Add You - Business

Notes for Newbies - Part Six - Taking Action
Today we want to talk about how you get started – how you formally launch your business - how you sell your first order.Taking action Taking action – actually getting started – to launch your business is probably the hardest action you will take. This is where most people who set out to become financially independent lose the plot.Think back to the last seminar you attended. When you were talking with others during coffee breaks, at lunch or in the evening, most said something like this, ‘Well, I bought So-and-So’s package but it doesn’t seem to work.’When you discussed this further with them, you discovered they never really took any action. Some never truly identified their markets. Others never chose specific products. Most never designed a cogent model and used this to launch their business (I heard recently that 92% of people who attend a seminar and buy a package never even take the cellophane wrappers off the DVDs).They never took the action.They never wrote a sales letter and sent it out to their target market. They never, in fact, took the very big step of sending out a sales letter to prospective customers and asking for their business. Somebody told me along the way that 85% of sales that are lost are because the sales person simply never asked for the order.I have no idea why this is so. My guess is because this step is scary.The pundits will all tell you the first order is the hardest – after that it gets much easier. Never be afraid to take the action.So, if you

>What Courses should I Promote?

Using websites like www.agentschat.com and many other online sources it is not hard to find institutions around the world that are looking for international fee-paying students for their programs.

There are so many study abroad programs on offer around the world that you really have to specialize. By choosing a selection of countries to specialize in you can minimize the time that you need to spend familiarizing yourself with the education systems, educational institutions and lifestyles of those countries so that you are well informed when it comes to sitting down and consulting prospective customers. You also have to learn about the visa application process for students from your country to study in the countries that you are promoting.

You may also want to specialize by targeting specific markets with specific programs. The following list is to give you a few ideas about the variety of programs that agents offer.

Language programs - English is a huge market but you may also want to offer other languages. A course of twenty-five hours of English tuition per week plus accommodation with a local home-stay family is a very popular combination and has almost become an industry standard.

Exam preparation programs – Programs at Language schools that prepare students for examinations such as IELTS or TOEFL.

English plus activities – Many language schools offer English plus sightseeing, surfing, golf etc Ten Easy Ways To Discount And Lose Money
Many business owners end up passing on discounts to their customers without intending to. Are you guilty of any of these profit-reducing practices?1. Forgetting to explain your terms of business before starting workIf you do not explain your terms from the outset you leave yourself open to misunderstandings. If your terms of business are payment within 7 days then it is better to find out before you start that the client has no intention of doing that -- especially if you need the cash flow and you have not made provision for the extra interest you will have to pay on your bank loans, or worse.2. Wholesale your timeWe all of us have only 24 hours in a day, seven days in a week -- we can not manufacture more time -- so be careful when a client asks you to wholesale your time. Consider the extra costs of being 'out of the market' for a while, and when the contract expires will you have a lag time before you pick up more business?3. Omitting to have a price policy in place, or do not stick to it if you doImagine you are a river-raft operator and there are only a limited number of times you can go out a year. It costs you the same amount to take one person as it does a full raft. Three people book then show up with a friend -- they argue that all four should go for the price of three because your costs have not increased. You agree with them but then what do you do next week when word has spread and only one person books, but three turn up? And what happens when you fill your raft with non-paying passengers, and just as you are about to

As an education agent you build relationships with educational institutions in various locations around the world, sign agreements to represent them in your country and then market their courses.

Many students that study abroad book their course of study through an agent or consultant in their home country. Even though the internet has made direct bookings possible students often prefer to deal face to face with a representative of an agency in their home country who speaks their native language. Language schools that I work with say that approximately three quarters of their enrollments come through agencies.

Once you have enrolled students with these institutions you then receive a commission payment, usually a percentage of between ten and thirty percent of the tuition fees that your student has paid.

For students studying abroad long term these commission payments can be considerable in some cases as tuition fees can often exceed US$10,000 per year.

Depending on the market you are working in and the amount of time that you put into each case you may also be able to charge your students a consulting fee for your services.

The ‘study abroad’ industry worldwide has continued to grow at a remarkable pace and continued growth is anticipated.

The education consulting business has matured in some countries (particularly Western Europe and Japan) and become quite competitive but in other developing parts of the world such as Eastern Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America where economies have been growing rapidly in recent years tremendous opportunities are available for education agents as the industry expands with large numbers of people joining the ranks of the middle class and being able to afford to travel and study abroad.

The benefits of setting up an agency to entrepreneurs in developing countries are compounded by the fact that local salaries are lower and their income from commissions (often in US$, Euros etc) should ensure them a much higher income than average.

Schools report that student numbers from these developing regions are growing much faster then the more traditional markets in Western Europe and Japan.

Although the best opportunities at the moment are clearly in the developing countries it is possible to set up an agency just about anywhere in the world. Even countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom which have both traditionally been seen as ‘destination’ countries for students could offer good opportunities as it becomes more and more popular for young people to travel, learn languages or take a gap year abroad.

In terms of locating your business only a small office is required at first. Sharing premises with another travel or education related business is a good idea. You may even be able to start off working from home or look at running an online business.

In most countries it is surprisingly easy to start out in the ‘agency’ business and turn it into a small part time business for yourself or even a large business employing other consultants if you are prepared to work hard.

In many countries the ‘study abroad’ consulting business is basically still unregulated and anyone can set up a consultancy. In some countries such as China the government requires agencies to have a certificate issued by the Ministry of Education and in some cases to pay a bond before they can operate.

In order to prevent unethical practice by agencies some agents in various countries have formed agency associations. Members of these associations set out a service standard for their members. It is usually not compulsory to join these associations however members usually benefit from promotion of the association and the fact that some students perceive it to be safer to book with agents that are association members.

In any case before you start planning a new agency business you should check to see if there are any rules or regulations that you have to comply with in the market that you wish to operate in.

It should not be hard for you to build up a database of schools to represent. Many institutions are prepared to work with inexperienced agents and will issue you an agency agreement right away. Others will want to see that you have some experience and want you to complete an application form and give a few references from other schools that you have enrolled students with.

Getting agreements to represent Language schools and High schools is usually much easier than getting agreements to represent Universities.

It is important that you review the agency agreement carefully and understand your rights and obligations as an agent representing a foreign institution in your country. However these agreements are usually just a formality and are not often referred to.

The school should also send you promotional material to help you to market their courses in your country. This usually includes a brochure in English but can also include translated brochures, posters, DVD’s and other multimedia.

Many institutions will have representatives visiting your country and they will usually be very happy to visit your office and talk to you about the courses that they offer and answer any questions that you have.

Over time you need to look at forming relationships with institutions that are not only paying good commissions but also institutions that offer a good standard of service to the students that you place with them and a good standard of service to you as the agent. Institutions that respond to your communication, issue documents and pay commissions promptly are the best ones to deal with.

Most schools want to maintain a good relationship and reputation with agents worldwide so they should offer you a high standard of reliable service.

Using websites like www.agentschat.com and many other online sources it is not hard to find institutions around the world that are looking for international fee-paying students for their programs.

You may also want to specialize by targeting specific markets with specific programs. The following list is to give you a few ideas about the variety of programs that agents offer.

Exam preparation programs – Programs at Language schools that prepare students for examinations such as IELTS or TOEFL.

English plus activities – Many language schools offer English plus sightseeing, surfing, golf etc Becoming Your Own Boss - Starting Your Own Business - Have You Got What It Takes To Succeed?
What personal attributes makes a successful entrepreneur?Self-disciplined and self-motivated: You need personal drive and a belief in your own potential to be a business success. When you first set up your own business you will need to put in the hours and hard work in order to get established. You need to be confident as you are going to be dependant on your own ability. You will have to be capable of marketing your business and yourself. Remember that every customer is a potential advertiser.Decisive and focused: You will need to make plenty of decisions, from business premises to financial backing, you have to decide as you are no longer the employee. Becoming your own boss means gaining a lot of responsibility, but with it comes personal empowerment and greater freedom overall. To succeed you need to be focused on your goal, and effective at providing solutions to the various problems that will surface.Confidence to take calculated risks: Most good business owners have an inherent 'nose' for a good deal and their market, backed up by skills they have learned by experience. Have confidence in your product and make sure you surround yourself with people who believe the best of you - carefully choose the right employees. Most businesses depend on the team effort to succeed - you need to train your staff properly, create a good motivating atmosphere and in turn they will provide a good service. A good boss will be there, talking to, motivating and leading his staff to be effective.Able to set targets - long-range ad become quite competitive but in other developing parts of the world such as Eastern Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America where economies have been growing rapidly in recent years tremendous opportunities are available for education agents as the industry expands with large numbers of people joining the ranks of the middle class and being able to afford to travel and study abroad.

Schools report that student numbers from these developing regions are growing much faster then the more traditional markets in Western Europe and Japan.

In any case before you start planning a new agency business you should check to see if there are any rules or regulations that you have to comply with in the market that you wish to operate in.

Getting agreements to represent Language schools and High schools is usually much easier than getting agreements to represent Universities.

Most schools want to maintain a good relationship and reputation with agents worldwide so they should offer you a high standard of reliable service.

Using websites like www.agentschat.com and many other online sources it is not hard to find institutions around the world that are looking for international fee-paying students for their programs.

You may also want to specialize by targeting specific markets with specific programs. The following list is to give you a few ideas about the variety of programs that agents offer.

Exam preparation programs – Programs at Language schools that prepare students for examinations such as IELTS or TOEFL.

English plus activities – Many language schools offer English plus sightseeing, surfing, golf etc Reaching Star Status in Sales
Being number one on your sales team just isn’t that difficult. Salesmanship is a learned skill. You can perfect that skill. Yes, it does help to have an outgoing personality, high self-esteem and an ego. But, these attributes alone won’t make you successful. Confidence in yourself, confidence in your products and confidence in your company is a key ingredient. The only way to gain this kind of ultimate confidence is by attaining knowledge. Study your products, understand your value propositions and understand what your competitive advantage is.Value PropositionsDon’t blow this concept off as some sales training jargon. Value propositions are extremely important. You have one, your company has one and your products have them. What is it about you that creates value for your customer? What is it about your company that creates value for your customer? What is it about your product that creates value for your customer? It’s not features and benefits.“Perceived Value drives customer expectations” “Performance value drives customer satisfaction”Understanding is the KeyUnderstand yourself first. Determine your strengths. Recognize your weaknesses. Make a vow to work on improving those areas where you are weak. To excel at anything you must have confidence and confidence comes from experience and knowledge. Recognizing your weakness puts you in a position of strength because you become familiar with your limitations and what you need to do to overcome them. Personal understanding is critical to understanding your customers. And, if you don’t understand your customers it is extre>Barriers to Entry

In any case before you start planning a new agency business you should check to see if there are any rules or regulations that you have to comply with in the market that you wish to operate in.

Getting agreements to represent Language schools and High schools is usually much easier than getting agreements to represent Universities.

Most schools want to maintain a good relationship and reputation with agents worldwide so they should offer you a high standard of reliable service.

Using websites like www.agentschat.com and many other online sources it is not hard to find institutions around the world that are looking for international fee-paying students for their programs.

You may also want to specialize by targeting specific markets with specific programs. The following list is to give you a few ideas about the variety of programs that agents offer.

Exam preparation programs – Programs at Language schools that prepare students for examinations such as IELTS or TOEFL.

English plus activities – Many language schools offer English plus sightseeing, surfing, golf etc How To Build A Great Promotional Gift Bag
From “How to Shop on eBay for Dummies” to “How to Loose a Guy in 10 Days,” how to’s are all the rage. It seems like we can’t do anything without being told how to do it first. But, as easy as shopping on eBay and dumping a boy can seem, these things can get difficult at times—especially when attempting to build the perfect promotional gift bag for an event. Even seasoned pro’s can rip their hair out at the thought of a promotional gift bag. But with a few easy and timeless tips, hair loss will merely be a bad memory.Crafting an effective promotional gift bag does not need to consume hours of your day nor tons of your money and resources. It just needs to include the right amount of the right products that appeal to your target audience. So follow these five important, and hopefully, helpful tips to keep you focused.1. Taylor to the event: Not every event planner always makes gift bags for a given event. Sometimes it’s a committee or person under the event planner that takes charge of designing and filling the gift bag. In this case, know your event and all it’s details. Research the location, number of attendees, nature of the company and other events and gift bags done in the past. You want to make sure your products match the theme and purpose of the event.2. Be one with the target: No promotional product achieves success if it does not appeal to the target audience. So, above other things, know your target audience. Ask yourself some questions: Who is coming and why? What would they like to receive from the company throwing the event? What kinds of activities do they do and like? Wheication form and give a few references from other schools that you have enrolled students with.

Getting agreements to represent Language schools and High schools is usually much easier than getting agreements to represent Universities.

Most schools want to maintain a good relationship and reputation with agents worldwide so they should offer you a high standard of reliable service.

Using websites like www.agentschat.com and many other online sources it is not hard to find institutions around the world that are looking for international fee-paying students for their programs.

You may also want to specialize by targeting specific markets with specific programs. The following list is to give you a few ideas about the variety of programs that agents offer.

Exam preparation programs – Programs at Language schools that prepare students for examinations such as IELTS or TOEFL.

English plus activities – Many language schools offer English plus sightseeing, surfing, golf etc A Secret No One Tells New Managers
The Merriam-Webster dictionary lists two meanings for "confrontation." There are "a face-to-face meeting" and "the clashing of forces or ideas." Both are part of being a boss, but hardly anyone tells that to a new manager in advance.You could say that managing others is the art of "controlled confrontation." Doing it well is essential to succeeding as a boss.Part of your job as a manager is accomplishing the mission assigned to your team. Sometimes that means asking your people to do things they'd rather not do. Sometimes it means getting them to stop doing things that affect team performance.You do most of that face-to-face. You need to communicate how things should be done and why it matters. Your subordinates may have different ideas. That's where confrontation happens.Part of your job as a manager is to care for your people. That means helping them succeed which often involves getting them to do things differently. Confrontation can happen there as well.The bottom line is that being a manager requires you to get people to alter their behavior and performance. Since nobody likes to be told that what they're doing is wrong, confrontation will be an inevitable part of your job. But it can't be just any confrontation. In order to be effective, confrontation needs to be controlled.Control confrontation by doing lots of it. The key is to help your people make lots of small course corrections.Lots of small corrections make confrontation easier. You won't be asking your people to make huge changes. You won't be surprising them by telling them that w>What Courses should I Promote?

Using websites like www.agentschat.com and many other online sources it is not hard to find institutions around the world that are looking for international fee-paying students for their programs.

You may also want to specialize by targeting specific markets with specific programs. The following list is to give you a few ideas about the variety of programs that agents offer.

Exam preparation programs – Programs at Language schools that prepare students for examinations such as IELTS or TOEFL.

English plus activities – Many language schools offer English plus sightseeing, surfing, golf etc

University placements – Many language schools also offer University preparation programs and many Universities have foundation programs designed specifically for international students.

Business Language – Agents offering Business Language usually target companies. Language schools usually offer a higher standard of accommodation for executive clients.

Study Tours for youths – Summer study tours for teenagers during vacation times are becoming extremely popular. Agents usually put together an all-inclusive package that includes tuition, accommodation, tours and activities, and guides to accompany the group. Agents can market such programs to schools or parents. Language schools offer groups either ‘open’ programs whereby students are in mixed classes with students of other nationalities or ‘closed’ programs whereby your students form there own exclusive classes. Reassuring parents that their children will be safe and well taken care of is the key to success in this market.

Working Visas – In some countries agents assist their customers to gain working visas and in some cases even help them to find work abroad while they are studying.

High School Placements – Many parents are not satisfied with the school system in their country. A lot of private and state High Schools around the world welcome foreign fee-paying students and have systems set up for their integration and care. Many parents just want to send their children abroad for a year to help them learn the language and for the cultural experience.

Depending on your background and contacts you may have certain advantages when it comes to finding potential customers. If you are working at a High School, an ESL School or a University then you will have good opportunities to meet students and talk about ‘study abroad’ options with them.

Agents that have studied abroad themselves also have a small advantage as they can relate to their customers, have more credibility and also have existing relationships with the educational institutions that they attended.

Most agents find that they get most of their business through ‘word of mouth’ referrals. If you are honest with your students and they have a good experience abroad then they will tell their friends about it and refer their friends to you. It’s important that you manage your client database carefully and keep in touch with your students while they abroad and after they return.

This system of referrals works well when you are well established but a new agency will have to look at other means.

Having an informative website with information about your services and the institutions that you represent is also one of the best ways of attracting students. Of course you also have to promote the website and usually seek expert assistance to increase your page rankings with search engines.

Most agents will agree that the methods listed above are by far the best forms of marketing in the industry. However attending ‘study abroad’ fairs or exhibitions, radio and print advertising, targeted flyers and referrals from teachers (pay them commission) are other ways that can be effective depending on your market.

Once you have a client interested in one the programs that you are offering it is just a matter of going over the information with them in face to face meetings and phone calls. It’s a big decision for your customers as a lot of money is involved and spending a lot of time ‘studying abroad’ will be something that they think through very carefully.

Be ready to answer as many of their questions as possible and if you can’t answer right away then you can look for further information and get back to them.

Developing some kind of sales approach is a good idea and many books have been written on this subject.

Set out all costs clearly to the student on an invoice so that they can see which charges are for the institution and which charges (if any) are for your agencies services. You can always direct them to the institutions website so they can see that they are paying the listed price and that you are not overcharging them.

It is up to you if you want to have students transfer fees to your agencies account and then transfer it on to the school yourself or if you have them transfer fees directly to the school. Some schools insist on full payment and then reimburse commission to the agent at a later date (usually about 6 weeks after your student has started their course). In some cases schools can issue agents a Net invoice, allowing them to deduct their commission from the students payment before transferring the balance.

Once the client has agreed to your offer and all the enrolment papers have been submitted to the institution and the student has been accepted and fees have been paid then you can work on the student’s visa application and help them to make the necessary travel arrangements.

There are many more things to consider but hopefully this article has given you a basic idea of an industry that you may not be so familiar with and a foundation for doing further research.

A ‘study abroad’ agency or consulting business could be the just the small business opportunity that you have been looking for.

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This article discusses the evolution of online directories and their use in company promotion today.

When developing a publicity campaign for their business many owners overlook the importance of trade magazines and journals as vehicles for reaching new customers. While mass media publications have widespread readership, the targeted nature of trade publications make the information that appears within them even more powerful.

Why do I need a sales plan? Sales planning is critical to sales success. Return on Time Invested (ROTI) should be key criteria that every salesperson should use when evaluating their account base. The biggest asset a salesperson has is their time. It is imperative that they manage this asset carefully. Time management is called the queen of the management sciences and the reason why they call it the queen of management sciences is that time management – needs to be “romanced” –salespeople need to go through a fundamental management course every 12- 24 months.

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