Mail Order, Direct Mail

You may be in Mail Order, Direct Mail, or you may be a local merchant with 150 employees; whichever, however or whatever - you've got to know how to keep your business alive during economic recessions. Anytime the cash flow in a business, large or small, starts to tighten up, the money management of that business has to be run as a "tight ship."

 Some of the things you can and should do include protecting yourself from expenditures made on sudden impulse. We've all bought merchandise or services we really didn't need simply because we were in the mood, or perhaps in response to the flamboyancy of the advertising or the persuasiveness of the salesperson. Then we sort of "wake up" a couple of days later and find that we've committed hundreds of dollars of business funds for an item or service that's not essential to the success of our own business, when really pressing items had been waiting for those dollars.

 If you are incorporated, you can eliminate these "impulse purchases chases" by including in your by-laws a clause that states: "All purchasing decisions over (a certain amount) are contingent upon approval by the board of directors." This will force you to consider any "impulse purchases" of considerable cost, and may even be a reminder in the case of smaller purchases.

 If your business is a partnership, you can state, when faced with a buying decision, that all purchases are contingent upon the approval of a third party. In reality, the third party can be your partner, one of your department heads, or even one of your suppliers.

 If your business is a sole proprietorship, you don't have much to worry about really, because as an individual you have three days to think about your purchase, and then to nullify that purchase if you think you don't really need it or can't afford it.

 While you may think you cannot afford it, be sure that you don't "short-change" your self on professional services. This would apply especially during a time of emergency. Anytime you commit yourself and move ahead without completely investigating all the angles, and preparing yourself for all the contingencies that may arise, you're skating on thin ice. Regardless of the costs involved, it always pays off in the long run to seek out the advice of experienced professionals before embarking on a plan
that could ruin you.

 As an example, an experienced business consultant can fill you in on the 1244 stock advantages. Getting eligibility for the 1244 stock category is a very simple process, but one with tremendous benefits to your business.

 The 1244 status encourages investors to put equity capital into your business because in the event of a loss, amounts up to the entire sum of the investment can be written off in the current year. Without the "1244" classification, any losses would have to be spread over several years, and this, of course, would greatly lessen the attractiveness of your company's stock. Any business owner who has not filed the 1244 corporation has in effect cut himself off from 90 percent of his prospective investors.

 Particularly when sales are down, you must be "hard-nosed" with people trying to sell you luxuries for your business. When business is booming, you undoubtedly will allow sales people to show you new models of equipment or a new line of supplies; but when your business is down, skip the entertaining frills and concentrate on the basics. Great care must be taken however, to maintain courtesy and allow these sellers to consider you a friend and call back at another time.

 Your company's books should reflect your way of thinking, and whoever maintains them should generate information according to your policies. Thus, you should hire an outside accountant or accounting firm to figure your return on your investment, as well
as the turnover on your accounts receivable and inventory. Such an audit or survey should focus in depth on any or every item within your financial statement that merits special attention. In this way, you'll probably uncover any potential financial problems before they become readily apparent, and certainly before they could get out of hand.

 Many small companies set up advisory boards of outside professional people. These are sometimes known as Power Circles and once in place, the business always benefits, especially in times of short operating capital. Such an advisory board or power circle should include an attorney, a certified public accountant, civic club leaders, owners or managers of businesses similar to yours, and retired executives. Setting up such an advisory board of directors is really quite easy, because most people you ask will be honored to serve.

 Once your board is set up, you should meet about once a month and present material for review. Each meeting should be a discussion of your business problems and an input from your advisors relative to possible solutions. These members of your board of advisors should offer you advice as well as alternatives, and provide you with objectivity. No formal decisions need to be made either at your board meeting, or as a result of them, but you should be able to gain a great deal from the suggestions you hear.

 You will find that most of your customers have the money to pay at least some of what they owe you immediately. To keep them current, and the number of accounts receivable in your files to a minimum, you should call them on the phone and ask for some kind of explanation why they're falling behind. If you develop such a habit as part of your operating procedure, you'll find your invoices will magically be drawn to the front of their piles of bills to pay. While maintaining a courteous attitude, don't be hesitant, or too much of a "nice guy" when it comes to collecting money.

 Something else that's a very good business practice, but which few business owners do is to methodically build a credit rating with their local banks. Particularly when you have a good cash flow, you should borrow $100 to $1,000 from your banks every 90
days or so. Simply borrow the money, and place it in an interest bearing account, and then pay it all back at least a month or so before it's due. By doing this, you will in crease the borrowing power of your signature, and strengthen your ability to obtain needed financing on short notice. This is a kind of business leverage that will be of great value to you if or whenever your cash position becomes less favorable.

 By all means, join your industry's local and national trade associations. Most of these organizations have a wealth of information available on everything from details on your competitors to average industry sales figures, new products, services, and trends.

 If you are given a membership certificate or wall plaque, you should display these conspicuously on you office wall. Customers like to see such "seals of approval" and feel additional confidence in your business when they see them.

 Still another thing often overlooked: If at all possible, you should have your spouse work in the business with you for at least three or four weeks per year. The important thing is that if for any reason you are not available to run the business, your spouse will be familiar with certain people and situations about your business. These people should include your attorney, accountant, any consultants or advisors, creditors and your major suppliers. The long-term advantages of having your spouse work four weeks per year in your business with you will greatly outweigh the short-term inconvenience. Many couples share responsibility and time entirely, which is in most cases even more desirable.

 Whenever you can, and as often as you need it, take advantage of whatever free business counseling is available. The Small Business Administration published many excellent booklets, checklists and brochures on quite a large variety of businesses. These publications are available through the U.S. Government Printing Office. Most local universities, and many private organizations hold seminars at minimal cost, and often without charge. You should also take advantage of the service s offered by your bank and local library.

 The important thing about running a small business is to know the direction in which you're heading; to know on a day-to-day basis your progress in that very direction; to be aware of what your competitors are doing and to practice good money management
at all times. All this will prepare you to recognize potential problems before they arise.

 In order to survive with a small business, regardless of the economic climate, it is essential to surround yourself with smart people, and practice sound business management at all times.h people trying to sell you luxuries for your business. When business is booming, you undoubtedly will allow sale.

Wendy's Chili.

Wendy's Chili.

1 1/2 to 2 lbs of ground Chuck or ground round
1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
1 Can French Onion Soup
1 1/2 Teaspoons Black Pepper
Few drops of Tabasco
21 oz. can of chili beans- kidney beans, ( I usually use two of the
regular size cans.)
1- 6oz tomato paste
1- 8oz tomato sauce.
Brown ground chuck add kidney beans and juice, add all other
ingredients and let simmer for at least 1/2 hour. This is a thick
and hearty chili and I usually make a double batch. You can top
off with shredded Cheddar cheese and chives, and a dab of sour
cream if you like.

Build an Ezine

There are so many opinions on the internet about what works, what does not work, and different ways to go about maximizing your online potential. Too much information can be detrimental if you are unfocused about what to do and tries everything, or confusing you as to what is the right method to win online.

What is the most common perception online internet marketers have on e-zine publishing? It is that e-zine publishing is all about getting lists. Yes, a lot of e-zines do focus on getting email addresses and list building through giving of freebies and information. And yes, it does seem like a lot of work, and people shun it as not worth the effort to just collect email addresses.

This is where the concept and perception is wrong about e-zines. E-zines are to earn money for the owner.

The top reason for an e-zine is to monetize the email lists collected. You need to have a solid plan to sell them your products, your affiliates' products, or your e-course upon collection of an email list.

So don't be confused by all that information that you are getting online about e-zines. As more and more people subscribe to your e-zine, think of more ideas to make money out of them, such as selling products, or offer advertising space to other internet marketers.

Crystal Nail Files

You may own one yourself or have given one a test spin at a women's show or local fair - the new crystal nail file. Its sleek, colorful and very chic, but is it worth its $7 price tag and is it really superior to the emery boards we purchase by the dozen?

Emery boards are cardboard with small grains of sand adhered to them and in fact are interchangeable with sandpaper. As you file, the emery board literally tears your nail, that is the nature of how it files.

With emery boards you must file in one direction in order to minimize damage to the nail during the filing process. Sandpaper on a stick aka emery boards, come in different grits so you can file your nail down in length, shape it and then do your best to tame those lethal jagged edges that always form when using an emery board.

Emery boards are rough on your nails but they do get the job done. The coarseness of file you choose to use also depends upon if you have weak, thin, fragile nails or hard, strong hooves.

Unfortunately in doing the job they are designed to do emery boards cause more harm than good to your nails. When using an emery board, you leave the tip of the nail "open" as opposed to being "closed", just like pores on your face being open or closed. Leaving the nail edge "open" means dirt and water can leech inside the nail itself causing chipping, cracking, peeling and weakening of the nails. Also, the harshness of the grinding action of the sandpaper weakens the nail.

Because of the porous nature of the cardboard, glue and sand, dirt and debris can get imbedded into the file and fungus and bacteria can grow rampantly. Though you might not see it with your eyes, a good micro-biologist and a microscope will enlighten you on your science project on a stick! There is no way to clean, let alone sanitize an emery board and they are so subject to bacteria that you should toss out your emery board after each use. This is the mandated practice per the FDA in professional salons and this bring us to the environmental factor. The emery board scores very low on the "green-o-meter". The number of trees used to make millions of files and the landfill space taken up by these little 5 inch sticks, is more enormous than you can imagine. At least one entire football stadium can be filled each year with tossed aside emery boards and it takes years for one to fully decompose in the ground.

Metal files fare slightly better than their bacteria on a stick friend, the emery board, but not by much.

Metal files are manufactured in two ways: one, there are actual tiny flakes of metal adhered to a metal or cardboard stick and two, a metal stick is formed and the stick itself is roughened to create the filing surface. In both cases tiny, miniscule bits of metal flake off when filing. While metal is a lot stronger and more durable than sand granules, the metal used to make the files is usually of a lower grade and actually quite soft as far as metals go.

Metal files also grind the nail and leave the nail tip "open" as opposed to "closed". Due to the nature of the metal bits on the file, dirt and debris can be trapped between the tiny little metal-like "teeth" and can stick to the metal. Metal is non-porous so bacteria growth on the file itself is not likely, however bacteria can grow on the nail debris and any dirt caught in the file itself. You can rinse off a metal file but you need to be careful of rust forming in any cracks and crevices between the "teeth".

The metal files cannot be sanitized to the FDA's satisfaction for the ultimate in cleanliness.

On the green-o-meter metal files score slightly higher than their cardboard friend because of the lack of trees used in its production. Metal does off-gas some nasty chemicals during the production process and metal files should be thrown out after several uses since they cannot be efficiently sanitized. They do take a lot longer than emery boards to decompose in landfills.

Your highest quality crystal files are cut from actual crystal and the surface of the crystal is treated in the manufacturing process to roughen it, creating the filing surface.

The crystal nail file is very smooth as it glides over the nail tip. It doesn't tear the nail like the emery board or metal file, so you can file in both directions and as an added bonus - no more jagged edges! When you file your nails with a crystal file, you'll notice how smooth the nail tip is.

The crystal file closes the nail tip and actually seals it, preventing water and debris from leaching into your nail. After using a crystal nail file for a period of about one month, users report a noticeable difference in their nails being stronger and they "don't chip and crack and peel as much".

Crystal is non-porous and very hygienic. No bacteria or debris can grow on the filing surface, nor get trapped in the roughened surface of the crystal file. The same is true for the crystal pumice file which can be left right in the bathtub without fear of mold, mildew, fungus or bacteria growing in it or on it!

Your better quality crystal nail files are made from recycled crystal. There are some factories that make them from new, large sheets of crystal-glass, but your highest quality crystal factories have found a use for the crystal left over after making vases and stem ware. The crystal is melted down and formed into large sheets. From these sheets, the various sizes of nail files and pumice files are cut.

There are no varying grits of a crystal file, with the exception of the pumice file. The pumice file is made with a coarser surface and can be used for calluses, dry skin, toe nails and artificial nails.

Crystal nail files meet all of the sanitization requirements of the FDA. They can be sanitized in alcohol, under UV light, and baked in an autoclave. Because of their hygienic nature, crystal files are perfect for diabetics - especially the pumice file. You don't have to worry about cutting yourself while you're taking care of your feet, the way diabetics do.