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please when is registration closing some people are finding it difficult to register

my friend is having problem filling his own form and idont know why pls what is going on with them idont understand

So many individuals in the world today do not know that every successful organization started from the scratch and in most cases have become the favorite of the public with investors buying shares numbering in billions of dollars or naira as the case might be. This is as a result of the fact that their names are very powerful. According to Webster’s new encyclopedic dictionary the word brand means a class of goods identified by names as the product of a single firm or manufacturer. The word branding is synonymous with advertising in conjunction with goods and services. But many do not know that they can brand themselves for any thing that adds to humanity, one can be a renowned writer, a prolific artist, a sportsman or woman, a party planner or even a contractor. There are so many interesting things that people can do, branding yourself means to be very good at what you do wherever you may be located. Those who need your services will always come looking for you. Some companies in the world today are much respected for their services or products and even philanthropic activities. Some of these firms include the much known Coca Cola, which is responsible for our world number one soft drink. Dangotegroup which is responsible for our sugar and cereals. Google Inc the largest search engine on Earth, Mercedes Benz, PZ industries, Honeywell and so many others. We can see that this organizations offer different services and products that meets our different needs in different forms. All these are efforts of human beings who have powerful vision. 1. One of the benefits of branding is that it puts you at the top of competition.
2. Another benefit is the fact that talented people are easily recruited in these organizations for the best results which makes continuity possible even from generation to generation
3.Another benefit is the fact that these large firms give way for small medium scale enterprises in the sense that some people are made retailers with their little capital for example a trader can afford to get discount on small items in cartons to retailers.
4. Another benefit is the likely reduction in advertising expenses because of the fame of these companies one other benefit is the penetration of products and equitable distribution of resources to channels in the suburbs.
The question now is how you can brand your company or yourself. The no.1 secret is the ability to give your best in terms of service delivery remembers business is meant to solve problems.
And not to amass wealth without good product output, because less quality reduces the power of the brand and even if you are starting small all you need is to put effectiveness into practice. Practice efficiency affordability durability and everything would be just fine. Branding does not mean that there would be no challenges or difficulty; some enterprising people have seen their efforts grow by word of mouth. A good example is a set of beeds that a woman could see on someone’s neck and as a result of the beauty and trendy look of that item there would be a recommendation by the person wearing it and a compliment by the observer who would look for such beeds also. It then means that good work would grow without much publicity or advertising expenses.
For more info visit www.one-biz..com

One of the saddest things that can happen to you as an employer is to see an exceptional employee leave your company and come running into the arms of the competitor. After everything that you have gone through in interviewing dozens of people, doing countless employment background checks, and examining hundreds of resume, this scenario can surely be frustrating.

As an employer, it is vital to know that employee loyalty is not something automatic, it is something that employers earn. One way of doing so is through proper motivation that not only encourages employees to work excellently but also promotes loyalty. However, bear in mind that it is not enough that you just motivate, you have to do it properly and effectively.

Different Ways to Motivate Employees

1. Giving a raise in workers compensation

Money is surely one of the best motivators since this is the primary reason why employees work in the first place. Giving a raise when one performs excellently will truly motivate and inspire your employee to be more productive and more efficient in what they do.

2. Presenting incentives and rewards

Of course, money is not everything. You do not have to spend money all the time just so you can motivate your employees. Generous rewards like a day off, small gifts, occasional treats to lunch or dinner, or a better office are some of the ways you can motivate your employee.

3. Recognizing and appreciating a job well done

Employees appreciate it when their good performance is recognized and praised. This inspires them to work even harder next time.

4. Provide proper training

Training for additional knowledge and skills are also a great motivator for many employees especially those who are always craving to learn something new. Remember, this is not only a good way to motivate employee but this also improves performance and productivity.

Tips on how to motivate effectively

1. Know the employee

As an employer, you have to know that some motivation strategies work well on others, some do not. For instance, one of your employees is motivated with monetary incentives, another would prefer to be promoted. Therefore, it is important that you get to know your employees very well so you can give the right kind of motivation that will inspire him or her more effectively.

2. Personalize the rewards or gifts that you give to your employees.

For one, you can add a handwritten note of appreciation to the gift or you can give something that the employee is fond of. For example, if your employee is a basketball fanatic, front row tickets to an NBA game of his favorite team will surely be appreciated.

There are many ways you can motivate your employee. However, it is not enough that you just employ the first motivation strategy you see on the list without considering the personality and the likes of your employee.

Once you've conducted research into the feasibility of your new business you're ready to write your business plan.

Your business plan is essential for your business - it's your blueprint for the future. It sets the direction for your business and keeps you on track once you're up and running. It's also a requirement when you're seeking finance.

Depending on what type of business you intend to start, your business plan could include these elements:

*
executive summary - a one-page overview written after your business plan is finalised
*
introduction - explains the purpose and objectives of going into business
*
marketing analysis - looks at the industry you are entering and how you fit in
*
marketing plan - your marketing strategy
*
operations plan - how you'll set up the business, i.e. structure, location, regulations
*
management plan - how you'll manage your business
*
financial plan - how you'll finance your business, costing and financial projections.

Business planning is an ongoing business activity - you should regularly review and revise your business plan.

With a small business it's always a good time to cut costs and improve profitability. It's always the right time for efficiency and cost control, too. Although all businesses experience ups and downs on the road to eventual failure or success, cutting expenses in a commonsense manner can be a swift and sure way to improve your company's financial health. There are critical thinking skills needed to make these decisions, and the new way of thinking, and the discipline you develop, cannot fail to have positive effects on other areas of your business.

Identify costs precisely

Before you start chopping away at unneeded costs, you must first have an accurate accounting of your expenses. This encompasses more than the standard ledger entries, as you must although think in terms of the time spent on various activities. Time is money, as everyone knows, so whatever saves you time saves you money, as well. Everyone should be part of the effort, too. If you are not a sole proprietor, you should solicit comments and suggestions from every employee. Even if you do work alone, it can be of tremendous value to have a spouse, friend, even your banker or accountant, help you in identifying cost-saving opportunities. Energy and transportation If you or your sales force is out on the road, or you deliver goods to others, you already have felt the impact of rising fuel and transportation costs. Consider the following:

1. It is quite likely that all of your sales calls do not need to be done in person. The rise of web-based technologies like videoconferencing, and such software as Microsoft Office Live Meeting, empower you to make online presentations to customers. Investing in low-cost webcams as opposed to paying travel costs is clearly a move in the right direction.

2. You need to review all of your delivery and sales-related transportation costs. Consider other shippers and compare costs closely.

Employees and management

3. Cross-training employees will save you money in several ways when employees call in sick or are out for medical appointments of family emergencies. Instead of calling in expensive temporary help, your less-costly alternative is to cross-train employees so you have staff that can move smoothly into other roles.

4. Efficiency is always a money-saver. Allow your employees the opportunity to get business and software training that will make them more effective in their roles. Small business groups and websites even have a range of free online training modules, as do many other computing and business sites.

Services, utilities

5. It is always a wise move to keep tabs on what you pay for your "staple" business expenses, what you might call the necessities. For one thing, with today's many VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) phone systems, fees for phone service have been reduced considerably. Depending on your location, you may several from which to choose. Do a full comparison.

6. You could limit the use of phone lines by sending faxes from office PCs. The new operating systems from Microsoft and Apple (Windows XP and Vista, and Mac OS X) both simplify the process of setting up fax services.

7. Definitely compare the choices you have for heat and electricity in your home (if you work there) or office. Monitor your air conditioning use in the summer, and try various venting methods, fans and other cooling methods. For cold times, keep your thermostat at a steady, reasonable temperature - and put on a sweater if you're still cold.

8. Call in the experts. Most utility companies offer free energy evaluations to diagnose your home and/or office energy usage. You can get a lot of good, free advice from your utility company.

Technology

9. Every business has a web presence now. Costs for hosting can vary tremendously, and service level does not seem to track precisely with costs. Some bargain hosting companies have better offers, and better uptime statistics, than more expensive ones. Comparing these costs on a regular basis will identify savings possibilities as they arise.

10. Consider a "combo" plan. You can combine your phone and Internet services with a number of providers, but shop around enough to establish that you're actually saving with the bundled package(s) you are considering.

11. Don't buy a thing without using the online shopping comparison services, such as Pricegrabber.com and Google's froogle.com. And you don't always have to buy new, either. Used and refurbished technology can be just as useful as the latest and greatest. Check out listings on eBay and the other auction sites like Bidville and iOffer. Items on less-used auction sites sometimes sell for lower prices than ones on the more popular (and populated) eBay.

Everything else

There could easily be 100+ examples of cost savings on this list. There are so many opportunities to save money that you might even seem overwhelmed when you start writing them down. But do write all of your own ideas down, definitely! You can save money by paying your credit card bills in full, so that no interest accrues. You can save money by using old paper, cut up and stapled together, as notepads. You can make your own shipping materials by recycling what comes in your mail or shredding the daily paper. We will therefore conclude this exercise in critical thinking - that's what it is, essentially - by adding a catchall category here at the end.

12. Think creatively, and don't buy anything without developing a rationale, or persuasive argument, that will convince not only you, but someone else. Consider every alternative to a purchase. Alternatively, if you are renting a lot of trucks or equipment, of any kind, consider a purchase. It works both ways, of course, so make sure your do your due diligence on every single item on your corporate expense list. Not only will you save money right away, you will develop a way of thinking that will serve you into the future. You may find that these thinking "exercises" are helping you make better creative and operational decisions, as well. In every business, large or small, there are ways to do things better and cheaper, faster and smarter. As owner or manager, it is your responsibility not only to do this kind of thinking, but to engender it in your employees, as well. In fact, some businesses make a contest of cost saving comparisons, even awarding creative employees with a portion of the saved monies. Do a little creative, critical thinking, and you can make an immediate, positive impact on your bottom line. And the attitude about efficiency that it cultivates in your company - that's priceless!

MR EMMANUEL.
07040406329.

TRANSFORMING A SMALL BUSINESS
With the current economic down turn and most especially job losses, the number one way to be gainfully employed is entrepreneurship. An entrepreneur is a man or woman who does the overall running of a business or accompany. Every big business today started with a man or a woman as the pioneer or even a group or brothers.
The truth about it is that any big establishment started small with little or enough capital. For you to transform your business into a big one there must be the following; capital, plan, idea, a niche or a hobby, good management and passion. The capital has to do with the funding of the project while the plan has to do with the rules, goals, time frame.
The idea has to do with the necessity. The niche would the kind of project to embark on. Good management would be the needed hands and brains for a good continuity.
Below are some of the things an owner of a business should know before starting up a business.
BUSINESS PLAN a plan defines your business and identifies your goal and serves as your firms resume. The plan should include an income statement, a balance sheet showing the capital assets and the creditors etc it helps allocate resources properly. It provides organized information about your company; it should also contain the product or service you offer.
CAPITAL after writing a good business plan it is ideal to source for fund to start your business, some people have raised capital from family and friends, some have taken loan from micro finance banks. But note it is good to know how much you need to start up so as not to make an insufficient budget. It is the capital that provides for the smooth running of the business daily.
REMUNERATION it is ideal that before starting your business you can conveniently pay the salaries of your staff for at least 3months so that they can work effectively. If the staff can be paid in 3months or more managing them would be a lot easier because they would be compelled to carry out their tasks.
ADVERTISING this depends on the kind of business you do, it is good to advertise in a way that suites your business. Without creating awareness your company is not known for its product or services and also it is better to do outdoor advertising if it is a small business, because it is cheaper to conduct. The advert costs should be well taken care of.
BOARD MEETINGS it is a good way of transforming a new business, when you as the founder can hold discussions with your staff about the company’s progress and short comings, how well the company has faired and the way forward

POOR LOCATION: Some of the reasons why start-up fail is the inability to situate in a good area for business.Sometimes some organizations are located far away from raw materials and factors of production like labour.If a fast food is located close to a bank,the business will thrive and if a boat manufacturer is located in the neighbourhood there will hardly be sales because it is not a riverine area.

MISUSE OF FUNDS: Mismanagement of business of business fund is a big problem that causes stunted growth.If a business begins to make profit,part of it should be reserved for the future plan and continous existence.Atleast 40% should be added back to the capital and not misused by the business owner for luxurious spending.

LACK OF SUFFICIENT CAPITAL: So many small businesses have this problem as there number one,because it is the capital that will make provision for office and equipment,staffing,cost of production and advertising.Sometimes start-ups need good capital depending on the plan of the business for instance,you cannot run a cyber cafe with as low as a hundred thousand naira.You would have to consider the cost of getting an office that is the rent,then the computers,printers,ISP(Internet service provider),furniture etc.

LACK OF EXPERIENCE: Where a business owner fails to make a good plan there would be failure in the long run of the business and this is as a result of inexperience,also if a businessman does not understand the kind of business to do and how to manage people very well there would be problems.Inability to convince investors with a good business plan and a proposal is going to be a big problem,a business person should enjoy and be passionate about his or her business.

OVER-INVESTMENT IN FIXED ASSETS: Sometimes some companies have made mistakes in the area of acquiring gadgets,machinery and buildings.If an upcoming business should have over sufficient space and they paying for the rent,it affects the size of their capital because such space is not used to give them extra income.It is dangerous to have excessive working equipment and over staffing.

COMPETITION: Some business cannot cope with the rising effects of competition in their area of specification,because of lack of good planning strategy which could sometimes be as a result of piggy-backing.Piggybacking means depending on a bigger business for survival,some businesses find it difficult to build their brand and differentiate themselves from the crowd which a problem and one of the biggest reasons small businesses fail.

I remain your business consultant anytime,always at your service,keep a date with me weekly(every wednesday).See you at the top.Wishing my dear readers, a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year.
Mr Emmanuel.
07040406923.

Investors should put in mind that the stock market fluctuates. Although that is it's nature, and whenever the market swings down, some investors begin to lament the dip in the prices of the shares. Some investors get confused as to what to do with their investments. Many are in dilemma because if the decide to sell then, they will end up recording losses. They therefore, have no option than to wait for the time the shares will bounce back. But stock market experts believe that if investors select good stocks, whichever way the market swings, the investors would be confident that they will end up going home with good returns. This means that they may not be disturbed by the anxiety that always follow a bear run as often witnessed at the stock market. However, selecting good stocks is not an easy task. Although investors use different methods and processes to select stocks;the following steps will help you.

*THE PRICE

The first thing to look at is the price of the stock. The price is the absolute determinant of return. A company that has it's share price at #10 is more attractive than the one with #15. To further illustrate the importance of price, a company that is generating #5 earning per share and is selling at #20 per share, it is a better buy than another company with the same #5 EPS but is selling at #200. The #20 price will give an earning yield of 25 percent, while that selling at #200 gives a yield of 2. 5 per cent.

*SOURCES OF INCOME

The company's products/services determine sources of income and cash flow. The value of any asset is the net present value of it's discounted cash flows. Before an investor can even begin to value a business, it is important to know what is generating the cash. It is also important to be specific and avoid making assumptions. It is advisable to equally know the industry the company is operating to determine if the products are in high demand and know period such demand hit their peak. This will enable to know when the company generates most cash.

*CASH FLOW SUSTAINABILITY

If a company is operating as a monopoly, there is every tendency that it will enjoy high cash flow. Hence one of the ways to evaluate the sustainability of cash flows is to examine the barriers of entry for the market or markets in which the company operates. Because it will be more difficult for a competitor to enter a business which requires high capital than it is for a retail business that needs only small capital to start.

*BOARD AND MANAGEMENT

The fact that a company is operating in a thriving industry does not guaranty good profitability. The people running a company matters a lot to its successful operations. There was a time when banking was highly attractive and many entrepreneurs went into it, yet many of banks went under on the account of poor management. So, an industry may be thriving but some of the companies operating in the industry could still be performing poorly. Hence, it is necessary for you to know the board and management of a company when considering buying it's shares.

*EARNINGS GROWTH

Take a look at earnings. A company that is not posting growth in its earning cannot fetch you good returns because it will not have enough to declare as dividend. And when company does not declare dividends it cannot attract high demand that can lead to capital appreciation. The earning growth does not necessarily need to be high, a steady and consistent growth is enough.

*DIVIDENDS

You must ensure that the companies pay healthy dividends. If they pay a healthy one? Are they growing them regularly? Consider the pay out ratio, if it is also healthy? Note any inconsistencies and possible find out the reasons.

*POLICY CONSISTENCY

If a management pronounces inconsistent or conflicting policy statements, avoid such a company. If for instance, a company stated in the last annual reports that debt reduction was the most important priority, but they have engaged in multiple acquisitions or started multiple new businesses that is bringing in new debts, they are not being honest. It is dangerous to invest in such a stock.