Saturday, November 14, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Are You Credit Worthy? Millions Are Losing Their Credit Card Privileges
One way banks and credit card issuers are trying to make money—or at least stop losing it—is by getting rid of customers who are bad for business. The number of credit card accounts decreased by 72 million last year.
But what kind of customer is being axed? Some cardholders say they've been blindsided, with their cards canceled without warning—and while they believed they were in good standing. (See the Baltimore Sun story I referenced recently.)
While many accounts are being closed, what might change the most in the credit card landscape is who will be approved for a new account. For some time now, getting a credit card has required about as much time and effort as ordering a pizza. But that is changing, as the banks are taking pains to assess risk and deem who is truly credit worthy. (It's not clear whether the banks' criteria for worthiness will be any more scientific and fact-based than Elaine's "sponge-worthy" determinations in "Seinfeld.")
Higher rates, more annual fees, and fewer credit cards period: This is some of the unfortunate fall-out of credit card reform.
But what kind of customer is being axed? Some cardholders say they've been blindsided, with their cards canceled without warning—and while they believed they were in good standing. (See the Baltimore Sun story I referenced recently.)
While many accounts are being closed, what might change the most in the credit card landscape is who will be approved for a new account. For some time now, getting a credit card has required about as much time and effort as ordering a pizza. But that is changing, as the banks are taking pains to assess risk and deem who is truly credit worthy. (It's not clear whether the banks' criteria for worthiness will be any more scientific and fact-based than Elaine's "sponge-worthy" determinations in "Seinfeld.")
Higher rates, more annual fees, and fewer credit cards period: This is some of the unfortunate fall-out of credit card reform.
Five Ways to Make Money in a Popular Photography Niche
I’ve read articles by a number of photography business gurus arguing that if you want to make decent money from stock photos or prints, you need to find a niche that isn’t already saturated with images. They advise photographers to shoot model-released lifestyle photos or still lifes, for example, and to stay away from travel and nature — because everyone shoots travel and nature.
That might sound logical enough, but is it true? In four years of marketing my work, I have sold pictures through stock agencies of heavily photographed locations such as the Golden Gate Bridge, the Gateway Arch, the Mall of America, and the San Francisco skyline. And I don’t even spend a lot of time shooting iconic locations like these.
You know what I think? I think you can still make money selling the photos you want to shoot — if you know how to market yourself.
Here are 5 tips for selling your photos in any niche:
1. Keyword your images thoroughly.
I have looked at a lot of images on many different sites, and the one thing that amazes me is how poorly most photographers keyword their images. Take the Golden Gate Bridge, for example. If you only include the most obvious keywords — like the name of the bridge and the city — how can you expect anyone to find your images among the thousands on sites like Alamy, Corbis or Getty? I include more than 30 keywords on my Golden Gate Bridge images — including words like “iconic,” “landmark,” “sunsets,” “mountains,” “landscapes” and “coast.” That puts me ahead of the majority of photographers adding images to these sites.
2. Provide detailed caption information.
I’ve found that nature photographers often like to keep their specific locations secret, so they might label an image in general terms such as “Zeus’ Lightning Rod, Colorado Plateau.” Unfortunately, this is a good way to keep your images a secret from the public — because photo editors want details. You need to provide location specifics, as well as any relevant scientific information, if you expect to sell your work to textbooks or guide books, for example.
3. Focus on a niche within your niche.
I live in Southern California and have spent a lot of time photographing scenic locations in my area as if they were the Yosemite Valley Overlook. As a result, I have generated a healthy revenue stream from shoots that have cost me little in the way of travel costs. A recent print sale of Southern California scenic locations, for example, has netted me several thousand dollars.
My original motivation for focusing locally was pragmatic: I was out of school with not much money in the bank. I knew that photographers generally ignore the region — even though there are more than 15 million people here. That’s a nice market for prints and stock.
4. Optimize your Web site and make your archive available to search.
The Internet has opened up the photography market to new buyers around the world. People who haven’t traditionally purchased through photo agencies are now searching online for pictures — and are often buying them directly from photographers’ Web sites.
Most of the direct sales I’ve made in the past two years have involved the use of PhotoShelter at some point in the process. Usually the buyer finds my Web site, then searches through my archive. Or I’ll send a lightbox after some consultation and complete the sale off-site, negotiating via e-mail or phone. Customer service is the key to selling direct.
5. Protect your rights.
While the Internet offers new opportunities to market your work, it’s also made it easier for people to steal your images — so you have to take steps to protect them. If your photos are floating around in cyberspace without watermarking, or downloaded off some subscription plan, then you have lost the ability to manage the use of your work.
Even if you take precautions and license your photos on a rights-managed basis, however, people will sometimes use your images without permission. And in those cases, you need to stand up for yourself.
For example, the other day, I walked into a grocery store near my house and saw a large painted mural of one of my images. It had been painted to match my photo to the smallest of details. Given that I had never licensed the image, and that it shows up on the first page of Google Images for that location, I am pretty certain that this is an unauthorized commercial use of my image. I am still exploring my options on this one — but let’s just say that I plan to do something about it.
That might sound logical enough, but is it true? In four years of marketing my work, I have sold pictures through stock agencies of heavily photographed locations such as the Golden Gate Bridge, the Gateway Arch, the Mall of America, and the San Francisco skyline. And I don’t even spend a lot of time shooting iconic locations like these.
You know what I think? I think you can still make money selling the photos you want to shoot — if you know how to market yourself.
Here are 5 tips for selling your photos in any niche:
1. Keyword your images thoroughly.
I have looked at a lot of images on many different sites, and the one thing that amazes me is how poorly most photographers keyword their images. Take the Golden Gate Bridge, for example. If you only include the most obvious keywords — like the name of the bridge and the city — how can you expect anyone to find your images among the thousands on sites like Alamy, Corbis or Getty? I include more than 30 keywords on my Golden Gate Bridge images — including words like “iconic,” “landmark,” “sunsets,” “mountains,” “landscapes” and “coast.” That puts me ahead of the majority of photographers adding images to these sites.
2. Provide detailed caption information.
I’ve found that nature photographers often like to keep their specific locations secret, so they might label an image in general terms such as “Zeus’ Lightning Rod, Colorado Plateau.” Unfortunately, this is a good way to keep your images a secret from the public — because photo editors want details. You need to provide location specifics, as well as any relevant scientific information, if you expect to sell your work to textbooks or guide books, for example.
3. Focus on a niche within your niche.
I live in Southern California and have spent a lot of time photographing scenic locations in my area as if they were the Yosemite Valley Overlook. As a result, I have generated a healthy revenue stream from shoots that have cost me little in the way of travel costs. A recent print sale of Southern California scenic locations, for example, has netted me several thousand dollars.
My original motivation for focusing locally was pragmatic: I was out of school with not much money in the bank. I knew that photographers generally ignore the region — even though there are more than 15 million people here. That’s a nice market for prints and stock.
4. Optimize your Web site and make your archive available to search.
The Internet has opened up the photography market to new buyers around the world. People who haven’t traditionally purchased through photo agencies are now searching online for pictures — and are often buying them directly from photographers’ Web sites.
Most of the direct sales I’ve made in the past two years have involved the use of PhotoShelter at some point in the process. Usually the buyer finds my Web site, then searches through my archive. Or I’ll send a lightbox after some consultation and complete the sale off-site, negotiating via e-mail or phone. Customer service is the key to selling direct.
5. Protect your rights.
While the Internet offers new opportunities to market your work, it’s also made it easier for people to steal your images — so you have to take steps to protect them. If your photos are floating around in cyberspace without watermarking, or downloaded off some subscription plan, then you have lost the ability to manage the use of your work.
Even if you take precautions and license your photos on a rights-managed basis, however, people will sometimes use your images without permission. And in those cases, you need to stand up for yourself.
For example, the other day, I walked into a grocery store near my house and saw a large painted mural of one of my images. It had been painted to match my photo to the smallest of details. Given that I had never licensed the image, and that it shows up on the first page of Google Images for that location, I am pretty certain that this is an unauthorized commercial use of my image. I am still exploring my options on this one — but let’s just say that I plan to do something about it.
Cash Advance Payday Loan – Get Money with Bad Credit Today
A cash advance payday loan is a way to get money even if you have bad credit. In today’s economy Americans are finding it very difficult to pay all their bills on time and in full because they are not getting paid as much as they used to or many of these individuals are currently unemployed. With no money coming in many people want to get some type of loan.
One would think that getting a cash advance payday loan would be impossible if you are unemployed but this is not the case. If you have a way to show that you can make some type of income then you have the opportunity to get a cash advance payday loan even if you are unemployed. Some people have ways to make money that do not include a pay stub and this often makes it difficult to get a loan.
If you can prove that you have some way to make money whether it be a personal business, on the Internet, or any other way then you have the opportunity to get a cash advance payday loan. You will need to do your research and find the companies that offer this type of loan that they are definitely out there.
When getting a payday loan please understand that the fees can get quite expensive if you borrow a lot of money. Most payday loans only allow you to borrow up to $1500 but other payday loan companies will allow you to borrow much more. If you end up paying fees for $1500 you will find that this can add up very quickly.
As always, do your research before signing any financial statement that involves your money. If you do not do the research and you do not read the entire document you are at risk of signing something in which you could end up paying for dearly in the long run. Do not let this be the case with you as you read all of the financial statement.
One would think that getting a cash advance payday loan would be impossible if you are unemployed but this is not the case. If you have a way to show that you can make some type of income then you have the opportunity to get a cash advance payday loan even if you are unemployed. Some people have ways to make money that do not include a pay stub and this often makes it difficult to get a loan.
If you can prove that you have some way to make money whether it be a personal business, on the Internet, or any other way then you have the opportunity to get a cash advance payday loan. You will need to do your research and find the companies that offer this type of loan that they are definitely out there.
When getting a payday loan please understand that the fees can get quite expensive if you borrow a lot of money. Most payday loans only allow you to borrow up to $1500 but other payday loan companies will allow you to borrow much more. If you end up paying fees for $1500 you will find that this can add up very quickly.
As always, do your research before signing any financial statement that involves your money. If you do not do the research and you do not read the entire document you are at risk of signing something in which you could end up paying for dearly in the long run. Do not let this be the case with you as you read all of the financial statement.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Who Says You Can't Make Money in Stocks over Long Periods of Time?
Who says you can't make money in the stock market over long periods of time? You could have made substantial amounts of money by just owning only one share of stock, assuming you have the right stock. For example, you could have paid $35 for one share of Hewlett Packard (HPQ) back in 1962. Including splits and dividends, that one share would be worth $11,965. Another example is IBM (IBM), albeit a high priced stock back then at $572 per share. But if you had held on, that investment would be $25,635.
These enormous gains could have been achieved even over shorter periods of time, You could have paid $175.50 for a share of Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) at the beginning of January of 1970 and now have $18,161. Procter & Gamble Co. (PG) could have been had for $110 per share at that time, growing to $11.035. Then you could have bought Chevron Corp. (CVX) for $52.25 for one share and now have $14,079.
The moral to this story is 'Look for a few great companies and buy a couple shares of each one as gifts for your children and grandchildren.' Remember, the holiday season is coming up.
By the way, all the above stocks are Dow Jones Industrial Average stocks. You can find a free Dow Jones Industrial Average stock analyzer at WallStreetNewsNetwork.com.
These enormous gains could have been achieved even over shorter periods of time, You could have paid $175.50 for a share of Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) at the beginning of January of 1970 and now have $18,161. Procter & Gamble Co. (PG) could have been had for $110 per share at that time, growing to $11.035. Then you could have bought Chevron Corp. (CVX) for $52.25 for one share and now have $14,079.
The moral to this story is 'Look for a few great companies and buy a couple shares of each one as gifts for your children and grandchildren.' Remember, the holiday season is coming up.
By the way, all the above stocks are Dow Jones Industrial Average stocks. You can find a free Dow Jones Industrial Average stock analyzer at WallStreetNewsNetwork.com.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Why You May Never Make Money as a Trader
While there are a lot of traders out there, many of them don't make any money. Well, it’s time for a wake-up call folks. Here are six reasons why you do not — and may not ever — make money as a trader:
1. You don’t put in the proper amount of effort. You don’t put in the full-time commitment it requires to be profitable in trading because you treat it like a hobby. Trading is not a part-time job. It’s serious business.
2. Failure to be disciplined and consistent with your process. There’s no excuse for this. It’s all up to you.
3. Trading like a gambler instead of a trader. You’re taking irresponsible risks rather than thinking in terms of probabilities and trading when you have an edge.
4. Actually putting on trades without a solid game plan. What are you thinking? You must know your game plan and execute it.
5. You over think things. Trading is a simple game — up, down, sideways. Keep it simple and make money.
6. Not trusting yourself to do what you know you need to do. You spend too much time listening to other people. Trust yourself and execute what you know.
The good news: every one of these things is entirely in your control. All you have to do is choose to make things happen.
Think better, invest smarter.
1. You don’t put in the proper amount of effort. You don’t put in the full-time commitment it requires to be profitable in trading because you treat it like a hobby. Trading is not a part-time job. It’s serious business.
2. Failure to be disciplined and consistent with your process. There’s no excuse for this. It’s all up to you.
3. Trading like a gambler instead of a trader. You’re taking irresponsible risks rather than thinking in terms of probabilities and trading when you have an edge.
4. Actually putting on trades without a solid game plan. What are you thinking? You must know your game plan and execute it.
5. You over think things. Trading is a simple game — up, down, sideways. Keep it simple and make money.
6. Not trusting yourself to do what you know you need to do. You spend too much time listening to other people. Trust yourself and execute what you know.
The good news: every one of these things is entirely in your control. All you have to do is choose to make things happen.
Think better, invest smarter.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Top 3 Ways for Kids To Make Money Online
1. How Kids Can Make Money Online With Account Leveling :
Do your kids spend countless hours playing popular multi player online games? Or maybe you don’t allow them to, but they constantly beg for more time for gaming? Or, on a more personal level, maybe you are one of those kids who love online gaming but your parents are constantly hounding you about getting off Halo or Second Life and telling you to find a job with all of that “spare time” you’ve got to play games.
Well, I’m here to offer all of the kids of a world with a powerful bargaining chip. What if gaming could be a job? What if you could earn more by leveling up in World of Warcraft than you could by flipping burgers are your local Burger King? This could be one of the most remarkable ways for kids to make money. Well I’m here to show you how that’s actually possible – depending on your particular skills within the virtual world.
Starting with the most popular MMOG site, World Of Warcraft, it’s not difficult to recognize how quickly such a community can turn into a dream opportunity for entrepreneurs. You’ve got a huge community of folks all working toward achieving similar goals. Some folks are much better at it than others, and excel much faster. In fact, there are some gamers who can level up on games like WoW or Halo to crazy levels in just a matter of hours. They know what to do, where to go and how to get it done.
Other people like to socialize, spend hours just roaming around and performing occasional quests. One thing mostly all MMOG players have in common is an envy for the “top echelon” of levels, and a common respect for those gamers who’ve made it there. This envy creates a marketplace by principle of “supply and demand.” The demand for having an account that’s at a high, powerful level – and a low supply because of the difficulty and skill required in getting there. This gives skilled gamers an edge in a growing niche market.
2 . Making Money With Special Items :
If you or your kid is not so much a “leveling-up” sort of gamer, but you instead prefer participating in virtual worlds where items are earned, created, bought and sold in much the same way they are in the real world, then there are also money making opportunities for you too. In particular, the world of Second Life is seriously transforming what it means to be working online.This represents one of the coolest ways for kids to make money virtually.
At first, Second Life was a huge online community that was mostly just a novelty. But, as that community grew and the user base exploded, opportunities also grew for savvy and creative virtual entrepreneurs. Second Life offers users a creative and very flexible design tool where users can build their own items, from amazing cars to clothing to jewelry and more. Scripting is included so creators can incorporate functionality and behavior to those items. Rare, customized items are very much a status symbol within this virtual world – and they are rapidly increasing in demand and value. The place where you sell your items are most commonly right there in the virtual world. Blogs and forums throughout the Internet discuss the amazing items within their favorite niche, which you can find and buy on Second Life.
3. Raking In The Cash With Toddler Games Too :
Most of the virtual income opportunities I’ve discussed in this article are focused on older kids, usually teens, who are now pros at games like Halo or World of Warcraft. But, what about those little ones who’ve grown tired of their Webkinz account (or should we say their Webkinz mansion) that they’ve spent several years building up. You’ve spent lots of cash buying those little stuffed animals and collecting codes, and your little kid spent hours playing games and collecting cool Webkinz items for their Webkinz home. Is there a way for your child to rake in a little cash for all of that effort? You bet there is – help them sell their Webkinz home.
Searching Craigslist for Webkinz accounts or Webkinz homes turns up an entire marketplace for Webkinz, and if your kid is especially adept at turning that $5 to $10 Webkinz code that comes with a stuffed animal into a sweet $50+ sale in a few days, that’s a nice wad of cash for their piggy bank!
It’s a whole new world online, and getting a “real job” just doesn’t mean what it used to. There are now virtual jobs that pay more than real jobs in most communities, and letting your kids explore the virtual world as an entrepreneur (rather than just as a gamer) will teach them business and marketing skills that they’d probably never otherwise learn.
Do your kids spend countless hours playing popular multi player online games? Or maybe you don’t allow them to, but they constantly beg for more time for gaming? Or, on a more personal level, maybe you are one of those kids who love online gaming but your parents are constantly hounding you about getting off Halo or Second Life and telling you to find a job with all of that “spare time” you’ve got to play games.
Well, I’m here to offer all of the kids of a world with a powerful bargaining chip. What if gaming could be a job? What if you could earn more by leveling up in World of Warcraft than you could by flipping burgers are your local Burger King? This could be one of the most remarkable ways for kids to make money. Well I’m here to show you how that’s actually possible – depending on your particular skills within the virtual world.
Starting with the most popular MMOG site, World Of Warcraft, it’s not difficult to recognize how quickly such a community can turn into a dream opportunity for entrepreneurs. You’ve got a huge community of folks all working toward achieving similar goals. Some folks are much better at it than others, and excel much faster. In fact, there are some gamers who can level up on games like WoW or Halo to crazy levels in just a matter of hours. They know what to do, where to go and how to get it done.
Other people like to socialize, spend hours just roaming around and performing occasional quests. One thing mostly all MMOG players have in common is an envy for the “top echelon” of levels, and a common respect for those gamers who’ve made it there. This envy creates a marketplace by principle of “supply and demand.” The demand for having an account that’s at a high, powerful level – and a low supply because of the difficulty and skill required in getting there. This gives skilled gamers an edge in a growing niche market.
2 . Making Money With Special Items :
If you or your kid is not so much a “leveling-up” sort of gamer, but you instead prefer participating in virtual worlds where items are earned, created, bought and sold in much the same way they are in the real world, then there are also money making opportunities for you too. In particular, the world of Second Life is seriously transforming what it means to be working online.This represents one of the coolest ways for kids to make money virtually.
At first, Second Life was a huge online community that was mostly just a novelty. But, as that community grew and the user base exploded, opportunities also grew for savvy and creative virtual entrepreneurs. Second Life offers users a creative and very flexible design tool where users can build their own items, from amazing cars to clothing to jewelry and more. Scripting is included so creators can incorporate functionality and behavior to those items. Rare, customized items are very much a status symbol within this virtual world – and they are rapidly increasing in demand and value. The place where you sell your items are most commonly right there in the virtual world. Blogs and forums throughout the Internet discuss the amazing items within their favorite niche, which you can find and buy on Second Life.
3. Raking In The Cash With Toddler Games Too :
Most of the virtual income opportunities I’ve discussed in this article are focused on older kids, usually teens, who are now pros at games like Halo or World of Warcraft. But, what about those little ones who’ve grown tired of their Webkinz account (or should we say their Webkinz mansion) that they’ve spent several years building up. You’ve spent lots of cash buying those little stuffed animals and collecting codes, and your little kid spent hours playing games and collecting cool Webkinz items for their Webkinz home. Is there a way for your child to rake in a little cash for all of that effort? You bet there is – help them sell their Webkinz home.
Searching Craigslist for Webkinz accounts or Webkinz homes turns up an entire marketplace for Webkinz, and if your kid is especially adept at turning that $5 to $10 Webkinz code that comes with a stuffed animal into a sweet $50+ sale in a few days, that’s a nice wad of cash for their piggy bank!
It’s a whole new world online, and getting a “real job” just doesn’t mean what it used to. There are now virtual jobs that pay more than real jobs in most communities, and letting your kids explore the virtual world as an entrepreneur (rather than just as a gamer) will teach them business and marketing skills that they’d probably never otherwise learn.
Learn How To Make Money Online With The Wealthy Affiliate Program
Internet marketing is the new way to do business. It is no longer sensible to just have your doors open for business and hope the customers come wandering in. You really need every tool working to your advantage to compete with the other people in your market. If you are not using those tools then I am sure your competition is. The internet is getting bigger each day as is the number of people who are using the internet for everything and that includes shopping. If you want to learn how to promote your business or to create a new online business then you will love his review of the Wealthy Affiliate Program where you can learn everything you need to know at your own pace.
There are a lot of things to learn about internet marketing and the best place to start is like anything else, right at the beginning with the basics. Learning how keywords work, how to find them, the competition they have and how they relate to your product are all things to learn in the beginning. The Wealthy Affiliate Program will run you through all these basics and start your training with a solid foundation.
After you learn about keywords you will learn how it relates to your product and how to promote your product. Combining your keyword research with your product research will enable you to earn a good healthy income for many years to come.
The Wealthy Affiliate Program has a distinct advantage over all of the other so called internet schools as they provide you with tools you can use and give you things that every other site will charge you for. You get free hosting of your domain name and a free web site building tool all of which could cost you a packet elsewhere.
Building Web Sites will become second nature to you as you continue to learn how all this works. You will learn enough to put together some really good looking sites without having to know any of the technical side of building sites with the methods that are available to you. You will learn how to create your own products from scratch and how you can release them to the wider market and get them promoted by others. The Wealthy Affiliate Program teaches you all of this and much more.
Monday, September 14, 2009
How To Start New Business in The Small Town
On the surface, everyone will be friendly, optimistic and positive.
Your challenge: Get below the surface and learn the true story. You might consider asking a lot of questions before you disclose your own intentions. Listen for, "I wish we had"
1. Talk to others who have opened businesses recently:
What challenges have they faced? What works and what doesn't? Were others newcomers successful? If so, were they truly new or did they have deep roots in the town, such as a brother who lived here forty years?
If nobody's opened a business for awhile, dig deeper. Maybe there's no market. Or maybe they're just waiting for you to arrive! Sometimes a new business can generate latent demand. It's a judgment call.
2. Make a great first impression:
Promotion isn't hard in a small town. Ten minutes after you've opened, everyone will know! Some towns resist doing business with uppity newcomers. Others welcome new blood. Regardless, your first impression will linger a long, long time. And you'll have trouble recovering from a local opinion leader with a bad experience.
3. Uncover the town's market and memory:
Considering buying a business? Take time to discover the owner's reputation. When the local residents seem eager for a change of management, you'll need a new name and image. But if someone's just moved away and everyone misses them, you've got a wonderful opportunity. Right now in Silver City we could use a few first-rate pet-sitters and dog groomers.
But be sensitive to change. Before I moved here, I'm told, at least three coffee shops failed. Now we have several, along with a wine bar and a microbrewery. All seem to be thriving.
4. Search the fine print of local regulations:
Here in Silver City, our newest businesses had to fight all kinds of red tape to get opened. One called City Hall to get help with a business that was new to the area. "It's not listed here," said the clerk, "so it's probably illegal." (The business has opened and thrives.) Another discovered his license hadn't come through because the Council forgot to add it to the agenda and they weren't interested in making last-minute changes.
Any time you serve food or drink, you know you're facing permits. Find out what's involved locally.
5. Prepare to do most of the work yourself:
In a small town, you can have trouble finding good help. The local work ethic may surprise you - in either direction.
6. Know your community:
Will your market come from second and third generation local residents? Or are you serving those who relocated recently from urban areas? Here I've met folks who think three dollars is way too much to pay for espresso drinks. But those who bonded with Starbucks will buy at least one cup a day, every day.
7. Build relationships:
If you can attract a town leader, you'll draw a following. Conversely, if you inadvertently alienate a key player, or if a local person's got an idea on the drawing board, you'll be miserable.
And in a small town, you'll be expected to be a super-citizen. Choose alliances and sponsorships carefully. Prepare for all sorts of friendly requests to donate time, materials and money.
Your challenge: Get below the surface and learn the true story. You might consider asking a lot of questions before you disclose your own intentions. Listen for, "I wish we had"
1. Talk to others who have opened businesses recently:
What challenges have they faced? What works and what doesn't? Were others newcomers successful? If so, were they truly new or did they have deep roots in the town, such as a brother who lived here forty years?
If nobody's opened a business for awhile, dig deeper. Maybe there's no market. Or maybe they're just waiting for you to arrive! Sometimes a new business can generate latent demand. It's a judgment call.
2. Make a great first impression:
Promotion isn't hard in a small town. Ten minutes after you've opened, everyone will know! Some towns resist doing business with uppity newcomers. Others welcome new blood. Regardless, your first impression will linger a long, long time. And you'll have trouble recovering from a local opinion leader with a bad experience.
3. Uncover the town's market and memory:
Considering buying a business? Take time to discover the owner's reputation. When the local residents seem eager for a change of management, you'll need a new name and image. But if someone's just moved away and everyone misses them, you've got a wonderful opportunity. Right now in Silver City we could use a few first-rate pet-sitters and dog groomers.
But be sensitive to change. Before I moved here, I'm told, at least three coffee shops failed. Now we have several, along with a wine bar and a microbrewery. All seem to be thriving.
4. Search the fine print of local regulations:
Here in Silver City, our newest businesses had to fight all kinds of red tape to get opened. One called City Hall to get help with a business that was new to the area. "It's not listed here," said the clerk, "so it's probably illegal." (The business has opened and thrives.) Another discovered his license hadn't come through because the Council forgot to add it to the agenda and they weren't interested in making last-minute changes.
Any time you serve food or drink, you know you're facing permits. Find out what's involved locally.
5. Prepare to do most of the work yourself:
In a small town, you can have trouble finding good help. The local work ethic may surprise you - in either direction.
6. Know your community:
Will your market come from second and third generation local residents? Or are you serving those who relocated recently from urban areas? Here I've met folks who think three dollars is way too much to pay for espresso drinks. But those who bonded with Starbucks will buy at least one cup a day, every day.
7. Build relationships:
If you can attract a town leader, you'll draw a following. Conversely, if you inadvertently alienate a key player, or if a local person's got an idea on the drawing board, you'll be miserable.
And in a small town, you'll be expected to be a super-citizen. Choose alliances and sponsorships carefully. Prepare for all sorts of friendly requests to donate time, materials and money.
Being Wealthy is Possible!
Being Wealthy is something that I am sure we have all thought about at some time. In this article I want to give you something to think about because if you have the drive and ambition to work hard then Being Wealthy is entirely possible and it might only take you 12 months of hard work. If you are prepared to work hard then read on.
A lot of people will tell you that Being Wealthy is a state of mind and whilst having the correct state of mind will help you get there and stay there it doesn’t buy you a house, a car or simply pay those bills that you really have no idea how you will cover over the next few months.
Being Wealthy is not restricted to a few privileged people who live in a certain area or go to a certain school. Given the same opportunities in life anyone can be wealthy. Of course you have got to have those same opportunities to succeed. A person living in a remote village in a poor country will obviously not have the same chances as the majority of us who can simply choose to take action today.
So what is the secret to Being Wealthy? Is it hard work or is there more to it than that? Of course hard work is part of it but you need something else as well. You need to be working hard in an area that has the potential to make you money. Simply working for wages or where there is a cap on your earning potential will prevent you from taking that step to independent wealth.
There are lots of ways you can make money but the one that stands out for me is marketing on the internet. When I was looking for something or some way to make extra money for my family I saw the opportunities that were available though the internet. Promoting someone else products with no restrictions on what I could market really gave me the opportunity to turn my hard work into a strong future income.
The internet is a huge place with countless opportunities and things to learn. You can easily get lost and head off in the wrong direction chasing after some nonsense about being able to make a million dollars overnight by following this plan. Hard work is the only way to make money and learning how to put it all together properly is the secret to Being Wealthy.
A lot of people will tell you that Being Wealthy is a state of mind and whilst having the correct state of mind will help you get there and stay there it doesn’t buy you a house, a car or simply pay those bills that you really have no idea how you will cover over the next few months.
Being Wealthy is not restricted to a few privileged people who live in a certain area or go to a certain school. Given the same opportunities in life anyone can be wealthy. Of course you have got to have those same opportunities to succeed. A person living in a remote village in a poor country will obviously not have the same chances as the majority of us who can simply choose to take action today.
So what is the secret to Being Wealthy? Is it hard work or is there more to it than that? Of course hard work is part of it but you need something else as well. You need to be working hard in an area that has the potential to make you money. Simply working for wages or where there is a cap on your earning potential will prevent you from taking that step to independent wealth.
There are lots of ways you can make money but the one that stands out for me is marketing on the internet. When I was looking for something or some way to make extra money for my family I saw the opportunities that were available though the internet. Promoting someone else products with no restrictions on what I could market really gave me the opportunity to turn my hard work into a strong future income.
The internet is a huge place with countless opportunities and things to learn. You can easily get lost and head off in the wrong direction chasing after some nonsense about being able to make a million dollars overnight by following this plan. Hard work is the only way to make money and learning how to put it all together properly is the secret to Being Wealthy.
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