Business Opportunity Comparisons - 9 Things to Consider

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Cottage-Sales.com

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Since I'm writing a series on "Creating A Successful Blog" I've been looking (not very diligently) for other opinions on what makes for a successful blog.

One thing I've discovered is that there is no magic answer to this question. First of all, every blog speaks to a different audience in a different tone of voice. So what one group likes another group will find boring or maybe even overtly aggravating.

I stumbled on an instance of this today when I followed a link from Lisa Barone's post called "Six Kickass Writing Resources for Bloggers".

First on her list was "What Makes a Good Blog?" by Merlin Mann.

Now I must admit there are several things in Merlin's list which I agree with, but I find the overall tone fairly aggravating. For instance, he says, "People start real blogs because they think about something a lot...They make and consume smart forebrain porn. So: where do this person's obsessions take them."

Frankly I don't see why "obsession" is a necessary part of blogging. Is it because in order to do real blogging we must express our personality; and expressing our personality necessarily involves creativity; and because creativity is so relatively scarce and difficult that it will not happen without an obsessive focus on something?

Or is this just the way an obsessive person looks at it?

Of course it takes all types. But there is a certain arrogance and air of superiority about talk of obsession and creativity that I can do without.

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

Squidoo New Look

Squidoo seems to have a new edit and publish interface. I've always found it a bit clunky in the past, but now it seems quite a bit easier to add modules. The process makes more sense to me.

I just created a lense about Car Repair for a client.

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

Communicating With Your Real Estate Agent

In an article called The Future of Real Estate Communication Phoenix area real estate specialist and blogger Jay Thompson suggests that agents who want to be in the loop with the next generation of home buyers had better understand the communication media they use.

Text messaging is something that has become second nature to young people as young as 9 or 10 years old, and it has basically made email obsolete as a way for teenagers to communicate with one another. Thompson reports that in December his two teenagers sent and received about 10,000 text messages - that's about 83 messages each per day - while his 17 year old son claims to have sent maybe 10 emails in the whole month.

On the other hand Thompson himself - a technology savvy parent and real estate agent - has more than 5,000 email messages in his inbox, and most of his own text messages have been back and forth with his children. So there is clearly a "generation gap" when it comes to the use of electronic messaging.

As he says, "The point is, the way we communicate is changing. According to some researchers there will be 2.3 trillion text messages sent this year. Wikipedia says that 80% of 13 – 24 year olds use text messaging (compared to 18% of 40 – 49 year olds). That’s a whole lot of texting by a whole lot of soon to be first-time home buyers."

The other change that has already taken place over the last couple of years is the way an increasing number of people use social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. People who would not think of using a stuffy email message to talk to each other find themselves commenting to each other back and forth through Facebook and Twitter. Not only are these becoming mature communication channels between people, but companies and entrepreneurs are finding innovative ways to interact with customers and prospects through these massively popular media.

The bottom line is that real estate agents will have to accommodate themselves to the communication media used by their clients. That means if they want to reach young people who are plugged into these non-traditional modes of communication, they themselves will have to become plugged in.

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

Cottage-Sales.com - Looking for a cottage or summer home in Canada? You've come to the right place. We have valuable background information on cottage sales and what to look for in a summer home. If you've done any searching for cottages or summer homes, you know this market changes daily. Cottage-Sales.com is a member of the Linknet network of websites.

Business Opportunity Comparisons - 9 Things to Consider

Business Opportunities - 9 Things to Watch Out For

by Rick Hendershot, Linknet Promotions

If you are considering striking out and starting a new business, you have probably been investigating what are known as "business opportunities". A business opportunity is usually a complete package that contains a product or line of products, and a marketing strategy for selling that product.

Any business opportunity worth considering will either have a track record that you can investigate and evaluate, or it will have a clear statement of the plan, the potential, and the up-front costs. Before investing any time or money in a specific business opportunity there are some things you should consider. Here are some of the more important ones:

How long has the business opportunity been in business? - Before investing time and money in marketing a business opportunity it is important to determine how long that business opportunity has been operating. If it is a new concept that has not been proven in the marketplace, you have no assurance that it will even work.
Does the company have a fixed address and phone number? - This may seem obvious to you, but the fact is, thousands of "companies" operate with nothing more than a website and an email address. Many of them are here today and gone tomorrow. Make sure the business you intend to deal with has a fixed address, physical location, and established phone number.
Does the business opportunity have some successful members you can talk to? - Most business opportunities will show you "testimonials", but these are often untrustworthy. They could even be completely fabricated. Ask the owner of the business opportunity for names of real people you can talk to. Call them on the telephone and ask them to share their experiences with the program. This will not only provide you with valuable first-hand information about the program, but it will give you a list of advisors who many be happy to help you along the way.
How much initial investment is required? - In many cases a proven business opportunity with a successful track record will involve some kind of initial investment. This could involve an initial amount of product inventory, a program subscription fee, or possibly a piece of equipment required to produce or finish the product. You should not assume that a business opportunity that is free to join is a better investment. Usually a free-to-join business opportunity will involve other costs such as marketing and advertising fees. Nobody gives away "opportunities" for free. What you have to determine is whether a specific business opportunity has a successful track record, is managed by honest people, and offers you a realistic chance of actually making some money. These are the things you must weigh against the entry costs.
What is the realistic income potential of the business? - Have a careful look at the numbers and projections provided by the business opportunity. Then talk with actual members who are using the program to determine if they have been able to turn those numbers into reality.
Are there extra fees such as yearly or monthly subscription fees, shipping costs, or minimum purchase requirements? - Make sure to get a detailed list of all the fees involved in operating the new business. These things may not seem significant now, but they can easily eat into your profits later.
Who controls the money? - When you generate sales for the business opportunity what assurance do you have that you will get your share of the profits? This is the primary reason not to deal with "fly by night" outfits that have no track record. Again, the best way to get an accurate reading on this is to talk with people already using the program.
Does the business opportunity supply marketing materials and person-to-person mentoring? - One of the most difficult parts of starting a new business is "learning the ropes". It can be extremely helpful to have advisors who have first hand experience in making the program work. The same goes for marketing materials. You will have enough to do without having to create brochures, ads, and newsletters for your new business.
How much control of your new business will you have? - Be clear on who owns the business, and who controls the way it is developed and marketed. You may want to diversify your product offerings in order to avoid being at the mercy of "head office". Remember that you are trying to create a business that has long term value. This will involve considerable investment of time and energy on your part. You don't want your business to be completely dependent on the stability and integrity of a single supplier.

The ideal business opportunity is one that is offered by a stable company with a proven track record. The business opportunity should require low initial investment and have high profit potential both in the short term and in the long term. It should allow you to build a profitable business of your own that will be a source of income far into the future.

For a very good example of this kind of business opportunity, visit Free Card Business Card Displays -- a home based business opportunity with a highly profitable product. It features a low initial investment and long term earning potential combined with a detailed support program that almost guarantees you will be making money within the first month of operation.

Rick Hendershot is a writer and online publisher. For online promotional ideas see Online Promotional Ideas.

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