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	<title>CEOtopia</title>
	<link>http://ceotopia.com</link>
	<description>Must Read for the top minds of business</description>
	<pubDate>Mon, 08 Sep 2008 01:55:47 +0000</pubDate>
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		<title>The art of public speaking: The winning path to a successful presentation</title>
		<link>http://ceotopia.com/the-art-of-public-speaking-the-winning-path-to-a-successful-presentation/</link>
		<comments>http://ceotopia.com/the-art-of-public-speaking-the-winning-path-to-a-successful-presentation/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 08 Sep 2008 01:55:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator></dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Communication]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ceotopia.com/the-art-of-public-speaking-the-winning-path-to-a-successful-presentation/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The first thing that run through your mind right after you assigned to give a presentation is: achow can I structure my presentation in an appealing manner so that it looks efficienta the second question that follows soon after is: achow can I convey my presentationa s purpose in a way that appeals my audiencea.
So, [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The first thing that run through your mind right after you assigned to give a presentation is: achow can I structure my presentation in an appealing manner so that it looks efficienta the second question that follows soon after is: achow can I convey my presentationa s purpose in a way that appeals my audiencea.</p>
<p>So, the first thing to consider even before you jot down any word is to pursue the following three-steps-approach to guarantee a great presentation in all its aspects.the followings are the same course of action that professionals use in every piece of their prizewinning presentations.</p>
<p>1 Plan</p>
<p>Many public speakers exaggerate in focusing in the content of the presentation while ignoring the audience which is a part and parcel of the whole process.so, giving the addressees their natural part of focus is the one factor that either fail you or make from you a successful presenter. You wonder achow can I achieve that . An accurate response would be to answer the next basic questions: </p>
<p>-who is going to be in the audience<br />-Their background,age,sex<br />-How can I sell them into my arguments<br />-What is this presentation intended to do<br />-What do they want to hear about <br />-What specific topic do they want to focus on more aaetc</p>
<p>So, by finding the precise responses to them,you will be able to understand more and more the people whom you are talking to and consequently get them agree upon whatever you said.Another thing to pay a close attention to is : acdoes the occasion have any special prerequisites that may be peripheral to the presentationa.You should plan the presentation so as everything fits according to the desired presentationa s outcome.</p>
<p>2Organize </p>
<p>Inappropriate cloths,poor grammar,out-dated stories and dirty jokes may be an easy-to-bear flaws by the audience however,the only thing that could not be overlooked by the listeners is a terribly organized presentation.Bad organization is one of the rare flaws that the viewers cannot put up with as the efficacy of the massages will be damaged tremendously.conversely,the effectiveness of the message can be considerably increased by clear and plausible organization .Organization is such a powerful tool that keeps the audiencea s attention focused on what you have to say.herea s a quick tips on how to keep the speech organized.</p>
<p>-start with an outline <br />-give a quick hint on the structure your presentation will follow<br />-open your body with an attention catcher.<br />-Lay out your major point to be crystal clear,to the point,cohesive,and convincing.<br />-Be as simple as you possibly can as simplicity is what everybody tends to.<br />-Watch out time,otherwise youa ll end up with a sleepy audience.and<br />-Always remember less is more.capture the gist of the presentation in one short statement.</p>
<p>3 Deliver </p>
<p>After planning and organizing,we have reached the delivery stage which all what youa ve done built upon.all what youa ve prepared up to this point is worthless if you dona t manifest it at the stage.As we said,your foremost concern is your audience,so how could you come to impact them to the point that they give literally their full attention.Studies have shown that the opening and the ending are the most impressive parts of the presentation,therefore, the key here is to focus on them,right</p>
<p>The first impressions given to the audience about you could lead to an entirely different outcome if no first impression has done.so what you need to do here is to identify the charisma and credibility in the people you meet or see in the television,observe the way they stand,sit,talk,react and gesture,these are what make whatever they utter impressive regardless of how important it is.Take a pen and a paper and write down what do they have in common.herea s what you may find out :</p>
<p>-they stand tall with a straight back,keeping their shoulders relaxed.<br />-Holding eye contact with the audience reinforces their messages.<br />-walking while they are talking,this adds a sort of dynamism to their presentations.<br />-They keep the speed of presentation at a controllable level.<br />-they take as much as space as they possibly can,making their movement wide,upward and outwardaetc.</p>
<p>All in all,you need to keep yourself vivacious,enthusiastic and passionate through the presentation.Dona t be hasty  to start or to finish as these parts are the most memorable parts of all the presentation.If everything is done as it should be ,Congratulations enjoy your applause.</p>
<p>
<h2>About the Author</h2>
<p>SIMON GARMAH is an executive Communications Consultant and Coach. He is president of Lifestyles Communications, Inc. which helps individuals communicate in the new global and virtual world. His website is </p>
<p><a href="http://public-speaking-tips1.blogspot.com" title="//public-speaking-tips1.blogspot.com">http://public-speaking-tips1.blogspot.com</a></p>
<h3><a href="http://www.content4reprint.com/business/communication/the-art-of-public-speaking-the-winning-path-to-a-successful-presentation.htm" title="The winning path to a successful presentation">Article Source:</a> <a href="http://www.content4reprint.com" title="Free to reprint quality articles">Content for Reprint</a></h3>
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		<title>Theres No Mystery Shopping Like A Spy</title>
		<link>http://ceotopia.com/theres-no-mystery-shopping-like-a-spy/</link>
		<comments>http://ceotopia.com/theres-no-mystery-shopping-like-a-spy/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 07 Sep 2008 01:28:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator></dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Customer Service]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ceotopia.com/theres-no-mystery-shopping-like-a-spy/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Being a Mystery Shopper is a bit like being a consumer spy.  Not quite MI5, but it is important in its own right as a yardstick for customer service and identifying improvements that can be made to a business.  The reason that companies hire a mystery shopping service is to understand in an [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Being a Mystery Shopper is a bit like being a consumer spy.  Not quite MI5, but it is important in its own right as a yardstick for customer service and identifying improvements that can be made to a business.  The reason that companies hire a mystery shopping service is to understand in an unbiased way what the customer is experiencing, and determine if that experience needs improving to maximise profit potential.  If a business has  front of house staff that pay little attention to customer service then the customer will not make a purchase and may well not come back.</p>
<p>Another major factor about pleasing the customer is that word of mouth is a powerful marketing tool and there is very little control any marketing department has over that.  If a customer has a good experience, that information will be passed on.  Word of mouth recommendations bring in business when it is positive, and reduce it when it is negative.  Finding out that a restaurant has poor service will not encourage anyone to go give it a try themselves, and that negativity is more likely to be passed on, despite the information being second hand.  </p>
<p>It is not just the customer service that is important; it is they way the restaurant, shop or service is looked after.  On a mystery shoppers brief there are several pages of variables that need to be checked and rated along side customer service.  This can cover cleanliness of the floor, attractiveness of displays and even the how welcoming or warm the atmosphere of the establishment is.</p>
<p>When the brief is issued to a mystery shopper, there will be a general time frame when the report must be made.  This could be because the behaviour of a certain member of staff is under investigation or to understand the pressure the existing staff may be under during a busy lunch time for example.  The brief will also indicate what the shopper is to order, purchase or enquire about.  Upon arrival at the service under investigation, the consumer spy will note the time, how many customers are present and how many staff are either serving, working or standing around.  The role of a mystery shopper is to be a customer, therefore must conduct the investigation in as natural a way as possible.  The staff may be aware that a mystery customer will be calling in, but will have no idea what day or what time.</p>
<p>Once the initial assessments have been made the shopper will rate the type of welcome offered by the staff based on the time it takes, and the level of friendliness from a smile to a welcoming comment.  Timings are also made about the time a customer is left to browse before being offered help.  In a business where the service is particularly bad, a mystery shopper could have to wait as long as ten minutes before finally asking for assistance.  It is imperative that the report is completed because there are so many factors the company is paying to be investigated, so there is no option of leaving because the service is bad.  It is also important to not be opinionated, lose calm or give the game away; the mystery shopper must always remain a model customer.</p>
<p>Once the queries have been made and qualitative assessments have been rated, the shopper then completes the report.  It is important to remember how enquiries were worded and what the response was exactly for the report and the names or descriptions of the staff involved.  The experience of the mystery consumer will benefit all customers that follow and improve the running of the business under investigation.  Not quite the same as being part of the secret service but the role is definitely the surreptitious back bone in the success of consumer society.<br />
<h2>About the Author</h2>
<p>Dominic Donaldson is an expert in the customer service industry.<br />Find out more about <a href="http://www.performanceinpeople.co.uk"> mystery shopping </a> and how it can help business productivity at Performance In People.</p>
<h3><a href="http://www.content4reprint.com/business/customer-service/theres-no-mystery-shopping-like-a-spy.htm" title="Theres No Mystery Shopping Like A Spy">Article Source:</a> <a href="http://www.content4reprint.com" title="Free to reprint quality articles">Content for Reprint</a></h3>
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		<title>Management Training Decoded: What Lies Behind The Lingo</title>
		<link>http://ceotopia.com/management-training-decoded-what-lies-behind-the-lingo/</link>
		<comments>http://ceotopia.com/management-training-decoded-what-lies-behind-the-lingo/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 06 Sep 2008 08:31:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator></dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Management]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ceotopia.com/management-training-decoded-what-lies-behind-the-lingo/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Although there is a genuine stigma surrounding management jargon and it is often a source comic ridicule, there is method behind the madness. The words bounded around boardrooms across the globe such as strategy, streamlining, innovation, systems and procedures sometimes seem like ways of dramatising what are relatively simple administrative tasks they are essential to [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Although there is a genuine stigma surrounding management jargon and it is often a source comic ridicule, there is method behind the madness. The words bounded around boardrooms across the globe such as strategy, streamlining, innovation, systems and procedures sometimes seem like ways of dramatising what are relatively simple administrative tasks they are essential to the organic growth of businesses.</p>
<p>This article breaks down the core principals of management training to unveil what lies behind the jargon. Management training and consultancy is big businesses with companies of all shapes and sizes investing time and resources. If you are employed by a company over a certain size then it is more than likely that you have been on a course of some description whether it is focussed on team building, breaking through the sales barrier or management training.</p>
<p>All of the aforementioned training disciplines have been approved by a system of management as they feel it worthy of investment. This comes from what is known as an overall strategy. This is a term that defines a company mission or overall company goal. There are many sorts of strategies however a focussed company will have a strong overall strategy which is based on what they ultimately wish to achieve.</p>
<p>Management training incorporates strategies at many different levels. A management consultancy might be brought in to work with senior management in reassessing an overall strategy which would in turn need to be imparted to middle management during management training. Middle management can then use innovative techniques to define their departmental role in implementing the overall strategy.</p>
<p>Many companies employ management consultancies to ensure that their strategies are implemented in an organic way. This means that the company does not grow too fast in one department, for example a company that invests heavily in sales resources however does not have the systems and procedures to support the aggressive sales strategy. This would surely mean that the customer service delivered would be sub standard and then have the opposite affect than that which the aggressive sales strategy was designed for.</p>
<p>Any strategy must be implemented by systems and procedures and are implemented during management training. Systems and procedures must be reviewed continuously to ensure that they are complimenting the overall business strategy. Using the same example of an overall aggressive sales strategy, this would not be supported procedures that involve sales personnel having to perform massive amounts of administrative duties.</p>
<p>Although sales administration is essential another procedure must be devised to free the resources, in this case the sales people, to achieve targets and meet the overall strategy. These systems and procedures are then implemented via middle management during management training, so the overall aggressive sales strategy would mean the sales manager restructuring his department using administrative staff to deal with the sales admin.</p>
<p>Management training is also used for initiatives such as psychosomatic testing and motivation workshops for team building. This management training focuses on individuals defining their role in a team and examining scenarios where their attributes can sometimes disrupt the overall team dynamic, focussing on how a functional team differs from a group of individuals.</p>
<p>This management training streamlines the focus toward the overall goal and is generally based on Jungian psychoanalytic theory based on the 16 different personality types. It is designed so that a team can focus on the overall strategies that a company has in place which is devised and implemented through management training at different levels of management.<br />
<h2>About the Author</h2>
<p>Dominic Donaldson is an expert on <a href="http://www.managementcentre.co.uk"> management training</a> and contributes to trade publications on the subject.</p>
<h3><a href="http://www.content4reprint.com/business/management/management-training-decoded-what-lies-behind-the-lingo.htm" title="What Lies Behind The Lingo">Article Source:</a> <a href="http://www.content4reprint.com" title="Free to reprint quality articles">Content for Reprint</a></h3>
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		<title>Making the Most of Your Business Banking Relationship</title>
		<link>http://ceotopia.com/making-the-most-of-your-business-banking-relationship/</link>
		<comments>http://ceotopia.com/making-the-most-of-your-business-banking-relationship/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 06 Sep 2008 08:31:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator></dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Financing]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Anyone who owns a business can appreciate the need for a bank account to handle bill paying, deposits and payroll. But banks can assist business owners in so many other ways as well. In fact, having a reliable financial partner can help a business reach its greatest potential, as well as provide support during times [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Anyone who owns a business can appreciate the need for a bank account to handle bill paying, deposits and payroll. But banks can assist business owners in so many other ways as well. In fact, having a reliable financial partner can help a business reach its greatest potential, as well as provide support during times of financial need. </p>
<p>In addition to offering checking and savings accounts for companies, banks also offer a range of services such as term loans, equity funding, overdraft protection, insurance, pensions, and more. </p>
<p>Banks Offer Flexibility and Capital</p>
<p>Most importantly, banks can offer flexibility for business owners, making life a bit easier for those whose time is already in a crunch. For instance, banks feature services such as night safes which allow a business to deposit cash or checks after normal bank hours. Or, stop-check services can instruct a bank not to pay a check that has already been issued. Open credit arrangements allow businesses to withdraw money from any branch of the bank in addition to the one holding the account. ATMs also provide quick access to cash.</p>
<p>Loans are a large element of the business banking relationship. Generally speaking, there are two types of loans. Short-term loans include accounts receivable loans, working capital loans, and lines of credit. These have a maturity date of up to one year. Long-term loans are for major expenses, such as purchasing property, equipment, vehicles, or financing for a new product. These types of loans typically exceed a year in their maturity time and may range from up to 10 to 25 years depending on the business need. </p>
<p>A bank reviewing a loan request will require a written loan proposal. Typically, this includes business and marketing plans, the purpose of the loan, as well as personal financial information. Banks also expect some type of collateral to be designated, which acts as security against the loan in case a business runs into trouble repaying the loan.</p>
<p>As online banking becomes increasingly popular, owners are able to access their accounts 24/7 via the Internet. Not only can a business access accounts, it can also integrate its computerized account system with the bank. Bill payment features online allow owners to pay bills with the click of the mouse or transfer funds to various accounts. Electronic funds transfers also allow money to be moved from one account to an account at a branch or bank on the same day. </p>
<p>Helping to ensure that a business is covered in an unforeseen event, banks also offer owners insurance protection through partnerships with insurance agencies. They can also provide owners with personal life insurance policies. </p>
<p>Banks Offer Guidance for New Businesses</p>
<p>As tried and true leaders in finance, banks are an ideal place to turn to in terms of counseling and guidance for new businesses or those facing the challenges of growth. An established financial institution can help owners identify potential difficulties and suggest products and services such as credit lines that may be useful. Many even offer free counseling to new businesses. </p>
<p>For the new business owner, opening a bank account is not unlike opening a personal account. However, its important to provide the proper identification as well as the business intended purpose and activities. This information assists a bank in determining the best type of account for the business.</p>
<p>While banks can bring much-needed support and assistance to a business, the business owner can do several things to establish a positive relationship with the bank. Its important to meet the requirements of a loan and demonstrate to the bank the ability to manage and repay a loan. If something changes, smart owners are quick to communicate with the bank, especially if an owner needs to renegotiate the terms of a loan. </p>
<p>Banks can bring so much to the life of a business - helping to achieve goals, negotiate rough terrain, and support business owners in the pursuit of their dreams. And the really good ones do it all with a smile.<br />
<h2>About the Author</h2>
<p><a href="http://www.AmericanMomentumBank.com">AmericanMomentumBank.com</a> provides a wide array of personal banking and business banking options and banking solutions tailored to your individual needs. For more information, please visit <a href="http://www.AmericanMomentumBank.com">AmericanMomentumBank.com</a>.</p>
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		<title>How does VoIP Work</title>
		<link>http://ceotopia.com/how-does-voip-work/</link>
		<comments>http://ceotopia.com/how-does-voip-work/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 06 Sep 2008 08:31:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator></dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Communication]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ceotopia.com/how-does-voip-work/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[VoIP, or voice over internet protocol, simply put, is a way to make phone calls over the internet with the use of an analog telephone adapter.  In making &#8220;phone calls&#8221; in this manner, the user can often avoid the high charges from the phone company, especially in the case of long distance calls.
How does [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>VoIP, or voice over internet protocol, simply put, is a way to make phone calls over the internet with the use of an analog telephone adapter.  In making &#8220;phone calls&#8221; in this manner, the user can often avoid the high charges from the phone company, especially in the case of long distance calls.</p>
<p>How does it Happen</p>
<p>A VoIP provider converts the audio message your voice from analog form into digital form with an ATA analog telephone adapter so that the media can be sent over the internet.  On the other end, the digital media is then converted back into an analog form as would be heard on a regular phone call.</p>
<p>At first, the process may sound foreign and complex, but its really no different than making a regular phone call.  It begins when you start to dial - the tones are converted to digital, sent over the internet, and then routed from your VoIP service provider to the public switched telephone network to make the connection to the intended recipient.</p>
<p>Once the call is connected, even if the phone on the other end has no digital capabilities, everything will go as is customary with a call placed through a regular phone service provider.  Your voice will be converted into digital packets of media that will be transmitted over the internet seamlessly before being converted back into analog form and heard on the other end of the phone call.</p>
<p>You use your regular telephone, plugged into an adapter, just as you would during the process of making a phone call through a regular phone service provider, there are no changes at all in terms of usage other than where your phone is plugged in.</p>
<p>What you need to make the Change</p>
<p>This can depend on the VoIP service provider that you choose to use and how you choose to make your calls.  There is software available that will allow you to use your PC as your phone, but in most cases if you choose to use your regular phone, all that youll need is the analog telephone adapter which your VoIP service provider will supply to allow you to plug your phone into the internet.</p>
<p>Since your entire phone call takes place having been transmitted in digital form through your internet connection, you avoid using the standard phone companys equipment and service entirely, which means that youll also avoid incurring said phone companys outrageous charges as well - even if you are making long distance phone calls.</p>
<p>Voice over internet protocol may sound like some very complex technology, and there is no doubt that it is, but as soon as the average person learns that using VoIP wont change a single thing about how he or she goes about making a phone call with the exception of drastically lowering the price the more it will catch on.  </p>
<p>As with adopting, or changing to any new, unfamiliar form of technology there will be some bugs or glitches and some features or lack thereof that people wont like or that will take some time to get used to, but technology is changing fast for the better.  VoIP service providers are constantly looking for ways of improving service and making the overall experience of switching over to voice over internet protocol a smoother and easier one.  It may very well only be a matter of time before VoIP is no longer just a threat to the standard phone service providers of today, but the main source of how average people connect with others.</p>
<p>It probably shouldnt come as much of a surprise that you can already integrate a VOIP Asterix Phone system into your office. Lower the cost of your monthly plans, including the cost of long distance calls, and enjoy the reliability, availability and accessibility of VoIP for your employees.<br />
<h2>About the Author</h2>
<p><a href="http://www.coretel.ca">Asterix phone system</a> provider offers support on VOIP and PBX Business Center solutions. When looking for a <a href="http://www.coretel.ca">VOIP</a> consultant, consider Core Telecom Innovations Inc.</p>
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		<title>Golden Letters For Huge Traffic &#38; Affiliate Sales</title>
		<link>http://ceotopia.com/golden-letters-for-huge-traffic-affiliate-sales/</link>
		<comments>http://ceotopia.com/golden-letters-for-huge-traffic-affiliate-sales/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 06 Sep 2008 04:29:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator></dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Advertising]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ceotopia.com/golden-letters-for-huge-traffic-affiliate-sales/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Leverage is something most internet marketers especially affiliate marketers simply lack. Leverage is the secret to creating an abundance of income beyond normal reach. 
There is no way to make millions online or even hundreds of thousands without leveraging other peoples resources. The truth is, you only have a certain amount of time, money and [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Leverage is something most internet marketers especially affiliate marketers simply lack. Leverage is the secret to creating an abundance of income beyond normal reach. </p>
<p>There is no way to make millions online or even hundreds of thousands without leveraging other peoples resources. The truth is, you only have a certain amount of time, money and contacts which will only take you a certain distance down the path the internet riches&#8230;</p>
<p>&#8230;after which, you need other people.</p>
<p>If you have your own product, you can leverage other peoples time by having them promote your product for you. Subsequently, youll be leveraging their traffic, advertising costs and numerous resources that help to make you more sales. </p>
<p>However, what does that leave the mortal affiliate when it comes to leverage Well, up until now, pretty much nothing. </p>
<p>In years gone by, affiliate marketers had to rely on other people sending traffic to their own websites which were built from the ground up. This was hard, time consuming work.</p>
<p>But in more recent years, there has been a shift in the way affiliates can drive hordes of traffic and subsequent sales to their offers, all thanks to social sites such as Youtube, MySpace, Facebook and a multitude of blogs and forums. </p>
<p>But how can these sites be leveraged by the small time affiliate </p>
<p>Its pretty simple&#8230;all of these web 2.0 sites allow for comments and interaction. </p>
<p>That means that you can simply jump on a popular blog post, forum post, Youtube video, MySpace profile, or a network of friends or groups in Facebook and place your affiliate link right slap bang in the centre of all the action. </p>
<p>The great thing is, these sites already have the traffic and the eyeballs coming in daily. You didnt need to build up the sites, you dont need to worry about tomorrows traffic&#8230;these sites take care of all that hassle for you </p>
<p>The best part is, social sites such as Youtube, MySpace and blogging communities all rely on their own users to build the traffic for them and for you. This means that the potential traffic that will be exposed to your affiliate link will only continue to grow.</p>
<p>Placing your affiliate link on these sites however, must be done with precaution and respect. The last thing you want it to come across as a spammer. Heres 5 ways to get around this problem every time:</p>
<p>1. Read the blog posts and make a helpful comment<br />2. Watch the video and post a helpful comment<br />3. Get to know people on MySpace, build up a friends list and THEN send a bulletin or mail out to all your friends and networking groups<br />4. Participate in forums before adding your affiliate link in your signature<br />5. Make real friends on Facebook that are interested or will be interested in the same subject/problem/hobby as your affiliate product</p>
<p>These are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to leveraging traffic from the giant websites, without having to build your own websites yourself. </p>
<p>However, the fact still remains that in order to make sales as an affiliate, it requires a lot of people to be sent to a sales page, purely because most affiliate offers are not cheap enough to be impulse buys for the visitor. </p>
<p>They need to think about it, or really, really, really need it in order for a sale to occur. Sometimes a sales page that you send them to will not do the job of converting the visitor, so youre going to struggle either way.</p>
<p>All of these problems can be resolved, and the amount of leverage you can gain from other secret sources is going to blow your mind. Imagine being able to rake in literally thousands of visitors that go directly to offers that DO convert, without you having to try and sell anything to anybody </p>
<p>Now that my friend, is not only a lazy but an incredibly smart way to truly clean up as an affiliate marketer in this day and age.<br />
<h2>About the Author</h2>
<p>Dwayne Garrett is the author of several eBooks and popular software<br />applications. He also earns top affiliate paychecks. Learn how you<br />can make your affiliate commissions explode through the roof. To learn more:<br /><a href="http://www.preselltemplates.com">http://www.PresellTemplates.com</a></p>
<h3><a href="http://www.content4reprint.com/business/advertising/golden-letters-for-huge-traffic-and-affiliate-sales.htm" title="Golden Letters For Huge Traffic &amp; Affiliate Sales">Article Source:</a> <a href="http://www.content4reprint.com" title="Free to reprint quality articles">Content for Reprint</a></h3>
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		<title>Three Keys to Strategic Marketing</title>
		<link>http://ceotopia.com/three-keys-to-strategic-marketing/</link>
		<comments>http://ceotopia.com/three-keys-to-strategic-marketing/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 06 Sep 2008 00:45:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator></dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Planning]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ceotopia.com/three-keys-to-strategic-marketing/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[When it comes to developing a marketing strategy, why is it that so many companies are in such a hurry to get momentum, to get traction from their efforts, that they forget the age old principle - accuracy first, momentum second
Isnt that why carpenters at all skill levels know you should measure twice, cut once
Remember [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>When it comes to developing a marketing strategy, why is it that so many companies are in such a hurry to get momentum, to get traction from their efforts, that they forget the age old principle - accuracy first, momentum second</p>
<p>Isnt that why carpenters at all skill levels know you should measure twice, cut once</p>
<p>Remember that it doesnt help to be making good time, when you are headed in the wrong direction.</p>
<p>So, why are some companies - not you, your competitors hopefully, firing away before they have the specific target dialed in - with a clearly defined focus</p>
<p>Maybe its because business people are naturally action people and it just feels better to be doing something than simply thinking about it.</p>
<p>Possibly youve never thought of yourself as a strategist, the other members of your organization are too busy with the day-to-day tasks to help out, and there is no one else to confide in that you trust 100.</p>
<p>And anyway, what if you spend time and energy strategizing all the &#8220;what if&#8221; scenarios you can think of only to come up with something that doesnt work </p>
<p>There is a solution of course - one that costs nothing but a little effort - that can reap dramatic results for you and your organization. A solution that will change how you make major decisions in your organization from now on.</p>
<p>But first - here are three keys to strategic marketing.</p>
<p>A primary key to success is the value of your uniqueness. What is it about your organization that separates you from your competitors in your marketplace</p>
<p>By the way, who are your traditional competitors Are there any new competitors coming on the scene What do you consider your marketing area Did 70-80 of your new business come from a relatively small number of accounts, or a sub-niche in your market, or a single geographical area last year</p>
<p>Unless you know specifically who is already buying from you, and why, youll never be able to articulate your USP, your unique selling proposition - from the point of view of your customers.</p>
<p>Would it be helpful if you could organize a small group of your peers, people who understand your challenges, to discuss these and other elements of your business strategy with People who live around the country - not nearby, so you wont be telling your business secrets or sharing your plans with a someone youre going to run into at the mall or at church.</p>
<p>Another key to the success of your marketing strategy and to the success of your organization in general is the caliber of your organizations recognized reputation as someone to do business with.</p>
<p>In this day of virtually unlimited choices of vendors it is critical that you are seen as someone people like doing business with and someone people trust to keep their word.</p>
<p>If you are the best kept secret in your marketplace or in your industry - if the right people dont know who you are, then your results will be less than they would be if you were a household name among your potential customers.</p>
<p>Your customers already know who you and to the extent they keep doing business with you are satisfied with the relationship. If they represent the &#8220;right people&#8221; to you, how can you enlist them in your efforts to spread your reputation as a reliable organization to do business with</p>
<p>Perhaps your peers, those in your industry, have developed campaigns that successfully target the right people in their market Maybe these same peers will help you focus your efforts in the right places based on what is working for them That would put some sharp teeth into your marketing strategy, wouldnt it</p>
<p>The third key is the quality of your products and support services. </p>
<p>It is likely that the quality of your products and support services measures up to your customers expectations. If it didnt there would be few repeat sales and sales in general would be declining. </p>
<p>Your challenge is to develop the ability to consistently communicate the fact that your customers expectations are being met to your prospects. In other words getting that message out prior to the sale is the key.</p>
<p>A successful strategic marketing strategy combines these elements into a seamless process that will help you focus on what you are unique at, who is the ideal prospect for it, and then recruiting your satisfied customers to tell your story to the right people in your marketplace.</p>
<p>For most of you this will not be a complicated process. It will take effort and you will need help. </p>
<p>That help can and probably should come from a group of your peers, people from your industry, who are far outside of your traditional marketing area. People whose marketing insights and experiences are directly relevant to you. </p>
<p>Today, free long distance service, instant online webinar services, and free Yahoo groups can make your meetings effective without the time and money wasted getting to and from face to face meetings. These Internet tools also offer the ability to connect with the other members of your strategic marketing peer group 24/7 - so your plans can be refined continually to deal with the speed of change in business today.</p>
<p>You can get together in person from time to time of course - thats what your trade association meetings are for.</p>
<p>Using the simple techniques that I later complied into my peer group report I established and participated in several peer to peer mastermind groups. </p>
<p>Withe a proven strategy, a few tipe, tools, and techniques you can create your own board of advocates -<br />your own strategic marketing team, with a little help from your friends.<br />
<h2>About the Author</h2>
<p>Click here to order the peer-to-peer mastermind group workbook and receive priceless tips, tools, and strategies for creating and managing your own strategic marketing mastermind group. <a href="http://www.DIYStrategicPlanning.com" title="//www.DIYStrategicPlanning.com">http://www.DIYStrategicPlanning.com</a> </p>
<p>Wayne Messick <a href="http://www.WayneMessick.com" title="//www.WayneMessick.com">http://www.WayneMessick.com</a></p>
<h3><a href="http://www.content4reprint.com/business/strategic-planning/three-keys-to-strategic-marketing.htm" title="Three Keys to Strategic Marketing">Article Source:</a> <a href="http://www.content4reprint.com" title="Free to reprint quality articles">Content for Reprint</a></h3>
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		<title>Your Business Success - Stress And Fear Undermine It</title>
		<link>http://ceotopia.com/your-business-success-stress-and-fear-undermine-it/</link>
		<comments>http://ceotopia.com/your-business-success-stress-and-fear-undermine-it/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 05 Sep 2008 21:19:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator></dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Management]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ceotopia.com/your-business-success-stress-and-fear-undermine-it/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As a business owner, I know you read business books, which is good.  However, you have to be able to read whats relevant and skim over what is crap.  What I mean to say is that too many books paint a way-too-flowery picture of business ownership and entrepreneurship. They never really describe or [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>As a business owner, I know you read business books, which is good.  However, you have to be able to read whats relevant and skim over what is crap.  What I mean to say is that too many books paint a way-too-flowery picture of business ownership and entrepreneurship. They never really describe or do justice to how difficult and stressful it is to own, run, and grow a business.   I want to talk about the impact of stress and fear on your success.  </p>
<p>I was listening to a Robert Johnson song for those of you who dont know, Mr. Johnson is one of the early, and great, blues players of the last century and he wrote a song that talks about trouble, fear and stress.   For entrepreneurs and sales and marketing folks, it can ring very true.</p>
<p>                  &#8220;I got stones in my passway and my road seems dark at night. <br />                    I got stones in my passway and my road seems dark at night. <br />                    I have pains in my heart, they have taken my appetite.&#8221;</p>
<p>I think stress and fear grow even heavier once you go above 500,000 to 1,000,000 in revenue and have 5+ employees. Thats when you start to have headaches.  Thats why when I read a business advice book, I prefer books written by people who have actually run companies and who give you the harsh reality of having a business with all the gruesome details.</p>
<p>Of course, the other side of the coin is that owning your business has an upside. You can, if done correctly, have a business that makes you wealthy which is the idea or at the very least, something that provides you with a great income.</p>
<p>My mentor, Dan Kennedy, has been very straight with me about stress. Basically he says: If you want the four-car garage, the vacation home in Maui insert your favorite vacation spot, the office building, etc., you have to learn to manage stress.</p>
<p>The question to ask yourself - Do I want a job that is low-to-stress-free Or, do I want to become rich If you want no stress, you might work a counter job for Starbucks or McDonalds. Theres nothing wrong with those jobs - its just that your level of success and income is dependent on the level of stress you can take and/or learn to manage.</p>
<p>The key is learn to manage the stress - and what causes it, fear.</p>
<p>If you can manage a lot of stress, then building up a company is for you. Its just a fact of life. The reward of ownership comes with more stress and you have to simply learn to carry more than most. I wish I could tell you thats not the case. It would be nice to be as  flowery as so many business books.   However, Id rather be up front with you.</p>
<p>Fear of failure stops most of us from achieving what we are capable of. And I did say most of us.   I am absolutely certain that everyone is capable of being a successful entrepreneur or a sales rep if they consistently make 20 or more above goal each month and year.   However, it is the fear of failure that stops most of us. The fear is wicked.</p>
<p>How does one &#8220;manage&#8221; stress and the fear that causes it</p>
<p>What I do is look directly at the fear Im feeling, stare it in the eye, see what Im stressing about -  and then I push it away, eliminate it.  There is no other way around it.  If you want to succeed at anything you have to rid yourself of this terrible pattern.  As regularly as it tries to show up, just as regularly push it away.  It surfaces  Push it away manage it.    Im sure you get the picture.<br />
<h2>About the Author</h2>
<p>Ramon provides more marketing information, especially created for the IT VAR industry but also applies to everyone who wants to improve their sales. Stay up-to-date at <a href="http://www.streetsmartvar.com">StreetSmartVAR.com</a> and while youre there, dont forget to sign up for Ramons popular, <b>no-cost online marketing course</b></p>
<h3><a href="http://www.content4reprint.com/business/management/your-business-success-stress-and-fear-undermine-it.htm" title="Your Business Success - Stress And Fear Undermine It">Article Source:</a> <a href="http://www.content4reprint.com" title="Free to reprint quality articles">Content for Reprint</a></h3>
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		<title>Reaching People Online Could Give You The Sales Youre Looking For</title>
		<link>http://ceotopia.com/reaching-people-online-could-give-you-the-sales-youre-looking-for/</link>
		<comments>http://ceotopia.com/reaching-people-online-could-give-you-the-sales-youre-looking-for/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 05 Sep 2008 08:59:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator></dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Business Opportunities]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ceotopia.com/reaching-people-online-could-give-you-the-sales-youre-looking-for/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[According to Nielsen Net Ratings Online there are well over 450 million surfers around the world and 250 million people surfing online &#8220;actively.&#8221; That is a lot of people you could potentially be selling your service and or product to online. Imagine trying to reach that many people offline I think its a lot easier [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>According to Nielsen Net Ratings Online there are well over 450 million surfers around the world and 250 million people surfing online &#8220;actively.&#8221; That is a lot of people you could potentially be selling your service and or product to online. Imagine trying to reach that many people offline I think its a lot easier to reach large groups of people online rather than offline simply because there are so many sites, programs, forums, safe lists, social networking sites, etc. I mean MySpace alone has over 200 million users, so the potential customer base is absolutely amazing.</p>
<p>Not only are there a lot of people you can reach online but there are also a lot of people looking to buy things online, as well as people looking to join programs to make money online. It doesnt seem to matter what your niche is, what site your advertising or what your selling, you will find people looking for that particular service or product. Of course it helps to have a service or product that people are going to want to buy, such as cash gifting, article writing and submission, sports, auto, health products, etc. For example, if your selling a kanoodlepatoodle, its doubtful anyone will buy it right off the board simply because they have no idea what it is. But if your selling sports equipment like golf clubs or exercise equipment like an ab ripper people are more likely to buy into your sales pitch because they know what these things are and they can use these items</p>
<p>Its a good idea to advertise your service, website, product on as many places as you can find. Try places like MySpace, Facebook, Moli, Digital Point Forums, Warrior Forums, Craigslist, and eBay just to name a few. Of course on some of these sites you will have to pay a fee, but look at it this way; if you spend 10 placing a listing on eBay and you make 500 back, that 10 fee wont even make you blink an eye If your selling a service or product online and you can make your own price, its a good idea to tweak the price, the ad, or the places you put the ad, certain times in your &#8220;campaign.&#8221; If something doesnt work the first time around, dont give up Just try to work your ad differently, or place the ad on different websites, or if you absolutely have to, change the price.</p>
<p>You can also try places like classified ad sites, do some back linking legitimately, or buy a service from someone else that will promote your service. Last week just for a trial run I bought an ad package off of someone that would submit my customized ad and link to over 300+ groups on MSN, Google, and Ask. It only cost 25 for the ad, and it gets sent out once a day for life. To me 25 isnt that much anyway so I didnt consider the ROI or anything like that because I earn a good living doing what Im doing. Just the same, I received 15 people that same week that contacted me about the ad. So, I had 15 sales which equaled out to be around 1200 which from a 25 investment is pretty darn good This what you want obviously. Small ad price, large profit.</p>
<p>In other instances you might find that you advertised your website, service or product every place under the sun. But, for some reason your not getting ANY traffic or any sales. In this case, it probably doesnt have to do with ad placement, but ad copy. Dont make your pitch sound like a pitch, this initially will turn a lot of people off. Especially, if they have heard it or something like it before. Make it sound more personable, sound like a human being, not a script. Believe it or not, people can tell the difference Even if you belong to a program and they have scripts, take the script and make it your own<br />
<h2>About the Author</h2>
<p>This author is a HUGE fan of <a>Is Cash Gifting for You</a></p>
<h3><a href="http://www.content4reprint.com/business/business-opportunities/reaching-people-online-could-give-you-the-sales-youre-looking-for.htm" title="Reaching People Online Could Give You The Sales Youre Looking For">Article Source:</a> <a href="http://www.content4reprint.com" title="Free to reprint quality articles">Content for Reprint</a></h3>
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		<title>Make Money By Parking Your Domains Online</title>
		<link>http://ceotopia.com/make-money-by-parking-your-domains-online-4/</link>
		<comments>http://ceotopia.com/make-money-by-parking-your-domains-online-4/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 05 Sep 2008 05:47:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator></dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Business Opportunities]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ceotopia.com/make-money-by-parking-your-domains-online-4/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Personally, I think this is probably one of the easiest ways of making money online. Theres just a few easy steps you need to take in order to make money from domain parking or domain monetization as some people refer to it. The most important thing when doing this is the domain name you have [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Personally, I think this is probably one of the easiest ways of making money online. Theres just a few easy steps you need to take in order to make money from domain parking or domain monetization as some people refer to it. The most important thing when doing this is the domain name you have and the site you are at. Most likely if you have a good &#8220;brand-able&#8221; domain name like Cars or Pets people will come to your site naturally. Of course as most of us domainers know, these domains arent even available The ones that are available come with a large price tag attached to them. </p>
<p>Brandable domain names arent just one worded anymore. Now they have adapted to 2 or 3 words. These words really should be good keywords though. Think of something like AutomotiveParts, PetCare or PetCareOnline. Also, try your hardest not to use hyphens They are usually frowned upon when making a domain anyway, especially if youre trying to make it brandable with domain parking or if you plan on selling the domain in the future for a substantial amount of money</p>
<p>Some parking programs offer optimization, different options, etc. You shouldnt ever join a parking program where YOU have to pay them. Try sites like Sedo, TraffiClub, Parked, Fabulous, etc. Some are better than others, not all pay the same, so check the sites out before you join Try searching for &#8220;domain parking programs&#8221; or &#8220;domain monetization&#8221;. Depending on how many people you get to go to your site, and the quality you could make good money from this.  Always follow guidelines and TOS or your account could be terminated and it doesnt matter if you have 35cents or 35,000 owed to you. Break the rules and your done. No second chances here</p>
<p>Once you have the domain you want to use and you have the site you want to use, you simply go to your registrar point the DNS settings to the domain program they give you directions and then thats pretty much it. This is a big sit and wait game. Of course you can try to direct traffic to the domain in a legit manner, dont use things like arbitrage which are now frowned upon </p>
<p>But you can try advertising your domainss on networking sites, classified sites, add a link to your forum sig, email sig, register the domain with search engines, submit it to some of the top directories, etc. Even better if you already have a pre-existing domain and it receives a lot of traffic on its own and you arent really using it for anything important, you can switch this in as a parking domain.</p>
<p>When people visit the domain there will be adverts placed on it. When people do a search or click a keyword you will receive a certain percentage from the parking company which ultimately comes from feeds from Google, MSN, Yahoo, etc. So, Google pays Sedo and Sedo pays you. You can receive checks or even payments directly to your Pay Pal account which is always a nice little option You really can earn money from this so dont be baffled or speculative, try it out of you dont believe me </p>
<p>When arbitrage was allowed I was clearing 7000 a month easily. And, now that arbitrage isnt allowed, people are still making thousands a month So, it is possible to do</p>
<p>If youre not making money its a good idea to move on to another parking site or to tweak the keywords on your domain Heres a little tip as well. If you have 10 or more domains, spread them out over different programs, this will allow you to see where you can make the most money, as well as which niches are successful at certain programs and which arent Good luck with this money making process.<br />
<h2>About the Author</h2>
<p>This author is a HUGE fan of <a>Is Cash Gifting for You</a></p>
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