Introducing Third-Parties: Employment Agencies

Posted on August 18, 2010 by amarchetti

Are you thinking of a temp or some kind of employment agency in order to find qualified applicants? Or rather, have you decided to become an agency and provide businesses with employees? You may be a general job-seeking agency that offers a wide range of applicants or one that specializes in a particular area of expertise (such as nannies, designers, landscapers, etc.).

I didn’t realize the amount of ethics surrounding employment agencies. Whether you are the agency, the applicant or the client, it is important to realize that [in general] there is no permanent contract. This may seem obvious but it means the client is at liberty to fire the applicant at any time for any reason. Likewise, applicants can quit or change jobs at any time for any reason. Again this is when involved with an agency, otherwise known as “temping”. There are more protocols and “general permissions” may differ depending on the agency.

Ethics are also involved when it comes to a fair compensation. In my experience working with an agency, employees are paid more than the average hourly rate. This is so the agency makes a profit. Agencies take a percentage of the hourly rate that they charge the client. As a result, clients end up paying a little more but often find the service worth it.

In turn the company doesn’t have to deal with the nitty gritty of other business policies and HR management that comes along with hiring someone. Additionally receiving the benefit of avoiding a tedious screening process, liability insurance and any regulations involved in specialized positions.

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If you are an employer and are looking for an employment agency:

  • You want to make sure the agency has insurance! This should be a no-brainer. Especially if you are hiring people to do any kind of physical labor.
  • As I mentioned, they should have a quality screening process. However don’t rely on the agency to do it’s part. That is, they may screen out the obvious unqualified applicants but you may want to set up your own additional interviews as a second filter. The best agencies are ones that are the most flexible when it comes to your decisions about hiring the best possible candidates. They should also provide options as to how you would like the candidates to be screened.

If you decide you want to contract out employees to employers for business –a few things to keep in mind:

  • Not only the needs of job-seekers but also the needs of employers.
  • Must have an employee insurance policy.
  • Job training and resume writing services (optional) But a win-win opportunity in which applicants sharpen their skills in an effort to get hired. Qualified applicants mean better leads to more clients and the services are additional income for you.

I find the agency business interesting… whoever said “third-party” services are useless? We can’t all be the best multi-talented, multi-taskers…

So have I missed anything significant? Comment Me!

the services are additional income for you.
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Desperate For Hire

Posted on August 10, 2010 by amarchetti

Don’t feel bad if the last post put you in a head spin. It could have been the flu last week… Anyway! Warning you, this post is a little off the subject as well –more sociology talk.

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If you are an employer, what are the most important qualifications in an employee? Is it values of a dedicated worker or previous work experience? I believe many people are capable or qualified to do a job –we are all human with a capability to learn and a basic drive to succeed. Unfortunately some individuals are not aware of these opportunities. Even so, they may not have the proper the resources to attain them. Luckily there are some programs that not only provide jobs for the less fortunate but offer career assistance and training. A large organization known as “The Doe Fund” helps New York’s homeless population get back up on their feet.

It’s surprising the number of employers that hesitate to hire someone in need. Immediately they assume a person from on the streets has a severe mental disorder. Google how many homeless people have mental disorders and you’ll find varied statistics. There was an article I found about the relationship between mental illness and homelessness. However I agree with most of the points given from the articles’ comment. He directs the author to this study regarding  perceived mental illness in the homeless.

I’m not suggesting someone immediately hire the first person they see down on their luck. Instead there should be an established system within proximity to every area in need. A more efficient solution of putting people back on their feet first, then connecting them with an employer. I’m aware there are food centers and shelters, even basic psychiatric and medical services; but there must still roadblocks. I still see people on the streets…and it’s not as simple as offering them a job. According to an observation I had last weekend, it’s as simple or as tragic as perceived embarrassment that you are homeless.

Thoughts? Comments? Don’t be shy…

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Theory of Marketing

Posted on August 3, 2010 by amarchetti

Maybe you heard of the saying “It’s not what you do, it’s what you say.” or “It’s not what you say, it’s what you do.” –does anyone find this utterly confusing, besides me? It’s kind of the same thing whenever I hear “People change” versus “Naah, some people never change”. If this is you, I have a rolling pin on the counter.

Alright so sometimes it depends on the situation and depending on the situation, certain quotations may apply. I believe marketing is the same way –advice may depend on the situation.

“Action speaks louder than words” – in this case, yes it does. I find many people spewing out knowledge regarding the how’s and why’s of marketing. It causes a lot of arguments because I believe marketing is only a pathway to an ideal outcome. In my opinion, marketing is an action-oriented profession. There are no formulas or tactics that can guarantee the same outcome. These tactics generate the facts and help create the threshold of common [marketing] knowledge. In marketing, knowing the facts is useless unless they are applied to a correct scenario (generally speaking). Reminds me of math. Like math, calculated steps are used to solve a problem. The steps vary depending on the type of problem. Additionally, there is often more that one way to solve the problem. Math is also a kind of theory. At first thought you may disagree, but how else would physics, economics, etc. be compiled? Someone had to theorize it. Marketing follows the same concept –research helps rationalize the existence of consumer behavior in relation to economics, and so on.

What are your theories or thoughts?

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Do You Need to Network?

Posted on July 28, 2010 by amarchetti

Well in a short answer: No. BUT if you want to increase business, it is one of the most effective strategies. It’s an opportunity for new referrals, clients or joint partnerships. Network with past employers, fellow employees, friends or family. It’s important not to burn bridges if you want to continue increasing the number of opportunities. You may have heard this before, but whenever you meet with someone it’s  important to have a speech. When I say speech, I mean that “30-second elevator speech”…though not always in the elevator. You want it long enough to get your point across, yet short enough to where you don’t bore anyone or come off as a salesperson. Another way to estimate the time is to keep a 90-word maximum. The result is a speech that is 30 seconds or less. In your speech you want:

  • Your name. (har har!)
  • Brief statement about your company and what business you’re in
  • What you can provide to that specific person. Meaning: find out what it is they need, what they’re problems are, and find a way to solve them. Also state the benefits of having you as a business partner. (Find a way to sum this all up)
  • Pleasant goodbyes, followed by a handshake. **Oh, and be sure to give them your card somewhere during this time

That said, please go to networking events prepared! I can’t emphasize this enough, as I have witnessed a few business people who think shoving their cards around is networking. No, no, no…follow this advice for Entrepreneur.com. They explain the speech etiquette more detail.

How to find networking events: Here’s an awesome site that lists 10 places that can help you find local events. Some common websites are Facebook and Meetup.com. I’m not too sure about Facebook but perhaps when you find and join the right Facebook groups, it can be useful.

Happy hounding! I mean…hunting.

What are your thoughts? Do you have any recommendations/opinions? Leave a comment!

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I would like to add one more thing: This is why a lot of small to medium size companies remain stagnant. If the company wants to grow and make more sales, they will have to step out of the box –and network. Actively seek other opportunities instead of continuing to rely on a few high-end clients. As a result, business won’t stagnate or decline if current relationships weaken. New clients have more potential for new sale opportunities.

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How to Start Up in the Startup Business

Posted on July 10, 2010 by amarchetti

Have you ever had an idea you thought would be a great business venture? Though it seemed too impossible or just plain stupid. No one would find interest in it –I say SPAT! I’ve read articles and heard advice varying from ‘Why it’s Dumb to Work a 9-5 Job’ to ‘How to Make $500 in a day’ to ‘To Make it in Business You Have to Be Comfortable with Failure’. Before you write me off as just another head in the clouds, ask yourself if you know anyone who owns their own business. I’m sure you can name at least one person you know personally well. Have you ever chatted with them and asked them how they got to where they are now? I’m sure it started with a dream. Some sort of motivation had to be there…a passion if you will.

Anyway I’m not here to sell you the idea that it’s easy as bones to start a business, make money, become successful, or quit your day job. I really want to show you that you don’t have to live in a box. And you don’t have to live a life ruled by fear (that’s for another topic). BUT I also believe in rationalization. There needs to be a system to relinquish your dreams –hint: ask your business friend— otherwise, you do have your head in the clouds. Here is one kind of system:

1. Find your passions and talents. Use them.

What is your passion? Is it music? Art? Hell, it may be sci-fi movies. How could you leverage your passion to something that adds value? Regarding the sci-fi enthusiast…how about starting a blog that critiques classic or upcoming sci-fi movies? Also, talents. Talents can be skills. Skills can be honed –which is a good thing. If you’re skilled at making music, consider selling sheet music or accompaniment. Or perhaps you’re more of a techie. In that case, fine tune your talents and formulate your own software and/or customization services.

2. Experiment. Start out small.

Begin a small project with little investment. If it fails, the lesser the loss you will suffer. A friend of mine once started an online retail business. He imported cheaper inventory overseas and sold it locally (in the US) some percentage higher. Of course there’s overhead costs to consider, but the idea in general is simple. Ebay is perhaps more accustom to an amateur (mass online) retailer. They may take away a percentage of your profits but it eliminates a majority of the responsibilities associated with owning your own online store. Another example is selling your own creative work or software. However, there are some costs involved if you want a work to be copyrighted.

3. Create, create, create.

Small projects…many of them! Come up with as many ideas as you can and try recreating them. While you have a blogging business going, consider publishing a book or series about the subject (that’s if you love writing). If the site starts gaining a lot of traffic, network with other businesses and suggest selling their products/services on your site for a majority of their profits. You can have many business ideas linking together or ones you manage separately that are completely unrelated.

4. Trial and error…until you find your golden egg(s).

Some of your startups will fail. This should not come as a surprise to you. If it does, the entrepreneur thing was probably a trend. It’s good to be optimistic but as I said before, it may be wise to be realistic. Maybe a business wasn’t generating enough profit to make the ongoing effort worthwhile…or simply not generating enough income in the long run versus your other investments (i.e. selling T-shirts online may not generate as much return as selling hardware). Know when it’s time to close shop and begin another. Likewise, know when you’ve found the idea that sells! That is, the business or businesses that generate the most income for you after a period of time and investment.

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I definitely thought one business was enough. My first business would be so awesomely great that I wouldn’t have to start over. I didn’t even think of starting out small to slowly ease into the experience of generating my own income. I am however, currently opening to the idea of creating other startups that I’m passionate about while I continue growing my current one. For now, I hope some of my own insights were useful. Good luck with your current and future business endeavors!

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Dinosaur Media

Posted on July 3, 2010 by amarchetti

It is still around. What I mean by “dinosaur” is any sort of material form of advertising: newspaper, magazine, flier and banner. Print was one of the first forms of advertising and while it gets the message across, I question it’s effectiveness. What about radio or television as forms of advertising? Agencies are still buying the media, so it must be O.K. I wouldn’t bet all my budget on it though. These types of media aren’t as ‘direct’ as they used to be. There are simply to many other forms of media out there now, increasing the risk of your message never being heard. The internet itself is an infinitely saturated vehicle. Sadly and to my surprise, a lot of businesses do not recognize this. As a business decides whether to migrate one of their promotions to a twitter page, one of their competitors has already set up a complete PPC advertising campaign. Companies lacking a team of programming or graphic designers may also lose to competitors ahead of the game in design and content. Not to overwhelm anyone, but simply heading warning to those who still have their heads in the sand. Sorry but you have to move to where the audience is and keep up with the times.

Consequent frustration goes back to what they are teaching in business school. Emphasis is not on the mechanics of marketing but rather on the philosophical aspects.
It’s wonderful to learn about needs and wants and formulas…
When to launch type A model product after modified type B product, set prices, locations, etc…
But when it comes down to it, are you prepared deal with the technical knowledge needed leverage yourself as an innovative marketer? I think you need some continued education. Marketing is becoming more than a soft-skill these days.

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The Social Media Campaign –First things first.

Posted on June 25, 2010 by amarchetti

Social media is exciting but without a clear understanding of what it is and how it works, it’s like a shiny glass ornament with one purpose: to come out at Christmas time. Yes just about every company that has heard about it, wants to steer their marketing efforts towards the web market. Cool. However part of my experience has been that most companies don’t know much about social media. That is they don’t understand what it entails, what sort of return to expect or how much effort to put in.

Before you decide to start a social media campaign, there are some things you should have in mind:

1. Tactics need to be measurable. 
I cannot stress this enough. There can be a lot wasted effort in my opinion, if there is no way to relate it to profit. For instance a company has a opened a new twitter account and started a new blog. There are many ways to measure these platforms. Besides the obvious observation regarding the amount of twitter followers one has, the company can compare that number to how many have retweeted or replied to their tweets. The same concept applies to the blog, where the number of visitors can be tracked but compare that to how many have responded to a specific entry. Relate this to other ways visitors have found the site or have linked to it. All in all, what is measurable is how much the platform has generated interest. Here is a site I found to be the most precise when it comes to measuring social media ROI.
Interested in how far your tweets have been noticed? -They also point out a useful Twitter measurement website called TweetReach. I recommend you to check it out!

    2. You get what you pay for.
    Yes, surprise! I don’t understand people who say social media is great because it is the cheapest, most effective marketing alternative. There is some truth to that, yes. However I still believe you get what you pay for. Twitter’s free, this blog is free…and you can measure the effectiveness of each vehicle (as I mentioned above), but you may find that this eventually costs money. Of course, it depends on how accurate you want your feedback but I can assure you that more effort, equals more time, equals more money. Do you want to incorporate Google Adwords or Yahoo’s Analytics as part of your tracking system? Would you elect one of your employees to run the company twitter or a full-time marketing professional that can cover all the bases?

    3. Research, Research, Research.
    You must know your customers before you market to them. Duh! It shouldn’t be any different when it comes to web marketing and social media. Even if it seems like the black hole. Some companies just dive into any platform just because “everyone else is doing it” and not really thinking about their market (customer base). Is it the best time/money investment to spend on a Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, blog, etc…? Think about it. Research your customers preferences, behaviors and lifestyles before deciding on a campaign. Research the many types of social media and networking platforms. This can reduce both time and money later on by targeting the right set of customers and associated media.

    4. Good effort takes time. 
    In this case anyway. People are fickle. If you want to create something people will be excited about it is going to take time. It’s about spreading the word and people need to start trusting your word. Social media is not about a direct sale. As I mentioned earlier, it’s about building interest or at the very least, awareness. In order to convert customer awareness to customer interest, to eventually consumer sales…(given that you considered all the steps above) you will need to wait! Again, the very least that comes out of social media is awareness and that is a good thing! Even at the very least, customers consider your company over another merely because they are aware of it. This results in sales. What seems insignificant at the time are really significant in the long run yet take time to build the awareness and interest that eventually result in increasing profit.

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    Grab a domain before it’s taken!

    Posted on April 20, 2010 by amarchetti

    I ran into a problem last week. I was so excited to start on a site for my newly said business that I forgot to recheck if the domain name I wanted was still unoccupied. The name I wanted was taken and so I kept my domain to marquettemarketing.com. Therefore disregard my last post -at least I avoided the added paperwork, etc. etc. yeah?

    I thought about kinds of clever domain names but in summary I just wanted to keep it simple, easy to remember, and one that was a .com. I found some tips to be a little excessive. Consider the tips you feel to be the most important to you regarding your particular type of business. The only tip I would consider however, once you finalize your domain name is…please register it before registering your business name!–from my own personal experience anyway.

    Posted in General Business | 1 Comment

    Changing your business name

    Posted on April 15, 2010 by amarchetti

    I decided to rename my business from Marquette Marketing to Marquette Solutions®. I never thought such a simple task as this could be so tedious (not to mention the added fee/s involved) –in my opinion. First you fill out an Articles of Amendments form, wait until it’s authorized, and then send the document to the IRS to change your EIN (employee identification number). It’s always: notify the state first then the IRS. This is just one explanation of the many activities you come across in the process of setting up/running a business. All the legal stuff can be a pain at first but worth the time it takes to learn it yourself than going through an intermediary [to do it for you! $$].

    Regarding the Articles of Amendment in my state -the form is a tad confusing. Actually it’s too simple and I wonder if I’m filling it out right, so I set an appointment with an attorney. Also I’m planning to file a 8832 with the IRS so next year I can file as an corporation [instead of 'disregarded as a separate entity']. It depends how your LLC (limited liability corporation) is or how you want it structured. Most importantly though, how you prefer your income taxed. Personally, I’d rather be taxed as a corporation. I find there’s often more benefits being taxed as a corporation if you have the resources -which hopefully in the upcoming year, I will have. When you’re taxed as a sole proprietor a.k.a. single-member LLC, the IRS automatically taxes you as ‘disregarded as a separate entity’. This isn’t bad -as you benefit from many tax breaks (not to mention less a lot less paperwork). However you are subject to a self-employment tax. Again, it comes down to what you’re comfortable with. For me, I’m looking for knowledge and growth -so I’m comfortable with the hard parts that may come with being taxed as a corporation. My two cents however: get a good attorney!

    Anyways if you’re thinking of setting up you’re own business, they’re are many types: sole-proprietorship, partnership and corporation. Then there are C-corporations and S-corporations. I decided on a limited liability corporation (LLC), though each structure has it’s own pros and cons. If you decide on a LLC, here’s a site that explains the steps of how to start one. Fairly simple yes, but you need a [patient] brain!

    Posted in General Business | 5 Comments

    Bag of Sweetness

    Posted on January 23, 2010 by amarchetti

    Yums, I LOVE globe grapes! If you never heard of them, they’re these slightly (hence ‘globe’) larger than normal-sized grapes. Downside is sometimes they have seeds in them.
    Anyway I got some at Frye’s and took a second look at this bag. I’m absolutely sure people such as me have commented on misplaced/awkward/badly-worded advertising but who cares. I got me some “Personally Selected” grapes! Sweet!

    They may not be “certified-organic”, “hand-picked” or “home-grown”, but they’re certainly not ‘genetically-modified’! Wow, what would we do without labels to govern what we eat?

    Uhh…

    OM NOM NOM. What?

    Posted in Advertising, Personal | 2 Comments