Categories
Archives
Search
This year, we all made some of the typical New Year’s resolutions. We want to quit smoking, spend more time with our kids, and drop a few pounds. They are all great goals, but as February has arrived, how are we doing?
If you have found yourself lagging behind on meeting your goals, don’t get upset. Making a resolution on January 1st is a good time for renewal, but today is just as worthy of change.
Don’t give up on your dreams. There are many healthy diets out there that are still waiting for you. The South Beach, Atkins, and other numerous plans are still our there waiting for you. But you have to take charge to make the change.
If you are putting it off because you don’t now which one is right for you, talk to your doctor or other health professional. They will be able to help you with a plan that is safe and effective for your dieting needs.
Adding a workout to your new way of eating will increase your chance of success. Not only will it help you to shed a few pounds, you will feel better than you ever expected.
But where do I start, you ask? Again, you and your doctor will be able to determine what is right for your goals and abilities. You don’t have to go full bore at the gym. There are plenty of exercise equipment options that you can take advantage of in your own home. They don’t require a lot of investment, and many dealers offer gently used equipment at reduced prices.
There are some wonderful tapes or DVDs that can also make your home workout easier. You can gradually increase your workout as you feel comfortable.
Remember that there is always a time to make a resolution for a better life. Just because January is gone doesn’t mean you have to wait until next year. It is easy to make excuses, but the excuses have no rewards.
Robert Boser is a successful author and publisher for http://www.body-mass-index-4u.com/. He has researched and written hundreds of articles and can simplify your online search by recommending merchants for the best value and selections in diets, exercise equipment, and personal physical and mental fitness.
There are five major factors to consider when selling a home. These factors will greatly influence not only the final price you will get for the property, but also how quickly it will sell and how much grief you will suffer through the sale.
Location
Over history it’s been said the three things to look for in buying a property are (1) Location, (2) Location, and (3) Location. There are positive and negative factors to almost every location. Let’s pretend your property is right next door to a fire station. You need the kind of marketing professional that can sell the benefits of not having to worry about your new home burning down, or perhaps the savings on fire insurance. Seriously, no matter where your property may be located, there is a ready, willing, and able buyer in the marketplace. The “problems” with the location of a property can be overcome, you just need a Realtor who will work hard to do so.
Your Realtor and his/her Company
Not all Realtors are the same. We each take different approaches to the marketing of your home. These range from as basic as placing the home on the MLS system and hoping it will sell, to Realtors who actively market the home through newspaper advertising and the Internet. You will likely have a positive Real Estate experience if you pick a Realtor who meets the following criteria:
By having a professional Realtor working on your behalf, your entire experience will be more positive.
Terms
Are you flexible on possession dates? Is your property easy to show? Are you prepared to negotiate on appliances or other chattels? This flexibility makes your home much more attractive to potential buyers. For example, many out-of-town buyers won’t even consider a home if the possession is not flexible. First time home buyers often have to purchase the appliances with the home because they have to put all of their savings into the down payment. Where are they going to get $3000 to buy appliances?
Condition
Making a good first impression is important in getting a property sold. Painting the front door and trim, making sure the doorbell works, putting furniture and clothing in storage, and cleaning off counter tops and fridges are just a few of the little things that can be done to make properties more marketable. Just remember, cleanliness and pride of ownership will get you more money than used dirt.
Price
Determining a price is more than just picking a number. It involves careful analysis of the property. Many things come into account when determining a price. In fact, it is often through price where short comings in the other factors are balanced. For instance, if your home has been damaged from bad renters, is difficult to gain access to, is right next door to a “drug-den”, and is located between the city dump and the airport, then the home will have to be priced accordingly. But watch out, while the price can fix almost every short coming, it’s not always the best solution.
Having a Realtor who will be honest with you about these factors is important, and could save you several thousand dollars.
About The Author
John Carle & Sharon Gregresh are Realtors with Royal LePage - ArTeam in St. Albert, AB. They pride themselves on providing more than just real estate sales and listings. Their clients benefit from a much larger spectrum or real estate services. Contact them any time at information@workingtogether.ca or through their website at www.workingtogether.ca. They can be reached by phone at (780) 458-5595
What’s a clincher? It’s a statement at the end of your promotional piece, that motivates the reader to take the next step.
Up to this point, your material is focused on persuading the reader that he or she really needs your service or product. Now, when they’re teetering on the brink of a decision, it’s time to use some nifty phrases to help push them over the edge.
Here are some examples for you to copy. Or to use as patterns to adapt to your own situation.
- Why settle for [this] when you can have [that]?
- What do you have to lose?
- We have only a limited supply.
- You’ll wonder how you ever lived without it.
- That’s all it takes.
- Don’t miss out!
- Put these ideas to work for you.
- Now it’s time for you to make a winning decision.
- Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
- Reserve your [item] today.
If your goal is to have people contact you, here are some clinchers that will help get them to pick up the phone or make a beeline for your store.
- Please don’t hestitate to call us.
- We’d love to hear from you.
- Just give us a call.
- All you have to do is fill out the enclosed form.
- Come in and introduce yourself to us!
Often promotional materials leave you thinking “What now?” When you use a powerful clincher, the reader knows exactly what’s expected of her. Without any direction, she’s at a loss to know what happens next. When you don’t give clear instructions, she’ll be confused and is likely to leave your website, discard your letter, or just dump your ad in the trash can.
It’s up to you to make sure she doesn’t.
Now it’s your turn: What clinchers could you use to underscore your offer?
Maggie Dennison is a Marketing Consultant and Writer. She is the author of “11 Steps To Marketing Materials That Get You Clients NOW!” Maggie holds a Master’s Degree in Applied Psychology, and is fascinated with what triggers people to do the things they do. And that’s exactly what marketing materials are all about. Pick up a free report “11 Keys to Website Content That Works” at her website http://MyMarketingmessage.com.
With so many stock market scandals and the daily fluctuations of various securities, it might seem as though there is no simple method of investment that allows you to avoid the major risks of the market. Luckily, things are not always as they seem… some stocks, dubbed “safety stocks” by some investors, are stable enough that they tend to hold their value even when the rest of the market is in shambles. While these stocks aren’t immune to the changes and fluctuations in the stock market, they usually weather the changes well and are much less prone to sudden drops in value.
If you’ve never heard of safety stocks or would like to know more, the information below is designed to give you some information on these relatively stable investments.
Safety in a turbulent market
Though no stocks are completely immune to the daily changes in the stock market, some manage to do better than others. Some of these companies have been around for a long time and that produce everyday items that are known around the world (such as the first aid and baby care manufacturer Johnson & Johnson), and aren’t likely to encounter major scandals to bring down their prices. While these stocks aren’t known for major increases in value, they don’t perform poorly… instead, they offer a slow-but-steady increase that’s much more stable than many other investment opportunities.
Safety stocks and diversification
Because of their general consistency, safety stocks are considered a must-have by many serious investors. They are great tools for diversification, allowing investors to use their stability to offset some of their more volatile investments. This effect can be increased even further by making investments in precious metals or the diamond market, both of which tend to offer a similar stability that works well with that of the safety stocks. A diverse investment portfolio with a strong base of safety stocks and precious metal and diamond investments is likely to weather even the most turbulent market with minimal long-term losses.
Safety stocks and high-risk investments
Even without using safety stocks for true diversification, it’s possible to use these stocks to offset higher-risk investments. When investing in high-risk stocks, a smart investor might buffer their investment with a secondary investment in one or more safety stocks which will help to minimize any losses that might occur. If the higher-risk stock performs well and is sold at a good price, then the safety stocks may either be sold or kept since they’re not likely to drop significantly in value. Should the higher-risk stock not perform well and ends up being sold low, then the value of the safety stocks as they slowly but surely show an increase will help to offset any losses.
Safety stocks and long-term investment
Obviously, safety stocks are great for long-term investments. Purchasing safety stocks over the course of several years is much more likely to show a definite improvement than other stocks that aren’t nearly as stable. When combined with precious metals or the diamond market as mentioned above, the effects can be even more noticeable due to the similar nature of the two types of investments.
Safety stocks can also be combined with bonds or other types of investments that do well in the long term, either using the stocks in smaller amounts to accentuate the earnings of the other investments or as simply another long-term investment among many. This can make safety stocks ideal for retirement plans or any other long-term financial planning.
You may freely reprint this article provided the following author’s biography (including the live URL link) remains intact:
About The Author
John Mussi is the founder of Direct Online Loans who help homeowners find the best available loans via the http://www.directonlineloans.co.uk website.
Here’s how to get out of, or avoid, the “I need … ” trap. It simply involves changing what you think and what you say in very simple ways.
In my working with leaders worldwide for more than two decades, I’ve noticed a character trait that the most successful share: They focus consistently on understanding and supporting the people whom they lead.
For instance, you could say, “You need …” which is a good way out.
Or, you could say, “The team needs … ” which is a better way out.
Or, you could say, “Do you need? …” Which is the best way out, especially with a question mark attached. A corollary to this question is, “What do you need from me to help you get the team to succeed?”
Asking a question rather than using a declarative is often more effective because it gets people reflecting upon their situation. After all, we can’t motivate anyone to do anything. They have to motivate themselves. And they best motivate themselves when they reflect on their character and their situation.
A question can trigger such reflection and ultimately lead to their making the choice to be motivated to be your cause leader. You may not like the answer; but often their answer, no matter what it is, can better lead to more results being achieved than your declaration can.
Furthermore, asking questions like, “What do you need for the team to succeed? …” works much better than saying “I need … ” because you are forging a “critical confluence” - the confluence of your or your organization’s needs with their needs.
You may think I’m putting too fine a point on these changes; and to a degree, you’d be right. Making simply one change may not be important; but when you multiple the changes many times during the day, day in and day out, month in and month out, their aggregate can add up to tremendous change indeed. In fact, it can add up to job and career transformation.
So, the next time you are tempted to say, “I need … “, don’t. Instead, say, “Do you need? …” or “What do you need? … ” Over time, you’ll forge great changes in how people relate to you and your leadership, changes that will lead to substantial increases in results.
However, watch out: In getting out of the “I need …” trap, you may find yourself in another trap. Asking “What do you need? …” might play right into their hands of people who don’t’ trust you or want to sabotage your leadership or use you to further their own ends. Such people want to lead you down their private rabbit hole. They want to get you exploring things that have nothing to do with your getting the results you need and everything to do with satisfying the needs of their ego or whatever agenda they have. “Don’t you think you need? … ” could be their ticket to ride. Before you ask the question, be aware of the ride and how to get off.
THE SECOND TRAP. The “You do … ” trap. Most leaders miss a great opportunity that presents itself to them daily. Since leadership is all about having people take action that gets results, it’s important to understand the kind of action people should take to get the best results. You can ensure it is the best kind of action by challenging people not simply to do a job but to take leadership of that job. After all, there’s a big difference between people doing and leading; and when you are constantly saying, “You do … ” you are missing out on getting a lot more results.
Now that you know how to avoid two leadership traps, you’ll find that your career will be boosted in many marvelous ways.
2005 © The Filson Leadership Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in newsletters and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required: mail to: brent@actionleadership.com
The author of 23 books, Brent Filson’s recent books are, THE LEADERSHIP TALK: THE GREATEST LEADERSHIP TOOL and 101 WAYS TO GIVE GREAT LEADERSHIP TALKS. He is founder and president of The Filson Leadership Group, Inc. - and for more than 20 years has been helping leaders of top companies worldwide get audacious results. Sign up for his free leadership e-zine and get a free white paper: “49 Ways To Turn Action Into Results,” at http://www.actionleadership.com
The first port for our Royal Caribbean cruise of the western Caribbean was Labadee, Hispaniola which is actually a part of Haiti. This specific port is leased out to Royal Caribbean so only their cruiseships come here. Labadee is actually a peninsula with a few beaches. Getting to land from the cruiseship is by tender.
There is a small section for kids with floating fake icebergs to climb and water slides but they charge an admission fee. Flotation mattresses are also available for rent for those who just want to float in the ocean. There are also locals who help with getting beach chairs for you but they expect tips. So things here are a money grabber. The cruiseship did have optional tours for snorkelling, parasailing, waverunner and kayaking tours but we thought that they were overpriced. Most passengers just spent the day relaxing around the beaches. The area around Labadee was pleasant enough but the beaches and shores themselves were fairly rocky so wearing sandals in the water would be advised. Royal Caribbean had organized a beach BBQ at an outdoor picnic facility which was okay but nothing special. There is a market there consisting of two buildings. One is a store where the souveniers and items have marked prices and the other building is like your typical market where locals try to hustle you for business. The locals inside the market were aggressive but polite. If you don’t mind haggling, you could get some pretty good deals but if you dislike this type of pushy atmosphere, then you best avoid the market except for the fixed price store.
One big difference between this port compared to others is that since it is pretty well being used as a private beach, you will not be hassled by locals. The vendors coming around with drinks at the beach locations are actually Royal Caribbean staff so if one wishes to buy a drink, the cruiseship passcard is all that is required. As for concerns about being in Haiti given the poverty and political situation, Labadee was not a problem because the entire site is enclosed by a high steel fence. Other passengers later told us that they wandered off near the perimeter of the site and saw many Haitians along the fence begging for handouts and food. The fencing was mostly concealed in the distance from the main tourist areas.
We found Labadee in general to be a bit of a waste of time for us. The beaches were too rocky and we didn’t have access to inexpensive activities since everything was run by Royal Caribbean. If one wanted to just go lie on the beach all day and not much else, then Labadee would be a suitable place. For those who want to experience some culture, do water sports without going through the cruiseship, or shop duty free, Labadee would not be the place to go. We decided to stay on board the ship after the BBQ lunch for the rest of the afternoon.
I like Royal Caribbean and would definitely cruise with them again but would not want to go on an itinerary that included Labadee in the future.
Clint Leung is owner of Free Spirit Gallery www.FreeSpiritGallery.ca , an online gallery specializing in Inuit Eskimo and Northwest Native American art including carvings, sculpture and prints. Also numerous information resource articles with photos of authentic Inuit art and Native American Indian art.
Decorative Wall Painting Techniques
Do your walls seem dull and uninviting? Do you long for a cozy, welcoming room? Consider decorative wall painting techniques, such as sponging, ragging, stenciling or stamping. Even if you have no experience, you can brighten even the dullest room quickly and cheaply with one of these easy decorative wall painting techniques.
Before painting your room, pick out a color scheme for your walls. When you chose your paint, remember that many painting techniques use two shades of one color. If you are using one of the techniques that does use two shades of color, you can pick a darker color than you normally would chose for your base color, since the lighter top color will make the final result much lighter.
To sponge or rag a wall, paint on your base color and let it dry thoroughly. Then, dip your sponge or rag into the lighter paint color and sponge or drag the lighter color over the base coat until you are satisfied with the effect. If you are unhappy with your final result, you can repaint any areas that you don’t like with the base coat. Once the repainted area is dry, repeat the faux painting technique.
If you are considering using a decorative painting technique such as stenciling or stamping, you may just want to create a wallpaper effect by stamping or stenciling a simple design over your base coat. However, you may want to go a step further with your project and use stencils or stamps to create a faux brick or stone wall. You don’t need to be an artist to create one of these faux finishes. Just follow these simple steps. First, paint the walls with the color you chose for the mortar between the bricks or stones. Once the base coat is dry, stamp or stencil your bricks or stones over the base coat. Once the brick or stonework is dry, spatter a bit of the darker color over your faux art to give it depth and make it appear more realistic.
Creating faux effects such as making your walls look like they are made of plaster or suede can also really make your room stand out. You can easily learn how to create these seemingly difficult finishes at your local paint store. Paint bases that automatically give a suede or textured effect to the walls are a shortcut that even artists use to create fun finishes.
Finally, no matter which decorative wall painting technique you choose, remember that it is just a few layers of paint. You can always redo the finish on your walls as you learn more about the art of decorative painting.
About the Author
Niall Roche is the content author and owners of the Interior Painting Ideas website where you can find tons of information on differnt painting techniques and finishes.
Fifty-one years ago I began to study selling — not just because I’m a curious, analytical type, but because I’ve always had a burning desire to succeed. When I was young I learned that big money can be made in sales and I wanted “my share.” Later, I realized that only a tiny percentage of the people who entered the sales profession make it big.
Disappointment
Getting my first college degree, majoring in Industrial Sales, I aced all my sales courses. In my first sales job, I came to realize that what I learned in college didn’t work for me. After taking many other sales courses, I learned most corporate and commercial sales trainers couldn’t teach selling, either.
So, I set out to find the best salespeople, regardless of industry, to see what they did that other salespeople didn’t do. Over the years, I’ve gone out on sales calls with hundreds of the best salespeople and learned that the top 1% of all salespeople don’t sell the way the other 99% sell.
Discovery - Honesty is the “Magic Bullet”
The most surprising thing I discovered is that most of the top salespeople are totally honest in their work. They’re honest with their prospects and customers, and they’re honest with themselves.
Numbers Don’t Lie
You’ve often heard that “sales is a numbers game.” One of the big differences between the top salespeople and the other 99% is they know their numbers. Top salespeople keep records of their sales activities every day, and they analyze their statistics every day.
Don’t Lie to Yourself!
The biggest barrier to success for most salespeople is that they don’t know their numbers, and they don’t want to know. That makes it easy to lie to themselves.
In every company we work with, almost all of the salespeople think and really believe that their closing rates are at least twice as high as they actually are, except for the few top salespeople.
Get Real - With Yourself
Most salespeople don’t know how to sell very well, but they think they do. If they knew their numbers, they would have to face the truth about their skills. They would have to change what they’re doing.
Change can be very uncomfortable. It’s more comfortable to lie to yourself than to change what they you every day. That’s why most salespeople fail, and those that survive continue to struggle to make a good living.
False Prospects
Most salespeople spend most of their time with prospects that “have great potential,” but seldom buy from them. The average salesperson goes through all of the motions that look like selling, but fails to bring in much business.
Average salespeople seldom truly qualify their prospects. They rarely dis-qualify their prospects, either. If they did, they would need to find new prospects — but they don’t know how prospect effectively, efficiently and enjoyably.
Real Relationships. Real Selling.
We know what top salespeople do when they’re selling. We know what works and what doesn’t work. We know what top salespeople do to eliminate the rejection most salespeople have to live with and suffer with every day. We know how they eliminate objections so they don’t have to “overcome objections.” We know how they close dozens of times during each sales visit without any pressure on their prospects or themselves. Top salespeople develop relationships of mutual trust and respect with most of their prospects — without any phony “rapport building.”
The essence of our book, “High Probability Selling,” is how the top salespeople actually sell. It’s about learning a selling process that makes it highly probable that you’ll close the majority of your prosepcts. It’s what you can learn how to do in our sales training workshops.
©Jacques Werth, High Probability® Selling - All rights reserved.
Jacques Werth, author of “High Probability Selling,” is an internationally respected Sales Trainer and Sales Consultant. HPS graduates are excelling as Top Producers in over 70 industries. Visit http://www.highprobsell.com to read more articles, preview the book, and learn more about High Probability Selling.
Finding a “no money down” mortgage loan is actually easier for someone
with poor credit. Subprime lenders are more willing sign off on these
deals than conventional lenders. But before you jump into a mortgage
contract, make sure you understand the terms and are getting a good deal.
Benefits Of A “No Money Down” Mortgage
A “no money down” mortgage allows you to buy a home with little to no
money due at closing. In essence, you are trading a rent payment for a
mortgage payment, which makes the jump easier. However, you will pay a
higher interest rate for these terms.
By not paying closing costs, it makes getting out of a home much more
cost efficient. For example, say you pay $6,000 at closing for your
traditional mortgage. In a year, you have to move for a number of reasons.
You are out that money, even with a lower interest rate. With a “no
money down” loan, you wouldn’t worry about that losing that money.
What “No Money Down” Means
“No money down” can mean two different things when it comes to
mortgages. With some lenders, “no money down” means that no down payment is
required, but closing costs are. Usually closing costs will equal 3% to 6%
of the loan amount, which equals a couple of thousand.
Other lenders describe home loans where no money, not closing costs or
down payments, is required. Instead, closing costs are included into
the principal amount, usually up to 2% of the loan’s value.
Locating “No Money Down” Lenders
With adverse credit, you will want to shop around for a subprime
lender. Online you can find hundreds of financing companies, many with
competitive financing rates. If you don’t know where to start, check out a
mortgage broker site. They connect to several lenders and can get you
mortgage quotes in minutes. Then expand your search as you come across
lenders.
When you request a loan quote, be sure to select the “no money down”
term. This may mean checking a box or selecting a specific loan term.
Just be certain you know what “no money down” means with each lender
before making a decision about a financing package.
View our recommended lenders for
Poor Credit Mortgage Loans.
Why am I so frustrated?
I’ll tell you why I am so frustrated in two simple words - The
Internet. I frequently go to the Internet to find information,
but once I get there I just don’t know where to start.
Search engines use to work really well when I wanted to find
information on a topic. But these days it’s very likely that you
will get over a million results when you search for information
on any given topic. I’ve even tried narrowing my search to no
avail. Talk about frustrating!
Checking my email is no less frustrating than searching for
information. Spam seems to be the king of the Internet. I
receive email from people and places I’ve never heard of before.
I’ve tried getting new email accounts but the spam seems to
follow me wherever I go. Talk about frustrating!
Then there are those annoying pop-up and pop-under windows that
seem to appear out of nowhere. Who came up with that idea
anyway? Talk about frustrating! Pop-ups do a wonderful job of
diverting my attention away from the information I went to the
website to look for.
Oh. And of course there are those websites that have words and
pictures dancing around to the sound of my favorite tunes. Not!
It’s a shame that in the time it takes for those pages to load,
I can surf to five other sites.
You may wonder why I continue to surf the web if it is truly
such a frustrating experience for me. Better yet, why do I run
an online business if being online is so frustrating?
I’ll tell you why. That’s the price we pay for progress.
I use to wonder why I put myself through the agony and
frustration.
Well, I realized that although the Internet has its definite
pitfalls, the benefits far outweigh the cost. When I look beyond
the frustration to the benefits, I can appreciate its value.
So often in our lives we miss the beauty of the forest because
we are to busy focusing on the giant trees. The giant trees are
the obstacles we must overcome in order to reach our goals.
If we focus on the obstacles (giant trees) in our lives we miss
out on all that life has to offer us. We fail to reach our goals
because of the obstacles that we see standing in our way.
The funny thing about obstacles is that they are not always as
big as we make them seem. In fact, how you look at a situation
determines whether or not it is really an obstacle. A situation
can either be a stumbling block (obstacle) or a stepping stone
(opportunity).
When faced with an unfavorable situation you must make a
conscious decision about how to handle it. Will you treat it as
an obstacle or will you transform it into an opportunity?
Just as I face frustrations in operating an online business
(which was one of my goals), you too will face frustrations in
pursuing your own personal goals. But frustration is the price
that you must pay for progress.