Toyota drivers in confusion and anger

Toyota executives have been virtually silent amid a recall of millions of their cars because gas pedals can become dangerously stuck. For their customers, oh, what a feeling — fear, frustration, confusion and anger.

Since Tuesday, when the Japanese automaker said it would stop making and selling some of its top-selling models, the company has had few answers for dealers and drivers — most notably when Toyota owners could get their cars fixed and hit the road without worrying.

"I'm stuck with this car," said Tony Raasch of Hales Corners, Wis., who said he hit another driver in his 2010 Corolla two weeks ago when the car suddenly accelerated. "I really don't know what to do. I just feel — I guess — ripped off is the best way to put it."
Toyota first recalled 2.3 million vehicles, including the popular Camry and Corolla, because of faulty gas pedals. Later in the week, it expanded the recall to Europe and recalled 1.1 million more in the U.S. because of floor mats that can catch the accelerator.

Almost certainly adding to driver frustration, Toyota is sending new gas pedal systems to its factories, not to dealerships that want the parts to take care of customers' cars, The Associated Press learned.

It took until Friday for CEO Akio Toyoda to make his first public comments about the recalls. Buttonholed by a camera crew at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, he told Japanese broadcaster NHK: "I am very sorry that we are making our customers feel concerned."

In its worst crisis in recent memory, the company has communicated with the public in a series of very limited statements from spokesmen. One of them, Brian Lyons, said he was restricted to describing the problem as "rare and infrequent."

For days, there was no indication of how long it might take to get the affected Toyotas fixed, whether the fix would be a repair or a replacement, or whether it was even safe for drivers to take their cars to the dealership.

The company finally said Friday that details on the fix will be made available next week and should take about a month to implement.

Among Toyota's famously loyal customer base, frustration and anger mounted through the week.

Nepal Rastra Bank imposes 25 % capital on realty loans

In a bid to correct the overheated realty market, Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) on Thursday imposed a cap on the exposure of banks and financial institutions to housing and real estate loans, asking them to limit such exposure to 25 percent of their total investment portfolio by the end of fiscal year 2012/13.
The NRB directive has also instructed banks to limit housing and real estate loan exposure as a share of their total loan portfolio to 40 percent within this fiscal year and to bring it down to 30 percent by the end of next fiscal year.

The new directive requires the banks not to issue loans of more than 60 percent of fair market value of the collateral/project.

As for the real estate sector (which does not include the housing sector) the central bank has asked the lending banks to reduce exposure to 15 percent of total loan portfolio by the end of next fiscal year and to 10 percent by the end of fiscal year 2012/13.

This policy measure will not only slow down the realty sector but it could trigger desperate selling, sending the prices downward-- Min Man Shrestha, general secretary of Nepal Land and Housing Developers´ Association. In case banks and financial institutions fail to comply, the central bank has said they will need to provision for the excess amount (above the cap), calculating it on the basis of 150 percent risk weightage.

"This policy measure will not only slow down the realty sector but it could trigger desperate selling, sending the prices downward," Min Man Shrestha, general secretary of Nepal Land and Housing Developers´ Association, told Republica.

Developers said that the change in lending rate policy that the central bank announced on Tuesday has already sparked a rise in housing and real estate loans by at least 2 percentage points. "That has already made housing loans unaffordable to the general consumer," said Shrestha.

Imposition of a cap and compelling the banks and financial institutions to down-size their investment in the sector is certain, on the other hand, to put pressure on land and housing dealers operating with bank loans to repay their loans as soon as possible.

"The central bank´s measure will not only dampen new demand but also intensify pressure to sell. It will drag land prices down," said another developer.

Shrestha also echoed this statement, adding that the new policy measure will mainly hurt small developers and petty investors operating on bank loans with the sole motive of profit-making.

"Since this segment accounts for 45 percent of total land deals and is mainly responsible for the present unnatural price rise, its caving in would force the market to correct," he said. Developers even noted that the impact could be seen as early as within a month.

After Obama’s SpeechEuro Rebounds Versus Dollar

After touching the lowest level in 2010 yesterday versus the U.S., the euro advanced on speculations that a White House proposal will shun investors from North America, allowing the euro to gain versus the greenback in foreign-exchange markets this Friday.

The euro posted its first advance versus the dollar since Tuesday as U.S. President Barack Obama speech done yesterday proposing news restrictions and prohibitions for financial institutions in the country to use in hedge funds and other types of investment. which could create a new credit bubble and harm the economy as a whole. The euro pared much of its previous days losses versus the pound after a U.K. report indicated a worse-than-expected advance in retail sales in the country, forcing the pound down versus most of the main traded currencies.

Even if the economic health of several Euroland member countries remain rather complicated, the pessimism is strong everywhere, and that allowed the euro to pare some of its losses, according to currency strategists. The euro’s advance is unlikely to follow during the next week, as Greece budget deficit is far from a solution, and other countries are likely to have the same issues in the near future.

EUR/USD traded at 1.4165 as of 17:41 GMT from a previous rate of 1.4091 yesterday. EUR/GBP traded at 0.8779 from 0.8694

The iphone

In June, 2007, Apple's chief executive, Steven P. Jobs, introduced the iPhone, which instantly became one of the most talked-about consumer products ever. Thousands of customers lined up to be the first to buy the phones, which featured computing and Wi-Fi capabilities, along with a crisp, computer-like display on an innovative touch screen. Rivals rushed phones with similar features onto the market.

Mr. Jobs set an ambitious goal -- to sell 10 million of the phones in 2008. By March, 5.5 million had been sold, but the pace had dropped to a less-than-spectacular 600,000 a month. Around the same time, the guessing game began as to when the company would introduce a new version and what new feaures it would have.

The new phone searches the Internet more quickly and comes with a host of new applications. But the biggest change was a sharp reduction in price. Mr. Jobs said the new iPhone 3G, to be available in the United States through AT&T beginning on July 11, will sell for $199 for the 8-gigabyte model and $299 for a 16-gigabyte model. He said the biggest barrier to people buying the phone had been is $399 pricetag.

As widely anticipated, the phone will run on so-called 3G wireless networks that allow much faster Internet connections than the original iPhone. The phone, sleeker than the original, will also have built-in Global Positioning System capability to allow location-based services. It will also have a longer battery life in some cases, five hours for talking on the 3G network and 24 hours for playing music on the phone.

Apple updated the phone again on June 17, 2009, with improved software, including the ability to shoot full-motion video. The new model, iPhone 3G S (for speed) went on sale June 19; the software update for iPhone 3G was offered by download a few days earlier. IPhone 3G S was available in a 16-gigabyte version for $200 and a 32-gigabyte version for $300. The price of the original 3G was dropped to $99.

iphone specification

GENERAL 2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
Announced 2007, January. Released 2007, June
Status Discontinued
SIZE Dimensions 115 x 61 x 11.6 mm
Weight 135 g

DISPLAY Type TFT capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors

Size 320 x 480 pixels, 3.5 inches

- Multi-touch input method
- Accelerometer sensor for auto-rotate
- Proximity sensor for auto turn-off
- Scratch-resistant surface
SOUND Alert types Vibration; Downloadable polyphonic, MP3 ringtones
Speakerphone Yes
- 3.5 mm headset jack

MEMORY Phonebook Practically unlimited entries and fields, Photocall
Call records 100 received, dialed and missed calls

Internal 4/8/16 GB

Card slot No

DATA GPRS Yes

EDGE Yes

3G No
WLAN Wi-Fi 802.11b/g

Bluetooth Yes, v2.0, headset support only

Infrared port No

USB Yes, v2.0
CAMERA Primary 2 MP, 1600x1200 pixels
Video No
Secondary No

FEATURES OS iPhone OS (based on Mac OS)

CPU ARM 11 412 MHz, PowerVR MBX-Lite graphics

Messaging SMS (threaded view), Email

Browser HTML (Safari)

Radio No
Games Downloadable, incl. motion-based
Colors Black
GPS No
Java No
- Google Maps
- Audio/video player
- TV-out

BATTERY Standard battery, Li-Ion
Stand-by Up to 250 h
Talk time Up to 8 h
Music play Up to 24 h

On Jan. 5, Google (GOOG) did a very Apple-like thing. In a presentation at the Googleplex in Mountain View, Calif., the 11-year-old search behemoth unveiled Nexus One, a stylish touchscreen smartphone that runs on the company's Android operating system, is sold through a Google-operated retail Web site, and greets the market with an advertising tagline ("Web meets phone") as simple and optimistic as the one Apple used in 2007 to introduce its iPhone ("The Internet in your pocket").

On the same day, Apple did a very Google-like thing. Steve Jobs, the king of splashy product launches and in-house development, announced a strategic acquisition. For $275 million, Apple purchased Quattro Wireless, an upstart advertising company that excels at targeting ads to mobile-phone users based on their behavior.

When companies start to imitate one another, it's usually either an extreme case of flattery—or war. In the case of Google and Apple, it's both. Separated by a mere 10 miles in Silicon Valley, the two have been on famously good terms for almost a decade. Jobs and Google CEO Eric Schmidt, both 54, spent years in separate battles against Microsoft (MSFT) while Schmidt was at Sun Microsystems (JAVA) and Novell (NOVL). Over time, they went from spiritual allies to strategic ones. When Apple had an opening on its board in 2006, Jobs tapped Schmidt. "Eric is obviously doing a terrific job as CEO of Google," Jobs said at the time. Schmidt, meanwhile, called Apple "one of the companies in the world that I most admire."

Tensions in Silicon Valley's special relationship began to emerge in late 2007, when Google announced plans to develop Android for mobile phones. Apple had unveiled its iPhone in January of that year, and it was clear that the two companies would spar in the smartphone business. Still, both were niche players, with more formidable rivals in companies like Nokia (NOK), Samsung, and Research In Motion (RIMM). Only after software developers began creating thousands of mobile apps, and it became clear that phones would become the computers of the future, did the conflicts begin to grow serious. Last summer, Apple refused to approve two Google apps for sale to iPhone users, raising questions about how much of a Google presence Apple would allow on its devices. In August, Schmidt gave up his board seat. "Unfortunately, as Google enters more of Apple's core businesses," Jobs said at the time, "Eric's effectiveness as an Apple board member will be significantly diminished, since he will have to recuse himself from even larger portions of our meetings."

Now the companies have entered a new, more adversarial phase. With Nexus One, Google, which had been content to power multiple phonemakers' devices with Android, enters the hardware game, becoming a direct threat to the iPhone. With its Quattro purchase, Apple aims to create completely new kinds of mobile ads, say three sources familiar with Apple's thinking. The goal isn't so much to compete with Google in search as to make search on mobile phones obsolete. "Apple and Google both want more," says Chris Cunningham, founder of the New York mobile advertising firm Appssavvy. "They're gearing up for the ultimate fight."

Apple spokeswoman Katie Cotton declined to comment on the company's advertising plans or its relationship with Google. Google spokeswoman Katie Watson said the company would not make executives available for this story. She did provide a statement, attributed to Vic Gundotra, Google's vice-president of engineering: "Apple is a valued partner of ours and we continue to work closely with them to help move the entire mobile ecosystem forward."
The tech industry has had its share of legendary rivalries: IBM (IBM) vs. Digital Equipment Corp., Microsoft vs. Netscape, America Online vs. Yahoo! (YHOO) Apple vs. Google could dwarf them all. Both companies are revered by consumers with a passion usually reserved for movie stars and pro athletes. They have multibillion-dollar war chests, visionary founders, and ambitions for smartphones, Web browsers, music, and tablet computers that set them on a collision course.

The key battleground in the near term is mobile computing. Analysts who once tingled when talking about the Internet are getting that same old feeling over mobile's potential. Morgan Stanley's (MS) Mary Meeker predicts that within five years more users will tap into the Internet via mobile devices than desktop PCs. Desktop Internet use led to the rise of Google, eBay (EBAY), and Yahoo, but the mobile winners are still emerging. "Now is the time to get going," says Doug Clinton, an analyst with Piper Jaffray (PJC). "It's about winning the battle today rather than getting into the fight tomorrow." Billions of dollars are up for grabs in selling phones, software, and services.

The money in mobile advertising is small—about $2 billion last year, according to researcher Gartner, compared with $60 billion for the overall Web. But figuring out how to make mobile advertising more profitable is a lot more important than merely getting in as the hockey-stick curve begins to move upward. A company that can nail mobile ads and share the wealth with the growing legion of app developers—freelance software writers who create all those sometimes-useful (Business Card Reader), sometimes time-killing (Flick Fishing) mobile programs—could pull in the best of the lot. Create the strongest ecosystem of apps and devices, and, the thinking goes, you leave rivals gasping to keep up. "The mobile platform that creates the most ways to make money wins," says David Hyman, chief executive of MOG, an Internet music service that's developing mobile apps.

Apple has a substantial lead in establishing this ecosystem. Developers have created more than 125,000 mobile applications for Apple devices—seven times as many as exist on Android—and the endless diversity of apps has helped the iPhone quickly pick up 14% of smartphone share, compared with 3.5% for all the Android-powered devices put together, according to estimates by the market research firm IDC. But in the past few months, an increasing number of app developers have complained that they couldn't make money on their work. Free apps have become the norm, and very few sell for more than 99 cents. Some developers have profited by embedding ads in their apps, but the payments tend to be insignificant since the ads are usually smaller, less effective versions of their Web banner forms. According to a source familiar with his thinking, Jobs has recognized that "mobile ads suck" and that improving that situation will make Apple even harder to beat.

Not one to shy away from a challenge, particularly when it offends his aesthetic sensibilities, Jobs and his lieutenants have discussed ways to overhaul mobile advertising in the same way they had revolutionized music players and phones, say two sources close to the company. The sources did not reveal specific plans at Apple but say there are several possible ad approaches. Apple could employ its user data and geo-location technology to make ads more relevant, so that a user cruising the mobile Web at lunchtime could receive an ad for specials at a nearby restaurant. It could also use the iPhone's capabilities in creative ways—say, having someone shake the device to win a rebate the same way they do to roll dice in games
To pull any of this off, Apple realized that it needed a network of advertisers and the technology to target ads to customer behavior. In fall 2009, Apple entered the bidding for AdMob, the leader in the nascent mobile advertising industry. It was a target that made perfect sense; more than half of the AdMob ads served up on smartphones ended up on the iPhone or iPod Touch (which also run Apple's apps). But before Apple could close the deal, Google intervened, announcing on Nov. 8 that it would pay a staggering $750 million for the company.

Outbid on its first choice, Apple quickly turned to Waltham (Mass.)-based Quattro Wireless, AdMob's closest rival. Tellingly, when Apple announced the deal, Jobs gave Quattro CEO Andrew Miller the title of vice-president of mobile advertising. Vice-president is a rare title at Apple, and Miller is the first one ever assigned to online advertising. Apple has also hired an M&A specialist to better compete for deals (box).

For almost any company, taking on Google in search advertising would be folly. Google dominates traditional search with more than 65% of the market, and its share of search on mobile phones is even more imposing. More than a million businesses bid on keywords to show up alongside search results, and most experts have assumed a migration to mobile devices as more people use them for computing tasks.

Yet mobile search hasn't taken off. Gartner estimates that $924 million was spent on mobile search ads worldwide last year, less than 2% of overall Internet advertising. The problem is that user behavior isn't consistent between desktops and mobile devices. Many people shy away from calling up minuscule search bars on their phones and pecking out queries using cramped keyboards. Search ads tend to be less effective, too, since people are reluctant to give over the one browser screen they have on a phone to an ad. In many cases, apps are far more effective; it takes fewer steps to find the best local sushi joint using apps from Urbanspoon or Yelp than to type out "best local sushi" into a search bar and navigate the results. "Eric Schmidt has said that the search problem is 99% solved, but, boy, is that self-serving," says Jonathan Yarmis, research fellow with the consulting firm Ovum. "The fact that I have to go to a search bar at all is a sign of failure."

Apple has a vault of valuable data that can help drive an ad business. It knows precisely which apps, podcasts, videos, and songs people download from iTunes; in many cases it has detailed customer information such as credit-card numbers and home addresses. That gives Apple a chance to blend advertising and e-commerce in new ways, particularly after the acquisition of Quattro. The startup already works with advertisers, including Ford (F), Netflix (NFLX), and Procter & Gamble (PG), to help them figure out when and where to place ads on the sites of publishers, such as Sports Illustrated and CBS News. By tying Quattro's ad-serving technology into its own, Apple would be able to tell advertisers how often and under what circumstances a person clicked on particular ads. "Apple is one of the few brands that could actually go head to head with Google," says Kevin Lee, chief executive of search marketing firm Didit. The technology could also be used on the tablet computer that Apple is expected to introduce later this month.
SAFETY IN NUMBERS
When Google introduced Android in 2007, the company said it would concentrate on developing the operating system software and let traditional phone manufacturers, such as Motorola (MOT) and HTC, make the devices. The strategy was similar to Microsoft's in personal computers, aimed at working with dozens of partners to attack every product area, geography, and demographic. "One or two devices don't matter," said Andy Rubin, head of Google's Android business, after the Nexus One event. "Twenty or thirty or a hundred devices, all running the same software—that's what matters."
Yet the arrival of Nexus One suggests that Google is concerned Android isn't gaining market share fast enough. "The volume, quality, and variety of Android phones in the market today has exceeded our most optimistic expectations," said Google Product Management Vice-President Mario Queiroz at the January announcement. "But we want to do more." The mobile market is so important that Google can't afford to depend on other companies for access; the Nexus One offensive, Google hopes, will establish a foothold in smartphones so the company can control its own fate.

Nexus One isn't without risk. Android hardware makers may balk at having to compete with their supposed partner. "If the Nexus One is any good, why would you buy anything else?" says Edward J. Zander, Motorola's former CEO, who is surprised Google would go so far as to enter the hardware fray. "At least Microsoft never built PCs."

Meanwhile, Google is aware of its vulnerability in mobile advertising and is pushing to make improvements. Schmidt believes mobile ads will one day be more important than PC advertising, largely because of personalization and localization. Although Google declined to discuss its plans for this story, Schmidt has floated the idea that eventually some mobile phones could be free for consumers, with advertising paying the bills. "If Google could do that, they'd be untouchable," says tech consultant John Metcalfe, who has worked with Google on mobile projects. "Apple wouldn't be able to come up with an answer for that."

Of course, Apple and Google could both end up thriving as computing goes mobile. But there will be losers. Microsoft is fading fast in smartphones as device makers shift attention away from Windows Mobile, which doesn't have nearly as many apps or developers as Android and Apple. Nokia, the world's largest mobile-phone maker, is struggling too; its Ovi online store toils in near-anonymity compared with Apple's iTunes store. Even Samsung and LG Electronics, Korean phonemakers long hailed for their advanced technology, are losing ground. "The older cell-phone makers never had to deal with software or software developers," says Shaw Wu, an analyst with Kaufman Bros. "It's just not in their DNA. [But] the world is moving that way."

BING IN THE WINGS?
Some analysts believe the Apple-Google battle is likely to get much rougher in the months ahead. Ovum's Yarmis thinks Apple may soon decide to dump Google as the default search engine on its devices, primarily to cut Google off from mobile data that could be used to improve its advertising and Android technology. Jobs might cut a deal with—gasp!—Microsoft to make Bing Apple's engine of choice, or even launch its own search engine, Yarmis says. "I fully expect [Apple] to do something in search," he adds. "If there's all these advertising dollars to be won, why would it want Google on its iPhones?"

Whatever happens, it's clear that Apple and Google are headed for more conflict. Android is a threat to an iPhone business that has quickly come to represent more than 30% of Apple's sales. Meanwhile, nearly all the growth in search is expected to come from mobile devices, which Piper Jaffray predicts will account for 23.5% of all searches in 2016, up from less than 5% today. That sets the stage for a new main event in the tech sector. "This rivalry is going to accelerate innovation," says Andreas Bechtolsheim, a co-founder of Sun Microsystems and an early investor in Google. "Apple goes pretty fast, but having someone chasing you always makes you go faster. This is going to be good for consumers."

Still, in a battle over the future of computing, friendship will almost surely be a casualty of progress. "You can just feel the tension rising," says Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster. "Until the Nexus One, the competition was at arm's length. But the iPhone is Apple's darling. Now it's personal."
Yet the arrival of Nexus One suggests that Google is concerned Android isn't gaining market share fast enough. "The volume, quality, and variety of Android phones in the market today has exceeded our most optimistic expectations," said Google Product Management Vice-President Mario Queiroz at the January announcement. "But we want to do more." The mobile market is so important that Google can't afford to depend on other companies for access; the Nexus One offensive, Google hopes, will establish a foothold in smartphones so the company can control its own fate.

Nexus One isn't without risk. Android hardware makers may balk at having to compete with their supposed partner. "If the Nexus One is any good, why would you buy anything else?" says Edward J. Zander, Motorola's former CEO, who is surprised Google would go so far as to enter the hardware fray. "At least Microsoft never built PCs."

Meanwhile, Google is aware of its vulnerability in mobile advertising and is pushing to make improvements. Schmidt believes mobile ads will one day be more important than PC advertising, largely because of personalization and localization. Although Google declined to discuss its plans for this story, Schmidt has floated the idea that eventually some mobile phones could be free for consumers, with advertising paying the bills. "If Google could do that, they'd be untouchable," says tech consultant John Metcalfe, who has worked with Google on mobile projects. "Apple wouldn't be able to come up with an answer for that."

Of course, Apple and Google could both end up thriving as computing goes mobile. But there will be losers. Microsoft is fading fast in smartphones as device makers shift attention away from Windows Mobile, which doesn't have nearly as many apps or developers as Android and Apple. Nokia, the world's largest mobile-phone maker, is struggling too; its Ovi online store toils in near-anonymity compared with Apple's iTunes store. Even Samsung and LG Electronics, Korean phonemakers long hailed for their advanced technology, are losing ground. "The older cell-phone makers never had to deal with software or software developers," says Shaw Wu, an analyst with Kaufman Bros. "It's just not in their DNA. [But] the world is moving that way."

BING IN THE WINGS?
Some analysts believe the Apple-Google battle is likely to get much rougher in the months ahead. Ovum's Yarmis thinks Apple may soon decide to dump Google as the default search engine on its devices, primarily to cut Google off from mobile data that could be used to improve its advertising and Android technology. Jobs might cut a deal with—gasp!—Microsoft to make Bing Apple's engine of choice, or even launch its own search engine, Yarmis says. "I fully expect [Apple] to do something in search," he adds. "If there's all these advertising dollars to be won, why would it want Google on its iPhones?"

Whatever happens, it's clear that Apple and Google are headed for more conflict. Android is a threat to an iPhone business that has quickly come to represent more than 30% of Apple's sales. Meanwhile, nearly all the growth in search is expected to come from Yet the arrival of Nexus One suggests that Google is concerned Android isn't gaining market share fast enough. "The volume, quality, and variety of Android phones in the market today has exceeded our most optimistic expectations," said Google Product Management Vice-President Mario Queiroz at the January announcement. "But we want to do more." The mobile market is so important that Google can't afford to depend on other companies for access; the Nexus One offensive, Google hopes, will establish a foothold in smartphones so the company can control its own fate.

Nexus One isn't without risk. Android hardware makers may balk at having to compete with their supposed partner. "If the Nexus One is any good, why would you buy anything else?" says Edward J. Zander, Motorola's former CEO, who is surprised Google would go so far as to enter the hardware fray. "At least Microsoft never built PCs."

Meanwhile, Google is aware of its vulnerability in mobile advertising and is pushing to make improvements. Schmidt believes mobile ads will one day be more important than PC advertising, largely because of personalization and localization. Although Google declined to discuss its plans for this story, Schmidt has floated the idea that eventually some mobile phones could be free for consumers, with advertising paying the bills. "If Google could do that, they'd be untouchable," says tech consultant John Metcalfe, who has worked with Google on mobile projects. "Apple wouldn't be able to come up with an answer for that."

Of course, Apple and Google could both end up thriving as computing goes mobile. But there will be losers. Microsoft is fading fast in smartphones as device makers shift attention away from Windows Mobile, which doesn't have nearly as many apps or developers as Android and Apple. Nokia, the world's largest mobile-phone maker, is struggling too; its Ovi online store toils in near-anonymity compared with Apple's iTunes store. Even Samsung and LG Electronics, Korean phonemakers long hailed for their advanced technology, are losing ground. "The older cell-phone makers never had to deal with software or software developers," says Shaw Wu, an analyst with Kaufman Bros. "It's just not in their DNA. [But] the world is moving that way."

BING IN THE WINGS?
Some analysts believe the Apple-Google battle is likely to get much rougher in the months ahead. Ovum's Yarmis thinks Apple may soon decide to dump Google as the default search engine on its devices, primarily to cut Google off from mobile data that could be used to improve its advertising and Android technology. Jobs might cut a deal with—gasp!—Microsoft to make Bing Apple's engine of choice, or even launch its own search engine, Yarmis says. "I fully expect [Apple] to do something in search," he adds. "If there's all these advertising dollars to be won, why would it want Google on its iPhones?"

Whatever happens, it's clear that Apple and Google are headed for more conflict. Android is a threat to an iPhone business that has quickly come to represent more than 30% of Apple's sales. Meanwhile, nearly all the growth in search is expected to come from mobile devices, which Piper Jaffray predicts will account for 23.5% of all searches in 2016, up from less than 5% today. That sets the stage for a new main event in the tech sector. "This rivalry is going to accelerate innovation," says Andreas Bechtolsheim, a co-founder of Sun Microsystems and an early investor in Google. "Apple goes pretty fast, but having someone chasing you always makes you go faster. This is going to be good for consumers."

Still, in a battle over the future of computing, friendship will almost surely be a casualty of progress. "You can just feel the tension rising," says Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster. "Until the Nexus One, the competition was at arm's length. But the iPhone is Apple's darling. Now it's personal."
mobile devices, which Piper Jaffray predicts will account for 23.5% of all searches in 2016, up from less than 5% today. That sets the stage for a new main event in the tech sector. "This rivalry is going to accelerate innovation," says Andreas Bechtolsheim, a co-founder of Sun Microsystems and an early investor in Google. "Apple goes pretty fast, but having someone chasing you always makes you go faster. This is going to be good for consumers."

Still, in a battle over the future of computing, friendship will almost surely be a casualty of progress. "You can just feel the tension rising," says Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster. "Until the Nexus One, the competition was at arm's length. But the iPhone is Apple's darling. Now it's personal."

Crude oil shivers around $82/barrel

Recent frigid weather has boosted oil prices
West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil prices are averaging around $82/barrel so far this month, up from $74 in December "on nothing more than cold weather jitters," according to MF Global analyst Edward Meier.

The band of frigid weather has blanketed the eastern two-thirds of the country with record-low temperatures and blistering winds across the country, including many states not used to such temperatures. However, the midwinter cold snap hasn't boosted petroleum demand as much as expected and some forecasters now say price inflation may fade. "Markets are in a somewhat muddled state right now," writes Meier in a note to clients, "as the breakout thought to be brewing above $82 seems to have fizzled."

Futures on the New York Mercantile Exchange are projecting a WTI average of $81.83/bbl for all of 2010, which is $3 more than the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecast of $79.83. Commentary by Meier suggests these are somewhat inflated and due to slide, "considering the bearish slant to recent EIA numbers."

Interestingly, crude oil prices around $80/barrel "are satisfactory," and the OPEC (organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) cartel is unlikely to raise its oil output targets unless prices reach $100, Shukri Ghanem, chairman of Libya's National Oil Corporation, tells Reuters.

EIA data shows crude inventories rising by 3.7 million barrels last week, surpassing earlier forecasts calling for a 1.2-million-barrel increase. Distillates rose by 1.4 million barrels versus estimates calling for a 1.8-million-barrel drawdown. And, similar to the latest American Petroleum Institute numbers, the biggest surprise was in gasoline, where inventories rose by 3.8 million barrels, more than triple what was expected. Heating oil stockpiles, however, dropped by 1.1 million barrels on account of the colder weather.

Rounding out the rest of the numbers, refinery utilization rose by a sharp 1.4% on the week and imports also pushed higher, increasing by 540,000 barrels to a total of 8.9 million barrels per day. Meanwhile, total product demand was off by 0.9%, while gasoline demand was up 0.4%. Distillates lagged once again, with offtake down by 0.9% from last year.

Future Trading :Commodity Market

Futures markets have been described as continuous auction markets and as clearing houses for the latest information about supply and demand. They are the meeting places of buyers and sellers of an ever-expanding list of commodities that today includes agricultural products, metals, petroleum, financial instruments, foreign currencies and stock indexes. For those individuals who fully understand and can afford the risks which are involved, the allocation of some portion of their capital to futures trading can provide a means of achieving greater diversification and a potentially higher overall rate of return on their investments. By buying or selling futures contracts that establish a price level now for items to be delivered later--individuals and businesses seek to achieve what amounts to insurance against adverse price changes.

When individual know about the Futures market, following ideas are formed in his/her mind:

1. Information about the investment itself and the risks involved. !!!

2. How readily your investment or position can be liquidated. !!!

3. Who the other market participants are. !!!

4. Alternate methods of participation. !!!

5. How prices are arrived at. !!!

6. The costs of trading. !!!

7. How gains and losses are realized. !!!

8. What forms of regulation and protection exist ? !!!

9. The experience, integrity and track record of your broker or advisor. !!!

10. The financial stability of the firm with which you are dealing. !!!

11. In sum, the information you need to be an informed invests. !!!

Spurred by the need to manage price and interest rate risks that exist in virtually every type of modern business, today's futures markets have become major financial markets. Participants include everyone to their business needs and interest.

Futures prices arrived at through competitive bidding are immediately and continuously relayed around the world by wire and satellite. Every one has simultaneous access to the latest market-derived price quotations. And, should they choose, they can establish a price level for future delivery--or for speculative purposes--simply by having their broker buy or sell the appropriate contracts. Futures markets are a keystone of one of the world's most orderly envied and intensely competitive marketing systems. Should you at some time decide to trade in futures contracts, either for speculation or in connection with a risk management strategy, your orders to buy or sell would be communicated by DFT Trading Tool.

Fixing of Future Price

Futures prices increase and decrease largely because of the different factors that influence buyers' and sellers' judgments about what a particular commodity will be worth at a given time in the future (anywhere from less than a month to more than two years).As new supply and demand developments occur and as new and more current information becomes available, these judgments are reassessed and the price of a particular futures contract may be bid upward or downward. This process is continuous.For example:

In January, the price of a July futures contract would reflect the consensus of buyers' and sellers' opinions at that time as to what the value of a commodity or item will be when the contract expires in July. On any given day, with the arrival of new or more accurate information, the price of the July futures contract might increase or decrease in response to changing expectations. Competitive price discovery is a major economic function--and, indeed, a major economic benefit--of futures trading. The trading floor of a futures exchange is where available information about the future value of a commodity or item is translated into the language of price. In summary, futures prices are an ever changing barometer of supply and demand and, in a dynamic market, the only certainty is that prices will change.

Analysing Futures Contracts

Whatever type of investment you are considering--including but not limited to futures contracts--it makes sense to begin by obtaining as much information as possible about that particular investment. The more you know in advance, the less likely there will be surprises later on. Moreover, even among futures contracts, there are important differences which--because they can affect your investment results--should be taken into account in making your investment decisions.

Contract Pricing

Futures prices are usually quoted the same way prices are quoted in the cash market (where a cash market exists). That is, in dollars, cents, and sometimes fractions of a cent, per bushel, pound or ounce; also in dollars, cents and increments of a cent for foreign currencies; and in points and percentages of a point for financial instruments. Cash settlement contract prices are quoted in terms of an index number, usually stated to two decimal points. Be certain you understand the price quotation system for the particular futures contract you are considering

Minimum Price Changes

Exchanges establish the minimum amount that the price can fluctuate upward or downward. This is known as the "tick." You'll want to familiarize yourself with the minimum price fluctuation--the tick size--for whatever futures contracts you plan to trade. And, of course, you'll need to know how a price change of any given amount will affect the value of the contract.

Daily Price Limit

Exchanges establish daily price limits for trading in futures contracts. The limits are stated in terms of the previous day's closing price plus and minus so many cents or dollars per trading unit. Once a futures price has increased by its daily limit, there can be no trading at any higher price until the next day of trading. Conversely, once a futures price has declined by its daily limit, there can be no trading at any lower price until the next day of trading. The price is allowed to increase or decrease by the limit amount each day. For some contracts, daily price limits are eliminated during the month in which the contract expires. Because prices can become particularly volatile during the expiration month (also called the "delivery" or "spot" month), persons lacking experience in futures trading may wish to liquidate their positions prior to that time. Or, at the very least, trade cautiously and with an understanding of the risks which may be involved. Daily price limits set by the exchanges are subject to change. They can, for example, be increased once the market price has increased or decreased by the existing limit for a given number of successive days. Because of daily price limits, there may be occasions when it is not possible to liquidate an existing futures position at will. In this event, possible alternative strategies should be discussed. This is generalized. You follow the rules our exchange system has.

Selections for Trading

Just as different common stocks may involve different degrees of probable risk. And reward at a particular time, so do different futures contracts. The market for one commodity may, at present, be highly volatile, perhaps because of supply-demand uncertainties which--depending on future developments--could suddenly propel prices sharply higher or sharply lower. The market for some other commodity may currently be less volatile, with greater likelihood that prices will fluctuate in a narrower range. You should be able to evaluate and choose the futures contracts that appear--based on present information--most likely to meet your objectives and willingness to accept risk. Keep in mind, however, that neither past nor even present price behavior provides assurance of what will occur in the future. Prices that have been relatively stable may become highly volatile.

Stop Orders

A stop order is an order, to buy or sell a particular futures contract at the market price if and when the price reaches a specified level. Stop orders are often used by futures traders in an effort to limit the amount they. might lose if the futures price moves against their position. There can be no guarantee, however, that it will be possible under all market conditions to execute the order at the price specified. In an active, volatile market, the market price may be declining (or rising) so rapidly that there is no opportunity to liquidate your position at the stop price you have designated. Under these circumstances, the broker's only obligation is to execute your order at the best price that is available. In the event that prices have risen or fallen by the maximum daily limit, and there is presently no trading in the contract (known as a "lock limit" market), it may not be possible to execute your order at any price. In addition, although it happens infrequently, it is possible that markets may be lock limit for more than one day, resulting in substantial losses to futures traders who may find it impossible to liquidate losing futures positions. Subject to the kinds of limitations just discussed, stop orders can nonetheless provide a useful tool for the futures trader who seeks to limit his losses. Far more often than not, it will be possible. For the broker to execute a stop order at or near the specified price.

TIPS for Managers :How to Improve Communication Skils

Research indicates that managers spend somewhere between 50% - 80% of their total time communicating in one way or the other. This isn't surprising, since communication is so critical to everything that goes on in an organization. Without effective communication there can be little or no performance management, innovation, understanding of clients, coordination of effort, AND, without effective communication it is difficult to manage the expectations of those who are in a position to make decisions about your fate.

It can also be said that many managers do not communicate well, and do not set an organizational climate where communication within the organization is managed effectively. This isn't surprising, since a manager who communicates ineffectively and does not encourage effective organizational communication is unlikely to hear about it. Poor communication is self-sustaining, because it eliminates an important "feedback loop". Staff are loathe to "communicate" their concerns about communication because they do not perceive the manager as receptive. Both staff and management play out a little dance.

In short, you may be fostering poor communication, and never know it. You may see the symptoms, but unless you are looking carefully, you may not identify your own involvement in the problem. What can you do about it?

Effective organizational communication, regardless of form, requires three things.

First, all players must have the appropriate skills and understanding to communicate well. Communication is not a simple process, and many people simply do not have the required depth of understanding of communication issues.

Second, effective organizational communication requires a climate or culture that supports effective communication. More specifically, this climate involves trust, openness, reinforcement of good communication practices, and shared responsibility for making communication effective.

Third, effective communication requires attention. It doesn't just happen, but develops as a result of an intentional effort on the part of management and staff. Too often, communication, whether it is good or bad, is taken for granted.

We can define your role in improving communication with respect to each of these. First, if you want to improve communication, you will need to ensure that you and staff have the skills and knowledge necessary to communicate effectively. This may mean formal training is in order, or it may mean that you coach staff and provide feedback so that they can improve.

Second, you play a critical role in fostering and nurturing a climate that is characterized by open communication. Without this climate, all the skills in the world will be wasted.

Finally, you must bring communication to the forefront of organization attention. If you make the effort to improve communication, your staff will recognize that it is important. If you ignore it, so will staff.

Your Role In Communication Improvement

Some Specific Tips:

1) Actively solicit feedback about your own communication, and communication within the organization. Ask staff questions like:

• When we talk, are you generally clear about what I am saying?
• Do you think we communicate well around here?
• Have you got any ideas about how we could communicate better?

Consider including these questions (or similar ones) in your performance management process, or staff meetings.

2) Assess your own communication knowledge and understanding

(See self-assessment instrument on Page 5-sorry, not available online).

3) Working with your staff, define how you should communicate in the organization. Develop consensus regarding:

• a) How disagreements should be handled.
• b) How horizontal communication should work (staff to staff).
• c) How vertical communication should work (manager to staff, staff to manager).
• d) What information should be available and when.

Once consensus is reached, support the achievement of these goals through positive reinforcement and coaching.

4) Look at the impact of the structure of your organization and how it impacts on communication. Indirect communication (communication that is transferred from person to person) is notorious for causing problems. Look at increasing direct communication where the person with the message to send does it directly with the receiver.

5) Learn about, and use active listening techniques. This will set a tone and contribute to a positive communication climate. If you don't know what active listening is, find out. It's important.

6) Consider undertaking a communications audit.

We only have space to give you a few tips, and communication is a very complex process. We suggest that you take the communication self-assessment checklist on the following page, to assess your own understanding and application of communication principles.

If you would like to increase awareness and attention to communication, consider copying the self-assessment checklist and distribute it to staff.

Suggest that they complete it for their own use, and follow it up by discussing organizational communication in a staff meeting.

Be aware that exploring communication patterns and effectiveness can bring to the surface a number of resentments and perceptions. If you aren't prepared to deal with these, it is best to look to an outside consultant.

Diversifying your business without losing focus

Sometimes opportunities - even lucrative ones - can be unwelcome distractions and core business suffers as a result. And core business is, after all, what your business is all about. Customers come to you for a reason - and you need to make sure that you're delivering whatever it is to the best standards you can, rather than spreading yourself too thinly across a disparate range of products and services. This guide helps you understand why and how to do that, by looking at:

• How a lack of focus can damage your business
• Why focusing on core business helps
• How to stay focused

How a lack of focus can damage your business

Spending time and resources developing new areas will necessarily mean that time and resources are being taken away from the core areas of your business - and quality and consistency typically suffer as a result. Staff who may have joined because of a particular interest in your original field of business may lack the knowledge and enthusiasm to succeed in new areas, and you too may find yourself floundering if you move into unknown territories just for the sake of it.

• Resources are re-allocated away from core business, which suffers as a result
• You and staff may not have a real interest in new areas, so making them less likely to succeed

Why focusing on core business helps

You devote more time to refining and learning more about the product or service that concerns your core business - making you more of an expert both in terms of your knowledge and the way in which the customer sees you. Unless you're a supermarket (whose whole point is extensiveness of product range), customers prefer quality to quantity. It's quality that gives you the competitive edge. Focusing on core business keeps staff focused on key objectives rather than confusing them with lots of different areas. And sticking to one area also guides customers, rather than confusing them.

• Become more expert in core areas
• Quality is preferable to quantity
• Keeps staff focused on key objectives
• Helps keep customers satisfied rather than confused

How to stay focused

Run every new idea and external proposition by your original USPs and vision for the business, and keep any expansion completely in line with them. Always think about what your existing customers come to you for. Don't stray from what you know and what you're good at - if you want to expand your product range, only develop products that are similar to what you already sell. This has the added advantage of enabling cross-selling to existing customers. If you don't offer a particular service or product, recommend your customer to a competitor or other business that does. Helpfulness and openness can go a lot further than an expanded product range.

• Run new ideas and propositions by your original USPs and vision
• Always think about what your customers come to you for - keep your product range consistent
• If you don't offer a product or service, recommend customers to a business that does

Want to start small new business?

Those wanting to start a small business, or succeed with an existing small business are faced with a wide array of challenges, not the least of which is learning and continuing to learn how to make the enterprise a success in changing conditions. Make no mistake about it. Running a business challenges a person to learn continuously, expand one's horizon and find new resources and ideas.

The mission of the Free Small Business Center is to find the best articles, guides, resources, advice, and so on available on the Internet (or in the physical world) and related to builiding and succeeding at the small business game.

We've been there. We've successfully run a small business for fifteen years. We can recognize good advice from bad, and we'll also provide you with your own insights in our small business blog (where you can also interact).

TIPS for Marketing Promotion

There are many marketing promotion ideas and campaigns that are used by companies to make their products known to the target consumers. This article puts focus on some popular marketing promotional ideas. Read on...

Marketing is an essential activity for any company, be it any sector such as software development, manufacturing, medicine, retail, etc. It plays a very important role in letting the customers know that a company is offering a particular product for sale. Even if the product is not so beneficial and useful to the consumers, with effective marketing strategies, the product can be sold to more consumers than expected. There are many marketing plans and strategies that are used by companies to advertise and promote their products in the market.

Which marketing promotion ideas are employed totally depends on how big the company is. If it is a big company, it will shell out more money for advertising and marketing purpose. If the company is small, it will use some simple and inexpensive alternatives for advertising. Let us discuss some of the most popular and efficient marketing promotion ideas.

Marketing Promotion Ideas and Campaigns

Internet Advertising: Nowadays, more and more companies are being dependent on Internet marketing and advertising. This is an advertising method which certainly has the ability to reach people who are beyond your geographic boundaries. If people from a different state or country want to try your product, they would send orders from their region, which in turn would have a positive impact on your advertising boundaries.

Email marketing is a very good option for people around the world to know about your products and services. You can use online newsletters to turn your potential consumers into regular customers. Online newsletters and brochures are considered one of the most efficient new marketing and promotional ideas.

Company Booths: Setting up a company booth in a street fair is a very good idea for small companies to display and advertise their product line to the consumers. You can sponsor a team of teenagers to carry out such campaign and give short demonstrations of the products and services offered. This is really an inexpensive option for firms who cannot afford to spend a lot on advertising.

Offering Free Samples for Use: Another affordable alternative for advertising and product promotions is distributing free samples to potential consumers. In this case, though you would need to give away few samples and bear the expenses yourself, the feedback and response that you would receive from the customers would be great. Generally, a majority of people who have used the free samples tend to come back for a final buy of good products.

Press Releases: This is however a costly alternative for small companies, but this advertising strategy directly reaches the target audience. You can hold press releases in your locality to launch your product. But for getting a good response from consumers, your company needs to have a good reputation in the minds of people regarding the quality assurance in the products you offer.

Sponsoring a Charitable Activity: This is the best method to get your company into the spotlight. Sponsor an event for a charitable organization which you favor. The media never misses out on charitable events, which can prove to be a good advantage to your product promotion.

Free Merchandise: Many companies take aid of this method of advertising products, which includes distributing free stuff such as t-shirts, caps, coffee mugs, bags, etc., with your company's name and information printed on them. Though receivers may consider these free goods as gifts, your products are being advertised widely, which may increase your business considerably.

Product Promotion Via Contests: Holding a public competition is another good way of getting your company products promoted. You can set a gift hamper of your products for the winners of these contests. With such contests, public attention can be attracted and your services also can be made well known.

what do u mean by Market Research?

Market is a location where trading is carried out by people. It follows the theory of supply and demand. Marketing research includes a form of applied sociological study which concentrates on understanding the behaviors, whims and preferences, mostly current and future, of consumers in a market-based economy.

What would one do before introduction a new company or a new product or before buying shares in the market, an intelligent person is said to be the one who does market research. This gives him rough idea of what are the problems he is to face in future and can think over it in advance. Market research is necessary in for any sort of business. It helps to be familiar with the market conditions, desire of consumers and rules laid out by Government. Also you know number of competitors and their hold in a market, economic trends, technological advances, and numerous other factors that make up the business environment.

At times the term refers predominantly to the financial analysis of companies, industries, or sectors. Financial analysts generally carry out the research and provide the results to investment advisors and potential investors.

Some commonly used marketing research terms

Following terms are commonly used in market research:

The method of converting indistinct mental pictures into definable concepts is called Conceptualization. The method of converting concepts into precise observable behaviors that a researcher can measure is termed as Operationalization. Precision means the exactness of any given measure is. A statistical technique of combining data from multiple studies or from several types of studies is called Meta-analysis or also called the Schmidt-Hunter technique.

The surety, that a given operationalized construct will produce the same results if re-measured is known as reliability. The amount to which a measure provides data that captures the meaning of the operationalized construct as defined in the study is called as validity. The sales method in which sales people play to conduct marketing research, but with the real purpose of obtaining buyer motivation and buyer decision-making information to be used in a subsequent sales call is called Sugging.

Frugging include the practice of soliciting funds under the pretense of being a research organization.

Types of marketing research

There are many forms in which marketing research can be carried out:

1) Test marketing: Before introduction a product on large scale some samples are introduced in the market and the reply of consumers is used to check about its acceptance.

2) Concept testing: This is done to see if consumer knows the necessity of another good option and if the new thing set up eradicates the problems with previous one.

3) Mystery shopping: In this an member of staff becomes a salesperson temporarily and indicates they are shopping for the product they sell. They then record the entire experience. This technique is frequently used for quality control or for researching competitor’s products.

4) Store audits: This is carried to discover if retail stores provide adequate service.

5) Demand estimation: The estimated level of demand for the product is searched out.

6) Sales forecasting: Here it is found the predictable level of sales given the level of demand.

7) Customer satisfaction studies: In this interviews that decide a customer's level of satisfaction with the quality of the transaction is done.

8) Distribution channel audits: Here distributor’s and retailer’s approach toward a product, brand, or company is assessed.

9) Price elasticity testing: sensitiveness of consumers to price changes is observed.

10) Segmentation research: The demographic, psychographic, and behavioral features of potential buyers are found.

11) Consumer decision process research: Things that stimulate people to buy and what decision-making process they use is searched.

12) Positioning research: The way the manufactured goods stand against its brand relative competitor’s stands is seen over here.

13) Brand name testing: Effect made by the brand names on consumers.

14) Brand equity research: The motive why people go after this good rather than other. Strong points in the products are set up.

Market research carried while buying shares :< /b>

A share is nothing but a divided-up unit of the value of a company. Following things need to be explored before a share is to be purchased:

a) The risks that are faced while investing in the Securities Market.

b) Rights of a shareholder.

c) Securities given with corresponding recognized Stock Exchange(s).

d) If you make a decision to operate through an exchange, the services you will have to gain of a security and exchange board registered broker/sub-broker of that particular country.

e) Legal formalities requisite to complete the process.

Here are some advices which are done after market research :< / b>

Timing is perhaps the significant factor in playing the market successfully. Market conditions are at all times fluctuating so be brave to face it. There is a proverb "buy in gloom time, sell in boom time". Buy the share at low down price which have bright chance to improve later. Be ready to quit the market altogether sometimes. Your broker will hardly ever tell you. When the market goes into a tailspin, even good stocks are probable to fall.

Just as preparation previous to exams proves helpful in getting good marks, the market research before launching heavy investments in market proves to be fruitful. Market research helps to generate the confidence and improves visualization about the current and future market conditions.

TIPS to Value Business

Valuing a business is an essential step when it comes to sell a business. Many elements have to be taken into consideration, and getting professional advice from experts may be necessary. You will find below a few of the elements you will need to consider when you decide to value your business.

Why should you get a business valuation?"

Although not knowing what your business is worth will not directly affect your ability to run the business, it's important to know the value of your business if you are considering retirement, if you want to sell your business to a competitor or keen new entrepreneur or if you are trying to get others to invest in your business to fund further expansion. Having an accurate impression of the value of your business puts you in a strong negotiating position in any of these situations, and will arm you with the market knowledge required to make the best decisions.

Can you value your business yourself?

Putting a value on your business in the current business for sale market is a highly complex process. There are many variables to consider, all of which will impact your business' true market value: turnover, profit and cash flow will all affect the selling price, as will the location of your premises, the industry or sector your business is involved in, the health of your local economy and local competitors to name a few. Ultimately, only you can decide the figure that you would be happy to sell your business at, but unless you have a great deal of experience buying and selling businesses, it pays to get a professional opinion of your business' market value.

Who can provide a business valuation accurately?"

Business Transfer Agents, Accountants and Chartered Surveyors can all provide you with business valuations - who you choose should depend on what you need the valuation for. If you want to sell all or part of your business, it's worth speaking to a selection of local or sector-specialist Business Transfer Agents to get an accurate sales value of your business. The valuations that these agents offer you will generally be free, on the basis that if you sell your business through the agent they will take a commission upon completion of the sale. If, on the other hand, you want to value your business for the purposes of securing a loan, company accounts or taxation, you can commission a Chartered Surveyor or Accountant to provide you with a professional valuation. You will have to pay for this valuation, but it will be an official document that you can present to your bank, investors and the courts if required.

How will a business transfer agent value my business?"

An agent will use their knowledge of the local market and their experience of previous comparable business sales to give you an accurate estimation of what your business will be worth. They will take into account your business' financial and geographic position, as well as buyer's demand for businesses of your type. In many cases, they may already have a number of potential cash buyers who have already interest in purchasing a business such as yours.

How much will you pay to get your business valued?"

You can request a business valuation for free online . The Daltons Business website offers a free business valuation service. Simply go to the business valuations request form, enter some basic details about your business and your details will be passed to a select number of key commercial agents who specialize in your sector and area. They will then they will call you with a free, no-obligation valuation based on recent completions and current market trends.

Effective Marketing: Less Time & More Money

Which is more precious: time or money? If you could have an ample supply of either, but not both, which would you choose? It's a tough question. If you choose money, you may not have the time to enjoy it. If you choose time, how will you get along

financially?

Since the dawn of the Internet, people have been looking for ways to have BOTH lots of time on their hands and lots money in their wallets. It seems like very few of us have broken that secret code that allows us to make a great living without giving up all

of our precious spare time.

Like a great magician, a great marketer never reveals the real tricks of the trade...those methods he or she uses to make a great living without sitting at the computer for 16 hours a day. Of course they want to keep their techniques a secret; they'd like to keep all the money to themselves, right? Just like magicians like David Copperfield want a monopoly on magic, Internet millionaires want a monopoly on success.

So what about the rest of us? What are we supposed to do? Every day we're bombarded with business opportunities that either rip us off or simply don't work. But we continue to work at it, trying to find that one golden key to easy street.

If you have found something that works for you, more power to you. If, like the rest of us, you're still struggling to make your big break, keep looking. Success is out there for people who take the time to sniff it out.

Believe it or not, there are money-making systems out there that you really cannot lose with. Even if you fail at the system, you still make money. Best of all, these systems can be worked without huge time or financial commitments. True success systems are complete and turn-key. They bring you website traffic (even if you don't have a site yet), residual income, and lasting success without backbreaking work.

Income systems really do exist that allows you to: 1) make a full-time income in one hour per day, and 2) completely eliminate the cost of online advertising and promotions. And, did you know that virtually all successful Internet marketers use the same powerful billing technique?

There really is no complicated Internet success bible. If you can harness the power of a few very powerful, yet closely guarded techniques, you can succeed in almost any Internet business. Dig deep, travel far, and do some serious homework and you'll find the goldmine you're looking for.

Did you find this article useful? For more useful tips & hints, Points to ponder and keep in mind, techniques & insights pertaining to Google Ad sense,

What is Marketing and What it Means to Your Business

So, you’ve decided to start your own business? Congratulations! Now that you have made that awesome step in the right direction, there is something extremely important that you need to ask yourself. And that is: Who are you going to share your opportunity and product or service with? Customers and business partners are the lifeblood of any business. Take one or both away, and your new business will quickly go out of business. But, it doesn’t have to be that way. All you have to do is figure out who you are going to market to, and go out and market to them! There are several ways to get prospective customers and business partners to call you about your business.

The first is as old as time itself: Word of Mouth. This is one of the most effective ways of marketing your business and letting people know that you are in business. If you don’t go around tooting your own horn at some point in time, no one else will either. Let people know that you have the most superb opportunity and product or service on the market, and pretty soon, they will be telling their friends and family about your business too! That brings us to the second form of marketing: Referrals. Once you get out and let people know your doors are open, other people will start doing some of the legwork for you! And if they don’t, don’t be afraid to ask to!

After all, you have probably done it for others already. Have you ever told a friend about a restaurant that you truly enjoyed or a movie that kept you on the edge of your seat and suggested they go and see it? You’ve just given that business a referral. In the marketing game, it is all about getting the numbers. He who goes through the numbers the fastest wins. And there is no other marketing out there that will enable you to do that quicker and better than internet marketing.

There are a lot of people who get nervous when the internet is brought up because they think they have to know everything about HTML codes, SEOs, keywords and all the other internet jargon, when nothing could be further from the truth. There are loads of reputable companies out there who will teach you how to do this. You do not have to become a guru to get the basics of marketing your business online. All you have to have is a desire to want to see your business grow by leaps in bounds, and I assure you that partnered with the other two forms of marketing, the internet is the way to get there.

The key to successful marketing is to just do it. It’s not to be looked upon as an event. Make it a system, and there is no way you can lose. A system is something you do over and over again. Not the latest, greatest marketing idea of the week, but make it a regular, every day part of your business, and in a year from now, your business and its bottom line will never have looked better!

How to Promote a Business Online

Tips on How to Promote a Business Online

Promoting a business via the Internet can be a cost effective technique, provided the product is known to have a good online market. In other words, consumers prefer buying the product online rather than visiting a store for making the purchase. The products that have the potential to generate online sales are as follows: books, music, electronic goods and software. Of these, books, music and movies have a market share of 34% while software has a market share of 30%. Electronic goods also have a substantial share of 14%. In fact, once we have determined that the products, that the company is producing, have a good online market, the question of how to promote a business locally on the Internet assumes a great deal of significance.

How to Promote a Business Through Pay Per Click Advertising?

Promoting a business through pay per click advertising is also known as affiliate marketing. It is the process of driving traffic to a business' website by placing an advertisement in a website that generates high traffic. The host (website) is paid a commission for actual conversions that are measured in terms of clicks. Cost per action (CPA) or clicks that result in driving traffic to a business' website have a high probability of getting converted to revenue provided the host and the business are not producing substitute goods. Again, from the perspective of ensuring the visibility of the host, the business (affiliate) should provide text links rather than graphic links since the former is ranked higher by search engine optimizers. Greater host visibility would mean greater chances of the affiliate getting noticed.

How to Promote a Business Using Social Media?

Social networking is one of the most effective ways of promoting a business since it forms the basis for establishing a symbiotic relationship between like minded people. Social networking helps people connect with each other by allowing them to create an interesting profile that draws the viewer's attention. The section that is dedicated to the user profile can be used to promote one's business by providing links to the company's website and blogs and mentioning the products that the business intends to promote. Starting a group and joining other groups and expanding the chain of interdependency can be a wonderful way of promoting one's business. In addition to social networking, social bookmarking is another useful tool to promote a business.

How to Promote a Business Through Social Bookmarking? Identifying a social bookmarking site, that is appropriate for business marketing, is the first step in social bookmarking. The next step is creating a free account on the chosen website and posting links to the company's or the business' website. People have the option of posting links privately or publicly. In the former case, the links to the website are only shown to designated users.

How to Promote a Business Through Press Release?

A good press release begins with a compelling title that enthuses the reader to continue perusing. Search engine optimization ensures that the writer includes the necessary keywords and models the content accordingly. A press release with a maximum of 500 words is desirable although this does not mean that the writer should compromise on the quality of information. The news of the launch of the product, the relevant details about earlier editions, subsequent improvements and company information make a good read. The concluding paragraphs should definitely provide additional references and links that may be useful to the potential consumer. Company details like contact information, the goals and objectives should also be included to give the consumer a fair understanding of company ideals.

As mentioned earlier, the marketing strategy, that is adopted by a firm, would be contingent on the scope of the market for the product. People selling perishables should focus on marketing these using the local newspaper or by handing out fliers, since these methods of promotion have a greater chance of yielding results as compared to Internet marketing