Decision making skills are vital to business leaders.

The ability to make quick and intelligent decisions is an asset in almost any type of business. Company leaders need to be able to think on their feet in a fast-paced business world where dozens of decisions must be made every work day. There are some surprising ways to improve decision making ability.

Practice Making Simple Decisions

In order to make big decisions, you must first trust yourself to make small decisions. Practice making quick decisions when ordering in a restaurant, picking a paint color for your office, or which color pants to purchase. In his book “Improving Student’s Decision Making Skills,” decisions researchers Robin S. Gregory and Robert T. Clemen suggests that people must learn that quick decisions sometimes receive a positive outcome.

Play Video Games

Playing video games can improve your ability to make decisions. Daphne Bavelier, a researcher and cognitive neuroscientist at the University of Rochester, said in an article at MSNBC that action video games can help people improve the speed and accuracy of decision making. The next time you need a break at work, try turning on the X-box and firing up the latest action gaming adventure.

Enhance Research Skills

The ability to conduct in-depth research allows you to understand the different facets of a problem before making a decision. Decisions that might impact your company long-term should be researched thoroughly. Enhance research skills by taking careful notes and asking others for points of view you might not have considered in your initial research.

See Problems Before They Arise

Learn to think ahead and analyze what issues might arise from a decision. For example, if the company merges with another company, how might that impact employees? Will customers be upset? How can you reach out to the customers to ease their fears and concerns? The ability to see potential problems before they arise helps you make the best decisions possible.

Commit to Your Decision

Once you’ve made the decision, stick to it. Waffling back and forth between two options will only confuse employees or customers. If the decision turns out to be the wrong one, admit it, make a new decision and then move forward.

Don’t Be Afraid to Postpone a Decision

Although making fast decisions is beneficial in some situations, if you do not have enough information to make an informed decision, then it might be best to delay a final choice until you’re able to do more research. Getting in touch with experts and holding meetings with colleagues takes time. Don’t be scared to put off a decision until you feel ready to make it.

References

Improving Student’s Decision Making Skills: by Robin S. Gregory and Robert T. Clemen

MSNBC.com: ‘Grand Theft Auto’ May Improve Decision-Making Skills

STARTS MAY 1st

This four-week course will take you through the steps you need to begin earning more money from your at-home work. Whether you run a business part-time, full-time, or are just thinking about starting a new business and want to be as productive as possible, this course is for you. It doesn’t matter what type of business you run, because you’ll also get a one-on-one consultation each and every week from Lori Soard. This course is for everyone, from writers to crafters to inventors to retail store owners. Each week, you will meet for a 30-minute lecture (or get the log, if you can’t attend the live session) and then you will meet with Lori online or via e-mail for your 10-15 minute consultation on that week’s topic.

Week 1 – Start thinking outside the box. How can you earn more than you are now? Tips for adding on elements your current customers will love and for finding new customers, even in a down economy. This week will give you an edge over your competition.

Week 2 – Routines and productivity. Why a routine is important. A plan to balance promotion and clients of all types (works for any business). I started using this last August and my monthly income has almost doubled.

Week 3 – Tax Tips. This might seem like a done to death topic, but there are a lot of insider tips that will help you to save on your taxes at the end of the year. As a business owner or independent consultant, this can save you hundreds and even thousands of dollars. Paying less in taxes can mean the difference between getting an outside job and working for yourself.

Week 4 – Adding to what you already do. Based on the different business types in the class, Lori will come up with a lecture that gives you solid tools to help you add on to what you already do and make more/charge more than ever before. The final consults will be 30 minutes each.

All classes will be held in an online chat forum at 9:00 p.m. EST on Tuesdays. The chats will be logged and a transcript provided to students only. If you are not able to make the chat at 9:00 p.m., you will still get the information. If you read the transcript and find you still have questions, you should feel free to e-mail me. I am happy to answer any questions you might have.

The cost for all this is only $29.99. In the past, I’ve never offered courses this cheaply, because as a freelancer I do believe we deserve to be paid for our time. However, I really want you to benefit from this information and be able to start doing what I do and making more money doing what you truly love. I believe you will be very successful if you put the principles I teach you into practice. In fact, I’m so certain that I’ll even offer you a satisfaction guarantee and give you your money back if you aren’t happy at the end of the course.  If you are happy, please bookmark this site and visit me regularly. The course starts MAY  1st and is limited to the first 12 people to register (6 spots left), so intense feedback can be given. Questions? Email me at Lori_Soard (at) yahoo.com.

Four different packages available for this sale only. Get the full details at: http://promodivas.com/promotions/presidents-day-blowout-sale

Feel free to email me with questions.

http://promodivas.com/promotions/presidents-day-blowout-sale/

I was so excited to have the opportunity interview the inspiring Judy Katz recently. Judy agreed to share with our readers how she got into the ghostwriting business, a few of her secrets to success and tips for how our readers can do something similar. I know you’ll enjoy this interview. Need ghostwriting services for your business? Judy and her team of professionals are available.

Judy Katz, Founder and President of Katz Creative Inc.

Spend time in your home office seeking client contacts.

Just about all small business owners, including freelancers, are wondering, “How do I get clients in a down economy?” Finding new clients is something that takes time and effort even when the economy is good. By following a few simple rules, you’ll be able to gain new clients and make your business successful.

Why Do You Need New Clients?

Gaining new clients, while retaining old clients is a key to any successful entrepreneurial adventure. No matter what type of business you’re in, you need new clients. Writers need new readers, direct sales consultants need people to host parties, inventors need new outlets to sell their goods, etc. New clients help take your business to the next level and up your annual income. The key is keeping your old clients while gaining new ones. Otherwise, your business will not grow, it will just stay at the same level.

Ways to Seek New Customers

There are many ways to seek new customers, but some of the most effective ways include some of the tried and true methods that have been around for generations. We’ll go into these in a bit more detail below. Also, we’ll take a look at some of the newer trends in gaining customers.

Referrals

One of the best ways to gain new clients is to simply ask your current clients to refer you to others. This type of word-of-mouth advertising is one of the most effective. I like to give a little bonus if the person signs up for a package and pays. For example, one of my web design clients recently referred a new client to me, so I put a $10 credit on their account and let them know about it. It was a simple thank you that the client really appreciated.

Sales

If you need new business quickly, run a few sales. Offer a percentage or certain amount off if the person signs up by a particular date. Those of you in direct sales could offer a package like one-on-one tutoring sessions for the new consultant or letting them take one of your booked parties. This helps you as well, because you usually earn a percentage of what your downline sales. Try to be creative with your sales. Limit them to 48 to 72 hours and stick to it. Don’t keep extending the sale or there is no reason for people to sign up right away. Also, don’t offer the sales too often or there is no real incentive, because the potential clients will realize you run these sales all the time. They’ll just wait for the next one.

Schedule in Time for New Client Seeking

Most successful freelancers spend 30 minutes to an hour of each work day seeking out new jobs and clients. How you go about this might be varied. You could ask current clients for names and numbers of people who might be interested and cold call. You could visit local businesses. You could post information on your social networking sites. You could even make the rounds of online chats and interviews to increase your exposure for free. Try different things and go back to the ones that work best.

Social Media

For today’s modern business owner, social networking is an absolute must. Utilize your network to find new clients. Create a post reminding everyone of what you do and asking if they will spread the word. Offer to reward the favor, of course. The main sites to start with for networking include Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, but there are also many others out there, so think about what ties in best with your business and work those connections.

Stay Upbeat

Anyone who has owned a business for a while will tell you that there are ups and downs and that work will seem to lag and then will pour in all at once. Spending a set time every day seeking new work helps a bit, but it will still have lulls and busy periods. When the lulls c

Physical therapists need a minimum of a table and exercise equipment.

Physical Therapy (PT) offers the opportunity to work out of your home or set your own schedule. While you can work for a hospital or medical office, you may find that the flexibility of working for yourself is much more desirable.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics, or BLS, estimated that in 2008 approximately 185,500 physical therapists were employed in the U.S. Around 60 percent of those worked in hospitals, physical therapy clinics or health care practitioner offices. The rest ran businesses out of their homes or traveled to their patient’s locations. How much it costs to start your physical therapy business depends upon whether you purchase tables and other equipment or work out of the offices of others.

Physical Therapy Degree and License

The Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy administers the national licensing test for physical therapists. To be eligible to take this test, you must first complete an advanced degree in physical therapy from an accredited institution of higher learning. The cost of the degree can vary, depending upon the college attended and whether you live at home or on campus. At the time of publication, the cost to take the test is $370. States also charge an additional fee for license application.

Location

Choose a location for your physical therapy business. The least expensive start-up option is to lease space from a local health care provider. This also gives your physical therapy business visibility to patients in need of your services and, in most cases, the equipment you need will be on premises. Home offices are another cheaper option. If you choose to lease commercial building space, look for a location with plenty of parking and near doctors’ offices and hospitals.

Equipment

Purchase or rent equipment for your PT business. If you plan to visit patient’s homes, look for equipment that is easy to set up and take down and that is lightweight. Different equipment is needed for different types of therapy, so this cost can vary. Purchase a computer and software to help track appointments and payments.

Insurance

Call your insurance agent and find out if your current company offers business insurance for PTs or if your agent can recommend a company that offers liability insurance for your career. If you plan to drive to and from patients’ homes, you will also need to inquire about any changes to your vehicle insurance.

Advertise

Get the word out about your business with ads in the local paper, flyers, and passing out business cards. Network with doctors , nursing homes, sports specialists and hospitals. Make them aware of the services you offer and ask if they will refer you to their patients.

Renovations can be as simple as paint or as complex as tearing down walls.

Most Rat Race Mutiny readers work out of a home office, but a few lease office space or grow beyond their initial home space. I will cover both types of offices in this article.

Reasons abound to update an office space, including opening a new business, expanding an existing business, or setting up a home office work space. As of 2011, Bankrate.com estimates a cost of $10,526 to renovate a home office. On the other hand, Dagher Engineering located in New York City spent about $1 million to renovate its 10,000 square-foot office space. Costs to renovate vary depending upon factors like location and the type of renovations.

I will focus on the most common renovations, like paint and new carpet. If you choose to wallpaper or use other types of flooring, this can increase the costs dramatically. The most common renovation projects are listed in this particular article.

Painting

If your office simply needs to be refreshed, new paint is an inexpensive option. Types of paint vary in cost. To figure how much paint you need, add the length of each wall that requires painting and multiply that number by the height of your walls. The result is the square footage of your space. Typically, a gallon of paint will cover about 350 square-feet. If the walls have never been painted, add in the cost of coating with primer before painting.

Carpet

According to HomeWyse.com, the 2011 national average to install carpet is between $1.14 and $1.51 for each square foot of carpet. The actual cost can vary from city to city. If purchasing for a large office, negotiate a lower price as the carpet will be purchased in bulk. Keep in mind that a mid-grade carpet will last longer than a cheaper carpet and save money in the long run.

Technology

If you are remodeling your office to take advantage of technological advances, figure this cost into your renovations. For example, running CAT5 or CAT6 wire throughout the office allows users to hook directly into an office network. An electrician often buys in bulk and will get a reduced rate on this wire.

Adding Space

If your office is located in an older building, the rooms may be small and broken up. An open space with cubicles allows workers to easily talk about projects and adds space where the walls once stood. If the walls that are removed are not load-bearing walls, then the removal cost will be less. A removed load-bearing wall requires additional expense to prop the weight of the building up with a beam or other device.

A mowing business can be lucrative and fairly easy to start. When it comes to bidding on jobs, however, you should follow specific steps to ensure you make enough money to cover your time and that you are competitive with other companies in the area. Every agreement  should take into account how often you will mow and how much area will be mowed.

Gather information for the bid

Determine how much grass you will be mowing and how often you will mow. If you own a commercial mower with a larger than standard cutting deck, you may want to insist on using your own equipment to reduce time. If you use your own equipment, that will factor into the cost. Also, ask if there are any special areas of concern in the yard and if they want any special features, such as diagonal mowing cut (this takes longer). Also pay attention to any problem areas that need to be worked around such as hills, ditches, playground equipment, trees and landscaping.

Salary

Decide how much you want to make per hour. If you’d like to make $12 an hour and will be working by yourself, then you simply factor in $12 for every hour it will take you to mow at this location. The best way to guesstimate the time it will take you to mow is to use your equipment on your own yard. You will then know how much space can be mowed in an hour. Add time on for a lot of yard decorations, playground equipment and so on. Don’t set your prices so low that you can’t meet costs or are working for less than minimum wage.

Fuel Costs

Add on the cost of gasoline for the mower and for your vehicle and driving to and from the work site. You may also want to add on a few dollars for a repair fund. If you run your equipment full-time every day, then you will need to repair and replace it eventually.

Details

List every minute detail on the bid. Include how often the yard will be mowed, the exact area that will be mowed and any special services added on, such as edging once a month. Break the cost down. Some customers will want to pay for the entire mowing season, but most will prefer to pay once a month.

Contact Information

Include contact information on the bid, so the customer can easily get in touch and sign a final contract. If a bid was given to a customer and that person has not called within a few days, give the customer a quick follow-up call to see if there are any questions.

Hello all,

I could really use your help, but there’s something in it for you, too. Many of you already know that I’ve started a new web design and promotions business called Promo Divas. Right now, if you refer someone and they sign up for a package, I will send you $10 via PayPal. As soon as we receive our payment, you’ll get yours (Payment must clear). You do not have to have a certain number. We will pay out the $10 affiliate fees daily. If you’re like most freelance writers/people, getting some quick money in your pocket can be a real boost to your financial health. You can get all the details by sending an e-mail to:

Iwant10@lorisoard.com

Thanks so much.

Lori