Wuorio@money

Another DREADFUL ad

2008-03-31T07:09:00.000-07:00

Hi,

Readers may recall that I wanted to bring attention to some of the abominable advertising that occasionally pops up like a boil on the derrieres of our common attention. One such festered during March Madness--for Holiday Inn, in which people taking advantage of HI's "sumptuous" breakfast bar seem to liken the experience to people in recovery (one woman refers to a guy heaping scrambled eggs on his plate as the "designated driver" who, chagrined as he puts the egss back in the pan, then says he doesn't "need breakfast to have fun.") Not to be outdone, another person later torments the driver in the car with a muffin of some sort.

Unless I misinterpret, this seems to liken breakfast to a form of addiction that one must wrestle with every day. Talk about funny! I mean, fall down hilarious!! What better butt of humor than folks fighting an ongoing poison?

Anyone else have their eyes stung with this scheiss?

Jeff

The "art" of alienating customers

2008-03-05T07:55:00.000-08:00

I write a great deal about how the little things that a business does--seemingly innocuous stuff that may fly under the radar--really can make a or break a reputation. Well, write about it often enough and you're bound to live it at some point.

My family recently bought a car through a car buying service. The service arranged everything--financing, a dealership with the best price, etc.--even was supposed to arrange delivery to our door.

We agree to a particular car to a dealership eight miles from our home (remember that distance, kids). The day before we were due to take delivery, the broker called us and told us the dealership was refusing to deliver the car because that, since they were already selling the car for such a low price it wasn't worth their time to actually deliver it.

Note to people much smarter than me (which includes much of the human race): what's the connection between the price and a delivery time that would top out at 20 minutes?

We agree to pick up the car. Two hours before on the day of pickup my wife, learned female that she is, decides to call to make sure everything is as it should be. Well, come to find out the dealership--because we were not financing it through them--wanted us to leave a check for the entire purchase amount until our loan cleared. It mattered nary a thing that our loan was OKd and ready to go--a check was needed or deal was dead.

Second note to readers: you got $20k plus laying around in an account doing nothing in particular? Not I...

OK, go to the dealership, give them a check and get the car. The poor salesman who was forced to deal with us--I think the manager who foisted all this nonsense on us was cowering in the back bingeing on Little Debbie's until we left--did a yeoman's job of trying to be courteous. Still, I refused to shake his hand or to play along in any capacity that this was some joyous, wrinkle free transaction.

An asshole thing to do? Probably-but I felt like an asshole. Moreover, a visit to the dealership revealed an entire sales staff standing around doing little more than help themselves to bottled water and free dum dums. So much for the argument that personnel could not be spared to deliver the car (remember, kiddos, a scant eight mile trip.

Studies have been done that show that the disparity of good buying experiences vs. bad buying experiences is rather great--that buyers will tell many more people about the bad than they will the good. And that's what I intend to do--all over minuscule details and inattention that could happily and easily been avoided.

Still, a good lesson for all...

Jeff

recession--or no?

2008-02-26T14:19:00.000-08:00

I'm currently working on a story on how to best prepare for a recession (as you can ask 100 people and get 100 different answers, the story doesn't touch on whether we're in a recession or not but rather operates on the supposition that we are or, at the very least, are headed that way.)

What to do? Some ideas to weigh:

* Trim debt as much as possible--possibilities of layoffs or hiring slowdowns is no time to carry the excess baggage of credit card debt and the like. If you have extra, pay off the plastic.

* If you don't have to, don't sell your house. The fact that home prices are plummeting isn't news--if your home is down 10 to 20 percent or even more in value, sit tight and wait for prices to rebound.

* Pursue additional skills and training. The first to be laid off are often those deemed the most expendable. Boost your security by broadening your value to your employer.

Jeff

Business License--don't ask, don't tell

2008-02-07T11:26:00.000-08:00

I recently finished a column on the rather mercurial topic of business licenses--who needs one, who doesn't and how to determine where you may fall in that continuum. Although the article was fairly empirical, one element that really didn't fit poses a potential danger to businesses of all sorts.

Simply put: need a business license? It all depends who sees you.

What that means is that, in effect, many businesses--particularly ones located within a home--do, in fact, need some sort of licensure, be it at the state or local level. How that bears out in practice is whether someone is going to take the time to report you to the licensing authorities.

How can that play out? Noisy traffic coming and going from your home, traffic and parking headaches and other logistical issues are often the catalyst for complaints. Sometimes noise and, all too frequently, a neighbor with nothing better to do can prompt a phone call to the state or municipality.

And, the fact is, no matter how legitimate your business is, running it without the necessary licensure and getting caught can be pricey and painful--you can get shut down, fined and, in extreme cases, even face criminal charges.

Bottom line: protect yourself. Visit your state's website--usually tucked into the secretary of state's section--to see if what you do for a living mandates some sort of license. Visit your town or city hall to find out if anything local applies.

You can always choose to toss the dice, save some money, and hope nobody spills the beans on you. To wit: about a mile from my home there's a guy who has stacks of junk and rusted out cars spread throughout his property. He's running a junk yard but hasn't a scrap of a license to validate its legality.

He's been doing this for a couple years now--and only because no one has had a hankering to pick up the phone.

How safe a strategy is that? Decide for yourself.

Jeff

Money (and lives) down the toilet

2008-01-24T05:25:00.000-08:00

Speaking of money wasted...off the wire...

WASHINGTON - A study by two nonprofit journalism organizations found that President Bush and top administration officials issued hundreds of false statements about the national security threat from Iraq in the two years following the 2001 terrorist attacks.

The study counted 935 false statements in the two-year period. It found that in speeches, briefings, interviews and other venues, Bush and administration officials stated unequivocally on at least 532 occasions that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction or was trying to produce or obtain them or had links to al-Qaida or both.

"It is now beyond dispute that Iraq did not possess any weapons of mass destruction or have meaningful ties to al-Qaida," according to Charles Lewis and Mark Reading-Smith of the Fund for Independence in Journalism staff members, writing an overview of the study. "In short, the Bush administration led the nation to war on the basis of erroneous information that it methodically propagated and that culminated in military action against Iraq on March 19, 2003."

Named in the study along with Bush were top officials of the administration during the period studied: Vice President Dick Cheney, national security adviser Condoleezza Rice, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of State Colin Powell, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz and White House press secretaries Ari Fleischer and Scott McClellan.

Bush led with 259 false statements, 231 about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and 28 about Iraq's links to al-Qaida, the study found. That was second only to Powell's 244 false statements about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and 10 about Iraq and al-Qaida.

The center said the study was based on a database created with public statements over the two years beginning on Sept. 11, 2001, and information from more than 25 government reports, books, articles, speeches and interviews.

"The cumulative effect of these false statements — amplified by thousands of news stories and broadcasts — was massive, with the media coverage creating an almost impenetrable din for several critical months in the run-up to war," the study concluded.

"Some journalists — indeed, even some entire news organizations — have since acknowledged that their coverage during those prewar months was far too deferential and uncritical. These mea culpas notwithstanding, much of the wall-to-wall media coverage provided additional, 'independent' validation of the Bush administration's false statements about Iraq," it said.

Jeff

Golf and Business

2008-01-21T11:11:00.000-08:00

Got a note recently from someone about a series I wrote a while back about business and golf. If you're interested, here's one of the central pieces:

Several years ago, Mike Kanazawa played a round of golf with three other San Francisco-area businesspeople.
Two years later, Kanazawa's consulting firm, Dissero Partners, landed significant projects with two of his playing partners.
"We were never out saying we could do this and that for you," says Kanazawa, chief executive of the 20-person firm with $2 million in annual revenue. "We talked about it some, but, then, we also talked about our families. I wasn't out there pumping for business."
Kanazawa's experience illustrates the subtle dance that exists between business and golf. True, business happens during the course of 18 holes—often, significant business—but usually in an understated, carefully managed fashion. And that makes it important to have a working list of business golf dos and donts.
One of the most important elements to recognize is the opportunity golf affords—if nothing else, in the amount of time you can interact with a colleague, prospect or existing client.
"With golf, you can spend up to five or six hours with someone," says Jay Monahan of Fenway Sports Group, a 17-person, $250 million sports promotion and consulting concern which is a subsidiary of New England Sports Ventures. "Can you imagine if I called someone up and asked to meet with them for five hours? With golf, that's what you're asking."
But that amount of time shouldn't automatically morph into a predatory quest to close the deal by the time the final ball has plopped into the 18th hole. Usually, anything but. For the most part, golf and business intertwine to build relationships—a variety of telling signs that suggest who may be a suitable business partner and who may be something less.
If you're the one doing the inviting, that starts with preparation—mapping out just how you can make the day a pleasant one for your playing partners.
"Make sure they have the right directions to the course and that you've invited them to a course that's appropriate to their level of play," says Hilary Bruggen Fordwich, who teaches workshops on how to combine business and golf. "It's a test of your likability. No one chooses to do business with someone they don't like."
But it can also prove a test of sorts for the other players. Experienced business golfers say they watch their playing partners to see how they handle themselves on the course. From simple acts like picking up other players' clubs and helping to look for wayward balls to reaction to poor shots, on-course behavior can prove an expansive window into professional character.
"If someone throws a club because they made a double bogey, what does that say how they might react when they face real adversity?" says Monahan.
Savvy players also match their conversation to the setting and any clues the other players may drop. If, for instance, you’ve been in substantial negotiations for several months, wait for the other player to raise the topic: "If it's important, it will manifest itself somewhere," says Monahan. That may happen on the course itself or over drinks afterward, but don't rush things. Watch for overtures that suggest your partner is ready to discuss details. By contrast, if the game is one of your first meetings, best to stick to getting to know each other.
Other tips and strategies:
*Downplay competition. "Don't go out there to beat someone," says Fordwich. "Emphasize enjoyment of the day."
* Dress appropriately. As Fordwich notes, black clothes on a 90-degree day can only lead to sweaty disaster.
*Unless you know someone's game, avoid praise. What seems like a solid 200-yeard drive may be disappointing to someone used to 75 yards more.
* Don't cheat, however innocently. Moving a ball on your own accord may seem innocuous to you—it may offend your playing partners. "You can never bee too honest," says Fordwich.

Finally, don't limit golf outings to playing with prospects or
colleagues. Dan Stewart, owner of Geo-Logical, a $5 million Port Richey, Fl. sinkhole repair company, routinely takes job applicants out for a round. The dynamics are the same—an enjoyable time that can also prove enlightening.
"Years ago for a marketing position, I invited a candidate back for a second round of golf," says Stewart. "He thought he had the job so he drank a little too much and really let his hair down. We made the decision not to bring him on board."

Jeff

Tip: Landing A Small Business Loan

2008-01-18T12:34:00.000-08:00

If you've tried to get a loan to start a small business, you know the process can be akin to root canal on the pleasure scale--particularly if you've made the rounds of banks, business plan in hand, only to be told that you somehow or another don't qualify. Relax--it's not necessarily your fault, particularly if you're only requesting a modest amount. The reason often is large banks don't want to devote time and resources to considering and administering what they consider picayune small business loans. Boost your chances by focusing on smaller, more localized and regional banks. Since their scale is smaller, they're likely to pay more attention to start up funding requests.

Jeff

Magellan is Open!

2008-01-15T06:11:00.000-08:00

Interesting news for investors--Fidelity's Magellan Fund, the flagship fund of the mutual fund industry that has been closed to new investors since 1997, has once again opened the fund to newbies. The reason--many of the investors who crowded into Magellan years ago--and forced its closure out of fear that the fund would become too big to manage--have retired, taking their nesteggs with them. Reports hold that an influx of new investors will allow Magellan management to move a greater share of its portfolio into growth stocks and international holdings.

Jeff

Business finance stories wanted

2008-01-08T09:08:00.000-08:00

I'm doing a piece on how to raise money to start a small business. If yours is a success story--no matter if you got a loan, took out a home equity line of credit or simply used a credit card--give me a shout and we'll see if I can include you in my story.

Thanks!

Jeff

New Book is Out!

2008-01-04T06:12:00.000-08:00

My new book, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Retirement Planning" is now out. Check it out at Amazon or your local bookstore. And send me your feedback!

Jeff

Great Biz, Bad location

2008-01-02T07:58:00.000-08:00

Just finished a column on a quandary that many small businesses face--a great operation in a bad location. If that's you, here are some ways to overcome it, short of relocating:

1. Attack the problem. If you're in a tricky, hard to find location, send out emails and flyers offering directions. Offer premiums to customers who come from distant locations.

2. Play it up in your marketing. Slogans like "Hard to find, but worth the trip" can be catchy and effective.

3. Push your website. A useful, attractive website takes the issue of a bad location off the table completely.

4. Above all, quality. A solid business with great prices and service is always worth finding, no matter the hassle of logistics.

Jeff

Rebuild Credit--Four Months at a Time

2007-12-14T10:53:00.000-08:00

Rebuilding your credit score involves getting your credit report--ideally, from all three major credit reporting agencies. And, there's any easy way to make that a free deal. Since you're entitled to a free report once a year, go to www.annualcreditreport.com every four months. Just make sure you choose a different report each time you check. It's free and a great way to keep track of changes and potential errors.

Jeff

Vive La Difference!

2007-11-30T09:46:00.000-08:00

Am working on a story on how couples resolve their money differences. Although the assumption by many is that money differences cause divorce, in my story all three couples featured are, in fact, very different when it comes to money--and, they all say, their money differences help them handle their finances more effectively. The thinking is, if two people are identical from a financial standpoint, they tend not to see blind spots that can get them in trouble--blind spots that a partner with a different money attitude will spot.

So if you and your partner clash on money, use it to your advantage--not your detriment.

Jeff

dyslexia and entrepreneurship

2007-11-16T08:27:00.000-08:00

Interesting news out of the UK...details follow:

A staggering 35% of U.S. entrepreneurs suffer from dyslexia, compared to 20% in the UK, a ground-breaking study by Julie Logan, Professor of Entrepreneurship at London’s Cass Business School, reveals.

This latest U.S. study follows on from earlier research which reveals that UK entrepreneurs are five times more likely to suffer from dyslexia than the average UK citizen – 4% of the average population are dyslexic. In the U.S., dyslexia is grouped with ‘learning disabled,’ and 15% of the population suffer from this.

Kinko’s founder Paul Orfalea, Jupitermedia CEO Alan Meckler, and legendary investor Charles Schwab are famous examples of dyslexic entrepreneurs.

Key findings from Professor Logan’s research identified that dyslexics are more likely than non-dyslexics to:

• Own more than one business
• Run their businesses for a shorter time (although grow them more quickly)
• Start their businesses right after school
• Excel in oral communications, problem-solving, delegation, and spatial awareness
• Be influenced by a mentor (versus non-dyslexics, who are more influenced by educational experiences)
• Manage more staff (25 as mean, versus 17 for non-dyslexics) because of increased ability to delegate, an example of a coping strategy employed to overcome difficulties.

Jeff

Don't get gassed at the pump

2007-11-13T05:45:00.000-08:00

Buying gas for the car is a bona fide treat these days, what with having to take out a second mortgage to fill up an SUV. But there's a hidden headache beneath the sting of $3-plus per gallon--a potential freeze on your credit card.

Most of us use a debit card for modest, quick purchases--including filling up the car. Problem is, if you use a debit card, your bank can freeze assets in your bank account for a certain amount of time. If you use your debit card without using your PIN (in other words, like a credit card) an immediate "hold" can be put on funds in your account that can last for hours and sometimes days, effectively reducing the amount of cash you can use. Holds can runs as high as $75. That can prove embarrassing if, after getting gas, you only have a few bucks left in your account and try to buy a gallon of milk and a sack of Hi Hos.

Most of us try to avoid using a credit card for small purchases--it can hold down debt levels-but, when it comes to the pump, debit is the route to take.

Jeff

the cheapest salesforce around

2007-10-30T12:41:00.000-07:00

Want to market your business or services in the cheapest way possible? Urge your customers or clients to refer others to you. To make that particularly easy, if they're comfortable with it, give them a stack of business cards of yours to hand out. Nothing implicitly boosts your business than having satisfied clientele recommend you to others, so make it as easy as you can for them.

Jeff

Bring 'Em Back!

2007-10-22T13:00:00.000-07:00

I recently wrote a column on the importance of repeat customers--a topic of fairly conspicuous importance, but one that some small business owners may find difficulty in implementing. Here are some of the salient issues that experts in the field were kind enough to pass along:

1. To build repeat customers, be consistent. On the surface, a solid base of repeat customers might seem little more than a matter of providing excellent service or products. True, but excellence cannot be a hit or miss proposition--—repeat customers return because their experience is consistently solid.

2. Hire the right people. Since they're the ones on the front lines, their demeanor and interaction with clientele can cement relationships that bring customers back for more.

3. Know your customers in and out. It's hard to build repeat business if you don't know what your customers value. Tune into buying patterns, contact information and other material that lets you know what your customers genuinely value

4. Keep it personal. By definition, a repeat customer is someone you get to know. Nurture that by keeping your relationship as personal as possible—for instance, get to know customers by name.

5. Stay in contact. Clients and customers are more likely to come back if you stay in their heads. Encourage repeat business by staying in touch with your customers, be it through a bl
blog, newsletter or some other vehicle that affords ongoing communication.

Jeff

Don't settle for average

2007-10-15T11:04:00.001-07:00

I've been working on a project lately involving credit cards. One of the cruxes of the piece is the going "average" for credit cards--in the neighborhood of 17 percent or so. It's true--and one hell of a hefty interest collar if you're forced to carry a balance.

But, the truth is, you don't have to settle for a card at that level. There are any number of websites--Bankrate.com, creditcards.com, among them--where cards much, much lower than that going average are available.

So, don't settle for the deal that comes in the mail or the one your bank happens to be pushing. A little legwork can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars in the interest. It's worth the trip.

Jeff

Here's a real athletic supporter

2007-10-09T11:10:00.000-07:00

Remember when I said I ws going to point oiut great ad campaigns? Here's a link to one, as appearing in the Chicago marathon:

http://100percentinjuryrate.blogspot.com/2007/10/tuesday-links-of-testicular-fortitude.html

Love to see the cup...

Jeff

The holiday season--already

2007-10-05T08:23:00.000-07:00

Well, it's the holidays once more--but not the ones you expect.

With Halloween right around the corner--and Thanksgiving not long thereafter--opportunity presents itself for businesses of all sorts, provided they know what to do to leverage these "minor" holidays to their advantage.

I wrote a column on this a couple years back. Have a look at:

http://www.microsoft.com/smallbusiness/resources/marketing/holiday_marketing/7_tips_for_halloween_and_thanksgiving_sales.mspx

Jeff

You're Fired!

2007-10-02T09:34:00.000-07:00

Saw an interesting debate on a discussion board the other day--whether a company has the right to "fire" a client or customer who's difficult to deal with or somehow or another makes unreasonable demands.

Click one vote in the yea column.

As someone who's been self employed for better than 20 years, that's been one of the biggest pluses to my work regimen--if someone with whom I'm working isn't working out in my eyes (for whatever reason) I can terminate the relationship. Better that than continuing to gut out something you dread.

The same freedom should be available to everyone. Granted, there are some clients who are simply too valuable (read: paycheck is much too large) to cast adrift. But, in most cases, people from every side of a business relationship should be held responsible for their actions and demeanor--no matter if they're cutting the checks or receiving them.

Client or customer who's being a major league PITA? Cut 'em loose--life's too short.

Jeff

Dumb and Dumber

2007-09-28T10:35:00.001-07:00

This could merely be a function of age, but the more I look around me, the more I become discouraged by the dearth of imagination and outright stupidity that has spread throughout society like a nasty rash.

To wit: in today's NYT Business Section, a feature on an upcoming campaign in which college kids will have a choice--to jump into a monstrous ice cream sundae or a behemoth mound of mashed potatoes (with honey??), only to be washed off in a promo for a shower gel. The tableaux is complete with mc David Spade (a sure sign we're going to take the high road.)

Yeah, I'm no college kid. But it seems yet another media vehicle through which humiliation is pawned off as entertainment (see reality TV, Fox TV, "Are You Smarter than a 5th grader", et al.)

Lest it seem like I'm some old curmudgeon with a chopstick up his derriere (I am, of course), the same NYT edition has a brief feature in which a law firm tries to recruit new associates by picturing current staffers caroming around a room bestride bouncy balls. ("Your honor, I'll be representing myself..")

These are presumably aimed at an older, more completely educated audience--yet the bottom line is still sophomoric.

It doesn't seem to me that clever, sophisticated advertising and any audience, no matter the demographics, should be mutually exclusive. Over the next few weeks I hope to post examples of just that--engaging, thoughtful campaigns that are no less entertaining than a frat boy taking a header into a swimming pool of salsa.

Jeff

Building a Business Budget

2007-09-25T13:09:00.000-07:00

I occasionally get emails from readers who runs small businesses--rather well, as often as not--but who have a hard time drawing up and sticking with a budget.

It's like a household budget--no one's ideal of a jolly time. But there are a few ways to mitigate the sting and make a business budget more workable:

* Accept that it's a work in progress. Be ready to adjust numbers as experience dictates insight.

* Be prepared to be wrong--at least at first--see the first item.

* Err on the cheap side. Better to have too much money on hand than too little to meet your obligations.

* Build up a cash cushion. To make your budget more effective and, ultimately progress from a more conservative approach to a bit more aggressive, start out by stocking up on cash reserves whenever possible. Not only can that money come in handy for predictable expenses such as year-end taxes, it also can prove an absolute lifesaver should an unexpectedly high bill suddenly crop up.

* Ask for help. Know of another small business with an airtight budget? Pick their brains to see how they made it work.

* Review, then review some more. Folks with whom I've spoken who know much more about
this than I suggest at least a monthly review to track cash flow, expenses and other details.

* Above all, stay with it. You know an effective budget is essential to your success--allow enough time for it to take shape and mature.

Jeff

Well, back at it...

2007-09-23T08:05:00.000-07:00

It's Sunday as I write this--meaning that, come tomorrow, it's back to five more days of the workaday grind. (Of course, since I'm writing this on a Sunday, that means in my case..ah, skip it.)

What that means to one person will differ radically from another--largely due to the person for whom you work. If yours is a boss who does what he can to make your job engaging and challenging, you may actually look forward to the buzz of the alarm clock come tomorrow a.m.

But, if yours is--as they once quipped on "The Simpsons"--the devil's cabana boy, anticipation quickly melts into a low level dread--anticipation of just what your lord and master will do this week to make your paycheck a deal paid for with drudgery and, as often as not, mistreatment, whether by design or unintentionally.

That begs the question: what goes into making a good employer? If that's the position you're in and you're on the lookout for ways to improve your game, here are a few fast suggestions:

* Be inclusive. Solicit feedback and input from your people and genuinely consider it (read: don't treat it as lip service.)

*Remember, the people who work for you have careers, also. If employees are looking to move up in the ranks, nurture that desire. Tell them what they need to do to improve.

* Coach as well as lead. The prior suggestion segues into the importance of coaching your people. Don't just tell them what to do--show why it's important and how their contributions matter.

* Keep working at your own skills. Even the most accomplished boss on the planet is a work in progress . Stay on top of ways you can make your workplace an environment of consistent improvement--both for you and others.

Jeff

A balancing Act

2007-09-20T08:09:00.000-07:00

In a manner of speaking, each and every one of us is on a tightrope--a precarious balancing act between work and the remainder of our lives.

It's a decidedly tough act, one that often mandates constant readjustment to avoid slips in our professional success and, every bit as important, our personal well-being.

I wrote a column about ways to achieve work-life balance. To read the whole smash, go to http://www.microsoft.com/smallbusiness/resources/management/leadership_training/need_work_life_balance_7_tips.mspx

Here's a Reader's Digest version:

* Don't overschedule. Strike a balance between productivity and overkill. Tinker with it until you find the right mix.

* Learn to say no. Not worth your time? Don't be afraid to take a flyer.

* Be ruthless with your time. Know those things that are important and immediate and those that can wait.

* Expect imperfection. The right balance may be hard to come by. Stay off your own back as you look for the optimal work/life equilibrium.

Jeff

Links that matter

2007-09-18T09:05:00.000-07:00

The other day, my wife mentioned a business website she knew geared to autistic children. On the site, they had links to, among others, the Autism Society of America. Her point was: what parent with an autistic child wouldn't already know about the Autism Society of America?

Her observation is valid. Far too often, the links provided on business and financially-based websites mean well but are far too run of the mill. If nothing else, they come across as somewhat lazy--the first links that popped into your head.

If your business has a website and you offer links, give them some thought. Rather than offering links to mainstream sites that visitors to your website will likely know about already, direct them to out of the way places they may be unaware of--but which may be no less helpful and informative than more popular destinations. It's subtle, but it's a way to make your website--and you--establish an attitude that's willing to take the extra step to offer genuinely helpful and fresh direction.

Jeff

Live With (not by) PowerPoint

2007-09-17T08:13:00.000-07:00

Went to a conference recently where the speaker--like scads of others--had a PowerPoint presentation to augment his remarks.

Trouble was, they didn't really augment what he was saying--rather, through a variety of ways, they replaced him. And, that only led the audience to consider the size of the rest room window--and whether it was large enough to let them slip out unobtrusively.

PowerPoint can, in fact, be a terrific complement to any presentation, provided we all live by a few simple rules. Here are a few, suggested by those far wiser than I:

* Simplicity. The most effective PowerPoint presentations are simple — charts that are easy to understand, and graphics that reflect what the speaker is saying.

* Don't parrot. Alex the wonder parrot, who amassed an enormous vocabulary, is no longer with us. Honor his memory by using PowerPoint along with spoken remarks that augment and discuss, rather than mimic, what's on the screen.

* Time accordingly. A well-orchestrated PowerPoint program brings up a new slide, gives the audience a chance to read and digest it, then follows up with remarks that broaden and amplify what's on the screen.

*Edit heartlessly. Once you're finished drafting your PowerPoint slides, assume you're just one of the folks listening to your remarks as you review them. If something is unappealing, distracting or confusing, edit ruthlessly. Chances are good your overall presentation will be the better for it.

Jeff

A hacksaw at home

2007-09-14T07:34:00.000-07:00

Several years ago, I wrote a column for Microsoft Small Business that featured a number of things that clients and customers should never hear coming from your mouth (the title derives from an experience of mine when a hardware store matron exclaimed "Doesn't he have a hacksaw at home?" when an employee was decent enough to cut a piece of pipe down to size for me.

If you want to see the entire story, it's at http://www.microsoft.com/smallbusiness/resources/management/customer_relations/7_things_never_to_tell_your_customers.mspx.

That begs the question--how do you head off these verbal landmines before they explode right in your face? A couple of ideas come to mind:

* If you have any doubts whether something may be apropos or not, take the better part of valor route and keep your yap shut. The fact that you even raise the question in your own mind suggests it's best left unsaid.

* Keep it positive and constructive. If you look over the list in my column, asking out loud whether a customer can afford something isn't exactly Dale Carnegie material.

* If you have something negative, don't broadcast it--share it on the sly, out of a client's earshot.

* Emphasize proactivity. Recently, I experienced a variation on the "we don't have it theme" when I asked a grocery store employee for directions to an item. Reply: "I'm on my lunch break now." Well, bon appetit! Eating your own words hits the spot. No matter how inconvenient, at least make an effort to help someone. "No can do" pushes people out the door.

* Share your guidelines with those with whom you work. You may be all peaches and cream with everyone, but all it takes is a word out of place by someone else to blow that all to H-E double hockey sticks.

Any suggestions? Stories of your own to share? Let me know. I'd like to write more on this topic, but I only work here....

Jeff

All save, no pain

2007-09-13T05:30:00.000-07:00

Whether you own a business or are just trying to get your personal finances in better shape, saving is a decidedly tough nut. There always seems to be some bill, some draining obligation or some other nasty payment that saps whatever money you'd dearly love to set aside.

Well, there's an easy way to do it--and to think we can all thank an old bill for the tip (how very thoughtful). Here's the gig--once you've finished paying off a bill or some other financial obligation, just keep making the same payment--to yourself. For instance, if a $200 a month credit card bill has finally headed over the horizon, keep cutting that $200 check, only stash it in savings. It's not as though it takes any sort of Herculean discipline--if you could afford the payment before, nothing should stop you now.

And, bear in mind the money's going to a much more worthy cause--you.

Jeff

If Life Moons You...

2007-09-12T13:16:00.000-07:00

So much of what we all encounter in business are challenges or conditions that, unto themselves, may seem insurmountable headaches--my market is too small; too conservative; too diverse; too concentrated; too spread out, ad infinitum.

Many of us tend to deal with them as best we can--a form of coexistence or detente that acknowledges the reality but does little more than that--a problem that can merely be endured.

Truth is, most any condition can be turned into an advantage if approached as an opportunity rather than a hurdle. For instance, if your market is conservative in nature, emphasize the cost-effectiveness of what you do. Too diverse? Emphasize the range of your business and/or the clientele with whom you work. Too small? Play up the fact that, since you work with a limited number of clients or customers, yours is a singularly personal approach--something that a larger competitor can't possibly manage with a client list the size of the Manhattan phone book.

What it mandates is a different mindset--a focus not so much on the problem at hand but, conversely, the singular opportunity it creates. Flip it on its side and see what it can offer you rather than take away.

So, if life moons you--turn the other cheek and see what's there.

Jeff

Trying to reach me?

2007-09-12T13:11:00.001-07:00

You may notice two email addresses for me--both work to reach me so, as they say, double your pleasure, if you wish.

Jeff

Welcome to Wuorio@money

2007-09-12T10:03:00.000-07:00

Welcome, one and all to Wuorio@Money--the business and personal financial blog by finance journalist, author and speaker Jeff Wuorio.

Yeah, I know--the title is a bit unusual. But I wanted to emphasize the overriding message and focus of my blog--to put you where the money is, no matter if you own a business, want to start a business, manage that business more effectively or just get a better handle on your personal finances.

We'll be mixing it up in the weeks and months ahead, covering a variety of topics derived from my books, columns and articles. But I also want to hear from you--to see what matters to you, what you want to to hear about, learn more and, ultimately, what you want to know to better both your life and your finances.

I also want to emphasize the tone of what you'll be reading. I know and you know that business and finance journalism can be akin to reading the phone book--informative but not necesarily engaging. I hope to use this vehicle to provide an injection of fresh narrative--to be no less informative and provocative, but to do so in a way that's engaging and entertaining.

See ya down the road!

Jeff