Articles by Akhil Shahani on ArticleSnatch.com

Writing Effective Advertising Copy

Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

What makes great advertising copy? Why do some advertisements attract customers while others leave them cold? The secret lies in how they are written. The basic purpose of advertising copy is to get the reader interested in whatever is being featured. Whether you are selling a product or service, the following tips will help you write great copy that delivers results. These tips apply to almost any form of consumer marketing communication: web or print based advertisements, sales letters, brochures or direct mail. 1. Target the customer â Get your audience involved. The key to your advertising success lies in connecting with your prospects âone-on-oneâ. Make your advertising copy more reader-focused by using the word âyouâ often. Address that reader as an equal and as if the offer was meant exclusively for him or her. Focus on the benefits - do not merely describe the features of the product. Tell the customers what they want to know, why they should choose you, and what they can get out of your product or service. If possible, address an obvious problem and let them know how your product or service will solve it. 2.** End Summary**

About the Author:
Hi, I'm Akhil Shahani, a serial entrepreneur who wants to help you succeed. If you like to work smart, check out http://www.SmartEntrepreneur.net . It's full of articles and resources to help you start and grow your business successfully. Please visit us & download our special "Freebie of The Month" at http://www.smartentrepreneur.net/freebie-of-the-month.html

Write a blog - itâs easy

Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Now that you have decided to write a blog for your business, what is the next step for you? How do you go about creating that blog? Weâve put together a list of 5 tips to help you on your way: 1. Know your audience â Who are the people that you are targeting? As with any strategy for a good business, it is critical that you identify your niche audience. Answering this question will help you write a blog that will keep the readers interested. 2. Locate your blog â Choose a good site where you want to blog. There are different blog sites available on the internet, some of which are free and allow you to start blogging immediately. If you want to register your own domain name and run your blog on your own server, you will need to install server side blog software. Many web hosts offer an automatic installer that will get your site up and running quickly. Once you have selected the site where you want your blog located, register yourself to create an account.** End Summary**

Workplace Policies: The Corporate Commandments!

Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Friction is bound to arise when people, different from each other in several ways, share an office space. Being the one responsible for maintaining harmony and discipline at work, it is essential that you draw up workplace policies dealing with any issues that might arise. Although there are different types of workplace policies, a start up firm may not need too many to begin with. As it expands, however, framing additional policies will become a pressing need. Letâs take a look at some of the basics. Work policies: Acknowledging a job well-done once in a while, will not suffice. Clear appraisal guidelines need to be drawn up, stating how soon and how often an employee is to be formally evaluated. Lay out the work hour schedule in accordance with Labor laws. Similarly, clearly list out the holidays (paid or otherwise), your employees are entitled to. âPaying for Time Not Worked: An Approach to Developing a Comprehensive Workplace Policyâ available at could be of help while structuring a payment policy. Disciplinary issues: Prescribe a code of conduct at work. Specifying a formal dress code will save you the trouble of having to deal with individual cases of impropriety.** End Summary**

Work Place Safety Policy: Better Than Sorry!

Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

We all seem to take safety at work for granted. As an employer, it is your ethical responsibility to take care of employees working for you, failing which, there just might be a disaster waiting to happen. Besides causing injury, work place accidents cost time and money. On a more practical note, you could also be held accountable and made to pay a penalty that could wipe out profits. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rules punish violation of safety standards that could result in death or serious physical harm to an employee. Therefore, developing a work place safety policy and abiding by it is an absolute necessity. Remember the following while putting a work place safety policy in place:  Even as an entrepreneur with few employees, you will have to abide by OSHA requirements. However, in American states where a federally certified plan has been adopted, the state plan governs. If you have hired non employee workers, such as independent contractors or volunteers, then you are not subject to the OSHA rules.  The first step to complying with the OSHA regime is to understand the published safety standards.** End Summary**

Work Life Balance: Welcome to better living!

Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Listen up, all you workaholics, itâs time out! Sit back and relax, while we take you through our guide to finding that perfect work life balance. It probably doesnât sound like a priority right now, but scientific study reveals that it is essential for happy living. Well OK, not scientific maybe, but it has been discussed time and again. Managing time between your work and home efficiently could be your key to a satisfying professional as well as personal life. Itâs the way to make the most of your life, and the smart way to live! Keep it simple: Work on your toughest assignment when your productivity is the highest and take the help of tools, if required. Keep work and home separate. Donât take work home; this includes everything from files to phone calls. Likewise, if your family desires your commitment to something that youâd rather not do in your free time (like a Saturday brunch with your wifeâs friends in attendance), look for a tactful excuse to opt out. Keep stress under control: Sounds tough? Need not be so.** End Summary**

Staying Clear of Work-at-Home Scams

Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

You often come across advertisements in the newspapers and on TV or in outdoor media touting the claims of easy home based business schemes. But beware, not all work-at-home opportunities deliver their promises. Often, the unsuspecting target ends up spending hundreds of dollars in return for nothing. Educate yourself about the most common work-at-home scams and become an informed decision maker: Envelope stuffing â The ads will typically say that for a "small" fee paid upfront, you will be able to earn money stuffing envelopes at home. But in reality, you will find that there is no real job to be done; instead youâll receive instructions to place an ad just like the one you answered in newspapers or magazines, or to send it to friends and relatives. In essence, the only way you can make money is by getting more people fall for that work-at-home scam. Product/craft assembly â These schemes often require you to invest hundreds of dollars in equipment or supplies or spend many hours assembling a product. However, after you've purchased the supplies or equipment and performed the work, you might be in for a rude shock, and that is because you never get paid!** End Summary**

Work At Home: Be Your Own Boss!

Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Do you hate to drag yourself into a boring old office every day? Do you crave the luxury of dictating your own terms at work? Itâs not too late, work at home and feel like a million dollars (and perhaps earn them too!) Bet youâre saying itâs too good to be true. When you first start to look for a work at home job, donât be discouraged by the tough competition among applicants. There are lots of opportunities in numerous fields that can fit your profile. At the same time, don't fall for the inevitable "get rich quick" line. Working from home can be rewarding, provided you do a bit of soul searching first. And that means asking the following: What are my interests? What kind of job would I like to do? Thousands of companies outsource work to home based partners these days. Jobs include data entry, copywriting, filling spreadsheets, web and graphic design, translation, transcription and more. If you like some of these, here are certain things you should watch out for. We call them the 5 sure ways of getting into a mess! Not looking at alternatives.** End Summary**

An introduction to Website Analytics

Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

You recently revamped your firmâs website or are planning an online marketing campaign, but are not really sure what youâll gain in return? Website analytics is a science whose aim is to answer such questions. In this piece, weâll take a look at the benefits of web analytics and ways to optimize its tools. Bet youâre already thinking this is geeky stuff! But if we get rid of the jargon, website analytics simply means the study of the impact that a website has on its users. For example, what are the pages that most visitors spend time on? Which products sell best online? Is the registration process a turn-off? But thatâs not all. Web analytics software can provide a whole lot of information in fine detail, thereby bringing valuable insight to marketers looking to refine their online strategy. Things you can do using website analytics Understand visitor behavior: Monitor the number of visitors and where they come from, understand how they navigate your site and what keywords they like, or get a feel of whether your site is meaty enough to hold their attention.** End Summary**

Finding The Right Web Designer

Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

A web designer is, you guessed it, a person who designs websites. Web designing is the art of preparing content for the World Wide Web including text, images, site architecture and multimedia. If youâve often wondered how some sites can be so appealing, while others are simply appalling, the web designer probably had something to do with it! There are almost as many designers as websites and zeroing in on the right one can be a daunting task. If youâre in the process of hiring one, make sure he or she isnât the type that will drive away your traffic. How can you do that? Itâs easy. Decide geographic location: Since the internet has made physical distances irrelevant, you can hire a web designer from pretty much anywhere on planet Earth. Choosing a local vendor obviously has certain advantages â you can discuss issues face to face, which also allows you to keep things flexible and introduce changes as you go along. Thereâs also the comfort of better backup. However, using a vendor from another city might fetch better savings or higher quality. An international vendor might be even better.** End Summary**

Getting Your Message Across On Voice Mail

Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

For any business, soliciting new customers is not just essential, it is a lifeline. As part of your sales strategy, you will be making calls to new prospects in the hopes of turning them into your customers. More often than not you will encounter the answering machine asking you to leave a message instead of being able to talk to a real person. What should you do in such a scenario? Do you just hang up the phone thinking you will try again later? Donât let go of the opportunity; leave a sales message on the machine. Who knows, this could very well work to your advantage â listening to a message when the client is more relaxed might mean that he or she is more receptive, than during the middle of a busy day. Failing to leave a voice message and missing the many opportunities will surely lose your business many customers. Voice mail can be a valuable sales tool if you follow a few basic guidelines:  Work from a script. Be prepared when you start making the call. There is a big difference between talking to a live person and leaving a message.** End Summary**

Viral Marketing: Sneezing Via Email

Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

If youâve never heard of viral marketing before, we wonât blame you for thinking that itâs the FDAâs problem! This rather sinister term was coined by some very respectable people belonging to a venture capital firm called Draper Fisher Jurvetson (DFJ), who described viral marketing as a ânetwork-enhanced word of mouthâ. Simply put, that means getting your existing clientele to act as brand ambassadors for your product. And the amazing bit is that itâs quite involuntary! (Have you noticed what appears at the end of every email sent from your Yahoo account?) Letâs see how this works. Practitioners of viral marketing leverage their customer base to pass on a marketing message to others in their network. The recipients of such messages, in turn, pass the same onto their contacts, and so on. Before you know it, the message will have touched a multitude of people, pretty much like an epidemic. We see youâre getting the pictureâ¦.. This is old-hat, you say. Nothing other than network marketing, a trick thatâs been employed by legions of marketers! True. The only difference is that this kind of marketing has succeeded beyond imagination with some internet based businesses.** End Summary**

Video Conferencing: See Ya in Cyberspace!

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Are you spending too much time and money on traveling to client sites for meetings? Would you like to meet your clients and employees face to face without moving out of your office? Are there times when you want to call an emergency meeting with staff based in different offices? Here is the solution to your problem. Video conferencing is a technological innovation whereby you can meet and discuss issues with any number of people from any part of the world, virtually. You donât need to be physically present at a designated venue to participate in a meeting or discussion forum. Now, letâs take a look at the places where you can use this technology and the advantages of using it. Video conferencing is playing an essential role in todayâs business world. It is used to conduct business meetings, offer training programs and even carry out healthcare conferences. The obvious advantage is that it eliminates travel and other associated expenses, and saves time, big time! As companies are realizing the benefit of this technology, up to 70% of travel is being substituted in some cases! And another benefit - dissemination of information and knowledge occurs at a faster pace.** End Summary**

Things not to do while starting a new business

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Starting out on your own is indeed a risky business - most of the time you are not sure that you are doing the smart thing. To help you on your way, here is a list of things that you should avoid while starting a new business. Think of the new venture as a puzzle that you are putting together. Choosing a location, hiring staff and building a customer base are among the many pieces of the puzzle that you must assemble to build a strong business. Missing out on even a single piece will leave a gaping hole. Risk of failure is high during the initial three years and often, because of a lack of prior understanding of the mistakes to avoid while starting a new business. Not sure what weâre talking about? Relax! Weâve made a list of warning signs that you need to attend to before venturing out on your own. o No business plan - The first piece in the puzzle is a business plan, without which you will go nowhere.** End Summary**

The point of a Unique Selling Point

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

You canât escape the term âUSPâ in most writing on marketing. In case you havenât done much reading in that field, weâd like to tell you that USP stands for Unique Selling Point (or Proposition). Itâs what differentiates your product or service from those of your rivals, the one thing that singles you out from the competition. Now, you would be right in asking how all products or services could have a USP, especially when there are so many well matched offerings in the marketplace. Allow us to clarify. A USP is something that singles you out in the mind of your customer. There might or there might not be any difference in reality, but itâs the perception that counts. Take Citibankâs legendary slogan âThe Citi Never Sleepsâ, which created an image of a safe and responsible bank in the minds of the public. Other banks could make a similar claim, but Citibank clearly took ownership of that property. Having a Unique Selling Proposition is not just nice to have, itâs a must have.** End Summary**

THE IMPORTANCE OF BUDGET FORECAST FOR STARTUP BUSINESS

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

What Are Budgets and Forecasts? These terms stand for the predictions made about cash flow, expenses and future income. A budget forecast for startup business predicts the upcoming performance about financial projections and forecasts along with financial models. â¢ Business forecasting studies historical performance for using the knowledge gained to project future business conditions so that decisions can be made today that will help in the achievement of future goals. â¢ The most able of forecasters combine a secret formula of math-modeling skills, with portions of gut feelings, and amended by some seasoned experience. â¢ Update your budget forecast whenever significant information is introduced, such as new equity offerings or a big sale. Why Budget and Forecast? A feasibility analysis is provided by budgets and forecasts. Identifying resources and capital needs, developing a business model and reviewing your key assumptions are the spheres where they can help. A budget forecast for startup business can be of use for finding funds. The lenders and investors get a demonstration from them about your business potential â¢ Budgets and forecasts provide a feasibility analysis. They can help develop a business model, review your key assumptions, and identify resource and capital needs.** End Summary**

Ten Tips for Better Customer Service

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

âThere is only one boss. The customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else." - Sam Walton The success of any business depends on how well it treats its customers. Customer service refers to the ability of an organization to consistently give the customer what he or she wants and needs. Try the following 10 tips to improve the level of customer service in your company and boost its image. 1. Stay in contact â Ask customers if they want to be updated on developments that might interest them. If your product is sophisticated and does not fall into the âimpulse buyâ category, chances are that you will need to adopt a counseling approach to sell. In such a case, after every sale, follow-up with the customers to see if they are satisfied with their purchase. 2. Create a customer focus group â Get ten to twenty of your most loyal customers to meet regularly. Encourage them to give ideas and inputs on how to improve your companyâs customer service levels. 3.** End Summary**

Ten Commandments for Time Management

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

"Time is the scarcest resource of the manager; if it is not managed, nothing else can be managed." â Peter F. Drucker One of the major causes of stress is work overload and not having enough time to accomplish your tasks. The easy way to get out of this predicament is to get organized and managing your time effectively. The goal of time management should not be to find more time. The goal is to prioritize what is important and use the time available wisely. Weâve put together 10 tips to help you take charge of your life and enjoy what you do: 1. Make a list and prioritize: Time management starts here. Write down a list of tasks to be done, rank them on a scale of importance and plan when you will complete them. Writing down objectives, duties and activities helps to make them more manageable and do-able. Prioritizing tasks will help you minimize stressful situations. 2. Get into a routine: Select a time of the day or week to get certain routine tasks accomplished such as answering email, replying to calls, completing paper work; then stick to it. 3.** End Summary**

Teleworking: Office is where you are! (part 2)

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

This is the second of our two part series of articles on teleworking and telecommuting. While there are several benefits that employers and staff stand to gain from this type of remote working arrangement, it does not come without its drawbacks. What are they and how does one cope with them? For telecommuters â¢ Telecommuters have to be self starters and highly motivated in order to perform. Without a supervisor to monitor their daily activities, they could very easily slip into complacence or a state of indifference towards their work. â¢ If an office environment creates stress arising out of interpersonal friction and the demands of having to cope with peer pressure, a telecommuting setup creates stress for precisely the opposite reasons. Telecommuters can feel isolated and directionless, without the benefit of a peer group to share their thoughts with. â¢ Career advancement prospects can also be affected, since a telecommuter is not as visible as his or her office going counterparts, and hence there is a risk of the contribution going unnoticed.** End Summary**

Teleworking: Office is where you are! (part 1)

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The concept of the workplace has changed beyond recognition in this age of advanced telecommunication and cross border workforces. We look at long distance work, also called teleworking or telecommuting in a series of two articles. In the first of the two, we take a look at what it is and the value it brings. The idea behind it The term teleworking or telecommuting was invented by Jack Nilles to describe a work arrangement whereby employees donât have to be physically present at an official place of work at all times. Telecommuting allows people to work from a location of their choice, usually their home. A telecommuting schedule may range from several days a week to once a month, depending on the employerâs requirement. Place no bar Teleworking, in particular, eliminates the need to travel on official work, by using advanced telecommunication devices to bridge the physical distance. Since this is dependent on the availability of phone or video conferencing facilities, teleworkers might work from a telework center at certain times.** End Summary**

Team Leadership Training: Recipe For Leadership

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Whoever believes that leaders are born and not made, never heard of team leadership training. Companies spend millions of dollars each year coaching managers to become better leaders of people. Why is team leadership training so important, and what can one hope to gain by participating in such a program? Who needs someone breathing down oneâs neck at the workplace? Employees of all organizations need their bosses to be more than mere supervisors. An effective boss is one who plays the role of mentor when required; he must âknow the way, go the way and show the wayâ. Leaders must therefore be sensitive to the developmental needs of their subordinates and committed to mentoring them to achieve success. A wise man once said, âA leader's role is to raise people's aspirations for what they can become and to release their energies so they will try to get there.â This is at the heart of team leadership training. Such programs use a variety of techniques to impart better personnel management skills to managers and leaders at all levels. Would-be leaders are taught the importance of understanding subordinatesâ needs;** End Summary**

Team Building â What and How

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

âComing together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.â - Henry Ford You got it! Team building is the art of building a team with a can-do attitude to achieve targets or business goals. And keeping the team intact is an essential part of the process. Do I really need this? In an increasingly shrinking world, people move across the planet chasing their dreams. As a result, you need to work with different groups of people at different times. Itâs not always easy for everyone to get along. Have we touched a raw nerveâ¦? The good news is that there are ways to bind your team together into one tight workforce. Do I need to hypnotize team members? Hell, no! Itâs much tougher than thatâ¦ just kidding. The goal of team building is to help create better focussed and effective teams that are result oriented. Successful managers will probably give you the following mantra.  Leave no room for doubt â Communicate to the team your expectations on performance. Tell them why the team has been formed and how important they are to the organization. ** End Summary**

10 Tax Deductions for a Small Business

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Almost 90% of small business owners overpay the IRS each year â do you want to belong to this category? We guess not! There are a number of tax deductions for a small business to take advantage of, and help save them money. Here are the top 10: 1. Auto expenses: If you use your car for business, or your business owns its own vehicle, you can deduct some of the costs of usage. If your automobile is used for both business and pleasure, only the work related usage of the vehicle entitles the business to a tax deduction. That means you must keep track of how often you use the vehicle for business, and add it all up at the end of the year. 2. Education expenses: Expense incurred on education, related to your current business, trade or occupation is another cost that can count towards tax deductions for a small business. Of course, there are strict guidelines to be followed - the expense must be to maintain or improve skills required in your present career and must be undertaken during the course of your job. 3.** End Summary**

Talk about selling the business

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

There may come a time when you wish to sell the business. This can become a complex and stress ridden experience, to the detriment of the business as well as its owners, if the process is not managed right. Besides the nitty-gritty of finding customers, completing a valuation and looking into the financial aspects of the deal, you also have to worry about how you will break the news to the wider stake holders. Communication regarding the sale of the business requires careful handling indeed and can actually make or break the deal. We give you a few dos and donâts. Take your senior management into confidence. You probably have a team of co-founders or employees at senior levels. They deserve to know first, even before you put the business up on the block. Remember that you will need their support and participation when you start âsellingâ your company to potential customers â taking them into confidence will go a long way towards securing their buy-in.** End Summary**

Sustainable Enterprises: Endorsed By Mother Earth !

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Social responsibility towards the environment is fast becoming part of the business psyche of our society. Starting with the big guns who call it âcorporate responsibilityâ to smaller companies pursuing eco friendly processes, there is a new sensitivity in the way businesses are run. The small entrepreneur is not to be left behind either, with a number of sustainable enterprises taking birth in this era of environmental consciousness. There is no arguing that having respect for our surroundings is the right thing to do; but did you know that itâs also the smarter option? In the long run, it will save precious resources and possibly prevent calamitous occurrences. No wonder, organizations are taking to it in a big way. As an entrepreneur, you could do your bit to support the cause, or even better, make a business out of several options of sustainable enterprises. Seeking inspiration? Look no further, for we have a range of ideas on sustainable enterprises you could make your own! Work with recycled paper: You could set an example conserving trees by starting an eco- friendly recycled paper business.** End Summary**

Successful Outsourcing

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Small businesses can rarely afford the luxury of a large full time staff, with all the skill sets needed for the functioning of the business. Come to think of it, even if they could, many business owners would not want the burden of managing a large headcount. That is why outsourcing is such a workable option for so many. No doubt youâve outsourced some work before â it is inconceivable that a business can be entirely self sufficient. However, if youâve not had a great experience in the past, or are considering outsourcing in a big way in the future, these tips might be of value: Check them out â an outsourcing vendor is no less critical to your operations than a regular employee, so why should you one with less caution? It is worthwhile to shortlist two or three service providers, on whom you can do a complete background and credentials check before zeroing in on âthe oneâ.** End Summary**

Articles by Akhil Shahani on ArticleSnatch.com

Writing Effective Advertising Copy

Write a blog - itâs easy

Workplace Policies: The Corporate Commandments!

Work Place Safety Policy: Better Than Sorry!

Work Life Balance: Welcome to better living!

Staying Clear of Work-at-Home Scams

Work At Home: Be Your Own Boss!

An introduction to Website Analytics

Finding The Right Web Designer

Getting Your Message Across On Voice Mail

Viral Marketing: Sneezing Via Email

Video Conferencing: See Ya in Cyberspace!

Things not to do while starting a new business

The point of a Unique Selling Point

THE IMPORTANCE OF BUDGET FORECAST FOR STARTUP BUSINESS

Ten Tips for Better Customer Service

Ten Commandments for Time Management

Teleworking: Office is where you are! (part 2)

Teleworking: Office is where you are! (part 1)

Team Leadership Training: Recipe For Leadership

Team Building â What and How

10 Tax Deductions for a Small Business

Talk about selling the business

Sustainable Enterprises: Endorsed By Mother Earth !

Successful Outsourcing

Write a blog - itâs easy

Team Building â What and How