In the traditional business, is one strong advantage that most have - a store front.  Most who work on the Internet may call this blasphemy!  That means extra expenses, overhead costs and a lot of extra maintenance that you don't have to get into with a small computer and remote offices.

But, the one advantage that store fronts have, is that they can build customer trust.  You can look at the business owner eye to eye and make specific exchanges while building a relationship.  This builds, of course, customer loyalty and helps to establish strong foundations for different types of partnerships.

The trick to all of the new age entrepreneurs who are trying to get online, isn't just about getting SEO and marketing up.  That's all nice and comes in handy for getting people into the virtual door.  But what we have to learn is how to stay in the door.

One of the biggest dilemmas I'm seeing with the Internet is how to build customer trust.  How does the person on the other side know that you are going to deliver, and how does the entrepreneur know that they will be getting their money?

As any virtual business, or any one that has a sector with an online business, we have to learn how to 'work it" so that the trust is there.  Figure out ways within your business to establish a partnership. I can tell you, there are a lot of ways to do it.  Statements of work, for instance, are simple ways to guarantee work and payment.  Or, working within marketplace portals is something I favor for the extra security and trust from customers.  

If you have your own portal, make sure it has no cracks.  Another way to work it - use social media and networks with your customers to help establish relationships.  Find what works best so the person knows you are a person on the other side and not a scam and they can work with you for better valued services or products. 

Some simple tools, some good results. 

If you want to know more about business tools and support for online business, come chat with me about the possibilities.

I don't mean to be a stickler when it comes to legalities with writing, but I think it's important that there begins to be an understanding about what copyright means.  

Many writers will probably come back to you with the particular problem of copyright and the concept of what is legal to copy and what is not.  Okay, so do business people that want a specific idea or concept expressed in their own language.  

I can tell you endless examples of clients who have come up to me wanting "re-writes."  Read these articles and re-write them for me.  Read this book and re-write it for me.  In their mind, this entails new and unique content, which means it belongs to them and not the initial person who wrote it.  With this, they have justified this - I'm just "researching" the idea through this other person, and am using it to write my own materials.  

Wrong!

Seriously - this is the worst justification I have ever heard.  Not only is it plain and simple stupid, but it is also not true.  However, I realize... maybe someone doesn't know what copyright means. 

When you are talking about copyright, you aren't talking about words that can be re-written into your own words.  No.  Copyright is the ownership of intellectual property.  

If I have intellectual property, it isn't just the words that are important.  It is the IDEA behind the words.  My idea behind something that makes up this blog, for example, can't be read and re-written so someone else can have the same idea.  As soon as I post this, it belongs to me.  If someone takes it and re-writes it to use as their own, even with keeping the same title (which I see a lot), it still belongs to me because it's my idea, my words and my expression.  

So, here's where the confusion comes in.  Let's say that I'm writing a scientific report, but I don't know anything about it.  Okay - the information has to come from somewhere, right?  

But not just from one place, and not as a re-write.  That's the difference. 

If I'm writing something, I research 3 - 5 different places, then I write what I know from it.  In instances where I take information from it, I footnote it to give credit where it is due.  I keep my own ideas, my own atmosphere to the writing and I use my own intellect. I don't just take one person's whatever it is and then claim it as my own ideas.  Information is simply information.   But intellectual property belongs to the person who wrote the information. 

And on that, anyone who is re-writing things and not coming up with their own ideas... you shouldn't be thinking about writing anything at all.  If you don't have enough intellect of your own to come up with your own thoughts... well... then what are you claiming to be an expert about?

All right, with that said... I think it's time to wisen up and start offering what is truly unique about each and every one of our businesses.... not someone elses.  If anyone wants some good help with their writing, you know where to find me.

When I was young, I hated Garfield.  I didn't like his attitude about life or what he said or did with all of his time.  He was extremely lazy... but, he was honest about one thing... you are what you eat.

Not only are you what you eat, but you are everything else around you.  That means - you are your business.  It's one of the fun things about being an entrepreneur.  Instead of being subjected to someone else's bullshit, you are subjected to your own - or maybe it is good.

Everything that happens in your business is who you are and what you think.  So, if you have a business that you never launch off the ground, it is probably reflecting something about who you are, like fear or not wanting to start something new.  If you have a business that keeps failing, well, where are you failing yourself?  

That means if you are dis-organized or not keeping up with the bills, have a hard time with meeting customer demands, don't have a back office system or can't get your marketing right, get to a plateau than stop, or have millions of dollars, it's probably reflecting something about you, who you are, how you think or habits that you have created. 

So, look at what you are eating in your business.  Is it good or is it bad?  Are you doing things in the correct way or is it reflecting something about your attitude that is stopping you from success?  

Your business success, organization and concepts are all up to you to complete in excellence.

Need a boost?  Ask Orion Information Services for help.  Visit our website at www.orion-services.biz.  

Here's to reachinig the stars!

This is a great story from "The Bean Trees" by Barbara Kingsolver.  I definitely think the moral can be applied to businesses as well as heaven and hell.

"If you go to visit hell, you will see a room like a kitchen.  There is a pot of delicious stew on the table, with the most delicate aroma you can imagine.  All around, people sit [ at the table].  Only they are dying of starvation.  they are jibbering and jabbering, but they cannot get a bite of this wonderful stew God has made for them.  They are starving because they only have spoons with very long handles.  As long as [the mop].  With these ridiculous, terrible spoons, the people in hell can reach into the pot but they cannot put the food in their mouths.  Oh, how hungry they are!  Oh, how they swear and curse each other!

Now, you can go and visit heaven.  And guess what?  You see a room like the first one, the same table, the same pot of stew, the same spoons as long as a sponge mop.  But these people are all happy and fat....  Perfectly, magnificently, well - fed, and very happy.  Why do you think?  

[It is because one takes the spoon so that the other can eat.]" 

Now, go support each other in business so that everyone can succeed.

Want some extra business help?  Contact Orion Information Services at www.orion-services.biz. 

Business support is a funny concept.  Depending on who you are, you probably have a specific definition that you add into the book that is totally different than mine.  That's because 'business support' isn't just a basic definition; it's a complete philosophy.  And a complex one at that.  

There are a few principles that relate directly to what it means to support a business.  If I want to support a business... I should pay them for a product or service.  Or, I should offer them some sort of counseling or advice - right?  That will support them to grow; right?

Yah.  No.  Not really.  You can do that if you want to, but it actually takes a little more than that.  I've found that, sometimes business support means something completely different than just the basics of I'll pay you for a service or product.

Support Type 1: I have a friend that I offer business support.  Basically, if he does or says something wrong with the business, I stop supporting him.  I don't allow him to get away with it and he ends up loosing some business from me.  Then I come back and explain why.  Actually, sometimes I just let him suffer. 

Support Type 2: If you are a customer (which we all are), than business support may be making sure that you buy the right thing, show a certain level of respect to the person on the other side or recognize what is being said or done for what you need.  It also means making sure that you communicate with the businesses... not doing that correctly is showing a huge lack of business support.  For example, if someone says they need something and I get it done - I expect the support of them saying okay.  Not coming back and changing the rules or things that are needed.

Support Type 3: On my huge soap box - support means respect.  It means letting others know that you will be honest with them and will show them how to do their best with their product or service - and will let them know when they are not - but not in an unfriendly way.  It means setting the right prices, the right examples and the highest quality of products and services for yourself.  

That's right.  You have to support your own business first if you expect others to support you.  You have to show your business - a living, breathing creature, that you will care for it and love it.  That's with your own integrity and honesty.  Once you stand on your own feet with the business support for yourself, others will follow lead and will show the same support, from a consultant to a customer.  

So, what really happens, is by you believing in your own business, and learning to support yourself in the correct way, you receive the same reflection from customers and friends who are supporting your business as well.  

Support is really your business mirror.

So, next time you are thinking your business is not being supported - think of how you are not supporting it, and then see how this is being reflected in what you are doing and the things that you are saying in your business.  Give yourself business support from yourself.

Want some extra support?  Contact Orion Information Services at www.orion-services.biz. 

In the disease of American business (a few blogs ago), I began touching on the idea of corruption and greed that filters away American businesses.  Funny thing, that it keeps proving itself to me.  However, with this, there are also several different distinctions that can be made between a business that operates this way and one that doesn't.  Here is the first rule.

A business that is greedy doesn't necessarily mean that it has high costs to customers and is trying to take, take, take.  One that is greedy will instead, take away value in order to sell more, more, more.  The problem with this is not just with the business itself, but also with the customers that are involved in it.  As a matter of fact, there are several consumers that are suffering financially because they want more, more, more and don't put their money into the right place.  

Let's take an example...think of any large corporation that you know.  Most likely, they are operating off of the philosophy - get more, pay less.  However, as most also know, the things that they are selling have some background things that perpetrates greed.  The first is the way that the manufacturing takes place... pennies on the dollar where the manufacturers don't get their value.  The second is that anything that is made this cheaply doesn't have the time, effort or materials.  The result?  The consumer keeps buying, buying, buying.  

In other words, money is an illusion.  Just because you are paying less for something doesn't mean that the business isn't greedy.  In fact, they are probably taking out value instead, so that they can make twice as much off of you.  Then, what happens?  The consumer suffers financially because they can't keep replacing what is needed.  

Then, the disease starts.  Because the consumer has to keep putting their money where there is no value, the businesses with value suffer because their prices are too high and the businesses that are creating an illusion of  money get to keep taking, taking, taking. 

The disease is taking out the value to make more money.  How to cure it?  Put your money where your mouth is, and only buy what you find is worth value.  By doing this, you will ensure continuous commerce support on both sides of the coin.  

Visit Orion Information Services at www.orion-services.biz for a different way of doing business.

Do any of you remember Sesame Street?  There is a young boy who is told to go to the store by his mom.  When he goes, he is told to remember three things, a loaf of bread, a stick of butter and a gallon of milk.  As he walks, he makes a mental list of these things and he doesn't lose his concentration on anything else.  

There is a great life lesson in this story.  This young child combines his mental focus with an organized list of what is needed and how to get it.  He then concentrates on only this until the task is done.  

For anyone in business, our tasks should be this simple - as a list that we keep in our mind, or on a piece of paper and concentrate on until it is time to do the next thing.

One of the greatest things that I've learned, especially from being a VA, is that business owners all have one major problem, especially when we are growing, developing and trying to expand.  We are all cluttered.  We're thinking about more than bread, butter and milk and not keeping a list of the important things.  

I'm talking about outer clutter that is on the desk, in our office, in the notebook.  And to me, that is a reflection of one of the larger problems that we all are facing.  Clutter in our mind.  We can't keep our lists straight enough to get our tasks done efficiently and to simply remember the important things at the store.

I don't know if any of you have heard this saying - a cluttered house means a cluttered mind.  And it is so true.  I can look at a business and see how they are organized and tell exactly what is going on in their head with their business.  And usually, I'm right.  If they have a lot of things everywhere, they are also everywhere with their business.  They can't keep track of clients, paperwork, invoice systems and they are working long and hard hours.

Despite what all you entrepreneurs are thinking, this isn't necessarily the way that it needs to be.  Big or small, you can work towards having a much clearer mind, life and business.  All it takes is a little organization.  Because, if you are organized in your business, you will automatically begin to adjust and be organized in your mind.  You'll think more clearly and will have the space that you need in order to think straight when you are dealing with certain things.

Don't believe me?  For any of you who have a messy room, like a kitchen, take some time to completely clear it.  Then, take some time to see the relationship to how you felt before it was clean and how you feel now that it is spotless.  It's all just a reflection.  If you still don't believe me, take some time at the beginning of the day and write out the list of things that you need to do, then focus on one at a time.  You'll probably begin to notice a complete difference in your work flow.

It's really as simple as a loaf of bread, a stick of butter and a gallon of milk.

Still feeling cluttered?  Get some VA assistance.  Visit my website at www.orion-services.biz.  I'd love to help you free your mind.

As beings that belong to the human species, there is one thing that we understand.  We have the capacity to do anything.  Well, almost anything.  And those of us who are running our own businesses believe even more... we can do everything.  Because that's what we have to do.  

There's something that I've been learning lately.  Even if we can do everything efficiently, that doesn't mean we are supposed to be doing it for others.  It doesn't mean we are supposed to be doing it as a business, and it doesn't mean that we are supposed to develop the skill.  

I know so many people (including myself) who have an entrepreneur spirit and who have had to learn this lesson the hard way.  It's easy to step in and say that you can provide the services, the products and the extra support that is needed.  But sometimes, you aren't supposed to.  

So the question is, how can you tell?  

Simple.  If you don't feel like doing it - don't.  It means that your heart isn't into it and that you aren't really supposed to be doing it for other people.  Know when to step aside and let someone take the grunt work that you don't want to do and to do the things that they get excited about.  

On the other hand, if you can't stop doing something, love what you are doing and want to breathe it, than you are on the right track.  That's what you should be doing and that's what you are honestly effective in.  

The thing is - business is about being honest with yourself about what you want to do and what you don't want to do.  It's one of the hardest things to distinguish but it's also what will give your business a strong pulse to resonate and succeed.  That's what you really want - not to do everything - but to do what you are good at.  

Questions?  Thoughts?  Contact Orion Information Services at www.orion-services.biz. 

If any of you are like me, you automatically want your business to work and are looking forward to longevity, profit and the ability to reach customers on a continuous basis, with a climb towards success.  

And, if you are like me, you probably have realized that business is not always that way.

Whether you are beginning or growing, there is always something new to learn, always problems to overcome and strategies that you have to develop.  And, every time you get one of them down, another one creeps up behind you to make you stretch your business mind that much more to see exactly what you are going to do.  

It's like running a marathon - over and over and over again.  

Many businesses will consider these lessons mistakes, and will try to find ways to stop them from happening or will short cut them in order to polish things out for a short time.  However, the problem with this is that the mistakes will come back until they are fixed.  You can't put a band-aid on a cut that you need stitches for.  

No matter what your business is going through, you don't want to stop with a band-aid.  It's better to look the problem in the face, take it head on and fix it completely.  Whether it is something that you simply need to learn from or a new policy that you need to put in place, allowing yourself to completely shift whatever arises will not only help your business to grow, but will also provide you with a way of learning what the best way to handle things for the real long run will be.  

In other words - don't look at your business mistakes as a failing that you have to try and cover up.  Embrace it completely, come to grips with what happened, learn what you need to and grow from the experience.  It will lead you to complete success.  

Here's to reaching the stars!

Want business help?  Visit my website at www.orion-services.biz. 

So, it seems that as I get older, less and less of what I say is listened to.  Let me name a few examples.... 

1.  I order a Pepsi.  I get a Sprite.  

2.  I order a pizza.  I get buffalo wings.  

3.  I order a sandwich.  It's never delivered because they forgot to write down my phone number.  

4.  I tell someone the best way to pay is online.  They do... then give me a check.  

5.  I go to cash in $200.  I only get $160 back with denial that is what actually happened. 

The list actually continues... and yes... these are all situations that have happened.  I don't know if any of you are facing the same thing, but there seems to be a problem with businesses listening to customers.  And, unfortunately for them, that means that I disappear.  

Of course, there is another side to this.  I do work for someone, and then they "forget" to tell me that it was not what they actually wanted.  Or, after it is finished, they tell me to change the keyword density.  

So, I don't know about your analysis of this whole thing, but what it seems to be to me is communication.  

If you can't communicate in your business, you can't survive.  Forget it.  Customer service means communicating to get the right services or products.  That means listening to what is really being said.  Not just hearing.  And, customer interaction means customers knowing what they want before they pay you and take off to the Bahamas.  If you don't have a two way street, you can forget getting anything done.  

Not only does communication mean opening the doors to seeing what is really wanted, but also means making sure that you go the extra mile.  Checking in, doing updates and making sure that everyone is happy through the process is a fantastic way to make sure that the job is done right.  

I know that customer service used to be the way of how business was done.  I believe that with the big corporations, there was a loss in what individuals defined as customer service.  If you want to survive as a business, the key is to communicate - whether it is through writing or in person.  Then, you can expect some wonders.  

Need some communication help?  Contact Orion Information Services at www.orion-services.biz.