Breaking Business Plans Down to Smaller Steps
Pay Attention To Trademarks And Copyrights
So you've put all this work into your business: you've got a name, you've made some marketing materials, even written some things for your customers. If you don't want your competitors to be able to take what you've done and exploit it, though, you're going to need to take some steps to protect yourself.What's in a Name?Your name is one of the most important assets your business has -- it's how your customers identify you. Knowing your name is the first step to trusting you and recommending you to others. But what can you do if you're afraid that someone else might start using your name, or simply start another company with a similar enough name to confuse people?The answer is that you can register a trademark. A trademark is a word or logo that distinguishes one thing from another, and you have the right to register any names or logos your business uses, in order to stop other people from using them. Coca-Cola, for example, is a trademark of the Coca-Cola Company -- if I start selling my own drink and calling it 'Coca-Cola', or even something like 'Cocoa-Cooler', then they have grounds to sue me.Making Your Mark.You can trademark both your business' name as well as the names of any products you sell. The only condition is that they can't be too similar to names that someone has already trademarked, and you can't usually trademark words that are in common use.It costs a few hundred dollars to register a trademark, and you can do it through the patent office. It can be a waste of money to trademark too many words, so you should only bother with it if you think one of your names could be threatened by competitors.Once you get your trademark, it's yours -- you can do whatever you want with it, including giving others permission to use it or selling it to them. Remember, though, that your trademark usually only applies in the country where you registered it -- you will not usually be protected from competition where foreign businesses are using your trademark. Also, your right to use the trademark will only last for a set number of years (usually a decade from the date of registration). After this time, you will have to pay again to renew it.Don't Copy Me.Copyrights are similar to trademarks in terms of the kind of protection they offer, but different in how they work. In almost all countries, ownership of copyright is automatic, and costs nothing. The moment you write (or draw, or record) something, you own the copyright on it, and can take action against anyone who makes a copy of it without your permission. This article you're reading right now, for example, has the automatic copyright. If you decided to copy it without permission and put it on your own website, then that would be illegal. Not that you would do such a thing, of course.It is possible to own the copyright on almost anything that exists but isn't physical: music, graphics, writing, computer programs, and so on. It does not, however, cover physical things (that's patents), nor does it cover names (that's trademarks).A copyright lasts longer than a trademark: typically it lasts until you die, and then a set number of years after that, depending on your country and the kind of thing that was copyrighted. After the end of this time, the work becomes 'public domain', free for anyone to use.Of course, copyright is a right, not something that you absolutely must go along with. If you want to give people permission to freely use and redistribute something you've made, then you have the legal right to do this. You can even give up your copyright on a piece of work altogether, simply by writing on it that you no longer want to own the copyright.Since you're in business, though, the chances are that you'll want more protection for your materials, not less. Look into registering your copyright at the patent office, as doing this will give you an even stronger case if you ever need to use it.
Australian Florist
Flowers are beauty personified. Available in different variety they range from some beautifully grown ones like roses to the wild variety like primrose. The market for these flowers is flourishing in Australia. Australian florists have been doing the online flower business for a while now and this is one of the most lucrative trades here. Some of the online florists available in Australia are:Kellee FlowersAberdeen floristsAdelaide floristsAlbion Park floristsKeith florists Anglesea floristsBassendean florists Frankston florists Kempsey florists Kerang florists Kellee Flowers are for all occasions, be it wedding or birthdays they add that special touch to everything. Kellee flowers being the best online Australian florists make it easy for you to send flowers anywhere in Australia. There wide spread service can make your loved ones feel special by the beautiful bouquets that are delivered to them for an occasion or just a reminder of love. The online service makes it easy to pick and send the flowers. The payment is done through the credit cards and the flowers are delivered at the required address on the requested date and time. Kellee flowers have made it their business to provide the most beautiful and fresh flowers to their customers. The different types of flowers available at Kellee flowers are:Wedding flowersCorporate flowersSympathy flowersThese flowers range from velvet finished roses that are everyones favourites in Australia to lilies and orchids that smell heavenly. The grace lent by these flowers is just unexplainable. The wedding flowers add a touch of sensitivity and passion to the entire dcor. Corporate ones bring the dull wood furniture of the offices to life by breathing in freshness into the entire surrounding. And not to forget the touch of calmness and company the flowers give when someone dear to an individual is no more. The flowers are delivered throughout Australia in the form of bouquets and the size depends on the occasion. The price also varies according to the size. Flowers for one and all are present at Kellee flowers and they are professionals in flowers delivery across Australia. They cover huge areas and are know for their competent service in the Australian florists category.
Hate Your Workspace? Convincing Your Boss To Change It Could Benefit Everyone
Working inside an office cubicle may be hazardous to your workplace happiness. As a matter of fact, if you aren't satisfied with the physical workspace at your current job, you have lots of company. A recent study found that nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of respondents felt the same way.That's something many businesses are taking note of. With more people spending more time in their office, the visual appeal and physical comfort of their work environment are becoming increasingly important.How important?It's been shown that properly designed workspaces can increase employee productivity, creativity and collaboration. To make that happen, one Connecticut-based company built an 85,000-square-foot, high-tech, open office complete with chairs and movable desk configurations on wheels, no cubicles and a rotating collection of art from local artists.Open Door-less PolicyEmployees at that firm, Vertrue Incorporated, can still find privacy for meetings or phone calls in separate "quiet rooms." However, their computers are connected to an "Electric Eel," a set of springing cable cords that extend from the ceiling and provide the voltage to power each mobile workstation. This allows them to roll up next to their colleagues for impromptu meetings.And that open "door-less" policy extends all the way up to CEO Gary Johnson. "It's part of our commitment to making this a happier, more fun place to work," he said. Convincing Your BossSo how do you get your employer to make changes? And should you aim for the same lactation room for nursing mothers, high-tech caf featuring flat-screen TVs, and "comfort room" for ill employees that Vertrue opted for?Experts say you should consider the following tips:• Conduct research on the Internet on other companies that have created open-office environments.• Ask your boss or human resources representative for a private meeting to discuss these ideas. • Create and distribute an employee survey, asking others for their suggestions on which changes in the office might make them happier on the job.Remember, the space you work in can affect the pace you work at.
Work From Home Business - 4 Most Popular And Quickest Ways Start Working From Home
It is very trendy to have a work from home business these days. Making money online is increasingly becoming popular as people seek to be in charge of their financial situation, earn income from home and get a better work-life balance. The internet is full of various opportunities for making money online. However, besides the genuine ways to make money online, there are also some scams which pry on those who are not well-informed about the legitimate and proven ways to make money online.So, with all the various opportunities and ways of making money available online, which is the best one to choose? What are the best work-from- "home business" ideas?For a lot of people intending to start a work-from-home business, how to get started and the business opportunity to choose is the biggest challenge. Key questions which people will have are: Is this the right work from home business idea for me? Do I need a lot of experience to succeed in this business? How much money do I need to get started in this business? Is it a proven work from home business?Presented here are the best and quickest ways for anyone to start a work from home business, regardless of their experience.Affiliate programs and other peoples products...Affiliate programs are a very easy work from home business idea. Affiliate programs are a way of making money whereby you can promote products, services or a business opportunity that is set up by the business owner, in return for a commission. The amount of commission you can earn varies widely, from about 15% to 70%.So, what are the advantages of affiliate programs? With affiliate programs, you need only a very small capital outlay for such things as getting a website, and ongoing promotional costs. You do not have to actually create a product of your own, or stock the products you promote. Your sole aim is to advertise your website and the products, create as many sales as possible, and gradually increase your commission checks. This makes affiliates the best and easiest way to make money online.Private Label Resell Rights ProductsWhat are private label resell rights products? They are products that are created already, and you can claim ownership of these products and market them as your own.What are the key advantages of a private resell rights home business opportunity? You get a ready-to-market product, so you can be in business even if you do not know how to create a product yourself. You can market the products and keep all the profits. You can start to make money online quickly.Resell Rights Products...Resell rights products are products that are already created and are accessible to anyone who is able to pay for the Resell Rights to market them.What are the advantages of a resell rights home business opportunity? You get to market a product that is already created, so you do not need to be experienced enough to create a product to start making money online. Sometimes you can get these products with websites that have already been created for you, so you can quickly start making some profits. You also get to keep all the profits.The only disadvantage of resell rights business is that you can not have ownership of the products, since the originator of the products retains the products ownership.Create your own product!For a lot of people planning to start a work-from-[*_*], this seems very challenging and daunting. However, it is not that very difficult because everyone knows a bit about something! All you have to do is to think about what you enjoy, what you know, what you have learnt; and put that into an e-book or a product which you would have established that there is demand for. Use what you know to start your own work from [*_*].These are the best ways to quickly and easily start a work from [*_*] and make money online. Working from home helps you to earn some extra cash and you have a chance to potentially earn a lot of money from home in the long term. With these proven methods of making money at home, anyone can start earning some money online, including you.
Creating a Business Strategy
On a scale of one to ten, having a good business strategy rates about a fifteen! No matter what kind of business you have -- whether you sell products or a service, as the saying goes, "if you fail to plan, then you're really planning to fail." Creating a strategy can mean the difference between you working 60 to 80 hours a week all year long -- and then breaking even, or worse, losing money. On the other hand, many successful entrepreneurs who have a strategy work fewer hours and make piles of money -- and they usually attribute their success to having a strategic plan and following it. So what is strategic business management? Very simply, it's the process of defining the goals and objectives for your business, creating an action plan so you can reach them and then following the plan. How do you create a strategic plan for you business? 1. First, know what your vision for your company is. If there were no barriers, nothing stopping you from taking your company as far as you could -- what would that look like? 2. Next, what are your company's core operating values? What are its guiding principles? In other words, why are you in business and how do you do business? 3. Now create a 3 to 5 year plan. Your long-term plan is based on the broad objectives that will help you get from where you are now, to where you want to be. 4. Develop a plan for this year. These are the specific objectives you plan to accomplish this year that will lead you closer to your long-term goals. Remember to be "SMART" when setting your annual goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-oriented). Include a list of the barriers that are stopping you from getting where you want to go. Figure out what resources you've already got, and what resources you need to get you past those barriers. And then create an action plan that clearly lays out how you will achieve your goals. Involve key employees with this part of the planning process. 5. Create a set of milestones or benchmarks. This is very important, so that you can measure your progress. 6. Share the plan with your employees, and anyone else who will be involved in the process. Your annual strategy is the roadmap that will make sure everyone ends up at the same destination -- but to be effective, everyone needs the same map! 7. Put the plan into action. Now that you have the roadmap, it's time to begin the journey. 8. Check your progress. Just like any trip, you need to check the map every now and then; to be sure you're still on the right road. If something isn't working, the sooner you figure it out and make the necessary adjustments, the sooner you'll be back on track. 9. Follow the same cycle next year. (Dream, Plan, Act, Check). Creating a "business strategy" and following it will ensure that you enjoy the journey as much as getting to your final destination.