Used Tow Trucks For Sale For A Towing Business
Towing business is seeing good times these days. Buying used tow trucks is a good idea as they will be cheaper and this way you don´t need to invest a lot on them. Before you buy one, decide which type you would want to add to your towing company. Make sure you have the requirements in mind before you go looking for them. Since the number of vehicles on the road is increasing day by day, the towing business will see nothing but positive growth.
Before you buy used tow trucks, you should know what different types exist and where each one is useful. The tow trucks fall under three categories. The first one is the oldest and not used much these days. It is called hook and chain. Axel tow trucks use hydraulic hoist to lift the front end and are widely used. Flatbed tow trucks have a back that can be lowered. Vehicles are usually loaded onto the back and moved. Boom tow trucks are generally used to pull the vehicles out of ditches.
When you are buying a used tow truck, get a mechanic to check it and tell you if it is worth buying. He can also check for its mechanical problems as well as safety problems. Buy one that will turn out useful in the city you own the business in. You may want to see the towing capacity before you buy. Additional accessories added to the tow trucks can also be helpful. If these accessories are available on the used truck, it will save you a lot.
Wheel lifts can greatly increase the tow truck´s capacity. When you have a towing business, you will have to see what you will be towing often and buy the trucks accordingly. You should own one for light vehicles and one for the heavy ones. Or you will be wasting a lot of fuel by used the heavy duty tow truck for thing like towing bikes.
A number of good brands like Hummer, Ford, Chevy, Toyota, etc. have been rolling out tow trucks from a long time. All these brands have good vehicles and the spare parts are easily available. So buying used trucks of any of these companies shouldn´t give you any problem. You can also choose of different models and the year of production depending on your budget. Knowing where and for what it was used will give you an idea of how durable the tow truck is.
Even if you don´t have a towing business, tow trucks can also be used to tow trailers, boats, etc. Since it will be put to use only occasionally, a used tow truck is a good bargain. A tow truck can always be rented out when you don´t have any personal use for it so it is never a waste. A complete service after the purchase will make sure the tow truck will work well and increase it life too. Internet is a good place to start looking as most people will advertise their used tow truck on various sites.
The Successful C Corporation Owner’s Wealth-building Blunder
Some entrepreneurs assume that a traditional corporation, or “C corporation,” provides a great structure for saving money and growing wealth. As a result, these entrepreneurs do their investing inside their C corporations.
On the face of it, this wealth-building gambit seems to make sense. Profits retained inside the small business C corporation will typically be taxed at a low 15% corporate tax rate. So the entrepreneur gets to save as much as 85% of the pre-tax profits.
In comparison, if a C corporation pays out its profits to owners as dividends or large shareholder salaries, the profits often get taxed at rates of 40% or more. In the end, the entrepreneur gets to save at most only 60% of the pre-tax profit.
Despite the attraction of investing 85% of your pre-tax profits inside a C corporation instead of 60% or less of your pre-tax profits outside a C corporation, this particular gambit is a terrible idea for four reasons …
C Corporation Tax Issue #1: No Preferential Capital Gains Tax
The first problem with building wealth inside a C corporation concerns the long-term capital gains tax rate that the C corporation pays on its investment profits.
Specifically, here’s the rub: A C corporation’s long term capital gains don’t get treated favorably. C corporation capital gains get taxed as regular income. A business that is successful in its investing, therefore, might easily pay a 35% or 40% capital gain tax.
In comparison, individuals currently pay a much lower 15% long-term capital gain tax. And even though politicians are talking about raising the long-term capital gains tax to 20%, that’s still way less than the rate a C corporation might pay.
To summarize, then, saving and investing inside a C corporation means paying capital gains taxes that are 2-3 times what as an individual pays. Ouch.
C Corporation Tax Issue #2: Double Ordinary Income Taxation
The lack of a preferential long-term capital gains rate isn’t the only problem with investing inside a C corporation, unfortunately. Another big problem exists–the prospect of double ordinary-income taxation.
Here’s how this works. Suppose a business owner does inadvertently save and invest inside a C corporation. And then in a few years the business liquidates the investments–and of course pays perhaps a 35% to 40% income tax.
If the C corporation then disburses the profits to the shareholders and the Bush tax cuts have expired in 2010 (as seems likely), the dividends will be taxed at ordinary income tax rates. Shareholders, in other words, might pay up a second, 40% tax when they receive the dividends.
This double ordinary income taxation could easily mean taxes confiscate 60% or more of the investment profit when investing inside a C corporation. Yikes.
C Corporation Tax Issue #3: Capital Loss Usage Limitations
But you need to look at more than just tax rates when thinking about investing inside a C corporation. You should also consider what happens when investment losses occur. Here’s why: Capital losses that occur inside a C corporation are more difficult to use as a deduction.
If an individual suffers a capital loss, for example, the individual can net the capital loss against capital gain in the year the loss occurs. Then the individual can use up to $3000 of any leftover capital loss to offset ordinary income in the year the loss occurs. And then the individual can carry forward any remaining capital loss to future years to wipe out capital gains and up to $3000 a year of ordinary income in those years.
The rules for using capital losses on an individual tax return are a little complicated, obviously. But at least the individual taxpayer gets to use the losses eventually (probably).
Inside a C corporation, however, capital losses work differently. First, capital losses can only be netted against capital gains. Second, capital losses don’t just “hang around” indefinitely.
A corporation can carry a capital loss back three years, and apply the capital loss to gains in those years. And a corporation can carry a capital loss forward five years, and apply the capital loss to gains in those years. But any leftover capital loss which still exists after the three-year carry-back and five-year carry-forward is then forgotten.
As compared to C corporation investors, obviously, individual investors benefit greatly by being able to use more forgiving capital loss usage rules.
C Corporation Tax Issue #4: Deemed Exchanges Upon Distribution
Finally, one important point of clarification. Sometimes business owners, upon learning about the problems of investing inside a C corporation, just decide to just withdraw the property or investments from the C corporation. For example, a C corporation that rather foolishly decided to buy the building the firm uses might decide to just give the real estate to the shareholders.
That would seem to solve the problem, right?
Well, no, unfortunately. And here’s the reason: If a C corporation distributes property to shareholders, tax laws effectively say that the property was sold by the corporation at its fair market value and then the implicit proceeds paid out as a dividend to the shareholders. This deemed exchange treatment means that the C corporation and shareholders still pay all those taxes described in the preceding paragraphs.
Earning a Living With an Automated Internet Business
If you’re looking to replace an income from a corporate job, you may wonder whether an automated Internet business can really provide the income that you need to maintain your standard of living. The truth with some of these businesses is that they can actually earn you much more than you made before, and they require far less time devoted to them than the typical out-of-home job.
They also require less of your income devoted to working expenses such as fuel and business attire. This leaves you with more of the money you earn and fewer of the hassles associated with commuting to a corporate job.
Earning Internet Wealth in Less Time
When you come up with your basic home business ideas, you likely have a few numbers in mind. These include how many hours you have to put into your business every week and how much money you want to earn every year. If you are after true Internet wealth instead of a lower-level paycheck, you might believe that you have to put in countless hours to achieve it. However, that isn’t true when you have an automated Internet business.
The business itself is set up to run by itself even when you’re nowhere near a computer. That gives you more free time while the business is earning money. To keep it running, you likely only need to create marketing materials when it’s convenient for you and to make sure that your website is running well and without errors. With a simple website and a solid product to sell, little else is needed from you in order to keep the money rolling in. You can earn Internet wealth and create a higher standard of living for yourself and your family.
Starting an Online Home Based Business
An online home based business costs very little to begin, making it the ideal enterprise for someone who has been laid off. You don’t have to dip into a 401(k) in order to get it running. You can begin with what you have now, using the skills that you already have. That makes it one of the easiest and fastest ways to start making a living from home.
Earning Residual Income From Direct Sales
One of the most powerful ways to create an automated income from a home business is to make residual income a priority of your business plan. To earn residual income, look for an online home based business opportunity that provides a way to profit from the sales made by someone else. This is the fastest way to earn residual income, and it can create a steady stream of residuals over a long period of time.
In direct sales, you use online marketing materials to encourage other people to sign up with you and to sell items by themselves. When they do, you earn money from those sales. Their sales require nothing more from you, and that’s where some of the automation comes in. When they sell, you profit automatically. With several people selling for you, you have an automated business that rarely needs your attention.
Can a Single Parent Really Run a Home Business? Want to Give Your Kids a Better Life? Wonder if a Home Business is Right for You?
Many single parents find themselves in a position where they can’t make enough money to pay all of the bills, put food on the table and give their children some of the extras that they would like to.
But, many times, working a second job isn’t an option because of time, health or just the fact that they would like to be able to spend some time with their kids before they grow up and start their own family.
Another deciding factor is money. Many single parents just don’t have the money that it takes to start a home business.
Many home businesses cost a lot just to join and then you have to buy stationary, business cards, advertising, letterhead, a desk, chair, printer, computer, fax machine, new phone line for your business and then there is the long distance charges that you are liable to run up in the course of building your business.
Who can afford all of that and take care of their kids too?
With many home businesses you end up filling your home with unwanted products and you run up your phone bill or spend time on conference calls, meetings, etc. Who wants that?
Single parents need a home business that is tried and true with no scams and no unwanted products piling up. They need to be able to earn money at home without having to invest and arm and a leg into all of the usual office equipment.
They need a home business where they can earn residual income (month after month) for work they did months, or even YEARS, ago.
They need to work with a company that has been around for many years, showing their stability, and that has NEVER had a late payment. This way they will KNOW that they will be paid.
Single parents usually don’t have a lot of money to invest in a home business so they need a company that provides a professional website already setup and hosting included with no extra charges.
So many home businesses might look like they are low cost and a good deal but you end up paying extra for a website and hosting and sometimes there are hidden fees you don’t even realize until it is too late.
Since many single parents don’t have a credit card. So then what do they do? Most businesses online require you to have a credit card. Your best bet is to find a home business that has more payment options like using a credit card or Paypal. This way the millions of people who don’t have a credit card can still start a home business..
Trying to raise a family alone is hard enough and then worrying about money too just makes a tough situation even worse.
So many single parents dream of the day that they have a home business where they will be able to spend more time with their family & not have to worry about money anymore. The best home business for most people but especially for single parents is the ability to work when YOU want to and to be able to do this with a small monthly fee and to only need to spend 1-2 hours a day on their home business. This way they can start their home business while they still work their J-O-B.
Many single parents are looking for a home business with the opportunity to make $3-10,000 a month. They need a home business that can start bringing in money in as little as 90 days. The opportunity to make that kind of income that quickly would make a big difference in the family of a single parent home.
Imagine for a moment, taking your loved ones on great vacations and living the life you are meant to instead of struggling for every penny? As a single parent you probably dream of the day when this is your reality instead of just a dream.
Ok, now it is time for a reality check. If you are thinking of starting a home business you need to realize that what you earn depends upon what you put into your home business. No business whether it is online or off, home based or not will not bring in money if you don’t work them. You cannot get something for nothing
Now, you are probably thinking…
Where on earth am I going to find a home business where I can work at home in my spare time, earn the money that I need to in order to support my family AND have it meet all of the guidelines listed here?
Think this sounds impossible? Would you like to find out more about choosing a home business, avoiding scams. and more?
Top Secret Business Letter Formats Every Businessman Should Know
Selecting the most suitable business letter format for the particular issue that you’re addressing is the most important step
if you need to create a successful business letter that’s going to have some impact. A select few have that special talent that’s required for writing & struggle with a business letter format, those that do have it are very fortunate indeed.
The rest of us just have to plod along struggling with word.
Business writing is far less complex than writing sales letters for example where a certain type of talent is required. Although these writing styles do not come naturally for many, you can most definitely learn them both.
By adhering to a set formula for all business communication you will quickly learn how to create a masterpiece.
The Three Basic Styles Are: – The block format – The modified block format – The indented or semi-block format
The Block Format Style.
For many, the block format is the most professional looking style and it’s also easy to work with use and it looks more professional than the others. This style has everything justifies to the left. If you’re able to choose the style of a business letter format, I suggest this one is the best all round.
The Modified Block Style.
If you’re in the situation where you’re typing letters for others, some may want you to use this style. Primarily it’s the same as block format style, however the return address, date and the closing text commence in the middle of the page.
The Semi-Block Style.
Many of us prefer the use of use indents, this style may be due to the importance placed on using them when being taught about writing paragraphs. Before the world was blessed with word processing programs, this old format was the standard.
It’s much the same as modified block style, ie the return address, the date and closing commence in the middle of the page, only but every paragraph is indented. This style is now very much outdated if you want my opinion and, it looks quite amateurish.
Remember, if you do have a dinosaur for a manager, keep it under your hat.
My Personal Advice… Refer to the KISS method… Keep It Simple Stupid. If I had it all my way, the block style is by far THE best business letter format around.
There will be far less mistakes made, it’s a more efficient style to use and all pieces of communication that leave the office will certainly look the part.
If you do not have the authority to select a letter format style then you’ll simply have to go with the flow and bite your tongue.
Deal?
Just do as instructed & try and keep all of the business correspondence from your office looking neat & professional at all times.
When you do finally decide which business letter format is going to be the acceptable standard, save a template on your desktop. This way, you won’t have to revisit it each time someone wants a business letter typed.
The issue of writing professional letters with literally evaporate!
Satellite Internet Service Types of Internet Connections
Living in a remote part of the world can be both tough and inconvenient. Not only must a resident of such secluded areas travel miles for simple things like groceries and entertainment but are almost always limited in the types of internet connections available to them. Furthermore the connections made available in isolated parts of the world are often inadequate for even casual users. for more detail go to:www.website-conversion-mastery.com.Most residents will find that dial-up is the only way they can access the web and while a lucky few will be given access to DSL, Cable is a mere fantasy to those who reside in less populated communities.
There are of course alternatives to dial-up internet connections which consist of mainly no connection at all or one may opt to look into satellite internet services. Internet connections through a satellite provider have been around far longer than one would expect. In fact satellite internet first became available before the turn of the millennium and the late 90’s saw many of today’s satellite companies plant a firm foot in the ground. In these days however satellite connections were a last resort as they were often plagued by extremely limited bandwidth restrictions, horrid ping rates, and in many cases users would find themselves repeatedly being disconnected.
Living in rural areas and utilizing satellite internet services no longer means that you’ll be beleaguered with the myriad of problems that were once prevalent in the world of remote connections. The majority of satellite internet providers these days have worked hard to eliminate such issues and have done so with great success. In testing satellite connections side by side with Cable and DSL connections satellite has fared well and regularly measures up to its two successful cousins. As satellites have become far more powerful than they once where more and more people are choosing satellite internet services over dial-up and rightfully so.
Aside from making its mark in the private community, satellite connections are becoming commonplace for businesses that set up shop in these same remote areas. In many cases it is because of the improvements in satellite services that those who once stayed out of desolate areas, are now beginning to do business within them. Without satellite internet services many areas would be unable to grow economically and would continue to remain “off the map”. Things are changing rapidly however as business can also be taken on the road should a user utilize a satellite connection. There’s no doubt that the improvements in satellite internet services have allowed us not only more opportunities but allow us to be productive, even when on the move.
Business for Sale by Owner: Tips and Traps
When a business is put up for sale by its owner, he or she may have their reasons for relinquishing the business. It could be the result of a crushing financial condition or it could be something as mundane as the need for a change of pace. Whatever their reasons, it is you, the buyer, who has to decide whether the business put up for sale by the owner is worth your while.
A business is worth buying only if it is congruent with your existing skill set and if it gels well with your personal interests, expertise and experience. For example, you may be a foodie who knows the name of every kind of exotic food, but that does not mean that you will make an excellent hotelier or restaurant owner. So, your first concern is to spot a business for sale that suits you the most. That way, the risk and potential of failure is greatly reduced.
When you have decided to buy a particular business that has been put up for sale by its owner, it is essential that you dig a little into their reasons for selling, even though the digging does not sit well with you. Understand this, businesses are put up for sale by their owners because the owners want out. The reasons could be many:
Ø Health problems
Ø Personal problems
Ø Emotional crises (like a divorce or death of a partner)
Ø Financial crises
Ø Personal financial troubles
Ø Climbing costs
Ø Obsolete product or technology
Ø Lack of experienced staff
Ø Desire for quick profits
The best way to find out the exact reasons for selling is straight from the horse’s mouth: ask the owner. For this, you will have to take the time to build a relationship with the owner, either through direct contact or through emails. At times, you may also have to depend on other sources for information. Make sure that there are no ugly surprises waiting for you after you take over the business.
When a business is put up for sale, it is only natural for the owner to expect a quick settlement. But, there is no need to hurry up. Take your time with the paper work. Expect to spend at least 30-60 days to study the current business position, to draw up a cogent agreement and to get things moving in the right direction. Make use of the services of a qualified accountant and solicitor. Do not skimp on these expenses as the future of the business may depend on something they unearth.
Before you sign on the doted line, make sure that you have considered all aspects of the new business. Look into the competitive factors involved like the price, delivery, change etc. Find out if you will be doing business in a mature industry or an emerging one. Both have their own advantages and risks. Have some clear ideas about your operational costs, advertising charges, monthly running costs etc. Find out whether you will be inheriting the staff along with the business, and if so, whether they are competent enough to handle their jobs.
Ultimately, buying a business put up for sale by the owner could be remarkably profitable. There are people who specialize in the selling and buying of businesses, and they make a killing doing it. It all depends on the amount of effort and discretion you put into the process.
Connections to Success Your Home Business
It is really possible to make your home business successful simply through connections with other businesses related to yours.
The answer is a resounding yes! Granted, skeptics are quick to point out that it is unwise to send your customers or even only potential customers someplace else, but consider all the benefits!
How smart you do it is the key.
Take for example, if you are running a home business that specializes in designing and creating outfits for dogs.
Why not make the business connection with your local veterinarian?
If you already own a dog and have a good relationship with your vet, she or he will most likely not mind having some of your business cards and maybe even a photo of your dog in a cute outfit like a coat or sweater.
A good place to get it displayed is on the office bulletin board.
This connection will, in time, net you some customers, since anyone who visits the vet office is usually kept waiting long enough to view some of the ads on this board.
The trick is to be consistent and make sure there are always some ads on the board.
From there, you can branch out and make the connection with your local animal shelter? Maybe you adopted your own doggy from there.
You could offer a free doggie garment of a non expensive variety. This would be, of course, for caring people who adopt a pooch or cat from there.
This will surely get your name out and it will also be undoubtedly good for some repeat business for you.
Another connection could be made with your dog groomer. She or he is in a business to make dogs look and feel good. So are you.
As you see, your home business can become a resounding success simply by making a connection here and there to related retailers of whatever goods you market.
Still, another example is that of the notary public who does a home business. Notaries are always in constant demand. Many business transactions have to be notarized.
Although banks, law offices, and even some medical offices might have their own notaries. But, what if someone gets sick or is a no show? It does happen.
Have you ever had to make the mad dash around to find a notary public?
Here is where always passing out your business card with any excuse helps out. You have the service that someone needs when they need it.
When a transaction did not originate in a local office, but instead originated via the Internet, you are needed.
See why getting the name of your home business out there is the connection you will need to make in order to be called in when there is a need?
This is the same for all businesses, by the way. Understand? Good. Let us keep going.
For example, think of ways that your notary business is different from the way the notary at the local law office does business.
High odds are, the law office notary is also a legal secretary, paralegal, or relief receptionist. Count on it.
Having her or him leave the office is next to impossible. The transaction cost is too low.
While you, on the other hand, are free to travel to a signing, a clients business, or even the courthouse. The trick is to be available.
Make sure that you talk to the lawyer and the human resources manager at the local law firm and make that connection.
Let them have your card for service, with lots of your contact information on it, when they are in a pinch.
Home business connections are worth money to you if you persistently pursue and search for them.
Elements of a Good Business Letter
The essentials which go to make up a good business letter may be divided into two classes – mechanical make-up, and contents. Before a letter can come into existence the mechanical side must be attended to. The subject matter may be pertinent and well composed and yet the letter itself be so arranged typo-graphically and so disposed on the page that the unity of the whole is lost.
The display as a whole should balance. Before the stenographer starts the address, calculation should be made as to how many lines the letter will run and as to how it should be disposed on the page. The body of the letter should neither be crowded near the top nor bottom of the sheet, but should be so placed that, viewed in connection with the letter head, it presents a well balanced and artistic effect.
This effect is often underrated, being in fact passed by without a thought by the average stenographer, and the ordinary business man is so busy seeing that his dictation is correctly transcribed that he gives little thought to this essential. Harmony of color effect should be observed. A yellow paper bearing the firm announcement in blue, the letter in green and signed with purple ink is not to be recommended.
Letters blurred in copying and wet from the press or otherwise violating the rule of neatness cannot help but produce an unfavorable impression. Orthography and capitalization, particularly of proper names, should be exact and uniform.
A misspelled word in the body of a letter, particularly if a mere transposition of letters in typewriting, may occasionally slip in and do no particular damage, but the misspelling of the name of the party addressed may lose an order, and cannot help but militate against the general effect of the letter. Neatness uncompromising neatness – that should be the first effect of a letter, giving the idea that the firm putting out the writing is thorough master of the minor (as well as the major) details of its business.
Contents
In letter-writing, contents may be divided into subject matter and expression. The subject matter is, broadly speaking, what the writer says. This should coincide with two other things:
(1) what the writer wants to say, and
(2) what the one addressed wants to know.
Something which is the a b c of life and a mere matter of routine to the writer in a certain line may be abstruse and complicated to a non-technical reader. To avoid an offensive simplicity of language on the one hand and excessive technicality on the other is one of the tests of a good business correspondent. There is a tendency to slight simple questions asked by different inquirers day after day, which must be avoided by putting oneself in the place of the one asking the question, and giving the knowledge for which he is looking.
One of the most, if not the most, important essentials of a good business letter lies in correct expression. The one thing which causes more failures in business correspondence than any other, is the incorporation of personal peculiarities in a letter. There may be called to mind, in fact, more than one established business backed by ample capital, having a broad field and financed by capable and conservative business men, that is at the mercy of a poor correspondent. This is ably expressed by Forrest Crissy, who says:
“So apparent must be the importance of this branch (tact and tone in business letters) of business systematization, that scarcely a word of argument is needed to enforce its necessity. Very recently a large whole-sale merchant said to me:
‘I have recently been obliged to discharge the head of my credit department – my confidential man. He is honest, conservative and shrewd, but recently I have been awakened to the fact that his incapacity to write a letter which does not leave a sting, a chill, or at least a sense of lofty indifference, is hurting my business more than would some downright reckless blunders. When he writes a letter granting a good customer a larger line of credit he gives it a twist that somehow makes that customer wish he hadn’t asked for credit and thus placed himself under added obligations. And if he refuses to meet the request for such a favor the refusal is so put that it seems a studied effort to conceal a strong unwillingness to give any credit at all.
Yet this man has always considered him-self an adept in letter-writing – and for a time he completely hypnotized me into that view. But at last the steady withdrawal of patronage and the occasional out-spoken retorts which his letters provoked forced upon me a recognition of the real condition of affairs. Then I went out after a man who could write a business letter that had just the right ring to it; that was neither so sloppy that it sounded hypocritical or so stiff and stilted that there was no tone of good hearty business friendliness in it.
I have found him. He comes high, but the difference in results is remarkable. Of course, there are other things required than this form of literary ability – that’s what you’d call it. He must have business experience, business judgment and all the other cardinal business virtues; but the addition of this peculiar capacity to write business letters that hit the mark is a rare gift and makes him a star man.’ “
Simplicity and clearness as an element of expression cannot be rated too highly. The saying of a thing in the plain language of the common people, not only adds to the style and dignity of a letter, but has the most vital element of being understandable. As Chas. R. Weirs says, “Eloquence, either real or imaginary, has no place in a business letter.”
Whatever else may be neglected in writing, courtesy should not be slighted. A man may be told nearly anything face to face – it is qualified by the bearing, tone of voice, manner and earnestness of the speaker. A sentence may be given an entirely different meaning by a tone or gesture – it may even be diplomatically changed after partly spoken, to make it conform to the unconscious demand of the listener, and most of all spoken speech is transient. What is written, on the other hand, is put down in black and white to stay. The record is permanent. It can be offered in evidence, can be dug up years after wards from a musty file, and discourteously written can queer, not only an immediate sale, but the sales of a decade.
Length
Letters often tend to verbosity from the fact that they are dictated instead of written. Were a man to write his letters himself with pen and ink he would study brevity and conciseness of expression, but having letters written for him, he will dictate more than he would write. Brevity is not always desirable. Some people – particularly those receiving few letters – like to receive lengthy correspondence. Getting few letters, they wish those long and newsy.
A letter is an event to some patrons and cannot be too long for a careful perusal. In this class of letters the party ad-dressed may be often appealed to in conversational style; as, “Judge of the goods yourself, Mr. Brown,” “We ask you, Mr. Smith, if we have not treated you fairly?” etc. At the other extreme is the business man, particularly the city business man. To him, brevity to the point of curtness is always welcome. As someone has alliteratively said, the formula for a business letter to a busy man is: Sir: Say it. Stop!
Judging the Other Man’s Letter.
One of the pre-requisites of a good correspondent is the ability, inherent or acquired to judge the general character and status of the writer by means of his letters. Until the last few years the letter-head of a firm was a considerable guide to the standing of the company putting It out, but good printing is now much more common and many one-horse concerns put out conservative, well-gotten-up stationery.
Ability to recognize the efforts of an amateur or schoolboy inquiring for a catalog with no intention of buying and to treat the writer accordingly, call for almost occult powers. T
he president of one of the large machinery companies putting out a cement mixer selling at $850.00, relates that one of the company travelers visited Detroit in response to an apparently good lead and found a twelve-year-old boy wanted a dozen cement mixers “to go into the mail-order business with.”
Some companies putting out expensive catalogs write a letter asking a doubtful inquirer to fill out an information blank before sending a catalog. The correct interpretation of the personality of a writer means the saving of dollars of expenditure as well as the ability to write him correctly. In a fire insurance concern employing hundreds of agents it would be easy for a manager to inform himself through his special agents as to each agent’s nationality, education, experience in the business, etc., and vary his correspondence accordingly, while a mail order house might have no means of judging a man but by his bare letter.
Form Letters
A form letter is one of a series of letters, to be sent on similar occasions. Such letters are usually in imitation typewriting with blanks left for the name of the party addressed, and when carefully executed are a close imitation of a typewritten letter. Form letters vary from those not to be distinguished from actual typewriting, to the stock letters of collection agencies, in which no attempt is made to imitate the machine. Some writers use a number of short forms or inserts which they use in dictating to avoid a repetition of dictation.
Letters of Recommendation
The promiscuous writing of letters of recommendation has done much to cheapen the effect of recommends. Many firms refuse such letters entirely. Perhaps the best plan is to have an employee, when leaving, use his former employer’s name as a reference.
Creating a Digital Media Strategy
Last week during a webinar that I participated in, I suggested that every small business should create a digital media strategy that covers at least the next 12 months. Technology is changing so rapidly for small business and without a plan or strategy in place you’ll find it very hard to keep up. I’ve had some business owners talk to me about what should be in this digital strategy, so to help you lets go through the basics of what you should include in your document.
1. Web site SEO – First and foremost in my mind is having your web site search engine friendly. Local search queries continue to increase as does 3+ word keyword searches.
Yellow Pages book usage is decreasing and internet searches increasing, so that makes it vital that your site appears on the first page of Google. You need to also consider how your site performs, Google are planning to use site speed as a ranking factor and therefore how quickly your site loads will be a consideration. Image heavy sites without alt tags and optimising your pages for relevant keywords needs to be considered.
During the webinar, one industry specialist wrote a comment ” Do you really think that principals or agents actually write their own copy?” No I don’t, but they need to make sure that what is written on their behalf is search engine optimised and written for the web, not copied from a newspaper. Make sure that you get access to the coding on your site as well, you pay for it, you own it, not like I have encountered recently with one web company attached to the number one real estate portal, they have a very arrogant attitude to you the customer, so if in doubt walk away, there are plenty of web design companies that will help you.
Search Engine Marketing should not replace your web site SEO, use SEM wisely and don’t double up, if you’re on the first page or rank highly for a search term, don’t waste money on Adwords,use them in areas that you don’t rank, remember, Google ranks pages not web sites so you can effectively optimise each page on your web site for keywords.
2.Social Media – Include this into your 12 month plan, small business is lagging behind their big brothers in using and integrating social media into their business. Your customers have embraced social networking and it is becoming the trusted adviser, so you can’t afford to neglect it any longer.
One of the reasons slowing the integration is a lack of knowledge about social media by small business owners, in my mind you are better to try and work with social media than to ignore it, so jump in and have a go. Plan it slowly and use the major sites such as Facebook and Twitter to start with, you can use this as your guide, POST. This stands for:
People – What is your target market? Objective – What do you want to achieve from using social media? Strategy – How will you go about communicating with your customers? Status Updates, Coupons, Discounts etc Technology – What are the main sites you’ll use to communicate your message? Facebook/Twitter
That at least will help you plan your strategy, also remember, Podcasting, Vlogging and YouTube are powerful tools in getting your message across, plus Google loves video, so use this to your advantage
3. Blogs – Create a blog and add it to your web presence, it allows you to add the personl touch to your on line marketing. ComScore’s research indicates that blogs reach over 48% of the online population in the Asia Pacific region, social media 56.1%.
Blogs are a great way to communicate with your customers and are a great customer service tool, remember though you need to make sure that your content is fresh and relevant to the target market you are aiming at. Google loves blogs because of the constantly updated information they provide and will index them very quickly as well as give them a high ranking, sometimes even over a higher authority site. WordPress provides a great platform for you to use and I’d recommend the self hosted option as you can use your own domain name and you have much more flexibility.
4. Internet Marketing – Make sure that you have your office details listed with Google business, use different keywords or categories so that you rank on different search pages in your area. Be very selfish with where your links go, think where the customer goes when they click on the link, do they go to you or a directory?
Audit your web site and its information and start to implement good keywords in your copy, remember you’re writing for the web not a newspaper, so think about how people search and what keywords they use. Get those from your own office, you have a wealth of information at your disposal, so ask your staff what words or phrases consumers use when they contact your office, find the most frequently used and start to weave those into your articles or web pages.
5. Technology – Make sure you stay informed on technology that impacts on how your customers find you, Augmented Reality and QR codes are examples, be aware of the impact they are having and factor these into your strategy.
I hope that helps you in planning for the next 12 months, having this in place is a good start in improving the way you market and communicate with the online consumer, it also improves your businesses “Future Fitness” for digital marketing.