3 Things You Must Do Before You Submit To Article
3 Things You Must Do Before You Submit To Article Directories
To all writers and non-writers out there, now is the time to start digging up those creative writing skills back.
With modern communication technology comes the popularity of information-based marketing, which is one of the oldest and most effective techniques in getting targeted prospects to sites and converting them into buyers. This is why article writing, submissions and publications are also getting popular.
There are already many tools that people can use to make the process of distributing their articles more easily. Though this is invaluable in getting the contents more exposure, which is only half of the story.
Let us take a look first at the common mistakes that some people make before submitting their contents to article directories:
1. Confusing the reason to promote the articles with the reason to write them.
In article writing, there are three key benefits why you are promoting them; branding, lead generation and promotion, which are all part of your optimization efforts.
But there is only one reason why you write an article, and that is to inform your audience. If the article is not focused on this primary and most important purpose, it will fail to achieve the three promotion benefits because no one will be interested in reading them.
You need to figure out first how to get people to read what is in your article, then make them click on your resource box. You can achieve this by producing better contents.
2. Failing to maximize the promotional opportunities of article marketing.
You may know already that your articles can help you generate additional links back to your site. But do you know that you can get more visitors and better search engine results from that same articles?
Mention keywords at strategic places. Just be sure not to overdo them. Some are even using anchor texts which is also an effective method. But it is important to know that majority of the directories are not able to support this.
Remember that is not only about the links back to your site. Part of doing well in your article marketing is getting picked up by publishers with a large number of audiences and gaining the ability of leveraging other brands because of the quality of your work. Better search engine results also are great benefits.
But these things do not put much money in your pocket. There are other factors that can turn your article marketing efforts into an opportunity that can boost your earnings. Not just increase the number of visitors to your site.
Start out with a plan and see to it that your article will serve the function that you intended it to have.
3. Publishing content that does not help your readers.
Maybe in the process of writing articles, you are thinking that all that is you wanted is links back to your site. And any visitors it can generate are fine.
Guess what? Not all article banks and directories are going to accept your content automatically. Oftentimes, they have some guidelines and specifications on the articles that they are accepting.
You can double the number of sites you can submit to by writing articles that the directories want to share with other people. All it takes is one publisher with a hundred thousand readers to increase your potential audience overnight.
Write the articles that publishers want in their publications if you want your article marketing to work the most effective way for you. This also means you have to obey the standard guidelines, spell checks, researching on a good topic and even hiring a writer to produce a good content on your behalf.
In the end, it is all really a matter of choice on your part. You can start getting a little exposure from increased links back but on a very basic level. Or enjoy massive exposure from a little extra time making quality contents.
It will be your choice. You may not be aware of the fact that an article submitted on directories is not meant to have the same level of exposure as highly-targeted content ones geared on a narrow group of people.
Learn the difference between these two and it will surely help you know what kinds of articles to write and to submit.
What do Venture Capitalists Want?
Venture capitalists come across a lot of companies that need funding everyday. Harsh as it may seem only 10% of the applicants will receive funding for their business. Each firm has their standards to uphold to be able to diversify their portfolio.
To be able to stay ahead of the competition you must be able to communicate what your company is all about and at the same sell it by giving what they want. There are many private equity firms in the market but even those that are willing support small business what to know that you are worth what they are paying for.
To be able to have a competitive edge against other applicants, ask yourself this: “what do venture capitalists want? By putting yourself in the shoes of an investor you will have an idea of what convinces them to provide funding for an emerging company. Apart from a topnotch and comprehensive business plan you also need to make a good impression to your investors.
Search for information on private equity firms and venture capitalists that might be interested in your business. There is a wide selection of venture capitalists that invest in different types of business.
What do investors want?
Any investor would want to know who they are dealing with. You and your management team’s background will be one of their focuses. A highly successful business is made up of a competent and ambitious management. After all, these are the people who will be spending their money. Your and your management should be able to cope up with the changes and demands of your business. You must understand the nature of your business very well, including the challenges you will face in the future.
Investors want to know that the business they are going to invest in has an innovative idea with a great potential for growth. The target market of your business must be substantial and the same time rapidly growing. Your business must have a valuable product that has the potential for positive returns in the long run. Apart from that you must also provide them credible figures. This includes the changes that may occur when the economy shifts.
They want to know how you will spend the money and how will they earn. As an investor, you want to be sure that you’re investing in the right place. They want to know how you are going to use the funds provided for growth and positive returns. They want to know when the pay day is and how long it’s going to take. You have to convince them that they will earn money as soon as possible. They also want to know how long you’re going to need the funds and how much your business is going to need.
These are things that you have to consider when presenting your business. In reality you are actually selling your product like a sale pitch. In normal cases there will always be more rejects than approvals. Even Angel investors have their own standards to keep. Your idea must not be just be brilliant but also profitable.
In the end the investor will always want to know what they are going to get with a good exit strategy for them. The gift of gab along with good business plan is the key in getting your investor’s attention.
Venture Capital Things that You Should Know
“Venture capital” is a term that is often heard in business discussions. But more often than not, the more common belief is that this is rather complicated and difficult to understand, especially for those who are new in the game of business. For entrepreneurs and anyone who may be interested to get into business, it is important to understand what this is all about.
Venture capitalists and firms are composed of people and firms that have pooled in their resources in order to invest in businesses, whether to start-up financing or for company expansion, for the purpose of earning profits within a short period of 3-7 years. The goal is to increase the company’s value so as to yield more profit at its exit, which may be an initial public offering or what is commonly known as IPO. Other exits include an investor’s buyout, a merger, or an acquisition.
These firms concentrate on a certain field or area. It is therefore important that you know what these areas are. This is called investment criteria. If you have a specific area in mind which does not match that of the firm, there are many other firms that you can find. You just have to know where to look.
The web is one source of venture capital firms. Make a search on the internet. Some sites are helpful enough to provide listings of these firms as well as other tips such as how to draft your proposal, how to raise venture capital, among others.
When you’ve found the investor to match, it is then time to draft your proposal. It should be truthful, direct and thorough. You might want to ask a professional to check on your proposal before submitting it. Your proposal should leave a mark in the minds of the capitalists, since they have to go through tons of them. An estimate of 1 in every 400 proposals gets approved, so it is imperative that your proposal be impressive.
When we talk of profit and earnings, we’re not talking of a few thousand dollars in a year. These firms seek a return of up to five, even ten, times the initial investment, not to mention the management fees and other fees that they require.
This explains why these firms tend to take the reins of the company. That is why it is important that you organize a solid management team that knows what they’re doing and at the same time is able to handle the pressure from these capitalists. But while it helps if you appear to manage the company well, it is still important to listen and follow the strategies that these firms provide. Aside from being tried and tested policies, following their decisions will also benefit you in the long run should you need more capital.
Venture capital is a wise investment alternative for both entrepreneurs and capitalists. You and the investment firm have a common goal, and that is to receive as much profit as possible after a short period of time.
If this is not what you want or does not seem feasible to you, then there are other financing options that you can avail of. The important thing is to weigh all pros and cons before deciding anything.
Sources of Venture Capital News
Venture capital is one industry that has been around for the past 60 years or so. However, just like any industry, it continues to evolve and change. Much of its development can be attributed to the internet. Because of it, things are faster and easier. Any updates on venture capital and any venture capital news are readily available to the rest of the world through the internet.
Aside from the internet, there are other sources of venture capital news. Old, traditional sources such as newspapers and magazines continue to provide the necessary updates and information that venture capitalists and entrepreneurs need. These are also good sources of legal updates in the field of venture capital.
But any information that we can find in magazines and newspapers can also be found in the internet. Aside from the printed materials in circulation, they also operate websites where the articles are posted.
Newsletters and emails are also sources of news. Subscription to a specific site sometimes includes subscription to their daily or weekly newsletters. Here service providers help entrepreneurs by providing them with useful articles and practical information. Contributions from business experts and capitalists can also be found in these newsletters.
Discussion groups and forums are also good venues to post updates. Here you are able to exchange ideas and interact with fellow entrepreneurs like you. They can provide you with tips in the different aspects of venture capital, from raising venture capital to drafting of proposals to exit strategies.
Articles on venture capital are not limited to business pages or sites. There are sites which are specifically dedicated to venture capital. These sites post news and provide video streaming as well. News articles are sometimes classified into more specific topics such as buyout news, industry news, fund news and transition news.
This makes it easier for the reader to choose which articles to read. So if you are interested in buyouts only, for example, then you don’t have to go through all articles to find the news that you want. The articles are also arranged by date, also to make it more accessible.
Because the internet is worldwide in scope, these articles can therefore be accessed by practically everyone anywhere, in the same way that we can read news and updates in their countries. This goes to show that venture capital is a worldwide phenomenon. In the US alone, close to $29.9 Billion was used for venture capital investment in 2007.
Also, capitalists are not looking at the US markets only but have considered funding companies and businesses in China, India and other developing countries in Asia. This is good news for these countries with vast manpower resources but limited funding.
Through these articles, you become informed of the latest trends in VC. Last year, the trend was towards early stage investing. It was estimated that 35% of VC investments will go to seed and early stage deals. On the other hand, expansion-stage funding decreased.
There are some really good websites which provide venture capital news and more. Aside from news, they also provide listings of venture capital firms and the companies that they helped fund.
Find these websites and bookmark them. For young entrepreneurs, these sites are useful for them to know more about venture capital.
What the crap happened?
I know I have been gone for a little bit but, man! What happened here?
Oh, sorry. Guess I did it.
I hope you like the new look.
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Kinds of Venture Capital Jobs
Venture capital is one fast-expanding field in the industry. Every year, there is an increase in the number of venture capital firms not only within the country but also in other parts of the world.
Taken individually, these firms have likewise expanded by providing their services not only within the state or country but even overseas. With the rise of venture capital firms is the rise of venture capital jobs.
There are only a few capitalists in a firm, so it is impossible for them to do everything. As they incorporate to make a firm, these capitalists are called partners, which may be of two types. One type is called a general partner or venture capitalist. These are the capitalists that we see and are known as such. They are executives who may have been former chief executives or senior executives in their previous companies.
The investors are called limited partners. They may be individuals or institutions such as pension fund, foundations and other insurance companies. These limited partners may or may not be known by the public.
These capitalists receive compensation in the form of annual management fee, which is 2% of invested capital, and carried interest, which is 20% of net profits.
What other jobs are available in venture capital firms? It is a given that these jobs are business related, so an educational background in business or finance is necessary.
There is therefore the need of accountants and financial analysts. These are the people who screen proposals and recommend approval of qualified ones. Some also work as researchers, focusing on the trends in a specific field or industry. There are also those who work on products and process development. In general, these employees are called associates. After working for a couple of years, they may be promoted to senior associate position, and so on.
There are others who work as financial advisers and consultants. These are the people who work on a project basis. Their services are sought only when the need arises. They are usually people who are financial experts with respect to the industry that the firm hopes to work on. They also have an extensive background on the economic and financial status of the industry.
The firm may also employ managers. These are the executives who would manage the affairs of a new company that the firm funded. Usually they form part of the management team or board of directors. These managers, together with the management team, run things around the company. They see to it that the company follows the procedure and policies that the firm has imposed, and give remarks and recommendation on how things can be improved.
There is also what we call as entrepreneur-in-residence or venture partners. Their responsibility is in bringing in deals for the firm. They are employed for a specific temporary period, usually as the firm begins to operate.
Capitalists are not the only people in a venture capital firm. There are still others working to make it an efficient, well-organized entity. So if you want to pursue a career in venture capital, there are many venture capital jobs available for you.
You can search internet listings and classified ads for any vacancies. Now is the right time for you to join this booming industry.
How and Where to Find Venture Capital Insurance
Venture capital insurance is one topic which may seem complicated to most people. But once you try to understand how the system works, you’d soon discover that the topic is not that difficult to grasp. This explains why more and more new entrepreneurs have chosen this financing alternative than the more common ones like bank loans and mortgages. Through books and the internet, you will learn more about venture capital.
Venture capital is provided by venture capital firms to start up or build small businesses. The idea is to provide funding and control the company operations in order for the company to grow within a couple of years, and for the firm to receive more than what it has invested. That is why most firms focus on high-return industries such as those related to technology and internet businesses.
You can find some listings of venture capital firms in your area. Or it can be that someone you know also knows some people working in these firms. Referrals or recommendation from your friend will give you an edge for approval of your proposal.
Do not submit your proposal to any firm available. That would only waste your time and energy. It is important that your proposal be in the same field as the investment criteria of the firm that you’ve chosen, so do some research beforehand. Also, this firm must also be compatible with your company’s financial needs as well as growth strategies.
There are ways to submit your proposal, the most common of which is through email. In doing so, make sure that you personalize the correspondence. Know where and to whom the email be sent. Nothing can be more distasteful than mass emails. Another way is by posting them in the internet. There are legitimate sites where you can post funding requests. Some capitalists find it more convenient to browse through these websites rather than receiving massive emails everyday.
Avoid submitting them in trade shows. For one, you are required to pay before you can attend. Also, the capitalists that attend these shows are second-rate ones, not the type of businessmen which you would want to deal with.
Since these industries have made extensive research in their field of choice, and since they have the necessary experience in managing related companies, it is therefore important that you draft your proposal well. Make a thorough research.
Know the product that you wish to sell and the market that you wish to enter. Your proposal should be short yet complete. More importantly, it should be truthful. These investors can easily detect any false claims or mere hype in the proposal.
There are some softwares available that will guide you through the drafting process. There are also some websites which provide for outlines that you can follow. If possible, you must seek help from a professional to check what you’ve drafted before submitting them.
Finding venture capital insurance is one thing. Working with venture capital funds is another story. It takes a lot of hard work and perseverance in order for one to be successful in the business that you wish to establish.
Lastly, there is no assurance of success or profit, not even for the venture capital firms. But of course, if you hit the jackpot, the rewards can also be high.
How to Raise Venture Capital Funding
For one reason or another, you’ve considered putting up your own business using venture capital. It could be that you don’t have enough financial resources or you don’t want to risk your own money. Perhaps you’ve heard of some successful entrepreneurs and wished to follow their footsteps.
As you search for more information on this, you’ll soon find that the first important aspect in venture capital is raising it. Here are some tips on how to raise venture capital funding.
The first step is in understanding how these capitalists and investor firms think. Basically, their goal is the same as yours to make money. The only difference is they’ve spent most of their time in research studying which businesses have the potential of growing in a couple of years. That is why in the past few years, investments are geared towards technology and biotechnology fields, as they are the fields with highest potential.
Sometimes they operate within a certain field or geographical area, so you must know the investment firms in your locality. Thus, there’s the need for you to make a research on the firms within your state as well as their investment criteria. Know what they want and give it to them. If your business proposal is not in line with these businesses or does not meet their investment criteria, then make sure that your proposal is impressive enough to catch their eye.
This brings us to the next step preparation of your business proposal. Since these firms receive tons of proposals, it is important your proposal be brief but complete. The opportunity must be well defined and clearly explained. This is only possible if you did your homework well. Know the market that you wish to penetrate as well as your competitors and their strategies.
Make sure to ask help from experts and professionals on how to draft these proposals. While it may be an added cost, the chances of your proposal getting approved will also greatly increase if you seek help. This is very important specially if you have no business background.
You may know your business well and have made a thorough research, but you haven’t translated it into a clear, reasonable proposal. Have someone check your draft before submitting it. Lastly, check your proposal for any errors in typo and grammar. The figures must also be accurate.
After you’ve submitted your proposal and have caught the firm’s attention, it is time to put up a management team. Keep in mind that with venture capital, you lose some degree of control over the company. These investment firms would also field in some of its people to sit in the board or be a part of the management team. It is therefore important that your management team be strong enough to handle the pressures from the investment firm.
If you’re thinking of expanding your existing business or putting up a new one, venture capital funding is a good alternative. But before deciding on it, know the options. Read business books and articles on the topic. Then study your business plan and see if venture capital is applicable.
If you think that this is the only way to go, then go for it. Just make sure that you take all precautionary measures and know all alternative strategies to your business plan.
Venture Capital Fund: A Viable Risk?
Venture capital fund is considered one of the financing options of a business. A venture capital firm will give a business its much needed funds and first class resources to become an industry player. Seeking out venture capitalists may play a huge role for a company who needs to needs rapid growth and success. Unfortunately even though they may provide a good opportunity there are also disadvantages in acquiring venture capital fund.
Finding potential investors have side effects before and after they approve your business plan. The competition is very stiff. Investors do not care about an entrepreneur’s hopes and dreams. They care about financial projections and earning more money than they invested in a short period of time. In exchange for the money your need; the investors will bite a chunk out of your business and control.
The grass isn’t entirely greener on the other side.
A private equity firm may give you the cash that you need to boost up your business but nothing is free. After all, this is business and money dictates everything. Venture capitalists already have an effect on your business at the start of your application.
Large and established venture capital firms only approve less than 10% of the business plans they come across. Established businesses with a good track record and posses a huge potential are the only ones who have the chance of getting approved.
Private equity firms also invest in specific industries, technologies and geographical area. There are different types of firms but large ones are interested in high technology businesses. You must find a firm that will suit your business and more importantly a product innovative enough to cause interest.
Raising equity to finance your business is time consuming, demanding and costly. Investors will also probe you and your business. During your presentation they will be very critical of your historical financial data, future projections and management team.
They will also evaluate your business’ investment potential.
Once they have decided to invest in your business, they will present their term sheet. This will contain the investment deal including the terms and conditions of the investor. Negotiations will follow between you and the venture capital firm. The most important aspect in this negotiation is the valuation of the business.
This will determine the amount of equity that you will give in exchange for the fund. Investors will require 30% to 40% of equity from your business. This will enable them to exercise their influence and gain a say in your company’s decisions.
Due to this the ownership of the company will be diluted. You also have to provide time to be able to provide information to the investors who will be monitoring your company. You also have to adhere to legal and regulatory issues.
Investors aim to earn money three to five times more than they invested in five years. They will accomplish this by selling their equity or to public stock markets.
All in all using venture capital as a financial option comes with risks. If you are an entrepreneur who doesn’t mind sacrificing a chunk of your business for rapid success then this option suits you.
Be reminded however that securing a venture capital is an arduous process even after you have attained it. Be ready for some additional players in the table.
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