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Archive for March, 2011

1. Interest Backdating. Most card issuers charge interest from the day a charge is posted to youraccount if you don¹t pay in full monthly. But, some charge interest from thedate of purchase, days before they have even paid the store on your behalf!REMEDY: Find another card issuer, or always pay your bill in full by thedue date.

2. Two-Cycle Billing. Issuers which use this method of calculating interest, charge two months worthof interest for the first month you failed to pay off your total balance infull. This issue arises only when you switch from paying in full to carrying abalance from month to month.REMEDY: Switch issuers or always pay your balance in full.

3. The Right To Set off. If you have money on deposit at a bank, and also have your credit card there,you may have signed an agreement when you opened the deposit account whichpermits the bank to take those funds if you become delinquent on your creditcard.REMEDY: Bank at separate institutions, or avoid delinquencies.

4. Fees Are Negotiable. You may be paying up to $50 a year or more as an annual fee on your credit card.You may also be subject to finance charges of over 18%.REMEDY: If you are a good customer, the bank may be willing to drop theannual fee, and reduce the interest rate ‹ you only have to ask! Otherwise, youcan switch issuers to a lower- priced card.

5. Interest Rate Hikes Are Retroactive. If you sign up for a credit card with a low “teaser” rate, such as 7.9%, whenthe low rate period expires, your existing balance will likely be subject to theregular and substantially higher interest rate.REMEDY: Pay in full before the rate increase or close the account.

6. Shortened Due Dates. Most card issuers offer a 25 day grace period in which to pay for new purchaseswithout incurring finance charges. Some banks have shortened the grace period to20 days‹but only for customers who pay in full monthly.REMEDY: Ask to go back to 25 days.

Some people were born organized and then there are those of us who struggle with organizing every year at this time. It seems that it’s always at the end of the year when that little annoying bug begins nudging you to clear things up and start the new year organized.

Well, I’ve read just about everybody’s directions, books, and helpful hints about getting organized (in fact, I’m thinking of writing one myself), and I’ve got to tell you there are some misconceptions being fostered by every organizational guru. It will be my pleasure to give you the skinny on that in today’s column.

Today marketing is not the same as it was in the ‘60s or ‘70s, because there are enough products to satisfy customer’s needs.  In fact customers are “hyper-satisfied”!  Companies have segmented the market until it has become almost too small to service profitably.

Distribution is now largely in the hands of giant corporations such as Wal-Mart and Costco. There are more brands and fewer producers, products “life” have been shortened, and it’s cheaper to replace than to repair – all complicating the process further.

Marketing has always started with identifying the needs of your customer, but many companies are now focusing on the product.  They focus on what category it falls into, and then what sub-category (for instance pudding and then what flavors). By focusing on the product, companies then focus on who’ll use the product, and those considered “not using” are excluded from the picture.  In doing this, you’ve just given your competitor a target market.

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When you are at an interview, you may not be aware of this but your interviewer is observing your body language, very carefully.  Your body language says a lot about yourself, so you need to control negative body movements and encourage positive body movements and habits.  Humans naturally send and receive nonverbal communication; they have been doing so since the beginning of time.  When your girlfriend folds her arms but has a smile on her face, are you not wondering what she upset is about or clammed up for.  At an interview, you never want your body language to contradict your words, this makes you appear like a liar.  The first impression, or the first few minutes of your interview are the most lasting.

The Handshake: your hands should be clean and well manicured, and free of perspiration.  You want to allow the interviewer to initiate the handshake, which should match the interviewer in firmness, do not give a firmer handshake than them. Smile at the interviewer and look them in the eyes.  It should last between two to five seconds.  When departing the interview, the handshake may last longer, smile and lean forward as you shake.

When the first generation of women entered the workforce in earnest in the 1970s, they succeeded in the only way they could – by imitating men. Authoritarian leadership and tight control was the hallmark of that day’s businessman, and women were not exactly welcomed into the ranks of management.  Well ladies, that was yesterday, and today is today!

Forget what your mama or your boss told you, because following the rules can be bad for your career.  Today’s CEO/entrepreneur can no longer tap his/her company’s full potential using a “command-and-control” style.  The 21st century business woman needs to be able to build a vision based on the awareness of economic transformation, then help her partners and staff fulfill that vision.  She must draw on a wide range of skills to get to the top and stay there.  Following are 7 Key Characteristics that are essential:

Every year thousands of men and women across America sign on with direct selling firm-Tupperware, Amway, or a cosmetic company-hoping to make money enough for new draperies, a new davenport, or some new clothes. They sell a little merchandise to a few relatives and close friends. Then they are through. They quit before they give themselves a chance to learn the basics of success in sales. “I am simply not a born salesperson,” they often say. No one is born a salesperson, any more than one is born a doctor or born a lawyer. Sales is a profession. To be successful in any profession one must learn not only the basic techniques, but also how to apply those techniques. Success in sales makes use of all the abilities one is born with, plus all those acquired through education and experience.

If you are looking for a career opportunity or “extra income” to help with the family budget, direct selling offers you dream-fulfilling possibilities. However, you must give yourself time to learn the techniques of sales. Ask yourself. “How long does a doctor to be study? A lawyer to be study?”

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There are lots of experienced and creative photographers around the Web who eagerly share their experience and ideas with people around.

Surf around the Web. Look at images at magazines, papers, on-line galleries and you’ll find a wealth of ideas. Try the Gallery at shotaddict.com. Want more – go to flickr.com and look through tones of creative shots. Another useful source is VFXY, it displays recent posts from various photoblogs.

Learn the ‘visual language’. Visit Art Museums, Galleries and Exhibitions that have photography shows. Learn art history from Antiquity to the Present and discover how highly creative people developed methods for expressing light and color.

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Did you know that 85% of Non Profit Fundraising every year is acquired from direct individual donations? That 85% consists of large and small donations but it is the steady stream of small donations that keep most nonprofits afloat.

One should plan and forward his or her steps careful if the organization is new and they are not sure about the process of Non Profit Fundraising. Ideally, first step should be to cultivate donors in the local community and than move on to Internet Fundraising.

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You don’t offer free original content. It’s important to give your visitors information they can’t find anywhere else. If you’re the only source for a certain type of information, people will flock to your web site.

You don’t offer free software. Most people like to find good deals on software for their computers. If the software is free, that is even better.

You don’t offer a free contest or sweepstakes. It’s a fact, people like to win things. If you can fulfill that need, people will stop by to visit.

You don’t offer a free directory. Create a directory of web sites on a particular topic that is related to your target audience. People will visit because they will find what they’re looking for, all in one place.

You don’t offer a free e-zine. Most people love to get free information that they’re interested in emailed to them on a regular basis. This saves them time and money.

You don’t offer a free community. People like to have a place were they can have discussions with others on a particular subject. You could add a chat room or message board to your web site.

You don’t offer a free affiliate program. One of people’s basic needs to survive is money. When you offer them a free opportunity to make money they’ll line up to visit your web site.

You don’t offer a free online utility. When you offer a utility that can solve a problem, people will visit your web site. The utility could be a free autoresponder, e-mail account, search engine submission, etc.

You don’t offer free current information. Supply news stories related to your web site. People want up-to-date news on the topics they are interested in. They will also be interested in visiting your web site.

You don’t offer free samples of your product or service. Have you ever been to a store and you jumped at the chance to get a free sample of food? This same concept will also attract people to visit your web site.

Forensic accounting is the practice of utilizing accounting, auditing, and investigative skills to assist in legal matters.  It encompasses 2 main areas – litigation support, investigation, and dispute resolution.  Litigation support represents the factual presentation of economic issues related to existing or pending litigation.  In this capacity, the forensic accounting professional quantifies damages sustained by parties involved in legal disputes and can assist in resolving disputes, even before they reach the courtroom.  If a dispute reaches the courtroom, the forensic accountant may testify as an expert witness.

Investigation is the act of determining whether criminal matters such as employee theft, securities fraud (including falsification of financial statements), identity theft, and insurance fraud have occurred.  As part of the forensic accountant’s work, he or she may recommend actions that can be taken to minimize future risk of loss.  Investigation may also occur in civil matters.  For example, the forensic accountant may search for hidden assets in divorce cases.

Forensic accounting involves looking beyond the numbers and grasping the substance of situations.  It’s more than accounting…more than detective work…it’s a combination that will be in demand for as long as human nature exists.  Who wouldn’t want a career that offers such stability, excitement, and financial rewards?

In short, forensic accounting requires the most important quality a person can possess: the ability to think.  Far from being an ability that is specific to success in any particular field, developing the ability to think enhances a person’s chances of success in life, thus increasing a person’s worth in today’s society.   Why not consider becoming a forensic accountant on the Forensic Accounting Masters Degree link on the left-hand navigation bar.