How to Maximize Flexibility

(NewsUSA) - For small businesses, it's a thin line between success and failure. Flexibility is key. This ability to respond swiftly often gives small businesses a desirable advantage over their much-larger competitors because they can adapt to take advantage of growing opportunities and changes in their particular industries. "The reality is, owners must constantly look to evolve," says Steven Rogers, professor of entrepreneurship at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. "The business they're in today may not be the business they're in tomorrow." Looking ahead and adapting also includes costs and competition. So, how can small businesses stay nimble in the face of these challenges? Here are three can-do items to add to your small-business flexibility list: 1. Look for a niche. Small businesses often can spot and react more quickly to market trends. If you don't already have something in mind, the U.S. Small Business Administration suggests conducting a market survey with current and/or potential customers to uncover untapped needs. Look for areas that are being ignored by your competitors. Maybe it's a certain feature in a product or a tool aimed at a small but passionate audience. 2. Find technology that fits multiple needs. Larger businesses may have receptionists, IT departments and contractors, but for small businesses, implementing technology that has a big-business look and functionality without the cost is a must. For instance, changing the phone system to an easy-to-use AT&T Syn248 Deskset and Gateway system (smbtelephones.att.com/syn248) can trim expenses because it's designed for start-ups and small-sized businesses. It involves a quick and simple set-up and is compatible with existing networks. The system is also convenient to manage and has all the functionality busy offices need, such as built-in voicemail, contact storage, do-not-disturb, paging, conferencing and call forwarding. Expandability is a cinch for growing small businesses -- just add phones as needed. 3. Cultivate communication within. You can often find the best strategies by asking around the office. Talk to your employees daily about their ideas for growth and hopes for the future. Keeping that channel of communication alive will help you identify inefficiencies and new opportunities. This way, you're not only finding ways to increase production and profitability, you're also making your employees feel more invested in your small business. More articles in Richnet. Think mobile: marketing tips for local businesses   Dangote: Now Forbes African Most Powerful man Certifications: the new key to employment Sayings about Money

Think mobile: marketing tips for local businesses

(BPT) - No doubt about it, mobile technology is transforming the way consumers live and businesses operate. Today nearly 5 billion people use mobile phones around the world, with 1 billion of those phones being smartphones. According to research conducted by venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers, Americans check their smartphones more than 150 times a day.

Thanks to mobile technology, businesses of all sizes and industries - from y our local brick and mortar shop to your favorite online retail site - have the opportunity to easily reach people on the go.

Take Accents Style for example. This clothing boutique in Arlington, Texas, creatively reaches mobile customers by hanging incentives in the dressing rooms, including a 10 percent discount on a purchase when customers "check-in," and a free pair of gold or silver hoop earrings when they "like" Accents Style's Facebook page. Lucy Huang, owner of the business, says that her mobile efforts are paying off.

"Our posts get great responses. The check-ins via mobile are big incentives for our customers to come into our boutique," she says.

Mobile is a vital channel for you to reach your customers and will only continue to grow. While mobile is a great vehicle for businesses to market to their customers, many business owners don't know where to start or think it's too complicated to do well. Below are answers to some of the most-asked questions from local businesses on how to more effectively reach the right audiences on the go.

                   {Read: Major challenges for a Business Start-up}


1. As a business owner, how do I market on mobile without using a ton of resources? I'm just one person and don't have the time.

A business' social presence is a free and easy way to connect with potential customers on mobile. That's because what you do on your page instantly translates to mobile - and your customers are already there, waiting to hear from you. Of the 1.15 billion people on Facebook, more than 70 percent access the site from their mobile phone.

Furthermore, people on the go are actively looking for businesses in their area: according to a recent Google study, 95 percent of smartphone users search for local information and 59 percent of smartphone users visited in-person after searching for local information. To effectively reach the right customer at the right time, you can tap in to the mobile ad targeting features available across many social platforms. For example, you can target people broadly or narrow down to specifics such as gender and interests. BarkBox, a company that delivers a monthly box of dog goodies (treats, products, toys, etc.) to dog owners, targeted friends of their fans on Facebook who were females and had an interest in dogs. After seeing success, BarkBox deepened their targeting by adding in geographic areas and age ranges and saw even greater results.

           {Read: How to Handle Risk in Market Place?}

2. What are the best ways to create mobile ads?

Given people on their phones usually have limited time and attention spans, it's important to create compelling and concise content including photos and short videos. For example, North Carolina-based barbecue company Bone Suckin' Sauce promoted its Facebook photo post on mobile with the hook: "Which is better on the grill? Fish, chicken, vegetables, or steaks?" - to encourage conversation among fans. The company saw an 83 percent increase in online store sales as a result of promoting posts like these.

3. How can I manage my mobile marketing when I'm on the go, too?

Tools like Facebook's Pages Manager app or Hoot Suite's Social Media Manager app allow you to manage your pages on the go, whether you post photos, respond to customers via comments, or create ad campaigns.

You need to think mobile to grow your business

Just looking at the growing number of times per day people access the Web on their phones, it's no secret that mobile marketing needs to become an integral part of your consumer marketing strategy. So don't wait any longer: Think mobile and you'll be able to reach new customers and keep current customers returning.

Source: Brandcontent

More Articles in Richnet;

• 12 things about Dangote’s Wealth
• Billionaire Investors Warren Buffett, John Paulson, And George Soros Quietly Dump U.S. Stocks. Why?
• Dangote: Now Forbes African Most Powerful man

Dangote: Now Forbes African Most Powerful man

Alhaji Aliko Dangote have emerge 64th position and 1st in Africa in the recently released 2013 Forbes World Most powerful list. The same list did not feature the Nigeria President-Dr Goodluck Jonathan.
President Vladimir Putin of Russia displaced President Obama of USA from number one position.Forbes list is published annually by publisher of Forbes magazine.

Aliko Dangote
By World Economic Forum [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

The top ten on the list are:

1)Vladimir Putin, Russian President

2) Barack Obama, US President

3) Xi Jinping, Chinese President

4) Pope Francis, Roman Catholic Church

5) Angela Merkel, German Chancellor

6) Bill Gates, co-chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

7) Ben Bernanke, Federal Reserve chairman

8) Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud

9) Mario Draghi, European Central Bank president

10) Michael Duke, Wal-Mart CEO

Related articles:

12 things about Dangote’s Wealth

More Articles related : to wealth and financial education

Why Go for Project Management Courses

By Websystems Inc. (http://www.aceproject.com/gantt-charts/) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Author: jonellelantier
Withstanding the prevailing competition in today\'s market is not an easy task. You must be prepared to introduce alterations in your work model, to ensure the stipulated work gets done within the given timeframe. You must also ensure that you do not compromise with your quality of work, while trying to deliver on time.

The different phases of project management vary from planning, execution to monitoring effectively. To make the task of project management easier and reduce the risk factors involved, there have emerged plenty of online courses and training classes. The project management courses benefit employees as well as the employers. Here we shall explore the benefits of going for a project management course:

Benefits to the Employees:

When it comes to the individuals, there are many viding for your position. It thus becomes highly essential to imbibe yourself with an impressive demeanor. It is in these cases that such courses play important role:

Enhancement of Skills:

Skill augmentation is one of the most important skills that you can learn from project management courses. You receive training on different departments, such as project budgeting, business analysis, project scheduling, and communication skills that have a direct impact on your profile as well as on your organization.

Leadership Skills:

Project management courses make you self dependant and introduces plenty of behavioral changes such as decisiveness and leadership qualities. You gain self confidence and delegate responsibilities to others.

Better Growth Prospects:

A trained professional has better understanding of the present market trends that ensure a smooth workflow. This enhances chances of an individual to get better job prospects and may be a salary hike as well.

Changes in Behavioral Patterns:

You can experience significant changes in your behavior as well, when you undergo the project management courses. You start meeting people from different backgrounds that offers you a chance to experience new views and opinions.

Benefit for the Business:

Many organizations are hiring professionals who can function even when the market is in a volatile condition. Project management courses ensure you deliver the best result, when particularly compared with the untrained professionals. Below are stated some of the ways project management courses benefit an organization:

Professional Environment:

An organizations\' premise gets positive energy that lay foundation for competitive, healthy as well as a cooperative work environment. Projects management course ensure dedicated workforce with commitment to better delivery of results.

 Professional Image:

Well-versed employees in an organization offer a professional image to the organization. This improves good will of the company in this competitive market scenario.

The skilled professionals become assets of the organization, which in turn benefits the company in different ways.

As you can see project management courses benefit the employee as well as the employers in different ways. So, when you are planning to enroll yourself in an online course, make sure to make an informed decision so that you don\'t repent later.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/management-articles/why-go-for-project-management-courses-6803630.html
About the Author
WatermarkLearning.com cover the most relevant topics in project management courses to help keep pace with the changing market trends. To know about the responsibilities of a project manager, you may also visit Wiki.answers.

Major challenges for a Business Start-up

Author: Entrepreneur India
Starting a business idea and running it effectively can be complex task. There are many challenges for a business start-up to face.Before we go ahead and give you some exact business startup ideas you require knowing what you desire to realize in life because you want your business to provide this reason each and every day you work on it.
Start
Most start-ups failed because they don\'t have any idea about the major challenges that come over on their way during initial days. Some of them learned from their mistakes and tried again and again. There are hundreds of pain points to face for business start-ups in initial stage. Here we outlined the few of them that may help you to avoid failure.
Lack of market knowledge
Being a business start-up, understanding the biz idea and identifying the market opportunities are difficult tasks to do. Identify your target market otherwise you will lose hold on your customers easily.
Fund generation and allocation
Generate enough funds for your business functioning without going over budget is a stressful and challenging job for any business start-up. However, the requirement of funds differs at different stages of business.
Getting right talent and retaining them
This one is the next big challenge to face for a business start-up. Take decision on the recruitment of right talent to work with you is very critical. If you succeed in finding good quality people with positive attitude, retaining them is also difficult.
A strong business concept
Finding the right business idea is not an easy task. A strong business needs new idea and creativity to flourish in the industry so that one should be open for accepting and using the new ideas correctly and have the ability to see opportunities in difficulties.
How to make sale?
This is something that every business needs and only the founder can find the right strategy of making the sale in flow. Once you decide on the strategy, you need to work upon the target customers, pricing, market trends and positioning of your products.
Finding the right location for business
This may or may not be a challenge for many entrepreneurs. But to get the right location at right prices is another difficult task for start-ups.
Apply wrong technology
Most of the time, business start-ups don\'t want to spend high amount on technical assistance and as a result it give negative impression on customers and other market leaders mind.
Lack of long-term business vision, how to scale it, and how to decide on the product features f are other major challenges to face a business start-up.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/business-opportunities-articles/major-challenges-for-a-business-start-up-6802331.html
About the Author
This Article is written on behalf of entrepreneur india; provides top business opportunity, low business opportunity investment ideas, best business ideas, entrepreneurship ideas. Please feel free to visit; if you need small business opportunity in india

Tip-bit about origin of Money

Word "money" is believed to originate from a temple of Hera, located on Capitoline, one of Rome's seven hills.   Hera was often associated with money in the ancient world.

Many other items have been used as money; paper money is a latter invention- 600 AD in China during Song dynasty           

•                  3000 BC shell cowry came into use

Cowry
Source: By Bin im Garten (Own work (own picture)) [CC-BY-SA-3.0
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Common

•     Gold and silver coins came into use in about 300BC.
•      In Colonial West Africa metallic bars(Iron), Brass &copper    rods and manillas were used as medium of exchange.
•      2000AD digital money gain momemtum and more and more people are moving money electronically.

Manilla

How to Handle Risk in Market Place?

Author: Francisco Mandelbaum

Devise a future-oriented emini trading strategy for yourself, focusing on eliminating risks. Although no trading can be completely risk-free, you can certainly work on minimizing them. Spend more time on practice account doing paper trading until you get proficient in strategy-making.

Trading is just like playing a game that involves strategies, overcoming risks and moving across the board with a clever plan. We have all played this type of game at one point or the other. Well, online futures trading is similar to these types of games where you invest money, manage your risks and acquire profits as you move through the session. You may have heard the saying, 'there\'s profit in risk.' When translated into trading language this means that the less uncertain you feel and the better you manage your risks, the better your returns will be.

You always have to have a strategy when trading because without it your chances of success are slim to none. Your strategy has to have a future oriented goal which aims to reduce the amount of risk you take as well as the uncertainty of a loss. Theoretically, you have to eliminate all risk from your trade to be 100profitable at all times. How do you do this? Well, by buying into winning positions on all trades. However, in the real world it is not possible to eliminate all risk and it will always be a variable to consider in trading. Managing your risk tolerance will make a difference in the success of your trading results. Let us take a look at just how you can go about reducing your risk variable.

Look at your motivation level. If your past performance only makes you focus on the losing trades you made rather than the winning trades then your fear factor increases. You should change your perception by spending more time on your practice account until you see a profitable consistency. Only then do you return to your live account with an invigorated confidence. Your trading errors may affect you psychologically thus affect your risk tolerance and this is why you should take note of all the mistakes you make and develop corrective measures. Find out if your computer is the problem. You may be trading online efficiently but your computer may be doing the damage. This leads to uncertainties in placing exits and entries and your ability to assess risk correctly. Tune up your computer and clean your registries and ensure that you know how to use it effectively.

Do a self-check-up every now and then too. Is greed affecting your online futures trading decisions? Are you able to cut your losses when your stop gets hit? Are you doing the trading as a business or as a get rich quick scheme? Are you still willing to learn, weed out your weaknesses and remove self-doubt? Answering these questions will help in reducing risk. If you invest in yourself and in overcoming your uncertainties and fears, your risk tolerance will greatly improve and you will thus be able to calculate the risk of your future trades with confidence. You will no longer view trading as a huge risk but something that has the potential to make you a good income once you overcome a few challenges.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/day-trading-articles/how-to-handle-risk-in-market-place-6802397.html
About the Author
Author of this article enjoys listening to the CFRN Emini Futures Live Market Commentary each day and also watching the CFRN Professional Emini Traders place live trades in their Live Emini Trading Room.

Two great treasures in life are health and wealth, so save it

Author: Dynamo Home
To run a house or a business in a successful way lies in the hands of the person who holds the finances.  Right vision and right action is important every step of the way. A single wrong step can mean swimming in troubled waters. Many people do not know how to handle cash and get into difficult situations because of that. Instead of worrying about this, it is better to consult wealth creation and wealth protection services offered by companies in Perth. Like creating wealth, protecting it and maintaining it is essential.
Some people are very smart and calculative in life, while some   go with the flow. Planning, spending and saving are three important aspects of finance.  There are people who are legal heirs of a large treasure but have little knowledge about handling it in a proper way.  There are people who have very little idea about stock market but start investing huge money in it and get their hands burned. Seeking the help of Wealth Creation Services Perth can help in avoiding such situations.
Ask yourself a few questions and if you do not get a proper answer for it then it is time to approach a Wealth Protection Perth company. Why am I not able to save properly? Where is my hard earned money going? How do I make more money? Am I a good saver? How do I protect my assets? What will be the future of my family? You need the assistance of Financial Planning Services Perth to answer these questions for you and put you in    the right course.
How will Wealth Creation Services Perth help in planning and maintaining your wealth? By having immense experience in the wealth creation industry the professional wealth creation, these service providers are able to work out the monthly savings and expenditures. Next they will check your lifestyle and work out a plan that will help in managing monthly expenses effectively. Careful spending can help to save a lot. They will also advise on how to save more money.
Planning of a good budget is essential to build a strong base. The professional Wealth Protection Perth companies review and analyse spending patterns apart from   reviewing your debts and future expenses. This allows in analysing money saving opportunities. Health and wealth are the two important treasures of a human being. Both are needed in equal quantity to maintain a balanced life. Health should be protected, while wealth should be accumulated and maintained by reducing all kinds of risks associated with it. Building a financially safe life is essential to face the expected and unexpected events occurring in life. Do it as early as possible.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/wealth-building-articles/two-great-treasures-in-life-are-health-and-wealth-so-save-it-6771934.html
About the Author
Financial Planning Services Perth will assist you get a much better handle on your financial strength. By adhering to the plan defined by your Wealth Creation Services Perth, you will be capable to achieve your goals for you and your wealth.

Advantages and Disadvantages of 3G Cellular Phones

Author: Vanessa Arellano Doctor

Cellular phone companies are now beginning to develop new technologies that will help make telecommunications much easier and more appealing to a lot of its consumers. One particular advancement that these cellular phone companies have made on their cellular phones is the 3G technology.

3G technology, which is short for third generation mobile telephone communication systems technology, improves the efficiency of data can be transferred through your cellular phone. The data transfer rates for third generation mobile telecommunications is up to 2 Megabits per second. Aside from this feature, 3G cellular phones also have conventional voice, fax and data services, as well as high-resolution video and multimedia services which can be used while on the move. It also includes mobile office services such as virtual banking and online-billing, video conferencing, online entertainment and access to the Internet.

Such mobile telephone technology would improve the way people will be able to communicate with each other, as well as develop new uses for their cellular phones. One particular advantage of using such a technology on your cellular phone would be your phone\'s ability to watch television shows on your phone, and it also allows you to have video conversations with other people who also use the same 3G technology.

This makes one of the 3G phone\'s most essential feature better, which is the ability for people to conduct video conferencing. However, this only makes up a very small fraction of use from the 3G phones. Other applications of the 3G technology include map and positioning services, as well as multiplayer gaming, which is more popular with the mobile phone\'s younger subscribers.

The 3G technology in cellular phones can also benefit you while you are at your home with its different other applications. 3G can help you simplify everyday tasks such as shopping, wherein you can order items that you need to restock your supply at home at your local market so it would be ready for pickup once you are there, giving you the opportunity to make better use of your time.

You can also pay your bills and balance your checks by logging on to your bank account using the 3G devices that you have. You also book in advance dinner and hotel reservations in any city that you are in. Such technology also benefits you by giving you enough flexibility to function at your best in your workplace. Teleconferencing is one of the best applications for the 3G technology in your work.

Although 3G technologies offer a lot of new advancements and changes in the world of telecommunication, there are still a few things that render the use of 3G telephone communication systems technology as disadvantageous. One thing that makes 3G cellular phones disadvantageous to its users is the fact that these types of cellular phones are more expensive as compared to those which do not share the same technology. Aside from this, people who have 3G can only enjoy the video conferencing feature of the technology with other 3G subscribers.

If you are thinking about which type of phone to buy, whether 3G or not 3G phones, the important thing is that you buy the phone that has all the necessary features that you are looking for in a cellular phone.

Vanessa Arellano Doctor
http://flatrateonline.com


Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/negotiation-articles/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-3g-cellular-phones-156732.html
About the Author
Vanessa Arellano Doctor from http://www.Jump2top.com, a SEO Company

Raise your hand: 3 questions every investor should ask

A successful financial future can start with asking the right questions today


(BPT) - We live in a busy world full of demands on our time and attention - everything from keeping up with our families and careers to making sure we are taking care of ourselves and answering our cellphones by the third ring.

To meet all of life's challenges, sometimes you need to take a step back, sometimes you need to take charge, and other times it makes sense to delegate tasks to someone else - often times a professional such as a contractor, attorney or financial advisor. But for most people, turning things over to someone else shouldn't mean tuning out completely - especially when it comes to something as important as your financial future. When it comes to money and investing, most people feel more confident keeping one hand on the wheel to help ensure their best interests are being served.

But how do you know if you're doing that now or not? Here are three questions every person who invests should ask to determine how involved they are with their investments and if they're getting the level of engagement they want from their current investment professional:

1. Does my broker encourage me to be actively involved in my investment strategy?

Ninety-seven percent of Americans who are highly engaged in various activities in their lives say they want to be involved in the decisions that their broker is making, according to a Schwab study of engaged Americans conducted in May 2013. Does your broker make this easy for you to do? Sitting down and having a conversation with your broker to discuss the level of involvement you want is the first step. You should determine how and when you'd like to be contacted so your broker can keep you up-to-date on major developments in your financial situation. Make sure you feel empowered to ask questions and your broker's answers make sense, you are comfortable giving feedback, and your broker encourages you to check in as frequently as you want - on your terms.

2. What are my broker's recommendations based on?

Do you ask for the rationale behind the recommendations your broker is making for your money? Not only do you deserve an explanation, but you need to understand how your broker's recommendations are suitable for your unique goals, risk tolerance, time horizon and ongoing changes in your personal and financial situation - as opposed to being the same cookie cutter ideas everyone else receives. It's also a good idea to make sure you understand how your broker is compensated for the advice you receive and the products being recommended.

3. Do I understand the progress I am making toward my goals?

Schwab's study of engaged Americans from May 2013 found that 56 percent of those surveyed have a customized financial plan, which is an important first step to taking ownership over your financial future. But do you understand the progress you are making in that plan? It's important to have simple and transparent benchmarks and measures, so make sure your broker offers the tools you both need to track progress against your goals.

If you weren't able to answer these questions on your own, it may be time to ask your broker. Communication is key to any good working relationship and your broker is no exception. It's worth the time and effort to make sure you are on a path toward a successful financial future.

For more questions to ask and additional information on how you can take more ownership over your finances, visit Schwab.com/ownyourtomorrow.

Investing involves risk, including possible loss or principal.

Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., Member SIPC (1013-7270)