http://www.iquestus.com/index.php/site/index/ Explore our weekly business tips, product marketing strategies and information en btrybus@iquestus.com Copyright 2008 2008-07-20T21:23:00+00:00 http://www.iquestus.com/index.php/site/forum_instructions/ http://www.iquestus.com/index.php/site/forum_instructions/#When:13:54:01Z Below are the instructions on how to interact with other members on our business forum… Below are the instructions on how to interact with other members on our business forum… Please note:  You do not have to log into your account to read the posts on our forum, however to respond or pose questions, you must be a member and you must be logged into your account. 1.  Log into your account (click the red tab at the top of the Home page) 2.  Once you are logged in, click the “Forum” tab at the top 3.  Click on any of the forum names you are interested in reading and/or participating in 4.  Once you have clicked on a specific forum, click on any of the topics you are interested in reading and/or participating in 5.  To RESPOND to a question, click “Post Reply”, type in your reply then click “Submit Post” at the bottom 6.  To post a different NEW TOPIC or question, click “New Topic”, type in your question then click “Submit Post” at the bottom If you have any questions, please email us directly at info@iquestus.com Thanks!! Becky Trybus & Jenny Gates Co-Founders of iQuestUS.com Articles 2008-07-11T13:54:01+00:00 http://www.iquestus.com/index.php/site/tip_for_the_business_forum/ http://www.iquestus.com/index.php/site/tip_for_the_business_forum/#When:21:23:00Z DID YOU KNOW? When you log into your account and click on the forum page, your screen name automatically shows at the bottom of the page.  If you click on your screen name, you have the ability to create another profile for your business - easily accessible for anyone to click on to find out more about your business fast! To edit your profile, just click “Your Control Panel” at the top of your profile page then fill in any relevant information and upload a photo or logo.  It’s that quick and easy!  Business Tip 2008-07-20T21:23:00+00:00 http://www.iquestus.com/index.php/site/business_tip/ http://www.iquestus.com/index.php/site/business_tip/#When:23:27:01Z Set clear goals for your advertising plan.  These goals will help you to maximize your advertising return on investment.  If you don’t, your return will be limited. 2008-06-01T23:27:01+00:00 http://www.iquestus.com/index.php/site/business_tip1/ http://www.iquestus.com/index.php/site/business_tip1/#When:23:24:00Z Provide enough information in you advertising regardless of the type of media.  If you don’t specifically highlight the products or services you offer, customers may assume you don’t have or offer it. Business Tip 2008-06-01T23:24:00+00:00 http://www.iquestus.com/index.php/site/business_tip2/ http://www.iquestus.com/index.php/site/business_tip2/#When:23:18:00Z Advertise the benefits your customers want not product features. Business Tip 2008-06-01T23:18:00+00:00 http://www.iquestus.com/index.php/site/business_tip3/ http://www.iquestus.com/index.php/site/business_tip3/#When:17:27:00Z Advertise with consistency.  By running ads too infrequently rather than too often, you will waste money. Advertise with consistency.  By running ads too infrequently rather than too often, you will waste money.  Staying in contact with your customers is priority so do not try to save money by reducing the frequency of your advertising. Business Tip 2008-05-12T17:27:00+00:00 http://www.iquestus.com/index.php/site/business_tip4/ http://www.iquestus.com/index.php/site/business_tip4/#When:16:55:00Z Your advertising should match the needs and wants of your customer.  Ask for their opinion and then customize your offer. Business Tip 2008-05-04T16:55:00+00:00 http://www.iquestus.com/index.php/site/business_tip5/ http://www.iquestus.com/index.php/site/business_tip5/#When:22:08:00Z Write a marketing or business advertising plan.  The marketing plan is one of the most important documents you can write as it is your company’s main source of income. Business Tip 2008-04-23T22:08:00+00:00 http://www.iquestus.com/index.php/site/dont_count_accounting_out/ http://www.iquestus.com/index.php/site/dont_count_accounting_out/#When:19:23:00Z If you hear the word CPA and think of bookkeepers, brown suits, pocket protectors, and gnawed off pencils, then you are way behind the times. While accounting has long conjured images of number crunching and bookkeeping, today’s accountants are also at the forefront of dramatic changes in the business world. “Accounting has always been a crucial part of running a business. You simply can’t run an efficient or profitable company if you aren’t keeping an eye on your books,” says Heidi Godbold, academic program director at Everest College in Colorado Springs, Colo. She explains that with computers and other technological advances eliminating the most tedious parts of accounting, accountants are taking on new roles in business. “The role of an accountant is being transformed from simply helping a business run to helping a business envision its future.” If you hear the word CPA and think of bookkeepers, brown suits, pocket protectors, and gnawed off pencils, then you are way behind the times. While accounting has long conjured images of number crunching and bookkeeping, today’s accountants are also at the forefront of dramatic changes in the business world. “Accounting has always been a crucial part of running a business. You simply can’t run an efficient or profitable company if you aren’t keeping an eye on your books,” says Heidi Godbold, academic program director at Everest College in Colorado Springs, Colo. She explains that with computers and other technological advances eliminating the most tedious parts of accounting, accountants are taking on new roles in business. “The role of an accountant is being transformed from simply helping a business run to helping a business envision its future.” For example, accountants are now involved in estimating and evaluating risk management. “Businesses need accountants to identify and manage risk. They are increasingly part of the team that helps a CEO decide which investments are worth the risk,” says Godbold. In fact, a degree in accounting has always been a great way to get into the business world. In addition to technological advances, Everest College’s Godbold lists a number of non-technological factors that are changing the accounting field, including demographics, globalization and corporate scandals. “The reality of demographics is something we can’t ignore. Millions of accountants from the baby-boomer generation are expected to retire in the next five to ten years. This means that accountants at all levels of experience will be in demand,” she says. Globalization is another factor changing the accounting field. “Due to the growth of international trade and business, companies are increasingly looking for accountants that have a good understanding of international business, who speak a foreign language or who are available to work overseas,” says Godbold. Roxanne Phillips, accounting faculty member at Everest College explains another exciting development in the accounting field, known as fair value accounting. “Recently, we have actually seen the emergence of a new approach to accounting and risk, called fair value accounting.” Fair value accounting recognizes the current worth of assets, instead of the cost of acquiring them. “It seems like a simple premise, but it is actually challenging the very foundations of traditional accounting. Fair value accounting is helping CEOs reevaluate the current worth of their companies and better assess what they can afford to invest,” says Phillips. Recent media attention from corporate accounting scandals has also increased the demand for accountants with experience in fraud-detection, making forensic accounting degrees in high demand. “In the past, businesses waited until an ethics breach was suspected before investigating, but today, many companies are realizing they can’t afford to wait. They are bringing in forensic accounting specialists to tighten procedures and prevent fraud before it happens,” says Phillips. Phillips explains the need for accounting schools to adapt to these changes. “In our accounting courses at Everest College, we realize that if we really want to prepare our graduates to be the next wave of accountants, then we have to stay abreast of recent developments in the accounting field.” Phillips explains that all of these changes are making accounting very appealing to students. “We tell our students this isn’t their father’s accounting field.”  She says that students are very excited about all the possibilities an accounting degree brings. “When our students learn about the possibility of working in international business or fraud investigation, they always want to learn more.” Phillips says that even if they aren’t interested in a specific kind of accounting, they are interested in the job security. “At the very least, our students know they will be in high demand upon graduating. For some students, that’s all they need to know.” To learn more about degrees in accounting, visit www.everest.edu. Courtesy of ARAcontent 2008-04-16T19:23:00+00:00 http://www.iquestus.com/index.php/site/the_hotel_that_business_travelers_need_to_know_about/ http://www.iquestus.com/index.php/site/the_hotel_that_business_travelers_need_to_know_about/#When:19:20:00Z If you’re a frequent business traveler, you’ve probably stayed in your share of boring hotels where you’re lucky to have cable, much less Internet access. But, due to the demands of today’s technology-advanced society, many of these properties are being replaced by hotels that are pioneering some of the most innovative technology-based amenities. Savvy hotel operators know that providing their guests with all the comforts and conveniences of home, coupled with some of the latest and greatest technological amenities, is necessary to remain competitive. That’s why when visiting top hotels, you’ll not only find state-of-the-art meeting facilities, but niche amenities such as on-site barbers and tailors, dry-cleaning service and guest rooms with all the upscale extras such as decorative furniture, high-end mattresses, signature bedding and linens, oversized bathrooms with separate tubs and showers, in-room refrigerators and microwaves and large flat screen TVs with all the movie channels. If you’re a frequent business traveler, you’ve probably stayed in your share of boring hotels where you’re lucky to have cable, much less Internet access. But, due to the demands of today’s technology-advanced society, many of these properties are being replaced by hotels that are pioneering some of the most innovative technology-based amenities. Savvy hotel operators know that providing their guests with all the comforts and conveniences of home, coupled with some of the latest and greatest technological amenities, is necessary to remain competitive. That’s why when visiting top hotels, you’ll not only find state-of-the-art meeting facilities, but niche amenities such as on-site barbers and tailors, dry-cleaning service and guest rooms with all the upscale extras such as decorative furniture, high-end mattresses, signature bedding and linens, oversized bathrooms with separate tubs and showers, in-room refrigerators and microwaves and large flat screen TVs with all the movie channels. Some luxury hotels are taking even bigger steps toward making the traveler’s experience more unique by offering amenities you’d expect to find at an expensive spa or resort instead of a business or family hotel. For example the 298-room Grand Hyatt DFW, located inside International Terminal D at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, offers a new level of airport hotel luxury. Conveniently located equal distances from both coasts, the hotel has become a popular destination site for individual business travelers, small conventions and corporate meetings by offering some one-of-a-kind services that were specifically developed to cater to the individual business traveler. Grand Hyatt DFW offers upscale guestrooms decked out with granite worktop desks; 32-inch flat panel TVs; exquisite meeting and party space; a contemporary lounge; a 24-hour MOKA coffee bar and Grand Met restaurant featuring an innovative, globally inspired cuisine; a heated rooftop pool, spa and 24-hour fitness center; as well as wired and wireless Internet access in its guestrooms and throughout the property. Travelers will also find a few unique surprises, including two new food and beverage programs you won’t find anywhere else: iTASTE and The Virtual Menu, both created in partnership with AVT Communique and The Creative Effort, to enhance the experience for guests whose time in town is limited. With iTASTE, guests can journey through a gourmet cheese, chocolate or wine tasting experience using state-of-the-art iPod technology without having to leave the hotel. Simply stop by the hotel’s Epicurean Boutique/Über Coffee Bar, MOKA, where baristas help you select a tasting program and serve you with an iPod and a tasting tray at a community table that was designed specifically for iTASTE. Press play and you are guided through a podcast of your tasting choice, which costs $25 each and lasts about 10 to 15 minutes per program. When finished, you get a souvenir DVD of the experience to take home and share what you’ve learned. When dinner time comes around, guests dining in the hotel’s Grand Met restaurant no longer have to wonder how an interesting dish on the menu might look or what courses work best together. You can try an interactive meal selection experience using a Virtual Menu.  By simply touching a screen of vivid images, you can see detailed menu item descriptions and chef recommendations for food and wine pairings. After completing your virtual tour, you place your order with your personal waiter who is there to make further recommendations and answer questions. Looking for a way to unwind at the end of the day? Take advantage of a new holographic spa audio theater experience available in the hotel’s spa. While waiting for a scheduled spa treatment, guests are given an iPod and a set of headphones. Then, with the lights dimmed and eyes closed, they are launched into a high-definition audio experience that literally and scientifically transports them into a state of meditation and relaxation they’ve never achieved before.   “The iTASTE,Virtual Menu and holographic spa audio theater programs are part of our ongoing effort to provide our guests with an innovative experience that is unlike any other,” says Michael Stephens, general manager for the Grand Hyatt DFW. “We are constantly looking for novel ways to utilize the latest advances in technology in order to provide our guests with services they cannot find at any other hotel.” To learn more about the Grand Hyatt DFW, its innovative programs, or to make a reservation, visit www.GrandHyattDFW.com. Courtesy of ARAcontent Articles 2008-04-16T19:20:00+00:00