Tag: business

  • eBay Auction Buyer’s Tips and Tricks.

    eBay Auction Buyer's Tips and Tricks.

    eBay isn't just an auction and a marketplace: often it can feel quite a lot like a game. Like any game, you can get ahead if you think strategically, using your head to outwit the other buyers and get the best price. Here are a few things you can try.

    Shop in the Summer.

    This is simple, but effective. Summer is the quiet season on eBay – almost everything sells for less. While everyone else is out enjoying the sun, invest a little time to find some real bargains.

    Beat Them by a Few Cents.

    Outbid people by a few cents instead of a few dollars – if they don't check back before the auction ends, then you will be the winner. To avoid people using this tactic on you, though, always bid strange, hard-to-guess amounts instead of round numbers.

    Play Dirty.

    If you know when the auction ends, you can get in there at the very last second and outbid your rivals. The chances are that they won't have the time to sit in front of the auction waiting for it to end – as a rule, he who stays wins. If someone else does retaliate at the end of the auction, though, try not to get carried away in those last few seconds and end up paying too much!

    Take Risks.

    This is a strategy for the braver eBay buyer. All of the advice you will see for eBay beginners tells you to buy items that have good pictures, clear descriptions, trustworthy sellers and all the rest. If you're brave, why not take a risk and do the exact opposite?

    Many buyers won't want that item from the seller with a feedback rating of 5, no picture and a one-line description. If you take a calculated risk and bid anyway, you might be able to make a tiny bid and win by default. There are people on eBay who make their living from winning auctions like these, taking good pictures of the item, writing a good description and then reselling it at a huge profit. Be careful, though: do this for long enough, and you will inevitably lose your money at some point. It's especially unwise to try it with very high-value items.

    Avoid Bidding Wars.

    There are few things on eBay that are so rare that you'll only see them once and never again. There are usually quite a few sellers who have an item. What's more, they will generally have more than one to sell, even if they haven't listed them all at once. Always check your seller's history to see whether they sell your item all the time – and if they do, then wait for the next one instead of bidding to the skies.

    Now, there may come a time in your eBay life when you realise that you've screwed up your bid, and you wish there was an 'undo' button. Here's the good news for you: there is! The next email will be all about withdrawing your eBay bids.

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  • eBay – Part Time or Full? How to Decide.

    eBay – Part Time or Full? How to Decide.

    Going full-time as an eBay seller is living the dream: making a real income, working from home, being your own boss and all the rest of it. It's the promise of a million scams, and it's finally come true – at least for some.

    What they don't tell you in the success stories, though, is that becoming a full-time eBay seller is by no means for everyone. You really, really ought to try it part-time before you even consider taking it up full-time, and even then, caution is advisable.  Before you burn your suit, here's a list of questions you should ask yourself.

    How Much Do I Earn From eBay Now?

    Work out how many hours a week you spend doing eBay-related things (be honest here), and divide it by the average amount of profit you make in a week. If you were doing full-time hours, would you earn as much as you earn now?

    Do I Have a Good Job?

    Think about what you might lose if you give up your job to focus on eBay. If you're in a well-paid job with good promotion prospects then it's well worth reconsidering: you might get a few years down the line and wish you'd stayed in your traditional job, as you'd probably be the CEO by now.

    Would I Really Make Much More Money?

    Unless you're selling a large quantity of small goods, most of what you do on eBay will be waiting for auctions to end – and you can wait at work just as easily as you can at home. This is why whether you would make more money on eBay really depends on what kinds of items you're selling – for low value items, going full-time could be a good move. For high-value ones, the chances are you'll hit the limits of how much money you have to invest in inventory long before you hit the limits on your time.

    Is my Home a Good Place to Work?

    Quite apart from anything else, you might find that the dream of home working is more of a nightmare in reality. People can start to depend on you to get things done that need to be done during the day. If you have a wife and children then they can resent the fact that you're in the house but refuse to have anything to do with them for large parts of the day. Giving in to any of these things and stopping work for a while will cause your profits to fall.

    Can I Survive if it All Goes Wrong?

    In the end, would you be able to get by if you had a month or two where you sold literally nothing? Or would you be desperately looking around for a job and cursing the day you ever discovered eBay? That's the real test.

    If you made it through all these questions, then I guess you're cut out for the eBay life – and even if you didn't, you'd be surprised just how far you can get part-time. In our next email, we'll show you how to think like the eBay elite: the PowerSellers.

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  • Start Viral Marketing Campaigns Using E-books

    Start Viral Marketing Campaigns Using E-books

    Viral Marketing sounds like something bad but it is actually something very good. It is, also, a powerful way to generate traffic to your website.

    Think about how a virus spreads from on person to another. One person gets sick and just by sneezing they can give the virus to many more people… those people get sick and share their germs with everyone they know and the next thing anybody knows is that there is an epidemic. That is the very concept of viral marketing. The idea is to get everyone to spread your marketing message around because they want to.

    Now let’s look at using an E-book to start your viral marketing campaign. First you create an E-book… a really good one that has links to your website, to your sales page and affiliate links to products and services that you recommend… and you give it to three people. In the book you encourage those three people to give it to their friends and family.

    Before you know it the E-book is spreading across the Internet like wild fire. Digital information duplicates easily and quickly so before you know it, thousands of people could be reading your free E-book.

    Make certain that you let people know that they have permission to forward the E-book around the Internet. When you create the E-book, you have the right to give people certain rights. One of those rights could be that you allow them to give the book to other people. Make it clear that this book is free to give away.

    You can write the E-book yourself, use private label content or you can hire a ghostwriter to prepare the content. There are a lot of ways to create an E-book. Once you have your E-book written, use software to create your E-book.

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  • Must-know Tips on Executive Job Search

    It is normal for every person to strive for career advancement and growth. It makes them feel that all of their hard work has paid off and that a promotion is, indeed, the best reward they can get.

    However, for some whose luck seems to be so illusive, they have to find their own growth somewhere else. That is why most of them opted for executive job searches, where they hope that someday they would be lucky enough to find the executive job that they have long been dreaming for.

    But is it really just luck? Or are there some factors that need to be considered when searching for that executive job of their dreams?

    Landing a good executive job is not dependent on luck.  For people who wish to learn some tips regarding executive job searches, here are some pointers on how to get that dream job:

    1. Killer looks

    The saying, “Looks could kill” is not an understatement. Though the word kill is only used literally and the word look is sometimes associated with stares. But what is being pointed out here is that looks can definitely kill a person’s chances on landing his or her executive job if the applicant had missed one great factor: appearance.

    As the saying goes, first impressions last, so it would be better to make that first impression by looking just right for the job.  After all, if a person wants to have an executive job, then, he should dress appropriately for the position. In this way, the executive job he had been searching for might just become a reality.

    2. Show some mastery

    For an executive position, most employers would want to hire those who are already an expert in their own field. This means that the applicants should be adept in the areas concerning their chosen careers. This will show that the applicant has already started a coherent career track and is already knowledgeable in the field.

    It will do no good to an applicant who claims to be a “jack of all trades but a master of none.” Six out of 10 applicants are hired because of their expertise on a certain field. This only means that employers are more concerned with people who have already mastered their career and have established continuous career growth.

    Finding an available executive job could be one thing but actually getting that dream executive job is another thing.  Looking and acting the part is a must to landing that dream job!

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  • Getting Started With Autoresponders

    If you’ve just started your online business or decided to get into affiliate marketing, you’ll be looking to make money.  Making money on the net with your new business can be a little tricky, unless you have an autoresponder.  An autoresponder is the ideal way to carry out your day to day business – saving yourself quite a bit of time and money.

    If you don’t have a lot of money to spend, there are places on the Internet where you can get an autoresponder for free.  Keep in mind that if you don’t purchase your autoresponder, the free ones normally come with downsides.  The most common downside to free autoresponders are ads on your emails, which will more than likely send your customers the wrong idea.

    When you get your autoresponder, the first thing you’ll need to do is set it up with messages or articles that relate to your business. This way, when you send out emails or messages, you’ll be sending out material that relates to your business or products.  You should try to write some of your own if you can, which will help you get started in the right direction.

    When you load up your autoresponder, you should try to load it with at least 52 messages.  This way, you’ll something to send for each week of the year.  If you have trouble loading your autoresponder with this many messages or articles, there are places online where you can get your material for free.  If you simply don’t have the time, you can always start with a few messages then go back and add more later.

    Once you have your autoresponder preloaded with messages or articles, you’ll need to set up your signature.  Your signature will be displayed at the bottom of every message your autoresponder sends, and should be your name and link to your business.  You can also add a short description of your business as well, which will let clients or interested customers know a bit of information about your business.  Your name and link to your business will go a long way, letting your customers know that you are professional.

    Once you have everything set up, all you need to do is start sending out emails.  Your autoresponder can be set up to send messages automatically.  You can also send out emails daily, weekly, or monthly if you prefer.  Almost all autoresponders are flexible, easy to use, and will send out your messages when you decide.  Once your subscriber list starts to build up, and you get more email addresses to your autoresponder, you’ll quickly see that it’s very beneficial. After you have used your autoresponder a few months – you won’t be able to imagine your business without it.

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  • Biddings

    Go to http://afrocircle.com/business/bidding/

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  • Humor Turns E-Mail Viral

    Humor Turns E-Mail Viral

    A study by Sharpe Partners, an interactive marketing agency, revealed that 89% of adult Internet users in America share content with others via e-mail. This is excellent news for those companies who use self-propelling word-of-mouse” e-mail techniques to sell their products.

    The study generated some interesting results regarding the type of content that is most often forwarded, as well.  The most popular content is humorous material.

    The second most popular category is news, followed by healthcare and medical information, religious and spiritual material, games, business and personal finance information and sports/hobbies… in that order. So it is easy to see that humor is the best content for your viral e-mail campaign.  

    Cartoons, jokes and funny video clips are among the things that can be added to an e-mail to insure that it will go viral. People will want to pass along something that makes them laugh.

    They are a lot more likely to hit the forward button and send your email to their friends and relatives if it is an “advertainment” rather than an advertisement.  

    Not along ago, about 35 million people got an e-mail containing a picture taken in Disneyland. It took a minute to see it but there was Donald Duck lying prone in front of the famous Cinderella Castle.  The title of the picture was “Bird Flu has hit Disneyland”. It was a viral e-mail advertising Disneyland and used the edgy strategy of making light of what’s serious… and it works.

    I’d guess that most people who own a computer have seen that picture… and thus the advertisement for Disneyland.  The bird flu epidemic is newsworthy and has the potential to attract an enormous amount of attention to any brand that might, for whatever reason, associate itself with it.

    Remember that people are much more likely to share a joke or a funny picture than anything else so you would be well advised to include humor in your e-mail campaign.

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  • Job Search Tips

    If you’re not sure what to do, here’s a list that might help.

    1. Know thyself.

    Identify what really interest and excites you. Understand that these traits define you and use it to explore career choices and opportunities.

    2. Take a career assessment test.

    There are a lot of career assessment tests available online. Find the time to take one. The test gives you a lot of insights about your core competencies and work preferences.

    3. Ask others.

    It’s actually quite difficult to see yourself as others do. It would be to your advantage to ask friends and family on your traits and skills. Your co-workers are also a good source of information. Knowing how they perceive you, what they like and don’t like about you and what skills or traits need to be changed can be helpful in determining your professional profile.

    4. What moves you?

    Would you be more interested in status or a six figure salary? Do you want to make a difference in your community and the world or just on your company’s net worth?

    5. Take charge.

    In the ‘80s, when you worked for a large company, you usually could conclude that you would be working there for your entire career.  In those days, the corporation drove your career path, advancing as it saw fit.

    At the turn of the century, times have changed.  In the span of your career, you would probably work for at least five companies. In most cases, you will probably work for more than five.  Know which career track you desire, and make sure that track brings you to where you wish to go.

    6. Determine the company fit.

    With the current emphasis on streamlined and productivity-focused companies, the cultural and company fit are just as important as the professional goals. Consider the values and principles of the company and compare them with your own.  It is important that you feel comfortable and fit in with company.

    7. Free your mind.

    The career path you choose is about change and more change. It includes expansion and new opportunities. All of these changes require a desire to journey and discover.

    8. Balance is the key.

    A huge amount of time is devoted to your career when you are in your 20s and 30s. When you reach your 40s, your personal life might take precedence and maybe more important to you. Find a corporation that will provide you with a balance in your work and your life.

    9. Don’t hang around.

    If you’re not satisfied with the way your career is going, go do something. Always be in control of your career path to have a satisfying career.

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  • Google Products and Services Discontinued in 2009

    Google Products and Services Discontinued in 2009

        Audio Ads – Radio advertising program for US businesses. Rolled out on May 15, 2007 through the AdWords interface. Discontinued on February 12, 2009.
        Catalogs – Search engine for over 6,600 print catalogs, acquired through optical character recognition. Discontinued January 2009.
        Dodgeball – Social networking service for mobile phones. Users could text their location to the service, which would then notify them of crushes, friends, friends' friends and interesting venues nearby. Development ceased on January 14, 2009; discontinued over the next few months; replaced by Google Latitude.
        Google Ride Finder – Taxi, limousine and shuttle search service, using real time position of vehicles in 14 US cities. Used the Google Maps interface and cooperated with any car service that wished to participate. Discontinued on October 2009.
        Shared Stuff – web page sharing system, incorporating a share bookmarklet to share pages, and a page to view the most popular shared items. Pages could also be shared through third party applications, such as Delicious or Facebook. Discontinued on March 30, 2009.
        Google Page Creator – webpage-publishing program, which can be used to create pages and to host them on Google's servers. However, to focus on another Google Webpage-publishing service called Google Sites, new sign-ups are no longer accepted since 2008. All existing content on Page Creator was transferred to Google Sites in 2009.

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  • 5 Simple Steps to Posting Your First eBay Auction.

    5 Simple Steps to Posting Your First eBay Auction.

    It's surprisingly simple to get started posting your very first auction on eBay. Here's what you need to do.

    Step 1: Open an eBay seller's account.

    If you've bought things on eBay, then you already have an account – just log in with it and click 'Sell' in the toolbar at the top of the page, then click 'Create a seller's account'. If you've never used eBay before, then you'll need to open an account first using the 'register' link underneath the toolbar, and then click 'Sell' and 'Create a seller's account'. The eBay site will then guide you through the process. For security, this may involve giving card details and bank information.

    Step 2: Decide what to sell.

    For your first little experiment with eBay, it doesn't really matter what you sell. Take a look around the room you're in – I'm sure there's something in there that you're not all that attached to and could put in the post. Small books and CDs are ideal first items.

    Step 3: Submit your item.

    Click 'Sell', and you're on your way to listing your item.

    The first thing you need to do is choose a category – it's best to just type in what the item is and let eBay choose for you. Next, write a title and description. Include key words you think people will search for in the title box, and all the information you have about the item in the description box.

    Now set a starting price. $0.01 is the best starting price, as it draws people in to bid who otherwise wouldn't, and items will almost never finish at such a low price. The next thing to set is the duration of the auction: 3, 5, 7 or 10 days. This is up to you: longer sales will usually get more bids, but will also seem to drag on forever. If you've taken a picture, add it now – items with pictures always sell for more. Finally, tick the payment methods you will accept (just PayPal is best for now), and where you will post to (limit yourself to your own country to begin with). Submit and you're done!

    Step 4: Wait for it to sell.

    This is just a matter of sitting back and letting eBay do its thing – buyers will find your item and leave bids on it. Some bidders might email you with questions about the item, and you should do your best to answer these questions as quickly as you can.

    Remember that if your item doesn't sell then you can list it again for free.

    Step 5: Collect payment and post it.

    eBay will sent your buyer emails guiding them through the process of sending you payment for the item. Make sure you have the money before you send anything.

    Once you've got the payment, all you need to do is pack the item for posting (make sure to use some bubble wrap), take the buyer's address from the confirmation email eBay sent you, and write it on the parcel. Put some stamps on, post it, and you're done!

    I hope you enjoyed selling your first item. Now that you're starting to get into it, the next email will give you a checklist of things you need to do to be a successful seller.

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