Did you know that on average, everyone has a mental Rolodex of 250 people that they know? If that is the case, do you think that staying in touch with people would enable you to tap into more people’s mental Rolodexes? Can you see how doing so will benefit you and your business?

Consider that a newsletter, or e-zine, rich with valuable content is an easy way to stay in touch with people.

Getting an e-zine started and publishing one regularly is not as challenging as most people think. That is, if you follow several simple steps.

6 Steps To Starting A Newsletter

1. Determine the Who and Why:

Before deciding upon what you’ll write, decide for whom you will write, and why. For example:

Write for moms to assist them with issues they may encounter around the house, with their children, and finances. Or, write for people over 50 and provide them with information about retirement, health and fitness. Another niche could be to write for your neighbors to keep them informed about what is going on in the local community and neighborhood.

2. Determine how often you should publish:

Balance the frequency of your mail outs carefully. Deliver your newsletter often enough to stay in your subscribers’ minds. Do not publish so often that they grow tired of you, nor so seldom that they wonder who you are.

Ideally, your subscribers should look forward to hearing from you. A general rule of thumb is to mail out your e-zine once a month, once every two months, or once a quarter. But, choose one of these frequency and stick to that schedule.

3. Pick a name:

Create the best name possible for your newsletter. It’s your calling card that lands in your subscriber’s mailbox at regular intervals. It is a direct reflection of you and your business, a strong branding tool. Remember, everything about your publication must be top-notch, and that starts with its name. Make it:

* Short and catchy
* Descriptive
* Consistent with your web site’s theme
* Relevant to the voice and content of your e-zine

Let those creative juices flow. You want your publication to stand out from the crowd. Make the name unique and appealing!

4. Create the format:

Lay out your e-zine for easy reading by your subscribers, and for easy development by you. Readers like familiarity and predictability. So develop a template, and stick with it. A template gives you a fast start with each issue.

5. Get subscriptions:

Don’t worry if your newsletter is not ready yet. Start building your subscriber list even while you are working on developing the format and content of your e-zine. Each visitor that subscribes will be a great motivation booster for you to finish the job. However, remember that the longer you wait before providing your subscribers with that crucial first issue, the more likely they are to forget you, or forget that they had signed up, or forget what compelled them to subscribe in the first place. So don’t wait more than two months (after getting your first subscriptions) to publish.

6. Spam check it:

After you write each issue of your newsletter and before you send it to your subscribers, spam check it. This will enable your subscribers to receive your publication in their in box versus their spam or junk folders, where they might miss it!

So, now I have a question for you: When are you going to implement the above 6 steps?

Kimberly Anne is a seasoned businessperson with over 20 years of marketing experience. With a BA and a MBA, she has helped thousands of people start home businesses and achieve success. She publishes a monthly newsletter Your Biz Tool Kit for home business owners. For more information and resources visit Kimberly’s site www.all-about-home-businesses.com.

Often when I recommend to one of my clients that they create a plan for their home business they ask, “Why?”

I understand the inquiry. I mean, why spend time putting together such a document? Why not just do what you need to do to build it? Right?

Now, typically I try not to answer a question with a question – that can be annoying for the person who asked me a question! However, sometimes I do, which is the case here.

I ask my clients, “Well, when you go on a road trip you bring a map with you, correct?”

The point being that a business plan is to a business what a map is to a road trip. When you travel you buy a map someone else created, but you get to create your own business plan.

Having a plan is important. Don’t just take my word for it though. Instead, ask yourself the following 7 questions. Your answers may uncover the benefits you will enjoy by having a plan for your home business:

1. Are you confident that what you have chosen to do will work?

Understand that there are risks associated with starting any type of business. However, with some research and planning you can reduce and prepare for any possibly risks. So, if you outline each aspect of what you’re going to do, you can determine if your idea is actually viable.

2. Do you know the who, what, where, when, and why of your day-to-day operations, including the costs, and projected profitability? A plan will help you answer all of these questions, enabling you to get your head around what you need to do.

3. Do you have realistic milestones for yourself? A plan will help you realistically forecast where you will be in six months, one year, and five years. Keep in mind that goals should be specific, measurable and realistic.

4. Do you know your market? In creating a solid plan you will research, analyze, and write about your market. This will provide you with an overview for your business and also give you greater insight into your overall market.

5. What is your financial picture? The process of writing your plan will force you to analyze your financial situation. You will determine how much money you need to get started, to build, and then maintain. Again, preparation can often be a key ingredient to success.

6. How are you going to monitor your home business? A plan serves as an ongoing tool that you can use to monitor your progress. A good business plan is a working document – one that is accessible to you. A plan that is tucked away in a filing cabinet serves no one.

7. Do you have contingency plans? A solid plan includes some contingency plans. Your plan can help you see how and where you can make changes relatively quickly if, and when, necessary.

Take the time to put a business plan in place. It’s your road map to success and your business and your pocket book will reap the benefits.

Kimberly Anne is a seasoned businessperson with over 20 years of marketing experience. With a BA and a MBA, she has helped thousands of people start home businesses and achieve success. For more information on how to write a business plan visit Kimberly’s site www.all-about-home-businesses.com.

Auto responders are remarkable, versatile programs that do so much more than just automatically answer your email. Here are 8 ideas that will help you to creatively and productively use your auto responder to transform the casual visitor into a profitable customer. Use your auto responder to:

1. Publish a newsletter. Certain quality auto responders will manage subscriptions and follow-up with interested prospects. Your newsletter can keep your visitors informed about your services or products, while building your reputation as a credible expert in your particular business.

2. Write reviews. Cover books, software, music, e-books, movies, etc., and put each review in an auto responder. Review your affiliate programs, using a link to your affiliate’s page in your auto responder.

3. Distribute your articles. Writing and distributing targeted articles is a powerful tool to build your business credibility, bring traffic to your site, and increase your sales potential. If your articles contain valuable information, many editors will print what is known as a resource box for you. A resource box contains your bio and a brief description of your service or product.

It can also contain your auto responder address. Let’s say you’ve written fifty articles. Put them on separate auto responder accounts and create a master list that contains the titles of each article, the auto responder address, and a brief abstract. Then promote your master list. Additionally, include your publishing guidelines so your affiliates can add their articles to your list, increasing the number of writers who are represented in your article list.

4. Create mailing lists. Inform subscribers of your articles when you’ve written new ones that they may want to publish in their own newsletter or website.

5. Distribute advertising. Let’s say you sell advertising on your website or in your newsletter or e-zine. Set your auto responder to send the information about rates and how to place an ad automatically to all prospects’ email addresses. Then have your auto responder follow-up. It can also send notification of any special deals you are currently offering.

6. Distribute an email course. Each day, have your auto responder send out another lesson. Just be sure that each lesson has quality content – not a sales pitch. Your content will do the selling for you, and will do it much more effectively. You can include tips centered on a different topic for each lesson, illustrating how your product will benefit the reader. Include the tangible benefits the visitor will reap by purchasing your product. Make sure to include a paragraph or two at the end of each lesson enticing your prospect to consider making a purchase.

7. Distribute free reports. This gives your visitor an idea of the type of information you can provide and the quality of your product or service. Make sure these reports are not sales letters or you will more than likely lose a potential customer than gain a sale.

8. Offer a trial version of your product. Give your prospects a sample of your e-book, course, software, membership, etc. People who are exposed to a little taste often end up wanting the whole pie. You can also capture their email addresses when you offer them a free trial from your website. Set up your auto responder to give instructions on how to obtain their free trial, and then make sure to follow-up to try and close the sale.

Now that you have proof that auto responders can be used creatively, see if you can add to the above list with some creative ideas of your own. Then, pick three ideas and implement a new idea each week for the next three weeks.

Kimberly Anne is a seasoned businessperson with over 20 years of marketing experience. With a BA and a MBA, she has helped thousands of people start home businesses and achieve success. She publishes a monthly newsletter Your Biz Tool Kit for home business owners. For more information and resources visit Kimberly’s site www.all-about-home-businesses.com.

One of the primary driving forces that bring inventions to light is the profit motive. While Hollywood and the media tend to glorify the selfless inventor, the truth is that many of the most basic technologies we have would not have come to pass without the incentive of selling it. Venture capitalist Paul Graham explains this in his essay, “How to Make Wealth.”

“Developing new technology is a pain in the ass. It is, as Edison said, one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration. Without the incentive of wealth, no one wants to do it. Engineers will work on sexy projects like fighter planes and moon rockets for ordinary salaries, but more mundane technologies like light bulbs or semiconductors have to be developed by entrepreneurs.”

This leads into today’s topic: selling your invention, and fast. With any unnecessary guilt cleared out of the way, let’s get into the meat and potatoes of how to capitalize on your efforts. Essentially there are 2 ways of selling your invention: selling it to paying customers, or selling/licensing it to another entrepreneur or company who will sell it to paying customers. We will start with selling it yourself.

1) Selling your invention yourself

If your invention is finished, packaged, and ready to sell, your goal is probably getting it onto store shelves where customers can get at it. But how is this done? Most people do not have the first clue how the products they buy get into the stores. Indeed, it can at first seem like a mystical and confusing process that only the economic elite can understand. In fact, it is actually quite simple. A BusinessKnowHow.com article called “Selling to Retail Stores” offers some answers.

“So, as a supplier to the retail market, seek out the reps. Ask some stores that might be potential candidates for your line who they believe is the best rep that calls on them. Interview several reps, see what other lines they have that would cause them to call on the same type of firm you believe your goods could go into. They are your best bet for getting into all types of stores both large and small, that is their profession. And, lastly, don’t begrudge them the commission you pay them. Without them, you wouldn’t have the exposure or sales you’re enjoying.”

“Reps” are people who visit all the different stores and help convince them to sell merchandise. If the stores sell what the rep recommends, the rep takes a commission of the resulting sales. It is a pretty straightforward process, and the best way to get it underway is to visit the stores you want to sell in and ask who their reps are. Then, it is simply a matter of convincing the rep to pitch your product. Set up a lunch or dinner with them and make them see the value of your invention. With persistence and a little luck, you can have your invention on the shelves in no time!

2) Selling your invention to someone else
The other main way of selling your invention is selling it to another person, who will then sell it to customers. This can sometimes be easier and less of a hassle, but it is not always the best way to go. If you are not familiar with business and negotiation strategies, you may find yourself in over your head. To help prevent this, here are some tips for selling your invention to another entrepreneur or company.

Put some serious thought into who you want to sell to. Some inventors think selling an invention is as simple as calling anyone remotely involved with their market and asking them to buy it. In fact, this rarely works. Your best chance is to narrow down a list of companies that are very closely related to what you do. For example, if you have invented a new, lighter and more puncture-resistant bicycle tire, you might want to call BMX or Huffy. The idea is to look for an obvious fit between your invention and the goals of the company in question.

Do not be overzealous. There is an old saying that pigs get fed, while hogs get slaughtered. Nowhere is this truer than negotiations about selling or licensing a new, unproven invention. As a new inventor, you probably cannot demand a king’s ransom for your invention. After all, the company or entrepreneur buying it will be the one assuming the risk. Therefore, if you get an offer or convince a company to buy your invention, you should generally take the money. Unless the offer is insultingly low, you would do well to count yourself among the (relatively) few inventors who actually capitalize from their efforts.

Be direct. If selling quickly is your goal, you cannot afford to waste time on small talk and pleasantries. This does not rushing them to make you an offer before you have answered their questions, of course. But it does mean that you should not turn negotiations with them into an endless back-and-forth game of chit-chat. Keep your main goal in mind.

Take some time and decide which of these two selling strategies suits you best. Then, work quickly to take action. If you persist and keep your wits about you, you can sell your invention much faster than you thought!

Eric Corl is the President of Idea Buyer LLC, a marketplace for new technology and products that gives inventors the opportunity to showcase their intellectual property to consumer product companies, entrepreneurs, retailers, and manufacturers. You can email him at EricCorl@IdeaBuyer.com. You can visit the site by visiting this address; New Technology and Products, Patents for Sale.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office is the governmental agency in charge of granting patents to inventors. As USPTO.gov states,

For over 200 years, the basic role of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has remained the same: to promote the progress of science and the useful arts by securing for limited times to inventors the exclusive right to their respective discoveries (Article 1, Section 8 of the United States Constitution).

The major function of the patents office is to examine patent applications and determine whether or not the invention in question is worthy of a patent. They also examine trademark applications in the same way. Unlike many other government agencies, the patents office is self-funded, that is, supported solely by the fees it collects from inventors for patent and trademark applications.

The patents office has three essential responsibilities as an agency:

1) It administers the laws pertaining to patents and trademarks
2) It advises the Secretary of Commerce, the President, and his entire administration on the protection of patents, trademarks, and copyrights
3) It provides general advice to the public on the trade aspects of intellectual property.

In total, the United States Patent and Trademark Office employs 8,189 people. Most of them work in the patent office’s five-building headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia. Of that number, 4,883 employees are patent examiners. These are the people who physically evaluate your patent application for the various criterions and decide whether or not to grant a patent. Another 413 employees are trademark examination attorneys. These are people qualified to act in matters involving trademark law, and accordingly, they have the task of evaluating trademark applications.

There is one key difference between these two groups. Patent examiners are scientists or engineers, but they are not required to have law degrees and so not all of them do. Trademark examiners, on the other hand, are required to be licensed attorneys. Both groups of examiners work under a quota system that dictates how many patents and trademarks they are authorized to grant in a given timeframe.

The remaining employees are all support staff to one or both of these two groups.

The patents office grants literally thousands of patents to corporations and inventors every year. To date, over seven million patents have been issued and recognized by the agency.

With the advent of Internet technology and the World Wide Web, the patents office has begun accepting patent applications filed electronically. Inventors or their patent attorneys have been able to file patent applications as Adobe PDF documents since March of 2006. The process is relatively straightforward and can be accomplished at the following web URL. Filing fees are paid via credit card or a USPTO “deposit account”, which is explained in greater detail on the website.

The ability to search for existing patents via the USPTO website has also improved in recent years. The website provides free electronic copies of existing patents with using TIFF, a container format for storing images. However, several commercial services exist to provide patent documents in other, more convenient formats such as CPC and Adobe PDF.

It is also possible for inventors to file their own patent applications without the help of a patent lawyer. This is known as pro se patent filing, and is actually quite common as a means of saving thousands of dollars is legal fees. The general rule is that the less complex an invention is, the more sense it makes for the inventor to do some homework and attempt to file the application himself. If an invention is significantly complex, however, it is probably a better idea to seek the aid of a patent attorney.

While the patents office cannot recommend specific attorneys to you, they do post a list of registered attorneys. If you are new to inventing and unsure of where to find a good attorney, use this list as a starting point. Copy down the names of some attorneys in your area and investigate them further before deciding on one.

In closing, the United States Patent and Trademark Office is the agency you must deal with in your quest for patent protection. By educating yourself about the nature and expectations of this agency, you will be better prepared to get your patent approved.

Eric Corl is the President of Idea Buyer LLC, a marketplace for new technology and products that gives inventors the opportunity to showcase their intellectual property to consumer product companies, entrepreneurs, retailers, and manufacturers. You can email him at EricCorl@IdeaBuyer.com. You can visit the site by visiting this address; New Technology and Products, Patents for Sale.

Are you dissatisfied with the print quality of your thermal transfer or direct thermal printer? Do they have unwanted lines and/or blank spots in the print? If so, your thermal transfer printhead might need cleaned or even replaced. The printhead is the most critical component of your thermal printer and one of the most delicate. Before deciding whether or not you need a new thermal transfer printhead, you should first clean it properly. You can clean a printhead by rubbing it with an alcohol pad or better yet, buy ribbon equipped with
“Cleanstart”.

What is “Cleanstart” ribbon? “Cleanstart” is a barcode ribbon that has a special printhead cleaning feature at the start of every roll from IIMAK. IIMAK is one of the largest US based manufacturers of barcode ribbon. After installing your new roll of ribbon into your printer, simply close the printhead at the start of the white “Cleanstart” cleaning strip and pull it through the closed printhead. Reopen the printhead and feed the ribbon through for the final setup and installation. Close the printhead and begin printing.

If the quality of print is not improved then more troubleshooting is needed. Many of these printers are very temperamental and the slightest adjustment can make all the difference. Check the heat setting on the printer to make sure it is hot enough. This can usually take care of some of the lines or fading in the image that is printed.

The next step in troubleshooting the printer would be to check the platen roller. That is the rubber roller that is right under the print head. Many users will damage the platen roller by taking a knife to it to get excess label adhesive or paper stuck to the roller off. This is a MAJOR no-no! NEVER take a knife or blade to the platen roller. This roller is critical in keeping the quality of print consistent. Look for a nick in the roller and if there is one, have a service representative replace the platen roller.

So there is no nick in the platen roller? The next step is to inspect the printhead with a light and look right on the black sensor that meets the labels when closed. You will have to open the print head to see. Check the printhead for white spots. White spots on a printhead indicate damage and wear from the course of its print life. If there are white spots on the printhead, this is a good indication that it is time for a new printhead. The printhead life can vary in length based on how well it is maintained. Wiping your printhead with an alcohol pad before every use will ensure its cleanliness and protect it from residue buildup. The same positive results will occur with the proper use of a “cleanstart” ribbon. Proper maintenance will result in the maximum life span of the printhead.

Now, if your troubleshooting indicates that you need a new printhead, then there are a few decisions to make. Do you want to buy the exact OEM printhead? Or do you want to buy a quality compatible printhead? Many times it is the same manufacturer that makes both. There are very high quality off brand printheads on the market that can save you a lot of money. OEM printheads are usually required for some warranties, but if you can, we suggest going with a private brand, high quality printhead as a replacement because they are much less expensive and work just as well.

John Barth founded Adazon Barcode Labels and Barcode Equipment www.adazonusa.com in 2003 and has a wealth of information in the barcode arena from over 20 years of experience in distribution. John’s experience allows companies to cut costs on barcode printheads, custom labels and total barcode solutions. For more information call 847-235-2700.

Why should you publish an e-zine (i.e., an e-mailed newsletter)? To revisit your customers and potential customers in your target market. It reminds them about you, and it gives them reasons to return to your site.

Your e-zines can deliver one or more of the following:

New info about your site (the easiest model to create/maintain)

New product/service introductions/upgrade announcements

Brand new content exclusive to subscribers (the hardest model, since it involves creating new content, but it may make sense if subscribers are prospective clients for your high-priced services)

Here are 12 tips to help you with creating your e-zine:

1. Set up the subject head of your newsletter carefully. Clearly have your topic in the subject, so it stands out as being a topic about which the user is interested. Have an issue number or volume number, so that they see this is a repeating publication – one they come to expect.

2. Keep a consistent schedule. Users begin to expect the message to come in on a certain day, at a certain time. That makes them less likely to delete it when it does arrive.

3. Write articles that provide your readers with a list of useful tips or instructions on how to reach an objective.

4. Publish interviews. Contact experts on the topic your e-zine covers and request interviews. Most people will agree as it provides them with promotion of their businesses at no cost. Publish your interviews in article format or use the popular Q&A formula.

5. Write articles that focus on a current hot topic, trend or something seasonal in nature such as how to increase sales during the holidays.

6. Provide polls for your subscribers to take. Publishing polls will help you to increase the number of people that read your e-zine because your subscribers will be interested in seeing the results. Your polls can also be used to help you decide on changes in your content, publishing schedule, or to decide on new things to add to your newsletter.

7. Provide your subscribers with resources related to your e-zine’s topic. You could provide a list of your favorite resources such as your top 5 books/e-books on e-zine publishing, marketing or web design with a brief description of each of your resources.

8. Provide endorsements within your newsletter for your products from respected experts in your field or list testimonials from your satisfied customers.

9. Add an “Ask The Editor” section. Write out thorough, detailed answers to your subscribers’ questions within this section. This will increase your status as an expert in your field, which will lead to more sales of your products.

10. At the end of each issue, tell your readers what your next issue is going to be about such as the title and description of your feature article or anything new that you have planned. This will help you to increase your readership by getting your subscribers to look forward to your next issue.

11. Show concretely that you value your visitors. Offer a freebie that is worth their consideration. Accomplish that and you will get new subscriptions. Now just make sure that your e-zine doesn’t disappoint. You want your e-zine to build long lasting relationships.

12. If you are a Service Seller, an newsletter is a must. The better your publication, the more you impress people with your expertise and ability to deliver. You build credibility.

No client hires a service provider on the first, second, or third contact. Repeat exposure is the effective repeat credibility-booster that you need to quietly-yet-powerfully convince your prospect that you are the right person to retain.

Kimberly Anne is a seasoned businessperson with over 20 years of marketing experience. With a BA and a MBA, she has helped thousands of people start home businesses and achieve success. She publishes a monthly newsletter Your Biz Tool Kit for home business owners. For more information and resources visit Kimberly’s site www.all-about-home-businesses.com.

What is “money consciousness?” It is how one thinks, both consciously and unconsciously, about money.

Now, if I told you that 1% of the people control over 50% of the money in the United States, would you believe me?

Well, the distribution of wealth is that skewed.

What about this 1% who have the wealth – do you think that these people are any smarter than everyone else? Do you think they are luckier?

Well, they aren’t. The 1% of the population that controls over 50% of the money in the U.S. simply developed certain attitudes and habits that are geared toward high achievement and prosperity.

Simply put, they developed a money consciousness. They look at money differently than the majority of people.

Interested? Do you want to look at money in such a way that you could join that club – the 1% club, that is?

In his book “Think and Grow Rich,” Napoleon Hill wrote, “the attraction of money is very similar to the attraction between a man and a woman. Money must be pursued as a man would pursue a woman that he finds attractive. In order to attract a desirable woman, a man needs to make himself attractive.”

Hmmm. Now that’s an interesting perspective. That same philosophy probably applies to any big goals that a person pursues.

But, back to money. In order to attract money, you must develop a certain attitude toward success and toward money. A strong money consciousness is like a powerful magnet that attracts money.

Napoleon Hill further wrote “poverty is attracted to the one whose mind is favorable to it, as money is attracted to him whose mind has been deliberately prepared to attract it, and through the same laws. Poverty consciousness will voluntarily seize the mind which is not occupied with the money consciousness. The starting point for creating a money consciousness, and thus accumulating money, is persistence. With persistence, you will win.”

Ask yourself what your money consciousness is? Is it consistent with the goals you want to achieve? If it isn’t, then I suggest your money consciousness is holding you back.

Do you want to turn that around? Then start by being really honest with yourself about how you perceive money.

Perhaps your response to my above suggestion is something such as, “Well, I like money. Doesn’t everyone?” Possibly. But many people also have issues related to money: they can’t seem to hang on to it, they can’t seem to make enough of it, and they can’t seem to ever get ahead.

So, ask your self, “What is my relationship with money?” Once you are more aware of how you relate with money, you can begin to be more deliberate about how you think about money.

Make it a game. Make how you think about money a game and see what happens depending upon the way you play that game. Meaning, depending upon how you’re thinking about money what kind of results do you experience? Do you like the results? If yes, keep playing that way. If not, regroup, check out what you’re thinking and change those thoughts!

Kimberly Anne is a seasoned businessperson with over 20 years of marketing experience. With a BA and a MBA, she has helped thousands of people start home businesses and achieve success. For more information and resources visit Kimberly’s site www.all-about-home-businesses.com.

Putting off something that should be done now until a later time is what we have come to think of as procrastination. You might associate procrastination with someone who doesn’t take the garbage out right away, or someone who puts off cleaning the storm drains until there is a real clog. However, procrastination is present in business situations as well. Some of the most brilliant, work oriented people are guilty of procrastination in business. Here’s a bit of a story about a man named John.

John was a very clever, resourceful and smart entrepreneur. Upon deciding to open his own company in a niche that he wasn’t very familiar with, but that was really hot at the time, John began researching. Of course, in the beginning John was only interested in finding the best ways to operate his company but his research turned into a means of putting off the business venture.

He researched target markets, different companies that were similar to the one he wanted to start, common prices for services and products in this niche, etc. The more he researched, it seemed like the more he found that needed to be researched. In fact, in a short period of time, John became quite the expert in this niche.

As he continued to research, he began research on using the best available products for his business that he could find. He looked at the statistics on business endeavors and employees. While most people think that research is a great thing, John ended up researching to the point that he was procrastinating. Whether he was nervous to fail at the business or he just had a compulsion to know each and every detail that had to do anything with his niche is unknown.

The point is that this kind of cycle is very easy to get into with entrepreneurs and others. Some of the most successful business men and women are the ones that jumped right in and learned as they went. Of course, this is not the best method to take either. A beneficial middle between these two is the most desirable way to go.

Business is full of risks. This is one reason that people are so drawn to business and in fact, some people were simply born for the rush and the adrenaline of starting a new business venture or taking a new risk. In order to be truly successful, we have to escape the trap of procrastination and jump headlong into the risk.

Of course, some education is needed in order to understand the workings of what we are diving into, but too much can paralyze us. And, too much education that really is not on purpose can be too much of nothing.

Steve Scott is a business/life coach and business development consultant. He specializes in teaching entrepreneurs and solo and sales professionals to advance to a business and life of greater freedom and abundance. http://www.progresssetfree.com

In this day and age, safety is of prime concern in relation to the operation of mail rooms. From three-person operations to corporate mail centers, well-developed mail center security procedures can be easily adopted by any mailroom.

From in-house accidents to more menacing outside dangers, businesses rely on a fully functioning mail room, which requires vigilance and organization. To protect your employees and business, consider the following procedures recommended by the United States Postal Service:

General Mail Operation preventative recommendations:
Appoint a Mail Security Coordinator (and an alternate for larger mail rooms). Organize a Mail Security Response Team, if practical, depending on the size of the mail room staff. Create, update, and review security procedures, disaster plan, and operating plans
Train personnel in policies and procedures relative to mail security (i.e. biological, chemical, weapons, or natural disasters).

Members of the team should be equipped with cell phones/pagers. Publish an After-Action Report or Incident Report after every incident. Have senior management buy-in/sign-off on the company’s mail security procedures.

General Safety Procedures for Shipping/Receiving Mail Areas: Notify internal and external customers, as appropriate, of steps taken to ensure safety of mail
Control limit or access of employees, known visitors and escorted visitors to the mail room with sign-in sheets, badges, and/or card readers. Lock all outside doors and/or prohibit doors from being propped open
Require deliveries to e made in a restricted, defined area. Keep the area for processing incoming and outgoing mail separate from all other operations, as feasible.

If a separate processing area is used, it should not be part of the central ventilation system
Discarded shipping/receiving envelopes, packages and boxes should be placed in a covered container and transported to the loading dock for removal.

According to Pitney Bowes, leader in mail and document management, the mail room is the gateway to your company, employees, and customers. They make the following recommendations:

Basic Mail Handling Steps at work or home:
Never accept mail or package deliveries from an unknown person who cannot provide proper identification and proof of employment by the delivery organization
Be alert for and report any mail and packages left unattended.

“Red Flag” alerts in identifying suspicious letter or packages: Packages with excessive postage, using postage stamps as opposed to meter indicia. Address is poorly typed or handwritten and has misspellings
Packages contain oily stains, crystallization or on wrapper or strange odors. No return address
Exceptionally large or lopsided packages. Packages that display evidence of electrical wire or tin foil
Excessive wrapping materials, such as masking tape, strapping tape, or string.

If your employees encounter suspicious mail:
Do not handle a suspected contaminated letter or package. Do not shake, bump, or sniff the package
Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water
Notify a company security officer and local law enforcement.

Follow Safety Measures in place where you work:
If your facility requires a badge, be sure to have it with you at all times. If you forget your badge when entering, be patient with security officers. Be aware of others entering the building wit you. If they do not have a badge, notify a security officer or manager.

Whether shipping and receiving or mail room employees, safety is also paramount during routine operations as well. The use of correct tools for the job can help eliminate common accidents and injuries. For instance, utility knife box cutters were designed to make the mail room employee’s job more efficient. The enhanced safety features of a good box cutter can prevent contact with fingers. Furthermore, a correctly designed knife will pierce cardboard without damaging carton contents.

Safecutters Inc., provides an online store of utility knife box cutters for opening shipping boxes and shipping packages, as well as safety knives to open moving boxes and packages. For more information about Klever Kutter and other Safecutters products contact us!