Generally, speaking, many wedding vendors are paid a flat fee, in advance, for their services. They don’t expect to be tipped. These include florists, photographers, musicians and bakers. Others falling into this category include catering managers, hotel banquet managers, bridal consultants, waiters and waitresses. However, if you feel that you have received extraordinary floral arrangements, a first rate wedding cake, or other services above and beyond what you expected, you can give a gratuity of up to 15%.

When you read the contract from your caterer you will see that a gratuity of 18% to 20% will be added to your bill. This is sometimes called a service fee or service charge. If your catering manager saved you a few hundred dollars on your bill or has provided extra food, you may choose to tip him between $50-$100. The bartender should be tipped, based on the bar bill, usually between 15% and 20%.

There are different opinions on tipping the officiant. Some say it is bad etiquette to tip the officiant above the standard fee. They say you should make a contribution to the church instead. However, most clergymen have come to expect a gratuity of $75 to $100. If there is travel involved, an additional gratuity is welcome. A judge or Justice of the Peace should receive a gratuity of $50 to $75.

Limousine drivers expect a tip of 15%. Read your contract in case the tip has already been included. Fees for the church organists and musicians may be included with the rental fee for the church. If this is not the case, then a gratuity of $35 to $50 for each person is acceptable. Valet parking attendants usually receive $.50 to $1.00 per car, and a sign should be posted outside that the gratuity has been taken care of.

It is always a good idea to send a thank you card to all the vendors from whom you received great service on your wedding day. You never know when you might need the services of these people again. They will love the acknowledgement, use it to help them book future clients, and guarantee you great service the next time.

Kathleen Terrana is the owner of http://www.beautiful-bridal.com Beautiful Bridal specializing in discount tiaras, veils, bridal and bridesmaid jewelry. Visit our site for additional tips, advice and information.

What are varicose veins, spider veins, and reticular veins?

Varicose veins are ropy, swollen veins that are close to the surface of the skin. Reticular veins are the smaller, fine blue veins that are under the skin. Spider veins are smaller, red or blue veins that are in the skin layer.

What causes varicose veins?
The normal function of leg veins is to carry blood back to the heart. During walking activity, the calf muscle acts as a pump, compressing the leg veins and forcing blood back towards the heart.To prevent blood from going in the wrong direction, veins have one-way valves valves that prevent blood from flowing backwards down the leg. If the valves are faulty (a condition known as valvular incompetence), blood flows back into superficial veins and down the leg. This process is known as reflux. Reflux results in veins enlarging and becoming varicose. Once veins become varicose, they lose their ability to snap back into their correct shape, and become more plastic rather than elastic. Varicose veins unfortunately cannot heal themselves, and this condition is either stabilized with compression hose, or managed with one of the vein treatment plans. The greater saphenous vein is one of the most frequently damaged veins that leads to varicose veins in the leg.

Who is at risk for varicose veins?
There are numerous risk factors for varicose veins. These risks include a family history of varicose veins, obesity, pregnancy, hormonal changes at menopause, work that requires prolonged standing or sitting, and past vein diseases such as phlebitis (inflammation of a superficial vein) or deep venous thrombosis (blood clot in the deeper veins). Women also tend to suffer from varicose veins more than men. In addition, varicose veins can appear after trauma to the area.

What are the symptoms of varicose veins?
Varicose veins may cause aching of the legs. The ankles, calf and feet may swell towards day’s end, especially in hot weather. Varicose veins can become sore and inflamed, causing redness of the skin around them. Skin changes from long standing vein problems include thickening of the skin, a brown discoloration, red rashes, and skin infections. Some patients with severe vein problems can develop sores on the ankles, known as venous ulceration. These are often difficult to heal, and can be helped by treating the underlying vein problem to prevent the reflux that led to the ulceration.

How can varicose veins be treated?
There are several ways to treat varicose veins, depending on the symptoms and types of veins present:

1.-Compression stockings: The conservative management of varicose veins is to wear compression hose, exercise, control your weight, and elevate your legs above your waist as much as possible in order to drain the vein blood out of your legs. Compression hose will assist the vein in pumping blood up the leg and back to the heart. However, this technique will not make the varicose veins go away. Nevertheless, the use of compression hose is very important in not just preventing worsening of varicose veins, but also in preventing recurrent problems after treatment.

2.-Sclerotherapy: This technique is used for the treatment of smaller varicose veins, as well as reticular veins and spider veins. A small amount of a medication (sclerosant) is injected directly into the diseased vein. The medication irritates the inner lining of the vein and causes it to seal shut. The newer types of sclerosants are not painful when injected using a very tiny needle, and multiple sites of injection are typically needed. In addition, one usually needs anywhere from 2-6 treatments to obtain 70-80% clearance of the spider veins. The procedure is performed quickly and easily without the need for anesthesia. Sometimes, we use ultrasound guidance for sclerotherapy. The number of treatments required will vary with each individual, depending on the extent of visible varicosities and spider veins. A range of 2-6 treatments can be expected in order to achieve a 70-80% clearance of the spider veins. We also use a Lyra 1064 nm YAG laser to treat stubborn spider veins.
3.-Surgical Stripping: In the past, surgical removal or “stripping” of the diseased vein out of the leg was the best treatment we could offer patients with vein problems. This procedure required an operating room, general or spinal anesthesia, and recovery times that varied from 2-6 weeks. Vein stripping is an antiquated procedure and should be very rarely used in the management of varicose veins with the newer techniques that are currently available.
4.-Microphlebectomy: This procedure involves the use of several, 1 mm, tiny incisions along the course of the leg veins in order to remove the diseased vein in segments. These tiny incisions heal well with minimal discomfort. Microphlebectomy can be performed by itself or in combination with another type of vein treatment.
5.-Endovenous Laser Therapy: The use of lasers in the management of vein problems is replacing the standard surgical approach to treating large varicose veins. With Endovenous Laser Therapy (EVLT) a very thin fiber or catheter is inserted into the diseased vein through a small needle puncture in the leg, requiring only local anesthesia. The laser delivers energy directly to the inner lining of the vein, causing the vein to close. The procedure can be performed in the physician’s office in approximately one hour. Patients are usually able to resume their routine activities immediately after the procedure.

How Does Endovenous Therapy Work?

Endovenous Laser Therapy (EVLT) treats the incompetent greater saphenous vein (GSV). The GSV vein courses along the inside part of the leg from the groin to the ankle, and is frequently the underlying cause of varicose veins.

The procedure is done in the office under local anesthesia using ultrasound guidance. A laser fiber is passed through a small sheath inserted into the GSV. As the laser is activated, the resulting heat treats the inner lining of the vein causing it to seal. The whole procedure is performed through a tiny skin incision, so there is no post-operative scarring. Pressure is applied to the treated veins using compression hose or other compressive dressings.

The recovery time from EVLT is rapid as there are no large surgical incisions or side effects of general anesthesia. Normal activities can be resumed the net day. Vigorous physical activity such as weight lifting and aerobics are not advised during this time, and we advice that patients do not take plane flights for at least one week after the procedure.

Why Endovenous Laser Therapy Instead of Other Treatment of Varicose Veins?
The benefits of EVLT are the following:
1.-A simple procedure
2.-Performed under local anesthetic
3.-Minimally invasive, so minimal risk of scarring and postoperative infection
4.-The procedure takes about one hour and avoids surgery in the operating room with its associated costs
5.-Rapid recovery with reduced postoperative pain

6.-Normal activities can be resumed almost immediately
7.-Excellent clinical and aesthetic results
8.-Covered by most insurance companies including Medicare after failure of conservative medical management

What Are The Complications Of Vein Management?

Sclerotherapy and EVLT have rarely been associated with any serious complications. Minor complications of these procedures include bruising, mild itching, tingling, tenderness and tightness in the treated leg for up to two weeks after the treatment. Allergic reactions to the sclerosant have been reported, but are extremely rare. Ulceration of the skin after sclerotherapy can rarely occur. If they occur, the usually heal in 2-3 months and leave a small scar. Deep Vein Thrombosis is a very rare complication following sclerotherapy of larger varicose veins or EVLT. Other potential complications include:
1.-Staining or brown pigmentation at the site of treatment. This occurs in about 30% of patients. In most cases the staining resolves but it may take many months.
2.-Clots under the skin. These clots may affect the treated veins. These are not dangerous and can be removed through a small incision if necessary. Most of these clots dissolve by themselves.
3.-Bruising at the injection sites usually resolves within one to two weeks.
4.-Capillary matting is an increase in the number of fine red vessels around the injection site. This problem may disappear on its own, or can be treated by further injections.

What Is Involved In The Care After Treatment?

We recommended compression hose or some other type of compression dressing after treatments. These dressings are usually worn for one day following sclerotherapy and 1-2 weeks after EVLT. Compression stockings come in different styles, sizes and colors. We advise return to a normal physical activity routine after the procedure, but vigorous aerobic exercise is not recommended for 2 weeks after ELVT. Sclerotherapy patient can resume normal exercise the day after treatment.

Will Abnormal Veins Come Back After Treatment?

After sclerotherapy for spider veins, a small number of patients who have a natural tendency to form spider veins will need yearly treatments or “touch-ups”. Larger varicose veins can also recur, especially if one gains weight, or does not wear compression hose. These recurrences are usually not as severe as the initial episode, and can be treated with sclerotherapy or microphlebectomy.

Will My Health Insurance Cover My Care For Vein Problems?

Most insurance companies will cover treatments for varicose veins that are causing problems despite conservative management. Conservative management means a trial of compression hose for 3-6 months. If you continue to have pain or swelling despite wearing compression hose, then most insurance carriers will cover EVLT or microphlebectomy. Insurance does not usually cover the treatment of spider veins, and these treatments are paid for by the patient.

Will Getting Rid Of Varicose And Spider Veins Hurt My Circulation?
The varicose veins that are being treated are not doing their job, and therefore are not missed when they are treated. The body has numerous other veins that are taking blood back towards the heart, and they take over the role of the varicose veins after treatment.

You will see some immediate results after treatment for varicose and spider veins. The best results will be seen after 3-6 months, when the swelling and bruising has completely resolved.

For more questions about all things venous, including deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and the latest management techniques such as thrombolysis of DVT’s and pulmonary emboli, please visit my vein website at http://www.my-varicose-veins.com/

In the U.K., consumers are gobbling up organic food by the bushel. In fact, according to the Organic Centre Wales, “Direct sales of organic food through box schemes, farmers’ markets and farm shops grew by more than a third to L144 million during 2004.” And those numbers have continued to rise as consumers become increasingly concerned about the long-term effects of the chemical fertilizers and pesticides used on crops grown by non-organic farms. While most people agree that organic food is preferable over non-organic, a debate has begun about the source of organic foods. For example, is imported organic food as desirable as UK organic food?

Making the Case for Local Organic Food

Those on one side of the debate insist it doesn’t matter where organic food is grown; rather, the crucial factor is that the food meets stringent standards to ensure that it is truly organic. Those on the other side of the debate are equally vehement that locally grown organic food is preferable to imported organic food, both because the fossil fuels used to transport imported organic food add to global warming and because UK organic food supports local farmers.

Advocates say that you can find UK organic food at an organic farm shop, or even arrange for organic food delivery right to your door. You can even find organic fish, such as organic trout from an organic fish farm. There, the organic trout may live in 400-year-old spring water and eat natural shrimp that comes from organic watercress beds.

Those who favor importing organic food point out that an organic farm shop will only have seasonal foods, which severely limit the choices consumers have when preparing meals. Imported organic food, they say, retains its superior nutritional quality while delivering a bountiful variety of fruits and vegetables.

Some people, of course, take the middle ground, and opt to select their foods from an organic farm shop when what they desire is in season and shop for imported organic food the remainder of the year.

The Bottom Line

People may differ in their opinions about whether or not to limit one’s consumption of organic food to that grown locally, but virtually everyone agrees that organic fruits, organic vegetables, organic fish, and organic meats are preferable to those that are grown with chemical fertilizers, insecticides, and fungicides.

Currently, non-organic growers are authorized to use over 1,000 chemicals on crops. This translates into everything from soil erosion due to over-farming to dangerous toxic runoff into our drinking water. Growing food organically is a way to reverse this trend. With over 700,000 hectares dedicated to UK organic food, farmers are trying to meet consumer demand. Still, some markets import almost half of the organic food they sell. As for who will win the debate over locally grown organic food vs. imported organic food, only time will tell.

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web.
Learn more about Organic Food vs. Locally Grown Food or Majon’s Food directory.

The principle of homeopathy is that it treats the patient as a whole rather than only locally treating the unwell parts. The physical, mental, emotional, social spheres of a person is considered for a permanent cure. When someone is healthy, there is some kind of vital energy that maintains the equilibrium of mind, body and soul. And when there is a derangement of this vital energy then that person will fall sick.

When the vital energy gets disturbed there will be external manifestations in the form of signs and symptoms. The imbalance in the body functions makes a shelter for foreign organisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa etc. This allows the organisms to proliferate and results in diseases. Homeopathy believes that the real disease comes before the bacteria and viruses, hence the root cause of the disease has to be treated for a permanent cure. The antibacterial and antiviral agents only remove the secondary causes mentioned above.

Preparation of medicine in homeopathy

In homeopathy medicines are prepared from different sources like minerals, plants, animals, toxins, diseased parts etc. Medicines are prepared from these substances by a special process called potentisation. Here the soluble substances are potentised by diluting with spirit and insoluble substances by grinding with sugar of milk.

The crude drug substance is first mixed with a calculated quantity of spirit and water and kept for few days. From this mixture extract is taken and is called mother tincture. From this mother tincture dilutions are prepared by potentisation, which is a mathematical process by which the quantity of original drug substance reduces but medicinal power increases. There are different potencies for each ratio of quantity of drug substance and vehicle(spirit or sugar of milk), which can be found after the name of every medicine. Suitable potency is selected according to so many factors like severity, depth of disease, condition of the patient, nature of disease, type of symptoms, age of patient and etc.

For more information on how you too can take the benefit of natural sources and its various applications such as natural remedies for depression or natural remedies for arthritis, visit Holistic And Integrated Medicine resource site

Sometimes the bride’s mother, who has kept herself in good shape, looks at the selection of mother of the bride (MOB) gowns available and gets very discouraged. These gowns, short, tea length and long, are designed in a way to disguise heavy arms and waists. They come in an array of pastel colors with heavily beaded and sequined jackets and full chiffon skirts. I apologize to the women who find these outfits attractive, but don’t find myself one of them.

The contemporary woman wants to look good at her daughter’s wedding by dressing in a manner that flatters her figure and personality. Of course, this means avoiding revealing necklines, short skirts, daring slits and bold colored fabric. Since my daughter is getting married in September, I began looking at MOB gowns online and many of them resembled informal wedding gowns. They were ivory and had small lace trains at the back. This is a poor choice for the MOB, because no matter how good she looks, she might upstage her daughter as well as the mother of the groom.

The MOB and the mother of the groom will still want to consult one another on the color choice of their gowns. Typically, the bride’s mother gets the first choice and tries to coordinate her gown with the colors worn by the bridesmaids. In my case, the mother of the groom is approximately 20 years older than I. After the wedding colors are chosen, I am going to defer to the MOG in both color and length of the gown. However, I am going to choose an age appropriate gown that is classic and form fitting for myself. (I have a small waist so I may as well show it.) Many women my age, myself included, want to look great on the big day.

Kathleen Terrana is the owner of http://www.beautiful-bridal.com Beautiful Bridal specializing in discount tiaras, veils, bridal and bridesmaid jewelry. Visit our site for additional tips, advice and information.

There is never a time in life when things are not changing - when one view of reality does not give way before another, or one person whom we are connected with or another does not go through a shift that changes them, or a situation we find ourselves in turns out not to be what we expected it to be. There is no time of pause in life’s ceaseless flow, however it may appear on the surface of things For even in the quiet times of peace, things that are of the future are being prepared, and the end of one phase is already on the horizon, waiting for the next phase to begin. This is the nature of life’s ceaseless movement, and it is part of wisdom to learn how to move with it.

Ordinarily, when change that comes into view is positive, valuable, hoped for, and appreciated, there is little thought given to what will happen next because the immediacy of the delight, pleasure, or comfort taken in what is, is what we seek to immerse ourselves in. But when change brings with it illness, or loss, or limitation, or helplessness, or an end to what may have appeared to be a hoped-for possibility, then the question of what comes next is very much in the foreground of consciousness, since the heart’s desire is to be free of limitation and pain, and the longing in the midst of either is always that there be a ‘next’ - a next phase, chapter, or situation in which the pain or limitation will be gone. Depression often occurs when this hoped for next chapter of life does not feel real or possible.

In the midst of flow, there is a need that beats within each human heart to find an anchorpoint, a place of steadiness that does not change, even if everything else does. This center that is changeless, that can be turned to when everything else is in flux, lives within each human being. It has been called many things, and is the feeling of an eternal Heart that beats inside - an experience of inner continuity, love, and lastingness that is ‘I Am’. This ‘I Am’ is the deeper sense of one’s existence that is ongoing, eternal, and part of something greater than oneself. It is a sense of beingness, love, purpose, knowing, that can be an anchorpoint in the sea of the unknown. Often, when one has drifted far away from this sense, it must be pursued in order to be found again, especially when adversity seems to be all around. Such a pursuit is a central reason, among others, to deepen one’s spiritual life.

‘I Am’ is the affirmation of one’s eternal being, of one’s ongoing life and existence beyond any limitation. In the face of physical disability or handicap, it is the knowing of the perfection and limitlessness of one’s deeper self. In the face of loss and the grief that follows, it is the feeling of one’s wholeness. In the face of heartache of any kind, it is the awareness that joy is still possible and love is still possible because the foundations of both love and joy are inextricably woven into life itself.

Everywhere in life, things are moving, relationships are changing, disappointments are happening, letting go is required, and the sense of the unknown exists as an everpresent companion to each step that we take. In the midst of this, there is the Eternal presence saying, I am with you, I am you. It may be that the experience of inner stability and of unconquerable hope is difficult to locate at first, since the intensity of emotion, and especially that of depression, can cover any other feeling, However, knowing that there is a part of the self that is untouched by the circumstances of one’s life and that that part of the self is accessible, is a reason to strive to reach it, to search in every way possible for the path to find it. This is the nature of spiritual seeking everywhere, and in the presence of the unknown, it is the basis for moving past fear and sorrow into a new relationship with life.

Such movement can come through the beginning of a spiritual practice whose purpose is to help locate and create an experience of this eternal center. There is no one way to go about this, for the paths to truth are many and need to correspond to a person’s own preferences and predilections. Nevertheless, the signpost that such a path is useful is the sense of upliftment and peace that it brings - the inner quiet and stability that creates a knowing of being whole and held in the midst of whatever else may be going on. No matter what feelings are present on the emotional level, there is a level beneath these feelings that remains always true, always present. To seek it with a whole heart is to pursue wisdom. To find it is to experience truth.

For additional writings by Julie Redstone see Pathways of Light and the Light Omega website. For a series of daily meditations focused on healing, see the “Calendar of Healing” within Pathways of Light.

1. Follow quality tutorials

Rather than focusing on cool effects, find tutorials that describe how to do things in detail. At first, it is probably best to follow tutorials step by step exactly how they were written. Once you are comfortable with the basics, then try to use tutorials as a guideline only. Use them as inspiration to come up with your own creations.

2. Learn some shortcuts

There are tons of keyboard shortcuts in Photoshop. When you are switching tools constantly (and you pretty much always will be) it is much faster to press a key than to move your mouse over to the tool palette, find your tool, then move the mouse back to your image. It does not take long to memorize the commonly used shortcuts (for example, press the ‘v’ key to use the move tool).

3. Start out by learning basic tasks

Use fewer colors and less complicated forms in your designs until you get a feel for what works well together and what does not. Don’t set out to create a city skyline, rather, just create a building. Get your building making skills perfected, then go for the skyline.

4. Try to break up large graphics

Let’s say you create a website design in Photoshop. Do not save the whole thing as one image - it will take forever to load in a browser. Learn how to use slices - this will aid you in creating a fast-loading, well coordinated site.

5. Hang in there

It’s easy to look at other people’s designs, compare them to your own, and get discouraged. There are many talented designers out there, but only you have your unique ideas. Over time, you will develop the skills needed to translate your ideas into masterpieces.

Visit Slick Tutorials for Photoshop Tutorials

You suddenly find that your business is in a cash squeeze. You started your small trucking company with five units and a lot of industry experience. Things started out well, with revenues per mile on an upward trend, and an addition of two units the first year. But the expense pressure of higher fuel costs, driver settlements, permits, insurance, and repairs have begun taking its toll. Add to the mix some uncollectable accounts and your margins begin to suffer.

Tightening cash flow even further is the credit you are extending to your customers. Take a look at your accounts receivable aging schedule and you’ll likely see many accounts over 30 days. You are not getting paid for delivering your end of the deal in a timely manner and as a result, you are providing the use of your money to your customer for free. Unfortunately, you can’t defer payroll, fuel, and other expenses for thirty or more days.

Should you adopt a COD payment policy? How about adding a service charge to all accounts over 30 days and vehemently sticking to it? Neither of these solutions is advisable, because you will probably lose customers right and left. You are in a highly competitive industry and other companies would jump at the chance to acquire new customers by offering them the credit that you won’t.

There is a service that can provide a safety net for your company and allows you to convert freight bills into instant cash flow within 24 hours. Better yet, this service only costs pennies on the dollar. This service is called invoice factoring.

Although not widely known among entrepreneurs, factoring has been a useful financing tool for centuries. Manufacturers, distributors, service providers (such as trucking companies) use factoring to stabilize their cash flow. In 2005, factoring volume exceeded $112 billion, and has grown every year since 1984.

Factoring is the purchase of a company’s accounts receivable at a discount. The process is simple:

–Fill out a simple application and include an receivables aging report

–Factoring company reviews the application and determines credit worthiness of the client’s customers

–Letter of intent is given to the client, outlining the proposed advance rate (typically 80%-90% of the invoice), and fee structure (usually from 2%-3% per month depending on several factors)

–Upon acceptance of the terms, a formal contract is executed

–Initial funding can occur within 3-5 days

BENEFITS OF FACTORING

–Professional collections - Not only will a good factor collect receivables
in a professional manner, but he will eliminate overhead associated with
the collection process which free up your time to run your business.

–Compliance - a factor that specializes in trucking can provide tools that greatly diminishes the time needed for complying with what seems like an endless list of government rules and regulations

–Fuel Card - accepted wherever Fleet One cards are accepted. The factoring facility can be “loaded” on the card and ATM access and the ability to write checks are definite advantages

–Unlimited capital - Factoring is the only source of financing that grows
with your sales. As sales increase, more cash becomes available for you
to use, which allows you to constantly meet demand

–Take advantage of volume and early payment discounts - With
improved cash flow, you will be in a position to take advantage of these
discounts which directly effects your bottom line

–No debt incurred - Factoring is NOT a loan and therefore, you are not
incurring any debt. This keeps your balance sheet looking good, thereby
making it easier to obtain other types of financing or to sell the
company

–Choose the invoices you wish to factor

–Factoring is quick and easy - Unlike applying for a loan, there are no extensive documentation requirements and funding can occur in days, not weeks

–Credit Screening - Professional factors can provide credit investigations for new and existing customers, which will likely lower your bad debt charge-offs

–No personal guarantees - The company principals do not have to guarantee the repayment of the funding (only against fraud or disputes)

Imagine a scenario where you have the time to devote to developing new business and running your operation more efficiently, rather than worrying how you’re going to pay your bills on time. Factoring can give you that flexibility

Kent Harlan has been a CPA since 1984 and has provided consulting, accounting and financial services to several industries. He is the owner of Ozarks Capital Funding, LLC, a Springfield, MO based company offering financing in the areas of accounts receivable factoring, equipment leasing, asset based lending, and healthcare providers. He is an active member of the Missouri Society for Certified Public Accountants and has written several articles for various publications.

When I started to write this article on the biggest mistake almost every marketer makes I was going to focus on THE BIGGEST single mistake, but there are several. And, an even bigger aha moment is that most companies that “call themselves” professional marketing companies make the mistakes as bad, if not worse, than the non-professionals trying to build their own business.`

Mistake #1 - Assuming that Marketing Results are Vague, Black Magic, and Not Predictable Marketing tip –Marketing done correctly will provide consistent, predictable results

As a guideline, the national average for direct mail marketing is 0.5% to 1.0%, meaning that if you send out 1,000 letters, postcards, flyers, etc. And IF you are even average, then you should have between 5 and 10 people contacting you.

Although that is considered average, doing some simple things can take that number up to 10%-30%, or even higher.

Mistake #2 - Trying Marketing One Time and Giving Up….Because That Didn’t Work. Marketing Tip –Marketing Results, or Leads are one of the critical results of a business that are ABSOLUTELY necessary.

In other words you can’t survive without delivering the number of leads needed to survive, nor will you ever super succeed without delivering the exact number of leads needed for that level either. Therefore, when someone tells me that they

• Tried marketing once
• Tried direct mail once
• Tried a newspaper ad once
• Or any other approach in marketing

and walked away because it didn’t work (that’s their opinion, not a reality) then I’m looking at a company that will fail soon, or at least not far down the road. Some move on to things that cost less in dollars and cents, but cost more in time, and the results delivered is almost nil. Delivering consistent marketing results, and in the right amount is not a choice. Do it or close your doors! Marketing Tip — Marketing results, or leads, are dependent on two things

• How many people see our marketing materials
• The percentage of those that see our materials who actually are COMPELLED to give us a call, signup, or touch base with us in some way.

It looks like this: If I need 10 people to call me this week, and if I know that for every person who sees my marketing 1% will call me then I only have to touch 1,000 people with my marketing. Now does that sound hard? Of course it isn’t…if you are reaching out to over 1,000 people every week. (# exposed to marketing materials) X (response rate) = # leads .

The problem is that in the hundreds of seminars I’ve done, most people miss that point totally. They report that they sent out 100 letters and only got 1 reply, so, in their opinion, it didn’t work because they didn’t get the 10 they needed. They missed the whole concept.

Mistake #3 - Not knowing your response rate Marketing Tip - Always know your marketing response rate, or be finding it.

So, when you send out marketing and have no clue of what your response rate is, then how in the world do you know how much to send?

Well, I’d send out enough to hit the 0.5% as a test market, and then measure the actual results coming back to be used in the next mailer.

Mistake #4 - Not knowing when your marketing isn’t working?

Mistake #4A - Not sending out marketing because it is perceived that it “costs too much.”

Mistake #4B - Not knowing what it requires to acquire a customer? These are sort of one in the same mistakes -

• Not knowing when your marketing isn’t working, and
• How to measure when it does work.
• And the answer to both is “what does it cost to acquire a client.”

How would you define “not working?” There is only one time when your marketing could be defined as “not working” and that is when it costs too much to acquire a customer. Notice, I didn’t say what marketing cost. I said what it costs to acquire a customer. Most decisions to not send marketing this month are based on “fear of spending money” when the decision should be made on “for every dollar spent on marketing it will generate X times more dollars” and then we MUST know what X is. If X is larger than an acceptable figure we move forward no matter what the cost because it will always generate more money than we put in. Let’s look at it this way, if you could generate 15% every year in the stock market would you do it? Of course….most would anyway. I wouldn’t because I believe that for every dollar put into my business I see 10-100 times come out and so I’m always looking for where to invest my money for the greatest return. And if you start managing your business that way instead of where to “avoid spending” you’ll find the answer and see similar results. So what does it cost you to acquire a client?

That usually is a result of not knowing what it costs to acquire a lead or acquire a customer, or what the response rate is for your marketing.

Let’s say that a mailer costs you $0.35 (for a postcard, printed and mailed, using http://www.usps.com/ ). If you send 1,000 pieces, that is $350, and if you get 1%, or 10 calls, that lead cost you only $35.00 each….right? Not bad if you ask me.

Now that is a lead, not a sale. So, let’s say that you close 40-50% of your sales, which I also consider a reasonable figure. That means that it costs you $70.00 to acquire a customer. If that is a reasonable figure for you, then your statement of “I can’t afford to send marketing this month” is nothing but a ‘business killer.” It really should be changed to “how many customers do I want to buy this month” and then adjust the number of letters going out to deliver that result.

If your sale is small enough that $70 will not work, then we’ve got to work on that we can. The point is you can’t afford to not make this work. We just have to find the results that will work for you.

Marketing tip - Have a clear cost to acquire a customer, and knowing what is acceptable.

Mistake #5 - Marketing that talks about you, your product, your features. Most companies look at marketing as a black hole, or black magic that they have no control over. That is only their perception….in which case they’ve made it reality….at least for them.

You are going to get a golden niblet here. This is a huge mistake that businesses make, and this is the one that relegates them to the “less than nothing” response rates in their marketing. Learn that this isn’t about you, it isn’t about your product, it isn’t about the features of your product, or even what you do….it is only about one thing….”what your prospect wants and needs, or a solution to his greatest problem.”

I know….I know…I hear the grumbling now….You say your product does all of that. The customer doesn’t know that, so don’t open your marketing with anything about you, your product, your features, or what you do. The first thing at the very top of your marketing should

Get Your Prospect’s Attention by making a value statement about what kind of results the prospect could get, or will get, or you will guarantee that he will get, or that a previous customer has gotten. Make it in dollars and cents.

Your response rate will jump up to over 5% to 10%. If you’ve been getting 0.5% to 1.0% (the national average) then this is a 10 to 20 times increase in the number of people walking through your door for a relatively simple change. If you’ve not even been hitting the 0.5% area, then it is how much bigger than where you are now….pretty darned big. I’ve seen customers increase their business results by over 10 times in a week by getting this right.

Marketing Tip-Marketing is ALWAYS about the customer, his wants and needs, and his pain or solution. Not about you, your product, features, or what you do.

Mistake #6 - Hiring a Professional Marketing Company That Won’t or Can’t Define Their Measurable Results When you hire anyone for anything, always ask for measurable results as a guideline. If you noticed in mistake #5 above, I suggested that you state your value in dollars and cents to the customer. After all, he will ultimately make a decision on hiring you or someone else based on the value you bring to the table. When you allow the customer to figure out what you are worth it isn’t likely to be anything near what you are actually worth. So, why shouldn’t you expect your marketing provider to provide you the measurements you need to make your decision?

Also, when a vendor is aware that that is what they are responsible for delivering they will also start managing it for better and better results. It just seems to happen that way.

So, IF you decide to hire out your marketing then ask one key question:

What measurable results do you, as my professional marketing company, typically deliver?

It should be a response rate, in other words a statement like “approximately 1% to 5% of the marketing sent out should call you” or what other action you want. And keep in mind that 1% is considered average and for a really good marketing company it should be a LOT higher.

Now, here comes the surprise, and something that will save you a LOT of money.

If they won’t give you a number…and MOST won’t…..what do you think that means?

• They don’t know - which means that that wasn’t on their radar screen, that isn’t something they are managing, and that WAS the reason you wanted to hire them…right? People manage what is important to them. They are managing their sales numbers, not the results they provide for you….get the idea?
• They don’t want you to know what their results are -no further comments needed here?

Most will sidestep the question by stating things like:

• Everyone is different…therefore, I can’t answer that.
• You are different….so we’ll have to find what works for you.

All are avoiding the real question….”What has been typical for their clients before?” You are buying results, so don’t get sucked into “beautiful graphics” or “fantastic copy” or “our clients are …..and …..”. when in reality, the only thing that counts are the results they have provided, the number of clients, response rates, dollars paid for dollars generated by their marketing. Do NOT allow them to take you away from measurable RESULTS…anything else is just activity that may or may not be delivering any results. They state results or walk. Marketing Tip - When you hire marketing companies they WILL state measurable results that can be backed up by talking to their customers or you WALK.

Alan Boyer, Small Business Coach helps businesses to find the opportunities to multiply their business in weeks. In many cases, marketing results go up 5-10 times, sales results go up 50% to 400%, and just getting your hands around the overall business can multiply overall results several times.

Find out how to Supersize Every Experience and Have Prospects CHASING you. Go to http://www.leaders-perspective.com/small-business-help.aspx to sign up for our weekly newsletter that multiplies businesses….FAST.

During one of our recent camp our students were taught the topic about Want & Need. All of them were enlightened after our camp as they know what are their want and need.

What is a Need?
In wikipedia it is define as “A need is the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a goal and the reason for the action, giving purpose and direction to behavior”

To put in simply a need is something that you have to have

What is a Want?
This is how it is defined in wikipedia, “A want is something desired, distinct from a need which is something that is necessary”. A Want is something that you would like to have.

Most teenagers spend their money on things that they want rather than on things they need. This is because we as the parents have been providing their basic needs for them.
Today teens do not have to worry about most their needs and they probably get a lot of help in their wants too. We the parents try to buy their hearts as we feel guilty that we didn’t spent enough time with them.

When our basic needs are satisfied, we tend to escalate wants into needs. For eg: if we haven’t had a meal for three days because you have no money to buy food, you absolutely know that a food is a need and the latest CD isn’t. But if we get food everyday and never have to think about being hungry, you probably will put great importance on the CD.

To me there’s nothing wrong with buying things we want as long as we do it moderately and keep it to a reasonable limit and keep our spending habits in perspective. Let us think carefully about what we want and need. You will realize that most of the things we say we need are really things that we can live without.

Make a list of everything you think you need at this particular time. Then go over each item and really ask yourself if it’s a need or a want. Chances are you’ll discover the majority of the items on your lists are wants and not needs.