Posted on May 31st, 2008 — in Better Gardening, Home Improvement Info, World Of Leisure
What is a home with out a Patio? It is like a husband without a wife or a wife without a husband. The true meaning of the relationship is incomplete. So it is the same for a home without a veranda, it is not finished. By finished we do not mean in terms of physical appearance but we are concerned with the sentimental value. A lot of family moments occur around the terrace, that is why a lot of people treasure them and it is definitely one of the extras they would like to have in their homes. It connects them to the memories of their past and also it is a reminder that they can make other memories today to be cherished tomorrow.
Patios do not have to be complicated. They are easily built using concrete slabs or other strong material. In some places they are called verandas, terraces or courtyards. Some houses made of wood have porches that are also made of wood but these have to be strong to support the weight of the furniture that is place on it, also it has to support human weight. Even if you visit places that have these you will see a great difference. Everyone wants to make the place look wonderful.
More about patio design here
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Posted on May 31st, 2008 — in Sales Info
Have you ever sat through a movie and got to the point when you counted the minutes till its ending? Unfortunately, you can’t speed it up or leave it for another show (although, some people do try switching movies). When long Web copy leaves your eyes glazing in that same way, what do you do?
As you read a long, scrolling sales pitch do you read it and make the buy? Read it and lose interest? Click away? Skim it and do nothing?
Welcome to salesmanship in print.
Why long copy works
Web-Source’s Shelley Lowery says, “It is a proven fact that long sales copy out-sells short sales copy. However, some visitors do prefer a short sales letter. You can provide your visitors with both. For those who prefer a short sales letter, provide opportunities to click through to your order page prior to ending your sales letter.”
Article after article on long sales copy state studies have indicated they work and there are proven results. Yet, no statistics can be found, although several companies have tested various campaigns and have reported that long sales copy comes out ahead. Nick Usborne of Excess Voice has posted results of an informal survey where he asks, “Do long, scrolling pitches really work?”
- 19 percent - I don’t believe that people fall for long, scrolling sales pitches
- 75 percent - I’d never want to write that stuff myself, but I know it sells
- 6 percent - I’ve written those long sales pitches, and made some big bucks
In researching this topic, these are some of the reasons why long copy works:
- You can never provide too many details on the value the product provides (the more you tell, the more you sell)
- They appeal to the reader by using “feelings”
- They tell the whole story
- They clearly state the benefits
How to make it work
Michael Fortin’s article on the eight-step formula for writing long copy is frequently referenced by business people. He sums successful long copy in three steps:
- Market
- Objectives
- Results
Like Web sites, writers create long copy with the audience in mind. If you’re turned off by such copy, then you aren’t the target market. Well-written copy fails when it doesn’t get in front of the right market no matter how emotional it is. It also won’t work if it puts readers to sleep.
Successful long copy has an objective in mind: to sell. It urges the reader to do something immediately, and drives results based on the target market and the objective. To develop the most compelling copy, Copywriters write multiple letters and test them with the market to see how well each does and to verify the copy isn’t hypey, unbelievable or a scam. The key is to let the audience drive the approach.
Writers of long copy don’t write anything and everything that comes to mind. Even Fortin says, “Make your case, tell your story and provide as much information as is needed to make the sale … and not one word more.” Even long copy can be too long.
If you want to get long copy in front of an email newsletter audience, it’s best to send it in a separate special mailing or include a paragraph in the newsletter with a link to the copy’s Web page.
Scrolling down the road
In the past, vertical scrolling has been a no-no, but that has changed with increasing screen resolutions, faster Internet connections and users becoming comfortable with the mouse or keyboard for scrolling. Horizontal (left and right) scrolling remains a bad thing and many recommend avoiding it.
The scrolling problem has decreased in the last few years. Jakob Nielsen, Web design usability expert, reports: “90 percent of users used to not scroll navigation pages; instead, they simply picked from the visible options. This has changed since most Web users now know that pages scroll and that important links sometimes are not visible ‘above the fold.’ Even so, the visible options still dominate and users sometimes overlook alternatives lower down the page.”
Nielsen, however, says to minimize scrolling, especially no more than three pages’ worth. Obviously, long copy works harder to entice readers to scroll below the fold for more information.
Getting and holding their attention
Businesses have experienced higher conversion rates from using long sales copy. People read all the way through it or at least enough to make the buy. That’s why we see long copy in many Web sites.
Just remember that each person has different tastes, experiences and preferences. Some moviegoers walk out before the end of the movie because they’ve lost interest, while the rest stay put for the entire show. It’s up to you to clearly write your sales pitch in a way that gets and holds the attention of those who will stay with you till the end.
Meryl K. Evans is the Content Maven behind meryl’s notes, eNewsletter Journal, and The Remediator Security Digest. She is also a PC Today columnist and a tour guide at InformIT. She is geared to tackle your editing, writing, content, and process needs. The native Texan resides in Plano, Texas, a heartbeat north of Dallas, and doesn’t wear a 10-gallon hat or cowboy boots.
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Posted on May 31st, 2008 — in Promoting Stuff
Early in my career as a public relations consultant, I remember standing in a group of people at a business function and listening to one man’s tale of woe. It seems the founder and president of a small and growing business was bewildered about his lack of media attention. He organized an event to launch a ground-breaking new product and couldn’t understand why no one covered the event.
“Why didn’t they (reporters) come?” he asked. “I sent out press releases!”
I smiled sympathetically.
This is not an isolated incident. Too often, many notable products and services are ignored by reporters and subsequently, by the public. Time and again, small business owners believe they can run the publicity activities for their companies. How hard could it be anyway?
The problem is, performing the mechanics of publicity tasks without understanding it will not achieve desired results. There’s more to PR than sending out a press release.
And trust me, the quality-or more accurately, the lack thereof-of releases I have seen lately from do-it-yourselfers ranges from the sublime to the ridiculous. It would make any professional publicist nauseous!
As a PR consultant for many years, I have often wondered why people want to do it themselves. After much thought about this phenomenon, I attribute it to one justification: a cost-cutting measure. This is a common pitfall.
PR is not something that achieves an immediate return like running a two-for-one sale. It is a long-term commitment that often can’t be quantified. Publicity is one aspect and often, instead of letting a PR professional develop an integrated campaign, releases are sent haphazardly with an eye on costs rather than results. Piecemeal publicitysporadic releases or placements, often after the factis rarely effective. Sound public relations is a concerted effort and an investment a company makes in itself. Consultant’s fees are based on time and activities required to build a comprehensive program.
The idea that companies even think they can take this in-house and delegate it to an administrator without hiring a PR professional is deceiving.
I once asked a career consultant about this. Her reply was startling. She responded by saying that some people are so technically expert, they make it look easy enough for others to take on their duties! This probably explains why there was a huge increase in duffers at golf courses after Tiger Woods won his first Masters. It also explains why there are so many people taking on their own home repair and decorating projects since HGTV became a cable mainstay.
The truth is Tiger Woods and other pro golfers work at their sport the way most of us work at our jobs, and home repairs and decorating are far more time-consuming and complicated than a version compressed into a 30 minute segment.
The same can be said of publicity . . . and that’s the relatively easy component!
What if you’re on the negative end of publicity? Do you really think you can handle that alone? Remember, a lawyer will protect you legally; who will protect your image and reputation? After the tragedy of September 11, I remember an interview with a very emotional company executive caught up in the moment. Several of the things he promised in an excited moment came back to haunt him several months later. If he had a PR consultant, he never would have been permitted to give an interview, let alone promise anything, at that time.
Even if you think you’re just sending out press releases, there’s more to writing them and emailing or snail mailing them. It’s called pitch and place. There’s also a vetting process which, to summarize, prevents amateurs from crying wolf. Not everything you do or accomplish is newsworthy!
If you do-it-yourself, potential customers are likely to think you’re penny-pinching because you have cash-flow problems, too impoverished to hire a consultant or an appropriate employee to adequately accommodate your needs and staff your operations. They can also question your business acumen if you think you’re proficient enough to do this properly. This alone can make or break your future growth.
If you think you’re saving money by doing-it-yourself, you’re not. A good PR program with an experienced consultant is far more cost-effective than doing-it-yourself. Remember, perception is reality.
You’re vying for attention and credibility in an overcrowded marketplace. People have to know you exist before they can beat a path to your door. Good PR can enhance your operations so your products or services are accepted.
© 2005 F.N. Rosenstock. All rights reserved.
For more than 20 years, F. N. ROSENSTOCK has worked in the field of public relations holding a variety of positions before starting her own consulting firm. Rosenstock has served as a presenter on panels and at workshops, and has produced seminars and given instruction about public relations.
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Posted on May 31st, 2008 — in Uncategorized
Some people lure romance to them. Some folks magnetize riches. Others attract bugs. What’s the difference?
Consciousness! The third group has “bug consciousness.” If you attract more bugs than love and moneyat least sometimesread on!
Forget the Swat Team
Flies flock around you, but steer clear of the person standing next to you. Mosquitoes bite you through gobs of repellent. Yet, there are other times when you forget to apply your protection and mosquitoes leave you alone. What’s going on here? What makes some people irresistible to bugs and others immune? Why do mosquitoes have you for lunch one day and leave you alone the next?
Your Vibes Magnetize
To get a clearer picture, let’s look at attraction between people. When we meet a group of strangers, how do we tell which people we want to get closer to? We know. We “feel” them. We sense who’s relaxed and who’s angry, who’s happy and who’s sad, who’s open and who’s closed. We are drawn to certain people by the vibration they transmit. Tuning into the state of people’s energy is a natural ability all people have.
Bugs have the same innate ability. Insects are magnetized to certain people. Bugs are attracted by the quality of energy people radiate. The pesky pests can detect the emotional state a person is sitting in. And bugs’ favorite emotion? Anger, irritation! Bugs adore us when we’re feeling bugged! When we’re frustrated, we’re the nectar du jour.
“Grasshopper,” you might exclaim, “you’ve gone a few jumps too far!” I understand your reaction. I didn’t believe this explanation eitherat first.
I heard about the dynamics of “bug consciousness” from Eastern masters and shamans. Curious about how this rather bothersome state works in practical terms, I conducted my own researchon myself! While experimenting, I came up with a simple process I call, Find It-Feel It-Free It.
“Which Came First? The Bug or the Anger?”
The experiment began when I found myself surrounded by a bunch of buzzing bugs. The critters were driving me bananas! They were really annoying and pissed me off.
So, I posed the question, “Which came firstthe bugs or the anger?” Could it be that first I feel irritated and then this agitated energy attracts the bugs? Are the insects letting me know I’m carrying around some upset I’m not aware of?
Find It - What’s Bugging You?
To find out if bugs do reflect people’s suppressed feelings, I asked myself questions about my life that mimic the relationship between me and my insect harassers, “What issue is buzzing around that I’m trying to brush away?” “What person’s getting under my skin?” or “What situation is itching for a resolution?”
I discovered that when I’m bugged by insects, I do have upsets and irritations that I wasn’t previously aware of. Sometimes the suppressed unconscious feelings are about a car that cut me off in traffic, a hassle at the supermarket, or by the fact that I overate … again! Sometimes I don’t realize that I’m mad at my boss, friend or parent. Or that I’m worried about paying a bill or losing my job.
I realize now that bugs are our allies! These winged messengers are letting us know that unresolved emotions are still festering inside, draining our energy, creativity and joy.
Feel It - Move the Energy of Irritation
Once some degree of stuffed emotion is discovered, the next step is to release the stuck energy.
One tool that helps dislodge the energy of emotion is our breath. Breathing into the sensation of the feeling helps break up the dense, thick, stuck energy of heavy emotions. Then the dislodged stress and uncomfortable feelings can be released through a relaxed exhale. The more the energy of feelings is welcomed and acceptedinstead of being repressed and pushed awaythe more the energy has room to move and shift. When the energy of the emotions starts moving, it may feel like lightness or spaciousnessor like tingling, electricity or waves moving through the body.
Another way to liberate the feeling of irritation is to choose to experience the repressed emotion as the energy it really is. Resist the temptation to name, label or identify the feeling. When we remove “negative” labels, we don’t resist feeling the energy of the emotion. Fully experiencing the energy of a feeling allows the energy to fully express itself. As we allow the energy of our feelings to flow and expand however it wants to, it has the space and opportunity to complete itself. The energy of the emotions integrates back into our neutral field of creative life force and is experienced as vitality and aliveness.
Free It - Shift Your Vibration
When the energy of a feeling about a situation is fully experienced, the energy around the situation shifts and the situation transforms. We have a fresh outlook around the issue. Our attitude changes. We feel more grounded, connected, real, peaceful, empty, open and happy. We’re free! Once the irritation is gone, guess what? The bugs bug out! You are no longer creating a “buzz” for the bugs to be attracted to.
Bug-B-Gone
The next time you’re being bugged, instead of crushing the critters, realize they have a magnetic crush on you. They’re under your spell. To repel the pests, you can choose to shift out of bug-attracting consciousness. Try your own experiment with Find It-Feel It-Free It. Change your vibration and change the company you keep.
About The Author
Sulana Stone, life strategy coach, vision quest guide and animal communicator, assists people to discover and express their life purpose through private sessions and workshops. She provides hot tips and fresh articles for people who want more love in life, yearn for a more fulfilling job, or seek a purpose beyond the mundane in a FREE Prosperity Ezine at www.SedonaVisionQuest.com. Contact sulana@redvetteranch.com or 602.861.2631.
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Posted on May 30th, 2008 — in Marketing
Online advertising is necessary for your computer business to grow. An attention-grabbing ad is very important to the success of your web site. An ad written to draw visits to your site must be exciting, appealing, and friendly. The secret to a successful ad is to grab your target market’s attention. Potential customers read ads only when they catch their attention. Plan your online advertising around your ad’s appeal to your customers.
The purpose of online advertising is to create a sense of urgency. “Act Now!” “Increase Your Wealth!” “Limited Offer.” All these phases cause the customer to want to get in on the excitement. Online advertising’s main goal is to get your subject’s attention, arouse their interest, and capture their imagination. If you write your own ads, make sure to make them attention grabbing, not too overboard. Sometimes ads that push a customer too hard result in lost sales. Don’t be too pushy but yet ask for the sale.
When writing online advertising always remember you have just seconds to capture interest. If your ad copy moves slowly or sounds boring, you will likely lose the customer’s attention and surely they will click onto another site. The headline of your ad is the first place that can provide impact. An effective headline will make the reader want to learn more about your product or service. Spice them up and appeal to their emotions.
Online advertising with an effective headline can achieve effective results. There are certain words that attract customer’s attention more than others. Here are some of the words you might wish to consider using in your online advertising. Words like love, health, and safe make the reader response to their basic instincts. New and discovery draw out adventure. Proven and guaranteed make the reader feel at ease about trying your product. In any online advertising campaign, use words and phases that your customer can identify with and feel secure.
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Posted on May 30th, 2008 — in Marketers Den
Florida is known as the destination capital of the United States. With Disney World, Sea World, Daytona, Miami Beach and hundreds of other noteworthy locations, visitors flock to Florida year round. Up in the northeast corner of the state about forty miles north of Jacksonville is another destination, Murray’s Grille. “We’re off the beaten path and unless customers know about us they probably wouldn’t find us. That makes us a destination restaurant,” says Larry Murray, who owns the busy restaurant along with his son, Scott.
Located in the small town of Yulee, Florida, Murray’s Grille has built a regular clientele from folks who drive as far as 30-40 miles to dine there. Designed to look like an old farm house, the restaurant seats 200 people and is famous for its American Cuisine of steaks, seafood, and delicious bar-b-que. “We opened five years ago and during that time we’ve built our business by word of mouth, along with a little radio and newspaper advertising. So far our business has steadily grown. But things are changing around here. Right now we haven’t had any serious competition but our community is suddenly starting to grow. A Super Wal-Mart is currently under construction, along with several other major chains. We have a feeling that chain restaurants are close behind,” shares the elder Murray.
Believing that this is the time to build a stronger customer base, the Murray’s have been looking to develop a marketing plan that will help them increase their base of loyal customers and to bring back those loyal customers more often. “When I first heard The Restaurant Marketing Group’s offer for a free marketing analysis, I was intrigued and figured what have we got to lose? The analysis was designed specifically for my restaurant and demographics.” Based on the analysis and a new marketing plan Murray’s Grille is seeing increases in sales and profits. “It’s working and our level of service has gone up another notch. Within the first month over 1,000 people joined their VIP club” Murray continues, “Our servers were briefed on our new VIP club. They invited guests to sign up for the club. For those entering, we promised to send our special offers throughout the year as well as birthday and anniversary acknowledgments. Everyone has a birthday and more people go out to eat on their birthday than any other occasion. This is all increased sales.
In addition we offered an incentive for those who took the time to fill out the card. Immediately we began building our database of names, e-mails and addresses of loyal customers…Then we sent them Bounce Back offers.” At the end of the first month Murray’s had enough data to be able to start a monthly birthday and anniversary campaign. Within a few days of their first mailer they started seeing a steady flow of those offers coming back. “One of the first couples to redeem their anniversary offer came in and booked a party for thirty people. So we can see the importance of getting customers back through our doors!” adds Murray. “RMG has taught us how to identify our First-Time Customers; take extremely good care of them; how to get them back into the restaurant very quickly and how to make them Regular Guests. But that’s not all, with the help of a weekly coaching phone interview with Larry Murray has developed a number of other marketing campaigns. “I think I’m most excited about our Employee Challenge. We have printed business cards with a line at the bottom so our employees can sign their name. Printed at the bottom of the card is an offer for 20 percent off any menu item. Every employee is involved in this challenge, from the dishwashers, cooks, hostesses to the servers. We ask that they pass out their business cards to friends, relatives and acquaintances. When the cards are redeemed the employee whose name appears at the bottom of the card gets a cash bonus of five percent of what that customer’s meal cost. An additional five percent is placed in another pot and the employee that brings in the most during our month-long challenge will get the money in that pot as well. Sometimes you need to spend a little money to get some returns. Based on the enthusiasm of our employees, this marketing campaign is a real winner!” adds Murray.
The company is also utilizing New Move-Ins and sending out welcome letters with an incentive attached to all newcomers to the area. “We want to welcome these people to our neighborhood and help them to establish Murray’s Grille as their Restaurant of Choice where they will dine often.” We recently went through our Chamber of Commerce and sent a letter to all our fellow members with an offer that they can give to their employees or customers. It’s such a simple concept,” says Murray. “Foodservice Marketing provided by RMG helped me to identify areas within my restaurant that were creating problems. I did not know that these problems existed prior to the survey. It has been a great help in strengthening the relationships between my employees and the respect level that our management team has for the employees. We have accomplished an awful lot in a short period of time.” The Murrays understand that the number of dollars customers have in a given market are limited. To get more than your share, you are frankly going to have to take them away from your competition. By building a sound database and developing successful marketing campaigns, Murray’s Grille is posed to do just that. Staying ahead of the competition-now that’s a wise decision.
To receive 6 FREE Marketing Lessons and to learn more about using marketing software to Guarantee Increased Profits call us at 1-888-776-3484 or visit us at www.restaurantmarketinggroup.org
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Posted on May 29th, 2008 — in Marketers Den
This is an excellent way to grow your business using your
mailing list (which I trust you are constantly building).
However, you have to accept that there are people who’ll
read your newsletter and there are those who won’t.
It does, however, help to build brand recognition and keeps
your name in front of your existing and potential customers.
People are also more likely to read a newsletter than a
sales letter because they see it as less threatening.
A newsletter lets the customer know that:
You are an expert in your field
You are prepared to give them lots of free advice, tips and
ideas
You have some new products or services
You have a sale or a promotion coming up
You understand the customer’s industry and their problems
You are a human organisation with lots of lovely people
You are an organisation to be trusted
You provide great customer service to other organisations
You can use your newsletter to build a relationship with
your customer and you can also use it as a selling tool.
If you only use it to sell then your customers may become
fed up with it and dump it quickly. However, if you give
them something FREE, such as - tips, advice, ideas and
information, then they’re more likely to stay with you and
keep reading.
Email newsletter
If your mailing list has the contacts email address then you
may wish to produce an ezine. This has the advantage of
being cheaper (no paper or postage) and can be used more
effectively to build your mailing list . You provided the
facility on your email newsletter for the recipients to
forward your email to other people - and so it grows.
There also needs to be a facility on your website where
potential customers can subscribe to your email newsletter.
You can simply write your newsletter as a normal email
however, there are several companies who can help. They
provide templates and many other features to make your email
newsletters look really professional.
You can insert photos, graphics and cartoons as well as
text. There is also the facility for customers to order
products by submitting their credit card number.
There are several organisations that provide this service;
check out:
www.ampira.roving.com
There is also a Newsletter Publishers Association which you
might find useful.
www.newsletters.org
Discover how you can generate more business without having
to cold call!
Alan Fairweather is the author of “How to get More Sales
without Selling” This book is packed with practical things
that you can do to - get customers to come to you .
Click here now
http://www.howtogetmoresales.com
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Posted on May 28th, 2008 — in Lawyers Portal
As certified fraud examiners (CFE), we all know the nuts and bolts of our respective areas of specialty, and hopefully, we are all growing professionally at an astounding pace. Crime does, unfortunately, pay - just not for the criminal.
After conducting asset research for over 14 years for such demanding institutions as FDIC, FSLIC, and RTC, as well as major hotels and casinos in the gaming industry, property management firms, and many of the nation’s larger law firms, one thing that has emerged is a distinct lack of information - not about the type of items searched, but the depth and quality of other searches. In cutting to the chase, the following is the result of the compilation of asset search guidelines, and should serve to assist in setting at least a baseline standard for developing a viable domestic asset search strategy.
Subject Identification
Prior to beginning the acquisition of information on any subject of an asset search, the subject should be properly identified. Studies have shown that as much as 30% of the American population uses undisclosed aliases and/or “akas” to conduct and transact various levels of personal and professional business. This statistic does not take into account the existence of corporate, DBA and/or partnership entity names, which are created to transact the various forms of business on behalf of the principals of said entity. To properly identify a non-corporate subject, the following minimum recommendations are made for non-law enforcement environments: Obtain credit reports from the three major credit bureaus, per Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requirements.
However, make sure that obtaining the reports is in compliance with permissible purposes as defined in Public Law 91- 508, Title VI (FCRA), to avoid tainting your pursuit should the matter ever be litigated. Remember, in the context of this discussion, we are focused on asset searches as recovery medium, and the basic assumption is that the asset search has already been determined to be sanctionable. This could be determined, for example, by a loan in default, a judgment that has been rendered, or a court order obtained for the release of the credit information in cases that are not clearly defined under the FCRA.
Remember this simple guideline: credit reports are legal post-judgment, for purposes of collection, and/or where consent has been given somewhere in the stream of the creditor/debtor relationship. In the case of a receivership institution
(i.e., where a director is being scrutinized for alleged conversion of assets), consent may also have been given for a credit history during pre-employment evaluation or as a policy-based condition of employment.
This is referred to as “extended consent,” and constitutes valid use, especially in matters where a criminal investigation is under way, and where the conversion of assets is factually alleged as the result of a forensic audit or proven by admission. Be careful, though, as “extended consent” from the employment perspective is still a gray area under the law. The following two items are available from credit bureaus and their sub-vendors but have less coverage extended to them under the FCRA, yet the “FCRA compliance attitude” should be used when accessing them:
* Obtain social security traces from the three major credit bureaus.
* Obtain address update/credit report header information from the three major credit bureaus.
* Obtain voter registration information for the applicable jurisdiction germane to the primary, or most recent, residence of the subject. Some states have compiled voter data through private repositories, which should be checked for movement.
Match the information obtained through the independent sources to the information presented by the candidate in the form of the credit application with
the institution, and/or the information developed independently by the institution in the initial credit qualification process.
Many other methods of identification exist, but the above represents the very least that should be done. The reason for obtaining the information from all three bureaus, instead of only one, is to develop any alias and/or aka data, as well as current addresses (not specified), and/or any additional addresses that may provide venue data. This will assist the asset searcher in determining whether to advise the client to proceed with asset discovery in additional areas unknown to the client at the time the asset search was requested.
Address verifications are usually difficult without a physical inspection of the address in question, including a visual identification of the subject entering and/or leaving the address. Address information that is cross-referenced and verifiable through the major credit bureau repositories is usually presented in an asset search, and in most cases is very reliable.
To discover the current telephone number of the subject, methods available to the fraud examiner include nationwide telephone directories, criss-cross directories, directory assistance contact, and attempts at contact existing telephone numbers known by the client. There are other methods of telephone number development available. However, these methods should not be utilized by a CFE in order to avoid tainting the legality of the pursuit, in the even that litigation is ultimate undertaken.
Assets Determination
Assets determination usually constitutes an integration of certain liability data to offset the assets “worth” in order to arrive at a net equity position. This is especially true in identifying and analyzing real property assets. There are multiple forms of asset determination, which are described as follows: Real
Property Ownership: A search should be conducted of the applicable county jurisdiction. The exception is in California where a statewide assessor’s index is available, usually through the “lien date” of the prior year. This repository is made available through a private company, and is in no way sanctioned by any public jurisdiction. For traditional searches throughout the rest of the U.S., per jurisdiction research is conducted at the assessor’s office to determine if the name exists on the assessor’s roll, and/or if the known property (address) crosses-verifies to the suspect owner.
A search of the applicable jurisdiction’s Recorder’s Grantee/Grantor index (or general index as it may also be known) is then undertaken to determine if the property is still vested to the subject, and if any open Deeds of Trust and other liens exist which identify liabilities against the property. The search in the recorder’s venue should also identify (in jurisdictions where this is possible) the
Documentary Transfer Tax Stamp amount, which should be divided by the applicable factor.
This yields a sales price for the property, which should then be scrutinized by contacting a local realtor to verify the current market value. This “thumbnail” market value determination would then be subtracted from the outstanding Deeds of Trust (encumbrances) for a net equity value of the property.
Additional research of real property ownership comes in the form of updating the assessor’s rolls through the recorder’s offices to determine if the subject’s name has come into title to additional parcels of property, subsequent to the “lien date” of the assessor’s records, which is in many jurisdictions up to sixty to ninety days old.
The searches in the recorder’s offices should also identify recent transfers of ownership of an individual’s real property, wherein the ownership may have been transferred to a family member, closely held corporation, or other entity. Based upon the guidelines established by the client, the searches can be permutated to include additional research on additional names developed during the study, which the examiner may feel has a direct relationship to the subject of the report. It is important to note that asset searches are usually requested on specific names of individuals, and it is an industry standard of practice to conduct the research on the specific subject name. Competent investigative agencies contact the client in some way to disclose additional names discovered during the searches.
Searches should also include information developed on real property assets jointly held in the name of the husband and wife. This information is usually indexed by virtue of the husband’s name, or the first name that appears on the conveying deed.
It is important to understand that an asset search does not automatically search property held in the name of a wife unless the asset search is specifically ordered on the wife’s name. If so, the wife’s name would then be included as a primary search name (parameter), and assets held in the wife’s name would then be covered. Quite simply, an asset search on a husband should usually also reveal information on spousal assets held jointly, but not necessarily include assets held by the wife individually or as sole owner, or under different name styles such as aliases or maiden names.
Vehicle Searches: Searches should be conducted of the applicable states Department of Motor Vehicles to identify all vehicles owned under the name and address given to the state repository for search purposes. Several states do not provide this service, as the tax registration responsibility for vehicular ownership rests with a county or parish jurisdiction. Where states will not provide this information, the applicable jurisdiction or jurisdictions should be researched to determine if vehicles are owned by the name given as primary search parameter. It is also important to understand that most assets search requests are not only based upon single name searches, but usually single jurisdiction searches as well.
Some examiners may feel justified in providing additional “over-the-county-line” information in order to bolster the information developed without an additional asset search. However, single county or parish jurisdictions should be expected as an industry standard. Analyze credit reports to determine if current outstanding) and/or previous loans may have existed, linking this type of asset to the subject. Many times vehicular, vessel, and aircraft assets are not identified through standard search parameters, but are identified if the subject may have the asset registered in a different jurisdiction; if the asset may be registered under different name; or if the subject may be a guarantor on the loan.
Vessel Ownership: There are three possible forms of accessing vessel ownership information. The first is on a state-by-state basis at the Departments of Motor Vehicles. The second is at the county or parish level. The third is a search of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Watercraft Index, a nationwide repository of registered vessels over a certain length. Depending upon the location of the asset search to be conducted, one or all of these methods should be utilized.
Aircraft Ownership: Other than by “intelligence” information which may have been submitted to the institution at the outset of the credit qualification process, the only method of developing aircraft registration information is to perform an FAA
Airman’s Search to determine if an FAA Pilot’s license has been issued, and/or if an individual has an aircraft registered in his or her name within the Federal Aviation Administration’s files. As with the vessel ownership search through the
U.S. Coast Guard Watercraft registration, there is only one national root repository that makes this service available. The service is resold through other database repositories, yet it is advised that the “root” repository be utilized in order to minimize data transfer/loss from vendor to vendor.
Banking Information: Bank account searches may be the world’s “second-oldest profession.” There is no specific way to access bank account information, other than by a multitude of artistic pursuits including the development of information within a consumer’s credit history; director contact with a banking institution; the use of sources in the U.S. Federal Reserve Clearinghouse System; or by sources and contacts developed by the fraud examiner with local, state, or national banking institutions.
This is truly the “art and science’ of an asset search, in that the ability to successfully identify banks rests heavily with the fraud examiner’s prowess in this arena.
The standard guidelines for bank account searches are “exact name basis only” searches, with less emphasis placed on jurisdictional lines, since most bank account searches are developed via intelligence leads. In many instances, an asset search will refer “no record found” to a banking institution under an exact subject name.
The subject’s name may appear as a signatory on an alternate account, possibly under the name of a disclosed or undisclosed entity, or as a signatory on an account held under the name of another. Bank accounts will not usually be disclosed in this fashion. Unauthorized information pertaining to a no searched consumer could compromise that person’s privacy under federal privacy laws, the FCRA and the CCPA, as well as many other statutes.
It is safe to say that most agencies are quick to obtain at least some banking information. This should rest with the successful Write of Execution language, constructed by counsel as served upon the institution’s regional administrative and/or corporate offices (for examples send a request to tomlawson@apscreen.com).
In Part 2 of this article, we’ll look at other financial and business information that should be gathered during an asset search, liability-related data which impacts the subject’s net worth as well as other information.
Thomas C. Lawson, CFE, CII is President and Founder of APSCREEN International, the world’s leading full service Consumer Reporting Agency since 1980. Lawson is called “one of the real pros” as he has helped to reshape laws including those for employment screening, permissible credit reporting, asset discovery and fraud examination. Tom is a Life Member of: ACFE, ASIS, SHRM, PIHRA, PNRRA, PRRN, CII, WAD, WIN, FCAOC and OCEMA.
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Posted on May 28th, 2008 — in Promoting Stuff
Buying gemstone jewelry can be fun, exciting and confusing. Whether you’re considering a gift of gemstone jewelry for someone special or as a treat for yourself, take some time to learn the terms used in the industry. Here’s some information to help you get the best quality gemstone jewelry for your money, whether you’re shopping in a traditional brick and mortar store or online.
Gemstones
Natural gemstones are found in nature. Laboratory-created stones, as the name implies, are made in a laboratory. These stones, which also are referred to as laboratory-grown, {name of manufacturer} - created, or synthetic, have essentially the same chemical, physical and visual properties as natural gemstones. Laboratory-created stones do not have the rarity of naturally colored stones and they are less expensive than naturally mined stones. By contrast, imitation stones look like natural stones in appearance only, and may be glass, plastic, or less costly stones. Laboratory-created and imitation stones should be clearly identified as such.
Gemstones may be measured by weight, size, or both. The basic unit for weighing gemstones is the carat, which is equal to one-fifth 91/5th) of a gram. Carats are divided into 100 units, called points. For example, a half-carat gemstone would weigh .50 carats or 50 points. When gemstones are measured by dimensions, the size is expressed in millimeters (for example,
7×5 millimeters).
Gemstone treatments or enhancements refer to the way some gems are treated to improve their appearance or durability, or even change their color. Many gemstones are treated in some way. The effects of some treatments may lessen or change over time and some treated stones may require special care. Some enhancements also affect the value of a stone, when measured against a comparable untreated stone.
Jewelers should tell you whether the gemstone you’re considering has been treated when: the treatment is not permanent; the treated stone requires special care; or the treatment significantly affects the value of the gemstone.
Some common treatments that you may be told about and their effects include:
• Heating can lighten, darken or change the color of some gems, or improve a gemstone’s clarity.
• Irradiation can add more color to colored diamonds, certain other gemstones and pearls.
• Impregnating some gems with colorless oils, wax or resins makes a variety of imperfections less visible and can improve the gemstones’ clarity and appearance.
• Fracture filling hides cracks or fractures in gems by injecting colorless plastic or glass into the cracks and improves the gemstones’ appearance and durability.
• Diffusion treatment adds color to the surface of colorless gems; the center of the stone remains colorless.
• Dyeing adds color and improves color uniformity in some gemstones and pearls.
• Bleaching lightens and whitens some gems, including jade and pearls.
For more information on jewelry and gemstones, we cordially invite you to visit http://www.morninglightjewelry.com to pick up your FREE copy of “How To Buy Jewelry And Gemstones Without Being Ripped Off.” This concise, informative special report reveals almost everything you ever wanted to know about jewelry and gemstones, but were afraid to ask. Get your FREE report at http://www.morninglightjewelry.com
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Posted on May 27th, 2008 — in Management Parlor
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.
There are distinct processes that enhance problem identification and idea generation and, similarly, distinct processes that enhance idea selection, development and commercialisation. Whilst there is no sure fire route to commercial success, these processes improve the probability that good ideas will be generated and selected and that investment in developing and commercialising those ideas will not be wasted.
One common mistake leaders often make is to rely on smart people to come up with great ideas. This is flawed for a number of reasons:
a) The opinion of smart people is not what matters. The end-user is obviously more important as his or her take-up of the product will determine success or failure. Unfortunately, it is all too often the case that sufficient end-user analysis is lacking before investment is given a GO status. One of the many ways of assessing end-user benefits is to use the buyer experience cycle and utility layers to determine an idea’s ultimate value.
b) The opinion of smart people is less valuable than the opinions of a large number of people and a large number of diverse and novel people. The result is intellectual cross-pollination that overcomes path dependency, parochialism and leads to frame breaking.
c) Raw intellectual brainpower is arguably equal to experience. Each alone produce a set of results but together they produce richer results. Again, this leads to the conclusion that a large number of diverse and novel individuals produce better output.
These topics are covered in depth in the MBA dissertation on Managing Creativity & Innovation, which can be purchased (along with a Creativity and Innovation DIY Audit, Good Idea Generator Software and Power Point Presentation) from http://www.managing-creativity.com.
You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.
Kal Bishop, MBA
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You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made and the author’s name and site URL are retained.
Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached on http://www.managing-creativity.com.
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