SCAMS??

SCAMS??-Are you Very frustrated and overwhelmed by of all of the scams, spam and other junk you see every day on the Internet and in your email box? Do you wish you had a way to know -- for sure -- what's real and what's not?

Internet scams :

The rise of the internet has opened up the world to millions of people. It is now possible to do things that were unheard of only ten or even five years ago.

Unfortunately the internet is not free from scams and scammers. Some scams are especially designed to take advantage of the way the internet works.

A lot of internet scams take place without the victim even noticing. It is only when their credit card statement or phone bill arrives that the person realises that they might have been scammed.

There are, however, several ways to protect yourself from internet scams. They are simple but essential precautions you can take because you often cannot be sure exactly who you are dealing with on the internet.

How you access the internet can also make a difference. If you take the right precautions, the chances of being scammed are greatly reduced.

Online auction & shopping scams
Online auctions can be rigged by scammers or used to target you for a scam outside of the auction site. You could end up with a dud product or nothing at all for your money.

Domain name renewal scams
Scams that send you a fake renewal notice for your actual domain name, or a misleading invoice for a domain name that is very similar to your own.

Spam (junk mail) offers
Spam emails usually offer free goods or ‘prizes’, very cheap products or promises of wealth. Responding to spam emails can result problems for you computer and your bank account.

'Free' offers on the internet
Offers of ‘free’ website access, downloads, holidays, shares or product trials – but you have to supply your credit card or other personal details.

Modem jacking
Modem-jacking scams secretly change the phone number dial-up modems use to access the internet to an overseas or premium rate phone number. You could pay hundreds of dollars extra.

Spyware & key-loggers
Spyware is a type of software that spies on what you do on your computer. Key-loggers record what keys you press on your keyboard. Scammers can use them to steal your online banking passwords or other personal information.

Similar scams:

'Nigerian 419' scams
You are promised huge rewards if you help someone transfer money out of their country by paying fees or giving them your bank account details.

Transferring money for someone else
If you agree to transfer money for someone you don’t know, you let scammers use your bank account to ‘launder’ their dirty money. This puts you and your money in the firing line.

Ring tone scams
Misleading offers for ‘free’ or cheap ring tones that end up being a subscription or premium rate service.

Up-front payment scams
You are asked to send money upfront for a product or ‘reward’. You will end up with something much less than you expected, or nothing at all.
SCAMS??-Are you Very frustrated and overwhelmed by of all of the scams, spam and other junk you see every day on the Internet and in your email box? Do you wish you had a way to know -- for sure -- what's real and what's not?

Internet scams :

The rise of the internet has opened up the world to millions of people. It is now possible to do things that were unheard of only ten or even five years ago.

Unfortunately the internet is not free from scams and scammers. Some scams are especially designed to take advantage of the way the internet works.

A lot of internet scams take place without the victim even noticing. It is only when their credit card statement or phone bill arrives that the person realises that they might have been scammed.

There are, however, several ways to protect yourself from internet scams. They are simple but essential precautions you can take because you often cannot be sure exactly who you are dealing with on the internet.

How you access the internet can also make a difference. If you take the right precautions, the chances of being scammed are greatly reduced.

Online auction & shopping scams
Online auctions can be rigged by scammers or used to target you for a scam outside of the auction site. You could end up with a dud product or nothing at all for your money.

Domain name renewal scams
Scams that send you a fake renewal notice for your actual domain name, or a misleading invoice for a domain name that is very similar to your own.

Spam (junk mail) offers
Spam emails usually offer free goods or ‘prizes’, very cheap products or promises of wealth. Responding to spam emails can result problems for you computer and your bank account.

'Free' offers on the internet
Offers of ‘free’ website access, downloads, holidays, shares or product trials – but you have to supply your credit card or other personal details.

Modem jacking
Modem-jacking scams secretly change the phone number dial-up modems use to access the internet to an overseas or premium rate phone number. You could pay hundreds of dollars extra.

Spyware & key-loggers
Spyware is a type of software that spies on what you do on your computer. Key-loggers record what keys you press on your keyboard. Scammers can use them to steal your online banking passwords or other personal information.

Similar scams:

'Nigerian 419' scams
You are promised huge rewards if you help someone transfer money out of their country by paying fees or giving them your bank account details.

Transferring money for someone else
If you agree to transfer money for someone you don’t know, you let scammers use your bank account to ‘launder’ their dirty money. This puts you and your money in the firing line.

Ring tone scams
Misleading offers for ‘free’ or cheap ring tones that end up being a subscription or premium rate service.

Up-front payment scams
You are asked to send money upfront for a product or ‘reward’. You will end up with something much less than you expected, or nothing at all.

Situation With a Google Adsense Representative!

google adsanse

Google Adsense is a program that allows businesses to advertise on other websites. They business only pays the host website when a consumer clicks on the link to take them to their website. This is a very effective way of advertising because of the millions of people who access the internet every day. It is also a low cost marketing method that businesses of all sizes can benefit from. Websites are eager to host advertisements for other businesses because it doesn't cost them anything and they earn money for doing it when consumers choose to follow the link from a particular advertisement.

There is no long term contract with Google Adsense. You can choose to leave the program at any time. You will need to provide written notice by mail or for more details visit to www.google-atm-machine.com email to Google. All ads will be removed from your website within ten days. They also have the right to discontinue your business from the program at any time for not following their policies. You do have the right to file an appeal if your account is canceled. This gives you the opportunity to discuss the situation with a Google Adsense representative.

You must be approved by Google Adsense before you are allowed to be a part of the program either as a host site for advertisements or to post your ads. The owner of the website must be at least 18 years of age. The approval process involves an application that you complete with information on your website including keywords. You will have a response to your application within two days. Make sure it is completed entirely or your application will be denied.

All communications must take place with Google. This means if you have concerns or issues about an advertisement your business has on a website or about an ad you are hosting on your website everything goes through Google. The two businesses are not to discuss the issue between each other. Google does not guarantee a set amount of clicks or earnings for a host website. It also doesn’t guarantee any increase in traffic or sales for a business.

Google Adsense has the right to use the name of businesses participating in the program for presentations, for more details visit to www.guardadsense.com marketing, and financial reports. Users of Google Adsense are required to pay for the amount of pay per clicks their ads received as outlined. Adsense accounts are non-transferable under any circumstances. They can’t be resold to another provider. A maximum of three ads per webpage can be displayed. Advertisements can't be placed on webpages that don't contain content for your website. A webpage can't be used for the sole purpose of displaying ads to make money.

Google Adsense is a great opportunity for businesses to advertise their products and services on various websites and pay only for the number of consumers who click on the link to go to that businesses website. It is also a great way for a business to make money by hosting advertisements for other businesses. Understanding the policies of Google Adsense will help you determine if the program is right for you. It also helps the program work properly for all those involved in it.

google adsanse

Google Adsense is a program that allows businesses to advertise on other websites. They business only pays the host website when a consumer clicks on the link to take them to their website. This is a very effective way of advertising because of the millions of people who access the internet every day. It is also a low cost marketing method that businesses of all sizes can benefit from. Websites are eager to host advertisements for other businesses because it doesn't cost them anything and they earn money for doing it when consumers choose to follow the link from a particular advertisement.

There is no long term contract with Google Adsense. You can choose to leave the program at any time. You will need to provide written notice by mail or for more details visit to www.google-atm-machine.com email to Google. All ads will be removed from your website within ten days. They also have the right to discontinue your business from the program at any time for not following their policies. You do have the right to file an appeal if your account is canceled. This gives you the opportunity to discuss the situation with a Google Adsense representative.

You must be approved by Google Adsense before you are allowed to be a part of the program either as a host site for advertisements or to post your ads. The owner of the website must be at least 18 years of age. The approval process involves an application that you complete with information on your website including keywords. You will have a response to your application within two days. Make sure it is completed entirely or your application will be denied.

All communications must take place with Google. This means if you have concerns or issues about an advertisement your business has on a website or about an ad you are hosting on your website everything goes through Google. The two businesses are not to discuss the issue between each other. Google does not guarantee a set amount of clicks or earnings for a host website. It also doesn’t guarantee any increase in traffic or sales for a business.

Google Adsense has the right to use the name of businesses participating in the program for presentations, for more details visit to www.guardadsense.com marketing, and financial reports. Users of Google Adsense are required to pay for the amount of pay per clicks their ads received as outlined. Adsense accounts are non-transferable under any circumstances. They can’t be resold to another provider. A maximum of three ads per webpage can be displayed. Advertisements can't be placed on webpages that don't contain content for your website. A webpage can't be used for the sole purpose of displaying ads to make money.

Google Adsense is a great opportunity for businesses to advertise their products and services on various websites and pay only for the number of consumers who click on the link to go to that businesses website. It is also a great way for a business to make money by hosting advertisements for other businesses. Understanding the policies of Google Adsense will help you determine if the program is right for you. It also helps the program work properly for all those involved in it.

How To Write A Successful Business Plan

Whether you are planning to start a brand-new business, expand an existing company, or get financing for a business venture, you will need to write a business plan. A business plan not only lends your business a sense of credibility, but also helps you to cover all your bases, increasing your chances of success.

Although writing a business plan can be a lengthy, intimidating project, it is not necessarily difficult. Here is an overview of how to write a successful business plan.

What to Include in Your Business Plan

Your business plan needs to demonstrate that you have thoroughly considered all aspects of running your business. To that end, the standard business plan has nine major sections, covering everything from your business’s mission statement to a detailed financial analysis.

Executive Summary

The first – and most important – section of your business plan is the executive summary. This section is so important that it should literally be the first thing the reader sees – even before the table of contents! However, it should also be written last, as you’ll have a better understanding of the overall message of your business plan after you’ve researched and written the other sections.

One of the most important parts of the executive summary is the mission statement. The mission statement is only three or four sentences long, but it should pack the most punch out of everything else in your business plan: Those four sentences are responsible for not only defining your business, but also capturing the interest of your reader.

The rest of your executive summary should fill in the important details that the mission statement glosses over. For instance, your executive summary should include a short history of the business, including founder profiles and start date; a current snapshot, listing locations, numbers of employees, and products or services offered; and a summary of future plans and goals.

This section is a candidate for a bulleted format, which allows you to list main points in a manner that is easy to scan. Avoid using too much detail – remember, this section is a summary. A page or two is usually sufficient for an executive summary.

Market Analysis

The next section of your business plan focuses on market analysis. In order to show that your business has a reasonable chance for success, you will need to thoroughly research the industry and the market you intend to sell to. No bank or investor is going to back a doomed venture, so this section is sure to fall under especially close scrutiny if you are looking for financing.

Your market analysis should describe your industry, including the size, growth rate, and trends that could affect the industry. This section should also describe your target market – that is, the type or group of customers that your company intends to serve. The description of your target market should include detail such as:

• Distinguishing characteristics
• The needs your company or product line will meet
• What media and/or marketing methods you’ll use to reach them
• What percentage of your target market you expect to be able to wrest away from your competitors

In addition, your market analysis should include the results of any market tests you have done, and an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors.

Company Description

After your market analysis, your business plan will need to include a description of your company. This section should describe:

• The nature of your business
• The needs of the market
• How your business will meet these needs
• Your target market, including specific individuals and/or organizations
• The factors that set you apart from your competition and make you likely to succeed

Although some of these things overlap with the previous section, they are still necessary parts of your company description. Each section of your business plan should have the ability to stand on its own if need be. In other words, the company description should thoroughly describe your company, even if certain aspects are covered in other sections.

Organization and Management

Once you have described the nature and purpose of your company, you will need to explain your staff setup. This section should include:

• The division of labor – how company processes are divided among the staff
• The management hierarchy
• Profiles of the company’s owner(s), management personnel, and the Board of Directors
• Employee incentives, such as salary, benefits packages, and bonuses

This goal of this section is to demonstrate not only good organization within the company, but also the ability to create loyalty in your employees. Long-term employees minimize human resource costs and increase a business’s chances for success, so banks and investors will want to see that you have an effective system in place for maintaining your staff.

Marketing and Sales Management

The purpose of the marketing and sales section of your business plan is to outline your strategies for marketing your products or services. This section also plans for company growth by describing how the growth could take place.

The section should describe your company’s:

• Marketing methods
• Distributions methods
• Type of sales force
• Sales activities
• Growth strategies

Product or Services

Following the marketing section of your business plan, you will need a section focusing on the product or services your business offers. This is more than a simple description of your product or services, though. You will also need to include:

• The specific benefits your product or service offers customers
• The specific needs of the market, and how your product will meet them
• The advantages your product has over your competitors
• Any copyright, trade secret, or patent information pertaining to your product
• Where any new products or services are in the research and development process
• Current industry research that you could use in the development of products and services

Funding Request

Only once you have described your business from head to toe are you ready to detail your funding needs. This section should include everything a bank or investor needs in order to understand what type of funding you want:

• How much money you need now
• How much money you think you will need over the next five years
• How the money you borrow will be used
• How long you will need funding
• What type of funding you want (i.e. loans, investors, etc.)
• Any other terms you want the funding arrangement to include

Financials

The financials section in your business plan supports your request for outside funding. This section provides an analysis of your company’s prospective financial success. The section also details your company’s financial track record for the past three to five years, unless you are seeking financing for a startup business.

The financials section should include:

• Company income statements for prior years
• Balance sheets for prior years
• Cash flow statements for prior years
• Forecasted company income statements
• Forecasted balance sheets
• Forecasted cash flow statements
• Projections for the next five years – every month or quarter for the first year, with longer intervals for the remaining years
• Collateral you can use to secure a loan

The financials section is a great place to include visuals such as graphs, particularly if you predict a positive trend in your projected financials. A graph allows the reader to quickly take in this information, and may do a better job of encouraging a bank or investor to finance your business. However, be sure that the amount of financing you are requesting is in keeping with your projected financials – no matter how impressive your projections are, if you are asking for more money than is warranted, no bank or investor will give it to you.

Appendices

The appendix is the final section in your business plan. Essentially, this is where you put all of the information that doesn’t fit in the other eight sections, but that someone – particularly a bank or investor – might need to see.

For instance, the market analysis section of your business plan may list the results of market studies you have done as part of your market research. Rather than listing the details of the studies in that section, where they will appear cumbersome and detract from the flow of your business plan, you can provide this information in an appendix.

Other information that should be relegated to an appendix includes:

• Credit histories for both you and your business
• Letters of reference
• References that have bearing on your company and your product or service, such as magazines or books on the topic
• Company licenses and patents
• Copies of contracts, leases, and other legal documents
• Resumes of your top managers
• Names of business consultants, such as your accountant and attorney

Writing a Successful Business Plan

Despite the quantity of information contained in your business plan, it should be laid out in a format that is easy to read. Just like with any piece of business writing, it is important to craft your business plan with your intended audience in mind – and the bankers, investors, and other busy professionals who will read your business plan almost certainly won’t have time to read a tedious document with long-winded paragraphs and large blocks of text.

Business plans for startup companies and company expansions are typically between twenty to forty pages long, but formatting actually accounts for a lot of this length. A strong business plan uses bullet points throughout to break up long sections and highlight its main points. Visuals such as tables and charts are also used to quickly relay specific information, such as trends in sales and other financial information. These techniques ensure that the reader can skim the business plan quickly and efficiently.

Think of your audience as only having fifteen minutes to spend on each business plan that comes across their desks. In that fifteen minutes, you not only have to relay your most important points, but also convince the reader that your business venture merits a financial investment. Your best bet is a well-researched business plan, with an organized, easy-to-read format and clear, confident prose.
Whether you are planning to start a brand-new business, expand an existing company, or get financing for a business venture, you will need to write a business plan. A business plan not only lends your business a sense of credibility, but also helps you to cover all your bases, increasing your chances of success.

Although writing a business plan can be a lengthy, intimidating project, it is not necessarily difficult. Here is an overview of how to write a successful business plan.

What to Include in Your Business Plan

Your business plan needs to demonstrate that you have thoroughly considered all aspects of running your business. To that end, the standard business plan has nine major sections, covering everything from your business’s mission statement to a detailed financial analysis.

Executive Summary

The first – and most important – section of your business plan is the executive summary. This section is so important that it should literally be the first thing the reader sees – even before the table of contents! However, it should also be written last, as you’ll have a better understanding of the overall message of your business plan after you’ve researched and written the other sections.

One of the most important parts of the executive summary is the mission statement. The mission statement is only three or four sentences long, but it should pack the most punch out of everything else in your business plan: Those four sentences are responsible for not only defining your business, but also capturing the interest of your reader.

The rest of your executive summary should fill in the important details that the mission statement glosses over. For instance, your executive summary should include a short history of the business, including founder profiles and start date; a current snapshot, listing locations, numbers of employees, and products or services offered; and a summary of future plans and goals.

This section is a candidate for a bulleted format, which allows you to list main points in a manner that is easy to scan. Avoid using too much detail – remember, this section is a summary. A page or two is usually sufficient for an executive summary.

Market Analysis

The next section of your business plan focuses on market analysis. In order to show that your business has a reasonable chance for success, you will need to thoroughly research the industry and the market you intend to sell to. No bank or investor is going to back a doomed venture, so this section is sure to fall under especially close scrutiny if you are looking for financing.

Your market analysis should describe your industry, including the size, growth rate, and trends that could affect the industry. This section should also describe your target market – that is, the type or group of customers that your company intends to serve. The description of your target market should include detail such as:

• Distinguishing characteristics
• The needs your company or product line will meet
• What media and/or marketing methods you’ll use to reach them
• What percentage of your target market you expect to be able to wrest away from your competitors

In addition, your market analysis should include the results of any market tests you have done, and an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors.

Company Description

After your market analysis, your business plan will need to include a description of your company. This section should describe:

• The nature of your business
• The needs of the market
• How your business will meet these needs
• Your target market, including specific individuals and/or organizations
• The factors that set you apart from your competition and make you likely to succeed

Although some of these things overlap with the previous section, they are still necessary parts of your company description. Each section of your business plan should have the ability to stand on its own if need be. In other words, the company description should thoroughly describe your company, even if certain aspects are covered in other sections.

Organization and Management

Once you have described the nature and purpose of your company, you will need to explain your staff setup. This section should include:

• The division of labor – how company processes are divided among the staff
• The management hierarchy
• Profiles of the company’s owner(s), management personnel, and the Board of Directors
• Employee incentives, such as salary, benefits packages, and bonuses

This goal of this section is to demonstrate not only good organization within the company, but also the ability to create loyalty in your employees. Long-term employees minimize human resource costs and increase a business’s chances for success, so banks and investors will want to see that you have an effective system in place for maintaining your staff.

Marketing and Sales Management

The purpose of the marketing and sales section of your business plan is to outline your strategies for marketing your products or services. This section also plans for company growth by describing how the growth could take place.

The section should describe your company’s:

• Marketing methods
• Distributions methods
• Type of sales force
• Sales activities
• Growth strategies

Product or Services

Following the marketing section of your business plan, you will need a section focusing on the product or services your business offers. This is more than a simple description of your product or services, though. You will also need to include:

• The specific benefits your product or service offers customers
• The specific needs of the market, and how your product will meet them
• The advantages your product has over your competitors
• Any copyright, trade secret, or patent information pertaining to your product
• Where any new products or services are in the research and development process
• Current industry research that you could use in the development of products and services

Funding Request

Only once you have described your business from head to toe are you ready to detail your funding needs. This section should include everything a bank or investor needs in order to understand what type of funding you want:

• How much money you need now
• How much money you think you will need over the next five years
• How the money you borrow will be used
• How long you will need funding
• What type of funding you want (i.e. loans, investors, etc.)
• Any other terms you want the funding arrangement to include

Financials

The financials section in your business plan supports your request for outside funding. This section provides an analysis of your company’s prospective financial success. The section also details your company’s financial track record for the past three to five years, unless you are seeking financing for a startup business.

The financials section should include:

• Company income statements for prior years
• Balance sheets for prior years
• Cash flow statements for prior years
• Forecasted company income statements
• Forecasted balance sheets
• Forecasted cash flow statements
• Projections for the next five years – every month or quarter for the first year, with longer intervals for the remaining years
• Collateral you can use to secure a loan

The financials section is a great place to include visuals such as graphs, particularly if you predict a positive trend in your projected financials. A graph allows the reader to quickly take in this information, and may do a better job of encouraging a bank or investor to finance your business. However, be sure that the amount of financing you are requesting is in keeping with your projected financials – no matter how impressive your projections are, if you are asking for more money than is warranted, no bank or investor will give it to you.

Appendices

The appendix is the final section in your business plan. Essentially, this is where you put all of the information that doesn’t fit in the other eight sections, but that someone – particularly a bank or investor – might need to see.

For instance, the market analysis section of your business plan may list the results of market studies you have done as part of your market research. Rather than listing the details of the studies in that section, where they will appear cumbersome and detract from the flow of your business plan, you can provide this information in an appendix.

Other information that should be relegated to an appendix includes:

• Credit histories for both you and your business
• Letters of reference
• References that have bearing on your company and your product or service, such as magazines or books on the topic
• Company licenses and patents
• Copies of contracts, leases, and other legal documents
• Resumes of your top managers
• Names of business consultants, such as your accountant and attorney

Writing a Successful Business Plan

Despite the quantity of information contained in your business plan, it should be laid out in a format that is easy to read. Just like with any piece of business writing, it is important to craft your business plan with your intended audience in mind – and the bankers, investors, and other busy professionals who will read your business plan almost certainly won’t have time to read a tedious document with long-winded paragraphs and large blocks of text.

Business plans for startup companies and company expansions are typically between twenty to forty pages long, but formatting actually accounts for a lot of this length. A strong business plan uses bullet points throughout to break up long sections and highlight its main points. Visuals such as tables and charts are also used to quickly relay specific information, such as trends in sales and other financial information. These techniques ensure that the reader can skim the business plan quickly and efficiently.

Think of your audience as only having fifteen minutes to spend on each business plan that comes across their desks. In that fifteen minutes, you not only have to relay your most important points, but also convince the reader that your business venture merits a financial investment. Your best bet is a well-researched business plan, with an organized, easy-to-read format and clear, confident prose.
 
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