BeforeTheyHatch | Startup Ideas and Tips http://www.beforetheyhatch.com/ New startup ideas and practical business tips Sun, 23 Dec 2007 08:37:00 -0600 en en Copyright 2007 2007-12-23T08:37:00-08:00 End-to-end launch planning is the last challenge to get your product into mass retailers http://www.beforetheyhatch.com/business_tips/item/end_to_end_launch_planning_is_the_last_challenge_into_mass_retailers/ http://www.beforetheyhatch.com/business_tips/item/end_to_end_launch_planning_is_the_last_challenge_into_mass_retailers/ This is the last article of the series of Six Tips for Getting Your Product into the Mass Retail Channel.  I would like to discuss the last and biggest challenge of getting your product into the mass retail channel – the launch coordination.....  Sales & Distribution,Supplier Management,Planning & Inventory image
This is the last article of the series of Six Tips for Getting Your Product into the Mass Retail Channel.  I would like to discuss the last and biggest challenge of getting your product into the mass retail channel – the launch coordination..... 

]]> 2007-12-23T08:37:00-08:00 Product Packaging Tips for Success in the Mass Retailer Channel http://www.beforetheyhatch.com/business_tips/item/product_packaging_tips_for_success_in_the_mass_retailer_channel/ http://www.beforetheyhatch.com/business_tips/item/product_packaging_tips_for_success_in_the_mass_retailer_channel/ Imagine this. A mass retailer had decided to stock your product! The product launch date became the best day of your life. But after the euphoria of only a few short-lived months, the retailer decided to de-list your product. You are left with inventory and debt, making it the worst day of your life. There are so many ways to screw up your launch. Product packaging is one of the most important factors for a successful launch. Ugly looking or confusing packaging generally doesn’t sell. If users don’t like it, retailers won’t like it. In this 5th article from my series of Six Tips for Getting Your Product into the Mass Retail Channel, I would like to discuss product packaging that can make your launch in the mass retailer channel successful.  Marketing,Sales & Distribution imageImagine this. A mass retailer had decided to stock your product! The product launch date became the best day of your life. But after the euphoria of only a few short-lived months, the retailer decided to de-list your product. You are left with inventory and debt, making it the worst day of your life.

There are so many ways to screw up your launch. Product packaging is one of the most important factors for a successful launch. Ugly looking or confusing packaging generally doesn’t sell. If users don’t like it, retailers won’t like it.

In this 5th article from my series of Six Tips for Getting Your Product into the Mass Retail Channel, I would like to discuss product packaging that can make your launch in the mass retailer channel successful. 

]]> 2007-11-18T08:52:01-08:00 VegBun – The Tofu Burger Chain http://www.beforetheyhatch.com/startup_ideas/item/vegbun_the_tofu_burger_chain/ http://www.beforetheyhatch.com/startup_ideas/item/vegbun_the_tofu_burger_chain/ Imagine re-inventing the fast-food industry with a healthy theme?  The fast-food industry generates $142 billion in sales each year (2006), and is represented by McDonald’s, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Subway, and so on. With a social trend in emphasizing healthier diets, many fast food chains have increased their menu options to include healthy choices such as salads and fruits. How about creating a new fast-food brand that focuses 100% on providing customers with burgers that are both healthy and tasty? Service & Retail,Health & Wellness imageImagine re-inventing the fast-food industry with a healthy theme? 

The fast-food industry generates $142 billion in sales each year (2006), and is represented by McDonald’s, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Subway, and so on. With a social trend in emphasizing healthier diets, many fast food chains have increased their menu options to include healthy choices such as salads and fruits.

How about creating a new fast-food brand that focuses 100% on providing customers with burgers that are both healthy and tasty?

]]> 2007-11-18T07:08:00-08:00 Stop Spam by Routing Your Email Through an Anonymous Gmail Filter http://www.beforetheyhatch.com/business_tips/item/stop_spam_by_routing_your_email_through_an_anonymous_gmail_filter/ http://www.beforetheyhatch.com/business_tips/item/stop_spam_by_routing_your_email_through_an_anonymous_gmail_filter/ The anti-spam fortress for my small business consists of several defense mechanisms, of which routing all my email through an “anonymous” Gmail account is my knight in shining armor. The general strategy here is not to use Gmail as your main business email account, but rather as an effective spam filter for your regular business email address. The tactic involves routing all you email through Gmail prior to receiving the email in your primary email address and client, such as MS Outlook, Thunderbird, etc. This is the first article in my series Five Tips on How to Stop Spam Effectively.  Setting Up,Risk & Fraud,Web & E-Commerce imageThe anti-spam fortress for my small business consists of several defense mechanisms, of which routing all my email through an “anonymous” Gmail account is my knight in shining armor.

The general strategy here is not to use Gmail as your main business email account, but rather as an effective spam filter for your regular business email address.

The tactic involves routing all you email through Gmail prior to receiving the email in your primary email address and client, such as MS Outlook, Thunderbird, etc.

This is the first article in my series Five Tips on How to Stop Spam Effectively. 

]]> 2007-11-12T06:27:00-08:00 Five Tips on How to Stop Spam Effectively http://www.beforetheyhatch.com/business_tips/item/five_tips_on_how_to_stop_spam_effectively/ http://www.beforetheyhatch.com/business_tips/item/five_tips_on_how_to_stop_spam_effectively/ About a year ago, my small business was getting about 100 to 150 spam messages in each of our email accounts every day. These days, we’re getting about 1 to 2 spam messages on a bad day. Most days, it’s none at all. I won’t go into how spam slows down your email server, kills your productivity, or is plain old offensive. We’ve all become too familiar with seeing flashes of “LegalRX Free Meds” and “ViA*gRa”, “Cheap Rolex and Cartier”, and the ilk! Instead, I would like share with you some tricks I used to stop spam almost completely from reaching my business.  Risk & Fraud,Web & E-Commerce imageAbout a year ago, my small business was getting about 100 to 150 spam messages in each of our email accounts every day. These days, we’re getting about 1 to 2 spam messages on a bad day. Most days, it’s none at all.

I won’t go into how spam slows down your email server, kills your productivity, or is plain old offensive. We’ve all become too familiar with seeing flashes of “LegalRX Free Meds” and “ViA*gRa”, “Cheap Rolex and Cartier”, and the ilk!

Instead, I would like share with you some tricks I used to stop spam almost completely from reaching my business. 

]]> 2007-11-12T03:39:00-08:00