Finding great items to sell can be difficult for some people. After all, your auction site business depends on great items that you can purchase very inexpensively and sell for a profit. If you are having difficulty finding items online for your auction business, here are some easy tips.
One of the best ways to find a great ideas is to check out the auction sites. Many people don’t realize that great ideas are on practically every page of Ebay. You can easily look at which products are selling, how much they sell for and the average price that they are sold at. Using Ebay is probably the easiest and quickest way to find great products that already have a thriving market.
You can also check out auction site forums. Here many people talk about great products that are hot. There are even auction analysis companies that analyze millions of pieces of data to come up with great items for their customers to sell.
There are many overseas manufacturers and distributors that would love to sell their items to you for a great price, which can be quickly converted into profit. Many of these overseas manufacturers are usually located on large marketplace websites which are easy to find. So if you are looking for great items to sell on auction sites, follow the above tips.
Great Ideas for your Auction Site Business
Great Ways To Cut The Cost Of Starting Your Franchise Business
One of the reasons a franchise business has such a high potential for success is because of all that’s included in the initial cost. In some cases, the start-up cost is the same (or very close) to building a business from scratch but without all the benefits such as established name recognition, target market research and existing publicity campaigns. With so many advantages, it can be difficult to understand why entrepreneurs choose to launch a business alone. Nevertheless, some of the high costs associated with franchises can become a deterrent for prospective buyers. What many of them don’t realize is that there are several options that help cut the cost.
Options for Financing Your Franchise
Many franchise opportunities come with a sizable price tag. Few prospective business owners can afford to make such an investment without some financial assistance. Unfortunately, not all of them will have access to the necessary capital it will take to satisfy start-up costs, franchise fees, royalty fees and a loss in revenue that will continue until the return on investment finally begins. If you have a well-established credit history (free of bankruptcies and established to the point where you’re considered as having enough credit), you may be able to get a conventional loan through a bank or credit union.
However, banks are typically reluctant when lending to small businesses. In reality, they rarely do so. Though not everyone will qualify for conventional loans, there are still options. If you have applied for credit to no avail, you can contact the Small Business Administration, an agency run by the federal government. The SBA guarantees a certain percentage of its loans, which puts lenders at ease because they are less likely to experience a loss. Plus, the SBA is usually willing to lend for longer periods of time and at larger amounts.
Of course, the SBA has specific criteria to determine eligibility. First, it must be a small business, which translates to less than $13.5 million in retail or service sales. Additionally, it must be located in the United States or a U.S. governed territory and only those interested in opening a for-profit business can apply. As you can imagine, this agency reviews countless applications, which means that you must handle yourself in a very professional manner. It is always a good idea to have your business plan ready before meeting with anyone regarding financial assistance, even a government agency.
However, the main disadvantage to getting an SBA loan is that the interest rate is set by the Treasury Department, which means that it is variable. Moreover, this interest rate is generally higher than those offered by conventional loans. Thus, if you can find a close friend or family member who is able and willing to lend you the necessary funds or even cosign, this is your best option next to financing on your own through a bank.
Economic Development Corporations
The federal government is not the only entity that provides monetary assistance to potential franchise owners. More and more state and county governments are pitching in with tax exemptions and other special programs. The New York City EDC, for instance, issues low-cost tax exempt bonds as well as double and triple tax exempt revenue bonds (these are technically issued by the New York City Industrial Development Agency, NYCIDA, an entity of the NYCEDC). Furthermore, this agency can even administer public loans. The only issue to consider before accepting assistance from an EDC is the fact that much of the available funding is dedicated to improving low-income or developing areas. Nonetheless, EDCs have funds available to prospective business owners like you. And, you have the opportunity to impact a struggling community. Still, before you decide to locate your franchise in such a community, make sure it is conducive to operating a profitable company.
Community Development Corporations
These non-profit organizations are dedicated to improving their local economies by lending money to small businesses. The goal here is to increase revenue and bring new jobs to the area. What’s more, CDCs are well known for developing affordable housing and improving education for residents in low-income areas. Once again, you must weigh the costs and benefits to starting a business in developing or otherwise lower income sections of a town or city.
Business Development Corporations and Venture Capitalists
If you’re weary of relying on public funding, you have the option of appealing to a business development corporation or venture capitalist in your territory. Returning once again to New York, its business development corporation is made up of financial institutions that pool their resources in order to lessen the risk. Rather than focusing on low-income sections of the state, this organization is devoted to helping all kinds of different businesses gain access to financing. The primary concern is to expand New York State in general.
Venture capitalists, on the other hand, are different from development corporations because they assume some ownership of your business. Because of this unique feature, they are willing to take more risks than traditional lending institutions. Depending on your specific industry and the stage of your business’s development, you may be able to find a venture capitalist fund to help finance your business.
Take Your Time
While there are opportunities for financing your franchise business and dramatically reducing your initial cost, keep in mind that some franchisees use their own resources for as much as 50 percent of their start-up expense. If you can not afford that kind of investment, consider working for a couple of years and saving some of the money for yourself. If you’re able to generate some revenue this way, you are more likely to qualify for a conventional loan. Otherwise, you will appear more serious to business development corporations and reputable venture capitalists. Thus, if you decide to wait after all, don’t become discouraged. Instead, use the extra time to conduct additional research and perfect your business plan. Sooner than you realize, investors will be eager to take part in your project.
Creating A Great Domain Name For Your Business
You know how it is: you get a great business name idea and jump online to register a domain for it... only to find there is not just one name like yours, there are several names — or name derivatives — like yours, too.
Don’t fret. “Get creative,” says About.com’s entrepreneurial writer, Scott Allen. Another tip Allen suggests: Employ a thesaurus, too. Beware, though. Choose your name wisely. Chrysler learned that millions costly mistake when they unveiled their new Chevrolet Nova in the late 1970s—and no on in Mexico would buy the car—because “Nova” in Spanish means “no go.” Worse, still: Henry Ford, Jr. named the mid 1950s car with the vertical grill flop after his kid — Edsel.
With your new business, don’t get an Edsel or NoVa for it, as some websites that specialize in creating available domain names can craft this for you. The domain name search engine at www.makewords.com and other internet websites that brainstorm domain names can ensure ways to a great name for your site:
1. Play with names. Take the first few letters of a combination of names from your family members, street signs or consult a baby name book—like St from Steve, Or from Orson and Nel from Nellie. There, you’ve got STORONEL Or, something to that effect.
2. Research. What’s the Latin meaning of the name? How is it said in Greek? What’s the proper spelling in Hebrew? Remember, what may mean one definition in this country may take on a totally different — and sometimes insulting — meaning completely in another country or even said in another dialect.
3. And speaking of definitions... Hone in what your product is, does and stands out from the rest of the pack, and chose that one glowing, pivotal product gimmick as the domain name. Then you can register (and worry about) the company name, later. Think of Scott Golden’s rule of thumb: the Purple Cow Theory. Think about it: most cows are either brown, black or white, so if you saw a purple one in a field of all that brown, black or white cattle, you’d notice it, right? Cows are known not for milk alone.
4. Start reading everything. Bus signs, street signs, phone books, the table of elements, surnames.
5. Go Au Natural. Um, no, not naked, but back to nature. Orson Creek. Grey Seas Limited. Whatever works.
6. Get feedback — even if it’s on a name you hate. And this includes your own. Okay, so your own name’s hideous but you figured, what the heck, why not profit from it? Run it by your immediate family, anyway and see what they think, all the same. And, by the same token...
7. If you’re going to use their names — ASK! ‘Nuff said on that. And even if they still say no on the name use—regardless of the double-digit percentages they get from the royalties—move on.
8. Register your ideas and trademarks — if any — with the U.S. Copyright Office. You may also want to look into your state’s registered offices for any name trademarks, copyrights or patents your idea may or may not be fringing upon. Also, register with your state as names that you will be doing business as, or known as a DBA, so that the IRS and other financial institutions can keep track with, for and yes, on you. For instance: If you have a Freddie-Eddie, a kid’s only night-light as your product, you may register the website name as your name spelled backwards—like NEVELE for ELEVEN or NEVAEH for HEAVEN—the do business in your given name, SBA whatever you have it spelled as, and register Fred-Ed.com, or something like that.
9. Register a Domain Name. Consider registering .net and .info as domain names, too besides .com. Oh, sure, it’s not as glamorous as is a .com name—but it’s not as crowded and jockeying for web traffic space and branding recognition, either. And, if you’re looking to maximize your search engine places, .net and .info may be the way to go, since not many name brands have those tags to go by, either.
10. Get an EIN with the IRS. That’s an Employee Identification Number registered with the Internal Revenue Service. If you’re gun-shy in using your Social Security Number, they can assign an EIN to you. This way, you can use this for any and all business transactions you’ll be making with your new business.
11. Play with Colors, Shapes and Numbers. So, you’re still determined to get a .com with your name in it? That’s okay. More and more websites today have alphanumeric combinations to their domain names. Like the song by the Brothers Johnson called “Strawberry Letter #22”, some websites have letters and numbers working for them, too. As for a logo, like with a domain name, if you’re going to go on the international scale, make sure that logo is a universally accepted sign. Choose a light, bright color for your logo. A square with a smiley face may work if that smiley face is a rosy pink in most countries. If that “Have a Nice Day!” smiley face is square and yellow, though, you may have to take issue with those who own that kid called Squarepants.
Great Business Standards – Do You Have Them?
If you are a business owner, you probably follow certain standards within your business. I'm talking about those "rules" you set up and follow - your business etiquette.
For example, my standards include:
• not working on Fridays, evenings or weekends
• not answering my business phone after hours
• working only with clients I'm compatible with
For me, having my own business is a freedom and a privilege that I was unable to experience in the corporate world. As a business owner, I feel entitled to make my own decisions about how my business should be run. After all, I'm the boss!
Your business should be run the way you see fit. If you have employees, you can of course (if you wish) take their needs into consideration as well. If, on the other hand, you are a sole proprietor like me, having strong standards can go a long way towards keeping you happy and satisfied in your career.
What is important to you? If you haven't already done so, think hard about this. Make a list of the important things in your life, and base your business standards around them. If maintaining a good balance between your business and personal life is important, create a standard that allows you to stop working at a reasonable hour each day in order to spend time with your family. If going grocery shopping on Wednesday mornings is what you prefer to do, work that into your schedule.
I think you get the gist of what I'm trying to say. Create a solid set of business standards today. Then stick to them. Remember, you're in control of your business and your life.
How to build a great business with MLM Leads
When you are starting out with a new business, it can be scary. You are not going to know if your company is going to make it or not. You are not sure of the road ahead and the future is very uncertain for many. When a business is new and trying to make a go at it, it is a good idea to have the backup that is necessary from a great company like MLM Leads.
This company will help you get started with all that you need to know about how to get your business moving in the right direction. When you are not sure what to do first, you will find that a great business company like MLM Leads, will help you get your company off the ground and running at its full potential.
You can get great calling leads when you choose to use MLM Leads. You will have a great list of prospective buyers and you can go from there. There are no cold calls anymore when you are given the information that MLM offers. You will find that every call you make will be a potential customer waiting to make you money.
There are a few ways to use the leads that MLM provides. There is the web posting. This will mean that you will have high search engine rankings. You can also have pay per click and there is also high pop up advertising. With these kinds of methods of advertising your company, you will get your name across to all of interested people that would benefit from your company.
There are so many interesting things that MLM Leads can do for people. There are debt consolidations, mortgages, and so much more. There is an endless list of possibilities for you and your company when you are using MLM. You cannot go wrong when you decide to give us a try. You can build your company up overnight with the endless adventures that you can take with this fortune making company.
So many fresh leads are added every day and will produce great ideas for customers. There is a great range of MLM Lead packages to ensure the quality of any new company’s budget. You will get to choose the package that makes the most sense for you. There are no hassles and no worries to have. All you need to do is trust the work that we can do for you and your new and uprising company. There is no reason to wait any longer. Getting started now, will only benefit you and your business.
You can find out all of the great things that MLM Leads has done for other people too. There are already many satisfied customers that will help you in making the decision to use this great and helpful company now.
For more info visit: http://www.onlinecompany.org/
Great Website For Your Business
The Internet is not only a great place to do business but it's also an excellent source for learning. There is a ton of great information available, most of it for free of charge. You don't have to get a college degree in e-commerce or learn about online technology. Even if you don't plan on building and maintaining your web site you can still benefit from learning about technology.
Let's say you want to higher a web design firm. Wouldn't you feel more comfortable about talking to the web design company if you already knew a little bit about what it takes to build a website. You could read articles about web design, or you could visit blogs, or you could frequent online forums.
Talk to other business owners about their experience in hiring web design companies. Ask them if they have any advice. You may be surprised about how much you can learn from other business owners, especially if they have been through similar experience. Don't be intimidated about technology. The people working with technology are not geniuses. They all had to start from scratch and most of them will be glad to help you.
There are millions of different business websites. Some web sites are simple while others are complicated, some are popular some are abandoned. Regardless of what your website looks like your visitors will expect certain components. First impressions are no less significant online as they are in our off-line existence. Therefore, you have to work hard to make sure that your visitors will find what they expect.
For example, if a visitor finds your websites searching for San Diego accountants, your web site better have something to do with accounting in the San Diego area. That message has to be loud and clear on your homepage. When a visitor lands on your homepage she should have no trouble determining what you do in a matter of seconds. Yes, you only have a few seconds to convince the visitor that your website is what she is looking for.
The Internet is a fast moving environment. So you have to make sure that your website loads quickly. Visitors will not waste their time waiting while all the pieces of your slow moving website becomes visible. If your website doesn't completely show in a few seconds you have work to do. You can reduce the size of your images, or find a hosting company that provides faster service. Installing a fancy video about your latest products would spice up your site but it may slow it down so much that you could end up losing many of your visitors. Remember visitors are more likely to help you succeed online than clever design.
Great Reasons for Setting up a Home Business
Many people dream of setting up a home-based business, but it takes hard work, persistence and a willingness to wait for results. If you are thinking about starting up on your own, make sure you write a list of your reasons for doing so. When the going gets tough you can go back to your list to remind yourself of why you’re doing it and to reactivate your motivation. Here are some valid reasons for going it alone. Add your own to the list.
You want to make a lot more money than you earn in your present job
With so little job security around these days, more of us are finding we have to work long hours to keep the boss happy. And if we don’t toe the line, we know there are plenty of people who will be only to happy to step into our shoes. But is it worth all the hard grind, just to put extra money in someone else’s pocket? Achieving financial freedom is high on most people’s list.
You want to get a life beyond the office
Money isn’t the only important thing in life and what’s the point of earning it if you don’t have the chance to enjoy it? Work may play a significant role in our definition of who we are, but it certainly shouldn’t be all that we are. Whilst starting up a business is very time-consuming, the ultimate goal is to create enough recurring income to give ourselves more free time. This is not possible in a job, except for a very fortunate few.
You want to stop commuting for hours every week
Many people spend several hours a day getting to and from work. This is stressful at the best of times, but add traffic jams, overcrowded trains and bad weather and this is enough to exhaust anyone before they have even started work. Facing the same journey on the way home can lead to the inability to relax and enjoy what’s left of the day.
You want a more flexible lifestyle
Deciding your own working hours will enable you to fit in many other activities which you would otherwise miss – watching the kids perform in the school play or concert, taking part in a sport or other hobby, spending time with friends and relatives who are in town on holiday.
You want to cut down on childcare costs
In many families with young children, both parents are obliged to work in order to make ends meet, but often find that one of their salaries is almost completely swallowed up by childcare costs. If one partner is working online, hours can be fitted around those of the partner working outside the home, eliminating or at least reducing the need for paid childcare.
You want to something you really enjoy
How many of us really enjoy working for an employer? The job may be exciting at first, but it’s all too easy to get bogged down in paperwork, boring routine tasks and office politics. You might have to do all the menial jobs when you start your own business, but the day will come when you can hire someone else to do them!
The final reason is really an combination of the first six:
You want to take control of your life
As your business grows, you’ll find you have the power to make more decisions about how you live your life – where you live, when you take holidays, when you retire, how you spend your free time.
If you are thinking of setting up a business online, decide which reasons are most important to you, then write them in large letters on a piece of paper and stick it where you’ll see it every day. That way you won’t lose sight of why you want to change your life.
© Waller Jamison 2006
Grab This Great Business Opportunity
If you’re looking for a flexible or part-time job, or perhaps one that you can grow into a full-time business over several years, then you should consider the vending industry.
We tend to take vending machines for granted, although we use them all the time. Whether we’re at work, at the gym, in a shopping mall or in a bar, vending machines have become an integral part of retail life.
Why is vending a good sector to be involved with?
With the proper approach, the right sites and great customer service, vending can be a lucrative business. The benefits of working in vending include:
• Flexible hours – you can choose when to service and re-fill your site machine
• Site choices – you get help to choose profitable sites
• Grow at your own speed – add to the number of sites in your own time, expanding as you want to
• Local area – use sites in your local area to keep your business close to home
• Income control – earn as much or as little as you choose
As office parks and out-of-town shopping centres increase and site owners try to keep costs down, the vending sector is ideally placed to take advantage of the demand for quick-access food and other products. As a vending operative, your only responsibility is to ensure that the machines are properly sited, serviced and filled, and the money collected. Once the site owner has received their commission, you divide the remainder in accordance with your agreement with the vending company.
By identifying and securing the right sites and providing an excellent service to the site owner, you could find yourself reaping the rewards of the growth in the vending market almost immediately. In the long term, it pays to consider this sector when you’re thinking of starting a fledgling local business.
Business + Fun = Great Lifestyle
Every business should have a little fun scattered throughout the company. Enjoy your successes and learn to deal with your failures. Loosen up and start smiling… laugh a little… and the world will laugh with you. And if laughter is too big a step, smiling works perfectly - it cost nothing to give and when you do, you usually receive it back; Now that's what I call a win/win situation!
Be silly occasionally, socialise in your industry, stay away from miserable people and learn to pace yourself. Stop doing any work you hate and outsource it. If you can avoid it, do not hire people that do not know how to have fun. If you already have members of staff that bring other people down, see if there is a legal way to let them go gradually!
Customers are the cornerstone of every business and they need some laughter in their lives. When your customers call you, sound happy to hear their voice. They might just call you more often. If you can find a way of making their lives just a little more pleasurable, they are much more likely to remember you when placing the next order.
If your employees have fun working for you they are more likely to be committed to your business goals. Encourage your staff to achieve more by making their working life energising and more exciting. Plan something unexpected, give little gifts and organise a day out. It doesn't have to be during working hours...
People can sense the mood their boss is in. If you are not having fun running your business, how can you expect your customers and staff to feel motivated? If your business bores you… sell it!
Some people believe that they are not allowed to have fun when they are working. Times have changed and some business owners now work almost every single waking hour, 6 days a week! When are you ever going to have time to have some fun if you are working all the time?
Did you know: It takes 7 muscles to smile and 14 muscles to frown?
I used to work for a company in Dundee many years ago. They spent quality time organising events for their members of staff. They inspired me to work harder knowing that the company did care for my welfare.
This business was inspirational in the way they used fun and games to allow us employees to see a different side of management. It was great being able to beat my boss in a fun environment playing amusing games!
A few words of warning; watch how you handle young, immature members of staff as they might not be able to handle some fun and keep on working at the same time. Also avoid alcohol and gambling as a means of adding some fun in business. Going down this route could potentially create more problems than the fun it serves to bring!
Work hard and play hard… add a little fun… and enjoy the rat race!
Building Great Business Relationships
If you’re in a business relationship with anyone – a client, vendor, or customer – how important is that relationship to you? Do you value the relationship? Do you want to nurture it?
A business relationship, like any relationship, is a two-way street. The expectations of both parties needs be clear and easily understandable. Applying the Golden Rule is also a good idea: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” That is a very powerful statement, and one I try to practice in my daily life, both in business and personal matters.
Good communication is key for any business relationship to grow and thrive. Even when conflicts surface (and they will), keeping the lines of communication open at all times is extremely important. Meet conflicts head-on, no matter how frightening they may seem at the time. The sooner the issues are out on the table and dealt with, the sooner you can get back on track and back to business-as-usual.
Another thing to keep in mind is letting people know you appreciate them. Thank you notes, cards and e-mails are always a good idea, and they never go out of style. People love to be appreciated. If you are receiving great business from someone, always be sure to let them know. You will feel better for it, and so will they.
Another great idea is to reach out and “touch” your clients and customers on a regular basis by sending them monthly newsletters. This is a wonderful way to keep in touch, both to let them know you are thinking about them, and to remind them about you as well.
Remember, you get out of a great relationship what you put into it. Value those you do business with. Nurture the relationships, so they are always growing and prospering. Keep this up and you will always have a garden full of healthy, happy business contacts.
Auto Sound Systems are an Investment in your Car Make it Great
For those who love tunes and the ability to take them along wherever you may roam, there are some great auto sound systems that allow you to basically plug in your favorite tunes to play as you go. It doesn't really matter which style of MP3 player you use, most of the newer auto sound systems at least have the ability to read and translate the material from these players into great music for you to enjoy on your ride by simply plugging your MP3 player into the car stereo.
Many of us find that lugging around an MP3 player with all of our favorite tunes (or at least most of them-with up to 40 gigs of hard drive space it might take a while to fill completely) is much easier and more practical than attempting to lug around a huge case of CDs. It is also great for those of us who find ourselves disappointed when we purchase CDs only to find that we really only like one or two songs. Now we can simply download the songs we know and love while avoiding those we are uncertain about or at least waiting until more songs come out before deciding whether or not to purchase the entire collection of songs. Having an auto sound system that allows you to enjoy the convenience of simply plugging in either your MP3 player or a memory card or stick in order to have your favorite songs at your finger tips at all times is fantastic.
I don't know about you, but I am absolutely hooked on audio books. I love to read and find so little free time in which to get my feel of the latest and greatest best seller. Audio books allow me to hear the stories I've been eagerly awaiting at my convenience and in my SUV as I'm making my daily commute or running errands. These books are also a great way to enjoy long car trips. You can even check your local library in order to find an excellent selection.
I typically try to find stories that might interest the children on long car rides as well (such as the Harry Potter books or The Polar Express). This instills a love of reading in them and I don't have to worry about the stray 'grown up' word that some audio books contain. Good auto sound systems not only play great music but also sound wonderful when it comes to the spoken word as well. This is not only true when it comes to books on tape, CD, or MP3 but also talk radio and national news stations as well.
When you begin your search for your next auto sound system make sure you consider all the possible features you may wish to include. You can find sound systems today that include GPS, DVD players, navigational tools, CD players, MP3 players, satellite radio receivers and countless other nifty features. Choose the auto sound system that will suit your needs and interests best and enjoy it for as long as you can. A good sound system is something that will stay with your car, truck, or SUV so it is best to make that particular investment long before you plan to trade your vehicle in on another. At the same time a good auto sound system can be an excellent incentive to hold onto your vehicle a little while longer.