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Many sales problems can be solved by improved marketing. Selling harder is often not the solution. More . . . or just better . . . marketing may be what’s needed. Marketing presents a special problem for any company that has not yet developed a professionally staffed marketing department. This article looks at the various marketing functions. It describes some successful approaches to determining when to add “more” marketing to your company.

In The Beginning

Most successful companies grow from a small enterprise based on the founder’s idea or vision. In the early stages, the founder usually plays many roles. It’s common to see a founder handling engineering and/or sales roles. As the company succeeds and grows, many of these tasks are delegated to others.

The one area most often key to the long term success of the company is the function of marketing. This article covers:

• The marketing functions
• The problems they can prevent or solve
• The contributions you can expect from marketing

Marketing: The Difference Between Buying And Selling

The definition of marketing has been attempted by many authors. It is commonly referred to as the process of relating the potential customers’ needs and wants to the company, and then addressing the company’s solutions to meet those needs and wants back to the marketplace.

We have described marketing as the process of focusing on Who the customer really is, and What the customer is actually buying from you . . . rather than what you’re selling. What customers can buy from your firm . . . that they cannot buy from another . . . is the real reason they do business with you.

The marketing functions within your company that support this work can be divided into product marketing and marketing services to support demand creation and sales. Both functions are necessary to have an effective marketing effort. However, they are distinct. How much of each you need . . . and who should perform these duties . . . are important issues.

What Is Product Marketing?

The classic definition of product marketing includes the issues of product, price, promotion, and sales channel (place). The concept of product marketing holds true whether your company is a “product” or a “service” company. In the case of a service company, your “product” is the service provided.

To succeed, these product marketing issues (product, price, promotion, and place) must be handled so they are effective from the customer’s point of view. In the beginning, these issues are usually a key part of the founder’s vision. When the company succeeds, they often become too complex . . . and too important . . . to be handled part-time, by the chief executive.

Product marketing works over two different frameworks, each important, and fundamentally very different. These two areas are strategic and tactical.

Strategic Marketing

Strategic product marketing is the future component of the marketing problem. Strategic issues include:

• What business is your company in?
• What business should you be in?
• What products or services should be designed and offered?
• What technical capabilities need to be developed within the company or acquired from outside the company?

Other related strategic issues include:

• Marketing channel strategies (How do you reach your customers, then sell and deliver the goods?)
• Competitive positioning (What sets your company apart in the minds of your customers?)
• A complete understanding of, and ability to communicate to customers, What they can buy from your company that they cannot buy from any other company.

The strategic role requires a person who is a generalist, with a broad view of the market, the industry, and the company. This is the role most usually maintained by the founder/CEO. Portions of this strategic function may be provided by a senior marketing manager or by outside consultants.

Tactical Marketing

Tactical product marketing deals with issues that relate to the success of current products or services. These include:

• New products or services introductions
• Promotion of existing products
• Development of marketing programs and literature that are effective in reaching the customer
• Communicating the unique position that separates your company from your competitors
• Ensuring that the sales channels are being used effectively to reach customers

The development of tactical plans is a product marketing function. The execution of some of these tactical items may be accomplished by marketing services, as described next.

The tactical role requires a person with the desire and skills to “get it done.” Both tactical and strategic roles require great communications skills, and the ability to deal successfully with a wide range of peo-ple, both inside and outside your company.

What Are Marketing Services?

Marketing Services executes tactical marketing programs. This may include sales contests, public relations, advertising, trade shows, dealer programs, direct mail campaigns, etc. This function manages or provides the creative, and produces items such as brochures, advertisements, press releases, trade shows, etc.

There is obviously an overlap between tactical marketing and marketing services in the area of defining and planning these programs. A senior, experienced, marketing services professional may be able to perform some of the functions of tactical marketing. Unfortunately, many times we place an excellent marketing services person in a position which really is tactical marketing . . . and the results are not satisfactory.

Marketing Services’ function is to create and manage the tools, support materials, and collateral that tactical marketing has determined necessary to effectively implement the programs designed to achieve the strategy.

Skilled marketing services professionals have excellent input regarding these tools and materials to assure effective results. Asking them to perform the tactical product marketing function is quite another thing!

What Do Marketing Problems Look Like?

Sometimes it’s easy to see a marketing problem. One example of this is a stalled product.

You’ve spent many months developing a new product and feel sure of its merits in the marketplace. You’ve introduced the product, but it seems to be going nowhere. What do you need to do to take advantage of your investment and ensure the success of the new product (and perhaps your company)?

• Should you lower the price?
• Should you raise the price?
• Do you need to spend money on advertising?
• Do you need to kick off a public relations campaign?
• Do you need new sales channels, or do you need a program to “kick start” your existing channels?

Obviously some of these issues are tactical product marketing. Some may involve marketing services, or the problem may be fundamentally strategic.

Possibly, you have an unneeded or unwanted product or service. Maybe you have not fully determined what the differences are your product or service provides which are valuable to potential customers.

Another example of a potential marketing challenge is an important new product introduction.

• How do you ensure that you get the best press coverage?
• Should you introduce the product at a trade show? Or with a press conference? Or with a press tour?
• What literature and sales tools will you need?
• Does this new product (or service) fit your existing sales channel?
• What is the competitive environment in which this product will be introduced?
• How should the product be priced and positioned to take maximum advantage of the competitive situation
• What do your prospective customers think of the new product?

Again, some of these problems are tactical and some are Marketing Services. Executing an effective new product launch by relegating the planning and execution to Marketing Services, or worse, to your advertising agency, is a mistake. Given that 90% of new product introductions fail to achieve their sales goals, perhaps it’s time to consider that the execution may not be the problem. Perhaps there was never a viable plan.

Sometimes it’s more difficult to recognize the problem as belonging to marketing. It can still clearly be rooted there however. An example of this is the conflict between sales and the factory. Often the conflict looks like this:

The salespeople are frustrated. They see opportunity they can’t turn into business, and they blame the factory for not listening to them, and for being unresponsive.

The sales person says, “Why don’t they hear what I am telling them?” The factory staff in this case is often frustrated with field sales. “Why can’t they just sell what we have?”, is a common question from the factory.

Are the salespeople just complaining, so you should disregard them? Are the factory people being too “hardheaded?” Or is it possible that a marketing job, clearly defining the position of the product and communication of this to sales, has not been done?

If sales does not know the positioning, you will be getting inconsistent results and information from them. Has this happened to you?

Some marketing problems are easier to identify. You have an idea for a wonderful new product. But,

• What features should it have?
• What is the importance to your customers of each feature?
• Is there something else even more important about which you are unaware?
• How do you tell the story of the product so that you can get your sales people excited, and your customers to buy?

To answer these questions, what do you do? Do you conduct a focus group? Or a user survey? By phone, or letter, or face-to-face interviews? Or just design it, release it, and hope you were right?

The bottomline is that all of the above scenarios describe marketing problems which can be solved with the right marketing talent. Whether that expertise is full-time or a part-time, on-staff or from outside services are trade-offs you make to get the best solution your budget can afford.

Final Thoughts

The key to marketing is to see your company as you are seen by your customers. If you’re satisfied with your company’s results and feel that the future of your company is secure, then you may have all the marketing you need.

If you feel better results are needed, that you should be selling more, or your profits should be higher, or you should be doing a better job of satisfying your customers . . . then you should seriously consider adding marketing talent to your team.

(c) 1991, 2002 Customer Manufacturing Group

Mitchell Goozé is the president and founder of Customer Manufacturing Group. For a free subscription to Customer Manufacturing Updates, e-mail us at info@customermfg.com, call (800) 947-0140 or visit the company website at http://www.customermanufacturing.com.

Auto repair guides explain the maintenance, repair, and cleaning of automotive supplies. These are guides meant for home users as well as professionals. Nowadays, these are available in electronic versions, and there are many software packages available to diagnose and fix automotive problems.

Major companies in this industry such as Ford, Mercedes, Chevrolet, and Volkswagen provide electronic auto repair guides so that even amateur users can learn a lot about auto repair. Auto repair guides usually tell you how repairs are done on all major parts of an automobile including the brake system, cooling system, electrical system, engine system, A/C-heat system, body and exterior, exhaust system, fuel system, steering and suspension system, and drive train.

A number of good online auto repair guides are provided free on selected websites. These sites provide useful articles and FAQs that enable you to learn the techniques of auto repair step by step.

Lots of auto repair guides tell you how to do simple auto repair jobs at home.

They also help you find quality used auto parts. Lots of auto repair guides also give you advice on auto repair shops in major cities. Auto repair guides also provide information on auto insurance, car rentals, driving schools and car washes. They help you learn more about automotive maintenance, car accessories and car audio systems.

At the most basic level, general auto repair guides walk you through some of the most basic maintenance and repair processes that are common to all vehicles. If you are new to auto repair, these may help you a lot. Auto repair guides also tell you how to choose a repair shop and how to choose a technician. They provide you with an idea about repair charges and preventive maintenance too. You can learn a lot about protecting your auto repair investment from these guides.

Auto Repair provides detailed information on Auto Repair, Auto Glass Repair, Online Auto Repair, Auto Body Repair and more. Auto Repair is affiliated with Discount Auto Parts.

The pet industry generates about 40 billion dollars of online sales annually, 70 million homes have pets and the average spent by a typical American is 150 dollars per month. Of course these are rough estimates but nevertheless, it is one hell of a lot of money.

Would it not be exciting to grab just the tiniest piece of this action?

Well anyone can do exactly that. You can set up an online pet supply business with very little trouble. If you have a real passion for pets, this could be right up your street. Even if you have no interest in pets, the online pet supply business is for everyone and is very profitable. Some people are making a very, very good living by selling other peoples pet supplies online for them

It is a very real business and should be treated as such. You can put a little effort into the business and make some extra spending money but if you want to take it to extremes and drive huge amounts of online web traffic to your pet store business, the world is your oyster.

Your online pet supply business comes with a free start-up kit that will enable you to get your online pet supply store up and running immediately. It is a pre-built store so there is no worry about having to set up your own website. Your online business comes equipped with a large amount of pet products in many categories that will ensure your customers will keep coming back for further products in the future.

There are numerous guides that are supplied. There is a marketing guide that will explain how to drive customers to your online pet supply business by various methods. There are other marketing tips and general techniques designed to help grow your online pet supply store. There are other guides that help you with general business aspects like cash flow, accounts, taxes and wealth and retirement issues.

If you are thinking where and how do I store all of the pet products? Don’t worry because of that side is taken care of. All that you do is get the customers to your online supply store where they buy the supplies and you get your hefty commissions. The actual storage and mailing of the pet supplies is totally in someone else’s hands.

Everything is included that you need to create a successful pet supply store. Once you have it up and running and you have all of the customers that you want, you can take a back seat and leave it alone and it will take care of itself. Of course you will have to spend time on your pet supply store now and again to keep it current.

Your online pet supply business will continue to earn you money when you are asleep, when you are on holiday and when you are busy enjoying your free time. It will work for you 24 hours a day 365 days per year, you don’t have to pay wages and you won’t have any employee-related problems.

If you want to find out more about how to divert some of the billions spent with your own online pet supply business and start living your life how you want to, click here Online Pet Supply Business [http://www.onlinepetbusiness.com/onlinepetsupplybusiness.html]

Dog training is an integral part of maintaining a healthy relationship between you and your pet. There are various pet books available at discount pet supply stores, but if you are looking for the cliff notes, I recommend this type of pet training formula. A typical 3-step procedure in caring for your animal should follow these 3 guidelines: Discipline, Exercise and Reward.

Discipline:

A dog more so than any other pets needs discipline. This is simply because the Canine species is one of the more social and trainable domestic pets. You don’t want your Labrador going crazy when company comes over or a Shepherd that barks at the moon. So, in order to train your pet, you must show it that you are the boss.

In the animal Kingdom, there is a hierarchy and this hierarchy is natural in pack animals, such as your dog. So, you simply show it that you are the leader. In order to do this, you must act like the leader. This means that your pet should follow you in and out of rooms, doorways or even on a leash. Never let your pet lead you and if it tries to go around you cut off its path just like a real Alpha male would do. Shorten your leash to 12in if your pet continuously pulls forward on the leash. Teach your pet discipline and never reward anything but the absolute best behavior. This stage requires much patience from the pet owner and is a crucial part of a healthy pets life. Remember you are training your pet, not the other way around.

Exercise:

Another critical aspect of training your pet is exercise. Certain breeds will require more exercise then others. Typically it is the working breed type dogs that require the most. For these types of pets a 45-minute per day workout session is crucial. Whenever possible you should workout with your dog. Whether it is throwing a ball, going for a jog or just walking around in the woods, this time is integral in bonding with your pet. Be sure to have a good dog leash or harness for your pet if you live in a busy part of town.

Typically dogs that are destructive or overly aggressive aren’t getting enough exercise. If your pet isn’t tired at night, run them during the day. If you give your dog adequate exercise it will help him or her calm down and be more responsive to training. Have a spot for your dog to sleep and ensure that they lay down there consistently. For outside dogs provide a dog house or structure and for inside dogs pet beds will work nicely. This again shows the dog their place in this household.

Reward:

Rewarding your animal can mean many different things. To a pet, reward may mean a treat, a nice scratch on the butt or playing ball. Keep that in mind when you are training your pet. You don’t want to come home and immediately love on your pet, because it may see that as reward for an action. Instead come home and ask your pet to sit or shake, then reward them with a hug or scratch. When you pet behaves badly, you do not hit your pet or hurt your pet, but rather do not reward your pet and ignore your pet. Remember, your pet sees attention as reward. In fact, you should often ignore your pet as you walk into the room.

Have you ever seen puppies or inferior dogs run up and lick an Alpha male? Of course you have, that’s the way they show they are subordinate. How does the alpha male react? He simply ignores them or shuns them away with a snarl.

Now remember the same holds true for this hierarchy. Your pets runs up to you and licks you or jumps on you, it wants attention, provide it only after a desired action and sometimes ignore it all together. This lets your pet know, you are the king and a pet that knows its place is much easier to train.

Pet Training can last a short period of time or a long period of time, but is totally dependent on the owner. When you train your pet don’t think like a human, think like a dog. How a dog interacts with other dogs, how they like to run and play and what makes them feel like they were rewarded. Pet owners often need more training then their pets. Follow these three steps and your dog is guaranteed to respond.

Dawn Rose is a pet enthusiast and avid pet advocate. She runs a blog and pet news site called Front Page Pets. She also writes articles for Pet Super Store. Many of the Pet Supplies she writes about can be found there.

Public speaking skill is just like any other skill in that the more success that you have, the more self-confidence in public speaking that you develop. The more failures, or perceived failures, that you experience, the more public speaking fear that you are going to experience. The nervousness or anxiety that you feel when you present is normal, but experiencing that public speaking fear for the rest of your life definitely isn’t.

Where does Public Speaking Fear Come From?

Think about any skill that you have developed in your life. For instance, you didn’t come out of the womb knowing how to ride a bike, drive a car, play a musical instrument, or work your iPhone. The first time that you tried any of these activities, you probably experienced some type of discomfort or nervousness. The key to gaining self-confidence in these, or any skill, is to have some type of success where you grow. If the early stages of the skill development are wrought with failures, though, the self-confidence will diminish. For instance, if someone who had never driven a car before gets behind the wheel of a car all by himself or herself (no teacher or coach), then there is a good chance that this first experience is not going to go very well. If the first attempt to drive is on a freeway, then that fear, just like public speaking fear, is going to be huge. At the end of the drive, the person might say something like, “I never, ever, want to experience that again!” If a boss forces the person to attempt the skill years later, that fear is going to grow.

Public Speaking Skill is Developed through Success

A better way to learn a skill is to start with something less risky. In the car example above, most people start in a parking lot with a parent or a coach. Once the confidence increases a little, then the new driver might move to making right-hand turns around a neighborhood. Then move to left-turns. Then maybe get into a higher traffic area. The freeway is last. If you are trying to develop public speaking skills and eliminate public speaking fear, you’ll want to take a similar approach.

Start with something less risky like speaking up at the staff meeting. Most managers or executives want input on ideas or problems during staff meetings. Develop a habit of speaking up at least once during these discussions. Next, volunteer to give a report on a project at a staff meeting. Once you get more comfortable with these types of public speaking opportunities, try something more risky. Maybe ask questions as an audience member in a bigger presentation. Remember that just as when you tried more complicated things in learning to drive, at every stage you experienced more nervousness, when you got to the freeway, the parking lot felt really safe. The same thing will happen with public speaking fear. As you start to experience more complicated presentations, the easier presentations become second nature.

A Public Speaking Coach can Speed Up Your Confidence Growth

Just like the parent or coach who taught you step-by-step how to drive a car, a good public speaking coach can shave a lot of time off your learning curve. For instance, if you went in the parking lot for your first driving experience, it might take you a while to learn how to park correctly. The hardest part would be that you would have very little frame of reference to compare your skill with, so you may not know when you are doing a good job. That questioning that you would have in the back of your mind would cause nervousness. One of the most important parts of coaching is having someone tell you when you did the skill correctly. By the way, you don’t have to go out and find a professional business coach or public speaking coach. Just look for someone who you think presents very well in front of a group and ask the person to watch you and give you feedback. A lot of toasting clubs use this type of coaching.

If your time is short, though, you might want to hire a professional coach. A good public speaking coach can help you develop public speaking skills in a day or two that would take most people years to develop and keep you from developing bad habits. For instance, when I was in my twenties, I wanted to learn how to play golf. I was broke, so I bought some cheap second-hand clubs and went down to the municipal golf course. After a few months, I got pretty good, but I had a terrible slice which hurt my range quite a bit. When I played with friends, I was always two or three strokes behind the group. Eventually, I just figured that golf wasn’t my game, and I stopped playing. Years later, I tried taking it back up and went to a golf-pro near my house. I asked him how long it would take me to become competitive. He said, “Well, if you had come to me in the beginning, maybe a few months, but now, it’s going to be much harder.” When I asked him why, he explained to me that because of my slice, I had developed a habit of turning my body differently to correct the symptom. I knew my ball was going to drift, so, over the years, I just changed my aiming point. My body had become used to that swing, that I had to unlearn that habit before I could re-learn a more proper swing.

If I had just practiced early on with feedback from someone who could already do what I wanted to do, I could have saved myself some time and frustration. In public speaking skills, you can too. Look for a mentor who has already eliminated his/her fear and let that person coach you. Your coach will help you eliminate your public speaking fear much faster.

Doug Staneart is author of the book Fearless Presentations and founder of the Fearless Presentations 2-Day Public Speaking Seminar that is offered in 50 major cities around the world. He has written hundreds of free public speaking tip articles that are all available on his Public Speaking Skills blog.

There are overnight summer camps that are co-ed camps, boy’s camps, girl’s camps or brother-sister camps where boys and girls may have separate venues and activities. Basically, if you can think of any subject of interest, there’s probably a camp that specializes in it. Many kid campers are enrolled in summer camp by their parents early in the year, thus camps fill up quickly.

Camps are divided by gender – girls only, boys only, or co-ed and again by age group. An overnight summer camp is a supervised program for children and teens conducted during the summer months in most countries; children and teens, called campers, who attend camp, participate in a variety of activities, many of which are special interest. The variety of camps available today is almost innumerable, meaning there will be some specialized camps that may have availability left even into the summer.

Selecting the right camp that fits into your child or teen’s interests, special interests, needs, special needs and abilities will be one of the first steps Beyond the traditional sports – baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, tennis, football, and more – there are camps for outdoor enthusiasts that can offer horseback riding, hiking, camping, fishing, and even rapelling. Some camps have a targeted focus like religious study, academics, and competitive sports.

Consider these industry-recommended guidelines – for smaller children ages 7 and 8, there should be one counselor for every six campers; by age 15, there should be one counselor for every 10 campers. Children will get more individual attention and supervision with a lower number of campers per counselor. Although camp counselor jobs don’t usually pay very well, usually minimum wage or less, counselors receive free room and board; many take the job primarily for the camping experience.

There are many types of overnight summer camps with a focus on education that cater to students with differing ages and academic interests. Specialty overnight camps can range from $500 to $1000 per week depending on the program. Camp tuition can be expensive; similar to travel insurance, there are now insurance policies for families sending their children to overnight summer camp to cover last minute cancellations, homesickness, medical emergencies and emergency evacuations.

The reputation of an overnight summer camp can also be determined by asking what percentage of counselors returned from the previous year. Check the camper-counselor ratio to determine the number of campers for each counselor. Do you think, if you have more than one child, they would they benefit from attending the same summer camp together?

Weight loss camps are for children and teens in order to help them learn about how to lose weight and how to keep it off while having a great overnight summer camp experience. Non-profit camps often range from $1200 to $3000 for four weeks and $2500 to $5000 for eight weeks. Children or teens could typically explore subjects new to them like marine science, photography, creative writing, community service, drama, magic, scuba diving, video production, comic book design, crime scene forensics, cooking, yoga, rappelling, etc.

Homesickness is a frequent problem, but with a caring camp counselor most campers adjust easily. You want to ensure your child’s safety and comfort, so try to talk to current campers at the selected camps and their parents, if possible. If you spend the time needed to research your options and include your child in all the decisions, he or she will most likely have a memorable experience that provides opportunities to grow while having a lot of fun and making new friends. Choosing a camp close to home will save a lot of money on airfare and possible hotel or motel overnight stays for a parent, or other transportation costs; this is especially true if your child might get a case of homesickness and want to come home early from the overnight summer camp.

For more information on choosing the best overnight summer camp and finding the best sleepaway or overnight summer camp online and offline go to http://www.OvernightSummerCamp.biz a nurse’s website specializing in overnight summer camp tips, help, facts, free tuition resources, including information on overnight summer camp reviews

10 Ways to Boost your Profitability

So many business owners work hard – really hard – just to break even or keep afloat. Each one of us deserves reward for our efforts, whether that be financial or personal. The question to ask yourself is whether you are directing your effort in the right places, to get the reward you want?

Of the businesses I’ve seen and worked in, there are plenty of ways to mis-spend effort – that is, to work hard – but on the wrong things. Here are ten of the most common areas where the return on your efforts can really be ramped up.

1. Marketing Inconsistently

Once you have committed to owning and running a business you must be equally committed to marketing and selling the products and services of that business. It is difficult, if not impossible, to stay and remain profitable without a commitment to ongoing concerted marketing.

To get more out of your marketing, create a simple marketing plan that includes marketing activity every day, every week and every month. Marketing plans combine formal activities (such as advertising, promotions and writing) with informal activities (such as making new contacts) . Don’t underestimate the power of talking to people about what you do. Use every opportunity, every time.

2. Fear of Asking for the Sale

Isn’t it true that we think asking directly for someone’s business means coming across as pushy or obnoxious. But if we have this attitude, we are letting profit-producing opportunities pass us by. Worrying more about what someone thinks of you than bringing more money into the business is an all too common mistake. If you find it difficult to “ask for the sale”, you can be sure that you’re not bringing in as much money as you could be.

The most effective way to address this issue it to practice asking for the sale in language that you are comfortable with (not too wishy-washy please). Write down what you want to say first, then practice it over and over. There is also plenty of stuff out there on handling objections. Prepare your responses to the most common objections so you are well armed before you speak with your prospective customers.

3. Getting help

Most business owners possess strengths in one or two specific areas, but whether by necessity or design, they often end up working in areas they aren’t strong in. This builds inefficiencies and potential for mistakes into the business. To compound the problem, we don’t ask for help straight away, but struggle on doing the stuff we are not suited to (saves money right?) But each day that goes by with your business running at less than maximum efficiency, means dollars lost from your pocket.

Work out where you add the most and least value in your business. Pay someone to help you out with these low value add activities. Your time is best spent where you add the most value. If you can do more of this kind of activity, your business will benefit.

4. Use your Existing Customer Base

All the research tells us that it is easier and cheaper to keep working with customers you already have, than to get new customers into your business. If you are not following up with past customers on a regular basis you are reducing your profitability potential.

Develop strategies to keep your customers with you, such as loyalty plans, regular communications and special offers. Implement a regular process for following up your customers after they buy from you.

5. Managing Expenses

Savvy business owners regularly appraise their business expenses and find ways to reduce costs without sacrificing quality. If you haven’t completed a cost analysis lately, you might be paying more than you need to be, which will reduce your profitability.

At least once per quarter you should review your expenses and negotiate for adjustments as appropriate. Categorize everything you spend under 3 headings: Essential, Nice to Have and Non-Essential. Everything in the last two categories is up for grabs – be ruthless!

6. Spending large amounts on glossy, slick marketing materials and expecting business to pour in without any additional effort.

Glossy brochures and slick marketing materials are a nice addition to more active forms of marketing such as meeting people, calling people and speaking to people. However, brochures and business cards, no matter how beautiful, do not replace direct contact. If you are spending money on flashy marketing materials in the place of marketing directly, your profitability will suffer. The most effective form of marketing comes from you talking about your business to others.

Marketing materials are an expense, and to be sure they are working, you need to get some handle on the return on your investment. At the very least you should be tracking where new business is coming from so you can get an idea of whether your marketing materials are contributing to any new business you get.

7. Spending a significant amount of time in low-return activities

Don’t we all know about this one! If you are spending the majority of your day completing tasks which are administrative in nature and/or which can be easily completed by other people then you are not putting yourself to best use. For most of us, the best value-adding activity we can be involved with is in bringing business in the door by building relationships, talking to prospective customers and promoting our business.

What value do you put on your time? Assign yourself a competitive hourly rate for the market and industry you work in – it might be anywhere from $100 per hour or upwards. Then ask yourself whether you would pay anyone that hourly rate to process accounts or do administrative work. If the answer is no, find a way of getting these low-return activities done for a lower hourly rate. Hire a bookkeeper or assistant for a few hours a week, and spend your time doing the valuable work.

8. Not charging enough for what you do.

This challenge seems to arise especially for people who sell services. Either we feel embarrassed to ask for the amount we want, or we simply accept less money than we need – so we get “some money” rather than “no money”. But beware, after a while, working for too little can leave you exhausted and resentful, not to mention the impact it has on your profitability.

You do not need to defend an increase in your fees either. It is normal business strategy to review fee structures, make changes and advise customers. And contrary to our fears, it is often the case that business levels improve after fees are increased. It seems that we attract a whole different class of customer when our fees reflect the value we provide.

9. Not making enough use of technology which could save time and effort.

As a business owner, you have a fixed amount of time and energy within which you must maximize your profits. Technology can help you do this in the form of autoresponders, voicemail, wireless internet connections, speech recognition software, SMS from your computer and so on. All of these tools are widely available to us, and are designed to save time and effort. Each of us needs to continually look for ways to make business processes more efficient by using inexpensive technology.

Often the problem is that we don’t know what we don’t know. Some wonderful tool might be available but we don’t know it exists. You need to stay on top of the latest products by regularly checking in with business and telecommunications sites.

10. Sticking with outdated business models or plans.

You’ve all heard it before – doing things the way they have always been done means that you will get the results that you always got. If you are not satisfied with your results then you need to re-look at what and how you are doing things. An astute entrepreneur has a mindset that is always challenging the way things are done in the business.

Another great way of coming across new ideas is to attend seminars and conferences on various topics. If you get a single idea to put into practice in your business, then that seminar has been worthwhile.

If you are serious about improving your business’ profitability (and aren’t we all?), then taking action on these areas will help you make more money and have more fun in your business. And that’s what it’s all about really.

Megan Tough is a published author, coach, facilitator and speaker. Her business, Action Plus, works with professionals to create sustainable and profitable income streams. Make more money and have less stress! To learn more and to sign up for more FREE tips and articles like these, visit http://www.megantough.com

Illness for non-work related injuries can be financially devastating. Insurance keeps you protected against disastrous health care expenses and lost wages. There are enormous health insurance plans available day-to-day, the insurance cost and its benefits vary from one plans to another. Before enrolling for a policy, an individual should consult with the insurance agencies, read the policy to get the complete information about the benefits and costs and also the way the plan works.

Today, there are many more kinds of health insurance to choose from than were available just a few years ago. Traditional differences between and among plans do not longer any more. Also, there is been an increased emphasis on the role of consumers in managing their own health care and health care finances. There is a focus on providing information on the cost of care and health care quality-at the level of the physician, physician group, and hospital-to help consumers and employers choose among the many options available to them. The things have changed a lot, when most people in the United States had health insurance has indemnity insurance (also called as fee-for-service or traditional insurance). This type of insurance coverage assumed that the medical provider i.e. doctor or physicians will be paid a fee for each service provided to the patient.

When we talk about health insurance, we usually mean the kind of insurance that pays medical bills, hospital bills, and typically, prescription drug costs. Nowadays, the insurance also covers Medicare and Mediaid that provides health insurance coverage for certain people, senior citizens, people with disabilities and also an individual and families with low income. Today, the online information helps an individual to compare two best insurance policies and choose best among it. The insurance help an individual for financial planning and accordingly choose the best suitable for the family. The policy helps to avoid the burden of expensive medical bills and ensure the penny paid in health plan is paid for your care. It protects you and your family financially in the event of an unexpected serious illness or injury that could be very expensive.

In spite of available health insurance help online, unfortunately many Americans are still uninsured or underinsured. Some may be eligible for private or government but may have difficulty in finding the maze of complex rules and insurance jargons. Many more may not even have chosen the plans due to non-affordability coverage or may not be eligible for any. To help you choose right plan, we give you an overview of programs and strategies for seeking free or reduced-cost health care and managing medical debts.

Why does an individual require health insurance?

As the science and medical care advances, the ways of treatment are also increasing simultaneously. The main purpose of health insurance is to help in paying for care. It protects you and your family members in an unexpected serious illness and injury that may be high in cost. Additionally, you are more likely to get regular and routine checkups, if you have an insurance policy. Every individual requires insurance policy because you cannot predict your illness, injury and your high paying medical bills. One must seriously consider the need for health insurance for own and family. We also know that there is interlinking between having health insurance and getting protective health care. The research states that people having health insurance are more likely to have a regular doctor and get care when it is needed.

How should one get health insurance?

Most of the people get health insurance through their employers or company which they belong to. This is formerly known as group insurance. Some individuals don’t have access to group insurance. In this case, one may choose to purchase their own individual health insurance directly from public or privately owned insurance company. Most of the Americans in North America get health insurance through government programs that operate at National, State & Local Levels. Insurance- whether provided by your employer or purchased by you – can be both expensive and complex. To understand better option, you must take health insurance help from the experts and advisors.

Group Insurance:

Group Insurance is basically offered by the employers or else by an organization of which you are a member of union, professional association wherein you may get group coverage. The employee has to choose between several plans been offered by an employer’s including both indemnity insurance and managed care. Some employer may only offer one single plan. Some group plans may also include dental care with the health and medical benefits. Hence, it is a very important decision to be taken by and employee before choosing any insurance benefits offered by employer or an organization. It is also essential to compare plans to find the one that offers the benefits as per your need. Once you choose an insurance plan, you usually cannot switch over to another plan until next open season, usually set once a year.

In group health insurance, employer usually pays portion or all of the premiums. This means your costs for health insurance premiums will be lower than they would be if you paid the entire premium alone.

If you are a member of group insurance offered by an organization, you are benefited from being a member of a large group. You will have to pay lesser premium than an individual would be paying. However, the organization often does not pay a share of premium, meaning you are responsible to pay complete premium by yourself.

Individual Insurance:

In an individual Insurance, you get the coverage directly from the Insurance Company. You don’t have any access to the group insurance offered by an employer or an organization. When you buy you own insurance, you have to pay entire premium rather than sharing with an employer according to Group Insurance. In individual insurance, you do not share any cost of premium with your employer. You should analyze and choose an individual insurance plan that fits your needs at a price that you are willing to pay; you should also consult a tax advisor to find out whether you are eligible for any tax deduction as per the insurance plan.

Insurance variably differs from one company to another within an insurance industry, from one plan to another and one product to another. Hence, choosing right company, right product, right plan are the important criteria before choosing any plans.

Which type of health insurance is right for you?

Whether you choose group insurance or an individual insurance plan, you must carefully compare coverage and costs. You should compare the following important aspects like coverage and benefits, premiums, exclusions and limitations, access to hospitals, doctors, and other providers etc…

One must consider what kinds of services are covered by the plan? How are benefits being availed of health insurance plan; do you have to submit a claim? When do you need pre-approval to ensure coverage for care? What steps do you need to get the care of you and your family members need? You must ensure how does your insurance plan works. Don’t wait until you need emergency care to ask questions.

I am an author having an experience of 28 years in Insurance Industry having done the in-depth study of Insurance. Considering some knowledge, I hereby have shared some information and views about insurance, also some facts, figures and recommendation which enables an individual to choose right insurance policy from right person.

Fashion and style. What are they? Do they always go together? Do they mean one and the same thing? It’s hard to say. According to specialists in the field, fashion is actually a synonym for style or glamour. It has been agreed on the fact that fashion is a way of personal expression, and according to this criteria, one can be fashionable when he/she fits in this expression mode, or unfashionable, which would be the opposite. Fashion has manifestations in all the fields of human activity, that is when can speak about fashion when we refer to topics such as architecture, clothing, music, cosmetics, entertainment, forms of speech or even politics or technology. Anything in these fields can be described as being fashionable or not. When one speaks about materialism or trend s using the term ‘fashion’, it can be associated with a negative meaning.

Most people today perceive fashion as a term referring mostly to clothes. The beginnings of what we call fashion today did actually refer to clothes and they go back as far as the sixteenth century. However, it was only two centuries later that the real manifestations of fashion took place and it happened in Europe, among the wealthy upper classes. Fashion, just like any other manifestation of human activity, underwent major and continual changes, to the point where it is today, that is, being related to many fields of activities.

Of course, it would be unjustified to assume that fashion is the same all over the world. First of all, fashion differs from one society to another. Then, within a certain society, there are a lot of factors which may influence fashion such as age or generation, social class, profession or occupation. Even the geography of certain regions may bring about differences in fashion among the people of the same society.

But how does fashion change? Because we all know that constant change is what fashion is actually about. Everyone will agree that what is new now will soon become old, and the process goes both ways, that I what was once into fashion but is now considered to be old and obsolete will soon turn into something new again. Capitalism has brought along with its numerous good aspects some less appealing ones, such as waste. People buy things which are not necessary to them and consequently speed up the process of change as far as fashion is concerned. Young generations have much to do with this change in fashion as well, because they are always eager and willing to try interesting things, things that they haven’t experienced before, something new to be more precise.

What made fashion so popular among people was actually the television. The moment fashion hit television, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, was the moment when the general population became interested in this aspect. And fashion magazines, websites or even fashion blogs were only one step away.

Pretty much in the same way as fashion, style can refer to may things, from painting, music, literature, web design to linguistics or manners of addressing people. The very definition of style describes the term as a fashionable manner of doing things, which points out that style and fashion are very closely related. Not everything that is considered fashionable will also be regarded as stylish, which is why people should avoid turning into a fashion victim, one of those persons who will wear just about anything that’s seen as fashionable, no matter if it suits them or not, from hairstyles and piercing to clothes. It is true that today’s world and the society we live in have set some rules in what fashion and style are concerned, but these don’t always have to be strictly followed. Being a fashion victim will only turn you into one of the rest. If you want to be ahead at all times, what you must try is to define your own style and that will make you look your best.

If you want to find out more about fashion [http://www.style-icon.com] or even about style [http://www.style-icon.com] please review this page [http://www.style-icon.com]

We live in a society where food plays an important role in our lives. Not just eating to live and nourishment, but also for social and emotional reasons. There are a lot of different types of restaurants – from fast food to kid-oriented to ultra fine dining. There are many reasons people choose to dine out as opposed to cooking and eating at home or a friend or family member’s house.

Dining out is sometimes used as a form of celebration. When a student graduates high school or college their family may decide to go eat at the graduate’s favorite eatery. Maybe the celebration is for an anniversary, birthday or to celebrate a baby on the way. Whatever the celebration, it’s something that everyone can enjoy. Dining out is a common denominator that brings you together and gives you something to talk about amongst a group of people. Food can be a great conversation starter, beginning prior to even eating. Even the aroma can give two very different people a place to start. There’s better way to celebrate than to share something you enjoy with people you love.

Often with the hustle and bustle of life it seems that quality time dissipates. In a home with children, it can seem almost impossible for a husband and wife to spend time together one on one because the kids are always around and even if they’re not, being in your normal environment can still be a distraction from each other. Dining out allows you to be in a different atmosphere with no distractions therefore proving a couple with the perfect opportunity to simply enjoy each other’s company. On the other hand, if you want to do something as a family, going to a family-oriented restaurant may be a good choice. There are some that are even themed and fun to go to. There’s one with mechanical animals and the entire place is a jungle setting. Others may be set back in time or the employees may be dressed up.

Regardless of the reason for dining out, it is always enjoyable. There’s no time wasted prepping and cooking food, no distractions and no cleaning up. It’s no wonder so many people choose to do so.

For dining out guide, visit JP Pepperdine now.

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The following article includes pertinent information that may cause you to reconsider what you thought you understood about the relationship between satellite television and Internet television. However, the most important thing is to read with an open mind and be willing to revise your understanding if necessary.

What Is Satellite Television?

Satellite television refers to television service beamed to subscribers via orbiting communications satellites high above earth from a distance of between – 22, 000 to 37, 000 miles making it possible for television programs to reach wider areas than was possible with either the traditional terrestrial or cable television which out reach was hampered by earth’s curvature and distance.

When Was The First Satellite Television Aired?

It was in 1962 that the very first television signal was up linked from Europe on to the Telstra satellite and beamed over North America. Anik1 was the first domestic North American satellite launched in 1973 in Canada.

How Does Satellite Television Work?

Well, without going technical, it will interest you to note that the television signals you receive from communications satellites are really first sent up from ground stations via very big (9 – 12 meters) dishes to an orbiting satellite that in turn beams the signals down to earth and on to your receiver’s parabolic dish’s focal point and a LNB or low noise blocker component converts ands send the signals to your decoder box where the final conversion is done to the signals so that it becomes the sound and pictures you watch.

There are also different brands of mobile none parabolic dish receivers for use in vehicles and other mobile platforms. In this case satellite television signals are received with a satellite antenna and directed through a satellite decoder box and an oscillator converts it to L-band range of frequencies that an on-board electronics finally converts to the standard frequency usable by normal television sets.

What Is A TVRO?

Television Receive Only or TVRO is the forerunner of satellite television viewing at home. The very big dish size, about 3 – 6 feet, required to run C-Band frequencies of about four G Hertz meant that not most people could own it due to the very exorbitant cost of installing one, and the space for installation.

One other hassle with TVRO is that the big dish has to be moveable to keep track of more satellite, because C-Band satellites carry less channels than KU-band satellites. This dish movement, however makes it possible to receive free channels and feeds or even unedited C-Band news material being sent to headquarters by field correspondence or a news crew, they are usually not scrambled.

What Is Direct Broadcast Satellite Or DBS And What Makes It Better Than TVRO?

Once you begin to move beyond basic background information, you begin to realize that there’s more to the future of satellite TV vis a vis Internet television software than you may have first thought.

DBS is satellite TV broadcast thorough Ku-Band satellites that work on higher frequencies with stronger signals than C-Band or TVRO, which makes it possible for you to install smaller dishes for receiving their signals.

People who live high up on apartment buildings favor the DBS since installing an 18 inches dish up there is possible. Another advantage of the DBS over TVRO is that the dish is stationary needing no maintenance plus, the installation is free in most cases.

This is made possible because DBS television satellites are usually in geosynchronous orbit that is stationary in the sky relative to the Earth, because each satellite is launched into space at around 7,000 mph to settle at around 22,200 miles above the Earth.

With this speed and height, the satellite revolves around the earth once every 24 hours in juxtaposition with Earth’s own rotation. This is what makes it possible for your 18 inches dish to remain in a fixed position with the satellite without requiring adjustment.

What is Internet Television and Is It Better than Direct Broadcast Satellite?

Internet television as the name implies refers to Television programs streamed onto a PC or Laptop through the Internet. There are different types of Internet television services. Some of them are recorded rebroadcasts while others are live broadcasts made possible with ingenious software. You can connect to thousands of satellite television services simultaneously. A wide range of viewing choices – unlimited TV shows, Movies, Sports, Soaps and more.

You don’t need any hardware such as decoder, wire, dish or antenna making. You can watch your favorite programs, even outdoors, from all over the world, so long as you have internet connection. Internet television is just a hassle free way of watching a lot more numbers of satellite TV programs and channels free of monthly satellite television subscription fees.

What Is The Future Of Satellite TV Vis A Vis Internet Television?

What would be the future of Satellite Television depends on several factors: For instance, even before the advent of Internet television satellite television companies did not depend on subscription fees for their survival.

Advertising pays a big chunk of the bill for you to watch satellite television even at the present rate you might consider very exorbitant

License fees are another way through which satellite television services are sustained. For instance, If you are in the UK and you have equipment that is capable of receiving TV signals then the law states you must pay for a TV license.

Today, there already exist broadcasters who use only advertising to pay for their service and so allow viewers free viewing of their programs, so in my opinion watching satellite television programs free on your PC or Laptop will not kill satellite television, rather Internet television will increase the number of viewers for satellite television services and lead to more and better priced advertising charges.

Of course, it’s impossible to put everything about the future of satellite TV vis a vis Internet television software into just one article. But you can’t deny that you’ve just added to your understanding about the future of satellite TV vis a vis Internet television software, and that’s time well spent.

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No matter whether you are an expert or not, when it comes for cooking there should be a cooking class located in your locality so that we can improve our cooking skills more and more. Amazingly many people are utilizing the opportunity that they get as far as cooking classes are concerned. So it’s always good to join any classes taken on the topic of cooking.

Many institutions have come forward to conduct the cooking classes during night or weekends and the rates are normal. These classes are deals with the basics that teaches the women the basics of cooking that can help to prepare a healthy food for their food for there families. If you are interested in joining these classes then you must refer the local library for the possible chances for these classes in your area. Even though if they do not give all the information they will guide us in the right direction. So never miss any class relating to cooking.

When we wish to classes to with our children then we need to seek the help of the library for some initial ideas. Many government cooking classes that conduct some courses for parents with their parents with their children. This is a great chance for the parents to mingle with their children and learn the course to gather and prepare a nice dish together. Things will be surprising when they are learned from their children and from the classes that you attend.

People who are in need of some experience in cooking they should attend some cooking classes in order to gain experience and reach the goal that they dared to dream. The chances of learning Thai cooking are more in cities than small towns though they do not exist. If you really like to cook you need to look for cooking classes in vacation so that you will have some basic idea of what cooking is all about. If you some other idea other than cooking then try to attend one class related to cooking. This might change your mind and the experience that you gain will always remain in your mind

We can also try to take a class for couples if we want to try something different. These classes conducted in both cities and small towns. The main motive behind this idea is that some one can take up the work of cooking. The theme is that there are many ways to keep the art of cooking interesting forever. So cooking is an art that entertain us and other people as well.

Cooking might be selected for no reason the fact that hides behind this that cooking not only entertain us but also increases the cooking atmosphere in the kitchen. At present you have lot of time to take the cooking classes if you have not conducted cooking class till now. Though you are well versed in cooking there are things that needs to be learned in cooking.

Abhishek is really passionate about Cooking and he has got some great Cooking Secrets. up his sleeves! Download his FREE 88 Page Ebook, “Cooking Mastery!” from his website http://www.Cooking-Guru.com/770/index.htm. Only limited Free Copies available.

The most common question I hear from people looking to buy their first tractor always concerns comparing John Deere tractors and Kubota tractors. I hear the same questions from people looking to buy large tractors, small tractors, new tractors and used tractors.

When it comes to buying a John Deere tractor or a Kubota tractor, there are several factors you need to consider.

A lot of the “facts” you will hear are based more on emotions than on any real facts. It’s a lot like trying to decide whether to buy a Ford or a Chevrolet — or trying to decide whether to buy a Mercedes or a BMW — everyone has their favorites.

With cars there are lots of data available about the reliability, frequency of repair, etc. But even with all of this available information, most people don’t rely on this information when deciding which car to buy.

They make their decision based almost entirely on emotion. Emotions plays a big part in selecting a tractor also, but hopefully not as much so.

John Deere or Kubota — Which Tractor is Best for You?

Bottom line when you’re considering buying a new tractor: If you’re looking for a small tractor or compact tractor for yard work, landscaping work or to use on a small farm, you will probably be happier with a new Kubota tractor. Kubota makes a great and reliable small diesel tractor.

On the other hand, if you’re looking for a farm tractor to do heavy work, you can’t go wrong with a John Deere tractor. John Deere tractors hold their value and last forever. As their motto says, “Nothing runs like a Deere.” John Deere tractors are made to do heavy duty work — whether on a farm or on commercial work.

What about when you’re looking at used tractors? if you’re considering a used tractor, you need to consider the condition of the tractor, what equipment comes with it and what price you can get each of the tractors for. All of these factors could be more important than whether you buy a Kubota or a John Deere tractor.

When buying a used tractor for farm work, you should also consider New Holland, Case and Massy Fergusen tractors.

About the Author

Jerry Minchey is an engineer, author and researcher. He cuts through the hype and gets down to the bare facts to reveal secrets that are easy to understand using non-technical terms. He has written several books and produced DVDs as a results of his research.

See the latest Kubota Tractor Reviews and also see the latest used Kubota tractor prices.

At the John Deere Reviews site see the latest John Deere Reviews and also find information about all models of used John Deere Tractors including information about where to get the lowest prices and best deals on John Deere tractors.

Anyone with the slightest interest in cooking would ultimately wish to become a professional in the field. What better way to learn than from well-known professionals themselves? There was a time when ladies were required to attend expensive finishing schools to acquire skills in gourmet cooking. Today, they have been replaced by gourmet cooking magazines which can provide everything that one needs!

The trick here is to get hold of just the perfect gourmet cooking magazine for you, because all may not prove to be equally satisfying though each one does provide some great ideas to cook wonderful meals and also gives a peep into insider tips. In fact, some of them are more advertisement-based than content-based. The one that you require should go into the details of cooking and convey information that will prove very useful to you.

Basically, how would you find the gourmet cooking magazine useful for you?

(1) Information about supplies needed for gourmet cooking is provided here. There would be advertisements indicating where good supplies can be found. Maybe you could purchase them through the gourmet cooking magazine itself. Who knows, you may have never known about them otherwise, you being a novice to the art still!

(2) A professional cook would also find the gourmet cooking magazine useful since the latest cooking methodology along with new gadgets on the market are displayed in it. The prices are also given.

(3) Beginner or professional, there are directions provided on the usage of supplies and gadgets presented here, along with tips on how they can be used to enhance your cooking skills.

(4) Not only supplies, but a choice of recipes is presented in a gourmet cooking magazine. There are old recipes, as well as fresh and new ones, including preparation of sauces, jams, etc. Tips on getting that sauce or jam just perfect are also provided. Hence, you slowly get to increase your bundle of recipes. To be noted is the fact that the recipes presented in the magazine are those used by professional chefs.

(5) Whether you are a beginner or a professional, cooking is always a continuous learning process. Articles on “how to” cook in 100% gourmet style are presented. Sometimes, they come in a series, making it easy to acquire the necessary knowledge step-by-step. Yes, the process is not easy and takes time, but with practice and guidance, you will become perfect!

Now that you are aware of what is meant by a great gourmet cooking magazine, the next question is – where can I find such a magazine?

Just do some scouting on the Internet. There are many magazines offered. Go through their reviews, select the right one for yourself, and subscribe to it. Some of them are designed very attractively! An additional advantage is online tutorials for learning and forums for discussion that are offered with the magazine, along with good discounts on products.

Abhishek is really passionate about Cooking and he has got some great Cooking Secrets up his sleeves! Download his FREE 88 Pages Ebook, “Cooking Mastery!” from his website http://www.Cooking-Guru.com/770/index.htm. Only limited Free Copies available.

Automotive technical schools are specially designed to prepare students in the automotive field as professional automotive technicians. During the past decade, the number of automotive technical schools has increased manifold and most offer unique specializations. The automotive industry is not just confined to engines and repair work; opportunities are diverse. With the automobile industry at an all-time high, job opportunities in this field are many.

Automotive technical schools offer a wide range of career programs in the areas of fuel and ignition systems, engines and repair, brakes, power trains, electronics and diagnostic equipment, transmissions, auto electronic fundamentals, custom motorcycle body fabrication, collision repair and refinishing, emission testing, and much more. Some of the common programs to be found in the automotive technical schools include automotive technician training, collision repair and refinishing, diesel and industrial technician training, automotive service management, and mechanical drafting design and CAD technology.

Based on the courses, students finishing automotive technical schools are awarded diplomas or degree certificates. Almost every automotive technical school boasts experienced and highly qualified instructors from the automotive sectors. The fees at most of the schools are a bit high but financial aid packages are available at most schools.

Besides full time programs, online and distance education programs are provided by automotive technical schools. Online courses are particularly designed for those who are working full-time and can’t attend regular classes, or for students who wish to study from the convenience of home. Automotive technical schools provide online programs in a variety of fields. These include automotive and diesel technology, auto body repair technology, career development training, fuel, and emissions control systems, and ignition systems and functions.

Before enrolling into any automotive technical school, always check whether the school or college you selected has an accreditation. Also, make sure that the college can provide you with the best technical assistance that covers all your needs. As new cars are becoming more and more complicated, always choose an automotive technical school that teaches latest technological advancements.

Technical Schools provides detailed information on Technical Schools, Vocational Technical Schools, Automotive Technical Schools, Diving Technical Schools and more. Technical Schools is affiliated with Vocational Technical Schools [http://www.e-VocationalSchools.com].

One of the important steps in setting up your new aquarium is selecting the correct fish tank stand. The stand not only has to adequately support the tank itself, it can also serve a wider variety of needs. You certainly do not want to place your new fish tank on a flimsy bookcase or even a table.

Fish tank stands are designed and constructed to hold the immense amount of weight to which they are subjected. Many beginner aquarists do not realize that a gallon of water weighs about 10 pounds. A small fish tank with 10 gallon capacity will hold about nine gallons of water when filled. It will also include a layer of gravel, various items of tank equipment and decorations. This small 10 gallon tank will therefore weigh at least 100 pounds!

Sourcing Your Fish Tank Stand

There is a wide variety of fish tank stands available. You should be able to find an appropriately sized stand for your tank at a pet store or aquatic hobby store. You may also do an online search for a tank stand. There are now many online retailers dealing exclusively in aquarium equipment that ship nationally or even internationally.

If you are a handyperson and enjoy D-I-Y projects, there are plans available online to build your own sturdy fish tank stand.

Fish tank stands can seem rather expensive items; however, there is little option but to purchase one. Most items of furniture around the house are not designed to hold the weight of a fish tank for any length of time.

An advantage of fish tank stands built for a specific sized tank is that they appear more unobtrusive than sitting the tank on an unused piece of furniture. Many fish tank stands can be beautiful items of furniture in their own right and will usually include shelving with doors. This space is extremely useful for holding the items that will be in use regularly in maintaining and cleaning your fish tank and feeding your fish. An enclosed cabinet will also hide the numerous power cords that will be attached to the tank and tend to dangle down unattractively behind it. Some fish tank stands include a matching hood which can further enhance the look of the aquarium.

Once you have set up your fish tank stand, it is often advisable to anchor it to a wall stud, especially if you have small children or pets in the home. Anchoring the tank stand to an adjacent wall can prevent a major accident.

Once your stand is in place you will be able to install your new fish tank and follow the instructions for setting up the fish tank and stocking it with fish.

An aquarium can be a big investment in both time and money. Purchasing a top quality fish tank stand can help ensure that your investment doesn’t accidentally get knocked over. Choose the fish tank stand that is designed for your aquarium and suits your home’s style, and you will feel confident in establishing your fish tank.

Alison Stevens is an online author and maintains The Goldfish Site to assist anyone who wants to get started with setting up an aquarium fish tank and keeping freshwater fish.

A career is the sum total of all of your work-related contributions to society in a lifetime. This includes time and effort spent to provide goods, services, or benefit to others. A career includes paid, un-paid, volunteer, part-time, and full-time positions. Your career includes many life roles you may not think of: student, homemaker, babysitter, office worker, doctor, lawyer, etc. A career encompasses all the roles you play and duties you perform. You may have many jobs or positions that make up your career, but you only have one overall career. There are various career options in the modern world of work: Self-Employed, Organization Employed, or Project-Employed.

By definition, career development is the interaction of psychological, sociological, economic, physical and chance factors that shape the sequence of jobs, occupations, or positions a person may engage in throughout his or her lifetime. Career development is an ongoing process that includes the aspects of planning and strategizing your career based on information about your self, the world of work, the match between them, and the action you will take to create your life’s work. Formal career development occurs in high schools, colleges and universities, adult education programs, business and industry, military, community and government agencies, trade and technical schools. Consider all the places you have developed your career with either academic or work experience. Where can you go next and what can you do to further develop your career?

You have the power to create what you want, whether you wish to be self-employed, change career fields entirely, hold a certain kind of position, or volunteer your time. Smart career development requires you to be self-reflective, resourceful, motivated, flexible, and able to keep your skills and competencies up-to-date.

Contemporary Career Concepts

Statistics say that we will experience many job transitions throughout our life. For example: the U.S. Department of Labor says that the average person will have 3.5 different careers in his lifetime and work for ten employers, keeping each job for 3.5 years.

From the 1995 National Association of Colleges and Employers Journal of Career Planning, “The average American beginning his or her career in the 1990s will probably work in ten or more jobs for five or more employers before retiring.”

In the mid 1990s, Richard Knowdell said, “Career planning in the 1950s and 1960s was like riding on a train. The train remained on the track and one could quite possibly stay on that track until retirement day. In the 1970s and 1980s career planning was like getting on a bus. One could change buses and it was a little closer to driving than on a train. For the 1990s and beyond, career planning is more like an all-terrain vehicle. The worker gets to drive, has to read the map, and has to be attuned to the terrain, which could change from moment to moment.”

When I attended a recent California Career Development Conference, I heard several other metaphors to describe the career development process. One person said, “The old career was a marriage. The new career is a date.” And someone else mentioned, “A career is like going to an amusement park, where you go from one ride to the next.”

Obviously, the concept of climbing the career ladder is antiquated. Rather than “moving up” in one organization, you will find yourself moving up, down, and even off the ladder. It could, in fact, seem more like a maze, with many twists and turns, stops and starts.

My own concept of career is like a wardrobe, where you “try on” different outfits throughout your lifetime, and continue to check the mirror to see if it still fits and matches your current style and taste. In the modern world of work, you will need to find work that is “suited” to you. Think of your life’s work as your wardrobe. It is ever-changing as you move through life, changing as your styles and interests change. Throughout the process, you will be tailoring yourself to fit different roles, and to meet changing work styles and expectations.

Thus, today, the way in which we go about planning and strategizing our work life is constantly changing. We are taking a more proactive—therefore more exciting and challenging approach— to managing which way our career takes us. People are daring to walk their unique paths, and ignoring traditional routes. In fact, tomorrow’s jobs are relatively unknown to us at this time, as there will be new titles and new career fields that will develop. If a modern career is like a wardrobe, you will wear many kinds of outfits throughout a lifetime, sometimes mixing and matching ensembles, but always checking to see that it still reflects your current style and remains a good fit. It has been said that clothes make the man–what you are displaying to the world through your choice of clothing is how you express yourself. Similarly, how you express yourself and what you value is reflected in the work you choose to perform.

As Mark Twain said, “There is no security in life, only opportunity.” Given today’s changing times, we cannot hold onto one idea for very long—there is so much good work that must be done to help us evolve to our fullest potential. We are multi-talented, multi-faceted beings with many gifts to share. We cannot lock ourselves into any one job or job path. We must walk our path, but remain flexible and open to new experiences. We also need to learn our lessons along the way. Each job, no matter how small, is meaningful and is part of our career plan in that we are always building onto our careers. Today’s work will prepare us for tomorrow’s opportunities.

**Excerpt from the book, Get Smart! About Modern Career Development (2001). all rights reserved—Michelle Casto.

About The Author

Michelle L. Casto is a whole life coach, speaker, and author of Get Smart! About Modern Romantic Relationships, Get Smart! About Modern Career Development, and Get Smart! About Modern Stress Management. Her coaching practice is Brightlight Coaching, she helps people come up with bright ideas for their life and empowers them to freely shine their bright light to the world. Contact her for a free 30 minute coaching session: www.getsmartseries.com and www.brightlightcoach.com

coach@getsmartseries.com

Another mild debate of the last few years in the hiking/backpacking community has been that of hiking boots vs. hiking shoes. Some don’t consider this much of a debate, as many hikers & backpackers have made the switch solely to hiking shoes, more commonly known as trail runners. Contrary to what some believe, not everyone wears hiking shoes while hiking. Hiking boots are still alive, and by no means are they outdated or obsolete, as some would have you believe. This article isn’t meant to argue either point of view, just make some basic observations between the two types of footwear.

Following are some statements made by other hikers, backpackers or writers on the subject of hiking boots vs. hiking shoes. These have been gleaned from the several other articles on the subject, as well as posts on blogs & in forums.

Hiking boots are heavier than hiking shoes.

Hiking shoes, being lighter in weight, lessen the strain on feet & legs when hiking over several miles.

Boots are constricting.

Boots normally last longer.

Boots stay wet longer than shoes.

The better ankle support which boots give is a myth.

Water enters boots more easily than shoes.

Feet are cooler in shoes.

Boots cost more than shoes.

Boots require more break-in time.

Boots are better suited for snowy conditions.

Those are just 11 quick statements I’ve read here & there over the last several years. For many it seems, no matter what, shoes win hands down. Some people hike year round in hiking shoes, that’s fine. Again, I believe this is a case of what matches up better with the terrain you’re traversing. Hiking boots are better suited, I believe, for some conditions. Hiking shoes, I also believe, provide a great advantage over boots in other situations. Here are some following observations from my point of view.

Hiking boots are heavier than shoes. I agree. Though there are varying types of materials used in hiking boots, such as full-grain leather, split leather, nubuck & synthetic, boots are on average heavier than hiking shoes. There are different types of boots made for separate conditions, and this is what needs to be considered when deciding whether or not to go with boots or shoes.

Hiking shoes, because they’re lighter, take strain off the feet, legs & back. Again, I agree. A study done many years ago by the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine revealed that 1 lb on the foot used as much energy as carrying 6 lbs in the backpack. If this is true, then it’s obvious that hiking shoes, because of being lighter, would save wear & tear on the body.

Boots are constricting. This is something, I believe, that’s completely subject to each individual hiker. I use lightweight hiking boots on most of my hikes. They aren’t constricting on my feet.

Boots last longer. Part of me leans toward a yes, but reluctantly. Depending on the style boot, a pair of boots can last longer than a pair of shoes. Heavy leather boots built for mountaineering will outlast both lighter weight boots & shoes hands down. This type of boot can be resoled more than once, proving that the sole will wear out long before the boot itself will. I’ve seen people wear out shoes quicker than I’ve worn out boots in the same amount of time. How a person walks does much to determine the life of a boot or shoe.

Boots stay wet longer. Again, this depends on the type of boot. Heavy leather boots will take a long time to dry when severely wet. Lightweight boots which are made with fabric & nubuck leather can dry in the same given time as a pair of hiking shoes. The amount of materials in the boot or shoe & the materials themselves determine drying time.

Boots don’t give better ankle support. Depending on the type of boot, they do in fact give better ankle support. Higher-cut boots can aid in ankle support & give more leverage on uneven trails or cross-country routes.

Water enters boots more easily than shoes. This statement doesn’t make sense to me. If you’re wearing either mid-cut or high-cut boots, trekking through a few inches of water, the boot will protect your feet more than a low-cut shoe. To me, this is obvious. Coupled with a pair of gaiters, water will have a more difficult time entering your boot & getting your feet wet.

Feet are cooler in shoes. Another point I agree with. Because the amount & thickness of materials used in their construction, a hiking shoe is lighter and will be cooler to wear. If you’re hiking in an area that’s extremely dry & hot, shoes may be a better choice for you.

Boots cost more than shoes. This is generally true. Average cost of boots is anywhere from $120-170. Shoes average anywhere from $30-120. Yet compared with the lifespan of each type of footwear, it’s possible to spend less for a pair of boots than for 2-3 pair of shoes.

Boots take longer to break in. For heavy leather boots, the answer is definitely yes. Yet with the lightweight hiking boots on the market today, this characteristic is very comparable. However, I do give the edge to shoes on this.

Boots are better suited for snowy conditions. If there’s quite a bit of accumulation, yes, boots should be opted for in this situation. Yet I’ve seen & know hikers that still wear hiking shoes with a few inches of snow on the ground. If you’re just passing through an area such as this, then it’s probably not going to hinder you too much. But for winter hiking in known snow-country, I believe it’s foolish not to wear some type of hiking boots.

What it ultimately comes down to is your personal preference. There’s really no right or wrong answer to which is better to hike in, boots or shoes. It depends on you. No one can tell you which feels better on your feet, which is more comfortable, or even which will last longer. These are all subject to your hiking personality, the way you hike. Go into your local outfitter and try on several pairs of boots & shoes, then decide. Once you’ve decided, get out and put those things to work! Even if you buy something you’re not completely happy with, as long as they don’t cause you pain, just use them till it’s time for a new pair.

Steve H. is a lover of nature & being involved in outdoor activities. Whether it be hiking, biking, kayaking or some other form of adventure seeking, he enjoys the world around him, as well as seeking ways to help preserve the environment. He maintains the blog, http://www.crudeanalysiz.blogspot.com, chronicling his hikes & outdoor adventures, including both gear & book reviews.