Demand for rare metals will continue to increase as our technology needs increase. But the limited supply of these metals has countries positioning themselves for the future. Soon, you may be able to capitalize on the uber-rarity with exchange traded funds (ETFs).

Reflecting increased investor interest in minor metals, Steve Dew of Index Universe reports that Van Eck Global has filed with the SEC to start a new ETF that will track the Minor Metals Index. The ETF does not yet have a ticker, but it will be called the Market Vectors Minor Metals ETF. The fund will hold 30 companies involved in the mining and production of such metals.

Global X also has a lithium ETF in registration, and the world’s first minor metals ETF is already up and running in Switzerland.

It’s clearly an area that investors want in on, and the ETF providers know that.

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– George A. Cloutier is the founder and CEO of American Management Services and the author of the bestselling book “Profits Aren’t Everything, They’re the Only Thing”. The opinions expressed are his own. –

For the last two months we have been inundated with photos of oil-covered pelicans and other marine animals victimized by the oil spewing forth from the ruptured BP well in the Gulf of Mexico. The spill in the Gulf is obviously disastrous, but it pales to the economic “oil spill” that has destroyed small businesses over the last two years.

Pelicans and small business owners are faced with surprisingly similar situations: they are victims of disastrous events beyond their control.

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Today Google Voice has been made publicly available to anyone. I have just been using Google Voice for about one month with my landline, thanks to my IT friend’s invitation into the program. It has been terrific.

Here are some of the highlights in my trials:
1. It will ring ALL of your (mobile) phone numbers if you list them out. This means that you could use the Google Phone number as the main permanent contact phone number for family & friends, and you could change your mobile plans/phone numbers in whatever ways you want, and it won’t change even after you move out of the area. And Google Voice will further block any spam callings & mobile texting messages automatically.

2. It will TRANSCRIBE any voicemail messages into text. That accuracy of the transcription is simply amazing. I tested it a little bit, and it’s 100% accurate so far. Creative usage of this would be that you could use it yourself for any typing needs for blogging, writings, etc.

3.

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I’m a big believer in systems.  I hate the idea of “reinventing the wheel” every time something needs to get done.  It’s a waste of time, money and resources – all of which are usually in short supply in small business.  Small business owners are great at systems when it comes to shipping it, fixing it, billing it, hiring or the day-to-day operation of the business.  Where they fall short is having a system for marketing their business.

For one reason or another, small business owners believe they can be successful without a marketing system.  Well, I’m here to tell you it won’t happen and here’s why.  A system keeps you focused and gets you results and a good marketing system generates qualified leads on a consistent basis.  Without a marketing system, business owners fall prey to the age old “promotion of the week” or promotional panic as we like to refer to it.  You know what I mean.  It’s the latest and greatest idea you saw at a recent tradeshow or that “thing” that a friend told you about over coffee that you just gotta try.

Why a marketing system?  A marketing system will help you turn suspects into prospects and prospects into clients and clients into raving fans.  People do business with people they know, like and trust and in today’s busy world, it takes more than 10 ‘touches’ to get someone to know like and trust you.  What are you doing to get people to know, like and trust you?  With a system in place, it can be working even when you’re not.

Back in university, I did Business 101 (seriously, that’s what it was called) and the first thing that we were taught was the four key functions of business (today there are five if you include information technology).  You have finance, operations, human resources and marketing.  All of them key to any business’ success.  Building a business with only three of the keys is like building a house on sand.  It’ll stand for a short while but eventually it is coming down.

So you decide!  Do you want your business built on sand or on a solid foundation?  If you chose a solid foundation, you might want to start building your marketing system because it’s probably the only one that you are missing.

Brenda Mahoney is a successful marketing coach with a passion for helping others succeed, personally and professionally.

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