Business Requirements

Friday, January 23, 2009

How the Retailers Make you an Impulsive Buyer

There are always shopping carts.These have a huge bin compared with the size of most items for sale in the store, making it psychologically easy to toss in an item you don't need.Desirable departments are far away from the entrance.Most of the items you go to a department store to buy, such as light bulbs and laundry detergent, are located many, many aisles from the entrance.This means you spend your time walking by a lot of consumer goods on your way to find the item you want.

Impulse-oriented items are near the checkouts.Stores stock the latest DVD releases and glamour magazines there, along with overpriced beverages and candy.Because people leaving the store are thirsty, and they're going to be standing in line for a bit, which is the perfect place to entice them with some entertainment options.

The most expensive versions of a product are the ones at eye level.Take a look sometime at the arrangement of different choices for a particular product, such as laundry detergent.Almost every time, the most expensive options per unit are placed at eye level, so you see them first when you enter an aisle.The bulk options and better deals are usually on the bottom shelves.Items that aren't on sale are sometimes placed as though they are on sale, without using the word sale with a huge sign above them displaying the price, but it would be the same price you paid for them a week ago..

Commodity items, such as socks, are surrounded by non-commodity items, such as shirts and jeans.If you are looking to buy some socks, you have to traverse through a number of racks full of different types of clothing in the clothing section just to reach them.

If your mind is already open to the idea of buying clothes, you would be more likely to look at other clothing items.

Attractively packaged items are placed between less slickly packaged items.Look carefully at an aisle of, say, potato chips.The ones with the bright and slick packaging are generally more expensive, which isn't surprising.But notice that there usually isn't a section of just inexpensive chips.In most stores, they're sandwiched between more expensive items.If there is a section of just inexpensive items, they're much below the rack.Stores are designed to maximize the number of stops you have to make: aisles in which only two carts can fit, colorful and attractive layouts, escalators and, my favorite of all, sample vendors.Even if it's not conscious to you, every time you stop moving in a store, you increase your chances of putting something into your cart.

Essential items are placed in the middle of aisles, nonessential and overpriced items near the end because if you enter an aisle to get a staple item, you have to go by the other items twice; once on the way in and once on the way out.That gives these items two chances to be picked up by you.Some items are kept in cheap bins to make them appear as bargain sales by emulating the bargains found at cheaper stores, but the prices are still quite high.They just use the visual cue of a bargain store to make you think it is a bargain.

High-markup items are made to look prestigious.If you see something in a glass case that has lots of space around it, your gut reaction is to believe that it is valuable and prestigious to own, and for many people it can be as attractive as a light to a moth.The truth is that these items put there to make them distinguished.The most profitable department is usually the first one you run into, such as the cosmetic department is front and center.That's because it's very profitable, and by putting it in a place where people walk by time and time again, customers are more prone to making a purchase on an item with a very big markup.

Restrooms and customer services are usually right by the exit or as far from the exit as possible because if you need to use either one in the middle of a shopping journey, you have to walk by a lot of merchandise to reach the needed service, thus increasing your chances for an impulse buy.


About the Author

Anjitha Sakthidharan is a financial adviser and well known for his finance related articles .

You can find more financial articles written by the author by visiting the following link .
home finance uk


Relaited Links:

Labels: , , ,

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Which is Better: Building Your Own Storage Shed or Buying a Pre-Built Storage Shed?

As many homeowners have realized, there are a lot of things that need to be stored outside your home.For instance, a typical home requires a lawnmower to maintain the lawn, an edge trimmer to keep things looking neat, lawn chairs and garden furniture for seating, a grill for outdoor meals, and many other items that are bulky but necessary.

Storing these items becomes a bit of a challenge for those homeowners who don't have garages.Even for those with garages, the garage space fills up quickly, leaving the cars parked in the driveway or on the road.The solution to this problem is a storage shed.

Storage Shed Options
There are choices when it comes to putting up a storage shed.
Before investing in a storage shed, it's a good idea to make sure it will meet your current and future needs.Take a look at the options available for purchase before deciding on the shed for you.

- Site-Built Storage Sheds
A site-built storage shed is a shed that you build yourself on your property.
The advantage to this type of shed is that you can completely customize it for your needs.However, this type of shed has many distinct disadvantages.

The disadvantages of building your own storage shed include the time, money, and work involved in creating this type of structure.Building a shed is not a weekend project and shouldn't be undertaken by the first-time do-it-yourselfer.It's often more expensive to purchase the materials and build your own shed than it is to purchase a pre-built unit.

- Pre-Built Storage Sheds
A pre-built storage shed is put together at a factory and arrives completely constructed at your doorstep.
You don't need to be a carpentry expert to have one of these sheds, and you don't have to spend as much money on one of them as you would on building your own shed.

Because they are pre-built, these sheds are not fully customizable.However, there are a multitude of options available that are likely to meet the needs of any homeowner.In addition to being less expensive and less work, pre-built sheds also provide you with storage much more quickly.

Before You Buy a Storage Shed
There are several things you should consider before you invest in a storage shed.
In order to end up with the right storage shed for you, you should make sure you have a clear idea of your storage needs.

To get a good idea of what size and type of storage shed you need, make a list of everything you think you may store in the building.Some common items include the following:


- Lawn chairs and other garden furniture are a popular storage item.

If left outside year-round, your lawn furniture will have a much shorter lifespan.In addition, exposure to the elements will make your furniture less attractive and will contribute to peeling paint, fading, and mildew growth.

- Tools and yard equipment need a home too.Lawnmowers and other yard equipment are useful but also come with an expensive price tag.It's important to protect your investment from damage by the elements and possible theft.A storage shed is the perfect solution.

- Grills last longer when kept sheltered as well.If you want your grill to last many years, it's important to protect it from rain, snow, and harsh winds.A storage shed provides a safe, dry home for your grill, as well as a handy place for charcoal, grilling tools, and other necessary items.

Knowing what you plan to store in your new shed will help you choose the pre-built shed that is perfect for your needs!


About the Author

Prefabricated metal buildings direct from the manufacturer.

Offers a wide selection of steel buildings, metal storage sheds, metal garages and more.Perfect for storing and protecting your recreational toys!

Relaited Links:

Labels: , , , , ,

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

If You Want Safety, Its A Fix!

Fixed rate mortgages are very straightforward.At the beginning of the mortgage agreement, the agreed interest rate is fixed and it then is applied throughout the term, or length, of the mortgage.A large proportion of fixed rate mortgages are arranged for a term of two or three years, although its possible to go for a longer time-span.The problem with fixing an interest rate for any longer than three years or so is that if you need to move before the end of the period, or you find a cheaper deal, a considerable early repayment charge could be implemented.If interest rates drop, you're still left paying a higher rate than your neighbours with newer fixed rate loans or more flexible ones.

If you were equipped with a crystal ball you could avoid these pitfalls, but in the meantime you can only hope that rates will stay at the current level or higher then you'll be the one to gain.There's a point to watch out for, though.The term of your mortgage can go by remarkably quickly.About six months before the end of your mortgage agreement, you need to look around for another deal.This may be with your current lenders or a new one, but if you don't have another offer in place, you'll be transferred to your lenders SVR or standard variable rate which will, in all probability, be in excess of what you've been paying.

There are several alternatives too many to list, but one example would be an interest-only mortgage.Here you pay nothing not a penny - off the actual debt, just interest on the loan for a set period.At the end of the term, historically speaking, your property should be worth a great deal more than you originally paid and you're left with enough collateral to pay off the loan.No-one can know just what the property market is going to do, of course, but if you look back to what your property was worth some twenty years ago, the original amount you borrowed is going to look quite insignificant, compared to today's value.

If you are open to some ups and downs, you could consider a Standard Variable Rate (SVR) mortgage.This is a very simple mortgage product linked to the base rate of the Bank of England normally its interest rate is around two percentage points above base rate.The Bank of England rate can change at any time and lenders will broadly follow this.However there is nothing to enforce this and a rate reduction doesnt automatically mean that your rate comes down immediately, and whilst lenders can be expected to follow this, they are not forced to do so.Almost certainly, when they rise, they'll act much more quickly!

The way to be guaranteed that you can follow the base rate exactly is to take out a Tracker mortgage.The usual rate is up to a per cent above Bank of England base rate, which will be followed precisely.Some lenders specify that a minimum rate is applied, known as a collar, and the rate wont fall below this, although many lenders have now dropped this stipulation.

There's no need to worry about trawling through the options.The help you need is there on-line an independent broker will do all the work for you and consider what you really need.They will search a very wide market to come up with some excellent options to find the right product for you.


About the Author

Interested In getting a quote on Cheap Mortgages?

Please Visit the Mortgage-merchant for more information and other resources.Our sister site Brokers Online offers cutting edge articles and information about cheapest mortgages and other financial products.

Relaited Links:

Labels: , ,

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

5 Ways to Use Teleseminars to Promote Your Business' Products or Services

Teleseminars are a versatile, efficient and low-cost way to promote and market your business' products or services.And, with the downturn in the economy there has never been a better time to use teleseminars as part of your marketing mix.

So here are a few ideas to get you started:


1.

Book Promotions


Writing a book and getting it published is relatively easy.

Whether or not your book is a success will depend upon the number of your sales you achieve.You can certainly boost the number of sales of your book by hosting a series of teleseminars as part of your marketing strategy.

Teleseminars of this nature are designed to "explain" your book and so can be used as the foundation of a course.Also, when individuals consume your book in this manner they have a greater understanding of its content and get to know you, the author, more intimately.So when you publish other books and create other products you'll have a bigger audience ready to purchase.

2.Preview Promotions


Interestingly, teleseminars can be used to promote a teleseminar course or program whether the course/program is taught by one person or several experts.

Such teleseminars serve as an introduction to the material and the individuals presenting the material.

Teleseminars are also very effective in promoting offline events.Again they provide a virtual platform that allows individuals to get to know the speakers and learn enough about what they will be presenting that it whets their appetite for the main event.They also help to build excitement about a particular event.

3.Question and Answer (Q and A) Calls


It is inevitable that if you deliver a course your participants will have questions.

Allocating separate teleseminars to deal with questions can be really helpful to your students.It boosts their understanding of the material and improves retention rates.Even if only a small percentage of individuals ask questions, you can be sure that many more will actually benefit.

Q and A calls can also be used to help your customers gain a better understanding of a product they have purchased and or to address regularly asked questions about their purchase.

The questions which arise as part of these teleseminars can also extremely useful in helping you to improve your course or other product.

4.Prospecting Calls


A key component of a teleseminar is of course your message.

So if you have a content-rich message to share you can invite prospective clients to listen to a weekly teleseminar so that they can get to know you better and evaluate whether or you'd be a good fit.

Your prospecting calls can also be archived to create a rich body of material which you can re-purpose in a multitude of ways to further promote your business.

5.Kick-Start Training


When a client purchases a course they are usually very excited about the prospect of learning and the new material they will be exposed to.

Then they see all the new material and overwhelm sets in.They can be at a loss as to where to start and the best way to tackle all the material that is presented.

A teleseminar which can be recorded and made available in the members' area of the particular course or program or even burnt onto a CD and posted along with the course materials can be very helpful.Naturally, this type of kick-start training can also be done as a live event.

Kick-start training can make the difference between someone deciding that your course or program was not for them after all and asking for a refund or lasting the course.


About the Author

Learn more about how you can use teleseminars to promote your products and services and recession-proof your business at Successful Teleseminar Secrets.

Relaited Links:

Labels: , , , , , ,

Monday, January 19, 2009

3 Reasons to Get A Fixed Rate Home Equity Loan

An individual who is bankrupt but has enough equity in the house they own such as their house should never have a problem about obtaining finance.One reason that is sufficient enough to block someone's way of getting a fixed rate home equity loan with a reasonable interest rate is having a bad credit record.

Meeting the requirements of certain conditions is just one of the basics that can contribute to the fact that this procedure can never be that easy but then being a bankrupt won't be one of those concerns.These specially created fixed rate home equity loans are exclusively intended for those bankrupt people thus helping them meet the needs and terms to arrange their financial affairs.

Having a standard home loan is better compared to meeting the standards for the credit score normally reserved for the fixed rate home equity loans even though it is much lower, the interest rates are good and the steps necessary to accomplish it is not that difficult.

The equity release is available as a percentage of the leftover equity in the home if the outstanding mortgage were paid of in its entirety although if a secured loan is already part o the equation, this will be taken off as well.

To make things easier, let us say you have taken 50,000 dollar mortgage from a individual with a one hundred thousand dollar home which will then leave you with fifty thousand dollars and from that, a portion for a home equity loan will be available from eighty five percent of that leftover total.The fact that this home loan is secured on a property simply implies that a large sum of money is accessible thus giving the intended bankrupt individuals the chance to be in touch with the good conditions this loan has to offer.The fact that the individual borrowing the money should never have a problem making the payments since he will be given better interest rates and repayment conditions as compared to those bankrupts is presented with this loan.

Credit checks on secured fixed rate home equity loans are never very thorough as the lender is aware of the collateral in the property so is more at ease with lending it to someone who is bankrupt.As the demands for this form of loan have been reduced, the loan applicant can expect a swift resolution which is not something that would normally happen for a secured loan.

The first of the few remaining steps that you need to take after credit verification has been completed is the thorough analysis of the house's deeds.The borrower's means to cope with the repayment conditions is something that is of an issue added with the thought that the individual borrowing should at any rate present the proof that he or she is employed and has some resources to depend on.

The only thing left to do is for the lenders to be happy about the borrower's means to pay so they will call for current copies of pay checks and will need to be assured the monthly premiums will not go past 40 percent of the person's income.For borrowers that cannot prove this, their loan sum may be lowered until it does fall within the guidelines and does not create fiscal strain on the borrower when repayments are due.


About the Author

For credit card, home buying, refinancing, or personal loan information visit

Your Financial Solution



Relaited Links:

Labels: , , , , , ,

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Sourcing The Perfect Exhibition Stands

If you tell someone not to judge a book by its cover, would you believe that they wouldn't?First impressions count for everything and often it takes just a couple of seconds to determine if you like what you see.Exhibition stands have the power to either invite or reject a customer's business within those few seconds.Finding the right balance between practicality and visual appeal is the key to your success.

Exhibition stands are a highly effective method of communicating your corporate messages to your target audience.The challenge is to win the audience's interest in the first place.Quite often, you will be surrounded by your competitors therefore having the edge is vital for winning the business.

With the latest software technologies now available, stand designers are able to create detailed floor plans and 3D design visuals, allowing you to see the stand before it's even constructed, thus saving you a great deal of time and anxiety.

However before you get to the stage of contracting stand designers, you must consider your budget, so you can determine what you can buy for your buck.Upon application to exhibit at a fair, you will be offered the chance to hire a shell scheme or bring your own stand.A shell scheme is a cheap and cheerful option, ideal for those with low levels of stock to exhibit or small budgets.They include compact rented floor space complete with carpet, walling, facia and normally a basic lighting track and electrical socket.If however, you are bringing your own exhibition stand, you will need to determine how much floor space you can afford when applying to exhibit.

Once you have your space allocated, you will need to supply the overall stand dimensions to your exhibition stand designer.Be sure to pitch your requests to a number of exhibition stand designers to see who can make you the best offer for your requirements.It's important when you are pitching your ideas, to be clear about the purpose of your stand.Are you purely planning on driving traffic to the stand or are you looking for a unit where you can hold business meetings?Will you require seating and privacy or do you want open plan?These decisions will affect the entire layout of the stand so it's important to be clear what you want from the start.

Exhibition show organisers impose strict guidelines regarding build heights to ensure all exhibitors are playing to the same restrictions.The job of the exhibition stand designer is to produce a quality, creative, and cutting edge exhibition stand while adhering to the restrictions imposed by the exhibition show organisers.

By supplying the designer will the appropriate graphics and logos, they will ensure the right corporate identity is projected.The stand designer will also be in charge of managing the specialist electricians, steelworkers, A/V crews and other required specialist trades.

The key to achieving the right stand for your business is careful planning and being open and honest with your stand designer from the start.If they produce a design in the initial stages that you don't like, tell them.At the end of the day, it's not just your money but your corporate identity on the line so you need to make sure you get the result you have requested.


About the Author

Dominic Donaldson is an expert in Event Organising

Find out more about Exhibition Stands and a look at how they help to promote your business.


Relaited Links:

Labels: , , , , ,