Home Wealth Project
Extensive Research On How To Build Wealth From The Comfort Of Your Own Home.
Fillperfect Form Filler – Never Fill Out An Application Again!
Dec 10th
Fillperfect Form Filler Is An Add-on For Internet Explorer Designed Specifically For Job Hunters. With Fillperfect Form Filler You Can Instantly And Accurately Complete All Types Of Forms. Now You Can Stop Filling Out Applications The Old Fashioned Way.
Fillperfect Form Filler – Never Fill Out An Application Again!
Optimistic enthusiasm as a form of realism
Nov 19th
How does your organization respond to new opportunities?
Most companies launch new things, try out new initiatives, brainstorm new approaches. The internal response (or reaction) to these ventures is a cultural choice, one that often turns into a self-fulfilling prophecy.
If your organization is both pessimistic and operationally focused, then every new idea is a threat. It represents more work, something that could go wrong, a chance for disaster. People work to protect against the downside, to insulate against the market, to be sure that they won’t get blamed for anything that challenges the system. In organizations like this, a new idea has to be proven to be better than the current status quo in all situations before it gets launched.
On the other hand, an organization filled with people who are rewarded for shaking things up and generating game-changing products and services just might discover that outcomes they are dreaming of are in fact what happen. The enthusiasm that comes from believing that this one might just resonate with the market is precisely the ingredient that’s required to make something resonate.
One more thing: outsiders are way more likely to approach your organization with fabulous projects if they think they’re likely to both get a good reception and succeed when they get to market.
View full post on Seth’s Blog
Form and function
Oct 24th
When the form changes, so does the underlying business model, which of course changes the function as well.
Mail —> email
Books —> ebooks
DVD —> YouTube/Netflix
1040 —> Online taxes
Visa —> Paypal
Open outcry —> Electronic trading
Voice call centers —> forums and online chat
Direct mail —> permission marketing
In each case, the original players in the legacy industry decided that the new form could be bolted onto their existing business model. And in each case they were wrong. Speed and marginal cost and ubiquity and a dozen other elements of digitalness changed the interaction itself, and so the function changes too.
The question that gets asked about technology, the one that is almost always precisely the wrong question is, “How does this advance help our business?”
The correct question is, “how does this advance undermine our business model and require us/enable us to build a new one?”
There are projects that are possible with ebooks or Kickstarter or email that could never have worked in an analog universe. Most of the money made in the stock market today is via trading approaches that didn’t even exist thirty years ago.
When a change in form comes to your industry, the first thing to discover is how it will change the function.
View full post on Seth’s Blog
Form design
Aug 28th
The purpose of a form is not to treat the human as a computer, who will dutifully fill in each and every box just the way you want.
No, creating a form is like hosting a party for words.
Those little boxes (one per letter) are on some forms because it communicates to you that you should slow down and write clearly, because a human being is going to have to read what you wrote and type it in for you.
The large lined area on the application implies that you’re supposed to write more than one sentence.
Online forms work the same way. When you use big type and big boxes, you’re telling the visitor something, talking in a certain tone of voice. The local DMV site feels very different from a web2.0 company that happens to be collecting almost exactly the same data.
We’re all looking for clues, clues about what you want, who you are, whether we trust you. Even in a simple form.
View full post on Seth’s Blog
6 Questions to Ask Yourself for a Better Converting Contact Form
Jul 7th
For many of us, our business website is structured to funnel people toward our contact form. That’s where we want them to go. We want potential customers to land on that page and fill it out so that we can take a relationship to the next level, whether that means someone is ordering catering services for a large event or looking to receive a quote from your lawn care service.
But have you optimized your contact form to increase your odds of conversion? Or are you letting confused or unsatisfied customers abandon the page completely?
If you haven’t optimized your contact form page, you may be turning away motivated customers without even realizing it. Below are six questions to ask yourself when optimizing your site contact form.
1. Is your contact form easy to find?
No, really, is it? Just because directing people to your contact form is one of your listed conversion goals, that doesn’t mean you’ve done a good job at making the page accessible to the average user. Is it in your main navigation? Can users access it from all of your main service or product pages? You want to ensure that anyone who is looking for your contact form will easily be able to locate it on your site. Otherwise you’re giving them a reason to hit the back button and go somewhere else.
2. How versatile is your contact form?
An optimized contact form allows users to complete a number of different tasks. For example, your contact form should allow users to:
- Get in touch with you about services
- Contact you about complaints/issues
- Talk to you about media/press opportunities
- Suggest new features/products/ideas, etc.
- Offer feedback
Users will land on your contact form for a number of different reasons. To serve them better, make sure you’re giving them the opportunity to share why they’re there.
3. Do you only ask for what you really need?
I don’t know about you, but I get intimidated when I land on a contact form page and it’s suddenly asking me to hand over every piece of information I have about myself – name, address, phone number, name of my first grade teacher, etc. A good rule of thumb for contact forms is to only ask for what you absolutely need to move the conversation to the next level. If the person is interested, you can get the rest of the data further along in the process. Let your customers date you before you try to slip a ring on their finger. You may scare them away otherwise.
4. Does your contact form give clues about how you prefer to be contacted?
When someone contacts you about an issue, do you want them to explain exactly what’s happening, in detail, citing specific occurrences, names and dates, or do you just want their phone number so you can call them and get the story directly? If they have a question about a product or service you may or may not provide, should they fill out the contact form, or should they just ask your company on Twitter?
You undoubtedly have a preferred way to handle situations. Tell your customers what that is. Tell them how you prefer to be contacted and what the best outlets are for resolution based on the type of question they have.
5. Are you giving them multiple ways to contact you?
Along the same lines, your contact form should list all the ways that a customer can use to get in touch with you or your brand. Give them your Twitter username, the URL for your Facebook brand page, your company LinkedIn account, etc. Let them know how you prefer to be contacted, but also show them where else the brand is so that they can follow along and get to know your company better.
6. Do you provide an email address?
If someone is hoping to contact you for a media opportunity or with a quick customer support question, they may not feel comfortable filling out the contact form on your site. Perhaps it seems too impersonal or the information the form is asking for just doesn’t align with what they want to talk about. For these cases, consider also listing an email address on your website that customers can use when they’re not contacting you about services and simply need to get in touch.
All small businesses owners should ask themselves these six questions to help make sure their contact form is addressing customers’ needs as well as possible.
6 Questions to Ask Yourself for a Better Converting Contact Form
View full post on Small Business News, Tips, Advice – Small Business Trends
How to Form an LLC or Incorporate a Business
Apr 4th
So, you’ve done your research and decided to form an LLC or incorporate your business. Maybe you want to protect your personal savings and other assets, maybe your financial advisor mentioned you could save in taxes, or maybe you simply need a legal structure to win a large client contract. Whatever the reasoning, it’s time to take the next step for your business.
The only question is how?
For the small business owner, this process raises many questions. Where do I start? How much does it cost to incorporate or to form an LLC? How long does the process take? Can I form my own corporation or LLC or is an attorney required? In this post, I’ll break down the steps required to incorporate a business or form an LLC, as well as explain the three different methods: do-it-yourself, legal filing service, or an attorney.
In most cases, you can set up an LLC or Corporation with the secretary of state’s office for whichever state you choose as your ‘state of incorporation.’ And as a general rule of thumb, if your business will have fewer than 5 shareholders, it’s best to just incorporate in the state where you actually live or have a physical presence.
Here’s a quick overview of the process for both the LLC and Corporation:
How to Form an LLC
The LLC requires much less formality, while still protecting the personal assets of the business owners from any liability of the company. For an LLC, you’ll need to file Articles of Organization or Certificate of Organization with your state’s secretary of state. While the LLC is less formal, these documents must contain at least the minimum requirements as described by state law before they can be successfully filed (and your LLC processed).
How to Form a Corporation
To form a corporation, you’ll need to take the following steps:
- Draft “Articles of Incorporation” or “Certificate of Incorporation”
- The Articles of incorporation must be executed by a person designated as “incorporator.” The incorporator must be an adult and doesn’t need to be affiliated with the corporation in any way other than merely filing the document. Later, this person will pass a resolution assigning all rights and duties to the board of directors.
- Submit your articles of incorporation. In most states, the agency responsible for corporate filings is the Secretary of State (usually the Corporations Division).
- Once the state office has processed your documents, they will return the certified documents to the address provided.
- Elect a board of directors: The Incorporator executes a corporate resolution electing a board of directors assigning all rights and duties to the board.
- Issue shares: The Board of Directors issues shares to designated shareholders.
- S-Corp: And lastly, if you want the pass-through tax treatment of an S-Corp, you’ll need to file IRS Form 2553 with the IRS within 75 days of the start date of your corporation.
How long does the process take?
Depending on the state and its current workload, processing time may vary from 1 day to 3 months. Unfortunately, as states are facing budget issues and staffing cuts, we are seeing longer backlogs, particularly at the beginning of the year. There’s also a ‘rush filing’ option, which in many states must be done via walk-in delivery. If you’re filing yourself, you can bring the completed forms in person to the secretary of state’s office. And if you’re using an online filing service, they will have a courier located near the state office to bring in your forms for rush service.
How should I file?
The three methods for filing your Articles of Organization or Articles of Incorporation are: do-it-yourself, a legal filing service, or an attorney. For full disclosure, I am founder and CEO of CorpNet.com, an online legal filing service, but will hopefully provide objective advice here, because depending on your specific situation, each option has its own set of pros and cons.
- Do-it-yourself: In this case, you can download or request the forms from your secretary of state’s office, complete, and submit the forms on your own. This is obviously the lowest cost method (you’ll still have to pay the state filing fee; exact fee amounts vary by state; for example, in California it’s $100 for a Corporation and $70 for an LLC for standard filings). This is a good option if you’re more concerned about saving money than time, and if you have a relatively high tolerance for paperwork and minute details.
- Online legal filing service: An online legal filing service will file the documentation for you. This option is slightly more expensive than filing yourself, but for some, the time savings is invaluable. Legal documents can be tedious, time-consuming and fraught with details. Regulations and requirements vary across states, even down to the little details like paper size, font size, number of copies, ink color, etc. By turning to a service that specializes in these matters, you can save yourself the headache and hassle of learning and staying current on each and every detail. And you can focus your time and energy on your own business.
Of course, it’s important to understand that a document filing service is well… a document filing service. It’s not a substitute for an attorney, accountant or tax advisor. These service companies cannot give you specific legal or financial advice for your set of circumstances. - Attorney: If you have particularly complex business needs — for example you have strict requirements for shareholder structure or stock allocation, or you’re dealing with millions of dollars up front — you should retain your own expert counsel to help get you started. An attorney will be able to assess your situation and provide specific legal advice. Likewise, a tax or financial advisor can help you figure out the financial implications in forming an LLC, S Corporation, or C Corporation.
When it comes to legal matters, I’ll be the first to say that trying to save a few dollars up front can end up costing you big in the long run. Trust your gut; if you feel like you need to bring in expert counsel, then by all means do so. Just remember that you are able to file for incorporation or LLC formation without an attorney, and this could be a reasonable and cost effective way to go. Whatever method you choose, make sure to pat yourself on the back for taking this important step for your business and yourself.
How to Form an LLC or Incorporate a Business
View full post on Small Business News, Tips, Advice – Small Business Trends
Claim New Health Care Tax Credit With This IRS Form
Dec 8th
There’s a lot contained in the Affordable Care Act—including new tax credits, health insurance exchanges, and other tools aimed at helping entrepreneurs provide health insurance coverage to their employees at a reasonable cost. So much is in the legislation that it can be a bit intimidating to figure out exactly which aspects of the law affect your business.
One immediate effect: If you have less than 25 full-time equivalent employees with average annual wages below $50,000, you can take advantage of a tax credit. To help, Karen Mills, Chief Administrator for the Small Business Administration just announced the release of a one-page form and instructions on how to claim this credit for the 2010 tax year. You can find the information at the IRS website.
In general, the credit is available to small employers that pay at least half of the premiums for health insurance coverage for their employees. The smaller your business, the bigger the credit; companies with 10 or fewer employees benefit most. The guidance explains eligibility for the credit in more detail.
The credits are available for tax years 2010 through 2013 and for any two years after that. Through 2013, the maximum tax credit is 35 percent of premiums paid by small employers and 25 percent for eligible tax-exempt organizations. Beginning in 2014, those levels increase to 50 percent and 35 percent, respectively. In 2014, firms with up to 100 workers will be able to pool their buying power and reduce their administrative costs by purchasing coverage through a health insurance exchange.
The announcement was sent out by Administrator Mills. I’ve noticed the SBA is getting a lot better about tooting its own horn and keeping small business owners up to date about new programs and services. That’s a good thing.
Claim New Health Care Tax Credit With This IRS Form
View full post on Small Business News, Tips, Advice – Small Business Trends
2424 Software Partners with Marketing Clique to Promote The FillPerfect Form Filler for Job Hunters
Sep 16th
| 2424 Software and Marketing Clique have announced a partnership to launch a new affiliate program with very attractive commissions… |
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View full post on Home Wealth Project Riot!
One Of The Longest-published Marketing Newsletters On The Internet, The Marketing Minute, Now Available In Book Form
Sep 2nd
| One Of The Longest-published Marketing Newsletters On The Internet, The Marketing Minute, Now Available In Book Form Persuading People to… |
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View full post on Home Wealth Project Riot!
Nielsen And McKinsey Form JV To Measure Social Media
Jun 15th
| The Nielsen Company and… ratings expertise with the latter’s consultancy business in the service of advising companies on social media research. |
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