Top Tools For Entrepreneurs

[pboychuk]

energy drinks?

[operaentre]

Its an really good business wizard. Every entrepreneur not only new but old also needs a tool to set them apart in the field. I too know about this IBP tool, It is the best among all the other tools available in the market today.

[Warranties-For-Less]

Interesting,

I have been in my own businesses for decades, and the only tool that pays the bills is the one which brings me sales. The internet allowed me to explode several of my early traditional businesses, but today, I only work online businesses, and in all these years, my best tool has been the phone.

Yes, I know, it is something most people hate, but dialing for dollars is what will add to your bottom line no matter what your are selling. The reason most people fail in their own business is because most require sales, and most people are not usually trained professional sales people who start their own businesses.

Sales is the name of the game, and it takes years of training and the school of hard knocks to make it in your own business, but the phone is your best and worst enemy. Best if you can master it, the worst if you cannot master the dialing for dollars method of business.

Well, knowing this is always the most difficult aspect of business, afraid to cold call, now you can let your computer do it for you. Amazingly, I paid $5,700. for a auto dialer in '98, and it was only a four line system, which cost a fortune to call, never mind it tied up most of my in office lines when running. Yes, it worked like gold, so I got a very healthy return on investment, but as with all technologies, it was obsolete when the DNC retraints came about.

With CallCash IBuzzPro, this opens the doors for every business since it is low cost and only pennies a call and can contact thousands per day if you can handle all the business. I got overwhelmed on my first campaign, so I only leave my URL now, no more phone number or VM, it was impossible to keep up and I only broadcast to a list of 1000, and only 633 connections. Simply put, if you are in business, real estate, mortgages, insurance, auto sales or even service industry, this is the technology which will put you over the top, especailly in a down economy, if not a recession which many areas are already being hit with.

The most interesting aspect about this phone tool is it works when you don't want to. lol I set and forget it, and then I watch my hit count go off the charts, and sales went up 100% in first week I ran my Low-Cost-WiFi campaign. I like to keep message short and sweet, and because system will remove every DNC number before each run, and only call permission based numbers, it is not like calling on the blind like my old system did. This one you can see results in real time, connections, no answer, VM or answer, you choose between live answer or leaving VM message, my preferred strategy.

Anyone else using Predictive Auto Dialers technology here yet? Everyone of my businesses benefit from auto dialer technology, so if you want to increase your sales figures, this is the tool you need in your toolbox. We all know bulk email is dead, payperclick is dropping like a rock, and traditional advertising isn't doing any better, but the good old phone, or should I say, new high tech phone is your best tool, hands down.

Good luck to all, Mike

[Scunizzo]

The results are in! After getting your feedback on what’s in your entrepreneur toolbox, we’ve generated a list of the top tools for young entrepreneurs.

#1: Books / Magazines

“My books on management principles, project management, to autobiographies such as Redstone Sumner’s, and Thomas Friedman’s last edition of “The World is Flat”…granted I need to get the books that recently contested his book. And, of course, Rich Dad Poor Dad.

Reading material: BRW (Business Review Weekly) magazine, How to Win Friends and Influence People (Dale Carnegie), A New Earth (Earkhart Tolle), Loosing my Virginity (Richard Branson)

Rich Dad Poor Dad and Who Moved My Cheese? books for personal development before I’ll picture out and plan something for my business.

To be very specific, I recommend reading some classic books such as Competitive Strategy - By Michael Porter, Blue Ocean Strategy - by Chan Kim, Gentleman, A Timeless Fashion - by Roetzel, Market Based Management - by Roger Best

I like Malcolm Gladwell’s book “The Tipping Point” because it shows me how time and time again very little changes have large consequences (I work in marketing, btw, so my answers might be different from others).

To add to your books: Emyth by Michael Gerber is a MUST, How to Stop Worrying & Start Living by Dale Carnegie is just as critical as How to Win Friends.”

#2: Websites

“I really like the Interactive Business Planner. IBP: New User Registration It’s a really good business plan wizard. Each section is broken down into bite-size pieces, has clear explanations and an example excerpt from a business plan. It’s provided by the Government of Canada but I don’t think there is any reason it wouldn’t be useful to anyone else.

My #1 tool is Young Entrepreneur Forums - An entrepreneurial and small business site , if i need help, best friendly people here, if i need inforimation i can get it, if i need anything someone is always willing to help. its really the only tool any entrepreneur needs ;] (i sound like a person writing a testimonial)

A few tools I like that I think others might find useful:
- Management Methods | Management Models | Management Theories - I find it useful as a quick reference/refresher tool.
- Docstoc.com – free legal forms and business templates - It’s a great repository to quickly find free templates for business documents (e.g. b-plans, legal templates, etc.).
- Online Project Management, Group Collaboration and Document Sharing ~ Huddle - Have found it useful for collaborating on projects.
- Scan, copy and fax with your camera phone or digital camera - Sort of an odd tool, but can be useful for digitizing information you put on a whiteboard.

A few sites that are useful for finding news tools:
- Business Hacks | BNET - Mix of new useful apps and general business tips.
- Free Small Business Tools & Resources - Mix of free business tools, apps, freebies.
- Webware : Cool Web apps for everyone - CNET - Profiles new online apps.

Its an really good business wizard. Every entrepreneur not only new but old also needs a tool to set them apart in the field. I too know about this IBP tool, It is the best among all the other tools available in the market today.”

#3: Pen and Paper

“Pen, Paper, A imaginitive brain, A product you are passionate about.

The pen is mightier than the sword.

A blank notebook and colourful textas to note down ideas as they come”

#4: Business Cards

“Every Entrepreneur needs tools to set them apart. Those of us who have a business card, compete for business and have a need to set themselves apart from the rest (which includes every single one of us)must have a tool that tells their story; lists their attributes; their accomplishments; their special designations; their charitiy work and hobbies; awards and accolaides. A paper business card does none of that! The Fully Customized Multimedia Business Card and Way To Wealth Marketing System does all of that for you and more!

Business cards!!! (Why am I meeting so many people at networking events that do not bring business cards? Crazy!)”

#5: Network / Peers

“My most valuable tool I believe to be my network. Being successful in anything is not so much what you know but who you know. Everyone should keep an email list of people that they need to look to for certain things for example when ever I have a legal question I have a lawyer that I have built a relationship with and he is part of my network. I have the same thing for a tax guy, mortgage guy, and so on. So you have a network of resources and that is key. Then you need a network of test customers, have a list of people who might always be interested in investing in an idea you have or might even purchase what ever it is that your are offering or what ever service you provide. One of the best networks I have is a network of veteran business owners and or investors, its a group of people that I can email when ever I have a quesiton or concern very similar to S.C.O.R.E. (Sales core of retired executives) they are great because they lived it and can give you real world exp. The most important tool any business man or woman can have is without question their network, build it big build it smart make it work. NETWORK

My peers. Surround urself with a diversity of people, in completely inconclusive environments. Share, debate, and exchange ideas. Mega-successful entrepreneurs are multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary individuals.”

#6: Mentors

“My Mentors. All of them have found vast success in their fields, and have obtained a wealth of knowledge. Surround yourself with winners, and your chances at winning are greater.

Having a mentor can also make a huge difference to your results. Ideally make it someone you can meet with in person a regular basis which helps keep you under pressure to achieve. As a second choice try email or telephone contact with someone who is already where you want to be.”

#7: RSS Readers

“Its important to stay in the know. Blogs are my personal favorite way to keep up to date and a blog reader (like google reader) keeps all the blog sites you frequent in one place for easy reading.

Google Reader for quickly skimming through industry news and events.”

#8: Blogs

“My blog for presenting myself as a thought leader in my industry.

Now that you mentioned it, a blog has become an important tool for the entrepreneur. Especially in this age of the internet.”

Other answers that made the list were:

* Computers
* Media
* Internet
* Energy drinks
* The phone
* Microsoft Office
* Google
* Espresso machines
* Virtual assistants
* Twitter
* iPhones

Thank you for all of your valuable input! Stay tuned for future Young Entrepreneur Polls!

[ferrer76]

Awesome!
I agree with you that every entrepreneur is new and he himself is a tool for the business to grow.
I too have my business for which I am the tool for that.

Regards
Entrepreneur

[kinjalshah]

A few tools I like that I think others might find useful:

* Management Methods | Management Models | Management Theories - I find it useful as a quick reference/refresher tool.
* Docstoc.com free legal forms and business templates - It's a great
repository to quickly find free templates for business documents (e.g.
b-plans, legal templates, etc.).
* Online Project Management, Group Collaboration and Document Sharing
Huddle - Have found it useful for collaborating on projects.
* Scan, copy and fax with your camera phone or digital camera - Sort
of an odd tool, but can be useful for digitizing information you put on
a whiteboard.

A few sites that are useful for finding news tools:

* Business Hacks | BNET - Mix of new useful apps and general business tips.
* Free Small Business Tools & Resources - Mix of free business tools, apps, freebies.
* Webware : Cool Web apps for everyone - CNET - Profiles new online apps.

[studynz2008]

You guys are great! As of now, am still learning the basic techniques and researching for some ideas on how to start my own business.

[AntonyR]

anything that will allow you to work on what YOU are good at and not micro manage everything

[myemployee]

Tools? I would say a cost-effective (outsourced offshore perhaps) staff to prevent you from micro-managing, save you time and money, give you expertise and quicker turn-around time and to keep you doing what you do best as you keep on a strategic eye on things as you start and grow your business.

[lena7]

I am doing a lot of marketing online to promote my website, plus having the SEO down pretty well. Plus I create relations with people, have a great social network, that's probably the most important part to it.

[dougmcisaac]

My mastermind group is my most powerful tool.

Doug

[Daniel J. Bertelsen]

my best tool.. Passion

[ianpalmer]

reading seems to always fire me up. Rich Dad Poor Dad, Rich Dads guide to investing, Ice to Eskimos, Think and Grow Rich, Entrepreneur Mag. anything that will teach you the right mindset you need to have to become successful.

The Secret is a good movie I think people should watch.

Reminders all over the house, things like putting up a pic of the home you want or putting your goals where you can read them everyday. I have a message from a fortune cookie that I taped to my computer "You will earn a lot of money" Its the kind of reminder I'm talking about.

The Internet is key as well

[Bryce Maddock]

rich dad poor dad is a must read book.

[bthompson6472]

I find any website that gives good, updated info relevant to small businesses to be very useful.

One site I visit regularly, the Business Owner's Toolkit, just added a new “BizCast Widget” that shares cost-cutting business tips, advice for starting a small business, and timely business news. Check it at toolkit.com.