Business Blogging Tips - Beginning to Blog

The case for business blogging has been made loud and clear. A well-implemented company blogging strategy generates a valuable interaction point with customers and prospects, a "thought leader" reputation for the company and lots of "content food" for search engines to absorb. However, dipping that first toe into the blogging pool can be a daunting task and tons of companies have trouble figuring out where to start.

It's best to examine the overall goals of a blog first:

• A blog is social
• A blog provides valuable content for readers
• A blog is constantly updated with new content.
• A blog gives value to its owner, commonly called a "new" asset in the IP industry

A blog, tied to your company's domain and constantly updated with content, will do wonders for your search engine rankings, without having to pay an SEO company thousands of dollars to plug in keywords. All search engines love fresh, new content, so having a site that lives on your domain getting loaded up with fresh text will increase your "authority" and level of relevance with the search engines. The blog will work even harder once other sites considered "authorities" or "experts" on your subject matter start linking to your blog posts. Those other sites will effectively share their "search karma" with your blog, which will reflect well on your corporate domain.

The Power of Time and Passion

The only real factor in the success of a blog is the content. The blog's author needs to be passionate about the material, and available to write a lot of it. Often, a company will pull their marketing coordinator, primary public relations person or someone else who's already got a full plate and say "congratulations: you're our new blogger." For some of them it like saying, "Hi, we are the government, we're here to help", in the fact it is not really a promotion but a drag on their time. Blogging requires significant time and a writer who wants to write. If blogging is something that an otherwise busy employee "squeezes in" grudgingly between other things, it's going to come out in the writing, and the readers will connect that sense of disinterest with your company.

"So...what do I write about?"

A common misconception is that blog topics must flow like wine from the imagination of the author. Unless you're extremely passionate about your subject matter, coming up with unique and interesting topics on a weekly (or more frequent) basis can be horrifying. Use your audience. Think about the types of people who would visit your blog, and find out where they "play" online. Check out industry blogs and forums. Search Twitter and Facebook for common keywords in your business. Think of questions you hear frequently from customers. Assign someone to point out relevant topics and ask other to write about them. Good writers need topics, that's all, most of the time.

Now take all this "topic fuel" and make yourself a schedule. Plan out 10, 12, even 24 blog posts in advance. If you just say "I'll write a blog post each week," frankly, you won't; the stress of sitting down and coming up with a topic will be too much. If, however, you've got a timed list of pre-selected topics that you just need to expand on, the task becomes a lot more approachable. Always leave yourself with a few topics out in the future and "in the bag" so you never run out of "fuel." As important current events pop up, or time-sensitive posts need to be made, you can easily maneuver them into your post schedule.

Don't forget the "Social."

Human beings instinctively need to be part of social groups; it's the reason we join sports teams and clubs. Now, when they hear "social media," most people immediately think of Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other networking sites. Remembering that blogs are also part of the social media world will go a long way in making your blog popular and securing repeat visitors.

To make your blog a truly social interaction, you need traffic. To help pull that traffic, go back to those blogs, forums and networking sites where you did your topic research. Create accounts there and make sure to include a link to your blog in your signature and/or profile. Now, talk! Take part in the discussions, link to your own blog posts (only when relevant: don't spam) and offer some valuable "insider information." Don't speak as a representative of a company; don't even mention your company. Communicate as just another user interested in the topic at hand. If you provide useful information to the community, they'll click your links and follow you back home.

Once they're at your site, you've got to engage your audience. Leave "comment bait" in your posts; ask questions directly to the commentators, look for opinions, and reply as much as possible. If you look active and interested in the community, the community will respond well. To take your blog into the future, you simply need to repeat these steps and nurture that community. Do your audience research, write valuable posts and participate in the communities on and off your site. Once you get into the routine of careful blog maintenance, the content will flow and those daunting first steps will be miles behind you.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Business-Blogging-Tips:-Beginning-to-Blog&id=6054559

Emu Farming Industry

Although emu farming is a fairly new industry, great strides have been made into turning a once hobby farm animal into a highly productive and profitable business venture. Farming with livestock usually demands a high capital investment, and a lot of space, to make it profitable and productive. Emu farming on the other hand is low maintenance, and minimal space, and less capital investment is required.

The emu bird is a hardy animal, which adapts easily to varying circumstances. In their home habitat in the Australian Outback, they are used to climate extremes, with extremely hot summers, and cold winters. There is little rainfall, and at times minimal foraging ground. Emus have few natural enemies, especially when fully grown.

Emu farming has a variety of revenue creating potential markets:

• The selling of young chicks and/or fertile emu eggs 

• The selling of slaughter-ready / breeder emu birds 

• Emu meat 

• Emu feathers 

• Emu skin 

• Emu dung as fertilizer 

• Infertile emu eggs for those interested in egg carving

Emu farming can be a profitable venture in small or large-scale. The venture can be a low input farming industry, where the birds are left to flock together in large camps, and where they fend for themselves most of the time. Minimal feed is given additionally, mainly in dry seasons when foraging is scarce, or to fatten the emu birds a few months prior to slaughter. Emus are allowed to make nests, brood the eggs and raise their own young. This method generally works well in the following circumstances:

• Low initial investment is available

• Large areas are available, with adequate foraging ground. (Emu birds eat mainly grasses, roots and leaves, with berries, fruit and insects making another, smaller portion of their diet.)

• Minimal labor is available

• Emu farming will remain a small-scale enterprise

The second method of emu farming is far more intensive. It requires more capital outlay, and requires more labor. Emus are kept in smaller pens, and are fed nutritionally balanced feed every day. They forage minimally. Breeding emu birds are kept in separate cages from growing slaughter birds. The emu eggs are removed from the nests daily, and incubated artificially. The chicks are raised in rearing pens, and are not placed with the parents.

Emu farming on this intensive scale is beneficial if:

• Naturally growing feed is limited 

• Higher initial capital outlay is available, especially for the purchase of feed 

• Farming is to be on a large-scale 

• Additional labor is available 

• An incubator is available

The benefits of this intensive emu farming method are immense:

• More eggs are laid, and more chicks are hatched and raised 

• Unproductive or less productive emu birds can be singled out, and removed from the breeding program 

• The emu birds generally have a thicker layer of fat, and are larger 

• Production is thus less costly per kg (lb.) of fat and meat produced, than with the free-roaming method. 

• Chick survival rate is higher when raised away from the parents

Whichever method you choose for beginning your emu farming venture, you will find it to be a profitable business that has a lot of growth potential, and high profitability as well.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6048178

An Interest In Math Could Lead To An Accounting Degree

Math whiz-kids: are you looking for a career that every business needs, doesn't come with a lot of stress and has job placement almost instantly upon graduation? Look no further than a degree in accounting. Career training can range from certificates to Master's degrees in accounting. Most accountants hold at least a Bachelor's degree.

To make the grade, you'll have to be analytical, interpret facts and figures quickly plus sport the ability to clearly and concisely communicate the results to management or clients. High standards of integrity are an important trait in this profession. Since the recent financial catastrophes and Ponzi schemes have hit the news, you'll more likely be closely monitored, at least initially.

Accounting is a system of economic information that's identified, recorded, summarized and reported. Then the managers and decision-makers decide on a course of action based upon the findings. Computers handle most of the mundane tasks of accounting, so professionals are freed up to spend more time analyzing data. Two of the newest study areas to combine accounting degrees are ethics and computer science.

Staying current with industry standards and technological applications is imperative in maintaining a successful, progressive accounting career. Even accountants with degrees seek continuing education or work towards more specialized degrees. Online classes allow more students to join the growing industry or take refresher courses or earn advanced degrees.

Although this is one career where advancement is steady, the competition is also fierce and it looks like it will remain competitive for many years to come. Certification requirements will probably become more rigorous, specialization will become more evident and accountants with the highest degrees will be much sought after. Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certification not only demonstrates your professional commitment and expertise, but it is also a crucial designation to perform certain functions. For instance, only a CPA has the ability to sign an audit option, which is the official declaration representing a company's financial position.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, accounting is divided into four categories: public accountants, management accountants, government accountants and auditors/internal auditors. Each category has its own niche that it covers. Public accountants focus primarily on auditing and tax-related functions. Management accountants often start as trainees in a corporation and work as cost accountants or internal auditors. Government accountants oversee the performance and allocation of government funding. Internal auditors conduct compliance audits and accounting information systems.

There are also private and public accountants. Public accounting offers higher salaries, more variety and better opportunities for advancement based on merit. Your actual working hours as a public accountant will be applied to your CPA requirements. Private accounting is considered more stable with a fixed location, set hours and steady workload. Private accountants also usually get a Bachelor's degree, but aren't required to have a CPA.

Solar Products For Business Applications

Contemplating the use of commercial solar products for your business? You are not alone. Continued dependence on nonrenewable resources has led to skyrocketing energy costs, both in terms of the monthly bottom line and the future of our children. Many businesses are looking to alternative energy sources to lower their monthly bills as well as to counterbalance any detrimental ecological impacts by their business. Commercial solar products are growing in popularity precisely because they are simultaneously good for business and good for society in general.

Commercial solar products are primarily beneficial due to the abundance of the resources they use. There is no doubt that the planet's most prolific source of energy is the sun - it is the most basic source of life on this earth. Solar energy feeds the plants through photosynthesis, the plants feed the animals, and we get our sustenance from both the flora and fauna. Taking our cue from the natural world, we see that solar energy is a logical and boundless source of energy for many of our modern needs.

Solar technology generally falls into two categories, passive and active; the manner in which a technology captures, converts and distributes solar energy can be either active or passive. Whereas active solar technologies collect and harness solar energy for use via solar panels, passive solar technology refers more to architectural techniques to improve energy use, such as the use of materials which naturally insulate, or orienting the building itself to the sun for improved solar power capture.

While it can be difficult to incorporate passive solar technology into your pre-existing space, active solar technology is only as far away as a phone call. Most commercial solar products utilize active solar technology, meaning you can see the results quickly and clearly. From solar roof panels, to solar water heaters and solar attic fans, even solar power ventilation systems, there is a solar solution that can benefit your business - today and all the tomorrows.

Regardless of the type of business, from farms and factories to downtown high rises or home offices, commercial solar products are a smart business investment. Whether you are a new company founded on a green ethos, or third generation family businesses hoping to find new ways of increasing your bottom line, you can never overestimate the impact commercial solar products can have on your business.

The energy cost savings is only one benefit of embracing solar energy for your business. Another benefit is showing your customers your active concern for the environment by having taken active steps to reduce your company's carbon footprint. Corporate concern for environmental issues is now a consideration for consumers as they choose which products to buy. In short, your company saves money, takes a lead in corporate responsibility, and broadens its appeal to energy conscious consumers.

Lowest Hotel Rates for Business Travel

If this is the year that your business is taking a fresh look at reducing lodging costs, join the crowd.

A new survey of travel managers, conducted by Carlson Wagonlit Travel's Travel Management Institute, puts optimizing hotel spend among the top priorities this year for the travel managers surveyed.

With industry experts forecasting hotel rate hikes this year, many companies are looking for better workforce travel savings and solutions. For many, the solution is putting a lodging savings card in the hands of their employees who travel.

It gives small business travelers access to the low hotel rates that are negotiated privately by lodging management providers for larger corporate clients.

The savings card is particularly aimed at businesses with workforce travelers, those employees who hit the road in boots - not suits - to get the job done. Typically, these travelers stay in economy and midscale hotels like Best Western, Hampton Inn, Ramada, Holiday Inn, Super 8 and Comfort Inn.

No More Bargain Rates

Having an advantage like a lodging savings card is more important than ever this year since hotel deals and bargains are going to be tougher to find.

The January 2011 forecast from PricewaterhouseCoopers said hotel prices will be 5.1 percent higher than last year, citing Smith Travel Research data. Colliers PKF Hospitality Research estimates a 4.6 percent rise.

These rising prices likely will make it tougher difficult for businesses - particularly small businesses - 

to negotiate their own low rates.

Finding Privately Negotiated Rates

The key to getting the lowest hotel rates is having enough volume to negotiate a private rate. Small businesses usually are hampered by low volume, which drives the lower rate negotiations that larger companies and lodging management providers can achieve.

Unless a small business is targeting a location where it has 25 room nights or more a month, it can be difficult to get a private rate that is lower than other publicly available prices.

A lodging savings card provides access to those low negotiated rates at thousands of hotels. Many companies find their hotel savings are dramatic, including companies that save thousands of dollars a year.

Savings Card Advantages

The card works particularly well for per diem and seasonal travelers since there is no annual fee or minimal usage requirements. 

A company signs up for the card and registers a credit card for billing. Company travelers present the card at check-in to the front desk at any of thousands of participating hotel locations.

The hotel sends the stay details to the lodging management provider that provides the savings card, who then bills the registered credit card.

An invoice statement is posted to the savings card online account, where the company can review it for easy credit card reconciliation. That means no more tracking down hotel receipts or playing detective work with purchase orders.

More than 10,000 smaller companies from the trucking, retail, staffing, energy, food service and other industries already are saving every day.

What Is Cloud Computing

Cloud computing refers to anything that involves providing hosted services over the Internet. These computing services are not games for the big guys only. Many small businesses can obtain huge benefits from SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) and the other forms of grid computing such as Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS). Most small businesses benefit from advanced technologies and the services that these technologies may offer. However, some small businesses were forced to refuse the utilization of advanced technologies, simply because of the cost. This innovation provides the opportunity to not only reduce IT costs, but to also enhance advanced IT services.

Cloud computing has many definitions but since they are more or less technical in nature, therefore, here is a simple definition. Moreover, it helps small businesses manage huge IT workloads and increase the overall business productivity. Similarly to virtualization which is considered as part of an overall trend in enterprise IT, cloud computing has already become conventional and now even small businesses and individuals can use the system and take advantage of it.

Why a Small Business Benefits from SaaS and Cloud Computing in General?

The benefits of this remarkable technology for a small business are relatively tangible and this is why this type of technology has become very popular. Cloud computing provides the major advantages for a small business. These benefits that make cloud computing a practical option for small businesses. As you see, the advantages of cloud computing are not only financial and for many small companies these benefits can really mean a lot.

Cost Reduction

Small business owners do not have to purchase hardware or software to run the applications they need for their businesses. This significantly decreases their expenses. In this relation they can think of cloud computing as a form of renting the capacity you need as opposed to purchasing.

Fewer Resources

This methodology does not require a large amount resources. Other than serious cost savings that it can give, another advantage is that since business owners do not have to deal with it in-house, they do not need to hire an army of IT professionals to set up and implement the software necessary for their businesses. These savings from salaries could even go over the savings from hardware and software, which is one more reason why cloud computing is really a good option. Operational costs are only a part of continuing maintenance expenditures for an in-house solution, so actually the savings span throughout time.

Flexibility

It facilitates more flexibility. For example, the principle is Pay-as-you-go. Clients pay only for what they have used. With in-house set up, clients have fixed operating costs that go out of their pockets even when they do not use the application.

New Technologies

It allows business owners to experience new technologies. New technologies are costly and even if business owners have the budget to purchase them in-house, the investment is useless since new technologies get old pretty fast.

And Cloud Computing Comes Risk-Free?

Like any other applications, cloud computing does have its own risks but if business owners know what to watch for and choose genuine professionals, then they will barely have cloud computing bad stories to tell. With Saas, the biggest risk is data security, followed by service availability, but if you sign with a trustworthy company, then the risks is drastically reduced.