Mind Your Marketing: No Matter What Your Specialization or Niche, Show Why You Care

This September, if you counted all the number of political signs all around my neighborhood, you would have concluded that the hot upcoming election was not a race for the President, the House or the Senate but for Register of Deeds. I am not kidding!

Our county's current Register of Deeds was retiring after 23 years in the office. The four candidates vying to replace her debated one another, and the local paper published profiles of them. All this made me curious, because in my mind, Register of Deeds is the ultimate nerdy elected job. What in the world was there to care about, much less debate?

The candidates differed, I learned, when it came to what the Register of Deeds could do about so-called "robo-signed" documents, which played a role in many fraudulent foreclosures. One of the candidates had a vision of what could be done to make land records more usable by genealogy researchers.

Another explained that as Register of Deeds, she would help protect the typical family's largest investment, their home. She also pointed out that old land records are often crucial in determining which roads in the county are public and which private.

This little exploration into something I'd never thought about before hammered home a few general marketing lessons.

1. No matter how nerdy your specialty, there are probably numerous possible ways to explain why it's important and why you care about it. Why is this service important for the person being served? How is it relevant for others in society? What values are promoted by the work you do?

2. See if you can connect your specialization to a controversy, an event or an achievement that the average person probably has heard about. This adds to the perceived value of your work contribution.

3. Explain your ideas about getting the job done well. Had I been present at the Register of Deeds debate, I'm sure I would have gotten a clear sense of particular priorities emphasized by each of the candidates more than the others. Without realizing it, you can likewise come across differently from competitors just by the way you describe this factor.

Let's suppose now that you're a nutritional labeling specialist. For packaged foods clients, you analyze food products to determine compliance with all the federal regulations on printed food labels. Instead of simply describing in a technical fashion which kinds of labeling information you provide, you could stand out vis-a-vis competitors with the kind of elaboration described above. Remind potential food entrepreneur clients that correctly analyzing the nutritional content of foods helps consumers obtain all the nutrients they need, comply with medically necessary diet restrictions and avoid triggering life-threatening allergic reactions. Proper food labeling saves lives, in addition to complying with the law.

Don't take for granted that the person in a position to buy your product or service understands what's at stake. Probably they do not. By spelling out the factors identified above, you make "votes" - purchases - for what you sell much more likely.

A bookworm as a child, Marcia Yudkin grew up to discover she had a surprising talent for creative marketing. She's the author of more than a dozen books, including 6 Steps to Free Publicity, now in its third edition, and Meatier Marketing Copy. She mentors introverts so they discover their uniquely powerful branding and most comfortable marketing strategies, and helps them create a promotional presence that attracts the kind of clients who make them happiest.

To learn more about the strengths and preferences of introverts, download her free Marketing for Introverts audio manifesto: http://www.yudkin.com/introverts.htm

Wage Theft Epidemic: Are You a Victim?

Recently, the U.S. Department of Labor has had to deal with a rash of wage-theft lawsuits. The department found it necessary to file charges against numerous employers who short-changed employees in the area of overtime compensation. Experts who work these cases on a daily basis tell us that the number one issue is the miscalculation of overtime pay. A device as simple as an employee time clock might prevent many of these legal cases from ever coming to trial. When employers fail to pay workers for overtime, or when they misclassify hours worked, they often find themselves on the wrong end of a federal government lawsuit.

Whenever a company does not pay a worker for overtime, or regular hours worked, the issue is referred to as wage theft. Typically, when an employee doctors a time card in order to defraud his employer, that practice is called time theft. Recent government litigation has shown that the two most common practices, which lead to wage theft could be prevented by simple employee time clocks. A recent major case was filed by the Department of Labor against one of the nation's largest retailers. The retailer ended up having to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in back pay to workers who had not been properly compensated for overtime.

An employee time clock, properly used, might have prevented that major case from seeing the light of day. When both companies and workers are vigilant, and use sophisticated employee time clock devices, such problems are avoided altogether. Due to the spate of lawsuits, more companies are installing modern time clock devices and software in order to prevent a trip to the courthouse.

Quality time and attendance systems, like biometric access systems, can measure every second of each worker's time, and categorize that time correctly. If a problem arises, it is easily fixed. No longer do owners and employees need worry about paycheck accuracy. Many high-tech systems in use today are able to prevent identity theft as well.

Wage theft continues to be a huge legal issue for companies, but with the advent of sophisticated time and attendance software, the problem is likely to abate. Time clock systems are inexpensive, especially considering what management and labor can save in terms of legal costs, hours lost, and frustration avoided. Some of the best attendance systems use biometric data to prevent unauthorized access and employee time theft.

Looking for quality time clocks to help your business? Consider one of several affordable and quality models from Time Clocks & More.

Is It Easier to Get a Bad Credit Business Loan or a Business Line of Credit?

Have you ever wondered if it is easier to get a bad credit business loan or a business line of credit? How does knowing the answer to this question help you find the most suitable type of loan for your small business?

As you know, when it comes to starting a business online or in the real world, there is some budget needed to get an office, hire employees, and collect the basic necessary tools in order to start up your new business.

The good news is, you can easily apply for a business loan or a line or credit, to help you receive up to $100,000 from a reputable bank. This gives you the investment you need in the beginning to kickstart your company.

How to Get a Small Business Startup Loan to Help You Save Money

There are several benefits when it comes to receiving financial help from a bank to start a business. If you do a simple research by asking your local banks and private commercial lenders, you can find out more about the best quotes, interest rates, payment plans, and more options regarding the loan your can receive.

Most banks offer easier terms for starting a small business. Depending on your credit history as an individual and also your business credit background for your previous companies, you can negotiate for a lower interest rate for your business loan.

Obviously if someone has a bad credit score, the bank will only agree to offer an unsecured loan with a higher payment plan. This is when you may like to use another option which is available for you...

Line of Credit vs. Business Loans: Which One is the Best Option for You?

Did you know? When you receive a business line of credit, not only you gain easy access to a large sum of money for your investment, but you will also get additional benefits - like lower interest rates for your loan, the ability to track your expenses, and more benefits that will be available for you.

So what about a bad credit business loan? What are the key differences? Some of key differences are: fixed vs. flexible interest rates, long term and short term payment plans, chances of approval for small businesses, and a few more.

So depending on your credit history and the nature of your new business model, you can choose the one which offers you the most benefits.

Looking for an easy guaranteed way to get your Bad Credit Business Loan? Discover the secret to get your bad credit loan application approved in as fast as 7 days.

Check out these free tips on how to get the best quote for your Unsecured Business Loan - even if you have a poor credit history. You can save as much as 25% using these easy steps.