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Five Best Roi Activities To Delegate To Your Internet Marketing Virtual Assistant

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Are you ready to ramp up your Internet marketing efforts? Perhaps you want to increase your social media exposure or produce a series of webinars? Getting these projects started can be a lot of work — something a small, one- or two-person business doesn’t always have time for. That’s where an Internet marketing virtual assistant (IMVA) can help. These virtual workers can take your marketing “to-do” list and turn it into a profitable reality.

What is an Internet Marketing Virtual Assistant?

An Internet marketing virtual assistant is a skilled marketing professional who can provide a variety of services, such as social media updates and administration, managing and setting up ecommerce functions, setting up Webinars and email marketing, just to name a few. Though she can be a vital part of your team, she works off-site, connecting with you via the Internet. The beauty of this arrangement is that you only have to pay for the time that you use her skills. You don’t have to set up an office, pay overhead and contribute Social Security taxes and benefits.

Five Best Activities to Delegate to Your Internet Marketing Virtual Assistant

When you start working with a virtual assistant, it can be a little confusing. After all, you can’t just shout over to the next cubicle when you need a task completed. However, once you settle into a working routine, you’ll find that using an Internet marketing virtual assistant helps you to be organized as well as helps you with your marketing efforts.

Of course, you want to make the most of your virtual assistant’s time and use her for tasks that will earn you the largest return on the money you pay for her time and efforts.

Below are the five activities that offer the best return on your investment in an Internet marketing virtual assistant:

1. Content Syndication. Content syndication is the controlled placement of the same article (or a variation of the same article) on multiple web sites to maximize your company’s marketing exposure. Such articles offer tips, advice or news of interest to your potential customers and conclude with a blurb about your company. The content syndication process continuously markets your business, even while you’re sleeping. Your VA can write these articles and handle the placement of them around the Web.

2. Video Creation and Marketing. Video marketing is another function you can delegate to your IMVA. Images and videos help to make your Web site more engaging and break up the sea of text you find on many sites. You can also place videos about your company on sites like YouTube. It’s pretty easy to get a short video optimized so that it appears on the first page of a Google search for your primary keyword terms within just a few days.

3. Product Launches. Getting the word out about a new product launch is another task well-suited to a VA. As product launches can be time-intensive, she can write and submit press releases, post on social media sites and forums and be a media contact. A good IMVA will have a product launch time table that she uses, which makes the launch easier to execute.

4. Email Marketing. Communicating with your mailing list can also be handled by your IMVA. The marketing gold is in the relationship you have with the people on your mailing list, and an IMVA can ensure that you communicate regularly with the people who care most about your company.

5. Webinars. Setting up webinars, video tutorials or classes about topics in your field can help to promote you and your company as industry experts. However, the work and technology involved in setting up such classes can be overwhelming. Having an IMVA set those up for you so that you only have to deliver the program is essential. Plus, a good IMVA will help you strategize how to turn the webinar content into content that can be syndicated.

If you use her time wisely, you’ll be able to more than re-coup the money you pay your IMVA and grow your business without expensive overhead and benefit costs. Using an Internet marketing virtual assistant can transform even the smallest company into a marketing powerhouse.

Wholesale Automotive Diagnostic Tools

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Do you have an experience that when you drive your car and the engine light on, how do you solve this problem? Go to an automotive shop or solve it by yourselves? All you have to do is plug a diagnostic tool into the port of your car, and your tool will send the information about the error to your car.

Professional Tools
Professional automotive diagnostic tools always have friendly interfaces for different brands of cars. The most important is that they can read different car systems and show the error codes. You can purchase them from automotive stores which are specializing in wholesale these tools.
Stand-Alone Tools
Stand-Alone tools are convenient to use. You just plug the automotive diagnostic tool in your car, and then the code concerning the problems will light up on the screen. You can accord the manual to look up the code. So you can solve the problems quickly. Some diagnostic tools have their own screen, it will show the codes. After you repaired the problems, “check engine” light will turn off.

Tools Using a Laptop
Owning a PC, you can get know the data stream easily. As these tools come with a USB cord, so PC can be used as the screen of these tools. In fact, these tools which without screen are cheaper than those come with screen. PC as your tool screen can make troubleshooting quicker but also save your charges on buying a diagnostic tool which comes with a screen. You can analyze the data better.
Automotive diagnostic tools can point the problems on your car. They are really worth you to invest. The charges which you spend on your car can direct cut down. Youroscilloscope.com is an online wholesale store. You can choose a diagnostic tool depend on your needs. More information, check out!

Leasing Retail Space – The True Costs Of Leasing Space

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Occupancy Cost

After obtaining information regarding the cost of tenant improvements, you should be able to estimate the cost of occupancy for your retail space. This will include rent, CAM charges, utilities and the amortized cost of tenant improvements.

CAM

CAM charges referred to comment area maintenance. Practice may vary from area to area, but in most areas this includes not only maintenance expenses but also the cost of taxes and insurance. Most leases for retail space include a partial or complete pass through for basic operating expenses, insurance, management, and property taxes. The landlord or leasing agent should be held to provide an estimate of these charges for your space.

Amortized TI

The amortized cost of your tenant improvements will be the cost over the term of your lease. To keep matters simple, if you are spending $60,000 to renovate your space, and your lease is for five years (60 months), include $1000 per month for the cost of tenant improvements.

Are You Paying Too Much?

Next research the occupancy cost compared to what others in your industry are spending. You may want to review occupancy cost on a dollars per square foot basis, percentage of sales basis and a dollars per month per location basis. If possible, determine what other similar businesses in your area are spending monthly for their total cost of occupancy.

Occupancy Cost Data Sources

Research the information available from industry associations and related publications for information on occupancy costs. It is sometimes referred to based upon dollars per square foot per year. It is more often referred to as a percentage of sales. If this is your first store, it will be difficult to estimate your sales. If you have other locations, you should be able to make an educated guess regarding the probable level of sales for this location.

Dollars per Month per Store?

In some cases, it may also make sense to review the cost of occupancy on a dollars per month basis. For example, if your existing stores tend to have a similar level of revenue, focus on locating retail spaces which meet minimal criteria and have the lowest monthly occupancy cost. Conversely, perhaps any store will have an excess amount of space for your real needs.

Rent per Month Example

For example, perhaps you operate a seasonal income tax business. During the peak of the season, there’ll only be two people in the store (you and your assistant). Based on previous experience, there are no locations which will provide the minimal amount of space you truly need. Further, since you are only leasing a modest amount of retail space for 4 months per year, landlords have not been particularly accommodating. Hence, a location which meets minimal criteria and has the lowest cost for the tax season may be your best option.

Criminal Activity?

Finally, research criminal activity in the area for the retail space you are considering. In many cases, it is apparent whether an area is likely on the low crime rate or high crime rate end of the spectrum. However, considering the investment of time and capital necessary to open a store, it would be very disappointing to learn your retail space was near a hotbed for criminal or gang activity shortly after opening.

Example

Consider the following example. A retail center in north Houston had been a prosperous shopping center on a major thoroughfare for 15 years. Shortly after hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, many evacuees from New Orleans settled in Houston. For whatever reason, a large number of New Orleans residents who were criminals located in the adjacent apartment complex. During the next 12 months, there were three murders on the retail center property. Occupancy fell from 80% to 30% because of the problems.

Crime Data Sources

Options for researching criminal activity within an area include online crime reports, discussions with tenants at the property, and discussions with police officers who are active in the area.

Online

In most cases, the information from the services will adequately address the issue of criminal activity near the retail space you’re considering. However, the most current and contextual data you’ll be able to obtain is from tenants at the property and local police officers.

Speak to Tenants

Tenants at the property where you’re considering leasing retail space can be a wonderful resource. They can provide information regarding crime in the area, tenants who have left the center, problems with traffic, problems with ingress and egress, problems with parking, and the trend in the center. Retailers within a retail center typically trade notes or visit with each other. Ask if business has been getting better, or is business declining for the businesses within the center?

Area and Property Criminal Reports

Area police officers are another excellent resource regarding criminal activity in the area. In most cities, you can obtain information regarding criminal records for any address. The records are public information. All you have to do is request the information and pay for the cost of copies.

Speak to the Source

In addition, in most cities the police are willing to visit with you if you are considering opening a business. Expect them to be very direct regarding criminal activity and trends in the area. It is possible they will discourage you from opening a store in a location you’re considering. However, is much better to not open a store in a poor location then to open the store and have to close the business.

The Market Research and Consulting division of OConnor & Associates provides information necessary to make decision to commercial real estate professionals. Occupancy and Rental Data, ownership and management information are routinely gathered for four major land uses multifamily, office, retail and industrial. This information allows investors to compare competitive properties, facilitate business decisions and track market and submarket performance.

What Are The Best Type Of Sports Cards – Hobby, Retail, Or Both

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As a collector or even if you are beginning collector of sport cards (baseball, football, basketball, etc), there are different options when buying and collecting cards. If you are an experienced collector you already know about hobby vs. retail cards and boxes. If you are new to collecting cards, you will soon find there are many differences between the two. Of course many collectors are many times trying to find that gem, autograph, jersey, or limited edition cards. So lets examine the different types and what the benefits and downfalls to both. So lets take a look and examine both types. Whether you are an experienced collector or a novice, hopefully at the conclusion of this article, you will pick up some tips, secrets, and knowledge of the two types.

First we will look at what many collectors view at the most popular types of cards; Hobby! Many collectors consider “Hobby” card to be the best. For the novice, “Hobby” boxes or packs are sold at hobby stores (local card store, online hobby shops, etc). Several benefits to buying hobby as well as some downfalls. But for the benefits lets take a look:

Hobby boxes or packs will generally always contain much more sports memorabilia (i.e, jerseys, autographs,) as well as limited edition cards like refractors, low number card or limited edition cards. Many collectors also like hobby cards because many times, in fact, more likely than not, the box or pack will guarantee memorabilia like jersey or autograph cards, or limited edition cards.

Almost all major manufacturers of cards, have both hobby and retail. However, like mentioned previously, hobby cards are many times preferred because of their collectible value and guaranteed sports memorabilia included. However this comes with a price!

The biggest downfall of hobby over retail is price. For instance, it is not unreasonable to find a “box or tin” of cards that has just one, that’s right, just one pack of cards for $400.00. Now that pack may have 6 cards, with 5 of them all guaranteed to have major sports memorabilia, autographs, jerseys, both, and usually cards limited or serial numbered to very low numbers (in other words only a limited number produced). In addition to the price is the massive amount of sports memorabilia that is many times produced in hobby packs/boxes. As we know in any market, the more of something produced, in this case memorabilia (jerseys, autographs, etc) will many times lower the value of the product.

So in conclusion of hobby boxes and packs; yes you can and will find major memorabilia, in fact some of the rarest types of and most expensive pulls have been from hobby packs. I recall a Babe Ruth with a piece of jersey shirt, piece of jersey pants, and piece of game used bat and a cut autograph, and was numbered 1/1 that sold for $88,000 a few years ago. But this will come with a price and probably a large one at that.

Now lets look at retail. As the name implies, retail boxes and packs are sold in retail stores (big box retailers). First and foremost, the price is much cheaper, however, you will not get the same guarantees, same memorabilia, autographs, etc. But that doesn’t mean you can’t or won’t find these items or a special gem card, just harder to find. So should you avoid retail? My answer is no!

Here are some examples of a few items I have picked up “retail”. First I found some boxes that were sealed and inside you received several packs of football cards (retail version) from different manufacturers. However in addition to these packs you were guaranteed to receive a BGS (Beckett Grading Services) graded card, who are one of top graders. I bought a few of these boxes for $9.95 each. Now to get a card graded at BGS you will spend around $30.00 (with grading, shipping, insurance) for one card! So I figured I would take my chance. The first box contained a BGS graded 9.0 mint Ted Ginn Jr. rookie card. Next box had a Joe Flacco rookie BGS 9 mint, and the final box had an Adrian Peterson rookie card BGS 9.5 Gem Mint! So I did pretty good for $30.00 total (what I would have spent on one card…). And these were BGS graded, not some fly by night grading company.

Also many times, retail boxes contain cards that can’t be found in hobby, like a special refractor only available in retail. For example, I was at one of the “big box retailers” and they were selling complete sets of Topps cards (like series 1 & 2) in a sealed box. However the different thing about some of these complete sets were that some of these sealed sets had a Mickey Mantle relic card containing a piece of a shirt or jersey. This card was located right on the front of the box in a special window. Now this particular set was made only for this particular big box retail store. The price was $49.95 and it came with both series sets (660 cards total I believe), however, in addition to the cards inside, the Mantle relic card had a book value of $39.00 for just that card. So I actually paid about $10.00 when you think about it. Of course I have always kept things like that sealed to preserve the integrity and value.

Retail Buying Versus Wholesale Buying

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Retail and wholesale buyers are involved in the process of buying commodities or items. A significant difference between the two parties relates to the end point where the goods are traded.

Retail Buying

Retail buying relates to obtaining stock for local stores. This is sold direct to the end consumer. Retailers are likely to get involved with negotiating prices with suppliers, tracking inventory and market research. It is crucial to continue to conduct the market research to make sure the latest fashions or trends are available to buy. Because the retailers are the smallest entity on the supply chain, they are certain to buy supplies in smaller quantities compared to the wholesaler.

Since the prices can vary with the many wholesalers, it is crucial for the retailer to shop around to attract the most competitive prices. By getting the best price in the marketplace, a retailer is in a better place to make the desired profit on the prices marked up in store.

Wholesale Buying

Wholesalers purchase stock in greater volume. This stock is made available to the businesses or retail establishments. Since the wholesaler is able to get supplies in such high volume, they are able to offer the merchandise to retailers with a decent profit margin. Wholesalers obtain the supplies direct from the major manufacturers or distributors. A wholesale company purchases in bulk and offers the goods in smaller volumes to many retailers.

Pricing Options

Even though retail and wholesale buying can share certain similarities, the amount paid for the merchandise is certain to vary. A retailer is quoted a higher price to source the supplies to market direct to the end consumer because the wholesaler is able to buy in higher quantities. By purchasing in bulk, the wholesaler is often able get competitive pricing or discounts from the manufacturer or distributor.

Quantity of Stock

The buying aim of the wholesaler is to buy inventory at such high volume that they are able to get low or discounted prices. This still lets them make a profit after trading with the businesses or retail establishments. Retail buying power is smaller. A retail store selling direct to the end consumer is able to buy in smaller volume to match the size and reach of the particular business. Retailers are still able to get the attractive prices, which enables them to make a profit when making the merchandise available to the consumer.