The most cost-effective and successful means of building your business and attracting customers is through public relations, and in particular getting media coverage. The reason that PR works is that it provides third-person credibility not obtainable through paid advertising. In fact, it is said to have 10 times the impact of traditional, paid advertising, placing you above your competitors as the “top of mind” choice for customers, investors and business partners. There are a number of ways to go about getting media coverage and seeking journalists to call you for comment on industry matters or issues relating to your business.

Media releases are a great way of distributing relevant and topical information to a group of targeted publications (think about which media outlets your target audience get their information from). The release must be newsworthy and cover the “who, what, where, why and when”.

Case studies provide an ideal platform to leverage business success and tell your story to the media through your customers. Many trade publications publish case studies and you can use them as testimonials when speaking to journalists. 

Pitching is where you contact specific media outlets to offer them either an exclusive story or an opportunity that is more specific than a media release topic. You can pitch via email or phone, however before contact develop a clear outline of your story and ensure it is succinct and compelling. 

Special features are published in most printed media and cover specific topics relevant to readership. They are an excellent avenue for reaching a specific audience. Contact the feature editor or the journalist in charge to see what angles, topics and issues they wish to cover and then develop a story, case study, or offer comment. Be proactive and contact features editors well in advance of publishing deadlines, as often they are pre-printed.

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Countless times I’ve heard clients tell me, “I have a better product, I provide better service, and I’m sick of customers telling me my prices are higher than the competition. If only I could convince my customers that my product or service IS worth a slightly higher investment.” In this article, we’ll discuss principles, approaches and techniques that will help you to build greater value, a higher product/service perception and improved profitability.

The Lowest Price
Let’s face it- securing the business often boils down to the lowest price, in one form or another. Are you cheaper than the competition? If not, you may be up for a battle of the wills. No matter what price you quote, many customers will automatically say it’s too high. That response is so deeply drilled into their mindset that just about every product or service they come in contact with gets the same reaction. The trick is to get beyond the knee-jerk reaction and into a reasonable conversation about their situation, needs, budget, and time frames. Until you achieve that level of rapport, price itself simply isn’t the issue. 

Another facet of the price objection is the explosion of options every client faces. There are more varieties of products and more vendors to buy from than ever before. Multiply varieties by vendors and it’s clear that the total number of available choices has grown exponentially. This overwhelming amount of data can lead customers to making comparisons between options that aren’t strictly comparable- the proverbial apples vs. oranges debate. While the solutions being considered aren’t equal, the prospect is conditioned such that they can’t look beyond Price A vs. Price B. 

The “I can do it cheaper” Strategy 
An often used but ineffective strategy is the “I can do it cheaper” strategy.

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For several years many small business owners have asked me the same questions:

“How can I grow my business without significant capital investment?”

“What can I do to stabilize the trends in my business?” 

“How can I out-market my competition in the midst of price erosion?”

“How can I maintain a consistent level of revenue to ensure a consistent level of profit?”

“Why are my people loyal one day and turncoat the next?”

“What can I do to motivate my staff to invest more time and effort in effectively selling or delivering my product or service?”

“How can I eliminate excuses and inspire commitment?”

Because these are the most frequently asked questions, I have invested considerable time and effort in seeking out the EXPERTS and learning their methods in dealing with these challenges. I have made it my mission to vigorously study the masters in management, sales and marketing. The philosophy that I espouse is an amalgamation of what I have learned DIRECTLY from the leaders in business, such as: Tom Peters, Jack Welsh, Stephen Covey, Peter Drucker, Zig Ziglar, Tom Hopkins, Jay Abraham, Tony Robins, Morris Shechtman and many others. I have found that while these business gurus have different approaches, they all seem to agree on six absolutes of successful business management in the 21st Century:

1. We are entering an age of uncertainty, expanding knowledge and unrelenting change.
For these reasons, what worked in the past will no longer work in the future. Even the most successful companies must commit to continuous improvement.

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It is not often that I find myself without words. I usually have plenty to say about any topic imaginable. But recently when speaking with a CEO who had asked my advice about how to deal with a particular challenge in his business, I was rendered speechless. This CEO had recently lost a key supplier to the competition thereby disrupting his supply chain and causing production and delivery problems.

As we discussed his challenges, the CEO seemed forthright and was open to hearing ideas of how to handle this. So I told him about several other clients that had experienced the same problem and how they created a foolproof method for avoiding such circumstances in the future. I suggested he engage in some planning to create a network of suppliers with contingencies for those that fail to maintain loyalty. I suggested that in the future, he should try to avoid depending too much on any one supplier unless there was an exclusive arrangement in place. I told him that the key was doing some careful planning to identify competitive suppliers and play one against another. 

His response both stunned and surprised me. He said. “Wow, that sounds like it would take a LOT of time. I don’t have time for planning!” I asked him if he now had time to find a new supplier. He answered a sheepish, NO and went on to tell me about how he was working 60+ hours per week just trying to manage all of the details of his business. 

I think this is a fairly common problem with business leaders today. We spend so much time working IN our business that we fail to work ON the business. Peter Drucker said that on the average one hour spent planning is worth 5 hours of execution. Are you spending enough time planning? Do you need to take a step back and look at the big picture and identify some contingencies?

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Ace Hardware is currently accepting applications from individuals who are interested in becoming franchisees of this leading company. With urgent expansion necessary to meet demand, the company offers franchisees financing assistance as well as ongoing training and support. Interested applicants should read over the following outline and then you may request additional information to find out how to capitalize on this impressive opportunity.

About Ace Hardware

Ace Hardware has been in business for over 80 years and has successfully evolved into the largest neighborhood hardware retailer in the country. Starting out as a family business, it soon earned a reputation for value and excellent customer service and has expanded consistently ever since. The DIY industry boom in recent years has helped to speed up the expansion, which is why it is now open to businesspeople everywhere.

Ace Hardware stocks over 70,000 items in each of the hardware categories across the 4,800 American locations, thus giving consumers a wide variety of choices when performing DIY tasks at home or within small businesses, and this is where the customer base has increased in recent years.

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AAMCO Transmissions, Inc. is currently offering an exciting franchise opportunity to join the extremely successful national team in your local area. The opportunity involves full training and support so you can easily tap into the resources at your disposal to grab one of the best business opportunities available.

About AAMCO Transmissions, Inc

AAMCO Transmissions, Inc. is a household name throughout the United States and has a solid reputation in the automotive industry.  In terms of car repair and maintenance, they have the most recognized name in the industry and you can profit from that advantage as a franchisee.

AAMCO Transmissions has been the market leader in transmission repair for some time but now offers complete car care. As a result of the additional car services they have added to their product range, AAMCO has now become a one stop shop for drivers, which substantially increases the profits for franchisees.

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Everyone loves a great movie and even though you can rent movies, there is just something special about going to a movie theater.  The movie theater experience is a chance to see movies before they are released on DVD or available on premium television channels.  Investing in movie theaters for sale is a sound investment that is sure to provide you with a great return on your investment.

Check the Facilities
When you are looking for movie theaters for sale the best place to first check is the actual movie theater facilities. Talk with the operating manager or the owner to find out if they are considering putting the place up for sale or even if it is already on the market.  Who knows at the right price you might convince an owner to sell that did not have the place up for sale initially.

Operating Costs
Some movie theaters have gone under because they could not handle the operating costs of the facility.  Review financial reports to determine how much it costs for employees, movie royalties, staffing, equipment and other aspects of the business.  Are there areas that you can carve away at expenditures to turn the facility around to make a profit?

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In recent years, self-help has become a way of life for many people in the United States. Drawing on the advice, philosophies and help of others has undoubtedly enabled many individuals to make it through tough times in their lives. There are certain individuals that have taken full advantage of this and Tony Robbins is perhaps one of the most successful. Grasping onto the patterns and trends in modern society, the entrepreneur has made a fortune and a career out of helping people.

Tony Robbins The Man

Anhony J Mahavorick was born in North Hollywood, California in February 1960. His home life was anything but perfect because his parents divorced when the entrepreneur was just aged six. Although his mother took a husband once more before settling down with husband number three (which is how Robbins got his surname) it undoubtedly affected him deeply. He made a vow to help others that were suffering in the same way that he did. This was compounded by the fact that there was a gap in the market for it later on. Noticing the demand and the small number of self help gurus and motivational speakers out there, Robbins took to attending lectures and seminars before launching his own career.

Tony Robbins The Guru

Tony Robbins started his career by listening to and then promoting self-help seminars for one of the most popular gurus of that era, Jim Rohin. As a result of that element of his career, Robbins made a lot of contacts and was soon able to meet John Grinder, an expert in neuro-linguistic programming, or NLP. NLP was one of the most popular methods of helping individuals deal with their issues. As Grinder had founded NLP, he was able to teach the budding entrepreneur everything he knew so that it was possible for Robbins to branch out and teach it on his own.

Tony Robbins was a huge success when he began teaching NLP and his notoriety soon spread.

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Very few people have the opportunity, vision and drive to influence a whole generation. Those that do have the opportunity very rarely take their opportunity to do just that because it is a major responsibility. This may be why some young entrepreneurs become disillusioned, but there is reassurance out there in the form of one man that grasped his opportunity with both hands. Russell Simmons is that man. The founder of Def Jam Records is undoubtedly a hip-hop pioneer and gave so much to his generation as well as future generations.

Growing Up

Russell Simmons was born on October 4, 1957 in Queens, New York and grew up in one of the roughest areas of the city. As such, he did fall in with a bad crowd and spent some of his formative years as a hustler on the streets. One thing he did have from his childhood though was a love of music and a drive to promote it as best as he could. He did get an education though and actually made the decision to go to City College of New York in Harlem in 1978. He studied sociology by day and promoted hip-hop gigs by night. However, the latter got the better of the former and he dropped out to follow his one true love.

The entrepreneur began promoting local music acts in New York and would wax lyrical about their talent if asked. It was while he was working the music scene that he met a college student by the name of Rick Rubin. Rubin and Simmons began to think that there was a better way to get the music of the likes of Kurtis Blow, Public Enemy, Run DMC and LL Cool J heard, and they founded Def Jam Records together in 1984. They soon found that their music was played on the radio on a regular basis and began to produce the albums of the stars mentioned above.

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How many business cards have you gathered since you’ve been in business? I’ve seen business owners with hundreds if not thousands of business cards stored in card boxes, in jacket pockets, stapled to diaries and contact details scribbled on bits of paper. 

Are you the same? Do you have hundreds of business cards lying around in various places?  

I’d like you to ask yourself a question…how effective are these business cards for you at the moment? 

A few years ago, I was in the same situation. I had piles of business cards. In fact, I remember I had to go out and buy two more business card boxes because I just did not have the space to hold them all. 

But I didn’t actually do anything with them. They were just sat there looking at me.  

Occasionally, if someone asked me for some contact details, I’d go through them quickly to find the right person, but rarely found the card I was looking for. 

Then I began to realise the power of contacting past contacts and it dawned on me that I would actually need to do something about my business cards. So, I painstakingly sat there and typed them all out onto a database on excel. 

Just putting these contacts somewhere made it possible for me to do something with them. For instance, I could: 

• Touch base with these contacts to find out how they were getting on.
• Make notes and colour code excel to show what was happening with each person.
• Find people quickly and easily.
• Produce reports and statistics if I needed to. 

The most important difference though was that I was able to follow up with people and start to build a relationship with them. Because I could touch base with people properly, I found it had a dramatic difference on my business and got me new customers. 

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On February 17, 2009 President Barack Obama signed the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009” (“ARRA of 2009) into law.  Section 1251 of the bill temporarily reduces the recognition period for “built-in” gains tax (BIG tax) on S Corporations from 10 years to 7 years for the 2009 and 2010 tax years.

Why is this important? 

Historically, if you were a shareholder in an S Corporation that converted from a C Corporation and sold the company within 10 years of the date of conversion, you would be subject to BIG tax.  For 2009 and 2010, that 10 year “recognition period” has been reduced to 7 years.  So, if you sell your S Corporation in 2009 or 2010 and it has been converted from a C Corporation at least 7 years prior, you will avoid the 35% BIG tax.  Companies originally organized as S Corporations have never, and remain, not subject to BIG tax.

A Closer Look

When you sell a C Corporation the proceeds from the sale of the assets are owned by the corporation.  They get taxed once at the corporate level (35%) and then again upon distribution to the shareholders where they are taxed at your personal rate.  This effective “double tax” makes it advantageous for the shareholders of a C Corporation to convert to an S Corporation prior to sale.  In an S Corporation the proceeds from sale are “passed through” directly to the shareholders and taxed ONLY at their individual tax rates.

Since the result of converting a C Corporation to an S Corporation is a reduction in revenue for the IRS, the IRS states that the conversion must occur prior to the recognition period or the proceeds from sale will be taxed on a prorated basis.

Example:

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Web design used to be strictly in HTML formatting and very few people were trained to create web pages.  Software was primarily used by businesses and companies to run more efficiently.  Today the industry for web design and for software development has grown by leaps and bounds.  It continues to be an industry that is ever changing.  Finding a software business for sale or even a web design business for sale is not very difficult at all.

Stages of Software Development
Most business people do not realize that software development follows a life cycle for the software.  There are different phases that software development includes before a piece of software is ever put onto the market.  Traditionally, one company will not handle every single aspect of the software development.  For example, testing and software development change requests are typically handled by one company.  Once the product is ready to hit the market, another company could handle the marketing, packaging and advertising aspects of the software development as the final stage.

When you find a software business for sale it is important to find out which phase of software development that the company specializes in.  Do they handle the final stage of marketing, packaging and advertising?  Do they design software ideas that are sold to other companies to actually produce?  Does the company specialize in the actual programming and testing of the software?

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Have you ever come across franchise reviews before? If you have then you may be interested in what they have to offer you. Well, if you are looking to invest in an established business to expand your entrepreneurial portfolio then a franchise will be a perfect choice or you. There are hundreds of franchises available at any given time so there is plenty of scope to give your business career a major boost, but how do you choose the right opportunity?

What Are Franchise Ratings And Reviews?

Franchise ratings and franchise reviews are effectively reports compiled by trusted sources. You can find those compiled by current franchisees, all of which will give their opinions on the franchisor in terms of support, training, costs and fees, and numerous other general factors. You can also find those compiled by independent companies. Independent companies look at completely different factors and thus the metrics by which the franchise ratings and franchise reviews are composed may give a different outcome to those by franchisees.

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So you fly somewhere exotic on holiday and you stop at the car rental booth the airport and choose from a whole host of cars that can get you around for the duration of your holiday. You travel on business, fly to the other side of the country and do exactly the same. Notice a pattern? If you, as a successful businessperson, add up just how much you spend every year on rental cars for business and pleasure and multiply that by several hundred thousand then you will be able to get a good idea of just how profitable the industry is. If you want another business to add to your investment portfolio and make you a lot of money then you should look into the car rental businesses for sale out there at the moment.

Profitability
The profitability of the individual car rental businesses for sale cannot really be estimated or generalized because every single car rental business for sale is different. One located at the airport, for example, may have a greater profitability than an independent business on the outskirts of town. As such, you need to assess the cash flow and accounts of the individual business before you buy a car rental business. You should have a gifted accountant look through them and give you an honest opinion, and then get a business consultant look through them and give you his or her independent opinion just to be sure that there is a consensus about the car rental business for sale in question.

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Walt Disney is a world famous name. It is well known as a result of animated cartoons and films that have been released over a period in excess of a hundred years. However, it is easy to forget that the name of Walt Disney was actually the name of a creative and innovative entrepreneur. Walt Disney the man is hardly forgotten but his entrepreneurial achievements tend to fall by the wayside when the success of the company is examined. As a result, let us take a look at the man himself.

The Early Years Of The Man

Walter Elias Disney was born on December 5, 1901 in Chicago, Illinois but spent little of his childhood there. His parents financially struggled and so took the opportunity to move to Marceline, Missouri when it presented itself. His father’s brother had bought farmland and needed help to tend it. As the young entrepreneur was left to his own devices and had little interaction with children of his own age in the rural setting, he began to find ways and means to entertain himself and drawing was undoubtedly his favorite pastime. When Disney was 10 years old when his family moved again to Kansas City. There he attended school and met a friend named Walter Pfeiffer. Pfeiffer’s family introduced the young entrepreneur to the theater and movies, which captured his attention and set him on the path to becoming a worldwide legend.

The Early Years Of Disney

Walt Disney embarked on his drawing career in 1919. He would draw for newspapers and movie theaters to create advertisements before joining the Kansas City Film Ad Company. It was there where he was introduced to animation, although he did not stay long before opening his own animations company. Although his animation career started off slowly with short cartoons at the local movie theater, his work soon became popular.

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Robert L Johnson is one of the most recognisable African American faces in the United States today. As an entrepreneur and a billionaire, Robert Johnson has worked hard to get to where he is today. As the creator and founder of Black Entertainment Television, Johnson has made a massive impact on the visibility of African American issues in the public eye. As such, the entrepreneur is one of the most esteemed figures in the world of the rich and successful today.

Humble Beginnings

Robert Johnson was born on April 8, 1946 in Hickory, Mississippi, the ninth of ten children. His parents moved after Mississippi soon after Johnson was born and so he spent the vast majority of his early year in Freeport, Illinois. The budding entrepreneur always excelled at his studies, so much so that he was accepted into the University of Illinois for a degree in history and then for his Master’s degree at Princeton. He graduated in 1972. Johnson always had aspirations that elevated him above his peers. He was proud of being an African American and vowed to use his own talents to promote pride as far as possible.

Robert Johnson In The Media

The entrepreneur liked the idea of using the media to communicate with his peers because it could reach a far wider audience than would be possible through any other medium. His business skills enabled him to get funding for his fledgling business and also enabled him to turn his dreams into a reality. In 1980, Black Entertainment Television was launched and purposely targeted Black Americans all over the country. It appeared on cable for two hours every week to begin with but popular demand soon mounted so the station broadcast daily and then all day. It was soon attracting the attention of people all over the country and its popularity grew in no time at all.

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U-Turn Vending is currently offering an exciting business opportunity for individuals seeking to own their own business but who would like to have the backing of a popular brand. With training and support available and an option for third party financing assistance, you have all the tools you need to be successful. No matter where you live in the United States there are opportunities available so request further information today to secure your vending business opportunity.

About U-Turn Vending

U-Turn Vending is one of the leading experts in the vending machine market. Having been in business for more than two decades, the company has provided a safe and secure living for its distributors as well as providing convenient and affordable snacks for the general population. The vending machine industry generates billions of dollars every year because the machines provide quick and easy ways of marketing products and are located in places that are convenient for the customer to buy from and strategically placed by the vendor.

U-Turn Vending has invested in state of the art machines and has developed the layout and signage inside them so as to provide eye catching and consumer friendly marketing, but what does that mean for you?

Take Control With U-Turn Vending

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Coffee Beanery, a well-established and highly profitable business, is accepting applications from driven, enthusiastic individuals who would like to be a part of the Coffee Beanery family. A Coffee Beanery franchise opportunity comes complete with training and support, as well as third party financing. This is your one and only chance to join a very successful coffee company.

About Coffee Beanery

Coffee Beanery has been around for years, and it remains one of the most trusted names in the coffee industry. It was a major innovator in the coffee trend, since specialty coffee shops were hardly commonplace back when the company began in 1976. There are now more than 200 locations across the United States, and the their coffee business is very lucrative. Unlike modern franchises within the coffee industry, this corporation works with the traditional values of a relaxed but warm atmosphere, exceptional coffee, and a family outlook. This allows everyone to walk through the door and immediately feel at home, and why not? Everyone deserves a little downtime, and they can get it at Coffee Beanery.

Tap Into Coffee Benefits

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BP ampm is currently looking for individuals with a strong desire to run their own business under a major brand. This franchise opportunity offers complete training and support as well as financial assistance. Currently, applications are accepted from all US states with the exception of Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and Philadelphia. If you have the drive and ambition to succeed and want to get your entrepreneurial career off to a good start then there is no better opportunity than this!

About BP ampm

BP ampm is a major worldwide force in the convenience store and petroleum industry. With over 25 years of experience as a franchise, the concept of combining a gas station and a convenience store has proven to be a highly successful one. Located in highly visible places besides freeways and in major towns and cities, BP ampm has emerged as the leading franchise in the marketplace today. In fact, the brand itself actively draws people from all over the world as a result of the 99% brand awareness worldwide. It is a trusted and reputable brand that individuals feel comfortable with, which has only contributed to its success.

BP ampm stores are generally open 24 hours a day and offer a range of products that appeal to the convenience shopper.

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Wingstop has recently announced that there are franchise opportunities available for individuals living within the United States, which provide full training and support. There is also third party financing available. A brief overview of this opportunity follows and then you may request additional details for more specific information.

About Wingstop

Wingstop was established in 1994 to provide the best possible buffalo chicken wings in addition to a full menu within an industry that had no such restaurant specializing in that niche at the time. With an exceptional range of high quality food and exemplary service, business boomed and demand soon far outstripped the supply. Within 3 years, Wingstop was being offered as a franchise, thus giving the company the necessary expansion and franchisees lucrative benefits that came with a major brand name. Now, there are over 600 restaurants within the chain and plenty of room for more!

All Wingstop restaurants have a friendly and light atmosphere that makes it a pleasure to dine there, if only to take a look at all the aircraft memorabilia that adorns the walls.

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