Vacation Rentals on Lake Tahoe?s South Shore

South Lake Tahoe vacation rentals are particularly in demand with those folks who crave the excitement of being near the variety of entertainment choices and the abundance of recreational facilities for which the area is well known. Here at South Lake Tahoe you have your choice of world class hotels with all the amenities, beautiful houses for rent, condos, cabins, apartments and the smaller, less crowded facilities popularly known as boutique resorts.

Usually situated on or near the beach, these mini resorts cater fully to their customers' needs. From almost anywhere in South Lake Tahoe you are within walking distance of world class night life, shopping and dining, recreational choices to satisfy anyone's desires and they usually have their own private beaches to enjoy the crystal clear waters of Lake Tahoe undisturbed by other visitors to the area. Relax, enjoy, sip marguerites, soak up the sun, have an elegant lunch at a lakeside caf?. Then, later on, shower and dress for the evening and in a mere few minutes you're in an elegant casino, or a four star restaurant or being seated in front of one of your favorite performers. South Lake Tahoe has everything to offer close at hand for those who want to experience everything.

South Lake Tahoe boasts over 3,000 hotel rooms ranging from moderate to superior with prices a lot less than you'd expect to pay for such luxury. And that doesn't take into account the abundance of activities in the immediate area. In the summer time, the area comes alive with water sports of all kinds, hiking tours through the woods, bicycling either alone or in groups, hot air ballooning over the lake or over the mountains, and beautiful championship golf courses designed by some of the most prestigious golf pros. In the winter time, the snow capped mountains provide multi-level skiing both day and night, snowboarding, ice skating and sleigh rides all mixed with that small-town atmosphere that gives the area its charm.

Lake Tahoe Vacation Rentals Info provides detailed information on South and North Lake Tahoe rentals, as well as Lake Tahoe home, condo, and cabin vacation rentals. Lake Tahoe Vacation Rentals Info is the sister site of Hilton Head Rentals Web.

The A To Z I Beheld

I beheld the sky and its wonders and saw Astonishment

I beheld the earth and its flowers and saw Beauty

I beheld the animals and beasts of the air, land and water and saw the hand of the Creator

I beheld the fullmoon and to me was it , like a blooming Daisy

I beheld the rivers and saw its Effusion

I beheld the star that led the East and saw the Firmament

I beheld the sun and saw the Glory

I beheld the cross and saw my Hero

I beheld the dove and saw Innocence

I beheld the heart of the master and saw a priceless Jewel

I beheld the Pentecost and saw the Holyflame Kindled

I beheld the slaughterand saw the cleansing blood of the Lamb

I beheld my reflection and saw The Creator's Masterpiece

I beheld my loss and looked up to Him who is my guiding star of the North

I beheld The Spirit descend from above and saw the heavens Open

I beheld The throne and saw the big Picture

I beheld the power of His might and saw no Questioning

I beheld the sepulchre and saw the Resurrection

I beheld the open heavens and saw Him who is crowned the morning Star

I beheld The word and saw the Truth

I beheld the HolyOne and saw given to me, the unction

I beheld His church and saw mighty men of Valour

I beheld the fear of Him who is crowned LORD of lords and saw Wisdom

I beheld His breath and light and saw that which is exceedingly greater than Xenon

I beheld my future and saw no more of Yesterday

I beheld the face of my Father and saw myself on the mount of Zion

About The Author

A motivational and Inspirational writer and programmer...

onadebi@yahoo.com

Understanding The Corporate Buyer

Selling your services to corporations is an attractive proposition. The contracts are larger than with small businesses and individuals, and often longer-term. There's the possibility of repeat business worth many billable hours at respectable rates.

But the best clients are not always the easiest to get. If you don't grasp the realities of the corporate environment, you may sabotage even a hot lead. Here are five important keys to working with the corporate buyer.

1. Managers are busy. This is just as true in economic downturns as during a boom. When business is slow, unnecessary employees get laid off. The people left behind have to pick up the slack.

Busy people ignore unsolicited email and letters, and will not return your phone calls. Even when you are in the final stages of closing a deal, your contact may not return your calls for weeks. If you accept this as normal behavior instead of obsessing about how you may have caused it, you will sleep better at night and use your daylight hours more productively.

2. Hot buttons open doors. If you want to capture the interest of a busy person, you need to tell them exactly how you can help them. Calling just to introduce yourself will not get their attention.

What do the people in your target market perceive to be the greatest problems they face, or the biggest goals they wish to achieve? Ask these questions of the people you serve and the other businesspeople who serve them. Read trade literature or special interest publications and educate yourself on the key issues in your marketplace. Then tell your prospects in every communication how you can help address these needs.

3. Every choice must be justified. When you sell to the owner of a small business or to an individual for his or her own use, your buyer is free to make purchasing decisions based on instinct, whim, or gut feeling. But every corporate sale must be justified to someone else in the organization.

A supervisor must justify choices to a manager, the manager to an executive, the executive to the CEO, the CEO to the board, the board to the shareholders. Each one of these people wants to look good to the next link up the chain, and dreads making a public mistake. If you want your sale to go through, you need to provide your contact with EVIDENCE why you and your solution are the best choice.

4. The bottom line rules. When you provide your evidence, it had better include dollars and cents. If you are more expensive than your competition, what added value will you provide? If hiring you will cost more than solving the company's problem in some other way, what tangible benefits will they receive that make the added expense worthwhile?

Individuals and small businesses buy services in the category of nice-to-have, often to improve their quality of life or that of their employees. Corporations, especially in lean times, don't. You must sell them something they actually NEED and prove how it will enhance their bottom line. Real-life examples of results at other companies can speak volumes. Illustrations with charts and graphs are more convincing than any brochure.

5. No budget; no project. Even when the company needs what you have and thinks you're the best one for the job, the deal won't go through if there's no money in the budget. You can ask your contact to try for a budget variance, but no budget usually means your project will be deferred until the next fiscal year.

Always ask if the client has a budget at the first meeting. Don't necessarily expect them to tell you how much it is -- price negotiations will come later. But if your contact can't answer budget questions, it's also a strong clue you are not talking to the decision-maker.

About The Author

C.J. Hayden is the author of Get Clients NOW! Since 1992, C.J. has been teaching business owners and salespeople to make more money with less effort. She is a Master Certified Coach and leads workshops internationally. Read more of her articles at http://www.getclientsnow.com

Not Getting the PR Results You Want?

The reason might be this simple: as a business, non-profit or association manager, you're too focused on communi- cations tactics and not on a workable blueprint for dealing with those important outside audiences whose behaviors most affect your department, division or subsidiary.

If this sounds familiar, the blueprint I refer to provides the tools required to persuade those key external stakeholders to your way of thinking. Then, hopefully, move them to take actions that lead to your success.

A blueprint, say, like this one: people act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action the very people whose behaviors affect the organization the most, the public relations mission is accomplished.

And, by the way, this is a blueprint that can produce behaviors such as more prospects interested in your services or products, more proposals for joint ventures and strategic alliances, more frequent repeat purchases, or fresh, new capital contributions and membership applications.

If this is something you wish to pursue, the next move is yours. For example, take the time to enlist those public relations people assigned to your unit in a brand-new push to find out once and for all what those outside audiences ? those with behaviors that actually affect your organization ? really think about you.

That's where the rubber meets the road because target audience perceptions inevitably lead to behaviors that will either hinder or help you in reaching your objectives.

So, let's assume you and your PR team decide to prioritize your outside audiences, then monitor the perceptions of members of the #1 target audience on your list.

Here's the first "fork in the road." You can use your PR professionals ? who after all are in the perception and behavior business ? to interact with target audience members by asking a lot of questions. For instance, "What do you know about us? Have you ever had dealings with our organization? Was it, or they, satisfactory?"

Or, if you have access to an ample budget, you can engage the services of a professional survey firm to handle the perception monitoring chore for you. Keep in mind, however, that this activity is central to the success of a public relations effort.

Either way, the data assembled by this drill is the raw material used to create your public relations goal. And that goal might call for clearing up a troublesome misconception, fixing a serious inaccuracy or killing that budding rumor dead as a doornail.

But reaching that goal is another story. You need a strategy to show you the way, and when it comes to perceptions and opinion, there are only three strategies from which to choose: change existing opinion/perception, create it where none exists, or reinforce the perception. Trick is, be certain the strategy you select is a natural fit with your new public relations goal. For example, if you discovered a really negative perception among members of your target audience, you certainly wouldn't choose the "reinforce" strategy.

But the real "beast of burden" in this PR problem solving sequence is the message you will use to alter the offending perception you turned up during your audience monitoring drill. This is one message that must be very well written, clear as crystal, and supported by compelling and believable facts if it is to alter what some of your target audience members believe. In this way, the message can nudge perception in your direction, lead to the behaviors you have in mind, and help you achieve your unit objectives.

Final challenge? Get that message to the eyes and ears of members of your target audience. And that means selecting and employing the right communications tactics from the wide choice available to you. You can use personal contacts, special events, media interviews and speeches. Or, you might select from among news announcements, facility tours, newsletters, brochures, audience briefings and so many others. But be certain that the tactics you choose have a record of reaching people like the members of your target audience.

Soon, however, questions will be asked as to how the new public relations effort is faring. In other words, "Are we getting the PR results we want?"

A fair question and one that can be fairly answered by returning to the field for a follow up monitoring session. Once again, you as the manager, and/or your PR support staff, must ask questions similar to those you asked during your earlier benchmark perception monitoring session.

The difference now? You want to see evidence that your perception monitoring, your public relations goal and strategy as well as your carefully crafted corrective message and communications tactics have actually altered the offending perception as you planned.

Should results not come fast enough, additional communications tactics can be added, and their frequencies increased.

Bottom line: as the department, division or subsidiary manager for a business, non-profit or association, if the primary focus of your public relations effort is tactics, you are well-advised to make a shift in favor of this kind of workable PR blueprint that gives you the best chance of achieving your unit's operating objectives.

About The Author

Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks to business, non-profit and association managers about using the fundamental premise of public relations to achieve their operating objectives. He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; director of communications, U.S. Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The White House. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net Visit: http://www.prcommentary.com.

Weathering Colic for New Parents

A common problem many times facing parents is Colic. Estimates say that between 15-25% of infants are born with Colic. Although it is not believed to effect a baby's development it is still a struggle for parents to cope with. Babies with colic most often cry for several hours at a time with diaper changes and feedings having no effect.

Some of the symptoms that your little one may have colic are (but not limited to) as follows:

1.) A high pitched cry that does not let up in intensity, sometimes for hours at a time

2.) Pulls their legs towards their chest or holds them straight out

3.) Face becoming flush and warm while legs feel cooler

4.) Held breathes

5.) Painful facial expressions

Unlike many other childhood ailments, there is no one specific reason a baby may have colic. There are several factors however that may exasperate colic.

They include:

1.) Lack of Burping

2.) Food Allergies

3.) Swallowing Air

4.) Overfeeding or Eating too fast

5.) A tense home environment

The good news is that the symptoms usually disappear at about the 4 month mark. In the meantime here are some tips on minimizing those symptoms.

1.) After each ounce or few minutes of formula, burp them.

2.) Do not feed them while they are lying down

3.) Go for a ride in the car or try a gentle rocking while walking.

4.) Play white noise for them. There are many options in white noise now including lullabies playing in the forefront. Constant noise like Vacuum Cleaners and Fans are also very helpful in some cases and can be purchased on CD to avoid drafts or other issues. These can be purchased from the author of this article at www.yourfavouriteshop.com

5.) A warm bath with a few drops of chamomile essential oil to the water to help them to relax further.

6.) Change to a low-allergy formula or switch to a soy based one.

7.) If you are breast feeding, avoid tea and coffee

Above all you should always consult your physician to discuss the different symptoms. You should always be aware that the symptoms listed above may also be indications of ear infections, allergies, etc. so it is important to discuss everything candidly with your pediatrician.

About The Author

Jason Rickard is the owner of www.yourfavouriteshop.com - European Reseller of White Noise and Relaxation CDs *Article may be reprinted provided it is not altered and links are live.*

sales@yourfavouriteshop.com

Here Are Some Tips For Safe and Appropriate Use of Your Mobile Phones

Bought the latest in mobile phones? Can't wait to show the cellular phone off to your friends to project the new cool you? Have you considered your safety and appropriate use of your new wireless phone? What about damage? We have compiled a list of valuable tips for our wireless clients.

Unplug the power cord and charger during lightning storms to avoid electrical shock and/or fire.

Ensure that no sharp-edged items such as animal's teeth or nails (this means Fido or Fluffy, and not leaving your phone in the wildnerness) come in contact with the cell phone battery. This could result in fire.

Do not utilize harsh chemicals to clean your wireless phone. These chemicals include alcohol, benzene, thinners and detergent. This could result in fire.

When driving, don't leave your wireless phone or install the hands-free kit near the air bag. If your cellular phone is not installed correctly and the air bag deploys, this could result in personal injury.

Do not use your phone with wet hands as this could result in electrical shock to you and serious damage to your cellular phone.

Do not throw, heave, drop, shake and inflict any other physical abuse on your wireless phone. This action may damage the circuit board of your cellular phone.

Ensure that children do not ingest any part of the cellular phone such as the earphones or the connection part of the wireless phone. This could result in suffocation or asphyxiation.

We hope that you enjoy your new cellular phone. However, taking care of it could prolong its life, your life, your pet's life or your child's life.

Catherine Kenyeres is a free lance writer and publisher for Best-4u-Cell-Phones.com. Catherine provides the latest information, reviews and comparisons for cell phone clients.

No Fax Payday Loans Online for a Fast Cash Advance Loan

For a fast cash advance loan, no fax payday loans are now available online. By completing your application online, you don't have to fax paycheck stubs or forms. Your application can be approved within minutes, and you can have your cash advance available in your checking account the next day.

Online Payday Loan Companies

The internet has brought sped up the approval process for payday loans. Using technology, payday loan companies are able to process applications within minutes. You can also shop payday loan rates by reading their online information. Reputable companies will post their rates and fees.

What You Need

Before you start filling out your cash advance loan application, gather the necessary information first. You will need to provide contact information as well as your job history. Most payday loan companies require you to have worked at least 90 days at your current job or have at least $800 a month in income from social security.

You will also need to provide your checking account information so your cash advance can be deposited electronically into your account. A blank check will provide the routing and account numbers that you will need to enter along with your bank's information.

Filling Out The Application

Once you have the necessary information, you can fill your online payday loan application out at anytime. Payday loan companies are able to process your information over secure severs 24 hours a day.

Waiting For Approval

Online payday loan applications are usually approved within a matter of minutes, but sometimes they can take up to an hour. Your loan amount will depend on your income level and your state's laws. Usually loans will be approved for $500 although some states allow loans for up to $1000.

Online Payments

Just like your application, payments on your loan can be processed online. Most payday loan companies offer at least three payment options. You can choose to pay only the finance fees, part of the principal, or the whole loan amount on your loan's due date. Payment options can also be changed if you find yourself short during a pay period. Just remember, the longer you take to pay back the loan, the more you will pay in finance charges.

To view our list of recommended payday loan companies online, visit this page: Recommended No Faxing or Faxless Payday Loan Companies Online.

Carrie Reeder is the owner of ABC Loan Guide, an informational website with articles and information about various types of loans.

The Eyes of the Clown

There are few enough miracles in life, God knows. I think perhaps the circus is one of them. We pay our money, braced for boredom, and are bombarded by noise, bewitched by beauty, awed still one more time by elephants that, yes, are smaller every year. Yet something happens when we enter the big top. If we let it, we will be carried back to hopes and dreams long surrendered: hopes that something wonderful really can happen, dreams that will happen to us, maybe even now.

Clowns are the prime miracle-workers in all this. There is a vision in the eyes of clowns that sees the world new-washed in daybreak's dream, the vision of a leaf returned to bud, of pretext gone and darkness only seems. Clowns are pegs on which the circus can be hung, the hooks on which the magic is begun, the eyes of God to find our soul and nudge the people we can be. Clowns tell us -- if we listen -- that something wonderful really can happen, right there, right here, right now.

It is easy to forget the clowns -- spots and bangles, rubber nose, feet like ducks, outlandish clothes. It is perhaps more comfortable to miss the clowns, for they mirror ourselves, stripped of pretention, stripped of protection. There with all our naked feelings hanging out. There -- that tear, that laugh, that sigh -- don't hide it, says the clown. Let it come. Let it happen. Let it be.

The clown takes the risk first, but leaves the rest of the magic up to us. We can be real, can let others know our pain, our need, our joy, our strength. If we let it, the magic really can happen, right there, right here, right now. And that's the biggest miracle of all, God knows.

(c) Maureen Killoran, 2004

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Maureen Killoran, MA, DMin, is a Life Coach and Unitarian minister, with a passion for helping people connect their strengths with their vision. Maureen offers dynamic individual and group coaching, work team empowerment training, teleclasses, and a free monthly e-zine, "Seeds of Change." http://www.spiritquestcoaching.com

Marine News Fall 2004 - Endangered and Threatened in Florida

Our oceans are home to many marine mammals, fish, turtles, corals and others. The delicate balance between man and the ocean is constantly being challenged by the demands of our society. Most of our planet is covered by water, a necessary ingredient of human life. The state of our oceans should be uppermost in our minds in order for quality of life for all species to remain as it is.

Florida's West Indiana Manatee-What is Killing Them? The top manatee story after the recent hurricanes was in Lee County where residents rescued a manatee that was the victim of Hurricane Charley's storm surge. The stunned and tired manatee was splashed onto Pearl Street after the storm surge receded. This was one manatee that did not have to be included in the mortality numbers this year.

The manatees killed this year are divided into categories by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission. 1/1/04 - 9/30/04 numbers: Watercraft-60, Flood Gates-1, Other human-4, Perinatal-65, Cold-36, Natural-20, Undetermined-43, Unrecovered-2 for a total of 231.

According to the February 2004 count of manatees in Florida by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission there were only 2568 manatees remaining in Florida.

If you see a dead or injured manatee or one that's been harassed while in Florida, please call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's toll-free hotline at 1-888-404-FWCC.

Lastly, as a visitor to our tropical paradise, do not approach, touch, feed or water manatees. It is against the law and carries a fine as well as a possible jail term. Use your camera to make memories, not a police experience.

Dolphins - Our favorite Marine Mammal. Dolphins are not endangered at this time, but the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 requires you to stay away from them. Do not encourage them into the path of danger by boats or other human interaction. Wild dolphins have been found injured by firecrackers placed down their blow hold, beer poured over them and into their blow hold and other horror stories. These beautiful creatures think man is their friend but the next person they meet may be their enemy instead.

There are licensed facilities where you can interact safely with dolphins that have been raised in captivity or rescued.

Sea Turtles-Has the 2004 hurricane season hurt their recovery? South Florida is home to Loggerheads, Leatherbacks and Green sea turtles. Hawksbill and Kemp's ridley have occasionally been found. These are the five species found in US waters in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. The population of loggerheads nesting along the Atlantic coast of Florida is the second largest in the world. The nesting season runs from around May to September and within approximately 60 days of nesting, the hatchlings too are in danger.

It is too soon to have counts, but the yearly numbers will reveal the losses. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will be reporting the 2004 figures early next year.

There are other dangers to our sea turtles. The turtle hospital in Marathon, Florida treats a variety of turtle ailments, such as flipper amputations caused by fishing line and trap rope entanglements, shell damage caused by boat collisions, and intestinal impactions caused by ingestion of foreign material such as plastic bags, balloons and fishing lines. Turtles love jellyfish and shrimp and ingest filters from cigarettes and plastic in error. Turtles that died from starvation were found with a stomach full of cigarette filters.

The most recent nesting totals for Florida's turtles from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for the year 2003 is:

Loggerheads: 63,446

Green Turtles: 2262

Leatherbacks: 842

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP THE SEA TURTLES?

1. Never throw litter on the beach or in the water.

2. If pets are allowed on the beach, keep them leashed at all times.

3. Obey all beach rules and stay away from turtle nesting sites.

4. Help spread the word about sea turtles. The more people know, the more they will want to help them.

5. Watch for turtles while boating.

6. During nesting seasons, turn lights facing the beach off or have proper filters.

7. Participate in local beach and reef cleanups.

8. Do not buy sea turtle products-jewelry, oil, leather, meat or eggs.

Kathy Runk has been a volunteer exhibit guide at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, volunteer for the Save the Manatee Club in Florida, attended Dolphinlab in Marathon, Florida and adopted Elsie the manatee, dolphins Merina and her baby Calusa. Kathy is the owner of http://www.myoceantreasures.com that sells ocean themed jewelry and gifts.

Credit Cards - A Blessing or a Curse?

Owning a credit card can be quite an advantage. Whether making online purchases, booking an air ticket or a hotel room on the phone or simply being in need of some emergency cash, having a credit card can be a big help. However, getting a credit card is also a huge responsibility and if you don't keep an eye on your spending habits, credit cards can create some serious problems. Here is an excellent list of tips on proper credit card use and if you follow these, you will likely stay out of trouble and your credit card will be a blessing instead of a curse:

1. When you make a purchase with the credit card, it is akin to taking a loan from your bank. What you have borrowed has to be returned - so do not borrow beyond your capacity to pay it back.

2. Always maintain a record of your credit card balances during a month so that you are aware of what you have already spent. This will help you evaluate if you can make any more purchases in that month as even small purchases can add up to large balances.

3. Retain all receipts at least untill you can compare them to the credit card monthly statement. If some purchases do not match or if some charges are higher than those on the receipt, immediately contact your credit card company.

4. Never give out your credit card to anyone! This includes people in your family and any of your friends. It is not that you cannot trust these individuals, but you cannot track purchases you are not even making.

5. When you charge more than you can repay, a lot can go wrong. This can limit your future potential of getting any kind of credit, including car loans, home mortgages and other forms of loans.

6. Pay your credit card bills on time or even before they are due. Doing so will not only help improve your credit scores, but also help avoid additional costs associated with late payment charges and accrued interest.

7. Pay your credit card bills in full every month. This is easy to do if, based on your income, you establish a monthly budget for your credit card purchases and then not exceed that.

8. Keep your credit cards for new purchasing. don't pay one credit card bill with a different credit card. This will inevitably lead to more charging and higher balances.

Connie Gutchrif is the President and Editor of FN Credit - An excellent resource for information on credit. To learn more, be sure to visit: http://www.fncredit.com

Adventures in Advertising and the Affect on the Brand Name

Studying various target-marketing techniques and here is a thought. We have been reviewing companies who cross over into many sectors to identify with their potential customers. We have watched as they attempt to understand their customers buying behavior and how they try to create a desire to purchase. Few companies do this very well, few advertising agencies understand the dynamics of multiple markets. I have seen many advertising agencies squander their client's money. In my company, our team has nominated a few companies for their understanding of their customers, we have only considered those companies who cross ethnic barriers, and market to multiple sectors and customers in many industries. My choice was Rolex and Nike. Others members of our team felt comfortable with were GM, Dell, In and Out Hamburgers, Starbucks, E-Trade, MFS, Coca Cola, FEDEX, Washington Mutual, Mastercard, Wal-Mart (new series of ads), GE and Southwest Airlines.

With consumer spending decreasing in the future due to maxed out credit card limits and the next downward business cycles companies will have to decrease their P and L contributions column for advertising expenditure. Who will emerge the winners of tomorrow's markets? Those with significant standing brand names have the best chances. Who will avoid the drying up of the lake and continue to expand and develop new market niches and open more stores? I believe that the most customer driven companies will emerge as the great strategic planners that they are. In times of tough markets the companies who deserve the winners circle will shine bright and above the crowd. To be able to write great ads and to keep the customers happy, first you must understand the customers wants and needs, then you write the ads to fulfill these desires, then the tough part to deliver on that promise. Creating a new customer in a tough market is tough and it is a necessity. Without the new life-blood you cannot open more units and expand market share.

As other companies close stores rather than getting tough with the market, it shows the observers that they are out of touch with the needs and wants of the customers. Others will consolidate to keep up the numbers to impress shareholders and maintain stock price. This is a time when BS walks. A time when the strong survive, many will fail and pendants will ask: What happen to those business goals? What is being taught in Americas Business Universities? If a company cannot work together as a team in the heat of battle when the going gets tough then they will be defeated by those who can. The customer will choose the best value for them, they will vote with their desires. Advertising is important, but so is the follow-thru, without it all the advertising in the World will not build a customer following. Bringing in a new customer who is under-whelmed will simply turn into a one time purchase and adverse word of mouth.

I salute the winners in the market who understand the desires of the clients and continue to deliver on their promise. I salute the advertising agencies who help these firms by bringing in those customers. It is important to realize that we do not openly give praise easily or often. When we pass a judgment in the market place we do so for the benefit of all.

Those who go the distance and stay the course and Keep on Keeping on, will emerge and do so by carefully advertising to their core target markets without confusing their clientele even when they have branched into additional market segments, while keeping careful tabs on their core businesses. They are the ones who will find themselves respected by the others who got rained on too and made it thru. The innovators, the winners and the strong should be celebrated for they are the ones who refused to give up and to go the distance against all adversity, and against all odds.

"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs

Marketing Tips For Small Business ? Advertising That Works, Part I

Have you ever seen an ad on television that was beautiful, slick, and stylish but didn't fit the product? How about a magazine ad that, though gorgeously photographed, didn't make it clear what was being sold? Or have you heard a catchy radio ad that neglected to give contact information? If you pay attention, you'll notice these money-wasting advertisements in all types of media.

If a corporation puts out a bad advertisement, the marketing department will have the resources and budget to make a mid-course correction (sometimes). Often the thousands of dollars a small business puts into an advertising promotion are the bulk of the marketing budget for the entire year (usually). There's no money, time or resources for a do-over if the ad doesn't bring in customers. Small business people simply can't afford to spend money on expensive ads that don't work.

Preparing an effective ad is harder than it looks, but even the smallest business can produce an ad that works if some simple rules are followed. Following are four tips you can use to create a great ad for your business, regardless of your budget, marketing experience, or the media used:

1. State the Product or Service Clearly

Make it absolutely clear what product or service you are selling. Keep it simple and honest. Instead of advertising "meticulously crafted, threaded fastening accessories" just say, "best steel wing nuts." Don't make it hard for the customer to pinpoint what you're selling and don't overdo the flowery descriptions.

2. Use a Call-For-Action Phrase

Forgetting the call-for-action is the biggest mistake I see in small business advertising. A call-for-action is a short sentence telling the customer how to get the product or service, such as "call us for a free sample," "order online at www.mywebsite.com," "get Product X at these fine retailers." The call-for-action is important because it reinforces the customer's decision to buy and gives specific instructions. Without a call-for-action, a certain number of customers will change their minds almost instantly, as their attention is drawn elsewhere. Others will ignore the ad unless you make it clear you want their business by telling them exactly how to spend their money.

3. Check for Correct, Complete Contact Information

You must include a phone number, address, and/or website (preferably all three). Triple check to make sure the information is correct. This sounds obvious but consider this real-life case: A plumbing company in my hometown advertised 24-hour service but only put the number of the main office in their telephone directory ad. The office was only open 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. That was little use to someone with a leaking hot water heater at 2:00 a.m. The plumbing company also had a website where, with some digging, a desperate homeowner could ferret out the 24-hour service number?but what customer is going to spend time hunting the number down when he's up to his ankles in standing water?

4. Sell the Benefits

I often see ads that try to sell the customer on the features of a product or service rather than the benefits to the customer. What's the difference? Features describe the product or service; benefits tell the customer how those features will help him or her. Let's take a common product like bread. Say you're selling a special kind of nutrition-packed wheat bread (it was granny's secret recipe). You could list some of the features of this wonderful bread in your ads:

Contains 3 times the usual vitamin D and calcium

Extra potassium

Uses only rolled oats

(That all sounds very healthy, but I don't know how eating more of those things will do me any good. Besides, I like my usual brand of wheat bread. I pass by your delicious, nutritious wheat bread and buy the same supermarket bread I've eaten since I was a kid.)

Now let's state those features as customer benefits:

Builds strong bones and teeth

Helps control high blood pressure

Lowers cholesterol

(I didn't know I could lower my blood pressure by eating a different brand of bread. That's sure sounds easier and tastier than taking supplements. I pick up a loaf, and some of your whole-grain dinner rolls, too.)

Translating the features of wheat bread into benefits isn't that difficult. What if you have a very complicated product or service? Drilling down to the benefits can still be done quite easily. When I get stuck writing up a benefits sheet, I filter everything through this phrase: "What's in it for me?"

These four marketing tips are a great place to start when preparing your advertisement. See Marketing Tips For Small Business ? Advertising That Works, Part II, for more tips and insider tricks.

Segarin Monk is a marketing specialist promoting social betterment programs for governments and non-profit organizations. He believes in high-integrity, pass-it-on, pay-it-forward marketing. See more articles from this author at: http://marketingyogi.blogspot.com/