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Most business owners don’t realize the importance of using a
simple business card to generate tons of customers. It simply
does not matter what kind of business you are in, you have to
utilize this primitive business technique in order to grow your
business fast. The three main mistakes people make when
marketing with business cards are:
1. Not having a business card.
2. Being stingy and only giving out one card per person.
3. Not giving a card to every person they come into contact with.
Not having thousands of business cards at your disposal at all
times is not only stupid it is a crime against your business. If
an employee of yours stole as much money from you as you lose
from not utilizing business cards, they would go to prison for a
long time. With today’s super low cost business card printing
prices there is no reason not to have business cards and an
abundance of them for that matter.
I started my professional concrete cutting service business with
absolutely no capital and grossed almost $400,000 in my first
eight months of business. My only means of advertising was
business cards. As many of you already know, it can sometimes
take up to an entire year to get your ad placed into your local
yellow page directory and it can be quite costly to a new
business. The following are techniques that I used to generate
tons of business from business cards and I believe that these
same techniques can benefit any type of business.
1. I started with an eye catching logo and had a design that
really said “this guy is a pro.” It is worth the modest initial
investment to get your cards designed right.
2. I kept my message “short and sweet.” I have seen way too many
people over do it with tons of bulleted text that cause
confusion with the reader. I do concrete cutting and a few other
services that relate to it but my business cards say only
“Concrete Cutting.”
3. I ordered my cards in quantities of 5000 at a time. Too often
do I see new business owners print cards off of their computer
and literally “ration” them off.
4. I never gave out a single card! I always handed out at least
five at a time and sometimes more. I still look at my business
cards as “lottery tickets.” The first job I get from the batch
pays for all of them so the rest can pay off huge. If they get
thrown in the trash - Who cares? There are thousands more where
those came from.
5. Any time I would meet someone in the construction trades I
would hand them a stack of cards. I hand them to people that are
standing next to me in line at the Home Depot or that are
pumping gas across from me at the fuel pumps. I get questions
like “What are these for?” or “What do you want me to do with
these?” and I just simply say “You may not need my services now
but when you do, you’ll know who to call.” At the same time I am
thinking “I don’t care what you do with them, they were
basically free and the fact of the matter is that I get hundreds
of calls from people that say “Remember Me?” “I met you at the
Exxon Station or at parent teacher’s night.” Or “John Smith gave
me your card and said I should call you” yet I have never heard
of John Smith. Or “I’ve got your business card on my desk and I
don’t know where it came from but I need your services.” I
simply hand tons of my business cards out to people and the
calls roll in.
6. I buy a mailing list of contractors from a list broker and I
simply put three business cards in an envelope and mail a
thousand envelopes at a time. I do not put an expensive brochure
or a flyer, I simply put three business cards in and I get
hundreds of calls and referrals from the mailing,
I now get hundreds and hundreds of calls from my existing
customers and my yellow page ads but I still use business cards
more than I ever have. I now have five trucks and seven
employees and giving out business cards in the same fashion as I
have described above is part of their job description. They have
all seen the power of business cards and that business cards
ensure each of our survival and actually gives them a good
feeling knowing that they got a specific customer. If I contact
a new customer and they happen to mention that one of my men did
not give them a stack of business cards then I immediately
contact the employee, ask them if it is true and explain to them
that it is part of their job, then I hand them a big box of
business cards and tell them not to let it happen again, ever.
© Copyright 2005 Affordable Concrete Cutting, Inc.
Buying gifts for the man in your life can sometimes seem like a daunting prospect. If you’re in the dating stage of the relationship, you may be leery about buying him a gift that’s either too personal or too expensive. If you’ve been in a committed relationship or have been married for several years, you run the risk of buying him a gift that’s utilitarian but unimaginative. Even though he may want a new set of drill bits for his birthday, that kind of gift won’t add sparks to your relationship. If you’re mate is a sports fan, though, you can find a number of gifts that communicate your thoughtfulness - particularly if you don’t share his enthusiasm for NASCAR, the NFL, or the NBA. Going to the mall and finding a sports-related gift will communicate that you recognize and respect that sports are important to him.
If he’s a fan of a particular team, a leather jacket with his team’s logo on it would make a perfect gift. While he may not appreciate tickets to the theater, he would certainly treasure tickets to a local major league game. There are also a number of gifts you could buy that would make him more comfortable while he watches the games at home. You could buy him a stadium blanket, a special bowl for his favorite half-time snacks, or a set of mugs so he and his buddies can toss back beverages while they watch the game.
If the man in your life is more of an outdoor sportsman, the range of potential gifts is virtually limitless. A GPS system can help him navigate through the wilderness or to his favorite fishing hole. Binoculars or other surveillance equipment would be welcomed by bird watchers and hunters alike. Although he’s not about to take a stereo with him when he’s roughing it, an MP3 player will keep him company while he’s away. A sportsman also finds that quality pocket knives or hunting knives also come in handy. And whether his idea of outdoor fun is a wilderness adventure or a backyard barbecue, waterproof cameras are always a welcome gift.
When you get your sports fan or sportsman a gift that reflects his interests and hobbies, you’re demonstrating that you understand and support him. Most men would never admit it, but that kind of validation makes him feel appreciated and loved.
While you’re at the mall selecting his gift, you might also want to give some thought to picking up a few items to distract him from the Sunday games. A few pieces of lingerie, a bottle of nice perfume, and some jewelry - pearls, perhaps - might be just the thing to turn his attention to you!
Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web.
Visit this Sports Website and Majon’s Sports directory.
You found the perfect swimsuit and you wear it at the beach. After a few weeks your suit is starting to loose it’s integrity, the bright colors fade, the material is a bit looser around your body, and the fabric forms piles, those tiny ball-shaped pieces of fluff characteristic of an older suit. What did I do wrong you ask? How can you make your bathing suit last longer you ask? Keep reading the following and find out the do’s and don’t’s.
At any time of the year you can wear swimwear, at the beach, pool, backyard sun tanning. To get the most out your swimwear, it really pays to know how to care for them. This article contains information for women and men. Bikini’s, trunks, one piece suits, and all other swimwear.
Even if you follow all of the care instructions, swimwear has a limited life span. If you wear it in chlorinated pools or in hot tubs the life span is much shorter. These suggestions will help your suits live longer and fuller.
The amount of chlorine in any public pool or hot tub is different everywhere. Chemicals are continually being added as they are depleted by use. One day the chemical rating may be very low and be of little threat to your swimsuit. The next day the rating may be very strong and able to do damage to your suit in just one visit.
Before purchasing swimwear, consider what your main uses of it will be. Will you be swimming three times a week, mainly lying in the sun working on your tan, or playing beach volleyball? Different suits are designed for different uses.
Endurance swimuits:
You want an endurance suit if you are swimming regularly in chlorinated pools or spending time in a hot tub. Lap swimmers, those doing water aerobics, or anyone who spends most of their swimsuit time in chlorinated water should look for this type of suit.
Endurance suits are more chlorine resistant than regular suits and will last much longer than conventional swimwear. To do this they usually have a much lower amount of Lycra Spandex. It is the Lycra the breaks down the fastest in chlorine. A suit without Lycra is less stretchy and harder to get on and off, which is why they tend to be less popular.
Activewear Suits:
If you will be running and playing in or out of the water you need a suit designed for these activities. Playing beach volleyball requires jumping and running. This creates bounce. You will need good support and strong straps to hold you. Don’t try to take a bandeau top or a strapless suit and expect it to give you the support a tank suit would.
This is also the style suit you will want if you are doing water aerobics, or other water activities. A tank suit or tankini with good straps that will stay on your shoulders and hold up to vigorous activity, is your best choice.
Sunning suits:
If you will be primarily lying in the sun, working on your tan, you can choose a suit with skinnier straps, or no straps. These suits may be cut low on top and high on the bottom. Sometimes they are made with metallic fabrics or metal grommets, buckles, or other fashion extras. A suit of this type is designed for sunning only, not for swimming.
Try to avoid oil based suntan lotions. Oils are harmful to swimwear elastic and will stain some fabrics. If you occasionally jump into the pool while tanning, try rinsing off under a fresh water shower after being in the pool. The heat of the sun will set the chlorine, eventually weakening the fabric’s fibers.
Here are several tips to help your swimsuit last longer.
• Hand wash in cool water with mild liquid soap (no Woolite). Rinse well.
• Rinse your suit in cool water immediately after swimming.
• Soak your new suit in a mixture of vinegar and water for 30 minutes (1 tablespoon vinegar to 1 quart of water) to slow down fading of bright colors.
• Shower with clear water before going into the pool. If the suit is already saturated with clear water, it will absorb slightly less chlorine.
• Use a suit cleaner, it extends the life of your new suit by neutralizing the leftover pool chemicals that eat at the materials.
• Wash your suits separately until any excess dye washes out. Most suits will bleed a little the first few washings. This is normal, the bleeding will stop.
• Squeeze out excess water.
• Roll up in a clean, lint free, and light-colored or fade resistant towel and squeeze again.
• Hang to air dry. Do not line dry your suit in the sun.
Suit Don’ts:
• Do not sit on the pool edge without using a towel to protect the bottom of your suit. Do not rub the front of your suit along the inner edge of the pool. The Lycra filaments will snag causing them to break. Your suit will begin to have that “pilled” look.
• Do not bleach your suit, iron it, or wash it with whites.
• Do not machine wash or dry. Washing machines and detergents are too harsh and will lead to premature suit breakdown. Excessive dryer heat will destroy your swimsuit.
• Do not leave rolled up in wet towels or in gym bag. Moisture left in your suit for extended periods of time will lead to unwanted odor and suit failure.
Special care instructions:
• Use extra caution with holographic and metallic fabrics, they are very delicate. These suits are for show only. The metallic will eventually wear off.
• Wear only your oldest suit in a hot tub or Jacuzzi. They are the equivalent to putting your suit in a pot of bleach water on the stove and simmering it. No suit will hold up when used in hot tubs, Jacuzzis, or heavily chlorinated pools.
• To remove a stain, work from the underside of the stain to push it out, not rub it in.
• If a suit is spot cleaned, air dry the suit. Then, if the stain isn’t gone, you can treat it again.
High Performance Fabrics:
Many high performance fibers, microfibers and finishes allow the fabric to breathe and to transport moisture away from the skin to the outer surface of the fabric, where it can evaporate. This keeps the wearer dry and comfortable.
With any fabric, one of the best things you can do is read and follow the care instructions on the garment label. Keep aware of different procedures for any of the finishes, linings, insulations, trims, and embellishments on the garment.
• Clean regularly as needed.
• Treat stains quickly, blot don’t rub, as rubbing can make the stain move deeper into the fabric. Check the stain after washing. If the stain remains, try rewashing. Once the garment has been dried in the dryer, the stain is most likely set by the heat.
• Sort and launder items made of natural and manufactured fibers separately. Natural fibers can release oils which can be attracted to and stain manufactured fibers like polyester and nylon.
• Use the delicate cycle for items with spandex ,and for good knits.
• Do not bleach items with Spandex Lycra. Bleach damages the fibers of the Spandex.
• Use a low heat dryer. Fibers such as acrylic, nylon, polyester, and polyolefin dry very quickly, and should be watched closely. Polyolefin can actually melt if the dryer temperature gets too high.
• Fabrics, linings, or insulations could shrink or be otherwise damaged from using too hot a temperature or from leaving garments in the dryer too long. Take items out of the dryer when they’re slightly damp. If they are hot to the touch, you waited too long.
• If care instructions say no fabric softener, do not use it. The material in a fabric softener attaches directly to the fabric and makes the fabric feel softer. However, fabric softeners can buildup over time, and can reduce the ability of the fabric to manage moisture and breathe.
These are all pretty basic rules of swimwear that most people might not know about.
Hope this information helps, and don’t forget to visit my site with gorgeous designer swimwear at swimwearwithelegance.com.
Hi my name is Mark Roberts. The article above is to help in taking good care of a quality bought product. I believe quality is the way to go and myself, I wouldn’t buy anything else but quality. I hope this information helps and feel free to visit any or both of my two quality products sites. The first one at http://www.swimwearwithelegance.com is of course, gorgeous quality womens swimwear. the second one is for both women and men and features over 450 lingerie items, from gowns to costumes, babydolls, underwear, pouches and more.You can find this site at http://www.lingeriewithelegance.com and has once again high quality products at very reasonable prices. Thank you for reading my article and keep looking as beautiful as you are with quality products from H&M Roberts Enterprises.