PCWorld scanned the entire universe of technology this year--HDTVs, phones, tablets, PCs, e-book readers, storage, software, services, apps, digital cameras, camcorders, printers, and more--and picked the best 100.
Whereas the PC World top 100 list is interesting and subjective, here are my picks of the Top Three Technology Innovations of 2010. I have picked my best three innovations in 2010 based on the following three criteria:
a. Commercial Success - number of units shipped, new revenue generated and market share gains
b. Ease of Use - how easy, simple, and intuitive the product is to use, reuse, and enjoy
c. X Factor - how sexy is the product, fan following, viral appeal, user ratings, and customer loyalty
Here are my Top Three Technology Innovations of 2010:
#1. Apple iPad - The wildly successful Apple iPad re-created the Tablet PC marketplace single-handedly, and started a whole suite of Tablet competitors from Samsung, HP, Dell and more... Apple iPad is elegant, sexy, engaging, interactive, extremely easy to use, and has endless applications. The other day, my wife's neice's 8 month old baby boy was enjoying Baby Piano, Sound Touch and Virtuoso on my iPad... And he was loving every moment of it and laughing his heart put. My daughter loves the drawing app and various games, and since my son bought the Need for Speed game over this holidays, I am addicted to it. Apple sold over 7 million iPads within the first six months of launch, and will likely sell at least 5 million iPads in the holiday quarter. Suddenly, Apple iPad will generate over $7 Billion in new revenue for Apple in 2010. The Apple iPad phenomenon could generate over $21 billion in revenue in 2011 for Apple. iPad anyone?
#2. Amazon Kindle 3rd Edition - Amazon's third Kindle is on the money. The form factor, ease of reading, looks, and the huge selection of eBooks. A must have reader if you love reading (and who doesn't). Amazon Kindle started the eBook reader revolution, and its competitors including Sony and Barnes & Noble aren't doing that bad either. Yesterday, while waiting in line at the DMV, this woman in front of me was quietly reading her novel on the ultra cool white Kindle, and she was really enjoying reading it. I also peeked and read a few pages while she was reading, and the display was immaculate. With estimates of about 8 million Kindles sold in 2010, Amazon has quietly created a Billion Dollar franchise! Amazon just announced the latest innovation of sharing Kindle eBooks with a friend or relative for 14 days. Very Cool! What's amazing is that Amazon Kindle sales have been least impacted by the Apple iPad onslaught. A difference of over $350 in price between the base iPad and the Kindle would mean a clear sailing for Amazon in 2011 and beyond.
#3. Microsoft Kinect - Microsoft has created something new and exciting that no other game console maker has been able to do yet. Nintendo Wii created a huge following with the wireless controllers which you can wave, move and play. Microsoft one-upped Nintendo, Sony and others by removing the controllers altogether. Rather, you become the controller. No wires, no joysticks, no mouse, no controllers, no gadgets. Simply plugin the Kinect to the Xbox 360, and play your games by moving around, jumping, jabbing, running, kicking, smashing, speaking, singing, and more. Kinect uses advanced entertainment technology to respond to even the sound of your voice. You can just say “Xbox” to start, and even control HD movies with the sound of your voice. Can Kinect replace the remote? Microsoft has changed the playing field entirely for video games, and with more games arriving that will implement the Kinect technology, Microsoft is onto something huge in 2011. There are estimates of over 5 million Kinects sold in 2010 ( Kinect was only introduced recently ), and Kinect technology has likely pushed the sales of Xbox 360 to new levels in this holiday season.
These are my picks of the top three innovations of 2010.
Leading Creativity and Innovation eBook.
Business Innovation Resource Kit - 212 pages Definitive Guide, 439-slide insights Innovation Bootcamp, Annual Innovation Report. 212-page collection of over 55 best practices, case studies, and insights on the current state of Creativity and Innovation in Business at Top Innovators including Apple, Google, Netflix, 3M, Frito Lay, Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble, Toyota, GE, BMW, Deloitte, Southwest, Nike, IBM, Dell and more. "Your report from the eBook and definitive guide was the primary reference that we used." Used by over 650 leading organizations including HP, Pepsi, EDS, Nokia, J&J more... Learn more...
Friday, December 31, 2010
Abp. Schwietz: New Missal Translation has "Dogmatic Clarity"
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| Archbishop Roger Scwietz |
My trip to Magadan, Russia, to be with Father Mike Shields and the people of the Church of the Nativity for the 20th Anniversary celebration of the parish’s founding was eventful in so many ways. The gratitude of the people was expressed in every imaginable way. Their faith was clearly felt in the services we celebrated. I even began to pick up a bit of Russian while I was there.The great part of this article is that he acknowledges that there are those that disagree with the implementation of the translation as it is currently written, but he explains that such opposition is, and should be, in the shadows of the need for unity that comes from joining the rest of the World by sharing the same translation for the Missal. He describes the new translation as the... "beauty and simplicity of the Roman Rite with its Scriptural references and dogmatic clarity."
As we celebrated the Sacred Liturgy of the Mass each day (in Russian) I began to recognize more and more the invocations and responses. After a while it became clear to me that the Russian translation of the Roman Missal which they were using was the same as ours in English: Not what we are currently using, but what we will be starting to use in Advent 2011. Just as I have seen in Spanish, French and German translations of the Roman Missal, we now have a common way of translating the Latin into the vernacular — common for all except the English speaking world. The English has been less tied to the Latin text.
That will soon change as we in the United States and elsewhere begin using the new English translation of the Roman Missal. Having labored over this translation in the U.S. bishops’ conference for years, I am happy to see this day arrive. I am well aware that some people feel the translation could be improved. At the same time, I am delighted that we are joining the rest of the Catholic world in sharing the beauty and simplicity of the Roman Rite with its Scriptural references and dogmatic clarity.
One of the biggest arguments against the implementation of the new translation comes from those that say that Dioceses are not doing enough in Catechetical formation regarding its use. The Archbishop, the Archdiocese of Anchorage, and the Catholic Anchor have already begun to address this concern. The Archbishop explains:
As this year of 2011 begins, I invite all of us to look into the reasons for the new English translation of the Roman Missal, and to launch into a time of preparation for the reception of this text. It is a text that is more clearly scripturally based and more elevated in its effort to worship God with dignity.He explains that the reason we should be so accepting of this translation is because it is, "elevated in its effort to worship God with dignity." In this simple statement, he not only explains why the translation is good for us Catholic and good for the Mass, but the proper role of the text in the Mass, that is: Worship.
Among the resources which will be made available to us throughout this year of preparation is the series of reflections being presented by Father LeRoy Clementich, CSC. Father Clem has prepared several texts to help us understand the background and value of the new translation. Please read them carefully and, perhaps save them for future reference. They will give us the opportunity to prepare ourselves to adjust to our liturgical language with a trust in the Spirit’s continued guidance of the church. May our spirit of adventure help us receive the New Roman Missal for the greater glory of God.
On top of his support for the translation, the Archbishop has also implemented a Catechesis program for the new translation inside the pages of the Catholic Anchor. The feature is called Preparing for the New Translation of the Roman Missal. It will be written by Father Leroy Clementich, C.S.C.
We applaud the Archbishop for his support of the new translation, and the beginning efforts of explaining, instructing, and Catechetically forming the faithful in the Archdiocese of Anchorage.
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Midnight Mass - Christmas: St. Joseph's in Detroit, Michigan
Wanted to post a few pics from where my family attended Midnight Mass on Christmas. Unfortunately, I only took a few pics with my phone as I didn't think to bring the better camera.
We went to:
Missa Brevis in G by W. A. Mozart
We went to:
St. Joseph Catholic Church
Midnight Latin Tridentine Mass
Missa Brevis in G by W. A. Mozart
Ave Verum Corpus by William Byrd
sung and performed by the St. Joseph Cappella, Soloists, and Chamber Orchestra
(preludes begin at 11:30)
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| The Main Altar |
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| Marian Side Altar |
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| St. Joseph's - Detroit, MI |
The Mass was beautiful, the Music was awe inspiring and it really was a Mass that sought the Sacred.
†††
National Catholic Reporter Person of the Year - Off the Deep End: Officially
Many Catholic bloggers have taken the National Catholic Reporter to task for years. I have stayed out of it, because much better minds than I were doing a fine job of things. Then I woke up this morning and checked my twitter feed only to see a gem of a story that I knew I had to immediately post about. I also know that just about every major blog is going to post about this, and I personally cant wait to read what Larry D has to say over at Acts of the Apostasy.
The story? The NCR decided to name a "Person of the Year." They have "never named a person of the year and [they] might not again in the future." But clearly there was someone this year that was so influential and important in the history of Catholic thought and tradition that they had to break ranks. So who was this person that did so much for the cause of Christ?
Well, I normally don't do the whole inline commenting thing but let's take a look at the article [with my comments]. I won't attempt to be funny with my comments, because I will fail when compared to Fr. Z's or Larry's comments, so I will just try and paint the picture for folks, to help set up other commentators efforts. :
This move by the NCR should be a nail in their coffin. They have gone off the deep end, and if you see a copy of this publication in a parish you should probably find a better parish to attend Mass at. There is no defense of their dissident beliefs and they do nothing but harm the Catholic Faith.
The story? The NCR decided to name a "Person of the Year." They have "never named a person of the year and [they] might not again in the future." But clearly there was someone this year that was so influential and important in the history of Catholic thought and tradition that they had to break ranks. So who was this person that did so much for the cause of Christ?
Well, I normally don't do the whole inline commenting thing but let's take a look at the article [with my comments]. I won't attempt to be funny with my comments, because I will fail when compared to Fr. Z's or Larry's comments, so I will just try and paint the picture for folks, to help set up other commentators efforts. :
NCR has never named a person of the year, and we might not again in the future. [Because you have now lost all credibility?] However, as we sent our last print issue to press in the waning days of 2010, we felt the need to single out one American Catholic who showed extraordinary leadership and courage this last year. [Notice the lack of any mention of this persons adherence to the Faith.]So the NCR is knowingly publishing faleshoods, and attempting to convince unsuspecting Catholics of their way of thinking through half-truths and vague paragraphs of distorted teaching. They are purposefully teaching contrary to the Faith, in an attempt to praise one of their own, and someone who is pushing their agenda: a progressive cafeteria-style Faith, with all the luxury of tradition and time.
In the spring of 2010, as the national debate on health care reform seemed deadlocked, Sr. Carol Keehan, the Daughter of Charity who is president and CEO of the Catholic Health Association, led her organization to endorse the legislation and thus helped pass it through Congress. The move put health care coverage within the reach of an additional 32 million Americans. [No mention of the fact that it also put ABORTION within the reach of 32 million more people.]
In a video message delivered to the Catholic Health Association convention in June, President Obama praised Keehan: “Your work, your passion, your commitment helped make the difference, and you did so in a way that protects your long-standing beliefs and the beliefs of so many others across the country.”[Shows who their target readership is - an Obama mention is rather telling.]
Catholic bishops and conservative commentators were not pleased. The bishops had not endorsed the legislation, and they expected all Catholics to follow their lead. They called the health association’s position “a wound to Catholic unity.” The bishops held a closed-door meeting in June to discussion the association. [They have thrown in the towel at being an unbiased Catholic publication.]
Through the summer and fall, the association and Keehan were the butt of scathing attacks by conservative commentators. Relations between association leadership and the bishops were said to be strained. Numerous people told NCR the Catholic Health Association was keeping its head down and waiting for its relationship with the bishops to heal.
And then, last month, Phoenix Bishop Thomas Olmsted withdrew the “Catholic” designation from St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center because he said the hospital wouldn’t accept his full authority about a medical case that he had deemed to be an abortion. The hospital had said it was acting to save a life. [This infuriates me! He didn't do it because they wouldnt accept his full authority he did it because they wouldnt accept the full authority and teaching of the CHURCH, the CATHOLIC CHURCH.]
As NCR tried to report on St. Joseph’s losing its Catholic status, we sought comments from ecclesial authorities and canon lawyers. Despite copious commentary produced over several months from ethicists and moral theologians who reasoned the hospital had acted compassionately and morally, no one had much to say for the record on this latest development, beyond acknowledging Olmsted’s right to do what he thinks best in his own diocese. No one, that is, except the Catholic Health Association, led by Keehan, who supported the hospital. [This is a contorted and confusing paragraph to set up their assertion that Sr. Keehan is a selfless martyr. This is not the case, she is a martyr to an agenda that is not selfless, but in actuality very selfish and misguided. By that, I mean misguided in the fact that she claims to be Catholic, but doesn't teach or profess true Catholic beliefs.]
As Catholics, we agree on essentials, but can, and often do, disagree on the application of essential beliefs, as in the St. Joseph’s Hospital case. When we disagree, we do it respectfully, as the Catholic Health Association has done. Sometimes it takes special courage, as in the health care legislation and the St. Joseph’s Hospital situations. [Wow, they gloss over this. No deep analysis of how, why and when we can disagree on the application of Catholic beliefs? Again, this is the NCR's acceptance that they are irrelevant and have completely become the official paper of the dissident progressive catholyc heresy.]
We also can’t help but note that with the Vatican in the midst of two investigations of U.S. women religious, many people have counseled the women to keep a low profile. In this atmosphere, Keehan, a woman religious, continues to take courageous stands. [Courageous stands for what? They never seem to say. A person is courageous if they rush into a lion cage... or maybe they are just something else...]
And that’s why Sr. Carol Keehan is NCR’s person of the year for 2010.
This move by the NCR should be a nail in their coffin. They have gone off the deep end, and if you see a copy of this publication in a parish you should probably find a better parish to attend Mass at. There is no defense of their dissident beliefs and they do nothing but harm the Catholic Faith.
†††
Thursday, December 30, 2010
1001 not out (and Happy 2011)
2010 has closed. Welcome and all the best for 2011. In time for the end of 2010 I have completed another milestone here at the BOOT.The rate per month may be slowing but another 100 posts are live on the BOOT. In my regular "not out series" recap I post a few reminders and highlights form the last 100 posts. It started with 101 not out and continued with 201, 301, 401, 501. 601, 701, 801 and 901 not out. Here we go....
I examined search, looked at the future of recommendations and made up a lot of new words:
- Introduced the Tastegraph via an interview with LikeCube. Also talked Tastegraph with TripAdvisor's Adam Medros;
- On Tnooz published five tips for launching a social media strategy;
- Discussed the future of Page rank and authority also on Tnooz (with new words like memegraph, expertgraph and genomegraph);
- Introduced some new (made up concepts) of search becoming multi-destinational and multi-destinational (more Tnooz goodness)
- Introduced the concept of the Twelevator pitch - if you cant describe your business in 140 characters then something is wrong
- How Groupon took over the world and the business model hit Australia with a bang (Jump on it raised millions);
- How interesting and competitive the online vacation rental/short let marketing was getting in Australia via a conversation with the boss of Occupancy.com and estimated the size of the online vacation rentail/short let market in Australia at $450-$500mm per year.
- Summarised all of the TripAdvisor acquisitions in a (hopefully) useful table; and
- Posted the BOOT's guide to researching the world
- Took you through how social media "hijacked" Eyefortravel asia - in a good way;
- Shared some Stories from TravelTech;
- Presented at WebInTravel and posted two follow up stories on Tnooz (part 1, part 2); and
- Attended PhoCusWright and posted reviews and comments on Everbread, Movitas, HomeAway, SilverRail and Revinate vs TrustYou
Ultimately I ranked Cathay Pacific as my airline of the year after a close pitched battle between the Cathay Pacific and Virgin Atlantic Herringbone seats
On the quirky front:
- I shared Best looking cappuccino in the world care of the Observatory Hotel
- Qantas killed Virgin in a on-board movie; and
- I wrote and published on Customer Underground my biggest post ever. 5,500 words on Dell Hell.
Finally - the BOOT received mentions in
- The Guardian;
- USA today; and
- The Australian
Thanks to Dustin Ling for the photo of the BOOT in action at ATEC
Free SEO Tip: Increase Your Blog Ranking By Boosting Loading Speed
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| Boost Blog Speed For Better Ranking |
I don't know if you notice but for the past few days, I've been focusing my search engine optimization efforts for my blog to make it load faster. When you have a quick loading blog is a great blog that has been optimized for both, your readers and for the search engines, specially Google.
One thing you should know is that the loading speed of your blog can affect its SERP (search engine ranking) because Google puts a higher ranking weight on sites that load faster.
And as we all know, we all love a like faster loading website, we don't like to feel like if Dial-Up Internet is taking over your connection, don't you? Today's society live in a way where everything is expected pretty much on the moment.
You might think this is not as bad as I try to make it seen. Just remember that if your readers can't load your bog instantly, they'll go to your competition.
Here's are some simple ways to speed up your blog
Read more »
How Google Rate Links From Social Sites Like Twitter & Facebook?
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| Facebook and Twitter SEO Impact |
Here is a quick video by Matt Cutts the chief director of Google Web Spam team answering a question related to search engine optimization (SEO). The question is: How does Google rank or rate links from social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, etc.?
Here is the video enjoy!
As you can see links from many of this top social media virtual real estates don't carry any rank weight for your site that could help your SEO efforts. But, what you should be working on is
Read more »
4 Steps To Making Your Home Business A True Automated System
“You need a system to succeed.”
I like to take this a step further. You not only need a “system”, but in order to get the most out of your home business opportunity, you need to have an Automated System. To take that even one step further, your Automated System must hit your prospects from EVERY angle in order to achieve the highest levels of prosperity.
Here are four techniques that if used on all of your prospects WILL increase your earnings with ANY home or internet business opportunity.
Step 1: Create a “capture” or “squeeze” page.
Even if you have no idea what this is, you have almost certainly seen a capture page and even been “captured by one. A capture page is simply a page that is set up to give some brief information about a product or service, but then requires the prospect to enter their info to get the full details. It is often a teaser or hyped up page to get the prospect to want to know more. The most effective capture pages touch on the prospects personal or financial needs compelling them to find out more by filling in their information. Once they do, you own their information for life and can continue to follow up with them or contact them about other offers of services you have no, or develop in the future. Capture pages are a MUST to start building your list that you will be able to promote any product or service. A great program that allows even the most novice person to create capture pages in minutes is Lead Page Generator.
Special note: NEVER LOSE YOUR LIST OF CAPTURED NAMES, ADDRESSES, EMAILS, ETC.
Those that are highly successful in any home business or internet opportunity have a list of thousands that they have built over the years. Any time they have a new product, service or opportunity to promote they send it out to their list first. This gives you a big head start and if your products, services and opportunities have been successful in the past, your list will follow you everywhere.
This all leads into the second technique to creating a totally automated system, email auto responders.
Step 2: Follow up with prospects via email
This is the easiest and most recognizable form of follow up. When creating a capture page, all you have to do is tie the information form into an auto responder. This can be done very easily using services such as aweber. Now, when a prospect fills in their information, you not only get to keep their information for your list, but now you can follow up with them daily, weekly, monthly without having to lift a finger. Of course, you have to write your email follow up messages ahead of time, but once you have them completed, you are following up with your prospects over and over while doing no additional work.
While email is a nice tool to make your system automated, it is far too often the ONLY tool people use. This is a huge mistake. Fact is, that email follow up and marketing is becoming far less effective due to spam laws and people filtering their email accounts.
In order to reach as many people as possible, you need to come at them from different angles.
Step 3: Follow up with a voice broadcasting system
Voice broadcasting gives you yet another method of following up with prospects. It is an awesome tool and as of late has been sort of the “new email.” Because email is getting caught by filters and spam control features, it is necessary to try and reach prospects using other methods. Outside of email, voice broadcasting is the easiest and least expensive means of following up. In addition, voice broadcasting can keep your system totally automated. You can record a simple message or series of messages, collect the prospects phone number on your capture page and then simply set up your voice broadcasting software to call them once, weekly, monthly or whatever you choose. There are lots of services to use out there. Goldcalling, voiceshot, probuilderplus, and protus are just a few.
Step 4: Postcard follow up
Direct mail is by far the most forgotten means of follow up, but often the most effective. Postcards are a terrific way to make sure that your prospects hear form you. By simply collecting their mailing info on your capture page, you have set yourself up to use an incredible tool that will definitely help increase your sales and income.
There are a couple of services that allow you to set up a direct mail campaign to work just like an email auto responder. The best service in my opinion is PostCardAutoresponder.com. You can input a prospects mailing address and set up a campaign that will send them a postcard once, twice, weekly, monthly, or whatever you choose. Just set it up once and forget it. You can contact a prospect for an entire year on autopilot . You can even create custom postcards for any business , service or opportunity.
If you use that simple 4 step plan to create an automated system for your business, you will definitely increase sales and income. Plus, you will not only have an automated system that works for you while you are doing the things you enjoy, but it will be one that contacts prospects from every angle so they are sure to get your message early and often. Remember, it is not always enough just to have a system. You need to have an automated system that you can plug each prospect into that will run itself while you focus on building your business.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Top 20 Most Ordinary English Phrasal Verbs
You can dramatically improve your command of English in a short period of time if you learn the most commonly used English phrasal verbs and start using them in conversation in English. And of course, the same thing on written communication! If you are able to use phrasal verbs in your e-mail, for example, they will be much easier to read and understand.
So without further ado, let's get the business.
Call - means talking about something. You can tell your colleague, for example: "They did not bring any of our suggestions at the meeting."
Continue - the phrasal verb is very similar to "continue". Like "go," it means "continue", but it is generally used in expressions such as "continue" or "You can go on without me."
Chase spot - a great way to say "find, search. For example, you were assigned a particular task, but some required files are missing. You can say "I'll go after these files means that you can go see where these files are. You can also run after a person -" I'm going to go after Frank, because I need his help with homework and nobody else has an idea how to do it! "
Come all - to find something or meet by chance something unexpected. If you have found an interesting article online and you tell your friend about it, you can say, "You know, I came across this article online where they have conducted research on ..."
Come with - it is a verb phrasal very useful if you generally find it difficult to describe the fact when someone talked about a new plan or a good idea. You may be faced with phrases like - "He created a good plan" or "She produced a completely new solution" or - "I invented a new idea on how to ..." native English speakers would simply say: "She came with a brand new solution" so you can start using the phrasal verb!
Fall Apart - describes when something falls apart. Say you're a bunch of packing left and you're struggling with it. You can say: "Everything is constantly falling apart, I can not conclude, can you help me?" It's another phrasal verb foreigners do not normally use and if you start using such occasions, you will find it much easier to describe the situation!
Get along - means to have a good relationship with someone. You can say, "Do you get along with Mary of accounting?" If you want to ask that person if he is on good terms with Mary. Another sample sentence - "I do not get along with Mark, I did not love her the very first day I met him! "
Get away with - how to avoid being punished for not having done something or violation of rules. A typical phrase, you can begin using immediately is "Do you think you can get away with it?" If you caught someone having done something that you are very unhappy.
Get more - if you can not accept something that happened in your life and you can not stop thinking about it, we can say - "It is very difficult for me to get over it." And if you want to cheer someone and say this is not a big deal, after all, you can say "common, get over it, it's not as bad as it seems!
Give up - use this phrasal verb when speaking of the resolution you have ceased to follow or expectations that are most likely to remain a dead letter. "I gave up my diet the New Year. I just could not stick to it "" I have given up hope of getting a better job. "
Go! - It's a typical way to tell someone to start a particular action or start something. If you can not expect someone to start telling an interesting story, you exclaim in excitement - "Come on, come on" You can also use "continue" if you, for example, write the numbers are your co-worker is crying for you. Whenever you're ready to make the next figure you can use the phrasal verb "continue" so that your partner knows he can call the following figure.
Hold on! - Literally "remember" how to hold on to something. The most common use of the phrasal verb, however, is when you want to tell somebody to stop doing something or wait until you're ready to go to the original action. Foreigners usually use "Stop!" And "Wait!" Instead, "hold" is more natural spoken English.
Take care - means "take care" and is much used in communications between supervisors and employees at work. Generally, your boss asks you "Can you look after this order for me?" So if you want a more natural and friendly, do not say things like "I'm responsible for that customer." "I deal with this customer" is the best way to say it.
Look up - to find something in a book by phone, Internet or other media reference. It is a phrasal verb is very practical to use in sentences such as "Can you look at their address on the Net?"
Let me - to recognize, distinguish details of something. "I could not understand what she said!" - You can say a sentence like that if the person he spoke too fast, or with a sharp focus, or too low. Another sample sentence - "I can not make these details, can you help me with this, please?"
Pull over - if you drive a car, you can use the phrasal verb to describe an action to drive on the side of the road to stop. typical application of this phrasal verb - "Can you over to the next gas station?" Foreigners are more likely to say "to stop at ..." if you start using "pull over" its you more natural when speaking English!
Ask - ". In writing" simply means "Hey, I'm going to ask, let me find a piece of paper"
Give - it's an informal way of saying "defer", "do later". "I do not want to clean my house today, I'm going to do it tomorrow" would be a perfect example of this phrasal verb in use.
Put in place - the means to arrive. You can learn about your friend by asking "Is Michael has until today?" If you have not seen and you wonder if he came to work or school to everyone.
Warning! - You can use this phrasal verb If something endangers the safety of someone else and you want to attract the attention of the person in that object or activity. Foreigners usually use inarticulate sounds, instead - like "Ahh!" Or "Ohh!" Simply because for the case of an ultra-fast response is required they can not think of a word or phrase mounting said.
Call - means talking about something. You can tell your colleague, for example: "They did not bring any of our suggestions at the meeting."
Continue - the phrasal verb is very similar to "continue". Like "go," it means "continue", but it is generally used in expressions such as "continue" or "You can go on without me."
Chase spot - a great way to say "find, search. For example, you were assigned a particular task, but some required files are missing. You can say "I'll go after these files means that you can go see where these files are. You can also run after a person -" I'm going to go after Frank, because I need his help with homework and nobody else has an idea how to do it! "
Come all - to find something or meet by chance something unexpected. If you have found an interesting article online and you tell your friend about it, you can say, "You know, I came across this article online where they have conducted research on ..."
Come with - it is a verb phrasal very useful if you generally find it difficult to describe the fact when someone talked about a new plan or a good idea. You may be faced with phrases like - "He created a good plan" or "She produced a completely new solution" or - "I invented a new idea on how to ..." native English speakers would simply say: "She came with a brand new solution" so you can start using the phrasal verb!
Fall Apart - describes when something falls apart. Say you're a bunch of packing left and you're struggling with it. You can say: "Everything is constantly falling apart, I can not conclude, can you help me?" It's another phrasal verb foreigners do not normally use and if you start using such occasions, you will find it much easier to describe the situation!
Get along - means to have a good relationship with someone. You can say, "Do you get along with Mary of accounting?" If you want to ask that person if he is on good terms with Mary. Another sample sentence - "I do not get along with Mark, I did not love her the very first day I met him! "
Get away with - how to avoid being punished for not having done something or violation of rules. A typical phrase, you can begin using immediately is "Do you think you can get away with it?" If you caught someone having done something that you are very unhappy.
Get more - if you can not accept something that happened in your life and you can not stop thinking about it, we can say - "It is very difficult for me to get over it." And if you want to cheer someone and say this is not a big deal, after all, you can say "common, get over it, it's not as bad as it seems!
Give up - use this phrasal verb when speaking of the resolution you have ceased to follow or expectations that are most likely to remain a dead letter. "I gave up my diet the New Year. I just could not stick to it "" I have given up hope of getting a better job. "
Go! - It's a typical way to tell someone to start a particular action or start something. If you can not expect someone to start telling an interesting story, you exclaim in excitement - "Come on, come on" You can also use "continue" if you, for example, write the numbers are your co-worker is crying for you. Whenever you're ready to make the next figure you can use the phrasal verb "continue" so that your partner knows he can call the following figure.
Hold on! - Literally "remember" how to hold on to something. The most common use of the phrasal verb, however, is when you want to tell somebody to stop doing something or wait until you're ready to go to the original action. Foreigners usually use "Stop!" And "Wait!" Instead, "hold" is more natural spoken English.
Take care - means "take care" and is much used in communications between supervisors and employees at work. Generally, your boss asks you "Can you look after this order for me?" So if you want a more natural and friendly, do not say things like "I'm responsible for that customer." "I deal with this customer" is the best way to say it.
Look up - to find something in a book by phone, Internet or other media reference. It is a phrasal verb is very practical to use in sentences such as "Can you look at their address on the Net?"
Let me - to recognize, distinguish details of something. "I could not understand what she said!" - You can say a sentence like that if the person he spoke too fast, or with a sharp focus, or too low. Another sample sentence - "I can not make these details, can you help me with this, please?"
Pull over - if you drive a car, you can use the phrasal verb to describe an action to drive on the side of the road to stop. typical application of this phrasal verb - "Can you over to the next gas station?" Foreigners are more likely to say "to stop at ..." if you start using "pull over" its you more natural when speaking English!
Ask - ". In writing" simply means "Hey, I'm going to ask, let me find a piece of paper"
Give - it's an informal way of saying "defer", "do later". "I do not want to clean my house today, I'm going to do it tomorrow" would be a perfect example of this phrasal verb in use.
Put in place - the means to arrive. You can learn about your friend by asking "Is Michael has until today?" If you have not seen and you wonder if he came to work or school to everyone.
Warning! - You can use this phrasal verb If something endangers the safety of someone else and you want to attract the attention of the person in that object or activity. Foreigners usually use inarticulate sounds, instead - like "Ahh!" Or "Ohh!" Simply because for the case of an ultra-fast response is required they can not think of a word or phrase mounting said.
The Mysterious Quiet: The Catholic Anchor Saga - Part V
So it has been almost two weeks since we received word that Joel Davidson, the current editor of The Catholic Anchor, was given 6 months notice that he was going to be let go. The 6-month timeframe is peculiar enough in itself, but what is even more perplexing is the silence coming from all fronts. We have no official statement from the Anchor or the parties in question, and the only comment we have from the Chancery of the Archdiocese is that "Joel Davidson continues to be the editor." Also of note, today Joel Davidson published his first signed piece on the Anchor website since December 1st, 2010. So where does the situation stand?
We have not been contacted by the Archdiocese or anyone within the Chancery to tell us that our story is incorrect. Nor have we been contacted by anyone to tell us that we are incorrect. In fact, our blog comments and email have been continually used as an outlet for people who have continued to confirm our reports. We have also received a lot of communication from Catholics in the Archdiocese frustrated and upset with the way the Chancery has handled this.
So we will continue to wait... it appears it might be 6 months before we know the truth. Quiet continues to be the only sound coming from the Chancery. Meanwhile, we will continue to pray for the Archbishop, the Archdiocese, the Anchor, and the Davidsons.
We have not been contacted by the Archdiocese or anyone within the Chancery to tell us that our story is incorrect. Nor have we been contacted by anyone to tell us that we are incorrect. In fact, our blog comments and email have been continually used as an outlet for people who have continued to confirm our reports. We have also received a lot of communication from Catholics in the Archdiocese frustrated and upset with the way the Chancery has handled this.
···•°····
The truth boils down to two options: Either we are wrong and Joel Davidson was not given notice, at a meeting on December 15, 2010, that he had 6-months before he would be let go... or... he was. The Chancery has only added to the confusion of this question and not in any way helped to clarify it by giving the statement they did to us, in response to a series of questions that could have easily helped clear everything up.
So we will continue to wait... it appears it might be 6 months before we know the truth. Quiet continues to be the only sound coming from the Chancery. Meanwhile, we will continue to pray for the Archbishop, the Archdiocese, the Anchor, and the Davidsons.
†††
Should you buy the domain on blogspot?
I recently purchased a new domain for my height increase blog versus an older clunkier domain name and I think it was a mistake. First, Google Friend Connect and Google search stopped working properly. And now Google Webmaster Tools and Google Adsense are messed up.
The reason I got the new domain for $10 was to simplify the domain name. Blog and spot are not keywords and also you can now get to the site just by typing in http://heightquest.com. I'm not sure if this was worth all that it messed up. Google is supposed to automatically redirect but it seems to be as though the two sites are two separate entities which are fine if you bought the custom domain name in the beginning but if you bought it later... Oh, I just checked and it is now correctly redirecting towards height quest. It is still displaying The Quest for Height domain name in search results so I'm worried that some link juice may be lost.
I also thought maybe I'd be able to get double link bonuses. I could link to the blogspot domain from one c-class ip and then link to the regular dot com from that same c-class ip and get the same link juice bonus.
According to Scroogle dot Org I'm nowhere in the top 200 search results for height increase. I do rank around number 17 for growth plates though and I'm number one for grow taller IGF-1 spots 1-4 so it could be other factors at play like me not using the keyword height increase enough on the home page(although I do have it in the external links).
Anyways, I think if you decide to buy the custom blogspot domain you should do it right away before you get any traffic to avoid confusion. I'll do my best to adjust.
The reason I got the new domain for $10 was to simplify the domain name. Blog and spot are not keywords and also you can now get to the site just by typing in http://heightquest.com. I'm not sure if this was worth all that it messed up. Google is supposed to automatically redirect but it seems to be as though the two sites are two separate entities which are fine if you bought the custom domain name in the beginning but if you bought it later... Oh, I just checked and it is now correctly redirecting towards height quest. It is still displaying The Quest for Height domain name in search results so I'm worried that some link juice may be lost.
I also thought maybe I'd be able to get double link bonuses. I could link to the blogspot domain from one c-class ip and then link to the regular dot com from that same c-class ip and get the same link juice bonus.
According to Scroogle dot Org I'm nowhere in the top 200 search results for height increase. I do rank around number 17 for growth plates though and I'm number one for grow taller IGF-1 spots 1-4 so it could be other factors at play like me not using the keyword height increase enough on the home page(although I do have it in the external links).
Anyways, I think if you decide to buy the custom blogspot domain you should do it right away before you get any traffic to avoid confusion. I'll do my best to adjust.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
How To Use The Email Marketing Power Of New Year Greeting Ecards
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| New Year eCards |
Did you know that one of the best ways to nurture your email list and to to building loyalty is holiday greetings? No, every email marketing campaign have to be about selling or marketing products or services. Research shows that a company can increase brand loyalty and long term list or online newsletter subscribers by just expressing some true holiday wishes to their database of leads and customers.
And now we are in the middle of the biggest holiday after Christmas, which is New Years is the best time to send some love to your database of prospects. You don't even need to send a gift or coupon or anything like that, specially if you are in a tide budget one of the best ways to send a fancy "Happy New Years" greetings to your leads are ecards or electronic cards.
There are many online ecards providers, but one of the best I found that can be use by anyone to send New Year ecards to friends, family and business prospects is
Read more »
Job Hunting: Tips For Answering Job Ads
It is safe to say that just about anyone who has ever looked for a job has answered a Classified Ad at one time or another.
While major newspapers (especially Sunday Editions) are still popular for Classified Job Ads, there are many other ad sources available to job seekers. Among these are the following:
*Company Job Posting Announcements
*Local Newspapers
*Professional and Trade Journals
*Alumni Newsletters
*Bulletin Boards (community, school and church)
*Public Signage (billboards, window notices, bus and cab ads)
*Television and Radio Spots
*Online Search Companies
*Social and Professional Networks
Though not a complete list, the point is that job seekers need to be aware that Job Ads are apt to appear anywhere. Of course, some ads may not represent legitimate job opportunities, so be discerning before answering any Job Ad.
That said, take some time to thoroughly review and evaluate the Job Ad. The following steps will help you determine whether the opportunity is one you may want to pursue or opt to ignore:
* Note the company or organization running the ad and research its products, services, organizational structure and financial information. An online search or an Annual Report will yield much of this information.
* If a P.O. Box is listed in lieu of a company name and address, consider calling the source of the ad. Sometimes you can find out who placed the ad just by asking. It is not critical to have this information, just the same, it is always preferable to know who you are dealing with up front.
* Identify the Job Title and list whatever duties and responsibilities are mentioned in the ad. Granted, Job Ads can be vague or sketchy with this information. In such instances, try to review a formal Job Description for the advertised position.
In established companies, Job Descriptions usually reside in the Human Resources Department. These can generally be viewed upon request, provided the job seeker is an internal candidate.
Additionally, the U.S. Dictionary of Occupational Titles, available on line, is also a good source. Although the information found here may be generic in nature, it will still provide you with insights into the basic specifications of similar positions. (See the related link at the end of this posting.)
The major elements of a Job Description that you will want to review include the following:
Job Title
Major Duties
Scope Of The Job
Supervisory Responsibilities (if any)
Major Job Skills Required
Education, Training, or Experience Desired
Job Conditions (hours, travel, etc.)
Salary Range
* If a salary or salary range is mentioned, note how this compares to what you are presently earning and what you are expecting to earn over the next year or two in your current job.
Once you gather all or most of the above information, determine whether or not you would like to pursue this opportunity. Should you decide to apply for the position, begin the task of preparing an application letter and any other requested information.
* Start by adapting your resume to highlight those aspects of your background that best meets the Job Description.
Of course, not even the ideal job candidate may meet all the requirements listed on a typical Job Description, but if you meet at least some of the basic requirements, then apply for the position. After all, you may possess other qualities or experiences that are intriguing to a hiring manager.
* Prepare a non-generic Cover Letter. Make it upbeat in tone and “sell yourself” to the prospective employer.
Needless to say, applicants need to resist “over-selling” their suitability for a position. This tactic may result in a job interview, but most hiring managers will easily sniff out a dubious or embellished work history during the selection process. By all means, put your “best foot forward”, just make sure that what you write can be substantiated if challenged.
* Omit any mention of salary unless it is specifically requested. Should salary requirements be requested, provide a salary range. If you are unemployed or new to the workforce be flexible, but do not low-ball your salary requirements. Such a tactic will not give you an edge.
* Make sure you explicitly follow all directions for answering the ad. Use the address format listed in the ad. If you are responding to a P.O. Box, use “Hiring Manager” as your salutation.
* Package your resume and cover letter using standard business-sized paper and envelopes (preferably plain white). If responding to an online ad, follow directions with respect to font and format.
* Edit and check for spelling, grammar, and word usage. Additionally, ensure that all requested information is included in your application package.
* If applying to a known company or organization, indicate some follow-up action on your part. (Usually a phone call is appropriate if you have not heard anything in a week or so.)
* End your letter by expressing your interest and desire to interview for the position.
For most job hunters, answering Classified or Want Ads remains a popular way of applying for a job. Although some would argue that Networking and the Internet are now more effective job sources, "checking the classifieds" generally turns out to be a job hunter's first step when beginning a job search.
Jack
Related Links:
Writing An Effective Resume
Resume Cover Letters
US Dictionary Of Occupational Titles
While major newspapers (especially Sunday Editions) are still popular for Classified Job Ads, there are many other ad sources available to job seekers. Among these are the following:
*Company Job Posting Announcements
*Local Newspapers
*Professional and Trade Journals
*Alumni Newsletters
*Bulletin Boards (community, school and church)
*Public Signage (billboards, window notices, bus and cab ads)
*Television and Radio Spots
*Online Search Companies
*Social and Professional Networks
Though not a complete list, the point is that job seekers need to be aware that Job Ads are apt to appear anywhere. Of course, some ads may not represent legitimate job opportunities, so be discerning before answering any Job Ad.
That said, take some time to thoroughly review and evaluate the Job Ad. The following steps will help you determine whether the opportunity is one you may want to pursue or opt to ignore:
* Note the company or organization running the ad and research its products, services, organizational structure and financial information. An online search or an Annual Report will yield much of this information.
* If a P.O. Box is listed in lieu of a company name and address, consider calling the source of the ad. Sometimes you can find out who placed the ad just by asking. It is not critical to have this information, just the same, it is always preferable to know who you are dealing with up front.
* Identify the Job Title and list whatever duties and responsibilities are mentioned in the ad. Granted, Job Ads can be vague or sketchy with this information. In such instances, try to review a formal Job Description for the advertised position.
In established companies, Job Descriptions usually reside in the Human Resources Department. These can generally be viewed upon request, provided the job seeker is an internal candidate.
Additionally, the U.S. Dictionary of Occupational Titles, available on line, is also a good source. Although the information found here may be generic in nature, it will still provide you with insights into the basic specifications of similar positions. (See the related link at the end of this posting.)
The major elements of a Job Description that you will want to review include the following:
Job Title
Major Duties
Scope Of The Job
Supervisory Responsibilities (if any)
Major Job Skills Required
Education, Training, or Experience Desired
Job Conditions (hours, travel, etc.)
Salary Range
* If a salary or salary range is mentioned, note how this compares to what you are presently earning and what you are expecting to earn over the next year or two in your current job.
Once you gather all or most of the above information, determine whether or not you would like to pursue this opportunity. Should you decide to apply for the position, begin the task of preparing an application letter and any other requested information.
* Start by adapting your resume to highlight those aspects of your background that best meets the Job Description.
Of course, not even the ideal job candidate may meet all the requirements listed on a typical Job Description, but if you meet at least some of the basic requirements, then apply for the position. After all, you may possess other qualities or experiences that are intriguing to a hiring manager.
* Prepare a non-generic Cover Letter. Make it upbeat in tone and “sell yourself” to the prospective employer.
Needless to say, applicants need to resist “over-selling” their suitability for a position. This tactic may result in a job interview, but most hiring managers will easily sniff out a dubious or embellished work history during the selection process. By all means, put your “best foot forward”, just make sure that what you write can be substantiated if challenged.
* Omit any mention of salary unless it is specifically requested. Should salary requirements be requested, provide a salary range. If you are unemployed or new to the workforce be flexible, but do not low-ball your salary requirements. Such a tactic will not give you an edge.
* Make sure you explicitly follow all directions for answering the ad. Use the address format listed in the ad. If you are responding to a P.O. Box, use “Hiring Manager” as your salutation.
* Package your resume and cover letter using standard business-sized paper and envelopes (preferably plain white). If responding to an online ad, follow directions with respect to font and format.
* Edit and check for spelling, grammar, and word usage. Additionally, ensure that all requested information is included in your application package.
* If applying to a known company or organization, indicate some follow-up action on your part. (Usually a phone call is appropriate if you have not heard anything in a week or so.)
* End your letter by expressing your interest and desire to interview for the position.
For most job hunters, answering Classified or Want Ads remains a popular way of applying for a job. Although some would argue that Networking and the Internet are now more effective job sources, "checking the classifieds" generally turns out to be a job hunter's first step when beginning a job search.
Jack
Related Links:
Writing An Effective Resume
Resume Cover Letters
US Dictionary Of Occupational Titles
Start Ups at HBS
While most (i.e. 99%) of HBS students don't start their own business coming out of business school, the school likes to publicize that about half of the HBS alumni at some point in their career get involved in a start-up, and about 5% may join a start-up after graduation.The HBS Rock Center for Entrepreneurship is a great resource and the school in general provides many great resources for those interested in starting a business. While highly encouraged, it is seldom followed because 1) It's really really really hard, and 2) The opportunity cost of not accepting a job out of school is very significant. Many students claim that they are also burdened with debt and therefore cannot start a business, although I would say this is more of a way for somebody who is naturally risk averse to justify it to themselves. It's tough to walk away from a nice signing bonus and lucrative compensation with a prestigious firm in return for a mountain of debt, uncertain future, and a diet of ramen noodles.
There are of course students that make use of the resources offered at school, mostly mentorship and networking, and experiment with start-ups while still in school. These are often very low capital business ideas that students can use to experiment with and incur very little downside. If the business gains traction, the student can pursue venture capital or other ways to grow the business. Many of these businesses are built in conjunction with a "Field Study" structure sponsored by a professor, and therefore the students also receive course credit.
I'll list businesses started by classmates of mine in the Class of 2011. I'm not aware of an official master list anywhere, but these are businesses I have come across through personal discussions and meetings. There could be more, and I will keep a running list on the left column of this blog from here on out.
Class of 2011 start-ups (not complete list):
- SaferTaxi - Helps rate, share, and schedule taxis
- Athena Advantage - Provides personal security training my military special ops
- Pushpins - Provides instant grocery store coupons through a smartphone app
- FashionStake - A place to discover new fashion designers and to purchase from fashion collections
- K+E Advisors - School admissions consulting
- CleverBootz - Travel planning tools
- KlickPlan - Group coupon discounts and event planning
- Farm Builders - Provides long-term financing and agricultural management services to support tree crop farmers in West Africa
- GobbleBus - An online bus hub for transportation planning
- SenseCheck5 - Online users can sample new products/services for free or deep discount in exchange for their feedback
- Crooster - Advanced survey designs
I don't know how many businesses were launched last year, but I'm familiar with four that are still going:
Class of 2010 start-up survivors (not complete list):
- TroopSwap - A private marketplace for US military personnel
- LearnBoost - Tools and gradebooks for teachers
- RelayRides - A neighbor-to-neighbor carsharing program
- Birchbox - Delivers beauty sample products by mail
In April of every year HBS hosts a business plan competition. While I wouldn't say it has been a great predictor of who might succeed or fail, it is a great showcase of ideas and more than anything encourages students to improve their business models and offers solid exposure and feedback. A list of past winners can be found here.
Where this leads to...
While some might, it's unlikely that many of the current Class of 2011 start-ups will lead to blockbuster businesses. They do however provide a great learning platform for entrepreneurs to refine their skills and undoubtedly many of those entrepreneurs will be at the forefront of new ventures in the years to come. When I think of successful start-ups by HBS grads in recent years, most were started after some post-MBA work experiences. Off the top of my head, these include companies like TheLadders.com, Care.com, Military.com, and Gilt Groupe. Gilt Groupe is a fashion clothing sample sale site launched in 2007, and now supposedly worth well over $500 million.
I hope this has helped shed some light on start-up opportunities at HBS, and I would guess similar articles could be written about other business schools.
And with that... I am about to board my plane to India. Good luck to all the round 2 applicants!
Music Business/Law Tips - "Band Partnership" (Part 2)
Fifth, profit splits are very important. In most cases an equal percentage of the net profits (i.e., after expenses) as well an equal division of any losses is the most equitable approach. The splits can be different, however, if certain members contribute more than others (such as songwriting, etc.).
Sixth, leaving member issues need to be anticipated. A way of handling this would be to allow a leaving member to receive the same percentage for activities he or she participated in before departing, but no percentage for any future activities of the group.
Seventh, voting is also crucial to any partnership agreement. It is probably best to provide that any band decisions - such as hiring or firing a new member, buying a piece of equipment, etc. - be approved by a majority vote. If there is a deadlock situation, this can be overcome by a third party vote (such as a manager) or by a coin flip.
Finally, every member of the group would need to sign and date the agreement.
As explained above, this is merely a guideline for some provisions that should be in a band partnership agreement. Obviously, each group situation is different and may require additional - and perhaps more complicated - terms. Although a partnership agreement might seem unnecessary when everyone is friendly and there is no money being made, if the band considers it to be like an insurance policy to prevent possible future disagreements, it can certainly make any transition in the group happen much smoother and without the threat of a lawsuit.
Ben McLane Esq
benmclane.com
Sixth, leaving member issues need to be anticipated. A way of handling this would be to allow a leaving member to receive the same percentage for activities he or she participated in before departing, but no percentage for any future activities of the group.
Seventh, voting is also crucial to any partnership agreement. It is probably best to provide that any band decisions - such as hiring or firing a new member, buying a piece of equipment, etc. - be approved by a majority vote. If there is a deadlock situation, this can be overcome by a third party vote (such as a manager) or by a coin flip.
Finally, every member of the group would need to sign and date the agreement.
As explained above, this is merely a guideline for some provisions that should be in a band partnership agreement. Obviously, each group situation is different and may require additional - and perhaps more complicated - terms. Although a partnership agreement might seem unnecessary when everyone is friendly and there is no money being made, if the band considers it to be like an insurance policy to prevent possible future disagreements, it can certainly make any transition in the group happen much smoother and without the threat of a lawsuit.
Ben McLane Esq
benmclane.com
And a happy new year!
A merry end to the holiday season from your friends in AdSense! A few of us from our North America team are pictured below to send some additional cheer. Hope you have a great end to 2010 and a fantastic start to 2011!
3 Simple But Powerful Off-Line Advertising Strategies & 10 Classic E-zine Advertising Tips
But one advertising method that's neglected by most online marketers is off-line advertising.
There are several low/no cost ways to advertise off-line and I want to share 3 of them with you.
1) Business Cards
If you are serious about your business you must have business cards. They are cheap and are a great way to attract potential prospects or customers. Simply hand them out to people who you feel may be interested in your business.
Also, whenever I visit a restaurant, bar, or club, I'll leave my business cards in all of the bathroom stalls. (Just make sure nobody is in there of course... lol!)
And don't laugh at this! It really works. When I visit the bathroom an hour or two later, I'll find that all of my business cards are gone and I'll have a fresh new set of sales the very next day.
2) Flyers
With today's technology, flyers are very easy to make. You can simply design a flyer online and just print it out and make copies. Then you can post them in area businesses where you feel your potential customers may hang out. (Just make sure you ask permission from the business owner.)
Or simply hand out your flyers to people you meet on the street. Many bars and clubs don't have a problem with posting flyers in their establishments either, especially if you are a patron.
And don't forget about supermarkets! Many have bulletin boards, at least here in New Jersey where I live, and you can post your flyer there. There are hundreds of people walking into supermarkets everyday and they are in a buying mentality. Take advantage of it and post your flyers often.
3) Automobile Advertising
What... ? Yes you read that right! Your car is not only a driving vehicle but a great advertising vehicle as well. You can stick magnetic signs or plates on your car with your company name and/or domain name for all to see.
Your business can be exposed to hundreds, if not thousands of people every day whether your car is parked, you are driving, or even when you are stuck in traffic. It's fairly inexpensive and a great way to "drive" home your message.
10 Classic E-zine Advertising Tips
1. Target your advertising.
The more targeted the e-zine is for your offer, the greater your response will be for your proven ad.
2. Track your ads.
Don't leave your ad campaigns to guesswork. Use ad tracking to show you exactly which e-zines and ads are most profitable.
3. Run your ad for multiple issues.
You'll get a better response, and possibly save money as many publishers offer special deals on bulk advertising.
4. Spend lots of time writing your headline.
An effective headline will successfully grab your reader's attention and target your audience.
Your winning headline will also get people to read the rest of your ad, leading to more traffic and sales.
5. Don't try to sell your product from your ad.
Write your ads to create interest and get people to visit your site.
From here, your powerful sales page will do the selling for you, and you'll be able to get people to join your e-zine or mailing list for successful follow up.
6. Don't use all caps in your headline.
You'll appear like your yelling at your reader, and your ad will come off as amateurish.
7. Include a "call to action."
At the end of your e-zine ads, include a call to action that tells your reader what you want them to do next (i.e., visit your site or subscribe to your e-zine).
8. Don't be cute or funny with your ad.
You might put your reader in a good mood, but don't count on that translating into more visits to your site or more sales.
9. Offer something for free.
Provide an incentive for visiting your site such as a free eBook, sample chapter, or trial.
10. Subscribe to or view the archives of the
e-zines you would like to advertise in.
You'll be able to see the quality of the content provided, how many ads are published in each issue, and you'll get a good idea of the products those readers are interested in by the ads being run.
Monday, December 27, 2010
3 Pillars of a Solid Home Based Business
Home Based Businesses are great and can be extremely profitable but without the proper knowledge and tools you can waste an incredible amount of time and/or money which defeats the purpose you started out with, namely to make money and have time to do the things you want to do. This article was written to give the average person like you and I a practical guideline to getting started in a home based business the right way, and to save you wasted time and money.
My experience has shown me that there are basically 3 main pillars or principles of a solid home based business.
Pillar #1: It must have minimal start up cost.
A home based business that has a high start up cost will take longer to see a profit, and as we said earlier, time is one of the things we are trying to cut down on. Minimal cost will also make the home based business more assessable to a larger amount of families or individuals who are just starting out.
Pillar #2: It must be easy to set up and maintain.
The more complicated your home business project, no matter what it is, the more likely you are to give up out of sheer frustration before you see a profit. A business that is easy to set up and maintain will give you confidence and a sense of accomplishment as you complete each simple step in the process.
Let's face it if you enjoyed wasting a lot of time and effort maintaining a home based business you would not be reading this article. This is about freeing you to spend time with your family and doing the things you love, not creating another taskmaster to replace your job! The first two pillars of a solid home based business are necessary for the third to occur.
Pillar #3: It must have a quick return on investment. (ROI)
You can spend months building a home based business but it there is never any real profit generated in a reasonable amount of time many people may get discouraged and give up. What is a reasonable amount of time? I would plan for a time frame on the order of weeks instead of months. Depending on the type of home based business some people have had a decent ROI within days, and unbelievable as it may sound some businesses that deal with affiliate marketing and sales can see profit as early as 15 minutes from startup!
You may be thinking to yourself "that's too simple!" Let me say that within these 3 pillars there is plenty of detail to keep anyone busy. The business that you choose to start should definitely be something that interests you and possibly even something that you already have a measure of experience in doing. Whatever home based business you get involved in make sure that it is propped up by the 3 pillars listed in this article. Do not make the mistake of overcomplicating your efforts or you will see very quickly that you will get bogged down with a lot of needlessly wasted time and effort.
Here's to your home based business success.
Start Making EASY MONEY in Data Entry
Everybody would love to make lots of money quickly, working from home, and only doing a few hours of work per week. I've spent the past two years trying to find a great way of doing this. Only over the course of the past few months have I found any "get rich quick" programs worth buying. I've been trying to make money online for a long time.
I had a few small websites, but they never made much more than a few hundred per month. It was easy money and didn't require much work on my part, but I knew there were people out there doing better than I was and I knew I could do as well as them. Now, I've seen a lot of "get rich quick" programs. Most of these people make claims about earning $2000 a day with Google or something similarly insane. Almost all of these people are complete liars.
Even if they were making $2000 a day with Google AdSense, it would be because they had high- traffic websites with a lot of quality content. I would know, because in one whole month, I never even made half of what they promised I'd make daily with their programs. Maybe you've already been scammed by one of these fraudsters.
Anyway, I finally got sick of what was being offered. I decided I'd look through the all of the "get rich quick" programs I could find and see if there were any that were actually legitimate. I found that there were owners selling their programs for well over $100, but the information in them could be found almost anywhere online for free.
Additionally, they all contained out-of-date information, had no e-mail support, no money back guarantees, and broken links in the downloads section. In conclusion, almost all of the programs I found were completely useless. The owners knew it, but they couldn't care less about their customers since they didn't offer refund policies!
Amazingly, while looking through all of the programs, I actually did find a few legitimate programs. They were run by ordinary people like you and me, and they had found some great methods of making money from their home by doing very little work. I spent some time working with one program and my income is now ten times what it used to be.
This program provided a large amount of great information on how to make extra money on your computer doing very little work. Numerous customers had provided great feedback and reviews for their product. Many of them have started to make money just days after buying!
Their program have an excellent price, and the author have a group of paid staff who are dedicating to helping you or providing assistance if you need any. I must say I was amazed! If you do decide to purchase the program, I recommend you join quickly. The owner tells me he is getting an overwhelming number of sales and plan on raising his price in the near future, so order while the price is still low!
To Your Online Success,
Bronzi
The Wanderfly Sessions: Talking travel inspiration and discovery with Wanderfly co-founder Christy Liu
Two years ago I started writing about travel discovery and inspiration sites. Interviewing start up CEOs and Chairmen about the future of travel discovery and how to build a start up business under the shadows of Google, social media and the big four OTAs. Start up Wanderfly has joined the race for inspiration in this new wave of online travel search and discovery. I recently spoke with Wanderfly co-founder and Director of Marketing Christy Liu (pictured) about inspirations, advice for start-ups and building traffic.
We have seen a variety of different approaches to the user interface for travel discover and inspiration engines. Joobili asks you start with a date, Triporati start with 64 interest areas and ask you to rank them and Tripbase have five criteria with "sliders" to select a balance. Wanderfly's angle is for a combination of sliders on dates and price and tabs/buttons for twelve interests or activities.
Review of the site
Wanderfly have tried to differentiate themselves with a very slick landing page layout. They have integrated baseline content and descriptions with booking engine feeds and content imported from lonely planet and foursquare. There is also a Facebook connect login reminiscent of the TripAdvisor Tripfriends integrate. To date the Wanderfly destination landing page is the cleanest looking integration I have seen of social media, editorial and pricing/trip cost functionality. Result is a very usable and attractive destination page. I commend them on the UI and layout.
While the page looks good, there is still a lot of work to do around the depth of content. I did a search on Culture, Outdoors, Beach and Eco. Parameters of $5,000 per person and destination Africa. The recommendation was Masindi in Uganda (shot below).
This is an intriguing answer. It is a place I have never heard of in a country with a name that invokes many positive and negative images. It is not on my list of places to go in Africa (top 2 currently are Tanzania and the Okovanko Delta). Unfortunately the Wanderfly destination page for Masindi is light on content and does not indicate why it is that this is the best destination based on my criteria. The layout is clean and clear allowing for ease of use and encouraging reuse but consumers will need more both in terms of absolute levels of content and in terms of explanatory text on why a destination is proposed. For example there is still a bit of work to do around incorporation of and depth of news feeds and improved photo tagging to help indicate what it is that has been photographed (or how to find it).
First thing to fix is the “Change Trip” option top right. This is the button that allows users to find the rest of the recommendations made. Chances are customers wont see it or understand it and assume that there is only one recommendation. Liu told me this was a deliberate tactic. They are modeling Wanderfly after real human conversations. The theory being that a human response would be one suggestion at a time rather than a list. Click tracking should point out soon enough that consumers are not clicking on options past the first one.
Collecting Data
This time last year I published my three rules for what is needed to start a consumer information or UGC based online travel start up.
In it I discussed how important it is for a content company to collect data from outside sources. I talk to Liu about where she was getting her data to build the pages and how hard it was to collect. Liu said that the team has spent part of the last 18 months integrating into more than 20 partners for data including Expedia, Kayak, Yelp, Foursquare and Lonely Planet. Many of these are open APIs but some required customer deals. She indicated that it was also important to add an editorial level. To include a manual review, writing and matching process. Much like my 2007 post on the balance between UGC and editorial content Liu said they were aware of the need for an editorial level – especially when it comes to matching a destination to the twelve designated trip themes
Themes and trip tags
I asked Liu – why twelve themes and would more be chosen. She told me that Google traffic levels were the main criteria for selecting a theme. But she acknowledged that twelve themes were not enough. Wanderfly are planning to launch a ten to fifteen more. We also discussed the challenge in attaching a theme to an individual’s needs when each individual may have a different definition of what that theme. Luxury is a classic example. One person’s definition of luxury is very different to another. Liu is aware of this and is betting that their research and search depth can help solve this.
Company background and advice for other entrepreneurs
Liu shared that the company is 1.5 years old and is working off dollars from a round of angle funding. Liu said they are actively looking for and negotiating for a new round. An announcement was expected before the end of the year - I have not see the release yet. Via email Liu tells me that there should be an announcement coming early in the new year [UPDATE - 1 Feb announced $1mm raised from a series of angles]. Once raised money will be used on product and content – I think that is the right call.
I also asked Liu for any advice she might have for other entrepreneurs trying to launch a product or business. She replied
“the big one is to trust your gut and trust your instinct. Many people offered us advice and guidance. A few times we went through with advice that we did not feel comfortable with and did not end up where we expected.”
My take
The look and feel is great and my support of the inspiration space is well known. To success Wanderfly have three challenges to face
- Depth of Content – as per above (and my comments in a recent Tnooz search post) the future of search will need lots of content and information but will also need the reasons for the results. Consumers will want to know why a result was chosen. Specifically what elements of the search drove that result and what influencers pushed it. Wanderfly have started the collection part through their 20 plus connections. But more is needed in areas of news, photos and activities. More importantly they need to work on a reasoning index. A method for describing the reasons behind the recommendation
- Distribution - with the revenue model for inspiration and discovery sites still under development and lagging the travel retail sector, finding a voice in the marketing noise of online travel is very hard for value of travel discovery and inspiration sites. This is no greater challenge for Wanderfly than any other site. Liu is aware of this - especially the challenges of search. To succeed in search Wanderfly will need to ensure that their aggregated landing pages are sufficient to meet the unique requirements of Google and can adjust to meet all the changes occurring the page rank algorithms. Liu told me in a follow up email that the longer term marketing plans are to focus on affiliate distribution through major deals and widget/link affiliate programs.
- Reasons for launch “notice a problem while we were trying to book a trip” - Kevin May of Tnooz and Rod Cuthbert of Viator have a theory (that I agree with) that any business founded in online travel because some people were trying to plan a trip and noticed that it was really hard and thought they should build something to make it easier….is doomed for failure because it is being built for a very small audience in mind (ie the founders). Wanderfly will be confronted with this challenge. To ensure that the product is designed with a large enough audience in mind.
Check out Wanderfly and let me know what you think.
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