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I had a great conversation last week with a friend, Laurie Storey-Manseau. She owns an integrated marketing agency that specializes in web design and social media usage in NH. She’s realized what many business owners have recently: We are just about on the other side of the recession’s upside-down bell curve… and that means opportunity is knocking for everyone. Especially, for some job seekers.

You see, everyone is wondering when the recession will end – what really matters is when the recession has bottomed-out. After that, we start climbing UP, and with that comes a momentum in business that fuels some powerful (and positive!) results. Let’s use Laurie as an example…

She knows many companies in her area cut staff in their marketing departments over the last year. As a result, the people who kept their jobs at those firms have been doing the work of 2-3 people. And we all know that when that happens, things start to deteriorate. Tasks get done incorrectly, sometimes not at all. The priority list gets revamped daily, and in the process, morale takes a beating and productivity slumps.

However…

Once the company sees it is stable and doesn’t need to do any more layoffs, it eventually recognizes the need for help. Now, it can’t afford to hire full-time, or even part-time employees yet. So you know what they do? They hire a company and assign them project work that will get the business back on track. Here’s an analogy: It’s like letting your house get so dirty that you can’t possibly clean it by yourself. You bring in an expert to scour and get it back to a manageable place so you can maintain it again.

And this is where the ‘opportunity’ part comes in for you, the job seeker…

Many companies, like Laurie’s, are going to start to hire new business development superstars. People who see the potential in front of them. I’m talking about those folks who know it’s time to knock on corporate doors and subtly say,

“I know it’s been really tough the last year and your remaining staff must be exhausted. Have you considered outsourcing a project or two just to get your productivity levels back up and to help the staff feel like they can breath a bit? Also, could you use some fresh ideas and new faces to help your organization feel empowered, but don’t want the added employment expense? If so, then I’ve got a solution for you.”

Can see yourself helping people who are over-worked and stressed-out? Then you need to consider sales. And commission-only sales jobs at that. Here’s why…

FACT: It’s hunting season!

In times like these, everyone is looking for the safe, salaried job. They trust themselves but not their potential customers to put food on their tables. And yet, if you enter the commission-only job market at the right time during a recession, the payoff can be huge. Not only does your product and/or service become a welcomed breath of fresh air to your clients, you are generally well-compensated for being the hunter of new business. Why? Commission structures to acquire new accounts are historically greater than those involved in maintaining an existing account because the first is considered harder than the second. But is it? Not if you enter the market now and start to build your relationships with companies! It’s a timing thing that can pay off big for the right person.

Here’s what to look for in a good commission-only job:

1) Make sure you LOVE what the company sells and can see how it would benefit others immensely. (ie. solve problems, make life significantly better, etc.)

2) Walk through the commission structure (the formula for your compensation) and get several concrete examples of what needs to be sold to get paid.

3) Confirm when you get paid and how you get paid.

4) Discuss and make sure you are comfortable with the average time it takes to make a sale. Long sales cycles mean you’ll be waiting even longer for your commission.

Why do companies offer commission-only jobs? Well, obviously some of them can’t afford to add staff without knowing there will be income to support paying them. Additionally, for many companies, setting up a commission-only job opportunity ensures they get a committed and confident employee who is highly motivated to produce results. AND, to ensure that, they make the commission payout extremely attractive so you are passionate about acquiring new clients. Again, that’s where the chance to clean up in this economy comes into play. You help others and get paid well for doing it.

HATE the idea of going into sales? Read this…

I was given great advice by one of my mentors early in life. He said,

“At some point in your career, regardless of what you want to do, you should sell. It is one of the most vital functions of a business. Without new customers, a business doesn’t exist. Subsequently, learning to sell will make you a better employee because you’ll always think of your work as it relates to the customer’s needs.”

I heeded that advice and, I have to say, it is correct. Learning to sell is challenging, but professionally rewarding. So, explore commission-only jobs right now. You may just find one that is perfect for you!

By: JT O'Donnell

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A good business plan is the most important but often overlooked part of running, starting and expanding a successful business, and obtaining finance for a business. If a plan is written properly, running a business and obtaining finance is much easier, leaving less room for error and failure. While you cannot predict everything that can happen in a company’s future, a good plan helps you avoid certain pitfalls and overcome obstacles, while anticipating and creating opportunities.

There are different plan formats for various circumstances. A comprehensive plan will help you run your business venture or project more successfully. There are also specialized plans for various purposes, such as a funding plan for a bank, investor or venture capital firm.

The business planning process is very important. It is a building block system that is continuous, systematic and comprehensive. It involves the entire company, produces effective decision making, and executes those decisions effectively in a strategic plan. A good plan also measures the relationship between expectations and performance. It evaluates your company’s progress or lack thereof.

It is said, writing an effective business plan is more art than science. It is good to have a proven process and format, but you can’t just fill in the blanks on a master planning program or document. It is a matter of asking yourself the right questions within the proven process and format that brings about a successfully written business plan.

The comprehensive plan that I develop has eight sections: the executive summary, company overview, management and operations, marketing strategy and plan, strategic and sales plan, financials and appendix. I amend the eight section plan for specialized plans, like the funding plan.

The organization of the business plan is quite important. The eight section business plan is in a specific order from which each section builds on the previous section. There is fluid thought and reasoning employed to achieve a business plan which reaches its specified purpose. Although I wrote that the executive summary is the first section, it should be written last. All the other sections should be written in the order they are listed. A plan contains a very precise and concise format and is organized into numbered sections and sub-sections, which contain specific information in short, paragraph form.

A business plan is a dynamic document, as it changes on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. By being able to access it on your company computer network and online, various key people within the company can use and update it easily and effectively. For a Business Plan to be successful, it must be intertwined into the fabric of your business, have a detailed implementation schedule and be carefully tracked.

A well written and implemented business plan can do a lot of things, including: running, expanding or starting a successful business; be readily changed, adapted and updated to suit market conditions; be a fantastic sales tool; obtain funding; react quickly to market changes; give you the ability to make realistic forecasts and projections; seize market opportunities; establish and sustain your competitive advantage; and more.

Always consider hiring an experienced business consultant and planner to help develop, write and most importantly, implement your business plan.

By: Frank Goley

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Selecting the right Tax Resolution Specialist to address your tax problems is vitally important. It can actually make you or break you. If you make the right choice, your IRS problems will be resolved, make the wrong choice and you’re done for! Your choice can be CPA (Certified Public Account), CTRS (Certified Tax Resolution Specialist) or a Tax Attorney, but you must remember to choose your representative wisely.

It’s relatively easy to find a selection of certified tax professionals to represent you simply by using Google or looking in the yellow pages. You will find a wide selections of names, but now how do you know which is the right professional to help with your tax returns, delinquent taxes, audit problems or any other tax debt issues?

Most legitimate, upfront Tax Resolution Specialists will together with their firm, offer a free consultation. In your first interview you should be able to determine if they are there to just charge you high hourly rate prices, additional fees and penalties. Weed out all impostors and incompetent accountants and lawyers.

Before going in to speak to a Tax Resolution Specialist, know exactly what your IRS issues are.

What exactly are you up against?

Are you facing personal income tax issues such as a fraud victim or an innocent spouse?

Or is it business tax issues like sales tax, or unpaid income tax concerning your business?

On what level do you face your tax problems? Is it with state or federal, or both?

Are your problems confined to one jurisdiction and state?

Have you just recently discovered your tax problem or is the IRS already aware?

Has the IRS contacted you yet? And if so, have you just ignored it hoping it would go away?

Are your documents needed together or you haven;t a clue?

Have you had a visit at your workplace or your home from the IRS?

Has the IRS asked for a personal check to resolve the issue?

Do you have a wage garnishment, seized property or a tax lien?

These are the type of questions you need to ask yourself to understand exactly what type of control you need to have.

Because there are a variety of different types of tax professionals, you must understand that not all are created equal and have the skills required to negotiate with the IRS. For example, a CPA may be less expensive per their hourly rate as opposed to a tax lawyer, they cannot accomplish what a good tax attorney can. A CPA will be good at getting your documents in order so you have a better understanding of your past history. A Tax Resolution Specialist battles the IRS on a daily basis and is knowledgeable of the latest laws, has learned the secrets to better help resolve your tax issues.

By: Blayne Penton

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Quality Tax Problem Relief: If you owe the IRS, a Government-Tax-Lien or other IRS Collection Action could strike at any time. You will need Tax-Problem Relief from a qualified professional to prevent a big problem with a Government Tax-Lien or any other IRS Collection Action. It’s important to find the best quality Tax-Problem Relief so you can keep IRS Collection Actions at bay.

Government Tax Lien- A Government Tax-Lien is a highly effective IRS Collection Action the IRS issues for every person that owes the IRS. Once the Government Tax-Lien hits your credit report, your life will change drastically! A Government Tax Lien makes it impossible to take out a loan, sell your own property, and apply for anything that requires credit.

A Government Tax Lien is one of the IRS’s most effective IRS Collection Actions, and you’ll need Tax-problem Relief to get rid of it. For the most part, the Tax Lien will remain in place until the debt is paid in full. However, there are ways to have the Tax Lien temporarily removed, which we’ll cover later in this article.

Other Collection Actions

IRS Bank Levy: An IRS Bank Levy is another one of the popular IRS Collection Actions. With an IRS Bank Levy, all of the funds from your Bank Account will be seized. First, you receive a warning in the mail that the funds will be seized. Your account will be frozen, and you will need to contact the IRS or Get Tax-Problem Relief as quickly as possible if you want to save your funds. This is one of the most painful IRS Collection Actions; all of your funds could be gone in a flash.

IRS Wage Garnishment: With an IRS Wage Garnishment, the IRS can seize the funds directly from your paycheck. This is another of the more deadly IRS Collection Actions. With the IRS seizing your wages, you could be left without enough funds to pay your bills. Again, professional Tax-Problem Relief may be needed to make the IRS let go of your wages.

IRS Seizure: With an IRS Seizure, you can kiss your assets goodbye. This includes second cars, homes, or even family heirlooms if they can be sold to repay your Tax Debt. This is the rarest of the IRS Collection Actions, but if you ignore your Tax Debt long enough, it could happen to you. Tax Problem Relief will be necessary to save your assets once they’re seized, but even then, it’s incredibly hard to do.

Remove Government-Tax-Lien with Tax Problem Relief

With the right Tax Debt Relief, it could be possible to remove a Government Tax Lien. In order to remove a Government-Tax-Lien, you have to prove that removal of a Tax Lien is necessary for you to repay your Tax Debt. For example, prove that you can take out a loan against your home to repay your debt if the Government Tax Lien is removed, and the IRS may remove the Tax Lien. Even with justification, removal of a Tax Lien is very difficult. Be sure you get good Tax Problem Relief from a professional.

Find Tax Problem Relief: Finding the right Tax Problem Relief can be a little tricky. If you choose to work with a Tax Attorney or a Tax Resolution firm, do your research. Make sure they have an A Rating or higher with the Better Business Bureau. This will ensure you’re working with trustworthy professionals.

By: Sandy Hansen

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Consider the number of factors at attribute to the overall cost for insurance. For example you’re driving history and record. What most people fail to realize are those speeding tickets have a huge impact on your auto insurance rates overall.

According to studies that revealed that speeding is the most important factor to nearly 35% of auto accidents. Obviously this means the slower we drive the safer it is and it reduces the chances of an accident. Aside from the safety factor of slowing down it has also been established that the majority of speeders occasionally reduce their speed after receiving at speeding ticket. In most case this is short lived! According to this study which tracked a speeder for a month after receiving a speeding ticket reduced their chances of a fatal accident by to less than 35%. Unfortunately the speeder did not maintain safe driving habits for much longer than a few months.

Basically what this shows along with other studies is the fact that habitual speeders have over a 50% chance of being fatally injured in a car accident than an individual who obeys the traffic laws. This is the reason why law enforcement mandates insurances and is heavy on speeders. Not to mention why insurances companies raise the rates for people with a history of speeding. Here are a few factors to consider when factoring in the cost for insurance rates with a speeding ticket:

One speeding ticket will not affect your insurance rate, unless you’ve been citied for extremely high speeding rate of over 15 miles above the legal speed limit as posted. This will be a combination citation to include reckless driving. Depending on your previous driving record, for example a clean record, one ticket can increase your insurance rate by at least 27% . When you receive a speeding ticket one point is added to your record when an accumulation of these points are noted over a three year period expect to see an increase in your premium upwards of thousands of dollars. When you have multiple speeding tickets and points switching from your current insurance carrier to another wont prove advantageous under the circumstances. Basically your current carrier would be best to work out a deal with, especially if you have a long term history with the company.

It’s always a wise choice on your behave to fight speeding tickets. There a good chance you could win the case or get lucky enough to have the charges drop on technicalities. In this case there’s no real need to get an attorney. Just a little common sense and never admit your guilt.

By: Les Foster

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As Christmas draws closer and closer, people are thinking of the best gifts to buy for their loved ones. Most people will admit that choosing a perfect gift is not as easy as it might it sound especially when dealing with kids. Kids like toys and use all forms of communication be it crying or nagging to get them from their parents or guardians. Though many toys have been developed to give children extra pleasure and give parents an opportunity to show their affection and love to their children during special occasions, the singamajiig seems to have hit the market in a different style not only attracting the attention of children, but also those that have attained adult age. This has seen so many people being involved in the Singamajig business either as manufactures or dealers.

There are so many Singamajig stores that one might be left hanging in the balance as to which shop he or she should shop from. It will be unfair advising people to buy Singamajigs for their kids this Christmas holiday assuming that everyone clearly understands what a Singamajig is. This is a cute & tiny stuffed creature which possesses its own funky color & vocal range. A Singamajig has the ability of not only performing their particular song, but also being in harmony with all other Singamajigs that can be found in its surrounding. Each Singamajig contains its own unique vocal range. Make this year’s Christmas one that your kid will remember you for. When Singamajigs are put in a circle, they converse in a very perfect and blending manner that really excites children as well as adults.

Singamajigs for kids come in various colors and each color stands for a particular song or tune. The most common colors you will find Singamajigs in include yellow, pink, purple, teal, red, hot pink and mint green. Find out the song that each color represents so that your Singamajig mix is in harmony. You will not have made a sound decision purchasing same color Singamajigs because this will be spending unnecessarily on one product. Children get the pleasure they desire when the output from these toys is dynamic. After all, these toys do not cost much as compared to other gifts that you would buy. This is why Singamajigs the Hottest new singing doll for the 2010 Christmas session is being bought by most people.

There are countless reasons why there is a massive flow of people towards Singamajig shops this season. These toys have attracted customers of all ages and sexes and you will be surprised to realize that adults are really competing the young in their acquisition. One major reason for the popularity of these toys is their low price which all if not most households can afford. You only need $20 or even less to acquire a Singamajig for your beloved kid as the perfect gift for this season.

The fact that this toy is very new and can’t be compared to any toy that has been in the market makes it attract customers in large numbers. Singamajig shops are offering designs of Singamajigs catering for the needs of all customers.

By: Mathenge Kabui

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