Have You Tried Writing Your Own Biography?

Article Presented by:
Kent Jacobson a.k.a. Mr. Success

I had no idea how difficult it is to be articulate, concise and yet be informative about key facets of ones life. Let alone make your biography interesting enough, that it may spark some level of interest for someone to explore more about what you have to offer. It was a great exercise for me and I think writing your own biography will be introspective, fun for you, your family, friends and even colleagues.

I had no idea where to begin, so I researched the internet and found a couple of good starting points to learn a little bit out biographies and what they contain:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biography

http://www.infoplease.com/people.html

http://www.mozartproject.org/biography/index.html

I found the research interesting because of the variety of famous people documented and commented on. One common editorial on biography writing is, be careful about telling a false story about the actual events. As one critic commented, do not fall in love with your subject, stick to a timeline, key facts and points you want to make. By all means select you can select positive, actionable words, but stick to the events; do not make up a story.

Ok, here is what I think the key items are that need to be included in your biography. First you need to set a time frame, birth to present day, started my career xx years ago, during the years between 19xx and 20xx, you get the idea. Next, include geographical location, key events, milestones, adventures and incidents that shaped who and what you were about during this time frame. Include historical events (natural, world or local) if you believe they add significance. Close with where you are at today, geography if important and what you see yourself doing in the future.

This is one biography example I wrote: Kent Jacobson is a traditional working professional, graduated college, accepted an engineering position in Dallas 23 years ago and over the years has developed a keen sense of what it takes to be successful in a corporate environment. Through his years of experience, training, professional certifications and corporate instinct, Kent has acquired a broad perspective on what it takes to become successful and now shares his insights for success with a loyal following of Blog readers at: http://www.Shortcut2Success.com/blog There are different as many different ways to write your biography as there are kinds of apples, my intent was to help get you prepared so when the request is made you are better prepared. Have fun with your biography, you might even surprise someone in your family or one of your friends by writing about them.


About the Author:
Kent Jacobson, a.k.a. "Mr. Success" is a trusted authority in the success field and provides valuable success information for free through his website at: http://www.Shortcut2Success.com . You can also read Kent's Success Blog to find more success secrets at: http://www.Shortcut2Success.com/blog

Decorate with Fine Oriental Furniture

Article Presented by:
Maryann Larsen

Decorating with fine Oriental furniture need not be particularly complicated. Oriental screens or Oriental chests placed tastefully in a room can act as a fascinating and satisfying focal point when used with any decor. These items can be found reasonably priced from any good Oriental furniture store. Many of these stores work with designers in the Orient and often you can find Oriental furniture that exactly matches your particular need, color, design, or space.

The finest Oriental furniture stores may also deal in antiques Be aware, however, that antique Oriental furniture is rare and the majority of the world's fine Oriental antique furniture is housed in museums.

Before decorating an entire house in Oriental furniture most people will start with one or two pieces, such as an Oriental chest or an Oriental screen. A few well placed Oriental home accents, a vase, statue, or small fountain, will also do wonders for any room.

One important factor to consider when choosing the location of your Oriental home accent is size. If you plan to have a vase sitting on an existing table, a three-foot tall Oriental vase placed on a two-foot high table is unlikely to work well. Also, if you wish to have a statue placed in an empty corner of a hallway, a larger piece freestanding on the floor may be the wisest choice.

Oriental pieces come in many shapes, sizes, and colors. If you intend to add to your existing collection of Oriental furniture at a later date, purchasing lesser expensive pieces to begin with may allow to budget better for additional pieces in the future. You may also wish to consider the purchase of pieces that can be used in another room later, or that will match or blend into the entire room on completion.

Oriental screens are a great item to start with. They can be obtained in the most basic simple designs, or be truly exotic with elaborate hand painted design features. Some of the more popular Oriental screens depict landscapes, exotic birds, or bonsai trees.

The dining room is a wonderful place to commence if you've decided to decorate an entire room in Oriental furniture. You can start with an Oriental screen and an Oriental chest. They will look great together and later you can add a table and chairs and other Oriental dining room furniture.

An Oriental dining room does not necessarily need every piece to match exactly. The Oriental chest may be in a black lacquer with gold or brass etchings, but will stand out spectacularly with one of the many wood Oriental dining sets made in splendid teak, rosewood, or sandalwood. Accent pieces for your Oriental dining room could be a small gong on a stand, a few oriental fans, or a small chime placed near a window.

To achieve a total Oriental experience, not merely the right aesthetic look, you should study Feng Shui (pronounced fung shway). Your local Oriental furniture store may have a specialist in the area. Feng Shui, in simple terms, is the Chinese art of arrangement. On the whole, Oriental furniture is designed with Feng Shui in mind. The art of Feng Shui has been practiced in the Orient for thousands of years and it can be both exciting and satisfying to incorporate this ancient art into your Oriental decor.


About the Author:
Written by: Maryann Larsen
For more suggestions on decorating your home, please visit us at http://www.The-Home-Furnishing-Store.com

Egyptian Decor

Article Presented by:
Maryann Larsen

The ancient Egyptians were a highly civilized people who left behind a wealth of statues, bas reliefs, sculptures, canopic jars, busts and other artistic pieces. Today, you can purchase professionally recreated replicas of nearly all the famous pieces, including, Isis, King Tut and the god, Anubis. You can also find exquisite replicas of Egyptian statues, Egyptian wall hangings and Egyptian plaques.

Using Egyptian furniture, accessories, and wall hangings adds a sophisticated flair to any home. Tapping into the rich history of the Egyptians is also a great icebreaker. Conversation begs to be started around Egyptian statues, furniture, and accessories.

The history of creating art replicas goes back to Imperial Rome where bronze and marble replicas of Greek treasures served as embellishments for the excessive Roman villas and gardens of the era. Egyptian statues created today have a unique material that is a casting stone with an antique stone finish, many have a marble base and are hand-painted. These statues may range from the God of the Dead, Anubis, to the Pharaoh of the time, and even King Tut.

Replicas of Egyptian wall hangings capture the history of ancient Egypt, its victorious battles and moments of glory. You may also find anything from a sculpture showing Isis with her wings extended in a pose of protection, to a hand painted Egyptian art piece depicting an offering by the Pharaoh Ptolemy V where he offers the spiritual inner eyes of Horus. You can find any number of classic paintings or sculptures representing the great power of the ancient Pharaoh.

Isis, though worshipped all over Egypt, was specially admired in certain cities and is now a famous piece of Egyptian d?cor for people to collect. From numerous ancient writings taken from widely varied periods, we learn that Isis had great skill in the practice of magic. Numerous examples of the manner in which she employed her magic are well known today.

Another famous Egyptian deity was Anubis, God of the Dead. He was represented with the head of a jackal, or simply as a jackal. He opened the path to the other world and ruled over the removal of internal organs from a body prior to mummification. A priest or holy man then acted as a guide. Anubis is also a popular piece among Egyptian d?cor collectors.

Pharaohs, such King Tut, are extremely popular pieces to collect. Statues, wall hangings or plaques can represent them. Today, collecting Egyptian d?cor is a valued pastime for many people. The history and feelings of reverence towards the ancient Egyptian culture is to be treasured and protected. This legacy will be carried on through the many priceless artistic pieces that serve as the basis for the Egyptian d?cor available today.


About the Author:
Written by: Maryann Larsen
For more suggestions on decorating your home, please visit us at http://www.The-Home-Furnishing-Store.com

What Are OEM Auto Parts? And Why Should They Be Considered?

Article Presented by:
Quinton Becker

Purchasing OEM auto parts is an excellent way of ensuring that the replacement parts you buy will fit your car. OEM auto parts are particularly important if you own a high-performance automobile such as the Alfa Romeo.

OEM products come from the Original Equipment Manufacturer. This means that as a car owner, you can get limited availability parts when you need them. You can buy from another manufacturer, but there are many reasons why you may choose to stick with OEM auto equipment.

For many owners, OEM car and truck parts will be an exact fit for their vehicle. Aftermarket products, for example, are often created to fit a variety of makes and models; occasionally, they will require some slight modifications by the installer in order to fit correctly. Though these parts claim to fit any make or model, it is often not the case. There may be complications with installation of the part, and it may require major modification in order to operate in your specific vehicle.

Another reason why consumers choose OEM auto parts is because they trust the manufacturer. If you need specific parts, and you buy them from directly from the manufacturer of your vehicle, then you know that you can trust the brand. You can also trust that the replacement parts were not cheaply made.

When you choose car parts that are not made by the vehicle's brand company, you may find yourself buying from a multi-purpose manufacturer. This will mean that they do not specialize in your car's specific model or edition parts; instead, they will carry a variety of parts for different vehicle makes, models, and editions. Outside manufacturers are not experts in your car's parts, and cannot provide you the same level of authority that OEM can.

Dependability is another reason why one might choose to purchase OEM parts over components produced by another manufacturer. Since OEM built the car, it is safe to assume that the manufacturer knows the tolerances and specifications of each part. The manufacturer that made your car will create the most dependable parts possible for your particular vehicle.

Originality is yet another reason why consumers choose OEM auto parts. Let's face it, if you own a vehicle like an Alfa Romeo, there is no need in trying to improve perfection. Installing Alfa Romeo parts is the best way to maintain the caliber and resell value of your car. Purists despise cars that are repaired with parts not from the Original Equipment Manufacturer.

Take a look at some vintage Alfa Romeos and compare the prices of the ones that were kept completely original and repaired with non-OEM parts. These different levels of vehicle "purity" often draw the distinction between vintage originals and vintage cars that have been restored with the parts of an aftermarket company. The cars that have been kept as close to their original condition as possible will warrant a much higher value. Enthusiasts will generally pay top dollar for a vintage vehicle, but they will often turn away from a car with mixed and matched parts that have been installed.

No matter how well a car is made, it will not escape the occasional need for repair. When your car needs to be worked on, you will be faced with many options for replacement parts. How much you want out of your car will often determine which replacement parts you should purchase.

Much of this has to do with your attitude about your car. Some people view their cars as an extension of their personality, while other owners simply see their cars as a way to get from point A to point B. Regardless of which end of the spectrum you lean toward, you can rest assured that OEM auto parts will perform in the manner that you expect them to. In addition, they are typically similar or less in cost than competing, one-size-fits-all parts.

In a perfect world, you would never have to replace any parts on your car. But since normal usage will cause some wear and tear, you will eventually need to replace some parts. When this happens, you should consider OEM automotive parts as one of your choice options.


About the Author:
Quinton Becker writes about cars, trucks and automobiles. To find some really attractive prices on OEM parts for a variety of automobiles, or when you are trying to find those hard-to-locate Alfa Romeo parts, then please visit http://www.DriveWire.com. You can find more of Quinton Becker's reprint articles as the become available at: http://www.AutomotiveWebmasters.com You may reprint this article if all links are kept intact.

How To Add 1300 New Subscribers To Your List Per Week

Article Presented by:
Willie Crawford

In a recent special report, which I marketed from my blog, I revealed to a handful of clients how I actually add an extra 5200 subscribers to my list every month. These are in addition to the new subscribers I was already getting before implementing my new "secret" technique. After creating that special report, I brainstormed with a few members of my mastermind group and we came up with a few more techniques that I can share with you here. Not all of these techniques have the same effectiveness, and not all of them generate the same quality of subscribers.

Here are a few techniques to effortlessly add thousands of new subscribers to your list.

1) Do article swaps. Offer to publish the articles of another ezine publisher in exchange for them publishing your articles. In addition to publishing the articles though, each publisher needs to actually recommend subscribing to the authors' ezines. Publishing the other person's articles proves that they deliver quality content. However, it's the personal prompting to subscribe to the other person's list that gets all of the new signups.

Do this maybe once a month with different publishers.

2) Create and give away viral, rebrandable ebooks. Simply create ebooks that deliver valuable content and also contain links to backend products. Ideally, these products pertain directly to the topic of the ebook. Allow others to rebrand these links, using a tool such as ACE PDF Rebrander (http://AcePDFRebrander.com <http://acepdfrebrander.com/>). They are incentivized to pass your ebooks on because they earn a profit from the links in them.

In your ebooks, simply invite readers to join your list to get additional reports on the topic. You can also earn a direct profit by making the rebrandable links for products from a 2-tier affiliate program. If the person is not an affiliate for the products, they can sign up through your links, join your second tier, and earn you commission whenever they make sales.

3) Create and give away viral, rebrandable, AUDIO ebooks. This is taking the rebrandable ebook idea to a whole new level. Audio has a much higher perceived value than a regular ebook, and it's not more difficult to create an audio ebook. I did an entire teleseminar on using audio ebooks to build your list, and to build your business. You can access the audio from that teleseminar free of charge here: http://InternetMarketingSeminarSchedule.com/killer-audio.htm <http://internetmarketingseminarschedule.com/killer-audio.htm>

4) Piggyback on giveaways and big ticket item sales. You can partner with several people to set up a giveaway where you collect the email addresses in exchange for your freebie. By everyone cross-promoting the giveaway, you put the list building on hyper-drive.

Given that all lists are not the same, imagine what it would be worth if instead of building a list of freebie seekers, you built a list of people who paid $1000 or more for a product. All of a sudden, you'd have a list of proven big-ticket buyers. You'd have a list of people who have proven they are serious about building and investing in their businesses. This list would be priceless!

Ok, I hear you. You're asking how do you get in on one of these deals. You're wondering how you get to build your list by offering your product in exchange for the email of a big ticket buyer.

The answer to the above questions is that you need to find out about impending big ticket launches early, and you need to "throw you name into the hat." The easiest way to do that is actually to just join my "Insiders List." It's nothing more than an exclusive list that I use to notify appropriate people of the types of big ticket joint ventures I've just described. You can even join my "Insiders List" for free. All you need to do is send an email to me at willie@williecrawford.com with the subject line "Insiders List." In the email simply let me know that you want to be one of the insiders! In order to let you know about appropriate list-building opportunities, it would help if you told me a little about your list, your target market, and what types of products you could contribute.

5) If you really looked at number 4 above, you'll see that I used another "stealth" list building technique. I used an article to build a list of potential JV partners. Of course we've just scratched the tip of the iceberg, but I've just revealed how I add thousands of new subscriber to my lists each month. This is in addition to the subscribers I get by using other list-building techniques that you'll read about elsewhere.. Now, all that you need to do is put these list-building techniques into action! Get started today.


About the Author:
Willie Crawford has been marketing and teaching on the Internet since late-1996. For more great tips, and updates on the world of Internet and affiliate marketing, visit Willie's very popular blog at http://WillieCrawford.com/blog/

Halloween Flowers Make The Holiday More

Article Presented by:
Wesley Berry, AAF

Halloween is an ancient holiday with many traditions. Children dress in costumes representing the latest characters to hit the big screen or in classic movie-monster garb. Adults throw costume parties with fabulously spooky decorations or gorgeous orange and black themes. It's all a great deal of fun, but one thing Halloween isn't is a holiday that's usually associated with flowers-but it should be!

Halloween began among the Celts who lived Ireland, Northern France, and the UK 2,000 years ago. At that time, they celebrated the New Year on November 1. Since the beginning of autumn was so often associated with death due to the withering of the fields after harvest and the long, dark, cold winter ahead, the Celts believed that as the end of the old year began to blur into the new one, so to did the lines between the world of the living and the world of the dead become fuzzy. They felt that on October 31 the ghosts of the departed returned to earth and committed all sorts of tricks and evil deeds.

As part of the celebration, Celtic druids built enormous bonfires on which were sacrificed animals and crops. As part of the ceremony, the Celts wore costumes of animal heads and pelts, which lead to today's tradition of donning costumes.

Sometime before the 800s, Christianity began to spread throughout Celtic lands and the Celtic traditions were replaced by Christian ones. November 1 was changed from the New Year to All Saints' Day when saints and martyrs were honored. All Saints' Day was also referred to as All-hallows or All-hallowmas, thus today's name for the holiday-Halloween.

Halloween parties still involve costumes and spooky traditions, but to make the décor even more spectacular, party throwers should consider using flowers as an integral part of the decorations. Some ways in which flowers can be used at a Halloween party are:

Use orange, yellow, and red flower petals to decorate a buffet table. Sprinkle them liberally among themed dishes.

Place a fall bouquet near the entry of the party to welcome guests.

Give each guest a black or orange carnation as they arrive. Attach a spooky holiday greeting to each message. If you'd like to give a door prize, mark one stem as the winner.

Float large orange-colored blossoms in the punch bowl.

Hollow out a pumpkin and use it as a container for a beautiful flower arrangement.

Your local florist is likely to have many more fantastic Halloween flower ideas. If you're planning a party, be sure to talk to your florist ahead of time so that appropriate flowers are available on the party date. Your florist will also be able to suggest many flower varieties available in traditional Halloween colors.


About the Author:
Wesley Berry is member of the American Academy of Floriculture (AAF) and President of Wesley Berry Flowers, a successful multi-million dollar floral business that was established in 1946. As a major sponsor of local-library.com and Localschoolfinder.com, Wesley Berry has worked hard on behalf of improving literacy. Visit Wesley Berry Flowers on the web at www.800wesleys.com.

Search Marketing and Social Media

Article Presented by:
Jim Hedger, All Rights Reserved

The phrase Social Media Optimization, (SMO), has quickly become an industry buzzword in search marketing circles. The term refers to the practice of crafting, altering or augmenting profiles, images, movies and other files to be easily found and well shared in social media applications such as 43Things.com, MySpace, Tribe.net or Flickr, and by interested parties throughout the blogosphere.

The ultimate goal of any marketing campaign is to put products or services in front of as many interested eyeballs as possible. Where the public leads, marketers, by necessity, must follow and if those eyeballs begin to congregate over there as well as over here, many marketers feel the need to move. Tens of millions of registered members populate dozens of social networks. People appear to enjoy the ability to form communities and inform each other. Online marketers looking for another winning venue are therefore turning to social media spaces as social marketing tools.

For the past five years, the number of high-traffic venues for search marketers remained fairly constant, consisting primarily of Google. More recently, the space has been supplemented by Yahoo, Ask and MSN. For the most part, five years of consistency has benefited the search engines, their users, online merchants and the SEO/webmaster communities. Nothing stays static very long on the Internet though. The online marketing metaverse has expanded yet again.

People like applications that make life easier. That's why search is somehow part of practically every application people use online. One of the major appeals of social media networks is that by nature, they are about sharing information, usually from a highly personalized point of view. As the theory goes nobody knows everything but everyone knows something. Collectively, we must know a great deal. Where search tools are about users pulling information and Web2.0 applications are about pushing information to users, social media steps into the middle ground by pushing information to subscribers and inviting others to pull information via shared files.

In a social network, large groups of people who would otherwise likely be strangers associate with each other based on spider-web networks of contacts, friends, images, interests, and occupations, creating ever expanding communities. These communities, built around shared ideas and interests, draw users by giving them the ability to educate, inform and share with others.

Both Google and Yahoo have embraced social networking in their membership based services for years, starting with Yahoo Groups and Google's Orkut. More recent products include Flickr (Yahoo), Picasa (Google), Yahoo Publisher Network, and Blogger (Google). The major search engines have learned from the lesson suffered by the music and movie industries over the past decade.

About eight years ago the true power distributive power of the Internet was demonstrated by peer-to-peer file sharing networks. When Napster appeared on the scene, the music files of millions of people became illicitly traded public property, virtually overnight. A similar thing happened to the movie industry two years ago with broadband and bit-torrent. As soon as a large enough number of Internet users catch on to a technology that delivers access to the information or entertainment they want, that technology becomes a trend. Sometimes, trends have a way of becoming habit.

Social media applications have transited from trend to mainstream usage. Thousands of new users sign up for Flickr, MySpace, Facebook, Linked-In, Tribes and other community-active networks every day. As a result, blogging, image sharing and new-media content creation have moved well beyond creative geekery and corporate PR departments to become a trans-global pastime. Now that the various social network tools have acquired mass-market popularity they represent a pirate's treasure to corporate PR departments and the online marketers ready to serve them.

As far as treasure troves go, the world of social media is fairly easy to find; access and start working in. Creating a MySpace membership or a Flickr account is as easy as filling in a simple form. While building a MySpace profile is slightly more difficult than outfitting a Flickr portfolio, both are easy enough for new users to begin immediately. Partially because social media is so easy to use and partially because sharing information, recommendations and the latest outrageousness with friends and strangers alike is so cool, tens of millions of people have populated the social environments with hundreds of millions of files, ranging from music, images, documents and movies.

Social media is a cool, barely controlled environment in which individual users can form instant communities, finding friendships based on shared interest, passion and ideas. So how long do such environments remain cool after the invasion of barbarians cleverly disguised as marketing experts? That all depends on how we (the barbarians), make use of the virtual villages we're migrating into.

The problem with breaking in any new marketing medium is the instant gold-rush mentality of the advertisers who are early adopters. As recently as six or seven years ago, for instance, the majority of SEOs chased placements without a great deal of regard for the integrity of the search results. Claiming every possible Top10 placement under any given keyword phrase for a single site on AltaVista, InfoSeek and Lycos was entirely possible, and it was done with mercenary zeal. Ask any long-term SEO about the earliest days of the industry and most, if not all will show a slow, sly, satisfied smile. Back then, everything was blackhat. Before PPC paved the way to profitability, the search engines naturally considered SEOs as dangerous enemies.

Similarly, social networkers are not terribly happy about hitting the search marketing radar screen. By introducing corporate clients to what is assumed to be an open and non-commercial atmosphere, the online marketing sector is blatantly degrading the experience shared amongst the people making up the social network. As the months move on, more and more marketers are finding their way into places like MySpace. Communicating with custom created personalities shilling brand name sneakers is not what most social network users signed up for.

On the other side of the coin, the people populating social networks are already being subjected to advertising. Banner ads have been a part of MySpace for over a year and in a deal recently signed between MySpace and Google, AdWords ads could begin appearing alongside the personal profiles of MySpace members who've registered with the AdSense program. Movie studios, bands and other performers have also used social media, primarily MySpace, as an effective marketing venue to reach youthful consumers. Flickr sometimes displays paid ads from Yahoo Search Marketing. Advertising is nothing new to web users though its inclusion in areas or formats that would normally be considered non-commercial content is often frowned upon.

The social media environment is increasingly going to be used as a marketing tool regardless of how the various social networks and their millions of members feel about it. For a good search marketer, it is nearly impossible to avoid affecting whatever file one is working on in order to get good placement. In the realm of social media, adding tags, links and trackbacks is easier than altering the title, meta-tags, content text and link patterns. As Internet users gravitate towards the social media and thus, towards each other, online advertising is likely to take a community and interest based focus.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_social_networking_website Wikipedia list of social networking websites)


About the Author:
Search marketing expert Jim Hedger is one of the most prolific writers in the search sector with articles appearing in numerous search related websites and newsletters, including SiteProNews, Search Engine Journal, ISEDB.com, and Search Engine Guide.

He is currently Senior Editor for the Jayde Online news sources SEO-News (http://www.seo-news.com) and SiteProNews (http://www.sitepronews.com). You can also find additional tips and news on webmaster and SEO topics by Jim at the SiteProNews blog (http://blog.sitepronews.com/).

Essential Programs For Your Virtual Toolbox

Article Presented by:
Kim Roach, All Rights Reserved

As an online marketer and webmaster, there are a number of tools that you will want in your virtual toolbox. To get you started, I have scoured the net to find some of the best programs to help webmasters improve their sites, their rankings, and their productivity. Best of all, each one of these tools is free. We'll start with one of my favorites.

Good Keywords (http://www.goodkeywords.com)

Good Keywords is a program that allows you to quickly and easily create an extensive list of targeted keywords for your website using Yahoo, Ask, and Overture.

This free tool comes loaded with a link popularity meter, a keyword phrase builder, a misspelled word generator, and a web page explorer tool that will allow you to quickly see what keywords other sites are targeting.

Once you have found your desired keywords, you can group them into keyword sets, which can then be copied into your clipboard.

To find out more about this handy tool, go to http://www.goodkeywords.com.

BackLinks Master (http://www.cleverstat.com/backlinks-software.htm)

It is a well-known fact that search engines use link popularity as one of their top ranking factors.

However, quality is much more important than quantity when obtaining inbound links. In addition, many of the search engines place importance on the use of relevant anchor text.

With a tool known as Backlinks Master, you can monitor your link popularity in Google, Yahoo, and MSN. This tool finds direct links, JavaScript links, and others. In addition, you will be shown the anchor text and link type that others have used to link to you.

To start taking control of your link popularity, go to http://www.cleverstat.com/backlinks-software.htm

SEOpen (http://seopen.com/firefox-extension/index.php)

SEOpen is a Firefox extension that provides numerous SEO tools at the click of a mouse. All of its features can be easily accessed by right-clicking on a web page.

Using this tool, you can examine your competitors:

Yahoo Backlinks

Pages in Yahoo Index

Google Backlinks

Google Cache

Pages in Google index

Google Related

PageRank Check

MSN Backlinks

Pages in MSN Index

Alexa Overview

Alexa Traffic

Alexa Related

Alexa Backlinks

"Mass Check" multiple sources at once

Check DMOZ Inclusion

Keyword Density

Page Size Checker

HTML Validator

Server Header Viewer

Wayback Machine

Check robots.txt

Whois Info

To quickly and easily perform competitor analysis, check out http://seopen.com/firefox-extension/index.php

Active Web Reader Customizer (http://www.deskshare.com/awrc.aspx)

RSS is becoming one of the best ways to increase your online exposure. With the upcoming release of Windows Vista and Internet Explorer 7, RSS usage is expected to rise significantly. However, RSS is also new enough that you can use this technology to create an effective viral marketing campaign.

You can do this by distributing your own RSS aggregator. If your RSS aggregator becomes popular, your brand could become very well known on the Internet.

With the Active Web Reader Customizer, you can recommend and distribute an RSS reader that is preloaded with your feeds and web pages. By doing this, you are giving your visitor additional value and increasing your brand exposure at the same time.

Start creating your very own customized RSS reader at http://www.deskshare.com/awrc.aspx

RSS Wizard (http://www.extralabs.net/rss-wizard.htm)

We've talked about the wonderful benefits of promoting an RSS feed, but how do you actually create one. Fortunately, you don't have to be a techie to create your very own RSS feed. All you need is a tool like RSS Wizard.

This tool will automatically convert almost any web page into an RSS feed. With the RSS Wizard, you can create, edit and publish an unlimited number of RSS channels.

To start creating your own RSS feeds, go to http://www.extralabs.net/rss-wizard.htm .

FeedDigest (http://www.feeddigest.com)

Not only can you create RSS feeds for your own website, but you can also incorporate other peoples' RSS feeds into your site to increase your publishing power, deliver value to your readers, and ensure that your website is constantly up-to-date and changing.

In fact, with a tool called FeedDigest, you can mix multiple feeds into a single feed to post on your website.

By doing this, you will be able to deliver your visitors a unique mix of automatically updating content.

You could also create a news dashboard to syndicate the latest news on any topic. The possibilities are unlimited. You could create a feed that combined forum posts, news headlines, Ebay items, Digg posts, Flickr photos and even podcasts all rolled into one, constantly updating stream of related content.

To start creating your own customized RSS feeds, go to http://www.feeddigest.com.

MailWasher (http://oss.firetrust.com/home/)

If you're like most online marketers, you are probably receiving a flood of spam in your inbox. Fortunately, there is a free tool that will help remedy your spam problems.

This software is known as MailWasher and it helps you eliminate your unwanted email, thus allowing you to have greater productivity. Best of all, this increased productivity ultimately leads to increased revenues.

Start increasing your own productivity at http://oss.firetrust.com/home/

Audacity (http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ )

Audacity is an open source program that allows you to record live audio, edit audio files, cut, copy, slice and mix sounds together.

Whether you are looking to record interviews, create your own podcasts, or edit your audio files, Audacity is a great solution.

Check it out at http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

CamStudio (http://www.camstudio.org)

CamStudio is a great piece of software for creating screen capture videos. This software records screen activity from the Windows desktop and then turns it into standard AVI movie files.

In fact, CamStudio can then convert these AVI files into bandwidth-friendly Streaming Flash Videos (SWFs) with its built-in SWF Producer.

These are great for creating info products, video tutorials, and software demonstrations. In terms of quality and price, there is simply no better solution for Screen Cam software.

Try it out at http://www.camstudio.org


About the Author:
Kim Roach is a staff writer and editor for the SiteProNews & SEO-News newsletters. You can also find additional tips and news on webmaster and SEO topics by Kim at the SiteProNews blog (http://blog.sitepronews.com/). Kim's email is: kim @ seo-news.com

This article may be freely distributed without modification and provided that the copyright notice and author information remain intact.

Rewriting Articles For Increased Distribution Reach

Article Presented by:
Trey Pennewell

Hey! I just figured out how to both promote my website and cut down on my workload. I know what I will do: instead of writing five articles a week to distribute, I will take a single article and change it slightly to produce five different "versions." What a great idea! I will change the title also, so that there are five different titles. Then, I will change the introductory paragraph a bit and alter my word choice a bit. Whew! That is going to be much easier than writing five separate and unique articles each week.

Now, if only it were that simple.

What is wrong with the idea of writing an article and revising it so that you can get five back links instead of one? Isn't this what has made the business of Private Label Reprints (PLRs) so popular? In theory, doing something like this could save a lot of time and generate a great deal of content. Then, you could send various editions of your article to different publishing websites. But...


Many Distributors Will Prevent Duplication

One of the problems with rewriting the same article is that many distributors have mechanisms in place to prevent the publication of both pieces. Article distributors do not do this to harm your business; in fact, these limits are in place to protect your career. If you take the time to write an informative and helpful article to generate traffic back to your site, you probably do not want someone plagiarizing your work. This is why article distribution services work to prevent people, even you, from publishing an article very similar to what you've written.

Instead of being frustrated with the distributors, we should in fact thank them for protecting our work. Some article distributors run a code that will test five strings of data against previously submitted articles; some only use one code to match against, but they all aim to prevent duplication of content.

If you don't use an article distributor-if you submit the piece on your own-then you don't need to worry about duplicate content, right? Wrong. Imagine being a Webmaster who runs a site that accepts article submissions. What are you going to think when you get five articles that are obviously the same, with only simple changes made? Do you think that, as a Webmaster, you would publish these articles or delete the authors from your list for safety purposes?

Webmasters and E-Zine publishers are looking for new and unique content that will provide their readers with useful information. When you revise an article and send it to them, you are not giving them the freshness they look for. In fact, you are likely to irritate your editors.


Credibility

Another reason not to submit a revised article is because it takes away from your credibility as a writer or expert. Let's say that a customer comes across one of your articles and loves it. This reader thinks, "Wow, the author knows what he is talking about, I will look for more of his work." The reader searches for you on the Internet and reads a few more of your articles, only to realize that it is the same information, altered only slightly. Do you think this reader will convert to a sale on your website?

More than likely, this reader will become frustrated because he or she was hoping to learn more about you and your services or product. Instead, they will see that your writings do not offer unique information. Imagine buying a book from a respected author. Imagine that, when the author puts out a new book, you buy it, only to realize that they've rehashed the same information for republication. Would you buy a third book from this author? Would the writer seem a credible, knowledgeable or trustworthy authority?

Revising the same article over and over again will likely end up hurting your business. There is nothing more embarrassing for an author than to be ousted (and rightly so) from a forum for plagiarizing, even if you are plagiarizing your own work.


Quality Over Quantity

There are many reasons why it is a bad idea to submit multiple, slightly altered versions of the same article for publication. If you struggle with writing five articles each week, then only commit to writing one or two and composing them to the best of your ability. It is far better to go for quality than quantity in the article reprint business. A customer will appreciate finding a few articles from you that offer new and fresh information rather than finding dozens written by you that effectively state the same thing.

If you want to achieve both quality and quantity, you may consider hiring a ghostwriter. This will keep you from facing the loss of respect and credibility that often results from rewriting a single article.


About the Author:
Trey Pennewell has been ghost writing articles online, since 2002. He has literally written hundreds of articles for clients. Trey's articles have appeared and continue to appear in some of the most read ezines and websites on the internet. Trey is also intimately familar with the article distribution process, as Bill Platt's first full-time employee, helping Bill with the daily operations of http://thePhantomWriters.com
Bill can be contacted between 9am-6pm cst M-F at 405-780-7327.

How To Pay For The Finer Things In Life

Article Presented by:
Emerson Lockwood

Everyone likes to enjoy luxury, but often the average consumer does not consider himself financially able to do so. The truth is, that with a good budget and smart financial planning, many people can afford to treat themselves to fineries they may not have considered a possibility.

Many Americans invest hundreds or thousands of dollars a year in health club memberships. Many of these consumers are looking for a pool for their families to use during the summer; others seek the therapeutic benefits of a hot tub or aerobic swimming. Instead of paying your local recreation department or health club for the monthly use of a pool, why not invest in your own?

Many buyers see the lump sum needed for this kind of investment as a barrier. When you pay a monthly membership fee, you are investing in the cost and maintenance of a facility that ultimately belongs to someone else. Why not invest that money in your own home and property? In truth, monthly membership fees are often comparable to what a loan payment for a hot tub or pool might be. With a purchasing price in the ballpark of $5,500-$15,000 for a nice hot tub, monthly payments are no longer wasted on an outside entity, but rather invested in your own property's value.

Additionally, by having a hot tub at home, you do not have to worry about others constantly using the facility. You have complete privacy when using your tub or pool, and are able to access it at any hour of the day. You are also able to maintain the cleanliness and chemical balances of the pool yourself; you are no longer dependent on public or health club employees to do so-often at the expense of a job well done. By having a hot tub or swimming pool at home, you are able to keep a closer eye on the safety and cleanliness of the facilities your family uses.

After buying your own hot tub, you may decide to move the fixture at a later date. If you decide to sell your home or invest in a second property, the tub will be removable and mobile so you can take it with you. This, however, is clearly not an option when it comes to in-ground swimming pools. When you go to sell your home, if the buyer does not want to pay extra for the amenity of having a hot tub, you can simply keep it and continue to enjoy it.

The cost of maintenance for a hot tub is generally quite low. You will only need to buy a few chemicals and measure the water quality on a regular basis. A swimming pool will cost a little more to maintain, but is still quite affordable.

Hot tubs are probably somewhat cheaper than many people realize, and making the monthly payments is easier than you think. Money spent on pool or health club memberships can easily be re-directed, providing you and your family a higher standard of living. Just think about the next time it is 30 degrees outside and you want to take a dip in the hot tub. Instead of warming up the car and driving across town, you could change clothes and climb right into your very own hot tub. If you get the urge for a dip in the hot tub at 2 a.m., do it.

So, the next time you are thinking about writing your monthly check to the local health club, stop and think about what I said, and then realize that you don't have to live your life by someone else's schedule or location.


About the Author:
Emerson Lockwood writes about home improvement and home technology. It is true that you can go to your local hot tub dealer and spend anywhere from $5,500 to $15,000 on a hot tub. But amazingly, you could pay only $4,000 to $10,000 for the exact same portable hot tubs - spas that you can get at your local dealership, if only you visited Spas N Stuff.com first. Emerson Lockwood's articles appear on http://www.SuperHomeIdeas.com and http://www.SpasNStuff.com . Feel free to reprint this article, so long as all links remain intact.

How To Get What You Want In Your Career

Article Presented by:
Deborah Brown-Volkman

We all have something that we want in our career. Some people see potential where they work, so they want a big promotion and a large raise. Other people are ready for a change, so they want a different job or a new career. What do you want?

There is nothing wrong with aspiring for more. Wanting pushes you to be your best; to learn, grow, and become a better person. Without wanting, you would be wandering through your career without purpose or direction. And, you wouldn't know that you could have more.

"I want" is the foundation for reaching your goals. Once you have that, you have purpose, and with purpose, you can set the direction and tone of your career. Purpose also leads to a plan.

Not sure what you want? You must take time to think about your career and work on your goals. Know what you want, but unsure how to get there? It's time to create that plan. Do you have a plan, but are worried that what you want won't happen anyway? Let go of your worry. It's a mental roadblock that is getting in your way.

So, How Do You Get What You Want In Your Career? Follow These Steps Below.

1. Change Your Beliefs

If you are busy and overwhelmed in your present job, believing that you can have what you want can be a challenge. How can you focus on your future when you are trying to get through the day to day? If you do not believe that you will attain your goals, then who will? If you feel like you will not reach your goals, don't be misled by your feelings. Trust yourself and your goals. Believe that you will get what you want.

2. Get Focused

All goals are reached in the mind first. Can you visualize yourself achieving your goals? Pretend that your goals have already happened. What are you doing? Where are you working and what type of people are you working with? How much money are you making? How many hours are you working each day? Get this down on paper and look at this piece of paper every day. Tell yourself that what you want will happen. Mentally be in the future until what you want is in the present.

3. Become Committed

Decide that you will get what you want. Raise your activity level and get into action. Results come when you are moving. Call people. Send e-mail. Craft letters. Tap into friends and family. Don't take "no" for an answer. Make a plan. Map out the steps necessary to implement your plan. Dedicate yourself and your time to achieving your goals. Keep moving no matter what. If you do, then what you want will come true.

4. Enjoy The Journey

The truth about achieving goals is they take longer to obtain than you'd like. This is not bad news. Sometimes you need to learn things first before your goals can materialize. Understand this concept, and incorporate additional time into your plan. Understand what may happen, so you can accept it, and enjoy where you are today more.

Your goal is important and so is the journey. Even though you may want to rush to the finish line, the benefit to you is greater when you don't. Savor the process and be in the moment. Learn everything you can. There is satisfaction and pride in reaching goals. Plus, you'll want to remember what you did this time to reach your goals, so you can duplicate the process again in the future.

So, what do you say? You only have one life to live, so it might as well be a life you love!


About the Author:
Deborah Brown-Volkman is the President of Surpass Your Dreams, Inc. a successful career and mentor coaching company that has been delivering a message of motivation, success, and personal fulfillment since 1998. We work with Senior Executives, Vice Presidents, and Managers who are out of work or overworked. Deborah is also the creator of the Career Escape Program(TM) and author of Coach Yourself To A New Career: A Book To Discover Your Ultimate Profession. Deborah Brown-Volkman can be reached at:
http://www.surpassyourdreams.com
http://www.career-escape-program.com
info@surpassyourdreams.com, or at (631) 874-2877.

13 Easy and Inexpensive Fall Decorating Ideas

Article Presented by:
Julie Lohmeier

Autumn provides a bounty of decorating ideas. No need to decorate for fall with cheap, plastic, fake items when the real thing is inexpensive, more tasteful, and easily creates a beautiful fall ambiance in your home. Here are 13 ideas that you can easily do.

1. Use a taller pumpkin as a vase for fresh flowers. Clean out the guts and seeds and use the pumpkin to arrange your flowers. Taller ones work well, but so will squatty pumpkins if you cut your flower stems short.

2. Make topiary out of a foam form (conical shapes always work well) and hot glue a variety of large seeds – acorns, walnuts, pinecones – to the form. Completely cover the foam. Easy and makes a wonderful piece for any table or countertop.

3. Pick brightly colored fallen leaves. Rub a good moisturizer onto the front and back of the leaves and let dry. This helps the leaves keep their color and avoid curling. Once dry, scatter the leaves on a table, around a centerpiece, or on a fireplace mantle.

4. Fill a tall vase or extra-large brandy snifter with a variety of colorful miniature pumpkins and gourds.

5. Make a centerpiece using pie pumpkins, gourds, and leaves. Vary the sizes and colors of these squashes and fill in the gaps with leaves, mini pumpkins, and gourds.

6. Arrange large pumpkins in a group (odd numbers work best) or on stairs. Carve or paint designs or messages on the pumpkins. For example, I saw white pumpkins used on stair treads, each with a letter spelling "Welcome".

7. Carve a small hole, one inch deep in miniature pumpkins for use as taper candle holders.

8. If you have a tiered cake or serving plate, arrange pumpkins, gourds, or squash on each tier. Use a pie pumpkin or turban squash (looks like two placed one on top of the other) on the top level. Use smaller ones, even miniatures, as well as leaves and nuts on the other tiers.

9. Cut a branch for a tree. Place lengthwise on a table. Nest miniature gourds, pumpkins, leaves, nuts, and votive candles among the smaller branches. (Whenever you bring branches in from outdoors, spray insect repellent on the branch outside before you cut it. Let it stay outside for a day or two. Then bring into the garage or on a porch for another day or two until the smell is gone.)

10. Soften a three-wick candle by blowing a hairdryer on it until the wax is soft. Then press small colored leaves into the softened wax to add a fall touch.

11. Take tall corn stalks and attach to porch columns or mailbox or even trees with a large fall colored ribbon. Further accent with pumpkins or mums around the base.

12. Cut long branches with colored leaves still attached (see instructions above to prevent bringing bugs into your home). Place in a tall vase or an umbrella stand. Be sure the branches are proportionate to the vase or stand.

13. Use potted mums to replace your summer flowers in flower beds, on porches, near fireplace hearths, in corner of rooms – this classic never goes out of style. To give added height within a group, place one potted mum on a miniature straw bale.

Using the natural beauty of fall nature, you can easily and inexpensively decorate your home for the changing season.


About the Author:
Julie Lohmeier is the veteran of numerous home remodeling and building projects. From working hands on and doing much of the work herself to hiring contractors and construction managers, she has seen the entire spectrum of home improvement. She shares her remodeling tips, home decorating ideas, and other various rants at http://www.myhomeredux.com. Subscribe to her free newsletter.

@copyright 2006, Julie Lohmeier, www.myhomeredux.com Use this report in its entirety with proper acknowledgement and copyright.

Divisional Outlook for June - AL Central

Article Presented by:
Jay Nault

The past month has been one of change atop the division standings, and the World Champion White Sox have been issued a challenge by the surging Detroit Tigers, who enjoyed an amazing month. The rest of the division has been mostly status quo, but each team has made the news for different reasons since the beginning of May.


Detroit Tigers

Currently:

The Tigers, even though they recently dropped four of five games to the Yankees, blew past the White Sox by winning 15 of their last 21 games and lead the division by 2.5 games as of this writing. They've done so with a combination of powerful offense and timely pitching. The Tigers have scored at least 5 runs in 15 of those 21 games, and posted shutouts in four of those wins.

Outlook:

If the Tigers can continue to have all their forces click at once, they could realistically keep the White Sox at bay through the season. The team still has five regulars batting over or near .300, and pitcher Justin Verlander has added to the strong pitching staff.


Chicago White Sox

Currently:

The White Sox have stumbled a bit while the Tigers have been hot, which is why they suddenly find themselves looking up at Detroit in the standings. The White Sox have gone only 10-11 in their past 21 games, and the main reason is that their pitching has been rocked for at least five runs in 16 of those games. During that same span, the team has only scored more than five runs only three times, and lost two of those games.

Outlook:

It's still early, so there's no reason to panic as of yet. If the Sox can get their pitching together, they'll still be a team to be reckoned with in October.


Cleveland Indians

Currently:

Although the Indians remained near .500 in the past month, they have been streaky, as they both enjoyed a four-game winning streak and a four-game losing streak in the past month to go 10-10 in their last 20 games. The Indians remain a team centered on offense, as their pitching has continued to be pounded with regularity.

Outlook:

The team is still searching for help on the mound, and if they want to move up in the standings, they may need to make a move to bolster their staff. The Tribe will be in every game as long as Casey Blake and Ben Broussard continue their heavy-hitting ways.


Minnesota Twins

Currently:

The Twins have also been streaky, even though they're staying at near .500 with a 10-10 record in the last 20 games. However, the Twins have suffered through a five-game losing streak and enjoyed two three-game winning streaks during that time. Their offense has come around a bit, and is still being led by young phenom Joe Mauer.

Outlook:

This is a young team that needs to find some consistency before the Tigers and White Sox run away and hide in the standings. It's still early enough to make a move, but that move needs to happen soon.


Kansas City Royals

Currently:

What was bad has actually gotten worse in Kansas City. The Royals have the worst record in baseball, and they are a dismal The Royals suffered the humiliation of an historic 13-game losing streak and have won only three of their past 20 games. Although Esteban German continued to have success this season, Shane Costa had to spend some time on the DL.

Outlook:

The team needs to continue to develop its young players and take its lumps as it looks towards 2007.


About the Author:
Written by Jay Nault, sponsored by StubHub.com! StubHub sells sports tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets and more to just about any event in the world. Please link to this site when using this article. http://www.stubhub.com/

Positive Attitude-Good for Yourself and Others

Article Presented by:
Kent Jacobson a.k.a. Mr. Success

Having a positive attitude is not only important for yourself, it is also important to the people that you come in contact with during your daily life. This can be work colleagues, prospective clients, friends, and family members. Having a positive attitude is often contagious. If you are in a positive frame of mind, you may be able to have an effect on the people around you. On the other hand, if you are always taking a negative attitude towards life, you will be bringing down the people around you. This can lead to people singling you out, thus making your attitude more negative. In order to avoid this downward spiral, you need to learn how to have a positive attitude in everything that you do.

The first thing that you must keep in mind is that having a positive attitude is a decision that you can make everyday that you wake up. If you wake up in a bad mood and decide to carry it with you all day long that is your decision. But if you wake up everyday thinking that something great is going to happen, it probably will. Having a positive attitude can go a long way in ensuring that you have a good day. A good tip to follow is to always have a motivational book handy. For those days when you feel like you are going to have a negative attitude pick up this book and read a couple of your favorite entries. This is a great method for getting your attitude back in check.

When you wake up in the morning think about all of the positive things that you are going to be able to accomplish. Instead of thinking about all of the daily tasks that you despise, think about things that you are looking forward to doing. This may include a dinner date, outside activity or a television program you've been waiting to watch.

You should also remember that the best way to have a positive attitude is to achieve success. In order to do this you need to set yourself up for success. Setting obtainable goals, and working hard to reach them can do this.

Keeping a positive attitude has also been scientifically proven to help keep your body and mind healthy. A positive attitude is nothing more than a mind set. Every morning that you wake up be sure to get yourself in the right frame of mind, and stay that way throughout the day. If you feel yourself straying away from positive thoughts, find something that will bring you back to where you need to be."


About the Author:
Kent Jacobson, a.k.a. "Mr. Success" is a trusted authority in the success field and provides valuable success information for free through his website at: http://www.Shortcut2Success.com . You can also read Kent's Success Blog to find more success secrets at: http://www.Shortcut2Success.com/blog

How to Find Financial Freedom

Article Presented by:
Kent Jacobson a.k.a. Mr. Success

Many people make finding financial freedom harder than what it actually is. In order to find financial freedom all you have to do is follow a few simple steps. Now of course you have to have some resources available to make this work for you, but these steps are not just for millionaires that already have everything that they need. Financial freedom can be had by people who are not millionaires. It can be had by everyday common people who know how to work within the system and get what they want. By following the steps below you will be well on your way to financial freedom.

1. To find financial freedom you need to first find out where all of your money is going every month. You need to remember to pay yourself first, and take care of everything else next. In other words, make sure that you are not taking every paycheck you get and paying off debt. You do not have to pay everything off at once. By keeping some money for yourself you will be able to live a nice life.

2. Investing automatically is one way to gain financial freedom that is most of the time overlooked. People do not want to do this because they feel like they are not getting to see any of their money; but this is the exact point. If you do not see the money you will not be able to spend the money. By investing directly from your paycheck you will ensure that your money is getting to the proper place without any being taken off of the top on the way.

3. Make sure you diversify your portfolio. In other words do not put all of your eggs in the same basket. You will want to make sure you have money in a lot of different places. The stock market, real estate, and savings accounts are all very popular options.

4. Quit wasting time and get started today. This is one problem that plagues a large percentage of the population. They always say that they are going to get started, but never seem to have the time to get around to it. Remember, as time goes by so does your opportunity to save money. Each paycheck that you spend without investing is one that could have gone towards the stock market or starting a savings account.

By following the four steps outlined above you will have a solid foundation on which to build your financial freedom. The most important thing to remember is to get started right away. Do not be afraid to make mistakes, they happen to everybody including the professionals. Just think about how great it will be to gain financial freedom!


About the Author:
Kent Jacobson, a.k.a. "Mr. Success" is a trusted authority in the success field and provides valuable success information for free through his website at: http://www.Shortcut2Success.com . You can also read Kent's Success Blog to find more success secrets at: http://www.Shortcut2Success.com/blog

Is There a Silver Bullet in Sales?

Article Presented by:
Craig Elias

Some people will tell you that in sales there is no such thing as a silver bullet. I can tell you that there is. It is called timing - getting in front of the right buyer at EXACTLY the right time. Research shows that the average sales person is five times more likely to make a sale when they have the right timing.

Event-Based Selling is a way to make timing happen. Read on if you want to learn how to make timing happen and repeatedly get in front of the right buyers at exactly the right time.

Buying Modes

To master timing you need to understand that, no matter what you sell or to whom, buyers are always in one of three Buying Modes:

1. Status Quo: Status Quo is when a buyer perceives the product or service they are currently using meets, or exceeds, their needs.

2. Window of Dissatisfaction: A Window of Dissatisfaction occurs after a buyer realizes that their current solution no longer meets their needs but before they start the process of searching for alternative solutions.

3. Searching for Alternatives: Searching for Alternatives is when a buyer realizes their current solution no longer meets their needs and is actively searching for alternative solutions.

Timing - getting in front of the right buyers at exactly the right time - is getting in front of buyers in the Window of Dissatisfaction before your competition. By being first with these motivated buyers you will sell more, sell sooner, and sell at a higher price.

Event-Based Selling

Buyers typically move from the buying mode of Status Quo into the Window of Dissatisfaction because of an event, or a series of events. Event-Based Selling is about identifying, finding, and creating the events that cause buyers to enter the Window of Dissatisfaction and then getting to these motivated buyers before your competition.

Events that shift buyers from Status Quo into the Window of Dissatisfaction fall into one of three different categories:

1. Experience: A buyer has a bad experience with their current supplier, e.g. the company, its products/services, or its people.

2. Transition: A change or transition within a buyers' environment, e.g. a change in legislation, management's priorities, or the buyer who purchases your products or services.

3. Awareness: Buyers, through word of mouth, become aware there is a better way.

Event-Based Selling and Prices

It's important to understand the impact that events have on prices. As a rule, buyers pay for perceived value and a buyer's perception of value shifts as events move them from one buying mode to another.

When a buyer is in the Status Quo mode, their perception of value is the difference between their current solution and your proposed solution. Because their perception of their current solution is so high, their perception of the difference in value between their current solution and your proposed solution is not enough to motivate them to buy from you. By trying to sell to buyers in Status Quo you are likely to spend a lot of time selling with little or no chance of actually making a sale.

When an event happens that causes a buyer to believe that their current solution no longer meets their needs, they move into the Window of Dissatisfaction, and their perception of the value of their current solution is reduced. Now their perception of the difference between the value of their current solution and your proposed solution increases to the point where you are much more likely to make a sale. By selling to buyers who are in the Window of Dissatisfaction, not only are you more likely to make a sale, you are also likely to have a shorter sales cycle, and when you win the business it's likely to be at a much higher price.

If they are not intercepted by a savvy sales person, another event or a series of events will cause a buyer to become so dissatisfied with their current solution that they pass through the Window of Dissatisfaction and start Searching for Alternatives. Now a buyer's perception of the value of your proposed solution is reduced to the difference between your proposed solution and the solution proposed by your nearest competitor. By trying to sell to buyers who are Searching for Alternatives you are less likely to make the sale and IF you win the business, you are likely to have a much longer sales cycle and a much lower price.

The REAL Value of Event-Based Selling

The REAL value of Event-Based Selling is selling to buyers in the Window of Dissatisfaction. This is where you are most likely to find your core, loyal buyers who will represent 80% of your profits - those appreciative buyers who are more likely to provide you with a reference and that most treasured thing in sales - referrals. If you miss the Window of Dissatisfaction and try selling to buyers while they are already Searching for Alternatives, you are more likely to get peripheral, disloyal, price sensitive buyers who will represent 20% of your profits and 80% of your headaches!

Finding the Events

Every day buyers in your target market experience events that put them in the Window of Dissatisfaction. Finding buyers in the Window of Dissatisfaction requires you to identify what events or series of events create buyer dissatisfaction and develop ways to learn about these events before your competition.

One way to get to buyers in the Window of Dissatisfaction before your competition is to get buyers to call you first when the event or events occur. To do this you need to spend time on relationship-building activities and become a buyer's Emotional Favorite ? aka 'Go to' person. A buyer's Emotional Favorite is the person a buyer knows, likes, trusts, and most importantly, wants to see succeed! This is the person a buyer believes has earned their business and actually deserves it. The Emotional Favorite is the first person a buyer is likely to contact when an event causes them to shift from the Status Quo to the Window of Dissatisfaction.

Creating the Events

As long as a buyer's perception of the performance of their current solution meets or exceeds their expectations, they will remain in the Status Quo buying mode and you are unlikely to make a sale.

To create motivated buyers you need to create dissatisfaction with their current solution. But how can you create dissatisfaction with the current solution when you can't impact its performance? The solution is to raise a buyer's expectations beyond their current solution. This will shift the buyer into the Window of Dissatisfaction and increase the likelihood that you will make a sale. (You can raise a buyer's expectations of three different things: people, products/services, or companies.)

Conclusion

Success in sales is seldom an accident. It's the result of focusing on the opportunities where you have timing - are first with buyers in the Window of Dissatisfaction - and developing strategies to repeatedly make timing happen. Event-Based Selling is the silver bullet that can create timing by identifying, finding, and creating the events that put buyers in the Window of Dissatisfaction and repeatedly put you in front of these motivated buyers before your competition.


About the Author:
For almost 20 years Craig Elias has used timing strategies to be a top sales person at EVERY company that hired him. Craig's expertise also won him a $1,000,000 prize in a global Billion Dollar Idea contest, and has resulted in coverage on NBC news, in The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. Call 403.313.0412 or use this link https://www.plaxo.com/add_me?u=25770307927&v0=1000385&k0=740938012 to contact Craig when you want training, coaching or advice on how to sell more by identifying, finding, and creating the events that will repeatedly put you in front of buyers in the Window of Dissatisfaction -- before your competition.

When giving a FREE sample is worse than political Anarchy

Article Presented by:
Mark Silver

It seems like an obvious maneuver: give something away for free to draw more customers in. I see my favorite grocery store do it, and it works incredibly well- the store is mobbed, especially on Saturdays, when the samples are outrageous.

But, I've seen vendors in the store giving away free samples, but gain negligible results from it. Whether it's samples of instant oatmeal, or 'sample' coaching sessions, I've seen small business owners bomb over and over again with this tactic.

Yet, I use it myself, and it's one of the most powerful strategies I have, and it feels incredibly good to be generous.

Why does free sometimes work and sometimes doesn't?

Lessons from Anarchy

Years ago, when I had been very interested in Anarchism as a political structure (or lack of one) I read a study done on two different groups that had their housing for free.

The study compared residents of a public housing project that were given housing, maintenance, and other services and support, versus a group of "squatters"- folks who would've been homeless, except they took over an abandoned apartment complex.

Which ones fared better? The squatters did. Their apartments went from completely neglected and destroyed, to real beauty, and the sense of community and connection between residents was very strong.

Conversely, the residents of the public housing project fared as many public housing projects do: things became neglected and fell apart, the crime rate rose, and disputes between residents were common.

The difference is that one of them wasn't really free.

It's been my experience that the human heart is happiest and most fulfilled when it's in service. I'm guessing that although you probably love to receive gifts, you probably enjoy giving them even more. And, probably even more than giving gifts, you enjoy feeling useful in some way.

A spiritual secret from the Sufis is this quote, attributed to the Divine: "I love those of My servants most, who are of most use to My creation." Put simply, in every day language, that our hearts our filled with the most important thing in the world, Love, when we're being of use and helping out.

In the 'free' public housing, the study found, people felt discouraged, as if they couldn't meaningfully contribute to their own or other's lives. The squatters, however, had no one to rely upon, and in the process, everyone pitched in with what skills they had, and it began to work well.

Am I against helping people who need help? Absolutely not! However, in the giving, it's important to also pay attention to the legitimate and overarching need each person has to be useful and valuable, to contribute, and to feel love for that contribution.

Many businesses, in giving away free samples, are unwittingly disempowering their customers, and creating neglect and disillusion with those they contact in the market place.

But, there is a way to use free in a powerful way, that feels good to your customers, and builds your business. How?

Keys to F*ree

Small samples that don't use you up, or overwhelm your prospect, are appropriate.

Put yourself in your customer's shoes: if someone else were giving away what you want to give away, would it make you raise your eyebrows? Would it ask a big commitment? Does it make you wonder 'what's wrong'? If so, you are probably giving away too much.

If the intention is to create trust and safety, then an excerpt of a book, or an article, a bite or two, an audio excerpt, a single gulp, all of these are appropriate amounts. And, ask for something in return: to add their names to your list. You show up a little bit, they show up a little bit. It evens out.

Remember that giving more is asking for more.

For example, many coaches are astounded that people don't take them up on 'sample' coaching sessions. The truth is, coaching demands a tremendous amount of vulnerability in the client. It's kind of the same with giving away a whole meal. Someone has to be hungry enough, and then, if they do take it, they have to struggle with the feeling: "Do I look selfish for taking this much?"

After someone has taken a sample from you, if they want more, they are going to want to give something. Whether it's money, more information, filling out a questionnaire, whatever. If you don't make space for them to give, they probably won't take. And, the ones who do take without wanting to give, you've probably found that they aren't people who are going to become your customers anyway.

Look to see where you might be hooked.

Often free can be a tactic of a person who is feeling a little desperate, rather than an integrated and generous strategy for your business. Is your unconscious message: 'Okay, mister, you took me up on my free offer, you better buy from me now, or else!'? If so, make space for your neediness, but fill it in your heart, not through trying to hook customers.

Although f*ree is one of the most attention-grabbing words in English, don't forget that what people are really wanting, and hoping to get f*reely, is the opportunity to feel as if they matter. Ask for them to show up, and they will.

My very best to you and your business, Mark Silver


About the Author:
Mark Silver is the author of Unveiling the Heart of Your Business: How Money, Marketing and Sales can Deepen Your Heart, Heal the World, and Still Add to Your Bottom Line. He has helped hundreds of small business owners around the globe succeed in business without losing their hearts. Get three free chapters of the book online: http://www.heartofbusiness.com

Tax Free Retirement Income with the Roth IRA and Roth 401(k)

Article Presented by:
Daniel Lamaute

Under this year's new tax rules it's possible to have a Roth 401(k) in addition to a Roth IRA for Tax Free Retirement Income.

Unique to the Roth retirement accounts - Roth 401(k) and Roth IRA - participants save part of their salary on an after-tax basis and their money in the Roth accounts can grow and remain tax-free. That's right; the principal and accumulated earnings of a Roth account can be withdrawn tax-free, provided that certain qualifications are met. In contrast, contributions to a traditional IRA, 401(k), etc, are on a pre-tax basis but withdrawals of every dollar in the traditional accounts are taxed as ordinary income.

Most employees will have to wait awhile to participate in a Roth 401(k) because employers have been slow to make the necessary amendments so that their 401(k) can accept Roth contributions, according to a Hewitt Associates survey. But the self-employed, independent contractors and other business owners with no employees can get a Roth 401(k) as a feature in their Self-Employed 401(k) right away.

A Roth 401(k) is like the luxury version of the Roth IRA. For example, in 2006, the Roth 401(k) salary deferral limit is $15,000 vs. $4,000 for the Roth IRA, and the "catch up" for those 50 and older is $5,000 vs. $1,000 for the Roth IRA. Loans can be taken from a Roth 401(k) account, but not from a Roth IRA. And, unlike the Roth IRA high income earners are not restricted from having a Roth 401(k).

401(k) contributions can be split between the pre-tax account and the Roth after-tax account. However, the aggregate contributions must not exceed the elective deferral limit. Profit sharing or employer contributions must be made on a pre-tax basis.

The Roth 401(k) feature would probably appeal most to:

Individuals who think that their tax rate may be higher when they are ready to retire.

Long term investors that have the potential to accumulate considerable compounded earnings in their account over time and never want to pay tax on those gains.

Those concerned with passing some their retirement funds tax-free to their beneficiaries.

High income earners who do not qualify for the Roth IRA.

The Roth feature of the Self-Employed 401(k) is valuable tool which allows the small business owner to tailor his investment strategy. The Self-Employed 401(k) can be started by any business that employs only owners, or owners and their spouses, including C corp, S corp, partnerships, and even sole proprietors working from home.

Given the complexities of tax rules before reaching a conclusion one should contact his tax advisor regarding his specific legal, investment or tax situation.


About the Author:
One can visit www.investsafe.com to request a free information kit on the Self-Employed 401(k) with the Roth and loan features.

Week 2 NFL Thoughts

Article Presented by:
Mike Ricigliani

Is it just me, or is Chris Simms the poor man's Kyle Boller?

Will Miami average more pass completions than sacks allowed? I'm guessing Daunte Culpepper will get fairly used to sitting down. Either way, he's sooooooo getting cut from my fantasy team.

I'm convinced that Indy runs up the score on every team they play to instill fear in their opponents. Until they encounter a formidable team in the playoffs.

Two weeks into the Art Shell experiment, I'm still waiting for Ashton Kucher to jump out and tell me I've been Punk'd.

The only thing, I'm guessing, that Kutcher will be jumping out of is a window when he realizes just what appearing in a movie with Kevin Costner does to your career.

What is that sound? Did John Madden raid the buffet again? Oh, wait. That was just the Eagles choking.

Is Drew Brees really that good? Really?

Oakland devastated in consecutive games so they fall to 0-2? The only way this could get better is if Kate Beckinsdale were sitting on my lap feeding me dried figs right now.

I really hope there is a silver lining for Brett Favre. I know there won't be, but a guy like that deserves some relief from the season he's inevitably going to have.

A big thumbs up to Brad Childress for getting the Vikings off to a good start. It's a good thing, too. The only other thing he's qualified for is porn star - by virtue of his moustache.

I like the trend of Gary Kubiak trading for a has-been or never-was running back every week. I think the NFL should eliminate the trading deadline just so it can continue throughout the year.

Wherefore art thou, Joe Gibbs?

Two weeks and no T.O. outbursts? I feel so cheated. Maybe Drew Rosenhaus can stage saving another kid so we can finally get some excitement up in this joint.

So St. Louis beats the Broncos then lays an egg against, um, the 49ers? Same story, different day. The Rams just can't be consistent enough to compete - even in the NFC.

Don't get too comfortable, B-more. You have wins against Tampa Bay and Oakland. Your glory days are already behind you.

I already miss Dick Vermiel's tears.

Things are already setting up great for another Marty Schottenheimer meltdown. He owns the patent on that, right?

9-6? Maybe the Donkeys and K.C. should be playing in the S.E.C.

I had Arizona as a sleeper team to open the year, and, yup, still sleeping.

Seriously, Ashton. Where are you hiding? Ashton?


About the Author:
Mike Ricigliani is a writer for NFL Directory - a directory of NFL websites. http://www.NFLdir.com

Why Less Passion Is Better For Business

Article Presented by:
Mark Silver

I just googled 'Passion in Business' and came up with 82,900,000 hits. And, according to the first several pages of hits, everyone says that you must have passion to succeed in business. 'Fuel your passion' is the watchword. Why this quest for passion? Of course, passion can feel wonderful, but do you really need it to succeed in business? What happens when you don't have it? Surprisingly, your business can do better with less passion. Why?

To understand, you have to get past the gobble-gobble-gobble of everyone who says you're doomed if you don't fuel your passion to see the deeper spiritual truths that are in motion. But first, what in the heck IS passion?

According to the dictionary:

Passion: a powerful emotion or appetite, such as love, joy, hatred, anger or greed.

Plus, the word evidently originally comes from the Latin "passus" which is the past participle of "pati" meaning 'to suffer.' It began to be used more widely in the Western world when the Catholic Church used it to describe Jesus' sufferings on the cross: the passion of Christ.

Do you get it? 'Passion' is just another way to say 'strong emotional appetite.' And depending on strong emotional appetites for too long, even if they start out by feeling really good, tends to end in... suffering.

I want to let you know that you don't really need to fuel your passion to succeed. Many times when I hear someone talk about 'fueling their passion' they're really talking about what I call the 'honeymoon' syndrome.

You see, when two people newly fall in love with each other, they're in the throes of the 'honeymoon'- they want to be around each other all the time, they can't get enough of each other. Their emotions and pheromones are going crazy- they're insatiable. It lasts a few months, or, at most, a year.

Boy the honeymoon is fun. And it can help set the stage for a wonderful long-term relationship. But if you're depending on those crazy honeymoon emotions and appetites to make it to your 50th anniversary... well, all I can say is, I wish you luck.

Your business is no honeymoon.

Your business, in order to stand the test of time, and to grow into something that can carry you, provide for you, and shelter you, needs to get beyond the 'passion-only' honeymoon stage.

Recently one of the participants in my marketing class was experiencing some very strong fear and overwhelm. That's passion- but not helpful for the business. She had been busy chasing certain business outcomes, and the fear about it was too much. I recently went through a similar spin.

Both she and I had switched over to the passion/appetite fuel, and it was burning us up. We had to switch back to the only fuel that lasts for the long term.

What is that fuel? And how do you switch?

Keys to Reining Your Passion

Love is the fuel- passion is the derivative.

There is a Sufi teaching: "Know that the human has a quality that has no end to it, and this is covetousness, and because the human is forever seeking, this is a quality that is derivative of love... Love causes seeking..."

Covetousness is the passion-driven (read: appetite-driven) derivative of love, and it just ain't as good as the original. Begin to notice in yourself the difference between your heart's longing for love, and your ego coveting more money, or more clients. Take a moment now- can you feel the difference in your own body?

Put your ego on a starvation diet.

If you can tell the difference between love and covetousness, now keep one and throw out the other. Put off feeding your coveting hunger- for a minute, an hour, a day. This is the wisdom behind the spiritual practice of fasting- abstaining from material sustenance. This abstaining weakens your ego's hunger, and strengthens your heart's contentment.

Don't believe me? Try it out. You don't have to do a 40-day retreat in the desert- just try skipping a meal. Or even simpler: noticing a hunger you have, and spending time with that hunger, instead of feeding it. What happens for you?

Now, apply it to your business.

Instead of focusing on what you want- more money, a bigger business- put those appetites aside. Instead, take a moment with your heart and ask 'What is your heart truly longing for?'

Once you get an answer to that question, ask your heart another one: 'How can your business support this longing?' Let yourself be willing to be surprised. And let me know what comes up for you.

My very best to you and your business,

Mark Silver


About the Author:
Mark Silver is the author of Unveiling the Heart of Your Business: How Money, Marketing and Sales can Deepen Your Heart, Heal the World, and Still Add to Your Bottom Line. He has helped hundreds of small business owners around the globe succeed in business without losing their hearts. Get three free chapters of the book online: http://www.heartofbusiness.com

Dream Big!

Article Presented by:
Kent Jacobson a.k.a. Mr. Success

Everybody, regardless of who they are, has a dream that they want to accomplish in life. No matter what it is you are working towards, reaching that final goal, that final dream, that is going to make your life complete. But make sure that before you set out and continue striving to reach your dream that it is something that you really want. Remember, if this is your life-long goal, you want it to be something huge; not just something that you can reach easily and then say that you have done everything possible in life.

Dreaming big is one of the greatest things you can do in life. If you are an author, do not set your biggest goal to simply publish a book. Set your life-long dream as reaching the bestseller list in the New York Times. If you want to be a great salesman, do not simply settle for reaching number one at your branch. Set your sights on the entire country. This way when you finally reach your big dream you will really feel like you accomplished the greatest thing in the world. You want to be able to look back when you are finally done and see how far you have come. Nobody wants to look back and say, "I reached my dream, but I could have done so much better."

When you begin setting your goals you will want to look at the big picture. By simply looking at your life as it is, you will not be able to see what lies ahead of you. Again, if you are an author, you cannot simply look at what this year is going to bring. You need to dig deeper and see where you want your life to go from this point on. This way you will be able to determine where you want to end up when all is said and done.

Dreaming big is something that everybody should do. All too often you come across people who have small goals in life and nothing more. Of course, there is nothing wrong with setting smaller goals, but you want to make sure that they support your efforts to reach the final dream.

If you are having a hard time setting goals, try to speak with other people for inspiration. If you want to write a best-selling book, talk to people that have done this. They will be able to tell you what it will take to reach your goal, and also what you should avoid along the way. Remember, there is no shame in asking for help. In fact, it often pays off to be able to bounce your ideas off of other people. Dream big, and shoot for the stars!


About the Author:
Kent Jacobson, a.k.a. "Mr. Success" is a trusted authority in the success field and provides valuable success information for free through his website at: http://www.Shortcut2Success.com . You can also read Kent's Success Blog to find more success secrets at: http://www.Shortcut2Success.com/blog

Interview Attire

Article Presented by:
Kent Jacobson a.k.a. Mr. Success

One sure-fire way to miss out on a job is to show up at an interview dressed poorly. If you do this, the hiring manager will have a bad first impression of you, and you will probably have a very difficult time overcoming it. Showing up underdressed or with too many accessories on can put you in a bad light from the get-go. It is important to remember that, regardless of what kind of position you are applying for, you need to dress professionally.


First off we will review some tips for women.

1. Remember to wear a conservative suit that is a solid color. You may also want to consider wearing a common color such as black, brown, or dark blue. These colors will not make you stand out or draw attention. Avoid wearing bright colors such as pink or orange.

2. Choose shoes that accommodate you well. If you are a bit short and would like to gain a couple of inches, feel free to wear high heels. If you are self-conscious about your height, wear something that has a flat sole. Remember to never wear sandals or tennis shoes.

3. Keep jewelry and accessories to a limit. There is no need to wear four bracelets and five earrings. Show your professionalism by wearing a couple (one or two) classy accessories.

4. Do not overdo it on the makeup. Give your face a nice, natural look that people will enjoy looking at.

5. Bring a portfolio or briefcase with you that will contain anything that you may need. This will include work samples, extra resumes, and additional references.


Now for the men.

1. Just like the women, wear a solid color, conservative suit. Black, dark blue, brown, and gray are your best choices.

2. Regardless of recent trends, you will want to wear a long-sleeve white dress shirt. More and more people are going with colored shirts, but for an interview you will want to stay basic.

3. Keep your tie simple as well. If you are wearing a black suit with a white shirt, consider going with a solid black tie. If you want something to spruce up your outfit, look into a brighter color tie.

4. Many guys overlook their socks and shoes. Remember to wear socks that match your suit and shoes that are professional.


About the Author:
Kent Jacobson, a.k.a. "Mr. Success" is a trusted authority in the success field and provides valuable success information for free through his website at: http://www.Shortcut2Success.com . You can also read Kent's Success Blog to find more success secrets at: http://www.Shortcut2Success.com/blog