3. Please Start By Reading This - Then Pass It On
- "The man who can drive himself further once the effort gets painful is the
man who will win." Roger Bannister
- "The spirit, the will to win, and the will to excel are the things that endure.
These qualities are so much important than the events that occur." Vince
Lombardi
- "Success in our calling is the result of a person's love of and belief in the
work he has undertaken. Earnest and conscientious labor often
accomplishes more in the end than the brilliant genius." Anonymous
- "Food offered without affection is like food offered to the dead." Hindu
Proverb
- "What you have to do and the way have to do it incredibly simple.
Whether you are willing to do it, that's another matter." Peter F. Drucker
- The best motivation is self motivation. The guy says, "I wish someone
would come by and turn me on." What if they don't show up? You've got to
have a better plan for your life. Jim Rohn
- "How does one measure time? No, not in days, months, or years. It is
measured by the most precious of all things: Love. Without which all
beings and things whether brave and/or beautiful would perish." Irish
Blesshin
4. Table of Contents:
Career
- The Core Of Your Career Is Networking........................................................................6
- Get Started as a Virtual Assistant Entrepreneur..............................................................7
- What the HR Manager Won’t Tell You...........................................................................8
- Choosing The Perfect Retirement Home........................................................................9
Business
- How to Start a Successful Internet Business..................................................................12
- Make Money on the Internet with an Online Business..................................................13
- Choosing The Right Website Copywriter.......................................................................14
- Writing Up Sizzling Sales Copy That Converts.............................................................16
- How To Outsource Your Online Business......................................................................18
- The Facts About Business Outsourcing..........................................................................19
- What You Need to be a Dropshipper...............................................................................20
- Beginner Steps For Crocheting For Money....................................................................20
- The Benefits Of Quilting Designs................................................................................ ..22
- How To Make Successful Craft Business.......................................................................23
- Why Consider Bartending as a Business........................................................................23
- A Beginner's Guide To Antique Collecting.....................................................................24
- Different Types of Perfumes for Beginners....................................................................25
- Making Scrapbooks, Money And Have Fun While Doing It.........................................27
- Why You Should Join A Model Railroad Club...............................................................27
- The Wonderful Animated World Of Disney Movies.......................................................28
- Guide to Low Budget Film Making................................................................................29
- Team Coaching To Business Coaching...........................................................................30
- Stamp Collector's Beginners Guide................................................................................31
- The Right Wedding Photography....................................................................................32
- How To Be A Great Public Speaker................................................................................33
- How To Get Started With Auto Detailing.......................................................................34
- Building Your Home Business with Residual Income....................................................35
Marketing
- Power Marketing Strategies............................................................................................36
- Common Mistakes Made By New Affiliate Marketers...................................................39
- Using Article Marketing To Boost Site Traffic...............................................................39
- Getting Visitors To Stay Through Web Based Marketing...............................................41
- How To Build A Profitable List.......................................................................................42
- Opt-In List Building Is A Provable Success....................................................................43
- How to Develop an E-Mail Newsletter............................................................................43
- How To Become An SEO Ninja......................................................................................45
- Video Marketing For Free Traffic...................................................................................46
- Making Your Own Marketing Youtube Video.................................................................47
5. Advertising
- Advertising with Pay Per Click Search Engines.............................................................48
- How To Effectively Advertise on Craigslist...................................................................50
- The Basics of Magazine Printing Advertising................................................................51
- How To Select The Right Public Relation Firm.............................................................52
Finance
- How To Get Out Of Debt More Quickly........................................................................54
- How To Improve Your Credit Score...............................................................................55
- Tips on Securing A Good Value Personal Loan..............................................................55
- How To Balance Money and Finance In Families..........................................................56
- How To Find Government Grants...................................................................................58
Make Money
- How to Make Money With No Investment.....................................................................59
- How to Make Money from Affiliate Ebooks..................................................................60
- How To Create Your Own Ebooks Or Special Reports...................................................61
- How To Write A Sales Letter That Sells..........................................................................62
- How To Set A Price For Your Online Product.................................................................63
- How to Sell Your Website Quickly for Profits.................................................................64
- Driving Memberships Sites To Make You Money...........................................................65
- Ways To Make Your Own Online Videos.........................................................................66
- How To Profit From Digital Resell Rights Products........................................................67
- How To Make Money With Online Surveys....................................................................68
- Sell Time Share Property for More Profits.......................................................................69
- Real Estate Terms – From Condominiums to Deeds of Trust..........................................70
- The Short Cut To Online Wealth.......................................................................................71
6. Careers
The Core Of Your Career Is Networking
After you’ve created all your “self-marketing documents” and verbal presentations, you’re ready to
take your job search “to the street” and begin networking. The goal is to contact people who can help
you reach the hiring managers inside your target companies. Networking can be done on the phone, in
person, via e-mail or even “snail mail.”
Ford Myers, M.Ed., president of Career Potential, a Haverford, PA-based career consulting firm and
developer of the “New Year, New Career Power Plan to Achieving Career Success in 2006” states,
“Networking is a lot simpler and less scary than many people think. You do not need to be a good
‘schmoozer’ to network effectively. In fact, the best networkers are often great listeners, as opposed to
great talkers.”
And no matter what, don’t ever let-up on your networking efforts. Ninety-five percent of my clients
land great jobs through their networks. It’s not worth risking those odds to NOT be continually
networking! Remember: If you’re in career transition, networking IS your job. It should be the primary
focus of everything you do. The quantity and quality of your networking time is directly related to the
personal, professional, and financial satisfaction you’ll have in your next job.”
Who should be on your contact list? Who should you be reaching out to? The answer is: everyone you
know. Everyone? Yes, everyone! Every single person alive who knows your name should be on your
contact list! (The only exception is people who clearly don’t like you)!
It doesn’t matter what these contacts do for a living, or where they live, or how much power or money
they have. The key is not to pre-judge people or make assumptions about who can and cannot help you.
After guiding thousands of clients through the networking process, I have learned that most new jobs
are secured through people who were least expected to be of help!
Let’s “de-mystify” the networking process, so it won’t seem overwhelming or confusing to you any
longer. What follows is a highly-structured and purposeful approach that consistently produces
excellent results! Using your Contact List to focus on the specific people to contact, here are the basic
steps you’ll need to follow:
1. Build Rapport. State, “I was referred by (give name of mutual friend/colleague), or “I was
referred by our mutual colleague/friend (give name), who suggested that” …. (Find some area of
common interest to discuss). I’m contacting you about a career matter, but let me assure you that I am
not calling to ask you for a job – nor do I expect you to even know of any job openings. Let me start by
telling you a bit about myself and my professional background....
7. 2. State “where you’ve been” by using a Positioning Statement. This is a succinct, pre-prepared
verbal statement that explains “who you are” professionally. Example: “I am a senior Financial and
Operations Professional and graduate of Western General’s Financial Management Program. I have
more than 15 years of experience in the Manufacturing and Services industries. My strengths include
analysis, problem-solving, communication and innovation. I have specific expertise in Financial
Analysis and Reporting, Cash and Risk Management, and Productivity Analysis. I am seeking a
leadership position with a focus on Financial Reporting.”
3. Share “what happened” with an Exit Statement. This is a concise explanation of why you’re
no longer at your previous position, or why you’re interested in leaving your current employer.
Example: “As a result of a merger between two business units, over 1,500 positions have been affected,
including mine. I now have the opportunity to explore other career options in Financial Services that
will leverage my proven strengths in analysis, problem-solving, communication and innovation.” The
Exit Statement must be expressed in positive terms, so there will be no suspicion that you “did
something wrong” to lose your job.
4. Ask for help. “Would you be willing to help me?”
5. “Decompress” – take the pressure off – reassure your contact again that you are not asking for a
job. Reiterate, “As I said, I am not asking you for a job, nor do I expect you to know of any appropriate
positions. However, I am interested any advice or guidance that you could offer, in addition to any
networking contacts you could provide. (Give name of mutual friend/colleague) told me that you’d be a
great person to talk to for this purpose. Would you be willing to review some of my credentials, and
give me candid feedback? I could send the materials right over.”
6. Ask again for help, i.e., expanding contact network, guidance, advice, feedback. Leverage the
notion of “six degrees of separation” – ask for contacts from your contacts! And always “come from
generosity.” This means you should be on the lookout for opportunities to offer something of value in
return.
7. Share your main documents, and set a time to get back to them. State, “I’ll e-mail (or fax) a
one-page Professional Biography and list of Target Companies to you. Then I’d like to follow-up and
have another conversation – when would be better for you, Wednesday afternoon or Friday morning? I
know your input will be of great value, and I appreciate your willingness to help.
Follow-up after your networking meeting and keep the conversation going with two-way value
exchange. Note: if the contact is a “center of influence,” try to have your follow-up discussion face-to-
face instead of on the phone, unless the contact is outside your geographic region.
It’s a smart career move to always be networking, no matter what’s going on for you professionally. If
you don’t need help at this time, build-up your networking power by helping others. In general, people
will want to help you. It makes them feel good about themselves.
It boosts their self-esteem to be considered “a connector” of people with opportunities and information,
and it makes them feel important.” Networking is a great investment in your future, and over the long-
term, it always pays big dividends!
Get Started as a Virtual Assistant Entrepreneur
Virtual assistant jobs are not for anyone and everyone, but for serious people who want to make it as
their profession. Becoming a virtual assistant entrepreneur can be very rewarding at the same time
very much demanding too. To become a virtual assistant entrepreneur and being your own boss one
need high qualification, expertise in the field and overall good attitude.
8. The virtual assistant entrepreneur cannot taste success unless he works hard with dedication and
perseverance, as success cannot be achieved overnight. It all depends on how good the virtual assistant
entrepreneur carries out the business activity, how well he networks and promotes his services
effectively.
Characteristics and qualifications of virtual assistant entrepreneurs:
Normally the virtual assistant entrepreneurs are people who have been over achievers with a good
exposure to administrative tasks and skills, with a high qualification and training. Entering the
profession without these would be a great mistake as the clients look for the best people in the industry.
How to get started as a Virtual Assistant Entrepreneur?
To get started as a virtual assistant entrepreneur, one has to look for high yielding projects online.
Many employers post freelance projects, which need to be completed. As a virtual assistant
entrepreneur you can bid for the projects. This will give an idea about the kind of projects available
and what the employers look for to complete the project, so that services can be offered accordingly.
As a virtual assistant entrepreneur works from home, it is very important to have a separate work space
with all the inventory of the administrative assistant’s desk to make sure the work does not get affected
by distractions and to be able to do work efficiently and effectively on time.
As a Virtual assistant entrepreneur, it is good to visit other virtual assistant’s sites to get new ideas on
the services you can offer, pricing can be determined on par with others etc. It is only to get ideas but
not to copy, as everyone needs to be unique in offering services to have an edge over others in this
competitive world.
Also, by going through the sites, the virtual assistant entrepreneur can determine other professional’s
qualifications, certifications got etc. This will give an idea to improve the qualifications if necessary.
Once work is got, you need to be very realistic very professional in your approach. Becoming a virtual
assistant entrepreneur or being your own boss can be very demanding and at the same time very
rewarding.
What the HR Manager Won’t Tell You
Most human resource managers today are limited to providing only the basics for employment
verification. Fear of litigation nullifies anything that may be deemed subjective or, more considerably,
litigious.
Conducting the formal employment verification will typically return little more than the date your
candidate started employment, the date he left, and the position he held. You will often find yourself
lacking the input needed to make an informed hiring decision. Once in awhile, the HR Manager will be
adventurous and respond that your candidate was “in good standing.”
In fact, at the writing of this article, there was a radio program where the show’s commentator
reinforced this principle. The commentator admonished Human Resources Personnel that there is as
much a danger in providing a positive reference as there is in providing one that is negative. He went
on to say it is important to keep all employment verifications as uniform as possible. He suggested
providing only the start date, completion date and the position held.
Is this bare bones information enough to make an informed decision on an employment candidate?
Sometimes. When the job is simple enough and no special skills are required… yes. Then all you need
to know is whether or not your candidate actually worked at his previous place of employment.
9. You may need to know more about an IT candidate’s technical skills, but whether or not your
candidate’s last job as a pizza boy can shed any real light on his abilities is open to debate.
Because the typical employment verification yields such sparse information, more and more businesses
are turning to the reference verification in order to find out more about their candidates and their
respective skills. While the reference verification can have its pros and cons, for a fair number of
hiring situations it’s a smart way to go.
Reference verifications can be best used to discern the skill sets of your job candidate. Recruiters will
employ the reference check to determine if their candidates are qualified in special skills and
experience. You may call upon references to define a job candidate’s level of IT skills, or his fluency
with general and industry specific software programs. You may wish to better understand his abilities
in graphic and web design, which can provide essential considerations.
As a recruiter, you may want to know more about your candidate’s networking capabilities, who he
knows in his industrial sector. If he is a sales person, you may know just how well connected he is in,
say, licensing product in certain geographic regions. For international candidates, when language
capability is a concern, you can use the reference verification to help assess these abilities.
Of course, there are other questions you may ask in your reference verification process. You may want
to know more about your candidate’s management skills or style. You need to determine if he works
well with others, if he is a team player or the sort that works better off by himself. Does he show up on
time? Is he absent frequently? What are the areas where he can improve?
At Corra, as part of the verification process, we ask the reference to rate the employment candidate
using a scale of one to ten. Ten is the highest score. Usually, to be considered a viable employment
candidate, our clients would like to see at least a seven rating. Seven and up is considered pretty solid.
Sometimes the reference gets carried away and barks out a ten. Most employers will look at this as
boosterish. But there are the exceptions. If the reference is an upper level executive and qualifies his
or her statement with such phrases as “I’ve been around for umpteen years and rarely have I seen
someone work as well as So and So,” the employer will take it more at face value.
In most cases, the higher level ratings are a nine or nine plus. The reference will often qualify his
rating with “Everyone has room to improve…”
Always bear in mind the reference that your job candidate supplies you, will be a favorable reference.
No candidate in his right mind would give you references that would go out of their way to sink his
ship.
Sometimes the reference may not find the candidate as favorable as the candidate would like to
believe. While the reference wants to be a good person, they may also want to divulge the more
negative aspects as well. There is any number of reasons for doing so. Sometimes they wish to give
you a heads up. Sometimes there are personal issues. Sometimes they are just covering their butts.
The reference may not tell you directly that the candidate is tough to deal with or is someone who they
would never hire again. Yet they would like to. So it is not the answer itself, but the way they answer
that serves as the indicator. It’s what they don’t say or their hesitation that provides the tipoff they
were less than thrilled with your candidate.
Listen for the speech inflection, the hesitation, or the reference’s struggle to find the right word or
term. Sometimes they are working so hard at being diplomatic you can glean a more negative
appraisal.
10. Sometimes, if prodded, they will tell you a little more about the downside of your candidate.
Sometimes that won’t veer from the positive appraisal, but while they don’t say it outright, there is
something in the way they answer that can tell you more than they had wished. Or, they told you
exactly what they wanted to say, but with plausible deniability.
It should be noted for the rare but embarrassing occasion that when you get a reference contact
information, make sure they are a legitimate source.
Either insist on the business phone number as well as their cell number, or find some way to
substantiate that the reference isn’t your candidate’s cousin Larry pretending he is the former CEO of
Nonexistent Enterprises ready to give your candidate a really great review. Think it doesn’t happen?
Think again. But then you might weigh your candidate’s penchant for duplicity against his daring and
creative thinking. Just kidding.
Here are some of the questions, you may wish to use when conducting reference verifications:
- Date:
- Candidate name:
- Reference name:
- Reference Title/Company:
- Company where they worked together:
- Relation to Candidate:
- Reference Phone:
- Confirm Candidate’s Title and Dates of Employment:
1) Did the candidate report directly to you?
If not, what was your working relationship?
2) What were this person’s main responsibilities?
3) a. What are this person’s strengths?
b. What are some areas in which this person can improve?
4) How does this person work with others?
5) In what ways does he/she respond to stressful (high pressure) situations?
6) Did he/she ever have a problem with tardiness or absenteeism?
7) What advice would you give his/her future manager in working with, and motivating this person?
8) Would you rehire this person? If not, why?
9) On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being best), how would you rate this person’s overall performance?
10) Do you have any additional comments that you feel would be helpful?
Of course there are variations upon the theme, so you can be resourceful in choosing reference
questions to fit your company’s particular needs. Be uniform in composing these questions.
Otherwise, it becomes a cumbersome process, and you can risk driving your researcher crazy. There is
also the issue of fairness and how it affects the rules governing employment law. So be consistent.
Reference verifications can be a great tool for the pre-employment screening process. It can be an
effective background check, when you use it wisely.
11. Choosing The Perfect Retirement Home
Making the decision to move from the comfort of your own home into a retirement home is not one to
be taken lightly and needs a lot of thought and preparation.
So what should be you be looking for?
Peace of Mind
Whether you are able to live without assistance or need extra care, you want to know that you're going
to be getting the best and most secure facilities on offer to fit within your lifestyle.
Modern day retirement developments are thought out very carefully with special attention paid to
detail, from the style of the property and its natural surroundings, to the distance from local shops,
hospitals, transport and social aspects such as meeting clubs and restaurants.
Security entrances, 24 hour care lines, smoke alarms and lifts are generally included and designed to
make you feel secure and protected. A house manager is also a reassuring presence. Whether you need
them or not, from keeping an eye on your apartment to answering any questions you might have, they
are there to provide assistance.
Independence
Special attention isn't just paid to the local amenities and facilities outside your home. In order to live
as independently as possible, you need access to everything you'd expect in your own home such as
enough space for storage, right down to the types of tap fittings used and the heights of units. These
small details mean that you can continue to look after yourself well into your retirement.
Assisted living is a great option for those who can maintain a good degree of independence and are
well enough not to need a full time care home but need a bit of extra help. Many retirement
developments offer assisted living for those that need it while still allowing its residents a high degree
of independence.
Comfort
To be comfortable, you need to feel at home, relaxed and secure. This is mostly achieved by choosing a
good quality retirement apartment but extras such as laundry rooms and residents lounges also offer
you companionship and conversation when you want it and fully equipped guest suites for when
friends or family wish to stay overnight.
Cost
Cost of living is obviously high on the agenda for many people. While it's usually tempting to go for
the cheapest option, that's not always best.
Try to find somewhere within your budget with a clear cost structure so there are no hidden costs.
Various service charges including garden maintenance, water rates, the use of the care line, the house
manager etc can soon add up causing a great deal of stress and worry.
You want value for money in a location suitable for you, with the facilities you need and a clear idea of
what extra charges you will need to budget for. Energy efficiency should be high on the tick list too
because the more efficient a property, the less costly it will be.
Location
If you are planning to retire it usually makes sense to choose a location where you already have some
form of connection. For example, some people might select a location to be near to family whilst
others might select a location which is close to their friends.
12. Many choose to retire to a location because of the countryside - or indeed that very popular option, to
be near the sea. Many people select a location on the basis that it is the place where they feel
comfortable and of course "gut feeling" may well play an important part in that judgment.
Finally, whatever grounds you might give for selecting a retirement apartment or flat it really is worth
looking around to see what's on offer. One of the best places to start is by going to the largest builder
of retirement homes in the UK as they have extensive resources on their website to help the retirement
home hunter. Happy searching!
Business
How to Start a Successful Internet Business
Starting your own successful internet business is not a task to be taken lightly. If you are thinking of
“getting rich quick”, perish the thought. An internet business is just like traditional businesses in many
aspects. It will require intelligent planning, resourcefulness, and perseverance to carry it through.
You will want to ask yourself a few questions before you begin. What exactly to do you want to
accomplish by starting your own internet business? Most people want to start a home-based business
because of the perks it will offer. Most people dislike having to get up in the morning at set times to go
to work. Most folks also have an aversion for their bosses, and just about everyone hates traffic jams.
It’s no wonder that people want to get away from all that. Having a successful internet business is one
way to avoid having to go to an office everyday. Note, however, that these benefits will only accrue to
you once you have already succeeded. Before that you will have to work hard, perhaps even harder
than you did on your day job. An online business is still a business, and it will call for determination on
your part to make it work.
There are many ways to make money over the internet; there are many forms your online business can
take. Basically, however, you will have to choose between marketing your own products and services
and helping someone else sell theirs. In internet parlance, you can either choose to create your own
affiliate program or join one.
Either option is a good way to make money; but several factors have to be considered before you make
your choice. Take note that starting your own affiliate program will require that you have your own
product line, whereas simply being affiliate will not – you’ll simply sell pre-existing products and
services. The creation of an affiliate program will also require a modest amount of money.
13. Online businesses, however, are not limited to affiliate programs alone. The internet also hosts a very
active labor market, so if you are a specialist in some field, you probably won't find it too difficult to
find a job. However, keep in mind that full-time positions over the internet are rare.
On the other hand, freelance work is plentiful and often always available. Many sites act as middlemen
for getting contractors and freelance service providers together; very few charge a fee. If you feel out of
depth in starting your own business, using your professional skills might be a better option for you.
Creating a successful internet business will require intelligence, resourcefulness, and hard work. If you
are the type of person who gives up easily, you shouldn’t bother – you’ll be wasting your time. But if
you’re an individual who likes to rise up to the challenge, someone courageous enough to take charge
of your own life, then by all means, give it a shot! You never know what you can do unless you try!
Make Money on the Internet with an Online Business
If you're thinking of starting an online business, there are some things you should know. Any new
online business has the potential to yield a high income, but not every business is for you. You can
make a wise choice early on by studying each opportunity carefully to decide which new online
business will bring you the income you need along with true enjoyment and fulfillment.
When seeking a business opportunity, look for ideas and products that meet your preferences. Don't
settle for just any type of online business. You will likely not be happy building and promoting the
business unless it's something that interests you.
For example, if you enjoy seeing others succeed then you might look for an opportunity that allows you
to help others start an online business. You can build wealth while helping them do the same. If you
prefer selling products such as e-books while keeping to yourself, look for an opportunity that allows
you to do so. Look for a business opportunity that fits your goals, lifestyle, and schedule.
Find an Internet Business Mentor
Success doesn't appear overnight, but it can happen a lot faster when you have a business mentor. A
mentor is someone who coaches you along the way, sharing their experiences and often providing you
with direct guidance for starting and promoting your new online business. A mentor has already paid
the dues and has been through the tough times of building an online business. They know how to make
money on the Internet and build extra income using certain strategies, and they can share these with
you.
To find a business mentor, explore business opportunities that interest you and seek those that offer a
mentor-type relationship. Some opportunities will ask that you invest a small amount of money to get
started, and then a mentor is provided to help you with all the details. The mentor may contact you by
phone or e-mail, or both. They might offer tips at the start and/or continue to encourage you along the
way.
Follow the Steps to Make Money Online
Once you find a great business opportunity and a helpful mentor, it's time to take action. You'll need to
persevere in daily building and promoting to succeed. Be sure to follow the steps offered by your
mentor and be diligent in your efforts each day. An online Internet business is not for slackers; it
requires great detail and steadfastness to work.
Your mentor can offer steps to follow on how to start your own website, how to add content to the
website, how to promote the website, and how to build a solid customer base. While new online
businesses vary in many ways, these four "musts" are the basis for being successful.
14. Once Established, Keep Building
After establishing your new online business, it's time to start earning extra income. There are several
ways to do this. You can grow your customer base with more promotions and by starting a referral
system. You can add new products or services to your existing business.
Each time you add new products or services, you'll have the potential to reach a new audience as well
as sell more products to your existing customers for extra income. Or, you can help others get started
with a business while earning a commission on their sales as well.
To find an online business opportunity that works for you, go online to explore the possibilities. There's
the perfect online Internet business just waiting for you to grab the steering wheel and drive to untold
success!
Choosing The Right Website Copywriter
Running a website is not an easy job; it takes some effort to make money online. There must be
hundreds of millions of webpages out there struggling to be noticed by search engines and by their
target audiences. If you are a website publisher who's eager to get your brand or service in front of the
right readers, it would take more than just a good logo or business concept to get them flocking to and
trusting your site.
To grab people's attention and increase website traffic, you must provide something extra, something
unique, something they may not find elsewhere. But the problem is, you may have so much on your
plate as it is that you can't possibly provide grade-A content 100% of the time. Even great webmasters
and website publishers need a little help sometimes.
If you think about it, no amount of black hat SEO or link wizardry will get you the long-term results
you are really shooting for. High-quality content is what your target customers want. Skillful link
building may build a lot of short- to mid-term traffic but classic content lasts a long long time. To make
serious money online, you have to give your clients this content. Many website owners invest their time
and money in web design and online promotions without even considering the importance of original
content.
Do you really want to look just like your direct competitor -- providing a mirror-image of their services
to your readers and potential clients? High-quality content, as opposed to knock-off imitations and
readily available templates, is crucial to a website's success. What you need are highly capable content
producers who will drive qualified traffic to your website and give it some distinction. This is what
competent and effective website copywriters are all about -- producing quality content for your website
and help you make money online.
But before you hire, you must ask yourself what exactly you are looking for in a website copywriter.
The following guidelines will certainly help you pick the best website copywriter to help you increase
your online profits:
1. Can they produce quantity as well as quality?
This is extremely important; high quality content is imperative, and so is quantity. A constant and
steady amount of high-quality material is an essential ingredient for a successful online business. A
website copywriter has to be able to deliver both quantity and quality to make you money. With this in
mind, you must ask them for a guaranteed daily quota. You would want a lot of work done in a short
span of time, but you can't possibly expect high quality with that mindset. When you ask for too high a
quota you will probably be sacrificing quality. Somewhere around 2000 words a day is average.
15. 2. Will they be able to produce original content?
There are a lot of ways to ensure that your content is purely original. Ask the website copywriter for a
guarantee that all written materials will be checked explicitly for duplicate content. To avoid plagiarism
and other copyright issues, they must run their work through originality checkers such as
http://webmasterlabor.com/tools/checker and http://copyscape.com/, or other reliable duplicate content
checkers available to them.
Your content plays a very important role in search engine optimization. Passing off content that you can
easily find in thousands of other sites won't help your PageRank or traffic at all. Original high-quality
content is indeed the best way to optimize search engine results -- and a website copywriter producing
original material makes it all happen.
3. Does the website copywriter have a back-up?
When you retain the services of a ghost writer for a long period of time (to produce blocks of content,
for example), you must make sure that there are contingencies in place -- just in case they become
unavailable all of a sudden. Having a back-up will ensure your deliverables. Moreover, you have to ask
if the back-up is just as, if not more, capable than the original writer.
You wouldn't want your content quality to nosedive whenever your leased writer is temporarily
unavailable. Using a copywriting company, as opposed to a single freelancer, is your best choice if
delivery and quality consistency are important to you.
4. Does the website copywriter have an editor?
Some website copywriters for hire could very well be their own editors. But wouldn't it be better if they
had someone to help them with errors they could overlook themselves? Editors play a key role in this
process because they make sure that the writer's work is delivered on time, every time.
They check for grammatical errors, inconsistencies in flow, compliance with your instructions, and
overall quality of the writer's work. Also, they function as project managers; they inform the writer of
the topical and stylistic guidelines that the client requires.
5. Do they follow a quality-assurance process?
How can you be sure that you are getting materials that live up to your own standards? Would it cost
you extra to send some back to the writer for revisions? Website copywriters should follow protocol as
far as quality-assurance is concerned.
First, they must submit a block sample of their work to the client. Second, they make necessary
revisions after receiving client feedback. This process continues until the client gets what they want.
Meanwhile, the website copywriter shoulders all costs incurred during these revisions. Quality-
assurance like this will only guarantee the best results in output and client satisfaction.
6. Will the writer surrender full rights of the materials produced to the client?
All materials produced by a website copywriter must be on a purely work-for-hire basis. Ideally, the
client assumes all rights to the materials obtained from the writers during the length of their
employment or contract. Under the work-for-hire system, copyright ownership falls on the client and
not the writer.
7. Can you, as the client, set the tone or style for the articles?
You can, as the hiring party, ask the website copywriter to follow certain parameters -- specifying
demographics, for instance. As the client, you must also welcome the writer's preferences in tone and
style for the job.
16. To be able to work efficiently, you must allow them to make any suggestion that they think would cater
to your audience better.
8. Will they accommodate your format requirements?
Ask for an OS platform-neutral delivery format so your text can be published correctly. These are
usually in the form of .txt or .html files.
Website copywriters who offer these services and more will promote a business relationship that is
result-oriented, stable, and consistent. With the best copywriter working for you, you can sit back,
relax, and leave the arduous content work to them for a change.
Writing Up Sizzling Sales Copy That Converts
In this article we outline the key points that you MUST incorporate into every sales letter you wield.
These four factors really will make or break your sales page. Then we’ll discuss some hard-hitting sales
letter tactics that I’ve used myself with explosive results. Unlike other scams these tactics actually add
value to your package while increasing your credibility.
First, why even bother writing good sales copy?
Well, in an online world where your prospects are already wandering around in a state of confusion and
mistrust, your sales copy is the one chance you have of establishing credibility, building trust and
convincing your prospect that your product can solve the very problems that torture them day in, day
out.
We Start With The Basics – AIDA
- Attention
- Interest
- Desire
- Action
It’s absolutely crucial that all your sales pages contain this powerful mix.
Attention – Your Title Can Turn Off Your Prospects Before They Even Read A Word Of Your Actual
Sales Letter.
Your headline MUST create attention in your prospects minds. Get into your prospects head and ask
yourself this important question:
“What is the most important BENEFIT that can solve the biggest PROBLEM/HURT that my prospect
faces.”
Then put this into your sales letter headline. You need to create serious waves here – the headline must
draw your prospect into the main body of your sales letter. A good headline gets them there.
Interest – Is Your Sales Letter The Life & Soul Of The Party?
Do you like talking to the dim-witted dullard at the party? What about the chattering fool who yaps
away endlessly about himself? No. Neither then does your prospect want to spend time with a sales
letter that’s either lacking any emotion or (going completely the other way) stuffed to the brim with
pointless fluff.
To create interest in your prospects, you need to understand your products benefits and their own
concerns. You need to understand your industry and what your product has that your competitors don’t.
17. Like a devilish murder mystery novel, each paragraph must be more exciting than the last. As interest
builds, so your chance of capturing the sale increases.
Desire – Make Them Almost Taste The Benefits & Then Make Them DESPERATE To Get It!
To create desire, you’ve got to convey the BENEFITS of your package. Go ahead and tell the prospect
what they will gain when they click on the order button. What about the pain they’ll avoid? Time
saved? These are things that people look for before spending their hard earned cash, and they want to
know that your product delivers.
Action – The Last, All Important Word
You’ve got to urge your prospects to take action NOW. Make the order button prolific and readily
available. If your product has limited availability or is a (genuine) special offer, then let your prospects
know about it.
AIDA is a simple yet powerful guideline of setting up sales letters that do what they’re supposed to –
convert targeted prospects into customers. Now let’s look at some advanced tactics. These, when
incorporated skilfully into an AIDA based sales letter have the potential of driving your response rates
through the roof.
Beyond AIDA – Strategies To Maximise Your Sales Letter Responses
I could have settled with just using AIDA to create my sales letters, and I’m sure I would have
continued to do well. But would I have achieved some of the OUTSTANDING results I’ve enjoyed in
more recent years? Almost certainly NOT.
Now, I’ll walk you through some legitimate tactics that I use to make my sales letters hyper-responsive.
The great thing about most of these is that they benefit the CUSTOMER too – and ultimately that’s the
best way of increasing your sales in the long run.
Tactic Number ONE – Limit The Number Of Licences Offered (Digital Products)
If your product is digital (eg an eBook or membership site) then consider placing a limit on the number
of licences available. This benefits you as the information developer because it creates genuine urgency
to purchase. If customers miss out, they’ll have to pay a higher price to get in and that’s a powerful
motivator. The benefit to the customer is that the limited number of licences means they have a better
chance of success if they use the private label rights content/videos etc provided.
There’s of course also a downside to you on this – limited licences mean that once your product gets to
higher levels, the natural forces of price vs demand means that you’ll sell less when the product price
moves up. Even so, I can tell you I put a licence limit on many of my products and it creates a frenzy of
sales as people try and get in at the lowest price levels. It’s a potent order trigger.
Tactic Number TWO – Pile On The QUALITY Bonuses!
It’s true – both the number of bonuses and their respective quality can really be the “title clincher”. A
platter of highly targeted bonuses that are in demand can be enough to get your prospect to buy
immediately.
You can even implement the following tactics with your bonuses:
- Fast action bonuses where (for example) the first 50 people to order get a bonus that everyone else
doen’t.
- Time limited bonuses – where the bonuses only apply for a certain length of time or number of orders.
18. Make your bonus graphics visible on your sales page and if possible link to the full sales page of each
bonus. If you produce many products, avoid serving up the same tired old bonuses – it can count
against you as your existing customers may begin to feel they’re missing out on the bonus experience
and your repeat sales may actually suffer.
Tactic Number THREE – Free Updates For LIFE!
Customers love paying for something ONCE and getting additional value from that purchase for
months and even years into the future. That’s just plain common sense, yet the vast majority of digital
products that I see being offered online do not come with updates of any sort.
The beauty of this model is that as you add more and more content/resources/ related to your package it
becomes increasingly attractive to new prospects. The icing on the cake is that your existing customers
are delighted and that establishes further trust and credibility and that’s a very big plus.
So there you have it – a summary of writing sales pages that sell and additional sales-letter tactics that
genuinely increase the credibility, value and pure WOW-factor of your packages.
How To Outsource Your Online Business
You're better than me at Adwords. I'm better than you at list-building. Harry Potter's better than both of
us at magic. The point is, no-one can be perfect at everything and if your business is to grow beyond a
mere "mom & pop store" then at some point you'll need to start delegating responsibility and delve
confidently into the world of EMPLOYING people.
Someone creates your content. Someone else your website. Another markets. And you? Well you're
scooping up the profits and repeating the whole process with another project. And then another.
For the internet business entrepreneur, by far the best way of hiring is through OUTSOURCING.
Here's a small sample of the type of work that can be outsourced:
- Development of custom-built software & content.
- Customer support.
- Internet marketing.
- Site development.
- Graphic design.
- Creation of business plans/forecasts/research reports.
- Accounting.
I could go on for pages but you get the idea. While outsourcing tends to be associated mostly with huge
companies it's every bit as important to the small internet business entrepreneur. Consider these
advantages of implementing outsourcing into your business:
- "Saving time". Are you trying to do *everything* yourself? This may seem noble to you, and
undoubtedly you ought to gain as much practical experience into how things need to be done in your
business in case of emergencies. But after a time, if you're doing a lot of menial tasks then you're
cheating yourself out of time you could be using to do the things that a CEO of a company should be
doing to grow the business.
Do you reckon Bill Gates sits down every week to do his own search engine optimisation? No, his team
handles it for him. What about you? If you can identify the parts of your business that are taking up
way too much time, you can potentially seek to outsource them.
19. - "Cost Effective". With outsourcing, you only pay for services as and when you need them. In a lot of
traditional businesses that employ their own staff this is not so. Often, there is over-capacity so old
Dave is having a nice cuppa and reading Sports Illustrated and you're paying him by the hour to do it.
Not so with Outsourcing - you pay only for what you need.
Further, when you hire staff you have to deal with additional costings such as insurance and taxes. This
is simply too much to handle for a small business - again, something that isn't a factor with
outsourcing.
- "Let The Professionals Handle It". Certain elements of your business need to be handled by the
pro's if you don't have the required skills or experience to do it yourself. When you outsource to a
reliable professional, you're ensuring that the job is done right by someone who has the know-how.
So how can you get started growing your business by outsourcing? First, you need to take a long hard
look at your own business and pin-point those areas that are either taking too long to complete, aren't
being done properly, or aren't being done at all.
The Facts About Business Outsourcing
Outsourcing of jobs to offshore companies has been a hot-button issue since the 1960s when the United
States began losing automotive manufacturing jobs to Japan. In recent years, the outsourcing of
technical jobs has revived the debate which became one of the top issues in the 2004 presidential
campaign.
However, actual facts and statistics about the effect of outsourcing on the American economy are hard
to come by. Rhetoric, not facts, dominate the discussion of whether outsourcing has an effect on the
economy.
There is a serious dichotomy between the beliefs of average Americans and those of economists and
other experts. For example, a Zogby International Poll showed that 71% of Americans believe that
outsourcing hurts the economy but when the Wall Street Journal asked the same question of
economists, only 15% felt that outsourcing had a negative effect.
Opinions on outsourcing tend to be divided by economic status rather than political persuasion. For
example, some Republicans in the House and Senate believe that outsourcing has a terrible effect on
the economy and that legislation should be enacted to stop it. However, conservative think tanks like
the Heritage Foundation and Republicans with ties to big business believe that the threat of outsourcing
has been over exaggerated.
Liberals are also divided about outsourcing. The Democratic party has traditionally been the party of
labor in the United States but it was a Democratic president, Bill Clinton, who shepherded the North
American Free Trade Agreement through Congress, a treaty which most experts agree facilitated the
current outsourcing trend.
For every argument for outsourcing, there is another argument against it. For example, the Heritage
Foundation argues that despite outsourcing more Americans are employed than ever before and that
jobs continue to be created to compensate for those lost overseas.
Anti-outsourcing advocates point out that gross wages are dropping because the jobs that are being
created are low-level service sector jobs, not high-tech jobs to replace the ones that are being lost.
20. The Heritage Foundation, citing the Organization for International Investment also argues that for
every job outsourced, another is "insourced" to the United States from another country, often at a
higher rate of pay than the job lost. Anti-outsourcing advocates say that those numbers can't be
accurately verified.
What is clear is that until the federal government conducts accurate research into the effects of
outsourcing on the United States economy, there will be no definitive answer one way or the other.
What You Need to be a Dropshipper
First off, you will need products to sell. Be very carefull when looking for dropshipping suppliers
online there are many unscrupulous people that will take advantage of you. There are a couple of rules
to follow when choosing a dropshipper. One, a real dropshipper will never charge you a fee to sell their
products.
Two, a real dropshipper will want proof that you are a legitamate business. They may ask for any or all
of these; Business License, DBA, Federal ID (EIN), and/or Sellers Permit. A very good source of real
wholesalers is the WorldWide Brands OneSource Directory. They sell a directory of REAL
dropshippers and light bulk wholesalers that they have resarched for you.
Secondly, you will need a venu where you can reach prospective customers. You may want your own
website or to sell your products on ebay. For your own website you will need a domain, a webhosting
account, and shopping cart software. EZ Dropship Cart is a great cart for dropshippers. Ebay is also a
great way to reach perspective customers, the only problem you may run into is that some
manufacturers place no auction restrictions on their products.
Thirdly, you will need a way to accept your customers payments. Paypal is a fast easy way to get
started, you pay fees only when you have transactions. While credit card processors offer lower per
transaction fees, they require setup fees and monthly fees that are geared tword large voulme sales.
Lastly, you will have to get Legal, this is where most people faulter. They think it sounds hard,
complicated, and expensive. And actually it isn't any of those. Just visit your states website to find out
what you need to do business. In most cases a DBA can be used in place of a Business License. But
either way most states charge around $20.00.
Some states, not all, require you to get a Sellers Permit or Resale Certificate. Either way all the
resources you need should be available at you states home website, usually under a small business
section. While you may not have any employees I highly recommend getting a fedeeral id. It costs
$4.99 online and you get it instantly.
Beginner Steps For Crocheting For Money
What follows is information that I have pulled together from many different sources. The secrets, tips,
and techniques you read here are from my book "Crocheting For Beginners". I hope you find it both
interesting and helpful.
Many imagine that knitted and crochet items survived in the youthful period of imperialism. A lot of
communities in this era used this type of trade as their main resource of income. The crocheted and
knitted goods are typically purchased by the middle class citizens.
21. The History of Crochet
Crochet was known to specify the status symbol of an individual from the early account. This
accommodating refinement was practiced by the royalties who were capable to afford buying
extravagant lace-work goods and set up the value of crochet commodities to devalue.
Numerous have alleged that knitting and crocheting was developed be means of the old practices of
persons living in countries like China, Middle Eastern countries, and in South America. Many
individuals find credible that crochet may have been practiced by early cultures to flex the muscles of
the forefinger rather than a fashion hook. This belief was accepted by uncountable craft historians
because of the absence of artifact crochet goods as evidence of its established practices.
Crochet vs. Lace
In the early 1800's, numberless European communities have used crochet goods in place of the
immensely expensive lace made materials. Crocheting just requires fewer materials, and it is also
extensively accepted by contrasting social classes.
From these periods, crochet was done mainly on thread. The most common universally made products
from crochet were filet crochet made in rows either open or close mesh to construct a certain pattern.
While in the 1900's, the huge production of steel hooks has introduced numerous products which are
made from thread.
In today's stretch, crocheting and knitting is the enjoyment of numberless individuals. It has recently
evolved the attentiveness of many persons that made it so popular with the high quality of yarns and
threads used. The delight of making a crochet article is working it with different yarn textures and
colors.
8 Basic Tips for Crochet Beginners
As a novice, a person should understand the procedure of making a pattern row and a single stitch
crocheting. Here are several fundamental steps that will help a person find out how to make a crochet
product.
1. Foremost, the person may need the use of crochet mechanism like a size G crochet hook, small
scissors, worsted-weight yarn with any colors, and a big-eyed yarn needle.
2. He may begin by holding the crochet hook in his right hand if he is right-handed. Then he may
produce a slipped knot on the hook.
3. He may glide the hooked yarn to the slipknot of the hook. This procedure will produce a continuous
stitch or a chained like stitches. He will then continue to bringing back the yarn on top of the hook
making the thread go into the hook and grabbing the slip knot into the hook.
4. He can pass by on the first chain stitch permitting the knot to be properly hooked on the knot of the
thread. This will allow the thread to be properly in place so that it will not loosen. A much tighter knot
would be better to form a chain stitch.
5. He may insert the hook to the hole of on the next chain stitch, and then glide the yarn passing
through the center of the second chain stitch going to the upper part of the hook. He may have now
created two loops on the hook of the threads.
6. He may fetch the yarn back on the hook from back to front and slide the knot in the center of the
loops that he had created on the hook.
22. 7. From the second loop, form another one chain stitch to construct a counter clock wise loop. This
allows the hook to remain in the chain stitches. He may set in motion again in creating the
accompanying rows, creating the exact loops on the previous rows.
8. He may form a single crochet stitch in the first loop tightened going to the following loops of the
previous rows. He should be precisely certain to produce the hook on the last stitch to retain the stitches
on their places.
Completing the Crochet Item
To conclude the work, he may cut the surplus yarn on the skin. He should not forget to keep at
minimum 6 inches of the thread on the last chain stitch. This will allow him to slip the hook up to the
upper part of the loops and bringing the thread into the last loops of the hook.
As a greenhorn, he may discover it tough to do especially on more detailed crochet products. He may
begin doing these fundamental steps to help him get used to the techniques.
The Benefits Of Quilting Designs
If you ever wondered where on earth all those graceful quilting designs come from on a quilt, several
were designed by manual effort. Many others, however come from using a pattern. Before the days of
patterns all the quilting designs originated in someone's mind as they saw in their mind's eye what they
wished the end product to look like. With several designs crossing over several different squares it is
easy to realize that it demands real talent to design your own quilt.
Patchwork quilts are possibly the most effortless designs to do because they consist of nothing except
than a patchwork of distinct color materials, cut up into squares and sewn together in random order.
Those patches that are made in a quilting design must be sewn back together in sequence for the
material's patterns to match. Whether left to right or top to bottom, making a patterned match on each
square with a square next to it requires planning and a lot of patience.
Your quilt size and the size of the squares, which will form the quilt will determine how complex the
design of the quilt will be. While many decide on keeping their designs simple, others desire more
intricate and complex designs. Using material that already has a premade design on it can make things
a lot easier, but you still need to make each piece of similar size to make certain they fit together
properly to form the designed size.
If you want to make your quilting designs reversible, you must realize that you will be spending an
inordinate amount of time making it. Both sides must be finished, in regards to knots, and dependent
upon your concept of reversible, may well require both sides made in mirror image before you sew all
the layers together.
A sewing machine with a computerized guide can make quilting designs much easier to make. Many
enable you to enter your design and let the machine do the work. The machine will then follow the
pattern on the material you've put in the machine. For entire quilts where duplicated quilting designs
are wanted this can make them easily and quickly.
Without an electronic sewing machine, there are patterns on the market with which to mark your cloth
and then do the sewing by either traditional machine or by hand. Whichever way you choose, making
more than enough squares for a moderately sized quilt is going to take some time and work on your
part.
23. How To Make Successful Craft Business
Do you love making crafts? Have you ever wished that you could make money selling your crafts? It is
very possible and thousands of people do it everyday. Of course the objective is for your business to
become successful, there are a few basic steps and guidelines to help you with that.
First and foremost crafts is not the type of business you want to start unless you really like making
crafts, it should be something you really enjoy. If you do not thoroughly like doing it then it is probably
not the business for you. You should always look at what you are getting yourself into.
Crafts are very popular, people love to by homemade and handmade crafts. You probably have seen
many people selling them in a wide variety of places, but it is important to know that the successful
business crafters are ones that have found a niche.
This can depend on a wide range of things such as the type of craft, the materials that are used, maybe
you did an old craft in a new and special way or in unusual colors compared to their counterparts.
Doing research is also needed on your part to find out who your customers are generally going to be,
what type of market? Age, gender many factors play apart in your success.
Every business needs a business plan. Business plans should be an outline of everything to do with
your business, from the name, to including all of the financial concerns. You will need to break it down
to how many hours are spent making the craft to how you are going to go about the marketing of it.
There is a lot to consider and think about but the good thing is there are many resources to help you on
writing your plan. You can go to your local library or the Internet and find the best ways to go about
making your business plan.
Another important step to take is formally setting your self up as a business, including all knowing all
the laws and taxes that you need to understand. Professionalism is always the best way to approach
your business invest in some nice business cards, set up a website. There are many different approaches
you can take depending on how you want to market and advertise.
Preparation is key, deciding when and where you are going to sell your crafts would come next. Decide
if you want to participate in craft shows, sell exclusively online or wherever you have decided your
primary target customer would most likely find you. You can have the greatest crafts in the world but if
you are not in the right place at the right time, your target market will not be able to find you.
So decide that you really enjoy your crafting and you feel confident about it, then develop a sound
business plan and soon you will be making a profit. Just make sure you put your research in and follow
these guidelines and you can be successful.
Why Consider Bartending as a Business
If you're looking for a new profession or even just for a summer job, then there are many things to be
considered. Take bartending for example. Bartending sounds and seems like it would be one of the
easiest and least stressful jobs there is. What could really be that difficult about memorizing a few
drinks and then making them for customers?
Bartending, like any other profession, is much more than it might first seem. No job is as easy as it
seems from the outside. It takes really doing a job to understand the depth of the job's complexity and
challenges. One of the biggest things that people bartending do not realize is how much social
interaction is involved.
24. Picture the bar at any restaurant you enjoy spending time in. What does it look like? What kinds of
people sit at the bar? Getting this picture in your head should help to give you a more clear picture of
bartending. Imagine being surrounded by people, usually there alone, that want to talk with you as you
are trying to work.
Many times people at bars try to tell their life story to the person bartending. They want attention and
conversation that the person bartending often cannot give. So do not think that bartending will be a job
that will not require you to talk with and listen to people.
I'm using bartending only as an example. My point is to get you to realize that any profession carries a
weight and a responsibility beneath what is expected. Most professions require a level of
communication and relationship with people. You shouldn't sign up for any job, including bartending,
without having an accurate picture of what the job will actually require of you.
Consider carefully the level of interaction you want to have with people and then choose a job
accordingly. If people tend to stress you out or frustrate you than it may not be a good idea to get a job
that requires a lot of interaction.
Even bartending, which seems like it could be easy and stress free, is actually filled with interactions
with people of all kinds. It requires a bartender who is able to work fast and under stress while
maintaining kindness to customers. Things are not always as they seem. Know that about any
profession as you jump in. And then proceed to bartending or any other job with caution and with
confidence.
A Beginner's Guide To Antique Collecting
The reasons for collecting antiques can be as varied as the people who collect them. Some people first
become interested in collecting as children, collecting anything from baseball cards to dolls, coins,
stamps or even insects. Others don’t begin collecting until their adult years. That interest may be
prompted by some significant event, being given a family heirloom or from a desire to preserve
elements of our past.
But the one thing all these people have in common is that no matter what they have chosen to collect,
it’s fun! Enjoying the pieces one has collected can be very satisfying, but it can’t compare to the thrill
of the hunt and the fun of finding a treasure.
Collecting can be a great hobby, but there is an advantage to collecting antiques over something like
matchbooks or souvenirs. Antiques appreciate in value. By learning to buy, sell and even trade wisely
some people have been able to turn a hobby into a successful business. But how can someone move
beyond collecting for fun and begin to build a collection that has value?
The key to building a collection that has value, especially antiques, is knowledge. Learn everything
you can about the antiques you are collecting. Not only will it add to your enjoyment, but when you
learn to buy, sell and trade from a position of knowledge you will be able to build a modest collection
into one of real value.
When starting a collection, it’s important to do your homework. When you begin shopping for antiques
armed with knowledge, you are in a better position to spot a bargain or avoid making a purchase you
may regret. Because the world of antiques is so broad, it is advisable to limit your collection to a
specific area. No one can be an expert about every type of antique. That will allow you to learn about
important manufacturers, recognize rare specimens, and most important for beginners, know how to
spot reproductions.
25. Beginning to learn about antiques can be as simple as making a visit to your local library. There are a
multitude of excellent books available about every conceivable category of antiques. However, two
sources of information novice collectors may overlook are antique dealers and collectors. People who
deal in antiques for profit or for pleasure enjoy talking about them. Antiques are one of their passions.
Visiting antique shops and antique shows will not only allow you ask questions and learn from experts
but it can be a fun way to spend a day or a weekend.
Once the “collecting bug” has bitten you, how do you decide what to collect? Simply collect
something you love – something you are interested in. That makes learning about the items you collect
all the more enjoyable. As you learn more about these antiques and their value, you will begin to learn
how and where to shop for bargains. Being able to buy and sell to make a profit may not be your
primary goal for collecting, but it may help you finance your hobby and enable you to increase the
value of your collection.
In your hunt for antiques it is also important to buy quality, not quantity. Owning a few truly fine
pieces is always preferable to owning many mediocre pieces. That may mean you may have to start
small and gradually build your collection, but quality pieces appreciate faster and will build the value
of your collection more quickly. When buying antiques you should avoid pieces that are damaged or
repaired. They may be cheaper but they won’t appreciate as much or add value to your collection.
When you search for the unique rather than the common, you will find that the more rare the antique
the more it appreciates. This is another reason knowledge is so important. With enough skill, you may
be able to recognize rare or valuable pieces less knowledgeable collectors might overlook.
Although they can be excellent sources, antique shops and antique shows aren’t the only places where
you can find valuable high quality antiques. People have made some great finds at flea markets and
yard sales.
You may also find a wide range of antiques at auctions. But remember, if you go to an auction it’s
doubly important to know the value of the pieces you’re bidding on. It’s easy to get caught up in the
excitement of the auction and end up spending way too much.
Finally, in your search for that special piece you have been searching for don’t forget about internet
auction sites like Ebay. Thanks to the internet it’s possible to find just about anything.
Whatever you decide to collect for whatever the reason, enjoy the hunt. Bargains and interesting pieces
can be found everywhere.
Different Types of Perfumes for Beginners
When you start looking at perfume, one of the first things you’ll notice is the array of terms used to
denote the different kinds of perfumes and fragrances on the market. Some common terms you’ll see
are perfume, cologne, eau de parfum, and eau de toilette. These terms are frequently confused with
each other, and when buying perfumes, it helps to know what they are.
Perfume
Perfume is the broadest of the categories. The word refers to both body scents generally, and a
particular type of scent, specifically. In its general aspect, perfume includes all of the other terms, but
not scented body lotions or creams.
As a specific term, perfume refers to the strongest, and longest lasting, type of body scent. Most
perfumes are “layered” scents, meaning they contain a combination of different fragrances. These
layers of scent are called “notes” in the French perfume industry, and they are not chosen at random.
26. Typical perfumes have three notes. The first, comprised of the strongest scents, is also the shortest
lasting. These are the scents that you’ll smell when you first put on the perfume, but they will usually
wear off within a few hours, exposing the next layer…
The second layer, or “middle note,” is made of less volatile scents that will usually last until midday or
early afternoon. By evening, the third and final layer is all that remains of the perfume. This is usually
the most subtle scent; even though it is longer lasting, the strength of it will decrease through the day.
As a result of this layering, the best perfumes will slowly change their scent through the day. Good
parfumiers have perfected the science of blending scents, so that the layers compliment each other, and
the change in scent, while recognizable, is both subtle and pleasing.
Colognes
The next category of perfumes is cologne. I used to think that cologne was simple a word for “men’s
perfume,” but that’s not actually the case. Cologne is a perfume, but one with only a single scent to it.
Because of this, colognes are both stronger and shorter lasting than perfumes. The reasons for this
apparent paradox are related.
Colognes, having only a single scent, will dissipate faster than perfumes. To balance that, they are
prepared with a stronger scent, to last as long as possible. This gives colognes much less subtlety than
perfumes, and makes it easy to “overdo it” when using them.
And back to my original misconception about cologne; while it is true that colognes are not exclusively
for men, and that many fine women’s colognes are on the market, most men’s fragrances out there are
colognes rather than perfumes. And even the men’s perfumes are frequently marketed under the term
“cologne.” Perhaps perfume doesn’t sound masculine enough….
Eau de …
The last two categories of liquid based perfume scents are eau de parfum and eau de toilette. “Eau” is
French for water, and “toilette” is French for the act of getting oneself dressed and prepared; eau de
parfum and eau de toilette are, respectively, “perfumed water” and “make-up water.” Of the two, eau
de parfum is the more popular.
Eau de parfum is a less expensive form of perfume, based on single scents, but less overpowering than
cologne. This is the perfume that ladies like to daub on their wrists or necks, using the glass jar
stopper. This sort of perfume might not last through a full day, but it will definitely last through a full
date.
Eau de toilette is similar to eau de parfum, but not as strong, and even less expensive. Typically, these
scents only last a few hours, but because they are relatively cheap, and sold in small bottles that are
easily carried in a purse or handbag, it’s easy to refresh the scent during the day. Eau de toilette is
usually not a strong fragrance.
Lotions and Creams
Finally, most body lotions and creams are scented, but these are not strictly perfumes. They typically
contain scented oils in about the same concentration as eau de toilette: enough to detect, but not enough
to overpower, and probably not enough to last more than a few hours.
Such lotions are not intended as skin treatments, and not as perfumes. If you’re looking for body
scents, it’s more cost effective to buy a good eau de toilette or eau de parfum than a scented lotion.
27. Making Scrapbooks, Money And Have Fun While Doing It
If you are one of those creative and innovative people who love to work on scrapbooks, you might
want to turn your hobby into a very profitable home business. There are endless possibilities when it
comes to scrapbook making.
Note that a lot of people love to have some really nice custom made keepsakes for different occasions.
However, due to the fast paced lives that we have, most of us could not find the time to sit down and
assemble our special memories into a scrapbook. Since there’s a strong demand for scrapbooks in the
country today, one can easily earn a good living by doing the things that one truly loves to do.
Starting up your business
To get started with your scrapbook making business, you will need to clear out a space in your house
where you can work undisturbed. If you don’t have an extra room in the house which you can turn into
an office, just find a quite corner with good ventilation and lighting. You might want to work near a
window so that you can take advantage of the daylight. To get started, you will need a working table,
some glue, pencils, pens, coloring materials, scissors, cutters, paper punches, trinkets and lots of paper.
If you have children in the house, you might want to invest in a filing cabinet with a lock where you
can keep all your stuff. Children are usually attracted to colorful trinkets and papers so it is better to
hide your scrapbook making materials. There is really no point of quarrelling with your kids about
papers and scrapbook making materials.
Once you have everything that you need, start by making some samples and take digital pictures of
your creation. Post these pictures online together with their short descriptions and their prices. Once
you have everything in place, you can start marketing your products by sending out e-mails to friends,
relatives and colleagues. Invite them to take a look at your products.
You can also ask your friends, relatives and colleagues to invite their friends to take a look at your site.
You may also send out press releases to free public relations websites and join forums to invite people
over to your site. Although there are really no guarantees that press releases and open invitations at
forums will generate you some business, it can still help your site gain some exposure.
To help you get your first batch of customers, you may want to offer some perks to your would be
clients. For instance, you can offer 50% discount to your first 10 clients and offer 20% discount on
repeat orders. The good thing about giving out discounts is that a lot of people will be enticed to buy
your product because of the discounts.
Why You Should Join A Model Railroad Club
More people enjoy the hobby of building their own model railroads today than they ever have before. It
is no surprise considering that the model railroads that collectors in the 1960s built are really primitive
in comparison with the railroads that enthusiasts can build today.
They are so life like and appealing that you cannot help falling in love with them and buying the
equipment to get you started on your own. As a result of the popularity of modern railroads, individuals
are starting to want to communicate with each other. Although technological advances have made this
possible in recent years, you first need a forum to meet. Enter the model railroad club!
The model railroad club is extremely popular amongst new and old model railroad fans alike. Not only
can you get in contact with people with the same hobby via model railroad club, you can also swap
hints and tips as well as advice.
28. You can also learn more about the modern railroad, which is especially important if you are looking to
learn owing to novice status!
You can chat, read articles and also find out about live events and news via a model railroad club.
Model railroad clubs are actually all over the place. You will usually find one in every town and city so
there are definitely model railroad clubs that are accessible to you regardless of where you live and
work.
Amtrak Employees Model Railroad Club is one particular club that you can join. It is based in Los
Angeles, California and is extremely possible. Amtrak is a well known transport company in its own
right so it does tend to attract a lot of members. There are no requirements either. As long as you are a
model railroading fan then you can join this modern railroad club. Although it is only five years old, it
is one of the best around by a long way!
There are other large model railroad clubs around too, as well as a number of small individual ones that
are usually formed by friends with shared interests. Of the larger ones, Tech Model Railroad Club is
one of the most renowned and is known all over the world.
It is this particular model railroad club that actually uses telephone relays to automatically switch
tracks. Of course this was the most advanced technology available in the 1950s and can actually be
done on your own model railroad now.
There are of course other clubs available to you, regardless of what country you actually live in! You
can check out a list of model railroad clubs on the Internet and narrow them by region, state or even
country. They are the perfect places to meet like minded individuals and ask advice. You can
supplement your knowledge and then one day actually use it to help someone else out!
Model railroad scenery can be used to complete the picture, although you can keep adding accessories
and locomotives at your will and change it as many times as you like. This is a healthy and highly
challenging hobby so why not explore the stores that see the items to see what can really be done?
The Wonderful Animated World Of Disney Movies
Even though Walt Disney has produced myriad movies, it is more popular for its animated ones. After
starting the animated journey with 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' in the winter of 1937, Disney
movies have not looked back. One can obtain a list of more than 150 animated movies that have been
produced and distributed to add to the joy of children across the world.
After a certain age, kids grow out of Sesame Street, Tellytubbies and BooBaahs. At this time the next
level of entertainment that attracts them generally are the Walt Disney movies that appeal to a slightly
older age group.
The great thing about these movies, which has probably led to the huge popularity of the animated
movies, is the fact that they appeal to adults and children alike. A mother does not mind sitting through
a Disney movie with her child but an episode of Tellytubbies can be wearisome.
To the uninitiated, it may be a surprise that each Disney movie comes accompanied with a movie book.
These books are published under the ‘Mouse Works’ banner and contain a simple version of the story.
This can help in encouraging children to not only see the movie but also to read books, which hopefully
will extend to other forms of reading at some time.
Though the company is proud of all its movie productions, some of them have attained the stature of
‘classics’ based on their popularity. Abound with simple, yet meaningful songs these movies can
expose the child to emotions, morals and ways of the world while telling a story.
29. Toddlers seem to enjoy the light evilness of some of the characters like the witch in Snow White and
Cruella De Vil in the 101 Dalmatians.
Alternately, some of the most endearing characters that Walt Disney movies have created are Tramp in
The Lady and the Beast in Beauty and the Beast. But most of the leading characters in inspire awe and
amazement aided by the color, grandeur and dazzle.
Some of the Walt Disney films that have become all time favorites of most kids are The Lion King, Toy
Story, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, The Jungle Book, The little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty, Lady and
the Tramp, Cinderella and of course Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Some of the less known but
equally enticing movies are the sequels to the Lion King, Dumbo, Lilo and Stitch, Pooh Bear and the
Kim Possible series.
In spite of the high levels of endearment that the movies enjoy among most people, there are rumors
galore about how there are countless hidden references to perverted things in the animated movies. The
most known references are made to the tower on the cover of The Little Mermaid that resembles the
male genitalia, the apparent erection of the priest in the wedding scene of the same movie and the dust
taking the form of the word ‘sex’ in The Lion King. Hearsay has it that Donald Duck has used vulgar
words umpteen times during angry outbreaks.
Some opine that these subtle references have become a tradition at the film studios. This tradition
started due to the fact that Walt Disney did not assign relevant credits to the creative animators. These
animators, then, took to including hidden codes in the animation scenes to get back.
One such example is that of the shorts that Goofy wears. If you look close enough, you will probably
see names of artists written on these shorts. Though the given instance seems possible, the inclusion of
debauchery in the animated Disney movies is debatable and it remains a question as to whether it is a
fact or the Rorschach effect.
Guide to Low Budget Film Making
So you say you have a burning desire to make a movie and you will do what ever it takes to get the job
done? You fancy yourself and “independent” type and you want to reflect that in your art? Well, you
better know what it takes before you decide to launch yourself into the world of independent
filmmaking. If you do not know, your project may never see the light of day, or more importantly the
light of a movie screen.
Making a low budget or “independent” film is a double edged sword. On the one side you have the
freedom to express your art without corporate considerations, but on the other side you have the
daunting task of doing almost every job yourself. From writing, producing, directing, and acting to
providing travel arrangements, applying make-up, and fixing broken equipment, you cover the broad
spectrum of chores and responsibilities.
And that does not even cover the other responsibilities such as providing meals for everyone,
rehearsals, etc… All you have to do is look at the long list of credits at the end of any movie in the
theaters and you can see how much work it takes to make a motion picture.
While in the midst of making my last film Mike And The Magic Lamp I almost started to doubt
whether I would ever finish it. I had been working on this movie for about two years straight doing
every aspect of the film myself when I suddenly started to run out of energy. The continuous filming
that I was doing combined with a heavy work schedule at my real job (Stage Manager of TV shows in
Hollywood) was starting to get to me.
30. I would have to prepare everything before a film shoot, and then do just about everything during the
film shoots. Once in a while I would have a loyal friend help me with the awesome responsibilities of
carrying equipment, setting it up, and then tearing everything down and putting it away each day, but
you can only ask them to do so much if you are not paying them.
At one point during the filming of M&TML I passed out, fell off my director’s chair and hit my head
on the corner of the set. I was mentally and physically exhausted while only halfway through the
filmmaking process. The problem was that I was not yet creatively exhausted.
The burning desire to make a movie and enter it in all the major film festivals was still alive, but the
vessel (my body) that allows me to create was in need of a little R&R. I would take a day off here and
there but it was always hard to rest when you have that little creative voice in your head bugging you to
get your film finished so the world can enjoy your art. I was very lucky that I only suffered a minor
head injury from that accident.
I finally finished the film Mike And The Magic Lamp after four long years of endless work that nearly
put me in the hospital from exhaustion. The film went on to win the Silver Award at the Houston
Worldfest in 1998 along with several other awards that year at major film festivals like the Santa
Clarita International Film Festival. That film gave me recognition as an Independent Filmmaker and
inspired me to pursue the path of making films on my own terms.
I pushed myself to the limits mentally and physically to get my movies made in the beginning of my
career and it was just the springboard that I needed to get launched into the world of independent
filmmaking. I may have doubted my body’s ability to keep up with my creative drive, but I some how
managed to strike an agreement between the two and get my films finished.
Before you take on the daunting task of making a movie almost completely by yourself, you have to
ask yourself one thing; AM I REALLY COMMITTED to this idea? If you are not, then I suggest you
find another outlet for your creativity. If you are committed, then pursue it with everything you have
inside, but make sure you realize that your creative drive cares nothing about your health.
Team Coaching To Business Coaching
Coaching is a process of teaching and directing. The one who directs is known as the ‘coach’. To grow
within a society and to learn proper skills to establish and perform, coaching is very necessary. At every
stage and in various aspects of your life, you will find a need for coaching. It imparts knowledge,
discipline and skill to perform wherever there is a requirement.
There is no definite line of coaching as coaches are independent to select the type and structure of
coaching. Encouragement, inspiration and advice constitute the base of a coaching technique. These
elements are present in all types of coaching (like sports, business, personal and career coaching).
An approach towards coaching should be very responsible and disciplined because it requires patience
and hard work. It is a very traditional method and starts at a very informal level where parents teach
their children. Generally elders are regarded as good coach for the young ones who are passing through
a learning stage. Here are few definite types of coaching that differ from one another with regards to
features, functions and time period.
Personal coaching: When a person offers individual coaching to a client then it is personal coaching or
“life coaching”. A mutual understanding is established between the client and the coach and the coach
carries forward with a definite progress plan. Constant feedback is given to the client and this type of
coaching can enter an informal level. A coach analyses the strengths and weaknesses of the client and
works towards repair and rebuilding.
31. Team coaching: A single client is replaced by a team in team coaching. A coach takes care of a
particular team and prepares a chart of progress for each individual and an indicator of group
performance. This is a better learning process as the clients can learn a lot from each other. Moreover, a
collective effort is always better than singular approach.
Business coaching: Business coaching is completely focused at assisting a business owner towards a
distinct and efficient business plan. A business coaching can be operated in any department of
commerce, from traditional business and entrepreneurial start-up business to e-business. Unlike other
coaches, a business coach needs to be completely aware about the current advancements and changes in
the business scenario.
Career coaching and executive coaching: Perhaps career coaching is one of the most common
coaching types. Almost every student needs guidance to build a satisfying career for him or her. There
are many queries and difficulties in students’ life and sometimes they are unable to handle the situation.
Executive coaching is professional type of coaching to impart skills, strategies and professional
(according to the profession) behavior to the executives.
Stamp Collector's Beginners Guide
Today, a hobby like stamp collecting too has become a specialized affair. It has gone from being a fun
hobby to a proper investment and auction business. But for philately lovers the discovery of a stamp,
the history attached to it and the chase of actually adding it to your collection is incomparable. Now
this hobby has a terminology of its own that even an amateur collector should be familiar with.
Philately is defined as a hobby that denotes stamp collecting and study of stamps and items related to
stamps. There is a mark on them called the Authentication Mark that tells you that the stamp has been
validated and examined by an expert. The Denomination on the stamp is the face value of the stamp
and the collectibles vary by a wide margin.
A Freak stamp is one that has mistakes on it like ink problems or wrong printing of the design etc. The
Hinge is a small, gummed rectangle of paper that is used to stick stamps into the album by a narrow
strip. Then there are stamps that are Never Hinged which means that the stamp was never mounted by
its hinge. A Watermark is an embedded design that is used for anti-counterfeiting and it also adds to its
esthetic value.
The Essay is the proposed design of a stamp that has not been issued yet. The Frame is the margin
outside the design of a stamp. Centering is the position of a design on the stamp's face in relation to the
margin and if there is an error in the manufacturing process it can affect the value of the stamp.
Tagging is defined as the use of phosphorescent dyes in making the stamp and the dye is read by
machines by using an ultraviolet light and this will detect the face value and other elements of the
stamp. The stamp is then Proofed, a process similar to coins where the trail stamp is used to ensure that
there is no problem with the design and manufacturing process.
Variety is a term where there is a deviation from the standard issue like there may be a difference in the
watermarks or a wrong colored ink may have been used etc. Perfins are stamps with perforated initials
used mainly as a counterfeiting element and as part of the design. Then there are Imperforate or
imperforated stamps that are valuable collectors stamps but can be duplicated easily.
A Block is a group of unseparated stamps and these have the complete watermark designs along with
other features of the design that a torn out single stamp may have only a small part of the complete
design and this makes it invaluable. A full sheet of such unseparated stamps is called Pane. Selvage is
the plain margin area seen around the Pane and Gutter between the panes.
32. A stamp in Mint condition has never been used for postage. So there are no hinge marks, no tears, no
marks and the original adhesive is intact. Original Gum is the term for the original adhesive on the back
of a stamp. Its use and remains can affect the value of the stamp. The Cover is the envelope and the
packaging on which the stamp was used and On Paper refers to stamps that have actually been used for
postage and are typically still stuck to the cover and Entire refers to an intact cover.
Approvals are the stamps that stamps dealers will show collectors 'for approval' and Expertizing is
where the stamp is examined by an expert like someone from the American Philatelic Expertizing
Service. A First Day Cover is a stamp that refers to an envelope on which the stamp was stuck and it
now has a cancellation mark from the first day of issue. Definitive stamps are those on regular issue
and are produced at a specific rate of postage.
Invert stamps were printed with multiple colors where one of the colored designs is printed upside
down. These are invaluable to a collector and an example of this is the 1918 U.S. 24-cent Jenny.
Another invaluable stamp is the One Penny Black which is the world's first postage stamp, issued by
Great Britain in 1840. Earlier the receivers of mail would generally pay the postage rather than the
sender of the mail.
And finally we have Airmails which as we all know is the mail sent by air. These stamps saw their
demise in the 1970s as issue of these stamps stopped when a vast majority of mail started traveling by
air and there was no need to distinguish between mail sent by air or sea or road. Now they are
invaluable to a collector.
The Right Wedding Photography
Wedding is not just an event but it is journey that two people have decided to take. Wedding
photography may not be a mainstream or commercial photography but it is still an art. It should not be
considered to be anything less than serious photography.
In fact it is one of the most demanding disciplines of professional work. If you are an aspiring wedding
photographer then there are certain key areas that you need to understand. One of the key areas is
strategy. Even before you can think about the camera to use, the film roll, the lighting and the
background, you need to work on a strategy.
A sound strategy means that you would be able to create opportunities by the numbers. You will have to
create an opportunity in every situation. Most wedding photographers take two versions of the same
shot to eliminate blinks and at the same time they are able to introduce variety. The norm of wedding
photography is to shoot a full-length photo, which is followed by a head and shoulders or half-length
photo.
Secondly, you will have to create a list of photographs that should be or can be taken during wedding.
The list drawn by most professionals include photographs of Bride at home, preparations/wedding
dress, parents, bridesmaids, bridesmaids – group photo, bride and bridesmaids, bride and chief
bridesmaid, bride and family, parents and bride, mother and bride, father and bride, brothers, sisters and
bride, parents and bridesmaids, extended family and any special request.
These will be followed by photographs in the church or outdoors after the wedding ceremony is over.
One of the favorite shots is where the bride walks through the aisle. You can take good photos using a
tripod so that the flash can bounce from a reflector at around f/5.6 followed by a shutter speed of 1/8 or
1/15 of a second. This will allow ambient light to seep in. If you are not using the tripod then you will
need to have one stop less than the normal where the flash will reflect on an 80mm lens and the shutter
speed will be 1/30 of a second.
