Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2010 Scott Bywater
If you go to a conventional business seminar, you are going to get the following advice:
Write a business plan Do a swot analysis A competitor analysis etc. etc.
And I can see why so many people are held back from starting a business.
But I have another approach. A simper approach. An approach which will tell you whether it's actually worth writing that damn plan.
And that approach is...
JUST WRITE A FRICKIN AD
What do I mean by that?
Well, let's say you go to China or get this amazing idea for a product.
You could spend a month writing a business plan, coming up with statistics on how many you are going to sell, financial forecasting your future, etc.
But none of that means anything unless THE AD WORKS.
Or the sales letter. Or the web site. Or the flyer.
Truth is, if nobody wants what you are selling then the business plan isn't worth the paper it's printed on.
And none of your forecasts will come true.
But if you write that ad... the phone rings... and the orders come flowing through...then you know you are onto a winning formula.
... because you can run that ad all over town.
If it works in an Adelaide newspaper... it will probably work in a Sydney newspaper... a Melbourne newspaper, etc.
And by the same token if it works in a suburban newspaper it will probably work in other suburban newspapers.
But without the ad... without knowing if it sells... you certainly don't have a business.
So my advice is if you've got a new idea...
Risk as little as possible to get your hands on a small amount of the product you want to sell.
Write an ad and see if people want what you have to sell.
But make sure you write it the right way. Because just like a bad salesperson cannot sell much, neither will a bad advertisement.
About the Author:
As a direct response copywriter, Scott Bywater strives to educate business owners on how to generate more leads, get more of the "right type" of customers, differentiate themselves from their competition, and convert their leads into sales via his underground and "outside of the box" strategies. You can get his copywriting and marketing tips delivered to your inbox via his eye opening "Copywriting Selling Secrets" newsletter available at http://www.copywritingthatsells.com.au/
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Business Turnaround: Locate and Isolate the Root Causes of Your Company's Problems
Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2010 Thayne Carper
When seeking business turnaround, one of the first things you need to do is to determine the root causes of your economic woes. Your company may have financial problems for a plethora of reasons, which your business turnaround plan will have to consider.
Sales may be down because a new competitor has entered the market or there is an economic downturn that is preventing your customers from being able to afford your goods. Research may show that your company has too much inventory - perhaps you made some unwise decisions and increased your costs far more than your profits would allow. Maybe your profit margins have declined whereas your fixed costs remain stable. There are an endless number of reasons why your company has financial problems, and you must discover the root cause or else there will be no significant business turnaround.
The Value of Comparative Analysis
To discover the root cause of your company's problems, you should first try to isolate the cause or causes by a comparative financial analysis, which is often important for business turnarounds. With such an analysis, you will be able to compare other companies to yours.
In seeking a business turnaround, a good owner will look at websites such as http://www.bizstats.com and look at how other companies, including competitors, are doing. Sites like this allow the users to easily navigate through a great deal of relevant information about similar companies, so that a business owner can see which companies are doing well and which are not. If other companies in your industry are doing poorly, then the issue may have something to do with your industry itself. In that case, you will have to figure out how to bypass the issue and differentiate yourself from your competition so that your company can stand out.
Consider Outside Help
It is also possible that the comparative financial analysis will show your company is doing poorly compared to others, and thus the problems are specific to your firm. As a company owner seeking a positive business turnaround, you must then look to your own company and conduct your own investigation as to what the problem is. You may want to consider hiring outside consultants or other groups to help establish the root cause of your firm's problems.
Such organizations exist for this very reason - they want to ensure that companies such as yours are working in optimal conditions and as efficiently as possible. Business turnarounds often result from outside help, as these third parties can investigate your firm, its staff, your products, and uncover the reason for your financial troubles.
Get Personally Involved
Finally, a good business turnaround plan depends on a proactive and intelligent owner. You cannot only depend on comparative financial analyses and outside consultants - you must take matters into your own hands and investigate the problem yourself. Proactively research other businesses, investigate your own employees, monitor and analyze financial reports, and determine why the market is not responding to your product.
While a company owner understandably has to allocate certain tasks to his employees or other parties, this is a situation where you also have to be more involved in your company than before, at least until the root causes of your issues are uncovered.
About the Author:
Thayne Carper spent 4 years of college competing in student business plan competitions. He's never won a business plan competition and was dropped from his college's entrepreneurial program for lacking potential. Today, he is one of the youngest published experts on the topic of business turnarounds and cost reduction. Visit his website lower supply costs up to 30% for a copy of his report "The Definitive Guide to Doubling Your Profits in less than 6 Months" and learn how you can easily lower supply and service costs up to 30% without hiring a consultant. Learn more: http://www.ThayneCarper.com/
Read more of Thayne Carper's articles.
Copyright © 2010 Thayne Carper
When seeking business turnaround, one of the first things you need to do is to determine the root causes of your economic woes. Your company may have financial problems for a plethora of reasons, which your business turnaround plan will have to consider.
Sales may be down because a new competitor has entered the market or there is an economic downturn that is preventing your customers from being able to afford your goods. Research may show that your company has too much inventory - perhaps you made some unwise decisions and increased your costs far more than your profits would allow. Maybe your profit margins have declined whereas your fixed costs remain stable. There are an endless number of reasons why your company has financial problems, and you must discover the root cause or else there will be no significant business turnaround.
The Value of Comparative Analysis
To discover the root cause of your company's problems, you should first try to isolate the cause or causes by a comparative financial analysis, which is often important for business turnarounds. With such an analysis, you will be able to compare other companies to yours.
In seeking a business turnaround, a good owner will look at websites such as http://www.bizstats.com and look at how other companies, including competitors, are doing. Sites like this allow the users to easily navigate through a great deal of relevant information about similar companies, so that a business owner can see which companies are doing well and which are not. If other companies in your industry are doing poorly, then the issue may have something to do with your industry itself. In that case, you will have to figure out how to bypass the issue and differentiate yourself from your competition so that your company can stand out.
Consider Outside Help
It is also possible that the comparative financial analysis will show your company is doing poorly compared to others, and thus the problems are specific to your firm. As a company owner seeking a positive business turnaround, you must then look to your own company and conduct your own investigation as to what the problem is. You may want to consider hiring outside consultants or other groups to help establish the root cause of your firm's problems.
Such organizations exist for this very reason - they want to ensure that companies such as yours are working in optimal conditions and as efficiently as possible. Business turnarounds often result from outside help, as these third parties can investigate your firm, its staff, your products, and uncover the reason for your financial troubles.
Get Personally Involved
Finally, a good business turnaround plan depends on a proactive and intelligent owner. You cannot only depend on comparative financial analyses and outside consultants - you must take matters into your own hands and investigate the problem yourself. Proactively research other businesses, investigate your own employees, monitor and analyze financial reports, and determine why the market is not responding to your product.
While a company owner understandably has to allocate certain tasks to his employees or other parties, this is a situation where you also have to be more involved in your company than before, at least until the root causes of your issues are uncovered.
About the Author:
Thayne Carper spent 4 years of college competing in student business plan competitions. He's never won a business plan competition and was dropped from his college's entrepreneurial program for lacking potential. Today, he is one of the youngest published experts on the topic of business turnarounds and cost reduction. Visit his website lower supply costs up to 30% for a copy of his report "The Definitive Guide to Doubling Your Profits in less than 6 Months" and learn how you can easily lower supply and service costs up to 30% without hiring a consultant. Learn more: http://www.ThayneCarper.com/
Read more of Thayne Carper's articles.
Brand Management - Four Options for Focusing Your Newsletter
Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2010 Enzo F. Cesario
Recently, our blog took a look at the basics of newsletter writing. We covered some material that we've stressed time and time again: make sure the content is well written, pay attention to presentation, and tie it into the brand without going by rote. This is part of our message that quality always matters, and that every venture put forward should return to the same basic principles. Building on these lessons, this article highlights specific ways that a newsletter can be turned from a seemingly redundant tangent into a valuable marketing tool that speaks for itself while supporting the organization's core mission.
The basic function of the newsletter is of course to be informative. Information needs to reach a large number of people, and a newsletter is a great way of making sure people are on the same page. Yes, in theory an email can be CC'd and BCC'd to everyone on the relevant lists, but there is something psychologically distinctive about the release of a physical publication for wide review. The trick then is to make sure the information contained in the letter goes beyond the basics and into actually targeting its audience.
In short, a newsletter has to take advantage of its role as a distinct and noteworthy publication in order to create a greater sense of identity for the organization as a whole.
Option #1 - Editorialize
As we mentioned, email has effectively replaced hardcopy for general communications. It takes up less space, doesn't create mountains of trash unless you count the spam folder, and is exponentially more efficient. With general communication taken care of, the newsletter now has room for broader subjects such as opinion and editorial.
This option can be particularly interesting for businesses with extensive connections, such as financial institutions or delivery services. Articles of this stripe can revolve around goings-on in general, or discussing the results of the latest big initiative. Upper level managers can explain some of the reasoning behind specific decisions, while frontline workers might get a chance to explain the impact a particular policy has had on work efficiency.
Of course, all editorial runs the same risk as any opinion-based piece of writing. Make sure to keep within company guidelines and civil behavior. After all, the goal is to increase company identity, not foster company conflict.
Option # 2 - Have a Laugh
Business communications frequently tend to be sterile and reserved, especially in larger organizations. Some of the most frustrating moments working for big companies stem from a perceived lack of identity. Humor is an excellent way to help break down this disconnect between work and workers. For internal company newsletters, knowing that the boss is good for a laugh now and again can help ease tensions, or promote greater cooperation between coworkers.
Predominantly this approach requires keeping the humor topical. A call center for example might host a contest for the strangest call received and list the winning story in the newsletter. A certain widespread fast food corporation might run a bit of satire complaining about the fact that they haven't achieved complete control of the market. In either case the humor is derived from familiarity with the company, and helps foster a good-natured approach to the job.
Option #3 - Reflect and Review
As mentioned, one of the strongest merits of the newsletter format is its distinctiveness. With more people focusing on email, receiving a newsletter almost always causes at least a moment of attention, if only to ask what it is. Take advantage of this by using the newsletter as a way to call people to review past accomplishments and current goals, and release it at times that the company warrants such a review. This will help associate the newsletter with a distinct purpose, and when it arrives people will know it's time to put on their thinking caps.
Option #4 - Fabulous Prizes
This may sound dubious, but it remains a viable option. People like contests and prizes, and if there's something to be won in the newsletter they're more likely to read it. For example a company newsletter could include free raffle tickets to the next big sporting event. More people are likely to respnd if they figure they can win a prize. Pick an incentive that you know is appropriate to your group, and put it in the newsletter to keep interest high.
The key here is to avoid making it a gimmick. Advertise the contest clearly, but resist the urge to splatter it across the front page in bright fonts. Use good humor and reserve, and let people get as excited as they wish.
Afterthoughts
A hardcopy newsletter is not always appropriate. Email frequently suffices, and in many cases company newsletters have shifted to email delivery. When you evaluate your organization's newsletter, whether one you already have or one you intend to start, ask yourself what specific purpose it would serve. Newsletters can help any organization or business stay top of mind and open communication lines.
About the Author:
Enzo F. Cesario is an online branding specialist and co-founder of Brandsplat, a digital content agency. Brandsplat creates blogs, articles, videos and social media in the "voice" of our client's brand. It makes sites more findable and brands more recognizable. For the free Brandcasting Report go to http://www.BrandSplat.com/ or visit our blog at http://www.iBrandCasting.com/
Read more Articles written by Enzo F. Cesario.
Copyright © 2010 Enzo F. Cesario
Recently, our blog took a look at the basics of newsletter writing. We covered some material that we've stressed time and time again: make sure the content is well written, pay attention to presentation, and tie it into the brand without going by rote. This is part of our message that quality always matters, and that every venture put forward should return to the same basic principles. Building on these lessons, this article highlights specific ways that a newsletter can be turned from a seemingly redundant tangent into a valuable marketing tool that speaks for itself while supporting the organization's core mission.
The basic function of the newsletter is of course to be informative. Information needs to reach a large number of people, and a newsletter is a great way of making sure people are on the same page. Yes, in theory an email can be CC'd and BCC'd to everyone on the relevant lists, but there is something psychologically distinctive about the release of a physical publication for wide review. The trick then is to make sure the information contained in the letter goes beyond the basics and into actually targeting its audience.
In short, a newsletter has to take advantage of its role as a distinct and noteworthy publication in order to create a greater sense of identity for the organization as a whole.
Option #1 - Editorialize
As we mentioned, email has effectively replaced hardcopy for general communications. It takes up less space, doesn't create mountains of trash unless you count the spam folder, and is exponentially more efficient. With general communication taken care of, the newsletter now has room for broader subjects such as opinion and editorial.
This option can be particularly interesting for businesses with extensive connections, such as financial institutions or delivery services. Articles of this stripe can revolve around goings-on in general, or discussing the results of the latest big initiative. Upper level managers can explain some of the reasoning behind specific decisions, while frontline workers might get a chance to explain the impact a particular policy has had on work efficiency.
Of course, all editorial runs the same risk as any opinion-based piece of writing. Make sure to keep within company guidelines and civil behavior. After all, the goal is to increase company identity, not foster company conflict.
Option # 2 - Have a Laugh
Business communications frequently tend to be sterile and reserved, especially in larger organizations. Some of the most frustrating moments working for big companies stem from a perceived lack of identity. Humor is an excellent way to help break down this disconnect between work and workers. For internal company newsletters, knowing that the boss is good for a laugh now and again can help ease tensions, or promote greater cooperation between coworkers.
Predominantly this approach requires keeping the humor topical. A call center for example might host a contest for the strangest call received and list the winning story in the newsletter. A certain widespread fast food corporation might run a bit of satire complaining about the fact that they haven't achieved complete control of the market. In either case the humor is derived from familiarity with the company, and helps foster a good-natured approach to the job.
Option #3 - Reflect and Review
As mentioned, one of the strongest merits of the newsletter format is its distinctiveness. With more people focusing on email, receiving a newsletter almost always causes at least a moment of attention, if only to ask what it is. Take advantage of this by using the newsletter as a way to call people to review past accomplishments and current goals, and release it at times that the company warrants such a review. This will help associate the newsletter with a distinct purpose, and when it arrives people will know it's time to put on their thinking caps.
Option #4 - Fabulous Prizes
This may sound dubious, but it remains a viable option. People like contests and prizes, and if there's something to be won in the newsletter they're more likely to read it. For example a company newsletter could include free raffle tickets to the next big sporting event. More people are likely to respnd if they figure they can win a prize. Pick an incentive that you know is appropriate to your group, and put it in the newsletter to keep interest high.
The key here is to avoid making it a gimmick. Advertise the contest clearly, but resist the urge to splatter it across the front page in bright fonts. Use good humor and reserve, and let people get as excited as they wish.
Afterthoughts
A hardcopy newsletter is not always appropriate. Email frequently suffices, and in many cases company newsletters have shifted to email delivery. When you evaluate your organization's newsletter, whether one you already have or one you intend to start, ask yourself what specific purpose it would serve. Newsletters can help any organization or business stay top of mind and open communication lines.
About the Author:
Enzo F. Cesario is an online branding specialist and co-founder of Brandsplat, a digital content agency. Brandsplat creates blogs, articles, videos and social media in the "voice" of our client's brand. It makes sites more findable and brands more recognizable. For the free Brandcasting Report go to http://www.BrandSplat.com/ or visit our blog at http://www.iBrandCasting.com/
Read more Articles written by Enzo F. Cesario.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Building Brand Identity - Marketing With Twitter
Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2010 Enzo F. Cesario
Twitter, the net's networking success story, is intriguing and intimidating because of its message limitations: they can be 140 characters, and no more.
This is to say; each message sent on Twitter can be no larger than the previous sentence. Not an additional letter, space, period or dash can be added. These limitations have proven to be the greatest asset and the greatest challenge for people trying to use Twitter for any number of purposes.
On the advantageous side, the short messages have created an entire culture of Twitter-fluent writers. The brevity of the message stretches creative muscles, making people use every trick to get the most information into the fewest characters. On the other hand it creates a severe headache for the marketing minded, as it doesn't leave much room to present a case. Thus the vast majority of Tweets are short little social comments or updates, and most marketing revolves around calling attention to particular links.
Of course, there are always ways around limitations, and Twitter is something that every seriously market-minded organization needs to embrace in order to see continued success on the web. In the case of short message services like Twitter, the key lies as much in the peripheral data that builds up around the message as in the content itself.
Be SEO Minded
Twitter profiles are now ranked by search engines, Google in particular. Every SEO technique you've learned now has a new, exciting purpose.
For example, consider the biography you're able to construct using Twitter. This is a ripe opportunity to develop some brand recognition right away. Put the title of the brand you're marketing in the bio, and consider including the most relevant keywords in your profile. As ever, do so in a way that respects the user's intelligence, and gives them something worth reading. Simply stringing together a chain of keywords is not the way to go.
Include keywords in your Tweets as well, taking care not to be terribly obvious about it. The first 20-30 characters are the best place, as later words are of decreased importance in a Google ranking search.
Identify Your Audience
Each brand rises and falls on the whim of the audience, known in this case as tweeple.
There are a number of applications available to help you with the process of identifying the tweeple that you want to cultivate into an audience. Twitterholic can help you identify the movers and shakers based on their Twitter traffic and their location. If you know your field or brand well, you can use this to locate groups with similar interests and woo them to your feed. Tweepz is a similar tool, focusing on location, and Twitter itself has a 'near this location' feature that can be used to identify tweeple nearby your center of business.
Let's Give Them Something to Tweet About
Yes, Twitter is an effective way to quickly distribute information. But its real power is in its ability to create conversations about something interesting.
In theory you could simply gather up a large user list of tweeple and start spamming them with links promoting your latest gig. This is a surefire way to get flagged for abuse or ignored entirely, and thus is rather counterproductive to good marketing goals.
Instead, consider using alternative methods to drum up those conversations that travel like wildfire.
For example, there is the technique of Alternate Reality Gaming. This is a phenomenon based on the idea of taking 'real' events and building a game out of them. Last Call Poker was an ARG that intended to drum up sales for an upcoming video game, GUN.
LCP spread out information about gatherings, online incentives, and other attractions to get people excited about the western theme of the game. Tokens such as poker chips and other goodies were given out at these events, and GUN went on to have a very successful launch. People were invited into the world of the western, and the chatter eventually included 8 million participants.
This kind of rogue advertising is tailor-made to work with Twitter. Locations and dates can easily fall within the 140 character limitation, as can short explanations. Consider creating an ARG with a short story designed to work within 140 characters, locate an audience with the assorted Twitter tools at your disposal, and plan some exciting events to promote your brand. The chance to get involved always gets people talking, and the more esoteric games can span entire continents.
There are other methods, some more appropriate to each individual brand. Perhaps a modest bicycling business isn't suited to promote a large ARG experience. They could, however, organize a bicycling flash mob by hopping onto the local bike hobbyist twitter feed and posting a date and time. The trick is less which technique you use, and more that you do your best to make it relevant. As always, strong content and clear presentation will win out over gimmicks and sales speak.
Also, consider one last thought. The introductory statements of each section in this article are Twitter compatible, and so is this one. Good luck and happy Tweeting.
About the Author:
Enzo F. Cesario is an online branding specialist and co-founder of Brandsplat, a digital content agency. Brandsplat creates blogs, articles, videos and social media in the "voice" of our client's brand. It makes sites more findable and brands more recognizable. For the free Brandcasting Report go to http://www.BrandSplat.com/ or visit our blog at http://www.iBrandCasting.com/
Copyright © 2010 Enzo F. Cesario
Twitter, the net's networking success story, is intriguing and intimidating because of its message limitations: they can be 140 characters, and no more.
This is to say; each message sent on Twitter can be no larger than the previous sentence. Not an additional letter, space, period or dash can be added. These limitations have proven to be the greatest asset and the greatest challenge for people trying to use Twitter for any number of purposes.
On the advantageous side, the short messages have created an entire culture of Twitter-fluent writers. The brevity of the message stretches creative muscles, making people use every trick to get the most information into the fewest characters. On the other hand it creates a severe headache for the marketing minded, as it doesn't leave much room to present a case. Thus the vast majority of Tweets are short little social comments or updates, and most marketing revolves around calling attention to particular links.
Of course, there are always ways around limitations, and Twitter is something that every seriously market-minded organization needs to embrace in order to see continued success on the web. In the case of short message services like Twitter, the key lies as much in the peripheral data that builds up around the message as in the content itself.
Be SEO Minded
Twitter profiles are now ranked by search engines, Google in particular. Every SEO technique you've learned now has a new, exciting purpose.
For example, consider the biography you're able to construct using Twitter. This is a ripe opportunity to develop some brand recognition right away. Put the title of the brand you're marketing in the bio, and consider including the most relevant keywords in your profile. As ever, do so in a way that respects the user's intelligence, and gives them something worth reading. Simply stringing together a chain of keywords is not the way to go.
Include keywords in your Tweets as well, taking care not to be terribly obvious about it. The first 20-30 characters are the best place, as later words are of decreased importance in a Google ranking search.
Identify Your Audience
Each brand rises and falls on the whim of the audience, known in this case as tweeple.
There are a number of applications available to help you with the process of identifying the tweeple that you want to cultivate into an audience. Twitterholic can help you identify the movers and shakers based on their Twitter traffic and their location. If you know your field or brand well, you can use this to locate groups with similar interests and woo them to your feed. Tweepz is a similar tool, focusing on location, and Twitter itself has a 'near this location' feature that can be used to identify tweeple nearby your center of business.
Let's Give Them Something to Tweet About
Yes, Twitter is an effective way to quickly distribute information. But its real power is in its ability to create conversations about something interesting.
In theory you could simply gather up a large user list of tweeple and start spamming them with links promoting your latest gig. This is a surefire way to get flagged for abuse or ignored entirely, and thus is rather counterproductive to good marketing goals.
Instead, consider using alternative methods to drum up those conversations that travel like wildfire.
For example, there is the technique of Alternate Reality Gaming. This is a phenomenon based on the idea of taking 'real' events and building a game out of them. Last Call Poker was an ARG that intended to drum up sales for an upcoming video game, GUN.
LCP spread out information about gatherings, online incentives, and other attractions to get people excited about the western theme of the game. Tokens such as poker chips and other goodies were given out at these events, and GUN went on to have a very successful launch. People were invited into the world of the western, and the chatter eventually included 8 million participants.
This kind of rogue advertising is tailor-made to work with Twitter. Locations and dates can easily fall within the 140 character limitation, as can short explanations. Consider creating an ARG with a short story designed to work within 140 characters, locate an audience with the assorted Twitter tools at your disposal, and plan some exciting events to promote your brand. The chance to get involved always gets people talking, and the more esoteric games can span entire continents.
There are other methods, some more appropriate to each individual brand. Perhaps a modest bicycling business isn't suited to promote a large ARG experience. They could, however, organize a bicycling flash mob by hopping onto the local bike hobbyist twitter feed and posting a date and time. The trick is less which technique you use, and more that you do your best to make it relevant. As always, strong content and clear presentation will win out over gimmicks and sales speak.
Also, consider one last thought. The introductory statements of each section in this article are Twitter compatible, and so is this one. Good luck and happy Tweeting.
About the Author:
Enzo F. Cesario is an online branding specialist and co-founder of Brandsplat, a digital content agency. Brandsplat creates blogs, articles, videos and social media in the "voice" of our client's brand. It makes sites more findable and brands more recognizable. For the free Brandcasting Report go to http://www.BrandSplat.com/ or visit our blog at http://www.iBrandCasting.com/
Understanding Uninsured Motorist And Underinsured Motorist Insurance Coverage
Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2010 Quinton Becker
Uninsured Motorist (UM) and Underinsured Motorist Insurance (UIM) are often the most under-appreciated and misunderstood forms of insurance available to consumers.
I recall as a child, an uncle who had worked for an insurance agency declared to my parents that Uninsured Motorist (UM) and Underinsured Motorist (UIM) insurance coverage were a complete waste of money. I know that we are supposed respect our elders, but I must respectfully disagree with my uncle. Let me explain why.
An Uninsured Motorist is defined as any driver who did not have any insurance at all, had insurance that did not meet the state-mandated minimum liability requirements, or whose insurance company denied the claim to the insured motorist, and the driver was financially unable to pay for medical expenses or damages on their own.
According to the Insurance Research Council, the estimated number of uninsured drivers may reach as high as 25% of the drivers on the road today, across the United States.
Underinsured Motorist refers to a motorist, who had the state mandated minimum liability insurance and was at fault, but their insurance policy will not provide enough coverage to cover the full bodily injury costs or property damages of everyone involved in the accident.
Under the umbrella of UM and UIM insurance, you will find two different options: Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury (UMBI) and Uninsured Motorist Property Damage (UMPD). While it is possible to purchase UMBI insurance separate from UMPD insurance, you will not be able to purchase UMPD insurance without also purchasing UMBI insurance.
UMBI insurance will pay for injuries to you or your passengers, when there is an accident that is the other person's fault and the person-at-fault is either uninsured or underinsured. A hit-and-run driver is also considered to be an uninsured motorist, as it relates to bodily injury and UMBI insurance.
UMPD insurance will pay for property damages to your vehicle, when the party-at-fault has no insurance or not enough insurance to cover your property damage repair or replacement expenses.
When purchasing Uninsured Motorist (UM) and Underinsured Motorist (UIM) insurance coverage, be sure to verify whether it also covers UMPD expenses and the level of coverage offered with the plan. The standard uninsured motorist insurance package will vary from company to company. So ask for specifics about the uninsured motorist insurance package that is being offered to you.
Insurance agents, with most auto insurance companies, are required to make a consumer sign documentation that affirms the consumer's rejection of Uninsured Motorist Insurance Coverage. This provides a measure of protection to the insurance company, when the consumer realizes that his or her normal insurance policy will not cover bodily injury or property damage, when the fault for the accident is the result of the uninsured or underinsured motorist.
With up to 25% of the motorists on our roads being either uninsured or underinsured, the chances of being involved in a collision with an uninsured or underinsured motorist is 1-in-4.
Consumer advocates suggest that the average person will be involved in at least one traffic accident during the course of his or her lifetime. So the day will likely come that you will be involved in a traffic accident.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were more than 6 million auto accidents on American roads during 2009. For those of you who have not really thought about it, that means that there was one traffic accident in the U.S. during 2009, for every 50 residents of the United States.
Another statistic worth noting is that nearly 34,000 people were killed in traffic accidents during 2009, in the United States.
I don't know about you, but I would prefer to do my gambling in a casino, where I can have absolute control over how much money I am willing to lose. I certainly don't want to gamble with my personal finances, while I am behind the wheel of my car, by assuming that the guy in the next car has the liability insurance that he is required to have. With a 1-in-4 chance of coming out on the short end of the stick in a traffic accident, personally I think that those kinds of odds are just too high to risk saving a few dollars by rejecting Uninsured Motorist Insurance Coverage.
As for you, that is your choice... You can choose to reject Uninsured Motorist Insurance Coverage to save a few bucks on your insurance premium or not...
About the Author:
When comparing auto insurance quotes, be certain that you are always comparing apples-to-apples. When you understand what your auto insurance quote covers, you can make an educated decision about which auto insurance company is offering you the best value for your money. You can get auto insurance quotes from several local agents at: http://maxroo.com/updates/auto-insurance-quotes/ Oklahoma residents can get quotes and find insurance agent phone numbers at: http://CheapOklahomaAutoInsurance.com/ Written by Quinton Becker.
Copyright © 2010 Quinton Becker
Uninsured Motorist (UM) and Underinsured Motorist Insurance (UIM) are often the most under-appreciated and misunderstood forms of insurance available to consumers.
I recall as a child, an uncle who had worked for an insurance agency declared to my parents that Uninsured Motorist (UM) and Underinsured Motorist (UIM) insurance coverage were a complete waste of money. I know that we are supposed respect our elders, but I must respectfully disagree with my uncle. Let me explain why.
An Uninsured Motorist is defined as any driver who did not have any insurance at all, had insurance that did not meet the state-mandated minimum liability requirements, or whose insurance company denied the claim to the insured motorist, and the driver was financially unable to pay for medical expenses or damages on their own.
According to the Insurance Research Council, the estimated number of uninsured drivers may reach as high as 25% of the drivers on the road today, across the United States.
Underinsured Motorist refers to a motorist, who had the state mandated minimum liability insurance and was at fault, but their insurance policy will not provide enough coverage to cover the full bodily injury costs or property damages of everyone involved in the accident.
Under the umbrella of UM and UIM insurance, you will find two different options: Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury (UMBI) and Uninsured Motorist Property Damage (UMPD). While it is possible to purchase UMBI insurance separate from UMPD insurance, you will not be able to purchase UMPD insurance without also purchasing UMBI insurance.
UMBI insurance will pay for injuries to you or your passengers, when there is an accident that is the other person's fault and the person-at-fault is either uninsured or underinsured. A hit-and-run driver is also considered to be an uninsured motorist, as it relates to bodily injury and UMBI insurance.
UMPD insurance will pay for property damages to your vehicle, when the party-at-fault has no insurance or not enough insurance to cover your property damage repair or replacement expenses.
When purchasing Uninsured Motorist (UM) and Underinsured Motorist (UIM) insurance coverage, be sure to verify whether it also covers UMPD expenses and the level of coverage offered with the plan. The standard uninsured motorist insurance package will vary from company to company. So ask for specifics about the uninsured motorist insurance package that is being offered to you.
Insurance agents, with most auto insurance companies, are required to make a consumer sign documentation that affirms the consumer's rejection of Uninsured Motorist Insurance Coverage. This provides a measure of protection to the insurance company, when the consumer realizes that his or her normal insurance policy will not cover bodily injury or property damage, when the fault for the accident is the result of the uninsured or underinsured motorist.
With up to 25% of the motorists on our roads being either uninsured or underinsured, the chances of being involved in a collision with an uninsured or underinsured motorist is 1-in-4.
Consumer advocates suggest that the average person will be involved in at least one traffic accident during the course of his or her lifetime. So the day will likely come that you will be involved in a traffic accident.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were more than 6 million auto accidents on American roads during 2009. For those of you who have not really thought about it, that means that there was one traffic accident in the U.S. during 2009, for every 50 residents of the United States.
Another statistic worth noting is that nearly 34,000 people were killed in traffic accidents during 2009, in the United States.
I don't know about you, but I would prefer to do my gambling in a casino, where I can have absolute control over how much money I am willing to lose. I certainly don't want to gamble with my personal finances, while I am behind the wheel of my car, by assuming that the guy in the next car has the liability insurance that he is required to have. With a 1-in-4 chance of coming out on the short end of the stick in a traffic accident, personally I think that those kinds of odds are just too high to risk saving a few dollars by rejecting Uninsured Motorist Insurance Coverage.
As for you, that is your choice... You can choose to reject Uninsured Motorist Insurance Coverage to save a few bucks on your insurance premium or not...
About the Author:
When comparing auto insurance quotes, be certain that you are always comparing apples-to-apples. When you understand what your auto insurance quote covers, you can make an educated decision about which auto insurance company is offering you the best value for your money. You can get auto insurance quotes from several local agents at: http://maxroo.com/updates/auto-insurance-quotes/ Oklahoma residents can get quotes and find insurance agent phone numbers at: http://CheapOklahomaAutoInsurance.com/ Written by Quinton Becker.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Online Marketing: Can You Achieve SEO with a WordPress Site?
Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2010 Paul Marshall
Experts in online marketing consulting emphasize a primary goal: getting your site indexed and ranked with the search engines.
Not long ago, they would have said a blog might help you do that. They likely wouldn't have recommended that a blog serve as your main site.
Thanks to advances in content management software, however, that's no longer the case. The line between conventional websites and blogs has all but disappeared.
"Blogging" programs have evolved into some of the most powerful and flexible content management systems available. One of the leading packages, WordPress, is completely free.
WordPress For Content Management
Sites built with WordPress can easily include static pages and sections. Technically, you will have a "blog," but it can be made to appear virtually indistinguishable from any other site on the Web.
For new website owners who want to manage their own sites without learning code, content management systems like WordPress are particularly attractive.
Rather than compromising on your available SEO options by running your site with blog software, you are actually gaining some unique and affordable SEO advantages and opportunities.
Effortless Structure
Content management systems allow material to be easily categorized. Search engines love structure. Categorization options will allow you to keep a more orderly site that will naturally perform better with the search engine spiders.
By establishing and sticking to categories, you can effectively group relevant material and keep up with keywords and anchor text you're optimizing. This includes:
- URLs with anchor text. Blog software makes it easier to create "crawlable" URLs that include your keyword phrases and anchor text.
- Relevant internal links. By grouping material in categories, you can make sure your internal links are relevant and doing the best job of dispersing PageRank across your site.
(All reliable online marketing consulting professionals stress the importance of relevant internal linking.)
Creating Fresh Content
Software like WordPress was specifically designed to handle the frequent creation of content. By regularly updating a portion of your site, either as a "news" section or as conventional blog commentary, you will:
- get crawled more often by the search engines, - cultivate a regular readership to generate "word of mouth" traffic, - more readily attract inbound links, - and develop site "authority" faster.
The "blogosphere" is a social environment. Studies show that blogs trade links much more often than conventional websites.
By including a "blogroll" or list of links to relevant sites in your sidebar, you will find that other bloggers organically return the favor. Inbound links bring PageRank to your site and create a greater perception of site authority.
Traffic And Links Via Comments
Commenting plays a large role in link sharing on blog sites. Comments and trackback features further encourage interaction among sites and increase overall visibility.
Be warned, however, that for comments to best serve your site, you will need to engage you readers by answering their comments and by visiting their sites and leaving comments of your own.
(Note that comments can be turned on and off throughout your site with the WordPress system.)
Links In "Unconventional" Locations
Syndicating a site managed with blog software via RSS is a largely automatic process. By actively managing your RSS feed, however, you can include links and generate traffic that does not come directly from the search engines.
Further, your site will be eligible for inclusion in blog directories and will be crawled by blog-specific search engines where your competition may have no presence whatsoever.
Content management software like WordPress will:
- impose structure and order on your site, - strengthen the use of anchor text in your urls, - encourage the addition of fresh content, - lead to organic links in the blogosphere, - increase the frequency with which the search engines crawl your site, - gain visibility for the site in areas your competition may ignore, - and generate a greater sense of authority for you and your site.
So, how can using the software to manage your site be a bad idea in terms of SEO?
Wrapping It Up
Content management systems, when used with the basic principles stressed by online marketing consulting professionals, are simply another tool in an affordable SEO arsenal.
Such systems do not change the core purpose for establishing your site, they simply provide a different means of maintenance and improvement.
While you may spend money initially to have your site's WordPress installation customized, overall, you will save on dollars that would otherwise go to a webmaster. Over time, that money can be spent on other SEO strategies.
With the ability to more easily and quickly manage your own site, you are not at the mercy of another person's schedule. At the same time, the native controls built into the software will give you greater control over your efforts to gain search engine ranking.
That's a win / win in anyone's book.
About the Author:
Marketing online since 2004, Paul Marshall can help you market on a realistic budget. He's an Online Marketing Consulting expert. He offers Online Marketing Consultant professional marketing services and Affordable SEO (and d-i-y Coaching). Get to know Paul, just visit Strategic Web Marketing.net today!
Read more of Paul Marshall's articles.
Copyright © 2010 Paul Marshall
Experts in online marketing consulting emphasize a primary goal: getting your site indexed and ranked with the search engines.
Not long ago, they would have said a blog might help you do that. They likely wouldn't have recommended that a blog serve as your main site.
Thanks to advances in content management software, however, that's no longer the case. The line between conventional websites and blogs has all but disappeared.
"Blogging" programs have evolved into some of the most powerful and flexible content management systems available. One of the leading packages, WordPress, is completely free.
WordPress For Content Management
Sites built with WordPress can easily include static pages and sections. Technically, you will have a "blog," but it can be made to appear virtually indistinguishable from any other site on the Web.
For new website owners who want to manage their own sites without learning code, content management systems like WordPress are particularly attractive.
Rather than compromising on your available SEO options by running your site with blog software, you are actually gaining some unique and affordable SEO advantages and opportunities.
Effortless Structure
Content management systems allow material to be easily categorized. Search engines love structure. Categorization options will allow you to keep a more orderly site that will naturally perform better with the search engine spiders.
By establishing and sticking to categories, you can effectively group relevant material and keep up with keywords and anchor text you're optimizing. This includes:
- URLs with anchor text. Blog software makes it easier to create "crawlable" URLs that include your keyword phrases and anchor text.
- Relevant internal links. By grouping material in categories, you can make sure your internal links are relevant and doing the best job of dispersing PageRank across your site.
(All reliable online marketing consulting professionals stress the importance of relevant internal linking.)
Creating Fresh Content
Software like WordPress was specifically designed to handle the frequent creation of content. By regularly updating a portion of your site, either as a "news" section or as conventional blog commentary, you will:
- get crawled more often by the search engines, - cultivate a regular readership to generate "word of mouth" traffic, - more readily attract inbound links, - and develop site "authority" faster.
The "blogosphere" is a social environment. Studies show that blogs trade links much more often than conventional websites.
By including a "blogroll" or list of links to relevant sites in your sidebar, you will find that other bloggers organically return the favor. Inbound links bring PageRank to your site and create a greater perception of site authority.
Traffic And Links Via Comments
Commenting plays a large role in link sharing on blog sites. Comments and trackback features further encourage interaction among sites and increase overall visibility.
Be warned, however, that for comments to best serve your site, you will need to engage you readers by answering their comments and by visiting their sites and leaving comments of your own.
(Note that comments can be turned on and off throughout your site with the WordPress system.)
Links In "Unconventional" Locations
Syndicating a site managed with blog software via RSS is a largely automatic process. By actively managing your RSS feed, however, you can include links and generate traffic that does not come directly from the search engines.
Further, your site will be eligible for inclusion in blog directories and will be crawled by blog-specific search engines where your competition may have no presence whatsoever.
Content management software like WordPress will:
- impose structure and order on your site, - strengthen the use of anchor text in your urls, - encourage the addition of fresh content, - lead to organic links in the blogosphere, - increase the frequency with which the search engines crawl your site, - gain visibility for the site in areas your competition may ignore, - and generate a greater sense of authority for you and your site.
So, how can using the software to manage your site be a bad idea in terms of SEO?
Wrapping It Up
Content management systems, when used with the basic principles stressed by online marketing consulting professionals, are simply another tool in an affordable SEO arsenal.
Such systems do not change the core purpose for establishing your site, they simply provide a different means of maintenance and improvement.
While you may spend money initially to have your site's WordPress installation customized, overall, you will save on dollars that would otherwise go to a webmaster. Over time, that money can be spent on other SEO strategies.
With the ability to more easily and quickly manage your own site, you are not at the mercy of another person's schedule. At the same time, the native controls built into the software will give you greater control over your efforts to gain search engine ranking.
That's a win / win in anyone's book.
About the Author:
Marketing online since 2004, Paul Marshall can help you market on a realistic budget. He's an Online Marketing Consulting expert. He offers Online Marketing Consultant professional marketing services and Affordable SEO (and d-i-y Coaching). Get to know Paul, just visit Strategic Web Marketing.net today!
Read more of Paul Marshall's articles.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
How to Avoid Four Surefire Ways to Kill Your Brand
Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2010 Enzo F. Cesario
There are no guarantees of success when developing a modern brand. There is no switch that will pour out money, there are no stunts that will automatically create attention, and there is no how-to manual that, if assiduously followed, will assure your brand's place in the annals of the great Internet legends. Brands are driven as much by the customer as they are by the originator, and the customer doesn't always want what's being sold.
That said there are certain behaviors and practices that are guaranteed to kill a brand, virtually without fail. There are always exceptions to the rule, but by and large you can at least count on these 'do nots' as fairly ironclad rules. What follows are four ways you can miss the point, and some advice for avoiding them.
Misfire #1 - Number Chasing
This may feel like a complete turnaround from previous articles. After all, we've discussed metrics and their usefulness in measuring success, haven't we? Surely the larger an audience the better a brand is doing.
The problem with this logic is that it confuses the goal with the measurement. Instead of focusing on satisfying customer demands for particular content or a certain product quality, the company focuses on making sure web traffic stays high. This kind of thinking disconnects you from the actual cause-and-effect of working on the product you're pitching, and creates an artificial reality that will do your brand no good.
As a rule of thumb for avoiding this behavior, consider the way you set goals. If you find the goal focusing on increasing audience numbers or some abstract figure instead of refining your core product, it's time to re-evaluate.
Misfire #2 - Going by Rote
Part of maintaining a modern brand is providing regular content. Updating frequently enough to maintain viewer interest is vital for any service, and making sure the physical product is advertised for the public's awareness is equally important if sales are the goal.
That said, there is a problem inherent in a scheduled updating system that can sneak into the provider's routine. Specifically we're speaking of the tendency to update without purpose. You see it frequently on twitter or certain blogs, where the provider is strapped for ideas and just posts a bit of airy, fluffy filler because 'it's time to post.' While this does meet the customer's expectation, this can work against you, as it leaves a bit of the 'what was the point?' question in their minds.
Instead, consider missing out a day if you genuinely don't have content to provide. It happens, there are slow days for everyone. Missing the routine for a day will give you time to pull up some new content, and when the audience chimes in and sees there isn't an update, they'll be curious and more likely to check back the next time.
Misfire #3 - Fadding Out
The difference between a movement and a fad is that a fad sits on the surface of things, changing very little; whereas a movement alters the very basics of how the world functions. 'Virtual Reality' was a fad. People hyped it up, but there was no way the majority of people were going to shell out thousands for VR systems and their ten-pound headsets. Twitter is a movement, having developed a broad appeal and fundamentally changed the way people think about spreading information.
We have spoken of the need for innovation and the ability to take risks in brand development, and these things are still true. However, how innovative is it to jump on board something someone else has created? Instead of following the trends, focus on what your brand needs and how it functions. If adding in an element makes sense, do so without hesitation. If you have to force it, forget it.
Misfire #4 - Losing Focus
At this point it's virtually ancient history, but there is a lesson for modern brand development in the Video Game Crash of the 1980s. The short of it is that every single company worth mentioning decided video games were the future, and opened up a video game division. They launched these efforts without any serious dedication to the craft of game design, and some succeeded while others failed. The most bizarre entrant was Quaker Oats, the people that make oatmeal. The result was a complete disaster.
What business would an oatmeal company have making games? On the surface, any business they desired. Perhaps it was always their secret passion, who knows? However, they lacked any serious experience in the venture, and you probably can't find ten people out of a thousand who remember what game or games they put out.
Focus on your message. This ties in with the idea of fads, but warrants its own point. If you have to stretch yourself or come up with a new department to accommodate a new idea, it's time to sit down and decide just how essential this idea is to your core message.
About the Author:
Enzo F. Cesario is an online branding specialist and co-founder of Brandsplat, a digital content agency. Brandsplat creates blogs, articles, videos and social media in the "voice" of our client's brand. It makes sites more findable and brands more recognizable. For the free Brandcasting Report go to http://www.BrandSplat.com/ or visit our blog at http://www.iBrandCasting.com/
Copyright © 2010 Enzo F. Cesario
There are no guarantees of success when developing a modern brand. There is no switch that will pour out money, there are no stunts that will automatically create attention, and there is no how-to manual that, if assiduously followed, will assure your brand's place in the annals of the great Internet legends. Brands are driven as much by the customer as they are by the originator, and the customer doesn't always want what's being sold.
That said there are certain behaviors and practices that are guaranteed to kill a brand, virtually without fail. There are always exceptions to the rule, but by and large you can at least count on these 'do nots' as fairly ironclad rules. What follows are four ways you can miss the point, and some advice for avoiding them.
Misfire #1 - Number Chasing
This may feel like a complete turnaround from previous articles. After all, we've discussed metrics and their usefulness in measuring success, haven't we? Surely the larger an audience the better a brand is doing.
The problem with this logic is that it confuses the goal with the measurement. Instead of focusing on satisfying customer demands for particular content or a certain product quality, the company focuses on making sure web traffic stays high. This kind of thinking disconnects you from the actual cause-and-effect of working on the product you're pitching, and creates an artificial reality that will do your brand no good.
As a rule of thumb for avoiding this behavior, consider the way you set goals. If you find the goal focusing on increasing audience numbers or some abstract figure instead of refining your core product, it's time to re-evaluate.
Misfire #2 - Going by Rote
Part of maintaining a modern brand is providing regular content. Updating frequently enough to maintain viewer interest is vital for any service, and making sure the physical product is advertised for the public's awareness is equally important if sales are the goal.
That said, there is a problem inherent in a scheduled updating system that can sneak into the provider's routine. Specifically we're speaking of the tendency to update without purpose. You see it frequently on twitter or certain blogs, where the provider is strapped for ideas and just posts a bit of airy, fluffy filler because 'it's time to post.' While this does meet the customer's expectation, this can work against you, as it leaves a bit of the 'what was the point?' question in their minds.
Instead, consider missing out a day if you genuinely don't have content to provide. It happens, there are slow days for everyone. Missing the routine for a day will give you time to pull up some new content, and when the audience chimes in and sees there isn't an update, they'll be curious and more likely to check back the next time.
Misfire #3 - Fadding Out
The difference between a movement and a fad is that a fad sits on the surface of things, changing very little; whereas a movement alters the very basics of how the world functions. 'Virtual Reality' was a fad. People hyped it up, but there was no way the majority of people were going to shell out thousands for VR systems and their ten-pound headsets. Twitter is a movement, having developed a broad appeal and fundamentally changed the way people think about spreading information.
We have spoken of the need for innovation and the ability to take risks in brand development, and these things are still true. However, how innovative is it to jump on board something someone else has created? Instead of following the trends, focus on what your brand needs and how it functions. If adding in an element makes sense, do so without hesitation. If you have to force it, forget it.
Misfire #4 - Losing Focus
At this point it's virtually ancient history, but there is a lesson for modern brand development in the Video Game Crash of the 1980s. The short of it is that every single company worth mentioning decided video games were the future, and opened up a video game division. They launched these efforts without any serious dedication to the craft of game design, and some succeeded while others failed. The most bizarre entrant was Quaker Oats, the people that make oatmeal. The result was a complete disaster.
What business would an oatmeal company have making games? On the surface, any business they desired. Perhaps it was always their secret passion, who knows? However, they lacked any serious experience in the venture, and you probably can't find ten people out of a thousand who remember what game or games they put out.
Focus on your message. This ties in with the idea of fads, but warrants its own point. If you have to stretch yourself or come up with a new department to accommodate a new idea, it's time to sit down and decide just how essential this idea is to your core message.
About the Author:
Enzo F. Cesario is an online branding specialist and co-founder of Brandsplat, a digital content agency. Brandsplat creates blogs, articles, videos and social media in the "voice" of our client's brand. It makes sites more findable and brands more recognizable. For the free Brandcasting Report go to http://www.BrandSplat.com/ or visit our blog at http://www.iBrandCasting.com/
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