Thursday, December 31, 2009

Vacation Rental Advertising - The Good, The Bad and the Outright Scams

Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2009 Scott Norris



Advertising vacation rentals across the nation has changed to the property owner's advantage. Five years ago, property owners depended on their local newspaper to advertise their vacation rentals. Newspapers charged anywhere from $50.00 to $100.00 to run a three-line cram-it-in ad for 30 days as a classified listing ($1200 per year). The reach was limited to the amount of papers that were printed and read on any particular day. Compare that to today's global reach and on-demand access to rental listings on the World Wide Web.

This is great news for owners wishing to advertise to the far corners of the earth. Travelers from around the world now have the ability to view listings on thousands of advertising sites with relative ease. There are risks, though: RENTER BEWARE! That vacation rental you have selected in New York, Utah or Lake Tahoe may be an empty lot upon your family's arrival at 9:30 pm after a day of traveling.

Travelers are beginning to become keen to the fact vacation rentals are a popular choice when traveling with the family, but checking to see if that perfect getaway is verified is an often overlooked step. Anyone from Hong Kong to the Idaho can post a listing for a vacation rental on the internet. Simply log on to the internet, pay your $100.00 to post your listing on a popular rental site, and field the inquiries as they arrive in your inbox. Not getting enough inquiries? Lower the price and add a few more pictures. Owners know this all too well and unfortunately so to the scammers.

Most vacation rental websites do not verify their listings. It is up to the consumer to assume the risk and do their own due diligence. Scammers are good at what they do and here is why: They spend hours scouring these properties on these listing sites to learn how to create a good attractive listing, often simply cutting and pasting from other ads to create a great presentation of a non-existent property. One vacation rentals site that offers verified vacation rentals for booking is http://www.reservemyhome.com/

Just looking at some these listings, even the most experienced agents would have no clue whether or not the home, condo, chalet or cottage is legitimate until it's too late. The renter has mailed the check or used an online means for payment and the money is transferred to a corner of the world we did not know existed. The email account is closed and the chase across the border will end right there.

As the vacation rental market expands by leaps and bounds, so are vacation rental listing scams. Without some due diligence, your perfect family vacation could end before it even starts.

How do you protect yourself from vacation rental scammers? Obviously, be very careful before you send your hard-earned money to a listing on a vacation rentals website. Be patient, plan ahead - it might take some time and some communication exchanges before you find the place you're looking for. Find out who the listing belongs to! If it sounds too good to be true, or if you just have a feeling that something isn't right - stop right there and ask for proof of ownership and that the house you're viewing on your computer screen actually exists.




About the Author:
Scott Norris is the founder of http://www.reservemyhome.com/ To learn more about advertising and booking verified vacation rentals from real owners with real proof of ownership visit http://www.reservemyhome.com/ for vacation rentals from Lake Tahoe, Nevada to Maui, Hawaii to Kissimmee, Florida and every travel hot spot in between.


Read more of Scott Norris's articles.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

So What On Earth Is Marketing?

Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2009 Scott Bywater



Marketing is a pretty vague word.

And it's very easy to get confused as to what it is. So in this article I am going to look at answering the question:

What is marketing?

Let me just have a quick look at dictionary.com and see what they have to say...

"The total of activities involved in the transfer of goods from the producer or seller to the consumer or buyer, including advertising, shipping, storing, and selling."

Notice it says the total of activities.

Now when most people think about marketing, they just think of advertising and promotion.

But in reality it goes deeper than that.

For instance, at Disney theme parks they consider cleaning up the park as marketing.

And at McDonalds, you'll notice they also go to the extra effort to ensure their grounds are clean as soon as you get there.

Marketing is how you answer the phones. How your salespeople present themselves.

How your car looks out on the road. How clean your premises are.

Because there is absolutely no sense in advertising and marketing like a pro and then turning people off as soon as they reach your business.

For instance, years ago I was a call centre trainer and one of the things we used to do to train new operators was have them jump on the phone and contact the competition.

Why?

So they could see how bad they were at answering the phone. And they could see all of the mistakes they could make and what to avoid.

After all, there's no sense learning the tricks to advertising only to generate hundreds of new leads and blow them away as soon as they come in.

It's a tough job - making sure your systems are set up to handle inquiries and keep your customers happy... ensuring you train your staff to handle customers properly... and doing everything you can to ensure a positive customer experience.

And I am not speaking from a space of mastery. I need to stay on top of my systems, I have not made enough time to train up those who worked with me in the past. And the bottom line is I am far from perfect.

But the key is to be aware that marketing is not just about advertising - it's about the entire customer experience.


About the Author:
Scott Bywater is a direct response copywriter and the author of "Cash Flow Advertising" and "More Customers Made Easy". Although Scott is accepting very few clients, he generously shares his experience on copywriting at his web site at http://www.copywritingthatsells.com.au/


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Sunday, December 27, 2009

Countdown To Google Page One and Search Engine Optimization Company Nightmares

Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2009 Trey Pennewell



In August, Google announced the upcoming roll out of the Google Caffeine infrastructure. Google was quick to point out that they would not launch the new infrastructure until after the Christmas holiday shopping season -- giving many online retail stores confidence for the upcoming Christmas shopping season.

In the August announcement, Google described Caffeine this way:

"For the last several months, a large team of Googlers has been working on a secret project: a next-generation architecture for Google's web search. It's the first step in a process that will let us push the envelope on size, indexing speed, accuracy, comprehensiveness and other dimensions. The new infrastructure sits "under the hood" of Google's search engine, which means that most users won't notice a difference in search results. But web developers and power searchers might notice a few differences..."

After Thanksgiving, Google said that they had taken Caffeine out of its "sandbox" phase, and that it launched Caffeine on only one of its Data Centers. Search Engine Land was able to confirm that Google had launched Caffeine on the IP address 209.85.225.103, and it was running on this IP address for at least half of its searches. However, the full roll out of Caffeine continues to remain in holding pattern, until after the Christmas season.

Analyzing Google's Search Engine Result Pages...

Several online publishers and SEO companies jumped into testing the Google Caffeine search results in August, when the original announcement was made public.

The results of testing were somewhat mixed...

  • Everyone pretty much agreed that the Caffeine infrastructure was faster than the original Google infrastructure, except for results that included Advanced Search queries, such as when you are using subtraction signs, quotes in query, etc. Mashable suggested that Google Caffeine actually doubled the speed of a Google search.

  • Google Caffeine tends to show a larger data set for the number of search results for a particular search.

  • The weighting of Video and Universal Search is scaled back in Caffeine.

  • A slight value increase to exact match domain names.

  • Google seems to be putting a little bit more emphasis on the age of a website.

  • An increased weight for domain authority and tag pages on authority websites.

  • A substantial increase in weight for social media websites. Currently FriendFeed seems to carry more weight than Twitter or FaceBook.

  • Google Caffeine has shown a tendency to put more weight on keyword phrases or keyword strings, as opposed to singular keywords.

  • Another major change, which is a reflection of how Google deals with breaking news stories, is that Google is willing to show the title and a description of a page, before it even caches the page in its index.

  • An interesting change in the Google Search Engine Results that I noted while doing the research for this article is that about half-way down the page, Google has added a real-time element to news items...

    What they have done is to load a self-updating Iframe to the search results that shows updated news items on a topic as they become available. The image results are located just under this real-time news block. You can see it now, by doing a quick Google search for Barack Obama.

    Also of interest about this real-time news window is that it is actually capturing some of its results from Twitter and other social media websites.

    What This Means To Webmasters and SEO Providers...

    If you have been relying upon video to push you to the top of Google's search results, this is no longer a sure-fire method of achieving top search placement quickly.

    If you thought that Twitter and other social media websites were worthless to you in Google, then you might start taking a second look.

    If you are not getting listings or mentions on authority websites, then you may be missing out on some SEO opportunities.

    If you have a keyword-heavy domain name, then your investment may start to help you more going forward.

    If you have focused on single keywords and bypassed keyword strings for optimization, you may begin paying heavily for that decision going forward.

    Domain age will become more important after Caffeine is fully rolled out, so it is in our best interests to seek links from older websites and to put more emphasis on older sites in our domain portfolios.

    Old Google vs New Google Comparisons

    Some SEO Providers have noted major changes between the two search engines, although in my own experience, the placement for my target keywords has not suffered, but I have not made major gains either.

    In the Old Google, I could put a search result on page one of Google in as little as 15 minutes. I hope that remains unchanged moving forward into the future. Of course my stuff isn't news, so I will be holding my breath that I can put a web page on page one of Google in only a few minutes -- going forward.

    The main difference we are going to see going forward is the emphasis on keyword strings as opposed to keywords in the new Google Caffeine roll-out.

    If you have been targeting single keywords for your website or the website's of your clients, be prepared to scramble to overcome your losses in Google's search rankings... But if you have been targeting those long-tail keywords for any length of time, then you will probably be dancing on the ceiling once Google Caffeine is live across all of its data centers.

    In Conclusion...

    We have seen a lot of testimony that Google will not change its appearance that much after the Google Caffeine roll-out...

    But we have seen enough testimony to expect that some people will be crying rivers of tears, while others will be dancing the jig, after the Google Caffeine launch...

    The only thing we can know for sure at this point, is that we really won't know the impact of Caffeine until after the roll-out as 2010 gets underway.


    About the Author:
    Trey Pennewell is a writer who has written about SEO and online business for a number of years. He encourages you to learn about and purchase the new SEO ebook titled, "Karma SEO and the Great Search Engine Ranking Dance" at http://www.LinksAndTraffic.com/


    Read more of Trey Pennewell's articles.

    Was the Danny Green Fight Rigged?

    Article Presented by:
    Copyright © 2009 Scott Bywater



    Last night I attended the Danny Green vs Roy Jones Jr. fight.

    As you have probably heard by now, it was all over in just over two minutes by knockout.

    Now I jumped on facebook after the fight and a number of people were disappointed with the end result... particularly those who had paid $1,000 for front row seats.

    Some said they thought the fight was rigged.

    After all, what a build up. Roy Jones Jr. was credited as the greatest boxer who had ever visited our shores and he was knocked out in less than two minutes.

    But let's take a look at what happened and what we can learn from the fight as entrepreneurs.

    When the fight was just getting started, Danny Green got the knock out punch which sent Roy Jones Jr. off balance.

    That's the equivalent of us as entrepreneurs developing a winning ad or marketing system in our business.

    But what I've also noticed is that many business owners strike this breakthrough and then sit on it.

    Danny Green didn't do that. He noticed his "moment of power" and he went in for the kill.

    Had he not "upped the ante" at that point, Roy Jones Jr. would have had a chance to get back in the fight, rebalance himself and the result could have been very different.

    So in my opinion, no... the fight wasn't rigged.

    But it was an awesome example of having the guts to "go in for the kill" once the momentum was moving in your favour.

    Will you do this the next time you strike a winner?

    For instance, you might run a great ad which gives you a 2-to-1 return on investment.

    Will you run it again?

    Will you try to improve it so it gets a 3-to-1 return on investment or a 5-to-1 return on investment?

    Or will you just throw it in the bin and say "it only got me a two to one return on investment. Not worth the money"

    Truth is, many business owners don't see the opportunity when it is staring them in the face.

    Or they get too scared to go in for the kill like Danny Green did last night.

    Remember, your competitor as a business owner is cash-flow.

    And you want to continue to throw your marketing fists at your "cashflow enemy" until you land a decent punch.

    And once you knock your competitor off balance by finding an ad or sales letter that pays you more than it makes you, it's time to go in for the kill and get that ad in front of as many people as you possibly can.

    Have you already landed your opening "killer punch" but don't even notice it?

    If you have, then it's time to go in for the kill and place that ad or sales letter everywhere you possibly can.

    Or start promoting that web site like crazy.


    About the Author:
    Scott Bywater is a direct response copywriter and the author of "Cash Flow Advertising" and "More Customers Made Easy". Although Scott is accepting very few clients, he generously shares his experience on copywriting at his web site at http://www.copywritingthatsells.com.au/


    Read more of Scott Bywater's articles.

    Friday, December 25, 2009

    Forgotten By The Travel Industry - Over 100 Million German Speaking Travelers

    Article Presented by:
    Copyright © 2009 Janneke Nijenhuis



    Online travel sales in Europe are increasing rapidly. It is expected that in 2009 over 25% of the total European travel market will be purchased online. The UK remains the largest online travel market in Europe, with Germany in second place. These two markets accounted for 49% of the EUR 49.4 bn. European online travel market in 2007.

    The Germans took a total of 302 million trips in 2008 (domestic 226.4 million and outbound 75.8 million) and spent 1.6 billion nights abroad. An increase of 2% compared to 2007. With 17% Spain is the leading outbound holiday destination followed by Austria, Italy, Turkey, France, Netherlands, Greece and Switzerland.

    A huge travel market often forgotten by the travel industry. Websites have not been translated into the German language and online distribution on the German markets is neglected.

    According to the German Information Centre in July 2009 the crisis in Germany is stabilizing: "Following the sharp declines in the gross domestic product in the winter half-year, there are now increasingly signs indicating a gradual stabilisation of the overall economy. In particular, there has been a recovery of ordering in industry. Thus, the outlook for industrial output has improved considerably. There are many indications that the overall economic output may have stabilised in the second quarter of this year."

    Time for the travel industry (hotels, cruises, holidayhomes, vacation rentals and other travel suppliers) to expand their sales and marketing effords to these new markets. Among many hotel websites such as HRS.com and Hotel.de hotels can also market packages to the German speaking markets.

    Recently the new website www.toptravelangebot.de went online. A German travel portal where the tourism industry can advertise hotel offers, holiday homes, restaurants, promotions, events and holiday related press releases free of charge. This is the first opportunity for providers from the tourism branch to gain free and easy access to the German travel market.

    No Commission For The Entire Tourism Branch

    Visitors are able to evaluate providers using a review option and simply search by location or category such as hotel, amusement park, golf club, restaurant, or city trip. Subsequently they can send an e-mail directly to the provider or click through to the provider's website. Providers therefore do not need to maintain an availability overview or pay a commission, which can be as high as 15% these days with other websites. In addition, all new providers are entitled to a free listing for one year. This gives them one full year to test, free of charge, whether this new portal does indeed offer an easy solution to attracting German guests. Please request the relevant discount code.

    No Charge For Press Releases And Articles

    There is no charge for publishing events, press releases, promotions, or classified ads on toptravelangebot.de




    About the Author:
    Janneke Nijenhuis (44) started her career in 1989 with Golden Tulip Worldwide. After 12 years in various commercial jobs she started a new hotel chain: Hampshire Hotels in 2001. In 2006 she started her own hotels S&M consultancy firm Hands-On Advies (http://www.handsonadvies.nl/) working for companies in the hospitality industry. Recently she started with a new German travel portal: http://www.toptravelangebot.de/


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    Which Road Will You Take Over Christmas?

    Article Presented by:
    Copyright © 2009 Scott Bywater



    With the festive season upon us, there is going to be a lot more junk food for us to feed our bodies over the coming weeks.

  • Chocolate.

  • Cakes.

  • Pies.

  • Pizzas.

  • Lamingtons.

  • You name it and you can probably eat it.

    And one of the things about junk food is it feels SO GOOD as we are chewing... enjoying the taste... and allowing it to pass into our bodies.

    But there are side effects, aren't there?

    We feel like crap afterwards. We stack on the weight. And we leave our body more open for disease. Not to mention the long term effects which sugar (some people refer to it as white poison) has on our bodies.

    Bottom line is 99% of the population will still feast on all the goodies this Xmas despite all of this.

    I have certainly had my fair share over the last couple of weeks.

    So why do we do it?

    One reason: short term pleasure.

    You see, the results we achieve short term are often very different than what we achieve long term.

    For instance...

    - It feels so good to sleep in. But it also means you miss out on being the early bird that catches the worm and giving your business the extra time it needs to thrive.

    - It's always attractive to get distracted when we are focusing on something important at work. It gives us short term pleasure to check our emails, jump onto facebook or whatever.

    But it also means we miss out on the long term benefits of focusing on the things which are most important.

    - It gives us a greater deal of short term pleasure not to exercise and just sit in front of the television instead.

    But the long term benefits of exercise are well documented. As for the long term benefits of sitting in front of the TV????

    So which are you going to choose?

    Short term pleasure and long term pain.

    Or short term pain and long term pleasure.

    The two do not always go hand in hand.

    For most people, there is a certain amount of pain in investing money to improve their education and knowledge.

    But I'm sure you'll agree the long term effect of not having enough customers is certainly more painful.


    About the Author:
    Scott Bywater is a successful direct response copywriter and heads up Copywriting That Sells, a direct response advertising firm. Want to learn how to get more customers - then get your hands on his popular 17 page ebook "7 ways To Increase Your Turnover... No Matter What The State Of The Economy." It's been downloaded by over 8,247 business owners over the past five years and you can get your hands on it now at http://www.copywritingthatsells.com.au/


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    Thursday, December 24, 2009

    Turning Useless Facts Into Moolah

    Article Presented by:
    Copyright © 2009 Scott Bywater



    I was sitting here doing a meditation this morning, wondering what I would write about today, when I saw a little book on my desk.

    I picked it up last year. It was a publication from Zoo Magazine entitled PUB AMMO: 1001 guaranteed useless facts.

    However, I am not so sure they are useless.

    Let's open the page and take a look inside at some of the facts...

    At weddings in part of North India, groups of women sing abusive songs directed at the family of the groom.

    A Tupperware party starts somewhere in the world every 23 seconds

    The soft drink 7-Up got its name from the inventor, who had already rejected six other names for the product

    In a feeding frenzy, a shark may eat parts of its own body

    It is a criminal offense to drive around in a dirty car in Russia

    Polar bears are so perfectly insulated against the cold, they actually spend most of the time trying to cool down.

    Nine out of 10 people believe Thomas Edison invented the light bulb. Joseph Swan did.

    Ok, I am sure you found these ideas interesting.

    But how can you use them in your copy to boost sales?

    Let me have a crack at a few of them for a few businesses...

    A Conflict Management Seminar...

    Did you know at weddings in part of North India, groups of women sing abusive songs directed at the family of the groom?

    Thankfully, this probably won't happen at your wedding, but if you're like many customer service people I know you've certainly had your fair share of abuse hurled at you over the years.

    And in this letter, I am going to show you how to put a stop to it.

    Here's what it's all about... etc

    A Clothing Shop

    Did you know Polar bears are so perfectly insulated against the cold, they actually spend most of the time trying to cool down.

    Unfortunately, you're not going to have the same problem over winter.

    However it really doesn't matter, because with our special winter sale, it's the next best thing to turning yourself into a polar bear for the next 6 months.

    Here's the deal... etc.

    A car cleaning company

    Did you know it is a criminal offense to drive around in a dirty car in Russia?

    Thankfully, you're not going to be locked up for driving around without cleaning your car in Australia. But you'll certainly cause a crime against yourself because when your car is dirty, you are exposed to germs which can cause illnesses within your family. What's more, it just doesn't make you feel good to drive around in a dirty car now does it?

    Can you see how you can use so called "useless facts" to get your readers attention in virtually any industry.

    The reality is it doesn't matter how good your product is, it's catching people's attention so you can get the message across and position your product well.

    Think about it: Rightly or wrongly, Thomas Edison got the credit for inventing the lightbulb because he was better at promoting himself and getting the attention of the public.

    That made him famous and no doubt made him a fortune.

    The message: You need to know how to promote yourself to get the attention of your target market or you're dead in the water.


    About the Author:
    Scott Bywater is a direct response copywriter with extensive experience in B2B and B2C writing. Mr Bywater is the author of Cash-Flow Advertising and More Customers Made Easy. You can gain access to his copywriting and marketing tips via his entertaining and eye opening "Copywriting Selling Secrets" newsletter available at http://www.copywritingthatsells.com.au/


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    Tuesday, December 22, 2009

    She's After Your Money

    Article Presented by:
    Copyright © 2009 Scott Bywater



    She's after your money!

    That's what I was told by a guy who was working with me just after I met my wife.

    After all, I was quite a catch...

    I lived in one of those houses with share bathrooms along with guys on the dole and at least one or two drug addicts.

    My tax cheque was the only thing which allowed me to pay my bills and survive through that Xmas.

    My car had a big scratch down the side of it which I couldn't afford to fix.

    My clothes were about 3 years old and I clearly hadn't had a fashion upgrade for some time.

    I hardly had a cent to my name.

    Obviously, my mate was joking.

    And I feel fortunate that I met my wife at a time when I didn't have much because I know she loves me for me... and not for my money.

    I can't imagine how difficult it would be to be famous and try to work out what people's real intentions are in befriending you and if they have second agendas.

    Perhaps that's why Hollywood Stars always seem to date each other.

    Who knows.

    Anyway, that's not the point of this email. But this is...

    Let me ask you a question: Let's say you were entering Australia for the first time as an immigrant.

    Who would you rather be?

    The guy who had just managed to inherit a tidy sum from a bank before he left and had $700,000 in the bank... but had no money and limited skill?

    Or the guy who had invested the last five years of his life to gain the knowledge to practice as a specialist in this country with highly sought after skills.

    Many people would probably say the first guy. But the reality is the first guy's assets add up to $700,000. And if he doesn't know how to manage that money, 10 years from now, what's it going to be worth?

    Not much.

    How about the second guy.

    He's got the skills to demand a six figure income. He's got the character traits to improve his skills and ensure they only increase over time.

    And the reality is 5 years from now... 10 years from now... 20 years from now... you can almost bet your bottom dollar who's financial future is looking rosier.

    So what's the most important asset one can possess?

    Knowledge.

    Why? Because knowledge can be transformed into money in the bank. And unlike money, nobody can ever take it away from you.

    And I can't think of any more important knowledge for a business owner to have than understanding how to get more customers via the strategies you'll learn at http://www.morecustomersmadeeasy.com

    Remember, our greatest asset is between our ears.


    About the Author:
    Scott Bywater is a direct mail copywriter and the author of Cash-Flow Advertising. To get access to his highly prized complimentary copy of '7 Ways To Get More Customers" (valued at $29.95) and to join his controversial and insighful "Copywriting Selling Secrets" newsletter where you'll uncover the truth about why most ads and sales letters don't work (and how to make yours stand out from the rest) head on over to his web site at http://www.copywritingthatsells.com.au/


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    Will Training and Education Requirements Become Regulation for Clinical Research Professionals?

    Article Presented by:
    Copyright © 2009 Lisa Mazurka



    Training and education within the clinical research industry continues to be an important topic amongst clinical research professionals and regulators. While many industries have standard requirements for training and education within their profession, the clinical research industry does not mandate any requirements or standard baseline training curriculum. Because of this, training for new professionals across our industry varies and for some it may not even exist. This issue has been a hot topic in our industry as issues of research noncompliance continue to be associated with lack of education and training.

    Last year, in July 2008, the Department of Health and Human Services (OHRP) asked the clinical research industry to provide public comment on whether the agency should develop regulations which would mandate education and training requirements for clinical research professionals or whether additional guidance on the topic should be provided (73 Fed. Reg. 37460).

    OHRP requested industry comment on such topics as: whether institutions/organizations require education and training, if there is no education and training requirements within institutions/organizations, what are the reasons for non-implementation, if an institution/organization does not have an education/training requirement, does this contribute to noncompliance? In addition, the agency requested comment on a variety of other issues relating to training and education such as: the need for regulation on training and education, what industry professionals should be required to complete training and education requirements and how often should training materials be updated?

    (Public comments were collected through September 29, 2008.)

    Unfortunately, the request for industry comment did not provide as much feedback and response as OHRP had hoped with only approximately one hundred comments received by the September deadline. In addition, the comments provided seemed dived and vague, giving no clear response to the topic.

    Thompson's Guide to Good Clinical Practice recently covered the OHRP request for public comment on training and education in the September, 2009 issue. As quoted by Elyse Summers, Acting Director of OHRP's Division of Education and Development when interviewed regarding the responses, she stated: "Taken as a whole, there was not a definitive picture presented by the commentators as to what specific role regulations and/or guidance and/or OHRP should play in achieving the goal of educating people involved in activities relating to human subjects research and protection."(1)

    Many clinical research professionals, especially those who provide training and education services, wonder how these comments will be incorporated into the clinical research industry atmosphere and infrastructures. "I think it is unfortunate that the comments were split and there was no definitive sway in either direction", states Lisa Mazurka, President of Clinical Research Consulting, Inc. Our organization is a CRO which offers clinical research education and training programs and we see a dire need for a stronger foundation for education and training in the industry. Not only do we support a change in industry support for a suggested curriculum of mandated training and education for industry professionals but we would also like to see additional funding for such programs through grants and/or other federal funds. Far too often, individuals do not benefit from baseline training and education upon coming into this industry because their organization does not have such an internal funded program and/or they do not have the funding to outsource training and education services to an outside organization".

    Comments received by OHRP on this topic are public and can be requested through the Division of Education and Development. No decisions or course of action have been made to date from the comments received by the OHRP since the deadline in September, 2008.

    References

    1. Thompson Guide to Good Clinical Practice. September, 2009; Volume 16, No. 2


    About the Author:
    Lisa Mazurka is Founder and President of Clinical Research Consulting, Inc. http://www.eclinicalresearchconsulting.com/ a full service clinical monitoring, project management, training, and educational service organization committed to raising standards within the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Lisa is an avid clinical educator and has delivered hundreds of educational programs for hospitals, academia and biotech start-ups to leading pharmaceutical companies. She has also taught for the Boston University School of Medicine and The Massachusetts Biotechnology Council.


    Read more of Lisa Mazurka's articles.

    Monday, December 21, 2009

    The Decline in the Personal Savings Rate - What Happened to the Discipline?

    Article Presented by:
    Copyright © 2009 Tome Tomaj



    As more and more American baby boomers are nearing and entering their retirement years, many of them are concerned about whether their retirement savings will last them long enough to ensure their current quality of life, and rightly so.

    During my work as an investment advisor and in my travels and contacts with people in all facets of life, I have seen first-hand how the lack of savings by Americans for their retirement can lead to disastrous effects, both on their financial situations, but on their emotional well-being as well. The data speaks for itself. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the net household savings rate as a percentage (%) of household disposable income for the US in 2008 was 1.6%. That is to say, that on average American households saved only 1.6% of their disposable income. As compared to other developed nations, the US has a very low savings rate. As a reference, the savings rate for some of these developed companies is as follows: Germany (11.6%), France (12.7%), Italy (9.2%), Switzerland (12.6%) and Japan (3.3%).

    As Americans, why do we not save more of the money we work very hard to earn? I firmly believe this is a result of our lack of financial discipline. What I mean by lack of discipline is as it relates to making the right decisions as to our lifestyles, spending decisions and to a lesser extent our careers.

    Here is an example: As an advisor, I frequently meet and consult with wealthy individuals and many, to my surprise, have earned their wealth on their own. It was not handed to them by their parents. After meeting and working with affluent people, I immediately began to notice similarities between many of them.

    1. They were savers. They saved a much higher percentage of their disposable incomes as compared to the average American.

    2. They live well below their means. I cannot stress this enough. The most common characteristic of these individuals was they were not concerned about "Keeping up with the Jones," but rather live a relatively conservative lifestyle, focused on achieving financial independence.

    Naysayers will argue that while these are valid points, these individuals were lucky enough to have good high-paying jobs. I would agree that a stable high-paying career is definitely a significant component in helping achieve financial independence, but do not believe that this factor, and this factor alone, helps individuals achieve this independence. There are many many individuals with high paying jobs, many of them in stable positions, but living paycheck to paycheck. This lack of discipline on the part of these individuals can at a minimum leave ill-prepared for their retirement, or worse in the long run, possible financial ruin.

    As I write this article, I am reminded of something that my father used to say all the time (and still does, although to a lesser extent) - "It doesn't matter how much you make, but how much you save." As a young guy, when I was working in investment banking, this advice went "in one ear and out the other." But as a guy in my 30s I really appreciate this line of thinking and how it can really affect Americans for the better.

    Consider this: the effects of saving $500 per month and investing those monies have a very large potential for growth in the long run. Assuming an 8% average return on investment, by saving $500 per month, in 5 years it grows to $40,000, 10 years - approximately $100,000, 20 years - nearly $302,000 and in 30 years - approximately $740,000. The effects of compounding still astonish me to this day. If a 30 year old individual starts saving $500 per month today and does so for 30 years, and retiring around the age of 60, he could have a very nice nest egg in addition to his social security income (if it is still around in 30 years), his pension plan (from his employment, and or 401k, if applicable).

    Now for some more recent data (which is not very meaningful, in my opinion). The US Bureau of Economic Analysis recently reported that the US savings rate as a % of disposable income has been increasing over the last few quarters. In fact, from the first quarter of 2008, the savings rate has been increasing to approximately 4.5% as of the third quarter 2009. While, in my opinion, this is good, I believe this will not last. Data has shown that during periods of economic downturns, we see savings rates increase dramatically, only to see them fall once the economy begins to come back. If we continue saving just a little more than we have been saving on average, it could make a meaningful difference in the long-term financial health of many.

    I am a firm believer in saving, especially as it pertains to retirement and allowing the possibility to enjoy retirement years in relative comfort. The purpose of this piece was not to criticize us as Americans on our lack of financial discipline as it pertains to saving, but to show us that many of the financial difficulties people face in their retirement years can be avoided with some careful long-term planning.


    About the Author:
    Tome Tomaj is an investment advisor representative and a financial markets investor. He is the founder of White River Capital Management LLC, an independent registered investment advisor. White River specializes in the management of separately managed investment accounts for individuals and institutions. To find out more about his investment philosophy and sign-up for his FREE market commentaries and articles, please visit: http://www.wr-cap.com/signup.html


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    The Problem With Swiping Sales Copy

    Article Presented by:
    Copyright © 2009 Scott Bywater



    I was chatting with a client yesterday about his advertisement.

    And when first looking at it, it appeared to be an okay advert to the untrained eye.

    But then I asked him a question -

    What's the most common question you get asked when you talk at seminars... when clients are interested in purchasing your product... etc?

    He answered my question and a light bulb went off inside my head because I knew I had found the new angle.

    And this is what people miss when they try to simply "swipe" sales copy from another advertisement.

    They think they can just pull out a few words like:

    Who else wants to

    or...

    WARNING

    or...

    They laughed when I

    or whatever.

    But if you get the angle wrong, then you are dead in the water.

    For instance, let's say you are trying to sell aquariums - then you might think an ad in the paper which says:

    Who else wants to buy an aquarium

    or...

    Warning: Don't buy an aquarium before you read this

    ... is going to be a winner, simply because you have seen these sort of ads somewhere else before.

    But if I was to chat with you and dig a little deeper, we would discover...

    - Who bought aquariums from you in the past (the 20% of your business that makes up 80% of your customers)

    - What questions they generally ask

    - Why they buy aquariums

    etc. etc.

    And let's say the answer was (and I am totally guessing) that most aquariums were bought for kids between 5-12 years old. And the number one priority was that they were easy to maintain.

    If that was the case, then a "warning" style headline simply wouldn't cut it unless you were advertising to readers who were specifically looking for your product via a phone directory or internet search.

    So what would cut it?

    An advertisement which focused around making someone's child the happiest kid on the block. i.e.

    Headline: How to make your child the happiest kid on the block this Christmas

    Followed by a question about "how do you choose a present for your child and what to look for"

    Followed by a story of just how an aquarium gave so much joy to a young child

    Followed by taking away the objection of "high maintenance" and explaining how easy it is.

    Remember, every product has an angle. The problem is just like I would have a problem trying to work out what was going on with my car by opening up the bonnet (as compared to a mechanic) it's very difficult for the untrained eye to spot.

    And that's why I have finally opened the doors to my critique service - http://www.scottbywater.com/critique/ - where I tear your existing ad or sales letter to pieces and show you how to get it to start making money immediately.


    About the Author:
    Scott Bywater is a direct response copywriter with extensive experience in B2B and B2C writing. Mr Bywater is the author of Cash-Flow Advertising and More Customers Made Easy. You can gain access to his copywriting and marketing tips via his entertaining and eye opening "Copywriting Selling Secrets" newsletter available at http://www.copywritingthatsells.com.au/


    Sunday, December 20, 2009

    Improve the Profitability of Your Dental Practice by Increasing Staff Productivity

    Article Presented by:
    Copyright © 2009 Peter Gopal, Ph.D.



    Payroll costs at many dental offices are high, and doctors are at a loss for ways to bring this under control. Across-the-board salary cuts are not the answer, as that will only result in turnover, and you may end up losing some of your best people.

    The key culprit is usually low staff productivity. What we have noticed repeatedly is that an office with a skilled, motivated team and good systems will greatly outperform and out-produce another office with comparable doctor clinical skills.

    Why Are Dental Staff Unproductive?

    Some of the main reasons for poor staff productivity are:

  • The office has not set daily target production goals. Every staff member needs to know both the goal and their role in achieving and exceeding those targets.

  • Staff members have not received adequate training to excel at their jobs. Rework and inefficiencies are common. Everyone at the office seems diligent, but somehow things take longer to do. A task that should take 1 hour ends up taking 2 hours.

  • Cross-training has not been provided to team members. While each person has a specific area of primary responsibility, the top offices have people who have been cross-trained and can function effectively in a range of tasks. Front office staff can take X-rays and assist the dentist; dental assistants can check a patient out and schedule appointments.

  • Lack of proper systems. Detailed systems and protocols must be in place for every task within the office. In the absence of systems, people invent their own ways of doing things, which may either be inefficient or incorrect. Written systems and manuals are imperative.

  • Lack of an effective bonus system. Many dentists do not have an incentive system in place, fearing that employees will expect bonuses all the time, or that it will further increase overhead. This is a miscalculation. A bonus is a reward for exceptional performance, given for exceeding goals. As long as the goals are set correctly - after considering all costs for the dentist owner - and it is communicated clearly that the bonus kicks in only when targets are surpassed, a bonus motivates staff and actually helps decrease overhead for the office.

  • Performance management issues. At many offices, this is a dormant issue that goes unresolved and unaddressed for years. Often, the dentist keeps on payroll staff members who have been underperforming for months or years, without ever providing honest feedback regarding their performance. This is a disservice both to the staff person and the practice. The staff member underachieves and never performs to his/her full potential, and the practice never achieves its full potential, either.

  • Many dentists are terrified of giving honest feedback out of concern that they may lose their staff and will have to start from scratch. Some hand out automatic raises every year, even when the practice revenue is stagnant. This creates an entitlement mentality. Staff do nothing to upgrade their skills, get set in their ways, and are being paid disproportionately well in relation to their contributions. Eventually, the dentist realizes years later that he just cannot afford to pay them at this level and has to either cut hours or discharge people. We see this sad and bitter outcome all too often.

    By tackling some of these problems, a dental practice can easily raise overall revenues 10% without any increase in staff hours. For a typical $600,000 practice, a 10% boost from higher staff productivity adds a whopping $60,000/year to the doctor's compensation. Isn't that worth the effort?




    About the Author:
    Peter Gopal, PhD, together with his wife, Hema Gopal, M.B.A. and D.M.D., consults with dentists who are intent on building a more profitable practice. Whether you are leaving money on the table due to broken patient appointments, improper scheduling, poor case acceptance, low hygienist productivity, excessive overhead, or unnecessary reliance on PPOs, they can pinpoint your weaknesses and prescribe remedies. Receive a free, realistic assessment of the earning potential of your dental practice by going to: http://www.visionary-management.com/assessment.php


    Read more of Peter Gopal, Ph.D.'s articles.

    Saturday, December 19, 2009

    Hurt and Rescue Your Customers

    Article Presented by:
    Copyright © 2009 Scott Bywater



    There's a saying in the direct marketing world called "hurt and rescue" which sounds kind of harsh. But I wanted to take a minute and walk you through the process of how it works now.

    As in reality, it's actually hurting people for their own good in most cases.

    What most people don't realize is that we are selling all the time. I have a three year old toddler, who is very excited about going to the Wiggles today ;-) and I am in constant negotiation with him to go to sleep, etc.

    Now anyone with kids is probably going to face challenges when they come into their teenage years. What's more, we all love our kids.

    So let's see how the "hurt and rescue" method can be applied to someone you love...

    Your child is a teenager and you find some drugs in their school bag.

    You say: What's this?

    Your teenager says: It's nothing. Just some hash. Everyone does it?

    You say: What the???

    Now you have a few options at this point. You can go off your head, start screaming and ranting like a lunatic and scare the life out of your teenager.

    You could let it go.

    Or you could strategically apply the "hurt and rescue" approach.

    Here's how I would do it...

    I would tell a story about someone who lost their mind as a result of smoking drugs - a real story about drugs being linked to mental illnesses, etc.

    I would pull out real stories from newspapers giving percentages of the people getting addicted.

    I would go into research mode and find out every single bad thing I could about this drug based on real studies.

    And I would basically try to scare the living s**t out of my teenager.

    Why?

    To link a greater degree of pain to smoking the drug than the pleasure (sensations, acceptance, etc) he gained from it.

    And once I had hurt him, then I would go into rescue mode.

    I would find a mentor. I would show him there was a better way which would provide him the same pleasure without drugs.

    Can you see why the "hurt and rescue" model is ethical and in the best interest of your customer?

    Let's say you sell tires... point out the danger of not having good tires, get statistics on how many people die each year as a result of not having good tires... scare the life out of your customers. And then rescue them with your solution.

    Makes sense?

    You bet it does. One of my old friends said he didn't like the way copywriting used fear to get people to take action, but if it's real... if it's going to help save lives... if it's going to protect your child... if it's fear used to do good... I have absolutely no problem with it.


    About the Author:
    Scott Bywater is an advertising copywriting expert and the author of Cash-Flow Advertising. To gain access to all of his copywriting tips on how to get more customers via his eye opening "Copywriting Selling Secrets" newsletter, simply head on over to his web site at http://www.copywritingthatsells.com.au/


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    Directory Assistance - How Can I Help Your Blog?

    Article Presented by:
    Copyright © 2009 Enzo F. Cesario



    Blogging can be a deeply satisfying, intensely personal experience. Generally simple to use, blogs allow the household mom, the serial author, the political activist and the high school poet to publish and archive their best efforts and satisfy the creative muse in all of them. Whereas, in the past, publishing was a privilege for the elite few, it is now open to anyone with the time and the means to access a computer.

    But if no one is reading the blogs, they can become a disheartening and frustrating experience. A lack of audience can even cost a blogger money - there are numerous blogs on the web that are intended to be significant sources of personal income, between advertising programs and personal product sales. A key step in getting a blog read, therefore, is the use of a specialized web directory known as the blog directory.

    What is a Blog Directory?

    A blog directory is not a search engine - it is an indexed list of blog links, broken up into categories and keywords for ease of reference. Blogs are submitted or invited for review; the directory looks over the material, and then determines if it meets the criteria for inclusion. Listing in a blog directory increases the chance that a blog will come up in search engine and keyword requests, meaning more users will ultimately be directed to read the blog.

    There are as many different types of directories as there are categories of blog. There are directories for video blogs, personal blogs, business-only blogs, and hobby blogs. Some directories cater to the politically minded web journalist; others only admit a self-defined best-of-the-best by personal invitation, according to their own eclectic or exclusive criteria. Even more specific are directories seeking a narrow culture subset. The Ultimate Directory of British Blogs seeks out what they call British blogs, defined as much by culture and common language as by arbitrary terms of location.

    In addition, directories are broadly divided between human-edited and automated submission directories. Human-edited directories maintain a staff of reviewers who examine each submission before listing or rejecting it. Automated systems look for keywords or organizational patterns in submitted blogs, and make determinations based on pre-set, machine-learned criteria.

    How Do They Work?

    Directories present a number of options or models for how they list blogs; equally as diverse as the way they categorize their indices. The basic model is the free listing - bloggers are not charged for the review and listing of their blog in the directory. Paid submissions require a fee - either one time or ongoing - for the review and listing of their blog on the site. Some directories require a bidding process for listing blogs, and some blogs have a 'featured' listing that gives a particular blog top billing over their other listings, for various reasons. Just to make things more interesting, any of these listing options can also include a link-back clause, namely that the user must display (in a matter that satisfies the directory) a link to the directory where their blog has been listed.

    In theory, blog directories are simple to use; a blogger finds a directory they think is relevant, and submits their blog for listing. In practice, there are steps to make the process more profitable and effective than blind, mass submission. The first step is research; bloggers should visit forums related to their field of interest, and ask which directories have good results, or which are best suited to their category of writing. When submitting, bloggers should look into the directory's submission procedures and follow them exactly. The savvy blogger is never afraid to ask for advice, whether from the forum or a directory's contacts page. Sometimes a thoughtfully worded question will accomplish much more than a careless series of submissions.

    A Few Free Ones

    A handful of free directories bloggers may be interested in include bloglines.com, answers.com, blogfinds.com, technorati.com and boingboing.net

    Each of these is a good choice for a blogger to consider registering and submitting to while looking to save money. None charge fees, and each one offers additional services beyond the blogging directory itself. Because of this, they are more likely to draw additional users interested in more than the directory, who then can follow up by perusing the listings for more information. At most, they require registration and a link-back, which are comparatively small demands. Some directories charge a minimum of five dollars for a review and listing, and others charge as much as 150 dollars for a front-page spot.

    Bloggers should take the time to do their research, visit the forums of their preferred blogging communities and hobbies, and find out which directories best suit them. With a little effort and energy, a good blog can find a great directory, and reach the audience it deserves.




    About the Author:
    Enzo F. Cesario is a Copywriter and co-founder of Brandsplat. Brandcasting uses informative content and state-of-the-art internet distribution and optimization to build links and drive the right kind of traffic to your website. Go to http://www.Brandsplat.com/ or visit our blog at: http://www.brandsplatblog.com/


    Read more Articles written by Enzo F. Cesario.

    Friday, December 18, 2009

    Branding - For Better or Worse

    Article Presented by:
    Copyright © 2009 Enzo F. Cesario



    The point of a brand is to create an instantaneous association in people's minds. The Nike 'swoosh' brings to mind footwear, athleticism, and Michael Jordan. The Toyota 'bull' logo evokes images of compact cars, foreign business competition, and new ways of doing things. The name Budweiser reminds us of everything from the actual beer to those clever talking frogs, and the 'wassup!' advertisements.

    These are cases of successful, memorable branding. Michael Jordan is retired from professional sports, the frogs haven't been on television in years, and wassup has almost faded from day to day use in the American pop culture vocabulary. However, every one of these elements remains identifiable, and mentioning them to most people will get the typical, 'oh yeah!' response to memories of clever marketing, cementing the image of the brand in the viewers' minds.

    Branding is the creation of these memories. However, recollections of a product being indisputably linked with a particular name, image, or slogan can be a double-edged sword.

    MCI Communications was one of the most successful challengers to the AT&T 'Bell Monopoly' consortium between the late 1960s and early 1980s. MCI managed to push through the breakup of the Bell coalition and allow new players to enter into the field of telecommunications. MCI pioneered many telecommunications innovations, such as Single Mode Fiber Optic Cable, when other companies were content to rely on existing standards. They were one of the first companies to offer the now standard idea of 'in-network' calling, where MCI customers received discounts when calling other MCI customers. MCI was one of the big, significant players in the telecom world, so why isn't their name still synonymous with innovation?

    Because it is now synonymous with the words Worldcom, Enron, and scandal.

    In 1998, MCI merged with another company to become MCI Worldcom, launching a widespread televised and online advertising campaign featuring notable actors such as Sam Neil of Jurassic Park fame. The MCI brand became inextricably linked with the Worldcom brand. Then, on June 26 2002, the Securities Exchange Commission launched a full inquiry into reported auditing and financial irregularities, resulting in allegations of fraud. By July 21st, less than one month later, it was revealed that Worldcom stock was inflated by $11 billion dollars, and the company entered into chapter 11 bankruptcy. MCI was ultimately bought out by Verizon, and the legacy of a once innovative telecom company was left in the same repository as Arthur Anderson, Enron, and the other big financial fraud stories of the early 21st century.

    While this is an extreme example, it is a caution worth considering for anyone interested in making a brand name for his or her product in today's market. The world is more connected, more informed, and more critical than ever, and while a legacy of good choices can create a strong brand, a reputation for poor or improper decisions can and will conspire to bury a once successful company forever.

    Many times, no one can predict what will make a brand into a particular success or failure overnight. However, every company can take three common sense steps to protect their brand and the products it represents.

    1. Promote a Quality Product

    Quality talks - if a product works, then it has a certain degree of merit that puts it ahead of competition. If a company puts the time and effort to get a quality product onto the market and markets the brand in such a way that the actual qualities are stressed, people will remember.

    As an example, Tylenol is an effective painkiller for post-surgical use. It is not a homeopathic remedy relying on word of mouth and supposed benefits, but has demonstrable, measurable effects on human pain and healing.

    2. Be Informed About the Brand's Use

    Knowing not just what one is putting out, but what is being done with it in the market, is crucial to proper branding. To continue with the example of Tylenol, many advertisements stress that doctors frequently prescribe it, more than any other over the counter analgesic. Knowing what doctors were using their product allowed Tylenol to make a powerful claim and keep the information in people's minds.

    3. Be Prepared to Take Responsibility for the Brand

    As seen in the MCI case, scandal led to the irrevocable decline of a once-powerful brand. Conversely, Tylenol managed to take what could have been a public relations nightmare and came out stronger than ever as a result. When Tylenol executives found out that tampering had led to poison getting into the product supply, poisons that killed Tylenol consumers, they pulled every current Tylenol product from the shelves of stores. They investigated each of their production facilities, solved the problem, and then launched an informative campaign letting people know when and why it was safe to come back to their product. This disaster could have led to the death of the company, but the executives' willingness to take responsibility and act, rather than covering up and denying fault, saved-a brand that is still powerful to this day.

    Again, these are examples of extreme events. Only a tiny fraction of companies ever take their investments down the path of fraud, and almost no one will have to deal with their product becoming a poisonous vector. However, they illustrate the case that a brand is a powerful association for people to make, and that like any part of a business, it requires information and action in the proper degrees.

    What Does This Mean to Me and My Website

    Normal advertising just informs the consumer about a product and a company's brand identity. With digital advertising, the consumer can be more involved in the brand image. In this interactive domain, a company can listen to consumers who make comments on their website or blog and act on negative feedback before it becomes uncontrollable. They can try out different advertising strategies to learn which products they should continue to develop and which new features a product should have.

    Effective digital branding allows you to identify a singular position and establish your own distinctive voice in the marketplace and incorporates all three of the above-mentioned branding points. You'll be promoting a quality product. You'll use social media strategies to keep informed about your brand's image and you'll take responsibility for your brand, to guide and shape it to its best advantage.

    Branding takes time and thought. Digital branding takes time, thought and an interchange with your consumers. Engaging your customers in your brand in a relevant way is the key to successful online branding.




    About the Author:
    Enzo F. Cesario is a Copywriter and co-founder of Brandsplat. Brandcasting uses informative content and state-of-the-art internet distribution and optimization to build links and drive the right kind of traffic to your website. Go to http://www.Brandsplat.com/ or visit our blog at: http://www.brandsplatblog.com/


    Read more of Enzo F. Cesario's articles.

    Thursday, December 17, 2009

    Sarasota Florida: Ultimate Beach Guide

    Article Presented by:
    Copyright © 2009 John C Allen



    When thinking of Sarasota, Florida, images of its white sandy beaches dance in your head. Sun glistening on the tips of waves splashing in from the waters of the Gulf of Mexico twinkle the imagination too.

    For decades, visitors have marked Sarasota as a return destination on their yearly calendars in order to experience Florida's warm climate in harsh winters. Hotel rooms or condominiums are booked sometimes years in advance. With numerous direct flights to Sarasota Bradenton International Airport from US major cities, Sarasota is easily accessible. The Tampa International Airport is only an hour north as well.

    Sarasota has over 35 miles of beaches along the warm, azure waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Because Sarasota is on the west coast of Florida, the sunsets are unforgettable as the sun melts into the water at dusk. Learn about Sarasota's beaches below and discover why so many people consider Sarasota the ultimate beach town.

    Siesta Key Beach

    World-renowned Siesta Key Beach has been a popular tourist destination for years. Year after year it appears on multiple Top Beach Lists. In fact, Dr Beach just named Siesta Key the 2nd best beach in the United States on the 2009 America's Best Beaches list. Siesta Key's crystal white sand is cool to the touch. Since this is the most popular beach around, visitors arrive early to get a parking spot, a spot for an umbrella for some warm rays, cool and clear waters of the Gulf. Lifeguards are on duty!

    Beach goers enjoy the Pavilion for drinks and snacks. Grills, a playground, volleyball and tennis courts are all available when you need a break from sunbathing or swimming. Siesta Key Village is within walking distance or a quick drive if you dare to give up your parking spot. The Village surf shops provide all beach supplies and there are casual restaurants available throughout the Village.

    Turtle Beach

    At the south end of Siesta Key is Turtle Beach. The sand here was recently renourished to provide wide beaches for enhanced recreation and protection. Vacationers on the southern end enjoy the convenience of strolling to this beach which has access to Little Sarasota Bay. Turtle Beach is known as one of the best places to find shark's teeth. Several restaurants ware within walking distance as well.

    Casey Key Beach

    Known as one of Sarasota's most private beaches, Casey Key is home to celebrities and sports personalities seeking their island paradise. This barrier island is south of Sarasota and "off the beaten path." You'll see no high rises - just beach cottages and elegant estates along the beaches. Unlike other Sarasota beaches, dogs are allowed to experience the sand with their owners. Resident and visitors enjoy calm, cool waters and lots of privacy at this secluded beach oasis.

    Bird Key Park

    Just across the John Ringling Causeway from downtown Sarasota, adjacent to the entrance of exclusive Bird Key and to the east of St. Armands Circle, is Bird Key Park. This tiny stretch of beach is a popular spot for windsurfers and kite surfers. It is not uncommon to see man best friend here. Bird Key Park is one of the few dog-friendly beaches.

    North Lido Beach

    North Lido Beach is a half mile stretch of beach located just to the northwest of St. Armands Circle. This uncrowded beach is a popular spot for locals and a great place to stroll for shells and sunbathing.

    Lido Beach

    A beautiful European style beach, Lido Beach offers a pavilion as well as a concession stand, restrooms and plenty of parking for its visitors. Lido is a destination beach for world-wide visitors who like Siesta Key return year after year. In addition to the concessions mentioned, there is an Olympic sized swimming pool, showers, playground and tennis courts.

    South Lido Park

    Heading south from Lido Beach, you'll find Lido Key Park. This 100-acre area is a popular spot for boaters. Much of the park is shaded by the tall Australian pines. The Park has two walking trails, ample picnic tables, and a playground for the kids. It is a great place to grill out as well.

    Longboat Key Beach

    Known as a very private beach, there are only 8 small public accesses on Longboat Key. Little blue signs mark the entrances the public accesses. Visitors enjoy shelling, swimming, walking and watching seagulls and pelicans dipping into the Gulf for their catch. Shore-side fishing is also popular with residents and visitors on this Gulf beach. Longboat Key stretches 11 miles and is popular for seasonal visitors who wish to escape the colder areas of the country.

    There are many reasons to visit or live in Sarasota, but none are greater than the fabulous beaches. Come discover the white sand beaches, breathtaking sunsets, and near perfect weather. You will not be disappointed. It no wonder why so many visitors end up calling Sarasota home.


    About the Author:
    John Allen is the Broker of Allen Real Estate Services, Inc., a 30 year Sarasota Florida boutique real estate brokerage. Visit his award winning Sarasota real estate website to learn more about the hundreds of communities and search thousands of MLS listings. The comprehensive Longboat Key real estate section has detailed information on all of Longboat Key's most popular condos and neighborhoods. Learn more at: http://www.buysarasota.com/


    Read more of John C Allen's articles.

    Do You Really Want Your Site on Page One of Google?

    Article Presented by:
    Copyright © 2009 Paul Marshall



    Do you really want your website on page one of Google for your chosen keyword phrase(s)? What do you want your online marketing campaign to accomplish for you?

    I asked a potential new SEO Coaching client that first question last week. From my end of the phone call, it sounded as if he almost fell out of his chair!

    I followed up by asking him if he could ever think of ANY reason for his website pages NOT to be found on page 1 in the Google SERPs (search engine results pages).

    How 'bout you? Can you think of any reasons you'd NOT want your pages to be found for your targeted keyword phrases on page 1?

    Keep in mind, I'm talking about your chosen keyword search phrases.

    I can think of at least 3 reasons. Maybe you can come up with some of your own.

    Is There Commercial Intent?

    Let's say you have not just a page 1 Google result, but you're actually the first result. Here is an important question for you to ask yourself.

    What is the commercial intent of this keyword phrase? Do the words contained in the keyword phrase give any indication of someone getting ready to spend money on a product or service like you offer?

    For instance, compare these keyword phrases: Keyword Research, Keyword Research Specialist and Keyword Research Consultant. The latter 2 phrases give an indication of someone who is getting ready to spend money.

    You can also Google the Microsoft Commercial Intent Tool and consider its' results when evaluating your keyword search phrase choices.

    If you are targeting a keyword phrase that has questionable commercial intention at best, is there any reason to really be found on page 1? Wouldn't it be better to target more appropriate phrases instead?

    If there's no commercial intent, how does that help your online marketing?

    Can you see where I'm going?

    How Much Traffic Really Matters

    Now, I'm giving you a choice: you can have a first page result (with commercial intent) and your position number is 4.

    Your other choice is a different keyword search phrase with a second page result, position number 12, also with commercial intent.

    So, the choice is obvious?

    Well, I forgot to give you the rest of the details.

    The first page choice has monthly search queries for its' phrase of 3,240.

    The second page result choice has monthly search queries for its' phrase of 22,167.

    Do you still believe that the best choice in this example is the first page result?

    According to numbers from Aaron Wall's site, approximately 6% of search users will click on that number 4 result in Google. That's 194 visitors in a month.

    This is figuring average title and description tags of typical online marketing ability to convert to a click. "Your mileage may vary."

    And for that second choice, the second page result? Over 1% should click on the search result, but let's use just 1%. That's 222 visitors per month.

    Last time I checked, 222 is more than 194, so the second page result trumps the first page result, because the second page result has much more traffic than can convert to a transaction.

    How Many Google AdWords Ads Show For Your Chosen Keyword?

    If you don't see many AdWords ads, this should be a warning!

    One of 2 problems exist (or both):

    1. There isn't enough traffic for AdWords advertisers to target the phrase.

    2. There isn't commercial viability for the phrase.

    Either way, is a first page result going to help you? Probably not.

    The Value Of A Committed Searcher

    Want a recipe to waste your time (or your employees')?

    Get a first page result in Google for your keyword search phrase and place your toll-free phone number in big numbers on the top right of each of your Web pages.

    People clicking the first result in the SERPs are often less serious than those who go through the first few results or who continue searching onto the second page.

    There may be something to be said for avoiding people who almost randomly click the first result and who may have impulse control "issues".

    Now, if you have a large staff to answer your incoming phone calls AND if your conversion rate from those calls is strong, then the potential problem I described probably isn't a problem for your business.

    On the other hand, if you are a solo professional, this strategy can be hazardous!

    How are you going to perform your paid work when you get "Internet lookiloos" asking you questions they could get answered, if they would simply read a few words on your website?

    Are these the best potential clients for your services or products and the best use of your time?

    A second page result could bring you more serious potential customers, people who might be more likely to actually READ your website content, understand your products or services better and who might be more likely to convert to a transaction.

    It's sure something to think about. :-)

    Don't get me wrong. I'm not against first page rankings for your online marketing. I'm just for thinking a little further down the road than JUST first page rankings.


    About the Author:
    Marketing online since 2004, Paul Marshall can help you market on a budget. He's a Marketing Consultant offering marketing services (and d-i-y Coaching). You can learn more about Paul Marshall on his LinkedIn profile page and at Strategic Web Marketing.net.


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    This Causes Failure for Numerous Businesses

    Article Presented by:
    Copyright © 2009 Scott Bywater



    Years ago, I read a book by Lance Armstrong about his recovery from cancer, and his experiences in the Tour De France.

    The guy is obviously a phenomenal athlete and an extremely determined human being.

    And as I was reading his book, I noticed the sort of measurements athletes took of themselves in terms of their timing and understanding their numbers in very specific detail.

    Measurement is extremely important in sport because one hundredth of a second can make a huge difference.

    So you need to know your numbers.

    Same with your personal health - as we get older, it's important to monitor our blood pressure and our cholesterol.

    After all, if you let these issues slide, they get out of hand. And by the time you realise it, it's very difficult to repair.

    And one of the biggest causes of failure for many businesses is not knowing their numbers.

    Things like...

  • How much it costs to acquire a customer Cash flow

  • How many new leads you are generating on a week-to-week basis

  • How much it costs to acquire a lead

  • The conversion of leads which turn into customers

  • How much leads cost from various sources (newspapers, google adwords, phone directories, etc)

  • The source of which 80% of your business is coming from (which is often from just 20% of your clients or efforts)

  • If you're in consulting: how much are you billing per hour?

  • Your average dollar value of a customer

  • How many active marketing moves you are making each week

  • The bottom line is you can't manage what you don't measure. And until you start measuring something, you don't know if it's getting better or worse.

    There's an old saying "What gets measured is what improves."

    But most businesses (including myself) don't measure in anywhere near as much detail as we should.

    Why? Because measurement requires work. And it requires a lot of thinking.

    But it's so worth it.

    Because it allows you to make decisions - for instance, I am improving a marketing campaign at the moment because I know it generates a large percentage of traffic to my website.

    If I didn't have those numbers, I wouldn't know what to improve.

    Or I would improve something else which didn't really matter all that much.

    So start to take the time to understand your numbers with the same degree of detail as an athlete like Lance Armstrong watches his race times.


    About the Author:
    Scott Bywater is a direct mail copywriter and the author of Cash-Flow Advertising. To get access to his highly prized complimentary copy of '7 Ways To Get More Customers" (valued at $29.95) and to join his controversial and insighful "Copywriting Selling Secrets" newsletter where you'll uncover the truth about why most ads and sales letters don't work (and how to make yours stand out from the rest) head on over to his web site at http://www.copywritingthatsells.com.au/


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    Tuesday, December 8, 2009

    Starting Your Business Smaller Can Make Your Success Bigger

    Article Presented by:
    Copyright © 2009 K. MacKillop



    For many people with a great business idea, the delay in taking the plunge into entrepreneurship is because of the lack of time or money to get their idea off the ground. In most cases, there are viable means to modifying the business idea into something that can be started part-time and with less capital than the original plan. Starting out smaller can be very advantageous, allowing you to keep your current job, bootstrap the startup to fit your out-of-pocket budget, learn more about the industry, and test the market for your product or service with limited risk.

    There are very few business ideas that cannot be modified into a simpler, more niched startup. Sometimes, though, it is difficult to see or accept a smaller piece of an idea when you are certain your big idea is going to succeed! There are several ways to look at it -- for some, not being able to launch the whole plan at once seems futile and a waste of time. Some worry that starting out with a smaller idea will leave them stuck in that niche for the duration. But really, if you can't start up your original idea because of financial or other restraints, at least getting a smaller piece of it up and running puts you on the right road.

    You can plan around the success of that smaller endeavor to get you where you want to go. If money is a problem, keep your day job and launch a part-time venture that will earn enough to eventually fund your grand plan. If you have several smaller ideas, launch all of them and work your plan to grow the pieces together into the company you want to run. If time is an issue, keep in mind that committing a mere three hours per week equals nearly a month of full-time work over a year! The time is going to pass whether you get started on your own business or not, but starting now will get you that much closer to working only for yourself. There are a million good reasons to get started sooner rather than later, but few good excuses to wait!

    So, how do you miniaturize your business idea into something you can start on a smaller budget or part-time? First, consider all the components of your business idea. For example, if your dream business is to be a real estate developer, that venture can be divided into multiple steps, each of which offers several viable small businesses, such as:

    Site Selection -- Write a how-to manual, offer consultant services

    Site Inspection -- Obtain an inspection license for PT work, consult with property owners or other developers in preparing a site for inspection, manage

    Tax Incentives -- Write informational product about how and where to find tax breaks on specific development projects, consult with developers to maximize tax benefits

    Demolition -- Provide demolition services, site cleanup services,

    Rehabilitation -- Provide any number of specific construction services, such as drywall, painting, floor installation, and the like; create a contractor review service, provide quality inspections; independent salesperson representing construction materials

    Cost Management -- Provide consulting services as a CM (construction manager), consult for CM software

    Filling the Space -- Get Real Estate license, broker's license; start property management firm

    As you can see, a big dream like running a property development firm can provide dozens of smaller startup ideas that allow you to gain experience, knowledge, connections, and, most importantly, capital to eventually build your own development firm. This method can be used to break most big business ideas down into smaller opportunities that will get you on the right track to your entrepreneurial goals. Think about opportunities under various business models -- selling products, providing services, online-only, etc. -- and consider any "problem" areas that you could develop a solution for.

    Another option is to start up any smaller idea you might have that will earn some capital to build up your resources for your big idea. Think about the work experience you have had or subjects that you are particularly knowledgeable about. One young entrepreneur started an online video game help service -- customers paid a small fee to receive hints and tips for conquering the newest video games -- and over one year saved enough of the profits to startup the mobile detailing business he wanted to own!

    The most successful entrepreneurs tend to be very flexible and creative in getting where they want to go. Keep your eye on your ultimate goal, but be willing to modify and change directions as opportunities present themselves. Whatever you decide to do, get started on your planning as soon as possible!


    About the Author:
    K. MacKillop, a serial entrepreneur, is founder of LaunchX and authors a small business startup blog. The LaunchX System is designed to help entrepreneurs starting a business based on their business ideas. It is a complete business startup kit containing everything you need to turn your idea into a successful business. Visit http://www.LaunchX.com/ for a free Business Readiness Assessment and get on the road to starting a business today.


    Friday, December 4, 2009

    Every Business Startup is a Series of Unexpected Events - Will You Be Ready?

    Article Presented by:
    Copyright © 2009 K. MacKillop



    No matter how seasoned an entrepreneur, every business startup has its share of surprises. Whether the entire business idea changes radically during the early stages or an unconsidered market segment emerges as the top consumers, expect the unexpected. How a business owner deals with surprises is a major factor that determines who finds great success and who muddles through.

    Certain personality traits are very advantageous in dealing with the unexpected. Balanced perseverance, flexibility, rationality, and confidence go a long way in coping with rapid changes in business. But even if you weren't born with an overdose of these traits, there are ways to work on improving your entrepreneurial personality. Successful and honest entrepreneurs will tell you that the actual experience of struggling through a startup changes pieces of your personality...mostly for the better.

    Balanced Perseverance

    Balanced perseverance is important. That is, successful entrepreneurs cannot give up too easily, but when the writing is on the wall, they need to be willing to change direction. Most people don't cut it in the startup world because they are lacking stick-to-it-iveness. At the first sign of discomfort, they give up on the whole deal. Entrepreneurs who succeed tend to thrive on the minor failures of a startup, and see them as opportunities to know what not to do the next time around. The struggle of finding the right marketing tools and messages, operations standards, product mix and other winning features is a motivator, not a dealbreaker. As Henry Ford said, "Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently."

    Flexibility

    Flexibility is critical in a startup. Very few business ideas maintain their original form through the planning process, and usually change a little more during the early stages. Consumers are finicky and their tastes change rapidly, so everything from the product itself to the messages used to market it must keep up with the times. Those who tend to unwaveringly stick to a single path (with blinders on) will miss out on any number of opportunities to take their business to the next level. For those entrepreneurs who have difficulty changing direction, the best advice is to make a point of staying on top of trends in the industry AND planning the business in shorter time-period increments. Using detailed, years-ahead planning drives blinders-on focus, while resetting plans every 90 days allows the flexibility that modern businesses need to succeed.

    Rationality

    Those who tend to remain calm and rational in times of crisis not only make great cops and firefighters, but also great entrepreneurs. When your livelihood is on the line, there isn't much time for panic. Panic causes irrational, knee-jerk decision-making...and usually ends in a bigger, more complicated mess. Instead, it takes a level head and rational consideration to keep a startup moving in the right direction. For those who are inherently panicky, the best advice is to increase your knowledge to the same extent as you tend to be emotionally driven. That is, the more knowledge you have about every aspect of your startup, the more options you have immediately available when you need to change direction. Thus, any tendency to panic will be overridden by logical thought, and any disappointment in encountering obstacles will be countered by knowledge of a way around, over, or through the problem.

    Self-Confidence

    Most entrepreneurs tend to have a good amount of self-confidence. Just taking the risk, no matter how calculated, of taking the leap into full responsibility for one's work life requires a certain level of confidence. In order to commit the time, effort, and cash needed to launch a business, the owner must have a reasonably strong belief that they can make it work. They must believe in their own abilities to use the skills they have and develop the skills they need. They know that the idea is good and that others can be convinced to buy in as well. Thinking on your feet is critical, and solid confidence allows a business owner to be decisive and focused through the unexpected. What can be seen as over-confidence in other settings is pretty much a necessity in entrepreneurship. And, finding success in the difficult world of small business will only serve to increase self-confidence...a good thing when you have more than one great idea to launch!

    Conclusion

    Startups are nearly always a series of unexpected events, and certain personality traits can make or break how well the business handles the changes. Over time, experience with one or more startups will alter an entrepreneur's personality in significant ways. Typically, those changes will be improvements, at least in terms of becoming a successful business owner. Winning after a series of struggles will make perseverance easier to stomach. When changing direction pays off, the advantage of flexibility will be well understood. Remaining calm in a storm, especially due to increased knowledge, will become a habit. And the overall triumph of building a successful company does wonders for one's confidence. Expect the unexpected, and begin developing the key aspects of your personality that will sustain you through your startup and the life of your business.


    About the Author:
    K. MacKillop, a serial entrepreneur with a J.D. from Duke University, is founder of LaunchX and authors a blog focused on starting a business. The LaunchX System's comprehensive, step-by-step approach to starting a business will help you develop the knowledge and skills you need to make your business startup a success. Visit http://www.LaunchX.com/ and take our Business Readiness Assessment and learn what to do next for your business startup.


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    Wednesday, December 2, 2009

    The Las Vegas Wedding Trap

    Article Presented by:
    Copyright © 2009 Scott Bywater



    On Saturday night, I watched the movie "Hangover" and it's the best laugh I've had in a long time - what a brilliant movie.

    Anyway, without giving too much away, at one point in the movie there was a Las Vegas wedding.

    You know the ones... man and woman get drunk...man and woman decide it would be a good idea to get married... man and woman wake up the next morning asking WHAT THE...?

    Anyway, in the real world it doesn't really work like that.

    For instance, when I first met my wife we had a very natural connection.

    It happened at the Bridge Bar in Sydney one balmy Friday night in December when I looked across the room and saw this beautiful, blonde bombshell staring back at me.

    We held eye contact for about 15 seconds and at that moment, obviously my life changed forever despite my bad dress sense and inability to make one decent dance move ;-)

    However it didn't happen overnight.

    I didn't walk up to her and say "Marry Me?"

    It took time. We dated. We moved in together. And then several years later I popped the question with a fair degree of certainty of what the answer would be.

    And I am glad I did. My wife is a beautiful woman... generous... loving... heartful and wise and I am a lucky man to have her in my life.

    So what's my point?

    My point is so many people in business pop the "marry me" question after an hour or two. And that's why they get so many knock backs.

    But if you take the time to wine and dine your clients... develop the relationship... and give more than you get... you significantly increase your odds of success.

    Don't worry, I'm not suggesting you take a client out to a liquid dinner every night - I am talking metaphorically.

    What I mean is...

    Bring someone into your funnel by offering something to them (a report about something they are interested in, a complimentary coffee, whatever)

    Once they are in your funnel, keep in touch with them with useful information which they'll appreciate receiving.

    This strengthens the relationship.

    Every now and then, make the suggestion that perhaps we should take this a step further and cement some commitment.

    Even if they say no, continue to persist, persist, persist until you win them over.

    If you cannot win them over and it is costing you more time and energy than it's worth, then let them go.

    It's very different to the approach I used when I started out in the world of cold call sales and cold call telemarketing.

    That approach was like calling people up and saying "marry me" But when you understand the secrets in the first lesson of http://www.morecustomersmadeeasy.com and know how to flag your potential prospects attention down and nurture the relationship...

    Just like in the dating game, your odds in business will be far, far higher if you take the time to nurture your relationships.


    About the Author:
    Scott Bywater is an advertising copywriting expert and the author of Cash-Flow Advertising. To gain access to all of his copywriting tips on how to get more customers via his eye opening "Copywriting Selling Secrets" newsletter, simply head on over to his web site at http://www.copywritingthatsells.com.au/


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    Is Your Dental Practice Controlling Costs Effectively? Profitability Benchmarks for Dentists

    Article Presented by:
    Copyright © 2009 Peter Gopal, Ph.D.



    Overhead is taking a bigger bite out of a doctor's compensation. According to the ADA, the average practice has a profitability of 32.7%. That falls short of what it can be. At many dental practices, high overhead is a persistent problem that goes undiagnosed and unresolved. Often, doctors don't become aware of their overhead numbers until the year is over and the accountant provides a historical review of the data.

    With average profitability of 32.7%, overhead is consuming a whopping 67.3% of all the revenue a dental practice is bringing in. Based on our experience, however, an optimized dental practice is able to achieve and sustain profitability of 45% or more, with overhead just 55% or less. This is after allowing for continuing education and investment in new equipment.

    It is important to know the primary sources of costs in a dental practice as well as benchmark figures for these categories. This allows you to compare your practice with figures from some of the best practices.

    Facility costs such as rent or mortgage are fixed. Once a lease is negotiated or an office building is purchased, there is not much that can be done to alter that. Therefore, we focus on variable costs. Here are some benchmarks to help you figure out where you may be overspending.

    Overhead Benchmarks for Dentists

    Assuming you did not make any big equipment purchases (Section 179 items), here are the three biggest contributors to variable costs:

    1. Payroll and benefits. This is the single biggest cost in dental practices. Here are some benchmark figures for a practice located in the Northeast U.S.

    Without considering FICA/Medicare or benefits, gross staff payroll should be less than 22% of revenue.

    All-inclusive total staff compensation (including FICA/Medicare, bonuses, and benefits) should be less than 26% of revenue.

    Each hygienist should produce three times her gross pay. Normally this means that each hygienist should generate revenue of at least $150/hour. Optimally, it should be $172/hour. These are figures for year 2009. From what I've observed, only 30% of hygienists deliver on this benchmark. The rest are underperforming.

    2. Dental Supplies. This should be less than 5% of revenues.

    3. Dental Labs. Lab costs should be less than 8% of revenue. Use a quality lab that you are comfortable with and do not make the mistake of going with a cheaper lab without confirming the quality of their work.

    Three Other Causes of Low Profitability

    1. Case Acceptance. If you meet those benchmarks, the practice still may not be as profitable as it could be because of low case acceptance. If that factor applies, consider improvement in these areas:

  • Relationship Building Skills

  • Non-Aggressive Case Presentation

  • Verbal Skills for Case Presentation

  • Hygienist Pre-Diagnosis

  • Financial Presentation at Front Desk

  • Use of Intra-Oral Camera so the patient can see what the dentist sees

  • Study Models

  • 2. Facility. If you have space, consider adding an extra chair. It is one of the best investments you can make.

    Let's assume it costs $25,000 to install a chair and the necessary equipment for a new treatment room. That's about $425/month on a 5-year loan. On a 16-day month, it only takes increased production of $30.00 per day to justify and cover the cost of this additional chair.

    The extra chair allows you to seat emergency patients, or start an impulsive procedure like tooth whitening. It also gives you options if you are running behind. This chair may be used only 10% of the time, but will boost your production 3-5%, most of which will fall to your bottom line.

    3. Fees. Low fees can contribute significantly to reduced profitability. Rebalance your fees every year, and periodically evaluate your participation in PPOs. Wrong decisions in this arena have a tendency to keep profitability significantly short of where it could be.

    After you consider these benchmarks and other profitability busters, you should have a clear idea of where the potential lies for reducing costs and raising the profitability of your dental practice.




    About the Author:
    Peter Gopal, PhD, together with his wife, Hema Gopal, M.B.A. and D.M.D., consults with dentists who are intent on building a more profitable practice. Whether you are leaving money on the table due to broken patient appointments, improper scheduling, poor case acceptance, low hygienist productivity, excessive overhead, or unnecessary reliance on PPOs, they can pinpoint your weaknesses and prescribe remedies. Receive a free, realistic assessment of the earning potential of your dental practice by going to: http://www.visionary-management.com/assessment.php


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