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Musical instruments for your children

08 Feb

Music is the essence of life and I think that no one is untouched with this beautiful gift given to mankind. Even children also love to play music and enjoy it when they get a chance to do so. For this, you require various expensive musical instruments but what if you make your own music instruments at your home with little efforts? It is a fun and inexpensive idea to make Gongs, xylophones, hummers and triangles for children to play.

1. To make a Gong you need an old pie tin or a lid of a large metal popcorn tin, a metal table knife or spoon for a mallet, a hammer and nail, a string. You have to pound two nail holes on the edge of the pie tin or on the side of the popcorn lid two or three inches apart. Thread the string through the holes and tie a knot. The string should be about 1 to 2 feet long enough so that you can easily hold it without touching the pan or tin. Hit the pan with the spoon or knife and you have a loud sound. To soften the sound, you need to wrap the knife or spoon with a piece of cloth and then use a child socks to cover the knife or spoon.

2. To make a Xylophone you require glass pop bottles of same size and then shape work best for a homemade xylophone and for this purpose, water glasses shall also work. Fill the glasses with different amount of water whereby one bottle should be almost filled to the top and the other one with very little water. The other bottles should vary somewhere in between the two. You can use as many or less bottles as you like. A knife or spoon would wok well as a mallet. Hit the side of the bottle or glass gently as each one shall make a different sound. You can even experiment with different levels of water to decide which note pitch you would like most. If you have a piano or other musical instrument that shall make various pitches then you can tune your bottles or glasses to the instrument.

3. Making a hummer is also very easy where you need to have an empty cardboard toilet paper or paper towel tube, a rubber band and a wax paper. Cut a round piece of wax paper that is larger than the ends of the tube. Cover one end with the wax paper and hold in place with the rubber band and make sounds into the opposite end of the tube.

4. You can also make a triangle with the help of a horseshoe or 4 to 8 inches of metal pipe, string and a knife or spoon. Loop the string at the curve of the horse shoe or thread it through the pipe. Tie a knot at the top and hit the horse shoe or pipe with the knife as soon as it dangles from the sting. Make sure that the string is strong enough to hold the pipe.

 
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Ebay Seller Opportunity Tip – Dont Miss The Boat

08 Feb

Choices have to be made in life if you want to change the way you live and if others are doing this the Ebay way – then why not you.
Without doubt we all want the same things out of life and that being our health and money. Becoming an Ebay seller can give many folks the lifestyle they so much crave.

Ebay offers an opportunity to earn extra cash when it suits you. Unfortunately people shy away from the sheer thought of running their own business which is sad really. Hundreds of people are missing the boat by not looking into the Ebay opportunity that can change their whole way of life.

Becoming an Ebay seller is an option to be considered if you are seriously thinking on turning your life around. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain on top of the satisfaction of being your own boss.
If you have decided this is the route you are going to take to earn extra cash by becoming an Ebay seller then you have made a positive move in securing your future.
Remember to catch up on the basics on how to start selling by following the advice supplied by this most competitive market in the world.

Once up and running always treat your Ebay business as a business and conduct matters like a professional. Professionals in their Ebay empires are experts because they have had a lot more practice. So there is plenty of time to get to that stage. Never cut corners and operate on the cheap you are out to gain custom not lose it. Financial gains should be reinvested back into your business. This is how an Ebay seller will run his/her successful business.

When it comes down to promotional activities and advertising of your product/service you are sure of sales if done tastefully. Your product has to be described in the best descriptive way. Give your prospective customer a run down on every little detail on what you are selling this will make a huge impact on getting those sales.
Be friendly in your approach when dealing with potential buyers as you are looking for repeat orders. Try to simplify all correspondence like payment methods or even offer to help them if they are new and not sure of how things are done after winning an auction. Your customer will feel comfortable and begin to trust you as a worthy Ebay seller with your offer of assistance. Because of how you handled and conducted the sale along with your friendly approach just may have secured your self a regular customer.

Firstly start building up a reputable reputation – this will have your feedback scaling to enormous heights. People make judgement on the feedback scoring system of the Ebay Seller when buying. No matter how good your product and fabulous glossy photos appear – if feedback is poor say through lack of communication etc, then say goodbye to sales.

Remember by becoming an Ebay Seller there are rules and regulations that you have to adhere to. The rules are there for the safety of the buyer and seller. It is a good chance you may not like or agree with a number of them – but remember it is in every ones best interest why these rules have been implemented.

One of the nice things apart from meeting friends from all over the globe on Ebay is instead of being part of Ebay you now own a share with your very own business empire.

 
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Drinking Water Is A Must!

08 Feb

You can barely make it through a day without hearing or reading some piece of warning or advice about your health. Our society is obsessed with all of the latest fads and techniques for doing as little as possible and eating as much as you want while maintaining the body of a supermodel. There are so many diets and health plans that can be found on the internet or in any magazine that it becomes easy after a while to simply ignore everything you read. For the most part, many of the warnings and pieces of advice you see could be safely ignored without any serious effects on your life. One piece of advice, however, that you cannot afford to ignore is about drinking water.

Drinking water is one the most simple, easy to follow, and most necessary pieces of health advice that you’ll ever hear. Take the advice seriously. Drinking water is absolutely essential to your life for a variety of reasons. Because our bodies are made up of such a high percentage of water in the first place, it only makes sense that drinking water would benefit our bodies in great ways.

Drinking water is a great way to purify our bodies from many of the toxins and impurities that make their way into our systems with each meal we eat and through the air we breathe each moment. There is no better way to consistently cleanse your body and keep your digestive system moving than by drinking water each day.

There are a wide range of suggestions out there about how much water you should drink each day. The easiest and best method I have discovered is to take your current weight and divide it in half. This is your magic number of ounces for drinking water each day. So, for example, a woman weighing 150 pounds should drink the number that is half her weight, or 75, in ounces of water each day.

Sound impossible? Drinking water may be hard at first if you aren’t used to it. Begin by finding yourself a large water bottle that holds a significant amount of ounces in it. Fill it up each morning and carry it with you during the day. When you get thirsty, opt for drinking water rather than choosing your favorite soda or coffee as a beverage. The more you begin to drink water, the more that your body will crave it. The process of getting enough onces into your body will become a habit in no time.

There are many other great reasons to start drinking water. But, if you’re like me, you’ve already heard them all at least ten times. All that is left for you to do is follow the advice you heard just this one time. Start drinking water for your health. You’re body will thank you.

 
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Get Involved With Digital Photography!

08 Feb

The continuing advances in digital photography make it possible for everyone to capture moments of their lives with more detail and accuracy than ever. Improvements in photo resolution and shutter speed make it easy for both professional photographers and beginners to take great pictures. And even if a photo is not perfect when it is taken, sophisticated editing software can transform it into a work of art.

Experienced photographers say that timing is the most important factor for getting a good picture. There is only a small, limited opportunity to capture a great shot. Whether you are trying to get the perfect sunset photo or get a picture of the winners as they cross the finish line, you must have a good sense of timing and the intuition that lets you know exactly when to press that shutter button. It is this factor that makes photography an art form.

Most people never quite realize the dream of getting a perfect shot. Maybe your picture is framed well, but the lighting is not quite right. Maybe youve got the lighting just right, but you forget to use the flash or red-eye reduction option. In cases like these, digital photography offers an excellent way to get just the look you want in a photo.

Any picture you take with a digital camera can be edited to reach its full potential. Digital photos can be automatically enhanced to improve their color; they can be zoomed or cropped to their optimal size. And, of course, the red-eye reduction capability can improve any portrait. These editing options can all be completed within minutes, giving you the chance to have the most wonderful photos youve ever taken.

With a good digital camera and photo editing software, you can accomplish great things. The capabilities built into your camera represent only the beginning of the editing potential. Software programs really help you make the most of the photos you have. You can use editing software to change the images in any way you desire.

Local or online retailers can provide you with the equipment, software, and information you need to take great digital photos. When selecting a digital camera, you should be sure you buy one that has the features you need and want. You should look for a model that gives great pictures and that also has simple docking methods for downloading the photos from the camera to the printer or computer. Good photo editing software that will let you alter your digital pictures includes products like Kodak Picture, and Corel Photo Album.

 
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Pushy Pop-Ups Shown the Dumpster, er, the Door

08 Feb

Its an acknowledged fact that internet users, by and large, and especially those who shop online, are savvy, and becoming increasingly so with each passing day. But what is less acknowledged, mostly to the detriment of advertisers and sellers pushing their wares, is that theyre also fed-up with the petty annoyances that obstruct their direct path to the information and products they seek. Whereas previously these internet devotees merely shrugged aside that which was marketed to them against their will, they now vehemently cleave in twain all which intrudes beyond their Spam filters and Pop-Up blockers.

Their weapon of choice, however, is less gruesome than the previous sentence imagines. Rather the means unto an end (of sites pushing Pop-Ups, that is) relies more upon the speed of their motor reflex skills than the force any show of strength might level with a mighty blow. Simply put, as clickly I mean, as quickly as Pop-Ups pop in, float down, or follow a scroll like some scraggily stray mutt, internet enthusiasts flick their click, and click, click away not only the Pop-Up but the collaborating site that allowed the Pop-Up to slip in through the backdoor.

As much as email users distrust unsolicited email, i.e. Spam, so do the majority of internet addicts distrust not only Pop-Ups, but also the sites that make the mistake of utilizing them as a principal marketing technique. Research already demonstrates that internet users make final aesthetic decisions about a websites worthiness, either yea or nea, a mere 1/20th of a second after it fully loads on the browser. First impressions are, for better or worse, everything online. Digging deeper, such research increasingly demonstrates that Pop-Ups, once even a staple in AOLs, Amazons, and eBays advertising arsenals, are primary culprits torpedoing a sites potential for providing a visitor with a pleasing aesthetic experience. The result: 1/20th of a second after a condemning judgment passes against those websites bearing Pop-ups, the clicking finger is already in motion, clicking closed every conspiring window.

If you, as a seller, have a legitimate producti.e. something you believe in and trust for your personal use as much as you desire a buyer to trust in and use itthan why sacrifice such confidences in the eyes (with synapses constantly firing with the mind) of said buyer by harboring an immediate and lasting distrust. Nothing, in fact, negates your chances of closing a sale with more finality than creating suspicion as to the legitimacy of the claims you make about your product. And, if, rather than even making claims, you immediately attempt to incite shoppers to buy, than in all likelihood, you in turn incite them to find fulfillment of their needs elsewhere.

An online marketing expert I know recently likened the sharp decline in the effectiveness of Pop-Up advertising to the negative reactions people have toward someone who goes door to door proselytizing. She said, the first time a proselytizer knocks on your door, you greet them, perhaps with confusion, but nonetheless amicably. You smile as they preach, you accept their literature, and sometimes you even invite them beyond the threshold and offer them something to drink. Maybe you consider their pitch, but 99 times out of 100 youre secure enough in youre beliefs, youre not looking for answers, or you simply dont trust them, and when theyve gone you dismiss their pitch and forget their person. Not long after, they, or another of their ilk, knocks again. Maybe this time its on the weekend, your one chance to sleep in; or maybe youve just stepped out of the shower; or sat down to dinner with your family; regardless, the last thing you want in any of these moments is to be interrupted, told to change who you are, and commit yourself to a new product (in the case of the proselytizer, their specific brand of religion). You dismiss them a little more abruptly this time. But, not getting the subtle, harsher tone behind your seemingly pleasant excuses, they keep coming, always with the same thing you dont want or need, regardless of whether you share their beliefs or not. Finally you reach the point where enough is enough. You slam the door in their face. That, she says, like the door to door proselytizer, is the fate Pop-Up advertising has brought upon itself. Its been shown the door once and for all, and if internet users could, they would surely show it the dumpster instead.

Her analogy, is no doubt long, and perhaps not the strongest imaginableconsider substituting telemarketers in place of the proselytizer, or whatever other annoyance you encounter frequently, but wish you encountered never againbut ultimately it speaks the truth of both statistical evidence demonstrating internet users antipathy and distrust of sites advertising with Pop-Ups and the non-quantifiable negative emotional response such advertising generates. In short, in a world where we demand informationon products, anything reallyquickly, without distraction, and only from sources we can rely upon and trust, there isnt space remaining on our computer screens for an extra, uninvited Pop-Up window.

Alas, in this very pitch I turned myself into the proselytizer preaching against the use of Pop-Ups, perhaps in many instances to readers who previously advertised using Pop-Ups with great success. To past success I can only raise a glass in toastI commend you good fellow or fair ladybut it is to the future that I implore you to set your sights. There upon products you believe in, to consumer confidences you wish to earn, cultivate and retainbe they won without overt intrusion, like a cyber handshake, not a Pop-Up window, provoking internet users like a cyber slap in the face.

Copyright 2006, Robert K. Blanc. All Rights Reserved.

 
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Log Cabin Plans – Bringing Out The Bear In You

07 Feb

Log cabins are generally low-maintenance houses since they are located in far out places and it is obviously not easy to get maintenance staff or equipment there. Log cabin plans tell the whole story. Most of the building material including the floor textures used in a log cabin requires very basic maintenance and it looks as good as new. The exterior of a log cabin has to face the natures wrath and thus is very simple to maintain.

However, some people might like to keep the interiors of the log cabin in a very good condition and might use professional maintenance and restoration services. These services provide detailed maintenance services for the log cabin and do not come cheap. Some of the steps of maintenance for a log cabin include staining of the interior and exterior wood, chinking repair and replacement, borate treatment to safeguard against pests, stay dry, chemical strip and cob blasting. Deck cleaning and sealing are also important since that is where most of the time of the log cabin residents is spent.

Log cabin plans should include inspection of the entire log cabin along with finishing of rough edges is part of the maintenance procedure. If you are a log cabin owner and rent it out on frequent occasions to holiday-makers then good maintenance will go a long way to fetch you an attractive rental income. Apart from that, the overall value of log cabins tends to be higher if they are well maintained and clean. A quick search online will provide you with details of a number of agencies who deal in maintenance services for log cabins. It is advisable that you narrow down your selection to a few companies in the region where your log cabin is situated and take comparative quotes for them for the maintenance requirement and then make a decision.

 
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Web Site Tracking Software

07 Feb

There are ways to track who will be visiting your site. The more traffic you generate the more money you will make. You want to make sure that you have all you need to see if you’re getting the traffic you want. There are several ways to track the traffic on your site and each has its own pros and cons. It will fully depend on what you need at the time and how much you are willing to invest. Some devices simply tell you how many people visit you and some have actual reports with fine details. You would want to use a more sophisticated tracking system if you want to know which search engines are bringing in the most traffic or where people are coming from. The simpler methods are used just to know how many people total have visited your site since it got up and running. These ones wont offer any other type of information such as how many per day or where they came from.

1. Counters: These are usually used by newbies. You wont see them on more professional sites. They will tell you and the visitor exactly how many people have visited your site.

2. Trackers: Tracking software will give you a detailed path your visitors take when they visit your site. This tells you way more than just a simple tracker and isnt seen by the visitor. For the free use you might be required to put a button or graphic up. Many site owners will prefer to put in their own tracking scripts onto their servers.

3. Use Your ISP Statistical Package: Your ISP provider keeps a log of every hit to your site. This will let you know where your traffic is coming from and what pages they are looking at. Make sure your hosting company offers access to your raw log files.

4. Web Traffic Analysis Software: this is a program that will take your raw log files and generate a report on your traffic. The quality will completely depend on what program you are using. There are some free ones that come with some hosting packages or there are the paid software packages that would generate high quality reports.

Your web traffic statistics are an extremely valuable tool for information about your web site. You will be able to make decisions on improving your site through the information they give you. They will let you know what web pages are the most popular and also the ones that are very rarely used. A tracker will tell you who is visiting your site. You will learn which web browsers to optimize your pages for and which search engines are most useful. They can even tell when you get errors or have bad links on your page. Analyzing your web traffic can help you determine what type of marketing strategies work for you and your site the best. You will then be able to change according the most successful methods and boost your traffic and ultimately your sales.

 
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An Analysis of Valley National Bancorp (VLY)

07 Feb

Copyright 2006 Geoff Gannon

Valley National Bancorp (VLY) is a conservative bank with a strong position in northern New Jersey and a presence in Manhattan. The bank, founded in 1927, has about $12 billion in assets.

Valley has consistently earned extraordinary returns on assets and equity. Over the last twenty years, Valley has averaged a 1.74% return on assets and a 21.12% return on equity.

Valleys worst two-year performance occurred in 1990 and 1991. During that period, Valleys return on equity dropped as low as 14.54% and its ROA dropped as low as 1.29%. Even in Valleys worst year (1991), the company still managed to roughly match the average long-term performance of most of its peers. In other words, Valleys worst year was a close to typical year for many other banks.

It was at this low-point in 1991 that the board of directors decided not to increase the cash dividend. That was the only year in the last 37 that Valley did not increase its dividend.

The company has 79 consecutive years of profitable operations. Thats over 300 quarters (Valley has yet to post a quarterly loss). More importantly, Valley has a record of earning great returns on both assets and equity over long periods of time. So, whats the companys secret?

Location

Northern New Jersey is about the best place in the world to situate a bank. This isnt hyperbole; if theres a better location, Ive yet to hear of it. As you know, American banks are unusually profitable. The market is large and highly fragmented. So, naturally the best place to situate a bank would be in the United States. But, why north Jersey in particular?

In a September 20th, 2001 interview with The Wall Street Transcript, Valleys chairman, Gerald Lipkin, explained why northern New Jersey is such an attractive market:

“Northern New Jersey is the single most densely populated area on earth. There are more people per square mile in northern New Jersey than there are in India, China, Japan or anyplace else. We have the highest median family income in the United States in that area. So, we serve a very densely populated and affluent area, which is not dominated by any single industry.”

Focus

Valley maintains a narrow focus both in terms of geography and services. The companys offices are kept within one hour of the banks headquarters in Wayne, NJ. In the same interview, Mr. Lipkin explained why this geographic concentration is important: We like to make it very convenient for our client base to meet with senior management as well as the other members of our staff.”

Valley focuses on relationship banking. The company has residency requirements for its directors. The majority of directors are to live within 100 miles of the corporate headquarters. Furthermore, each board member is required to use Valley for both business and personal accounts. Theoretically, these two requirements ensure board members are familiar with the banks services and are best able to understand the needs of local businesses.

Discipline

Valley has a history of highly disciplined lending. Charge-offs are immaterial. Current reserves are adequate to cover many years of future charge-offs with little difficulty. The companys asset quality ratios and loan to value ratios both indicate Valley has a more conservative approach to lending than many of its peers.

Undoubtedly, the local economy is helpful in this regard. Valley does not need to make questionable loans, because there is an abundance of opportunity in the local area. It is possible for the bank to remain fairly selective without forfeiting growth entirely. For instance, despite having $12 billion in assets, Valley only has about a 6% market share in northern New Jersey.

Management

Banking, like insurance, is a business where a particularly good or particularly poor management can greatly affect long-term results. The current Chairman, President, and CEO, Gerald Lipkin, has served for just over thirty years now. His record is unblemished.

Of course, the real responsibility for avoiding mistakes lies with others in the organization. There are few businesses where individual employees can do as much harm as they can within a bank. Valleys past record and the level of experience of its top managers suggests investors should encounter very few unpleasant surprises resulting from human error.

Mr. Lipkin made his management philosophy quite clear with his concluding remarks in the aforementioned 2001 interview with The Wall Street Transcript:

“We never bet the ranch we never put the bank in harms way on any single issue that could really harm it. Lending money is a risk taking business. So, obviously we at times have problems, situations with individual loans, but we try to avoid concentrations that could create major problems.”

Valuation

Valley National Bancorp is a solid, well-run bank operating in a geographic area with excellent economics. The companys physical footprint and its existing relationships give it a narrow moat in a highly profitable (and increasingly competitive) region.

Unfortunately, the company is trading at more than three times book. Three times book is a lot to pay for any bank. Valleys future growth will likely be somewhat restrained by the companys conservative approach. Therefore, dividends are going to make up a significant portion of an investors total returns.

Conclusion

Valley is a good bank. It has a real moat, albeit a narrow one. Competition is increasing within Valleys territory. However, the company has been able to compete successfully with new entrants (who tend to take on far less profitable business).

The stock isnt cheap today, but there is one wrinkle worth keeping in mind. Valley is more dependent upon interest rate spreads than most banks. If the yield curve was to become significantly steeper, Valley would reap outsized rewards.

The current dividend yield on a share of Valley National Bancorp is a little less than 3.5%. Considering the companys limited growth prospects, this is an unattractive yield. If, during a period of general uncertainty within the banking industry, shares of VLY were to trade closer to two times book, investors would have an opportunity to make a long-term commitment in a quality bank.

 
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Private Label Water for the Hospitality and Lodging Industry

07 Feb

The Hospitality and Lodging Industry in the United States is booming with strong growth in overall revenues and average price per room. Notwithstanding external factors such as international terrorism and the rapid rise in fuel costs, most industry forecasts predict continued growth in revenue.

Recent studies show however, that the industry suffers from a considerable loss in revenue and profits because of ineffective differentiation of service offerings and branding. This trend is recent because historically hotel customers have demonstrated brand loyalty.

Private label drinking water has been proven to be a powerful, cost effective method of promoting quality brand images and differentiating service offerings.

Opportunity Lost

The Hospitality and Lodging Industry plays a major role in the U.S. economy with business travelers alone accounting for $40 to $50 billion in annual revenue. A recent study however, by a recognized research firm, concludes that up to $20 billion in additional revenue is lost because frequent travelers are not loyal to specific hotel brands.1

This revenue deficit represents an opportunity lost for profitability and continued cash flow for the industry.

Brand Loyalty Means Greater Profits

Most analysts and academics agree that loyal customers constitute the basis of a successful business because of new sales cost savings, the ability to sell additional higher margin features to loyal customers and word of mouth or informal referrals to new customers.2

The creation and maintenance of brand loyalty therefore is the strategic objective of many industries with no exception to the Hospitality and Lodging industry. As one study concluded Loyal customers are logically at the heart of a companys most valuable customer group. 3 Therefore, the overall importance of customer loyalty could realistically benefit or impede the industry itself.

Without brand loyalty firms in the industry are forced to compete on the basis of price instead of quality; history has shown this to be a losing proposition.

The challenge to the individual manager is the best use of resources in order to create the highest level of customer loyalty. This applies to mid-market hotels as well as major chains and franchises.

Traditional Efforts Are No Longer Effective

Reward programs and superior customer service are no longer enough to establish brand loyalty. Studies have concluded that hotels are failing to increase brand loyalty due to a lack of differentiation and traditional efforts such as rewards and points programs have become commodities in the industry. Because they are offered by most firms in the industry, rewards programs have changed from service differentiators to service requirements and cost centers. As a result, some analysts have concluded that rewards systems and points programs have become no more than a cost of doing business.4

As a result, there is increased concern that customer loyalty programs are failing to achieve their objectives of increasing customer loyalty and profits.5

Customer service and satisfaction is less of a factor now in establishing and maintaining brand loyalty primarily because competition has created a culture of exceptional customer service. Studies have also concluded that high levels of customer satisfaction do not guarantee brand loyalty unless competitors fail to offer the same level of service.

Many hotels are seeking better ways to create customer loyalty and are exploring the inherent desires of individuals to be loyal to brands they are comfortable with. All industry participants, whether large high end hotels or mid-market firms, must develop more effective ways to develop and communicate their brand propositions.

Focus on Design, Services and Amenities to Help Build Brand and Loyalty

To create a memorable lodging experience and to better distinguish their brand proposition, many hotels and franchises are investing in redesigned facilities, new value added and telecommunications services and a broader array of amenities to create brand awareness and customer loyalty.

According to a recent analysis by PricewaterhouseCoopers, guests at hotels across the country are now greeted by a myriad of new amenities ranging from increased choices for checkout methods to high quality drinking water and in-room exercise equipment. Hotels are adding and improving amenities to achieve incremental revenues, respond to increased consumer expectations and create customer loyalty through quality branding.

In addition to investing in new services and amenities a unified and clear branding message must be developed and conveyed.

Design and the Brand Message

Developing an effective brand message is more than creating a brand statement. The brand message must appeal directly to the emotions of the customer in order to create enduring brand loyalty; and design is one of the most powerful tools for publicizing the brand. It is important to understand that quality of design will significantly improve the quality of the brand message and the resulting brand loyalty.

Therefore, extreme care must be exercised during the brand design and communication process to ensure that the brand message is not diminished.

Private Label Drinking Water

Private label drinking water is an ideal and powerful way to promote a quality brand. Essentially, private labeling allows businesses to design and develop a label with a custom message, which results in the creation and promotion of a brand with a clear, high quality message along with superior bottled water. Because of the immediate and permanent nature of the bottled water product, consumable advertising is created that leaves a lasting message in the mind of the consumer.

Some of the benefits of private label water include:

A high-quality, custom message created that can be used or resold at a profit.
Modifiable designs and messages to reflect events such as tournaments and promotions.
Individual users who often carry the water with them, which extends the promotion of the product.
Pure water that is popular and universally accepted as contributing to good health. The message of the private label effectively reaches more prospects as consumption increases and more hotels include high quality water in amenities packages.
Effective cost that is low and results in a rapid response to the brand message.
Consumable advertising, which creates a lasting message and impression that appeals to the consumer.

What to Look for in a Private Label Water Supplier

There are a number of private label water suppliers but they vary significantly in the quality of their product offerings. There are three areas to investigate when choosing a supplier, which include quality of water, quality of label design and production and quality of customer service. Each are expounded upon below:

Quality of Water

High-quality water in terms of health and taste is critical for the acceptance of the product and brand message. If the water is of low quality or tastes bad then the branding will fail. The best quality water on the market today is purified using a distillation, filtration and oxygenation process that removes all impurities including all toxins and bacteria, which ultimately results in a light, refreshing taste.

Quality of Label Design and Production

The label or message portion of the product is significant in the production process, whereas poor-quality labels send a poor-quality message and high-quality labels send a high-quality message. Production of a poor-quality message is a waste of money and adversely affects the brand image.

It is very important to acknowledge that the vast majority of the private label opportunities in the United States come from water resellers (not bottlers) with desktop-model thermal (or thermal wax) printing devices. These thermal devices have a quality level that cannot compare to even consumer-grade inkjet printers, which are very cheap in both quality and cost, typically ranging from $10-$20 thousand depending on configuration. Although the quality is decreased many companies use these printers because of the low cost, which will ultimately produce poor-quality labels.

In sharp contrast, a quality label, i.e., one that looks like a top-shelf brand that you might find in your local gourmet grocery store, needs to be produced with professional-quality equipment using professional-grade printing equipment. There are three types of printing equipment that can produce a high-quality label. These three types are as follows:

1. Rotary offset lithography
2. Flexography
3. High-quality digital presses

For the majority of smaller runs (approximately 10,000 units), digital equipment offered by Heidelberg or HP is the most cost effective solution, but instead of $10-$20 thousand, the minimum equipment costs for these professional solutions range from $750 thousand to $1.25 million per station.

These facts are very important to understand when choosing a private label bottler. Those who sell low-quality labels will have you believe that nothing better is available because of the short runs required by private label customers. However, nothing could be further from the truth.

In order to succeed, your label must be professionally designed and produced with high-quality materials using a printing process that renders a high-quality result. Waterproof lamination is also required for long-lasting labels. This is easily achieved for an affordable unit cost using the right equipment for the job.

Quality of Customer Service

The design and production of private label drinking water is complex and requires intense interaction between the customer and supplier. Communication and a culture of customer service excellence is a prerequisite to the creation of an effective brand message and a successful product. Without a significant commitment by the supplier to customer service, the branding exercise will fail.

Choose a quality supplier to help develop your quality brand offering and realize greater revenue and profits.

Notes

1. Brandimensions, Hotel Branding: Using Online Research to Drive Innovation, 2006

2. Skogland, Iselin and Siguew, Are Your Satisfied Customers Loyal?, Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, August 2004. p.222

3. Ganesh, Arnold, and Reynolds, Understanding the Customer Base.

4. Aaronson, Jack, Loyalty Doesnt Come From a Program. http://www.clickz.com/experts , May 2005

5. Skogland, Iselin and Siguew, ibid., p.221

 
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Panama Real Estate Bubble Bursting Update 07/05/07

07 Feb

Today La Prensa Newspaper reported that a project named Park 32 in Coste del Este has announced it is failing to complete. Reportedly the project was sold out which leads us to believe the builder engaged in pre-sale marketing to flipper speculators who bought in early on at a low price. This of course removes the incentive for the developer to push forward to completion since he could start another project on the same site at much higher prices. This is similar to what happened with Ice Tower becoming the smaller Iron Tower. We can not state that this is what the case is with Park 32 at this time.

 
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Hard Drives- Choosing the Right One

06 Feb

Hard drives come in many different sizes and configurations. How much data a hard drive can hold is measured in gigabytes (GB.. The latest hard drives can hold anywhere from 80 GB to 1000 GB (1 TB)! When buying a hard drive, size isn’t the only factor to look at, however. By choosing the right hard drive for your needs, you’ll enjoy your computer more. Hard drives are inexpensive and you should never skimp on one to save money.

For business or basic home use, an 80 GB hard drive should suffice. If you plan on downloading music, movies, or installing a lot of games on your computer, your hard drive should be at least 160 GB. For laptop users, the same space requirements apply, however, many laptops come with small hard drives. Many laptop users choose to keep the small hard drive and buy an external hard drive for excess files to keep costs down.

You can have a huge hard drive, but it will be worthless if it doesn’t move data fast enough for your computer! To find data, hard drives have platters on spindles that spin, similar to a CD. How fast a hard drive spins is measured in RPM (revolutions per minute). The higher a hard drive’s RPM is, the faster it will perform. Desktop hard drives almost always have 7200 RPM hard drives. Laptop hard drives can range from 4200 RPM to 5400 RPM for budget and midrange uses and 7200 RPM for high end use. Hard drives with RPMs of 10,000 or more are available, but those are mainly for gamers, computer enthusiasts, and servers.

If you are computer user looking for performance, you should know about RAID. RAID lets you put 2 or more hard drives of the same brand and model together and run them at once, which results in faster performance. You can also use RAID so the second hard drives automatically backs up data from the first hard drive, so you always have a backup of your data. There are numerous possible RAID configurations out there, too many to mention in this article.

A hard drive’s cache is also another important performance indicator. A hard drive’s cache will hold frequently accessed data for faster access by the computer. A good hard drive will have at least 8 MB of cache. As with RPM, the more cache a hard drive has, the better.

Hard drives generally have either an SATA or IDE connection. Both connections are for attaching the hard drive to the motherboard via a cable so that data can be sent and received to and from the computer and drive. SATA is the newest connection and is better than IDE in that it can be faster and uses a much smaller cable. IDE, however, is just as fast as IDE in real world performance testa and hard drives that use IDE are cheaper than SATA hard drives. However, IDE hard drives use large cables that can restrict airflow. Fortunately, you can buy a rounded IDE cable that is not as big for $5-$10 at almost any computer supply store or online computer part retailer, such as Newegg.com or Fry’s Electronics.

 
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Oh, My Aching Back!

06 Feb

Are you an individual who is suffering from a lower back injury?

Is your lower back stiff and sore when you get out of bed in the morning? Or, heaven forbid, are you one of many individuals that has undergone back surgery?

Probably everyone reading this article has experienced a lower back problem at some time or another in their lives. They are no fun, can be very debilitating, and when it comes to golf, they certainly wont help lower your handicap or drive the ball 300 yards.

I would like to share with you an e-mail question that I received from my website www.bioforcegolf.com. Our BioForce Golf family member stated: I am a mature individual and suffering from lower back disc problems. They are not to the point that requires surgery, but they do limit my ability to play golf. His e-mail continued to describe his lower back issues and ended with a question: Would someone like me benefit from your lower back exercises, or would they exacerbate the problem?

Before answering this gentlemans question, let me give you a little background information. BioForce Golf has a golf fitness manual available titled Your Body & Your Swing. In this manual, there are many exercises to assist in improving your golf game.

Two stated goals exist for the exercises in this program; number one is injury prevention, and number two is performance improvement. Fairly self-explanatory in terms of their stated goals. Realize even the slightest injury will hurt your golf performance significantly.

I replied to this e-mail with a resounding yes.

The exercises in our program will help you with this type of low back disc problem.

Let me explain how exercises for the lower back can assist you.

The lower back is comprised of countless muscles, skeletal structures, and fibrous structures. The fibrous structures are in the form of discs and other types of cartilage. Injuries to the body have what I call a three tier effect. If the body is overstressed by any activity like swinging a golf club, lifting heavy boxes, or even typing on a computer, the overload on the body (amount of work performed by the body) will affect the muscular system first. This can be in the form of muscle soreness, tightness, or a slight pull. If I lift too many heavy boxes or swing a club too many times, my muscles are the first line of defense to injury.

If I continue to perform this high workload level and ignore what my muscles are telling me, my second line of defense kicks in.

The second line of defense is my cartilage and ligament structures (i.e. discs in the lower back).

How do you know if you are suffering from a second tier problem?

Indicators are inflammation, tears, or bulging of a lower back disc. Usually this is when folks go to a doctor. If you are reading this and this paragraph hits a chord, I strongly suggest seeking counsel of a physician.

Finally, if the workloads still continue at a high level, without any intervention, the skeletal structure will be affected. This can be in the formation of bone spurs or stress fractures.

An example of such a situation is the formation of bone spurs commonly found in a pitchers elbow or the degeneration of lower back structures in a golfer.

To stop this injury cycle, or help in the rehabilitation of a current problem, I strongly suggested you first seek professional medical attention. This will assist in the diagnosis and proper treatment of the injury.

Exercises can help rehab a golfer in such situations if implemented correctly and under supervision of a qualified individual.

The best way to prevent an injury is to Prehab. Prehab exercises, as they are often called, develop high levels of muscular strength and endurance to handle the workloads placed upon the body. This can assist in preventing an injury that begins the cycle described above.

Now, if you are a golfer that is already walking down the path of a debilitating injury, our goal is to help you reverse the cycle.

Again, seek professional medical attention and be under supervision throughout the process if you have suffered a problem. If you are starting a new golf fitness program to help with your prehab, seek professional guidance to help minimize the risk of injury.

The cycle can be reversed by unloading the skeletal and ligament structures and placing the loads upon the muscular structure. Let me explain using the example from above.

For example, if a person is in a situation where his muscular structures are overloaded and his discs are taking the brunt of the work, every time he swings a club, bends over to line up his putt, or picks up his ball, the discs are screaming ouch! My goal, if I were his trainer, would be to start a series of exercises that would strengthen the muscles of the lower back, resulting in the stresses being taken away from the discs. Once the muscles are strong and have high levels of endurance, they can handle the workloads placed upon the body during golf or any activity!

Over time, the exercises would alleviate the stress on the discs, get this individual out of pain, and restore them to a higher level of activity.

In a nutshell, to prevent injury you must develop the muscular strength and endurance to handle the workloads placed upon your body everyday. If you are an avid golfer then I would strongly suggest starting a golf-specific fitness program. This will help you to prevent an injury resulting from the stresses placed upon your body during repetitive golf swings.

Secondarily, a golf-specific fitness program will help you dramatically improve your performance on the course.

Sean Cochran

 
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Three online business myths busted!

06 Feb

I am here to bust a few myths about making it online as serious online business owners. Working online or earning an income from an online business is not impossible, if youre expecting me to say that, youre wrong. After all, I AM making money online and I would only be saying I am a big fat failure is I said that online businesses are load of.well, a bunch of lies. Theyre not.

Its possible to find an income online, keep a family afloat, feed children, live luxurious lives online. With the growth of the Internet, anything is possibleso, why not making money? In fact, with just the Internet (albeit, a telephone line, a modem and a computer), you can literally not move anything aside from your fingers and make money every single month! And happily too.

The only problem is that a lot of people are jumping into the online bandwagon expecting to make money the next week, the next month or the next three months. The ludicrous claims by unscrupulous netpreneurs who claims that they can help people may tons of money (along the lines of six figure incomes) instantly doesnt help much either! Oh, Ive had my fair share of mistakes. Took in and lapped everything up, swallowed hook, line and sinker a couple of times. I am sure there are many successful netpreneurs today who would admit that they fell for quite a few scams themselves before and LEARNT FROM IT.

Well, here are a couple of online business facts for you to digest:-

1. There is no instant money on the Internet
Now, think about it, on the Internet, everyone is faceless. You dont know the seller, cant see the seller, cant even hear him/her and the only way you know that POSSIBLY someone human is behind all of this is the fact that your email was answered. As an online shopper, would you part with a single precious dime for anything that they say they can deliver without proof? Without testimony that this business is legitimate and wont run away with your money the moment you click the pay now button?

Nothing. Theres absolutely nothing that guarantees you that the business is legitimate. Theres nothing to assure you that theyre send you whatever they say theyll send you. So, its a business that is loosely based on trust, recommendations from others, honesty and professionalism. And believe you me, to build the kind of reputation for your online business will not take hours. It may take even years!

2. A website takes work
With a website, yes, you have a shop online that many people from all around can visit and buy stuff from. But your domain name and the visibility of your website plays a huge role in the success of your online business. how do they find you if you dont advertise and free advertising is possible. The problem is doing it and waiting for IT to happen, to hit your website and to bring willing-top-pay customers to you.

Thats where search engines come into play. You have work hard to helping search engines and directories index your website. Even when youve submitted your website URL to all the search engines you know, itll take months for them to even list your website. And then theres the issue of ranking. There are millions upon millions of sites, what makes you think they would want to list YOUR website as the top 10 or top 30 websites for your favorite keywords?

Getting to the top of search engines take work and some ingenious planning. While its possible, it takes time.

3. Recommend a friend online business
Some viral marketing businesses DO work this I have to say and they work pretty quickly too. But the fizzle out really quickly too. So, the moment youve made your money, like gambling, you have to look for a new one. Not much consistency and reliability there, is there??

The wonderful thing about these viral marketing businesses is that if you want to make a huge chunk of money one time off to start a business or pay off a loan or something, you could try this one out. To feed your kids from month to month, you might want to find something more consistent.

 
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Dont Crash The Car, Well Even If You Do The Car Will Save You

06 Feb

Have you been drinking and driving? Or perhaps chatting on your mobile while driving? If you are a little careless while you drive and are prone to having a bump here and there you are better off getting your hands on a new set of wheels with active safety technologies. Car manufacturers such as Mercedes are incorporating space age technology into their cars to save lives or rather save us from crashing our buggies when we are simply too careless with our own lives. This might sound science fiction to you but these are some of the technologies Mercedess latest S Class has:

Auto cruise control warns you if you are getting too close to the car in front and if you dont react it applies brakes on its own to maintain a safe driving distance.

Traction control sense when you steer too sharply or lose traction in the wet and cuts engine power and limits the power individually to each wheel to bring you back on track.
Anti Lock Braking System, this has been around for quite some time now. ABS helps in achieving best possible braking performance, it prevent jamming of the wheel which results in skids and loss of vehicle control. The computer senses when the wheels are about to lock and releases the brakes momentarily and then applies them again.

Airbags, as many as 8 airbags protect you in the unlikely event of a crash. Airbags exist for all passengers and are inflated in milliseconds when the care senses a crash. Airbags can protect the occupant even at 100mph crashes.

Space Age Safety Technology
Now this is the most impressive of them all, the Mercedes S Class sense when the car is going to meet with a crash using it 360 degree radar and braces for impact. It rolls up windows if they are down, inflates the seat cushions to protect occupants and lowers the steering to save the driver from chest injuries and lowers pedals to prevent foot injuries.

Now thats some technology, all to save our lives when we loose control. Maybe if Diana was riding this S Class she would have been amongst us. So lets not crash it, for if you do the car will save you but repairing the high tech car will burn your pockets for technology doesnt come cheap. The fully loaded Mercedes S500 with all the safety features retails at over $1,25,000!

 
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Patpong – Nightlife Entertainment in Bangkok

06 Feb

Patpong is renowned for its go-go bars, discos and late night “constellations.” Despite it’s somewhat unsavory reputation, it’s remarkably safe to visit – though it’s as well to stick to the downstairs bars, as some of the upper floor establishments have been known to overcharge. Soi Patpong 1 has a few go go bars but is mainly a shopping street where foreign couples shop and drink. Soi Patpong 2 has numerous smaller beer bars (ba bia in Thai), as well as a row of karaoke establishments and the most popular restaurants on the strip. Soi Patpong 3, an unassuming dead-end lane, is more of a gay venue. The strip comes alive in the early evening, but with the exception of a handful of constellations is more-or-less closed down by 1am. Although sex is for sale in Patpong, the area is much more than just a red light area, being frequented by young Thais and foreign visitors who dance, talk and dine into the small hours.

 
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Birmingham Stag Do 5-a-side Football Tournament

05 Feb

When you think of a perfect stag weekend with exciting stag parties and nightlife, the first place that comes to your mind is Birmingham. With its central location and reasonable price, Birmingham is the hottest stag weekend venue. This stag venue boasts of having the largest lap-dancing club in the world, with thrilling nightlife activities, stag friendly bars and curry houses, stag clubs and much more.

Stag Weekend Activity the fun of a Football Match

If you are looking for some fun filled challenging stag weekend activity, the 5-a-side football tournament in Birmingham is the right option for you. The best part of this stag weekend activity is that you get to work as a team, thus building a sense of team spirit and unity among the players. All information regarding the rules and regulations of this stag event is provided to the individual teams prior to the start of the match. Each team will get to display their skills for 45 minutes with a minimum of three games each. You will get the feel of a real contest, as this stag event will be officiated by fully qualified FA referees.

Do not worry; Chillisauce will not leave you starving. On your arrival, freshly brewed coffee/tea and biscuits will welcome you. A bar and a lounge are there at your disposal throughout the duration of this exciting stag do. That is not all. There is a delicious buffet for all the players. If your team wins, be prepared to grab the engraved tournament cup along with seven individual engraved trophies. If your team is the runners-up, dont be disappointed, as the team members will be given an engraved trophy each. A case of Carlsberg is presented to the winning team!

Advantages of Stag Do in Birmingham

Birmingham is the best place for a stag weekend where you indulge in stag parties and stag nights. All your needs while you are on a stag weekend in Birmingham will be catered by Chillisauce, a high quality tour operator that specializes in organizing the best stag weekends, parties and stag nights. The main objective of a stag weekend in Birmingham is to enliven and cheer you up, thus bringing out the best in you.

 
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Battle of the Traffic Schools: Traditional versus Online

05 Feb

The cost of driving increases every year, and drivers are often willing to do whatever it takes to keep their costs down. That means going to traffic school if they commit a traffic violation. Traffic school saves drivers from having points added to their driving records, a necessary step to ensuring that already hefty insurance rates dont skyrocket.

Fortunately, todays drivers arent forced to go to a traditional classroom traffic school, although they may certainly choose this option. More and more people, however, are turning to online traffic schools, like TicketRelief.com to complete their traffic course quickly, easily and affordably. (Most online traffic schools charge anywhere from $17 to $50.)

Of course, as with anything else, there are advantages and disadvantages to both online and traditional traffic schools. Its important to consider each option carefully, choosing the one that best suits the student.

Traditional Traffic School

Social Interaction. Some critics of online traffic schools will say that theres simply nothing like a classroom setting for traffic school. To some extent, this is true. Students who opt for traditional traffic school will have the chance to interact with their fellow students and the class instructor. For some people, especially those who thrive in social settings, this is often the ideal way to learn.

The biggest advantage to traditional traffic school may well be the social interaction, especially if the instructor is good. A charismatic instructor can excite students and make the day-long course not only educational but also fun.

Immediacy. If a student has a question, all he has to do is ask and hell have an immediate answer. Information that is unclear can be discussed and clarified for students immediately, instead of them having to call an 800 number or having to wait for a return email.

One session and its done. Traditional traffic school requires students to appear on the day of the class, participate throughout the day, complete the final exam, and thats that, if the student passed the final exam. Theres no room for procrastination or thoughts of, Oh well, Ill just do it tomorrow. Further, information will be fresh in the students mind when they take the final exam.

Certificate is awarded immediately. Students who opt for walk-in traffic school will receive their certificate of completion immediately following the session, an added bonus for those students who put off taking the course until the last minute.

Of course, there are also disadvantages to attending walk-in traffic school. No one knows that better than Mike P. Welch who completed a traditional walk-in traffic course in August 2005. In addition to having to shuffle his schedule to fit traffic school in, Welch found that much of the course material was grossly outdated.

The instructor had us watch a video that was from the 1970s, and a big segment was on call boxes, which I felt was irrelevant, considering the majority of the population now has cell phones, he says.

According to Welch, students were also required to reveal their ticket violations in front of the class. This ultimately led to some students, like Welch, feeling as though the course was more of a punishment than an opportunity to learn.

Finally, anyone who remembers high school likely can recall those one or two annoying students in the back of the class, out to give the teacher a hard time and cause a distraction. At first, it might be funny but then it just gets downright annoying. Unfortunately, those students who attend walk-in traffic school risk having to deal with such annoyances. Other students were a distraction. Half of the students didnt want to be there and were distracting to the learning process, says Welch.

Welch like thousands of other drivers before him has already decided hell opt for online traffic school if he ever receives another traffic violation.

Online Traffic School

The popularity of online traffic schools and online defensive driving courses has some questioning the future of the traditional walk-in traffic school. Of course, there will likely always remain the traditionalists who will swear by walk-in traffic school. But, more and more people are discovering the vast advantages of fulfilling their court requirements by completing online traffic school.

Saves time. Its a simple fact that time is a precious commodity and most people simply dont have enough of it. Online traffic school allows students to complete the traffic course at their own pace. With Ticket Relief, for example, most students complete their course including all five quizzes and the final exam, in between six and eight hours. Some are able to do it in less time. Students who naturally work quickly can breeze through the course and exam, rather than having to waste a full day in a classroom.

Its easy. Theres no roll of the dice and crossing of fingers, hoping against hope that the instructor is going to be interesting and enjoyable. With online traffic schools, such as Ticket Relief, students know theyre going to receive clear, detailed instructions and easy-to-understand, comprehensive course materials. Questions can be answered quickly with a phone call or an email to a customer service representative.

Its convenient. Complete traffic school anytime wearing pajamas, lounging on the couch or in the middle of the night. It doesnt matter. Online traffic school is generally available 24/7, allowing students to complete the course at any time.

Its worry-free. Schools such as Ticket Relief make taking an online traffic course a breeze students need only a computer and an Internet connection. Registering is simple and safe with Ticket Reliefs 128bit encryption, students know their personal information is secure. Students can access their accounts at TicketRelief.com, and take the final exam as many times as is needed to pass for free.

Of course, as with anything, online traffic school does have its disadvantages. In some instances, students dont immediately get their certificate, but most online traffic schools promise next-day delivery of the certificate for an additional shipping fee. However, some counties process the completion certificate electronically and require students to simply call the court to confirm the certificate was received. A list, of counties that electronically process certificates, can be obtained by calling the court.

Those who opt for online traffic school wont have the same advantage of being able to get immediate answers for questions they have, however online traffic schools like Ticket Relief generally respond in only a few hours.

However, it was the ease of completing an online traffic course that led Travis to found TicketRelief.com, which today serves California (also offering residents of Los Angeles defensive driving courses.). Ticket Relief also offers a Texas defensive driving course (in partnership with Continued Ed) and a Florida defensive driving course (in partnership with American Institute).

Traffic school online is a growing trend, and soon, I believe walk-in traffic school will become obsolete. Taking online traffic school is quick, easy and convenient, he says. Once you register, you can stop your progress at any point and pick up where you left off.

Ticket Relief updates course materials each year, ensuring students dont have to contend with grossly outdated material. Further, theyre dedicated to providing superior service to their clients and plan to expand operations to eventually include the whole of the United States.

Ultimately, however, the best way for students to decide which option is best for them is to consider each option carefully, talking with traditional traffic schools and checking out online traffic schools. Some people will simply not choose online traffic school because they learn best in an interactive environment such as traditional traffic school. Still others will swear by the ease and effectiveness of online traffic school. When it comes down to it, choosing the right traffic school all depends on the students individual personality, needs and preferences.

 
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Choosing A Business Gift

04 Feb

The business gift that you choose says a lot about you. It provides for your partners a look into the appreciation that you actually have for them. While you may not think much about it, thinking that a gift is a gift, they do. So, choosing the right business gift is quite important. The question is, how can you do this?

To choose the business gift that will work, follow these guidelines:

Purchase based on value and meaning rather than price. If you should shop with a $200 dollar fruit basket, they wont appreciate it as much as $50 tickets to their favorite basketball teams next game.

Purchase a gift that you know they will love. Find out something about them. Do they love the opera? Perhaps you noticed that they love a certain restaurant. Find out just what it is that they enjoy. Taking this small bit of time will ensure that your business gift is well valued.

Don’t make a big deal about it. Don’t present your gift in front of an office full of people to outdo others. If you think that the boss doesn’t notice you showing off, he does. Not to mention that this can cause competition and then you’ll be spending a whole lot more. Just be polite about presenting your business gift.

Include a personal message. Thank them, tell them you appreciate them. Provide them with a thought of friendship or pride that you may think means something to them. No, don’t try to win them over here. Be honest about it.

If you are purchasing a business gift for a client, make sure to include that note of personal thanks. Don’t just have the secretary stick your card in the envelope. Take a few minutes of your time and make sure that whoever you are sending your business gift to, will really appreciate your thoughtfulness.

 
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5 Tips To Make Your Personal Training Business More Profitable

04 Feb

Copyright 2006 The Fitness Consulting Group

Here are five simple strategies that any personal trainer can adapt to their business and almost instantly increase their profits:

1. Raise Your Prices. This is the most simple, yet overlooked strategy for increasing your income. If you perform 30 sessions per week and raise your prices by just five dollars per session, youve increased your yearly income by $7800. Not a bad improvement considering that you didnt have to do anything else differently. Most of your clients wont even bat an eye at this increase and the ones that have a problem with a small price increase will almost always be your headache clients. Simply move on and youll soon replace them (if there are any) with a new client happy to pay your fee.

2. Have a back-end. The lifetime value of a client is the total amount of money that a client spends with you during the duration of the time you do business together. Most trainers limit this number to the amount that each client spends on personal training sessions. Since your clients undoubtedly view you as their fitness resource so dont make them look elsewhere when they need to purchase supplements, foam rollers, nutritional coaching or anything else that would be complimentary to your personal training services. Youre helping your clients achieve better results, ensuring that they make the right choices when making fitness-related purchases and increasing your profits as well.

3. Practice takeaway selling. Most personal trainers approach to sales is to tell the prospective client how much they (the trainers) can do for the prospect and then close by almost begging the prospect to become a client. Unfortunately, this approach de-values the trainers services and gives the prospect all the power. Simply turn the table on the prospect. Tell the prospect that you are only accepting a very limited number of clients and then proceed to tell the prospect what will be expected of them should they be fortunate enough to be accepted as a client. Explain that they will have to be a walking billboard for your business and they will be expected to refer people who fit the mold of the client that you want to work with. Youll be amazed by how many prospects literally beg you to take them on as clients.

4. The power of leverage. This is probably my favorite strategy. You can leverage other trainers by hiring them to train clients for you or farming out some of the clients you acquire and charging a finders fee. You can leverage your time by providing only semi-private training instead of the traditional one-on-one that forces you to trade your time for one clients money. You can leverage your knowledge by creating an information product that you can sell to your client or online. You can leverage your clients by having the back end I previously mentioned. Remember, you dont always have to trade your time for one clients money.

5. Institute an automated payment system. It works in health clubs, why not in personal training? Simply set your clients up on 4 or 6 month automated payment plans that are directly drafted from their checking account or credit card. This lets prospects know that you are only interested in taking on clients that are committed (that takeaway selling approach again) to getting results and it prevents you from being a bill collector. Youll also get great piece of mind knowing what your receivables base is for the next few months.

These are just five of many strategies that you can use to make your personal training business more profitable. Go back through them and think of ways that you can implement at least a couple of these strategies into your business. Remember, if you continue to do what youve always done, youll continue to get what youve always gotten.

 
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Find People For Free

04 Feb

How do you find people for free? To avoid hiring a private investigator, learn how to do your own investigating. Here are a couple techniques to get you started.

People are creatures of habit. Even when they are willing to give up their names, and move far away, they rarely are willing to change who they are. A bowler will still want to bowl. If you suspected which city he may have moved to, you could call bowling alleys there to get information on new league members. If I moved and changed my name, you could find me where people gather to play chess. Think of all their habits, and how these might predict their behavior and location.

Most of the time, though, people you try to find aren’t really trying to hide. At least, they aren’t trying very hard. Maybe they have left town and keep their phone number unlisted, but they probably haven’t changed their name. How do you find them quickly? Here are some techniques.

Find People For Free With Skip Tracing Techniques

“Skip tracing” is tracking down people who have “skipped” out of town, or otherwise disappeared. This was the part of my job that I enjoyed when I was a bill collector years ago. It is much easier today with the use of the internet, but the principles remain the same.

The basic things you start with are things like sending mail to any addresses you have and calling any phone numbers you have for the person. When you send a letter, you pay a little extra for “address correction.” The post office will return a card to you with any forwarding address they have on file for the subject.

When you call their phone number(s), if you get an answer, you of course want to ask for the subject. If they have moved, you want to get any information you can from the person on the line. Use basic phone pretexts for this.

Find People With Phone Pretexts

These are useful stories. They can be as simple as “Hi, this is Dave. I’m an old friend of John’s. Do you know where I can find him?” Be prepared, of course for a question or two, like. “Where do you know John from?”

More complicated pretexts might involve a temptation like, “I have a rebate check for $50 on a car stereo here that John never claimed. Do you have his address, so I can just drop it in the mail today?” If they refuse or claim they don’t know where he is, give them your number and ask if they could give it to John if they talk to him.

Get any information you can while you have a person on the phone. They may refuse to give you an address or phone number, but then mention the city that the subject has moved to. Ask them who else might help you, and call those people. Using the phone is the easiest and fastest ways to find people for free.

 
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