Question: How Can You Make Your Business Safer?

Let's face it -- the economy is down and crime is up across the country. Now for than ever the risk for crime at your business is present. The best strategy to protect your business is to use deterrence. If you don't already have a security system protecting your place of business, you really need to get one.

There are many options to protect your business from the simple to the very complex. On the basic level there is Intrusion Detection and Monitoring Services. This means your business is monitored for unwanted intrusions and emergency response services are notified when an intrusion occurs. This is useful to protect your business from theft.

More advanced security options include Video Surveillance, Electronic Access Control, and Fire & Life Safety services. There is virtually no limit to what you can do to protect your business but its all about finding out what is suitable for you.

One interesting option out there is to integrate RFID technology to your business using similar devices found in your security system. RFID technology can be used to track inventory and manage assets. This can not only be useful for protecting your products against theft but also it is generally useful for supply management and inventory cost control.

This post have been sponsored by the company linked to. Thank you.

Question: Why Can't Germany Gey Hulu?

I guess it has to do with copyright and the U.S. owners of the tv shows. That's too bad because if it were to open up to global visitors, I think that Hulu.com would have a chance to become the premiere online destination for TV viewing. It could be the TV on the Internet. Being able to watch television whenever you want to, with limited commercial interruptions is what the Internet should be all about. It is a good time and its only going to get better.

Question: What is Boomer Marketing?

Boomer Marketing is the emerging subset of marketing to deal directly with the aging population of the U.S. With more and more affluent people entering old age, the market for selling senior-related products is exploding. From cell phones with larger buttons to walk in tubs for bathrooms, products are being developed to make life easy for an aging population. What's the benefit? Well when Baby Boomers get older, they look for products to make their lives easier. If you have products to fill this need, then you will make a lot of money. Simple!

Question: How Has AJAX Shaped the Web?

AJAX, which stands for Asynchronous JavaScript and XML, is a type of web application used in Web 2.0. The benefit of AJAX is that is allows small parts of a web page (or web application) to be refreshed without having to refresh the whole page. This is where the "Asynchronous" part of the word comes from. This allows for a smoother running of interactive web pages. Interactive animation on web pages also benefits from this technology.

Question: What is Plan B?

Your fallback plan is always called your Plan B. Its something funny we see in movies, and books, but Plan B's are really actually useful in real life. Its sorta like a safety harness for your business. When you are developing a strategic plan, you should include in it a Plan B or "contingency plan" to fall back to it something didn't go to plan. Contingency Planning is a very useful tool in business and strategic marketing.

Question: Has Yahoo Beaten Google?

Yahoo Answers is one area where Yahoo trumped Google. Google's short-lived site, which I don't even remember the name of, that's how short-lived it was, fell flat but Yahoo Answers has now over 200 million answers! Check out the best of at best at "Best of Answers". 200 million and growing -- keep it up. As as one recent commenter posted, it may even be a good way to drive traffic to your own site!

Question: What Are Ways to Market in Magazines?

Here's an example I see all the time, specifically with cheap cigars. In the back pages of magazines, there are advertisements to get a sample of a product (in this case cigars) for a low introductory price. The price is so low that either the product is cheap or the marketer is selling at a loss. I'd guess the latter because the benefit of moving your product, even at a loss leader, is great. You can establish customers and have they buy at a higher cost later on.

Question: Got The Game? Now Get the Guide!

Do you know what I love better than playing video games? Getting free information about how to beat them online! No seriously — there are literally hundreds of sites where you can ready walk-throughs and FAQs about your favorite games. All the tips, all the tricks, and all the hints at your disposal. For the game I’m playing right now, God of War, I turned to the game guides at IGN. Another favorite site of mine is YouTube to check out the best boss battles.

Question: What is a Target Audience?

A target audience, in the world of marketing and sales, is the segment of the total population to which you are specifically marketing to. Think about the example of diet supplements. The entire population is made up of people who may or may not want to take supplements or want a diet. Out of all those people, a portion of them are looking for a diet supplement or a way to lose weight. This segment would be the target audience. You wouldn't want to waste your marketing resourcing targeting the total population if you know that some of them won't be receptive to your product.

Toyota’s Volt Killer?

Toyota Motor has announced during this year’s Detroit Auto Show that it is coming out with its own answer to the GM Chevy Volt. Toyota will come out with its all-electric vehicle in the United States by the year 2012 (or earlier). The car will be called the FT-EV (at least for now) and it will have an electric only range of about 50 miles. That 25% more than the Chevy Volt promised. What else does Toyota have up its sleeve? Well how about a new Lexus hybrid called the HS250h?

HINT: It kinda looks like the Prius but Lexus-ized! (Well its more Camry-sized).

Question: How Important is a Showroom?

A Showroom is literally your window to the world and how the world sees you. Your business' showroom is the space where your product or service is displayed for everyone to see. It is how you can market yourself and sell your product in a real environment setting. For this reason, a lot of thought needs to be put into the showroom. From the materials your use (think stainless steel tiles) to the color and lighting involved, the showroom environment will make an impression on your clients and potential customers.

Question: What is Google Wave?

Google Wave? Haven't heard about it? Well its a new super secret product and service from Google. The news out today is that Google is starting a 100,000 person invite-only beta test of the Google Wave service. But what is it? Well its been touted as the future of online communication. Its also been claimed to be the successor of email! Check out the Google Wave website for more info!

Question: What is Wholesale?

Wholesale is defined as the resale of new and used goods to retailers, to industrial, commercial, institutional or professional users, or to other wholesalers. This involves taking new goods, not changing them in any way, and then selling them to a different party. Wholesale means you have new product but sold at a discounted or reduced rate. For example if you had discount classroom furniture, you would sell it to school districts or groups which would use them in multiple projects.

Question: What is Liquid Logistics?

Think about this -- when you have a liquid as the product you make or sell, there are special consideration you must make. This is known as Liquid Logistics. Here are some things which must be considered -- Liquids flowing from a higher level to a lower level provide the capability to transport the liquids without mechanical propulsion or manual intervention. Also liquids match the shape of the container they are put in. This reduces lost space in packaging and distribution.

Question: What Channels Exist?

There are many different kinds of chhanels available for the amrketing effort. Some examples of channels are:

• Selling direct, whether it be thorugh the use of a salesforce or via mail order, Internet and telephone sales
• Via an Agent, who sells direct on behalf of you
  
• Through a Distributor, who sells to retailers. Also known as a middle man. For example when you sell the best fat burners through companies which sell to health stores.
  
• Retailer (also called dealer or reseller), who sells to end customers
• Advertisement typically used for consumption goods

Question: What Are Channels?

Channels when it comes to marketing is called "Distribution". It is one of the four elements of the marketing mix and it relates to the places the product is brought to market and sold. An organization involved in the process of making a product or service available for use needs to find the right channels to push that product to the public. The Channels can be pathways to distribution or the final point of sale location, like a retail store.

Question: What is Brand Recognition?

Brand recognition is all about associating your company and your company's product by way of a slogan, catch phrase, logo, detail of design or even color! From car grills to fabric patterns, brand recognition means your brand is easily recognized by the market and has a positive impact in your market capability. Think about the grill of a BMW or the fabric of a louis vuitton purse? Got it in your mind? I knew you would.

Question: What is Gooogle Chrome?

Google Chrome is the web browser released and maintained by Google. It was released back in September 2008 and has slowly gained in popularity to its current market share of approximately 2.6%. In the recent past (a few months ago), Google Chrome was issued for Linux and the Mac OS X. What makes Chrome similar to Firefox and different than Internet Explorer is that the the entire source code of Chrome, is open for public analysis. This means third-party developers being able to study the underlying source code.

Question: What is the Correct Keyword Density?

See the previous post for a definition on keyword density. When it comes to filling your pages of web content with keywords, experts agree that the maximum keyword density should lie between 1 to 3 percent. When you are writing your content, key an eye on keywords and use them instead of other words like "it, they, them, the product". If you are selling motorcycle covers, then use this term every time you can relate back to it. When you are done writing the content, count up the words and calculate the density. If its too high, then delete some of the words and replace them with generics.

Question: What is Keyword Density?

Keyword density is measured as the percentage of times a keyword or phrase appears on a web page as compared to the total number of all words on the page. When related to search engine optimization, the term keyword density can be used as a deciding factor in determining whether a web page is relevant to a specified keyword or keyword phrase. At the far end of the scale, the keyword density can indicate that a page is spam.