Prerequisites For Radiology School

Radiologists assess the inside of a patient's body using X-rays.

Schools often work in association with on-campus or local hospitals to provide a radiology residency program. Radiologists use X-ray and other imaging technology to diagnose and treat patients suffering from various benign and malignant conditions. A radiology residency program is four years and offers radiology rotations in thoracic imaging, emergency radiology, musculoskeletal imaging, pediatric imaging, breast imaging, nuclear medicine, abdominal imaging and interventional radiology. Graduates are eligible for the certification examination available through the American Board of Radiology.

Undergraduate Degree

Prospective radiologists must complete a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. While students can enroll in any type of program, medical schools often require that applicants have completed and performed strongly in the areas of chemistry, biology and physics. There are premedical programs available at the undergraduate level that are specifically designed to prepare students for the examination to get into medical school.

Medical School

Medical school is four years and combines academic work with clinical training. The first two years of the program are devoted exclusively to educational and classroom training and ensures that students understand the scientific principles and theories in all areas of medicine. The final two years of medical school allow students to complete rotations with various medical departments, including radiology, surgery, emergency medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, neurology, oncology and cardiology.

Examinations

Applicants to medical school must do well on the Medical College Admission Test. This test examines an applicant's knowledge of scientific concepts and principles, writing skills, critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. Prospective radiologists also must complete the three-part United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). Part one is taken after a student's second year in medical school and tests a student's ability to apply scientific concepts into practice. The second part is taken after a student completes medical school and ensures their understanding of patient care. The third part is taken during a radiology residency program and emphasizes patient management in ambulatory settings.

Application Requirements

Radiology residency programs require students to submit an application, personal statements, USLME scores, medical school transcripts, Dean's letter and three letters of recommendation. Based on a student's application, a residency program schedules interviews with top candidates, which allows each party to become familiar with one another. Residency programs and applicants are matched up through the National Resident Matching Program, which brings together applicants and program.

Tags: medical school, residency program, radiology residency program, after student, four years

Effective Communication Skills Objectives For Students

Effective communication skills objectives for students touch on everything from facial expressions to visual literacy, from anxiety management to verbal skills, from body language to document presentation. Students can become more effective communicators by cultivating competency in these core communication areas and related literacies.

Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills encompass verbal elements of a message, written and spoken, as well as such nonverbal elements as physical appearance, vocal inflections, facial expressions and body language. Students can build competency in this area by learning interpret and employ nonverbal cues effectively, understand and use vocal inflections, and develop and deliver a message through language.

Message Development

Any message, whether spoken, written or nonverbal, has a purpose, a medium and an audience. All of these may evolve during the message development process. The purpose of the message encompasses the "what" and the "why" of communication. The medium addresses the "how" of communication and the audience answers the "who." For students to gain competency in this area, they can creatively explore these questions before and during the message development process.

Message Delivery

Delivering written messages involves adequate development of ideas, compelling introductions and conclusions, effective use of language, convincing use of research and supporting material, and strong visual presentation of finished documents. Most spoken messages include many of the same elements as written messages, but they also involve use of strong visual and audio aids, preparation of physical locations, compelling nonverbal cues, and effective interaction with audiences. Students can build competency in spoken and written message delivery through preparation, practice, feedback and review exercises.

Active Listening

Effective listening skills can help a communicator understand her audience's needs, motivate or persuade others toward action, show empathy or understanding. Active listening includes minimizing interruptions and distractions, asking open-ended questions, paraphrasing for clarity, and using nonverbal cues effectively. Students can grow in competency as active listeners through group activities and such role-playing exercises as story telling or interviewing.

Related Literacies

Additional skills, or related literacies, that are necessary for effective communication include ethical reasoning, critical thinking, visual literacy, research skills and anxiety management. Student communicators must learn resolve ethical challenges, including avoiding plagiarism. They need strong critical thinking skills, not only for the development of their own messages but also for the assessment of messages from others. Students can become more effective communicators by learning conduct research, including locating and evaluating material. They should understand the elements of visual communication and employ those elements successfully. Finally, communication situations can trigger anxiety in even the most seasoned communicators, so students must learn manage their anxiety.

Tags: nonverbal cues, anxiety management, become more, become more effective, body language

What Is The Importance Of Commercial Advertising

Advertising, getting the word out, is of paramount importance to every business. TV commercials offer marketers a bigger bang, although sometimes in exchange for a bigger buck. Still, commercials do offer unique, effective advantages that continue to make using the medium an attractive option as part of an overall marketing plan.

Television's Reach

The proliferation of televisions in households allows TV advertising to reach a much broader market base than either newspapers or radio advertising. More than 99 percent of American homes have TV sets, allowing prospective customers the comfort of having to do nothing more than already be tuned into their sets when your commercial airs.

Visual Dynamics

Television is a powerful visual medium, so a commercial packs all the impact that sight, sound, and motion allow your message to convey. Commercials give a lasting visual to your headline and message. Because TV is so visual, viewers more easily recall how your ad affected them and are more likely to feel informed, persuaded, and motivated to buy your product or service. Attentive viewers are already absorbed in TV shows when your commercial airs with the chance to instantly engage those same viewers.

Cable's Rise Opens More Doors

Cable television allows advertisers to reach a tighter-targeted, smaller audience and also offers lowered commercial production costs than before, when advertising on network television was the only option. This situation offers small to medium-sized businesses a door to enter the world of television advertising. The rise also of regional television boosts the benefits smaller businesses can reap from TV commercials reaching their targeted audience.

Instant Credibility

Viewers and potential customers see commercials as representing a business, product, or service that is in the big leagues and therefore, instantly credible. Because of the traditionally high price tag of television advertising, viewers immediately think big-time advertising when they see a commercial. "As Seen On TV" is a slogan that carries both instant recognition as well as a certain authenticity, making your message seem more believable and your product or service, in turn, more attractive for them to purchase.

One-Punch Power

One well-scripted, well-executed TV commercial is very often extremely memorable and clearly representative of a product or company. The impact of that one commercial will linger with both customers and prospective customers, well after the commercial itself has aired. A catchy jingle will be remembered and sung long afterward. By contrast, direct-mail efforts often depend on two or three mailings within the same campaign to be effective.

Instant Personality

The combined effects of music, much like in a music video, along with action and dialogue, give instant personality to your business, product, or service. When prospective customers consider your product or service, they relate to the personality that the commercial conveyed to them. Small businesses that are looking for a way into the market alongside more established businesses can be creative and inventive, attaching attractive personalities to their product or service. Also, established businesses can reinvent themselves with a fresh personality, through a well-crafted commercial that alters consumer perception.

Tags: product service, your product service, prospective customers, your product, business product

Top Marketing Companies For College Graduates

After graduation, seeking out a job in marketing can be tough. For best results, know the firms that are taking in entry-level graduates at great rates.

Many marketing firms are making a name for themselves up as top opportunities for recent college graduates. There are a few that have topped the charts recently for most entry-level graduates employed in 2009. From companies specializing in online marketing to direct mailing to non-profits, these marketing firms are looking to add young, educated grads to their ranks.

Valpak

Valpak hired more than 500 entry-level graduates into marketing positions in 2009. Valpak is a private marketing firm located in Largo, FL, that works with more than 200 direct mail franchises in the United States and Canada. They print more than 21 billion coupons for more than 500 million households daily.

Sales staff make sales calls to local business owners to offer them direct mail advertising. Valpak provides direct mail marketing services from advertisement conception to graphic design and distribution. Valpak has been named one of the nation's top sales forces by Sales & Marketing Management.

Valpak looks for candidates who have a desire to work in sales in marketing and who possess great communication skills and some direct mailing experience. College GPA, chosen major and computer skills are also taken into account.

Archangel Promotions

Archangel Promotions hired more than 100 entry-level graduates in 2009 for marketing. Archangel Promotions is a private advertising and marketing firm located in Raleigh, NC, that creates and manages promotional events for charitable and non-profit organizations on local and national levels.

Archangel Promotions is always seeking top marketing, advertising and public relations professionals to come on board. They take into account your college major, your GPA, internship experience and communication skills.

The company does not have a Web site as of March 2010. If you are interested in opportunities at Archangel Promotions, call the company at the number listed below.

Contact Information:

Achangel Promotions

1301 E Millbrook Rd D11

Raleigh, NC 27609

919-981-0241

comScore, Inc.

comScore is a publicly traded firm located in Reston, Virginia. comScore, Inc. measures the digital world. They measure what matters across many different spectrums and platforms of digital behavior and then use the results to help their clients better market themselves in the ever-changing digital world.

Many marketing and public relations specialists work at comScore, Inc. to entice new clients to use their research and tools.

Last year, comScore, Inc. hired more than 100 new entry-level employees. comScore, Inc. considers your major, college GPA and internship experience during the hiring process.

Tags: more than, Archangel Promotions, entry-level graduates, direct mail, firm located

Complain About False Advertising On The Internet

Complain About False Advertising on the Internet

If you think you are the victim of false advertising on the Internet, the first organization you should turn to is the Internet Crime Complaint Center, or the IC3. Sponsored by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C), the IC3 is responsible for forwarding consumer complaints to the most suitable government law or regulatory agency. According to the IC3 mission statement, their goal is to provide a safe, effective and easy-to-navigate approach to reporting false advertising in an ever-increasing cyberspace medium. Whether your complaint concerns Internet identify theft, a Nigerian email scam, or even computer hacking, filing a complaint report with the IC3 will notify the proper authorities of the crime.

Instructions

1. Visit the IC3's website at http://www.ic3.gov and click on the link, "File a Complaint."

2. Read the complaint-filing disclaimer. The disclaimer will ask you to accept the terms of the IC3 complaint form you are about to submit. For further information on the privacy of this form, click on the link "Privacy Policy" before accepting the terms of the disclaimer.

3. Fill out the IC3's online complaint form. The questions on this form are a series of multiple choice and yes-or-no questions, followed by a section that asks you to describe your personal experience with Internet false advertising in detail. In this section, some personal information is required, such as your first and last name, your address, the amount of money lost, if any, and a description of the incident. It is important to note that it is a crime to provide false information to the IC3 (according to U.S. Code Title 18, Section 1001) and filing a complaint with the IC3 may not be confidential, depending on your region.

4. Review your complaint form in the "Review" screen, and press "Submit" to send your form to the IC3. The IC3 will forward your complaint to the appropriate agency.

5. If financial retribution is required, contact the Internet company responsible for the false advertising directly.

Tags: false advertising, complaint form, your complaint, About False, About False Advertising, Advertising Internet, click link

Job Description For A Marketing Supervisor

Marketing supervisors must be innovative in promoting their companies.

Marketing supervisors oversee the department that handles promotions for a company. More specifically, they create strategies and promote brands, working with the advertising, sales and graphics departments to generate interest in their companies' products and services. Marketing supervisors work in practically every industry, from retail to food to manufacturing. They hold important and often financially rewarding jobs.

Basics

Marketing supervisors lead an entire department of like-minded workers. That means they often have to interview and hire staff, as well as conduct performance reviews, on top of their duties promoting the company. They analyze trends and keep an eye on the competition, as well as aim to identify new markets for their own products. On top of that, they develop special deals (such as buy one item and get another free) and discounts, using graphics and catchy phrases to help create interest. In order to be truly effective, marketing supervisors must have a firm grasp of their company’s mission.

Skills

Marketing supervisors must be highly motivated and creative, and able to communicate effectively. They should possess outstanding leadership skills and confidence, directing their staffs with passion and energy. They also need an eye for design, along with a knowledge of what is fashionable. Most importantly, marketing supervisors must be resilient with solid work ethics. Most also need strong computer skills, since websites, email and other electronic mediums have become a big part of company promotions.

Background

Practically every industry requires its marketing supervisors to possess a bachelor’s degree in marketing. Some are required to carry a master’s degree. Other areas of study for aspiring marketing supervisors include advertising, communications, business, management, graphic design and public relations. Most also need to spend time as members of the marketing department--or advertising or sales departments--before being promoted to a supervisory position.

Prospects

Since nearly all companies need creative people in charge of promoting their products and services, opportunities for marketing supervisors should be abundant for years to come. As for the next decade, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated that jobs for marketing leaders are likely to increase by 12 percent through 2018.

Earnings

Salaries for marketing supervisors can be among the highest in the country. Much depends on the supervisor’s industry, experience and, of course, success. According to the BLS, marketing leaders earned a median annual salary of more than $108,500 per year in May 2008. Some, the BLS reported, earned close the $128,000 per year.

Tags: supervisors must, also need, advertising sales, every industry, marketing leaders, marketing supervisors, Marketing supervisors

The Secret To Being A Successful Car Salesman

Working as a car salesman comes with its fair share of negative stereotypes, but it can be a way to make a comfortable living if you know sell. Selling cars effectively involves completing the proper steps. While some people are natural sales reps, others have to hone their craft before they can be successful in this field.

Knowledge

When you want to be successful as a car salesman, you must have a thorough knowledge of every car on the lot. When someone comes to the car lot, they are thinking about spending thousands of dollars, and you have to make them feel comfortable about that decision. If you do not know much about the car, the customer does not have much of a reason to work with you. You must be able to answer any questions that they have about the car.

Developing Relationships

When you work at a car dealership as a salesman, you will have to be talented at developing relationships. When a customer pulls up on the lot, you have to greet him and then get to know him. If you are good at getting to know people, you can often break down some of the barriers that they come into the dealership with. If you cannot get to know people on a personal level, you will not have much luck selling cars.

Negotiation Strategy

One of the essential responsibilities of the car salesman is negotiation. When someone comes into the dealership, you will most likely engage in a negotiation process throughout the entire selling transaction. Customers know that car prices are flexible and they want to negotiate them as low as they can. You must be willing to stand your ground and try to get the highest price that you can. How much money you make depends on the profit margin that you sell the car at.

Adapt

When you are a car salesman, you have to be able to adapt if you want to continue to succeed. When you first start out as a car salesman, you may have bad habits that prevent you from closing deals. You will receive feedback from your managers and other coworkers. If you can implement these changes into your technique, you can steadily improve yourself. You also have to be able to use different selling strategies with more consumers doing research on the Internet. If you are flexible, your odds of selling cars improve.

Tags: have able, have much, into dealership, know people, salesman have, selling cars

Increase Followers On Social Media

Over the past several years, social media has evolved from a convenient way to stay in touch with your friends and loved ones to a powerful tool for promoting business or creative endeavors -- or simply yourself. Whatever your purpose for using social media, one of the key factors tied to your success using sites such as Facebook and Twitter is the number of other users who follow messages you post. Increase the number of your followers to maximize the impact of social media.

Instructions

1. Post relevant, fresh, entertaining content on a regular basis. Over time, no other aspect of your social media presence attracts and retains devoted followers than the quality of the information you share on your network.

2. Follow other users whose content is relevant to yours to forge mutually beneficial electronic relationships. For example, if you're a fashion blogger, find other fashion bloggers on Twitter and follow them. In many instances, users who notice you have similar interests and goals to them will "Follow" you back.

3. Use multiple social networks to promote yourself -- and encourage those who follow you on one network to follow you on others. For instance, if you promote your self-made jewelry using a Facebook "Fan Page," make a post encouraging your fans to follow you on Twitter and to befriend you on Flickr, where they can see high-quality photos of your items -- and the link to a page where they can purchase items.

4. Interact directly with those who already follow you. If someone "re-tweets" a post you make on Twitter, thank them for doing so on your Twitter feed -- or better, "re-tweet" something they've posted. Interacting with another user who shares your work increases the likelihood of her continuing to do so, which increases the chances of her followers following you.

5. Avoid spamming techniques, such as following huge numbers of users who may or may not be relevant to your end goal and posting excessive numbers of links. Although these techniques may initially increase your followers and traffic to your website, they will eventually alienate your followers. Additionally, social media websites sometimes limit the number of others you can follow -- Twitter's de-facto limit, for example, is 2,000 users.

Tags: social media, your followers, follow Twitter, other users, social media, where they

Why Internet Businesses Fail

Starting an online business can be a way to develop a passive source of income and bring products and services to the masses. Online businesses take many forms, from selling physical products to earning revenue from ads on your website. While online business holds a great deal of potential for entrepreneurs, it is easy to fail without focused and specific action.

Research

One of the most important steps in developing a successful online business is doing a thorough amount of research. Before you do anything else, research to find a niche market. Once you determine who your target customers are, you can find out more information about them and what types of products and services they might need or want.

Passion

One problem online business owners run into is that they try to enter a market that they think would be profitable even if they are not passionate about it. Building an online business will take a lot of work, just like building a brick-and-mortar business. Your passion will show through in the work and will make a difference in your success.

Content

An online business's web content can also play a role in whether it succeeds or fails. Your website should bring visitors in and help you develop a relationship with them. Incorporating relevant keywords into your content helps search engines to provide links to your site whenever Internet users search for those terms. And, once you have content on your website, it needs to be updated regularly to keep your regular visitors interested in your products and services.

Contact

When running an online business, customer service is key. You would not expect to run a successful offline business without good customer service, and you should not expect to do so with an online business. Making it easy to contact you through the website is a start. When customers do contact you, get back to them in a timely manner. This will help develop good relationships with your customer base.

Considerations

When building an online business, success will not always come overnight. When you engage in this activity, it is important to keep things in perspective. You would not expect to start a brick-and-mortar business and become instantly successful. With online businesses, you may have to put in a lot of work at the beginning for very few rewards. If you have a winning business model, the hard work at the beginning could turn into large rewards in the future.

Tags: online business, products services, brick-and-mortar business, customer service, help develop, that they

How Long Should I Exercise To Lose Weight

This is undoubtedly one of the eternal questions on the minds of dieters. Although the media and countless fitness programs have attempted for years to convince you that you can have "this body" with just three 20-minute workouts a week, reality paints a different picture. There are no shortcuts to weight loss--only diligence, prolonged intensity and a desire will take you to your goal.

General Exercise Durational Requirements

Dr. John Berardi, Ph.D., is a biochemist and nutritionist from Canada who works with a variety of clients to help them achieve their goals. Berardi's baseline requirement for exercise duration: To achieve your ideal, athletic physique, you must perform at least five hours of exercise weekly.

Exercise Type for Weight Loss

That five hours need not consist of a single form of exercise. Berardi says the exercises should be a mixed bag, and condition of variety of muscle qualities. Try mixing weight training with low-intensity cardio with some interval training with some aerobics (yoga or Pilates). A diverse schedule will help you achieve your five-hour goal without having to sit on a treadmill for hours.

What Happens When Weight Loss Stalls?

If you have been performing your five hours a week of exercise and your weight refuses to drop, Berardi recommends the following--increase exercise duration by another hour per week and leave food intake static. Too many people make the mistake of dropping calories recklessly, which only slows metabolism. Increasing activity and maintaining food intake will keep the metabolism fueled properly.

Exercise Duration and Decreasing Calories

After increasing exercise duration from five to six hours, eventually your weight loss will stall once more. Now would be the time to leave activity level constant and decrease daily calories by roughly 200 to jump start fat loss once again. Continue following this cycle of first increasing activity, waiting for weight loss to stall, then decreasing calories by 200 until you reach your final goal.

Considerations

Even if you follow this plan to the letter, food choice will still have a dramatic effect on your final results. If you stick to clean, natural foods, your weekly hours of exercise will not be in vain. But if you continue to eat unhealthy, processed foods, you will soon find that no matter how much you exercise, you cannot outrun a poor diet. Only through a combination of diet and exercise can you achieve your goals.

Tags: five hours, achieve your, exercise duration, food intake, hours exercise

The Best Ways To Get Your Website Promoted

There are thousands of ways to promote your website.

If you have just started a website you know that traffic is the hardest part of the equation. Getting traffic to your website requires you to spread the word about it and why people should visit. You can do this through traditional advertising or by participating in other similar-themed forums and blogs.

Submit to Search Engines

Millions of people on the Internet use search engines, so it makes sense that submitting your website to various search engines will get it promoted for various keywords. They are many search engines, but Google is the most popular search engine in use. First search for your websites URL exactly as you registered it when you bought or obtained it for free. This will take you to a search results page. If your page appears, you have already been indexed. Otherwise, the results page will probably have some method to submit your site.

Use Social Media

If you are a member of Facebook, Digg, or Reddit, then you are already participating in social media. You can promote your website on any of the websites. Take the time to research these sites to make sure your content is appropriate. If you simply want to promote it to your friends, then Facebook is ideal. They may enjoy it enough to continue posting it on their own pages, leading your content to become viral.

Email Signature

Your emails are a great way to promote your own website. Your signature is like a tiny business card that you give with every conversation. Your signature should include a hyperlink to your website but also include the domain name in plain text format, as some email programs may not display the HTML code correctly.

Website Directories

There are many directories online. Some specialize in small niches, while others include sites from all across the Internet. You can take advantage of these directories by submitting your website to them. Submit your website to any niche-related directories you see, but also submit to Yahoo!'s Site Explorer directory. According to MakeUseOf, while Google is the more popular search engine, Yahoo! has the more popular directory.

Advertising

Many websites offer space for other websites to advertise. While many of these sites charge for this privilege, some offer free ads or discounted rates to potential clients. Google's adwords often offers small businesses credit upon signing up with the service. The official website of the Yellow Pages also offers free advertising for up to 12 months.

Tags: your website, promote your, promote your website, your website, more popular, popular search

Seo Vs Radio Advertising

Radio, a broadcast media, offers different benefits than SEO marketing.

Search engine optimization (SEO) and radio advertising are both useful and viable advertising methods, but they serve very different purposes. SEO is a major factor in 21st century Internet marketing, while radio advertising is a traditional broadcast medium. Organizations that use a mix of media and that have a Web presence may use both, but online businesses tend to use SEO more routinely than brick-and-mortar operations do.

SEO Basics

Search engine optimization is arguably the most prominent Internet marketing topic of the early 21st century. SEO utilizes the understanding of how search engines like Google and Yahoo build search results and uses that knowledge to design a site intended to rank well in those results. This is the general consensus of definitions received from SEO experts by Jeremy Schoemaker in his Shoe Money article, "What is the Definition of SEO?" Many online businesses and websites rely on SEO as a major component of their online marketing plans. An unknown number of measurements are used in search engine algorithms, and site operators must consider the most important, or likely, ones in site development.

SEO Approaches

One approach to SEO is to hire an SEO firm or specialist to assist in developing copy, using analytical tools and employing other methods to improve search performance. Costs vary depending on the provider and their level of service. The other approach is to implement SEO yourself. Aside from the time invested by site owners and developers to research SEO and to build an SEO-friendly site, the benefits are organic. This means that if you are successful, you do not pay to get high placement in search results. Many site owners do not have adequate SEO expertise, though, and are not able to achieve satisfactory results alone.

Radio Advertising Basics

Radio and television advertising constitute the two broadcast media that are common to traditional marketing campaigns. Radio advertising is a main medium used by local businesses, as many local markets are served by local radio stations. Radio advertising messages are typically delivered in 15-, 30- and 60-second spots. Formats include music, announcements by a celebrity or radio announcer and dialogue by characters in a narrative about the brand.

Radio Advertising Benefits

The benefits of radio include a relatively high reach, good target market selection and a relatively low cost compared to the much more expensive television medium. High reach means that radio advertisements reach a fairly sizable audience. Messages are typically delivered in a rotation over a period of time. Target markets are selected through various formats that appeal to certain types of listeners. The cost of radio advertising is affordable compared to other types of media. Strategic Media points out that radio messages, combined with direct response copy, are often effective at driving strong and immediate customer responses.

Tags: 21st century, broadcast media, engine optimization, Internet marketing, means that, media that, online businesses

Get A Book Published

Think you have an idea for the next best seller? It's a dream that many people from all walks of life share. But with the current book market being ultra competitive, getting a publisher to bite on your masterpiece may take some persistence. Read on and learn get your book published.

Instructions

1. Locate an experienced editor and have them look over your work. This will ensure that your book is polished before it is seen by an agent or publisher. To find an editor, click on the resource links below.

2. Find an agent to represent you. If you are a first time author, an agent will get your work to the right people while steering you through the complicated maze of publishing. Find out their experience, commission, recent sales and areas of interest before making any commitments. Check out the resource links below for more information.

3. Submit a query letter to several publishers best suited for your book. This one-page letter describes your book and gives reasons why it should be published. If the recipient finds your book idea appealing they will request a proposal from you. See a sample query letter in the resource links below.

4. Send a book proposal to interested editors. Proposals are ten- to twenty-page documents where sample chapters, reasons for the book and information about the author are included. Nonfiction authors are able to write proposals before completing their book, while editors of fiction expect a finished manuscript at the time of a query or proposal.

5. Wait until you are contacted by an editor. If your book has been accepted, you will receive a monetary offer. If not, you will receive a rejection letter which may or may not give a reason why your book wasn't published.

6. Keep submitting query letters until you get an offer or have run out of publishers in your area of interest. Look through the rejection letters for clues. Once you have learned the reasons for rejection, either rework your book or move on.

Tags: your book, links below, resource links, resource links below, query letter, will receive

Major Functions Of The Department Of Defense

The major functions of the Department of Defense have not changed much since the end of the Cold War, but the basics are covered in Title 10, Chapter 2 of the United States Code. The Department of Defense oversees the conduct of all six branches of the armed forces: the Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, Marines and National Guard.

Three Main Functions

The Defense Department is meant to maintain and employ armed forces to defend the U.S. Constitution from attack by all enemies "foreign and domestic." It is responsible for the security of the United States, its overseas territories (such as Guam) and all other areas deemed "vital to its interest." Finally, the Defense Department must uphold and advance the policies of the president and Congress.

Review

A great deal of manpower is mustered by the department to review the performance, manpower, and equipment used in all defense operations. The department must publish a budget request, manpower demand and operational report each year. It has to conduct more-thorough reviews of its ongoing missions abroad and a survey of troops' quality of life every four years. Also, every March 1 or earlier, the department must publish a report detailing all ongoing research programs to Congress.

New Roles and New Threats

A year after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the department founded a new "command" focused solely on protecting the continental United States from terrorist attacks. This new command, called "Northcom," highlights the fact that the Department of Defense has a large umbrella of intelligence-gathering agencies under its control. The National Security Agency, National Reconnaissance Office, Defense Intelligence Agency and the National Imagery and Mapping Agency all take their marching orders from the Pentagon.

Tags: Department Defense, United States, Agency National, armed forces, Defense Department, department must publish, must publish

Types Of Integrated Marketing Communication

While integrated marketing communication might seem like a complicated business term, when you break it down into its parts, you find that it's not difficult to comprehend. Basically, IMC is a way of getting all the various components of your business to work together to develop and promote a salable product or service.

Types

There are four basic types of integrated marketing communication: external, internal, horizontal and vertical. By taking these different elements together to form a marketing strategy, your business will be able to achieve whatever goals you've set for it in an efficient manner.

External

External marketing integration takes place when your company deals with outside sources. These sources can be advertising/marketing agencies or public relations firms. If you're developing a product or a service, keeping the lines of communication open with the people you're going to use to get your message out to the world is important.

Internal

Internal marketing integration means that you strive to keep your employees excited about any new developments that the company is involved in. Naturally, if you're going to introduce a new product, you won't want the workers to reveal details prematurely, but by generating excitement among your own people, that excitement gets transmitted to others outside the company.

Horizontal

Horizontal integration is important when it comes to actual development of the product or service. You're going to want your distribution team talking to your production team and the production team talking to your financing team. By making sure that the lines of communication stay open, you'll find your business flowing more smoothly than if certain groups are kept out of the loop.

Vertical

If you focus on vertical integration, you'll find that the product or service that you're working on will fit in with the corporate policy and structure of the company. By making sure that the product or service is aligned with the company's mission, you should have a leg up on developing a seamless production plan.

Data Integration

Finally, when you take all of the different types of integrated marketing and have your product developed, you'll have the information you need to present your product to customers. By engaging in advertising, and through the judicious use of public relations, you'll be able to apply sales tools to create a successful product campaign.

Tags: product service, integrated marketing, your business, find that, lines communication, making sure, making sure that

Salary Of A Newspaper Circulation Director

Newspaper circulation directors face stiff headwinds in a digital age.

Print publications, including newspapers, continue to experience a steady drop in readership as people look other places for their news, such as the Internet. Faced with the near-impossible task of maintaining print readership, today's newspaper circulation director must be able to find creative ways to increase circulation or at least slow the decline. She may also need to work with her online team to gauge trends from hard to soft copy. The salary of a newspaper circulation director varies and depends on the size of the publication, how often it is published and its location.

Average Salary

According to data supplied by PayScale.com, the salary of a newspaper circulation director ranges from $32,520 to $98,896, an amount that does not include benefits such as health insurance coverage. PayScale reports that bonuses are sometimes offered, ranging from approximately $2,000 to $25,000 per year. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics offers a mean average salary of $93,120 for advertising and promotions managers who are under its "newspaper, periodical, book and directory publishers" sub-category.

Responsibilities

The newspaper circulation director has "bottom-line accountability for newspaper sales and distribution," according to the Newspaper Association of America. Besides growing circulation, the newspaper circulation manager is tasked with increasing market penetration, helps to establish the newspaper's long-range goals, oversees the daily operations of his department and works directly with the general manager or publisher to keep him apprised of circulation developments.

Education

Newspaper circulation managers are expected to communicate well, have computer literacy and work well under pressure, including meeting deadlines. The BLS doesn't identify what education requirements a newspaper circulation manager must have, but as with most management positions, a college education can be beneficial, if not required.

Outlook

According to the BLS, the outlook for employees who fall under its "Publishing, Except Software" category, including advertising and promotions managers, also known as circulation managers, is poor. Specifically, the BLS forecasts that all jobs in this field will decline by 19 percent from 2008 to 2018. This compares with a 7 to 13 percent increase for all jobs.

Tags: newspaper circulation, advertising promotions, advertising promotions managers, circulation director, circulation director, circulation manager, circulation managers

The Impact Of Employee Turnover On An Organization

High employee turnover causes demotivation among the remaining workers.

In most companies, favorable job atmosphere motivates employees. Employees find job atmosphere favorable when the company offers good pay and employee benefits compared to the other companies. Consequently, employees resign from companies that offer unfavorable employment terms. Alternatively, companies may fire employees who exhibit poor job attendance and performance .This scenario, known as employee turnover refers to the number of employees who leave the company relative to the total number of employees.

High Recruitment Costs

Acquiring employees for a company is a cumbersome and expensive process. It results in a series of expenses that include the cost of advertising, headhunting fees, human resource costs and new hire training . If the employees keep on resigning and being fired, the scenario raises the recruiting costs as compared to average recruitment cycles and costs.

Productivity Loss

When employees leave, the company loses experienced employees. The fresh recruits take time to adapt and acquire expertise, hence lowering the overall output. Training and orientation also take time from performing work responsibilities.

Inadequate Staff

For labor intensive companies, turnover creates vacuums in the production processes, leading to depletion of needed inventories, slowed order fulfillment and negation of favorable credit terms with clients and vendors.

Customer Dissatisfaction

Customer service quality suffers during high turnover periods. Relationships established with customers by terminated employees are developed over long periods of time. New employees may not meet the standards set by earlier employees. Sales efforts suffer when services or products are not delivered in an efficient and knowledgeable manner.

Tags: employee turnover, employees leave, employees leave company, leave company, number employees, take time

What Is The Relationship Between An Mba & A Jd Degree

Choosing an advanced degree program becomes easier once the differences are understood.

Many students who majored in business or business-related fields consider going on to an MBA (master of business administration) or JD (juris doctorate) program. In recent years, colleges frequently offer a joint JD/MBA program. If a joint degree is not in the cards or budget, however, choosing one over the other boils down to personal preference and necessity.

Opportunities

Students who go on to a JD program and acquire a law degree, are often qualified to work in many of the same fields as students who opted for an MBA program. However, possessing an MBA does not qualify a graduate to work in the legal realms under the same capacity as one who holds a law degree.

Career and Income Goals

Career goals should drive the decision. If a student wishes to practice law, then acquiring a law degree is the only option. It would also provide opportunities for work in business, marketing and sales. With an MBA, he can work in business, marketing, sales and so forth, but cannot practice law.

Educational Differences

To acquire a law degree, a student needs to spend three to four years in school and must pass the bar exam for the state(s) she plans to work. The JD is often a terminal degree. For a student to acquire an MBA, she must spend one to two years in school. An MBA degree is a terminal degree for some, but others may go on to a doctoral program.

Tags: acquire degree, business marketing, business marketing sales, degree student, marketing sales, terminal degree, work business

Cancel At&T Contracts

There are a variety of reasons why you might want to cancel your AT&T cell phone contract. You may have found a cheaper rate with another company, decided to purchase a phone that is sold exclusively by a competitor of AT&T's, or have simply decided that you don't need a cell phone. Regardless of your reason, AT&T provides a few different ways to end the contract, so customers can choose the one that is most convenient.

Instructions

1. Decide whether you really want to cancel your contract or can wait until it ends. Depending upon the contract terms, AT&T might charge an early termination fee.

2. Visit an AT&T store to ask a customer service representative to cancel your contract. If you do not know where the stores are, go to att.com and click "find a store."

3. If you do not want to cancel your contract in person, call AT&T from your cell phone at 1-800-331-0500 or dial 611. A customer service representative will assist you in the cancellation.

4. Wait until the last day of your billing cycle for your account termination to be effective, as this is AT&T's cancellation policy.

Tags: cancel your, cancel your contract, cell phone, want cancel, want cancel your, your contract, customer service

Order Refills For Sanford Pens9545 Ballpoint Medium Black

Like most ballpoint pens, when a Sanford 9545 medium black quill ballpoint pen runs out of ink, you do not have to throw the pen away. You can refill the ballpoint pen with new ink and continue to use the pen as if brand new. Though you may be able to find refills that fit a Sanford 9545 pen at some office supply stores, if you cannot find refills at stores in your local area you can order them from the Sanford website.

Instructions

1. Go to the Sanford Business-to-Business quill pen refill page. Click the "Show All" link if you don't see the Quill 9545 pen refill listed on the page.

2. Click the link for the "Quill 9545 Ballpoint Refill." The link takes you to the Quill 9545 Ballpoint Refill product page.

3. Enter the number of refills that you want to order for your Sanford 9545 ballpoint pen by clicking in the box with the "1" and typing the number of refills you need. Press the "Add to Cart" button to continue to the purchase page.

4. Press the "Checkout" button to proceed to the checkout page on the Sanford website. When the checkout comes up, enter your shipping address, billing address, payment information, and confirm the purchase. You will be charged for the purchase and the Sandford 9545 ballpoint medium black pen refills will be shipped to the address you provided.

Tags: Quill 9545, Sanford 9545, 9545 Ballpoint Refill, Ballpoint Refill, find refills, link Quill

Gain A Sponsor

Sponsors help fund private and public events in exchange for advertisement.

Sponsors fund private and public events, but the benefits don't run one way. A sponsor gives your event money to put their business name out in the public, create brand awareness and expand their client base. In short, a mutually beneficial relationship must exist for a sponsor to get on board with your event. To get a sponsor, you must prove that your event has all the qualities the potential sponsor needs to enlarge their client base.

Instructions

1. Start planning as soon as possible. Larger companies plan to sponsor events a year in advance. If you plan on attaining big-name sponsors, you must begin the process at least a year out. Smaller companies, such as a local business, need less time and often need only a month's notice.

2. Analyze your event demographic carefully. Look at age, gender, career background and any other pertinent information. This analysis tells you which sponsors may be interested in your event. For example, if your event attracts a large number of young families, then go to businesses that sell children's toys and provide day-care services. They could serve as strong potential sponsors.

3. Try to get a personal meeting with the sponsor that best fits your event. A personal request for sponsorship creates a stronger relationship with the potential sponsor than a letter or phone call. The personalization of a face-to-face meeting increases the likelihood of attaining the business as a sponsor.

4. Present the business with your analysis to "sell" your event. You must explain with verifiable facts why your event can help the potential sponsor. Demonstrate that your event contains the sponsor's target audience and provides the perfect platform to expose a new group of people to their product.

Tags: your event, potential sponsor, client base, fund private, fund private public, private public, private public events

Promote Studyabroad Programs

Study-abroad programs can be intimidating to young students, many of whom have never left the country before. However, gaining international experience is an asset, especially for students in fields that lead to international careers, like political science, foreign languages and international relations. Aside from general promotions, arranging special visits to classrooms in these areas of study can also be a helpful recruiting technique.

Instructions

1. Set up a table in the college or university's common area by reserving a space. Ask at the information desk in the commons to reserve a space. Distribute plenty of information about the programs, the locations, requirements of the programs and financial aid. Notice students who show special interest and try to get their contact information. Depending on the budget, it is also good to have a website; an account with a social networking site, like Facebook.com, can also work. Print out contact forms, which will include ready-made spaces for students to fill in their names, years of expected graduation, majors, email addresses and the program(s) in which they have expressed interest. This comes in handy when lots of students are crowded around the table and when students are in a hurry to get to class on time.

2. Schedule a room for an official informational session. This is a good time to show a video or bring in any speakers associated with the program. Invite all the students who gave contact information and expressed interest at the tabling session, and try to get a confirmation.

3. Inform students about the credit hours that can be transferred. Students may not know that studying abroad will count toward the hours for their academic-degree programs. Some students may benefit from study-abroad program credits more than others, such as freshman and sophomores who are not yet locked into degree-program requirements.

4. Focus on the benefits of studying abroad. According to the University of Maryland Office of International Programs (UMD-OIP), the benefits of study-abroad programs include increased adjustment to new surroundings and, therefore, increased "academic discipline." In other words, employers value the ability to function in a new environment, out of the "comfort zone" of your home city. Study abroad is a good resume builder in today's global economy.

5. Inform students about the financial aid that is available to them for study-abroad programs. Students may simply assume that studying abroad is a financial impossibility. However, the same financial-aid programs they are already using can often be applied to study-abroad programs. According to the UMD-OIP, some students may have financial aid "packages" that can be partially or, in some cases, completely applied to the cost of study abroad. Internal scholarships (through the school) and external scholarships are also available.

Tags: study-abroad programs, studying abroad, contact information, expressed interest, Inform students, Inform students about

Find Airline Fare Codes

Find Airline Fare Codes

Finding airline fare codes to trim your ticket price down is a lot easier than you think. Resources for finding discounts are all around you. The Internet houses tons of websites that can give you access to excellent promotional codes, digital coupons and airline fare specials that can nearly chop the price of a ticket in half. Most shoppers do not know where to search online or begin shopping for such codes. But luckily, you'll be able to find these codes without any headaches or complications, because you'll know exactly where to go.

Instructions

1. Open your Internet browser and access a third-party coupon and promotional sites (see Resources). Third-party coupon and promotional sites are those that provide valid digital coupons and codes that can be deducted from the cost of your airline fare, through the flight carrier's official website.

2. Type the name of the airline you would like to find fare codes for in the search bar data form available when the site loads.

3. Browse through the list of available coupons to find one that suits your request.

4. Use the consumer percentage rate and reviews to decipher which codes are presently being honored and which ones are expired.

5. Double-click the code to copy it for use on the airline's website.

6. Paste the code in the promotional code section when you reach the "Purchase" section for your airline ticket, and click "Update." Once you click the "Update" action, the price change from the promotional code will be applied to your ticket price.

Tags: your ticket price, Airline Fare, airline fare, click Update, coupon promotional, coupon promotional sites, digital coupons

Start A Dog Gift Shop

Dog gifts include specialty products for dogs and their owners.

Dog-related gifts often include specialty items for canine companions of all sizes and breeds. "Entrepreneur" magazine notes that handcrafted dog clothing is a popular commodity throughout the year. Examples include sweaters, rain jackets and Halloween costumes. Owners also appreciate high-quality dog toys, and dogs seem to enjoy them as well. Dog owners enjoy dog jewelry and clothing with breed-specific photographs. Dog stationery and keepsake items, such as photograph frames, are also popular. Many shoppers give dog-related gifts to dog-loving relatives and friends. A well-planned dog gift shop can appeal to all three of these groups.

Instructions

1. Document your dog gift shop structure. Create a business structure with a certified public accountant familiar with retail and pet-related businesses. Structures include sole proprietorships, limited liability companies and subchapter S corporations. Meet with a commercial insurance agent regarding liability insurance. Purchase a business license at your city or county clerk's office. Ask about health department approval if you stock homemade dog treats. Obtain a sales tax license from your state department of revenue (see the Resources section of this article).

2. Lease a dog-friendly location. Find an easily accessible building with a front display window to showcase dog gifts. Look for a site near veterinarian offices or grooming shops; or adjacent to woman-focused retail businesses. Ensure you have sufficient customer parking and delivery vehicle turnaround space. Obtain zoning department approval, including permission for dogs to visit the store with their owners, before you sign a lease. Work with a sign-making company to create colorful dog-themed building signage.

3. List your dog gift competitors. Visit regional shops that offer dog-related gifts. You'll likely find dog gifts in pet supply stores, gift shops and some big box stores. Note the store's cleanliness and organization, and observe employees' interactions with customers. Gather product promotional materials as well. Examine online retailers' dog gifts, plus handmade or custom gifts from specialty stores or home-based businesses (see the Resources section of this article).

4. Order your dog gift merchandise. Compile an order featuring popular gifts for dogs and their owners. Include gifts missing from other retailers' product lines, and purchase items in all price ranges. Lower-priced gifts include dog collar charms that retail for about $10 in 2010. Higher-priced gifts include memory-foam orthopedic dog beds priced from about $279. Order specialty products such as handcrafted earrings and handmade dog sweaters. (See the Resources section of this article for more information on merchandise.)

5. Hire outgoing and dog-friendly store staff. Find canine-focused employees who enjoy helping fellow dog lovers find special gifts. Ask community college veterinary assistant instructors to inform students about your gift shop opportunity. Network with other dog lovers through animal rescue groups and senior centers. Place a carefully constructed help wanted ad in local newspapers as well. Outfit your staff in matching dog-themed attire, and train employees through role-playing exercises.

6. Open your shop to dog lovers and pets. Host a grand opening with free gifts for owners and treats for leashed, well-behaved dogs. Encourage customers to complete gift shopping with discounts on higher-margin items. Introduce frequent customer cards to entice shoppers to patronize your store. Distribute an upcoming themed shopping events list to all attendees. Advertise the event in local newspapers' community pages. Place fliers at veterinary offices, grooming shops and at animal rescue facilities.

Tags: your gift, gifts include, Resources section, Resources section this, section this

Start An Organic Food Market

Starting an organic food market is a way to tap into a thriving industry while also staying true to your ideals. Sales of organic foods increased 20-fold between 1990 and 2007, according to The World of Organic Agriculture: Statistics & Emerging Trends 2008. Consumers want organic food products, but they are often confused about the meaning of organic labeling and the integrity of the companies manufacturing products that bear the organic label. A successful organic food store will be able to convince consumers they have vetted every product they carry to verify its compliance with organic principles.

Instructions

start an organic food market

1. Decide whether you will apply for retailer's organic certification. Contact Quality Assurance International about their National Organic Program. If you attain certification, you can promote the fact that an independent third party has verified your store's compliance with organic standards and regulations.

2. If you bypass official certification, you can still achieve credibility with your customers by developing a thoughtful policy and quality marketing materials to communicate the complexities and contradictions inherent in third party certification. If you choose this route, your marketing materials should contain detailed information about the criteria you use to verify that your products are organically grown.

3. Get to know organic farmers and producers in your area. Visit their farms, and speak to them about their growing practices. Contact distributors of produce and organic grocery items, obtain catalogs and begin selecting inventory.

4. Market your store through venues that attract your target market, such as natural health practitioners and yoga centers. Offer special discounts and deals to their clientele. Place targeted advertisements in local publications that attract an environmentally aware and health-conscious readership.

Tags: organic food, about their, compliance with, compliance with organic, food market, marketing materials

What Are Attributes Of A Manager

Intuitive managers are more likely to know what is going on with their employees.

Managers are unique, and each has his own attributes. Some traits of managers are not always positive or productive from a perspective of good management. However, a focus on attributes of effective managers helps establish several common traits that are fairly common to many.

Leadership

Managers are not always good leaders, but good managers typically do have strong leadership skills. Managers have a position of inherent leadership, but this does not always mean that they have the effective attributes to lead well. Leaders have personality traits, discipline, experiences and skills that attract attention from employees and get them to follow. Good leadership skills help managers get employee cooperation and prompt employees to perform at optimum potential.

Inspiration

Perhaps the most critical capability of a manager is to motivate employees to perform. To motivate, managers need the ability to inspire and excite their employees. A strong personality, charisma and commitment to established goals help. Managers often inspire employees to perform effectively by setting a good example. Managers who work hard and perform at a high level have much more ability to inspire other employees. Care and concern for employees also have a strong correlation with inspiration.

Vision

Effective managers need to have a vision for the future. Managers who have a plan for the direction of their company or department are more appealing to employees. Companies that succeed in the long run need to have a forward-thinking culture. Thus, company managers need to take on the culture and constantly look for improvements and better ways of doing things.

Communication

Communication skills are key to the success of managers. Managers who communicate effectively are more equipped to delegate tasks to employees and motivate them to perform well. In the 21st-century business environment, managers often take on more of a coaching role. This makes attentive listening as important as clear communication, according to GreatBosses.com. Regular communication helps managers direct employees, listen to their needs and concerns, and maintain a good connection to the employee culture.

Tags: employees perform, managers need, ability inspire, have strong, leadership skills, Managers have

What Is A Job Description For A Merchandising Manager

What Is a Job Description for a Merchandising Manager?

In retail, merchandising involves selecting and purchasing the goods that a store will sell. The merchandising manager supervises the activities of a store or retail chain's merchandising efforts.

Function

The merchandising manager makes final decisions about what a store or chain purchases and helps negotiate the cost of the goods for the store. Managers also help determine the price that the store sells the goods for in order to make a profit.

Strategizing

Merchandising managers follows sales trends in the store or stores they work for, monitoring what types of goods sell and what types are difficult to generate interest in. Managers also examine market trend reports to determine the type of clientele that visit stores as well as information about upcoming trends or advances in the types of products the store carries.

Skills

Successful merchandising managers possess leadership and organizational skills, the ability to both communicate and negotiate effectively and knowledge of read and interpret financial reports. The ability to use email, spreadsheet, word processing, database and inventory-control software is generally necessary as well.

Requirements

Most employers require merchandising managers to have a minimum of a bachelor's degree in a field like business, marketing or economics. Experience working assisting in merchandising at a similar type of retail store is usually necessary.

Compensation

As of May 2008, the average annual salary of merchandising managers was $94,300, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Tags: Description Merchandising, Description Merchandising Manager, Managers also, merchandising managers, that store, What Description

Do Ecotourism In Kenya

Home of the safari, Kenya has been praised for developing ecotourism ventures and preserving the natural resources that the country holds so dear. If you're planning to travel to Kenya, be sensitive to, and respectful of, local people and discover where grassroots ecotourism efforts are taking place so that you can support Kenya's move toward sustainable development. Read on to learn more.

Instructions

1. Search for tour guides that satisfy requirements for sustainable tourism. If you are going on safari, make sure that your trip will follow the increasingly stringent standards set by Kenyan ecotourism groups to ensure conservation of resources.

2. Ask about ecological standards in hotels and lodges. Eco-lodges are becoming more popular in Kenya, and are distinguished by their use of alternative power sources, proper onsite waste management and involvement in community projects. Make every effort to conserve resources such as water and energy, which are costly to Kenyan hotel owners.

3. Learn about appropriate social and cultural behavior in the areas you visit. Kenya is a diverse country consisting of many different tribes and cultures. Consider a cultural tour of Kenya to become more familiar with its cultural diversity, and let the locals know that you support efforts to sustain natural resources.

4. Support local operations rather than large corporate tourism. Tip tour guides and other local employees. Especially among pastoral people in Kenya, ask permission before photographing people and their animals.

5. Visit natural attractions such as the Maasai Mara National Reserve, a wildlife sanctuary where you can observe impressive seasonal migrations and other natural phenomenon.

6. Stay on the trails when hiking, refrain from touching marine life when snorkeling or scuba diving, and observe speed limits and other regulations when on safari to avoid disturbing natural habitats.

7. Refrain from purchasing souvenirs taken from the natural habitat in Kenya or removing natural items yourself, such as feathers, seashells or flowers. Any plant or animal products that you find in Kenya have been taken from the environment and are exploiting Kenyan resources.

Tags: natural resources, taken from, that support, tour guides

Early 1900s Furniture Styles

The wicker furniture style is still popular today.

The early 1900s marked the beginning of mass production of furniture. Individually made pieces were dying in popularity. The increased income the mass-produced furniture brought to the manufacturers also increased advertising budgets, which in turn boosted sales.The beginning of mass production also led to the increased use of cheaper materials, such as wicker. Does this Spark an idea?

Arts and Crafts

The Arts and Crafts furniture style stretched into the 1920s. It took cues from Victorian furniture, very popular in the late 19th century. Arts and Crafts-style furniture represented a protest against mass production. This style was strong enough to hold its own against mass-produced furniture, but also had ornamentation to stress its individual qualities.

Mission

Mission furniture featured straight lines and was typically stained a dark brown. This furniture style moved away from the ornate curves and carvings of Victorian furniture. It was very simple and quite heavy. Mission furniture was designed for a bungalow-type house and to blend with the walls of a room. However, what the furniture lacked in decoration and panache, it made up for in strength.

Craftsman

The Craftsman style, or Art Deco, flourished from 1910 to 1925. This style of furniture branched out from the Mission style. Consumers wanted the strength and durability of Mission furniture, but also wanted it to be more aesthetically pleasing while remaining simple.

Wicker

Wicker furniture had been around for centuries, but the early 1900s saw some changes in the typical wicker pieces. This was a style that started seeing mass production. The pieces were still woven with rattan, but now, more varieties of furniture were being produced; footrests were added to chairs, for example. The weaving also featured bigger holes to reduce production costs.

Tags: mass production, furniture style, Mission furniture, This style, also increased, Arts Crafts

How Bonsai Trees Reflect Japanese Culture

A twisting bonsai tree

The practice of bonsai, the art of growing trees on a small scale in a container, dates to the early days of mankind. Patience, nature, discipline and the meaning of life may be found in the work. Does this Spark an idea?

Significance

Developed in China thousands of years ago and perfected in Japan, the art of bonsai quickly became associated with Japanese culture. Much of that has to do with the zen aspect of bonsai -- the practice of zen, like bonsai, originated in China and migrated to Japan -- which emphasizes the simplicity and meditative benefits of nature.

Effects

Zen Buddhism and bonsai are closely related in Japanese culture, as the bonsai is considered a living work of art which reflects the human soul -- meaning that life and the soul are based on simplicity and natural rhythms. "Herbal Bonsai" author Richard W. Bender states that growing bonsai brings forth an understanding of evolution and change within both a plant and human life.

Discipline

The meditative aspect of bonsai also develops discipline, a trait valued highly within Japanese culture. Tradition states that three elements are vital to the creation of a successful bonsai: truth, goodness and beauty. It is believed that when all three of these elements are present within the bonsai, the tree can live for hundreds of years.

Tags: Japanese culture, aspect bonsai, bonsai tree, states that

Develop An Oldies Playlist For The Radio

Consider rankings, advertiser input and musical progression when developing an oldies playlist.

Radio stations that choose to play the "oldies" generate the bulk of their revenue through paid advertising. Advertisers choose to spend their money based on how many listeners a radio station attracts. By playing songs that a large segment of the population instantly recognizes, oldies stations can repeatedly draw a sizable audience, guaranteeing their ad revenue. However, the station must offer some variety in the songs they choose to play within the oldies genre, which requires a careful selection process.

Instructions

1. Research the Billboard Top 100 from the years 1950 through 1979, a time period many consider to be the oldies. Select several hundred songs that remained in the No. 1 position for more than two weeks in a row. Program one to three of these songs to play each hour.

2. Look for tunes that did not reach No. 1, but stayed within the top 50. Program two to four of these songs to play each hour.

3. Add tunes that peaked at the number 50 position or below to the playlist. Play two to four of these songs per hour.

4. Alternate songs in your playlist so that no one song plays more than 15 times a week.

5. Refine the playlist according to the response of the roster of advertisers and the audience ratings. Remove songs that may compromise an advertiser's product or message, or schedule them to play at a different time.

Tags: songs that, these songs, choose play, each hour, four these

Marketing Ideas For Loan Officers

Loan officers live and die by the number of loans they write in a month. Most work strictly on commission and need to constantly have new business to maintain overhead. The good news is that loan officers have many natural targets to market their services to.

Real Estate Network

The fastest way to increase loan business is to network with real estate agents, the people who are helping clients find a home to buy. Often a person will start talking to a real estate agent before they get pre-approved for a loan. When real estate agents have someone they know will stay on top of the loan process, they will work with them because it means that everyone gets paid faster. Real estate agents are looking to work with people who are efficient and knowledgeable; demonstrate this and you will get more business.

Accessibity of Information

Create a website with a monthly email newsletter. A website with current interest rates and lending trends with an informational newsletter will gain credibility with potential clients and give existing clients a better reason to refer you or refinance with you. Use the relationships with real estate agentss to get current real estate trends and analysis. By working with a real estate agent, you may be able to split costs and build a team approach with clients that benefits everyone.

Offer Free Analysis

Everyone wants to get a better loan deal. Placing an ad that offers a free rate analysis d is a great way to get people in the door and develop a relationship with them. It may not be the first meeting that gets a sale, but it gives the loan officer the ability to get more people on the newsletter list and build a relationship. As with all types of financial sales, it is time that builds trust with potential clients.

Tags: real estate, estate agents, with real, with real estate, estate agent

How Much Money Does Someone In Sports Management Make

Like thousands of people who watch sporting events, you may wonder how much money an agent makes when an athlete is signed. Sports agents are portrayed as behind-the-scenes individuals who make a ridiculous amount of money.

Behind the scenes

Sports agents are responsible for finding talent and convincing athletes that they should represent them. Everyone may be trying to sign your athlete, so you'll need to secure some major contracts for your budding star. That means convincing executives to take a chance on your star and convincing your star to endorse a product they may not like or may never have heard of. You'll have to push until you can't push anymore because you will not get paid until your athlete is signed.

Education

Ever heard that those who can, do, and those who can't, teach? Well, people in sports management usually know the game inside and out. They have usually studied kinesiology and/or sports management. Competition in these schools is fierce, so it is important to be able to network.

Show me the money

As glamorous as TV makes it seem, sports agents do not get paid as well as you may think. According to SportsManagementWorldwide.com, if you sign a rookie to the NFL, you'll make a commission of about $6,750 (assuming the athlete is being paid at least $225,000). And according to SportsManagementCareer.org, a winter sports manager makes about $60,000 to $70,000 a year.

But of course, if you're the agent for the next Sydney Crosby or Wayne Gretzky, you've pretty much got it made. A player of their stature might be signed for $10 million, in which case you would make a cool $400,000. Most other agents, though, will still be clipping coupons.

Tags: athlete signed, Sports agents, sports management, your athlete, your star

Careers In Race Car Driving

The need for speed can be met with a career in racing.

Race car driving, whether working a local scene, driving in Nascar or touring several continents in international competition, is a career that demands dedication and sacrifice. While some mechanical and engineering knowledge is useful as a race car driver, most of what you need to know will be learned on the track. For those less interested in driving and more interested in the technical angle, there are jobs on a race team or in the shop.

Driving

Race car drivers need to be quick-thinking, knowledgeable about cars' performance in certain weather and experienced in the kind of driving unique to high speeds and racetracks. There are three main types of racing in the United States: stock car, drag and open wheel. A driver can gain experience in these types of racing through a series of apprenticeships with race car teams or by attending a formal driving school with high performance cars and tracks for you to practice on, such as the Bondurant High Performance School, the Skip Barber Racing School or the Bertil Roos Racing School. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is not able to compile salaries for race car drivers because they are part of the "spectator sports" designation. However, earnings for race car drivers can vary widely, with some drivers barely or not at all covering their costs, while others win million-dollar purses and sign on to endorse products.

Pit Crew

For those who don't want to drive the car or who need experience around the track before driving, a position on the pit crew might be the answer. Pit crews are responsible for caring for a race car's mechanical needs during each pit stop the driver takes. Since time at a pit stop is time lost for the driver, workers in the pit crew must be speedy, agile and strong to perform their duties as quickly as possible. Pit crew members repair car problems, and refuel and change tires before and during a race, so they must have a good mechanical knowledge of the race car. As with race car drivers, salaries for the pit crew vary widely and are usually a percentage of the driver's winnings.

Shop Workers

Each race car begins and ends in the shop, where a skilled team of mechanics, fabricators, painters and others prepare cars for races. Show workers might build a race car from the ground up or might modify a stock car for the needs of high speed and racing tracks. Mechanics and other auto body courses at community and technical colleges prepare workers for the demands of a race car shop. Shop workers are the most likely to have a steady wage, with the U.S. Department of Labor average in May 2008 for automotive body and related repairers coming in at $54,750; machinists average $45,060 and painters $52,870.

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The Best Baby Stroller Brands

The best reviewed strollers provide safety, entertainment and comfort to both children and their parents.

Not all baby strollers are created equal. Some include more bells and whistles, providing enjoyment for both the parent and the child. Others will satisfy parents' safety concerns while accommodating a relaxing ride. The best stroller brands provide products that combine fun with functionality. In addition to receiving the highest reviews from stroller.com, these brands have items that were awarded the iParenting Media Award for best strollers.

Baby Jogger

Baby Jogger is a designer and manufacturer of high-performance strollers and joggers. The company produces strollers for urban and all-terrain uses as well as for jogging. Its City line produces three models: City Mini Stroller, City Elite Stroller and the City Select Stroller. Baby Jogger's line of high-performance joggers includes: the Summit XC, the F.I.T. Jogger, the 25th Anniversary Performance and the Switchback Hybrid. Among the highest reviewed strollers on amazon.com and stroller.com, owners and reviewers praise the Baby Jogger's patented one-hand Quick-Fold technology, light build, reclining seat and multi-position sun canopy.

Baby Trend

Baby Trend is a manufacturer of juvenile products, including strollers and joggers. The company offers single strollers for one child, as well as double and triple strollers for multiple children. Additionally, Baby Trend developed single and double joggers. Common features in Baby Trend strollers include an adjustable canopy with sun visor and covered sunroof patches, parent tray with cup holders and compartment storage and all-terrain bicycle tires. Reviewers praise Baby Trend's MP3 player compatibility with built-in speakers, its lightweight steel frame construction and its adapter to connect child seats.

Jeep

Jeep not only manufactures vehicles. It also produces several different strollers. Jeep strollers are built for use on nearly any surface with their all-terrain wheels. Additionally, the strollers commonly have the Smart Handle feature, which adjusts the stroller's handle to different heights. Other typical Jeep features include parent cup holders, two-tier canopy with adjustable windshields, reclinable seats and cool climate roll ups that improves air circulation in the stroller. One of Jeep's strollers received the iParenting Media Award for its ability to connect infant car seats and the iBaby sound system that connects portable audio players to the stroller.

The First Years

The First Years is a company that produces a variety of travel equipment, including strollers. Several of First Years' strollers feature contemporary styling and a comfortable ride for children. Common features on First Years' strollers include durable frames that support up to 50 pounds, multiple position reclining seats, a large parent console and lower storage basket and a five-point harness for a safer ride. Additionally, most First Years' strollers can connect infant car seats.

Tags: Baby Trend, First Years, Baby Jogger, First Years strollers, Years strollers, canopy with, Common features

Job Description For A Marketing Account Manager

Marketing managers use people skills, creativity and stellar research skills to acquire new clients.

As the primary contact for clients seeking business with a marketing or promotional firm, the marketing account manager holds challenging and diverse responsibilities as a primary representative. A high level of agency experience, creativity, clear and strong communication and computer skills gives those seeking jobs as marketing account manager positions the best chances to move ahead. While marketing account managers work long hours and may have to travel for various events, meetings, and client building, pay is substantial and managers often move onto even higher positions within the company.

Coordinating

Marketing account managers perform their company's market research and coordinate those findings with promotions, sales and advertising teams and managers. The marketing account manager develops and implements customized marketing plans--from begin an advertising or promotion campaign to the details for the final execution--for each account. One account can mean one individual client, such as a small business owner, or an account with hundreds of employees, such as a whole company brand.

Research & Pricing

Marketing managers may also work with account managers to go over pricing and propose price-points to interested clients

The marketing manager conducts significant market research to determine the acceptance of a company's products or services among various demographics. Basing research on age, gender, location, income level and many other variables, the marketing manager--either singly or joined by a research team--identify potential markets for the firm's products such as media companies, schools, ecological companies and so on.

Marketing managers may also develop pricing strategies to help maximize profits and market share. However, the marketing manager makes sure that each deal mutually benefits both their firm as well as the client.

Collaboration

Marketing managers work with other managers and departments to always meet a client's expectations.

Marketing managers work with sales, advertising, promotion, product development, and public relations departments to ensure that a client will be satisfied with a finished product or service in the end. Marketing managers may also collaborate with lower level managers--such as product development managers and market research managers, to monitor trends that indicate the need for new products and services. Marketing account managers spot trends and report their findings to the CEO or other higher-up.

Relationship-Building

Marketing account managers, along with other account managers, serve as liaisons between the firm requiring advertising and the advertising agency developing and placing the ads. Partnering with the sales team, marketing account managers seek to develop long-term, client-centric marketing relationship to build long-lasting business. The marketing account managers focus falls to creating and maintaining relationships with valuable customers.

Creative Work

A creative eye and approach to work is another responsibility of the marketing account manager.

Marketing account manager positions also require creativity. Along with strong analytical work, organization and people-skills, the marketing account manager finds creative methods of connecting with potential clients, seeking ways to tap into a client's interests and passions to make a meaningful connection. The manager also has a creative eye for clean advertising work.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as the influence of traditional advertising in newspapers, radio and network television shrinks, marketing professionals from 2010 on will be asked to develop new and creative methods of advertising and promoting products and services via social media, Internet, cell phone technologies and stunning designs that stand way out above the rest.

Job Outlook

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2010-11 report, research shows that overall employment of advertising, marketing, promotions, public relations, and sales managers is expected to grow by 13 percent through 2018.

Salary

According to Indeed.com salary averages, as of April 2010, marketing account managers make around $61,000 per year in New York; $51,000 per year in California; and $46,000 in Kansas.

Tags: account managers, Marketing managers, account manager, account manager, managers also, managers work, market research

How Do Advertisements Help Promote Business Products

Companies use many types of advertisements to promote their business products, including displays, radio, direct mail, television, the Internet and billboards. The key is finding the advertising media that best reaches your customers. For example, consumer product companies often use television ads on certain networks that appeal to women, since women are often the primary shoppers in households. Advertisements usually help companies promote their business products by gradually convincing people that they need those products.

Building Awareness

Advertisements help build awareness of both the company and its products. People would not know a particular company offers certain products unless the company advertises them. Advertisements tend to build awareness over time. A company will run its ads in magazines and on television consistently. At first, a smattering of consumers will notice the advertisements. After one month, maybe 10 percent of the market will be aware of a company's product. That percentage of awareness may increase to 15 percent after month two and 20 percent after month three. The ultimate goal of the company will be to make everyone aware of its offer or brand. That way people will think of that particular company when they need the products the company sells.

Attracting Attention

Advertisements help promote business products by getting the consumers' attention. Getting people's attention is usually the first objective of the advertising process, according to marketing expert Dave Dolak. For example, headlines of magazine display ads are designed to attract a certain target customer. A display ad headline such as "Put on 20 pounds of muscle in three months!" would likely appeal to teenage boys or men who want to gain muscle size. Sometimes, companies use noises like bells or songs on television or the radio to get consumers' attention. Once companies have the attention of consumers with their advertisements, they need to offer products that people need or want.

Increasing Desire

Companies will use the body of a display ad or message of a television commercial to gradually build the consumer's desire for a particular product. The best way to build people's desire is by highlighting key benefits. For example, companies that market diet products appeal to people who want to lose weight. However, a company will also have to convince people that its product is superior to competitive products to increase a consumer's desire for it. Sometimes, companies use comparative advertising to convince consumers that their products are superior. "Our plug-in deodorizer lasts a week longer than other brands, according to clinical tests."

Prompting Action

Ultimately, a company's advertisements are designed to prompt action on the part of the consumer. Companies want people to buy their products. For example, a television ad may invite people to send away for a free trial of a skin moisturizing product. People can then place regular orders if they like the product. A magazine display ad may also limit a particular offer to prompt action. "Get an extra chamois free if you order within the next 24 hours." A company may not use any incentives to prompt action. A strong advertising message may be enough to convince consumers to visit their local grocery stores and buy the products.

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Set A Promotional Budget For Marketing

Marketing to clients, whether they are consumers or other businesses, can require a certain amount of promotion in addition to advertising and networking. There are challenges to setting a promotional budget for your marketing campaign, but if you have the right data you should be able to meet your objective.

Instructions

1. Determine the ROI (return on investment) for your previous marketing campaigns, if applicable. To do so, subtract your investment dollars from your profit, and then divide by the investment. You can do this for individual promotions or over a period of time. Either way, the formula will give you your rate of return on your marketing promotion expenditures.

2. Decide on an overall ROI threshold for your new budget. For example, a return on investment of 50 percent may not be enough to justify your expenditures according to your budget. However, in most situations marketing promotions are an investment and it may take time to recoup your expenses. Reviewing your product and project timeline may help you calculate your ROI target.

3. Decide what will and won't be repeated, then determine what areas need additional -- or less -- spending. Using the ROI from previous years will help you assess what promotions have potential and what may need to be abandoned or tweaked.

4. Outline the goals for your new promotional budget. If you are setting a yearly promotional budget, detail each promotion, its timeline and the anticipated outcome, such as increased third quarter sales or more repeat customers.

5. List all costs involved in the promotion. Will you purchase promotional items or gifts for your clients? Do you need to hire an advertising agency to run an ad campaign? If you don't have numbers from past years, gather estimates from other departments or vendors.

6. Enter your figures into a spreadsheet program, such as Microsoft Excel. Vertical columns should include "Promotion," "Projected Expense" and "Actual Expense." Horizontal rows should list each event associated with a particular promotion such as advertising, production, employee costs, merchandise and other expenditures. Review your estimates against the actual costs to see if you have stayed within your budget.

Tags: promotional budget, your budget, campaign have, return investment, your marketing