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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>aboomirms.info</title> <atom:link href="http://aboomirms.info/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://aboomirms.info</link> <description></description> <lastBuildDate>Thu, 27 Feb 2025 15:41:37 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en</language> <sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency> <generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3</generator> <item> <title>Teaching Critical Thinking Without Destroying the Creative Thought Process</title> <link>https://aboomirms.info/67</link> <comments>https://aboomirms.info/67#comments</comments> <pubDate>Sat, 08 Jul 2023 18:55:11 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Critical thinking]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://aboomirms.info/?p=67</guid> <description><![CDATA[Critical thinking skills are absolutely important to survive in such a complex and chaotic society. No one can deny that in the United States we are bombarded with instant information, and challenged by all the events going on around us … <a href="https://aboomirms.info/67">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="article-content"><p>Critical thinking skills are absolutely important to survive in such a complex and chaotic society. No one can deny that in the United States we are bombarded with instant information, and challenged by all the events going on around us at all times. And, company marketing and advertising is always trying to get us to do impulse buying, and market to our emotions rather than to our critical thinking.</p><p>Now then, I have a serious question; how you teach critical thinking without destroying the creative thought process which is also needed to survive in our society?</p><p>If you’ll stop right here and go to YouTube and watch “Sir Ken Robinson, Creativity in Schools” video and then come back to this article, I’d like to continue knowing you have the knowledge to follow along with my comments here today. It’s an 18-minute video and the best one you’ll ever watch on this topic.</p><p>Okay so, Ken Robinson asks why we don’t teach creativity in schools as we should, and I am asking the opposite question with a caveat; (1) why don’t we teach critical thinking properly in our schools, and (2) how can we teach critical thinking without destroying the creative thought process which is so valuable to the individual? Easier said than done, but I do believe it’s possible.</p><p>In fact, I would say that creatively solving problems and then taking that information to form questions is a very important part of the critical thinking process. In fact, there’s a very good book on this subject called; “Critical Thinking Asking the Right Questions,” by M. Neil Brown and Stuart M. Keeley – which is well worth reading also.</p><p>If we use our creativity to help us come up with a number of questions, and then use our critical thinking skills to eliminate the silly questions, and keep the good ones, then we can combine the two, without destroying one or the other. We are teaching that they are both very important, and can be used together, and they should be used together, and they should also be challenged against each other to test to see if the answers or the questions chosen are correct. I hope you will please be thinking here as you teach critical thinking to your students.</p><div class="mads-block"></div>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://aboomirms.info/67/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Why Starting an Online Business Is a Great Idea!</title> <link>https://aboomirms.info/65</link> <comments>https://aboomirms.info/65#comments</comments> <pubDate>Fri, 12 May 2023 09:34:34 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <category><![CDATA[best business ideas]]></category> <category><![CDATA[best online business]]></category> <category><![CDATA[best online business ideas]]></category> <category><![CDATA[best online business to start]]></category> <category><![CDATA[business ideas]]></category> <category><![CDATA[how to make money online]]></category> <category><![CDATA[make money online]]></category> <category><![CDATA[online business]]></category> <category><![CDATA[online business from home]]></category> <category><![CDATA[online business ideas]]></category> <category><![CDATA[small business ideas]]></category> <category><![CDATA[start an online business]]></category> <category><![CDATA[start online business]]></category> <category><![CDATA[starting an online business]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://aboomirms.info/?p=65</guid> <description><![CDATA[There are several reasons why starting an online business is a great idea for anyone that wants to have more freedom and wealth. Here are five reasons why I encourage entrepreneurs to start and online business.1. Not every idea we … <a href="https://aboomirms.info/65">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p> There are several reasons why starting an online business is a great idea for anyone that wants to have more freedom and wealth. Here are five reasons why I encourage entrepreneurs to start and online business.1. Not every idea we come up with is going to become a winner and make money New businesses are started every day and only a few become successful. In the event that the business does crash and burn it is easier to bounce back without all of the financial responsibilities that you would have in a traditional business. I myself started an online business for $50 by purchasing a franchise with an already existing online business. This was great because I didn’t have to create anything and to this day is my main source of income.2. Residual income and Advantages The right business can be developed into a stable, residual source of income. In fact, there are plenty of ways to create online businesses that make six figures yearly. Imagine if you could spend your spare time learning how to create successful online businesses, resulting in several income-producing assets that will continue to earn money while your out playing golf or on vacation with the family.Remember that business has changed. The way people are making money is changing. Old ways won’t open new doors. Starting an online business today will give you a running start in the new economy.3. No disadvantages and faster personal growthThe rules of business don’t adjust based on age, a business owner in their mid 60s has the same risks and responsibilities that someone in their early 20s has.Running a business introduces you to many life lessons, and being introduced to them at an early age will allow to develop into a more balanced person a lot sooner.4. Ability to work from anywhere in the worldHaving an online business with will allow you to work from wherever you want in the world. All you need is a laptop or smartphone with internet access. You can start your day when you feel you are ready and work as much or as little as you want.The work won’t be any easier on a beach in Mexico than it would be in an apartment in Paris, and you will still have the same battles and challenges that every entrepreneur faces, but the option to do it from any location or while traveling is real.5. Less risk and little financial commitment to startBefore the Internet it was very difficult for just anyone to start a profitable business. Credit cards, Bank loans, lines of credit weren’t easy to get and still aren’t for everyone.An online business for the most part has lower overhead when compared to an offline traditional construction business, translating into less of a financial commitment. This allows anyone to be able to start a profitable online business. The only variable is your commitment to making it happen.Were these helpful? There are others out there that could use this advice, feel free to share around and drop me a comment if you found this helpful! </p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://aboomirms.info/65/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Investing in Telecommunications – Technology and Your Money</title> <link>https://aboomirms.info/63</link> <comments>https://aboomirms.info/63#comments</comments> <pubDate>Fri, 12 May 2023 04:12:19 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Telecommunications]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://aboomirms.info/?p=63</guid> <description><![CDATA[When you start looking through the various options available for investment opportunities, you’ll quickly see that there are more choices than most realize. Investing in telecommunications is one of the smartest bets out there, although it may take a large … <a href="https://aboomirms.info/63">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p> When you start looking through the various options available for investment opportunities, you’ll quickly see that there are more choices than most realize. Investing in telecommunications is one of the smartest bets out there, although it may take a large investment to see any real returns. Many telecommunications companies have already reached very high values, but others are relatively low and climbing quickly. If investing in telecommunications sounds like something that may be right for you, you’ll want to take a closer look not only at individual companies but at the entire industry in general. A little research can help you find the perfect investment opportunity.Investing in telecommunications could involve investment in a wide range of different industry specific aspects and companies. Telecommunications includes television, radio, telephone, cell phone, and even broadband communications companies and technologies. Some of the major companies will have branches devoted to a number of different areas while other companies will specialize only in one thing. Also, portfolios have grown in size due to the merging of many of the larger telecommunication companies – mergers that seem to be continuing on a never-ending basis. As more mergers and acquisitions occur it has made it easy for all of these companies to evolve even further.Investing in telecommunications may mean actually investing in one of the major carriers or providers of telecommunications, like Verizon. Of course, your money could also be invested in companies that provide the fiber optic cables that carry today’s signals across the world or the equipment that the major carriers use to create their infrastructure. Both are relatively safe bets, and rather than bankruptcy the majority of the various companies usually end up merging with other companies instead. In short, telecommunications is among the most stable options for investing your money and investing in telecommunications is very likely to pay off.Broadband is growing rapidly and is likely going to continue to do so. Whether you invest in infrastructure companies, equipment manufacturers, or the providers themselves it’s in your best interest to do a bit of research into all areas of each company no matter how large or small it may be. Investing in telecommunications is well worth doing, but like any other investment opportunity it should only be done after you examine the risks and benefits associated with it. This way you can make an investment you’ll be confident in and ensure success. </p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://aboomirms.info/63/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Read Business News Daily To Keep Up With the Markets</title> <link>https://aboomirms.info/61</link> <comments>https://aboomirms.info/61#comments</comments> <pubDate>Thu, 11 May 2023 13:52:52 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <category><![CDATA[basic finance]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Finance]]></category> <category><![CDATA[finance basics]]></category> <category><![CDATA[finance books]]></category> <category><![CDATA[finance bros]]></category> <category><![CDATA[finance career]]></category> <category><![CDATA[finance degree]]></category> <category><![CDATA[finance frauds]]></category> <category><![CDATA[finance kya hai]]></category> <category><![CDATA[finance major]]></category> <category><![CDATA[finance meaning]]></category> <category><![CDATA[finance news]]></category> <category><![CDATA[finance shorts]]></category> <category><![CDATA[finance stock]]></category> <category><![CDATA[finance with sharan]]></category> <category><![CDATA[fix finances]]></category> <category><![CDATA[fix my finance]]></category> <category><![CDATA[learn finance]]></category> <category><![CDATA[mba finance]]></category> <category><![CDATA[mba finance jobs]]></category> <category><![CDATA[mba in finance]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Personal Finance]]></category> <category><![CDATA[public finance]]></category> <category><![CDATA[raga finance]]></category> <category><![CDATA[study finance]]></category> <category><![CDATA[what is finance]]></category> <category><![CDATA[yahoo finance]]></category> <category><![CDATA[yahoo finance premium]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://aboomirms.info/?p=61</guid> <description><![CDATA[The net worth rich companies are called blue chip stocks in the market, they are always in the news on Business News. Gillette, Microsoft, Wall Mart and Citigroup are some of them, which usually outperform the market expectations.These companies are … <a href="https://aboomirms.info/61">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p> The net worth rich companies are called blue chip stocks in the market, they are always in the news on Business News. Gillette, Microsoft, Wall Mart and Citigroup are some of them, which usually outperform the market expectations.These companies are reported for their sales, marketing strategies, product launches, global investments and profits & losses. Each of these can trigger a rally, push the market indices and generally add to economic prosperity. Business News also provides the government’s perspective of the economy, which in turn helps the investor to weigh the risk as per the market sentiment.Not many can read between the lines of Finance News flashed or published in the media. It’s an art in itself. The knowledge of going beyond the text to know what is really happening in the market or in the economy or with a stock requires an analytical mind. Suppose you read a banner headline of Facebook to launch a mobile device in the midst of Facebook IPO crisis, a discerning reader need to ask, is it a diversionary tactic employed by the smart PR or is it truly a new development that will enhance the market value of the scrip. Questions like these are hidden in most of the news items that we see in Finance News.What role do the latest stock market updates play in the life of an average investor? Does it matter to him when stock market declines? Does it matter when stock market shoots through the roof?The question becomes especially important in light of news items appearing in press – investor lost millions as markets decline by 200 points- which show the mass effect of the rise and fall of the stock markets.A speculative investor gets directly affected by these fluctuations; however a committed investor books a notional loss. The latest stock market updates in a sense gives an approximate valuation of the holdings we have thus helping to assess our future investment strategies.The latest stocks news carry news item such as quarterly results, stock analysts ratings, trader’s recommendations and stock quotes . It also has features such as opening and closing stock rates, a yearlong individual stock data and the news of major global indices such as Dow Jones, Nasdaq, London stock exchange etc. Latest stocks news narrates the status of global economy and indicates future growth prospects for an individual investor.Stock market news is a communication about the latest happenings in and around stock markets.An investor gets to know the market trends through this medium upon which he places orders for buy and sell. In a way, stock market news feeds the market sentiments.Most active stock is followed by the investors for their capacity to propel the bullish or bearish sentiments in the market. Most active stocks are the most preferred for they pay back the value in both the phases.Analyst ratings are a re-commendatory feature which suggest the credit worthiness of a given stock in the market. Every investor keeps an eye on Analyst Ratings for they are based on the market positions taken by the big funds and wealthy investors. </p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://aboomirms.info/61/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>How To Make Advertising Claims That Comply With FTC Laws!</title> <link>https://aboomirms.info/58</link> <comments>https://aboomirms.info/58#comments</comments> <pubDate>Thu, 11 May 2023 09:00:36 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <category><![CDATA[advertising]]></category> <category><![CDATA[advertising agency]]></category> <category><![CDATA[advertising basics]]></category> <category><![CDATA[advertising concepts]]></category> <category><![CDATA[advertising fails]]></category> <category><![CDATA[advertising industry]]></category> <category><![CDATA[advertising space]]></category> <category><![CDATA[advertising week]]></category> <category><![CDATA[best advertising]]></category> <category><![CDATA[children advertising]]></category> <category><![CDATA[creative advertising]]></category> <category><![CDATA[digital advertising]]></category> <category><![CDATA[facebook advertising]]></category> <category><![CDATA[false advertising]]></category> <category><![CDATA[online advertising]]></category> <category><![CDATA[targeted advertising]]></category> <category><![CDATA[tv advertising]]></category> <category><![CDATA[visual advertising]]></category> <category><![CDATA[what is advertising]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://aboomirms.info/?p=58</guid> <description><![CDATA[Any business (and affiliates and marketers) that engages in interstate commerce will be subject to federal laws. Interstate marketing and advertising practices are regulated by the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) under the FTC Act. Services and goods offered through the … <a href="https://aboomirms.info/58">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p> Any business (and affiliates and marketers) that engages in interstate commerce will be subject to federal laws. Interstate marketing and advertising practices are regulated by the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) under the FTC Act. Services and goods offered through the Internet are considered to be a “use in commerce” since the services are available to a national or global audience. The FTC regulates Internet advertising, marketing activities and sales to consumers as the watchdog agency. The same consumer protection laws that apply to commercial activities in other media apply to the Internet. Under Section 5 of the FTC Act, illegal advertising practices are categorized as either an unfair method of competition or an unfair or deceptive act or practice.Any activity that is likely to cause consumer confusion as to source, sponsorship or affiliation of any good or service is essentially an “unfair” act or practice under the FTC Act. However, the real culprit for interstate businesses, affiliates and other Internet marketers is avoiding advertising claims which are unfair or deceptive. There is no hard definition of what practices are considered “unfair” or “deceptive,” under the FTC Act.But, in the simplest terms, all advertisements:<br />must be truthful and not misleading;<br />must have evidence to back up any claims made in the ad; and<br />cannot be unfair.<br />Complying with FTC laws really boils down to a single standard that your advertisements or marketing practices will be judged under. This “standard” is known as ‘materially misleading.’ This is basically the crux of website advertising law and the standard by which all Internet claims and representations are measured to determine whether they are deceptive. Either an ad or claim is materially misleading, or it isn’t deceptive. This standard is defined by a series of guidelines, rules and policy statements published by the FTC. The FTC rules and guidelines illustrate what the FTC believes is illegal under the technical language of the FTC Act.The principle guidelines on advertising are contained in the FTC’s Policy Statement on Deception. Under the FTC’s Statement, an advertisement or marketing practice is deceptive if there is a representation, omission of information or some other practice that is likely to mislead a reasonable consumer and which is likely to influence or otherwise “affect the consumer’s conduct or decision with regard to a product or service,” to that customer’s detriment.In terms of Internet advertising, an unfair or deceptive act or trade practice is usually made by publishing a false advertisement. The Act specifically states that using a false advertisement in commerce is unlawful and doing so is also categorized as an unfair or deceptive act or practices. The term false advertisement means an advertisement, other than labeling, which is misleading in a material respect. As you can imagine, flat out lies about your products or services, or those that you promote or endorse, are going to be misleading and illegal. Simply stated, you cannot make any false claims. However, a claim can be misleading in many other ways and this is where most Internet businesses land into trouble.If you don’t understand the nature of what is considered materially misleading, you could very easily violate FTC laws. You MUST understand all the ways a claim may mislead a consumer and you MUST know what is considered a claim or representation in the first place. This is really the key to understanding FTC laws. For instance, a claim can be literally true, but if it is only true in limited circumstances, or if it is subject to more than one interpretation, one of which is not true, or misleading in its overall effect, it is deceptive. I am going to take you through each element of an advertisement from the FTC’s point of view so you can master this understanding. Again, either you can pay an attorney to look at your specific ads, throw them up blind, or take the time to learn the fundamentals yourself.A. Overall Context MattersA claim can be suggested by the overall context of an advertisement. This means a representation or claim can be made or suggested by any “statement, word, design, device, sound, or any combination thereof”. In other words, the FTC won’t just look at the words of an advertisement by itself to determine if it is misleading. Other than the words of the ad, the name of the product, the nature of the product, any visual or audio depictions or symbolism can all provide the context to establish a claim. Even the website name or metatags can provide the context for a claim. The overall experience conveyed by viewing the ad in relation to the rest of the website sets the context for a particular claim.The U.S. District Court, Third Circuit stated the FTC standard regarding context of an ad clearly. “The tendency of the advertising to deceive must be judged by viewing it as a whole, without emphasizing isolated words or phrases apart from their context.” Beneficial Corp. v. FTC (1976). Using illustrative pictures on your website to demonstrate the effectiveness or results of a product is a common example. Without stating some direct, express claim in words, these pictures would be just as effective in suggesting some claim to your visitors.EXAMPLE: You operate a website called homesavers.com which offers loan modification and “foreclosure rescue” services. The title of your webpage is labeled as “save home” and your home page contains a picture of a “happy and relieved” couple sitting at a kitchen table looking at their laptop which shows homesavers.com on the screen. The website advertisements include a heading titled “Begin the process of saving your home now” and other claims of “if you act now, we can save your home.” Without any qualifying disclosures, the overall context of the website may imply that consumers can expect to save their homes by using homesavers.com.B. Express and Implied ClaimsIf an ad makes either express or implied claims that are likely to be misleading without certain qualifying information, this information must be disclosed. You must determine which claims might need qualification and what information should be provided in a disclosure. The important thing to understand is the fact you can make an implied claim through your advertisement and that you cannot suggest any claim which you are not permitted to make expressly by law. An express claim is an obvious one. For example “This product will stop bullets from penetrating your body in an advertisement for a bullet proof vest. Similarly, the claim “removes every type of stain from your carpet” is an express claim that the advertised product will remove all stains from your carpet.An implied claim is one made indirectly or by inference and causes the most problems for Internet advertisers.EXAMPLE: In an ad about the innovative bullet proof vest, it claims the vest is “used by law enforcement officers and professional body guards.” Since the ad claims law officers and security professionals use the vest, it implies they use it to stop bullets. It may also imply reliability to the average consumer.EXAMPLE: “2 out of 3 mechanics prefer mighty wrench to any other wrench on the market! Besides having to substantiate that 2 out of 3 mechanics prefer mighty wrench, this claim implies that the tool is adept at working on cars. This is an implied claim even though the ad does not expressly state that “mighty wrench” is suitable for cars.EXAMPLE: In an advertisement for sprinting shoes, your website claims “Joe Sprinter wore these shoes during his Olympic 100 meter Gold medal run.” This implies that the shoes are made for, even particularly well-suited for, sprinting and running fast. This ad implies a particular quality about the shoe.EXAMPLE: Your website sells household carpet cleaning products. You use an ad promoting your “wonder-clean” carpet cleaner, stating that it “removes the toughest household stains.” Directly below the ad, there are a series of illustrations depicting a dog standing on a carpet next to an obvious wet spot on the carpet and the product then being applied by a woman. Then, that same woman is depicted with a smile on her face and the wet spot has disappeared. The ad suggests that it removes dog stains from your carpet (maybe even common pet stains in general).EXAMPLE: An ad claiming “experts agree our product beats our competitors hands down” probably implies that there is actual proof that most if not all experts have made such a proclamation.C. Leaving Out Important InformationA claim can be misleading if relevant and material information is left out. An advertisement cannot leave out facts which are material in light of any claims made or material in light of how the customer will use the product under the conditions stated in the advertisement (or under ordinary conditions). If a claim is only true in limited circumstances or a benefit only applies sometimes, this must be disclosed.EXAMPLE: In ad for revolutionary new speakers your sell from your discount stereo web store, your website boasts that the speakers “can achieve a 98% efficiency rating.” But, this rating cannot be done with every type of stereo receiver. In fact, a few different models of speakers can achieve the same rating, but only if they are used in conjunction with certain receivers. These are considered “high-end” receivers and are not common. Since the stereo receiver required is uncommon, this should be disclosed.D. Material ClaimsIn order for a claim to be materially misleading, the claim or any information left out must be important or significant to the consumer’s choice to purchase the product or service. If the average consumer would not find the claim to have any significant influence on his or her decision to purchase, the claim is not material. The FTC has stated that examples of material claims include representations about health or safety, a product’s performance, features, price, effectiveness or other central characteristics. But, these are not the only types of claims which are material. Information is also likely to be material if it concerns durability, performance, warranties or quality. Information pertaining to a finding by another agency regarding the product may also be material.The FTC presumes that express claims are material. As the Supreme Court stated recently, “in the absence of factors that would distort the decision to advertise, we may assume that the willingness of a business to promote its products reflects a belief that consumers are interested in the advertising.” Where the seller knew, or should have known, that an ordinary consumer would need any omitted information to evaluate the product or service, or that the claim was false, materiality will be presumed because the advertiser intended the information or omission to have an effect. Similarly, when evidence exists that a seller intended to make an implied claim, the FTC will infer the claim is material. The FTC might also look at other evidence that the claim or omission is likely to be considered important by consumers, such as testimony or customer surveys.If a claim is material, it also means that injury is likely to exist because of the representation, omission, or practice. Injury to consumers can take many forms according to the FTC and it exists if consumers would have chosen differently but for the deception. If different choices are likely, the claim is material, and injury is likely as well. The statement on deception states that injury and materiality are different names for the same concept.E. Substantiating Your ClaimsAdvertisers must have sufficient evidence to support any claims made, or the claims are deceptive. In order to avoid deception, you must have a “reasonable basis” for any factual or objective claims you make in any advertisement. (FTC vs. Pfizer, Inc. (1972)). This is also referred to as the doctrine of “substantiation.” This reasonable basis must be based on objective, credible and reliable evidence. You can use surveys, statistical evidence (studies) and expert opinions to substantiate any claim you make and otherwise prove a claim is true.If the advertising claim suggests a level of support, it is obvious that the advertiser must have evidence of that support. For example, if a marketer claims that “three out of four customers prefer our brand”, then the marketer must have reliable survey evidence backing this statement up. If an advertiser claims “clinical studies show,” the FTC requires that clinical studies must show what you claim.Where a claim is not specific, the FTC will look at a number of factors in reviewing substantiating evidence to determine whether there is a reasonable basis for the claim including: 1) The type of claim; 2) The product involved; 3) The consequences of a false claim and the benefits of a truthful claim; 4) The cost of developing substantiation and 5) The level of substantiation experts would believe is reasonable.EXAMPLE: A website that sells energy drinks and related energy products makes clams that its products give its customers energy lasting “all day” or “gets you through your work day.” Those claims need to be true and need to be backed up by an actual clinical study showing that the drink or other products boost energy levels for the duration specified.The FTC will look at a number of factors to help determine the appropriate amount and type of substantiation necessary, including:<br />The Type of Product. Health and safety claims are subject to the most scrutiny by the FTC as they pose the most risks to consumers. Also, alcohol and tobacco are particularly put under the microscope along with dietary and herbal supplements, weight loss products and nutrient claims since these are related to health. These types of claims require competent, credible and reliable scientific evidence. I discuss scientific evidence in much more detail under the discussion of substantiating health claims.<br />The Type of Claim. Technical claims and claims that consumers would have trouble or cannot possibly evaluate themselves are subject to much more scrutiny. For instance, “reduces your energy costs by 30%” “kills germs on contact” or “environment friendly” are claims consumers cannot easily substantiate on their own. As a matter of policy, when consumers can easily evaluate the product or service this has historically attracted less FTC attention than those claims that consumers would have difficulty evaluating directly, such as “e-cigarettes contain none of the harmful ingredients of tobacco cigarettes.” Also, if a product is inexpensive and it is frequently purchased, the FTC will examine the practice closely before issuing a complaint based on deception. According to the FTC’s view, there is little incentive for sellers to misrepresent in these circumstances since they normally would seek to encourage repeat purchases.<br />General Results ClaimsStating that your products will deliver certain results may also be misleading. You must be able to substantiate any results you claim. If you make any specific claims of product results, you must also disclose that the product will not deliver the same results to everyone and may not even be effective for some purchasers, unless this is absolutely the case. Of course, if you can substantiate that the product would achieve the results claimed in each circumstance of use for all purchasers, you don’t have to worry.For instance, a website that instructs businesses on how to establish and build a good business credit rating and makes the following claims on its website: “Instantly obtain multiple credit lines” and “establish a top credit rating fast.” How about a website offering SEO services that claims “our customers usually see double the traffic within 2 months.” These are results based claims. If the average client is not likely to achieve these results, you should disclose these facts. Otherwise, these ads may be misleading and thus deceptive.If your business is offering a new product, then you can’t make a general results claim if no data on the results exists. As burdensome has this seems, the FTC’s comments on the matter of substantiating claims are pretty clear. I get a ton of questions on this issue. Section 5 of the FTC Act requires advertisers to have substantiation for the messages that consumers reasonably take from their ads, which means they must first know what messages consumers take away from those ads.F. Reasonable Consumer StandardThe FTC will always evaluate any advertisement from the point of view of the “reasonable consumer.” This basically means looking at how the average reasonable person would interpret or respond to any claims or representations you make. Your business will not be liable for every interpretation or response by a consumer. This is actually a fairly well-stated principle in the context of advertising. Advertisers are not liable for every possible misrepresentation, no matter how outlandish. Misconceptions occurring among the foolish or feeble-minded are not reasonable.The FTC provides the example that all “Danish pastry” is made in Denmark. The fact that some unreasonable individuals may believe that all Danish pastry is actually made in Denmark is not reasonable and does not cause liability to the advertiser. A claim is not deceptive only because it will be unreasonably misunderstood by an insignificant and unrepresentative segment of people.When representations or sales practices are targeted to a specific audience, the FTC will look at how a reasonable member of that specific group would interpret the claim. For instance, terminally ill consumers might be particularly susceptible to exaggerated cure claims, children would likely believe claims adults would not, claims toward the elderly may be viewed by differently than the general public, etc. Similarly, “claims directed to a well-educated group, such as a prescription drug advertisement to doctors, would be judged in light of the knowledge and sophistication of that group”(FTC Policy Statement on Deception).In addition, part of the reasonable consumer standard means that an ad may be capable of more than one reasonable interpretation by a consumer. So, if your ad conveys more than one meaning, or is interpreted differently and that meaning is misleading, you will be liable. This is true even if the main meaning of the ad is not deceptive. The critical question is determining what overall impression consumers would take away from a given ad when looking at the ad as a whole.G. Subjective Claims, Opinions & PuffingThe FTC generally will not bring advertising complaints based on subjective claims that consumers can judge for themselves (i.e. claims based on taste, feel, appearance or smell), opinions or obvious exaggeration or puffing. For example, if a seasoning salt boasts on its website that the product is “delicious” or an ad claims a particular candle “smells great” these are general subjective claims regarding the taste and smell of the products. Stating a product has a “handsomely finished exterior” or comes complete with an “attractive carrying case” are examples of subjective opinions. Just because not everyone might find the exterior of the product in question handsome or that the carrying case is attractive does not make the ad deceptive.Since these types of claims don’t pose risks to health or safety even if they were deceptive, they really are not scrutinized by the FTC anyways.Similarly, a product endorsement that proclaims the product to be “the best product I ever used” is a subjective opinion. The claim is not a statement of fact or some claim about some result, quality or characteristic of the product. In general, if the claim is a subjective one and does not contain an objective component, it is not unlawful.In contrast, claiming a product is superior based “on all the latest research and data” is not subjective any longer. It’s misleading if the product really is not superior based on the most recent research and data. Claiming a flashlight “outlasts all other major brands” or “more customers prefer our hand lotion to any other” is an objective claim which must be supported with some credible evidence of what is claimed. Opinions are deceptive only “if they are not honestly held, if they misrepresent the qualifications of the holder or the basis of his opinion or if the recipient reasonably interprets them as implied statements of fact”.Advertisements involving obvious exaggeration or puffing are not unlawful. These are claims that the reasonable consumer would not believe. For example, claiming a child’s wooden sled that is “handcrafted by Santa’s elves” is obvious exaggeration, or claims that a product is “superior” to all others is a general statement and is puffing. Vague statements such as “the breakthrough the Industry has been waiting for” or “this could be the opportunity of a lifetime” are also examples of puffing and are lawful. These statements are really more in the nature of boasting than making an actual factual claim.EXAMPLE: American Italian Pasta Co. vs. New World Pasta Co. (2004). The court stated that in order for a claim to be false, it must be “a specific and measureable claim capable of being proved false.” The Court in this example found that American Italian Pasta Co.’s use of the phrase “America’s favorite pasta” was not a statement of fact, but was considered subjective and vague puffing. This case provided a very good definition of what is considered puffing: “puffing is exaggerated statements or boasting upon which no reasonable person would rely or vague and highly subjective claims of product superiority.” </p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://aboomirms.info/58/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>How Will My Small Business Benefit by Having a Website?</title> <link>https://aboomirms.info/56</link> <comments>https://aboomirms.info/56#comments</comments> <pubDate>Wed, 29 Mar 2023 13:30:07 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Small Business]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://aboomirms.info/?p=56</guid> <description><![CDATA[OverviewRunning a small business takes a lot of work. Every small business owner would like to see their business in the best position to grow. One of the surest ways to invest in your small business is to have a … <a href="https://aboomirms.info/56">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p> OverviewRunning a small business takes a lot of work. Every small business owner would like to see their business in the best position to grow. One of the surest ways to invest in your small business is to have a website. There are still a lot of businesses that do not have a website for their customers. In today’s online world people expect to be able to do an online search and find your business, products & services there. If you want to take steps to improve your small business, this is one essential place to start. Here are a some benefits for your small business having a website.Brand RecognitionThe vast majority of customers today use the internet when they are searching for the product or service they need. By owning your own website, you will be able to extend the overall presence of your business, being both offline and online. There are a lot of small businesses that do a lot of their marketing online. Not only does this save money, but consumer studies show that this is more effective as well, since your potential customer is already online using their mobile device to search for you. Your website can provide all the information about your business, products and services you provide, how they can contact you, maybe even shop online for your products 24/7, you can offer helpful information, tips and hints and you can provide photos of your business, team, products and testimonials from happy customers. Your website is your representing your brand online.More TrafficCustomers need to know that your business has a product or service to sell. Many customers are searching for quality products and services at a great price. However, it will be very hard to find your business if you don’t have a website. Building a quality website will drive traffic over time automatically to your website. This increases the amount of people who see the products or services that your small business offers. Always take the time to build a quality website, with quality information, in order to build up your web traffic.Higher ProfitsThere are few things as impactful in marketing in today’s world as having a website. If you want higher profits in your business, it is important to invest in a website that will drive customers to sign up for your newsletter, call you for a quote, buy your products direct from your online store or call you for more information about the services you offer. Over a period of time, this will lead to higher profits in your business. Every small business owner wants to increase profits in their business over the long-term. Dollars spent investing in a quality website that is customer friendly will yield many more dollars for the business in the future. All small business owners must think about the long-term trajectory and vision of their business and seriously consider investing in a website.Final ThoughtsThere are many small businesses today that do not have a website. They either do not understand the importance of owning their own website and the benefits to their business or they think they do not have the money to invest in one. A good question to consider is what money are they losing to their competitors (who are online)?The good news is that this is now easier than ever before to get a website. There are hundreds of web designers ready and able to build a quality website, most likely several right there in the area where they live. Anyone worried about building or coding a site can simply hire someone to do so. The price of building a website has gone down drastically in recent years.Investing in a website will do several things for your business. Not only will it increase your brand recognition in the marketplace, but over time it will also drive traffic leading to potential increased sales, ultimately yielding higher profits for the business. </p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://aboomirms.info/56/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>How A Business Loan Helps Business People</title> <link>https://aboomirms.info/54</link> <comments>https://aboomirms.info/54#comments</comments> <pubDate>Fri, 17 Mar 2023 17:01:28 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://aboomirms.info/?p=54</guid> <description><![CDATA[Overview: Becoming a self-employed businessman is a great reputation in the society but the problems faced by the entrepreneurs from the day one of their business is enormous. It is a great challenge for a person to overcome all obstacles … <a href="https://aboomirms.info/54">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p> Overview:<br />Becoming a self-employed businessman is a great reputation in the society but the problems faced by the entrepreneurs from the day one of their business is enormous. It is a great challenge for a person to overcome all obstacles to become a successful businessman. The numerous problem faced by all is finance. Even great entrepreneurs of various industries have struggled a lot of financial crisis for setting up their business and to run their daily business operations. Thus finance plays a major role in the life of business people. Great ideas require the necessary financial support to bloom into a successful business.Introduction:<br />There are various sources for business people to raise capital for their business. The most trusted source is from banks. There are various reasons why people choose banks as the best source for raising capital for their business. Banks provide a lower cost of funds in the form of Business Loans. There are various types of business loans at differential interest rates to facilitate business people to solve their financial crises.Types of Business Loans:<br />Businesses are of different types and need finance at different stages of their business operations. The need also being different, banks help them in providing different types of business loans helping various small and medium enterprises to raise capital.New Project Loan – Banks are interested in funding for new businesses and also for new projects of existing business. There are various criteria for getting new project loan and differs from bank to bank. Project loans are approved against the collateral of the person like residential property, commercial property or empty land.Top-up on Existing Loans – These loans are issued for expansion, replacement, diversification of an existing business. These loans are approved for short term or long term basis to buy goods, machinery or any fixed assets for the company.Working Capital Loans -These loans are provided for the business to solve sudden financial crises and repaid within short durations. Banks are more interested in providing working capital loans against their inventories, stocks or receivable bills of the company.Secured Business Loan – Business loans in which companies raise their capital against any security for the bank. It may include plot, residential or commercial places, gold, shares, bills, insurance as collateral to get funds for their business. The interest rate is preferably less.Unsecured Business Loan – Every businessman cannot afford to pledge a security in getting the business loan, so bankers help them with loans without any security based on bank transactions and income tax returns. These loans are charged with more interest rates when compared to secured business loans.Requirements of the Banks:<br />There are various steps and procedures followed by banks to provide funds. The procedure and documents to be submitted to the banks as followsIdentity and address proof of the company – Address proof and identity proof of partnership or proprietor business.Statutory legal registration of the company – Whether the company is legally registered under government norms and have followed all procedures legally in setting business.Financial statement of the company – Every bank is interested in seeing the recent 1-year business transaction of the company.Income tax returns – ITR helps the bankers to check the business performance, efficiency level, assets and liabilities of the company and also tax that company pays from their current earnings. This also plays a major role in deciding the loan amount for the business people.Financial Security – It includes the fixed and movable assets of the company which helps the banker to consider providing business loans based on the asset value along with the business transactions. This also safeguards banks from the failure of businessmen that fail to repay the loan amount.Previous Loan track – This is a very important factor considered by banks which will help them evaluate the financial condition of the business and also to check on past repayments on loans.Litigation – It will help banks assess the character of businessmen before providing a business loan.Takeaway:<br />Though business loans are found to be a great source for raising capital, businessmen undergo challenge in getting timely funds from the banks. In order to help them in availing timely loans, even NBFC is also now prepared to help them with funds at various stages of their business. Banks & NBFC have also made the lending process easy, with all verification done in shorter time-span, doorstep assistance in collecting documents etc. Businesses with good cash flows & credit score can avail timely funds with much ease. </p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://aboomirms.info/54/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Why You Should Think About Starting an Online Business</title> <link>https://aboomirms.info/52</link> <comments>https://aboomirms.info/52#comments</comments> <pubDate>Fri, 17 Mar 2023 15:09:31 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://aboomirms.info/?p=52</guid> <description><![CDATA[The internet has created many entrepreneurs across the globe.Some people not having any experience, tech savvy, or any money have created online businesses that prosper.There are lots of benefits of starting your own online business.If you’re someone who’s on the … <a href="https://aboomirms.info/52">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p> The internet has created many entrepreneurs across the globe.Some people not having any experience, tech savvy, or any money have created online businesses that prosper.There are lots of benefits of starting your own online business.If you’re someone who’s on the fence about starting your own business I think you should take some time to reflect on how it could change your life and the benefits are starting one.My reason for starting an online business was not wanting to have to work for someone else.I wanted to have freedom, flexibility with my time, and an opportunity to make money 24 hours a day.If you’re someone who doesn’t like having to punch the clock this post is for you.Today I wanted to discuss why you should start your own online business and the benefits it can offer.Starting Your Online BusinessStarting an online business isn’t as difficult as one might think.You can get your business started with less than about $100.You’ll need web hosting, a domain name, and an autoresponder.Now just because you have these three things does not mean you’ll be well on your way to quitting your job, but it does mean that you have taken the necessary steps to creating an online business that can potentially allow you to quit your job somewhere down the line.If you never get started then you’ll never have the opportunity to get yourself from where you are to where you want to go.Benefits of an Online Business1) Low CostsAs noted earlier to get started with your own online business, the costs are low compared to other ventures.There are some business opportunities on the web that don’t even require you to have a website.So people make a living online just building an email list and marketing various affiliate products or even their own.It’s not like an offline business where you have rent, employees, inventory, and have to drive to every day.With an online business you have the opportunity to work in the bed, the living room, your favorite coffee shop, etc.Anywhere!You can run your business from the power of your laptop and be profitable doing it with the right plan and work ethic.2) You Control Your IncomeOne of the biggest reasons I wanted to start an online business was to be able to control my income.With most jobs there is a cap on what you can make.If it’s salary, you work at the mercy of your boss only to see the same pay every pay period.It it’s by the hour, you only have a limited amount of hours you can work in a day.With an online business it can work for you 24 hours a day 365 days a year.Who wouldn’t want that?What you earn is solely based on YOU and your EFFORTS of creating the kind of business you want for yourself.3. People Spend Money on the InternetIt’s been reported that consumers will spend about $327 Billion online in 2016.That’s a huge amount of money and if you can tap into a small percentage of that you can make a decent living for yourself.It’s all about finding your place on the web and carving out your own little niche.Internet spending is estimated to account for 40% of all retail sales by 2020 and 84% of the world’s internet users now shop online.People enjoy spending money from the comfort of their own home.These are just a few of many benefits when it comes to a business online.If you are looking to start your own online business do your research and figure out your niche.There is money to be made on the internet, but it’s going to take some work.If you are looking for a new way to make a living, freedom, more time to spend with family, or to quit your job then starting your own business could be the way to go.It’s created new lives for countless others and you could be the next.See you at the top.Best Wishes! </p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://aboomirms.info/52/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>10 Reasons Why You Should Start An Online Business</title> <link>https://aboomirms.info/50</link> <comments>https://aboomirms.info/50#comments</comments> <pubDate>Fri, 17 Mar 2023 13:36:02 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://aboomirms.info/?p=50</guid> <description><![CDATA[Whether you are attracted to an internet business because you hate your current job, want to improve your circumstances, or would like a more flexible lifestyle, the internet offers all these opportunities.Why An Internet Business?1- FlexibilityMany people come to find … <a href="https://aboomirms.info/50">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p> Whether you are attracted to an internet business because you hate your current job, want to improve your circumstances, or would like a more flexible lifestyle, the internet offers all these opportunities.Why An Internet Business?1- FlexibilityMany people come to find themselves with an internet business through necessity rather than deliberate creation. For me, I needed a flexible job which I could work around contract work. It didn’t come in often but when the phone rang, I needed to take the work. This presented all kinds of problems. Normal work didn’t pay as well and employers didn’t want me taking large chunks of time off when the other work came in!I tried juggling several jobs over a number of years but nothing seemed to fit. At around the same time I was attempting to use e-bay to buy and sell for a bit of extra money. It wasn’t until later that I discovered affiliate marketing. Affiliate marketing, for those who don’t know is a kind of referral selling. You point links from your website to other people’s goods and services. The link is tracked so that when you make a sale you are rewarded for it with a commission.Once you know how to do this you can set up links from your online content to other people’s products and services. You can also use paid advertising to find people all over the world to sell to. This was perfect for my work because I could take my laptop anywhere with me and as long as I had an internet connection I could work. It didn’t interfere with the work when it came up, I had no boss to answer to so it was the perfect solution.2 – AutomationThere’s also a number of other reasons why I chose an internet business – and why you should too! The flexibility of the business was my primary concern. I wanted to be able to choose my own hours so I could take work when it came without any complications. But the other reason I chose this particular model was the ability to use technology to ‘leverage’ my time and income.Once I had a website and content up and running, it kept going and I was able to make sales and deliver products without being physically present. This is the ‘magic’ of an online business. The automation involved with an online business means that you can do the work once and let that work keep running in the background. You can make sales and deliver products over and over through the same piece of content or advert, which can run an virtual autopilot 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year.Each piece of content you create can send people to a landing page and sell a product. By creating many pieces of content and sharing them online you can build multiple sources of income which can all run continually, working as your own ‘automated sales team’.3 – Ability To ScaleAlong with this amazing automation is the ability to scale your business. Because there is no human intervention in the ‘sales loop’, multiple sales can happen instantaneously through the same platforms. Your content and advertising can be grown over time and scaled instantly (in the case of paid advertising). As your content gets more shares and more people flow through your website and content, your sales grow as a result. If you use paid advertising you can also scale a profitable campaign up easily by increasing your daily budget.The automation of an online business makes it very easy to scale. In the case of a physical business this often means more staff, sales tools, larger office space and a whole lot more expense and hassle. With an online business everything is already in place. You simply need to send more customers through the automated sales systems with content and/or paid advertising methods.4 – Low Startup CostsWhen I started an online business I did it from my own pocket. I didn’t need a massive loan and I worked at a level which suited my budget. An internet business is very cost effective and you can start from scratch from pretty much any budget. If you have more to invest you can grow it faster with paid advertising. But, if you are on a budget like I was when I got started, you can get started easily and cheaply.With a regular ‘bricks and mortar’ business there are many overheads to consider. Your costs include a business premises, staff, hardware and stock. Then there’s advertising and delivery costs. With an online business you just need a laptop and an internet connection – two things many people already have. Your main cost is getting the right education and learning the best strategy to build on.5 – SimplicityTechnology has made it much easier than was previously possible to set up your own website and learn how to use simple online platforms to connect people to products and services. Advertising and content creation is now available for anyone to use. Websites can be set up with a few clicks and anyone with an email can learn to use the tools and strategies of online marketers.Whereas previously website building was the domain of the tech savvy programmer, now anyone can use simple user friendly platforms and programs. An online business sounds like something for a technical person, but anyone can now learn the skills needed to build their own online business.6 – ControlAn internet business gives you control over your life. Of course it takes time to build up to a stage where it can replace your current income. But the flexibility of an internet business means you can work it around your existing employment until you can make this happen.<br />Once your income is beyond that of your employment, you are in a very good position to take charge of your life. You don’t have to do the daily commute, or put up with an uncomfortable working situation. If you don’t like your job you can quit. Don’t like your boss? Fire him/her!<br />One of the very best things about an internet based business is the control it gives you over your life. You can also build your work around your lifestyle, rather than the other way round. Most people are forced to put work first in everything they do. Family time, holidays and hobbies all tend to depend and evolve around work. An internet business allows you to prioritize the things in your life which mean the most. It can put you back in the driving seat of your life, both in terms of what you earn and how you spend your time. 7 – Work From AnywhereNot only does an internet business offer great flexibility in terms of working hours but it also offers you the choice to work from anywhere globally. This appeals to many people who would otherwise be more trapped by conventional work in a localized workplace.<br />For me, it was the flexibility of being able to choose my own hours and not have a boss. But for many the ability to travel anywhere globally is the most important factor to owning their own online business.<br />Take your laptop anywhere with an internet connection and work while abroad and travelling. 8 – Learn Life SkillsThe skills I have learned from building my own internet business also make me much more employable. I also worked for an internet based company with the skills I learned from my laptop while sitting at home!Being able to reach people globally and target specific types of people is a great skill and very desirable in business too. I was also able to use the knowledge I learned online to build one of my other physical businesses much more quickly by using both my website building skills and paid advertising.The internet is a fantastic opportunity for anyone to be able to improve themselves, learn new skills and build another source of income. Skills learned are yours for life, whether or not you continue down the path of building an online business. 9 – IndependenceWe might believe ourselves to be independent but many of us are very dependent on our work for income. As such, our employers tell us how much we can earn, how much holiday we can take and what we will be doing while at work. Financial independence is the ultimate freedom.When we are financially independent we can take a holiday whenever we please and work in our own time and on our own agenda. An online business gives you the automation and independence to live life on your terms, without the agenda of an employer running your life.10 – SovereigntyBeing an owner gives you sovereignty. The ability to call the shots in your business is what many entrepreneurs aspire to. As a business owner your actions determine whether you make a success of your business or not.Having a successful online business gives you the kind of freedom which most people will never see in their lifetime. The ability to create your own life on your terms is the reward of having worked hard on your business and on yourself.Not having a boss, choosing your own working hours and choosing who you spend time with are all luxuries which are earned from working hard on your own business. </p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://aboomirms.info/50/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>The World of Branding Never Stops – Ongoing Education is Required For Success</title> <link>https://aboomirms.info/47</link> <comments>https://aboomirms.info/47#comments</comments> <pubDate>Thu, 02 Feb 2023 10:44:58 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://aboomirms.info/?p=47</guid> <description><![CDATA[For those that wish to succeed in the branding and marketing business at any level, whether it is a small business chain or extremely large Corporation with outlets and sales in hundreds of countries – it is imperative to never … <a href="https://aboomirms.info/47">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p> For those that wish to succeed in the branding and marketing business at any level, whether it is a small business chain or extremely large Corporation with outlets and sales in hundreds of countries – it is imperative to never stop thinking about your relationship and brand in the eyes of your customers. Perhaps it is for this reason that I attempt to read at least one branding and marketing book each and every month, and I have for years.Some are good and some are not so good, and occasionally you read a great one. Nevertheless, you will always learn something in each and every one – a different insight from a different perspective from a different author. Many of these authors have decades of experience behind them in various industries, and it is wise to borrow their knowledge and apply it to other industries, even your own. One book I’d like to recommend to you about branding is;”Married to the Brand – Why Consumers Bond With Some Brands for Life,” William J. McEwen, Gallup Press, Princeton, NJ, 2005. (135 pp) ISBN: 1-59562-005-2.This book has hundreds of examples of great companies, great branding, and success stories – for instance, the greatest wine company in the world by Earnest and Julio Gallo. Speaking of which, I am not sure who is doing their current branding and marketing, but they are on fire and accelerating the value of that brand, perhaps they read this book as I have. I am especially impressed with their work in the Spanish Gallo Wine division and the other Spanish wines. Amazing how well branding works when it is practiced by the best in the business.The author of “Married to the Brand” made examples of Southwest Airlines, Nike, DW, FedEx, Disney, Nordstrom, Singapore Airlines, Guinness beer, Ritz-Carlton MasterCard, Intel, British Petroleum, Apple Computers, Starbucks, Wal-Mart Morton Salt, Gallo, and even their own branded Gallup Polls. In fact, this book is filled with statistics as well as discussing the reality of “loyalty programs” and how well they actually work, or don’t. William makes light of the fact that there is a need for personal connection and that will determine how the consumers marry brands and make it part of their personal identity.There were some very interesting statistics that most entrepreneurs would be interested in for instance 58% of the population believes that all banks are the same, 45% of the population believes that all airlines are the same, and 54% believe that all website marketers online are the same. There is a need for these companies to trigger an emotional attachment. Once they do that it behooves them to concentrate on a justification for the purchaser – in other words, first, they must concentrate on what the customer wants, and then what the customer needs allowing them justification for themselves, family, and friends.One of the main rationales behind this book was customers need to be treated as if they are on first dates, and then work on building a relationship, and then prepare for the marriage – in that regard I would say the title of the book says it all. Branding is something that is pervasive in our everyday lives and the average grocery store has between 40,000 to 50,000 branded items on its shelves. Even the unknown name brands actually have a brand, such as; plain wrap, special store brand, no-frills brand.Companies must make good on their brand promise and then provide a connection with the customer opening up the door for the brand experience and in engaging the customer in a brand relationship. It doesn’t matter if it is a normal brand such as a Ford Trucks, or a prestige brand like Rolls Royce Luxury Automobiles. There are many different categories for brands such as membership brands, personal identity brands, memory triggering brands, and self completion brands, as in “I have arrived,” by displaying the product, or using a service.Trust in a brand and the promise of the brand is the key, which leads to respect of the brand. All these things are as important in branding as they are in a marriage. It is not just the car but also the dealership in service too. It takes people power, positive employee attitudes to build a brand. Positive experiences even when customers return items, employees must show gratitude and enthusiasm.The author also cites another very good branding book; “Loyalty Rules,” by Fred Reicheld, who states that 5% of your brand loyalists will create between 25 and 95% of your profits if you do it right. I’d say this is not only true in the coffee business but also even in a service business like a car wash.The authors also bring up the Brand pyramid, where the foundation is based on confidence and integrity, and then it is followed up by employee pride, and finally consumer passion. Williams suggests that without the foundation passion by the consumer it is not possible, and you can’t live without it in your company. Passion can be found in the most interesting places, for instance in India 31% of the buyers have a passion for a particular brand of food. Indeed, it can be as simple as that.This book also explains how to go about engaging customers and how to survive on trust, and lastly he explains the problem with diluting of brands, and sub brands like General Motors. Indicating that it is possible to pull it off, but it’s not easy as it confuses the belief system and passion of the consumer. I think I’d recommend buying this book to anyone, and it also comes with a free password for Gallup Management Journal for six months online, which is probably worth as much as the book itself. I hope you will please consider all this. </p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://aboomirms.info/47/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> </channel></rss> If you would like to create a banner that links to this page (i.e. this validation result), do the following:
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Upload the image to your own server. (This step is important. Please do not link directly to the image on this server.)
Add this HTML to your page (change the image src attribute if necessary):
If you would like to create a text link instead, here is the URL you can use:
http://www.feedvalidator.org/check.cgi?url=https%3A//aboomirms.info/feed
