World of Education/World of Education.iso/world_b/bbr9306.zip/BELL9306

Text File | 1993-06-20 | 37KB | 664 lines

     This is your June, 1993 personal copy of the Bell Business Report.
     Copyrighted June, 1993 by Laura Bell.  It is for your personal
     viewing/and or downloading only.  Further duplication without
     express permission of the publisher is in direct conflict with the
     copyright laws.  Subscription rates are $50 annually for either
     electronic or desktop published format.  Laura Bell, 365 W. Doran,
     #212, Glendale, CA 91203. 818-547-1192. Genie, L.Bell12



     SOFTWARE FOR NEW BUSINESS OWNERS
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      I read a recent query on a small bulletin board from an accountant
     who was planning to open his own shop.  He was asking for advice
     on software for his infant business.

      Anyone who is venturing out and seeking info on new software
     should consider working the public domain sector before dropping
     large dollar amounts at a local software store. If a friend
     recommends say, for instance, Lotus as the best software for
     spreadsheets, check the public domain for something which claims to
     be its clone.  Also, you may surprise yourself and discover
     shareware which you are perfectly happy with.

      The other choice is to shop for alternatives by buying one of the
     more well known computer magazine and ordering demo disks. They are
     free and can give you an opportunity to see most of the
     capabilities of the program before investing large sums of dollars
     only to learn that it is the program for hell.

      Shareware/public domain software can be found in catalogs. Check
     the back pages of computer magazines, computer user groups and file
     libraries on bbses.  I am sure there is probably something I left
     out.  A software buying decision is something you may end up living
     with for quite awhile.  Don't rush it!



     PROFIT, PRICING AND PUNCH
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      We can think rationally of the three words in the title as
     necessary keys to success in whatever business any of us are
     involved in.  We can't exist without profit returning to the
     coffers on a regular basis.  Granted, this may take awhile before
     revenues are definable as profit. (Remember your opportunity costs
     along with other fixed and variable costs have to be less than the
     per product revenue before the dollars brought in may be rendered
     profit in economic terms.  Profit in accountancy language is
     another story which is not discussed on the pages of the BBR.)

      Pricing your product or service is something in today's market
     which may need timely revisions.  Probably,  more so than in
     previous years of the history of the American market.  Recently, I
     did some reviewing of John Kenneth Galbraith's writings and the
     point was brought up that no one can really understand economics
     without reading history. During previous times of price stability,
     there was not a lot of moving around of prices.  Because of the
     current tight competitive crunch in various markets, that axiom no
     longer holds.  Price wars are again hitting the headlines.  Just
     recently in this past week, there was a story in the local evening
     news about pricing wars back in the airline industry.

      Giving your product punch is perhaps a new requirement for success
     in the 90s.  Granted, no one ever wanted to be known for producing
     a dull product.  However, the fight for name recognition and market
     shares currently is perhaps one of the most heated competitive
     struggles ever known.  It used to be that folks were used to buying
     on whims.  Show them a product, give them a pitch, touch their
     emotion and they buy.  The new competitive wave has launched a
     great furor within the advertising monguls on Madison Avenue.  The
     heat is constantly on for more, bigger, better, and glitizer
     campaigns to get our attention.  The consuming public is used to
     being entertained before making a buying decision.  This constant,
     push, push launched a subindustry of media contracts, advertising
     bucks on Super Bowl Day, etc.  Stocks move up and down in products
     shares as well as the advertising corporations.  It is a never
     ending cycle.

      Projecting a sales image and increasing a customer base is not
     what it was in days gone by.  It will probably stay in this
     'glitzy' stage for several years.  We, as a public, became
     accustomed to this sideline of entertainment.  Americans don't
     break their buying habits easily.  To make it even more difficult,
     we now wait for the advertising agencies to come up with a new
     slogan and glitz.  This kind of heated competition is pushing up
     costs when they should have been going down.  This additional cost
     to the marketplace, in other words, is interfering with the usual
     reaction to the laws of supply and demand.  This glitzy pushing is
     now a standard operating cost of doing business in many markets.
     It makes it even more difficult to make pricing decisions.



     PROFIT
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      Still has to be the first priority over any other apparently
     conflicting variables in any given market.  If spending big $$ to
     put on a party for potential clients will slice through your
     minimal profits, the answer is simple.  You will have to find
     another way to pull in new clients.  In this tight market, everyone
     is fighting for customers.  Find a regional competitor who may
     agree to piggy back marketing with you.  In other words, bartering.
     If you already have, for instance, a newsletter going out monthly
     to your customers, offer to put  his name at the bottom in a small
     ad.  Ask for similar courtesies in exchange.  When it comes to
     markets and services, customers many times choose a variety of ways
     to spend their dollars.  You do not have to live in fear that some
     local company offering similar products or services has the ability
     to steal all your customers.  The buying American public likes
     variety.  When it comes to publications, no one publication has the
     ability to garner all of the potential readers in one market.
     Folks who like books; like bookstores.  No one bookstore is able to
     carry all possible selections for all readers; so, therefore, there
     are other bookstores which fill the gap.
      Think long and hard in this difficult time about your standard
     operating procedures/patterns you have fallen into.  Which are
     profit generating and which aren't?  Also, as of late, the American
     market is again falling into a pricing war situation within the
     airline industry.  Pricing wars are very dangerous things for
     businesses which are based in a wobbly market.  When times get
     tough, customers find themselves all of a sudden finding a new love
     for the trains or learning to find an alternate route from point A
     to B.  The airlines offer a product which is very price sensitive.
     If you are cutting prices for a short time in an effort to stay
     alive in a price war and undercut your profit margin, the next
     quarter when prices have to go back up, may prove disastrous.  In
     this particular example, it would mean no lines in front of the
     ticket agents; as those sensitive customers will have then moved to
     where they can get a better deal.

      Never lose sight of how many dollars it is costing you to bring in
     a dollar's worth of revenue.  Additional revenues may put you in
     the hole instead of over the top.  If you jump into the frenzy of
     advertising glitzy campaigns, price wars, special prices which with
     your pricing structure you cannot afford, you are on a one way
     street to disaster.  Never, jump at a pricing decision because of
     pressure from other market share holders.  You have no way of
     knowing their marginal costs and marginal revenues structure.  On
     the otherhand, they may realistically be able to afford such
     tactics.  But never jump in, simply because John Jones Competitor
     is doing it.

      The idea that you may make up for it a later date in this market
     just doesn't hold up.  Too many businesses are closing shop.  Too
     many people are out just fast as they came in.  Folks are losing
     their homes, their prestige in the community as well as their
     business.

      Profit - today, tomorrow and next year is the only reason you went
     into business.  Keep those expenses in tow.  See what the
     competition is doing so you do not get left behind.  But, don't
     spend equal to your competitor if you can't afford it.



     PRICING
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      Lately when it comes to the Southern California area, I hear more
     tales of small business afraid to charge a reasonable dollar for
     their products, because of what John Jones Competitor is doing.
     This is not a logical reason for making a pricing decision.
     Remember, Americans like variety.  We no longer have monopolies
     operating in our aggregate market.  For the most part, there is
     room for many market participants in any market segment.

      There is, however, a certain truth to the old adage of you have to
     spend money to make it.  Do not be so concerned about keeping all
     your dollars in your bank account that you lose sight of the  need
     to maintain your business image.  Folks have to be constantly
     reminded through some sort of medium that you are around and
     actively doing business.  Advertising and public relations costs
     money; and more important perhaps is time.  However, no matter how
     stressful the competition and/or cost consciousness, you cannot
     allow these activities to go unattended.



     PUNCH
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      A national adult oriented bbs, which I have belonged to for many
     years continues to raise its prices about every six months.  I keep
     thinking one of these days the owner is going to push just too
     hard.  So far, the users grumble; but for the most part there have
     been no massive exodus of customers.  He has built an extremely
     loyal clientele because of the way he does business.  When
     considering a rate change, he doesn't deliver edicts from on-high
     and then disappear.  He, for the most part, spends hours on the
     phone with some of the oldest members every time the dilemma of
     price comes back into his business decision making.  After making
     a decision, he stays in open chat sessions with members until he
     calms questions, worries and unsettled feelings.  To top this off,
     for the four  years that I have known the man, at least once a year
     on the west coast, he hosts a large party.  During the years his
     members have become an extended family.  Some falling by the
     wayside, but a strong nucleus remains, no matter what.

      In short, despite changing times heated competition and all other
     economic pressures, he has created a product with punch.  Folks
     want it.  They are willing to pay and continue to do so.  Now, on
     the cautionary  note, there is a point where he could push too hard
     and lose some of that following.

      If you are in a market, where the competition is hot.  Be
     constantly on the look out for ways to make your product stand out
     and above the crowd.  It has to have recognizable punch.  If you
     open a local mechanic service, offer  your customers a ride home if
     the wait is going to be long.  Offer extended hours for customers
     who work odd hours.  Send someone around to pick up the car, if it
     is drivable.  If you run a bookstore, offer personal service not
     available from the competition.  Know your competition, stand out
     from the crowd and you will not have a worry about  customers
     fleeing because you want to increase your price by $10 a month.
     They will pay it and do so willing if  you are offering a product
     with punch.  It takes creativity, it takes diligence; and it takes
     extra work.  However, it also creates a profitable business!



     A LITTLE MORE INSIGHT INTO NETWORKING
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      I have been doing a massive amount of networking lately for the
     BBR.  I almost found myself falling into a trap I have seen so many
     novices slip into over the years.  In my zest for wanting to knock
     on as many doors as possible, I forgot my axiom about networking.
     Don't start something you can't afford to follow up with.  New
     entrepreneurs sometimes do gigantic mass mailings and telephone
     campaigns.  While this is a fine principle, successful networking
     requires follow up.  If you can't follow it up, don't do it.
      Also what would happen if say 50% of the people you solicited
     actually responded.  You are gonna feel foolish if you don't
     remember the notes/conversations and the names of the folks you
     need to get back to. I know there are programs/secretaries to help
     you keep track of such things.  Life isn't perfect when it comes to
     the novice and busy entrepreneur.  We don't want to admit it, but
     notes from business conversations still end  up on the back of
     envelopes and yellow stickies.

      Before venturing into either a direct mail campaign or a large
     scale exchange of business cards, decide first on how you are going
     to track and follow up the next working leads you make.  Otherwise,
     your activity is what is called the scatter rifle effect.  You are
     shooting out a bunch of buck shot and hoping that something hits a
     target and sticks.  It is the most inefficient way of attempting to
     gain leads for your business.

      Networking is not cost efficient or effective unless you have a
     method of follow up.  Of course, this is not always possible as you
     may meet people with whom you have no connection point or way to
     get back  in touch.  If you make it a point to attend Chamber of
     Commerce functions, or professional seminars and regular meetings,
     take their cards and write personal notes within the next few days.
     I know this can turn into a time consuming effort.  Have a standard
     form letter written.  Perhaps you may even decide to get some
     printed, so a ready supply is on hand.  With today's laser
     printers, careful planning can enable you to design a letter which
     has the appearance of being personal, even though it is a simple
     form letter.

      Very few initial leads turn into customers without following up.
     Sometimes more than one may even be required.  However, when you
     get to the point where you feel like you are chasing the wind, then
     it's time to drop it.  One can only use so much opportunity cost
     networking potential new clients before you have pushed yourself to
     the point of the law of diminishing returns.

      There are groups which exist for the sole purpose of networking.
     Two which come to mind are the Women's Referral Service and LeTip.
     Oh yes, one more - Leads.  My experiences with these types of
     groups during my public relations days was mediocre at the most.
     When it came to the Women's Referral Service the biggest benefit
     was the use of their  membership manual for direct mail.  When it
     comes to spending time at meetings for these sorts of
     organizations, it is my opinion that attendees like to make
     themselves sound good by telling a person offering a service/good
     to give them a call.  Usually, when trying to make a follow up call
     on such 'leads' you end up playing telephone tag with someone who
     has a hard time remembering your name.  Things click a little
     better with getting involved with the Chamber of Commerce.  You can
     work  on committees and get a chance to develop relationships with
     regionally located professionals.

      One still has to network to stay ahead.  Just keep in mind the
     requirements for follow up and only spend a given amount of time
     following up leads.



     MANUALS/PROFIT/DESKTOP PUBLISHING
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     By Fred Gould, East Coast Editor

      Get set out there in DTP land.  We have a hot idea for you this
     month. It entails a little work (well, maybe a lot of work), but it
     can be fun and profitable.

      Many businesses, especially large manufacturing plants and
     offices, have a need for manuals.  Whether these manuals explain
     the operation of products or they tell the employees about company
     policy, there is an ever present need for manuals. The manuals can
     be 25 to 100 pages long, or they can be made into pamphlets of 6 to
     20 pages.  If you can provide this needed product, the market is
     wide open.

      Lets see exactly what you need in the way of equipment to provide
     this type of service.  First, you must have a word processing
     package.  One that has typesetting capabilities and style sheets,
     is very helpful. It's also nice to have the ability to scan line
     art, but not a necessity.  A graphics program can also be a big
     plus.  A collection of clip art can also add touch of class.

      Many times, you will need to duplicate drawings that are too large
     to scan, or even pictures, which do not scan well. In order for
     these to be reproduced with quality, a "velox," or screened copy of
     the work is needed. A velox is basically a reproduced picture using
     dots, which a printer can use to make a plate for printing.  A
     velox can cost between $7 and $15 on the average, but prices will
     vary depending upon the size and amount of work needed to set it
     up.

      While it is possible to blow up a picture to a larger size, the
     quality is not as good as when the picture size is the same, or
     even reduced. You should always ask your velox man to reproduce in
     a proportionate size.  An 8X10 picture can easily be made into a
     4X5 or 2X2 1/2 velox with no loss of quality. These are called 50%
     and 75% reduction.

      If you have trouble finding someone in your area who can do
     this service for you, I have found someone who will take your work
     through the mail, process it for you, and return it through the
     mail within 24-hours. The company is known as ComPhoto I, located
     at 1259 Route 46, Parsippany, NJ 07054. You can write for a pricing
     catalog, or better yet call them at [phone].  Ask for Mike
     when you call, and tell him I sent you.

      But he'll know if I sent you, you are not a professional
     photographer or printer, and he'll offer you any assistance and
     information you need to help you order the proper items.

      It might be beneficial for you to put together a mockup manual and
     a short pamphlet to demonstrate your work to prospective customers.
     A picture is always worth a thousand words. (Yes, you must contact
     potential customers. They will not stampede to your doorstep unless
     they know you exist.)  One of the best sources of leads is your
     local telephone yellow pages. Browse through the section headings
     and imagine the manuals you could produce for each heading type.

      You can send out flyers (which is an added expense) and follow up
     with a personal visit, or you might call each location first and
     ask to speak with the manager or owner and explain exactly what you
     have to offer, then request a meeting (with no obligation, of
     course).  I suggest the latter method, as this will give you
     maximum results for your efforts.

      Even before contacting the businesses, I would make a stop at the
     local library and do a little research in the reference books about
     each of the businesses I was going to contact. Find out exactly,
     what products they sell, how big they are, any information that
     might give you the edge over a competitor. Also, find out about the
     products and processes they use.  The more you know about the
     business and its operation, the more the potential customer will
     trust your recommendations.

      Once you have sold the job, your work and fun is about to begin.
     It's time to do your research on the subject matter you will be
     working with. You want to learn everything possible about the
     subject you are writing about in order to provide a quality
     product. You will undoubtedly receive a lot of information from the
     customer, but you should be able to provide additional information
     and suggestions.  Again, visit your local library. Seek out any
     books dealing with the subject you are writing about.  Look for
     reference books that show trade journals, and associates that are
     connected to the subject matter.  Contact them and request
     information.

      Go into a local book or magazine store and seek titles to books
     and magazines that would have any information about the subject.
     You must become an expert on the subject in order to prepare a
     quality product.  Remember, the customer is paying for you to get
     an education and become their expert.

      Now it's time to compile all your facts and information, and make
     up a rough draft.  Once this is done, you should visit your
     customer and ask them to review the work.  Now is the time to make
     corrections, additions, and deletions.  Ask them for any
     corrections, and any criticism.  Then, and only then, is it time
     to have the final copy produced.

      Pricing a manual or pamphlet may be a little difficult initially,
     because you're not sure how much research you may need to do, or
     what the exact cost of printing and binding will be. It's a good
     idea, on your first visit with the potential customer, to state
     that pricing varies depending on the size and content, but that
     once you understand exactly what they need, you will more than
     happy to work up a quote for them, before proceeding.

      As for printing and binding, you can use a quick-copy press for
     small jobs up to 6 or 10 pages with under 1000 copies needed, using
     either a stapled binding or comb binding.  For larger jobs in
     excess of 1000 copies, or requiring a perfect binding, you should
     seek a commercial printer who specializes in that particular area
     of work.

      Try to estimate the total time it will take to do the research
     necessary to product a quality product. Determine the price per
     hour you want to charge and add this to your printing and binding
     costs.  Then add in any other outside services you must incur, such
     as you velox costs, books and magazines you needed, and any
     shipping charges you will incur getting this project completed.

      As you become proficient in doing this type of work, the time
     involved in each new project will be reduced. You will know exactly
     where to look and exactly what information you will need. Often
     times, you will find you have researched similar topics previously
     and can reuse information.

       As usual, with any DTP enterprise you enter, your imagination is
     your biggest asset.  Use it wisely to create variations of needed
     services, to form a niche in the market that only YOU can fill, or
     as additional services you can provide to existing customers.

      It's always easier to sell an existing customer a new product,
     than to sell a new customer any product at all.  Best of Luck!



     INVESTMENT THOUGHTS FOR THE MONTH
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      If you have been thinking again about potential investment areas,
     maybe even in the stock market, here are a few trends to consider.

      Even though the majority of the country is still suffering from a
     shortage of disposable income (extra money to spend), there is
     still a large market niche in the aggregate American public which
     desires an escape to everyday stress.  This is the angle which
     folks marketing new movies play on along with new games and virtual
     reality products.  During Word War II, those  left, behind filled
     the movie theaters watching newsreels and the latest entertainment
     packages Hollywood then had to offer the masses.

      Currently, we are in a market where advertisers are out to get our
     attention with a constant barrage of faster, more colorful,
     interactive, and more shocking escapism and entertainment.  Any
     stocks or investment opportunities attached to these diversions
     will be doing well in both the short and long term.  There are new
     submarkets developing resulting from these marketing onslaughts.
     The virtual reality market is just one example.  The new marketing
     techniques of videos in such off-the-wall places as fast food
     restaurants is another one.
      This is a trend the savvy consumer and/or investor can plug into.
     Collectors will be picking up all those cups at the fastfood
     restaurants depicting the latest Super Heroes in the summers'
     hottest flicks.  Yes, there is a market for McDonald's special
     issue game pieces and other licensed accompaniments to newly
     released movies.  Keep your eye on this trend.  If you find a niche
     where you can afford to move in, make an investment, be sure and do
     so.  But, my usual word to the wise holds true, don't play with
     money you can't afford to lose.  This is especially true when it
     comes to anything new to the market.



     A LITTLE MORE ON PERSONAL MONEY MATTERS
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      It is no news that the financial institutions are still living
     through troubled times.  Well, when businesses or individuals are
     pushed to the wall, they usually look for a way  out by
     recuperating their losses from their available customers.  A recent
     news story in the Business Section on Prodigy caught my eye this
     subject.

      Banks, according to this report, are gouging consumers.  This was
     the headline.  Before going with the rest of the story.  My
     feelings are simple, if the market bears the cost, a pricing policy
     will continue.  It's my view that an educated consumer doesn't get
     gouged.

      The warnings continued.  "Just as banks are paying depositors
     lower interest rates for their funds, the industry is jacking up
     fees it charges consumers for checking and savings accounts
     services, two consumer groups say.

      The groups, which compared the fees of 300 banks in 22 states and
     the District of Columbia, found the costliest states to bank in are
     the District of Columbia, Florida, New York, California and Texas.
     While, the cheapest are Washington, Virginia, Oregon, Minnesota and
     Vermont, the Consumer Federation of America and US Public Interest
     Research Group."

      "The study, which covered banks with about $1 trillion in
     deposits, said the average cost of an interest-bearing "NOW"
     checking account jumped 22% from 1990 to 1993, to $197 a year.
     During the same period, the cost of a regular checking account
     rose 18.5% to $184 a year.  The penalty fee for a bounced check
     rose 21% to $18, and the cost of using an Automated Teller Machine
     rose 37% to 98 cents."

      Among other findings in the survey:

      * Consumers with savings account balance of $200 lose an average
     of $23 a year, because the fees to maintain that amount offset the
     interest earned.

      * The costs of using ATMs rose 34% to 95 cents for local networks,
     and by 55% to $1.10 for national networks.
      * Some banks offer a no-frills alternative to regular checking,
     but the average annual cost of $136 is out of reach for many
     consumers.

      The lesson is to shop around for a better deal.  Question charges
     on your bank statement and don't take the cost of doing business
     with your financial institution for granted.  There may be a better
     deal just around the corner.  I do, however, realize that consumers
     tend to stick to a financial institution as it is a habit hard to
     break.  But if you feel like  you are getting stuck with monthly
     charges, you can do without, it may be time to shop around.
     Basically,  pay attention to those monthly service charges and
     transaction fees.  There may be a way to get a better deal.  You
     simply have to decide whether you want to pay the price for the
     time and effort to switch your financial institution.  These
     changes can turn out to be a hassle.  Don't chose a local community
     bank who offers a better deal, for instance, if you do business
     which requires the use of ATMs in a variety of geographic
     locations. Also consider that your customers may not be happy if
     you are all of a sudden writing checks on a bank they never have
     heard of.  There are several areas to take into consideration when
     it comes to such a decision.  In some instances, you may simply
     just need to change the type of account you are maintaining.  Ask
     the customer service representative the next time  you pay a visit
     to a local branch.



     COMPANY NEWS
     ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

      Lotus is expanding.  Lotus Development Corp is buying Approach
     Software Corp, a small firm that makes computer programs for
     compiling databases.  Lotus expects to pay up to $20 million for
     the privately held firm, based in Redwood City, California.

      Lotus earlier added electronic mail and word processing programs
     to its business by acquiring companies that specialize in those
     products.

      The company, which had sales of $900.1 million last year, is best
     known for its 1-2-3 spreadsheet software.

     Rockwell International - 2nd Quarter Information

      Our fiscal 1993 second quarter earnings per share were 63 cents,
     an increase of 40 percent over last year's second quarter of 45
     cents per share.

      Net income for the second quarter was $136.9 million, an increase
     of 30 percent from 1992's second quarter net income of $99 million.
     Sales for the quarter totaled $2.7 billion, down slightly from 1992
     second quarter sales of $2.8 billion.

      Significantly, seven of our nine business units posted earnings
     increases over 1992's second quarter and both our Electronics and
     Aerospace segments had substantial earnings growth in the quarter.
      (All of the above was quoted from the company's second quarter
     report.)



     LESS IS MORE
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      This headline is my attempt at satire.  Entrepreneurs in an
     attempt not to appear too eager when approaching individuals or
     institutions for start-up money usually make one common mistake.
     They don't ask for enough capital to keep them going to where their
     venture will start producing a profit.  I recently talked to one
     such potential business owner who was convinced that all he needed
     was $20,000 and that was for the first 6 months.

      Start up is not simply the money you need for initial equipment,
     marketing and sending out press releases.  You are not considered
     to be past start-up until you are in the black.  Depending on what
     type of an enterprise you are involved, this can take years.
     Venture capitalists and other financial sources are going to look
     at your vision for the first five years.  If you haven't taken the
     time to sit down and do that leg work, you are not ready to talk to
     the bank.

      Always, keep one basic in mind, every business venture ever
     envisioned always took longer than the picture carried by its
     creator.

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     download the software at 206-285-5359 or 206-286-1276.

     **********************

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     **********************

     "The Wishing Well - a Basic Guide to Self Publishing" is available
     for $15.95, pp from the BBR's east coast editorial office.  Vesper
     Publishing, PO Box 150, Kenvil, NJ 07847.  Or one can with Visa or
     MasterCard call 1-800-732-0256.  This book is a beginners guide to
     entering the DTP business.

     ***********************

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     ***********************
     Your ad could be here.  $5 a line, 5 line minimum.  The BBR is now
     distributed to over 40 BBSes.  It is also uploaded to three
     different libraries on Genie.  For more information, call me voice
     - 818-547-1192.  Or, leave me a message on the board where you read
     this issue.  The other alternatives are to leave me a message on
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     **********************

     ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
      This copy of the Bell Business Report is made available for personal
      use of ExecNet's subscribing members only!  This report may *NOT* be
      posted for downloading or on-line reading on  *any*  BBS without the
      specific written permission of the publisher!   For more information
      contact Laura Bell or the Executive Network (914-667-4567 by modem).
     ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────