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001.26.11 Continually Trying But Still Falling Short Of Your Business Goals?

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Continually Trying But Still Falling Short Of Your Business Goals?

Are you continually trying in the hope of earning the level of income you want from your Internet business activities? Is discouragement starting to creep into your thinking? Most people keep on trying in the hope of one day succeeding. However, you wont succeed unless you address these two key factors.

The first factor is “keep on trying”. Some people do the same thing over and over again and never learn from the experience. Its like continually running into a brick wall in the hope of eventually breaking through. Alternatively, they constantly join new affiliate programs or network marketing companies in the belief that this is the magic one to bring them riches. However, they never devote enough effort or attention to any one program to succeed in it.

The second factor is “hope”. For some people, they almost have a blind faith that they will succeed. Yet, they dont understand what is involved in being successful. Its almost as if they expect that one day circumstances will change and orders will flow in great abundance along with the profits.

For me, the key to “trying until I succeed” is based on testing and tracking. It is like a circular process whereby an idea is implemented, the results are tracked and then evaluated, the idea is refined or modified based on what has been learnt, and the process starts all over again.

If you arent earning what you want from your business, you have nothing to lose by applying this concept. First, look at what you are doing to promote your business. Are you using the same advertising you have always used? Do you know if it is working? Test a new headline and track the results. Test a new offer and see what happens to your sales.

Only test one thing at a time so that you know what is causing any changes in your results. Once you have a good performing ad, use it as your benchmark against which all future tests are measured.

The same concept can be applied to all your processes and procedures within your business. Make some changes and test whether they enable you to perform more efficiently and have more time to do the really important activities that generate revenue.

Now lets look at the second factor, “hope”. I once read that genius is 1 percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration. The same can be said of success. The 1 percent is in setting the goal and the 99 percent is working hard to achieve it. Success doesnt just happen, it is created by sustained effort and continual learning.

Hope certainly helps to sustain the effort required to succeed, but hope without effort is wasted. Success is based on many small wins that eventually lead to the big win. This understanding of what success really is helps the achievers do what needs to be done.

It is applied to business through goal setting and planning. You set your goal and then determine what you need to do to achieve it. Most successful businesses utilize budgets and business plans as a formalized process of mapping out what is required to achieve the targets they have set.

They then measure their results against these plans so that they know how well they are doing. This enables them to fine tune their plans to take into account new things they have learnt about their market-place and business. It also enables them to take corrective action before it is too late.

To have the success you want in your business, plan how you are going to achieve it. Test the ideas you have and track the results. Use the knowledge gained to improve all aspects of your business. Be opening to learning opportunities so that you can adapt and modify your approach as circumstances change.



001.19.11 Consumers Get in Touch With New Technology

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No matter who you are or where you are, you are likely feeling the growth of touchscreen technology. Today, frequent fliers often enter flight information using self-serve kiosks and soar through airport check-in, skipping the otherwise long lines. Busy moms may use car touchscreen systems to find directions, control air temperature and more. And businesspeople who require communication access at all times invest in advanced communication devices to stay in touch.

Whether it’s used by people stopping by the ATM to get some quick cash or casting a vote, touchscreen technology is taking off, converting everyday tasks into fast and convenient experiences.

The technology appeals to all ages and in a variety of industries. Retail outlet store merchandisers are using touchscreen as a new marketing strategy to engage consumers while delivering product information at the touch of a finger.

FAO Schwarz, for example, has installed 17-inch Planar touchscreens as part of a consumer design center for the Hot Wheels Custom Car Factory in its New York store. Using the Planar touchscreen kiosk, shoppers can customize their own Hot Wheels car with special colors, designs, wheels and rims.

Other toy manufacturers are taking advantage of touch technology to provide entertaining and educational toys for children who are too young to have developed the motor skills required for a regular computer.

The restaurant industry also is seeing the benefits of touch-integrated point-of-sale systems to improve order-processing time. Easy-to-use touchscreen devices enable servers to enter food orders faster and more accurately, enhancing the overall dining experience.

Tableside units in restaurants provide customers with a variety of entertainment and information options, such as playing video games or surfing the Web.

Other industries embracing touchscreen technology include automotive (car rental information portals, GPS systems), industrial (ATMs, gas station service pumps) and health care (outpatient information kiosks).

Receptive consumers and falling prices have enabled touch technology to spread its reach across a wide range of markets. As a result, it is making strong inroads as a primary way for consumers to get more “in touch” with products, services and information. – NU



001.12.11 Consultative Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)

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Outsourcing = Global Momentum

The global business landscape has changed dramatically in the last couple of years thanks to growth of outsourcing. Outsourcing has gained strength as a management strategy for sustaining global growth as well competitive advantage to overcome the challenges of ever growing business complexities. So whether its a Fortune 100 transnationals or even a small enterprise, everyone is looking at outsourcing as a key growth engine thanks to the increased levels of process specialization and sophistication. Domain specialization and not just economies of scale are key to the success of any outsourcing relationship. Outsourcing has been recognized to save companies and not just costs.

Evolving Outsourcing Relationships

Organisations now regard outsourcing as a key initiative for overall growth and not just as mere cost saving exercise. Hence organizations are increasingly seeking best-in-class outsourcing specialists and not just large best of breed outsourcing service providers. This is especially true in the IT & engineering verticals as organizations even outsource new product development tasks to specialized offshore vendors. Research intensive, customer focused outsourcing relationships now have to include the following to remain competitive:

Innovation Update. Quarterly, bi-annual, or annual innovation reviews (also known as innovation boards) focus typically on state of the market, industry trends and relevant information, technology updates, solution demonstrations, site visits, etc. Leverage other industry peer groups to understand what is happening in your industry, the outsourcing industry, and other sectors.

Benchmarking. Clients should always activate their benchmarking clauses and focus on best practice as comparators of innovationnot just cost comparisons. Benchmark both functional excellence and outsourced environments.

Stakeholder Satisfaction Surveys. Perform monthly, quarterly, and annual customer satisfaction surveys. They should be 360 degreescovering multiple dimensions and all internal and external stakeholders.

Deliver on Partnering Promise. Hold regular collaborative planning sessions. Where people are briefed on the strategic and business objectives. Service providers need to come up with implantable strategies on how best they can meet their clients business challenges. This makes the outsourcing vendors to think and act above simple tactical delivery.

Value sharing framework. A transparent value-from-outsourcing sharing mechanism on a case-by-case basis should be harnessed to pay for business services delivered. Inclusion of regular mutual rewards for both your organization and that of the service provider boosts people motivation at all levels.

Service Excellence. All SLAs must be tied to process excellence or customer delight will not happen. Project milestones, go-live events, and pilots are tangible means of tracking process maturity & excellence. Other measures include customer satisfaction, productivity, Six Sigma (defects), work elimination, etc.

Outsourcing Management. The internal governance team should have a transformation or innovation owner, sufficient staff & budget to help drive innovation and must hold the provider accountable for innovation. Reassure and demonstrate to the provider that the relationship is long-term; otherwise they will be inclined to disinvest in innovation and the relationship. Your organization must retain process management expertise at a level at which you can clearly articulate future state requirements, evaluate proposals brought forward by the service provider, and work with your organization to get the business case for change.

Executive Visibility Support. Senior executives from the service provider side must have high visibility and access. This includes steering committees, reciprocal headquarter visits, joint speaking engagements, regularly scheduled calls, quarterly and annual briefings.

BehaviourCommunicationCulture. Be prepared to invest in and encourage business process transformations that are aligned to business goals – rather early in any outsourcing relationship. Transformation requires a partnership mindset, not a transactional orientation. Innovation is often not brought to bear because clients do not ask for it, define what they mean by it, and motivate the provider to deliver it, or put restrictions around it. Clients rarely help the provider to understand what is important to them.

Consultative BPO

Outsourcing has now scaled the maturity milestone globally and hence is increasingly consultative in nature rather than being mere business vendors. Outsourcing relationships now proactively meet business challenges as specialist BPO vendors invest to stay ahead of the learning curve.

Outsourcing is often regarded as a change catalyst and hence clients are increasing using outsourcing initiatives in their growth strategies employee career planning initiatives. Joint client-service provider partnering is key to this new consultative approach where both invest in transformations and not just fund reactive process management.



001.05.11 Consultants Help Fine Tune Your Business Performance

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A consultant is a professional who provides expert advice in a particular area of expertise such as IT, management, marketing, or finance etc. Consultants identify companies’ marketing or business needs, and they help companies improve their performance and profitability by analyzing existing business problems and developing future strategies. They help determine the most effective marketing and business solutions to your business, as well as the best ways to execute these solutions for the betterment of your business. Consultants generally use formal methodologies to analyze problems or to suggest better ways of completing business tasks. Consultants help execute your business plan and strategies, allowing you to focus on other important business issues and business meetings.

Management and business consulting grew rapidly in the 1980s and 1990s with industry growth rates of 20%. Consulting is highly cyclical and is sensitive to general economic conditions. The consulting industry declined between 2001 to 2003, but has been experiencing some growth since.

Nowadays there are three major types of consulting firms. One type is the larger consulting firm that offers a wide variety of consulting services, ranging from IT consulting to management consulting. Another type is the established management and strategic consulting firms that focus mainly on management consulting that covers any specific industry. Yet another type is the smaller boutique consulting firms with consulting focus and expertise on specific industries or technologies.

The more established consulting firms today include Arthur D. Little, a general management consulting firm; Booz Allen Hamilton was the first consulting firm to serve clients in both the government and the industry; McKinsey & Company, was one of the first pure management consulting firm and currently leads the field. It was also one of the first consulting firms to hire graduates of top MBA schools rather than hiring experienced industry personnel. Boston Consulting Group brought an analytical approach to the study of strategy and management. Bain & Company introduced its focus on shareholder wealth. Traditional accounting companies such as Arthur Andersen and global IT services firms such as IBM also set up consulting departments.

Businesses or companies can engage a business or management consulting firm or an individual business consultant who will draw up suitable business plans and strategies and implement them. Consultants are generally well paid with some business consultants charging 150 per hour, and sometimes even as high as 2,000 per day for their services.



012.29.10 Consultancies return to MBA hiring

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Consulting remains a popular career choice for MBA students and there is no shortage of work for them as demand for business school graduates continues to grow.

These days a top MBA is almost a prerequisite in order to reach senior or even mid-management levels at many of the major consulting firms. The leading strategy consultancies in particular have redoubled their recruiting efforts: McKinsey hired over five hundred MBAs in 2005 and this figure was set to rise in 2006; Booz Allen Hamilton, BCG, Bain and IBM Consulting all hired over one hundred MBAs in 2005 and were expecting increases again in 2006. By comparison, the larger banks have been hiring as few as two hundred MBAs a year and the numbers relating to the technology and industry sectors are significantly lower again.

According to the 2005 TopMBA.com Recruitment and Salary Survey, demand for MBAs in the consultancy sector rose by a colossal 35% in just twelve months (June 2004-5), and its a trend that looks set to continue. The dip in economy and the consulting market at the start of the decade meant that many consultants used the time to study for an MBA; now that the market is on the rise again, consultancies are looking to these MBA graduates with prior consulting experience to meet their needs.

More MBAs hired from non-consulting backgrounds.

There are also an increasing number of MBA graduates who are being hired from a non-consulting background. Cambridge Universitys Judge Business School, for example, reports that in 2005 only 13% of those entering a consulting career post-MBA had previous experience in the field. Similarly, at INSEAD Business School in France the number of graduates being hired into consulting from different backgrounds, such as industry, rose from 36% to 47% in one year (2003-4). What is behind the change? Consultancies are recognising the diversity and wealth of experience and expertise that candidates from a non-consulting background can bring, particularly as the average age and work history of MBA students rises. There is an increasing need for consultants with specialist skills and knowledge and these attributes can often be acquired outside the consulting profession.

Strong UK market attracts more MBAs than anywhere else in Europe.

Demand for MBA graduates is particularly strong in the UK. The healthy economy and policy to attract highly skilled migrants make it the most popular destination for European MBA graduates. Overall the UK drew 23% of INSEAD students in 2005 and of those choosing to remain within western Europe, it attracted an enormous 37% (the next most popular destination being France with 18% and Germany with 8%).

Consulting remains a highly lucrative option for MBA graduates. According to the 2005 annual report from the London Business School, earnings for consulting jobs outweighed those in both finance and industry, averaging at 65,000 per annum before bonuses. This compares with an average figure of 58,000 for those who found jobs in the finance sector and 55,000 for those in industry. Employees also received an average annual bonus of 25,000 and a sign-on bonus in the region of 10,500. Companies are also attempting to lure in the brightest graduates by offering a range of perks, from company cars to all-expenses-paid days out.

Lifestlye and choice are stronger motivations than salary.

Interestingly, though, the reason that are given by the majority of MBA graduates for making consulting their preferred career choice is not high salaries. According to the students, the real motivation for making the move into consulting is the career and lifestyle options it can bring the opportunity to find a stimulating and varied role with the chance to progress in different directions.



012.22.10 Conducting A Market Analysis On Your Business

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The term “market analysis” is often confusing to entrepreneurs, especially for people who focus on a specific niche or market segment.

In fact, many small business owners don’t understand the process or complain that conducting a market analysis is too complicated or too expensive and wonder why or if it is necessary.

What is market analysis?

In the most basic terms, a market analysis is an assessment of:

- A particular problem or opportunity in a market.
- The needs of the target market relating to the problem or opportunity.
- Ideas for marketing a particular product or service that fills the needs of the target market.

When should you conduct a market analysis?

- When you are starting a business.
- When you are entering a new market.
- When you are considering a new product or service.

Why should you conduct a market analysis?

- To minimize business risks.
- To understand the problems and opportunities.
- To identify sales opportunities.
- To plan your marketingsales approach.

The process of conducting a market analysis can be divided into
three parts:

Part 1 – Understanding Market Conditions

This gives you basic information about your entire market — the size, the competition, the customers.

Part 2 – Identifying Market Opportunities

This gives you more targeted information about potential problems or opportunities in the potential market, and includes information about growth, current and future trends, outside factors and more information about specific competitors.

Part 3 – Developing Market-Driven Strategies

Here is where we get into what market research does for you. It helps you to pinpoint opportunities to grow your business. By understanding the market and knowing what opportunities are available you can create a marketing strategy that leaves your competitors in the dust!

Here are 10 questions that can help you get started:

1. What is the market I want to reach?

- Who are they? (Basic Demographics)
- What is their biggest problem in relation to this market?
- Are their needs being met by the products or services provided in this market?

2. Who is my competition in this market?

- Are they successful in this market?
- Are they marketing a similar product or service?
- What is the market share of the three biggest competitors in this market?

3. Is there room for growth in this market?

4. What is the size of this market?

- Is there room for growth?
- Is the industry growing? Stable? Saturated? Volatile? Declining?

5. How is my product or service different from the competition?

6. How can I reach this market?

- How is my competition currently reaching this market?
- Is it the most effective way?
- What are the alternative ways of reaching this market?

7. What are the business models of my competition in this market?

- Are they effective?
- Is there a way to do it differently or better?

8. What do customers expect from this type of product or service?

- What are the core competencies of this product or service?
- What would make the product “new” “different” or “better” for the customer?

9. How much are customers willing to pay for this product or service?

10. What is our competitive advantage in this market?

Knowing the answers to these questions will not only help you figure out if there is a need for your product or service, it will help you figure out the best ways to reach your customers, price your products or service and ultimately make more sales!



012.15.10 Computers and electronics while traveling overseas

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COMPUTING ON THE MOVE

Well i’m off on my holidays,this time abroad,the good ole USA,but i still need to be “on-line” on a daily basis for my personal & business needs, so i have brought some lightweight products ,that don’t take much room and are easily transportable

1, THE COMPUTER

Well the first thing is the computer ,shall i take my old compaq armarda M700 ,which has been usefull in the past or shall i invest in a new one , here we go scouting around the shops or should i say online ,there’s so many choices from, this notebook to that notebook with this spec’ to that spec’geez my holiday will be over before i choose one at this rate .In the finish i have made my choice on size ,purely for travelings sake ,i went for for a Packard Bell XS200-06,seems a pretty good choice to me, it has a built in web cam ,microphone ,ofcourse speakers,bluetooth ,wifi , hey its the business,as long as you have keen eye sight, as the screens a bit small, its ideal for me.only weighs a couple of kilo’s, so i thinK i have made a good choice.

2, MUSIC

Now i’m not into music in a big way just a few songs,so i won’t be taking too much in that regards ,cut out the cd’s, so i have brought myself a mp3dab radio .my other portable radio packed up so this one will do two jobs.As i’m driving over 2000 miles i need some entertianment to keep me entertained,and my experiences in the past of radio stations in america have not been good i can record off the net my favourite english station and download onto my new Alba mp3 player,and thro’ a simple device can get it playing thro’ the car stereo system..im ready to go now .

3, ATTACHMENTS & ACCESSORIES

So what do i need in this area,i prefer a handheld mouse rather than the inbuilt touch pad ,i’ll be taking my phone so i need my charger,head set perhaps ,external mic so i can keep in touch with “back home” at a discount rate,carry case, Now buying these bits indiviually might cost a few pounds , but wait i have found something cool, the local supermarket is selling computers & accessories this week, lets see what they’ve got…I’m in luck an accessory pack for 14.99 WOW,what a deal. Now i ain’t heard that much about Tevion products but anything else i have brought from there seem good quality, and for that small amount i’m prepared to take a chance ,so what do we have?

1, USB KEYPAD…………….not much use ,but i can make the space usefull for something else
2, USB HUB 4-WAY………….great as the laptop has only 2 usb sockets this might come in handy
3, USB CABLE……………..okay if i need a bit of extension i guess
4. EARPIECE with MIC………great,small compact and will definatly come in handy
5, NETWORK CABLE …………okay this might be usefull at some of the motels i stay at
6, USB MINI OPTICAL MOUSE….fantastic will be extreemly usefull
7, MINI USB ADAPTOR……….saves me taking the mp3 cable ..great
8, USB PIN ADAPTOR………..may be useful at some point
9, USB LIGHT……………..i’ve found these out to be useless in the past ,but you never know

and all wrapped up in a smart 6″ x 2″ zip up case what a GREAT deal

So there we are i’m ready to go i got my electronics, my ticket the faithfull credit card next stop AMERICA
LAPTOP COMPUTERS

www.discount-notebooks.net



012.08.10 Computer Monitor Accessories Top My Holiday Gift List

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Although the PC has revolutionized the way we work, live, shop, and play, the promise of a “paperless office” has never materialized. Indeed, having been in the workforce for close to thirty years, it seems as though I had just as much clutter – if not more – in my office as I did before the widespread adoption of the personal computer.

The truth is that papers, sticky notes, business cards, copy clips, and office accessories were strewn around on my desk, and even a desktop organizer or card holder didn’t seem to help. Each work day, I found myself searching for a phone number I need, a business card I misplaced, or – worst of all – sticky notes that somehow fell off of my computer monitor and were lost in the detritus, resulting in my forgetting to attend a meeting or missing a deadline.

What I really needed – and ultimately found – were computer accessories that actually helped me get and stay organized. I was overjoyed when I discovered a frame that fit around my PC monitor, and that held all the sticky notes, pictures, and business cards that I wanted or needed close at hand. Better than a desktop organizer, card holder, or any other number of home office accessories, this PC frame allowed me to streamline my workspace and get rid of much of the clutter.

I use the frame around my monitor to slip in a variety of important information. Along one side, I’m able to slide in those annoying sticky notes that would always fall off when I tried to stick them to the my monitor frame or that left residue when I used tape to attach them. I use the sticky notes to remind me of meetings, deadlines, and other “to do’s” – and I never have to worry about them falling off. Plus, once I complete a task, it’s easy to just slide one out and toss it away.

Along the top of my computer monitor, I use the frame to slip in photos of family members and friends, as well as a wallet-sized calendar. I can see the month at a glance, and every time I look up, the smiling face of my daughter looks back down at me. I love it!

I use the right side of my PC frame for a variety of items, like a list of phone numbers I frequently call, an index card that lists the steps I need to take in order to complete a repetitive task I perform at my job, and business cards from people I recently met and with whom I have to follow up. Again, it’s easy to slip the papers in and out of the frame, making it a dynamic tool to help me stay organized.

Because so many of my colleagues have asked about my monitor frame, I’ve decided to give everyone in my office computer monitor accessories for the holidays. Several of my family members and friends have home businesses, so I’m planning to give computer gifts to them as well. Life is just so much less stressful when the clutter around your computer vanishes and you have everything you need to get the job done within plain sight.



012.01.10 Competition – How good?

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This is the era of technology. Everyday a new discovery, a new invention is being made. The world is moving ahead in leaps and bounds. People are striving for success and satisfaction in life in the face of fierce competition. Competition is ubiquitous- in every walk, every aspect of life right from childhood to old age. No one escapes competition.

It’s very essential to know the effects- both positive and negative- of competition on society. Competition is the very force that drives individuals to aim for goals, aim higher. In school, students compete against each other for higher grades. Athletes compete for more wins, more records. Companies vie against each other for better sales, bigger markets. Just because there is competition, a person is forced to work harder, better and efficiently to overcome it, to defeat it.

Healthy competition is very important for the overall development of individuals, communities and nations on a broader perspective. Take the Indian car industry for instance. It remained stagnant till the late 80’s with only 2 companies offering the same cars for 3 decades. Once the economic reforms came, many companies came into fray and competition increased. In the face of competition, new models, new features, better performing cars are being produced constantly. All this ultimately benefits the customer who gets a wider range to make a choice from.

The same example can be applied in every other industry. Competition can only give a thrust to progress. No one can afford to be complacent and sit with fingers crossed. It will only leave one behind in the race. Competition expects and promotes fresh thinking, new ideas, better and more hard work. It makes one sit up and take notice of the world around. As someone aptly said,’there is no business without competition.’

Competition in a positive and healthy way is the road to progress. But the moment it is used in a negative way, it can prove harmful. We see the use of performance enhancing drugs in sports- athletes being banned and so on. Companies indulge in malpractices like accounts tampering, publishing false reports to up their stocks.

A most apt example to conclude the discussion- This is a story from the heights of competition for supremacy in space between Americans and the Soviets. US astronauts faced difficulty to write with ball point or any other pens in space. NASA spent 12 million pounds and a few years developing a pen which could write anywhere on any surface without any problems. When relations became friendlier, soviet cosmonauts were asked what they used. The answer-a pencil.

Competition is ultimately more beneficial than detrimental to society, only if indulged in a healthy way. Unhealthy competition will only lead to destruction of faith, goodwill in society.

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