Learn what you can do to be successful in your business, even in a recession

Learn What You Can Do to Be Successful in Your Business, Even in a Recession!

News reports contain plenty of bad news about the economy that can make an entrepreneur fear that it is not possible to be successful during a severe recession. Utilizing the right tools and mindset, it is very possible to be successful. Here are some things other profitable companies have done to grow profits during economic downturns.

Turn off the news and think about this: Customers will still spend money in a recession; they just become more selective on where to spend their dollars. They look for what appears to be a better deal, whether it is better pricing, better customer service, a special add-on, easier sales process, and more.

Even during the Great Depression (that began in 1929), consumers were still spending. Companies that survived, and even thrived, got creative and took action. Here are just a few examples from that time period:

* Kellogg and Post were once pretty close competitors until the Great Depression. Kellogg came out swinging, with heavy marketing; Post took the no-growth strategy — thinking they needed to save money and not spend it. Kellogg overtook Post, and Post has never caught up.

A similar situation occurred with Chevrolet and Ford. Chevrolet increased their marketing and had a large market lead over Ford for many years.

* Proctor and Gamble began a huge branding campaign by being the first company to sponsor radio soap operas, which was a significant form of entertainment and relaxation for listeners. Their name became a household word and remains so today.

* Bixler Jewelers, credited as the oldest jeweler in America, saw a drop in customer traffic and decided to open a free lending library in the store. This creative service addition brought more people into their store, and also kept their current customers coming back. In time, sales began to increase. Bixler Jewelers survived the Depression and are in existence today.

* A.E. Schmidt was a billiard table manufacturer when the Depression hit. They diversified and sold janitorial supplies to restaurants. They also sought new markets for their billiard tables, approaching the US government about the need to provide inexpensive and positive activities for those in government work camps during the long, boring evenings when they weren’t working ? and billiards became one of the top activities at those camps.

* Cornell Iron Works was a specialty ironworks provider. In the Depression, they broadened their market so that they not only made specialty railings, grates and stairways; they also made plain metal siding for delivery trucks and security doors.

Some entrepreneurs saw opportunities that others didn?t see during the Depression, and took them.

* Warren Buffet?s father, Howard, noticed that many brokerages had closed or were not taking new customers, yet there were still some people who wanted to invest in stocks, so he opened a brokerage.

* Walt Disney knew people still wanted entertainment, and provided it at a low cost through animated cartoons.

* Ever hear of Monopoly? The rise of this game occurred as another form of cheap entertainment. A small investment for the Monopoly game became a way to see hope in the future, and as players developed their money making skills, they could pretend they were real estate barons.

There have been severe recessions since the Great Depression ended, and during each one, new and existing businesses were built to great levels of success.

Two companies that began business in a recession are Domino’s Pizza and Toys R Us. They thrived by using new marketing models. Domino’s Pizza created a marketing campaign that no other pizza company had: if they didn’t deliver the pizza within 30 minutes, the customer did not have to pay for it. Toys R Us transferred the warehouse store concept to selling toys — a first for that niche.

A very short list of some other companies that started business during economic downturns include: Wrigley Gum, UPS, NewEgg, Super 8 Motel, Microsoft, Symantec, Nantucket Juice, Zippo Lighters and Hewlett Packard. These companies are giants, and are well-known by multitudes!

What are the main keys to success in these examples?

1. GET CREATIVE with marketing, business models, product diversification and positioning, and,

2. SEEK the opportunities that others do not see, and,

3. TAKE ACTION, because of, and in spite of, the economic news.

Don’t get caught up in the fear that is being propagated on the news channels. Instead, focus on what you can do to create you success, regardless of the current economy.

Joint venture potential

Joint Venture Potential

Sometimes, we need to look at the full potential of a Joint Venture in order to get really excited about it. As an example, I recently talked on the telephone with a gentleman in southern California about the potential amount of people in the world that could benefit from leaning how to broker Joint Ventures and achieve financial freedom. He got very excited.

First we looked at WHO could benefit. We agreed that age, background, education, geographic location and financial situation were not a factor. As long as a person was motivated, reasonably intelligent and had the ability to communicate, as well as learn the basic principles of Joint Ventures, they could make real money, soon, with no cost or risk.

Then we looked at WHY someone would want to use Joint Ventures. Anyone who needs money, from employees who want to supplement their income to scholars, school leavers, entrepreneurs and business owners (not necessarily the same thing) who want top boost sales and profits, seniors, college graduates, immigrants… ANYONE who needs more money without an investment or risk and who didn’t want to wait a long time to get the money!

Also, when we know that, statistically, 87% of new businesses will fail, many people are afraid of risking their savings, time and reputation in some “Business Opportunity”. Joint Ventures is a great alternative. In fact, in my opinion, it is the only alternative.

We also looked at the other reasons why Joint Ventures would appeal to people. By earning more money and creating a regular flow of passive income, they could regain their dignity and self respect, security and control, privacy and quality of life. They could look after their family, enjoy holidays and educate their children and themselves. Visit a few seniors homes and talk with anyone who has financial problems and I know you’ll agree with me.

All of a sudden, this fellow in California got very excited at this massive potential. He asked me a simple question: “If I can get you onto radio stations and in front of people, will you pay me commissions on all resulting business?” Of course I will! Then he asked, “Can you create products to fit different situations and industries?” Naturally, I can.

When we see huge potential and we have a viable, proven tool to take advantage of that potential, we get excited, then we take action, then we get rich. Because Zig Ziglar said, “You can get anything you want out of life, if you’re prepared to help enough other people to get what they want.”

Find out more about Joint Ventures and how to find great Joint Ventures Partners visit www.jvwisdom.com.

How to hire a pr firm

How to Hire a PR Firm

As a professional PR, I’ve never liked the way movies portray public relations people. Usually, they’re characterized by Hollywood as slick talking flim-flam artists who promise the universe and deliver next to nothing.

And there’s a reason why Hollywood zeroes in on that rendering of PR pros — because our profession does have its share of people who are just like that. I wish it weren’t true, because the vast majority of PR professionals have integrity and work hard to earn their clients’ trust. But the bad apples do exist, and every time I hear real life stories about those kinds of PR people, it infuriates me.

I received a call the other day from a potential client who described to me her campaign that was executed by a retainer-based PR firm (and they charged a bundle) that was so shoddy and mismanaged, it cast a dark shadow over the entire profession in her mind. And, just in the past month, I had similar conversations with two other companies who also had bad experiences with PR agencies.

The sad thing is these bad experiences could have been prevented or foreseen if only the client knew what questions to ask during the hiring process. As I care very much about my profession and the people we serve, let me share some insight about what questions you should ask your PR agency BEFORE you sign on the dotted line. If you get satisfactory answers to these questions, you’ll be well along the road to a successful campaign. «Do you have experience in my industry?» — All PR agencies are not alike, and agencies that tell you they can handle anything aren’t necessarily telling the whole truth. An agency doesn’t need to be a specialist in your particular industry, but it’s important to know something of your industry in order to understand your business. It’s essential for being able to understand the underlying news angles prevalent in your industry and in the news, and for being able to write strong pitches that represent you well to the media. You don’t want to pay for your agency’s learning curve, so make sure they have experience in your industry.

«What mediums do you specialize in? Print? Radio? TV? All of the above?» — More than 95 percent of all PR firms tend to specialize in print media. But, if your company’s message also plays well on radio or television, make sure the agency can deliver that as well. And the issues go deeper than just the type of media, but also the size of the outlets. If you want to be interviewed on talk radio shows, does the agency have contacts with high powered stations in top 100 markets, or will all your bookings be at LP (low power) stations in sparsely populated areas with few listeners. Ask what media they specialize in, and also ask for samples of past campaigns. If they can’t show them to you, chances are you won’t get the coverage you are paying for.

«Are you a pay for performance or retainer-based agency?» — This is an important question, because retainer-based agencies work on a «best-efforts» basis, meaning you are paying for their time and skill. Your risk is that you pay their monthly fee with no guarantee you’ll get the coverage and results you were hoping for. With pay for performance agencies, you’re guaranteed the media you pay for and in some cases you’re billed as you receive coverage, mitigating your risk as the client. A pay for performance agency doesn’t make money unless you get coverage so it’s a win-win situation.

«Can you provide samples of current client campaigns?» — This «look-see» will provide you the documentation to support the agency’s promise that they are actually capable of delivering against their promises. Compare your needs to their current clients, so you can assure yourselves there is a fit. Remember that good client case studies aren’t a guarantee you’ll get the same results. However, chances are that if the agency achieved success for other clients, the odds are decent that they’ll achieve comparable success for you.

«Are you a local, regional or national agency?» — Local agencies may feature lower costs, but their media contacts are limited to their own city. This is fine if all you need is local coverage. But if your company does business nationwide, you want to hire an agency who is speaking to national media every day. An agency with national media contacts is far more preferable than an agency with a media database service that they use to «dial for dollars.» With that in mind, don’t choose an agency just because they’re located in your city and you get «face-to-face» time. What matters more is whether they meet your criteria for getting the job done.

«Who will be managing my campaign?» — With many agencies, the role of senior management is to bring in new clients, not actually execute the work. So, before you choose an agency ask about the level of experience of the person or people who will be working on your campaign. In some agencies, Account Managers are rookies fresh from college or interns playing a key role in the execution of campaigns. As an insider, I highly recommend that you ask questions about the qualifications of the team who will be handling your account.

In addition to asking these questions, make sure to choose a firm that understands your topic, has enthusiasm for your message and can communicate about it intelligently. In the end, you want a firm that you feel comfortable and confident with so you can establish a long-term working relationship.

How to install an auxiliary audio input in your car

How To Install An Auxiliary Audio Input In Your Car

Music systems in cars have become common now-a-days. People on travel prefer listening to music during their drive. This has become the reason for the growing demand of good, quality audio systems. Audio inputs are used to connect the stereo to the players. These devices detect and accept the signals from cd and mp3 players, sound cards etc. The following article will give a detailed description of how to install an auxiliary audio input.

The installation process is a simple one. This process will make use of a panel tool and an input adapter. The following paragraphs will give you the steps involved in the process.

The first step requires the removal of the radio. The radio is fixed to the dashboard with the help of screws. The dashboard is covered with the trim panels that is easily peered off. A panel tool may be used in this process. Once this trim panel is peered off, you will find the screws behind them. It is then removed. The procedure may be done by following the instructions given in the manual. If the manual does not contain any information regarding this, one may get ready made instructions in the market.

The changer cable is then disconnected. It will be connected to the back side of the radio. This cable is easily identifiable. The input of the cable is inserted into the dashboard through an opening. The glove box is used to insert the cable easily

The converter box of the input adapter is then fixed in the space where the radio is placed. This holds a quite large space so that it can accommodate the radio also. Now this adapter is connected to the radio

Ideas for products of the future

Ideas for Products of the Future

Here are some new product ideas for things yet to be invented, or innovations yet to be tried. Why don’t you be the inventor or innovator? Help yourself. There are no patents on the following ideas as far as I know — but do your patent research, of course.

1. A pavlovian dog calling device. The scientist Ivan Pavlov trained dogs to salivate when a bell rang — simply by ringing a bell whenever they ate. Imagine a small beeper on your dog’s collar. Each time you feed him you first start the beeper with a radio-control device. Soon all you have to do to get him to come running for the kitchen is push that button and make the device beep.

A range of up to a mile would be nice for calling the dog home. The technology for this is already here, waiting to be put together, but would people buy it? I think so. It’s interesting, useful, and new product ideas for pets are always in high demand lately.

2. The Innovation Game. This is a competitive innovation teaching-game, to help develop the players creative skills. Cards challenge players to invent something (on paper) based on certain criteria. For example, a card might require players to combine two concepts in the most innovative way. All the various problem solving techniques would be exercised using these cards.

One problem to overcome in developing this game is the competitive aspect. How would results be judged to determine a winner? Perhaps the game would have to have a volunteer sit out during each round, to function as a «judge» and award the points.

3. Better pedal boats. The pedal boats you see at many parks are designed so that two people can pedal them around a pond or lake. However, if you have ever tried one, you realize that they are less fun than they appear. This is mostly because they are slow.

A better pedal boat would be in the shape of a torpedo. The point is to create something that glides through the water more easily. Even if it is to hold more than one person, the users could be in a line, instead of next to each other, for better streamlining. Make one that can actually hydroplane and everyone at the beach will want to try it out.

4. Underwater treasure hunting camera. With all the new interest in metal detectors and treasure hunting, this is a natural. Years ago there was a treasure hunter who regularly found guns, money and more in murky rivers, using a tube with a plexiglass glued over one end, and a light strapped to the outside. He held the device near the bottom of the river and was able to see what was there.

What could be better than this? A small camera, especially now that the technology has developed smaller components. It could be lowered to great depths from any boat or dock. A motorized «claw» at the bottom might make it especially useful and interesting to those of us who like «toys.»

5. Glue-on soles. (Some of you who don’t hike might not relate to this one.) Blisters are caused by the friction of your feet sliding and rubbing on the inside of your shoes. A good non-heat-conducting sole, glued to your foot, could slide in that shoe all day while your feet were prevented from getting blisters, since the bottom of the foot itself wouldn’t rub against anything. That is the essence of «New Soles,» the newest in foot protection.

Before writing this new product idea off as too weird, remember that we glue fake teeth into our mouths. A similar glue might do the trick, and these glue-on soles would be for very specific markets — like long distance hikers and runners. Of course, there will have to be a simple way to remove them too.