target client http://www.artwoo.com Returned search results for target client Copyright 2008 Sat, 22 Nov 2008 04:36:12 +0000 http://www.artwoo.com/rss/target+client Make More Money In Affiliate Marketing http://www.artwoo.com/article/make-more-money-in-affiliate-marketing http://www.artwoo.com/article/make-more-money-in-affiliate-marketing#comments Thu, 13 Apr 2006 04:00:04 +0000 affiliate marketingcontent affiliatetarget clientssearch enginessearch engine optimizationaffiliatesonline business http://www.artwoo.com/article/make-more-money-in-affiliate-marketing Affiliate marketing benefits both the and the affiliate. With affiliate marketing, an online business will have an increase in traffic on the website, and, consequently, generate more sales. With affiliate marketing, an affiliate can earn money just by referring visitors to the website of the online business. Each client visit is converted to an agreed amount for the affiliate. But, does this happen often?

Some who have been involved in affiliate marketing may answer that the conversion of visits to money does not happen often enough. Are there too many affiliates already? Of course not. The cyberspace has a limitless supply of clients and their numberss are growing every second. There could never be too many affiliates. But there are methods in which one affiliate can earn more money than his counterparts.

These methods have been proven time and again by affiliate marketing experts. Thus, an affiliate must plan to carry out these suggestions so that his income will greatly increase.

1. Study

The of affiliates are those that get inside cyberspace and surf the Internet to find information and products. These target clients can easily do the surfing and the searching by using . Therefore, the affiliate's website should find its way in the first results page of a Search Engine.

The job now of the affiliate is to find out how to have his website listed and ranked high by Search Engines and Directories. This is why the affiliate should study search engine optimization.

2. Have Good Content

Affiliate marketing is not just about selling products or services. It is also providing useful information to the target clients. Thus, the affiliate must make sure that the articles found in his website should be information-laden.

If the target clients finds the website useful, they will return to the affiliate's website again and again, until they are convinced enough to proceed to the website of the online business. But if the client finds the affiliate's website is all flash and no substance, they will immediately find another and better website.

3. Promote More Than One Product

A client likes to be given choices. Thus, the affiliate should respond to this need of clients. The website of the affiliate should be offering options to the client. Each option will be described in terms of advantages and disadvantages. When options are given, convincing the client to patronize a certain product or service becomes easier.

4. Give Away Free Products

The wise affiliate should build loyalty from clients by offering freebies. Such freebies may only be information that can be downloaded by the clients.

With all the above suggestions being kept in the mind by the affiliate, his business of marketing will give him greater returns. About The Author: Peter Garant's affiliate marketing site href=http://www.affiliatepays.com/ sells affordable unique website content http://www.affiliatepays.com/unique-website-content/ to webmasters that understand the need for unplagerised and high quality content on their websites. ]]> Business Networking - Who Wins? http://www.artwoo.com/article/business-networking-who-wins http://www.artwoo.com/article/business-networking-who-wins#comments Thu, 13 Nov 2008 03:15:24 +0000 network relationshippartnership meetingsbuzz wordperson salesvideo producerdollar savingspurchasing equipment http://www.artwoo.com/article/business-networking-who-wins buzz word for today, but who wins? If two people network, do they both win? If both of them win, does the customer lose? Ideally, business networking should result in a win-win-win situation. And in most cases, that is what does happen. Individuals or businesses can network to provide enhanced services, faster services, and better talent to clients than either would have working alone. The client can belong to either business, or be shared by both. Clients can be an existing client, or new, or one that both individuals or businesses pitched together to obtain.

For example, a print advertising agency has a client that wants a video production. This ad agency can network with a reputable media production house to provide the video production. At the same time, the video house can benefit by having the print agency do any related printing or DVD covers, etc., that might be needed. The can focus on what they do best, the video production, and leave the print items to the network partner who specializes in that area. Neither has to take on the burden of new talent, or to provide what the client wants. The can be informal or put on paper like a partnership. Meetings would be helpful in advance to propose the project, and determine the division of duties, and of course, important monetary distributions and bookkeeping details.

Looking at "business networking - who wins?" from the client side, the benefits are working with one contact person (sales or marketing representative) who is the intermediary between the client and both companies. Simplification of payment and records, and time saving are also cost savers. There may be some actual for the client who works with business networkers also, if they pass along some of their own savings to the client. The client receives better product from both companies who network together, because each is skilled in their particular area and do not have to try to "wing it" or start from scratch in an area they do not know.

Putting together these business networking partnerships can be easy or hard, depending on the principals involved, but it is always interesting, especially when it works like clockwork. The most difficult part is probably the interactions of different personalities, especially in an ego involved area like creative services. There must be a willingness to negotiate and compromise, to reach effective solutions and remain client centered. On the client side, they may not even realize what is going on the in background with the networking process. Nor do they have to know about any business networking. All they need to know is they are getting the best, highest quality performance from the company(ies) they have hired for this job.

If two people (or businesses) network, do they both win? If both of them win, does a customer lose? Yes and no, if business networking is conducted properly, the business networkers win, and the customer does not lose. Otherwise there is no benefit to the networking!For more information on networking, visit http://www.coworkingcenters.com/]]> In Your Massage Therapy Business Do You Know The Value Of Your Massage Clients? http://www.artwoo.com/article/in-your-massage-therapy-business-do-you-know-the-value-of-your-massage-clients http://www.artwoo.com/article/in-your-massage-therapy-business-do-you-know-the-value-of-your-massage-clients#comments Mon, 05 May 2008 15:22:36 +0000 appreciative customersmassage businessmassage therapistsspecial offerappointmentslast minute http://www.artwoo.com/article/in-your-massage-therapy-business-do-you-know-the-value-of-your-massage-clients massage therapists are unaware of their clients' value, which is something you do need to be aware of. It is vital to know their massage value in order to maximize the effectiveness of your treatments and get the most from what you do and how you operate your . Many massage therapists believe all their clients are equally valuable and are grateful for any business they receive. You need to think in a different way, in order to maximize your business and know which clients are more "valuable" than others.

Ask yourself the following questions:

=95 Do you have clients who show up late or cancel their at the ? =95 Do you have clients who never refer others? =95 Do you have clients who never tip you? =95 Do you have clients who only use your services when you offer a special discount?

If you have clients such as the above, it is essential to know that they might be taking away value from your business, rather than adding to it. If I were to suggest that you might not want this type of client on your books you might think, "Of course I do =96 a client is a client!" But this is not always the case. You need to look at the bigger picture. Just because you trim down your client base, this doesn't mean you're shooting yourself in the foot. If someone takes away from your business rather than adding to it, this is bad for business. Someone not showing up or only using you when you have a on isn't a valued customer. They are a drain on what you are offering and if they don't use their booked slot, you could have a valued customer in their place, who will show up, will pay and will probably tip and rebook.

Knowing the value of your clients will help you identify clients who truly appreciate your work and the service you offer. If you have clients who do any of the above negative things, it negatively impacts your business, taking up your energy which you could be spending on more .

If you are aware of the massage value of your clients, this will help you with your marketing tactics. Let's say one of your customers doesn't show up for their massage because they were stuck in traffic. Do you charge that person for the treatment or not? If you have a client database, you might find out that the client in question visits you 10 times a year (almost always on time), has been using your services for 3 years, has a 60 minute massage each time and usually gives you a $10 tip. You can work out that this client represents someone who spends $2400 in their time as your client. Knowing this, you might let them off payment for the one missed session, in the knowledge they will continue to be a regular client who uses your services. The person will also feel bad about letting you down and delighted that they don't have to pay for their missed session. This is an example good customer relations. Your valued client will also value you and your services more.

Now, the question is this: would you make the same exception for a client who comes in twice a year for a 30 minute massage, never tips and usually arrives late? Are you going to let a client like this disrupt your schedule and your business? Is this person still a "valued client"? Or would their slot be better filled with someone like the client in the first example?

Knowing the true massage value of your clients will help you to boost your business and attract valuable clients. Robert C. Vignoli has been a massage therapist for over 10 years. He currently co-owns Roman Paradigm Massage, but now he is helping to improve the massage industry by building a "hands off" massage business model. Learn more @ http://www.think-diagonal.com ]]> The Unhappy Client: How To Fight Back And Keep The Business http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-unhappy-client-how-to-fight-back-and-keep-the-business http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-unhappy-client-how-to-fight-back-and-keep-the-business#comments Mon, 17 Jul 2006 00:27:09 +0000 client extranetinvoiceclient relationshipsagency peopletraffic systemplaguessacrifice http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-unhappy-client-how-to-fight-back-and-keep-the-business client relationships. Today, there are tools that can minimize, or even eliminate these threats.

As an example, one situation that all relationships is the unexpected surge in project cost.

Its an old story. You send your client an that is 30% higher than the estimate. The client goes nuts. Your response is that the copy was changed thirteen times in two days. And THEN there were the layout changes . . .

Nobody is happy. Your client really doesn't think they made all those changes, and after-all, you're told, it should have been right the first time.

So now you have to recreate all the time records and find all the copy versions. You discover that because things were happening so fast, vital information never made it into the or on to a conference report. Plus, you have to go through the emails of multiple to see who said what to whom.

The result? You give-up and figure out exactly how much of your hard-earned revenue you are willing to to keep the client happy.

This cycle is repeated everyday in agencies everywhere.

Which leads us to the central proposition:

How an extranet can make you rich, and keep your client happy

Let's look at this same scenario at an agency that uses an extranet.

You send your client an invoice that is 30% higher than the estimate. Along with the invoice, you send a copy of all the comments, requests, and approvals made by the client.

Time spent creating the report: 90 seconds.

Quality of the evidence: irrefutable.

Net result: you get paid, the client realizes their mistake, and everybody is happy.

This sounds way too good to be true.

Maybe. But it's not. A automatically organizes all the comments, requests and approvals made by your client, your staff and your vendors. Not only that, it also compiles a complete record of who saw what, when the saw it, and what they did with it. All the information is in one place, and can be available to anyone at any time.

Entries into the extranet can be made by any user at any computer, 24 hours a day. And everyone with an interest in the project can be notified and see all the entries immediately.

The bottom-line is that having a complete record of what everyone did and when they did it can be the saving grace. It can save time, save money and save your sanity. Most importantly, it can save your relationship. All it takes is the implementation of a client service extranet. Laura Schweiker writes extensively on the use of technology by businesspeople and is an evangelist for extranet (http://www.trichys.com) and intranet software (http://www.trichys.com/intranet-extranet/intranet-software.vm) ]]> Self Hypnosis And Hypnotherapy: An Article For Therapists http://www.artwoo.com/article/self-hypnosis-and-hypnotherapy-an-article-for-therapists http://www.artwoo.com/article/self-hypnosis-and-hypnotherapy-an-article-for-therapists#comments Tue, 06 Feb 2007 06:27:34 +0000 hypnosis inductionself hypnosispendulum swingsinevitable responsehypnotherapyempowermentshort eyes http://www.artwoo.com/article/self-hypnosis-and-hypnotherapy-an-article-for-therapists Self Hypnosis and go hand in hand when I am treating clients. I see them as completely complementary of each other and a must for greater success and of the client.

Each and every client that starts Hypnotherapy with me first learns that art of Self-Hypnosis. This doesn't mean that they get a tape or a cd to listen to, but they actually learn the process without the need for any recordings.

This is REAL empowerment.

My theory is that if a client comes for smoking and in a few years time they are struggling to lose a few pounds, they shouldn't have to turn back to me, but use their new skill of Self Hypnosis to tackle it themselves.

My other goal is to get a client to a place where they feel that THEY have made the change -- thus allowing them to be their own hero and not me. This is so important as with this attitude they begin to take charge and begin achieving even more great goals in their lives.

So how do you teach Self Hypnosis in just fifty minutes so that they client goes away feeling confident and motivated to practice?

First I do Chevreul's pendulum and explain how there is a mind/body connection. So as we imagine our bodies relaxing that they will just relax the same way that the when we imagine it doing so. This is an and will always occur if done correctly.

Then after this I may sometimes do a short 'eyes closure' induction and then the sway test all while standing with the client. This really confirms to them the connection between mind and body as they can actually feel the relaxation in their eyes and body.

Then I would have the client sit in the chair and do a short landscape induction. This is something that I have created and added to each client's induction to help with imagination. Unfortunately I can't cover this process all here as it would take too long.

After this I use the Self-Change , which has three key elements and then onto the post hypnotic suggestions.



I take about twenty minutes to do this.

Then I encourage the client to do the first element of the Self-Change Hypnosis induction for themselves and I do the rest, thus allowing them to experience Hypnosis for a second time in the same session. Then after that we do a third round of Hypnosis with the client doing the whole of the Self-Change Hypnosis induction and giving themselves some post hypnotic suggestions.

Using the Self-Change Hypnosis means that if is foolproof for the client to learn.

Well I hope that you have enjoyed this article and have gotten something from it. Richard MacKenzie is a leader in the field of Self Hypnosis - http://www.richardmackenzie.co.uk/ He is also the bestselling author of Self-Change Hypnosis - http://www.amazon.com/Self-Change-Hypnosis-Richard-MacKenzie/dp/1412045320 ]]> Business Blogs, Should Your Company Sell Advertising On The Blog Pages? http://www.artwoo.com/article/business-blogs-should-your-company-sell-advertising-on-the-blog-pages http://www.artwoo.com/article/business-blogs-should-your-company-sell-advertising-on-the-blog-pages#comments Wed, 02 Jul 2008 02:50:19 +0000 several thousand dollarscheap advertisingbottom dollardollar questionlong stretchdifferent reasonspennies http://www.artwoo.com/article/business-blogs-should-your-company-sell-advertising-on-the-blog-pages dollar question about whether or not he should sell advertising on his company blog.

My answer, every time a client asks me this, is...

Hmmm.

The reason I always stop to think about my answer to the blog advertisement question is that it's different for each client, different for each blog. Because each blog has different goals and for their existence.

And each client is different. Knowing this particular client is a big fan of contextual advertising (Adsense, Yahoo Publisher, etc) I had to hesitate a bit before I answered him. Because in this case, contextual advertising would hurt the client much more than it would help him.

The reason why is because this particular client offers a service in which he receives a large payment should his users decide to contract him. for each new client.

But stop and think about what he receives if they come to his site and click one of those contextually targeted links. You guessed it, they are going to click on one of his COMPETITORS links being served on his website. It's not a to come to the conclusion that he just sold a client that might have paid him several thousand dollars for a couple of bucks. Maybe less, maybe a couple of .

The reason advertisers use contextual networks like Adsense is because they work. It's that can effectively steal clients from their competition. For a few cents a click they might just nab one of your clients right off your website and pull down the sale you could have had if you had not served up the ads.

Yes, there are ways to configure your Adsense ads to exclude specific websites, but bet your that some of your competitors are going to target your site, somehow, someway. If you are offering them the doorway for a small price, they are going to pay it and see if they can convert your users.

A better plan for service oriented sites such as the client in question is to optimize the site and work on the sales approach. Simply speaking, to CLOSE THE SALE with the users you have. Not to look for pennies when you could be making dollars.

If you can't convert the traffic you have, then a couple of different things could be wrong.

* You could have really low traffic
* You could have the wrong traffic
* Or your content is not capable of SELLING what you are offering

All three issues can be solved with some optimizing, with some strategy. But you need to know which it is first. To fix a problem, you need to first pin down what the problem is.

So be objective. If your sales text sucks, recognize that it sucks, move on, and FIX IT.

Set the goal in your mind to make your site a success. Then take action to get it done. You can be at the top. All it takes is a little elbow grease.Chuck Crawford is an established e-biz expert. Founder and CEO of Crawford Business Development L.L.C., and helping countless people achieve online success spanning his 13 yr career. Clients include fortune 500 firms and personal startups. visit Business Blogs Optimized or Texas SEO Expert or call (559) 761-0910]]> Creating Customer Value In Your Proposals http://www.artwoo.com/article/creating-customer-value-in-your-proposals http://www.artwoo.com/article/creating-customer-value-in-your-proposals#comments Fri, 23 Jun 2006 15:32:07 +0000 proposal writingbusiness problemre usableinvitation to tenderproposalscourse of actionboilerplate http://www.artwoo.com/article/creating-customer-value-in-your-proposals proposal writing. Go on a sales training course. One of the first topics that will be covered is features, advantages and benefits. Ultimately, any proposal whether verbal or written down has to persuade someone to take an action and this is done by demonstrating the benefits of taking that .

In a smaller sale, especially with products it is often easy to list benefits, but with larger you will have to search harder to understand the client's and explain the benefits of your solution -- that is, how effectively and efficiently your solution solves their business problem.

Your solution should demonstrate not only value in price, but in the services that you offer. Value is the balance of cost versus benefit, therefore you need to be explicit in highlighting the benefits to the client.

Often when a contract has been lost, the client will tell you that you were too expensive -- but no-one ever gets told that they won because they were the cheapest. It is the best solution that usually wins, the one that offers the best benefits. This may be the most expensive solution, but it still may offer the best value.

So how do you create customer value? Firstly you need to take time to understand the customer's needs. When you receive an , get back to the client immediately with questions. Call them. Ask for a meeting. You may have been involved with the client pre-tender and have an understanding of their business.

You must be able to demonstrate an understanding of their business need in order to demonstrate that your solution will deliver the required benefits.

When writing your proposal, use content tailored towards the client and their business problem. We all copy re-usable text, or in proposals -- but customise it to the client. Include their name, especially in the executive summary. Let them know that the proposal is about them, not about you.

Directly address your customer's issues and offer persuasive ideas with distinct solution benefits and support your arguments with evidence. When have you delivered a similar service or solution in the past? How did that client benefit? Demonstrate your ability to deliver on your promise.

Make sure a value proposition is clearly laid out and easy to understand. Can you include a return on investment model for the client? If so do it you are showing the client you understand how to save their business money. James England is a proposal specialist with years of experience in the creation of proposals, proposal strategy as well as bid management and production tools and software. Find out more at http://www.learntowriteproposals.co.uk ]]> The Secrets To Writing For Your Niche http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-secrets-to-writing-for-your-niche http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-secrets-to-writing-for-your-niche#comments Mon, 15 Jan 2007 10:27:06 +0000 target marketniche markettestimonialsyoure the answerown hornspeedy servicetag line http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-secrets-to-writing-for-your-niche niche market to your Virtual Assistance practice? Start by crafting a website that clearly reflects your ability to meet their needs.



Keep your and niche in mind when you're writing the content for your website. Don't be afraid to identify your target market from the start.



You may choose to brand yourself as 'The Author's VA' and build this title right into your header graphic and headlines. Everyone who visit's the site will know that you specialize in serving authors. Or you may have specialized in providing for urgent tasks so you're branding might be 'The Speedy VA" with a of "Your business emergency is our first priority." Visitors will know right away that you're the answer to all their last minute administrative problems.

Your service descriptions will also need to be tailored to your niche. Describe just how you can be of special service to your target market. Let them know how your specialized knowledge can benefit their particular kind of business. Without trying to sound like you're tooting your , you do want to highlight your understanding of their industry.

Any that you share on the website should be from clients in your desired target market. If you have done work for others, it might be best to leave their testimonials off of the website in order to present a clear message about your niche. Ask your current clients to provide you with a testimonial that mentions how well they appreciate working with someone who has specialized.



Writing good web copy for your target market will set you apart from all the other VA's that don't -- and that is just what you need. If you do this just right, you'll convince your potential client that you are the perfect VA for them. Nell Taliercio and Jennifer Houck grew successful virtual assistant businesses quickly and are showing you how to do the same thing in their complete How to Become a VA course: http://www.howtobecomeava.com ]]> Track Suits: The Ultimate Promotional Item http://www.artwoo.com/article/track-suits-the-ultimate-promotional-item http://www.artwoo.com/article/track-suits-the-ultimate-promotional-item#comments Thu, 31 Jul 2008 22:57:22 +0000 pens pencilstarget markettrack suitsversatile clothingmind frametrack suitprospective client http://www.artwoo.com/article/track-suits-the-ultimate-promotional-item track suit you are reinforcing your brand and making the company name that is much more visible to the public.

Promotional are a useful and item that is practically timeless in style and popularity among men, women and children around the world. There are so many different advantages to adding promotional track suits to your promotional line-up. Track suits have a great deal of usefulness, practicality and appeal to people of all ages. Not only can you be assured that the track suits will be used, which is exactly what you want so that your company logo can be seen in many different places, but they are also quite inexpensive to personalize, create and distribute among your customers.

Many company's opt for the standard promotional items such as pens, pencils, Frisbees and other things that can be given out to people in the thousands. While these are still a great promotional tool they are not specific for the clientele you are trying to target. Pens and such can be given out to thousands of people at trade shows and other places but if you are going to invest in a promotional tool don't you want it to be useful and directed at your ? With promotional track suits you can do that!

Clients will be astounded to receive such a wonderfully stylist, practical and useful promotional gift from your company. This will put them into the of telling everyone about the great gift and in turn this will start the promotional process. Then when your client starts to wear the promotional track suit be it on the track or over the weekend it will surely strike up some conversations between your client and a . This means that the ball of promotion is rolling well on it's way to scoring a new client.

Promotional track suits are also a great and practical gift to give out to employees. You can give a promotional gift to an employee who has done a remarkable job, for their birthday or their anniversary with your company. Employees will feel they are valued and a person who feels valued with speak highly of your company. This in itself is a great promotional tool since many people like to do business with companies that take care of their employees.

While promotional track suits might not be the cheapest promotional tool out there they are among the best. Not only are they a super nice gift to receive they are also the most useful and practical promotional gifts to give. Promotional track suits will not be something that will find it's way to the bottom of the draw of the receiver, they are an item that will be warn for several years to come and keep promoting your business for a long time.Miles Lovegrove is director of Fluid Branding, the UK's largest supplier of Promotional Tracksuits and Branded Tracksuits at www.fluidbranding.com.

For Eco Friendly promotional products, including Recycled, Organic and Sustainable items visit www.ecoincentives.com]]> A Successful It Consultant: A Marketer, Networker And Innovator http://www.artwoo.com/article/a-successful-it-consultant-a-marketer-networker-and-innovator http://www.artwoo.com/article/a-successful-it-consultant-a-marketer-networker-and-innovator#comments Sun, 03 Sep 2006 15:55:03 +0000 australian computer societycomputer magazinescomputer sectionsspecialist computertarget clientbusiness cardsadvertising http://www.artwoo.com/article/a-successful-it-consultant-a-marketer-networker-and-innovator
• Product: offering the right product or service for your market. • Price: selling it for an amount deemed worth it by your . • Promotion: communicating a message that leads to sales. • Place: distributing your product or service to locations where you can find it.

Don't undercharge as you may find it difficult to raise your fees later. Research what to charge before you start promoting.

Promotion can be via , which can be expensive. Specialist or the of the major broadsheets would probably be the best publications.

Use your website for advertising. Put your website address on your business card. Carry some cards around with you wherever you go. When you have satisfied clients ask them for a testimonial that you can post on your site.

Aim for the right companies and government departments that will suit your skills and experience.

You need to network, i.e. be actively involved in the IT industry. You should consider joining IT groups such as the , regularly attend courses and conferences. Not only do you keep up with the latest changes in technology and software updates, but you meet like-minded people who are working in the industry. And remember have those with you to hand out. A lot of work is gained by word of mouth. So use your mouth. Talk to people!

You should up keep in contact with your university friends and former workmates in the industry. You can even send work to each other. Say you're snowed under and you just can't take on another client at the moment. You could then recommend a friend to the client. Your friend could do the same for you.

You also need to be an innovator. Don't just let a potential client tell you what they want and how they want it. Think about it and see if you can come up with a better way that will be more effective or cost them less. If you need to go away and think about it, do so. Do some research if necessary. Look it up. As an IT professional you should have a large collection of books and magazines that you can refer to. Remember you can claim these on your tax return.

Also look at your goals for your business. What do you want to achieve and when? The SMART principle can help. This stands for goals which are:

• Specific • Measurable • Achievable • Realistic/relevant • Timeframed

Think about how many projects you want to do per year, and the sorts of clients you'd like to take on. Do you need to learn new skills? Perhaps you might consider employing subcontractors. Can you afford them? Is a loan a possibility? Also remember everyone needs some time off. You need to incorporate holidays into your business plan. Greg is a respected freelance writer whose work is published on Get Somebody Now, the site for IT contractors and consultants - http://www.getsomebodynow.com.au Finding IT contractors online, FAST. ]]> Corporate Gift Essentials http://www.artwoo.com/article/corporate-gift-essentials http://www.artwoo.com/article/corporate-gift-essentials#comments Sat, 16 Aug 2008 12:01:59 +0000 signing your namehandwritten notemonetary valuecorporate giftsbest qualityembarrassmentcustoms http://www.artwoo.com/article/corporate-gift-essentials corporate gifts and giving them out to people. When you remember them, you will find that you are making good decisions when it comes to corporate gifts.

1. The first thing that you should do is check and see what the company's policy is about a of the gifts that they are given. When you check beforehand, you save yourself and the client the of having to return the item to you.

2. One of the hardest things that you can do is to figure out what a client is going to enjoy receiving. If you are comfortable with it, you can call your client and ask them what they enjoy -- what their hobbies are, what they enjoy doing, if the collect anything. This will help you to give an idea of what they would like to get from you.

3. When you are sending clients in other countries printed corporate gifts, be sure that you research the different when it comes to sending them corporate gifts. For example, you should not wrap a branded corporate gift in white because white symbolizes death.

4. Make sure that the gift that you send to people is of the . After all, you are representing your company and your company's logo and name is going to be on the gift that you are sending them. You want to make sure that you have the best quality that your budget will allow.

5. Instead of just to a printed card to a client, adding a along with the card is going to really show your client that they are valued. They know that you know them and that he or she is just not another client.

6. Once you have chosen the right printed corporate gift for your client, the next thing is to get it all wrapped up nicely. The packaging that the gift is wrapped in is as much of a reflection of your company as the gift itself. It's a good idea if you wrap it yourself, but if you don't wrap gifts well or you don't have the time, having it wrapped at a shopping mall or a retailer is the next best thing.

7. If you are able to do it, delivering your branded corporate gift is something that is really going to make your clients smile. When you deliver the gift yourself, it's going to make them remember you for a very long time.

When you are picking out branded corporate gifts, you are going find that there is a lot more to it than picking out a gift. The gift that you choose is a reflection of your company and yourself. You want to do everything you can to put your best foot forward and show the client that you appreciate them and their business.Miles Lovegrove is director of Fluid Branding, the UK's largest supplier of Promotional Corporate gift and other Promotional Products at www.fluidbranding.com. For Eco Friendly promotional products, including Recycled, Organic and Sustainable items visit www.ecoincentives.com]]> Resume Writer http://www.artwoo.com/article/resume-writer http://www.artwoo.com/article/resume-writer#comments Tue, 08 Jan 2008 08:25:01 +0000 e mail addressproper resumeresume writerfancy fontswriting a resumeprofessional resumeseeking a job http://www.artwoo.com/article/resume-writer resume writer, one has to be familiar with what employers are looking for when perusing resumes. Employers get hundreds of resumes when they advertise for a job opening. A good resume writer wants to make certain that their resume stands out.

Whether you are for yourself or someone else, you must keep the following information in mind. Although, as a resume writer, you will want to make sure that the resume stands out, you will want the document to stand out because of accomplishments and experience that pertain to the job at hand. You do not want to use trickery such as colored paper and to make sure that the resume stands out, unless you are a resume writer for someone who is in a creative field. In most cases, resume writer should strive to provide a for his or her client.

If you are a resume writer for a client who is paying you to create a resume, you will need to find out as much about the client as possible. Many people hire a resume writer because they have no idea how to create a for themselves. Many people do not have an idea of what type of accomplishments are needed to be included in their resume. They will understate their abilities. Your job, as a resume writer, will be to draw out their different accomplishments so that they conform to the job which your client is seeking.

You will want to make sure that the top of the resume includes the name and all contact information of your client, including an e-mail address. You will also want to make certain that the job in which your client is applying for is listed at the top of the resume.

A good resume writer finds out what qualifications the employer is seeking from a potential employee and highlights those accomplishments in the resume. Many people actually have to have this drawn out of them. As a resume writer, you will have to spend some time in speaking to your client about the details of his or her last job and exactly what they did. They may be hesitant at first, or modest. Ask many different questions such as whether they know how to do certain tasks. They may take certain duties that they performed in their last job for granted and not divulge them at first, but if they are important in their new job, they should be listed on the resume.

There are many different software programs for a resume writer to use, as well as templates available on most word processing programs. Once you have created the resume for your client, you can put the information on several different templates and formats to see which meets with the approval of your client.

A good resume writer will not leave out any experience or accomplishments that will help their client earn the job in which they seek. All experience should be used in a bullet format. This makes it easier for the prospective employer to read. Any inconsequential information should be left out of the resume. In many cases, a client will provide too much information that has nothing to do with the job they are seeking. You want to make sure that you list all experience, education and accomplishments and elaborate where needed. You will want to make sure, as a resume writer, that you list the places of employment as well as the dates from which your client was employed at these businesses.

Education should not be underestimated but should come after the employment experience in a resume. A good resume writer will list post graduate information first, as well as the name of the University or College attended along with the undergraduate school and degrees. If there is no college, high school education must be listed on the resume by the resume writer as well as the date of graduation. Any extra curricular activities that your client participated in during high school should also be mentioned on the resume.

Leave out personal information, political affiliations, hobbies and family information from the resume. It is not necessary to for a prospective employer to know that your client enjoys reading unless they are applying for a job as a professional reader of some sorts.

Once you have all of the information, give your client an opportunity to view different samples of their resume that include different formats and papers. Allow your client to choose which resume he or she thinks is best and reflects their personality. As a professional resume writer, you job is to do your best to promote the abilities of your client as well as please him or her with the final product. Mario Churchill is a freelance author and has written over 200 articles on various subjects. For more information checkout http://www.amazingresumecreator.com. ]]> Make Money From Home - Getting Started With a Free Report http://www.artwoo.com/article/make-money-from-home-getting-started-with-a-free-report http://www.artwoo.com/article/make-money-from-home-getting-started-with-a-free-report#comments Sun, 13 Jul 2008 09:15:18 +0000 change of venueintangible benefitsmoney from homecare foodtransportation expensescorporate jobhow to make money from home http://www.artwoo.com/article/make-money-from-home-getting-started-with-a-free-report money from home, it's important that you get off to a good start by taking care of some key preliminary decisions.

Planning is easy if you logically consider all the important factors that can affect your success. Even if you think about what to do if you don't realize anything about a troublesome issue in advance will help you to stave off disappointment or even disastrous problems. You've probably realized that there are many benefits to working from home, but you will also need to decide which type of work you can do best and what aspects you need to avoid. If you are working at home mainly for financial reasons, you will also want to consider realistically how much you can make and whether that figure will be enough to support your needs.

Picking a venue

An important factor in learning how to make money from home is picking the correct type of work for yourself. If you pick something that you are uncertain about, you may get lucky, but you are just as likely to hate what you are doing. On the other hand, if you select work that you have had experience in previously so that you know what is involved, you will be able to make a choice based on information, not wishful thinking.

Benefits of Home Based Work

When you set out to make money from home, you are probably able to define many benefits for your . You certainly will save on some of your , particularly if you have to travel any distance to reach your . You may find that you will save money on clothing, child care, food and just the miscellaneous expenses that can add up when you work outside the home. include the ability to set your own hours and to work at times that are convenient for your schedule. You don't have to answer to any boss except the clients you develop during the course of your work.

Do's and Don'ts

Getting ready to make money from home requires that you pay attention to some common sense do's and don'ts, no matter which type of work you decide is right for you. For example, do be accurate in all that you do. You may not have anyone other than your client looking at your work. If it is inaccurate in spelling, grammar or punctuation, it reflects poorly on you and may prevent you from getting additional work from this client or from others who read the reviews from the client.

How much can you earn?

In most instances, your ability to make money from home is limited only by the amount of time you want to spend working. Realistically, you can earn a satisfactory income without endangering your health due to overwork. It may be more important for you to do some living rather than just existing and working from your home can be less stressful in many ways, thus providing you with a higher quality of life quotient. Whether you choose full-time or part time income will also play a role in your overall earnings.Choose the web site at http://www.goodinternetmoney.com to get a free report for even more accurate, complete and helpful information about how you can Make Money from Home or Make Money at Home.]]> Affiliates Should Ask For The Sale http://www.artwoo.com/article/affiliates-should-ask-for-the-sale http://www.artwoo.com/article/affiliates-should-ask-for-the-sale#comments Sat, 22 Apr 2006 01:50:03 +0000 affiliate marketingsaletarget customertarget clientsbrick and mortar businessunfortunatelymarketing business http://www.artwoo.com/article/affiliates-should-ask-for-the-sale affiliate marketing business. The affiliate must conduct such a closing by asking the client for the .

, the asking for the sale in online businesses, such as affiliate marketing is more challenging than the asking for the sale in a brick-and-mortar business. In land-bound business marketing, the salesman can closely observe the target client's movements of the body and the eyes so that he can gauge if it is time to close the sale or not. But in an online business, the closing of the sale will not be helped by the body language of the customer. Obviously, the affiliate cannot see the customer's body posture.

And therein lies the problem for closing and asking for the sale. The affiliate has no means of knowing whether it is time to ask or not. The asking may be too early, when the customer is not convinced enough. Or the asking may be too late that the customer has already lost interest in the product.

In online businesses, such as affiliate marketing, the affiliate need not wait for signs. The affiliate should be gutsy enough to ask for the sale, whether it is time or not. And when the asking for the sale is too early, the may decide to click on the back button and never come back. When the asking for the sale is too late, the target customer may already be exploring other websites.

Despite such a difficult situation, the affiliate must still ask for the sale. If he does not ask for the sale, some visitors will think that it is a government-sponsored website and all the information provided are free of charge. Perhaps the information is literally free in many articles. But such information is posted due to one single purpose -- to make a sale.

Therefore, the affiliate should not just wait for the time when the visitor eventually realizes that he is expected to click on a link that will take him to the website of the merchant. The affiliate must indicate in his website and in his emails that what he has is a business and businesses involve selling. He should also state that the recipients of his emails are not obligated to buy immediately. These recipients can make their purchases later. Peter Garant's affiliate marketing http://www.affiliatepays.com site sells affordable unique website content http://www.affiliatepays.com/unique-website-content/ to webmasters that understand the need for unplagerised and high quality content on their websites. ]]> Tips on Choosing Effective Service Outsourcing KPI http://www.artwoo.com/article/tips-on-choosing-effective-service-outsourcing-kpi http://www.artwoo.com/article/tips-on-choosing-effective-service-outsourcing-kpi#comments Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:15:16 +0000 key performance indicatorsservice outsourcingdeveloping serviceoutsourcerfirst tippassing of timemetrics http://www.artwoo.com/article/tips-on-choosing-effective-service-outsourcing-kpi service outsourcing KPI, then you will surely have to deal with what is known as the SLA, or the Service Level Agreement. This is actually the contract or the agreement both the and the client enter, with all the stipulations, terms, and conditions set before the parties put into writing their commitment with each other.

Now, you may be wondering to yourself why there is a need for service outsourcing to be implemented. Upon signing the agreement, both the outsourcer and the client would certainly hold up each other's ends of the equation. This would certainly go on for the first few months, or even years, into the agreement. But bear in mind that the typical outsourcing engagement would not last for just a number of years. The contract here, believe it or not, would actually be for a good number of years. And with the , it would actually be so easy for either of the two parties to quietly slip into the abyss in terms of performance and in holding up their end of the bargain. But with these in place, this slipping condition can be determined early on, resulting to a fast remedy as well.

Now, the selection process of this metrics can be a bit tricky. Hence, it would help to have a few tips in mind. The is to go for metrics that can motivate the behavior that you are aiming for. The appropriate behavior for both the client and the outsourcer has to be motivated. This way, both sides would actually optimize their performance to achieve the objectives that have been defined by the metrics themselves. So, how exactly do you motivate behavior? Each side of the equation should understand the other side. Expectations, goals, factors, all these and more should be understood by both sides, and both should keep a realistic point of view as well. The client has to recognize the outsourcer's need to make profit here, while the outsourcer should recognize the client's need to control overhead expenses as much as possible.

Another tip is to choose metrics that reflect aspects that are well within the control of the outsourcer. The factors here should be controllable on the part of the outsourcer. For instance, the outsourcer sends invoices to the client via post. So, the outsourcer goes to the office and mails these invoices to the client. However, the outsourcer does not really have any control over the post office's delivery speed. Choosing such as a metric would not prove to be effective because the outsourcer cannot really control this particular aspect at all. Accurate measurement here would be futile.

Lastly, go for easy collection of measurements. If your metrics or your data are hard to gather or collect, then they will lose favor quickly and easily. Let us face it: no person would want to exert that much effort just manually collecting metrics. Instead, you should go for metrics that are readily available. This way, you can move onto the analysis and interpretation of these service outsourcing KPI, which would certainly be more complicated than data gathering.If you are interested in service outsourcing kpi, check this web-site to learn more about service outsourcing scorecard. http://www.strategy2act.com/solutions/service_outsourcing_excel.htm]]> What is a Strategy? http://www.artwoo.com/article/what-is-a-strategy http://www.artwoo.com/article/what-is-a-strategy#comments Tue, 30 Sep 2008 12:22:38 +0000 american heritage collegedefinition of strategydeafening silencemilitary aspectsitting on a shelfcurrent resourceslaws of nature http://www.artwoo.com/article/what-is-a-strategy deafening silence on the other end of the line. Not only do they have no strategy, they have no concept of the meaning of the word. So what is a strategy and how do you develop one?

The Dictionary's first is, "The Science and Art of using a nation's forces to execute approved plans as effectively as possible." Leaving aside the of this definition, substitute a few words, and for our purposes, you get, "The Science and Art of using a client's resources and skills to execute detailed plans as effectively as possible."

Science and Art means that the effort is done in a meticulous way, according to , but adjusted and finessed in the moment, as needed when circumstances require it.

In practice, what are the most meaningful ideas that need to be understood about strategies?

1. The primary purpose of behaving strategically is to be as effective as possible, i.e., have the best results, and to have the intended results.

2. Strategic actions are part of a well thought out, detailed plan, a plan that has the most likely probability of success, a plan so well prepared that chance is no longer in play.

3. A client will execute their plan in a logical and realistic progression. Effective strategies are laid out on time lines, so that the client is taking the right action at the right time. With a timeline, the client can release fretting and worrying about any action but the current one.

4. Using a client's resources and skills means that the client looks at their and considers how they can be used to produce the greatest results. Has the client considered all their resources, including those that have just been ? Assessing skills is equally as important. Which skills bring the greatest satisfaction? Is there a new combination of existing skills that could produce greater financial return in the market place?

5. Plans are detailed. Initially, the client spends some time brainstorming every possible idea they could conceivably put into action as part of their strategy. Later as part of the process, the client chooses some actions and deletes others. These choices are made, based on things such as clients' likes and dislikes, likelihood of success, projected results, conditions in the marketplace, time available, and family considerations.

6. Strategies, in the end, are about being executed as effectively as possible. This means that they bring the intended results, and are almost guaranteed to do so. This means that, if executed as planned, there is a high likelihood of success as projected. It also means that skills and resources have been used as efficiently as possible.

7. Lastly, strategies are flexible. Clients should review their strategies regularly (weekly is recommended), and as needed, adjust when the need becomes obvious. If you are reviewing your strategies and evolving them as you go, you can expect even greater results.

Now that you have a better understanding of the meaning of strategy, think about using strategies and strategic planning in your life.Suzi Elton is a success coach working with highly creative types to create income that matches their talent.She has coached hundreds of clients to approach their goals strategically through tiny steps to bring about quantum leaps. Get free Life Purpose exercises, at http://mylifepurposecoaching.com.]]> Getting To "Yes": Asking The Right Questions http://www.artwoo.com/article/getting-to-yes-asking-the-right-questions http://www.artwoo.com/article/getting-to-yes-asking-the-right-questions#comments Thu, 04 May 2006 00:32:02 +0000 open ended questionssales presentationsales effortsomitfullerdesiresexpress http://www.artwoo.com/article/getting-to-yes-asking-the-right-questions sales efforts.

Situation : Despite making a good , the customer remains uninvolved.

Your Question: "Based on the data, it looks like you can save $90,000 a year with this solution. What needs to be done before you are completely comfortable with this?"

Situation: The client agrees that there are still a number of items that need to be cleared up before he can make a commitment.

Your Question: "Before we get into this in any depth, can I get your agreement on the data results? Will you look at the facts and decide for yourself if they make sense?"

Situation : The customer says he is considering one of your competitors.

Your Question: "Yes, that is a good company. But we are different. Would you like to know why?"

Now, before you move on to pricing, you must have a commitment from your client that there is nothing other than affordability that would prevent them from saying YES. Never this step. I realize that this is the scariest thing to say to a client because you are often unsure of the answer.

You are nearing the end of your presentation now and it's time to tie everything together. This process begins with reiterating the client main issues.

Ask yourself:

1. What have you found throughout the presentation that excites your client the most? 2. What is their most painful problem you can solve? 3. What are their deepest ?

The answers to those questions are what you will cover here. If you have done a thorough presentation. You should have the answers to all of those questions

Get Agreement

Once the client is fully engaged, it's time to get the final agreement. Once again, we reach this agreement with commitment questions. Here the questions may be more open ended where you allow the client to give a answer than just agreeing with you.

Open-ended questions give the client a chance to fully why they feel that your product is right for them. They will be saying to you many of the things you have said to them during the presentation if you have done a good presentation.

When you ask these questions it will either be time to finish the sale or the client will come up with an objection you will need to address. Either way, this is another time where you need to be very conscious of the personality type of your client.

Situation : You have come to the end of the sales presentation.

Your Question: "What question should I be asking that I'm not asking?"

Any Objections?

Depending on the way your company markets, you may have clients that are already predisposed to wanting your product. Even with this high degree of interest, you may still encounter objections.

Doing an in-depth investigation of your client's needs and desires in the beginning of your presentation is key to not having objections at the end of your presentation.

The better you know your client the more likely it is that you will cover any potential objections before they even come to the mind of your client.

Don't forget to continually ask 'why" when you get an initial answer to a question. That one word can make a world of difference in you getting to the real needs of your client.

Objections decrease as you become more proficient at covering possible objections in the body of your presentation so they never come up at all.

Situation: The sales presentation is over. It is time to ask for the sale with one last question.

Your Question: "Why don't you give it a try?"

YES, they want to move forward with your product. Congratulate them on taking the one action that will improve their life this year.

They should thank you for taking your time to show them exactly how your product will work for them.

You have provided a valuable service to your client and that should make you proud.

Be Prepared--Not every client will say YES.

Situation: Client declines your product or service.

Your Question: "What is there that we can do to make it work for you?"

Now it's their turn to brainstorm your solution to their own problem. Lawrence Groves is the Director of Solo 401k Retirement Administration Services for the Retirement Group. A nationally recognized author and retirement plan expert with over 25 years of plan design, administration, and compliance experience. Visit http://www.solo-k.com_wst_page2.php or http://www.prfsite.com ]]> How To Fire Your Client! http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-to-fire-your-client http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-to-fire-your-client#comments Fri, 29 Sep 2006 18:27:06 +0000 free lancersthresholdartistslotmoneyfire scenariobusiness owners http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-to-fire-your-client business owners, consultants, , freelancers - you can fire your client !

We all like getting paid. Some of us don't even mind working to get paid. So why on earth would you walk from a situation in which you were getting paid great , to do in your opinion, some great work. The answer is when you have a bad client. A of new ventures, , artists and consultants especially, just want to get the work coming so they will put up with anything. But besides keeping you dignity in tack, firing your client can be good for your business.

1. Don't sign up for something you can't do -

This is not really a " when to " but it is important enough to mention. I recently called a sales person over at software company about one of his packages. I explained my needs and wants and the first thing out of his mouth was,

" I can do A and B for you, but let me be honest with you, I cant really do C. If you like I can ask around and see if there is someone out there who can".

Perfect.

2. When the money gets funny -

This seems like a simple one, but a lot of people who are just starting out ignore things like billing. If a client is not paying you, you should not be working. Granted don't leave them high and dry the next day, but it should be crystal clear that you are not working for free.

3.When the client is always late -

Maybe they are late to meetings or they don't even show up. Maybe they are late on sign off or on getting you the inputs you need to begin. Everyone has their own for how much of this they can take. Discover your threshold and start sticking to it.

4. They are Liars -

That's harsh, but some people lie and its often not the lying thats problem, but more like the omission. There are some key details that are being left out. If you start seeing patterns of this, you may want to "keep it moving".

5. When the real client is a client of your client's client -

If you have ever played the game of telephone, you know that messages that go through a lot of people often get distorted. One of the keys ingredients to a healthy client relationship - is managing the expectations. You have expectations of your clients and they have expectations of you. This is much easier to manage when you know who you are dealing with.

6. Changing the contract-

Ooh this is a tough one. Maybe they have decided that they are paying you too much or they want you to do this extra side thing that was not included in the contract. Or maybe the timeline gets cut in half or they pull resources and you still need to deliver. This is a fun one and it's a fine line to tread on. If you feel disrespect in anyway its time to revaluate the relationship. If the scales of the contract have made a strong shift in their favor you may need to "keep it moving".

7. When your cartwheels turn into back flips-

Some people have no clue what they want from you. They tell you they want X and now they want Y. So you adjust, you want a happy client right? Turns out they love it but now they want a few more bells and whistles. So you change it. They kinda of like it but now, they have thought about it and they really want the original X. On one hand that's part of the fun of being a consultant/freelancer. On the other hand, things can get out of control and this is when you need to manage to the contract.

The bottom line is about managing expectations and having clear and honest communication from the very beginning thru the end of the project. If you see red flags, its best to address them from the very beginning. If things don't get better you may need to fire the client.

So how do you fire the client?

Document , Document, Document - First, you should always attempt to address and resolve the issue and this should always be documented. Be as concise and level-headed as possible.

Read your contract- Know what your options are for terminating the relationship and meet all of your obligations as best as possible.

Don't whine - Don't get extra emotional and discussing how bad your client is and don't deliver a list of the 99 things wrong with your client either. Keep is professional and ... . " keep it moving". Writer over at the http://www.nomorecubes.com ]]> Seven Useful Tips To Ghostwrite Books For Clients As A Freelance Writer http://www.artwoo.com/article/seven-useful-tips-to-ghostwrite-books-for-clients-as-a-freelance-writer http://www.artwoo.com/article/seven-useful-tips-to-ghostwrite-books-for-clients-as-a-freelance-writer#comments Mon, 03 Dec 2007 14:25:01 +0000 ghostwriterfreelance writingfreelance writersghostwritinge bookstrade paperbacksshelly http://www.artwoo.com/article/seven-useful-tips-to-ghostwrite-books-for-clients-as-a-freelance-writer freelance writers know their income may come from other sources, not just writing articles for magazines or clients. Ultimately, their leads to writing books or e-books for themselves or as ghostwrites. If you decide to ghostwrite e-books and for clients, consider the following:

If a client hires you as a "work-for-hire" , then the client pays you for your work, and he owns all rights. Make sure: 1) You receive a 50% retainer before you begin the work; and 2) You receive the balance at or right before delivery. That's it. If the book turns out to be a great success, great! That's wonderful! You should be extremely proud -- but from a distance! To be a successful ghostwriter, you must enjoy your glory as a ghostwriter in the shadows. Many ghostwriters prefer it that way.

I know a great speaker in the industry who commands $10,000 or more per speaking engagement. He is phenomenal to listen to and even more dynamite to read. However, he doesn't write his books alone. He contributes to them but he never writes any of them himself. His ghostwriter, , is known only to a few writers in a close-knit writer's group. Why does Shelly let this speaker take all the glory for her work? She is painfully shy and exceedingly talented as a writer. She once said, "I am where I need to be and he is where he should be." If you are going to ghostwrite, stay where you belong (invisible) and accept payment for the job as payment enough.

TIP #1: As a ghostwriter, you should always try to meet the needs of the true "author" of the work. Cover the content they want and do your best to make the client happy.

TIP #2: As with writing any book, involves lot of revisions and changes as far out as two months, especially if the book needs to go through an editor or publisher. You should make changes as needed. However, don't wait on final payment if your client hasn't received final approval from his publisher.

TIP #3: Always write your ghostwrites as if they are your own. Write with quality and professionalism in mind.

TIP #4: Never sign a non-compete contract on the subject of the book. It is crazy for the client to ask but crazier for you to do it. If a client asks for one, walk away. You have your own work to protect as well as the client's work. Remember the saying, "to thine own self be true"? Well, in writing, there's no truer statement.

TIP #5: You owe the client exceptional work and the client you work for owes you money for a job well done.

TIP #6: If your client is dissatisfied with the end result, even after he's paid you, make it right for the client. Satisfied clients usually become repeat clients; they will bring you steady work and referrals.

TIP #7: Consider using a pen name as a ghostwriter. Jeanine Anne, a freelance writer and ghostwriter, said she uses a pen name when she ghostwrites. She said, "I've written most of my ghostwrites and presented them to my clients under my pen name, Jeanine Anne. First, if someone decides to spam me, there's no harm done to the name for which I write my own work under. Secondly, when I write for a client, I have no idea what the client will do to the work, after all it is his work once it leaves my hands. The client may add content which I may not like or he may write something that is not my style of writing." This is something to remember if you write for clients as ghostwrites. The client hires you to do a job and the client owns the work after it leaves your hands.

You can find many ghostwriting gigs on www.FreelanceWriting.com, Elance.com, Guru.com, GetAFreelancer.com, Indeed.com, www.WritingCareer.com, and CraigsList.com. The other way is to create your own ghostwriting gigs by networking and marketing. Learn how to become a published book author! Download Brian's free e-book, Book Writing for Fun and Profit, at http://www.BookCatcher.com. Visit Brian's blog, at http://bookpublishingnews.blogspot.com ]]> Unlock The Untapped Commissions In Your Client Database http://www.artwoo.com/article/unlock-the-untapped-commissions-in-your-client-database http://www.artwoo.com/article/unlock-the-untapped-commissions-in-your-client-database#comments Wed, 15 Nov 2006 22:27:05 +0000 quality referralquality referralsclient relationshipscontactrepstime actfirst met http://www.artwoo.com/article/unlock-the-untapped-commissions-in-your-client-database reps have a database of current and past clients whose potential referrals are worth several thousand additional commission dollars per month. Yet, this resource goes virtually untapped for most advisors.

Why? Simply because most reps have not learned how to successfully convert their into referral relationships. Acquiring referrals from clients is not as simple as "doing a good job" and then asking for referrals. Generating a large number of highly qualified referrals from a client is a process that starts from the moment the prospect is , not a one- after the sale has been completed. It requires an understanding of what a successful referral is based on, and how to exploit the referral to insure a successful with the referee.

Every referral involves the interaction of three people and four relationships among those three individuals. The strength or weakness of each of these interactions will influence the success or failure of the referral for the advisor:

1. The Advisor/Client relationship: In order for the client to be willing to give a , there must have been built a strong bond of trust between the rep and the client. A client may give a "referral" to someone they do not trust, but they will not give a referral to someone they know well and respect if they do not trust the salesperson. If there is only a weak bond of trust between the advisor and client, the "referral" the client is likely to give will be to someone the client either believes will not meet with the advisor or someone the client does not know well or respect.

2. The client's purchasing experience: Clients will not give high if their purchasing experience did not meet or exceed both their expectations and their priorities. All clients enter purchasing relationships with certain expectations and priorities. Expectations and priorities are not the same. A client may expect to be kept fully informed during the course of the sale and may have certain product or service functionality requirements as his top priority. In order to receive a large number of high quality referrals, the rep must make sure that they meet or exceed both the client's expectations and priorities. Despite the current parroting of the buzz phrase, "exceeding the customer's expectations," meeting and exceeding client expectations is seldom accomplished. Few people take the time and effort to discuss with their client what the client's expectations and priorities are--rather most reps, and companies, assume they know. At best, all they can knowingly accomplish is meeting or exceeding their expectations of what they think their client should expect.

3. The Client/Prospect relationship: The trust and respect relationship between client and referee are of great importance. The stronger the bond of trust and respect between the client and the prospect, the easier it will be for the advisor to set an appointment with and then sell the prospect. In referral selling, a great deal of the rep's credibility, or lack thereof, is built on the trust and respect the prospect has for the client who made the referral. If the client/prospect bond is strong enough, the rep is virtually guaranteed a sale. On the other hand, if the bond is particularly weak, the referral is little better than a cold call. Consequently, it is of utmost importance for the advisor to know as much as possible about the client's relationship, and likely bond of trust, with the prospect.

4. The advisor's initial contact with the referee: based on the client/prospect bond, the advisor must determine how best to contact the prospect to produce the greatest opportunity to acquire a meeting. The weaker the relationship between the client and the prospect, the stronger the contact method the rep should seek to employ. If the client/prospect relationship is extremely strong, virtually any contact method, including a phone call from the salesperson mentioning the client's name will suffice, but for a weak relationship, the rep must strive to use the strongest contact method possible. In descending order, from weakest to strongest, possible methods of contact include a phone call to the prospect from the advisor, an email from the client, a client letter, a client phone call, a client/prospect/advisor lunch meeting.

Fortunately, the advisor can control most of the above interactions. Only the client/prospect relationship is completely out of the rep's hands. Even then, the rep can compensate for a less than ideal client/prospect relationship through using a stronger initial contact method.

If you understand the foundation of a referral, you can quickly increase your referral-based business and begin to mine that gold mine in your client database. Nationally known author, trainer and leading authority on prospecting, Paul McCord's latest book Creating a Million Dollar a Year Sales Income is avaiable throughout the US and Canada. He also offers a free ebook Understanding Referral Generation: A Primer at http://www.powerreferralselling.com ]]>