http://news.alibaba.com/help-topics/feed/ The latest help topics news, articles and galleries from around the world. en-us Alibaba http://news.alibaba.com/gallery/detail/entrepreneur/100017769-1-9-ways-save-winter-bills.html 29 Oct 2009 05:55:21 GMT When cold weather arrives, the cash-strapped and the frugal-minded often think of the skyrocketing energy bills that can come with heating a home. Fortunately, there are many things you can do yourself, easily and inexpensively, to put a dent in that bill (plus a few others that you'll need to hire a professional for, but that will pay off over time). In this article, we'll share some ideas for winterizing your home, whether you rent or own. http://news.alibaba.com/gallery/detail/entrepreneur/100017739-1-simple-ways-invest-real-estate.html 26 Oct 2009 08:12:22 GMT Buying real estate is about more than just finding a place to call home. Investing in real estate has become increasingly popular over the last fifty years and has become a common investment vehicle. Although the real estate market has plenty of opportunities for making big gains, buying and owning real estate is a lot more complicated than investing in stocks and bonds. In this article, we'll go beyond buying a home and introduce you to real estate as an investment. http://news.alibaba.com/gallery/detail/entrepreneur/100017573-1-6-morbid-careers-devilish-incomes.html 19 Oct 2009 05:55:04 GMT As Halloween approaches and your thoughts turn to ghoulish interests, why not consider a spooky career? Dealing with dead bodies may not be your ideal job, but you may change your mind when you find out how much it pays. Though not for the faint of heart, the following careers offer some great financial rewards. http://news.alibaba.com/gallery/detail/entrepreneur/100017549-1-10-telephone-sales-tactics-work.html 15 Oct 2009 06:21:39 GMT From sending singing telegrams and direct mail to e-mail marketing, tradeshows and mixers, salespeople go to extraordinary lengths to avoid making cold calls. The reality is that even in our internet-based world, few tools are more effective and necessary for generating sales and sales appointments than the good old telephone. And I don't think much of farming out the cold-calling to someone who does not actually sell your product or service, which probably leaves it to you. http://news.alibaba.com/gallery/detail/entrepreneur/100017543-1-make-your-video-stand-out.html 14 Oct 2009 01:35:14 GMT Video used to be the domain of only the largest companies with the biggest marketing budgets. But the explosion of online video sharing sites has given companies of all sizes the opportunity to create and disseminate videos. http://news.alibaba.com/gallery/detail/entrepreneur/100017527-1-quiz%253A-what-type-home-based.html 13 Oct 2009 04:45:17 GMT Figure out who you really are and what kind of entrepreneur you want to be. Are you a Growth Maven or a Lifestyle Guru? http://news.alibaba.com/gallery/detail/entrepreneur/100017433-1-5-tips-curb-air-travel.html 27 Sep 2009 07:55:36 GMT How creative can you get with airfares? Here's a sampling of what you can do. http://news.alibaba.com/gallery/detail/entrepreneur/100017347-1-6-steps-perfect-pitch.html 22 Sep 2009 02:47:46 GMT To this day, whenever I pitch investors for capital, I always remember these six hard-learned lessons: http://news.alibaba.com/gallery/detail/entrepreneur/100017320-1-10-tips-first-time-business-owner.html 18 Sep 2009 06:19:43 GMT Here are 10 pieces of advice that I wish someone had given to me before I launched my first venture. http://news.alibaba.com/gallery/detail/entrepreneur/100017309-1-ways-sniff-out-liar.html 17 Sep 2009 09:02:34 GMT Liars--amateur ones, anyway--may not have thought through all the particulars of their stories. If you suspect you're being lied to, gently probe for details. http://news.alibaba.com/gallery/detail/entrepreneur/100017275-1-6-questions-ask-before-you.html 15 Sep 2009 03:33:20 GMT Refinancing your mortgage can be a great way to save money, but it's not a sure thing. Before you take the plunge, ask yourself these six questions and ensure that you aren't making a major money mistake. http://news.alibaba.com/gallery/detail/entrepreneur/100017238-1-5-tips-reaching-rich.html 9 Sep 2009 03:21:52 GMT To be able to reach the rich, you must learn to pull instead of push. Here's how to do it: http://news.alibaba.com/gallery/detail/entrepreneur/100017231-1-6-ways-your-laziness-costing.html 7 Sep 2009 09:02:56 GMT Sloth may be a deadly sin, but it's not an immutable reality. Here are 6 ways your laziness is costing you--and what little you can do (because that's all it takes!) to turn things around. http://news.alibaba.com/gallery/detail/entrepreneur/100017197-1-build-an-effective-collection-strategy.html 4 Sep 2009 05:17:26 GMT Whether your small business is sailing smoothly, treading water or moving against a strong tide during these tough economic times, having a reliable collection strategy is integral to maintaining enough cash flow to remain solvent. http://news.alibaba.com/gallery/detail/entrepreneur/100017123-1-how-respectfully-terminate-employees.html 27 Aug 2009 07:44:46 GMT These 4 tips will help avoid lawsuits and keep your reputation intact. http://news.alibaba.com/article/detail/entrepreneur/100043185-1-no%252C-really%252C-thanks-help.html 19 Jan 2009 05:24:22 GMT Joseph, a veteran salesman for a U.S. manufacturing outfit and devotee of this space, suggested I discuss a dicey topic: surviving a sales call when a top manager at your company tags along. To justify the ink (as if he had to--we've all been there, after all), Joseph shared the following story. http://news.alibaba.com/article/detail/entrepreneur/100206518-1-leverage-your-inner-lemon.html 25 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT One of the all-time greatest examples of a brand turning lemons into lemonade may also be one of the first. Advertising aficionados will remember the 1960s Volkswagen Beetle campaign... http://news.alibaba.com/article/detail/entrepreneur/100206519-1-use-coupons-lure-last-minute-buyers.html 25 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT Are you looking for a quick way to increase last-minute holiday sales? Coupons are back in a big way thanks to the recession and are a hit with virtually all demographics. Plus, coupon promotions are fast and easy to implement. http://news.alibaba.com/article/detail/entrepreneur/100206516-1-take-your-message-monitors.html 25 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT Online video should be a critical component of your marketing toolkit. Affordable, accessible and effective, it creates dynamic, visual vignettes that invite viewers into more community-like relationships. By supplying content in a robust, visual manner through video, you can engage audiences on a whole new level. http://news.alibaba.com/article/detail/entrepreneur/100206515-1-10-reasons-your-marketing-messages.html 25 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT You could write the most eloquent copy in the world, but even the best writing doesn't always drive consumer responses. In other words, it takes more than an ability to write coherently to craft compelling, actionable and meaningful marketing copy that delivers a return on investment that small-business owners need. http://news.alibaba.com/article/detail/entrepreneur/100202787-1-take-advantage-electronic-communication.html 18 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT Collectors are starting to use electronic communications to locate debtors or past-due customers. Many people have public social networking profiles that a collector can use to find a mailing address, phone number, cell phone number, place of employment and other contact information by searching those sites. http://news.alibaba.com/article/detail/entrepreneur/100202791-1-market-meaning.html 18 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT When Rob Kaufelt bought Murray鈥檚 Cheese in 1991, the Greenwich Village cheese shop was a mom-and-pop hole-in-the-wall known mostly to the locals... http://news.alibaba.com/article/detail/entrepreneur/100202790-1-intersection-awareness-new-media.html 18 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT How to brand and sell a product is rapidly changing as consumers increase their commitment to sustainability, wellness and social media. Today an unprecedented 85 percent of American consumers have purchased an eco-friendly product... http://news.alibaba.com/article/detail/entrepreneur/100202788-1-4-sure-ways-get-publicity.html 18 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT Whether your business is exclusively online, a brick-and-mortar store or a combination, you need publicity. People need to learn about what you offer and why they need your help. Publicity, whether online, print or broadcast, creates visibility that's worth thousands of dollars. How do you get publicity? http://news.alibaba.com/article/detail/entrepreneur/100201597-1-10-reasons-upgrade-windows-7.html 17 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT Small-business owners frustrated with Windows Vista's assorted hardware incompatibilities, ceaseless battery of pop-up alerts and puttering speeds can officially unclench their jaws and ease those quivering fists away from their screens. http://news.alibaba.com/article/detail/entrepreneur/100201600-1-irony-safe-bet.html 17 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT It takes a lot of courage to leave the comfort of a high-paying job to follow your passion, especially when you're newly married and have a child on the way. Michael Kahan left his cushy job on Wall Street to launch Kahan Travel after 10 years in the finance industry. http://news.alibaba.com/article/detail/entrepreneur/100201596-1-make-an-online-capital-connection.html 17 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT Eager and enthusiastic entrepreneur with a dynamite concept seeks like-minded investor to provide funding for a mutually rewarding long-term working relationship... http://news.alibaba.com/article/detail/entrepreneur/100201599-1-cash-shy%253F-try-bootstrapping.html 17 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT I define bootstrapping as "pursuing success with limited resources and with the help of others." By limited resources I mean a shortage of money or knowledge. Here are some tips and ideas to help solve these shortfalls for small and wannabe entrepreneurial business owners. http://news.alibaba.com/article/detail/entrepreneur/100201598-1-offers-compromise.html 17 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT The economy is fighting madly to recover. Yet many folks, especially business owners, are still suffering. Quite a few have delinquent income tax liabilities. If the amount you owe is staggeringly unmanageable, you might believe you'll never be able to repay the debt. You fear liens, levies and knocks on the door. http://news.alibaba.com/article/detail/entrepreneur/100199503-1-you-losing-control-your-brand.html 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT With the use of social media incontrovertibly on the rise, it's no surprise that more and more businesses are jumping aboard to become "social businesses." Yet for all the benefits of going social, there is a consideration most businesses completely miss: keeping brand control online.