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Great Job As Mystery Shopper

Keywords:

mystery shopper,mystery shopper job,become a mystery shopper,mystery shopper company

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What does it mean to be a mystery shopper? It is quite simple - a person is paid to visit local stores and evaluate the kind of service they get. They enter the store and acts like an ordinary customer, just to keep the identity of mystery shopper a secret. A mystery shopper evaluates different aspects of the service while they are in the store.

Mystery shoppers provide businesses with more information through the use of questionnaires and detailed narratives. These questionnaires provide businesses with an unbiased opinion of how they are perceived by the customer.

Mystery shoppers relieve the owner of this added responsibility. Business owners who are presently using these kind of services are now getting a more realistic picture of how their customers perceive their company.

The mystery shopper company work with their clients to establish mechanisms to measure and improve the levels of service. The information from a mystery shopper is reported to the management of the clients and they use it to evaluate and improve their customer service. Ultimately the purpose of mystery shoppers is to help businesses increase sales.

If you work as a mystery shopper you will be paid to shop. That is right, a mystery shopper is paid to evaluate different types of customer experiences.

You can be paid to:

- Fill up your car with gas
- Have dinner on a local restaurant
- Shop in your local hardware store
- Request information about a computer
- Sometimes you will be paid for working from home. Some tasks can and should be performed by a phone call.

The list can be very long because the number of businesses using this method to collect information is very long. And it is increasing for every day.

The best thing about being a mystery shopper is that you are paid for everything you purchase. If you have lunch or dinner – your expenses are paid for. If you watch a movie you will be paid for the ticket and the job you do. This is really an opportunity for many.

Why do big companies use mystery shoppers?
How many times have you left a store dissatisfied with the service you got? How many times will you go back to that store again? It is not surprising to find that many organizations are very interested in making a good impression, the impression they make on you, the customer, is vital for their company.

So feedback from mystery shoppers are often a key factor for those companies in their efforts to improve the standards for customer service. Persons that think they have something to add to the ongoing improvement of customer service are suitable for a job as a mystery shopper. If you like to shop and get paid for it, you can have the perfect job.

So what is the catch?

There is no catch! It is free to become a mystery shopper. You will be trained to collect the information the companies want and need. If you have the time you have nothing to loose but a lot to win.

Finally, there is an organisation, MSPA, which is the largest professional trade association dedicated to improving service quality using anonymous resources. MSPA have over 150 member companies worldwide and they have a diverse membership including marketing research and merchandising companies, private investigation firms, training organizations and companies that specialize in providing mystery shopping services.

High Performance Mastery: Top 7 Principles For Transforming Your Business From Mediocre To Great

Keywords:

business coaching, leadership, wealth, business success, marketing, million dollars, NLP

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In the words of motivational speaker, Les Brown -- "You don't have to be great to get started, but you do have o get started to be great.” Where do you start to transform your business from mediocre to great?

Below are your top 7 essential ingredients for cultivating greatness within your own business:

1. KNOW WHAT YOUR BUSINESS STANDS FOR AND LIVE THOSE VALUES.
More than ever, today, customers don’t just ask “what products do you offer?” They also ask “what values do you stand for?” What values does your business stand for? What practices have you developed to live those values daily?

2. KNOW YOUR COMPELLING "WHY."
Viktor Frankl, the great Austrian psychiatrist, said it best: “Success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue ... as the unintended side effect of one’s personal dedication to a cause greater than oneself.” For what “transcendent” purpose does your business exist? How does your business make a difference in your customers’ lives?

3. ALWAYS SEEK THE EDGE.
In 1954, Roger Bannister did the seemingly “impossible” and ran the first 4 minute mile. When asked how he did it, he said “It's the ability to take more out of yourself than you've got.'" How can you “take more out of yourself than you’ve got” to achieve the seemingly impossible in your business?

4. DARE TO BE DIFFERENT.
Contrarians are the change agents in the business world. These wealth-building businesses are not simply “executing better” -- they’re radically changing the rules of the success game in their field or industry. Where in your business can you break the rules? How can you set yourself apart from the crowd in your industry?

5. FIND MODELS OF GREATNESS.
Within every industry, every geography, every career path, there are examples of greatness everywhere. Find those people, those businesses that inspire you the most. What is it about them you would like to emulate? What changes can you make today to be like them?

6. KNOW THE END IN MIND.
Great businesses **decide** their future. They are not dictated by it. They know exactly where they want to be, by when, how, and then persist in getting there. What decisions have you made about your business future? What do you need to decide differently in order to have a great outcome?

7. COMMIT TO PERSONAL GREATNESS.
Your business is a direct reflection of where you are at. It only grows as quickly as you do. To build a great business, you must commit to your own personal greatness. How do you define personal greatness for yourself? What changes can you make to unleash your own greatness?

Great Reasons for Setting up a Home Business

Discover some great reasons to set up a home business. Then use them to keep yourself motivated when the going gets tough.

Keywords:

Small business,home business,internet business,business start-up

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Many people dream of setting up a home-based business, but it takes hard work, persistence and a willingness to wait for results. If you are thinking about starting up on your own, make sure you write a list of your reasons for doing so. When the going gets tough you can go back to your list to remind yourself of why you’re doing it and to reactivate your motivation. Here are some valid reasons for going it alone. Add your own to the list.

You want to make a lot more money than you earn in your present job

With so little job security around these days, more of us are finding we have to work long hours to keep the boss happy. And if we don’t toe the line, we know there are plenty of people who will be only to happy to step into our shoes. But is it worth all the hard grind, just to put extra money in someone else’s pocket? Achieving financial freedom is high on most people’s list.

You want to get a life beyond the office

Money isn’t the only important thing in life and what’s the point of earning it if you don’t have the chance to enjoy it? Work may play a significant role in our definition of who we are, but it certainly shouldn’t be all that we are. Whilst starting up a business is very time-consuming, the ultimate goal is to create enough recurring income to give ourselves more free time. This is not possible in a job, except for a very fortunate few.

You want to stop commuting for hours every week

Many people spend several hours a day getting to and from work. This is stressful at the best of times, but add traffic jams, overcrowded trains and bad weather and this is enough to exhaust anyone before they have even started work. Facing the same journey on the way home can lead to the inability to relax and enjoy what’s left of the day.

You want a more flexible lifestyle

Deciding your own working hours will enable you to fit in many other activities which you would otherwise miss – watching the kids perform in the school play or concert, taking part in a sport or other hobby, spending time with friends and relatives who are in town on holiday.

You want to cut down on childcare costs

In many families with young children, both parents are obliged to work in order to make ends meet, but often find that one of their salaries is almost completely swallowed up by childcare costs. If one partner is working online, hours can be fitted around those of the partner working outside the home, eliminating or at least reducing the need for paid childcare.

You want to something you really enjoy

How many of us really enjoy working for an employer? The job may be exciting at first, but it’s all too easy to get bogged down in paperwork, boring routine tasks and office politics. You might have to do all the menial jobs when you start your own business, but the day will come when you can hire someone else to do them!

The final reason is really an combination of the first six:

You want to take control of your life

As your business grows, you’ll find you have the power to make more decisions about how you live your life – where you live, when you take holidays, when you retire, how you spend your free time.

If you are thinking of setting up a business online, decide which reasons are most important to you, then write them in large letters on a piece of paper and stick it where you’ll see it every day. That way you won’t lose sight of why you want to change your life.

© Waller Jamison 2006

Building Great Business Relationships

If you’re in a business relationship with anyone – a client, vendor, or customer – how important is that relationship to you? Do you value the relationship? Do you want to nurture it?

Keywords:

business relationships,clients,customers,communication,appreciation

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If you’re in a business relationship with anyone – a client, vendor, or customer – how important is that relationship to you? Do you value the relationship? Do you want to nurture it?

A business relationship, like any relationship, is a two-way street. The expectations of both parties needs be clear and easily understandable. Applying the Golden Rule is also a good idea: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” That is a very powerful statement, and one I try to practice in my daily life, both in business and personal matters.

Good communication is key for any business relationship to grow and thrive. Even when conflicts surface (and they will), keeping the lines of communication open at all times is extremely important. Meet conflicts head-on, no matter how frightening they may seem at the time. The sooner the issues are out on the table and dealt with, the sooner you can get back on track and back to business-as-usual.

Another thing to keep in mind is letting people know you appreciate them. Thank you notes, cards and e-mails are always a good idea, and they never go out of style. People love to be appreciated. If you are receiving great business from someone, always be sure to let them know. You will feel better for it, and so will they.

Another great idea is to reach out and “touch” your clients and customers on a regular basis by sending them monthly newsletters. This is a wonderful way to keep in touch, both to let them know you are thinking about them, and to remind them about you as well.

Remember, you get out of a great relationship what you put into it. Value those you do business with. Nurture the relationships, so they are always growing and prospering. Keep this up and you will always have a garden full of healthy, happy business contacts.

Catalog Printing Services Are Great Printing Solution

Catalog printing services is a single source for obtaining quotes from multiple catalog printing companies. These catalog printing services are very simple to use.

Keywords:

catalog printing, catalogs printing

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Businesses nowadays are in tight competition. In order for these businesses to stay contact with their customers is through the use of marketing tools. One of the most effective ways in promoting a certain business is by using catalogs. Creating a catalog perhaps can be complex. The best way to do is to enlist the help of professional catalog printing services.

Catalog printing services is a single source for obtaining quotes from multiple catalog printing companies. These catalog printing services are very simple to use. It is all about making choices and answering a few questions.

As our technologies are continuously uprising, most of the printing companies today have all of the latest technology at their fingertips, providing you and your company a means of different options when you are looking to advertise or market your business.

If you want to offer products or advertise new business or just offering your services through using a catalog, these catalog printing services can meet or maybe exceed your catalog printing needs.

Before printing companies can only offer you the printing option such as traditional offset printing, but due to the advancement in printing technology they added the fast and efficient the so-called digital printing technology. Either the two methods are capable of producing high quality images and print with little error. However, we can’t deny the truth that the speed of latest printing machines is supreme. Hundreds, if not thousands of pages can be printed every single hour. Whether you are looking for business cards or brochure printing, these catalog services can take care of your printing needs.

Sometimes it is too difficult to know what kind of printing services we need for any given project. A little bit of advise take some time to become more informed about the types of printing jobs, and the services you might need. For the reason, many people make the erroneous assumption that the cheapest and most cost-effective way to go with printing jobs is simply to "do it yourself." Nothing could be further from the truth in most cases.

If you're looking for good reproductions of high-quality catalogs you'll be looking at nearly a thousand dollars in supplies. That is why several catalog printing services are offering affordable printing solutions that are really far from low in cost, when you look at the bottom line.

Regarding the prices for catalog printing services nowadays are increasingly getting more affordable due to the tight competition. Most of catalog printing companies are developing new techniques to help them increase their productions.

Great Reasons to Work Abroad

Working abroad is as easy as finding a job in an exotic location of your choice, getting the paperwork done, and buying a plane ticket. You obviously need to make some important lifestyle and living considerations before you quit your day job, but finding a job overseas is not as daunting a task as one may think at first glance.

Keywords:

job, jobs, abroad, job abroad, work, working, apply, application, jobinthesun, resume, overseas, overseas job, vacant, vacancy, work abroad, betameric

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Are you sick of the humdrum of your day job? Have you ever imagined yourself on a tropical getaway when you were supposed to be working? Have you ever wondered why your life is so monotonous and stressful even though you should be happy with your position? Maybe it is time you made a drastic change to your entire lifestyle, beginning with your environment. Perhaps you need to consider working abroad.

What if your daily commute included a walk on the beach? What if it was summer year around? What if your commute, instead of involving traffic jams, involved you cruising along the sunlit seashore with nothing but a warm ocean breeze obstructing your path? This may sound too good to be true, but it is not even close to an exaggeration of what is possible with a career abroad.

When working abroad, you will have lifestyle opportunities that most dream about. Overseas, especially in the Caribbean, companies are always in need of skilled employees to fulfill positions which are as diverse and varied as any society in any city. Working abroad may offer brand new opportunities not only in regards to environment and lifestyle, but even in job position and promotions. A new career in a new country can mean a second chance for you to be the best at what you do.

One of the obvious benefits of working abroad is the vacation like atmosphere. You will react with people who are in a good mood and on vacation on a regular basis. You will probably meet tourists from all over the world, and your social life will be more fluid than you ever dreamed possible.

With an exciting new career abroad, you will have an opportunity to become who you want to be. The potential for a new lifestyle and career abroad are so expansive that you will only be cheating yourself if you do not consider it for your future. Have an intelligent, experienced company which specializes in finding people jobs overseas give you a consultation today.

Engineers Make Great Inventors

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Keywords:

patent information, engineering

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Or is it that inventors make great engineers? Either way, they go hand-in-hand.

Engineers of virtually any specialty get paid to experiment with the technologies of today and add in improvements of their own. In the process, they often create new, useful inventions that may be eligible for a patent.

Engineers invent new technologies for the rest of us.

There are many engineers (otherwise known as inventors) in history. I’m sure you’ll recognize the names of a few.

For instance, take Leonardo da Vinci. He drew plans for several flying machines, including a helicopter and a hang glider as well as many military machines. In addition, da Vinci may have made a great civil engineer as shown from his plans for a 720-foot bridge that was recently turned into a reality.

Another engineer/inventor is Eli Whitney. He invented the first cotton gin. Whitney is also credited with the creation of interchangeable parts. Oddly enough, the ability to interchange parts is thought to be a much more important and long lasting invention than the cotton gin (although that is all he is usually remembered for).

Orville and Wilbur Wright, otherwise known as the Wright Brothers are credited with the creation of a practical airplane. They actually wrote a patent application in 1903 which was rejected. Eventually, patent #821,393 for a “Flying Machine” was granted to them in 1906.

Fast forward to today, when inventors are rewarded for their labors with patents that can bring in large sums of money. A large number of the patents awarded today are granted to engineers. And the number of patents applied for keeps growing each and every year in the U.S.

If you choose this career field, you will no doubt be exposed to patents and quite possibly even apply for one yourself. Who knows? You could make history!

Great Business Standards – Do You Have Them?

If you are a business owner, you probably follow certain standards within your business. I'm talking about those "rules" you set up and follow - your business etiquette.

Keywords:

business standards,business etiquette,balance

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If you are a business owner, you probably follow certain standards within your business. I'm talking about those "rules" you set up and follow - your business etiquette.

For example, my standards include:

• not working on Fridays, evenings or weekends
• not answering my business phone after hours
• working only with clients I'm compatible with

For me, having my own business is a freedom and a privilege that I was unable to experience in the corporate world. As a business owner, I feel entitled to make my own decisions about how my business should be run. After all, I'm the boss!

Your business should be run the way you see fit. If you have employees, you can of course (if you wish) take their needs into consideration as well. If, on the other hand, you are a sole proprietor like me, having strong standards can go a long way towards keeping you happy and satisfied in your career.

What is important to you? If you haven't already done so, think hard about this. Make a list of the important things in your life, and base your business standards around them. If maintaining a good balance between your business and personal life is important, create a standard that allows you to stop working at a reasonable hour each day in order to spend time with your family. If going grocery shopping on Wednesday mornings is what you prefer to do, work that into your schedule.

I think you get the gist of what I'm trying to say. Create a solid set of business standards today. Then stick to them. Remember, you're in control of your business and your life.

Four Ways To Achieve Great Results ... CONTINUALLY

The author contends that great results are not truly great unless they are being achieved on a continual basis. He shows four ways to make it happen.

Keywords:

leadership skill, leadership skill training, leadership development, management, management skill, management skill training, effective leadership, leadership communication, leadership communication skill, management communication, management communication skill, management training, management development, business leadership, influence leadership, motivation, motivational leadership, leadership excellence, charismatic leadership, communication, manage, organizational success, organizational development, results, leadership results, career, motivator, motivating, executive

Article Body:

PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in newsletters and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required: mail to: brent@actionleadership.com

Word count: 850

Four Ways To Achieve Great Results ... CONTINUALLY
by Brent Filson

Leaders live and die by results. For almost a quarter of a century, I've been teaching leaders of all ranks and functions worldwide to achieve not just average results but "more results faster continually." And "continually" is maybe the most important factor.

A lot of leaders live by having people get more results. They live by having them get more results on a faster basis. But they die when trying to get "more, faster" CONTINUALLY.

Here are four ways to make CONTINUALLY happen.

1. Deep Expectations. Clearly, expectations are a self-fulfilling prophecy. When you commit yourself to the expectations that achieving anything less than "more results faster continually" is unacceptable, you've created new contours for success.

I call those expectations "deep expectations" because they involve the five results-drivers that go deeply into your organization. The results drivers are: the strategies that marshal functions around central, organizing concepts; the tactics to execute those strategies; the resources to support the tactics; the people skills to promote great execution; and the motivational leadership to have the people be ardently committed to the execution.

The strategies, tactics, resources, people skills, and motivational leadership must be viewed within the context of and tested by "more results faster continually."

2. Deep relationships. To promote CONTINUALLY, you must champion deep, human, emotional relationships with the people you lead. This means going beyond the relatively shallow relationships involved in order-giving environments. The relationships cultivated in such environments don't go much deeper, in terms of their human bonding, than those involved with the giving, receiving, and carrying out of orders. When you order people to do a job, you may get more and faster results, but I submit that you won't get more/faster CONTINUALLY.

The power of deep relationships has been demonstrated since the dawn of history. In all cultures, whenever people needed to do great things, one thing had to take place: A leader had to gather those people together and speak from the heart. Profound, heartfelt relationships had to be established for great things to be accomplished.

Today, many leaders miss out on deep relationships that can lead to great results. They may know such relationships are important, but they don't know how to consistently create them, maintain them and enrich them.

Think of a time when you've experienced a deep, bonding with somebody -- not sexual as in a significant-other relationship -- but a bonding to achieve certain organizational accomplishments. It might have been with a boss, a friend, a colleague ... doesn't matter who, the important thing is the WHAT, the relationship.

Now, picture yourself interacting with that person on one or more occasions. What was the physical setting? What was said? What was done? Recall what you felt. Recall the bonding that took place. What were the physical facts that gave you those emotions, that bonding? What were the actions you took as a result of that bonding? What were the results that came from those actions?

You may conclude that those relationships led to better results – and provided necessary environment for CONTINUALLY.

3. Deep processes. How do we create and sustain those relationships? One answer is through processes. Processes, which are systematic series of mental or physical steps directed toward specific ends, cultivate clarity of purpose and repeatability of outcomes.

A proven, robust process to advance CONTINUALLY is the Leadership Talk. The Leadership Talk is not about having leaders order people to do tasks, but having those people badly want to do those tasks. The ability to have others "want to" separates average leaders from great leaders. Hence, the Leadership Talk is a key driver of CONTINUALLY. (See my website for more information.) In fact, without employing Leadership Talks, leaders fail to create and sustain results-producing bonding between the leader and the people.

4. Deep results. If Leadership Talks are a key process in achieving the deep relationships needed to advance CONTINUALLY, what kind of results should CONTINUALLY encompass?

You can begin to get great results CONTINUALLY by having them flow through the prism of the Leadership Imperative.

The Leadership Imperative is: I WILL LEAD PEOPLE IN SUCH A WAY THAT WE TOGETHER NOT ONLY ACHIEVE THE RESULTS WE NEED BUT WE ALSO BECOME BETTER AS LEADERS AND AS PEOPLE.

You are never more effective as a leader as when, in getting more results faster continually, you are helping others be better than they are -- even better than thought they could be.

Guided by the Leadership Imperative, you'll find yourself realizing deep results. Furthermore, those deep results will advance CONTINUALLY. After all, if people know that in working with you, they will improve their job performance, boost their career, and enrich their lives, won't they want to work with you ... CONTINUALLY?

Results, of course, come in many forms and are measured and evaluated in many ways. I've discovered that most leaders are getting the wrong results, or the right results in the wrong ways. When you aim to start achieving "more results faster continually" you are on the right road to achieving the right results. Be guided by the four ways to make CONTINUALLY happen -- deep expectations, deep relationships, deep processes, deep results -- and you'll insure you'll be getting them in the right ways.

Great Tips For Buying Cheap Magazine Subscriptions

Keywords:

magazine subscriptions, magazines, subscriptions

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When it comes to shopping everyone wants the most value for their money. The idea is to pay as little as possible and receive as much as possible in return. Smart shoppers know that cheap pricing does not always translate into the most value for your dollar. Something that seems like a phenomenal deal could turn out to be a nightmare. Buyers can find themselves saddled with products of inferior quality or poor customer service.

Shoppers searching for cheap magazine subscriptions are especially vulnerable. Magazine circulation numbers (the number of people who subscribe combined with the number of magazines purchased at the newsstand) have been steadily declining for years. The increasing number of magazine salesman and retailers factored with the combination declining sales has created an environment of intense competition for customer dollars. Sellers competing for the shrinking pool of consumers shopping for magazine subscriptions have resulted in prices that are at an all time low.

Unfortunately, meager profit margins have led some magazine subscription sellers to list low prices only to deceptively find other ways to raise the cost of the subscription. While there are great deals to be found for cheap magazine subscriptions, customers should look for these common tricks used to raise the cost of a subscription by dishonest retailers.

Added Shipping Costs

If a magazine seller has added a shipping cost to the total price of a magazine subscription, beware. Publishers ship magazines to customers free of charge, and the cost of shipping is included. When magazine sales agents remit payment to publishers, they are not paying added shipping costs. The added charge is an attempt to increase the price of the magazine while trying to make the added charge seem legitimate.

Automatic Renewal

Though the initial price of the subscription may be low customers may find themselves paying retail the following year when their credit card is charged automatically, often without their knowledge. Sellers, interested in repeat business can use deceptive practices in securing customers. The automatic renewal may be buried within the company’s terms of service and once you make a purchase from them, you have automatically agreed to the terms of service.

Such companies may also fix the language of the offer to make it seem like an added convenience for you, so that you do not need to worry about missing your favorite magazine. It does not take into account that you may not want to continue receiving the subscription after the initial term is over. It is important to read all information provided and to request information not readily made available. Magazine sellers must disclose automatic renewal information to customers.

Processing Fees

While charging a processing fee for each magazine or order placed in not technically wrong, customers looking to purchase cheap magazine subscriptions should add up the costs to see if there have actually been any savings after these so called processing fees.

For example, a subscription to Wired Magazine could be advertised for $1.99 per year. Once the customer tries to purchase the Wired Magazine subscription they find that in order to receive the price of $1.99 per year, they must pay a small processing fee of $7.99. The reason for the fee varies from seller to seller. It may be termed a membership fee, and the truly dishonest hide behind the guise of charity. The Wired Magazine Subscription would cost $10 in total, the same price the publishers of Wired, Conde Nast requires sellers to charge for the subscription.

In the end the consumer saves no money at all, but has been lured in by the thought of purchasing a subscription that seems incredibly cheap. Here is another situation where a customer would be wise to find out all information before making a purchase.

The tricks used by some companies are not uncommon. Investigating a company’s reputation before making a purchase can give potential customer a measure of added comfort. If typing a companies name into a search engine brings up a host of complaints, or if checking with the Better Business Bureau produces a list of unresolved complaints customers would be better served to take their business elsewhere.

Customers should contact sellers with any questions they may have concerning pricing or any other issues related to the sale of the magazines they are interested in. Good practice would be to keep a record of all customer service related correspondence, including all emails, faxes, etc. as well as the names of the customer service representatives corresponded with. Just in case the search for cheap magazine subscriptions doesn’t work out, the consumer will have some recourse in gaining a refund in the end.

Gumball Vending Machines – A Great Way To Break Into The Vending Business

Gumball vending machines are the best known of all vending machines. Why?

Keywords:

gumball vending machines, business gumball machine, fun gumball machines

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Gumball vending machines are the best known of all vending machines. They are the basis of every vending business because most people get started in this business with one or more gumball machines. This is because they are the cheapest of the machines and they do generate a lot of profit. You can sell giant bubblegum, candy and fun prizes from gumball vending machines.

Even as more and more vending machines come on the market, the gumball vending machines have remained. They come in a wide variety of styles and designs, such as the classic globe shaped gumball machine or the spiral shaped models. When you contact a business, gumball machine owners find that these are the easiest machines to place. Business owners know that both children and adults like to use them and they can even spur along the sales by offering prizes for a certain colored gumball. This makes using them more fun. Gumball machines usually take a quarter so the product is not costly for the customer.

You can have single gumball vending machines or models with two or three machines in one. Experts on the vending machine business will tell you that you should not have more than three different products or three machines selling gumballs and candy in one location. The small number of choices helps to increase the sales of gumballs for your business. Gumball machines are also very colourful which makes them very noticeable, along with the colourful gumballs inside.

Along with selling gumballs, you can sell many products for fun. Gumball machines can be used to sell bouncy balls, toy capsules or even small souvenir mugs. As long as the products can fit through the dispenser in the gumball vending machines you can use them in the machines. You will also have to adjust the price to reflect the product because some products are more expensive than others. You do have to price the products to sell, but also be able to make a profit in your business. Gumball machines are so popular because they are the most profitable of all vending machines.

The spiral gumball vending machines seem to work best in a vending machine business. This is because these machines are very attractive to children, who love to watch the gumball spin around the spiral in the machine. Parents don’t mind spending the quarter for the gumball and quite often they will end up spending more than one in the fun gumball machines. Business owners don’t mind having them on their premises either because they get a commission based on the amount of money that comes out of each machine. If you are thinking of getting started in the vending machine business, you will enjoy great success with gumball vending machines.

Great Franchise Opportunities

Keywords:

franchise,franchise opportunity

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If you are thinking of setting up a small business yet you are still unsure of what you exactly want to do or are scared to death of not being able to generate good business, then you must try looking into these franchise opportunities and choose the right one that will suit your taste and budget. An important factor to take in consideration is your ability to actually run your chosen franchise opportunity efficiently and successfully.

One of the most popular franchise opportunity nowadays is the "EmbroidMe" franchise opportunity wherein you can create custom-made apparel as well as merchandise which has embroidery on it. EmbroidMe actually has the tagline, "Casually Dressing the World" in its retail showrooms wherein it aims to make their company known through all forms of medium, in corporate marketing programs as well as over the internet. EmbroidMe is outfitting their customers with creatively customized apparel not just for work but for play as well. They also offer all sorts of promotional merchandise as well as advertising specialty items.

The catch point(s) of the EmbroidMe franchise opportunity are its sudden commercial boom. It’s a highly new and fresh revolutionary industry concept. This franchise opportunity's great and organized system allows the wonderful opportunity of being your own boss. You do not have to answer to anyone but yourself! According to Ray Titus, the president of the EmbroidMe company. They are looking for willing entrepreneurs who are dreaming of running and managing their own business but in spite of just having a small business, they are well provided with many benefits that a stable global company can offer them - not to mention, mass purchasing power as well as great advertising apart from the other possible additional help that your EmbroidMe franchise opportunity might be needing in the future.

EmbroidMe offers full service embroidery as well as screen printing and other promotional products to its customers. The EmbroidMe "empire" actually now has over 250 stores all over the world and has been rated as #1 in the industry for four consecutive years as well as being one of the 50 fastest growing franchise opportunities according to Entrepreneur Magazine.

When it comes to the EmbroidMe staff's training and support, a turnkey franchise the EmbroidMe company will actually assist in the demographic studies of the area that you want to put up your EmbroidMe franchise. A study on your site selection as well assistance on lease negotiations would be conducted. The EmbroidMe company will also coordinate with you for renovations that will be done on your store. This franchise opportunity will also provide an excellent 4-week training program for you and your staff. Not only that, this franchise opportunity will also assist you in conducting interviews, hiring and training prospective EmbroidMe employees since this is a service oriented franchise opportunity it is highly important that every employee must be able to comply and adhere to EmbroidMe's strict rules and regulations.

The special features of this franchise opportunity are the following: turn key, absolutely no experience is needed, it is not a seasonal type of franchise opportunity, it is a business to business franchise opportunity, it needs only two employees and is a part of a $20 billion plus industry.

Another hot franchise opportunity is the "SIGN*A*RAMA" franchise opportunity which is considered as the largest full service sign franchise in the whole world and has over 700 "SIGN*A*RAMA" stores in 30 countries while being rated as the #1 in the industry for 6 years running by Entrepreneur Magazine. Also headed by EmbroidMe's president Ray Titus, "SIGN*A*RAMA*" is just like EmbroidMe. "SIGN*A*RAMA*" is also looking for willing and able entrepreneurs who want to have their taste of being their own boss while having the incredible opportunity of being part of a well-known company.

When you sign up for this franchise opportunity expect to receive the following premium features: when it comes to equipment, they have the full service sign centers wherein they make the most of computerized sign making technologies. The "SIGN*A*RAMA" Sign Center actually allows the customer to have a look at the draft of the sign that they wish to be made before it gets the "go-signal" for it be printed. This franchise opportunity will also assist franchisees in picking out their desired franchise location, their lease as well as in the marketing aspect of the business.

Great Careers In The Medical Field

Keywords:

career enhancement, career enhancement tools, careers

Article Body:

The medical field has always offered wonderful career opportunities and seems to provide not only job security but favorable incomes in many facets of the medical environment. The demand is a constant and unless people quit getting sick, it appears there won’t be any problems in the future finding a need for the medical professional.

Careers in the medical field vary but you can certainly find many different opportunities. You can go into mental health or family practice as a tech, doctor or nurse. You can set your own hours with a career which offers flex-time, part-time and full time opportunities. You can be your own boss in many areas of the medical field especially if you are a physician or psychologist in private practice. The career possibilities are endless.

In the mental health field, registered nurses are in high demand. Psychologists and Psychiatrists can find a job with ease. Social workers are in demand in mental hospitals and drug treatment centers. Psych techs are in high demand now within mental health facilities and many psych techs are paid up to sixteen dollars an hour in larger cities and that’s for someone who has a high school diploma and a willingness to learn through on the job training!

In pediatrics, the medical field is wide open. Careers for child psychologists and nurses are available and of course, physicians who are ready to go to work in private practice or as an important part of a family group practice will be pleasantly surprised with their working environments in most cases.

Careers for nurse practitioners and physician assistants are in high demand. Many physician assistants and nurse practitioners are making as much as a family physician if they are in the right field. Surgery Physician Assistants make over $100,000 in some areas and most of them have a three or four day work week which can give a career opportunity a lot of appeal.

Dermatology offers registered nurses, PAs and medical techs many possibilities and often the dermatology offices are closed either on Monday or Friday which again, offers appeal. Dermatologists draw good salaries and career minded physicians can work alone in private practice or in a group.

There are so many careers to consider in the medical field. If you aren’t sure of the many possibilities, then take a look at our comprehensive list below. The following opportunities are available and make great career choices with most of them in high demand!

• Physicians ranging from Pediatricians to Psychiatrists
• Nursing opportunities ranging from registered nurses to LPN and CNA possibilities
• Medical techs such as psych techs, radiology techs and medical techs
• Medical transcribing
• Medical records and billing opportunities for clerical work and auditing
• Counseling and crisis work for psychologists and psychiatrists
• Clerical work in many capacities

There are many other medical field opportunities and there are many opportunities for food service employees too. Medical personnel in the hospitals count on the food service within the deli or cafeteria twenty-four hours a day. People who want stability in their careers in the food service industry often choose food service careers within the medical industry. They need the job security and find the salaries are often far better than those realized in the restaurants in the surrounding areas.

When you begin your search for a career, look online at the Occupational Handbook placed online by the US Labor board and see if you can find a career that’s not only in high demand but one which will satisfy your long term goals for salary and educational requirements. Be familiar with your career opportunities before you lock yourself into a permanent career choice.

Great Ideas And Tips For Entrepreneurial Success From Jeff Bezos Of Amazon.com

Keywords:

Entrepreneur, Home based business, Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com, entrepreneurs,king of cybercommerce,

Article Body:

For ten years the world has been watching with Awe and Admiration the Phenomenal success of Jeff Bezos the Founder and CEO of Amazon.com.

The goal of each and every Entrepreneur be they Home Based Business or not is to achieve success and rise to the top.

Success does not come easily. It requires Hard Work, Commitment and Dedication to reach the top as an Entrepreneur. Attaining your goal is often easier if you can follow the path already trodden by Brilliant Entrepreneurs. Pick up some Great Ideas and Tips that rocketed them to Fame and Fortune and try to implement them.

In this respect the Phenomenal success of Jeff Bezos, dubbed by Time Magazine as the " King of Cybercommerce" comes to mind. His spirit of Adventure, Imagination, Innovation and Creativeness are some of the qualities that have made Amazon.com what it is today.

In 1994 he set up his Home Based Business in a two bed roomed house in Seattle with extension leads running to his garage. There was no turning back and the tremendous progress he made is history.

Today Amazon serves over 45 Million customers and well over 600,000 Associates. Amazon.com is the Internet's most popular brand name. It is the largest Internet retailer in the world. Jeff Bezos the founder and CEO is a multi-billionaire and one of the richest men in the world.

A few quotes of Jeff Bezos will display the characteristic thinking behind the success of this brilliant entrepreneur and the dominance of Amazon.com.

1."A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person. You earn reputation by trying to do hard things well."

2."If you do build a great experience, customers tell each other about that. Word of mouth is very powerful."

3."There are two kinds of companies, those that work to try to charge more and those that work to charge less. we will be the second"

4."We see customers as invited guests to a party and we are the hosts. It's our job everyday to make every important aspect of the customer's experience a little better."

5." What we want to do is something completely new. There is no physical analog for what Amazon.com is becoming."

About his vision Jeff Bezos says “Our vision is the world's most customer-centric company. The place where people come to find and discover anything they might want to buy on line.”

To top it up he places great emphasis on the importance of the six core values-he insists on.
1. Customer obsession. 2. Ownership. 3. Bias for action. 4. Frugality. 5. High hiring bar. 6. Innovation.

Here are some very useful Ideas and Tips that all Entrepreneurs including the Home Based Business Entrepreneur can pick up from Jeff Bezos.

You have to be:

1. A Dreamer and never give up your dream
2. An Optimist and be Confident in what you do.
3. A Strategist, ready to meet all situations and circumstances.
4. Prepared to tread into areas where others have never trodden before.
5. Customer focused more than Marketing focused.
7. Obsessed about customers not competitors.
8. Innovative and keep on innovating.
9. Always thinking Big.
10.Working hard and charge less.

Finally a tip from Jeff Bezos for all Entrepreneurs,” Work hard, have fun, make history". Yes,That's what the "The King of Cybercommerce" has done with Amazon.com.

Copyright © 2005 Kanaga Siva.

Great Hotel Marketing Starts with Hotel Website Design

In this day and age, the most critical component of hotel marketing is great hotel website design.

Keywords:

hotel marketing, internet, website design, search engine optimization, hotel website design, hotel web site design

Article Body:

You may have the most wonderful hotel in the world, with gorgeous landscaping, comfortable rooms, and impeccable service, but if guests don't know about it, your occupancy rates will be a continual disappointment. In this day and age, the most critical component of hotel marketing is great hotel website design.

Why Hotel Website Design?

The numbers say it all. During 2007, almost a third of all hotel revenues will be generated by online channels. Moreover, over half of your target audience's decision-making is influenced by the Internet. Over a third of hotel guests choose their hotel based on online research, but book through another channel. The remainder researched their choices through an Internet portal, but then tried to book directly with the travel provider.

Without great hotel web site design, it's as if you printed 1,000 beautiful, four-color, ten-page brochures that stunningly captured the unique nature of your hotel at ten dollars apiece, and then locked them away in a cupboard. How effective would they be? The "look and feel" is vitally important in motivating visitors to explore your hotel product, and in guiding them to buy, but without the right technology, site structure, and navigation methods, you will only have marginal online revenues.

Hotel Search Engine Optimization

Even if you have a wonderful hotel web site design, if no one can find your website when they are searching online for that "luxury San Diego hotel," that "romantic B&B outside Paris," or that "adventure scuba holiday in the Maldives," it's as though you didn't have a website at all.

The way that potential guests will find your hotel web site is through search engine optimization. Search engine optimization is both an art and a science - and shouldn't be left to amateurs. Search engine optimization techniques will enable your hotel website to be returned high in the rankings of search engine results - a critical element of effective online hotel marketing.

Factors to Consider

When choosing a marketing company for your hotel website design, make sure that they understand and meet these goals:

* Generating qualified, quality visitor traffic

* Motivating visitors to delve deeper into your hotel website

* Converting visitors into online hotel revenues

Too often, hotel websites are developed in reverse, placing the emphasis on design rather than on generating website traffic. The key is to balance traffic generation effectiveness, the site's "look and feel," and conversion techniques to produce a hotel web site that looks great, gets plenty of traffic that converts into bookings.

Find a Hotel Website Design Company

Today, Internet design and marketing companies have specializations. In order to get the best return on investment, it's best to choose a website design company that specializes in hotel website design. Make sure that their approach adheres to the following guidelines - otherwise, keep shopping. The company should:

* Identify your visitors' expectations and intentions

* Work with you to clarify your own objectives

* Develop a hotel website revenue conversion strategy

* Determine site components that satisfy both design and search engine optimization goals

* Map our "click paths" that will lead to conversion

Your hotel website design and search engine optimization are the two keys to generating the kind of traffic that will keep your occupancy rates in the stratosphere!

EVER GOT BUSTED BY THE WORLD WIDE WEB? MySpace-ers and Forumgoers Swap Opinions: This is a Great Web-Advertising tool

A new website, designed by a young, computer-savvy, U.S. entrepreneur, that changes a computer’s Internet history by substituting visited websites with sites that are pre-screened for content and removes previous versions of the Internet history from the computer – all with one click. These pre-screened websites, called SwapSites, are sponsored by website owners who want to experience this new level of advertising. Sweep and Swap is a one-click way to protect your privacy online.

Keywords:

Internet, Internet advertising, Internet traffic, technology, web, website, business, entrepreneur, online privacy, online safety, online business, myspace

Article Body:

Houston, TX – July 23, 2006 – Internet users, for years, have been getting exposed by their Internet history while website entrepreneurs and administrators have wrestled with “breaking into” the mainstream consciousness and finding exposure among the hundreds of millions of websites currently in existence. A new website called sweepandswap.com, designed by a young, computer-savvy U.S. entrepreneur, changes a computer’s Internet history by substituting visited websites with sites that are pre-screened for content and removes previous versions of the Internet history from the computer – all with one click. These pre-screened websites, called SwapSites, are sponsored by website owners who want to experience this new level of advertising. Sweep and Swap was designed to serve the needs of both the everyday Internet user as well as the everyday website advertiser – bringing them together for mutual benefit.

According to SweepandSwap.com creator, Brian Hull, the combination of an extremely useful consumer webtool and solicited Internet advertisement is a match made in cyberspace. “The SwapSites are quite interesting and human curiosity will cause Internet users to visit the advertisers’ websites after running the ‘Sweep and Swap’ tool,” Hull said. “While demonstrating my newly launched website for a friend, she began shopping on one of the SwapSites!”

In addition, Sweep and Swap is able to change search terms entered in browser toolbars, disguise the names of Internet cookies, and be personalized to produce a more convincing Internet history. Sweep and Swap is a one-click way to protect your privacy online – whether you are sharing a computer, purchasing that surprise gift online, or you simply desire unsuspicious confidentiality when surfing the web.

Delivering Great Customer Service - 10 Tips

One of the key components of an effective retention strategy is exceptional customer service. Not just good service, but memorable service. Today, consumers’ expectations are higher than ever and companies that fail to deliver, risk losing market share. Here are 10 Tips for Delivering Good Customer Service.

Keywords:

customer, service, retention, sustain, business, loyalty, client, memorable, exceptional, mistake, employee, help, strategy, front-line, satisfaction, company representative, auto-attendant, listening, feedback, sustaining

Article Body:

It almost goes without saying that good customer service is essential to sustaining any business. No matter how wonderful a job you do of attracting new customers, you won’t be profitable for long unless you have a solid customer retention strategy in place – and in action. It’s the actions that count – not what you say you’ll do, or what the policy says. People will remember what you or your employees have done – or not done.

One of the key components of an effective retention strategy is exceptional customer service. Not just good service, but memorable service. Today, consumers’ expectations are higher than ever and companies that fail to deliver, risk losing market share.

10 Tips for Delivering Good Customer Service.

1) Treat me like a somebody. It’s been years since that Midas muffler commercial aired, but the “I’m a somebody” phrase can still be heard from time to time. Why? Because regular customers expect (and deserve) to be remembered. As one woman summed it up, “You don’t need to remember my name, or what I order, but do acknowledge that I’ve been there before.”

One of the best examples I’ve ever seen of this is at my local coffee shop. One day I noticed that the young man behind the counter greeted some people by name and, even if he didn’t know their name, he knew what they usually ordered. As I waited for my tea (he’d already placed my ‘two milk on the side’ on the counter without me having said a word), I asked him why he said, “See you later” to some customers, “See you tomorrow” to others, yet always said, “Have a good week” to me. The smiling, friendly reply? “Because you only come in on Mondays and Fridays”. As I thanked him, I thought to myself, “Wow. He won’t be here long”. Unfortunately, I was right.

2) Be polite! Too frequently company representatives ask customers for file information without saying “Please” or even being polite. It is not acceptable for a service rep to simply bark out, “Account number?” And it is never acceptable for a service rep to insult a client.

Six weeks ago there was a problem with my home internet account – which is with a phone carrier I have used my entire life (and, as you know, this kind of loyalty to a phone company is almost unheard of these days). In all that time, I have never been late with a bill payment to them. There is a long and ugly story here, but the short version is that a) the problem was on their end and b) before they realized where things had gone wrong, their rep was extremely rude. When I asked him to please change the way in which he was addressing me, he snarled, “Well whadya expect? If you’d pay your bills on time you wouldn’t have this problem.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. In fact, if I’d just read this account (instead of being on the receiving end), I wouldn’t have believed the story. What’s worse is that although the company later apologized, their senior management seemed to feel that this was not an isolated incident.

A 2005 survey conducted by Schulich School of Business MBAs suggests that this kind of problem exists in over 30% of companies, and costs them hundreds of millions of dollars in lost customers (and revenues) each and every year. Don’t let your company end up one of these statistics.

3) Thank your customers – like you mean it. When your employees conclude a transaction, they should thank the customer with a smile and a sincere “thank you for … completed by whatever is appropriate for your business”. Too often, customers received a rushed and barely civil “Thanks-Have-a-nice-day-Next”. With large purchases, the verbal greeting should be followed up with a hand-written card – not just because it leads to increased referrals (which is does), but because it is the correct thing to do.

Oh, and by the way, the word “Sure” is no way to respond when a customer thanks you. To many people in many parts of the world, this is dismissive and suggests you don’t care. The correct phrase is “You’re welcome”.

4) Appearances do count! According got two independent pieces or research, nearly 90% of customers form an impression about how competent and reputable your company is based on what they see when they walk trough your doors.

Preserve me from auto-attendant hell. Customers are becoming increasingly annoyed and frustrated with having to sift through a multitude of options and press numerous buttons – only to be told that the desired service can only be obtained through the company’s website. Worse is when the auto-attendant uses voice recognition – but doesn’t ‘recognize’ your voice. People want to connect with human beings; they don’t want to listen to a long list of prompts. For hints on how to use auto-attendants effectively, please read “The top 5 new things people expect for good customer service” on our ReallyGreatInfo.com webiste.

5) Do what you say you will... when you say you will. The expression “Under promise, over deliver” may have become somewhat hackneyed through over use, but is still germane. One of the quickest ways to lose customer confidence is to not follow-through, or to be late delivering a service or product, without notifying the customer in advance, determining whether or not the delay will impact the customer and providing an alternate solution in the interim if necessary.

One of the best examples I ever experienced of a company doing it well happened with Toyota. There was a problem with my RAV4 and Toyota couldn’t repair it easily. I was driving a loaner, but had planned to go camping with my kids. It was our summer holiday and it had been planned for months. When Toyota couldn’t repair my vehicle in time, they rented an SUV for us to use – without me having to ask. I have since purchased another vehicle from this dealership and recommended it to 6 others who have purchased from them. Coincidence? I think not.

6) Surprise the customer from the time to time. When it is possible to provide an extra level of service, do so. Whether it’s an unexpected complimentary dessert in a restaurant, or an upgrade that has not been requested, these special gestures go a long way towards engendering customer loyalty and to winning you new customers. It has long been known that on average, a dissatisfied customer will tell 10 - 16 others, but people who have had an unexpectedly good experience also recount their stories.

7) Provide “full” service. When Successories sends out its framed prints, it includes the hooks and a small levelling device. There’s a remote control toy vendor near me who includes the batteries. “My” gas station dispenses free coffee with gas on weekday mornings. A drive-through drycleaner in northern Ontario opens early and hands you the morning paper with your order. Small things, yes. Greatly appreciated? No question.

I spoke to each of my local retailers and learned that in each case, their sales – and profits – have enjoyed double digits increases since they introduced more comprehensive service. Think about what you can add to help make things easier for your customers. In some cases, by looking at what else it makes sense to sell, you can even add a new revenue stream while improving the perceived level of customer service provided.

8) Mea Culpa. When you have made a mistake, admit it and set things straight. When customers have a complaint – listen, truly listen. Then apologize and take corrective action. In many instances, the very act of listening (without interrupting) can be enough to diffuse the situation and make the person feel worthy as a customer. Then ask the customer how they would like you to resolve the situation. In most instances, your client will come up with something reasonable – and often less costly than a solution you might have proposed.

9) Listen to your customers. Conduct your own surveys and get feedback on what they like and don’t like - and take corrective action as required. Let customers know that their business is appreciated and that their opinions are important to you.

None of these suggestions takes a lot of time or money to implement, yet they can pay dividends in increased customer satisfaction and retention. The key, though, is to ensuring that employees understand the importance of their front-line role and get good training and supervision.

Health Care Jobs Can Be Great

Keywords:

health care jobs

Article Body:

As a young person, it is never easy to narrow down the long list of possible careers to a few options that might be most suitable for them. There are so many options for both men and women these days that the process might be a little bit overwhelming. Many times kids end up studying and doing something that they are familiar with because of their parents or friends. Health care jobs are definitely some of the best jobs to be had today. Whether you are a young person looking for your first job out of college or whether you are much older and looking for a career change, it is important to be intentional about the job search process.

One of the best ways to get informed is to talk with people who are doing the jobs that might interest you. Getting first hand information will help immensely and give you a realistic picture of what the job will look like. If you are interested in health care jobs, talk to people in the health care profession in a variety of ways. Speak with nurses, doctors, massage therapists, receptionists, physical therapists or any other kind of health care job worker that interests you.

A great thing about pursuing health care jobs is that they are highly needed right now. Especially in urban areas, there seems to always be a demand for health care job workers. In today's society, having the job security that many health care jobs can bring is valuable. People who choose to enter the health care field rarely have trouble finding or keeping jobs. This is an important thing - one of the most important things perhaps - to consider when choosing a career.

Another great thing about health care jobs is that you get to help people in very tangible and real ways. If you are a person that loves to care for and help people than there can be no better profession for you than health care jobs. What a great way to get paid to do something you love. Health care jobs allow you to gain skills that meet the real needs of people. So many professionals cannot go home at the end of a day knowing that they have done something that clearly benefits society. Health care jobs give you a clear sense of helping society in positive ways.

Consider seriously a career doing one of many health care jobs. You will be busy doing something you love and that our world really needs.

Great Savings in Postcard Printing

The cost of living is pretty high nowadays that we need to consider saving a penny. Clothesline, groceries, and office supplies - everything has increased in value. Thus, extra effort to save is a must.

Keywords:

custom postcard printing, discount postcard printing, business postcards printing, postcard printing services, create-a-postcard printing services, po

Article Body:

Every penny counts. This is the reason why I am cautious where to spend it. We need to be a spend-thrift, not simply because it is wise but because it is a must.
I am into postcards and every once in a while I am tasked to take charge of the whole process - from the conceptualization up to printing. If you are to see it in a packaging it may seem a pretty taxing process. In fact, the entire thing takes a lot of effort and money. Nonetheless, it may also be on the contrary.

Printing rate is a big factor that you need to consider in dealing with postcards. Many postcard designs are 'ganged' in order to save on both money and time. Ganging print dramatically slashes the price of each printing job at a faster printing process. Basically, that is hitting two birds at the same time.

Ganging print goes like this, if you are going to print 12 different postcard designs on different sheets, in ganging it will be run through the press just once. By now, you can see the effect.

Another consideration that can help you is to find a commercial printer that gives a good postcard printing deal. There are available discount postcard printing deals in the business these days. Grab the opportunity to save more.

In connection to mailing postcards, postage rate can be pretty affordable. In fact, first class mail is only 23 cents. If you are to compare it with mailing letters, it is 14 cents lower. However, if you are choosing mailing some requirements must be met by your postcards. One of the requirements is the final trim size of 5 to 6 inches in length and 1-1/2 to 4-1/4 inches in height. This postcard rate includes double postcards that have reply cards.

If you opt to make postcards online, you can use ready-made templates to save time. There are thousands of them online. All you have to do is download them. By that process, designing will be made easy and will not eat your time.

To make it even easier, you can upload your own mailing list from several file formats. Check this mailing list against your official post office records. Change any errors to preclude you from spending further on invalid addresses. Finally, save your mailing list for future use.

Can Small Business Owners Really Afford A Great Logo?

And is having a logo really that important? My answer to both of these questions is an emphatic YES!

Keywords:

low cost marketing, small business marketing, logo, logo mark

Article Body:

And is having a logo really that important?
My answer to both of these questions is an emphatic YES!

A logo is a graphical or visual representation of your brand. Your brand is your business, product or service and what it stands for. It's whatever you are out in the marketplace selling.

Why do small businesses need a logo?

Why can't they just market using their company name? Logos are expensive, right? Can a small business owner really afford to get a logo? Or at least a good logo? Lots of questions. Some I'm sure you've pondered yourself at one time or another.

I believe ALL businesses should have a logo

You need a graphic element that captures the essence of your business and communicates an idea to your prospects and customers. A mark that can lead the look and feel of all of your marketing materials.

You only have a split second to grab someone's attention

You need to make the most of that time. A good logo can communicate a message or intrigue a prospect to want to find out more.

Before you decide you can't afford a good logo
Let me assure you that is absolutely NOT the case. Look, I've been in the ad agency business for 20 years. During that time I've worked with some of the most talented graphic artists and designers in the business. But even I did not turn to them when I needed a logo for 10stepmarketing.

Why? I couldn't. They were simply too expensive for my small business budget. So what did I do? I found a great alternative that's inexpensive, fast and good.

You can get a great logo for between $300 and $500 from a company called LogoWorks. And, you'll get a variety of logo designs to choose from and you'll have them within just a few days. Plus you'll get several rounds of revisions to make sure you are completely happy with your final mark.

What I like most about Logoworks is they require you to complete a creative direction worksheet that ensures their designs are strategically on target with your brand. This is KEY if you want your logo to be a good representation of your business. If anyone offers to design a logo for you without some form of creative brief or direction worksheet, don't do it!

If you don't have a logo, or if yours is in need of an overhaul, check out LogoWorks. You can learn more at http://www.10stepmarketing.com/valuabletips.htm

(C) 2005 Debbie LaChusa