traychaney.com

Capturing stunning images of your favorite celebrities is not that difficult. What you need is a deft hand and of course a good quality of camera. You may bump into your idols and in that case you should mange to keep your nerves and capture the moment in your camera.

Just imagine, you are showing your friends a hot and happening picture of a touch me not beauty called Pamela Anderson clicked by yourself! You can impress your peers with such photos. And trust me, it’s a beautiful addiction.

You need not be a professional paparazzo for acquiring proficiency in taking celebrity pictures. I will suggest a few important tips to follow while capturing your adorable idols. Follow them and your celebrity picture may flash in a newspaper with a sizzling celebrity gossip. Hunt for something different; something unique:

If you really want to impress others with your celebrity photo, what I suggest is don’t be a part of a crowd running after the celebrities. What special will you get? You will end up clicking something very common; something that almost every camera in the crowd has clicked.

Avoid catching your icons in film premiers or award functions. If you manage to capture your celebrity in a casual pose away from the common din of stardom, that’s your achievement.

Keep Abreast with the Latest Happenings in the Celebrity World:

If you want to get exciting celebrity photos, you must keep abreast with all important happenings in the world of celebrities. Follow celebrity gossips, listen to the celebrity news and find out which celebrities are doing what. Know where they are setting out for, where they are going to stay on their tour, what are going to be their schedules like and so on. The most important tip on how to take celebrity photos is that you have to be at the right place at the right time. That’s it.

Get Something out of the Ordinary:

You must keep in touch with the celebrity news so that you can plan your hunts. Getting something quite out of the box will fetch you gold in case you sell your picture. Imagine yourself capturing your favorite film actress with her new born baby, or your favorite superstar indulged in a fight with the journalists. Such celebrity photos will produce hot celebrity news and fetch you name and fame.

Acquire Photography Skills;

It is unequivocally accepted that it’s not just the quality of your equipment that brings good results for you; but rather it’s the fingers using that equipment that do so. When you set out on your hunt for the stunning pictures of your celebrities, there are chances that you get nervous, can’t manage to take a pick and the moment skips.

Practice is what will make you feel at home. Before you start your hunt, practice at some family functions.

Be Quick; Be Accurate:

Celebrities are always in a rush. And moreover, they are often surrounded by their bodyguards. This is the reason why you have to be very quick while capturing them in your camera and that too with utmost precision. Using high shutter speed in your camera is the option for you. Just set your camera and go nab the photos one after the other. Remember one thing don’t make the celebrities conscious with your presence and also don’t disturb their privacy either.

For best results, use the highest resolution your camera offers.

Sell Photos Immediately:

When you catch a superstar in a camera, you are supposed to bring that picture to the market immediately. Thus you can make pots of money. It’s no use selling your pick after the celebrity news gets cold

Follow these tips and you will make wonders; trust me!

Josepha Jain has coordinated with the sites:-

Celebrity Gossip
Celebrity Pictures

The role of an internet marketing specialist is to drive traffic

to a website and to assist with the improvement of conversion

rates – converting website visitors to buyers. Some individuals

are good at driving traffic and others are good at creating web

copy that closes sales. In order to be a full-service internet

marketing specialist, you really have to have the skill to do

both because enormous amounts of traffic doesn’t matter a bit if

that traffic does not result in revenue.

Even so, different people have different talents and one person’s

gifts may complement another’s. So, if you have strong skills in

one area and not the other, you may need to work with an internet

marketing specialist whose strengths compensate for your

weaknesses and vice versa. Sometimes an internet marketing team

achieves much more than any internet marketing specialist could

do alone.

Specific tasks that an internet marketing specialist or team of

internet marketers engage in to accomplish the two main purposes

of internet marketing – driving traffic and closing sales -

include:

1. Brainstorming

2. Market research

3. Identification of target markets and niche markets

4. Competitor analysis

5. Development of products and services

6. Creation of a unique selling proposition

7. Keyword research

8. Identification, analysis and selection of marketing

channels

9. Budgeting

10. Strategic planning and setting of milestones

11. Creation of marketing materials including sales copy

12. Website development

13. Administration of the internet marketing plan

14. Analysis of the effectiveness of the marketing program

15. Continual strengthening and improvement of the marketing

plan and marketing program

Effectively addressing all of these tasks that are necessary for

productive internet marketing really requires quite a vast skill

set. Everybody has strengths and weaknesses in various areas of

internet marketing. It is ideal if you have an internet marketing

team made up of individuals that are internet marketing

specialists in all of these areas; however, reality is not always

ideal. Because it is rare for any one individual to be strong in

each of these areas most people need professional assistance from

an internet marketing specialist with one or more of the internet

marketing tasks.

If you work with an internet marketing specialist or a team of

internet marketers, it is vital that everyone on the team

communicates clearly and effectively. With clear communication

the results from specific internet marketing tasks can be

integrated to create a strong, effective internet marketing

program that produces significant results in regard to driving

traffic and generating revenues.

In order to determine whether or not you are capable of being

your own internet marketing expert rather than contracting your

internet marketing tasks to an internet marketing specialist or

an internet marketing firm, do an honest analysis of your skills

as they relate to the fifteen internet marketing tasks mentioned

previously. In reviewing them, you are sure to find some that you

feel confident about and some that cause uncertainty. If you are

not comfortable with your own internet marketing knowledge and

skills, you may choose to hire an internet marketing specialist

to complete the tasks you are uneasy about, or you may choose to

pursue training or education to enhance your knowledge of

internet marketing and strengthen your own skills.

With desire, drive, time and perseverance, just about anyone can

become an internet marketing specialist. To be an effective

internet marketing specialist you must be willing to learn from

others as well as learning from your own mistakes. As you gain

experience in internet marketing, you will naturally develop

expertise and as time marches on you will undoubtedly feel more

comfortable with tasks that seem complex at first and you will

definitely gain self-confidence as you experience the positive

effects of your internet marketing efforts.

Copyright Christopher J. Enders. Are you at the end of your rope, fed up and confused by all the scrambled internet marketing advice you’re getting? Whether you are new to internet marketing, or a website owner who wants to make more money from your website, learn the proven strategies that will sky-rocket your internet business at http://BiznessTips.com

It’s so cold, it’s so wet, and it’s so dangerous?

Please let me share why you and I are not Crazy!

For Everyone.

Snow skiing is one of the really exciting sports that combine exhilaration, fellowship, ambience and adventure, for all levels of participants.

In Europe, children are being taught to ski as young as 2 years old and on the same slopes there are people over 90 years young.

There are people of every nationality, race, creed and colour.

There are one armed, one legged and even blind people, involved everywhere, at some level.

What is the appeal of a sport that brings so many different people together, amidst the cold snow, in the spirit of friendliness and just having a good time?

Challenge.

Everyone that takes up skiing, no matter their current skill level, can find a place on the slopes to be thrilled and challenged.

Whether it is the brand new, novice skier on the nursery slopes (even if 18 years old) tentatively trying his very first snow plough in a desperate attempt to stop, or whether it is the level 1 skier, gracefully carving out sweeping curves across the face of the virgin, freshly fallen snow.

Everyone will find his or her challenge.

Fun.

Skiing is always fun.

We put ourselves into ridiculous situations in the company of others doing the same and we seldom stop laughing.

Watch people coming off the chair lift.

Perhaps we see the super cool youngster, trying to impress his girlfriend, heads off on one ski, collides with the group in front, and collapse into a heap of tangled skis and bodies.

And see how they are all laughing.

Perhaps you will see a group of skiers following the ski instructor in graceful sweeping turns until someone loses control and takes the whole group into a snowdrift.

And watch as they climb out, covered from head to toe in snow and almost hysterical in their laughter.

Camaraderie.

As you meet your friends or join your ski school group in the queue for the very first lift of the day, there is a shared feeling of anticipation and nervousness as to what the day will bring.

Every one is fresh and dry in their colourful ski clothes, possibly a little cold, but already, the adrenaline is staring to flow.

Perhaps it is the first time you have met the group and with the common anticipation, being shared, you are soon talking to others, about where they are from, how long they’ve been skiing etc.

Then as you share your exploits and adventure during the day, by the time the lifts close, you are already on the way to feeling like friends.

Fellowship

The air is still and the twilight is descending onto the mountain.

And lights are on in all the bars, cafes and restaurants as they shout “Welcome, to all you Ski Adventurers.”

You and your group answer that welcome and share glu-wein, a vodka fig or just a cleansing ale.

Your faces are flushed and rosy from the day’s exertions, and as you relive your experiences, they become funnier and braver than you ever felt possible.

By the time it is ready for dinner, you have all become heroes in each other’s eyes, with the quiet satisfaction and internal pride that “today, you did good!”

Ambience.

So you have finished your dinner and you sit in the armchairs in front of the roaring log fire.

The shadows flicker gently on the walls as the flames continue their dance in the huge fireplace.

You feel relaxed, comfortable and sleepy as you spend time with your new friends.

For some, the cobwebs fill your brain and you drift off to sleep.

Others will gain a second wind and be off to the local nightspot to party.

And finally, you toddle off to bed and descend into the deep relaxing, well earned sleep, from which even the party goers returning home, cannot stir you.

Adventure.

Skiing is always an adventure.

When as beginner, you go up to the first time on the chair lift and see the steepness of that blue slope, your heart starts to flutter.

Exactly the same when, as an accomplished skier, you stand on top of the almost vertical expanse of virgin snow, spread out below you.

It is an adventure when you are having lunch, high in the mountains, surrounded by the giant peaks and deep valleys that seem to go forever.

And meeting men and women from all walks of life, foreign cultures, struggling with language and customs, is all part of the adventure.

So skiing is a passion for me.

I learned to ski late in life and after finding it, discovered a wonderful world of fun, friendship and adventure.

So you are welcome to my world and may you share in all of the above, and then some!!

Roger Bourne

Roger Bourne discovered skiing, later in life than most people.
He has skied in most parts of the world in extreme conditions, including, flooding rain, green ice, deep powder, groomed pistes and mogul infested slopes. He has a passion for the sport and all that stuff!

So come and visit: http://www.stuffaboutsnowskiing.com

Many people have the misconception that the major concern of people engaged in team sports is gaining weight. The image of the three hundred pound player leads many people to see it from this perspective. The truth is that most athletes are more concerned with weight loss than with weight gain. The reason for this is fairly simple. It is very easy to gain weight. It is a little harder to get those pounds off you once you have gained them.

Athletes have ideal playing weights, and they spend a great deal of time in weight rooms. Of course, much of this time is devoted to building strength and muscle tone, but often times it is spent shedding pounds. The fact that muscles actually weigh more than fatty tissue makes this an ongoing problem. As fat is replaced by muscle, the total weight will actually spike upwards at first. Although being heavier due to excess muscle seems to be the goal for an athlete, most often just the opposite is going to be true.

Team Sports that involve a great deal of running like basketball, soccer, rugby, and even track are good examples of this fact. Although weight and muscles might be good for the center on the basketball team when he is trying to push people aside to get a lay up inside the paint, he is going to have to carry that excess weight up and down the length of the court, too. Unless the player in soccer or hockey is wearing the goalkeeper gloves and staying in front of the goal, he is going to have to run or skate from end to end as well. This is where the concept of ideal weight comes into play.

Ideal weight can be best defined by the exact weight at which an athlete can gain the most advantage from his weight without it becoming a handicap to the ideal performance and level of fatigue involved in participation in a team sport. In order to maintain this ideal weight and at the same time to insure maximum athletic ability, it is not wise to use dieting for weight loss. The subsequent loss of energy that dieting could produce is not going to help the athlete perform to expected standards. A well balanced and energy rich diet is going to be much better. Weight loss must be accomplished by exercise and diet should refer only to the selection of the healthiest foods rather than to not eating food at all.

Natalie Aranda writes on weight loss and fitness. Team Sports that involve a great deal of running like basketball, soccer, rugby, and even track are good examples of this fact. Football balls are gift ideas for men and boys. Although weight and muscles might be good for the center on the basketball team when he is trying to push people aside to get a lay up inside the paint, he is going to have to carry that excess weight up and down the length of the court, too. Unless the player in soccer or hockey is wearing the goalkeeper gloves and staying in front of the goal, he is going to have to run or skate from end to end as well. This is where the concept of ideal weight comes into play.

Since we have become such a celebrity driven culture, I thought it might be amusing to imagine what it might be like to be a celebrity. Consider this like taking a vacation from your everyday life. This is not to advocate that you become a celebrity or pursue a lifestyle of glamour and fame, when simplifying your life may lead to more satisfying long term benefits in difficult economic times. Rather it is to enjoy thinking about being a celebrity, much as you might add an occasional celebration or fantasy experience into your life.

It is like putting on a costume or mask so you become someone else on Halloween. Well, this is an experience of imagining yourself as any celebrity you want to be. To do so, you create or imagine events and activities to experience the celebrity lifestyle by yourself or with some friends and associates. Here are some tips to get you started, though written in a somewhat tongue in cheek style, which you can take seriously or not. Just have fun with the idea of being a celebrity for a day.

Creating Your Name and Persona

First, create a name or persona for yourself. Imagine you could be anyone – a movie star, a TV star, a rock star. And in reality, today the transformation from everyday citizen to well-known celebrity isn’t so far away. Just think of how Joe the Plumber got known by asking Obama a few pointed questions at a campaign stop. Consider how an ordinary mother – well, not so ordinary – got known as Octomom by having eight babies. Recall how an eccentric scientist got his fame by sending up a silver helium balloon that looked like a UFO and claiming his son was missing and might be on it. It was a big publicity stunt that backfired – but it got him in the news.

So take a moment to think of who you’d like to be – and think big, like the big names in the news do. See yourself as larger than life, and your name is in lights. And don’t try to think or analyze too hard. Just go with whatever first pops into your mind. Then, whoever that person is, imagine yourself on your way to becoming very famous.

On Your Way to the Top

Next, think about what you might do to get to the top. Some celebrities break through because they are part of a famous family, like Kate Hudson, the daughter of Goldie Hawn. Another is Paris Hilton, the daughter of the Hiltons hotel clan. Though she had help from a notorious sex video of herself with her then boyfriend, having the famous name certainly helped. It wasn’t just a sex tape by anyone.

But most celebrities do something that gets themselves in the news, if they aren’t already famous by having a starring part in the movies or on TV. For example, Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger was just another pilot from Danville California, until he landed a US Air plane in the Hudson River in January 2009, after it encountered a flock of geese – and he was hailed as a hero for saving all 155 people aboard.

So now imagine your own story of what you did that made you famous. It could be something you really have done, or it could be something you’d like to do in reality. Or think of some wild, crazy, and outrageous thing to do to make yourself stand out and make the news.

Next, once you do whatever it is to stand out, you need the press to make you famous. So imagine the press descending and asking you questions about what you have done. They’re yelling and screaming, pushing and shoving, because they want to get near to you and talk to you. For you are the center of this excitement. You see mikes being pushed at you, flashing cameras going off, and it’s very exciting that everyone wants to talk to you.

Next imagine what they are asking and what you might say. Just a line or two. That’s all they want. About a 10-15 second sound clip they can use on the evening news. So think of something short and witty to say.

Then, as a celebrity, the next stop is usually the TV talk show circuit. So imagine you are doing that. See yourself being a guest on all the big shows – you’re on Oprah and everyone in the audience is clapping and cheering. Then, you’re on Good Morning America, and the cameramen are adjusting the mikes. Next stop – the View with Barbara Walters, Elizabeth Hasselbeck, Joy Behar, and Whoopie Goldberg, and they’re oohing and aahing over all you have done. After that, you’re face to face with Larry King, who smiles as he tugs on his suspenders and asks you to tell him about you.

So go on, tell everyone what you have done, what you like, how you’re surprised by your sudden fame, and how much you’re enjoying the experience. The idea is to be humble, while you strut your stuff and celebrate you.

Who You Need Around You

Next, once you’re a celebrity, the deals start pouring in, so see yourself getting buckets of mail at your door from fans and deal makers. Then your phone starts ringing off the hook, with dozens of offers to be on this show, appear at that celebration, endorse this product, attend that gala opening. What do you do?

Of course, you need a lawyer to help you sort through this all, so imagine you are meeting with a series of lawyers. Each one proclaims all the great things he or she is going to do for you or has done for someone else. So now you have to decide which lawyer to choose for better or worse.

And, naturally, the next thing you need is a manager or agent, or maybe both to help you decide what offers to take and for how much. And maybe your lawyer can help you decide what manager, agent, or both will help your celebrity career the most. So imagine you are making your choice, and then your manager, agent, or both are giving you some ideas on what to do next. For example, he or she can arrange some endorsements. Maybe you might appear in a film or in a walk-on part on TV. You can pick out your favorite show and see yourself making a guest appearance on that.

Then, since you’re getting so many offers but still want more, the next logical person you need on your team is a publicist. So see yourself with a parade of publicists coming to your door, telling you how they are going to publicize you. In fact, they, along with your agent, manager, and lawyer may have some ideas about branding, whereby you create a whole package around your name. Your brand will include a line of CDs, maybe clothing or make-up, a doll with your image, a video workshop, even a Happy Meal for kids featuring your smiling face.

And of course, there will be a book. You don’t even have to write it yourself. Just pick a ghostwriter, give him or her the gist of what you want to say, plus a little information about you, and voila. In a few weeks you’ll have your book with your name on it. And if you have time, you might even read it – or let your agent, manager, or publicist do that, so they can tell you if they like the book, and if it sounds like you. Then, besides promoting whatever you did to get famous, your publicist will promoting your book and the rest of your celebrity product line.

Now, since you’re making so much money from your branding campaign, plus your endorsements and book, you need a financial planner and stock broker to help you properly manage all your money. So you meet with them, and they give you all kinds of advice. Invest in this. Invest in that. Don’t buy bonds; stick to stocks. Try a hedge fund. Or how about a mutual fund? Plus now you qualify for a private banker, who will help to manage your funds at their bank.

Your New Lifestyle

This might be a good time to imagine buying a luxury home, too. After all, you have a celebrity image to maintain, so go look with a real estate broker who handles high-priced properties – because now it’s only the best for you. So you go looking for big mansions on a hill or behind gated walls with dozens of acres around them. Your new home will have a huge living room, big patio deck, and an expansive kitchen for all your entertaining. Maybe you’ll even have your own screening room for your private film showings.

And what’s a new luxury house without your first party? So you might imagine that all your celebrity friends are arriving for a big shindig at your house. And since you’re now famous and rich, you’ll see lots of A-list celebrities there – Brad Pitt, Angela Jolie, Donald Trump, Jay Leno, David Letterman – no scratch David Letterman. You can’t have anyone with a touch of scandal, since that could rub off on you. But the best and the brightest names are there. So just enjoy your own celebrity party – and now you have the budget, so you can afford it.

Then the invitations to go to celebrity parties start pouring in, too. You have your pick of the best of the best to attend, or maybe the gala where you’ll make the biggest splash. So go ahead and choose a party to attend for a big film opening or a charity bash, because as a celebrity, it’s good to choose a cause to show you’re not all about money, fame, and glamour, but you have a heart of gold to help others, too.

But wait! Before you go, you have to get the finest fashions. You have to look the part of a celebrity, too. So you head off to Nordstrom’s or an expensive fashionable boutique with a designer name, like Versace, Armani, Gucci, Tommy Hilfiger, Donna Karan, or Calvin Klein. After all, you need to dress to impress now, and the cost no longer means anything to you. So you can easily spend a few thousand wherever you go, whatever it takes to look like the celebrity that you are.

Now you see yourself going to one of these openings or charity galas, and you’re dressed in your finest finery – an expensive tux if you’re a guy, a beautiful gown if you’re a woman. Then, as you walk down the red carpet, the photographers are snapping pictures, the cameramen are rolling film, and the fans are reaching out with their pictures for you to sign. So, of course, you graciously stop, smile, and sign, as the cameras snap and roll away.

Afterwards, you go to a trendy restaurant, where you can order whatever you want. First, a waiter comes by with the finest wines, and you have a quick taste before you decide to order the one you like best. Then, you enjoy all your favorite dishes, brought to you in elegant silver bowls and platters. And across from you is your partner or family members, since they now feel like celebrities, too, because once you’re a celebrity, whomever you see or know well will become newsworthy, too, just by being with or related to you.

Now savor the experience of being a celebrity. Enjoy it. Imagine that you could really have this celebrity lifestyle if you wanted it. Or do you? Would you really like that celebrity life? Or would you rather be back to being who you are now?

Gini Graham Scott, Ph.D. is the author of over 50 books and a seminar and workshop leader, specializing in work relationships and professional and personal development. Her latest books include PLAYING THE LYING GAME, WANT IT, SEE IT, GET IT!, ENJOY! 101 LITTLE WAYS TO ADD FUN TO YOUR WORK EVERYDAY, and 17 TOP SECRETS ON HOW TO KEEP YOUR JOB OR FIND NEW WORK TODAY. She is also a screenplay writer and indy film producer, with several projects under development and in post production. She writes books and script for clients, too.

For more information, her Website for books is at http://www.ginigrahamscott.com, for films at http://www.changemakersproductions.com.

Technorati estimates in its recent State of the Blogosphere that it has indexed 133 million blogs since 2002. And yet there are thousands of new blogs born daily. Some of them last and some of them don’t. They don’t last because the blog publisher gives up before they even really get started. Or they die a fast death due to the blogger not doing what is needed to make sure their blog succeeds.

Many, if not most of the people I talk to about blogging ask the same question, “how can I compete with 133 million blogs and get traffic on mine?” First of all, you are not competing with 133 million. Yes, there may be 133 million blogs being indexed by Technorati. The question you need to consider, how many of those blogs are even active. Do they post any longer and did they ever post to them. I would venture the guess the answer is no. Yes, there are a lot of blogs out there. But there are ways to make sure your blog will be successful.

The first thing you need to do is to make sure your blog does not fail before it even gets started. And you need to be aware of why blogs fail.

Here are some of the reasons blogs fail

1. Not setting clearly defined goals

There are a number of reasons you might want to start a blog for your business. However, before you start, what are you wanting to accomplish with your blog. Is it to reach out and connect with your customers and/or clients. Carry on a conversation with them about your products or services. Give your customers and/or clients a way to give you feedback or input on your business. Do you want a blog so you can have a way to “advertise” your wares or services? Or are you wanting a way to market by using an educational based marketing tool where you provide information to your audience so they are better informed. Are you wanting to drive traffic to your business Web site, increase subscriptions to a newsletter or other company publication. Or are you wanting to get people to talk about you either in the press or on other blogs.

No matter what the goal of your blog might be, the key is to set some and make sure they are clearly defined. You want you and your team to know exactly what you are wanting to accomplish by investing your time and resources in this type of marketing tool. Having clearly defined goals is also a must, if you ever expect to be able to calculate your return on your investment in doing a blog.

Recently on Altitude Branding, Amber had a great post called, ROI Begins At The End. In the post she makes this statement:

You cannot calculate a return on anything unless you know whether or not your goals – and your definitions of both Return and Investment – are the right ones. As a marketer or a communicator, you may determine that you want to drive traffic to your site, increase subscriptions to your newsletter, get people to blog about you.

We’ve often measured success in marketing based on eyeballs. Awareness. These things are measurable. But sometimes they’re based in our own corporate egos. Is that what makes your customers do business with you? Do you know for sure that those 25 blog post mentions are moving them closer to you? Is it enough to increase their affinity to your brand, or is a sale the only metric that “really counts”? What about the journey toward that sale? Does that have value?

You have to have clearly defined goals if you ever expect to know if you are getting a return on your investment. So many, no make that too many bloggers are so hung up on the numbers, they are completely missing what is truly important when measuring ROI. Does what I am doing matter to the customer? The secret of good marketing is about one thing – your customers. Nothing else matters.

That quote comes from one of the best post I have read in a long time about content, Creating Relevant Content Is About One Thing. They go on to give four questions you should be asking yourself:

o What keeps your customer up at night?

o How do they keep themselves educated in order to do their jobs better?

o What channels (online, print, in-person, mobile, etc.) do they use to get their information?

o How do they engage with each channel? When you are considering the goals you have for your business blog, you have to ask yourself those 4 questions. And you need to ask whether your own goals match up with all four of them. If they don’t, your blog is going to fail before it even gets started.

2. Unrealistic demands and expectations for your blog.

I am not going to sugar coat it one bit. To have a successful blog which is meeting your goals and getting noticed takes work. You are going to have to make the time to post to it a lot. If you can’t do it daily, you should be setting as your goal to post to it at least 3 or 4 times a week. The frequency of how many times you post also depends on how long the post are.

If you are doing short post which don’t take a lot of time, you should be able to crank those out pretty easy. If they are long, like this one (maybe a bit too long) you are going to have to set aside some time to sit down, research and write. If you don’t post to your blog, it is going to fail. You are not going to get the “ROI” you feel you should be getting and you will let it rot on a vine.  I am serious.

If you are not serious about making the time to post to your blog, don’t even start one. Go out and buy Yellow Page ads and put up a static Web site. Then when no calls come in, you can blame the Yellow Book and your web developer. But if you are serious about giving your customers and/or clients a way to get their hands on up to date, relevant content, do a blog. If you want to market and not just advertise, do a blog. If you want to develop a relationship with your visitors so they become readers and later customers and/or clients, do a blog.

A successful blog takes time and work. But it is well worth every bit of the effort and resources you allocated to it.

3. Not being prepared to doing research on what you should blog about and being consistent in your posting frequency.

Next to the claim that I don’t have time to blog, not knowing what to write about is the next reason I see business blogs fail. I have already talked about many ways you can keep on top of what to write about on your blog. Here are some ideas you can use to help you have things to write about.

o Read other blogs in your niche

o Blog about conferences you might go to

o Take client questions and make them a blog post

o Do some Keyword Research

o Invite guest bloggers or someone from inside your own organization to blog

o Do a book or product review

o Talk about new products or developments in your own business

o Do a reader poll and post about the results

o Tutorials on how to use your product

o FAQ’s you hear every single day in your business

These are just a few and I know you can think of more. You have to have a ready source of post ideas so your blog doesn’t fail for another reason and that is consistency in the frequency of your post. If you don’t post on a regular basis, you are not going to increase your readership and your blog will not last. You will loose interest in your blog almost as fast as your readers will.

4. Not having a way for your readers to communicate with you.

If you want to get my blood pressure up there are at least a couple of things you can do on your blog. One, not having comments and/or trackbacks at all. Two, making me login or register to leave a comment.

You have to give your readers some mechanism whereby they can give you feedback. You must give them a way to comment about a blog post or to give you feedback about you, your company and/or products. If you don’t, you are not blogging. In fact, I have always been of the position that a blog without commenting on it is not a blog at all. It is just an ego stroking tool for the blogger. It is a conversation, but only a one way conversation. That type of blog is not accomplishing as far as educating your audience in a way they feel they can participate in that education.

Most bloggers who don’t allow comments usually don’t out of fear. Fear that something may be said which they may not like or may harm them. I am not saying you should not moderate comments. What I am saying is you have to allow comments on your blog. Feedback or comments from your readers, good or bad creates a conversation and relationship between the reader and the business. Keep one thing in mind, the conversation and/or feedback is taking place somewhere, why not take the necessary steps so it takes place on your business’ blog?

5. Try to go at it on your own.

I would be the first one to admit, it is easy to setup a basic blog with such tools as TypePad, Blogger or WordPress. It is also easy to see how many of these DIY blogs are now dead and no longer serving any purpose but taking up good cyberspace.

The problem is that designing, launching and implementing a blog is not what you do for a living. You are in your particular business and you are good at it. You most likely don’t understand what potential complication there might be. You are not in a position to anticipate all of the contingencies or dependencies which might happen.

And are you in the position to know what you can do as far as taking the steps to increase your search engine placement? Do you want to spend four hours online trying to find the answer to a question which you could get answered by spending a half-hour or hour with a good blog coach?

If you are serious about your marketing and making sure you have a successful blog, I urge you to hire a blog consultant/coach and a design firm which makes this their business. Whether you hire me as your blog coach or my firm as your design firm, that is up to you. There are other great ones out there who do this type of work. The key is to hire one.

Finally, before you get too far in the process of setting up your blog, consider the above mentioned reasons why a business blog might fail. Consider in your own mind if you can set the necessary goals and stick to them or whether you may not be the right fit for a blog. Not every business should have a blog. However, if you are serious about using this type of marketing tool, and you use it right, I know you will have a successful blog. A blog which will get you results.

Grant Griffiths, G² Web Media president and founder used a niche specific blog to promote his law practice. His blog was so successful as a marketing tool that he stopped all other marketing, including using the Yellow Pages. Blogging enabled him to bring in new business on a weekly basis. In fact, Grant is so sold on the power of blogging, he formed G² Web Media to provide a complete blogging package for others who need such a marketing tool. He’s also a driving force behind numerous online resource sites including the popular Blog for Profit

Introduction

Whilst it is recognized that South Africa is still in a process of transition regarding higher education to address the imbalances of the past, it should also be emphasized that Institutions of Higher Education in large are still underplaying the importance of higher education as commercialized commodity in the global world. This resulted in a low commercial higher education presence in the global world, a limited capability to attract quality students from foreign countries and a national oriented education approach. Even the school law that will soon be introduced in South Africa to address the imbalances of the past may have a negative effect of institutions of higher education to play a significant role in the commercialized educational world. The proposed new law emphasized adherence to the principles of equitability, rectification and representativeness above competence in the appointment of teachers. This may undermine the quality of education firstly, in schools and later in institutions of higher education in South Africa.

This is in sharp contrast with international trends signaling that the international higher education market is becoming more competitive as education competes as export and import commodity. Figures available indicate that higher education export represents on average around 6.6% of total student enrollments in 2000. This figure can still not be matched b South African Institutions 5 years later. In countries like Switzerland, Australia and Austria these figures were above 11% in 2000 making these countries the highest internationalized higher education countries in the world. Similarly, educational services in Australia, New Zealand and the United States of America respectively represent the third, fourth and fifth largest service export sectors. This clearly provides evidence that these countries realize the significance of higher education to transfer intellectual capital and enhance the economic competitiveness of nations.

Interventions required

It is important that Institutions of Higher Education in South Africa position themselves as nodes in an increasingly seamless knowledge base in the global world, which could have a greater interface with the knowledge-driven global economy. Therefore, Institutions of higher education in South Africa should given even more attention to integrate with influential international institutions that will enable them to internationalize higher education.

Currently, internationalization of higher education in South Africa happens more by incident rather than through thoroughly planned and organized approaches. If institutions of higher education in South Africa intend to consider higher education as a commercial trade commodity, serious emphasis should be place upon:

· Introducing purposeful policies and strategies that clearly indicate the road forward with regard to internationalization intentions and the specific areas that would need priority attention. However, this should not be developed as separate internationalization strategies, but should e seen as a natural element of the overall strategy of the institute.

· Implementing induction and course programmes that will attract quality foreign students to the institutions.

· Supporting academics to participate in conferences as well as in reputable academic journals to publish research results.

· Ensuring that all course offerings meet international accepted criteria as defined by the leading institutions of higher education in the developed world.

· Creating conducive learning environments equipped with the latest learning technologies.

Internationalization requires that institutions of higher education in South Africa should emphasize a somewhat loosening of the relationship with Government to create new transformational bodies to address the imbalances of the past, but also to broaden this mission to play a more active role in regional economic development. This can be achieved by establishing strong horizontal links with other universities research institutions and industry in the Southern African Development Community. If this can be achieved, the activities of institutions of higher education will no longer be isolated from the marketplace and its outputs could become merchandise products as well. Loosening the relationship with government will not only provide for more freedom to autonomously decide what educational and research outputs to create, but will also increase the pressure on institutions of higher education to perform better as they take up the responsibility to raise funds for projects and salaries.

It is imperative that higher education in South Africa can no longer take the disposition that placed research and development in contrast to one another. Rather, it should take the stand that the outputs of institutions should have a strong:

· Social development and application in which the simultaneous promotion and integration of education, scientific research and production occurs;

· Science and Technology Financial Management Support System in place in order to create a safe and secure research environment for academics; and

· Set of ” Key State Laboratories” where research and education of strategic importance to the development and well-being of the country can be carried out.

Conclusion

South Africa institutions of higher education currently rated only among the top 40 of the world’s host countries. An urgent need exist to rethink and reformulate the educational thinking models of institutions of higher education in South Africa. Because of the changing political situation accompanied by a changing global economy, many traditional ways in which institutions of higher education were previously governed will change. Unless institutions of higher education in South Africa succeed to internationalize successfully, huge opportunities to earn foreign currencies using higher education as a trade commodity will be lost.

Jan Grundling is the Head of the Centre for Entrepreneurship at Tshwane University of Technology in South Africa. He has published extensively in accredited Journals nationally and internationally.

Now I’m sure that you know what a fashion show is but have you ever been to one? Most of you probably think that fashion shows are only for the rich and I will admit at one time that was mostly true but of late I have seen that change immensely. These fun functions have been geared more for the Rich at “Heart” as well as the Rich of pocket book. So if you enjoy fun, fashion and your own piece of the fashion world then get out and partake in one.

“Why should I attend a fashion show?” Well you don’t exactly need a reason to attend one as long as you remember that they are for everyone and anybody. And if your feeling uneasy and have a fear of the unknown join some friends and attend one or better yet go alone and gather up the fashions for you while making new friends. Need other suggestions, read on

You may not wind up making any purchases from the numerous designers carrying their latest trends but one thing for sure is you will learn what is popular and selling. And this alone is a great reason to attend especially if you own or run a clothing store, fashion store or even a clothing accessory store. You’ll want to make sure your stores are selling what is selling nationally and locally and stocked with the latest fashions. Attending any fashion show can help improve your business, by becoming the store that is sought after for stocking the styles and fashions most wanted in your area.

For those of you that do attend fashion shows for business reasons, including fashion consultants, you may want to think about attending a fashion show. While these shows are basically immersing us with the latest fashion trends, you will also encounter upcoming designers and their fashion trends as well. Fashion shows are a great source of knowledge for improving one’s fashion sense and whether your business is one of providing expert knowledge of fashion or wanting to appear as such, you best attend. Fashion shows are not only formatted for the demur frame but can also focus on plus sized clothing, work wear, swimwear, eveningwear, weddings, men, and teens.

Those businesses’ that are fashion related most definitely benefit from fashion shows. But that is not to say that you cannot also benefit from attending fashion shows. If you want to look your best and learn how to use the latest trends to accomplish that you may want to attend a fashion show. If your wardrobe is lacking or you don’t really know how to put your wardrobe together to make the pieces you purchase work better together and go farther have no fear there is a fashion show out there to help you learn what you need. You will find that the more you attend fashion shows the more your closets begin to work better for.

All learning and business sense aside Fashion Shows are a fun time. And everyone at one time or another is looking to have a good time. Why not incorporate that with a few friends and you have a fun filled fashion experience. Did you know that fashion shows are held in numerous locations as well as formats? Well of course you know they are held in the fashion capital cities like New York and Paris, but these fashion shows can also be held locally. If you’re up for attending these shows in New York, Paris or even at your local shopping mall, a memorable and fun experience will surely be had by all of you.

Remember “Why do I have to attend a fashion show?” Well, you really do not need to have a reason to attend a fashion show. If you want to attend even if it is to see what it is all about you will want to start making plans to attend as soon as possible.

Gregg Hall is an author living with his beautiful wife and family in Navarre Beach, Florida. Find more about style as well as fashion accessories at http://www.styleandentertainment.com

The Image: Jacques, the manager of a huge large pipe manufacturing business describes team dynamics.

“A pipe, no matter how thick or long it is, is only as strong and reliable as its thinnest, weakest part. All our pipes come out looking great on the surface. It’s only when we put them through our scanners that we can see whether the pipe is fit for shipping. So, too, like our teams. We only know how competent, strong and functional they are under the stresses and strains of everyday manufacturing demands. Sometimes they just blow up!”

What A Team Is: A group of individuals working in sync, with competence and motivation to accomplish a common objective. A high performing team has a dynamic, sometimes conflicted, energy that propels it forward in the service of achieving its purposes.

A Group is Like: A bunch of people on a bus. All heading in the same direction. Driven by the bus driver. People don’t talk with each other. They get on and off as they please. The only commonality is the vehicle.

Key Action Words/Phrases of A Team: Accountability. Self-responsibility. Conflict. Problem-solving. Clear Objectives. Formal leader. Informal leaders. Celebration. Temporary. Individual roles are critical to and subordinate to team goals.

“I” is each of the parts that forms the “we” that pull together to make it about the bigger “us.”

Working Images of Teams: Cirque de Soleil. Top Gun. An aircraft carrier. A surgical team. A flash mob dance.

Dysfunctional Groups: The Senate. Detroit Lions Football Team.

Each individual on a team is responsible for the approach, achieving the assigned goals and the internal processes that helps or hinders progress.

Business is a team sport. Actually life is a team sport — a fact which many people ignore at their peril.

A team without a leader is like a child without a supervising adult. The best teams are self-governed and enforce their own peer-based discipline and they have a formal leader to guide them. The Miami dolphins without Don Shula would not have had a no-loss season. Microsoft with Bill Gates? Apple sans Steve jobs?

A team generates and regulates a sense of unity among its disparate individuals. It also leverages individual performances into team accountability and outcomes.

Without an effective management team a company will not likely be able to develop its teams.

Incompetence flows downhill.

Policies and corporate strategies do not a high performance team culture make.

Managers, as team leaders, have the tension-filled, opposing challenge of exercising the right authority and inclusiveness. That’s the art.

It is best when a team sets its own goals and processes based upon the inputs from its members. That’s the science.

A well-mixed team made up of individuals with differing style and skills, and who are committed to the team, can produce for the organization.

A high functioning team is flexible enough to shift – sometimes smoothly, sometimes with turbulence — leadership roles among the members to fit the situation.

To get your FR.EE Instant Copy of — A TASTE of GENIUS — an introduction to building team competencies and motivation for fun and profit. Go to http://www.subject2change.ca

From Dr. Jim Sellner, PhD.,DipC. — working with Zoomers & Super Zoomers managers to experience more joy, health and a sense of abundance.

Good question, considering that nowadays you can find many

useful resources to help you write your own resume

(including many located at http://www.impressive-resumes.com).

A professionally written resume might be just what you need.

On the other hand, perhaps you can easily write your own

resume using a resume template or commercially available

resume writing software. How do you decide which is right

for you?

Here are a few questions you can ask yourself to help you

decide.

* “Do I have the time to do the job right?”

If you want to create a resume that works, i.e. one that

captures the attention of a hiring manager during a 10

second initial “toss or keep” scan, you need to be willing

to invest some time. Depending on your comfort level, your

familiarity with resume design factors and how well you’re

organized, this can take anywhere from a couple of hours to

several days or more.

If you have the time, energy, focus and desire to learn how

to write an effective resume, you’re probably a good

candidate to do it yourself. If you’re really not ready to

devote the time and effort, you’d be better served by

allowing a professional resume writer to write it for you.

* “Can I afford the services of a professional resume writer?”

If you’re on a no kidding shoestring budget, writing your

own resume is probably the way to go. But most people are

surprised at how inexpensive and easy it is to hire a

professional resume writer who can write a truly effective

resume. Chances are good that there’s room in your budget

for a professionally written resume, especially considering

that the right career step could pay back your investment a

thousand times over (or more).

You’ve probably already spent tens of thousands of dollars

on your education, (not to mention incredible amounts of

sweat equity) to get where you are today. The small amount

of additional money you spend on a professionally written

resume may just be the best career advancement investment

you’ll ever make.

* “What makes a resume writer a “professional” writer?

There are several well known professional resume writing

organizations through which individuals can attain

professional resume writing credentials. These include the

National Resume Writers’ Association (NRWA) and the

Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career

Coaches (PARW/CC). Individuals who attain accreditation from

these organizations have demonstrated an in depth knowledge

of the resume writing process. The writers at

http://www.impressive-resumes.com are certified by one or more

such organizations.

* “What are some of the benefits of hiring a professional

resume writer to write my resume for me?”

There are many. You’ll likely save time and almost certainly

money in the long run. You’ll avoid making one or more of

the common resume writing mistakes that so many people make

when writing their own resumes. You’ll enjoy the peace of

mind that comes with knowing your resume was “done right”

from the beginning. You’ll be able to devote more time to

doing all the other things required of you when looking for

a new job. And you’ll have someone in your court who has

your best career interests at heart.

* “How do I work with a professional resume writer?”

Nowadays you no longer need to meet with a resume writer in

person or by telephone to conduct an interview. You can

order an online resume and complete your interview

conveniently on your own schedule. In fact, purchasing an

online resume that is written by a professional resume

writer is one of the nice things about the online world. The

whole process is built around YOU. You and the professional

resume writer working with you always have the option to

communicate by telephone or email if additional information

is required.

Copyright 2005 by Vincent Czaplyski, all rights reserved.

You may republish this article in its entirety, as long as

you include the complete signature file above without

modification.

Copywriter and consultant Vincent Czaplyski is founder of http://www.impressive-resumes.com, your online source for professionally written “industrial strength” resumes and cover letters guaranteed to land you an interview.

Whether we like it or not, the truth is that the lives of celebrities are scrutinized with magnifying glass-curiosity by the paparazzi, the media and fans alike. In fact, celebrities rule the airwaves and gossip columns today. Every little detail of a celebrity’s life is usually big news among the public at large, and one such aspect is the celebrity wedding rings flashed by our favorite star couples. Among the ardent fans of celebrities, are couples who would love nothing more than to own and wear celebrity weddings bands, as similar as possible to the ones worn by their celebrity heroes.

The fact remains that today many couples wish to be different in terms of their wedding styles, themes and even their wedding rings. It is specifically such couples who are also choosing celebrity wedding rings. If you and your partner wish to own and wear celebrity wedding bands as close as possible to those worn by your favorite celebrity couples, there are some simple ways to do this. For a start, you may color-copy, or scan the designs of the celebrity wedding rings worn by the particular celebrity couple from a close-up of the same, published in any glossy, celebrity magazine. If you succeed in getting a reasonably, legible scanned picture or laser color-copy, you can get an experienced designer of celebrity wedding bands to come up with a more detailed, illustration.

There are several jewelers who can come up with prototypes of the final designs you present to them. Such jewelers can then easily make your celebrity wedding bands at a cost far cheaper than the originals of your favorite star couple. On the other hand, there are also several certified, jewelers who have a range of celebrity wedding rings that are identical to the ones worn by top celebrities, although not necessarily of the same precious metal or gemstone authenticity. The advantage here is, that you will not only have celebrity wedding bands that are virtually identical copies to their celebrity-worn originals, but at a price far less than their originals.

Perhaps, why many young couples are desirous of having look-alike, celebrity wedding rings, is that it gives them a sense of confidence, style, sophistication, and, above all, the satisfaction of being different. Thankfully, with the widespread interest among people in the lives of celebrities, coupled with the power of the media, the opportunities to find actual photographs of the celebrity wedding rings and reproduce them have become extremely easy. While it’s true that original, celebrity wedding rings or celebrity wedding bands, cost enormous sums of money, inexpensive, copies of such wedding rings can be made by any experienced and professional jeweler, using cheaper grades of metal and gemstones.

In the final analysis however, celebrity wedding rings will certainly reflect your sense of style, personality and taste and that of your partner’s, as well as give the overall atmosphere of the wedding you’ve planned, a degree of sophistication. However, what matters most is, the love that you and your partner share. After all, the real celebrities … are you.

Wedding Rings
Celebrity Wedding Rings To Die For!

Like any industry, Internet Marketing has its own special

marketing tools and methods. Many of these marketing tools

may already be familiar to you: autoresponders, SEO software,

link-building systems, content management programs,

affiliate software… and the list goes on.

However, Internet Marketing has other more effective,

non-traditional marketing tools every marketer should

know about if they want to reach their full potential as

online marketers. Some of these marketing tools come cleverly

disguised or camouflaged, with many surfers or customers

completely unaware that they’re receiving a sales-pitch.

Yet, these innocent and simple sales techniques are some

of the most effective marketing tools on the web.

For anyone involved in Internet Marketing or for anyone

wishing to become involved, a quick rundown of these

marketing tools may prove helpful. Here’s a brief list

and a few pointers on how to effectively use these

marketing tools.

1. Domain Name

Lets start at the very beginning. Your domain name should be

considered your first Internet marketing tool. Pick it right

and your domain name can also be your most effective marketing

tool. Get it wrong and it may spell game over.

Most marketers agree you should pick a short memorable

keyword-related domain name. For example, http://www.hotels.com,

it’s easy to remember/spell and it tells you exactly what

the site is about. Picking a domain directly related to the

keyword or keywords of your site will help greatly in obtaining

a high ranking for your site with the search engines. Not to

mention, it will be a great marketing and promotional tool,

telling your potential customers exactly what your site is

promoting and displaying.

On the other hand, some marketers suggest you opt for a short

jazzy name that can be easily remembered by your visitors.

Ebay, Google, Napster, Yahoo… regardless of which route you

take, make sure you examine all the marketing potential before

you pick your domain name. The right domain name can be one

of your most effective marketing tools on the world wide web.

Many experts also suggest you only set up a dedicated server

for your domain or domains. A dedicated server only carries

one domain. Most hosting companies (for economic reasons)

often share hosting servers, i.e. your domain is co-hosted

with hundreds of other domains on the same server. Since you

will be using the same IP address this may have dire consequences

if one of the domains is accused of spamming or some other

unscrupulous behavior. Even if you can’t afford a dedicated

server, it would be wise (for SEO purposes) to have a separate

IP address for each domain you own. Most hosting companies

provide this service for a small fee.

2. Keywords

Keywords, what surfers type into search engines to find what

they’re looking for, are the real building blocks of the web.

They are the single most important element in any online

marketing venture. Pick the right keywords and you’re in

business, pick the wrong keywords and again, it’s game over.

Therefore, you must have special keyword software or use some

online sites or services to help you pick the right keywords.

Many top marketers use WordTracker.com, GoodKeywords.com,

or the new Keyword Elite by Brad Callen. A superior keyword

research product will supply valuable information: number

of searches made each month, amount of competition and the

top sites targeting your keywords.

Remember, you must target the right keywords with your site

or online marketing. Targeted keywords draw targeted traffic

(customers) to your sites or products. The right keyword software

or program will have a direct correlation to the success

or failure of your online marketing efforts. So choose wisely!

3. Articles

Many marketers believe in and rely upon purely organic SEO

techniques for marketing their sites. One simple method of

organic SEO is writing and submitting keyword related

articles around the topic of your website with links back

to your site. As other sites display your articles you gain

valuable one-way links back to your site. Search engines then

follow all of these links and rank your site highly for the

keywords in these articles. For this reason the modest article

may prove to be the single most important marketing tool you

have in your arsenal.

As your site becomes highly ranked for these keywords, other

sites will want to link to your site in order to become

optimized for those same keywords… article keyword marketing

is one of the most effective Internet marketing tools at your

disposal. Used properly if can position your site in the search

engines and bring in all that highly prized targeted traffic.

Keep in mind, many Internet marketers have side-stepped the

whole SEO optimization process by going directly to search

engines and buying their traffic with PPC pay-per-click

advertising. Overture and Google Adwords program are good

examples of this method. Marketers bid on clicks to their

site’s keywords and bring in targeted customers. In

knowledgeable hands, PPC marketing is an extremely

effective and lucrative marketing tool.

4. Lists

The backbone of any Internet marketing system is the list.

It is another marketing tool you can’t do without. The list

is simply a large database of contacts, people who have

given you permission to email or contact them. These are

subscribers who have opted-in to your ezine or newsletter.

Most successful marketers keep countless different databases

for each product or topic they’re targeting with their marketing.

Ezines or newsletters are vital Internet Marketing tools that

no online business should ignore. It is essential you keep in

contact/touch with your past and future customers. You must

build an ongoing relationship and connection with your customers.

Besides your ezine or newsletter, many marketers also set up

lists of affiliates to help promote and sell their products.

Never underestimate the power of an affiliate system as an

effective marketing tool. It is the stuff Empires are made of!

Once a marketer has acquired a large list of loyal contacts

or affiliates — the flood waters open up. Opportunities for

JVs or Joint Ventures with other online marketers make for

serious cash flow.

5. Blogs And RSS Feeds

Blogging and RSS feeds have become essential marketing

tools for savvy online marketers. Online journals or blogs

are all the rage, especially in the marketing field. These

blogging systems such as WordPress are great content

management tools that will quickly build a content-rich

site, pulling in targeted traffic from the search engines.

Search engines are enamored with blogs and RSS feeds mainly

because blogs provide fresh content, the main lifeblood

of every good search engine. For this reason no site should be

without a blog and RSS feed, it will keep your content

regularly visited and indexed by the search engines. In

addition, all that information and content is a perfect tool

for drawing potential customers to your products and services.

Along with your domains, lists, keywords, and articles —

blogs are effective marketing tools that will play an

important role in the success of your online marketing.

In the right hands, these Internet marketing tools can

work magic on any company’s bottom line. They are some

of Internet Marketing’s most effective tools.

You don’t have to think outside of the box, you just have

to know what makes up the box!

—-
The author runs an Internet Marketing website featuring all the latest marketing tools and techniques. Click here to visit Internet Marketing Tools

Copyright © 2006 Titus Hoskins. This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached. Anyone wishing to learn about Internet Marketing and don’t want to spend a bundle should try these: Free Internet Marketing Courses

People like to shop online for gadgets, supplies and other items that can be a chore to bring home from a store or shopping centre. With more people realising the potential of online shopping, more types of dealers are setting up shop behind a website of their own, including numerous merchants within the pet supplies industry.

Pet supply stores can be low in number in your area and may not offer a very fine selection for your pet. Some people may not even know what supplies to get for their pet. Online shops provide greater options and can lead you to better products if you learn the basics on how to shop for these supplies. These tips should put you in the right direction to quality supplies.

Find Local Dealers

Finding local based dealers online should be your first step because the support teams behind the shop are more accessible and the shipping costs are most likely lower. Some of these pet supply stores may sell items that come from premium manufacturers while others may offer some of the products that you can only find internationally which could be even better if your budget allows.

Look for Product Reviews

No matter what types of supplies are being sold, you won’t be able to tell if these products are actually good. Don’t let the online store do the talking because they are more focused on making you buy as many pet supplies as you can. Some online sites may have a comment area where people can post their feedback on certain pet supplies. If comments aren’t available, do an Internet search on the product name and see what others have to say about these pet supplies.

Compare with International Dealers

You might find an international dealer that sells the same items that local dealers offer along with newer or more improved pet supplies. If the online retailer has a good reputation in selling quality pet supplies to international consumers, this may be the better dealer for you if the price difference isn’t much. Just keep in mind that items coming from international dealers may take longer.

Take Advantage of Voucher Codes

Some online pet supply stores drive attraction to customers in the form of voucher codes where a code needs to be inputted for some bonuses to take place such as discounts, free gift items, or free shipping. Taking advantage of several voucher codes can stack up to more savings that you can use to buy more pet supplies.

Concentrate on a Single Online Store

You might end up ordering from two different stores because they offer different supply products. While this method should be fine in getting exactly what you need, it is much easier to concentrate on a single store so you can easily fill up your shopping cart with everything you need and then enjoy a lower shipping cost for all of the goods combined.

With enough time dedicated to finding a good pet supplies shop and eliminating the rest, you can already cease your occasional visits to your local pet supplies store and do everything online.

Vincent Norman is a freelance writer living in the UK. He regularly contributes articles for The Online Shopping Centre, who offer the best range of top quality stores for Online Pet Stores.

Politics have been a part of Chicago for some time. By politics we mean the heated politics of Chicago. From the University of Chicago, which has seen some great political leaders, to the leaders of Chicago in the past who were known to have mob connections, Chicago has been a political firecracker for some time.

They say that the two things you should never discuss are politics and religion, but that does not stop a lot of the talk of the heated politics of Chicago. Many people want to know Chicago politics inside and out, and want to know what the big news for the city’s political scene is. This love for the Chicago political scene is something many in the city share. However, finding people to talk to about politics can be extremely difficult to do.

Just as the history of Chicago has been very diverse, so have its political views. The politics of Chicago have not only been heated, but have led to impacts in the nation that is here today. They have also laid the groundwork to a number of events that would be factors in the world as a whole as a well. Some of the newer cities of the United States have to give thanks to some of the greater minds and political views of the Windy City.

In recent years, some of the greats in the corporate world and political world have sought places in the Southwestern United States. Some have seen this as a means of fleeing the fires that they fueled in Chicago, other have merely seen this as them wanting to have a transition to the next stage of their lives. The heated politics of Chicago can literally eat someone alive and spit out the remains without a second thought. That is part of what makes Chicago one of the political centers and also one of the hot spots for change in the Midwest.

Many have seen the legendary Al Capone as a nightmare in the streets of Chicago, and have seen how he would consume the legal system. One can’t say Capone’s name though without mentioning how he was the catalyst in the creation of the FBI. This level of corruption that Capone brought forth also instigated a higher level of how politics were viewed in Chicago and how the dirty politicians were dealt with. In the bluntest of terms, just as the Chicago sports fans won’t tolerate verbal jabs; the political arena of Chicago is no different.

Some have seen that Chicago is one of the harder roads for politicians, yet it is also a road that had garnered a higher level of respect of the politicians that have surfaced from the torrents of the political world there. This has been a city that has shown what a cut throat environment politics can be and also where a politician can be revered by those that support them.

The author runs a website about Chicago politics. This has been truer with the rich political history that Chicago offers and the direct impact it has had on both the state and Federal government.

With many people struggling to make ends meet and TV adverts with catchy jingles tempting you to sell your car for quick cash, it can seem appealing. Your car (next to your house) is probably your most expensive piece of equity and with this in mind, it can be tempting to sell it, purchase a cheaper make or model and pocket the difference.

Car auctions, whether they be physical or on-line, can be a good way of selling your car, safe in the knowledge that an experienced auctioneer has yours, and the auction house’s, best interest at heart. You may think that these things do not always necessarily go hand in hand but bear in mind that the auction house will take a percentage of the purchase price (buyers fee) as commission so it is in their interest to get you as much money as possible!

So, let’s start with the basics:

What is a car auction?

Car auctions have a long history within the automotive industry with many different types of business using them to either sell excess stock or purchase new stock for resale.

They are extremely popular in the USA and Japan and are gaining popularity in the UK where they are no longer seen as dirty places. This is mainly thanks to the industry making a concerted effort to change the reputation of the sector and make it more appealing to all people, not just those ‘in the trade’.

Car auctions sell cars, commercial vehicles, motorcycles, plant equipment, and some of them will also sell large goods vehicles and possibly caravans and motor homes.

Auction houses do not own the vehicles which they sell. They merely act as a shop front for many different types of seller. These can include leasing companies, fleet management companies, dealer groups, banks and financial institutions, governmental bodies, police, and of course private individuals.

Let’s look at each of these different sellers more closely:

Leasing Companies

Leasing companies rent vehicles to companies or private drivers for a set period of time (sometimes as little as 1 year) so the vehicles put into auction are usually young models with a good mileage and because the cars are usually leased from new, they may have only had one person driving them whilst going to a meeting twice a week! When the lease or rental period ends, leasing companies will enter their old stock into auction as their customers are more interested in leasing brand new vehicles. These companies are usually owned by banks or financial institutions.

Fleet Management Companies

These are similar to Leasing companies in that they lease their stock to organisations but differ in that they will supply their customers with a whole fleet of cars and manage that fleet on behalf of their client. Again, when the rental period for the fleet ends, the companies wish to take advantage of the capital wrapped up in their stock in order to replace it with new models.

Dealer Groups

If you have ever part exchanged your old car at one of the large, glass fronted dealers or showrooms, chances are it has subsequently been put into auction and sold. Dealer groups will also enter old or unsold stock (known as overage) from their forecourts in order to keep their showrooms looking fresh with the latest that the manufacturer(s) have to offer. Of course, buying a vehicle at auction which has been entered by a dealer group can be a bit riskier than the leasing or fleet companies as if someone has part exchanged their old car, you have to ask yourself why did they do it, what sort of person where they, how well did they keep it and how many previous keepers has it had?

Banks and financial institutions

Banks and financial institutions can fall into fleet and leasing companies as many of them have these elements within their respective corporate families and follow the same trends. However, banks can also enter cars into auctions that have been repossessed from their customers after defaults on loan or mortgage repayments. Obviously a car itself is of little or no interest to a bank, they are only interested in the value and the money which can be made from it.

Governmental bodies

Government bodies will run fleets of cars for their staff and key executives and will update this fleet on a regular basis with the old stock being put into auction. Separate Government departments will also enter a wide range of vehicles at auction from ex-defence Land Rovers or staff cars, to lawn mowers and diggers used on the local playing fields or in the local cemetery! Local Government may also enter cars into auction that have been seized by bailiffs follow non payment of bills such as Council Tax (depending on the Local Authority in question, these can be quite high end models).

Police

Police forces will auction vehicles seized from convicted criminals to either compensate victims, break up an illegal estate or regain public money gained fraudulently. The police also auction a variety of other items seized for similar reasons and may do this through an auction house or by holding their own property auctions. As well as these lots, all police forces will also run a fleet of undercover or unmarked vehicles and these will need to be constantly updated, with the old stock being put into auction to raise funds for the force.

Private individuals

This is the category of seller that we are really interested in. Private sellers can enter and purchase cars from auction and if their car is not sold first time round, they can tell the auction house to keep putting it in until they receive an acceptable bid. Be warned though, auction houses will charge you for each time they enter the car so if you have sold your car after a couple of sales, you may want to check your reserve price or rethink your options.

How does it work?

Most auctions work on the same principal; your prospective buyers bid against one another, raising the amount which they offer with each new bid they make until their competitors drop out and they are left as the highest bidder. All of your bidders will be in the auction hall (although an online element is becoming increasing popular) and all bids are made in the open. This type of auction is known as an ‘English Auction and its formula applies to the majority of vehicle auctions.

When your vehicle arrives at the auction centre, it will be inspected by the auctions technicians who will highlight any scratches, dents, scuffs, rust, etc and value the overall damage costs. It can be important to consider this when you think about your reserve as trade buyers will have a good idea of the vehicles value and of the damage costs and will factor this into their bidding. The damage cost will not be shown to any buyers, it is purely for the auction house’s records.

Your car will then be photographed and ‘lotted’, the process whereby your car is entered into a sale. It will be assigned a lot number and will be placed in the auctions yard to be viewed by the buyers.

At the same time, your vehicles details will be published online for buyers to look at before they arrive at the auction. This is a good way of building interest in your car and most auction houses will send our copies of their latest catalogues to their buyers.

You should do your best to ensure that you car is entered with all of the paperwork and material which you have relating to it:

• V5c Registration Document
• Hand book
• Any other manuals (SatNav, radio, etc)
• Service book
• Historic garage receipts of details of work carried out
• Locking wheel nut key (if your car has one)
• Any other information or items that came with your car when you bought it

All of these things are important to buyers and if you were buying a car, you would expect to have everything that you could have relating to it so think of these when you enter your car.

Of course, you will also have to leave your key and any spares with the auction.

In the auction halls…

When your vehicle is lining up to be driven into the auction halls, buyers will start to look closely at the car, looking for any damage and they may open the doors to look at the interior. Buyers are not usually allowed to test drive cars or look under the bonnet so this process of final inspection is important to them.

Once your car is in place in front of the auctioneer, the cars details and any special features, such as extra interior features, alloy wheels, etc, will be read to the audience. The auctioneer will then start the bidding with an opening bid below your reserve. If there is a great deal of interest in your car, bids can rise fast with many people competing. Eventually, the auctioneer may drop the increases in size to amounts that the last couple of bidders feel more comfortable with. This could mean that you see increases of £50 for your car rather than the £500s you were seeing right at the start. The buyer with the final highest bid has now bought your car as long as their highest bid was over your reserve. At this point the buyer has entered into a legal contract.

If the final highest bid did not quite meet your reserve, the auctioneer may class this a provisional bid and the auction will then attempt to negotiate between you and the buyer. At this point, you can ask for more money or demand that your reserve be met. If you go too high and the buyer pulls out, the sale will fall through. It is a balancing act between what the buyer is prepared to offer and the minimum amount you are willing to accept.

If you reach an agreement, the sale will go through as normal.

If agreement cannot be reached, you have the option to take your car out of future auctions and keep it, or enter it again in the hope of getting a better bid. Hopefully this won’t happen and you will sell your car but if you have to consider this you should remember that many auctions are used by motor traders who attend most weeks and if they see the same car go through each week, they will be less inclined to offer a high bid. Auctions will also charge you for each time you enter your car, with some also charging storage after a certain amount of time and sales, so you should consider these costs when thinking of the money you intend to make from the sale.

How much will it cost?

The fee to enter your car in an auction can range from £15-£30 depending on the size and reputation of the auction house and will be deducted from the total sale value of the car. This fee will be payable each time you enter your car in to a sale if it does not sell.

On top of this, there will also be commission deducted from the sale price. This will be on an increasing scale and will depend on the sale price of the vehicle in question. Always check with the auction house before you enter your vehicle and shop around the auction houses local to you to get the best deal.

After the sale

Assuming that a deal has been reached or that your vehicle sold straight away, the auction will not give any of the vehicles paperwork to the new buyer until full payment has been made. Once this happens, the auction will pass all material relating to the car to the buyer.

Most auction companies will also deal with the legal change in ownership on your behalf and will communicate the sale to DVLA Swansea with the vehicles V5c Registration Document on your behalf, as you do not know the buyers details. Some auctions charge for this service so check at time of entry.

Car auction companies are usually pretty quick in sending you the money for your car and can be as quick as a couple of days after the sale, usually by cheque or bank transfer. The entry charges and commission taken by the auction will usually be details on a remittance advice sent to you once your money has been sent to you.

Other things to consider:

When you are thinking of putting your car into an auction, you may want to think of these things which can increase your chances of getting a sale:

• Is the interior clean?
• Having crisp packets, drinks bottles or cigarette ends n the ashtray is not appealing and you would not by a car like that so why would anyone else?
• Do you smoke in your car?
• If you smoke in your car, try to banish the smell of stale smoke as best you can. Smoking in cars can also lead to burns on seats, trim and just about anywhere else so be aware of them.
• Have you got a complete or good service history on your car?

Buyers look at the service history on your car to see how it has been kept. A good service history usually mean that the rest of the car has been looked after properly. Main dealer stamps are highly sought in service history but your local approved garage will suffice.

Is there any tax left on your car?

Selling a car with tax allows the buyer to drive away with that car on the day they bought it. If your car does not have tax, they buyer will need to insure it, then sort out the tax before they can drive it. Since auction houses will not pass any vehicle documents to the buyer before full payment is made, this can lead to a great deal of hassle for the buyer as they will have to go away, sort the insurance, come back and pay for the car, go away and sort the tax (now that they have the MOT certificate), come back and finally drive away.

Trade buyers buying many cars will not worry about the hassle factor too much as they will get their new cars delivered by transporter, it mainly matters to them for the resale value which tax can add onto their forecourts.

When does the MOT run out (or does it even have one?)

Selling your car with MOT gives your car a boost in auction as buyers will just see it as an added expense if it does not have one. Your buyer will also need to have a valid MOT before they can ensure the car!

Are there cosmetic things that could be tidied or corrected before you enter it?

Are there stains on seats or interior trim that can be removed? Is there a brake light bulb that could be replaced? Are there stickers on the windows that could be removed?

Is it worthwhile sorting out that scratch before you enter it?

Getting a small scratch or dent repaired before you enter your car can increase the chances of it selling as it will not be noted on the damage report (as long as it is a good job!)

Do you have a spare key, SatNav disk, or old garage bills in the back of a cupboard somewhere?

You should do your upmost to ensure that you give everything associated with your car to the auction along with your vehicle. Things like spare keys add to the value and old garage receipts let your buyer know exactly what has been done, added, changed or mended to their new car as well as who done it.

Obviously, if your car has built in SatNav, you should include the disk for this along with any instruction manuals.

Remember, auction houses will inspect your car and so will our buyers sonly sort out scratches or other problems if you feel you can be a good job of it otherwise it just means that someone else has to redo your attempt meaning more cost and time!

This article is only meant as a guide as all auction companies have different processes, fees, client base and ethos but I hope that this article has given you some insight into the considerations of selling your car, van, lorry, tractor (or any other vehicle) at a car auction and if you do decide to follow this route, good luck!

In my next article, I will be talking about how an auction works from the buyers side.

T. Mapes
tom.mapes@sky.com

Introduction

Developing healthy peer relationships is critical for the normal development of a child. Peer relationships have been found to be an important predictor of positive adult adjustment and behavior. Difficulty in finding friends leads to feelings of low self-esteem and these feelings usually continue into adulthood.

Children with poor social skills are at risk for delinquency, academic underachievement, and school drop out. Even though the inattentiveness, impulsiveness, and restlessness frequently persist into adult life, these problems are of less importance as the child gets older. Rather, the main difficulty ADHD patients encounter as they reach maturity is their inability to interact appropriately with others.

ADHD children often lack the social skills that are essential to success in life. These children can be socially inept, and their lack of interpersonal skills may cause them a multitude of difficulties. In addition, positive relationships with friends in childhood provide a critical buffer against stress and help to protect against psychological and psychiatric problems. ADHD children lack these positive interactions and thus are at risk for a number of emotional problems.

Probably 60% of ADHD children suffer from peer rejection. ADHD children are less often chosen by peers to be best friends, partners in activities, or seatmates. As the children grow older, their social problems seem to get worse. Their inappropriate behavior leads to further social rejection and exacerbates their inability to relate to others appropriately. Long term these children are more likely to have difficulty finding and maintaining successful careers. This is not surprising since social aptitude can make or break careers and relationships in the adult world.

Causes of Poor Peer Relationships

ADHD children are frequently disliked or neglected by their peers. It is difficult to determine all the factors that make a child unpopular, but children who frequently display aggressive or negative behavior tend to be rejected by their peers.

Impulsivity and Aggression

ADHD children tend to be more impulsive and aggressive than other children. Teachers observe that the social interactions of ADHD children more often involve fighting and interrupting others. These children are more intense than others and behave inappropriately in social contexts. For example, ADHD children are more likely to yell, run around and talk at unsuitable times. They also tend to want to dominate play, engage in off task behaviors and engage more in teasing and physical jostling of peers. This sets up a process of peer rejection.

Academic Problems

ADHD children often do not do well in school. Poor school performance by itself does not result in social rejection. However, the way the child responds to his academic difficulties can contribute to inappropriate social behavior. Children who cannot engage themselves with classroom work assignments often disrupt and irritate their peers.

Inattention

ADHD children have difficulty with sustained attention. Deficit in attention seems to be related to peer rejection independently of the aggressive, impulsive, and hyperactive behaviors of ADHD children. These children become bored more easily than other children. As a result, they are more likely to become disruptive in the classroom.

ADHD children have difficulty in modulating their behavior and changing their conduct as the situation demands. They have apparent social-cognitive deficits that limit their ability to encode and recall rules of social cues. Children with ADHD pay less attention to others verbally in games and other activities.

Many ADHD children are aware that they are socially inept. Children who are anxious or fearful about peer relations are unlikely to behave in an effective manner. These children withdraw from peer interactions and, in this way, limit their ability to gain acceptance and friendship.

Children are rejected by peers when they appear to be different. Similarity fosters social acceptance. Because ADHD children do not learn social clues as well as other children, they tend to be viewed as strange.

Bad Behavior

One of the keys to your child’s social success is proper behavior. If your ADHD or ODD child frequently misbehaves, it is your obligation as a parent to teach your child how to improve his behavior.

If your child is aggressive or defiant, if he does not accept the authority of adults, or if he conducts himself in a such a way that children his age will view him as a behavior problem, then your child will have a difficult time making and maintaining friendships. The friends he will attract are other aggressive problem children, the type of child with whom which you would rather your child not associate.

All children need friends. Behavior problem children have trouble making friends with others, so these children tend to congregate together. They reinforce each other’s bad behavior. If you are an aware parent and you have control of your child you can put a stop to friendships with these children. However, you must have control of your child’s behavior in order to help him to avoid the trap of bad friends.

Conclusion

Helping children with ADHD build close peer relationships is an important goal to focus on, and is one that often may be over looked. You, as a parent, have the ability to help your child accomplish this important social goal. You should make every effort to help your child in this area. His psychological health and his happiness, both now and in the future, are very much dependent upon how successful he is at making and maintaining childhood friendships.

About The Author

Anthony Kane, MD is a physician, an international lecturer, and director of special education. He is the author of a book, numerous articles, and a number of online programs dealing with ADHD (addadhdadvances.com/childyoulove.html) treatment, ODD, parenting issues (addadhdadvances.com/betterbehavior.html), and education. You may visit his website at http://addadhdadvances.com. To sign up for the free ADD ADHD Advances online journal send a blank email to: subscribe@addadhdadvances.com?subject=subscribeartcity

akane@addadhdadvances.com

PHP or Hypertext Preprocessor Programming is a server-side Script based programming language. Server-side script means the script that the server possesses before the HTML file containing those scripts are transferred to the browser of the client. Scripts PHP Programming is software programming that is used for web hosting and web developing. However, all web platforms and web servers do not allow PHP programming to be executed in them. Win32 platform is one such web platform where PHP is not possible. Programmers having knowledge of PHP programming have a demand in IT Community.

PHP is popular amongst most web-scripting program present today.

The reason for the popularity is as follows:

The roots of PHP Programs are in C & C++ and finds similarity with C++ and C syntax. It is easy to manipulate and learn for all programmers. The back-end tool for PHP is My SQL. The interfacing property of My SQL, an online database, matches properly with PHP. Webmasters, who want to make their web sites automated, look for My SQL and PHP as the best option for making their website dynamic. Operating System like Windows and Unix supports PHP Programming Language. The output buffering of PHP language is very powerful and helps in increasing output flow. The rearrangements of buffer in internal PHP programming helps the header to be arranged before the contents of the web page.

PHP has a dynamic property and works combined with HTML to display elements dynamic in nature on the web page. PHP has the property to parse codes within its own delimiters. PHP did not parse anything outside of its delimiters and all those elements left are sent into the output.

Varying types of Relational Database Management Systems can combine with PHP programs and run on different popular web servers. The combination also works for different O.S. as well. PHP Program provides quality assurance and is a secured, fast, reliable and a cheap option for developing and hosting applications on the web.

PHP Programming is free and simple to use than their .net-programming counterpart. However, .net-programming allows use of crystals for report creation and a complex system can be easily executed by using .net.

Even SAPI or a command line interface is provided by PHP for desktop applications and shell improvement, parsing of log, daemons etc. it is increasingly being used on command lines which have been conventionally used in shell scripting, Perl, Awk or Python.

The principal focus of web designing using PHP programming has now shifted to server side scripting from the initial focus which was to create dynamic web pages. The PHP program can take out input from different streamed files containing different PHP instructions and can output them or display them in another stream of data.

PHP programming is the new revolution of the world!

Mansi Aggarwal Recommends that you visit www.discussweb.com [http://www.discussweb.com/] for more information on PHP programming [http://www.discussweb.com/] and .net Programming [http://www.discussweb.com/].

Go Kart Engine Diagnostics: Solid State Ignition Failure Detection

I have had a couple of times where I had some dramatic failures occur on my go kart engines. One time I had a chain snap and the chain made a ferocious clunk and then fell off the go kart. The funny thing is that the engine kept running, and I had to shut it off.

I replaced the chain and ran into a peculiar problem. The engine would not start.

This is where most of us, with NO engine experience just throw up our hands and kick the go kart and go away. Then we throw it in the back of the pickup and bring it over to “Smokin Joes Lawnmower Repair.” There we spend about $200 to have the engine fixed.

I am here to tell you forget about going to “Smokin Joes.

First of all a basic understanding of ignition systems is required. (I am assuming that you understand the Otto Cycle or 4 cycle engine theory, so I will dispense with that SnoozeVille explanation)

Ignition systems are basically partial generators. The flywheel has a magnet, and the Magneto has a coil of wire in it.

The theory behind electric current is that when a wire (a simple wire ) is passed through a magnetic field that an electric current is induced into the wire.

And conversely, when a wire is induced with an electric current it gives off a magnetic field.

The Magneto (the device that the spark plug wire comes out of) has a coil of wire in it plus a core of iron to attract or concentrate the magnetic flux lines into the wire.

The wire then gets an instantaneous jump in electricity as the magnetic field in the flywheel passes by it. The sudden increase in electricity is concentrated as high voltage which is released as a spark in the spark plug.

The timing, or the firing of the electricity to the spark plug is regulated by circuitry. This particular circuitry is activated by a small magnetic sensing switch (which looks like a small cylinder of steel tucked in with the coil). When the magnet passes by the magnetic field activates the switch. The switch then releases the coil energy into the spark plug.

The spark plug is nothing more than a glorified jumping bridge for electricity. We all are familiar with this static discharge when we scrub our feet against the floor and the reach out and touch somebody. A spark jumps when we get close, like .125 inches and closer.

The design of the spark plug is to keep the electricity isolated up to the bridge. Once the electricity from behind shoves real hard, it forces the electrons in front to jump. Kind of like getting pushed off of a bridge.

So the white part of the spark plug is non-conductive and an insulator. The metal part is isolated from the rest of the spark plug and only becomes integral when spark completes the circuit or jumps across the gap.

Obviously, sparks cause the right concentration of Oxygen and Combustible gases or even dust, to ignite. Ignition is the excited state of electrons jumping from one molecule to another. This excited state releases heat and light: we call that flame or ionized gas.

Next time we will discuss how to trouble shoot the ignition system so that you do not have to pay Smokin Joes what you just have learned…and will learn.

The Go Kart Guru is a Go Karting Design, Fabrication and Performance specialist. Topics ranging from Turbo Charged Go Karts to Wood Go Karts, the Go Kart Guru has something to say (that will help you!) about it. Visit http://GoKartGuru.com for more details.

And for those with Vertical Lawnmower Engines, there is a special section just for you! Don’t throw away that vertical engine just yet!

Wondering if your marketing message is dancing in the

spotlight right in front of your target market or is busy

cowering by the punch table nowhere near your customer

base? Take this quiz and find out.

1. Overall, you would describe your marketing as:

A. Going strong. You consistently get lots of good leads and

sales from your marketing efforts.

B. Getting better. You’re seeing some positive results, but

you’re always looking for ways to improve.

C. Flat. Your sales are neither growing nor shrinking.

D. Don’t ask.

E. You don’t do much marketing. Or any marketing for that

matter. Customers pretty much find you.

2. Your last marketing campaign was:

A. A huge success. It exceeded your expectations.

B. No complaints. You’re pleased with your results.

C. Not sure. You didn’t notice much change with your sales.

D. A waste of good money.

E. You can’t remember your last campaign. In fact, you don’t

think you’ve ever had one.

3. At the last Chamber of Commerce meeting, you bumped

into a woman who you felt would be your ideal customer.

Her response after you introduce yourself is:

A. “I’m so glad I ran into you. I’ve been meaning to talk to you

in more detail about how your business can help me out.”

B. “Oh, I think I remember hearing about you. Tell me more

about what you do.”

C. “Sorry. What did you say you do again?”

D. “Who are you?”

E. “Excuse me. I need to refill my drink.”

4. While working out at your health club, you find yourself

exercising next to your sister’s new boyfriend. Even though

you know he has no interest in your business, he starts

quizzing you about what you do. After you tell him, he says:

A. “Oh, that’s interesting.” And changes the subject.

B. “Yes, I think I’ve heard about your business.” And

changes the subject.

C. “Yes, I think I saw one of your ads in the paper last week.”

And changes the subject.

D. “Oh course. I’ve been seeing your ads all over the place.”

And changes the subject.

E. Changes the subject.

5. You run into one of your customers at a restaurant. He’s

sitting with a large group of people, but still jumps up to

greet you. When he turns to introduce you to the rest of the

group, he:

A. Describes your business perfectly.

B. Gets it mostly right.

C. Manages to describe one aspect okay, although he got a

couple major points wrong.

D. Described someone else’s business. At least that’s what

you think he was doing. He certainly wasn’t talking about

your business.

E. Didn’t quite get your business’ name right. For that

matter, he didn’t pronounce your name correctly either.

6. You feel like you’re getting your money’s and/or time’s

worth from your marketing efforts:

A. Most definitely.

B. Definitely.

C. Not sure.

D. Don’t want to talk about it.

E. You’re getting a great return — after all, you spend hardly

any time or money marketing so ANY return is huge.

7. Overall, how would you rate your marketing in terms of

meeting your overall business’ goals?

A. Exactly on track.

B. Doing pretty good. For the most part, your marketing is

helping you meet your business’ goals.

C. You’re still in business so you guess something must be

working. Although you’re not exactly sure what.

D. Business isn’t so hot.

E. What goals?

Scoring:

Mostly As. Your marketing message is definitely the life of

the party. It’s getting in front of your target market and your

target market is responding to it. Better yet, you aren’t

wasting your efforts reaching people who have no interest in

what your business does. Great job.

The only caution I would offer is to not allow yourself to be

lulled into a false sense of security. Things change. Markets

shift. Don’t allow your current success to blind you to a new

competitor or a new product or a changing marketing

landscape. History is littered with companies who allowed

themselves to lose market share or even be toppled by a

shift in the marketplace.

Mostly Bs. Your marketing message may not be the star, but

it’s certainly turning heads. While you could be getting more

from your marketing efforts, you’ve definitely accomplished

much. Your target market is both getting the message and

acting on it. You’re seeing a slow and steady growth in your

business.

While everyone would love to the next “overnight” success,

truthfully that’s not terribly realistic. Marketing is about slow

and steady growth – and even an occasional setback. While

huge marketing success is great as a goal, you should be

very pleased with what you’ve accomplished.

Mostly Cs. Your marketing message has about half of its

dance card filled. Your business is flat. Probably as flat as

your marketing. Your business is certainly not growing and

may even be slowly declining.

While there’s nothing wrong with holding the status quo, this

is still a precarious place to be. If you’re not careful, you

could find your business sliding into the “business is not so

good” category.

I would suggest taking a hard look at your marketing

message. Maybe you’re not reaching your target market at

all. Maybe you’re wasting your marketing efforts by getting

your message in front of people who will never buy your

products or services. Or maybe you are finding your target

market, but your marketing message isn’t persuading them

to do business with you. Maybe the marketplace or your

target market is changing. Or maybe it’s a combination of

things.

Mostly Ds. Your marketing message is hiding in the

bathroom and has been there for awhile. This is not a good

place to be, but you already know this. If it isn’t too late, I

would suggest a complete revamp of your entire marketing

plan. Maybe your target market isn’t right. Maybe you have

too much competition. Maybe you’re competing on price

(never a wise selling point). Maybe you’re not differentiating

yourself enough from your competition. Maybe you’re not

explaining your product correctly. Or maybe it’s something

even deeper, a major problem with your product or

business.

But don’t lose heart! It’s still very possible to turn things

around. Remember, all successful people suffered

setbacks (and downright failures) at some point in their

careers. You can make a comeback.

Mostly Es. Your marketing message is still outside looking

for a place to park. Many service-based, single-person

businesses find themselves in this category – for instance

consultants, coaches, graphic designers and (ahem)

copywriters. You never really take the time to put together a

marketing plan or market yourself in any orderly manner.

When work falls into your lap, you happily snatch it up. When

it doesn’t, you find yourself wringing your hands a lot.

Yes, I too was in this category. When I first started my

business, I didn’t write down my goals and promoting

myself was haphazard at best. Believe it or not, I was

actually pretty successful for several years using this model.

I was lucky. I had good, loyal clients who I could count on for

repeat projects.

However, even with good clients, you still end up with the

“feast or famine” business model. Does this sound

familiar? Work starts raining from the heavens, so you hole

yourself in your office and focus on, what else? Getting the

work done. And you’re so busy with paying work, you stop

promoting yourself. When you finish the work, you pick up

your head, look around and discover there’s nothing new

waiting for you. So you rush out, start networking and

contacting people and pretty soon the work is raining down

again. And you stop promoting yourself because you’re busy

and…you get the picture.

In this model, you aren’t really growing your business. You

don’t have time. You’re either doing billable work or looking

for billable work. Even if you use outside help during the

busy times, the busy times don’t last so you can’t build your

business.

Speaking from someone who’s been there, I would strongly,

strongly urge you to take a hard look at your business, your

goals and your marketing model. A regular, sustained

marketing campaign can lead to regular, sustained work.

Your cash flow will even out, and you can start outsourcing

certain tasks on a regular basis so you can start growing

your business.

(A note on Question 4 in case you thought I had the answers

reversed. The point of this question is to find out if you’ve

picked marketing vehicles that are reaching your target

market or if your marketing is so scattered it’s reaching

people who have no interest in purchasing your products

and services. Don’t waste your time and money driving just

anyone to your business – target people who have the

interest and the means to purchase your products and

services.)

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Childcare resources can be hard to find. As a parent, the health and well-being of your children is always your top priority. However, with an ongoing and often prohibitive expense like childcare, money is also an issue in almost all instances. There may be dozens of childcare services that are being promoted within your immediate area, but that doesn’t mean that any specific one is right for you. In order to determine what will best meet the needs of you and your children, you will need to further explore the various options, finding the best fit for your schedule and lifestyle. There are several possibilities.

Childcare Center

A childcare center is the most readily available option in most areas. Daycare centers are also often more affordable. You can expect to see a higher ratio of children to adults, though all the legal mandates of your state will need to be maintained. Before you explore childcare resources, know what those laws are. If you visit a daycare center that does not comply with these regulations, walk away. The safety of your children is not worth the risk. In addition, keep in mind that being exposed to more children can increase the potential for the spread of infectious diseases.

The best daycare centers are very aware and keep hygiene concerns at the top of their minds.

Licensed In-home Care

This option is a middle ground between the institutionalized daycare center and private care. In-home daycare providers are usually required to carry a license from the state in which they operate. Again, getting familiar with these guidelines will be a large part of gathering your childcare resources. Home daycare workers must maintain a smaller ratio of children to adult care providers. These are usually run out of a private home, so the atmosphere is more relaxed and less like an institution. Take the time to carefully interview the provider.

Many in-home daycare caregivers truly love children and desire to offer nurturing and love. However, there are some that are mainly in the work for the money. Obviously, you will probably favor someone with a warm demeanor, who is at ease with your children.

Private Daycare Provider

There is more variation in this category than in any other. Childcare services can be provided by anybody, in any setting. Many parents, for example, find a grandparent or aunt that is available to provide care to their children. Others may find a referral through a mutual friend or via church. Keep in mind that caution should be maintained when using a private care provider.

There is not licensing or training requirements that are necessary for most of these arrangements. Don’t be afraid to extensively interview and ask for references. If you are working with family for your childcare resources, it can save both parties a lot of trouble to have a written payment agreement in place. The fastest way to alienate a family member from caring for your children is to neglect to pay as agreed upon. Luckily, most private providers charge extremely reasonable rates.Depending on where you live and what your local community has to offer, there may be other options. However, these are the three most common types of childcare resources that most parents will be choosing from. Each has their pros and cons and vary in price. Getting familiar with these options will help you select the best childcare services.

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