Ok friends, here are letters K-O. Remember ask yourself are you doing all that is required to be a success?

Please be sure to read article following K-O by a very smart and talented woman author, Michelle Dunn, we met at the Book Expo in New York City in June. She writes about women and money and knows what she is talking about!!!! Good timing for letters M and N.

Marcia

K, Knowing Who You Know, Knowing Who Knows You?
Good business, successful business is having good contacts. Retail businesses long had the credo of success means location, location, location. Today all businesses and professional careers are directed by who you know, who you know, who you know…and who knows you. Networking, strategic alliances, maintaining key relationships that serve you well and knowing how to make it all work are essential to success.

L, Living a Worthwhile Life
Business and professional women are indeed tired of a compromised style of living. Living true is valuing your decisions and choices, loving and appreciating all you do, staying in touch with your strengths and successes. Dealing with losses.

M, Money
Remember when you were told not to leave home without your mad money? Well today women are not only leaving home with it, they are earning it in significant quantities. But do you allow money to define your success? What is enough money for you? What are your money goals? Protect your money, protect yourself.

N, Negotiating
Restructuring your life and create your own standards. Having good negotiating skills. Why you need them, when and where. Oh yes, takes you back to money. Be sure you know how to successfully negotiate money issues.

O, Ocular!!!
The eyes indeed do have it, so don't forget to keep your eye on the prize you want! How can you not be blinded by success? How can you keep your eyes open and be alert to what is happening around you so you take appropriate care of you business or work? Don't lose sight of what is best for you and your business.

NEXT MONTH, LETTERS P-T.

Check out www.womensRadio.com
My interview with Karen Copeland
You can also contact Karen at Info@myinterviewer.com

There are always some companies and entrepreneurs that have past due invoices and can't seem to get them paid. They might be quietly waiting to get paid not wanting to contact the client for fear of appearing "desperate". Sometimes a big part of the problem is no response, it is bad enough when you are not getting paid, but when orders keep coming in and you are not getting any acknowledgement to your collection efforts, you just can't keep processing orders. This is especially hard for a new or small business. They are not making many sales and then have to spend their time trying to get paid for a sale they made, and in the long run, this causes them not to make any profit on that sale. "If you are chasing slow paying customers, you are not selling more products or services. Time you should be spending on marketing is being spent to get paid on a sale you made and the time and money you are spending on that cuts your profit", says Dunn.

There are steps you can take to get paid on those past due invoices and keep new invoices current:

Step #1	Gather together all the past due invoices, and stamp them PAST DUE.
Step #2	If you have an email address or phone number with a contact name for your client, email them or call them and give them the information on the past due invoices and let them know their account is on hold.
Step #3	Mail the invoices to your client with return receipt requested or send them in a flat rate Priority Mail envelope with delivery confirmation.
Step #4	Send a letter with these invoices stating the age, invoice numbers, their PO#, your account #, total amount due, and any other pertinent information.
Step #5	Tell them their account is on hold and you will not be shipping any more products or providing any services to them until these invoices are paid. You can include a self addressed envelope and state that you have enclosed an envelope for them to send their check. Give them a date, to have this paid to you.

Once they have received the package, email or call them. Ask them what they are doing with the invoices. Ask them questions such as:

Do they have to be approved by someone else?
If they have to be approved, who has to approve them and when will they give them to that person? Get that person's direct number if possible. Find out if that person signs the checks.Are there any discrepancies with the invoices? When will the check be cut? When can you call back for the check number?

Once all the past due balances are cleared up, you need to think about future invoices. Do you want to extend credit again or do you want to have pre-payment or payment at the time of the order. Whatever you decide put it in writing. If you can both sign the agreement, that is even better. Remember, having a credit policy in place tells people you mean business.

Michelle Dunn has over 17 years experience in Credit and Debt collection. She is the founder and president of Never Dunn Publishing, LLC, is a writer, publisher, consultant and the Editorial Advisor for Eli Financial Debt Collection Compliance Alert Newsletter.

Michelle has been featured in Ladies Home Journal, PC World, Home Business Magazine, Home Business Journal, Entrepreneur, The Internet Web Source, Professional Collector, and in Home Based Business for Dummies, Shameless Marketing for Brazen Hussies, From the Home-Front The Simple guide to starting and Running a Home based business, she was a featured guest on (NPR) National Public Radio and has been in many newspapers nationwide.

Visit her website at www.michelledunn.com or www.credit-and-collections.com for more information on how you can make more money collecting the money that is owed to you and having a sound credit policy.