
How To Find A Business for Sale
Are you looking for a business for sale? If so, then you have probably heard all sorts of outrageous claims on-line. Claims such as: “make money without lifting a finger,” “no investment required,” and “make money while you sleep.” While it is true that some businesses can practically run by themselves, this is only achieved after a lot of time and effort has been put into developing a solid base for the company. Do not be fooled by the snake oil salesman that claim that you can have a successful business without putting any time, effort, and money into it. The good news is, though there are many scams and get rich quick schemes out there, there are also many legitimate businesses for sale. The great thing about having so many companies and individuals that have a business for sale, is that you have many choices and options. On the other side of the coin there is a seemingly insurmountable amount of research to get through in order to make the right decision. I can’t tell you exactly which company is right for you because of the simple fact that everyone is different, and what works for me might not work for you. I can however, give you some good insights into what to look for when looking at a business for sale.One more great thing about having so many different businesses for sale out there is that you no longer have to write a business plan, rent a building, find something to sell, and hope that you can gain a client base before you run out of money. While a brick and mortar business is still an incredibly viable option, it is also not the only option for someone who wants to work for themselves. I am referring, of course, to the realm of multi level marketing, and network marketing. These business plans have not only opened up business ownership to ordinary people, but they have made it possible for a person, with no real business knowledge or experience, to take the reigns of their own business and make their own future.So, the number one thing I run into when talking to perspective clients about a business for sale is that many people have been burned by various other “opportunities” and thus they have a bitter taste in their mouths about jumping into something new. So how can you tell between a scam and the real deal? I have set some common sense steps to analysing a new prospective company.1. Make sure that you have what it takes to run your own business, everyone has fantasies of telling their boss to take a hike, but the reality is that running your own business requires a large amount of time management skill, as well as a will to succeed and a work ethic to back it up.2. Money, every business costs money to get started, even if you are promoting affiliate links, unless you are a marketing prodigy you will more than likely be buying some sort of training material to figure out what you are doing. In my personal opinion, a good target number to look for when looking at a business for sale, is 500 dollars or less to get started.3. Product, if a company sells a product nobody wants to buy then how will you sell it? I know this sounds simple and shouldn’t even be mentioned because it is so basic, but it amazes me how many companies ask you to sell something that would be nearly impossible to move. The best kind of company to get involved with is one that either has a corner on a market, or is more advanced than the competition. Again, I know this sounds like it should be the first thing you think of, but it is easy to get caught up in the sales hype of a well crafted landing page.4. Compensation plan, how does the company reimburse its affiliates or representatives? there are many types of compensation plans, as well as many other people who are more qualified to talk about them, so I won’t go in-depth on this.5. Team, what kind of teamwork is present in the company? A good business for sale will stress to its reps just how important teamwork is, to put it simply, a network marketing company will either live or die by how well it fosters a support system within its team. This means that there should be an efficient way for them to train you, preferably a website that has training calls and videos for you to go through rather than sitting on the phone for hours listening to training.6. Public Opinion, how well is the company doing at maintaining its public relations? What is the first thing people do when they hear about something new that they are curious about? Most people these days Google it, that is why, if you’re trying to sell something to someone and they Google it to find reviews, if all they see is negative then it will be very hard to sell regardless of whether or not the product is incredible. With information so easy to come by on the internet these days a company has to spend a lot of time and effort in order to maintain their image or else they might as well pack up their stuff and close their doors. There are two ways I check this, one is to Google it, the second, is to check the company out at bbb.com. The Better Business Bureau is a great place to find information on a business for sale.7. How does the company operate? Many Network marketing companies today focus mainly on internet sales, they utilize social networking heavily for their sales, while others focus more on person to person sales. It is very important that you decide which one you are more comfortable with and make sure that is what the company you are looking at utilizes. If you are computer illiterate and don’t get along with technology at all then person to person might be best for you. I would strongly recommend that anyone that wants to get into network marketing goes with a company that is fully web integrated, believe it or not, there are a lot of companies that still prohibit or make it very difficult to market on-line. This is very important, if you get into a company and get trained in it only to realize that they only allow you to market in certain ways, it can be very hard to be successful.These are just some pointers to help separate the bad from the good, but at the end of the day it all boils down to you. Are you the kind of person who can take charge, schedule, plan, execute that plan, call leads, and most importantly, close a sale? This is the most important part of the whole process, because at the end of the day, your success relies about 75 percent on you and 25 percent on the company you represent.
Forex Money Manager – Have You Considered This Option?
Forex Money Managers are online managed Forex accounts that offer to manage, trade the markets on behalf of clients in Forex. Forex fund managers are ready to provide their services to you. It goes without saying that this option gives investors a great number of advantages due to the fact that vast majority of managed Forex accounts make more cash when compared with ordinary retail investors.For an average retail Forex trader who is just starting out in Forex trading, it forms a rather difficult activity to master Forex trading. Most novice Forex traders fail within a couple of months. It must be pointed out that most novice Forex traders lose money not only when trading currencies but also when dealing with managed Forex accounts which fail to be reputable. The problem is that finding a really reputable and high performing money manager is rather a challenging exercise but worth the effortsBenefits of a Forex money manager
The significant benefits of choosing to invest through Forex fund managers is that investors don’t need to come to the table with huge investments in order to access this particular managed Forex accounts. The general assumption is that a vast majority of managed Forex accounts require investors to invest at least one million dollars. While this is true, but in most cases managed Forex accounts require only a $5,000 approximately to get started. One of the key benefits of managed Forex accounts is that an investor retains the full control over their investment.A Forex fund manager is one of the most sought after commodity, as more people look to the Forex markets to increase returns on their portfolios. So why hire a Forex money manager to look after your funds? in the first instance, it is the belief that they will make you money. So what would compel investors to choose a Forex money manager and how, in practice, can a Forex money manager help to assist an investor get superior returns? The fact that investors get the ability to access the complex and volatile world Forex trading with a small amount well managed in expert hangs with low deposits of $5,000 gets you in to most managed Forex accounts.Forex money managers offer retail investors a lot of possibilities to invest in the Forex market, where before they just didn’t exist. Finding a reputable and high performing foreign exchange manager can sometimes be hard, but it well worth the search.Why choose a Forex money manager
Having your investment looked after by a Forex money manager offers a variety of possibilities and advantages for the retail investor. Most Forex fund managers do make more money than an ordinary retail investor. Questions as to why so many people are now investing with a Forex money manager or why hire a Forex money manager to look after your funds are best answered below
In the first instance, it is the belief that they will make you money
On average most novice Forex traders tend to lose their investments with the first 3 months
Investors either tend to switch back to investing in stocks, or can look to find a suitable Forex money manager to manage their money in the Forex market.
Finding a decent and high performing foreign currency manager can sometimes be hard, but it well worth the search.So what is so great about these so called managed Forex accounts? Opting to make use of a managed Forex account gives investors the access to quality Forex fund managers who have the requisite experience. On the higher end of the scale, there are fund managers that require investors to put in atleast a minimum of a million dollars, but at the same time a majority of managed Forex accounts seek retail investors to access the potential gains of the currency market with as little as $5,000.So what are the advantages of investing in a managed Forex account, and how, in practice, can a Forex money manager help to assist an investor get superior returns? For starters, investors don’t need to be a millionaire to access a managed Forex account. However, with the majority of managed Forex accounts, retail investors can access the potential high returns of the currency market with as little as $5000.Forex money managers are paid a percentage of the profits they generate. For example, if you make $100 in the Forex market, the manager might keep $20 or $30 of it as a performance fee. Although the performance fees might seem a bit too high, remember that you might not have made any profit in the first place if not for trading with the help of a Forex money manager. And in the same note, if the Forex money manager does not make any money in your account, you typically do not have to pay for the service. This is basically a no win no gain kind of a business model and a choice that novice traders with disposable investments can look to in order to maximize their returns.
Reasons for Making Mobile Marketing Your Priority
In the marketing arena, marketers are always on the lookout for great things that will keep them ahead of their competitors in the market. You do not have to worry anymore because the solution lies in your purse or the pocket. We are living in an era where mobile marketing is bringing forth a tremendous opportunity for marketers to a greater level. Cell phones help the marketer to reach wider audiences in real time and on a personal level, which is a different engagement you cannot find in other communication channels.Significance of Mobile Marketing to BusinessesAccording to the recent most statistics, almost all customers own a mobile device. Seventy percent of the customers have a mobile phone, seventy-five percent own a laptop, and fifty-five percent own a tablet. At least seventy percent of this population uses their mobile devices for accessing the internet and not the laptop. With an increase in the population of smartphone users, the number of devices in the world exceeds the current population.Using the mobile device is the most viable option, and marketers need to make adjustments towards this medium as many users possess these devices. The extensive use of mobile devices among customers is a growing and crucial part of the market. It helps in unlocking the potential held in the massive, captive, expanding, and engaged audience.Nowadays, many companies are taking the full advantage of this option as it is the new thing in the market. In case your brand is not in mobile marketing, you need to make sure that you get a bandwagon as your competitor will leave you behind. Below are some reasons as to why businesses have to give priority to mobile marketing.i. Social media offers a platform for advertsTwitter, Facebook, and other platforms have understood the potential that resides in mobile marketing. They have recognized this potential and have evolved their adverts platforms for you to target mobile customers efficiently. All you need to do is clicking a button to start. This change will take a few minutes if you use social media marketing.ii. Mobile Advertising Reaches New and Broad AudiencesThe number people who are using mobile advertising exclusively are increasing. If your business is not using mobile advertising, then you are not going to reach your target audience and potential customers.iii. Retailers are Getting Mobile Arrangements WronglyThe news around nowadays shows how retailers are struggling to keep their profit margins high as a result of poor returns. Most retailers have taken their employees and shareholders by surprise in recent years because of a massive decrease in sales and net profits. Such companies view mobile marketing and e-commerce as an option when they are planning their budget. However, despite the vast opportunities the channel gives, the retailers struggle in investing in mobile marketing which makes them fall into the rat race of dwindling sales and profits.iv. Mobile Devices are Growing Online GrowthWith improving internet infrastructure and escalating smartphone penetration in the world, mobile devices have become a primary method that consumers use as a gateway to accessing the internet. Recent research shows that internet access by use of smartphones is a daily action for more than 83% of all users in the world.v. Google Advice Retailers to Use Mobile Marketing The main reason that will make you start mobile advertising is the Google Mobilegeddon update which penalizes websites which have not begun to put mobile marketing into consideration. Your site has to be easy to browse and responsive on mobile devices. In simple terms, your site will get a slap from Google by going down in the search engine ranks. These penalties are getting stricter with time, and your company has to take necessary measures before feeling the impact.vi. It is PersonalIt is hard to get brand close to the audiences when you are doing it behind a computer. Using mobile devices is however different. These devices are special accessories which people carry along at all times. They provide a different physical aspect as compared to other media.This form of marketing is personalized because it allows retailers get closer to consumers. You will have a high chance of converting these people into high-paying customers. For now, mobile marketing is in the market to stay, and researchers say that it will be gaining momentum as time goes. Businesses and firms that are waiting will find it hard to get on board making them spend a lot of money.vii. You Have the Chance Of Hitting Them Time and AgainIn case your strategy is targeting desktops, you need to put in mind that there is a possibility that your audience is also using mobile devices. Therefore, it might take a few attempts to reach and resonate with customers. In case you miss the laptop chance, use the smartphone to get him/her and convert the viewer.viii. It is Getting Costlier With TimeFacebook advertising is the best example when looking at what might happen in the event an advertising method has grown in popularity. Costs have continued rising in the recent past for no good reason. However, you might attribute it to the increase in the market competition.The mobile marketing space is similar; you will have to engage it now or later. It is advisable to do it now because tasting costs are quite affordable than wait for the future when you will have to break the bank before gaining any return.ix. Mobile Advertising Opens Up Possibilities and Virtual RealitiesIncluding exciting technologies such as virtual reality will make mobile ads more useful and engaging. The vast options show that it is easy to make a profit from this channel. Therefore, you need to understand that there exists an opportunity for all businesses in all industries.x. Mobile Marketing is Large and Has Taken ChargeRecently mobile advertising had gone back to face to face mode of shopping. When the internet became populous, the mobile has once again hit the market spending a lot by the use of mobile devices. Research says that by 2018, more than 25% of business profits will be coming from mobile devices. Therefore, mobile advertising is a modest way of ensuring you get profit as people are always ready to purchase via their smartphones.
The Five Pillars of Marketing Success
Does the following give a pretty good picture of your current marketing activity?You have a website but you’re not really satisfied with it. You go to networking events once in awhile. If someone asks you to give a talk, you’re happy to do it. You post on Facebook and/or LinkedIn semi-regularly. When you find the time, you send an article to those on your relatively small email list. You occasionally set up meetings with colleagues to explore opportunities.Now there’s nothing wrong with any of those marketing activities. And usually, they will result in landing some new clients.But this is not the approach that works to get a steady, predictable stream of new clients.Please don’t tune me out here, thinking, “Well, I really can’t do more than this. I’m already stretched thin. If you give me too much to do I’ll get overwhelmed.”I agree. It’s not that you need to do more marketing, it’s that you need to shift your marketing paradigm from one of “Randomness” to one that is “Focused.”Random marketing is just that; it’s all over the place. You do a little bit here and a little bit there on an inconsistent basis. You are trying to keep your face, name, and message in front of your prospective clients but the results are unpredictable.The Random marketing paradigm is not very effective because it doesn’t gain a lot of momentum. You don’t do enough of one marketing activity to grab the attention of your prospective clients and move them to take action.The Focused Marketing Paradigm is very different. It’s based on repeatedly communicating very directly to your target market with a very definite end in mind. It gets the attention of your prospective clients and they ultimately take action.The Focused Marketing Paradigm has Five PillarsUnderstand and implement these five pillars and I promise you’ll see a shift in your marketing results.Pillar One: Focused GoalsA Random goal is saying something like, “I’d like to attract a few more clients to my business.” Not very compelling is it?A Focused goal is much more specific. “My goal is to land 3 new clients in the high-tech plastics business in the Houston area with an average project size of $30,000 each by the end of the year.”The more detail, depth, and specificity about the goal, the better. You’ve really thought through what you want to achieve and also have confidence that you could deliver if you did reach your goal. It’s so real to you that you can taste it.What is the Focused Goal for your marketing?Pillar Two: Focused Program or Service Random programs or services are generalized consulting, coaching or training programs. “I offer management consulting and training to corporations.” Kind of vague, right? But this is what I hear all the time.A Focused Program or Service is more tangible. “I offer the high-tech plastics industry Management Acceleration Programs for emerging leaders in the industry.”In my business, I’ve always offered programs: The Marketing Mastery Program, the Marketing Action Group, and the More Clients Club. And each program has very specific parameters, deliverables, and objectives. It sure makes intangible services easier to market and sell.What is the Focused Program or Service you’re offering?Pillar Three: Focused Target MarketIn the above example, the target was the “high-tech plastics industry.” But it’s more common to hear things like, “I work with large companies who want to increase productivity.” This is too general and it makes it hard for clients to know if you understand them and can help them.A Focused target market is where you are absolutely clear what kinds of people or companies can most benefit from your expertise. And then you articulate that clearly.I worked with a financial planning company last year that targeted middle class families in the Buffalo New York area. Guess who they attracted to their practice? When people read about who they worked with on their website, they said, “That’s Us!” and called them.Who exactly is your Focused Target Market?Pillar Four: Focused Message and Value PropositionA Random message or value proposition tends to be too general and can be hard to pin down. It avoids making a promise that is meaningful to the prospective client.Messages such as, “We offer the best service in the industry,” or “Smart insights into great management,” are meaningless to your prospective clients. The value is not immediately obvious.A Focused message or value proposition zeros in on exactly what your clients get and what it means to them. I admit that this can be the marketing pillar that is hardest to pin down. Ultimately you have to test a number of different things.For the re-launch of the More Clients Club, my current value proposition is: “Everything Self-Employed Professionals Need in One Place to Attract More Clients.” And now, of course, I’m bending over backward to deliver on that promise.And a marketing message or value proposition is much more than a sound bite. Your message must permeate every aspect of your marketing, from your website to the emails you send out. Your prospects need to be constantly reminded of the value you offer.What is your Focused Message or Value Proposition?Pillar Five: Focused Marketing StrategyA Random marketing strategy is much like the collection of marketing activities I outlined at the top of the article. You’re just all over the place, throwing something at the wall, hoping it will stick, with no organized system or plan.A Focused marketing strategy is more like a putting on a theatrical production. You have the script, the actors, rehearsals, and opening night, all executed on a strict timeline.Two examples:For my Marketing Mastery Program, I held a series of introductory teleconferences, invited those interested to apply for the program, interviewed each applicant, and then converted 50% into participants. Over a 6-week period, I filled my business for a full year – four years in a row.A career coach in one of my programs recently filled her practice in three months with a focused campaign of personalized emails designed to get appointments with her ideal clients. Then she converted a large percentage into paying clients.That’s the power of a focused marketing strategy.You need to identify the right marketing strategy for your business, but even more important is the way you organize and implement the strategy.Developing a focused strategy is the most complex and challenging of the Five Pillars. You can’t just put together something haphazardly and hope you get the equivalent of a professional Shakespearian production.What is your Focused Marketing Strategy?If you work to build a focused plan with these five solid pillars, your marketing will work better and faster, attracting more of your ideal clients, usually at a higher rate.I recommend you work on one pillar at a time. Write them out and fine-tune them until you feel confident and excited about them. Yes, you will need to do some research and study to make sure your plan is viable. But this is certainly better than spinning your wheels with a random strategy that is going nowhere.Cheers, Robert