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How would you like to increase your business by 10% or more? Guaranteed! The first time I heard such an offer, many years ago, I was skeptical. But that was before I learned Murray Raphel's "Four-mula for Success."
It sounded logical, so I decided to give the approach a try. And the results have been phenomenal: in fact, my business has increased an average of over 16% for the last 9 years!
I am confident that your business, too, will have a similar increase in sales if you put Raphel's ideas to work. All you need to do is give me the time to read the rest of this column, then 15 minutes a day for the next year.
That's all. If your business does not increase the minimum of 10% that I guaranteed earlier, I'll give you a free one year subscription to any business magazine of your choice with no questions asked. Just drop me a note at the Mercer County Small Business Development Center.
However, I should tell you that I am not planning to give out very many subscriptions, as I don't think this will be necessary. Raphel's ideas work, as evidenced by the fact that he travels over 200,000 miles a year throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and the Pacific Basin to both meet with clients and serve as a keynote speaker at international conventions.
What follows are the four things you need to do accompanied by examples that apply to almost any small business. You can do any one of them four times or you can do each one separately. The key is to make your daily total equal four.
1: Make four phone calls a day.
These four calls don't have to be of the "cold call' variety, either. It is a real pain to have to call people out of the clear blue sky, so don't bother. Instead, make these four calls to people you know.
If you are a DJ and have a regular job at a club, call the club owner to thank him or her for having used you over the years.

He added, "That's what's guided much of our economic agenda."

Over the last year, Obama said, the economic stimulus and recovery act has provided for 68,000 loans totaling nearly $29 billion for small businesses, with some $8 billion in federal contracts going to such companies.

"In addition, as a result of a bill I signed into law a few months ago, businesses are now eligible for tax cuts when … they hire unemployed workers," he said. "Companies are also able to write off more of their investments in new equipment."

He added, "As part of the health reform package, 4 million small business owners recently received a postcard in their mailboxes from the IRS, and it was actually good news: It told them that they could be eligible for a health care tax credit this year that could be worth perhaps tens of thousands of dollars to these small businesses."

But while the economy is now growing and adding jobs, Obama said the government needs to do more to support small businesses.

He urged Congress to swiftly pass a measure of tax breaks and lending incentives, including eliminating the capital gains tax for investment in small businesses and setting up a state small business credit program to help fill shortfalls left by state budget deficits.

Long Island Small Business Owner Magazine will offer a 4 Hour Seminar for those interested in Learning how to Design and Publish Websites. There is no HTML Code knowledge required! If you can move a mouse and typre on a keyboard, you can create a website. The total cost for this seminar, including software is only $199.00. The seminar will take place on June 19, 2010 from 9am until 1pm at the Adelphi University Center Computer Lab at 55 Kennedy Blvd in Hauppauge, NY. 800-435-5760

Or if you just did photography for a wedding, call the couple a few weeks after they return from their honeymoon and ask them how their trip was. (Naturally, also thank them for hiring you; in addition; you can use this opportunity to get some feedback on how you did. And make sure you ask for some names of friends and relatives that you might contact about future jobs.)
This all might sound basic to some readers, but if it isn't for you, then try the idea. Just think: When was the last time somebody called you to say "thanks" for something you may have bought? I bet this hasn't happened very often.
To cite another example: I once had a tooth removed by a dentist, and he called me up that night to see how I was doing. I was in a lot of pain, but I still remember the call and how pleased I was with the fact that the dentist cared enough about me to give me a call. Needless to say, I'd never go to another dentist.
You might already be noticing that my examples involve lots of different situations. The reasoning behind my choices all involve some form of business when you think about it, and as I like to say, "Business is business." This is true whether we're talking about a musician, photographer, or even dentist, and it applies to situations in bother Mercer County and the rest of the country.
2: Write four letters a day.
Whenever I tell this to a seminar group, I hear many groans. Somebody then inevitably asks me, "Do you actually do this? And, if so, how do you find the time?"
Let me answer the second question first: Yes , I do this every day of my life. However, I don't write four letters a day. I usually write many more. As to how I manage to find the time, I can best answer that question with one of my own: How can anybody not manage to find the time? If the success of your business is not worth 15 minutes per day, then maybe you shouldn't be involved with a small business.

Once again I have been won over by a speaker at my Long Island Connects Networking Meeting. I also must stress the importance of one on one, face to face networking. Let me explain......

I have sat across the room from Nancy Borg of "Move the Mess" on numerous occassions. I knew that Nancy was a Professional Organizer. What I did not know was, exactly, what a Profesional Organizer can do. When I think of organizers I think, closets. I picture someone coming into my home to organize my mess and show me how to stop being messy. Nancy Borg is so much more than just someone who can straighten up a mess. First off do not confuse Nancy Borg's company, "Move the Mess" with that of a cleaning service. The purpose of "Move the Mess" is not to clean, but to organize. There is a difference.

I have to admit that I have never, truly, considered myself an organized person. After listening to Nacy for 30 minutes I now must admit that statement into evidence as fact. There are so many factors of getting organized that I have never considered. So many ways of increasing productivity, that I have never even thought of. So much do we acumulate in our lifetime, much that we could not contemplate the thought of letting go of.....yet we need to! That's what Nancy Borg does and does well.

Organized from birth, by her own admission, Nancy is a professional. A member of The National Association of Professional Organizers, Nancy takes her career very seriously. What's better than hiring someone that is organized? Organization equals effectiveness and productivity. It can be as simple as the condition of your notes and schedule, to remembering your various passwords. How many of us are guilty of forgeting a password every now and then, expecially if you have a few like I do.

Nancy Borg is very approachable. She believes in what she does and wants to make a difference in other people lives. She motivates and instructs in a way that will make you feel comfortable with someone to whom you are letting into your life.

We are all guilty of procrastination. I must say that there is no better time like the present to get organized. If not now, when? You can contact Nancy at (516) 458-0324. Do it now before you forget where you saw this article!