 | ||
| Demystifying Chinese Holdings Of U.S. Assets | ||
| ||
| ||
 In a recently published Special Report, our China Investment Strategy service examines China's massive but largely mysterious foreign exchange reserves, especially its holdings of U.S. assets.In an unusual disclosure, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao publicly expressed his concerns about the safety of China's holdings of U.S. assets, putting the country's massive yet largely furtive foreign exchange assets into the spotlight. Our research finds that China currently has about 64% of its foreign reserves in U.S. assets, a level that has declined gradually from as high as 84% in 2003. The majority of Chinese holdings of U.S. assets are risk free and long-term in nature, but there has been a clear trend in China's reserve holdings that shows a persistent increase in exposure to risky assets and non-U.S. assets over the past five years. Although, China's net purchases of risky U.S assets have dropped sharply since mid-last year, while its net purchases of Treasurys have jumped. This underscores the authorities' reduced risk appetite amid the ongoing global storm. Their reserve diversification process could accelerate again when global financial markets stabilize. Importantly, China's net purchases of short-term U.S. Treasurys have jumped dramatically over the past year, accounting for the majority of the country's total net purchases of U.S. government paper. This is an unprecedented development and a situation that warrants close attention going forward. | ||
|
Sunday, March 29, 2009
China's big dollar secret is revealed
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Activate your marketing plan...
Getting your marketing plan off the ground
Although marketing is best left to the experts, there is some basic groundwork you can do before hiring a marketing consultant. Once you've understood your unique point of difference, position, target audience and goals, you'll be better prepared to put together a full-fledged marketing plan.
Step 1: Find out where you stand
Begin by evaluating your company's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
Strengths are defined as any competitive advantage, competency, expertise, proficiency, talent, or factor that strengthens your company's position in the marketplace. In a marketing context, the most relevant strengths are those that are enduring and can not be easily copied. Examples are a well-trained sales team, low staff turnover, high consumer retention, and low production costs due to technology.
Weaknesses are the factors that affect your company's ability to independently attain short-term and long-term objectives. Examples are unreliable delivery of inventories, outdated production tools, insufficient marketing efforts, and lack of planning.
Opportunities are ways for your business to be more profitable, such as reaching new markets, managing changes in technology and addressing new consumer trends. You need to look at how your company's key skills can be used to take advantage of these opportunities.
Threats are barriers to entry in your primary markets, such as competitor's actions, labour shortage, legislative hurdles, or detrimental economic/political developments.
Step 2: Conduct an audit
An audit basically involves defining your business, customers and competitors, and looking at your current marketing efforts. Your goal is to determine where to focus your new marketing efforts, both internally and externally.
Business profile
Define who you are: what is your company's mission? What are your company's core skills and expertise and how do they support your mission?
Determine your clients' perception of your business.
Take your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats into consideration.
Customer profile
Look at your client profile and evaluate demographics (age, income, geographic location), estimated demand, expected growth rate, purchase motivation, cross-selling potential, and other critical factors.
Imagine your ideal customer: where can you best deliver value and keep promises, while meeting financial objectives? Does this customer have long-term potential?
Keep track of how business and consumer markets are constantly evolving. If you wait for your sales to tell you, it's too late.
Stay close to your market. This will enable you to forecast demand and perceptions with greater accuracy, identify new trends, detect market changes and see opportunities before your competitors do.
Competitor profile
Find out about your competitors' marketing efforts, pricing, market share, public perception and competitive advantage.
Current marketing efforts
Know exactly how and where you're advertising. Identify your expenditures, performance measurement, and get sales and customer feedback.
Step 3: Design your plan
There's no one recipe, but you can expect the following in a basic plan:
Executive summary
Make it easy for others - your banker, marketing consultant, investors - to understand your plan. Include a brief description of your company (mission, core product/service industry overview, key success factors, market analysis, financial statements and forecasts) and a summary of the marketing objectives and strategy outlined in the rest of your plan.
Current situation / Market analysis
Describe your marketing efforts up to now, the markets you've targeted and why, and your opportunities and threats, such as competition, regulations, or technological changes.
Marketing objective
Describe the desired outcome of your market plan. Make your objectives specific, realistic, time-limited, and measurable.
Marketing strategy
Outline how you will achieve these objectives, covering the 4 Ps (Product, Price, Promotion, and Place).
A few rules of thumb
- Ensure that the product concept, design, packaging and use meet consumers' actual needs and expectations.
- Ensure that the market (and not production costs) determines pricing (estimate perceived value).
- Avoid pushing your customers. Short-term gains in sales may be quickly eroded if consumers are dissatisfied with what you offer.
- Communicate value to selected consumers, not just features.
- Clearly define the message to your consumer before advertising or promoting your offering.
- Design an optimal mix of promotional activities (advertising, direct marketing, events, online cross-marketing) and tools that can best meet your marketing and sales objectives without exceeding your budget.
- Interview consumers prior to implementation in order to ensure your message is clear and meaningful, and your marketing mix is effective in communicating your message.
Financing your business...
Financing for innovation
Financing for innovation can mean different things to different businesses. It could involve funding a large-scale initiative such as commercializing a product; financing research and development (R&D); or simply finding the funds for a smaller in-house project such as improving a process.
Depending on your needs and the scale of your project, a few avenues are available: public funds or grants, tax credits, personal investment, financial institutions, angel investors and business incubators.
Available options:
Government funding
Formal R&D involves making an advance in science or technology. Applying for an R&D grant or a tax credit usually means completing application forms and demonstrating how you satisfy the funding conditions and requirements. A significant portion of this funding is directed in the academic milieu, where businesses and universities, for example, work together to conduct R&D.
Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI): the Government of Canada created this independent corporation to fund research infrastructure, particularly in the academic, health care and non-profit sectors.
Canada Business: this portal, set up by Industry Canada, includes information on financing, human resources, product development, marketing, pricing, intellectual property and research services. Also included are diagnostic tools and articles related to innovation.
National Research Council Canada (NRC): this governmental organization makes non-repayable contributions and provides mentoring to small businesses in Canada that want to use technology to grow. NRC administers the Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) designed to help Canadian SMEs meet technological challenges they face in delivering new products, processes or services.
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC): is a federal government vehicle for investing in research, in science and engineering, and in Canadian universities. NSERC is always seeking opportunities to work with other organizations with common goals to support research and student training.
Business incubators
Business incubators (or "accelerators") generally focus on the high-tech sector by providing support for new small businesses at various stages of development. However, there are also local economic development incubators, which focus on areas such as job creation, revitalization, and hosting and sharing services.
Commonly, incubators will invite young companies to share their premises, as well as their administrative, logistical and technical resources. For example, an incubator might allow you to use its laboratories to develop and test products for a reasonable price before beginning production.
The Canadian Association of Business Incubation has a comprehensive list of business incubators in Canada and links to other resources.
Angels
Most angels are wealthy individuals or retired corporate executives who invest directly in small companies. They are often leaders in their own field who contribute not only their experience and network of contacts but also their technical and management knowledge. According to
Canada Business, angels in Canada have invested in roughly double the number of companies as institutional venture capitalists have. Angels tend to focus on young businesses and to make investments of between $25,000 and $100,000, while institutional venture capitalists usually provide financing in the $1-million range or more.
In turn for risking their money, angels reserve the right to oversee the company's management practices. In concrete terms, that often involves getting a seat on the board of directors and receiving an assurance of transparency.
Angels tend to keep a low profile. To meet them, you have to contact specialized associations. The Canadian Angel Investment Network can help put you in touch with angels. Angel Investors Canada is a not-for-profit organization that promotes best practices in this field.
Venture capital
Successful R&D-based companies can also attract venture capital. Venture capitalists are looking for companies with high growth potential that offer unique products and services in addressing promising global markets.
Venture capitalists take an equity position in the company to help it carry out a promising but high-risk business plan. They also expect a healthy return on their investment, often generated through a merger and acquisition opportunity or when the business starts selling shares to the public. Be sure to look for investors who bring relevant experience and knowledge to your business and share the same objectives.
BDC Venture Capital invests in early-stage technology driven companies strategically positioned in the following sectors: biotechnology and medical devices, communication and information technology, energy, environment, electronics and materials, as well as industrial technology.
Tax credits
Many provincial and federal tax credits are available for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) conducting R&D or experimental development. Information on these credits is available through the Canada Business portal.
For instance, the Canada Revenue Agency's (CRA's) Scientific Research and Experimental Development program, commonly known as SR&ED, provides tax credits up to 35% of qualifying expenditures such as salaries, capital costs, consulting fees and materials. For most SMEs, these investment tax credits (ITCs) take the form of a cash refund. Some provinces have complementary programs.
To be eligible, your business has to show evidence of "experimental development," which could be an advancement happening on your shop floor or generated by the key people on your team. Eligible companies often show that they're taking technological leaps into uncharted territory. ITCs are offered to businesses that develop or improve products and processes in industries such as manufacturing, software, custom machinery and Internet access.
Consultants who have successfully coordinated other SR&ED applications can help you get access to these tax incentives.
A BDC consultant, for example, can help you identify eligible projects, prepare technical project descriptions and accelerate the process with the CRA.
Preparing a SR&ED application can be very time consuming and requires knowledge of tax laws and the ability to convey information about the project in layman's terms. Working with external consultants lets you invest your time in other areas of the business and ensures that day-to-day operations will not be disrupted.
Bank financing
You may consider seeking financing for your innovation projects:
BDC offers long-term financing to companies that want to innovate and can show that their investment will have a positive effect on their bottom line. A clear business case is needed to demonstrate the viability of your project.
We also provide subordinate financing an excellent alternative for growing companies. This innovative and flexible financing solution combines the advantages of a term loan and equity - it does not dilute ownership and can be structured to maximize your return on investment. Subordinate financing is intended for high growth or mature firms with minimal securities that have successfully progressed beyond the start-up phase.
If you work with BDC, you can seek related innovation advice from
BDC Consulting, which conducts innovation diagnoses and helps you develop clear, results-driven strategies.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Wholesalers offer management services.
Profit by Your Wholesaler's Services
SummaryWholesalers offer services which small retailers can use to strengthen their operations. In some instances, the "helping hand" concerns only sales. In others, it extends to advice and help on recordkeeping, financing, administrative practices, location, insurance, and personnel.
This publication discusses such services pointing out that the range of assistance varies according to the individual wholesaler and the line of merchandise. Some of the services are free, but others carry a fee.
If you haven't checked the management services that your wholesalers offer, you should. Because their business depends on you and the other retailers to whom they sell, they are all common sources of assistance.
Depending on the types of assistance offered, your wholesaler may be able to help you "butter your bread." Some wholesalers offer services on sales promotion, buying, and new developments in products. Others try to "think retail" and also provide services that help to increase profits as well as sales. Some wholesalers may even assist you in the areas of financing and accounting.
The types of services and the extent to which they are available varies with wholesalers and lines of merchandise. Your wholesaler-distributor may or may not provide all of the services discussed in this publication but reading about them may help you when it is time for you to investigate such offerings.
Promotion
Wholesalers often offer help in promoting the products they sell to retailers. Some of these services are free, others carry a price tag. However, as a rule, the price tag is not great because the wholesaler spreads the cost of this sales-building program over a number of retailers.
Featured Items
One of the most effective forms of promotional assistance is preselected merchandise that you can feature co-operatively with other independent retailers. By pooling customer orders for such items, your wholesaler can often secure price concessions or other favourable terms from manufacturers or processors. Generally, the wholesaler passes these savings on to you, the customer, to help you counter the price appeals offered by large retailers who buy directly from the manufacturer in large quantities and thereby get price concessions. In other cases, a wholesaler-distributor will sell these preselected items at cost in an effort to have a major part of your business.
Stock Control
In some lines of goods, the wholesaler provides help with stock control. For example, a system is set up whereby the wholesaler's staff, with a minimum of attention from you, can keep your stock at the level you need for supplying your customers.
One drug wholesaler uses pressure-sensitive labels on products and a computer to help retailers with stock control. When the retail druggist sells an item, he or she peels off the label and pastes it on a card. The wholesaler runs them through a computer for automatic maintenance of the retailer's inventory. This practice helps the retailer avoid tying up money in merchandise that doesn't move.
Point-of-Sale Promotional Aids
Some wholesalers are major sources of display material designed to stimulate "impulse buying" for both nationally advertised and private brands. Because much of this material is furnished by manufacturers, the wholesaler keeps retailers informed about what is available and tells retailers how the aids can be used most effectively. In some instances, the wholesaler helps retailers in building effective window, counter, and bin displays. Sometimes the wholesaler may send an employee to work on the retail sales floor during special promotions.
In some lines of business, wholesalers offer another type of promotional aid—showrooms. For example, they allow their dealers to bring retail customers to their showrooms to inspect models which the dealers do not carry as regular stock.
Co-operative Advertising
Advertising on a co-operative basis with a wholesaler-distributor can be a reasonable economical way for featuring your merchandise and building customer loyalty. For this type of advertising, many manufacturers give the wholesaler an advertising allowance on purchases. This practice reduces costs that are charged on a percentage basis. Depending on the type and number of potential customers, the media most often used by wholesalers are radio and television, newspapers, and handbills.
Market Information
Wholesalers often supply market information that can help a small retailer attract customers and satisfy their wants. In numerous contacts with local businesses and distant suppliers, the wholesaler accumulates information about consumer demand, prices, supply conditions, and new developments in the trade. The wholesaler relays the information to retailers through bulletins, newsletters, order books, invoices, and sales people. One small retailer summed up these marketing services by saying that, "The wholesaler is in a good position to tell whether things are slowing down or changing and keeps us aware of these changes."
Consumer Demand
The wholesaler's position between national and regional suppliers and local buyers enables him or her to "feel the pulse" of the consumer demand. The wholesaler can recognize, for example, events at the national and regional levels that are likely to bear on the amount of local consumer spending. Through numerous contracts with local retailers, the wholesaler learns which items have attracted the attention of consumers and which items have not. By reviewing orders, he or she can sense when demand for a product is changing and advise customers to adjust their buying and inventories accordingly.
Price
Often you can get comprehensive and up-to-date information from your wholesaler. Most wholesalers can collect competitive price information from their customers much more economically than the individual retailer could collect it.
Suggested retail prices are also supplied by many wholesalers, particularly those offering co-operative advertising plans or those who sell their own private brands.
Supply Conditions
You can usually depend on your wholesaler to keep you informed about primary market conditions that would affect the supply of a particular product. Information concerning the possible scarcity or superabundance of consumer goods or expected major shifts in prices are of particular importance when they reach you in tome to be reflected in your buying plans.
New Developments
One of the easiest ways to keep abreast of new methods, new products, and new ideas is through the bulletins, newsletters, and other publications circulated by many wholesalers. These media often provide condensed versions of articles appearing in the trade or business press, lists of new products being introduced by manufacturers, pictures or descriptions of new equipment, and suggestions for improving merchandise displays and selling performance.
Accounting Systems
A number of wholesalers help their retail customers to maintain adequate accounting systems. Several types of accounting assistance are available through wholesalers who offer this service. Some wholesalers have compiled forms and manuals that retailers can use as the basis for good records.
A few wholesalers have retail accounting departments that perform virtually the entire accounting function for their customers. Retailers who use such a system supply operating information to the wholesalers at periodic intervals.
Other wholesalers have negotiated "umbrella" contracts with private accounting firms. These firms, in turn, do the accounting work for a given group of retailers—often at a smaller fee than the accounting firm could offer an individual retailer.
Policy and Methods
Many wholesalers offer guidance and counsel that retailers can use in setting policies and in improving methods. Some of the areas covered are public relations, housekeeping methods, and administrative procedures. Such assistance is usually available for the asking through the wholesaler's sales staff. In some instances, meetings are held to discuss such subjects, and retailers are kept abreast of new developments through bulletins and newsletters.
Many wholesaler-distributors belong to a trade association that specializes in their commodity line. These associations often publish monthly magazines as well as brochures aimed at helping the retailer.
Suggestions on setting policy and improving methods can be helpful because many small retailers get involved in the day-to-day tasks of keeping the business moving along. When this happens, they lose sight of the big picture. Often they overlook opportunities to improve their operations. For example, they know the value of good public relations but do nothing about it.
In other instances, they may not know how to build a favourable image and their time and money are spent uselessly. Because he or she is not involved in the routine of a store, the wholesaler can often detect such management weakness in customers and suggest ways for correcting them.
Looking Ahead
Many wholesalers go beyond day-to-day operating assistance and offer services that are designed to help their customers with long range problems. They offer help on real estate problems, financing, insurance and personnel.
Real Estate
Some wholesalers pass on to their retailers tips on stores that are for rent or for sale. These tips are given to their customers when they are considering a branch store. These wholesalers usually maintain up-to-date real estate files by gathering information from their salespeople, customers, newspapers, and real estate agencies.
Depending on your wholesalers, you may be able to get help in analysing the suitability of various locations, including an evaluation of the market potential. Some wholesalers keep a finger on the direction and character of urban development and offer advice and desirable future locations. They help the retailer establish a priority rating for each location. New locations, particularly in shopping centres and other large-scale trading area developments, may involve complicated leasing arrangements.
Finance
In some cases, wholesaler-distributors help their retailers with long range financing. For example, a wholesaler may lend funds to enable a retailer to modernize an old building, acquire a new site, or erect a new building. The need for this type of financial assistance is especially evident in the retail food business. Here the trend toward costly supermarkets coupled with the inability of banks to help any but the best credit risks has greatly increased the importance of wholesalers as sources of direct financial aid.
Indirectly, a wholesaler can help you with financial needs by supporting you at the bank or insurance company. The loan is made on the wholesaler's recommendation, and the wholesaler generally guarantees all or part of its repayment.
In long-range financing, the retailer who deals with a relatively few wholesalers is in a better position than the retailer who buys small amounts from many wholesalers. The wholesaler naturally looks for retailers who have proved themselves and whose business offers growth possibilities for the wholesaler too.
Insurance Counsel
A number of wholesalers try to help their customers secure adequate protection against risks from theft, fire, smoke, and water damage. This assistance may involve:
- keeping you alert to your insurance needs;
- making sure that your insurance is kept in force;
- helping to get your claim settled as quickly as possible if a loss does occur.
Personnel
Your wholesaler-distributor through his or her sales staff can help you obtain qualified store personnel in informal ways. For example, the wholesaler might tell you of an outstanding salesperson who wants to change jobs. Some of the larger wholesalers have even set up auxiliary personnel departments. Such departments maintain files on persons seeking retail employment and refer prospective employees to retailers on request.
Which Services Can You Use?
Not all of the services available from your wholesaler are equally important to you. Some may be indispensable. Others you can handle more effectively yourself. Some services carry charges, and you must decide whether or not they are worth their cost.
The first step in determining which services you can use is finding out what your wholesaler offers. Get all the details you can about each service that is available to you. Find out what advantages a service has for you. Find out what obligations it carries.
First Things First
At this point, a few words of caution are in order. As far as you are concerned, the main duty of a wholesaler is to supply you with items that you sell at a profit. Success in retailing starts with shelves and displays full of goods that customers want. When accepting management assistance from a wholesaler, you must be sure first that the distributor is a reliable source of merchandise.
A small retailer, however, should know his or her customers better than the wholesaler. In mutual assistance, such as special promotion, the retailer should prevail. Resist the temptation to overbuy on attractive offers. For example, is there enough profit in using a salesperson to train your sales staff and sell to customers when you have to buy in gross lots rather than the usual case lot? It is your loss when the item doesn't move as fast as was thought. Try to schedule special promotions that are offered by the wholesaler to suit your plans for promoting sales and profits. Use co-operative advertising when it is to your advantage, but don't be a slave to it.
In fact, don't be a slave to outside assistance whether it is from a wholesaler or another source. Regardless of a wholesaler's good intentions—to help you sell more at a profit—never forget that you are the boss.
Compare Services
When you have the details on the wholesaler's services, compare them with what you already have. If he or she can provide, for example, an accounting service, how does it compare with yours? Is it easier to use? Harder to use? Cheaper than yours?
Follow Through
When you sign for services from your wholesaler, follow through with your end of the agreement. Provide the information and direction needed to render the services you need. For example, when you use a wholesaler's accounting service, you need to send daily expense and revenue data on a given schedule and format so that the accounting staff can include your data in its work load.
Matters that can cause misunderstandings should be pinned down. For example, the order form should spell out prices, terms, dates of shipment, and liability for shipping costs. When an agreement is written, often mistakes can be corrected without damaging your relationship with the wholesaler. A verbal agreement may be another story.
If you want help in selecting and training personnel, you will need to give the wholesaler job descriptions to identify the types of employees you want and to determine whether applicants have the necessary skills.
Talk with your wholesaler and other business associates before obligating yourself. Make sure you need a service and figure out exactly how—and how much—you will profit from your wholesaler's services.
Source: U.S. Small Business Administration
Prepared by: Government of Saskatchewan
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Good personal selling creates a competitive edge.
Improving Personal Selling in Small Retailer Firms
Summary
Good personal selling in retail stores is hard to find today. The small retailer who works at building a good personal selling effort will develop a valuable competitive edge over large competitors.The basic elements for developing a program to improve personal selling in your store is discussed in this publication. If you are willing to develop your own program based on the framework and examples presented, your personal selling program will be a more effective and rewarding one.
Good personal selling in retail stores is getting harder and harder to find today. This is particularly true in the large multi-unit retail establishments that have increasingly stressed self service at the expense of good personal selling.
The de-emphasis of personal selling by large scale retailers leaves a gap in customer service that the small retailer is in a good position to fill. By emphasizing good personal selling, the small retailer can gain a competitive edge not easily matched by the bigger stores. It is much easier for your large competitors to dominate in such areas as merchandise assortments, pricing, and advertising, than to provide a well developed personal selling effort.
Good personal selling, however, does not automatically occur simply because the retail store is small. Nor does high quality personal selling result merely by paying sales people more money. Rather, good personal selling results from a carefully developed program which accounts for the major elements necessary in all successful personal selling programs.
This publication discusses a basic framework for such a program as it applies to personal selling in small retail stores. By patterning your own program for improving personal selling along the lines suggested in this publication, you are likely to improve the quality of personal selling in your store.
Good Personal Selling
Before discussing the framework for improving personal selling, let's define good personal selling at the retail level.
Personal selling in retailing is essentially a matching of the customer's needs with the retailer's merchandise and services. In general, the more skillfully this match is made the better the personal selling. If salespeople make a good match not only is a sale made but a satisfied customer is created (or maintained). Thus, a long term, profitable relationship can be established.
In the illustration below the salesperson is pictured as an individual attempting to match the needs of customers to the retailer's merchandise and services. If the match is made effectively, the salesperson is more likely to make the sale and satisfy the customer who will continue to patronize the retailer. The illustration suggests that there are three basic skills needed by salespeople to make this match effectively.
Has The Salesperson Made A Good Match?
| Retailer's Merchandise and Service | Needs of Customer | Satisfied Customer | Sale is Made | Continued Patronage |
- Salespeople must be skilled at learning the needs of the customer.
- They must have a thorough knowledge of the merchandise and services offered by the retailer.
- They must have the ability to convince the customers that the merchandise and service offered by their store can satisfy the customer's needs better than that of their competitors.
A Program for Improving Personal Selling
Developing a program for improving these three basic selling skills in your salespeople is the essence of building a better personal selling effort for your store. The framework for the program consists of three basic elements:
- selecting people who are suitable for particular sales positions;
- providing training; and
- devising an appropriate compensation plan.
Selection
Finding good salespeople is a problem for both large and small retailers. Both are frequently heard talking about how hard it is to find "good" people. What they fail to realize, however, is that much of the problem is of their own making because they do not define clearly what they meant by good sales people. In short, these retailers do not specify what qualities they want in the salespeople they are seeking. It is no wonder then that they are not satisfied with many of the people whom they hire.
An effective way to help avoid this problem is to use job specifications. This device has been used successfully for many years by large industrial firms. And, it can be used with equal effectiveness by small retailers. A job specification is basically a written statement, typically no longer than one or two paragraphs, delineating the requirements for a particular job. For example, a job specification for a retail sales position in a sporting goods store might appear as follows:
An Example of a Job Specification for a Sales Position in a Retail Sporting Goods Store;
- type of Job;
- retail sales of sporting goods; and
- requirements of the Job.
This job involves mainly in-store sales of full line of sporting goods ranging from items of low unit value (such as golf balls) up to higher priced merchandise (such as complete sets of golf clubs and skiing equipment). The emphasis is on big ticket items. Telephone follow up selling is expected and there is occasional stock work.
The value of the job specifications is that it forces the retailer to be more explicit about what the job requires and thereby provides a guide for appraising the capabilities of prospective employees. For example, since the job discussed above emphasizes the big ticket items, the retailer should look for people who have this kind of experience. There are many instances of salespeople who can do an excellent selling job on low unit value merchandise but have trouble closing sales on the big ticket items. Job specifications help to avoid such problems.
Training
When the word training is mentioned, the small retailer typically associates this with the formalized programs conducted by some large department stores and national chains. However, sales training by the small retailers does not have to be, nor should it be, a formal and structured program. Actually, any conscious effort the retailer makes aimed at improving the three basic skills needed for effective retail selling is a form of sales training.
To get you on the road to thinking about the kinds of approaches you might use, here are several examples of sales training methods used by some small retailers.
An excellent method for developing a salesperson's skills at learning customer needs is through role playing. Role playing consists of acting out the customer-salesperson relationship by the salespeople. One person plays the part of the customers, and the other plays the part of the salesperson. Next time around, they reverse the roles. Role playing enables salespeople to see various sales situations from the customers' point of view. The skill necessary to quickly "size up" customers (learn about their needs) is rapidly sharpened through role playing. A particularly good time for you to try out this method is during slow periods when your salespeople are just "standing around" anyway.
A good approach for improving the second skill—knowledge of the merchandise and services—is to make use of regularly scheduled sales meetings. Such meetings offer an excellent opportunity to discuss the features of a new product, changes in store policies, new merchandising strategies, or other matters relating to the store's merchandise and services. These sales meetings do not have to be formal and precisely scheduled events. Instead, you can conduct them right on the sales floor during slack periods or shortly before the store opens for business.
What is important is that you hold these sales meetings regularly and frequently (one per week at a minimum) and that each meeting has a specific theme or focus. For example, at one meeting you might want to discuss the features of a new line of products which the store is now carrying and how to introduce these to the customer. The next meeting might focus on changes in the store's merchandise returns policy. The meeting after that you might talk about the sales strategies for the upcoming inventory clearance sale. If you hold these meetings regularly, you will be pleasantly surprised at how much better informed your salespeople will be about the store's merchandise and service offerings.
Training aimed at improving the third skill—the ability to convince customers that a store's merchandise and service offering is superior—is perhaps the most difficult. Some people believe that an individual either has this skill naturally or does not, and hence training makes little difference. While there may be some degree of truth in position to the extent that people do differ in their natural communication abilities, training can still make a difference. Such training can range from encouraging your salespeople to take a formal course in salesmanship to informal sales seminars which you can organize at your store. These seminars may be nothing more elaborate than sitting down with your salespeople for a half hour over a cup of coffee to discuss ways by which your store's merchandise and service offering can be better communicated to customers.
These sessions, if conducted informally (but regularly), will foster a constructive interchange of ideas about selling. For example, one salesperson might have developed a good argument which he or she used to successfully close a sale when it looked like the customer was ready to walk out. Good salespeople do like to talk about and share their success stories and can contribute to a sales development program.
Compensation
Unfortunately there is no one best way of compensating retail salespeople. Compensation plans depend upon the type and size of store, the number of employees, and the policies of the firm. There is however, a general principle that should be observed in any type of compensation plan. This is that compensation should be closely linked to performance.
The key to gaining a real understanding of the principle and being able to apply it to your compensation plan is in how you define performance. Performance does not mean simply sales volume. While the importance of sales volume cannot be over emphasized, other factors such as providing information to customers (which can lead to future sales), creating goodwill for the store through friendly and courteous service, and a willingness to help out in non-selling tasks are also important and should be rewarded. Failure to recognize these other aspects of performance is a mistake made by many retailers. Hence, they tend to reward only the salespeople who make the most sales and neglect others who have acceptable sales volumes but do a better job in other aspects of performance. Of course, if a salesperson does well in non-selling work and not in sales, this weakness must be dealt with through increased sales training.
Thus, if you feel that your salespeople are doing a good job, regardless of the volume they produce, let them know it. See if you can devise a way of reflecting your appreciation in their compensation. One retailer developed a rather ingenious approach using repeat business as a reflection of customer goodwill. This retailer developed an increasing schedule of commissions for sales to the same customer. This encourages the salespeople to treat customers right so that they would come back and ask for them by name. With some careful thought you can develop your own plan to more effectively reward good personal selling performance.
Source: U.S. Small Business Administration
Prepared by: Government of Saskatchewan
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Secrets of the Spot Market
How a "Predictable" Price Change of Just One Penny...Can Turn 10K into $49,300 in Just 17 Days!
Dear Aspiring Trader,
Since August 1st, 2008 this "predictable" price change has returned 70%...220%...310% and 320%!
Now l et me ask you a brief question.
Could your investments use a little boost right now?
If you're like most investors I meet from all corners of the globe, you've found that things have changed drastically in the past few months.
Even during the 10 years I've been running The Sovereign Society I've never seen such a change.
And that's why I'm writing you today.
In the next few pages, you'll discover a private industry report on what's playing out to be the biggest financial trend of the next few years.
Specifically, you'll see how one man made more from a single trade...than many Fortune 500 companies make in a year!...And why that same trade is now replaying step-by-step, in money-making déjà vu fashion, 17 years later.
Those who act today stand to improve the financial situations for themselves and their family - forever. Those who hesitate will miss out on the greatest cash-grab opportunity of this century.
The 'Profit Playground' of the
Ultra Rich that Millions of
Ordinary Investors Completely Overlook
The lifeblood of every city, state, and country around the world relies on one market - that trades $4 trillion daily. And every once in a while this sometimes mysterious market sends out a crystal-clear signal...
For years, these signals led elite investors to huge profits.
- Big timers like George Soros used it to make over $1 billion on a single trade in 1992.
- Warren Buffet recently placed a $20 billion trade.
- In 1985 Bill Lipschutz averaged $821,917 returns a day for an entire year!
But here's the best thing...it works for ordinary investors like you and me...just as well as it works for tycoons.
- No one had ever heard of Michael Marcus - just an average Joe who decided he would 'take a shot' at these markets. The results? He turned $30,000 in life savings into an $80 million fortune.
- Bruce Kovner, a frustrated writer and former cab driver, got into this 'exclusive market' with almost no money to his name and zero fame. Today, his net worth is estimated at $2.5 billion!
And many more investors are just getting started creating their fortunes...
- Hans Van Malderen from Cologne, Germany recently wrote in to report he made a tidy $3,930 on a single trade. A 102.95% profit.
- Brandon Harris, an engineer from Sacramento, California recently pocketed $6,000 in a single month.
- Other regular investors -- like you and me -- had the chance to make profits of 73%, 130%, 160% and 221% in the last few months alone.
I think you get the point.
This market used to strictly be the 'Profit Playground' of the super rich. But today, there are no longer any millionaire barriers or high-net-worth requirements. You can even get started with as little as a few hundred dollars.
(Though, you'll want to start with at least $5,000 to build some serious wealth in the shortest time possible. If you're uncomfortable with a portfolio of that size, then this special report probably isn't for you.)
All you need is to have someone show you the ropes...
Before we go on, I want us both to be sure this is right for you. So, I have a few questions I'd like to ask.
Could you use an extra $3,000 to $12,000 dollars a week for less than 15 minutes of 'work'?
Wouldn't it be nice to keep more money for yourself and stop paying the enormous commissions and outrageously high fees that eat away at your profits?
Do you want to be one of the first to profit from a 'predictable' billion dollar trade? (Hint: It's already happened twice, and this time it's like you're allowed to go back and bet on last year's World Series!)
If you answered yes, then read on because - for reasons that will be obvious in a moment - this letter may be your only chance to discover the most powerful financial trend of 2008.
Double Your Money in as Little as One Day in
The Investment Wall Street Doesn't
Want You to Know About
I must be honest here...most financial professionals have a vested interest in NOT telling you what I'm about to share.
Your stockbroker isn't going to tell you; he only makes money when he sells you stocks.
Your financial advisor isn't going to tell you, he only cashes in on fees when he sells you investments like annuities or life insurance.
The media overlooks it, or just prints a small blurb far back on the last pages...even though the returns are far greater than stocks.
That's why I can't blame you for not realizing just how profitable it can be.
It's not a conspiracy of silence. It's just that Wall Street hasn't yet figured out how to bilk you and mutual fund investors for billions. So there is very little coverage...even though this market is 72 times larger than the NY Stock Exchange!
In fact, this letter you're reading may be the only time you'll ever hear exactly how to use this investment to fast track your retirement.
And that's why I'm writing you today. In just a moment, I'm going to show you how to supplement your income by $2,000, $5,000 even $11,207 a week with embarrassingly little effort...with the guidance of a father-and-son team who have shown thousands of formerly 'shut out' investors the way to easy profits.
But before I introduce you to these two, let me show you a little more of WHY you should get in...
The graph below shows how a few in-the-know investors had an opportunity to double their cash in under a day.
Turning a One-Penny Move into $5,000
These profits didn't come from a giant rally in the stock market or because the price of oil shot up another $50...
It came because of a price change of just a single penny.
You heard that right.
The graph represents a change of one penny in the value of the euro in U.S. dollars - as traded on the 'Spot Currency Market.'
Now, in case you're wondering what 'The Spot Market' is, here's the 'quick and dirty' explanation:
- It's the largest financial market in the world...72 times larger than the NYSE
- It's the most liquid
- It trades 24 hours five days a week, around the world
- Miniscule spreads means you keep more of your profits
- You can trade just a few hundred dollars or a few thousand per trade...It's versatile to fit every type of investor
- You can strictly and automatically limit your risk, while keeping unlimited profit potential!
- You'll pay ZERO commissions on all trades!
- CEO's can't swindle you! The market is Too BIG to manipulate prices through phony financial reports or other scams
- The little guy (like you and me) has as much of an edge as the big boys...smarts win, not size. (And I'll show you where to get the 'smarts' on your side!)
- It's the perfect way for you to make up to an extra $2,000-$10,000 month in and month out...even if stocks nosedive into a historic bear market!
- It's the only market I know of where 'predictable' price changes of just a penny or two can so easily produce profits in the thousands of dollars...
So what does all this mean to you? Just BIG opportunities that you will never find even in the best stock market.
For instance, in the chart above, the euro gained just one cent against the dollar. Yet, that would have been enough for you to turn $5,000 into $10,000 in just ONE day.
And that's not even the best part...
Hugely lucrative currency moves like this happen day after day, every week of the year.
But I'm not going to sugar-coat reality. Just like any other investment, if you dive in head-first without a strategic safety net in place you could easily lose big time.
But the truth is...that doesn't have to happen.
In fact, in each trade there is a quick and easy way for you to decide how much you're willing to risk. One that AUTOMATICALLY saves your cash when a trade goes sour.
And when set up properly (don't worry, it's easy) the losses are minimal, and your winners go big.
How big? Right now there is one event that is just starting to unfold that has already made 100% winners look like chump change.
I'll get to that in a moment...
But first let me show you how a foreseeable event caused small 'predictable' price changes to turn one penny moves into $2,500, $10,000 even $30,750.
'The Power of the Pip' --
Turning One-Cent Moves into Fortunes
Currencies rise and fall by just a fraction of a penny.
We call this a pip.
And whenever a currency moves just 1/100th of a penny - or a pip
- you could be making big profits.
However, when a currency moves an entire penny -- or even a few pennies at a time -- you could be making thousands!
Think that's just theory?
Not at all. With this info you could have more than...
Tripled Your Money in Just Over TWO Weeks
These are all live market examples of the "predictable" price change in action...
Starting with just $10,000 in a regular account and reading just a simple step-by-step instruction to your broker. Or going online and placing your trade in just minutes. Here's what you would have experienced:
A Four Penny Move More than Tripled Your Cash!
Quadruple Your Money In Rapid Fashion
With A Six-Penny Move!
Less Than Five Pennies yields a 320% Profit!
Turning a One-Penny Move into $4,250!
I'll explain exactly why were able to secure these tremendous profits in just a moment.
What sent these trades into motion was all 'predictable' ...reported days, weeks even months in advance of the actual currency moves.
But even though we could see them from a mile away...you didn't need to know how the events triggered these huge profits. You just needed to be able to read a few words over the phone to your broker and...
You Could Have A Total $30,750 in Just Two Weeks!...
More Than Tripling Your Initial Investment
The following table lays it all out. You could have started with just a $10,000 portfolio and invested just a $2,500 in each recommendation. Had you done that, your portfolio could have more than tripled in just 17 days...
Entry | Trade | Exit | Invested | Return | Gain/Loss | Penny Move |
7/30/2008 | EURUSD | 7/31/2008 | $2,500.00 | -90% | ($2,250.00) | -1.44 |
7/23/2008 | GBPUSD | 8/9/2008 | $2,500.00 | 220% | $ 5,500.00 | 4.44 |
7/29/2008 | GBPUSD | 8/10/2008 | $2,500.00 | 310% | $ 7,750.00 | 6.15 |
8/6/2008 | EURUSD | 8/10/2008 | $2,500.00 | 320% | $8,000.00 | 4.95 |
8/11/2008 | GBPUSD | 8/12/2008 | $2,500.00 | 70% | $ 1,750.00 | 1.4 |
| Plus Original |
| $10,000 |
| ||
| Total Ending |
| $30,750.00 |
| ||
And you'll notice that that includes the one losing play in this string. This is important, because even with sound calculations, extensive knowledge of history and the markets, and a 'gut-feeling' from facts and experience nobody can be right every single time.
But when your winners come more often and are consistently bigger than your occasional losses... and when you put together strings of 4 winners out of 5 plays during the strongest trends...
You have a system to consistently maximize your profits and more than make up for the occasional setbacks.
In fact, you could have used this system to net even more than $30,750 in a few weeks time...
A Total Move of 15.5 Pennies...
Makes You Almost 5 Times Richer
Now if you're a bit more of an aggressive trader, you could even have done better. It's entirely up to you. It depends on your level of trading comfort.
For instance, if you simply rolled the profits forward, your original $10,000 portfolio could have been $49,300!
Amazingly, it didn't take a price change of hundreds or thousands of dollars for you to make these gains...
The value of all these currencies moved just a little...one cent here a couple of pennies there...but the profits were massive.
In fact, if you added up the price changes on ALL these currency trades - they came to just 15.5 cents!
Yet that would have been enough to make you $49,300.
Here's another way to look at it...
For every penny move you put $3,181 in your pocket!
And it didn't take months or even years for this to occur. The first trade opened July 23, 2008. The last one closed August 12, 2008.
That's just 17 days!
There may be other places where you can get that kind of return on your money right now...but I don't know where.
That's the incredible power of this market. And it's simple to access it right now and begin to turn small, often 'predictable' moves into some very large gains for your portfolio.
In fact, it's almost as if...
The Greatest Currency Trading
Opportunities Wear 'Cowbells'
When you know what to look for, you can see the biggest opportunities in the currency markets from a mile away.
But you can only get that kind of intuition from someone who has spent an entire career researching how currencies move.
And that's where Jack Crooks comes in.
He's the guy who made the profitable currency trade recommendations I just showed you...the ones that could have turned 15.5 cent moves in major currencies into a $49,300 portfolio for you.
And he's just written an extraordinary report. It can make all the profits I've just shown you yours in the next 12 months. And it's easy to understand because Jack is one of the most successful (and 'regular guy') traders in the 'Spot Currency Market' I've met in nearly 20 years in the financial business.
In short, the report he has just prepared could be the most financially liberating document you ever read in your entire life.
It's called, 'Secrets of the Spot Market: How 'Predictable' Price Changes of Just a Few Pennies Build Personal Fortunes'.
In it you'll discover all the information you need to cash-in on Spot Market profits:
- How regularly released information signals the 'predictable' price changes of currencies. It's almost like betting on a coin flip...and knowing which side it's going to land on.
- Why the Foreign Exchange Spot market must be open 24 hours daily. The world would literally grind to a halt if it wasn't...and how to take advantage of that fact for huge profits.
- How a 'built in loss-protection' device prevents a run on your money
- Stocks are easier to trade than currencies right? Wrong, there are 2,805 companies listed on the NYSE alone. You can make a fortune trading just the 8 major currencies on the Spot Market
- You'll never want to trade stocks again! $4 trillion liquidity means you get in and out when you want
- The #1 mistake committed by amateurs in the Spot Market...and the #1 Success Secret of the Pros
- Skip the middleman! For the most commonly traded currencies - where you can regularly make high double-digit and triple-digit returns - the only fees you pay are on spreads as little as 3/100th of a percent!
- Why the 'Seesaw Effect' means it's impossible for the cash-rich opportunities to dry up...there's always a bull market.
'Secrets of the Spot Market' reveals the secrets that Jack Crooks has used for 23 years to put millions of profits into the pockets of his subscribers.
Online, you'll find training programs that sell upwards of $1,999.97! And yet you wouldn't learn the low-risk/high-reward proprietary trading secrets revealed in 'Secrets of the Spot Market'.
And you'll be learning from the best in the business here.
Jack isn't some wet-behind-the-ears 'wannabe' selling you a bill of goods. He is a world-renowned professional currency strategist, with his own investment advisory firm and an unparalleled track record...
- As the founder and President of Black Swan Capital, Jack has held key positions in brokerage, money management, trading, and research.
- Jack is a regular guest on financial shows across the country, including CNBC Power & Money and Bloomberg TV. His views on currencies are also quoted by leading financial venues from Asia Times online, Forexcenter.net, and Global-view.com and Today's Financial News.
And you won't pay anywhere near $1,999.97 for the privilege.
We've sold 'Secrets of the Spot Market' - complete with everything you need to start trading on the Spot Market today - for as little as $129 because we think it's a manual every serious investor cannot afford to be without. But because of the urgency of this opportunity I'm going to do something unusual...
- First, I'm going to slash the price of Secrets of the Spot Market by more than 62%...to just $49
- Second, I'm going to give you an additional report on the single best trading trend in the Spot Market today. It's about how a 'predictable' collapse of one of the worlds most highly valued currencies made some investors a fortune nearly 20 years ago...and how the collapse is replaying tit for tat today to the tune of multiple triple-digit profits piling up. It's a $99 value. But it's yours, Absolutely Free
- Third, I'm going to give you a FREE gift from Jack Crooks (worth $108)
But you're a smart and skeptical investor, and you're probably wondering how we could possibly afford to give away so much - a $336 value - for less than 1/6th of the full price...
I'll tell you the reason for our 'generosity' in a moment. It has to do with my confidence in Jack Crooks...with an extraordinary new trading opportunity that's coming up... and the ability to make huge profits from it again and again as the trend unfolds. Allow me to explain...
How a Blockbuster Trade of the Century Turned
A Major Move Into A Huge Fortune
'102.95% profit!'Thanks again! I made $3,930 on my trades...I just paid my subscription for the first quarter! Hans Van Malderen |
You can see how price changes of just one or two pennies produce thousands of dollars in profits. But sometimes there are huge, highly 'predictable' price changes. This is when a currency moves by as much as 10, 20 or even 30 cents in a matter of months!
When these trends start to take off, you can make an absolute fortune. For example...In the late 1980's low interest rates, fiscal stimulus tax cuts, a red hot economy, and consumer confidence sparked a housing boom in England...and then a $1 billion dollar windfall when it all fell apart.
It was called the 'Lawson Boom.' During this period, economic growth rose from a historic 2.5% to over 4% and housing prices rose by 300% in just a few years.
With housing prices hitting record highs, millions of otherwise ordinary people suddenly felt 'rich.' And they pulled out equity at record levels.
Does any of this sound familiar to you?
Well, back to our story...
The whole party ended when the UK central bank was finally forced to raise interest rates. Normally, higher rates are good. But in this case, they were the needle that punctured the housing bubble. Real estate plummeted, the economy went into recession and the pound crashed.
But it was far from a surprise. It was almost 'predictable.'
Anyone could see Britain would have to raise rates sooner or later to rein in inflation. One man who saw it was George Soros.
And through the spot currency markets that are now available to you he was able to turn the event into a $1.1 billion payday from a single trade!
Now, just like the UK had the 'Lawson Boom' in the late 80's the U.S. had a boom of it's own in the early 2000's.
And while most dollar holders saw their assets plummet in the last few years during the bust...Jack Crooks has been able to consistently show a select group of subscribers large profits:
|
Just to name a few...
But here's the most important point...
Another major housing bust (and currency crash) is unfolding right now...with the same out-in-the-open, can't-miss-it 'predictability'... and enormous opportunities for massive profits.
Billion Dollar Déjà Vu
The same thing that caused the British pound to collapse in 1991 and the U.S. dollar to fall in the past few years (and create billions for savvy currency investors) is happening again right now in the UK.
But this time, it's even worse!
In 2007, many analysts believed the exchange rate of 2.11 US dollars for every 1 UK pound was much too high.
And closely watching the fundamental data over the next several months, we noticed that the problem was only growing.
The British economy is MORE exposed to the ongoing credit crunch than any other developed economy...even the U.S.!
Especially on the housing side. October 2007 saw a top in UK home prices, up 129% since 2000. In the last few months a UK Telegraph headline says it all...
'Slide in house prices is the worst since the Great Depression'
And with mortgage approvals dropping 56% in the last year banks are refusing to lend money.
As the flood of cheap money dries up and home prices continue to plummet...UK citizens are getting stretched over the rack.
Just like here in the states, in the past few years British consumers used home equity lines as a personal ATM - and now an entire population is quickly going into debt.
The UK Times Online reported that personal bankruptcies are predicted to triple from 2004 levels to 120,000 this year.
And now the highest paying jobs in London are disappearing. The Financial Times recently reported that London financial businesses may shed as many as 10,000 jobs this year.
The UK is traveling down the same business cycle path as the U.S. The only difference is that the UK hasn't seen the thick of it yet.
And since European economies closely follow the UK, the euro is joining the devaluation of the pound.
The good news is if you think you missed out on all of the money making opportunities in the past few years as the euro and the pound surged against the dollar - now may be your last chance.
In a special report titled 'London Falling: How to Profit When the Pound Collapses' Jack Crooks outlines exactly why the British pound is destined to follow the downhill path of the U.S. dollar and how this coming trend could be the most profitable investment opportunity for the next few years.
Jack has already gone BIG with this trade...those three huge trades I've already mentioned - 220%, 310% and 320%-- all came from shorting the pound and the euro.
But it's far from over...
'London Falling' lays out a specific long-term currency trade to profit from the falling British pound. George Soros used a similar strategy back in 1991 for profits of over $1 billion.
But there's more to the story than just cashing in on the falling pound once or twice. Major trends like these are like an overfilled dam. When the floodgates open, they fill reservoirs for hundreds of miles around.
In other words, as the pound crashes there will be repeated opportunities for profit throughout 2008 and 2009 as money flows away from the UK and towards other countries with better economic prospects and higher interest rates.
In 'London Falling' you'll learn why the coming British pound crash may be worse than in 1991...how the credit crunch will GUT the UK financial industry even more than it did in the U.S...how the twin collapse of the UK real estate bubble and overwhelming debt of the UK consumer are the canaries in the coal mine for the value of the pound...how you could repeatedly turn moves of a single penny - or 'pence' - into $11,207 in 10 days or less...and why the historically accurate business cycle all but ensures that this will all happen...
It's all revealed in 'London Falling', including the...
#1 Way To Profit From The Pending Crisis
Like I said, this a new, major trend...you'll have opportunities to make money from it again and again.
But you'll need the kind of expert guidance that comes from years of experience...and that's where Jack comes in.
With this special offer Jack has agreed to throw in a risk-free trial subscription to the only financial advisory service in the world exclusively dedicated to helping individual investors like you and me to identify and trade the biggest trends in the incredibly large currency markets.
The penny profits you saw that turned into thousands came from this service. Yet the opportunities today are better than ever. And it's the first service of it's kind...
Bringing The Multi-Trillion Spot Market
To Individual Investors since 2004
I've been working with Jack for the much of his 23-year career in the financial industry. And I've never seen any man work so hard and so long to get the facts straight.
And aside from speaking engagements around the globe (most recently in China, Panama and Vancouver) and appearances on Bloomberg, and CNBC...you'll almost always find him toiling away behind the computer at his quiet South Florida home.
Because to make the right 'predictions' you need to understand ALL of the facts, from constant market data, historical trends, 'health' of major economies, and a unique understanding to put it all into context.
And that's what Jack does. He brings 23-years of experience and a devotion to research to accurately predict - to the best of his knowledge - how to make YOUR investments profitable.
"Couple Weeks Pays for the Entire Year"Thanks for your expertise. I have already made enough...in two to three weeks to pay the annual subscription. Vincent Couper, Ph.D. |
Not only that, it's a family affair. In the last few years his son John has joined the family trade, scouring the globe for the best emerging opportunities in currency trading.
This helps Jack to do the most thorough research he can, while still spending plenty of time with his new grandson.
And it's paid off big time. Throughout the last four years, we've been able to play very identifiable and almost 'predictable' trends to capture moves of a few cents in major currencies...and turn those into thousands of dollars.
For example, take a look at how in each of these trades...moves of a few cents produced high double-digit and triple-digit returns in a matter of weeks, sometimes days...
|
Talk is Cheap - Except When Your
Own Cash Is on the Line
I could go on with dozens more examples where penny moves could have made you thousands of dollars as a Money Trader subscriber.
But I'd be lying to you if I said Jack was perfect. In fact he honestly admits that the Money Trader isn't for those who can't stomach a few setbacks here and there.
'Hey, I'm an investor. And like every investor, I suffer losses. But I won't feed you that 'I'm great and I never lose' propaganda. When I make a trade that goes sour it hurts...because I put my own cash on the line. I only make money when Money Trader subscribers make money'
Now, you can't trade this way in the stock market...it's a conflict of interest. You don't want to be accused of 'front-running' or 'pumping and dumping.'
(That's where stock gurus buy shares for themselves privately, then recommend the shares to their readers publicly and make money for themselves as the buying activity pushes the price up.)
But here's the beauty of currencies...
You don't have to worry about that kind of thing at all.
A 'Guru', CEO or Some Blabber Mouth 'Expert'
On the Tube Can't Manipulate Currencies
Think about it... There are $829 billion U.S. dollars in circulation.... $679 billion euro out there... $76.29 trillion Japanese yen.... $38.99 billion Swiss francs... and so on.
If institutions can't move these markets with their purchases - individuals sure can't.
And that means you get a rare thing in the spot currency market...
A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FOR THE LITTLE GUY!
All you need is the right knowledge and proven trading strategies to turn penny moves into substantial fortunes. When you invest in currencies, the 'sharks' on Wall Street go hungry.
So now you can see, Jack eats his own cooking. So when we say he takes the occasional hit personally, we mean it! He cares very much about doing the best he can for his subscribers, and he puts his money where his mouth is to boot.
You can't say that about many financial editors.
Look, we're no Johnny come lately to this market.
We've given the keys to the currency kingdom to individual investors, long before anyone else.
And Jack makes these trades easy to implement too, with clear and simple instructions on how to place every trade. You can place the trades online. Or you can literally pick up the phone and read line for line from the email and your broker will know exactly what trade you want to play.
There's Nothing to Learn...If you Don't Want To
It couldn't be easier...
But you get more than just consistent winners with The Money Trader; you also get all of the reasons behind the trades.
At least once a week, Jack sends out a comprehensive analysis of the latest news that affects how currencies move.
If the Fed cuts rates he explains exactly what this means to the value of the U.S. dollar. When quarterly job reports are released in Germany, he let's you know why this will affect the euro. As commodities soar around the world, he explains why this is great for the Aussie dollar.
With The Money Trader you don't just get the news; you understand the forces that create the news...and how it will affect your bottom line.
The Money Trader, in short, can not only help you consistently turn currency moves of few pennies into thousands in profits... it will make you a more knowledgeable and confident investor in EVERY financial market - from stocks and bonds to commodities.
'Best Darn Alerts'You write the best darn informative and understandable alerts, with the ... best charts. Gayle and Rick Gallup |
That's because currencies are the life blood of economies. As they move, they have a great effect on the money flows going into stock markets and entire countries.
And don't expect to get this kind of specialized knowledge from the talking heads on TV...
This kind of insight can only come from a seasoned veteran. And Jack has been doing this for over 23 years...long before currency trading was featured on the evening news.
And this insight could literally be...
Your Golden Ticket to an Early Retirement
Because Jack is about to pull the trigger on the biggest currency trade of the new century...
You'll learn all about it in 'London Falling: How to Profit When the Pound Collapses' - a $99 value - absolutely FREE when you order 'Secrets of the Spot Market: How 'Predictable' Price Changes of Just a Few Pennies Build Personal Fortunes' for just $49 today.
But there's more than just cashing in on the major trend of the falling pound...there's the repeated opportunities for profit in 2008 and 2009 as money flees the UK to countries with better economic outlooks.
And that's why when you pick up a copy of 'Secrets of the Spot Market: How 'Predictable' Price Changes Build Personal Fortunes' You'll also get a FREE 30-day trial subscription to The Money Trader. That's a $108 value - yours - FREE.
You may be asking yourself why Jack is willing to give away something he usually sells for $1,295 a year.
Simple...Jack believes that once you experience for yourself the tremendous profits you'll stay on as a subscriber. And he's willing to take all the risk up front to prove it to you.
During your 30-day FREE trial to The Money Trader, you'll have full access to every in-depth research report Jack's ever written...and every currency play Jack's recommended. Within minutes, you'll see, first hand, the high level of gains and analysis reserved for members of The Money Trader.
After 30 days - if you agree that it's worth every penny - do nothing but keep receiving the recommendations and banking the profits. You'll automatically become an official member - and be billed at our lowest rate - at just $325 a quarter.
And if, by chance, it's not for you - simply call our friendly customer service team within 90 days of placing your order - and they'll immediately cancel your subscription - no questions asked. You'll get back 100% of every penny you paid. After that, you'll get a full refund for the unused portion of your subscription. So there's never any undue risk.
And 'London Falling' is yours to keep as a token of our thanks.
But I'm confident you'll never have to make that call. At this special rate, The Money Trader is an unbeatable deal.
I can't guarantee I'll be able to give you this low-low rate on Secrets of the Spot Market or The Money Trader ever again. Or that I'll ever be able to give you 'London Falling' (a $99 value) for FREE. Or that you'll ever be able to get in on the kind of historic 'predictable' mega trading opportunity the pound is presenting right now.
But I can guarantee you this...
"You see the Big Picture"Your insightful analysis should be required reading for every MBA student in America. This article just made my new subscription worth every penny: it doesn't cost, it pays! JRL JD, MBA |
You'll learn how to make much higher returns far safer than any stock market...you'll finally understand the secrets behind the world's largest and most lucrative financial market...you'll get insight that NO stocks-only investor has...with risk-averse unlimited upside...without huge fees...without any commissions...with recommendations you can place for as little as a few hundred dollars...and you'll be thrilled with insider knowledge and profits you gain from this research service...or let me know within the first 90 days and I'll refund ever single penny you paid for it.
No questions asked.
But I urge you to act today because the trend has already begun.
As the British pound follows the way of the U.S. dollar, every 'pence' it heads south will mean thousands for savvy currency investors. And my prediction is that -- just as happened in 1991 -- a select few are going to grow very rich.
Click the Enroll Now button and let me show you how to be one of them...
Sincerely,
Erika Nolan,
Executive Director of The Sovereign Society
Publisher, 'The Money Trader'
P.S. The last time sliding home values, record job losses, and skyrocketing personal bankruptcies combined in the UK the pound fell over 30 cents in just 5 months...resulting in billions of profits for savvy investors. It's happening again right now, but only this time the opportunities are even greater - since we've seen this scenario before...the money moves are that much more 'predictable.' So get ready to set yourself up for big profits while this crisis is still on the horizon with 'London Falling: How to Profit When the Pound Collapses' and your FREE 30-day trial to The Money Trader.
What People are Saying About The
“Predictable” Price Change
of Just One Penny
We respect your privacy. All names have been shortened to initials.
$3,930 pays for Subscription
I made $3,930 on my trades…great…this just paid my subscription for the first quarter! 102.95% profit! J.T. Furniture Imports Tucson, AZ
$10,000 a Month with Plenty of Time Left Over
I now believe I can make 10K a month and still sleep and enjoy my life. Thank you for keeping it basic and simple. Keep up the good work. R.S.
So Easy a Blind Foreigner Clears
60% profits in 20 Days!
I apologize for my English, because I do not know or speak and write in that language. I use an online translator to read and write. I am writing this email to first inform you that I am blind, use a program called Jaws who speaks virtually everything that appears on the screen of my computer. Second, let me to congratulate Mr. Jack and his son John for the excellent quality of service, which allowed me to win in the last 20 days over 60% profit E. T., Brazil
Love the Insights!
Love these insights! You're proving to be a great resource. B. W. Spokane, WA
$1,708 in a Week
I funded an account with only $2,500 last week. Thanks for your recommendations this week, the pound and the aussie, which I exited early on both and took my profit, brought my account to $4,208. Keep up the good work! T.L.
“Paid for the subscription
several times over…”
Appreciate the good work. As a new subscriber, I tried your service just recently with a very limited account. The returns have already paid for the subscription price several times over, and have been delightfully uncorrelated with the stock and bond markets making for excellent diversification. I.V.
$600 on Just Two Trades
I made $600 total for my last two trades. L.L.
“After being out of town a few days…”
On March 16 upon my return home I was ecstatic to find that my account had made a very nice profit in an amazingly short time. My first successful trade has much more than covered my subscription for a year! A.V. St. Louis Missouri
This from a first time
currency trader.
With 30 years stock experience and a stock broker to boot…You guys are perfect. C.B.J.
Just one Wager Pays for
50% of Subscription…
I am very, very happy with the 1st recommendation. Even though I only put a small wager on it…I managed to recoup 50% of my subscription. E.C.
“I’m Hooked!”
I love the service. Your introduction to Forex trading really got me hooked. R.G.
“Thanks for Making me a lot of Money…”
Just wanted to say thanks for making me a lot of money on the recent recommendations. N.E.
“Required Reading for
every MBA student”
Your insightful analysis should be required reading for every MBA student in America. This (one) article just made my new subscription worth every penny: it doesn't cost, it pays! JRL JD, MBA
Made Mistakes…Still Made Money
I think you do a very good job with your service. I've learned a lot and enjoyed it, made many mistakes, and still made some money. M.D.
From a Reader Down Under
I would like to send you a bonus - for all your hard work and on the spot recommendations, well worth every dollar I PAID. Keep up the good work. Thank u thank u thank u, god bless. L. S. Australia
Another one Hooked!
After just three days, I am hooked. You have made me step back from the mad day-trading mentality and look at the bigger picture overall your service is phenomenal. J.F.
“Thanks for the Contact…”
Thanks for keeping us informed. Thanks for recent email and audio message updating our information. While I am sure I do not understand it all, I, for one, appreciate your keeping in contact with the subscribers. J. B. PhD
You And Your Son…Best Investment Ever
I would like thank you, and your son for great service you have provided us. So far this has been the best investment ever.E.N.
Excellent Video
I just wanted to thank you for the excellent video you presented at noon today with Jack Crooks and Justin Ford. Not only did I learn a lot, but it is very clear that Jack Crooks is an extremely CREDIBLE person, and one to be trusted with investment knowledge. J.M.
Thanks for the Insights, Jack
It was nice to see you at the Dallas Seminar last week. Thanks for taking the time to give us an update as to your insights into the currency markets. I appreciate the fact that you include us in your thinking process. Very helpful and refreshing. I've subscribed to a few other investment letters in the past and just got an occasional play from them, but limited insight. Keep up the good work.H.F.
Your Recos are HOT!
Jack, Just a quick line to say thank you for doing such a great job. I've been going heavy on your recos and the last few days have earned significant increases to my Forex account. Thanks for the service! T. D.
Cashing in on a Crooks
Jack you are great. When I heard of Jack Crooks for the first time, I told my friend, who discouraged me telling me not to deal with Crook but I told him that CROOKS is just a name, Jack has demonstrated his wonders to the extent that I am overwhelmed with joy. In fact Jack you are too much. My friend has started wooing Jack already. Pips rolled in and rolled in, Jack, you are filled with confidence and authority in Forex and futures.R.C.
Impressed with Free Presentation
I have just listened to Jack's presentation and I'm extremely impressed that he took the trouble to do it and extremely impressed with its content. Regards R. P.
Best Newsletter
Thank you for the best investing letter I have ever received. I truly love it.K.K.
Jack’s a Natural Teacher
It was a great webinar! A fine learning experience: Jack Crooks is an natural teacher, and I always learn a great deal from him. Thank you. B.O.
I was Skeptical, but then
I DOUBLED my Money
Incredible, I have to be honest I was very skeptical about Jack, but I was able to double my money d
uring this ugly financial crisis. Thank you, Jack. J.M.
You’re too Valuable
Keep the recommendations coming. Exciting. Great to be involved with you guys. I hope you keep doing this for decades. Don't go leaving Sovereign Society - you're too valuable. V.C.
From a Very Satisfied Subscriber
I am extremely pleased with your service, your timely commentary and your genuine interest in our success. You are doing an outstanding job. I thought you should hear from a very satisfied subscriber. I.R.
More Valuable than Money
Like many others I am amazed at how much money I've made because of you. Obviously I appreciate that a lot and you've been a great investment. But, even more than the gains, I want to thank you for providing another valuable thing -- perspective. Y.S.
Refreshing…
Good morning Jack, as a new customer I have to say you are the most professional analyst I follow. Your insight is great and I like the way you work. It is refreshing to see someone do what they say they are going to do.....thank you again. B.M.
Best Darn Info
Jack, you write the best darn informative/understandable alerts, with the fewest words and best charts. G. R.
Bless You Mr. Crooks
Thank you , thank you, thank you !!!! I have tried almost every service out there and that is what I got, serviced !! ---you know, how the bull services the cow!!!! I am 77 yrs old and was down to eating my seed corn and then I read your e-mail. I just cant believe how good you really are!!! If this continues I just may get the rust fixed on my 85 ford escort--love ya man, keep it up, love hearing from you !!! K.C.
“I cannot believe it!”
Friends. I cannot believe it. I was sure you were wrong on this one. But I bought anyway. Today I closed the position w a NICE profit. I've quickly made back my entire lifetime subscription fee and I'm thrilled. Absolutely thrilled w the insight you have. Keep up the good work. J. W. Architect Jackson Hole, Wyoming
From a New Subscriber
As a new subscriber 6 weeks ago I am blown away by your recommendations, each of which I have followed faithfully with extremely profitable results! L.O.
Annual Subscription in One Month
I'm delighted. In one month, following your minimum suggestions, my un-realized gains have already passed the value of an annual subscription. I bought 1 contract of the September Pound. So far it’s up over 250%. A. F.
“THANKS! YOU GUYS ARE SUPER!!”
Telling all my financial buddies to save themselves, get out of the market and into forex with Jack where you can still earn a return! Thanks again. I.S.
Jack Makes You Smarter…
I'm having such fun learning about FOREX that my understanding of politics and economies and middle eastern influence and commodities all have been enhanced simply by your insights. Keep 'em coming! J. M.
Jack is AWESOME!!!!
I felt like an idiot buying the Yen when everyone in the world is saying the dollar is going to hell in a handbasket. But I got the last laugh. Honestly, I didn't know what to expect when I started with Jack, but looking at what's left of my stock portfolio I now really realize there IS an alternative to conventional investments…and that alternative is JACK CROOKS. D. M. Chicago, IL
Experience Shows Big Time
You're a breath of fresh air man! Your years of experience shows, big time. S.H.
During the Credit Crunch…
Thanks for giving us little guys and gals a fighting chance! Imagine - actually making money over the past week!! J.J.
Girlfriend was WRONG!
Hi, I just wanted to let you know how thrilled I am to have found you. When I told my girlfriend I had subscribed to your service, she asked who you were. I told her Jack Crooks. She rolled her eyes and said "Oh God. You're finished." I said "With a name like that he HAS to be good". Turns out I was right. Thank you so much. F.W.
Outdistancing the Rest
Thanks Jack! I am patiently waiting to review your next recommendations. Your services are outdistancing the rest, by far! K. Berkeley, CA
Simple to Follow
Thank you, Jack. You make everything so simple to follow. I especially appreciate your frequent communications and explanations. Thanks again. J. P.
So Much Fun
I don't know when I've had so much fun. Thank you for the work that you do and the wealth that you share with all who follow your recommendations.
Now a Jack Crooks Lifer
Being a newbie, I became a little bit discouraged. However, I told myself, "You've got to stick with Jack. He knows what he's doing." I am now a Jack Crooks "lifer" and looking forward to a very comfortable and adventurous retirement! W. S.
Let your Money work for you
You've taught me something I've been wanting to do for a long time: let money work for money, without having to wait 20 years to see obvious results. So thank you so much, I'm most grateful to you. M. C.
Enroll Now!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)