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Reprintable Article: Permission is granted for the following article to forward, reprint, distribute, use for ezine, newsletter, website, offer as free bonus or part of a product for sale as long as no changes are made and the byline, copyright, and resource box is included. ———————————————————- Use a List-server to Distribute Your Newsletter
By Stephen Bucaro
If you publish an e-newsletter or e-zine, you know that administering your subscriber list is a big chore. To maintain the list, you may be using an email program on your computer or a CGI program on your server. One advantage to maintaining the list yourself is that you know it is not being shared by anyone else.
However, there are four good reasons why you should host your list on a list-server.
1. People can subscribe or unsubscribe from your list automatically with absolutely no work by you.
2. People often subscribe with an email alias or forwarded email account. You send your newsletter to one address, then receive a delivery failure or unsubscribe from an address not on your list. You can’t delete it from your list.
3. People subscribe to the list and then forget that they subscribed. They accuse you of spamming. This can’t be avoided entirely, but if your list is hosted on a list-server, you can respond by saying “all subscribes and unsubscribes are handled automatically by the list server, you have no control of it.”
4. If you plan to sell advertising in your newsletter, most advertisers and advertisement networks will require you to verify your subscriber count. If you maintain the list yourself, the only way you can do that is to share your list with them. You don’t want to do that.
If your list is hosted on a list-server, the number of subscribers is there for all to see, provided by an independent third party.
Choosing a List-server
Many list-servers disappeared in the “.com” bust. The best one, listbot, was bought by Microsoft. It is now called bCentral and costs $30.00 per month. Being a list owner, it is your responsibility to keep your list private. With the well publicized ethical problems at Microsoft, I would not put my subscriber list in their hands.
Most of the lists ended up on Yahoo. They are in the domain http://groups.yahoo.com. I find yahoo groups very complicated to configure. I also worry about Yahoo’s privacy policy. Yahoo Group Help states, “If you use Groups, it is very likely that other users will be able to see your email address.”
http://www.topica.com has the easiest to setup list-server. However, it is primarily a group mailing list application that must be configured correctly to perform the newsletter list function. Topica’s privacy policy states, “The email addresses of participants are partially obscured so they are not obtainable by unauthorized visitors.”
Configuring the List-server
To make a list server function as a newsletter list requires that you modify its default configuration. The following configurations should be set.
1. List Type: Read-only Announcement list. Only the owner of the list can post messages to the list.
2. Subscription: Does not require owner approval for people to join the list.
3. Archive: Readable by subscribers only. If non-subscribers can read the newsletter, why should anyone subscribe?
Using the List Server
Now all you have to do is post your newsletter to the list and it will be delivered to all the subscribers. You will still be required to deal with delivery failures. If the reason for the delivery failure is because the email box no-longer exists, then you should delete that address from your list immediately.
A delivery failure can also occur because the email box is too full, or because the mail server is down. You should establish a policy for dealing with delivery failures. You have three choices.
1. Ignore them and let the number of messages returned because of delivery failure grow to enormous size. Advertisers will not use newsletters if they find out they are paying for a large number of non-deliverable addresses.
2. Delete them immediately. If you do that, you may be removing many subscribers who only have the temporary problems mentioned above.
3. Keep a delivery failure address on your list until it fails three times. After three consecutive delivery failures, it is unlikely that the situation will clear up, so you may as well delete the member.
If you want to publish a quality e-newsletter or e-zine, you need to spend more time working on content and less time administering the subscriber list. For this reason, you should use a list-server application. But make sure that you are comfortable with the operation of the list-server before you commit your valuable subscriber list.
———————————————————- Resource Box:
Copyright(C)2002 Bucaro TecHelp. To learn how to maintain your computer and use it more effectively to design a Web site and make money on the Web visit: http://bucarotechelp.com To subscribe to Bucaro TecHelp Newsletter Send a blank email to bucarotechelp-subscribe@topica.com
Stephen Bucaro is the webmaster at bucarotechelp.com
Fans of Genndy Tartakovsky’s “Samurai Jack,” which wrapped last year on the Cartoon Network, enjoy the quirky storytelling and stunning visuals, also the martial arts sequences. Naturally, it was only a matter of time before the online gaming industry turned the time-traveling samurai’s adventures into video games.
I haven’t tried any of the games available for gaming console systems, confining my efforts instead to Cartoon Network’s own Web Site. Its Games section features six games based on “Samurai Jack,” including “The Way of the Warrior,” in which the young samurai trains through several simulations for his eventual battle with the shape-shifting evil sorcerer Aku (deliciously voiced by veteran actor Mako in the series and console games).
The other games invariably feature Jack battling Aku’s minions–robots, beetle insects, and the like. Two of the games feature a final showdown with Aku.
“Code of the Samurai” was a tie-in with a Samurai Jack marathon, so when you access the game, the interface asks you “Enter Code or Play.” I advise pushing Play since the original marathon was two years ago.
Once you get into the game, you have to fight through three treacherous levels before you even get to Aku.
The first level features crumbling ledges, motorized spikes, machine-gun fire as you ride rock lifts up mountains, and of course, the inevitable baddies waiting to attack you. Tip: When riding the rock lifts, duck and jump to avoid the machine gun fire. Seize the opportunity when the second lift descends or ascends close to the lift you’re on, otherwise you’ll have to avoid the gunfire until the lift comes back within reach. The level features two lift challenges, all with a computerized attacker waiting at the top of the cliff.
The creatures on all three levels are adversaries that fans of “Samurai Jack” will recognize: zombie warriors, Terminator-style robots who look like they have baskets on their heads, and Aku’s minions that turn into vapor when you attack them.
Tip: Try whenever possible to hit the targets with a good quick thrust of Jack’s katana. The game says other weapons are available to Jack, but for some reason you only see him use his katana. Go slow and time your attacks so that the targets can’t hit you first.
Jack gets five “lives,” and you can see the red meter slowly shrink as he is bombarded with digital mayhem. Try to at least hold on to the fourth “life” when getting to the second level. After you clear each level the “life” you’re currently on is replenished (Jack must have been drinking his trademark green tea.) When you get to the third level, try to keep at least three “lives,” although you can get away with two. You need at least two to have a chance during the final skirmish with Aku.
At the end of the first two levels you do battle with a giant adversary more powerful than the others: a skeleton warrior on the first, a basket-head warrior on the second. The good news is you can watch its “life” meter and track your progress on defeating it.
The second level is filled with gears running amuck to mow you down, blades slashing at you, and on all three levels you run the risk of falling in slime or on sharp spikes, which make you lose a life. Tip: Time your jumps to avoid the gears, but don’t get too jumpy, otherwise you fall into the slime.
The third level features spikes, moving platforms and even wider jumps, if that’s possible. Tip: The vapor demons can appear anywhere and are more poweerful than the adversaries in the first two levels. But this workout is just practice, flexing your muscles for the clash with Aku.
The final stage features ledges that sink into lava–you have to jump fast before you fall in. The computerized Aku is quite impressive, and just as in the series, flies off several times before Jack can deliver the final blow. But be brave, be steadfast, be victorious, and you, gamer, will defeat the evil scourge! The conclusion to the game is satisfying and delivers the anticipated emotional payoff.
Play your destiny now at http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/games/adventure/samjack/codeofsamurai/index.html
Movie reviewer/screenwriter Kristin Johnson composes personalized poems, speeches, toasts, vows, and family memories. Visit http://www.poemsforyou.com to order your personalized memories. She is also co-author of the Midwest Book Review “enthusiastically recommended” pick Christmas Cookies Are For Giving: Stories, Recipes and Tips for Making Heartwarming Gifts (ISBN: 0-9723473-9-9). A downloadablemedia kit is available at our Web site, http://www.christmascookiesareforgiving.com, or e-mail the publisher (info@tyrpublishing.com) to receive a printed media kit and sample copy of the book. More articles available at http://www.bakingchristmascookies.com
The Net is a great place to learn about anything from aardvarks to zucchini. And while this information superhighway creates a great opportunity to discover new things, it comes as a bit of a double-edged sword. From day one it was inevitable that “Information Overload” would creep into the equation, and it has.
People are simply bombarded with information and too much of a good thing can be bad. This trend will continue to grow, and if you’re doing business on the web you need consider solutions. Not only for your own peace of mind, but for your customers.
Here are some tips that will help you to:
1. Locate information quickly on the web and in your email. 2. Make your website a safe haven for frazzled web surfers. 3. Make sure each issue of your ezine gets read.
LOCATING KEY INFORMATION:
o When searching the web, use effective search techniques.
Instead of bouncing from engine to engine, use a multi- search engine like Dogpile or Metacrawler. They are ideal for finding things in a hurry. It’s also a good idea to take two minutes and learn the Boolean search terms. A quick explanation is at http://www.newsbank.com/whatsnew/boolean/. Boolean searches result in more relevant returns so you’ll find what you’re looking for faster.
o Use your email program as a powerful archive.
This is as simple as saving EVERY email message you ever send. A program like Eudora is ideal for this. Simply create a mailbox called outgoing archive and rather than deleting old outgoing messages, transfer them all to this mailbox. People are amazed when you “recall” conversations you had with them years before. What you’re really doing is using the powerful search tools that scan years of old messages in seconds. You can find conversations, old passwords, business deals and any other detail in just seconds.
MAKE YOUR WEBSITE A SAFE HAVEN FOR FRAZZLED SURFERS:
At your website…
o Tell your visitors why they should stay, as soon as they arrive!
Don’t make your visitors guess what your site will do for them. Prominently display a reason for them to stick around. Most successful sites go as far describing their site content right in their URL, so visitors know what to expect BEFORE they get to the site. If your URL doesn’t do that, consider getting a few domains that do, then redirect them to your main site. Try this wizard if you’re looking for a great new domain name or two: www.bizweb2000.com/wizard
Once your visitor has arrived, get them to the most popular areas of your site without delay. You have less than 20 seconds to make an impression. Most visitors will be gone if they have not found something of value within that time frame.
o Ask for a visitors email address as soon as they arrive.
The very next thing you should do is ask visitors for their email address. They’ll love you for giving them a way to stay in touch and your business will grow endlessly. Not asking right away was a mistake I was making for years. A recent adjustment at my home page has resulted in DOUBLE the number of subscribers to my newsletter each day. Consider this one-two punch of attention grabbing and address grabbing as critical to your long-term success.
o Be brief.
Nearly everything you write at your site can be said with half the words. Remember, paragraphs that are longer than 60 words are too long, particularly on your main page. (This little paragraph is 60 words!) A wall of text scares web surfers away. Stick to the point. Use bulleted lists if you can, they make for an easier read.
CHANGES TO CONSIDER IN YOUR EZINE:
o Describe each issue in the subject line.
I learned this lesson personally. My own readership increased when I stopped naming each issue “BizWeb Gazette” and started telling my readers what each issue contained, right in the subject line. Don’t wait to get your readers attention. Grab it BEFORE they decide whether or not to open your message. Take a few minutes to name each issue with a subject that you yourself would be interested in. It should be intriguing and relevant to your subscribers.
o Shorten your newsletter.
I see more and more publishers streamlining their e- publications. In this age of information overload, less is sometimes more. When subscribers have 100 messages waiting in their inbox it is hard to set aside 15 minutes to read one newsletter. Try to publish something that can be devoured in five minutes or less. A good rule of thumb is to keep it under 20k in size. Your readers will be more likely to read it from top to bottom and you’ll earn a faithful following.
Tip by Jim Daniels of JDD Publishing. Did you find this tip helpful? There’s plenty more like this at Jim’s website, www.bizweb2000.com … For Weekly Online Marketing Help, get Jim’s Free BizWeb E-Gazette! mailto:freegazette@bizweb2000.com or visit http://www.bizweb2000.com right now!
There are many recipes that you can take full advantage of to help you to score the big fish. Why not make the bait at home on your own? Here are just a couple of the options that you have in fish bait recipes.
Salmon Eggs: How To Cure Them
There are several fish that this will work well for. If you are after largemouth bass, salmon, lake trout or muskellunge, you’ll love to use these because they will give you good results. Here’s a step by step to help you.
- When cleaning your salmon, keep the egg sacs intact.
- Cover a large flat surface that you can easily move with borax.
- Cut the egg sacs across the membrane about three to four inches and lay them at least one inch apart on the borax.
- Sprinkle more borax on top and make sure they are all covered.
- Move them to an area with good circulation that is also sheltered. You do not want them in any sunlight or in any way getting wet.
- Allow them to dry for two or three days and turn them about every twelve hours.
- Shake off the excess borax and place them in plastic bags for storage. You can use them when they are completely dry.
Or How About Some Cheese Bait?
You can use this type of homemade bait to catch carp, chub, bream and catfish. Here’s what you need to do.
- Roll out about ten ounces of pie pastry on your counter top.
- Use mature cheddar flavor cheese to smear on the pastry.
- Add six ounces of grated cheddar cheese and four ounces of blue cheese crumbles that are finely ground.
- Fold that pastry over so that it is completely covering the cheese. Then, roll it out again.
- Do this several times until the pastry and the cheese are completely combined.
- Form into a large ball and knead it.
- Place some cheddar cheese bits into the bottom of a plastic bag then place the cheese ball into it as well. Freeze it.
- Once thawed the consistency is perfect and it will have a good cheese smell to it. Roll it into small balls and store in an air tight container. You can then use them next time you head out.
Who said you couldn’t make your own great baits for your favorite catch? This is a great way to get some of the best baits for next to nothing as well. Go ahead and give it a try. You would be surprised how well these work.
Niall is a keen fisherman always looking at new tools to help him catch more fish. Visit Fish Finder Review for more information and great deals to help you find a fish finder or other GPS and Sonar marine navigation systems. http://www.fish-finder-review.com
This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact. All rights reserved. Copyright Fish-Finder-Review.com
The satellite TV systems and services offered by DirecTV and Dish Network are almost identical — both offer more than 250 program channels, all-digital programming, HDTV (high definition TV) options, and DVR (digital video recording) capabilities.
So when you compare DirecTV to Dish Network you’ll discover the biggest differences between them are the subscription fees and programming.
Here is a blow-by-blow comparison of DirecTV vs. Dish Network …
Satellite TV Equipment
<> Direct TV offers free satellite TV equipment (the dish and receivers), and free installation in up to four rooms of your home. If you want a DVR receiver you will be charged an additional $49.99. The charge for HDTV receivers is $299.99.
<> Dish Network gives you free satellite TV equipment and free installation in up to four rooms of your home. You can get a DVR receiver or an HDTV receiver at no charge.
Satellite TV Programming
<> DirecTV offers 255 program channels, including movie channels, music channels, pay-per-view movies and events, sports packages, and international programming. Programming packages start at $41.99 per month for 115 channels.
<> Dish Network offers 256 program channels, including movie channels, music channels, pay-per-view movies and events, sports packages, and international programming. Programming packages start at $31.99 per month for 60 channels.
Customer Service
<> DirecTV has excellent customer service with 24/7 online support, and 24/7 toll-free telephone support.
<> Dish Network also has excellent customer service with 24/7 online support, and 24/7 toll-free telephone support.
Customer Satisfaction
<> DirecTV is ranked #2 in customer satisfaction among all the cable and satellite TV providers.
<> Dish Network is ranked #1 in customer satisfaction among all the cable and satellite TV providers.
The Bottom Line
Both DirecTV and Dish Network offer top-of-the-line satellite TV equipment and all-digital programming for the best picture and sound available.
Dish Network’s basic programming package is cheaper than DirecTV’s, but DirecTV’s Total Choice has a more channels.
Dish Network has more movie packages and foreign programming, while DirecTV offers more sports packages.
About the Author
Brian Stevens is a professional freelance writer and webmaster who has written extensively on DirecTV and Dish Network. Click the following link for more information on DirecTV vs. Dish Network.
An 11 year old kid in Britain recently got caught selling adult DVDs on school grounds (at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/south_west/4678869.stm). When I first read this, three thoughts immediately went through my mind, in quick succession. The first thought was, although what the kid did was wrong, did they have to make a federal case out of it? I did some big, regrettable things as an adolescent in school. But I would have been mortified if those things had made the neighborhood gossip ring, much less received national media attention from the likes of the BBC.
My second, and gut-level response was a somewhat typical male, “Boys will be boys.” Then I started wondering: what is this situation trying to tell us? If there ever was a sign that porn was too accessible, especially as far as kids were concerned, this was it.
The reason I say this is because this story (about the kid selling DVDs) somewhat coincided with two other announcements. The first was the revelation - at least on a grander level anyway, I’m sure a select few people had known for a while - that the video game Grand Theft Auto San Andreas contained hidden elements and mini-games of a pornographic nature which could be accessed by obtaining certain modifications on the net (http://www.katu.com/entertainment/story.asp?ID=78361). (I’d tell you the website for the modifications, but I’d actually like you to finish reading this article…:)) This game was hip among teenage boys to begin with. The discovery of hidden porn might push it over the top, even if it’s just by kids who want to know and confirm that the rumors of porn are true.
The second announcement was that adult movie houses in Japan have released or are soon to release porn movies for the Playstation Portable (PSP) (http://www.digitmag.co.uk/news/index.cfm?NewsID=4984). It seems that the production of adult movies in the PSP-exclusive Universal Media Disc (UMD) format has not started in the US - yet.
Now I’m not saying that if/when the widespread availability of adult UMDs becomes a reality, these discs will by and large be sold side-by-side with the more mainstream video games. Not even alongside those rated M and above. But there will be acceptions: such as video games being sold in an otherwise adult-themed boutique or shop. And also, you know there will be the occasional unscrupulous store owner who attempts to make the adult discs available to underage gamers who shop in his mainstream gaming store.
Teenagers, by their very nature, are an inquisitive lot and they will do what you allow them to get away with. They often try to grow up way too fast and they are quite curious to know about sex. They’re prone to peer pressure, and for better or worse, they try to fit in or impress their friends or both. They will try to get their hands on the coolest items.
The fact that these items (both the game and the gaming system) are somewhat connected to porn, which at that stage in a teen’s life is a somewhat taboo (read hip and desirable) subject, is only going to make that item more wanted. (I guess in a way then that the producers of such software are marketing geniuses. Although I’d like to think that none of those producers were targeting minors from the start.)
Did the folks over at Rockstar Games honestly think they could make a mainstream video game, M-rated (for mature) though it is (so the producers could claim that they’ve covered their asses), and not have kids get there hands on the game in addition to seeking out codes for that game? My brother, while in his mid-teens, received a copy of Max Payne as a gift (another Rockstar Games production, by the way) - this is a notoriously M-rated game also, but at least it didn’t contain adult material.
Also, I’m an avid video game player in my spare time so I troll gaming boards all the time looking for cheating codes and special “Easter eggs” (gaming extras); and believe me, I’m not the only one looking. I have to question why the security for the gaming code is so lax and hack-prone in the first place.
Listen, we all know that if a kid is determined enough, he will find porn on his own. But we don’t have to make it so accessible and portable. It’s bad enough that porn is now accessible on cell phones. As prevalent and affordable as cell phones are, the average age of kids getting cells now is getting lower and lower. Parents can afford to outfit the entire family (kids included) with cells so everyone can keep in touch.
At least, if you were to whip out a portable dvd player or laptop to view a porn dvd in public, that would arouse some interest (perhaps even from potential thieves…). But viewing porn on your cell, without anyone looking directly over your shoulder (and assuming no one can hear the moans), is no more conspicuous than reading the newspaper.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing inherently illegal in putting out porn discs in game software format or producing adult material in adult games that are explicitly slated for adults only. But software producers should take it under advisement not to make it any easier than it has to be for kids to obtain porn. Especially if said porn is contained in such boast-worthy items as a high-tech cell-phone, the latest hip video game, and a popular gaming console.
If these items were gasoline (and they just might cost less than the latter nowadays), the average underage teen fascination with sex is just the spark that’s needed to make the situation blowup in a content developer’s face.
About the author:
The author is affiliated with http://www.sex-toys-videos.comand writes regular porn and sex toy articles for his blog page at http://www.buyadultxxxhardcoredvdandsextoy.com/sexblog
It all happened at the beach, few months ago. My uncles, my dad and myself were in a conversation, which quite amazingly resulted in talking about Mars. Being the family’s astronomy expert, I pointed to the red dot in the sky. My uncles looked up and laughed afterwards.
“Just because we’re nuts in astronomy, doesn’t mean we are idiots!”
Well they were idiots in this particular case. Mars was truly there; up in the night sky. The second time I tilted my head 75o backwards however, I saw a faint spot of light moving from right to left. I realised that the object must be some gigameters away and yet it was moving extremely fast. Within 15 seconds, it had passed out of sight! I thought that I was the only one who saw the white little dot sprinting but no! Dad had seen it too and this was proof (to me) that I was not ‘night’ dreaming (unless he was too).
I could’ve written major article about that sighting: UFO sighting in Mauritius. I could’ve phoned or emailed or faxed (or any other communication tool you know-ed) the CIA, NASA and SETI. But I didn’t. Although I believe in extraterrestrial life, I find it tough to have faith in ‘flying saucers’.
Nevertheless, I connected to the internet (my bill usually approach the $37 mark per month) and searched for UFO on Google.mu. I came up with different results namely an article entitled ‘The UFO Phenomenon’. It is in this article that I learnt what exactly was a UFO besides being an acronym for Unidentified Flying Object. But how do we know that what we have just seen is a UFO?
‘An Unidentified Flying Object is anything seen in air or briefly on the ground that looks like an unfamiliar object and still cannot be identified after the report has been studied by scientifically qualified persons.’
Searching for the UFO’s definition was the first step in checking whether that white dot I saw was really a UFO. The second step was to actually examine the components of the definition and ask myself the following questions:
A UFO is anything seen in air or briefly on the ground that looks like an unfamiliar object…
Was that thing I saw familiar? No, so till there that white little dot is a UFO!
…and still cannot be identified after the report has been studied by scientifically qualified persons
Well I didn’t phone anybody qualified in science because… I knew that that thing I saw up in the sky must’ve been a satellite from the quasi-start. No UFO then.
But is it really important to prove whether UFOs exist or not? I don’t think so. Of course if a true UFO is discovered, this would mean that intelligent life does exist elsewhere but do you really think we will accept that fact? Or will the military decide to bombard the ‘flying saucer’?
Well it’s fortunate that I didn’t phone the CIA, NASA or SETI . Because I would have received some severe cranial injuries due to the broomstick assaults!
K.A.Cassimally is the editor in chief of Astronomy Journal and Astronomy Journal Ezine. He is also the co-founder of the RCPL Astronomy Club. K.A.Cassimally is best known for his article ‘Harry Potter and the Moons of Jupiter’.
He is also Senior Columnist at BackWash.com where he writes ‘Not Scientific Science’.
http://www.backwash.com/content.php?id=358
If you have been attempting to do business online then more than likely you have tried free ad sites, banner exchange programs or perhaps even spam.
Spam, of course, is a big no-no but all other forms of online advertising will bring various degrees of success.
However, the very best form of online advertising is Ezine and Newsletter Advertising.
Why?
Because Ezines and Newsletters are read by people that have requested to receive those publications.
Those people read those ezines and newsletters because they are about a subject that is important to them.
A review of newsletter and ezine directories will yield a wealth of online publications that will cover just about every conceivable subject.
No matter what your product or service, you are bound to find an online publication that already has subscribers who will fit your niche or target audience.
Here are just a few of those directories that all together house several tens of thousands of online publications:
The Newsletter Access Searchable Directory Houses over 5000 Newsletters http://www.newsletteraccess.com/
Newsletter Directory
Houses almost 2000 newsletters http://www.newsletter-directory.com/
Ezine-Directory - Email Newsletter Directory Houses approximately 8000 publications http://ezine-universe.com/
EzinesPlus - Ezine and Newsletter Directory Has over 500 publications listed http://ezinesplus.com/links/
EzineHub - The Newsletter Directory & Search Engine Houses approximately 2000 publications http://www.ezinehub.com/
John Labovitz’s Ezine List No longer maintained but still houses over 4000 publications http://www.meer.net/~johnl/e-zine-list/
List Tool
Has about 1000 publications listed http://listtool.com/
You can find even more by doing a keyword search at your favorite Search Engine or Directory.
When you get ready to run your ad in any online publication, you can significantly improve your rate of return if you incorporate some of the following principles in your ad copy:
1. Target Your Audience.
You will not have much success selling air conditioners to Eskimos. Find Ezines and Newsletters that are read by people who would be most interested in your product or services. Those publications have your niche or target audience.
2. Track Your Ads.
Tracking ads is not important if you are only running one ad copy in one publication.
However, it becomes essential if you are running two different ads for the same product or service and those two ads are running in several different publications.
If you do not track your ads, you will not know which publication or which ad copy is pulling in the greatest results.
Don’t know how to track your online ads?
Send a blank email to our Auto-Responder to learn some easy techniques to track your online advertising: mailto:track_ads@emailexchange.org
3. Multiple Ad Exposures.
Do NOT expect much response if you only run your ad copy one time. Research and my own personal experience shows that running your ad copy on the Internet at least 8 times will bring you the greatest returns.
Email the publisher that you plan to use about discounts on their ad prices when you run your ad copy multiple times. Most will give you a good discount rate.
4. ALWAYS Include An Email Contact.
My experience is that your ad response rate will increase by as much as 50% if you simply include an email contact address in your ad copy.
Also include your URL in the ad copy but adding your email address gives those responding to your ad the option of using what works best for them.
Besides, you can not follow-up with visitors to your web site but you can with those that request your information by email.
5. Stress Your Benefits.
Forget about describing your product or service. Instead, stress what your product or service will do for your prospects.
Will it save them money? Save them time? Make their life easier?
Benefits will sell your product or service.
Offer something free in your ad copy. It’ll often tip the balance between a response and no response.
6. Keep Your Ad Short.
Your ad copy should inform, entice, tease or make your prospects curious for more information. The shorter your ad copy, the more likely it will get read and responded.
Follow these few tips and your ezine and newsletter ads Will bring you successful results and good response.
A.T. Rendon is an entrepreneur and published writer. Subscribe to FREE Business Classifieds Newsletter & receive FREE online access to our Password Protected “FREE Submit To Over 2.7 MILLION FREE Ad Sites!” mailto:subscribe_fbcn9@emailexchange.org Visit us at: http://emailexchange.org/?Articles
Sometimes there is just no way to gather everyone together in one place. Perhaps you are having a shower for friends and family locally, but she has many others who are scattered in different locations. Obviously, it would be best if any out of town guests could attend.
If possible, the shower should be scheduled so that it is possible for them to be present, but if there is no way to accomplish this, there are still a few things you can do.
One option is a videotape shower. This means that those family members and friends who are at another location actually host a separate shower. They can designate someone to be the “mommy-to-be”, and that person can open the presents and act in the place of the real mommy-to-be (a pillow under the shirt is optional). There should be cake and games, just like any other shower. The shower is videotaped and then given to the mother-to-be. The tape can either be sent directly to her and viewed at her leisure, or if an in-person shower is being held, it would be a nice touch for the tape to be presented and perhaps even viewed at the “live” shower. It would also be thoughtful to make sure that you tape the live shower and send it back home to the friends and family who are unavailable.
Recently, a high-tech option has become available in the form of online showers. Invitations are sent, and live chat rooms are available. There are message boards and online games. While it certainly won’t soon replace the fun of sitting in a room together any time soon, it provides an opportunity for sharing in the excitement of the pregnancy when gathering together is not possible.
Another high-tech option is setting up a live video feed on a computer. If you have a computer and a web camera, and there is one available in the out of town location, it would be fun if out of town friends and family could gather together while the local shower is being held. They could either hold a simultaneous shower (similar to the videotape shower) or send their gifts to the local shower and be “present” for the opening. If games are going to be played, any handouts should be sent to the out of town guests, so that they can “participate”, as well. Perhaps they could even serve the same food.
Friends and family are so important in the life of a woman expecting a baby. Providing an opportunity for them to be present in some way for her shower is probably the best gift that you could give her. If at all possible, find a way to involve those who can’t be physically present.
About the Author
Jill Manty is a stay at home and co-owner of www.delightfulchild.com, an online business dedicated to providing information about baby showers, breastfeeding, and natural parenting.
This article can be reproduced in whole or in part, providing this byline is included along with a link to: http://www.delightfulchild.com/baby_shower.htm
How to Beat Roulette with A Simple 3 Point System
Many players try to beat roulette by buying a “sure fire” roulette system for money. These systems promise consistent gains and to make the buyer rich and beat roulette consistently. Of course, the reality does not match the hype and these systems are ALL doomed to failure.
You can beat roulette, but it does not involve buying a system, more of that later. For now, lets look at why a mathematical roulette system cannot work.
Roulette Systems
In roulette, each spin of the roulette wheel is totally random. Let’s say that the colour red has come up twice in succession. The odds of this number coming up on the next spin are no greater or worse than if the number had not come up in 100, 500 or 1,000 spins previous spins, the odds still remain 50% - 50%.
All spins of the roulette wheel are independent of each other and totally unrelated to the previous spin history. As the outcome of the spin is unrelated to any other, roulette is a game of pure chance.
A mathematical system in roulette that promises consistent gains is a contradiction in terms, because if you have no reliable historical data, mathematical formulas are useless.
In mathematics, you know what is definitely going to happen, in roulette you have the exact opposite you never know what is going to happen!
Your Own Simple 1 - 2 - 3 Roulette System!
For games of chance like roulette, the best a player can do is to wager on bets having the lowest casino advantage and to find the right type of roulette table.
Once you have done this, you have put the odds as much in your favour as possible. Here are three simple steps to help you beat roulette.
Rule 1: Play European
The European version has 37 slots with a single 0; the American version has an extra slot, a 00 to make 38.
The house advantage is 2.7% For European and 5.26% for the American table. Simple - play European!
Rule 2: Avoid These Bets
These include all single number bets, because these types of bets have large disparities between odds of success and payouts.
Always avoid the five number bet, it has the worst odds on the table.
Rule 3: Bets to Place
Use bets whose odds are near to their payouts.
These “even money” bets include betting on Even, Odd, Low, (numbers 1 through 18), High, (numbers 19 through 36), Red, or Black.
These bets pay out odds of 1 : 1. With these bets, you’ll find your odds of winning win are 45% making it a very low risk way to bet.
Finally, look for a European single-zero wheel that offers a rule called ‘en prison.’ If you make even money bet and the ball lands on zero, you don’t lose your bet. Instead, your bet is ‘imprisoned’, and you let it ride until the next spin. If your bet wins, you can remove it. The house edge here is cut in half and is just 1.35% making it the best bet of all.
The above simple guidelines will help you beat roulette and will outperform any mathematical system.
Keep in mind, that roulette is a game of chance and the most you can do is put the odds in your favour as much as possible and enjoy the game and maybe some healthy profits.
About the Author
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