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Read Corporate Branding Books And Learn The Ropes

If you would like to learn more about corporate branding and its concepts, you can learn a lot by reading related articles in any publication available. You will be able to have an idea as to what it is and what it can do for your company. It will make you appreciate the value of corporate branding and how it eventually affects your bottom line.

Books are available for your use - and these books will provide you with all the necessary information about the topic. Corporate branding books will be a good read and will prove to be worth your money & time - given the valuable information in your hands.

Here are some of the books that you may like to check:

1.) Corporate Branding: Purpose/People/Process by Majken Schultz - This book discusses 3 major factors in corporate branding. It discusses the purpose of branding, the role of the stakeholders and the processes involved in this endeavor. This corporate book also discusses the classic branding approach and the recent development of corporate branding.

2.) Corporate Reputations, Branding and People Management: A Strategic Approach to HR by Susan Hetrick - This is primarily intended for HR practitioners for better understanding of corporate-level concepts with regards to corporate marketing and branding. The readers will then be guided in coming up with better HR strategies in support of their companys drive and agenda in corporate reputation and branding.

3.) The Best of Branding: Best Practice in Corporate Branding by James R. Gregory - In this book, one will find the authors findings about branding, what works for companies and what doesnt work - and why. Interviews with executives of companies with successful brands are featured in the book. The successful strategies will be discussed here.

4.) Leveraging the Corporate Brand by James R. Gregory and Jack Wiechmann - This book discusses the need for companies to rebuild reputations and corporate brand identities. It emphasizes the value of corporate brand communications. The book involves itself in practical applications as well, aside from the in-depth theories & insights on the subject.

5.) Revealing the Corporation: Perspective on Identity, Image, Reputation and Corporate Branding by John M.T. Balmer & Stephen A. Greyser - The book talks about concepts on corporate identity, image, branding and communication. It has commentaries by editors, case study sections and links to other related works.

Corporate Branding - Learning It Well

Taking the time to read books will familiarize you with the key concepts with regards to the topic. You will have the background knowledge on what usually works in a particular setting, and relate it to the current situation your company is currently in. Books provide you with the insights and the important points that you can use & apply for your own case - equipping the readers with the know-how in dealing with issues relating to corporate branding.

For more articles and information or to view a selection of ecommerce articles and information and business ethics articles and information visit Articles.net.au - Your source for free Articles, Information and Website Content.

The Corporate Branding Triangle

Starting out a new business can be a daunting task, especially for people who are neophytes and dont have any knowledge in the ins and outs of business. If you are thinking about putting up a company or introducing a new product, you would soon realize that having a perfectly good product is simply not enough to survive in business. Developing a strong corporate brand is equally important in order to penetrate in a highly competitive industry.

Creating a brand name can be a very painstaking, understandably so since the brand would be primary identity of the company during its entire operation. Before you start brainstorming and conceptualizing, first you have to understand the full concept of the corporate branding triangle. Taking time to be acquainted with the basic principles of the corporate branding triangle would certainly help in developing a powerful corporate brand.

Similar to a triangle model, the corporate branding triangle has three important points. Since the corporate brand will certainly be the first important impact on consumers, it should be given a certain degree of value. So here are the three important points that make up the corporate branding triangle framework:

Brand Outside

This generally gives stress to the companys relationship outside the organization, particularly to the consumers. To be able to achieve a strong corporate brand, consumers should be aware of the existence of a product or service in the market. Advertising plays a very big role in helping companys develop a high rating on consumers brand recall. It you are introducing a new brand in the market, it is important that people would know what it is, who can use the product, how to use it, and where they can buy it.

Brand Inside

There are several companies who dont invest time to orient their people thoroughly on their products and services, especially those who are not in the marketing and sales department. This is quite an important aspect that should not be overlooked since how would your people sell their products effectively, if they dont even believe in it? It is important that they do not only trust in the brand, they should use it in order to create conviction. Remember, your employees should be the primary endorsers of the companys product or service.

Brand Leadership

Since the top executives of the company are mostly the ones who are responsible in making important decisions with regards to the products and services they are selling, it should be given great importance. While the other to points discussed in the preceding paragraphs are located at the base of the triangle, the brand leadership is at the very topmost part. This means that executives and their own interaction with the brand are important in building an influential corporate brand. Every decision made in the boardroom should be in line with the best interest of the brand and not just solely on making a good profit.

For more articles and information or to view a selection of public company articles and information and business sales related articles and information visit Articles.net.au - Your source for free Articles, Information and Website Content.

The High Costs Of Anger In The Workplace

Leroy was a superstar in the Real Estate business, producing three times the monthly business of his nearest coworker. He was a driven, highly competitive young man who saw his manager as getting in the way of even higher production.

Tension turned to irritability. Yelling and shouting followed. On the day he was fired, he shoved his manager in front of alarmed coworkers who reported his behavior to HR. Anger management classes were required, along with a one month interim, before reinstatement would be considered.

As this case example illustrates, workplace anger is costly to the employee the company, and coworkers. Studies show that up to 42% of employee time is spent engaging in or trying to resolve conflict. This results in wasted employee time, mistakes, stress, lower morale, hampered performance, and reduced profits and or service.

In fact, in 1993 the national Safe Workplace Institute released a study showing that workplace violence costs $4.2 billion ech year, estimating over 111,000 violent incidents. Further, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, about 500,000 victims of violent crime in the workplace lose an estimated 1.8 million workdays each year.

Clearly, poorly handled anger, frustration and resentment sabotage business productivity.
Was Leroy justified in his anger? What skills or tools should he learn to prevent future episodes? What could management have done to better handle the situation?

TOOL #1-RESPOND INSTEAD OF REACT
Using the tool of “respond instead of react,” Leroy can clearly learn to control his behavior and communicate needs in a socially acceptable manner without disruptions to work and morale. The issue here is not if he was justified in being angry; it is how to best deal with normal angry feelings. A key ingredient to managing anger is learning to change “self-talk”– that internal dialog that creates or intensify angry feelings.

From a management perspective, proper anger management skills can enhance conflict resolution, promote personal growth in the employee, reduce employee stress and promote increased workplace harmony.

TOOL #2-STRESS MANAGEMENT
Leroy was clearly under a great deal of stress, much of which was self-imposed. Stress often triggers anger responses. Learning to effective deal with stress can help prevent anger outbursts, as well as reducing employee “burnout” and hampered performance. Managers should be alert to stressed employees and recommend help, before things get out of hand. In many companies, HR or EAP (employee assistance professionals) can provide you with resources and referrals.

TOOL #3- EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
Popularized by psychologist Daniel Goleman, much research shows that increasing “EQ” is correlated with emotional control and increased workplace effectiveness.

What is “EQ” exactly? According to Goleman, it is “the capacity for recognizing our own feelings and those of others, for motivating ourselves, and for managing emotions well in ourselves and in our relationships.”

Fortunately, skills to improve your emotional intelligence can be learned by both employees and management. The benefit is increased understanding of yourself and others which directly relates to increased productivity and workplace harmony.

TOOL #4- ASSERTIVE COMMUNICATION Communication problems frequently lead to misunderstandings, conflicts with coworkers and hurt feelings which may hamper concentration and work performance.

Assertiveness is not aggression, but a way to communicate so that others clearly understand your needs, concerns, and feelings. It starts with the familiar advice to use “I” statements instead of “you” statements which can sound accusatory, and may lead to defensiveness instead of cooperation.

Other communication improvements include acknowledging the concerns and feelings of others in your interaction with them. And, being more sensitive to what others are saying to you “beneath the surface.”

TOOL #6-ACCEPTANCE
While sometimes workplace anger is manifest in “exploding,” other times it is born of grievances held by employees over any number of workplace issues. Much research shows that learning to accept and let go of the wrongs done to you can release your anger and resentment. This, in turn, may improve your health, and help you focus on your job instead of your negative feelings.

Is “acceptance” easy? Of course not. Nor does it mean that you think that whatever happened to you was right, or that you have to like the offending person. What it does mean is “letting go” of the negative feelings you now experience when you remember a negative experience or you encounter the offending person, so that it no longer affects you.

Dr Tony Fiore is a licensed psychologist and anger management trainer. His company, The Anger Coach provides classes, products and resources for adults, couples,the workplace, and professionals. He can be reached at 714-771-0378.

Prepare Yourself For Huge Rewards

We have all hear stories about the success and failure rate of exhibiting at Trade Fairs or Expos. Because of the large outlay for a stand at such an event, the Micro and Home Based Business operators really need to ensure that this is the way they want to move their business forward.

Before deciding if you want to go down this path of promoting your business, make sure that you do your research. One of the first things to take into consideration is, who is the target market of the organisers of specific expos, and is it your target market? It is most important to do sufficient research to reduce the risk of an unsuccessful event

You can do most of your research via the Internet (check out festivals supported by local Councils; check the Exhibition Centres in each State for their calendar of events etc.)

Once you think you have found one that suits your needs, you need to check a number of points e.g. prices; dates (what else is on that could clash and take away potential visitors/customers); publicity (where is it being promoted, how much is being spent); space available; whether it is a retail or trade expo (retail stands allow you to sell onsite - trade stands usually only allow you to take orders); the length of time the expo runs for etc.

Once you decide to proceed, you need to consider how to set up your stand. Again you will need a checklist covering such things as:- furniture; lighting (in most cases you need more lights than what is provided); signage; simplicity of design; etc.

Before the Expo/Fair make sure you are well prepared - give yourself time to produce:- flyers; business cards (not only must you have them to hand out, but more importantly for you - you must collect them from your visitors!); provide a survey; have give-aways; roster people to ‘man the stand’; and be familiar with stand etiquette (this is really important).

Promotion by the organisers is important, but you too should promote your stand to all of your contacts. Have a ’special offer’ that can only be accessed from your stand etc. Make a check list and cover such things as: sending promotional information to your contacts and existing customers; providing free tickets (these are usually made available by the organisers - make sure you send some out) and offering ’specials’.

Just when you thought you had survived the ordeal - exhausted and either disappointed with the outcome or elated - there is still a lot more work to be done. So much of the success of participating in a Trade Fair or Expo depends upon what you do after it is over. Make sure that you are prepared for extensive follow up. And whatever you do, measure the results. You need to assess the outcomes - if you don’t - you will never know if it is worthwhile doing it again.

Most businesses taking part in Expos really just want to make sales. If this is your need, simple day festivals, markets & fairs may be more suitable than three day events. In my first Trade Fair in Melbourne, I took over 100 orders and only one was from a Melbourne trader. But as my work became better known (branded) sales at expos dropped off. People came to see what I had that may be new, but ordered later from my follow up. So what started off as a sales exercise developed into a branding and marketing exercise - both had real value to the growth of my business.

When choosing what to display, remember to keep it simple. Have a theme and build your product around it. A stand promoting skin care products would probably be more successful if it specialised and promoted e.g. Rose Hip Oil skin products. You need to specialise. But you can have a picture catalogue of other products you have available if a customer shows interest in your full range - or a flyer with a web address that will give a listing of all products available. Most new exhibitors make the mistake of trying to show their complete range and end up with a cluttered stand that has no real visual impact to potential customers. A Trade Fair stand is not a shop!

Another big mistake new participants make, is that they gear themselves up to give information, but seldom work out a strategy on how to get information. Your number one goal should be to gather names, emails, addresses and phone numbers from everyone who visits your stand. It can help by having a short survey with a small number of multiple choice questions. Everyone who completes the survey would go into a draw to win a special gift.

Remember it is often the ‘follow up’ that closes the sale. This is where your sales often come from - not necessarily at the expo itself. And how much time does this take? A lot! I probably spend as much time and effort on marketing and building on customer relationships, as I do making the product…

There is certain etiquette when manning a stand; Never be late or leave early; Never leave the stand unattended; never eat in the stand - if you cannot leave your stand ensure your food is in small pieces and walk out of your stand to eat; if you are sitting and someone hesitates near your stand or looks in, immediately stand, say ‘hello’ and offer a free gift (it may be as simple as a bowl of jelly beans with the comment “please help yourself to an energy pill!”; always be prepared to help neighbouring stands; don’t complain and whinge when things don’t go as well as expected - check out other stands that are doing well and try to assess why.

You will get tired and footsore and possibly hot (from the lights) - but you must always display a happy relaxed attitude for your customers. They, too, will be tired and often frustrated. A happy face, a kind word and an offer of an ‘energy pill’, can make all the difference to an exhausted potential customer!

Has all this scared you off participating in a fair or expo? It shouldn’t! You should be just as passionate and excited about your marketing strategy as you are about producing your product. Your success will often depend on how well organised you are and how thorough and diligent you are with your ‘follow up’.

It is a risk participating in these fairs/expos - but if you are completely adverse to risk, your business is less likely to be successful. Bite the bullet and give it a go! Perhaps you can even share a stand - but make sure you plan and organise together!

Gabogrecan has participated in many expos. Her product won 7 of the Australian Gift of the Year Awards and she had 16 licences. For a Free e-book on ‘Preparing Yourself to Exhibit at an Expo’ go to bottom of home page on http://www.micronavigator.com.au

How To Regain Control Of Your Real Estate Investment Choices While Avoiding Capital Gains

The past several years have been very profitable for many real estate investors. But the market is changing and it may be time for many investors to be on the lookout for a new strategy. For those who own rentals, the trend was to buy a rental property, see it appreciate, and buy another rental property using a 1031 tax-deferred exchange to eliminate current capital gains taxes on the profits.

However, there simply aren’t as many solid investment properties available in today’s real estate market. The sharp increase in real estate prices hasn’t remained in balance with rental income. If you’re thinking about selling your investment properties now, you probably are concerned about the large tax bill you’ll face.

Low net rent income, demanding tenants, and a large amount of equity at risk have caused almost all real estate owners to consider selling their real estate. But there are countless investors who feel they are “stuck” with property right now that they’d rather sell. Many are hesitant to reinvest in a new 1031 exchange property because of low rental rates, but are unwilling to cash out on the property out of fear of paying hefty capital gains taxes. The good news is that for many owners and investors, the Private Annuity Trust offers a way to defer paying capital gains taxes, create a lifetime income and protect your assets as well.

With the Private Annuity Trust, real estate investors have a safe and legal way to exit from the labor of property management, the aggravation of dealing with tenants, and the anxiety of wondering how property values will fare in the current real estate market. With the Trust, there’s no pressure to reinvest right away to avoid paying capital gains. Instead investors can avoid making hasty decisions, feel out the market, and decide whether or not they even want to stay in real estate.

How the Private Annuity Trust defers capital gains taxes
Before the sale of the property is final, the property is transferred into the Private Annuity Trust. When the property is ultimately sold, the Trust can begin providing a lifetime stream of income, with taxes deferred over the seller’s lifetime. The Trust assets are protected from creditors and lawsuits, and the assets in the Trust can eventually pass to the seller’s beneficiaries without worry about the current 46% estate tax rate.

Many investors are concerned that due to significant property appreciation over the last several years, they are now too heavily invested in real estate. They just want to sell some of their assets and place their money into a more diversified, completely protected, lower maintenance investment vehicle with predictable cash flow. At the same time, they don’t want to fork over up to 30% of their investment profits in the form of capital gains tax payments if they don’t find a suitable investment in time.

The current Internal Revenue codes and strategic implementation of Private Annuity Trusts make avoiding this predicament a reality. Payments from the trust don’t need to begin right away-not until age 70

EBay Selling Tips

Ebay is a worldwide used online auction site. Sometimes to start to sell on a site like this is quite daunting, so I have put together some EBay selling tips to help you get started and hopefully to help you make some money.

If you are still thinking of ideas of what you could sell to make money, just stop, look around your home and see what you think you don’t need or want anymore. Clothes, books, media, shoes, plates, china, ornaments, paper, pens, picture frames, toys. Look around to see what you think you could sell. If you are not sure if it would sell, search for it and see if anyone else is selling it, if they are then you can too!

EBay selling tips would not be complete with out payment advice. Buyers can pay by various methods, check, postal order or PayPal. By far the easiest way is PayPal so I would highly recommend setting up a PayPal account for this. It is the safest way to buy and sell for both the buyer and the seller.

There are costs involved in eBay and you need to keep track of what you are spending out so that you know what profit you are making, here is a list of the costs involved:

Item cost
Listing and reserve fees
Feature fees
Final Value fee (if the item sells).
Auction Management Service (if you use one).
Credit card or PayPal service fees
Internet service or DSL fees
Shipping costs and materials

Think carefully about the title of your item. If someone is searching for a particular, item you have to think what they may type into search for. For instance “blue jumper” Is a very vague description, but “Perfect condition ladies blue jumper size 12″ would attract a lot more visitors. Also try to include the brand name and people often search for brands.

One of the most important one of the eBay selling tips is to ALWAYS include a picture of what you are selling. Most buyers will not buy an item with no picture. Also, you will almost double the money you make if you list the picture in the gallery view, this is only 15p but many buyers will only look at auctions with a gallery picture. Items with no gallery picture are often deemed invisible.

Books, CDs and DVDs and other media have ISBN or UPC numbers, if you add this into your item description then eBay will put a picture in for you of the cover of the item and also a lot of the other information about the item.

Do some research on the item you are selling, find out the retail value and include that in the information about your item. If the buyer knows the retail value you are more likely to get a better price for it. Look up other eBay auctions selling the same items as you, see how much they are going for and what they sell for, you can gauge interest that way.

You need to find out which category to put your item in, you can do this by eBay’s recommended or you can choose your own. For an extra free you can put it in a sub category also. Make sure you think carefully about the category and search other items similar to yours to see what category they are listed in.

If you are still unsure about how much to list your item for then you can always start it at a low auction price and put a reserve price on it so that it can’t go for under that price. The buyer will not know what the reserve is until they get to it, but for your peace of mind you will know that you will get the price you want. If you start bidding higher you are much less likely to get any bids at all.

Make sure you weigh your item and work out the shipping costs, don’t forget to add the weight for the packaging. You can charge a flat rate for shipping so make sure this is clear in your listing. Make sure you don’t put your postage costs too high as this can scare off potential buyers. If there are two items both going for the same amount, the one with the cheaper postage will be more likely to get more bids.

Shelley Green is the owner of http://www.fast-ways-to-make-money.com, a site that specializes in Fast Ways to Make Mondy including tips, advice and also other recommended sites.

Website Advertising Ideas To Boost Your Internet Profits

Write about a niche area that you are interested in and create an Ecourse on it. Then start a marketing campaign to build a subscriber list. If the list grows quickly and people opt in to learn more about the niche, you are creating a ready pool of customers to sell to once the actual product is launched. Evidence will show if there is a strong need for the product.

Toward the end of your ad copy, use a “P.S.” to remind your readers some last minute thoughts that will sway their decision in your favour. This is where you either want to repeat a strong benefit or a possible loss should the reader not purchase your product by taking quick action.

Create a free ebook that has valuable content, make it viral by allowing your readers to encode their own links into the ebook and allow them to give it away. This will increase your traffic and brand your internet identity.

Create multiple streams of income with your web site. The products offered should be focused around specific markets. Your own products and affiliate products should tie in with one another. Adding some adsense advertising to your website can also bring in some revenue.

Thank your visitors in your ad copy, for spending time to visit your website. Being respectful to the reader earns their trust, puts them in a good mood, and brands you as someone thoughtful about others. People are more likely to buy from someone they feel is likeable and a pleasure doing business with.

When a customer purchases your product, take them to a “Thank You” page which leads to backend products that compliment the first purchase.

Focus on a few products on your web site instead of selling a large amount of products. Too many choices can overwhelm your visitors and they will feel that you are not catering to their needs. Never introduce Offer A to your customer at the “Opt-In” page, then a different product B at your “Confirm Subscription” page and a different product C at your “Thank You” page. Remember that you have not made the sale yet and need to expose the same product ad to your potential customer multiple times in order to achieve maximum impact and close a sale.

Include content and free stuff on your web site that promote the products you’re selling. If they don’t read your ads, they may read your offerings.

Allow your visitors to identify with you. Use an audio generator, photograph and signature to publish information about yourself. Once people connect with you because of the efforts you put in to reach out to your readers, you will find it easier to close sales.

Provide a support@yourdomain.com email address so that visitors know that they can have support when they need it. Some customers may send you an email to see how quick you respond, so its important to reply within 24 hours. Doing so will leave a good impression, connect you with your online customer and increase the likelihood of a sale. It also adds credibility to your business.

Sherman Choo is an Internet Marketer helping people all over the globe achieve Financial Freedom. To discover the perfect Internet Network Marketing business model that has helped thousands make money online and find out if this Internet Home Business is right for you. Visit==>http://www.success-university.us

Changing Your Career Path

When I was a young thing - you were considered to be a poor employee if you were not able to ‘hang on’ to your job for your working life. Now you are considered to be somewhat of a dinosaur if you do!

The fact that you are likely to change your job and even the type of business you are in, three to eight times in your working life, means that you should consider this when undertaking your initial training for a career.

This does not mean that you should not train for and begin in an area of your first choice - but it does mean that you need a mind set that will enable you to change direction mid stride and that you are prepared to continue training throughout your life.

However there is another problem that is engulfing many of us these days and that is that the type of jobs we want (especially at the dollar level we are used to) just may not be available. This is one of the reasons for the mass exodus from being an employee to being an entrepreneur and running your own business.

Currently over 67% of all small business in Australia is run from home. And why is that? In many cases it is because people are trialling a business idea they have and want to see if it would be successful before taking it to the next level. When they are sure that their business idea will work, something they might not have expected occurs. They find they actually like working from home. They can be with their loved ones and enjoy the flexibility of time allocation; they also reduce travel time and continue reduced overheads, by staying at home.

This phenomenon opens up another door of opportunity for many ‘would be’ business operators. This new age entrepreneur needs further training in the area of business and they want it quickly and at a time that suits them. Consequently formal classroom training over a number of weeks (or years) is not for them. So where do we find the trainers for this emerging sector?

There are a number of careers that would have the skills set to enable training to take place e.g. teachers, nurses, sociologists, counsellors etc. So this group could change career path and train the start up businesses - but even though they have the skills to do the training they also need knowledge in the small and micro business sector.

What often happens is those with good training skills have no real knowledge (only theory - when this new group want practical support and advice) and those with some knowledge do not have the training skills e.g. local government employees making a change.

Consequently there is a massive growth in Business and Lifestyle Coaching where the coach may be formally trained or just decide to call themselves a coach! It is because of this diversity of skill sets of existing coaches and the great disparity of costs they charge, that makes the micro and home based business operators sceptical and very wary.

So, what is the solution? It would seem logical that those with training skills (even trained coaches) need to access content that is relevant, cost effective and above all, contains vital, practical information for them to provide to the start up business operator.

There are experts in the field of micro and home based businesses who have designed presentations for this sector that fulfil all the essential requirements mentioned above. The good news is that some of these experts are prepared to license their value packed information sessions so that you, the trainers, can ensure that you have the essential information required. Coaches can also add to their portfolio by licensing some of the Presentations.

So if you are looking for a career change - consider becoming a trainer and help the thousands who are also changing direction and need speedy, relevant and practical support.

Barbara Gabogrecan is a renowned artist and author, winning many awards. You can see an example using the techniques discussed above, at:- http://www.mbnsolutions.com.au/index.php?module=Website&action=Text&content=1133081509671-8917

Finding the Right Marketing Services Provider for Your Business

If you’re a small business owner, medium-sized business, or marketing professional who realizes that you can’t be an expert in everything, then finding a Marketing Services Provider to meet your growing needs is essential. However, not all marketing service providers are the same. In fact, there are thousands of providers who promise everything from Advertising to Tradeshow Management. But how can you tell who will deliver for your business and who will not? There are a few things to look for before choosing the right Marketing Services provider who cares as much about your business as you do.

1. Screening Questions. Depending on what type of marketing service provider you’re looking for, take time to organize some basic questions that will help you evaluate whether or note the marketing service provider can meet your needs. You should customize these questions based on your specific marketing needs. Here are a few to get your started: a. How long have you been in business? b. What happens if I am not satisfied with the result of the project? c. Please explain the process your will follow for this project? d. Can you provide me with a list of client references for which you’ve done similar projects? e. What is your fee structure? f. On average, how long do these types of projects take to complete?

Getting answers to these very basic questions will give you’re a firm expectation of time, expense, and proposed outcomes. If they are not what you’re looking for, you can always negotiate, but keep in mind that the first answers given are usually closest to what you can expect. Don’t settle. Keep asking these questions as many times as you need to. Eventually you will find the right vendor who answers these questions to your satisfaction.

2. References. The only legitimate way to know whether or not a service provider has a solid reputation is to call references provided. Often times, individuals ask a vendor for references and never receive them. Even worse is the buyer who receives a list of references and never calls or speaks to them. Don’t feel awkward calling a vendor’s references. These individuals have agreed to be contacted by future clients. If a vendor is unable to give you a list of references, then you must question why no one is willing to vouch for the vendor’s previous work. Finding satisfied clients is one of the most important cues to selecting a vendor that you’ll be satisfied with.

3. Shop Around. Be sure to acquire at least three quotes (one each from 3 separate vendors) before making a final selection. You’ll be surprised how much money you can save by getting multiple quotes for the same project. Even if you prefer a certain vendor over another, multiple quotes allow you to negotiate and make sure that each vendor is offering the same type of service. If prices vary greatly, ask your vendors why their pricing is so much higher - what are they including that the others aren’t?

4. Ask for a Detailed Project Outline. It’s very easy for projects to get started and quickly become sidetracked. Before beginning any project, make sure that your vendor provides you with a detailed outline of project dates and deliverables. This will not only set your expectations correctly, it will also detail what’s included in the proposed work. Ask your vendor, what happens if he/she misses a deliverable? How often do they complete their projects on time? The point here is to communicate with your marketing services vendor that you have expectations that must be met. This will allow for better project management throughout your marketing services engagement and ensure that all deliverables are achieved on or close to target.

5. Provide Partial Payment. Most marketing service vendors ask for part of the project payment up front. They realize that the fees you pay are partially based on satisfaction and completion of the work. If your marketing service vendor asks for the whole fee up front, tell the vendor that you will only agree to structured payments. This ensures project completion and gives you ability to manage deliverables throughout the project timeline.

If you’re going to be selecting a marketing services provider for your business, be sure to follow the steps outlined above. By shopping around and asking the right question, you can find a marketing services provider that is affordable, meets your needs, and does excellent work. If you don’t take the time to find the right vendor, don’t expect the outcome you’re looking for.

Michael Fleischner is the founder and President of MarketingScoop.com. He has appeared on major media including the TODAY Show, Bloomberg Radio, and more. Visit http://www.MarketingScoop.com.

In Shaky Economic Times, Bestselling Author Provides Chiropractors “Freedom from Fear”

Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do good things happen to bad people? Why does life often seem so unfair? And what does all that have to do with your chiropractic practice?

Those, and more, are questions “street scholar” Mark Matteson seeks to answer. In a time when chiropractic income is going down, expenses are rising, and chiropractors are facing a multitude of other issues, Mattesson gives chiropractors techniques they can use to reduce worry in their lives. That’s because, according to Matteson, author of the bestselling Freedom from Fear, worry isn’t only stressful. It’s a waste of time.

“Worry is a misuse of the imagination; it’s negative goal-setting,” says Matteson. “The analogy I like to use is fog. One square mile of fog is simply 12 ounces of water. But when we hit that fog when we’re driving, we either slow down or stop. And that’s what fear does. It shifts our focus onto the wrong side of the ledger. We just need to understand that worry is an illusion.”

Matteson says fear is a roadblock to success. Fortunately, though not easy, it is possible to get rid of worry.

“Worry is imagining what you don’t want to have happen, and it’s a habit,” he says. “The good news is, I can unlearn a habit. The question I like to ask is, where’s your focus? Is it on the things you want, or is it off the things you want?”

Because of his proven and practical techniques, Matteson is in great demand as a keynote speaker, seminar leader and management consultant. He says he attempts to take the best parts of his books, Freedom from Fear and Freedom from Fear Forever, and integrate them into each presentation–much as he’s planning to do at the International Chiropractic Appreciation Mega Event (ICAME) in Las Vegas in January.

Mark says he wants to inspire every audience to “raise the bar” and achieve higher levels of personal and professional performance. And, when it comes to Matteson’s advice, you can be sure it comes from experience. One example is self-confidence. Matteson recommends a kind of journaling to boost self-worth.

“When good things happen, write them down. I’ve been doing that for 15 years, and it’s dramatically changed my self-concept. At the risk of sounding arrogant, what’s it’s done is bolstered my self-worth,” says Matteson. “It’s built my confidence, and people buy that confidence. That’s no less true for speakers than it is for chiropractors.”

In fact, Matteson says self-confidence and self-esteem have a great deal to do with getting rid of worry and experiencing success in chiropractic offices.

“I believe personally that people buy you. In the chiropractic industry, you’re developing a relationship,” Matteson explains.

“It’s a relationship business, and you can’t give away something you don’t have.”

Anyone involved in the chiropractic industry can download Dr. Patrick Porter’s free podcasts through iTunes or by visiting http://www.ParkerVegas.com. You can view Dr. Porter’s chiropractic support program at www.newreality.com.

Does the Road to Success Lie Through Failure? It Can, According to Billionaire Bill Bartmann

Most people don’t value their failures…but Bill Bartmann does. In fact, when it comes to failure and success, no one knows the ropes better than he does. If that seems a little exaggerated, it’s not. Among other life changes, Bartmann pulled himself from abject poverty to become the 25th wealthiest man in America.

“I’ve had a very interesting life,” Bartmann says. “I’ve gone from being unemployed and almost unemployable, to employing more than 10,000 people. I’ve gone from being a million dollars in the hole and bankrupt to being over a billion dollars to the good.”

And that’s just the beginning. Bartmann, who has earned recognition from numerous institutions, as well as a permanent place in the Smithsonian Institute’s Museum of American History, says his mission is to share his success strategies with as many people as possible.

“I’ve seen both sides of success and failure, and I’ve seen both of them up close and personal,” says Bartmann. “It’s because I’ve seen them, and have learned some things during my journey, that I want to share the things I’ve learned with the hope that it will provide some value for the people in the audience.”

Because he’s known more than his share of hard times, Bartmann says he teaches people how to react to adversity in a way that makes their lives better.

“Most of us don’t know how to react to the things that happen to us. We go into shock,” he says. “We want to grab a bottle or grab a gun or grab a razor blade, because we fall into despair or despondency. I show people none of that stuff is necessary.”

Bartmann also says the way to dealing with adversity is deceptively simple.

“The simplest way to deal with adversity is to raise your self-confidence. If you can do that, then when things happen around you, you have the strength and the resolve to be able to deal with them honestly and straight-up,” Bartmann says.

While, Bartmann admits, he can’t fix everyone’s problems, he does want to help make their lives easier.

“I’m not a psychologist,” he stresses. “I’m not trying to cure all the ills of the world, but I do want to be able to talk to people one-on-one, to let them understand there is somebody out there who’s been through the stuff they’re going through, and there are some very simple things you can do that will make your life so much easier.”

“I’ve had more failures than anyone else I’ve met in my whole life, but I’ve also had more successes than most people, because I’ve learned how to deal with my failures,” Bartmann concludes. “That’s what I want to show people.”

Anyone involved in the chiropractic industry can download Dr. Patrick Porter’s free podcasts through iTunes or by visiting http://www.ParkerVegas.com. You can view Dr. Porter’s chiropractic support program at www.newreality.com.

What’s the Secret to Getting Paid for Your Chiropractic Services? Look at the Evidence

As a chiropractor, you may have heard the term, “evidence based practice,” but what does it mean? According to Dwight Whynot, DC, it means the difference between getting paid and losing money…and maybe even the difference between keeping and losing your practice.

That’s because, in today’s tough economic environment, chiropractors everywhere are finding it more difficult to squeeze payments from reluctant insurance companies. If you want them to show you the money, you have to show them the proof. That’s where evidence based practice comes in.

“The health care system as it is, it’s getting harder and harder to get reimbursed for everything you do in your office,” says Whynot. “When I practice an evidence-based style of practice, I give the insurance companies the evidence they need to gather to show them the patient needs the care I’m giving.”

Whynot, who has a private practice in Johnson City, Tennessee, learned the hard way how difficult it is for chiropractors to make ends meet. Then, an invitation to a group called Center for Integrative Medicine opened his eyes.

“One of the things the medical doctors asked me was, ‘How do you know the patient’s getting better?’ I said, ‘Well, the patient tells me.’ There was no objective way I was doing at that time, to tell me whether or not the patient was getting better,” Dr. Whynot says. “There wasn’t any evidence I could give the medical doctor who referred the patient to me, to show them the patient was getting better.”

That realization started Whynot on a path of discovery that led him to develop his own evidence-based practice.

“I started looking, and I found range of motion studies, computerized muscle testing, pain pressure threshold testing, tests that prove whether people have a subluxation,” Dr. Whynot explains. “Then I can show them how well they’re doing. I can send reports to the medical doctor and say, ‘Yes, the patients you referred are getting better.’ I can show the insurance company whether or not the patient’s getting better. That’s why I like evidence-based chiropractic.”

Whynot says he wants to use the knowledge he’s gained to help other chiropractors.

“I want to change our profession,” concludes Dr. Whynot. “The biggest way to change our profession is by trying to reach as many people as possible. You need a lot of documentation to prove what you did helped the patient, and providing that documentation has really helped me out. I give people that information.”

Anyone involved in the chiropractic industry can download Dr. Patrick Porter’s free podcasts through iTunes or by visiting http://www.ParkerVegas.com. You can view Dr. Porter’s chiropractic support program at www.newreality.com.

International Chiropractic Consultant Shows How to Cut the Insurance Hassle with a Cash Practice

If you’re a chiropractor, you’ve dealt with insurance companies…and you know the drill. Rejected claims, delays, and unpaid bills are just the beginning. Still, is a cash practice right for you?

JJ Chatrousse, DC says it is. Even if you don’t want to dive into a cash-only practice, says this third-generation chiropractor, developing a cash aspect is possible for any doctor of chiropractic.

“Since the late 80s, the insurance companies have been more and more difficult to deal with, and pay less and less, whether it is in the chiropractic or the medical field. I want chiropractors to get an idea of what I call diversified income,” says Chatrousse.

Chatrousse, always a firm proponent of cash practices, says there are multiple advantages to building a cash practice.

“One of the benefits is that you don’t have any accounts receivable. You don’t have to battle the insurance companies. You can have less staff, so less overhead. It’s less stressful,” he explains. “You develop a closer relationship with the patients, because they actually pay for what they’re getting. I believe they understand the value more because they have to pay for it themselves.”

Since leaving his own chiropractic practice, Dr. Chatrousse has been a consultant and international speaker, helping his clients learn how to establish fee structures for cash practices, educate patients, and determine how and when to present the cash concept.

“There is still a part that will be paid by the insurance companies,” explains Chatrousse. “But I teach how to get a patient to choose and, if he or she chooses to go into preventative care, how to make it affordable for them.”

Dr. Chatrousse says his experience consulting internationally has played a major role in helping him understand how well a cash practice can work.

“I have consulted with people in Italy, in France, in Spain. The issue there is that, up until a few years ago, chiropractic was still illegal in most of the countries in Europe. So, obviously, they were all dealing with cash practices,” says Chatrousse. “It gave me insight into how to get people to understand the value of chiropractic, which is what we have to convey. Education is the key–and to make it affordable for them to come to the practice.”

He also says there are more than enough patients willing to pay cash to support any chiropractic practice.

“A few years ago, people in [America] spent about 40 billion dollars on alternative healthcare…out of their own pockets!” Chatrousse exclaims. “I know the money is there. It’s just a matter of communicating with the public and educating them so they can make a more informed decision about how chiropractic could fit into their health and their life.”

Anyone involved in the chiropractic industry can download Dr. Patrick Porter’s free podcasts through iTunes or by visiting http://www.ParkerVegas.com. You can view Dr. Porter’s chiropractic support program at www.newreality.com.

Identity Theft: It Won’t Happen To Me.

“I got bad credit I’m not worried”
“It happened to a friend of a friend”
“I’ve got other priorities now”
“All it takes is guarding your Social Security number”
“I can trust the people around me”

These quotes are all too common regarding identity theft. The problem is the Federal Trade Commission, various law enforcement agencies and identity theft experts have stated there are no 100% guarantees and the numbers for identity theft keep getting worse

“I got bad credit so I’m not worried”

Just recently KFLY TV in Lafayette Louisiana reported that 2 men were arrested for stealing the identity of 2500 people. Identity thieves don’t run credit checks before they steal your identity. All they need to do damage is a little bit of your personal information

“It happened to a friend of a friend”

This one should really alert people. The reason ? Everybody now knows somebody who’s been victimized. That alone tells you what an epidemic identity theft has become. Last year 10 million people had their identities stolen. Many experts think that number will double this year. They also fear the 10 million figure is too low. Why? Many victims don’t report the crime.

“I’ve got other priorities now”

Once your identity is stolen there is only one priority: Getting it back. On average it can take 175 hours and out of pocket expenses totaling 15,000 dollars according to the FTC

“All it takes is guarding your Social Security number”

In February of this year Bank of America announced that 1.2 million federal employee credit card accounts may have been exposed to identity theft. In June, Visa and MasterCard announced that 40 million cardholders maybe at risk when the database of their third party processor was broken into. Many of these people no doubt guarded their Social Security number faithfully but thru no fault of their own they’re now at risk.

“I can trust the people around me”

This one hits home and may hurts the worst. 50% of all identity thieves are known by the victim. Family members, friends and neighbors do more damage than total strangers.

There are other reasons people give. Yes it may never happen to you but identity theft is now a full blown epidemic that affects everyone.

Daryl Campbell is a writer and home business owner. What it took you years to build, Identity thieves can take and destroy within hours. Get the professionals on your side to watch your back 24/7. http://digbig.com/4fcpt

You’re The Expert, You Fire Him!

Steve and Ellen had three children: a daughter in New York, another daughter in California, and a son who had stayed around to work in the family company.

The couple ran a manufacturing company in Indiana started by the husband’s father.

Although he was in his nineties, the grandfather still came to the office every day (during the parts of the year when he wasn’t in Florida).

Like so many family businesses, there were three generations involved simultaneously. The problem? The successor: Steve and Ellen

How Podcasts Can Help Your Online Business

Podcasts has evolved from being just a hobby for the music enthusiasts to a serious marketing tool adopted by large multinational corporations.

In fact, it’s evolution and transformation is tied closely to that of blogs. The reason is because podcasts is basically just an audio mp3 file which is distributed using Rss feeds.

Think of podcasts as your different radio channels. You can tune in to a classical channel, or rock channel or jazz channel and so on.

Initially the use of podcast was mainly done by music enthusiasts and hobbyists who wanted to share music files and audio with others.

Just like blogs when podcast first came onto the scene, podcast was thought of nothing more than some form of fun hobby or activity. It was not long, before companies realized the potential of podcasts
in:

- building client relationship,
- branding,
- getting their message out there
- syndicating their content and ultimately
advertising their services and products through the use of Rss feeds, which was in-built into blogs

As can be seen, what started as a simple form of fun hobby soon evolved into a powerful marketing weapon. Podcasts is not just for the music enthusiasts anymore.

Companies and businesses understand the power of podcast and how podcast can help their
business.

For example:

1. Companies like General Motors and Microsoft, create podcasts that combine information and product news for people who may be interested, such as investors, car, computer buffs or industry analysts.

2. News channels, like CNN, put their headlines and some of the brief news stories into a podcasts format.

3. Radio stations have turned some of their programs into podcasts which they upload daily and make available to people who might enjoy the program but are unable to listen to it when it is initially broadcast over the airwave.

4. Museums, art galleries, and historical sites create broadcasts for users to listen to as they walk through, replacing the human guide that would do tours, and allowing an individual with a personal audio player to go through at their own pace.

5. The director of the sci-fi television show “Battlestar Galactica” creates a regular
podcast to tell subscribers about the behind-the-scenes effort to make the show.

Why do you think these large multi-national companies bother to create podcasts? Obviously it helps them with their business and bottomline!

Let’s take a look again at how podcast or podcasting can help your online business.

1. Podcast can grow, expand and multiply your business.

Podcast uses Rss feeds and with the explosion in the use of Rss feeds, this means you can submit your Podcast to many podcast directories.

Just like the way a listener tunes in to a particular radio channel, podcast listeners and subscribers will look for a specific niche podcast to subscribe to.

This means you can reach out to new market and new consumer you otherwise would normally not be able to do with traditional forms of business advertising and promotion.

2. Flexibility and repeat advertising

Podcast, being essentially and audio file, offers consumers choice, convenience and flexibility. With the proliferation of mp3 players, your podcast can be downloaded, stored in an mp3 player and listen to over and over again.

Think about how much it would cost you to repeat an advert? With podcasts, it’s totally free.

3. Ready market, to the tune of millions waiting to be tapped.

Recent years have seen the gigantic and exponential growth of audio mp3 device players, especially Apple’s iPod. There are millions of loyal iPod totting fans out there. They are constantly searching for audios to download. You can serve these lucrative niche markets by offering niche podcasts.

These are just some of the many examples how podcast and podcasting can help your online business.

With such a big potential and the technology being in it’s early unsaturated stage, this is truly the best time to leverage on podcasting technology to grow and multiply your online business.

Brandon is author of blogs, rss, wordpress and podcast courses. Discover how easy it is to grow, expand and multiply your business with podcasts.
http://www.marketing-rampage-with-podcasts.com

A Business Owner Asks, “How Do We Get to Disney World?

“Let’s go to Disney World!” is the cry heard by millions of parents each year. “But how we get there?” parents often cry a few weeks before the trip.

Planning for the long-range success of your business can be boiled down to the same three step exercise you use to map out your trip to see Mickey.

First, (and of greatest importance) you have to get a handle on where you are right now, as a business and as a family.

Second, you need to determine where you want to be. As Will Rogers said, “it really doesn’t matter that you are making great time if you’re heading in the wrong direction.”

Finally, you need to sort out the available alternatives will allow you to move smoothly from where you all are to where you want to.

Repair for most of us, a great place to start is with a meeting where we can begin the process. In a family owned business, family members from different generations may have opposing ideas, and these need to be considered as you plan for the future. Even if all members are in general agreement, no one may know how to discuss his or her point of view.

Frequently this lack of honest, unemotional communication is complicated by a lack of understanding of the techniques available. While planning for the future of the business and the family, these emotional issues are often overlooked or ignored in favor of “tax savings” for example, to everyone’s sorrow later on.

The Family Conference: A Productive Planning Strategy

An excellent beginning is to hold a family conference. The family conference as a positive step toward assuring the future for everyone. The idea that “someday this will all work out” is a pipe dream. Nothing good happens by accident, without planning. The family conference helps you understand that your goals do not have the conflict with the goals of your father, mother, brother, sister, son, or daughter.

The objective of the family conference is to develop a set of suggested activities and planning ideas that you and your advisers can use to achieve your goals. Our quarter-century of experience has shown that the family/owners already have 90% of the information necessary to creatively plan for the future of their organization.

We believe that success comes only when the focus is on the needs and feelings of everyone involved.

What’s needed is a framework for discussion, a process that allows them to construct effective dialogue to remove past slights, align expectations and create shared goals for the future. The results will provide their advisors a blueprint for creating the results the family seeks.

The Strategic Conversations Process: Before, During, and After the Family Conference

The 5 Key Principles of Strategic Conversations are:

1. Set the context for the interaction:
In order for a conversation to be “strategic,” the stage must to be set with certain understanding and agreement. This process is a critical first step for it clarifies the objective and creates an atmosphere where trust can be built. You can see how important this is when the individuals involved have long histories with each other.

2. Initiate the dialogue:
Both an action step and a mind-set. As you communicate, your mind will be oriented so that you will receive and process input and respond to it in a focused and strategic manner. It is not necessary for each person involved to understand the principles, as long as you do. Having a “conversations on purpose” not the usual chit chat. The process identifies the subject as important.

3. Feedback for clarification:
“I know you believe you understand what you think I said, but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.” Lewis Carroll in Alice in Wonderland. In its normal state, interpersonal communication is actually more often misinterpretation. All parties to the conversation believe they are being clear in what they are conveying, and the receivers think they are getting the message.

The truth is, most of the time the message being received is only partially correct. In order to have a strategic conversation, all parties to the conversation must be clear. The Strategic Conversations report provides examples of clarification strategies.

4. Show Appreciation:
The ending of a conversation is an important event in and of itself. All too often, a conversation ends too abruptly leaving one or more of the participants feeling awkward or uncomfortable. Then, the uncomfortable feeling is the last memory with which the participant is left. The act of showing appreciation is an effective gateway to transitioning to the close of a conversation and summing up the value of the interaction. There are examples of the power and art of showing appreciation in the 5 Keys To Strategic Conversations report.

5. Extend yourself:
This element opens the door for a future interaction of this type of communication. It can invite a closer relationship, if desired, or simply establish a connection. Modeling this type of behavior will encourage others to behave in a similar manner, leading to clearer, more accurate strategic conversations. Paying forward is an effective way to insure productive future conversations. The report contains tips on how to extend yourself in ways that will positively impact your communications.

Imagine, personal and business relationships without conflict. Decision made in a cooperative environment with “everybody rowing in the same direction” all the time.

Is it possible? It is when you have internalized the principles of “Strategic Conversations” and integrated them into your very being.

Is it easy? No, nothing worthwhile ever is. But since you have used, to a greater or lesser degree, each of the principles over time - you will be able to do this, given the commitment.

Wayne Messick is co-founder and senior consultant at part of a global consortium of business strategists.

Click here for no-charge access to the research report 5 Keys to Strategic Conversations .

How To Become A Successful Internet Marketing Consultant

If you are knowledgeable about e-business in general and the way the online market place works, then you may want to consider a career as an internet marketing consultant. Even if you are relatively new to the online world, but have a marketing background to call on, you can actually still become an internet marketing consultant. All it needs is just a little bit of work. But that’s true for any career. But to be a consultant you need to make sure your knowledge is varied and is solid.

In order to turn yourself into an internet marketing consultant and be able to market yourself, you need to first take stock of your internet marketing skills and knowledge. Figure out where your strengths are and what you need to improve. From that information, put together a plan that will allow you to educate yourself and improve your weak areas. If you find that you are weak in some area, begin to work on those area and brush up on them. Once you develop your skills and feel confident, you will be ready to embark on your internet marketing consultant career.

You must be prepared fully, because as an internet marketing consultant you will be called upon to help a number of varying clients. Your clients will vary from being completely “green” to seasoned veterans of their fields. You will have some that know almost nothing about business or the internet and are looking to you for everything. You will have to take them under your wing, so to speak. On the other hand, you may have clients who are essentially marketing gurus, but have no idea how to market on the internet. As an internet marketing consultant, it is your job to help all levels of client. So be prepared.

Perhaps you feel that your strengths are heavy towards just one area of expertise. You may then want to consider working as internet marketing consultant within a that niche. You can specialize in fields like search engine optimization, email marketing, ezines, or even newsletters. Identify the niche you are strong in and make sure you are up to date on it. There are a number of areas where you can work in internet marketing if you do choose to go the way of niche expertise. To identify which niches are “hot” simply type in a typical question into your favorite search engine and see what comes up.

Becoming an internet marketing consultant can be rewarding work. If you enjoy business, marketing, and the internet it may be a career direction you may want to take. All you need to do is take stock of your knowledge and skill, educate yourself, and be ready help all levels of customers. If you think you are more suited to one aspect, then you can always go the way of the niche consulting role. How you choose to function in your internet marketing consultant role is really up to you.

Khemal Dole owns and operates
http://www.PaychecksDirect.com, a completely F*R*E*E
service which helps many first-timers and even
experts find their perfect Work At Home job. Visit
www.PaychecksDirect.com right now and see for
yourself why so many are flocking to his site.

What Are The Common Types Of Marketing Jobs?

When you hear someone mention that they are in marketing, what do you think they do exactly? What does “Marketing” mean and what kind of jobs are their in the marketing field. When someone says they are in Marketing there are a number of specific jobs they could be referring to. Marketing jobs are varied in their type and structure, so if you think marketing is something you might enjoy doing, you should consider what that can encompass. Here are a few of the more common marketing jobs you may see in your job search.

Some marketing jobs refer to account managers, which are sometimes called account executives. They generally are the point person for specific client accounts. As an account executive, you would be helping clients form strategies to market their businesses as well as implementing those strategies for them. You might also me known as I consultant to the clients. They come to you when they need things done. You get those things done for them. You need to have good people skills in order to me an account manager. This is obvious since you will be dealing with people all the time. But what if you don’t like to deal with people?

Luckily marketing jobs aren’t always about dealing with customers. You could be a product or brand manager as well. For such marketing jobs you would be responsible for creating strategies and marketing publicity for physical products or brand names. You would probably gain understanding of the market for the product and target niches and specific sects of the market. There would of course be an account manager who deals with the client. But your jobs is simply to focus on marketing and not customer relations.

Sometimes marketing jobs have weird sounding names like MarCom manager. As stang as it sounds this job, though, is important. Generally, in this role, you would be responsible for the direct marketing strategy for a company or in some cases a product. You would also create materials and organize the entire marketing program from scheduling, budget to implementation in terms of the communication side of things. This job demands experience in the whole cycle of marketing.

Then there are marketing managers. In this, perhaps the most commonly referred to of marketing jobs, you would be in charge of all activities and decisions in the marketing department of a company. You would be required to communicate, organize, analyze, and manage all at the same time. Plus you would be ultimately responsible for the people who work for you. You are, after all, their boss. This job role demands years of experience in all forms of marketing roles. Typically you would have be promoted up the ranks of all other job roles to get here.

As you can see, marketing jobs are varied, but offer something for everyone. There’s a job for every type of person, whether you like dealing with people or not. By understanding just a few of the more common jobs out there for those in marketing, you can get an idea of where you should be looking and what might work best for you and your skills.

Khemal Dole owns and operates
http://www.PaychecksDirect.com, a completely F*R*E*E
service which helps many first-timers and even
experts find their perfect Work At Home job. Visit
www.PaychecksDirect.com right now and see for
yourself why so many are flocking to his site.

What Is A Marketing Initiative?

Marketing is not as simple as many may lead you to believe. In order for your business to be effective, you need to understand what is involved in promoting what you are offering in terms of products and services. That is where a good marketing initiative comes in to play. A marketing initiative is essentially anything that is clearly defined as a marketing effort. Simple, isn’t it? It is basically anything specific in your marketing plan. So what types of things are considered marketing initiatives? Here are a few examples that may help you.

For larger companies, a marketing initiative can be a theme. For instance, a set of commercials that use a specific character or funny situation over and over may be considered a marketing initiative. This, though, would certainly be more common with large businesses. An example of this is the Geiko commercials that feature the cute talking gekko. The initiative is to associate their car insurance services and products with a character that sticks in your head. Being cute is an added advantage. This is why many commercials use cute, cuddly characters such as babies and puppies etc.

Another example of a marketing initiative is undertaking a certain method relentlessly. Sometimes you may wish to focus your efforts solely on one method of marketing. If, for instance, you decide to implement email marketing with great fervor, then you can call that your email marketing initiative. You will outline a plan very specific to that initiative. And you will carry it out. Focusing your efforts into a sole initiative demands that you understand it intimately. You better know what you are doing if that’s the ONLY initiative you’ve got. In addition you also need to have a backup plan in case your initiative does not come through for you as you hoped. Often, when you put all your eggs in one basket, you better have more eggs!

Another type of marketing initiative you may invoke is a large scale shift in what you are doing. If you are going away from traditional marketing to exclusively use the internet that is a whole new marketing initiative you are putting in place. Though not as specific as other examples, it is certainly something that directly affects the marketing of your company. These types of initiatives are usually done parallely with your existing marketing initiatives. The old initiatives are slowly phased out as the new one takes over.

A marketing initiative can also be as simple as a shift in an idea. You can have a new marketing initiative that simply changes the way you promote your company, or more specifically what about the company you are trying to promote. A shift in positioning is a good example.

Marketing initiative is a broad term that is used often. However, if you understand what it is you will be more able to effectively put an initiative in place if you need to. Changing or implementing an initiative is a big part of the promotion of your business. So it’s important that you understand what it means in the first place.

Khemal Dole owns and operates
http://www.PaychecksDirect.com, a completely F*R*E*E
service which helps many first-timers and even
experts find their perfect Work At Home job. Visit
www.PaychecksDirect.com right now and see for
yourself why so many are flocking to his site.

95% of Internet Businesses Fail - Why It’s Not Your Fault

First and foremost, if you don’t have people to talk to about your business, you’re not going to get anywhere, fast! You need to either have a warm market (people you know) to talk to, or the resources in place to contact a quality cold market; (new people you don’t know yet).

If you are like most people involved in a home based business, you still have your full time JOB. Not only does that make prospect-sorting a time-constraint nightmare. Most people cannot find enough time to work their regular job AND promote a business that requires countless hours per week in advertising, promoting, selling, convincing, conference calls, meetings, learning, training and identify the real potential buyers who are serious, with money to spend.

Many home based companies have picked up on that short-coming and tout that they’ll do 98% of the work for you so you don’t have to “present” everything there is to know about the business. They will do the sorting for you, and all you have to do is a small 2% of the tasks in order to get the job done.

That all sounds great, but what you actually get is a partially functioning system to follow. They neglect to tell you that the 2% that falls on your shoulders is actually the hardest part of the process. Sure they’ll sort the prospects for you - but your part involves calling up these strangers, doing continuous follow ups, dealing with procrastinators who agonize over money, and the hardest task of them all - closing your sales.

Making and closing sales requires skill and when you join a home based business, you’ll quickly find out that you have to be a skilled speaker and sales person to be effective. While the training you get from your company may be informative, you’ll soon discover that it always leans towards trying to “mold” you into the perfect “selling” machine. A very high percentage of people do not want to present their business over the phone and no matter how hard they practice, will never be skilled at the art of sales. Nevertheless, a “sales” transaction has to be carried out for money to pass hands in business; that can’t be avoided. And if you can’t sell, you don’t get paid. And if you not getting paid, you’re failing in business!

Being part-time in your business also means you won’t be by the phone and in position to reply to your prospects within minutes of their inquiry; while they’re hot and most likely to purchase. Because you can’t be available on a whim, your prospects will either feel neglected until you can get to them; their enthusiasm dying by the minute… Or, they might get a quick “off-the-top-of-your-head” presentation while you’re on your rushed lunch hour, that just doesn’t cut it.

Lets face it, when you’re stuck at your JOB- on a time limit, and not in the habit of delivering your sales presentation “spiel” all day, every day, it’s pretty hard to explain the business and answer hundreds of questions in a courteous, polished, and professional manner at the drop of a hat.

In most opportunities you have to rely on yourself or your sponsor; who probably as new in the business as you are and needs as much assistance as you do. That’s the kiss of death for most part-time entrepreneurs. Starting out, yours and/or your sponsor’s limited knowledge, lack of closing experience and no income results to speak of, could easily cost you sales when you need them the most.

What you want, is to have access to the top people in the company who’ve made the big money. These are the people who you want taking on your prospects questions for you. What you’ll find, though, is that the ‘top performers’, are further “upline” and are often too busy to help you. There just doesn’t seem to be that caliber of support coming from leaders in most businesses.

In most opportunities, you won’t find profit-proven traffic generation sources, that have been tested by the company, already set in place to promote your business. You won’t get fresh, targeted lead sources with proven conversion ratios provided by the company for you either. You are responsible for the ongoing, time-consuming (often frustrating) task of driving traffic to your website or business. YOU will be responsible for placing (and paying for) your own ads. You take on all the work and financial risk of trying something new.

Most opportunities tend to frown upon you having multiple streams of income. Especially if you are looking to promote an existing businesses using their ‘exclusive’ marketing tools. They typically see this as competition or a conflict of interest. While trying to create success in just one of your businesses is painful enough, if you can’t utilize the best parts of your businesses to make both stronger, you will most likely have to spread your time way too thin to be effective or successful in either one.

With the ordinary opportunity, you may *snap* your fingers and be in an instant business. But what next? Does someone start an instant advertising campaign to drive prospects to your business for you? No! Can you kick back in a chair; relax and watch your profits roll in? No! Nothing happens until YOU make it happen. Do you have the sales savvy, the spare time & money to commit to making it happen?

Most businesses will NOT offer a 12 month Money Back Guarantee. In fact, you’ll most likely get laughed at if you ask them to guarantee you’ll be in profit before the 12-month mark… They may tell you something about a 24-72 hour money return policy of some kind. But, it’s virtually unheard of to have a company offer a risk-free guarantee in writing where, if you are not in profit after the 12th month, you get 100% of your money back; plus your advertising costs back, plus an extra $500 to take as your profit. Have you ever seen that powerful a guarantee in writing? I didn’t think so.

With most opportunities, you get NO guarantees. and you’ll likely dump hundreds of dollars (or more) into marketing and promoting that promises nothing in return for your time, stress and money. Most businesses fail in the critical early stages.

Most businesses pay pennies on the dollar for low priced products that require massive sales volume before you ever see your first $1,000 (if ever)… leaving the owners, investors, (and you?) with empty pockets - or buried in debt!

You may start out in great positioning in your business; but if the main company is lacking in experience, has a failing track record, or develops a bad reputation in the industry, that could become your demise. Few companies ever make it through the 10-year mark before they close their doors. Most that do are still in debt. And 90% of home businesses fail to earn back their start up expenses. Can you afford such risks?

In most businesses, the work is exhausting. The hours are long. The rejection is humiliating. The success rate is embarrassing. Frankly, with all of the obstacles that hinder success in home based business - failure is almost inevitable.

You owe it to yourself, your family, and your unfulfilled dreams and goals to do your due diligence. When researching to find a valid business to join, look for one that has a solid track record, and has been debt-free for at least 2 years.

Make sure you investigate your potential business to the fullest extent. Take your time. Most people spend more time thinking about what kind of car they want to buy, than they do on the “vehicle” they will use to make a living from.

Ask about a Guarantee. Do they have one? Demand that the company have a solid Money Return Policy in place that protects what you are about to invest into your business. If you don’t see any risk-recovery policies in place, the cost to you and your pocket book could be catastrophic.

Locate a business that follows the new “Total Automation - Passive Income Trend”; where they utilize a proven turn-key system that markets, locates, sorts, contacts your prospects for you.

A system where qualified Leaders, who’ve made at least 5-figure incomes, have been trained not to use the “hard selling tactics” that is usually associated with a sales call. And, who are paid by the company to do your follow ups, qualify, close your sales and initiate the delivery of money into your hands!

When you have found a company using this formula, then you have access to the time-freedom to do the things you love; all while raking in income that you can quit your job and come home to!

Sound too good to be true? It’s not. It does exist - There’s a new “Passive Income Trend” emerging on the Internet business scene… I’m experiencing it now!

If you want to experience it too… get in tune with the next wave of smart, and successful Internet Marketers who have discovered this new “Trend”.

Why would you choose an unstable company anyway… gamble with such frightening risks … suffer frustration of failure?… and let yourself and your family down… again? …

Find a cutting-edge company that has ‘Total-Automation’ as their Mission Statement, research it to the fullest. Get in contact with them and ask every question you can think of. Join, commit to the business by getting involved, then grab a hold and hang on for the ride of your life!

Tracey Anne is the owner of one of the Internet’s leading websites dedicated to marketing home based business using a successful, proven and guaranteed System. For more information or to fill out
a Call Back Request form, go to: http://www.PassiveIncome4Everyone.com

5 Ways How a Healthcare Organization Can Increase Profits With A Mentoring Program

In today’s fierce business climate, healthcare companies are coming under increasing pressure to cut costs to stay competitive. Today, more and more hospitals are closing due to rising costs and several hospitals have had to resort to offering bonds or other debt to try to break even. In addition, malpractice insurance has become increasingly expensive forcing executives to cut down their operations to the bare bones.

But what if a CNO, CEO, CFO, CIO or HR could cut costs without actually cutting anything? I surmise it is possible by simply implementing an eMentoring program. A mentoring solution may require a small upfront investment; nevertheless the benefits vastly outweigh the costs. The costs to establish a mentoring program has vastly come down over the years as companies have leveraged technology to provide a more efficient and cost conscious product for healthcare organizations of any size.

One important point to recognize is that for a mentoring program to be successful, it needs to start from the top. Also, mentoring programs that are implemented only in certain areas, such as the ER, will ultimately end too soon or end unsuccessfully. By having the direction and driving force of the CNO, CEO, CFO, or CIO behind it, this will effect the entire organization, truly driving change. This top-end direction will ensure the mentoring program has proper funding, visibility, and a commitment to keep it going. When a mentoring program is implemented properly, the anticipated benefits and outcomes are tied directly to a company’s profits.

The best mentoring programs are online mentoring programs. Mentoring partners are able to communicate back and forth through web-enabled technology, asking and answering questions from each other. Also, a mentoring portal allows an organization to show company news and programs to keep grassroots employees informed about the latest staff development and training. Additionally, users can find a perfect match based on skills and needs. Paper-based mentoring programs, while still good, are expensive to maintain and less efficient.

The benefits of a mentoring program are concrete and will positively effect a company’s bottom line. These are the five main factors that will lead to higher profits and I will detail in this paper:
1. Enhance training and motivation to improve the quality of care,
2. Improve staff retention,
3. Create a powerful recruitment tool,
4. Implement an efficient Learning Management System (LMS) to improve a JCAHO Compliance Score,
5. And attain Magnet Recognition.

1. Enhance training and motivation to improve the quality of care - Healthcare companies have a huge amount of talent within their doors. This talent is waiting to be tapped into and shared with co-workers. By pairing experience mentors with less-experienced mentees, knowledge can be shared. These mentoring teams are invaluable, especially in teaching things that are not taught in school. By creating these relationships, not only will the mentee gain hands on experience from skilled professionals in the company, but the mentee will also feel as though they are special because someone is taking the time to ensure they succeed. This increases the mentee’s motivation and job satisfaction. Additionally, the organization can create leaders by enhancing the decision making and knowledge of less experienced staff. Mentees will be able to survive and thrive in rapidly changing environments.

The benefits are not only on the side of the mentee in this relationship. The mentor benefits too. Being a mentor is a very rewarding experience. Mentors will help their mentee develop professionally, and in the process gain skills such as in reverse mentoring where the latest procedures that the mentee learned from school can now be shared with their mentor. Especially for younger mentors, a relationship with a mentee will allow the mentor to practice managerial skills and build professional networks in the healthcare community.

All of these factors come together to improve the quality of care and safety in the organization so that the patients will truly benefit. Employees will be happier, morale will be higher, and the workforce will be more skilled. In addition, preservation of intellectual capital will allow new managers to be primed for these roles by the previous managers.

2. Improve staff retention - Once participants begin to benefit from the mentoring program, they will be happier, motivated, and satisfied on the job. Mentees in particular will appreciate that the company is making an effort to ensure they are fully trained, comfortable, and successful in their job. Mentors will appreciated that their peers can now take on more responsibilities, be more focused, and less stressed. The work environment will become less hectic and better suited to handle an increasing number of challenges.

If staff members are happy, then they are less likely to look elsewhere for employment. Retention will improve because mentors are able to quickly respond to any concerns that a mentee might have and provide guidance. These “employee friendly” organizations benefit from reduced costs due to less attrition, which results in greater institutional stability.

3. Create a powerful recruitment tool - Everyone knows that people talk, and most likely nurses and doctors are friends with other nurses and doctors at other healthcare organizations. When staff at other organizations hear about the supportive mentoring program in place at your organization and how efficient and satisfied the employees are, they will want to sign up too. This saves costs on recruiting because the candidates will come to the company’s doorstep on their own. Therefore, expensive-to-use recruiters won’t be called upon to search for candidates.

A productive mentoring program is adaptable and can be used as a recruitment tool. Not only will potential employees be excited that they can be a part of a company that has a supportive work environment, but they can also participate in the program. One powerful recruitment tool is to setup an outreach mentoring system with a local educational institution to recruit potential employees from the students in nursing or med school, or in other clinical or non-clinical areas. Students often have questions that can only be answered by someone already in the field.

Having a mentor as a reference to ask questions and share thoughts with is a treasured resource. The mentee gets help and guidance while the organization gets the opportunity to have one-on-one conversations with the mentee about the organization. The mentor would become a welcoming “ambassador” for the organization and could help determine if the mentee is a good fit.

4. Implement an efficient LMS to boost JCAHO inspection - Part of a mentoring program’s focus is to increase the knowledge of staff. So, when implementing a mentoring program, it is also a good opportunity to analyze other ways the staff could be trained. Specifically, a web-based LMS (Learning Management System) would be a more cost-effective tool to use.

Paper-based systems have slowly grown out of date for a number of reasons. Paper is expensive and to prepare for each new class, new booklets need to be printed and stored. It is critical to keep accurate records of which employees have taken what courses. Individual tracking, reporting, and doing it manually is time consuming and expensive.

Today, the most efficient LMSs are done online in a virtual training environment. Tracking and reporting is all done automatically in the online system, thus allowing an organization to put resources where they are needed. Online LMSs are engaging and can respond in real-time to fill knowledge gaps. Additionally, in conjunction with a mentoring program, mentoring partners can together and in real-time collaborate on what is being learned in the LMS class and begin to apply it in the real world. The LMS will enable e-mentoring to allow the mentor to critique the mentee’s performance in the LMS classes and provide immediate feedback online. Some programs may also have an online learning community function so that individuals can ask questions regarding patient care and company practices and get answers from qualified employees. This is another effective avenue for training and development.

Starting an LMS gives the impression of having to invest significant amounts of capital to get the system going. This can be true if your organization needs an ultra-customized LMS. Fortunately, a number of LMSs are already built and ready for cost-effective implementation. Some even come with learning content included such as courses designed to ensure all individuals and departments are up to latest JCAHO (Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations) standards. Some LMSs also have the option of just using the LMS system as a shell and allowing the organization to input its own content, i.e., courses, in-services, educational credits, etc.

These online LMSs also have tracking and reporting functionality to help you pinpoint which staff needs training to prepare for a JCAHO team who comes for an unscheduled visit. Tracking success metrics is important to determine what stage in development an organization is in.

So, be sure to include the LMS in the analysis when reviewing your company’s mentoring and learning programs needs. Having a more efficient LMS can dramatically reduce costs, improving a company’s bottom line. A mentoring program combined with a quality LMS will increase the speed at which your staff is trained and ready.

5. Attain the Magnet Recognition - Attaining Magnet Hospital status is key. The Magnet Recognition Program distinguishes hospitals that have exemplary nursing programs. This status helps with recruiting and retaining nurses because it shows that other nurses have been successful at an organization, are happy, and will be less inclined to leave. This definitely relates to increase profits as I have described in points 2 and 3 above. Not only will the recruitment and retention of nurses be improved but this also translates to improved recruitment and retention of other disciplines, especially physicians, because they know they will be supported by a hospital that will be around for a long time.

But how does an organization attain the Magnet status? An important factor is having a productive mentoring program in place. The American Nurses Credentialing Center which designates Magnet Hospitals, notes that “Core values such as empowerment, pride, mentoring, nurturing, respect, integrity, and teamwork are demonstrated in Magnet facilities.”

If an organization has both the Magnet status and a high JCAHO score with an efficient LMS to tie it all together, increased profits will come. All of these programs are great for public relations and the hospital should get several articles in local and state papers about how these initiatives are improving the quality of care. This exposure will also help word-of-mouth advertising, especially for being a forward-thinking organization that has implemented a technology based mentoring platform. And the more people that know about a hospital and are excited about being a part of it - the more patients and staff will come on board leading to increased revenue and profit.

Tony Colon, RN-C is a Mentoring in Healthcare Specialist. Find out how a customized, web-assisted mentoring program in your organization boosts recruitment, development, retention, and patient care at http://www.healthcarementoring.com

No Traffic = No sales Part II

If you are going to be using Pop-Unders, Keyword Targeted Pop-Unders, Expired Domain Traffic, AUDIO is OK traffic, there are a few very important tips that will make using the POP method of promotion more effective. You need to be aware of the difference between HITS and GUARANTEED TRAFFIC. And, you need to be aware of the differences between RAW and UNIQUE traffic.

HITS - are usually traffic from sites users who didn’t “want” to go to your website, they just got tricked or forced to go to it. “Hits” can also be manipulated to appear like they are real visitors going to your site. Just type “traffic simulators” into Google and you will see that traffic simulators are designed to send as many unique hits to your server as it can handle. Web page requests are routed through a massive list of anonymous proxy servers. Counters and banners “see” these fake hits just as if a real user was browsing your site. When you buy “hits” you run a risk of buying fake traffic that appears 100% realistic- the only way you can tell the difference between this fake traffic and real traffic, is that with the fake hits, you see NO results!

GUARANTEED TRAFFIC - is traffic that is actually “eyes” visiting and viewing your webpages.

UNIQUE TRAFFIC - The measurement of how unique a particular traffic is gives the amount of different visitors that will see your clients site within that campaign. i.e. 5,000 unique visitors are 5,000 different individual IPs/browsers. Many companies will offer you real visitors but how many of them are actually offering unique traffic?]

- 12 to 24 HOURS UNIQUE - This traffic works on the principle that over a 12/24 hour period only the unique visitors will be counted. So for example, if someone purchases 10,000 - 24 hour unique mainstream visitors and in a 24 hour period receives 2,000 visitors, but only 1,000 are unique. Only 1,000 will count towards the campaign. The stats will show the delivered visitors and also the unique visitors.

- 100% UNIQUE - 100% unique is obviously as good as it gets. If for example someone buys a 10,000 - 100% unique campaign, they will receive 10,000 unique visitors. The stats will show the delivered visitors and also the unique visitors.

RAW TRAFFIC - Raw traffic has NO uniqueness. This will obviously always be the cheapest to buy. Where a particular traffic package has no uniqueness in its title you should assume the traffic is raw.

The next type of traffic we’ll talk about is - EXPIRED DOMAIN TRAFFIC. Or “Re-Directed traffic”.

When someone creates a website, they generally register a domain name to go along with it. The owner of that website must pay a nominal fee every year to keep their domain name (about $9-$30, depending on where they bought the name). If the owner does not pay the annual fee, the domain registrar will put the name on hold. With most registrars, an “on hold” domain stops working.

Most registrars allow an additional grace period of 30-90 days for the domain owner to pay the annual fee. During this period, the registrar will generally contact the domain owner many times with attempts to get them to pay the fee and reactivate the domain name. If the domain owner fails to pay on time, and fails to respond during the 30-90 day hold period, the registrar will drop the domain name. At this point, anyone can register the name. On the assumption that the previous owner no longer wants the dropped name, a traffic reseller can pick up and register the name if they feel it will generate traffic.

Everyday abandoned domain names, [where the previous owners either listed them on search engines, on lists or marketed them], which are generating traffic already, are purchased with the main purpose to either resell that traffic or redirect that traffic to multiple websites. After a traffic reseller owns the name, they can direct it to their server and send out the traffic it generates to the campaigns they serve. These domain names had a previous website on them that fits into specific targeted category niches. All resellers have to do is redirect that traffic coming from these websites to your website so you now reap the benefits of the hard work and traffic flow the previous domain name owner created. Expired Domain traffic is the very best, clean traffic.

Next in line is - KEYWORD TARGETED POP-UNDER TRAFFIC.
Keyword Targeted Pop-Unders work like this - the visitor goes to a random search site where the traffic reseller has placed a listing for various search words/category matches. The visitor performs a search for example ‘DOG’ and returns the results where for example the listing is sitting in the #2 position. The visitor clicks the link of the listing the traffic reseller has placed and receives 2 sites. One opens as a site relevant to the subject link he clicked (might be another link list leading to various other sites ,or an ad-page, or another client site,or…), and the second site opens as a popunder.

At this point when the client has clicked on the search result link; there is a lot going on the visitor does not see but is integral to the process. When the visitor clicks the link, the link code points back to the traffic reseller’s adserver for a page they have in a category relevant to the link. This page is coded so that when it opens–it spawns a second window in the form of a popunder. The contents of that popunder window is determined again by code in the HTML that calls for a site from the traffic reseller’s adserver. The content is matched against the original keyword result link clicked and the keyword match of the site in the adserver causing the specific site to load as the content of the popunder

The potential success of this traffic type is that the visitor really wants to see the type of site he sees and thus has greater interest potential. He has searched for the specific site/category, he has seen the results and clicked a link thru to a site extremely similar in description and virtually identical in keyword, and then they was exposed to a second site (the client’s site) that is relevant to what they originally searched for and spawned in a manner where it will be the final window they view and thus the last in the browsing session.

Keyword Targeted Pop-Unders can be targeted to bring traffic by using keywords, different categories, by specific language, or by specific Country. And, it comes with full stats so you can keep track of your campaign activity!

Last but not least; I want to talk about some of the limitations of using POP-traffic. You will find that most traffic resellers state these limitations in their Terms and Conditions; in clear view on their sites:
No other window of any type can be spawned internal or external of the target URL. The sites you submit may not contain any pop window (i.e exit pages, java pops, pop-ins, fly-ins, pop-unders, etc.).
No redirectors, scripts that change the home page settings, message boxes, download boxes, are NOT allowed
no hate/illegal/adult–All PG rated content.
No warez, virus, trojan, auto-downloads, framebreakers, or browser-altering allowed.
NO SOUND/NOISE on the page you are targeting.
Before they start a campaign for you, they thoroughly check to see if any of these “traps” are on the site, and they do refuse service to any sites they determine are inappropriate for their network.

Now while banning the presence of most of these “traps” listed above are valid, the NO sound/noise and the NO pop-up/under limitations that most traffic resellers enforce do stop A LOT of website businesses from using POP-traffic.

AUDIO is OKAY! is the **new** solution! “AUDIO is OKAY”, the latest addition to the mainstream form of traffic, allows owners of websites with audio/sound and/or 1 Pop-Up or Pop-Under to buy and use POP-traffic to generate visitors! This new sound and pop-allowance traffic campaign format is in demand for the many website businesses that are using the latest media tools such as movies, talking, or music presentations that start automatically on the front page.

Website promotion specialists can use POP-traffic to expose your business to millions of users with the most cost effective packages. They can deliver guaranteed visitors directly to your website 24/7. Whether you are looking to establish a presence on the Internet, or are just interested in branding your site, they can be your very own online advertising solution.

The Traffic Portal offers Guaranteed traffic packs supplying raw, 12/24 hr unique or 100% unique. True wholesale pricing supports any business or budget. Look for *SPECIAL OFFERS* i.e.: 1 million visitor traffic packs at budget prices! http://www.TheTrafficPortal.com

How to Make Sales with Noisy Kids in the House

Kids play hard, and sometimes that means they play really loud in the midst of exploring their worlds and role playing with siblings and friends.

I know with my kids, if I’m not hearing some degree of noise; [i.e. play], from them, it probably means one of them is not
feeling well, or they are coming down with a cold.

My world is blessed with two very artistic and rambounous boys; 6 years and 3 years old. With their play and with their
singing; [they love to sing Country music at the top of their lungs!]; they have the ability to raise the noise level in our house to a “heaven-bending” volume in 9 seconds flat!

And while I loved to hear them hard at play, the sporatic and unpredictable noise [play], posed challenges at times when I was doing sales calls, or when clients called with final questions about starting a business relationship with me.

Clients don’t wait, when they want to have questions answered and they don’t always call at the best times. Sometimes these calls would come through when the kids were eating or doin