Global business to business news

U.S. toy importers clamor for safety checks

2007-09-17T13:59:00.001-07:00

As if taking the cudgels from the federal government, American toy making companies requested the former to issue an order requiring toy importers to undergo intensive safety checks on every toy that they sell in the country. The said move was a clear result of the issue concerning the recalls of toys made in China, which were found to be contaminated and thus, unsafe to use. The discovery has greatly affected toy importers operating in the U.S.

The said proposal came from the Toy Industry Association following a discussion held last week. The plan, however, was not designed to egg the federal government to perform a large-scale check among the merchandise of U.S. toy importers.

According to the proposal, independent laboratories will be commissioned to perform the safety checks on the toys of the American toy companies and importers. Bigwigs, however, admitted that such measure has been implementor to be not enough to effectively ensure product safety.

The unprecedented move could't be made on a more proper timing, since the fast approaching holiday season will most probably flood the market with toys and other goods. The toy importers, together with retailers, are racing against time to make sure that their toys and goods that are out in the market do not contain traces of lead as well as other safety issues.

The toy importers and retailers were particularly concerned over the safety of their products since the doubts of the buying public has been growing following the controversial recall of Mattel, Inc. of toys from China that are found to contain lead paints considered as health hazards. As such, they are requesting that everyone in the business observe strict safety checks.

Frederick Locker, a Toy Industry Association lawyer, said that the lead-in-paint issue has hurt the industry so much. He countered, though, that the setback will benefit the industry such that it will learn to observe more stringent measures to make sure that the industry will be bolstered and enhanced. The association includes, among others, Mattel, Hasbro, Lego, and several hundreds of toy manufacturers and importers.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPS), the agency that will be the main implementor of the program, is yet to issue its stand regarding the proposal. However, the main concern on the part of the commission is its resources, particularly its manpower. The CPSC's number of working staff suffered more than 10 percent cut during the Bush presidency. In this regard, it will be very hard for the agency to effectively check all the products of the American toy importers and manufacturers. Donald Mays, product safety planning senior director of Consumer Reports, stressed the need for the federal government to impose frequent product safety checks to make sure that the proposal will produce satisfactory results that will hopefully ease the burden being suffered by U.S. toy importers and manufacturers.

Countries strengthen global trade ties

2007-08-20T11:49:00.001-07:00

City of Bishkek-- Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiev recently had a one-on-one talk with Chinese President Hu Jintao in this city. The meeting focused on establishing better global trade ties between the two countries. Bakiev told reporters that he and Hu agreed on all views and positions. The meeting was held prior to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit held on August 16, where representatives from SCO member countries tackled global trade, regional security, and human rights issues.

The SCO summit featured a deliberation of key issues like solutions to illegal drugs, proper confinement of animals, global trade, environmental protection, and education. After the summit, the six SCO world leaders flew to Russia the next day and monitored the on-going SCO anti-terrorism military exercises. The SCO leaders will next visit Kazakhstan to hold another round of talks.

Meanwhile, Russia finally relieved Afghanistan of its bilateral debt amounting to $10 billion, saying that it was part of the country's bid to stabilize global trade. The announcement was made during a ceremony held in Moscow on Monday, August 6.

The agreement was the result of last year's thorough deliberation among Paris Club members. This aimed at strengthening the global trade ties of the two countries by helping Afghanistan recover from its failing economy.

Russian Minister of Finance Alexei Kudrin said that the event was historical for both countries since it can strengthen their global trade partnership. In response, Afghan Finance Minister Anwar-ul Haq Ahadi said that they are open to further economic tie-ups with Russia. Seen as potential allies to the country's economic growth, Russian investors are all welcome to do global trade in the Afghanistan market.

Malaysian Mission Promotes International Trade in Asia

2007-07-17T13:38:00.000-07:00

Malaysia gears up towards a stronger and unified economic partnership and mutual international trade with Asian countries. The country has made an essential step by sending a delegation to the countries in the said region through the leadership of Malaysian International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz. On July 15-24, Minister Radifah leads the mission to South Korea, Hongkong, and Japan to promote commerce and trade.

In a message, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) has conveyed its plan to keep the international community, specifically the business sectors, informed about the present economic status of Malaysia. The plan dwells on an information campaign about the Malaysian investments and trade privileges. Furthermore, the mission aims to promote and offer Malaysian services and goods to the Asian market. It is also the delegation's goal to build cooperative efforts and mutual business enterprises with the Asian industries. Besides that, the Malaysian government wants to strengthen the link of Malaysian businesses with its counterparts in the other countries, particularly Korea, Hongkong, and Japan. These nations are few of Malaysia's largest trading and economic partners.

In the previous year, Korea ranked number six in the list of Malaysia's biggest international trade associates. The total amount of trade has reached RM47.2 billion, a huge increase compared to 2005 figure, which was RM39.5 billion. This 2006 figure consisted of the values of exported and imported products; the cost of goods exported has amounted to RM21.3 billion, and the products imported has reached RM25.9 billion.

In terms of export target market, it was Hongkong that served as the sixth biggest partner of Malaysia in the year 2006. According to MITI, the value of export products has reached RM29.1 billion and the import commodities have amounted to RM12.7 billion. The international trade has gained a total of RM41.8 billion for its economic growth.

With a sum trade of RM115.7 billion, which includes RM52.2 billion exported products and RM63.5 billion imported goods, Japan also plays a significant role in Malaysia's economy. With the recorded figures, Japan is the third biggest international trade associate of Malaysia.

To fulfill its economic and international trade goals, the Malaysian delegate, who is visiting the Asian countries, has prepared an agenda which basically includes the promotion of Malaysian tourism, technologies, vehicles, products and raw materials, and businesses and investments. The team anticipates that their international trade mission will not only benefit its country's economy but the whole economic region as well.

Bush Allies In Congress Call For the Renewal of International Trade Authority

2007-07-06T12:12:00.001-07:00

Republican legislators in the House of Representatives will aim to convince their colleagues to approve the renewal of the Bush administration's fast track authority in order to negotiate international trade deals. Under this power, the president can barter trade deals without the need for congressional amendments. In the absence of such authority, international trade agreements are at the mercy of lawmakers.

Democratic leaders in the Congress have blamed international trade deals for the loss of job opportunities in the United States. With the failure of the Doha Round last week, the chances of another trade deal being forged will be improbable. However, Rep. Jim McCrery of Louisiana, who supports the renewal of the fast track authority, believes that trading will benefit American businesses and will help reduce trade deficit.

Since Congress granted fast track authority in 2002, the United States has entered into several international trade deals with Australia, Singapore, Chile, Morocco, the Dominican Republic, Bahrain, Oman as well as several Central American states. The most recent renewal of international trade authority took eight years before it was granted. Rep. McCrery is hoping that his colleagues will not allow a repeat of the same situation.

G4 Countries Attempt to Revive Global Trade Talks

2007-06-29T09:28:00.000-07:00

Members of the Group of 4 (G4) held global trade talks in Potsdam, Germany in an attempt to make one final push to revive the Doha Round of Talks. US Trade Representative Susan Schwab was joined by trade officials from the European Union (EU), Brazil, and India. Pascal Lamy, head of the World Trade Organization (WTO), reiterated his call for a global trade agreement, otherwise the Doha Round will be stalled again for several years.

World leaders doubted that the G4 meeting will produce a favorable global trade deal, but they pointed out that any development will be welcome news to developing countries. Many concerned parties believed that the Doha Round was not successful in meeting its target of alleviating poverty among developing nations. Prior to the event, the G20 countries, led by Brazil and India, held a separate meeting last June 11 in Geneva, Switzerland. The aim of the meeting was to get a consensus among the members of the group on whether or not they were in favor of an agreement.

As expected, the meeting ended with representatives of the four countries pointing fingers at each other for the failure of the talks. Brazil and India lashed at the US and the EU, saying there was a need for both countries to change their attitudes in order for future deals to succeed. On the other hand, the United States and the European Union countered by saying that Brazil and India were not open to the influx of Western products to their respective local markets.

Since its inception in 2001, the Doha Round of Talks failed to produce a major development as some members could not settle their differences. Succeeding global trade talks in December 2005 produced a similar outcome. Now, with the United States set to lose its power to negotiate global trade deals on July 1, things are not looking good for the Doha Development Agenda.

India And Brazil Strengthen Global Trade Ties

2007-06-14T07:03:00.001-07:00

Brazil and India held bilateral talks recently with the aim of strengthening global trade relations between them. The two countries are targeting a trading increase of $10 billion by 2010 from the current standing of $2.4 billion. Aside from global trade issues, the meeting likewise focuses on other pertinent matters like investment, defense, energy, science, to name a few. With the meeting represented by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India and President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil, both parties realized the strong need to strengthen economic cooperation between them.

On one occasion of the meeting, which is dubbed as India-Brazil Strategic Dialogue, both parties denied claims of the US that progressing countries have an active role in climate change, saying it was the result of unsustained development and elimination processes in the progressive nations. In addition, Brazil expressed its adoption of the global trade agenda of the Doha Round of Talks, which is strongly advocated by India. Likewise, the Brazilian President said that progressive nations cannot take developing countries out of the picture on the issue of the Doha Round of Talks, particularly if India and Brazil hold on to their hard-line stance.

Lula believes that progressing nations have a vital role in the economic system of the world. He contends that powerful nations should learn how to cooperate and negotiate with emerging economies. Lula also added that both wealthy and developing countries can learn from each other. As a result of globalization efforts, the focus of global trade is no longer solely on the United States and European Union.

The global trade partnership of India and Brazil began in September of 2006 when the Indian Prime Minister visited Brazil. Today, trading between the two nations is still on the development stage. Although both parties previously failed to reach their desired quota, they are still optimistic that they will reach their established target. In line with this, Brazil is set to transfer its agricultural, food processing, mining, industrial, and nuclear energy expertise to India.

On the other hand, the South American country is expected to benefit from India's solar energy, wind power, and medicine production technology. Furthermore, formal discussions concerning a three-way global trade, which involve the South African Customs Union, Mercosur(Argentina, Paraguay, Venezuela, and Brazil), and India, are already in the works. The series of discussions can boost economic relations between the involved countries.

Meanwhile, the Group of 20 (G-20) is set to meet on June 11 in Geneva to discuss global trade in relation with the Doha Round. The meeting aims to remove global trade farm subsidies issued by developed countries such as the United States.

EU and Asia on International Trade Deals

2007-06-01T07:48:00.000-07:00

The European Union (EU) will hold a two-day international trade meeting with Asian countries to discuss measures in strengthening the relationship between the two regions. The international trade discussion will be held in Hamburg, Germany prior to a Group of Eight Assembly. The event will focus on the proposal of the European Union with regards to the adoption of energy-saving technologies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in compliance with the Kyoto Protocol that is expiring in 2012. The Assembly hopes to draft a new set of guidelines after the termination of the Kyoto Protocol.

Aside from that, the meeting will begin with international trade bilateral talks between China and the European Union. Part of its agenda will be human rights and international trade issues. The EU hopes to convince China and other Asian countries to abolish the death penalty. Moreover, the gathering will tackle issues like climate conditions and energy. The annual gathering of nations began in the year 1996. It later became an international body of countries known as Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM). Its total membership accounts for 60 percent of international trade.

Tony Blair Seeks International Trade Deals With Africa

2007-05-31T14:25:00.001-07:00

Outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair is seeking to forge new international trade agreements in the African continent. This will be Blair's valedictory trip before he steps down after 10 years in power on June 27. His former Finance Minister Gordon Brown takes over as Prime Minister. The trip is likewise aimed at strengthening international trade with Africa.

Blair's itinerary includes trips to Libya, Sierra Leone, and South Africa. He is taking the trip as an opportunity to gain some grounds in terms of progress. The trip is a crucial one since the Group of Eight will have its annual summit in Germany. Blair will be looking forward to include international trade among his agenda. In addition, a number of African states were asked to take part in the G8 summit, for South Africa is a vital player in the said upcoming meeting. One of Blair's biggest achievements as president of the G8 was to resolve Africa's growing social concerns such as poverty, famine, and diseases. In 2004, in his capacity as president of the Group of Eight, Blair established the Africa Commission.

Blair is initiating steps to put a stop to the four-year old hostilities in the Darfur region of Sudan. Less than 200,000 lives have been lost and about two million left homeless since the conflict began in 2003. The sending of an African Union-United Nations peacekeeping force of 23,000 soldiers was approved by the Security Council. The United States have vowed to implement international trade sanctions on Sudan.

Moreover, the outgoing British leader has stamped his mark in Africa. He sent British soldiers to Sierra Leone in the year 2000 in order to beef up the United Nation's efforts to put an end to the civil war. Blair's visit to Libya in 2004 ended its international trade hiatus by terminating their acquisition of prohibited weapons and paying the damages for the bombing of a Scottish airliner in 1998. He is considered as the first British head of state to visit the country after 60 years.

Meanwhile, the British leader is also set to meet with South African President Thabo Mbeki during the African visit, wherein a major international trade policy will be announced. Nonetheless, the people of Africa will always remember Tony Blair, the former leader of one of the most dominant countries in the world, for the contributions he has made in handling international trade talks as well as his achievements in one of the poorest regions in the world.

India to Sign International Trade Deal with Mexico

2007-05-29T09:02:00.000-07:00

India is keen to boost its economic relations with Mexico by signing a new international trade deal. According to reports, India is ready to ink a BIPA (bilateral investment protection agreement) with Mexico early this week. It must be noted that the BIPA would be the first of such kind of international trade pact to be signed by India with a signatory of the NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement). Other signatories of the NAFTA include the United States and Canada.

The proposed international trade agreement is expected to be inked by Indian Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and his Mexican counterpart Eduardo Sojo Garza-Aldape. It must be noted that the Mexican official is due to visit New Delhi on May 21. Meanwhile, the members of the cabinet are expected to approve the proposed BIPA.

The North American international trade bloc was formed by the NAFTA. The North American Free Trade Agreement was signed by the US, Canada, and Mexico on January 1, 1994. The economic bloc initially set a schedule to remove duties in order to encourage free trade among the members. At present, the North American trade group has evolved into a powerful trade bloc, which has established strong trading ties with Latin American, European, and African countries.

As a member of the North American trade group and a key partner of economic powers such as the EU, Mexico offers many opportunities for India in terms of investments and international trade. Meanwhile, India is keen to deepen its economic relations with the North American nation. It must be noted that India has been able to maintain good ties with Mexico. In fact, government leaders from both sides have met in on several occasions.

The strong ties between India and Mexico are reflected in their growing international trade. In 1999, trade between the two nations recorded a value of $251 million. But current trade between India and Mexico has crossed the $1.5 billion mark. Bilateral trade between the two parties continues to grow with the increase of investments and deals.

India's key exports to Mexico include pharmaceuticals, chemicals, engineering goods, jewelry, gems, and textiles. Meanwhile, Mexico's major exports to India include petrochemicals and crude. According to reports, Indian businessmen have invested a total of $1.6 billion in more than 67 industries in Mexico. Joint ventures have also been inked in the IT and pharmaceutical sectors. The signing of the BIPA is expected to further boost the international trade ties between India and Mexico. India's booming economy continues to attract more foreign investors and partners in international trade.

US Wants EU and China to Hold International Trade Talks

2007-05-25T08:30:00.000-07:00

A top US official said that the United States wants the European Union to adopt its strategic approach in resolving economic and international trade issues with China. He added that such move could unify the efforts of wealthy countries to seek more reforms in China's trade practices. A year ago, US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson headed a high-level delegation to China in order to launch the first round of the Strategic Economic Dialogue between the US and China. The international trade talks have been aimed at bridging gaps and improving the economic relations between the two countries.

While the US is seeking to resolve international trade issues with China, the European bloc is also keen to deepen its economic ties with the Asian nation. With its rapidly expanding economy, China poses as a potential partner to European countries in terms of business and trade. Needless to say, the efforts of the EU to strengthen its relations with China are affected sometimes by conflicts of interests within the European bloc. Until now, EU states are in dispute on how to deal with low-cost exporters such as China.

It must be noted that China's cheaper export products continue to attract more buyers in Europe. While the cheap cost of Chinese products largely benefits European consumers, it also affects many businesses across Europe. But last week, US Treasury Deputy Secretary Robert Kimmitt told journalists that the EU might want to adopt the same strategy used by the US in dealing with international trade issues with China. The US official also said that China and Japan were moving towards a strategy similar to that of the US-China economic dialogue.

One of the issues affecting the international trade ties between the US and China is the low value of the latter's currency. It must be noted that the US government has long called for China to revaluate its yuan. The US complained that the low value of the Chinese currency gave the country an unfair advantage over other nations in international trade. The low value of yuan has also been regarded as one of the key factors behind the huge trade deficit of the US.

Like the US, the EU has also voiced its concerns regarding the Chinese yuan. The EU has also said that it would resolve international trade issues with China through negotiations rather than litigation or confrontation. The US-China Strategic Economic Dialogue is due to take place later this month. The talks have been aimed at cementing the international trade relations between the US and China.

IMF Head Urges US Congress to Save Global Trade Talks

2007-05-24T11:20:00.001-07:00

International Monetary Fund Managing Director Rodrigo Rato recently called for the US Congress to do something in order to save the Doha Development Round. Particularly, the IMF chief urged the US Congress to extend the trade promotion authority of the Bush administration. The trade negotiating authority allows Washington to negotiate free trade agreements that must be approved or rejected by the Congress without making any change. The trade authority has been considered as crucial to the global trade talks. Without the TPA, it would be harder to encourage the members of the World Trade Organization to reach a compromise in the negotiations. The extension of the trade authority would also give the WTO members more time to settle their differences and reach a global trade agreement.

In a speech delivered at the US State Department, Mr. Rato said that trade negotiators have the chance to reach a "once-in-a-generation agreement." But he also said that the global trade talks could still fail if the US Congress does not act immediately. According to him, the renewal of the trade promotion authority was important to the Doha Development Round.

It must be noted that the trade negotiating authority, otherwise called as "fast-track authority," enables the Bush administration to negotiate trade pacts that must be approved or opposed by the Congress without making changes. Analysts said that the members of the WTO might lose their interest in the global trade talks if the US Congress refuses to extend the trade authority.

Meanwhile, Washington is doing its best in order to convince the Congress to renew the fast-track authority. Needless to say, there are doubts whether the Democrat-controlled Congress would renew the TPA. So far, the Congress has conducted a step-by-step approach in reviewing the existing US policies on global trade. But the Congress has not yet introduced any legislation concerning the renewal of the trade authority.

The World Trade Organization is pushing hard to complete the global trade talks before the end of this year. Recently, WTO Chief Pascal Lamy visited the US in an effort to promote the Doha Round and seek the support of the US Congress. The global trade talks were launched in Doha, Qatar in November 2001. The Doha Round has been aimed at liberalizing commerce and boosting the world economy. Key issues blocking the progress of the negotiations include the reduction of agricultural subsidies and tariffs on manufacturing products.

South Korea to Launch International Trade Negotiations with EU

2007-05-21T11:35:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week, South Korea started a series of talks with the European Union regarding a proposed international trade deal. But the negotiations were expected to be less contentious compared with the talks between the United States and South Korea that were concluded last month. It must be noted that for ten months, the US and South Korea had worked hard in order to conclude their free trade talks and come up with an international trade agreement.

The start of the negotiations between South Korea and the EU comes amidst the plans of the EU to begin its trade talks with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. It must be noted that on Friday last week, the European bloc and the members of the ASEAN agreed to launch their negotiations that could lead to the conclusion of a comprehensive trade agreement. The EU decided to boost its economic ties with the ASEAN members as more bilateral trade deals are being negotiated and signed in the region. In fact, free trade deals were recently and separately inked by the United States, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, India, and China.

The proposed EU-South Korea international trade pact is expected to boost the position of South Korea as a center of free trade in Asia. Likewise, the agreement is expected to strengthen the position of the European bloc in Asia in terms of trade. South Korean Trade Minister Kim Hyun-jong said that the two parties would work closely in order to come up with a "meaningful progress" during the five-day talks that would take place in Seoul.

Officials of the South Korean government said that the proposed international trade pact with the EU would pose fewer problems compared with the free trade agreement with the US. It must be noted that negotiations between the US and South Korea were delayed due to certain trade differences. The proposed US-South Korea trade pact has also faced the opposition of many South Koreans. Meanwhile, the EU and South Korea have not yet set a specific deadline for the conclusion of their negotiations.

At present, the European bloc is the largest investor in South Korea. The EU is also the second-biggest international trade partner of South Korea, next to China. In fact, two-way trade between the EU and South Korea is valued at around $80 billion. EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said that the proposed international trade pact with South Korea would be a complementary deal to the Doha Development Round. Meanwhile, Mr. Hyun-jong said that the trade agreement would largely benefit some of his country's exports like flat-screen TVs and automobiles.

Mauritius and India Close to International Trade Pact

2007-05-14T11:32:00.001-07:00

Mauritius and India are keen to strengthen their existing diplomatic and international trade ties. In fact, the two countries are expected to sign a PTA (preferential trading agreement) soon. But the proposed PTA is expected to eventually lead to the signing of a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement between the two parties. The CECPA would be covering investments, services, and products in line with India's international trade pact with Singapore.

Sources said that the Indian government would offer a number of concessions to Mauritius, thus allowing it to export duty-free products such as rum, refined sugar, and million of garments to India. India's Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs is expected to review the proposed preferential trading agreement. Under the proposal, India would allow Mauiritius to export one million pieces of garments to India. While the one million garments would be exported without any sourcing condition for yarn, the next set of two million garments would be covered by a sourcing condition on yarn. The proposed PTA seeks to improve international trade between India and Mauritius.

Besides garments, Mauritius would also be allowed to export around 15,000 metric tons of duty-free sugar and rum. Under the proposed PTA, India is also expected to cut or remove its duties on some products. The move seeks to improve Mauritius' exports to India. It must be noted that the Trade and Economic Relations Committee under the leadership of the Prime Minister has already given its go signal to the proposed PTA. Meanwhile, economic cooperation and investment would be the focus of the CECPA between India and Mauritius. The proposed international trade pact is being modeled after India's Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement with Singapore.

The proposed international trade deal with Mauritius would cover trade in services and goods, general economic cooperation, investment, and customs cooperation. Sources said that India and Mauritius have already been able to reach a consensus on goods. For its part, Mauritius has offered to ease its policies regarding the issuance of work visas to Indian professionals, particularly those who are specializing in finances. In fact, Mauritius has already reformed its policies in order to allow Indian chartered accounts to audit the accounts of international business companies. Mauritius has also proposed to grant a permanent resident status to Indian professionals working in financial sectors. Recently, Mauritius has allowed India's Financial Technologies, which is the promoter of multi-commodity futures, to establish a pan-African commodities exchange. The proposed PTA is expected to further deepen the international trade ties between the two countries.

Bush Calls for Approval of International Trade Pact with Colombia

2007-05-08T13:47:00.001-07:00

US President George W. Bush recently called for the Congress to give Colombian President Alvaro Uribe a fair hearing regarding a proposed free trade agreement between the US and Colombia. Last Wednesday, Mr. Bush also urged the Congress to approve the proposed international trade pact despite scandals affecting the Colombian government. In a speech delivered at the White House South Lawn, the US leader said that Mr. Uribe was in Washington in order to speak strongly about his record. Mr. Bush also thanked the Congress for giving the Colombian leader a hearing. It must be noted that Mr. Uribe is the staunchest ally of Mr. Bush in the Latin America. The proposed FTA seeks to improve the international trade ties between the US and Colombia.

Mr. Uribe's morning meeting with Mr. Bush marked the start of a three-day lobbying trip to the US. The Colombian leader visited Washington in order to revive the FTA and seek the support of the US Congress for the proposed international trade deal. The US-Colombia free trade agreement was signed by the Bush administration in November 2006. But the proposed FTA is still in the US Congress for review and approval. It must be noted that the Democrat-controlled Congress has raised concerns regarding the record of Colombia on human rights, as well as its ties with right-wing paramilitary groups.

But during his speech last Wednesday, Mr. Bush urged the Congress to consider the benefits of the proposed international trade agreement with Colombia. Besides Colombia, the US has also signed separate free trade agreements with Panama and Peru. The US leader said that it was very important for Colombia to maintain ties with governments that protect the dignity and rights of people.

Mr. Bush stressed that the proposed FTAs with Colombia, Panama, and Peru were more than just international trade pacts. Meanwhile, Mr. Uribe thanked the US for its assistance, saying that his country needed security for all people. It must be noted that his country and the US have been involved in joint efforts to combat drug trafficking, promote democracy, and eliminate terrorism.

The proposed international trade agreement with Colombia has been opposed by the Congress due to concerns of possible job losses in the US. Other issues raised by the Congress include Colombia's military focus and record on the protection of union leaders. If the proposed FTA is approved, it would significantly boost international trade between the US and Colombia. It must be noted that the US has been working to strengthen its presence in the Latin American region in terms of trade.

India Asks Malaysia's Cooperation in Closing International Trade Pact

2007-04-26T11:17:00.000-07:00

India recently asked Malaysia's assistance in completing the on-going free trade agreement (FTA) talks with the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations). India said that the proposed international trade deal was crucial in its "Look East" policy. Indian Ambassador to Malaysia Ashok Kantha stated that a qualitative improvement of their relations in all aspects (regional, bilateral, and international) would largely benefit both India and Malaysia. Mr. Kantha made this comment as he presented his qualifications at the Royal Palace to King Mizan Zainal Abidin last week. It must be noted that the proposed FTA has been aimed at boosting international trade between India and the ASEAN members.

Mr. Kantha, who recently arrived in Malaysia, replaced R. L. Narayan, who was assigned as India's envoy to Ottawa, Canada. Deputy High Commissioner Nagendra Saxen accompanied India's new ambassador to Malaysia. Mr. Kantha said that Malaysia was India's important partner within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in relation to his country's "Look East" policy. According to him, the current environment provides a great opportunity for Malaysia and India to further deepen their economic and international trade cooperation.

Meanwhile, King Mizan Zainal Abidin stated that his country highly valued its diplomatic and international trade relations with India. At the same time, the King commended the "Look East" policy of India. The King said that Malaysia would continue to cooperate with India and other countries that share with India's views in order to resolve common challenges and concerns. It must be noted that bilateral trade between India and Malaysia reached up to $6.58 billion last year. At present, India is among the major markets for Malaysian construction firms.

Besides its FTA talks with the ASEAN, India is also keen to improve its international trade ties with Mercosur. In fact, the Indian government is currently working for the ratification of a proposed preferential trading agreement (PTA) with Mercosur. The proposed PTA has already been approved by the other members of Mercosur except Brazil. During his recent visit to India, Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim said that his country was likely to ratify the proposed international trade agreement in the coming months. According to him, there was no problem in terms of the content of the PTA. He said that Brazil was taking a long time in ratifying the preferential trade agreement due to procedural delays. But Mr. Amorim said that the PTA is likely to be ratified before or after the visit of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to India in June.

US and South Korea Try to Finish International Trade Talks amid Protests

2007-04-03T09:11:00.000-07:00

The United States and South Korea are trying to complete their free trade agreement (FTA) talks amidst protests, particularly from South Korean farmers. It must be noted that the two countries are aiming to reach an international trade deal before the deadline, which is the expiration of the trade promotion authority of President George W. Bush. Although the TPA is due to end in July this year, the two parties should come up with an international trade pact 90 days before the expiration. This would give the US Congress the time needed in order to review the proposed US-South Korea FTA. Trade officials from both sides recently held a meeting at a hotel in Seoul for eight straight days in an attempt to iron out remaining issues in the negotiations.
After failing to reach a consensus last week, trade officials from both sides agreed to extend their negotiations in order to come up with an international trade deal. But as negotiators were busy discussing the proposed FTA inside the hotel, a crowd of protesters gathered outside in an attempt to stop the trade talks. In fact, a man even set himself on fire while shouting "Stop the Korea-US FTA." According to reports, around 150 people, including farmers and students gathered near the venue to protest against the proposed FTA. Many South Koreans opposed the proposed deal due to fears that it may seriously affect their country's farm industry. Under the proposed FTA, the US wants to gain a greater access into South Korea's agricultural market.
Deputy US Trade Representative Karan Bhatia and South Korean Trade Minister Kim Hyung-chong have been meeting for several days in an attempt to resolve differences between their countries over key areas of the FTA. On Friday last week, Washington said that the negotiations between the US and South Korea were "not going well." Some of the major issues affecting the progress of the international trade talks are automobile, textiles, and beef. Technically, beef does not form part of the free trade agreement. But the rejection of beef shipments from the US has still affected the negotiations. Although South Korea lifted its ban on US beef imports, it rejected initial beef shipments from the US due to their failure to comply with health and safety standards.
The proposed FTA has been aimed at boosting international trade between the US and South Korea. In fact, the free trade agreement is expected to improve bilateral trade between the two countries up to $20 billion. If the international trade deal materialized, it would be the biggest FTA to be signed by the US since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1993.

Oil Hovers above $57 per Barrel as OPEC Exporters Maintain Cuts

2007-03-23T07:48:00.001-07:00

The prices of oil increased on Friday last week after the members of the OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) had decided to maintain its current daily production. Light sweet crude oil due to be delivered in April rose by $0.13 to $57.68 per barrel in Asian electronic trading on Nymex (New York Mercantile Exchange) in London. Meanwhile, Brent crude oil for May delivery increased up to $60.69 per barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London. The world's major oil producers and exporters made the decision during their recent conference in Vienna. The OPEC exporters said that they decided not to change their output because they were satisfied with the results of their two recent output cuts. The latest output reduction was implemented by the oil bloc last February. The OPEC made the decision in an effort to control the continuing fall of prices in the world market.

OPEC Secretary General Abdalla Salem El-Badri of Libya commented that the global oil market was healthy and stable. According to him, the group of exporters does not need to change its daily production at this moment. Needless to say, the oil bloc warned that the volatility of prices was likely to continue throughout the rest of the year. It must be noted that during the past weeks, the cost of petroleum had increased due to colder temperatures that increased the demand for energy.

The OPEC exporters have agreed to hold another meeting on September 11 in order to review the conditions of the world oil market. It must be noted that the group of exporters was expected to maintain its current oil output. However, OPEC production could still drop if oil ministers would comply with the two output cuts decided by the oil bloc during the past four months. Since last year, the OPEC cut a total of 1.7 million barrels from its daily quota in a move to control the continuing drop of prices in the market. Meanwhile, some analysts said that the world market was likely to shift its focus on Iran, which is currently pressured by the international community to halt its uranium enrichment program. Western nations, particularly the US, have suspected that Iran might possibly use the same technology to build weapons of mass destruction. But the Iranian government has insisted that it had the right to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. Iran, which is a member of the OPEC, is among the biggest producers and exporters of oil and gas worldwide.

India's Development and GDP Growth Ready for Greater Momentum

2006-12-15T14:43:00.000-08:00

For the past decade or so there has been a lot of media interest in China's rise as an economic powerhouse. And, lately, the international media has begun to speak in one breath of China-India. This has led to a lot of speculation, comparisons and debate among all those who are interested academically or for other reasons.

China has long been investing in its infrastructure and the results are there to see - spanking new highways, airports and a lot more. Much of the investment has come from abroad and has helped China race ahead in its bid to develop fast.

India awakened much later than China to the need to reform and grow, riven as it is (was) by its polity and political leaders for whom the mantra of self-survival and power is all-important. In their bid to protect their vote-banks they often neglected to do what they needed to lift the country out of its morass. Policies seen to favour the rich in any way were soundly rejected in favour of the apparent people-friendly ones. All this slowed the pace of needed reforms.

However, slowly and with measured footsteps of one unsure of the ground one is treading on, India's policy-makers began to move in the direction of growth, recognizing the need to overhaul their decades-old ideas and outmoded beliefs. Each little step met with success as taxes were rationalized and red-tape reduced. This emboldened the South Block czars and the political honchos to come out more openly in favour of development-related policies. Slowly, the move gathered momentum and a consensus began to build up among the political parties that they needed to shake out of their Nehruvian and socialist-inspired slumber.

Recent growth in India, with GDP figures galloping ahead and the economy making remarkable breakthroughs has caused all the world to sit up and take notice. Today, despite poverty and a host of other related problems, India's economy is showing signs of health and vigour.

What was remarkable about India's growth was that it was powered by internal resources and not by handouts from the charitable or profit-motivated rich investors.

Now, foreign investment in India is beginning to show a real presence, although still far less than in China. Once this investment is ploughed into infrastructure and the returns begin to show, India will attract even more foreign investment.

With a little more planning, investment and direction, India's growth can exceed a mind-boggling 15% p.a. and that within 5 years. This may sound far-fetched now but when the multiplier effect of spending on infrastructure coupled with greater investment kicks in these figures will bear out.

It's true that India still lags far behind China economically. India started its reforms a good couple of decades later than China...But the issue is not whether it will catch China or not...The issue is whether India is able to lift millions of its citizens out of poverty and give them a decent life.

Life goes in cycles...so does the fate of countries...witness how India was perhaps the wealthiest country some centuries ago and the search for new European trade routes to India led to the discovery of America. Consider for example the enormous amount of wealth that looted from India by all kinds of invaders. Estimates suggest Great Britain alone plundered wealth to the tune of over a billion dollars by the beginning of the twentieth century which in today's terms equals over a trillion dollars. That India was invaded was its 'karma' to use a term from its philosophy, being as peace-loving as it is. But that is history...and modern day administrators must learn necesssary lessons from the past.

Countries are made rich or poor not because of races but because of politics. If China is richer today it is because of better politics. If India wants to be richer than it has been of late it needs to improve its politics.

There is a fair amount of negativity in China against India...in part because it is a poor country and in part because of 'political' reasons. However, negativity yield negative results and serves little purpose. In the past China and India shared a lot of trust and friendship...surely, that must have been part of the reason why both countries were once so prosperous.

If China and India want the prosperity that their ancestors once enjoyed they must both analyse their past and try to rekindle the same trust and friendship.

With a little more planning, investment and direction, India's growth can exceed a mind-boggling 15% p.a. and that within 5 years.

Understanding Emissions Trading and Global Warming

2006-08-21T06:54:00.000-07:00

It goes without saying that there is often an inherent conflict between science and economies. Emission trading is an interesting effort in the global warming arena.

Understanding Emissions Trading and Global Warming

It is a mild understatement to say that global warming is both a controversial and misunderstood field. As the decay of the ice packs and slowing of the ocean conveyer become more apparent, the controversy is starting to evolve into an acceptance of global warming as a fact. Given this great acceptance, the question is now what to do about it.

Every society is based upon some form of economy. Although globalization is the much touted economic subject of the day, the industrial revolution is still really the heart of most economies. Economies, particularly first world economies, are based on the production of goods and materials through manufacturing. These same processes contribute heavily to greenhouse gases and the global warming debate. With such an inherent conflict between production and reduction of pollutants, find a solution to greenhouse gases has often been a dubious prospect. The concept of emissions trading, however, may be a solution.

Emission caps are a method for dealing with economies on a nationwide scale. Essentially, countries agree to cap their total output of pollutants and greenhouse gases at a certain level. Each government then converts this total amount into individual caps for industries or business. The caps essentially tell the businesses the amount they are allowed to emit and assign penalties and incentives for coming in below or above said amounts. In practical terms, a business is penalized for polluting or given a benefit for cutting pollutants.

The interesting thing about emissions caps is that they can be traded. Ostensibly, a country or business that falls under the cap amounts can trade their excess emissions allotment for money. In turn, other parties that fail to meet their caps must buy these allotments. By taking this approach, reduction of pollutants become not only a moral choice, but a potential profit center. For example, Brazil has done an amazing job of converting automobiles to ethanol. It has now evolved from an oil importer to an exporter and is selling emission credits on the open market.

Emission trading systems do not represent a new approach to dealing with the pollution problem. On smaller scales, such approaches have been used within the United States as part of the Clean Air Act to force municipalities and states to act. With the implementation of the Kyoto Treaty, this process will become full blown on the international scene. Alas, India, China and the United States are not signatories to the Treaty, which is unfortunate given their economic growth and production of greenhouse gases and pollutants.

Saab Withdraws International Trade Deal with Venezuela on Arms

2006-08-16T14:33:00.000-07:00

Early this month, Saab Group, which is the largest producer of defence in Sweden, announced its withdrawal from an international trade deal with Venezuela concerning weapons. It must be noted that the Swedish company used to be one of the major providers of weapons to the South American nation. However, Saab said that it could no longer continue with such an international trade deal.

According to Saab Group, it could not sell anti-tank and anti-aircraft devices to the Latin nation due to an arms ban imposed by the US on Venezuela. Under the embargo, defence makers could not sell to Venezuela any weapon, which is made in the US or which has one or more US-made parts. Prior to the arms policy, Bofors, which is a subsidiary of Saab Group, had supplied the South American country with weapons during the past twenty years. The recent embargo though has ended the international trade deal on arms between the Swedish firm and Venezuela.

Bofors will officially stop trading weapons with Venezuela on October 1 in compliance with the policy implemented by the US government last May. It must be noted that during the past years, Sweden had supplied anti-tank rifles, rocket launchers, and anti-aircraft missiles to Venezuela that amounted to about $150 million. Currently, Venezuela is not involved in a new International Trade deal on weapons. However, experts said that President Hugo Chavez would soon find the need to replace its old weapons and increase its missile supply.

The embassy of the United States in Sweden praised the compliance of the Saab Group to the embargo that barred the trade of weapons to nations that did not fully cooperate with the fight against terrorism headed by the US government. Venezuelan officials were taken by surprise after the new had been released. Defence Minister Raul Isaias Baduel told to reporters that the government was not officially informed by Bofors regarding its withdrawal from the international trade deal on arms. But he said that he would be discussing the matter with Mr. Chavez in order to come up with an official response to the news.

After the news came out, a military official stated that Venezuela is also considering to negotiate an international trade deal with Switzerland regarding weapons. He added that although the door of Sweden had already closed, other countries would soon open for Venezuela. Although trade between Sweden and Venezuela ended, the latter has found another partner, which is Russia. Recently, Mr. Chavez visited the country where he signed several important trade agreements including the purchase of weapons, military planes, and helicopters. Mr. Chavez was able to close the deal since the weapons manufactured in Russia do not contain US-made parts. Prior to the international trade deal between the two countries, the US had warned Russia not to sell arms to Venezuela. The visit of Mr. Chavez to Russia was part of a series of international trips, which were aimed at seeking trade opportunities and gaining the support of other nation regarding Venezuela's bid to join the UN Security council.

http://www.tbc-world.com/Saab_Withdraws_International_Trade_Deal_with_Venezuela_on_Arms.asp

The Great Depression: Causes and Effects

2006-08-08T11:43:00.000-07:00

During high school I asked a naïve question to my economics teacher – which is the best phase for an economy and can we get rid of downturns. Her response was a measured one – the best economic phase is when the aggregate demand keeps exceeding aggregate supply slightly with little inflation. And on making depression a word of past – she responds, we still have to go a long way. It is not a matter of economic cycle but a matter of human greed. Regulatory bodies can only play a limited role in controlling the economy in capitalism, in the end it all boils down to the people. After burning our fingers in various downturns since The Great Depression, we can safely say that monetary steps contributed more to it than pure collapse in demand of goods.

Factors contributing to The Great Depression

The Stock Market Crash

Decade of strong performance after the first World War, the stock market was euphoric and rose to unprecedented heights. When the economy got overheated and speculation ran rampant, a crash was unavoidable. Under such circumstances the best government could do was to do nothing that might make a bad thing worse. But President Hoover had other ideas, together with Federal Reserve policy board head Miller he decided to clamp down the share prices and bring the market down by keeping away banks to extending loans that would be used buy stocks.

The situation was further worsened by firming of money rates to commercial interests. With it the bank is not within its reasonable claim for discount facilities at its federal reserve bank when it borrows either for the purpose of making speculative loans or for the purpose of maintaining speculative loans. It cut the money supply by one-third from 1929 to 1932. There was much less money to go around, businessmen could not get new loans--and could not even get their old loans renewed. They had to stop investing. Not because they did not want to but because banks could not lend them the money they needed. This interpretation blames the government and calls for a much more careful Federal Reserve policy. As the system collapsed it spreads panic. The first banking panic occurred in late 1930; the second in the spring of 1931, and the third in March 1933. When it was over, 10,000 banks had gone out of business, with well over $2 billion in deposits lost.

Deflation Effects

Misreading of deflation effects is also one of the major reasons, as the depression lasted longer than any before it. It is safely assumed that in deflationary conditions the interest rates will come down drastically and it will encourage people to borrow and invest money again in the economy. But as the market crashed and lots of people loosing the saving, unemployment sets in. The nominal interest rates increased steeply, leaving purchasing power of people drastically reduced. With this a sharp recession became a global depression.

American Dream Grant and American Dream Accounts

2006-07-31T09:38:00.000-07:00

Hillary Clinton has stated that she has a plan for America and a Plan for the Middle Class. She has indicated any speech that she wishes to promote the American Dream Plan. The plan is to make the middle class affordable again. Hillary Clinton's plan does not sound like anything at least in a way she presents the plan that it is not something that the Democratic Party would necessarily subscribe to. Why do I say this?

Because the plan insists that all those receiving benefits from it would have to be responsible. This wording of the word responsible is not something you often see in Democrat giveaways. Is Hillary Clinton taking a chapter out of the Republican playbook in order to become more of a centrist?

One of the items in the plan is to promote scholarship grants and accounts for college or American Dream Grants, which would also give additional credence to attendance. And yet there are already all sorts of scholarships and such. The American Dream Accounts are interesting spin on the power of compounded interest and a smart idea at $500 for each new born and yet that number will need to be $1,000 due to expanding World economy and future inflation.

It is interesting all this pre-election maneuvering and even more interesting the economic issues during peak employment times and good economic growth. Will this political posturing help her and other democrats in the future elections? Perhaps we might all consider all this in 2006.

US Is Committed In Reviving WTO Talks To Improve Global Trade

2006-07-28T12:46:00.000-07:00

United States Trade Representative, Susan Schwab said that the US is determined to press ahead with attempts of restarting the World Trade Organization talks that has been completely prostrated last July 24. The meeting held in Geneva, collapsed on Monday suspending five years of worldwide effort to alleviate poverty in developing nations through free global trade. Since 2001, WTO members have argued on how to achieve the goals set at a conference in Doha, Qatar. The main aim of the Doha meeting is to bring the advantages of greater global trade to the world's poorest countries.

Schwab did not give an exact date when the Doha meeting will commence again. She simply stated that the meeting is not yet dead, instead it is just suffering under serious dilemma. She also added that she'll do anything she can to have the meeting achieve a desired conclusion or outcome for the free global trade issue. The US and the European Union have given more market access to the world's impoverished countries, and there was a bright future that the framework for the final deal could possibly be reached by the end of April this year.

However, hopes were bogged down especially in key global trade areas like agriculture. Major agricultural exporters wanted the EU, US, and Japan to open their markets fully through cutting on their farm subsidiaries and tariffs. EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandela accused the US for inflexibility and for not offering sufficient cuts on its agricultural subsidies. On the other hand, US blamed (EU) that it has failed to equalize concessions about the agricultural subsidies. On the other side of the talks, both union and other developing countries wanted nations such as Brazil and India with growing trade powers, to become more open in accepting imported industrial services and goods.

Business experts said the collapse of the talks will only make the global trade more cumbersome and costly for poor and underdeveloped countries. With companies and governments struggling with separate rules for different countries, the Doha agenda would not have much progress, unless these countries come back and agree on moving forward. Developing nations who are eager to sell their goods overseas missed a good opportunity to intensify economic growth due to the failed meeting. The gap between the EU and the US, according to Schwab, was bitter, and it would likely take a significant amount of time to rouse the meeting.

To salvage the Doha Agenda, Schwab is committed to get a deal done. Also, she's planning to look for ways to revive the said meeting in future conferences of global trade leaders and at the convention that Bush will be attending with Asia Pacific countries. Schwab also announced that she will travel to Brazil and other countries as the first exploratory step towards reviving the WTO's stalled Doha Round trade conference. She also disclosed that she'll be speaking with Mandela in the near future despite the latter's complaints and comments against the US agricultural subsidies. She added that the arguments in the global trade negotiation is not personal.

http://www.tbc-world.com/US_Is_Committed_In_Reviving_WTO_Talks_To_Improve_Global_Trade.asp

Coffee Shop Economics and Foreign-PolicyIt is truly amazing to see what people really think about the war in Iraq and the price of oil in towns and ci

2006-07-26T10:30:00.000-07:00

It is truly amazing to see what people really think about the war in Iraq and the price of oil in towns and cities across this nation. Many people simply take and the nightly news and adopt those opinions discussed on television as their own. However, there is a group of people who we should probably call the silent majority who feel otherwise. This group of real Americans is not swayed by the political correctness observed on television.

In fact, when you listen to these people talk you get a whole different perspective of what is going on and what people really think about. They say such things as; This is not right and it is unacceptable. As I sit in coffee shops across the country and meet with people who work for a living and have a family they often say things off-the-cuff that are a little disturbing. One gentleman the other day told me; let's just nuke the Middle East and take the G-darn oil.

Another one told me; $500 billion for Iraq might say they owe us some oil and a lot of it. It appears that people are getting very upset and when Iran threatens to raise the price of oil if we attempt to prevent them from building nuclear weapons to give to international terrorist, folks are just not going to go for that, as they are very upset. They demand their quality of life and that comes first and many of whom are now calling for war if anyone stands in our way. All for the price of oil people are just that angry. Consider this in 2006.

OPEC Pushing Envelope on High Oil Prices and They Know It

2006-07-24T12:09:00.000-07:00

OPEC realizes that it is pushing oil prices too high and it also realizes that the world demand is going up and if it does not move quickly to keep prices lower and keep production high then it is obvious that there will be problems down the road for their economies in the Middle East as well as the world's first world economies.

OPEC also realizes that it is pushing the envelope on high oil prices and they realize that if they do not keep these prices lower the new technologies and research and development dollars will be from thrust into the market and propel a future without oil.

We can already see in the United States with the new initiatives for alternative fuels that the bankers and venture capitalists are putting new monies into innovative technologies, which will use alternative fuels, hybrids and propulsion.

If OPEC fails in keeping prices low for sweet crude oil then in the future they stand to lose out. Currently with gasoline prices at three dollars per gallon and oil barrel prices approaching $80 it is quite obvious that biofuels such as Biodiesel and Ethanol are starting to make a lot more sense.

If OPEC is to keep their stranglehold on world markets for energy and fuel then they will need to consider the price point at which they are offering it to the rest of the world. If oil prices get too high and economies stagnate there will be less purchases of oil and they will have shrunk their overall pie for demand.

Indeed this would keep prices high but volumes low and therefore they will make less money in the end. Please consider all this in 2006.

Free Trade Agreement With Oman Disregards Best Interests of U.S.

2006-07-19T11:31:00.000-07:00

Free Trade Agreement With Oman Disregards Best Interests of U.S.

Since the United States became a party to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994, U.S. construct of the Foreign Trade Agreement (FTA) has changed considerably. Such agreements now have a much more profound impact on state and local economies across the country.

Generally, treaties with foreign governments were a vehicle for regulating tariffs and quotas relative to the export and import of products, but within the parameters of U.S. law. However, since 1994, FTAs have expanded to include non-tariff barrier issues and regulated under the purview of international law.

Unbeknownst to most of the public regarding the Dubai Ports World agreement with the U.S., approved by the Committee for Foreign Investments in the U.S. (CFIUS) in February 2006, enabling the country of Dubai to take over port operations of six major U.S. east coast ports, was that the U.S. had been in negotiations for a FTA with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) since March 2005. While members of both houses of the U.S. Congress feigned shock that there was such a deal in the works, that FTA in particular provided the backdrop to allow such takeover of U.S. strategic assets, regardless of national security risks.

Since Dubai verbally agreed in March 2006 to sell its rights in the U.S. port operations to a U.S. entity, which to date does not exist in writing, the FTA with the UAE, of which Dubai is one of its seven emirates, has been put on hold. However, a similar deal with the country of Oman, also negotiated since March 2005, was approved by the U.S. Senate on June 28, 2006. The passage of the Oman FTA, still to be ratified by the entirety of the House of Representatives in July 2006, is considered to enable easier passage of several other U.S. FTAs pending, which include Peru, Thailand, Vietnam, as well as the UAE, among several others.

Unlike other federal legislation, however, the FTA is signed by the President prior to ratification, as President Bush did so on January 19, 2006 with the Oman FTA. Unlike most pending legislation, the Oman FTA is under the auspices of the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA). The 2002 Trade Promotion Act allowed for “fast track” status before the Congress which hands over its authority to the President to negotiate the terms of the agreement. The President then hands over to the Congress the finalized legislative package. However, the Congress is not given the right to amend any of the agreement’s provisions but only to take a vote. Also, the Congress must vote upon its passage within 90 days subsequent to its formal submission from President Bush, which was on June 26, 2006.

Yet, due to the complex nature of such an agreement, the rush-to-ratification style lawmaking does little to clarify the voluminous rules and regulations for lawmakers. And passage of such legislation includes irrevocable provisions once the pact is signed. There are arguably three or more major areas of concern with the Oman FTA with the U.S.

At issue are the present labor laws in Oman, its continued boycott of products from Israel and the dispute resolution process which stands to override U.S. national, state and local laws. According to numerous national and international labor rights organizations as well as the AFL-CIO, Oman labor abuse practices are rampant. All workers are denied basic labor rights. They include the inability of workers to organize in order to impact fair wages and safe working conditions as well as humane treatment.

Oman has failed to measure up to the International Trade Organization requirements for fair labor practices. Additionally, 80% of Oman’s laborers are from the South Asian countries of Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, and have no legal rights to demand any changes in labor abuses, as they are foreign nationals. The only stipulation in the agreement is that Oman enforce its own labor laws. Yet, U.S. FTAs with Communist countries or those previously under Communist regimes have far more stringent language concerning labor rights abuses, upon which the U.S. insists. According to U.S. Trade Representative spokesman, Stephen Norton, “We have no reason to suspect that goods made with slave labor would be imported from Oman into the U.S.”

Although Oman assured the U.S. during negotiations that it no longer abides by the Arab League Ban of refusing Israeli imported goods and would disengage from the boycott, such is not the case. Oman’s Directorate of General Customs Mohammed Nasser recently told the Jerusalem Post that “even catalogs of commercial products that mention Israel would likely be seized by Omani authorities.”

And the hot button issue which has not been publicly addressed by the Congress is the potential for U.S. law conflicts under the terms of the U.S.-Oman FTA. Deeply buried in Chapter 11 of the agreement along with Annex 2, establishes that commercial disputes be settled under the realm of International Tribunals. Therefore, commercial activity agreed upon which includes operations of seaports, stevedoring and loading and unloading of goods either by Oman or any foreign entity or country which buys any of Oman’s service contracts or proprietary company interests, would override local, state or national U.S. laws. No distinction is made between commercial interests and those considered strategic national assets of the U.S., with no reference to national security considerations.

The objective of these trade deals, specifically in the Middle East is for the U.S. to garner support with allied nations in the interest of ending terrorism, as is the case with Oman, which is geographically closest to Yemen, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. But it could as easily be argued that the U.S is throwing the proverbial baby out with the bath water in approving such lax controls and oversight in such a vast agreement.

And it also can be argued that such agreements with the third world will put the final nail in the coffin for U.S. workers in the textile industry. They cannot compete with slave wages, nor should they. The U.S. has led the way for workers’ rights and wages and in eliminating child labor. Yet, federal trade agreements without enforcement will only continue to erode away any progress realized for workers not only outside of the U.S. but on its very shores.

While much lower energy costs also remain attractive for U.S. multi-national corporations setting up shop in the third world, it does not excuse the U.S. from making demands in the interest of human decency over strategies to accumulate immediate profits. The waiving of 100% of the tariffs, in this case between goods and services flowing between the U.S. and Oman, does not alleviate such U.S. obligations as fairness and decency, which the U.S. has always represented.

While once the world’s watchdog on human rights, the U.S. has given new meaning to “free” trade in 2006. And it comes at the cost of not only the American worker’s quality of life but predominantly on the backs of those third world workers who remain without the right to take a stand. Worst of all, it is but another example of the flagrant failure of both houses of the Congress to realize the ramifications of its members’ inactions and laziness. For if lawmakers were given a questionnaire on the provisions of this latest U.S.-Oman FTA, rest assured that as many as 90% of them probably would take the Fifth.

Copyright 2006 Diane M. Grassi

Business and Market Overview on Brunei

2006-07-14T13:26:00.000-07:00

Business and Market Overview on Brunei

ECONOMY. Brunei's economy is dependent on oil and gas and is the third largest producer of crude oil in Southeast Asia after Indonesia and Malaysia. Brunei is also the world's fourth largest producer of natural gas. Brunei's current oil and gas reserves are sufficient at least until 2015. Thus, Brunei’s government has used its oil wealth for investments outside the country for future generations. Furthermore, the government seeks to develop the country's economy beyond on oil and gas but with little success.

Brunei’s GDP was US$5.2 billion with a GDP per capita of US$13,879 in 2004. The economy grew at an average GDP growth of 3.0% annually from 2000 to 2004 driven mainly by Brunei's export of oil and gas and therefore dependent by world oil and gas prices. Inflation was less than 1.5% in 2000-2001, experience deflation in 2002-2003 but inflation eventually crept at 0.9% in 2004. The government is Brunei's largest employer and many of its citizens prefer to work with the government. The country experienced increasing unemployment from 2002 to 2004 but remained below 5.0%.

The industrial sector (mainly oil and gas related activities) contributed towards 56.1% of Brunei’s GDP in 2004. The service sector contributed towards 40.3% while the agriculture sector contributed only 3.6% during the period. Main industries are petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas and construction. Major agriculture products include rice, vegetables, fruits, chicken and eggs.

DEMOGRAPHY. Brunei has a small population of slightly more than 370 thousand. Brunei Malays are the largest ethnic group and account for nearly 70% of population followed by Chinese accounting for 15%. Others include indigenous people and immigrants who have settled in the country. Islam is the official religion of the country and 70% of the population practice the Muslim faith. Other religions include Buddhism, Christianity and indigenous practices. The official language is Malay while Brunei’s Chinese community often used the Chinese language within the community. The population is generally proficient in English since schools teach the language and used in higher education, business and the sciences.

Three quarters or 75% of the population live in the urban areas and mostly work in government services, oil and gas industry, wholesale and retail trade and construction. Major urban areas include the nation's capital Bandar Seri Begawan, Muara, Tutong, Seria and Kuala Belait. Poverty is practically non-existent in the oil rich nation of Brunei. Brunei's GDP per capita is half of Singapore but based on purchasing power parity (PPP) it is slightly less than Singapore. Nearly 70% of the households belong to the middle or high-income categories while the remaining 30% in the lower-income category.

INFRASTRUCTURE. Telecommunication services within the country well developed while reliability of services outside from Brunei is good. Internet access is available throughout many parts of the country but broadband services are limited. Towns well connected by roads and crosses the border into East Malaysia. Country served by single international airport at Bandar Seri Begawan.

INTERNATIONAL TRADE. Major trading partners include Japan, South Korea, Australia, US, Thailand, Indonesia, China, Singapore and Malaysia. Much of the imports from Singapore are Singapore's re-exports from other countries. Major exports include crude oil, natural gas, refined petroleum products. Major imports include machineries and equipments, vehicles and vehicle parts, consumer goods, foods, construction materials and chemicals.

CONSUMER USAGE OF TECHNOLOGY. Nearly all homes in Brunei have fixed-line telephones and the penetration of mobile phones by population was 40% in 2004. Brunei's general population have the financial means to install computers in their homes but the penetration in homes is low at 20%. Penetration of internet users is also low at 9% of the population or 34,000 users. Nevertheless, nearly all homes in Brunei have televisions and refrigerators.

RETAIL MARKET. Marketers into Southeast Asia often neglect Brunei as a potential market because of its small consumer population. However, the country has the second highest GDP per capita in the region after Singapore and depends on imports for nearly all of its consumer goods and foods. The estimated value of Brunei’s retail market in 2004 was US$390 million in 2004 of which foods accounted for nearly US$280 million. The "mom and pop" stores and mini markets dominate the retail industry alongside a few department stores and supermarkets. Consumers in Brunei often shop cross the border into Malaysia for wider choices of consumer goods.

FOOD CULTURE. Foods eaten by the Malays tend to be rice with spicy meat and vegetable dishes. However, the people of Brunei are accustomed to Indian foods due to the numerous small Indian eateries across the country. Thus, homes often serve fish, chicken or beef curry dishes. Popular food service establishments include Chinese, Indonesian, Indian, Thai and Japanese restaurants but interestingly few Malay restaurants. Among the younger generation, many are accustomed to western style foods served by the fast food outlets and bakeries.

America and her Economic Future in the World Economy, a Thought

2006-07-10T15:11:00.000-07:00

It appears we are attacking ourselves in the United States and punishing our own team thru over regulation. We need to fix ourselves by becoming better at what we do, better than everyone else in the World. Just because Multi-National Conglomerates cannot make a huge killing over there every quarter is no reason to sacrifice our standard of living here. The European economies would like to be on the same page as us as far as a standardized Euro=Dollar, and that would be great, but not until tariffs disappear so we can make the stuff here too. Also what happens when we change our chess game for a weak dollar and then they restrict our goods to save their corporations and job base there?

We are different cultures and different political whims and the book Future Perfect sounds great, but there is a reality check on many of the notions of this type of game plan. Why choose a plan, have several plays ready to execute, ones which will not affect our middle class and job base. If we concentrate on quality, strength, innovation and have a great economy then entrepreneurs who built America can continue to find funding to explore new fields, and continue to hit milestones like Chuck Yeager did while we watched our technology break the sound barrier. Look at Intel, and Andy Groves vision, protecting our intellectual property and producing smaller, faster and more powerful chips exponentially. Do we need to weaken the dollar for companies like that? NO, we simply sell our wares a little cheaper in those markets, which require us to or we simply do not sell there. Is it the roll of government to decide that for us? By lowering our standard of living until the dollar reaches a lower rate against the other World Currencies? Especially considering that those other currencies are much less stable than ours and those markets may disappear at anytime if they collapse. Then is it up to us and the IMF to bail those economies out, when they fail to listen to reason, pollute the World, steal the money is and bow out gracefully when it is time to return the money? Look at this last round in Russia, 1/3 of the money to clean up the nuclear problem of Chernople, gone. Russian Nuclear Subs of the Arms Race Era docked in a muddy inlet, some on their sides. And the money given to clean it up, where did it go? They built a new fighter jet to compete with our newest. Why, not go clean it up our selves or just forget it? We may as well put to work America factories to build rockets and shoot them into the sun for fun. Or build devices to go on the back of cows to capture the methane to use as fuel to run steam generators to make electricity. Oh you know what? Just think about it yourself, we need a reality check in the real world; not a created reality that is not working.

India: Next Leader of the World

2006-07-10T15:10:00.000-07:00

India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second most populous country and the largest democracy in the world. India has a coastline of over seven thousand kilometres, and borders Pakistan to the west, Nepal, the People's Republic of China and Bhutan to the north-east, and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. In the Indian Ocean, it is adjacent to the island nations of Sri Lanka, Maldives and Indonesia.

Home to the Indus Valley Civilization, a centre of important trade routes and vast empires, India has long played a major role in human history. Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism, all have their origins in India, while Islam and Christianity enjoy a strong cultural heritage. Colonised as part of the British Empire in the nineteenth century, India gained independence in 1947 as a unified nation after an intense struggle for independence. The country has one of the most diverse populations, wildlife, geographical terrain and climate systems.

INDIA ECONOMY:

The economy of India is the fourth largest in the world as measured by purchasing power parity (PPP), with a GDP of US $3.63 trillion. When measured in USD exchange-rate terms, it is the twelth largest in the world, with a GDP of US $775 billion (2005). India is the second fastest growing major economy in the world, with a GDP growth rate of 8.4%, as of the first quarter of 2006. Wealth distribution in India, a developing country, is fairly uneven, with the top 10% of income groups earning 33% of all income. India's per capita income (PPP) of US$ 3,400 [8] is ranked 122nd in the world.

For most of its independent history, India adhered to a quasi-socialist approach, with strict government control over private sector participation, foreign trade, and foreign direct investment. Starting from 1991, India has gradually opened up its markets through economic reforms by reducing government controls on foreign trade and investment. Privatisation of public-owned industries and some sectors to private and foreign players has continued amid political debate.

India has a labour force of 496.4 million of which 60% is employed in agriculture or agriculture-related industries, 17% in mainstream industry and 23% in service industries. India's agricultural produce includes rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane, potatoes. Major industries include textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation equipment, cement, mining, petroleum and machinery.

India's large English speaking middle-class has contributed to the country's growth in Business Process Outsourcing (BPO). India is also a major exporter of software, financial, research and technology services. India's most important trading partners are the United States, China, UK, Singapore, Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates, Switzerland and Belgium.

Federal Reserve Tightens Again Due to Inflation

2006-07-04T10:15:00.000-07:00

The Federal Reserve has once again stair stepped its tightening of the interest rates and will do it a couple of more times or more depending on the expectation of inflation and other factors and we should expect this. Some considered that the Federal Reserve might tighten 50 basis points and they very well could have, yet there is no sense in sticker shocking the stock market.

The stock market had huge gains of 200 points and this appears to be a sign that it is indeed coming off its re-correction lows and headed back up again. Yet there are still issues to be concerned with. The Treasury Secretary was also confirmed by Congress and things look as if they are under control with the Fed and the gambling casino we call the stock market.

There are still some issues to be addressed however such as increasing oil prices during the 2006 Atlantic Hurricane Season, flooded out refineries in Pennsylvania and the escalation of an Iranian conflict over the manufacturing of nuclear weapons. There are also concerns with housing as there is some debate as too the seriousness and the industry figures being purported in the sector.

All in all things are not so bad on the economic home front. Now all we need is to get those podium pushers to stop spending like a bunch of shop until you drop Prozac induced Christmas Season credit card holders with no limits folks. Consider all this in 2006.

Crude Oil Prices

2006-06-22T15:07:00.000-07:00

Crude Oil Prices

Historically, crude oil or petroleum prices in the United States have been affected by a variety of global factors. In the beginning of the 20th century, crude oil production began to be controlled by the US government, with restrictions on the amount of production and price to conserve this valuable energy source. Following the Second World War, demand for petroleum could not be met through local production alone, and the US started importing increasing quantities of crude oil.

Up until the 1972 war between Israel and Syria and Egypt, global crude oil prices were fairly stable at about $3 a barrel. An oil embargo by major oil-producing countries in 1973 led to the first steep increase in crude oil prices, to $12 a barrel. Following the Iran revolution of 1979 and the Iran-Iraq war, crude oil prices rose to $35 a barrel by 1981. However, by 1986, the OPEC cartel’s control over global crude oil prices began to falter as member countries exceeded their production limits, dropping prices to around $10 a barrel. Prices gradually rose over the next decade, but the South-East Asian economic crisis of 1998 drove prices down again as demand dropped. Prices rose to $25 a barrel by the end of the 20th century, but a variety of factors, including reduced supply and war, made crude oil prices spiral to $70 a barrel in 2005.

Today, trading in oil futures on the floor of the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) increasingly drives crude oil prices in the US. Increasing consumption has resulted in increasing dependence on imported crude oil supplies. While futures trading will continue to determine crude oil prices in the foreseeable future, oil conservation and the development of alternative and renewable energy sources are both essential to ensure a stable energy supply and price in the longer term.

Hydropower As An Energy Platform

2006-05-30T08:55:00.000-07:00

Much like solar and wind power, hydropower has been a constant energy source for man. Following is an overview of hydropower.

Hydropower As An Energy Platform

Hydropower can be defined simply as using the energy of flowing water to generate power. With early man, this power was experienced in the form of propulsion as in moving wheels to grind food materials. With modern man, hydropower is used to turn turbines that produce electricity. In cases such as the Three Gorges Dam in China, this platform can be the basis of providing huge amounts of energy to countries in need.

Let’s take a look at an overview of developments in hydropower:

Over 2,000 years ago, hydropower was used by the Greeks to turn grinding wheels to turn wheat into flour.

In the 1770s, French engineer Bernard Forest de Bélidor wrote Architecture Hydraulique, a four-volume series detailing mechanisms that could be used to convert flowing water into power.

1880 - Michigan's Grand Rapids Electric Light and Power Company showcased the first commercial application for electricity generated from hydropower. The company used a turbine to provide power to a whopping 16 lamps at the Wolverine Chair Factory.

1881 - Niagara Falls votes to convert all lamps on streets to electricity provided by hydropower, which made sense considering their location.

1882 – The first power plant devoted entirely to hydropower electricity production goes online in Wisconsin. The power is produced from water in the Fox River.

1886 – Hydropower plants are so popular that over 40 are functioning in Canada and the U.S.

1889 – Only three years later, the number of hydropower plants in the two countries grows to 200.

1907 – Hydro plants produce 15 percent of the electrical power needs of the United States.

1920 – Hydro plants produce 25 percent of the electrical power needs of the United States.

1933 – Hydropower comes to the forefront with the establishment of the Tennessee Valley Authority.

1940 – Hydro plants provide a whopping forty percent of all electricity produced in the United States.

2003 – At the turn of the century, hydropower has lost much of its allure. Population growth results in power needs so high that hydropower is not viewed as a solution. Environmental issues also cause a slow down. Only ten percent of the electricity in the U.S. is produced by hydropower.

Today, roughly twenty percent of all the electricity in the world is produced through hydroelectric power plants. The largest producer of electricity through hydropower is Canada followed by the United States, Russia, Brazil and China. Egypt is highly dependent on hydropower via the Nasser Dam. Norway produces nearly all of its electricity needs through hydropower. In many other countries, hydropower is being looked to as the solution for growing energy needs.

Hydropower has definite downsides. It can be unreliable in countries that suffer droughts, as many African nations have learned. The environmental impact of large dams, as seen with the three gorges dam in China, is also a concern. Notwithstanding these concerns, hydropower is a proven renewable energy platform that certainly is better than fossil fuel alternatives.

Corporate Branding

2006-05-18T07:11:00.000-07:00

Corporate Branding

In certain cases the company name itself is used as a family brand name under which varied products of the company are marketed. This process is called corporate branding. Corporate branding is resorted to only when the company is confident that lending the company name to its products gives a better identity for the products. And once the corporate brand name is established, it facilitates easier establishment of new products.

In the matter of corporate branding, a manufacturer has a number of options. He may adopt a family brand name for all his products. He can adopt individual brand names for each individual product. He can adopt multiple brand names for the same product with a view to catering the varying segments of the market. Finally, he can offer his product for branding by a middleman or a distribution house. The decision is not easy, because all the alternatives have merits and demerits.

When talking about family brand, different products of the company are marketed under one brand name. It is convenient to adopt a family brand, for related products. Promotion of such products becomes easier and less expensive under a family brand. But the marketer in such cases has to ensure that all the products offered under the family brand maintain the same standards of quality. If one product in the group becomes a low quality product, it will affect the entire range of products covered under the family brand.

Under individual brands, each product of the company is given an independent brand name. When an individual brand name is given for each product, there is no question of a composite responsibility. Under multiple branding, the same product is offered under different brand names. This is intended to achieve a greater degree of market penetration. Though the product is the same, different sales appeals are built around the different brands, thus maximizing the total sale of the product.

IT Marketing: Improving Postcard Response

2006-04-18T08:52:00.000-07:00

One of the biggest mistakes that I see when people are doing postcard mailings is there's no urgency. What does that mean? That means that even if I'm interested in hiring you, there's no compelling reason to do so now. I will just file your card away with my other computer related stuff.

Now if I got that postcard and it said this company is offering a free system analysis to the first 25 people that respond in the greater Anytown area, then I may have more reason to respond. They might say, “You know, our computers are really screwed up. This free system analysis, it says there's no obligation, no purchase required or anything like that. I want to be one of the first 25. I'd better call them now.”

IT Marketing: Limit Your Response One Way or Another

If you don't want to limit it to the number of people, limit it by date. The urgency and the scarcity can do absolute wonders. Talk to anyone who's serious about direct mail or online marketing. Urgency and scarcity are extremely powerful motivators. If you want someone to take action with the response that you can measure, you must give them a deadline on your IT marketing materials.

IT Marketing: Learn from the Experts

If you want help with designing direct response marketing, you need to talk to a direct response marketing expert. In most cases, it's going to be a copywriter or it's going to be someone that's retired from a big advertising company and specialized in direct response.

Just asking for general business advice from a business owner is not going to help you. The type of person that's ideal for generating strong responses is someone that comes from a mail order background, direct mail background, does a lot of online advertising, or has worked for an advertising agency that's done a lot of direct selling where there's measured response.

The Bottom Line about IT Marketing

The key things are urgency, scarcity, deadlines, compelling headlines, compelling points of pain and something that motivates them to take action now.

Copyright MMI-MMVI, Computer Consulting 101. All Worldwide Rights Reserved. {Attention Publishers: Live hyperlink in author resource box required for copyright compliance}

Understanding Marketing: 5 Common Misconceptions

2006-03-27T08:36:00.000-08:00

Everybody seems to know Marketing. The world is full of Marketing gurus. We all talk about with a remarkable ease and confidence, though most of the times we are not Marketing professionals and not even close. What are the most frequent mistakes in understanding Marketing practices and theories?

1. Defining Marketing There is clearly a general tendency in employing the notion of Marketing within a confusing mix of Public Relations, Advertising, or Media Planning. Regardless of the degree in evolution and growing of Marketing, many of us still cannot understand what Marketing really is and only see the its extreme manifestations. Many believe Marketing is a useless, fancy field, eating up budgets and giving little in return. Others see Marketing as an artistic field, where all you need is creativity to develop a memorable ad.

2. Marketing is still confused with Communication This common mistake is, again, the result of sufficient understanding of Marketing. Marketing professionals are often thought to be responsible for creating advertisements, logos, slogans. What people usually see is the mere top of the iceberg, forgetting that there is a product, a price and a distribution strategy to be developed before even thinking of advertising.

3. Under- or overestimating the role of the marketer On one hand, the marketer is often seen as a must-have within a company, but (s)he has an indefinite role and ends up doing a little of everything (Marketing, Advertising, Public Relations, Customer Care, Account Management etc.) On the other hand we might be faced with the other extreme, where the marketer is an omniscient, all-powerful creature eclipsing everyone else.

4. Segmentation In spite of the abundance in resources and consulting services aimed at researching the consumers base, segmentation is still done intuitively at least at small-business level. Large companies might have whole departments assigned to work on segmentation research and strategy, and still not be fully failure-proof.

5. Marketing for the sake of it This is an attitude I have met in too many occasions not to mention it. People (and again, small-business owners are the usual culprits) do marketing because everyone else does it, because they heard they should do it, because it is a fashionable thing to do.

Surely, the list above is not exhaustive, and it only points at several attitudes leading nowhere on the Marketing battlefield. Marketing is surely not an art, thought it does employ a certain flaire and creativity. Marketing is not a science either, but it operates with precise instruments. Marketing is not for everyone and not to be performed regardless of the conjuncture around the business.

We should keep in mind that Marketing operations have a clear objective: increasing the profitability of a business. To bring money, to be more clear. Marketing is therefore just as important as everything else in the company: if a product has functional faults we would blame the production department, but when a product does not sell for reasons beyond production it is usually the Marketing department to take the blame.
Otilia Otlacan - EzineArticles Expert Author

Otilia is a young certified professional with expertise in e-Marketing, currently working as independent consultant. She has recently launched MarketingWHO.com, a professional Marketing Directory and she publishes TeaWithEdge.com, a Marketing and eMarketing articles portal. You can contact Otilia through her personal web site, BRAINmarketing.

Signage 'Double Take' Strategies Considered

2006-03-22T14:02:00.000-08:00

Does the signage in your company make people do a double take? Do they look back to see what it says? Does it spark curiosity in the viewer? What I am asking is; does your company have a signage double-take strategy to capture the mind and attention of your future customers? Well if your answer is know then you need think a little bit about how to change that. You see in my company our signage does compel the viewer to take another look and to ask the question, what is that? And your company signage needs to also.

In order to get the future customer to take a double look and concentrate on your business’s signage for that extra split second as they drive buy you have to use strategies which are automatic responses of the human brain. Many people say sex sells and if you put a pretty girl in a bikini up their then they will look. Well, sure they will, now then will they remember the name of your company or the image of perfect 10 gal in the picture?

I consider you use colors and a logo, which is unique and a three or four word catchy phrase with words of no more than three syllables. Short, sweet and too the point, but not just a catchy phrase, it also must describe your product or service and say something about your customers. Do not simply pick the first phrase you come up with think hard on this as it is very important for the success of your business. Think on this in 2006.

Making Money with Electronic Currency Exchange

2006-03-21T07:18:00.000-08:00

Although Electronic Currency Trading is not easy for the beginner to grasp at first, this is going to be a full on explanation of what is possible to achieve when you get started with the Electronic Currency Exchange Business.

Is it true that you can make money with Electronic Currency Exchanging? How can we be clear on this to understand eachother from the beginning? Most people say that it's happening everyday on this system, and if you take the proper steps, it will happen to you.

One of the Greatest things people report when they get have just started in Electronic Currency Exchanging is that it's possible to double your investment within 45 days very easily.

The moment we hear great responses from most people is when they double their investment. They inevitably will tell us they are grateful they did not miss out on the opportunity to make an easy second income.

Dxinone (previously DXGold) is the company that allows the E-currency Exchange Program to be possible. This is a company that is helping a lot of people make money, including ourselves, so our review is that it is a great company.

If you use this system to just reinvest back your profits, in a few months your portfolio grows to 5 figures even if you start with a 200 dollar investment. With some discipline for a few months the payback is very rewarding.

Want to have more time for your friends? Want to be able to spend time with the people you enjoy? More money and more time allows you these things. If these are the things you want, you may want to check out what the E-currency Trading Program can help has to offer you.

If you, like many of us, want to make more money, you will need to learn how to start Electronic Currency Trading with a lot of discipline. Keep in mind that if you reinvest your profits every time for the next 6 months, it's very likely you could have yourself a 10,000+ portfolio.

We've also noticed a pattern the most succesful investors usually follow: Getting a training program from a pro. It's faster, it will make you them more money with better strategies, and it will saves a lot of headaches from figuring it out by themselves.

Are you serious about making more money? Do you want to run an e-currency business? If your answer is yes and you really want to make more money, we recommend that you take a small commitment towards it. Take a small step today and you'll find it very rewarding in just a few months, looking at this commitment as the greatest decision you've made this year.

It's the Process that Sells - Not the Salesperson

2006-03-21T07:17:00.000-08:00

When sales people lose sales, does this mean they were lost? The words “lost” makes one think that they lost their way along a path and something happened. In reality someone else may have stolen the order from them.

When I was a kid my mother would put 25 cents, carefully wrapped and tied into one of my fathers’ handkerchiefs. This was an attempt to prevent me from losing it. She made it so huge that I couldn’t possibly lose the giant wad of material. She would send me off to school so I could use it for milk money. By the way, that was for the week! I was a kid and it was a way for my mother to insure I would not lose something.

As you know, a sale isn’t something we can wrap and seal in a handkerchief. If it was that easy, you wouldn’t be reading this for a better solution. Let’s face it; you can’t lose something you don’t have in the first place. Although some salespeople will think they have a sale before they actually have it in their hands, the ink is drying and the delivery truck has pulled away.

Salespeople lose sales because they get lost in the process. If you have been in sales for a while you know that sales are almost 100% predictable. If we follow the sales process, we will always come to a conclusion that is favorable to us unless we skip a step or overlook something and it is always our fault for missing something. This is where we get lost.

Some salespeople don’t realize how important these steps are and that there are consequences to not following the order of these steps. Because of this, salespeople get lost in the sequence and sometimes try to skip steps of the process. This is how sales are lost. For the typical sales, non-retail I recommend a six step process with a magical seventh step that shortens the sales cycle when applied consistently. Some people combine these steps and that might be ok but you can’t skip any of them or your will lose. I divide the steps into two segments, Hunting and Farming because the first part is really hunting for the prospect and identifying the right prospects. The second part is like farming because we are building a relationship that might take months to nurture before the opportunity becomes ripe. Here are the steps in brief order.

1. The prospect must pass the “IF” test. This test is applied with questions to find out “IF” they are a real prospect, the test is ‘IF” they fit the profile of our perfect customer. “IF” they do not, we find another prospect.

2. The salesperson must then discover the “WHO” of the prospect. This is the true contact or contacts in the company or organization that we must meet with for an opportunity. This is achieved through questioning to identify the right prospect person.

3. The salesperson must then identify the “W’s” or pain points of the prospect. This is also achieved through questioning and research and an appointment is often the best way to discover this. These W’s are when, where, why, what issues that confirm our next step.

4. If we did our job in step three, we move over to the farming stage of the sales process which is really the “OPPORTUNITY” stage. Ideally we want to identify three “OPPORTUNITIES” which are solid pain points the prospect wants eliminated from their business or life. Once we have these identified, we can move to step five.

5. Step five is the easiest stage of all; it is the “PRESENTATION” stage of the sale. This is where the salesperson can combine all they have learned about the prospects problems and issues and at the right time, presents their solution. If everything was followed according to the process, the solution will be on target and received warmly for the next step.

6. Step six is the “CLOSE”. If you reach this point, the sale should be a slam dunk and a sealed deal because you have followed the process with a remedy for a solution the prospect wants.

7. The seventh step is magical because you can capture more business through a “REFERRAL” and a reference from the prospect and slip into the fourth step on the next opportunity and bypass the first three steps.

Remember, if you bypass any of the sales process steps, you lose! One of the best ways to improve sales is to focus on the process and the steps salespeople take to make a sale. Breaking up the sales process into modules and teaching salespeople how to move prospects from one step to the next is the right way to keep them from losing sales. Otherwise, you might need a very large handkerchief.

The Little Thing That Can Make You Big Money: Small Business Marketing

2006-03-16T08:05:00.000-08:00

For the last week I’ve been listening to a 27 hour-long marketing seminar that was recorded back in 2000 and it is very interesting how the little things just pop out at you when you spend so much time immersed in a topic.

Now I don’t expect all of you to spend your time immersed in marketing the way Travis and I do on a daily basis, day-after-day.

BUT I do expect you to take the advice we give you because we’re boiling it down for you and hopefully making you think about things you wouldn’t have thought about otherwise, challenging you to do things you wouldn’t normally do and making your brain work in ways it doesn’t naturally.

But while listening I was reminded of something so simple and so critical to your marketing and business success that I don’t know if we’ve mentioned here before. I at least know I haven’t made a BIG enough deal about here.

At this seminar they were only scratching the surface of this concept…but today it is essential and if you aren’t doing it you need to start immediately and if you are doing it congratulations.

If you are or aren’t doing it you need to start utilizing it to it’s fullest potential.

So I’m sure you’re asking yourself…”Jimmy, what are you talking about??”

I’m talking about effectively and systematically collecting your prospects and customers contact information – Including email address.

Many people who market online understand this concept. But many small businesses we encounter do not get the power of this.

It’s just as important if you are a bricks-and-mortar business to do this as it is if you only operate an e-business. You need to be actively creating a database.

You’re database is GOLD JERRY!

Many businesses collect their customer’s contact info when they buy something and so do a good job at keeping it current and in a usable state and most don’t even do that. But just as important as keeping your customer’s data you also need to keep you prospect’s information.

If a lead calls up on the phone you have to have a system that collects their information. Ever notice how when ever you buy anything at RadioShack they always ask for your full address? They collect the information vigorously.

In the very least you want a prospect’s email address and their permission to send them stuff in the future. It is imperative and can quadruple the effectiveness of your marketing and significantly impact your bottom-line.

So here’s the big question…

How do you get it the info? You need to have a system that allows you to get at least the email of every prospect that calls, comes into your location or you run into in public. You need something to exchange for their permission to market to them in the future. No one is really going to give you their most valuable possession (their attention and time) for nothing.

So if you are going to have a snowballs chance in hell on getting them to give you their contact info and in turn their attention and permission to create an open dialogue and relationship you better have something they want.

In steps information and the concept of giving value first.

We’ve all heard of added value after the sale right?

Travis and I think that is BULL… You are rewarded for the value you deliver to the market place in conjunction with what you do potentially better than anyone else. And you have to deliver that value FIRST – Before a sale is ever made.

That’s how you get people attention and permission and create relationships and customers for life. That’s how you create raving fans that recommend you and talk about you to others. That’s how you get more referrals then you can handle and that’s how you can harness the power of that all elusive, best-marketing-on-the-planet-because-it’s-free Word Of Mouth Advertising.

But it all starts with rabidly pursuing and making it TOP priority to collect the contact info (especially email) of all the prospects you ever come in contact with. With email you can market to them for free in the future.

But the second part is that you list has to be kept up-to-date and organized (that’s another post in and of itself).

We discuss this concept in more detail in our “Small Business Owners Guide To The Galaxy: Jim and Travis’ Super Stellar, Out of this World, Step by Step Guide To Generating Leads, Attracting Customers, and Making Sales.”
Jimmy Vee - EzineArticles Expert Author

If you are a small business owner, solo sales representative or marketing professional and are tired of doing the same old boring marketing that gets no results and wastes your precious time, energy and cash then scoot on over to http://www.GravitationalMarketing.com and join the herds of others who devour Jimmy Vee and Travis Miller’s Mission Control Marketing Newsletter.

You will discover other juicy bits of marketing insight that will enable you to naturally attract new customers quickly and effortlessly – like gravity pulls objects to earth. Vee and Miller also have a new DVD and e-book that reveal their secret methods of Gravitational Marketing and expose how your business can be sensational and become famous on a limited budget.

Marketing Secrets Divulged

2006-03-14T06:49:00.000-08:00

Simple as a daisy in a clear blue sky, the secrets of marketing are obvious. What you don't see, you won't readily believe. That's it. That's all there is to it. If your client can't see it, they aren't going to believe it.

The simplest language will take your further than ultra remote words that obscure the ferver of your purpose.

The K.I.S.S. principle is as focused with marketing as they are with living - the simpler the better.

So, what does your marketing ploy say about your business. Are you revealing the secrets or attempting to hide your product for later release?

A while back there was some insistence that keeping your product a secret from the consumer until their money was passing your palm was the only way to market. It depicted the consumer as a rather stupid creature aching to distribute their money for no particularly good purpose.

I personally haven't met that consumer yet. Everyone I know wants to know what they are buying, how much it's going to cost, and what it will do for them.

The real bottom line is - if you want a prosperous business, put your product out there on the front page for all to see. List the price, and tell your consumer why they should buy it. They may choose not to purchase, but at least they will be making an informed decision.

Simple as a daisy in a clear blue sky.

Marketing Guru Jan Verhoeff understands the purpose of presenting your product in an upfront manner with concise language and motivated dialogue. Let her show you how to present your best foot forward at http://www.freewebs.com/ebizblitz

Break Out Strategy for the Invisible Salesperson

2006-03-09T09:58:00.000-08:00

Are you invisible?
We can be invisible to anyone and everyone at times. You know the feeling; it would be like trying out for an acting role with 10,000 other people dressed in the same black and white clothing. What we actually want is to stand out as if we were the only ones dressed in black and white while everyone else is dressed in a light peach clown outfit. It is a tough challenge when everyone is just like us. However, we often force ourselves into this wallpaper strategy when we conform to a prospect’s or customer’s initial request.

Perhaps you remember what it was like in high school when you wanted to get noticed by the guy or girl you were interested in. It was the little things that you tried anything and just about everything. I remember a girl named Pat that I wanted to meet more than anything and she finally noticed me in the home economics class when we worked on a project together. The only reason I took the class was to get close to her. We ended up dating and having our high school romance.

There isn’t much difference in outside sales. We try to get noticed by our clients and prospects in ways that will attract them to us more than others. We might even take a course in something new so we are closer to our client’s goals. When we are interested in someone, we want to know everything about them and will ask our friends, their friends and learn as much as we can.

Getting good information and profiling
Today we can learn a lot about a business when we use the internet and network with associates who are in the business. We are in the information age and there isn’t an excuse for not knowing something about a business, if we are really interested.

We stand a better chance of getting noticed when we know the interests and challenges of the business contact we want to do business with. Anytime we have good information and intelligence on an industry we will stand out and the client will reward us for our perspective and interest in them. We know that the best resource for learning what a client wants is to ask good questions.

Good questions come from knowing what to ask because we suspect what the client is interested in. In high school I learned that my future girl friend, Pat, was going to take the home economics course. I took the class and learned how to cook and also met Pat. What a coincidence. In business knowing about a specific service we offer which our prospect shares an interest in is ideal. If they are interested in mailing services, we must learn how to talk to our prospect about mailing services too.

Breaking the ice
Getting noticed and becoming visible to our prospects is a matter of learning what they want and filling a need. It is sometimes being in the right place at the right time and knowing we are in the right place at the right time. In sales we often make our own luck and we can accomplish this with solid research on our prospects. Asking good questions is often a key to this success. Good questions serve as great ice breakers when we have done our research.

Submitted by Steve Martinez, Founder of Selling Magic, a company focused on improving sales using technology and Automated Sales Process Management (ASPM). Steve Martinez is a sales coach, e-marketer and sales process pioneer in automation. Get more sales tips at our website http://www.sellingmagic.com.

Top 4 Promotional Materials

2006-03-08T08:58:00.000-08:00

Sometimes a business card just doesn't cut it, and we have to look to other means for getting the word out about our business. Some of the following ideas you may have seen, others you may not have thought about. Regardless, each method is ment to help get your name out there and increase your sales.

Flyers
These can be effective for announcing events or any type of major announcement. Before you start posting, make sure you have permission first!

Brochures
Think of them like mini-catalogs, able to highlight the best or most interesting products in your line. If your company doesn't offer these, you can easily make them on your home computer. You may want to check with your company to make sure this is allowed first, and that you are able to use product pictures. Hand them out to customers and only those who show interest in your products.

Catalogs
These should be saved for your current customers only, showing the most current products you offer. If your company doesn't offer catalogs, again you can always make them at home. Don't forget to check with your company before handing them out!

Printed Promotional Products
This would include things like pens, shirts, or any other item your name and info can be printed on. Some direct sales companies offer these, while others you will have to take to a printing company. If you decide to look into something like this, be sure the product matches your company. For example, if you sell food mixes, you may want to use candy bar wrappers with your logo. Check with your company first before investing large amount of money into this.

These are just a few ideas to help jump start your business, and help get your name out there. Make good impressions - give your customers and future customer something they won't forget!

Entrepreneurs -- Do You Offer a Guarantee? Should You?

2006-03-06T07:22:00.000-08:00

One of the suggestions that appears often in marketing information is that a businesses should offer a guarantee. On the surface, this sounds sort of scary. If I offer a 100% money back guarantee or even a partial discount, how will I ever make ends meet? Won't people take advantage of it and me? In this article I discuss some of the ins and outs of guarantees and why I offer a guarantee, making it a win-win situation for both me and my clients.

What are the benefits of offering a guarantee?

* A guarantee reduces the risk a client/customer feels they are taking by either hiring us for a service or buying our product(s). Ask yourself of you are ever swayed by a guarantee. I know I am, even though in all my years of buying I think I have only returned one item.
* A guarantee shows that we have confidence in our product and/or service. A well known speaker, Fred Gleeck, who sells thousands of tapes and other says that if we are afraid to offer a guarantee, it means that we don't think our products are good enough. He offers a lifetime, money back guarantee on any tape or tape series. Very few ever come back.
* A guarantee will make us work even harder to please. Subconsciously if we know that there is a guarantee, we will be adverse to cutting any corners or overlooking the small, usually insignificant details.
* Every entrepreneur who has started offering a guarantee has told me that their sales of products and/or services have at least doubled. Yes, a few people have taken advantage of the guarantee, but the extra sales have more than compensated.

I am worried that people will take advantage of the guarantee.

* Yes, unfortunately, there are those who will take advantage of the offer. I know people who buy tapes, make copies and return them. There are others who will wear a gown to a party and then return it the next day. My feeling, however, is that the majority of people are honest and will appreciate our willingness to offer a guarantee.
* For years I worked in a restaurant where we offered a 100% satisfaction guarantee. We had our own standards, and even if a guest didn't realize it, if their meal didn't arrive at their table by our time specifications, a manager would visit their table and tell them that we were buying everything. We never had to advertise. Our message of excellent service was broadcast for us.
* For my Special Reports and my Presentations' e-book, I offer a 100% money back guarantee if buyers are not pleased with the quantity and quality of the information contained. And, for my Development and Design business of Custom Websites, I offer the guarantee that I will continue working and tweaking until my client is completely satisfied.

What can you guarantee, or do you guarantee? I feel that the stronger the guarantee, the more confidence and credibility we exude. If we are afraid to offer a guarantee, is it because we are not sure of the value of our work? And, if we are not sure of the value, how can we convince others to buy from us and/or hire us? If we do offer a money-back guarantee, and a large number of people use it, it probably means that we need to re-evaluate and upgrade our work, our prices and ourselves. Weighty questions, I know, but to jump to the next plateau, we need to ask them.

Chris King is a free agent, professional speaker, storyteller, writer, website creator / designer, and fitness instructor. Chris has what she calls a “Portfolio Career” --many careers at the same time. If you wonder if you could handle and love having a “Portfolio Career” you will find a free assessment to take at http://www.creativekeys.net/portfoliocareertest.htm Sign up for her eclectic E-newsletter, Portfolio Potpourri, at http://www.freelanceliving.com You will find Chris’ business website at http://www.creativekeys.biz

Fundraising Mailing Lists: How List Brokers Can Help

2006-03-03T13:33:00.000-08:00

Last time I checked, there were 25,000 response lists and 50,000 compiled lists currently on the market. Among all of these lists, you'll find hundreds that work for fundraising appeals. Actually, you likely won't find them. Locating the best names for your mailing is complicated and best left to an experienced list broker.

A list broker is a specialist who researches and recommends lists for you, and manages all the paperwork and other details of renting the list.

An experienced list broker:

* helps you find new lists
* identifies profitable segments on unlikely lists
* helps you create a matrix for testing your mailing against other lists
* negotiates the best prices for you with the list owner
* recommends other media (such as email) to consider testing
* makes sure the list gets to your lettershop on time
* helps you evaluate your response rates, gift income and other results
* manages invoicing for lists you rent

A Typical List Rental Transaction

1. You phone a list broker that specializes in the non-profit sector
2. You describe your organization’s mission, including what you do and who you help
3. You describe your ideal donor (such as "female, 55 years old, married, owns home, $150,000 household income, cares about animal welfare, lives in the United States and responds to direct mail fundraising appeals from animal rights organizations")
4. You email the list broker a PDF sample of the direct mail package that you are going to mail to the list, and the list broker forwards it to the list owner
5. The list owner reviews and approves your package
6. You tell the list broker the following
1. the selects you want, if any*
2. how many names you want to order
3. when you will mail your piece
4. when you need to receive the names
5. where you want the names to be sent (your lettershop, usually)
7. The list broker prepares your list and sends it to your lettershop or service bureau
8. Your lettershop keys your reply device and other components so you can track the results of this mailing back to this list
9. You mail your package to the names on the list
10. You process each donation you receive, adding the names to your database (they are yours to keep), and flagging each new donor record to note the package and list used to acquire the donor

* A select is a process that the list broker conducts on your behalf to choose only some names from the entire list. You might ask the broker to select names from a particular zip code, for example, and only rent you those names.

Mailing list brokers know the industry. The firms they work for have researched and tested thousands of lists. So working with a qualified mailing list broker is vital.

© 2006 Sharpe Copy Inc. You may reprint this article online and in print provided the links remain live and the content remains unaltered (including the "About the Author" message)

Viral Marketing: Putting Your Networking On Steroids

2006-03-01T14:29:00.000-08:00

Viral marketing is a term that has been floating around for nearly a decade. It is a form of marketing that relies on creating a message or a product that is so captivating and so compelling that it is almost impossible for recipients not to pass it along to their networking contacts, who in turn, will pass it along to their networking contacts, etc., etc., etc. until there is a huge surge in brand awareness and demand for your product or service.

The classic example of viral marketing is Hotmail, which, as you know, offers a f.r.e.e e-mail service to people on the Internet. Unfortunately, when Hotmail started out, not too many people knew about it.

To remedy that, the powers that be at Hotmail added a little caption promoting their service at the bottom at of each of their e-mails. Within a year and a half, they had over 12 million subscribers. That's when Microsoft stepped in and purchased it for $400 million. Not bad for a free service, huh?

Fast forward a few years and we've got people in many, many fields creating marketing messages that enlist the recipients as a voluntary sales force; people who receive the message, spread the message like wildfire throughout their various business and social networks. Just think of all the e-mail jokes you receive and you'll know what I'm talking about.

We can accomplish on the Internet in seconds what it would take us months or even years to accomplish offline. With just the click of a mouse a message can be sent to hundreds or even thousands of people. The result is that our networking efforts can produce monumental results.

Look at Scott Stratten. He's a guy who created a short video that was seen by more than a million people on the Internet and brought him over 70,000 new subscribers to his newsletter. (Are you starting to see the power of all this?)

Ah, but what if you don't have the money to make short movies or if you haven't got a creative bone in your body? Then you must do whatever you can do to have your marketing message seen by as many people as possible that, in turn, will pass that message on to others. Here are just a few things you can try:

* Create a simple mailing list (perhaps something like a quote of the day) - with inspirational, educational or funny content that will be passed from one person to another. At the bottom of each issue put a small message about yourself and your offerings.

* If you send a newsletter, be sure to ask readers to pass copies along in every issue.

* Put a tell-a-friend form on your Web site.

* Use autoresponders to stay in touch with your prospects and customers. Give tem unexpected bonuses that they can pass on to others.

* Get as much media coverage as possible by sending press releases regularly.

* Enter into joint ventures with people who share your target market and cross-pollinate your mailing lists while you each endorse the other.

* Submit articles to article banks and your name will be seen over and over again when the articles are used in newsletters and placed on different Web sites.

* Create affiliate programs for your products and services. Let others promote you to their networks.

* Write an e-book that you give away and allow others to give away or sell, if they wish, as long as they do not alter it. Naturally, your marketing message will be front and center.

Bottom Line: If you want your success to be outrageous, make sure your message is contagious.

Leni Chauvin, The Client Attraction Coach,™ is a leading authority on business networking and client attraction marketing. She helps self-employed and commissioned professionals attract more clients and make more money without them having to spend a fortune to do it. For tons of F-R-E-E networking and marketing resources, including the e-course, "7 Key Client Attraction Strategies for Solo Professionals" visit http://www.attractclientsgalore.com

Direct Mail Letter Design Tips For Improved Lead Generation Response

2006-02-17T12:19:00.000-08:00

Successful sales people dress their best when in front of prospects. And so do successful sales letters. Here are some tested sales letter design and layout tips, some of them from direct mail designer Ted Kikoler, and excerpted from The Lead Generation Handbook by Bob Bly.

FONTS

* Use a serif typeface for the body. A popular choice is to set the body in Times Roman and the headlines and subheads in Helvetica bold.
* Type the body of the letter in black. Use an accent color for subheads if you wish.
* To add emphasis to your headline, make it bold, a larger point size than the letter, and center it.
* Make sure your typeface is large enough for your readers.

MARGINS

* With a standard 8 ½'' x 11'' letter, set your margins at one inch on all sides.
* Make the right-hand margin "ragged right" (also called "left justified"; never justify it).

INDENTATIONS

* Indent all paragraphs five characters.
* For block quotes and other copy that you want to highlight, indent the entire paragraph by 10 characters on each side.

PARAGRAPHS

* Keep your first sentence and first paragraph short.
* Limit all paragraphs to seven lines.
* Single space the letter.
* Put one blank line between all paragraphs.
* Never end the last sentence on the page with a period. Always break the sentence in two so that the reader must turn the letter over and keep reading.
* Do not add "Over, please" to the bottom right. That's patronizing.

SUBHEADS

* If you want your letter to look like personal correspondence, do not use subheads.
* If using subheads, center them and make them bold.
* Do not set subheads in all caps.

EMPHASIS

* Use emphasis sparingly. If you emphasize everything you emphasize nothing.
* Underline words or phrases that should be emphasized.
* If you have facts to present, render them as a bulleted list.
* If you have a number of points to present in order, render them as a numbered list.

THE END

* Shorten the first name of the writer to sound friendlier and to close the gap between reader and writer: Bill sounds better than William, Kathy sounds better than Kathryn.
* Make the signature legible.
* If you are mailing small quantities (say, a few hundred at a time), print the letter without a signature, then sign each one individually with a blue pen. This creates a look and a feel very close to a personal letter.
* Indent the entire body copy of the P.S. by five characters so the letter's P.S. stands out.

© 2006 Sharpe Copy Inc. You may reprint this article online and in print provided the links remain live and the content remains unaltered (including the "About the Author" message).

Trade Show Displays - Being Different is a Good Thing

2006-02-16T08:24:00.000-08:00

Be careful about choosing your next trade show display. With all the cookie cutter popup trade show displays being sold today via the web and particularly with the competitive prices, it may be tempting to save the $2000 on your next display by purchasing one of these booths online. You know the ones I'm talking about, the $995 popup display special. However, prior to looking at your initial savings with these cheap popup displays keep in mind the big picture. Your total trade show effort using this booth may be well over $100,000 throughout the next year or two considering all the costs for travel, show space, hotel, staff time, etc.

If you can create a unique appearance with a different booth by spending a couple thousand more up front, you only increase your total cost for trade show marketing by 2%. A 2% increase for being unique at the trade show where all your competitors are will pay off handsomely in exposure, leads and return on that trade show invested dollar.

Our experience has shown that the unique looks, like the Expression popup display, or the stowaway load bearing truss system, or the new Orbital truss system; while costing a little more up front return much more on the backside by separating yourself from your competition.

Bob Albright is a trade show display consultant and principle with Midland Display. He has over 20 years experience in the trade show display business, selling and designing trade show displays.

Trade Show Planning – The BDA 10 - "During the Show"

2006-02-06T11:32:00.000-08:00

My last article on "Before the Show" planning went on like a broken record about how important it was to have all the details checked and double-checked prior to "Showtime!". Well guess what? It doesn't stop there! Sure, you had to have all of your ducks in a row to make it this far, but now comes the make-it-or-break-it phase. This is where you meet real live clients. Are you ready? Here are my top ten things to do DURING the Trade Show to help ensure your success.

During the Show

1. Set up a (fair) booth schedule for your people.

You and your people need breaks for lunch and relaxing. Everyone will be more cheerful and productive if they don't have to stay at the booth all day long.

2. Have your people record all prospect information.

Encourage your Trade Show personnel to record everything they can learn about a prospect's needs. Stress the importance of getting correct phone numbers and email addresses. Create an information form if you have to, or just make sure you get business cards from everyone. Cross reference if you must with the attendees list that most Trade Shows have.

3. Encourage your Trade Show personnel to greet people warmly and smile!

Duh … But amazingly, this is often forgotten. A warm, open attitude can give a valuable first impression. Your people should avoid having their backs to the entrance, or taking phone calls while on duty. A friendly greeting to passersby may encourage them to stop and chat, rather than walk on by. Booth Staff who are courteous and helpful, knowledgeable about all aspects of the industry, and responsive to requests will make a very good, professional, impression.

4. Take care of your body, and your body will take care of you …

Trade Shows can be tough on your body, especially if they’re longer than a couple of days. Keep yourself hydrated, avoid too much coffee and don’t overindulge in the nightly Hospitality Suites (Yah, right …). Try to eat balanced meals, and maybe even try out the Hotel’s Fitness Club. Treat Trade Shows as Marathons – the people with energy to spare on the last day of the Trade Show are still selling, and winning!

5. The name’s Bond, … James Bond.

Trade Shows can be a great place to do a little checking up on the ol’ competition. Take time to visit their displays and pick up some of their brochures. Evaluate what you think they’re doing right, and where you can learn from their mistakes.

6. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery (… and it’s cheaper, too!)

Some companies spend a great amount of time, effort, and money researching what kind of display creates the best impression. You can do the same by walking around the Trade Show and seeing what are the most eye-catching, popular booths. Be sure to take a digital camera.

7. Check out NEXT year’s location.

If you’re convinced that this Trade Show is a “must attend” for next year, decide now where next year’s booth should be located. If you registered late, you may currently be languishing in the Siberia of some back alley, so identify where all the “in crowd” hang out – and book early!

8. Don’t be afraid to “schedule” prospects.

You’ve got a hot prospect, but you know they’re going to monopolize your time while other prospects wander by. Suggest to them that you very much want to devote more of your time and energy into every aspect of their needs and pain, and book an appointment for them to come back, perhaps during the last afternoon of the Trade Show, a traditionally “slower” time. (Make sure you have their business card and local contact number, before you let them go!)

9. People (and Staff) are not created equal.

The best teams are not made up of individuals with exactly the same strengths and talents. If someone on your staff is a great “Greeter”, have them pulling people in to the booth and handing them off to your “Details” people. Don’t have your top Closer caught up in the minutia of how your 9457 AT7 widget can interconnect with the 8354 ZX9 gizmo if you add the 3291 HG1 “thingamabop”. And don’t have that brainy (but introverted) Tech Support guy try to smooze the room. If your staff are comfortable doing what they’re doing, it shows – and it pays off!

10. It’s not over ‘til the Fat Lady sings.

The booth is being ripped apart, you’re tired, and just want to go home and relax your “smile” muscles, so of course you can relax, right? Wrong! Besides the oh-so-important details like having your display materials actually make it back to the office, instead of spending a week in Hoboken, you’re still in a prime location for making (albeit, brief) contacts. Keep the energy up; trade business cards in the elevator or while waiting for the shuttle, because you just know that 95% of your competition have already stopped selling.

Jim Hawkins works at Windward Software, developers of Point of Sale software, and, among other things, is responsible for organizing Trade Show attendance. While he doesn’t actually attend many, he does love to tell people what to do.

How to Retain Top Sales Talent

2006-02-03T09:29:00.000-08:00

Of constant concern in senior management ranks is the turnover rate of their sales members. If your goal is to stabilize the sales team, improve their performance and retain your top performers, then you will want to read on.

Understanding why sales people leave is critical. It is not money! In fact studies validate that money is way down the list of why sales people leave. Sales people leave when a whole set of other factors come into play and make the job of achieving their goals difficult to reach. Therefore to retain the staff of sales performers that make the difference, management must institute fundamentally sound sales management practice, as we will see.

The Starting Point

To begin with, sales managers must develop realistic goals and objectives with their team members. These should be mutually discussed and agreed upon collaboratively. Why? Necessity dictates both have bought in to what needs to be done, when it needs to be done and what resources will be required to deliver the results. After that, monitoring progress attainment can be accomplished using a management by exception system.

When sales management takes a hands off attitude toward developing common goals and objectives with sales reps you can bet it will not be long before performance issues arise. Furthermore, with a plan, sales management is proactive rather than reactive, or worst of all, inactive. Setting goals and objectives, observing their completion and monitoring success are functions of sound sales management. Winging it, if you will, leaves far too much to chance and luck.

At the end of the day, “What can be measured gets accomplished”.

Sales People are the Manager’s Customers

The best performers as a general rule know that to use the resources of the entire organization helps them present a more professional image and increases the probability of a sale. Sales managers who spend time with their representatives in the field always have better performing teams. Joint calls permit the sales manager to coach and do on the job training with the sales people. The manager is able to observe skill set improvement, determine loss in skill capability and test the current sales person attitude. Sales managers who spend time with their people have a customer care attitude. In this case, they are taking care of their customers- the sales force.

Look at Sales Rep Aggravations

1.Sales managers who take over

Skilled sales managers are involved listeners in the sales calls. They do not take them over. When the manager takes over the calls, the customer unfortunately may see him/her now in a sales role, and not as a manager. How can the sales manager and the sales rep know what they did or did not do well in the call? Solid sales people enjoy the opportunity to demonstrate their ability especially in front of the boss. Use this as a perfect opportunity to compliment them for work well done, or assist them in improving their sales skills. Wait until the call is over and do the “post Mortem” afterwards in the car, or over lunch in a constructive and non-threatening manner.

2.Sales managers who don’t listen or want info

Sales managers who pay attention and listen to what their representatives are saying to them without fear of retribution establish and maintain solid trust. If management acts in an arrogant fashion and ignores the issues that sales identifies, it will not be long before defections occur. There is no better way to gain the respect of a sales team than by sincerely listening to their sales related issues. Pay attention to what they are saying, then do your part to make the adjustments and improvements as necessary.

3.Managers who lose their cool

Consistency is the hallmark of emotionally mature and self-confident sales managers. For example, does the sales manager maintain composure in times of stress, or does the sales force receive temper tantrums and unprofessional behavior when sales miscues occur.

4.Managers who play favorites

Is there evenness in supervising the sales staff, or are there glaring examples of out and out favoritism. Talk about discouragement! Try and imagine the mentality of an over achiever who observes blatant examples of someone else being played favorite. Sales people have pretty developed radar and antennas when it comes to such management behavior. Aspire towards fairness and evenhandedness. Make sure you let your sales representatives know they are being measured for sales results, and leave politics to government! You will be amazed at how well the sales team responds and how the general morale of the group improves.

How’s your Sales Culture?

In far too many companies the conventional wisdom is if we build it or have it, they will buy it. If that were the case, you would not need sales people!

The very finest companies tend to attract, engage and retain the best and the brightest. Recent studies confirm the best product; service or system will be marginally successful unless it is properly presented into the marketplace. This takes sales people. Look at the consequences of having an ineffective sales culture and determine those elements needed to build a positive one.

Tend to Your Knitting

Why is it that the companies that have the most efficient internal operations expect and get more sales results from the external operations, namely the sales department?

Inspect your policies, internal processes, procedures and practices and programs. Do these actually impede the sales force or get in the way of sales person effectiveness? Do they actually encourage sales people to take a sales orientation? Does the sales compensation plan reward the type of behavior and sales achievements you desire? When a company’s internal systems are efficient and effective, you will see a greater amount of sales time being spent selling, rather than saving prior orders and customers. What you desire is the sales team selling, rather than telling.

It may not be that the sales team needs to be motivated as much as the company needs to understand why they are being demotivated.

Sales people will get re-energized when they see barriers and limitations to their effectiveness being addressed and eventually lifted. If the entire company is working towards the same objectives, sales people feel they have some control over their personal destiny. Eliminate the factors causing loss of sales force confidence in the company.

In conclusion, expect results and performance and expect your sales team to respond. Take a proactive position with sales management. Ensure you and they have the same goals in mind for the sales organization. Insist they supervise the activities of the sales staff toward attainment of previously determined objectives. Completion of successful objectives leads to goal attainment, for both the sales team and the sales management. Amazing results transpire. Top performers will know that they are valued members of your company and their contributions are vital to the organization. Then, sales representatives will stay in place when they see their personal and professional goals have a way to be accomplished within your organization.

Don McNamara is a Certified Management Consultant (CMC) and is President of Heritage Associates, Inc. http://www.heritage-associates.net

Heritage Associates is a full service sales management consulting, training and coaching company. Don also speaks and writes on the art and science of superior sales management and top sales performance.

With over 30 years sales experience from the field level to executive sales management, in his career he has been an individual contributor, corporate sales training manager, regional manager, national sales manager and vice president of sales. Don is a member of the Institute of Management Consultants, where he serves as Professional Development Chair and the National Speakers Association.

For a free e-newsletter contact Don McNamara at djmcn@heritage-associates.net or by phone (949) 230-4363.

The Knowledge Broker & How to Speed up ERP Selections

2006-02-02T10:59:00.000-08:00

Think about the following project to initiate. A company is to select a new software system; for example an Enterprise Resource Planning, or ERP system.

Finding ERP suppliers is not that hard. Internet is a willing environment to organize this preliminary step in the selection process. Then (or before) you need some requirements and selection criteria. In the next step you should filter the initial group to a shortlist of high potentials.

Both in the initial long-list phase as in the next sequence with the short-list, you need to match your demand characteristics with those of the suppliers. The challenge pops up in asking the (right) questions – this is usually done in a Request for Information (RFI) or in a later stage the Request For Proposal (RFP). This is the challenge to set the questions up in a form that all participants understand the same format.

This is a knowledge management problem. You request information, but behind this information is a huge amount of knowledge hidden. Even if you ask the suppliers to draw some pictures you are not able to compare these. All picture, models and schemes are most of the time proprietary.

The solution…

The solution is to direct to an independent third party. This could be an independent advisor, not offering (software) solutions.

The external advisor is to prepare a format in which not only the most essential information is gathered (from the suppliers), but also the essential (explicit) knowledge behind it. The demanding company could still setup its own requirements. The management advisor -- in the role of knowledge broker -- is to translate these requirements to a universal (not proprietary) form and have the suppliers respond to it.

The Benefits…

objective and independent advice
scalable: the advice could be up to any level of detail
It takes care that all participants (including the initiating company) provide accurate information.
reducing time and (other) resources

Hans Bool is the founder of Astor White a traditional management consulting company that offers online management advice. Astor Online solves issues in hours what normally would take days. You can apply for a free demo account

Marketing Made Easy!

2006-02-01T12:42:00.000-08:00

Does your business need more customers?

I think I already know your answer... Of course!

Do you realise that is the biggest problem virtually all business owners face, yet they do nothing about month after month and even year after year?

Why?

I don't know. The solution is SIMPLE! Go and get more customers.

How you ask? Good question! Now you're about to learn something fantastic...

To get more customers than are you getting now, first of all it’s a good idea to know how many you are getting now! Does that make sense? If you know where your customers are coming from now, you're part way there to solving the problem of knowing where to get more.

95% of all business owners I meet don't know how many customers they are getting now... in this last week.

Do you know how many paying customers you had buy from you last week? No? Then I suggest you go find out.

Then you're ready for step 2. Don't read on until you have started on step 1 and gone and worked out how many sales you had last week, okay?

Did you go and do it? Well.... This article isn't going anywhere, so off you go. Go measure and come back.

Okay. Can I assume you went and did it? No? Well how come? I'm trying to help you here. :-)

Step 2. Now that you have measured (!) what did you find?

Over the next week I want you to start asking people how they found out about you. It’s simple. That's all you have to do.

People don't mind you doing it either. Do it with every sale, preferably with every phone call too.

Over the week collate how many calls and customers come from different ads etc. Tally up each form of paid promotion and see where the customers are coming from. You'll be amazed at the result, I guarantee it.

So just do this step and you're ready for step 3. If you haven't done step 2, or even step 1, because you are too busy... remember it’s not a busy-ness that gives you more money, it’s a business.

Step 3. Now that you know where you customers come from, how many come from each paid promotion and how many find you through referrals or other means, it’s time to simply improve on those strategies and even create some new ones.

Lets break that into two areas...

Step 4. This is where I will touch on how to improve what form of promotion you are using now.

Improving is easy! Yet so few people do anything about this. All you have to do is read one book and you will start to know how to make an improvement.

Have you read the book on advertising, "Scientific Advertising" by Claude Hopkins? If not why not? It’s free from many websites, including my own you can see at the bottom of this article.

Again, being busy makes no difference to growing your business or getting more customers. Isn't that what you need? You'll always have a need to get new customers while you're in business, so learning how TODAY is the beginning of solving the problem forever!

Read Scientific Advertising. If you have already read it, well done! Now I suggest you read it again as reading it once won't get it all to sink in.

Just changing the top 20% of the ad to remove your business name or logo then putting a headline of some sort across the top of your ad beginning with "How to…" and finishing it with a benefit relative for your industry will probably triple your responses. People don't care what your business name is before they have ever bought from you. Do they?

Step 5. This is where we need to look at how to get more customers. I could (and have) written a book on this. This is such a huge subject I won't go into it too deeply.

But let me suggest that nearly ALL businesses can benefit from simply running an ad in their local newspaper.

Yes you heard right. The newspaper is a super profitable means of getting new customers, mainly because tens of thousands of people read the newspaper every single week and you can tell them about your business just by spending some money on an ad.

If you've "tried" newspaper advertising and it didn't work for you I suggest you open your mind to the idea again. Here's why...

Reason 1. Every business owner I have ever met, before I worked with them, has tried newspaper ads and has failed to get enough sales to pay for it from the profit of sales. That's because they or the newspaper designed it themselves and neither of them has read a book from any of the top advertising legends in the world... ever!

Reason 2. By reading 1 or more books you can make a poor ad that gets no calls into a super profitable ad, in one week!

Reason 3. You only have to run an ad once to see if it works. No $5,000 commitments like radio, or TV.

Reason 4. If you take the time to study success principles of advertising you can get a fantastic number of customers, in fact more than you can handle! When that happens you just run the ad anytime you'd like more customers. How does that sound?

Reason 5. You can test a new ad design for just $200 or less, so there's low risk.

With newspaper ads you need to run them on page 3, 5, 7 or 9. No later!

If you don’t then you won't get the best value for money. More people read these pages than any other, that's why the newspaper charges you extra for it. But wouldn’t you like to get 5 - 10 times better response by paying 30% more?

I know I would!

Getting an education about effective advertising and marketing is the best education you will ever get. Yet virtually no one in business bothers doing it.

You will always need to get new customers.

Now here is the most powerful thing I can teach you about marketing.

"The aim of marketing is to generate more customers than you can handle!"

When you have more customers than you can handle, it becomes a supply and demand situation. If there is a scarcity of supply, due to demand, it means you can put your prices up.

And when you put your prices up you make more net profit margin. That means more take home pay for YOU without more hours of work, or extra employees, or stress.

Has that motivated you to want to do more marketing and become a student of it?

White Papers In Business-To-Business Direct Mail Lead Generation: How To Name Them

2006-01-31T08:41:00.000-08:00

es, white papers are an effective way to generate leads with business buyers. But the tricky part is getting your white paper into the hands of those buyers in the first place.

The best place to start is the topic and title of your white paper. You need a relevant topic and you need a compelling title. A poor topic with a great title will perform just as poorly as a great topic with a poor title.

How to choose your white paper topic
My thanks go to Paul DiModica, President of Digital Hatch, an IT sales and marketing consultancy, for his insights in this area. When Paul sits down to create a white paper aimed at management prospects, he picks a topic that answers the most common sales objections that sales people hear.

Here’s what he does. He gets together with the sales people who move the product or service he is promoting. He asks them to list the top 20 sales objections that they hear from management prospects. Then he writes white papers to answer these objections, one white paper for each objection, being sure to keep the discussion in each one objective and free from self-promotion.

The secret to a successful white paper, says DiModica, is to address the one reason that management is reluctant to buy, while avoiding any mention of features and benefits offered by what you are selling.

How to name your white paper
DiModica has a unique way of titling his white papers, too. In every white paper title he tries to put the following:

the sales objection raised by management
the job title of the management prospect who raises that objection
the industry of that management prospect

Here is an example of how this works:

Industry: Restaurants
Product: Automated time and attendance system
Buyer title: Payroll manager
Sales objection: Can’t afford it
White paper title: How Restaurant Payroll Managers are Recovering their Investment in Automated Time and Attendance Systems Within Months.

DiModica says this method works because prospects see their job title, industry and sales objection in the title of the white paper, and are thus more inclined to read it than they are to read a product brochure. Managers pass white papers along to their peers. But they file unsolicited product brochures in “the file that is emptied daily,” says DiModica.

If you’d like to learn more about Paul DiModica’s innovative approach, read his excellent book, How to Sell to Management.

And if you need help crafting that white paper, or the sales letter that offers it to your business prospects, give me a call. My number is 1 877 SHARPE COPY (742-7732).

De-Mystifying Catalog Design

2006-01-30T08:22:00.000-08:00

Your catalog is designed with one purpose – to make people aware of the products you offer, and convince them to buy. Your printed catalog is your Advertising vehicle, a good one will drive your sales right to the bank.

An online version of your print catalog is highly recommended – the USPS reports that 55% of online shoppers shop with a printed catalog in hand. Cover these five areas with the help of advertising professionals who will design, photograph, write -- and get your catalog online.

1. Product Photography

High Quality – poor quality photos diminish your credibility
Image Focus – whether sharp or selective, be consistent with your brand
Color – accuracy is a must and depends on paper, prepress, and printing
Consistency – of style regardless of type (silo, background, location)
Visual interest – all your photos should be interesting to look at
Space allotment – bigger is better, use as much space as possible

2. Product Copy

Balancing act – romance with personality plus descriptive information of product
Always benefit driven – customers want to know “What’s in it for me?”
Always credible – accurate, authoritative, helpful and informative
Targeted to the audience – know who you’re speaking to and use appropriate language
Easy to read and understand – readers don’t want to have to figure it out for themselves
Space allotment & size – consider brand, product being sold, and target audience

3. Page Layout

Product is focus – quick identification of what’s being sold
Price point visibly noticeable – especially if price is your niche
Clean and simple and easy to shop – readers usually don’t spend a lot of time
Consistent in format and purpose – all pages should look like they’re from the same brand
Space allotment – good design sense is key here
White space – rest for the eye is critical
Location of information/order form – make it easy for the customer to purchase
Overall print quality – must be consistent with your brand

4. Front Cover

An invitation – inviting the reader to open the catalog
Provide a taste of what’s inside – use top sellers
Point to purpose of catalog – is there a season or other reason
Focus on merchandise – you are what you sell
Convey company image – ALWAYS be consistent with your brand
Provide stopping power and reason to go inside – there’s a lot of competition out there
Highlight new products – especially if you carry the same items each month
Sell company services/policies/extras – sell your customer service right up front

5. Company Policies and Services

Guarantee – strong return policy visually evident
Make shopping simple – customers will go elsewhere if not
Ordering info – placed where easy to find
Web address – placed where it’s easy to find, and specify online services
Personalize and caring feeling – utilizing demographic information and purchasing history
Going beyond basic services – poor or non-existent customer service is not an option
Honesty and Sincerity – be your image. Don’t ever promise what you cannot deliver

Linda Lullie is co-owner of Inspired 2 Design, LLC – a full service Advertising Design & Production company specializing in Small Business Marketing Solutions. Free Consultation and Special Value-Added Packages for Start-Up Companies. Visit them at http://www.inspired2designllc.com

Article may be reprinted only with Author's bio and links intact.

25 Points To Create Your Own Winning Sales Letters

2006-01-26T11:29:00.000-08:00

The below table of content is my copywriting checklist, that I've been using for the past 2 years to create dynamic and powerful sales letters for my clients. And I hope it will do the same to you when applied in full.

#1, The Headline must promise your prospects with a compelling benefit and answer their one and only questions - What's in it for me?

This is no doubt many super copywriters have been emphasizing about the headline to be the single most important element that gives a strong, unwavering promise to end your prospects' problems. You'll be amaze to see your prospect will do anything to buy from you.

#2, Make your headline being able to capture readers attention

To stand out among many others sales letters that may have bombarding your readers, you have to create a headline that invokes emotions in them. Feelings of anger, joy, sadness and even the most powerful emotion of all - jealousy are in fact will dwell prospects to buy from you immediately.

Remember to always use a strong guarantee to back your outrageous claims and promises from your headline. The best way to lead readers are putting the headline in the form of a question that readers can only find then answers in the body of your sales letter.

Here are some of the tested and proven powerful selling words that I use to aid in my headline so it will have hypnotic effects the readers.

Free
New
Amazing
At Last
Finally
Revolutionary
Now You Can
Discover The
Powerful
How To
Secret
Introducing

#3, Make sure your headline interest your readers.

These are my personal collection on the universal themes that everyone as long as you're a human being are interested in.

money making tips
how to become popular
sex definitely still sells!
save money
tips to look and feel better
babies
big cars and big houses
men and women health issues

Use your creativity and find out other more interest that will applies in your niche. Always remember to put yourself at readers' view and use your niche language to create a more personalized approach.

#4, Write your headline with the first alphabet of every word capitalized and add quotation marks to enclose the entire headline.

Here's an example of my favorite:

"Who else wants to make US$500 an hour with only 2 hours of work?"

#5, Make sure your headline reads well in a flow.

Do this by reading your headline aloud, even better to read it to your friends, make some changes until it sounds right for you and your friends.

#6, Unique Selling Proposition with strong guarantee.

Always have your USP to set you and your competitors apart, and make sure it gives a compelling reason why people should buy from you, and not from your competitors.

#7, Start addressing your readers with proper salutation.

The commonly being use is "friend". There're others that will address your niche audience for better response such as:

Dear Marketer,
Dear Merchant Account Owner,
Dear Doctor,
Dear Writer,
Dear Business Owner and other more.

#8, Keep your story to the point!

If you're using story to start your first paragraph, make sure the it has a great leading story that leads your readers suck back to your point.

You have to impress your English teacher when comes to write a sales letter, use simple language and short sentences that are easy to read.

#9, Opening paragraph must be emotional that contains a hook that paint vivid pictures in readers head.

One of my favorite way to write a good copy is to start writing my letter with an emotional story, which it will never fail to capture readers' attention.

We are all children once who love to hear stories, and we still are the same children that will never get bored with magical stories. Take control and use this to tell stories that will lead to your purpose of the sales letter.

#10, Check and make sure your is addressing to only one person.

Nobody likes to read in a group; therefore you don’t need to address your readers as a group of people. This is also an important element that makes your sales letter as personal as possible, like a letter from a close friend.

#11, The body of your copy should be reader oriented.

Everybody loves to hear themselves from others, hence the offer in the letter should always be your readers. The only time to mention about you and others is in your stories and testimonials of the products or services.

Also remember to have more YOU's and I's in the content. It can be done by changing your sentences and address the reader directly.

Example: I will teach you how to make $500 an hour.

You will learn how to make $500 an hour.

#12, Direct your readers with compelling subheadlines.

Subheadline is the second most important element in copywriting. It is a mini headline for every broken up chapters in your letter. This gives the readers a direction and make it easier for readers to follow the trend of your story.

#13, Write the letter with your prospect's language.

Write and tell story in your targeted audience's language, they will find it is easy to read and find a personal touch from your letter.

It's hard to believe by writing sales letters with undoubtedly simple English sell much better than using Oxford University English. To help your prospect to make that fast decision to buy from you, help them understand your letter FAST.

#14, People are curious towards everything, well...almost.

Use stories that will dwell your readers’ curiosity wanting to know more of your offers and make it impossible to stop reading.

In fact, many human psychology books have stated that human do not like or being uncomfortable leaving things half done.

In writing a sales letter, you could use the above human behavior to create a sense of expectation for the reader to link from one paragraph to the other and it leads till the end.

#15, Fill your content with energetic, passionate and pumped up about your products or services you're promoting.

Only write letter for products and services you 100% believe in. And you shall create an energetic and passionate sales letter.

#16, Be Honest.

As the world's first "hypnotic writer" - Joe Vitale has written in his "Unspoken Marketing Secrets" ebook that says: "#13: People know when you are lying, though some may mistrust their own instincts."

So be sure that you write your copy with sincere and honestly.

#17, Don't make your offer sounds too-good-to-be-true and be specific.

People buy with 2 thinking process: emotional and logical thinking. Some are even a mix of both. Joe Vitale continue to mentioned this in his ebook that majority of us buy with their emotional reasons, and then back up with their own logic.

So do spend some time to insert logical reasons for your prospects in every emotional sales pitch from your letter.

Be as precise and specific as possible in your offers and benefits. Use words like, "How To Increase Your Sales by 88.7% more within 2 months!"

Another killer is to end the sales by offering a risk free guarantee such that they will have no qualms about making a decision on the spot.

#18, Use bullet form only for the benefits of the features.

Example of feature and benefits are below:

Feature - This website templates package comes with 306 different designs.

Benefit of this feature - With 306 different website templates designs, you can now save time and start using them instantly without going through long-hour of designing your own templates anymore!

#19, To have irresistible offer and back up with strong testimonials that respond to your prospect’s needs.

Craft your offer and make it attractive until no sane person can ever refuse. You could over deliver them with insane bonus that worth 10 times more than what the product cost and close the deal with money back guarantee up to 90 days.

Back your offer up with testimonials, this always pulls consistently and significantly higher sales for you. Ask your customers to be precise writing testimonials for you, state their name, address, and even better, to insert website address of that person.

#20, Make your prospect a call to action to act NOW!

Don't forget to include a call to action to remind your prospect to act now. Majority people will forget what they've read and walk away from your offer FOREVER if they don't take the offer on the spot.

It's so important to make it easy and hassle free for them to order by including as many payment options as possible.

#21, Put scarcism for your prospects.

Don't give time for your prospects who will only take it for granted. Create urgency for them with limited time and copies so they will order and buy it on the spot.

#22, Use P.S. in every copy you write.

Survey has shown that majority people read P.S. (postscripts) right after they read the headline. So it is wise that you use it to include the summary and reinforce your offers again.

#23, Make the letter easy to read for the eyes,

Use short sentences in short paragraphs Use suitable font types and different sizes Manage the format well such as some words need to be bold, italics and underline Always use white background

#24, Sign your name with a proper signature and address yourself clearly.

It shall give a more personalized feeling if you include a scanned signature by hand into your letter.

#24, Finally, make your readers feels like they can actually see, hear and feel who they are speaking.

Make your letter contain a 'human touch' that makes the character of the writer comes right through.

Bonus: Prepare an opt-in email list for readers who want to think over before they buy from you.

Many first-time readers will not order from you on the spot. Give them a chance to hear from you by setting up your own follow-up system such as e-zines, newsletters and e-postcards.

This is a checklist that I've been using to write my sales letters and now it will guide you in the correct way. Ensure to fulfill all the above points when writing your own sales letter.

Edwin Lim is a freelance copywriter living in Malaysia. You can visit his Website at http://www.webblogerz.com.

This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Edwin_Lim

Are Your Internet Marketing Efforts Escaping the Dreaded Kuske Principle?

2006-01-26T11:07:00.000-08:00

At one point in college I studied to be a teacher. And I had a professor who knew education theory like most of us know our names. And I learned an incredibly valuable lesson from him that I've found holds true in just about every area of life.

Unfortunately, the lesson wasn't something he tried to teach me. It was, though, one of the most important lessons I've ever learned and one that guides everything I do in Internet marketing. And that's why, with both apologies and thanks to him, I've given the principle his name: the Kuske Principle.

As I say, Professor Kuske was an encyclopedia of information about education. But he wasn't all that successful at practicing it.

You always knew when Professor Kuske was about to impart a particularly important point. He would lean way back in his chair, put his fingertips together in a steeple and start tapping them. A smug expression would creep over his face. He would let loose with the vaguest, most obscure question you could imagine, then sit back and wait for us to answer.

We never had any idea what he was getting at. The first couple of days, some of us made fumbling attempts to answer. But nobody ever answered his questions right. No matter how close you got, it was never quite what he wanted. And his expression would grow more and more smug until he finally answered it himself.

Now, I know he was following good educational principles, trying to get us to think through the questions and figure out the answers for ourselves. But his questions were so vague that there was no way in the world ANYONE had a ghost of a chance of getting them right.

Eventually, we gave up even trying to answer. Every time he asked a question, everyone quickly stared down at their notes until he proudly revealed the answer.

The great life lesson I learned from him came when I ventured out to teach my first practice class. I quickly grew frustrated with my students. They didn't even try to answer my questions. They just stared down at their desks.

And then I noticed.

I was leaning way back in my chair. My fingers were tapping together in a steeple. And I realized I was asking questions every bit as bewildering as Professor Kuske's best mind-muddlers.

Without intending to, I was patterning myself after Professor Kuske.

What I realized is that when people learn a new skill, they subconsciously pattern themselves after bad examples rather than good. I've seen this at work in just about every field I've been in since then. And Internet marketing is no exception.

Why is it that new business owners write copy for their site that is either terminally dull and lifeless or drowning in hype? It's the Kuske Principle at work. Why do new web designers cram every distracting animation and do-dad they can into their site? Again, it's the Kuske Principle.

Good writing, good design, and good marketing come across to us as so natural and, well, so right that we're simply caught up in it. We lose sight of all the techniques and craftsmanship that made it so effective.

Bad writing, bad design, and bad marketing, on the other hand, are so blatant in their attempts to manipulate that we are painfully aware of all the awkward pieces that are badly cobbled into them.

Sure, we're turned off by bad examples, but when called upon to write copy or design a site or market a product, what techniques for doing so come to our mind? Of course! Those wretched techniques that were so obvious are ingrained in our minds as the way that task is supposed to be done.

So how can we avoid falling victim to the Kuske Principle in our businesses?

The moment I realized what I was doing in the classroom, I started searching my memory for classes I enjoyed and learned the most in. And I started to consciously watch those teachers who made classes a joy and an adventure. I consciously studied the ways they taught.

It takes that kind of conscious effort to discard the bad examples and learn from the good. But consciously studying those examples of good marketing that you come across - the ones that we would otherwise simply get caught up in - is an education you can't buy at any price.

Keywords: internet marketing, training, starting business online

About the Author
Jeff Baas, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
More Details about starting small business online here. Jeff Baas is a long-time student of the steps to success required in a wide variety of disciplines. He's found the same principles lead to success in virtually every field, and failure comes when people try to skip around them. See these principles applied to Internet marketing in the Seven Steps to Starting a Small Business Online in the articles, product reviews and free marketing strategies newsletter at http://www.onestopwebsupport.com

Building a Strong Brand: Align the Points of Touch

2006-01-25T07:50:00.000-08:00

One of the simplest ways to build a strong brand is to make sure that every point of contact that prospects and customers have with your company reinforces the brand promise. Although relatively simple in theory, “touch-point alignment” often proves difficult in practice. Consistently reinforcing your brand requires discipline, focus and commitment.

When asked to identify a company’s brand touch points, most people point to the obvious, such as logos and advertisements. In fact, people often think of the logo as the brand and advertising as the primary way to build the brand. In reality, the concept of brand touch points encompasses far more than these basic visual cues. Every point of contact your prospects and customers have with your company and its products and services provides an opportunity to build your brand – or weaken it. How you manage those points of contact determines the relative strength or weakness of your brand.

Every company has an internal and external brand experience, and each plays an important role in developing your overall brand. Picture a massive iceberg floating in the Northern Atlantic. The visible portion poking its head above the ocean’s surface represents a small fraction of the iceberg’s full mass. Similarly, only a small portion of your company’s brand experience – the external part - is highly visible. Much more of your brand lies below the surface and is not as easily recognizable.

A Case in Point

To illustrate our point, let’s look at an extreme example – IBM. For much of its history, IBM had one of the strongest brands in corporate America, arguably in the entire world. By the early 1990s, however, the company’s branding and advertising systems had fallen into a state of chaos. When Lou Gerstener took over as CEO in 1993, he quickly realized that reviving and clarifying the IBM brand was one of his highest priorities.

At the time of Gerstener’s arrival, IBM had more than 70 different ad agencies representing the firm. Each worked with a different product manager, with no central coordination or oversight. A single issue of an industry trade magazine could have up to 18 different IBM ads with 18 different designs, messages, and even logos. The company had hundreds of product brochures, each different enough that it was virtually impossible to tell that they came from the same company. Gerstener likened the situation to “70 little trumpets all tooting simultaneously for attention.”

To wrest control of IBM’s messaging from his country managers, Gerstener brought 35 of them to a conference center in Palisades, New York. He plastered the walls with IBM’s widely disparate advertising, packaging and marketing collateral, creating a veritable train wreck of brand and product positioning. At the end of his presentation, Gerstener posed one question: “Does anyone doubt we can do this better?” Unanimously, the team decided to consolidate IBM’s 70+ advertising relationships into a single global agency. From that point forward, all of IBM’s marketing reinforced one basic positioning message: IBM as global, world-class integrator. The rest is history.

A Question to Ponder and an Exercise

What if you conducted an exercise at your company similar to Gerstener’s branding exercise at IBM? What if you took every one of your company’s brand touch points and spread them across your conference room? Use the following list of touch points to start the process:

Internal Branding (Employees):

• Recruitment

• Advertising

• Website

• Employee Handbook

• Screening Process

• Goals and Objectives

• Review Process

• Compensation Structure

• Internal Communications

• Recognition Programs

• Training and Development

• Promotion Criteria

Retention Branding (Customers):

• Policies and Procedures

• Logo

• Identity

• Website

• Email Marketing

• On Hold

• Receptionist

• Brochures

• Datasheets

• Press Releases

• Advertisements

• Direct Mail

• Catalogs

• Packaging

• Pricing

• Strategic Alliances

• Correspondence

• Announcements

Acquisition Branding (Prospects):

• Customer Service

• Technical Support

• Logistics / Delivery

• Corporate

• Headquarters

• Branch Offices

• Tradeshow Booth

• Business Processes

Financial Branding (Financial Community):

• Press Releases

• Annual Report

• Quarterly Reports

• Analyst Briefings

• Investor Presentation

Every business is different, but chances are good that most, if not all, of these will apply to your business. As you review your various touch points, keep in mind that one of the simplest ways to build a strong brand is to make sure that every point of contact that prospects and customers have with your company reinforces your brand promise. Then ask the following questions:

• Is a singular message reinforced or are there a cacophony of messages?

• Is there a similar look and feel to the messages or do they look like they are from different companies?

• Is the visual imagery the same or is the graphic look (including the pictures) different?

It’s easy to conclude that a logo is a brand or that advertising is the primary strategy to build brand (even though it is extremely expensive, even for the largest companies). However, the reality is that a brand consists of a lot more than a logo, and there are many ways to build a brand. The key is to identify the touch points of your brand and make sure they are aligned with your brand promise. The more consistency you have across your various touch points, the stronger your brand will be.

Rod Whitson serves Townsend as President and Chief Brand Strategist. Townsend is expert at helping organizations with innovative products and services develop differentiated, compelling value propositions. Townsend is the largest integrated marketing agency in Southern California. Rod has personally led recent branding engagements with Intel, BAE Systems, Merck, DowPharma, Marsh & McLennan, the University of California system, National University and Siemens. He has also worked with a host of successful and not so successful early stage technology and life sciences companies. Since Townsend’s founding in 1993, it has helped clients create market valuation in excess of $80 billion.

Visit Rod's blog, Branding the Complex

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rod_Whitson

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANIES--THE BEST OF ALL WORLDS?

2006-01-21T11:34:00.000-08:00

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANIES--THE BEST OF ALL WORLDS?By: Alderman & AldermanA limited liability company (LLC) is a business structure that combines some of the best features of sole proprietorships, partnerships and corporations. LLC owners, like their counterparts for partnerships or sole proprietorships, report profits or losses on their personal income tax returns. Like a corporation, however, the owners of an LLC have "limited liability," that is, they are shielded from personal liability for debts and claims arising from the business. Limited LiabilityThe limited liability for LLC owners is not absolute. Owners still can be held liable if they (1) personally and directly injure someone; (2) personally guarantee a loan or business debt on which the LLC defaults; (3) fail to deposit taxes withheld from employees' wages; (4) intentionally commit a fraudulent or illegal act that harms the company or someone else; or (5) treat the LLC as an extension of their personal affairs rather than as a separate legal entity. The last exception to limited liability is the most significant. It carries the potential for complete removal of the protections for individual owners. If the line between LLC business and personal business becomes too blurred, a court could find that a true LLC does not exist, leaving the owners personally liable for their actions. OwnershipMost states allow a single individual to be the sole owner of an LLC. An LLC makes the most sense in circumstances where there is a concern about personal exposure to lawsuits stemming from operation of the business. Most laws prohibit establishment of an LLC in the banking, trust, and insurance fields. Unlike corporations, LLCs can carry on their business without holding regular ownership or management meetings. Of course, formal meetings backed up by written minutes still may be advisable to document important decisions, such as a change in membership or a major expenditure. FormationSetting up an LLC is relatively simple. Articles of organization must be filed with the appropriate state office, usually the Secretary of State. The articles of organization include the name and principal office for the LLC, the names and addresses of its owners, and the name and address of the person or company that agrees to accept legal papers on behalf of the LLC. Even if it is not legally required, the owners should prepare an operating agreement that spells out the owners' rights and responsibilities. The absence of an operating agreement will mean that state statutes will govern the operation of the LLC by default. An operating agreement acts as a guide for resolving common issues that an LLC will face, and thereby helps to avert misunderstandings between the owners. It also underscores the authenticity of the LLC itself, which can be helpful when a judge is deciding whether the owners are protected from personal liability. A standard operating agreement includes the members' percentage interests in the business; the members' rights and responsibilities; the members' voting power; allocation of profits and losses; how the LLC will be managed; rules for holding meetings and taking votes; and "buy-sell" provisions that control what happens when a member wants to sell his interest, becomes disabled, or dies. Although it is frequently overlooked when an LLC is created, a buy-sell agreement is important as a sort of "premarital agreement" among the owners. The buy-sell provisions can clarify and ease the transition when the inevitable changes come to the members of the LLC. TaxesSince an LLC is not considered separate from its owners for tax purposes, the LLC pays no income taxes itself. Like a partnership or sole proprietorship, an LLC is a "pass-through entity." Each owner pays taxes on a share of profits, or deducts a share of losses, on a personal tax return. The IRS regards each member as a self-employed business owner, not an employee of the LLC. There is no tax withholding, and owners must estimate taxes owed for the year, then make quarterly payments to the IRS. ConversionBy converting to the LLC business structure, sole proprietors and partnerships can gain the protection afforded to LLC owners without changing the way their business income is taxed. Conversion usually can be accomplished either by filling out a simple form or filing regular articles of organization. Federal and state employer identification numbers will have to be transferred to the name of the new LLC, as will such items as sales tax permits, business licenses, and professional licenses or permits. The process for creating an LLC is streamlined and free of highly technical considerations. However, there is an important place for professional advice concerning such matters as choosing an LLC over other business structures, preparing or reviewing the operating agreement, and setting up accounting systems. Attorneys at Alderman regularly assist clients the areas of business formation, business transactins, business restructurings, creditors rights, environmental law, land use, zoning and complex litigation.email the Authors About the Authors--------------------------------------------------Start Article--------------------------------------------------ADA AND SMALL BUSINESSES
By: Alderman & Alderman
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits disability discrimination in employment for employers with 15 or more employees. The prohibition is far-reaching and covers hiring, firing, and everything in between, such as promotions, benefits, and harassment in the workplace. The smallest of businesses are not affected by the ADA because of the 15-employee threshold for coverage. The ADA does apply, however, to many of the roughly 25 million small businesses in the nation.
Who Is Protected?The ADA protects three categories of individuals: those with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities (like sitting, standing, or sleeping); those with a record of such an impairment, such as a person who had debilitating cancer but is now in remission; and those who are regarded by employers as having such an impairment, even though the individuals otherwise are not so impaired as to be "disabled" under the ADA. Regardless of the category, the ADA protects only persons who are qualified, that is, they meet job-related requirements and can perform essential functions for the job, with or without a reasonable accommodation.
HiringWhile an employer can ask an applicant a wide range of questions concerning job qualifications, the ADA does not allow medical examinations or questions about disability until the employer has made the applicant a conditional job offer. An exception is recognized for questions directed to an apparently disabled applicant about whether a reasonable accommodation will be required.
After a job offer is made, an employer can ask any disability-related questions and require medical examinations, so long as these requirements apply to everyone in the same job category. For example, if, during a medical examination required of all employees in a job involving the use of dangerous machinery, it is revealed that an applicant has frequent and unpredictable seizures, the employer can withdraw a job offer to that individual.
Medical InformationOnce a person is on the job, the ADA allows required medical examinations or questions about a disability only where there is a reasonable belief, based on objective evidence, that a particular employee will not be able to perform essential job functions or will pose a direct threat because of a medical condition. As an example, if a normally reliable employee has told her employer that a new medication she takes makes her lethargic, and she begins to make many mistakes, the employer can ask her how long the medication can be expected to affect job performance.
Reasonable AccommodationThe ADA differs from most other employment discrimination laws in imposing an accommodation duty on employers. If a disabled person needs a reasonable accommodation in order to apply for, or perform, a job, the employer generally must provide it unless to do so would create an undue hardship. An undue hardship means significant difficulty or expense, based on an employer's resources and operations.
Most accommodations are not expensive or burdensome. A diabetic employee may need regular breaks to eat properly and monitor blood sugar and insulin levels, or a blind employee may need someone to read information posted on a bulletin board. If more than one accommodation will work, the employer may take the option that is less costly or easier to provide.
In addition to the undue hardship defense, an employer need not provide an accommodation which:
* assists an individual off the job;
* removes or alters the essential functions of a job;
* lowers production or performance standards; or
* excuses violations of rules on good conduct.
Helpful HandbookThe Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which is charged with enforcement of the ADA, has issued a new handbook to help small businesses comply with the ADA. The handbook provides many examples of factual situations with which small businesses could be confronted. The ADA primer can be accessed online at www.eeoc.gov. Attorneys at Alderman regularly assist clients the areas of business formation, business transactins, business restructurings, creditors rights, environmental law, land use, zoning and complex litigation.email the Authors About the Authors--------------------------------------------------Start Article--------------------------------------------------JOINT BANK ACCOUNTS
By: Alderman & Alderman
An elderly doctor and his daughter opened a joint bank account, the money in which would go to the surviving account holder if the other one died. Nine years later, when the doctor was in declining health, his wife asked to be added to the account so that she could pay bills. Based on the signatures of the doctor and his wife, but not the daughter, the bank added the wife to the account. Over a one-month period, the wife then wrote many checks on the account, totalling over $100,000. The biggest check, for $75,000, was written, cashed, and deposited to the wife's own account on the very day her husband died.
The daughter sued the bank, claiming it was liable to her for recognizing a new party to the joint account without the consent of all parties to the account. A state supreme court sided with the bank. First, the documents that comprised the contract between the bank and the account holders included a statement that each owner was the agent of any other owners for purposes of endorsements, deposits, withdrawals, and conducting business for the account. This language was broad enough to give the doctor power to add his wife as a new party to the account without his daughter's knowledge or consent. Second, a statute on joint accounts similarly made each party to an account the agent for other account holders, although the statute was silent on the method for adding a new party to an account. The bank had not breached its contract when it recognized the doctor's wife as a new party to the account based solely on the doctor's signature.
This decision highlights the pitfalls that can accompany joint bank accounts. Allowing each party to a joint account to exercise full authority over the account is flexible and convenient, but the cost of these advantages is loss of control. The exposure to this risk is widespread, as joint account contracts typically have language like that used in the case of the doctor and his daughter. Alternative methods for managing money make it more difficult for any individual to raid accounts to the detriment of co-owners. These include powers of attorney, revocable living trusts, and "agency" or "convenience" accounts that resemble general powers of attorney but are confined to specific bank accounts. Advice of legal counsel should be sought before deciding which of these or other options is most appropriate in a specific situation. Attorneys at Alderman regularly assist clients in the formation and operation of business entities, including limited liability companies.email the Authors About the Authors--------------------------------------------------Start Article--------------------------------------------------LIABILITY FOR INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORSBy: Alderman & AldermanA manufacturing company contracted with a security firm to provide a security guard. The guard shot and killed an individual who was trespassing, but not for criminal purposes, on company property, after the person had obeyed the guard's order to lie on the ground. The company argued that it could not be held liable for the negligent acts of an independent contractor, but a state supreme court ruled otherwise. The court agreed that the security firm and its guard were independent contractors. The manufacturing company's downfall was an exception to the rule of no liability for acts of independent contractors. If the work to be performed is inherently dangerous, the work can be delegated to an independent contractor, but the duty to use reasonable care cannot be avoided by the employer. Work is inherently dangerous when it involves a foreseeable risk of physical harm to others and requires special precautions. In the case of the trigger-happy security guard, who was armed and instructed to "deter" thieves and vandals, dangerous confrontations between the guard and persons entering the property were contemplated. In the context of such danger, the independent contractor status of the guard became a mere legal technicality that did not shield the manufacturing company from liability. email the Authors About the Authors --------------------------------------------------Start Article-------------------------------------------------- LONG-ARM JURISDICTION FALLS SHORTBy: Alderman & AldermanRobert found just the excavator he wanted advertised on an Internet auction site. Before making the successful bid, he contacted the seller through e-mail and received assurances from her that the product was in good condition. Robert then traveled to the seller's home, which was several states away, and bought the excavator. When the equipment did not perform as expected and the seller did not respond to Robert's request for a partial refund, Robert sued the seller in his home state. Robert's lawsuit failed because the seller was not subject to the jurisdiction of the courts in Robert's home state. For a nonresident to bring herself within the reach of a state's "long-arm" jurisdiction, she must purposefully have benefited from the privilege of doing business in that state. Perhaps the seller could have foreseen that residents of any state might bid on the excavator, but that was insufficient to bring her into the courts in Robert's state. She had no control over who would ultimately be the winning bidder, nor could she exclude bidders from particular jurisdictions. Also weighing against subjecting the seller to litigation was the isolated nature of the transaction and the fact that she was not a commercial seller and was using a third party's site. A different result might have been achieved against a business that used its own website to advertise itself and make transactions across state linesemail the Authors About the Authors--------------------------------------------------Start Article--------------------------------------------------ONLINE BANKINGBy: Alderman & AldermanBanks that rely on the Internet and other low-cost ways to provide service, as opposed to "bricks and mortar" branch offices, can save on expenses and pass the savings along to customers in higher returns on deposits and lower interest rates on loans. Online banking also gives customers the convenience of being able to monitor their accounts and complete transactions around the clock, without waiting for mailed statements or being limited by office hours. The flip side of online banking is that, if a problem arises, you cannot sit down face-to-face with someone from the bank to resolve it. There is also a premium on doing research to check out the legitimacy of an unfamiliar and remote institution before you entrust it with your money and private information. A good place to start is the "About Us" section of a bank's website, which should at least give basic contact information. If it does not, that in itself should raise suspicions. Other warning signs include names or websites that are only slightly different from those of well-known institutions and rates of return that are far out of line with what other banks are offering. It is a good idea to confirm that an institution is federally insured by contacting the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or searching its "Institution Directory" at www3.fdic.gov/idasp. Like any bank customer, users of online banking institutions are well-advised to safeguard private identification information, keep good records, and monitor transactions and balances regularly. Online banking customers also have the protection of federal laws such as the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Truth in Lending Act, and the Truth in Savings Act. Those who decide to do their banking solely in front of a computer screen especially should know about the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, which deals with consumer rights involving electronic banking transactions. email the Authors About the Authors--------------------------------------------------Start Article--------------------------------------------------OWNERS OF SUBDIVISION PROPERTIES HAVE GREATER DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIESBy Linda AldermanAppellate Court Decision May Change Zoning LawsZoning laws related to subdivision properties could be substantially changed after the state of Connecticut court of appeal's decision of Poirier v. Town of Wilton Zoning Board of Appeals, allowing owners of subdivision properties to make significant modifications to their homes that otherwise wouldn't have been allowable.In Poirer, a Wilton couple sought a building permit to add a garage and breezeway to their home that was built in 1954 as part of a 38-lot subdivision. The planning and zoning commission denied their request because the addition would have exceeded the lot coverage limitations allowed under the current zoning regulations. They appealed, arguing that the commission had to apply the zoning regulations that were in effect in 1954, which would have allowed the building permit, and could not apply the current zoning regulations that had been modified to restrict the lot coverage limitations. In support of their argument, the Poiriers cited C.G.S. § 8-26a(b), which provides that "when a change is adopted in the zoning regulations . . . no lot or lots shown on a subdivision plan for residential property, which has been approved, prior to the effective date of such change shall be required to conform to such change." Wilton attorneys argued that other state laws restricted the Poiriers from getting a building permit. The superior court upheld the town's denial, but the appellate court reversed unanimously. The appellate court held that 8-26a(b) placed a "sweeping statutory restriction" on a town's ability to regulate land use once it has approved a subdivision plan and that the statute forever prohibits the application of new subdivision or zoning regulations to all subdivisions once they are approved. It further stated that by enacting the statute, "the legislature has clearly made a policy decision that once the division of the land and proposed lot layout has been reviewed by the municipality through its planning commission the subdivision does not have to be reviewed again, and that the subdivision lots are not affected by subsequently enacted zoning regulations." The court's holding, therefore, is that owners of approved subdivision lots had a vested right to build in accordance with the zoning regulations in effect at the time of the subdivision approval.The effects of Poirier will be numerous and far reaching. First, and most importantly, zoning commissions will no longer be able to apply just one set of zoning regulations -- each application related to a subdivision will be subject only to the (usually much less stringent) laws that were on the books at the time the subdivision was created. Not only will this create a bureaucratic nightmare for zoning commissions, zoning boards of appeal and courts alike, but houses built next to each other but built upon different subdivisions could be subject to different regulations, undermining the goal of uniform zoning. For example, if a developer wants to build larger homes than are allowed by current lot coverage restrictions he can purchase subdivision lots that were approved prior to the passage of those restrictions, raze the current structures and then build those larger homes. Poirier will, therefore, probably have the impact of increasing the value of homes located in older subdivisions in towns where there are stringent lot coverage limitations. For example over the past decade, Greenwich has been inundated with applications for the construction of "McMansions", which some residents say ruin Greenwich's character. This year the Greenwich Planning and Zoning Commission approved regulations meant to limit house size uniformly throughout the town by reducing bulk-control measures such as floor area ratio. Poirier could have the effect of allowing owners and/or developers in Greenwich to circumvent those regulations in subdivisions that were formed prior to the passage of those new regulations.Attorney Alderman regularly represents landowners, operators, and other impacted parties in matters related to Environmental Law, Wetlands, Land Use or Zoning. email the Author Author's Biography--------------------------------------------------Start Article--------------------------------------------------TOXIC MOLD: ENGINEERS, BUILDERS, CONTRACTORS AND LANDLORDS BEWAREBy Linda Alderman Over the past few years allegations of damage arising from the presence of toxic mold in buildings have resulted in the filing of hundreds of law suits for property damage and/or personal injury. Plaintiffs, many of whom are seriously ill, are suing building owners, property managers, architects, contractors and commercial and personal lines insurers for millions of dollars -- and winning. What Is Toxic Mold?Molds are fungi that grow when damp conditions are present. Some mold spores are relatively benign, while others are believed to cause health problems for humans. Mold spores that cause an adverse health reaction are referred to as "toxic." The effect on humans will depend on the type of mold, the metabolic byproduct of the mold, the extent of the contact and length of exposure, as well as the individual susceptibility of the person exposed. The overwhelming majority of molds are harmless, but exposure to several types of mold has been associated with the potential for adverse health effects. When a mold produces mycotoxins (a poisonous substance produced by a fungus) it becomes dangerous to those who are exposed to it through ingestion (eating or inhalation) or through skin contact. The causal relationship between exposure to mold and human health is being actively studied in the medical community at this time, however, research does exist that suggests that toxigenic molds can cause problems with the vascular, digestive, nervous, urinary and reproductive systems of the human body. Symptoms include headaches, rashes, lung disease, and cognitive memory loss. As of this writing there are no federal or state regulations that establish standards for exposure to "toxic" mold, nor are there federal or state standards for mold abatement. Toxic Mold LitigationThe increase of toxic mold cases may be related to the manner in which buildings have been constructed. For newer buildings, the same insulation that prevents drafts also may prevent airborne chemicals and moisture from venting. This increased moisture buildup can create a breeding ground for mold and other bacteria. In older buildings deterioration of building materials may allow moisture to accumulate in places where mold spores and other bacteria can grow. Litigation related to toxic mold has resulted in a number of large damage awards. In two separate cases, courthouses in Florida were evacuated as a result of toxic mold. The damage award for the remediation and costs for the Polk County Courthouse was approximately $100 million dollars. In the case involving Martin County, the county was awarded $11.5 million in damages plus $2.9 million in interest. In Texas the builders of a private home contaminated with toxic mold were ordered to pay damages of $32.1 million in June 2001. The $32.1 million award represents $6.2 million for replacement of the home and contents, $5 million for mental anguish, $12 million in punitive damages and $8.9 million for legal fees. In 1999, a Delaware jury found the owner of an apartment complex liable for $1 million in damages to three tenants for medical expenses, permanent impairment and pain and suffering associated with exposure to various mycotoxins, bacteria, fungi and other toxins while living in that apartment complex. A homeowners group in California sued builders and contractors alleging property damage and bodily injury due to mold contamination and the matter settled for $1.3 million. Implications to the Insurance IndustryThe insurance industry is bracing itself. Some courts have held that the pollution exclusion does not apply to mold claims because it is not the traditional type of "pollutant" for which the exclusion was drafted to cover. In one case the insurer argued that the pollution exclusion was broad enough to include a home environment contaminated with mold. In rejecting that argument the court stated that because the injuries were caused by exposure to mold that grew from water vapor trapped in the walls, that "no contaminants were released, but rather formed over time as a result of environmental conditions." One court held that even where there was a mold exclusion in a homeowner's policy that it was inapplicable because the mold growth occurred as a result of a leaking roof. Some courts, however, have analogized mold contamination to lead paint flaking in holding that it falls within the plain language of the pollution exclusion since it disperses into the air, like lead flakes from paint. Other courts have stated that a pollution exclusion should not apply to substances that are commonly found in the environment. Personal injury and property damage claims related to mold exposure are increasing at lightening speed. Engineers, developers, landlords, contractors, subcontractors, architects, property owners and managers, insurers and others need to quickly evaluate how they can proactively manage the risk associated with potential future claims of mold infestation. Attorney Alderman regularly represents land owners, operators, and other impacted parties in matters related to Environmental Law, Wetlands, Land Use or Zoning. email the Author Author's Biography

How To Create Multiple Streams Of Online Income E-course

2006-01-19T07:27:00.000-08:00

Do you know what an E-course is? An E-course is an "electronic course" that you receive by email or take at a website.

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Part 1. How To Create Multiple Streams of Online Income
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Part 3. How To Choose An Affiliate Program
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2006-01-19T07:22:00.000-08:00

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World trade b2b

2006-01-10T11:43:00.000-08:00

World trade b2b