The Science of Vaastu

Vaastu is an ancient Indian science. Its origin is believed to have been associated with the set of scriptures that were authored by Hindu seers thousands of years ago. Traditionally, Vaastu is considered part of the Hindu religion and its use has been fairly restricted. However, in recent times, the awareness about Vaastu has increased not only in India but all over the world.

Vaastu is being accepted by people regardless of their religion or country or origin. Now there is widespread acceptance among the people that Vaastu principles can have a significant effect upon the quality of living and health of the peopleVaastu operates on a principle of five basic elements:

Earth: Planet Earth forms the base for the millions of species of living beings and the entire human race. It�s magnetic and gravitation force has a strong influence upon all the living beings of the world

Water: Water is spread across seas, oceans, lakes and rivers. The same water finds way into the human bodies as blood.

Air: Though widely taken for granted, air is the supporting element of life. The quality of human life depends upon the flow, composition, humidity and the general quality of air.

Fire: It is representative of heat and light. It is believed that even human bodies have some element of fire within them to sustain life and enable the various physiological processes.

Space: It is the invisible entity that envelopes the whole world and its people. Even space has a great significance in Vaastu as it provides the medium for psychic energies and electromagnetic radiation.

Vaastu Purusha Mandala

Purusha means cosmic man representing energy, while Mandala means a diagram. Purusha Mandala is a pictorial representation of the principles of Vaastu. It involves a chart made of multiple squares and a symbolic human figure lying on top of it in a specific fashion. Vaastu experts make use of this chart to ascertain the favorable directions for each part of the house.

As per Purusha Mandala, each direction is linked to a specific deity or energy. The chart therefore guides us towards finding appropriate directions for constructing each part of the house. The science is so detailed that it even lays down directions for placing the water tank and the various electric equipment of the house

The author works with JK Lakshmi Cement Limited, which is the leading cement manufacturer of India. It is also among the reputed manufacturers of plaster of Paris

by richa kumari

Tips for Creating an Information Product

Information products are one of the hottest selling items on the
Internet. And for good reason. Where else can you get timely,
relevant information that is exactly what you want...even at 2 am
in the morning?

The problem with information in books at the bookstore is that
many times it is not specific enough. I don't want to know
everything there is to know about audio engineering, I just want
to know how to record a talk, edit it and burn it to a CD to sell
on my web site. Try finding that at your local Barnes and Noble!
But it is relatively easy to find an ebook about that topic on
the Internet. Even better, a video!

Another problem with buying information at the book store is that
any information is at least one year old. That's how long it
takes to edit a book, send it to a publisher, get it printed and
finally placed on the shelves in your local book store. By
contrast, an ebook or other information product will usually have
the latest, cutting edge info on your topic because they are so
easily updated.

Information products can include anything from ebooks, videos and
special reports to complete home study courses that go "thud"
when the mail man drops it on your customer's front porch. But
information products can also include teleseminars, membership
sites and paid newsletter subscriptions.

Tip 1: Ask your prospective customers what they want.

I know this sounds obvious, but what you think your customers
want and what they really want can be two different things. You
have a lot of knowledge about your topic...that's why you are
creating an information product. But your customers do not have
your level of knowledge and are probably asking different
questions than you are.

So, while you are collecting their first name and email, add a
custom field that asks their biggest question about your topic.
After about 100 email subscribers, you will have a really good
idea what it is they are looking for! And you can use that
information to write your sales letter as well.

Tip 2: Think of the trade your customers are making.

When purchasing your information product, your customer is
trading his dollars for your information. Therefore, make it an
easy trade for him. I will trade $47 for information that makes
me $4700 every day of the week! That is why "how to make money"
ebooks sell so well.

I will also trade $47 for information that saves me 2 days
learning how to do something. That is a no-brainer! I am less
likely to trade $47 for cute stories, recipes or how to sew my
own clothes. Get the picture? Make the trade very easy for your
customer!

Tip 3: Try to include one or more of these angles in any
information product. Will the information in your product:

- make people money?
- save people money?
- save people time?
- save people pain (physical, emotional or financial)?

If you can include one or more of these angles in an information
product, you will have a real winner on your hands!

Tip 4: Break your long ebook into parts.

If you have a 150 page ebook, consider breaking it up into three
50 page ebooks. Everyone likes to get more value and it feels
more satisfying to get three different ebooks rather than one fat
one. It feels like you are getting more for your money.

Tip 5: Add enough bonuses to make the purchase a "no-brainer"!

After you create an information product, go out an find about 5
to 6 related products that you can offer as bonuses. If I am
buying a $47 ebook and you offer me $500 in downloadable bonuses,
it makes the buying decision very easy. I recommend downloadable
bonuses because they are easy to deliver and don't cost you
anything. This is also a good excuse to get their email for your
owner's list - you need their email to deliver their bonuses.

Tip 6: Sell first to those who have already bought from you.

Online business owners are like cows many times. We always think
the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. We are
always looking for NEW customers when our best customers are the
ones that have already demonstrated their loyalty by buying our
product!

We need to ask them what else they want. Another great way to
monetize existing customers is a membership site. So much per
month for access to special info, a monthly conference call or
even a private newsletter. Can you say residual income?

So, start with a niche. Ask that niche what they want. And then
start creating information products that satisfy the itch they
are ALREADY telling you they have. It is a blast and you will
achieve expert status in your niche in no time at all!

by Stephen Beck

Taking Your Business to the Next Level

How is your business doing these days? If you are like many companies in America then you are seeing remarkable periods of economic growth. But, if your business is doing well, are you prepared for this growth? It's a nice problem to have. So, how will you handle the "problem" of growth? Many businesses just hire more employees. One approach is to re-locate to a new building. Another is to open another store in the appropriate area to meet the market demand. Moving into a new building may involve renting from an existing space (very common) or constructing an entirely new structure (also rather common). Sometimes business owners may remodel the building they are currently in or annex additional square footage. Therefore, if your business is expanding and you are like many, many businesses who want to establish another franchise or construct a new building for your company, then, needless to say, much careful thought will go into the quality of building into which you will invest your money. Research has shown that metal buildings are the best investment--or, more specifically, steel buildings. Yes, believe it or not, the most economical investment will be to construct your new building (or annex) with steel. Because of all the advantages of erecting a building with steel, you will be very pleased with the decision for many years to come. Therefore, if your business or organization is growing and ready to expand, take a minute to quickly read through some of the advantages of having your business in a steel building.

For starters, the phenomenon of growth and the need for expansion is not limited to just businesses and other type of capital enterprises. There are several other organizations, private entities, or even municipalities that need to build. There is also a need to build new churches, barns, horse riding arenas, sports complexes, schools, hospitals, jails, warehouses, and even aircraft hangars. Each of these can be built with steel. In fact, they can be built relatively quickly when compared to similar-sized wooden structures. Even though some might think that a steel building might be more complex than a wooden structure, erecting a steel building is usually a more streamlined process. In fact, a steel building can be "pre-engineered" so that it is practically "pre-built" at the manufacturing plant before it even reaches the worksite. How is it that a steel building system can be so efficient? The reason is because the parts are pre-punched and pre-welded at the manufacturing plant. As a result, they will be able to piece together in a step-by-step process. You save time in the construction process without compromising on safety or the quality of workmanship.

Besides the benefit of being built quickly, there are other remarkable benefits of choosing a steel building to house your growing business, church, or organization. A business or organization that invests in such a structure will appreciate the relatively low amount of maintenance it requires. Besides, saving on maintenance costs, there is the added health benefit of having steel in the framework of your building. As a material, steel is obviously impervious to the damaging effects of termites, mold, and mildew. Since mold and mildew can present serious health problems when inhaled over long periods of time, being able to prevent its build up is of course desirable. In addition, there is the priceless benefit of having a safe building for your personnel, equipment, and inventory. Since steel does not burn or melt a fire in a steel building can be more quickly and easily contained (sometimes contained to one room). Because of this type of engineering, some insurance companies will offer you discounts (ask your agent for details). Thirdly, the combination of low-maintenance, the absence of damaging agents (such as termites, mold, or mildew), and the resistance to fire make a steel building a structure that will potentially last for many decades to come. Therefore, for all the preceding reasons, the growth of your business, church, municipality, or other organization uses a building made with steel, the pay-off will last for many years to come.

Besides being built quickly and a high-quality building on the inside, modern steel building's can give your business or organization a very attractive look. Some business owners may have an out-dated or mere caricature image of a steel building in their minds. They may picture a large, grayish or metallic structure that resembles a giant toaster. In some cases, steel buildings used to look that way. Today, a steel building can look rather impressive. Many distributors of these sturdy metal buildings will offer you the choice of brick, rock, stone, stucco, and even glass. So, you have no need to worry about your business or organization being in a metal building that is just an ugly blight on the community. Indeed, they can easily be built to satisfy local zoning requirements. This is welcome news since your new building will likely be around for many decades to come. Moreover, having an attractive building is inviting for people in the community to come into your new building which of course can increase your cash flow. Therefore, in conclusion, if your business has grown to the point that you cannot accommodate the increase in traffic at your current location, then you will likely need to move into a larger facility. In order to receive the most value for your real estate investment, give yourself all the benefits of a steel building.

Author Bio: John Rockford hopes your business is growing, too. For more information on metal buildings and how they can expand your business, visit http://www.gensteel.com.

by John Rockford

Simple Steps to Make Your Office More Green

As concern over global warning increases, businesses are under pressure to reduce their impact on the environment. While it is easy for a factory to identify how they can reduce their carbon dioxide emissions, what about the average office? One simple solution is to remember the three R�s, reduce, reuse and recycle.

The biggest output from any office is waste paper. It is estimated that the average office worker produces 1.5 pounds of paper per day. And despite the promise of a paperless office, the sales of office paper continue to climb. While some paperwork must be stored for record retention guidelines, most of this paper ends up in the trash.

Every office can work on reducing the amount of paper they throw away. Some simple changes can make a big impact. Keep just one network printer in a central location and it will reduce the number of unnecessary print outs. Eliminating printers in every office not only reduces paper consumption but eliminates maintenance costs.

You should also try to make all intra-office communication electronic where possible. Don�t just look at memos but any process that requires a piece of paper being printed.

Why not reuse all of the paper that does not contain sensitive or personal information. The unprinted backs make great scratch pads for the conference room. Just set a box next to the printer to collect all the bad copies. You can also create memo pads by cutting the sheets in four and stapling them together.

Even after you have taken steps to reduce paperwork and re-used where possible a certain amount of wasted paper work is inevitable. This includes junk mail, envelopes, retired files and day to day work.

Although most businesses are interested in recycling there are some complications. Several privacy laws govern the proper disposal of private information. The principal of these is the Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act, FACTA. It requires shredding for anything that contains personally identifiable information.

FACTA has led many offices to buy a shredder and then dump the contents in the trash. An easier solution to combine security with recycling is a paper shredding service. A shredding service will not only recycle all the paper an office produces but they will shred it in compliance with privacy laws.

The hidden benefit is the office saves the expense of buying inefficient desk side shredders. These cheap shredders are not only slow but end up in the trash when they inevitably seize up.

And don�t forget to buy recycled office paper. Purchasing 100% post-consumer office paper lightens your carbon footprint by 5 pounds of carbon dioxide per ream. It also causes 35% less water pollution, uses 40% less energy, and produces 74% less air pollution according to the EPA.

If you are looking for paper shredding in your area visit Shred Nations.

by Melinda Powleson

Reward Yourself Without Wrecking Your Budget

Most people who begin a business working from home are operating on less than a shoestring budget. The problem is, as most of us realize, that it takes money to make money. You must have money to invest in your business in order for it to grow. Despite all the claims to the otherwise you need to make some sort of investment, quite often a painful investment in your business in order for it to really take off as it should.

There are many online gurus who claim you can start with nothing and build an empire. That isn't entirely true. You must have something to offer first of all, and second, you absolutely must have someone to whom you can offer your product or service. Services may require items you already have. In that you are actually quite fortunate. But, you need to make sure you do not need a business license in order to operate in your area, insurance (this is an important one that often gets overlooked but any business needs to make sure they are properly covered against professional liability as well as physical damage to equipment, office space, loss of income, etc.), advertising, and any other incidental expenses that may present themselves along the way.

While insurance, equipment, and licenses are important in getting your business going, advertising is what will keep your business growing. If your business isn't growing then something needs to change and you need to make serious adjustments to your advertising budget. I know what it means to operate on a shoestring, believe me; even those get stretched and frayed at times. However, if you aren't investing at least part of your income back into your business through advertising you are doing yourself and your business a huge disservice.

I also know that most of us sacrifice so much during the process of getting our business up and running and off the ground that we are very tempted to reward ourselves with our profits and it is very hard to set limits for that. Here are a few things I recommend to help you reward yourself in small ways while investing in your business for larger payoffs later.

1) Small rewards. Small rewards work wonders for the mind and body while reaffirming your efforts for a greater payoff later. Start with something small like a favorite scented candle for your work area. You will enjoy the pleasant aroma as you are working towards bigger and better rewards for your space at a later date.

2) Reward yourself with family time. Most of us sacrifice so much family time with our work that it is important not only to reward ourselves for our sacrifice and hard work but also our families who have sacrificed that time together as well. Something as simple as renting and watching a movie together while cooking frozen pizza and microwave popcorn can be a relatively inexpensive yet priceless reward for the entire family.

3) Reward yourself with time off. This may cost future income; it also may not. The important thing is that it will not take money from the business budget and will still allow you to have fun and put food on your table. Play a board game with the family or take a walk around the neighborhood. Get out and connect with those around you so that you remember why you wanted to work from home in the first place. My personal favorite is working out and riding my bike. It recharges your battery, keeps you healthy, and doesn't cost a penny.

The thing about rewards is that they do not have to cost money and some of the best rewards don't cost a penny that you would not have otherwise spent. By saving the money you would have spent by going out to eat or catching a movie at the local theatre you've actually saved a pretty nice amount of money that you can reinvest into your advertising budget while giving yourself a nice reward for all of your hard work.

by Adam Terebeckij

TOP 10 LEGAL TIPS FOR STARTING A BUSINESS

Prepare written contracts for customers to sign. Any contract over $500 must be in writing. The contract should explain your company�s duties and your client�s responsibilities.

2) Choose the correct business structure. Make sure your structure is good for tax purposes and limits your personal liability. Generally, accountants like S corporations and attorneys like Limited Liability Corporations (LLCs). To find out which is the best entity for you, please consult a business lawyer with a tax expertise.

3) Do not commingle your personal and business finances. Operate your business like a business. Do not commingle your personal and business finances. Otherwise, the personal liability protection provided by a corporation and/or LLC or relevant business entity will be jeopardized.

4) Have written agreement between you and your partners. You and your business partner or partners should have a written agreement that outlines your management responsibilities, your capital contributions, the procedure for admitting new partners or shareholders, and whether additional cash or property contributions are required. You should consult a business attorney to help you draft a well-written partnership or business agreement.

5) Prepare for the possibility of death, disability, and the likelihood that one partner or shareholder wants to be bought out. A buy/sell agreement should be drafted to address the possibility of death, disability, and/or one person wanting their interest to be bought out. As a business owner, you do not want to enter business with your partner�s family members. Upon any of the above contingencies, your business must have a written contract explaining the process for buying out your partner�s interest. This ensures a smooth business transition period.

6) Watch out for oral contracts. As a small business owner, you or your partners can create an oral contract without realizing it. If another party believes there is a contract, there may be a valid contract. Follow the advice in #1.

7) Be careful when you hire independent contractors versus employees. Small business owners do not want to pay payroll taxes and hire independent contractors to avoid this responsibility. In contrast, IRS and State of Illinois may treat your independent contractor as an employee. Therefore, IRS & Department of Revenue (State of IL) will assess interest and penalties for back owed taxes. Speak with an attorney or CPA before hiring independent contractors or employees.

8) Be careful about choosing to break contracts. Small business owners will enter contracts and choose to break them. A lot of times small business owners do not obtain the level of service and expertise that vendors promise them. Consequently, small business owners stop paying their vendors. Small business owners must maintain records and specific examples and correspondence with their vendors before breaching the contract. Evidence strengthens an attorney�s negotiating power when defending your company for breach of contract. The power of a written word is more powerful than oral communication.

9) Hiring and firing employees should be carefully done. Many small business owners do not provide their employees an employee handbook. An employee handbook should be carefully drafted by an HR consultant or an attorney to ensure that costly litigation does not force your small business out of business. Small business owners should be careful to document why an employee was fired. Fired employees sue their former employers.

10) Do not infringe another company�s trademark. Small business owners especially high tech companies should be careful that they do not violate another company�s trademark. A trademark is a logo/symbol that represents another company�s good will such as a logo, name, and/or symbol. Fore more thorough analysis, you should consult an intellectual property attorney.

11) BONUS - Follow Federal & State Securities Laws when you raise money from investors. Small business owners must comply with Securities Act of 1933 & 1934 and state securities law. A private placement memorandum (PPM) is required. A PPM is similar to a business plan. A PPM should address relevant legal issues and make full disclosures to investors. A PPM is necessary to enable an investor to evaluate the soundness of a business investment. When raising money from family and friends, make sure you comply with Federal and State Securities Regulations.

Sean L. Robertson is the principal partner with Sean L. Robertson (SLR). SLR is a tax planning boutique law practice that concentrates in business and corporate planning, tax planning, and estate planning for business owners and real estate investors. Visit him on the web at www.SLRTaxPlanning.com.

With permission of www.InvestWithPassion.com

by With Passion

Is Conference Calling Replacing Face-to-Face Meetings?

Conference calling and web application sharing conference calling are the rage right now and becoming the new technology of choice for many businesses. Businesses who are either focused on going �green� or those who are trying to leverage profit to the bottom-line by saving on travel expenses are flocking to use these services, but can and will conference calling ever actually replace face-to-face meetings?

Our business is conference calling and web conferencing. We�re technology experts at helping you to use and implement teleconferencing and web conferencing in your daily business strategies effectively. You could say that we�re �bullish� on conference calling, but even we realize that face-to-face meetings will never be totally replaced by these exciting new technologies.

Why won�t conference calling replace face-to-face meetings? Sometimes the deal is all about people, the nuances of bargaining, negotiation, and deal brokering, is based on a subtle give and take, psychology, non-verbal cues, sometimes even demeanor, and your own presence and personality. Although conference calling and even web conferencing with video can do many things to move selling, a deal, or the negotiation process forward, the culmination of these efforts will most likely still be done with a final face-to-face meeting.

So why use conference calling at all? Conference calling can definitely replace many of the initial meetings and conversations held to nail down important aspects of a deal, saving a business time and money. Conference calling can still bind a geographically separated team together that is working on a project, and enhance communications between team member and clients. But most importantly, the use of conference calling can save money typically spent on travel expenses for these preliminary meetings making a deal or project much more lucrative in the long run.

So when should you use conference calling? Here are some of the times that you may want to consider using conference calling instead of a business trip to a client or prospect:

1. Team and member meeting introduction. Early contact with a client can certainly be done with conference calling. Having your team member hear from the client themselves what is important on a project can be done on the telephone effectively and can be highly valuable to all members providing support and services on a project. This communication can help everyone to keep and maintain the proper focus when working on the project.

2. Selling presentations using PowerPoint slide shows and even software demos can easily be done with web conferencing; a new twist on phone conferencing that introduces the computer screen, video, and application sharing using the Internet as the exchange medium.

3. Action planning, strategic planning and follow-up meetings can be effectively done with conference calling. A spontaneous or quickly scheduled meeting is perfectly suited to the use of conference calling; helping to connect everyone on a project for a quick status check or an important change of direction.

4. There are endless other scenarios in your own personal business dealings when conference calling would save you time or money, increase employee productivity by not having to leave the office, and not hurt the deal or negotiation.

When should you not use conference calling? There are a few situations where face-to-face communication is crucially important and may even be demanded. These situations can change for each project but below are a few examples that illustrate when personal contact is really better than conference calling.

1. A face-to-face meeting will be best to negotiate or bargain on a deal or project or to close a deal and get the contract signed. In any meeting where there is a high give and take exchange factor, conference calling may not be the best way to handle the situation.

2. When there is a contentious problem that really must be resolved to move the selling process or project forward. When tempers have flared due to a missed deadline, missed benchmark, or change in a deliverable, a face-to-face meeting is best. Clients may actually perceive your face-to-face visit as assigning their project more �value�, in their eyes, and may actually demand this action especially if the project has a high dollar value.

The bottom-line is that conference calling can easily replace planning meetings or �feel good� visits, but conference calling will never replace the personal touch that only a face-to-face meeting can provide in hard situations or where a strong give and take between participants is expected in advance.

Amy Linley gives practical and usable advice regarding communication and meetings at AccuConference - http://www.accuconference.com.

Find out more about our conference call, web conferencing and video conferencing services from AccuConference - http://www.accuconference.com/conferencecalls.

by Amy Linley