Monthly Archives: January 2010

How a Recession Can Help You Grow Your Business

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Recession Help1 How a Recession Can Help You Grow Your Business


Often times a recession can cause all businesses to lose sales, including online businesses. This can cause us to think that a recession is bad for business, and it certainly can be. However a recession can really benefit our business because we begin to look at how we can make our business better, and hopefully grow our business even during the recession.

Why is a recession good for your bottom line?

1. A recession takes you out of your comfort zone. So many times when we are in the routine of running our business we tend to stop taking risks. We stop looking for new ways to make the business better, because in our eyes the business is running just fine and we feel safe. But the fact is in every business, including an online businesses, there is a bit of risk. A recession helps to remind us of the risk we are taking when we run our own business. With this reminder we start looking for ways to continue to grow our business and keep it afloat.

2. Explore Different Avenues of Income. During a recession it may become very apparent that your current business alone, is not going to cut it. It may not be reliable, creating enough income, etc. When we get in our comfort zone we become blind to the different sources of income out there that we can use to help grow our business. If business is doing well we may lose sight that, alone in itself, even if it is a great business, it is not a business that will help us reach our financial goals. Truth be told most people who make a lot of money, do so through multiple streams of income. When a recession causes us to move out of our comfort zone we start looking for different streams of income, which will ultimately help us to meet our business, and personal financial goals.

3. Forces You to Cut Waste. A lot of businesses out there are hanging on to things that simply aren’t making ANY money. When our current business experiences a moment where sales are low we start looking at what we are spending our time on and that isn’t bringing in any money. We begin to realize that our time is money, and we really need to start treating our online business like it’s a business. Cutting time wasters is #1 way to do this.

4. A Recession Gets Rid of Procrastination. You know that project you have been thinking about doing, but didn’t because you either didn’t feel like it, or you didn’t think you had the time. Well guess what, NOW is the time to reach inside your fancy idea maker – also known as your brain – and start implementing the new ideas floating around in there. Maybe now you have the time because the recession has decreased sales, therefore decreased your work load. Or you are pressed to complete the new projects simply because you need the money. Whatever the case may be, a recession certainly gets rid of any procrastination you may have had towards the new projects you wanted to start, and in turn helps you to grow your online business.

5. A Recession Helps Us Make New Connections. In a recession, maybe even out of sheer desperation, we begin to do the things we use to do in the beginning of our business that helped our business grow, when in fact we should have never stopped doing these tasks in the first place. This goes back to the comfort zone – our business is good and it’s growing, we then feel we don’t have to make connections anymore or even market our business. But then a recession hits and we realize that we stopped trying to grow our business. We stopped working on our business, and instead we focused more on making sales, sales, sales. But a recession makes us remember what we had to do to get to where we were, and we begin to venture out again and make new connections with other people. These connections help us grow our business because they are either great business mentors and therefore they can help us put our business back together. Or they are new clients, customers, or even more importantly friends!

A recession helps to remind us HOW to grow our business. It forces us to move forward in meeting our financial goals. It removes that cushion we are so use to sitting on, and brings us back to reality. It makes us work hard for our business again, and when we are down there is only one way to go – up!

By: Heather D Bixler

About the Author:
Heather is a CWAHM of three. She has been growing her online business since 2005! She is founder of Motivated WAHM and loves to share her direct sales business with others as well: Successful Candle Business.



Recession Spending Secrets That Help You Thrive in Hard Times

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Recession Help2 Recession Spending Secrets That Help You Thrive in Hard Times


Recession spending secrets continues as one of the favorite subjects of most consumers, you hear it discussed everywhere these days. For example, on television talk shows, radio call in shows, news documentaries and even school class rooms.

But few dig any deeper than discussing the problems. But their is a growing band of radical consumers who are slowly mastering the secrets of not just surviving this recession but thriving in it.

Thriving in recession effect or hard times is not an easy task but it’s still being done by more and more people, who follow specific actions. Most of these people are not what you would call wealthy, well-to-do or even well off.

Most come from middle and lower middle class standing. In fact, the more financially strapped you are the better these secrets work for some unknown reason. It’s much like plastic surgery, it’s much more noticeable on a previously homely person than it would be on a moderately attractive person.

These secrets do not mention any so-called get rich quick or other risk taking activities. Most of these tips can be used by the average person. No extensive financial background or education is necessary beyond the basics. But the one requirement is a strong desire and belief to now just survive but thrive. You’d be surprise how far a personal burning desire can take you, where knowledge or education cannot.

Here’s 3 recession spending secrets that will help you thrive in these hard times.

1. Buy What You Know.

This is an old investment rule applied to consumer spending. But what you know means to do at least some basic research before you walk into a store, showroom or sales office.

With easy access to the internet you have now excuse to ignore this simple rule anymore. The people who are scammed the most, who pay the highest prices or who receive the less value for their money are people who ignore this first rule.

2. Find A Consumer Role Model.

There nothing like a good role model, whether you’re a teen, an adult or a consumer. Role models provide a physical presence and allows you to have an eye-witness account of how to shop or buy wisely. Role models can be found everywhere.

But what you want is a good role model, who knows how to buy, displays the evidence of smart buying (a smart consumer always leaves clues) and is willing to share their knowledge with you (not all street smart consumers will).

3. Recession Money Spending Principles To Follow.

Follow these money spending principles 1. Buy items that you can use for more than one purpose, but products that can multitask. 2. It’s better to spend a little more for quality – you’ll save in the long run.

3. You don’t always get what pay for – but what you negotiate for.

By: Roy Primm

About the Author:
Discover 500 More Secrets Rags To Riches People Are Using To Thrive In This Recession… Go to… Recession Spending Secrets or ShoppersCoach.com



Sales in a Recession – Can They Be Increased? 4 Vital Tips!

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Recession Help23 Sales in a Recession Can They Be Increased? 4 Vital Tips!


So we’re in a recession…does that mean your business has to suffer, too?! Absolutely not! There are many things a small business can do to boost their sales to not only survive, but also thrive. If you think having a website and phone book ad are enough, think again! Let’s go over just a few VITAL tips on how to increase sales in a recession:

1. Get Creative! Put yourself in your customer’s shoes…what would you change about the way you do business from this new perspective? Better customer service? Better deals? More variety? Think outside the box about how to increase sales in a recession in your particular marketplace. Get passionate about your business again and let the creative juices flow!

2. There is Strength in Numbers. In other words…Network, Network, Network! Join networking groups, your local chamber of commerce or even look for a group online. Communities can rebuild faster when working together. Swapping services, referring clients, exchanging ideas on how to increase sales in a recession…all of this can help your business grow, which translates to more sales for you.

3. You Are in Business….So Act Like It! Be prepared to give your quick “elevator” speech about the benefits of your business at all times. Ask for referrals from people that buy, and even those that don’t! Just because they don’t need your product or service at this time doesn’t mean they don’t know someone who does! Don’t underestimate the power of referrals. This leads us to a big one…

4. Stay front and center! What good is a website if it doesn’t have any visitors? And what good are visitors if they aren’t being added to your database? And what good is a database if it’s not used to position your product or service in front of that client on a regular basis?…you get the picture:) Hint: Want to know how to increase sales in a recession quickly? Repeat sales from current customers!

You really can have a healthy, growing business despite the “gloom and doom” the media feeds us. And believe it or not, it can be done for a lot less money and with a lot less of your time than you think! Using a combination of grassroots marketing and some good online services to help you, you can get back to the passion and creativity your business needs to grow in this economy.

By: H. Matsumoto

About the Author:
Using a combination of grassroots marketing and some good online services to help you, you can get back to the passion and creativity your business needs to increase sales in a recession.

We are committed to helping small business owners grow in the fastest and most affordable way possible, by maximizing the resources they already have and putting them in a position to truly succeed, in spite of the economy.

Looking for a QUICK and AFFORDABLE way to grow your business? This could be the best $27 investment you make in your business in this economy. Click here: http://www.mytwitterbiz.info/



How to Survive an Economic Recession in the US

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Recession Help39 How to Survive an Economic Recession in the US


An economic recession is a fact of life and shows the ups and downs of any economy. There are times of great economic growth, and like the opposite, there are times of great economic decline. There are also times of with little change. But during a time of economic recession one does not need to be fearful, but they should be prepared and educated. Here are a few simple starting tips to help you survive an economic recession.

1. Read, learn, study, and educate yourself on how to survive a recession. Buy, borrow, or check out at the library a copy of “Financial Reckoning Day: Surviving the Soft Depression of the 21st Century” by William Bonner. As well as: “Conquer the Crash: You Can Survive and Prosper in a Deflationary Depression” by Robert R. Prechter. Long titles, yes, I know.

2. If you can, make sure you are working in a recession-proof industry to avoid job loss during an economic recession. Consider one of the fields of health care (that’s the only job I see in the “Help Wanted” section of the newspaper these days), food production and supply (waiters aren’t making a lot of money now, but cooks get paid regardless of the tips), government jobs (if you like our government), and military jobs (be prepared to go overseas, even if it’s the National Guard). Avoid management jobs (first person to go) and areas where work can decline in a bad economy – especially construction.

3. Explore one of your unused niches and monetize it. Even when money is scarce, there is still money being spent for everyday goods and services. Grow extra food to sell, learn how to repair cars or leaky pipes or rake leaves. Maybe you can help others as a life coach or financial planner or go shopping for the elderly or drive those around who are without a car. During economic hardships, find ways that can help others, and in return you make some extra money.

4. Stop living paycheck to paycheck. Now, more than ever, do you need to learn how to stop doing this. First off, pay yourself first. Second, pad your savings account or the safe in the closet. Then, follow your budget. Don’t use credit cards and only buy necessities (food, water, utilities, gasoline, etc.). Then go shopping – but use discount stores or your friends garage.

5. Do not accumulate new debt. This is especially true for anyone with unmanageable credit card debt. The first way to stop accumulating more debt is to stop using credit cards. It may sound strange, yes, I know, but cut up the plastic, cancel the accounts, and remove them from your online accounts. Canceling your lines of credit is the first step to becoming debt free.

By: Michael Seth

About the Author:
Michael is a Life Coach helping others to obtain their personal and financial goals. He runs a free blog at [http://useconomy.wordpress.com/] to help others with the current Economic Recession.



Beating the Recession

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Recession Help18 Beating the Recession


It’s no secret that we need help beating the recession. Our economy is suffering on a worldwide basis. Every day we hear or read some news of this catastrophe. People are losing their jobs, their homes, and going even further into debt.

As a solution, many people are looking into starting a business from home. However, most traditional home-based businesses can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars to start, and can put you even further into debt than you already are.

A home-based business is the solution, but it must involve several factors:

1) It must have no start up cost. That’s right, I said no, zero, nada. Too many home-based businesses cost more than the average person can afford right now. People need something that they can start for free.

2) It must cost very little to maintain. Have you ever gotten into a home-based business, then had to spend most, if not all of your profits, just to keep it afloat?

3) It must be duplicatable. The ideal home-business will leverage on the efforts of others, as well as yourself. You want to be in business for yourself, but not by yourself.

4) It must be unlimited. Why start a business that limits you to earning only a few thousand dollars per month? Many of us have monthly expenses that well exceed this amount.

These are just a few important factors that make up the ideal home business. Beating the recession will take some work, but by getting involved in a home-based business meeting all of the above requirements, we will soon see better days and a more stable economy.

By: Kurt A Tasche

About the Author:
Kurt Tasche is a home-based business expert, who has found what he believes is the key to beating the recession.
Learn more at http://www.GetMyWebsite.ws



US Economic Recession History

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Recession Help47 US Economic Recession History


The old saying “History doesn’t always repeat itself, but often rhymes”, is based more on fact than fiction. By studying the US Economic Recession History, you should better understand how current recessions may affect your financial life today.

I focus on recessions simply because they have a dramatic effect on 401k balances and investments in general. During the last recession, which was officially from March of 2001 through November 2001, the major market indexes plummeted. The Nasdaq Index declined over 70% from it’s high within a year surrounding the recession. This index still hasn’t recovered. It is still only half of where it once was.

Could you have avoided this downfall by studying the US Economic Recession History? Maybe, but maybe not. Let’s look at the problem. The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) is the official agency that determines when recessions begin and end in history. Since recessions have such a detrimental effect on our investments, wouldn’t it be nice if they would notify us when one is beginning? Yes it would, but they don’t. The Nasdaq Index lost over 43% from its high before the NBER determined we were in our last recession. It took them 9 months after the beginning of the recession to announce it had begun. Is this a fluke? Unfortunately not. The official notification of the beginning of the last 4 recessions came an average of 228 days after they had already begun. This is an 8 month delay.

The way numbers work, if you lose 50% of your portfolio, you must earn 100% just to break even. If you had $100,000 and lost 50% ($50,000), you are left with $50,000. You must double this (100%) in order to break even. This is why it seems to be twice as hard to regain money after losing it. It took the Dow Industrial Index and S&P 500 Index around 6 years to get back to even after the last recession.

Let’s pretend you’ve lost 43% of your portfolio and are determined NOT to lose any more. You sell your stock funds and put your account into the safety of the money market. Your account is now safe for the rest of the recession. Will knowing the US Economic Recession History help you determine when the recession is over? Once the recession is over, you definitely want to move back into stocks so that you don’t miss the next increase in the market. After all, you need to make almost 100% just to break even!

NBER announced the last recession was over on July 17, 2003. Unfortunately they announced it was over in November of 2001! Yes they didn’t determine the last recession was over until nearly 2 years later. Had you had your investments strapped down for the winter winds of recession, you could have missed the excellent recovery period that typically follow recessions. The end of the last 4 recessions were officially announced an average of 522 days (17 months) after they were over.

Studying the US Economic Recession History may be helpful for some, but I don’t find it very helpful in managing investment portfolios. I find that tracking Supply vs. Demand in the investment markets is a much better way to protect assets. When supply begins to outweigh demand, simply change the portfolio to a more conservative stance. This usually happens near the beginning of recessions and you have plenty of time to switch your portfolio to safety. The opposite occurs near the end of recessions. Demand shows back up and you begin to change the portfolio to one of moderate risk.

The upside to recessions is the fact that periods of expansion last about 5 times longer than recessionary periods. There were 10 Recessionary cycles since 1945. The recession side of these cycles lasted on average 10 months. The expansion side lasted on average 57 months. If you can protect your money during the 10 recessionary months you won’t have to spend a lot of the expansion months trying to get back to even. You can instead be exploring new highs for the portfolio.

By: John Norquay

About the Author:
John M. Norquay
Chief Compliance Officer
PivotPoint Advisors, LLC

Help your 401k through the recession with 401k Plan Facts



MAS 90 and MAS 200 Business Management Software Can Help Your Business Survive During a Recession

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Recession Help25 MAS 90 and MAS 200 Business Management Software Can Help Your Business Survive During a Recession


An economic crisis or recession indeed brings bad news especially in the business sector. This causes a chain reaction in the lives of people, making them struggle more in order to make a living. In the business perspective, this means lesser profits while expenditures are taking the cash away. Entrepreneurs need to run their businesses more efficiently, cut expenses, and spend minimum while being productive at maximum output. But despite the economic downfalls that happened in the past, did you know that there were a lot of wise investors who made fortunes? These men invested in buying stocks at low value because they knew that sooner or later their value will increase. They then sold their share at higher value during economic recovery. They were wise enough to know that their investment will pay off.

In the world today, Information Technology has proven to be essential in almost every business. With the dramatic increase of technological advancements, the world is now equipped with tools allowing businesses to run more efficiently by increase productivity at minimum costs and make wise decisions base on practical approach.

This gave way to the development of Enterprise Resource Planning softwares commonly known as ERP. ERP softwares have played vital roles in thousands of businesses around the world and proved to increase profit and enterprise growth. Among the different ERP softwares the most renowned are Sage MAS 90 ERP and, Sage MAS 200 ERP or simply known as MAS 90 and MAS 200. These solutions are developed by Sage Software, one of the world’s largest companies that develop business softwares. Both MAS 90 and MAS 200 are CPA’s most recommended softwares than any other application in its class. They are often called Business Management Solutions and Accounting Software which make them a feature-rich ERP system.

The MAS 90 and MAS 200 softwares provide a wide selection of feature-rich solutions which include core accounting, business intelligence tools, customer relationship management (CRM), e-Commerce, Human Resources (HR) and payroll, manufacturing, and distribution. They also have different modules to fit your specific business needs.

Although in times of recession it is wise to cut expenses but investing on the right ERP software will benefit your business even more, making you save more because of its ability and efficient business management features. An investment in ERP software will payoff in a short time. Imagine yourself running a business, you manually do almost everything. How much probability do you think for you to make big mistakes? How much money will it cost you if you mistakenly ship wrong items because you have poor inventory management? How much money you lose by your poor executive decisions simply because you don’t have sufficient knowledge of your finances? How disappointing must it be to lose customers over your competitors because you have unsatisfactory customer relationship management?

MAS 90 and MAS 200 will act like a virtual brain for your business. You manage your finances accurately with its Core Accounting solutions, the Business Insights module will give decision-makers an insightful bird’s eye view of your business and shows them where they can be more profitable with a quick snapshot of a company’s financial data, gain comprehensive sales force automation and launch marketing campaigns with the CRM module, track your inventories, cut costs while increasing profits with the Distribution module, deal with all aspects in payroll with the comprehensive HR module, conduct business online with eBusiness and track your every move with Time and Project Management. These are just some of the many other business-empowering features that MAS 90 and MAS 200 have to offer.

While saving and cost-cutting is a great idea in times of recession, investing on the right ERP software such as MAS 90 and MAS 200 is even a wiser decision. Think not of the cost but how much will it payoff based on the features, advantages and benefits. Think of how much cost you cut, the thousands of dollars you save, the happy customers and loyal employees you retain, the wise executive decisions you make, and the new business opportunities you engage simply because you were made a better entrepreneur by your wise decision in investing on reliable and powerful ERP softwares such as MAS90 and MAS200.

By: Jonathan Filoteo

About the Author:
For more information about MAS 90 and MAS 200 business software, contact Larry Marshall, CEO/President of Marshall Technology Solutions, Inc. (MTSI), one of the largest Sage Select partners and a leading reseller for Sage Software in the United States. MTSI is renowned for its professional experience and expertise in the industry, its excellent approach in training and reliable technical support. MTSI is one of the only few that offer 100% Remote Access Support to its clients. MTSI Technical Team are all Certified Sage MAS Consultants and Microsoft Certified Systems Engineers (MCSE), professionally trained to solve MAS, network, hardware and software problems. MTSI Phone Number: 866-848-2957, Fax: 866-491-9545.

Jonathan Filoteo is an entrepreneur, digital graphics artist, blogger and a marketing professional specializing in online marketing, ERP and CRM softwares, SEO and Social Media. Currently works in the marketing department of Marshall Technology Solutions, Inc. (MTSI).



The Gift of GAB – How Goals, Attitude, Behavior Help BEAT the Recession

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Recession Help13 The Gift of GAB How Goals, Attitude, Behavior Help BEAT the Recession


Location: O’Hara’s Bed & Breakfast, West Coast Ireland.
Characters: Mary Margaret O’Hara, proprietor: Michael Patrick (husband, in absentia), Patrick Michael (son), American Hank Devlin and his long time golf buddy Martin Boyd, both on first visit to Ireland _____________________________________________________________

Mrs. O’Hara

“Well, now lads I hope you enjoyed that lovely Irish breakfast – the three slices of black pudding – blood pudding to you – the slices of bacon, mushrooms, baked beans, the two fresh eggs sunny side up as you Americans like to say and of course the giant sausages from McCool’s the Butcher. He’s a brother-in-law of my sister-in-law you know, although they haven’t spoken for over twelve years, but that’s only temporary. Tell me, what do you fine lads plan to do today. You’re off to the golf course, are ye?”

“Mrs. O’Hara we sure are. We need directions. We don’t have GPS.”

Where the Angels Swim

“And what would ye be needin’ that for, Sir? Doesn’t everyone around here know where everyplace is, around here like? But I’ll tell ya how to get to the golf course.

“If you go down this road for about two miles, you’ll see a road to the right. That road takes you over the beautiful green hillside and you’ll get a great view of the lakes. They say it is where the angels swim. Some people say they swim in the nude, but I don’t think Father Murphy would approve of that, although there’s been a lot of talk about the long walks he takes with Mother Octavia of the Seven Sorrows – she’s from Six Flags, she has five brothers, four sisters, three are nuns, two priests and one is the black sheep of the family – he’s a politician! Aye, very long walks.”

Mrs. O’Hara paused. “Anyway, if you see the lakes, you’ve taken the wrong road. Don’t take that road. About a kilometer – ’tis kilometers we use here now, you know. Kilometers are shorter than miles, but the funny thing is you don’t get there any faster. Anyway – before that road, there is a turn to the left – take that, and the golf course is down there. Have you gentlemen visited these parts before?”

“No. No. We have not, although I sure do love it. My grandfather emigrated from here years ago. I remember sitting on his knee and telling me about the beautiful Irish people and countryside. He never told me about the great Irish golf courses you have.”

“Ah, the only things walking the land in those days were the sheep. Off you go now, gentlemen and par for putt or whatever you guys do. And mind the hydrant on the way out.”

“The hydrant?”

“Oops, sorry, that’s my effort at Tiger Woods humor.”

“That’s a bit wet, Mrs. O’Hara, that’s a bit wet,” responded the smiling Hank.

“Well, aren’t you the clever one now, Mr. Devlin? I must write that down and say it to my next guests,” Mrs. O’Hara said with glee.

What Do I Want My Attitude To Be?

“It’s a funny game that golf. My son Patrick Michael says they even have names for each golf hole down at the golf course – names like White Sox and Wrigley, although he says that one is a waste of time for some reason. Where do they get names like that from? Well, now off you go and keep an eye out for sheep on the road. When you are near the golf course, they might delay you. But as my late husband, Michael Patrick said when things go wrong -’What do I want my attitude to be?’ “

“Sorry to hear that your husband passed away, Mrs. O’Hara, that must have been a blow.”

“My husband? – Ah no, he’s just late – late back from the creamery.”

“Oh, I’m glad to hear that. Don’t worry – we’ll keep an eye out for the sheep on the road.”

“Do that. As that fellow Bono might sing, ‘It’s a beautiful day.’ Off you go now.”

As the would-be golfers drove off, Mrs. O’Hara smiled, took out her sleek iPhone hit a speed key and said:

“Hi Patrick Michael? Morning. Quick one for you. I’ve just had a couple of guests heading off to the golf course. Are you out on the land at the moment? Good. Good. Look they’ll be going by your place in about 10 minutes. Put a few sheep out on the road for them. Give them a touch of old Ireland.”

“Mom, you’re nuts.”

The Brand Experience

“Ah now Son, you are the one that told me about this Brand Experience thing. That it will help us beat the recession. Those guys came looking for the old Ireland. Aran sweaters. Friendly people. Crazy directions.”

“And what’s with the sheep, Mom? That could make them late for their golf.”

“Sheep? That’s the added value son which you tell me should always be provided. And if they get a little anxious about being late, just tell them to remember that great question when things go slightly wrong.”

“Yea, I know, ‘What do I want my attitude to be?’ It’s a powerful question, recession or not.”

“That it is Son. So put those sheep out, create that Brand Experience thing, I’ll get repeat business and pay off your student loans. It’s the Gift of GAB son, Goals, Attitude, Behavior and for God’s sake don’t be playing the Sex Pistols on the tractor when they go by. It’ll ruin the Brand Image thing. And remember that Gift of GAB, son.”

“I will, I will. Goals, Attitude, Behavior. It’s key to BEATING the recession. OK, Mom, I’ll put the sheep out. Where are they from?”

“Chicago, the Windy City.”

“Ah Barack OBama country! Will they be saying ‘Yes – we can, Yes – we can’ after losing a dozen golf balls on that course. But why are you sending them this direction? All you had to do was give them MapQuest details.”

The Gift of GAB

“And wouldn’t that ruin the experience Son? You know Ireland has one of the best educated young populations in the world. You are not a good example of that.

“You’ve got your father’s brains – he’s still not back from the creamery. My Goal is to make sure my guests have a great time, they’ll have a great Attitude and the end Behavior is they will come back to Ireland again. I’ve got to go now son. That nice man, Padraig Harrington is on the Golf Channel. Hurry up with those sheep. You’ll hear my guests coming. They’re driving a stick shift.”

“I will Mom, I will. I might even tell them about the Gift of GAB – How Goals, Attitude, Behavior can BEAT the living daylights out of the recession.”

“That’d be nice Son. I think I hear your father coming. He’s going to need the Gift of GAB to explain what kept him.”

***********

By: Conor Cunneen

About the Author:
Chicago based Irishman Conor Cunneen is a Chicago based Irish keynote business speaker and award winning humorist. His client list includes Harley-Davidson, Abbott, Siemens, Boeing. He is author Why Ireland Never Invaded America and SHEIFGAB the World: 8 Building Blocks to Successful Job Transition



Marketing in a Recession For Small Business

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Recession Help40 Marketing in a Recession For Small Business


What to do when times are hard

At the time of writing, 2009 is shaping up to be a tough year for the economy. There is certainly something to be said for the mindset that refuses to listen to the doom and gloom that we hear on the news every day, however hard that is to ignore.

However let’s inject a dose of reality as well. Times are hard for everyone and it doesn’t make it easy for you as a small business owner when clients tighten their belts and stop spending money. If you are a service based business this may be even harder – services may be something your clients feel they can do without when times are tough.

Given that, all the positive thoughts in the world may not help ease your concern, particularly if you are worried as to where the revenue is coming from to support your business and, more importantly your mindset.

This situation is bound to impact your marketing effort. How should you go about marketing at times like these?

Traditionally service providers ask for more

Those selling marketing related services (advertising for instance) may try to persuade you that now is the time you should increase your marketing spend. The theory it that others are cutting back so any money you spend now will have a greater effect on grabbing clients than ever.

That may make sense in principal, but there are three main drawbacks to it.

Talk is cheap and, to an extent, self-serving in this case. It is all very well to say “spend more” but if the reality is that you are struggling to pay your staff, however much you “get it” you still don’t have the money and you have to cut back somewhere Not all messages are equally effective – If the marketing message you are sending is inappropriate or mis-targeted, however much your competition is cutting back your message will still go unheard

Renting Computers Can Help Cut Costs in a Recession

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Recession Help26 Renting Computers Can Help Cut Costs in a Recession


If you would like to cut costs during the current recession without cutting jobs, there are a number of things you can do, including renting computers. As we’ll see, renting IT assets instead of buying can save capital and leave you with more available credit.

A recent article in the Bermuda Sun gave businesses some sound advice for cutting back during tough economic times. Tips include:

o Spend only what you need to spend. In other words, don’t go for the big-ticket, luxury item when the basics will suit you fine.
o Cutting staff may have a negative impact on your ability to provide good customer service, which can have a long-term effect on the reputation of your business.
o Offer the best possible service. Customers are shopping less often, so you need to stand out to get sales.
o Keep marketing so your name stays front of mind for potential customers.
o Keep extra cash on hand to act as your own line of credit. You may also want to sell off assets you don’t need.
o To save money, try renting assets instead of buying.

This is all good advice, but the last two points require a little more explanation.

How Renting Computers Can Save Money

Although the author of the Bermuda Sun article was talking about all business assets, this article will focus on IT assets to provide an example of how renting computers and other office machines can save money.

Computer equipment and office machines are a major expense, and one that can easily be reduced by renting computers and other hardware. Let’s look at computer rentals in the context of the Bermuda Sun article.

First, the author states that you should try to keep extra cash on hand and consider renting assets. But how can you save money if you need a new printer, desktop, laptop or other hardware? Easy. You conduct a rigorous exam of your needs and determine which IT assets you simply must have versus the machines you may need only occasionally.

Instead of spending money on new purchases across the board, you can reduce expenses by only buying what you absolutely need. You can fill in any technology gaps by renting computers or printers. The end result is less cash going out the door and more cash (and credit) available to help you through lean times.

The Bermuda Sun article also mentions selling assets you don’t need. Maybe during the good times you bought a high-end color laser printer. Although it is a great performer, it may really be more than you need. Many computer rentals agents offer a buy-back program to help businesses discard their old equipment. They purchase your equipment and then use it for their computer rentals programs. With the cash you get back for your high-end printer, you could lease or rent a smaller printer.

Other Benefits of Computer Rentals

Renting computers is not just about actual computers either. Most rental agents will rent a full range of audiovisual equipment as well. So instead of investing in an LCD or plasma screen for your next business presentation, you can rent one.

Renting computers and other IT assets is a money-saving strategy ideally suited to today’s challenging economy. To learn more, contact a computer rentals agent.

By: Diane Beaulieu

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