A New Year, A New You! Six Top Fashion Tips for 2006 By Virginia Alexander

Hey, all you fantastic fashionistas! A recent trip to Fashion week proves that this year is just incredible when it comes to fashion and style! “Less is more” is the rule for 2006. The color pallet is warm or cool, but always romantic, glamorous, bold and totally inviting! As a stylist for film and television, it’s my job to create styles for my clients that make them look good, have proper fit for their body shape and are in fashion. My client list varies from media personalities to individuals who need to build an entire new wardrobe because of weight loss. Redesigning your image is a real treat after weight loss. You have been actively working from the inside out. Now is the time to reap the rewards of your labor! You may not have your own personal stylist, but that should not keep you from looking fabulous. Looking your best is really quite simple if you follow what I call Virginia’s Rule of 3: Accent the positive, detract from the negative, and create the illusion of what you don’t have. How do you follow this rule? By following these 6 tips:

1. Prepare to shop! Shopping for clothes requires preparation? Believe it or not, it does! Before you shop, start with proper, well-fitting undergarments and comfortable clothes that come off and on easily so that you won’t get tired while trying things on. Wear shoes that slip off and on easily–wear flats, but bring heels. You have to have shoes of the right height to properly see what any garment will look like on you. Plus, here is the kicker … a 2-inch heel or platform will make any garment hang & look different; it raises your bottom too! Finally, wear your makeup and do your hair before stepping out the door. That will make everything you put on look better; after all, you will be coifed and looking your best when you wear these new clothes in public! 2. Choose styles that work for your body type and shape. Do you know what works for you specific body shape? There are 3 basic body shapes or proportions: hourglass, bigger on top, and bigger on bottom. We can all identify with one of them. Certain styles compliment certain body types. For instance, high waists and flowing skirts can disguise a larger bottom half. Look for styles that make the most of your shape. While every person’s body is different, one sure-fire way to make your body look balanced is to wear one solid color top to bottom. This ensures a sleek head-to-toe look. Just make sure you pick a color that looks great on you!

3. Choose Colors that Make Your Complexion Look Great. To figure out what colors make your complexion glow, pick out about 10 shirts–all in different colors–and hold them up in front of yourself. Now, look in the mirror holding one up at a time! Notice what the color does for your complexion. Does it make your complexion and eyes look bright? Does it make you look flat and dull? Does it create dark circles around your eyes? Most of all, how do you feel in this color? If it makes you glow and feel great, then it is a good color for you. Colors fall mainly into 3 categories, Cool, Warm and Mid-tone. You will probably look best in colors from one of these palettes: * Cool tones Wear bright colors, such as bright emerald green, turquoise, a blue-toned red, pink, navy, dark gray and a bright purple. Avoid beige, olive green, brick red and apricot. * Warm tones Wear olive greens, burgundy, mustard, ambers, tomato red, and russets. Avoid hot pink, sky blue, navy, dark gray, and black. * Mid-tones Wear muted colors like clear red, hot pink, lemon yellow, aqua, periwinkle and sage green. Avoid rust, salmon pink, icy blue, charcoal and black. Still not sure? Ask a stranger: they are usually more honest than a friend!

4. Choose Bold Accessories to Dress up Your Whole Wardrobe. Accessories for 2006 are big and bold. The colors I love are pink, ambers, sage greens, turquoise, and dark brown and black. So, when it came time to accessorize for the year, I went through my jewelry box to see what pieces would work with my favorite hues. I already had some long amber earrings, big silver hoop earrings, silver bangle bracelets and turquoise and silver Indian jewelry. So, I only bought a chunky and very long amber glass bead necklace ($42) and big multi-tiered turquoise and amber earrings ($20). I am now totally accessorized for 2006!

5. Focus on Essentials! I like separates because I can create a lot of outfits with just a few basic pieces of clothing: a pair of faded jeans, a flowing black skirt, and black pants. Supplement and create new looks by pairing these three must-haves with clothes you already have! Look through your closet before you shop, and get rid of what you won’t or don’t wear. Make a list of what you need or want. I tear pictures out of magazines, and get as close as I can to the look I love! Remember to make sure you feel good in the clothes when you try them on! Ask yourself these questions: Can I bend over without flashing the universe? Can I breathe? Does it pull or pinch? Does it gape or gap anywhere? Can you see through it? (Look in the light!) Does it hang well on me? Is the fabric rough or irritating? If it is not comfortable in the store, it’s never going to be! You will not wear it, so don’t buy it. I always buy clothes that have an element of stretch to them for two reasons. First, I can move and breathe in them. Second, pants with stretch always make my butt look better!

6. Know What’s Hot and What’s Not!

What’s “In” for 2006: * Soft, feminine fabrics * Color, magnificent color * Empire-waist blouses * Embellishments on fabrics–around the neckline or cuffs or on pockets, just a little * Jeans–all colors, faded, distressed or slightly embellished (embellished pockets) * Embellished belt buckles * Western looks–jeans, cowboy hats & western style boots with heels * Soft gauzy peasant tops–that seventies hippy look * Ponchos, wraps, shrugs and soft scarves. * Jean jackets–can be worn with almost everything! * Lace up high boots–boots are big this year! * Sexy platform shoes * Belts * Button up sweater with jeans–kind of a retro fifties look. Add pearls for a chic classy look!

What’s “in,” but not flattering for most of us: * Gaucho pants–unless you’re 6 feet tall and 120 pounds, you should reconsider wearing them! * Drop waist short dresses–It looks so cute on kids, not adults! * Short shorts–The daisy duke’s, just what were they thinking? * Embellished over-priced designer sweat suits–okay for exercise, but not to be worn in public! * Bikini Jeans–need I say more? * Dresses and blouses cut to the navel–interesting, but not appropriate on anyone!

What’s out: * Straight-legged slacks * Leggings * Extremely low-waisted jeans and slacks * Oversized shirts–oversized anything really! * Same print skirts and tops–just break them up! * Lots of jewelry, or “Bling” Exception: If you are a Rap Star, can you still get away with this.

What’s “in” for Hair and Makeup: No look is complete without beautiful hair and make-up. Hair this year shows dimensional color and highlights. Lowlights and length are both back as well. Hair that is colored a few shades deeper underneath is a super look. Longer hair is in, worn straight and flat-ironed with a wispy cut or big and curled. Remember when you get your hair restyled to look at all of you, not just your face. You need to focus on a total look to be balanced. A short hair cut on an ample body will make you look out of proportion! Makeup is soft and subtle or fully glamorous for evening. Daytime colors are soft neutral tones on the eyes (browns, taupes) and light colors on the lips (Coppers, pinks, peaches), loads of mascara and subtle, blended eyeliner. Lip-gloss is still in. For evening, Evening Don’t be afraid to use a lot of color on the eyes and to provide strong definition. Eyeliners are perfect in showdown and bright mineral hues. Use loads of mascara to achieve long, thick lashes. Go for soft blush and hot lips defined in neutral colors, then glossed.

Follow these tips, and you will be ready to kick off the New Year looking and feeling your best! It’s a New Year, and It’s all about You!

Any business will cringe at the thought of what the banks put them through to use credit cards. If you do not know what I mean, then this article is for you!

The fact is that everyone online wants to use a credit card or debit card to process their order. It is very true in our society that the credit card is a way of life, and if you do not offer that ability to accommodate them, customers will move on to another website that does allow them to use their cards. This society has become driven by instant gratification and expects to receive their products immediately, either by a download or a short shipping duration. Taking credit cards as a form of payment on the internet or offline should be thoroughly understood. Read on to see what I mean and how to protect yourself.

The fact is that any merchant taking in payments is immediately at risk for whatever amount is charged and MORE. The banks will take the charge disputed along with a “charge back” fee right from your merchant account, and you better have enough in there that has cleared to pay your own bills or you will be charged more for “overdraft charges”. Some banks are waking up to the fact that it is not always the merchant at fault and most merchants are more than honest in their dealings. There is so much credit card fraud out there and since the merchants are ALWAYS liable, you need to realize this and take action to prevent as much disaster for your business as possible.

First, if you have your own merchant account, then you have a lot of work to do when you receive a credit card order. You must verify as best you can that the card, the name on the card, the address, the cvv number verification, and the quantities are all in order. You need to verify the IP address of every order and see if it is within the location of the card holder. A person living in Toronto, Canada, probably would not be in Las Cruces, New Mexico, charging products. This is a red flag but not a deal breaker, some people DO travel. Caution needs to be taken to protect your cash flow. As a merchant you must get money safely into your account for any goods or service you provide, so that you can become a larger or more substantial independent business.

Do not just take in cards and believe that everything is going to be just fine now that you have the money in your account, because it can come out just as fast, or faster, than it went in. There is a real need for you to understand a lot more than can be mentioned in this article.

The best way to receive all the tools and services you need to protect yourself and to make your voice heard is to check this website: http://www.merchant911.org This is a group of dedicated individuals who have been working for years to try to change banking and processing company rules and regulations as relative to merchants, both large and small. If you need any more proof of their dedication, just read some of the press releases and look at the tools they have assembled for merchants to use.

Right now is the time to start to protect yourself from credit card fraud. If you have read any of the newspapers or listened to any of the news reports, then you already know you are at risk. There are reports of over 40 million cards in the hands of criminals and thieves and they will sell these cards or will use them in various illegal methods. It’s not hard to imagine that some day soon you will be approached and asked to spend your time and money to ship a product or provide a service with these fraudulent cards.

Do your part to keep America strong and allow your business to grow and prosper, not be destroyed by thieves and credit card sharks.

Copyright 2005 Brad Eden

Brad Eden is a Entrepreneurial Sciences expert with 14 years of industry experience in real estate, marketing and technical communication. He currently consults with IBM in CA. Brad owns & operates a free traffic resource for entrepreneurs.

http://www.americanfreetraffic.com

Have you ever had an accident?

Do you value your personal safety and that of your family?

Most accidents may not be just accidents.

Some accidents may be caused by our personal lifestyle, carelessness, wrong reasoning, faulty decisions, bad habits, wrong actions of conscious and as well as unconscious origin.

Here are some personal safety insights to help you prevent accidents and live a longer, safe and happy life.

Even though the world we live in today is safer than the one known by our parents and grandparents, yet people are more prone to accidents now than ever.

In most large cities, it is easy to observe people doing more than one activity at a time.

It is a common sight to see some people who while driving are at the same time eating, talking on the cell phone and putting a make up on their faces too!

You’ll observe bicyclists riding on the sidewalk in the opposite direction.

Do you buckle your seat belt every time you get in the car? Do you cross the street at crosswalks instead of jaywalking?

Do you walk or jog on the left side of the road so that you are facing oncoming traffic?

We all must acknowledge the fact that we bear some of the responsibility for making our environment safe and safety is thinking about other people, too.

Because in this safety awareness, we can take steps to help others.

For instance, a jagged piece of metal and certain types of broken bottles on the street can cause tire problems to cars.

Broken glass on the beach might also send someone to the hospital for stitches. When you take time to clean up things such as broken bottles, etc., you’re taking a big step toward protecting others.

An accident is something that happens to you and to others. It’s easy to think that these accidents just happen.

They’re not just bad luck or bad breaks that come to you out of nowhere. An accident is never supposed to happen. It isn’t planned and it isn’t deliberate.

Accidents are caused!

An accident can be caused by an unsafe condition. Look at your automobile. It can be a typical example of an unsafe condition.

Bad brakes and unsafe tires, faulty headlights, loose steering, and, yes, even dirty windshields and side windows can cause accidents, and they are all unsafe conditions.

And along this same line, we need to consider unsafe acts as also contributing to the cause of accidents.

These are not “conditions.” They are what you, or someone else, does or doesn’t do.

A good example is jaywalking. You know it’s dangerous to walk out between parked cars to cross the street, but it’s easier than walking down to the next corner.

Both unsafe conditions and unsafe actions exist, and either one can cause accidents.

But you can put the two together, as well. That car with the poor brakes, and all the other unsafe conditions, isn’t unsafe at all until someone starts to use it.

It’s the act of using that causes the accident. Oh sure, the car was at fault, but the driver of that car was the ultimate cause of the accident.

You will find many unsafe conditions in your daily life, but most of them become truly unsafe based on your own actions related to them.

What causes you to act in an unsafe way? Is it carelessness?

Poor judgment, were you at the wrong place at the wrong time?

There’s never a total absence of risks in our lives. Risks are voluntary actions and can be managed.

Emergencies can be met and handled, but it takes know-how and constant awareness.

What you can’t prevent, you can usually compensate for or protect against.

Safety experts classify accidents in four broad categories: Motor vehicle, work and job related, home, and public.

The public category excludes motor vehicle and work accidents in public places. It covers sports and recreation (swimming, hunting, etc.), air, water, or land transportation excluding motor vehicle and public building accidents.

On the average, there are 10 accidental deaths and about 1,000 disabling injuries every hour during the year.

About one-half of the deaths occur in motor vehicle accidents while about one-third of the injuries occur in and around the home.

It’s not hard to imagine adding yourself to the accident statistics. Any day of the week, you’ll be swamped with stories in the newspapers and on television about the many tragic accidents going on all over the country and it seems to be getting worse all the time.

And in every case the victim was somebody who did not plan or expect that they would be hurt or killed.

In a matter of seconds, everything you were ever going to do and be can be snuffed out.

At the least, you suffer pain and inconvenience from an accident.

At worst, an accident kills or damages you for life.

Safety saves you, but it does more than that. Mix each safety ingredient with all of your day to day activities. An use common sense in everything you do.

Safety in your home is a combination of mind and matter. You mind must be constantly aware of the home safety dangers. The matter is the safety condition of your home.

The safety condition of your home isn’t a case of rebuilding things to make it safe. It’s more the disposal of dangerous items, and a case of good housekeeping.

A safe home has a place for everything, and that along with the right mental attitude about keeping those things in place is just good housekeeping.

The home is the most frequent place for injury accidents to occur, and it is second only to motor vehicle accidents for the number of deaths in the country today.

Family members are busier than ever rushing in and out so it’s easy to understand how careless mistakes are often made.

When you read the daily newspaper or watch newscasts on TV, you’ll see that home accidents can be classified in two major ways.

There are things that can totally disrupt your entire community - - such as earthquakes, tornadoes, storms and floods.

And then there are those kinds of accidents that are centered in your own home, and not involving the whole community.

These are things like fires, local earth sliding, flooding and wind damage.

You will need to consider both types when thinking about safety at home.

For the community - wide disasters, you may or may not receive any outside help for a considerable period of time, and you must be prepared to survive on your own home resources.

With the second type, your home may be destroyed, but some help should be there from the outside, early in the experience.

Most cities and communities have some agencies and organizations in place to assist the public in times of severe emergencies.

It is wise for everyone to do a home safety check on a regular basis and get the family members involved.

Naturally, every family needs to develop its own plan because every house and every family is different.

May these personal safety tips help you to avoid accidents and other hazards in life and live a safe, longer and happy life.

Warmly,

I-key Benney, CEO

I-key, a Millionaire CEO from New York City is the creator of “Mscsrrr: Millionaire Secret Cash System”, (online forex trading), program which has helped thousands of ordinary people from all over the world to attain financial security and shining success during the past 2 yrs.

Mscsrrr Millionaire Secret Cash System helps you to generate $1,500+/Week for life, from home or office, part time or full time. No large investment or hassles. Win $1000-$2000 free “cash”…

Owners Larry and Lisa Oswald have signed with Pacific West Marketing of San Juan Capistrano, which promotes products at trade shows or sells directly to the Microsofts and IBMs of the world through corporate gifts and the like.

Yummykake www.yummykake.com/ has embarked on a new venture that could extend the artisan cake maker’s reputation from sea to shining sea.

The Oregon company has won the palates and minds of discerning Southern Oregon dessert eaters since moving from Iowa in July 2002 and setting up shop first in Ashland then in Medford in February 2004.

Owners Larry and Lisa Oswald have signed with Pacific West Marketing of San Juan Capistrano, which promotes products at trade shows or sells directly to the Microsofts and IBMs of the world.

“They approached me,” says Larry Oswald, 54, who repeatedly said no until local marketing consultant Tina Janke of TJ Consults Inc. www.tjconsults.com suggested it might be worth his while.

Because Yummykake’s ingredients make a for a decidedly short shelf-life, Oswald hadn’t presumed to extend his marketing reach until now.

“What I’ve been doing in Medford and Ashland with gourmet cakes takes refrigeration,” Oswald says. “That comes down to me shipping with dry ice. It can be done, but I didn’t want to get into dry-ice packaging and freezer space.”

But with a little innovation and thinking outside the cake box, Oswald blended a
truffle and cupcake into a new product line called the Trufflekake(SM), which is
rich, moist cake surrounded by truffle chocolate filling and a decorative shell.

“We don’t need dry ice to ship these with the weather we have right now,” Oswald says. “We can send them by next-day air and they arrive OK. In the heat of the summer, we’ll cold-pack them. But it doesn’t need dry ice like meats and ice
cream.”

The Oswalds ran a full-service bakery with annual sales of about $220,000 in Fairfield, Iowa, a town of 10,000, for more than a half-dozen years. About three years ago, they sold the bakery and moved to Ashland. But even though
Ashland had twice the population, the Oswalds found the going tough. First on Hersey Street, where they still make their cakes in an 1,800-square-foot shop, and then on Siskiyou Boulevard, the light, creamy cakes failed to draw a steady clientele.

Opening a second location at the Grandview Plaza on Roberts Road in Medford, a couple of doors down from Bruno’s Pizza, solved that problem. Oswald says Yummykake had sales of about $200,000 last year and projects revenues to hit
$250,000 this year. Weddings account for 30 percent of sales, the largest individual revenue slice, followed by birthdays and anniversaries.

“It seemed like no one ever has birthdays in Ashland and people couldn’t find Hersey Street,” Oswald says. “In order to survive, we had to move into Medford.”

Now, Yummykake is in position to do better than survive.

Ed Shriber of Pacific West Marketing www.pacificwestmarketing.com has promoted
product-driven companies to corporate gift buyers for more than a quarter-century.

Trufflekakes, measuring about 2 inches in diameter and the same in height, retails for $10 in individual gold-foil containers or six in a gift box going for $65. A flower box of six goes for $85.

Local customers, Oswald says, will find the same items available at Grandview Plaza below those rates.

Shriber, who will earn a commission on his sales, was at a trade show Monday and wasn’t available for comment.

Janke says corporate gifts are a good entry point into wholesale markets.

“There are only so many individuals who can afford most corporate gifts, but those who do, don’t care how much they spend,” says Medford marketing consultant Tina Janke, who has worked with Shriber for several years.

“There are many different reasons a company can give gifts, but food is a big thing for gifts Food Catalogs like Harry & David have taught us that.”

Most poker players fall into one of four categories, and once you’re experienced enough, you’ll be able to place your opponents into particular groups very quickly. This is a detailed definition of the different types of poker players you’ll find. As you play poker online you should try to pick up as much information about a player to accurately place them into a category.

But remember the boundaries of the different types of poker players are not clearly defined and the best pokers players can change their style of play very quickly to mislead the rest of the table.

Types of Poker Players :

Tight-Passive
A tight-passive player is one that won’t raise or call unless they have a very strong hand. This type of player is normally best suited for limit Texas Holdem poker games and will very seldom take a risk on their hand. If a tight passive player calls your raise - you’d better have the courage to backup your bet.

Loose-Passive
Loose passive players are also known as “calling stations”. They call any bet you place and it’s best to avoid bluffing these players. They’ll very seldom fold once they’ve seen the flop.

Tight-Aggressive
These players will only bluff occasionally. They only play good hands and once they’ve got that hand they’ll bet aggressively. Beware when this player raises he could end up taking a huge chunk out of your stack.

Loose-Aggressive
Some of the most famous poker players are loose aggressive. These players have no problem going “all-in”, but the best loose-aggressive players will mix up their aggressive and passive play, it’s hard to read their hands. They go all-in with a pair of aces or just a simple 7, 3. These are the high-rollers of Texas Hold em poker.

Now all you need to do is begin by placing yourself in one of these categories, then go to the Trident Poker online casino and see if you’re can spot the different types of poker players and then play your strategy accordingly…

Read more: Types of Poker PlayersStanley Majors is an experienced online poker journalist who writes articles on a range of poker topics. His numerous articles found on Texas Holdem Net,provide useful and factual poker information and insight.

Almost all property in the world can be stolen. Whether it be money in a bank, important documents, copyrights, and now even your intellectual property.

Credit cards and ATMs are not spared from this situation, though these properties are protected with complicated passwords that only the owner knows. Recent news proved the world that cards cannot necessarily be stolen but the identity of the owner can.

According to some victims, they noticed that they have been paying their credit card companies more than the actual purchase they made. Troubled by the observation, the said victims extended their complaints to their credit cards companies.

The result was that, in the record of the companies the victims made transactions, not permitted by these victims. The companies later declared that the identities of the owners were stolen.

Knowing this reality, have you ever asked yourself, “How can I protect myself from these thieves?”

Well, if you have asked that question and still looking for an answer let this write-up be a help to you.

Securing your identity is never that hard. It will only cost you discipline and sense of responsibility. Mostly identity theft happens out of improper disposal of receipts and the like.

The receipt of a purchase contains almost all information pertaining to you that is essential in building your identity. Remember that every time you leave a counter you are asked to sign a piece of paper to validate your account and the transaction. Bear in mind that that signature is your identity.

Here are some suggestions of totally securing you identity over credit card thieves:

• Make a list of the products you purchased and make a draft a little of information about it. You may include the date of purchase, the price, place where you bought the product and other important data. These data are written in the receipt and therefore all you have to do is to copy it.

By doing so, you will always know the things you purchased and therefore be aware if any unauthorized purchases done when your bill comes. Aside from that, the list you made will surely help you organize your budget.

• Dispose your bills, credit cards applications, receipts and other confidential documents that contain your identity. A piece of paper with all necessary information in it will take a thief for an identity to be stolen.

If possible, do not use the shredder. You may rather burn these documents. If it does not need the document to be disposed, keep it in a protected place in your house, preferably a safe.

• Always keep an eye or keep your mails with you when falling in line at a bank. Regard them as cash.

• Improvise your mailbox in a manner that it locks by itself after your courier delivers your mail. That is to prevent thieves from stealing your mails as well

Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning Credit Cards. Get the information you are seeking now by visiting Credit Card Identity Theft

It is 100% certain that at any given time, a small percentage of the population wants to buy your products and services. We call them “High Probability Prospects”.

Finding High Probability Prospects

What’s the exact percentage ready and willing to buy? It depends on the product or service. It also depends on the effectiveness of marketing efforts; bulls-eye, targeted marketing yields a higher percentage of high probability prospects.

How can you hit the bulls-eye with your prospecting? Find out the demographics of the highest probability prospects - data on average customers and profiles of the largest customers. Ask the Product Managers at companies you represent for these demographics. These demographics are profiles of your High Probability Prospects.

High Probability Prospects are not people who are merely “interested” in what you have to sell. They are likely to want what you sell. It’s just as easy to find people who want to buy as it is to find people who have to be persuaded. However, the former are much easier to close.

Once you match up your products with the right prospecting list, call them all. Never mind introducing yourself, or using any kind of “sales pitch”. Just tell them:

1. Who you are and who you represent;

2. What you’re selling;

3. Two features (not benefits) of the product or service;

4. Ask if it’s what they WANT.

Follow that outline. Be sure your entire offer is no more than 45 words.

Don’t waste time with low probability prospects

If the prospect says “no,” you say “Okay, good bye.” Wait for them to say “good bye,” hang up, and immediately dial the next one on your list.

If the prospect says “Yes,” you say “Why?” If they have a good reason, make an appointment. If they are only “interested”, don’t. Remember not to use the word “interested” in your offer, since “interested” implies a lack of commitment and a low probability of buying.

If a prospect wants you to send literature, get their email address and send a standard file with a standard cover note. Don’t put anything in the mail. Call back within 5 days and present a different prospecting offer for the same product or service.

Do not leave voice mails. You will sell less and add to your frustration if you do.

Be systematic. Keep good records.

Keep records of every offer that you make, including the specific number of the offer, the date, and the time. You need that information because you’ll call the same list at least every 4 weeks. If you don’t reach the prospect, no notes are necessary.

Make a different offer each time you contact a prospect. Your offer can be for the same product, but change it to include two different features. Or, your offer can be for another product. The important thing is “not to” present the same offer to the same people each time you call.

The average person using this method dials 67 calls an hour. Some dial as many as 100 per hour. Depending on your prospecting list and the time you’re calling, you can make offers to between 10 and 35 percent of the people you try to reach.

Over 2,000 people have learned this prospecting process and most of them are still using it. It’s easy, effective, efficient and enjoyable. And, it eliminates almost all of the rejection created by traditional prospecting methods.

©Jacques Werth, High Probability® Selling - All rights reserved.

Jacques Werth, author of “High Probability Selling,” is an internationally respected Sales Trainer and Sales Consultant. HPS graduates are excelling as Top Producers in over 70 industries. Visit http://www.highprobsell.com to read more articles, preview the book, and learn more about High Probability Selling.

Your mission as a business owner is to develop a marketing strategy which offers your potential clients/customers a way to improve their situation in a certain way, solve a problem, provide more value, or open new opportunities for them which will motivate them to pick up the phone and buy from you. This requires that the focus of your marketing plan be placed on your customer…NOT ON YOU! Taken from The 90 Day Marketing Marathon Blunders from A to Z these ten powerful tools will support you in creating meaningful connections with your clients/customers and providing real time solutions to their challenges of the today.

1. Custom Assessments.

By using a tool such as Assessment Generator you can build custom assessments which will allow the visitors to your website the opportunity to engage with you while providing value which is memorable. With Assessment Generator you as the business owner will receive the basic results of the survey to see if clients are where they want to be in their lives or their businesses. For an example of a custom built assessment enter here.

2. Online Survey Tools

A well designed online survey can greatly empower business, academic, and charitable organizations by finding out quickly what is on the minds of your current and prospective customers/clients. Creating an online survey can be extremely simple and convenient with a free survey tool such as Advanced Survey or Zoomerang. By designing a survey and sending this to your database, you can poll targeted groups quickly and in detail while obtaining real time results.

3. “Feedback” Hot Links.

As you update your website, author articles, or launch new products and services, add a “feedback hot link” to your site or to your e-mail signature. This link can state “Send me feeback” or “Send me your comments” and will automatically link to an e-mail which can be used for your website visitors to provide you with insight into what is working and what is not with your products and services.

4. Weblogs With Comments.

A weblog is a simple yet compelling online environment which will allow you to put your thoughts, ideas, and experiences on the web via a journal, photo album, or diary. With a tool such as Typepad, you can provide your clients and customers with access to your online journal AND allow them the ability to comment to your posts. If you are blogging around a topic which can engender discussion or a topic which can generate ideas for your new products and services, you will find that blogging with a tool which allows for comments can take your products and services to a more advanced and sophisticated level quickly and with support from your customers/clients.

5. Client Scenarios Which Create an Emotional Tug.

What are the typical challenges of your clients, what do they complain about to others, and what do they really want in life? Do they say things such as:

• I am a CEO, and I cannot seem to motivate my team

• I am a pet owner, and I am looking for a Veterinarian I can trust

• I am a Solo-preneur who is working for a lunatic

• I am a business owner who is looking to invest my money to double my financial wealth

• I am a new college graduate, and I am looking for the career of my dreams

By honing in on what is most important to the visitors to your website and actually posting these for the world to see, you will begin to connect with these folks in a way which calls the emotions to be tapped. List these client scenarios in bullet form on your website, and link each scenario to a very tangible benefit of what you can offer. Example: If you are marketing to pet owners who are looking for a Veterinarian he/she can trust, link this client scenario to a special report on “The Top Ten Questions to Ask When Hiring a Veterinarian for Your Pet.” For an example of client scenarios visit here.

6. Data Driven Landing Pages.

Landing pages, also known as “jump” pages in the world of marketing, are self-contained web pages that visitors are driven to for a specific purpose (usually for the purpose of collecting e-mail addresses.) Landing pages are very focused and usually contain a message, in most cases to allow you as the web host to determine what visitors click on as well as other statistics. A data driven landing page contains a form requesting the user to enter contact information, usually in order to get something, such as a free special report, newsletter, or to register for an upcoming event. By including a question on this page such as “What is the thing you most want in the area of _______________” (fill in your industry here,) you will be able to see trends of what it is that folks most want, which can be key to the growth of your business.

7. A Research and Development Team.

A Research and Development team is a group of folks who you invite to join you in developing your products, programs, and services. Your R & D Team may be as small as ten people or as large as 1,000 people. It is recommended that you call on your R & D team at least two times per month, as they will provide you with valuable information about what is working/not working in your business, and they will tell others about what you are up to. As your business grows, you will want to continue to add people to your list so that you have a cross section of people, ideas, and perspectives from people from all walks of life and all corners of the globe.

8. A Mastermind Group.

The purpose of a mastermind group is to share thoughts, ideas, opinions, and information. To be successful in business, it is important for this group to be supportive and to care enough about you and your business to provide you with honest feedback about what they see is possible for your business. Spend at least one hour per week with your mastermind group, and use the feedback gained to grow your life, both personally and professionally.

9. A Product/Service Development Team.

Are you ready to develop a new product or service, and you just don’t know where to begin or how to make it happen? If so, invite ten of the coolest people you know to support you in developing the new product or service in exchange for a slice of the pie once the product/service is launched. People love to share their wisdom, especially when they know that they are involved in development of something which will be financially rewarding in the end.

10. Risky Business.

One time per month, add one product or service which is out of the norm or a little bit risky for you and your business. Why? Because it will keep your mind moving and will allow your customers to sample something which is cutting edge and exciting! Example: You are a bookstore owner, and you host a “Mystery Night.” Invite the public to preview the 12 hottest mysteries by attending a masquerade party on the premises of your bookstore…loads of fun, intrigue, and excitement. A suggestion/comment box can be situated near the door, inviting guests to contribute feedback and ideas for the next big event for your biz.

About The Author

This piece was originally submitted by Bea Fields and Alicia Smith, who can be reached at bea@fivestarleader.com or alicia@aliciasmith.com, or visited on the web. Bea Fields and Alicia Smith wants you to know: We are the authors of the 90 Day Marketing Marathon, the Powerhouse Program for Coaches, and the Fusion Coaching Program.

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Gordon International
200 William Street
Port Chester, New York 10573
Phone: 800-352-6121

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Gordon International
200 William Street
Port Chester, New York 10573
Phone: 800-352-6121
Email: info@gordon-intl.com
Gordon International has been outfitting the world’s graduates since 1960. Customer Service, High Quality Products and Guaranteed Low Prices. Visit us on the web and see why we’re considered the #1 graduation company.

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