The Best Lead Resource Ever . . .

 

I was recently in a sales presentation that allowed me to present company capabilities and my contact asked me how I got her name and how I was able to pronounce it right (She had a very uncommon name) and was impressed that I seemed to be able to float through walls with my networking style.  I mentioned that a good sales person always does his or her reserch first and looks for percieved value first before they approach a prospect.

She was so impressed that I was able to get through the gate-keeper without question, to this day she still asks how I did it.  Which I have never revealed.   

 How’d I do it?

Through great resources and Social Networking.  The resource I used was Jigsaw. I highly recommend using it – it’s one of the best resources for fresh leads  that I have ever used.

 To Learn More:
Go to JigSaw’s Website - it’s a fantastic lead resource.

Company Overview

Jigsaw is quite simply unlike any other organization. They firmly established themselves as one of the unique success stories of the Web 2.0 revolution. For the past 3 years Jigsaw has been leveraging user generated content to map the global business community. By doing so, they have created an online, collaborative business-contact marketplace where marketers, recruiters, and sales people can buy and trade third-party business contact information.

Find out what the Wall Street Journal, San Francisco Chronicle, Business 2.0, Smart Company and Information Week are saying about Jigsaw by going to their Press Room.

Jigsaw was founded by veteran sales executives, Jim Fowler and Garth Moulton. The company is located in San Mateo, California and is funded by El Dorado Ventures, Norwest Venture Partners, and Austin Ventures.

How does Jigsaw work?

Jigsaw contacts are purchased with points.

You can earn points by:

Adding Contacts** (5 Points+)
Correcting Contacts (5 Points+)
Referring others (125 Points)

** All contacts are added anonymously.

Jigsaw has two choices for participation:
Pay $25 a month or add 25 contacts per month.
If you need more information, call 1-877-Jigsaw9.

Jigsaw is a self-correcting system

The continuous data contributions made by the Jigsaw community provide collaborative oversight to ensure the accuracy and growth of the Jigsaw marketplace. If you find a contact that is incorrect and you update it you will receive points. So, you actually earn points if you get incorrect data. This keeps Jigsaws data up to date and free of inaccurate contact information.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q1. How much does Jigsaw cost?

A: Jigsaw costs $25 per month or 25 contacts per month
(Pay or Play). Sign-up for details

Q2. What is Jigsaw?

A: Jigsaw is a Global Business Contact Marketplace, where members get business contact information. Members get two contacts back for every good business contact they add to Jigsaw. Contacts have complete information including business email address and phone number. The contact information allows sales professionals to contact prospects DIRECTLY, and bypass gatekeepers.

Q3. Who uses Jigsaw?

A: Sales people, recruiters, marketers, researchers, job seekers, small business owners, and anyone else who needs high quality low cost corporate contact information. Members use Jigsaw to look for direct contact information from a particular organization. With these reliable contacts members are able to close more deals.

Q4. Why would I add my valuable contacts to Jigsaw?

A: Most members add contacts that are correct but have little business value to them. They then get two contacts of extreme value for their business purposes. The contacts that they add to Jigsaw can then give great value to another user and their purpose.

Q5. Do I add contacts anonymously?

A: Yes. Actions of members are identified only by the screen names they provide when signing up. There are a couple of exceptions which are explained in Jigsaw’s Terms of Use. This is for Jigsaw to comply with verified legal & law-enforcement requests.

Q6. What if I get a bad contact?

A: Jigsaw’s contacts are more accurate because of the collaborative effort between the members and Jigsaw. If you happen get a bad contact simply update or challenge it and get your points back. As a direct result of you receiving an incorrect contact the person who added the contact is penalized with a ten point penalty. Members tend to add better contacts because they do not want to lose points and get a bad rating. Jigsaw is a patent pending, self-correcting database.

Q7. What kind of contacts can be found on Jigsaw?

A: Jigsaw’s mission is to map every business contact on the planet, and keep them current through a collaborative effort of the membership. Contacts from all levels and industries can be found on Jigsaw. Many members will say that the most valuable contacts are at the Director and Manager levels, as these are the hard-to-find people who drive deals. Sign-up to see a sampling of the contacts on Jigsaw.

Learn More About S Corporations

S Corporations A subchapter S corporation is a standard corporation that has elected a special tax status with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). S corporations carry the same benefits as C corporations, such protecting the shareholders’ (or owners’) personal assets from the debts and liabilities of the business, unlimited life and tax deductibility of certain business expenses. The primary differences between S corporations and C corporations are the way they are taxed and also the ownership restrictions S corporations face. When deciding which entity structure is most appropriate for their business, small business owners often view the potential double taxation of profits associated with C corporations as the primary disadvantage to forming a standard corporation. With C corporations, the profits are taxed first at the corporate level, and then taxed again at the individual level if they are distributed to shareholders in the form of dividends. Shareholders must report dividends as personal income and pay taxes on that income.Double taxation can be eliminated by completing the S corporation election with the IRS. S corporations are taxed as pass-through taxation entities, similar to general partnerships and most limited liability companies. While the profits of an S corporation are reported at the corporate level, taxes are not paid at the corporate level. Instead, the profits are passed-through to the individual tax returns of the shareholders and are taxed at the individual rate. If the S corporation reports a loss, the amount of the loss is also passed-through and reported on tax returns of the shareholders.

Keep in mind, not all C corporations can make the S corporation election with the IRS, as the IRS has placed restrictions on S corporations. Current restrictions include:

• Shareholders must number fewer than 75, and all shareholders must consent in writing to the S corporation election.
• Shareholders must be individuals, estates, or certain qualified trusts.
• Shareholders cannot be non-resident aliens.
• S corporations can have only one class of stock(disregarding voting rights).

To be classified as an S corporation, a corporation must make a timely filing of Form 2553 with the IRS. IRS instructions indicate that the form must be completed and filed:

1. At any time before the 16th day of the 3rd month of the tax year if filed during the tax year the election is to take effect, or
2. At any time during the preceding tax year. An election made no later than 2 months and 15 days after the beginning of a tax year that is less than 2 ½ months long is treated as timely made for that tax year.

An election made after the 15th day of the 3rd month but before the end of the tax year is effective for the next year. For example, if a calendar tax year corporation makes the election in April 2005, it is effective for the corporation’s 2005 calendar tax year.

For questions on whether the S corporation structure is best for your particular business, it is best to seek the advice of an attorney or accountant.

Sponsored By: BizFilings

Professional Corporation and Professional Limited Liability Company Basics

Professional Corporation and Professional Limited Liability Company Basics Professional corporations (PCs) and professional limited liability companies (PLLCs) are corporations and limited liability companies organized for the purpose of providing professional services. What services constitute professional services are defined by state law. Typically professions that require a license, such as doctors, lawyers, accountants, architects, or engineers are required to form a PC or PLLC. The formation of a professional entity is very similar to the formation of a standard corporation or LLC. The appropriate formation document, the articles of incorporation for a corporation or the articles of organization for an LLC, must be filed with the state and the necessary state filing fees be paid. However, with professional entities, an additional approval may be required by the proper state licensing body before the document can be filed with the Secretary of State. Further, the formation documents typically must contain the signature of a licensed professional in the same field of service as the incorporator. That person’s license number may also be required. For example, a PC being formed to provide chiropractic services may require the signature of a licensed chiropractor as incorporator. Because of these additional requirements, the filing time for professional entities may be longer than the filing time for standard business entities.The corporate or LLC name ending is also different with professional entities. Standard business corporations can typically end their name with Corporation, Incorporated, Company, Limited, or an abbreviation thereof. With a professional entity, the ending typically must be Professional Corporation or the abbreviation P.C. Some states have different names for professional corporations, such as service corporation or professional association. Professional limited liability companies typically use the name ending Professional Limited Liability Company or PLLC.

Some states also require that the type of profession be listed in the name. For example, a PC organized to provide medical services might need to include a word such as medical, health or something similar in order to designate the type of service being provided.

Generally, there are few significant differences in the operation of a professional corporation or limited liability company from a standard corporation or LLC. These entities are taxed like their general business counterparts, and PCs typically are allowed to make the S corporation election with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). PCs and PLLCs also face the same ongoing formalities as those of the standard business entities.

One exception is that some states restrict who may be an owner or a director (manager for LLC) of a PC or PLLC. Typically, only licensed practitioners of the specific service that the corporation provides may own stock in the corporation and serve on the board of directors or be a member of the PLLC. For example, only licensed doctors provide medical services may own the stock of a PC that provides medical services.

Another item to keep in mind is that not all states allow the formation of a PLLC. This is becoming more widely recognized, but has not yet been fully adopted.

Sponsored By: BizFilings

Learn More About C Corporations

C Corporations The standard corporation, also called a C corporation, is a very common business structure. Corporations are separate legal entities that are owned by shareholders. Conversely, sole proprietorships and partnerships are not separate legal entities. They are considered to be the same as the owner(s). In order to form a corporation, the appropriate formation documents, usually called the articles of incorporation or a certificate of incorporation, must be filed with the state and the state filing fees be paid.The primary advantage of incorporating a business is the limited liability the corporate entity affords its shareholders. Typically, shareholders are not personally liable for the debts and obligations of the corporation; thus, creditors will not come knocking at the door of a shareholder to pay debts owed by the corporation. In a partnership or sole proprietorship the owner’s personal assets may be used to pay debts of the business.Other advantages of incorporating a business include:

• Incorporating may establish credibility for a new business with potential customers, employees, vendors, and partners.
• The ownership of a corporation is easily transferable through the sale of stock.
• Corporations have unlimited life extending beyond the illness or death of owners.
• Certain expenses, such as insurance, travel, and qualified retirement plans are typically tax-deductible.
• Additional capital can be easily raised through the sale of stock (shares) in a corporation.

The main disadvantage to forming a C corporation is often considered to be the potential for double taxation. C corporations are considered separately taxable entities by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and taxes must be paid on the profits of the corporation. If a corporation then distributes its profits to shareholders in the form of dividends, the dividend income is also taxed as regular income to the shareholders. In this case, the corporation’s profits are taxed twice, first as income to the corporation and second as dividend income to the shareholder, creating the “double-tax.”

However, not all income a shareholder receives from a C corporation is subject to the double tax. For example, if the shareholder is also an employee of the corporation, that shareholder will most likely receive a salary payment from the corporation. As long as the salary paid to the shareholder is considered by the IRS to be reasonable (or similar to the market salary rates for that position), it is treated as a business expense and is deductible to the corporation. This helps reduce the amount of taxable income the corporation has.

In order to eliminate the possibility of double taxation, C corporations can elect to be taxed as an S corporation with the IRS. With S corporations, the profits and losses of the corporation are reported on the individual tax returns of the shareholders, and any necessary tax is paid at the individual level. This taxation method is called “pass-through” taxation, since the profit or loss of the corporation is passed through to the shareholders.

Other aspects of C corporations that can be considered disadvantages include:

• Corporations are more expensive to form than sole proprietorships and partnerships.
• There are more corporate formalities, such as annual paperwork, and more state and federal rules and regulations, than with sole proprietorships and general partnerships.

When evaluating whether the corporate structure is right for your particular business, it is advisable to first determine the goals of your business, and then to assess the advantages and potential disadvantages of the different business structures in relation to those goals. You may also wish to seek the advice of an attorney or accountant.

 Sponsored By: BizFilings

What are registered agent services? Learn more read on:

I recently came across a website that can help you get one step closer to making your business idea a reality.  The name of the service is called BizFilings, they provide services in all 50 states that will keep you out of hotwater with the government for not setting up your organization properly.  Here is what they can do for you:

Registered Agent Services

Virtually all states require corporations and LLCs to appoint a registered agent in the state where the company is formed. The registered agent is responsible for receiving important legal and tax documents including: notice of litigation (service of process), franchise tax forms and annual report forms.

The registered agent may be an individual or a company approved by the state to act as agent, located at a street address in the state where the company is formed. The registered agent’s name and address are included on the formation documents. This information is a matter of public record, meaning that anyone has access to it.

Benefits of Using a Registered Agent Provider
Registered agent providers, such as BizFilings, are companies that act as registered agent for many businesses. These companies understand the important role the registered agent plays, and strive to provide excellent service for your business. Benefits of using BizFilings as your company’s registered agent include:

• Stability – If you move locations, you do not have to worry about changing your registered agent address with the state. If you act as your own registered agent and move, you must amend your formation documents with the state to update this address, and pay the necessary amendment filing fees.
• Anonymity – The registered agent name and address is of public record. With BizFilings as your registered agent, our address will be listed in public documents for anyone to access.
• Reliability – With BizFilings’ service, we provide real-time notice of litigation to you, and forward all official state documents and franchise tax notices.
• Convenience – Access your registered agent account 24-hours a day via our secure Online Corporate Status Center.
• Professionalism – Many corporations and LLCs use a separate company as registered agent; however, the professionalism of BizFilings’ registered agent team ensures that your company’s important documents are handled with the utmost speed and reliability.
• Accountability – Some providers offer a limited service for a hefty fee. When choosing BizFilings, you not only receive exceptional registered agent service, you also receive BizComply, our online compliance management tool, at no extra charge. We understand the challenges involved with starting and growing a business, and believe that this great product can assist you throughout the life of your business.

BizFilings operates through a company-owned, national network of registered agent offices. This allows us to deliver consistent registered agent service and provide exceptional customer service and support. As your registered agent, we will:

• Accept any legal service of process (notice of litigation) document, record the service in your company file, scan the document into the BizFilings Online Corporate Status Center, and ship the service of process to you via overnight delivery.
• Notify you via telephone and/or email upon receipt of service of process.
• Forward any official documents and tax notices received from the Secretary of State/Department of State.
• Provide you with 24/7 secure access to your registered agent account via BizFilings’ Online Corporate Status Center.
• Provide 24/7 access to BizComply, our online compliance management service.

As your registered agent, BizFilings is responsible for statutory regulations, ensuring that your company remains compliant with government regulations in any state. However, unlike other incorporation and registered agent providers, we also offer BizComply as an added value, at no charge to you.

BizFilings includes six months free of registered agent service with all formation and foreign qualification services. The cost thereafter is $129/year. If you already have a registered agent and wish to change your agent to BizFilings, that cost is also $129, which includes the change of agent with the state and the first year of service. The cost thereafter is $129/year. If you are filing your own documents with the state or your attorney is filing them for you, but need to name a registered agent, you can take advantage of our registered agent only service for $129/year.

The Power of Linked-In

Networking: Linked In

As any Entrepreneur knows networking is key to succeeeding in business.  My goal is to create a blog that inspires just that! 

I invite you to explore three of my favorite networking and lead exchange websites (visit Networking on this blog), today we cover Linked In:

Linked In <- When you click here you will see my personal profile, if your not a member of linked in I encourage you to join.  You can invite me to join your network once your set up by sending me an email at networking@ceocrossing.net.  Keep your eyes peeled for Group Linked In for CEO Crossing Members (Coming Soon.)
 

Your professional relationships are key to your professional success.
Linked In’s mission is to help you be more effective in your daily work and open doors to opportunities using the professional relationships you already have.

This isn’t networking—it’s what networking should be.
Forget exchanging business cards with acquaintances that don’t know your work, or trying to renew professional ties when you need a favor.

LinkedIn is an online network of more than 6.5 million experienced professionals from around the world, representing 130 industries.

When you join, you create a profile that summarizes your professional accomplishments. Your profile helps you find and be found by former colleagues, clients, and partners. You can add more connections by inviting trusted contacts to join LinkedIn and connect to you.

Your network consists of your connections, your connections’ connections, and the people they know, linking you to thousands of qualified professionals.

Through your network you can:

• Find potential clients, service providers, subject experts, and partners who come recommended
• Be found for business opportunities
• Search for great jobs
• Discover inside connections that can help you land jobs and close deals
• Post and distribute job listings
• Find high-quality passive candidates
• Get introduced to other professionals through the people you know

LinkedIn is free to join. They also offer paid accounts that give you more tools for finding and reaching the right people, whether or not they are in your network.

Call To Action

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