How to Create a Business in a Brand

These days many businesses are thriving and chasing hard in order to create their presence and enjoy higher sales. The business branding overall has become an eternal need of every business and without which it would be more difficult for any business to survive.

Earlier, people thought that branding is only required for the large businesses, but as the time moves on it is proved that branding is not just required for large businesses, but also for the small businesses.

However, it does not matter whether you are heading a large business or a small business, but most important is that you should have a detailed strategy of branding your business in order to achieve success.

Below are the steps that will help you to create a better business brand

Follow KISS:
KISS is a most prominent branding term which stands for Keep it Short and Simple. Use Kiss while defining the name of your business because it plays an important role in your business branding. Most of the successful business brands usually have very short and simple names which are easy to pronounce and remember. Just remember the names like BMW, Audi, Intel, Google etc. The longer or complicated business names are much difficult to pronounce and recall.

Use a creative logo:
People usually identify a business not only form its name but also from its logo. A business logo is the identity of every business that why special cares to be taken while designing the business logo. Remember, if somebody takes the name of Mercedes then the immediate thing that comes to the mind is the very famous three heard Mercedes Benz logo. Same is with BMW and Audi. But this is not limited to the automotive brands only, but other companies also like Microsoft, Apple, Nike, Mac Donald's etc.

Choose the right color combination:
It's not just the logo or business name, but the color theme of your business also plays a major role in its branding. Once you have identified your business name and logo then all your branding and promotional material should revolve around the color scheme that you have used in your logo. For example, most of the Mac Donald's outlet uses the shades of Yellow in their interiors and promotional merchandise and even on the food packages because that color represents their business. Same is done by other brands like Dominos, Shell and DHL etc. The color of your business has a psychological impact on the minds of the consumers and that's why it is important not to choose more vibrant or difficult colors. Use solid and simple colors like Blue, Green, Red, Yellow, White and Black in their different shades.

Choose your USP and stick around it:
USP or a Unique Selling Proposition is a small small word but it has made a huge impact on many businesses. These days competition is intense and therefore in order to stand out from the competition, you need to have a USP of your business and your entire branding strategy revolves around the USP. The brand like BMW and Mercedes has its USP, as they offer premium and high safety products. While brands like E bay and Ali Baba has the USP as they offer a wide selection of very affordable products. Similarly, Mac Donald's have their USP of providing the delusions burgers. The USP helps people to identify your business with a product or services. For example, when someone talks about a burger then first thing comes to the mind is the Mac Donald and when someone talks about the sports shoes then brand name comes to mind are the Nike, Reebok, Adidas, and Fila.

Do brand hammering:
One of the most important things for every business is the brand hammering. The brand hammering involved continues to push to the brand to its target audience so that people could easily connect with the brand. Although sometimes a brand hammering proves quite expensive because it requires many promotional and marketing exposures. In order to make your brand stand apart from other brands, you need to create a chain of TV commercial and print advertisements so that it will hammer deep into the minds of the consumers. Although, today in the modern age there are many digital marketing channels which are very much affordable and good for brand hammering.

Bring emotion to your brand:
These days because of the excessive stress and hectic lifestyle people are getting more emotional even for the small things. Anything that connects to their emotion brings out more success to the brand managers. If you have a product or services then create an ad commercial keeping in mind the emotion of the consumer. These types of emotional ads would more connect with the consumer. The people who are emotionally attached to a product or a service were more likely to remain loyal towards them for many years. Example of an emotional connection could be seen in many car advertisements these days in which marketers put more focus on the safety of your family, especially your kids instead of talking about the luxury features of the car. This brings a sense of emotion and responsibility in the parents towards their family and that highly influencing their purchasing decision. Sometimes they even ignore the most important factor ie price while buying a car based on their emotional concern.

Interview With a Network Marketing Master

Christopher Terry. By day, stocks trader. By night, network marketing genius. Because of his second "night" job, Terry will be resigning from his primary day job. The really amazing part of that is he will have done this within 5 short months of joining his network marketing company.

Within the network marketing company itself, Terry is a leader and a mentor. He does not abandon his downline members. He keeps us informed of company events and policies on an almost daily basis. He lets us know he is here to support us; as long as we are willing to do the work, he will do anything within his power to help us succeed. He is a network marketer's dream upline sponsor.

How did he do it? What is his secret? I sat down with him to find out and share with you his ideas for success.

Denise: Thank you for granting me this interview, Chris.

Christopher: Thank you, Denise!

D: How long have you been working at your career as a stocks trader?

C: I have been a Stock and Futures trader since the mid 1990's. I owned a construction business prior to that. I wanted to be able work and make money from home. Although I started trading in 1995, it was not until 1998 when I was able to walk away from my construction business and trade full time.

D: How successful were you at doing that?

C: I have done very well. I find it fascinating that I can create wealth from home. I love the fact that a person can take a relatively small amount of money and create a growing stream of income; however, it's all based on your own efforts. For example, in my business if I don't trade, I do not earn income. Also, trading takes years of dedication, time and effort to become successful; in other words, there is no such thing as an overnight success.

D: I understand you became a leader and motivational speaker in your industry. Share with me how you rose to that level.

C: I was actually in Amway for several years in the 1990s. I was fortunate to hit levels of success here in the United States in that company. I then went overseas as Amway opened up new markets, which gave me the opportunity to have an international business. I owe my "positive thinking" to that network marketing experience, since the leaders in Amway always recommended we read positive thinking books and listen to positive thinking tapes. At the time many considered it "brain washing." Today it is called "Laws of Attraction." So, l was into positive thinking and Laws of Attraction before it was a cool thing to do. That time period in my life gave me the foundation to grow both mentally and financially. I started a business outside of Amway, and then I went into the trading business.

D: What qualities do you see within you that helped you achieve success in your trading career?

C: I would have to say vision and foresight. I look at the future of what things can be, not as they are, and then I take action. I have always taken action, I am not afraid of whether that action turns out right or wrong. The worst thing to do is to have an idea and a plan but never actually do anything to put that plan into action. It is better to do something and fail than to never have done anything at all. I have always had a drive for success once I realized I have the power and the ability to become whomever and whatever I want. There is a four-letter word to success, and its spelled W-O-R-K; the reality is anything worthwhile takes work, trading and network marketing included!

D: Do you think those same qualities helped you build your network marketing business?

C: Those, and also reading positive thinking books and books on success, as well as overcoming my fear to speak to people. I was very shy growing up, so I learned to say "Hi" and start a conversation, to truly become interested in other people and what they had to say. I also am not afraid to work; if I had to dig ditches for a living, I would be the best ditch digger I could possibly be. I believe once you get your mindset right and you learn to ask the right questions, the game is 90% won, and success will be yours.

D: Tell me how you got involved in network marketing.

C: Interesting story! I was dating a girl and she was bragging about how her boss was making $5,000 a month in some business and that I should talk to him, so I did. He signed me up, and then my girlfriend, the very one who told me to speak to him, wanted me to quit because it was Amway! I told my sponsor that I had some problems and I had to quit. He told me, "Get rid of the problems." So, I broke up with my girlfriend and built Amway, and as you already know, I became very successful in that business!

D: Were you familiar with network marketing before that?

C: No, I was not.

D: What were your thoughts and, perhaps, preconceived notions, about network marketing in general, prior to joining your first network marketing company?

C: I had no idea what it was, all I knew was I had to bring people in the business with me, sell some products and I would get rich. Unfortunately, though, it does not work that way!

D: Could you elaborate on that idea? Most of us are brought into this industry with that same notion, and we all eventually experience the same rude awakening that you just described, that it is not as easy as they make it sound. So please, for the people reading this who are not yet in network marketing and are considering it, as well as for those who have started and perhaps are failing, explain what you mean.

C: Well, of course you do not just get in and get rich, this is the most common misconception about network marketing. There are people who enter the business and think everybody they know will get in with them. Then there are people who come in saying they have this "one guy that if he gets in, he will make us all rich, he knows everybody!" and it is the furthest thing from the truth. This business is a numbers game. To be successful, you must expose people to the business every single day, to be consistently meeting new people and telling others about our dynamic opportunity. The more people you come in contact with, the more likely you will find people who want to become a part of your team and earn an income with you. This is true from day one; even though you may have a list of 100 or 500 people that you know, you still want to always be in the creative mode and working what I like to call the ABC's - Always Be Contacting. You do not know where the next million dollar earner will come from.

The hardest thing for me is I cannot take the feelings inside my heart and mind that motivate me and give them to someone else, although I wish I could. The truth is, everybody has to find their own will, desire, and hunger to succeed; without them, they will end up like the rest, having some success, but not truly creating wealth. We all know or have heard the hard, cold fact that 98% of the people in this great country are broke and do not have a backup plan; if they lose their job or business, they will be 90-120 days away from poverty. People can blame it on the government, but the responsibility ultimately falls on each one of us. We should be proactive when we do not actually need to be and start our own home based businesses, which will get us out of that 98% and into the 2% income earners.

One final thought on this topic: I think the reason most people fail in the network marketing industry is that they treat it like a job and not like their own business. When you act as if it is just another job, you do the least amount of work possible for whatever pay you can get. These people want to work very few hours and get rich right away. Unfortunately, this does not happen in network marketing. Those who invest their time and effort into growing the business, even if there is no income at first, can see the vision of the future. At the beginning they will work 20 hours a day for zero pay, because they see that putting in 20 hours will pay the equivalent of 2,000 hours' worth of work one day, and eventually zero hours will pay 10,000 hours. Fortunately, in our business the compensation for our work is amazing, but if you do not expand with people, you will not take advantage of the true income potential of network marketing.

D: Thorough and well said. I would like to add that when you said one should always be in the creative mode, in addition to working the ABC's, I think the creativity part should apply to marketing your business. Be creative in your marketing efforts. Think outside of the box and create many different marketing campaigns. Utilize technology and the internet. The more you put yourself out there, the more you achieve exactly what you are saying, Chris, which is maximum exposure of the business to as many people as possible so you can increase your odds of signing up significant numbers new members into your downline. I do this on a daily basis myself, and I also make it a point to talk to people every day to make new contacts, as you have recommended.

Getting back to my questions, what were your first thoughts when you were introduced to the specific business we are in together?

C: I was actively looking for an online business to get into. I was not looking for network marketing/multi-level marketing, I was searching for an online business that was cutting edge and in which I could earn a residual income. When I saw this business it was in a cutting edge industry, doing business in 170 countries, it offered a strong income opportunity without having to sponsor people, yet by sponsoring people, it offered the ability to create wealth and long term residual income. They say to be successful you need a product that people want, need and can afford, that will be used over and over and is desired in the market place. I found it!

D: As we already know, this is not the only network marketing business you have ever been involved in. Were there any others besides Amway and ours?

C: I looked at a few others along the way, but I did not join any.

D: Why not?

C: Well, I am a high income earner in the trading world, both as a trader and an educator. I have been doing this for 17 years, and nothing really struck me as good enough for me to give it my full attention. I have seen MANY companies, products and services. When I saw the opportunity in the industry you and I are in together, I saw an industry that was young, dynamic, and that people loved. It has a place in the market because it meets people's desires to find a bargain and/or make a deal. Also, it is VERY profitable, so I wanted to be a part of it. I got in first, and then I learned about it as I grew with it. I have not looked back. I have built an incredible team that's growing in leaps and bounds. You are a part of that team, Denise, an amazing student and downline member.

D: Thank you, Chris! How do the other network marketing companies you've analyzed compare to the one you and I are in together?

C: They cannot compare.

D: Besides what you have already stated about our company when you actually found it, what made you think that this was the company to join?

C: I have no products to carry around, no juices or vitamins to purchase or sell, I did not have to sneak up on my family and friends, and I do not have to sell expensive products that I can buy in the store cheaper. We get paid to advertise. Period.

D: Now, I would like to share with our reading audience your own personal tips for network marketing success. Please tell me, what works for you?

C: Relationships are everything; your network is your net worth. I am always in the creative process and always opening doors to new people, saying hello and breaking the ice to get a conversation going. In network marketing, our job is to leverage time and money; without people on your team it becomes impossible. I would suggest genuinely becoming interested in others, going to events, whether it is a show or a business event, or any gathering where good quality people who you may want to work with will attend. I also suggest speaking to people who you would not normally speak to and might even make you feel a little uncomfortable; those are often your best prospects. We tend to feel heroic because we got the number of the drive-through window guy at Mc Donalds; meanwhile, we get false impressions of success when we see somebody dressed in a nice suit and tie and just assume they are already successful, so we say nothing to them because we think they've got it all already and don't need a change in their lives. Both of these people may be your best prospect, or your worst, but you will never know unless you open up the door and say something to break the ice. With the "successful business man" (or so we assume) who we are often afraid to approach, you can start with something as simple as, "Hey, nice tie, where did you get it?" Then see where the conversation leads.

D: Is there anything that you've done that didn't work so well?

C: Yes. As I've mentioned before, it takes years to become an "overnight success." I have made, will make, and will continue to make mistakes. It is okay to fail; the more you fail the closer you will get to winning. Becoming immune to failing is the key to success. You may wonder why I say this. Well, if you have somebody who is not used to failing and thinks failing is bad, then when he/she hears "No" enough times, it damages his/her confidence, and that person is afraid to keep trying. However, if you are not afraid to fail, you will not let those "No's" stop you. Instead, you will become more motivated to find the people who will say "YES" to your opportunity or presentation. Become a failure to become a success. This goes for ANY business!

D: What is the ONE business building idea you can share that you think is the MAIN reason you are where you are today, about to retire from trading, and about to embark on some major journeys in life, both literally and figuratively?

C: First, let me clarify something very important. The word "retire" is loosely used in the network marketing industry. I have been trading for 17 years and it is time for me to take a break. Do I think I will stay out of it for long period of time? No, it has always has been and will always be a passion of mine. I have built my name and reputation as a trader and educator, so I will most definitely return to the industry; however, I welcome a break in the action right now.

I love to help and give to others, so this is my current mission. There is nothing better than creating a profit in network marketing and helping others create wealth in the same fashion. Then, bringing my profession back into the mix, profiting on those profits as a trader too is a home run! However, I really do have the freedom to either work or not work; that is how large the income that I have created in our network marketing business is already. The MAIN reason I am where I am today is I will do whatever it takes; I will work 100 hours in a 24 hour day until I make it. As I said earlier, the main ingredient for me is that four-letter curse word, W O R K... and I have a LOW "IQ" ("I QUIT") level!

D: Lastly, you are extremely jazzed about the network marketing company we are in together. What are the defining qualities of this company that makes it so good? Based on that, what should people look for in their own network marketing company or when deciding to actually join one?

C: Well, it seems lately I am sleeping no more than 3 hours per night! The energy of the team, of the company, and of the industry has taken the world by storm, and this keeps me "jazzed" as you say! I believe I had already mentioned earlier the reasons why I like our company, because there are no products to lug around and there is no trying to sell to friends and family a product or service they do not want. I have been approached by other network marketing companies that involve selling legal insurance, utility companies, juice companies, vitamin companies, weight loss companies, you name it! I have found that ours is so simple; our work is to advertise and it takes no more than two minutes per day. I am from the Amway world. I got my PhD in network marketing. In my opinion, the most ideal situation is the one that does not require a person to sponsor people to become successful, yet offers the opportunity to earn larger income because you do sponsor, train, and motivate others, and once you help them earn income, you earn additional bonuses. I come from a world where, when you help enough people get what you want, you in turn will get what you want. Everybody has their own version of what is best for them. Some may like a particular industry. My advice? Do your due diligence, figure out what you are passionate about, and run with it. That's all.

I want to thank Mr. Terry for taking the time to answer these questions so thoughtfully and thoroughly.

On a side note, Christopher Terry is one of the most benevolent and philanthropic men I've ever met, and he does it without creating great publicity or accolades for his generosity. He believes very strongly in the idea that "it is in giving that you shall receive." I am honored to know him and very glad we have gone into business together.

So there you have it. Christopher Terry's story and his tips for helping you create success in your own network marketing company. If you want have any questions or want to learn more, please email me at denise@bettermlmsuccess.com.

An Inspiring History of a Small Business

In 1980, a husband and wife, purchased their first home in Arizona. The husband was managing a vacuum cleaner store, and the wife was a cashier at a grocery store. The husbands only day off was Sunday, and the wife was off 2 different days of the week, so, they never had much time together. They had no children, but the wife was breeding Afghan Hound dogs.

The husband was watching TV one peaceful Sunday afternoon, and all of a sudden the TV sparked, smoked, sputtered, and lit on fire. He jumped off the sofa, opened the front door, unplugged the TV, picked it up and thread it in the front yard.

Even with both the husband and wife working, they did not have enough money to buy a new TV. The new house had eaten up all of their extra money, and there were a lot of new expenses in owning a new home.

The husband was talking to a friend of his about his financial problems. His friend stated that his father used to own a vacuum business, and said, "Why do not we go to the Flea Market in Phoenix on weekends and sell vacuum cleaners, bags, belts, and parts." I told him that it sounded like a good idea, but my only day off was on Sunday. We agreed that he would work Saturday, and we would both work on Sunday.

The only other problem was that this person had no money for inventory, so his friend said that he would put up the money for some inventory to get their business started. They both agreed that they would put all the profit into buying more inventory, and vacuum cleaners that they would both rebuild and sell.

They followed through with their plans, and their new business was a success. They were selling huge amounts of bags, belts, and parts, as well as buying old vacuums, fixing them up, and reselling them. All of the profit they made went back into the business, and they started doing more and more business. It was all very exciting, but the only problem was that one of the partners was now working 7 days a week, and still did not have enough money to buy a new color TV.

After about 2 months, the one partner mentioned that he would like to get a little money from the business to buy a new color TV. He was kind of surprised when his friend said, "No Way". He tried to talk his friend into it, but his friend was totally against the idea of ​​taking any money out of the business. His partner said that he would rather just buy him out of the business that they started, and have the business all to himself. They agreed, and the one partner was paid about $ 800.00, for his share of the business.

Finally the one partner was able to go out and by a new color TV. Then, he thought of what he could do with the other $ 400. Well, right or wrong, he called the vacuum parts distributor that they were both buying from and ordered $ 400.00 worth of bags and supplies, and the following Sunday, he went to the Flea Market, and started his own business. His friend ran into him and kind of smiled and said, "Oh well, I guess we did not talk about you doing your own thing out here." The other partner said that all he wanted was some money to get a new color TV, and that he was the one who wanted to split up the partnership. They both laughed and remained good friends and competitors that helped each other for many years.

The one partner continued to buy more and more supplies, and soon had a huge display of parts, bags, belts, and new and used vacuum cleaners. He was so busy that most of the time, he had no way of going to get lunch, or a coke, or anything. After a couple of months of suffering alone, he needed help so badly that he asked his wife to quit her job which she did, so that she could help out with their new business.

During the next several years they continued to grow, and soon they had a 30 foot trailer and 4 employees helping them at the Flea Market, and at their home, where they were repairing and rebuilding vacuums during the week. They got to know all of their neighbors at the Flea Market, including the ones who sold futons behind their stand.

After a few more years they became friends with their futon friends, and they decided to rent a store together. It was their first actual store, and they split the store space and rent. I all seemed to be going well for both of them, but one morning, after a couple of months, the vacuum people went to open their store, and all of their futon friends things were gone. All of their futons, desks, computer, everything was gone. They had vanished in the night. All that was left was a note explaining that they were not making it, and that they felt bad, but they had to abandon ship and move to Seattle. This was quite a surprise to the vacuum people, who were left with all of the expenses of the store, but luckily their business was able to handle the bills.

The first day that the futon people were gone, they had 2 or 3 people come into their store and ask them where are all of the futons were? They could have told them that the futons were gone, and that all there were now were vacuums. Instead, they asked the potential customer what size they wanted and what color, and they knew enough about futons, and where to get them, that they were able to make a couple of sales without any futons in the store at all.

This was the beginning of a kind of a strange combination that was not planned at all, but it worked, and they had many customers who bought both a vacuum cleaner and a futon. Sometimes the futon part of our business was so busy that they had less and less time for the vacuum part of the business, so they ended up selling it to one of their competitors. This futon business has continued to grow year after year, but was never planned.

That is a story of how 2 people started a business on the side, which developed into a full time business, and then completely chaged to a different business altar. It shows how in business you must be able to adapt, and to go with the flow, in order to survive.

Fundamentals Of Successful Business App Development

Nowadays, the web & mobile apps serve manifold advantages to businesses. Industrialists introduce these apps to facilitate their customers, employees, & occupy dominant brand position in the global market sphere. Either to carry out official tasks or manage your projects smartly, you rely on business app development to make your efforts in a right way. Whereas customers install these apps to enjoy better services like online shopping, booking, traveling, & more.

Our deviation towards mobile app technology indicates its significance in business promotion & brand recognition. Several local business owners, startups, SMEs, eCommerce firms trust their business app developers who create innovative application that can increase their sales & build their brands.

So, if you aspire to go for business app development, here are some fundamentals you need to consider for fruitful outcome:

Know your audience- Your customers reflect core value of your business and you need to prioritize their interests, choices, or other options regarding their likes & dislikes. Never leave any question that may harm your app's user retention and therefore, you must make sure to analyze your customers' preferences right from the beginning your app development process.

Convey right message- Either you want to sell specific products or facilitate customers with exceptional services, it's completely up to you. You already know that marketing always rules in the corporate world & hence, make sure to transform your app idea specifically for business promotion. Just concentrate on your message to adorn your app with something specific & original. Try to add relevant content that can inform your customers & promote your brand via promotional blogs on popular social media channels.

Focus on your business goals- Enlist your business objectives prior to the business app development. Business owners lay down certain expectations from an app & they mend their futuristic steps if it successfully interacts with the users. You must clear your business intentions & make your mind to strengthen its potential to steer heavy traffic within a short span of time. You can determine the success of your app idea considering the factors like user-engagement, customer response, popularity of content, app searches & downloads, and more.

Device compatibility is a win-win- Business is more profitable when you don't take risk to lose out even a single customer from your reach. Your business app development will double your revenues if your app is accessible on cross-platforms. So, you need to launch your business app for all devices as there are millions of Android & iOS app users. Communicate your Android or iOS app developer if you aspire to get a cross-platform app to uplift your brand image.

Strategize for business app development- Research work will help you know your competitors & their strategies to generate leads. Small-scale & mid-sized businesses innovate apps to make their footprints in the industry & plan to dive in the ocean of success.

Every business faces several ups & downs while struggling to keep a pace ahead in the corporate globe. Therefore, you must go for business app development as it serves a commendable contribution to get established & maximize your revenues.

Lessons In Business Success From Muhammad Ali

Whether you like boxing or not there is no question that Muhammad Ali still remains a respected figure when it comes to becoming a champion and achieving great success. So what can you learn from him and apply in your own business in order to realize your own great success?

Let's look at two quotes from Muhammad Ali:

'He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.'

I hated every minute of training, but I said, "Do not quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion."

This does not mean that you have to suffer to succeed and build a great business, but these quotes should make you consider what achieving success is worth to you?

Is it worth putting in a few extra hours a few week to start your own venture that can then give you the freedom you have dreamed about for so long? You may have been afraid to just up and quit your job and start your own company so far for fear of financial security and income. Though today you can realistically kick off a new enterprise in a few hours a week, and wait until your revenues start rolling into tell your boss what you think of them. Many entrepreneurs today, armed with the right business models are making incredible incomes in just a few hours a week, while having plenty of time to enjoy life to the max.

Is achieving true financial freedom by having a business that works for you instead of your working for it worth a small investment. It really does not cost a lot to start your own business today. In fact it has never been easier to launch your own start up. With a little coaching, a website and a reasonable marketing budget you could finally be able to be free from your corporate chains and be confident in being able to enjoy a comfortable retirement.

Sure you may face a little criticism and doubt from coworkers and those close to you. Although is not it worth it to be able to craft a business and lifestyle that these critics have only dreamed of, yet have been too afraid to attempt themselves. Make them eat their words.

Starting your own company may take a little hard work in the beginning, but is not that more than a fair trade for being able to have money working for you for the rest of your life instead of you having to work for your money and depend on your boss' good moods to bring home the bacon?

Work From Home And Make Money With Your Own Online Business

Start Your Own Online Business- Top Reasons Why You Should













It isn't easy to start an online business. Some people may lie to you and say it is the easiest thing they have ever done, but they are being at best unrealistic. Running an online business is as the name implies, "a business that is online". So there are certain rules you must follow in order to earn cash online (and do it the right way).

Even though there are challenges to running a business online there are benefits to it as well. In my view it is better to start a business online. Below I have listed some of the top reasons I believe this to be true.

The Traditional Way To Get Cash Is Becoming Outdated













There are a lot of people who have great ideas, but can never seem to the get them off of the ground. Many times this is due to lack of resources or the ability to properly fund their business. With the traditional business model there is normally a substantial investment. An internet business does not require this major investment (though there could be a small one).

Using the example of a brick and mortar store an owner must invest in their business only to have their money at times locked in the business itself for years. Many times it takes years for the store owner to recuperate their entire investment. With an online business model you would have less overhead and other means to store your inventory (such as drop shipping or as an affiliate). This means that inventory is not a requirement allowing you to ship product upon demand versus investing in the goods upfront.

Each Industry Dictates It's Threshold To Make Money













Certain industries require you to invest money to make money. Depending upon the industry itself starting small may be out of the question. The reason? In order to compete you must be competitive. To be competitive in the traditional sense may require a significant investment of funds from the beginning. This is not even mentioning physical location(s), staff and security issues.

However, a home based business that exists on the internet can grow as you grow. We all want to grow. With a smaller investment you can leverage your advantage for greater profits. If staff is required, the positions are minimal and physical security becomes one less thing for you to worry about (especially if you are an affiliate or you don't house your products in-house).

The Internet Is Becoming The Standard For Communicating A Business













The day is coming where if you're not online you don't exist. Even traditional brick and mortar organizations are now vying for a presence on the web.

The level of innovation new technologies are providing the entrepreneur online are endless. You are limited by your imagination and ambition.

With the internet you can make as much or as little as you want. This is determined by your willingness and effort to take your business to the next level. Will you press forward the wheel of innovation a success and become the next internet millionaire (or billionaire)? Or maybe you're not as ambitious and are only looking to take care of your needs (and maybe your families too)? An online business can provide you with this ability.

Why Writing Copy for Your Own Business Can Backfire

Copywriting is essential for all business. While copywriting alone will not determine your success, the lack of that can certainly spell your early demise. The problem for most is that while copywriting is a phrase most business professionals have heard, not all really know what it means. So, let us first define copywriting. I went to the font of all knowledge on the internet, known by its layman name of Wikipedia, and saw that the definition of copywriting is "written content conveyed through online or print materials. This type of written material is often to persuade a person or a group as well as to raise brand awareness. "

Now that we know what copywriting is, we can list several of the ways that it is used in business. We have information appearing on websites, sales brochures, career opportunity announcements, press releases, scripts for videos, statements by high level employees, and white papers that are sent to inform others in the same industry about changes and innovations. All of these things are available services that a copywriter may offer.

But why should not the CEO write these things. Surely he or she knows a great deal about the industry and could write fantastic material about it, right? Well, not really. First off, knowledge of a subject does not automatically grant you the ability to convey that knowledge to others. Just because you understand a topic perfectly does not mean you can help others to do the same. But, even if our imagination CEO can talk about the subject or even write about it, they still should avoid using their time to do the copywriting. You see, copywriting is a time-consuming process. You need to create a basic structure of what you are going to write which can change depending on the type of medium you are writing on. Also, you need to have your work checked by another set of eyes. Many time a mistake will only be done by having someone else look it over. So, after taking the time to have all of this done, and doing a final rewrite, you will finally have a piece that can be released to the public to generate whatever reaction you were going for. That is simply too much time for the most skilled and knowledgeable people at a company to spend on something that is quite easy to find a pro to do for you.

The most important reason a CEO or other high level employee should avoid writing their own company's copy is that they are simply too important to do so. In order for a company to be truly successful, they must make sure that every employee is doing what they excel at. The marketers must be marketing, the product creators must be creating, etc. A CEO's job is to run a whole company. Whether that is a few employees, or a few thousand, they must take on the responsibility and focus on that alone to ensure the greatest level of success. Beside, successful executives know the power of assigning tasks, so why not assign this one to someone who is more suited to the task at hand than you are?

Big corporations have money to burn and can easily pay for top end copwriters to write everything for them. But, what about the small business owner? There are still great, affordable options out there on freelance sites where you can find the type of writer you need, and can do it on a budget. Do not be afraid to try them out. The small investment you make now may end up paying huge dividends in the future. Not only by having your copy written by a professional, but by being able to spend your time doing things that are grow your business the most. When done right, everyone wins in the end.

Writing Your Affiliate Home Business Plan

Here's a typical scenario: You are deciding to start a home business and suddenly everyone you know has his nose in your business, literally. What do you tell them? And how do you answer your own questions? What should you expect from the company in terms of stability, longevity, vitality, trust, income, and so forth? First the bad news: there are no guarantees. Then the good news: there is plenty of information from which to draw your own conclusions. The internet is huge, and any good company will offer free marketing tools and training.

But back to the WHY of that business plan. You're going to be starting small, slow and boy! is there a lot to learn. What's the point of actually sitting down and writing a business plan? You're not Bill Gates, this is not Microsoft, just you in your home office a few hours a week, slowly building an online business presence, not really understanding what the heck you'll be doing.

Relax and breathe. Unlike Mt. Rushmore, your plan will not be designed to withstand the weathering of the ages. You can expect it will change and bend with the flow of your real experiences, which will be totally yours, not identical to anyone else's.

What writing your plan will do is cause you to pause, think, dream, study and focus. The written document, whether it is one page or twelve, will give your business a framework to work within. The internet is vast and seemingly endless. It is easy to lose focus and drift away on a different whim or idea every day. Understanding where you are today, what tools you have to work with, what your goals are, and how you can best achieve them and measure your success, will help you stay on target and not waste what few hours you may be investing in your business at start-up.

Whenever you feel lost or confused, you can return to what you have written. When you analyze your situation and decide to make a change, rewrite that part of the plan. Understand that it's a living document, intended to grow with you and your business. Your business plan is your friend.

Getting Started with the Business Plan

First you need to study the company and its management. You need to read and learn about the products, the compensation plan and the network structure. See you next month. Just kidding.

Plan on doing SOME reading each and every work day for the next few months, if not indefinitely. Keep up with the company forum entries every day; read something in the training reports every day. Your education will continue. Plan for it.

When you are ready, open up a Notepad window and answer these questions:

What service / products does your business provide and what needs does it fill?

Who are the potential customers for your product or service and why will they purchase it from you?

How will you reach your potential customers?

Where will you get the financial resources to start your business?

Ok. Maybe your company offers many products and services. What do you want to focus on? I suggest that, at first, you focus on one or two products and / or the affiliate opportunity. In other words, keep is simple. Once you get the hang of what you're doing, you will KNOW when it's time to expand. Do only what you are comfortable with, every step of the way. This is YOUR business, it's your right and privilege to decide on your approach.

Internet marketing hinges on building trust. How will you do this?

Reaching customers means marketing. Your decision, once again. And again, the options should be in your company's training materials.

So we're talking developing a reading / study schedule. Here's a possible list, once you've read enough to make your own decisions to answer the above questions, start writing. Your writing can be lists of words and phrases, free-form brainstorming, outlines, mind maps, whatever works for you. Just write it down, and do not forget to save often. If your home office is affiliated by cats or small children, they have the tendency to press on random keyboard keys. Documents do occasionally just disappear. Saving avoids total disaster.

1. Study the products.
2. Read the training materials.
3. Read about decisions, bonuses, etc.
4. Study the marketing aids and strategies
5. Find out what free tools are available.
6. Visit the forums on a regular basis. Read everything about getting started.
7. Ask questions.

Your final written business plan will have at least four parts:

Introduction / background: history of the company and its founder, internet marketing trends, why THIS company and why NOW, and so on.

Goals: I suggest you think of what you would like to be learning in two years, but mainly focus on goals for your first year. Realistic goals can be planned based on info on the company website, in newsletters, searches on the forums, and focused questions to other affiliates.

Marketing plan: based on your answers to the first 3 questions above and your study of marketing aids and tools.

Action plans: the specifics of what you will do on a monthly, weekly, and / or daily basis for the next year.

I can not tell you what your answers should be, because you have to decide how much money you have to invest. Only you can decide how many hours per day, week or month you can invest in your business. What products you feel most comfortable marketing, and who you decide to target as your customer base, are all decisions only you can make. If you get stuck and do not understand a question, do not know where to find information, or do not know how to ASK a question, contact your sponsor or someone in your upline. If they can not help you, they should be able to send you to someonewho can.

You should NEVER feel alone. Work should be FUN! ...

The Easiest Way Grow Your Online Business Opportunity With Article Marketing

Whether your website is selling a product or a service you need constant exposure to get new visitors to your site. The only way you'll move up the search engine ladder is to learn how to grow your online business opportunity with article marketing. It's really an easy way to find new customers and make more money on the internet!

Search engine optimization, also known as SEO, is essential for moving your site into the top ranked postings on every popular search engine. After all, what's the point of listing keywords and key-phrases associated with your business if you're not going to optimize them?

Your friends are right! Article banks are filled to the brim with back-linked articles that not only get more visitors to the originator's website or blog, but also serve to increase and optimize their site's all important search engine rankings. Aside from providing a greater chance for your business to turn into a viral online success story, marketing through social networks and article data banks just makes good sense.

Article marketing began to gain strength as more business owners began using self produced prose to help promote their business. News editors began frequenting article databases for story leads and the number of hits to the sites grew to enormous proportions.

Article marketing services will write and post informative prose for you all over the web! You won't have to become an internet or SEO-guru to figure everything out. Article marketing services can have the articles written for you and post them to all of the popular article banks.

In fact, simply by providing a keyword or key-phrase, these fee-based services can have a professional writer prepare your articles in as little as twenty-four hours for proofing. Then the article marketing service does the rest of the work.

In fact, there are many services available now that will write your articles and post them for you. All you need to do is supply a small fee and a keyword or key-phrase and Voila! In a day or two your articles are appearing all over the web and your search engine rankings increase accordingly.

You'll get all of the important backlinks needed to get your site noticed for just a few dollars. It's like getting big business level assistance for the price of a few Venti Lattes! What could be better than that?

Article writing and submission services range from $15 per unposted article to as much as $3,500 or more per posted article or prepared press release. There is a service to fit every budget and meet every unique marketing objective.

Whether your enterprise is large or small, you can grow your online business opportunity with article marketing. If you know how to write using keywords and key-phrases properly, the process can cost you nothing more than a little time. But if you would prefer to concentrate on your core business, there are many cost-effective article marketing service approaches that are available.

7 Top Tips to Car Salesman's Or Saleswoman's Success

Given that car sales account for 19% of total US sales in 2000 (source: US Small Business Administration), a lot of people are buying cars which mean that they are a lot of people selling cars. Additionally, new car sales have dropped from 63.4% in 1989 to 60% in 1999. Selling cars is not easy given that many still have a negative perception of car salesmen or women. Hopefully, these 7 tips may help you to sell more cars.

1. First and Foremost YOU need to think of yourself as a business. Car sales people work for an auto dealership, but most work on a salary and commission basis. When your compensation is commission based, this means you have more control of your destiny and should view yourself as a business instead of just a sales person.
2. Adopt a Planning Attitude. If you do not have a plan, then you are on some else's plan - usually the successful car saleswoman or salesman. As a practicing performance improvement consultant or coach for the last 10 years, I have observed that most people plan less for their own lives than they do for a simple visit to the grocery store.
3. Learn how to prospect. There exists a fundamental belief that the auto dealership is responsible for bringing traffic through the door because the dealership owners have all those "big bucks" for media advertising. Given that 80% of all new sales comes from referrals, would it not make more sense to prospect individually rather than simply on outside resources to control your destination? Those media efforts usually bring in suspicions, not prospects. Use your time wisely by focusing on prospects those who have a need, dollars and are a decision-maker. Do not rely only on the auto dealer to send out letters. Take the time to write some handwritten notes.
4. Improve your sales skills to make more money. Today's buyers are far more savvy than years ago. Learn how to cultivate and develop long term relationships. Consider a proven buying / selling sales process where marketing and selling skills are united to deliver to the desired results of another sold car. New car sales to used car sales are far more relationship based selling than years ago when car sales was a commodity sale.
5. Establish your sales goals using your great planning attitude. If you are a car salesman or car saleswoman and have 300 customers and the industry average sales cycle is 3 years, then every year you should be selling 100 cars. Focus your efforts of those who will be buying a car this year, but remember to continue to touch those who will potentially be buying another car in 2 or 3 years. HINT: Use the WAYSMARTcriteria for goal setting.
6. Identify the attitudes or beliefs that are obstacles to your success. Working with those in the auto industry, I have heard countless reasons why sales can not be made. However, when these reviews are reviewed, they are usually unfounded reasons based upon existing attitudes and beliefs. For example, "corporate has ruined the car industry by posting prices on the Internet. Everyone knows everything about the car." My response is "if price was a real objection, then everyone would be driving a Yugo or a Chevette. HINT: When you change how you look at things, the things you look at will change.
7. Make managing yourself priority number one. You must learn how to maximize your time especially in the area of ​​time management, ongoing professional development such as through business coaching training and personal life balance. The auto industry is truly a 24/7 business given that cars are with us each and every day of our lives. However, it is important not to lose sight of your personal life including family, friends, physical health, etc.

Yes, you can be an incredible car salesperson who can increase sales through these 7 simple car salesman tips. Just remember, sales regardless of industry is all about knowing your numbers and then multiplying your activity to secure those desired results.

Online Customer Service Software

With the growth of online business, more and more people prefer to sell their products / services on the internet rather than opening physical shops. There is a huge risk of failure if you are not able to meet customer demands or give them proper service. Studies have revealed that e-commerce is an easy as well difficult way of making money. While getting new customers is always a difficult task, serving them right and interacting with them is the key to success. This is why online customer service software has become a must have for upcoming business.

With such software, you will be able to interact directly with your customers and understand their frequency. Without you really understand what they are looking for, it is almost impossible to satisfy them. A fully furnished and glossy site without customer service might be less successful with a not so glossy but adequate service oriented website. So, you should focus more on reaching your customers rather than spending more on marketing. Remember, one satisfied customer can bring you many more potential customers while one dissatisfied customer can cause you 100 times more damage.

If the chat agents supporting the online customer service are trained, they can really bring a lot of difference to your business. With the ability to generate metrics, you being the site owner can easily determine which product is most attractive to your customers. Following that, you can strategize your business and increase your sales. Remember, interaction with the customers is the key to success. So, you should be providing sufficient education to the chat agent son how to talk to the site visitors and how to show them around the site. There may be instances where the customers may be interested in customizing few orders that is difficult through email conversation. However, this can be done easily by live chat help with direct instructions from the customer.

Most of the services offering online customer chat service offer free trials, so you can experiment them and see the difference it brings to your sale. With the reduced cost, you can not only effectively make money; you can also monitor your website and keep a track of each and every visitor entering your website. So, take this opportunity and grab the unexplored part of internet marketing and website promotion. You never know, this small step may bring a huge difference in your business perspective and can open new gates of success for you.

Direct Sales Team Vs Distributor - Which is Better For an International Market?

If you're looking to expand your sales to new markets, then there's one big question you must ask: do I build a direct sales presence or use a distributor? Each method has its benefits and drawbacks, but we're going to make a strong case to use one method over the other in almost every instance.

What's the difference between direct sales and distributors?
A direct sales presence means that your company establishes, manages, and pays a sales team of one or more people in the target market.

An outside agent is any entity that will sell your product in exchange for a service fee. One example is a sales rep, who sells your product in exchange for a percentage of the sale. A distributor is similar to a rep, except they would buy product from your company and sell it directly to the end customer.

Is Direct Sales Better?
For most businesses expanding into new markets, especially international markets, hiring a distributor is a better decision-at least until there is enough return from the market to justify building a direct sales presence.

Sure, there is one major advantage to having a direct sales presence-control. Control over the day to day activities of your sales personnel is appealing to most business owners. But this control comes at a heavy price. To start, you'll need to spend the time to hire someone in that market, then train them, then equip them with sales material and management, if not office space and equipment. These costs are prohibitive for most small businesses looking to expand internationally.

And there are even more costs that we have not mentioned yet. Each market has it's own unique laws, cultures and customs that are essential to master if your company wants to establish a successful sales presence. Japan is a classic example of a marketplace with unique legal structures and business customs that, if not followed, guarantee the failure of any sales efforts. It's hard to pin down an exact monetary value to this learning, but ask yourself this: Can you afford to establish, manage, and pay a sales force in a foreign country for at least a year while they learn the routes and generate no revenue?

What about a Distributor? Is a distributor better for new markets?
Distributors are a cost effective means to enter a new marketplace successfully. Here are just a few of the reasons:

• No Overhead: Unlike running your own sales team, a distributor will take care of the hiring, managing, payment, and optimization of its channel. You're just borrowing their distribution, while they handle the maintenance.
• Established Channel with Local Knowledge: A good distributor will already know all the laws and customs of the market you're entering. You do not need to reinvent the wheel-you can use someone who already has local local knowledge.
• Understanding Pricing and Purchasing Power of Market: Along with knowledge of the laws and customs comes knowledge about the most successful ways to price and market your product locally.
• Cost Effective: Since you will not be paying for the above items, distributor relationships are much more within reach of a small business trying to enter a new market.

Using a distributor has some downsides as well, but they can be minimized by building a good relationship with a distributor.

• Not your own people: You will not be able to directly manage every step of the process. While it may make you nervous to lose some control over the sales process, you can manage the risk by building a transparent relationship with your distributor with constant updates and feedback from both ends.
• Distributor has many products to represent: You may not be the distributor's top priority at any given time, and you want to be sure your product is not getting shuffled to the back of the line. Once again, a well-established relationship with constant contact will ensure that your product is getting the attention it describes.
• Not a "turn key" solution: You can not just give the distributor your products and expect success. You'll have to manage the relationship. This takes time, but it's still less costly than trying to install a direct sales team from scratch.

So what do I do next?
If you are not convinced that a distributor would be better for your organization than acquiring a direct sales team, seek help from a consultant who has experience establishing a presence in new markets. A consultant can use his or her experience to analyze your opportunity and recommend the best course of action.

Before you choose a distributor, you need to know ....
Choosing the wrong distributor will set you up for failure. The wrong distributor simply will not generate sales, and you'll have wasted at least a year finding and setting up an unprofitable relationship.

There are certain things to look for in a distributor, and they are different for every market. The best thing to do is to find a professional, one with experience in distributor relationships, and hire that professional to help you search for and identify the right distributor.

How to Design and Layout a Coffee Shop Or Espresso Bar

If you are planning to open an espresso bar/coffee shop, then developing an efficient store design and layout will be one of the most important factors in positioning your business for success.

Speed of service is critical to the profitability of a coffee business. An efficient ergonomic store design will allow you to maximize your sales by serving as many customers as possible during peak business periods. Even though your business may be open 12 to 16 hours a day, in reality, 80% of your sales will probably occur during 20% of those hours. Coffee is primarily a morning beverage, so your busy times of day (those times when you are most likely to have a line of waiting customers), may be from 6:30AM to 8:30AM, and then again around lunchtime. If you have a poor store layout, that does not provide a logical and efficient flow for customers and employees, then the speed of customer service and product preparation will be impaired.

Think of it like this; if someone pulls open the front door of your store, and they see 5 people are waiting in line to order, there's a good chance they'll come in, wait in line, and make a purchase. But, if they see that 20 people are waiting in line, there is a high probability that they may determine that the wait will be too long, and they will simply get coffee somewhere else. This is money that just escaped your cash register! And, if they come to your store multiple times, and frequently find a long line of waiting customers, they may decide you are not a viable option for coffee, and will probably never return. Poor design slows down the entire service process, resulting in a longer line of waiting customers, and lost sales. So in reality, your daily business income will be dependent upon how many customers you can serve during peak business periods, and good store design will be essential to achieving that objective!

The financial impact of a poor store design can be significant. For the sake of this example, let's say the average customer transaction for your coffee business will be $3.75. If you have a line of waiting customers each morning between 7:00 AM and 8:30 AM, this means you have 90 minutes of crunch time, in which you must drive through as many customers as possible. If you can service a customer every 45 seconds, you will serve 120 customers during this 90 minutes. But, if it takes you 1 minute 15 seconds to service each customer, then you will only be able to serve 72 customers. 120 customers x $3.75 = $450.00 x 30 business days per month = $13,500. 72 customers x $3.75 = $270.00 x 30 business days per month = $8,100. This represents a difference of $5,400 in sales per month ($64,800 per year), coming from just 90-minutes of business activity each day!

So how should you go about designing your coffee bar? First, understand that putting together a good design is like assembling a puzzle. You have to fit all the pieces in the proper relationship to each other to end up with the desired picture. This may require some trial and error to get things right. I've designed hundreds of coffee bar over the past 15 years, and I can truthfully tell you from experience, it still usually takes me a couple of attempts to produce an optimal design.

The design process begins by determining your menu and other desired store features. If you plan to do in-store baking, then obviously you'll need to include in your plan an oven, exhaust hood, sheet pan rack, a large prep table, and perhaps a mixer. If you plan to have a private meeting room for large groups, then an extra 200 sq. ft. or more will need to be designed-in, in addition to the square footage you are already allocating for normal customer seating.

Your intended menu and other business features should also drive decisions about the size of location you select. How many square feet will be required to fit in all the necessary equipment, fixtures, and other features, along with your desired seating capacity?

Typically, just the space required for the front of the house service area, (cash register, brewing & espresso equipment, pastry case, blenders, etc.), back of the house (storage, prep, dishwashing and office areas), and 2-ADA restrooms, will consume about 800 sq. ft. If space for extensive food prep, baking, coffee roasting, or cooking will be required, this square footage may increase to 1,000 to 1,200, or more. What ever is left over within your space after that, will become your seating area.

So, a typical 1,000 sq. ft coffee bar, serving beverages and simple pastries only, will probably allow for the seating of 15 to 20 customers - max! Increase that square footage to 1,200 sq. ft., and seating should increase to 30, or 35. If you plan to prepare sandwiches, salads, and some other food items on site, 1,400 to 1,600 sq. ft. should provide enough space to seat 35 to 50, respectively.

Next, you will have to determine the tasks that will be performed by each employee position, so that the equipment and fixtures necessary to accomplish those tasks can be located in the appropriate places.

Normally, your cashier will operate the cash register, brew and serve drip coffee, and serve pastries and desserts. Your barista will make all your espresso-based beverages, tea, chai, hot chocolate, Italian sodas, as well as all the blender beverages. If you'll be preparing sandwiches, panini, wraps, salads, snacks and appetizers, or will be baking on-site, then a person dedicated to food prep will be necessary. And, if you anticipate high volume, and will be serving in or on ceramics, a bus-person/dishwasher may be a necessity.

After you have determined what you will be serving, the space you will be leasing, and what each employee will be responsible for, you will then be ready to begin your design process. I usually start my design work from the back door of the space and work my way forward. You'll need to design in all of the features that will be necessary to satisfy your bureaucracies and facilitate your menu, before you make plans for the customer seating area.

Your back door will most likely have to serve as an emergency fire exit, so you'll need a hallway connecting it with your dining room. Locating your 2-ADA restrooms off of this hallway would make good sense. And, because delivery of products will also probably occur through your back door, having access to your back of the house storage area would also be convenient.

In the back of the house, at minimum, you will need to include a water heater, water purification system, dry storage area, back-up refrigerator and freezer storage, ice maker, an office, 3-compartment ware washing sink, rack for washed wares, mop bucket sink, and a hand washing sink. Do any food prep, and the addition of a food prep sink and prep table will be necessary. If doing baking, gelato making, full cooking, or coffee roasting, all the equipment necessary for those functions will also need to be added.

After all the features have been designed into the back of the house, you will then be ready to start your design work on the front of the house service and beverage preparation area. This area will probably include a pastry case, cash register(s), drip coffee brewer and grinder(s), espresso machine and grinders, a dipper well, possibly a granita machine, blenders, ice holding bin, blender rinse sink, hand washing sink, under counter refrigeration (under espresso machine and blenders), and a microwave oven.

If serving food beyond simple pastries and desserts, you may need to add a panini toaster grill, a refrigerated sandwich/salad preparation table, soup cooker/warmer, a bread toaster, etc. If you plan to serve pre made, ready to serve sandwiches, wraps, and salads, along with a selection of bottled beverages, an open-front, reach-in merchandising refrigerator should be considered. Serving ice cream or gelato? If the answer is yes, then an ice cream or gelato dipping cabinet will be necessary along with an additional dipper well.

Finally, when all the working areas of the bar have been designed, the customer seating area can be laid out. This will, of course, include your cafe tables and chairs, couches and comfortable upholstered chairs, coffee tables, and perhaps a window or stand-up bar with bar stools. Impulse-buy and retail merchandise shelves should be established, and a condiment bar should be located close to where customers will pick-up their beverages.

A quick word about couches, large upholstered chairs, and coffee tables. Living room type furniture takes up a lot of space. If you plan to be opening evenings, and will perhaps serve beer and wine, and having comfortable seating will be important for creating a relaxing ambiance, then by all means do it. But if you have limited seating space, and are not trying to encourage people to relax and stay for long periods of time, then stick with cafe tables and chairs. The more people you can seat, the greater your income potential!

Features from the front door to the condiment bar should be arranged in a logical, sequential order. As your customers enter the front door, their travel path should take them past your impulse-buy merchandise display, and the pastry case, before they arrive at the point of order (where your cashier, cash register, and menu-board will be located). Exposing customers to your impulse items and pastries, before they order, will greatly increase their sales. Then, after the order and payment has been taken, they should proceed down-line away from the cash register to pick-up their beverage, and finally, the condiment bar should be located beyond that point. Be sure to separate your point of order from the point of product pick-up by at least six feet, otherwise customers waiting for their beverage may begin to intrude into the space of those ordering.

Don't make the mistakes that many inexperienced designers commonly make. They arrange these features in a haphazard way, so that customers have to change direction, and cut back through the line of awaiting customers to proceed to their next destination in the service sequence. Or, wanting to make their espresso machine a focal point to those entering the store, they place it before the cashier along the customer's path of travel. Customers inevitably end up trying to order from the barista before they are informed that they need to proceed to the cashier first. If this happens dozens of times each day, confusion and slowed beverage production will be the result.

On the employee's side of the counter, work and product flow are even more important. Any unnecessary steps or wasted movements that result from a less than optimal design will slow down employee production. All products should flow seamlesly in one direction towards the ultimate point of pick-up. For example, if preparing a particular item is a 3-step process, then placement of equipment should allow for the 3 steps to occur in order, in one linear direction, with the final step occurring closest to the point where customers will be served.

Equipment should be grouped together so that it is in the immediate proximity of the employee(s) who will be using it. Beyond the actual equipment, empty spaces must be left on the counter top to store ingredients and small wares (tools) used in product preparation. Counter top space will also be needed where menu items will actually be assembled. Think of the grouping of equipment for different job functions as stations. Try to keep different stations compact and in close working proximity to each other, but make sure that there is enough space between each so that employee working-paths don't cross, which could contribute to employee collisions.

Creating defined work stations will allow you to put multiple employees behind the counter when needed. When it is busy, you may need to have 2 cashiers, another person just bagging pastries and brewing coffee, 2 baristas behind the espresso machine, a maybe even a dedicated person working the blenders. If you're preparing sandwiches and salads to order, then another person may need to be added to handle that task. Keeping your stations in close proximity to each other will allow one employee to easily access all equipment during very slow periods of business, thus saving you valuable labor dollars.

When you arrange equipment in relationship to each other, keep in mind that most people are right handed. Stepping to the right of the espresso machine to access the espresso grinder will feel more comfortable than having to move to the left. Likewise, place your ice storage bin to the right of your blenders, so when you scoop ice, you can hold the cup or blender pitcher in your left hand, and scoop with your right.

As you create your store layout, the equipment you select should fit your space and the needs of your anticipated business volume. A busy location will most likely require a dual or twin, air pot, drip coffee brewer (one that can brew 2 pots at the same time), as opposed to a single brewer. If you anticipate selling a lot of blended and ice drinks, then an under counter ice maker, one that can only produce 100 pounds of ice or less per day, will not be sufficient. You should instead locate a high-capacity ice maker (one that can make 400 or 500 lbs. per day) in the back of the house, and transport ice to an ice holding bin up front. Plan to bring in frozen desserts and ice cream? Then a 1 door reach-in freezer in the back of he house will probably be inadequate for you storage needs, so you'll need to consider a 2 or 3 door. I always recommend a 3-group espresso machine for any location that may generate 150 drinks per day or more. And, I can tell you from experience, you can never have too much dry or refrigerated storage space!

Make sure that any equipment you select will be acceptable with your local bureaucracy before your purchase and take delivery of it. All equipment will typically need to be NSF & UL approved, or have a similar, acceptable, foreign certification equivalent. Your bureaucracy will most likely want to see manufacturer specification sheets on all equipment to verify this fact, before they'll approve your plans.

ADA (American's with Disabilities Act) compliance will also come into play when you are designing your coffee bar. In some areas of the country, this will only apply to those areas of your store that will be used by customers. However, other bureaucracies may require your entire store to be ADA compliant. Following are some of the basic requirements of compliance with the code:

• All hallways and isle ways must be 5 feet wide (minimum).

• All countertop working heights must be 34 inches high (instead of normal 36 inch height).

• 18 inches of free wall space must be provided on the strike-side of all doors (the side with the door knob).

• All hand-washing sinks must be ADA friendly.

• All bathrooms must be ADA compliant (5 foot space for wheelchair turnaround, handrails at toilet, acceptable clearance around toilet and hand washing sink, etc.).

• No steps allowed, ramps are OK with the proper slope.

• If your space has multiple levels, then no feature may exist on a level where handicapped access has not been provided, if that same feature does not exist on a level where it will be accessible.

You can find the complete regulations for ADA compliance at the following website:

http://www.access-board.gov/adaag/html/adaag.htm

Beyond the basic Equipment Floor Plan, showing new partitions, cabinets, equipment, fixtures, and furnishings, you'll need to produce some additional drawings to guide your contractors and satisfy the bureaucracies.

Electrical Plan

An electrical plan will be necessary to show the location of all outlets needed to operate equipment. Information such as voltage, amperage, phase, hertz, special instructions (like, "requires a dedicated circuit"), and the horizontal and vertical location of each outlet, should all be specified.

A small, basic coffee shop might get away with a 200 amp service, but typically 400 amps will be required if your equipment package will include items like an electric water heater, high-temperature dishwasher, or cooking equipment (ovens, panini grill, etc.).

In addition to the electrical work required for your coffee business-specific equipment, you may need to adjust existing electrical for additional or reconfigured lighting, HVAC, general-purpose convenience outlets, and exterior signs. Also, have your electrician run any needed speaker wires, TV/internet cables, and cash register remote receipt printer cables at the same time they are installing electrical wires. Finally, make sure your electrician makes provisions for lighted exit signs, and a battery-powered emergency evacuation lighting system, if needed.

Plumbing Plan

A plan showing all plumbing features will be necessary. At minimum, this should show stub-in locations for all needed water sources (hot & cold), drains, your water heater, water purifications system, grease interceptor (if required), bathroom fixtures, etc.

While a typical P-trap drain should be acceptable for most fixtures and equipment, some will require an air-gap drain. An air gap drain does not go through the "S"-shaped twists of the P-trap. Instead, the drain line comes straight down from the piece of equipment or fixture, and terminates 2 inches above the rim of a porcelain floor sink drain. This porcelain drain basin is usually installed directly into the floor. The air gap between the drain line from your equipment or fixture, and the bottom of the basin, prevents any bacteria in the sewer pipe from migrating into the equipment or fixture. I drain the following pieces of equipment to a floor sink drain when creating a plumbing plan:

• espresso machine

• dipper wells

• ice maker

• ice holding bin

• food prep sink

• soft drink dispensing equipment

To save on the life of your water filtration system, only your espresso machine and coffee brewer should be supplied by with treated water. Coffee is 98% to 99% water, so good water quality is essential. Your ice maker should only require a simple particle filter on the incoming line (unless your water quality is terrible). There is no need to filter water that will be used for hand and dish washing, cleaning mops, flushing toilets, and washing floors!

Be aware that many bureaucracies are now requiring a grease interceptor on the drain line from your 3-compartment ware washing sinks and automatic dishwasher. A grease interceptor is basically a box containing baffles that traps the grease before it can enter the public sewer system.

Also understand that a typical retail space will not come equipped with a water heater with enough capacity to handle your needs. Unless your space was previously some type of a food service operation, you will probably need to replace it with a larger one.

If cutting trenches in the floor will be necessary to install porcelain floor sinks, a grease interceptor, and run drain lines, then establishing a few general purpose floor drains at this same time behind the counter, and in the back of the house, will prove useful. Floor drains will allow you to squeegee liquids away when spills occur, and when washing floors.

Finally, if you added some new walls during your remodel, you may need to have the fire sprinkler system for your space adjusted or reconfigured.

Cabinet Elevations

Drawing cabinet elevations, (the view you would have if you were standing in front of your cabinets), will be necessary for your cabinet maker to understand all the features they will need to incorporate into your cabinet designs.

These elevations are not meant to be shop fabrication drawings for your cabinetmaker, but merely serve a reference, showing needed features and desired configuration. Where do you want drawers, and under counter storage space; and, where do you want cabinet doors on that under counter storage? Where should open space be left for the placement of under counter refrigeration and trashcans? Will cup dispensers be installed in the cabinet face under the counter top? These elevations will provide your cabinetmaker with a clear understanding of all these features.

While your kitchen base cabinets at home are typically 24 inches deep, for commercial applications they should be 30 inches deep, and 33 inches if an under counter refrigerator is to be inserted. Also, when specifying the size of an open bay to accommodate under counter refrigeration, be sure to allow a couple of inches more than the physical dimensions of the equipment, so that it can be easily inserted and removed for daily cleaning.

Dimensions Plan

You will need to create a floor plan showing all the critical dimensions for new partitions, doors, cabinets, and fixtures. This will, of course, help make sure that everything ends up where it is suppose to be, and will be the right size.

A final thought about design; unless the space you will be designing is a clean vanilla shell (meaning, nothing currently exists in the space, except perhaps one ADA restroom), you will have to make sure that all the features that you are considering keeping, will be acceptable with your local bureaucracy. Many older buildings were not designed to present codes. If the business type remains the same (your space was occupied by a food service establishment before you), then some times any non compliant features will be grandfathered-in, meaning you don't have to bring them up to current requirements. But don't count on this! You need to check with your bureaucracies to make sure. More and more I see bureaucracies requiring new business owners to remodel, so that all features are compliant with codes. This means you may have to rip-out bathrooms and hallways, add fire sprinkler systems, and provide ramps where there are steps. Better you know all these things before you begin your store design!

I always tell my consulting clients, that if I produce a perfect design and layout for them, they will never notice... because everything will be exactly where you would expect it to be. Unfortunately, if you create a less than optimal design for your coffee bar, you probably won't realize it until you start working in it. Changing design mistakes or inadequacies after the fact, can be extremely expensive. Not correcting those mistakes may even cost you more in lost potential sales. For this reason, I strongly suggest using an experienced coffee business space designer to create your layout for you, or at very least, to review the design you have created. Doing so will payoff with dividends.

Freight Management Solutions

Business models of all sizes have complications. The goal of businesses in terms of logistics basically narrows down to having what the consumer desires, at a price they are willing to pay, in the quantity they wish for when they want it. That is not too much to ask right? Companies with issues in logistics are continuously searching for freight management solutions often times turning to companies that specialize in providing this service for companies big and small.

This is done in one of two different ways; third party logistics or fourth party logistics. Third party logistics uses outside companies to carry out the various logistic operations that have been accredited to being done internally. An example of this is when a company that has its own storage facility decided that it will now use an outside transporter to carry out distribution. Distribution was previously done by the company but in evaluating it was determined to be more cost effective to bring in a third party for this sector of the supply chain. This was determined to be an effective freight management solution.

Fourth party logistics is somewhat of a new concept. This is when a company determines that the freight management solution that desire is one in which the whole logistics procedure is outsourced to another party. This company has a sole purpose of providing logistic solutions to companies. They bring together their companies resources and technology and pair it with other organizations to plan out, operate and maintain a fully functioning supply chain.

The main difference between the two; third party logistics and fourth party logistics, is that the third party is specifically targeting one function of the supply chain solution where as with fourth party they manage the entire process from beginning to end. In general a fourth party logistics provider is a contractor serving the entire logistic needs for a company.

Fourth party logistic providers are the future of freight management solutions. Consulting companies are now offering so much in the way of cost savings and services to companies that they are becoming hard to live without. It is easy to see how needed a fourth party logistics company is when examining inbound logistics and outbound logistics. In smaller companies especially it is important to have support that specializes in all aspects of logistics. To pay specialized logistic personal to be on staff would not be nearly as cost effective as hiring companies, with a system already in place to help manage that piece of the business puzzle.

Inbound logistics is a basic process in the business equation which includes purchasing, arranging the movement of materials coming in, parts and finished inventory from suppliers to manufacturers, assembly plants and stores. Outbound logistics is related to storing and moving the end goods and information from the end of production to the end user.

The field of logistics is complex and absolutely integral to a business's success. Without the proper logistics in place a company could be losing money with increased shipping costs or improper communication through the supply chain. In order to give the client what they want, when they want it, at an acceptable price and time a highly functioning freight management solution should be maximized.

Recognizing Navigational Tools For the Future of Education

I have to laugh when I think of the times I watched the television program, "Flash Gordon," as he putted through outer space in his make-believe space ship, talking on his make-believe wireless radio, and dressed in his make-believe space suit. Well, I'm not laughing anymore. Today we have shuttled astronauts into outer space, have men living in a Space Station, have space suites that take your temperature and gauge your heart rate, and wireless communication devices that send pictures to Planet Earth. Far fetched from reality? Not anymore. As we speak, the future is starring us in the face, waiting to see how we will promote her in the next 5-10 years.

How did science-fiction become reality over the past 50 years? Let's consider one aspect of innovation: the learning environment - post secondary education. Why post secondary education, you may ask? As post secondary education population increases, programs to accommodate students will develop into curriculum that affords students the freedom to create and design systems they toy with on a daily basis. Are there risks involved in this adaptation process? There are risks involved when change occurs, and leadership should be aware of how to diplomatically confront the risk areas that could slow down progress. Some of the risks that could be encountered due to change are:

o Systems risks

o Subsystem risks

o People

o Financial/economic risks

o Societal/Cultural risks

If communication between systems, subsystems, people, and cultures within the organizational environment has established a strong communication system, risks factors will be at a minimum as long as the creative teams are honest and upfront about their reservations to change.

Let's look into the future through 'futureoculers' and see how the universe of learning can be brought into the present. I want to introduce to you five (5) key trends that I believe affect the current learning environment, can create change, and renovate the perspective of learners and educators for students of the future. These trends could be the key in creating a new perspective in post secondary education for an institution. The key trends are:

o Competitive classroom learning environments - campus on-site/online/distant

o Increase in technological tools

o Teaching/learning environments-more hands on

o Global expansion capability-internal and external

o Student input in the creative learning process

Navigational Systems

Before the five (5) key trends are defined, there needs to be an acknowledgement of how the trends will be supported and regulated through a changing environment. According to de Kluyver, and Pearce, II, having the right systems and processes/subsystems enhances organizational effectiveness and facilitates coping with change. Misaligned systems and processes can be a powerful drag on an organization's ability to adapt. Therefore, check what effect, if any, current systems and processes are likely to have on a company's ability to implement a particular strategy is well advised. Support systems such as a company's planning, budgeting, accounting, information and reward and incentive systems can be critical to successful strategy implementation. Although they do not by themselves define a sustainable competitive advantage, superior support systems help a company adapt more quickly and effectively to changing requirements. A well-designed planning system ensures that planning is an orderly process, gets the right amount of attention by the right executives, and has a balanced external and internal focus. Budgeting and accounting systems are valuable in providing accurate historical data, setting benchmarks and targets, and defining measures of performance. A state-of-the-art information system supports all other corporate systems, and it facilitates analysis as well as internal and external communications. Finally, a properly designed reward and incentive system is key to creating energy through motivation and commitment. A process (or subsystem) is a systematic way of doing things. Processes can be formal or informal; they define organization roles and relationships, and they can facilitate or obstruct change. Some processes or subsystems look beyond immediate issues of implementation to an explicit focus on developing a stronger capacity for adapting to change. Processes/subsystems aimed at creating a learning organization and at fostering continuous improvement are good examples. As an example, processes or subsystems are functional and maintain the operation of the system; the system may be Student Services and the subsystem may be the Financial Aid office or Admissions. Subsystems can be more in depth in relation to office operations, which involves employee positions and their culture; financial advisors, academic advisors, guidance counselors. These operations are functions performed on the human level and could have a positive or negative impact in the development of key trends. If employees are valued and rewarded for their dedication and service, the outcome will be responsible, committed employees for the success of their subsystem.

The Navigator

Every navigator needs a map, a plan, a driver to give direction to for a successful trip. In this case, the driver is several elements:

o Service integrity, reputation

o Affordability with an open door concept

Hughes and Beatty relate drivers as Strategic drivers; those relatively few determinants of sustainable competitive advantage for a particular organization in a particular industry or competitive environment (also called factors of competitive success, key success factors, key value propositions). The reason for identifying a relatively small number of strategic drivers for an organization is primarily to ensure that people become focused about what pattern of inherently limited investments will give the greatest strategic leverage and competitive advantage. Drivers can change over time, or the relative emphasis on those drivers can change, as an organization satisfies its key driver. In the case of post secondary education, drivers help measure success rates in the area of course completion ratio, student retention, and transfer acceptance into a university and/or the successful employment of students. Because change is so rampant in education, it is wise for leadership to anticipate change and develop a spirit of foresight to keep up with global trends.

Drivers can help identify the integrity of internal and external functions of systems and subsystems, as mentioned previously, by identifying entity types that feed the drivers' success. They are:

o Clientele Industry - external Market - feeder high schools, cultural and socio-economic demographic and geographic populations

- Competitors - local and online educational systems

- Nature of Industry - promote a learning community

- Governmental influences - licensed curriculum programs supported by local, state, and federal funds

- Economic and social influences - job market, employers, outreach programs

o College Planning and Environment - internal

- Capacity - Open door environment

- Products and services - high demand curriculum programs that meet, local, state, and federal high demand employment needs

- Market position - Promote on and off-campus activities that attract clientele

- Customers - traditional and non-traditional credit and non-credit students

- Systems, processes, and structures - trained staff and state-of-the art technical systems

- Leadership - integrity-driven, compassionate leadership teams

- Organizational culture - promote on-campus activities promoting a proactive environment for students

According to Hughes and Beatty, these functions can assimilate into the Vision, Mission, and Values statements to define the key strategic drivers for developing successful environments.

Navigating Towards a Destination

With the recognition of systems, subsystems, and drivers, we can see our destination in the distance and their value in building a foundation to support the five key trends. The five (5) key trends will help define strategic thinking in a global perspective; the understanding of futuristic thinking that encompasses: risk taking, imagination, creativity, communication among leadership, and a perspective of how the future can fit into today's agenda. The five (5) key trends are:

1. Competitive Classroom Learning Environments - campus on-site/online/distant

One of the major attractions in education today is to accommodate a student at every level: academically, financially, and socially. These three environments are the mainstream of why one school is selected over another school. Today there is a change in tide. Students who once competed for seats in post secondary schools are becoming a valued asset as post secondary schools compete between each other for students. High schools are no longer the only feeder into colleges. Today, students are coming from home schools, career schools, charter schools, high risk schools, private schools, religious schools, work environments, and ATB tested environments. So, how can the educational system attract students and keep them motivated in an interactive learning environment they can grow in? Wacker and Taylor writes that the story of every great enterprise begins with the delivery of a promise, and every product a great enterprise makes is nothing but an artifact of the truth of that promise. So what great enterprise can be created to attract new students? By creating learning/teaching environments, post secondary schools can prepare students to meet the demands of everyday life and their life in the community. Schools can consider incorporating a learning model to enable professors and/or community leaders/entrepreneurs to team teach in the classroom/online environment. Team Teaching will contribute valuable views into the learning environment, as well as, give students the working community's real-time perspective. In an excerpt from "The University at the Millennium: The Glion Declaration" (1998) quoted by Frank H.T. Rhodes, President Emeritus of Cornell University, for the Louisiana State Board of Regents report, Dr. Rhodes wrote that universities are learning communities, created and supported because of the need of students to learn, the benefit to scholars of intellectual community, and the importance to society of new knowledge, educated leaders, informed citizens, expert professional skills and training, and individual certification and accreditation. Those functions remain distinctive, essential contributions to society; they form the basis of an unwritten social compact, by which, in exchange for the effective and responsible provision of those services, the public supports the university, contributes to its finance, accepts its professional judgment and scholarly certification, and grants it a unique degree of institutional autonomy and scholarly freedom. To experience education is learning, to exercise knowledge is freedom, and to combine them is wisdom.

2. Teaching/learning environments-more hands on

As post secondary educators relinquish hands-on-chalk-board teaching styles and establish group teaching models, students will develop a greater understanding of the theme of the class environment as well as the professor in developing an understanding of the class cultures' stance in learning. Educators are discovering that inclusive learning styles are revamping the teaching model and becoming a positive influence in retention, better grades, camaraderie among students, and a greater respect for the professor. As professors learn to develop relationships with students, interaction will transpire, lecturing will be condensed into a time frame and interactive learning between students and professor will enhance the classroom environment.

3. Global expansion capability-internal and external

Students are surrounded by virtual global environments or are impacted by global elements: the clothes they wear are made overseas, the games they play on their electronic toys are created overseas, the war games they play are created to identify with global war games, etc. The only draw back to this scenario is a truly global learning experience. What they are seeing is not what they are getting; a real time global experience. James Morrison writes that in order to meet unprecedented demand for access, colleges and universities need to expand their use of IT tools via online learning, which will enable them to teach more students without building more classrooms. Moreover, in order for professors to prepare their pupils for success in the global economy, they need to ensure that students can access, analyze, process, and communicate information; use information technology tools; work with people from different cultural backgrounds; and engage in continuous, self-directed learning. Christopher Hayter writes that post secondary schools need to be 'Globally Focused' for the 21st century that includes a global marketplace and be internationally focused. This means ensuring that skills needed to compete in a global marketplace are taught and that the mastery of such skills by students is internationally benchmarked. It may also mean a new emphasis on learning languages and understanding other cultures and the business practices of other countries.

More and more businesses are expanding into the global marketplace, opening corporate offices in foreign countries and hiring and training employees from those countries. Are our college graduates being trained to assimilate into cultures and work side-by-side with employees who may not be able to relate to them? Developing curriculums accommodating social and cultural entities will propel a student into higher realms of learning and create change in the individual student as well as support their career for their future.

4. Student input in the creative learning process

Professors are the gatekeepers in education. However, as Baby Boomer Professors begin to exit the educational workforce and head down the path of retirement, younger generation professors will take their place bringing with them innovative teaching methods that can expand the learning process. Are post secondary educators equipped to prepare for the onslaught of younger generation educators needed to be trained for this mega shift in the workforce? Most important, will those professors caught between Boomers and Xer's be willing to adapt to change in the education industry to accommodate incoming generations? I believe younger generations will impact even the technological industry and challenge change that will equip them for their future. Previous generation students slowly adapted to technological advances. The good news is change can occur, and educators can utilize life experiences from students familiar with technology tools and create fascinating learning environments.

5. Increase in Technological tools

In an Executive Summary written for the National Governors Association in a report called "Innovation America - A Compact for Post Secondary Education," the report reads that while post secondary education in the United States has already achieved key successes in the innovation economy, the public post secondary education system overall risks falling behind its counterparts in many other nations around the world-places where there have been massive efforts to link post secondary education to the specific innovation needs of industries and regions. According to this report, American post secondary education is losing ground in the race to produce innovative and imaginative realms in education. Can this trend be counteracted? With the cooperation of post secondary educational institutions within each community, leadership can create co-op learning environments that can be supported through e-learning and online teaching that can provide virtual reality technology to enhance real-time learning environments. Through Business Development operations currently established in post secondary institutions, a shared technology program can be created that will afford students access to ongoing virtual business environment settings and prepare students with knowledge and insight into a specific industry. As students prepare to transfer, graduate, or seek employment after completing a certification program, virtual experience in the job market can help a student assimilate education and work experience to their advantage. This concept could challenge Human Resource departments to create new mandates in accepting virtual-experienced college graduates as they enter the workforce.

Reaching the Destination

As Flash Gordan lands his Spacecraft on unclaimed territory, you imagine yourself slowly turning the handle to the spaceship with your spaceship gloves, opening the door with explosive anticipation. Your heart racing, sweat running down your brow, and your eyes at half mask waiting to see a new world; a world filled with beauty and potential when suddenly, the television shuts off and your Mom is standing in front of you telling you to get up and go clean your room and stop daydreaming! Ah, Mom, you say to yourself, you just destroyed my imaginary planet! Oh, by the way, did I mention that this was you as a child growing up and using your imagination?

Now that I've created a visual world of potential for you can you see the power within to see the future from the present and help others visualize the potential benefits of change in their lives and the lives of others in an organization? T. Irene Sanders states that thinking in pictures helps us link our intuitive sense of events in the world with our intellectual understanding. Now, more than ever, we need to integrate the techniques of imagination and the skill of intuition with our analytic competencies to help us see and understand the complexities that vex us daily. Visualization is the key to insight and foresight-and the next revolution in strategic thinking and planning.

Can you SEE the systems, subsystems, drivers, and the five (5) trends with a visual perspective in a post secondary educational environment? This is the nature of Strategic Thinking, which can or is taking place in your organization; a cognitive process required for the collection, interpretation, generation, and evaluation of information and ideas that shape an organization's sustainable competitive advantage. The need to stay abreast of progress, technology, and global opportunities will be the change in drivers that will validate the creative elements needed to stay attuned in a global perspective. The author's intention of introducing Flash Gordan into the paper was to create a visual image and demonstrate imagination fulfillment to a present day reality. Is there anything out there that cannot be done if it is fine tuned and prepared for a service of excellence? What are the risks involved by not exercising strategic thinking in the elements mentioned in this article?

Education is not about the present it's about the future. The five (5) trends are only a beginning adventure into an unknown space. Do you remember when you were in college and wished things were done differently, be more exciting, more adventurous? Consider the age groups becoming proficient in technology. Will post secondary educators be prepared to teach/instruct future students? Educators must invite strategic thinking into the system and take the risks needed to build post secondary education back into the global futuristic race of achievement. In an article written by Arthur Hauptman entitled "Strategies for Improving Student Success in Post secondary Education" (07), he concluded his report listing four elements:

1. While there is a growing rhetorical commitment to student success, the reality is that policies often do not mirror the rhetoric. Whether intentional or not, policies in many states are at best benign and often antithetical to improving student success.

2. Policy focus in most states has been to lower tuitions or the provision of student financial aid. This ignores the importance of ensuring adequate supply of seats to accommodate all students as well as providing a proper set of incentives that encourage institutions to recruit, enroll, and graduate the students who are most at-risk.

3. Some progress has been made in developing contemporary practices that have great potential for providing the right incentives in place of redress this traditional imbalance. But much more needs to be done in this regard.

4. Efforts to create incentives for students to be better prepared and for institutions to enroll and graduate more at-risk students have the potential for greatly improving rates of retention and degree completion.

Can the five trends be a stepping stone in rebuilding or strengthening the weakest link in the system? The evidence of deficiency is public, and that's a good start. Educators have the choice to rebuild and prepare for the advancement of our future; our students. I encourage you to take the five (5) trends and see how they can accommodate your institute of higher learning.