Sunday, October 31, 2010

What is a business event?

A business event is a trigger for a state transition within a business process. It could be a simple or composite event. Simple events usually are found in low level business processes while composite events (that can easily described using a pattern expression, even cql) are found at the higher layers (BAM/BI). I see the relationship between simple events and business events is many to many.

If the example events are parsed (treebank) and a syntax tree is generated, the output can be represented as RDF/OWL triples after a simple summarization/annotation. Business events can then be extracted by applying pattern expressions on the underlying graph structure. However, excepting event 10, all can be represented as a simple RDF triple. So... unless this can trigger directly a business process, I would not consider the events as business events but as a set of raw events.

Interesting question as I encounter comparable points almost always in academic rounds

Interesting question as I encounter comparable points almost always in academic rounds. People from different fields of research have their own particular truth of an event definition. So my guess is that you will get as many answers to your question as many people you ask.

Although you maintain a quite comprehensive collection of terminology definitions on you webpage I still think that people lack in understanding for several reasons. From my point of view, the major problem is because events are "something" highly subjective which are heavily influenced by the domain that you are dealing with.

I actually had a hard time to pinpoint definitions to this topic when writing my thesis. Therefore, I approached this problem by deriving definitions from various relevant fields that are valid throughout my problem domain and still are open enough not to exclude finer grained domain-specific definitions.

By the way - regarding your examples there is an interesting paper that is addressing event detection in the area of information retrieval which is called "Applying Semantic Classes in Event Detection and Tracking" [1].


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[1] Juha Makkonen, Helena Ahonen-Myka, and Marko Salmenkivi. Applying semantic classes in event detection and tracking. In Rajeev Sangal and S. M. Bendre, editors, Proceedings of International Conference on Natural Language Process ing (ICON 2002), pages 175-183, Mumbai, India, 2002.
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usiness Name Search, Registration, and Renewal

ServiceOntario’s Integrated Business Services Application is a flexible service that allows you to do one of the following:

  • Search for business names that are already registered
  • Register or renew your business name, get a Master Business Licence and, if eligible, apply for additional accounts with different government bodies
  • If your business is commencing after June 30, 2010, RST is no longer applicable and you will need to contact CRA to register your business for the HST. Visit the CRA website at www.cra.gc.ca/harmonization or call 1 800-959-5525 for more information regarding the HST.

Here is some other basic information you should know:

  • It costs $60 to register or renew your business name
  • It costs between $8 and $26 to search business names, depending on type of report
  • The Master Business Licence or the Enhanced Business Name Search Report is a PDF file that can be printed or saved to a personal computer
  • A printer is required to print the Receipt, Summary Registration, Profile Summary, Master Business Licence and/or the Enhanced Business Name Report
  • You can pay online by credit card
  • There is a money-back service guarantee attached to new business name registrations
  • You can register your business 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
  • You can search for business names online Monday to Friday, 8:30 am – 6:00 pm
  • To apply for CRA programs including Harmonized Sales Tax (HST), payroll deductions, corporate income tax and import/export accounts visit Business Registration Online.

If using a public computer, do not leave it unattended while completing the application. Always clear your browser's cache and close down your browser upon completion.

When do you use your BN import/export account?

You have to show your import/export account on your customs documents. This applies to most shipments that enter Canada.

You only use your import/export account for importing or exporting. If you do not use it, your account will expire after two years. You can reactivate it by contacting any customs office. If there is any change in your status (e.g., name or address change), you must report these changes to us as soon as possible.

How do you get a BN import/export account?

You can register for a business number, or add an import/export account to an existing business number, by calling 1-800-959-5525. You may also obtain a business number by registering on-line at www.businessregistration.gc.ca or by completing Form RC1, Request for a Business Number (BN). Send the completed form to your nearest tax services office listed under the listings in the government section of your telephone book. We will give you an account free of charge as soon as we receive the form.

Please read the following disclaimer and click on "I agree" at the bottom of the page to continue with your Business registration.

This service is for the official purpose of government registrations only and is not for any other use. It is provided to entities or their representatives conducting business in Canada. This web site is being made available solely for the convenience of the public. Users assume all risks associated with any transfer of information to the CRA, and with any other use of this site. While all reasonable efforts have been taken to ensure the security of the information while in transit to the CRA, it does not warrant such security, and is not liable for any damages, which may arise as the result of interception, loss, theft or other action or difficulty.

The CRA, while making every reasonable effort to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the material placed on this web site, assumes no responsibility for the accuracy or reliability of the material, and therefore for the use of the information being made available. The CRA will not be responsible in any manner for direct, indirect, special or consequential damages caused in any way as the result of the use of this Internet service. Please note that the information on this web site may change at any time without previous notice.

Links to other web sites or references to products, services, or publications other than those of the CRA do not imply the endorsement or approval of these web site products, services or publication by the CRA.

Privacy Policy

The BRO application web server collects personal data that is necessary to authenticate users of the application and to register the business. We do not automatically gather any personal information. This information is only obtained if supplied voluntarily by registering through a secure portion of this site.

The BRO application does not use "cookies" to collect personal data, however, technology dictates that the server is aware of the Internet Protocol (IP) address of the computer that has contacted our Web site. The CRA makes no attempt to link this information with the identity of individuals accessing the site unless an attempt to damage the site has been detected.

Privacy Notice Statement

The information you provide is collected under the authority of the Customs Act, the Excise Tax Act and the Income Tax Act for the purpose of registering for four major CRA programs and for new Ontario, Nova Scotia and British Columbia program accounts. CRA program information will be retained in Program Record(s) CRA ACB 285, "Business Number (BN) Registration" and will be used and disclosed in accordance with the conditions listed therein.

Under the provisions of the Privacy Act, individuals have the right to protection of, and access to, their personal information. For more information about your rights, see InfoSource. This is a Government of Canada publication available in major libraries, at government information offices and from constituency offices of federal Members of Parliament.

Questions or comments about this privacy policy, or our administration of the Privacy Act may be directed to the Access to Information and Privacy Division by email at ATIPCPTG@cra-arc.gc.ca. If you are not satisfied that we have adequately respected your privacy, you can contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner on the Internet or by calling 1-800-282-1376.

MAKING YOUR HOME ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY

Recent years have seen people become increasingly environmentally conscious. Green products, packaging and cars are becoming common place. So to is the green home. Living in a green home is not only good for the environment, but also your hip pocket. Homes built with environmental stability in mind have lower utility and running costs.

New homes are now required to have a 6 star energy rating in Victoria, and many new estates have features like recycled water available. However, you don’t have to buy a new home to be green, there are many things you can do in your current home to help the environment.

1. WATER TANKS

Even as water restrictions are being lifted, having a water tank installed can be handy. Whether you are using grey water or collecting rain water from your roof, using collected water for the garden or washing the car relieves the burden on reservoir water.

2. INSULATION

Properly installed insulation can keep your home warmer in winter and cooler in summer, also saving you on bills. If you are living in an older home it is likely that there is room for improvement in your insulation. Don’t let Labor’s failed roof scheme put you off.

3. DOUBLE-PANED WINDOWS

While many new homes have double-paned windows it is rare in an older home. Like insulation, they can help keep the air temperature constant.

4. LIGHT BULBS

Energy efficient light bulbs are now the only kind available, but many people still have the old style in their home. Consider making the switch. If the bright light is overwhelming then consider having light shades fitted in your home.

5. Appliances

Make sure your appliances have the highest possible energy rating. Also look at how much water they are using.

REAL ESTATE MARKETING IDEAS

Real estate marketing ideas should be such that it can give a lot to the consumer and allows him to associate well with the provider of the service. The main focus of real estate marketing strategy is to gain the confidence of the consumer if that is achieved well then automatically consumers would be flocking around the offices asking for more.

A real sate agent equipped with good and innovative ideas can do a great deal in getting a fair amount of business. Some of the popular real estate marketing strategies which have proved to be very effective since ages are holding events to promote the properties in question, utilizing the media for exposure of the real estate property, marketing through the internet and lastly, the classical way of communicating to the wide public through banners, posters and fliers also through word of mouth from friends and colleagues.

Event organizing is better than one to one interaction because there are many consumers who presume that in one to one interaction they might be subjected to a pressure tactics by the agents however, in a mass gathering a wide section of consumer can be involved where no one would feel any individual pressure. These events could be in the form of ‘free home buyer classes’ or ‘open house’ conducted in weekends. These events would require lot of pre planning such as preparation of marketing materials, classified ads, putting up of sign boards in the neighborhood etc. Such events are generally very successful form of marketing.

Utilizing internet, local television channels, and local newspapers are again good methods of marketing and these require less money and yet spread the message to a wider group.

GOOD DESIGN MAKES GOOD SENSE

Organized your pencils and pens lately? Sorted your clothes into a logical system in your drawers? Then you already understand the basic elements of good design: it’s practical, it’s systematic, and it makes life easier.

In the same way, marketing materials that use good design make business easier for your customers. Layout and presentation make the difference as to whether people will understand your products and services. This is why a well-designed ad outperforms one that’s thrown together using intuition alone.

Well-designed materials become even more important as their complexity grows. For instance, an ad typically gets someone’s attention for five seconds. In contrast, a brochure has the potential to claim much more of your prospect’s time and commitment. Hand a customer a poorly-formatted, hard-to-read piece and you may lose them forever.

So is good design really as simple as organizing your tie collection? Well, not quite. But there are some hard and fast rules you can follow. Use this checklist for your next project. Structure and time your piece correctly, and then brace yourself for every businessperson’s dream: informed customers who are ready to do business with your company.

FIVE BASICS OF GOOD DESIGN

  1. Never obscure your message. The KISS (Keep It Simple, Smarty) rule applies equally well to writing copy, creating graphics, and choosing a format.
  1. Work backwards from your goal to your marketing piece. Listen to your customers’ needs before you make a decision about how to fill them. A website may not initially appeal to you as a tool, but if your customer base is using the Internet, it may be a great way to deliver your message.
  1. Present similar kinds of information in similar ways. People love to look for patterns. And we feel good when we find them, so let your customers in on that happy feeling. Chances are it will help them retain your information better and use it more effectively.
  1. Save special effects for the 4th of July. Just because you can print in all caps in that cool new font, it doesn’t mean you should. Readability wins out over gimmicks every time.
  1. Be practical and be dedicated. Consider all the steps involved in a project, from the time you spend creating it all the way through to postage or follow-up calls. Commit to following through on every item or your project may not succeed.

Surviving a Recession With a Franchise Business

Some people go back to school when a recession hits and they lose their job, others start a business. While few people would think of investing in their own business when all over USA businesses are shutting down, it’s actually a better time to invest. Companies or businesses that go bankrupt in a recession are ones that have maxed out their finances and capital over boom periods and have little or nothing to help them through a tough economic time. This means that lots of big name companies in your local area will be closing up shop and there is a need to fill the gap.

Times like these are good for people with capital to invest and establish a successful business. Since no business venture is risk proof and a recession isn’t exactly the time when people will take a lot of risks, it’s best to find a secure way to invest. Buying a franchise is how most people like to start a business of their own. Franchise opportunities in USA and Franchise opportunities in Canada have helped lots of people start and successfully run a business.

A franchise opportunity is the best way to start a business during the recession because the time and cost of establishing a brand name are saved. The returns start coming in sooner if you’re dealing with a franchise that has comfort food or something similar like fresh fruit arrangements or fruit bouquets. A food franchise business that has a unique concept, one that’s different from fast food restaurants and coffee shops is something that’s going to give big returns fast.

RATING A BUSINESS FROM HOME – SELF EMPLOYMENT

These days a lot of us would like to work from home. It’s convenient, especially if you have children. You can save on daycare, transportation, and just the hassle of dealing with rush-hour traffic times. Though we all want to work from home, it can be difficult to do. One of the easiest ways to work from home is to start a business. Starting a business from home can be a difficult process. Over 90 percent of home businesses fail in their first year. Knowing the right steps to starting a business will ensure yours does not become a statistic.

The first step in starting a business from home is to find your niche. What are you offering to the public that is valuable enough for them to pay you for? After you have chosen what you want to do for your business, you need to look at your local and state regulations about operating a home business in your area. Some agencies require permits, home inspections, etc when starting a business from home. Find out what zoning laws apply to your neighborhood because some areas are not allowed to have home businesses at all.

The next step is to create a business plan. Even if you are starting a business that will solely operate from home, you need to create a plan for your business to follow. A typical business plan will involve the essential goals, income, expenses, etc that can span out to five years. It is good to get in the habit of writing business plans anyway. If you ever need to take out a small business loan, or even possibly expand your business outside of your home, you will need a business plan. The business plan will also ensure that your business is staying on track so that it does not fail. For information on how to write a business plan you can visit your local business bureau or even look online. There are plenty of resources out there and even companies that will assist you with writing an effective business plan.

One of the biggest mistakes people make when starting a business from home, is they base it around being at home. They will work in their pajamas, set hours around their social life, try to do office work while watching a movie, etc. Starting a business from home requires dedication. You have to be willing to put in a lot of time, but also a lot of focus. Dedicate a home office area that is strictly for the business and nothing more. Create a separate phone line, email account, and even a post office box for the business. By treating the business as if it was a remote location, rather than at home, that way you are more apt to focus.

As you start any business it is essential to keep excellent records; especially if you are starting a business from home. Home businesses tend to be audited more than commercial properties. If you plan to write off a portion of your mortgage for your taxes due to the home business, you will need to provide proof that your home office is used for business majority of the time. Keep excellent records for all deductions, expenses, and client invoices. Use accounting software such as Quickbooks, Peach Tree, or even Microsoft Business; that way you can ensure your books are kept correctly if you are ever audited.

Starting a business can be scary, but it is not impossible. If you know how to start a business and work from home, you will create a successful platform that you can profit from. To start a successful business and work from home, will require dedication, research, and a lot of time. You will have to put up some start up money, even if you are starting a business from home. If you stick to your business plan and dedicate yourself to your business succeeding, you will not join that 90 percent statistic.

THE ART OF NEGOTIATING A REAL ESTATE CONTRACT

CONTRACT

Negotiating a real estate contract can be a lot of fun, or it can make for a painful, sour experience. It all boils down to how prepared you are. Some Realtors have a knack for it, others don’t. Some real estate agents embrace the art of a good old fashioned debate, while others would just prefer to let the contract speak for itself. Either way, there are tactful and not-so-tactful approaches to doing the right things for your sellers or buyers.

This largest mistake one can do is simply talk too much. Silence is your best friend. You’d be amazed how much information I can get from a buyer simply by asking the agent, “So why are the buyers choosing to move here?” Some agents divulge far too much information in everyday conversation. I mean let’s be frank here…Most agents love talking. It’s a fact; the more you talk, the more you’re likely to give away information. Most new agents feel the need to talk if there’s a silence in conversation. Don’t let that be you!

Don’t let your emotions get involved. If you get into a heated discussion with the other agent, don’t let your emotions show. Be logical, be assertive, be precise…but don’t get emotional. When you let your emotions get the best of you, you won’t make succinct and beneficial points for your buyer or seller.

Take control of the situation by asking questions. If you are asking the questions- you are controlling the conversation and allowing the other agent the opportunity to talk and talk (see second paragraph). If you are asking questions, chances are you can still make your point and all the while the agent doesn’t realize that you are in complete control. Ask prying questions that keep the other agent having to give excuses for their seller/buyer or explanations as to why they “haven’t done this or that”. Point out the things that the other party is lacking in, or things that they need improvement on. You are building a case for your buyer as to why you’ve asked for x price, or why your seller can’t possibly sell that low.

Make sure you have all of your information. Do you think an attorney is prepared before he/she goes into court? Of course. They might spend months on research alone. Abraham Lincoln once said, “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” You had better be prepared before going in to the ring. If you’re not prepared, then you’re dead in the water. I’ve always been the most confident in anything I’ve done when I’ve done the research, had my information, and was well educated on the subject. If you are prepared, then you are confident…and if you are confident, then you normally convey your case in an informative, convincing fashion.

Now get out there and negotiate a winning million dollar contract for your clients!

HOME SELLER BEWARE HOLIDAY DECORATING

Changing the decor in your home with the changing seasons is a fun way to bring the festivity inside. Warm colors dominate home decorating themes in the fall to mimic the changing leaves outside. Fall means different things to different people. For you, it may mean a blessed drop in temperature and changing colors outside. Fall may get you excited for the start of the holiday season with Halloween and Thanksgiving get-togethers with family and friends. Perhaps football season and good food are what you associate with the changing season. Whatever autumn means to you, you can transfer it to your home.

There are many different kinds of home decor ideas you can incorporate into your home come fall. The first is to incorporate deep earth tones into your decor. There is no need to go all out by repainting the walls, but perhaps you will choose to switch out the light colored throw blanket on the couch to a burgundy, gold or bronze colored blanket. The table centerpiece can incorporate colors and themes that go along with turkeys, changes leaves, pumpkins and gourds. For example, a wicker basket with mini pumpkins and gourds sitting in a bed of silk orange, yellow and red leaves can make an excellent idea for the kitchen.

Moving the furniture can make a huge difference in the feel of your home. Grouping furniture together will give seating arrangements a cozier feel. Along with your throw blanket, toss some big, comfortable pillows onto the furniture. If you have wood floors, break out an earth toned area rug that matches the pillows to further enhance the warm, pleasant feeling of your home for fall. Decorate your window with heavy drapery to aid in home insulation and add a warm feeling to the room. Decorate your door with a fall wreath to help invite a warm home decorating feeling from the outside of your home.

These are only a few ideas you can utilize to transform your home from a cool summer hangout to a cozy fall getaway. Anything that can add warm colors and comfortable fabrics will help you accomplish your decorating goals. Whatever you choose, make sure it fits your style and preference. Some people like whimsical turkeys and footballs while others want a more sophisticated pumpkin and leaf theme. Fall is a time of family gatherings and chilly weather, so make sure your home decor makes people feel welcome in your home.

5 Reasons Why Home Staging is a Great Home-Based Business

It’s a low-cost business to start. There’s very little in the way of overhead expenses with a staging business. You can work from your own home office and you don’t need to worry about carrying a warehouse full of inventory or investing in any fancy equipment. You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on expensive print advertising because it doesn’t work for a small staging business anyway!

2

It offers high earning potential. As a home stager you have the potential to earn a six-figure salary if you price your services properly. Because homeowners stand to make a significant profit on the investment they make in a professional stager, they will spend hundreds of dollars on your services. It’s up to you to ensure you’re not undervaluing your time and the talent you have to bring to the table.

3.

You get to make your own schedule. If you’re looking for a career that you can easily juggle around your family or a full-time job, home staging is a good choice. If you can only work during the day while children are at school then set your appointments accordingly. If you prefer to be at home for your family during the day and work during the weekends or early evenings then that’s up to you!

4.

No credentials or formal training necessary. While some home staging training organizations would have you think you need some sort of special certification or set of staging credentials to be a home stager, that couldn’t be further from the truth. You could start calling yourself a home stager today without having taken a single course or completed a single home staging project. The field of home staging is completely unregulated and there’s no such thing as a home staging certification.

The point is, there is no need to spend years undergoing training and paying for expensive certifications to start a home staging business. Investing in some staging courses that will help you learn to properly price and market your services is the only training you need!

5.

You get paid to be creative! One of my favorite things about being a home stager is that I get to use my creativity every day instead of having that part of me stifled behind a desk. I love seeing my creative vision come to fruition at the end of a project and I love hearing the results my clients get from my work. It feels great to open up opportunities in peoples’ lives by getting them a great return on the sale of their largest asset.

TOP 10 QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN BUYING A BUSINESS

As a buyer, asking the right questions is crucial to ascertaining whether a business is worthy of your consideration for purchase. There are literally dozens of questions that you could ask however, I have listed the essential questions and areas that you must investigate before making any decision to proceed further.

Here are my 10 key questions any buyer should ask when considering the purchase of a business for sale:

1) WHY ARE THEY SELLING?

It’s the most simple yet obvious question to ask and infact will be the most insightful question you could possibly ask and will tell you a lot about the sellers integrity. The answer will either raise concerns or be met with no resistance. If the former occurs, consider your position very carefully. If a credible answer is given, you can no doubt move on with your questioning.

2) CAN YOU HAVE SIGHT OF THE ACCOUNTS?

Ask for permission to review the financial statements of turnover, cash flow, profit and loss, balance sheets and tax returns for the last three years. If you intend to borrow from a bank to purchase the business, any bank will want to see this information.

3) ARE THERE ANY DEBTS?

Does the business have debts owed to creditors, property or equipment leases? Information such as this can sometimes only be uncovered when it’s too late so ensure that the business is not funded on debt or has huge debts to pay or has long term lease agreements in place that could hamper the business cash flow.

4) ARE THERE ANY FIXED ASSETS AND WHAT IS THEIR PRESENT CONDITION AND VALUE?

If the business has numerous types of equipment or even equity or property, what are there present values? Does the equipment need replacing or repairing? Does the companies have any shares or equity that is accumulating in value? If the assets are simply depreciating, are they worth considering or are they simply worthless? Assets can sometimes appear to be worthwhile when in fact may be viewed as a liability to a buyer when it is clear they will need to be replaced or repaired which in simple terms means more investment and cost.

5) WHO ARE THE COMPANIES BOOK KEEPERS, ACCOUNTANTS AND LAWYERS?

A very straightforward question yet it pays to know who handles these very important aspects of the business. No doubt, if you are looking to start due diligence procedures into the business, your accountants and lawyers will need to speak to theirs and expect little if no resistance so that all necessary information can be ascertained. If you find that the business is lacking in any professional representation in these crucial areas, ask yourself if this business is really worth considering after all?

6) CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE EMPLOYEES?

Some sellers will happily let you speak to their team of employees if the sale is not of a confidential nature. If this is the case, it can help you gauge how the business operates and the mood of the team. There may have been a significant turnover of employees for example, which may point towards unhappiness in the ranks. Speaking to employees may not always be possible where confidentiality is key so this point can’t be regarded as a deal breaker, but advantageous if given the opportunity.

7) DOES THE BUSINESS HAVE ANY RECURRING CONTRACTS?

As the saying goes, turnover is vanity whilst profit is sanity. If a business solely relies of cold sales, market fluctuations can affect the overall turnover year on year. If however, the business for sale has recurring contracts in place with customers that run over longer periods of time, you can easily calculate a projected level of sales that are guaranteed annually which will add value to the purchase of the business. Fixed contracts are a sign that the business has good ties with its clients.

8) HOW DOES THE BUSINESS HANDLE CLIENT RELATIONS?

Many businesses neglect to maintain good client relations. Ask the sellers how they maintain communication and good after sales care with their clients. A questions such as this can be very revealing as many businesses can be guilty of resting on their laurels. A lack of after sales care is a true sign of taking your customers for granted.

9) DOES THE BUSINESS PRESENTLY HAVE ANY DISPUTES OR LITIGATION PROCEEDINGS IN PROGRESS?

Ensure you ask this question as any business you take over will also take on any disputes that are pending, in progress or close to conclusion. Don’t get caught out by handing over capital for a business that is about to be bled dry. It’s a terrible situation to end up in and in a lot of cases, there is little you can do about it unless the seller has deliberately misled you.

10) WILL THERE BE A HANDOVER PROCESS BY THE PRESENT OWNER?

If the business is sold, there should be a reasonable level of training or handover by the sellers to introduce you to the workings and day-to-day practices of the business. In most cases, the seller will happily negotiate a fee for their services or include this in the asking price when selling the business. Either way, this is an important part of the transfer and it would be unwise to go ahead with this agreement in place.

Naturally, there could be countless other questions you would ask the seller of a business for sale. However, each business is different and there is never an entire list that fits every criteria. These questions should put you in good stead and give you comfort in the knowledge that you have covered the basics at the very least. It pays to draft up a list of questions you want to ask as well as this little list, so why not add your own questions to ensure you are armed with a comprehensive set of questions to put to the business seller.

MISCONCEPTIONS WHEN ADVERTISING A BUSINESS FOR SALE

Many business owners approach the process of selling a business as they would a piece of land or a building. The reality is that the process is much more convoluted and open to subjectivity for some parts of the sale. That being said, what is absolutely not subjective is the fact that a business is only worth what a buyer is willing to pay for it. Using the previous statement as a lense, the following article will examine some common misconceptions when advertising a small business for sale.

ACCOUNTANT ADVISED THAT THE BUSINESS WAS WORTH X

While accountants can be a valuable resource to assist you sell your business, not all professional accountants are well versed with the principles of business valuation. Accounting book value differs significantly from market value and using accounting standards alone to assign a business value can be an erroneous methodology. The ideal person you should turn to is a chartered business valuator (CBV). A CBV in Canada is a professional that specializes in the art and science of valuing a business. Many times they are accountants with additional training, but not always. You can also turn to an experienced business broker for their input. Business brokers talk to business buyers and sellers everyday and have a keen sense of where the market is.

LIST THE BUSINESS AT A HIGH PRICE AND EXPECT BUYERS TO NEGOTIATE IT DOWN

A common strategy with business owners is to list their business for sale and expect buyers to offer a price that will be equal or greater than market price. This is a flawed strategy. If a business is overpriced then many buyers in the market to buy simply will not even call to inquire about it. The listing will miss out on all of the prospective buyers that would have called at a more reasonable price but decided against it at the higher level. The much better strategy is to list a business at closer to market levels and generate a higher level of interest from the outset.

THINKING THAT SELLING A BUSINESS IS A WAITING GAME

Some business sellers believe that it is only a matter of time until their business sells. This could not be further from the truth. The main drivers behind the sale of a business is having a company that is profitable, where the goodwill is transferable and one that is priced properly. Time really has nothing to do with it. Quite the contrary. If a business for sale is overpriced it will usually languish on the market and the listing will most certainly get stale. The Toronto, Ontario marketplace is a good example of one where many businesses are listed privately at completely unreasonable price expectations.

HAVE UNCLAIMED CASH SALES COUNTED TOWARDS REVENUE

If a business is on the market and has significant unclaimed cash sales, these businesses are very difficult to sell. Buyers typically do not accept the cash sales as verified revenues and it raised many questions about the ethics of the seller. Banks also will not accept undeclared sales so it makes acquisition financing more difficult to obtain.

The above points are only a few examples of some misconceptions present with business owners thinking of selling their businesses. Talk to your accountant, lawyer or a reputable business brokerage about assistance with the sale.

Founded by Pamela Greiner-Labelle, the first issue of The Business Exchange came out in November 1998



















Founded by Pamela Greiner-Labelle, the first issue of The Business Exchange came out in November 1998. Frustrated with her search due to the lack of selection and brief descriptions of the classifieds, she started looking for a publication that specialized in businesses for sale (that included photographs), as well as franchises for sale. In her search she found nothing existed. There was suddenly a great opportunity staring at her in the face, and hence the idea of The Business Exchange was born.

Today The Business Exchange is a successful magazine that connects buyers and sellers of established businesses for sale, franchises for sale and business opportunities.

Due to the great success of The Business Exchange in Ontario and a huge demand from our readers to have similar information in other cities, we have expanded our company and started a new publication, The Business Exchange Magazine British Columbia Edition. The content of the publication includes information on franchises for sale and business opportunities, as well as, businesses that are listed for sale with realtors.

Both of these publications are a great resource for entrepreneurs who are eager to find their perfect business opportunity. Additionally, you can find information on franchise consultants, business loans, franchise lawyers and other individuals and companies servicing the world of franchises and businesses.

Furthermore, we also publish the Real Estate Exchange Magazine. This is a thorough guide to homes and condos for sale in the GTA. You can find information on residential listings, mortgages and professional home service companies.

Due to the vast interest in the magazines, The Business Exchange has now expanded in producing the Business, Franchise & Investment EXPO! being held in Toronto ON and Vancouver BC.

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Staples delivery businesses, including Staples Direct, Staples Contract and Quill,

Staples delivery businesses, including Staples Direct, Staples Contract and Quill, combined with their e-commerce counterparts, grew sales 14 percent. Revenues for e-commerce businesses, including Staples.com, StaplesLink.com, BusinessDepot.com and Quill.com, were $234 million, up 144 percent versus last year. Staples.com achieved profitability with net income of $5 million for the quarter.

Said Stemberg, "We continue to plan conservatively for the remainder of the year and our earnings outlook remains in line with analyst expectations in the range of $0.65 to $0.70 per diluted share for fiscal 2001. Through solid execution and new strategic initiatives, we are in a terrific position for growth when the economy rebounds."

About Staples

Staples, Inc. is an $11 billion retailer of office supplies, business services, furniture and technology to consumers and businesses from home-based businesses to Fortune 500 companies in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands and Portugal. Headquartered outside Boston, Staples invented the office superstore concept and today is the largest operator of office superstores in the world. The company has over 50,000 employees serving customers through more than 1,300 office superstores, mail order catalogs, e-commerce and a contract business. More information about the company is available at http://www.staples.com.

Certain information contained in this news release constitutes forward looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors including risks related to Staples' ability to compete in its highly competitive market, Staples' ability to continue to successfully open new stores, Staples' quarterly operating results being subject to significant fluctuation, Staples' stock price fluctuating based on the expectations of professional securities analysts, the strain on operations due to Staples' rapid growth which can affect operating results, the ability of Staples' foreign operations and Staples.com to become profitable and the ability of Staples to obtain adequate future financing. Additional information concerning these factors is contained in Staples' Annual Report on Form 10-K dated March 15, 2001, which is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Staples delivery businesses, including Staples Direct, Staples Contract and Quill

Staples delivery businesses, including Staples Direct, Staples Contract and Quill, combined with their e-commerce counterparts, grew sales 14 percent. Revenues for e-commerce businesses, including Staples.com, StaplesLink.com, BusinessDepot.com and Quill.com, were $234 million, up 144 percent versus last year. Staples.com achieved profitability with net income of $5 million for the quarter.

Said Stemberg, "We continue to plan conservatively for the remainder of the year and our earnings outlook remains in line with analyst expectations in the range of $0.65 to $0.70 per diluted share for fiscal 2001. Through solid execution and new strategic initiatives, we are in a terrific position for growth when the economy rebounds."

About Staples

Staples, Inc. is an $11 billion retailer of office supplies, business services, furniture and technology to consumers and businesses from home-based businesses to Fortune 500 companies in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands and Portugal. Headquartered outside Boston, Staples invented the office superstore concept and today is the largest operator of office superstores in the world. The company has over 50,000 employees serving customers through more than 1,300 office superstores, mail order catalogs, e-commerce and a contract business. More information about the company is available at http://www.staples.com.

Certain information contained in this news release constitutes forward looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors including risks related to Staples' ability to compete in its highly competitive market, Staples' ability to continue to successfully open new stores, Staples' quarterly operating results being subject to significant fluctuation, Staples' stock price fluctuating based on the expectations of professional securities analysts, the strain on operations due to Staples' rapid growth which can affect operating results, the ability of Staples' foreign operations and Staples.com to become profitable and the ability of Staples to obtain adequate future financing. Additional information concerning these factors is contained in Staples' Annual Report on Form 10-K dated March 15, 2001, which is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Huge Epic Firesale Bonuses

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Here’s why. I am launching my PLRVideoSource.com membership on August 24, 2010, each month I’ll be releasing NEW PLR Videos on the members area plus a whole bunch of video clips and video tutorials that you can use or brand for your video marketing campaigns. Heck, you can even sell them or giveaway. Yes, I am giving unrestricted PLR only for the bonuses though.

Anyways, going back to the Epic Firesale, if you buy it from my blatant affiliate link [ http://www.trigy.net/EpicBonus ] of course I’ll get commission but not much. But that’s not the case, it means if you buy from my link because you trusted me. So, for that, I will reward you with:

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Monday, October 25, 2010

Anthony's to share menu with assisted-living group

Anthony's Pier 4 Restaurant in Boston has embarked upon a unique relationship with the Aurum Network, a Burlington-based group of 63 independently owned nursing homes and assisted-living facilities in Massachusetts.

Residents of Aurum Network facilities will be served Anthony's Pier 4 menu items such as lobster bisque and broiled scrod. The arrangement follows an Aurum patient satisfaction survey that revealed meals are vital in ensuring patient satisfaction and well-being.

Anthony's Pier 4 chefs instructed seven Aurum chefs on dish preparations, and an Aurum nutritionist also learned how to adjust ingredients to meet patient's special dietary needs.

Evenings during which the Aurum facilities will serve the menu items will be dubbed "Anthony's Pier 4 Nights."

Staples Inc. launched its first international e-commerce sites on April 25 in Canada.

The Framingham-based office product retailer and service provider will use the sites as a test model as it looks to begin a rollout of similar web sites in its other international markets--the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands and Portugal--sometime next year.

Staples opened its first Canadian retail store in Toronto in 1991. It now has 154 stores under the Staples, Business Depot and Bureau En Gros names and expects to increase that count to 176 by year's end.

Staples' Canadian web sites contain local inventory and country-specific content in both English- and French-language versions. The English versions, which include British spellings such as "favourite" aisles, can be accessed online at http://www.staples.ca and by clicking on http://www.businessdepot.com. The French version is http://www.bureauengros.com.

"This is the first time Canadians can place orders through Staples over the Internet," Staples spokeswoman Shannon Lapierre said.

Staples launched its American web site, http://www.staples.com, in 1998. In March, it reported fiscal 1999 sales of $94.3 million and a net loss of $16.4 million.

Owners Kim Moore and Paul Conforti are scouting a second location for Finale, a dessert-only restaurant in Boston's Park Square that actually always has served lunch and subsequently added light dinners after its July 1998 opening.

"We are looking for a second location, and we intend to have it open before the end of the year," Moore said. "Harvard Square would be ideal, but we're certainly not married to Harvard Square. There are plenty of other great locations in Cambridge for Finale."

Patrons typically visit Finale for pastry chef Nicole Coady's desserts after dinner at another restaurant, shopping or a trip to the movies or theater.

"They've done some other sort of main activity, and then they join us for dessert," Moore said.

According to Moore, servers at other restaurants will encourage their diners to move to Finale for dessert when there's a long line of other patrons waiting to be seated. That way, Moore said, the restaurants can turn over their tables and sell the $30 entree instead of the $8 dessert.

"It's really a symbiotic relationship we have with the restaurants around us," Moore said. "No one's losing sales."

Chris Kimball and other editors of the Brookline-based Cook's Illustrated magazine will be among the editorial content contributors to the Amazon Kitchen.

Launched last week by online retailer Amazon.com Inc., the Amazon Kitchen sells kitchen products in addition to providing product reviews, chef profiles, cooking tips and recipes. The site can be accessed at http://www.amazon.com/kitchen.

The new Tage Inn in Somerville's Sullivan Square area has started welcoming guests. The 148-room hotel is the third operated by the Tagliente family's Andover-based Tage Corp., which also has Tage Inns in Andover and Milford, 14 Burger King franchises and the Gold Fork restaurant in Franklin.

Boston celebrity chef Todd English--of Olives, Figs, Miramar and Onda fame--has signed a five-year agreement with Westwood-based ShopLink.com Inc.

English will be the consulting chef to the online provider of groceries, household goods and services. He'll develop gourmet prepared meals that will be sold via the ShopLink.com web site, where his recipes and culinary tips also will appear. English also will participate in ShopLink's customer loyalty program by hosting VIP dinners at his restaurants.

A 1,500-square-foot Rand McNally Map & Travel Store has opened at the Prudential Center in Boston. It's the company's second location in Boston and 30th nationwide. According to Rand McNally & Co. officials, the company's 84 State St. location in Boston has recorded the highest sales increases among the chain for the past two years.

Target Corp. will open four new Massachusetts stores on Oct. 8. Two 137,000-square-foot Target Greatland stores will open in Everett and Woburn; a 125,000-square-foot Target will open in Milford; and a 107,000-square-foot Target will open in Saugus.

The openings will bring the number of Target stores in the Greater Boston area to seven.

DONNA L. GOODISON, retail reporter for the Boston Business Journal, can be reached by e-mail at DGoodison@amcity.com.



Read more: Anthony's to share menu with assisted-living group | Boston Business Journal

These are exciting times - Economics and Business in Armenia are through times of change.

!

These are exciting times - Economics and Business in Armenia are through times of change. Armenia as a country is on route to be a worthy Business partner with the global community along with pursuit of establishing high standards of social and cultural living. Investments in Armenia are at the all time high and a vision of prosperity is an undeniable fact.

The progress is noticeable in every aspect of life in Armenia, Standards and goals are being set.
Businesses are finding their set course. There are new challenges in the field of Business related services.



Business Depot is the manifestation of a vision conceived and created for the introduction of Armenian products to the Global community, and also, development of small and mid size Business. Creating a center with unparalleled top quality individuals and companies to advise, serve, built, and be a solution for any Business concern in Armenia.

Our mission is to create the best Business environment for the future investor, entrepreneur current Business owner, and the General public. A center of integrity and trust.

Business Depot is not only a center of solution, but also, an investor in the future of Armenia.
We are the source of secure transactions in Armenia. and a think tank for Business.

Herach Roger Davidian
Founder

Real Estate investment in Armenia is a brilliant idea for any person living abroad

Not only has the fulfillment of owning piece of the homeland, but also financial rewards as well.

During the last fifteen years the Real Estate market has moved up with a rapid pace toward unbelievable highs. Armenia is a tiny nation, every inch counts. The sooner the better for the potential investor to make the decision to purchase or invest in numerous projects in Yerevan and the surrounding cities.

Who would have thought few years ago that a square meter of property in central Yerevan would sale for $2200. Today this is a fact of life. The builders can not build it fast enough.

Armenians of Russia, Iran, Syria, and Lebanon are the biggest contributors and investors, all across the nation. American Armenians along with the European counterparts went through a time of hesitation but, this is changing quickly. During the spring and summer of 2005 a huge influx, and a tendency not only to invest, but also, to repatriate to Armenia is being felt.


How can HYERISE help? Insight!

Our office in Yerevan is a center of secure transactions in Armenia. We listen to your needs, investigate and advise. Our team of professionals make you feel comfortable and at ease for any service rendered. You are not obligated in any manner.
HYERISE is capable to do all your Real Estate transactions, in residential, commercial and Industrial sectors; we also, can help to purchase land if you are a non resident. If you desire to build, we can help you with the design, Engineering and construction.

Our written agreements with the local construction and architectural companies can do your remodeling projects to your specifications.

When you decide to contact or visit us, our team of professionals will introduce you to our list of properties along with all the properties available in Armenia through a network of Realtors.
Our staff is fluent in English, Persian, Russian, Arabic and Armenian. Communication is not a factor.
HYERISE has a team of Legal advisors and accountants to assure safe and secure transactions.

Honesty, integrity and customer service are the most important attributes of our company.
Time and manner of business will reveal who you can trust.

Our comfortable and pleasant setting is a welcome center to serve you.
Be assured you have made the right decision, when you call HYERISE Real Estate & Development. We are building a reputation of complete trust and high standard of customer service in Armenia.

Business depot has assembled numerous experienced professionals,

http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=5413034138606221504
Business depot has assembled numerous experienced professionals, management executives to advise or to train Business executives in Armenia to improve quality, increase production, and market to new potential buyers. We are fortunate to associate with these advisors because, they are graduates from European , North American, and Asian universities. A truly International understanding of what is needed to succeed.

Business Depot founders and the Management members are individual who have had success in Business in the United States of America, and the Middle East.The consultants and the operation management staff along with the Translators, legal staff, and the accountants are top notch people in their fields. Agreements with the top Quality highly educated and well experienced people, honesty and integrity in the way our company is set to conduct itself, will create a friendly and trustworthy professional center for individuals and companies alike.
For multitude of services.

We do what We promise.

Marketing of Armenian goods is the quintessential aspect of our Business.

Marketing of Armenian goods is the quintessential aspect of our Business.
Armenia historically has been cross roads of trade and civilization. Same is true today.

Armenia is one of the fastest growing trading countries in the region, and thus, the opportunity to introduce high quality products at a very competitive global pricing naturally attracts numerous Importers from across the globe. Armenian produce, dried goods, internationally renowned Wines and cognacs, exotic fruit flavored alcohol beverages, top quality dairy products in particular the variety of wonderful cheeses which could surpass any established name brands in the world.
Armenia also has abundant deposits of Tufa the national stone, marble, perlite, limestone, basalt, and also, substantial deposits of silver, gold, copper, lead, zinc, iron, bauxite which already has seen investment since 1995. There are still numerous projects which are very exciting for new investments.

Armenia has a history of being an industrial center from the soviet era. Electronics, engineering, chemicals were major sectors, and because of that there are factories which with minimum investment could be back on track to produce and be profitable.

At the present the Diamond processing, tobacco manufacturing, natural resources and agriculture are the major sectors which actively trade with the International community. One of the best values of Armenia is the labor force which is educated, skilled and easily managed and trained.
The government of Republic of Armenia supports and promotes International Investment.
There are very favorable tax incentives and in general a smooth road for the potential new investor.



Distribution of registered companies with foreign capital participation in Armenia by countries:
CIS 29.6% ; IRAN 20.0% ; EU 15.7% ;
USA 15.5% ; OTHERS 29.6%
Armenia ranks first as the most
economically free nation in the CIS.
We at Business Depot have the Insight and the local and International cultural knowledge to
Consult and manage your Import Export needs.
Catalyse any Business or service in Armenia.
Investment Incentives.
Access to CIS and Mid East markets
No Export Duty
Foreign exchange free conversion
Free repatriation of profit
Political and economic stability
Favorable investment Legislation
Investment Guarantees
Corporate Tax holidays for companies with $800,000 USD investment
100 per cent ownership by foreigners permitted
No restrictions on remittances

Business depot is at your service in Armenia.

Pay per click is the fastest way to bring paying customers to your website

Pay per click is the fastest way to bring paying customers to your website. The Local Business Depot creates your ads, organizes the keywords, creates the campaigns and optimizes the results providing your business with another stream of prospects and customers. We then place your ads high on the results pages of all the major search engines, based upon the targeted keywords your prospects type into the search engines.

PPC advertising is very effective because it matches people who are searching for what you sell with specific pages on your website that are geared to pitch your products or services. Your business could see dramatic results in as little as a week for a fraction of what it costs to place ads in traditional media like radio or television.

Here’s the Blueprint to Your Success:

  1. The Local Business Depot develops a list of targeted, high value keywords representing the products and/or services you sell.
  2. Our team writes your targeted ads matching those keywords and places the ads in the search engine results page.
  3. Your ads appear in the sponsored links sections when a potential customer performs a search using those targeted keywords.
  4. People search using the keywords we target, find your ads, and click on them. Once they click on your ad, they are directed to the most relevant (to the keywords) page of your website, where you can do what you do best – make them a great offer, close them, and turn them into a new, paying customer.
  5. Yowza! The Local Business Depot just transformed your website into an instant cash machine! Simple right? Unfortunately, no. Although it’s a simple concept, there is a lot going on behind the scenes. There are many moving parts to integrate and synchronize to make it happen. In addition, there is a great deal of tracking to do. Leave the heavy lifting to the Local Business Depot. We will provide you with the tracking reports, and work with you to tweak your ads for even greater success.
  6. The Local Business Depot Reports will tell you everything you can imagine about your customers. We will track where your visitors are coming from, what they do once they get to your site, and which visits convert into actual sales. As you can see, print ads cannot compete with online advertising.

Pay per click is the fastest way to bring paying customers to your website

Pay per click is the fastest way to bring paying customers to your website. The Local Business Depot creates your ads, organizes the keywords, creates the campaigns and optimizes the results providing your business with another stream of prospects and customers. We then place your ads high on the results pages of all the major search engines, based upon the targeted keywords your prospects type into the search engines.

PPC advertising is very effective because it matches people who are searching for what you sell with specific pages on your website that are geared to pitch your products or services. Your business could see dramatic results in as little as a week for a fraction of what it costs to place ads in traditional media like radio or television.

Here’s the Blueprint to Your Success:

Huge Epic Firesale Bonuses

FAT chances are you already heard or receive promotions telling you to buy the Epic Firesale Business Software Package from their affiliate links in exchange for a whole bunch of Master Resell Rights Ebooks or some outdated Private Label Rights products (PLR). If so, then DO NOT buy from them… Why?

Here’s why. I am launching my PLRVideoSource.com membership on August 24, 2010, each month I’ll be releasing NEW PLR Videos on the members area plus a whole bunch of video clips and video tutorials that you can use or brand for your video marketing campaigns. Heck, you can even sell them or giveaway. Yes, I am giving unrestricted PLR only for the bonuses though.

Anyways, going back to the Epic Firesale, if you buy it from my blatant affiliate link [ http://www.trigy.net/EpicBonus ] of course I’ll get commission but not much. But that’s not the case, it means if you buy from my link because you trusted me. So, for that, I will reward you with:

Practical Guidelines For A Party Catering Business

Let’s face it, of all the catering opportunities, there’s perhaps no way to have more fun than to have a party catering business. After all, parties tend to be much more fun than, say, funerals! And people are happy to recommend your services where they’ve had a great time. So there are some tips I want to share to help you succeed at that next wedding, retirement gig, graduation party, or anniversary event.

As you know, cooking and delivering great food is just the core of the value you bring to a great event. You may find that clients will value your input in helping plan out certain aspects of the event, from picking a perfect location to deciding on a theme. Clients may view you as expert in selecting flowers, choosing the sequence of events and, of course, identifying when to serve the meal.

Having said that, at the end of the day your party catering business will be remembered for the food. Here is where you can shine. It is your place to make food suggestions. After all, your client will likely not even know what you are capable of. Therefore, seize the opportunity to expand upon their initial recommendations. They know basically what they are interested in, but you can take it to the next level. For instance, if they are leaning towards a barbecue, what if you can amp it up a bit and have a full-blown Hawaiian luau? Roasting a pig is probably not something they do very often – if ever! But I promise you they’ll remember it. This is a catered event, so it should be special.

An excellent place for you to really shine is to simply take a concerted interest in the guest of honor at a party – whether it’s a birthday, anniversary, graduation, or so on. Knowing a bit about their background and what makes them tick can give clues as to ways that you can really customize the event for them. Likewise, learning a bit about the people throwing the party, your client, is key as well. The circumstances under which the event is playing out can tip you off as to ways to excel. Often, it’s the little things that make a big difference in your party catering business.

Another great way for you to excel is to be flexible and offer options in your party catering business. People like choices. You really want to be able to give people what they want, but you also need to be able to meet their budget at a profit. For this reason, each event will be highly tailored to the individual client. Spend time interviewing the client up from to gather as much information as possible. Then, draw upon your collection of options to customize their event. Draft a proposal and be flexible to make changes. Avoid nailing down a final price until you’ve pretty well established what they’re looking for. Once you’ve reached the perfect plan, you’re free to execute it and there are no surprises. Your client will get what they are expecting and you will get paid a fair price without a glitch.

I hope you found this party catering business information helpful, and I invite you to pick up my Free Mini-Course and complimentary

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Staples Business Depot

STAPLES Business Depot is Canada's largest supplier of office supplies, business machines, office furniture and business services to small business and home office customers. The online eflyer is a great tool to find all your home office or business needs. Computers, printers, faxes, phones, paper, office furniture and more can be found in the Staples eflyer. Save on all your home office needs on brands such as Brother, Acer, Hewlett Packard, Canon, Fellowes, Casio & more!

STAPLES CANADA SURPASSES GOAL OF ONE-MILLION DOLLARS FOR CHILDREN IN NEED

CHILDREN IN NEED

National Office Supplier collects $1,030,000 for 5th annual charity campaign

RICHMOND HILL, ON, Sept. 24 /CNW/ - Children across the country have a little more support for school, after Staples Canada collected over one-million dollars for their 5th Annual School Supply Drive. The retailer surpassed their goal to help those in need during back to school.

Each of the participating Staples/Bureau En Gros locations chose a charity that focuses on providing children with the tools they need to be successful in school.

"To reach an overall total of over a million dollars is quite extraordinary. It shows how good natured Canadians are in helping each other," says Steve Matyas, president of Staples Canada. "We are so grateful to our customers for their generosity."

The School Supply Drive, which ran from August 9th to September 6th, (August 1st to September 4th in Quebec) is part of Staples' community@work corporate giving initiative. Staples Canada supports Canadian communities through the "three-E's": Education, Entrepreneurship and Environment. For more information, visit www.staples.ca/community.

About STAPLES Canada

Founded in Toronto in 1991, Staples Canada Inc. is Canada's largest everyday low price supplier of office supplies, business machines, office furniture and business services for the small business and home office customer. The chain operates stores in all provinces across Canada under the banners Staples® Canada and Bureau en GrosMC. Marketing Magazine's Marketing/Leger 2009 Corporate Reputation Survey ranked Staples Canada/Bureau en Gros in the top five. The company has over 13,500 employees serving customers through more than 320 office superstores, catalogue, and e-commerce. Staples/Bureau en Gros is committed to making shopping easy by offering customers three ways to shop: online, by catalogue and in-store. More information is available at www.staples.ca.

Back to: About Staples / Store Information Business Depot, Bureau En Gros and Staples, The Office Superstore


The Business Depot Ltd. was founded in Canada in 1990. In August 1994, STAPLES Inc. increased its original investment in The Business Depot Ltd. by acquiring the remaining 58 per cent it did not already own.

STAPLES Business Depot is Canada's largest supplier of office supplies, business machines, office furniture and business services to small business and home office customers. The company is an everyday low price retailer and operates in every Canadian province under the banners STAPLES Business Depot and BUREAU EN GROS. The company's more than 13,500 employees are committed to making it easy to buy office products in more than 296 stores, by catalogue or online.

STAPLES, Inc. invented the office superstore concept in 1986 and today is the world's largest office products retailer. With 60,000 talented associates, the company is committed to making it easy to buy a wide range of office products, including supplies, technology, furniture, and business services. With 2006 sales of $18.2 billion, STAPLES serves consumers and businesses ranging from home–based businesses to Fortune 500 companies in 19 countries throughout North America, Europe and Asia. Headquartered outside of Boston, STAPLES operates approximately 1,600 office superstores and also serves its customers through mail order catalog, e–commerce and contract businesses.

Click here to find a store near you, or to visit the Business Depot, Bureau En Gros, Staples Canada web site.

Staples.com is creating a leading business-to-business electronic marketplace offering a comprehensive solution for all of the office needs of busines

Staples.com is creating a leading business-to-business electronic marketplace offering a comprehensive solution for all of the office needs of business customers. Staples.com currently provides an electronic marketplace where small, mid-sized and large businesses can procure office products and business services and obtain business information and expert content. Staples.com includes the operations of all three of Staples Inc.'s (NASDAQ: SPLS) e-commerce sites: Staples.com, Quill.com and StaplesLink.com.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements in this press release regarding Staples, Inc.'s business which are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report or Form 10-Q for the most recently ended quarter.

COPYRIGHT 2000 Business Wire
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning

Canadian Office Supplies Web Site Offers Business Customers Dual-Language Capabilities And Local Inventory

Canadian Office Supplies Web Site Offers Business Customers

Dual-Language Capabilities And Local Inventory

Building on the success of its domestic site, Staples.com today announced the launch of its first international e-commerce site, Staples.com Canada, which can be reached at the following URLs: www.staples.ca, www.businessdepot.com, and www.bureauengros.com. The site, available in both English and French, provides local inventory and country-specific content to help Canadian small business customers run their offices more efficiently.

"With a strong retail presence, excellent brand recognition, a growing catalog business and efficient call centers, Staples is the clear leader in the Canadian office supplies market," said Jeanne Lewis, president of Staples.com. "Now we have an opportunity to significantly build on that business with a new site tailored to the needs of the Canadian small business customer. As a result, Staples.com Canada is an e-commerce resource run in Canada by Canadians for Canadians."

A recent study conducted by the Retail Council of Canada determined that $688 million was spent online in Canada in 1998. However, 63 percent of those dollars went to U.S.-based Web sites. The study indicated that this migration of spending dollars was mostly due to necessity, not choice. At the time of the survey, only 26 percent of top Canadian retailers were selling online compared to 50 percent in the U.S.

Staples.com Canada offers all the valuable tools small businesses need to run their offices, including:

--Free, next-business-day delivery for orders over $50 in most markets;

--An intelligent search engine to help customers find what they need quickly;

Leading the Single Entry Point Revolution

Fast forward to October 24, 2010 and you find Mike focused on the search, email and analytics practice and leading the development of the Single Entry Point Email Marketing next generation product.

Launched first in early 1999, many innovations, thorough testing, and a great deal of passion are making today's generation a powerful alternative in the marketplace.

Mike is also the author of the sep.ME - Short URL Management for Business service. Recently launched to the public, sep.ME provides not only the means to shorten long URLs into unique, personalized links for easy sharing - but also the tracking tools that help you better understand your marketing efforts.
It's 100% FREE - try it at: http://sep.me or about it on this page.

Under his Single Entry Point label, Mike envisions highly measurable online marketing campaigns for companies of all sizes, funneling multiple streams of data through a single entry point. It permits us to capture, gauge and analyze in-depth campaign performance and determine marketing profitability. This marketing tactic is vital in today's competitive market, especially when integrated, multi-channel advertising is becoming a reality and, more importantly, a necessity.

His friends call him a techie that speaks marketing and sees life in stills photographs.

As a member of the Interactive Advertising Bureau of Canada, Mike sits on the IAB Search Engine Marketing committee as well as the IAB Agency Council. IAB Canada Opens in new window works with advertisers, agencies, and publishers to establish and communicate Interactive advertising best practices.

Next to his interest in marketing and technology, Mike is also involved in a variety of other exciting projects including Nature Research Photography and Videography Opens in new window. Mike's nature photographs have been licensed by a variety of nature organizations, universities and schools in both Canada and United States and have been published in magazines, calendars and online.
Learn more about his nature involvement at www.MikePhoto.com

Driving the e-Commerce Breakthrough

Rewind to 2001 and you find Mike holding the position of Chief Software Architect, Microsoft Solutions in Microforum's Internet Solutions Group, completely immersed in e-commerce. At Microforum, Mike led the e-commerce team responsible for the development and implementation of Microforum's flagship e-commerce product - iFrontECS, an enterprise-level e-commerce solution, easy adaptable to any online store or business-to-business needs, including online ordering support through mobile devices - a ground-breaking innovation in Canada at the time. "Outstanding scalability" was Microsoft's conclusion about iFrontECS, after extensive testing in their labs in Redmond, Washington. During his tenure at Microforum, Mike's role grew with the company, from Solution Architect to Manager, e-Commerce Product Development to Chief Software Architect, Microsoft Solutions.

About Microforum: The company has been recognized in the CB Tec100 as one of Canada's largest and best-performing public technology companies; Microforum was also one of the 50 companies in the world included on Microsoft's Commerce Partner Advisory Board in Redmond, Washington; Microforum was credited as the fastest growing technology company by Arthur Andresen LLP, as featured in June 2000 issue of Canadian Business Magazine.


In 2000, Mike with a colleague in the Microsoft Commerce Server Product Unit.
Microforum's close relationship with Microsoft created the opportunity for Mike to work in Microsoft's Commerce Server Product Unit in Redmond. A 1999 invitation from Microsoft found Mike packed and ready to experience life at the largest computer software maker in the world. In Microsoft, Mike was responsible for the development of the B2C components for the next generation of Microsoft Commerce Server.

In addition to his work in Microsoft, Mike led Microforum's largest e-commerce implementations: Chapters.ca (now Indigo.ca) and its variants, Sony's Mainlymusic.com, Dada s.p.a. Brembo in Italy and worked as technical architect, search engine consultant or senior developer on a multitude of other high-profile clients and projects such as Dumex, J.J. Barnicke, Ford Motor Company, Ford of Canada, shop.businessdepot.com, Petopia (now Petco.com), NBC's vvtv.com, WasteClick, Westsylvania, GoFood, MedicalAlert, Unicrypt, FordApparel.com, StorageTek, and GamesMania.com, among others. Mike also led the R&D efforts in the wireless space, successfully implementing large-scale e-commerce on mobile devices.

Last but not least, Mike provided the necessary technical assessment to Microforum senior management during its Mergers & Acquisitions program. Mike evaluated feature sets and code quality for the Seattle, Halifax, Toronto and New York acquisitions in wireless, content management, peer-to-peer, and e-commerce.

Powering the Digital Marketing Growth


In 2001, Mike at the Microsoft lab in Seattle, testing a suite of e-commerce applications.
As VP, Chief Application Architect at Rebellium, Mike was responsible for a range of activities, from technical strategy and solutions architecture to managing search and email marketing campaigns, in industries such as consumer electronics, telecommunications, media, retail, office supplies, health, legal, and finance. Companies he has helped strengthen during his 6 years tenure at Rebellium are: Grand & Toy, Canon Canada, Telus Mobility, Kaboose, Fidelity Investments, Bell Canada, Fraser Yachts Worldwide, Odyssey Time - Seiko Watch, AstraZeneca, Geosoft, Kaboose, and Koskie Minsky, among others.

Digital marketing highlights in Mike's career at Rebellium included managing B2C and B2B email marketing campaigns for the largest TELCO companies in Canada; organic search engine optimization and pay-per-click search marketing for Grand & Toy, Canada's largest commercial office products company; SEO and PPC search marketing for Fraser Yachts Worldwide - the largest yacht services provider in the world, specializing in luxury yachting and mega-yachts.

in Rebellium, Mike contributed his technical expertise to content management projects for Canon Canada, designed information architecture for Grand & Toy, Bell Canada, Kaboose and Geosoft, and architected a variety of database-driven applications for Telus Mobility, Odyssey Time - Seiko Watch, and AstraZeneca, to mention just a few.

Mike continues to consult Rebellium in the areas of search marketing, email marketing and information architecture.

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Got a Website that Needs Content?

Got a website that needs ? Check out some of the excellent writing services on the net.

If you’re selling products or services online, you’re probably aware that content is King when it comes to attracting the attention – and rankingins in the most popular search engines. While you may have the greatest products and/or services in your niche to offer, you need to first attract traffic or visitors and provide those potential
customers with more than a sales page.

Ideally, you want to offer a virtual mountain of information relating to your products and services. This can be in the form of articles, tips, a free newsletter or informative e-book and links to related resources.

Unless you’re a skilled and prolific writer, you’ll want to establish a relationship with a writing services site and better yet a ghost writer you can work with. Then quickly get a ton of various types of content related to your business. Good content is ultimately what delivers high rankings and a steady flow of traffic to your site.

For example, if your selling fabric or yarns of the highest quality and at the best price, you may think that all you need do is slap up an online catalog which details your products and wares, to have customers swarming to your site.

However, you are going to find you certainly will have some competition in your field. You need to work to gain high rankings with the search engines in order
to get on page one, or at least, two of the search results to get that traffic going to your site.

I have a great author helping me if you want to contact me at dowfs@sbcglobal.net

Here is also a good article program called articles / words = money to take a peek at also,,,, www.sure2u.com

See you there,

Corky

Review of Free Homeworkers International Club

The services marketplace is continually changing. New services are appearing monthly. Some have experienced superior acceptance by users of their services and also have been growing and developing good reputations. 1 or 2 of these are really outstanding, worth commenting about and looking into.
Amongst the relatively new services available on the market that supply easy to follow steps for income, there’s a popular newcomer referred to as the Free Homeworkers International club.
The leader and driving force behind this growing outfit is Linda Acosta, out in California, who offers free phone consultations believe it or not.
What the Free Homeworkers club provides to its growing customer base is instructions and steps to follow that make sense to the every day person looking for income.
With your permission I am going to elaborate somewhat about each of these in turn.
First, you will find pleanty of reading which you need to go through to see if this is for you. This is not a get rich quick path.
Next, programs for you, at no charge, that will make you a little money each day. Nothing spectacular but add those days up and your making progress.
As you progress these earnings can be taken home or used to move further along. Just follow the steps.
The sole bad thing that I’ve discovered for the Free Homeworkers club service is it takes some reading, it also takes some time and you have to have the right mind set. And, of course a computer!.
It could be worth your time and effort to take a closer look at it, maybe even give it a try.
Find out how to get this information in front of you by visiting my homeworkers site at http://www.tek4cash.com. All the best to you and your internet experiences!
Corky Dow
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Corky_Dow

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