Small Business Ideas

Ringtones, wherever you go they are buzzing. Some unique, some popular and some just liked by their owners. Ringtones have come a long way since they first originated. Do you know how it all started? When did the first ringtone came into being? Where did the first ringtone came into being? Let’s go back in time to find when and where was the advent of the first ringtone.

It may seem odd to you but the country in which the first ringtone was sold is Finland. Yes you read it right it was Finland. Finland is much bigger on the world telecom map then on the physical one. At the time when people in the states and world wide were thinking of buying their first cell phone, almost every finish teenager owned one and they were big into sms. The Finns tried to escalate their mobile usage after their foray into the sms and this gave further impetus to the then very much new ringtones market. The first ringtone that ever came into being was Vesa Matti Paananen.

At the same time, on this side of the continent in America the cellular operators were fastening their seat belts for the market share war. During that period the mobile market had captured 20% of the college students and teenagers. A little study found that this age group especially girls loved to talk on phone. One more thing which came into light was that these girl were fashion conscious and loved there phones to be slim and trendy and customized. This was readily done by nokia and it moved a notch up in its market share. Meanwhile in Japan companies started providing theme based ringtones like “Girls just wanna have fun”. Thus Japan entered the race in technology and mobile market and its government gave great impetus to mobile and ringtone industry as it earned great amount of royalties from ringtones.

Later in the rock and roll era, Motorola joined hands with MTV to provide wireless ringtone downloads or ringtones embedded in the mobile phone units. These two also provided various other facilities like wallpapers, screen savers etc. Some of the latest surveys in 2005 have showed that the ringtones market has jumped many folds to 11$bn in 2005 fueled by continuous supply of more innovative ringtones.

Now-a-days, there are as many kinds of ringtones as the number of people. The appetite of ringtone industry today has increased tremendously. Now instead of the ready options which are available in the market you can get your own customized ringtones easily at cheap rates or you can simply select your favorite new song as your ringtone. As the passion for music increases this industry will grow many folds. Also the new markets like India and china are giving a huge boost to the ringtones market as their subscriber base is growing at a rate of 20% annually with still 40% of the population in these countries still not using mobiles. There is still a long way to go for the ringtones industry in these new markets as well as in the developed markets. So if you are in the ringtone industry in any way you are at the right place.

Whether you own a sole proprietorship or are the CEO of a Fortune 500 corporation, sending business Christmas cards can serve to boost your customer relations and ultimately improve your bottom line. About half of all businesses send holiday cards – sometimes with unintended negative consequences. Here are some guidelines to ensure that your thoughtful gesture will be interpreted in the best possible light.

Selecting the Right Card

Every business has an image it portrays, whether through its logo, its branding efforts, or its marketing plan. The design of business holiday cards you select should reinforce that image. If, for example, you are a stockbroker, a Wall Street winter scene might be appropriate. On the other hand, if you are a pediatric dentist, more whimsical greeting cards are in order. For most businesses, and elegant and tasteful card is always appropriate.

When it comes to choosing a greeting card company, there are many online sources for business Christmas cards. Make sure to choose one that is well established and has a track record of satisfying customers. The best online greeting card companies will send you sample cards upon request, and offer personalization, free coordinating foil-lined envelopes, and printed envelopes.

When ordering business holiday cards, keep in mind that not everyone celebrates Christmas. A card expressing “season’s greetings” or “warm holiday wishes” will prevent you from unintentionally offending those who aren’t of the Christian faith.

Sending Your Cards

In business, timing is everything. Although you have some leeway in sending business holiday cards, the rule of thumb is to send them between December 1 and December 15. If you’re a business-to-business company, keep in mind that many businesses close or have reduced hours during the holiday season, so make sure that your card arrives in advance of the holidays.

In order to send your holiday cards out in a timely fashion, make sure to order them early. Personalized business Christmas cards can take a few weeks to produce, so try and place your order by mid-October.

The Personalized Touch

The purpose of sending business greeting cards is to engender warm feelings in the recipient. That won’t happen if your Christmas cards have address labels and are run through a postage meter. Expend the extra effort and have someone on your staff (who has nice handwriting) address the envelopes by hand. In addition, use a postage stamp instead of a meter when applying postage.

In the same vein, although you should have your cards printed with the company’s name, the cards should also be signed by hand. The best approach is to have those who most closely work with the recipient sign the card by hand. If yours is a small enterprise, have a card signing party one afternoon, and have each person on your staff sign each card. This will go a long way towards making a positive impression on the recipient.

Be a Gracious Recipient

There’s little doubt that your company will also receive business holiday cards from your vendors and associates. Be a gracious recipient and display the cards in your workplace. It will not only bring a bit of holiday cheer to your office, but it will also please those who have a sent a card to you and see it displayed.