911 Essay

911 Essay

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5 Practical Reasons Why Small Businesses Fail – How to Ensure Success

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Are you an entrepreneur looking to set up a brand new business?

Congratulations! You probably have no idea what a significant contribution you’ll make to the economy of the country.

Take a look at these statistics released by the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy. Small businesses make up 99.7% of companies working with employees on salary. Further, they created jobs for close to two-thirds of the population between the years from 1993 to 2016.

However, the SBA also has some worrying numbers you need to look at closely.

About 20% of small businesses fail within the first year and close to half of new enterprises close shop within 5 years of opening. Only a third of the small companies opening today will make it through their first 10 years.

Let’s take a closer look at the essentials for a successful business that many entrepreneurs tend to overlook.

1. Lack of Expert Assistance Can Contribute to Why Small Businesses Fail

The statistics you’ve just read are not designed to discourage you. On the contrary they are intended to warn of the worst case scenarios and that you may want to plan well in advance for them. Even as you work hard to get your new enterprise off the ground, it is advisable to have a professional assisting you through your efforts. Hire the services of an expert who can work with you as a one on one business coach to help you stay focused on your goals. He can also guide you through the aspects of business planning that you may lack in. For instance, you may have an amazing idea for a product or service but executing the production and managing the company are completely different fields.

2. Understanding What the Audience is Looking For is Essential

How do your customers view your products? Do they like how the product works? What are the downsides? What can you do to make the service better? Not knowing what the consumer is looking for is one of the main reasons why small businesses fail. The success of your business depends on how your audience receives your products and services. And, to understand what they think, you need to build a connection with them. Like a feature in the Forbes explains, the internet and social media channels are the best medium to get the necessary feedback.

One of the first steps you must take at the time of setting up your business is to develop an online presence. Create your website side-by-side and open digital channels so your customers can communicate with you. Use their tweets and FB updates to develop that special Unique Value Proposition (UVP) that sets your offerings apart from the rest.

3. Underestimating Cash Flows and Financial Requirements May Affect Sustainability

Many entrepreneurs make the fatal error of not planning for hidden expenses. Because of their lack of experience, they are likely to overlook various operational, management, and maintenance costs. As a result, they spend their seed money too quickly. A business coach can help you foresee those expenses and plan well ahead for them, as well as help you determine whether you should take out a personal loan to help. He may also help you keep a close watch on the areas where you’re making large purchases. That’s because getting into a large debt is another of the prime reasons why small businesses fail.

Like the folks at All Business warn, entrepreneurs also go wrong in estimating how soon their product will take off and the revenues will start to come in. Work with an expert advisor for an estimate on how soon after the product launch you can expect to see any real profits.

4. Detailed Planning Can Affect How the Business Performs

Before you actually go into production, you may want to plan every detail of your business operations down to the last detail with the help of your business coach. In addition to working out the finer nuances of the product you’re planning to develop, you could work on how you intend to advertise and sell it. Choose your marketing channels and locations carefully. You may also want to study competing companies and the kind of products they’re selling successfully. Also, plan for the workforce you may need to hire and the functions it will be performing. Many small businesses fail because their owners haven’t executed the planning stage properly.

Most important, work with your business coach to understand the legal and taxation aspects. Is your business compliant with the laws of your county and state? What are the company registration laws and other regulations? What are the taxes you could incur? Will your cash flow be sufficient to cover these expenses?

5. You May Want to Find Your Feet Before You Consider Expansion

Once you taste success and the revenues start to come in, it is understandable that you can’t wait to expand your horizons. Perhaps, you may want to add more products, rev up production, or capture a wider market base. This article in SmallBizTrends explains that many small businesses fail because they start growing too soon. A smarter move is to understand carefully how the market works. Give your product and services time to develop a dedicated customer niche that will choose only your products above the others in the market.

You may also want to work out the added expenses you’d incur for hiring new employees or say, purchasing advanced machinery and equipment. Are you ready to take on this expense? Will your business be able to sustain the financial pressure?

Your New Company Need Not be a Statistic in the 20% of Small Businesses

Setting up and running a company may involve a lot more aspects than you initially plan for. Accordingly, it is wiser to have an expert business coach on board who can assist you with the decision-making process. Such professionals also help you remain focused on your goals and keep you accountable for the targets you initially had in mind.

Use all the assistance you can get to prevent your company from becoming a part of the 20% statistic. And, there’s no reason why you’ll have a successfully running (and, expanding) business on your hands 10 years down the line.

How to Be a Successful Blogger Like Eva Lovia

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Being a blogger is a great career choice for anyone who wants to let their creative juices run free, and create an online community with like-minded people. One online personality who I absolutely adore is Eva Lovia, a social media influencer, restaurant reviewer and TV and online personality who’s work on travel and food are absolutely sensational. Eva is active across the internet and has created a strong community of followers around her work. If you want to be a blogger, this is the type of career you should be aiming for, and here is how to go about it.
 

Picking a Niche

People like Eva have gained a great amount of success not only because they create great content and provide value for their readers with their talents, but also because they picked a niche to stay within. In the case of Eva Lovia, this niche is food and travel. The reason behind this is that if you just write and produce content about your life in general, you won’t gain a loyal following, keep it niche an you will, as Eva’s Twitch following on her channel MadeWithLovia can attest.  

Engaging

It doesn’t matter if you have 2 followers or 2 million followers, you should always do all that you can to engage with your followers. The reason why a travel and cooking blogger like Eva is so widely respected is that she always look to engage with the audience and add value to the general user experience. Remember that when you are looking to be successful in this way, you are relying on people to come and see what you are offering, if you cannot engage with them then you are diminishing the value that they are getting, and not living up to the community idea of what blogging is all about.  

Reaching Out 

As well as engaging with your followers and readers, you should also be looking to get in touch with other bloggers within your niche, and look to form mutually beneficial partnerships. Eva for instance is a social media influencer because of the amount of following that she has, this means that if she mentions the site or blog of someone else, it is possible that her followers will then go and check out the site of her friend. Making partnerships like this can really help you to reach the top.  

Content is Key

Whatever kind of marketing you invest in, whatever kind of strategy for success you come up with, you should always remember one thing, content is king. Even if there is nobody looking at your content, you shod keep pumping it out and making sure that it is of very high quality. Any blogger lives and dies based on the quality of their content and this should always be your main focus above everything else.  

Stick to these tips, and you could become as successful as Eva.

Peter Howe, Michigan Attorney, Offers Advice On How To Choose Criminal Law Attorneys

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Peter Howe, Michigan Attorney, Offers Advice On How To Choose Criminal Law Attorneys

When you need the services of a criminal law attorney the situation is quite dire. You simply cannot choose a regular attorney and expect to get the best representation. Unfortunately, people tend to think that all lawyers are created equal. That is completely incorrect. According to Peter Howe, Michigan experienced attorney, most people choose the very first attorney that they find, thus making an incorrect choice. This is why he talks about the following three really important facts you should think about as you choose who to represent you.

Don’t Choose The Attorney Based On Office Location

One of the common mistakes made when choosing an attorney in Michigan is going to the one that has offices close to one’s home. This is not a good approach since we are talking about criminal defense attorneys, which have to be as experienced as possible. Those that live close to your home are most likely not the best you could hire.

The best thing you can do is to widen your research area. Make a list of the best criminal defense attorneys that can service you and that you can contact. In many cases, the fact that you travel a long distance will actually help you to get the best proper representation in front of the authorities.

Be Careful With Hourly Rates

The fee arrangements in which you pay an hourly rate for the services of the criminal defense attorney can quickly become overwhelming, according to Peter Howe. The big problem, in this case, is that you cannot actually know if the attorney worked on your case for the number of mentioned hours or not. Many top criminal attorneys have their clients pay the initial fee. Then, there is a detailed fee that covers what goes beyond it.

Although it is not ethical, there are many criminal law attorneys that simply prolong their services when they are paid per hour. Unfortunately, when referring to a criminal case, much work has to be done so the hourly rate ends up costing you so much more than what you initially anticipated.

Don’t Choose Criminal Defense Attorneys Under Pressure

You are surely aware of the fact that you should never talk to authorities without an attorney present but this does not mean any attorney can be considered. You are going to be offered the services of a specific public office attorney if you want it. At the same time, if you are charged, you are going to be contacted by different criminal defense attorneys that tell you they can represent you. Be extremely wary of being pressured into signing a deal with an attorney. Those lawyers that put pressure on you in Michigan or anywhere else are most likely not really interested in the outcome of your case. The best criminal defense attorney you can hire in Michigan is the one you hire, not the one that finds you. Numerous dishonest attorneys pressure clients into agreeing to their terms. This is something you have to avoid at all costs.

Marrison Family Law Talks About How Divorce Affects Families In Colorado Springs

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Getting separated from your spouse is not at all something that is easy to do. There will be various problems you will have to deal with, including the fact that your entire family will be affected. Marrison Family Law helped numerous couples in Colorado Springs in the past and fully understands what divorce can do to a family. According to family law specialists there, the important things that have to be remembered about families and divorce are the following.

Relatives Mourning Marriage End

One of the biggest surprises for people that get a divorce is that family members are often more shocked about what is happening than you. You may think they are not affected but they are. As you got married, you two were seen as living together and growing old together. The fact that the marriage ended changed this.

In many families, members end up having attachments. Your family members might have started to love your spouse. As the couple divorces, a lack of contact can appear. The family has to break off various attachments formed, which will bring on a lot of sadness.

The family needs to support you but it is possible that they need some support too. In the event they feel they can show the fact that they are mourning, as much as you do, relationships become stronger. You need to acknowledge the fact that the divorce is basically difficult for everyone involved. This does include your family members.

Your Children

If you have children and your marriage ends, the truth is you need to be extremely careful with them. Their reaction to your divorce can be much different than what you imagine now. Children get used to parents and since one of them will go away, everything changes.

A child can react to the divorce in so many different ways. There are some that will isolate themselves while others are going to fully understand what is happening. They might even support the decision of the parents. What counts the most is to realize the fact that you need to take care of your children and properly support them if you are getting a divorce. They need to be your priority.

Remember that children can easily end up having huge problems at school. It is quite common to see grades falling. You need to guide the child through such tough times.

Unfortunately, in many situations, the parents that get a divorce cannot actually offer children the support that they need. This is why you should always consider counseling. Professionals are going to help a lot more than what you might think at first glance. The neglected negative feelings your children might feel will possibly lead to criminal activity, suicide and drug abuse.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, going through a divorce is not just about you. It is also about your children and the rest of your family. Always pay close attention to everyone affected and do not neglect feelings.

Interesting Facts about Craps

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If you’ve always been fond of playing casino-style games such as craps, it’s well worth continuing reading to discover a few little-known facts about craps, that you may never have come across before. Also, you can play online at http://www.crapsformoney.com/. So if you love obscure facts, simply continue reading.

Interesting facts about craps:

  1. Craps is the most popular dice game in the world

Did you know that craps holds the distinction of being the most popular, most played dice game in the world? In fact, if you walk into a casino in any country in the world, you should be able to find a game of craps to join!

  1. If a dice hits or touches your hand it may be nullified

Depending on the group of people who you choose to play craps with, if the dice hit the hands of any of the players at your table, the roll may be nullified. So make sure to keep your hands as far away from the dice as possible, when they are about to be thrown.

  1. It’s seen as unlucky to utter the word seven at a craps table

It’s considered unlucky to say the word seven at any point of a craps game. So to avoid annoying your fellow players, it’s a wise idea to avoid mentioning the number seven at all costs!

  1. The top-rated craps players often head to The Cromwell to play high stake games

The top-rated craps players in the world often head to The Cromwell which is a world-class casino which is located on the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada and which often hosts high stakes craps tournaments. Which gives professional players the opportunity to take home thousands of dollars of prize money.

Other Las Vegas-based casinos which attract skilled craps players include El Cortez and Main Street Station. Both of which offer great odds and are well worth visiting if you happen to head to Las Vegas!

  1. The history of craps is hotly contested

Some individuals attribute the creation of craps to the ancient Romans who are documented as having used animals’ knucklebones as dice in order to play craps and their shields in lieu of a modern craps table. Other individuals attribute the invention of craps to the British who invented a game called hazard. Which many individuals believed was the original version of craps as its known in today’s society.

  1. Craps have been a mainstay in Las Vegas’ casinos since the 1930s

While mankind has played games which are remarkably similar to craps for thousands of years, Craps have only been a mainstay in Las Vegas’ casinos since the 1930s. However, craps remain just as popular today as it was in the 1930s.

  1. Geoffrey Chaucer wrote about craps in “The Canterbury Tales”

Craps rose in popularity after the famous novelist Geoffrey Chaucer mentioned the game of craps in his greatest work, “The Canterbury Tales”.

In conclusion, hopefully after learning seven new facts about the game of craps that you’ll be able to impress your casino-loving friends and family members with your newfound knowledge!

5 Types of Fun Slot Games

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If you enjoy playing fun, potentially lucrative slot games on sites like http://casinosformoney.com/ in your spare time and love the thrill of winning cash prizes, simply continue reading to discover 5 types of fun slot games to try out.

5 Types of fun slot games:

  1. Multiple play line slots

While the vast majority of slot games feature single line slots, which only give individuals one chance to line up symbols, to form a line in the middle of the screen, in recent years multiple payline slots have become increasingly popular. Just keep in mind that generally, you’ll have to pay a small amount of credits, for each additional line which you choose to activate and play with.

Many online slot games offer multiple playline slots which feature either 25 or 50 play lines. However, it’s well worth noting that purchasing additional play lines won’t necessarily increase your chances of winning a huge jackpot.

  1. Wild play slot machines

Wild play slot machines are fun to play as they offer you chances to potentially double, triple or quintuple your winnings. Better yet in situations, where you may be one symbol off forming a winning line, you may find that the mismatched symbol is a wild symbol, which will unlock a bonus feature or a multiplier. So if you believe that you’d be excited by potentially being able to double, triple or quintuple your winnings it’s well worth giving wild play slots a go.

  1. Progressive slots

Progressive slots exist in brick and mortar casinos and as part of online casinos offerings and links several slot games together, so that one player who’ll be chosen at random, will receive a lucrative jackpot. If you see yourself as a lucky individual, it’s well worth trying your luck with progressive slots.

  1. TV-themed slots

If you’re always on the lookout for fresh new slot games to play, you may want to try your hand at playing a slot game, which is themed around a popular TV series. As an example, you may be interested in playing a Desperate Housewives slot game or a Wheel of Fortune inspired slot game. As new TV slot games are released on a regular basis, so you never know when you’ll find a new slot game, based on one of your favorite TV series being launched.

If you’re a huge Game of Thrones fan, you’ll also be pleased to hear that there is a Game of Thrones-themed slot game to play. Which happens to offer high payout rates.

  1. Vegas-style slots

Whether you’ve been to Vegas numerous times or you hope to win an online slot machine jackpot in order to fund an upcoming trip to Vegas, it’s well worth trying your hand at Vegas-style slots, which boast fun animations and sound effects and are among some of the most popular types of slot games currently on offer!

So if you love playing slot style games and the thrill of matching up enough symbols to win a cash prize, it’s definitely worth using the above guide to pick which style of slot game you should play next.

What Small Businesses Can Learn From Fast Food Joints

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When you are thinking about opening up a small business, or you’ve already got an existing small business that maybe isn’t progressing and growing as you had hoped, it’s normal to look outside your own goals and operations and see what other businesses are doing. How are they succeeding? How are they making a mark in their industry and managing to meet all the goals they set out to achieve?


While you may be tempted to look at the competition for inspiration and answers, there could be an industry that offers even more answers, and that industry may come as a surprise to you. No matter what kind of small business you own, did you know that you can actually learn a whole lot from fast food joints and how they operate? Sure it may not answer all your questions, but it can certainly shed light on areas that can then help you to succeed.

So what can small businesses learn from fast food joints? Let’s take a closer look.

They Know How to Find Staff and Fast

The employees you have are what help to make or break your company, so with that in mind you don’t have time to sit around and wait for that right candidate to fall into the job. This is where you can look to fast food joints. When they need staff they are proactive and take every measure to make sure they find the right person, and quickly. They understand that means posting their fast food jobs online, in the store, and even in the local newspaper if need be.

Then there is the job ad itself. They are usually specifically laying out what work experience is required, and the skillsand traits that can make a person a good candidate. Again, that can provide you with tips on how to craft your own job postings.

Be Transparent About Your Suppliers

Another thing that fast food joints are known for is using high-quality suppliers and then broadcasting it to the world. They want to be transparent when it comes to the food customers can expect, and show them that it’s better quality, which is therefore healthier. This is another lesson that small businesses can use, as they move to be more transparent about their suppliers and the quality of the products.

Branding is Everything

Fast food joints are pros when it comes to recognising that branding is everything. They know that they need to be aggressive in their marketing, getting the word out, and carving that niche for themselves in a highly competitive industry. Carving a niche and branding is essential for any company, regardless of the size of it or the industry it is in. Building a name for your company takes time, but it’s something that needs to be done.

Be Consistent At All Times

Fast food joints, especially those that are franchises, also need to be consistent. This means consistent in their menu options, the quality of their food, and the quality of their service. Consistency is something that customers appreciate and quite frankly demand, no matter what industry you are looking at.

While it may not seem like your small business has anything in common with fast food joints, as you take a closer look it’s clear that there is a lot you can learn from them.

Check Out This Guide On How to Track, Manage And Protect Business Leads

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Leads are the lifeblood of businesses. It is already an established fact that generating new leads will provide an opportunity to help your business grow. But you have to nurture these leads if they are going to turn into actual customers. However, they can leave faster than they came if you don’t have a working lead management strategy in place.

There are best practices that can be employed to ensure your sales force is effectively retaining and converting leads. From attracting prospects through strategic marketing campaigns to maintaining a working relationship that will keep them doing business with you; tracking, protecting, and managing your leads are activities that cut through your daily business activities that you should take seriously.

Competent Response service

The initial enquiry is an important aspect of sales. If the prospect isn’t impressed with the first response you provide, that relationship will likely end before it even begins. It is important that all incoming calls concerning enquiries are responded to professionally and courteously.

Availability is also an issue when it comes to converting and maintaining leads through calls. You may lose a big potential client by staying away from the phone even for a minute. Existing clients might be facing issues they also need to resolve quickly, and if you’re not available, they may turn to competitors for solutions. As a result, ensure there is always someone beside the telephone to take incoming calls. Your business can also benefit from employing a professional telephone answering service.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software

The days of going through tedious processes such as using excel sheets to keep record of and manually track leads are long gone. The process of tracking and managing leads have been made a lot easier through CRM software. The adoption of CRM is already widespread and your competitors are already likely integrating this systematic approach into their lead campaign strategies. Studies have revealed that overall adoption of CRM software has tremendously increased over the years, with Gartner forecasting that the industry will be worth $40b by 2018. The migration of CRM applications to the cloud has also become a game changer in lead management.

Your CRM software is an automated business tool that tracks everything concerning your existing customers and potential ones. The tool provides data that include the last time the customer contacted, the outcome of your customers’ interactions, and the best move to take based on their feedback.

Online strategies and Social Media

You can track and manage leads through internet strategies such as email and social media marketing. If you have a social media presence, you can track the needs of potential leads, identify what they are interested in, understand their pain points, and maintain a close relationship with them. Through emails, you can also reach out to your prospects and notify them on new products and offers.

Boost your business today through proper lead management procedures

Your leads should be treated specially as customers. Even if there is a chance they will not turn into clients, you shouldn’t take any prospect for granted.

4 Tips For Internet Reputation Repair

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If you’re interested in learning a variety of methods which you can use to help with internet reputation repair, continue reading to find out how you can start fixing your business’ reputation today.

 

4 Tips for internet reputation repair:

 1. Don’t get into petty arguments with individuals on your social media accounts

 If your business boasts a few social media accounts, from time to time your business may attract comments from individuals who wish to complain about your products or services.

 While it may be tempting to get into a war or words, in order to defend your business’ reputation, if you want to avoid tarnishing your business’ reputation, it’s far wiser to politely ask the commenter to contact your help desk for further assistance. As your business’ wall or newsfeed isn’t the appropriate arena for a heated discussion.

 2. If you’re going to apologize make sure that your apology is genuine

 Never apologize for a mistake with an apology that appears forced and insincere as not only will you lose a customer but you’re also highly likely to anger your customer base. Who may look upon your business’ actions unfavorably.

 If your business comes across as being genuine and empathetic you may be able to reach a point of reconciliation with the customers who you may have disappointed or angered as a result of your business’ errors.

 If you do decide to post a public apology on your business’ social media accounts, make sure that your post describes any new efforts which your business may take to ensure that the same mistake won’t be made a second time.

 3. Try to make amends with any customers who may have been adversely affected by your business’ actions

 If you acknowledge that your business was in the wrong, you can try to repair your damaged reputation by offering a voucher to any customers who may have been negatively affected by your business’ mistakes. As that way, the individuals who were affected will be far more likely to forgive your business and to purchase goods or services from your business in the future, as they’ll feel that your business’ apology was sincere and heartfelt.

 Alternatively, you may want to consider sending a handwritten apology to any customers which were affected along with a free product or a gift basket.

 4. Consider hiring a professional reputation management firm, to set things right

 If all of the tips listed above fail, your last option should be to contact a reputation management firm, who should be able to guide you through the process of taking a series of small steps in order to restore your business’ good name. As an added bonus, a reputation management expert should also be able to give you tips on how to avoid getting into similar situations in the future!

 So if your business’ reputation is at risk and you’re looking for a variety of effective ways to repair your business’ reputation as soon as possible, it’s well worth following the four tips listed above.

 

The Best Photo Printing Tips For The Northern Lights

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It’s one of the most spectacular scenes in the world and for that reason alone, the Northern Lights constantly attracts photographers from all over the world. Even though they have been snapped hundreds of thousands of times (if not more), we all want a slice of the action so that we can proudly stare at them on the wall of our house.

Before you get to the photo printing stage, it stands to reason that you need to learn how to take a photo of something of such magnitude though. Suffice to say, this isn’t like a portrait or anything else which is so-called simple. Instead, this is one of the most complex types of photography out there, with the varying degrees of light just adding to the complexity.

Bearing this in mind, let’s take a look at some of the best tips to photograph the Northern Lights.

Make sure you keep warm

This first suggestion is anything but technical, but it’s by far and away the most important step you will take.

In short, it’s absolutely freezing once you arrive at the Northern Lights. It’s the sort of cold where you won’t be able to feel your hands and it should go without saying at this point that this can be damaging to the quality of your photographs. You’ll struggle to keep still, your concentration levels will drop and overall, you will have spurned the perfect photo opportunity.

Your hands are naturally one of the main things you should be focusing on. As well as donning a thick pair of mitts, it’s advisable to wear some thinner silk ones underneath so that you can easily adjust your camera.

A tripod is essential

This next point is probably completely expected following the previous section. After all, if your body is cold and shaking, the chances of snapping a still image are pretty much zero.

This is where a tripod enters the equation. Sure, they’re not everyone’s cup of tea, but on some occasions they do work very well and this can be one of them.

Furthermore, this is a scene which is notoriously dark. This means that you will need a slower shutter speed, with the upshot of this being that your camera is more susceptible to movement. Again, through a tripod, you can mitigate this risk and keep your image completely still.

It’s not just about the sky

One of the main mistakes a lot of people make when taking a photo of the Northern Lights is to only focus on the sky. In some ways, this is completely understandable, as it’s the vibrant lights that really capture everyone’s attention.

From a photography perspective, you can get more out of the scene though. Don’t just take the sky, take things around it. Bring some context into the photo; bring people standing and gazing into the sky, and all of the other factors of the landscape. This really brings your photo to life – and that should never be underestimated.