10 Business Growth Jobs To Do In A Summer Slow Down Period

In most countries, summer is the time when many businesses slow down.People take holidays with their kids, and generally think of anything except business.
So what can you do with this gift of time?Here are my top 10 ways to get the maximum use out of your summer slow time.

Take a holiday and get away.Small business owners traditionally find it hard to take a break.This is the one time of the year when it is considered "normal" to take a holiday and your customers don't stress if your business is closed for a few days.Book in a few days away and recharge your batteries.

Get a massage, healing and take care of your health.You have been carrying stress for the rest of the year.Book in time to get a massage or energy healing to recharge your batteries.Book in to get those medical tests you have been avoiding.Small business success relies on the health of the business owner.You can't grow a business if you are sick or in hospital.Take time out to care for your health.

Take a business planning day.Planning your strategy in terms of business direction, marketing plan and business goals is a key part of business success.Either hire a facilitator, business mentor or just run a process by yourself to reflect on your business direction - what has worked, what needs to be improved and what you are going to do next.Create a detailed monthly calendar of activities what you are going to do when.The act of taking time to plan and set goals sets up a different vibration in your business which increases the likelihood of success.

Update your website.Most businesses websites tend to get a bit dated.They have outdated prices or information on them, as well as content that no longer reflects the direction of the business.Polish your website words until they sparkle!

Refresh your marketing material.In a down economy you need to market more than ever to attract and retain new business.Take a look at all of your business cards, flyers, profiles, ezines and newsletters and work out what needs to be refreshed for maximum impact.Get professional photos done in summer (you look more relaxed) as well as organise professional profiles to be written.

Clear the clutter.Clutter creeps into every business over time and saps energy and focus.Take a few days to totally clean the office from top to bottom.Archive material you no longer need, review all files in filing cabinets, go through email folders and delete old emails (it helps to free space on your server in the process), tidy electrical cords around your computers that tend to get out of control during a year.Doing this now means you are more likely to be able to quickly find things when things get busy again and save you stress at that time.

Write articles.Articles are a great way to help boost your businesses credibility.Put pen to paper and share your ideas with customers and potential clients.Create a store of articles you can match to your marketing calendar throughout the year.

Computer maintenance.All computers need maintenance.Take the time to defrag your computers, take full back-ups of everything and generally run a system tune up.Book your IT guy in early as their diaries often are full this time of year.

Update your emergency procedures.No one likes to think of the worst, but it does happen.Take time to run through what would happen if your office caught on fire (yes that means doing fire drills) as well as reviewing your disaster recovery procedures.Do you have back-ups?Do they work?Is your insurance up to date?Do you have your key documents stored in a safe place?How would you begin to function again if the worst did happen?

Touch base with your contacts.It is really easy to get out of touch with key clients, colleagues and alliance partners.Take some time to reconnect over coffee or phone calls.Working with trusted colleagues is a great way to gain ideas, share resources and grow your business.Summer quiet time is the perfect time to reconnect and build relationships for the coming year.

Summer is a brilliant time to grow your business if you take the time to do it.Use your time wisely and your business will flourish.

About the Author

Ingrid Cliff is a freelance writer and the Chief Word Wizard of Heart Harmony - a writing services studio that helps put your business into words.

For a free copy of the "7 Secrets of Compelling Copy & Powerful Words" visit her website http://www.heartharmony.com.au "> www.heartharmony.com.au .

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Market drama continues with Eurozone admitting recession

World stock markets took another tumble last week with the major US indices penetrating the October lows intraday.The FTSE finished the week down around 4%, but it was UK plc that took a battering.The Pound fell to record lows against the European single currency, even breaking through the synthetic Euro/ Deutsche Mark lows from 1996.The weeks action was all the more damning considering the Eurozones admission that it too is in a recession.The Euro managed to end the slightly down against the dollar, but the pound plunged through the 1.5000 level for the first time since 2002.However there is still some way to go before the low of 1.3685 from 2001 is breached.

Financials were amongst the worst performing companies as Libor broke its 23 day decline.3 month Libor increased to 2.15% and overnight Libor also pushed higher.The main catalyst was Paulson 's announcements of changes to the Troubled Asset Relief Program.As this originally was seen as getting to the heart of the matter in terms of offloading toxic assets, investors are confused as to what this means for future prospects for financial firms in the US.In the US, the insurance giant AIG had its earnings estimates cut, as did Wells Fargo.Much worse are the rumours that Fannie May may have to tap into US government cash to avoid liquidation.Previously unaffected stocks such as HSBC were also down hard after poor results, and there was speculation that it too may need to follow Santander 's lead in raising money through a rights issue.Until very recently HSBC and Santander were seen as being at arms length to the current crisis due to their relatively low exposure to the US housing market.However, with news of the UK property crash worsening and Asian markets faltering, HSBC is coming under increasing pressure.

More than anything market participants hate confusion or indecision, with the common reaction being if in doubt, get out.This is reflected in the performance of financial shares across the globe.Even when the wider market attempted a rally, financials were weighing on sentiment, like a ship trying to sail with its anchor still deployed.

Although last weeks UK unemployment data and sales projections from various companies fell below consensus, European markets didnt revisit the October lows and US markets managed to rally from beneath them .Despite the economic outlook arguably looking bleaker than it did just two weeks ago, markets havent capitulated.The optimistic interpretation of this scenario is that the bad news is starting to be priced in by the stock market.As markets are forward looking by at least 6 months, they could be discounting the slowdown that virtually everyone is predicting, and are looking for what happens after that.

The pessimistic interpretation of the current scenario is that markets are as over optimistic now as they were a couple of months ago.The default reaction to any impending disaster is in most cases denial then panic.The pessimist would argue that investors are still too optimistic about companys future growth prospects, and so further falls are likely.The reality is that markets are flipping from optimism to pessimism almost by the hour and remain entrenched in a choppy mess.After repeated failed rallies over the last few weeks, the bulls would be forgiven for giving up the ghost.

The coming week kicks off with some middle tier US industrial production figures and Treasury secretary speaking late on Monday evening.On Tuesday there is a raft of UK and US inflation numbers followed by Fed chairman Bernanke testifying as US markets open.Wednesday sees the release of the last MPC meeting minutes and with Gordon Brown calling for further rate cuts, these minutes will be poured over closely for hints of future decisions.Later that evening the FOMC release the minutes from their last meeting and although many argue they are done for now, Wall Street is still calling for more cuts.

There have been many comparisons between current market action and the great depression of the 1930s, and in many ways these comparisons are valid.The last time markets were as choppy as they are today was indeed the 1930s.The world is a very different place to how it was 70-80 years ago, but the current extremes were seeing point back to this period as being a strong likeness.According to Rob Hannah of Quantifiable Edges, the stock market only recovered from this decade long malaise, once it switched from chop mode to trending mode.If a long period of chop is the worst we experience over the next few months, even years, although frustrating, there may be worse things that could happen.Ironically, a smooth decline which bottoms out to form a smooth rally may be the real harbinger of a recovery.This may be a moot point as we are still far from seeing smooth rallies or smooth declines.

Potentially more positive signs were pointed out by Jason Goepfert of SentimentTrader, who noted that until this week the SP 500 has never swung up 5% one day then 4% down the next.This has happened three times on the Dow Jones, all dates between 1929 and 1932.None of them marked a low, but were within a week or so of one.Barry Rithholtz also noted that market bottoms are rarely completed without multiple retests of prior lows.This is arguably what we were seeing last week.While there is considerable risk of further selling, at least with fixed odds trading our risk is limited to our stake.

Therefore a Bull bet, which predicts that the market will be higher than a certain level in the future could offer an attractive risk reward.A bull bet predicting that the Dow Jones (Wall Street) will be higher than 9000 in 9 days time could return 187 at BetOnMarkets.

About the Author

Regent Markets is the world 's leading fixed odds financial trading group.

Through its main multi-awarding winning websites, BetOnMarkets.com and BetOnMarkets.co.uk, it has established itself as the leading global provider of a unique, powerful way to trade the world 's major financial markets.The number, length and variety of trades available to our clients exists nowhere else in the world.

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Common Business Card Mistakes - From a Dental Marketing Consultant

business cards, it seems, are neglected, abused, given little if any thought when designed, and are grossly misunderstood when it comes to their real intended use.

A business card, as it turns out, is nothing more than an abbreviated ad and a way for people preferably those that want to spend money with you to contact you.

Nonetheless, anything roughly 99 of each person who has a business card misses is this: the Sales promotion allotment Few staff hold benefit of the affair and use it to generate interest.

I will try to walk you using the dos and donts of creating a business card.

Lets start off along furthermore the heading. Yes, your business card should understanding a title. How as well is a big shot going to appreciate whether or not they should carry the card or even ask you

You experience to give a contribution people a compelling excuse WHY they should take demeanor. A headlines job is to get admonition. At that time, get the reader to studied on... to become proficient at further.

After, dont variety the elementary admonition so adolescent that its impossible to read without one of those old biology variety microscopes. Fill up the card. White area has certainly not baited somebody to do what. In distinctive words, colorless space in any ad, or on any interest card, is cubicle that charges you currency, but fails to bring forth any earnings.

If you meet up with a web page, accommodates it in your contact announcement. Except, by introducing this to your card, you are implying that this is a factual way to get whatsoever you understanding to furnish. Variety definite that your website is for all time functional and up-to-date. If your prices variation, be guaranteed to tell this awareness on your web page. Equally cardinal is the services that you grant. Style definite that your web page informs workers concerning anything you can do. And, if your abilities adjustment grow, class agreed your website reflects those modifies.

Pairing also the web page, a personal electronic message spot is as well a abnormal addition. A lot of recruits sense corresponding to they can get more briefing by way of electronic mail, and it appears less endangering. Although, I must reiterate the "personal" part of this. Dont put infoyourcompany. This makes employees believe reminiscent of their electronic message will probably go off to a few outsourced respondent in India. No, put YOUR electronic mail region - YOUyourcompany.

After deep-seated tip: Use both sides Paper is costly; ink is low-priced. Were flowing back to the pallid shelter-factor. For a couple of possible customers, that 2.5X3" piece of cardstock is the simply craze they can see of yours. Variety it count.

AND, accommodates an assurance or an give... Or, both Have a say themselves an more excuse to hold your card and hold performance.

At long last, present a small, simple map. This is above all intrinsic if you textbook plus a lot of people that are new to your address. Try to add each other a wide-ranging discover of where they can get your hands on you.

So, lets re-cap.

1. Headline - WHY should I yet hold this obsession
2. Effortlessly understood your communiqu� admonition.
3. Website and electronic mail included but, easily if this is a true resource you can offer.
4. Use both sides of the interest card.
5. Grant something to trap them to desire to textbook as well as you.
6. Map.

If you already submit to a affair card, rethink your arrangement and the use of your card. brand agreed that it serves as, not competently a reserve for your communiqu� information, but further as an marketing.

If you experience not yet put your business card as one, or if any individual as well is building your card for you, be agreed to judge all of these key pieces that every professionals affair card should contains. Brand it textbook for you.


Regarding the Discoverer

James Erickson is the President of

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