Inside the Crystal Ball. How to Make and Use Forecasts

Everything first-timers need to know to avoid the most common mistakes homebuyers make Written especially for first-timers, this eye-opening guide turns you into an educated consumer, ensuring that the home or condo you buy is both a comfortable place to live and a great investment for the future. Compiled from the experience of hundreds of homebuyers, real estate agents, home builders, and mortgage lenders, it shows you the most common mistakes buyers make and illustrates them in practice so you don't fall into the same traps. Now revised and updated for today's hot real estate market, this invaluable resource covers everything from negotiating with sellers and making the down payment to shopping for the best mortgage and handling the closing. The new Fourth Edition also includes totally up-to-date guidance on using the Internet to find properties, secure financing, and collect important data. If you're thinking about buying a home in this overheated market, don't make these mistakes: Researching selling prices and still overpaying Believing everything your agent tells you Buying into an upscale neighborhood that's moving downscale Underestimating utilities and other costs Allowing your agent to negotiate for you Letting fear get the better of you and not buying at all Written by one of the nation's leading real estate experts and packed with hundreds of valuable tips and suggestions, The 106 Common Mistakes Homebuyers Make, Fourth Edition will give you the confidence–and the wisdom–to buy the right home at the right price.

A different way of discovering and developing the best business ideas Jack Welch once said, «Someone, somewhere has a better idea.» In this myth-busting book, the authors reveal that great business ideas do not spring from innate creativity, or necessarily from the brilliant minds of people. Rather, great ideas come to those who are in the habit of looking for great ideas all around them, all the time. Too often, people fall into the trap of thinking that the only worthwhile idea is a thoroughly original one. Idea Hunters know better. They understand that valuable ideas are already out there, waiting to be found – and not just in the usual places. Shows how to expand your capacity to find and develop winning business ideas Explains why ideas are a critical asset for every manager and professional, not just for those who do «creative» Reveals how to seek out and select the ideas that best serve your purposes and goals and define who you are, as a professional Offers practical tips on how to master the everyday habits of an Idea Hunter, which include cultivating great conversations The book is filled with illustrative accounts of successful Idea Hunters and stories from thriving «idea» companies. Warren Buffet, Walt Disney, Thomas Edison, Mary Kay Ash, Twitter, and Pixar Animation Studios are among the many profiled.

Don't just make money…make a difference. As a social entrepreneur, you can build a business that changes the world. But you will face some unique challenges. This book will prepare you for them. Packed with advice, inspiration and real-life stories, it will help you: Define what you want to do and why you want to do it Find the right kind of funding Build a brand that makes you unique Find a team as motivated and inspired as you are Measure the impact you're having How to be a Social Entrepreneur is the only social enterprise start-up guide you'll ever need. «This is the seminal book on social enterprise» —Martin Murphy, Network 2012 «An essential read for any aspiring or existing social entrepreneur. Full of practical examples of real life social enterprise scenarios and written in Robert's usual uncomplicated format» —Marc Davies, Wales Co-operative Centre Limited, walescoop.com «Social enterprises need social entrepreneurs. This book will help you decide is you've got what it takes to be one» —Peter Couchman, Chief Executive, Plunkett Foundation, plunkett.co.uk «This very practical book will guide you as to what it takes to be a social entrepreneur. Enjoy it and then do it!» —Lord Andrew Mawson OBE, author of The Social Entrepreneur: Making Communities Work, amawsonpartnerships.com «I was genuinely impressed by how comprehensive it is!» —Peter Holbrook, CEO, Social Enterprise Coalition, socialenterprise.org.uk «A treasure trove filled with practical insight and knowledge that will give you the edge to start, grow a sustainable and successful social enterprise» —Stephen Gyasi-Kwaw, CEO/Founder Youth Enhancement Int.Ghana «I particularly enjoyed the section on sales, which is a fundamental topic too often neglected» —Andy Brady, '3rd Sector Futures', Anglia Ruskin University, anglia.ac.uk Robert Ashton is a leading small business troubleshooter, entertaining small business speaker and the bestselling author of many business books including How to Start a Business for Entrepreneurs, Instant Entrepreneur and The Entrepreneur's Book of Checklists.

Go from ZERO to $10,000 a month in 28 days and discover financial freedom online! Every day thousands of people are losing their jobs, their income, and their security—perhaps you are one of them. However, with the right strategies, you can easily achieve financial independence. The Laptop Millionaire provides easy to follow step-by-step strategies you can use to make real money online. Author Mark Anastasi reveals the exact strategies he used to make millions and includes the success stories of other millionaire Internet entrepreneurs. Whether you need an extra hundred dollars a day or want to start an Internet Empire, this book gives you the tools and advice you need. His no-fluff, no-filler strategies provide a blueprint to online success allowing you to discover the laptop lifestyle for yourself. How anyone can make $700-3,000 a week thanks to Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and other Social Media sites The simple steps to creating an online business—featuring the 3 steps that led Mark to his first $10,000 a month business! How the 21 Millionaire Secrets can transform your life If you read and apply what Anastasi has laid out in his book, you will be well on your way to becoming a millionaire.

Your gifts connect you to a world of giving Americans are generous with their pocketbooks, but trying to make a difference and actually making a difference are two different things. Where Am I Giving? by New York Times bestselling author Kelsey Timmerman takes you on a journey to meet people who will inspire you to live a purpose-filled, generous life and make the greatest impact you can through your career, time, consumer dollars, and donations. Starting in his hometown of Muncie, Indiana, and then traveling all over the world (Myanmar, Kenya, India, Nepal, and more), Kelsey explores not only different ways of giving—as a worker, consumer, volunteer, giver, local and global citizen—but also the benefits and effectiveness of these methods. He spends time with monks, students, a refugee, a Marine, a former Hollywood executive, Peace Corps Volunteers, and seasoned aid workers to explore how they give, as well as with the people on the receiving end of their giving. Along the way he struggles to be a more informed giver as he becomes a "voluntourist,” starts his own local non-profit, and searches for a balance between rationality and passion in how he gives. This book will help you: Reveal the amazing opportunities you have to make an impact using your own gifts—and it doesn't have to be money Understand the sociology, philosophy, anthropology, and neuroscience of giving See how giving can make you more connected and happier Examine types of giving, including microlending, volunteering, donating, ethical consumption, mission trips, voluntourism, child sponsorship, etc. Dive into a nuanced view of effectiveness of international aid and its intersection with development, politics, and culture Where Am I Giving? is a fast-paced narrative combining compelling stories collected over 15 years of travel to 90+ countries, mixed with practical advice on how to make giving a part of our everyday lives.

Connect and engage across channels with the new customers Connect is the ultimate marketing guide to becoming more relevant, effective, and successful within the new marketplace. Written by a team of marketing experts serving Fortune 500 brands, this book outlines the massive paradigm shift currently taking place within the industry, and provides the insight and perspective marketers need to stay on board. Readers will find guidance toward reaching a customer base that sees marketers as an unnecessary annoyance, and strategies for engaging those customers at touch points throughout the customer lifecycle. The book's scope encompasses both digital and real-life avenues, discussing the new ways of thinking and the new tools and processes that allow marketers to function in the new era where digital customer experiences are increasingly important. Marketing is undergoing a revolution to rival the impact of Gutenberg's printing press. Customers are in control, with more choice and more access than ever before, and they refuse to be «sold to» or «managed.» Many marketing professionals are flailing for a new strategy while the winners are clearly jumping ahead – Connect takes readers inside the winners' world to learn the approach that's engaging the new consumer. Discover the technology and processes that allow marketers to remain relevant Craft a personal, relevant, and accessible customer journey that engages the connected customer Keep in touch throughout the customer's life cycle, both online and offline Link digital goals and metrics to business objectives for a more relevant strategy Smart marketers have moved to a higher level that achieves business objectives while increasing relevance to the customer. Connect provides readers a roadmap to this new approach, and the tools that make it work.

Expert advice for financial advisors looking to make the most of social media platforms Social media is everywhere. 3.5 billion pieces of content are shared on Facebook each week, 22 million professionals are networking on LinkedIn, and 140 million tweets are posted every day. The opportunities these platforms present for financial advisors are huge, but most advisors have no idea how to use them to build bigger, stronger client bases. The Social Media Handbook for Financial Advisors: How to Use Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to Build and Grow Your Business shows how to make the most of these new tools, offering invaluable advice about how to connect with potential clients in the twenty first century. For most advisors, converting prospects into clients is their top priority, and social media presents incredible opportunities for sealing the deal. Sales don't happen because clients are impressed by complicated charts, they happen because they're impressed by your social media presence, and by properly understanding how to make these new platforms work for you, you'll be positioned to see your business boom. Designed to teach financial advisors how to use social media to better market their services to attract new clients and referrals Presents expert communication advice from top financial advisor coach Matthew Halloran Categorizes communicators in a unique new way Teaches financial advisors how to use social media in new, highly effective ways that they've never even considered An essential resource for wealth managers and financial advisors looking to amplify their marketing message and raise their visibility in a crowded marketplace, The Social Media Handbook for Financial Advisors is the only book you need to make yourself heard.

It’s time for a new women’s revolution, but this time it’s not political—it’s personal. It's a time of historic opportunity. Learn what it takes to create the life of your dreams by starting your own business from your kitchen table, without compromising your job as a great mom. Find the money you need to start your business, then master the cutting-edge tools of social media to take it to the next level. With the American economy on the ropes, a New Economy is being created, and this time moms are in charge, controlling $8.5 trillion annually in consumer spending in a consumer economy that is in crisis. The rules of business are changing; master them and get rich. Learn powerful techniques to face down fear and push aside doubt, using newfound confidence to seize opportunities and get ahead. In The Mommy Manifesto, Kim Lavine—bestselling author of Mommy Millionaire—presents a provocative message of empowerment for all women, inspiring you to question the status quo and see new opportunities where none existed before. This is a manifesto for dreaming big, developing your confidence, and using your power and influence to create positive change—in yourself and our society. You’re either part of the revolution, or you’re part of the problem. The time is now to take control of your financial destiny! Kim Lavine, America’s expert on inspirational business advice, will show you how in The Mommy Manifesto.

Why customer retention is the new acquisition If there's anything the recession of 2009 taught us, it was the importance of investing in our customers, but when was this any different? So says Joseph Jaffe, bestselling author of Life After the 30-Second Spot and Join the Conversation, and a leading expert and thought leader on new media and social media. In most businesses, it costs roughly five-to-ten times more to acquire a new customer than it does to retain an existing one, and yet companies continue to disproportionately spend their budgets into the «wrong» end of the funnel – the mass media or awareness side. What we haven't paid enough attention to is the «right» end of the funnel-the word-of-mouth component that essentially acts as a multiplier for future business. The economic impact of an active, engaged and loyal customer is tremendous. And the same is true of the opposite scenario, namely the impact of angry customers and negative word-of-mouth or referrals. It is this thinking that Jaffe has channeled to challenge marketers to «flip the funnel» once and for all. With a renewed focus and energy on customer experience, it is possible to grow your sales, while decreasing your budget – in other words, getting more from less. Engaging a few customers to spread the word to many. Using this new «flipped funnel» model, together with a set of new rules of customer service and a revolutionary customer referral and activation process, you'll learn how to transform your existing customers into your best salespeople. In addition, Jaffe will explain how to best introduce and combine both digital and social media tools to boost your loyalty arsenal, deploy «influencer marketing» and implement word-of-mouth strategies that inspire your loyal, opinionated, and most vocal customers to become credible, persuasive, and influential endorsers of your products and services. Explains how to cut your marketing budget AND grow sales! Illustrates practical ways to use existing customers to reach out to new prospects Outlines the authentic role of social media Demonstrates key ideas with rich, real life examples including Comcast, Apple, The Obama Campaign, Dell, Panasonic, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Johnson & Johnson, Coca-Cola and many, many more Written by one of the most sought-after consultants, keynote speakers, and thought-leaders on new marketing change and innovation; renowned blogger and podcaster at Jaffe Juice (www.jaffejuice.com) and host/presenter of web video show, JaffeJuiceTV (www.jaffejuice.tv) Visit www.flipthefunnelnow.com to join the conversation.

We have long been taught that emotions should be felt and expressed in carefully controlled ways, and then only in certain environments and at certain times. This is especially true when at work, particularly when managing others. It is considered terribly unprofessional to express emotion while on the job, and many of us believe that our biggest mistakes and regrets are due to our reactions at those times when our emotions get the better of us. David R. Caruso and Peter Salovey believe that this view of emotion is not correct. The emotion centers of the brain, they argue, are not relegated to a secondary place in our thinking and reasoning, but instead are an integral part of what it means to think, reason, and to be intelligent. In The Emotionally Intelligent Manager, they show that emotion is not just important, but absolutely necessary for us to make good decisions, take action to solve problems, cope with change, and succeed. The authors detail a practical four-part hierarchy of emotional skills: identifying emotions, using emotions to facilitate thinking, understanding emotions, and managing emotions—and show how we can measure, learn, and develop each skill and employ them in an integrated way to solve our most difficult work-related problems.