Better Paul Brown Friendswood Marketing By Michael Sieber.

A friend and I were talking the other day about the economy and how businesses can better market themselves during a slowdown. He told me a story that I think is relevant to businesses no matter what the economy is like.

A flower shop recently expanded and put a store in our little downtown area. My friend (an advertising sales rep) stopped in to chat and asked how the business had been going. The owner said that things were fair, but it wasn’t going as expected.

So my buddy asked her what kind of marketing she was doing. Well, she was doing everything she could. She ran an ad in the paper, but it didn’t get much response.

That’s it: one ad and no response.

My friend then asked her if she was planning any grass roots marketing. The shop owner had no clue what he meant by that, so he explained.

You’ve got the courthouse right across the street. There are handfuls of men who work there – men who are “too busy” to remember that Valentine’s day is coming up. Why aren’t you going over to the courthouse with coupons for 10% off a dozen roses? Or better yet, let the guys know that you can have a gift basket containing flowers, candy, teddy bear, and a card ready to take home to the wife or girlfriend when they get done with work on Friday.

The shop owner was blown away. That was a great idea! She’d never thought about that.

And therein lies the problem that many struggling businesses face. They think that marketing begins and ends with putting an ad in the paper or on the radio, and if that doesn’t work, they throw their hands up in frustration because…well..they’ve done everything they can do.

They neglect to see the opportunities that exist if they get out and put themselves in front of their potential customers rather than waiting for their customers to find them.

Top Paul Brown Friendswood Strategies By Frank Ramsey.

No matter how rich a person or a country is, there will always be tough times. In these tough times when the economy is in bad shape surviving a bad economy is a must for everybody. This will not only help themselves to adjust to the current situation but this is also one way of contributing to the overall survival. The following strategies no matter how simple they might be can somehow help a person to survive the downscaling economy.

On transportation:

- It is best to carpool more often. Make it a habit between you and a coworker to take turns in carpooling to the office. This is a good way of minimizing both your expenses in gasoline. If there are more than two of you living in your neighborhood much better, the more the merrier.

- Instead of buying new cars, old used ones. In these tough times, new cars are not a necessity. But still, you need a means of transportation. What best way to save up but to buy old cars and save up some money? When you buy used cars, it would costs you a lot cheaper.

- Put together different errands in one trip. Try to get all of the things you need to do in one trip or on your trip home. This lessens the number of trip you need to make and you can avoid from driving back and forth.

- Take up a hobby and ride a bike. If you live close to stores malls or places you usually go to, ride a bike instead of driving you car. It’s god exercise and it’s good for your health.

- Wash your car yourself. This one is a no-brainer, why spend on something you can do yourself. That’s right, you can do this yourself. Imagine the cost savings that you’ll be making. It’s not much on its own but it’s a lot altogether.

On eating:

- Eat like you’re on a diet. Try and eat off your kids plate sometimes, this will make you eat in smaller portions and you would even notice. This one works if you don’t go for seconds.

- Bottled water alternative. Tap water is the ultimate cheap fix. Try comparing an ounce of bottled water and an ounce of tap I’m sure you’ll see the difference.

- Less meat more savings. Imagine not having meat during the working week and having it on weekends instead. It will definitely cost you less than your usual tab.

On personal shopping:

- Generic is good. Brand loyalty is a thing of the past especially if it cost you a lot. More than anything else the generic substitutes allows you to have options.

- Be a bargain hunter. Despite the downscale, people would still always buy personal items for themselves. Getting good items while surviving a bad economy can be done by buying bargain stuff. Don’t just be contented with the low price the stores have, try and look around if there’s anything better.

Small Paul Brown Friendswood Jobs By Debra Yergen.

A bad economy can provide a great opportunity to put a few “principles” on hold. First Lady Michelle Obama made news — and made a lot of mothers proud — when she announced that her daughters would still be making their own beds in the White House. Children should learn to participate in household chores, and those who don’t often grow up to be terrible spouses who seldom pick up their own socks much less make the bed or vacuum.

All good parents know that children need incremental responsibilities. But in this economy, there are a lot of adults who would welcome some extra hours a week working a side gig to bring in extra cash to keep their own families fed, clothed and taken care of. At the same time, there are a lot of nonprofit organizations in need of volunteers — even the tiniest volunteers willing to sit and talk to a patient, fold towels or stuff envelopes.

What if every family with full-time employment, and $25 or more extra dollars available a week, were to hire a family in need of some extra cash to help with cleaning, yard work, organizing or errands for a couple of months while they found steady employment? Could small jobs like this really stimulate the economy? Well, yes, actually any job that keeps money in motion stimulates the economy. [Be sure to check IRS guidelines. The cutoff for hiring household help is $660 per year before the employer needs to pay employment taxes on the person providing help.] You don’t want to find yourself fined for trying to help someone in need.

If you’re reading this and you need to make some extra money, do you have friends or family who could use your time, help or expertise? With the job landscape changing, many people are returning to trades. Experienced workers 55+ are perfectly suited to offer apprenticeships to younger workers who are looking to develop skills to fall back on.

And of course there’s the matter of discretionary income. The economy has given a one-two punch to service industry workers who rely on tips for a significant portion of their income. Instead of going out to eat twice a week, what if you were to go out only once but double your tip? If your bill for two people is $30.50 and you usually add $4.50 twice a week, what if you only went once but tipped $10? You’d save tremendously and your server would feel very appreciated.

Indeed, there are small things everyone can do every week to make a big difference. If you’re in a position to give a little extra help, you’ll make a real difference to a family in need. If you find yourself needing some extra income, you might be surprised who would be willing to help out right in your inner circle. And the biggest surprise of all — everyone wins. Because small jobs really do stimulate the economy.

5 Critical Paul Brown Friendswood Components By Joel Barrett.

Much of the recent bad economic news has been blamed on troubles in the housing market and the banking and credit industries. While these problems are serious, the more fundamental and insidious economic problem is the lack of knowledge about what exactly creates a vibrant, thriving economy.

The formulation of effective policy starts with the essential question: what is required for a nation to create and sustain wealth?

Justice on All Levels

Before any economy can be talked about, there must be justice. The investor must be able to trust an organization to behave responsibly and wisely with their investment. The retail store must be able to trust visitors to act cordially, respectfully, and honestly (e.g. no shoplifting). Individuals must have “confidence” in the goods they are buying.

A nation with any economy at all must involve people who can trust each other, and the products and services they offer. This trust in the laws of fairness must be enforced justly, otherwise trust erodes and fear prevents ventures from ever taking place. Once people can trust each other, there is room for teamwork.

Trust is generated by justice. Justice must exist before any economy can take place. The American economy has been strong until now for many reasons, not the least of which is the trust generated by excellent law enforcement. While law enforcement has been very effective on the grassroots level, it seems to have waned on the large scale.

A Wise People

Skilled labor is required to pull minerals from the earth and turn them into goods. This wisdom, this skill, is required to accomplish great ventures. Auto makers and oil refineries are networked mazes of complex systems kept running by very wise and skilled workers who are well paid for their expertise. Agriculture, Aerospace, Manufacturing, Investing, and every single economic sector without exception requires skilled labor.

Without skilled labor, a nation must either return to the most basic forms of agriculture or import skilled laborers to run the complex systems. America is now noticing a high influx of imported labor (ask Whirlpool) and my personal experience has seen employers wondering where America’s upcoming skilled labor market is going to come.

A Loving People

Once complex systems are in place, wisdom must be passed from generation to generation in order for the populace to compete. Rather than reinventing the wheel, the new generation must quickly learn the techniques and protocols that have already been learned and implemented by the previous generation.

There must be a caring relationship between generations to impart wisdom on how to build, maintain, and improve complex systems. It seems at the moment that there is a lot of ladder climbing but not a lot of discipleship going on in Corporate America.

A Strong Production Base

Physical wealth begins with taking minerals from the ground and then turning those minerals into something valuable and useful. This process can be called production, the generation of products.  Agriculture and Mining pull minerals from the ground and manufacturing turns those minerals into products. All other economic fields depend on these.

As the American economy shuns these values in favor of services, entertainment, or any other economic sector, there will be less and less of a foundation for the economy to stand on. All taxes and burdens placed on these sectors exponentially impede all others.

Conclusion

Economies are fundamentally human qualities and values. As those qualities and values change, economies will shift accordingly.  If the qualities and values are dead wrong, the economies will not function correctly. If the qualities and values are right, they will thrive vibrantly.

Paul Brown Friendswood Teambuilding By Eriq Powers.

With the spectre of a looming “economic downturn” upon us, many business leaders are being forced to tighten their belts and rethink their future expenditures. During times like this, off-site retreats and holiday parties are doubtless going to take a lower priority. The irony is, now – when things are most challenging for both businesses and their clients – it is even more vital that we motivate staff and create a work environment that fosters healthy risk-taking and creative thinking. Now is the time for those in charge to plan for change, and invest in strategies that foster innovation rather than cutting everything but the bare essentials.

This is an exciting time, with great opportunities for the organization that is able to adapt. The most successful companies are those that do not sit back and run on auto-pilot. The best companies find a way to take stock of what is working and what is not working in their organizations, taking time to streamline their processes and create innovation where they can.

Creating an environment of openness and an opportunity to communicate and share new ideas can be done without spending a great deal of money. A few simple things can go a long way towards fostering creativity in the workplace. Here are a few suggestions:

Create a “suggestion box” which is available to all employees. The key next step will be to actually follow up on those suggestions, and to implement those that are even remotely useful. Generate interest in participation by shedding light on the suggestions (both good and bad) at a quarterly staff meeting. When people feel that their suggestions are being heard, they are more likely to make suggestions and feel appreciated.

Reward staff with a quarterly “Appreciation Day” in which the successes of individuals within the organization are recognized, appreciated, and rewarded. Rewards don’t necessarily have to be monetary, but the appreciation should be genuine.

Maintain an “open-door” policy with regard to staff/manager relationships. Encourage the staff to give feedback to managers – both negative and positive – whenever this feedback can have benefit. The next step (and equally important) is to encourage the management to truly listen to staff feedback. Often managers are oblivious to the way their actions are perceived by the people around them. If people are made aware of how their actions affect others, they can often implement small behavior modifications that make dramatic improvements in employee morale and productivity.

Encourage creativity and ideation during strategic planning meetings through the use of experiential tools such as “brainstorming,” “mind-mapping,” music, colorful pens or crayons, rolls of butcher paper, etc… Experience-based meetings give many team members a chance to step out of their normal “comfort zone” and lower the inhibitions that prevent creative thought.

Plan a quarterly team energizing event, either as an on-site portable team challenge or as an off-site retreat. The focus should be on fun, and the team should be encouraged to relax with one another and get to know each other in new and unusual situations – not simply the day-to-day work relationship of the office.

Paul Brown Friendswood 2010 By Ghyslain Lefebvre.

We all realize now that the recession we are in globally is the biggest one we’ve had since the great depression in the 1929. What we don’t know is this will be a much bigger recession than the great depression. All analysts are saying the worst is over but there is no greater indicator that when everyone agrees on something, the opposite is usually true. What is the current state of the economy 2010? This may me the most important article you ever read because it reveals the truth about what is really going on with our economy. So put on your seat belt because this may be a rocky ride.

By now you probably have heard of what is going on in Greece. Riots and people are rebelling against the decisions made by its country. You may not know why. The economy obviously is in bad shape just like anywhere in the world and with an unemployment almost at 10%. The people of Greece need help. Greece agreed to a 144 billion bailout loan from other countries but in exchange, Greece agreed to raise taxes to 24% and other things that will affect directly the people of Greece. Worst, this bailout loan is only expected to help Greece for only 1 year and they will be back to square one then.

What is causing this major breakdown in Greece are many things. Each country as a central bank and each central bank as a license to print money without having anything to back it up, no assets to guarantee the value. This particular problem started in 1971 when the law was removed where each country had to have assets i.e. gold or silver as collateral. So now each country in a sense as a license to print money for free which is beginning to show its affect with the Euro dollar; The euro dollar is in such bad shape that it is causing major issues for not only Greece but for every country in Europe.

This is not it. What you are witnessing in Greece will be spreading to other countries. As long as all countries are deeply in debt like they are and printing money for free, this economy disaster will continue. Portugal, Italy and Ireland will be next. It will be follow by UK, Japan, China, US and every other country. Not each country will experience this economy crisis like Greece is but it will at different levels but none the less things will get worst, a lot worse before it gets better. The Real Estate Market will keep dropping; the stock market will get hit again drastically. If you think your banks are safe, think again. If you have a large sum of money in the bank, try to make a large withdrawal and see what happens. Your bank will make all kinds of excuses as to why they will need a few days to get your money. Banks in Europe are already not lending anymore. Here in the U.S. over 100 banks closed in the last 2 years when before that 100 banks had not closed in decades.

Here is the U.S. the unemployment is near 10% according to the official statistics but what they fail to tell you is that these stats are not counting the people that are not eligible for unemployment anymore and the people that are working part time. So unemployment in the U.S. is closer to 17%. The same is true for every country. Now, because of all of these break downs in the economy, the unemployment rate is expected to increase to almost 25% in the U.S. It will rise in your country as well.

The good news is that now you know the truth. It won’t be a shock when this major economy crisis hits your country. You can now prepare yourself and take your future in your own hand. Don’t take on a new debt unless it is pure assets. Reduce your exposure to the stock market; keep your cash in a safe place. The best thing you could do is inform others of what really is upcoming. Letting friends and family, especially your children know will help them drastically dealing with these events.

Paul Brown Friendswood Markets By Scott Pearson.

Expectations drive the market. Every stock price is driven by what people expect the company to do. That’s why all the talk about a strong or weak economy has such an impact.
But those aren’t the only expectations moving us. We’ve seen the impact of war and terrorism worries on markets and the impact of SARS concerns on Asian markets.

Markets move on a combination of expectations and reality, and every reality leads us to new expectations. Great earnings? I expect the company will earn more. A sales slump? I expect the company to struggle next year too. The question is: if all decisions are made on expectations (and they are), how can things turn around? If our expectations are so colored by past events, we’ll expect the future to be as grim as the past, and nothing can ever change, can it? Ah, but we have long memories. Ask yourself: what would it take for you to change your outlook? What would it take for all of us to change our outlook? The answer to that last question effectively tells us when the market will turn, because when everyone is upbeat and buying, the market will fly.

Consistently rising earnings will change expectations, but how much positive news is necessary before the turn begins? Will some companies turn before the market? Consider Constellation Brands or Fortune Brands, two of our recommendations that haven’t seen any drops, and in fact are defying estimates of weakness. Should we expect those shares to rise based upon their own positive trends, or will the market turn first?

The answers aren’t simple or uniform. There’s no answer, only conjecture. We can make estimations. In the past, we’ve seen market turnarounds led by small stocks or led by big stocks, led by technology, or led by consumer goods. So, as we near the turn, you’ll likely hear all kinds of suggestions for where the upturn will begin. Preserve your sanity with a little skepticism. I suspect the first to turn will be the ones that have had the best results for a long time. That’s precisely why we’re so aggressive in our recommendations of companies like Fortune and Constellation. If they are successful in maintaining their records, this type of firm will rise sooner than the rest.

It doesn’t matter whether the companies are big or small, techie or traditional. The best companies will start the upward move. Without support from a strengthening economy and a rising market, even these success stories can’t rise far. That’s why expectations of the broader economy are important. That’s where we’ll have to wait and see. Expectations should rise now with the ending war (with stock prices and consumer spending following). Expect some good news for a while. Surprises from companies like McDonald’s will also provide a boost. Surprises shake people out of expectation ruts. When we’ve become too negative (or too positive), a shock can wake us up to the change.

Paul Brown Friendswood Economic Impact By Deevan Aw.

According to a global price survey, solar energy prices have declined an average of 4% per year for the past 10 to 15 years. There is a progressive increase in conversion efficiencies of cells, and manufacturing economies of scale are the underlying drivers of this price decrease. The Solarbuzz Global Price survey clearly indicates that prices have consistently declined for over the last two years. A detailed analysis of the worldwide photovoltaic market is present in on the the leading industry reports, the Market Buzz 2009. A residential solar energy system typically costs about $8-10 per Watt in 2009. When government incentive programs exist, and coupled with with lower prices secured through volume purchases, installed costs for solar panels can become as low as $3-4 watt – or some 10-12 cents per kilowatt hour can be achieved. Without incentive programs, solar energy costs range between 22-40 cents/kWh for very large PV systems.

Another system being used for large power stations is the concentrating solar power (CSP) technology, this is a large array of mirrors or lenses that are focused to either produce heat, or directed towards PV systems. These are built at a cost of $2-$4 per Watt. Some estimate that these types of solar arrays can produce 25% of the world’s energy needs by 2050. It is expected that the cost of CSP can become as low as 6-7 cents per kwH, as low as conventional energy production. The CSP industry is growing quickly in Spain and the United States, and the SEPA is tracking over 5,000 MW of new project announcements that are slated for development until 2015. Not all of them will be built; permitting, financing, technology and other factors need to fall into place first but the industry is poised for rapid growth regardless of any individual project’s outcome.

Solar energy already has a tremendous effect on the world economy. Domestically, the US market for PV is expected to be around $27 billion dollars by 2020 according to the Department of Energy, and directly and indirectly create 150,000 new jobs. Practically speaking, solar energy also allows countries without a grid infrastructure to power isolated areas, and individuals to power their own home independently, constantly receiving a free source of energy from the sun. Even in the U.S., distributed transmission lines and independence of energy sources is becoming more critical due to aging infrastructure and local emission restrictions. As an example of energy independence, Hawaii’s Mauna Lani Bay Hotel’s installed PV cells on its large rooftop. These generate 75 kW of energy and this solar panel array is expected to pay itself off in 5 years.

Solar power is not subject to political risk, and it is impossible for it to be blocked. Solar panels can also be placed on non-arable land, such as that present in New Mexico, the California Desert, and Arizona. This can also be considered in other countries, like Pakistan, India, China, and even the Saharan Desert in Africa. It is calculated (from a Rice University whitepaper) that it would take 25000 square kilometers of solar panels to produce all of the U.S. Electricity needs for one year, and there is definitely this amount of land available in the United States. In fact, more land is being used to grow ethanol currently. I expect that within 30 years, solar power will become the dominant energy source in much of the developing world and the United States.

Rising Paul Brown Friendswood Prices By Yvonne McCoy.

As gas prices continue to spiral upwards, many employees are counting the cost of getting to and from work. For some who commute long distances, it could almost seem like an employment tax. They have no choice but to drive to get to their jobs, and yet they have seen gas prices double since 2002. Sure public transport is an option, but not for everybody. Even car pooling is not an option when you live out in some of the more rural areas and have to commute in to the city.

For many people, the answer has been to give up the long commute times and associated fuel costs and look at work from home opportunities. Some have successfully persuaded employers that their role can be carried out at least as well from their own home offices. Still others have not only given up the commute, but also corporate life as they pursue their entrepreneurial dreams and start their own home based businesses.

As more and more home based businesses are starting up, so is the need to staff them. Business owners who can not or do not wish to directly hire people can now have their business staffed by outside contractors who work virtually from their own home offices. They can contract a graphic designer to design their logo, a web designer to build their website, a book keeper to keep their accounts in order, and even a Virtual Assistant to take care of their administrative and marketing needs.

Web designers, computer programmers, graphic designers, and book keepers, are just a few of the occupations leading this trend towards working virtually from their own home offices. One of the fastest growing groups of seasoned professionals who have left the corporate world to become entrepreneurs is Virtual Assistants. “Before becoming a Virtual Assistant, I used to commute 90 miles a day to and from work” says Yvonne McCoy, owner of Swift Office Services LLC. “When I consider how much that would cost me in gas now, and factor in child care costs, it really starts to look like a very small return for a lot of time away from home. Since starting my own business, I feel as though I have got my life back and am no longer having to pay for the privilege of going to work”.

As this trend towards entrepreneurialism and home-working continues, it is likely Virtual Assistants like McCoy will become highly sought after. They are undoubtedly a great solution for the small business owner who can not afford to directly hire an assistant and provide them with a desk, computer and all the paraphernalia that goes with an employee. It really is a win win situation. The business owner gets the services of a top notch personal assistant, while she gets to stay at home and complete projects while balancing work and family. The business owner pays only for time on task – the Virtual Assistant buys all her own equipment, and sets up her own office.

Industry Paul Brown Friendswood Analysis By Cheryl Davisson Gracie.

“I just want to sell and make money! I don’t need to spend my time collecting all that information about market trends in the industry. That’s for big companies! I just need to get out there and sell.”

Sound familiar?

Industry research takes time, sometimes a little money, and may often turn up information that brings our business idea or strategy into question, destroying our dreams of profit. But, that is the reason we perform the research. A review of your industry is your first step to understanding whether or not your ideas are worth pursuing.

Why perform industry research?

No one wants to spend time planning for a business that is unlikely to succeed. It is a waste of time.

Understanding your industry helps you identify trends in the markets that are likely to impact your business. Will there be a shortage of supplies and other resources that will drive up costs? Or, will there be a surplus that will drive down costs? Will there be an increase in demand for goods and services making it relatively easy to find customers? Or, will demand likely decline? Understanding the trends in the markets is a first step to identifying a market opportunity.

Understanding your industry can also provide valuable insights into the behavior of competitors and the challenges your business will face. Is the industry old and established making it difficult for a new business to get started? Or, is the industry young and growing with new businesses starting up all the time? What companies currently dominate the industry? Are these companies so large and entrenched that a new business will find it difficult to start-up and survive? Or, is the competition small and diffused making it possible for a company to distinguish itself?

It is having the answers to questions like these that makes it possible for you to develop strategies to cope with challenges in the market and effectively compete.

Where can you find information about your industry?

The good news is that the information you need to obtain is for the most part readily available on the Internet for free (or for a nominal cost). Most public libraries subscribe to online references that publish summaries about industries which provide a quick overview (which may be all that you need). Additional information can be obtained by checking various census reports as well as other government publications that provide information about industries. Often, you can find useful information about how market leaders view the industry and markets in their annual reports. Most annual reports can be downloaded on the Internet for free. Finally, trade or professional organizations often conduct research about their industries to share with their members.

Using industry information to identify a market opportunity

In order for a business to succeed in today’s economy, you must find customers with money to spend. Even a quick study of your industry can reveal markets where demand is growing among particular types of customers and where the competition is not intense. Even if it doesn’t, its good know such markets do not exist before you spend your time and energy, not to mention your savings, planning a business around an idea that has little chance of succeeding.