Start A Promotional Items Business

Every business uses promotional items. Whether it's pens or notepads for a bank or T-shirts and mouse pads for an amusement park, businesses and marketers must go through a promotional items business to get their goodies. Although there are screen printers that can print items directly for consumers, the majority of advertising specialty manufacturers adhere to exclusive partnership agreements with dealers to sell their products.

Instructions

1. Join the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI). You must have an ASI membership number to order imprinted specialty items from manufacturers and to receive the discounts they offer. Most ASI members receive a 50 percent cut of the retail cost of items. Manufacturers provide catalogs and price sheets that post the retail prices for dealers to use.

2. Get a business license from the secretary of state's office and a tax identification number from the Internal Revenue Service. Set up a line of credit with the bank that you can tap into for initial start-up costs such as software and office supplies and to pay for the first orders you place. After you have been in business for a year or so, most ad specialty manufacturers will extend credit to you so that you can pay them after you collect from your clients.

3. Create a business plan that includes a marketing plan. Most ad specialty companies can easily be operated from a home office. Clients rarely visit a showroom but shop from catalogs and rely on the promotional item salesperson to recommend giveaways. Collect samples so that you can allow the customers to hold the items and gauge their value.

4. Order speculative items for prospects. Most ad specialty manufacturers provide deep discounts to dealers who want to have one item made up with a client's business imprinted on the item. Give it to the prospect as a gift to earn an order for a larger number of the same items.

5. Obtain a list of trade shows that will be held in local arenas and convention halls, and call on the businesses planning to attend. Almost every presenter at a trade show hands out free items with his business name imprinted on it to leave a lasting memory with visitors.

Tags: specialty manufacturers, promotional items

Start A Dog Grooming Business From Scratch

Oh, how nice I look!

Getting into the dog grooming business can be quite challenging but with a little thought and planning it can be done. Dog grooming has become a booming business with more clients asking for styled cuts for their dog. Dog grooming is an art form and the more you learn about grooming the more confident you'll come. Starting a business can be fun when it's something you love to do. Most dog owners would prefer to take their dog to a dog groomer than trying to do it themselves. Dog grooming can be a profitable business for you and rewarding too.

Instructions

1. The biggest decision is where will you groom your client's dog will it be a home business or an outside source. Finding a place to rent can be expensive in the beginning so a viable business started from home could grow a client base and then branching to an outside source would make it possible with returning client's. As a home business if you have a place in your home that you can clip dogs in this would be a place to start. To get started purchase a grooming table, clipper, supplies, and you're in business. The next logical step would be to learn all you can about running a home business and if any insurance is required.

2. The next step is to get the word out there that you're offering dog grooming from your home or brick and mortar business. Designing flyers and placing them where dogs are can bring in more clients. Ask if you can place your flyers in a pet store or design business cards advertising what you do, business cards can be a great way to bring in more clients. Also having a Web site devoted to your grooming business can also attract a high client number. The main thing is to get the word out and to do it in as many ways as you can. To keep costs down you can make your own flyers with a software program like Word 2007 or have business cards printed up with your choice of styles. Be creative and use as many advertising cliche' s as you can. Be persistent in starting off a successful dog grooming business.

3. If you decide to start your business from home decide what you need to get started in the way of tools that a dog groomer uses. Have enough supplies on hand like several types of shampoos, combs, brushes, scissors, and whatever else you need to complete the job. Also a good idea would be to have a separate business phone number to be contacted at to setup appointments. Run your business as if you were in a rented place because someday that might happen.

Tags: business cards, home business, more clients, bring more, bring more clients

Improve Brand Integrity

Positive branding is a strategy used by most corporate marketing teams and it may be the critical component in marketing. The long-term positive effects on the bottom line have been significant if the branding effort were successful. Lesser understood is the essence of this success: Brand Integrity. This is unlike the classic rule of advertising where, as long as the viewer remembers your name, it doesn't matter whether they loved or hated your advertising message. Your brand is useless, or worse, if it doesn't build integrity in your products and services. Here are some steps to improve your brand integrity.

Instructions

1. Learn the difference between branding, image creation and enhancement. Many veteran management teams equate branding with the wide display of their name, logo, slogan, and/or trademark. However, experts understand that image is only one component of designing and executing an effective brand strategy.

2. List all components of your brand strategy, including image information, company mission statement, corporate goals, marketing strategy, current position in your industry, and desired customer reaction to your identity, as well as the reaction of potential customers.

3. Integrate all facets of your branding strategy into a cohesive plan. The most important element of an effective brand strategy, once you've identified all the elements included therein, is the planning process.

4. Ask yourself, or your team, the "hard" questions. How can we best represent our commitment to excellence of products, services, customer satisfaction, reasonable pricing, reliability, and quality in a "picture" or repetitive message? The answers will determine how you decide to focus your branding strategy and the method of its delivery.

5. Design an effective message and program to publicize your resulting branding decision. Make the decision to totally commit to the agreed upon method of marketing your brand. Since brand integrity can only be established over time and with excellent performance, a full commitment is critical to success.

6. Clearly state the components of your brand and the methods of delivery to all employees. Staff must "buy into" the quality level you'd like your brand to represent to have a positive effect on your brand integrity. Promises delivered by even the best branding strategy are effectively useless unless you deliver on them.

7. Evaluate, evaluate, and evaluate. Use a variety of methods to determine the success or failure of your branding strategy to learn if your brand integrity is increasing. Market surveys, gross sales, customer feedback and other published third party comments all contribute to an effective evaluation of your brand strategy. Coordinate the information you compile to make an honest assessment of the improvement in your brand integrity.

8. Admit that there is no "perfect" branding strategy. You must commit to make promises that reflect all components of your brand and then ensure that your products and staff follow up to deliver on those promises. If you can deliver both your message and its promises to your customer base in an effective manner, you will improve your brand integrity, which is the key to long term stability and success.

Tags: your brand, branding strategy, your brand integrity, brand strategy, brand integrity

Marketing Account Executive Salary

Marketing, the skill of developing a product to fit consumers' needs and then promoting, is an essential part of any product's commercial success. Because of this, virtually every item released into stores has a team of marketing account executives, either employed by a company or hired on as consultants from a marketing firm. Marketing account executives develop advertising, distribution and other strategies to make a product as commercially successful as possible.

Average Salaries

Depending upon the firm and the account with which a marketing account executive works, salaries may vary significantly. The average account executive earns $60,567 annually, as of December 2010, according to Salary.com. Half of all marketing account executives earn salaries between $51,597 and $74,444, although the 10 percent with the highest earnings boast salaries of $87,079 or more each year.

Salary By Experience Level

Marketing is as much of an art as it is a hard science, so the more experience a marketing professional has, the more effective his marketing campaigns tend to be. Because of this, salaries steadily creep upward as marketing account executives develop experience. Account executives with less than four years of experience earn annual salaries between $29,6891 and $49,502. With five to nine years in the industry, their annual earnings increase to $39,939 to $62,217, while those with at least 10 years on the job may reasonably expect an annual salary from $44,075 to $81,649.

Salary By Location

Marketing firms and companies pay their marketing account executives differently depending upon where their business is located. Executives in Boston are the only ones to earn six-figure average salaries, with annual incomes of $100,060, as of December 1010, according to Salary Expert. Marketing executives in Nashville, Tennessee, the city with the lowest average salaries, receive average salaries that are a third less than their counterparts in Boston and earn $66,887 per year.

Marketing Manager Salaries

Marketing account executives with managerial ambitions may receive promotions to managerial positions. Marketing directors and marketing managers use their knowledge of the industry to supervise teams of executives and build marketing plans for prestigious clients and important products. The average annual salary for marketing managers is $110,030 as of May 2009, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook. Half of all marketing managers earn between $78,340 and $149,390 each year.

Tags: account executives, marketing account executives, marketing managers, according Salary, account executive, account executives develop, annual salary

Find The Food Network Schedule For Today

Food Network Schedule for Today

Having the Food Network schedule for today will allow you to catch every minute of Food Network programming and make sure that you don't miss a minute of your favorite TV chefs. The Food Network schedule for today can be obtained from the Food Network online or from your local TV channel listings. Here's make sure you get the Food Network schedule for today and see all your most liked shows.

Instructions

1. By going to foodnetwork.com and clicking on -shows- which is a tab near the top of the site, you'll be at the Food Network main page for the TV shows and this is where you can find the Food Network schedule for today if you are using the Food Network website. Along with the TV information you can get all kinds of recipes and read biographies of your favorite chefs.

2. TV guide has a great site that is similar to their paper guide and can be found at tvguide.com. All you have to do is input your zip code and you can look up the Food Network schedule for today in your area. If you let your browser save the cookies from their site you should be able to come back there and not have to type anything else in to pull up listings in your area.

3. If you have either cable or satellite TV you should be able to access a guide function using your remote control to pull up the Food Network Schedule for today. All you have to do is enable the guide and scroll up to where the Food Network channel is and then scroll ahead to later on in the day to see what's on.

4. The more traditional way of looking up the Food Network schedule for today is to look in the newspaper at the TV listings and see what is on for the day. Most people use other means nowadays but this method is accurate and still does work.

Tags: Food Network, Food Network schedule, Network schedule, schedule today, Food Network Schedule, Network schedule today, favorite chefs

Relationship Between Differentiation & Positioning In Marketing Products

Relationship Between Differentiation & Positioning in Marketing Products

Differentiation helps establish a product's position in the marketplace. To compete successfully, your company must identify what makes your brand different or better, and communicate this value to potential customers. Differentiated products stand out from the competition with clearly beneficial features. Successful companies position their differentiated products in the marketplace effectively to attract the attention of likely customers.

Differentiation Basics

When customers enter the marketplace to make purchases, they typically have options. By considering criteria like quality, taste, look, feel and price, they make purchasing decisions. To stand out from competitors, your product must have distinct features or benefits that your marketing communication clearly conveys to potential customers. A comparison of your product to competitors helps establish this differentiation.

Unique Selling Proposition

Companies differentiate their products in the marketplace through advertising that aims to establish a unique selling proposition. The website Entrepreneur defines a unique selling proposition as "the factor or consideration presented by a seller as the reason that one product or service is different from and better than that of the competition." You can differentiate your product from the competition's, but unless you communicate specific value to potential customers, your marketing efforts will fail.

Positioning Basics

Positioning pits your product and brand against the competition, according to Business Dictionary.com. Product differentiation and market segmentation are two common components of market position development. You want to identify your target market, or the specific customers you will market to, and align your product's uniqueness with the specific benefits those potential customers desire. Common marketing positions, which can be established through effective advertising, include luxurious, premium, valuable, practical, affordable and inexpensive.

Positioning Statement

Developing a positioning statement helps a business build a marketing plan. The website Entrepreneur describes a positioning statement as one to two sentences that separate your product from competitors in the mind of your customers. Your positioning statement guides those creating your advertising messages. You should incorporate your statement into every written and visual communication presented to your market to establish a consistent position.

Tags: your product, potential customers, positioning statement, Between Differentiation, Between Differentiation Positioning

Place A Classified Ad On Ebay

Place a Classified Ad on eBay

One of the most popular ways to sell items on the Internet is through the eBay auction site, but auctions are not the only selling method they offer. A less well-known service is that of classified advertisements. This works the same way as any other classified ad--you list the item for sale at the price you want for it, and potential buyers contact you directly. As this is a lead generation service and the purchase is not made through eBay, classified ads do not qualify for feedback or for the handling of problems through eBay's resolution center.

Instructions

1. Sign in to eBay (http://www.ebay.com) if you already have an account or to register for a free account. You will need a current credit card to open an account; it is held on file to pay any fees that are associated with your listings and sales.

2. Click on Sell at the top right-hand corner of the screen, select Sell an Item, and then click on Start Selling. Choose the category that is most relevant, bearing in mind that classified ads are not available for all categories. A list of categories that do support this selling method is available in the help section (http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/formats.html#classified). If you need assistance in finding the most appropriate category, type at least three keywords into the search box to see a list of suitable categories. With the category selected, click on Continue.

3. Create your listing in the same way as any other eBay sale: with a strong headline, attractive photographs and a good description of the item for sale. When the listing is complete, scroll down the page to the section "Choose how you'd like to sell your item" and select the tab for Classified Ad.

4. Fill in the price and the duration of the advertisement. There are only two choices: 30 days or "Good 'Til Cancelled" (both $9.95 in March 2010)--the latter relists the ad automatically every 30 days. The fees for the Real Estate and Motors categories are different but are shown on those category listing pages.

5. Choose the way in which you want buyers to contact you: email is the default, but you can add telephone numbers and define contact times. You can also list locations that you do not want to ship to, as well as payment methods you will accept. Finally enter any additional checkout instructions before clicking Continue.

6. Review your listing, and add any paid enhancements you want, such as a subtitle or emphasized display. You then have the option of looking at a preview of your listing before clicking on "List your item" to have the classified ad go live on the eBay site.

Tags: through eBay, your listing, before clicking, buyers contact, item sale, Place Classified

Start An Fm Commercial Radio Station

Start an FM Commercial Radio Station

Many people have dreamed of being a popular radio disc-jockey on their favorite radio station as children. As an adults, it is easy to grow frustrated with the status-quo of the industry, commercial breaks that are too long and with marathon of hits you've already heard before. You can change that with a radio station of your own.

Instructions

Acquiring Your Broadcast License Paperwork

1. Fill out Federal Communications Commission Form 175. This form allows you to participate in an FCC auction. These auctions grant licenses to qualified bidders who can demonstrate better use of the license.

2. Fill out FCC form 601 to file initial applications, as well as most licensing requests and notifications.

3. Fill out and file form 603 to provide information in regards to license ownership. This is required by FCC rules.

4. Fill out form 854 to file your Antenna Structure Registration.

5. Fill out form 605 for applications in commercial, amateur, ship, aircraft and restricted operations.

Placing Your Antenna And Transmitter

6. Acquire land in the town where you are licensed by the FCC to transmit your signal from.

7. Go to your town's governmental building and zoning department to see if your location is zoned for a radio antenna.

8. Receive your permit to erect a broadcast structure at that location.

9. Hire a reputable construction firm to properly erect your antenna and transmitter on your site.

Organize Your Station

10. Lease or find space to make your studio area and business office. This can be a storefront or office tower.

11. Hire a firm to properly install your studio components. This is sophisticated audio equipment that has to work in concert with your transmitter to produce quality sound.

12. Employ your sales staff. Your sales staff is going to sell commercial time on your station. Commercial sales are going to determine the cash flow of the radio station.

13. Find disc jockeys to play music (if you wish) on your station. DJs can bring programs to your station that can spur commercial sales for your sales staff, as well as listeners.

Tags: Fill form, radio station, sales staff, your station, Commercial Radio, Commercial Radio Station, Fill form file

Supervisor Interview Tips

Be prepared for a supervisor interview by doing some preliminary research.

Interviewing for a supervisor position will take time and research into the company before the interview date. You'll want to know key information such as what goods, products or services the company provides, how the labor division is broken down within the company and roughly how many people will be reporting to you as their supervisor before your interview. By being prepared with basic information about your company, you'll spend less time in the interview having the interviewer explaining the job functions, leaving more time for you to show why your skills match the position.

Research the Company

You can begin researching the company by going online. Check out the company's website and check out the company by searching it through popular search engines such as Google, Bing or Yahoo!. These two different views give you information that the company wants the public to see, and possibly views from the consumers of the company, giving you a different perspective. Take all of the information and compile it into basic bullet points that you'll be able to study before the interview. This information will help you to better answer questions intelligently during your interview.

Speak in soundbites

During your interview, speak in soundbites. This means you should answer questions in full, complete sentences. To do this, you'll want to prepare answers to general questions you may be asked during your interview. A few general questions include:

Tell me about your management skills used in your prior job.

What was a major project taken on by your last team and what was the result?

Do you work well under pressure?

The answer can be a "yes" or "no," but you'll want to follow it up. For example, if you are asked, "Do you work well under pressure," you can say, "Yes, I feel that I am most productive under pressure and really thrive with deadlines."

Answering Difficult Questions

During your interview, you may be asked difficult questions that can be uncomfortable to answer. However, answering these questions honestly and putting a positive spin on them by showing how you turned the situation in question around could play in your favor. For example, if you are asked "When was a time that your supervisory skills have failed," you can respond by saying, "I used to micromanage a lot of projects at my last position when I first started. I felt that I could work better knowing all of the pieces were getting taken care of by myself. However, my team felt neglected and I was overworked. I learned that if I am able to divide and hand out the projects, not only does my team work better because they are involved, but I am able to be a better supervisor because of having less work to do and more time to spend on managing my team."

Tags: your interview, under pressure, about your, answer questions, before interview

The Best Email Marketing Systems

Email marketing allows you to message customers all over the world instantly.

Email marketing is a way to stay connected with customers and keep them informed of upcoming sales or promotions. Email marketers must be aware of the CAN-SPAM Act, which the U.S. Congress passed in 2003. The law requires that email marketers only send emails to people who have 'opted in', or given the sender permission to email them. Senders must also provide consumers with an easy way to opt out of receiving marketing emails at any time. There are several email marketing systems and programs available, though a handful stand out.

Constant Contact

Constant Contact is one of the most popular email marketing platforms. The system allows you to easily design your own email marketing campaigns without using HTML code, so almost anyone who is proficient on a computer can create an email campaign. Over 400 templates are available to help you create your email content quickly. Constant Contact also offers monthly fees that start at $15 per month for a list of under 500 people (as of October 2010). The pricing model allows small businesses and startups with small budgets to use the service with minimal investment. A free trial is also available, so you can test it first before committing.

iContact

iContact is another popular email marketing system. The system allows you to divide your master list into segments, so you can send email marketing messages to different groups within your master list. iContact also has hundreds of templates to easily create your email content, and has built-in spam checkers to make sure your email will get through spam filters and into customers' mailboxes. iContact boasts an inbox deliverability rate of 99 percent, meaning that 99 percent of your emails will reach peoples' inboxes, as opposed to their spam or junk folders. Several tracking features are also included to help track which campaigns are most successful, so you can improve your email marketing efforts going forward. Pricing starts at $10 for up to 250 people on your list, and goes up from there based on list size (as of October 2010).

Lyris

Lyris is an email marketing system used by businesses of varying sizes, though it tends to attract email marketers with established lists of hundreds of thousands of subscribers. Lyris offers two different hosted solutions. It uses Lyris servers to send and manage email marketing campaigns; as well as offering an on-site solution, which provides the email marketing software only, for companies that host their own email marketing servers and databases. Lyris also offers outsourced email marketing resources, including designers, copywriters and web analytics professionals, in case you do not have the time or resources to create, deploy and analyze email marketing campaigns yourself. Pricing for Lyris solutions is significantly higher than others like Constant Contact or iContact, because the Lyris systems are designed for email marketers with significantly more volume than a few hundred or a few thousand people.

Tags: email marketing, your email, Constant Contact, email marketers, email marketing campaigns

Start A Bath & Body Business

Beauty is a billion dollar industry. Natural bath and spa products are all the rage; particularly those products that promise to reduce the appearance of aging or energize your body, mind and spirit. Every day, a new spa product hits the market. Next time, it could be yours. If you've got an eye for designing creative packaging and can spot the next soothing or infusing combination of ingredients, why not start your own bath and body business?

Instructions

1. Decide what types of products to create. Choose from bar soap, liquid soap, bubble bath, aftershave, aromatherapy, candles, toner, conditioner, shampoo, lotions and bath salts.

2. Learn the properties of various soaps, essential oils and fragrances. Essential oils can be used to make bath and beauty products such as soaps, shampoos, bubble baths, perfumes, cosmetics and incense. Look for their soothing or healing properties and whether there is a high risk of causing an allergic reaction. Visit Aromaweb.com for detailed information on aromatic ingredients and select and care for essential oils. Find recipes on making bath salts, cologne, body powder, toner, conditioner, shampoo, mouthwash and perfume. Visit Colebrothers.com for extensive information on select ingredients for making your own bar and liquid soap. Find free recipes for making bath salts, facials, shampoo, conditioner, rinses, lip balms, lotions and creams at Soapcrafters.com (see Resources).

3. Select essential oils, soap bases, molds and fragrances for your products. Purchase cellophane, fragrance bottles, caps, sachets, pumps, soap boxes and other packaging supplies. Purchase safety goggles, rubber gloves, a scale, thermometer, beakers or measuring cups, ladles, spoons, rubber spatulas, large spoons, measuring spoons and a large bowl.

4. Experiment in your home making bubble bath, cosmetics, bath salts, perfume, lotions and soap.

5. Familiarize yourself with the Federal Drug Administration's (FDA) regulations on food, drug and cosmetics (see Resources). How you market your products will determine whether they are labeled a drug, cosmetic or soap. For example, if your soap claims to revitalize cells, it is considered a drug. Be sure you thoroughly understand the regulations prior to designing, labeling and marketing your products.

6. Label your products. Create your designs using free software programs like Paint and Gimp. Then visit Worldlabel.com for help on creating the perfect labels for your products.

7. Sell your products on websites Etsy.com and Dawanda.com. Visit craft shows, trade shows, fairs and farmer's markets to sell your goods. Join a social networking site such as Indiebeauty.com to remain current on industry news, purchase wholesale supplies and network with like minds. Send samples to retailers.

Tags: your products, bath salts, essential oils, bubble bath, conditioner shampoo, liquid soap, making bath

Advertise & Promote Your Business

Create a multifaceted plan to promote your business.

Advertising and promoting your business should involve a multifaceted plan that spans many types of media. Before making any investment in advertising, however, be sure to make the decision based on your key marketing goals, the audience you want to reach and your budget. While some advertising opportunities can be costly, there are also low-cost and virtually free ways to get publicity for your product or service.

Instructions

Advertise and Promote Your Business

1. Get on the Web. One of the most effective promotional tools is a professionally written and designed website. It should be hosted on a reliable server with enough bandwidth to handle heavy traffic, especially if you will be selling products online as well as at your business's physical location. Optimize the site's content with relevant keywords so that search engines will find it more easily. Include an option to sign up for notifications of sales, arrivals of new products, or specials on discontinued products. Develop an online newsletter with tips and information about using your product or service--customers can "opt in" or agree to let you contact them via email if they want to receive it.

2. Create print advertising materials. Make a lasting impression and provide information with professionally written and designed brochures, product sheets, business cards, and stationery. Use this print collateral as "leave behinds" during sales calls, service calls, and community or industry events.

3. Use radio spots. Find out the listener demographics of your local radio stations and determine which ones best match your customer base. Work with the radio station's creative team to develop a professional, memorable radio spot. Add an offer for a discount or free gift if customers mention the radio spot and/or the station's call letters.

4. Show your products on TV commercials. Find out which local station draws the most viewers that fit with your target market demographics. Work with the station's marketing team to develop a professional commercial. Build a relationship with the station's news team and make yourself available as an expert source for news and feature stories--a great way to get some "free" publicity.

5. Create a public relations strategy. Introduce yourself to the editor of the business section of your local or regional newspaper. Send professionally written press releases with photos when your business introduces a new product or service, or celebrates a milestone, such as 10 years in business. Some newspapers publish separate monthly business tabloids that feature local businesses. Make yourself available as an expert source for their writers, or volunteer to write a monthly column on your business area of expertise.

6. Be visible in your community. Sponsor a community or school event, or a local softball team. Your business name and/or logo will be seen on signs or on players' jerseys. Sponsor a charitable or fund-raising event. Volunteer to be a speaker at a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce or another community organization.

Tags: professionally written, your business, Advertise Promote, Advertise Promote Your, available expert, available expert source

Advertise Your Blog Site

Your Web address.

Developing an advertising campaign for your blog is as important as having a blog. To be successful in a social engineered world, you have to become social and make yourself accessible. Getting involved in the overall community is key to advertising your blog.

Instructions

1. Write compelling content. Keep your new blog exciting by including value-rich content. In the book "Problogger--Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income," Chris Garret writes: "Half the battle of getting a blog off the ground is to have not just 'good' content but compelling content."

2. Read other bloggers and comment. Spend time each day reading other blogs of similar content. When you read something you like, leave an encouraging comment. It is very important to actively take part in the blogging community and develop relationships with like-minded bloggers. This helps you establish credibility, and people will then be more interested in what you have to say.

3. Bookmark and link to your favorite bloggers on your own blog. When you show that you value what other bloggers have to say, they are more likely to link back to you. This increases your exposure, helps increase your credibility and is very helpful in the search engines.

As the editors of The Huffington Post say: "You want people to visit your blog, right? Other people want readers to come to their blogs as well. Providing links is the blogosphere equivalent of doing unto others as you would have them do unto you."

4. Join blogging forums and blogging groups. Getting involved in what other people are doing and saying is vital if you want to be taken seriously as a credible blogger. By joining forums and groups, you show that you are interested in building relationships. Answer questions, offer support, and ask questions to show that you are real and helpful and not just interested in yourself. It also helps to establish yourself as an authority in your field by taking part in the conversation and helping others.

5. Write a press release. Press releases offer a great way to announce your new blog to the world. They offer several advantages. They give backlinks to your website, increase exposure from another credible website and increase link popularity in search engines.

6. Create a Facebook Account. Advertising your blog within your Facebook profile is another way to increase exposure. Facebook now has over 400 million active users, which makes for a huge marketing resource. Don't forget to make friends first.

7. Join the conversation through Twitter. Find like-minded people and topics by using hashtags (placing '#' before your search word or phrase); listen to the conversation. Follow people and then share content. Twitter each time you post new articles and encourage conversation.

Tags: your blog, show that, your blog, compelling content, Getting involved

Advertise A Communitybased Facility

Word-of-mouth probably remains the best form of advertising there is, so be sure to give your customers only good things to say about you.

Even when economic times are good, advertising dollars should be spent prudently. When times are not so good, a little ingenuity may be required, especially if you wish to advertise a community-based facility that otherwise might get lost in the crowd. Never pull the plug on all your advertising, for while this move may keep more money in your coffers now, you will pay dearly for it later. After all, even Thomas Jefferson is known to have observed -- and in a much less competitive time: "The man who stops advertising to save money is like the man who stops the clock to save time."

Instructions

1. Put on your detective's hat and launch an exhaustive search of the community your facility is located in, including every public building and the person responsible for running it. Compile and keep track of this information in a community database -- dividing it accordingly between schools, police and fire departments, libraries, park district and aquatic centers and every other public building there is. Someday, this database will be the cornerstone of your business.

2. Volunteer your time to a community group or organization in exchange for advertising your facility in good taste. The local library, for example, might be amenable to you reading to a group of children for a few hours a week in exchange for giving patrons a free bookmark imprinted with the name of your facility.

3. Keep your eyes and ears open for community fundraisers, subdivision yard sales, flea markets and other events that are bound to draw crowds where you can advertise your facility.

4. Sign up with welcoming agencies and realtors who give welcome packages to new residents and offer them promotional products to advertise your facility. New residents are particularly promising prospects because they haven't developed habits that are often entrenched in longtime residents of a community.

5. Don't spend one nickel on advertising until you do an exhaustive "DD" (due diligence) on the community, your competition and "friendly partners."

Visit your chamber of commerce and gather similar information on businesses in the community. Often, chambers will have business names and contact information available on a computer program (and sometimes available for purchase).

6. Scrutinize this information carefully for strategic marketing and advertising partnerships -- or businesses that may share customers with you but do not compete with you directly. You can regularly make referrals to each other's businesses and carry ads and other promotional materials in your respective places of business.

7. Find out which magazines people read, which TV programs they watch and which websites they scroll. This is an ongoing if not never-ending process, but "gathering intel" will help guide you to making the best advertising decisions. Your goal is to advertise where your message will find the greatest viewership, even if it's on the back of a Friday night pizza menu of the busiest pizza parlor in town.

8. Keep an open mind to offbeat advertising options or the "buzz" of a hot advertising trend. Some ideas -- such as advertising in the front-seat carriage of grocery shopping carts -- burn brightly and brazenly in some communities -- and then somehow extinguish just as quickly.

9. Sign up for every email newsletter and announcement that you can in the community to stay apprised of crossover marketing and advertising opportunities.

10. Learn everything about the community and everybody in it so that, over time, you become a go-to source for information.

Offer to "rent" (or loan) space in your facility for community groups and gatherings in exchange for a free mention in a program or a website. Getting your name out at no cost is "free advertising" -- and even Thomas Jefferson probably never heard of that.

Tags: your facility, advertise your, advertise your facility, community your, even Thomas, even Thomas Jefferson

The Average Income Of An Ice Cream Truck Business

Mobile ice cream vending can provide a living income or grow to many trucks.

Hearing the musical tunes of the ice cream truck getting louder as it gets closer to the street brings magical memories to many adults. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average income of an ice cream truck business is about $18 and hour or $608 a week as of the date of publication. Owning a business gives the most flexibility in earned income potential. With a winning plan and a big smile, an ice cream truck business can be steady income or a budding franchise opportunity.

Local Market Demographics

Market research will determine the foundation of the business. The number of children, their ages and income by neighborhood census is vital to knowing slant the ice cream truck inventory. Catering treats to both adults and children does not prove to be cost efficient. Climate is also a factor. Not all areas are weather suited for full-time mobile ice cream businesses. This can make an ice cream vending truck a part-time endeavor.

Ice Cream Truck Licenses

Information on mandatory permits and licenses other than a driver's license to operate an ice cream truck business is available through local town halls or the chamber of commerce. Ice cream truck vendors tend to move through different neighborhoods, beaches or parks daily searching for high traffic areas. Be aware of any special permits needed for certain areas. At times, these vendor permits may be restricted or banned altogether due to traffic congestion concerns.

Truck Leasing and Buying Options

You can purchase and equip a used truck to sell packaged ice cream for about $5,000 as of the date of publication. To sell soft serve and other fancy items it can be up to seven times more costly. Although startup costs may seem low for owning a business truck, leasing may still be a better option depending on the situation. With truck leasing, you avoid a permanent commitment until you are sure the business will work out.

Authentic Personality Check

Income opportunity aside, to truly succeed in the ice cream truck business requires excellent people skills. For traditional mobile ice cream operations a genuine love and respect for children is mandatory or the business will not earn a profit. Children associate ice cream with joy, so a sour owner will keep them in the house. A high tolerance to hearing the same musical announcement is helpful or it will get old soon.

Tags: cream truck, cream truck business, truck business, business will, Cream Truck, cream vending, date publication

Insurance Product Definition

Insurance products are common financial arrangements in which an insurance provider states its guarantee to pay on covered claims. In return, the buyer agrees to pay a monthly premium cost.

Basics

A customer buys insurance to protect against property loss or financial risk. The actual insurance product takes the form of a policy binder which states all the terms and conditions, including an overview of what events would lead to a claim payout.

Product Types

Insurance products include a wide range of solutions. Common insurance products include home, auto, life, health, dental, mortgage and asset protection. Products can also be customized for various purposes, including to protect professional athletes from lost income due to injury.

Premiums

The costs associated with the purchase of an insurance product are often called premiums or insurance rates. Paid in periodic increments, rates are determined based on a variety of risk factors that affect the likelihood the insurer would have to payout, as well as the coverage amount.

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Search For Mobile Numbers

Have you ever wanted to search for a mobile phone number, but didn't know how? Well with today's technology it's as simple as putting in the numbers and pressing "Search." If you know where to look you can find out in which city the phone is registered, the carrier, the name and address of the owner all within a few minutes online.

Instructions

Search for Mobile Numbers

1. Use a People Seach Engine. You can also use a people search engine, which is designed specifically to find a person. You can find one at PeopleEngine.ws. Just click on "Search by Phone" and type in the phone number that you are looking for and click "Search." This will return basic information such as the city where the owner lives. This works for both cell phones and landlines. If you'd like a more detailed report you will need to pay $14.95 for the report or you can have unlimited reports for $39.95 a year as of 2009.

2. Search for the phone number with Cell Phone Registry. If you go to http://www.cellphoneregistry.org/ you can simply type in the phone number and this will give you a basic report such as the carrier the state and the city of the user. If you'd like a more detailed report you will need to pay $14.95 for the report or you can have unlimited reports for $39.95 a year as of 2009.

3. Try USSearch.com. You can also go to USSearch.com and click on "Reverse Phone Lookup." It works the same way and you simply type in a person's phone number and click search. You can buy a report for that includes the name, address, carrier and phone type $4.95.

Tags: phone number, click Search, detailed report, detailed report will, have unlimited

Construction Marketing Ideas

Marketing your construction business well will improve your profitability and ensure that your sales stay consistent. An effective marketing plan will enable your business to continue selling and building your brand even when you are busy with actual construction work.

Website

Get a great website. With a little bit of research, you can find a website designer who specializes in creating websites for contractors at reasonable, even inexpensive, prices. Your website should provide information on your experience as a business owner and contractor, contact information and links to customer interviews with photos or videos to showcase your work.

Testimonials from your customers let your website visitors learn more about you and your work style before they risk contacting you. Put your best side forward and let your customers speak for you.

As a professional, you are able to provide the best recommendations for your clients. So, go ahead and give your customers the information they need to make a good decision right on your website. Explain the cost and benefits of refacing old kitchen cabinets versus installing new ones. What is the average cost of a bathroom remodel? What are the factors affecting that cost? Informative articles will position you as the expert you are, resulting in customers being attracted to you and your business.

Professional Image

Put together a professional image for your company. Implement a company policy that requires your employees, trucks and tools to look good and be cared for properly. Invest in uniforms or screen-printed t-shirts for your employees. If staff members will be climbing through attics or crawling under homes, provide sufficient T-shirts so they can change before visiting the next customer. Your trucks should be washed daily and all litter removed at the end of a shift. Vinyl lettering is an inexpensive way to promote your brand and provide contact information. T-shirts and trucks serve as inexpensive moving billboards.

Door Hangers

If you provide residential services, your business needs door hangers. Make yours stand out by offering a free service or discount coupon. Are you a plumber? Offer to unclog one toilet for free. Homeowners will keep that coupon and when they need more extensive services, they will call you.

Refrigerator Magnets

Refrigerator magnets are a good way to keep your phone number handy in the customer's home. Are you an HVAC technician? Put your magnet on the furnace or inside air unit. If you added on a sunroom, give your customer three magnets---one for themselves and one for each of their neighbors.

Referral Program

Word of mouth is the best referral source, so encourage your customers to spread the news by offering them rewards. Ask every new customer how they heard of you. When they mention being referred from a past customer, be sure and send a thank you note with a $5 gift certificate or some such for coffee or lunch to your customer. This is a simple action that will make certain your client mentions work again.

Tags: your customers, your business, contact information, give your, they need, your brand, your customer

Things I Can Make With My Hands For Money

Hand-crafted jewelery is a low cost way to create a home business.

Making items by hand to sell is appealing because it can be done from the comfort of your own home. A dedicated person with skill at creating items such as jewelery, quilts or cabinets could conceivably create an entire home-based business. Make sure to price the finished pieces high enough so that it's worth your while. Some small business retailers multiply the cost of materials by 10 to arrive at a retail price.

Disciple's Cross

Disciple's Cross, a Christian-based crafting company, is an interesting option for those interested in the home jewelery business. The organization began in the 1990s by Pastor John Raymond of Slidell, La., who wore a handmade cross when he was a contestant on the popular reality show Survivor. The basic approach is that you buy supplies from Raymond, make the crosses at home at the pace of about five minutes each, and he agrees to buy them back (up to 400 crosses weekly) at $2.25 apiece. This would earn you about $500 weekly in profit. The real kicker is that you also receive the rights to market the crosses you build yourself for whatever price the market will bear; currently $5 to $10 apiece.

T-shirt Designs

With the advent of websites like CafePress.com and Zazzle.com, it's easy to make money exercising your creative design skills. Create designs using pens and pencils, then scan them into your computer, or simply use a graphic design program like Photoshop to make it digital from the start. Once you have a design, log onto either of the websites mentioned above and apply your design to t-shirts, mugs, calendars---almost anything you can think of---then set the price and put them up for sale. The company takes orders, prints, and ships products with your design on it, while cutting you in for a slice of the profit. This is the way to get into the t-shirt printing business without spending thousands of dollars on a printing press.

Candles and Bath Soaps

It seems that the demand for candles and bath soaps never goes away. Let the runaway success of Bed, Bath & Beyond stand as exhibit number one. There are plenty of ebooks floating around the Internet, and actual books on Amazon.com that will teach you make this sort of craft. Once you have the basics down, let you imagination roam as you create new and unique candles and soaps to market to the world.

Tags: Disciple Cross, Once have, your design

How Is Culture Reflected In Consumer Advertising

Culture can be defined as ideas, beliefs, objects and activities that help characterize of a group of people. These cultural characteristics have a certain meaning to people who are part of the culture. Advertisers draw from these meanings and reflect them in their advertisements to make them more appealing.

Images

Culture is reflected in ads through its images. An ad for lip gloss targeted to teens may feature bright colors and a younger model. Those who see the ad would be able to tell that the lip gloss is geared toward younger women.

Text

The way that the text is constructed within the ad can reflect culture. An advertiser will phrase the dialogue differently for an ad that has youth appeal than they would if they were targeting that ad to a mature audience.

Current Events

Current events can be representative of a culture. For example, around certain holidays, many companies in the United State will have an ad in the theme of the approaching holiday.

Pop Culture

Pop culture is also reflected in consumer advertising. Some companies choose to use a celebrity who is well known and currently popular as a spokesperson for their brand.

Language

Aside from text, the actual language used within an ad can be important in reaching different cultures. In the United States, many advertisers will create special ads in another language if a neighborhood is heavily concentrated with speakers of that language.

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Launch A Grassroots Campaign

Grassroots campaigns may include picketing business offices.

Grassroots efforts involve everyday citizens who become proactive in promoting issues they believe are not being addressed by politicians or social organizations. They become involved to institute and promote change, as well as give the unheard a voice, and these efforts often begin as small movements, and sometimes grow to huge initiatives. If you want to institute change and be an advocate for a cause, creating a grassroots campaign is a viable option.

Instructions

1. Narrow down the cause you want to advocate so your efforts are focused and doable. For instance, a campaign to support or fight specific legislation aimed at a certain group is more manageable than a group aimed at advocating all social, political and economical issues related to that group. This larger campaign is possible, but perhaps is not one you will want to take on for your first campaign.

2. Find out what work is being done in your community, state and the nation concerning your cause. For instance, if you are advocating the educational rights of children with autism, find out what your own school system offers, and then approach the state board of education to see what options are allowed or mandated by state law. Question the federal education system to see what rights children with autism have concerning education.

3. Plan and host events to raise awareness and funds that will support marketing campaigns in newspapers and magazines and on websites. For instance, if you are supporting or advocating the literacy of inner-city or rural youth, organize a slam poetry event and invite youth to share their own creations. Send invitations to the local newspaper and television stations, which encourages exposure to your cause through free avenues.

4. Organize and institute a large public relations campaign. Contact newspapers, television stations, websites, magazines and organizations within the area you are advocating. Ask for news coverage and inquire about paid advertising. Create pages and groups within social media networking sites, such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Send the addresses to your friends and ask them to share the sites with their friends. Make a web page and put the address on all your correspondence.

5. Host a rally in your community or on the steps of your state legislature and promote peaceful assembly and quickly diffuse any volatile situations.

6. Schedule appointments with your local, state and federal legislators who can institute change. If they are not able to make changes themselves, ask them to become advocates for the group.

Tags: children with, children with autism, institute change, rights children, rights children with, television stations, with autism

Improve Media Relations At An Ad Agency

For the most part, advertising agencies are best known for the ads they place. But often, their public relations efforts are the most important function they play on behalf of their clients. Therefore, the relationships those agencies have with media outlets is worth its weight in gold. Here are ways for your advertising agency to improve your media relations.

Instructions

1. Treat representatives of the news media as professionals, not as adversaries. Under no circumstances give them the impression that, because your client may advertise with them, you expect preferential treatment. Most credible media have put up a wall between media and advertisers, and attempting to change that will bear negatively on your relationship.

2. Respect the reporter's time. Know, for instance, that most of them appreciate calls in the morning because their deadlines, typically, are later in the day. It's best to return telephone calls from the media within the hour, because they are probably on a deadline. Finally, if the reporter is new to you, quickly check his medium's content by going to the Internet or simply turning on his television or radio station.

3. Familiarize yourself with the issue before you call her back, if you know why the reporter is calling. Think of what questions she may ask, particularly if the issue can be negative to your client or is overly complicated. Try to inject your main points at the beginning of your response. Under no circumstances is it smart to give an interview without some preparation.

4. Don't guess at the answers. The reporter is looking to you for accurate information. If you're not sure of an answer, tell the reporter that you will call him back with the answer. If after the interview, you discover that you told a reporter something that was not true, get back to him with a correction, before it shows up in print or on the air.

5. Don't send gifts to the media “as a token of your appreciation.” Regardless of the gift's value, it will invariably be interpreted as an effort to influence the news.

6. Tell a reporter that you will be available for a follow-up as this will improve your chances of being called back. Try to become the authority that reporter will contact for information about the subject in the future.

Tags: that will, back with, call back, improve your, reporter that, reporter that will, Under circumstances

Select A Gift For Your Dad

Dads are notoriously difficult to buy for. Although picking up a traditional shirt or tie is easy, with a little thought, you can give your dad something he'll really love.

Instructions

1. Ask your dad what he wants. If he has an idea, you'll save time trying to come up with a gift.

2. Buy him a year's pass to the national or state parks.

3. Consider a once-a-month gift package. Various companies offer fruit, wine, beer, fishing lures, etc. A package will be delivered to your dad every month for as long as you like.

4. Buy a gift membership to a nearby museum or other attraction, or give him tickets to a sporting event, concert or exhibition.

5. Hire a gardener or landscape company to do his yard work for as long as you can afford.

6. Buy tickets to the carwash.

7. Give him a gift basket full of his favorite foods, wines or coffees.

8. Organize the family history or family photos in a book or album.

9. Give him a prepaid phone card so he can call you - or anyone else - for free.

10. Make something. Whether you knit a sweater, make fudge or whip up his favorite cookies, your dad is guaranteed to appreciate your efforts.

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Increase Brand Awareness For A Service

If you want to increase profits, you should learn expand brand awareness for your service. A solid marketing and advertising campaign will plant your business in the minds of consumers.

Instructions

1. Hire a jingle-writing company to write a catchy jingle for your service. You can usually find a jingle-writing company through a local radio station. Then have stations play the jingle with your ads. If the song sticks in the heads of listeners, so will your business.

2. Turn your vehicles into billboards. Advertise your service on the sides of any cars and vans that you use for business. The vehicles should carry the company logo of your company, an image of someone performing the service you offer and contact information.

3. Link your business brand name with the type and quality of service you offer. For instance, "Spiffy Clean" tells consumers that your business not only cleans, it does a thorough job.

4. Speak at functions. Accept any opportunity to appear at trade shows, chamber of commerce events and other activities in which you get to play the role of expert. Your brand will be associated with your expertise.

Tags: your business, your service, jingle-writing company, service offer, with your

Insurance Company Corporate Structure

A large insurance company can employ thousands of people.

An insurance company requires several departments in order to operate efficiently and at a profit. Not only are departments required to handle each life stage of a policy, but others exist to run the day-to-day operations.

New Business and Policy Issues

This department receives the initial insurance application, keys in all relevant data on the administration system and issues the policy contract when the coverage is approved.

Underwriting

Underwriters evaluate the medical and financial risk of loss by approving the coverage requested in the application.

Policy Owner Services

This is the customer service branch of the corporate structure, which handles calls from agents and clients, and processes changes, such as banking details, insurance coverage or client information.

Claims

This department receives claim requests, adjudicates and, if approved, pays claims. Disputes are handled here, if a claim is denied.

Marketing

The marketing department is responsible for growing sales by touting the company name to agents and consumers. Typically, this is done through advertising and/or relationship management with insurance agents.

Actuarial

The actuary handles the financial impact of risk relating to the operation of the insurance company, such as developing and pricing products, reporting on the financial strength of the company and ensuring that all regulatory requirements are met.

Tags: insurance company, department receives, This department, This department receives

Create A Compensation Package For A Customer Service Manager

Determining a customer service manager's compensation package takes research.

Creating a compensation package for a customer service manager takes research. You should determine the operating dollar amounts you have to work with and factor in whether you plan to offer monetary incentives and bonuses. In addition, you should research the industry standard to assure that your idea of compensation is realistic in today's job market. To get the best quality candidates for the customer service manager position, you want to offer a competitive and fair compensation package.

Instructions

1. Meet with your company's senior leadership to determine the operating budget of the customer service department and the percentage allocated for the customer service manager position based on other departmental staff. Consider the dollars allocated for other departmental positions such as customer service representatives and administrative support so the amount in the budget is spread throughout.

2. Ask your human resources department who handles benefits and compensations about acceptable salary ranges. Many companies have implemented salary ranges, or grades, based upon region, industry, specialty and management level. Human resources can inform you of other company-level compensation offerings such management bonus programs. Analyze if the customer service manager position is classified with other similar management positions in your company. For instance, the grade of a customer service manager may be similar to an administrative manager but lower than a clinical or nurse manager.

3. Review industry standards for the customer service manager position by visiting online sites such as Salary.com or Payscale.com. According to Salary.com, the average customer service manager salary in 2010 is $67,924. Consider using the information on these sites as a guideline to work with when creating the compensation package.

4. Decide if you plan to tie job or departmental performance into the compensation package and what specific measures you will tie them to. In call centers, telephone statistics such as average speed of answer (ASA) of calls and satisfaction surveys may determine customer service departmental success. For instance, if the customer service manager's department achieves or meets a standard of a 30 second ASA and 90% satisfaction rate, consider rewarding the customer service manager with a monetary incentive like $1000 per quarter.

5. Pay based on experience and education. According to Salary.com, 42.38% of customer service managers hold Bachelors' degrees. You may choose to pay less to a candidate without one. Adjust your projections based on the perfect candidate when they come along, as long as their salary requirements are in line with industry standards and your operational budget. You may have to offer a higher compensation package than planned to the right person.

Tags: customer service, customer service manager, service manager, compensation package, manager position, service manager position, customer service

How Find Out If A Company Is Legitimate

Find out if a company is legitimate.

Fraud is on the rise, according to the Federal Trade Commission. As of 2007, over 30 million Americans were the victim of fraud. This is roughly 13.5 percent of the American population. Some of the most common fraud scams include lottery club memberships, work at home opportunities and prize promotion scams. If you don't know much about a company, it's important to be safe. The Federal Trade Commission, Better Business Bureau and your state attorney general's office can help you find out if a company is legitimate.

Instructions

1. Collect full contact information. Before investigating if a company is legitimate, you'll need some information. Get the full address of the company's main office, phone number and website address. This will help you research the company a little further.

2. Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The Federal Trade Commission is charged with protecting consumers. It tracks complaints about companies and identifies theft scams. If you have questions about a company, contact the FTC to determine if it has negative reports on file (see References).

3. Check out the Better Business Bureau (BBB). The Better Business Bureau also tracks a company's complaint history. When the BBB receives a complaint, it tracks the company's responsiveness dealing with the issue. Based on this history, it assigns companies a rating between "A" and "F" ("A" is the best and "F" is the worst). Consumers can find companies through the BBB search function by name, website or address.

4. Contact your state attorney general's office. A state attorney general serves as the "people's lawyer," according to the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG). This office tracks consumer complaints about companies that aren't using legitimate businesses practices. The state attorney general may also build a case against these companies to protect the public's interest. Find your state attorney general's contact information by contacting the National Association of Attorneys General (see References).

Tags: attorney general, state attorney, state attorney general, Federal Trade, Federal Trade Commission, Trade Commission, your state attorney

Create Great Adword Campaigns

With the right keywords, landing page and ad copy, your AdWords campaign can bring a ton of profitable traffic to your site.

Creating great AdWords campaigns involves creativity, an understanding of what drives people to act and a meticulous attention to details. There are "right brain" skills involved, such as with writing compelling copy, as well as "left brain" skills such as calculating to the penny what every lead is worth. Though setting up a great campaign is a lot of work, once the campaign is set up, you'll generally not need to do more than monitor the campaign.

Instructions

1. Create a high-converting landing page. Your landing page should contain a headline that catches attention immediately and then gives users clear emotional and logical reasons why they need to take action. Finally, your landing page should clearly tell users what you want them to do, whether that's to take a free trial or to give you their email.

2. Build your keyword list. Start with the most obvious keywords, then start looking for more obscure keywords. Bid on your keywords in increments of twos and sevens. In other words, bid on 22 cents or 27 cents for a click, rather than 20 cents. Most marketers type in just even numbers or add one penny, so with a two or seven bid you'll often show above a competitor's ad for just an extra two pennies.

3. Group your keywords into very small keyword lists. Use one keyword per Ad Group, or group only very similar keywords. This allows you to write very targeted ads and also gives you more bold text in the results because your ad copy more closely matches what users typed in.

4. Write compelling copy for your ads. Look at what your competitors are doing, then create one ad that's similar to theirs. Create another ad that's completely different and split test those two against one another. Keep split testing for the highest CTR.

5. Carefully track what keywords convert and what keywords don't. Every keyword should be tracked back to the keyword that generated the conversion. Keep eliminating nonconverting keywords and expanding on converting keywords. Split test both your ads and your landing page continually. Keep improving your campaign incrementally.

Tags: landing page, brain skills, compelling copy, copy your, landing page should, page should, what keywords

Publicity Job Description

A publicist is also known as a public relations specialist.

A publicist is a public relations specialist who works for individual such as movie stars and businesses to promote the person or their products. The employment outlook for a publicity job looks great. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment is expected to increase 24 percent by 2018 because of an increase of competition in the business world and entrance in the global business market.

Description

A publicist uses media such as newspapers, television shows and magazines to generate interest and sales in products, individuals and businesses. The goal is producing positive or favorable press coverage for clients. Typically, to get prepared press releases distributed or articles written, the public relations specialist uses his strong professional relationships he has with journalists or networks with media outlets. According to Edu Choices, a publicist often thinks creatively and is persistent in getting a message across to the public. You also use social media to spread interest on your clients' behalf.

Function

A public relations specialist prepares press releases about upcoming events, responses to media inquires and looks through different print publications or broadcasts for news about clients. This person arranges interviews for their clients and media and arranges events such as speaking engagements. A publicist also tries to control damaging or negative information or news about their clients.

Education

Employers, according to BLS, seek an applicant with a combination of a bachelor's degree and training. A four-year degree in communications, journalism, public relations, business, advertising or marketing is acceptable for a publicity job. You should make sure you take courses in business administration, political science, creative writing and public speaking which are useful. Practical experience such as an internship is also important and should be taken during undergraduate study.

Skills and Qualifications

You must meet a variety of qualifications to be successful in a publicity job. You must have great communication skills. These skills include proficiency in writing, speaking and listening. The ability to resolve problems, conduct research and make solid decisions is a must. Personal qualifications include being outgoing, enthusiastic, assertive and creativity.

Considerations

In 2008, the median salary for a public relations specialist was $51,280 per year, according to BLS. Certifications aren't required to work as a public relations specialist. However, according to BLS, employers may consider certifications as a sign of competence in the public relations field. The International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) and the Universal Accreditation Board offer certifications.

Tags: public relations, public relations specialist, relations specialist, news about, press releases

Radio Station Manager Job Description

Radio station managers oversee programming.

Radio station managers are also known as program directors. As the title implies, their duties include overseeing most functions of a radio station that involve its programming. Generally the duties of a station manager or program director are similar, if not the same, at commercial, college and public stations.

History

As radio station ownership underwent intense consolidation in the 1990s and early 2000s, jobs consolidated as well. For example, at commercial radio stations, station managers and program directors were separate jobs in some cases. As consolidation took hold, this became little more than an anomaly with both hats being worn by the same person.

Programming

A station manager oversees the station's programming. At a music station, this includes working with the music director (if there is one, as often the station manager doubles--or triples--as one) to determine the songs that a station will play. On both music and talk stations, the manager works with on-air talent to be certain that their activities contribute to the desired sound and tone of the station.

Promotions

Station managers work closely with a radio station's promotions department to devise and execute station events and remote broadcasts.

Sales

While station managers do not directly oversee the sales department (the higher-up "general manager" does), they work closely with sales in an effort to maximize the station's profits.

Media and Public Relations

A station manager is often the first person to deal with the community or other media outlets when her station becomes the news. For example, if an on-air personality does something controversial or noteworthy, the station manager often promotes or makes statement about it. The station manager will work closely with outside groups to fulfill a station's commitment to community service and the public interest.

Day-to-Day Operations

Radio station managers oversee a station's "day-to-day operations." This is purposely vague. In essence, if something comes up at a radio station and nobody has been previously assigned to that duty, it falls into the program director's lap.

Tags: station manager, station managers, closely with, Radio station managers, work closely, work closely with

Write A Resume For A Public Relations Job

Write a Resume for a Public Relations Job

A career in public relations is about communication. That could mean writing press releases or speeches, fielding media inquiries, keeping the public informed, arranging press conferences, speaking with the press on behalf of the client or creating a positive image for the employer. So if you have a way with words, write a great resume for a public relations job, so you can achieve your dreams!

Instructions

1. Start with your strengths. Give the employer reading your resume a little teaser right up front. Let them know why you are the best person for the job. Detail your industry focus, experience and objectives as they pertain to a public relations position. This might be a good place to list your areas of expertise.

2. Accentuate your accomplishments. Avoid putting too much emphasis on job duties. Employers are more concerned about results. In a public relations resume, your pertinent accomplishments are a "must include." Numbers are effective, so whenever possible use dollar amounts and percentages to describe your successes.

3. Write stuff. Public relations firms are on the lookout for writing experience. Samples of your work may be required and you can probably expect to be given an impromptu skills test during your interview.

4. Revise job titles. Make sure your job titles are pertinent to your career goal. Skill headings may be more effective.

5. Focus on the interview. Most people see their resume as a means to a job. Instead, your goal should be securing an interview. Keep your resume clear and concise. That way there will be enough interest created to warrant a closer look.

6. Credit your clients. Work experience is an important part of your resume. It is not enough to list the public relations firms where you worked and for how long. Hiring recruiters are interested in your previous clients and work environments, so show who you know.

7. Grab their attention. Bring your resume to life with action words and bulleted sentences.

8. Browse the Internet. Websites, such as monster.com and hotjobs.yahoo.com, provide a wealth of information that will help you write a resume and cover letter. Their extensive databases allow you to widen your job search.

Tags: your resume, public relations, public relations, relations firms, Resume Public, Resume Public Relations

Write A Press Release On A Dealer Donation

Write a Press Release on a Dealer Donation

A dealer's donation to a worthy cause or organization certainly could invite the production of a press release. Press releases can create awareness of the dealership and heighten awareness of its positive philanthropic deeds and good works. Although there is no cost to submit a press release, there is also no guarantee that its information will get picked up by the media. The goal is to make your press release relay useful news or entertaining feature story content.

Instructions

Crafting a Release that Gets Attention

1. Determine the strategy for the release. The dealer should ascertain the goal for the release. Is it to communicate an association with a charitable organization? Is the release a way to communicate some product news about the dealer under the banner of the donation? Knowing the desired end result will assist you in writing the release as well as establish a measurement criteria of the success of the effort.

2. Determine the article's slant. The slant is the spin put on the basic story to enhance its appeal to the media. Ask yourself what would make the media want to run my press release. Is the charitable organization by itself enough to whet the media's appetite? Does the donation itself constitute big news? It might be the largest donation ever made by a single corporation. Try a number of different possible angles and choose the strongest among them.

3. Write the release using a journalistic format. Begin by announcing your intent by indicating that it is a press release. The release date is also included providing information on when the release can be published such as "for immediate release". Also include the name and means of contacting someone if more information or clarification is needed. Create a compelling headline for the release.

Be sure to include the when, where, what, why and how of the story in the body of the release. Keep the focus of the release on the donation and the charity. This is not the place to take about the dealership if the dealership is ancillary to the news. Keep the release short, 400 words or less if possible. Write in clear, concise sentences and use paragraph headings to aid the reader's in understanding. Set the completed article aside for a day, re-read and edit for flow and logic. Every sentence should support the preceding one and move the article along.

4. Add descriptive copy at the bottom, separated from the main body of the release. Here is where the dealer has license to pat itself on the back and provide a bit of commercial information. This content can be all about the dealership itself. In fact, this section should be entitled "About ". Include 2-3 sentences that communicate who the dealer is and what it has been doing lately from a business perspective.

Tags: about dealership, body release, charitable organization, press release, press release, Press Release Dealer, release communicate

Difference Between Generic & Name Brand Prescriptions

Difference Between Generic & Name Brand Prescriptions

Your doctor has given you a prescription for a particular medication. You discover that you have a choice between a 'name brand' version of this drug or a 'generic' version. You want to pick the version that is safest, most effective and least expensive.

Name Brand Drugs

A name brand drug, also known as a brand name, is a drug originally researched, created and manufactured by a pharmaceutical company, according to an article in the December 13, 2004 issue of "Scientific American," co-authored by Erik Mogalian, a licensed pharmacist, and Paul Myrdal, assistant professor at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy.

Research and Testing

According to the "Scientific American" article, name brand drugs go through extensive testing; results must be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under its Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMP). Once approved and patented, the pharmaceutical company is the sole marketer until the patent expires.

Generic Drugs

A drug becomes 'generic' when the patent that the pharmaceutical company holds on it lapses. The drug then becomes available for manufacture by other pharmaceutical companies, but with certain FDA requirements, including the CGMP.

Name Brand and Generic Likenesses

According to the FDA, generic drugs are required to have the exact same active ingredients as their name-brand counterpart, in the same dosage, same delivery system (capsule, tablet) and have the same effect when administered. They must be also produced using Current Good Manufacturing Practices.

Generic and Name Brand Differences

Inactive ingredients, preservatives and packaging can be different between generics and name brands, according to the FDA, but the main difference between generic and name brand drugs is often price. Generics often cost less because their manufacturers do not need to do as much research and testing.

Tags: Generic Name, pharmaceutical company, Between Generic, Brand Prescriptions, Current Good, Current Good Manufacturing

Build A Successful Magic The Gathering Deck

Magic the Gathering is a card game that has been around since the early 1990's. The game represents the combination of a strategic card game and roleplaying which created a well rounded game of skill and strategy. Building a deck is easy but building a successful deck is more difficult, especially if you wish to play in money tournaments. This article will cover the fundamentals of putting together a successful magic deck.

Instructions

Building a Successful Magic Deck

1. Decide what sort of deck you want to play. Your personal strengths in the game of magic come in to the picture. For the purpose of this article we will deal with an aggro deck--in other words a deck filled with massive creatures that come out fast.

2. Decide the format you want to play in. You can choose from vintage, extended, Type 1 and Type 2. For the purpose of this article we will focus on Type 2 after the Morningtide expansion set.

3. Decide on the color you wish to play. Playing dual colors is always a good idea to handle against various control decks. For this article we will be focusing on Blue and Black and primarily on Faerie's and Rogue's.

4. Pick your creatures. With an aggro deck you want 24 creatures. Choose creatures that are cheap to cast from 1 mana to 3 mana for your quick creatures and up to 4 and 5 mana for your larger "win condition" cards. Creatures should complement each other. In the instance of faeries you want to have Oona's Prowler--a cheap casting card, flies and allows for hand removal of your opponent. Add Scion of Oona and your Prowler's power and toughness is raised by 1, further increasing hand removal.

5. Pick your spells. With an aggro deck we want 12. Black and Blue offer vastly different styles. Blue is known for counters while black is known for death. For this type of deck we want to include Rune Snag which increases your countering potential each time it is played. Cryptic Command should also always be in the deck as it allows you to return a card of your opponents, draw a card or two other things you get to choose from. On the black end we want Traumatize and Bitterblossom. Blue also offers us draw power and using Ancestral Visions can help us with that.

6. Choose your land base. Land is crucial in magic. For this type of deck we want to focus on 22 land in type 2. In older formats we can decrease land mass due to the specialized cards that are available to us. We can use basic land but we will always find ourselves moving very slow. In order to combat this slow play we have to rely on dual land cards that produce black as well as blue.

7. Assemble your side board. The side board is a total of 15 cards that you can swap in between games. Your side board can change from tournament to tournament and is dependent on the meta game that is being played. In most cases a faerie deck in type 2 will have side boards that counteract creature removal as well as hand destruction. One staple has to be Sower of Temptation--a creature card that allows you to take over a permanent of your opponents.

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Sales & Marketing Manager Job Description

Marketing managers and sales managers analyze, plan and implement marketing and sales activities. They also monitor how target markets respond to marketing efforts. Ultimately, their goal is to increase profit and retain loyal customers.

Education

In most instances, marketing managers and sales managers have at least a bachelor's degree in business. Depending on the industry and the size of the firm, some are required to have a master's degree in business.

Qualities

People looking secure positions as marketing managers or sales managers should be analytical and creative. They should also communicate effectively written and verbally.

Hours

Marketing managers and sales managers put in long hours and often work more than 40 hours a week.

Travel

In addition to long hours, often times, travel is required to meet with clients, attend conferences and trade shows.

Salary

A couple of key factors work to determine the salary of a marketing managers and sales managers. Some include location, size of the firm, educational background, experience and performance.

Tags: managers sales, managers sales managers, sales managers, degree business, hours often, long hours

Catchy Ways To Attract Customers

Attracting customers can be challenging.

Attracting customers to your business makes the difference between succeeding and failing. Because there are so many businesses trying to draw from a finite pool of customers, marketing strategies have to be creative. It is important to find the right way to catch your potential customers' attention and keep them coming back for repeat sales or services.

Get the Advertising in The Customer's Hand

When a customer has a business card, flier or advertisement in their hand they are more likely to at least look at it. With the overflow of advertising that arrives with the daily mail, some people take it straight to the recycling bin without looking at the ads. Some catchy ways to get attention include fliers on door knobs of people's homes and under the windshield wipers of their cars. This technique forces them to look at the advertisement before making the decision to discard it.

Another example is to leave the advertisement with a tip for a hotel maid or server at a favorite eatery. When they collect the tip, they will see the business card or flier with it and may consider your product or service.

Hired Word of Mouth

Hire an employee that will go out into the streets, businesses and social events to talk up the business. For example, the person sees people looking for a place to eat lunch and can talk up the cafe they are hired to advertise. This person can tell the potential customer how good the food is there and mention the day's special. People consider recommendations when making decisions.

Charity Work

A business can get good publicity through doing good deed for a charitable cause. This is a creative and philanthropic way to catch potential customers' attention and business. Teaming up with a local radio or television station will amplify the attention for the business. For example, a business can donate a product or service to be auctioned off to benefit a charity.

Social Media

Social media provides a free place for businesses to set up, maintain and share a business page. Social media also allows satisfied customers to brag about a product or service on the business page. Businesses can offer specials and incentives for following their social media pages which encourages customers and potential customers to spread the word about the business to their friends on the social media site. Facebook, Twitter and Myspace are social media sites that businesses can use to attract customers

Tags: potential customers, product service, attention business, Attracting customers, business card

The Salary Of A Data Center Manager

Data center managers oversee their company's computer hardware systems.

More companies are plugging into the World Wide Web and other electronic networks to conduct their businesses and compete effectively in the global marketplace. With so much information stored within computer networks and databases, companies seek professionals who can manage and secure their intellectual property. Data center managers oversee every aspect of their organization's software applications and hardware systems. Average salaries for data center mangers range significantly depending on factors such as work location and overall compensation.

Function

The average salary for data center managers was $56,000, according to a July 2011 SimplyHired report. Companies pay data center managers to supervise electronic data processing, computer programming and IT functions in organizations. Data center managers handle user inquiries and questions regarding their technology needs, and train users on different software programs and databases. These professionals assess their companies' information technology and data processing needs, including project requirements, budget and staff resources. With the increased use of the World Wide Web, more data center managers are implementing programs that provide guidance on online security and data recovery. Other duties include establishing departmental goals and deadlines, along with recruiting, hiring and evaluating computer programmers, systems analysts and other IT professionals.

Geography

A July 2011 SalaryExpert report revealed that average salaries for data center managers in major U.S. cities were significantly higher than the national average. Data center managers working in Charlotte reported an average salary of $84,366 per year. Professionals employed in Los Angeles averaged $94,780 annually. In Miami, data center manager reported an average salary of $86,552 per year. Data center managers also averaged $83,984 in Atlanta, $106,867 in New York City and $79,381 in Chicago.

Benefits

Similar to other industries and occupations, compensation for data center managers include benefits, such as annual bonuses, health insurance, tuition reimbursement and paid time off. SalaryExpert stated that benefits for data center managers averaged from $8,869 to $16,114 per year. Average bonuses for data center managers fell between $3,792 to $6,891 annually.

Job Outlook

The job outlook for data center managers should be positive during the 2008 to 2018 decade. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment of computer and information systems managers will increase 17 percent during this time period. Growth will be stimulated by the adoption of new technologies in businesses and global competition from other firms. Organizations will hire data center managers and other computer systems professionals to help install and maintain complex networks, and develop public and employee websites. Although a bachelor's degree in information systems or computer science is sufficient for some entry-level positions, candidates with MBA degrees with a concentration in information systems will have the best job opportunities. Also, professional certification through software vendors helps boost candidate credentials and salary potential.

Tags: center managers, data center, data center managers, average salary, Data center managers, data center managers

Ideas For Marketing Taglines

An effective marketing tagline or slogan is one that instantly reflects the personality of your company, service or product in the minds of potential consumers or clients. Some companies choose to stick with a slogan for an extended period of time, sometimes decades, to reflect brand perseverance and continuity. Other firms opt to switch out their taglines on an annual or biannual basis to keep the perception of their product or service fresh.

Survey Your Target Audience

Don't fly blind when creating your new tagline. While you or members of your staff may think that you've created an effective idea, don't automatically assume it jibes with your target market. Conduct market research to gauge consumer perception of your product. This can be as ornate as market testing and surveying to simple interaction with clients. Many people create slogans and nicknames for products, services and establishments in social circles. Drawing on some of these ideas not only signifies that your organization is in touch with its consumers, but can also attract new customers eager to discover what the buzz is about. Survey the taglines of your competition to gauge whether the taglines they use are effective.

Keep It Simple

Taglines are intended to be just that---lines. The general rule is to stick to three to five words, although a few firms have been successful with one-word taglines. Try to use words or phrases with a concise number of rhythmically flowing syllables that people associate with your product, establishment or service. While rhyming can often be conceived as corny or contrived, it can be effective if used properly. The main thing is to not let your tagline drag on. Consumers have short attention spans. If your tagline is too lengthy, they will probably move on to exploring the tagline or product of your competitor before they even finish reading.

Be Original

Like most trends, advertising is cyclical. Once you have narrowed down your list of potential taglines to a few, do your due diligence to insure it's an original idea that hasn't been used before. Originality is also key. Many small businesses use traditionally popular taglines and adopt them as their own. If consumers see that you're unable to create your own original catchphrase, chances are they'll have the same perception of your business.

Tags: your tagline, perception your, taglines your, with your, your product