Month: May 2023

How to Come Up With a Great Tagline Or Slogan

My clients are always asking how I can up with great slogans. The secret is very simple, have a clear idea of who your key market is and what they want. That’s the ground of being for your business, your reason for existing.

Do Your Homework

Once you know exactly who and how you serve them, the slogan almost writes itself. Remember I said almost, next you have to sit down and write about hundred slogans. Try not to judge or fix any of them as you are writing them down, just get as many written down as possible.

Walk Away

Wait at least 24 hours and look at them again (with fresh eyes). Now, pick out the ones that really sound good. The ones that convey the main benefit of using your product or service. And also the extra quality I call rhythm (it sounds good to the ear). Most good slogans are very short, because you want to quickly get the readers attention. And its easier to remember when its very short.

The Art Is In The Details

At this point I’ll settle on about half a dozen slogans to start improving on. Improving a slogan involves fine tuning it, adding a word or even a letter here and there. Or you may need to subtract a word or a letter. Remember a good slogan can help you get a great deal of customers so take some time developing it.

Logo VS Slogan

Your logo, in my opinion is not as important as the slogan. A picture is not worth a thousand words. People will remember and act on a good slogan, but a logo takes time to really make an impression. But I see so many businesses who have nice logos without slogans.

Test, Test, Test

The next step is to take your new slogan out for a ride, show it to a few people and get some feedback. Compare it to the competition and get a feel for how the market will react to it. After doing all this work on it you’ll know when you’ve hit on the right slogan, something just clicks.

Creating a good slogan is hard work, but it’s also fun. A good slogan can last for decades and help make a business very successful. Just remember to use it everywhere, on your logo, website, letterhead and business cards.

The Importance of Office Stationery

There are several key aspects that remain standard to almost every office, no matter what type of business is conducted in that office. Most offices will have chairs, tables, computers, coffee makers, printers, copy machines, and telephones. They will also have keyboards, bathrooms, windows, and possibly a place to eat. These are all things easy to identify. Another set of objects that would be easily forgotten are sets of office stationary. Office stationary is key and integral to most all offices, but is likely to be forgotten because it is taken for granted.

Office stationary plays a huge role in office settings. Without office stationary, it would most likely be impossible to conduct business without any degree of frustration. This would be like a basketball player going to practice basketball with no basketball or shoes. Due to the huge role that office supplies and stationary take, someone in the office is usually responsible for the ordering of all office supplies and stationary. If someone in the office is not responsible, there is generally a company that contracts with the office to make sure it is completely stocked.

Office supplies and stationary include paper, letterhead, pens, pencils, markers, pre-printed envelopes, stamps, staplers, erasers, and all the other essentials that you would need. While the electronic age has really taken hold of today’s society, most business transactions still require office stationary to some degree. This office stationary is key, especially if it looks very professional and planned. No one wants to see an invoice coming from a company with a sloppy or outdated letterhead. People want crisp, clean, and non cluttered items on a piece of paper that are easily readable. This is why proper office stationary is so hugely important. It may seem like such a small piece of the puzzle, but it can have extreme effects on the business satisfaction of the clients.

In closing, if you do not have a good supply of office stationary, it would be wise to look into getting more. Along these same lines, it is important that you find the best value for money. Often-times stationary stores are a business with a sole purpose of making the most money they can from you. This is why it is often a great idea to find multiple quotes on what you are wanting. Also, the degree of flexibility and innovation that stationary companies have is key. You want a company that can give you a cutting edge with modern ideas and formats.

Tips To Choose A Good Digital Printing Company

When looking for quality prints for your brochures, posters, calendars, flyers, letterheads and even business cards, then you need to find a company that can effectively handle the digital printing project on your behalf. All these printed products are important because they will be representing your brand and company out there in the market and you want them to paint the best image for your brand. A few helpful tips will make it easy for you to choose a digital printing company you can trust.

1. Choose a company that can handle any project size to cater to your large and small consignments depending on your current needs. It should offer you good turnaround and high quality regardless of how big your printing project is.

2. Find out how easy it is for you to make online enquiries and place printing orders. A company with a pleasant online presence and great customer service will give you an easy time going through the process and getting prints you truly deserve.

3. A company that has in-house designer will be more advantageous because you can have your designs handled professionally even when you have no idea what is best for your products. You should get assistance when you are not very sure of what to choose or what you are looking for.

4. The company you choose should be innovative enough to offer you print solutions that are adaptable in your business environment. It should offer ongoing support recommendations and consultation to help evolve the business.

5. Check how technically competent the printing company is in terms of machines and personnel. It should have good organized printing process to deliver the best of services to you.

6. Ask to see samples of previously done work to help you gauge the quality of work you are about to get. It also helps to find out what your printing options are to make sure that you are not limited to an option you might not like on your products.

7. Choose a company that has experience in digital printing. Experience is important because it could mean that the company can handle other projects and services such as data management and marketing campaigns. Find out what other services you can enjoy from the company because they could be important to you in the future.

8. Check out the reputation of your service provider. You can go through client feedback and reviews on the company to find out how good it is in offering the printing services.

9. If possible, ask about the financial stability of the company just to be sure that it will not go out of business before completing your printing project. You should work with a company you can fully trust with your needs and financial stability is important.

10. Consider the printing charges. Even though you should never compromise quality because of the price, you want to ensure that you don’t end up being overcharged. Some companies offer discounts for bulk printing so check around and choose what you find most affordable.

Cyprus: Capital Gains and Immovable Property Taxation

Low taxation and straight forward bureaucratic procedures attract business people and investors from all over the world to invest in the Republic of Cyprus. Cyprus’ low taxation regime facilitates the expansion of business activities in the island. In the current article, I will present some useful information about capital gains and immovable property taxation schemes in Cyprus. The recent amendments of the Law 119(I)/2013 and the Law 120(I)/2013 aim at encouraging economic activity, attract more investors and simplify even more the Cyprus tax regime. According to the amendments of the legislations mentioned above, more capital gains are not taxed in Cyprus. The only capital gains that are taxed are those associated with the disposal of real estate located in Cyprus. Following the amendments of the Law 119 (I)/2013 and the Law 120(I)/2013, real estate owners will be taxed based on the value of their property.

Capital Gains Taxation:

Subject to certain exceptions (see the list below), the capital gain tax is charged on profits arising after the 1st January 1980, from the sale or transfer of immovable property in the Republic of Cyprus or company’s shares, located in Cyprus, that owns immovable property (Reference 1). Briefly, the net profit derived from the sale or transfer of real estate is taxed at the rate of 20%. The calculation of the net profit derived from the disposal embeds the inflation rate. Inflation is calculated based on the official Retail Price Index. Moreover, according to the amendments of the Law 119 (I)/2013 and the Law 120(I)/2013 the value of the real estate is calculated following the related provisions of the Immovable Property Law.

List of Exemptions:

  • Transfer of property due to death.
  • Gifts to children, spouses and any other relative up to the third degree.
  • Gift to a company. The shareholders of the particular company are and continue to be members of the donor’s family for five years after the offer of the gift.
  • Gift offered by a firm to its shareholders, given that the particular property was originally donated to the company. Moreover, the recipient is obliged to keep the immovable property for at least three years.
  • Gift to the government or to local authorities of the Republic of Cyprus for educational or other charitable purposes.
  • Exchange or sale based on the Agricultural Land (Consolidation) Laws.
  • Exchange of properties. In this case, the values of the real estate properties that have been exchanged must be the same.
  • Gain derived from the disposal of shares, listed on any Stock Exchange.
  • Transfers resulted by reorganisation.

Lifetime exemptions for individuals:

  • Disposal of own residence: Gain (85.430 euro)
  • Disposal of agricultural land by a farmer: Gain (25.629 euro)
  • Any other disposal of real estate: Gain (17.086 euro)

Immovable Property Taxation:

In Cyprus, the annual immovable property tax is imposed on every individual or legal person who owns immovable property in the island regardless of whether they are or not residents of the Republic of Cyprus. The tax they are obliged to pay is based on the total value of the whole immovable property registered in their name (Reference 2).

The immovable property tax is estimated according to the market value of the immovable property as at 1st January 1980 and is payable by the 30th September of every year at the Inland Revenue Department. In this point, it should be clarified that individual owners are exempt from this tax in case the 1980 value of their property is less than €12.500.

The relevant tax bands as revised in 2013:

  • If the assessed 1980 property value is less than 12.500 euro the annual tax rate is 0 (%) and the accumulated tax is zero.
  • If the assessed 1980 property value is between 12.500-40.000 euro the annual tax rate is 0.60 (%) and the accumulated tax is 240 euro.
  • If the assessed 1980 property value is between 40.001-120.000 euro the annual tax rate is 0.80 (%) and the accumulated tax is 880 euro.
  • If the assessed 1980 property value is between 120.001-170.000 euro the annual tax rate is 0.90 (%) and the accumulated tax is 1.330 euro.
  • If the assessed 1980 property value is between 170.001-300.000 euro the annual tax rate is 1.10 (%) and the accumulated tax is 2.760 euro.
  • If the assessed 1980 property value is between 300.001-500.000 euro the annual tax rate is 1.30 (%) and the accumulated tax is 5.360 euro.
  • If the assessed 1980 property value is between 500.001-800.000 euro the annual tax rate is 1.50 (%) and the accumulated tax is 9.860 euro.
  • If the assessed 1980 property value is between 800.001-3.000.000 euro the annual tax rate is 1.70 (%) and the accumulated tax is 47.260 euro.
  • If the assessed 1980 property value is more than 3.000.000 euro the annual tax rate is 1.90 (%).

Note: Every registered owner whose immovable property is more than €120.000 is obliged to submit a Declaration of Immovable Property (IR 301 and IR302) and pay the equivalent annual tax before the 30th of September.

Important Warnings:

Because of the delays in issuing Title Deeds, some developers are the registered owners of real estate property. In accordance with the law, the “registered owners” (in our case the developers) are obliged to pay annual declarations of their immovable property to the relevant authorities and pay the Immovable Property Tax, plus any late payment penalties.

Until Title Deeds are issued purchaser is obliged to pay only Property Transfer Fees so that to secure ownership of the property he or she has bought, which will then be registered in his or her name.

Nevertheless, in some Contracts of Sales, developers request the buyers to pay the immovable property tax by the time they take delivery of a property. In many cases, some developers charge purchasers outrageous sums of money based on the price the property was sold. Moreover, in some cases, the developers add to the whole amount the late payment penalties.

I would advise buyers to ask the developers to provide them with the adequate proofs that demonstrate that the immovable property tax that has been paid to the Inland Revenue corresponds to the land where the development has been constructed.

As a result, I am advising purchasers NOT to pay a developer any Immovable Property Tax unless the developer:

  • Provides a written proof of the amount of Immovable Property Tax that the developer has paid to the Inland Revenue for the land where the development has been constructed.
  • Provides buyer a written statement clarifying buyer’s shares of the aforementioned land.
  • Issue a written invoice on the company’s letterhead that states the agreed amount to be paid.
  • Issue a written company receipt for the amount that had been paid.

Invest in Cyprus: Have a proper legal support

As it was explained above, the amendments of the Law 119 (I)/2013 and the Law 120(I)/2013 together with the tax friendly regimes give more incentives to international investors and business people to expand their business activities in Cyprus. However, investors and business people should take into account that investing in real estate requires a proper legal guidance.

Reference 1: TAX DEPARTMENT: DIRECT TAXATION: Capital Gains Taxation http://www.mof.gov.cy/mof/ird/ird.nsf/dmlfaq_en/dmlfaq_en?OpenDocument#3

Reference 2: TAX DEPARTMENT: DIRECT TAXATION: Immovable Property http://www.mof.gov.cy/mof/ird/ird.nsf/dmlfaq_en/dmlfaq_en?OpenDocument#5

Factors Affecting Your Corporate Identity

The strong Corporate Identity is vital need for any organization irrespective of its size. Even a smaller company with strong corporate identity can beat its strong contenders. In other words, the brand image of any company, business or organization is vital to its success. An organization can generate fresh set of customers through strong corporate identity or industry presence.

There are various factors which can affect the brand image of any organization. Some most important factors are as follows:

  1. Website – A perfect portal is must for every small, medium or big organization, company or business. The world has become so small in this e-connected world, people are eager to know anything and everything about the details of products being offered by a particular company. They are also interested in knowing what your past customers are saying.
  2. Logo– A logo represents the goals, vision, and attitude of any organization or company towards his business and customers. They need to be specific in terms of a Logo. Companies give stress on a logo which design can match the services and targeted customer’s prospects.
  3. Stationary – Stationary is also one of the most important factor in deciding corporate identity and brand image of a company, business or organization. That includes, Company Letter Heads, Correspondence Business Envelopes, Services Brochures, Post Cards, Business Cards, and Employees Identity Cards (Magnetic Cards). A letter head makes an emphatic impact on readers or viewers mind. If your Letter Head looks professional as well as classy at the same with illustrating vital information regarding your organization, most of your business proposals will be readily accepted or at least you will get first hand queries enquiring more about your services. Business cards also make a great impact on your company’s identity and brand image. Those are not a thing to be included in wallets of your Top Business Executives and marketing personnel’s in fact they carry the most feasible means of contact for your organization. With every distributed business cards you executives are leaving information as well as future business prospects for your company, so it should be realistic and matching to your company’s identity and Brand.
  4. Print Advertisements – Print advertisements still carry the same level of importance in front of people as earlier. Every ad flyer or ad brochure is representing a sample of your organization. So it should reflect the pride and uniqueness of your organization.

There are several other branding options and ways of enhancing your corporate presence. But stationary is one of the most important among all of them. No doubt the business scenario has changed a lot during last few years from manual to automatic transfer of operations. But still your printed materials are very important and you should not avoid it at any case.

Start a Home Based Company With Small Business Grants

In this day and age as we witness the rapid advancing of technology in unison with the increasing unemployment rate, many American citizens are turning to small business grants sponsored by the US government as a means of establishing home based online businesses. This practice is becoming more and more popular each and every day as the evolution of technological business enhancements is rapidly rendering traditional methods of company operations obsolete.

There is no better time than now to begin considering telecommunication and virtual office positions as a regular work or career procedure. This is the age of computers, and web cams, and digital this, and automated that. It’s seldom that you are ever even able to reach an actual live representative when calling most customer service centers. It is pretty frightful to think that your job can actually be eliminated and replaced by an inanimate object, yet those days are growing near. It is a daily occurrence that thousands are laid off of their long time jobs while major corporations downsize employees to redirect payroll funds, in order to upgrade their automated systems. Becoming self-employed is seemingly the last chance at any type of job security for some, and small business grants are often the only chance of achieving that.

The smartest thing about using small business grants to establish an online “work from home” business is, obviously, because this is free government money. Most taxpaying American citizens are eligible to qualify for business grants, and the best part is, they never have to pay them back. There is no credit check, cosigner, interest, collateral, or anything else. This is a gift from the government awarded to you to establish your new business. By using these funds to create an online web and/or home-based business, you can virtually open up shop and see an immediate profit with absolutely no overhead whatsoever. No other type of business can achieve those highly favorable results.

You can acquire enough free government money in small business grants to start your home-based business in the utmost of professional fashions. It is entirely possible to be awarded enough funding to…

*Construct and/or set up an efficient and well equipped home office

*Purchase computers, software, telephones, copy machines, fax machines, printers, and all other essential major electronic or technical equipments to keep your company running smooth and efficiently.

*Buy all paper, pens, folders, professionally printed letterhead stationary, calendars, business cards, and all other necessary office supplies that you will need.

*Afford advertising materials and services to properly promote your business, whatever it may be.

*Obtain special training or college courses that correspond to your choice of career path to enhance and improve your business.

These are just a few of the advantages of creating your own online business. We haven’t even touched on the pleasure and freedom of not having a boss, not having to commute to work, not having to pay for gas or parking, wait for trains or buses, get stuck in rush hour traffic, be late for work, take a cut in pay, or get laid off. Sounds pretty appealing, doesn’t it. Well imagine being able to do all of that, for free.

Follow the links below to see how much free government money you qualify for in small business grants. It may not be long before you are enjoying lifetime job security in that plush corner office with a window…with a view of your patio.

Project Outsourcing: Why ALL Businesses Should Consider Outsourcing An Integral Part of Business

OUTSOURCING: AN OVERVIEW

Businesses of all kinds can and do benefit from the tool of outsourcing every day. Businesses large and small have been outsourcing every day projects for many years. The businesses that use outsourcing as a tool to enhance and grow their business already know the value that outsourcing brings to their organization. Outsourcing is a business process term for what has literally become known as hiring a consultant, independent contractor, or freelancer to do a specific task or tasks for an organization in which the organization either does not have the time or the expertise to do on their own. The organizations that have used outsourcing for many years know that with the positives it brings to the organization that it is also important to have a well managed plan of action for hiring a consultant or contractor for a business task. This includes deciding which projects or tasks to outsource, whom to hire for these tasks, how to manage the project, how to agree on payment terms, and how to achieve the desired results. There are many forms of outsourcing ranging from outsourcing payroll to outsourcing package handling, to everything in between. Small businesses hiring a self-employed accountant to handle the corporate tax returns are in essence hiring a tax consultant. Large corporations that hire outside customer service firms to handle their customer support are outsourcing that function of their business to focus more on their core business functions. It is entirely possible to outsource practically every business process within an organization.

OUTSOURCING TOOLS

There are a wealth of tools available for the organization looking to outsource business processes. Companies such as SmartyLance.com, enable a business to post a project to a project marketplace and receive bids from experts in the field. These type of freelance sites match companies with freelance professionals, consultants, and independent contractors. There are many advantages for a business to use services such as SmartyLance. First, the marketplace enables businesses to use a centralized location to post their project, receive bids on that project, communicate with potential providers, choose a winning bid (either based on lowest cost or based on the credentials, expertise, or prior feedback of a particular provider), manage the project specifications, receive the delivered project and make final payment based on the terms of the auction. This centralized marketplace provided by SmartyLance greatly streamlines the entire outsourcing process and enables the business owner or manager to have greater control over the entire outsourcing process.

INCREASING COMPETITION

Competition is a complicated subject for many people. Ultimately, competition is good for the consumer, whether the consumer is an individual or a business, competition enables products and services to maintain high quality and low cost. Although many people dislike competition because it forces action to improve quality, the benefits to the overall economy even result in improved products and services for the very people that dismiss competition and the headaches it sometimes brings. Freelance marketplaces such as SmartyLance are no exception in that competition improves the overall quality and value for the project buyer and causes the freelance provider to adjust to market conditions in a practical, intelligent manner to win new business. The benefits to the company looking to hire freelancers are obvious. For example, Company A can compile a list of consultants to work on the design of their new company logo. This list may include a multitude of design firms from the same geographical area. Company A would be required to submit an RFP by contacting each design firm individually, stating the requirements of their project and requesting a quote based on the requirements. Many factors come into play in deciding which design firm Company A will choose. Chances are, that using this approach, Company A will end up paying too much for the project and will only have a handful of providers to choose from. Company B also must outsource the design of their new company logo. Rather than compile lists of design firms, which can result in overpriced quotes, Company B decides to post their logo design project to the SmartyLance marketplace. Doing so enables Company B to get competitive bids that help ensure that Company B gets the most competitive price for their project. By posting the logo design project to SmartyLance, Company B not only reduced costs associated with the project, they had access to specialists and skilled professional designers from around the world that were competing to give Company B the best cost and highest quality design for their money. The entire process was managed easily through Company B’s SmartyLance account enabling them to keep in contact, manage project specifications, manage competing bids, and send payment easily and securely through one of several different payment methods. An escrow account enabled Company B to ensure that payment wasn’t released to the provider until all project requirements were met. Company B successfully outsourced the logo design project and was able to save several hundred dollars. They also received the project several days quicker than Company A. In this example of Company A and Company B, we see that Company A had limited its ability to find a skilled professional and limited its ability to save money on the project. Company B took full advantage of all the resources and benefits of the SmartyLance marketplace and was able to save time and money. By outsourcing critical business functions that are not core business functions, the organization greatly benefits through a savings of time and money which in turn benefits us all through decreasing costs that are passed down to the consumer.

TO OUTSOURCE OR NOT TO OUTSOURCE?

That is the question many small business owners and large corporations alike are asking themselves each and every day. Risks are inherent in any new business strategy or thought process. However, like any business decision, risk can be managed. By intelligently choosing a provider that matches your intended skill requirements, carefully detailing and outlining your project requirements, and ensuring that you maintain the requirements within budget, the benefits can far outweigh the risks.
One of the more common fears among some larger organizations that may be reluctant to outsource projects is a fear of the unknown. This fear stems from the inherent inability to oversee each and every aspect of the project from start to finish and to evaluate each step along the way. Internal employees devoted to a project are more easily evaluated and can be guided through performance and work appraisals. Managers may feel that outsourced projects are more difficult to oversee and manage with an eagle eye. The fact of the matter is that so long as there are well-defined contractual obligations and project reporting requirements, an outsourced project can in fact result in a more manageable outcome than actually thought. Also, the talent pool and skills obtained that may be completely unavailable to the organization allow the organization to reach milestones and achieve success that may never have been possible with their current employees.

OUTSOURCING CONTROVERSY

The outsourcing controversy that is making headlines today is the public opinion of outsourcing jobs to other countries. This includes manufacturing of products, such as those that are “Made In China” as well as service outsourcing such as computer programming that is outsourced to skilled workers in India. One can argue that outsourcing projects overseas is taking opportunity away from workers in their native country. Others may contend that outsourcing projects, whether it’s overseas or in the same country is a great opportunity that will improve business processes, improve productivity, reduce costs and have an overall positive effect on the economy, thus creating more new jobs and specialized jobs in specific skill areas. All businesses are consistently looking for ways to increase productivity and lower costs. From an economic standpoint, increasing productivity and lowering costs are essential elements for business success. Business success, in turn leads to more growth, which leads to new job creation, be it in a more specialized skill area or through the development in new types of jobs in new specialized areas.

OUTSOURCED BUSINESS PROCESSES

As mentioned previously, practically any business process not related to the core business activity can be outsourced. Some examples of commonly outsourced business processes include:

Accounting and Finance

Graphic Design & Multimedia

Sales and Telemarketing

Web Design and Development

Administrative Support and Data Entry

Business Strategy, Advertising, Business Plans, Consulting

Legal, Contracts, Copyright, Corporate, Incorporation

Software and Technology, Database Development

Writing and Translation, Copy Writing, Creative Writing

Press Releases

A REWARDING CAREER

Having a specialty or skill in a particular business area can enable you to begin a career as a consultant or freelancer. Freelancing enables you to have the flexibility to work on your own and on your own schedule. You can choose which projects match your skill set and decide which types of freelance projects that you would be interested in working on. There are numerous sources available to find freelance work. Some sources include browsing freelance directories, job boards, and registering with talent auction sites such as SmartyLance. All of these resources are filled with potential jobs. In comparison, it seems that talent auctions are the most comprehensive resources offering the most flexibility to both the freelancer and the company hiring a freelancer. They offer the breadth and depth of listings and the simplicity to bid on numerous projects as well as services enabling the handling of the entire payment process through a service provider account with the talent auction site. Bidding on projects requires much discipline and planning. Before placing a bid or giving a quote on a project, the freelancer must take into account many factors including the length of time required for the project completion, the budget the service buyer can afford, and whether or not they can actually meet the requirements to complete the project. It is also important to keep in mind that developing relationships with service buyers can lead to more work in the future. Developing a relationship with service buyers and meeting or exceeding their project expectations will enable you to develop a client base that allows you to practically always have new projects to work on.

COMPETITION FOR PROJECTS

There will always be competition in all forms of business. Competition for freelance projects is fierce. One of the major ways to compete and win is to make yourself stand out from the rest of the crowd. You can start by fine tuning your resume. This will force you to think about your accomplishments as well as your exact skills and abilities. There are numerous services that can help you with your resume, including ResumeEdge. Using a service to help you with your resume will enable you to better explain your accomplishments and present them in a manner that will captivate and impress the reader. Especially if you are an independent freelancer, having your resume retooled by ResumeEdge will allow you to stand out in a crowded marketplace. Many freelance service buyers will wish to see a list of your accomplishments and your skills. If you register as a service provider with a freelance marketplace such as SmartyLance, they offer several different options that enable you to stand out above the crowd. First, there are different subscription levels when registering. There is a Limited subscription, a Novice subscription or a Professional subscription. Each higher level subscription offers more options to the service provider. Every service provider does have the ability to post a profile, detailing various information about their abilities. Limited subscriptions limit the cost range in which a service provider can bid. For example, a Limited service provider can only bid on projects with a price range less than one thousand dollars. Novice subscription service providers can bid on projects less than five thousand dollars, and Professional subscription service providers can bid on any service level project. Several added bonuses with the Novice and Professional subscription levels include the ability to purchase credential verification services as well as the ability to post “Buy Now” projects. Credential verification services enable you to post information related to your references, certifications, licenses, education and previous employment. Simply adding these options to your account gives you a special designation stating that your information has been checked and verified as being true and accurate by the freelance marketplace. This designation gives you an added level of credibility making you stand out from the rest of the service providers and enabling you to showcase your achievements and abilities, giving a service buyer confidence in choosing you to complete their project. This will undoubtedly lead to more work and more projects coming your way. In addition to verifying your credentials, you have the ability to showcase a portfolio of your previous work. This allows you to show the service buyers your achievements and your successes with previous clients. Showcasing your portfolio is another important aspect that gives the service buyer confidence in your ability. Finally, the higher level subscriptions enable you as a service provider to offer “Buy Now” solutions. Similar to purchasing products immediately without bidding as on major product auctions such as Ebay, “Buy Now” solutions enable freelance service providers and consultants to make a solution available to all service buyers for a specific set price. For example, a freelance graphic design firm may create a “Corporate Identity Package”, enabling a service buyer to purchase this package that may include the graphic design of a logo, along with designs for letterhead, business cards, and banner ads. Another example could be from a lawyer or legal consultant who creates an incorporation package that includes corporate setup and incorporation services for all fifty states, creation of shareholder agreements, employment agreements, and registered agent services all for a set price. These simple examples of “Buy Now” services enable freelance consultants and independent contractors to create easy options for service buyers who are looking for simple solutions and quick turnaround time. Service providers also enjoy creating these type of services because it enables them to focus on their core interests and abilities. Only higher level subscriptions such as the Novice or Limited subscriptions enable freelance service providers to post “Buy Now” projects. The beauty of these additional options as a freelance service provider is that you can focus on one specific aspect of your business. If you are a consultant for a graphic design firm and you simply enjoy creating and designing corporate logos and identities, then you can find work specifically in this area by posting your own “Buy Now” solution. If you are a lawyer working for your own legal firm and your passion is new business setups and incorporation services, then you can steer projects your way with a “Buy Now” solution posted on a freelance marketplace like SmartyLance.

CONCLUSION

These are only a few examples of the many opportunities that exist as a freelancer. Whether you are a small business, an individual, or a large corporation, this article simply serves as a guide to help you in your quest to use outsourcing to your advantage to help your business grow and flourish. Outsourcing, when done correctly, can benefit your business in so many different ways. The two most obvious benefits are a savings of time and money. From the freelancer’s standpoint, this article has been developed to help educate and guide you with the many options available to find work as well as to delve into the minds of freelance service buyers. Knowing their concerns and understanding the reasons for choosing one service provider over another will greatly benefit you by enabling you to increase your odds for getting new business. Understanding the concerns and needs of service buyers will lead to your gains as a service provider. If you are able to provide enough people with services that they wish to have, then you will always be in demand.

How-To Sell on Sites Like Etsy

Through sites like Etsy, Folksy and eBay, many are achieving dreams of owning their own business. But as more and more people are drawn to these sites it’s easy to get trampled by a herd of competitors. Owning your own online business can be fun and fulfilling; it frees you to explore your creativity and sell your products to a global market. But being self-employed is a lot of work.

Unlike the regular 9am-5pm grind, self-employment in an ecommerce world doesn’t have a punch-out time. For all it’s benefits, the internet has also produced a world of consumers who are spoiled to “instant gratification.” We want what we want, and we want it now! If you’re not able or willing to meet that need, there’s several other competitors who are. If you’re wanting to be successful, always keep that in mind.

With that said, here’s some tips from my personal experience as an online seller:

1.) Research.

Before opening your business do all the research you can. Research the fees and requirements of various sites, and compare the demographic of each site. Where do you fall into that mix? Are you a creative artist, who wants to explore their craft? Or, are you a discount hound that thrives on finding and reselling a bargain for a bit of profit?

Look at the differences of sites like Etsy vs. eBay. eBay is known to be the world’s largest garage sale, whereas Etsy’s a trendy artistic site. A necklace may sell on Etsy for $30.00 or more, whereas eBay customers will expect five of those same “handcrafted” necklaces for half that price. It may take you ten days to sell on Etsy, whereas you could make a sell everyday on eBay. Know your market.

2.) Network.

Most online commerce sites have forums filled with experts, who’ve been in the business a while and novices (like you), who need a guiding hand. Be helpful where you can, answer questions, and be proactive in getting to know the online community your joining. These friendships (even with competitors) can do more to help you, than harm you.

Becoming friends with a community of sellers helps you to become a known and respected seller. Friends will help draw business your way, provided you do the same for them. No-one can scratch their own back without a little help.

3.) Advertise.

This is your business. Take pride in it and make it as professional as possible. Print business cards and letterhead stationary. Send small thank-you cards or notes with each sell.

Get to know the YouTube and Blogger community. Use Keyword searches to seek-out those, who’ve shown interest in the kinds of products you sell. Offer a few samples of your products for review and/or giveaways on heavily trafficked areas. In-turn, they will advertise and draw customers to your shop.

Visit their channels and blogs frequently and read through the comments. Get an idea of what the viewers think of your product. It’s free market research that major corporations have paid tons of cash for. If there are questions, even though they’re asking the blogger or video broadcaster, be proactive and answer their inquiries. It shows you care about your product and how it’s perceived. It also shows you’re great at customer service for the would-be customer. Also, write your own blogs. Give tutorials on how to use or wear your products.

High-end shops to dollar stores label their shopping bags for a reason; it’s advertising! When people order through the mail, they like to feel like they’ve received something special. Wrap their package in colorful tissue paper with a ribbon and an elegant sticker naming your shop on the OUTSIDE of the wrapped package, include your web and email address. You’re essentially advertising to anyone and everyone, who’s handled that package. If it’s pretty enough, the customer will keep it. By doing that, they’re advertising to their friends.

4.) PHOTOS.

I’ve listed it in all caps, because photos are critical to the success of your online business. Invest in a good quality camera that works well in all types of lighting and can focus well on small items like jewelry. Practice with it and learn photography techniques. Review the photos of competitors selling similar products. Look at their sales, and see how well they do.

If you offer a wide variety of “one-of-a-kind” products, you’ll spend most of your day setting-up and taking photos. As a time-saver, it’s best to maintain a large supply of stock, so you’re not constantly having to update and edit your shop’s site.

Always keep in mind that people are easily distracted by the variety of supply available to them. When a potential customer asks a question, be available and quick to respond before their distracted by another seller’s product.

To save yourself some time, set-up a “FAQ” page on your shop site, with quick-reference answers about shipping requirements, return and exchange policies, custom orders, etc. Try to foresee and answer as many of potential questions as possible on that page. Then, let them know the hours that you can be contacted directly for a quick response.

I’m simply offering helpful tips, based on my history of selling on such sites. Feel free to add to these, or take away from them. That’s the best perk of having your own business, you get to make all of the decisions.

I wish you the best of luck!

Subsidiary – Types, Advantages and Disadvantages

Subsidiary is a company that is controlled by another company through a parent child relationship. A company is only said to be a subsidiary company if the parent has controlling interest by owning over 50% of the issued share capital. A Subsidiary on its own may have subsidiaries. Subsidiaries are considered separate legal entities for taxation and regulation purpose.

Types of Subsidiaries – Three types of Subsidiaries can be formed namely:

-Public Limited Liability

-Minimum Capital – Must be paid by the founders (minimum two members)

-Shares – Can issue nominative or bearer shares

-Management – Should have at least three directors. One director should be a permanent resident of the country

-Private Limited Liability

-Minimum Capital – Must be paid by the founders

-Shares – Shares need to be nominative. Bearer shares cannot be subscribed

-Management – Managed by one or more managers

-Co-operative Company with limited liability

-Minimum Capital – Three partners are needed. One quarter of capital contribution must be paid-in

-Shares – Shares are nominative

-Management – A co-operative company with limited liability and managed by one or more managers

Parent Company – Subsidiary Relation

It is important that the subsidiary is recognized as an independent corporation managed by the board of directors even though it was incorporated by the parent company. This does not mean that the subsidiary is uncontrolled. The parent company has the legal authority to hold the subsidiary accountable to meet the financial objectives.

For the Parent company to control the independent subsidiary it should be:

-The sole shareholder

-Include voting control provisions in subsidiary article

-Prepare bylaws defining the authority of the officers, their term in the office and removal

-Prohibit bylaws amendment without shareholder’s approval

Legal Risks

As long as the parent company holds its subsidiary accountable for the expectations of its board of directors there is little risk for the parent to be found liable for the wrong doings of the subsidiary. But, if the parent company exercises excessive control for example has the same board of directors, use of common letterhead, in such case the parent company and the subsidiary are treated as one and the parent company is responsible for the subsidiaries debts etc.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Subsidiary

Advantages

-Considerable tax advantages and legal protections

-Ability to offset profits and losses of one part of a business with another

-Some countries allow subsidiaries to file tax returns on the profits obtained in that country

-Liabilities and credit claims are locked in that subsidiary and cannot be passed on to the parent company

-Allows for joint ventures with other companies with each owning a portion of the new business operation

Disadvantages

-Legal paperwork involved with creating a subsidiary can be lengthy and expensive

-Control also becomes an issue when a subsidiary is partially owned by another outside organization

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