How to Sell Outrageous Amounts of Technology Services in Three Simple Steps - Guaranteed

Selling technology services is no picnic. Actually, selling ANY service is tough. Though, in my book, technology services are the toughest. After all, they're complex, confusing and generally difficult to present to clients. And like all intangibles, services don't really exist at all. At least not in the literal sense, like a "thing." Instead, services exist solely in the imaginations - and written contracts - of their creators.

Ahhh, but products...

Products on the other hand, have substance and form. They can be seen, touched, and held. With products, little is left to the imagination. Because of this products far easier and less risky than services to present, sell and buy.

Services vs. Product Paradox

For many technology companies services deliver greater profits than products. But they're tough to sell. Products are easy to sell ... but they're less profitable. What a dilemma.

But what if ...

What if it were somehow possible to transform a service into a product? Then you'd have the best of both worlds. You'd have something highly profitable AND easy to sell! Well, in fact, it is possible to productize any service. And I'll show you exactly how to do it. In essence we'll transform our intangible service into something tangible, real, and easy for clients to buy.

One everyday example of a productized service

We're all familiar with insurance. A life insurance policy, for example, is a service product. The agent delivers your policy documents in an elaborate presentation case with the policyholder's name inscribed on the cover. The overall presentation reinforces the sale and adds genuine value and confidence in the mind of the buyer. Generally, the more tangible you make a service offering (the more product-like), the easier it is for both salespeople to sell and customers to buy. Clients want to know exactly what they'll receive when they buy your service. Plus they need to recognize the value of the service deliverables to their business. Until you've demonstrated these two things your client won't commit to buying your service.

3 Steps to productize any service

Turning any service into an easy-to-sell product really comes down to these three steps.

Step 1: Determine what problem your service REALLY solves. Be very specific here. Make sure you're solving a problem that your clients really care about. This is also really a benefit statement of how you will help the client. Think how you'll make his or her life easier, save/make money or improve business operations, etc. And this is no time to fool yourself with "faux benefits" that aren't really benefits at all. Your list of benefits should embody the ultimate value the client can hope to receive by buying and using your service. Now is also the time to think about what makes your service unique. In other words, how does your service/product solve the client's problem better than any competitive one? A Unique Selling Proposition (USP) can be proprietary delivery methods or methodologies, proprietary software or tools or highly trained personnel.

Step 2: What will the clients get from your service? What are the specific and tangible deliverables?

Every service has a deliverable, right? When packaging a service into a product the deliverable should ideally be tangible. The more tangible you make the service and the deliverables the easier it will be to sell. Examples of tangible service deliverables include: printed findings reports, documentation, Audios and video, websites, analyses and recommendations. The goal is to be able to leave something behind as evidence that something was done and that the client received value. In my experience printed reports are excellent "service delivery artifacts." Here's why. People will often leave them on their desk for a long time. So as a side-benefit you also end up with an advertising billboard for your service.

Step 3: Create marketing, sales and training materials.

These materials serve two purposes. They give additional substance to your service product, making it "feel" tangible. Part of these materials should be pricing guidelines for the main product as well as any add-ons. Your materials are also tools for your sales force to present the product and ultimately close business. Effective marketing materials are brochures, Service Product Descriptions, websites and samples of any physical deliverables.

One Hidden Benefit of Productizing Services

Try this if you've ever pondered whether a new service will be successful. Prototype the new service on paper first. Here's what I mean. Go through the process we just discussed above with the service your contemplating. In every step PRETEND the product is real and available now. At the end of the process you'll have materials to test the viability of the service. Just create a direct mail letter to existing customers and prospects announcing a new service to be available very soon. Feedback from the mailings should help determine if the service makes sense to proceed with. This approach is clearly less risky than taking a "build it and they will come" approach. Agreed?

Summary:

Turning your technology (or any other) service into an easy to sell product takes only 3 steps. And this process also serves as a risk-free testing group for services you consider to offer too.

Using this process could be your secret weapon to services selling success.

About Mark Dresner:
Mark Dresner is an experienced copywriter and marketer/business consultant who has created, developed and operated five businesses over his career. Mark's specialty is technology-oriented products and services for both business to business (B2B) and business to consumer (B2C) projects. Plus, his twenty-two years of direct selling experience, on an Enterprise level, in several industries gives Mark and his clients real competitive advantage in the marketplace - where it REALLY counts.
Mark Dresner has earned both Industry and overall business recognition, including: Entrepreneur of the Year Award and Inc. Magazine's Inc. 500(two-time winner). He's also been interviewed/quoted in The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, CNN/fn and other media.
To learn more, visit Mark's website at: http://www.MarkDresner.com
You can also follow him on twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/markdresner

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A Simple and Easy Guide to Renting a Service Apartment in Bangkok, Thailand

What are the best areas of Bangkok to rent? What facilities and services can I expect from a Bangkok serviced apartment? What are the best and worst serviced apartments in Bangkok? Read on to learn the answers to these questions and much more in my simple and easy guide to renting a serviced apartment in Bangkok for both expats and travelers.

Bangkok is the Center of Southeast Asia

As the commercial center of Thailand and the hub of business and leisure travel within Southeast Asia, Bangkok has exceptional hotels of all kinds catering to the business elite and casual traveler.

Recently, a new kind of accommodation has gained favor with business executives on short stays in Bangkok--the luxury serviced apartment. With increased commercial expansion over the past several years, serviced apartments are quickly becoming the favorite choice of living style for their affordable luxury.

What is a Serviced Apartment?

The serviced part of the equation usually refers to the daily or twice weekly cleaning of your room, the furniture, kitchen amenities and so on that normal apartments do not include. Some service apartments also function as hotels, and these are called Aparthotels.

What's So Special About Bangkok Serviced Apartments?

Real estate and relocation agents believe Bangkok has the most number of sophisticated apartments the world has to offer. There are not just one or two luxurious apartments, but close to 50. This is because skilled labor is cheap in thailand, and the city itself is a major business hub for the southeast asia region.

Renting a serviced apartment in bangkok can be a daunting task for several reasons--the primary one being there are so many 'fine print' and extra costs involved when signing a weekly, monthly or yearly contract.

I have been living in Bangkok for a few years now, and have gone through several serviced apartments, learning on the way which 'services' are included and what to expect from your stay in Bangkok.

Bangkok's City Plan

The Bangkok Jungle has several meanings, one of them being that the city was never built with a city plan or urban design in mind. The city is a sprawling landscape, a montage of residential and commercial buildings juxtaposing one another. It is home to 10 to 15 million people, depending on who is arriving from the rural country and abroad. The people as well, from poor to affluent, live side by side.

The city itself is lopsided; if you look down any major road in bangkok, you will see that both sides of the road arent balanced, building heights are different, and there is an overall lack of symmetry. This is what makes Bangkok unique and charming. And what makes it a jungle.

The Best Areas To Live In Bangkok

Bangkok contains inexpensive to exclusive apartments, but the best ones are found in the following regions of Bangkok:

Sukhumvit, the main road or artery of Bangkok



Asok, one of the most exclusive and expensive areas to live



Thong Lo, the chic and fashionable street,



Sathorn, the business district of Bangkok



Silom, another business and red light district



Ploenchit, business district



Chit Lom, business district The areas listed above are all within easy access to shopping, dining, entertainment, trains, skytrains, and expressways. If you choose to live in one of these areas, you will experience life in the center of Bangkok's thriving business and shopping centres while indulging in an ultra private serviced apartment in Bangkok. I personally recommend Asok and Chit Lom, as they are the classiest areas of Bangkok, but if you are looking to be close to the night markets Silom is perfect, and Sukhumvit is always a colorful experience.

Facilities and Services of Typical Bangkok Serviced Apartments

These vary between the different types of apartments and condos, but a standard of excellence has been establlished from the increasing competition among serviced apartments. Facilities and services are upgraded regularly to keep up with rival residences. However, before investing in a serviced apartment, be sure to check if these services and facilities are available.

5 Services That Should Be Included Free of Charge:

Room Cleaning



Water/Utilities



Internet Usage



24 Hour Security



Room Service/Errand Boy
4 Facilities That Should Be Included

Restaurant



Gym



Pool



Convenience Store
The Loopholes: Length of Stay, Deposits and Electricity

If you are staying for a month or year, the serviced apartment may charge you for electricity. Make sure that you negotiate this price to 6.5 Baht/Unit. A lot of times the apartment owners will charge 8 Baht/Unit for more profit. They only pay 3 or 4 Baht/Unit.

Be careful when signing leases; most require a 2 month deposit, and if you move out before your contract is finished you forfeit this deposit.

Make sure the serviced apartment has a laundry service, either in house or out of house. Most serviced apartments have coin operated laundry rooms as well as pick up services. More deluxe suites will have washing machine in the room. Note that most places do not have dryers.

How much Should I Pay?

This is a difficult question to answer, but the more facilities a serviced apartment has, the more it will cost. If a serviced apartment has a pool, gym and also functions as a 24 hour hotel, then the monthly price will be above 30,000 Baht.

Location also has a large part to do with cost of a bangkok serviced apartment. If you are staying in an area not close to skytrain or subway access, your price will be much lower. Conversely, staying in the business districts of Silom or trendy spots like Ekkamai or Thonglor will raise your monthly rent.

Which Serviced Apartment Should I Choose?

The serviced apartment market in Bangkok is lead by three groups, The President Group, The Ascott Group, and Centre Point. Most of them offer first class accomodation and have a decent system of serving their customers. However, there are numerous independent serviced apartments to choose from.

The 2 Worst Serviced Apartments in Bangkok

Ascott Bangkok Sathorn There have been several articles written in trade journals about the decline in service at the once famous and most prestigious serviced apartment in Bangkok. Once known for attention to customer relations, their lack of it is now glaringly obvious to everyone who stays there. This place is an example of a chain serviced apartment becoming too much like a corporation with no human touch of service.
Lebua Rumor is their staff is very untrustworthy. Read the trade journals and 'google' the residence for reviews.

Top 2 Most Luxurious Bangkok Serviced Apartments

Siri Sathorn Apartments Siri Sathorn is a five-star luxury `boutique` property which epitomises private and elegant living in a residential setting. It is a concept of the perfect home which appeals to international traveller. This place caters to Japanese clientelle but of course is open to everyone.
Fraser Place Urbana Langusan They have an exclusive 45-metre driveway leading from the main road to the serviced residence for great privacy. They also have some of the best services and customer relations I have ever experienced, pampered is the only word that comes to mind

Best Value Bangkok Serviced Apartments

Silom Convent Garden Newly built in November 2006, this chic serviced apartment is located in the Silom-Sathorn area but has some of the cheapest rates for this business and night market district. For 36,000 Baht/$1000 a month you can have a 38 square meter, 1 bedroom, fully furnished luxurious apartment complete with full kitchen, washer machine, flat screen tv, and rain shower. The only drawback is the place doesn't have a pool or gym, but thats the reason the price is so low and why its one of the best values in Bangkok.

If you are still undecided whether to have a stay in Bangkok on your next trip, it was just recently announced that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) plans to make Bangkok a "paradise" city. The article from the Bangkok Post states the BMA will establish a fund to address trash, pollution and traffic problems. Now is the time to take your next vacation or business trip to Bangkok, as life couldn't get any better in the City of Angels!

This article is brought to you by Silom Convent Garden, the exclusive 44 room serviced apartments that offers tastefully decorated Studio, one, and two bedroom apartments for lease in a private living environment. Book Today and Save 10% at one of the best Serviced Apartments in Bangkok.

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How to Start a Profitable Work at Home Business in 5 Simple Steps

For many years people have been looking for a way to turn home offices, dens, and even kitchen tables into money making machines by starting their own work at home businesses. Now that the Internet has came into play it has only accelerated the want and desire of millions around the globe who are looking to cash in on the new Internet and Home Business revolution.

But how is your average person supposed to find work at home business success? Although many think that it's as simple as putting up a website and away you go, the hundreds of thousands who have failed would tell you different. The truth is that finding the right work at home business can be an easy or a hard task depending on where you are looking. As for achieving success that comes after you establish your new business and turn on that invisible open sign in cyberspace.

Over the next few minutes I'm going to expose to you how a rookie was able to locate and start a work at home business as well as make it profitable in a short period of time. After reading this information you too should be able to locate, start, and build a home business that gives you serious long term results.

#1 - Discover Your Work At Home Business Options

Everyone can agree that there are thousands of ways to start a work at home business. Unfortunately most of these ways require a full-time commitment and a leap of faith. This usually eliminates 95% of the people who would like to make money from home but don't have the time, money, or resources to make something like that fly.

Of course with the advent of the Internet we have been exposed to many new possibilities that do not require a full time commitment or a lot of money. Here are just a few examples of how people are making money from home these days:

Affiliate Marketing

Google Adsense

Private Label Products

Network Marketing

Niche Marketing

Direct Sales

Etc.

While all of these are viable options, I personally endorse network marketing for a few meaningful reasons. First off, it's a residual income business meaning that if you do the work once you can get paid on it for years to come. Second, it's a people helping people business and I've been able to meet some of the greatest people thanks to network marketing. Third, it's an easy business that anyone can get started with regardless of past experience or current situation.

With that said please understand that all network marketing companies are not created equal and there are many out there that aren't much more than fly-by-night operations posing as legitimate network marketing opportunities. If you choose to go network marketing stay away from "pre-launch" opportunities and companies that only offer an opportunity without a real product to back it up.

Whatever avenue you choose make sure it makes sense to you. Nobody has ever been successful with something they didn't believe in so make sure the home business you pursue is something you are passionate about.

#2 - Uncover the finances involved with your new venture.

Every business will be a bit different in costs but one thing is universal. Your start up costs is not the only thing you need to factor in when looking at how you're going to finance your new venture. Besides start up costs you are also going to have the costs of doing business and marketing / advertising costs.

Here is a breakdown of the different costs you need to account for:

Start up costs: Your start up costs is how much money it takes you to get the ball rolling with your new venture. Any type of work at home business is going to have some kind of upfront money needed to simply get the material in place to open up shop.

Costs of doing business: Your costs of doing business are going to be the money that is needed to keep your day to day operations functional. For most home businesses this is simply a phone line, an internet connection, office supplies, book keeping, monthly fees, and product inventory. Another reason I like network marketing is because it greatly reduces your costs of doing business.

Marketing / Advertising costs: For some reason this is the one cost that everyone forgets to factor into the equation. Here is the bottom line, without marketing or advertising nobody will be exposed to your business meaning it can't grow. Some things in business will never change and this is one of them. However, the good thing about a home business is that if your smart (or have a smart mentor or coach) you can market your business without spending very much money.

Okay, so now that we established the three different business costs you can come up with a game plan on the finances your going to need to make your new business fly.

#3 - Use tools but don't take the relationship factor out of your business.

Isn't modern technology wonderful? We now have so many great tools at our disposal that cost us next to nothing. Unfortunately this modern technology has also been the downfall to many entrepreneurs who didn't know how to use it correctly. While technology does make a home business owner's life easier it is not a replacement for building relationships.

I've ran into hundreds of home business owners (not profitable ones) who hide behind the screen of their computer and wouldn't come out to actively build their home business. They never wanted to talk to anyone, help anyone, or be publicly proud about what they were doing and who they were helping. Just imagine if you went down to the local tire shop and nobody wanted to answer your questions, give you recommendations, or guide you through the sales process. Do you think that tire shop would make any money or have any customers? Of course they wouldn't!

The same rule applies for Internet / work at home businesses. You need to build relationships if you want to be successful.

#4 - Dedicate both time and resources to grow your budding venture.

Want to know the biggest obstacle home business owners face? It's treating the business like a real business and not like a hobby. Of course this isn't how it starts out to be but a few weeks after your business has been officially started is when some "hobby mentality" will try and creep in. Pretty soon your business is getting absolutely no attention and you are there wondering why it isn't working.

The truth is that you will only get out of your business what you put in and if you are not actively doing things on a daily basis to grow your business than who is? Nobody! If nobody is doing any work then it's only obvious that the business can't become profitable.

I call this having a hobby mentality because most people treat their hobbies as something that is on the back of their mind and they get to it when time permits. If you attack your work at home business like this or you will not achieve success.

#5 - Always set goals and work towards them.

The final thing you must do to achieve work at home business profits is make sure that you are constantly setting goals and achieving those goals. Goals serve as your road map and keep you focused on the business at hand. Without goals you will find yourself drifting away from your home business and not staying on track to put profits in your pocket. You should have daily, monthly, and yearly goals.

Daily Goals: If you can set out to make a positive difference in your work at home business everyday than pretty much nothing can hold you back. Every night before you go to bed, get on your laptop or pull out a notebook and write down your goals for the next day. Daily goals should be simple but big enough to make a difference in your business.

Monthly Goals: Each month you should evaluate where you stand in your business. Make it a goal to be progressing every month. If you are doing this, not only will it keep your spirits high, but also assure you that you are on the right path. If for some reason you do experience a drop (that does happen) don't get discouraged and let it motivate you to do even better the next month.

Yearly Goals: The great thing about a home business and network marketing is the fact that you can see results much faster than a traditional business model. While traditional business models usually require 5 years before a profit is reached, someone working a network marketing business hard could be a multi-millionaire by then.

The first yearly goal you want to make when you get started is that you will work your business for at least 12 straight months before you decide to press on or give up. Since most people quit before they get started (2 to 3 months), this goal will stop you from making the same mistake and actually give yourself a realistic chance to succeed.

In closing, I hope this short lesson serves as a guide to go out and find your own profitable work at home business. Don't take shortcuts, steer clear of the "to good to be true" opportunities, and take personal responsibility to make yourself successful when you find the right home business.

Remember that there are only two factors that can make a home business a success or a failure, the business itself or the person working it. So get out there, find something that fits you and then make a promise to yourself that you will be the reason it succeeds.

Josh Bradley is an online marketing specialist who has developed many products and services relating to the Internet business industry. Learn more about successful Internet marketing at HomeBizGalaxy.com and discover the ultimate lead generation software at MyCaptureSystem.com

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