Website Question #1: How do you set up a squeeze page?

The basic steps for setting up a squeeze page include:

1. Make sure you have a domain and hosting account.

2. Verify that your domain is on your hosting account.

3. Go into Microsoft FrontPage and build a website. Microsoft FrontPage is simple to use and will walk you through the steps to build a website.

4. Make sure that your Autoresponder form matches the form on your squeeze page so that your Autoresponder will correctly capture personal information from the squeeze page.

Other tips include writing a catchy headline that will grab visitors’ attention. Entice people to subscribe to your list by giving them free items such as a free newsletter, bonus report, or eBook.

Website Question #2: Should you have a photo of yourself on your squeeze page?

Be careful of having photos on your squeeze page because photos have large file sizes. If you do use a photo you need to make sure that you shrink the size of the photo file otherwise it will take too long to boot up your squeeze page. This will frustrate visitors and they may skip going to your page because they have to wait too long.

Also, when visitors view your squeeze page their eyes will first be attracted to a photo before they read anything else. Sometimes they may miss important information on your website if they are distracted by a photo. Therefore, it is recommended that you avoid using photos on your squeeze page and stick to text. Text is easier and your squeeze page will load much faster.

Follow these website tips and visitors will be subscribing at a rapid pace!

That’s been said, there are several reasons for a person to go the entrepreneurial way.  One reason, purely logical and objective, which could be thought of is the following.

If I am employed by an organization and is paying me $1, then surely it would be making atleast $2 out of me. Hence I am losing out on that extra $1 which I could have made for myself if I was working for myself.

Moreover everyone of us is familiar with 80-20 rule which could be interpreted in many ways. One variation of the rule could be that 20% of the people in an organization are doing the work for rest 80%. Now if we go by that interpretation, then the company would be funding those 80% of the personnel by generating profits out of those 20% who does all the work. Now if we assume ourselves to be good enough to belong to that 20% bracket, then essentially we are the guys who are funding the whole organization. Therefore the minimum, the organization is making out of us is $6 (4 for 80%, 1 for itself and 1 for us).

One doesn’t need any super mathematical skills to see it through.  If anyone of us were to be an entrepreneur then we would be making $6 for ourselves whereas if employed $1 hence a profit of $5.

Cool! Isn’t it! Just imagine the kind of wealth that would be amassed!

Ponder the daily aspects of life virtually all of us experience. We seek out, and interview, for jobs. We seek out, then court, and marry our mate. We compete in sports, lobby for promotions, seek support for church and charities, and support causes. Each of these, and so many other activities, require us to utilize some portion of a sales experience.

In reality, sales are nothing more than asking for a preferred result. The seller wants to receive consideration in return for placement, or acceptance of their product or service. A selling situation almost always requires an equal transfer of benefits. A simple example is selling a car. If book value of a car is $5000, and the seller asks $7500, the sale will almost never happen unless a witless soul arrives and can be hustled.

Nevertheless, many people get the sweats, can’t sleep, or hyperventilate at the mere thought of an imminent sales presentation. No matter how confident they may be in all other situations, standing, presenting, selling their opportunity before a stranger is a chilling experience. There are affordable alternative options available to avoid this difficult hurdle for many entrepreneurs.

Utilize the internet. There are many web-sites specializing in specific areas of sales: technology, consumer products, hard-goods, giftware, etc.SalesGenie.com is one, but a thorough search will turn up many more. These e-commerce sites specialize in matching sales agents with appropriate products.

Research trade organizations specializing in your product category. One example, if you develop a new hair care device, research the Barber, Beauty, Salon Institute (BBSI). This is an industry specific trade group that organizes expositions, lobbies, provides research and acts as a central clearing-house for the salon market. Sales agents are members and are always seeking out new products to represent, and they work on commission. From hardware to auto parts there are similar trade associations seeking the next hot new product.  

Hire a consultant. There are many consultants specializing in sales and marketing     within specific industry categories. The advantage of a sales consultant is that they will work more closely with a seller to customize the approach, strategy, the offers and promotions. This will result in a stronger opportunity to close a deal, and that is always goal number one. Search the inter-net using keywords such as sales consultant, sales engineer, sales strategy, marketing consultant, and hundreds of other search-word combinations. Remember to always get and check references.

Visit and utilize gift mart showrooms. There are huge permanent Gift Marts in Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and Los Angeles. Millions of square feet are devoted to presenting a bewildering array of products in licensed showrooms. Each showroom also has a field sales force covering specific states. These territories are assigned by vendors (sellers) and are commission based. Again, most of these thousands of showrooms specialize in a product or category. From Christmas, to lighting, to tabletop, to clocks, and thousands of other product categories, you may discover a sales group potentially ready to handle your line of product.

Seek out expositions, fairs and trade shows specific to your commercial opportunity . I typically walk trade shows to network for clients. This is invaluable. Each category of product has an inside baseball aspect. Trade terminology, unique trade terms, assigned coverage territories, trend cycles vary greatly by industry. You need to learn what is going within your area of interest and there is no better place than shows to study, research and meet potential sales partners.

These are only a few ideas offering alternatives to fear of selling. There are far too many opportunities that never get off the ground simply because the creator believes, “I am not a salesman”. You do not have to be. There is a sea of experienced sales talent  ready and able to sell their expertise.

I hadn’t grown at all, not one inch. So why was this their first reaction after not seeing me for sixth months? One word: I had become more confident.

Confidence is a funny thing in human beings. When you’re feeling confident you tend to stand taller, hold your head up, and walk differently. It affects all areas of your body (eye contact, breath, stride, voice tone, etc).

What my parents were picking up on was not a change in my height, it was a change in confidence, and I believe Toastmasters was one important contributor to that improvement.

For those who don’t know, Toastmasters is an international non-profit organization that helps people improve their public speaking. It is fairly inexpensive (less than $100 per year), and puts you in a supportive environment with other people who are learning to speak in public, become better leaders, an improve their social interactions.

Toastmasters is really only about giving speeches on the surface, and it can affect many other areas of your life.

It all starts with the fact that speaking in public is one of biggest causes of anxiety for most people. In fact, many people rate public speaking as being more frightening than death!

But one thing I discovered about overcoming anxiety and growing as a person is that every time you feel anxiety and STILL take action, you will build confidence. In fact, I believe that’s the only way to build confidence: doing the things that you fear the most.

This happens to be one of the most important lessons you can learn as an entrepreneur in my opinion, because you will be faced with scary moments frequently in business.

Here are a few ways that Toastmasters can help you become a better entrepreneur and get a similar boost in confidence.

1. You Speak In Public More Often Than You Know

You probably speak in public more often than you realize, and will be required to do so even more in the future. Each time you pitch an idea, rally you team to accomplish something, inspire others to join you, do an interview with the media, or meet a new person, you are speaking in public.

We all know how important it is the build relationships in business, and if you can be the person who fearlessly networks with big shots at a conference, wows the media with your eloquence, or inspires employees to gladly work overtime for the good of the company, then you will rise to the top faster than your peers.

One interesting part of every Toastmasters meeting is called Table Topics. The presenter will call out a short question and then randomly pick on someone from the audience to come give an impromptu two minute speech about it. It can be quite nerve-racking to give a two minute speech with zero preparation! I can’t tell you how valuable this skill is in learning how to interact with others, hold a group’s attention, and just become a more interesting person!

If you can’t effortlessly talk with anyone (man or woman) at a party for 10-15 minutes and have them remember you in a positive light afterwards, then you are missing out on valuable opportunities. Toastmasters can help you become more comfortable in those social interactions.

2. A Sense of Humor Is A Valuable Tool

At every Toastmaster meeting there is also a member selected to tell a joke. This is used as an icebreaker to bring the meeting participants together.

Guess what? The first few times I held this job, I got nothing more than a few courtesy laughs. I realized that I didn’t know how to tell a joke!

I decided to work on this area in Toastmasters (there is also a manual you can work through to practice giving humorous speeches) and eventually started to learn the structure of humor.

I even went to the “open mic” night at the local comedy club a few times (talk about anxiety!) after going through the Toastmasters manual. I certainly wasn’t the funniest person there, but I learned a lot in the process and once again built my confidence.

Humor is a powerful tool in your arsenal that can be used to defuse embarrassing situations and make others like you (and want to work for you).

3. Entrepreneurs Must Be Leaders

The third thing that Toastmasters will teach you is leadership. There are numerous positions in the club that need to be filled from time to time. They don’t require a huge commitment, but they do help you practice working with a team.

However, the most important lesson that Toastmasters can teach you about leadership is how to evaluate others.

After every speech in Toastmasters, you will be given an opportunity to evaluate the speaker and give them instant feedback (sometimes in the form of, you guessed it, giving another speech). One of the most important lessons I learned here was how to mix criticism with praise. Helping someone improve without crushing their spirits is a lesson every leader should know, and it’s better to practice it in a safe environment before you need it in the “real world”.

Providing constructive feedback and commanding an audience’s attention are indispensable skills that every leader must posses. If are serious about becoming successful, and don’t yet consider yourself a powerful leader, this is one way to make progress.

4. You Must Spend Time With Right Type of People

Finally, Toastmasters does a remarkable job of putting you around the right type of people.

One of the most important keys to success is life is to surround yourself with people who are more successful than you are. Toastmasters is the kind of group that attracts people who are interested in improving their life and becoming successful.

In my group, for example, I’ve made friends who’ve taught me about real estate investing, web server technology, and sales. When you get around the right type of people, they will start to invite you to other events around town, introduce you to other clubs, and share inspiring books they’ve read.

5. Your Body Language Could Use Improvement

No matter who you are, your body language needs improvement. Many people are totally unaware of what message they are communicating with their bodies, and how fast people are making assumptions about them.

Some recent studies have shown that people form an opinion about you in as little as two seconds after meeting you. In one such study, evaluations of professors at a particular university were compared with evaluations of people who had only seen two-second video clips of the professors with the sound turned off. Remarkably, 78% of people who only saw the two-second video clips rated the professors the same as the class who had spent an entire semester observing them!

Your dress, your eyes, your hands, your stride, your expressions, your voice tone, and your posture are broadcasting out a strong message to everyone you meet (whether consciously or subconsciously). Do you know what it’s saying?

If not, you may want to get in a supportive environment where people can give you specific feedback.

Toastmasters is a brilliant concept that has provided quite a bit of value to me in the past year and half, and I’d encourage anyone (especially entrepreneurs) to join.

Many other seminars exist out there which cost thousands of dollars and provide similar classes to executives. Toastmasters can offer you many of the same advantages in a non-profit organization.

Remember that the way to overcome anxiety and grow as a person is right THROUGH that fear. Feel the fear, and take action in spite of it.

If you have ever started a small business before, you undoubtedly know how hard it can be to get a business off the ground. In fact, the vast majority of new small businesses rarely make it past the 5 year mark, let alone go on to become successful corporations. This is one of the main advantages of a franchise. With a small business franchise, you will get all of the benefits that come with every small business (being your own boss, setting your own schedule and business philosophy, even being able to work from home) but you will also get some of the benefits of a large, successful corporation (centralized support, large scale advertising, continual product development and advancement, etc.).

Franchises like Jani-King and The Cleaning Company have built hugely successful franchise businesses in the home cleaning industry. Both of these companies have made their franchisees very successful by offering a complete package to setup the franchisee with everything they need to get going, even if the franchisee has no prior experience in the business world or in the service industry. This intensive training coupled with the time-proven systems developed by Jani-King and The Cleaning Company make your franchise very likely to succeed.

Very few entrepreneurs start a business solely with money out of their own pockets and, for the first time business owner, investors and loans are almost a given. What many people don’t know about franchises is that since they have proven to be more likely to succeed than the average small business, most banks are more willing to give out small business loans to franchisees that to entrepreneurs with traditional small business start-ups, so if you have been having trouble getting approved for a small business loan, you may find the bank singing a different tune if you choose to start a franchise.

Imagine you decide to start a landscaping company that will focus mainly on giving your customers a beautifully manicured lawn and garden. If you are a first time entrepreneur, you may have trouble getting investors to sign on and help you purchase all of the necessary equipment, but if you chose a franchise like GreenThumb Limited (a well-known and successful lawn and garden franchise) you will undoubtedly find it easier to get a loan or a few investors.

Furthermore, banks and investors often require a detailed business plan describing your business model down to the very last detail. If you have never written a business plan before, you may find this a daunting task and when you know that your business depends on how you articulate the business plan, it only adds to the pressure. With a franchise business, the business plan will most often already be written for you. The franchisor will put together a detailed business plan for you and your investors explaining the overarching themes as well as the minute details for your particular franchise. The franchisor will not do all of the work for you, but having a strong name and a well-proven business plan behind you will definitely work in your favour when it comes time to seek investors and loans.

Finally, consider that with a franchise business, your success rate will be higher than any small business that you could start on your own. Almost every major franchise started out as a small business, then expanded more and more each year and finally chose to take their strong business plans and recognizable names to the realm of franchising. Succeeding as a business start-up is a great feat in and of itself, so the prospect of taking a business model that has been proven to work and being able to own your own franchise will nearly guarantee that your business will find success.

Do not assume that the franchisor will do all of the work for you. Every business will be a lot of work, but with a franchise you will get plenty of training up front and ongoing support from the franchisor. Their support staffs will help you out with any questions you have related to the franchise, how to properly manage people and anything to do with the business in general. Whether you choose one of the many home business opportunities such as Cardgroup Greetings or The PC Support Group which allow you to work at home or something with a physical location providing much needed services like The Little Gym, you will most likely find that the businesses that succeed most often, and make the most sense fiscally, are franchises.

A franchise is basically a company that makes its goods or services available to other people to sell for them. So you might get the advantage of being able to sell under a well known name and have all the tools and support you need to become a success. You still need to put the hard work in though and you will also have to invest in it financially. This makes the decision on what franchise you should choose even more important to get right; you could be investing thousands of pounds of your own money in it.

So where do you start? The best place, as always, is with you. What do you like doing? What are you good at? What could you see yourself doing on a daily basis? All of these questions will help to steer you towards the right franchise, so make sure you take the time to consider each one carefully. Buying a franchise is not something that should be done on the spur of the moment you need to think it through because it will require a large investment of your time as well as money.

When you are thinking about your skills think about any that you have gained in your personal life as well as in your career. Many people make the mistake of focusing only on their professional life. But you might do something as a hobby that would provide the key to a successful franchising opportunity.

Once you have a reasonable idea of the basic area you would like to work in, start looking around for potential opportunities. One of the best places to start in a casual sense is online. There are websites on the internet that bring together information on all kinds of opportunities in the franchising area; these can get you started on the right track to finding more detailed information. Think about whether you want to use your home as a base for your business you might be able to work online or you could go out and about to meet your clients. Which one would suit you the most?

Some websites which focus on the franchise industry allow you to search their database to find potential matches. You might also want to think about the amount of money you can afford to invest in a franchise opportunity. None of them are that cheap but there is a big difference between investing 10,000 and 50,000!

Take your time in searching for something that is right for you. Time invested in your future now will pay dividends later on when you are successfully working from home and have a thriving franchise business working for you.

Find a: Great Franchise Now

You should first make up a business plan and see what your total cost and profitability can be with your own business. Next you should visit one of the many franchise shows in your local town. It is a good idea to see if there is a franchise opportunity that fits into your specific needs. You may find that even if it costs you a little more money to purchase this type of business it may be well worth the extra money. Many people have found that having a turnkey operation is the best way to be successful from the beginning.

Get: Free Franchise Advice

Remember that if you’re considering starting your own business it is important for you to also check into a franchise. This type of opportunity allows you to have a turnkey operation which means everything is done for you. You are not only buying equipment and signs you’re also getting a business where you have a support team that will help you get everything set up so you can be successful.

Buying a franchise business for sale can also be a good investment for the right buyer. However there are some common mistakes that the buyers of franchise can avoid to make the business successful!

Mistake 1:

One of the common mistakes is, not using the service of a lawyer. It is highly recommended that you use a lawyer when you are thinking of buying a franchise business in UK.  There are a number of documents which needs to be reviewed, such as the lease or the sub lease papers etc.

Mistake 2:

Do not assume that purchase financing would be there. Although there are number of lending programmers customized to franchises, however you should talk to the lenders much early in the process. The fact is you still need to have sufficient resource on hand for consummating the deal.

Mistake 3:

One of the common mistakes is, to be under impression that bigger the franchise organization, better the chances of success. However this is not always the case and often smaller franchise option also offer great value proposition to the investors.

Mistake 4:

To assume that the franchise business would be an easy business to sell is another common mistake. Do not let this thought to fool you , Research online and also talk to the business broker to understand the franchise market and the re sale market.

There are a number of franchise businesses in UK, however prior you make any decision, research thoroughly and work with your professional advisor.