If you’re a small business person and you would like to use the power of email to communicate your sales message to your prospects and customers, here are three keys to doing it the right way and being effective.

The first key to successful small business email advertising is to collect the email addresses of your customers. To do this you must establish systems within the framework of your business. No matter how your staff comes into contact with your customers, they must ask for the email address at the point of contact.

Whether that contact involves working a cash register, by telephone, or in the customer’s home, training your frontline staff to ask for the email address is imperative. You can support their efforts with secondary collection tactics, like web forms and contests, but nothing is more important than well trained personnel.

The second key to effective small business email advertising is using the right tools. For this purpose, nothing beats an online autoresponder. There are other alternatives, like do-it-yourself software located on your pc (too unstable) and a dedicated server (too expensive), but the online autroresponder provides the best combination of cost-effectiveness and features for the small business person.

Autoresponders enable you to essentially “set it and forget it” by providing a platform for email deliverability and list building. By automating much of the email campaign process, an autoresponder can free up your time to do what you are best suited to doing- building your business. You should strongly consider using an online autoresponder for your small business email advertising.

Finally, the third key to effective small business email advertising is consistency. The power of email is that it allows you to maintain regular, laser-targeted contact with your prospects and customers, thereby building a relationship with them. Relationship is the foundation of incremental sales. Your competitors are using email to build relationship with their customers, and trying to do so with YOURS. You absolutely must meet and surpass them, or you will find your customers defecting, and your business growth slowing.

Delivering your message consistently, week-after-week, is a powerful tactic made possible by email. Learn now to make use of this flexible tool for small business email advertising, and you will find yourself at the forefront, with your competitors striving to catch up.

For more on email advertising for small business, try http://www.power-email-marketing.com and find tips, tools, and techniques.

Ben Fesxbe is a small business consultant and marketing professional specializing in email and internet marketing for off-line businesses. His website offers a FREE course on how to use email to market your small business. This text must remain intact for all re-publishing purposes, including all live text links. © 2007 by Ben Fesxbe.

The secret to getting super lean - I’m talking about being RIPPED, not just “average body fat” - is all about mastering the art of “peaking.” Most people do not have a clue about what it takes to reach the type of low body fat levels that reveal to see ripped six-pack abs, muscle striations, vascularity and extreme muscular definition, so they go about it completely the wrong way.

Here’s a case in point: One of my newsletter subscribers recently sent me this question:

“Tom, on your Burn The Fat website, you wrote:

‘Who better to model than bodybuilders and fitness competitors? No athletes in the world get as lean as quickly as bodybuilders and fitness competitors. The transformations they undergo in 12 weeks prior to competition would boggle your mind! Only ultra-endurance athletes come close in terms of low body fat levels, but endurance athletes like triathaletes and marathoners often get lean at the expense of chewing up all their muscle. Some of them are nothing but skin and bone.’

“Tom, there seems to be a contradiction unless I’m missing something. Why do bodybuilders and fitness competitors have to go through a 12 week ‘transformation’ prior to every event instead of staying ‘lean and mean’ all the time? If they practice the secrets exposed in your book, they should be staying in shape all the time instead of having to work at losing fat prior to every competitive event, correct??”

There is a logical explanation for why bodybuilders and other physique athletes (fitness and figure competitors), don’t remain completely ripped all year round, and it’s the very reason they are able to get so ripped on the day of a contest…

You can’t hold a peak forever or it’s not a “peak”, right? What is the definition of a peak? It’s a high point surrounded by two lower points isn’t it?

Therefore, any shape you can stay in all year round is NOT your “peak” condition.

The intelligent approach to nutrition and training (which almost all bodybuilders and fitness/figure competitors use), is to train and diet in a seasonal or cyclical fashion and build up to a peak, then ease off to a maintenance or growth phase.

I am NOT talking about bulking up and getting fat and out of shape every year, then dieting it all off every year. What I’m talking about is going from good shape to great (peak) shape, then easing back off to good shape…. but never getting “out of shape.” Makes a lot of sense, doesn’t it? Here’s an example: I have no intentions whatsoever of walking around 365 days a year at 4% body fat like I appear in the photo on my website. Off-season, when I’m not competing, my body fat is usually between 8 - 10%. Mind you, that’s very lean and still single digit body fat.

I don’t stray too far from competition shape, but I don’t maintain contest shape all the time. It takes me 12-14 weeks or so to gradually drop from 9.5% to 3.5%-4.0% body fat to “peak” for competition with NO loss of lean body mass…using the same techniques I reveal in my e-book. It would be almost impossible to maintain 4% body fat, and even if I could, why would I want to? For the few weeks prior to competition I’m so depleted, ripped, and even “drawn” in the face, that complete strangers walk up and offer to feed me.

Okay, so I’m just kidding about that, but let’s just say being “being ripped to shreds” isn’t a desirable condition to maintain because it takes such a monumental effort to stay there. It’s probably not even healthy to try forcing yourself to hold extreme low body fat. Unless you’re a natural “ectomorph” (skinny, fast metabolism body type), your body will fight you. Not only that, anabolic hormones may drop and sometimes your immune system is affected as well. It’s just not “normal” to walk around all the time with literally no subcutaneous body fat.

Instead of attempting to hold the peak, I cycle back into a less demanding off-season program and avoid creeping beyond 9.9% body fat. Some years I’ve stayed leaner - like 6-7%, (which takes effort), especially when I knew I would be photographed, but I don’t let my body fat go over 10%. This practice isn’t just restricted to bodybuilders. Athletes in all sports use periodization to build themselves up to their best shape for competition. Is a pro football player in the same condition in March-April as he is in August-September? Not a chance. Many show up fat and out of shape (relatively speaking) for training camp, others just need fine tuning, but none are in peak form… that’s why they have training camp!!!

There’s another reason you wouldn’t want to maintain a “ripped to shreds” physique all year round - you’d have to be dieting (calorie restricted) all the time. And this is one of the reasons that 95% of people can’t lose weight and keep it off –they are CHRONIC dieters… always on some type of diet. Know anyone like that?

You can’t stay on restricted low calories indefinitely. Sooner or later your metabolism slows down and you plateau as your body adapts to the chronically lowered food intake. But if you diet for fat loss and push incredibly hard for 3 months, then ease off for a while and eat a little more (healthy food, not “pigging out”), your metabolic rate is re-stimulated. In a few weeks or months, you can return to another fat loss phase and reach an even lower body fat level, until you finally reach the point that’s your happy maintenance level for life - a level that is healthy and realistic - as well as visually appealing.

Bodybuilders have discovered a methodology for losing fat that’s so effective, it puts them in complete control of their body composition. They’ve mastered this area of their lives and will never have to worry about it again. If they ever “slip” and fall off the wagon like all humans do at times … no problem! They know how to get back into shape fast.

Bodybuilders have the tools and knowledge to hold a low body fat all year round (such as 9% for men, or about 15% for women), and then at a whim, to reach a temporary “peak” of extremely low body fat for the purpose of competition. Maybe most important of all, they have the power and control to slowly ease back from peak shape into maintenance, and not balloon up and yo-yo like most conventional dieters!

What if you had the power to stay lean all year round, and then get super lean when summer rolled around, or when you took your vacation to the Caribbean, or when your wedding date was coming up? Wouldn’t you like to be in control of your body like that? Isn’t that the same thing that bodybuilders and fitness/figure competitors do, only on a more practical, real-world level?

So even if you have no competitive aspirations, don’t you agree that there’s something of value everyone could learn from physique athletes? Don’t model yourself after the huge crowd of losers who gobble diet pills, blow their money on exercise gimmicks and suffer through starvation diets like automatons, only to gain back everything they lost! Instead, learn from the leanest athletes on Earth - natural bodybuilders and fitness competitors…

These physique athletes get as ripped as they want to be, exactly when they want to, simply by manipulating their diets in a cyclical fashion between pre-contest “cutting” programs and off season “maintenance” or “muscle growth” programs. Even if you have no desire to ever compete, try this seasonal “peaking” approach yourself and you’ll see that it can work as well for you as it does for elite bodybuilders.

Tom Venuto is a bodybuilder, certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) and a certified personal trainer (CPT). Tom is the author of “Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle,” which teaches you how to get lean without drugs or supplements using secrets of the world’s best bodybuilders and fitness models. Get rid of stubborn fat and increase your metabolism by visiting: http://www.burnthefat.com and http://www.burnthefatinnercircle.com

Today’s unusual economy calls for talented people with industry-specific experience. People who have been recently laid off from their jobs or who are contemplating a job change — take heed. The candidate field is chock-full of talented and experienced people. You need to stand out from the crowd.A client/friend once told me that being “too tall” is not a good thing. Probing further, I realized that he was referring to the size of his department’s budget, not his height. He said a large departmental budget invites unwanted scrutiny when business is slow. Hence, sometimes it’s better to be “small” and not be noticed.

However, a candidate looking for a new job has to be “taller” than the crowd, and, before you can get that way, you have to objectively analyze your own talents, skills and qualities.

Sell your strengths
Once you’ve determined where your strengths lie, you’ve next got to present and sell them to headhunters and potential employers alike. Don’t expect others to do that work for you.

It’s one thing to make an impression on someone. It’s something else entirely to make a lasting impression. A recent documentary on the making of all three “Godfather” films made a telling point on this subject.

Director Francis Ford Coppola recalled how he considered a young, very unknown Robert De Niro for the “Sonny” role. De Niro’s test was shown, fully displaying an electrifying talent that wowed everyone– and yet another actor was hired. Still, Coppola and company remembered De Niro, later using him with glorious results in the sequel, and the rest is history.

The same is true relative to finding a PR job. If you present your personal qualities, professional skills and prior experience in a compelling way, you will be remembered for future opportunities.

So, what puts you at the top of prospective employers’ lists and at the top of headhunters’ minds? Preparation, presentation and the ability to connect with your interviewer are the main skills. It’s not enough to just show up or just make a follow-up phone call. Connecting with someone requires that both individuals relate to each other on some level.

Connecting and relating in an interview requires preparation. Find out all you can about the company with whom you will be interviewing. Research its products, services, customers and history.

And don’t forget the interviewer. Inquire about the person(s) who will be interviewing you. Research their background and experience. Find those elements that will help you bond more effectively. When the interview becomes less of an interview and more of a dialogue, then you are on your way to being chosen for the job at hand or remembered for another job down the road.

If a company specializes in semiconductors and that’s your strong suit, don’t keep it a secret. Another company may have Mideast-based accounts. If you’re fluent in Arabic or Hebrew, make sure that’s on your resume. Don’t leave it to them or recruiters to read between the lines or be clairvoyants. Have the information readily available.

Of course, there will always be those candidates who focus too much on the smoke and not the fire. Don’t be one of them. It’s one thing to be different; it’s another to be remembered for being too quirky. Avoid the temptation of giving gifts or gimmicks when courting a new employer. These don’t work. Sell yourself in a professional manner and skip the idea of becoming the interviewer’s best friend.

Get a critique
If you’re having trouble evaluating your own skills and accomplishments, try bouncing your resume and letter off of a “professional PR” friend. I emphasize professional PR because people who are not intimately involved in our business will notunderstand the nuances of the industry. Therefore, you may get an incorrect assessment of your background and not focus on those strengths that are going to make the all-important lasting impression.

Summary:
1) Identify your own unique professional accomplishments. Concentrate on those qualities and skills that set you apart from the crowd.

2) Sell them in your letter, on your resume and in your personal interviews.

3) Focus on creating a lasting memory of yourself and your marketable talents.

The process of finding a job in a competitive, crowded PR market such as this one, is less about volume and more about target and substance. By targeting those companies, headhunters and industries that fall under the specialization categories that you know best, you increase your chances of landing the right job.

Spring Associates, Inc. is arguably the most imitated search firm in public relations. Dennis Spring created his firm in 1980. In addition to executive search services, the company also handles communications audits, mergers and acquisitions, client/agency reviews and PR agency selection searches.

Spring Associates was the FIRST to compile and publish The Official PR Salary & Bonus Report. Considered by many as the industry standard for accurate and reliable salary, bonus and PR agency hourly billing rates. The Report has been published annually since 1996.
http://www.springassociates.com/PRSalary2/PRSalary2.html

In days past (way past, that is!), it is said that brides wore a veil to conceal her identity from the groom. This was because marriages were often arranged between the fathers of the bride and groom or by a wedding matchmaker, and the bride was delivered to the ceremony hidden by the veil. The groom was not allowed to unveil his bride until the two were husband and wife.

Today, however, the veil carries other significance. In some religions it is worn as a symbol of purity, and when a father lifts the blusher from the bride’s face, he symbolically “gives” his daughter to the groom. Whatever the reason it is worn, the bridal veil completes the bridal ensemble and changes the wedding gown from a beautiful dress to “I’m a bride”. I’ve seen it countless times in my fifteen years of creating wedding gowns — the bride is beautiful in her dress, but something magical happens when she puts on the veil.

As with the wedding gown, the choices of a veil are many. First and foremost, you want the veil that will compliment your wedding gown, not one that overwhelms it (or you). You’ll want to select a veil that is neither too full nor too skimpy, too long nor too short - in other words, one that is flattering to you and your height, weight, and the hairstyle you’ve chosen for the big day.

Sometimes, choosing a veil is the “chicken and egg” problem. Which comes first, the hairstyle or the veil? If you are wearing a family heirloom veil, you’ll choose your hairstyle to compliment the veil. Otherwise, most brides select their hairstyle and then choose the veil (and headpiece).

Whether I am creating a custom gown for a bride or altering her ready-to-wear dress, I always advise them to wait to choose the veil until the dress is nearly complete. It’s very hard to select a veil when you don’t have the gown on to see the compatibility (or lack thereof) between the veil and the gown, your height, hairstyle, etc.

Veils are typically made from bridal illusion or tulle. Bridal illusion is either nylon or silk, and is a fine mesh fabric. Tulle is a slightly thicker, heavier version of mesh. You can also have a veil made from chiffon, georgette or organza, English net, French net, or point d’esprit. Illusion and tulle come in widths from 54″ to 108″ wide, most of the others come either 45″, 54″ or 72″ wide. Most veils look best if they are at least 72″ wide, 108″ makes a full, lush veil, and wider than 108″ is very full. If you are having a veil made, your dressmaker can show you samples or photos of different veils and their fullness. Your veil can have a plain edge (except for fabrics like chiffon, georgette and organza, where the edges need to be hemmed), or the edges can be embellished with pearls, lace, or embroidery.

Veils are usually single or double layers, and I’ve listed below the most common lengths. Note: the measurements given assume wearing the veil at the crown of the head.

Double layer veils can have a short blusher layer and any of the longer lengths described above, or the layers can be closer in length - such as a 24″/28″ combination. Veils are gathered and sewn to either a comb or a barrette. It is wise to keep the veil on a separate comb or barrette from the headpiece so that the veil can be removed during the reception. If you don’t remove the veil, your head will be pulled from side to side as people hug you, and they can become hazardous on the dance floor!

Your choice of veil length is determined by your height, the style of your wedding gown (formal or informal, garden wedding or formal church service), your groom’s height (the veil will add a few inches to your overall visual height) and how elaborate the back of your gown is. For example, if your gown has embroidery or beading, or an interesting lace up corset, or other embellishment, you wouldn’t want to cover it up with a double layer, 108″ very full veil!

Whether to trim the veil or leave the edges plain is another decision you must make. Again, how elaborate or plain your wedding gown is will help you make this choice. If your gown has very little embellishment on it, you could get a veil with plenty of interest on its edging such as lace or embroidery. If your gown is very elaborate with embroidery, beading, etc. you may want to keep the veil simple so it doesn’t compete with the dress. See why it’s so important to have the gown on when picking your veil?

One last note. An increasing number of brides tell me they don’t plan to wear a veil, they just will wear flowers in their hair or a simple headpiece. If you feel strongly about that, fine. But give the veil a chance and try some on. It really does complete the outfit and turns you from a beautiful woman wearing a special dress into a bride.

Susan Andriks has been sewing her own wardrobe for over 35 years. She’s been designing and creating one-of-a-kind wedding gowns for the past 16 years and is the author of Bridal Gowns: How to Make the Wedding Dress of Your Dreams (© 2000, Palmer & Pletsch). In addition to creating one-of-a-kind wedding gowns, Susan teaches sewing classes and writes articles about sewing and sewing-related topics. You can see Susan’s designs at her website, http://www.thefabricsmith.com.

What would your life be like of you only worked 4 hours a day, four days a week and could adjust your schedule to fit around your day? Oh, and by the way, add about 8 vacations a year to that schedule, to places like Cancun, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Australia, and South Africa. Most people work a minimum of 50 hours a week and may get 2 weeks out of a year for vacation. You might as well give your life away.

Back in the day when I had a job, I would wake up at 5 or 6 am depending on where I had to go. I would be gone all day long, out of town, and would return close to 6 or 7 pm. So did I get anything accomplished? Sure I did! I downed a whopper, large fries, and large drink. I made my boss a ton of cash and got paid just enough to provide a roof over my families head and food on the table. The thing that really gets to me is that I chose to be there. I placed myself in that situation and gave my life away to another person. I was a modern day slave. Working for peanuts and was sacrificing my time, my freedom, and my ultimate potential.

Now, as an entrepreneur, I do work around 4 hours a day, 4 days a week, and make a ton of money doing it. I have had so many memories that are so special to me that I would have missed out on if I had remained on the path I was headed down. Something that may seem small to you but is sweet to me is the sight of the wet footprints of my kids going down the hallway after their bath. I love waking up in the morning to my kids jumping on the bed. Every morning I have breakfast, at our kitchen table with my family, every day of the week, unless is just happens to be breakfast in Cancun. Gee, wouldn’t that be a bummer.

And you know what, I chose this for myself. I created this! This is how I pictured my life and I am living it to the fullest. I have myself to thank for that for making a simple choice, as well as the business I am involved in. This business creates millionaires and allows you to truly live the life of your dreams. I am a living, walking testimony of that.

I am David Allred and I have created my home business, and I will teach you how to obtain the lifestyle of prosperity and abundance you are seeking. If you are looking for a vehicle, I will teach you a home based business that can and will transform your life.

Henna doesn’t cover gray: It’s written on the product box, and it’s part of hair-coloring culture. But times have changed. And it’s no longer a choice between going gray or using commercial hair dye.

There are two ways to cover gray with henna.

1. Henna kits that are made specifically for gray hair.

2. Using pure, powdered henna in a whole new way.

Henna Kits for Gray

Most henna kits for gray are 2-step processes. Your hair is first coated with a natural, non-toxic preparatory mixture. This helps the gray hair become more receptive to the henna.

There are also pre-mixed cream hennas on the market which will cover gray. Most, however, take 2 or 3 applications before the gray is covered completely. Some products, like Surya Henna Cream, are easier, 1-step processes which claim to cover gray on the first application.

Henna, as you probably know, coats the hair. It doesn’t open or rough up the hair shaft like most commercial dyes do. And because gray hair tends to be coarser and slicker than pigmented hair, henna has a tendency to slip off the gray. That’s why henna is categorized as a semi-permanent hair color. Even the best henna application washes out a little with each shampoo. And that’s why most boxes of 1-step, powdered henna will warn against using it on gray hair.

Pure Powdered Henna

Most henna users are already familiar with this green powder. It comes in a plastic bag (some buy in bulk), and it’s made from leaves of the Lawsonia tree. To create different colors, other natural ingredients are added, like walnut or clove.

If you’re gray and you want to use pure henna, you can. It’s a long process, but it worked for me and I’ll never go back to anything else. Light Mountain Henna is good as are many other brands.

Before Beginning

Do a strand test. If you have your hair cut, save a curl to use for the strand test. Otherwise, cut a small bit of hair from underneath or in the back so the cut doesn’t show. Hold the hair swatch together with a rubberband, and go through the entire coloring process with this strand. This is important because it’s the only way to calculate the leave-in time. Unlike commercial hair dyes, henna varies wildly in how long you’ll want to leave it on to achieve your desired color. Timing for coloring gray hair can be from 2 to 6 hours.

Another reason for the strand test: to make sure that the final color is what you want. Henna on gray hair will come out lighter than henna on pigmented hair. Henna on blond hair is unpredictable. The strand test will let you know.

A note on purchasing henna. Read the ingredients carefully before you buy. Make sure there is nothing in the list you don’t understand. Any hair color containing PPD (p-Phenylenediamine, sometimes labeled as Paradiaminobenzene, Para-aminoaniline, p-aminoaniline, Paradiaminobenzene or PPDA) is off-limits for health and safety reasons. However, most hennas you find in a reputable health food store will be pure and safe. Hennas purchased over the Internet usually list their ingredients, and I encourage you to read them.

Ready, Set, Go

• The first step is to apply a line of emollient on your forehead. This will prevent the henna from staining your face.
• Next, mix a brown-based powdered henna in a non-metallic bowl, with just-boiled water. Add a couple of pre-beaten eggs if you like, to help keep the mixture sticky. Slowly add more hot water until the mixture is a smooth, thick paste.
• Apply to dry, clean hair, free of styling products, conditioners, spray, or moisturizers. This is a key.
• Apply to roots first, as you would with commercial hair dye, but use more product - at least a golf-ball sized dollop of paste each time you part your hair and apply it. Every hair strand must be completely coated with the henna. Use the plastic gloves that are included in the package, and apply with your hands to get the most coverage. Continue to part your hair in 1/4-inch rows, rubbing the henna into the hair, until all the gray is covered.
• Yes, the henna will stain the scalp - but it’s non-toxic, and will wash off the scalp itself (not the hair) in a shampoo or two.
• After the gray is covered with the paste, apply the remaining henna to the rest of your hair if desired.
• Cover your head with a plastic cap, and cover the cap with a towel.
• Once an hour (or less, if you have a short leave-in time), take off the towel and plastic cap and spritz the henna pack lightly with water. Put the cap back on and manually (but gently) rub the hair to coax the moisture all the way through to the scalp and to make sure each hair strand stays covered with henna. Reapply the towel.
• You may want to bake the color in even more, by using a heating cap or hooded hair dryer for 10 minutes each hour.
• When the time is up, rinse the henna from your hair in warm (not hot) water. Your hair may be very tangled: that’s normal for now. So be gentle - don’t rub or tug. Apply a small amount of mild conditioner, like Jason’s or Aveda Color Conserve, and rinse it out after about 30 seconds. Do not use shampoo at this point.

How to Keep Your Henna from Fading

Wait at least 2 days before your first shampoo. After that, if you can shampoo every other day instead of every day, that will preserve your new color better. Be sure to use a color-safe shampoo. Some brands to try are Pureology, Aveda, Jason, Arbonne, and Aquage, among many others.

For more brand names, color illustrations and details, check out the articles on natural hair coloring at My Makeup Mirror.

Note: I would not recommend too many styling products. So many of them strip color. But if you have a leave-in conditioner that you know won’t take the henna out with it at your next shampoo, go ahead and use it to untangle your hair and protect it from styling heat.

Your new hair color should be gorgeous, shiny, and healthy. Because the henna coats the hair, it makes the hair look thicker. And best of all, you’ve colored your gray without harming yourself or the environment.

Suzann writes for the website My Makeup Mirror [http://www.MyMakeupMirror.com] - a potpourri of articles, product reviews, and how-to’s on hair, cosmetics, and well-being.

It is now more and more common to find these types of actual results among individuals who have figured out what it takes to make significant money on the internet. Do these sounding familiar to you? :

“In just three years, I went from being a bartender to making a six figure annual income with my direct sales company”.

“After just three months of using the internet, I am now making an additional $2,000 per month”.

The internet is revolutionizing the way marketing is done. The potential for smart individuals who learn to take advantage of it is unlimited. They are making a fortune in just a fraction of the time.

So, this begs the obvious question? How do they do it? Most importantly, how can YOU do it and duplicate some of their results? It comes down to two simple things.

Firstly, they work smarter, not harder. Their time is leveraged in everything that they do. Secondly, they positioned their business in front of the two most powerful trends: a) a business allowing you to work from home, and b) Internet trends.

The way of the future, to make significant money, is in a home-based business that uses the internet in some way, shape or form. People are increasingly becoming aware of this and want to simply plug into a system that already works in addition to aligning themselves with someone who has achieved even a fraction of the success that they dream of having. By learning how to capture the attention of this population and sharing with them how your business offers what they desire, you can catapult them to the lifestyle they have only been reading about and, subsequently, can finally create the residual income you desire.

How, then, do you get the results that these “gurus” are getting?

Herein lies the issue. VERY FEW are sharing how to truly build successful organizations. They are simply too busy utilizing their various methods and resources that they don’t have the time, or even want to make the time, to share their most closely guarded secrets with the masses. Why invite a significant amount of competition?

So, then how are you supposed to figure out what works? How are you supposed to figure out what does NOT work before trying it so you do not waste time and too much money on these options. Everyone seems to have the latest and greatest down line scheme or lead source or one up two up system, etc. Many of these “methods” are colossal wastes of time and suck up your marketing budget leading to discouragement and failure.

About 95% of internet marketers try something to see if it works resulting in just the same old trial and error. The major issue is that, the majority of the time, what you try fails and you haven’t a clue as to why. You fail to notice that if you incorporated just one small change into your marketing efforts, you could have had a major success on your hands, for example. Don’t risk your success and future of your business on guessing, hoping, and blind faith.

Are you, then, ready to find out exactly what to do and how to do it from people who have achieved the results that you seek? Do you want them to show you how to successfully market your businesses through the power known as the internet?

How can you stand out from everyone else and compete with the masses of people who have the same dreams and desires of achieving some sort of financial independence that you do? The simple answer to this is that you don’t. You do the exact opposite of everyone else and discover how simple it can be to use the internet to build organizations! You just need the system and know how to make this work for you.

You have a business or are looking for a business to make money, not spend loads of it on marketing techniques that are dated or simply a waste of time. Wouldn’t you like to know what DOES work BEFORE trying it?

To discover what I do, visit the links below and feel free to contact me for further information.

Mark Carson is a network marketer utilizing the http://www.profitwildfire.com/mcarson marketing system.

You can reach Mark at mark@markcarson.ws, and his business system at http://www.oneyearplan.net/mcarson

Confused about sales and use taxes? Did you know that the Board of Equalization offers free classes in San Marcos, California, to help you learn about sales and use tax return preparation?

Live, Instructor Led Courses in San Marcos, California

Two courses are offered. One is called the Basic Sales and Use Tax Seminar. This is a live, instructor led course, and it’s designed to cover the following topics:

• Preparation of a sales and use tax return

• Supporting and reporting sales exempt from sales and use tax
• Using a resale certificate
• Determining the difference between taxable labor, and non-taxable labor
• How to maintain adaquate records

Courses are offered once a month and are in English. About two hours long, they are usually on Wednesday evenings at 6pm.

The second course offered is called the Sales and Use Tax Return Preparation Class. This is also a live, instructor led course. In this class, the instructor assists the participants in preparing a sales and use tax return. In fact, participants are encouraged to bring their own sales and use tax return, along with any supporting documentation. This course is offered several times per quarter. It lasts about one hour, is in English, and is usually on a weekday at either 10am or 2pm.

The San Marcos courses are offered at this location:

San Marcos Branch Office
334 Via Vera Cruz, Suite 107
San Marcos, CA 92078-2637

Call the San Marcos Branch Office for more information: (760) 510-5850

Not near San Marcos, California?

The Board of Equalization offers these same classes throughout the state. To search for a class near you, click here to access the online database of all classes offered.

Online Course Offered

In addition to the live, instructor led courses, the Board of Equalization also offers an Online Tutorial for Sales and Use Tax. The course is designed to illustrate some commonly encountered tax concepts. It consists of six lessons:

1. Common Definitions
2. General Information
3. Exemptions and Deductions
4. Sample Sales and Use Tax Return
5. E-Filing
6. Services Available

Quiz Questions are given, as well as the solution to the Sales and Use Tax Return. This is a very quick moving, pdf based course, with active hyperlinks throughout to make navigation quite easy. Click below to access the course:

Online Tutorial for Sales and Use Tax

About the Author: Jennifer A. Thieme is a Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor who loves to write about accounting, tax, and QuickBooks issues. She brings unique insight, clear instructions, and over ten years of experience to all of her business articles. Owner of Solid Rock Accounting Services, Jennifer’s clients enjoy these same benefits on a personal and regular basis. You can too - visit http://www.jenniferthieme.com and contact Jennifer today.

My father often speaks of a senior management supervisor whose plaque above his door stated “the only authority here is the facts”. In almost every area of life, the facts are the bottom line to determining many things. When making major decisions, the facts are always important. Sometimes, the only way to determine which direction to take is too objectively look at the facts. In all cases and situations, the first, and most important thing to do is to find out the facts.

After finding out the facts, one must than apply or incorporate the facts to the situation or circumstances. You must know how to use the facts to bring out the truth of matter. Some might say, the facts will shine a bright light into thick clouds of darkness which often will reveal a worker of evil or more to the point, a lying wonder.

If you do not have the facts, in some cases, you will be in for a fight. There are some people that will distort the facts for the expressed purpose of exploitation. It is best not to make any statement until you have thoroughly looked at and examined the facts. In some cases, the supervisor is a walking target for some personnel; they live for the expressed purpose of the distorting the facts for their predetermined purposes. It is your responsibility to be committed to the facts only, not opinions.

You must pay attention to the facts, no matter what you walk of life you are in. Facts are apart of our life they must be recognized, and the best way to do that is to pay attention. When you begin to become conscience to the facts, you will think in terms remembering things that may prove to be important. This mindset will become more exercised as you think more consciously about the facts. At all cost, pay attention to the facts.

The most important thing about facts is learning to use them properly. Facts can be used to bring peace of mind, security and protection. When you know the fact for yourself you will be lest afraid of certain situations, simply because you know the truth of the matter. When you deal in the reality of facts, you will have peace of mind because you will know what the truth is.

For all of us, facts are a necessary, meaningful and essential part of life. We must know all the facts in order to deal with some of the truly devious and devilish people walking planet earth today. The scriptures states, in part, that man would wax worst and worst. Learn to know what you know for yourself, and my all means be certain.

The facts are the facts, and the facts are a key to a greater living experience; learn to live by the facts.

I retired from United States Navy in 2003, after serving over 21 years of enlisted active duty onboard several different ships and a few shore assignments. I am married. My wife and I have two daughters. We have two dogs, Chow Chow’s, to be exact. I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Liberal Arts (Focus area Psychology) from Excelsior College class 2004. http://belwrites.com

The age-old “branding” discussions always comes back to haunt us, don’t they? Surely, you would have encountered this argument countless times as you argue with clients about creating new brand campaigns. The clients’ view “I have a strong, reputable brand. This new product will sell really well based on my trusted brand.”

Usually, when such discussions arise, it is because of the lack of understanding, or even misunderstanding of what a brand really is. Some people think that the product is the brand. Others believe that it is the “persona” of the brand that becomes the brand. Yet others argue that a brand is nothing more than the corporate vision or promise made tangible.

Surprisingly, all the above are correct! Here lies the crux of it all. Marketers would do well to remember this before they get caught up in any such arguments. The key to it all is to understand this:

“A BRAND is what you make it to be.”

Think about this for a moment. Then jump back into that argument with your client. If your entire advertising, PR and promotions campaign has been geared towards selling a PRODUCT, what then does your brand represent? I would hazard a guess and say that at the end, when the advertising “dust” settles, what consumers will be left with would be a vivid memory of your wonderful product. It could be that gloriously luxurious LUX soap, or maybe even that oh, so satisfying “real thing”; but it would be the product.

On the other hand, if your entire marketing campaign has been focused on your “brand persona”, if all you have been doing were “lifestyle” advertising, PR coverage on relevant social tid-bits, promotions that are cool, or hip, or whatever; your brand represents the persona more than the product.

I believe by now, you know where I am coming from. Now to answer that question: “Can You Leverage Your Famous Brand To Launch New Products?”

It does get easier to answer that question now, doesn’t it?

If your brand has been so totally product focused, if your brand is your product, then the very simple (maybe too simplistic) answer would be “No!”.

If your brand has been focused on the “persona”, then the answer would be more ambiguous. If the new product is congruous with your persona, then its a definite “Yes!”. If not, then it has to be explored whether or not that persona can be extended.

Companies spend years and millions of dollars to build their brand. Sometimes, they do it so well that they are trapped by its very success. To “Xerox” the document, to get a “Polariod” and to get some “Coke”. That photocopier could be a Minolta, a Canon, a Brother, or whatever; it matters not. That “Coke” could just be any cola if the “real thing” is not available. Great. Problem here is these companies will find it very difficult to launch a new product if it is not exactly the same product!

Some companies think that their marketing agency is trying to rip them off by proposing a whole new brand and an entirely separate marketing campaign for new products. What many of them do not understand is, their “strong” brand might actually be the ball-and-chain and not the mighty rocket for their new product.

Then again, some marketing agencies do try to pull a fast one by proliferating multiple brands based on the simplistic arguments about “segmentation” and “target markets”.

So, the answer to the question, can only be, “I have absolutely no idea, what new product are you talking about?”

Find out more from Calvin Warr, who has accumulated many years in international product marketing and product management for major multi-national companies. He has worked in and with advertising, marketing and events management agencies. He is a contributor at Marketing Agency Talk an industry insider forum and blog.