If you've been thinking about switching to Dish Network it's probably because you'd like the increased variety that comes with a greater selection of channels. After all, no other television provider can give you as many channels per dollar as Dish Network. But you may be concerned that with all of the extra channels you can get, television may become too complicated and that you'll simply have too many choices for television to be the relaxing experience that it's supposed to be.
Fortunately Dish Network has anticipated this problem and provides a technological solution through it's Electronic Program Guide. The Electronic Program Guide is the central piece of software on all Dish Network receiver boxes and makes it easy to navigate all of the channels in your subscription. When you bring up the Electronic Program Guide, a table listing all of the available programs comes up on your screen. Each program occupies a cell of the table which includes helpful information like when the program was made, who the actors or hosts are, and often information about the subject matter or plot. You can scroll up and down through the table to see what's on different channels and left or right to see what's on at different times. On some receiver models, you can even see what programs are scheduled to be aired up to nine days in advance! The Electronic Program Guide also lets you and everyone else in your family assemble lists of your favorite channels, so you can quickly go to the shows you want to watch without having to sort through all of the channels everyone else insisted on subscribing to.
Dish Network also provides great hardware which can make television viewing more manageable and enjoyable. The Dish Network DVR (Digital Video Recorder) is a great example of this. Some Dish Network receivers have Digital Video Recorders built in, making it easy for you to record everything you want to watch in advance so that you can watch it when you're ready. This is a great feature for people who love television, but have obligations outside the home that conflict with the scheduling of their favorite shows. It works a lot like an old fashioned VCR, but it can be programmed quickly and easily using the Electronic Program Guide, it records onto a hard drive so you don't have to fumble with video cassettes, and some models can store up to 200 hours of programming, so you can take your time in getting around to watching everything.
A satellite television company can have the best technology available, but it doesn't make any difference if it doesn't offer any programming worth watching. Fortunately Dish Network has this covered too with programming packages ranging from the budget conscious Dish Family with forty channels to the Platinum Level High Definition Programming Package with a mixture of HD (High Definition) channels and regular television channels totaling almost two hundred and fifty! Inbetween are Dish Network's America's Top Entertainment Packages which includes versions with sixty, one hundred and twenty, and one hundred and eighty channels. America's Everything Pak has a total of two hundred and ten channels which includes four movie packages from HBO, Showtime, STARZ!, and Cinemax. For even more variety, Dish Network offers seasonal sports subscriptions, foreign language programming, Pay Per View, and Latino packages which offer a mixture of channels in English and Spanish.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Current Internet Network Security Policies Are Nonsense!
the use of external consultants for the entire internet network security policy framework is not a great idea since the external consultants will find it difficult to grasp the intricacies and business drivers for the network security decisions.
Also, in terms of implementation, the internet network security policy should be disseminated to each and every employee of the company through seminars , handouts and quizzes rather than an innocuous email that no one reads.
The network security policy should capture the latest trends in the network security industry rather than playing catch up. One of the network security aspects that Internet network security policy makers should be worried about now is access to corporate data through a Blackberry or a mobile phone.
New ways of accessing internet cause internet security policy nightmares for CIOs. For example, most companies allow employees to access the corporate intranet mails thru Blackberrys. Also, some companies allow VPN access to the entire corporate intranet. All this is usually actually in violation of the existing corporate internet security policy which has to be rewritten.
In conclusion, internet network security policy implementors should focus on internal buy in among employees and proper dissemination to the entire IT work force,including contractors.This will ensure that the internet network security policy doesnt end up as a useless binder in your boss's cabin!
Also, in terms of implementation, the internet network security policy should be disseminated to each and every employee of the company through seminars , handouts and quizzes rather than an innocuous email that no one reads.
The network security policy should capture the latest trends in the network security industry rather than playing catch up. One of the network security aspects that Internet network security policy makers should be worried about now is access to corporate data through a Blackberry or a mobile phone.
New ways of accessing internet cause internet security policy nightmares for CIOs. For example, most companies allow employees to access the corporate intranet mails thru Blackberrys. Also, some companies allow VPN access to the entire corporate intranet. All this is usually actually in violation of the existing corporate internet security policy which has to be rewritten.
In conclusion, internet network security policy implementors should focus on internal buy in among employees and proper dissemination to the entire IT work force,including contractors.This will ensure that the internet network security policy doesnt end up as a useless binder in your boss's cabin!
IT Network: Faxing Capabilities
If you sense resistance during the IT network sales cycle, listen very carefully to the prospect's objections. Many times, they like what they hear, but small business owners need to hear three or four different opinions in order to bolster their confidence. Take time to understand exactly what's driving the investment in this planned IT network.
In small business IT consulting many of your prospects and clients will have similar IT network needs.
Consider Faxing Needs
Most small business employees have similar experiences when it comes to sending faxes. When a document that needs to be faxed is complete, the employee prints the document and cover sheet, gets up from the desk, walks over to the fax machine, and stands there waiting on line until the fax machine is available. This creates an enormous productivity bottleneck.
Ask Questions about IT Network Needs
To understand the cost of not addressing the single Internet access account or fax machine dilemma, talk with the small business owner. Here's a sample line of questioning you can use to shed some light on the real costs and limitations of sending faxes through a fax machine:
How many people in the office send faxes regularly?
What's the average number of pages in each person's fax?
Does each person typically create a cover page to go along with each fax?
How many faxes a day are sent out?
How often are people sending the same fax to multiple recipients?
How far away is the fax machine from most people's desks?
How many hours are wasted on a daily basis with people waiting around to send outgoing faxes?
How many hours does this translate into annually?
In small business IT consulting many of your prospects and clients will have similar IT network needs.
Consider Faxing Needs
Most small business employees have similar experiences when it comes to sending faxes. When a document that needs to be faxed is complete, the employee prints the document and cover sheet, gets up from the desk, walks over to the fax machine, and stands there waiting on line until the fax machine is available. This creates an enormous productivity bottleneck.
Ask Questions about IT Network Needs
To understand the cost of not addressing the single Internet access account or fax machine dilemma, talk with the small business owner. Here's a sample line of questioning you can use to shed some light on the real costs and limitations of sending faxes through a fax machine:
How many people in the office send faxes regularly?
What's the average number of pages in each person's fax?
Does each person typically create a cover page to go along with each fax?
How many faxes a day are sent out?
How often are people sending the same fax to multiple recipients?
How far away is the fax machine from most people's desks?
How many hours are wasted on a daily basis with people waiting around to send outgoing faxes?
How many hours does this translate into annually?
Monday, February 11, 2008
How to Set Up Your Home Office
There is no "one perfect way" to set up a home office since we are all a bit different in our organizing style, our circumstances, and space available. What we need to do is to cover the bases and enable you to determine YOUR perfect "Home Office Set Up" solution.
First, determine your organizing style for the office itself. Are you more of a Visual person, where you need to see everything as it pertains to your business? Are you more along the lines of a Logical organizer, where order and structure are the main focus of how you will work the most productively? Or, are you more Inspirational, needing to have all of your nick knacks around you in an aesthetically pleasing environment to help motivate you to work, free from all distractions?
Knowing WHAT your environment needs to be in order for you to be the most productive is the most important element of your office. Understanding and realizing this element, determines what your choices are for your base of operations.
Many people will only have one or two choices for their office. Although the ideal scenario is to have a room that is strictly used for your office, it is not always feasible, especially if you are just starting your home based business. However, it is important that you identify your choices and make a quick list of pros and cons using your organizing style as a guide.
Quickly make a list of your choices. Be sure that each area has the necessary equipment, and/or can have the necessary internet connections and phone lines needed to run your office.
Is it a spare bedroom?
Using the loft?
Perhaps even the attic?
How about ransforming the formal dining room into a makeshift office?
Dare I say, even your master bedroom…ONLY as a last resort. Try and keep your bedroom as YOUR room and sanctuary.
Once you have listed your choices, determine which category fits your organizing style the best.
If you are a logical organizer, you probably do not want to be in an open area where family and life can disrupt your business. If you are more inspirational, keep yourself away from distractions. Once you have decided on your perfect solution, you will need to lay down the ground rules.
First, determine your organizing style for the office itself. Are you more of a Visual person, where you need to see everything as it pertains to your business? Are you more along the lines of a Logical organizer, where order and structure are the main focus of how you will work the most productively? Or, are you more Inspirational, needing to have all of your nick knacks around you in an aesthetically pleasing environment to help motivate you to work, free from all distractions?
Knowing WHAT your environment needs to be in order for you to be the most productive is the most important element of your office. Understanding and realizing this element, determines what your choices are for your base of operations.
Many people will only have one or two choices for their office. Although the ideal scenario is to have a room that is strictly used for your office, it is not always feasible, especially if you are just starting your home based business. However, it is important that you identify your choices and make a quick list of pros and cons using your organizing style as a guide.
Quickly make a list of your choices. Be sure that each area has the necessary equipment, and/or can have the necessary internet connections and phone lines needed to run your office.
Is it a spare bedroom?
Using the loft?
Perhaps even the attic?
How about ransforming the formal dining room into a makeshift office?
Dare I say, even your master bedroom…ONLY as a last resort. Try and keep your bedroom as YOUR room and sanctuary.
Once you have listed your choices, determine which category fits your organizing style the best.
If you are a logical organizer, you probably do not want to be in an open area where family and life can disrupt your business. If you are more inspirational, keep yourself away from distractions. Once you have decided on your perfect solution, you will need to lay down the ground rules.
Home Office Furniture Essentials
If you have been planning on "creating" your own home office, chances are that you have come to the realization that you need to buy some home office furniture. However, what you may not know is what types of home office furniture pieces are important for your home office. There is no doubt that there are a number of different things which are required for any home office in order to make sure that the work that you do here actually gets completed in an effective manner. A home office is a place in your home that you will want to keep organized, so chances are that you will find any home office furniture essential very beneficial to you and your office. Here, we will take a much closer look at some home office furniture essentials.
One of the most important pieces of home office furniture is a computer desk. Unless you have a laptop computer, chances are that you will not be able to have a computer in your home office without having a computer desk. There are so many different types of computer desks which are available for you to choose from for your home office. For example, if you are looking for a very spacious computer desk which will provide you with the additional desk space which you may be looking for, then you should probably consider getting a L shaped computer desk. If you are looking for something that is more compact, you can find desks which will just fit into your corner. These are beneficial for anyone who does not have a spacious room to work with. With so many different options for you to select from, in order to find the desk which is the most suitable for you, you should be sure to check out a variety of different places.
Another very important piece of home office furniture, which goes along with a computer desk, is a computer chair. If you are interested in actually being able to sit at your computer desk, chances are that you will find that a computer chair is probably necessary. Much like computer desks, there are a variety of different types of computer chairs for you to choose from. Whether you are looking for something that is suede or something that is leather, there are so many different options out there for you.
Other pieces of home office furniture which you will probably be interested in having for your home office include waste baskets, file cabinets, book cases, and printer stands. Another home office essential, although it may not technically be considered a piece of home office furniture, is a paper shredder.
One of the most important pieces of home office furniture is a computer desk. Unless you have a laptop computer, chances are that you will not be able to have a computer in your home office without having a computer desk. There are so many different types of computer desks which are available for you to choose from for your home office. For example, if you are looking for a very spacious computer desk which will provide you with the additional desk space which you may be looking for, then you should probably consider getting a L shaped computer desk. If you are looking for something that is more compact, you can find desks which will just fit into your corner. These are beneficial for anyone who does not have a spacious room to work with. With so many different options for you to select from, in order to find the desk which is the most suitable for you, you should be sure to check out a variety of different places.
Another very important piece of home office furniture, which goes along with a computer desk, is a computer chair. If you are interested in actually being able to sit at your computer desk, chances are that you will find that a computer chair is probably necessary. Much like computer desks, there are a variety of different types of computer chairs for you to choose from. Whether you are looking for something that is suede or something that is leather, there are so many different options out there for you.
Other pieces of home office furniture which you will probably be interested in having for your home office include waste baskets, file cabinets, book cases, and printer stands. Another home office essential, although it may not technically be considered a piece of home office furniture, is a paper shredder.
Friday, February 08, 2008
Essential Office Equipment for a Home Business
You’ve come up with a name for your business, and you’ve laid out a business plan. Now, its time to put together your home office. Many people just starting out spend too much money on their office equipment. A good home office is not only cost effective, it’s space saving.
The first piece of office equipment you will need, no matter what home business you may be establishing, is a desk. Yard sales or second hand stores can offer you a great product for a low price. It may not be the best on the market, but you can invest in the high end office furniture when you hit it big and have the money to waste. Starting out you need inexpensive and functional.
The next piece of essential office equipment is a printer. There are some nice, compact models on the market today that do a multitude of work at a small price. These all-in-one systems will print (usually with both black ink and color ink), they will fax, they will scan, and they will copy. The biggest downfall of these is that they can be slow.
If the business will be paper heavy, and you will be making lots of copies or doing a large amount of printing, then you may need to invest in a stand alone printer. Instead of leasing a new one (and throwing money away in the process), you can usually find some discounted ones at a used office equipment store.
The final piece of office equipment that most every business can utilize is a computer. Here is where the eyes can be much bigger than the checkbook. Get a computer that has the memory you need and will do the functions you want for your business. Spending extra money to get all the bells and whistles – which you probably won’t have the time to use while you start up a new business – is just more money down the drain.
The first piece of office equipment you will need, no matter what home business you may be establishing, is a desk. Yard sales or second hand stores can offer you a great product for a low price. It may not be the best on the market, but you can invest in the high end office furniture when you hit it big and have the money to waste. Starting out you need inexpensive and functional.
The next piece of essential office equipment is a printer. There are some nice, compact models on the market today that do a multitude of work at a small price. These all-in-one systems will print (usually with both black ink and color ink), they will fax, they will scan, and they will copy. The biggest downfall of these is that they can be slow.
If the business will be paper heavy, and you will be making lots of copies or doing a large amount of printing, then you may need to invest in a stand alone printer. Instead of leasing a new one (and throwing money away in the process), you can usually find some discounted ones at a used office equipment store.
The final piece of office equipment that most every business can utilize is a computer. Here is where the eyes can be much bigger than the checkbook. Get a computer that has the memory you need and will do the functions you want for your business. Spending extra money to get all the bells and whistles – which you probably won’t have the time to use while you start up a new business – is just more money down the drain.
DISH Network Satellite Equipment - What's Free and What's Not?
In order to compete with DIRECTV and the cable companies, DISH Network is giving away satellite TV systems to people who subscribe to their service. But what equipment do you get for free, and what equipment do you have to pay for?
Free DISH Network Satellite Equipment
Here's the equipment you get for free when you subscribe to DISH Network:
Satellite TV Dish
A satellite TV dish captures the signal from a satellite orbiting above the earth. The signal is sent to an LNB (low noise block) converter which amplifies the signal and sends it to a receiver.
Satellite TV Receiver
A satellite TV receiver processes the satellite TV signal and sends it to a television. DISH Network will give you free satellite TV receivers that will allow you to watch four different shows on four different televisions. These receivers feature an electronic program guide, parental locks, and DISH Home Interactive TV.
DISH Network is currently running a promotion that lets you upgrade to a DVR (digital video recorder) receiver or and HD (high definition) receiver for free.
The DVR receiver allows you to digitally record up to 100 hours of satellite TV programming, and pause live TV so you can get a snack or answer the phone. The HD receiver allows you to watch satellite TV in high definition format.
All receivers come with universal remote controls that allow you to operate your satellite TV receiver plus your TV, DVD player, and VCR.
Pay-For DISH Network Satellite TV Equipment
For an additional $199 you can purchase a DVR/HD combination receiver. This receiver can deliver standard definition and high-definition broadcasts, and features a 250 gigabyte hard drive that can digitally record up to 180 hours of programming.
DISH Network Satellite TV Programming
DISH Network currently has 350 channels of satellite TV programming which include movie channels, sports packages, Sirius satellite radio channels, news and weather channels, game channels, pay-per-view movies, and pay-per-view special events.
Free DISH Network Satellite Equipment
Here's the equipment you get for free when you subscribe to DISH Network:
Satellite TV Dish
A satellite TV dish captures the signal from a satellite orbiting above the earth. The signal is sent to an LNB (low noise block) converter which amplifies the signal and sends it to a receiver.
Satellite TV Receiver
A satellite TV receiver processes the satellite TV signal and sends it to a television. DISH Network will give you free satellite TV receivers that will allow you to watch four different shows on four different televisions. These receivers feature an electronic program guide, parental locks, and DISH Home Interactive TV.
DISH Network is currently running a promotion that lets you upgrade to a DVR (digital video recorder) receiver or and HD (high definition) receiver for free.
The DVR receiver allows you to digitally record up to 100 hours of satellite TV programming, and pause live TV so you can get a snack or answer the phone. The HD receiver allows you to watch satellite TV in high definition format.
All receivers come with universal remote controls that allow you to operate your satellite TV receiver plus your TV, DVD player, and VCR.
Pay-For DISH Network Satellite TV Equipment
For an additional $199 you can purchase a DVR/HD combination receiver. This receiver can deliver standard definition and high-definition broadcasts, and features a 250 gigabyte hard drive that can digitally record up to 180 hours of programming.
DISH Network Satellite TV Programming
DISH Network currently has 350 channels of satellite TV programming which include movie channels, sports packages, Sirius satellite radio channels, news and weather channels, game channels, pay-per-view movies, and pay-per-view special events.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Derive Better Business With A Registered Office
If you a businessmen who needs an address which has good commercial reputation, a registered office is the way to go. Primarily, it fulfills the purpose of giving your business brand name more visibility in the market. This casts a good impression on your customers. A registered office address is accorded high significance for a business to grow. This is because a registered office in a strategic location will help the image of the company. The fame of the place itself acts as the advertisement for your business firm.
A registered office is a mandatory requirement under UK law. This office does not require to be the place from where the business is run. It is basically the address of a company registered under Companies House and this serves as the official address of that company. In UK, You can have a registered office anywhere in England and Wales.
In UK, it is a law for anyone willing to start a business to get a registered office address to run their businesses as well as to keep in closer touch with the Government agencies. This provision is specially beneficial to the British overseas residents since it helps them to run their businesses and communicate in UK while working from any desired location. Also, mail deliveries are faster and more convenient when a the postal address is well-renowned and reliable.
Many companies in the UK actually provide the registered office address service to small businesses. And for all the ease and convenience that a registered office provides, all they charge in return is a small fees. In some cases, some companies even dispense with the administration fee. And they may also give you concession of the mail forwarding fee and postage fee.
It becomes the duty of the companies, who provide the registered office service, to forward mails received by them to their clients, that is, the small business firms. Speaking on behalf of the small-time businessmen, it is advisable that they do enough research for the same to get such deals at ideal rates.
A registered office is a mandatory requirement under UK law. This office does not require to be the place from where the business is run. It is basically the address of a company registered under Companies House and this serves as the official address of that company. In UK, You can have a registered office anywhere in England and Wales.
In UK, it is a law for anyone willing to start a business to get a registered office address to run their businesses as well as to keep in closer touch with the Government agencies. This provision is specially beneficial to the British overseas residents since it helps them to run their businesses and communicate in UK while working from any desired location. Also, mail deliveries are faster and more convenient when a the postal address is well-renowned and reliable.
Many companies in the UK actually provide the registered office address service to small businesses. And for all the ease and convenience that a registered office provides, all they charge in return is a small fees. In some cases, some companies even dispense with the administration fee. And they may also give you concession of the mail forwarding fee and postage fee.
It becomes the duty of the companies, who provide the registered office service, to forward mails received by them to their clients, that is, the small business firms. Speaking on behalf of the small-time businessmen, it is advisable that they do enough research for the same to get such deals at ideal rates.
Work At Home Office
If you are going to work at home, you need an office to call your own. While this is not an absolute necessity, it will definitely make your business run more smoothly from day one. As you can imagine, having a home office is better than working from your dining room table. You may be able to get away with not having your own workspace, but over time it will surely begin to wear on you. Even if you do not have a separate room for an office, you will still want to set something up.
Your office does not have to be in a room of its own. In other words, if you work at home you may be able to add a desk to your bedroom and leave well enough alone. Of course, if you have an extra space you will definitely want to look into making it an office. Generally speaking, this all depends on the layout of your home. Some people are lucky enough to have a spare bedroom that can be turned into an office. But of course, some are not. This is something to consider before joining the work at home revolution.
When it comes to setting up your office there is also a lot to consider. First off, you need to keep things clean and neat. Depending on your occupation, you may find it difficult to organize all of your material and supplies. But with that being said, you need to find a way. The fact of the matter is that staying organized is very important to your overall success.
All in all, if you are going to work at home you need to have an office of some sort. At the very least this will give you a place where you can store all of your work related material. If you take the time to set up an office, it will be much easier for you to work from home.
Your office does not have to be in a room of its own. In other words, if you work at home you may be able to add a desk to your bedroom and leave well enough alone. Of course, if you have an extra space you will definitely want to look into making it an office. Generally speaking, this all depends on the layout of your home. Some people are lucky enough to have a spare bedroom that can be turned into an office. But of course, some are not. This is something to consider before joining the work at home revolution.
When it comes to setting up your office there is also a lot to consider. First off, you need to keep things clean and neat. Depending on your occupation, you may find it difficult to organize all of your material and supplies. But with that being said, you need to find a way. The fact of the matter is that staying organized is very important to your overall success.
All in all, if you are going to work at home you need to have an office of some sort. At the very least this will give you a place where you can store all of your work related material. If you take the time to set up an office, it will be much easier for you to work from home.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Business Cards - You Must Have Them, But You Have Options
One thing that all businesses must have is a quality set of business cards. It doesn't matter if your business is dog walking or dog food manufacturing, the surest way to signal to your prospective customers that you aren't a serious business is to hand them a handwritten piece of paper with your information on it. You must have a color business card, printed on card stock, in order to be a serious business.
So, you have two choices. You can purchase professionally printed business cards, either at a local store like Office Max, or you can buy online at a place like VistaPrint.com Both of them will require you to purchase at least 250 of the cards, and will run you between $30 and $80 per batch, depending on what options you have. Online sites like VistaPrint have business card templates that you can use to design your card before it is printed, which can be a nice benefit.
The other option is to make them yourself. In this case, you have three main options.
The first is creating yourself, printing yourself. This is the cheapest method, and you can usually print them in quantities of 10 or less at a time. Virtually all word processing packages have a business card template you can use, though they are often extremely bland. Open up Microsoft Word, select new, and select business card as a template. Type in your name and address in the few choices you get, and you're all set. A short trip to an office supply store will get you card stock paper, some especially made for home printers, and you're good to go.
The second method is to use business card software to create your cards. Several are available, some as freeware, that allow you to have a better experience in creating your own cards, including changing colors, designs, logos, etc. Often these will allow you to either print directly, or allow you to export an image that you can use to print. If you are a designer, you can use professional-grade image software like photoshop to create exactly how you want things to look, including the use of fancy techniques like fades and gradients.
Finally, you can do a blend of both. Use your word processor or software to design your card, but print them at one of the online shops, like VistaPrint. They usually allow you to upload the full image you want printed, and often you can get good quality cards for $20 or less, including shipping. Once you have your card uploaded, they generally store them for you, so that you can either order another one if you have an employee, or if you ever need more.
Making your own card is not hard to do, and is vital to growing your business. You can make them yourself, using standard business card templates, get software to help you out, or you can use the online templates available at online printing shops. Once you have it crafted, you can print them yourself in very small quantities, or print them online or in store, for a more professional look. Whatever you do, you must have them, so you may as well enjoy it!
So, you have two choices. You can purchase professionally printed business cards, either at a local store like Office Max, or you can buy online at a place like VistaPrint.com Both of them will require you to purchase at least 250 of the cards, and will run you between $30 and $80 per batch, depending on what options you have. Online sites like VistaPrint have business card templates that you can use to design your card before it is printed, which can be a nice benefit.
The other option is to make them yourself. In this case, you have three main options.
The first is creating yourself, printing yourself. This is the cheapest method, and you can usually print them in quantities of 10 or less at a time. Virtually all word processing packages have a business card template you can use, though they are often extremely bland. Open up Microsoft Word, select new, and select business card as a template. Type in your name and address in the few choices you get, and you're all set. A short trip to an office supply store will get you card stock paper, some especially made for home printers, and you're good to go.
The second method is to use business card software to create your cards. Several are available, some as freeware, that allow you to have a better experience in creating your own cards, including changing colors, designs, logos, etc. Often these will allow you to either print directly, or allow you to export an image that you can use to print. If you are a designer, you can use professional-grade image software like photoshop to create exactly how you want things to look, including the use of fancy techniques like fades and gradients.
Finally, you can do a blend of both. Use your word processor or software to design your card, but print them at one of the online shops, like VistaPrint. They usually allow you to upload the full image you want printed, and often you can get good quality cards for $20 or less, including shipping. Once you have your card uploaded, they generally store them for you, so that you can either order another one if you have an employee, or if you ever need more.
Making your own card is not hard to do, and is vital to growing your business. You can make them yourself, using standard business card templates, get software to help you out, or you can use the online templates available at online printing shops. Once you have it crafted, you can print them yourself in very small quantities, or print them online or in store, for a more professional look. Whatever you do, you must have them, so you may as well enjoy it!
3 Things You Should Know Before You Go To A Networking Event
Very few people make any preparation for a networking event. Those that are experienced networkers are even worse. We think that being dressed professionally and having a good opening line is all that we need to have a good networking event.
But you are going to spend several hours of your free time doing this event. Does it make sense to arrive unprepared with no clear goals? Remember it's YOUR time that you are using at these events.
So here are three things that you should be clear about prior to arrival.
1. Know yourself.
How are you feeling? Rushed? Stressed? Put upon? Don't really want to go? First be aware of your mood and if negative, figure out how to put it away for the event. If you need to, arrive a little late and give yourself some up time. Go browse a favorite store, grab a cup of your favorite coffee, whatever it takes to put yourself in a better place, relaxed and positive.
What happens if you don't? You see it all the time. People looking stressed, tired, unfocused. More worried about the food or drink than networking. They just want to relax, join up with someone they know and talk (whine?) about their work day.
I certainly understand. But what are you accomplishing then? If you are using a networking event to unwind, wouldn't it make sense to just head on home? The other thing is that you are sending out signals, negative signals. Not a productive use of your time.
2. The second thing you should know is who's going to be there.
Many networking events are constructed so that you know who else is registered. You should check it the afternoon of the event. (Typically 50% register within the final two days, depending on the type of event). Search for people you would like to talk to, whether similar businesses, to sell or buy from or even a business that you would like to know more about.
By focusing on several people you would like to meet, you already have made the event more meaningful for you to attend. It's also going to force you to circulate the room more (to find them), introduce yourself to people and make you more active at the event. You don't need to tell them you were specifically looking for them, but introduce yourself as you would to anyone else.
When you do meet up with 2 or 3 people that you had marked for conversation, you'll have accomplished something positive! Unconsciously, you will be feeling good about that and it will show. Chances are you'll be feeling pretty good and people will respond to that.
On a final note for this section, when you look at who you would like to meet expand your idea of who would be useful to you besides just a possible sales prospect. How about meeting someone that ....
o Has a business that you have an interest in?
o Appears to be well connected in the community?
o Is in a position that you have an interest in?
o Might have services that YOU could use?
o Might have services that someone you know could use?
o Has an off the wall business that you aren't clear on, but it might be interesting to know about?
o Or business that you should know more about, but don't understand... something like internet marketing? (I still don't get it!)
The bottom line is that there are a lot of people out there with a lot of knowledge that YOU may not have and networking is a fantastic opportunity to meet them and gain from it. Certainly we would like to get business from networking, but by opening yourself to the wide range of people that you could meet, you have a much better chance of making any networking event a more profitable use of your time.
3. Know your goals!
Certainly adhering to step 2 would be a great start to making a goal for networking. But there are certainly other things that you can focus on as well depending on what you want to accomplish. Getting an appointment to meet (or meetings) with one or more people, getting to know someone better (building that relationship), getting a certain amount of business cards, introducing yourself to the powers that be (if a chamber event, the officers and the people who work at the chamber), and meeting X amount of new people (a great networking goal!).
Making goals doesn't have turn into this high pressure "business" thing. But BY making goals, you are more likely avoiding the opposite extreme which is to show up, talk to some people and then go home.
Successful people in any business today know the value of preparation. For some meetings, the preparation can take a great deal longer than the meeting itself. But good prep is likely to create good meetings. It is no different with networking. The good news is preparation time is pretty short, checking out where our head is at, how's coming and what you want to accomplish. In fact, after doing it a time or two, it will be pretty natural and talk just a few minutes. But the payoff is significant.
But you are going to spend several hours of your free time doing this event. Does it make sense to arrive unprepared with no clear goals? Remember it's YOUR time that you are using at these events.
So here are three things that you should be clear about prior to arrival.
1. Know yourself.
How are you feeling? Rushed? Stressed? Put upon? Don't really want to go? First be aware of your mood and if negative, figure out how to put it away for the event. If you need to, arrive a little late and give yourself some up time. Go browse a favorite store, grab a cup of your favorite coffee, whatever it takes to put yourself in a better place, relaxed and positive.
What happens if you don't? You see it all the time. People looking stressed, tired, unfocused. More worried about the food or drink than networking. They just want to relax, join up with someone they know and talk (whine?) about their work day.
I certainly understand. But what are you accomplishing then? If you are using a networking event to unwind, wouldn't it make sense to just head on home? The other thing is that you are sending out signals, negative signals. Not a productive use of your time.
2. The second thing you should know is who's going to be there.
Many networking events are constructed so that you know who else is registered. You should check it the afternoon of the event. (Typically 50% register within the final two days, depending on the type of event). Search for people you would like to talk to, whether similar businesses, to sell or buy from or even a business that you would like to know more about.
By focusing on several people you would like to meet, you already have made the event more meaningful for you to attend. It's also going to force you to circulate the room more (to find them), introduce yourself to people and make you more active at the event. You don't need to tell them you were specifically looking for them, but introduce yourself as you would to anyone else.
When you do meet up with 2 or 3 people that you had marked for conversation, you'll have accomplished something positive! Unconsciously, you will be feeling good about that and it will show. Chances are you'll be feeling pretty good and people will respond to that.
On a final note for this section, when you look at who you would like to meet expand your idea of who would be useful to you besides just a possible sales prospect. How about meeting someone that ....
o Has a business that you have an interest in?
o Appears to be well connected in the community?
o Is in a position that you have an interest in?
o Might have services that YOU could use?
o Might have services that someone you know could use?
o Has an off the wall business that you aren't clear on, but it might be interesting to know about?
o Or business that you should know more about, but don't understand... something like internet marketing? (I still don't get it!)
The bottom line is that there are a lot of people out there with a lot of knowledge that YOU may not have and networking is a fantastic opportunity to meet them and gain from it. Certainly we would like to get business from networking, but by opening yourself to the wide range of people that you could meet, you have a much better chance of making any networking event a more profitable use of your time.
3. Know your goals!
Certainly adhering to step 2 would be a great start to making a goal for networking. But there are certainly other things that you can focus on as well depending on what you want to accomplish. Getting an appointment to meet (or meetings) with one or more people, getting to know someone better (building that relationship), getting a certain amount of business cards, introducing yourself to the powers that be (if a chamber event, the officers and the people who work at the chamber), and meeting X amount of new people (a great networking goal!).
Making goals doesn't have turn into this high pressure "business" thing. But BY making goals, you are more likely avoiding the opposite extreme which is to show up, talk to some people and then go home.
Successful people in any business today know the value of preparation. For some meetings, the preparation can take a great deal longer than the meeting itself. But good prep is likely to create good meetings. It is no different with networking. The good news is preparation time is pretty short, checking out where our head is at, how's coming and what you want to accomplish. In fact, after doing it a time or two, it will be pretty natural and talk just a few minutes. But the payoff is significant.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Be Your Own Boss With Network Marketing
Do you dream about being your own boss? This is a very real possibility today for almost anyone no matter where they live in the world. The reason for this is the internet. Another reason is using the internet to start your own network marketing business and run it out of your home.
Being your own boss is not for everyone however. Here are a few pros and cons of being your own boss in network marketing.
1. Not everyone is self motivated. If you are the type of person who needs a boss to tell you what to do you will have trouble getting up and going to work for yourself. On the other hand if you thrive on independence and are very goal oriented being your own boss is a great idea. Building a successful network marketing business is a challenge that when you have done it can reward you by being your own boss.
2. Some people can not deal with the ups and downs of an income without a job. Payday is not always going to be every Friday at first. Unless you have a large bank account to tide you over until you have a steady income coming in this can be tough for some people. On the flip side you can start your own network marketing business part time and build it up until you can replace your income from your job.
3. What is your computer skill level? Having some computer savvy is a must in todays business world. If you want to build a world class business you need to know how to do internet marketing. The nice thing is it is not rocket science. Once you get a system of creating leads and getting traffic to your website or blog the internet will become your biggest lead generator.
4. Some people have trouble being their own boss because of the distractions working at home can bring. It is imperative that you set office hours and if you can set up an office where you work. When you are in there you are at work and must keep any outside interference to a minimum.
On the bright side you get to set your own schedule. If you want to go to your kid's ballgame you can. If you want to take a 4 day weekend you do need permission. To be your own boss with network marketing is a dream come true for many people and you can be one of them.
Being your own boss is not for everyone however. Here are a few pros and cons of being your own boss in network marketing.
1. Not everyone is self motivated. If you are the type of person who needs a boss to tell you what to do you will have trouble getting up and going to work for yourself. On the other hand if you thrive on independence and are very goal oriented being your own boss is a great idea. Building a successful network marketing business is a challenge that when you have done it can reward you by being your own boss.
2. Some people can not deal with the ups and downs of an income without a job. Payday is not always going to be every Friday at first. Unless you have a large bank account to tide you over until you have a steady income coming in this can be tough for some people. On the flip side you can start your own network marketing business part time and build it up until you can replace your income from your job.
3. What is your computer skill level? Having some computer savvy is a must in todays business world. If you want to build a world class business you need to know how to do internet marketing. The nice thing is it is not rocket science. Once you get a system of creating leads and getting traffic to your website or blog the internet will become your biggest lead generator.
4. Some people have trouble being their own boss because of the distractions working at home can bring. It is imperative that you set office hours and if you can set up an office where you work. When you are in there you are at work and must keep any outside interference to a minimum.
On the bright side you get to set your own schedule. If you want to go to your kid's ballgame you can. If you want to take a 4 day weekend you do need permission. To be your own boss with network marketing is a dream come true for many people and you can be one of them.
DIY Guide For Office Furniture Leads - Desks, Cubicles, Copiers, Fax Machines, Printers, Supplies
Are you a salesperson that sells office furniture such as cubicles, desks, or ergonomic office chairs? Or perhaps you sell Copiers, fax machines, or printers? Maybe you sell office supplies or mailing equipment? Whatever you sell, do you want to generate more sales leads without cold calling via the internet?
This is a do-it-yourself (DIY) guide for generating internet office furniture leads and other sales leads for salespeople that sell office furniture and equipment.
One of the easiest ways for salespeople to generate leads is to draw on people that are using search engines to look for the products that you are selling and pay to capture that lead. It costs just pennies to capture the lead.
Before explaining how to do it, you must first create a list of "keywords" that you think people that need your products are searching on search engines. Here is a short list of popular internet searches for office equipment and furniture:
* color copier printer fax
* refurbished copiers
* discount office furniture
* commercial office equipment
* Chicago office cubicles
* leather office chairs
* contemporary office chairs
* Atlanta office supplies
* wholesale office supplies
* rebuilt mailing equipment
* secretary desks
* audio visual presentation equipment
* multifunction printer scanner
* home office furniture
* Los Angeles office furniture
Of course, this is just an example of keywords that you can use. For yourself, you need to choose keywords that are relevant to what you sell. Choose specific keywords and use the city that you live in, like I did in a few of the examples above.
To use internet search engines for office furniture leads you must have a website yourself. Create one if you do not already have one. The way it works is that your keywords are shown as "sponsored results" whenever someone searches those words on search engines. Whenever someone clicks on your link and is taken to your website you pay for the click. But don’t worry; each click is relatively cheap. It normally costs just pennies per click.
It really is that easy. People searching for your products on search engines come to your website via sponsored listings and then it is your job to close the sale on the lead.
This is a do-it-yourself (DIY) guide for generating internet office furniture leads and other sales leads for salespeople that sell office furniture and equipment.
One of the easiest ways for salespeople to generate leads is to draw on people that are using search engines to look for the products that you are selling and pay to capture that lead. It costs just pennies to capture the lead.
Before explaining how to do it, you must first create a list of "keywords" that you think people that need your products are searching on search engines. Here is a short list of popular internet searches for office equipment and furniture:
* color copier printer fax
* refurbished copiers
* discount office furniture
* commercial office equipment
* Chicago office cubicles
* leather office chairs
* contemporary office chairs
* Atlanta office supplies
* wholesale office supplies
* rebuilt mailing equipment
* secretary desks
* audio visual presentation equipment
* multifunction printer scanner
* home office furniture
* Los Angeles office furniture
Of course, this is just an example of keywords that you can use. For yourself, you need to choose keywords that are relevant to what you sell. Choose specific keywords and use the city that you live in, like I did in a few of the examples above.
To use internet search engines for office furniture leads you must have a website yourself. Create one if you do not already have one. The way it works is that your keywords are shown as "sponsored results" whenever someone searches those words on search engines. Whenever someone clicks on your link and is taken to your website you pay for the click. But don’t worry; each click is relatively cheap. It normally costs just pennies per click.
It really is that easy. People searching for your products on search engines come to your website via sponsored listings and then it is your job to close the sale on the lead.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Stay At Home Work - Creating A Great Home Office Environment
When you begin any kind of stay at home work or home based business, it’s a good idea to put a lot of thought into your stay at home working environment. After that cubicle where you were forced to make good use of your space, it’s easy to spread out and become disorganized. Or worse, not put any thought at all into your stay at home work environment.
For instance, your stay at home business office needs to have its own phone. In many homes, the phone is in a central location where it’s easily accessible. You will waste untold amounts of time and energy if you don’t have a phone for your stay at home job. This is a problem that’s easily solved with a remote phone that you keep in your stay at home business office.
Too, it’s easy to let the office where you perform your stay at home job get cluttered and dirty. After all, you think, no one sees my stay at home work office but me. And that’s exactly why you need to make sure your stay at home office is neat and clean. It reflects professionalism which has a psychological affect of making you feel more professional, which makes it easier to take a more professional attitude toward your stay at home job.
And it doesn’t hurt to decorate your stay at home work office so that it’s a pleasant place for you to be. You’re going to be spending a lot of time in your stay at home work office, so you want to feel comfortable and make it a place you enjoy being in. That enjoyment carries over to your stay at home job and can make it far more enjoyable. So paint the walls a cheerful color that makes you feel good and put up some posters or pictures. Invest in some houseplants. You’ll be amazed at how great a difference making even a few small changes in your stay at home work office will make you feel toward your stay at home job.
If your stay at home work office must be in the basement of your home, you want to pay even closer attention to the lighting and humidity levels. A constantly damp environment isn’t good for office equipment—or you. It can cause you to be more susceptible to colds and allergies. So invest in a good dehumidifier to protect both yourself and your stay at home office equipment. And make sure you have great lighting. A basement can be a dreary, gloomy place for your stay at home office and good lighting can not only make it brighter and more cheerful, it also makes it a lot easier to see—which is important to performing your stay at home job more efficiently.
Also, no matter where your stay at home work office is in your home, it needs to have good ventilation. This is especially important for a stay at home work office that’s in a basement. You need fresh air, and, again, so does your equipment. So invest in a good fan and/or air filter to ensure the air in the office where you do your stay at home work has the freshest air possible. Your stay at home work office equipment will work better and so will you.
Finally, you also want to invest in some quality stay at home work office furniture. You want a good, comfortable chair and a good desk for your stay at home work office. Nothing’s worse than spending a lot of time in a chair that isn’t comfortable or a desk that’s too high or too low to allow you to do your stay at home work comfortably. Buying quality stay at home office furniture doesn’t have to cost you a fortune, either. You can pick up great furniture for your home office at liquidation sales and online auctions. So chose stay at home office furniture that fits both you and your budget.
For instance, your stay at home business office needs to have its own phone. In many homes, the phone is in a central location where it’s easily accessible. You will waste untold amounts of time and energy if you don’t have a phone for your stay at home job. This is a problem that’s easily solved with a remote phone that you keep in your stay at home business office.
Too, it’s easy to let the office where you perform your stay at home job get cluttered and dirty. After all, you think, no one sees my stay at home work office but me. And that’s exactly why you need to make sure your stay at home office is neat and clean. It reflects professionalism which has a psychological affect of making you feel more professional, which makes it easier to take a more professional attitude toward your stay at home job.
And it doesn’t hurt to decorate your stay at home work office so that it’s a pleasant place for you to be. You’re going to be spending a lot of time in your stay at home work office, so you want to feel comfortable and make it a place you enjoy being in. That enjoyment carries over to your stay at home job and can make it far more enjoyable. So paint the walls a cheerful color that makes you feel good and put up some posters or pictures. Invest in some houseplants. You’ll be amazed at how great a difference making even a few small changes in your stay at home work office will make you feel toward your stay at home job.
If your stay at home work office must be in the basement of your home, you want to pay even closer attention to the lighting and humidity levels. A constantly damp environment isn’t good for office equipment—or you. It can cause you to be more susceptible to colds and allergies. So invest in a good dehumidifier to protect both yourself and your stay at home office equipment. And make sure you have great lighting. A basement can be a dreary, gloomy place for your stay at home office and good lighting can not only make it brighter and more cheerful, it also makes it a lot easier to see—which is important to performing your stay at home job more efficiently.
Also, no matter where your stay at home work office is in your home, it needs to have good ventilation. This is especially important for a stay at home work office that’s in a basement. You need fresh air, and, again, so does your equipment. So invest in a good fan and/or air filter to ensure the air in the office where you do your stay at home work has the freshest air possible. Your stay at home work office equipment will work better and so will you.
Finally, you also want to invest in some quality stay at home work office furniture. You want a good, comfortable chair and a good desk for your stay at home work office. Nothing’s worse than spending a lot of time in a chair that isn’t comfortable or a desk that’s too high or too low to allow you to do your stay at home work comfortably. Buying quality stay at home office furniture doesn’t have to cost you a fortune, either. You can pick up great furniture for your home office at liquidation sales and online auctions. So chose stay at home office furniture that fits both you and your budget.
Home Office Shredders
Home office shredders are light volume shredders. They are used at places where documents are to be shredded periodically. These shredders are also known as deskside shredders. They are more suitable for personal or home office use and most of them are designed to fit under a desk. Some of these shredders have cabinets which function as convenient waste paper bins. Most home office shredders use a combination of plastic and metal gears.
The CD/DVD/paper shredder is a home office shredder. It can shred up to seven folded sheets of paper at a time and can also convert CDs, DVDs and credit cards into confetti. It is a tabletop shredder that ensures total document security. The cross-cutting heads of this shredder can slice paper, rubber bands, credit cards, floppy disks and CD-ROMs into 2 × 23 mm flakes without difficulty. This shredder has durable steel gears and reverse mode. It also has easy-to-empty plastic container and cleaning brush.
The deskside straight cut shredder is another variety of home office shredder. It has a thermally protected motor, soft lines and rounded corners for an up-to-date style. It can shred up to 20 sheets at a time with a speed of 20 feet per minute. Most deskside straight cut shredders are fully automatic.
Some home office shredders are designed for deskside use in shared spaces and cubicles.
Most home office shredders have ultra quiet motors which give a high level of performance. The total daily shredding capacity of these shredders is as high as 300 sheets. Their durable steel cutters can handle credit cards and staples. The reverse function provided in these shredders help to remove paper jams easily.
The CD/DVD/paper shredder is a home office shredder. It can shred up to seven folded sheets of paper at a time and can also convert CDs, DVDs and credit cards into confetti. It is a tabletop shredder that ensures total document security. The cross-cutting heads of this shredder can slice paper, rubber bands, credit cards, floppy disks and CD-ROMs into 2 × 23 mm flakes without difficulty. This shredder has durable steel gears and reverse mode. It also has easy-to-empty plastic container and cleaning brush.
The deskside straight cut shredder is another variety of home office shredder. It has a thermally protected motor, soft lines and rounded corners for an up-to-date style. It can shred up to 20 sheets at a time with a speed of 20 feet per minute. Most deskside straight cut shredders are fully automatic.
Some home office shredders are designed for deskside use in shared spaces and cubicles.
Most home office shredders have ultra quiet motors which give a high level of performance. The total daily shredding capacity of these shredders is as high as 300 sheets. Their durable steel cutters can handle credit cards and staples. The reverse function provided in these shredders help to remove paper jams easily.
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Home For The Holidays
What makes a family? I ponder the question often, but not because I don't know the answer. On the contrary, the answer was embedded in my mind by my parents long ago, and that's why I try very hard to pass this knowledge on to my children so that they not only know the meaning of the word family, but will also recognize its significance.
Family is the most vital aspect of our childhood; every experience that we share with each family member plays a role that will forever be implanted in our subconscious and somehow manifest in our lives for years to come. Since we don't get to choose our family, they come in all different shapes and sizes. Most can attest to a crazy aunt, a loud uncle, a cousin that is hard to bear, or a grandma that lost a screw or two. But all in all, even under the worst circumstance, family unites us and makes us whole.
On our last family reunion, I was watching my niece and nephew mingling with my children. The four-year-old precautious child ran around hugging and kissing her 'cousins' (a new word that she recently learned and loved). Her cousins, who are much older, took time to play with her and obliged to her every whim while she happily sang and showered them with gratitude kisses. Taking their age difference into consideration, it was obvious that the cousins play time would be kept to a minimum. As our week progressed, it was apparent to everyone that these few hours she spent with them on a daily basis made a world of a difference to her as it did to them. Her brother, who is just short of being ten, had a blast with the 'big kids,' regarding himself as their peer because he got to play in a different league. It was amusing to watch how he tried to be more mature and conspicuous in order to blend in among them.
Every night at dinner, it was fun to see everyone gather around and tell stories of the past year. It was a precious thing to watch our kids taking care of their grandparents and taking charge over making dinner plans. Our fifteen-year-old suddenly looked eighteen and my husband and I once again had an eye opener over the realization that our college age kids now had a life of their own; they are all working their way up the ladder, learning and building their lives, and we don't have many years left to hover over them.
Family is the most vital aspect of our childhood; every experience that we share with each family member plays a role that will forever be implanted in our subconscious and somehow manifest in our lives for years to come. Since we don't get to choose our family, they come in all different shapes and sizes. Most can attest to a crazy aunt, a loud uncle, a cousin that is hard to bear, or a grandma that lost a screw or two. But all in all, even under the worst circumstance, family unites us and makes us whole.
On our last family reunion, I was watching my niece and nephew mingling with my children. The four-year-old precautious child ran around hugging and kissing her 'cousins' (a new word that she recently learned and loved). Her cousins, who are much older, took time to play with her and obliged to her every whim while she happily sang and showered them with gratitude kisses. Taking their age difference into consideration, it was obvious that the cousins play time would be kept to a minimum. As our week progressed, it was apparent to everyone that these few hours she spent with them on a daily basis made a world of a difference to her as it did to them. Her brother, who is just short of being ten, had a blast with the 'big kids,' regarding himself as their peer because he got to play in a different league. It was amusing to watch how he tried to be more mature and conspicuous in order to blend in among them.
Every night at dinner, it was fun to see everyone gather around and tell stories of the past year. It was a precious thing to watch our kids taking care of their grandparents and taking charge over making dinner plans. Our fifteen-year-old suddenly looked eighteen and my husband and I once again had an eye opener over the realization that our college age kids now had a life of their own; they are all working their way up the ladder, learning and building their lives, and we don't have many years left to hover over them.
Tips For Interviewing Family Members For Your Genealogy Research
Some people are born interviewers, they just seem to be excellent at asking just the right questions and remembering all the answers. This article is likely not for those people, however I suspect even they may find some ideas here that would improve their abilities to find out nuggets of family history interest from their relatives.
First off, is take something to record your interview with you. Don't expect to take notes. It's hard to keep up and it takes you out of the conversation. Something that records direct to digital audio files is a most wonderful choice. I have a Zoom H4 digital recorder that I use for many purposes and this would be an excellent choice, but there are many choices out there. Just be sure that whatever you use you are able to convert the files to something useful to share with others at some point. Be sure to ask your relative if they mind if you record the conversation. Explain that you want to ask about the family history and about what they remember growing up and explain that you would like to record it so you can get all the details straight and not have to sit and write the whole visit.
Okay, so what do you ask about? So many genealogies are simply dry facts. Name, date, born, died, where can be such a dry distillation of our lives. Try to dig a bit deeper than that. Ask if they could describe what their parents looked like, favorite sayings of a family member, favorite songs. Did they play a musical instrument?: What did they do for a living? What was it like growing up in that family? When did they first get a radio/tv/car/etc. what was that like? Did they ever travel, where, how did they get there, what was that like? Where did they live, why? This gives you some ideas. Try to let the conversation flow.
Now, I just said try to let the conversation flow, but I think you should go in with a list of questions that you would like to hear answers to. Think of yourself as a reporter digging for a story. If new questions come up in the discussion, follow them and see where it leads, but try to get through all your questions. If there seem to be too many questions to get to, you might consider finishing up and not making the visit feel like an extended inquisition. It's common for an eager researcher to be excited about finding out family details and lose track of time. Keep your family members time in mind too though, they will likely be glad to chat with you, but don't overstay your welcome. It might be better to say "I can't believe how the time has gotten away, we've been talking for an hour, I should probably go, do you think we could do this again sometime?" than to have to be told, "Wow, we've been talking three hours, I really need to get started with dinner."
Think about common interview techniques, in other words learn from good interviewers on tv or the radio. Notice how they try to work into open questions to let the interviewee answer with more than a yes or no? Also, don't expect all the answers. Some people don't remember much of what they were told as children about their extended family. You could probably find out a lot about what life was like as they were growing up, about things they did as a family from those that don't remember many family details. That kind of information can be as valuable.
Another good idea is to take what you learn in your initial interviews and do some research from there in the library, courthouse, or elsewhere and fill in some details. Then, go back and ask questions about some of the things you've found. "Do you remember anything about your parents having a child that died young?" Using research to go back and have further discussions can help refresh memories. I remember in one of our family histories it took finding a great-great-great grandfathers name written for some of the great-aunt's and uncles to say "oh yes, that's right daddy had a grandfather named _______." Sometimes you'll be able to use those moments to either simply confirm what you've researched, or even expand a bit.
To finalize, I suggest any family history researcher or genealogist to make talking to their older relatives the first priority in their ancestry research. We often overlook the recent history in search for the older histories, but sometimes it's so much easier to put details into the more recent history if we just take the effort to do so. Additionally, if you spend too much of your time in the library early on, you may regret missing the opportunity to learn more from your older relatives when you had the chance. Enjoy your interviews and good luck with your research.
First off, is take something to record your interview with you. Don't expect to take notes. It's hard to keep up and it takes you out of the conversation. Something that records direct to digital audio files is a most wonderful choice. I have a Zoom H4 digital recorder that I use for many purposes and this would be an excellent choice, but there are many choices out there. Just be sure that whatever you use you are able to convert the files to something useful to share with others at some point. Be sure to ask your relative if they mind if you record the conversation. Explain that you want to ask about the family history and about what they remember growing up and explain that you would like to record it so you can get all the details straight and not have to sit and write the whole visit.
Okay, so what do you ask about? So many genealogies are simply dry facts. Name, date, born, died, where can be such a dry distillation of our lives. Try to dig a bit deeper than that. Ask if they could describe what their parents looked like, favorite sayings of a family member, favorite songs. Did they play a musical instrument?: What did they do for a living? What was it like growing up in that family? When did they first get a radio/tv/car/etc. what was that like? Did they ever travel, where, how did they get there, what was that like? Where did they live, why? This gives you some ideas. Try to let the conversation flow.
Now, I just said try to let the conversation flow, but I think you should go in with a list of questions that you would like to hear answers to. Think of yourself as a reporter digging for a story. If new questions come up in the discussion, follow them and see where it leads, but try to get through all your questions. If there seem to be too many questions to get to, you might consider finishing up and not making the visit feel like an extended inquisition. It's common for an eager researcher to be excited about finding out family details and lose track of time. Keep your family members time in mind too though, they will likely be glad to chat with you, but don't overstay your welcome. It might be better to say "I can't believe how the time has gotten away, we've been talking for an hour, I should probably go, do you think we could do this again sometime?" than to have to be told, "Wow, we've been talking three hours, I really need to get started with dinner."
Think about common interview techniques, in other words learn from good interviewers on tv or the radio. Notice how they try to work into open questions to let the interviewee answer with more than a yes or no? Also, don't expect all the answers. Some people don't remember much of what they were told as children about their extended family. You could probably find out a lot about what life was like as they were growing up, about things they did as a family from those that don't remember many family details. That kind of information can be as valuable.
Another good idea is to take what you learn in your initial interviews and do some research from there in the library, courthouse, or elsewhere and fill in some details. Then, go back and ask questions about some of the things you've found. "Do you remember anything about your parents having a child that died young?" Using research to go back and have further discussions can help refresh memories. I remember in one of our family histories it took finding a great-great-great grandfathers name written for some of the great-aunt's and uncles to say "oh yes, that's right daddy had a grandfather named _______." Sometimes you'll be able to use those moments to either simply confirm what you've researched, or even expand a bit.
To finalize, I suggest any family history researcher or genealogist to make talking to their older relatives the first priority in their ancestry research. We often overlook the recent history in search for the older histories, but sometimes it's so much easier to put details into the more recent history if we just take the effort to do so. Additionally, if you spend too much of your time in the library early on, you may regret missing the opportunity to learn more from your older relatives when you had the chance. Enjoy your interviews and good luck with your research.
Friday, February 01, 2008
Comparing VoIP Providers For Small Business Solutions
It is no secret that communication is key to survival for small business. The advantage to small busineses of using a VoIP solution is that the market is very competitive. While there are relatively few companies from which to choose for normal phone service, many VoIP providers will gladly offer VoIP phone service at a very competitive rate and with unlimited long distance.
But....you need to do your homework first.
Phone service features indispensable to your business, such as voicemail, conferencing and call waiting, allow business to flow smoothly and efficiently. So....how do you decide if a VoIP solution is best for your business?
One of the first steps when analyzing your current service is to decide what features your business needs. Does it need multiple lines to accommodate the sales force? What about a toll free number for customer service? Make a list of all the features your office uses and think about others you might want to try.
The next step is to make an estimate of all intrastate (in- state), interstate (state-to-state) and international calls. An easy way to estimate these numbers is to view a recent phone bill. You might be surprised at how large or small your call volume actually is. If you rely heavily on fax machines, consider the number of incoming and outgoing faxes. As you review these numbers, remember to consult growth projections for the rest of the year.
But....you need to do your homework first.
Phone service features indispensable to your business, such as voicemail, conferencing and call waiting, allow business to flow smoothly and efficiently. So....how do you decide if a VoIP solution is best for your business?
One of the first steps when analyzing your current service is to decide what features your business needs. Does it need multiple lines to accommodate the sales force? What about a toll free number for customer service? Make a list of all the features your office uses and think about others you might want to try.
The next step is to make an estimate of all intrastate (in- state), interstate (state-to-state) and international calls. An easy way to estimate these numbers is to view a recent phone bill. You might be surprised at how large or small your call volume actually is. If you rely heavily on fax machines, consider the number of incoming and outgoing faxes. As you review these numbers, remember to consult growth projections for the rest of the year.
How To Run Your Home-Based Office Efficiently
Run your home-based business smoothly with contingency plans in action. Have a backup plan to meet any emergency. Put aside some money from profits to sail through sudden bad times. Use your time wisely without getting distracted by television, telephone, or a million other household chores. Keep your office organized to maximize efficiency. Avoid wasting time in searching for essential items of trade. File tax returns on time and honestly. Have a sound financial advisor to tide you over after any financial problems.
Ways to run an efficient home-based business: Working from home is a ideal situation. You have no boss to please, no driving long distances, and you are the master of your precious time and family. To stay on track, follow a few rules to keep the business running smoothly.
• Structure your day. Time slips by silently, so create a structure that mimics your workplace. Keep a list of ‘to do’ things and cross them off by the end of the day. Be disciplined; do not be distracted by household chores, television, etc. Finish your work in the structured time, before proceeding to do home chores.
• Create your workspace. Create a space exclusively for work at home. Then create an office environment in that space by using some furniture, plants, altered lighting, etc.
• Stay connected. Carry an organizer to allow you instant access to information on the Net. Since you may not be physically present at home all the time, this gadget will let you stay in touch with your clients at all times.
• Organize your family time. Look after your home-based business and organize family time in such a way that they do not impinge on each other. Have a baby sitter to devote uninterrupted 4-6 hours on your work without children’s distraction.
• Get help. To improve your productivity and profitability, hire some domestic help. This will free your time to focus on work, meeting up with clients, and various office jobs. • Motivate yourself. You are not running after report cards anymore. Set your own goals and constantly raise the bar to increase your efficiency and capital gain.
• Reward yourself. When you achieve your goals or put in long hours for job completion, reward yourself with a break. It will recharge and relax you.
• Learn multi-tasking. A home-based business owner is his own CEO, president, secretary, driver, manager, etc. So learn the rudiments of all the jobs not only to save on support staff expenses but to become an expert, too.
• Network. Meet up with other home-based business owners to expand your client base. Their support also helps in the growth of your business.
• Expand outside the home. Let home be your launch pad. As the business expands, consider moving the business outside the home for greater efficiency.
• Outsource business-related tasks. Use the web designer’s expertise to advertise your work. Bookkeeping, physical product creation or delivery of goods can be done better with professional help.
Adherence to a few simple rules will help you run your home-based business efficiently and make working from home a pleasure.
Ways to run an efficient home-based business: Working from home is a ideal situation. You have no boss to please, no driving long distances, and you are the master of your precious time and family. To stay on track, follow a few rules to keep the business running smoothly.
• Structure your day. Time slips by silently, so create a structure that mimics your workplace. Keep a list of ‘to do’ things and cross them off by the end of the day. Be disciplined; do not be distracted by household chores, television, etc. Finish your work in the structured time, before proceeding to do home chores.
• Create your workspace. Create a space exclusively for work at home. Then create an office environment in that space by using some furniture, plants, altered lighting, etc.
• Stay connected. Carry an organizer to allow you instant access to information on the Net. Since you may not be physically present at home all the time, this gadget will let you stay in touch with your clients at all times.
• Organize your family time. Look after your home-based business and organize family time in such a way that they do not impinge on each other. Have a baby sitter to devote uninterrupted 4-6 hours on your work without children’s distraction.
• Get help. To improve your productivity and profitability, hire some domestic help. This will free your time to focus on work, meeting up with clients, and various office jobs. • Motivate yourself. You are not running after report cards anymore. Set your own goals and constantly raise the bar to increase your efficiency and capital gain.
• Reward yourself. When you achieve your goals or put in long hours for job completion, reward yourself with a break. It will recharge and relax you.
• Learn multi-tasking. A home-based business owner is his own CEO, president, secretary, driver, manager, etc. So learn the rudiments of all the jobs not only to save on support staff expenses but to become an expert, too.
• Network. Meet up with other home-based business owners to expand your client base. Their support also helps in the growth of your business.
• Expand outside the home. Let home be your launch pad. As the business expands, consider moving the business outside the home for greater efficiency.
• Outsource business-related tasks. Use the web designer’s expertise to advertise your work. Bookkeeping, physical product creation or delivery of goods can be done better with professional help.
Adherence to a few simple rules will help you run your home-based business efficiently and make working from home a pleasure.
How To Run Your Home-Based Office Efficiently
Run your home-based business smoothly with contingency plans in action. Have a backup plan to meet any emergency. Put aside some money from profits to sail through sudden bad times. Use your time wisely without getting distracted by television, telephone, or a million other household chores. Keep your office organized to maximize efficiency. Avoid wasting time in searching for essential items of trade. File tax returns on time and honestly. Have a sound financial advisor to tide you over after any financial problems.
Ways to run an efficient home-based business: Working from home is a ideal situation. You have no boss to please, no driving long distances, and you are the master of your precious time and family. To stay on track, follow a few rules to keep the business running smoothly.
• Structure your day. Time slips by silently, so create a structure that mimics your workplace. Keep a list of ‘to do’ things and cross them off by the end of the day. Be disciplined; do not be distracted by household chores, television, etc. Finish your work in the structured time, before proceeding to do home chores.
• Create your workspace. Create a space exclusively for work at home. Then create an office environment in that space by using some furniture, plants, altered lighting, etc.
• Stay connected. Carry an organizer to allow you instant access to information on the Net. Since you may not be physically present at home all the time, this gadget will let you stay in touch with your clients at all times.
• Organize your family time. Look after your home-based business and organize family time in such a way that they do not impinge on each other. Have a baby sitter to devote uninterrupted 4-6 hours on your work without children’s distraction.
• Get help. To improve your productivity and profitability, hire some domestic help. This will free your time to focus on work, meeting up with clients, and various office jobs. • Motivate yourself. You are not running after report cards anymore. Set your own goals and constantly raise the bar to increase your efficiency and capital gain.
• Reward yourself. When you achieve your goals or put in long hours for job completion, reward yourself with a break. It will recharge and relax you.
• Learn multi-tasking. A home-based business owner is his own CEO, president, secretary, driver, manager, etc. So learn the rudiments of all the jobs not only to save on support staff expenses but to become an expert, too.
• Network. Meet up with other home-based business owners to expand your client base. Their support also helps in the growth of your business.
• Expand outside the home. Let home be your launch pad. As the business expands, consider moving the business outside the home for greater efficiency.
• Outsource business-related tasks. Use the web designer’s expertise to advertise your work. Bookkeeping, physical product creation or delivery of goods can be done better with professional help.
Adherence to a few simple rules will help you run your home-based business efficiently and make working from home a pleasure.
Ways to run an efficient home-based business: Working from home is a ideal situation. You have no boss to please, no driving long distances, and you are the master of your precious time and family. To stay on track, follow a few rules to keep the business running smoothly.
• Structure your day. Time slips by silently, so create a structure that mimics your workplace. Keep a list of ‘to do’ things and cross them off by the end of the day. Be disciplined; do not be distracted by household chores, television, etc. Finish your work in the structured time, before proceeding to do home chores.
• Create your workspace. Create a space exclusively for work at home. Then create an office environment in that space by using some furniture, plants, altered lighting, etc.
• Stay connected. Carry an organizer to allow you instant access to information on the Net. Since you may not be physically present at home all the time, this gadget will let you stay in touch with your clients at all times.
• Organize your family time. Look after your home-based business and organize family time in such a way that they do not impinge on each other. Have a baby sitter to devote uninterrupted 4-6 hours on your work without children’s distraction.
• Get help. To improve your productivity and profitability, hire some domestic help. This will free your time to focus on work, meeting up with clients, and various office jobs. • Motivate yourself. You are not running after report cards anymore. Set your own goals and constantly raise the bar to increase your efficiency and capital gain.
• Reward yourself. When you achieve your goals or put in long hours for job completion, reward yourself with a break. It will recharge and relax you.
• Learn multi-tasking. A home-based business owner is his own CEO, president, secretary, driver, manager, etc. So learn the rudiments of all the jobs not only to save on support staff expenses but to become an expert, too.
• Network. Meet up with other home-based business owners to expand your client base. Their support also helps in the growth of your business.
• Expand outside the home. Let home be your launch pad. As the business expands, consider moving the business outside the home for greater efficiency.
• Outsource business-related tasks. Use the web designer’s expertise to advertise your work. Bookkeeping, physical product creation or delivery of goods can be done better with professional help.
Adherence to a few simple rules will help you run your home-based business efficiently and make working from home a pleasure.
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