Eliminating Profit Robbing Telemarketing Calls to Your Business

Most of us small business owners don’t have the luxury of having a secretary or office manager to screen our calls for us. It can become overwhelming when answering sales call after sales call from telemarketers prevent us from doing what makes us money. To top it off, we can sometimes be talked into spending our hard earned money on products or services that are often overpriced and/or not needed in the first place.Each time we add a new business telephone number or change the business location of the ones we currently have, our telephone numbers are placed on a telemarketing list as a “new business.” Our business phone lines are then overrun by harassing telemarketers that want to be the first to sell a new business what they don’t need. You see a “new business owner” generally hasn’t fine tuned their decision making skills to the point that they can just say no and hang up. These skills come with time and experience. Telemarketers know this and target these new business owners because seasoned owners won’t fall for their tactics.I am always adding or changing toll free and regular phone numbers. To prevent this constant barrage of calls (I call it “the first wave”) or to at least limit them, I have developed a strategy that is working right now. You, as a small business owner, can take what you need from this and add to it your own ideas that you have found that work.First, the “Do Not Call” list! This list was set up for consumers and not businesses. We as consumers are afforded a lot more rights under the law than we are as business owners. Either way there is no mechanism the government can use to determine whether the number you put on the list is a business number or a residential number. I am not telling you to put your company’s number on the list. I am simply explaining that if you did, it would work. Any number that is put on this list almost instantly sees a drop in calls from telemarketers. You can find this list by doing a search for “do not call list” on your favorite search engine.Secondly you must accept the fact that if you need something for your business then you will seek it out and find it yourself! Train yourself to never buy “spur of the moment!” Spontaneous purchases can kill a business. Once you realize this then you will never change your phone service just because someone called and was nice to you. You’ll never buy twelve dozen light bulbs or two thousand feet of extension cord. If you need a first aid kit then go buy one at the Home Depot and don’t buy a dozen from a con man on the other end of the phone. First aid kits, extension cords, light bulbs and phone service are all the top sellers to the construction business, your industry may differ but I am sure not by much. You must say no and it is absolutely OK to be rude and to hang up mid sentence. The point is that once you have trained yourself to say “no,” then you can follow step three.Third, you must tell the caller that not only are you not interested but you want them to remove your company and phone number from their list. You must do this every time.
Watch out for “free” items, “we want to save you money” or “can I ask you why” because these are their favorite tricks to get you to spend. I try to be as polite as I can so that they will actually remove my phone number. Sometimes you may need to call an 800 number that they will give you in order to be removed from further solicitation. I recommend that you call and have your business’ phone number removed right away because these companies can actually sell your name to other companies as an “active” number and that will only make matters worse. The problem then spreads like a virus. The bottom line is to tell them no and to ask them to remove you from their list before you even hear what they have to offer.Another way that I minimize the distractions of telemarketing sales calls is to use caller ID. Unfortunately, only local companies that acquire work locally can utilize this method. My concrete cutting company services customers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine, so when I get a call from California or some odd area code, I will prepare myself to be firm and up front before I answer the phone. If my calls are forwarded to my cellular telephone and I find out the call wasn’t from a vendor or supplier then I will simply program the number as DNA into my cell phone. This stands for “Do Not Answer!” You can program up to ten numbers under one contact name in most cellular phones and give it a distinct ring tone. I have DNA1, DNA2 and so on and I am up to DNA9 right now. If I see or hear one of these numbers come in I just push the button that sends them directly to voice mail.Lastly and very important is the use of a device that is called the “TeleZapper.” The TeleZapper sends a digital tone through the phone line telling automatic dialers used my many telemarketers that the line is currently disconnected and or not in use. The automatic dialing computer subsequently removes your phone number from its list. This not only stops them from calling back it also prevents them from selling your phone number as an “active number.” This device became almost extinct once the “Do Not Call” list became a reality because who needs to “zap” a telemarketer if you are not getting any calls? It still works great for the small business and you will see a dramatic drop in telemarketing calls if you use it correctly. This device will not work if you forward your calls to another phone or if you use a voice mail provided by your phone company and your calls are sent to that voice mail box. It will work when a call is picked up by an answering machine in your office. The TeleZapper is very difficult to find anymore in retail stores but it is still readily available new on eBay or online.© 2007 Affordable Concrete Cutting Massachusetts, MA All Rights Reserved

Don’t Let Them Tell You Different: Your Inner Beauty Is Undefinable

Defining beauty isn’t easy. In fact, for every culture, it means something slightly different. A tribe in Africa treats female beauty to mean a curvy, voluptuous woman, while society in America wants their women to be thin as nails. As different as priorities and perspectives of outer beauty in each culture may be, one thing is the same – inner beauty stems from confidence, inner peace and a positive mindset.Inner beauty isn’t about the face you want to have or attaining the body you’ve always dreamed of having; it’s about being happy with what you already have. Don’t you love your petite nose, slanted eyes, or dimples? If not, you should because true outer beauty begins and ends with true inner beauty. Love yourself – and all of your many unique qualities – and as a result look beautiful to the rest of the world, too.Inner Beauty Stems From ConfidenceWhen you feel good inside, you look good on the outside. Has a co-worker on Monday morning every remarked on your “glow” after having a relaxing weekend away from work and your many work-related responsibilities? It wasn’t their imagination. Your “glow” arose from rosy skin, and a relaxed vibe from the stress-free couple of days away from the office. And when that happens, you radiate a new, happier self. Like magic, you’ve gotten more attractive to each and every person you meet, and all thanks to an inner beauty, due to acceptance and confidence that translates to your outer self.Inner Beauty Stems From Inner PeaceDespite what you may think, you’re not your most beautiful when you’ve just had your hair professional done, or when you’ve just treated yourself to buying a designer dress to wear out for the night. You don’t look your best when you spend hours putting on make-up or only after working off that recent weight you gained last month.Instead, you look your best when you’re at peace with who you are, and where you are in life. Western culture has told us many things about beauty, all of which suggests that in order to be our most beautiful self we must weight this amount (no more, no less!), buy this cream, inject this anti-aging laser treatment, or show up wearing these designer brand of shoes. However, we don’t need to fulfill society’s silly standards of beauty. Instead, we can create our own.Inner beauty isn’t so easy to attain, because one of the key aspects of achieving it is first achieving inner peace. Are you feeling at ease about yourself, or uncomfortable in your skin? True inner peace (not some flittering thought, but a constant state of calm and peace about yourself) can come in many forms such as accepting your “flaws” as part of what makes you, you. It can come in the form of liking who you see in the mirror (no matter how much you want to change). It can be knowing yourself inside and out; believing in yourself and your dreams, and never letting anyone else tell you who and what you’re capable of. Are you feeling at peace about who you are, and what you’re here to do? That inner peace will undoubtedly shine through in your skin, your smile, and even the way you walk.In addition, your inner beauty will send a vibe to all those you meet that you’re positive, happy and peaceful about yourself and the world. And who wouldn’t be attracted to that?Inner Beauty is Attainable With the Right MindsetAnything you want in life can be achieved with the right mindset, and when you have the right mindset, you’ll always exude beauty. If you’ve ever felt empowered after writing a short story, gave a speech to others who felt moved by what you had to say, or felt as though you are unstoppable after running a marathon, that’s the power of your mind at work.Inner beauty comes from many sources, but one of the quickest ways to feel good about yourself and everything you stand for is through a positive, clear way of thinking. Love who you are, and your beauty will always follow.

Mortgage Brokers: Basics That You Should Know

The term mortgage broker refers to a company or person that can make arrangement for a mortgage between two entities. These entities are usually a lender and a borrower. The lender is known as a mortgage lender. This professional works directly with the borrower to help them opt for the right type of mortgage. In this article, we are going to find out more about this professional. Read on to now more.

Why should you use a Mortgage Broker?

Basically, this professional helps you throughout the process of looking for and applying for a mortgage. Their role is to get you the best deal on the basis of your circumstances. Listed below are some of the services they offer.

They help you make an assessment of your financial situation
They suggest the most suitable option to meet your needs
They help you search the market to help you look for the best deal to match your criteria
Now that you know about the role of these professionals, we suggest that you check out the pros and cons of working with one. This will help you decide whether you should go with these pros or not.
Pros

Convenience: If you don’t know anything about these markets and finance, you may want to work with a broker. After all, it requires a great deal of time, money and effort to look for deals, handle the paperwork and talk to lenders.

Access: Since these pros have a good deal of experience in the field, they are in touch with other professionals as well. For instance, they have a good business relationship with many lenders as well. Therefore, they can help you look for the best deal based on your needs.

Expertise: The problem is that the mortgage industry is not easy for everyone to understand. When the rate of interest goes up or down, it has a great impact on the number of mortgage deals. Therefore, consulting an expert is a stroke of genius. After all, you don’t want to make decisions based on your lack of knowledge.

Cons

Cost: Since these professionals charge for their services, you may have to set a budget to use their services. This will reduce the amount of money you can set aside for rainy days.

The service charges of these professionals vary significantly. Therefore, we suggest that you shop around before hiring one to meet your needs.

Limitations: It’s important to keep in mind that not all of these brokers have access to the whole market, which means depending on a single broker may limit the options available to you.

Quality: Experience and qualifications may vary between brokers. Therefore, if you end up hiring an inexperienced one, you may not be able to go through the process in a timely fashion. And you may not be able to get the best deal.