Business

Archive for the ‘Ask an Expert’ Category

1.Do you think there are prospects for grasscutter farming in Nigeria?

Yes,there are more prospectsts for grasscutter farming in Nigeria because is a new emerging market yet to be known to a lot of people,so the investors that start now will reap good return on their investments.

Grasscutter farming is a business that does not require electricity or fuel for successful operation and feeds of  grasscutters are very local and cheap.

2.What is the minimum capital required to start grasscutter farming business?

You can start grasscutter farming business with minimum capital of N50,000 (Fifty thousand naira).You will buy a family of grasscutters of 1 male and 4 females for the sum of N30,000 (Thirty thousand naira) and use the remaining N20,000 for other preliminary expenses like cage,transport box,trappling equipment,feeders and drinkers.

3.What kind of trainings exist and which one do you offer?

In our organisation,The Thy Consulting,will offer pratical on the farm training,so that people can learn it practically.We also provide the trainees with comprehensive manuals,VCDs and after training/sales follow up.

4.Can you compare snail farming commercial viability with grasscutter farming?

The viability of snail farming is almost the same as that of grasscutter farming.And the two projects are compatible and complement each other.In that the left over feeds of grasscutters such as maize,cassava,PKC,GNC can sill be re-compounded and served to snails.The grasscutters` feceas can also be used as organic fertilizer to improve the soil for snail farming.The same buyers also buy them.

5.How many times in a year does a female grasscutter give birth and how many?

 

A female grasscutter gives birth two times in a year.It can litter between 4 and 8 kits at once,but usually 5 kits,so a female grasscutter can litter up to 10 animals in a year.

By

Ismail AbdulAzeez

The Managing Consultant

The Thy Consulting.

Websites:  http://www.thethyconsulting.com     and   http://www.thethyconsulting.com/forum

 

How to Promote Your Business in the Yellow Pages:

Ask the Expert

By Fran Finley

The Expert

Our expert on Yellow Pages advertising is author, speaker, consultant, Barry Maher. You may have seen Maher on the Today Show, NBC Nightly News, CNBC or in the pages of USA Today, the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal. His book, Filling the Glass was recently honored as “[One of] The Seven Essential Popular Business Books” by Today’s Librarian magazine. Few people realize that Maher is also the author of the book, Getting the Most from Your Yellow Pages Advertising, and that he conducts Yellow Pages workshops at conventions across the country. According to TIME, “Barry Maher has helped thousands of small businesses get the most cost effective Yellow Pages advertising possible.”

Does Yellow Pages advertising really work?

Well, it certainly can work. But it’s far more likely to work if you pay attention to a few key rules.

Can’t you rely on your Yellow Pages sales rep for any help you need?

Sometimes the rep can be part of the problem. Too many Yellow Page ads are whipped up in the few minutes the rep has left after trying to sell you a bigger ad. Ask, no, insist, that your directory publishers develop an ad for you that justifies the cost. If they can’t, have the ad produced yourself.

Okay, so you need a great looking ad. What about the content?

Content is another key. The first piece of ad copy that readers see, the headline, has to be powerful enough to drag them away from all those competing ads. Never use your company name as your headline unless it really is that powerful. Unless it really is the most important selling copy in the ad.

What other copy should you include?

You have to include all the hard, factual information potential customers need to make a decision to call or drop by: be it about image, market niche, products and services, features, brand names, expertise, pricing, quality, hours, reliability, speed, location, service area, credit available, whatever it might be.

So you should use every bit of ad space you’re paying for?

Absolutely not. Your ad is competing for readability with every other ad under your heading or headings. If it’s difficult to read, it isn’t going to be read. You’ve got to refine your copy until you can provide all the information potential clients want in an ad that’s so uncluttered and inviting that reading it becomes automatic.

What about visuals, like drawings and photos?

Nothing can turn a mediocre Yellow Pages ad into a great one faster than the right illustration. If your picture isn’t worth a thousand words, find one that is.

How about ad size: is bigger better?

Unfortunately, all things being equal, bigger ads get a greater response. They also get the best placement, closest to the front of the heading. Placement can be even more important than size.

A visually appealing ad can make up for some size, especially under a heading where all the ads are on the same page or two. It’s much more difficult to compete with ads on an earlier page. That page may never be turned.

Always consider placement when you’re deciding on ad size. Have your sales rep show you where the size you’re considering would fall in this year’s directory. That should give you an idea of the position, relative to the competition, you’d have next year. Sometimes going up a size and spending just a few more dollars will move you much closer to the front of the heading. Sometimes you can cut back in size without losing much in the way of position.

What about using color?

Color is eye catching. And expensive. If the money you’d be spending is approximately the same, you’re better off significantly improving the size and placement of your ad than the color.

Some areas are covered by several competing directories. Should you buy ads in all of them?

Make the sales rep prove value before you buy, especially when you’re considering a directory for the first time. If he or she can’t prove value, don’t put any real money there. Instead, try something small: perhaps even a simple in-column ad, or even just a listing. Track your response, survey your customers to discover how they discovered you. Then next year you’ll have know.



What’s the biggest Yellow Pages mistake you’ve ever encountered?

That’s got to be the attorney who found herself listed not under ATTORNEYS but under REPTILES. I’ll leave it to you to decide if that was perhaps more truth in advertising than she bargained for.

Which reminds me: Always insist on getting a proof for your display ad.

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Q. I want to immigrate to Canada. I’m 28 yrs old and married with one child. I’m fairly fluent in English but I don’t speak French. I have more than 10 years experience as a Student Counselor. I lack money and don’t have a sponsor in Canada. I haven’t been offered a job in Canada. What’s the cheapest and easiest way to migrate to Canada from Pakistan?



A. A TVR (Temporary Resident Visa)  will ensure that you’ll enter Canada legally. CIC (Canadian Immigration authority) will take a number of factors into account. This includes any relevant visas that you may have been issued by other countries and your record of immigration compliancy. They’ll also consider whether you’ve skills that are in shortage in Canada. If you’re able to show you’ve acquired a suitable offer of employment in your skilled occupation, this should strengthen your TRV application considerably.

Immigration Unit assists you in securing a job offer with a Labour Market approval. However, there’s an element of risk involved as CIC must first approve your  TRV  for entry into Canada. As long as your skill level, age (under 49), health and character (no criminal record) is acceptable there is a very good probability that your application will be approved.

Answered by Guy – Immigration Group Senior Migration Consultant based in Manchester, UK.



Q. I am planning to emigrate to Australia or Canada. Why should I consider Canada or Australia? When thinking about migration, I think about equal opportunities, a job, education for my child, healthcare and a peaceful country, etc. I’m married with one child aged 6. My partner and I have attained BA Degrees in business.

A. The choice between the two countries is primarily about eligibility and preference. Both countries have similiar populations (Aus 22m; Can 30m); both are primarily English speaking countries; they’ve been relatively unaffected by the global credit crunch and continue to have robust and thriving economies. They’ve excellent universal health care, an outstanding reputation relating to their education credentials throughout the world and they enjoy relatively crime free urban and rural communities.

Generally speaking, the west coast of Canada is one of the mildest parts of the country with Vancouver experiencing the fewest days of snow. Yet, you can head to nearby mountains to find snow, skiing and snowboarding.

Australia’s northern states have a more humid and tropical climate than further south which experience a colder, wetter climate.For a free professional assessment of your circumstances, fill out our free assessment form or call 0845 2 606030. Want to know more about emigrating to Australia, Canada and New Zealand? Visit our website: immigrationunit.com

Answered by Marisa – Immigration Unit Case Officer based in Cape Town, South Africa