PROSPERITY self help books & resources for BUSINESS PLAN business entrepreneur

Business Planning & Development tips self help books & resources for entrepreneurs

Self help resources for developing your home business small business including your business plan. TEMPLATES & TOOLS for developing a BUSINESS PLAN. Directory of self help resources and articles Business Plan. Resources for self help business plan and business development, home internet business, enterprise development, small business & self help executive development articles.

Prosperity and business plan self help article:

The American Dream is, and always will be, to come up with an idea, start a business and become rich from your own efforts.

Based upon this motivation, thousands of businesses fail each year, due primarily to not being familiar with the basics involved in running a business.

This report will enlighten you, and give you a number of suggestions you can use to better guarantee your chances for success.

This report is written with the warning that any and every business venture contains certain inherent risks, and any number of alternatives.

We do not espouse that any one way is the right way or that our suggestions are the only way. On the contrary, we advise that before investing any money in a business venture you seek counseling and help from a qualified accountant and/or attorney.

Just about the first thing you should consider before deciding to start or purchase a business is the legal form you’ll be operating under.

There are basically four choices: sole proprietorship, partnership, limited partnership, and/or corporation.

Each has a number of advantages and disadvantages. We’ll try to enumerate some of them for you.

As much as anything else, for many people, starting a business is a form of ego-gratification, and they form a corporation for some sort of prestige gain – just to say, “I own a corporation.”

With just a little bit of observation, you’ll find that one of the major causes of business failures is due to the founder wasting start-up capital on frills, such as an impressive store-front office, expensive furnishings, and corporate legal costs.

One of the basic traits you must develop if you’re going to be successful in business, is a tight hold on your expenditures.

In fact, a good rule of thumb is that any thing that does not make money for you or protect your investment, should not be purchased at this time. Very definitely, this applies to the expense of setting up your own corporation.

Unless you have a partnership and start your business as such, the only real advantage to forming a corporation would appear to be that a corporate structure will semi-protect the property you personally own.

As an example, you own a home and car. You form a corporation to protect these possessions from business losses. Yet, if you can be found guilty of misusing corporate funds, your business creditors can pierce the corporate shield and come after your possessions.

Basically, if you invest everything you have in your business, as most newcomers do, you don’t usually need a corporation because you have nothing to protect.

Your house hold possessions, personal belongings, generally your car, ad even a portion of the equity in your home is protected by the homestead provision of the Federal Bankruptcy Act, and cannot be taken away from you.

As a sole proprietor or partner of a business you’ll be paying taxes on your over all earnings, much the same as if you were holding down a salaried or hourly paid job.

Whether you do or don’t take out money as a salary will have no bearing on the earnings of your business and tax return.

The often advertised advantage of incorporating, that you can manipulate your salary in order to save on tax dollars, is real because of corporation laws. However, the IRS frowns on this practice.

When your business is successful and making a lot of money, definitely check with your accountant on the advantages of incorporating.

As a corporation, you’ll be subject to a number of other drawbacks as well: generally higher state taxes, stricter laws concerning the operation of your business, more elaborate accounting procedures, and legal papers that are required just about every time you make a major move or sign almost any contract.

Thus, your legal and accounting fees will be much higher as a corporation than will those required for a sole proprietorship type of business.

As a sole proprietor or partnership, you’ll find many areas require the registration of your business name. The cost however, is minimal, ranging from $5 to $100. About the best way to find out what laws apply in your area, is to call your bank and ask if they need a fictitious name registration card or certificate in order for you to open a business account.

Selecting a name for your business is quite important to you and particularly relative to advertising. Your business name should describe the product or services you offer. Fancy names such as, Linda’s Clipping Service will lose potential “walk-in and passing” customers to the beauty shop across the street that calls itself, Patti’s Beauty Salon or Jane’s Hair Styling shop.

The advantage of using your full name in the title of your business, such as Johnny Jones’ Meat Lockers, has the advantage of making credit somewhat easier to come by – provided you pay your bills on time – but it also includes the disadvantage of confining your services to a local or at most, a regional area.

self help busines plan article continued P120 Planning and Legal Tips for Starting your Own Business

“Sample Business Plan”
Here is an abbreviated example of a serious business proposal. It is provided to give you a feeling for the style of writing that is used in a business plan, and is not intended to be a comprehensive guide of what should be covered in a good plan.

“Business Planning for Non-Planners”
It’s the start of your business day and you quickly whip out your clearly written plans. Pardon?

Did you say you don’t have a written business plan? Then join the club, ‘Business Owners Without Plans’.

The problem this club faces is that the majority of members’ businesses are likely to fail.

“Four creative ways to add power to your marketing”
There’s a hard truth about marketing: People don’t care about businesses (and that includes your business).

What they care about is how your business’s products or services can solve THEIR problems, meet THEIR needs and make THEIR lives easier.

“Steps to Breaking into and Succeeding as a Management Consultant”
Management consulting is one of the professions that endure in a slow economy.

Why? Because more than ever, companies need consultants to help them increase revenues and cut costs.

Management consulting is also one of the highest paid professions in the United States.

“10 Amazing Product Selling Formulas”
. Sell your products at a wholesale price to retail web sites. You could sell them individually or in bulk.

2. Set up joint ventures with other businesses to sell your product to new customers. They can introduce it to their customers for a set price.

“10 Ways To Get New Product Ideas”
1. Solve an existing problem for people. There are thousands of problems in the world. Create a product that can provide a solution to one of those problems.

“10 Ways To Increase Your Affiliate Commissions”
1. Participate in chat rooms related to the product you’re reselling. Start a conversation with a person without trying to sell to them. Later on, while you are chatting, mention the product you’re reselling.

2. Create a free ebook with the advertisement and link of your affiliate web site. The subject of the free ebook should draw your target audience to down- load it. Also submit it to some ebook directories.

“Four Great Business Card Ideas by Robert Warlow”
How often have you opened your office drawer to find a pen only to have to search your way through a pile of business cards collected over the past few months? Your immediate response is to throw them away and that’s the problem with business cards—they are usually unmemorable.

Here are some ideas on how you can make your business card a bit more useful.

“Make your own web site”

Save Money – Save Time Be in complete control when you quickly and easily make your own website … for profit or pleasure.

With SBI “all-in-one” websites, even the most clueless of us can make your own website with all the powerful features, just like professional Webmasters, but without all the headaches.

“HOW TO RAISE MONEY TO START A BUSINESS”
The task of raising money for a business is not as difficult as most people seem to think.

This is especially true when you have an idea that can make you and your backers rich.

Actually, there’s more money available for new business ventures than there are good business ideas.

“Home based business opportunity & Business Forms”
A purchase order from [Parties ‘R Us, 948 N. Main St., Centerville, NY] for [$75] worth of merchandise listed you as a credit reference.

We would appreciate any information you can provide on the credit history of [Parties ‘R Us] with your company. Key facts would include how long the owner, [Donna Gard], has had an account with you and whether or not she has any outstanding debts. We will keep any information you send us confidential.

“Developing a Strategic Plan”
Mission Statement

The first step in the strategic planning process is an assessment of the market. Businesses depend on consumers for their existence. If you are facing a rapidly growing consumer base, you probably will plan differently than if your clientele is stable or shrinking. If you are lucky enough to be in a business where brand loyalty still prevails, you may take risks that others cannot afford to take. Before you begin to assess the market, it is important that you complete a careful assessment of your own business and its goals.

“Business Report Writing Tips”
Let’s assume that you have to write a document for work or study.

Your instructions consist of the title that you are to use and nothing else.

Could you — with only the title as a guide — write a suitable document?

Unambiguously, the answer is no.

“Online Business Press Release Writing Tips And Ideas”
Press releases are one of the most cost-effective ways to get promotion for your online business. Many entrepreneurs ignore this type of promotion because they don’t know how to write a press release. It’s important to promote your online business with press releases because of the media all over the internet. The following is a list of some common press release writing tips:

“Unleash The Power Of Perpetual Marketing”
. You don’t offer free original content. It’s important to give your visitors information they can’t find any- where else. If you’re the only source for a certain type of information, people will flock to your web site.

2. You don’t offer free software. Most people like to find good deals on software for their computers. If the software is free, that is even better.

“How To Raise Money To Start A Business”
The task of raising money for a business is not as difficult as most people seem to think.

This is especially true when you have an idea that can make you and your backers rich.

Actually, there’s more money available for new business ventures than there are good business ideas.

“Domain Name and Website Basics”
Is this the right article for you?

If you do not already have a company or a product or service, then this article is perhaps not the best place to begin. I would suggest reviewing articles on writing a business plan, finding a product, or business ideas.

“10 Reasons To Form A Strategic Business Alliance”
A strategic alliance is when two or more businesses join together for a set period of time.

The businesses, usually, are not in direct competition, but have similar products or services that are directed toward the same target audience.

“Network Your Business Online” Networking is when two or more different businesses stay in contact on a regular basis to build and improve each others business. There are many ways to network your business online. Participate in online business related discussion boards , e-mail discussion groups, newsgroups and chat rooms.

“5 Lesser-Known Online Business Ideas”
1. Ask people to find a hidden link in your ad copy. If they find the hidden link tell them they will get a prize or freebie by clicking on it. This will increase the chance that they will buy your product or service because they will read your whole ad copy.

“Steps to Breaking into and Succeeding as a Management Consultant”
Management consulting is one of the professions that endure in a slow economy.

Why? Because more than ever, companies need consultants to help them increase revenues and cut costs.

Management consulting is also one of the highest paid professions in the United States.

“Don’t Forget About Offline Advertising”
A lot of online based businesses forget about offline advertising. It is important to combine offline and online advertising together in your marketing campaign. You can market offline more effectively by targeting people that actually have access to the internet. In all your advertising you want to include your web site address, e-mail or autoresponder addresses, and the e-mail address to subscribe to your e-zine.

“Four creative ways to add power to your marketing”
There’s a hard truth about marketing: People don’t care about businesses (and that includes your business).

What they care about is how your business’s products or services can solve THEIR problems, meet THEIR needs and make THEIR lives easier.

In other words, you need to explain the benefits of your product or service, not the features.

“So You Want to Be a Consultant?”
Not only are there more small businesses than at any time in American history forming, but an ever increasing number of those businesses are that of private consultants. Why? Is it the Clinton economic plan? Has government created these “new” jobs as is so often the claim? I think I speak for most of you when I say the answer is, “Of course not.”

“10 Reasons To Sell A Fee Based Subscription Ezine”
There’s a hard truth about marketing: People don’t care about businesses (and that includes your business).

What they care about is how your business’s products or services can solve THEIR problems, meet THEIR needs and make THEIR lives easier.

“15 Creative Ways To Make Money With eBooks”
1. Allow other e-zine publishers or web site owners to republish small nuggets or excerpts of information from your ebook with your byline or ad included.

2. Make extra profits from selling monthly updates of your ebook. You could also back end sell the extra never released chapters of your e-book.

“Six Ways To Create Income With Your Web Site”
1. Sell advertising space on your web site. You could sell banner or classified ads. If you want to make more money, sell sponser ads that get top placement or the best exposure.

2. If you have enough web space, you could rent other people web pages. You could also give them away for free and make money by including your banner ad on the web pages.

eBay Self Help articles on Planning a Successful eBay Business

“Why E-Bay Is A Seller’s Bliss”
Today, more and more people are gradually opting for eBay as an alternative market site for their items. And the more people try on selling their products on eBay, the more they conclude that eBay is the best market site to sell products online.

“How Much Is It Worth? Estimating Your Item’s Value for Sale on eBay”
Proper pricing of items to be listed for sale on eBay is one of the most important aspects of generating interest in one’s auction listing. If the price is too high, interest will be low, and the possibility of a sale decreases.

“Ebay’s Weirdest Items”
Indeed, E-bay is today’s most sought-after shopping portal in the Internet. It has created in itself a worldwide phenomenon that people get inflicted with. The joy and the thrill of bidding online create a certain diagrammatic representation of life’s drama.

“Sales From The Crypt”
In today’s contemporary society, where everything can be done already over the Net, online shopping is one lucrative activity for the seller and convenience for the buyer. This is where eBay comes in the limelight.

“CLUELESS on eBay”
Being clueless on what items to buy on E-bay is a phase. In fact, it’s the very first step to online shopping. With every new day, online shoppers conquer more E-bay buying techniques, and slowly lift off the novice’s launch pad.

“What E-Bay Gets from Sellers”
E-Bay has indeed changed the way sellers handle business nowadays. In some cases, sellers in E-Bay are really dependent on the service up to the point that they are financially dependent on the system.

“What makes E-Bay stand out for Buyers?”
E-Bay is certainly a hit to the market especially for the buyers. The concept of online shopping or bidding for that matter do not appeal too much for buyers but the emergence of E-Bay made a difference to that.

“Snuff Stuffs That Are Banned On E-Bay”
E-bay may seem to have everything a buyer would need or want. However, not all things are provided on E-bay for sale.

“You Can Sell Anything on eBay – Or Can You?”
Over 100 million people are members of eBay. Through eBay, you can buy items in almost any category that you can imagine – at great prices.

“When Selling On E-Bay Matters”
With the comfort credit cards offer by filling up application forms without having to go personally to a bank or see a sales agent, online shopping had tremendously escalated to greater heights. Here, there, and everywhere, people seemed to be charging everything they see online.

“Selling Problems on eBay and Their Solutions”
eBay provides internet users with an online flea market where buyers and sellers from around the world meet to conduct trade. However, like most traders who are faced with an innovation of this sort, the first question will always be: It is safe?

“Shipping eBay Items to Customers”
If you stock the products that you sell on eBay, as opposed to drop shipping, you probably spend a great deal of time and money shipping items to your customers. If you are a big success on eBay, this could quickly become a problem.

“Succeeding as a Seller on E-Bay”
Being successful is almost everyone’s dreams this day and being successful in E-Bay could be a reality once you set your heart into it. Like in any other business, patience and perseverance in the world of E-Bay are factors needed to ensure that you are going to be successful here.

“The eBay Item Listing Rules”
Because eBay is such a huge marketplace, with members from all walks of life, in almost every single country around the world, it is no wonder that there are many scammers lurking about. In order to better protect the buyers, eBay has specific rules concerning the items that can be auctioned off on the site.

“The eBay Shipping Center”
eBay wants to help sellers with every aspect of their eBay business. The eBay shipping center was created to help ensure that you get your items to your customers in a timely manner, in the most efficient and economical way possible.

“The eBay Trading Assistants Program”
If you excel at eBay auctions, you might want to consider an additional source of revenue as well. The eBay Trading Assistant Program will allow you to sell items for other eBay members on consignment.

“The Pitfalls of Selling on E-Bay”
The concept of online selling and bidding really went revolution because of E-Bay. Through E-Bay, both sellers and buyers could make the most out of their deals.

“Ebay Selling 101: Things A Seller Should Know Before Selling On Ebay”
Nowadays, eBay is becoming a fast increasing market for online shoppers. It gives them the convenience and feasibility of shopping online.

(More eBay business success articles in Business Management directory section on Home Page)

Some free business manual downloads:

“Price Your Product for Maximal Profits,” How do you know if you have chosen the perfect price for your product or service? e-book download

“Leverage Your Income…Sell Your Service Online!” Service Sellers e-book Manual download

“Business Start up Checklist” e-book document download

“Online Business Basics” for newbies starting a net biz, e-book download

“The Web Beginners Guide,” e-book download for people just starting out on the Internet