Free Press Releases – 3 Reasons to Use Them to Market Your Freelance Writing Business

Free press releases (aka releases, PR pieces) are a great way to market a freelance writing business. As a freelance writer since 1993, following is how and why I use them.

How I Use Free PR to Grow My Freelance Writing Business

Obviously, a press release is designed to capture the attention of the media. But, that’s not the overriding reasons freelance writers should use them. I’ve been a freelance writer since 1993, and think that there are three better reasons to use this form of marketing to land writing jobs.

(i) They’re Search Engine Optimized Content that Drive Traffic: Press releases are just content. And, any type of content written with SEO in mind and published on the web can drive traffic.

You see, when search engines crawl a site, they don’t care if it’s a free PR distribution site, a blog, a news site, etc. They index content – period. So when you write them, write with SEO in mind – which will help to increase traffic to your freelance writing website.

FYI, these are known as “SEO press releases.”

(ii) Use Press Releases as Writing Samples to Attract High-Paying Clients: The PR pieces you write can double as writing samples. With these little buddies in your writing portfolio, you can get higher paying clients, especially if you know how to write – and distribute – them.

For example, my rate for this type of writing is $195. If you know what you’re doing, you can write one in a couple of hours or less. Imagine doing just two of these a day?

Not a shabby living as a freelance writer, right?

(iii) Bring Prestige to Your Writing Business: Being quoted in a press release gives your business prestige. To get the most mileage out of those you write, post them in a “Media” page on your site.

When prospects come, they’ll be impressed by the fact that you even have a “Media” page.

Subconsciously, this ups your value in their eyes because it pegs you as a “Professional writing firm/writer” (if everything else on the site backs this impression up).

Prospective clients also expect to pay “prestigious professionals” more because the value you bring them is ostensibly more (and it should be).

The #1 Press Release Tip to Keep in Mind When Marketing Your Freelance Writing Business

The number one thing to keep in mind when marketing your business via releases is that it’s not about you. The media doesn’t care about you or your writing business.

They care about serving their viewers, their readers, their customers. They want to solve problems for them, and if your business just happens to do that – then they’ll be interested. If it doesn’t – no matter how well written your press release is, they won’t be interested.

Keep this in mind as you write, and you’ll stand a chance of making it newsworthy (always the goal!) and getting the hot light of the media on your freelance writing business. Good luck!

An Analysis of Wells Fargo & Company (WFC)

Wells Fargo & Company (WFC) is a huge Western and Midwestern bank that provides a diverse array of financial services to its more than 23 million customers. The company employs more than 150,000 people at its over 6,000 locations nationwide. Wells Fargo has about $500 billion in assets.

While the company continues to derive more than half its revenues from interest income (about $26 billion), its activities are not limited to collecting deposits and lending money. Wells Fargo engages in other businesses such as brokerage services, asset management, and investment banking. The company also makes venture capital investments.

Over the last ten years, Wells Fargo has averaged a 1.57% return on assets and an 18.19% return on equity.

Location

Wells Fargo is closely associated with California in the minds of most investors. The company now operates in 23 different states. However, the concentration in California remains.

Mortgage lending in California accounts for approximately 14% of Wells Fargo’s total loan portfolio. Commercial real estate loans in California account for another 5% of the company’s total loans. No other single state accounts for a similarly sized portion of total loans. In fact, neither mortgage lending nor commercial real estate lending in any other state accounts for more than 2% of Wells Fargo’s total loans.

Cross-Selling

Wells Fargo’s focus on cross-selling is well known. The company has a stated goal of doubling the number of products the average consumer and business customer has with Wells Fargo to eight products per customer (from the current four products per customer).

Cross-selling increases customer stickiness. It also helps increase profitability by decreasing expenses relative to revenues. The need for a large physical footprint is reduced – as is the need for a large number of bankers. Instead, the existing infrastructure is able to provide additional revenue from the same customers.

Wells Fargo’s Chairman & CEO, Richard Kovacevich, explains the importance of the company’s cross-selling in the “Vision & Values” section of the corporate website:

Cross-selling — or what we call “needs-based” selling — is our most important strategy. Why? Because it is an “increasing returns” business model. It’s like the “network effect” of e-commerce. It multiplies opportunities geometrically. The more you sell customers the more you know about them. The more you know about them the easier it is to sell them more products. The more products customers have with you the better value they receive and the more loyal they are. The longer they stay with you the more opportunities you have to meet even more of their financial needs. The more you sell them the higher the profit because the added cost of selling another product to an existing customer is often only about ten percent of the cost of selling that same product to a new customer. This gives us–as an aggregator — a significant cost advantage over one product or one channel companies. Cross-selling re-invents how financial services are aggregated and sold to customers — just like other aggregators such as Wal-Mart (general merchandise), Home Depot (home improvement products) and Staples (office supplies).

Mr. Kovacevich’s enthusiasm for the cross-selling model is well justified. It is difficult to quantify the importance of meeting all the varied needs of your customers, because you can not measure the opportunities you missed. However, it is obvious that reducing each customer’s interest in considering a competitor’s services will greatly increase long-term profitability for any company engaged in any line of business – not just for a bank.

Later, in the same website section, Mr. Kovacevich addresses the importance of customer stickiness:

(Cross-selling) is our most important customer-related sales metric. We want to earn 100 percent of our customers’ business. The more products customers have with Wells Fargo the better deal they get, the more loyal they are, and the longer they stay with the company, improving retention. Eighty percent of our revenue growth comes from selling more products to existing customers.

This focus on retention is an important part of a long-term plan to maintain Wells Fargo’s above-average returns on assets and equity. Extraordinary profitability comes from differentiating your product or service from those of your competitors. Increasing customer stickiness and reducing “comparison shopping” is a key part of maintaining extraordinary profitability.

Some businesses are blessed with enviable economics because of their product’s natural prominence in the minds of their customers. Most businesses are obsessed with market share. But, how many really think about “mind share”? Obviously, a product like Coke (KO), Hershey (HSY), or Snickers is going to have a positive association in the minds of consumers.

For many people, these products will also have a prominent place in each customer’s mind (relative to other products and services on which money can be spent). A few other businesses have a healthy mind share without the positive association; GEICO is the most obvious example. The company’s brand conjures up nothing but the words “auto insurance”. Of course, that’s all the GEICO brand has to do.

So, what does all this have to do with Wells Fargo? Mind share isn’t just the result of exposure to advertising. In fact, in most cases, exposure to advertising can not duplicate the kind of results that a direct, differentiated experience creates. Entertainment properties are by far the leaders in mind share. People who saw and loved Star Wars remember the film. In fact, they don’t just remember the film, they actually file it away (or, more precisely, cross reference it) in countless ways within their mind.

The evidence for this particular example is abundant. There are countless references to Star Wars in other media. The name, the music, the opening text and countless other elements are immediately recognizable. Even the films Star Wars fans hated made more money than almost any other movies in the history of cinema – and this was decades after the original came out. So, obviously Star Wars has the kind of lasting mind share any business should aspire to if it hopes to continuously earn extraordinary profits.

Unfortunately, most businesses, however well run, can not attain this kind of mind share. The products and services they provide can never be as differentiated and memorable as a motion picture. Just as importantly, the positive associations will not be present, simply because the product or service is not inherently exciting, entertaining, or pleasant. This is clearly the case in financial services.

So, what can a financial services company do to improve its mind share? The most obvious tactic is simply to “wow” its customers. In fact, Wells Fargo’s CEO discusses this particular option in the “Vision and Values” section of the company’s website:

We have to “wow!” them. We know what that feels like because we’re all customers. We go to the cleaners, the grocery store, a restaurant or whatever, and we find a situation where we’re “wowed!” We walk out and we say, those people really listened to me and helped me get what I need. All of us hear stories about customers, say, who pick a certain line at the supermarket because they know the person who bags the groceries connects with customers — smiles, greets regular customers by name, asks how their families are doing. When a personal banker helps a customer in one of our stores, or when a customer gets help from one of our phone bankers or does transactions on wellsfargo.com we want them to say, “That was great. I can’t wait to tell someone.”

Another option worth pursuing is widening the associations present in the customer’s mind. Financial services is a business where associations tend to be more conscious, categorized, and hierarchical than the associations formed in more heavily branded businesses. Put simply, the (potential) customer usually thinks of a “set” before thinking of an “element” within that set. Like many mental associations, the information can be returned in either direction. For example, the customer may normally think “banks” and then think “Wells Fargo”, but will also be able to return the word “bank” if prompted by the name “Wells Fargo”. This categorization is important, because it provides (limited) permission for Wells Fargo to expand its mind share horizontally (across service categories).

In other words, providing a diverse range of financial services doesn’t just make sense from the provider’s perspective, it also makes sense from the user’s perspective, because the user of financial services has already grouped deposits, borrowing, credit cards, insurance, brokerage services, asset management, etc. together in a very loose way within his mind. As a result of this mental network, one positive experience with Wells Fargo will greatly affect a customer’s desire to pay for an additional service, even if the two services are not really all that similar.

The three key elements here are: a broader definition of what Wells Fargo is (a place that does “money things”, not just a bank), a positive experience, and some sense of trust that the quality of service will be consistent. The last requirement is the easiest to meet, because it’s natural for a customer to assume that the positive experience was not a fluke, much the way a diner assumes the good meal he had at a particular restaurant was not caused by his picking the best offering from the menu. The diner usually assumes the overall quality of the restaurant’s various entrees is superior. Likewise, a good experience with one of Wells Fargo’s products or services will likely rub off on its other offerings.

Valuation

Shares of Wells Fargo currently yield just over 3%. The stock trades at a price-to-book ratio of just under 2.75 and a price-to-earnings ratio of less than 15.

Conclusion

Over the last 5, 10, 15, and 20 years shareholders of Wells Fargo & Company have fared better than the S&P 500. As of the end of last year, WFC’s total return over the last ten years was 17% vs. 9% for the S&P. Over the last 20 years, WFC outpaced the S&P 500 by an even wider margin: 21% vs. 12%.

Wells Fargo has a stellar reputation with investors. The company is the only U.S. bank to earn Moody’s highest credit rating. Wells Fargo also boasts a well-known major shareholder. The largest owner of the company’s common stock is Berkshire Hathaway. Warren Buffett’s holding company has a roughly 5.5% stake in Wells Fargo. Berkshire’s last reported purchase occurred during the first quarter of this year.

Wells Fargo has a stated goal of achieving double-digit growth in earnings and revenue while managing a return on assets over 1.75% and a return on equity over 20%. Those are both very ambitious goals. The company has achieved some of the highest returns on assets and equity of any major U.S. bank. However, Wells Fargo will probably need to increase the percentage of revenue it derives from fee businesses if it is to achieve these goals.

In the years ahead, the company may well become more of a diversified financial services business. In fact, that’s what I expect will happen. The company’s commitment to cross-selling is not some fad. Eventually, this commitment will change the way investors think about Wells Fargo. Soon, it may be considered much more than a bank.

Wells Fargo’s CEO makes the case that his company’s P/E is simply too low. Wells Fargo has a solid history of strong growth and profitability. So, why should it be valued similarly to most other banks? Shouldn’t it be awarded a multiple more in line with a growth company?

There’s actually some merit to this argument. Wells Fargo is unusually well positioned for a bank. Often, those banks that seem certain to earn very high returns on assets and equity for many years to come are poorly positioned for future growth. These banks are often smaller than their competitors and focused on a specific geographic niche. Any acquisitions would dilute the exceptional profitability of the bank’s niche.

Of course, there are also many consolidators in the banking industry. Unfortunately, many of these banks do not have a history of earning the kind of returns on assets and equity that Wells Fargo has achieved. Even more importantly, there is little differentiation between these titans of the banking industry and their national competitors. Therefore, their moats are highly suspect.

Wells Fargo is a different kind of bank. It has a history of extraordinary growth and profitability. There are two obvious opportunities for future growth: geographic expansion and cross-selling. Of these two opportunities, it’s clear I’m more enamored with the latter. An eastward push is not necessary, and certainly not via an ill-advised acquisition.

There is a lot of value in the Wells Fargo franchise and there is plenty of room within that franchise for future growth. That’s one of the great advantages of the financial services industry. With the right model, limits to growth are almost non-existent. In other highly-profitable industries, there is often nowhere to reinvest new capital at a similar rate of return.

If Wells Fargo is a growth stock, it is a peculiar sort of growth stock. Maybe that is what attracted Buffett to the company in the first place. Here is a business with a strong franchise that can grow for many years to come. Perhaps most importantly, it is a growth business that frequently trades in the market at value like multiples, simply because it’s a bank.

At the current market price, Wells Fargo is the sort of investment you make once and forget. The valuation is not so cheap as to promise a good return if the business falters. But, the business is not so suspect as to require the margin of safety be provided by a low P/E ratio. Sometimes, near certain growth is the margin of safety.

On a separate topic, I’d like to encourage anyone with an interest in competitive advantages to read the entire “Vision and Values” section of the Wells Fargo site.

Superficially, it looks like any other online presentation to investors. In truth, it is nothing like those hollow, sugary slide shows. It’s actually an engaging exploration of competitive advantages within an industry that seems totally unlike the sort of branded, consumer-oriented businesses one normally associates with strong franchises. Even if you aren’t interested in the banking industry in particular, I recommend reading this section for its insights into customer psychology and behavior.

Africa Business

The most important thing to remember in order to achieve success in business is to capitalize on the news. Being always in the know goes a long way. It is because of making the right decisions concerning bold business ventures that many of today’s entrepreneurs operating in all parts of the world achieved success. If you are planning to go on business in Africa then it is best to keep up with Africa business news. If you are not armed with the most recent information, how can you expect to come up with the right decisions?

Intuition can help but surely relying on it alone is not enough. Africa business news, needless to say, helps entrepreneurs identify the things that will create business opportunities for them. Reading news related to businesses in Africa can help both novice and experienced entrepreneurs in properly evaluating the standing of their respective business pursuits. It helps them develop and implement action plans which are strategic and can very well lead to actual generation of profit.

There is no reason to hesitate on keeping up with the news; looking for news articles and clips concerning the recent goings-on in Africa’s business sector has never been this effortless. Seeing that Africa is fast becoming one of the newest business hub in the world, you will not run out of resources, particularly when you go online.

When looking for a reliable online source of Africa business news, be sure to take note of the critical things. Getting news is not enough. While it is true that many industries in Africa extend beyond the continent, it cannot be said that the global take on the economy is enough to provide Africa businesses a clear picture of the kind of path that they should take. Read Africa business news which are generated to better ascertain the true economic situation in order to make the appropriate business decisions. One cannot simply rely on the international picture of the economy because there would be local economic details that need to be taken into account to increase efficiency.

The news may or may not be in your favor, but having the right facts will prepare you for any possible problems in the local market. Take the time to read constantly-updated reports on Africa business. Bookmark sites that bring you news with substance. Having such websites as your information-gathering tool can be your ticket to success.

The Real Truth About Fixed Index Annuities In A Bear Market

But what has the market done and what was the average return from the beginning of the stock market. Well, let us investigate the truth, believe it will be a real eye-opener.

We have had a bear market about every seven years, except for the current run of the bulls. It’s just math folks, your broker or financial advisor can manipulate the numbers, but they will never tell you the real truth because the truth will upset their rice bowl and expose their high commission and hidden fees.

Let us look at the S&P over another time frame:

In January 2000, the S&P 500 was at 1,469, January 2013, the S&P was at 1,469, that is a zero return for 13 years. Yet your broker or financial advisor tells you nothing out does the market; it always comes back. While history does confirm the rise and fall of the market, the question is the timing. Will the market be down at a time you may need your funds?

Here is another truth. Starting in January 2000, the S&P 500 was at 1,496 as of January 2019 the S&P was at 3,110. The fact is that over 19 years and the market returned 3.9%. Yet, your broker and financial genius, on all the business networks, only give you half-truths because that is what sells.

Suppose you are approaching retirement or are already retired, should your hard-earned money be exposed to that kind of market risk.

Most people do not have the luxury of waiting for a market reversal, and they cannot afford those losses and nor do you have the time for the market to come back. It could take 5-7 years to get you back to even, and that is only if the market will allow you to get back to even. Get out of the Wall Street casino, the Wall Street boys are sharks, and they will eat you alive.

Let us look at this myth of average returns and the truth of actual returns. Let’s say the market, in one year, had a 50% decline and the next year it had a 50% incline. What would you hear from your financial advisor? You would hear, “Folks we have some great news, the market is up 50%!”, yet the truth is in that one year, the returned was 0%. We should be more practical than to put a bet down with the Wall Street casino because the truth is playing in the market is legalized gambling.

Back to the bet, we put $100,000 down, and the market goes down 50%, we now have $50,000. Next year the market return goes up 50%; most folks say great we are back even. The truth is you a sitting at the casino table, and you made only $25,000 on top of your $50,000 you have $75,000 the fact is you are still down $25,000. Again, you cannot absorb these losses in retirement, and it is time to get out of the Wall Street casino.

You say, “Okay, but where can I put my money and have it safe from market risk, never losing my principal and still get a decent return?” Let us minimize the damage of the bear market and consider a Fixed Index Annuity.

You ask, “What is a Fixed Indexed Annuity?” A Fixed Indexed Annuity is how to keep your money safe, get consistent guaranteed growth and income that you will never outlive.

A Fixed Indexed Annuity is a contract between you and an insurance company. The Fixed Indexed Annuity offers you the opportunity for tax-deferred growth based in part on changes in a market index. However, you are not taking risks within the market. The insurance company offers you a return based on an index, sheltering the risk. Additionally, they offer you the option to convert your annuity into a steady, guaranteed lifetime income stream, all while protecting your hard-earned principal from the uncertainty of market volatility.

Many Fixed Index Annuities have zero fees unless you choose a specific rider that may make sense for your goals. With a Fixed Indexed Annuity, you can never lose your principal. You will see growth with the market increases, based on the Fixed Indexed Annuity you choose from the Insurance Company, and if the market goes down, you never lose a dime. You can only go up or sideways, never down.

Business Language – Building Your Business Knowledge

Image – It is important to take note of how the market views your services. Your image comprises the visibility of your business, your logo, the uniform of your employees, the signage on the road, your reputation on the market. Image is everything. I have seen small companies grown to large conglomerates all because they managed their image consistently and excellently. If there is anything that seeks to damage the image and outlook of the organization, there are people designated to repair and remove the impact of any such image dents. Your image speaks for you in your absence.

Impact – This refers to the positive effect your product, service or your company has made in the lives of others. The reason a company is to grow and make a positive impact on the lives of its stakeholders which includes the shareholders, customers and employers. Companies that spend on corporate social responsibility make so much impact even with the little they spend on the under privileged. After all, what is success if it does not touch one that has not access to success and also make them great.

Implementation – This is putting to action all that has been planned. In most situations, corporates emphasize planning and preparation and fail at the point of execution and actually doing the planned activities. Implementation is equally important. It requires a consistent follow through the suggested action plans. Most failure is not because there is no dream; it is at the point of putting all the dreams to action. When the rubber faces the road, when the pain comes in, when the unanticipated difficulties come, that is when quitting seems to be the only route to follow. However, those who decide to persevere and implement all that is carefully planned become successful. Start implementing what you plan and always finish implementing what you start.

Import – This is the movement of goods and services from one nation that has the resources into the nation that has need for the goods and services. In cases where it costs more to make the item within a country, most companies choose to bring in the items either as raw materials or finished products into their own countries. Every country has its own import regulations, duties, import levies and taxes for each category of goods. It is important to acquaint yourself with such laws as you may import substances or goods that are prohibited without your knowledge.

Incentive – this is an element that increases an employee to achieve more and increase in effort and delivery. Usually companies that provide production bonuses or other gratuities outside of salaries stand a better chance to retain employees and have consistency in production than places where no additional incentive is ever talked about or implemented. An incentive is not merely monetary but can be a gesture such as giving an employee time off, extra recognition of good performance etc. As leaders, you need to be creative about how to incentivize your employees. In countries where access to basic commodities is a problem, leaders choose to procure these items in others countries and make them available to employees thus adding the convenience employees need.

Income – This is money that is received on a consistent and regular basis either through salary payments or through interest accrued from investments made. In any situation, the endeavor is for the income to always outweigh the expenditure. Income should be budgeted. As a company you must be able to budget where all your income comes from or where the anticipated inflows are coming from. One way to guarantee regular income that is predictable is to go into sales and maintenance agreements which become a consistent form of income.

Incorporation – this is a process by which a company or organization is constituted as a as a legal corporation. In some countries, companies have Inc after their name which means Incorporated. A company is a legal entity which can be sued, it is a legal persona. It is therefore important to ensure that the organization sticks to the confines to the conditions of the incorporation or registration.

Independence – This is a state by which a company or business entity has capacity to stand on its own without the continual injection of capital by the shareholder. It is the dream and desire of every investor that at some point they get a return on what they have invested over time. When a company has enough funds to finance its orders, monthly expenditure and any such costs, it is independent and mature. There are varying durations that companies take to come to a place of freedom and independence. Some companies depend on the shareholder for many years. This can also refer to the state of a nation. When a nation is under colonial rule it is dependent. When the colonizer eventually leaves the nation then Independence is declared.

Industry – this is economic activity and structures that a focused on the processing of raw materials and manufacture of goods in factories and plants. The activities in the industries of any country determine the economic status of that nation. A nation will not be able to export or make goods for its own people if the conditions given to industry owners are not conducive for them to operate profitably. No economy can thrive based on goods and services imported from other nations. Only when a country or community begins to manufacture and sells its own goods do we see the standards of living improve. They can then trade their goods for cash which is in turn used to sustain the communities and families.

Information – This refers to your access or exposure to facts and knowledge (information). Sometimes this is learned through attending formal education or in other instances information is obtained through news sources like radio, newspapers etc. Your access to information determines how far you go in life. Information is what separates the informed and the ignorant. The ignorant will never realize that they lack information until someone who has the information shares it with them. A company or country must always endeavor to keep its people informed of what is going on in the country or company so that no one is caught by surprise. People fail to move in the same direction in situations where the direction is only known to a few individuals. Only when education, explanation and illustration are done will people buy-in.

Infrastructure – these are basic physical and organizational structures (such as roads, buildings, drainage, etc) necessary for the operation of a country or society or business enterprise. Companies invest in immovable assets because of the nature of their stability and consistency to maintain value. It is wisdom for any corporate or country to invest in infrastructure. That is legacy for generations to come. Descendants after your will still find the company warehouse standing and not need to build one from scratch. Invest in infrastructure as much as possible.

Innovation – This is also referred to as creativity which is the ability to create new ideas, products and services. There is no limit set as to which products a company can make. Sometimes innovative ideas are simply modifications or remodeling of existing ideas. Innovation helps organizations to stay on the cutting edge of development. We can both make a bicycle but because I am more innovative, I will add value and put other small gadgets on the bicycle I make, my innovation will make me stand heads and shoulders above my competition.

Intentionality – This is a deliberate and calculated move by leaders of a company to do something for the benefit of stake holders. The leaders have to have intentionality in dealing with employees. They have to be deliberate about salary increments, benefits, health care of the employee and general welfare. There are things a country needs to be intentional and deliberate about for the livelihoods of its people to be lifted. It must be something that is imposed upon the leaders but something the leaders are willing to do without any coercion or force being applied.

Interest – In business this can mean the money that you get charged for borrowing money. Usually it is a percentage per annum. It can also relate to the areas concern or areas of focus. One can say “I have business interests in that country”. The same person can say “the bank charged me interest on the loan I borrowed”. In the case of money charged on borrowings, my advice is that the company finance staff has to keep an eye on this figure as oversight can actually lead to bankruptcy. I have watched with great shock how a company seems to be doing well until the lender demands their money and repossessions of property start.

International – this is when a business or service exists across nations. There is a need for a business to uphold high standards whenever there are international transactions. Companies strive to get into international markets as they may outgrow their own market within the country of origin. International existence of a company is governed by the respective laws of the land on which the company is registered. With the existence of the internet, companies’ resources and services are available to a more global client base. Import and export is the main activity in international business.

Internet – this is also referred to as the World Wide Web (www). This is the connection of computers all over the world for the purpose of information and resource sharing. It becomes the electronic way of handling information, news etc. With the advent of this technology, we now have e-news, e-business, e-health, e-commerce, e-education etc the e- standing for electronic. Businesses have been revolutionized as they have become available to international markets through websites or web pages. This phenomenon has changed the way business is done between nations and communities. News is transmitted faster and cheaper to the intended audience in a more efficient manner. Solutions to common problems one faces are available on the internet. One just has to search for the information. With the right keywords you can get access to all the information resources you ever need.

Intranet – this is almost similar to internet above except the fact the reach is more restricted to internal customers. It enhances intra company communication. This becomes the company notice board.

Invention – this is linked to innovation above. It is when something is discovered for the first time e.g. Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, Henry Ford invented the motor vehicle. There is no limit as to what can be invented. There are new things being invented every so often. Some are quite significant while others are not so significant and worth mentioning. Inventions make the life of mankind on this earth more pleasurable, smoother, more efficient and effective. There are also some inventions made which go against humanity’s existence e.g. some weaponry and poisons etc.

Inventory – this is a complete list of items such as goods in stock or the contents of a building. It is important to always take stock of what items the company owns or what items the company has in stock in order to enable leadership to make a decision on ordering more items to replace those lost, damaged or non functional. The inventory is then summed up in dollars on a balance sheet to reflect the residual value of equipment and also value of goods in stock which can be converted into cash through sales.

Investment – this is when someone put away money into something that has a promise to bring the same money back with return on it. No one puts away money expecting no return or growth on the initial investment. You always invest or put money into something that promises a good return in the future. No return promised, no investment otherwise is merely charity work. Some investment vehicles are more profitable than others. In some cases, the investment portfolios that promise a bigger return have a bigger risk factor. High risk, high turnover.

Invoice – this is a list of goods or services provided by a company or individual. The invoice has an invoice number unique in the organization where originating it, who is supposed to pay, a breakdown of the actual items that have been sold, quantities, unit price, taxes (if any) and all other charges such as handling, shipping etc. The full amount due is also reflected with payment options and conditions also spelt out. This is a legal document which can be used in the courts to demand payment. No invoices should ever be verbal as people tend to become a problem when time to pay comes.

How Podcasting Can Help You Recession Proof Your Income

You see the nightly news, just like I do.

There is turmoil in our cities.

There is turmoil due to COVID, lock-downs and riots.

There is turmoil in the economy. Some big name stores cannot get inventory that was recently taken for granted. Some grocery stores cannot stock meat, fish and other items in demand.

Some companies and small businesses cannot find people to work! Some businesses have suffered to the point where they are closing or cutting back even more!

Many people are in flux between losing their jobs, their homes – their stability…

This is not a unique situation. COVID may be the factor that initiated the problem, but it is not the end of all things.

If you are honest, you can look back over the past 20+ years and see the cycle.

In 2001, what happened? September 11, 2001…

Seven years later, 2008, what happened? Stock market crash and recession…

Seven years later, 2015, what happened? China stock market crash; Euro crash – and that impacted our stock market and economy…

Seven years later, where are we? COVID induced financial collapse on the horizon (as we briefly outlined above)…

How can having a podcast help protect you from what is happening?

Because those who prepare now, to have some type of online business, can begin to insulate themselves from working for others – working for themselves. This is not easy to initiate if you are fighting off problems and have your back against the wall.

But if you are prepared when the problems arise, then you are positioned to help those who failed to prepare! And a podcast will help you to establish this type of positioning.

How can a podcast help you?

By talking about whatever passion you have, right now. If your passion is fixing cars, babysitting or cooking, somebody is going to need their car fixed, need to either start babysitting to earn some additional money or start cooking more at home rather than spending money on eating out or purchasing fast food.

And if you start a podcast on whatever passion you have, you can begin to establish your credibility and expertise that people will be looking for very soon! This is something that you can do, preparing now, that can be a blessing to those that will need your help very soon.

But if you fail to prepare, you will be participating in the problems and will not be in a position to be a blessing to others. But if you take the time to prepare now, you could cushion the impact the financial collapse will have on you and your family.

But if you fail to prepare now…

Where will you be?

Podcasting is simply a way you can share your expertise, build your authority and start generating a following. Podcasting is simple (if done correctly), easy to set up (if done correctly) and easy to market (again, if done correctly).

I’m preparing to share all of my knowledge that I’ve accumulated over the last 11-12 years to help those that are interested in protecting their family while you still can. The collapse is coming. The problems are already starting to appear over the horizon and they are headed our way.

And the cycle is coming around and is visible to anyone who takes the time to study it out.

If you would like to receive more information on how to prepare yourself and your family for what is coming – go to the resource box and get in touch!

Great Stock Market Guidelines for a Successful Portfolio

Investing can sometimes seem like a tough thing to do. A lot of people want to see their money grow, but they aren’t sure where to start. The stock market is a good place to invest your money, so if you want to learn more about how you can make a reasonable income through the stock market, then this article is for you.

If it seems too good to be true it probably is. If a return is being guaranteed, there’s a good chance that fraud is involved. There is no way to take part in investing without some risk and any broker that tells you otherwise is lying. This is not a person that you want to place your money with.

Remember that stock prices are reflections of earnings. In the short term immediate future, market behavior will fluctuate depending on news and rumour and the emotional responses to those, ranging from enthusiasm to panic. In the longer term picture, however, company earnings over time wind up determining whether a stock price rises or falls.

It may seem counter-intuitive, but the best time to buy your investments is when they have fallen in value. “Buy Low/Sell High” is not a worn out adage. It is a way to success and prosperity. Do your due diligence to find sound investment candidates, but don’t let fear keep you from buying when the market is down.

Your stocks should be thought of as ownership in a company, not just meaningless pieces of paper which you trade. When assessing the value of stocks, evaluate the business by analyzing their financial statements. This will ensure that you consider each trade carefully before making any moves.

Make sure that you are properly educated before investing in the stock market. You need to have a basic knowledge of accounting, annual reports and the stock market history. There is no need to be an actual accountant, though the more understanding you have, the better off you will be.

You can use the stock prices to track earnings. Short-term market behavior is generally based on fear, enthusiasm, news, and rumours. Long-term market behavior is mainly comprised of company earnings. These earnings can be used to determine whether or not a stock’s price will rise, drop or go completely sideways.

Keep an eye on the price of a stock you want to buy, and buy when the price is at its low point. The stock market fluctuates constantly, so you might have to wait a bit for the perfect price, but it will pay off in the end with a high return on investment.

Always keep in mind that money is a tool, not a goal. The money you earn, save and invest serves you towards a goal. The goal might be a boat, a home, or even retirement. You have a target number you are pursuing because that target number means you can afford a lifestyle for you and your family that you do not currently have.

Before even buying your first stock, make sure you know your current total financial portfolio. What are your debts and income? Do you have six months reserve fund saved up? This should be done before buying a single share. Once it is accomplished, how much of your income can you put towards investing? Once you know this, then determine your stock portfolio and automate it.

Before you decide how much you want to invest in the stock market, take some time to figure out what you want your investments to do for you. Are you looking forward to building a retirement fund? Alternatively, make some extra income? When you get this figured out, you will be able to decide how much you are willing to risk on the market.

If you’re thinking of investing money in stocks and you do not know how to do it, then you might want to go to a stock investing gathering in your area. These are normally available for a cheap fee, and you are educated by professionals that could assist you in gaining a lot of money in your investment.

Do not forget to keep a strict watch on the volume of trading your stocks are involved in. The trading volume reflects the amount of trading that the specific stock is currently involved in. The activity of a stock can show volatility or stability, which could determine whether or not you want to buy it.

Don’t buy stock of companies that aren’t solid. You need to do a lot of homework on the stock that you are thinking about buying. When you rule out all iffy stock choices, there will be nothing but sound stocks in your portfolio. This will protect you from losses over the long run.

Have a game plan and generally, stick with it. Many individuals buy a stock with the plan of sitting tight on it for a period of five or ten years. As soon as something goes sour in the market, those same individuals turn around and immediately sell. While selling is sometimes the smart way to go, if you sell every time your stock takes a bit of a nose dive, you will see more of a loss than you will see a gain. If you instead remain strong and stick to your game plan, you will often see a greater amount of success in the long run.

You should now have a better idea about what the stock market is about and what you should be doing to prepare yourself so that you can invest. Keep in mind, that sharing information with friends can help. Make sure that you engage in conversation with your friends, as well as to teach them what you know so that you have a better grasp of the stock market as a whole. When you understand how something works, you know how to be good at it. Do this and success should follow.

Why Business Owners Seek to Enter Foreign Markets

It is no longer news that business investors from around the world look at entering foreign markets in order to expand their local business operations or diversify their investments and establish new operations in the international market.

Every year, hundreds of entrepreneurial and growing companies consider international expansion as a marketing and growth strategy.

If you have been successful in your business for some time and you have already mastered everything about running a business, overseas expansion may just be the logical next move you have to make.

On the flip side, for a majority of others, just having an overseas registered company and business address makes more sense to them than moving over to these foreign countries to establish a brick-and-mortar office.

Whichever the case is, there are at least 7 reasons entrepreneurs incorporate an overseas company, subsidiary or a representative office.

1. EXPANSION. About 95% of the world’s consumer’s reside outside Nigeria. Entrepreneurs whose vision and target market is a global one would consider to enter new markets abroad thus increasing their company’s overall market share and growth potentials.

2. POSSIBLE UNTAPPED MARKET. The possibility of an untapped market in foreign jurisdictions may motivate a Nigerian entrepreneur to incorporate an overseas company, subsidiary or representative office of his/her local company. Nigerian entrepreneurs who produce and package local foodstuffs for sale abroad fall into this category.

3. PROXIMITY TO INTERNATIONAL CLIENTS/CUSTOMERS. Truth be told, the Internet hs done enough to bring businesses closer to buyers. However, for some reasons, several business transactions may still warrant a traditional business presence in the city or country of operation. An overseas office of a local company need not be that big, and may be a home business address, a paid virtual office, or a small/liaison office just for the sake of getting customer feedback and linking back to the Nigerian office.

4. CORPORATE IMAGE. In order to boost their corporate image in the eyes of customers, suppliers, investors and businesses, some entrepreneurs just register an overseas subsidiary of their Nigerian company. This gives their target audience an impression that they are a company with international networks. In situations like this, the “international entrepreneur” need not set up a brick-and-mortar office abroad, he/she only pays for a virtual registered office in such country plus a mailing and telephone forwarding service.

5. COMPETITION. The fact that competing businesses or brands are entering the overseas market and are doing well motivates entrepreneurs in similar businesses to follow suit.

6. INTERNATIONAL PAYMENT. There are quite a number of international banking options available to companies registered in overseas jurisdictions – whether you are currently established in the overseas country or operating the overseas company from Nigeria. Having a corporate checking account abroad makes international payment much more easier by direct deposits, cheque or international wire transfers.

7. MIGRATION. Entrepreneurs considering a migration or move to an overseas country may incorporate a company in the destination country pending the time of their travel.

The United Kingdom, for instance, grants an Entrepreneur Visa to persons outside the European Union to gain entry to the UK for business reasons.

The initial visa will give you 3 years in the UK; and if during that 3 years you can show that you met certain criteria, you can then apply for a further 2 years extension visa. Following the 5 years, you’ll have the option of applying for permanent residency in the UK.

The Future of the Web – 7 Reasons to Become Web 2.0 Compatible

The World Wide Web has revolutionized the economy and impacted the majority of the world’s population within in the last ten to fifteen years. Today the Web is not only a resource, for a growing percentage of the population, it is the way we do business. The tools and uses of the Internet are evolving from static, HTML Web pages to interactive, user-driven Web experiences.

Since the Web was created in 1989 and on into the late nineties, businesses only had basic HTML Web sites to relay information to consumers, with little opportunity for rich or user-generated content that marks today’s most popular and useful sites. Web sites were nothing more than online brochures and business cards. Through the evolution of Web development and spread of Internet popularity, Web sites have grown into interactive, social outlets that provide not only rich content (such as video or interactive interfaces), but user-generated content, where Web site users actually create communities and provide content that could never be built by a single organization. Today, interactivity is driving the market and helping to shape the next generation of the Web.

A term heard more and more, Web 2.0 is being used to describe the next generation. In 2004, Tim O’Reily coined the term Web 2.0 as the business revolution of the computer industry, and it has come to be a general term used to embody interactive user interfaces, rich content, online social networking, and user-generated content. Although it sounds like a huge overhaul is in store for the Web, there isn’t a particular process in place to transform it. In fact, Web 2.0 isn’t an object that can be created. It is actually a perception of the direction the Web is heading. Web 2.0 is a new outlook where interaction is key, collaboration is mandatory, and developers are busily working to turn lackluster Web sites into social arenas. The Web is being transformed into a resource where Web surfers and professionals can combine knowledge and experiences to bring value to businesses and every other Internet user.

The following seven statistics reinforce that marketers should be planning to implement interactive Web site tools in the future:

1. 77% of the United States population is online (Harris Interactive) This basic statistic is where it all starts – nearly everyone that an organization might be interested in reaching is using the Web… and usually extensively. The excuse of “my clients do not use the Web” no longer exists for not having a good Web site.

2. 30% of the online population read blogs, about 50 million (ClickZ.com) This new trend involves two of the phrases we used above when describing Web 2.0 – social networking and user-generated content. Imagine a newspaper where you could engage in a discussion with fellow readers about any interesting articles — that is blogging, and it will continue to grow rapidly. As with most of the technologies that are discussed here, the good news is that the technology of creating a blog is easy, although it still requires smart, dedicated people to generate the initial content.

3. 45% of active Web users are members of a social networking site (Nielsen-NetRatings) Social networking Web sites focus on building communities of people who share interests using the Web site itself as the vehicle for communications. A long list of such sites has popped up recently, many of which have a huge number of members. People love to interact with others, and the Web’s popularity has a lot to do with this. Business owners can use this trend in a number of creative and inexpensive ways to market their own products.

4. 38.4 million people visited MySpace.com in 2006, a 367% increase from the previous year (Nielsen-NetRatings) This site has had the most prominent growth in unique users from 2006 to 2007. MySpace.com, which originally focused on young adults, has rapidly become a business networking gateway. Ideas streaming from general social networking sites have helped sprout a string of new sites focused solely on business networking like LinkedIn, Ryze, and Tribe.net.

5. 54% of US Internet users watched online videos in 2006 (AP-AOL Video) Fifty percent of the US population is expected to watch online video advertising by next year, meaning that 155.2 million people will be exposed to online advertising by 2008. Businesses are projecting growth to $775 million in online advertising spending. The trend is expected to continuously skyrocket to a staggering $4.3 billion by 2011(B2B Marketing). Once again, the technology behind this is easy and inexpensive to deploy, so there is no reason for a Web marketer with good, relevant video content not to share it with the world.

6. 17 million US Internet users downloaded Podcasts in 2006(Pew Internet) Although this technology originally derived from the Apple’s IPOD MP3 player, it is not necessary to have one to listen to a Podcast or create one. In fact, producing podcasts integrated with RSS keeps listeners up-to-date with the latest audio releases from radio spots to online lectures. For marketers, the technology is inexpensive and easy to manage making it simple to turn ideas into podcasts.

7. 63% of consumer product marketers, 65% of media and communications marketers, 37% of retail marketers, 37% of financial services marketers and 38% of equipment and tech marketers currently use or are planning to use RSS within the next 12 months (Rok Hrastnik) RSS has the highest value among Web 2.0 technologies, mostly because it integrates with a majority of other interactive tools and because it requires virtually no upkeep. Not only is it a great way to gain publicity for news articles, press releases, events, but it is also keeps Internet users up to speed with podcasts, blogs, and online videos. Making a list of articles or events RSS-compatible is quick and requires hardly any ongoing maintenance, therefore making it a procedure that 100% of marketers should be exploring.

These tools are quickly becoming the cornerstones of online marketing plans. Interactive user interfaces, rich content, online social networking and user-generated content will be essential tools for online marketing growth in the near future.

How To Get More Interviews In Your Job Search

Richard Bolles, job search guru and author of What Color Is Your Parachute? predicts that you can expect to search for work 1-2 months for every $10,000 you hope to earn. So, if you’re looking for a $40,000 a year position, you may search for 4-8 months to land it. Back when the economy sizzled, that job search length would have seemed outrageous, but now, many people would be thrilled to only search for 4-8 months.

Now the question is: How can you limit your job search length regardless of what’s happening with the local economy?

The answer to that question depends on the strength of your job search campaign. Take a look at these common job search problems. If your campaign is suffering from any of these symptoms, try one or more of the tips suggested for each.

If you’re mailing resumes but aren’t getting interviews:

o Your campaign may not be intense enough. Remember that searching for a job is a full-time job. Increase your employer contacts by phone, fax, mail and email to 10-20 per week. Gather job leads from a greater variety of sources than you have been using, such as networking, newspaper ads and Internet sites. But most important of all, tap the hidden job market.

Bottom line: Getting interviews from resumes is in part a numbers game. Contact more employers to increase the odds in your favor.

o Your resume may reveal that you do not possess the skills sets employers want. Get them! A tight economy means employers can command whatever skills, credentials and experience they want, so why argue with them? Volunteer, take a class or create a self-study program to learn what you need to learn. Or, take a lower-level position that will prepare you for advancement to the job you really want.

Bottom line: It’s up to you to qualify yourself for the job you want. Demonstrate your initiative and enroll in that class now, then be sure to claim your new skills on your resume.

o You may not be contacting the employers who are buying the skills you’re selling. First, identify the three skills you possess that you most want to market to employers. Second, match those skills to three different kinds of positions that commonly use your preferred skills. Next, tie each of the positions you identify to specific local industries and employers who hire people with the skills you’re marketing. Then create different resume versions for each of the types of positions you intend to seek. Make sure each version highlights and documents your ability to do what you claim you can do.

Bottom line: Different employers need different things from their employees. Know what you have to sell and sell it to the companies that want it. At all costs, avoid genericizing your resume with clichés and vague statements.

o Your resume may poorly communicate what you have to offer. If you have weaknesses in your employment chronology or if you are changing careers, you will need to take great care in structuring your résumé’s content to overcome any perceived deficiencies. Create a powerful career summary statement which emphasizes your primary skills, qualities, credentials, experience and goals. Group your most marketable skills into an achievements section and showcase those using numbers, concrete nouns and clear indications of the results you accomplished. Use company research and the employer’s job description to focus your revised resume on the company’s needs.

Bottom line: The person who decides whether or not to interview you will make that decision in a mere 15 to 25 seconds. Be clear, organized and achievement-focused to use those seconds to convince the employer to interview you. If you’re getting interviews but no job offers:

o You may have the basic skills the employer needs but not the advanced skills they prefer. Review the second bullet above and act on the suggestions presented. Once you have updated or expanded your skills through additional education, experience or self-study, begin building a career success portfolio to prove your success to prospective employers. This will also help you respond to those behavior-based interview questions that are the rage these days.

Bottom line: It is up to you to advance your career. Figure out what you lack, then learn the skill or develop the ability.

o You lack strong self-marketing skills and this is showing in your interviews. To improve the quality of your interpersonal communications and interview responses, take a class. Invite someone to role play an interview with you. Practice answering behavior-based interview questions. Arrange to participate in a videotaped mock interview. To project your personality positively: Select three to five about yourself that you want the employer to know about you by the end of your interview. Brainstorm ways to weave those things into your responses to common interview questions. Learn about personalities different from your own. Smile and relax! Make strong but not excessive eye contact. Go into the interview armed with 5-8 words or phrases that positively describe your workplace personality and use those words or phrases throughout the interview. Match your communication style to the interviewer’s questioning style. Know your resume and defend it. Keep your responses brief and always to the point.

Bottom line: Your interviewing performance serves as a preview of your on-the-job performance, so project your best. Research, practice, and sell! To job search is to make mistakes. Question is, are you learning from the job search mistakes you’ve made?

Evaluate your search every two to three months so you can fine tune your campaign on a regular basis. You probably get your car tuned up regularly. Why not do the same for your job search? With the right knowledge and proper tools in place, there will be no stopping you!

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