LTL Freight A Term Used For Less Than Truckload Freight Can Be An Afforbable Way To Ship

LTL Freight A Term Used For Less Than Truckload Freight Can Be An Afforbable Way To Ship
By Dean McNeely

Less Than Truckload Freight or LTL for short is a growing business that has strong demand. The need for businesses to have access to LTL freight carriers can be often confusing for those new to the freight carrier business. This niche business continues to grow primarily due to two main reasons. First, parcel carriers usually have a max weight of 150 lbs and the other being motor freight carriers wanting full truck loads. So, LTL fits obviously in between for those shipping a mix of packages.

Less than truckload shipments usually weigh between 75 lbs and sometimes north of 10,000lbs. Groups of smaller packages consolidated together at the various terminal hubs to fill other enclosed trailers for line hauls to specific locations. LTL can be a valuable addition to your business offering an economical way to ship goods quick and affordable. Usually freight is moved daily as drop offs are in the morning and pickups are done in the afternoon. The down time in between stays busy. This is usually when freight is offloaded and inspected for weights and measurements that conform to the bill of lading which is the paperwork for the various shipments.

Transit times for LTL are generally a little longer than full truck load carriers. Usually the location of terminals of the various companies plays the most important role in determining the time frame for delivery.

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When selecting a LTL shipper please remember to consider if that particular carrier services that region and doesn t have to hand the cargo off to another regional carrier.

In summary, shipping less than truckload freight is an afforable way to move freight across the country. Don t forget volume pricing is available for those shipping larger amounts of freight.

One website that may offer a savings on freight is http://www.saveonfreight.com

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Training Needs Analysis tna For The Hospitality Industry

Training Needs Analysis (tna) For The Hospitality Industry

By: Maxwell Best

Prior to any training taking place in hotels, resorts, cruise ships or other hospitality establishments, it is essential to identify what the needs are to ensure that it meets with the requirements of the business. Such an analysis is often referred to as a Training Needs Analysis (TNA).

Good hospitality training specialist consultants and their trainers highly recommend a training needs analysis (TNA) prior to any training that they undertake. This is an important first step. Training involves investment in time, money and resources. Such an investment to address the actual needs and to make a significant difference to the success of the company can lead to a more complete utilization of resources and can also affect the degree of success of the training program. As with any investment, returns are expected from training in the form of improved performance that can lead to achievement of business goals.

So how do we go about conducting a Training Needs Analysis (TNA)? Where do we begin? What are the needs? How can we plan? How to make it happen? What difference will it make?

Using a step by step approach, we can answer all these questions. Below is 4-step guide on how to conduct a Training Needs Analysis (TNA):

Step 1: Understand the Current Situation

* Make an internal assessment of the current situation. This involves gathering information on how the company is currently operating and can be gathered from a variety of methods:

* Guest Feedback (Guest Comment Cards / Customer Satisfaction Surveys)

* Mystery Shopper Results

* Complaint Log Books

* Exit Interviews

* Employee Opinion Surveys

* Employee Appraisal Reports

* Operations Reviews

* Incident Reports

* Observations at the Workplace

* Brand Standard Audits

* Skills Tests

* One-on-one discussions

* Focus Groups

Step 2: Determine the Desired Outcome

Next, identify what the desired outcome can be. This involves visualizing what the desired future is and can be established by a review of:

* Company Vision and Mission

* Company Strategies and Objectives

* Business & Marketing Plan translated into Business Goals and Objectives

* Guest / Customer Needs

* Career Development Needs

* Any changes expected such as new services, policies, procedures

Step 3: Analyze the GAP

Once information is gathered on current and future situation, a GAP analysis is undertaken. This is basically the difference between findings in Steps 1 and 2 and may be defined as:

Desired Outcome ? Current Performance = Training Need.

It should be noted that not all performance issues can be resolved through training. This is important to distinguish as the wrong solution could lead to the wrong outcome. Training can help if there is a lack of sufficient knowledge, skills or attitude. While knowledge and skills are easier to identify and rectify, attitude can be improved with time through a process of learning, monitoring and consequences. In the final analysis, look for correlations and consistencies. Sieve through the details and do not take the ?forest for the trees?.

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Training that must meet legal requirements due to external regulations such as health, hygiene and safety, goes right to the top of the list. This is not negotiable and can affect licenses to operate. Next consider what is immediately needed to put things right, for example, gaps in service and product standards delivery, changes in policies and procedures, introduction of new services, etc. Then, list all regular training programs offered as good employers do, such as orientation, soft skills training and other supervisory development programs. Finally, include any employee development activities that provide career development and growth progression in the company.

All training needs can then be documented into a ?Training Plan? according to priorities. The training plan should specify for each training need:

* What needs to be achieved (The Objective)

* Why it is important (Impact on the business if not done)

* Who needs training (Identify specific individuals or groups)?

* When it is needed (Timely training can lead to more effective results)

* Where it will take place (Conducted in house or externally)

* How it will be evaluated (Desired changes back at the workplace)

Allocate budgets according to priority and finally present plan in a format that is easy for everyone involved to understand. Communicate and then work the plan.

This is a detailed and comprehensive process. Hence, an ever increasing number of hospitality companies seem to delegate the task of their training needs analysis (TNA) as well as their whole training to hospitality training specialist consultants, hence saving themselves time, money and resources.

References: https://www.mb-hospitality.org/HospitalityTraining.html

Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/business_and_finance/article_8952.shtml

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Why Spend Money on a Marketing Plan When I Can Spend It on the Marketing Itself

Why Spend Money on a Marketing Plan When I Can Spend It on the Marketing Itself?
By Lani Voivod

If you re a small business owner, you know that cash flow is the number one killer of small and microbusinesses. We owners are time-crunched, and the tasks we choose to do at the beginning of a day rarely match up with the list of things we actually did at the end of the day.

Considering this triple whammy, it s no surprise the idea of marketing planning tends to get a big “Why bother?” out of people.

One of our new clients, Fox Hill Remodeling in Nashua, NH, has a lot going for it. They had a great year financially and project-wise in 2007. They re about to launch a new “3-Week Kitchen” concept that blows the doors off average renovation project timeframes. And they ll be appearing at five home shows this year, whereas in past years they only did one.

They understand the importance of how marketing boosts a business success. But when it comes to marketing planning, they raised a question we hear from a lot of other businesses, too:

“Why should I spend money on a plan, when I could just spend it on the marketing itself?”

That question touches all the core issues we flagged in that first paragraph. Owners want to spend their money wisely, they don t have time to waste, and they know what happens to the best-laid plans of mice and men.

But…

Without a good solid plan in place to guide, track, automate, and oversee the next 12 months of your marketing efforts, how will you make sure:

* The money you spend on one-off marketing efforts serves the Big Picture success of your business?

* You ve got something - more sales, more clients, more revenue, a better reputation, more respect in your field or community, increased brand awareness, etc. - to show for your marketing efforts and investments?

* Your business has a stronger, more consistent and more solid foundation, online and off?

* You ve increased ways and incentives for people to “take the next step” with you - whether that means spending money, investing time and energy, recommending you to their friends and associates, or simply thinking of you next time they need your particular product, service, or expertise?

* You stay competitive, creative, focused, and realistic about what you can do with the budget and resources you have?

The simple answer? You can t, and you won t.

Ouch. Not good, for your business OR your bottom line.

Still, when cash flow is everything, it s hard to justify spending thousands of dollars just to have someone give you yet another to-do list you:

a) Can t see the value of

b) Don t think you have the time, money, or resources to implement, or

c) Fear won t produce results

More than anything, then, you need to know what separates a waste-of-time marketing plan from a customized, focused, professionally-crafted marketing plan designed specifically around your business s short and long term success.

A customized, focused, professionally-crafted marketing plan:

* Begins with your end goals in mind.

* Develops everything around your core message, mission, and vision.

* Aims to communicate with your distinct target market, using their language, solving their unique problems, and highlighting the benefits only you can deliver to them.

* Makes the most of your marketing budget, helping you track the impact and effectiveness of marketing campaigns and outreach efforts.

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* Delivers results.(!)

Odds are, you wouldn t trust a home builder who chucked a bunch of wood and nails in a pile and told you he could build your dream home from scratch based on nothing but whims and instincts. Why, then, do so many business owners trust their reputations, growth, and revenue-generating opportunities to accidental marketing?

While there may not be any guarantees in life - especially when it comes to marketing - there are ways to exponentially increase the chances of quantifiable, measurable success with the right strategic plan in place.

So, if you ve never before invested in a plan to streamline your marketing, boost your bottom line, rev-up your reputation, and produce measurable results, this would be a great time to give it a try.

After all, what do you have to lose except the nagging feeling that you could ve done better this year and the years to follow, if only you had set a plan in place to make it happen?

(c) 2008 Epiphanies, Inc. As the “Content Lovers” of Epiphanies Inc., Lani & Allen Voivod help lifestyle entrepreneurs and million-dollar businesses “A-Ha Themselves” in fun and profitable ways. For FREE articles, marketing tips, and content strategies designed to fire up your passion and profit-ize your niche, sign up for their “Inciter” ezine at http://www.EpiphaniesInc.com

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Know The Power of Your Words

Know The Power of Your Words
By Timothy Cavinder

Know The Power of Your Words

When is the last time you gave your business a good self examine? If its been awhile then it might be time and in doing so one of the most important questions you can ask is simply: Are you what you say you are? Is your product or service in tune with what you advertise? If it isn t, then you could have a very damaging problem on your hands. The words you chose to represent your business image will eventually trickle down and effect your bottom line. So choose carefully.

If you think advertising that you re selling Gourmet Hamburgers is a good idea when there isn t anything gourmet about them, then you re only hurting yourself. Why? Because now you ve just created a mini cancer within your organization. Your employees aren t stupid (hopefully.) They know the difference between gourmet and what s on the menu (gourmet doesn t mean melting different kinds of cheese on them.) Knowing that the product passing through their hands isn t what its advertised to be only diminishes their respect for the company. They will wonder what else isn t right, what else are you attempting to pass off as something that it isn t. Respect in employee relations is necessary to have, easy to lose, and difficult if not impossible to regain.

Quite simply, make sure your product or service is what you say it is. Your customers aren t stupid.

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Words in business hold a great deal of power. Choose carefully and the difference will correspondingly be reflected in your bottom line.

Timothy Cavinder is a freelance copywriter working hard everyday to save his clients time and money.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Timothy_Cavinder
http://EzineArticles.com/?Know-The-Power-of-Your-Words&id=438233

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Building the Perfect Security Team - How to Hire the Best

Building the Perfect Security Team - How to Hire the Best
By Jeffrey Bennett

The best case scenario,your company is growing and you find yourself reassessing your security
manning needs. In
the worse case, you
find yourself severely lacking the personnel
required to effectively perform security functions.
In either case, it is up to you to hire the perfect
employee.

The perfect employee? Though a daunting task, it
is important that you hire and build a team of
excellent security managers. Never, ever settle for a
warm body just to get the job done. Many of you
know from experience the issues of hiring the
wrong candidate bring about.

There are a few good observations about potential
candidates that can further them into the hiring
process. These include: What does the company
value and what do you value as a security manager?
We will also cover where to find potential
candidates, the interview process and building the
team.

First and foremost, all qualified applicants must
reflect the company culture. What kind of
employee does the company value? You must
know this before you begin the search process. If
your company values initiative, make sure your
prescreen selects thinkers who can execute security
functions with limited supervision.
Know yourself and what you value. Obviously
your values support the company culture, but here is
where you use your “gut” to identify successful
people. The successful person must also be mindful
of the NISPOM. Your job is to filter technically
proficient applicants with initiative to learn and
execute security procedures. Then, recommend
them for the interview.

How do you find these successful people? First you
identify the need and post it with the company.
Review your job announcement and make sure it
specifically identifies the need and requirements. If
not, spend some time editing it. This will prevent
wasted time reviewing unqualified resumes.
Word of mouth and networking with NCMS is
another great resource. You never know who might
be looking for a career boosting job or different
work experiences. Also, consider temporary
agencies. They are a resource full of qualified
potential applicants.

The next step is the interview. Alright, here is
where you need to be the most prepared. Rehearse,
rehearse, rehearse! Here is your first impression of
the applicant and vice-versa. It is important to find
out everything about this applicant considering
company culture and qualifications.

Tell the applicant about the job description and the
company. Use this time to evaluate their posture,
bearing and interest. Then use open ended
questions to assess their capabilities. For company
culture consider: Describe at time you made a
decision or, what security
initiatives have you
implemented and how were
they received by
management? For security
qualifications ask: How do
you wrap classified material?
Describe how you open a
safe? What steps do you
follow to send a visit request? Be as specific as
possible.

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For better
interview questions, consider reading Knock em
Dead by Martin Yate.

Finally, once you have made a decision to hire,
assimilate this person onto the team. On day one,
spend a few hours with your new hire to review
company values, introduce to the team, and further
outline the job requirements. Be quick to welcome
this person and involve the rest of the team. Later,
To help foster relationships between coworkers. The
best way is have them train and cross train. This
builds cohesion and breaks down pre-existing
barriers. Your team will communicate better and
appreciate your decision to hire this applicant.

With practice and the right skills your journey to
hiring the perfect candidate and building a great
team will be rewarding. Know your company, your
requirements, identify qualifications, rehearse and
conduct the interview, then build your team.

About the Author: Jeffrey W. Bennett is a corporate security officer and holds the Industrial Security Professional (ISP)certification. Jeff is also the founder of LayMentor Ministries. This organization teaches volunteers how to lead with concepts similar to those taught in most MBA programs. Additionally, Jeff writes and teaches on the ISP certification. For more information on this article, practice test questions and the upcoming book, visit: http://www.ispcert.com Jeff is also the author of the Adventure novel Under the Lontar Palm available on line at http://www.jeffreywbennett.com or in major and online bookstores

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The Four Most Pressing Trends For Generating Buzz

The Four Most Pressing Trends For Generating Buzz
By K Haria

Sustainability, leadership, authentic marketing and innovation.

These are the four most pressing trends in business today. Most entrepreneurs, corporations and even charities are using them each day in all of their communication mediums yet I wonder how many of them actually know the true meaning of these words. I think most people use these words very simply and therefore without knowing and living the true meanings are only setting themselves up for failure.

I m going to take a look a little deeper at what each one of them is for me. By doing this, you may see how many people are using them falsely and at the same time, how you and I can strengthen their presence in our work.

Sustainability. Most people take this to be making decisions that achieve results in the present without sabotaging any prospects in the future. For me, sustainability in any situation has something more. It means that the decision you make must work in the long term, at least the next 10 years whilst continuing to produce results without you having to put in consistent work over 5 years.

Leadership. Great leadership is done by example, but more importantly, a great leader has the ability to adapt intrinsically and extrinsically to create strong rapport with any kind of team member.

Authentic Marketing. Any piece of work which is transparent and shows oneness in a physical, emotional and spiritual sense can be marketed authentically. This comes down to the marketeer s values and beliefs about the product/service and their target market.

Innovation. Another word for creativity. If you can create excellent, in-demand products and marketing campaigns, you can achieve success easily. When one expresses authentic self-expression, creativity becomes more apparent.

The whole world is being transformed spiritually and it s visible everywhere you look. Because of this, the corporate world is shifting too. And it musn t just use these four key trends, it must really understand what it means in depth to it s target market before confident application.

Before I close this article, I also want to OVER-DELIVER for you and share with you something very much vital to success with your product or service. It s about:

TRANSACTION AND RELATIONSHIPS

There are two types of business:

1. Transactional businesses

2. Relationship businesses

I want you to understand the power of relationships. I call my prospects, people who haven t even paid for products when they request free information, as well customers who have purchased. It s all about building and maintaining a relationship.

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Let me ask you a question right now.

“What are you doing to show your prospects and customers that you are going the extra mile for them?”

Go the extra mile for your prospects.

Transactions and relationships. Every entrepreneur gets to choose. Make sure that YOU choose wisely.

When you ve made a choice, then check out my book to help you really get the whole process going. I ve laid out ten simple steps. Just follow them. That s all. Follow them with all the exercises and I promise you, you ll be buzzing! http://www.BuzzBurrito.com/ebook

Kavit Haria is the creator of the Ten Steps for Creating Worldwide Buzz system that shows you in simple steps how you can take your product and service and create huge sales, huge profits and happy customers. Before you do anything else, make sure you get his Free report on 15 cool and trendy ways to generate buzz which will tell you the latest ideas that ll have your product or service spinning around the globe: http://www.buzzburrito.com

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11 More Presentation Skills Tips from A Professional Speaker

11 More Presentation Skills Tips from A Professional Speaker
By Doug Stevenson

1. Use your audience as a test group if you have a point to make about human behavior. Take a simple poll of the people in the room and use the immediate results to illustrate your point. Make it fun. I poll my audience about how they deal with change. Based on how many times they ve moved, changed jobs and fallen in and out of love, they fall into one of three categories - the walkers, joggers or sprinters. Polls can be used in many ways. They create audience involvement and lift the energy in the room. Make them short and sweet, and simple to understand.
2. Give clear instructions. I ve witnessed some embarrassing moments when a speaker had not planned or written out their instructions for a group exercise. The result was chaos. Write out your instructions and try them out loud, with a few friends, before you use them on an audience.
3. Share the spotlight. Ask carefully worded questions that allow others to share their views and participate in the discussion. If you re looking for someone to give you their opinion or share a short vignette, and they give you a one word answer, say “Tell me more about that.” If they are unresponsive, move on to someone else. Be careful with the one person in the room who thinks he or she is the expert and wants to steal the spotlight or make you wrong. Hold the microphone in front of their mouth, but don t hand it to them. Control the flow of the interaction and hold on to the microphone.
4. Speak your own language. Talk the way you do all day. Don t use words you wouldn t use at dinner with friends. Too many speakers fall into the trap of trying to sound like a scholar. They write out a speech that would work well for an English exam and then read it, word for word. The problem with that is - we don t speak the way we write. If you re going to write out your speech, make sure you write conversational English, not proper English. If you want to disconnect with your audience, be verbose and pleonastic. See what I mean?
5. Speak to their hearts as well as their heads. Remember that we are all emotional beings. People act on emotion and use facts to justify their decisions. In order to speak to their hearts, you must speak from your heart. How do you feel about what you have to say? How is your audience feeling? In addition to the facts and philosophies you bring to the table, don t forget love and compassion. Before I begin every presentation, I stand in the back of the room and send out love to everyone in the audience. It helps me to shift from being totally in my head to a balance of head and heart. Appeal to emotion and motivation, as well as to logic.
6. Have a conversation rather than give a speech. Be intimate. Talk to them like they re your best buddies. Think of them as people that you know rather than a room full of strangers. Know that if you sat down with any one of them, you would find more in common than not. Ultimately, you and they are very much alike. Don t be afraid to speak softly, to confide in them. If you hide, there is little chance for true connection. Be real. Just talk to them.
7. Tell personal stories. Nothing connects like a good story. People may not remember facts and data or the seven points that you made, but they will remember the pictures they saw in their mind s eye while engaged in your story. Get into the details and paint pictures with words. The more visual you can make the story by acting it out, the better. Have fun and get into the telling of the story. The more energy and commitment you bring to the sharing of the story, the more fun it will be for both you and your audience.
8. Be honest.
   

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   Don t steal other people s stories or say something about yourself that is false. You are credible just as you are. You have lived an amazing life full of ups and downs, twists and turns and hairy escapes. Tell the truth with compassion and tact. Don t be brutal. If you happen to be the bearer of bad news, craft your words carefully. Think about what you re going to say beforehand and run it by a few people. If you have good news, share your true feelings.
9. Provide hope. Don t just paint a picture of doom and gloom - be optimistic. Find quotes and stories that uplift people s spirits. Give them something to hold onto, as well as beliefs and philosophies that will support them in moving forward with their lives. Build your speech to a climax that envisions a better outcome. Paint a picture of a bright future and help them get there. Wayne Dyer says, “You ll see it when you believe it.” That s the spirit.
10. Care. People can sense your compassion. It s as tangible as anything you will say or do while speaking. Remember, your audience is not made up of strangers, they are fellow travelers on the same roads you traverse every day. They may not travel the same pavement, but the roads are the same. They struggle for balance, for security, for love. They long for success, for excitement, for freedom. Zig Ziglar is famous for this simple but profound statement, “People don t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”
11. Get out of your own way and have fun. If there is one ingredient that will make you a successful speaker, it s your sense of humor and playfulness. Smile. Enjoy yourself. This isn t dental surgery! Love yourself and let them watch

Doug Stevenson, president of Story Theater International, is a storytelling in business expert. He is a professional speaker, trainer and speaking coach. He is the creator of The Story Theater Method and the author of the book, Never Be Boring Again - Make Your Business Presentations Capture Attention, Inspire Action, and Produce Results.

His speaking, training and executive coaching clients include Hewlett Packard, Lockheed Martin, Oracle, Bristol Myers Squibb, State Farm, Volkswagen, Century 21, The Department of Defense, The National Education Association and many more.

His 10 CD - How to Write and Deliver a Dynamite Speech audio learning system, is a workshop in a box. It contains an 80-page follow along workbook. Learn more at: http://www.dynamitespeech.com

Doug can be reached at 1-800-573-6196 or 1-719-573-6195. Learn more about the Story Theater Method, purchase the book or Story Theater audio six pack, and sign-up for the free Story Theater newsletter at: http://www.storytheater.net

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Doug_Stevenson
http://EzineArticles.com/?11-More-Presentation-Skills-Tips-from-A-Professional-Speaker&id=430245

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Home and Office Equipment

Home and Office Equipment
By Terrie Cogswell

When purchasing your home/office equipment, take into consideration what you will need, what you will be using this item for, and how much use will be geared toward it. In other words, if you plan on faxing a paper only once maybe twice a month or better, then chances are, a big power fax machine is not the right choice. The same goes for a printer. You will then want a smaller less costly model.

However, if you plan on needing a printer, a copier, perhaps a scanner, and a fax machine on a regular basis, there are special models that will do all of these functions, and may even be cheaper in the long run. Some of these models even have a phone included. These are especially great for those small offices or a home office.

After you have figured out the right types of equipment needed, then you can start searching and choosing the make and model of the items. This is also a good time to make yourself a little checklist and notepad of costs, requirements, reliability, and other needed information on the item. It sounds like a big project, but it will be helpful and you will probably thank yourself afterward.

Here are some things to take into consideration:

1. Check the professional as well as the customer satisfactory record. Read some reviews and testimonies on the product. How does it rank or compare to other leading brands? Does it come with warranties? Does it have manufacturer problems, defects, or is it in good standings?

2. Check out some of the mainstream brands first. What is the hot item on the market? Why, and is it a good choice? Most retailers will have sufficient quantities of the hottest selling deals, but you should also remember to do your homework.

3. Search out the comparison guides for cost efficiency on the machine, as well as the ink cartridges that go with them. You may not need or want top of the line, but you do not always want to settle for the cheapest either. For example: If the ink cartridge for one brand model costs you $200 and prints out 3,500 sheets, and another brand costs only $100, but only prints out 1,000 sheets, then I would recommend the one with the ink cartridge for $200. Then again, caution is still necessary because there are those few out there where it is cheaper to buy a completely new printer, ink included, than what it would cost you to buy just the ink cartridge itself. I have noticed this scenario on some of the very top of the line models. The customer wants the very best, and then later when they have to purchase more printer ink, they find it is about the same price they paid for the entire item in the beginning.

4. Watch sale items closely.

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Also too_ check the date of when the fax machine, printer, or other became available. If you see an unloading sale price on the item, chances are, it is not going to be easy finding parts or cartridges to fit it. I once purchased a printer that was on sale, which I really thought it was a great deal. Six months later, I could not find ink for it. The store clerk told me that that particular model was not being made anymore, hence making the cartridge obsolete.

Don t let it all get you down. You can still have fun with your exploring, for just the right machine. Just be a little cautious when doing so.

This article has been submitted in affiliation with http://www.Facsimile.Com/ which is a site for Fax Machines.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Terrie_Cogswell
http://EzineArticles.com/?Home-and-Office-Equipment&id=446302

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Succession Planning for Family Businesses

Succession Planning for Family Businesses
By William Willard

All companies face the challenges of continuity, succession, and profitability, but those issues generally create unique planning and management problems–as well as opportunities–for family owned businesses.

When relatives go into in business together, their individual aims, goals and life visions can impede otherwise sound business planning and decision-making. Absent sound advance business planning, for example, managing day-to-day operations can create problems among some owners. For others, attrition rates among non-family member employees is difficult, while for still others too much success too soon can cause problems if some owners are reluctant to reinvest profits back into the business.

Prudent business owners and professional practitioners wouldn t open their doors without insuring against the risks of fire, theft or liability. Yet, the death, disability or retirement of a business owner or key employee can put the business at even greater risk. With careful preparation, however, businesses that are so hard to build will continue when the owner or key employee is no longer able to continue working.

Though essential, business succession planning-and the estate planning of which it is also a part–is often delayed by any number of other priorities. The trouble is, as with the purchase of personal life insurance, lack of effective succession plans can doom a business.

Business succession issues are complex and emotional for all involved, especially, as is often the case, when conflicts exist among family members. Not surprisingly, when relatives work closely together, emotions and greed often interfere with business decisions, and each succeeding generation will have its own ideas about taking the company forward — if indeed, it wants to keep the business operational at all. In the end, however, few things are more satisfying for family owned business owners than knowing they have workable succession plan!

Another increasingly prevalent factor for family businesses is the number of daughters and granddaughters taking over these firms. By 2004, according to a study conducted by MassMutual Financial Group and the Raymond Institute American Family Business Survey, woman-owned family businesses had jumped by 37% in the last five years. What s more, while successful transition has always been key to the ongoing success of family-owned businesses, as Baby Boomers begin retiring, the number of companies facing business succession and personal estate planning crises will likewise increase: ready or not!

Affinity Groups

Family owned business should consider the value of affinity groups whose members are a select team of key employees with ownership or other long-term interests in their firms on-going success. Affinity groups can review the options enjoyed by family businesses, and encourage management to pursue business succession and other types of planning with the firm s financial adviser and an independent attorney specializing in this field.

Business Succession Planning Options typically include:

* Buy-Sell Planning

* Key Person Insurance

* Business Overhead Expense Insurance

* Personal Life &amp Disability Insurance

* Estate Planning

Intergenerational succession planning is critical to the continuation of family owned businesses.

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Bill Willard has been cranking out high-impact writing for over 30 years. In addition to his byline pieces, Bill s beat includes freelance copyrighting, ghostwriting and editing jobs that allow him to use his experience and skills as a writer and editor.

http://www.thefreestyleentrepreneur.com

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Build “Real” Web Traffic

Build “Real” Web Traffic
By Chris Titan

The success of a commercial web site depends on the quantity
and quality of “traffic” in just the same way a brick and mortar
business depends on traffic.

Parking for instance is a huge factor
when dealing with physical foot traffic.

Neighborhood location has everything to do with the quality
of the traffic a business can expect. When you start your
Internet business you will have the same concerns only
mutated a bit, people don t have feet on the internet.

Web traffic is defined by wikipedia as the amount of data sent and received by visitors to a web site. It is a large portion of Internet traffic. This is determined by the number of visitors and the number of pages they visit.

The Internet is an “Information Highway”. The first thing to adjust to when moving your business on-line is that web traffic is generally interested in information. The Internet culture demands more information about your product than customers ever have before. They trust the salesman less and they want to see some content and social proof.

Lets look at increasing web traffic with metaphors from our previous example. You want web traffic to stop and “park” at your website, long enough for you to give your pitch. This is where content generation comes into play. They more you can inform your prospect about the benefits of your service or product the more interested they will become.

Web traffic moves very quickly. To succeed you must be able to get them to stop and then you must keep their attention before they move on to find the “answer” to their problem. Mark Joyner in “The Irresistible Offer” says we have three seconds to make our offer…this is true in business, but even less forgiving on the Internet.

Ewen Chia and Jo Han Mok, “Web Traffic Giants”, have shown the basic strategies on how to stop traffic and then direct that traffic to your sales pitch in their one hour tele-seminar given in Autopilot Traffic Machine Elite.

The older more common techniques of increasing web traffic are given by the wikipedia and include placement of a site in search engines and purchase of advertising, including bulk e-mail, pop-up ads, and in-page advertisements. Web traffic can also be increased by purchasing non-Internet based advertising. These methods have lost a great deal of effectiveness in the last few years and does not build “REAL” web traffic.

The more cutting edge technology of using social networks, blogs, articles, and participation in niche forums is outlined in newer systems like Autopilot Traffic Machine Elite. This is a tried and true way to stop web traffic at your website and direct them to your sales pitch.

Chia and Mok call them “Feeder Pages”. The feeder page is the employee who greets the customer asks them about their day, shares the news, tells about a new product and only when the customer is ready to make the purchase does the employee discuss payment and make the up-sell. Your “Feeder Pages” are the reason traffic continues back to your site. It is like the pretty waitress who inspires you to stop at the small diner and drink crappy coffee and greasy eggs for breakfast everyday because she always has a interesting story, joke, or a bit of gossip that you can use at the office. A place to stop. A place to park your butt. Claude Hopkins in his book “Scientific Advertising” makes it clear from the very beginning of advertising history that your sales copy (Feeder Page) is your “salesman in print”.

The second metaphor is location or neighborhood. In a brick and mortar business location is everything. No one wants to buy expensive stuff in the slum.

The Internet is all the same street? Nope.

Very much like the grid of roads that criss cross in a city the Internet is built up of a giant matrix. Instead of buildings we have web sites. Some collaborative websites like group blogs web out in many many different directions. These networks are now organizing along what are called Social Networks. Individuals are being defined by the quality of the information that they are known for.

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With Social Networks like MySpace the individuals who are connected to these sources have spawned entire communities.

It is called Social Proof. To be taken seriously and trusted in the market place you must belong to a network of individuals who will validate your information. Much the way location is evidence of Social Proof so is position in the “Social Network” crucial to real business success on-line. When you can pay the rent to operate on 5th Avenue in New York it shows that you have some clout. It shows that you are a member of the “High Class” community. To build quality traffic to your business you must be known in your niche as a competent and helpful individual by as many competent and helpful individuals as possible.

With all this you still have one website that you are promoting. There is another level altogether that you may not have suspected. Modern Internet technology makes it easy to create what is called an affiliate network with services like ClickBank.

To build real traffic to your product promotion you need dozens of websites promoting you. You would never have time to create and manage all these sites. Many web entrepreneurs have thrown their hands up in disgust at how much work was required to sell on-line. Autopilot Traffic Machine shows you how to create and pay a network of sales persons, all with their own website and skill set, who will promote your product for a portion of the profit.

It is pure geometry. If you spend your time and energy and sell three packages in a month and make $ 300.00 you are wasting your time, when if you spend that same energy and time and sell three affiliate packages who in turn sell three affiliate packages you have made $450.00. Chances are you can attract someone with a network and they may sell 10 packages to prospects that you would have ever been able to reach.

To build real traffic you have to build a real web traffic system such as an affiliate network. Much of it has been made easy by ClickBank, at least the technical scripts and the payment system. Attracting and training affiliates is more of a challenge but offers wonderful opportunities to keep in contact with your potential prospects.

You create more places to park and you access private neighborhoods that don t allow outsiders to solicit when you build your Autopilot Traffic Machine better know as an Affiliate Program.

Chris Titan is currently promoting Autopilot Traffic Machine Elite. Chris Titan is very interested in web traffic systems as they relate to Affiliate Networks and is currently engaged in spreading the gospel of the independent individualism of self employment.

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