1. DISAGREE

"Honest disagreement is often a good sign of progress." - Mahatma Gandhi

You will find that people who continue to do well during challenging times are not luckier or stronger or even smarter. They are mostly more persistent and they refuse to lose. In other words, they disagree. The best examples are patients who were affected by some "incurable" cancer and yet recovered - against all medical expectations. The only common denominator that could be found in these people was exactly that: they disagreed with giving up!

You can make your own future and you can win the battles of life to the degree that you have the guts to disagree. So remember this principle: When trouble arises, it is just a test of your ability and willingness to make things go right. Just disagree!

2. IGNORE THE BAD NEWS

"The news media are, for the most part, the bringers of bad news... and it's not entirely the media's fault. Bad news gets higher ratings and sells more papers than good news." - Peter McWilliams, author of "Life 101"

We are being overwhelmed by bad news everyday. The merchants of chaos are making money by scaring the hell out of us. Don't fall into the trap! Bad news brings bad news. One smart way to end the crisis for yourself is to focus on GOOD news. When was the last time you got some?

Try this: Once a day, Google those exact words, "good news", and find some. Good news will pump up your morale and thus your willingness to fight. Commit yourself to the following principle (or therapy): "Good news once a day will keep the trouble away!"

3. SHARE THE GOOD NEWS

"To ease another's heartache is to forget one's own." - Abraham Lincoln

You know what your customers are mainly lacking? It is not money . . . it is confidence in the future. If you want your customers to buy from you now, you must first help them improve their confidence in their ability to make things go right.

So, make this a golden rule: every time you talk to a prospect or a customer, start by giving them some good news on any subject. Get them to recognize you as a source of good news and you will be surprised at the results! And also share good news with everybody who might affect your life. Sharing good news is the next best therapy for staying upbeat and willing to fight!

4. BE YOUR CUSTOMERS' BEST ADVISER

"One customer, well taken care of, could be more valuable than $10,000 worth of advertising." - Jim Rohn, author of "7 Strategies for Wealth & Happiness"

You have knowledge about your customers' business that is very valuable. Giving good advice which can help them solve some of their problems will make you stronger and will make your customer even more confident that you are not just interested in them for their money but you truly and genuinely care for them!

The caring factor is the most important one in selling. Ask yourself what you can do to increase your customers' confidence and do something about it every day. When you care, you earn the most precious gift you can from a worthy customer: Trust! In times of difficulties, one must abide more than ever by the following principle: In order to receive one must be willing to give!

5. EXPAND YOUR HORIZON

"When written in Chinese, the word 'crisis' is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity." - John F. Kennedy

You have an unlimited source of power. Some call it "brain power". Others call it "inner power". I call it "creative power." In times of crisis and economic unrest, most people introvert into their own problems. They tend to forget that challenging times always bring forth the best ideas and technologies. So start putting more attention on opportunities until you create some. Use your "creative power" to discover new solutions to your customers' problems; to propose new services; to sell new products and/or to sell new ideas to people around you.

Creativity is the ultimate solution to challenges. Think of solutions, whatever you are facing. No one can resolve a problem by being stuck in the problem. Follow this great principle: Get out of the mental box and expand your horizon.

6. INVEST IN THE MOST PROFITABLE ASSET: YOU

"When a person is competent, nothing can shake his pride. The world can yell. But it doesn't shake him." - L. Ron Hubbard

Do you want 1,000% return on your investment? Well, invest in yourself. Build yourself up; find a way to be more competent and more knowledgeable - about your job, your business and even about life! There is no stronger feeling than the feeling of competence. You can't count on anyone else to help you beat challenging times, but developing more skills will develop your certainty and your confidence.




Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Patrick_Valtin

To make your trading experience simple and secure, confirm the testimonials of potential partners before engaging in export import trading. Be sure to confirm contact information of all prospective associates before initiating any business over the World Wide Web. Always make sure if the phone number, billing address (wire transfer) and email address given to you by your trading associate belongs to the same company.

It is always prudent to get in touch with the potential export import trade partner by telephone prior to the exchange of products, services, money or contracts. If a trader gives contradictory contact details, for instance an address in Malaysia and phone number from some other nation, we advise that you find the address in the local phone directory to get the phone number. Call this number to verify that the person you are in touch with really works for the company. Be doubtful of any dealer (buyer or seller) who uses only a cell phone and email address and is unwilling to disclose a fixed telephone number.

A background confirmation from independent third-party sources involves a search for lawful registration and credit information. In various nations the existence of a firm and its legal status is a matter of public documentation. You can find out the background of recognized manufacturers or wholesalers with trade institutes, local or online credit organizations, or online services portals.

Ensure with the companies registry in the prospective trade partner's nation to make sure that the company exists with a legal registration. If you cannot find independent access to the trader's registration information, inquire your partner to give you with a Certificate of Good Standing issued by the companies' registry of his nation or state/province.

You can also expand further knowledge about your associate by ordering a credit history report from a local credit bureau. Credit history information includes data about the partner's business background and their relationships with banks and other trading buddies.

Unluckily, only limited resources are available to confirm the legality of newly established businesses. Be especially cautious when trading with new businesses.

At last, whenever possible, meet up your business colleague in person and visit the company's facilities. The online websites may give general information on your prospective partner, but it's always better to have face-to-face meeting when engaging in novel business.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Aana_Sharma

Market Opportunity

The root of the Netherlands' economy lies upon its free capitalistic market. The Netherlands' economic freedom score is 77, making its economy the 12th freest in the 2009 Index of Economic Freedom. It has the 16th largest economy in the world and ranks 10th in GDP (nominal) per capita.

According to the CIA Factbook, the GDP is currently 670.2 billion USD and the Purchasing Power Parity is 2.8 billion USD while the Dutch are experiencing 1.8% real growth, 4.5% unemployment, and 1.6% inflation rates. Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek reports the average disposable income of Dutch households amounted to 28.5 thousand euro in 2004. The real disposable income of Dutch households rose by nearly 4 percent in 2007. Households spending exceeded household income by 2 billion euro. In 2006, Dutch households spent 6 billion more than they received in income.

With a population of 16.7 million, the country has been one of the leading European nations for attracting foreign direct investment and is one of the four largest investors in the United States. The increasing ties of the Netherlands with global trade are reflected in the increasing shares of exports and imports in GDP. Data from the Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek shows that exports rose from to 77% of GDP in 2008 in addition to imports rising to 68%. Despite its small size, the Netherlands ranks seventh in the world in total value of its corporations. Furthermore, its online retail market is amongst Western Europe's largest, with the Netherlands also ranked as one of Europe's top five e-commerce nations states techpubinc.com.

The Netherlands began circulating the euro currency on January 1, 2002. The Euro remains strong against the US Dollar, with 1 Euro equaling 1.4114 USD. Because of the weakening of the US dollar for the last two years, the Euro has appreciated vis-à-vis US dollar (x-rates.com). So steeply has the greenback fallen in value against the Euro that economists are talking about the dollar losing its status as the world's reserve currency, a position it has held since 1945.

Best Industry Segments

The Dutch industry is diversified, with a variety of businesses that range from manufacturing, mining, and energy production to construction and chemical manufacturing. The government initiated many programs to encourage the development of new industries, specifically, aerospace industry, biotechnology, and microelectronics. Figures from Eurostat indicate that, in 2007, the Netherlands was the EU's third top exporting country after Germany and France. Dutch exports also grew substantially in 2007. If the current trend continues, the Netherlands will move up to take second position in 2008. Relative to other countries, the Netherlands exported large volumes of food products, gas oil and natural gas.

Regulatory and Tariff Landscape

Along with the United States, the Netherlands has consistently been one of the main advocates of international free trade and the reduction of duties and tariffs on goods and services. The average tariff rate is low. The Netherlands' trade policy is the same as that of other members of the European Union. The common EU weighted average tariff rate was 2.1% in 2005 according to the Heritage Foundation. The EU policy upholds non-tariff barriers in agricultural and manufacturing subsidies, import restrictions for some goods and services, market access restrictions in some services sectors, non-transparent and restrictive regulations and standards, and inconsistent customs administration across EU members. Supplementary biotechnology and pharmaceuticals rules exceed EU policy.

In order for many products in the European Economic Area (EEA) market to pass the consumer safety, health, and environmental requirements, it must receive a CE marking. By affixing the CE marking, the manufacturer asserts that the item meets all the essential "Health and Safety" requirements of the relevant European Directive(s) that provide for the CE marking. Examples of European Directives requiring CE marking include toy safety, machinery, low-voltage equipment, medical devices and electromagnetic compatibility.

Online Marketing

Based on statistics from internetworldstats.com, there are currently 13,791,800 Internet users in the Netherlands, with a penetration rate of 82.9%. The Netherlands is ranked 7th among the top internet countries in the European Union yet 2nd behind Greenland with the highest internet penetration rate. Over the span of eight years (2000-2008), user growth stands at 253.6%. In terms of type of connection, the Netherlands exhibits a positive trend towards broadband internet adoption. It can be located 4th on the list in broadband penetration, leading the OECD along with Iceland, Finland, and Norway. Despite the wide availability of Internet connections, nearly 4 million people (about 25% of the population) have never used the Internet at all according to data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Online Language Preferences

The two official languages of the Netherlands are Dutch and Frisian. However, Dutch is the mother tongue of almost all people in the Netherlands. The 500,000 inhabitants of Friesland, a province of the Netherlands, speak Frisian. Most of Dutch people speak at least one foreign language, mostly English that is taught at school during the basic education. Many Dutch people speak also German, which is similar to Dutch language and some of them speak French. Like any other country, internet users prefer to search in their native language, Dutch.

Search Engine Profile

Data from a checkit.nl shows Google Netherlands (Google.nl) overwhelmingly leads the way as the top search engine with 95%. Ilse.nl and live.nl take the second and third spot, respectively.

Summary

Netherlands being the small country is a big player in the world's trade and the global transfer of capital. Its thriving and open economy serves as an inviting potential global trading partner to other countries. The economy is noted for stable industrial relations, moderate unemployment and inflation, a sizable account surplus, and an important role as a European transportation hub. Based on the current and future potential of the market, Global eMarketer ranks the Netherlands as a Tier I market for global online market opportunity.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ana_Lam