First Step Marketing

Here is a quick list of pointers to help you create a top-notch performance-measurement feedback system.

Begin with your service strategy

If it’s well designed, you will find a number of measurable premises in it. A company with a ‘zero-defect forty-eight hour turnaround on all orders’ has a strategy that is eminently measurable. Read the rest of this entry »

Never leave home

…without your business cards! They are an indispensable marketing tool. Make them really stylish. They’re very often the first impression people will get of you, and you never get a second chance to make a good first impression. Full colour cards are not that expensive to print anymore. Shop around for a good price. Keep a supply of business cards with you all the time and hand them out often. Include a photograph or sketch of your work if you can. Read the rest of this entry »

Get out there!

There are many gardening experts, but for more than two decades, one has stood out head and shoulders above the rest — Keith Kirsten. He has become a household name, both as a gardening authority and a much sought after celebrity. What is it that made him different? There were horticulturists as good and possibly even better than he was — but he’s the one who became Mr. Gardening. Read the rest of this entry »

Advice from an Agent

“You must be reliable. The agent and shop owner are working on trust. Don’t let them down. So you must be geared up for producing quantities. Read the rest of this entry »

An agent will take your articles and find retail outlets for you, charging you a negotiated commission on orders taken and goods sold. This is a good option if your product is easily manufactured and plentiful, and you prefer making to selling. Read the rest of this entry »

• Ask your mother or best friend what they believe is your best quality.

Convert what you love doing into a profession.

• Ask yourself what job you would most like to do if you were a member of the crew on a luxury liner for 90 days.
• Your qualities tell you a lot about yourself.
• The biggest clue is to think about what you truly love doing. Read the rest of this entry »
  

In the beginning…

The only factors standing between you and starting your business are fear and excuses. I feel very strongly about this. We can only succeed if we are able to successfully rid ourselves of our fear and the action that it holds back. Once that’s done, you will already feel lighter - and be prepared to take the risks that success requires. Read the rest of this entry »

Some of the small-business ideas which follow, are familiar businesses which can be differentiated in innovative ways. Others are new ideas which have not been subject to thorough investigation. The intention of this listing is not to provide ready-made business ideas, but to set you thinking; ideas breed new ideas. Read the rest of this entry »

Creative thought does not end once a good business opportunity has been identified. For as long as the business operates, it will be faced with problems and opportunities that force creative thinking. Unfortunately, it is very easy to get into a rut and grow complacent. If this happens, good opportunities may be missed and many setbacks, which could have been avoided with some creative problem solving, could occur. Read the rest of this entry »

Christmas, my friend bought me a video camera. I haven’t tried to use to record anything. But my sister seemed more interested than me.

She was quite creative with my new gift. She recorded the whole stuff of my family, my mom, my dad, my tot, even my dog.

Recently, she sent me some email about her recordings. I was impressed.

Out of my expectation, she has putted several different records online.

My colleague was surprised “look at these video, the photographer must be a genius”. Later I found out, that video my colleague talked about was my sister’s idea. It was a sort record of my tot and my dog.

To be honest, that was amazing. The click rate is quite high.

I have talked to my sister about her talent on video. She agreed with me. She has been trying to work on her videos. We made a decision to get her talent turning into business. Read the rest of this entry »