7 Ways to Drive Laser-Targeted Traffic

An affiliate marketer may have all the things needed for him to be able to succeed in a business such as affiliate marketing. He may have the necessary drive, diligence and perseverance to be able to understand how the system works. He may have all the tools necessary in maintaining the business, including a really unique and interesting website which could earn him a fortune if only the whole world could see it. However, all these would prove useless if he does not know how to drive traffic to his website. His business would sink into oblivion together with all the sales, fortune and dreams that he might have realized if he only knew how to do this particular task.

Getting people who matter to see ones website is a difficult undertaking if he tries to consider the fact that there are rivals everywhere waiting to pin him down. The immensity of the internet as well as the affiliate marketing world has given birth to the fierce competition between affiliate marketers, each of whom has his own great product to offer. With all the websites piling on top of each other, how would one be able to stand out The seven best ways to drive laser-targeted traffic to ones own website would help those who are bent on sticking it out with this business wherever it is bound to take them.

The first step in inserting traffic to ones website is by relying on hunt engines and what on earth they can do for the affiliate marketer interested. Since they are ordinary for infusing gratis targeted business, they should not be brushed aside by all device. Inducing top find engine rankings is monolithic in building popularity links, and the use of the accurately keywords is primary in realizing this goal. While a online page is on top of the calendar, it is only accessible to a big shot who needs to see it for himself.

The sec way in shooting business to ones online page is by contacting esoteric webmasters for a that you can think of link exchange partnership. Ascertaining online pages that are appropriate to ones own online page is the indispensable duty. Once there, he should be able to find out conversation by personalizing all as a good deal of as that you can think of. It is afterward possible to type mutual link exchanges between webmasters whichever way the affiliate marketer prefers.

The third way is by way of scripting ones own articles. This is an successful way in promoting a web page, for suitable content that are cherished by readers will direct themselves to talk to the writers vastly own website out of sheer notice.

The fourth way is by the use of joint task commercial. This is one of the more successful ways of publicizing a variety or a facility. Having a associate via ad reinstate or link exchange is apposite to both parties as it allows themselves to reach a wide customer base in a curtest amount of epoch.

The fifth is using linking affiliate programs. Producing affiliates to do the book means granting each other to transport plenty of business to a website. Skyrocketing sales may possibly be realized as a end result, and both the affiliate and the web page owner will vantage like the situation.

The sixth is by causing a schedule of subscribers that one can refer to every so all the time, because they are those which would reveal to be valuable real estate for the marketer attracted. The use of autoresponders and personalized newsletters is one way of keeping chase of themselves all, and holding on to one another by leaving them know almost new products and services is an the whole story job that should be realized by the affiliate marketer attracted.

The seventh is by knowing ones advertise using and via. It is elementary for trade to be targeted to those who might pass through a really extraordinary concentration in the theme or issue of ones online page. This way, a solid purchaser base is pouring to be constructed. As a potential client shows an notice in a defined website by paying it a discuss with, one must not wasteland period in aiming to appear him that his struggle is expenditure it.

Commerce developing strategies are core in striving to type ones affiliate marketing line of business inch transports. It is frequently befitting to agenda ones moves in any affair that he could seek. This is specially so in affiliate advertisement. If one knows how to get staff to see what on earth he has to offer, afterward he is on the accurately trail.


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Refinancing - When Its A Mistake To Refinance

Many homeowners make the mistake of thinking re-financing is always a viable option. However, this is not true and homeowners can actually make a significant financial mistake by re-financing at an inopportune time. There a couple of classic example of when re-financing is a mistake.

This occurs when the homeowner does not stay in the property long enough to recoup the cost of re-financing and when the homeowner has had a credit score which has dropped since the original mortgage loan. Other examples are when the interest rate has not dropped enough to offset the closing costs associated with re-financing.

Recouping the Closing Costs
In determining whether or not re-financing is worthwhile the homeowner should determine how long they would have to retain the property to recoup the closing costs.

This is significant especially in the case where the homeowner intends to sell the property in the near future. There are re-financing calculators readily available which will provide homeowners with the amount of time they will have to retain the property to make re-financing worthwhile.

These calculators require the user to enter input such as the balance of the existing mortgage, the existing interest rate and the new interest rate and the calculator return results comparing the monthly payments on the old mortgage and the new mortgage and also supplies information about the amount of time required for the homeowner to recoup the closing costs.

When Credit Scores Drop
Most homeowners believe a drop in interest rates should immediately signal that it is time to re-finance the home. However, when these interest rates are combined with a drop in the credit score for the homeowner, the resulting re-financed mortgage may not be favorable to the homeowner.

Therefore homeowners should carefully consider their credit score at the present time in comparison to the credit score at the time of the original mortgage. Depending on the amount interest rates have dropped, the homeowner may still benefit from re-financing even with a lower credit score but it is not likely.

Homeowners may take advantage of free re-financing quotes to get an approximate understanding of whether or not they will benefit from re-financing.

Have the Interest Rates Dropped Enough
Another common mistake homeowners often make in regard to re-financing is re-financing whenever there is a significant drop in interest rates. This can be a mistake because the homeowner must first carefully evaluate whether or not the interest rate has dropped enough to result in an overall cost savings for the homeowners.

Homeowners often make this mistake because they neglect to consider the closing costs associated with re-financing the home. These costs may include application fees, origination fees, appraisal fees and a variety of other closing costs.

These costs can add up quite quickly and may eat into the savings generated by the lower interest rate. In some cases the closing costs may even exceed the savings resulting from lower interest rates.

Re-Financing Can Be Beneficial Even When It is a Mistake
In reality re-financing is not always the ideal solution, but some homeowners may still opt for re-financing even when it is technically a mistake to do so. This classic example of this type of situation is when a homeowner re-finances to gain the benefit of lower interest rates even though the homeowner winds up paying more in the long run for this re-financing option.

This may occur when either the interest rates drop slightly but not enough to result in an overall savings or when a homeowner consolidates a considerable amount of short term debt into a long term mortgage re-finance.

Although most financial advisors may warn against this type of financial approach to re-financing, homeowners sometimes go against conventional wisdom to make a change which may increase their monthly cash flow by reducing their mortgage payments. In this situation the homeowner is making the best possible decision for his personal needs.


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What Type of Laptop Case Is Perfect for Working Women

Many women purchase their laptop bags based on appearance. While the appearance of the case is indeed important, it is secondary to the performance of the bag. As a professional woman, you need a bag that gets the job done. If it happens to match your favorite suit or pair of shoes, that is great. But you must choose a bag based on features first.

One of the most important features you will need to look at is the size of the bag. Women do not generally like oversized bags, but a laptop bag is one bag that really needs a little extra size. You need to know the size of your laptop. If you have a 17 inch laptop, you will need a 17 inch case. It wont fit inside a standard bag. Most laptop bags are made for laptops that are 15 inch or smaller.

You will also need to be sure all of your accessories will fit inside. Although the length and width are important, the depth of the bag is also very important. You may not like bulky bags, but your bag is not going to do a lot for you if you can not fit everything you need inside it.

You probably will not be carrying your laptop only. Most people will also be carrying accessories like a mouse, external hard drives, USB accessories, and an AC adaptor. You may also want to carry other items like books, note pads, pens, magazines, and other items you may need for work or personal use.

You will probably also want to look at the organization features. Some laptop bags only have a few pockets, and this can make it difficult to keep your items organized. Your bag is not going to be very useful if you can not find what you need when you need it.

The material is another important consideration. You may be tempted to buy a bag because you like the color or pattern, but it is much more important to choose a bag that is made of material that is both durable and protective. Your laptop bag will serve not only to help you transport your computer, but also protect it from being scratched or jolted.

Materials like plastic and vinyl may not be very durable. These materials tend to crack and split, especially on the handles. If your handles or straps break, your computer could fall and suffer serious damage. You should choose a more durable material, like leather.

You should also check out the quality of things like the seams, especially at the straps and zippers. You should be sure the zippers move well, snaps stay closed securely, and the straps and handles are not too stiff. Stiff straps tend to become damaged easily, and may break.

Of course you will still want to choose a bag that you will like. It may be difficult to find a bag that has the right combination of features and style, so you may have to shop around. Many people find it is easier to shop online because of the wider selection, and prices are often cheaper online. Even when you take shipping into consideration, you can still get better prices online n many cases.

You do not have to limit yourself to laptop bags, either. You could also find a large designer handbag you like a lot and use that. If you believe you can fit all of your items into it in an organized way, any bag you like will work. So you do not necessarily have to limit yourself. Just find a bag that works for you and has the right features you need.


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Reasons To Use An Exhibition Stand Designer

In today's exhibitions there are very large amounts of different types of stand your business can adopt to show off its potential and selling capability. Many different stands can accommodate different businesses needs such as computing software or live demonstrations. This allows the business to show off their abilities to a maximum to the public and attract the people over to the businesses stand.

If you do not manage to attract the attention of the possible clients at the show then you are losing potential customers. Many of the stand designers will ask the business how they want the stand to be set up with emphasis on any particular features. Then there is the positioning of the stand within the exhibition. For example, you do not want your number one competitor set up right next to your stand.

This means they have the potential to attract more customers than you and you will subsequently lose business. With all these points in mind the stand designers will construct the stand to the businesses specifications and include any features that the company may need such as running electricity or installing a seating area.

Many new exhibition stand designers will invite businesses to see their stand in prototype form before it is shipped off to the exhibition. This allows the company to identify and change anything that they are not happy with and can ask any questions that they are not sure about. Before the stand is built most designers will provide the company with sketches and drawings of the stand that they requested. This is another opportunity to change anything that is not right before the stand goes into construction.

With public exhibitions growing and growing more people are attending and competing business will try and make the most extravagant and striking looking stand possible to grab the people's attention. This means some businesses hire designers that might be a bit radical and adventurous with their design ideas. Most stands in modern exhibitions are two storey with large slogans and the services they are offering. This makes a clear picture for the public what the stand is about and what the business do as a whole.

But it's not just the exhibition stand that will pull the crowd towards your area. The business will need to have trained employees or the managers themselves to advertise properly what their business is about. Maybe you could also have a video playing which advertises what the business is about making it easier for the people on the stand.

Once the customers have been attracted to your stand the employees need to know what to say and talk about to the customer. For example, the person will need to explain to the customer what services they can offer him as well as how they are going to do that. They might also want to talk about predictions of prices as well as forecasts of where the customer will be after the business has helped him/her. The key to success is not to make the customer bored and lose interest from the business. This means the people on the stand need to make the presentation of what they are doing interesting as well as informative allowing the attention span of the customer to be retained.

Graphics and colours are also a major part of the exhibition stand as bright and bold colours will stand out more than dull and boring colours. This grabs the attention of a potential customer a lot easier. Also very large and clear pictures will also take interest in potential customers as it allows the business to stand out from the rest of the exhibitions stands.


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Trade show expert Catherine Harvey talks to design expert James Parker about why an exhibition stand designer would be worth the outlay at a trade show.

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What Is Adjustable Rate Mortgage ARM

An Adjustable Rate Mortgage ARM is one of the most popular options available for both home mortgages and re-financing. Many homeowners do not fully understand the concept of an ARM and as a result may be somewhat hesitant to pursue this type of a mortgage.

This is a shame because there are some situations in which an ARM or a hybrid mortgage can be the best mortgage solution for a homeowner who is in the process of re-financing.

This article will focus on explaining the concept of an ARM, explaining situations where it is the best solution, debunking the most popular misconception regarding ARMs and explaining how those with bad credit can benefit from an ARM. At the conclusion of this article the reader should have a better understanding of ARMs and should be inspired to investigate this re-financing option further.

What is an ARM
An ARM is an acronym for an adjustable rate mortgage. This means the interest rate associated with the mortgage is not fixed. Instead it is tied to an index such as the prime index and may rise and drop as the associated index rises and drops.

The fact that interest rate is variable scares away many homeowners from considering this option further. However, there are certain safety measures in place which protect the homeowner from rapid increases.

This safety measure will be discussed in greater detail later in the article on the section on the biggest myth regarding an ARM. However, for now homeowners should simply be aware that they would not be subjected to incredibly high interest jumps during a short period of time.

The Biggest ARM Myth
The variability of the interest rate in an ARM makes many homeowners feel very apprehensive. These homeowners envision interest rates going through the room during their loan term and resulting in their monthly payments skyrocketing. However, fortunately for these homeowners, rapidly increasing interest rates may not have a significant effect on ARMs.

This is because most ARMs have a built in clause which prevents the interest rate from rising more than a certain amount during a specific time period. During this time the national interest rate may rise significantly more but there is a cap on the amount the homeowners interest rate will be raised.

When is an ARM Desirable
One of the most desirable situations for an ARM is as a part of a hybrid mortgage. Hybrid mortgages typically have one component which is fixed and one component which is adjustable.

These types of mortgages may have a fixed rate for a set number of years begin to vary after this initial period. Alternately a hybrid loan may be variable for a number of years and then become fixed after this initial period.

The loan which begins with a fixed rate is usually desirable because the introductory rate is typically lower than the rate offered on traditional fixed loans for homeowners with comparable credit ratings. Homeowners may particularly like this option if they are repaying a smaller second mortgage and may be able to repay the loan in full before the introductory period ends.

ARMs for Those with Bad Credit
ARMs can also be very helpful for assisting those with bad credit in purchasing a home for the first time. There are a variety of loan options available today which makes it possible for even homeowners with poor credit to obtain a home loan.

However, those with bad credit are usually offered these loans with unfavorable terms such as higher interest rates. Additionally, lenders may only be able to offer those with poor credit an ARM.

Lenders take a significantly greater risk when they lend money to a homeowner with bad credit. As a result the lenders usually compensate for this increased risk by shackling the homeowner with less favorable such as a mortgage with an adjustable rate as opposed to a fixed rate.


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Great Tips On How To Be Rich

Being rich can be accounted for on various terms. Some people may feel rich if they are surrounded by their family or close relatives. Others count richness based in the number of their friends or fullness of heart due to service rendered for the good of humanity.

Still, one of the most sought-after richness is often that which is measurable in terms of monetary or property value.

People can be rich through various ways and means. What one needs to look out for is his or her interest, and then find ways of earning through such interest so as not to feel the burden and stress of raising funds.

Below are some tips on how to get rich:

1. Invest in stocks. Though stocks are highly unstable, an individual should have the necessary knack for determining when to sell and when to purchase the right number of stocks.

Entailing the services of a broker might be a good idea, though a conservative one is still sometimes the best choice since a chancy broker, though he or she might give you a fortune on a surge in certain stocks, might be too much of a risk.

2. Buy and sell. Individuals who have large amounts of capital engage in buying and selling of real estates or houses, with the intention of reselling it after its value has increased.

Value may increase due to renovations and repairs if it is a house or improvements on the area for estates.

For individuals who have full-time jobs, he or she may sell small items to earn extra cash.

Earning is not the end-all and be-all of being rich. One has to learn and take into consideration the following information to be able to retain such earnings.

1. Live simply. The common downfall of most people who experience a sudden upward surge in their income is to uplift their cost of living. This may be in the form of acquiring a larger house, a trendy and costly mobile phone, new cars or new appliances.

Though at first glance this may look like a one-time purchase or flow-out of money, others costs or probable expenses are hidden in the form of maintenance expense gasoline for all the newly-acquired cars, repairs larger houses entails larger amount of money needed for probable repairs and larger bills utility bills for the large house or housecleaning services.

2. Saving. If an individual saves at least 20 of his or her monthly earnings, and invests the same on mutual funds or other investment vehicles that offer higher interest rates as compared to savings account interest on some banks, he or she would be guaranteed a fair amount of money saved for future use.

3. Recycle. Items that currently have no more value or use to the owner might be of something good to someone else.

Hold garage sales to discard items that occupy space and clutter the home. Not only would this clear the house, but this would give an individual extra cash from which he or she may add to their savings account or use as additional capital for whatever investment he or she would like to engage in.

Still, richness can only be truly felt when an individual has the feeling of being satisfied with everything that he or she has. This is the shortest way to the path to richness.


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Refinance - Consider All The Options

The decision to re-finance a home mortgage is a serious decision which should not be taken lightly. Homeowners should give this decision a great deal of consideration to ensure they are making the best possible decision for their financial situation and personal needs.

Some factors to consider when deciding whether or not to re-finance is the type of loan to choose, the lender to choose, the costs associated with re-financing and the hassle of the process.

Consider All of the Options
Homeowners who are seriously considering re-financing owe it to themselves to consider all of the options available to them. They may have a friend who recently refinanced with a specific type of loan but this might not be the solution for all homeowners.

Each homeowner should consider their situation to be individual and not likely to closely mirror the situations of others.

Some of the options to consider include the type of re-financing loan. The basic options are fixed interest rates and adjustable interest rates. There are also mortgages which combine these two options.

The homeowner may have a specific type of mortgage in mind but the lender may or may not be willing to offer the homeowner this type of loan. Lenders are more likely to offer fixed interest mortgages to homeowners with good credit and adjustable rate mortgages to homeowners with poor credit.

Consider the Lender
Homeowners will also have to carefully consider the lender they select. This is important because not all lenders are going to be willing to offer the same interest rates and terms to the homeowner.

Homeowners may have to receive quotes from several different lenders in a short period of time to make an accurate comparison. This is important because interest rates can change without notice and homeowners who wait too long to make a decision may find the rate they were originally quoted is no longer available to them.

When selecting a lender the homeowner should also consider how responsive the lender is to their questions. This is important because a lender who does not pay attention to the homeowner or respond to their inquiries in a timely fashion can make the process of re-financing considerably more stressful than necessary. Selecting a lender who offers slightly higher rates but is more responsive may be warranted.

Consider the Cost of Re-Financing
Re-financing is not cheap. There are certain costs associated with re-financing. These costs are typically very similar to the closing costs associated with securing an original mortgage on a property.

These costs may include application fees, loan origination fees, property taxes, appraisal fees and other miscellaneous items. These costs can be quite extensive and homeowners may find they are often left paying more than the benefits they are going to gain from re-financing. In this type of situation the homeowner should make the decision not to re-finance because it is not a financially sound decision.

Consider the Hassle of Re-Financing
Lets face it; re-financing can be an absolute hassle. The time and energy spent researching different re-financing options and contacting lenders to see who will offer the most favorable rates can be quite taxing.

A homeowner should consider the time and effort required for this endeavor in deciding whether or not to re-finance. Simply stated, refinancing is a hassle and homeowners may better spend their time with family and friends rather than running around trying to find the best rates in town.


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Are You Speaking Your Customers Language

One of the funny things about humans is we all expect other people to communicate in the same way that we do. However, what researchers studying a science called Neuro-Linguistic Programming NLP have found is that people see and make sense of the world differently.

We each have our preferred ways of representing the world in a similar way that we prefer to use either our right or left hand. The four ways of representing the world are:

1. Visual - all the things we can see with our eyes or mentally in our minds eye
2. Auditory - the sounds that we hear or the conversations we have in our head
3. Kinesthetic - the things we can touch and experience such as emotions
4. Olfactory and Gustatory - Smell and taste.

Smell and taste are the least used systems by people and are less under our conscious control, so when we are trying to understand someone we focus mainly on visual, auditory and kinesthetic VAK.

Each person has a dominant or preferred method of communicating - some people are visual, some are auditory and some are kinesthetic. But what does that mean

If you want to build rapport with your customers in order to get them to make a decision to buy your product or service, one of the ways you can do this is through speaking their language. If you speak someones language you boost their trust in you as you are "just like them".

There are many different ways you can determine a persons preferred language. You can listen to their voice tone high tone is generally a visual, a medium an auditory and a lower tone a kinesthetic. You can check out their eye movements visuals eyes tend to go in a certain direction when they are remembering an image which is different to an auditory person.

You can watch how they use their hands as each preference tends to use their hands while they are talking in a certain way this is hilarious at election time when you watch candidates who have been drilled in this process trying to move their hands in ways outside their preferred patterns. You can watch where a person breathes from in their chest - high, mid chest or belly breathing.

The easiest and simplest way you can understand a persons preference is you can listen to the verbs, adverbs and adjectives people use when they speak. Each preference uses certain words in preference to other words.

A visual person will say "Lets look at this issue". An auditory person will say "How does this solution sound to you" and a kinesthetic person will say "How do you feel about this issue"

Here are some other words typical of each type:

Visual words and phrases
Appears
Focus
Hazy idea
Illustrate
Imagine
Minds eye
Perspective
Picture
See eye to eye
Vision

Auditory words and phrases

Clear as a bell
Call on
Discuss
Earful
Hidden messages
Loud and clear
Rings true
Sound
Tuned in
Unheard of

Kinesthetic words and phrases
Active
All washed up
Feel
firm foundation
Get a handle on
Grasp
Lay your cards on the table
Not following you
Slipped your mind
Solid

Now you have a basic idea of the different languages, go back and look at your marketing and communications materials. If you are like most people you have written your marketing using your preferred communication style. That means you are appealing to people of one type only and missing the other two types preferences.

To say it another way - you are not speaking the language of 2/3 of your customers. To be most effective in your communication you need to speak the language of all of your customers. You need to be clear in your communication each one of your customers otherwise they will feel rejected or not connected to you. If you look closely at this paragraph you will be able to identify all 3 types of preferences touched in the messages.

It is as simple or as hard as ensuring each of your communications covers all of the preferences of your clients.

When you speak your customers language you will achieve more powerful sales results as well as building stronger relationships with your customers. This is a win-win for both your business and your clients.


About the Author

Ingrid Cliff is a Freelance Copywriter with her Brisbane Copywriting Business Heart Harmony. Ingrid writes a free weekly small business newsletter packed full of articles and tips and Small Business Ideas blog for small businesses.

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Project Management Success Strategies - Part One

In Hollywood, they say that movie stars are only as good as their last film. Well, as a project manager, youre only as good as your last project. Why? Because the bar is set so high. Every project has challenges, set backs, and hurdles 12-feet high, so a project plagued with problems is now the norm rather than the exception.

I recently managed a highly technical SAP project that had so many issues, every morning when I woke up I'd pull the covers up over my head for fear of heading into work. Fortunately, due to a few success strategies I had in the old toolbox and a minor miracle of all the planets aligning in the exact right place at the exact right time, my SAP project launched on time, on budget, and with the fewest number of defects than any other similar project in the company.

So in the true spirit of being a good project manager, I'm sharing my key learnings and success strategies that may help you manage your next project.

1. Give it your passion. If you're not passionate about your project, who will be? Nobody. How many times have you sat through a presentation given by someone who reminded you of Ferris Bueller's mono-toned teacher? If you take on a project that doesn't interest you, it's going to die a slow, painful death. Your senior managers, team members, and customers will all sense your lack of desire, drive, and most of all, your lack of leadership.

On the flip side, passion is contagious. When you have genuine excitement about your work - because of its value to the company, or the thrill of working on a challenging project, or a breakthrough technology, or whatever - leading the project becomes so much easier. job number one for a project manager is to find your passion for the project.

2. PM as CEO. Commit to your project. Own it. Get involved and understand it. Otherwise, you'll be sitting on the sidelines and nobody can lead from the sidelines. You have to be visible. Don't sit in your cube wearing a headset 10 hours a day. Be approachable. Get out and talk to people, meet your colleagues, your customers, and shake hands.

Every project has a story and part of being a CEO is telling a great story. What's the biggest hurdle your team overcame? What was the biggest benefit your project brought to the company or clients? What's been the best part about leading the project? Tell it in a compelling way, and then broadcast it.

Also, learn how to give a killer presentation. Every great CEO knows how to give a strong presentation. Know your audience and what they really want to know. If it's a finance team then make sure you talk about data and facts. If it's senior managers then talk about the strategy, challenges and risks. If someone hands you a presentation template to use, then use it as a guideline but not as something carved in stone. Add to it, revise it, and make it your own.

Use data and logic to tell your story in a compelling way. Talk about your top two or three key issues and how your team blasted through them (or what the plan is to overcome them.) Educate your audience about your team's strengths, challenges, successes, and lessons learned. Teach them what you've learned as a PM. And most of all: practice, practice, practice. I always practice out loud three times before I walk into a room to give a presentation. Sometimes I practice five or six times! The key is you must be prepared and sound confident. Do these things and you'll knock your next presentation out of the ball park.

3. Playing to win vs. playing not to lose. In tennis, you can hit down the middle of the court and play not to lose, or you can play to win by going for the lines. One strategy is driven by aggression and passion, the other by fear. Every time I'm on the tennis court and play not to lose, I lose. I realized that I was using the same strategy in my PM work. So, I changed my approach. Now, every time I'm hit with a challenge, I think "play to win." It made a huge and positive difference in my thinking, my actions, and my project results.

And by the way, your team members who you are currently leading know which approach you use. If you're not already doing it, make a conscious decision to play to win.

4. Explain Why I live in smurf world. My family gets along, my neighbors are nice, and when I walk down the street in Phoenix people say, Hi. But life is very different in my work world. My professional world is what I would call schizophrenia on steroids. A relentless tug-of-war between resources, technologies, processes, approvals, timelines, and budgets. To say the least, the environment is brutal. This is what I know for sure: as much sense and logic that you can create inside your team, the better your team will function.

When you need their input on creating the project schedule, explain its value. When your project's timeline is being pulled in, explain why. When you ask a question, explain why you're asking. When you ask a team member to attend a meeting with you, explain why. This lets them tap into the way you think, the way you manage a project, and reassures them that everything you ask them to do has meaning and purpose. Eventually, they will trust that you are looking out for them, and doing what is right for your project, the company, and the team.

5. Learn to blast through roadblocks. Unless you're Superman, you won't be able to deliver flawlessly on every customer requirement. Needless to say, a large part of our PM role is to manage our customer's expectations so they understand the issues and agree on a manageable workaround solution. But that doesn't mean you and your team can't look for ways to exceed other expectations.

For example, if your technical platform is missing some functionality, look for ways to influence the manufacturer's roadmap. Or, if a vendor says the part will be delivered one week late, then work the problem with the vendor and your purchasing department, while keeping the customer informed of progress. Don't let a roadblock stop you. Work the problem and find a way to blast through it. Your customer will appreciate your drive and leadership.


About the Author

Sherri Thomas is President of Career Coaching 360, an international speaker, and author of "Career Smart - 5 Steps to a Powerful Personal brand." Career Coaching 360 Career Coaching provides career planning, management coaching, and leadership development support to help professionals change careers quickly and easily.

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Why Insurance Agents Are Frustrated and Fed Up

For such a lucrative business it is unfortunate that most first year insurance agents do not renew their insurance license. Why is that? To start with, Big Insurance often tells the new insurance agent to make a list of 100 (or more) people they know to sell to, everyone from family to friends of friends, and then start dialing.

This is known as the infamous "project 100" which consists of bothering anyone the agent knows to make insurance sales to. The agent tries to sell them insurance, whether they need it or not. When they run out of friends and family then what? So what if the insurance company gave the agent a nice office. Who are they going to sell insurance to now? Most agents in this scenario quit only to become a statistic.

Or, the agent might be handed a 37 page list of phone numbers, maybe even the phone book, most of them dead or disconnected numbers from years ago, and they're told to start cold calling. Or the agent is commonly told about a fantastic lead system that is just a crumpled piece of paper with a few names and numbers. Of course everyone else in the building has already tried and failed to sell to these so called leads.

Newly licensed insurance agents are often told they just need to survive their first year in order to make some real income in their second year. Yeah right, what exactly do insurance agents get paid to do? The truth is, most agents won't or don't last that long because the big insurance companies set them up to fail by default.

It's no wonder insurance companies have morphed into churning factories, turning out agent after agent who decides to quit after investing time and money into taking the insurance exam and getting a few sales. The insurance company's managers are all too happy to accept the renewals left over from these agents. This might make the insurance companies and a few of the managers rich, but agents are fed up with this approach.

Agents are also tired of selling strategies that involve bait and switch techniques in which the agent promises the customer something for free, like a review of their government benefits, only to get in to their homes to sell something unrelated or something they just don't need. It's a "push and sell" style and it rarely works in the long term for agents.

At National Agents Alliance (NAA) we understand that what most agents need to thrive in the insurance business is a proven system. The NAA system consists of a mailed in response client lead program, a unique field underwriting process, a proven agent marketing program, and a powerful agency building opportunity. Systems help the agent make more money in less time and the foundation of our agents success is the exclusive NAA lead system.

A client response lead is the ultimate leverage in insurance sales. Unlike other insurance marketing organizations NAA owns its own lead company that provides its agents a consistent flow of qualified leads from potential clients across the country. This one of a kind program allows the agent to focus their efforts contacting prospects who have mailed a response letter back to the company. The end result is the agent spends most of their time in front of clients selling instead of prospecting.

In their own handwriting, homeowners are leaving contact details expecting an agent to call them back. The perfect marketing campaign in any business is one that can deliver potential clients who have identified a problem in their mind that you have a solution for. That is the backbone of the NAA lead program.

Taking this system-based approach has propelled NAA from $10 Million in sales in 2002 to over $140 Million in sales for 2007. NAA offers a full portfolio of life insurance and annuity products representing top A-rated companies like Old Mutual Life, ING, Foresters, and Aviva.

NAA believes its most important principle is to help others out first and you will be rewarded handsomely in return. This is the motto of Thomas Brown, an NAA agent who runs his own multi-million-dollar agency. My goal is to help change people's lives, to help them improve their lives, says Brown. I want to find winners, the next success story. I want to help people reach high levels of productivity and income. You can too by joining the next wave in the insurance business with NAA.


About the Author

We provide sales leads to our agents. These leads are returned by a homeowner in their own handwriting. This allows the agent to spend most of their time selling versus prospecting. Go to www.powerfulinsurancesales.com for more information.

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What Are Junior Lien Foreclosures

Unless you have been living in a cave somewhere, you have probably heard that the residential real estate market is practically in the gutter. Foreclosures are at an all time high and are expected to continue to rise in the next two years. Many so-called real estate investors are packing up and heading back home, with their tails between their legs. But not you. Not if you know how to use this buyers market to your advantage and make more money than ever.

Junior lien foreclosures occur prior to an actual bank foreclosure. It takes about 6 months for the bank to complete the entire foreclosure process. During this time, the bank is not getting paid any money, the house is lived in but most likely not being taken care of properly, and the bank cannot sell the house. No money is coming in for the bank, but plenty is going out. Lawyers cost plenty and foreclosures have to go through the court system.

Because of the influx of foreclosures on the market, the court system is overburdened with the foreclosure process which means it can even take longer for a bank to foreclose on an errant borrower. During that time, the borrower is living rent free and doing whatever they want to the property. If you have ever been inside a house that went into foreclosure, you know that it is not a pretty sight. You might see holes punched in walls, doors missing, light fixtures ripped from their sockets. People who are getting tossed out of their homes are sometimes angry or trying to take everything that is not nailed down.

This is where a savvy investor comes in. If you proceed with a junior lien foreclosure, you can intercede in the middle of the foreclosure with the bank, purchase the property and satisfy both the bank and the owners.

In most cases, the owners of the property just want to get out and on with their lives. They cannot sell the property and may owe more than what the property is worth. They are anxious and scared. You come in and make them an offer to sell their property so that they can walk away without it costing them any money. This is known as the short sale, or junior lien foreclosure.

Because you are saving the bank not only from the legal hassle of foreclosure, but also from having to sell the property once it has been foreclosed upon, you can offer quite a bit less than the property is worth. And the bank will most likely take it You may have to negotiate for a while, but it will be well worth it. More than likely, the bank does not need another foreclosure on their hands.

In order to facilitate such a transaction successfully, you need to learn as much as you can about junior lien foreclosures, short sales and real estate investing in general. Once you are armed with this knowledge, you will be able to not only make money in this down buyers market, but you will not have to compete with thousands of other investors who want to get their hands on foreclosures. Your knowledge and skills that you can easily learn from one seminar or class will knock the competition out of the water and put you at the head of the real estate investment game.


About the Author

For more articles and a 10 part e-course on how to create your own Ultimate Buying and selling Machine plus over 50 training audios, simply go to

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How to Create Effective Business Cards

Everything in businesses today has become paperless with technological advancements introducing email, internet, scanning and others. However, the one essential paper item required for businesses and entrepreneurs which continues to be utilized effectively is a business card. A business card is very important to let customers, clients and possible investors take your information with them and remember you when the time comes. Have you ever been in a situation where youve bought something from someone and then you cant remember where the store is located or what its called That business provided you a service or product which you would have wanted to use or buy again. Because you cant remember the details you will be likely go somewhere else to buy that product or service. This should not happen to you and your business and so business cards assure you that customers will remember you. If you are in a business which requires exchanging information often with clients then having a business card will be useful.

Business cards needs to be perfect for others to get the right first impression about you. It is a way to tell others what your profession is, to give them an idea of how you will be able to help them and what services you can provide. A business card should reflect that you are a professional, you do your job well and you know what youre doing. There are many different styles for business cards but it is important to choose a style and layout which is organized and appealing to the eye. The basic essentials a business card should contain are your first and last name, your title or designation in the business, the name of the business, the service you provide if it is not obvious, and the options to contact you. The contact information should at least have a landline telephone number, a cell phone number if available, email address, website of the business, and mailing address. Remember, your business card is not a brochure, so dont make it confusing by listing too many services and products. If you really must list a few services you also have the option to list them on the back of the business card so your contact information stays clear and orderly.

Most business cards follow the horizontal layout design as it is easier to read and provides enough room to effectively space out every piece of information on the business card. Your name should be the most emphasized piece of information on your business card and should be styled with a bold and large font. The layout design for your business card is also important to plan because its the difference between someone thinking your business will be useful and having your card thrown in the trash. It would also be wise to follow the ideal size of 3.5 by 2 inches which will fit in any wallet. The quality of the paper used should also be taken into consideration so it will be durable and wont easily tear. People also judge you by the paper you use for your business card. If you use good quality paper for your card they will assume you take your business seriously and are a dedicated professional. Some even take the time to laminate their business cards so they are preserved better and last longer. Unique ideas are also followed such as printing business cards on wood, metal or plastic. The latest trend is to magnetize business cards so it can have 3 purposes: people use it on their fridge as a magnet, it creates a way for people to see your information often, and so they wont lose your business card.

The type of ink used to print your business card should be long lasting and permanent so if it gets moist the ink should not run. Colours used on your business card should be thought out carefully. Depending on your profession more or less colours will be necessary. For example, if your business is a craft and arts store then you might consider using more colours and innovative fonts to produce a creative layout which exemplifies your business. However, you have to know if its going to represent your business in the ideal manner. If you are a doctor or lawyer you would tend to use less colour and fonts and depict a crisp and concise business card. The font size chosen should not be too small otherwise it will be difficult for someone to read your details and information. It should be in a font that is easy on the eyes and clear enough that details can be quickly understood. Contact information should have the most information so you provide a variety of options for people to get in touch with you.

It is definitely a good idea to invest in quality business cards. Make sure that when you do, you follow the proper guidelines so they will be used to their full potential, bringing in more business for you and your company.


About the Author

SoloPress is a company dedicated to quality printing for

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