No excuse for not getting any life insurance

The need of insurance is getting higher and higher day by day. However, there are still a lot of people are lazy to get some coverage from an insurance company. Most of those people think that it is hard for them to find the right one. With life insurance comparing websites spread all over the internet, there will be no excuse for people to be lazy when it comes to get one of the life insurance companies to protect you because the comparing websites will help you in choosing the right life insurance by giving you the comparison of some life insurance companies.

As what I have said before, the life insurance comparing website will give you abundant of information that you can use as a reference to determine which one is the right one for you. Before this kind of website was invented, people had to open more than one page of life insurance at once. This was really wasting time and if they did not have a fast computer they would experience a lot of problem in choosing the right life insurance for them. So, what is your excuse now? If you want to be safe in the future, get yourself a good life insurance company to protect you. 

Important things about payday loans

           Short-term loan is somehow becoming a great help when extra expenses strike you away. This is because you can get the cash directly without any needs to wait for a long time before you are finally able to pay for your extra bills. Hence, this kind of loan is helpful to avoid more taxes in your bills. Payday loans is one kind of short-term loan that is available for you to try. It is recommended because you can apply it easily. There is no need for you to send various documents. It means that you do not have to forget bringing necessary documents.

           The information of yourselves is considered secret. Thus, they will keep it safe. The transfer process is also safe because the loan lenders will give the money right to your saving account. There is no need for you to be afraid of bringing too much money after getting a loan. You can get fast cash up to $1,500 once your application is approved by the lenders. However, fixed payment day is applied. Once you get your earning next month, you will have to pay for the debt you have. Always remember not to use this loan excessively or else, you will be in a big trouble.

Choose Your car Insurance Easily by Getting Quotes from Carinsurancerates.com

             Auto insurance is one of the best way for people to get car insurance very easily and quickly. This kind of car insurance is offered to people online so that they can access their car insurance anytime and anywhere they want as long as they are connected to internet connection. The number of companies that offer car insurance online these days is very high. That is why people have to be very careful in choosing the best auto insurance that will understand their needs and interests most. The easiest way to find the best car insurance among those auto insurance services is by comparing them.

            To help you to compare them easily, you are suggested to visit carinsurancerates.com. This site will provide you with some quotes from some car insurance companies available, so that you can compare their services easily. Not only that, but this site will also show you how to claim the insurance after the accidents, so that you do not need to face any difficulties when you have to get the insurance once you need one. The most important thing is that you will be allowed to calculate your own insurance very easily, because it completes you with some calculator that you can access online too directly from this site. 

Save Time and Money Searching for a Business Location

New business owners don't have a lot of the green stuff. You're either raiding your savings, taking bank loans, or borrowing from family and friends. Usually you are doing all three.

You must find space elsewhere if you can't run your business from home. It's a wise decision to have a budget in hand when you are looking for that perfect spot for your facilities. Yet many new entrepreneurs fail to budget for their location before setting out to look for the spot.

Why You Need A Financial Roadmap

A site budget is simply a small portion of your overall start-up financial plan. People have a tendency to raid the piggy bank to get things they want but do not necessarily need. Spending on a business location is no different. A good money management plan helps you focus on

• Space must haves vs. wants
• Prioritizing competing needs for your space
• Keeping it real by identifying over/under cost estimations
• Preventing you from overspending

Business Location Budgets Save You Time

The time spent on controlling your spending is well worth your effort. You have just knocked out a major portion of your start-up planning. Often small business owners will pre-determine a location by using a personal "gut" feeling. They may like a particular area of town because of the trees and wide streets or they see a lot of nice cars in parking lots or available space is so close to home they can walk to work. Having a spending plan narrows your search because you won't spend time looking in areas of town you initially can't afford. You know exactly where you should be looking.

Planning Considerations

A great deal of thought goes in to a location financial plan. Your usual options are renting vs. buying. The option you choose should financially benefit your business in the short-term, say two to five years. Then establish the following:

• The pros and cons of renting and purchasing
• How much can you afford to spend on a location
• Do you anticipate having to make improvements?

7 Steps to Setting a Business Location Budget

1. Write down how much you can afford to spend on the new location. Include the down payment if you are buying or the lease security deposit and the maximum amount you can pay for your mortgage note or lease.


2. Write down how much you can spend on improvements/build-outs either upfront or monthly note. Improvements are things such as plumbing and electrical upgrades; build-outs are more space planning - cubicles, offices, conference room.


3. How much you can spend for real estate agents, lawyers, accountant, or other consulting people, if needed.


4. Estimate how much money will be allocated for operating licenses and permits, build-out inspections, etc.


5. Call your local utilities and get estimates for security deposits and hookup fees. These can vary with location your city.


6. Estimate annual property tax. Your County Tax Assessor/Collector or Treasury Department/Department of Revenue should be able to help you if you have a specific property address or legal description of the property. Many times you can do this online.


7. Get estimates for insurance. You will probably need at a minimum general liability (casualty) and property (building structures, inventory, etc.).

Setting a good business location budget can be hard work, but is something that small business owners should not overlook. A little effort on your part up front can save you a lot of time and money in the long-term.

10 Possible Reasons Why Your Personal Training Business Is Failing

Many people retrain as a personal trainer following redundancy or some do it out of choice, but when they hit the job boards, it becomes increasingly apparent that there are not very many (if any) well paying personal trainer job roles, just freelance positions and courses. So the new Personal Trainer has a choice, go back to the job he hated or make a go on the self employed route. Its tough to know where your are going wrong when you have no experience in business, so below is 10 possible reasons why your personal training business is failing

1. You are reliant on "pay as you go" rather than monthly billing

This is bad news, your entire livelihood is based around if someone can make it to the gym or to exercise...worrying

2. You are embarrassed to ask for money

Its a business, your invested a lot of time and money to get where you got to and you should be compensated for it

3. You don't have systems in place for marketing and sales that you stick to

If you are just winging it month by month, you won't be able to plan for the future. Have a plan that you can duplicate success

4. You don't look for clients outside the gym

If you work out of a gym an you only market yourself within that gym, you are putting all your eggs in one basket, the gym could close down, get rid of you, change the personal trainer agreement, double your rent, you have to keep your options open

5. You don't run group training sessions

Relying on one to one sessions is a risky thing when you are just starting out. Have several group sessions underway

6. You're not that competent trainer that you can guarantee results

Why should people train with you unless you are that good that you can guarantee the results as long as they follow what you tell them

7. You take yourself too seriously

You got to have people skills and be able to manage people in a variety of ways and be able to have a laugh with people

8. You're not professional enough

The above being said, you need to be thoroughly professional at all times, its about striking a balance

9. You work too much on the wrong things

You need to focus on generating income...full stop. Anything else is a hobby

10. You don't know where to start when it comes to marketing and selling your services

Get training, buy some in and get to know it as well as, if not better than Personal Training.

Basic Blogging and Article Writing for Personal Trainers - Top 7 Tips

The more prevalent that the internet becomes in publicising a personal training business, the more of an essential skill it becomes when someone starts a personal training business. Writing articles and blog posts can be some of the most cost effective ways and efficient ways to drive traffic towards your website.

Some of the advantages could be that it costs nothing to get started, it can provide good link juice to your websites, you can optimise with keywords relevant to personal training and more specifically your personal training niche. Couple this with the fact that a good article website usually gets high traffic and has an option for other people to use your content on there site with the condition that they include a link back to your site.

Some disadvantages could be that it does take a considerable time and commitment to write the required amount of articles, its a long term strategy meaning there is no quick cash here and there is also the creative concern, how do you keep coming up with quality articles?

Here are my top ten tips on writing articles and blog posts

1. Commit to writing 3 times a week. Accept it is going to take time and build your articles and blogs up gradually. The more articles and blog post with a link back to your page, the more your traffic and clicks will accumulate

2. Every time a Personal Training client asks you a question, make it into a blog post or article. You can also expand on each question e.g if a client asks you "how do I lose weight?" You could write about "how to lose weight" and another on "how to lose weight over 40" or "How to lose weight when you gain easily" etc.

3. Use your Articles and use them for inspiration for your blog posts, this saves time

4. Keep your articles to 400 words, keep your paragraphs short and easy to read and keep your style easy to read and relaxed.

5. Have your keywords in your article title wherever possible and in the text of the article, don't over do it once every 100 words should do

6. Don't forget to input your keywords, make sure they are relevant to your article and your niche

7. Always include a link to your site, remember the reason why we write articles and blog posts, its not to win journalistic awards but to drive traffic to your webpage and demonstrate your expertise.

What Is a Tenant Representative?

A tenant representative provides an outstanding service opportunity for a business. This professional is a commercial real estate agent who works exclusively for a tenant. In business, having the right location can make or break the company's success. A tenant representative works to ensure that your business avoids pitfalls and improves on its economic opportunities. He or she does this by ensuring the business is in the right location for optimum profit potential.

Space Selection for Your Business

One of the key things this professional does is to help the business to find the best location for a commercial lease. There are several reasons that the business may need to relocate.

1. The business that is struggling may need to relocate into a better economic situation to increase revenue. The tenant rep can help to find this location and help ensure that the business's location is not a downfall to profit potential.

2. The tenant representative may be able to point out specific locations where the business could profit better, even if the business is doing well right now. The tenant representative may provide recommendations prior to obtaining a new lease.

Finding the right space for operations is important because it affects how customers find the business, how they enter and exit it and how prominent the business is to the street. The goal with choosing the right space is to ensure the business gets the customer traffic it needs and a space that is adequate for business functions.

Negotiation at Its Best

Another way in which the tenant representative can help the business is to represent the business in negotiations for a commercial lease. If you wish to move into an office building, before signing an office space lease, the tenant representative will negotiate things like the following on your behalf.

· The location of the business

· The cost of leasing the space

· The onsite amenities and features of the space provided

· Parking for the business

· Frontage and signage options for the business

· Free rents

· Landlord's incentives

The goal here is to get the best bottom line for the business. This ensures the business owner has the optimal space and is paying the least amount possible to be in that space.

Why It's Critical

While most business owners are excellent at running their business, most do not have experience in picking a commercial location that is ideal for the type of business that it is. The tenant representative helps to find suitable office space or other space for the business. This professional commercial real estate agent works on behalf of the tenant to locate, negotiate and to create a lease specifically designed for the business's needs.

By using this service, the business reduces costs while increasing its potential for saving a significant amount of money.

Have a good day,

A Tip Sheet For Tip Sheets

Most everyone loves tip sheets. They're easy to read, they don't take more than a few moments to complete, and most often, they're fun to read. If you're an athlete embarking on your post-pro career or any other sports-related executive, a tip sheet is a great way to establish yourself as an expert in your field.

Here's how to write your own. You can easily write a simple list of tips to post on your website, blog, or social media sites.

1. Use a highly specific topic to center your tip sheet around. "Top 10 Tips on How to Lose 10 Pounds" is better than "How to Lose Weight."

2. Determine the purpose of the tip sheet. What do you want to use it for? To gather names? Market to prospective customers? To educate your current clients? A clear purpose will help you keep focused on the subject matter.

3. Keep your tip sheet consistent with the tone of your website and blog. If your writing is serious, don't try humor in a tip sheet. If your website has a casual tone, don't write a deadly serious tip sheet.

4. Create short, bulleted lists that appeal to media. Print publications and t.v. stations love short bulleted lists because they're ready-made and don't require editing.

5. Keep your tips to no more than 12 items. More than that and you'll lose your readers quickly.

6. Use numerals instead of spelling out numbers in your headline. Example: Use 10 Tips for... not Ten Tips for...

7. Write for humans, not for the search engines. Your readers are human and although keywords are important, don't stuff your tip sheet with non-essential keywords.

8. Use verbs in your tips. Action words tell your readers exactly what to do, eg: "Invest in gold with these 7 hot tips" or "Develop your business model by leveraging expert advice."

9. Write a series of tips on one topic. Example: Motivation - 5 Tips to Stay Motivated When you Work Alone, 10 Tips to Revive Yourself on Emotional "Dip" Days, 7 Ways to Motivate other Self-Bossers."

10. Publicize your books or reports with complimentary tip sheets. They're perfect instruments to draw attention to items you sell. It doesn't give away all your information; it simply provides a "teaser" to make your readers thirsty for more.

So, there you have it! Now, make a list of your topics and go to town writing your own tips. You can even make your tip sheets into a small booklet to give away to your clients.

Top 10 Mistakes That Health Club Personal Trainers Make

A Popular route when you become a personal trainer is to take a position in a health club, leisure centre or gym, either as an employee (although there doesn't seem to be that many of them around) or as a self employed contractor paying rent to market their services and uses the facilities.

However, during my time at my current gym (2 years) I've seen 4 personal trainers come and go when things haven't worked out for them. Upon my observations, here are my top ten mistakes that Gym based Personal Trainers Make and hopefully by reading you can avoid them

1. Not having a Presence at the gym

I've said before that if someone doesn't refer to you as "part of the furniture" you probably aren't there enough. Especially in the early days. Be there at core times (Mornings, Lunchtimes and evenings) and look busy, this may mean doing free tasters or training a friend in the early days its better to look busy. Also, think about training yourself in your branded PT kit, as long as you are fit and do impressive training methods that "awe" others looking on, this can get you business

2. Not Marketing well enough

Make sure you tap into the different marketing vehicles you have at your disposal, this may include a PT Profile board, notice board, reception promotional area, lead boxes, posters, business cards, have three articles in the newsletter if your gym has one, do an informational article on your gyms website

3. Not Networking with members

Its not enough just being there, you need to talk to people, don't try and sell to them as this is a right turn off, get to know them as people and gently introduce the aspect of how you can help them, Be approachable and friendly

4. Only concentrating on Personal Training

In my opinion for most PTs starting out, personal training is a dangerous thing to bank your entire income on, you need to get your classes going on, sell nutritional supplements, do plans and diversify as much as possible

5. Only Marketing to Gym Members

Don't put all your eggs in one basket, make sure you maintain a good marketing presence outside your gym. You never know, your gym could kick you out, go bust or double your rent tomorrow. Market outside and bring people into the gym if you need to

6. Not Branding up

Wear your colours! Have your logo with "Personal Trainer" and your contact details on the back, it gets into people psyche eventually

7. Not differentiating themselves and their niche

Rather than trying to be all things to all people, specialise! Bodybuilding, Nutrition, Running, Fat Loss, Lower Back Pain, Bootcamp are all potentially profitable niche's to explore

8. Not Networking with staff

Reception and sales staff can make or break your business get to know these guys and get an arrangement where they refer people to you and get a payment if the referral books in

9. Not being visible when training clients

It maybe easier to train a client in an empty studio but who can see you? Be out and visible to other prospective clients when you are working

10. Not asking clients for referrals

People who come to the gym, usually have friends at the same gym. Ask for referrals and reward your clients for doing so.

7 Tips To Balance Your Personal and Professional Life

In the hustle and bustle of everyday life you can feel like you're in the Indianapolis 500 at full throttle. In your personal life you may have kids, a significant other, friends and family that you try to make time for. Then there is your professional life that can consume a large portion of your day and night depending on where you are in your career.

It is so easy to lose control of your life personally and professionally. The two begin to blend together and you wonder where one starts and one ends. Life has to have some balance to it in order to keep you healthy and sane. This can often seem so hard to do but with a few tips you can find that balance and harmony in your life.

Can you really balance the two? The answer is a simple "yes". Remember these tips:

1) Plan of Attack - Before you can even begin to get your life in balance you need to first know where your life is out of balance. Are you spending too much time at work and not enough time at home? Are you working on the weekends instead of spending time with friends and family? Ask yourself these questions to determine where you need some adjustment.

2) Family Obligations - Are you married, have kids or a significant other? If so your life then isn't just about you. So when working on balancing your life, they have to be a consideration as well. What are you missing in this area? Ballet recital for your daughter? Date night with your spouse or significant other? You have to balance life and it has to include these important people in your life. So take that into consideration.

3) Delegate - It's easy in business to do a lot of things yourself so the job gets done right the first time. However in doing so you are taking away from your personal life. This is where delegation is essential. Delegating is important to balance in your life. Delegate the things that can be done by someone else. Be sure to have good systems in place so that when you delegate there are clear instructions on what needs to be done.

4) Schedule Time for Yourself - This seems to be one of the hardest things for most people to do. It's also the last thing on most people's list. You have to take time for yourself even if it is only an hour here or there. It could be something as simple as just taking an hour to read your book for an hour or going on a run. No matter what you do, the goal is to take "some" time for yourself.

5) Prioritize - The key to finding balance is the ability to prioritize. You have to realistically know what needs to be done first and what can be pushed back to a later time.

6) The Art of Saying "No" - We often want to please others and so we take on more and more because someone has asked us to. By doing so you are throwing your life out of balance because sooner or later you're going to have too much to do and not enough time in the day to do it. Sooner or later you have to say no to some things in order to keep your life balanced and happy.

7) One Thing at a Time - Multitasking was once seen as the way to get things done but realistically it's easier to focus on one thing; finish it and then move on to the next thing. In some cases multitasking can be distracting. So stay on task, finish it and then move on to something else.

If you don't have a sense of harmony between your personal and professional life things can take a toll on you mentally and physically. Taking simple approaches like those listed above can help you get your life balanced out so that you can be productive at work and have fun with your family and friends.

9 Tips to Hire Search Engine Optimization Company

In internet marketing, a good web design is necessary for every business. However ether are many people who does not consider it as that important. The website is the profile of your business in online marketing. To make it attractive to the customers is your main job services of SEO are important. To choose the best for your business, take a look at 9 tips to hire search engine optimization company.

Research

It is extremely important factor you need to consider while hiring search engine optimization company. Make proper research by sending few hours online. Note down the contact details of the companies you think can fulfill the requirements of your business.

Experience

A company without any prior experience is nothing. Such companies should carry an experience in internet marketing with maximum number of satisfied clients in the market. The company should includes the SEO members which can increase the traffic of your site with proper use of search engine. It would be an advantage of the company you planning to hire also knowns about web design.

Copywriting Is Key

The job of such members is to examine the content and see to it that it is not plagiarized. To check if the company you planning to hire is expert in identifying the copied content, give them some articles for identification. You should see to it that SEO members know how to post blog content or comment on the review.

Know the Involvement in the SEO Community

You should hire the company who SEO's are members of professional forums and associations. It means they must have written on who makes SEM presentation or have written more on SEO subject. This will help to make sure that the team members of the company are well versed with latest technologies.

Work Process

Once you shortlist the companies, ask them about their work process. You should know what they intend to do with the services. Get an idea of the SEO methods. If you have problems in explaining them the details of your company, it can be too late. Hence, for safety, talk to them about the objectives of your website and how they are going to focus on the target audience.

Budget

Set a proper budget and accordingly look for the company. Different companies offer different packages of SEO services. There are companies who claim to offer good SEO results at affordable price. Make sure after looking at the work quality, you set the budget.

References

To know if the search engine optimization company is actually earning good profit, ask them about the clients they had. Contact those clients and ask them about their experience of working with the company. The more the satisfied clients are, the better is the company.

Key Phrase Depth

You have to ensure that SEO company site and their clients' sites rank well for more than single phase. You can check it by typing a particular phase on which the company has worked on. If it doesn't come in 1st two pages of Google or yahoo search engine then try not to hire them.

Know How Long Has the SEO Firm Been in Business

Look for the companies that are well established and carry good knowledge of internet marketing. Don't hire the companies who are not established properly. If the reputation of Search engine optimization company is not good, it can create problems for you.

Follow the mentioned 9 tips to hire search engine optimization company and make a careful decision while hiring the best one for your business.

Top 7 Tips to Preparing Your Business For Sale

Meet with your business broker to ascertain the current value of your business and get tips on whether you need to make any changes to the to achieve the maximum price possible. Once presented with your appraisal ask as many questions as you need to as it is vital that you understand the process and the justification behind your business appraisal and what the process entails from start to finish. Understanding how your business is valued will help you to make the necessary changes to enable successful sale.

Ensure you have clean, precise and accurate financials. Ideally a good strong healthy operating profit is great to see; the fewer add backs that we have, the better and cleaner the business will look. When preparing your business for sale, ensure that you have your figures prepared by your accountant prior to meeting with your business broker as these will also be the final figures used in the information memorandum which will be presented to potential purchasers once on the market.

Have your systems and procedures well documented. A purchaser wants to have as much security as possible. In most cases they want to be assured that the business can operate without them being there so if all your systems and procedures are clearly and precisely documented it means that they can be easily passed on to either new or existing employees and also help in the training process. This can also reduce the time that you may be required for the handover once the business has settled.

Ensure that the business premises are clean and tidy; get rid of any old stock and sell any redundant plant & equipment so that the purchaser can see exactly what they are getting. Cluttered premises will make the business look untidy and it may also appear to have reached its capacity with no room left for growth and this may not be the case once all in order. Ensure that if applicable, all safety guidelines are also being met.

Talk to your accountant in relation to the tax implications of selling your business. Ensure that you know the market value of your plant and equipment as this will be documented in the information memorandum. It must be a fair market value as to have it too high could be detrimental to the vendor for capital gains issues and too low gives the purchaser less to depreciate so carries less tax benefits for them. Remember that when a business is sold as "A Going Concern" all the plant and equipment used in the business must be included in the sale.

If possible, keep your stock level at a consistent level that keeps the business running smoothly. An overstocked business puts pressure on cash flow and working capital and it is also a negative when you try to sell. It is important to remember that although you as a current owner may not have any cash flow issues, an incoming purchaser may not have the same access to funds as you so will need to keep costs to a reasonable level for the sake of their cash flow.

Ensure that your customer database is as broad as possible. The more reliable you are on one customer, the lower the value of your business as the risk attached is much higher. Document any supply agreements that you may have. We need to instil confidence into a buyer so the quality and accuracy of the documentation is imperative. It must be precise and the more written and less verbal agreements we have the more security the purchaser will have.

7 Ways To Communicate More Effectively At Work

Technology is wonderful in most areas of our life. Yet there are some aspects where using advanced technology may not be the best route. There are times at work when we miscommunicate because of technologically-based assumptions. We assume that our emails went through, that our slides were attached, that the texts were received, or that the answering machine works. As managers, we have to guard against misperceptions caused by miscommunication. Great communication goes a long way to decrease frustration and increase productivity. Here are 7 ways to communicate more effectively at work.

• Talk face to face. Get up and go have a conversation with someone, especially if there is a misunderstanding. Much of our communication today is done without even seeing the person who works just a short walk away. Just a five-minute conversation can help us understand that person's perspective and clarify responsibilities. At Zappos in Las Vegas, the boss has a cubicle along a cubicle row like everyone else. They believe that close quarters encourage workers to share ideas with others around them, which includes the boss. If your co-workers are not within walking distance, pick up the phone.


• Provide clear information. Before you pass information on to others, make sure that it is accurate and complete. This sounds very basic, but when we assume that the other person knows what project we are referring to, we provide an avenue for a problem. If we aren't clear, we create confusion and communication breaks down. My assistant seems to read my mind, so I am sometimes careless with my communications to her because I assume she is following my train of thought. She is an amazing communicator, so when I am not clear, she asks for clarification.


• Ask questions. Like my amazing assistant, asking for clarity is a sign of a great communicator. Never be afraid to ask questions to confirm that what you are hearing is the message the other person is conveying. Asking questions also tells the other person that you are listening, that you understand, and that you are solidifying what you have heard.


• Listen. Really listen with your whole body. Listen as you look at the other person and focus on what they are saying, not on your next meeting, your to-do list, or what you want to say next. Many times people are so quick to talk that they forget to listen. Good communication involves both verbalizing and active listening. In addition, when you are communicating with someone, let them know that you are listening with both your body language and responses such as, "Tell me more."


• Let others talk. We have all been in meetings where one person speaks, and no one else gets to voice their concerns or ideas. Leaders, especially, need to be mindful that they do not dominate the meeting. If people perceive that the boss just wants an affirmation of his or her ideas and not an open group discussion, employees will shut down. As someone commented, "Why would I end my career by criticizing the boss's ideas?" If people are not encouraged to express their opinions, the result is stifled ideas, resentment, and frustration. Listen to alternate opinions and encourage people to voice their thoughts.


• Honesty. People listen to people they trust. Honesty still is the best policy (and it is easiest to remember). When information is shared honestly and with respect, even bad news can be managed.


• Confirm completion. Close the communication loop. When you are communicating with someone at work, make sure to go over each step clearly with them if it is new procedure. You can also ask for confirmation when the work is accomplished. People will often complete a task, but if you don't know it was completed, you still think about it, so ask that they close the loop with you by letting you know when it was finished.

Sometimes we forget that everything we do and say is communicated to others, and we need to be aware of the perceptions our actions create in others. It's great to use technology to our advantage, sometimes we need to add a personal touch for a better outcome.

Top 7 Tips for Getting The Most From Your Exhibition

The key to a successful exhibition is planning ahead and planning for every eventuality.

Tip 1./ Stand Design 

Depending on the stand design it is a good idea to construct the stand and artwork at the office premises before you leave for the event if this is the first time. This will highlight the complexity of the stand, how long it takes to set up and and how many people you need to help in the setup. It will also give confidence to the people setting up the stand to know all the tips and tricks and which bits to place first and what cannot stand without which bits. This will save ample time on the setup day.

Tip 2./ Extras 

If the stand requires lighting or electricity check this is being supplied and if you need to purchase or request additional supply. It is doubtful that this can be requested on the day or setup day. If your stand requires electricity for a TV or laptop and this is not available it will not look professional.

Tip 3./ Promotional Items 

Make sure you have enough promotional items and any free giveaways for the days you are exhibiting. There is nothing worse than saying "free XYZ with any sign up today" and then have to explain that you've run out. Also check with the promotors if there is anything that you cannot give away for health and safety reasons. Those pin badges might be harmless to most, but it certainly worth checking first.

Tip 4./ Stand out with your stand 

You need to attract visitors to your stand with promotional products, great layout and presentation. Think about getting the maximum capacity of visitors to your stand without overcrowding. You need a stand (branded of course) where people can fill out details without having to find something to lean on. If possible consider a few seats for people to rest and where you will be able to chat and promote without someone feeling over-tired.

Tip 5./ Check Floor Space 

Do not be tempted to go over your floor space 'a little bit' - it will be noticed and pointed out

Tip 6./ It's not a Party 

Do not have any promotional music that loud that you cannot hear your visitors and potential leads. If people have to shout they stand a chance of walking away to somewhere quieter

Tip 7./ Have fun 

Most importantly - have fun. If people on a stand are having fun and smiling and look approachable this will encourage people. Don't site down and read a book, expecting people to come to you.

- An extra tip that needed emphasising - plan, check and final check you have everything with you before you set off for the exhibition. This includes setup materials, pens, phones as well as the promotional items.

7 Ways to Spend Your Lunch Break

It is your hour of freedom, a chance to get refreshed and rejuvenated, a time to recharge your batteries and let your work troubles fade away. So how do most of us spend our hour lunch breaks at work? Typically curled up on a couch relaxing with a good read or by simply sitting. The problem with spending an hour of time during your break sitting in a sedentary position, is that most likely you already spend the majority of the day in a seated position while working. And, the problem with sitting for extended periods of time? Quite simply put: your health.

Sitting for long periods of time has been proven to cause work related aches and pains including lumbar pain, neck pain, upper back pain, repetitive stress injuries, fatigue, and carpal tunnel syndrome. These aches can happen due to a number of different reasons including not sitting with proper posture, sitting in a poorly designed chair, sitting in a chair that is too big/too small for your frame, sitting for extended periods of time, sitting in the same position, and lack of movement. However the main problem comes down to sitting. Although most of us are required by our employers to sit for the majority of the day, our lunch break is the one time of the day when we have complete freedom to do whatever we please. Instead of sitting we have come up with 7 alternate ways to spend your lunch break.

1. Stretch - Even if you do not get a full hour for lunch or are too slammed to even take a break, take a few moments to stand up and stretch. Roll your shoulders back, raise your arms above your head in a full extension, take a quick walk around your office, and shake out your legs. It is best to do this every 1-2 hours, but if your time only permits this during your lunch break, remember to do so.


2. Walk - Have some time to spare during your break? Take the opportunity to take a walk around your building, parking lot, or walk instead of drive to eat lunch. Walking will help you take your mind off of your work stresses while helping you stay active.


3. Go to an Exercise Class - For some of us, our work carries on even once we leave the office. For others, we usually have other activities planned for after the work day such as running errands or spending time with our families. Consider your hour lunch break as an opportunity to partake in an exercise class to help clear your mind.


4. Get a Massage - Sometimes work gets in the way of the little luxuries in life that leave us feeling revitalized and reinvigorated, a massage being one of them. Take an hour out of your work day during your lunch break to work out all the kinks and pains that have been building up in your back and you will feel like a whole new person when you return to work!


5. Run - Often after work the last thing we want to do is change into our gym clothes and go on a run. Not only are we already exhausted from the long work day, but it is also a hazard to run in the dark at night. What better time to stretch and re-energize yourself than mid way through the day with a quick run around your office. Bring a pair of gym clothes and running shoes to work and you will be all set to go!


6. Try Every Restaurant Within Walking Distance - If you can walk to it, you should try it! Get your exercise in while trying new quaint restaurants and hole in the wall food places that you would never consider going to if you had your car. You never know, you may find your next favorite spot to eat in the process.


7. Go to a Park - Pack a lunch and have a picnic at a park nearby. You will get to enjoy being outdoors and away from anything that reminds you of work. After your done, take a stroll around and take in the scenery.

Attention Financial Advisers: Sell More to Affluent Prospects With These Top 10 Sales Tips

As a financial adviser, you have products and services that enrich lives and make dreams come true. You bring peace of mind, hope of a better, more secure future, protection and provision for loved ones. In fact, if affluent prospects only know how much you could help them, they would be calling you.

You know your service is valuable yet many advisers in the current economy are finding it difficult to get consumers to buy. Sales guru, Jeffrey Gittomer says, "People don't like to be sold, but they love to buy."

Affluent prospects want to buy relationship with a trusted adviser who can help them solve complex financial issues and weather the economic storms in their lives. Listed below are my Top 10 Tips for Success in Selling.

1. Be Passionate. Nothing better serves in selling than an unshakable belief that you are providing the best possible product, service and value to your clients. If you don't love your product, your service and your industry no one else will.

2. Eliminate Tire-Kickers. Every industry has them. They come to seminars, gobble up the food, waste your time and never buy. Always prequalify before wasting time on lengthy meetings.

3. Be Persistent. Don't take "No" as a sign of personal rejection. Some will, some won't, so what? Hold your head high and move on. Don't let rejection affect your positive sense of self-worth.

4. Be a Great Listener. Trade in your gift of gab for active listening. Nothing shows people you care about them more than by actively listening to them.

5. Stick to Business. Be friendly but remember you are not there to make another friend. You are there to do business and gain a new client. Be professional. Use an agenda to guide your conversation.

6. Use a Consultative Process. Establish a purpose for each meeting starting with discovery. Develop a series of scripted questions to determine a relationship fit, a solution fit and a product fit. Qualify before you present.

7. Be the Best. How you are known by others will determine how they treat you, how they buy from you and how they give referrals to you. If your prospects don't consider you the best, they will try to lower your price or buy from a competitor.

8. Don't Chase. Let the prospect chase you. Assume control of the sale with good questions. Create urgency and excitement with compelling stories. Lead your prospect into a sale. Never push them.

9. Think Profit. Don't think about making a "sale". Clients want to know how they will profit from doing business with you. They want to know what's in it for them. They want to be assured that they gain and earn more than they want the lowest price.

10. Make It Easy to Buy. Create client loyalty by making it easy to do business with you. Prepare applications and brochures ahead of time. Call the customer service department for your clients. Make sure their service needs are handled promptly.

10 Tips + Bonus To Help You With The OSHA 300 Log

These are tips that can help you to fill out the OSHA 300 Log Forms accurately.

1. This is basic but you must maintain the Log. There are exceptions to this, but most companies with more than 10 employees are required to maintain this record keeping requirement.


2. Use unique case numbers (Item A) to help keep the cases in order. Each unique case number should then transfer to the OSHA Form 301 which is filled out for every case.


3. Write a detailed description (Items E and F) for each injury. OSHA requires the injury type, location and source. For example, instead of writing: "Slice Thumb", you should write: "Employee sliced tip of right thumb while using a utility blade to open a box in the shipping room."


4. Mark only one column to classify the severity of a case (Items G-J). Selections are listed in order of severity from left to right: "Death (G)" is worse than "Days Away From Work (H)." "Days Away..." is worse than "Job Transfer (I)" and so on. Anything else is "Other recordable cases (J)." Mark only one.


5. Count the correct lost days (Item K). Even if the employee is injured at the start of the workday, goes to the clinic, spends the rest of the day at home and returns to work the next day, the day of the injury is not counted as a lost-time day. As a rule of thumb, what the physician says regarding "time off" determines lost time days, not the actual days the employee was absent.


6. Even if the worker has lost more time do not over end more than 180 days for restricted and lost workdays (Items K and L). OSHA puts a 180-day cap for each case in each of these columns.


7. The Log and Summary Forms must match at the time of the annual posting. So make sure you double check page totals for each column, and add the correct numbers to the 300A Summary Form. Any adjustments in lost or restricted days after the Summary is posted must be maintained on the Log. You do not need to report it again on the Summary. If you are inspected, any difference between the two postings can be explained.


8. The 300A Summary must be signed by the highest-ranking person at the site, even if they were not the ones filling out the form.


9. Try not to confuse a Workers Compensation claim with an OSHA recordable injury. They are two different systems. If your Workers Comp insurance denies a claim, it doesn't mean the injury can be removed from the Log. And if an injury is accepted by Workers Comp as work related, it doesn't mean it must be the OSHA Log. Typically the two are the same, but not always!


10. There is no need to record every injury or illness. During an inspection, OSHA will look at your Log to aid them in deciding how safely your company is performing. Reporting lots of incorrectly reported injuries does not look good. Also, the injuries you record can be used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to determine industry and site specific targeting programs for OSHA compliance inspections, increasing your chances for a future audit.

Lastly (Bonus), from February 1 to April 30, only post the annual 300A Summary Form. The rest of your Log contains sensitive employee information that is considered private and confidential.

7 Efficient Ways to Promote a Mobile App In and Out of the Web

In this article, you'll learn some methods to attract people's attention to your business mobile app in and out of the Web. Become popular not only in the Internet, but also in the real world due to some original and efficacious steps.

Let's start with the ways of becoming familiar in the Internet.

1. Blogging.

Publish a post devoted to the new business mobile application in the corporate blog of your company (if you don't have a corporate blog, don't waste your time and create one). Its authors can be your employees e.g. marketing managers or mobile developers. You also can order an article at a prominent blogger in the appropriate domain.

2. Presentation devoted to your mobile application.

Use the popular SlideShare.net service - and your presentation will get hundreds of views and downloads in a couple of days.

3. Giving expert pieces of advice.

Share your opinion and join discussions related to your business and mobile development in professional social networks like LinkedIn. Post useful comments and recommend your mobile app to others - but only on the occasion. And please, don't spam!

And now, there are some out-of-the-web ways.

4. Promo production with your mobile app's theme.

Order stationery like calendars, notebooks, folders, and other promotional items and give it to your clients, partners etc. There are two significant reasons for doing this. First, this necessary stuff is always at hand, and people see your business app's logo multiple times a day. And of course, everyone likes freebie. One can have dozens of notebooks, but he'll never refuse if somebody gives him another one.

5. Promo actions.

Of course, a promo action is a very expensive treat, but it's also an efficient marketing tool for introducing a new product in a catchy and entertaining way. By preparing a promo action, you should carefully think over the next steps:

a) Detailed planning of costs and actions, hiring promoters, ordering promo materials.

b) Flamboyant stands and uniforms for promoters. The app's logo must be present on all promo materials.

c) Attractive bonuses for people taking part in the promo action. E.g. if they download your mobile application, they'll get a discount, a promo code for extended app's functionality etc.

6. Radio and TV ads.

It is the most expensive way - but also the most effective one. Define your target audience, time - and go on!

7. Application launch party.

Celebrate the mobile app's release with your employees, associates, and customers and promote the app due to personal connections. Pleasant details like a photo cake or balloons with your application's logo will make this party unforgettable.

So, there are 7 ways to promote your business mobile application and therefore your company. I hope you'll find here a fresh idea for reaching your customers and developing your business with a mobile application.

10 Product Launch Tips for the New Year

Retail shelves are always filled with a plethora of products during the holiday season. If you've ever wondered how much of the holiday plays a role in annual sales of a retailer, it's actually when most retailers generate their biggest sales. In fact, about 40% of retail sales are generated during the holiday season.

So you're probably also wondering HOW a manufacturer can effectively get their products into the retail buying cycle so it makes it on time for the holidays.

One of the best strategies to getting products ready for retail is to get your PLANNING done during the fourth quarter.

Manufacturers spend a lot of time in the fourth quarter and the early part of the first quarter preparing for the upcoming year because they understand that planning is critical to the success of a product launch. In the consumer products industry, departments are required to present their plans, including budgets, to management before year end. The product development team prepares a product selection list, marketing creates a marketing plan, and sales a sales plan. These departments must be aware and in agreement with timelines to ensure a smooth product launch.

It is crucial that some initiatives are completed during the fourth quarter. For instance, annual reports and catalogs must be completed so it can be mailed out to investors and customers early enough where it doesn't get stuck with the busy holiday mail and potential weather disruptions. Additionally, sales meetings are usually held in the fourth quarter and a lot of tradeshows take place during the first quarter of the year. Teams need to make sure that product samples with packaging, press kits, sales kits, catalogs and price lists are ready so sales reps have the necessary tools and resources to be able to comfortably manage their meetings and effectively pitch any new product introductions to buyers and customers. These are just some of the many things you need to consider when preparing for a product launch.

To help you with your planning efforts, I've listed 10 product launch tips for you to keep in mind when preparing for the new year.

1. Meet with your team at the end of the year to acknowledge all your hard work. Recognize the challenges, and work it out in your plan for next year to make things better. Most of all, celebrate your successes (and challenges because they are just as important). Throw a holiday party or invite your staff (and partners and vendors) for a fun and rewarding dinner!

2. Acknowledge your customers, vendors and partners by sending them something special, like a holiday greeting card or an e-Card to express your gratitude and well wishes for the new year. Starting the year with good intentions can help develop and harness good relationships. And in business, relationships are a huge key to your success!

3. Make sure to complete your annual plan or set goals for the coming year. Keep them as realistic as possible. I've found that focusing on a few at a time works best. Attempting to do them all at once can be overwhelming and ineffective. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed with your plan, hire some help if you can afford it. For entrepreneurs, this can be a difficult choice, but it can actually benefit your bottom line.

4. Whether you're outsourcing some of your workload to a virtual assistant, a marketing agency or sales reps...or perhaps you have an in-house team in place, make sure that you set expectations with them, including yourself! Find a good way to hold everyone accountable for meeting their goals. In my experience, weekly meetings, when moderated well can be extremely effective. If weekly is too restrictive, then maybe do every other week. Regardless, find a way to make sure you hold each other accountable and you are in clear communication with each other at all times.

5. If you plan to launch a new product line, consider exhibiting at tradeshows and expos in your particular industry. Trade organizations usually have a list of shows on their website, or search the internet for listings. If you don't plan to exhibit, at the very least, find a way to be able to attend them. It's a good way to do some research and meet some potential partners.

6. Start finalizing your presentation materials - prototypes or product samples, packaging, catalogs, brochures, sell sheets, price lists, press kits and sales kits. These are all tools necessary for tradeshows and meeting with buyers and retailers.

7. Boutiques and specialty stores start looking at products during the first quarter so add it to your plan to start hitting the pavement early, or better yet as mentioned above, exhibit at gift shows, tradeshow or expos of your particular industry.

8. Most major retailers finalize their holiday selections for the following year towards the end of December - beginning of January. So, just as I mentioned above, make sure you have the necessary tools needed for an effective product presentation.

9. As far as production in China, it is very important to keep in mind that Chinese New Year usually falls during the first two months of the year. Factories all over China close for as long as a month, so your manufacturing efforts can be impacted if you don't account for this on your product launch timeline. Plan accordingly.

10. Use this holiday season to do some market research. Go through articles, magazine and publications that discuss best sellers and items that didn't do so well. Get familiar with your competition, target markets, pricing, retailers that sell and do well with products similar to yours, etc.

7 Lessons Learned From 'The Celebrity Apprentice'

The new season of "The Celebrity Apprentice" premiered a couple weeks ago with 18 celebrities competing to win money for their chosen charities. It's easy to dislike many aspects of this show - Donald Trump and his hair, the infighting and backbiting among the contestants and the nonstop gratuitous name-dropping.

I've never been a fan of Mr. Trump's personal style. He's always struck me as arrogant and ostentatious. And the Apprentice franchise's connection to the realities that most of us face in the workplace is tenuous at best.

But I do appreciate the obvious passion most of the celebrities involved have for the causes they're supporting. And I think there are a few lessons we can all learn about work and business from the first couple episodes of Season 12 of "The Celebrity Apprentice:"

1. Everything You Say And Do Matters

No matter what, at the end of the day you must account for your actions. And you will be judged in the workplace for how you conduct yourself. That judgment probably won't be as overt as having your performance debated in the open and you being told, "You're fired," in front of millions. The unfortunate reality is, most people's judgments of you will be made silently and unknown to you. That's why it's important to keep your promises and live by the Golden Rule: treat others the way you want to be treated.

2. You Have To Learn To Work With People You Disagree With

Like your family, you don't usually get to pick who you work with. A lot of emphasis is placed on the personality clashes on the show, and the producers play those clashes up to create tension. But the big lesson is that you have to accept everyone you work with as they are and get the job done. You don't have to be friends with everybody, but you do have to work together to accomplish your team's goals

3. Big Deals Make A Big Difference

In any business, the 80/20 Rule is in effect and it only takes one big deal, one big customer, one big sale to put you into a different category. This is an ongoing theme of "The Celebrity Apprentice," and it played out in dramatic fashion in the season premiere two weeks ago. The men's team was behind during most of the challenge, but they kept talking about how all they needed was one "whale" to put them over the top. They finally found their whale when one of Paul Teutul Sr.'s friends made a $300,000 donation. That not only won the challenge for the team, but it set a new Celebrity Apprentice record.

4. It's Not Enough To Be Liked In The Workplace

Cheryl Tiegs, the first celebrity to get fired, was universally liked. But she did not demonstrate a sense of urgency in her work. People respect and appreciate a sense of urgency in your work. And you have to be competent at the tasks assigned to you. Ultimately, Cheryl was fired because she worked too slowly and didn't demonstrate a strong competency in her work.

5. Cultivating A Strong Network Is Invaluable

As unfair as it may seem, sometimes in life the guy with the richest friends wins. The mega-donation that Paul Sr. secured to give his team the victory in the first challenge was just one example of the power of a strong network. The women's team, even though they lost that first challenge, did an amazing job of persuading their network to donate to their cause. They didn't find a "whale," but they collected consistent donations from their friends and ended up with over $100,000 - a Celebrity Apprentice record until the men's total was revealed.

6. Setting An Audacious Goal Can Set You Up For Success

In that first challenge, Paul Sr. put a lot of pressure on himself and his team when he told Trump's daughter, Ivanka, that his team was going to raise "at least five" - meaning $500,000. They didn't get there, but they did raise more money - over $300,000 - than any team in the history of the show. In my own work, I've found that having a big goal (and a deadline) creates a sense of urgency and spurs me to find creative ways to get the job done. And even if you don't get all the way to your audacious goal, what you do accomplish is often a quantum leap for the organization.

7. Pitch In And Pull Your Weight

Cheryl Tiegs got the ax in the first week, but Victoria Gotti, the mafia don's daughter, came close. Some members of her team felt that she wasn't pulling her weight because she spent a lot of time taking personal phone calls and she left in the middle of the challenge to do an interview. Her behavior didn't change in the second week, and Victoria ended up being the second firing of Season 12. No matter what kind of work you do, the other people on your team want to feel like they can count on you to do your share. Even if the task at hand isn't something that's really part of your job, jump in and help. People appreciate the effort.

While I'm not saying you should devote your Sunday evenings to watching "The Celebrity Apprentice," it might be worth catching a couple of episodes to see who learns these seven lessons and succeeds and who ignores these tenets and fails. What about you? Have you seen any of these principles at work in real life?