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Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co (KKR) was founded by Henry Kravis and his business partner George Roberts in the mid-seventies with help from the First Chicago Corporation. But in the hope of making their portfolio of companies greener, they have launched a novel green project which has dramatically transformed the method by which business concerns and environmental agencies function.

Environmentally sound business practice went mainstream last year when Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co’s Henry Kravis and the non-profit environmental advocacy group Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) merged. Their mission is to offer encouragement to their affiliated firms in avoiding environmental menaces like greenhouse gas emissions as well as absurd consumption of water resources.

In order to attain these goals, they utilize a routine termed eco-efficiency which calls for techniques such as increasing the durability of products, waste reduction, and reducing the dispersion of toxic chemicals. The Green Portfolio Project was successful, but the firms who were taking part did not grasp the full benefits of the project until Ken Mehlman, the head of the program and global public affairs, assessed the project subsequent to a year in operation. Ken Mehlman observed that using eco-efficiency wasn’t merely preserving the local environment, but in addition it was helping to save businesses a considerable amount of money. Currently, Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co and Ken Mehlman have virtually all of their firms actively involved in the Green Portfolio Project. When you look at the fact that the group has a value of almost $100,000,000,000 dollars, you can see what an enormous feat this is. Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co along with Ken Mehlman are expanding the Green Portfolio project. For example, Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co got together with the Environmental Defense Fund’s Climate Corps Program a venture that instructs students studying for an MBA how to encourage cost effective, green techniques.

In addition, Ken Mehlman has been in close collaboration with KKR to produce a package of metrics that companies can utilize to evaluate resources. This type of data is crucial as any type of business may easily measure each of their day to day procedures and identify how they can improve while simultaneously letting staff to find out their environmental impact.

Henry Kravis, the KKR, and the Environmental Defense Fund are true pioneers when it comes ecologically friendly business practices. Their revolutionary ideas have made going green easier for businesses in every sector and proved to the world that running a profitable business need not entail the hefty price of negatively impacting our planet.

Counted among the largest of the North American third party businesses offering club programs is a firm by the name of Trilegiant. In partnership with many brand names, a significant proportion important businesses in entertainment, retail, health, dental organizations in addition to many more, Trilegiant works to enhance your shopping experience. It would be fair to say that Trilegiant has experience aplenty. First opening over three decades ago, Trilegiant began in the town of Norwalk in Connecticut and now operates 8 offices spread across a full six states and containing 3000 employees on hand to solve any questions. Over 25 million clients across America employ Trilegiant’s initiatives at present.

The name of this firm stems from risk free deals, enabling customers to make savings and obtain high value products. Schemes along the lines of Buyers Advantage, for example, offer members affordable extended warranties, guaranteed return protection, and insurance on repair costs to ensure purchases are secure. There are other programs on offer like HealthSaver — which provides low priced healthcare with no drop in quality — just to look at a single example. It’s those frequent times when the company’s attention turns to the local community that Trilegiant really impresses. One-off fundraisers coming from inside the company by even small groups of individuals can raise charitable donations of $30.000 in roughly 5 days — certainly a result worth taking note of.

Equally essential to Trilegiant is educating consumers. For example, they discovered the startling fact that in a single year (2005) the U.S.A. saw an estimated six and a half million reported auto collisions. And that covers just the reported accidents — the number leaves out unreported fender benders and more serious collisions or “road rage” incidents which happen each year. How, you ask, do you curtail the risk of your own incident being part of these unpalatable numbers? Three years ago, the car club Autovantage commenced releasing its annual road rage data. To improve your safety, the tips and information contained within are presented to make you aware of danger signs before you run into them. Lipman’s Trilegiant stands as a perfect example of a firm who takes into account the importance of its community and subscribers. Offering programs introduced to benefit customers’ retail experiences and a true dedication to the community’s goals they make it clear heart is in the right place. Put simply, you see in them the perfect example of a community-oriented firm.

Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co (KKR) was set up in the seventies and orginally their main business was in ‘bootstrap’ buyouts. However, hoping to make their portfolio companies and acquisitions more ecologically aware, they have established a unique green proposal which has changed the way businesses and environmental activists function.

Environmentally sound business procedures went mainstream last year when Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co’s Henry Kravis and the the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) got together. Pivotal environmental issues like toxic emissions and overblown consumption of water resources are a priority in their company mission. Eco-efficiency (the phrase was initially pitched by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development WBCSD) embodies the framework for their mission, by utilizing techniques like recycling programs, maximum use of renewable resources and improving fuel economy through vehicle fleet maintenance. Effective though it was the KKR and EDF didn’t even realize the totality of the project’s benefits until Ken Mehlman, the executive responsible for the Green Portfolio Project, reviewed the project when it had been functioning for a year.

Beating everyone’s expectations, Ken saw that utilizing eco-efficiency not only helped in proctecting the environment, but also increased the profitability of all their business organizations besides. Well-nigh all of the firms owned by Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co and Ken Mehlman now practice eco-efficiency. Yet, when you consider that the group has a 2009 business portfolio with an estimated value of 86,000,000,000 USD, you can be certain that this was not an easy feat. Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co with the assistance of Ken Mehlman are further expanding the initial program. The Climate Corps Program administrated by the Environmental Defense Fund is an example of this, it promotes earth friendly business techniques to students studying for a Master’s in Business Administration. Moreover, Ken Mehlman has been in close collaboration with KKR to develop analytic tools that firms can employ to measure and manage various resources. This type of info is critical as any sort of business may without a lot of effort evaluate their day to day activities and identify how they can solve any problems while simultaneously letting staff to find out how far they have advanced. The business community has been entirely transformed by the ground breaking work of these individuals. Their visionary ideas have simplified the procedure for business organizations in any industry and proved that making profits need not entail the hefty price of damaging the environment.

If you haven’t come across Steve Schwarzman, you must have been hiding under a rock for the last few years. A year ago Steve made fifty three on Forbes’ list of the richest people in America, but it is his generosity to society and his outstanding achivements that show him to be such a magnetic character. This goes to show that the greatest things in flourishing in business are devoted working hard plus unflagging perseverance. The Blackstone Group was initially set up by Steve and Peter Peterson as a business offering up premium financial advice and private equity management. And as everyone knows, the Blackstone Group expanded into the world famous company it is now. Steve grew up in the state of Pennslyvania. Then he went on to receive his degree from Yale University in 1969. Harvard Business School near Boston was the very next stop on his pathway to success, here he graduated in 1972. Then he joined with Lehman Brothers investment bank, located in NYC. Before celebrating his thirty second birthday he was already on the board of directors.

Stephen A. Schwarzman volunteered his time as an ancillary professor at the acclaimed Yale School of Management in addition to offering his patronage to a number of charities, educational programs, and the liberal arts. To further illustrate his wide spectrum of activities, he is Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Manhattan. And, to give back even more, he told the media on March 11th, 2008 that he was presenting $100 million to the New York Public Library to help fund their expansion. They also named one of their recently constructed buildings after him. Steve Schwarzman is an inspiration to a new generation of business people – Times Magazine last year appointed Steve as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. His quick rise in the business and financial industries is certainly spectacular, not to mention the fact that his never-ending support of music and the liberal arts has been an encouragement to the business world at large. So the world waits with interest breath to see what Steve will do next. Thus, in summary, Steve has taken each and every business opportunity given to him, however, he has at the same time used his money as a way to empower his community.

Forums are one of the most effective free internet marketing strategies if done correctly. Many people participate in online forums for different reasons. Especially in internet marketing forums, they use it for getting advice and answers to their questions.

Another reason is finding new tools, products and marketing concepts that they can apply to their website or online business in general. Internet forums are also an excellent resource for contacting with other online entrepreneurs and build win-win and profitable joint ventures. Finally, you can promote your website in forums in indirect mode of course.

Taking advantage of forums can be focused on the link of your site you are allowed to place with your posts. However, this is not as simple as it sounds. Users must have a reason to click on your link. One reason could be a useful tip or resource you provide with your answer for instance. On the long-term run, you gain credibility and start becoming an expert in your field.

But how do you accomplish that? First, you must study carefully the forums before you join them. Check for their guidelines, their theme, the questions, the level of knowledge and experience the users have. After that, you group the questions in a specific block in order to provide the answers.

For example:

Questions:

1) How can I protect my website from theft?

2) Where can I find HTML security software?

e.t.c

Answers:

1) HTML encryption software

2) Hide your website’s code.

e.t.c.

Now it is time for getting answers. You can find answers using search engines, or a recourse you have already used in the past or even a “how to” e-book you had purchased. There are many options. Don’t forget that you shouldn’t restrict yourself to one topic. You can repeat this procedure as many times as you want.

You can provide your answers to forum users in three ways actually.

First, by informing the forum users with a website you saw, that contains the solution to the problem they have. This is the less effective way, because you are keeping them away from your primary cause, which is to visit your website by clicking your link.

Second, is to create a webpage to your website that contains the answer.

For example: www.yoursite.com/htmlsecurityreport.htm. This is an excellent way of promoting because it’s not a blatant advertisement (you are informing people) and on the other hand users visit your website.

Third, create a new website exclusively related on this subject.

For example: www.htmlsecuritytips.com. This way is extremely effective too, but you should keep in mind that you do have to spend some money for that (web hosting, domain registrar e.t.c.) and definitely more time.

The catch here is that with the second and third option you can promote your website, which can include your affiliate programs or even your products without breaking the forum’s rules.

Of course you could ask,”where can I find forums?” One way is using search engines. Write in the search bar “internet marketing forums” and you will have many listings but you should notice that only the active ones worth your attention. Another thing you should be careful about is how many users and posts the forum has every day. If there are one or two users then you should go away, although forums indexed by the search engines are important because a link of your website to this forum could mean indexing for your website too.

When you post to a forum always, use your name and not some kind of number or code like 22357 e.t.c. You want to gain credibility with your name and not with characterless number or fake username. Use your signature in every post, which should contain your name, 2-3 lines of text (that depends on how many lines the forum administrator permits you to use) and of course your site URL.

Copyright 2004 Christos Varsamis

About The Author

Christos Varsamis is an internet marketing consultant and the owner of the exclusive internet-marketing club http://www.internetmarketingsuccesstips.com. Get his knowledge at your desktop! Subscribe to ims-tips@aweber.com