The shortage of skilled IT workers is not like global warming. We are certain the worker shortage is real, and we are definitely feeling its effects now.

Heavy users of technology tend to focus on how the worker shortage is affecting them most directly; that is, their present inability to fill open technical positions. Perhaps less obvious is the impact the IT worker shortage has on organizations’ use of outside vendors and consultants for their projects. Vendors and consultants are also finding it difficult to hire the talent they need, which is limiting their engagement capacity and growth opportunities.

Tips for technology buyers in a tight supplier market

If you are about to undertake a project that will rely heavily on an outside vendor or consultant (from this point I refer to both simply as “vendor”), consider the following tips and suggestions.

RFI/RFP Process. When you are ready to source any new project, think carefully about your RFI/ RFP process. In a tight market, vendors have less time for everything, including time for responding to RFIs and RFPs. Your goal is to get the attention of a number of qualified vendors, and now more than ever, you need to be creative in your approach.

The one-size-fits-all RFI (you tell a vendor very little about your project, but ask the vendor to tell you everything about itself and its products and services) is not an option. You need an RFI that is very specific and tailored to your current project. All-encompassing, fifty-page RFP documents are also not an option (except for agencies of state that must follow a statutory procurement process). Chances are that many good (busy) vendors, the very vendors you want to attract to your project, will not have the time to review and respond to an old-fashioned, one-shot, cover-the-world RFP.

As a continuation of a trend that started well before the current tight supplier market, you should try to break your RFI/RFP process down into smaller chunks that are more easily digestible by your vendor candidates. By “layering” your RFI/RFP process, you will win a first response and subsequent responses from a greater number of vendor candidates. Think of your RFIs and RFPs as living documents, subject to later amendment and supplement, and declare them as such to your vendor candidates. A layered approach maximizes vendor response rates and saves you and your vendor candidates precious time. You request the most detailed information only from the most qualified vendor candidates, and only the most qualified candidates have to prepare more detail.

Give prospective vendors a meaningful document, but one to which they can respond in a reasonable amount of time. Strike a balance between sufficient relevant content and the length of your document. Load up the most relevant information about your project and your needs in the first two or three pages, and save all the procurement boilerplate for later in your document or in a separate attachment (or better still, leave this clutter out of your document altogether and cite vendors to some private web pages containing this content). Limit the number of “exercises” a vendor must complete in order to respond; for example, self-scoring of base functionality for software. You may want this and other detailed information at some point, but be prepared to get it over time from select candidates instead of all at once from all candidates.

Pricing. If you are negotiating with a vendor for a new project, now is not the time to squeeze excessively on product price or a rate card. In many market segments, vendors are turning away work because they do not have the resources necessary to complete it. After a number of years of operating in recession mode, vendors are looking for higher margins, and they are getting them. They are in the enviable position of being able to choose which engagements they will undertake, and margin is one of their prime considerations. You could very easily, and perhaps unwittingly, ruin a deal with your preferred vendor because your costing expectations are more aligned with the recession period than the current market.

Different focus. If you accept that you do not have much pricing leverage in today’s market, try to negotiate into your deal things that provide value to you but do not diminish your vendor’s margins. The fact that your vendor cannot or will not budge much on pricing may mean that it will be more flexible on terms and conditions. Insist on more and better fee holdbacks, software buyback options, creative testing and acceptance models, penalties for milestone delays, etc. Whatever makes sense for your particular project. Simply put, if you are going to pay a premium price for your project, ask your vendor to put more skin in the game. Again, knowing that it has not offered you any real pricing breaks, your provider may put up less resistance to the buyer-side protections and vendor management tools you seek. Although these elements do not directly decrease your project spend, they may be valuable in terms of keeping your project on track, and they may be invaluable should your project run into trouble.

Bundling. If you are about to hire a vendor for a new project, and there is a chance you will need additional products or services from the vendor in the future, by all means, tell the vendor during the sourcing phase for your current project. The prospect of additional revenue for your vendor might allow you to obtain more favorable pricing for your current project, lock in a rate card and discounted product pricing for your next project, or both. You do not have to commit now to using this vendor for your next project, and you can reserve the right to renegotiate the rate card and product pricing for your next project (you are creating price ceilings, not price floors). When bundling is done properly, you have everything to gain, and nothing to lose.

Resources. It is fair to ask a vendor candidate whether it has the resources available presently to deliver your project on time and within budget (both are often a function of resource allocation). What is the vendor’s present utilization rate? Will additional resources be released from another project in the near future? What resources will be dedicated to your project and for how long? If you get some uneasy answers to these questions, think about using another vendor. If you want to work with a particular vendor and your project is not mission critical, think about delaying your project.

The A-Team. We have all witnessed the situation where a project seems to move forward at a good pace when the vendor’s A-Team is on site, but things bog down when it is not on site. If you have identified your chosen vendor’s A-Team through referrals, demos, test or use cases, or by whatever means, be sure to ask your vendor how much time the team will devote to your project. A vendor’s A-Team is its most valuable corporate asset, but it can be your most valuable project asset as well. It is not unreasonable to ask a vendor for presence of its A-Team at the launch of your project, for some stated period thereafter, and at other important times; for example, during unit testing or the commencement of a new project phase, and certainly during implementation. The promise of off-site monitoring and intervention by the A-Team is not as good as on-site presence. Unless you set expectations and get agreement from your vendor in advance, you may see very little of the vendor’s A-Team during these times of high demand and short talent supply.

Fixed cost projects. Given current market conditions, think twice about fixed-fee arrangements. Depending on how your project goes, your vendor might smell the aroma of higher margins down the street and move good consultants off your fixed-fee project. In a fixed-fee arrangement, a vendor will typically require more project control, including control over its resource deployment. The vendor’s A-Team may show up to start your project, and its B-Team may do the heavy lifting (as is usually the case). But if your project runs into trouble, or your vendor’s margin is otherwise being threatened, you may find the vendor’s C-Team showing up, then the D-Team, and then a subcontractor. You want a finished project, not a languishing project. This scenario happens with fixed-fee projects in all market conditions, but it may be more prevalent in a tight supplier market.

Outsourcing. Offshore outsourcing of all or a portion of your project might be a temptation during the current tight market given traditional vendors’ lack of capacity and the current pricing they command. However, in addition to all the other negatives associated with offshore outsourcing, consider that the current tight market might make it more difficult for you to obtain prompt domestic assistance, or additional domestic assistance, should your outsourced project go south.

Build versus buy. Consider buying an OTS solution instead of a custom build. Further, for any OTS purchase, consider changing your business rules and requirements to match the OTS functionality (to the fullest extent possible), as opposed to customizing the OTS solution to match your existing business rules and requirements. Both strategies can reduce your project expense in this tight market, and they will certainly reduce your project risk.

© 2008 All rights reserved. Nuckles Law Firm

Tim Nuckles is a Wisconsin technology attorney whose practice is dedicated to technology transactions and the workout of troubled technology projects. You may visit the firm’s web site at http://www.nuckleslaw.com

Timothy Nuckes is a Wisconsin attorney whose practice is dedicated to technology matters. You may visit the firm’s web site at http://www.nuckleslaw.com

This System Is Not A Joke And Should Be A Tool Every Network Marketer Must Have In Their Internet Network Marketing Tool Box. I have used most of the lead generation funded proposal systems out their. The PPS is by far the most effective out their. Let’s talk about what a funded proposal is. It’s a system that puts you in a position to generate the highest quality prospects that are exclusive to you and at the same time, those prospects will pay for themselves. It’s a super charged lead generation system that will build your own list of red-hot prospects. Their are many systems like this on the Internet. However none of them put the user in the spot light. The first lesson of marketing is to market yourself and not your primary company or anyone else. Other funded proposal systems are really branding the creator of the system every time you go out and promote it. The more you brand another individual, the more people will see them as the expert and not you. They will then seek them out for mentorship.

Power prospecting system and its components brand the user of the system in every way. In other words, this puts the user in a position as the expert. When you put yourself in that position then people will want to contact you. The whole point of a funded proposal system is to help offset your marketing cost, build a marketing budget, provide the highest quality of marketing and training and at the same time build your own customer list. Building your own customer list of targeted prospects that know you as the expert is the most important activity all network marketers should focus on. My question is this. Would it make sense to use all your time money and effort to brand someone else, and have them be seen as the expert so people seek them out or does it make sense to put yourself in that position. You be the judge!

Visit The Web Recourses Below And Learn More.

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If you could do one thing to improve, your chances on securing a new position would you - of course, you would! Good news - creating an award winning cover letter could make all the difference in being successful in your quest for a new job or not. While it might not seem like much, this simple, one-page letter matters!

A common mistake made by job seekers is while spending adequate time on the resume, they quickly and thoughtlessly throwing together the cover letter. This one-page is your first introduction to a potential employer so you want to do everything possible to make it count. Before your resume is even reviewed, the employer will read your cover letter. By writing something compelling, you will capture the interest of the employer, thus giving you an increased opportunity.

Keep in mind that while all cover letters should be one-page in length; the content varies depending on the type of job you are seeking, as well as your specific qualifications. Therefore, it is imperative that you choose your formatting and wording carefully. To help you get started, we have provided two samples of cover letters that will get your resume noticed!

Cover Letter Sample - One

Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name of Contact

With more than 20 years experience in senior management for large and international companies, I offer well-honed qualifications as a visionary and motivator of strategies that have delivered gains in profit and market share, thus exceeding company objectives.

As an expert with proven cross-functional qualifications that span operations and marketing, I feel confident that I would be an asset to your organization. I am currently exploring new opportunities that will allow me to use my dynamic experience and skills for future growth of the company.

Attached you will find my resume, which captures my background, qualifications, and education, showcasing my value. Over the years, I have been faced with a number of professional challenges, meeting each head on with positive attitude, anticipation, and direction, resulting in execution of the appropriate solution.

I am currently in a position for relocation both within the United States and internationally. I look forward to meeting with you to discuss opportunities further. Thank you in advance for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
Susan Jones

Cover Letter Sample - Two

Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name of Contact

I am writing to express an interest in joining (company name) in the position of (position).

As you will see from the attached resume, my background and qualifications are distinct to your industry. During the past 20 years, I have positioned myself within companies to learn and become more successful. Although I have gained tremendous knowledge and have found my position rewarding, I am now looking for a new opportunity, one where my skills can be utilized to their fullest while allowing me the chance to grow and improve the company’s bottom line.

I am confident that I bring to the table qualifications suited for the position within your organization, some of which I have outlined below:

Open Position,-Proven Management Experience.-
My Qualifications. Accomplished in delivering finished projects on time, within scope, and below budget

Problem Solving/Motivation. Direct involvement, taking a creative approach to think outside the box. Strong leadership ability and team motivation through meetings, awards, and team-building challenges

Sound Business Decisions. Strong negotiation using managerial strategies, as well as developing, budgeting, and logistics

The qualifications outlined above are just a few strengths I can offer, with the remainder listed in the attached resume. These combined with my dedication, enthusiasm, and desire to make a difference are what set me apart from other candidates.

Thank you so much for your time and I look forward to meeting in person to discuss this opportunity further.

Sincerely,
Susan Jones

“In Just 10 Minutes Flat, You Can Quickly And Easily Crank Out An Amazing Resume That Is Guaranteed To Have Your Telephone Ring Off The Hook With Hot Job Interviews And Top Job Offers…” www.Amazing-Resumes.com

Introduction:

Ask anyone who is into Ska music and most shall stare back blankly - it is a question regarding the America of the 1950s when American pop was the most influential entity on the bands worldwide. Thanks to the powerful, American radio stations without which the music wouldn’t have waded past the waves of the Caribbean.

The Ska Spawning:

So it is Jamaica that we shall now be concentrating upon. With the changing economy, the natives of Jamaica could no more be satisfied with the traditional Jamaican music; what they wanted at this point of time was what that blared out of the radios’ speakers. Call it adulteration or a corruption, but there’s no denying the fact that it laid the seeds for shaping the Ska that we hear today, but how many of us really know that where all these got started? To know that, we must dig up the annals of history to find out what was going on in the 1920’s and 30’s regarding the local Jamaican band scene.

Mento - The mentor of Ska

This rural music form dominated the compositions of the local bands during that era; from wedding ceremonies to concerts and house parties, Mento had been the omnipresent factor. But the ’30s heralded the decline of Mento that slowly transformed to Ska over a twenty-year timeline. So, by the late 1950’s, all that existed out of the authentic Mento were the token numbers, but nevertheless, the application of the Mento craft was something they couldn’t shun away completely. Instead, a balance was achieved and the Jamaican mobile Disco became the pivot of all the DJs who traveled all over the island of Jamaica. The sound was distinctly an American one, the perfect food for all the souls who were hungry for knowing things that were coming out of America. The chief influences were no doubt the then-contemporary bands - ranging from Fats Domino, Louie Jordan to even Ray Charles. Tom the Great Sebastian, V Rocket and Sir Coxsone’s Downbeat created the most dazzling examples in this regard.

From Rock to Riches

Things were not stagnant in America though; it was Rock-n-Roll that was outperforming the once Kings - R&B and Jazz. But Jamaicans could not identify themselves with Rock-n-Roll; neither could they dance to its steps. What proved worse was the scarcity of good, new R’nB and Jazz records in Jamaica as well as a diminishing number of quality Mento musicians. But Mento survived among a niche crowd, despite all the adversities.

The Metamorphosis

The other music form that co-existed was Calypso, a genre in which the entire world was interested. This was an opportunity a few of the record producers (the most notable being Ken Kouri, Stanley Motta, and Chin) grabbed; they gave the Mento musicians a chance. More and more LP records thus saw the daylights and today’s Jamaican music industry took birth, turning Mento into an international entity. It produced the conflict between big band jazz and Mento; between the upper and the lower class, musically. And just like too much of heat fuse disintegrable elements, Ska, a fusion style, was born.

SKAnning the form:

RnB melodies and a distinct, Jamaican Mento folk rhythm - this is what that defines the Ska as we know it today. Characterized by the influence of blues and swing jazz (the drums) in the second and fourth beats prove the American influence, followed by the guitar that carries the Mento sound. This lays the basic blueprint of Ska.

Ska and its influence

It goes without saying that Jamaicans latched on to Ska faster than a pregnant teen to her boyfriend. After all, it was Jamaica’s first indigenous and original sound, brought into shape by such talents like Rolond Alphonso (tenor sax), Rico Rodriguez (trombone), Lloyd Knibbs (drums), Jerry Haynes (guitar) and Dizzy Moore (trumpet), Lloyd Brevett (bass) and Aubrey Adams (keyboards). Singers like Laurel Aiken and Clancy Eccles also contributed generously to the genre.

The Aftermath

What we get to hear today is the Third Wave of Ska, incorporating equally the classic 1960’s sound along with Latin, Hard-Core, House, Rave, Funk and also, up to a certain extent alternative rock. And those who claim Ska dies during the 1980-s, would they be generous enough to SKAvenge its remains to prove the same?

Shilin Yin
Founder, Share user-uploaded original music and discover raw talents and Advertise freelance programmers, software developers, and babysitters.
Shilin Yin has an MBA in international business from California State University, Dominguez Hills, a Master of Music in piano pedagogy from Temple University in Philadelphia, and a Bachelor of Music in piano performance from Converse College in South Carolina.

INTRODUCTION:

In the early 1980s, my wife and I became involved in a home business and have pursed additional streams of income via a number of home businesses ever since. Some were network marketing organizations as well as other home-based businesses including newspaper and Internet advertising. We prepared packaged and mailed newsletters, information and sample packets and fliers. In all these years, I studied and tried out many ways to track and record expenses and income as well as becoming familiar with the necessary forms required for filing income tax returns. During this period, I also added a Masters of Business Administration degree to my engineering degrees. Part of this Masters’ course included two accounting courses.

The home business entrepreneur will also want to track income, cash flow and may even want to develop a balance sheet that keeps track of the assets and liabilities associated with the business. Forms and processes for these accounting aspects are beyond the scope of this article. I do provide an example of Capital Items Depreciation tracking form that I use in our home business.
I want to make it clear from the outset that I am not a professional tax consultant; however, I have thirty-plus years in corporate management and retired as a Senior Consultant from a world-class consulting company. I have applied the skills acquired during these business experiences in our home businesses. My goal in this publication is to share some insights and actual practical processes that will make your home business more effective, especially in the area of tracking and reporting expenses.

Some might think that they don’t need to spend any time tracking their home business expenses since at the end of the year they take the shoe box stuffed with business receipts to their accountant and let him/her figure it all out. This is certainly a possible approach to record keeping; however, if you pay your accountant by the hour or even by the job, it is quite possible that your accounting costs may be considerably less if you use the simple and effective system described below. Also, you might even have a happier accountant!

This is the first of two articles and it addresses Preparation. The next article s will discuss the Implementation tools and strategies that I use. It is certainly important that one takes the necessary actions to prepare, and after adequate preparation, move forward with actual implementation. I will also provide examples of the actual forms that I use so you can see how they will work for your home business. Let’s get started so you can learn how to “File it in a Plastic Bag!”

PREPARATION:

LEGAL STATUS OF YOUR BUSINESS:

There are many publications available on the Internet and in your local library that can help you to decide what legal form (entity) you would want to take for your home business. Our home business was treated as a “Sole Proprietorship” for years, but in 1996, we decided to have our business entity operate as an “S Corporation”. Some “experts” have suggested that when a home business achieves $1000 per month in income, it is time to address the legal status of one’s business.

The main reason we chose to incorporate was for my wife to become an employee of the corporation. Her salary would become an expense of the company and her Social Security deductions would be shared equally with our corporation. The downside of having our small home business operate as an S corporation is the filing of additional federal and state income tax forms and payments. The annual income from an S corporation is reported along with other personal income on the Federal 1040 form, and this additive income (or loss) is also reflected on State income tax forms.

If one wanted to incorporate, it is very easy to do this with reputable on-line companies such as www.legalzoom.com. The www.irs.gov website has a list of commonly filed income tax forms, and you can find similar lists for your state forms.

TRACKING EXPENSES:

For years, I tried various ways of tracking the expenses associated with running our home business. First of all, I had to better understand legitimate reportable business expenses. Then I reviewed our own business expenses and investigated tracking methods and forms that would apply to a home business. Then, once I better understood these expenses, I searched for the “perfect” tool for posting and tracking business expenses. I found that for our small home business, expensive income & expense tracking software programs didn’t add much value to the enterprise. Others might argue that a software program is the only way to operate and I say to them, “Go for it, and use what works the best for you!” With this in mind, I am in no position to recommend any small business software to be used for your home business. I AM in position to provide you copies of the paper forms and description of the procedures that I use to easily keep track of our expenses and tax filings. These worksheets are in such a format that I can easily transfer information from them to income tax forms. (I download Federal and State income tax forms in the Adobe format and enter our information when it is tax preparation time. Then, I submit our forms in a paper format after making copies for our files.)

One can study all of the possible expenses that might be tax deductible and choose to include these on a tax form. However, the only yardstick I use to determine if an expense is a reasonable home business tax deductible entry is the “Eyeball-to-Eyeball Auditor Test”. I have studied various government produced income tax publications as well a stack of income tax preparation guidebooks produced by “experts”. From these studies, I have listed the various expense categories that I think apply to a home business. As I look at each expense category, and each of our own business expenses posted, I ask myself this question: “If I had to sit across the table in a meeting with an IRS auditor, could I honestly explain the nature of this expense and why it was associated with our home business?” If the answer is “yes”, then that expense item is posted. If the answer is “no” or there is any grey area applied to the reasoning, I don’t post it. Others may want to push the envelope, but I don’t operate our business in this manner. The choice is for each of us to make.

SIMPLE PROCEDURES WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE:

I learned as a Senior Consultant that when analyzing an enterprise; be it a Fortune 100 company or a one person home business, the focus of attention is on three major areas: people, process and technology. For your home business, YOU are the “people” part of this analysis. Your attitude and dedication to making your home business successful are critical success factors.
Likewise, you could be the most dedicated entrepreneur on the planet and experience disappointment in your home business due to poor processes and/or inadequate supporting technology. Even with great processes in place, supported by effective technology, the entrepreneur must dedicate time, effort, education and learning to the enterprise.
The tracking of your home business income and expenses will be much easier if you:

Save all of Your Receipts

The one rule that ALL should agree on is to DOCUMENT all of your expenses, and the best documentation of an expense is a receipt or a paid invoice! Get in the habit of saving all of your receipts and posting these receipts as soon as reasonably possible. (The same procedure should apply to the tracking of your business miles incurred while using your personal automobile.) Keep the receipts in a common place. I will provide you a very easy, low-tech procedure for keeping and tracking your expenses.

Set up a Separate Business Bank Account

All major business purchases should be paid for out of a separate bank account and/or a separate charge card. We have a separate business checking account that we use to write checks for distinct home business expenses. Our business account doesn’t pay any interest so we keep just enough money in it to cover monthly expenses. The net profit we make from our home business is deposited into an interest paying savings account. We also have a separate Visa card that we use solely for business expenses. When the Visa bill arrives, we pay for these charges by a check from our business banking account. The monthly check postings and charge card bill are excellent documents for cross checks with existing receipts.

Set up a Separate Charge Card

As I mentioned above, we have a separate Visa card that we use for specific business expenses. For example, since we use one of our vehicles primarily for business activities, we use the business Visa card for gasoline purchases as well as tire and maintenance expenses. (When I complete our income tax forms, I calculate the total business miles compared to the total miles the vehicle was driven during the year, and this percentage is applied to all vehicle expenses. More on this in the specific expense category discussion.)

Dedicate a Time to Post Your Expenses

All of us have a full busy life, and if you have a full time job in addition to your home business, it is very easy to find better things to do with your spare time than posting business expenses in a log. However, if posting expenses is a drag, then I will ask you, “Why did you get into a home business in the first place?” Many home businesses fail because the new entrepreneur doesn’t really treat the effort as a business. If part of your regular job includes the posting of your groups’ business expenses weekly, you would set up a specific time to complete the task and the task would probably be done in a quality and effective manner. In my supervisory jobs, I was either a “reviewer” or “approver” of business expenses, and the company had specific rules for which expenses required receipts. Their rules were primarily based on IRS rules. For example, all business meals over $25.00 had to have a receipt. On the receipt or a separate piece of paper, the purpose of the meal and names (and titles) of the meal participants were required. Also, as a reviewer or approver, I had to dedicate time to process the vouchers and bills or I would have some unhappy employees and/or suppliers! As an employee of a company, I had to document my trip expenses and submit an expense form and receipts in a timely manner. As an entrepreneur, you have to take keeping track of business expenses seriously.

To this day, my wife or I provide adequate documentation on every business meal receipt. Also, I suggest that you post your home business expenses at least once a week and have this task as a high priority. Posting home business income and expenses should not be the last thing you do in your busy day’s activities. You will need some brain activity to do this task, and if it is done in a tired, distracted or angry state of mind, errors will occur creating extra work at some later time. Your home business may be so small at the beginning that posting expenses bi-weekly or monthly will work; however, since you want your business to be successful and grow, getting in the habit of posting expenses on a weekly basis will eliminate a possibly painful transition as your business becomes more successful.

SUMMARY:

The next article will discuss the Implementation part of this simple procedure. You will learn about the use of five forms and the simple filing system for receipts has worked well for our home businesses. The forms provide a clear record as well as tools for analysis of the profitability of the business. Best of all, the receipts and forms are filed in a plastic bag!

http://www.aromaassociates.com

The direct mail order form has often been called “the moment of truth.” That’s because no matter how persuasive you have been in your letter, brochure, lift note, and other pieces, it is your order form where your prospect actually says “yes” or “no” to your offer.

So if you have a couple minutes, here are some quick and easy ideas to make your order form work harder:

• Make sure it gets noticed. First, make it a separate piece whenever possible. Second, use visual cues that indicate it’s the order piece, such as a different color, eye-catching graphic, certificate border, or headline. You can coordinate your order form with other pieces, but if it looks too similar, it could get lost. Everything should lead the eye to the order form.

• Make it easy to fill out and mail. By the time your prospect gets to the order form, a decision has been made. And if the decision is “yes,” you don’t want any barriers preventing response. So keep your order form as simple as possible, one-sided, and with as few fill-ins as you can get away with while still being complete. A well-designed order form is visually intuitive, making it obvious at a glance how it should be filled out.

• Include a statement of acceptance. You can just summarize the offer, but a complete statement of acceptance is better. It may include an affirmation, benefit statement, request for the item, summary of the offer, sweeteners, and guarantee. For example: “Yes! I want to cut my taxes in half. Please send my copy of How to Instantly Cut Your Income Tax for just $29.95. And if I respond by January 12, I’ll also get the TaxSlash computer program FREE (a $39.00 value). I understand that if I’m not completely satisfied, I can return the book for a full refund, but I’ll keep the computer program as my gift.”

• Highlight your toll-free number. That way, people who prefer calling can do so immediately. This may also increase your credit card orders. Include the hours during which you take calls and what time zone you’re referring to. If phone orders are faster (faster ordering or faster shipment), say so.

• Highlight your guarantee. Even if it’s already in your statement of acceptance, you want to put to rest any doubts. So feature it prominently. Use a seal or certificate border to make it stand out.

• Include complete information. In addition to the offer and toll-free number, give the company name and logo, mailing address, total price, applicable sales tax, shipping and handling charges, premiums, offer expiration date, minimum orders, delivery time, the payment methods you accept, Canadian and international extra charges, exactly how the order should be placed, etc. Your order form should be simple, but it must leave no detail to chance.

• Offer fax response for businesses. Make sure your order form gives your fax number, easily goes through a fax machine, and prints legibly on your end. Some statistics show that half or more of all business orders arrive via fax, so this could be a big response booster.

• Rename your order form. Sometimes “Order Form” is fine, but consider words that are significant to your prospect, add value to the offer, or reduce the feeling of commitment: Trial Subscription Certificate, Free Trial Copy, Savings Coupon, Sample Offer, Request for Free Information, Free Examination Offer, Enrollment Application, Order Coupons, Privilege Invitations, Bonus Vouchers, etc.

• Leave room to write. Those fill-in lines are where designers often look to steal a few extra points of real estate. However, if your prospect doesn’t have enough writing space, you get no order.

• Add the words “Please Print.” This helps you avoid scrambled addresses, misspelled names, and wrong orders. Place these words by the fill-in lines in plain view. Better still: “Please Print in Ink.”

• Make it look valuable. You can do this with certificate borders, gold seals, serial numbers, safety paper, special backgrounds or watermarks, rubber stamps, eagles, receipt stubs, etc. People don’t like to throw away valuable items. Caveat: Sometimes increasing perceived value also increases the feeling of commitment. To reduce this feeling, use a simpler look.

• Create a sense of urgency. Use directive language: “Call now,” “Order today,” or “Complete and mail this trial certificate today.” Remind your prospect of your deadline: use specifics such as “Offer ends March 15″ or generics such as “Offer good while supplies last” or “Hurry! This is a limited-time offer.”

———————–
About the author:

Dean Rieck is a direct mail copywriter, designer, and consultant who has helped over 200 leading direct marketing companies increase sales, generate leads, and raise funds with winning direct mail, ads, e-mail, sales letters, brochures, postcards, radio spots, and more. Learn more about Dean’s direct mail copywriting and design services and sign up for his free monthly newsletter at www.directcreative.com.

Copyright © Dean Rieck. You may reprint this article online provided that you keep the links live and keep all the content “as is,” including title, author byline, article text, and “about the author” information.

No matter what type of plant or container you use in your garden, adequate drainage is a must. Waterlogged soil is one of the major culprits of damaged and dying plants and it is essential for every container you use to have enough drainage holes to avoid potential problems. Even having too many drainage holes is far better than not having enough.

If the container or pot you would like to use does not have a drainage hole in it already, drilling one using a handheld drill with a large bore drill bit is the easiest way to make one. Usually, drainage holes at least ½ inch to 1 inch in diameter are best. Make one drainage hole per square foot of container space, but if you’re not sure how many square feet your pot or container is, err on the side of caution and drill several holes, evenly spaced around the bottom of the container.

If you are drilling in a clay or terra cotta pot, place masking tape in an X-shaped design where you plan to drill in order to prevent cracking or shattering. For best results, use a masonry bit for stone or cement planters and boxes. It’s better to use a smaller bore bit to start, and then increase diameter if you’re concerned about breaking or shattering your pot. For wooden boxes and containers, you may use a hammer and a nail, though using a drill is preferable to prevent cracking or splitting of wood.

Testing potential objects for use as suitable potting containers is also a good idea before you plant anything inside them. To test, pour water into the object and make sure water drains freely, without puddling or pooling. If it does pool, drill.

Different types of containers will absorb and drain water at different rates and speeds. To allow for adequate absorption and drainage, add good quality potting soils, sphagnum peat moss or composted pine bark to your planters that will help with water and nutrient holding capabilities.

Many types of unique containers don’t allow adequate drainage. These may include, but are not limited to, items you find in a garage or tool shed, and can be made of substances ranging from wood to plastic to metal. Unique containers might be an old pair of Army boots or your son’s old wagon or your daughter’s discarded baby buggy. Literally anything that will hold dirt is acceptable as a plant container. However, no matter what you use, take the time to drill if necessary. Drilling holes in clay, fiberglass, resin and wood products is easy and won’t take much time.

Copyright © Larry Gildea, All Rights Reserved.

Dr.Larry Gildea has authored several articles on gardening. Dr. Gildea has created these gardening websites, http://www.gardeningbonanza.com, Gardening Bonanza.com covers many types of gardening, including, bonsai design and cultivation, container gardening, flower gardening, rose gardening, hydroponics gardening and several others. http://www.organicgardensystems.com - Organic Garden Systems .com is dedicated exclusively to organic gardening. And in his blog, http://larryseasygardening.com - Dr. Gildea discusses all types of gardening.

When in the process of looking for a new job, you will need a well-written resume, which sometimes can seem like a daunting task. The truth is that while resumes do require some special attention, they are not necessarily difficult to create. One option is to hire a professional to write your resume, which would cost between $75 and $500 depending on what you need. However, another, more affordable option is to locate free resume templates online, tweaking them to serve your needs.

We recommend you start by making a list of your past employers, not going back further than 10 years unless the jobs are in the same industry and show career advancement. Then, for each of those companies, you will need the following:

–Month/year you started and left the job
–Job title
–List of accomplishments

In addition, you need to draft information pertaining to your education, community involvement in the form of organizational involvement, licenses, certifications, and computer skills. Finally, your resume should include three to four relevant references. Once you have listed this information, you can begin to put it into the proper resume format. Keep in mind that a number of different resume formats exist, covering:

–Functional - This type of resume is geared more toward the presentation of skills. Typically, you would use a functional resume if you have held a number of jobs, giving you the opportunity to list your knowledge and skills associated with each.

–Chronological - This is a popular choice in that you can list your past employers and responsibilities chronologically. The benefit to using this particular format is that you can highlight employment duration, which shows a prospective client your strength of commitment.

–Combination - With this resume format, you use a combination of both functional and chronological. The combination resume format works quite well for all types of industries and positions.

Once you have written a draft, using your experience and the right template, you need to sit back and take an objective look at it. Use words that get the point across without being too wordy. Of course, always triple check your grammar and spelling. Actually, we recommend you have another individual look over your resume with you.

Building a perfect resume does not just happen. This process takes a little time but this is time well spent. Always be truthful with the information, providing just enough to make the resume compelling without being boring. The best advice when it comes to writing a resume is to research the business in which you are interested. Knowing the product and/or service the company provides and more specifically, what they are looking for in an employee definitely gives you the edge.

In Just 10 Minutes Flat, You Can Quickly And Easily Crank Out An Amazing Resume That Is Guaranteed To Have Your Telephone Ring Off The Hook With Hot Job Interviews And Top Job Offers.. www.Amazing-Resumes.com

I am fairly lucky investor to have a very good seasoned broker who does spend time with me. I recently have been looking in far away areas to invest in and had to look for another agent.

Every time I drive by a house there is a for sale sign with a real estate agents information on front. I have tried to call these agents numerous times to check out these properties.

Real estate agents usually respond within about a week. I can understand they are very busy and have to find time. Lately I have been getting responses back after three weeks. That is plain ridiculous and at that point they should have not called back at all.

When you are talking to an agent if you are polite they will usually tell you why it took them so long to call you back. The main reason is the overwhelming number of bank owned properties.

It is getting to the point that real estate agents have minimal time to deal with their clients at all. The banks require so much leg work many agents don’t have time to sell. They only have time to list and watch the bank owned properties they control.

A real estate broker friend of mine has a small office where she is the only agent. She has over fifty bank owned properties that she is listing. She had to hire three people just to manage all of them besides working sixteen hour days herself. The worst part is that she has barely sold anything.

It is getting to the point that these real estate offices just keep on getting a larger and larger inventory of
listings without selling anything. It almost seems like they like to accumulate the darn things.

These banks are putting such a burden on these real estate agents. They should at least listen to the agents so they could move the properties. Of course, they don’t listen and they overprice everything. Over pricing is bad enough but not willing to negotiate is just plain wrong.

I really don’t understand why these agents are working so hard for these banks with very little compensation. I guess it is the only way to survive in this game.

Eventually the banks will have to break on their prices and the housing market will start moving again. At that point I guess the agent’s hard work will hopefully pay off in the end.

There are still a lot of great realtors out there today willing to help you, but it is getting hard to find. It is not their fault they are so busy. People are only capable of so much.

I would not blame the realtors to much if you are trying to put offers in. They are stuck between you and the banks. Just keep on trying and if you are intent someone will give you the time of day.

I am not trying to say all realtors do not call you back. I’m really just saying that they are very busy and have no time.

Investing Tips Inside: http://www.CraneInvestmentsOnline.com

Apple definitely made waves last year with the debut of the iPhone and the iPod Touch. Times Magazine called the iPhone the “Top Gadget of 2007″ saying that the device had radically transformed the way people view mobile media devices in terms of appearance, feel, and performance.

Time Magazine describes the iPhone as “exceptional inside and out: It’s got a slick glass-and-stainless steel case and an elegant touch screen loaded with eye candy. It’s an iPod and a 2-megapixel camera.” The Times continued on to describe how images and video can display differently in vertical and horizontal modes as well as its capability for detecting wireless networks within range.

In other ratings conducted by the 2007 PC Magazine Readers’ Survey, the Apple iPhone received a “stunning 9.1 out of 10″ rating from every user, according to Sascha Segan and Eric Griffith of PC Magazine, far surpassing any other carrier and cell phone device.

In fact, the response was not just limited to the music and video playback as expected (score of 9.6) but also 8.2 for call quality, 8.2 for coverage, and 8.0 for earpiece volume, significantly above average and clearly showing that iPhone users not only love the multimedia capacities of their iPhones, but also the cell phone capabilities as well.

The iPhone has received tremendous attention not only at home but also abroad. Debuting in U.K. stores right before the holidays, the Apple iPhone got the attention of a top rock and rock band, with fans queuing up at stores overnight to be one of the first customers when stores opened the next morning with the new product, according to Rory Cellan-Jones of the BBC News. Selling at more than 1,300 stores, the iPhone has received sweeping approval from British customers who did not mind waiting at times as long as 26 hours to purchase the product.

In France, the iPhone apparently has been selling “like crepe suzettes” where 17% of stores sold out within just 21 hours of launching the product. As Philip Elmer-DeWitt of Fortune magazine reports,” France Telecom announced that it sold nearly 30,000 iPhones in the first five days, 48 percent of them to new customers. That’s nearly one iPhone for every 2,000 Frenchmen.”

Corey Bruhn owns and operates great smartphone resources such as Review Smart Phones, http://www.reviewsmartphones.com and iPhone Mobile Mob, http://www.iphonemobilemob.com for your Apple iPhone and iPod devices.