Start A Gourmet Popcorn Business At Home!

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Why start a Gourmet Popcorn Business? Its one of the few businesses that can be started with a small investment and can bring big returns.

Starting a your own popcorn business has many advantages.

You can work from home.
You can work part time or full time.
You can keep your full time job.
You choose how you want to sell your Gourmet popcorn products.
You can start out small.
You dont need any inventory to start.
It allows you freedom.
You may have more tax breaks.

Now is a great time to start your own popcorn business. There are many different ways to market popcorn you are selling. You can work county and state fairs with a kettle corn pot or with a mobile popcorn cart or in a concession trailer selling fresh popcorn and popcorn balls. Maybe you prefer to market your own brand of gourmet popcorn flavors to sell over the Internet or in local stores. If your a people person you may wish to sell to the crowds at ballgames, fairs or carnivals.

Many online popcorn companies drop-ship the product for you. This is an ideal way to operate a Gourmet popcorn business without having to stock products or make your own popcorn.

You can keep working your regular job and operate your Gourmet Popcorn business at home. When you are ready you can take your business full time.

When you buy popcorn at a ballpark, fair grounds, amusement park or a mall? Have you noticed the volume of people and the amount of sales? Have you ever wondered how great their business is?

It is a very profitable business. You can make a 80-90% profit margin!

Now think back to how much you paid for a bag of some fresh cheddar cheese popcorn or caramel corn. Calculate the cost of popcorn kernels, popping oil, some caramel glaze or cheese powder. It’s clear to see that there are serious profits being made.

If this is such a Great business, why isn’t everybody doing it?
The people in the Popcorn industry DON’T want you to know!

What you need to get started is a successful business formula. This formula should include a compilation of tools, resources, research and materials that have been used for starting a popcorn business through the years. The following contents for the gourmet popcorn business success formula are:

Business Planning
Financial Planning
Marketing
Wholesale Supplier
Gourmet Popcorn Recipes
Software
Tools & Materials

The business planning package gives you the foundation and direction to start your new business. It should include a business start up check list, a self evaluation checklist, a business template and a retail planning book.

The financial planning package shows you how to write loan proposal that you can use to obtain a loan. The marketing package will help you present yourself as a professional business owner right after starting your new popcorn business.

A wholesale supplier package will give you a list of good reliable popcorn suppliers to work with. The Gourmet popcorn recipes package will give you at least 100 great gourmet popcorn recipes. You can ad your own recipes too!

A software package will give you inventory management software. This helps you manage your popcorn inventory and track your sales and profits. You will need graphics software for your ads and website.

The tools and materials package will give you some guides, checklists and formula information you will need to keep your business on track.

Before starting out, talk to a qualified tax or legal professional to help you with any tax laws or business questions.

Choosing Great Painting Business Names

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A good business name is necessary to help you to build a strong brand and market your services successfully. A strong brand will give your business an identity in the market place, help you to make a good first impression on people and help to build a positive reputation among customers in the long run.

Below we have set out a number of tips and ideas for you to consider as you proceed to think suitable painting company names.

Don’t Limit Future Opportunities

Effective business names give potential customers a clear message about what products or services a company offers. This is one sensible approach but it is important not to pigeon hole your business too much as you may want to change direction, sell the business or introduce new services at a later date. Your name should indicate what you do while still being general enough to offer flexibility.

By all means include the word ‘painting’ in your name, but don’t be too specific about the market that you are targeting or the exact services that you offer. If you feel that you will branch out into other areas in the future then the word ‘contractor’ may be more suitable.

You should also think twice before including the owners name in the business name. This can offer a nice personal touch and give customers the impression that they are dealing with somebody who has a good reputation. However, this approach can make it hard for you to sell your business if you want to do so at some point in the future.

Including the name of the area or region where you are doing business is also an option that usually works well. However, if you ever want to offer services outside of this zone then such a name can become irrelevant or confusing.

Memorable and Unique

A great name for a business is one that can be easily remembered. People should be able to recall it after hearing it only once or twice and they should be able to pronounce it correctly. Once you have a short list you can run some tests on family and friends. See which ones they were able to hear clearly over the phone and which ones they were able to remember a week later. If you can think of a name that will stick in peoples minds then you will really have their attention.

A great name should be unique and professional at the same time. If you look in The Yellow Pages or online you will find plenty of clever, catchy and creative painting business names. While names that are funny can sometimes get more attention, you may find that some sectors of the market don’t relate to them, misunderstand them or even find them offensive. The best choice is often to go with a more conservative sounding name. This will come across as being much more professional and appeal to a wider market.

Originality and Usage Rights

While you can look to other industries for inspiration, dont imitate the names of other local businesses too closely or you will risk confusing consumers. You need something that is truly original if you want your business to stand out.

Make sure that no other companies are already using the name that you would like to use. Search The Yellow Pages, the Internet and the database at your county clerks office to make sure that you dont infringe on the intellectual property of other companies or individuals.

Domain Name Registration

Check that there is a suitable domain name available and register it at the same time as you finalize your business name. You will need to get a website up at some time and it is nice to have a domain that matches your name.

Preferential Listings

Many people name their business ‘A Plus Painting’ or something similar because they want to be among the first listings in The Yellow Pages. This is becoming less important these days though as popular search engines on the Internet don’t display search results alphabetically.

Acronyms

Give some thought to acronyms. If done right they can be an easy way for customers and business associates to refer to your business by using the first letter of each word. Just make sure that you stay away from embarrassing or weird acronyms.

Expert Advice

Many people underestimate the importance of a business name. It is one of the elements that will help your company to win the hearts and minds of the marketplace over many years. Some smart entrepreneurs are now starting to hire naming experts to help them make this crucial decision. While it is unlikely that a small painting startup would go to such expense it wouldn’t hurt to run your ideas past someone with a decent level of experience in business.

Avoid a Name Change at All Costs

Sometimes it becomes necessary for businesses to change their names because they have become old fashioned or irrelevant. This may become necessary for you at some point in the future but you should do your best to avoid this. The costs associated with such a change can be extensive so your selection should be able to stand the test of time.

A Name That You Like

Above all, you, as the owner of a painting business have to have a name that you like. There is no point in using a name that sounds embarrassing or makes you cringe every time you say it. Your business name should inspire you and make you feel proud to be a painting contractor.

Dont treat the selection of your painting company name too lightly. Give this important decision the time that it deserves and come up with something that can carry your painting business forward to future success.

How To Improve Service Quality At Your Business

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Improving upon the service quality requires a lot of understanding on part of the customer service managers and the services staff to be successful at any business. An organization who can not understand or keep up with customers expectations can not flourish for long. Also it must be noted that not a single customer should be left out who can be valuable to your business, for ultimately it is the word of mouth reputation which works your way towards a growing and healthy business.

In todays organizations, often a customer service software is installed in order to maintain customer database and to take care of the existing customers. IBM is one such hot example of good service delivery organization where the Netcool software provided by them lends quality service management and customer experience management. This kind of software enabled management help the service providers to lower the operations costs and enhance the service quality. The employees at IBM are privileged to have the service management capabilities like real-time service status management, service performance management or customer experience management.

Apart from having a software to improve the service quality, there are other strategies which should be studied and implemented.

Always ask the customers for feedback: Whenever the customers come to you, ask them about your products, whether they purchase or do not purchase your products. If they have used your products previously and are satisfied, you have an extra edge to win over your customer. You can get the feedback forms filled by them and also ask them to give their suggestions

Maintain a record of complaints and act upon them: Maintaining a record is one thing but acting upon them is very vital to get more business from them. Study each complaint carefully, talk to each customer and take adequate actions.

Discuss the ways of service improvement: The employees of any organization should actively discuss the problems accrued by any customers. Regular meetings should be conducted in order to address every particular problem. If changes to be brought about has to be effected at the top level management, the necessary elements of meeting should be conveyed to them. Occasionally, role play should be taken up by employees in orde to understand the potential problem of the customers.

Reward your service staff: The service employees who work towards building a good relationship with the customers and also fetch business from them must be rewarded. If your employees are happy, indirectly your customers will also be happy. Also these employees must be motivated to perform on a regular basis.

Hire people who are interested in services industry: Many times, you hire people who do not have a knack to excel in the services sector. Those who have an experience in this line but no liking for services, will ultimately fail to deliver performance. So, its better to know and understand people during the time of interview.

Take heed of the above tenets of service and adopt them as your long-term or short-term goals. Do maintain a good rapport with your customers but do not stoop too much to their demands. Also, let your customers know clearly about the service practices so that they do not take undue advantage.

Advantages Of Business Presentation Folders

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There are many advantages of business presentation folders. One of the biggest is organization. Obviously, if you plan to present your company to potential clients, it’s important to stay organized. The other big thing is that you need to recognize that your presentation folders keep circulating after they leave your hands.

Your presentation folders are going to be spending more time than you might think in the hands of your clients. Not only can a great folder put your presentation at the front of the list, but it can invite reuse.

All offices need presentation folders, you see. So, your clients may decide that, rather than throw your folder out or toss it in some sort of dead folder file, they’ll actually re-purpose it to suit their own needs around the office. You may never know it, but you folder could circulate around their offices for days, weeks or even months after you’re gone, continuing the advertising campaign for you.

Those are some very good reasons to make sure that you put your best foot forward by creating the ultimate presentation folders. On top of those reasons, though, a customized folder can also show your creative side. Anyone can put paperwork in a folder. It takes time, care and imagination to make the folder part of the pitch, though. Companies are apt to recognize that extra effort.

Digital printing has made it easier than ever to make that extra effort. In fact, you can even design your own folders right on your computer. All it takes is a little time and templates, which you can download from your print company’s website.

The age of digital printing also means that you no longer have to buy folders in bulk. You can order them in any amount, including single folders. That saves money and also helps to save the environment.

Speaking of saving the environment, another great thing is that you can order folders that are made out of recycled materials. Not only will that give you a good feeling that you’re doing your part to save the environment, but it will also impress many of your clients.

In fact, you might influence your clients to recycle your folders themselves around their offices. After all, extra file folders always come in handy. That means that your company logo and mission statement could be seen a lot more often and by a lot more people than you expect.

So, regardless of what sort of presentation you’re creating, be sure to create the right folder for it. Whether you use gussets, bright colors or special business card holders, it can really make your presentation pop. In fact, for a little added flair, you can even customize the size and shape of your presentation folders. The choices are entirely up to you and the possibilities are only limited by your imagination.

The Benefits Of Leasing A Printer For Your Business Instead Of Buying One

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While increasing amounts of work are being done on computers and via email, the idea of the ‘paperless office’ has still not come to pass. All businesses need a printer as an essential part of their IT infrastructure, but a surprising number of businesses have not yet realised the benefits that leasing a printer can bring. Indeed, many small and medium enterprises are not even aware that leasing a printer is an option. So, what are the benefits of leasing a printer for businesses?

1) Reduced Capital Expenditure

The purchase of a new printer outright requires the spending of a significant sum of money – money that has to come from somewhere. It is either liquid cash that is no longer available for running costs or other purchases or requires a line of credit that could better be used for other requirements. Both of these options could be better used in other aspects of the business.

2) Enhanced Budget

A leasing option is in essence a one stop shop for a business’s printing needs. The business simply pays an agreed monthly fee for its printing infrastructure needs, allowing the cost to be spread out across the budget, with maintenance and replacement fees included in the price. This has important connotations for the next benefit.

3) No Surprise Expenditure

When a business owns its own printer it is responsible for repairing or replacing the printer should it wear out or malfunction. With a leasing option, these costs are covered in the price of the lease. A leasing option avoids a budget crunch when a printer needs to be replaced and removes the need to keep money in an emergency fund for printer expenses.

4) No Maintenance Worries

Money is not the only consideration – the time of a business and its employees is also valuable. Rather than having to organise printer replacement, maintenance or repairs themselves, a business with a leased printer can leave these activities to the leasing company, freeing up employee time for the core aspects of the business.

5) Avoidance of Obsolescence

Capital expenditure on a printer is basically a money-sink. IT infrastructure is constantly developing and hence a printer depreciates at a rapid pace. These factors reduce the benefit of having such an ‘asset’ on the company’s balance sheet.

6) Easy Upgrading

Should a business’s printing requirements change then those that own their own printers will need to write off their old hardware and make a new purchase. With a leasing option the business avoids such costly capital expenditure as they can simply renegotiate their lease with the supplying company. This is equally valuable in the case where printing requirements decrease, allowing the business to decrease the cost of their monthly lease without needing to purchase a whole new printer. This benefit is particularly advantageous to new or rapidly-growing businesses who may have quickly-changing requirements.

7) Removal of Disposal Worries

The responsibilities and worries associated with your IT infrastructure do not end when the printer has reached the end of its life. As with all IT hardware, the disposal of printers is covered by a plethora of rules and regulations. With a leasing option, this responsibility and its associated costs is removed from the business.

8) Increased Flexibility

With so many rapid and game-changing developments in printing technology and business practices occurring on a daily basis businesses need to be able to be flexible in their IT infrastructure. A printer lease increases this flexibility by requiring only a change in the lease rather than the purchase of new hardware by the company.