Super Bowl Ad starring Betty White to hit Australian TV

The ad that stole the show during the telecast of the 2010 Super Bowl is now coming to Australian TV screens. In a hilarious parody of the rough and ready world of a gridiron game, the “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry” ad features the much loved but in this case feisty ‘Golden Girl’ Betty White (pictured), not quite making the grade in a park football game until Snickers comes to the rescue and satisfies the hunger dragon.

In what was the most watched TV program in US history with over 106 million viewers tuning in, The 2010 NFL Superbowl telecast is as much a showcase of cutting edge advertising from the world’s biggest and best known brands, as it is a finale for the NFL season.

Superbowl ads occupy their own unique category for sheer “WOW” value. As some of the most expensive advertising spots available anywhere, advertisers pull no punches to compete for the attention of the massive television audiences that tune into the NFL Superbowl. The ads feature the biggest stars, the biggest budgets, the most original ideas and often enough special effects to shame most Hollywood blockbusters. Read more

Small Businesses being targeted by online scams

With so many businesses now trading online, an increasing number of small businesses in Australia are being ripped off by online scams. And if you think it can’t happen to you, be aware that many of these online scams are disguised as legitimate business transactions (see case studies below).

According to Victoria Police figures obtained by the Victorian Small Business Commissioner’s office, every minute in Victoria five small business operators are being targeted by online scams.

The Victorian Small Business Commissioner, Mark Brennan said yesterday that on average, small business operators in Victoria were being ripped off between $150 and $1000.

“Victoria is historically a major target for scammers, charlatans, crooks and conmen because we have always enjoyed a thriving small business sector,” Mr Brennan said.

The Office of the Victorian Small Business Commissioner (VSBC) has partnered with Australia’s fraud watchdog the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), to focus on the education and awareness of scams during Fraud Week between 1 – 7 March, 2010.

As a warning to other small business operators, Commissioner Brennan highlighted some recent scams being investigated by his office: Read more

Launch of ad campaign to promote Australian made products

Australian consumers will soon see a new range of media ads promoting Australian made products.

Kim Carr, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, launched the new Australian Made Media platform (pictured) this morning at the home of Vegemite, the Kraft factory in Victoria.

Speaking at the launch, Senator Carr said, “This venture will help to promote and sell products made in Australia, by Australians, to Australians.”

“Real workers will star in the advertisements. Not only will this give the ads a unified look and feel; it will drive home one of the strongest reasons to buy Australian – supporting local jobs.”

“I firmly believe that people will buy Australian if they have the choice. This venture will give them the information they need to make that choice,” he said.

The advertisements will feature products registered to carry the widely recognised Australian Made, Australian Grown logo. Read more

Save 30 percent on Lenovo Laptops that mean business

Lenovo laptops mean business and for a limited time only, you can save 30% on the popular T Series ThinkPad and the ThinkPad X Series laptops by buying direct from Lenovo Australia.

Lenovo is a global leader in the PC market that develops, manufactures and markets cutting-edge, reliable, high-quality PC products and value-added professional services that provide business customers around the world with smarter ways to be productive and competitive.

T Series Special Offer
Spend $2499 and above and get 30% off on T Series ThinkPad Laptops
These portable powerhouses feature high-end processors and graphics for lightning-fast performance and durable, reliable data storage. Intel® Turbo Memory and solid-state storage drives (both on select models) speed boot and application load times.
Use e coupon: AUPATSERIES30OFF
Offer expires: March 26, 2010
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO

X Series Special Offer
Spend $2499 and above and get 30% off on X 201
Designed for extreme mobility, lightweight ThinkPad® X Series laptops deliver big in reliability, performance and durability.
Use e coupon: AUPAX20130OFF
Offer ends: 26 March 2010
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO

Q & A with Zuraida Ariffin of ZA Wealth Creation

One of the reasons women are doing so well in business is their ability to connect with clients. When Zuraida Ariffin built her business – Zuraida Ariffin Wealth Creation – around strong client relationships and personalised financial advice that focuses on the individual, she knew she was onto a winning formula. Indeed, her professional efforts were recognised when she was selected as the 2007 NSW/ACT state winner in the Financial Planning Association’s Value of Advice Award in the Wealth Accumulation category. Here, Zuraida lets us in on the fascinating elements that comprise financial success.

Why did you start your business? My training and work in the scientific arena taught me to be very thorough and look at a situation holistically. Given this, and my natural ability with numbers, it was a natural progression to enter financial planning when I decided I wanted a career change. I can use these talents to help other people and can see the results of my efforts. This gives me a great deal of satisfaction. 
 
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Five Minute Review: Three Hot New Business Books

If these three books don’t fire you up and get you inspired to really work your business in 2010, then you’re probably on vacation. Anyone with a knack for business, be they conglomerate, cottage or entrepreneurial, these new releases are sure to set the business wheels in motion. Fast motion.

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Australian SMEs to benefit from largest-ever trade fair in China

Australia’s largest-ever trade promotion in China for SMEs will be staged at the 7th China International Small and Medium Enterprises Fair (CISMEF) to be held in Guangzhou on 15 – 18 September 2010.

One of the biggest trade fairs in the world, CISMEF attracted 3,935 exhibitors and 254,600 visitors from China and the world in 2009.

Guangzhou is the third largest urban economy in China and a gateway to China’s rapidly growing western interior.

Austrade’s Guangzhou-based Senior Trade Commissioner, Jeff Turner, says the event offered an excellent opportunity to connect Australian SMEs to opportunities in Australia’s largest and fastest growing export market.

“Last year exports to China grew by 30.7% to reach $42.3 billion. It is quite possible that two way trade, which now stands at around A$86 billion, could reach A$100 billion this year,” he said.

“It’s not just resources that are in demand, more and more SMEs are benefiting from the opportunities China’s growth presents. Around 4,500 Australian companies, many of them small, are already active in China. With GDP growth expected to remain strong in 2010, and Goldman Sachs recently predicting the Chinese middle class will reach 70% of China’s 1.3 billion population by 2020, consumer demand will continue to grow and diversify, right across the country.”

Australia will have a 10,000 square metre Pavilion to promote a wide range of SMEs and industry sectors. Read more

Grants for small businesses to become more family friendly

Eligible small businesses with less than 15 employees can apply for a grant of up $15,000 to put in place family-friendly arrangements in their workplaces.

This second round of grants form part of the Australian Government’s $12 million Fresh Ideas for Work and Family Grants Program, created to support Australian small businesses to implement practices that help employees balance their work and family obligations.

Successful recipients of grants in Round 1 of this program put in place practices such as, agreements between employees and employers for flexible working hours, and agreements for some employees to work from home in order to spend more time with their kids. Some businesses installed family rooms within their offices.

Research shows that these kind of flexible working arrangements help businesses to retain their valuable staff, reduce turnover costs, increase productivity and improve staff morale and customer satisfaction.

The Fair Work System also provides all working families with access to a number of entitlements to help them balance work and family.

These are:

• 12 months unpaid parental leave for new parents – one of the ten legislated National Employment Standards. Like annual leave, public holidays and redundancy pay, unpaid parental leave is guaranteed to all employees covered by the new national Fair Work system.

• A parent’s right to request flexible work arrangements like returning to work part time or an additional 12 months unpaid leave to help care for children under school age. The ‘right to request’ will help Australia maximise workforce participation and ensure employers can retain skilled and experienced employees in the future. An employer can refuse a request on ‘reasonable business grounds’ but must provide their reasons for the refusal in writing. A refusal without reasons is insufficient.

The Australian Government is also introducing legislation for a government-funded paid parental leave scheme later this year to help working families better balance work and family responsibilities.

Applications for the second funding round of the Fresh Ideas for Work and Family Grants Program will close on 31 March 2010.

To apply for a grant, small businesses can go to www.deewr.gov.au/freshideas to complete the online application form, or call the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94 (open 8.00am–6.00pm, Monday to Friday) for further information.

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Self Publishing a Book has become the New Business Card

Self-publishing has exploded in the past couple of years and for a growing number of professionals who want instant credibility, books have become the new business cards.

Whether you are looking to increase sales for your business, or for advancement in your career, ‘the book as business card’ has become one of the most powerful tools in the marketing arsenal of many successful people. For less than the cost of one cup a coffee a day for a year, seasoned experts and professionals are putting their knowledge into professionally-published books.

“When it comes to business and establishing yourself as an expert in a specific area, nothing provides more credibility than a book,” says Keith Ogorek, vice president of marketing for Author Solutions Inc.

“A book instantly establishes you as someone who has reached a level of expertise and that people should listen to what you have to say.”

According to Ogorek, business people from consultants to professional speakers to CEOs, are one of the fastest-growing groups of published authors.

One case in point is author Stacey Hanke, whose book Everything You Need From A to A To Z To Influence Others to Take Action, was self-published by AuthorHouse and has received interest from more than 120 media outlets.

“My book has given me the opportunity to promote my business in ways I could not have done before,” says Hanke.

Similarly, Randy Petrick, a writer, speaker, and money coach with more than thirty years of experience teaching financial concepts, has received nationwide media attention in the US for his book Money Games: 85 Ways to Save Money and Attract Abundance.

Petrick’s book and expertise has made him a particularly attractive source for the media in light of the recent economic difficulties in the United States.

“Writing and publishing Money Games has been a wonderful opportunity to enhance my business as a financial consultant,” says Petrick. “I can’t imagine a better ‘business card’ in these financial times than my book.”

Although there are the exceptions, more often than not, self-published authors make very little from sales of their books. The real value of self-publishing a book is that it gives you the opportunity to show potential clients, employers and the media, that you have acquired knowledge in your field of expertise.

“Imagine one business consultant calling on prospective customers with traditional marketing materials, and another calling on the same customers and supplementing materials with a book written about the field of expertise,” said Ogorek. “Who do you think has the better chance of landing that sale?”

Photo credit: Vladimir Melnikov – Fotolia.com

Go Global: Australian women urged to expand their businesses

In the lead up to International Women’s Day 2010 on 8th March, Austrade is holding its ‘Women in Global Business’ seminars in capital cities around the country. The seminars encourage women to make connections and build strong, sustainable international businesses.

According to Austrade’s Senior Trade & Investment Commissioner for Singapore, Kirsten Sayers, creating a network for your business is key to its success.

“The importance of building a strong and useful network for international business cannot be underestimated; for many women, these seminars represent a first step in their construction of that network. By sharing success stories, advice and insights, women are encouraged to take their business success to the next level,” she said.

“ABS figures reveal over the past 10 years, the number of women running their own business has increased by nearly 20 per cent, compared to a 6 per cent increase for men. Research has also shown that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) run by women are generally less likely to export than SMEs run by men; so this presents an opportunity to grow Australia’s international business links by encouraging more women to think global.” Read more

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