Homebased Business

BY AMERICAN WEB MEDIA

This story originally appeared at AWM.

A businessman man was waiting for his plane to take off when he noticed when the United States soldier walk board plane, wearing his uniform. The businessman, Brad, was pleased when the soldier sat down in the seat next to his. He greeted the member of the U.S. Army, who introduced himself as Mr. Glascott. The two shared a few kind words and established a friendly connection.

During their flight, Glascott had said he was on leave and headed home. The soldier and father was planning a trip to Great Wolf Lodge with his family. It was his son’s ninth birthday, and Glascott wanted to give his son a great time they all would remember.

After the flight landed, the two men parted ways. Glascott felt good about the conversation he had with the businessman but didn’t think about it again. He soon found his family waiting for him waiting at the gate. Not long later, the family went to the lodge to celebrate the boy’s birthday. But when they got to the resort, Glascott was greeted with a surprise.

The receptionist at the front desk told him before he could check in that there was a note on his account.

Glascott was worried something had gone wrong with the reservation. He didn’t know what he would do if the vacation and birthday plans for his son were ruined.

When asked, the receptionist said, “You have a message on your account from Brad.”

Glascott had no idea who this Brad was. Not only was it a mystery to him, the whole family was puzzled. The receptionist told Glascott that Brad was sending his good wishes to the family from Atlanta. Then it clicked for the soldier, Brad was the businessman he had met on the plane.

While he thought it was thoughtful that Brad had left his family a note, he was stunned when the receptionist said that there was more.

The Army dad was all ready to check into the resort. After getting a nice note from the man he met on his flight, Glascott pulled out his credit card to pay for the stay. The receptionist waved away Glascott’s card.

“Your money is not good here, soldier,” she said.

Now Glascott was confused. He started to object having never faced this issue before. The receptionist interrupted before he could say anything.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” she said. “Your account has been paid in full, Brad wants you and your family to enjoy your stay at Great Wolf Lodge.”

Glascott couldn’t believe what was happening. Brad had given his family a great gift. His eyes began to water. He was overwhelmed. After years of service, it was a total stranger who let him know he — and his service — was greatly appreciated.

While the family enjoyed the free stay at the resort, Glascott’s son got the best gift of all: time spent with his dad home from deployment.

Because each of us is unique and different, we have to find out what works best for us in our own ways. This path to this starts with the basics in our own time management. Basic time management is setting up goals and plans that are reachable.

When setting goals for ourselves we should ask…”Is this goal reachable? Can I achieve this goal? What do I do to make this goal successful? Asking yourself the right questions is one basic element of developing a time management routine that works for you. Another basic element in time management is asking for help. That is a plan that helps to lead you to success.

We can’t know everything, or do everything, so sometimes you have to ask for help. When you are asking questions, you are letting others know that you are seeking a solution to a problem, or attempting to reach a goal that you have set. By asking yourself and other questions, you are relying on your own fortitude, and trusting others.
In time management, the best way to get something done is by keeping it simple. Simple means to put a plan in motion that will work smoothly and effectively that will allow you to reach the goal you have set.

When setting goals, you should scrutinize carefully which strategies might work most effectively to reach that goal. You will want a plan that is logical and uncomplicated, but that takes into account that there might be setbacks along the way. Since no plan is perfect, keep in mind when you are creating a plan for time management that things could go wrong, so that you are not thrown off when there is a crisis.

Life is too short to waste time on not getting the job done, and time is money. Learning how to manage your time effectively will help you to reach all of your goals. Everything is at the mercy of time. There is no getting around it. Learning how to manage what we can control is the best way to achieve goals with less stress.

If you do your job and do it well, you will brand yourself into a person really good in that job. However, when it comes time to promote, the management team is looking for a leader and leaders typically need to be fully engaged in the company. They need to care about their job and role but also need to care about the business in its entirety.
What Else Am I Supposed To Do Besides My Job?

I think many people do not realize while you were hired to do a job, it’s also your responsibility to be a part of the company and to do whatever it takes for the company to be successful.

These are the top 10 things that I think are important for everyone to do. If you follow these guidelines you will stand out at work and will have the best opportunities to advance:

1. Always Offer Ideas And Suggestions
Start with your own job and if you have a way it can be done more efficiently, suggest it. Even if your manager balks at it, keep making suggestions wherever you can.
2. Do Not Sit Quietly In Meetings
We have all been in meetings where there are people who talk and people who do not. Contribute any way you can and contribute on a high level. When management is in meetings with you, they take notice of the contributors. Leaders are not silent in meetings.
3. Do MORE Than What Your Job Requires
For example, if you work in customer service and someone needs help, go beyond offering “standard help.” Instead of saying to a customer, “Call this number and they can help you,” do it for them! Customers like to compliment great service. It is a big deal when upper management or the President hears from customers and they are complimenting YOU.
4. Always Offer To Help Others
Become the “go to” person- the person that can be counted on to help. If you are that person, it will go a long way!
5. Be Proactive
Anticipate problems that might arise and come up with suggestions to fix them. Do not wait for things to happen and be a “reactive” employee. We all have had those moments where we know we could do more if we wanted to. When you have that moment, come up with a plan and do it (or share it with a supervisor).
6. Become A Part Of The Company
Join a safety committee or a diversity committee or any other group where you feel you can make a great contribution.
7. Do Things Without Being Asked
If you see that something needs to be done and nobody is doing it, DO IT. Even if it is just cleaning up after a potluck lunch or helping with a company party. I am amazed by how few people do this. People who hang back and help out stand out.
8. Volunteer Wherever You Can
If someone sends an e-mail out asking for volunteers – do it if you can. If someone sends out an e-mail about a new initiative in the company, reply and say, “This sounds great! Let me know if there is anything I can do to help. I would love to be a part of this!” Management loves this.
9. Take The Lead If You Can
Someone has to be the leader, shouldn’t it be you? If it is not you, still contribute at a high level. Throw out ideas and suggestions. Challenge things that do not make sense. If you do this respectfully, you will stand out. Once again, silence does not get you noticed, it gets you overlooked.
10. Never Bad Mouth The Company
Talk it up and do your job as if you ARE a leader there. If you do not agree with something, ask questions. Running around badmouthing the company or complaining about your job is a cancer in the company. It will kill any opportunities to advance and may even kill your job.

When you are at work, always seek out ways to improve the company. Become a integral part of taking your company to the next level.

If you show your interest lies far beyond yourself, your job, and your income, you’ll stand out and you’ll be setting yourself up to become a future leader in the company.

In Recognition and Memoriam to America’s living and deceased Veterans,
America’s First Class Citizens
______________________________
By Terry Richards
Veterans Advocate & Freelance Journalist
______________________________

INFORMATION ABOUT VETERANS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW

There are about 209 million adult men and women 18 and over in America.

There are about 25 million living Veterans of America’s Armed Forces. That means only about 12% of the total adult population 18 and over in America have served their country, and 88% have not.

About 24 million or 96 % of the 25 million living Veterans of America’s Armed Forces are men.

There are about 101 million adult men 18 and over in America. That means only 23.7% of the total adult men in America have served their country, and 76.3% have not.

About One million or 4% of the 25 million living Veterans of America’s Armed Forces are women.

There are about 108 million adult women 18 and over in America. That means less than 1% of the total adult women in America have served their country, and more than 99% have not.

Of these 25 million living Veterans of America’s Armed Forces:

About 18.8 million or 75% are War Veterans.

About 2.3 million or about 9% of these Veterans are receiving Service-connected disability compensation for injuries or disease incurred or aggravated by Military Service to their country.

About 353,000 or about 1.4% of these Veterans are receiving non-Service connected disability pensions because they became disabled after active service and are unable to work, and their incomes are below the means threshold established by law.

In the American Revolution, (1775-1783), 4,435 American soldiers died.

In the War of 1812, (1812-1815), 2,260 American soldiers died.

In the Indian Wars, (1817-1898), 1,000 American soldiers died.

In the Mexican War, (1846-1848), 1,733 American soldiers died in battle. Another 11,550 died in non-theatre operations for a total of 13,283 deaths of American soldiers during this period of war.

In the Civil War, (1861-1865), 140,414 Union soldiers, and 74,524 Confederate soldiers died in battle for a total of 214,938 battlefield deaths. Another 224,097 Union soldiers, and 59,297 Confederate soldiers died in non-theatre operations for a total of 498,332 Union and Confederate soldiers deaths during this period of war.

In World War One, (1917-1918), 53,402 American soldiers died in battle. Another 63,114 died in service from non-theatre operations in other parts of the world, for a total of 116, 516 deaths of American soldiers during this period of war.

In World War Two, 1940-1945, 291,557 American soldiers died in battle. Another 113,842 died in non-theatre operations in other parts of the world, for a total of 405,399 deaths of American soldiers during this period of war.

In the Korean War, (1950-1953), 33,686 American soldiers died in battle. Another 2,830 died in other in-country theatre related deaths for a total of 36,516 American soldier deaths in the Korean War. Additionally, 17,730 American soldiers died in non-theatre operations in other parts of the world for a total of 54,246 American soldier deaths during this period of war.

In the Vietnam War, (1964-1975), 47,410 American soldiers died in battle. Another 10,788 died in other in-country theatre related deaths for a total of 58,198 American soldiers’ deaths in the Vietnam War. Additionally, 32,000 died in service from non-Vietnam theatre operations in other parts of the world, for a total of 90,198 deaths of American soldiers during this period of war.

In the Gulf War, (1990-1991), 148 American soldiers died in battle. Another 235 died in other in-country theatre related deaths for a total of 383 American soldier deaths in this Gulf War. Additionally, 914 died in service from non-theatre operations in other parts of the world for a total of 1297 deaths of American soldiers during this period of war.

Since world war one, about 142,000 of Americas Veterans were captured and interned in enemy POW camps. About 17,000 of these Veterans died while a POW.

Since the American Revolution through the 1990-1991 Gulf War there have been about 42.3 million Veterans who have served in America’s Armed Forces.

Of these 42.3 million Veterans, about 894,000 or 2.1% died in battle or other related deaths while serving their country.

*In the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars (2001-present), over 1,700 American Soldiers have died in battle, and over 8,000 have been wounded as of July 04, 2005.
______________________________

*SOURCES: Time Almanac 2001 and 2003; Pentagon and News Media
Reports as of July 04, 2005.
_____________________________

Good news: You don’t need a huge marketing budget to promote your business. Why not? There are abundant opportunities to gain exposure through social media.

“Customer-ize” your marketing. Since social media is all about engagement, use social media platforms to learn about your customers, identify topics that matter to them, and engage with them rather than sell to them. Ask questions, solicit opinions, and find ways to strengthen connections. Get people talking about your product or service.

Platforms. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest are essential platforms. For these and others, there are many low-cost/no-cost ways to reach out. Here are some from an article on bootstrap marketing in The Balance:

• Blog: Start your own blog and/or comment on other related blogs.
• Vlog: Upload videos to a branded YouTube channel or embed video on your website and share on social channels.
• Post a podcast, webinar, or tutorial workshop, or host a real-time Q&A session.
• Use Meetup to organize networking events with potential customers and demo or distribute samples of your products.

Spotting trends. These approaches can help you spot trends. Focus on what people are searching for online; keyword research is an easy way to identify hot topics, and there are free tools, such as the Google Keyword Planner and Soovle, for this. Getting to know, understand, and communicate with your customers is probably the most powerful marketing technique you can use. Best of all, when you do this through social media, the only real expenditure is your time.

These days all the information you need to grow your business digitally is available on the Internet. That said, some of the information on the internet is full of marketing myths and will lead you astray.

If you want your business to grow to a new height, you need to give all of your attention to digital marketing. In order for your online business to succeed, you have to make sure that you are using a firm and reliable hosting platform. It is ideal to hire best digital marketing company for the promotion of your business.

In this article, we will see 5 digital marketing myths.

#1 Digital marketing is only for big businesses
This was true in the past. But nowadays, many things have changed. Technology has developed. It is now very easy for you as a small business owner to get your hands on software that is critical for business growth. If you have a strong online presence it is going to make your business grow. The number of people using social media and digital searching for online businesses continues to grow.

Your business website is just like your salesperson and receptionist. The bottom line here is that digital marketing is not just for big business, but small and medium-sized businesses can also benefit from it.

#2 Email marketing is spam
Clients, as well as business owners, are surprised after learning that email marketing is one of the most under rated marketing medium and but it is actually a great channel with high ROI. The truth is that email marketing is just like any other channel. If it is rightly used, it will command great effects for your business. Most people actually prefer email marketing for their businesses.

On the other hand, if it is misused, you will get very little output from it. Many business owners misuse it by spamming. This may give it a bad name, but it does not mean that is ineffective. A lot of small businesses have grown to new heights because they were able to make good use of their email marketing list.

#3 You need to be on every social media platform
There are many communities and demographics on the internet. Not all of the targeted groups are going to be interested in the goods you sell or the services your render. Targeting random groups and communities online is not the best way for increasing your customers. Rather, you should focus your attention only a handful of people who are actually interested in your products and services.

There are several ways through which you can get in touch with your targeted demographics. One of the most effective way to get in touch with the targeted audience is through various social media platforms that are available. The myth that you need to be on every social media platform is a complete sham because your targeted audiences are close to a few platforms.

Giving your complete attention to 2 or 3 social media platform is better than giving a fringe of your attention to all of them.

#4 Results are instant
Many people have the belief that if you work hard and do everything right, you are going to get instant results for your hard work. Well, the truth is that even if you have worked very hard on a campaign, you may not get the results of your hard work immediately. Most of the time, digital marketing yields good results in the long run. Digital marketing can be easily tracked. This, therefore, gives you an avenue to determine if a campaign is yielding good results or not.

#5 It is better to use duplicate content
Many websites and business owners believe that copying and posting content is okay. But what they don’t see is that each time they duplicate content, Google penalizes them. If you repeat your website content, Google is going to reduce your ranking, because you are not offering anything valuable.

The content on your website must resonate with your customer and provide them with valuable information that encourages them to work with you or purchase from you as a business. Great content means great benefits for your company.

Final note
When starting with your digital marketing journey, avoid the marketing myths by only hunting information from reputable sites or seek the help and advice of digital marketing agency that has your business’s best interests in mind.