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Green
Office Update
At Green
Office Solutions, Sharon and Michelle
are busily working on their businesses
(Green Office Solutions and The Virtual
Nation). Each Friday they carve out
time to work on their business plan,
client forms, their policies and procedures
manual, client/prospect notes or follow
up, and much more. It is very hard
for solo business owners to carve out
this time. Distractions can be found
anywhere you look: the piles of client
work, filing that is long overdue,
the phone that won't stop ringing (most
likely from a merchant account company
soliciting their services) and the
endless list of 'things to do.' Sharing
tips on efficiency, time management
and project management are among favorite
topics with solo/small business owners. Here
is a short list you might consider
implementing. Michelle also wrote
in The Virtual Nation blog on this
topic recently, some of which are listed
below. Share what you think by posting
your own comments in the blog.
- Set
aside one day a week to work on your
business - no client work
- Hire subcontractors to do more
client work
- Hire a professional organizer
- our favorite Sacramento, CA organizer
is Jessica Chapman
- Use SharePoint to organize tasks
Use a kitchen timer to laser-focus
time spent on each client - hyper
time management
Featured
Article: Take
Your Business to the Next Level with
Multiple Streams of Income
By Stephanie Chandler
If you're like
most entrepreneurs, you aren't
satisfied with letting your business
sit in idle mode for long. You want
it to continue to grow and reach the
level of success that you've
been dreaming about. Well here's
you chance to light a fire under your
company's success.
It seems that everyone
is talking about how to generate multiple
streams of income, and they're
talking about it for a reason—it
works. While a business may be able
to run with a few products and services
for awhile, it is the introduction
of new products and services that expands
the bottom line.
To get a better idea
of how multiple income streams can
propel a business to new heights, take
a look at some of the biggest success
stories.
Yahoo! got
its start in 1994 in a Stanford University
campus trailer as "Jerry and
David's Guide to the World Wide
Web." Founders David Filo and
Jerry Yang, PhD, began keeping track
of websites they liked. Soon hundreds
of visitors were logging on and the
duo realized they had a business in
the making.
After incorporating in
1995 and taking the company public
in 1996, Yahoo! has grown to reach
over 345 million individuals. The long
list of services offered include web
hosting, e-mail, personals ads, yellow
pages, maps, instant messenger, a shopping
network, and dozens of other services.
Many of Yahoo's services are
offered for free and revenues are generated
from upgrades to premium services,
advertising, alliances with other businesses,
and the introduction of new services.
Starbucks is
a favorite destination for coffee lovers,
and the passion for a good cup of java
was the foundation for this hot company
that began in 1971 as a small shop
in Seattle's Pike Place Market.
Once established, Starbucks began adding
new products, like the signature Frappucino,
to reel in customers. Patrons can also
purchase fresh beans, mugs, candy,
coffee brewing equipment, gift cards,
and music CDs, or indulge in the one
of the tasty ice cream flavors from
the new retail product line. There
are currently 4593 company-owned locations
and an additional 2158 licensed Starbucks
locations, proving that thoughtfully
planned revenue streams can catapult
a company into phenomenal success.
eBay began
in 1995 as a forum for swapping Pez
dispensers and has morphed into an
on-line giant reaching more than 135
million users. To achieve its record
growth, the company expanded its product
categories to include everything from
office supplies, sports memorabilia,
and music to real estate, automobiles,
and concert tickets. More than 1.4
billion items were listed for sale
in 2004. Acquisitions of PayPal, an
online payment processing service,
eLance, a directory of freelance service
providers, and several other companies
have also helped eBay grow in record
proportions. Ebay has sites in more
than twenty countries, serves up a
popular storefront program, hosts user
conferences, and continues to grow
the customer base through an affiliates
program.
Home Depot crafted
its niche by offering customers a large
variety of products when the doors
opened in 1978. Now over 1800 stores
strong and with a selection of over
40,000 building materials and lawn
and garden products, the home improvement
giant has expanded its offerings to
include installation services, how-to
workshops, home delivery, tool rental,
truck rental, and a popular series
of books.
A Call to Action
So how can a small operation achieve
even a fraction of the success experienced
by the big companies? By emulating
their business models.
If sales are flat or
simply not growing fast enough at your
company, consider how you can build
on the foundation. Ask yourself these
questions:
*What products or services
would my existing customer base like
to see?
*What products or services could lure
in new clients?
*What products or services are being
offered by my competitors?
*How can I implement my new offerings?
*How will the new offerings affect
my bottom line?
Here are ten
ideas to consider:
1. Offer consulting services
in your area of expertise.
2. Add a new line of products.
3. Form an alliance with another business.
4. Sell advertising on your website,
in your e-zine or at your place of
business.
5. Launch a second business that is
complimentary to your primary business.
6. Offer new services and outsource
them to contractors.
7. Create a subscription-based offering
such as a newsletter or mentor program.
8. Create your own products for resale.
9. Train others to run a business likes
yours.
10. Publish books, e-books or other
information products.
Not only can the introduction
of a new product or service increase
your bottom line, but it can boost
exposure for your business. Since most
people need to be exposed to a product
or service at least eight times before
they pull out their wallets and buy,
your business needs to be seen everywhere.
New products and services mean new
methods of advertising and the potential
to expand your customer base.
Implementing a new revenue
strategy is not the only way to grow
a business. You need careful planning,
capital, and a good marketing plan.
Even the biggest companies started
out small so with a little ingenuity
and some careful planning, your business
could be the next success story.
About
the Author
Article
reprinted with permission.
Upcoming
Events
The Virtual Nation MasterMind Group
The MasterMind group is postponed for
now. The July brainstorm session went
so well, but this time around the interest
seemed to wane. Michelle and Sharon
would like to know if you prefer a lower
cost, different date/time, or different
format. Maybe some of you were
not sure if the format had changed. It
is still the same whether you call it
brainstorm or mastermind. If you
are interested in finding out how a MasterMind
group can help you grow your business,
help keep you accountable and more, please
send and email to mastermind@thevirtualnation.com. Space
is limited and there are only have 5
out of 8 spaces left. If you want
to be included, send an email right away.
What is a MasterMind Group?
According to www.PassionForBusiness.com,
a MasterMind group is where "there
is synergy of energy, commitment, and
excitement that participants bring
to a MasterMind Group. The beauty
of MasterMind Groups is that participants
raise the bar by challenging each other
to create and implement goals, brainstorm
ideas, and support each other with
total honesty, respect and compassion. MasterMind
participants act as catalysts for growth,
devil's advocates and supportive colleagues."
New Horizons Computer Learning Center
What: Fireworks MX,
Level 1 Graphics Design/Web Design
Class
When: November 14,
2006 (all day class)
Where: 1215 Howe
Avenue, Sacramento, CA
Cost: $100 off class
if you register through The Virtual
Nation.
Let us know if you are interested
in attending this in-person class,
as we must have at least five people
to get this special rate.
michelle@thevirtualnation.com or
916-484-6945
Marketplace
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you considered placing an ad in The Virtual Nation
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can reach hundreds of potential clients. The
Vision is published each Wednesday. Please
visit www.thevirtualnation.com to
find out how to purchase your ad today. All
ads are subject to approval, so call if you have
questions.
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Train at home in your spare time to learn the
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Training takes approximately 6-8 weeks. Obtain
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Resources
Complimentary Subscriptions to Trade Publications
The Virtual Nation recently added a new advertiser
called Tradepub to our network. They offer hundreds
of complimentary trade publications, all of which
are completely fr*ee and offer valuable information
that will help you stay on top of your respective
industry.
For more than 12 years, TradePub has provided a
quick and easy way to subscribe to fr*ee publications
in 32 key industries -- from Business to IT, Sales
and Marketing to Telecommunications -- each is targeted
toward an individual's profession.
TradePub offers more than 400 fr*ee business magazines,
white papers, and webinars, all for the taking! Here
are a few The Virtual Nation subscribed to:
- InfoWorld
Magazine - is dedicated
to helping IT professionals get technology
right.
- eWeek
Magazine - Essential technology
information source for builders of e-business.
- Consulting
Magazine - No other publication
reveals the impact of consultants as career
professionals and advisors to leaders both
in industry and government like Consulting
Magazine does.
- PODCAST - Everything
you always wanted to know about VoIP but
were afraid to ask - learn
how VoIP phone service offers businesses
the flexibility to operate from geographically
independent locations while providing powerful
business class calling features.
- CRM
Magazine - is a business
solution publication responsible for moving
the enterprise toward a customer-focused
approach.
Either click on the magazines above to subscribe
or CLICK
HERE to see all of the publications offered
by TradePub.com.
TVN has a lot of other incredible resources
to choose from. If you are in need of forms, templates,
information on starting a business in California,
where to go to find great books, printers, and more,
it's all on the website. Click
here to have a look.
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Advertising
Disclaimer:
The Virtual Nation™ does
not represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability
of any of the paid advertisements above or the
quality of any products, information, or other
materials displayed, purchased, or obtained by
you as a result of an offer in connection with
any ad. You are responsible for handling your own
due diligence before purchasing any product or
service.
Thank You for Joining Me!
**IMPORTANT**
You are receiving this ezine because you subscribed
on our website or purchased one of our products
or services. If you've received this ezine from
a friend, don't forget to sign up for this ezine
on our website. We changed ezine delivery company
several months ago, so you may need to sign up
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With Gratitude,
Michelle Ulrich
Want to share your gratitude? Mosey
on over to the Gratitude
Club and check it out.
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