Why Web Hosting and Domain Greatly Matter to Your Site

So here you are, ready to take on the online world with your business idea. The question is, where do you begin as you establish your business personality? With a tall pile of tips and lessons in starting an online enterprise, it is no surprise that you may feel at a loss. However, finding the right web host for your online store or for your web developing enterprise may not be as tedious as you expect it to be. The most important thing to remember is that with the right web hosting and domain, you are well way into building your online empire.

The Encarta dictionary defines web hosting as, "the business of supplying server space for storage of Web sites on the Internet, and sometimes the provision of ancillary services such as Web site creation," while domain or domain name pertains to the, "Internet address: the sequence of words, phrases, abbreviations, or characters that serves as the Internet address of a computer or network." This is why these two features, web hosting and domain, are inextricably linked.

Take note of your website address for example. The domain name is the big chunk in the address, the term that comes after the three W's (which stand for 'world wide web'), and before the suffix ".com" or ".net." In email addresses meanwhile, it is the term that comes before the '@' symbol, with a certain suffix coming right after it. You must take note though, that the suffix could drastically change the address of a site, even if they contain sport the same domain name. For instance, www.yourname.com is different from www.yourname.net.

Most site developers or webpage builders provide a bundled plan in offering web hosting and domain names, but these two services are actually separate and each works in an intricate process.

Another point to learn is that domain name hosting is quite important you as you build your website or online store. Domain name hosting pertains to the registration of domain names before your website or online store goes live and may be accessible to the public.

In the early days of the internet, authorizing the registration of a domain name is a task that belonged only to Internic. Today however, there are many popular domain registrars, which job is to search the whole of the web for the availability of your desired domain name. For around $10- $35 a year, you could use a term, name, or phrase of your choice as your very domain name, provided no one else has grabbed it yet.

9 Signs It Might Be Time To Sell Your Business

ost business owners ignore these... until it's too late.

If you are like most business owners, you've occasionally found yourself wondering what your life would be like without the stress and hassles inherent to business ownership.

Perhaps you are facing personal challenges, such as divorce, a death in the family,or other issues that need your full attention.

Maybe you have health concerns that prevent you from engaging in your business as fully as you would like.

Or, it could just be that you are ready to try something new, go back to school, buy a home in the islands, or devote more time to a hobby or interest that you've had on the back burner for far too long.

Whatever reason you have for contemplating the sale of your successful business,you must understand that selling a business is a process for which you can fully prepare.

The first place to start in those preparations is to recognize some of the warning signs that let you know it is time to plan your exit.

Life changes are causing you to lose focus. It's difficult enough to run a successful business without the added stress of unforeseen life events. Situations such as divorce, illness of a family member, or the need to care for elderly parents can upset any work/life balance you think you have achieved. If you feel overwhelmed and depleted trying to focus on both the business and family matters, you might seriously consider selling.

You have a hard time getting up in the morning and going to your workplace. Everyone in business experiences episodic burnout. However, if you have a regular pattern of looking for any excuse not to go to the office, it might be time to sell. Forcing yourself on a daily basis to engage with your business can have a negative impact on your financial, physical, and mental well-being. Your attitude can wind up costing you lots of money, time, and effort.

You spend a lot more time thinking about retirement than you do about your company. There's no shame in doing this. Many of us look forward to a life without work. However, spending inordinate amounts of time watching the travel channels on television and visiting trip planning websites might point to your deep-down desire to get on with the rest of your life.

Your kids don't want, or are incapable of running, your business. Even if your children or other family members have worked with you in the business for years, this doesn't mean that they necessarily want to take it over when you leave. As badly as you may want the company to stay in the family, you can't make assumptions. Junior may love working with customers at your pool company during the summer, but he might very well have bigger plans for his life. Even more painful to contemplate is the fact that your chosen successors might not be capable of running the business, even if they want to do so.

Everything has grown stale and you've run out of ideas to keep things moving. Years ago, when you started the business, creative thoughts spewed out of your brain with the speed and intensity of a high pressure hose. You had tons of ideas about how to differentiate your business and make your brand unforgettable. These days though, you feel stuck and the idea well is bone dry. Without improvements and innovations, your company's growth will stagnate. If you can't re-ignite the idea machine, it could very well mean that it is time to sell.

You need to pour tons of money into updating your business. If you are in a highly competitive niche that is continuously evolving, you might find that you've fallen behind and need to do an extensive (and expensive makeover) in order to stay profitable. Even if you are currently making a nice income, it might not be in your best interest to spend money to stay in business, especially if you aren't having fun with it anymore.

You get an offer you'd be foolish to refuse. This happens more than you might think, even during a down economy. Someone out there has his or her eye on your business and they like what they see. Out of the blue, they make you an offer that is considerably more than current valuation. In most of these situations, it would be crazy not to sell.

Interest rates are lower than ever before. I am writing this article in 2014, a time when interest rates are historically low. There has never been a better time to leverage other peoples' money. For investors, it makes sense to borrow like crazy and snatch up any and every appreciable asset they can, especially companies which, if managed properly, will generate nice returns.

You have an opportunity to participate in another venture. Most business owners, even those who are only marginally successful, are constantly approached by purveyors of new "business opportunities." These can range from hyped-up multi-level marketing positions to Ponzi schemes to legitimate investment opportunities. I am sure you've probably been approached by more than your fair share of people pitching these kinds of things. However, once in a while a really good opportunity manages to come your way. Maybe it's a chance to partner with another successful entrepreneur in your local area or it's a start-up with amazing potential. When you find something like this and your gut feeling is that you want to be in on the action, then it might be time to sell your existing business and try something new.

Employment Frauds and Identity Theft

The global financial crisis caused a major impact on the employment rate not only in the United States, but across the globe. Because of these, the unemployed individuals continued to search for another source of income. With businesses mostly closing down, the easiest way one could get something to do is to get on the internet and search for the next money making endeavor.

While there are many legitimate career sites promising to help anyone land their dream job, and quite a number serving as mentors to those who would want to start home-based businesses, a certain percentage of this seemingly answer to every unemployed's prayer, are completely bogus and illegal, also known as scam.

Identifying an employment scam is easy. In order to prevent being the next victim of identity theft via employment scams, it pays to know how to spot it when you see or read one.

1. Legitimate employment offers do not provide claims of making easy money in a short time frame. Simply put, they do not promise anything too good to be true. In fact, real employment offers would normally emphasize their need of hardworking and patient individuals who can dedicate themselves to a certain job. They would specify the qualifications and requirements for the job posting. Monetary guarantees are more often than not, left undiscussed or simply not mentioned. So take it easy. Do not easily disclose your information. Being prudent helps a lot in identity theft prevention.

2. Employment scams are commonly associated with sales. They would entice the readers to keep on reading until finally they would mention a product or service they are trying to sell. The common target of these flashy advertisements and very promising advertisements are those desperate and eager to get money easily.

3. If uncertain, inquire the alleged employment company from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) or Federal Trade Commission (FTC). They have a source of legit businesses and can easily identify a bogus employment company. These organizations are also committed to ensuring that your information will be kept away from identity thieves.

It is important for every computer and internet user to be vigilant in fighting against identity theft. Regardless of the monetary amount involved, it is important to report any known scams that you might encounter. Identity Theft happens because some people do not use their sound judgment. Guard your information as much as you guard yourself. Never ever disclose your information that easily.

What Wells Fargo Can Do For You on the Wells Fargo Home Page

Once access the reputable bank's home page, you will see that there is a lot of information you can get about various options and products the bank has to offer their clients. For both commercial and personal account holders, the bank has a number of options that will make banking easier and more convenient.

For commercial and small business accounts, you gain information on products and services that will make running a business easier on you. This includes rewards, credit cards, loans, lines of credit, payroll, merchant services, insurance, investments, retirement, international business services, and so much more. You get information on how to make use of these options that will assist you in running your business.

For personal accounts, you get helpful information on the many products and options you can take when it comes to banking and financing. You are given information on making online bill payments, opening accounts, credit cards, and 24/7 online banking.

If ever you need cash, there is an assortment of loan options that you are given information about. These include auto loans, personal loans, student loans, home equity, home mortgage, and so much more. You can conveniently apply for these loans online. You can even check on their status.

You are also given information on personal investments. You are given information about investing your money in mutual funds, their online brokerage, retirement, insurance, and so much more. You can make these investments by conveniently accessing your account on the bank's website.

Understanding The Importance Of Business Management Consulting Services

Businesses will oftentimes benefit from obtaining business management consulting services. These services are especially advantageous to those businesses that are new to the industry. From marketing strategy development to client management to brand marketing, the services are large in number and can be obtained from a wide range of business management consulting firms.

When partnering with such a firm, it is important to obtain services from one that has much experience. A business does not want to partner with a company that has not helped other businesses succeed. To make sure a firm has prior experience, it can be valuable to ask for references, including previous clients who have obtained the firm's services.

Some business management consulting firms specialize in helping business start-ups. The services they provide tend to include assistance with start-up budgets as well as the development of extensive business management plans. After a business is up and running, the assistance from the firm may be ceased, or if a business prefers, it can continue to obtain services. The length of time that a business partners with a management firm is always determined by the business, never the firm.

If a business is having difficulty with its marketing strategies, it can be of the utmost assistance to obtain services from a business management consulting firm. The firm can help devise marketing techniques that will prove to be effective, with the techniques being based on the industry that the business is operating in as well as the business's target market. These strategies will not only help to attract new customers but also to retain them.

For businesses that are creating a brand, business management consulting services will also be beneficial. The consulting firm can help a business choose a proper name, create an eye-catching logo, develop a slogan and much more. If a business already has an established brand, the firm can help to improve it. In many instances, obtaining services to help with brand development can be one of the most effective investments the businesses ever make.

Another way that a consulting firm can be of assistance is for businesses that distribute printed marketing materials. They can help develop effective magazines, fliers or whatever type of printed material a business wants to distribute. For companies that offer services and products through the Internet, it is very important for services to be obtained from such a firm. In doing so, the companies can rest assured their content will be displayed in an effective manner, helping to expand their offerings to a global audience.

For those businesses that are into sales, a business management consulting firm can help to generate leads. Many times, the services obtained from the firm prove to be one of the single most effective factors behind a successful sales business. The firm can show a business not only how to find leads but also how to close the deals. Much of the time, they will introduce a business to lead generation techniques that it had not initially thought of.

Make Money on the Web With These Advanced SEO Techniques

Online Marketing

There are so many more people every day turning to the internet to learn how to make money on the web. Unemployment rates and financial recessions have led many households to require extra income just to make ends meet each month. If you are starting an online home based business, I have a few SEO tricks that might help.

Knowledge

We all know that knowledge is power and learning how to make money on the web is no exception. While no specialized computer skills are needed to get started, if your business is going to have any chance of succeeding you will need to learn everything you can about SEO (search engine optimization).

SEO Techniques

Keyword Research - One of the first and most important steps is finding the right keywords. Use Google's keyword tool to generate a list of long tail keyword phrases. Research which keywords are getting traffic and what the competition is like. Only optimize for keywords that are in the sweet spot of having some traffic but not too much competition.

Backlink Building - Another important step is to create as many quality backlinks to your site as possible. Article submissions, guest blog posts, blog comments and forum comments are all great ways of creating backlinks. Only backlink from sites that are relevant to your business niche.

RSS Feeds - Once you have a feed for your site, submit it to the top RSS feed directories. Your feed will automatically be updated from the time of submission so you'll only have to do it one time.

On-site Optimization - Build your site around the keywords you have chosen. Create quality content around them and be sure to include the keywords in page titles, meta data and alt text for any images used. Remember that web crawlers only read your site's HTML so review the source code for each page to ensure the keywords are sprinkled throughout.

Freelancers

Search engine optimization can be time consuming and does require an intermediate level of expertise. If you've not the time or skills but are trying to make money on the web, there are freelance SEO experts available for hire. Check out sites like Elance or Freelancer to find help.

Anita de Santiago is an Internet Marketer devoted to show you how to start an online business.

Building Awesome Creative Teams

Let's talk about pulling together the right creative team. That's important because it's your team who are going to drive the creativity of your business and get the results you need. If you get the wrong team in place, it just makes life harder and getting things down becomes somewhat of an uphill battle. Get the right team in place it makes life easier and everything just seems to fall into place.

Getting the team right in place is paramount. You can have a team of the most talented, creative people, but if that team doesn't cohere or is not aligned with each other, and with your overall vision and goals, then you're not going to get 100%.

Building an awesome team of creative people is not about getting the right people on board. It's also not about getting the best people on board. It's about getting both the right people and the best people on board. In other words getting the right mix of the right, best people.

You see you can have the best talent available in your team, pay them a fortune and you will, of course, get results. But you may not get the best results. If they don't get on with each other, then you get personality clashes and bad energy flying around. If they're not aligned, then you also get disharmony

You can also pull together a team of the right people. By that I mean people you love what they do, take ownership and are aligned to your vision and your values, and yes you will, of course get results, but if they lack the expertise and star quality in their work, then as a team they won't be as punchy and effective as they could be.

But when you get a team of highly creative people together and it's the right mix of highly creative people, then it's a powerful thing. Not only do you get amazing work but you also get harmony, drive, and alignment in everyone working towards achieving the same goals and in being part of something bigger than them. To put it in pain language, when you get the right, best creative people - it just rocks.

So here are three things to consider.

Alignment: Does you team take ownership of your vision and your values. Are they on the same page?

Diversity: Is there diversity in your creative team? And by diversity I don't just mean in skills, but also background, industry and life experience.

Skills: Does your team have the right skills and the best skills? Yes you need a team of experts but you can encourage them to build upon and expand those skills?

20 Reasons You Shouldn't Use A Broker When You Sell Your Business

Nearly 80% of all business owners, even highly successful ones, admit that they don't have a plan for exiting their businesses.

Owners often fail to make succession plans because they have assumptions about the future which may or may not be true.

For example, a business owner may believe that his business will naturally pass to his spouse or other family member. What happens, though, if that designated family member is unwilling or unable to take the reins?

Another common assumption owners make that causes them to avoid succession planning is the idea that they will be able to run the business until they die. They don't put a plan in place because they don't like to think about the possibility of having to leave the business sooner than planned, perhaps due to ill health or family problems.

What happens in the absence of proper exit planning is that am owner can find him or herself in the unanticipated position of having to sell quickly, perhaps for less money than they need in retirement.

Frustrated, tired, stressed, and sometimes ill, business owners who need to sell make what they feel is a logical decision and turn the process over to their local business broker.

Over the years, my partners and I have reviewed over 300 selling deals and have come to the conclusion that using a business broker might be the worst decision any seller can make.

We began to question the entire sales process, wondering why most businesses in America never sell, and those that do sell often do so under extremely unfavorable terms for the sellers.

Looking for common threads in those deals, we eventually came to the conclusion that a major culprit hindering the business selling process is the typical business broker.

This came as a surprise as we initially assumed the logical fallacy that someone with the title "broker" is sctuslly experienced in facilitating deals.

The vast majority of business brokers we have run across, however, have disproved this assumption time and again.

Here are just a few of the reasons that I believe you should NOT engage the services of a business broker if you are trying to sell your successful business.

Most business brokers have never owned a business themselves.

They are often more motivated by commissions than they are by doing what's right for both buyer and seller.

In most states, brokers are not required to have any training, licensing, or continuing education, unlike real estate or insurance brokers.

Many of them are super at selling their services, but poor at actually providing those services once you've paid.

They could care less if they get referrals, so they don't care if clients complain about them to others.

A lot of times they are simply lazy and don't do much of anything to help the seller.

Many brokers lack basic financial literacy, business intelligence, and organization that is essential to a successful outcome.

They don't know how to plan and excute a successful sales strategy.

They try and cover their lack of knowledge and training with slick self-serving rhetoric that makes them look better than they really are.

Many brokers get into business because they've failed at other ventures.

They often have no clue of how to properly valuate a business, thus potentially cheating the seller out of thousands of dollars or causing the sale to drag on longer than necessary.

They don't understand risk.

Often business brokers let sellers think a business is worth whatever the seller wants, however unrealistic that figure may be, just to get the listing. They then pass the buck to the potential buyer, who is made out to be the bad guy for showing the seller the business isn't worth anywhere near that much.

Business brokers often ignore confidentiality agreements.

Many are willing to lie, as long as it serves their purposes.

Commission-hungry business brokers are obsessed with getting mass listings because they know that without a listing there is NO possibility of getting a commission.

Focusing on mass listings means they don't have the time to push the listings they get, causing listings fall through the cracks.

Many business brokers don't understand due diligence.

Most brokers will never tell a seller the truth about their success rates: 87% of listings NEVER sell at all, and of those that do, 3 out of 4 FAIL to meet the sellers initial goals. Sellers have less than a 4% chance of a successful exit.

Brokers have been known to lie about their personal track records. Many brokers are lucky to complete just 2 successful deals in a year, much less the 10-20 about which they will brag to you.

These are only a few of the reasons why I urge potential sellers of businesses to avoid using business brokers.

Instead, it is much better to seek out the advice of a business acquisition specialist; someone who has experience in the process of buying and selling businesses, who thoroughly understands valuation, and who is not focused on getting as many listings as possible but rather on the needs of the seller and buyer.

ow To Get The Best Furniture For Your Office

Every new office needs office furniture and getting the best one that will not cost you a small fortune is not so easy. You can always go to your local furniture store and pick up one, however that is not the best way to go about it. Depending on the size of the business, you might need to buy several furniture pieces for a couple of cubicles. This is when getting the best deal is becoming important in saving money while at the same time getting a good quality furniture ensemble for your office.

Only in the US the office furniture business is a multiple billion dollar industry. This makes it one of the largest manufacturer industries by far. So can you imagine how many options you have to choose from when you want to get the perfect items to furnish your office? You need to narrow down all those options and focus on exactly what you need.

For example, if you are shopping for an office desk, there are several considerations that you need to take into account. You need to know the size of the office and the size of the exact place where you want the desk to be put. Once the desk is in the office there should be plenty of extra place for walking, for a chair and for a couple of other furniture pieces such as a drawer or a set of shelves.

Depending on what there is already in the office, you might want to buy a desk that matches in color, that complements it. I've seen one day in a shop a pink table with a pink matching chair. While it was definitely cute, I cannot imagine such a color belonging to a professional business ever.

Also if you want to save money on your office furniture, you need to locate the store (offline or online) that sells the pieces cheaper than others while at the same time selling you good quality items. You can also go with used furniture as opposed to new ones, however that strongly depends on what type of business you run and whether you are working from home on your own, or you are starting a large corporation where image is a big part of the whole.

One of the most modern types of furniture colors today is white. White desks, white chairs, white drawers and shelves are quite common place in many new offices. They make a small room look larger and they bring with them an open and inviting air that visitors and customers will be sure to notice.

Local Business Marketing Review Tip On How Your Employee Can Destroy Your Reputation

This was not an attempt to get the employee fired we need more people working these days. I stated in fact I would rather you keep him on, with my strategy I have a system that will train every single one of your employees on the importance of your reputation but that's another message this message is about the report only, and I have no plans to put this businesses name on public display.

This is just something I think start-up business owners as well as seasoned businesses should keep an eye on when sections of their business deals directly with the public.

Also for businesses just in the planning stages the problem outlined below could happen in your business one day as well, especially if you are a start up business and plan to grow. The events described below are all true and could be present in whatever business you are in this statement applies to you.

There has been a major shift in marketing, you and every other consumer wants to do business with a reputable business, when you network, you want to do so with a reputable business, right.

People will search the internet and check out your reputation before ever visiting your website or your business and they are doing business with the most reputable business. If your reputation says you cannot be trusted the consumer will just find someone they can trust.

There are many ways to find out if you have a reputation problem, here is just one way. If you type into a Google search any business name and their city, what you will see are the directories and other places their reputation shows up. The person searching may have only your name and phone number and they want to know more about you or they may be simply searching just be looking for directions to your business.

Did you know that all they need to do is type in the business name and the phone number and your reputation is on display for the world to see?

Why is this important? There was a study done not long ago and what was discovered was that consumer opinions posted online are trusted more than businesses realize, and the consumers posting are your customers.

As posted on the 'Nielsen: Global Consumers' Trust in 'Earned' Advertising Grows in Importance says "Ninety-two percent of consumers around the world say they trust earned media, such as word-of-mouth and recommendations from friends and family, above all other forms of advertising."

An Employee Destroying His Employers Reputation and Causing Massive Loss of Revenue With One Simple Act

I was allocating some freight for relocation at a local distribution center for a popular well know business which I shall keep their name private but the city was in Atlanta, Georgia recently and I filed this report with the CEO about the damage that could be done to the business reputation and after reading it what do you think the response was?

The Report

On yesterday 1-6-2014.

This should have been a 10 to 15 minute turn around but ended up being over 1 hr an 45 minutes because of an employee that was unaware that his actions can harm the company's reputation and untimely cause the company to lose business.

I've been picking up freight here for years and have seen the 1st shift shipping clerk first hand do what is stated below to truck drivers and more time after time over the years.

For example if a person let's say it was a "Truck Driver" that approaches the window he/she gets ignored until the clerk feels like it. The astounding thing about this is the clerk with his peripheral side vision he can see you and when he does decide to look at the driver it's like what do you want?

You are bothering me, now consider this the owner does not know anything about this display of attitude being displayed. The shipping clerk forgot he represents the business owner, this is not his business to treat customers how he wants to and when he wants to.

I'm looking for businesses that want to make a change from within, businesses that want their employees to want to give great customer service and build a great 5 star reputation.

As you read this article please note how many people dropped what they were doing to deal with this problem.

Here are the facts as they happened on 1-6-2014.

I presented the clerk with the pickup number and immediately left the window to get out of his way because I did not want the same experience happening to me that I have seen happened to other drivers. The shipping clerk looked into his computer system for the load and calls me back to the window and says "that's a bad number it's not in my system".

No argument from me, I asked for a recheck but did not get it, so I call my dispatcher the carrier and asks that he double checks his information, which he did, he calls the sales person who booked the load and they both check the website where the load was booked to confirm it was in fact a good pickup load number and it was. He calls me back and tells me it's good and asks me to once again ask the shipping clerk to recheck.

I had already asked and the shipping clerk would not recheck but I asked again. The clerk says it's not in my system and would not even attempt to look beyond that point.

I once again called and reported that to my dispatcher "the carrier" and from their end they called someone else at the shipper "XXXXX" that was shipping the load and located a second PO#, and the trailer the load was on and once again asked me to pass the information on to the clerk and ask for a recheck but he had already gone home.

Before I got that call, I was watching him leave and as soon as he left I asked the next shift shipping clerk to double check and he found the load within 2 min.

I got the 2nd shift supervisor involved and he did a lot of documentation to reprimand the employee with, another 20 minutes waiting and while he proceeded to get me checked out and said they would handle the problem on tomorrow.

He says this person knows all he had to do was to get up and ask another person just feet's away that had an updated list that had not yet been updated into the system.

There is a dollar amount that is taken right from the bottom profit line for the businesses for every one that spent time on this problem all because one person forgot he works for someone else because they could have been working on other projects.

Let's look at some of the time loss, the terminal yard that I was taking the load to was 20 minutes away, but I spent over 1-3/4 hrs here which should have been a 15 minute turn around.

1. Could not be dispatched on another load

2. Dispatcher spent his time and his assistant's time researching and verifying the load.

3. The customer service for the shipper spent their time locating the load and relaying the information back to our dispatcher who called me back.

4. There was a 2nd clerk doing the same job that had already been entered.

5. The supervisor of the shipping clerk who was busy on another assignment until he was pulled away from that project to help get me going.

6. There was equipment (the truck) that was sitting not being used, just idle.

Imagine if this was your employee and your business that the shipping clerk worked for or a business that you know well.

Can you see how it could easily an employee could harm your business, just imagine it could be another business that you know very well that has an employee doing the same thing and causing your clients to lose money right from the bottom line?

I'm more interested in making a difference that will help businesses get more customers by ensuring every employee understands that this company's reputation is on the line every time they interact with a customer.

Let's switch positions just for a second. Let's take the event a little further; you know how people exploit the bad information online of offline, right.

Some people could be angry enough at the shipping clerk to post this event as a review on the business directory listing, if it's a bad review it's not just going to go away, oh no. That bad review is going to hang around and may even be on the first page for years as the first thing people will see when they check this businesses reputation.

Would you agree with my point here that if this were a published review of the business on their Google + listing and you had no prior knowledge of how reliable this distribution center was that this employee's actions reflects badly upon his employer's reputation as a reputable and reliable distribution center?

This employee probably has already caused customers to find another distribution center that's a given and could cause the company to lose this business and future business and it never crosses his mind that my employer is his customer.