MANAGING A BUSINESS

No matter how large or small your business is, you need to possess the skills necessary to be a good manager for your business. There are multiple levels of business management, all of which play a critical role in your business successfully. Here are some of the things you need to do when you are learning about management and how you can manage your company effectively.

Don't be a micromanager

A lot of people like to have complete control over every single detail of the business. While it's nice to know what's going on and make sure everything works perfectly, your employees can freak out if you end up being a micromanager. Micromanagers are usually hard to work for and they end up spending too much time worrying about little details than their own jobs. Allow your employees to have a little flexibility as this shows you trust them and you want them to have the opportunity to do things on their own. Set expectations and goals for your employees and give them the chance to follow through with them. Hold your employees accountable for their actions and their specific jobs and you will have an easier time managing the organization.

Be a leader

Employees are likely to follow their managers if they are leaders. This means you need to have a personality that is easy to get along with and you need to listen to your employees. A good leader will have a plan for the business and they will install a lot energy and enthusiasm in the entire organization. Be open to the opinions of your employees as this is another mark of a true leader. In addition to providing employees with a direction for the future must also own up to mistakes you make along the way. This shows honesty and will foster a stronger bond with your staff.

Listen to your employees

In order to become a good manger you need to listen to your employees. When they come to you with complaints and problems, you need to listen to them. Listening to your employees is more than having an open door policy; it involves interpersonal relationship as well. When an employee comes in to talk to you, shut off all the distractions around you. Give them eye contact then try to repeat a few things they said so they can tell you really did listen to them.

Be an example

Since you are focusing on leading your staff, you need to set an example for them. This means you need to show up to work early and leave late. Holding yourself accountable to some of the same rules your employees are held to will give them a stronger desire to please you. Don't waste time and slack off as a manager or this attitude of laziness will be sent down to your employees who will also have a weak approach to the working environment.

Give your staff responsibility

One of the best ways to become a good manager is to empower your staff. Give them motivation to work hard by expanding their responsibilities. This shows them that you trust them and that you see something in them. As they see that you have trust in them, their confidence will grow and they will have motivation to work harder.

Becoming a strong manager can be a bit of a challenge but with the right devotion and dedication to your staff and your job, you will be able to create a stronger working environment. Your employees will respect you and trust in your ability to lead them and the business into the future.

SMALL BUSINESS MARKETING

Too many small business owners look at marketing their business as simply as an expense, when the reality is that marketing your small business is an investment. The bottom line is that your small business will fail (no matter how good your product or service), if you cannot deliver the message out to your target market. However, you want to do that in the most cost-effective way as possible.

It is important to keep in mind that you want to be both cost effective, and effective in technique when marketing. A shot-gun approach to marketing (and just hoping you hit the target), rarely pays off. Small business owners can find that they are spending a lot of money on this approach, and seeing very little in return. In order to be cost effective you want to do the following things:

- Who is your target Market

- Utilize smart marketing campaigns and strategies (that are low or no cost)

- Stretch every marketing dollar as far as possible.

Here is what you need to know about how to be cost effective, when marketing your small business.

Utilize free publicity-Remember that publicity costs nothing, and it builds awareness of your business. If you use publicity correctly, it can also build points, for you within your community.

you can set up a website for your business. In today's world of technology every business must have a website. A presence on the web or Facebook is an extremely cost-effective way, of letting people know about your business, even if your business is mostly a storefront operation.

One of the ways to do this is to sponsor a community activity that is somehow tied in with your business. You can also issue a press release, when something new comes up, within your business such as the release of a new product or service, or a different use for an existing one. Also be sure to include it on your website.

Join clubs and organization in your community - As a business person in a community, it is important to be visible, particularly if your business has a storefront in the community and is not entirely online.

BRANDING YOUR BUSINESS

Branding your business is one of the most important marketing techniques. Proper branding allows customers to recognize your company and its products in a matter of seconds. All a customer needs to do is to see a logo or hear your slogan to immediately and recognize that it is your company. To ensure that you are branding yourself correctly you may need to seek the help of a professional marketing firm.

When you are branding your business, you need to first determine what type of message you want to send out to your audience. What are the core values of your company? What is the vision and mission statement of your company? Your branding message is going to represent the ethical values of the company and provide your customers a business identity of the company.

Think of the brands that are currently out there. What type of impression do you expect your customers to receive from your logo and branding message? Here are some of the commonly recognized brands that you can learn a few things from:

Apple

Microsoft

Nike

General Electric

Chevrolet

When you think of these brands what message do you get from their names and from their brand? Your goal is to try and provide your customers with the same type of message where they instantly recognize your brand. A quality branding campaign will provide customers with a sense of transparency so they can see what type of company you are running.

Branding provides customers with the ability to see what you stand for and how the company works. If a customer is unable to gather this information easily, they may have some reluctance when dealing with your company. Your branding message have to show your ethics, trust factor, reliability, and show your customers that you exist to help them. When a customer is able to trust in the company, they are likely to purchase more from your company, providing you with higher revenue.

Having a quality brand name means people from all over the world will instantly recognize your company. A brand name will be the "face" of the company and provide a customer with tons on information in just a few seconds.

Proper branding comes down to consistency, your logo, your website, and your product image. When a customer sees anything that is produced by the company, they will immediately recognize it. Here are a few additional tips to follow that will help you brand your business correctly:

Logo. Your logo provides instant recognition and it should be used on everything your company produces. A level of trust will be developed when you create a good logo. Logos also provide a strong marketing message and they also help to establish an existence for the business.

Your website. Like the logo, your website will brand your business. You must have a website that is easy to navigate and easily communicates your message to your customers. Since everyone uses the internet nowadays, you must have a quality website that is going to provide fast and qualified information.

Product image. A big part of branding comes down to your product image. Are you developing packaging that is pleasing to the eye? Your product brand image will speak volumes for your company so you must design attractive packages and make sure your logo is on it.

Consistency. In order to create a certain level of consistency. You have to maintain a customer satisfaction for the customers, so when they arrive again whether buying your product or not, they have the same satisfaction again.

HOW TO INCREASE YOUR BUSINESS SALES

Many times business owners are sitting back and hope that sales are happening. While they may adjust the price, a little here or there, few business owners understand that managing sales needs to be a proactive function, within their management duties. It can be overwhelming to try and manage a business sales, and then it becomes even more complicated when the budget is tight, and you still must be making sales. However, since sales are the lifeblood of your company, and affect every aspect (salaries, inventory, production etc.), it is important that you are managing them. Here is what you need to know about how to increase your business sales by managing them :

Set a sales forecast- In order to effectively manage your sales, you must be aware of past history, future trends and any other factor that can affect your sales. To set a forecast for future sales, you should consider the following factors :

1. Current economic conditions

2. Sales numbers from past years

3. Any back orders that you currently have

4. Any satisfaction ratings that you have from your customers

5. Trends in the market and in the industry

6. What your competitors are doing

7. How well your recent promotions have done

8. Whether or not you have new products that are ready to be launched.

Understand the costs of making a sale - There are costs to every product that you sell, that goes far beyond the costs of production. If you are effectively managing your sales, you will also be effectively managing any costs that go along with it. There are basically four different areas where costs can be reduced without putting your sales at risk. The bottom line is that if you can control the costs in these areas, you are much more likely make a more profitable product.

These areas are:

1. Raw materials - You should know exactly what you are paying, for every cents spent within your business. This is the only way to clearly determine if you already covering your costs and allowing you to make enough profit. Keep in mind that there are number of ways that you can reduce the costs of the raw materials that you use.

2. Suppliers - One way to reduce your costs is to talk directly to your suppliers. Make sure that you have gotten the best prices possible.

3. Shipping - You should take a close look at how much you are spending for shipping. There are many more options available today, so if you are willing to take the time you can save yourself a lot of money and make your sales even more profitable.

4. Marketing - This is a place that you want to make sure that your marketing is the most effective that it can possibly be. If your marketing is not providing you with a high return on investment, then it is time to go back to the marketing plan and make some changes. Cost- effective marketing is an integral part of managing your sales.

To Increase business sales, in addition to the above strategic and tactical questions for the business operation, the Business Owner should also understand how the increased sales will impact the company and what additional time and resources will be required. The company should perform a thorough product cost matrix to determine how prices or rates will be set in order to ensure there is an appropriate margin and profitability for increasing sales.

HOW TO HAVE SUCCESSFUL FACEBOOK CAMPAIGNS

Facebook has become a new center for information and reviews, as consumers worldwide go online more and more to find what they are looking for. It is important to understand that now matters what type of business you are marketing, if they are done correctly and implemented in your marketing strategy the campaign being successful. If you fail to follow certain guidelines, your Facebook campaign can do serious Public Relations damage to your company's reputation. Here is what you need to know, how to have a successful Facebook campaign :

Make sure that your Facebook profile stands out- Remember that if you are going to post your company on Facebook, you want to make a good impression, and stand out from the competition. Your Facebook profile should represent your goal on how you want your target market to view you. Remember that you only have a few seconds to grab visitors to your site, so your profile must be interesting and intriguing enough to catch their attention and keep it. It must also be able to present the information you want quickly. Make sure that anyone visiting your company's Facebook page can get the information they need in a precise and simple way, and you do not have anything in your page that is irrelevant or a distraction. Keep in mind that by posting photos and videos, you can also help create interest and gain attention, but in professional way.

Make sure that you are approaching others on Facebook in the right manner -

Do not forget, the main purpose of Facebook is social networking and not as a business tools. This should help you keep your marketing approach in perspective. You must remember that no one on Facebook will want to be sold in an aggressive manner. You need to focus on building a relationship first, and then you can promote or sell your product or service over time.

Make sure you use Facebook Fan Pages - This important facet of Facebook can be a great place for your contacts and clients, to leave feedback and comments. They can share, exchange views and interact on this platform. Marketing experts agree that using Fan pages can help build your brand awareness (and hopefully loyalty), and value added to your company. If Fan pages are used correctly this can mean free publicity for your business. This word of mouth advertising can do a lot for your business, and finally increasing sales.

Make sure that you get involved in Facebook- This means that you need to be pro-active. You should try to participate on a regular basis in discussions and participate in group events. This can give your company a great deal of exposure and high profile visibility, You can also make your business look much more appealing. Just make sure that however, you are contributing to Facebook that it is of value to your target market. If you fail to do this, those who are interested in what you can offer, will quickly tired and move on.

Good luck !

SKILLS FOR SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS

There are particular skills that will help you manage your business operation far more successfully. However, the good news is if you don't have them, they are ways to get them.

Here are some important skills how to manage a business successfully

The ability to plan - A successful and long-term business whether yearly or monthly has a plan, and a manager who works the plan. If you don't have a plan, the chances are quite low to get where you want to go. The first step is to figure out what the goals are, for your business that you want to achieve. Then you need to determine the best way to get there. You can do this by examining the following questions.

1. What resources are available to achieve your goals?

Are there additional resources you will need to acquire?

2. What are the strengths and weaknesses of your current resources ?

How can you best utilize their strengths out of their weaknesses?

3. What scenarios to develop that will most likely help me achieve my goals?

When you have the ability to plan, you have the ability to meet the challenges and unexpected circumstances that can arise when you are managing a business.

The ability to organize - The next step after developing a plan, is the ability to put the plan into motion. You can make sure that you are organized and ready to put your plan into action by asking yourself the following question-

1. Do your employees have the resources they need to do their job?

Are they prepared and well-trained?

2. Is every aspect of the organization ready and willing to put the plan into motion?

3. Does any employee need additional equipment, training or other resources?

4. Are the raw materials available that are needed for production?

5. Has a reasonable schedule been set up for the accomplishment of the stated goals?

6. Does everyone understand their role achieving the plan?

The ability to direct - Now that you have a plan, organized, and ready to put into action, now you must lead and direct. You must be not only the manager, but also the leader. However, remember that you job is to help and direct the people, not to complete the actual tasks.

Resist the urge to micro manage, and let your well-trained and well-prepared employees do their jobs.

The ability to oversee - Now the plan in motion, your jobs becomes one of overseeing the process. You want to make sure that everything is following the plan. Keep in mind that when things are not going according to plan, it is your job to step in, determine the reason why they are not, and then make corrections. You must understand that no plan if flawless. Mistakes will happen, employees will get sick, things not arriving on time, or your plan that looked so good on paper, may not be right in reality. Successful managers take a step back and look carefully where adjustments need to be made.

It is crucial to understand that this is ongoing and dynamic process for business success. You must constantly be planning, organizing, directing and overseeing, the processes of your business. Successful business managers have to be understand that they must continually improve their skills so the end result is the success of their business.

Japanese Contest

Happier Life ?

Live with Gratitude

Yes ! Creating an attitude of gratitude is one of the simplest steps we can take to improve our lives. The happiness we created for ourselves by showing our appreciation has significant impacts to other people. Because the potential for gratitude to spread beyond those people increases significantly, we can be highly contagious. We've all heard the Golden Rule to "treat others the way you want to be treated". Showing your appreciation to others shows them that you like to be treated this way too. An attitude of gratitude can be quite infectious ! There are so many different ways that we can express an attitude of gratitude.

Here are just a few:

Say "Thank You". This is the most basic and well-known way to show appreciation to others. Saying "thank you" is a great way to express your gratitude and can be done in several different forms. Using this when it's least expected can have significant results in lifting someone's spirits. For example, a quick note to your child's teacher thanking her for her hard work and patience might give her the boost of energy that she needs right when she needs it most. You may never know what effect this has had on her, but it will have an effect !

Stop complaining about your life. Even as tough as life can be sometimes, remember that there is always someone that worse than you do. Constant complaining about what is wrong in your life will keep you focused on that. The opposite is true as well - focusing on what is right in your life will keep you focused on that. Focusing on the negative will bring you down while focusing on the positive will lift you up. Just as simple as it is !

Focus on what you have, not what you don't have. This is very closely related to not complaining about your life. Being grateful for what you do have keeps you in a positive place, whereas focusing on what you don't have keeps you in a negative place. Focusing on what you do have, regardless of how little or how much that may be, is a great expression of gratitude.

Be satisfied with simple things and be mindful of little things. Being grateful for the little things in our lives is just as important (if not, more so) than being grateful for the big things. Our lives are filled with little things every day that we can be grateful for. What about that front row parking spot you found when you were running late? Or the beautiful weather outside? How about the store clerk that went out of her way to help you? This may take a little practice, but there are many little things throughout the day that we can be grateful for if we take the time to notice them.

Give to someone else. This is the best way to spread your gratitude of attitude. There are so many different ways to give to someone else. You could volunteer your time to help those less fortunate or give you time to children by mentoring them. The possibilities are endless but could make a huge difference in someone's life without you evening knowing it. If they in turn give to someone else, the cycle could continue without end.

Keep a gratitude journal. Let's just be honest here: there are some days when it is hard to find anything to be grateful for. Keeping a gratitude journal can help with that. There are preprinted journals so you can just fill in the blanks or you can make your own. The important thing is to find at least 5 things each day to be grateful for, no matter how big or small those things are. A gratitude journal can serve two purposes: it will help you stop and remember what you are grateful for or it can serve as inspiration on days when you find it difficult to find anything to be grateful for by reading over past days.

Practice random acts of kindness. This can be one of the most fun and rewarding ways to live a life of gratitude, especially when it's done anonymously. Surprise someone with something unexpected. You may never know what it meant to them but it will likely make their day. Try putting a note in your child's lunch or bringing treats to the office to share. Even a small gesture can mean so much to someone.

Living a life of gratitude is one of the easiest ways to live a happier life ! It takes very little effort to show someone you appreciate them and make their days. Make it a habit for the way you want to be appreciated. There are so many ways to make gratitude a part of our life and to spread that attitude to others. Make today the day you start living a life of gratitude and spread your light to the rest of the world !

Menjaga Otak Tetap Fit

1. Makan Almond

Almond diyakini untuk meningkatkan memori. Jika kombinasi minyak almond dan susu diambil bersama-sama sebelum tidur atau setelah bangun di pagi hari, itu memperkuat daya ingatan kita.


2. Minum Jus Apel

Penelitian dari University of Massachusetts Lowell (UML) menunjukkan bahwa jus apel meningkatkan produksi asetilkolin neurotransmitter penting dalam otak, mengakibatkan daya memori meningkat.


3. Tidur nyenyak

Penelitian menunjukkan bahwa memori jangka panjang adalah konsolidasi selama tidur dengan memutar gambar dari pengalaman hari itu. Pemutaran program ini mengulangi pikiran bawah sadar untuk menyimpan gambar-gambar dan informasi terkait lainnya.


4. Nikmati kesenangan sederhana

Stres menguras kemampuan otak kita. Sebuah pikiran yang stres banyak mengkonsumsi sumber daya ingatan kita, membuat pikiran lemah. Buatlah kebiasaan untuk terlibat sendiri dalam kesenangan sederhana sehari-hari untuk membubarkan stres dari pikiran Anda. Beberapa kesenangan yang sederhana baik untuk pikiran, tubuh dan jiwa.

* Menikmati musik Anda suka
* Bermain dengan anak-anak Anda
* Memeluk orang yg anda kasihi
* Menghargai orang lain
* Jalankan beberapa mil sehari, sepeda atau berenang
* Mulai blog
* Ambil kelas yoga atau Wellness Total rutin


5. Puasa sehari

Puasa membersihkan dan mendetoksifikasi tubuh kita. Diketahui fakta bahwa makanan berat tidak hanya menyebabkan tekanan pada sistem pencernaan kita, tetapi juga menguras kemampuan otak kita. Puasa mengurangi emosi beracun seperti marah, sedih, khawatir, dan ketakutan - sebelum mereka menumpuk dan menyebabkan penyakit. Dengan pembersihan emosi beracun, memperkuat dan meningkatkan memori, konsentrasi, kreativitas dan wawasan.


6. Latih pikiran Anda

Seperti halnya latihan fisik sangat penting untuk tubuh yang kuat, latihan mental adalah sama pentingnya bagi pikiran yang tajam dan tangkas. Pernahkah Anda memperhatikan bahwa anak-anak memiliki kemampuan otak jauh lebih unggul dibandingkan orang dewasa tidak? Anak-anak memiliki pikiran main-main. Sebuah pameran kekuatan pikiran main-main memori superior. Terlibat dalam beberapa kegiatan yang membutuhkan pikiran Anda untuk tetap aktif dan bekerja.

* Play scrable atau teka-teki silang
* Berinteraksi dengan orang lain
* Mulai hobi baru seperti blogging, membaca, melukis, burung menonton
* Pelajari keterampilan baru atau bahasa


7. Latihan Yoga atau Meditasi

Yoga atau meditasi menghilangkan stres. Stres adalah hal penghancur memori. Dengan sedikit stres, menurunkan tekanan darah, respirasi lambat, metabolisme lebih lambat, dan melepaskan ketegangan otot. Semua faktor ini memberikan kontribusi yang signifikan terhadap peningkatan kemampuan otak kita.


8. Mengurangi konsumsi Gula

Gula merupakan bentuk karbohidrat yang menawarkan energi ilusi, hanya untuk menyebabkan kemerosotan otak. Kelebihan asupan gula hasil gejala neurotik. Kelebihan gula diketahui menyebabkan claustrophobia, kehilangan memori dan gangguan neurotik lainnya. Makan makanan tanpa menambahkan gula. Jauhi minuman manis atau kelebihan konsumsi kafein dengan gula.


9. Makan gandum

Gandum mengandung lesitin. Lecithin membantu meringankan masalah pengerasan arteri, yang sering mengganggu fungsi otak.


10. Makanlah makanan ringan di malam hari

Sebuah makanan berat di malam hari menyebabkan gelisah dan stres emosional berkepanjangan sementara pada tidur. Beda pada siang hari disaat tubuh kita melakukan aktifitas. Makan makanan ringan seperti buah buahan memungkinkan kita untuk tidur nyenyak. Tidur malam yang baik adalah yang memperkuat kemampuan otak kita.

11. Mengembangkan imajinasi

Bangsa Yunani menguasai prinsip imajinasi dan asosiasi untuk menghafal semuanya. Teknik ini memerlukan satu untuk mengembangkan imajinasi yang jelas dan warna-warni yang bisa dihubungkan dengan objek yang diketahui. Jika Anda melibatkan semua indera Anda - menyentuh, merasa, mencium, mendengar dan melihat dalam proses imajinasi, Anda bisa mengingat rincian acara yang lebih besar.

12. Kontrol emosi Anda

Dikelantang makanan, kelebihan pati atau kelebihan roti putih dapat menyebabkan efek saraf kisi. Hal ini menghasilkan sebuah kekerasan dan beberapa perilaku depresif. Makan sayuran segar. Minum banyak air dan bermeditasi atau berlatih yoga untuk meringankan emosi dari amarah dan mood yg buruk.

13. Minum Vitamin B-kompleks

Vitamin B-kompleks memperkuat daya memori. Makan makanan dan sayuran yang tinggi dalam vitamin B-kompleks. Jauhi makanan pati atau roti putih, yang menghabiskannya Vitamin B-kompleks yang diperlukan bagi pikiran sehat.