Posted on August 6th, 2008 — in Marketers Den
War rugs are aptly named. These are rugs that express themes of war in their
patterns. They break from the more traditional patterns of seasons, plants, or the
boteh and instead use representations of tanks and bombs. These are forms of
expression from a foreign culture. A rug can depict a tank moving into a town or
dark planes standing out against a bright sky and dropping small yet potent bombs.
Like poetry from an airman or the diary of a young Jewish girl hiding from the
German forces in world war two this should be a form of expression that we not
only recognize but also appreciate.
Many of my clothes come from India, I have computer parts that come from china
and South Korea, I have jackets that come from Sri Lanka, and coffee that comes
from Colombia. But it is not that simple. I have clothes that come from many more
places than India and my computer is such a mosaic of pieces that it is as if the
entire world gave birth to my computer. Our species has become impressively
dependant upon each other. I depend on an amazing amount of people to keep me
clothed, warm, fed, and working.
While we may depend greatly on each other, most do not really understand the
many other cultures aside from our own. I don’t believe this is out of disregard or
lack of respect, but that there are barriers that slow down our communications.
There are language barriers, geographical barriers, political barriers, economic
barriers and barriers in artistic mediums.
When Americans think of art they often think of things like movies, book, murals,
pictures and so forth. Because these are the forms of art that come to mind these
are the forms of art that we seek out. However, other cultures use different
mediums. In much of the Middle East and parts of Eastern Europe rugs and weaving
is an extremely important medium of expression. There are traditional forms of
weaving such as pile rugs with geometric designs about the seasons or rugs with
floral designs representing plants (you can learn more about traditional patterns at
www.hazaad.com). However, like any form of art rugs are not stagnant. Over time
what a culture expresses, and how they choose to do so changes. Presently there
are an increasing number of war rugs being woven. There are rugs that repeat an
image of a war plan or express some level of hope with bright colors.
Help bridge this one cultural divide by looking at these rugs as one would other
forms of wartime art. In this art form one can find the expression of many people.
One can find a unique expression that cannot be found in other media.
John Geer runs the small online rug import business www.Hazaad.com from Davidson, North
Carolina.
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Posted on August 4th, 2008 — in Marketers Den
Just like there are reverse dictionaries, there is a reason to create a count down calendar. A count down calendar starts with Franklin Covey’s philosophy, “start with the end in mind.”
The biggest advantage to a countdown calendar is that it makes you think and focus harder as well as makes the planning easier.
First, you write down the exact results you want or expect. Let’s say you have a teleclass, seminar, speaking engagement you are delivering on X date. This becomes your D-day — sort of speaking. It may be end of the event planning, however, it can also be the beginning of your follow-up plan. For simplicity sake, let us stop at the D-day point.
Now you can prepare a count down calendar in several ways. One way would be to use a calendar with the days of the month filled in. You mark down the D-day and then you back track from there to today.
Count down the days until __________. Number of marketing days to go until __________.
Example: Count down days until seminar. 20 marketing days to go until seminar.
Any doesn’t matter which calendar method you use, you will need to write down your measurements or your mini-results that will deliver the end results you want. I use the pivoting question, “What is it going to take to…” to get my thinking moving in the right direction. I like to think through and write these on the back of my calendars. This gives me a bird’s eye view for that particular commitment that my software does not provide.
Another way would be to use a blank form like this with the appropriate number of days in between. Then cross out the days that you will do any marketing — say Sundays or days filled with other requirements. For my teleclass programs, my D-day back to Day 1 is always 3 weeks, so I have created a regular calendar for these. In fact, I use green color paper to print out the calendar.
If you don’t want to create your own, visit your local office supply store, they have countdown calendars available for purchase (blank planning books).
A third way to complete a countdown calendar would be to complete it in a linear form.
Day 21: Speaking event results I desire — describe those results.
Day 20: Get handouts printed at Kinko’s.
Day 19: Write and send out reminder e-mail to organizer.
To Day 1: Today.
Again, if you have a reoccurring countdown, like teleclasses, you can create a linear countdown calendar like the one above. Eventually you will see a consistent pattern of to-dos.
At that point, don’t stop doing this with the thinking you have it down pat and you don’t need to. This will jump up and bite you in the assets fairly quickly by bogging down your mind and making you wonder if you are missing something. If that occurs, jump back into the habit, it is a great one to have. Even if it is frustrating because it takes thinking time.
Once you have your count down calendar completed then you can enter it into your automatic reminder calendar, like Outlook or Act. This will track all your deadlines, goals, and projects. You will have a separate count down calendar for each one.
Catherine Franz, a Certified Professional Marketing & Writing Coach, specializes in product development, Internet writing and marketing, nonfiction, training. Newsletters and articles available at: http://www.abundancecenter.com blog: http://abundance.blogs.com
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Posted on August 2nd, 2008 — in Finance Resources
Today there are record numbers of debt management businesses competing to provide cost free debt advice. Such organisations claim to give completely cost free no obligation debt information. For debtors the main problem is trying to understand whether these businesses are giving the best overall value with reference to the information they provide and their service.
The long and short of it is companies offering debt management are out to derive a profit, it is possible that this will end up with a conflict of interest between the individual and the debt counsellor. This is achieved by by forwarding debtors on to other companies or instead by collecting arrangements costs from the credit companies. Therefore it is not easy to find out how thoroughly such organisations are really representing their customers. The biggest concern is that these debt advice organisations will in reality give advice skewed by their own margins instead of serving the interests of their clients.
The reality is a great proportion of clients fail to fully grasp the options available to them regarding debt and financial packages generally. If clients had a proper understanding then these debtors would have no requirement for expert guidance from professional debt managers.
Debt advice organisations are overseen by government bodies to try and ensure they are properly trained and manage individual personal privacy. Where this fails is that it is not possible to scrutinise or prove a specific organisations motives when providing cost free debt advice. The point is, how is it possible for an official regulator determine whether debt advice was provided with the best interests of the client at heart, or if information provided was influenced by profit margins?
Finding un-biased citezens advice will be time consuming. Regardless of this trying out more than one company is essential for debt management. Debtors should not simply go with the first debt management company that approaches them.
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Posted on August 2nd, 2008 — in Marketers Den
Yes, amazing is it not? Despite the fact that the fitness industry is boomingthere are obviously still significant problems in America with people loosing weight and being able to keep it off. Pills alone are obviously not the answer. There are documented facts that state that more than half of American adults are unable to lose excess fat, in spite of their exercise and diet efforts.
Federal officials have, based on these facts, recently declared that obesity is a national epidemic. More than 60 percent of American adults overweight, and 30 percent of all Americans are considered obeseaccording to the “Journal of the American Medical Association.”
Why? We as a country are literally bombarded with health and fitness marketing every day, and diet fads and healthy eating plans have never been more popular! So despite what the label might say, non-FDA approved dietary supplements may be a total waste of your money.
Facts:
Deception in weight loss advertisements promise unachievable goals:
Billions of dollars worth of advertisements for dietary supplements and diet and exercise services in America more often than not, include misleading and quite overly exaggerated promises of rapid and effortless weight loss. This deception is not only devastating and costly to the people who fall for itbut the lies keep America in this trend of tendencies towards obesity.
In order to survive the diet industry needs you to fail at your attempts to loose weight:
Dieting is business just like any other, and of course there is an enormous interest in this business to maintain and excel in financial gain. Making sure that this happens, the pills you take religiously will have to failso that you will constantly be trying new ones. Even if you use dietary supplements in combination with diet and exercise and you are losing weight, you will continue to take them, because you believe that they are part of working for you.
The people who sell them, who intentionally keep you in the dark write most of the information you can find out about diet pills. This means that even if you wanted to research a product you would only get the information they want to give youfalsified information.
There are in fact diet pills out there that can do some good. But it is better to discuss which ones you should take with a nutritionist or look for information on products that is unbiased.
Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and home decor. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles on fur boots and fashion please visit Brazilian Bikinis and Swimwear.
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Posted on July 31st, 2008 — in Marketers Den
Does it seem as if every time you look around on the internet for a hotel room, you find more web sites that say you can get a hotel room for less?
Though it may sound enticing, online hotel booking has its own set of challenges. An online discount hotel booking web site should provide the following basic things:
• Offer real time hotel room booking
• Allow date amendments and cancellations online
• Rates should clearly indicate what currency is being quoted, whether the rate is per person or per room, and what is and what is not included in the rate, and, if taxes are not included, how much they will be
• The location information of the hotel should be listed on the hotel description page. This can help identify the distance from the hotel to certain landmarks or the airport
• All the information regarding the hotel (such as facilities and rates) should be located on each hotel’s web page
• Pictures of the hotel
• Star quality rating, consumer ratings with consumer reviews
• Does the online hotel booking site have a membership program (like http://www.ratestogo.com/membership) that offers reward points and privileges
Checklist before and after you book a hotel room online
If you follow this checklist, you’re less likely to have nasty surprises in store for you:
• Have you seen the hotel on a map, and do you understand the exact location?
• Do you know what the rate is, which currency it is quoted in, whether this rate is per person or per room, per night or per complete stay?
• Do you understand the standard/quality of the hotel?
• Does the rate include everything or are taxes, surcharges, gratuities, service fees, etc, extra? How much are such extra costs if they exist? Are there any other mandatory costs that you might have to pay?
• Are there any extra inclusions such as breakfast, and, if so, is it a cooked or continental breakfast?
• Do you understand what room type and bedding configuration you will be getting?
• Is your reservation guaranteed? Will it be held for late arrival?
• What is the change, cancellation and refund policy if you need to change or cancel your booking?
• Did the credit card number you gave to the internet booking service merely guarantee your room, or did they charge a deposit (or even the full stay) at the time you made your booking to the credit card?
• You may contact the hotel directly 24 hours after you’ve made your online booking, to confirm that the booking has appeared in their local computer system. You may also check with them to see if the booking is the same as you have made in terms of room type, room rate, dates, etc.
• If you have any special needs or requirements or expectations, you should double check with the hotel directly that these special service requests have been received by them and are understood and will be provided.
• Most importantly, if you prepaid any amounts to the internet website, confirm that you won’t be billed again by the hotel directly. Remember that most internet websites are completely independent of the hotels they service, and could be located anywhere in the world; once they get your money; there is no guarantee that they will pass it on to the hotel in time for your stay.
(http://www.ratestogo.com) is a website that has answers to all these questions. Visit http://www.ratestogo.com/Hotels-Last-Minute/EN for last minute deals for over 5,500 global properties through a real time booking engine.
Chloe Lim is a photographer and avid traveler. She travels extensively for work and family vacations. She is always on the lookout for bargain travel deals and discount luxury vacations.
This article is courtesy of http://www.ratestogo.com, you may freely reprint this article on your website or in your newsletter provided this courtesy notice and the author name and URL remain intact.
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Posted on July 29th, 2008 — in Marketers Den
Many people today have heard about the “instant approval” credit cards, but may not understand exactly what they are. Instant approval is the method used by banks and credit card companies to take your application and instantly make a decision based on data they get from your online credit report. It is different from traditional credit card applications because you are either approved or rejected as soon as your application is submitted.
Instant approval is a method that is different from instant decision. When a bank makes an instant decision, this means that a certain period of time is given to the credit card company to decide if an applicant is approved. They will typically do a detailed background check, and it may take days or weeks for them to decide if applicants are approved. Many people may have also heard of the term “instant credit.”
Instant credit means that in addition to being approved immediately, you are also given a temporary credit card that allows you to make online purchases. Instant credit isn’t used much by the banks today due to the many fraudulent charges that were made after they begin offering it. Instant approval gives banks a reasonable amount of time to determine if an applicant is a good candidate.
Instant approval applications are just as secure as traditional applications that are sent through the mail. If you apply for instant approval credit cards online, make sure you go through banks and credit card companies that offer the highest level of internet data encryption. In most circumstances, using secure online instant approval services are much safer than sending applications through the mail. If your application is approved, you can expect to receive your card in about a week. The delivery time will vary depending on the company you use.
In most cases, instant approval means that the bank will give you a temporary approval based on your online credit information that will keep you occupied while they do more detailed research. The banks will do additional research to make sure your online data is accurate. While many people who apply for instant approval credit cards think they will immediately be issued a card, this is not always the case.
It is also important to make sure you have decent credit before applying for an instant approval credit card. Most decisions are made based on the FICO score, and if you are declined you credit score could be lowered even more.
Joe Kenny writes for CardGuide.co.uk, offering the latest information on credit cards, visit them today for more best buy credit cards.
Visit today: www.cardguide.co.uk
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Posted on July 28th, 2008 — in Marketers Den
Research in social sciences largely depends on measurements and analysis and interpretation of numerical as well as non numerical data. Quantitative research methods focus on statistical approaches and qualitative methods are based on content analysis, comparative analysis, grounded theory, and interpretation (Strauss, 1990). Quantitative methods emphasise on objective measurements and numerical analysis of data collected through polls, questionnaires or surveys and qualitative research focuses on understanding social phenomena through interviews, personal comments etc. Quantitative and qualitative methods are studied within the context of positivistic and phenomenological paradigms (Papers4you.com, 2006).
The applications of research methods could be studied in the context of business and management or in social psychology to understand a social process. Some of the basic tools for qualitative or quantitative research are related to data collection methods which can be case studies, questionnaires or interviews (Simon et al, 1985). Research methods in management focus on leadership studies and leadership issues are examined in accordance with contingency theory and organisational theory. The effects of leadership are best studied with the help of qualitative or quantitative research methods and analyses of questionnaires sent to participants in management positions.
Research methods are however focused not just on management issues but also on social process for example a study on the interaction between age, physical exercise and gender. Some disadvantages and possible flaws of such methods may be related to abuse or misuse of interview techniques, inadequacy of data collection methods and reliability of data. The methodological approach and data collection techniques are important in research and form an important aspect of study (Simon, 1985). The case study approach is especially useful in analysis of business environments and perceptual mapping techniques are used for marketing research. Focus groups and surveys are used as other preferred methods of data collection, especially within business environments (Papers4you.com, 2006).
Interpretive research can be considered as an important aspect of qualitative analysis, although as with all qualitative data, subjective bias can be a deterrent in the validity of such approaches. In studying research methods, it would be necessary to highlight the differences between qualitative and quantitative methods although it has also been argued that an integrated approach to social analysis could close in the gap between quantitative and qualitative methods and both these methods could be used for social research studies. In fact there may not be a specified correct method of research as each method seems to have its strengths and weaknesses and these factors should be examined carefully before a particular method is selected or used for studying a social process.
Bibliography
Champion, Dean J. (1981) Basic statistics for social research / Dean J. Champion. 2nd ed. New York : Macmillan ; London : Collier Macmillan
Papers For You (2006) “P/B/685. Qualitative research methods”, Available from http://www.coursework4you.co.uk/sprtdis18.htm [22/06/2006]
Papers For You (2006) “C/B/397. Critically assess and compare the strengths and limitations of qualitative and quantitative research methods. Use concrete examples to support your arguments”, Available from Papers4you.com [21/06/2006]
Strauss, Anselm L. (1990) Basics of qualitative research: grounded theory procedures and techniques / Anselm Strauss and Juliet Corbin. Newbury Park, Calif.: Sage Publications,
Simon, Julian Lincoln. (1985) Basic research methods in social science / Julian Simon, Paul Burstein 3rd ed. McGraw-Hill,
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Posted on July 27th, 2008 — in Gambling World, Odds + Chances
Conjoin two of everybody’s dominant leisure actvities and you have got is something known as a Web sportsbook. And what could be more ingenious? If you imagine a troop of fanatics cheering in support of any favored local sports club, and regularly lays are placed alongside the bluster. Wishing to catch a bit of the delights, on-lookers customarily endeavor to figure who is most likely to win in the running race. This all evolves into a cute little race named Web sportsbook.
Agreed it is bound to sound compulsive, yet sports betting is, in reality, only an amusing entertainment and to bond with fellow fans. Here, you can risk a a piddling sum of greenbacks and nonetheless enjoy a outstanding time. Looking further, here are various basics to get started sports betting. In order to wager, you’ll look up a Web sportsbook, that’s to say a place which takes Web sportsbook. In the USA, you will find no less than four states where everyone can go for sports betting absolutely legally, but beyond legality you may do it wherever provided that you discover a bookie and you are legally an adult. Among the sports you’ll be able to wager on are professional including, additionally, college league football plus college basketball, professional hockey, professional hockey, including, additionally, wagers on both horse and dog racing. You’ll have a choice of wagering on the whole score of a contest or game, in what round a given contestant will be defeated, and even if a tossed coin in a contest or game will come out heads or tails.
NBA Betting
The bookies trust pure statistics make it easier for you arrive at a conclusion which sports club you judge is most likely to win. First, you’ll see spread, or advantage pertaining to a weaker party expected to go under by a given number points. This describes the sportsbook setup’s recognized modus operandi of organizing level bets for a Sportsbook. E.g., a customer could choose to risk some money on a competitor expected to go under and and nonetheless win the bet provided that the party takes a licking by a given number of points. You can get a lot of varying brands of bets– straight, teaser bets and many more, the straight being the best known in sports betting.
Why not try it out, and relax as well? But determine that you won’t get gripped and spend your entire retirement pension on a quirk. After all, chances are you’ll be caught filled with remorse for life.
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Posted on July 26th, 2008 — in Miscellany
LCD TV’s are located in the majority of flat panel TVs that are not Plasma. These TVs came out previous to plasma and on average more price affordable in recent times than the current Plasma makes. LCD TV’s are the most in style sort of TV and are at present a fitting option for your has been television set. LCD televisions give the most modern Hi-Def TV’s with great depiction & audio quality offered to procure at the moment.
It’s a less known detail that LCD products actually go way back to the year eighteen hundred & eighty-eight when the technique of liquid crystallization were discovered by Aussie scientist Friedrich Reinitzer.
LCD TVs are more often than that accessible in fifteen inch and 32″ dimension, while larger sizes as gigantic as 50 inch and even 60″ are obtainable to acquire if you yearn for. But, as you select to go for big television screens or high end manufactured goods, they will categorically cost a significant amount more. What’s more it is certainly worth remembering that for bigger TVs you would be suggested to buy outstanding quality brackets, or a specifically design mount that possibly will cost up-to one-hundred and fifty pounds in addition. Amazing prices on cheap HD Ready LCD TV’s online at Digital Direct.
LCD TVs are commonly made-up in three individual assortments like standard definition (SD), enhanced definition (ED) and high definition (HD) Televisions. LCD televisions are also getting progressively more prevalent as a car customisation gadget, as the fans of the admired MTV series “Pimp My Ride” will be familiar with. LCD TVs are at present available with refresh rates as small as 5ms. Therefore this technology is still a substantial time off from being faultless, LCD TV’s are improving every day. Consequently, LCD tellies are turning out to be more popular day by day.
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Posted on July 25th, 2008 — in Marketers Den
Ever notice how smoothly some speakers or writers move you through their speech or memo? It seems they effortlessly take you from start to finish without making you strain to follow.
Yet, while the reading may be effortless, the writing probably took some extra work and attention to detail. In fact, some writers would say you should work as hard on the transitions between ideas as you do on the ideas themselves.
Consider copywriting guru Joe Sugarman, who says the job of each piece of copy, from the headline down, is to get you to read the next paragraph. And the paragraph after that. And to keep on reading them until you get to the ‘offer,’ where you’re asked to order the featured product.
To get readers from one paragraph to the next, or from one idea to the next, we use transitions, words or phrases that ‘pull’ the reader along, or in the case of speeches, pull the listener along.
For examples, take a look at the opening words to the second, third, and fourth paragraphs above. The second paragraph opens with ‘Yet,’ which implies that the idea you read in the first paragraph wasn’t complete. It should ‘pull’ you into the second paragraph. You’ll notice that the third and fourth paragraphs also aim to pull you along.
Later, we’ll look at ways of constructing transitions, but for now let’s focus on their strategic use.
First, and touching on an idea we explored above, transitions help ensure that readers or listeners get the complete message. For readers, in particular, it means they’re less likely to stop after reading the headline, subject line, or first paragraph.
Granted, you still need good content that compels to some degree. But, whatever the content, your chances of getting the reader to go all the way to the end of the document, or the ‘offer,’ increases significantly with effective transitions.
Second, smooth transactions allow the reader or the person listening to your speech to concentrate on the message, rather than its delivery.
You know from experience how hard it is to take in the message when each new paragraph seems to abruptly introduce a new idea. It’s a bit like driving along a street and having to stop for red lights at many successive intersections.
Third, and this relates to the second point, you’ll become a stronger writer if you use transitions. Not just because of the transitions, but because their use forces you to manage the ideas in your document or speech.
The process of starting each new paragraph with a transitional word or phrase can’t help but lead to you to link the idea in that paragraph to the preceding paragraph.
That’s true even when you make a major shift, because in that case you’d use a transition signal of some kind. Remember “And now for something completely different,” made famous by Monty Python’s Flying Circus?
In summary (another transitional signal), transitions from one paragraph to another, or from one idea to another, make our communication more effective.
About The Author
Robert F. Abbott writes and publishes Abbott’s Communication Letter. Each week subscribers receive, at no charge, a new communication tip that helps them lead or manage more effectively. Click here for more information: http://www.CommunicationNewsletter.com
abbottr@managersguide.com
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