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Tim Knox Profile and Articles
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1). The Thick Line Between Buddy And Boss
Q: One of my key employees is giving me trouble. He has started showing up late for work and has developed a bad attitude in general. The rest of my employees are complaining since they are having to take up his slack. I've tried talking to him, but he doesn't seem to listen. To make matters worse, he has become one of my best friends since I hired him five years ago, so firing him is out of the question.
2). What Is The Best Selling Ebay Book Of All Time?
What Is The Best Selling Ebay Book Of All Time?
3). The Entrepreneur's Checklist
I was asked the other day what personality traits I thought were important to entrepreneurial success. I immediately gave my preprogrammed reply about passion and dedication and hard work. After taking some time later to ponder the question a little deeper (I normally operate in shallow waters), I came up with a more detailed checklist for entrepreneurial success.
4). What Makes A Good Leader? Ask Uncle Sam
What do the major generals who are leading the war efforts in Iraq have in common with executives and entrepreneurs who are conducting business back h
5). The Big Website Question: If You Build It, They Will Come?
Q: I recently launched a website for my sporting goods business. Do I need to do anything special to attract customers to my website? I know nothing about search engines and marketing as such. Please tell me where to begin.
A: That is a question that has been asked by every business person who has ever launched a website. If I build it, will they come? Of course they will -- if you've built a website that appeals to dead baseball players.
6). Franchising Pros And Cons
Last week's question from Anthony R. on how to choose the franchise that would best fulfill his life-long dream of owning his own business sparked a number of emails from other readers wanting to offer their two cents on the subject.
Some folks offered helpful insights and suggestions on how to pick a franchise and a few things to watch out for, while other emails came from current franchise owners asking me to help them sell their operations to Anthony R.
7). The Reasons Why Most People Will Never Find Online Success
Q: Tim, I have spent the past few months trying so hard to start an ecommerce business. I have read virtually everything you have written. I have listened in on more than one of your teleconferences.
I have clicked and spent and clicked and spent and clicked and spent. I filled the laundry basket and sold on eBay. I became a Clickbank affiliate (I think I am an affiliate of almost the entire Internet).
8). The Time To Consolidate Your Student Loans Is Now
I don't know if you're a fan of financial guru and radio show host Dave Ramsey, but I certainly am.
I listen to Ramsey every day and find his advice to be based on common sense principles for getting out of debt and building wealth.
One thing that Ramsey recommends is that if you have high interest student loans, you should refinance and consolidate them now to lock in a reduced interest rate and lower your monthly payments.
9). Is Brick And Mortar A Passing Fad?
Q: Is the online world the best place to sell a product or service these days? My friends seem to think that brick and mortar stores will totally disappear in the future. I debate this all the time with them, but it seems to be heading that way. Your thoughts?
- Alex H.
At last report, Alex, Sam Walton was still resting comfortably in his discounted grave, so I’d say brick and mortar is safe, at least for the next few years.
10). Which Affiliate Programs Do I Personally Recommend?
I personally receive over a dozen checks and commission payments every month from various affiliate programs that I promote.
Last month, those checks totaled more than $10,000 and some months they have been as high as $25,000.
Given my success as an affiliate marketer, I'm often asked what affiliate programs I personally recommend.
The answer is easy because it's actually a pretty short list.
11). How To Create Multiple Streams Of Online Income E-course
How To Create Multiple Streams Of Online Income E-course
12). Don't Be Afraid To Give Problem Customers The Boot
Q: In a recent column you made the point that the customer is always right, which I agree with. However, in the same column you also said that it is sometimes necessary give problem customers the boot. If the customer is always right, at what point do you think they become so problematic that you should stop doing business with them?
-- Gary M.
A: That column brought a number of emails similar to yours, Gary, requesting that I clarify the line between "the customer is always right" and "sometimes you have to give a customer the boot.
13). Is Selling On eBay Just A Hobby Or A Real Business?
Small Business Q&A with Tim KnoxQ: I made extra money selling things on eBay last year. These were items I picked up at yardsales mostly.
14). How Good Is Your Big Idea
Q: I want to start my own business. I have tons of business ideas that all sound great to me, but my husband is not so sure. He says that we need to figure out a way to test my ideas to pick the one that has the best chance of succeeding. I’m ready to just pick one and go for it. What is the best way to determine if a business idea really is as good as it sounds?
-- Hannah C.
15). Do I Really Need A Business License And Tax ID?
I've gotten quite a few emails recently from ebusiness owners who seem to think that just because their business is conducted online or from the comfort of home that the rules and regulations that govern brick and mortar businesses do not apply to them.
The ebusiness questions I get most often do not involve building websites or conducting ecommerce.
16). What Do Your Business Emails Reveal About You?
I am a huge fan of email. In fact, if you do business with me the bulk of our communication will not be through the telephone, but via email. Email is quick. Email is convenient. Email takes less time than long-winded telephone conversations. Most importantly, email gives me an electronic record of my communications with clients, employees, partners, and vendors; which makes it easy for me to refresh my quickly-aging memory by easily referring back to our electronic conversations.
17). Small Business Q & A: Build A High Profit Business With
Q: I am considering starting an ebusiness using affiliate programs,but there is so much hype out there I can't figure out which programswould
18). Why A Good Credit Score Is Important To Your Business
Do you know your credit score is?
Do you even know WHAT a credit score is?
Don't feel bad.
Most people don't.
Your credit score tells lenders the type of borrower you will likely be based on your credit history. Scores in the United States run between 300 and 950.
The higher your score the more likely is it that you will be approved for loans at favorable rates and payment terms.
19). What’s Your Company’s Email Policy?
Does your company have an email policy? Did you even know there was such a thing? Well, there is, and if your company doesn’t have one you are not only risking the professional image of your firm, but also risking potential liability issues that may arise from the misuse of your company email system.
Having a published email policy accomplishes three objectives.
20). What Does Your Website Say About Your Business?
Q: My business is very small, just me and two employees, and our product really can't be sold online. Do I really need a website?
-- Robin C.
A: Congratulations, Robin, you are the one millionth person to ask me that question. Smile for the cameras, brush the streamers and confetti from your hair and listen closely, because I'm about to answer for the millionth time what has become one of the most important and often-asked questions of the digital business age.
21). How To Handle The Occasional Oop-See!
Q: My company is really in hot water with one of our best customers. I can't reveal exactly what happened, but suffice it to say that we really dropped the ball and the customer is furious. I'm not even sure we can save the account. What's the best way to get back in a customer's good graces after making such a mistake?
-- Charles W.
A: Without knowing.
22). The Business Of Identity Theft
Q: I use PayPal to accept credit cards for my online collectibles business. I recently received an email that my PayPal account was going to expire in five days if I didn't click a link in the email and give them my PayPal account information. Being naturally paranoid I decided not to give this information and I'm happy to say that my PayPal account did not expire.
23). Teaching The Big Boys To Think Small
Last week I told you about a recent report from The Conference Board that has a lot of big company CEOs concerned about competition from smaller, more innovative and entrepreneurially-minded companies. To refresh your memory, The Conference Board's CEO Challenge 2004 reported that 87% of the 540 global businesses surveyed cited innovation and enabling entrepreneurship as priorities for their companies, and 31% considered these issues of "greatest concern.
24). With A Lease, The Devil Is In The Details
In the last article we looked at a few of the things you should consider before leasing that first office or storefront for your business. To recap, you should not only consider the old standard "location, location, location," but also consider things like sufficient parking, the number of employees who will be working onsite, and future growth projections.
25). To Go Or No Go, That Is The Question
Last week we talked about a few of the ways to test the feasibility of a business idea to help determine if the idea really had merit or just looked good on the surface. To recap, I said don’t bet the farm on the opinions of friends and family, consult with knowledgeable business experts, and conduct a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) Analysis.
26). Taking Your Business International
Q: I’m interested in doing business internationally. I have done some reading on the subject, but there is an awful lot to digest. Have you had any experience in this matter and can you suggest the best way to get started?
-- P. Granger.
A: Great question, Mr. Granger, though not one I’m personally qualified to answer since I have not had direct experience with international sales.
27). How To Make Money As A Self-Improvement Guru
How To Make Money As A Self-Improvement Guru
28). Online Payments Make It Easy For Your Customers To Buy
In the last column we discussed the process of credit card enabling your brick-and-mortar business. I pointed out that research has shown that accepting credit cards can help increase revenue and speed up cash flow. This week we will look at setting up an online payment system for your business website. If you think hooking up a brick-and-mortar location with a credit card system stymies most bankers, try asking them how to do it on your website.
29). Don't Fall For The Latest Internet Identity Theft Scam
Q: I use PayPal to accept credit cards for my online collectibles business. I recently received an email that my PayPal account was going to expire in five days if I didn't click a link in the email and give them my PayPal account information. Being naturally paranoid I decided not to give this information and I'm happy to say that my PayPal account did not expire.
30). An Entrepreneur and a Life To Be Remembered
I was reminded of my own mortality today. I guess you can say I had a near death experience, though the death I experienced was not my own. No
31). What's The Best Product To Sell Online?
I wish I had a dime for every time I've been asked, "Tim, what's the best product to sell online?" I also wish I had a nickel for every blank stare I received when I answered: "That's simple: information." I'd have enough money to finance another startup or two.
As more and more entrepreneurs move to the Internet seeking their fortunes, "What's the best product to sell online," has become the number one business question of the decade.
32). Angels on Assignment
Recently it has come to my attention people are noticing Angels poppingup in the strangest places. Several years ago you would only hear about
33). What's In A Name? When It Comes To Your Business, Plenty!
Q: How important is the name of a business? Should the name of a business reflect what the business does or is it better to come up with something catchy and easy to remember?
-- Randy P.
A: What's in a name? When it comes to your business, Randy, a lot more than you might think. In fact, deciding on a business name is one of the most important decisions you will ever make.
34). Santa: The Consummate Entrepreneur
Most people think Santa Claus only works one night a year. Nothing could be further from the truth. Sure, product distribution takes place on one magical night, but Santa's operation runs year round and is one of the largest manufacturing and distribution operations in the world.
You've probably never considered the fact that Santa is the CEO of a large organization that not only distributes a vast assortment of products throughout the world, but does so in a single night with just a sleigh and eight tiny reindeer.
35). Use Noncompete Agreements To Help Protect Your Business From
Q: One of my former employees has started a competing business and is calling my clients and trying to steal their business from me. Do I have any legal recourse against him?
-- Brad J.
A: I hate to break this to you, Brad, but unless this former employee signed a noncompete agreement while on your payroll, there is probably very little you can do to stop him from wooing your customers.
36). Maintaining Your Business Website
QUESTION:
Should I build and maintain my business Web site myself or pay someone else to do the work for me? -- Wesley L.
ANSWER:
When you say, pay someone else to do the work for you, Wesley, I am going to assume that you are talking about hiring a professional Web site designer to do the work and not your next-door neighbor’s teenage son. If my assumption is correct, then read on.
37). The "Other" New Year's Resolution
Since this is my first column of 2004, I thought we'd spend a few minutes talking about those well-intentioned, though seldom kept promises we call New Year's Resolutions.
In addition to "This year I will lose weight!" and "This year I will stop smoking!" and the ever popular "This year I will stop watching reality TV!" one of the more common resolutions.
38). How To Create Your Own Ebay About Me Page
How To Create Your Own Ebay About Me Page
39). The Internet Tax Man Cometh
Q: I was contacted by the city tax collector to say that my business is scheduled to be audited to see if I owe sales tax on items purchased on the Internet. Can they really make me pay sales tax on internet purchase? I thought you could buy things online tax free? -- Charlie B.
A: Sorry, but your local municipality is well within its rights to audit your business to identify items purchased online.
40). The Secrets Of Starting A Successful Ebay Business
Q: I hear so much about people who started selling on eBay and eventually turned it into their full time business. Is it really possible to build a p
41). Please Don't Buy Anything From Me
This has been an interesting week. My company has thousands of customers around the world, so my team and I are used to dealing with customer support issues and do everything possible to make sure every customer gets exactly what they paid for.
And 99.999% of the time our customers are extremely happy.
Then there is that other .001%...
This week I had one customer threaten to hunt be down and shoot me like a dog.
42). How To Tell If Your Amazing New Product Idea Is Really Worth Gambling On
Q: I have a great idea for an amazing new product. There is nothing like it on the market and no competition that I can find. I think it will be a huge success and so does everyone I tell the idea to. I'm willing to bet the farm on this one. What do you think my chances of success are?
A: I'm a lousy poker player, mainly because I can't help grinning like the village idiot when blessed with a winning hand or frowning like a sad clown when dealt a dud.
43). Taxing Ebay Part Deux
When my column on paying income tax on eBay profits ran it brought a wave of emails on whether you were required to report income earned from eBay sales to the IRS sparked a number of additional questions and comments from eBay sellers who were hoping that I could somehow validate that their eBay activities were mere hobbies instead of actual businesses and therefore not susceptible to IRS taxation.
44). Managing Employees Is A Little Like Herding Cats
Q: I started my small business about a year ago and it's grown steadily. I like having my own business, but I'm having a tough time managing people. I have 5 employees now and it seems like I spend half my time making sure they are doing what they're supposed to be doing and the other half of my time doing things they didn't get done. Things were much easier when I was a one man shop.
45). How To Profit Using Ebay's Saved Search Feature
Did you know that eBay will help you locate products you can buy cheap, then flip for a quick profit? No? Then listen up, because I am about to let you in on a little known feature of eBay that can literally stuff wads of cash in your wallet in less than 24 hours.
This is an eBay tool that I use every day to locate products that I can buy and resell or buy cheap and keep for myself and my family.
46). Protect Your Ideas With Copyrights And Patents
Q: Can you tell me the difference between a copyright and a patent? Also is that something I should let a lawyer handle for me?
A: A wise man once said, "The biggest difference between a copyright and a patent is the number of lawyers it takes to do the paperwork." There is a point to be made there, mainly that if this wise man had paid his attorney to copyright that tidbit of wisdom I probably would have had to pay him five bucks to use the quote.
47). How To Create Your Own Info Product
In the last article we talked about why informational products are the best type of products to sell online. An informational product can be a digital book (known as an e-book), a digital report or a white paper, a piece of software, audio or video files, a web site, an ezine (electronic magazine), or a newsletter.
Any product that's informational, instructional, or educational in nature can be considered an info product.
48). The Latest Email Scam Is Nothing New
Q: I recently received an email that supposedly came from eBay that said someone had attempted to log into my eBay business account without authorization (whatever that means). The email instructed me to click a link to re-enter and confirm my account information to make sure that my account had not been hacked. Being naturally paranoid I contacted eBay directly and found that my account had not been hacked and that this email was actually from someone trying to steal my eBay account information.
49). If You Build It, Will They Come?
QUESTION:
I recently launched a website for my sporting goods business. Do I need to do anything special to attract customers to my website? I know nothing about search engines and marketing as such. Please tell me where to begin. -- Sean M.
ANSWER:
Sean, that is a question that has been asked by every business person who has ever launched a website.
50). 8 Things You Must Know To Build A Great Website
Last week we talked about how a bad website can do your business more harm than good. That column brought several emails asking what is the key to building an effective business website. I replied with the same answer I always give: building an effective business website is a simple matter of definition.
Before the first graphic is drawn or the first line of code is written, you must define the website’s budget, purpose, target audience, design, navigation, and content.
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