Almost all tax payers would say that the process of
paying taxes is one of the most tedious and less-liked
activities that they can imagine and paying sales tax
for an online business is not exempted from the common
misconception.
When the issue pertaining to taxes and your online
business arise, you usually take it negatively which
would in turn end up in a negative note.
However, if you decide to change the way you think and
turn your negative approach to a positive one, then
you would surely realize that paying online sales tax
is not a taxing job at all.
Online business owners or e-tailers are commonly
complaining about online sales tax primarily because
they don’t clearly understand and grasp the meaning,
scope and limitations of the law and regulation that
pertains to it.
If you want your online business to boom and prosper,
you should have the initiative to gain as much
knowledge as you can about taxes and online
businesses.
Be Aware Of Tax ability And Exemptions
You should be aware that not all services or products
are taxable or taxed in the same way as other services
and products are.
Furthermore, the tax ability of some products also
differ from state to state. There are also exemptions
based on how the product is used as well as who uses
them.
An example to this would be schools and non-profit
organizations - these kinds of institutions may not be
required to pay sales tax if they avail any of your
products or services.
Take note that exemptions require clear and concise
documentation.
Consider State Sourcing Rules and Validate Addresses
There are more or less 12,500 tax regions in the
United States and for you to come up with an accurate
sales tax calculation, you have to identify and
validate the "roof top address" and then apply it to
the exact set of sales tax rates of that certain
transaction.
You must remember that the rate of the sales tax
applied to a sale or purchase may be made up of a
country sales tax, a state sales tax, a city sales tax
and other special taxing jurisdictions.
The so-called "roof top address" is very important is
because it serves as a warning that one household in a
neighbourhood can have a different sales tax rate than
its neighbour, if it is located physically in a
different zone already.
Use Tax
Consumer use tax or use tax is a kind of tax that
pertains to the using, consuming, storing and
sometimes distribution of personal tangible property.
Aside from that, it can also be applied to services
which are taxable. For short, you will need to pay use
tax in a state where that "usage" occurs.
A clear example for this would be: you bought a pair
of shoes over the Internet and you did not pay any tax
to the seller.
However, you used those pair of shoes in your state,
so you are subject to pay your state the use tax.
As an online business merchant, the above mentioned
tips and guidelines are just few of the other tips and
guidelines that you need to learn.
Taxes and your online business should work together,
if you want you business to become successful.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Monday, December 21, 2009
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Online Business And Taxes - It Is By Your Location Of Business That You Pay Sales Taxes !
So you want to start your very own online business.
Aside from having unlimited access to the Internet,
you also need to be armed with adequate knowledge
about taxes and your online business because without
it, you will surely be at loss.
Online retailers, or more commonly known as e-tailers
are not exempted from paying taxes, contrary to the
common misconception of most people. E-tailers are
still included in the rush for meeting the April 15
deadline for tax filings.
However, veteran e-tailers would say that the most
difficult part for online business owners is
navigating and complying with the confusing and
complicated laws and conditions governing day to day
sales taxes.
An Everyday Challenge If you are one e-tailer who
would like to take your online business seriously,
then you should be prepared to deal with the fact that
handling and managing sales taxes is actually an
everyday challenge.
The truth is, a lot of e-tailers are required by the
government or their state to file and remit sales tax
to states on either a monthly or regular interval. The
basis for the filing of sales taxes would more or less
depend on how much revenue you online business
generates.
Few Tips For E-tailers
It is very vital that you understand your
responsibility for sales tax. You must also know that
the idea that e-commerce companies are required to
collect and remit sales tax in every state is one big
myth.
You only have to pay sales tax if you have nexus in
that certain state. If you are a neophyte in online
business, perhaps you don’t have an idea what the word
nexus means, right?
Well, in online business jargon, nexus means a
"connection". Put in application, making a sale in
another state does not mean that you automatically
have a sales tax obligation.
You have to put in mind that there are many rules and
laws that you need to consider before you can
determine whether or not you will need to pay for
sales tax in a certain state.
When you create your very own nexus in a certain
state, you are then required to calculate, collect,
report and remit the sales that you make in that
certain state every time you have a transaction there.
This is the reason why you are obliged to pay tax
sales based on the location of your business.
However, you must also keep in mind that there are
also other ways to create your very own nexus in a
state. Aside from physical presence or structure of
your business establishment in a certain state, you
can also establish a nexus by having sales
representatives present in that state, trade shows,
mobile stores, etc.
Trying to make an online business work amidst the
seemingly confusing and complicated rules that apply
to different states can be quite impossible.
However, one must not lose hope; with the help of
professionals in the legal field and certified public
accountants, you will surely be enlightened as to what
steps you should take for your online business to
stabilize and prosper.
By being armed with the right knowledge about taxes
and your online business will surely help you achieve
success in the realm of online businesses.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Aside from having unlimited access to the Internet,
you also need to be armed with adequate knowledge
about taxes and your online business because without
it, you will surely be at loss.
Online retailers, or more commonly known as e-tailers
are not exempted from paying taxes, contrary to the
common misconception of most people. E-tailers are
still included in the rush for meeting the April 15
deadline for tax filings.
However, veteran e-tailers would say that the most
difficult part for online business owners is
navigating and complying with the confusing and
complicated laws and conditions governing day to day
sales taxes.
An Everyday Challenge If you are one e-tailer who
would like to take your online business seriously,
then you should be prepared to deal with the fact that
handling and managing sales taxes is actually an
everyday challenge.
The truth is, a lot of e-tailers are required by the
government or their state to file and remit sales tax
to states on either a monthly or regular interval. The
basis for the filing of sales taxes would more or less
depend on how much revenue you online business
generates.
Few Tips For E-tailers
It is very vital that you understand your
responsibility for sales tax. You must also know that
the idea that e-commerce companies are required to
collect and remit sales tax in every state is one big
myth.
You only have to pay sales tax if you have nexus in
that certain state. If you are a neophyte in online
business, perhaps you don’t have an idea what the word
nexus means, right?
Well, in online business jargon, nexus means a
"connection". Put in application, making a sale in
another state does not mean that you automatically
have a sales tax obligation.
You have to put in mind that there are many rules and
laws that you need to consider before you can
determine whether or not you will need to pay for
sales tax in a certain state.
When you create your very own nexus in a certain
state, you are then required to calculate, collect,
report and remit the sales that you make in that
certain state every time you have a transaction there.
This is the reason why you are obliged to pay tax
sales based on the location of your business.
However, you must also keep in mind that there are
also other ways to create your very own nexus in a
state. Aside from physical presence or structure of
your business establishment in a certain state, you
can also establish a nexus by having sales
representatives present in that state, trade shows,
mobile stores, etc.
Trying to make an online business work amidst the
seemingly confusing and complicated rules that apply
to different states can be quite impossible.
However, one must not lose hope; with the help of
professionals in the legal field and certified public
accountants, you will surely be enlightened as to what
steps you should take for your online business to
stabilize and prosper.
By being armed with the right knowledge about taxes
and your online business will surely help you achieve
success in the realm of online businesses.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Online Business And Paying Your Taxes, They Will Find You If You Do Not Pay The Taxes!
Doing business online is starting to be a much
preferred way of transacting business both by the
sellers and the buyers not only because it is way more
hassle-free than real shopping but also because it
provides a chance for a tax-free business transaction
to transpire.
However, the happy days of transacting business
without worrying about the taxes that come along with
it will soon be over because on July 1, 2008,
Washington will be joining 18 other states in America
that oblige certain online or e-commerce businesses to
pay and collect sale taxes.
If you have an online business or if you are planning
to start one, then you will also be required to
collect taxes from your consumers or costumers if ever
you are residing in a state that requires you to pay
taxes.
A State Law Passed In 2007
The changes to be implemented on July 1 are the result
of a state law passed in 2007. The certain state law
changes the way the taxes are calculated - a major
alteration that spurs some headaches and confusion
among all online retailers.
Take this situation for example: if you decide to shop
and purchase in a shop or store, you are obliged to
pay the tax rate depending on where the store is
located. However, if you decide to have the stuffs
that you purchased delivered to your doorstep, you are
obliged to pay for the tax rate of your state.
In technical terms, the tax system will be changed
from origin-based to destination-based.
The Tax Is Not Levied On The Business
Yes, you read that right - the tax is not levied on
the business, instead, it is levied on the part of the
consumer. It is the obligation of online businesses to
collect tax from its consumers and remit it to the
state.
The government is strictly issuing penalties for
businesses that fail to adhere to the law.
Online businesses are not excused from this law, in
fact, more law enforcers and agents are being sent to
check on the legality of online stores and businesses.
One common Internet myth is that the Internet Tax
Freedom Act allows online businesses from being
exempted from collecting sales tax from their
consumers. It is truly considered as one big myth
because in reality, it does not actually stop the
states from collecting sales tax on online businesses
and other e-commerce.
Sure, the Internet Tax Freedom Act does not impose
sales tax on Internet access fees but aside from that,
taxes are already imposed.
When You Make Money Online, You Have To Pay Taxes When
you earn, you really have to pay taxes; it’s a known
fact and perhaps what we can call a bittersweet
reality. Sure, it may be a bit difficult on our part
to surrender a part of our hard-earned money for tax
dues but the truth is, everyone is doing so.
All income-generating businesses and stores are
required to pay their due taxes. A law is a law and it
must be followed at all costs. Some people who are
involved in online businesses try to doge their
tax-paying responsibilities. They think they are smart
enough to be able to escape their tax-paying duties
but the truth is, they’ll get into deeper trouble once
the government finds out their dirty work. If you want
to be successful in your career as an online
businessman/woman, try to be as clean and honest as
you can with your taxes and your online business.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
preferred way of transacting business both by the
sellers and the buyers not only because it is way more
hassle-free than real shopping but also because it
provides a chance for a tax-free business transaction
to transpire.
However, the happy days of transacting business
without worrying about the taxes that come along with
it will soon be over because on July 1, 2008,
Washington will be joining 18 other states in America
that oblige certain online or e-commerce businesses to
pay and collect sale taxes.
If you have an online business or if you are planning
to start one, then you will also be required to
collect taxes from your consumers or costumers if ever
you are residing in a state that requires you to pay
taxes.
A State Law Passed In 2007
The changes to be implemented on July 1 are the result
of a state law passed in 2007. The certain state law
changes the way the taxes are calculated - a major
alteration that spurs some headaches and confusion
among all online retailers.
Take this situation for example: if you decide to shop
and purchase in a shop or store, you are obliged to
pay the tax rate depending on where the store is
located. However, if you decide to have the stuffs
that you purchased delivered to your doorstep, you are
obliged to pay for the tax rate of your state.
In technical terms, the tax system will be changed
from origin-based to destination-based.
The Tax Is Not Levied On The Business
Yes, you read that right - the tax is not levied on
the business, instead, it is levied on the part of the
consumer. It is the obligation of online businesses to
collect tax from its consumers and remit it to the
state.
The government is strictly issuing penalties for
businesses that fail to adhere to the law.
Online businesses are not excused from this law, in
fact, more law enforcers and agents are being sent to
check on the legality of online stores and businesses.
One common Internet myth is that the Internet Tax
Freedom Act allows online businesses from being
exempted from collecting sales tax from their
consumers. It is truly considered as one big myth
because in reality, it does not actually stop the
states from collecting sales tax on online businesses
and other e-commerce.
Sure, the Internet Tax Freedom Act does not impose
sales tax on Internet access fees but aside from that,
taxes are already imposed.
When You Make Money Online, You Have To Pay Taxes When
you earn, you really have to pay taxes; it’s a known
fact and perhaps what we can call a bittersweet
reality. Sure, it may be a bit difficult on our part
to surrender a part of our hard-earned money for tax
dues but the truth is, everyone is doing so.
All income-generating businesses and stores are
required to pay their due taxes. A law is a law and it
must be followed at all costs. Some people who are
involved in online businesses try to doge their
tax-paying responsibilities. They think they are smart
enough to be able to escape their tax-paying duties
but the truth is, they’ll get into deeper trouble once
the government finds out their dirty work. If you want
to be successful in your career as an online
businessman/woman, try to be as clean and honest as
you can with your taxes and your online business.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Starting An Online Business And Paying Taxes!
So, you want to start your own online business? Before
you start designing your own website or webpage, make
sure that you know all about the do’s and don’t of
starting an online business and that includes the
technical, financial and legal matters of the
business.
When you decide to start a business, you should be
aware and prepared for whatever legal or financial
issues that may arise. If you think that you can
escape from paying taxes by starting your very own
online business, think again - your dreamy balloon may
burst once you get into complications regarding taxes
and your online business.
The Truth About The Internet Being A Tax-Free Zone
More and more shoppers are getting lured by online
shops and retailers because of their famous tag line
of "no-tax shopping". What most people don’t know is
that that certain tag line used to lure online
shoppers is not applicable to all states.
For you to be able to understand this concept better,
here is an example: A woman from Indiana regularly
purchases exotic orchids through an online shop based
on Switzerland.
Since she purchases and sends her payments directly to
Switzerland, she is not obliged to pay any sales tax
in Indiana since her orchid supplier has all of its
facilities in Switzerland.
A few months later, the exotic orchid supplier of that
woman has decided to open a store in Indiana. The
woman still purchases online but she already has to
pay for the sales tax of the orchid since there is
already a store based in the place where she is
staying.
In other words, the responsibility to pay for taxes is
an interdependent status between the consumer and the
supplier. By that example, we can Come to a conclusion
that the Internet is not really a tax-free zone. It
depends on the location as well as the type of
business that one is involved in.
The Responsibility To Pay Sales Tax
Admit it, nobody really loves to pay taxes. Perhaps
even the rich people are irritated come tax-paying
time because it is sometimes a tedious and complicated
process. There are a lot of rules and laws to refer to
before one can actually come to a clean calculation of
the taxes that he or she must pay.
If an individual lives in a state that is known for
collecting "sales tax", you are not exempted from it
even though you try to escape it by making a lot of
purchasing through the Internet because you are still
required to pay for the "sales tax" directly to the
state.
When you pay a "sales tax" directly to the state, it
is no longer called a "Sales tax" but rather a "use"
tax. Perhaps the only difference between "sales" tax
and "use" tax boils down as to which person - the
buyer or the seller - pays the state. "Use" taxes are
usually used by the state to make sure that they
collect the right amount of revenue on every taxable
item purchased within the state borders.
There are actually still a lot of points to be
discussed about taxes and online business and the
points mentioned here are just what we may call "a tip
of the iceberg".
In determining what’s the right thing to do in
handling taxes and your online business, it would be
best to go beyond researching for legal answers alone.
Consulting the help of lawyers and other legal
professionals would probably benefit you more than you
expect.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
you start designing your own website or webpage, make
sure that you know all about the do’s and don’t of
starting an online business and that includes the
technical, financial and legal matters of the
business.
When you decide to start a business, you should be
aware and prepared for whatever legal or financial
issues that may arise. If you think that you can
escape from paying taxes by starting your very own
online business, think again - your dreamy balloon may
burst once you get into complications regarding taxes
and your online business.
The Truth About The Internet Being A Tax-Free Zone
More and more shoppers are getting lured by online
shops and retailers because of their famous tag line
of "no-tax shopping". What most people don’t know is
that that certain tag line used to lure online
shoppers is not applicable to all states.
For you to be able to understand this concept better,
here is an example: A woman from Indiana regularly
purchases exotic orchids through an online shop based
on Switzerland.
Since she purchases and sends her payments directly to
Switzerland, she is not obliged to pay any sales tax
in Indiana since her orchid supplier has all of its
facilities in Switzerland.
A few months later, the exotic orchid supplier of that
woman has decided to open a store in Indiana. The
woman still purchases online but she already has to
pay for the sales tax of the orchid since there is
already a store based in the place where she is
staying.
In other words, the responsibility to pay for taxes is
an interdependent status between the consumer and the
supplier. By that example, we can Come to a conclusion
that the Internet is not really a tax-free zone. It
depends on the location as well as the type of
business that one is involved in.
The Responsibility To Pay Sales Tax
Admit it, nobody really loves to pay taxes. Perhaps
even the rich people are irritated come tax-paying
time because it is sometimes a tedious and complicated
process. There are a lot of rules and laws to refer to
before one can actually come to a clean calculation of
the taxes that he or she must pay.
If an individual lives in a state that is known for
collecting "sales tax", you are not exempted from it
even though you try to escape it by making a lot of
purchasing through the Internet because you are still
required to pay for the "sales tax" directly to the
state.
When you pay a "sales tax" directly to the state, it
is no longer called a "Sales tax" but rather a "use"
tax. Perhaps the only difference between "sales" tax
and "use" tax boils down as to which person - the
buyer or the seller - pays the state. "Use" taxes are
usually used by the state to make sure that they
collect the right amount of revenue on every taxable
item purchased within the state borders.
There are actually still a lot of points to be
discussed about taxes and online business and the
points mentioned here are just what we may call "a tip
of the iceberg".
In determining what’s the right thing to do in
handling taxes and your online business, it would be
best to go beyond researching for legal answers alone.
Consulting the help of lawyers and other legal
professionals would probably benefit you more than you
expect.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Online Business And Taxes - Questions, Questions, Questions!
Before, garage sales and flea markets were the most
popular venues for selling pre-owned or used items
that you would want to get rid of and at the same time
earn money from. However, thanks to the technological
developments that have happened through the years, we
can now have easy access to the Internet and have the
options to sell our stuffs there.
If you have been selling your stuffs on the Internet
and if you still have future plans to do so, you might
want to consider taxes and your online business before
you continue with it.
Selling On eBay Or From Your Own Website
A lot of people today are getting attracted by the
fact that they can actually sell almost anything on
the internet by just posting it on eBay, their own web
site or any other site that offers practically the
same services.
However, what most people don’t know is that there are
actually rules and laws that cover selling items on
the Internet.
Getting Serious In Your Online Business
If you have been selling your stuffs for quite a long
time already, you may consider it as an
income-generating activity, right? Having an online
business really has a lot of perks and advantages such
as being able to work right at home, not having to
have your own boss, etc.
However, having an online business doesn’t mean that
you are free from paying your taxes. When you decide
to be more serious about your online business, there
are a lot of things you have to consider.
Perhaps the first and most important thing you have to
consider is the legality of your online business. Make
sure that you are not breaking any rule or law so that
you and your reputation won’t be in jeopardy.
In addition to that, you must be aware of the several
laws that come along with online businesses such as
tax rules.
You have to be aware of the different taxation
conditions of different states and countries because
since you will be having a business online, people
from different parts of the world will more or less
become your customers or potential business partners.
You must also be aware of the process for paying
federal and state taxes for online businesses. Maybe
you will have some questions such as:
"Do I need a tax ID number?", "Do I need to file
specific paper works or forms?", "How do I begin to
pay federal and state taxes?", etc.
Some of the basic things you need to know about having
a legal online business is that your business is
actually the one that will pay income taxes in pretty
much the same way it would if it were a
brick-and-mortar kin of business.
The address for filing you income tax will be the
principal business address of the entity. The laws of
the particular states that you transact or have
business with are the ones that would determine
whether you will be required to pay state income
taxes.
You should also be aware that a lot of states impose
"sales" taxes on items that are purchased by the
residents of their state. For you not to get in
trouble or end up getting dazed and confused with the
many laws and conditions of taxes and your online
business, you can try to consult a lawyer
knowledgeable in these matters.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
popular venues for selling pre-owned or used items
that you would want to get rid of and at the same time
earn money from. However, thanks to the technological
developments that have happened through the years, we
can now have easy access to the Internet and have the
options to sell our stuffs there.
If you have been selling your stuffs on the Internet
and if you still have future plans to do so, you might
want to consider taxes and your online business before
you continue with it.
Selling On eBay Or From Your Own Website
A lot of people today are getting attracted by the
fact that they can actually sell almost anything on
the internet by just posting it on eBay, their own web
site or any other site that offers practically the
same services.
However, what most people don’t know is that there are
actually rules and laws that cover selling items on
the Internet.
Getting Serious In Your Online Business
If you have been selling your stuffs for quite a long
time already, you may consider it as an
income-generating activity, right? Having an online
business really has a lot of perks and advantages such
as being able to work right at home, not having to
have your own boss, etc.
However, having an online business doesn’t mean that
you are free from paying your taxes. When you decide
to be more serious about your online business, there
are a lot of things you have to consider.
Perhaps the first and most important thing you have to
consider is the legality of your online business. Make
sure that you are not breaking any rule or law so that
you and your reputation won’t be in jeopardy.
In addition to that, you must be aware of the several
laws that come along with online businesses such as
tax rules.
You have to be aware of the different taxation
conditions of different states and countries because
since you will be having a business online, people
from different parts of the world will more or less
become your customers or potential business partners.
You must also be aware of the process for paying
federal and state taxes for online businesses. Maybe
you will have some questions such as:
"Do I need a tax ID number?", "Do I need to file
specific paper works or forms?", "How do I begin to
pay federal and state taxes?", etc.
Some of the basic things you need to know about having
a legal online business is that your business is
actually the one that will pay income taxes in pretty
much the same way it would if it were a
brick-and-mortar kin of business.
The address for filing you income tax will be the
principal business address of the entity. The laws of
the particular states that you transact or have
business with are the ones that would determine
whether you will be required to pay state income
taxes.
You should also be aware that a lot of states impose
"sales" taxes on items that are purchased by the
residents of their state. For you not to get in
trouble or end up getting dazed and confused with the
many laws and conditions of taxes and your online
business, you can try to consult a lawyer
knowledgeable in these matters.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Your Online Business And Your Taxes!
Any business, whether online or not, really has to pay
its due taxes. Some people would resort to starting an
online business thinking that they can evade tax
payments if they do so but the truth is, the tax dues
will surely catch up with them one way or another.
Righteous as this may sound, but any business that
does not pay its taxes cannot be considered as a
business.
So, You Want To Start Your Online Business?
Trying to start an online business is pretty much the
same as starting any business in the world. Some
people who are involved with online businesses usually
use their ignorance as an excuse not to pay taxes.
They would say that they didn’t really know where to
go or what government department to approach so they
just went ahead with their online business without
actually referring to the government or the state that
they are under.
The first thing that you should do if you want to
start your online business is to go to your local town
hall and try to list down the requirements needed to
form a business in your location.
You should also ask what is required at both state and
federal levels. Most communities would actually
require you to register a trade name. If you wish or
choose to operate from your home, you should ask about
the local zoning laws.
Learn About The Sales Tax Requirements
Your online business will more or less fall under the
category of a mail order business (that is if you are
planning to sell stuffs online). You will need to
learn about the sales tax requirements that come along
with your online business so that you will not
encounter any problems in the future.
If for example you don’t have a nexus in another
state, you can still sell and ship your merchandise to
costumers residing in another state without actually
charging Sales Tax. However, sales to the residents in
the same state that you are living in will definitely
require a collection of Sales Tax and remittance to
the Sales Tax Department of your state.
Operate Your Business Honestly
If you want to have a successful online business, you
should try to keep it as clean and honest as possible.
Don’t even try to pull off any illegal or mischievous
tricks in your business or it may jeopardize your
success.
Make sure that you abide by the Truth in Advertising
requirements; do not give customers misleading ads
because they will only end up being disappointed or
unsatisfied with your services which could lead to
more trouble.
In a nutshell, trying to start and operate an online
business requires ample time, effort, honesty and
sincerity. It’s a sad fact that a lot of people use
the Internet for scamming others and earning money
illegally.
However, it does not mean that it should be a trend
that should be followed. It is greatly possible to
have an online business that is clean, honest and
legal. If you really want to pursue your online
business, the tips mentioned here will be truly of
help to you and if you still need more help and
assistance, a visit to a lawyer will surely be of
greater help.
Remember, taxes and your online business go hand in
hand for success.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
its due taxes. Some people would resort to starting an
online business thinking that they can evade tax
payments if they do so but the truth is, the tax dues
will surely catch up with them one way or another.
Righteous as this may sound, but any business that
does not pay its taxes cannot be considered as a
business.
So, You Want To Start Your Online Business?
Trying to start an online business is pretty much the
same as starting any business in the world. Some
people who are involved with online businesses usually
use their ignorance as an excuse not to pay taxes.
They would say that they didn’t really know where to
go or what government department to approach so they
just went ahead with their online business without
actually referring to the government or the state that
they are under.
The first thing that you should do if you want to
start your online business is to go to your local town
hall and try to list down the requirements needed to
form a business in your location.
You should also ask what is required at both state and
federal levels. Most communities would actually
require you to register a trade name. If you wish or
choose to operate from your home, you should ask about
the local zoning laws.
Learn About The Sales Tax Requirements
Your online business will more or less fall under the
category of a mail order business (that is if you are
planning to sell stuffs online). You will need to
learn about the sales tax requirements that come along
with your online business so that you will not
encounter any problems in the future.
If for example you don’t have a nexus in another
state, you can still sell and ship your merchandise to
costumers residing in another state without actually
charging Sales Tax. However, sales to the residents in
the same state that you are living in will definitely
require a collection of Sales Tax and remittance to
the Sales Tax Department of your state.
Operate Your Business Honestly
If you want to have a successful online business, you
should try to keep it as clean and honest as possible.
Don’t even try to pull off any illegal or mischievous
tricks in your business or it may jeopardize your
success.
Make sure that you abide by the Truth in Advertising
requirements; do not give customers misleading ads
because they will only end up being disappointed or
unsatisfied with your services which could lead to
more trouble.
In a nutshell, trying to start and operate an online
business requires ample time, effort, honesty and
sincerity. It’s a sad fact that a lot of people use
the Internet for scamming others and earning money
illegally.
However, it does not mean that it should be a trend
that should be followed. It is greatly possible to
have an online business that is clean, honest and
legal. If you really want to pursue your online
business, the tips mentioned here will be truly of
help to you and if you still need more help and
assistance, a visit to a lawyer will surely be of
greater help.
Remember, taxes and your online business go hand in
hand for success.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Taxes And Online Business, Selling On E Bay Do You Need To Pay Taxes?
Most people think that the Internet is really a great
venue for earning extra income or for generating extra
money through sidelines such as buying and selling,
auctioning, etc.
Most people also believe that transacting small
sidelines or business transactions through the
Internet requires no tax.
However, the truth of the matter is, there are
actually taxes that are due for every item purchased
or sold through the Internet.
Taxes and your online business (if you have one or
planning to have one) should work hand in hand for you
not to get in trouble with the government.
Is Your Online Buying And Selling A Hobby Or A
Business?
Majority of the people who are involved with E-bay
buying and selling would try to say that they don’t
really have to pay tax from what they earn through the
Internet because they are only treating it as a hobby.
However, agents from IRS would say that whether it is
treated as a hobby or a sideline business, taxes
should be strictly implemented.
While you may think that doing business on eBay is
just something you may consider as a fun pastime, the
money that you made, are making or will make is
actually still valid to reported as income.
You need to consult with the IRS people first before
you can truly say that you are exempted from paying
taxes while you are participating in your online
business.
You see, everyone seems to love making money but when
the time comes that they have to pay their due taxes
to their beloved country, they try almost every
possible way to escape paying their taxes.
If you have your so-called online business, you should
be aware of the rules of the IRS: one is required to
pay taxes on all business and personal income and that
includes the dough you make selling stuffs on the
Internet.
Simple Earnings Still Require Tax (Sniff, Sniff)
As heartbreaking as this may sound, even the simplest
business transaction made through the Internet needs
to be reported as "income".
For example, you bought an exquisite looking flower
vase at a flea market for $5 and then you decide to
sell it an eBay for $20. You manage to sell it for $20
so that means you had a $15 profit which would then
entail you to report it as income and pay your taxes
as fair share.
Realistically speaking, if you don’t treat eBay as a
serious and constant venue for your online business,
then perhaps you can get away with selling a few items
every now and then without having to worry about the
IRS tracking you down with their questions about tax
dues and other stuffs.
However, if you are a consistent chap at eBay, then
the IRS people might categorize your eBay
participation as something that is business oriented
and you may end up being required to file a Schedule C
form and claim the income that you have spurred.
If you are fond of doing business at eBay and other
similar sites, you may want to assess yourself by
asking yourself the following questions:
a.) Do I carry my "hobby" in a business-like manner?
B.) Do I spend considerable time working on my
"hobby"?
c.)Do I depend on income from my hobby for my
livelihood?
If the answer to all those questions are yes, then you
most definitely are not carrying a hobby, but in fact
a business. By finding out that you are already having
a mini-online business at eBay or other similar
websites, then you have to be responsible enough to
pay for your taxes on your income.
Remember that you have a responsibility for your taxes
and your online business.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
venue for earning extra income or for generating extra
money through sidelines such as buying and selling,
auctioning, etc.
Most people also believe that transacting small
sidelines or business transactions through the
Internet requires no tax.
However, the truth of the matter is, there are
actually taxes that are due for every item purchased
or sold through the Internet.
Taxes and your online business (if you have one or
planning to have one) should work hand in hand for you
not to get in trouble with the government.
Is Your Online Buying And Selling A Hobby Or A
Business?
Majority of the people who are involved with E-bay
buying and selling would try to say that they don’t
really have to pay tax from what they earn through the
Internet because they are only treating it as a hobby.
However, agents from IRS would say that whether it is
treated as a hobby or a sideline business, taxes
should be strictly implemented.
While you may think that doing business on eBay is
just something you may consider as a fun pastime, the
money that you made, are making or will make is
actually still valid to reported as income.
You need to consult with the IRS people first before
you can truly say that you are exempted from paying
taxes while you are participating in your online
business.
You see, everyone seems to love making money but when
the time comes that they have to pay their due taxes
to their beloved country, they try almost every
possible way to escape paying their taxes.
If you have your so-called online business, you should
be aware of the rules of the IRS: one is required to
pay taxes on all business and personal income and that
includes the dough you make selling stuffs on the
Internet.
Simple Earnings Still Require Tax (Sniff, Sniff)
As heartbreaking as this may sound, even the simplest
business transaction made through the Internet needs
to be reported as "income".
For example, you bought an exquisite looking flower
vase at a flea market for $5 and then you decide to
sell it an eBay for $20. You manage to sell it for $20
so that means you had a $15 profit which would then
entail you to report it as income and pay your taxes
as fair share.
Realistically speaking, if you don’t treat eBay as a
serious and constant venue for your online business,
then perhaps you can get away with selling a few items
every now and then without having to worry about the
IRS tracking you down with their questions about tax
dues and other stuffs.
However, if you are a consistent chap at eBay, then
the IRS people might categorize your eBay
participation as something that is business oriented
and you may end up being required to file a Schedule C
form and claim the income that you have spurred.
If you are fond of doing business at eBay and other
similar sites, you may want to assess yourself by
asking yourself the following questions:
a.) Do I carry my "hobby" in a business-like manner?
B.) Do I spend considerable time working on my
"hobby"?
c.)Do I depend on income from my hobby for my
livelihood?
If the answer to all those questions are yes, then you
most definitely are not carrying a hobby, but in fact
a business. By finding out that you are already having
a mini-online business at eBay or other similar
websites, then you have to be responsible enough to
pay for your taxes on your income.
Remember that you have a responsibility for your taxes
and your online business.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Online Business-Do I Really Have To Pay Taxes?
If you are a neophyte in realm of online business,
then perhaps you have a lot of questions that are
plaguing your mind and one of them may be all about
whether you are obliged to pay taxes for your online
business or not.
Calculating and paying your duly taxes alone is
already one confusing ride, and surely it will get
more confusing if it will be mixed with an online
business.
However, as they say, there’s no problem that cannot
be solved. With just a few tips and guides, you can
find out how to pay taxes for your online business
without any hassles or problems along the way.
The Charm Of Online Business
Before we talk about taxes and your online business,
let’s discuss first why more and more people are
getting attracted to starting their own online
business.
Well, first of all, it is very hassle-free compared to
having a business in the non-virtual world. You see,
in online business, you only have to type and click
for your business to boom.
Very minimal manual labor is needed in an online
business and one can even get to work at home in their
pajamas while managing their online business.
Now the question is: are online businessmen or
entrepreneurs exempted from paying taxes? The answer
is no. All individuals who are earning money online
are required to pay taxes.
Sure, the government can’t possibly keep track of how
much money each person generates online but then
again, it’s one of the citizens’ responsibilities to
go ahead and be responsible enough to pay for their
taxes.
The Real Deal About Most Online Businesses
The truth is, not everybody who does business online
is honestly paying their due taxes. Most online
businesses include shopping and it’s a known fact that
most if not all shoppers despise paying sales tax and
adore a bargain that is luxuriously tax-free.
The Internet is actually considered to be a great
venue for tax-free shopping which lures more and more
customers each day. Online retailers have been using a
no-tax shopping tag line to attract more online
shoppers to their business.
Sounds like a win-win situation, right? Online
shoppers enjoy numerous tax-free shopping sprees and
online retailers don’t pay their taxes. Most people
probably think that doing business through the
Internet is considered to be tax-free.
However, the fact is, some Internet sales are actually
subject to what we know as "sales tax" and online
consumers are the ones often responsible to remit any
unpaid sales tax on whatever online products they have
purchased.
They can actually remit it directly to their state
come tax-paying time.
Collecting Sales Tax The process of determining
whether you should pay taxes for your online business
or not may be quite confusing and overwhelming -
especially if it’s your first time to get involved in
online business.
However, here are just some few tips you should
remember: the obligation to pay the so-called "Sales
Tax" can be determined by the location of the
customers, and not the seller.
If a business does not actually have a physical
presence in a particular state (an example of this
would be your online store or business), it is not
required to collect sales tax from costumers in that
certain state.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
then perhaps you have a lot of questions that are
plaguing your mind and one of them may be all about
whether you are obliged to pay taxes for your online
business or not.
Calculating and paying your duly taxes alone is
already one confusing ride, and surely it will get
more confusing if it will be mixed with an online
business.
However, as they say, there’s no problem that cannot
be solved. With just a few tips and guides, you can
find out how to pay taxes for your online business
without any hassles or problems along the way.
The Charm Of Online Business
Before we talk about taxes and your online business,
let’s discuss first why more and more people are
getting attracted to starting their own online
business.
Well, first of all, it is very hassle-free compared to
having a business in the non-virtual world. You see,
in online business, you only have to type and click
for your business to boom.
Very minimal manual labor is needed in an online
business and one can even get to work at home in their
pajamas while managing their online business.
Now the question is: are online businessmen or
entrepreneurs exempted from paying taxes? The answer
is no. All individuals who are earning money online
are required to pay taxes.
Sure, the government can’t possibly keep track of how
much money each person generates online but then
again, it’s one of the citizens’ responsibilities to
go ahead and be responsible enough to pay for their
taxes.
The Real Deal About Most Online Businesses
The truth is, not everybody who does business online
is honestly paying their due taxes. Most online
businesses include shopping and it’s a known fact that
most if not all shoppers despise paying sales tax and
adore a bargain that is luxuriously tax-free.
The Internet is actually considered to be a great
venue for tax-free shopping which lures more and more
customers each day. Online retailers have been using a
no-tax shopping tag line to attract more online
shoppers to their business.
Sounds like a win-win situation, right? Online
shoppers enjoy numerous tax-free shopping sprees and
online retailers don’t pay their taxes. Most people
probably think that doing business through the
Internet is considered to be tax-free.
However, the fact is, some Internet sales are actually
subject to what we know as "sales tax" and online
consumers are the ones often responsible to remit any
unpaid sales tax on whatever online products they have
purchased.
They can actually remit it directly to their state
come tax-paying time.
Collecting Sales Tax The process of determining
whether you should pay taxes for your online business
or not may be quite confusing and overwhelming -
especially if it’s your first time to get involved in
online business.
However, here are just some few tips you should
remember: the obligation to pay the so-called "Sales
Tax" can be determined by the location of the
customers, and not the seller.
If a business does not actually have a physical
presence in a particular state (an example of this
would be your online store or business), it is not
required to collect sales tax from costumers in that
certain state.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Online Business -Do You Have To Pay Taxes?
Perhaps the most common misconceptions about taxes and
your online business is that the two are not related
to each other. Most people think that online
businesses are not really taxed that’s why more and
more people are becoming attracted to start their very
own online business.
If you are one of the many people who is interested in
starting your own online business or if you already
have an online business of your own, then for sure you
have heard about the controversies about online
businesses and taxes.
Most people who don’t really have a stable background
about online businesses and taxes would most probably
guess that owners of online businesses are able to be
exempted from paying taxes.
However, in reality, online businesses are still
covered with tax dues.
"But I Am Working At Home"
And Other Lame Excuses Not To Pay Taxes
The most common excuse of people who have online
businesses who wish to ditch paying taxes is that they
are "working at home". What most people don’t realize
is that taxes are actually based on the sources and
amount of the income as well as the types of services
and products sold; not on the location of the
business.
So whether you are working at home, in a store or in a
warehouse, you are still obliged to pay for whatever
tax is due to you.
Internet Tax Is Just Like Any Business Tax Basically,
online businesses are taxed just like any other
business. The government does not actually collect
income taxes based on how a business operates but
instead, it focuses on the form of the business.
A business based on the Internet still has to register
for GST and PST (if applicable) just like any other
business. Whether your online business is a sole
proprietorship or incorporated, you will still need to
fill up some important forms so that your online
business can be deemed as legal and so that you can
pay the proper taxes regularly.
There is actually no big difference between the tax
responsibility of an online business and any other
business.
Online Businesses And Federal Taxes
If you have an online business and you are wondering
if you still need to pay federal taxes, the answer is
yes. But before you go around and complain about the
unfairness of the world, you might as well learn more
about the federal taxes that you need to pay.
If you are a sole proprietor of an online business,
any income you earn through your online business will
be taxed as income on your PTR or personal tax return.
In addition to that, you are also obliged to pay your
portion of social security and medicare taxes using
schedule SE.
However, if you have incorporated your business, the
way of paying taxes will become slightly different
compared to when you are the sole proprietor of your
online business.
Sometimes, the tax you pay as an incorporated online
business will also depend on the kind of organization.
It’s either you will pay tax at a corporate level or
it will be passed down to you as an income.
Dealing with an taxes and your online business can be
quite an ordeal if done alone so it would be much
better if you’d contact experts regarding this matter
such as a lawyer or a certified public accountant.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
your online business is that the two are not related
to each other. Most people think that online
businesses are not really taxed that’s why more and
more people are becoming attracted to start their very
own online business.
If you are one of the many people who is interested in
starting your own online business or if you already
have an online business of your own, then for sure you
have heard about the controversies about online
businesses and taxes.
Most people who don’t really have a stable background
about online businesses and taxes would most probably
guess that owners of online businesses are able to be
exempted from paying taxes.
However, in reality, online businesses are still
covered with tax dues.
"But I Am Working At Home"
And Other Lame Excuses Not To Pay Taxes
The most common excuse of people who have online
businesses who wish to ditch paying taxes is that they
are "working at home". What most people don’t realize
is that taxes are actually based on the sources and
amount of the income as well as the types of services
and products sold; not on the location of the
business.
So whether you are working at home, in a store or in a
warehouse, you are still obliged to pay for whatever
tax is due to you.
Internet Tax Is Just Like Any Business Tax Basically,
online businesses are taxed just like any other
business. The government does not actually collect
income taxes based on how a business operates but
instead, it focuses on the form of the business.
A business based on the Internet still has to register
for GST and PST (if applicable) just like any other
business. Whether your online business is a sole
proprietorship or incorporated, you will still need to
fill up some important forms so that your online
business can be deemed as legal and so that you can
pay the proper taxes regularly.
There is actually no big difference between the tax
responsibility of an online business and any other
business.
Online Businesses And Federal Taxes
If you have an online business and you are wondering
if you still need to pay federal taxes, the answer is
yes. But before you go around and complain about the
unfairness of the world, you might as well learn more
about the federal taxes that you need to pay.
If you are a sole proprietor of an online business,
any income you earn through your online business will
be taxed as income on your PTR or personal tax return.
In addition to that, you are also obliged to pay your
portion of social security and medicare taxes using
schedule SE.
However, if you have incorporated your business, the
way of paying taxes will become slightly different
compared to when you are the sole proprietor of your
online business.
Sometimes, the tax you pay as an incorporated online
business will also depend on the kind of organization.
It’s either you will pay tax at a corporate level or
it will be passed down to you as an income.
Dealing with an taxes and your online business can be
quite an ordeal if done alone so it would be much
better if you’d contact experts regarding this matter
such as a lawyer or a certified public accountant.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Monday, November 30, 2009
Customer Service-How Survey Help You Know More About Your Customers?
The most vital aspect in evaluating the customer’s
satisfaction is through customer service. Customer
Service is a way to communicate with the customers by
providing assistance about the product or service. A
good customer service reflects satisfied and happy
customers. Another way to measure your company’s
customer service is through surveys.
A customer service survey shows the solid reputation
of the business you have established. Customers have
the chance to evaluate whether their expectations are
met and if they have been treated well by the company.
Through customer service surveys, positive and
negative remarks are clearly shown. This is basically
getting feed backs from your valued customers. Because
of this, the business can modify the processes, set
other standards and develop a better customer service.
Customer service surveys mainly help a company in
making good business decisions.
Writing a very good customer service survey can give
you good results. Surveys that aren’t written well
will definitely spoil the possible outcomes. To avoid
this from happening, just follow the guidelines below
and you can be assured of a well devised survey
questionnaire.
The survey objectives are very important; carefully
identify your specific objectives. When goals are not
clear, you may be lost and you’ll find out that your
questionnaire had gone too long and unfocused. You
will never get any information in just a single
survey, the right thing to do is to be direct about
the information you want to get.
Your expectations should be properly lined up.
Successful surveys act as tools in denying and
confirming the assumptions you have based on your
objectives. Always keep up with the customer’s
expectation and you’ll get informative answers.
Questions in the survey must be easily answered.
Customers don’t want to have a hard time answering
your questions. Never use abbreviations, slang or any
technical jargon's in your questionnaire. You will
obtain more answers if you make easy questions.
You can use two to six kinds of questions. Use
different kinds of questions such as the following:
- Questions answerable by yes or no. (For example:
Will you purchase this product again?)
- Questions answerable by multiple choices. (For
example: Which product do you love most? A. MP4 B.
Laptop C. PSP
- Using scale or rankings, e.g. rate our customer
using the 1-5 scale. 1 as the highest down to five as
the lowest. (For example: Please rate our service from
1 to 5)
- Use open ended questions.(For example: What are your
suggestions to better improve our services?
Alternate easy and difficult questions. Mixing easy
and difficult questions can make the customers answer
more because this will make them interested. Do this
by setting two easy questions first, like the yes or
no and the multiple choice questions. Afterwards, you
can use open ended questions. By this process, your
customers will not feel that you are giving them a
hard time answering each question.
Lastly do not make biased questions. Successful
surveys should get the true point of the customer and
not the answers you want to hear. This is a true the
way to measure customer satisfaction.
Companies highly regard customer service surveys. It
is a very important tool to make new business
decisions for the betterment of your product and
service. The focal point of the many businesses is to
gain 100% satisfaction ratings from the customers.
Using surveys is definitely helpful to achieve
excellent customer relationship.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
satisfaction is through customer service. Customer
Service is a way to communicate with the customers by
providing assistance about the product or service. A
good customer service reflects satisfied and happy
customers. Another way to measure your company’s
customer service is through surveys.
A customer service survey shows the solid reputation
of the business you have established. Customers have
the chance to evaluate whether their expectations are
met and if they have been treated well by the company.
Through customer service surveys, positive and
negative remarks are clearly shown. This is basically
getting feed backs from your valued customers. Because
of this, the business can modify the processes, set
other standards and develop a better customer service.
Customer service surveys mainly help a company in
making good business decisions.
Writing a very good customer service survey can give
you good results. Surveys that aren’t written well
will definitely spoil the possible outcomes. To avoid
this from happening, just follow the guidelines below
and you can be assured of a well devised survey
questionnaire.
The survey objectives are very important; carefully
identify your specific objectives. When goals are not
clear, you may be lost and you’ll find out that your
questionnaire had gone too long and unfocused. You
will never get any information in just a single
survey, the right thing to do is to be direct about
the information you want to get.
Your expectations should be properly lined up.
Successful surveys act as tools in denying and
confirming the assumptions you have based on your
objectives. Always keep up with the customer’s
expectation and you’ll get informative answers.
Questions in the survey must be easily answered.
Customers don’t want to have a hard time answering
your questions. Never use abbreviations, slang or any
technical jargon's in your questionnaire. You will
obtain more answers if you make easy questions.
You can use two to six kinds of questions. Use
different kinds of questions such as the following:
- Questions answerable by yes or no. (For example:
Will you purchase this product again?)
- Questions answerable by multiple choices. (For
example: Which product do you love most? A. MP4 B.
Laptop C. PSP
- Using scale or rankings, e.g. rate our customer
using the 1-5 scale. 1 as the highest down to five as
the lowest. (For example: Please rate our service from
1 to 5)
- Use open ended questions.(For example: What are your
suggestions to better improve our services?
Alternate easy and difficult questions. Mixing easy
and difficult questions can make the customers answer
more because this will make them interested. Do this
by setting two easy questions first, like the yes or
no and the multiple choice questions. Afterwards, you
can use open ended questions. By this process, your
customers will not feel that you are giving them a
hard time answering each question.
Lastly do not make biased questions. Successful
surveys should get the true point of the customer and
not the answers you want to hear. This is a true the
way to measure customer satisfaction.
Companies highly regard customer service surveys. It
is a very important tool to make new business
decisions for the betterment of your product and
service. The focal point of the many businesses is to
gain 100% satisfaction ratings from the customers.
Using surveys is definitely helpful to achieve
excellent customer relationship.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Customer Service -Tips For Doning It The Best !
Have you ever wondered what keeps customers’ loyalty
on a certain product or service? One of the most
considerable facts is keeping the people aspect of the
business alive. Treating customers as individuals and
not just representation of financial returns can give
you the competitive edge. Having a good customer
service I therefore vital for any businesses to
sustain its operations.
1. Keep in mind that there is no way to exceed the
quality of customer service without the qualified
people providing them. Having contented employees is a
sure source of a good customer service. Pay your
personnel fair wages; give them benefits and train
them. This can exude their character and thus can lead
to a greater customer service.
2. Always remember that the way you are treating your
personnel will be reflective of how they treat your
customers. You are their role model so try to act as
an epitome of good server. Greet your employees
enthusiastically every day and listen when they speak.
A rude customer service is not merely a reflection of
the employees’ attitudes but more of their employer.
3. Know your customers and let them know you.
Recognizing your customers and calling them by their
names are indications that you really know them. They
will feel important by this simple gesture. On the
other hand, by letting them know who you are, they can
also feel comfortable that they can reach you easily
when problems arise.
4. Give pleasant greetings when your customers walk in
the door. Do this at least within 30 to 40 seconds
when customers enter. Greetings are important in
customer service and these will let the customers know
that they are respected. To appreciate their presence
in your store can also let them feel that they are
valued. Greet them with a smile.
5. Give your associates training on how to properly
handle an irate person or a customer complaint.
Guidelines must be set on what to do and say in each
conceivable case. Front liners play the most crucial
role in the customer’s experience. Be sure that your
staff know what to say and do to create a more
positive and pleasant customer experience.
6. Devise a "What do you think of our company"
questionnaire. Create a short and simple questionnaire
with questions like what customers don’t like, what
should be changed and what should be done to have
better services. This will be useful in customer
service since your clients will be the ones
suggesting. Make sure you get all the important points
and act on them.
By the questionnaire, you can anticipate and identify
customers’ needs. It may not be obvious but customers
don’t usually buy the products and services but the
nice feeling and solutions to their problems. Many
customers are emotional rather than logical. You must
anticipate their needs by talking to them regularly.
This way, you can be aware of their problems and you
can take care of their upcoming needs.
Customer service is an important part of a business
and it should be viewed as an extension of one’s job.
Always remember that the customer is the most
essential asset of a company and without them, your
business will not exist. Keep them satisfied through
superb customer service and you will be assured of
continuous business operations.
Customer service if it is online or offline it is very
important. Knowing how to work with the customers
is one of the important parts of doing business. If you do not
have happy customers then you soon have no business
at all. Your customers are what keep you in business.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
on a certain product or service? One of the most
considerable facts is keeping the people aspect of the
business alive. Treating customers as individuals and
not just representation of financial returns can give
you the competitive edge. Having a good customer
service I therefore vital for any businesses to
sustain its operations.
1. Keep in mind that there is no way to exceed the
quality of customer service without the qualified
people providing them. Having contented employees is a
sure source of a good customer service. Pay your
personnel fair wages; give them benefits and train
them. This can exude their character and thus can lead
to a greater customer service.
2. Always remember that the way you are treating your
personnel will be reflective of how they treat your
customers. You are their role model so try to act as
an epitome of good server. Greet your employees
enthusiastically every day and listen when they speak.
A rude customer service is not merely a reflection of
the employees’ attitudes but more of their employer.
3. Know your customers and let them know you.
Recognizing your customers and calling them by their
names are indications that you really know them. They
will feel important by this simple gesture. On the
other hand, by letting them know who you are, they can
also feel comfortable that they can reach you easily
when problems arise.
4. Give pleasant greetings when your customers walk in
the door. Do this at least within 30 to 40 seconds
when customers enter. Greetings are important in
customer service and these will let the customers know
that they are respected. To appreciate their presence
in your store can also let them feel that they are
valued. Greet them with a smile.
5. Give your associates training on how to properly
handle an irate person or a customer complaint.
Guidelines must be set on what to do and say in each
conceivable case. Front liners play the most crucial
role in the customer’s experience. Be sure that your
staff know what to say and do to create a more
positive and pleasant customer experience.
6. Devise a "What do you think of our company"
questionnaire. Create a short and simple questionnaire
with questions like what customers don’t like, what
should be changed and what should be done to have
better services. This will be useful in customer
service since your clients will be the ones
suggesting. Make sure you get all the important points
and act on them.
By the questionnaire, you can anticipate and identify
customers’ needs. It may not be obvious but customers
don’t usually buy the products and services but the
nice feeling and solutions to their problems. Many
customers are emotional rather than logical. You must
anticipate their needs by talking to them regularly.
This way, you can be aware of their problems and you
can take care of their upcoming needs.
Customer service is an important part of a business
and it should be viewed as an extension of one’s job.
Always remember that the customer is the most
essential asset of a company and without them, your
business will not exist. Keep them satisfied through
superb customer service and you will be assured of
continuous business operations.
Customer service if it is online or offline it is very
important. Knowing how to work with the customers
is one of the important parts of doing business. If you do not
have happy customers then you soon have no business
at all. Your customers are what keep you in business.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Training For Customer Service People!
Effective customer service training can be done in
three quick steps. Once your employees have completed
the training course you’ve formulated for them, your
business is sure to immediately enjoy increased
revenues as well a bigger and more loyal customer
base.
Step 1: Prepare materials and tools for customer
service training. Be as detailed and specific as you
can when composing materials for customer service
training. It is imperative that your employees
understand how you perceive good customer service to
be. Give them concrete examples of acceptable and
unacceptable behavior. Provide them with a list of dos
and don’ts to remember.
Secondly, help them understand why offering good
customer service is important to the business and how
it will ultimately affect them as well. Employees will
be more motivated to improve their customer service
skills if they believe that doing so is beneficial to
them as well.
Prepare scripts regarding SOP for common customer
service issues. This will ascertain that your customer
service team will be able to deliver a speedy and
uniform response to your clients. Determine your
desired response schedule and make sure that the
training materials are designed to help them comply
with the desired response time. Last but not the
least, make sure that you provide them a clear outline
of authority and escalation.
Step 2 Take all the time you need to train your staff.
If you have to outsource your customer service
function temporarily then go ahead and do so. Paying
experts to work for you is certainly better than risk
alienating your customers with insufficiently trained
individuals.
Focus on one lesson at a time and don’t progress to
another level until you’re sure that they’ve mastered
their lessons. Hold periodical tests to ensure that
they continue to retain knowledge of previous lessons.
Let them make a gradual approach to their new set of
responsibilities. Have them start with something small
and relatively easy like handling routine customer
service calls. Always clarify their job duties and the
level of authority they’re working with before
allowing them to interact with customers.
Last but not the least, remind them to consult your
FAQ section before delving in to more complicated
processes of resolution.
Step Three Monitor the progress and performance of
your customer service team. Subject your employees to
scheduled and spontaneous simulation calls to give you
a chance to evaluate their response in critical
situations. Make sure that you provide them feedback
afterwards, identifying their strengths and weaknesses
and offering suggestions for improvements.
Develop an incentive program to further motivate your
employees. Make sure, however, that your program does
not in any way encourage your employees to act
opposite to your customers’ interests, as was the case
with AOL a few years ago.
In evaluating your employees’ customer service
abilities, take equal note of the quantitative and
qualitative aspects of their performance. For the
quantitative side, consider specifying a quota for the
minimum number of calls resolved every month. For the
qualitative side, consider the feedback provided by
caller.
Last but not the least, always be prepared to make
changes with how you run your customer service team.
As they’re the ones directly interacting your
customers, your team - and its policies - must be
flexible in order to respond quickly to a caller’s
needs.
Perform these three steps as suggested and your
customer service training is sure to be a success!
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
three quick steps. Once your employees have completed
the training course you’ve formulated for them, your
business is sure to immediately enjoy increased
revenues as well a bigger and more loyal customer
base.
Step 1: Prepare materials and tools for customer
service training. Be as detailed and specific as you
can when composing materials for customer service
training. It is imperative that your employees
understand how you perceive good customer service to
be. Give them concrete examples of acceptable and
unacceptable behavior. Provide them with a list of dos
and don’ts to remember.
Secondly, help them understand why offering good
customer service is important to the business and how
it will ultimately affect them as well. Employees will
be more motivated to improve their customer service
skills if they believe that doing so is beneficial to
them as well.
Prepare scripts regarding SOP for common customer
service issues. This will ascertain that your customer
service team will be able to deliver a speedy and
uniform response to your clients. Determine your
desired response schedule and make sure that the
training materials are designed to help them comply
with the desired response time. Last but not the
least, make sure that you provide them a clear outline
of authority and escalation.
Step 2 Take all the time you need to train your staff.
If you have to outsource your customer service
function temporarily then go ahead and do so. Paying
experts to work for you is certainly better than risk
alienating your customers with insufficiently trained
individuals.
Focus on one lesson at a time and don’t progress to
another level until you’re sure that they’ve mastered
their lessons. Hold periodical tests to ensure that
they continue to retain knowledge of previous lessons.
Let them make a gradual approach to their new set of
responsibilities. Have them start with something small
and relatively easy like handling routine customer
service calls. Always clarify their job duties and the
level of authority they’re working with before
allowing them to interact with customers.
Last but not the least, remind them to consult your
FAQ section before delving in to more complicated
processes of resolution.
Step Three Monitor the progress and performance of
your customer service team. Subject your employees to
scheduled and spontaneous simulation calls to give you
a chance to evaluate their response in critical
situations. Make sure that you provide them feedback
afterwards, identifying their strengths and weaknesses
and offering suggestions for improvements.
Develop an incentive program to further motivate your
employees. Make sure, however, that your program does
not in any way encourage your employees to act
opposite to your customers’ interests, as was the case
with AOL a few years ago.
In evaluating your employees’ customer service
abilities, take equal note of the quantitative and
qualitative aspects of their performance. For the
quantitative side, consider specifying a quota for the
minimum number of calls resolved every month. For the
qualitative side, consider the feedback provided by
caller.
Last but not the least, always be prepared to make
changes with how you run your customer service team.
As they’re the ones directly interacting your
customers, your team - and its policies - must be
flexible in order to respond quickly to a caller’s
needs.
Perform these three steps as suggested and your
customer service training is sure to be a success!
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Monday, November 23, 2009
If You Are A Company That Provides Good Customer Service These Are Things That You Do!
If you are in the service industry, a good customer
service can be your bread and butter. By having good
customer service, you can generate more profit as it
will promote company loyalty. It can create a win-win
scenario for both the business and the clients. The
clients can get a good experience and can get their
money’s worth while the business specifically the
employees, can have a share in the profits in the form
of bonuses and raises. To have an excellent customer
service, here are some secrets worth sharing.
1. Strive to build customer loyalty. Customer loyalty
is the most important secret to achieve good customer
service. It will be nice if you know your customers’
full names, contact numbers and other personal
information. Some may see this as spying your customer
but they are mistaken. This is simply a reminder of
few important concerns that you might need sometime.
If you show concern for what matters to your
customers, you are just building their loyalty and you
are acquiring customers for life.
2. Provide authentic customer service. Nowadays,
service has been a cliché and just a traditional way
of dealing with customers. If everyone’s doing it,
it’s a high time that you personalize your service. Be
creative; personally know your customers and identify
their individual needs. Make certain that your
offerings are valuable to your customers.
3. The old adage "customer is always right" is still
applicable. If one customer approach you and
complains, be serious on handling his concern. If the
customer is angry and upset, calm him with soothing
words first and show him how serious you are in
correcting any problems.
Once the customer is satisfied by how you addressed
his complain, thank him for conveying the problem to
you. Keep in mind that advertisement will not be
enough to repair a damage done by failing to address
customer complaints. Silent complainers can also do
great damages to your business. These are those who
just walk out your shop without any complains but
you’ll never see them again. They are openly
criticizing your services to other people thus
establishing a bad reputation for your business.
4. Be honest with the customers. Once your customer
suspects that you are lying to them, he is an instant
lost buyer. If a customer seeks for your advice about
a product, openly tell them what they need to know. In
the end, they will thank you for being so genuine with
what you offer.
5. Go the extra mile. If you want a superb customer
service, you should exert extra effort. You can send a
birthday card or insert a thank you note on a
customer’s package. You can send a congratulatory note
when a client gets promoted or you can clip the
article if you see their photo or names in print.
There are various ways to bring your clients closer to
you.
6. Pass it on to your staff. If you are handling other
personnel, educate and train them about good customer
service as well. There will be times when you can’t
directly deal with your customers and your staff must
be able to show them the excellent customer service
they want.
Competitors are just eyeing to cater those unsatisfied
customers of yours, so you better take care of your clients
through a good customer service. It should not only be
a lip service; authentic customer service is one which
comes from the heart and achieved through visible
actions.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
service can be your bread and butter. By having good
customer service, you can generate more profit as it
will promote company loyalty. It can create a win-win
scenario for both the business and the clients. The
clients can get a good experience and can get their
money’s worth while the business specifically the
employees, can have a share in the profits in the form
of bonuses and raises. To have an excellent customer
service, here are some secrets worth sharing.
1. Strive to build customer loyalty. Customer loyalty
is the most important secret to achieve good customer
service. It will be nice if you know your customers’
full names, contact numbers and other personal
information. Some may see this as spying your customer
but they are mistaken. This is simply a reminder of
few important concerns that you might need sometime.
If you show concern for what matters to your
customers, you are just building their loyalty and you
are acquiring customers for life.
2. Provide authentic customer service. Nowadays,
service has been a cliché and just a traditional way
of dealing with customers. If everyone’s doing it,
it’s a high time that you personalize your service. Be
creative; personally know your customers and identify
their individual needs. Make certain that your
offerings are valuable to your customers.
3. The old adage "customer is always right" is still
applicable. If one customer approach you and
complains, be serious on handling his concern. If the
customer is angry and upset, calm him with soothing
words first and show him how serious you are in
correcting any problems.
Once the customer is satisfied by how you addressed
his complain, thank him for conveying the problem to
you. Keep in mind that advertisement will not be
enough to repair a damage done by failing to address
customer complaints. Silent complainers can also do
great damages to your business. These are those who
just walk out your shop without any complains but
you’ll never see them again. They are openly
criticizing your services to other people thus
establishing a bad reputation for your business.
4. Be honest with the customers. Once your customer
suspects that you are lying to them, he is an instant
lost buyer. If a customer seeks for your advice about
a product, openly tell them what they need to know. In
the end, they will thank you for being so genuine with
what you offer.
5. Go the extra mile. If you want a superb customer
service, you should exert extra effort. You can send a
birthday card or insert a thank you note on a
customer’s package. You can send a congratulatory note
when a client gets promoted or you can clip the
article if you see their photo or names in print.
There are various ways to bring your clients closer to
you.
6. Pass it on to your staff. If you are handling other
personnel, educate and train them about good customer
service as well. There will be times when you can’t
directly deal with your customers and your staff must
be able to show them the excellent customer service
they want.
Competitors are just eyeing to cater those unsatisfied
customers of yours, so you better take care of your clients
through a good customer service. It should not only be
a lip service; authentic customer service is one which
comes from the heart and achieved through visible
actions.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Every Company Needs Good Customer Service !
Customer service is often a vastly underrated aspect
of doing business. If you truly want to succeed, you
need to train yourself - and your employees - to
understand that the customers’ needs always come
first.
7 Effective Strategies for Customer Service
Please your employees the way you wish them to please
your customers. As the boss, you have fewer chances
coming face to face with your customers than the
people you employ. As such, you’ll have to mostly rely
on their performance when it comes to customer
service. If you want them to treat your customers
well, make sure you give them similar treatment at
work. Like breeds like and if they don’t get any
motivation from you, they won’t have any motivation to
provide excellent customer service to your clients
either.
Personalize your approach. One thing customers have in
common is the pleasure they receive when firms or
establishments they patronize make it clear to them
that they know who they all are. You have to prove to
your customers that you appreciate them. You can do
this by addressing them by name in your calls and
newsletters. Take note of their birthdays and send
them personalized greetings from your company. Make
them feel important and they’ll prove that you’re
important to them, too.
Give it your best plus more. Train your employees to
go the extra mile for the customers. Your competition
may just as efficient as your team is in resolving
customer support issues, but can they be as courteous
or as cheerful as your team is? Being respectful and
smiling at all times may seem little things to improve
your company’s customer service but it’s often these
little things that make a huge difference to your
customers.
Be fair. No request should be too small to be
considered, and no customer should be too
insignificant to take care of. Sure, there are certain
privileges that VIP clients are entitled to and other
customers are quick to understand, but there are also
certain privileges that everyone have the right to
enjoy like common courtesy and dedication. Never let
your customers think that you’re guilty of favoritism!
Listen. Train your employees to have the patience to
listen. This may be hard when the caller is stubborn
and unreasonable. Even if you end up unable to resolve
the issue - which isn’t surprising if there shouldn’t
be any issue at all in the first place - your
customers would still put the phone down in a happy
mood because they knew you cared enough to listen to
them without complaint. Sometimes, people pretend to
seek for solutions when all along, they simply desired
to have someone listen to them.
Make good use of your FAQ section. If you don’t have
one, create one immediately. Having a FAQ page is an
effective way of offering customer service. Common
problems may be discussed here to negate the need for
calls regarding the same issues. FAQ sections prevent
your customers - and employees - from wasting their
time.
Never leave things unresolved. Every complaint must be
successfully addressed. Train your employees to
perform follow-up calls to ensure that all complaints
had been resolved. For complicated issues, make sure
that you give clients progress reports to let them
know that you’re still working on their case. Do your
best to give them a specific time period for which
they can expect the issue to be fully resolved.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
of doing business. If you truly want to succeed, you
need to train yourself - and your employees - to
understand that the customers’ needs always come
first.
7 Effective Strategies for Customer Service
Please your employees the way you wish them to please
your customers. As the boss, you have fewer chances
coming face to face with your customers than the
people you employ. As such, you’ll have to mostly rely
on their performance when it comes to customer
service. If you want them to treat your customers
well, make sure you give them similar treatment at
work. Like breeds like and if they don’t get any
motivation from you, they won’t have any motivation to
provide excellent customer service to your clients
either.
Personalize your approach. One thing customers have in
common is the pleasure they receive when firms or
establishments they patronize make it clear to them
that they know who they all are. You have to prove to
your customers that you appreciate them. You can do
this by addressing them by name in your calls and
newsletters. Take note of their birthdays and send
them personalized greetings from your company. Make
them feel important and they’ll prove that you’re
important to them, too.
Give it your best plus more. Train your employees to
go the extra mile for the customers. Your competition
may just as efficient as your team is in resolving
customer support issues, but can they be as courteous
or as cheerful as your team is? Being respectful and
smiling at all times may seem little things to improve
your company’s customer service but it’s often these
little things that make a huge difference to your
customers.
Be fair. No request should be too small to be
considered, and no customer should be too
insignificant to take care of. Sure, there are certain
privileges that VIP clients are entitled to and other
customers are quick to understand, but there are also
certain privileges that everyone have the right to
enjoy like common courtesy and dedication. Never let
your customers think that you’re guilty of favoritism!
Listen. Train your employees to have the patience to
listen. This may be hard when the caller is stubborn
and unreasonable. Even if you end up unable to resolve
the issue - which isn’t surprising if there shouldn’t
be any issue at all in the first place - your
customers would still put the phone down in a happy
mood because they knew you cared enough to listen to
them without complaint. Sometimes, people pretend to
seek for solutions when all along, they simply desired
to have someone listen to them.
Make good use of your FAQ section. If you don’t have
one, create one immediately. Having a FAQ page is an
effective way of offering customer service. Common
problems may be discussed here to negate the need for
calls regarding the same issues. FAQ sections prevent
your customers - and employees - from wasting their
time.
Never leave things unresolved. Every complaint must be
successfully addressed. Train your employees to
perform follow-up calls to ensure that all complaints
had been resolved. For complicated issues, make sure
that you give clients progress reports to let them
know that you’re still working on their case. Do your
best to give them a specific time period for which
they can expect the issue to be fully resolved.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Business Outsourcing - Some Difficulties That Could Happen !
Business outsourcing is becoming more and more popular
each day. However, you need to be careful when you do
decide to hire an outside company for your project.
Some of the problems that may occur is turnover,
knowledge, and attitude problems. These can be
difficult to handle.
When you hire a business outsourcing company to
provide you staff on a temporary basis problems often
occur with turnover rates.
Outsourcing companies have a higher turnover rate than
most companies and you need to be prepared if you tend
to go through employees quickly.
When turnover occurs you have to continue to train
them. If you need to pull an employee from their
current workload to train a new employee then this can
create a problem with that employee getting behind.
Turnover can also cause problems with knowledge of the
company. When you have to retrain employees about
policies and procedures it might take some time for a
new employee to get the hang of things.
Most employers believe it takes approximately two
weeks for a new employee to get settled in. However,
your customer service may take a hit and you might
have customers complaining about your service.
Another thing you need to think about with outsourcing
is that the employee is not working for you. Many
temporary employees want a full-time job with the
company they are working for because they need the
benefits.
However, when an employee is not really working for
you then they don’t take on the mission and the vision
of the company and believe in instilling it.
Often times, you might see outsourced employees not
care about the company like they should.
You should ensure all outsourced employees will hold
true to the company although they are not really your
employee.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
each day. However, you need to be careful when you do
decide to hire an outside company for your project.
Some of the problems that may occur is turnover,
knowledge, and attitude problems. These can be
difficult to handle.
When you hire a business outsourcing company to
provide you staff on a temporary basis problems often
occur with turnover rates.
Outsourcing companies have a higher turnover rate than
most companies and you need to be prepared if you tend
to go through employees quickly.
When turnover occurs you have to continue to train
them. If you need to pull an employee from their
current workload to train a new employee then this can
create a problem with that employee getting behind.
Turnover can also cause problems with knowledge of the
company. When you have to retrain employees about
policies and procedures it might take some time for a
new employee to get the hang of things.
Most employers believe it takes approximately two
weeks for a new employee to get settled in. However,
your customer service may take a hit and you might
have customers complaining about your service.
Another thing you need to think about with outsourcing
is that the employee is not working for you. Many
temporary employees want a full-time job with the
company they are working for because they need the
benefits.
However, when an employee is not really working for
you then they don’t take on the mission and the vision
of the company and believe in instilling it.
Often times, you might see outsourced employees not
care about the company like they should.
You should ensure all outsourced employees will hold
true to the company although they are not really your
employee.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Business Outsourcing - If It Is For Customer Service, Do They Speak So That The Customer Can Understand Them?
If you are looking to save money and thinking about
using a business outsourcing company for your
telemarketing or your technical support needs, you
must consider the communication issues that might
arise with outsourcing.
Many times when people call a customer service or call
center for assistance with their account information
for a company they complain because there is a
language barrier and it is hard to understand what the
people are saying.
If you are considering hiring a company for your
outsourcing needs, you should ensure that the customer
service representative’s first spoken language is of
the customers who will be calling.
If it is not, it should be guaranteed to you that the
representatives will be able to speak your language
well enough to understand them.
One way to guarantee the language barrier will not
exist with the customer service representatives from
the outsourcing company you are hiring is for you and
other team members to make phone calls to the
representatives who will be representing you.
This way, you and your team members can speak to the
individuals and verify if their spoken language is
good enough for your customers.
Most communications problems with call centers and
customer service representatives occur from using
offshore outsourcing groups.
Business outsourcing can save your company a lot of
money. However, it is for you to decide which is more
important, your customer satisfaction with your
customer service and support or the amount of money
you are saving through your outsourcing endeavors.
You may find your customer count goes down once you
begin outsourcing your customer service needs.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
using a business outsourcing company for your
telemarketing or your technical support needs, you
must consider the communication issues that might
arise with outsourcing.
Many times when people call a customer service or call
center for assistance with their account information
for a company they complain because there is a
language barrier and it is hard to understand what the
people are saying.
If you are considering hiring a company for your
outsourcing needs, you should ensure that the customer
service representative’s first spoken language is of
the customers who will be calling.
If it is not, it should be guaranteed to you that the
representatives will be able to speak your language
well enough to understand them.
One way to guarantee the language barrier will not
exist with the customer service representatives from
the outsourcing company you are hiring is for you and
other team members to make phone calls to the
representatives who will be representing you.
This way, you and your team members can speak to the
individuals and verify if their spoken language is
good enough for your customers.
Most communications problems with call centers and
customer service representatives occur from using
offshore outsourcing groups.
Business outsourcing can save your company a lot of
money. However, it is for you to decide which is more
important, your customer satisfaction with your
customer service and support or the amount of money
you are saving through your outsourcing endeavors.
You may find your customer count goes down once you
begin outsourcing your customer service needs.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Business Outsourcing- Do You Go Outside Your Own Country?
Many people believe business outsourcing to companies
outside of the United States is not right and we
should hire our own citizens.
Many of the accusations are regarding keeping the
money in the U.S., dodging taxes, and more.
When a company uses business outsourcing for their
project needs, customer or technical support, or call
centers they are saving a lot of money they would
normally have to pay to the government in Federal
taxes.
Businesses usually have to pay a double tax.
Corporations are taxed on an extremely high level
income tax rate. When a company uses a business
outsourcing company then they don’t have to pay the
taxes to the United States.
In addition, they are able to pay a much lower wage to
people who are willing to accept whatever they can
get. This can save a business millions of dollars in a
year.
Another big criticism is that American companies need
to keep the money in the United States. They need to
create the jobs for Americans and Americans need the
money.
The money and the jobs should stay in the U.S. and
this would be supporting the local economy. Many
people believe this argument to be true but the money
savings is the biggest benefit. S
Arbanes-Oxley has also forced companies to flee out of
the jurisdiction of the United States so they do not
have to be compliant.
Many people complain about companies outsourcing their
employees and giving jobs to people outside of the
United States.
However, businesses benefit much more because of the
high taxation's that occur on businesses and the strict
policies toward businesses.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
outside of the United States is not right and we
should hire our own citizens.
Many of the accusations are regarding keeping the
money in the U.S., dodging taxes, and more.
When a company uses business outsourcing for their
project needs, customer or technical support, or call
centers they are saving a lot of money they would
normally have to pay to the government in Federal
taxes.
Businesses usually have to pay a double tax.
Corporations are taxed on an extremely high level
income tax rate. When a company uses a business
outsourcing company then they don’t have to pay the
taxes to the United States.
In addition, they are able to pay a much lower wage to
people who are willing to accept whatever they can
get. This can save a business millions of dollars in a
year.
Another big criticism is that American companies need
to keep the money in the United States. They need to
create the jobs for Americans and Americans need the
money.
The money and the jobs should stay in the U.S. and
this would be supporting the local economy. Many
people believe this argument to be true but the money
savings is the biggest benefit. S
Arbanes-Oxley has also forced companies to flee out of
the jurisdiction of the United States so they do not
have to be compliant.
Many people complain about companies outsourcing their
employees and giving jobs to people outside of the
United States.
However, businesses benefit much more because of the
high taxation's that occur on businesses and the strict
policies toward businesses.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Friday, November 6, 2009
Business Outsourcing - Drawing Up The Contract !
When you consider business outsourcing it is important
to draw up a contractual agreement for you and the
outsourcing company to sign.
This agreement will define the project in full
including items such as the time line, budget, people,
and more.
When you decide on a business for outsourcing it is
important to draw up a contract. The contract will
spell out all of your expectations to the project and
what the role of the company and their employees will
be.
This gives you the opportunity to hold the company
accountable for the work you are asking to be done.
When you sign a contractual agreement for business
outsourcing the contract will specify the time frame
of the project and set a time line.
The time line will set milestones during the project
and specify each with an expected completion date. In
addition, many contractual agreements will specify
percentages of payment according to the completion of
each set milestone.
If the completion or the milestone is not met on the
expected date, a stipulation may be defined on the
contractual agreement also.
The contract signed between you and a business
outsourcing company will define the budget of the
project and what the company has agreed to do the
project for.
If the company has underbid the project, then they
must pay the excess funds to complete the project. It
is not your responsibility if the company underbids
and the contract should be clear on this.
This includes the amount of hours it takes for
completion of the project. If the company promised the
project would be completed in a certain amount of
hours and it is not then their staff will be working
for free until the project is completed.
You must sign a contractual agreement along with the
business outsourcing company you are hiring. This is
to protect the company and the funds you have for the
project.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
to draw up a contractual agreement for you and the
outsourcing company to sign.
This agreement will define the project in full
including items such as the time line, budget, people,
and more.
When you decide on a business for outsourcing it is
important to draw up a contract. The contract will
spell out all of your expectations to the project and
what the role of the company and their employees will
be.
This gives you the opportunity to hold the company
accountable for the work you are asking to be done.
When you sign a contractual agreement for business
outsourcing the contract will specify the time frame
of the project and set a time line.
The time line will set milestones during the project
and specify each with an expected completion date. In
addition, many contractual agreements will specify
percentages of payment according to the completion of
each set milestone.
If the completion or the milestone is not met on the
expected date, a stipulation may be defined on the
contractual agreement also.
The contract signed between you and a business
outsourcing company will define the budget of the
project and what the company has agreed to do the
project for.
If the company has underbid the project, then they
must pay the excess funds to complete the project. It
is not your responsibility if the company underbids
and the contract should be clear on this.
This includes the amount of hours it takes for
completion of the project. If the company promised the
project would be completed in a certain amount of
hours and it is not then their staff will be working
for free until the project is completed.
You must sign a contractual agreement along with the
business outsourcing company you are hiring. This is
to protect the company and the funds you have for the
project.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Risk Management When Outsourcing !
The steps should include identification, planning,
mapping, defining, developing, and mitigation.
A business outsourcing group is your best option for
risk management issues. This is because if something
happens you can put the blame on someone else and it
is not all on you.
The first step the company will cover is identifying
the risks that may occur to the company or the domain
of interest.
You will need to establish a plan with the company for
the remainder of the process for your risk management.
When you are working with a business outsourcing
company they will map out the social scope of managing
risk, the stake holder’s objectives and identity, and
the basis risks are evaluated.
They will also determine if there are any constraints
that might slow down your project for establishing a
good risk management process.
You will then need to establish a framework which will
explain an agenda for all activities you need to
complete to meet your goals. This will be a process of
setting certain time lines for completions of certain
projects.
Once you have worked with your business outsourcing
group with these steps you will then need to develop
an analysis plan to verify your risk management
solution is successful. You will need to mitigate also
using the resources available to you.
A business outsourcing company will help you with all
of your needs when you need to establish a solid risk
management plan for your business.
When you hire a business outsourcing company for your
risk management needs, you need to spell out the
context for your risk management process.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
mapping, defining, developing, and mitigation.
A business outsourcing group is your best option for
risk management issues. This is because if something
happens you can put the blame on someone else and it
is not all on you.
The first step the company will cover is identifying
the risks that may occur to the company or the domain
of interest.
You will need to establish a plan with the company for
the remainder of the process for your risk management.
When you are working with a business outsourcing
company they will map out the social scope of managing
risk, the stake holder’s objectives and identity, and
the basis risks are evaluated.
They will also determine if there are any constraints
that might slow down your project for establishing a
good risk management process.
You will then need to establish a framework which will
explain an agenda for all activities you need to
complete to meet your goals. This will be a process of
setting certain time lines for completions of certain
projects.
Once you have worked with your business outsourcing
group with these steps you will then need to develop
an analysis plan to verify your risk management
solution is successful. You will need to mitigate also
using the resources available to you.
A business outsourcing company will help you with all
of your needs when you need to establish a solid risk
management plan for your business.
When you hire a business outsourcing company for your
risk management needs, you need to spell out the
context for your risk management process.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Business Outsourcing - Know How You Are Working With
When you decide upon business outsourcing for project
needs it is important to verify who the people are who
will be working in your business. You should verify
the employees as you would your own.
If you run backgrounds tests on your employees, then
you should do the same with an outsourcing business’s
employees.
It will be hard for you to demand that outsourcing
employees agree to a background check or a drug test.
What you can do is use only a company who will provide
the proof to you the people are acceptable. You should
get a name of every person who will be entering your
business working on the project.
Sometimes when there are a lot of people entering the
business from an outsourced company it can be
confusing who is with the company and who is in the
building without authorization.
Be sure you know each employee who works for the
outsourced company and provide them with temporary
badges to wear. This way, anyone who is not wearing
one of the temporary badges can be questioned with
reason.
Your employees have a right to feel safe at their
place of work. You cannot bring in people who have
dangerous backgrounds to work on an outsourced project
for you.
You should verify all of the provided information and
know every person who will be working on an outsourced
project. All of these employees from the business
outsourcing company should be properly introduced to
your staff so everyone feels comfortable with the
people walking through the halls.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
needs it is important to verify who the people are who
will be working in your business. You should verify
the employees as you would your own.
If you run backgrounds tests on your employees, then
you should do the same with an outsourcing business’s
employees.
It will be hard for you to demand that outsourcing
employees agree to a background check or a drug test.
What you can do is use only a company who will provide
the proof to you the people are acceptable. You should
get a name of every person who will be entering your
business working on the project.
Sometimes when there are a lot of people entering the
business from an outsourced company it can be
confusing who is with the company and who is in the
building without authorization.
Be sure you know each employee who works for the
outsourced company and provide them with temporary
badges to wear. This way, anyone who is not wearing
one of the temporary badges can be questioned with
reason.
Your employees have a right to feel safe at their
place of work. You cannot bring in people who have
dangerous backgrounds to work on an outsourced project
for you.
You should verify all of the provided information and
know every person who will be working on an outsourced
project. All of these employees from the business
outsourcing company should be properly introduced to
your staff so everyone feels comfortable with the
people walking through the halls.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Friday, October 30, 2009
How Do You Maintain The Quality When You Outsource Things?
When you have poorly defined your contract with a
business outsourcing company, the quality of the
project may suffer severely.
There are many things you can do to verify the project
maintains the expected quality when you are using a
company other than yours.
When you define the objectives for the project you
want completed they need to be defined clearly and
everyone needs to acknowledge and sign off that they
agree to them.
You should not forget anything.
Being too picky is better than not being specific
enough. By forgetting certain things and not
specifying them you are opening a door for poor work
to be done.
Is this what you get when you outsource or do you get quality
when you outsource. (Watch the video.)
When this happens, you cannot request it be changed
and done a different way because it was not specified
in the contract.
What will happen, is that you will have to pay
additional money to have things done the way you want
because you didn’t properly specify in the contract.
One person should not write the specifications for the
project. Projects need to be written by everyone who
will be involved and affected by the project.
You need to be sure you don’t miss anything that might
cause poor quality with the project. If you need to
research equipment and how things are properly done
then you should.
Many people can be affected by poor quality in a
project such as your employees who are using the
equipment.
However, shareholders and stakeholders also have a
vested interest that the money being spent on an
outsourced project is spent well.
You don’t want to be out of a job because you were not
clear about how the project needed to be done and now
you have a completed project but it makes your
customers very unhappy.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
business outsourcing company, the quality of the
project may suffer severely.
There are many things you can do to verify the project
maintains the expected quality when you are using a
company other than yours.
When you define the objectives for the project you
want completed they need to be defined clearly and
everyone needs to acknowledge and sign off that they
agree to them.
You should not forget anything.
Being too picky is better than not being specific
enough. By forgetting certain things and not
specifying them you are opening a door for poor work
to be done.
Is this what you get when you outsource or do you get quality
when you outsource. (Watch the video.)
When this happens, you cannot request it be changed
and done a different way because it was not specified
in the contract.
What will happen, is that you will have to pay
additional money to have things done the way you want
because you didn’t properly specify in the contract.
One person should not write the specifications for the
project. Projects need to be written by everyone who
will be involved and affected by the project.
You need to be sure you don’t miss anything that might
cause poor quality with the project. If you need to
research equipment and how things are properly done
then you should.
Many people can be affected by poor quality in a
project such as your employees who are using the
equipment.
However, shareholders and stakeholders also have a
vested interest that the money being spent on an
outsourced project is spent well.
You don’t want to be out of a job because you were not
clear about how the project needed to be done and now
you have a completed project but it makes your
customers very unhappy.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Thursday, October 29, 2009
How Do You Make A Request For A Company To Do Your Outsourcing ?
A Request for Proposal (RFP) is something you write
when you are looking for an outsourcing company to
complete a project for you.
There are many benefits to writing an RFP you should
know before you begin.
The primary purpose of an RFP is to inform suppliers
that your company is looking for business outsourcing
and it encourages these companies to make their best
effort in meeting your requirements.
In an RFP for business outsourcing you will be
specific to the products you would like to use in your
project.
For instance, if you want to upgrade your file servers
and you would like to use IBM Blade servers then you
should specify this requirement.
The more specific you are with your requirements and
your budget, the better bids you will receive.
An RFP also forces suppliers to be realistic and
factual identify your requirements when they come back
with an offer on your RFP.
It also allows for a larger response to your request
for business outsourcing.
It also gives you the opportunity to let the suppliers
know that the process of selection is competitive.
A closed bid selection is the best way to go when you
are looking at suppliers bids on your project. This
way, it doesn’t allow a business outsourcing company
to underbid another company for the project.
You should never tell a company what another company
bid on the project and give them the opportunity. The
entire selection process should be fair to all of the
companies.
The best way to find a business outsourcing company is
to write a Request for Proposal for the project and
include detailed requirements for the project. Submit it
to more than one company, so that you can choose one of them.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
when you are looking for an outsourcing company to
complete a project for you.
There are many benefits to writing an RFP you should
know before you begin.
The primary purpose of an RFP is to inform suppliers
that your company is looking for business outsourcing
and it encourages these companies to make their best
effort in meeting your requirements.
In an RFP for business outsourcing you will be
specific to the products you would like to use in your
project.
For instance, if you want to upgrade your file servers
and you would like to use IBM Blade servers then you
should specify this requirement.
The more specific you are with your requirements and
your budget, the better bids you will receive.
An RFP also forces suppliers to be realistic and
factual identify your requirements when they come back
with an offer on your RFP.
It also allows for a larger response to your request
for business outsourcing.
It also gives you the opportunity to let the suppliers
know that the process of selection is competitive.
A closed bid selection is the best way to go when you
are looking at suppliers bids on your project. This
way, it doesn’t allow a business outsourcing company
to underbid another company for the project.
You should never tell a company what another company
bid on the project and give them the opportunity. The
entire selection process should be fair to all of the
companies.
The best way to find a business outsourcing company is
to write a Request for Proposal for the project and
include detailed requirements for the project. Submit it
to more than one company, so that you can choose one of them.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Outsourcing, Some Reasons That You Might Outsource Things In Your Business!
There are many reasons you might consider outsourcing
for your company. Many of those reasons might include
the resources, cost, or staff.
If you are a growing company you might have many
projects you need to complete for your expansion. If
you are upgrading systems you might have projects you
need to complete.
You might not have a staff that knows how to complete
the project or your staff may not have enough people
to complete the project in the time frame you would
like it to be done.
Outsourcing is an excellent idea when you face issues
like this. A company can come into your business and
complete the project on your required deadline.
Another reason you might consider outsourcing is to
save money. You might currently have full-time
employees in positions that only require them to be
around for certain times of the year.
It is cheaper to eliminate the full time employee
position and bring in the outsourcing company only
when you need them to work.
When you bring in an outsourcing company to complete a
project rather than hire a full time employee you are
saving on the yearly salary and the benefits you would
have to offer that employee.
In most cases, it is usually cheaper to hire an
individual or team of people on a temporary basis then
it is to use your own staff.
There are many reasons you might consider outsourcing.
You might have a full-time employee you need for one
specific thing but often has a lot of downtime and you
have to find work for them to do to keep them busy.
There is no reason to pay a full-time employee if you
can hire someone for the duration you need them.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
for your company. Many of those reasons might include
the resources, cost, or staff.
If you are a growing company you might have many
projects you need to complete for your expansion. If
you are upgrading systems you might have projects you
need to complete.
You might not have a staff that knows how to complete
the project or your staff may not have enough people
to complete the project in the time frame you would
like it to be done.
Outsourcing is an excellent idea when you face issues
like this. A company can come into your business and
complete the project on your required deadline.
Another reason you might consider outsourcing is to
save money. You might currently have full-time
employees in positions that only require them to be
around for certain times of the year.
It is cheaper to eliminate the full time employee
position and bring in the outsourcing company only
when you need them to work.
When you bring in an outsourcing company to complete a
project rather than hire a full time employee you are
saving on the yearly salary and the benefits you would
have to offer that employee.
In most cases, it is usually cheaper to hire an
individual or team of people on a temporary basis then
it is to use your own staff.
There are many reasons you might consider outsourcing.
You might have a full-time employee you need for one
specific thing but often has a lot of downtime and you
have to find work for them to do to keep them busy.
There is no reason to pay a full-time employee if you
can hire someone for the duration you need them.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Monday, October 26, 2009
Business Outsourcing, Why A Business Would Use Outsourcing?
Companies might consider business outsourcing for many
different reasons. Outsourcing might be considered for
many different business segments.
Business outsourcing is when a company hires an
outside source to complete work or a project which
would normally be done by the staff.
A company might consider outsourcing for saving money
by cutting down on costs or they might not have the
employee resources to complete a particular project.
Outsourcing gives a company the opportunity to
complete a needed project performed by people who are
not their employees.
This means they don’t have to pay a salary or provide
benefits to the people also.
When business outsourcing occurs the company will
usually enter into an agreement with the outsourcing
company which is usually a contract.
The contract will usually include the terms of the
agreement like steps throughout the project, time the
project will take, people involved, cost, and required
resources from the client.
There are many different types of outsourcing.
The most common segments of a business that hires
outsourcing companies for assistance include
accounting services to help with payroll, inventory,
and financial issues.
The biggest field of outsourcing today for companies
is in the Information Technology field. This is
because companies will upgrade their phones,
computers, need cabling installed, troubleshooting,
and more.
Companies also outsource people for customer service
positions, call centers, and telemarketing.
Outsourcing is a solution for a business to save money
and complete projects and tasks in the workforce
without having full time employees do the work.
Outsourcing is becoming more and more popular across
the world every day.
On the internet people often outsource for things like
graphics for the website, creating a website, writing
the sales copy. These are but a few of the things that
could be outsourced on the web.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
different reasons. Outsourcing might be considered for
many different business segments.
Business outsourcing is when a company hires an
outside source to complete work or a project which
would normally be done by the staff.
A company might consider outsourcing for saving money
by cutting down on costs or they might not have the
employee resources to complete a particular project.
Outsourcing gives a company the opportunity to
complete a needed project performed by people who are
not their employees.
This means they don’t have to pay a salary or provide
benefits to the people also.
When business outsourcing occurs the company will
usually enter into an agreement with the outsourcing
company which is usually a contract.
The contract will usually include the terms of the
agreement like steps throughout the project, time the
project will take, people involved, cost, and required
resources from the client.
There are many different types of outsourcing.
The most common segments of a business that hires
outsourcing companies for assistance include
accounting services to help with payroll, inventory,
and financial issues.
The biggest field of outsourcing today for companies
is in the Information Technology field. This is
because companies will upgrade their phones,
computers, need cabling installed, troubleshooting,
and more.
Companies also outsource people for customer service
positions, call centers, and telemarketing.
Outsourcing is a solution for a business to save money
and complete projects and tasks in the workforce
without having full time employees do the work.
Outsourcing is becoming more and more popular across
the world every day.
On the internet people often outsource for things like
graphics for the website, creating a website, writing
the sales copy. These are but a few of the things that
could be outsourced on the web.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
Joining Email Groups, Like Yahoo, MSN And Google Can Give You More Traffic !
Something that has become increasingly popular since
the Internet has grown are the email groups that are
available through Yahoo, MSN, and other venues.
They are a great way to meet other people who have a
common interest, and are very similar to the
communities that are available through blogging sites.
There is plenty of diverse subjects and there are
communities for just about any subject.
These groups can be a great place for people who have
a blog about the subject and want to share it with
other people.
Most of the time when you join a group, you are
encouraged to take a moment and to introduce yourself.
This is a great opportunity to tell people about your
blog, but make certain that you don't overdo it.
Just like with any of the other places you will
advertise your blog, you want to make people want to
go to your blog. If you are too overbearing, you will
turn people off.
If your blog covers different subjects, you can
advertise it on the other groups that cover those
subjects as well.
Make certain that your post to the groups is
interesting and that you let people know what it is
that your blog is about. There's nothing worse than
getting taken to a blog under false pretences.
When people visit your blog, make certain that you
thank them for visiting and respond to comments that
they leave.
If they know that you appreciate the time that they
took, they are more likely to come back again.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
the Internet has grown are the email groups that are
available through Yahoo, MSN, and other venues.
They are a great way to meet other people who have a
common interest, and are very similar to the
communities that are available through blogging sites.
There is plenty of diverse subjects and there are
communities for just about any subject.
These groups can be a great place for people who have
a blog about the subject and want to share it with
other people.
Most of the time when you join a group, you are
encouraged to take a moment and to introduce yourself.
This is a great opportunity to tell people about your
blog, but make certain that you don't overdo it.
Just like with any of the other places you will
advertise your blog, you want to make people want to
go to your blog. If you are too overbearing, you will
turn people off.
If your blog covers different subjects, you can
advertise it on the other groups that cover those
subjects as well.
Make certain that your post to the groups is
interesting and that you let people know what it is
that your blog is about. There's nothing worse than
getting taken to a blog under false pretences.
When people visit your blog, make certain that you
thank them for visiting and respond to comments that
they leave.
If they know that you appreciate the time that they
took, they are more likely to come back again.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Blog Advertising And The Importance Of SEO !
Having a blog on the Internet that gives people some
good information doesn't do a lot of good if people
don't know that it's there.
If you want people to be able to find your blog,
something that is important is that you have good
Search Engine Optimization, or SEO.
Whenever you put one or more words into a search bar
to look for something, the SEO of a website is what
helps bring up those websites.
For example, if your blog is about Harry Potter, you
are going to want to be sure that your blog includes
popular terms such as Harry Potter, JK Rowling, and
other things that are related to Harry Potter.
Think about the things that people look for when they
are interested in Harry Potter, and the kinds of
things that come up when you search.
It's always a good idea to use your own experience
when you are optimizing your blog for searching.
Think about what has worked, what hasn't worked, and
use them for your own blog SEO. This way, when someone
puts one of the terms that you put in your blog into a
search engine it will be one of the sites that comes
up.
Of course, there are other factors that come into play
that determine where your blog will come up in the
list, but everyone starts somewhere.
The more keywords that your blog uses, the more people
will come to your blog. It just takes time and
patience.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
good information doesn't do a lot of good if people
don't know that it's there.
If you want people to be able to find your blog,
something that is important is that you have good
Search Engine Optimization, or SEO.
Whenever you put one or more words into a search bar
to look for something, the SEO of a website is what
helps bring up those websites.
For example, if your blog is about Harry Potter, you
are going to want to be sure that your blog includes
popular terms such as Harry Potter, JK Rowling, and
other things that are related to Harry Potter.
Think about the things that people look for when they
are interested in Harry Potter, and the kinds of
things that come up when you search.
It's always a good idea to use your own experience
when you are optimizing your blog for searching.
Think about what has worked, what hasn't worked, and
use them for your own blog SEO. This way, when someone
puts one of the terms that you put in your blog into a
search engine it will be one of the sites that comes
up.
Of course, there are other factors that come into play
that determine where your blog will come up in the
list, but everyone starts somewhere.
The more keywords that your blog uses, the more people
will come to your blog. It just takes time and
patience.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Using Your Blog As A Source For Article Marketing Can Also Bring In More Traffic To Your Blog!
Depending on what type of blog that you have, it might
be a good idea to advertise your blog using articles.
For example, say you know about jewelry and gemstones,
and your blog is a place where you post information
for people to read about jewelry.
Submitting an article to a website such as Associated
Content can be very instrumental in bringing people to
your blog.
An good example would be is if you wanted to talk
about the common misconceptions about the colors of
gemstones.
You could write about the fact that people assume that
gemstones such as emeralds, sapphires and rubies are
one different color, but the truth is that those
stones come in a variety of colors and hues.
Then you can use your blog as a source for your
information, as long as you have blogged about those
gemstones.
The great thing is that some places, like Associated
Content, will pay you for the articles that you write.
So if you sell jewelry on your blog, it's like being
paid twice for your knowledge. Of course, this is just
an example of the way you can use articles to
advertise your blog.
When you are writing an article, be creative. You
don't have to be an expert at what you do. If you
enjoy writing stories, you can say that posting
stories on blogs is a new and different way to share
your stories with others.
Then, post your blog link as your source and you have
people checking out your blog and your stories.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
be a good idea to advertise your blog using articles.
For example, say you know about jewelry and gemstones,
and your blog is a place where you post information
for people to read about jewelry.
Submitting an article to a website such as Associated
Content can be very instrumental in bringing people to
your blog.
An good example would be is if you wanted to talk
about the common misconceptions about the colors of
gemstones.
You could write about the fact that people assume that
gemstones such as emeralds, sapphires and rubies are
one different color, but the truth is that those
stones come in a variety of colors and hues.
Then you can use your blog as a source for your
information, as long as you have blogged about those
gemstones.
The great thing is that some places, like Associated
Content, will pay you for the articles that you write.
So if you sell jewelry on your blog, it's like being
paid twice for your knowledge. Of course, this is just
an example of the way you can use articles to
advertise your blog.
When you are writing an article, be creative. You
don't have to be an expert at what you do. If you
enjoy writing stories, you can say that posting
stories on blogs is a new and different way to share
your stories with others.
Then, post your blog link as your source and you have
people checking out your blog and your stories.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Traffic To Your Blog By Social Bookmarking Sites!
Social bookmarking sites are a growing trend and are
becoming more popular each and every day. They are a
great place to share your bookmarks with everyone and
to be able to access them from any computer. They are
also a great place that you can post a link to your
blog.
There are over fifty social bookmarking sites that you
use to submit your link to your blog. Digg, Digo, Blue
Dot, and del.ico.us are just a few of them that are
the most popular. Each site has its own guidelines and
rules for posting links, so it's important that you
want to read the rules that they have before you post
any links.
Because social bookmarking isn't as targeted as other
forms of advertising for your blog, you may find that
it will take longer for it to be effective. But it's
also a good way for you to get your blog noticed and
it may bring in people who may not have found your
blog another way.
Since social bookmarking doesn't always give you the
opportunity to know who it is that has seen your site,
or get to know other people, it's always a good idea
to keep track of the visitors who say they were linked
to your site through a bookmarking site. If the site
allows you to put a comment, ask people to let you
know on your blog that they found it through a social
bookmarking site and which one. That will help you
know how effective it is.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
becoming more popular each and every day. They are a
great place to share your bookmarks with everyone and
to be able to access them from any computer. They are
also a great place that you can post a link to your
blog.
There are over fifty social bookmarking sites that you
use to submit your link to your blog. Digg, Digo, Blue
Dot, and del.ico.us are just a few of them that are
the most popular. Each site has its own guidelines and
rules for posting links, so it's important that you
want to read the rules that they have before you post
any links.
Because social bookmarking isn't as targeted as other
forms of advertising for your blog, you may find that
it will take longer for it to be effective. But it's
also a good way for you to get your blog noticed and
it may bring in people who may not have found your
blog another way.
Since social bookmarking doesn't always give you the
opportunity to know who it is that has seen your site,
or get to know other people, it's always a good idea
to keep track of the visitors who say they were linked
to your site through a bookmarking site. If the site
allows you to put a comment, ask people to let you
know on your blog that they found it through a social
bookmarking site and which one. That will help you
know how effective it is.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Joining Communities Is A Good Way To Get Your Blog Noticed!
Something that you will find, especially if you join
something like Live Journal or Greatest Journal, is that
users just like you have created communities for
people with common interests.
There are communities for just about any subject, and
if you find that there isn't a community for the
subject you can create one. This is a great place to
advertise your blog.
The nice thing about communities is that there isn't
any limit as to how many communities that you can
join.
For example, say that you love blogging about books,
horseback riding, and skiing in Tahoe. All you have to
do is look through the communities for ones that have
those interests and join them.
As long as you post something related to the topic to
the chosen community, people will see you and perhaps
they will check out your personal blog.
Something to remember is that you don't want to write
a post that is one sentence long in order to get people
to go to your blog. They will want to know that what
you write is interesting and is something worth
reading.
Joining communities can be a great way to advertise
your blog and drive traffic to it. If you are
referring to something that you posted about on your
blog, you can use a link back to your entry in your
post.
As with posting comments on someone else's blog, you
don't want people to think that you joined a community
simply to get traffic to your blog. Otherwise, people
won't visit your blog and you may get banned from the
community as well.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
something like Live Journal or Greatest Journal, is that
users just like you have created communities for
people with common interests.
There are communities for just about any subject, and
if you find that there isn't a community for the
subject you can create one. This is a great place to
advertise your blog.
The nice thing about communities is that there isn't
any limit as to how many communities that you can
join.
For example, say that you love blogging about books,
horseback riding, and skiing in Tahoe. All you have to
do is look through the communities for ones that have
those interests and join them.
As long as you post something related to the topic to
the chosen community, people will see you and perhaps
they will check out your personal blog.
Something to remember is that you don't want to write
a post that is one sentence long in order to get people
to go to your blog. They will want to know that what
you write is interesting and is something worth
reading.
Joining communities can be a great way to advertise
your blog and drive traffic to it. If you are
referring to something that you posted about on your
blog, you can use a link back to your entry in your
post.
As with posting comments on someone else's blog, you
don't want people to think that you joined a community
simply to get traffic to your blog. Otherwise, people
won't visit your blog and you may get banned from the
community as well.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Forums For Bloggers Is A Good Place To Place An Ad!
No matter what type of blog that you have, one of the
best places that you can advertise your blog is to
join a blogger forum. After all, everyone who posts
there has a blog and that's the main subject.
It's a great place to meet other bloggers and to
advertise your blog.
There are quite a few blogger forums that you can sign
up for on the Internet. One is known as Bloggeries,
where you can show off your blog, get your blog
reviewed or review other blogs, and find lots of tools
that you can use for your own blog.
Another good place to go is to Blog Forum.
Blog Forum, like Bloggeries, has spots for you to
market and show off your blog,
Blogger forums are a great place to advertise because
everyone in them are of the same mind and want to make
certain that their blogs get noticed and read.
If you use your blog to advertise something that you
are selling, or you want to get a lot of traffic to
your blog in order to make money, you want to go
someplace where it can get exposure.
When you advertise on a blog forum, you know that you
are placing your advertisement in a place where
blogging is something that people enjoy.
Just remember when you are posting to a forum to read
the rules and abide by them. That way you'll get your
blog noticed and you will know that you are doing the
right thing.
Here are some to check out:
Bloggeries
Authority blogger
Digital point
Blogging tips
Bloggst
Blog experiment
Blogger talk
Search engine watch
Sitepoint
Blog cash
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
best places that you can advertise your blog is to
join a blogger forum. After all, everyone who posts
there has a blog and that's the main subject.
It's a great place to meet other bloggers and to
advertise your blog.
There are quite a few blogger forums that you can sign
up for on the Internet. One is known as Bloggeries,
where you can show off your blog, get your blog
reviewed or review other blogs, and find lots of tools
that you can use for your own blog.
Another good place to go is to Blog Forum.
Blog Forum, like Bloggeries, has spots for you to
market and show off your blog,
Blogger forums are a great place to advertise because
everyone in them are of the same mind and want to make
certain that their blogs get noticed and read.
If you use your blog to advertise something that you
are selling, or you want to get a lot of traffic to
your blog in order to make money, you want to go
someplace where it can get exposure.
When you advertise on a blog forum, you know that you
are placing your advertisement in a place where
blogging is something that people enjoy.
Just remember when you are posting to a forum to read
the rules and abide by them. That way you'll get your
blog noticed and you will know that you are doing the
right thing.
Here are some to check out:
Bloggeries
Authority blogger
Digital point
Blogging tips
Bloggst
Blog experiment
Blogger talk
Search engine watch
Sitepoint
Blog cash
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Monday, October 12, 2009
Get Your Blog Noticed By Placing Your Blog In The Blog Directories!
If you want to have more people visit your blog, there
are plenty of blog directories on the Internet that
you can submit your blog to so that people will come
and visit it. Most blog directories are listed by the
topics that the blogs that are submitted cover.
Blog Catalog is a free blog directory that offers
categories such as career and jobs, writing, Iraq, and
many others. It has features such as featured blogs
and other things to offer those who submit their blogs
there.
Another great place to add your blog is
blog-directory.org. Not only do they have an an
extensive list of categories with sub categories, you
can get your blog reviewed. For the most popular
blogs, it shows the amount of hits that blogs have and
if they have any reviews. As well as listing by
category, the blogs are also listed by location.
There are other blog directories on the Internet -
these are only a couple of them. But blog directories
are a great place to advertise your blog and to make
new friends. You never know what you will find when
you browsing through the directory, and you may just
find out information that you never knew. Some of the
blog directories offer chat features as well, so that
you can meet other people easily.
As you can see, blog directories are a great place to
get your blog noticed and bring people to read your
blog and look at your pictures.
This is a list of the top few that you can look at, some charge
fees and some do not:
blog catalog
Top ranking blog
Google directory
(The two above list a lot of directories)
Best of the web
Bloggapedia
Blogging fusion
Top blog area
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
are plenty of blog directories on the Internet that
you can submit your blog to so that people will come
and visit it. Most blog directories are listed by the
topics that the blogs that are submitted cover.
Blog Catalog is a free blog directory that offers
categories such as career and jobs, writing, Iraq, and
many others. It has features such as featured blogs
and other things to offer those who submit their blogs
there.
Another great place to add your blog is
blog-directory.org. Not only do they have an an
extensive list of categories with sub categories, you
can get your blog reviewed. For the most popular
blogs, it shows the amount of hits that blogs have and
if they have any reviews. As well as listing by
category, the blogs are also listed by location.
There are other blog directories on the Internet -
these are only a couple of them. But blog directories
are a great place to advertise your blog and to make
new friends. You never know what you will find when
you browsing through the directory, and you may just
find out information that you never knew. Some of the
blog directories offer chat features as well, so that
you can meet other people easily.
As you can see, blog directories are a great place to
get your blog noticed and bring people to read your
blog and look at your pictures.
This is a list of the top few that you can look at, some charge
fees and some do not:
blog catalog
Top ranking blog
Google directory
(The two above list a lot of directories)
Best of the web
Bloggapedia
Blogging fusion
Top blog area
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Friday, October 9, 2009
Sharing With Other Blogs Can Bring You More Traffic
Blogging traffic is a give and take relationship.
Sometimes one of the best ways to get traffic to your
blog is by visiting someone else 's blog.
Go to their blog and read one of their entries, or
read a few of them. Chances are that you are going to
find something that you have in common.
When you find something that you find truly
interesting on a blog, leave a comment so that they
know that you were there.
One of the best known blogs available is LiveJournal.
A great feature of LiveJournal is that you can search
for interests on their site and it will come up with
results of those who have that interest.
Are you interested in horseback riding? You can see
what other bloggers are interested in horseback riding
as well.
When you are commenting on someone's post, you want to
make sure that you don't leave generic comment. If you
like the post, say something about what you read in
the post.
After you have commented on the person's post, then
you can say something like, 'I really like horseback
riding too. I had a similar experience to yours.' and
then use it to link back to your journal.
But be sure that you sound sincere when you are
commenting, and don't make them feel like you're just
fishing for traffic.
If someone thinks that you are using their blog to get
more traffic to yours, they won't visit your site and
your efforts will be wasted.
You can always learn things from other blogs that can
help you. You just might like the things that is on the other
blog. You will enjoy coming back often to make comments
on their blog. They in turn may come to your blog. Others see
what you have written and come to your blog to see what you
have to offer. We all help each other in this way in the blogging
circles. That is why they call this social marketing. You get many
people talking to each other,learning from each other. So much
fun it can be for you. What great friend you can make this way.
If your two blogs have the same subject that you are talking about
some of the people that regularly visit their blog may start coming
to your blog as well. Some of yours will visit them as well. And a great
time can be had by all.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Sometimes one of the best ways to get traffic to your
blog is by visiting someone else 's blog.
Go to their blog and read one of their entries, or
read a few of them. Chances are that you are going to
find something that you have in common.
When you find something that you find truly
interesting on a blog, leave a comment so that they
know that you were there.
One of the best known blogs available is LiveJournal.
A great feature of LiveJournal is that you can search
for interests on their site and it will come up with
results of those who have that interest.
Are you interested in horseback riding? You can see
what other bloggers are interested in horseback riding
as well.
When you are commenting on someone's post, you want to
make sure that you don't leave generic comment. If you
like the post, say something about what you read in
the post.
After you have commented on the person's post, then
you can say something like, 'I really like horseback
riding too. I had a similar experience to yours.' and
then use it to link back to your journal.
But be sure that you sound sincere when you are
commenting, and don't make them feel like you're just
fishing for traffic.
If someone thinks that you are using their blog to get
more traffic to yours, they won't visit your site and
your efforts will be wasted.
You can always learn things from other blogs that can
help you. You just might like the things that is on the other
blog. You will enjoy coming back often to make comments
on their blog. They in turn may come to your blog. Others see
what you have written and come to your blog to see what you
have to offer. We all help each other in this way in the blogging
circles. That is why they call this social marketing. You get many
people talking to each other,learning from each other. So much
fun it can be for you. What great friend you can make this way.
If your two blogs have the same subject that you are talking about
some of the people that regularly visit their blog may start coming
to your blog as well. Some of yours will visit them as well. And a great
time can be had by all.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
More Traffic To Your Blog By Adding The Blog Address In Your Emails!
If you have a blog that you are particularly proud of,
and that you want to share with other people, there
are a lot of free ways that you can get your blog
noticed.
One of those ways is something that you do everyday,
and that you may not even consider as a way to share
your blog. Put the link to your blog in your email
signature.
Chances are that you send out emails more times than
you can count during the day, Each time you send out
an email, you can advertise your blog by putting the
address of your blog in your email's signature.
It's always a good idea to write something catchy
like, See what I am up to now, or Read my latest
chapter of my family life here, see how the blog can
help your online business, depending on what type of
blog you have.
The thing to remember about putting an advertisement
in your signature for your blog is to make it short,
but eye catching.
You want people to be interested enough to want to
click on it, but you also don't want to scare them
off.
Just like it is with any advertisement, you want to
give them just enough to be interested and take a
closer look at what it is that you are advertising.
Think about what it is that your blog is about. What
is really going to interest people about it and want
to visit? That is what you should include in your
signature, and that is what is going to get people to
go to your blog.
Have a nice day.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
and that you want to share with other people, there
are a lot of free ways that you can get your blog
noticed.
One of those ways is something that you do everyday,
and that you may not even consider as a way to share
your blog. Put the link to your blog in your email
signature.
Chances are that you send out emails more times than
you can count during the day, Each time you send out
an email, you can advertise your blog by putting the
address of your blog in your email's signature.
It's always a good idea to write something catchy
like, See what I am up to now, or Read my latest
chapter of my family life here, see how the blog can
help your online business, depending on what type of
blog you have.
The thing to remember about putting an advertisement
in your signature for your blog is to make it short,
but eye catching.
You want people to be interested enough to want to
click on it, but you also don't want to scare them
off.
Just like it is with any advertisement, you want to
give them just enough to be interested and take a
closer look at what it is that you are advertising.
Think about what it is that your blog is about. What
is really going to interest people about it and want
to visit? That is what you should include in your
signature, and that is what is going to get people to
go to your blog.
Have a nice day.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
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