Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Let your clients and prospects know what you are up to! Send out regular e-mail news blasts with links to your website. I use Constant Contact for myself and my clients. We all get rave reviews from recipients!  CC reporting lets you know who opened the       e-mail, when and how many times. Very enlightening! Communicate!

How to get business? JUST TAKE IT! This is almost too easy.

Unfortunately the quality and integrity of the American workforce is significantly lacking. There is not much of a work ethic anymore. Some people will tell you aything to make a sale, or they will tell you what they think you want to hear. The best way I have found to get new business is to passively take it away from my competitors by simply doing what I say I will do for my customer. I don`t even have to do any thing extra because a lot of my competitors are so pathetic.

 I am in the home healthcare business and a lot of my competitors think that, because their company has the "contract" the customer HAS to do business with them. I hope they never find out that it doesn`t work that way because it`s great for my business. It is so simple... treat EVERYONE with respect at all times. Don`t lie, and if you don`t know the answer to something, don`t make the answer up - admit that you don`t know. If you do these three simple things you will probably be head and shoulders above your competition in your prospective customer`s eyes. The TRUTH will set you free (and bring you a lot of business).

Step 10: Improve Sales Techniques

When you market yourself at every opportunity, burnout can happen fast, especially if you aren`t seeing the results you had in mind.  Instead of working even harder, my advice is to "come up for air!"

What?  Stop promoting my business, you say?  I`m an entrepreneur!  Isn`t that what I`m supposed to do?  Well, yes...but take it from an impatient overachiever: you need a break!

I don`t know if it`s your state of mind, the law of attraction, or some other inexplicable phenomenon, but great stuff happens when you let go.  The best illustration is the following true story:

A fellow life coach decided to take a break from constantly trying to market herself at every opportunity (many coaches, including myself, are guilty of this).  One night, she went to a restaurant to celebrate a friend`s new baby.  She ended up sitting next to an executive of a recruiting agency, and the two started talking about what they do.  To make a long story short, this executive hooked her up with the HR director at his company, and now they`re in the process of working out some kind of business partnership! 

At first I was jealous because I thought that business partnerships take lots of hard work.  Well...this example indicates otherwise.  Best of luck to you, and enjoy your break!

When outsourcing products in China or the Far East be aware of the recent increase in the VAT tax which is added to the cost of your goods prior to delivery. VAT tax varies by product classification , Range is 5% to 14%.

If outsoucing in the far east is a consideration  for lower cost be aware of the following phrases,

"No Problem, "

"Delivery is not a issue"

"Payment is only by letter of credit or wire transfer."

"We are compliant with current USA compliant issues for foreign manufactuers.

It will save you time and money to work direct with  USA based freight forwarding/custom clearance company as opposed to a agent. Make sure all samples/product are label  with made in the country of orgin,( ex, China) other wise custom will siez them.

For information on outsourcing to China, Vietnam, India, and the far east you may contact Frank Frystak At Frystak Associates. Tel 248-788-2170, fffrystk@ameritech.net