STOP! Is your business missing it's mark-et?

Written by Aaron Colman


Continued from page 1

The best example of this is your local supermarket. How many brands of toothpaste do you see? While it's likely that this'll reducerepparttar price point per item, if you can gainrepparttar 104582 trust of an established distributor or find another way to efficiently market to a consumer audience then you'll be able to turnrepparttar 104583 tables againstrepparttar 104584 established brands and gain market share.

7. How big arerepparttar 104585 barriers to entry?

So you've got this great idea. The only problem... there are a dozen other companies just likerepparttar 104586 one you plan to start. USP (Unique Selling Proposition) or not, you're going to find it very hard to break into this new arena.

Not only should you find out how much it's going to cost to get in, you should be find out if this entry is sustainable. Your competition is going to react...repparttar 104587 question is how. Can you keep uprepparttar 104588 fight? Can you turnrepparttar 104589 tables somehow or will you find yourself outmaneuvered at every turn?

Furthermore, how quickly can you get in? If you can get your foothold quickly enough then you may be able to establish your niche before anyone notices.

8. Do you have any kind of unique resources for this market?

A resource is: * Anything that you own or can control

* Something that makes you stand out fromrepparttar 104590 crowd

* Something that can be counted on, is reliable and sustainable.

* Something that helps you satisfyrepparttar 104591 customers.

Some examples: Distributor channels Cost advantages Business relationships The Public's perception Licenses or rights Technology or patents Unique skills

Conclusion: Now that you've had a chance to look overrepparttar 104592 questions and hopefully evaluate your own ideas... you've had some new thoughts on how to make your business unique. It's time to put those thoughts torepparttar 104593 test and go forth with a new perspective!

----------------------------------------------------------- Aaron Colman, helping business make money online.

Web design, custom PHP scripts, MySQL databases and more.

Free e-Course: Mastering Internet Lead Generation http://www.ibasics.biz/leads -----------------------------------------------------------

Aaron has been doing this web stuff since '95, back in the days of Gopher yore.


ARE YOUR EMPLOYEES PREPARING TO LOOK FOR WORK WHEN THE JOB MARKET REBOUNDS?

Written by Gary Halverson


Continued from page 1
In this spirit, here are five tips on how to maintain a successful retention strategy: Hire well. When you hire people who fit well in your organization and haverepparttar capability and desire to advance, you are setting a foundation for future success and loyal relationships. Communicate, communicate, communicate. Takerepparttar 104581 time to give and receive feedback and be willing to tailorrepparttar 104582 framework ofrepparttar 104583 retention plan to fitrepparttar 104584 individual needs of your employees. Set measurable performance standards and clearly identify individual career paths withinrepparttar 104585 organization. Provide challenges and growth opportunities. While offering monetary compensation can be an incentive to make your employees stay, investing inrepparttar 104586 personal and professional growth of your key talent shows that you are offering return on investment for both your employees andrepparttar 104587 organization. There is a growing trend in today’s companies of providing leadership development and coaching programs for their employees as an affirmation ofrepparttar 104588 company’s commitment to bothrepparttar 104589 individual’s andrepparttar 104590 company’s future. Integrate career development plans withrepparttar 104591 business goals ofrepparttar 104592 organization. Equip employees to take on many different roles. This allows employeesrepparttar 104593 opportunity to move in a variety of directions withinrepparttar 104594 company, as opposed torepparttar 104595 more linear pyramidal structures ofrepparttar 104596 past. Provide strong leadership. Often when people give exit interviews, their initial reason given for leaving is money. However, if you wait six to eight weeks to interview them,repparttar 104597 reasons given for departure are often linked with poor quality in management. When leadership is a primary focus at all levels, it not only provides a dynamic work environment, but it can also create a healthy and effective retention process.

Attrition of employees can lead to costly replacement expenditures and incalculable losses in less tangible areas, such as morale, productivity, customer relations and intellectual capital, much of which can be offset by a solid workforce retention plan. Companies need to become as creative and proactive about their retention policies as they are in their approach to their clients and products if they intend to remain competitive oncerepparttar 104598 economy rebounds. Prepare for it now! Organize your company’s strategy and be sure it includes succession plans for senior management and talent action plans for your staff. Invest in career development programs for your leaders—find out what is important to your key employees and work within those parameters to create a climate of loyalty andrepparttar 104599 prospect of a shared future.

Gary Halverson is Managing Director of leading career services company Lee Hecht Harrison’s San Francisco, Walnut Creek and Sacramento offices, and oversees the marketing, sales and delivery of career services, while maintaining the high level of quality programs and service that customers have come to expect. He is also responsible for financial planning and success, and spearheads an aggressive marketing campaign geared toward long-term business growth within California.


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