Tree of Coaching

Archive for October, 2009

Remodeling a small bathroom can improve your home

Everyone goes into your bathroom. You’ve probably got bedrooms and studies and other rooms and places in your home that your visitors never ever venture into unless they’ve asked for the “guided tour” and even then that will be the only time they see those places. On the other hand, anyone that remains in your house longer than an hour or so is bound to see the inside of your bathroom for one reason or another.

It makes a lot of sense then, when you are making improvements to your property, to consider the bathroom as a very important item on your list because potentially it can make a very big difference.

Sadly many people don’t give their bathroom the love and care that it deserves when they remodel. It could be because they fear the job or the expense or both. There are many things that you can do to improve your small bathroom that aren’t difficult and aren’t too expensive.

Remember that improving a small bathroom isn’t always about its physical size but more about it’s apparent size and how you give an illusion of space to your visitors. Choosing light cheerful colours, adding lighting around the edges of the bathroom and carefully placing a mirror or two are all cheap and relatively easy things you can do that can make a lot of difference in a small bathroom.

Reasons for improving your property

People undertake home improvements for many reasons but the most common ones are listed below.

* Repairs
* Better standard of living
* Add value to the property
* Make efficient use of energy
* For a change and because they can

Lets take each one of these and see how they apply to your small bathroom.

Small bathroom maintenance

Repairing faulty equipment in your bathroom is going to benefit everyone no matter how big or small your bathroom is. It will also increase the value of your home if everything is seen to be in good working order. If this is the only thing that you intend to do to your bathroom then take action and do it. You will be rewarded for it.

Raising your standard of living

Adding to and improving the features in the most used room in the house can make a big difference to your living standards. Make your bathroom a place that you are more than happy to spend time in.

Increase the value of your home

This is a big and very important reason for creating the best small bathroom design that you can manage. When it comes to selling your home an impressive bathroom can make a very real difference. If you are planning to sell up soon then you should pay particular attention to your bathroom.

Becoming more energy efficient

Think about energy conservation when you are planning your small bathroom design. You have the opportunity to make some energy savings and to do your part to save the planet. By installing a high efficiency water heater in the shower and taking showers sometimes instead of baths you can lower your electricity and water usage. Changing your toilet for a dual-flush type can save a lot of water.

Because you feel like it

Some people just like to change things now and then and there’s nothing wrong with that providing you are prepared to spent the time and money and have a lot of patience.

Remember that redesigning a bathroom can make a big difference to your life no matter how small it is.

Ideas for remodeling small bathrooms Remodeling and Small Bathroom Design at http://www.bathroomsremodeling.this-info.com

So you want to start your own virtual assistant business. Great! I assume you want to start your own VA business not only to own your own business, but also to make money. More and more businesses are outsourcing and paying VA’s, and there is no reason why you can’t be one of them.

You’ve got your business name, all the office equipment you need, and you’ve got the determination to make your business a success. So now the big question is, how do you go about finding clients?

What Type of Services Will You Provide?

We all have certain areas where our talents and interests lie. You have so many choices as to what areas you want to special in. There’s a good chance you already have experience in some of the specialty areas. Maybe you don’t even realize all of the areas VA’s are working in.

Here’s just a small sampling of the services you could offer:

Administration
Writing services (technical or creative)
Proofreading and editing, research (online or traditional)
Scheduling
Bill paying
Simple website design
Newsletter distribution
Reminder services
Event planning
Concierge services
Research
Data processing/data management
Desktop publishing
Transcription services
Mail and email services
Telephone/fax services
Internet services
Bookkeeping
Purchasing services
Marketing services
Personal services

Once you know the types of services you are going to offer, it’s time to find you some clients.

What to Charge

It isn’t too hard to figure out what to charge. Start by contacting local support service businesses in your area. Ask them if they can send you a price list. Get several of these to learn what everyone else is charging. You don’t want to charge too much and you don’t want to under price yourself so you look like you don’t do great work. Find the happy medium and go with that amount. Prices are not set in stone. If you have to change your prices down the road, so be it.

Get Some Business Cards

If you want to look professional, make sure you get your business cards right away. You never know when you might meet someone who needs the services you’re offering. When that time comes, all you need to do is pull out your card and hand it to them. Never be without your business cards!

Here are some great sites where you can get business cards from free to as low as $10 for 250 cards.

http://www.vistaprint.com (Click on FREE business cards)

http://www.overnightprints.com

http://www.dcp-print.com/Products/Free_Business_Cards.asp?agent_camp=1300001

(Try them out for free)

Tell Your Circle of Friends and Family About Your Business

Since you already have a relationship with your family and friends, don’t forget to tell them about your new VA business. While your brother might not need your services, there’s a good chance that he might know someone who does. You can start networking right away with those you already know.

Think about designing a letter or oversized postcard about your service and send it to everyone you know. Maybe even include a picture of yourself, the name of your business, the services you offer and ask that if they can’t use your service, to please recommend your business to others who might. If you send a letter, include a couple of your business cards for passing on to your possible clients.

Send Out Press Releases

A press release is a great way to start your business off with a bang. I want to mention here though that a press release is not something you just send out when you open your business. I’ll talk more about this a little later.

Here are some great places to find press release tips and templates:

http://www.press-release-writing.com/press-release-template.htm

http://www.marketingsource.com/pressrelease/releaseformat.html

Where to send your press releases:

- Local Newspapers
- Local Business Publications
- Local Radio Talk Shows
- Local TV News Stations

Online sites to send your press release for free:

http://www.prweb.com/aboutg.php

PrWeb is free and you can pick what area you want your press release
to be distributed to.

Other reasons to send out a press release:
? You’re offering a new service
? Launching a website for your business
? You’ve won a high profile client account or contract
? You’ve had an unusual challenge or adversity and overcome it; especially when others thought it couldn’t be done.
? You participate in a fundraising event or you are to serve in a charitable organization.
? You’re offering or sponsoring a workshop, seminar, or conference
? If you’re changing the company name, location, web address, or product name

I’m The Answer to Your Problem

Convincing your future clients that they should hire you might seem a little scary at first. But once you build more clients, and they start telling you what a godsend you are, your confidence level is going to soar.

Here are some convincing ideas to consider…

- Tell your future client why they need you. Maybe you work odd hours, or you have very reasonable rates. Go over the services you offer and why you are so good at what you do.

- Explain to the client what skills you possess, your background, and your education.

- You can help your client catch-up on a backlog of work that other employees aren’t able to get to.

- You offer reduced costs and expenses for your client. They don’t have to pay you benefits or sick time.

- You will help their business grow with your marketing techniques.

- Thanks to the technology that is currently available, using your services will save the client money. Explain that you reduce overhead. They only pay you for work completed. They aren’t paying someone if there is no work to do. Plus your client doesn’t have to pay for sick or holiday time, or for health benefits.

It won’t be long until you’re confidence, strong and bright, shines through. You won’t have any problems explaining to a future client that you are the right person for the job, or that you are the solution to their problems.
So What Are You Waiting For?
Making money in a virtual assistant business can be done. Full time VA’s are making about $38.000 a year. This year, why can’t that VA be you?
For more information about this business visit: http://www.bizymoms.com/cart/careers/va_kit.html

About the Author

Liz Folger is the founder of http://www.bizymoms.com. Bizymoms.com is the leading online resource for work-from-home ideas. The site offers home-based business start-up kits, online classes, e-books, chats and enthusiastic support for moms who want to have it all – a family and a career. Visit http://www.bizymoms.com for more information.

Temperature measurement is very important to a whole range of areas and activities: science, scientific research, manufacturing, medicine and travel. Many European, Asian and African businessmen and tourists often travel to the USA and UK. These countries have not adopted the use of the modern metric system of measurement i.e. the SI system.

The accepted base SI unit of temperature is the Kelvin. A change of 1K is the same as 1 degree Celsius. As the degree Celsius is a convenient, easy to grasp in every – day – life metric unit, therefore both units are used in parallel. The Kelvin is used by scientists and engineers and the degree Celsius by everybody else worldwide. There are however, two prominent exceptions: the USA and UK who commonly use the Fahrenheit scale.

Daniel, Gabriel Fahrenheit, a German physicist was born in 1686 in Gdansk, Poland. The concept of the thermometer for measuring temperature changes is credited to Galileo. Fahrenheit is known for inventing the alcohol and mercury thermometers. His temperature scale is based on affixing 32? for melting point of ice and 212? for the boiling point of water under normal atmospheric pressure. The interval between two affixed points is being divided into 180 equal parts (the degrees Fahrenheit). The Fahrenheit scale was generally in use by English speaking countries up until 1970.
Travelers to the USA and UK are often faced with the problem of how to efficiently convert the temperature in the degree Fahrenheit to the temperature expressed in the degrees Celsius without making a mistake and with a sufficient approximation.

The conversion formula “Fahrenheit to Celsius” is:

?C = 5/9 (?F – 32?); read:

“In order to express the temperature in the degrees Celsius, I need to divide 5 by 9 and the result multiply by the temperature in Fahrenheit lowered by 32?”.

Quite awkward, isn’t it?

A much simpler way to remember and easier method to do mentally is to memorise the four following steps:

?F→→→?C : “Subtract 32, divide by 2, add 10% ( or 1/10) of the result and add 1% of the total”.

Let us see how it works:

E.g. 1: 98 ?F (your normal body temperature) →→→66 →→→33 →→→36.3 →→→36.7 ?C (rounded off to one decimal place).

E.g. 2: 102 ?F (your possible body temperature) →→→70→→→35→→→38.5→→→38.9 ?C

(High, pay a visit to the doctor!).

E.g. 3: 68 ?F (pleasant, refreshing outdoor temperature)→→→36→→→18→→→19.8→→→20 ?C

If you in a good mood, hum these four steps before the travel: “su-di-a-a”, “su-di-a-a”, “su-di-a-a”…!

Have a nice trip and keep warm!

Wacek

PS.: Have you read my former article: “The Travelers Temperature Tips”?

If so, you will be able to find the answer to the following puzzle:

FORGETFULNESS

A student solving a problem on transfer of heat found a correct temperature change. However, he presented the answer without a unit. As it turned out, it did not matter whether he gave the temperature in the degrees Fahrenheit or the degrees Celsius. The answer remained the same. What temperature was it?

Wacek Kijewski is the author of the 2007 edition – “SI Units, Conversion and Measurement Skills” (186 pp); USD 19.95 (Amazon USD 218 and USD 361). Stimulating and entertaining resource material on experimental science matters. Strongly recommended for students and lecturers of post-16 science and engineering courses. Read seven reviews: UNESCO, UK, South Africa, Botswana, United States, Hungary. Subscribe to free “SI Newsletters”; solve “The da Vinci code” puzzle, buy one copy and get the second copy free. Website: http://www.wacek.co.za The book from other boksellers/websites is illegal.
His former articles: “How to Measure Cultural Differences in Metric Units”, “Is IQ the Metric Unit
of Intelligence and … Stupidity?”, “Al – Gebra and Illuminati Linked Discovered”.
Born in Poland, Wacek Kijewski studied electronics, telecommunication, acoustics and pedagogy. He taught science in Poland, Hungary and became Lecturer and Principal Tutor in Nigeria and Botswana.

The growth being recorded in the Telecoms industry in Africa and Nigeria in particular, within the short period mobile communication started is tremendous. Nigerian telecommunication is the largest and the fastest growing in Africa and can compete favorably globally in terms of growth rate. With unified licensing in place, service providers have the capability to diversify there services.

Need for a corresponding growth in Mobile Technology

As the rapid growth in the sector has been established, there has to be a corresponding growth in the technology which will drive it. Whether the technology in place now is sufficient is the issue one has to look into, but there is every need for us to advance and improve on what we have on the ground now, the quality of service being offered to consumers has to be high and the pricing right.

With the 2nd generation (2G) technology already in use, it enables data to be transferred only at the rate of 14.4kbps, with voice and SMS transmitted at the same speed. we also have seen the use of GPRS(general packet radio service)making it possible for mobile devices to be connected permanently to networks at the speed of a dial ?up internet access. Which makes it possible to access the internet with our mobile phones and also deliver multimedia messaging (MMS).This service is fast gaining grounds here. It has also changed the way GSM phones are used today.

The future is Multimedia

The technology evolving today is such that will allow full multimedia experiences, allowing users to download videos, make video calls, download contents from the web, picture messaging, make voice calls, send SMS,and other services already in use. All these have to be transmitted at a greater speed than what we have now. The technology is the much hyped 3rd generation mobile technology (3G).This allows data transmission at a greater speed of say 2mbps.

Are we there yet?

With what I observe globally, 3G technology is a developmental process which needs not be rushed, this service became widely in use in Europe in 2004 and I still don’t think it has been fully deployed there. I find it hard to come to terms with what some service providers here say, that they already have their networks running on a 3G. I see it as not being true because the customers should experience at least improved quality of service and increased speed of basic applications such as web browsing, content download, email etc in what they offer, this to me is the initial stage of 3G.You can agreed with me that such services are not yet in place, so why the hype about it. Service providers should consider these factors; quality of service provided, range of the service, pricing, and quality of coverage in a 3G network. The right infrastructure has to be in place too.

3G when fully in place will surely change the way we use our GSM phones and improve our mobile lifestyle in Nigeria. Having said all that, the future is really bright and promising for us. With huge investments being made in the sector, 2007 might be the beginning of this evolution for us. The future of mobile communication is 3G!

OMERUO NDUKAKU KENNETH IS AN ICT CONSULTANT AND AN INTERNET MARKETER WITH SPECIAL INTEREST IN MOBILE COMMUNICATION.HE IS THE OWNER OF THE WEBSITE http://www.gsmusersforum.com
-AN ONLINE COMMUNITY OF MOBILE PHONE USERS.

If you’re hosting a football party, games can be a great source of half-time entertainment – and keep the laughs rolling until well after the final whistle has blown. Here are a couple of ideas to entertain the guests at your football party:

“Football Charades” Football Party Game

When it comes to football party games, you can’t get much better than football charades. With this variant of the classic miming game, a set of cards with football-related words on them must be prepared prior to the party. Suggestions include ?cheerleader?, ’spectator?, ?hotdog?, ‘touchdown?, ?quarterback?, ?goal? and ?pass?. The first contestant must choose a card and act out the word shown, with the first person to correctly guess the word being the next one to choose a card.

“Football-tossing Competition” Football Party Game

This is a classic among football party games, especially after the beer has started flowing!! Using a hoop or a basket as a target, contestants must try and throw the football into or through the target. If players succeed at their first attempt, they must move further away from the target and try again. Once a player misses the target, they are out of the football party game. Make the game more challenging (and entertaining to watch!) by making players wear a blindfold or spin around 5 times before throwing the football. The winner of this football party game is the last player left standing.

When it comes to hosting a football party, games can be the difference between a good party and a great one. Whether their team wins or loses, almost everyone is guaranteed to have a great time.

Mrs. Party… Gail Leino takes a common sense approach to planning and organizing events, celebrations and holiday parties with unique ideas for football party supplies and fun free educational party games. She explains proper etiquette and living a healthy life while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts. The Party Supplies Shop has lots of party ideas with hundreds of free holiday printable games and free birthday party activities. Over 100 adorable Party Themes to fit your birthday celebration, holiday event, or “just because” parties is at the Party Theme Shop. Party themes include cartoon characters, sports, movie, TV shows, luau, western, holidays, and unique crazy fun theme ideas.

Prepare for your selected eventsOptimize the Wealth Networking opportunities of selecting the right events by preparing before you go. You need to refresh your preparation each time you participate in an activity because:
? The people you know may not remember your earlier conversations or
? They will have developed a need since the last time you met which means they will be listening more attentively or
? You will meet new people.Know your solutions
? Forget the elevator speech or the 30 second commercial!
? Review the kinds of problems you solve for your best prospectsHere’s a two-part 10 minute exercise that will help you focus your preparationPart One: At the top left of a page write the two primary pains you alleviate for your customers. These are not benefits of your service or product, these are the problems or anxieties or needs your clients and customers typically have.Examples of primary pains: high employee turnover; low retention of clients and customers; high customer recruitment/marketing costs; low quality products; difficulty differentiating your company in a crowded market; poor employee morale; complicated technology that costs a lot to maintain; disappointing results from financial investments; resistance to change within the company; training investments that don’t produce long term results.Once you have the two primary pains your company fixes, think about related pains and write these across the rest of the page. You will be better focusing on narrow and deep solutions than wide and shallow ones.Part Two: Underneath each of the pains, jot down a few words that you have heard your clients say that expressed their pain. People don’t typically tell you clearly ?I have this problem and I want you to help me solve it.? They will be indirect, telling a story, or giving an example, or relating a disappointment or frustration. It’s up to you to recognize when these indirect conversations indicate that they are experiencing one of the pains that you alleviate.Think about conversations you’ve had with current clients, and jot down the key words of those conversations Your awareness will be heightened once you have written down the words you usually hear that indicate the presence of the pain.. The ten minutes you spend on this exercise before each event will lead you directly to Wealth Networking.Now you are ready to go. Remember that Wealth Networking happens when you strengthen the relational connections, and avoid conversations that are simply transactions.The second step in Wealth Networking is to be prepared to initiate a relational conversation. In Chapter Three you’ll learn the single most important question to ask, and when and how to exchange cards in Chapter Four.Susan G. Trivers, MBA, President of Trivers Communications Group, is a long time member of the National Speakers Association (NSA) and the Washington D. C. Chapter of NSA, where she served on the Leadership Council. She has been a popular speaker for Women in Technology and is in demand as a presentation skills coach.Wealth Networking-Unconventional Tactics in the Campaign for New Business grew out of Susan’s own frustration over the waste of resources caused by conventional networking organizations and approaches. Tips and referral groups, accelerated networking, mixers and the like physically bring people together but emphasize all the things that actually drive people apart. After vowing never to do conventional networking again, Susan developed Wealth Networking, and her business has grown. She delivers Wealth Networking workshops to corporations, professional firms and entrepreneurs all of whom need to maximize their long term streams of business.She is the author of two books. These books can be purchased directly from Susan’s Store at http://www.susantrivers.com

Buying a used vehicle can be a very smart move, actually one of the smartest moves you can make in regards to buying a car. However, it is often one of the dumbest mistakes for many people. Why is this? The main reason is because people don’t realize that shopping for a used vehicle is totally different from shopping for a new one. You will still have to negotiate for a good deal, and still have to be careful who you buy from just like with buying a new car but price and seller are not what trips people up. It is not being able to the difference between quality and junk.

The major factor when looking at used cars is being able to discern the condition of the vehicle. If it is in good condition mechanically then its value is higher than that of a cheaper vehicle. If it comes through with flying colors on an in depth mechanical inspection then the car will be fine even if you bought from an individual advertising in the newspaper and could be a better vehicle than the one sold by your local Lexus dealer.

I know it sounds like I am saying. “Just buy a good one”, however the process of finding that good used car can be long and aggravating. It is much more difficult than finding a new car, after all you can’t just call up the used car factory and say I want this or I want that. Unless you are a risk taker and don’t mind losing thousands of dollars on a car that will be virtually worthless I urge you to follow a few suggestions to keep you out of trouble.

The first thing is you cannot be shy. If you are that type of person who feels that asking things of sellers and taking your time is being impolite to the dealer or person selling the vehicle then you need to change your way of thinking now. The only way you will make it is to know that you have the right to know everything about the vehicle and the purchase. You should be able to have any car you choose inspected by a mechanic of your choice prior to purchasing.

You will definitely want a pen and pad as well as a checklist to be sure you don’t miss anything. You can find checklist on websites that specialize in used vehicles. Just input “used vehicle checklist” in your search bar. Don’t allow yourself to be taken in by how good a car looks, it is what is underneath that is important.

Wear old clothes that you don’t mind getting greasy and dirty. If you are going to really check out a car you are going to have to crawl underneath it and you are sure to get dirty but it will be worth it to keep from buying something with problems that can cost you big down the road.About the Author

Gregg Hall is a business consultant and author for many online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida with his 16 year old son. Get quality car care products from http://www.5starshine.com

Still thinking of renovating your home? Stop thinking, get secured home improvement loan and make your home like you always dreamt of. Repairing a home demands for a huge amount of money. Home improvement loans will satisfy all your financial needs required for your home renovation.

Owning a home is just not enough. You need to do proper care to maintain it. Availing a home improvement loan will allow you modify your home. You can use this loan for several purposes such as house painting, redecoration, furnishing, roofing, plumbing, adding extra room, making repairs etc.

A Secured home improvement loan is mostly offered to homeowners. As they are secured loan, you need to put collateral against the loan. Most often, your home will be put as collateral. But if you wish you may put any other valuable property in place of that.

Since you put collateral against a home improvement loan, the lender becomes assured that his money is not at risk. So he offers you a higher loan amount with low interest rate and easy repayments. You can get a secured home improvement loan in a range of ?5,000 to ?25,000, with a repayment of 3-25 years. You can even ask for a higher loan amount if you put a security of higher value.

Secured home improvement loans are also available to bad credit holders also. If your credit history has a record of poor credit score, CCJ, bankruptcy etc., you can still apply for secured home improvement loans. Lenders will offer you loan amount at low interest rate with an easy repayment term.

Getting a home improvement loan is quite an easy job. You can take money fast and easy while you are at home. For your convenience, lenders are offering loans online. Now you just need to log on to the net and look for lenders providing secured home owner loans. You will come across a variety of lenders having varied quotations. You can analyse and choose the lender which suits you the best. After choosing the lender, you will be required to fill an online application form which will ask you for details like your credit history, personal information etc. Once you submit this application you will be contacted by the lender very shortly and the loan money will be transferred to your account.

Getting a secured home improvement loan is a matter of great deal. You should be very careful while selecting the lender. Research thoroughly before selecting the lender. Many lenders would try to influence you by offering attractive discounts. Try yourself not to get drawn by these offers. When you feel that a particular lender is very much suitable for you, then apply for it. A good home improvement loan deal will make you and your home breathe fresh.
About the Author

Pamella Scott is an author who can certainly identify your kind of loan. A loans borrower/user demands for timely, reliable, accessible, comprehensive, relevant and consistent loan service. To find secured home improvement loans,Secured loans, secured personal loans, unsecured holiday loans in uk that best suits your need visit http://www.easyfinance4u.com

Vitamins, minerals and other nutrients are essential to the development and proper performance of the reproductive system. Nutrition plays a vital role in the development and maturity of the reproductive system through childhood and adolescence and can even affect the endocrine system which regulates the hormones that rule the functions of the reproductive system.Vitamins, minerals and other nutrients are essential to the development and proper performance of the reproductive system. Nutrition plays a vital role in the development and maturity of the reproductive system through childhood and adolescence and can even affect the endocrine system which regulates the hormones that rule the functions of the reproductive system. Nutrition can affect fertility and fetal development as well. Striving each day to consume the standard recommended daily intake levels of the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that the body needs is an important part of the good health and proper functioning of the reproductive system. The nutrients that a child consumes while growing up can greatly affect the developing reproductive system. Zinc for example is essential to the development of the reproductive organs themselves. A deficiency in zinc can result in significantly delayed sexual maturity. Zinc also serves in the regulation of male hormones and has a role in prostate functions and sperm production. Iodine helps to regulate thyroid function which in turn helps to regulate growth and body weight. Body weight has to do with the onset of puberty which will not begin until the appropriate threshold of body weight and fat has been crossed. The endocrine glands secrete hormones and hormones are essential to the ptoper functioning of the reproductive system. Thus the wellness of the endocrine gland is a precursor to mature reproductive functioning and health. While several nutrients are directly associated with the production of hormones like manganese which serves to maintain the production of sex hormones many other vitamins and nutrients act as cofactors to a variety of complicated chemical reactions that carry out the tasks for the benefit of the reproductive system. Proper nutrition is essential in fetal development as well. Folic acid for example can serve as a way to prevent serious birth defects by reducing the incidence of neural tube defects such as the type that causes spinal bifida. However, this defect occurs so early in fetal development that at the point at which it occurs when the woman has yet to find out that she is actually pregnant. Therefore it is best for any woman of childbearing age to be especially careful to get enough folic acid each day.

The vitamins that make up the Vitamin B complex have a primary role in red blood cell production. The developing fetus gets all nourishment and oxygen via the mothers blood stream. Therefore, making sure to keep red blood cell production up to par is important to the reproductive system, particularly during pregnancy. The nutrients received by the developing fetus will affect every aspect of his or her being. Proper nutrition is essential to each part and every stage of the reproductive system from development to maturation to the creation and nurturing of new life. It can be difficult particularly at the rapid pace of life today to get the full amount of each and every vitamin, mineral and other nutrient that serves to support the reproductive system. However, nutritional supplements can offer a safe and reliable way to achieve your dietary needs for you to be able to meet your dietary goals, when used with care and attention to standard dosage amounts. It is important to take note that moderation is key to everything.

Note: This article may be freely reproduced as long as the AUTHOR’S resource box at the bottom of this article is included and and all links must be Active/Linkable with no syntax changes.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Charlene J. Nuble 2005. For up to date links and information about Vitamins, please go to: http://vitamins.besthealthlink.net/ or for updated links and information on all health related topics, go to: http://www.besthealthlink.net/

The first step in information technology consultant projects is initial client contact. The client’s first impression of you will help him decide if he is going to sign a contract, so the beginning consultations are critical.

The Beginning

Each projects starts well before the contract is signed. You need to figure out what your goals are during initial contact with the client, and plan out the first meeting with this prospect should be well planned so that a decision can be reached quickly and favorably.

Contacting the Client

Typically a client will make first contact with an information technology consultant by phone or e-mail. This moment is the first impression for the prospect of you and your company and should be treated carefully. If you can’t make a connection during this time, there will never be a first meeting.

During this first contact period, an information technology consultant is also interviewing the client; if he can’t meet his needs, he shouldn’t pursue the project. If the project seems feasible, the information technology consultant can get all the information required for the first meeting. You need to start to determine the problem and the reason the client is coming to you to determine an initially short plan.

First Meeting

The ultimate goal of a first client meeting is to build a relationship, which will require open and honest communication. You are not giving a presentation, rather listening to your client’s needs and responding with the best plan for you as an information technology consultant based on the details you receive. Make sure the client knows he is of the utmost importance in this process.

This meeting also requires the presence of the major decision makers in the company. While this is not always possible, you should encourage it in future meetings to ease the process.

The final goal of the first meeting between a business and you as an information technology consultant is to get a decision about the project. You might not be needed at this time, or the client might want to move forward. A client might also need to meet again with decision makers on his own to make a final decision. Regardless, you need to get a solid commitment and, if necessary a scheduled meeting out of the client before you leave.

Preparing for the initial contact with a client will assure that the steps in the process towards signing a contract go as smoothly as possible.

Copyright MMI-MMVII, Computer Consulting 101. All Worldwide Rights Reserved. {Attention Publishers: Live hyperlink in author resource box required for copyright compliance}

About the Author

Joshua Feinberg, co-founder of Computer Consulting 101, helps computer consulting business owners get more steady, high-paying clients. Learn how you can too with free proven computer consulting secrets at http://www.ComputerConsulting101.com