10 Reasons To Form A Strategic Business Alliance

By: Tonny Tjiong

A strategic alliance is when two or more businesses join together for a set period of time. The businesses, usually, are not in direct competition, but have similar products or services that are directed toward the same target audience. Below are ten reasons to create a strategic alliance.

1. You could offer your customers a larger variety of products or services. This will allow you to spend less time and money developing new products to sell.

2. Your number of sales people will increase because you're combining with other business. You won't have spend to time and money hiring new employees.

3. Your marketing and advertising budget will increase. When you form a strategic alliance with other businesses you both will share the advertising and marketing costs.

4. You can now offer your existing customers more back-end and up-sell products. This will increase your sales and profits.

5. Your business will gain a larger number of skilled people working on the same project. You will gain the knowledge of the other businesses employees.

6. You will be able to beat your competition by selling to a larger target audience. You will also increase the total number of existing customers you can sell your products and services to.

7. You can exchange endorsements with your alliance partners. You'll add more credibility to your business and gain your potential customers trust to buy.

8. You can expand your business more rapidly. You can develop new products and services faster with a larger work force.

9. You'll be able to solve your customer's problems faster with a larger base of customer service people. You'll also learn new ways to improve your customer

service from your alliance partners.

10. You'll have a larger number of "strategic thinking" people. This will allow both businesses to come up with profitable business ideas quicker than before.

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How To Be Healthy: The Basics

By: Regina Cheah

So everyone is talking about being healthier these days. McDonalds are offering “healthy choices” in their menu, celebrities are constantly promoting the latest fad diets and the weight-loss industry is in a massive boom.

The reason for this is simple; the human population has never had this many people being diagnosed with obese-related health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, thyroid disease, and diabetes, or, life-style related health problems such as various heart diseases, cardiac diseases and magiliant tumors which occur due to heavy smoking, alcohol abuse and unhealthy diets.

These medical conditions can occur at different stages of life and it is thus important that one takes pride in having a healthy lifestyle.

Being healthy: The 3 Basic Steps

1) Be smoke free.

This is really obvious but… don’t smoke. According to the Nicorette website, 1,600 Australians die every month from diseases caused by smoking. Smoking increases a person’s likelihood of developing lung cancer, reduces life expectancy by 7-8 years and the smoke contains over 4,000 of toxic chemicals that poison your body.

2) Eat healthy.

The most common problem when people try to do this, is that they start off motivated, rid their house of "bad food" and then after a couple of weeks, lose their motivation and get back to their usual eating routine of junk food and sweets. The thing is, eating that piece of chocolate cake does not mean that you are committing an ungodly dieting sin. It is actually perfectly normal to have chocolate cake, chips and ice cream as part of a healthy balanced diet. Here are a few guidelines to get you started.

1.Eat Breakfast.

It is the most important meal of day. Breakfast breaks the fast (hence: Breakfast) that your body has been undergoing since dinner and starts your body metabolism for the day. This helps increase concentration and assists in weight loss as your metabolism improves

2.Eat according to the 2&5 rule.

According to health authorities, we should be eating at least 2 serves of fruit and 5 serves of vegetables every day. Upping your daily intake of fruit and vegetables helps to reduce and prevent coronary heart disease, obesity, constipation, high blood pressure and diabetes.

To learn more about the 2&5 rule and how to easily achieve it, please follow the link.

3. Drink plenty of water

Studies have shown that we should be drinking around 6-8 glasses of water a day. Water helps maintain healthy muscles, prevent your metabolism from slowing down, and reduces the risk of cancer development.

4.Eat a balanced diet

This means incorporating carbohydrates, vegetables, fruit, meat and dairy products, fats, oils and sweets into your daily diet in the correct adequate amounts.

To learn more about what constitutes a balance diet, please follow the link.

5.Treat yourself.

The occasional sweet treat can do wonders to your motivation and ability to stick to a healthy diet. Studies have shown that when a person tries to eradicate treats (ie. chocolates and sweets) when they go on a diet, they are more likely to go overboard and overeat when they finally give in to their cravings.

3) Exercise

Regularly doing some form of physical activity can help reduce the risk of developing heart diseases, stroke, high blood pressure, obesity and osteoporosis. Furthermore, during physical exertion, the brain releases chemicals called endorphins (similar to what happens when you eat chocolate) which improves your mood. Whether it be a 30 min walk around the block, dancing, going to the gym, Pilates, basketball, footy, dog walking or a few leisurely laps up and down the pool, any form of exercise is better then no form of exercise at all. Exercise helps to build and maintain healthy bones, achieve a healthy weight and reduces stress and anxiety.

Though these 3 basic steps seem easy enough to achieve, I do caution that you start your lifestyle changes gradually and slowly. It is very easy immediately commence your “lifestyle change” by going cold turkey on your cigarettes, eating salads and sushi for lunch and signing up to a gym membership. However, as easy as it is to do that, it is just as easy to lose motivation and crave in to that one packet of cigarette in your drawer, finish off a block of chocolate and ‘go to the gym next week’. Becoming healthier and improving your health requires a lifestyle change.

By starting off with small changes such as having 2 less cigarettes a day, or starting your day with breakfast, or taking a walk to the supermarket instead of driving, you will be well on your way to a more sustainable healthier lifestyle.

Good luck!

Having a healthy diet is essential for a healthy lifestyle and optimum mental wellbeing. It is never too late to start living a healthy lifestyle, so start today!

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5 Reasons you need a will

Most people don't appreciate the full importance of a will, especially if they think their estate is too small to justify the time and expense of preparing one. And even people who recognize the need for a will often don't have one, perhaps due to procrastination or a disinclination to broach this sensitive subject with loved ones.

The truth is, almost everyone should have a will. Here are the five basic reasons why:

Reason 1. To Choose Beneficiaries
The intestate succession laws of the state in which you live determine how your property will be distributed if you die without a valid will. For example, in most states the property of a married person with children who dies intestate (i.e., without a will) generally will be distributed one-third to the spouse and two-thirds to the children, while the property of an unmarried, childless person who dies intestate generally will be distributed to his or her parents (or siblings, if the parents are deceased).
These distributions may be contrary to what you want. In effect, by not having a will, you are allowing the state to choose your beneficiaries. Further, a will allows you to specify not only who will receive the property, but how much each beneficiary will receive.

Note: If you wish to leave property to a charity, a will may be needed to accomplish this goal.

Reason 2. To Minimize Taxes
Many people feel they do not need a will because their taxable estate does not exceed the amount allowed to pass free of federal estate tax. These assumptions, however, should be reviewed given the current state of change in the federal estate tax laws. It is important to review and update your will on a regular basis. Most wills were written with the existence of a federal estate tax at a certain level.
Further, your taxable estate may be larger than you think. For example, life insurance, qualified retirement plan benefits, and IRAs typically pass outside of a will or estate administration. But retirement plan benefits and IRAs (and sometimes life insurance) are still part of your federal estate and can cause your estate to go over the threshold amount. Also, in some states, the estate or inheritance tax differs from the federal laws. A properly prepared will is necessary to implement estate tax reduction strategies.

Tip: Changes in the estate tax laws and in the size of your estate may warrant a re-examination of your estate plan.

Reason 3. To Appoint a Guardian
If for no other reason, you should prepare a will to name a guardian for minor children in the event of your death without a surviving spouse. While naming a guardian does not bind either the named guardian or the court, it does indicate your wishes, which courts generally try to accommodate.

Reason 4. To Name an Executor
Without a will, you cannot appoint someone you trust to carry out the administration of your estate. If you do not specifically name an executor in a will, a court will appoint someone to handle your estate, perhaps someone you might not have chosen. Obviously, there is peace of mind in selecting an executor you trust.

Reason 5. To Help Establish Domicile
You may wish to firmly establish domicile (permanent legal residence) in a particular state, for tax or other reasons. If you move frequently or own homes in more than one state, each state in which you reside could try to impose death or inheritance taxes at the time of death, possibly subjecting your estate to multiple probate proceedings. To lessen the risk of this, you should execute a will that clearly indicates your intended state of domicile.

If you need guidance with your will, just give us a call. 215-594-4120

Branding is Everything!

By: Victoria Matea

I remember when I first embarked on the massive adventure called the internet, the one thing I constantly heard about was branding. What is branding? Why is it important? How do you brand online? Let’s consider these questions. What name brands come to mind when you think of the word branding? For me, I love Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, and Marc Jacabs just to name a few. If I were shopping for a new purse and I was presented with two, one from Marc Jacabs and another from an unknown company. I would initially be drawn to the Marc Jacabs purse because of a few reasons: I know the quality of Marc Jacabs, I am familiar with their customer service of so if something were to happen to it I can trust I would be taken care of, and of course I know that whatever the price I will pay for the purse it’s worth every penny. With an unknown company brand these basic necessities become a guessing game.

Although this is just an example, it is easy to see that creating a brand name is very important. When talking about the internet there are millions of people online that are trying to sell their products, trainings, and systems. What will make you stand out from all the others? Why should someone listen to you? Before you can approach someone with your business idea, they must already like, know and trust you. If this doesn’t happen you risk getting lost in all of the noise.

So how do you create a brand that people will know & recognize? How do you get people to like, know, and trust you with their wallets open? You offer people value. You show them that you are worth listening to, and you show them what you have to offer is important. You show them that you want to help. People like to know that someone is on their side and that you genuinely want to see them succeed. When you are able to do this you have created a brand for yourself, and have attracted people to you that are looking for what you have to offer, which is by the way, attraction marketing. If you remember from my Limited Budget post that Attraction Marketing is the art of attracting people who are already in need of what you have to offer. People want to join your business, buy your products, and look at you to help them find the things they need. I know for myself, when I am looking for a particular product, I do not buy from someone I do not like if I can help it. People love to buy, but people hat to be sold.

Okay, so now you may be asking how do you start making a brand of yourself online? Where do you start? This can be done in a multitude of ways. The key is to offer value. You can begin by making videos of yourself and educating people on marketing strategies. You could write how-to articles on a particular marketing system, and/or you could join forums and other social networking sites connecting with people there and offer value. I advise you to begin by choosing one strategy and mastering it first before going on to another one. Think about which one agrees the most with your personality and then, market like crazy all over the internet by offering value and education wherever you go.

Just remember, it’s not all about you. Yes, I’ll say it again. It’s not all about you. Even when you are branding yourself , it’s important to do it with integrity and to show that you genuinely care about others. If you do not, it will come across. So, have fun and create a brand of yourself.

Victoria Matea lives with her husband in Canton, Ohio. They are internet marketers and specialize in helping people market their businesses on the internet.

Learn more about how to brand yourself online by using the best marketing system on the internet by going to her website.

http://www.workwithdanielandvictoriamatea.info

Get more free training and valuable tips by going to Victoria Matea's Blog.

http://workwithdanielandvictoriamatea.biz

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Break into Postcard Marketing

By: Martha Killian

For many business owners, running their own business bring them infinite pride and joy. Aside from being their own boss, they get to showcase their skill and creativity in their business. But most often, problems come when marketing time comes. Of course, the primary problem would be budget. How would they be able to carry out a successful marketing campaign without breaking the bank?

A great and simple way to do that is to use the good and old fashioned postcard marketing. That is to mean using the tried and tested paper postcards. Remember those colorful cards you receive in the mail from friends or family abroad? That’s the same card you can use to promote your business.

Compared to other marketing tools, these cards are effective and low cost to create. There’s no need to stretch your budget just to carry out a decent post card campaign. With just a simple but creative design, you already get decent exposure. Add a catchy slogan and compelling message, and you can be sure people will take action at once. After all, people find it hard to resist a message that is brief, clear, and instantly readable.

When you take a look it on a whole, postcard printing is among the most targeted and result-oriented marketing materials today. Sending your cards with reply cards or simply asking your recipients to bring your card when they buy from you, you can instantly record how effective your campaign is. You will know how many responded and how many ignored your cards.

You get to control your campaign

In post card marketing, you get to totally control your sales. You get to decide when you will send your cards to maximize the response.

If ever you experience low replies, you can easily take action to increase your sales. You can also choose the people you will send your cards. They are basically those who are most likely to buy your products or services. Should there be people in your mailing list who don’t respond to your cards, you can get them out of your list and look for new customers.

Reducing your marketing costs is also possible with post cards. You can easily snap up prospective customers and drop those who you think won’t be able afford your products or services.

It simply is important that you plan well. Make a research of your potential customers. Get on the phone and create your own profitable mailing list.

When you can use your cards

There are several occasions you can use your cards, which includes the following:



1. Special events and gatherings - when you are sponsoring an event, you can design a compelling card and send it to the prospective attendees.

2. Thank You cards – showing your gratitude to your customers is an important gesture in business. Many business owners have forgotten this simple act. Remember that a simple thank you can go a long way in building relationships. Design your own cards today, put your own personal note on them, and send them to your customers.

3. Just to inform – when you have important information to share to your customers. Perhaps you recently changed address. You can send them your cards as notifications.

4. Discount coupon – a post card designed as a coupon is surely a great way to encourage your prospects to buy from you or you existing customers to buy again.

Martha Killian has been writing articles online for about 2 years now in a printing company. You can also check out this website for more information about appealing postcards for promoting business and tips on how to make online postcard printing smartly and effectively.

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Using you car for business? Grab these deductions!

If you use a car for business, you get the benefit of tax deductions.

There are two choices for claiming deductions:

1. Deduct the actual business-related costs of gas, oil, lubrication, repairs, tires, supplies, parking, tolls, drivers' salaries, and depreciation.

2. Use the standard mileage deduction and simply multiply 51 cents for 2011 travel (2010's rate was 50 cents) by the number of business miles traveled during the year. Your actual parking fees and tolls are separately deductible under this method.

Which Method Is Better?

For some taxpayers, the standard mileage rate produces a larger deduction. Others fare better tax-wise by deducting actual expenses.

Tip: The actual cost method allows you to claim accelerated depreciation on your car, subject to limits and restrictions not discussed here.

The standard mileage amount includes an allowance for depreciation. If we opt for the standard mileage method, it allows you to bypass the limits and restrictions and it's simpler - but it's often less advantageous in dollar terms.

Caution: The standard rate may understate your costs, especially if you use the car 100% for business, or close to that percentage.

Generally, the standard mileage method benefits taxpayers who have less expensive cars or who travel a large number of business miles.
How to Make Tax Time Easier

Keep careful records of your travel expenses. We won't be able to determine which of the two options is better for you if you don't know the number of miles driven and the total amount you spent on the car.

Furthermore, the tax law requires that you keep travel expense records and that you give information on your return showing business versus personal use. If we use the actual cost method for your auto deductions, you must keep receipts.

Tip: Consider using a separate credit card for business, to simplify your record keeping.

Tip: You can also deduct the interest you pay to finance a business-use car if you're self-employed.

Note: Self-employeds and employees who use their cars for business can deduct auto expenses if they either (1) don't get reimbursed, or (2) are reimbursed under an employer's "non-accountable" reimbursement plan. In the case of employees, expenses are deductible to the extent that auto expenses (together with other "miscellaneous itemized deductions") exceed 2% of adjusted gross income.

We will help you determine the best deduction method for your business-use car. Let us know if you have any questions about which records to keep.

Fathers

Boy am I glad that I got a chance to spend time talking with my dad before he passed away. I had wasted so much time being angry with him (and everybody else) that I hadn't really talked with him since my mother's death. All I wanted to remember was that he was abusive to my mother and that I had witnessed that abuse from an early age. I forgot all about how he never abused or me. I never considered the events that occurred in his life or how he handled them. I never considered that no one is perfect. So, even though our best conversations took place during the last month of his life here on earth, I just thank God for opening my heart and my mind to where I was ready to communicate with him.

You know the most amazing part is that he wasn't my biological father, but he was the only dad I'd ever known. He never mentioned to me that he wasn't my biological father and never acted like he wasn't. But when my mother told me when I was 12 yrs old that he wasn't my real father, something in me changed. I often wonder why she ever told me or why she didn't tell me sooner.

Anyway...

I loved my dad. He taught me an appreciation for the finer things in life. He is the one who taught me my gemstones. He would give me things like sterling silver earrings and bangles, ruby stud earrings (probably not real, but hey who knows) a black onyx ring with diamonds down the center for my 16th birthday.

He taught me how to ride a bike, an appreciation for music and art and he taught me how to be a lady. I ran into my old next door neighbor a few months ago and we laughed as he reminded me how I couldn't come off my steps until I was 14! lolol. And I couldn't even sit on nobody else's steps either. My friends loved coming over my house. When he was there he would always cook us up something - fry us some shrimp or chicken and salad. We always had salad no matter what he cooked.


The last time I called my dad, he was eating (thru a tube) and told me to call him back. I never called him back. I wanted to ask him if he remembered the time he taught me how to swim...

I was about 6 yrs old and we were at "family swim" at Awbury. My dad could swim really well and he would swim around the 9 feet with me on his back. So, after swimming with me on his back for some time, he decided that I could swim in the 9 feet all by myself. So, as we stood on the deck of the 9 feet, he said to me "Now I'm gonna throw you in the 9 feet and I want you to swim over to the 3 feet." I looked at him like he was crazy as I shook my head no and said "no". He said "yes". I said "I can't". He said "Yes you can" I said "no I can't". Next thing I knew he had picked me up and threw me in the 9 feet! So, I swam for my life. Under water, above water, doggy paddled, dodging all the other people who were in the pool. No one knew that I was swimming for my life except for me. So when I finally got to the three feet where I could stand up with my head above water, I turned to the deck to tell my dad I had made it. But guess what? Yup, he was standing right there beside me and had been right beside me the whole time! Did I really think he would throw me in and leave me all alone? lol.

I wanted to remember that with him. And I wanted to tell him that he had taught me a very important lesson...probably the most valuable lesson of all. I wanted to tell him that during the time I had ostracized myself from everyone and I was all alone trying to deal with all the obstacles that life had thrown me at one time, when I finally looked up I realized the God had been there through it all. He had never left me. And when he wasn't walking beside me, he was carrying me...Just like "Footprints in the Sand" says.

I never got a chance to share that with my dad. That would have been the first time that we'd ever talked about God. I wasn't really sure whether or not he believed in God or not and I wanted to share something with him that he could relate to.

I am most thankful to the pastor who assured me that my father accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior before he died. That was the most important thing to me and was comforted with that knowledge. Like the pastor said, "Roland Hayes may have been a great barber, a great tailor, a womanizer, alcoholic - but in the end the greatest thing he did was accept Jesus as his Saviour. And just like the thief on the cross, Jesus accepted him.

It's Better to Be Different than It Is to Be Better

To build your brand, drop the excessive professionalism and simply be yourself

By: Jeff Beals

From an outsider's perspective, she was leading the ideal life.

She made the Dean's List in law school and was in her tenth year practicing at a respected firm in the middle of Toronto's bustling financial district. If that wasn't enough, she had four beautiful daughters, a rich personality and an impossible-to-forget name: "Tsufit," a Hebrew word for "humming bird."

Indeed, she had it all, but something just wasn't right.

Tsufit was restless. One day she thought to herself, "there's got to me more to life than this," so she made the monumental decision to leave law and follow her dream of being a singer, comedian and television actress.

It was certainly a radical change.

As it turned out, it was also a profitable change for Tsufit (yes, she goes by a one-word name just like Cher or Madonna). She did well as a performer, taking advantage of her natural penchant to entertain others. She was energetic, colorful and damned funny on stage, on camera and in one-on-one conversations.

But she was more than just an entertainer. She brought a business-like approach to her new profession, and more importantly, she was a savvy marketer. Tsufit had a knack for getting exposure in newspapers and in other media.

Eventually, entrepreneurs and other professionals started asking her how she earned so much publicity especially from major media outlets. In answering such questions, she found an even better career.

Today Tsufit is an internationally renowned marketing consultant who coaches clients how to be stars in their professions. She's the award-winning author of Step Into the Spotlight: A Guide to Getting Noticed, as well as a popular radio talk-show guest, keynote speaker and seminar leader both in Canada and the United States. Her coaching fee is now substantially higher than the legal fees she earned years ago. Her clients, who come to her from around the world, are entrepreneurs, executives, authors, professional speakers, independent professionals, fellow coaches – anyone who is the "directing mind" of a business.

Tsufit coaches the type of people who want to be experts or stars in any business. Suffice it to say, she is an expert when it comes to building one's personal brand and marketing it in today's precarious economy.

Her clients learn how to brand themselves and become well known. That leads to so many professional benefits for them.

"You get to charge more," Tsufit says, "I help them raise their rates. Part of that whole process is getting them well known among the people who pay their rates. My coaching rates are now five times what they were eight years ago. It wouldn't have happened if I hadn't become so well known."

Tsufit argues that well known people are more credible. "It's bizarre, really, but because they've heard of you in the marketplace, they trust you more. They're much more willing to give you large amounts of money. They trust that well known people deliver on what they promise."

While there are so many theories of personal branding and so many ways to brand oneself, Tsufit believes you must start with your own uniqueness.

"It's better to be different than it is to be better," she says, "If you focus on creating differences and distinctions between you and everyone else, you don't have to focus on boasting or showing that you're better."

To build your brand, drop the excessive professionalism and simply be yourself, Tsufit advises. But as you do that, "be the best version of yourself." People who come across as too perfect or too smooth turn others off. That's why you should show your vulnerabilities, or as author Harry Beckwith once said, "show your warts." Research shows that if you show some vulnerability, you're actually more credible.

As you brand yourself, you want to do it the right way. Tsufit believes the biggest personal branding mistake is not standing for anything, not having a slice of the market that is yours and yours alone.

"If you say you're for anybody, you're really for nobody," she says, "because there's no way to find you among the sea of other people, who do what you do."

On occasion, a professional may desire to change his or her personal brand. That's okay if the change is made for the right reasons.

"I wouldn't change every five minutes," Tsufit warns. "Some people have a totally new thing every month or two or every year. After too many changes, people write you off as a flake. Your new brand should grow out of something you've done before."

If you want to change how you appear in public, start by appearing in front of a different public. To borrow from the world of theatre, try it out off-Broadway first. When Tsufit was a singer, she would test new songs at a small coffee house before debuting in front of large audiences. Similarly, professionals, should test market their new brands, making sure the brand fits, is comfortable and not fake.

Many people will admit that personal branding is an effective way to bolster a career, but they're simply not comfortable doing it. Specifically, many people worry about going too far. So, if you're worried about crossing the line from "healthy personal branding" to "egotistical boasting," you're not alone.

"For me, it's humor," Tsufit claims. "I could never get away with half of what I say without humor. Otherwise, I'd come across as arrogant or conceited. The other thing is confidence. Know that you can demonstrate that you really do what you say you do.

Jeff Beals is an award-winning author, who helps professionals do more business and have a greater impact on the world through effective sales, marketing and personal branding techniques. As a professional speaker, he delivers energetic and humorous keynote speeches and workshops to audiences worldwide. You can learn more and follow his "Business Motivation Blog" at http://www.JeffBeals.com.

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