If you are a boss or a manager and you have ambitious and great plans to accelerate the overall development and progress of your company or team, the first thing you would logically do is to make sure your employees are on the same sentiment as you are.

The company would not move forward and achieve goals and targets if the team players, the workers or employees that make up the group are not participating or cooperating whole-heartedly.

That is why it is imperative that companies every now and them set employee goal setting activities to help employees better understand the dynamics of the team and motivate them to cooperate in the collective idea and goal of achieving progress and development for the company.

The SMART goals

Thus, before embarking the employees in ambitious and major goals, it is likely and recommended that bosses and managers subject the staff to a session wherein they would be oriented about goal setting.

Experts in the human resources industry know the idea of SMART goal setting. The concept is not to be strictly followed, but adhering to them would help one individual achieve target goals and aims.

The SMART is an acronym that stands for specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely.

One tool that is widely used by profound and organized corporations and companies around the world is the employee goal setting document forms that are distributed to be filled out by employees.

Sometimes, it would not be practical and effective if the management set the goals for the employees. As a standard and effective practice, employers usually orient staff about the needs and target of the company, and allow the employees to set their own goals to help achieve these targets or aims.

Specific

Employee goals need to be specific so the employees would know the definite and specific activities that need to be accomplished.

For example, if a manager tells an employee “improve client satisfaction,” the employee would still feel a little confused because the order is still broad and too general.

To be specific, the order could still be made specific by telling the employee to be “smiling to all clients when dealing with them.”

Measurable

Being measurable, employee goals should be comparable to other goals. By that, measurability is ensured and set making it easier to gauge the effectiveness of certain goals and measures in achieving them.

Achievable

Of course, when setting employee goals, you should make sure that the goals set are achievable. Otherwise, the planning stage would only made futile and ineffective. Time would only be wasted on thinking and devising ways to achieve company goals that would, in the first place, be impossible to achieve.

Realistic

Employee goals should also be made realistic by infusing concept of practicality, achievability and possibility. Just like how employee goals are made achievable, they should also be made realistic so the attainable ends would be realized by the completion or realization of the employee goal.

Timely

The employee goals should also be set with definite and objective deadlines or time frames. Be reminded that sometimes, deadlines are necessary because they encourage activity and productivity.

Overall, employee goals are necessary because they make up for the overall collective goal that would help the company advance further or accelerate growth.

The post How to Set Goals for Your Employees and Yourself appeared first on Affiliate Marketing Blog - Internet Marketing Blog.

What I like to do when I talk with clients is get exactly what they want. Get the color scheme down, make them give you some examples that they like (don’t do it for them!) and give them updates on the design as you go. Nothing is worse then pouring tons of hours into a product then having to start all over. Do the project in phases and get them to sign off on every single aspect of the prospect before you move on.

With that being said, take a look at the infographic below. Some key points from my experience to take away from this illustration:

• Always get 50% or more upfront. The more money they put it in, the more committment they have. Plus, they will take it a bit more serious and want to get the job done as quickly as possible.
• Always get a contract in writing.
• Make sure to explain the project in phases and get their approval on each step.
• Make the client show you sites they like and sites they DO NOT like along with feedback.
• Never give the passwords or do work on their servers. Everything stays with you until they pay you.
• Don’t let them dictate the web design process. You are the professional, so make them realize that.

From: TopWebDesignSchools.org

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His fortune wasn’t built through the Liberty Reserve site according to the report. Belanchuk’s businesses in Costa Rica apparently were financed by using money from child pornography websites and drug trafficking. But it should come as no surprise that Belanchuk was possibly up to some type of criminal activity. In fact, in 2006, he was convicted in New York, along with partner Vladimir Kats, for running an illegal financial company.

At that time, they ran a site called GoldAge, which transmitted over $30 million in funds worldwide with little paper trail. This site allowed people to transfer gold without identification to other parties, which meant it was ripe for money laundering organizations. Even though he was found guilty of the charges and faced up to five years in jail, he only received probation for his crimes. Now, the charges are much worse and it is very likely that he will be doing plenty of time for these latest activities.

While we have never used this payment processor, it was certainly a popular choice for foreign business owners that did not have access to Paypal or did not want to pay the crazy fees that Paypal charges foreign business owners. This is a huge hit to their business model and it will hurt many service providers in countries such as India, Pakistan and the Philippines. I hope that many of the people who used Liberty Reserve got their legitimate money withdrawn before the closure of the website, even though no one knew they were going to be shut down.

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Make sure to check out Demand Metrics, the creators of this great visual!

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Video Marketing Tips

1. Take some time in the brainstorming stage to figure out just want you want to make a video about. Ideally it will be about some problem that a lot of people in your niche need help with. Once you’ve got the idea figured out, narrow down a list of highly targeted, highly searched keywords relevant to that topic.

2. Next you’ll want to come up with a script or outline of the exact points you’re going to cover in your video. By having an outline it can make your thoughts, and words, run smoother which will make a more enjoyable experience for your viewers.

3. Keep the video short and to the point. Don’t let your thoughts meander. Stay on topic. Also, don’t give out too much information, leave something for them to want to visit your website or buy your product.

4. Make sure your visitors can see and hear the video, it won’t do you any good if the audio, video or voice over is hard to see, hear or understand.

5. When uploading your video to YouTube or other video directories, take time to write up a compelling description. Make sure the title of your video has one keyword in it, at least. Also include keywords in your description and tags. These things may not be read by your viewers but the search engines will read them and use them to determine where your video belongs.

Make sure that your description is interesting. Don’t make it the boring “this video is about… blah blah blah”. Intrigue your viewers, keep them interested and guessing. Make it something that they will remember.

6. Get more results from less work, submit your video to more than one video directory, or better yet, submit it to a service that will syndicate it all over the web for you, all on autopilot.

7. Make sure that your video clearly provides the answer to some burning question or concern that the people in your niche might have. Make it something that is common, something that a lot of people struggle with. Giving someone an answer to their problem will go such a long way in establishing your credibility with your viewers who will come to look at you as an expert.

Making a niche marketing video is actually a lot easier than you may have thought but the benefits can pay of in a huge way. All you need to do is get some simple tools, invest some time and effort and you can get a lot of free, and very targeted, visitors to your website. There is a lot of hype online but when it comes to using videos to market your business, it really can be the wave of the future… take a ride!

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Their last big flop was the penultimate photo sharing service on the Internet at the time, Flickr. Now, Flickr is an afterthought since Yahoo bought the service, and other services, such as Facebook and Instagram, took over where Flickr was left in the dust. Will Tumblr fall in the same path at Flickr? Possibly, and here is why.

Old People Ruin Everything

Yahoo is made for older people, or at least that is the demographic that they attract. Again, Yahoo is the original brand that people remember when the Internet was first gaining popularity, so it is only natural that a generation already has Yahoo ingrained in their memory as a go-to place. Yahoo’s purchase of Tumblr reeks of them trying to regain the younger generation  something CEO Marrisa Mayer has already admitted to. But there is something wrong with that strategy. Old people ruins things when they try to be cool too.

Look at MySpace. When it was rolling, the younger generation ruled the roost, and it was the go-to place to connect with friends and discover bands and brands. However, when the older generation wanted to see what the buzz was about, they started to overtake MySpace as well. Suddenly, the parents had MySpace accounts, and it was no longer “cool” to be on MySpace. Even Facebook has gotten older, but it will be harder for them to fall since they have built such a solid base.

Parents Lose Sight Fast

While Mayer has vowed to keep operations over at Tumblr “business as usual,” that rarely every plays out that way. The problem when a company gets purchased is that they want a return on their money as fast as possible, which means they need to change things. Earnings are not a strong point for the Tumblr site, but they will need to be if the purchase is to be successful. That means Yahoo will want to inject their own ideas into the site if it is not gaining enough money on their own. Plus, it is reported that 72,000 blogs have already migrated away from the Yahoo-owned Tumblr, signifying that people do not trust Yahoo enough to put all their work on their servers.

Tumblr is Too Much Like Flickr

I am not a Tumblr user, but my perception of the site is that it is a photo sharing site for the most part. I know it is more then that, but it is primarily photo-oriented. Niche networks rise and fall way too much and are often over-valued in the process. Plus, their brand names both have an “e” missing at the end of their names! Coincidence? I think not! I say this is a bad move for Yahoo but a great move for the founders of Tumblr. It is best to cash out anytime the price tag is over a billion in cash.

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This infographic below will show you all the key points that you need to know about the focus of each of the major social media site. Every site is different, so you need to approach each one differently. Facebook is more casual, while a site like LinkedIn needs to be treated with a more professional tone. Once you get each site mastered, you can begin to tailor your messages accordingly. Download the infographic below so you can learn all the key points and start to succeed!

Make sure to check out SDLSM2.com, the creators of this high quality infographic.

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Whether it is a chamber of commerce or a trade association, members have common problems, issues and concerns. By sharing issues and resolutions, members can benefit by the experience of others. Many business owners participate in organizations, not only to network, but also to hopefully circumvent some of the pitfalls encountered by other small businesses–learning from others.

Social Networking Tips

Many trade organizations provide forums for networking. In some cases, these might be private online newsgroups, casual meetings, or even professional events with speakers. In order to take full advantage of these networking opportunities consider these tips.

Who You Know

It is often not who you know, but who they know. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve seen someone put-off someone who is clearly a beginner only to learn that the “beginner” is the brother or friend of a contact they’ve been trying to meet for weeks.

Honesty

Be honest. Pretending to be something that you are not, or implying you can deliver a product or service that is outside of your abilities, will foster an environment of distrust and potentially harm your reputation. Keep in mind that networking is viral?vital? and if promises are not kept, word will spread. Establishing yourself and firm as an honest, reputable company.

Professional

Keep conversations to strictly business subjects. In a business environment, it is important to focus on safe non-emotional topics. The last thing you want to do is alienate or offend a potential client because of an outspoken view on a controversial topic. There is a time and a place for everything and discussing political views or cultural issues is not a generally accepted business topic. Bearing that in mind, it is also important to be aware and sensitive to cultural differences. The Internet has opened doors to a global market and respecting cultural differences is critical to establishing strong business relationships in the global marketplace.

Socialize

Now is not the time to be a wall flower. Whether you participate in social business events, or monitor trade forums, it is critical that you participate. Participation will help you distinguish yourself in your industry. Attempt to remember individual personal details and foster introductions among others in the industry.

Positive

Stay positive. It sounds simple, but it will really impact how others view you. If you are constantly negative and pointing out the flaws in others, it will reflect on how others view you. Presenting the best and positive business experiences will enhance your image.

Help

Provide genuine assistance to others. Whether or not they are able to reciprocate, networking is viral?vital?. Helping others will establish you as a useful member of your business community and will endear you to others. If you are unable to help an individual, attempt to refer them to someone who can.

Research

A little research goes a long way. Be sure to research people and companies in your business community. Knowing their common goals and interests will build topics for discussions.

Acknowledging the need to connect with others to grow and expand a business may seem like common sense. Cultivating business relationships and interact with other small businesses is often mutually beneficial and should not be underestimated.

Networking is about building relationships and mutual interaction benefiting both parties. Being proactive and following up, you can have a network of contacts that you will be able to access quickly when you need them. Whether by more traditional means, such as in person or over the Internet, personal networks are essential for furthering your business. Relationship networking is give and take, be sure to help others in your quest for help.

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You can leverage their knowledge and use it to your own benefit. By using their keyword tool to target a great list of keywords you’ll be ready for whatever type of online marketing campaign you’re planning on running. Whether you do pay per click, search engine optimization, article marketing or a combination of all of them, having access to such an intuitive keyword tool can make your online marketing life a lot easier.

Of course, it’s generally not a good idea to put all your eggs in one basket or to depend on online statistics too heavily. When you do a search using this keyword tool you can set it up to provide you with a lot of information. You can get the number of monthly searches, an estimate of how much a certain keyword will cost per click if you’re running a pay per click campaign, as well as an estimate of how many competitors you’ll face in any given niche.

All these statistics will offer you only general estimates so don’t set up your campaigns and expect it all to go according to the estimates. If you find a great keyword that you want to use and the keyword tool says that the average cost per click is $1.34 you have to be aware that your actual cost could be higher or lower. Don’t get too caught up in the estimates.

The actual amount you’ll pay per click will depend on many variables. One of these variables is the quality score your ad has been given by Google. The quality score is based on many things, one of them is your click through rate (the number of times your ad is clicked on in comparison to how many times it’s shown).

The more targeted your ad is to your keyword the more clicks you’ll get, or at least that is the way Google looks at it. If two competitors are each bidding on the same keyword, the one who has the highest quality score will get charged less for that keyword than their competitor.

The way Google looks at it, a high click through rate is kind of like an endorsement that your ad is relevant and on target. The searchers like it so Google likes it.

When it comes to using the free Google keyword research tool just be careful that you don’t get too caught up in the numbers. The average cost per click and the average monthly searches are just to give you an overall idea of if the keyword is viable or not, these numbers are not written in stone.

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Pinterest Image Sizes Infographic 

This infographic was created by Mitt Ray of Social Marketing Writing. Make sure to check out his site for many other great resources!

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