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Satellite television: advantages and disadvantages

It is no secret that satellite television is rapidly gaining popularity and is becoming the fastest growing home product in the United States. Are you like everyone else who is exploring the alternative in pay TV services? Well, if this is the case, I’m sure you are interested in taking a look at satellite TV services and reviewing their pros and cons.

Pros with satellite TV services

1. Wide coverage of services

Unlike cable which is limited to television cables, satellite television uses the satellite system in orbit over our sky. Therefore, the coverage of the service is quite wide and, in theory, we can get the satellite signal over the entire surface of the world. In most situations, the transmission is clear and uninterrupted, and the TV signals you receive at home have almost no distortion.

2. Better quality television

All satellite television signals are transferred in digital format. This, in turn, ensures that the image quality at the viewer’s end is in top condition. Plus, get the most out of your HDTV! I’m sure what you need is as much HD programming as possible, which in turn means you need satellite TV as Dish Network and DirecTV are the pay TV service with the most HD channels at the moment.

3. Recovery of service during a breakdown

Compared to cable, satellite TV service recovers much faster during a power outage. During major power outages and extreme storms, power is often cut off and homes experience instantaneous blackouts. When the power supply is finally restored, the recovery of satellite television is much faster than the cable lines that provide you with cable television. While this feature may seem silly to you; people living in parts of States that are subject to frequent inclement weather would greatly appreciate it.

4. Extensive programming selections

Cable television offers about 130 channels in most standard programming packages. In contrast, the two major satellite television providers (Dish and DirecTV) offer up to 250+ channels of programming. On top of that, DISH Network and DirecTV offer plenty of HDTV programming, which was hardly found on mainstream mainstream cables in the past.

The negatives with satellite TV services

1. Additional cost for special programming packages

Customers often have to pay extra money to get special programming packages, such as live broadcasts of NASCAR races and NFL games. Unfortunately, the monthly subscription fees you pay to satellite TV service providers only entitle you to a limited number of channels. Some of the best sporting events and premium movie channels are not part of the package. This, in turn, increases your monthly expenses with satellite television service.

2. In the absence of a valuable complement

When consumers order your cable television services, they are often delighted with the company’s bundled services, where you can get telephone, Internet, radio, and television services all under one company. Comcast, for example, offers its bundled service at an affordable price and helps its customers save a lot overall.

Satellite television companies, namely Dish Network and DirecTV, on the other hand, don’t have much to offer other than quality television entertainment. Yes, DirecTV connects to DirecWay for satellite internet services, but the connection speed is slightly slower than average broadband speed. The worst part is that satellite internet connection always has a constant latency error, preventing online players from enjoying their game smoothly.

Conclution

As we can see from the list above, the satellite TV system may not be the right choice for everyone. Obviously, there are pros and cons with satellite television services. So before heading directly to any satellite TV service provider, make sure you know what your needs are and what the satellite TV system offers. Be a smart consumer and spend only when necessary; Don’t get satellite deals just because your wife and sister’s friends say so.

Benefits of Leasing an SBLC

You may be wondering what the benefits are of leasing a banking instrument or considering options other than risking your own collateral to secure a line of credit.

The benefits of leasing an SBLC:

  • It is very good for trade finance.

  • It is good to provide convenience to the Seller in case the Buyer does not pay for the received goods.

  • It is a good way for a Buyer to purchase goods to sell to a Buyer waiting behind the scenes and use the proceeds from the sale to pay for the goods purchased from the Seller.

How does leasing an SBLC work?

Let’s say you are a factory that converts soybeans into soy milk. You have an order from the local supermarket for $ 150 million, you want to buy $ 100 million worth of soybeans from a supplier, you have $ 250 million in your bank account.

You may be concerned that with other outgoing costs, this order could leave you with very little money for other expenses. Instead of taking the entire $ 100 million out of your bank account to deposit as collateral for a loan to buy the soybeans, you can choose another (safer) option.

You could set up a bank instrument to show your supplier that you have the financial means ready to buy the soybeans from him. This banking instrument will come from a third-party provider that will allow you to lease your collateral at, say, 10% of the cost, so now you’re only spending $ 10 million instead of risking $ 100 million. Leasing a bank instrument means that you are a temporary tenant for one year and one day.

Invoices are typically issued on a 45-, 60-, or 90-day billing cycle. So, theoretically, you could buy the Supplier’s soybeans by taking out a bank instrument. This would then be assigned to the provider as a backup in case you fail to pay the billing; This is very common in commercial financing.

In trade finance, the Provider will want guarantees through a banking instrument to demonstrate that, if an invoice is not settled, he can request the instrument and collect it to collect his payment. If this is timed correctly, the Buyer of the soybean can receive the merchandise, convert it into soy milk to sell to the supermarket, who in turn pays the $ 150 million that has been previously agreed and the Supplier can in turn settle the $ 100 million. (the cost of the Supplier’s soybeans) within the stipulated time frames and risking very little of your own money.

Example of an SBLC lease:

Vendor sells soybeans for $ 100 million

The buyer leases a bank instrument at 10% of the nominal value of the instrument. Therefore, the cost of the lease in this case is $ 100 million x 10% = $ 10 million.

The buyer presents the instrument as a ‘promise to pay’ in the event that the buyer fails to pay the $ 100 million bill and the supplier proceeds to supply the soybeans.

The buyer takes the shipment of goods and processes the soybeans into soy milk

The buyer then immediately sells the soy milk to the supermarket for $ 150 million.

Supermarket Settles $ 150 Million Bill Immediately

The buyer then takes the $ 150 million and liquidates the $ 100 million immediately and makes a profit of $ 40 million ($ 150 million less $ 100 million less $ 10 million for the cost of leasing the instrument) without having to provide the $ 100 million upfront. Basically, the whole transaction cost them $ 10 million and they managed to earn $ 40 million in the process.

Buy an SBLC

If you are looking to buy an SBLC, there are some pros and cons to know about. The main advantage of purchasing a StandBy letter of credit is that you become the official owner of the instrument and in turn could lease the banking instrument to a third party. It is necessary to take into account that the price of the banking instrument will not be cheap, since the purchase cost would start at around 30% more than the face value. So if you want to buy a StandBy letter of credit for $ 100 million, the purchase price would start around $ 30 million, so you will need to weigh the benefits of purchasing a bank leased instrument from v.

Safety tips for online dating

Ever wonder why online dating leads to wonderful relationships, romance, and adventure? Only very occasionally will you hear that something is wrong. If you are interested in how to play safely and have fun at the same time, read some dating tips to help you start your dating search:

Go slow. It is best if you take it easy so that you can easily build trust. Take it one step at a time starting with exchanging emails, exchanging recent photos, and chatting. Listen to your intuition first and if you feel uncomfortable talking to the person, stop.

Remain anonymous at first. Once you start building trust in the other person and vice versa, it may be time to reveal more about yourself. But make sure you don’t reveal your full name, address, or any contact information right away. It’s also best to use a couple of cool screen names and make sure you see what other people are using to identify themselves.

Protect your email. Many relationships start with email exchanges because a particular email can reveal more about a person than just their email address. So make sure your email information is set to private, like a digital signature or your full name, for example. You can test what personal data will be sent by sending an email by sending a test message to yourself. Also, remember to create an email account, especially for your online appointments, and definitely do not use your real name in your email address. Always keep your email addresses private and business to yourself.

Install an instant messaging program. Ideally, both AOL / Netscape and Yahoo are good instant messaging programs. You can easily download Yahoo Messenger and AOL on their respective sites. If you are chatting, it is better if you get a microphone for your computer so that you can chat and talk through the computer instead of just chatting on the phone.

Choose an online dating site. Once you have chosen the dating site that you like, start writing a profile. Going to a dating site is recommended where you have already decided what to write or say about yourself.

Request a photo. Whether you value the person’s personality or appearance, it’s still good to request a photo of your potential date. If the person keeps making excuses when you ask them to send you a photo, then better think about whether you want to continue the conversation with the person. It is good to know how well that person you are talking to described himself. Be sure to request more than one photo and when the photo was taken. Of course, getting together is still the best way to get to know a person, so you may not be really sure about your date until then. Also, show him some recent photos of you: one close up and one full-length. But if you are a woman, it is best to send this when the man has sent the first one to be safe.

Use the phone. Once you are comfortable with your online appointment, you can give your phone number. In this way, you can assess your potential date’s social skills, not only through emails or instant messaging, but also over the phone. You can use a cell phone if you have one or a pay phone if you don’t want to use your home number. But if you decided to use your home number, then you should get a caller ID or a service like Privacy Manager to protect yourself and your privacy.

Meet in public. Select a meeting place where there are many people. Before meeting, make sure you know the location, how to get home, what time is the last train or bus, and keep a taxi number in the area in case you are late or there is a change in plans.

Bring or tell a friend. It is much safer if you bring a friend with you on your first date. If things are going well, then you should have an arrangement with your friend to live early. You can meet your friend after your appointment or let him know how the appointment went or you can meet your friend afterwards. Make sure you have a cell phone that you can use and where you can be reached in an emergency. However, if your friend cannot accompany you, always tell someone where, when and with whom you will be meeting. If you are traveling, it is best to leave a person with all the necessary information, such as the address of the hotel and the telephone number of that hotel. If possible, call them after your appointment.

Stay in your own hotel. When traveling to meet your potential date, don’t be convinced to stay home. Organize a hotel and rent a car, if you can. So that when things don’t go according to plan, you can have your own place to stay. Also, avoid meeting your appointment at the airport, as this will reveal where you will be staying. If you follow all these dating tips, you will surely never go wrong. Keep in mind that no matter how much you like to meet your potential date, your safety should remain your number one priority.

How to Start a Home Cleaning Business on a Tight Budget

“By using Emotion and Love to drive your sales and business, you will create Loyalty beyond reason. And I promise you will build relationships and enjoy a business that exceeds your wildest expectations.”

First of all, before you decide to start your cleaning business, make sure this type of job is right for you. It must be in good physical condition. Cleaning is hard and hard work. You must have good customer relationship skills. You will need to have basic office skills and some accounting skills.

If you plan to leave your full-time position to start a cleaning business, make sure you have at least six months of savings. Or keep your job full time and start part time.

Research all aspects of the cleaning services business. From customer service to advertising, taxes, employees, insurance and bonds, what to charge and how to professionally clean a house. Cleaning your own home and cleaning professionally is totally different. Learning how to clean professionally takes a long time. When a client pays for your services, you expect to return home to your spotless home.

Getting those first customers takes time, perseverance, and patience. You won’t get a hundred clients overnight.

Getting those first customers The hardest part of starting your own cleaning service is getting those first customers. Most clients want to know how long you’ve been in business and they want referrals. The best thing you can do is inform clients that, yes, you are new to the business, but that you have thoroughly researched all aspects of the cleaning business and reassure them that you know what you are doing and that you are able to stop doing it. . home to your specifications. Have confidence. I cannot stress this enough. Customers love to see confidence. It alleviates their worries and lets them know that their home is in good hands.

References: To get some good references when getting started, ask a few friends or family if you can clean your house for free or at a discount. The sound of working for free may not be attractive, but it will be worth it to get good testimonials.

When cleaning those first few houses, go for quality, not how fast you can clean the house. Effective cleaning takes a long time, but it will get to the point where you can do a thorough cleaning in no time. After cleaning, be sure to go back and check all the rooms to make sure nothing has been missed. Impress those first few customers and word of mouth will spread soon.

Advertising Your company’s image is everything. Before you start advertising, decide what image you want to represent in your advertising material. Your image is very important. Be consistent with all your advertising. If you have a logo, be sure to use it on all your advertising materials. I think it is better to have a website developed before you start advertising. When advertising, stick with the same logo and colors.

Advertise in the local newspaper: Start by running a text ad in your local newspaper. Try to create an eye-catching ad. Don’t sell your services at low rates, sell your services based on the quality of your work and what you can do for the client that other companies don’t. There is a lot of competition in the cleaning service. You have to stand out from the rest.

Magnetic signs or letters for your vehicle: Having your business name and contact information on your vehicle is a great way to advertise. We use vinyl letters. The letters look much more professional than magnetic signs.

Brochures: You can print good brochures on your home computer, but I suggest you invest in some professional brochures. Hang flyers in hair salons, laundries, restaurants, bakeries, supermarkets, etc. Post flyers on car windows at local stores and businesses. You can even go door-to-door in the neighborhoods you’d like to work in. You cannot put them in mailboxes. but you can put them on the front door.

Door hangers: Door hangers are a great way to get new customers. Choose the neighborhood you would like to work in and hang your door hangers. When people receive brochures or announcements in their mailbox, they usually throw them away. But if there is a door hanger on the door, they will take the time to look at it.

Business letters: Start handing out your business cards to your friends and family. You can also ask your local businesses if you can leave some cards on their counters.

Referral program: A great way to get new clients is through a referral program. Offer existing customers a discount when they refer a friend. You can offer a discount to your existing customers when the friend uses your services three times.

Website: These days, people live very busy lives, so they use the convenience of the Internet to buy the services they need. Many working women will seek services while on the job. Everyone who owns a business should have a website. It shows clients that you are serious about their business and allows them to research your business at their leisure.

Cleaning products: By using all natural products, you can offer your customers a healthy cleaning experience and protect us from harsh chemicals. Customers love natural cleaning products with essential oils. They return home to a clean and healthy home filled with the wonderful scents of aromatherapy essential oils.

Advice: Always carry hand sanitizer with you and wash your hands frequently while cleaning the house. Wear gloves when cleaning bathrooms. You will be exposed to many different germs in customers’ homes.

Remember that most customers prefer that you bring your own cleaning supplies. That way, they won’t have to worry about going to the store for cleaning supplies before cleaning. Some customers have special cleaners for certain appliances or floors in their homes. Typically these customers will have these cleaners on hand for you to use. We almost always use the customer’s vacuum cleaner. That way you don’t have to carry a heavy vacuum cleaner from house to house.

What to charge I mentioned earlier that you should sell your services for the quality of your work and not for their low fees. If your rates are too low, clients will think that your work is poor and that you are inexperienced. You also want to attract customers who can pay for your services. I made the mistake of pricing my work too low when I started. Cleaning is hard work, get paid what you are worth. As the old saying goes “You get what you pay for”.

Some companies charge by the hour, some charge by the room, some charge a flat rate per home, and still others charge by the square foot. I think it is better to charge by the house, not by the hour. If a customer knows they have to pay a flat fee, they don’t care if it takes 2 hours or 5 hours. Plus, your customers will know what they are paying upfront and won’t have to worry about additional expenses.

No two houses are the same. And there is not a fixed charge for every household. You have to clean yourself for a while to gain some experience and develop a system to clean efficiently. Only you know what you want and need to do. Decide what you need to earn per hour to cover all expenses and still make a good profit.

An advice: When you start your business, be sure to charge what you would charge if you had employees. Some people make the mistake of charging less when they start out just to get clients, and then when they get older and need help, they aren’t making enough money at home to pay for the help. Don’t underestimate your work. Cleaning houses is very hard physical work and you didn’t get into this business to work for nothing.

New construction cleaning If you decide to do this type of work, you will need more equipment. You will need ladders, window cleaning kits with long extensions, a vacuum cleaner, etc. These types of jobs are typically 2-3 person jobs. Cleaning new construction requires much more cleaning. You may need to remove stickers and decals from windows and showers, sinks, and toilets in bathrooms. Some require you to clean the vents to remove construction job dust. There will be ceiling fans to clean, scrub floors and clean carpentry to remove dust. New construction cleaning fees depend on the area in which you live.

Insurance and sureties. You must be an honest person and somewhat affable. People will need to trust you to be in their homes. Most clients are concerned about having someone new in their home, for good reason. It should be bonded and fully insured. Liability insurance rates depend on your insurance company and your location. Each person you hire will increase your liability insurance. It is worth the cost. You can pay quarterly or annually. You can buy your surety bond through your local insurance company. You will need to renew the voucher every year. * Note: If you hire employees and cover them with your insurance, they must be payroll employees and not subcontractors. If you employ them as a subcontractor, your insurance will not cover them. If you are a subcontractor, you must have your own insurance. Your

Help for hiring If you start cleaning houses yourself, you will eventually get to the point where you need to expand your business. Start with a part-time employee. Train her and let her take her place one day a week. Then have her take her place 2 days a week and so on. This will give you the free time you need to market your business and get more clients. After you get more clients, you can hire more part-time help. Over time, you will be able to stop doing the cleaning yourself and just run the business, which is the only way you can grow your business. When training new employees, always train them yourself or ask a leading person to train them. Make sure there is a lead person for each and every cleaning job. Employees tend to slack off when they are alone.

Grow your business Over time, you will get to the point where you have enough employees and leaders and you can stop working on your business and start running your business. You will find that after a while it will be too much for you to try to clean every day and at the same time give estimates, answer calls, schedule, do book work, get new clients, etc.

Remember that one of the most important qualifications for a cleaning service is TRUST. A customer should know that they can trust you only in your home. After acquiring some cleaning positions, ask clients if you can use them for reference. Most of the time they are more than willing to let you use them for reference. This is how you build your business and acquire new clients through referrals. Be reliable. Most clients will want to be scheduled for every week or every other week on the same day of the week. Try to always keep this same schedule unless the client asks you to change to another day. If you have to cancel a cleaning date, be sure to try to reschedule as soon as possible to make up for the cleaning.

Why is Twitter more powerful at generating traffic than any other social media website?

Twitter is becoming a very powerful and popular tool among online communities. Twitter has taken considerably less time to get to where it is today. It has a wide user base and great tools and features to satisfy its users.

Another factor that has added to the popularity of this blog is the efficiency with which Twitter can generate traffic for business sites and blogs, serving as a social network. But why does Twitter show better capabilities than the other social media websites to generate high traffic? Let’s look at some points to better educate ourselves on this topic.

Communication is easier

Twitter offers its users to communicate with each other using two very simple methods. This makes it more attractive to users, as most other social media sites can have considerably complicated communication methods. This is an added benefit for Twitter. With simplified communication, the number of users also increases.

Therefore, if you post information related to your company or services, you have a better chance of reaching more users than the other sites, which generates more traffic for you.

Better arrangements and scope

Through Twitter, you can also access users of other blogging sites. This is generally not possible with the other sites. This makes the number of accessible users on Twitter higher than on the other site and increases the chances that people will read the content you post on Twitter and, in turn, visit your site.

Also, people tend to prefer Twitter as the mode of communication is like a two-way dialogue that allows you to communicate with your favorite celebrities. This is not possible with most other sites. This also generates more users for Twitter.

All of this adds up to Twitter being open to more users than most other social networking sites. This means that posting content on Twitter reaches more people than on the other sites. Therefore, Twitter is better and more powerful in generating traffic for your site when you compare it to the other social media sites available.

Explanation of Profit Sharing Plans and Phantom Stock Plans

Incentive mechanisms that do not transfer ownership of the shares.

Sharing ownership of a small business with employees can create numerous conflicts. It is often advisable to seek other incentive mechanisms that reward employees for increasing company profits without sharing ownership. Two of these alternatives are profit sharing plans and phantom stock plans.

Profit sharing plan.

A profit sharing plan is one that provides annual employer contributions (which can be zero) and allocations to employee accounts according to a formula. The amount of the employer contribution can be specified by a formula or left to the discretion of the employer (possibly within specified limits).

A profit sharing plan can be a “qualified plan.” A qualified plan offers a tax advantage in the sense that contributions to the plan are currently deductible by the employer. However, the employee’s tax liability is deferred until the plan funds are distributed to the employee. To qualify, the plan must meet numerous requirements. There can be no discrimination in coverage or award. There are also disclosure and reporting requirements.

Contributions to a non-qualified plan are currently deductible by the employer and are currently included in the employee’s income. However, the employee can have immediate access to the funds.

Phantom Stock Plan.

Phantom stock plans are designed to provide the employee with the same financial result as ownership of the shares of the company. The employee, however, does not actually have a proprietary interest or the noneconomic rights that come with a proprietary interest.

Under a phantom stock plan, an employee’s bonus is immediately converted to phantom stocks. Phantom stocks track the value of the underlying stocks. The value of the phantom shares will increase each time there is an increase in the value of the underlying shares. At the time of distribution, the employee will receive cash equal to the liquidated value of the shares in his account. If the underlying stock is not trading on a set market, the value can be determined using a pre-set formula.

For example, suppose the GM employee would receive a bonus of $ 10,000 in the first year. The value of GM shares is $ 100 per share. Under a phantom stock plan, the employee would receive 100 phantom shares in the first year (that is, a $ 10,000 / $ 100 bonus per share). The plan would require distribution to the employee in a subsequent year (for example, the fifth year). If the value of the stock was $ 200 in year five at the time of distribution, the employee would receive $ 20,000.

Generally, a phantom stock plan will be a deferred compensation plan. This means that the employee will not pay taxes until they receive a cash distribution. Assuming this is a “non-qualified” plan, the employer does not receive a deduction until there is an actual distribution to the employee.

Employers can receive a current deduction even if the employee’s tax liability is deferred if the plan qualifies. To be qualified, the plan must meet numerous requirements. These requirements relate to who should be covered, when benefits are awarded, funding, information and disclosure obligations.

Top 10 Small Business Accounting Tips

These small business accounting tips will help you update your books and keep them that way in less time. They will help you stay in financial control and help you manage your working capital more effectively and safely.

  1. Before considering recording any transaction in your ledgers, organize your documentation in your files according to these basic accounting concepts. It will save you time and time is money.
  2. Calculate how much your business earns per hour. If the answer is more than it will cost to hire a professional accountant, hire one. Otherwise, process the transaction yourself. Get a tax accountant to do your year-end filing so you don’t have to keep up with arbitrary government rulemaking and miss out on tax breaks.
  3. When you have your paperwork in order, consider how you are going to record your transactions. This could be in a traditional handwritten ledger, or more likely using software. Understand your accounting software requirements before purchasing anything to avoid dissatisfaction.
  4. If you don’t have a lot of money to invest in financial software, consider using open source accounting software. Click the link above to learn about the advantages and disadvantages of using open source.
  5. Once you’ve decided what to record your transactions in, follow these basic accounting tips to ensure that you record your transactions as efficiently as possible.
  6. Be sure to account for all cash by performing a bank reconciliation. Make sure that the transactions that are recorded on your bank statements are recorded in your books and that the balance on your account statement is in accordance with that of your books. Make sure you know the amount of the uncleared and unrepresented checks (checks), which will account for any actual differences between the statement and the account on your ledger.
  7. Likewise, make sure all petty cash is accounted for by counting the cash in your cash drawer and agreeing it with your cash book.
  8. Do routine counts of the items you have in stock and make sure what is on file in your books matches the quantity on the shelf. This is an area where tight control pays dividends as unexplained differences often occur due to sales ‘samples’, spoilage, quality defects, returns, etc. This is an important area to get right, as any difference will have to be reflected in the financial statements and will generally directly affect the bottom line.
  9. Keep a record of fixed assets. While it is not a ledger on your books as such, a fixed asset register is essential for keeping track of essential business equipment. This means the cost, the location of depreciation, the date of purchase, and the remaining life. The value of these assets is recorded on your balance sheet. It may be surprising how, as you get older, the things you thought you had are gone! Especially small high-value technology.
  10. Follow these small business accounting tips, but don’t forget to use the information on your books wisely. Working capital management is the way you manage your daily, weekly, and monthly cash, debtors, vendor payments, and inventory / stock control to keep you in business and really make a difference in the bottom line ( the profit line) of your business.

The perennial question of nonprofits: to send a holiday card or not to send a holiday card

Sending a vacation card or not sending a vacation card, that’s the question. Every year since 1991 I have struggled with this question, not personally but professionally. My family sends Christmas cards to family, friends, and a few acquaintances. That’s not a problem, it’s a good way to share news, convey best wishes, and generally keep in touch.

So what is the problem professionally? Aren’t these same benefits available to a nonprofit when it sends Christmas cards, or more broadly, any type of holiday card to its constituents? Depends.

If nonprofits send personalized cards, I think they generate a positive return on investment. In other words, if non-profit organizations, no matter how many cards they choose to mail, insert some individualized notice, a note, a name, then it seems to me that the card is worth the effort. Without this customization, I am not so sure.

Cards sent massively
When I served for 17 years as president of the university, my name and title appeared on the VIP lists of countless organizations. In the vernacular, it was “someone.” As apparently I was considered worthy, or at least my position was considered important, my office received dozens of cards: Christmas, but finally also Thanksgiving cards and sometimes birthday cards.

What I found fascinating was that virtually all of these cards were computer generated. My name was nowhere to be found other than on the envelope label. Inside, no message relevant to my relationship with the organization could be found. There is no news that relates in any way to who I was or even what the university was in regards to the non-profit organization that sent the card. There is no actual signature of the president of the nonprofit, including many times when I personally met the executive of the nonprofit organization. Not a thing.

This even happened with birthday cards. I received cards from non-profit organizations during the week of my birthday, but the card did not contain a written message or a name. Amazing. Try this with your spouse: give them a birthday or anniversary card without a message or their name. Not well.

Even more interesting to me, since I left the university presidency, I no longer receive cards from most of those non-profit organizations. This is true for organizations that I personally had a close relationship with and it is true for organizations where I still know the leadership.

The message I get from this is that I didn’t matter much now and only mattered “back then” because I was in a position that nonprofits found influential and possibly helpful to them. But even back then, to repeat myself, apparently it didn’t matter much to me because I received a card generated simply by a tickler file.

Some nonprofits and their executives, I know, take pride in how long or extensive their list of Christmas cards has become. I have heard presidents proclaim a number as if it were a sign of great achievement. You know, my Rolodex is bigger than your Rolodex. Or in more contemporary terms, my mailing list is bigger than your mailing list.

But does this matter? Means something? Do all these impersonal cards really reinforce the mission and vision of the nonprofit? Are voters overwhelmed with joy when they receive such a card? Is the practice of sending non-personalized cards to scores or hundreds or even thousands an effective advancement tool? I do not believe it.

Personalized cards
When it came time to decide whether to spend my hard-earned college funds, I asked myself, “Is it worth it?” I still consider the same question every year now in a different nonprofit leadership role. Why should you spend or how much should you spend from the nonprofit organization funds to send a card? Depends.

I do not recommend that nonprofits not send holiday cards. I’m also not against a long list, per se. What I’m suggesting is that sending cards impersonally won’t have as positive an impact as sending personalized cards. So if I am responsible for deciding to spend the funds of a nonprofit organization (resources that could go towards operations or programs that fulfill the mission), then I want to adopt a method that has the greatest impact and ultimately is as effective as possible. For me, they are personalized cards.

Every Thanksgiving I spend several hours in front of soccer games signing Christmas cards. Usually I choose a pen with blue ink, but really anything but black. This ensures that my name and message stand out against the typical black font of the card’s printed message.

It takes longer, but I like to write the person’s name, whether it’s Fred or Fred and Mary or Mr. and Mrs. Smith, depending on how well you know them. Follow up with a sentence about the work of the nonprofit, for example: “It has been a challenging but fruitful year” or “Thank you for helping us touch lives” or “As the year ends, we are excited to launch the new program. … Then follow up with some kind of Christmas or holiday greeting: “Blessings to you and yours this season” or “Merry Christmas and a happy new year” or “Best wishes this wonderful time of year.” Finally , I sign my first name.

I guarantee that this method will attract the attention of the voter who receives the card. Why? Because I respond to personalized cards, so I know others do, and because the people who received these cards later expressed their appreciation for them. And a personalized card will stand out on the pile on your dining room table or office desk, because it’s the only one with a handwritten personal greeting.

Now you say, “I don’t have time to do this.” To which I say, “You don’t have time not to do this.” Or if you’re really pressed, narrow down your Christmas card list. Don’t send more than you have the time and willingness to customize. However many they are, the people who receive them will feel special and valued, which is after all what a non-profit organization expects its members to feel.

Electronic cards
The phenomenon of electronic cards is still relatively new. Some nonprofits are using this method to send Christmas greetings to their constituents; it is inexpensive and instant. But the same rule applies. Personalized electronic cards produce a higher ROI than non-personalized electronic cards.

And while I’m not anti-tech, I would still say that a handwritten note sent by post generates a greater positive response than something emailed and easily erased. This may be an old-school attitude or assessment, but the now-worn adage, “High tech, high touch,” still applies. People enjoy and remember being “touched.”

Personalized or emailed cards
After all this, you can say, “If I narrow down my list to a few that I customize, our nonprofit will miss a key opportunity to share news and engage our constituents.” OK maybe.

If a non-profit organization concludes that it must submit scores or select hundreds or thousands of holiday cards, I still highly recommend that these cards be personalized in some identifiable way. Don’t just pick them up at the printer and drop them in the mailbox. Don’t just buy an electronic card and forward it to a large database. Personalize.

Customize is different from customize. Personalize means that the recipient’s name is on the card and the nonprofit executive has signed the card with a personal message, even if it is on an electronic card. Customize means that the nonprofit has added content that somehow identifies the card as the nonprofit card, not a stock purchase or even a special design that does not include news or names of nonprofits profit.

The personalized card should include up-to-date information, an expression of appreciation, and someone’s name and title, even if it isn’t personally signed. Do not send cards from “The Staff” or, worse, any source of origin other than the return address on the envelope, or an institutional name such as “The University” or “XYZ Ministries”. Put the name of a person, perhaps the President of the Board, the President or the Vice President of Promotion, on the card. Almost any name is better than no name.

conclusion
Nonprofits spend thousands of dollars each year sending holiday cards to constituents. But this practice, especially long lists, may be more of a cultural tradition than good breakthrough methodology.

The question of whether to send a vacation card or not to send a vacation card should be answered on the basis of perceived mission enhancement effectiveness. Since the best breakthrough has to do with relationships, it seems logical to conclude that the best holiday cards reinforce personal connections with the nonprofit organization. We build relationships by at least customizing a shipment, but better yet, customizing it.

Sign nonprofit holiday cards with news, notes and names.

Small Business Management Software: Advantages for Accounting Firms

Running an accounting business, large or small, can be challenging. And, doing it all alone only adds to the challenges. If you want to make your business very successful, a number of factors need to come into play; at the right time, in the right place.

Small business management software It is one of those factors that helps take your business to another level.

Small business owners often believe in taking things into their own hands. Naturally, it saves money. However, this practice may be hurting your business more than anything else. If your office desk is covered in piles of sheets, your day’s paperwork is unattended, and staying up late at the office gets you nowhere, then it’s time to seek professional help.

What can the small business management software system do for you?

1. Saves you more time on hand

Surveys reveal that entrepreneurs who do not use computerized accounting they struggle with managing their accounts. Using a business management software system can take control of a number of routine tasks. In this way, a lot of time is saved for the benefit of the owner.

two. Can be learned quickly

Software developers understand how busy entrepreneurs and business owners can be. Therefore, the software is built in such a way that users can learn to use them easily and in the shortest time possible. A team of experienced technicians is also available for 24 * 7 assistance.

3. Generate invoice from the same application

Business management software will streamline follow-ups. With everything in one place, owners can manage sales effectively. Price quotes and invoices can be easily generated with little chance of errors.

Four. Allows you to follow a time table

A business requires a number of tasks to be managed at the same time. There can be meetings, deliveries, inquiries and client / client visits all at the same time. With a calendar built into the business management app, you can set reminders and keep appointments, without missing out.

5. Leaves you less paperwork to deal with

Once again, the app allows owners to store everything in one place. All work related files, be it invoices, price quotes, orders, shipping documents and customer emails, can be stored in the system. These files can be accessed In any moment, in any place, without unwanted delays.

6. Guarantees better management of your projects

The owner of a company has several projects in hand. There may be meetings to attend, prospects waiting, a price list to create, or inventory to store. The project management tools offered by small business management software can be of great help in managing projects.

7. Employee performance can be tracked regularly

Business management software also allows you to track the performance of your employees with real-time data. Information including each individual employee’s performance report, KPI, project status, etc. everything can be reviewed in a crisp dashboard with just a few clicks.

8. Less hassle to drive at the end of the year

The best part of business management software is that they require users to update information every month. This ensures that there will be no unattended piles of paperwork at the end of the year.

9. Scale as you grow

Cloud-based accounting software is all the rage among startups and growth companies. When expanding the size of the company or introducing it to other countries, a large amount of data is required in one place. Tea cloud-based software It can be accessed anytime, anywhere via the Internet, simplifying business management.

10. Take your books with you

With the software available in the form of applications, installable on both Android and IO, users can carry all their files, sheets and data in their pockets. Thus enjoying the ease of access and saving time at the same time.

eleven. Calculate the tax individually on each invoice

Small business management software makes managing invoices easy. Regular customer payment reports allow homeowners to get a reliable picture of what customers owe and what they owe. Therefore, the earnings can be tracked efficiently.

And finally

The proven benefits of using small business accounting software are discussed above. But the benefits don’t end here. Each user has their own set of needs, so the benefits cannot be limited to just one list.

Those who still stick to outdated methods can make the switch to accounting software now to experience the benefits mentioned above.

Strategies for starting an import and export business as a career

One of the most popular and rewarding industries in modern society is the import / export industry. If you have the motivation to be successful in business, you may want to start an import / export business.

If you start an import / export business, you could, for example, import custom-made lighting fixtures and export paper materials. The possibilities are endless if you start an import and export business. If you want to start an import / export business, it is important to think about what type you would be interested in.

There are several types, including an Export Management Company (EMC), an Export Trade Company (ETC), and an Import / Export Trader. An export management company is a company that generally specializes in a single product and handles all export operations for a domestic company that wants to enter the market abroad.

An export trading company focuses on knowing what foreign buyers want to buy and then locates domestic sources interested in exporting. Finally, the import / export trader does not specialize in a single industry or product and therefore does not have a specific customer base.

According to the United States Department of Commerce, the import / export industry is a $ 1.2 trillion-a-year industry. When an entrepreneur wants to start an import / export business, he has the world at his feet. Every day, thousands of products are marketed around the world.

Anything from food and beverages to jewelry, furniture and clothing can be imported and exported. Anyone in the import / export business will find that the demand for certain imports or exports can change rapidly. For the savvy merchant, any product can become part of the global merchandise inventory.