Art for Race Fans

AJ Foyt IV Autographed 8x10 #2 US $9.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 15:50:02 PST

Ashley Brittany Courtney Force Signed Racing 8x10 US $15.50 (3 Bids) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 15:58:34 PST

Chris Rivas Autographed 8x10 US $0.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 16:00:32 PST

Craig Breelove Autographed 4x6 Picture US $9.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 16:05:00 PST

Gary Nixon Racing Autographed 8x10 #7 US $9.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 16:10:11 PST

Gary Nixon Racing Autographed 8x10 #8 US $9.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 16:10:15 PST

Gary Nixon Racing Autographed 8x10 #9 US $9.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 16:10:17 PST

Gary Nixon Autographed 8x10 #10 US $9.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 16:11:51 PST

Gary Nixon Autographed 8x10 Color Picture #1 US $9.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 16:11:53 PST

Gary Nixon Racer Autographed Signed Index Card US $2.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 16:11:56 PST

Lyn St James Ins Autographed 8x10 Racing US $1.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 16:20:10 PST

Nicky Hayden Motor Bike Racing Signed 8x10 #2 US $9.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 16:22:16 PST

Nicky Hayden Racing Autographed 8x10 US $9.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 16:22:18 PST

Larry McReynolds Autographed Signed 8x10 Picture US $0.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 16:27:53 PST

2010 Autograph Supercross Poster Justin Brayton Yamaha US $2.01 (2 Bids) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 16:30:09 PST

Melanie Troxel Autographed 8x10 Picture Racing Promo US $6.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 16:32:58 PST

Mike Ashley Autographed 8x10 Picture US $3.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 16:33:51 PST

2010 Autograph Supercross Poster Broc Tickle Yamaha US $0.75 (1 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 16:37:54 PST

2010 Autograph Supercross Poster Matt Moss Suzuki US $2.01 (2 Bids) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 16:42:15 PST

2010 Auto Supercross Poster Cole Seely Christian Craig US $0.75 (1 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 16:48:08 PST

Doug Gust 2007 Team Suzuki Rockstar Autographed Poster US $6.95 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 17:18:25 PST

Valentino Rossi Signed 8X12 inches 09 Fiat Yamaha Photo US $129.95 End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 17:39:44 PST

Valentino Rossi Signed 2009 Vale Rossi 46 MotoGP Cap US $249.95 End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 17:39:45 PST

Jorge Lorenzo Signed 8X12 2009 Fiat Yamaha Team Photo US $79.95 End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 17:39:45 PST

Valentino Rossi Signed 8X12 inches 09 Fiat Yamaha Photo US $149.95 End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 17:39:46 PST

MotoGP T-Shirt Signed by 18 Riders Rossi Stoner Lorenzo US $449.95 End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 17:39:46 PST

Valentino Rossi Signed Rossi #46 1/2 Replica Helmet US $499.95 End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 17:39:46 PST

Valentino Rossi Signed 8X12 inches Ferrari Photo Frame US $299.00 End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 17:39:47 PST

Valentino Rossi Signed AGV XR2 Gothic Yellow helmet US $1,499.95 End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 17:39:47 PST

Laffit Pincay Jr. SIGNED Anatomy Of A Winner ARC JOCKEY US $49.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 17:56:07 PST

Gil de Ferran AUTOGRAPHED Indy 500 Poster US $5.00 (1 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 18:01:30 PST

Jeremy McGrath SIGNED Wide Open 1st SUPERCROSS X GAMES US $34.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 18:03:04 PST

Chad Reed Autographed 2010 poster card plus bonus& pics US $9.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 19:07:04 PST

DYSON RACING 2005 ALMS Lola EX257 LMP1 CARD imsa US $4.49 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 21:15:30 PST

TRAVIS PASTRANA SIGNED 2009 #199 CUSTOM JERSEY - LARGE US $284.99 End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 22:14:58 PST

STEWERT ELLIOTT SIGNED KENTUCKY DERBY SMARTY JONES 8X10 US $45.00 End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 22:20:41 PST

CHAD REED SIGNED 2008 THOR CUSTOM #22 JERSEY-COA -LRGE US $224.99 End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 22:44:17 PST

A.J. AJ FOYT Signed SPORTS ILLUSTRATED SI Indy Car 500 US $59.00 End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 23:37:39 PST

A.J. AJ FOYT Signed SPORTS ILLUSTRATED SI Indy Car 500 US $65.00 End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 23:40:17 PST

MARIO ANDRETT AUTOGRAPH 8x11 US $29.00 End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 8:07:05 PST

RICKY CARMICHAEL 07 jersey RARE nascar monster energy US $949.00 End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 10:09:02 PST

Signed Budweiser Cap- Brandon Bernstein US $20.00 End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 10:12:15 PST

PIERRE PEB BELLOCQ SIGNED HORSE RACING SKETCH + PSA/DNA US $249.99 End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 10:14:24 PST

autographed picture of James “Bubba” Stewart US $0.01 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 10:45:09 PST

BILL RODGERS SIGNED BOSTON MARATHON GLOBE SPORTS COA US $9.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 10:59:12 PST

JOSH HILL Signed YAMAHA ACTION POSTER-NEW-COA US $23.80 End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 12:27:18 PST

JOSH GRANT Signed HONDA ACTION POSTER-NEW-COA US $23.99 End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 12:30:18 PST

JOSH GRANT Signed YAHAMA ACTION POSTER-NEW-COA US $23.99 End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 12:32:11 PST

MATT MLADIN SIGNATURE PHOTO FRAMED US $395.00 End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 13:27:00 PST

NICKY HAYDEN SIGNATURE PHOTO FRAMED US $395.00 End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 13:32:17 PST

After six years of expanding gambling opportunities across the state, Pennsylvania lawmakers are drawing the line at greyhound racing.

THE Derby Telegraph is reviewing its horse racing coverage.

We want your views on our current racing service and what you would...

Autographed JEFF GORDON Sparco Race Used Gloves US $150.00 (10 Bids) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 15:27:57 PST

Bubba Shobert Autographed 8x10 Picture Ins US $6.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 15:57:43 PST

AUTOGRAPHED 9x13 PRINT ELLIOTTS BILL-DAN-EARL-GEO US $1.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 16:26:48 PST

NASCAR Bobby Allison Autographed b/w 8x10 Picture US $6.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 16:34:57 PST

Rusty Wallace Miller 8x10 Post Card Autograph US $6.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 16:42:04 PST

Bill Elliott Autograph Post Card Really Nice US $4.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 17:13:37 PST

Bill Elliott Autograph Post Card Really Nice US $4.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 17:13:45 PST

Bill Elliott Autograph Post Card Really Nice US $5.50 (3 Bids) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 17:13:53 PST

Bill Elliott Autograph Post Card Really Nice US $4.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 17:14:01 PST

Dale Earnhardt Sr. Signed 1995 Monte Carlo!! Authentic! US $91.00 (9 Bids) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 17:23:40 PST

2009 REGAN SMITH #78 FURNITURE ROW POSTCARD! AUTO US $2.99 (1 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 18:00:00 PST

TONY STEWART SIGNED FULL SIZE HELMET AUTOGRAPHED PROOF US $299.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 18:06:41 PST

DICK TRICKLE #99 "THE LEGEND OF DICK" POSTCARD B/B AUTO US $5.50 (4 Bids) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 18:12:16 PST

Jimmie Johnson Autographed signed mini helmet COA US $10.50 (4 Bids) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 18:32:48 PST

KYLE BUSCH SIGNED M&M'S BLACK LABEL 2008 1/24 PROOF US $149.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 18:46:27 PST

Dale Earnhardt Earnhardt Jr Autographed signed car US $80.00 (4 Bids) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 18:46:41 PST

RICHARD PETTY SIGNED 9X6 PROMO CARD DAYTONA NASCAR # 43 US $5.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 18:53:21 PST

2009 Jeff Gordon PEPSI RACING Race Used Sheetmetal US $24.99 End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 22:31:06 PST

2009 Jeff Gordon PEPSI RACING Race Used Sheetmetal US $24.99 End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 22:32:04 PST

COMMEMORATIVE NASCAR AUTOGRAPHED SPORTS ILLUSTRATED US $19.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 4:42:17 PST

Autographed Nascar T-Shirt US $40.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 8:17:58 PST

Autographed NASCAR hat/ Tropican racing cap package US $100.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 8:50:06 PST

Jeff Burton and Jack Roush autographed hats US $16.00 End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 9:36:35 PST

Marcos Ambrose autographed Koala Bear US $13.49 (4 Bids) End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 9:43:46 PST

Autographed Nascar Helmet US $76.99 (4 Bids) End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 11:57:23 PST

Jeff Gordon Autographed Beckett Magazine w/COA US $124.95 End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 13:21:50 PST

RICHARD PETTY AUTO 1974 DAYTONA 500 PROGRAM-JSA COA! US $199.00 End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 13:53:51 PST

~Alan Kulwicki Stien~~Very Rare Memorabilia~~ US $50.00 End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 14:19:14 PST

~Davey Allison Stein~~Very Rare Memorabilia~~ US $50.00 End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 14:31:20 PST

John Andretti Autographed Remote Control Car NASCAR!!!! US $8.50 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 15:14:44 PST

Unique NASCAR-Driver Autographed Oil Filters for ACS US $1,025.00 (35 Bids) End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 15:22:53 PST

Tony Stewart 1999 Action 1/18 AUTOGRAPHED Diecast AUTO US $59.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 16:35:02 PST

TONY STEWART #20 NASCAR Autographed Car US $9.99 (1 Bid) End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 17:14:27 PST

2004 #16 Team Caliber Limited Owners Edition, Autograph US $150.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 17:15:03 PST

DALE EARNHARDT JR. AUTOGRAPHED PIC-COA- MUST C N READ US $125.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 17:43:25 PST

2010 BRETT BUTLER #47 FUEL DOCTOR "CWTS" POSTCARD! AUTO US $3.36 (2 Bids) End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 18:14:21 PST

2009 Signed Peyton Sellers Nascar Race Postcard US $0.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 18:18:51 PST

2010 ALLI OWENS #15 ELECTRIFYING "ARCA" POSTCARD AUTO! US $9.55 (4 Bids) End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 18:57:19 PST

RICHARD PETTY AUTOGRAPHED - Signed Simpson Helmet US $29.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 19:35:31 PST

JIMMIE JOHNSON SIGNED 8x10 PHOTO + DIE CAST PSA COA US $495.00 End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 20:31:29 PST

Dale Earnhardt Jr 08 GATORADE DUAL WIN Signed 1/24 GAI US $36.50 (4 Bids) End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 22:00:30 PST

Brad Keselowski Signed Handout US $2.00 (1 Bid) End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 22:29:22 PST

Tony Stewart Autographed Photo - ICAN Puppy US $114.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Friday Mar-12-2010 8:55:24 PST

Tony Stewart Autographed Photo with EFRC Tiger US $114.00 (1 Bid) End Date: Friday Mar-12-2010 8:55:24 PST

Tony Stewart AUTOGRAPHED Color Photo - Fontana Race! US $114.00 (1 Bid) End Date: Friday Mar-12-2010 8:55:24 PST

Tony Stewart AUTOGRAPHED Color Photo With Darian Grubb! US $114.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Friday Mar-12-2010 8:55:24 PST

Tony Stewart AUTOGRAPHED Color Photo With Darian Grubb! US $114.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Friday Mar-12-2010 8:55:24 PST

Tony Stewart AUTOGRAPHED '09 OfficeDepot Uniform Jacket US $225.00 (2 Bids) End Date: Friday Mar-12-2010 8:55:24 PST

Tony Stewart AUTOGRAPHED Old Spice Pit Crew Shirt! US $177.50 (7 Bids) End Date: Friday Mar-12-2010 8:55:24 PST

Tony Stewart AUTOGRAPHED Diecast - '09 Impala SS #14 US $240.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Friday Mar-12-2010 8:55:24 PST

The future of the phone gets a bit closer to reality today with the introduction of Google Voice. The key feature of Google Voice is that it recognizes the words in a voicemail message left for you, and can then email the transcript to your inbox or deliver it to your phone via SMS--kind of like having a digital personal assistant managing your calls for you.

The service is a direct descendant of the technology acquired when Google purchased Grand Central in 2007. That company specialized in giving users a single contact phone number that could automatically route calls through to your cellphone, office or home phone. Google seems to have taken that idea and added its own web-based spin, and mixing the speech-recognition technology developed under the Goog-411 directory service.

You can also have Grand Central SMS texts received or sent by your phone, and you can make calls to numbers in the U.S. or overseas from your cellphone, home phone or PC using the service.

The only charge, it seems, is for international numbers, which requires you to pay using Google Checkout.

The mashup between voicemail messages left on a device and email is the most interesting aspect of the technology, of course: It's one definite direction for the evolution of personal communications, and it's especially handy in situations where you'd need to listen to a voicemail but can't--if you're in a long business meeting for example. And the "one number" feature of Grand Central, is definitely useful in a world where we have home, business and cellphone numbers; all of your contact needs are rolled into one system, alongside Gmail. That's assuming your provider of choice is Google, of course. Whether Google will include Voice in its new "behavioral profiling" targeted advertising is unclear. 

The service starts today for existing Grand Central customers, with Google "opening it up to others soon." 

[Googleblog via Reuters] 

Last time, we discussed 5 of the 10 signs that your business may be heading for trouble. All involved looking at the structure of your top line, your sales. Now we want to move on to the next five signs.

___

___

#6 – High employee turnover

When you lose employees, customers are affected – they deal with less experienced people who don’t know your business or the customer’s needs as well as long-time employees.

There’s a concept from Harvard Business School called The Service – Profit Chain. It says that employee satisfaction leads to customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction leads to revenue growth. And revenue growth leads to profit growth.

So the chain starts with employee satisfaction. High employee turnover is often a sign of unhappy employees. That is why this is such an important early warning sign. Plus the costs of training people so they’re fully productive are significant.

#7 – Costs rising faster than sales

Costs rise for a number of reasons. As your sales rise, so will your costs. If they don’t, why do you need that cost at all? So rising costs are expected. However, it’s a bad sign if costs are rising faster than sales. You have less and less profit on each dollar of sales.

#8 – Disproportionate purchases from one vendor.

Sign #5 was being too dependent on a single customer. We don’t want to be dependent on any vendor either. This applies not just at the enterprise level, but within product categories as well.

If you’re too dependent on any one vendor in any one category, your vendor may have too much leverage in your business. They can pass on cost increases to you that you may not be able to pass on to your customers.

So it’s important to diversify your vendor base or at least have a back-up plan for needed supplies. Maybe you still use your vendor, but you know who you would go to if need be.

#9 – Unwarranted increase in receivables

It’s great to make sales, but not if you don’t get paid! That’s worse than not making the sale at all because it costs you money to make a sale. Slow paying customers also create problems because you can’t pay your bills with receivables; you need cash!

This is one of the biggest challenges facing small businesses right now. Their customers are paying slower, which means receivables are growing. Make sure you’re the squeaky wheel – you have to keep after them, make some noise, so you stay high on the list. Consider offering a discount for early payment or, even better, change your terms to cash-on-delivery if possible. And best of all, ask for prepayment. But that’s a whole other show!

If you can’t afford to offer a discount, make sure you’re charging a late fee and notifying your customers regularly of their balance due. Get on the phone and call them. See when they will pay and then follow-up if they don’t.

#10 – Unjustifiable inventory build-up

Depending on your business, inventory may be even less liquid than receivables. First, you have to sell it; then you have to collect on the sale.

Inventory that’s not turning over is dead-weight. So if your inventory is building up too fast, your business will likely experience a cash crunch at some point. Get slow moving inventory out the door, even if you have to give it away!

How does that help, you ask? Because space is costly for any business. And shelf space is an incredible asset for retailers. Having a product sitting there as dead weight costs any business a little bit; it costs retailers a lot!

___

___

Thanks so much for reading our post today. Join us next time when we ask, “Do we need to take the social out of social media?” Until then, here’s to your bigg success!

Subscribe to The Bigg Success Show in iTunes. 

Subscribe to the Bigg Success feed.

Direct link to The Bigg Success Show audio file:
http://media.libsyn.com/media/biggsuccess/00349-031209.mp3

Related posts

10 Danger Signs for Business - Part 1

5 Marketing Strategies to Get the Most Bang for Your Buck During a Recession

The Secret to Survive and Thrive in Your Own Business

Growth: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

There’s Gold In Them There ... Customers!

(Image in today's post by asifthebes)