Mar 30

Author : gary PattersonDepartment of Poverty Creation, as some are saying, or long past due emphasis on green and renewable energy, as others are saying Who is correct?

The carbon tax is almost here Since politicians do not like to admit they raise taxes, it is being called a Cap and Trade Initiative

A key part of this movement is the carbon footprint of the company’s ENTIRE supply chain, not excluding the non foreign part of the process where they do not obey or really worry too much about American level regulatory costs In case some of you from service companies are thinking, glad I do not have to worry Start worrying Service companies will be required to measure this and impacted by it There already are websites like cdproject net and software programs being used for these estimates, and the investment banking analysts are already estimating what they are calling an off balance sheet financial liability

The enforcement of a carbon tax is imminent and it will not be long before American businesses will be held accountable for measuring their carbon footprint Simply defined, a carbon tax is an environmental tax on emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases

The author warns: If you were not concerned about your company carbon footprint in the past, it is time you started to focus attention on the impact the carbon tax will have on the company operations and bottom line No company or industry will be exempt from the carbon footprint issue: Green Movement political influence and public popularity is creating a perfect storm by which all companies will be levied a tax measured by their carbon footprint

The proliferation of information regarding the measurement and recording of carbon footprint is evident by the number of websites springing up: cdproject net mentioned above is a prominent example

Their website states that: The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) is an independent not-for-profit organization which holds the largest database of corporate climate change information in the world The data is obtained from responses to the CDP annual Information Requests, issued on behalf of institutional investors, purchasing organizations and government bodies Since its formation in 2000, CDP has become the gold standard for carbon disclosure methodology and process, providing primary climate change data to the global market place

In addition, institutional investor increasing focus on a company carbon footprint liability provides more evidence that the carbon tax will soon be a reality In fact, the website GlobalReporting org shows the format institutional investors want for estimated carbon usage

Using that type information, analysts and the Chicago Carbon Exchange www chicagoclimatex com can estimate your impact from the carbon tax and cost increasers

Since financial analysts and consultants can already estimate a company carbon footprint, discussions are underway to require that these estimates be included as a footnote in corporate financial statements Based on other risks moving to more quantifiable states and then being required to be recorded on balance sheets, it is then logical to conclude that what is becoming a footnote estimate will then become a critical component in company balance sheets tomorrow Bottom line? What is the cost of what you do not know? Apply this information to improve profitability, reengineer business models, and strengthen or gain competitive advantage in the marketplace. Free Fiscal Test at http://www.fiscaldoctor.com/fiscaltest.html.
From Gary W Patterson Copyright 2009

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Mar 27

Author : Wendy MoyerDo you have a successful or soon-to-be successful Internet business?

Congratulations You have a wonderful website and orders are pouring in hand over fist Maybe they have been for a long time

You registered your domain Maybe you didn’t register a trademark, but that’s okay, isn’t it? Who has the time to bother with that when you have a business to run?

After all, you’re living the internet lifestyle that so many people only dream about

Then one day, from out of the blue, you get a certified letter from an attorney He notifies you that your domain name infringes on his client’s federally registered trademark It further stipulates that you must immediately cease and desist from using your domain name along with any and all references to “their” trademark

The letter continues by demanding that you transfer your offending domain name to his client and pay his client damages that are equal to all the profits you made with your online business

Your Internet dream has just turned into a nightmare Unfortunately this nightmare scenario happens every day

The attorney’s cease and desist letter is essentially an invoice for $25,000 to $50,000 - or more - that you will pay if you want to defend against the trademark infringement lawsuit that will probably follow

The letter is not a joke It is not someone fishing for a little bit of extra cash It is from someone who has registered a similar domain as a trademark A person that will take the appropriate action to prevent you from infringing on what has become their legal rights

In other words, if you do not concede to the trademark owner’s demands, if you do not cease and desist from running your business, you can expect that a follow-up infringement lawsuit will be filed against you

And to think, you could have stopped this problem before it began by simply registering your domain as a trademark as soon as your business started showing signs of success

If you do not protect your domain name from theft today it is possible that you can lose your website and all of your profit tomorrow

What is a Domain Registered as a Trademark?

A registered trademark gives you the rights to use your brand in both the brick and mortar world as well as over the Internet

A domain name is an Internet IP address that identifies a website

When you register your domain as a trademark, if a conflict over your domain ever arises, you’ll be in a very strong position to defend your brand Just registering your domain does not give you the same protection as registering your domain as a trademark

A trademark sets you apart from your competitors and secures your identity and intellectual property

If you don’t register your domain as a trademark it is easy for both “cybersquatters” and your competitors to use a name similar to yours (whether intentionally or innocently) and benefit from all your hard work When you register your domain as a registered trademark you both protect that name and prevent other parties from registering similar domain names

The their report to the National Association of Chiefs of Police, the FBI estimated that more than $433 billion was lost due to intellectual property theft
Registering your domain as a trademark will protect your property

If a competitor tries to use it now you will then have the right to send a cease and desist notice to them and challenge them further if they continue It legally protects your property both in your immediate area as well as throughout the United States

How Can You Register Your Domain as a Trademark?

You can apply for the registration of a trademark on your own However, you will have to make sure that it complies with all of the rules and regulations regarding trademarks It’s a rather complicated, time consuming process

For example, every trademark application has to specify the class of goods or services for that registration There are 8 classes of services and 34 classes of goods If you initiate your filing in the wrong class you will waste a lot of your time, energy and money

Approximately 35% of the people who begin the trademark registration process do not finish it because of objections that arise during the process

There are a number of attorneys and companies that can help you to register your domain as a trademark Some are better than others

Do a search on the Internet One of the companies that you will find is Trademarks411 They’re a well established company that specializes in registering domains as trademarks And they have put together an affordable, quick and easy process to file for your domain trademark registration

Whomever you decide to use, shouldn’t you get started today?To get the protection you need and to find out more about how you can register a domain go to http://www.trademarks411.com

Wendy Moyer is a professional writer.

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Mar 25

Author : Dominic DonaldsonThe process of registering a company within the United Kingdom is often known as company formation and is quite straightforward than within other countries The formation of a company within the UK can be done quicker than anywhere else In the United States Company formation is known as American company incorporation, which sounds very different but is a very similar process

The process of incorporation takes businesses that are successful to another level and for most companies is a step that will have to occur Incorporation shows that a company has achieved enough to reach this point; it also provides many benefits for the business itself

Taking your company to America and company corporation within America is a possibility for some businesses but it will take a lot of commitment in order to decide whether your business will gain from this step Some types of business will find that it not is assistance to their company but certainly many more will find it a rewarding and a financially positive experience

The incorporation of a company is a simple procedure but can seem like a rather lengthy process The documents that have to be read and understood are quite intense but these will allow you to decide which type of Incorporation you wish your company to go for This decision will be based on your company’s annual turnover the amount of employees you employ and how successful your company has been so far

Company incorporation in America will involve choosing a company name and selecting a certain area in which you wish to trade mainly and what type of business your company is Names of company directors also have to be declared officially so that the whole process is considered legal

Incorporation of your company will have far more many advantages than disadvantages and for many companies the decision to go ahead is a fairly simple one The legal protection that it can offer and creating more financial security are just some of these You can also view it was taking your business a step from how it was before, it determines hard work that has been put into companies and how you have achieved these

Legally your business will receive a lot of protection, your company will have expanded and with larger annual profits you will be keen to protect this The incorporation process will shield your personal assets against claims from creditors and any lawsuits that may emerge A business that isn’t protected by incorporation will find that sole traders are held liable against anything that goes wrong This is a huge pressure for a company at the best of times and certainly worst when business is not as successful

Any personal assets remain that way regardless of the outcome of a law suit, the actually liability is relative to the amount of shares within the business a person owns, they can only be liable for what they own
Considering the finial climate currently many small or medium sized businesses are now aware of the legal benefits of company incorporation can provide for them Incorporation legally separates obligation from individuals and recognizes this by law For anything that may occur in the future to your company, such as an employees accident or a damage to a company’s property

Tax is also a factor that should be considered within company incorporation; in the United States corporations are taxed at a lower rate than individuals are If your company is financially doing very well it would be beneficial to regard the prospect of incorporation as lowering the amount of tax you pay would maximise your profit entirely A company can also own shares within other companies and receive extra finance this way

Overall the process could enhance your company greatly and create a large amount of income All that needs to be considered is that there are many different byelaws that will need to be filed depending on which state and these contain far more detail involved in company incorporation Dominic Donaldson is an expert in the corporation industry.
Find out more about company corporation and how the services available can help with improving your business.

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Mar 21

Author : Janet DriscollAnyone who knows me well knows that I’m a huge NASCAR fan (Go Tony Stewart!) Yesterday was the second race of the 2009 Sprint Cup season the Auto Club 500 at Fontana, Calif As I was watching the race, I saw a commercial (as well as a sponsored car and other race segment sponsorships) from Ask(dot)com According the commercial, they are the official search engine of NASCAR After I got up off the floor from laughing uncontrollably, I had to ask, seriously?

I keep asking myself, how is it that Ask(dot)com keeps getting back in the game? For years now, Google has been capturing more and more market share in the search wars, but they keep holding on to their small share (3 7% as of January 2009, according to ComScore) Apparently, they’re making some decent ad revenue, reporting $183 7 million in revenue for 2008 Pretty respectable considering the loss of ad revenue for many advertising properties last year

They have really been trying hard to capture more searchers From the very strange “chicks with swords” ad to the Kato Kaelin ad to the ads featuring Ask(dot)com’s creator, Dr Apostolos Gerasoulis, (and my new favorite, the pregnant woman ad), it seems like they are just the little engine that could - it just keeps on hanging in there Or is Ask just annoying as hell? A noisy distraction that refuses to go away?

Now for those of you who are not familiar with NASCAR sponsorship, it isn’t cheap So will the deal pan out for the search engine company?

According to Jim Safka , CEO of Ask, the goal of the deal is “to make Ask the first search engine NASCAR fans use when seeking information about the sport ” Safka, have you MET NASCAR fans? It’s true that we’re an incredibly loyal bunch For years, as a Tony Stewart fan, I would only shop at Home Depot -never Lowe’s because of my admiration and respect for my driver and his sponsor But I ask myself, will their sponsorship of NASCAR make me switch search engines?

How Other Companies’ Sponsorships Have Fared:
Take, for example, Toyota’s recent addition to NASCAR 2007 was the first year that Toyota vehicles were added as one of the car models racing in the Sprint Cup races, alongside of American standards - Dodge, Ford and Chevy Did Toyota’s new involvement in NASCAR mean more sales of Camrys? In the 2008 model year - a year of extreme difficulty for most automotive manufacturers, while sales were down from 2007, Camry sales still exceeded Chrysler’s entire passenger car sales Surely the Camry sales weren’t completely due to NASCAR sponsorship, but maybe it did help

On the flip side, there’s Sprint, the sponsor of the entire cup series, which is easily the most expensive, most visible sponsorship in all of NASCAR Sprint inherited the sponsorship from Nextel, who took over the sponsorship of the series in 2005 from R J Reynolds, manufacturer of Winston cigarettes (hence the Winston Cup) Since 2005, however, the cup sponsorship hasn’t meant increased sales for Sprint In fact, Sprint’s revenue has dropped by nearly 14% since 2006, and they recently announced a $1 6B loss in 4Q08 and will cut 8,000 jobs

So will the NASCAR sponsorship pay off for Ask(dot)com? Ask them - it may be the one question they can’t answer on their search engine Janet Driscoll Miller is the CEO and Lead Search Strategist of Search Mojo a full service search engine marketing firm. Her company offers both Search Engine Optimization (SEO) services and Pay Per Click (PPC) Management services to help clients improve search engine rankings.

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Mar 19

Author : Konrad BraunIn the year 2003 it was said by the Current Population Survey conducted by the United States Census Bureau for the Bureau of Labor Statistics, that well over 23 5 million people were working at home, and this of course does not account for the people that don’t have home offices but offices with in companies Now with in the year 2008 that statistic has tripled! With all these people having to work in offices, there has been a large need for office equipment Of course you can just go and buy office equipment just about anywhere but wouldn’t you rather go some place that’s worthy of the work you do?

For my home office I require a lot of equipment, and I need equipment that is quality ensured and equipment that I know will last me the next few years So I make sure I buy from the best places possible that not only have great prices but that have equipment that will last I look for luxury type items I’m not talking about $5k desks I’m talking about buying a desk and having it be quality wood, not particle board posing as oak that will break in a few weeks So if your looking for items like this as well look no more! These office equipment sites offer every single thing you could possibly ever need for your business or your home office Here are just a few examples of the equipment, these site offer:

Office chairs - Leather, fabric, mesh, ergonomic, recliners
Filing cabinets - Steel, wooden, pedestals, cupboards, book cases, printer & CPU storage
Home Office furniture - Wooden desks, glass desks, computer hideaways, home office storage
Office accessories - Shredders, fans, carpet mats, cigarette bins
Stationary - Binders, folders, document wallets
Landscaping - Topiary, ferns, olive trees

If that wasn’t enough, these sorts of sites also offer other things for places like Bistros & Bars, such as Bistro tables, Bistro chairs, and Bar stools These shops are all in one shops You needn’t go anywhere else for anything else They even have a multitude of different colors you can choose from depending on your home office or office design Usually I pick the same color for my desks, chairs and other equipment But if you want you can choose black, silver, white, green, brown, etc Whatever your hearts desire! Make sure you check some of these sites out, some of them even offer daily, weekly or monthly Specials that allow you to get a certain percentage off your order!

Sometimes these sites also offer other office equipment categories such as computers, PDAs, printers, printer paper, etc These office equipment sites (from what I can see) compared to BIG department stores, offer really great prices Which for me, is what matters the most As long as I know its quality equipment, and I’m not paying more than I have to

To find out more about these sites, search on Google for “Buy Home Office Equipment”, “Buy Office Equipment” or “Specialty Office Equipment “This author is the proud owner of http://www.saxen.co.uk

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Mar 19

Author : seomul EvansBig corporations have huge budgets They spend more on marketing in one month than you do on your whole business for an entire year They have experts and specialists doing all of their branding So how can you possibly compete? Start by remembering that your small business has some significant advantages over major corporations

1 Finances Let’s face it, the internet has really leveled the internet marketing playing field There’s not much a huge corporation can do on the internet that you can’t do You can both optimize your websites, you can both host your website on a web-based content management system, you can both post relevant and high-quality articles to your blog, you can both use social networking sites to connect to potential customers, and you can both optimize your landing pages to ensure more leads All of those activities are critical to internet marketing, and you can do them with the same ease and cost as a multinational corporation

2 Social Networking Let the big companies do your work for you! Let them spend all the money they want on new marketing, because all they’re doing is attracting targeted traffic to social media sites And if you’re in the right place at the right time, that targeted traffic will be exposed to your business as well

Additionally, many big companies aren’t savvy enough to use social networking appropriately Instead of becoming part of the conversation on social media sites, they’re interrupting it with their loud messages and demanding attitudes They don’t realize that social media users are interested in creating connections rather than having marketing messages shoved down their throats

If you use social networking appropriately by connecting with other people rather than trying to sell them something, you’ll have an enormous advantage over big businesses Don’t be intimated by their presence on social networking sites Keep making your connections and you’ll see a huge payoff in the end

3 Customers Sure, large companies are less affected by losing customers, but your advantage is that you can actually create relationships with potential customers Social networking is a major piece in creating such relationships, and if you as a small business owner remain committed to the relationship-building task, you will see it pay off If you’re patient with potential customers and share information with them rather than going for the hard sell, you’ll see that sales come much more quickly Convincing and persuading, the primary tactics of big businesses, isn’t going to get you very far Building relationships is

Your job as a small business owner is to gauge the challenges faced by your potential customers and to help them find solutions to those challenges Big businesses too quickly lose focus on individual problem-solving in favor of getting their message out to as many people as possible as quickly as possible When you keep in mind that internet users can frequently find the solutions to their challenges by searching the internet, and when you offer yourself in a consultative fashion, you are more likely to be attractive to potential customers who are looking for a partner rather than a savior

4 Think Differently About Marketing Experts tell us that companies will spend $1 9 billion advertising on social networking sites in 2009 But maybe we need to think about “successful marketing” in a different way What if someone came to your website, downloaded a free ebook, passed it on to ten friends, and those ten friends starting talking about what you had to say? Would that count as success even though you made no money? Absolutely! So instead of looking at the dollar signs, listen to what your gut tells you about whether or not your marketing efforts are successful Couple your instincts with efforts to calculate your internet marketing return on investment and you’ll see that you have significant advantages over big business Make them work for you!Seomul Evans is a senior Search Engine Marketing Services specializing in Meta Search Engines and SEO marketing articles .

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