People, this is what you want. Nay, need.

Ask yourself this: would you read it? Would you dedicate the time? If not, rethink the wording.

Look at it logically. Our brains are assaulted incessantly with text, whether required reading for the job, or the glossy pages of magazine. We are so inundated that eventually it all jumbles together and becomes indecipherable. What transcends the static noise, the potpourri of words and phrases, is the personality and attitude behind it. This does not mean that your 70-year old grandfather’s mahogany-lined law firm should cross the tracks and lose their refined sense of self. No. This would represent the company unjustly, and business might suffer. A better option would be to write content that depicts the firm’s dedication and passion for the law, not to mention years of incomparable service, reputation, and standards.

Contrarily, a younger, MoDa-inspired graphic design team, trenched in the corners of Greenwich brownstones, has the leeway to experiment with the colors of words. Dramatic arabesques of phrases that turn your head with the flow of the vowels would entice readership and demonstrate their creativity extends beyond the palette.

What’s true for both situations is the identification of self (in this case a business) with articulately chosen words unified for one sole purpose: to establish a unique niche among the endless dross with which we are faced.

Jaylyn Bergner
Begin Communications

There are four basic steps to systemisation:

1. Flowchart your processes. This will show you how it all fits together.

2. Document how it gets done. Get the team member who is currently doing the job to write down every step in performing a task. This person then gets a new person to do the task following the written down steps. If the person currently doing the task has to step in and explain anything to the new person then that information is added to the step, etc. Once completed start again with another person until you have demonstrated that any person can do the task without intervention.

3. Measure results using key performance indicators. Typically, these will be the top five measures to show system performance. Get these from the person doing the job (i.e. in sales you could use no. of leads, conversion rate, average $ sale etc.)

4. Allow the system to change/grow as your business changes and grows. Ensure that the system is self-correcting so as to allow it to evolve at the same pace that your business evolves.

When determining where to start systemising, ask yourself… What are you doing on a regular basis that a lower paid team member could be doing if it were systemised? Systemise it, hand it over to the lower paid team member and spend your time on higher level activities – remember the goal is to work on your business. Is there anything you hate doing which could be done by a lower paid person if it were systemized? Systemise it and hand it over.

Some final tips…

• Keep it simple. Don’t over complicate systems or people won’t follow them.
• Use lots of photos, videos, tapes etc. This may be as simple as printing a computer screen or videoing someone doing the task at hand. This will make the systems much easier to follow.
• Document your system in a policies and procedures or operations manual in an easy to access format.
• And make sure everyone has one or knows where it is! Require all of your team members to periodically review the manual with the goal of identifying needed changes on a timely and qualitative basis.

The Internal Revenue Service today released new withholding tables that will result in more take-home pay this spring for millions of American workers.

The new tables incorporate the new Making Work Pay credit, one of the key tax provisions included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of

2009 that became law earlier this week.

“For most taxpayers, the additional credit will automatically start showing up in their paychecks this spring,” said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman.

“Since employers and payroll companies will handle this change, people typically won’t need to take any additional action. The IRS will continue working to implement this and other provisions of the new law as quickly as possible.”

The new withholding tables, along with other instructions related to the new tax law, will be incorporated in new Publication 15-T. This publication will be posted to this Web site next week and mailed to more than 9 million employers in mid-March. The IRS asks that employers start using these new tables as soon as possible but not later than April 1. Most workers will see a boost in their take-home pay soon thereafter.

Eligible workers will get the benefit of this change without any action on their part. This means that workers don’t need to fill out a new W-4 withholding form to get the Making Work Pay credit reflected in their take-home pay. A Form W-4 will not need to be submitted for the automatic withholding change. Individuals and couples with multiple jobs may want to submit revised Form W-4 forms to ensure enough withholding is held to cover the tax for the combined income. Publication 919 provides additional guidance for tax withholding.

Available for tax years 2009 and 2010, the Making Work Pay credit is 6.2 percent of a taxpayer’s earned income with a maximum credit of $800 for a married couple filing a joint return and $400 for other taxpayers, but it is phased out for higher income taxpayers. Most workers will qualify for the maximum credit. Because the credit is refundable (people can get it even if they owe no tax), most low-income workers will also qualify for the full credit.

Though all eligible taxpayers will need to claim the credit when they file their 2009 income tax return next year, the benefit will generally be spread out over the paychecks they receive beginning this spring and continue until the end of the year.

Many higher-income taxpayers will see little or no change in their take-home pay. That’s because the Making Work Pay credit is phased out for a married couple filing a joint return whose modified adjusted gross income (AGI) is between $150,000 and $190,000 and other taxpayers whose modified AGI is between $75,000 and $95,000.

Taxpayers will not get a separate, special check mailed to them from the IRS like last year’s economic stimulus payment.

Article supplied courtesy of Sandy Harris, Liberty Tax

]]> http://strategictrans4mations.com/experts/?feed=rss2&p=378 http://strategictrans4mations.com/experts/?p=373 http://strategictrans4mations.com/experts/?p=373#comments Sat, 13 Feb 2010 08:17:16 +0000 Jaylyn Bergner http://strategictrans4mations.com/experts/?p=373 Ok, so the bad news is that the economy is down. No real newsflash there. Every day we see blips of the president pushing the stimulus plan, companies chopping half of their workforces, shuffling unemployment lines. However, last week, couture designer Hermes, reported a 6.2 percent increase in sales coming off the holiday season. Louis Vutton saw an increase of 4.2 percent. And today, sitting at the local Bad Ass Coffee shop, I watched person after person come in and drop $5 for a drink they could make at home for a fraction of the price. Why? Because they can.

So then, what’s the good news? Businesses can actually take advantage of this situation! Traditionally, when enduring hardships, companies cut costs, staff, and production-often times against the better judgment of economic and business advisors. This may result in immediate financial gratification, but does nothing to secure a financial foothold in future markets (and as we currently see, the economy). Instead, you should be ramping up your marketing and public relations efforts. By focusing efforts and finances on increasing your company’s voice, you’ll correlatively augment customer spending. And, a bonus, you’ll have done so without laying off hundreds, if not thousands, of loyal workers. 

Zappos is a great example of the right way to conduct business. When forced to make a decision about where to take the organization after facing decreasing numbers, the company’s head shed changed tactics. Instead, they focused on marketing to current clients, improving customer service, and establishing an almost incomparable return policy, with 365 days to return unused products, and without having to pay shipping. I have to say that I’ve only bought one pair of shoes from Zappos, recently, but will no longer look anywhere else.

What steps are you taking to reach out to current and new clients?

Jaylyn Bergner

1.  Secure stair rails by backing out old screws and installing slightly longer coarse drywall screws, being careful not to pierce the rail surface.

2.  Purchase heavy duty door sweeps for drafty exterior doors that can be attached to the inside of the door.

3.  Replace all AC filters including returns found in the ceiling or wall. Filters should be replaced monthly, winter & summer.

4.  Install sponge rubber tape on attic access door to the area making contact between the plywood and the trim around the opening.

5.  Spray foam around pipe openings beneath sink. Use minimally expanding foam for use on windows and doors.

6.  Lubricate door locks. Squirt powdered graphite into the key tumbler.

7.  Spray WD-40 on rails and bottom rollers of door.

8.  Add one drop of green food coloring to toilet tank, if dye shows up in toilet bowl-you have a leak. Purchase a flusher fixer kit that will mount on the old drain and seal the leakage.

9.  Use a WD-40 pen to loosen stiff drawer slides and rollers.

10.  Spray WD-40 on latch and deadbolt, check and see if the strike plate is secure. Use longer screws on the strike plate if necessary.

Congratulations on completing the “Top 10″ improvements. You have made your house a well maintained home.

Stephen Carlson
Virginia Construction & Home Improvements Inc.

Here are some quick tips that will make it easy for you to keep control of your food portions.

- A 3-4oz serving of protein is the size of a deck of cards or the palm of your hand. A good portion of fish will be the size of a standard check book.

- A serving of an apple should be the size of a tennis ball.

- A serving of grapes equals the size of a light bulb.

- A serving of veggies should be 1 cup cooked or 1 and 1/2 raw. Your fist equals 1 cup.
1/3 cup of rice equals a serving of starch or a half of a baked potato.

Remember. Just because the food is on our plates it doesn’t mean we have to eat it all. If you are dining out ask for a to go box and enjoy the rest of your dinner for lunch the next day.

If you prepare too much food at home, freeze it where possible, save it for the next day or better yet - invite a friend over for dinner.

Amy Zablan
Weight Loss Now

Don’t put your eggs all in one basket

Diversifying your investment portfolio is one of the key ways you can handle market volatility. Because asset classes typically perform differently under different market conditions, spreading your assets across a variety of investments such as stocks, bonds, and cash alternatives (e.g., money market funds, CDs, and other short-term instruments), has the potential to help reduce your overall risk. Ideally, a decline in one type of asset will be balanced out by a gain in another, but diversification can’t eliminate the possibility of market loss.

One way to diversify your portfolio is through asset allocation. Asset allocation involves identifying the asset classes that are appropriate for you and allocating a certain percentage of your investment dollars to each class (e.g., 70 percent to stocks, 20 percent to bonds, 10 percent to cash alternatives). An easy way to decide on an appropriate mix of investments is to use a worksheet or an interactive tool that suggests a model or sample allocation based on your investment objectives, risk tolerance level, and investment time horizon.

Focus on the forest, not on the trees

As the market goes up and down, it’s easy to become too focused on day-to-day returns. Instead, keep your eyes on your long-term investing goals and your overall portfolio. Although only you can decide how much investment risk you can handle, if you still have years to invest, don’t overestimate the effect of short-term price fluctuations on your portfolio.

Look before you leap

When the market goes down and investment losses pile up, you may be tempted to pull out of the stock market altogether and look for less volatile investments. The small returns that typically accompany low-risk investments may seem attractive when more risky investments are posting negative returns.

But before you leap into a different investment strategy, make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons. How you choose to invest your money should be consistent with your goals and time horizon.

For instance, putting a larger percentage of your investment dollars into vehicles that offer safety of principal and liquidity (the opportunity to easily access your funds) may be the right strategy for you if your investment goals are short-term (e.g., you’ll need the money soon to buy a house) or if you’re growing close to reaching a long-term goal such as retirement. But if you still have years to invest, keep in mind that stocks have historically outperformed stable value investments over time, although past performance is no guarantee of future results. If you move most or all of your investment dollars into conservative investments, you’ve not only locked in any losses you might have, but you’ve also sacrificed the potential for higher returns.

Look for the silver lining

A down market, like every cloud, has a silver lining. The silver lining of a down market is the opportunity you have to buy shares of stock at lower prices.

One of the ways you can do this is by using dollar cost averaging. With dollar cost averaging, you don’t try to “time the market” by buying shares at the moment when the price is lowest. In fact, you don’t worry about price at all. Instead, you invest money at regular intervals over time.

When the price is higher, your investment dollars buy fewer shares of stock, but when the price is lower, the same dollar amount will buy you more shares.

For example, let’s say that you decided to invest $300 each month towards your child’s college education. As the illustration shows, your regular monthly investment of $300 bought more shares when the price was low and fewer shares when the price was high: 

Although dollar cost averaging can’t guarantee you a profit or avoid a loss, a regular fixed dollar investment may result in a lower average price per share over time, assuming you continue to invest through all types of markets. You should consider your financial ability to make ongoing purchases, regardless of price fluctuations, however.

(This hypothetical example is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent the performance of any particular investment. Actual results will vary.)

Making dollar cost averaging work for you

• Get started as soon as possible. The longer you have to ride out the ups and downs of the market, the more opportunity you have to build a sizeable investment account over time.
  
• Stick with it. Dollar cost averaging is a long-term investment strategy. Make sure that you have the financial resources and the discipline to invest continuously through all types of markets, regardless of price fluctuations.
  
• Take advantage of automatic deductions. Having your investment contributions deducted from your paycheck or bank account is an easy and convenient way to invest, and can help you get in the habit of investing regularly.

Don’t stick your head in the sand

While focusing too much on short-term gains or losses is unwise, so is ignoring your investments. You should check up on your portfolio at least once a year, more frequently if the market is particularly volatile or when there have been significant changes in your life. You may need to rebalance your portfolio to bring it back in line with your investment goals and risk tolerance. A financial professional can help you decide which investment options are right for you.

Don’t count your chickens before they hatch

As the market recovers from a down cycle, elation quickly sets in. If the upswing lasts long enough, it’s easy to believe that investing in the stock market is a sure thing. But, of course, it never is. As many investors have learned the hard way, becoming overly optimistic about investing during the good times can be as detrimental as worrying too much during the bad times. The right approach during all kinds of markets is to be realistic. Have a plan, stick with it, and strike a comfortable balance between risk and return.

Noel Martin
Waddell & Reed

The concept of getting three bids came out of building an addition or house, but it really doesn’t apply to most remodeling projects.  Without a blueprint or list to limit the scope of the project the three estimates will vary from the ridiculously low to the outrageously high, with the homeowner picking the middle.  If the homeowner picks the middle, what was the purpose of getting three bids?  I think that there is a better way.

What are some of the intangibles that might not be reflected in price alone?  Is the contractor someone you can trust?   

• Does the contractor respect your furniture?  
• Does he take care to cover things, wash up, and clean up?  
• Does the contractor respect and—or least tolerate—your children, significant other, and pets?  
• Does the contractor give options to the job at hand, materials and techniques?  

This is one big reason that getting the lowest bid doesn’t always work for home repairs.  There are so many different acceptable ways to make a house repair.  Much of it is dependent on the work experience of the contractor and/or knowledge of potential solutions.

I would suggest that the next time that you have work to be done on your house that you get three interviews.  Set-up appointments for each of the contractors and make the emphasis more on an interview then focusing on price.  Look for someone who can partner with you to develop a solution to the problems of your home.  Maybe you can’t get a ‘Benz for the price of a Yugo, but you could get a very nice Camry instead.  Always look for the contractors that share your values and work ethic and you will keep your house a home. 

Stephen Carlson
Virginia Construction & Home Improvements Inc. 

I’ve worked in the mortgage industry for over 15 years, - and I’ve seen this market hit many highs and survive some tough lows. Let me be your resource as you cover this rapidly changing market. In February, the President signed into law the Economic Stimulus Package in an effort to revive our battered economy. I wanted to be sure you knew that the legislation is about more than just rebate checks; it can also have a positive impact on current and future homeowners.

Many people may not be aware of how this bill could create opportunities to save money on their home financing. Here are some of the questions I believe you should consider, and I would be happy to lend my experience and expertise to help explain how our community may be able to take advantage of the temporary rules created by this important legislation.

What impact does the Stimulus Package have on borrowers?

The Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 is a $168 billion plan intended to jumpstart the sliding U.S. economy. The new bill is designed to help certain ‘high-cost regions’ of the struggling housing market by:1) Temporarily increasing the ‘conforming loan limit’ from $417,000 to as high as $729,750 in specified areas; and2) Temporarily increasing the size of loans the Federal Housing Administration

(FHA) can insure from $362,000 to as high as $729,750 in specified areas.

 What do these new provisions mean for our community? For those looking to purchase or refinance real estate in a ‘high-cost region,’ this is great news. These temporary increases could help consumers avoid the higher interest rates associated with ‘non-conforming’ or jumbo, loans - which are currently more than a point higher than rates on conforming loans. This means more consumers will be able to take advantage of great real estate deals and get more home for less money. In fact, many homes that some borrowers could not afford just a few years ago could now be within reach, thanks to this temporary government program.

The Stimulus Package is also very good news for homeowners looking to refinance out of their expensive jumbo loan and into a new ‘conforming loan.’ While the legislation limits new mortgage contracts to 2008, it does not exclude the refinancing of any past mortgages. This means that, if borrowers qualify, they can take advantage of the new conforming loan limits no matter how many years have passed since they obtained their mortgage - as long as they get it done before the end of 2008.

How is a high-cost region determined? And does our community qualify as one?

A high-cost region is typically determined by the median value of its homes. The median value is the specific price that is halfway between the least expensive and most expensive home sold in an area over a given period of time. Not to be confused with the average home price, the median home price is the price at which half of all buyers bought more expensive homes and half of all buyers bought less expensive homes. If that sounds confusing, don’t worry. It is the responsibility of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to determine and publish what the median home price is for regions across the country. I can easily access and interpret these figures for our local residents, and help them calculate the new conforming and/or FHA loan