Business insurance is important to have to protect your business from damage, theft, fire and other disasters. Commercial renters insurance should be considered if you rent or lease a commercial property or office. This can be done as an add-on to your current policy or as a separate policy altogether.
Instructions
1. Gather your business, business insurance and commercial renters information. This should include the worth of your business, projected monthly profits, major business equipment that is kept on-site, the policy information for your business insurance, who you lease from, the size of the property you are leasing and the cost you are paying to lease the commercial property.
2. Contact the insurance agent for your current policy and inquire as to whether they offer a commercial renters plan. You can also often save money by keeping all of your business with one company. The insurance agent will be able to give you various rates for their company.
3. Diversify your options by visiting an insurance company that compares commercial insurance rates, like Insurance.com, who'll find multiple quotes and services from a variety of insurance companies. Keep in mind the lowest rate may not be the best deal as actual coverage may be cut to offer lower rates. Make sure you are getting the coverage you need before deciding on the best coverage for the money.
4. Consider sharing the cost of commercial renters insurance with other occupants of the building or property. Call a meeting and see if the other business owners are interested. If so, talk to an agent about a combined insurance policy and splitting the rate to get all of you the best deal.
For employees, the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) establishes certain parameters under which you can take up to 12 weeks of leave from work without losing your job. Employees who get sick, pregnant, or have to care for another family member might qualify. In order to qualify for FMLA, however, you must register. You must communicate with your physician and employer and ensure all the paperwork gets completed and turned in. Then you must stay in contact with the FMLA board until they approve your request. Registering for FMLA might seem like a daunting procedure, but if you follow a few guidelines, you can register for FMLA and take a temporary leave from your job without endangering your job security.
Instructions
Instructions
1. Review the FMLA poster at your job site. Government employment regulations require all employers to hang an FMLA informational poster in the workplace in a place of prominence. The poster contains all the rules of FMLA and the conditions of approval. Review all the requirements and determine if you qualify. For future reference, take notes of each step you have to complete. Copy all fax numbers and department phone numbers from the poster.
2. See your physician. Your physician must complete a health care provider form (HPF).
Start the process at least six weeks in advance. A sudden illness in the family might preclude your ability to start the filing process early. For other situations, however, such as pregnancies or upcoming surgery, begin as early as possible. The filing process can take up to four weeks to process.
3. Fax your physician's HPF to the fax number indicated on the FMLA poster at your job site. Every city or region has a different FMLA office, so contact the number on the poster at your job site, or get the number from your physician. Verify that your HPF was received by calling the appropriate department phone number. Do not assume they received your paperwork. Call back within 48 hours to confirm the FMLA office received your paperwork. When you call, you will receive a case number. Write down the case number for future reference.
4. Complete the FMLA paperwork that you receive in the mail. For instance, the FMLA board will send you an FMLA packet to complete. Complete the paperwork and return it by the deadline stated in the paperwork. No centralized FMLA website exists, so do not anticipate your city operating an online FMLA site. Usually, you have approximately 25 days to return the paperwork. The 25-day window begins the first day you miss work. If you work proactively, you can take your time. If you have already started missing work, you must file the paperwork quickly. Make sure you complete all the forms and sign all appropriate places. If you submit incomplete forms, you must still meet the 25-day deadline. If you submit incomplete forms and you miss the deadline, your local FMLA agency will deny your application. Following this denial, you have 14 days to resubmit complete paperwork.
5. Once you submit the paperwork, wait 48 hours to call your local agency to find out if your application was approved. If your FMLA request was denied, file an appeal.
6. Notify your human resources manager or scheduling manager of the FMLA board's decision. Although you do not need to contact your employer until the day you miss work, keeping your employer in the loop regarding the FMLA process helps ensure your employer processes your paychecks accurately. Once you miss work due to FMLA-approved reasons, you must have someone call your employer on a daily basis and report that you will miss work due to FMLA reasons. If for some reason you cannot make that phone call, have a family member call. Sometimes, employers can accept notices that cover five days at a time, but you still need to contact your employer at the beginning of each work week.
Corporations are business entities that limit the liability of their owners and stockholders, but their select status requires a much greater level of documentation both during start-up and administration. Follow these steps if you plan to incorporate in Ohio.
Instructions
1. Visit the Ohio Business Portal (see Resources, below), and download Form 532 for domestic profit corporations. You can also contact the Secretary of State's office by calling (614) 466-3910.
2. Find out whether the name you wish to use is available for your corporation. Use the online search system to look for the name that you are considering using. There is no cost to use this service.
3. Reserve your corporation's name before completing the Initial Articles of Incorporation. This can be done online or by using the Name Reservation form available for download. A fee is required to reserve your business name.
4. Complete and remit the Initial Articles of Incorporation. The Initial Articles of Incorporation require the name of the business and several other details about the business. There is a fee for processing the Initial Articles of Incorporation.
5. Expect to wait between 4 and 6 weeks for the paperwork to be processed with the Ohio State Department. Once it has been processed, you'll receive a copy of your Articles of Incorporation and your Employer Identification Number (EIN).
Turn Web visitors into clients through lead generation.
Companies providing products or services rely on Internet sites for advertising, but a Website can also collect contact information (or leads) from visitors who are interested what the business has to offer. Web lead generation is set up to provide email addresses, phone numbers and mailing addresses from potential clients. These sales or marketing leads are available to company representatives who contact the prospects to make them customers. A Website that can generate leads can also increase sales.
Instructions
1. Post practical information on a Website that will attract potential customers. A hypothetical target market informational piece would be an article on change window locks posted on a Website for a company that sells window hardware.
2. Post a contact form for lead generation prominently on the home page and on all other pages that may be viewed by shoppers. Ask for an email address, phone number, mailing address or any combination of the three. Place a check box on the form asking if it is okay to contact these prospects. All checked forms should be considered leads.
3. Place an email contact form with a message box on every Web page listing products. Simply ask viewers to give their email address along with a description of anything they're seeking that is not listed. This type of form will generate leads that are specific to the products a customer wants to order.
4. Offer Web visitors something of value for filling out a contact form. Create a monthly newsletter or informational compilation relating to the business services or products. Collect email addresses from visitors who wish to receive the monthly publication and use the addresses as sales leads or marketing leads.
5. Give something away from a Website that can be delivered to an email inbox. Offer a template for print or give a coupon to any visitors who leaves an email address. Turn those contacts into leads by delivering the coupon along with an offer for products or services at special rates.
Written communication helps document suggestions for patient care.
The nursing line of work relies strongly on verbal communication to transmit information from nurse to patient, from nurse to nurse, from nurse to friends or family members, and from nurse to other health care provider. Because changes sometimes take place rapidly in health care environments, including nursing, verbal communication becomes an efficient way to articulate crucial messages or transmit data.
Spoken
The nursing line of work can involve spoken communication. Conversations taking place between nurses and patients can address questions the patient might have, provide instructions about proper care or medication and include small talk to help out patients at ease. Nurses may use spoken verbal communication with each other to exchange information about patients during shift changes or transmit doctors' orders. Spoken communication is used between nurses and family members to provide patient updates, answer questions about home care and address concerns about patient status. Nurses rely on spoken communication to update other health care professionals, such as radiologists, physicians or pharmacists about patient needs.
Written
Written communication is a second crucial component of verbal communication. Although spoken conversations facilitate the rapid exchange of information, health care environments rely on written communication to provide documentation about processes completed, patient allergies, times for medication administration and other factors affecting patient care. Written communication about patient status also serves as protection should legal or ethical questions arise about lapses in patient care; nurses can document meals, bowel movements, medications and other data so that all details are appropriately accounted for.
Other Types
Nurses don't just rely on verbal communication in their line of work. Non-verbal communication is another key tool. This can include eye contact, tone of voice, posture and hand gestures including touching someone's shoulder or hand. These non-verbal tools can help establish authority, build rapport or authenticate verbal statements. Listening is another communication tool. Through active listening, nurses gather vital information about patient needs, address patient concerns and receive updates from other health professionals.
Advantages
In some respects, verbal communication has advantages over non-verbal communication and listening. Verbal communication is more precise; non-verbal communication relies on subtle cultural clues that could lose meaning when used with patients or families of different backgrounds. Not all patients or doctors may respond well to physical touch; some may find it uncomfortable, presumptuous or condescending. Although listening is an efficient way to learn new information, it's not an effective way to transmit information to others. For this task, verbal communication is the most efficient tool.
Challenges
There are challenges to using verbal communication in nursing, however. Not all patients or patient families may speak the same language. Nurses may misread unclear written directives, resulting in mistakes in patient care. Word choice may alienate or frighten patients; for example, a patient might interpret a nurse's statement that a test will be administered "to rule out cancer" as a cancer diagnosis. Nurses should choose words carefully, explaining unfamiliar terms to patients. When speaking with colleagues, nurses should refrain from coloring information with their personal bias or experiences.
Store backups of your movies in iTunes, just in case the discs get damaged.
ITunes is a popular Apple music and video software product that allows a user to play digital files from his computer's hard drive. Turning physical DVDs into a digital format that can be played by iTunes is known as "ripping a DVD." Through this process, users can enjoy the convenience of viewing their films nearly anywhere. After ripping a DVD to a hard drive, the files must first be imported to the iTunes library before they can be accessed by the iTunes player.
Instructions
1. Download DVD-ripping software that will allow you to save your movie files in MPEG-4 format (see Resources). This is the only movie file type that iTunes supports. Excellent programs include HandBrake or DVDFab Decrypter.
2. Insert your DVD into your computer's DVD drive. Open your ripping software.
3. Select "Import," and double-click the DVD. The program will perform an initial scan of the DVD. A ripping screen will then appear. Select "MPEG-4" as your desired file under "Format." Select "Universal" under the "Presets" menu on the ripping screen if using the HandBrake program. Write the folder name under "Destination" where you would like your new movie file to be saved. Use the "Browse" button to select a destination from the navigation window that appears.
4. Click "Start" or "Go" to begin ripping your DVD to your computer's hard drive. Your MPEG-4 file will automatically be saved to the destination you indicated in step 3. Close your DVD-ripping program.
5. Open iTunes, and select the "Movies" option from the left-hand side panel. Open the window on your hard drive that contains your movie file. Select your movie file, and move it with your mouse into iTunes. ITunes will automatically import the file and add it to your iTunes library. Play your movie by double-clicking the file icon in the iTunes movie list.
The TI-83 is a graphing calculator manufactured by Texas Instruments. The calculator is often used in classrooms and business offices to solve problems in algebra, geometry and calculus. The TI-83 is able to graph linear equations and functions using a built-in graphing tool. With just one additional step, users can also graph constraints for linear equations, making solving a linear equation with constraints a breeze.
Instructions
1. Rearrange the linear equations so that they are in slope-intercept form. Slope intercept form is y = ax + b, where "a" is the slope and "b" is the y-intercept. Your TI-83 will only graph an equation if it is entered in slope-intercept form.
2. Turn on your TI-83. Press the "Y=" key on the keyboard. Enter all of your equations.
3. Enter the constraints for the linear equations after you have entered the linear equation. A constraint for the y variable will have a slope; therefore, you can enter it just as you entered the linear equations. Make sure the constraint is entered in slope-intercept form. For instance, if you know that your y variable has to be lower than 5, simply enter Y = 5.
4. Use the directional arrows to navigate the cursor to the equal sign located right beside the y constraint. Press the "Enter" key to change the equal sign to the appropriate constraint sign. If the constraint demands the y variable be lower than 5, press the enter key until the sign changes to a square with the lower region shaded.
5. Enter the constraint for the x variable. Press the "ALPHA" key. Press "F5." Navigate the cursor to the "X" in the upper left corner of the screen. Press "Enter." Navigate the cursor to the equal sign located right beside the constraint X1. Press the "ALPHA" key. Press "F5." Confirm that the equal sign has been changed to a greater-than-or-equal-to sign. If the constraint demands the x variable be lower than or equal to, keep pressing the "Enter" key until the less-than-or-equal-to sign displays on your screen.
6. Press the "Graph" key on your keyboard. Wait for your TI-83 to graph the linear equations and the constraints. The linear equations should graph as lines or parabolas, depending on the equation. The constraints should graph as shaded areas. Depending on the nature of the problem, your solution will likely be found at one of the points where the equations and constraints intersect. You will have to test the intersection points by substituting the x and y coordinates into the equation given to you in the problem.
You may desire to file for divorce, but can't locate your spouse to serve him with the legal summons to complete the process. When this happens, you must file the notice of divorce in a publication. If your spouse doesn't respond to the notice in a specific amount of time, you will be granted a default judgment in your favor. You can't be awarded alimony, child custody and division of property with a published notice.
Instructions
1. Look for your spouse. You or your lawyer must make a true effort to first find your spouse. Send a notice to his last known address and search through the telephone directory. If you find a person who shares your spouse's name, you must find out if he is indeed your spouse. A lawyer will be able to search the election board records, the department of motor vehicles and the military. Keep all records related to the search such as a certified mail receipt.
2. Go to the court and file an "Order of Publication" with the county clerk. Pay any required fee. In this notice, you must describe the effort put forth to find your spouse and request that you file the notice of divorce in the newspaper. The county clerk will schedule a hearing date to make the request before a judge.
3. Show up for the scheduled hearing and ask the judge for permission to publish the divorce notice. The judge will want to see what effort was made to find your spouse. Describe and provide any proof of the search conducted. If the judge grants her permission, she will sign the order.
4. Contact the county clerk's office if the judge has granted permission to publish the notice. Ask the clerk which paper or publication you are required to publish your divorce notice in and how long the notice must be published (e.g., one week or three weeks). You must publish the notice in a publication that is allowed to publish legal notices and in the county in which your spouse was known to have lived last.
5. Go to the publication's office and present the signed order. Complete any form that the publication requires and pay the necessary fees. The notice of divorce will then be published in the newspaper. The paper will also send "Proof of Publication" to you by mail.
6. Copy the "Proof of Publication" and file the copy with the court clerk in the county in which you are filing for divorce.
7. Pay for the same publication to print a notice specifying that you are divorced from your spouse, if the divorce is granted. The publication may require that you provide proof of the divorce or the signed divorce order. Publishing that you're divorced is not required and is only useful as a means to communicate the legal separation with your ex-spouse. There will be a fee to publish this legal notice.
To help American clothes manufacturers stay in business, you can make a commitment to buy only clothing that is made in America. You may be surprised to learn that most of your favorite brands of clothing are manufactured in other countries. However, there are a few retail locations and Web sites where you can count on finding clothes that were made in this country. Be sure to double-check labels to ensure that the items were truly made in the U.S.A.
Online Sites
The best place to find a wide array of American-made clothing is online. There are several Web sites that post links to online stores that sell clothes labeled "Made in the USA." Go to MadeInUSA.org for a list of over 100 little-known online clothing stores that sell items for men, women and children. AllUSAclothing.com is an online store that sells more well-known brands like Carhartt, Jensen and Union Line. This store is very selective about selling only American-made clothing. AllAmericanClothing.com is another online store that has made a commitment to selling clothes that are made in the U.S.A.
Local Designers
There are plenty of local, struggling clothing designers in almost every major American city. They open small boutiques and sell their wares on consignment in local stores. Start by visiting art and design schools. These schools are usually full of up and coming local designers who design and manufacture American clothing by hand.
Take a day to browse your downtown shopping area for small boutiques. Talk to the owners about which clothes are made by local designers. Get the names, phone numbers, and Web sites of all of the designers you can. Buy pre-made clothes from these American artists or pay to have custom-made clothes manufactured to fit your needs.
CafePress.com
CafePress.com is an online custom T-shirt and clothing manufacturing company headquartered in California. It's an American company that manufactures items in Kentucky. You can design your own clothing pieces, including shirts, hats, and bags, and have them manufactured here in the U.S.A. While some raw materials may or may not have been made in-country, the finished item is American-made and designed (by you). Be sure to take a look at the made in America patriotic tees, which were created in honor of our U.S. troops and their families.
Smartphones offer the convenience of banking, emailing, texting and social networking all from your handheld device. These ever-evolving phones keep the world in the loop on breaking news, sports scores and weather alerts. Weather alerts can be one of the most time-sensitive updates a person can receive. Adding this option to your phone will keep you up to speed on any hazardous conditions coming your way.
Instructions
1. Log on the The Weather Channel's website. Locate and highlight "Severe Weather" at the top of the page. Click on the "Alerts" option. You will be prompted by an image of a cell phone and a list of available alert options. Click "Sign Up."
2. Highlight the boxes containing the alerts you wish to receive. Options include: Severe weather, pollen counts, current conditions, daily forecasts and rain alerts. Click "Severe Weather" and enter the ZIP code for which you wish to receive notifications.
3. Enter your email address and a password that will be used only for the Weather Channel's site. You can opt out of receiving emails on the following page, but the information is required initially. Enter your cellphone number where indicated and click "Continue."
4. Check for a text message asking you to confirm your enrollment in the weather alert program. Respond per the instructions provided. You will receive a final text stating that you are enrolled in the weather alert program.
Dreaming or meditating are two ways to communicate with your subconscious.
There are some therapists and counselors who believe that people can communicate with their subconscious. Sigmund Freud, the father of modern day psychology, believed that the subconscious mind is independent of the conscious mind. Freud believed that individuals are unable to control the subconscious thought. However scholars since Freud's time, including Carl Jung, recognized that there may be ways to communicate with the subconscious mind. There are different schools of thought and ideas on communicate with your subconscious.
Instructions
1. Use free association writing to communicate with your subconscious mind. Writing without thinking can tap into the subconscious mind and leave the conscious mind out altogether. Find a quiet room and start to write. At first, you may feel self conscious but that will fade away. Once you start writing, you will find the words usually flow. You may be surprised when you are finished, because your conscious mind did not recognize the thoughts.
2. Create an image for your subconscious. It helps to picture an image, in order to facilitate communication. Some people view their subconscious as their inner child. Others picture a wise older person to help guide them. Whatever works for you will be fine.
3. Begin a conversation with your subconscious by writing. Write down a thought or question. Respond quickly. This will take some practice but the quicker you respond, the more likely the answer is your subconscious.
4. Meditate. Develop a meditation that you do daily. Try to concentrate on your breathing and turn off any thoughts. Once you have been able to still your mind successfully, you may notice random thought coming in. This is likely your subconscious talking. Keep in mind that this will take a lot of practice.
5. Communicate with your subconscious through your dreams. Concentrate before you go to sleep on a particular question. Keep a dream notebook close to your bedside. When you wake up, write down any dreams you had. Even if you can't remember many details, write whatever you can. Dreams are often believed to be our subconscious communicating with us.
Oil futures contracts are contracts to purchase or sell a certain amount of oil at a future date. The price of futures contracts are determined by supply and demand in the market, which is influenced heavily by investor expectations as to the future value of oil. Making money by investing in oil is normally done by buying futures contracts and selling them at a later date after the value of oil has increased.
Instructions
1. Look for an investment broker that deals with commodities like oil futures. Most big brokerage houses will have brokers that can purchase or sell oil futures on the New York Mercantile Exchange on behalf of their clients. Similar to trading stocks, buying oil futures requires a broker that has access to the exchange to place an order on your behalf.
2. Consider using a discount online broker. Brick and mortar brokerage institutions are used by high level investors that want expert advice and human to human contact when making trades, but all of these amenities cost money, which amounts to higher brokerage fees when making trades. More recently, many convenient discount brokers are accessible online, which allow normal people to purchase and sell stocks and often commodities like oil futures in smaller increments with lower fees. Some popular trading sites, such as Scottrade and Hedgestreet, allow users to trade oil futures, while others may not.
3. Place an order to purchase oil futures through your broker. You will have to provide the necessary funds for purchasing the oil futures in order to make the trade. After the futures contracts are purchased, you must place another order through the broker to sell them in order to cash out of the investment.
Keep training sessions short to hold your audience's attention.
Confidentiality training is necessary for any staff handling confidential information. Whether the information is about a patient, student, family or internal business or financial data, staff must understand how confidentiality is applied. Many organizations require mandatory confidentiality training at least annually or more frequent for positions that deal with sensitive data on a daily basis. Management must understand confidentiality policies and procedures and enforce them with random audits, in addition to staff training.
Instructions
1. Develop privacy policies and workflows regarding confidentiality, privacy and security. Include definitions of confidential data and records, when situations require confidentiality, consent and authorization to release confidential information, HIPAA, FERPA and usage of confidential data.
2. Create PowerPoint presentations based on your company's confidentiality policies and procedures as well as state and federal regulations. Create cheat sheets and quick reference guides for staff to use.
3. Train all new hires on your company's confidentiality policies and procedures during orientation. Offer refresher training on an annual basis to all staff. Deliver training in a classroom setting, via conference calls and through web-based videos. Distribute the cheat sheets and guides for staff to study on their own time.
4. Provide examples of how confidentiality relates to your workplace and specific roles during training. Staff may better understand confidentiality concepts if you give case scenarios showing real-life situations that may occur.
5. Train on handle a confidentiality breach. Show recognize a breach and explain your company's internal process for reporting the breach. Train staff on action plans used to avoid a breach and requirements for formally reporting a violation of HIPAA or other applicable laws. Inform staff of consequences and legal action resulting from a confidentiality violation.
6. Post training materials on a shared site such as your company's intranet site or a shared network drive. Provide your contact information along with any privacy and compliance officers' contact information. Make yourself available for questions during and after training.
Ever since people have driven on roads, billboards have been used for advertising. With so many ads littering the highways today, one must now be extra creative to design an ad that will draw someone's attention for those few seconds they pass by.
Instructions
1. Know your product and its target audience. You can design a beautiful billboard, but if it's not attracting the people who will buy your product, it's absolutely useless. Knowing your audience is important in deciding the ad design and picking a location for the billboard.
2. Showcase the product up front. You can't tease your viewers like radio and tv ads do, because they'll only see the ad for a few seconds. They need to know immediately what you're selling. Your product or service should be the largest image in the ad.
3. Keep the layout simple. Again, the viewers won't have a lot of time to read a complicated message. It must be short and focus solely on the product.
4. Make the ad stand out. If you want your ad to be noticed, the billboard can't blend in with its surroundings. Use bright vibrant colors with a high contrast so it will be highly visible.
5. Send a message that will get people's attention. Design a short message (eight words or less is good) that will stick in their heads. Using humor and intrigue always works, but remember that it must still associate with the product.
Good Neighbor Next Door HUD homes are located in every state.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Good Neighbor Next Door program allows firefighters, law enforcement officers, teachers and emergency medical technicians to purchase HUD-owned homes at a 50 percent discount off the list price. Qualified purchasers are required to live in the home as their sole residence for 36 months after the date of purchase. Homes eligible for this program are located in communities targeted by HUD officials for revitalization.
Instructions
1. Visit a bank or mortgage company to apply for a Veteran's Administration, Federal Housing Administration or conventional mortgage loan. Bring your driver's license, Social Security card and pay stubs that reflect at least one month of earnings. This information is used during the mortgage loan application process to determine your eligibility for a mortgage loan.
2. Complete the loan application and any additional forms required by the bank or mortgage company. The completed forms and copies of your personal documents will be forwarded to a loan underwriter for approval. The underwriter will determine the maximum loan amount for which you qualify. It is not necessary to mention the Good Neighbor Next Door Program to the bank or mortgage company.
3. Visit HUD's "Neighbor Next Door" property search page and search for listings in your area. Each listing has an "Agent Info" tab that lists the name and contact information for the listing agent. Contact the listing agent to arrange a showing of the home. Advise the agent that you meet the criteria for the Good Neighbor Next Door program.
4. Select a home to purchase and advise the real estate agent that you would like to submit an offer. The agent will prepare an offer document to submit to HUD for a Good Neighbor Next Door purchase. This document includes the offer amount and declares your intention to purchase the home. You are required to sign this document.
5. Follow up with the real estate agent regarding the status of your offer. Once your offer is accepted, a date is scheduled for a meeting known as a closing to complete the paperwork. Closings are usually held at the office of the attorney who prepared the paperwork before the meeting.
6. Attend the closing and review the closing documents, which include the amount of your mortgage payments, your interest rate, your closing costs and other details regarding the home and the HUD loan. Ask questions about any information that is not clear. Sign and initial the documents in the designated areas.
7. Complete the paperwork for a second mortgage known as a silent second mortgage. This mortgage covers the discounted amount of 50 percent of the purchase price. After meeting all occupancy guidelines for 36 months, the silent second mortgage is forgiven by HUD.
Mud is a difficult substance to remove or relocate.
Mud is a tricky substance to remove or transplant. Oftentimes the only way to pump mud out of a source or from one source to another is to use a reciprocating, piston-driven or plunger-driven specialty mud pump. Such devices are costly and bulky, essentially making them unusable by anyone other than wealthy corporations or individuals. Fortunately, there are several alternatives for pumping mud which may seem counter-intuitive at first, but which are cost-effective for the average person.
Instructions
With a Mud Pump
1. Position the hose of your diaphragm mud pump in the mud source you wish to pump.
2. Activate the mud pump.
3. Reposition the hose end of your mud pump in the mud source so that it continues to effectively remove the mud.
With a Siphoning System
4. Run a standard garden hose into the mud source, filling it up with more water, thereby making the mud in the source thinner.
5. Set up a water siphon with a second garden house running from the mud source to either a second source or whatever container you wish to fill with the watered-down mud. Fill the siphoning hose with water, then place the end of the hose into the watered-down mud. As the water filling the hose drains out of the end of the hose, it will create a suction, which will, in turn, act on the watered-down mud in the mud source, thereby draining it through the siphon hose.
6. Turn off the fill hose so the siphoning house can slowly gain a drainage lead compared to the filling speed.
7. Remove residual debris and mud with a shovel when the filling/siphoning cycle is complete.
With a Shop Vac
8. Fill the mud source with additional water, watering down the mud.
9. Place the end of the suction hose of your shop vac into the mud source and activate the shop vac.
10. Suck out as much liquid mud as will fill the shop vac's receptacle or position the engine and drainage hole over a larger receptacle.
Publishing your first book doesn't have to be difficult.
More than one method will help you get your first book published. The process depends on whether you want to see your name on hardback copies lining the walls of a bookstore or simply hope to get the book in the hands of readers as soon as possible. The tools to accomplish the task are probably right at your fingertips. Follow basic steps to take whichever path you want to publication.
Instructions
1. Peruse the Writer's Market via its annual bound guide or on the Web at WritersMarket.com. Full use of the site requires paying a membership fee. This publishing guide is divided into nonfiction and fiction subjects. Publishers are listed for each genre and type of writing. The website is especially useful, because it is equipped with a search tool that allows you to filter the list of possible publishers. For example, you may want to view only those publishers that have websites or only those that pay in advance.
2. Choose a publisher. You should make this choice based on more than just your book's topic and the convenience of the publisher's requirements. Again, Writer's Market is helpful here, because it provides up-to-date information on the writing market and also offers an FAQ page regarding publishers and a place to ask for expert advice. Writer's Market provides the specifics regarding contact each publisher and submit your manuscript. The website does not offer an upload option -- you must contact each publisher directly.
3. Print your book yourself if you can't find the right publisher or are in a hurry to make your book available for purchase. Print-on-demand companies will publish your book for a fee in exchange for formatting services and art work. They sell the book on their own websites as well as on linked affiliate Web pages and in bookstores.
4. Publish your book as an e-book rather than the traditional print book. A number of formats are available, and e-book readers have made it possible to format your book, upload it to a website and sell it directly to readers. You may even be able to set the price of the book and how much you will receive in royalties.
Publishing gospel music lyrics is a unique industry. Even though gospel music has come a long way since the 60's and 70's, don't try to publish gospel lyrics with a publisher who specializes in rock-n-roll and rap music. Most publishers are specialized and so are their connections. Having a specialized publisher will open more doors for you, because they have done all the legwork for you.
Instructions
1. Self-publishing your song lyrics will give you more license for input. You have more control over what happens with your songs and how they are published. The drawback is that you have to self-promote your work. Another form of self-publishing would be to post your songs and/or lyrics on a website. Potential buyers can download your material for a set fee (see Resources below).
2. Create a demo. A demo can mean anything from a micro-cassette type recording of someone singing a melody to a fully produced master, complete with strings, brass, background vocals, etc. Should you make a recording of your song? Absolutely! Does it need to be an expensive recording? Absolutely not! Song demos (as opposed to artist demos) should be simple, inexpensive recordings. They are intended to showcase the song, not a producer or a percussionist or a vocalist. If you need to just archive your songs, a cassette work tape is sufficient. If you’re planning to pitch your songs, a clean, professional-sounding guitar vocal recording or a piano-vocal recording is very effective. Allowing them to hear what your music sounds like, will give your lyrics more credibility and opportunity to get your work published.
3. Find an established publisher who is interested in publishing your work in print. You may find many of these resources on the Internet (see Resources below). Contact other published gospel songwriters and gets tips from them on what publishing companies are open to new songwriters. They may be able to help you get in contact with established published writers and give you tips to getting your lyrics in front of the right people. Ask your local church music department about leads. Surprisingly, many of the singers leading worship in churches are aspiring gospel songwriters and some have made connections. They can lead you in the right direction.
4. Though long term, a more proven method is to build a network. Begin right in the area where you live. Start by networking with all of the people in your vicinity, who are in some way involved in gospel music. Perhaps you can get to know music buyers at various Christian bookstores where you buy music CD’s. Speak with local programmers at your favorite gospel and/or Christian radio station to which you listen. Many times they can help you get in contact with gospel music publishers. Consider all of the people these individuals know and who they know. In time, you can create quite a network. In the interim, keep perfecting your craft. Find every opportunity you can to write gospel songs and to share the good ones with your network. Experience says that the good songs and songwriters find their way through that kind of network and eventually will get the attention of the right publisher. When you think about it, what gospel radio station personnel wouldn’t want to boast of having been the guy or gal, who passed along a tape of a writer whose song is currently in the top ten? Consider how much more effective your query letter to publishers will be if it includes or comes upon the recommendation of “so and so” from the sales and distribution side of the company who knows the music buyer at the store where you shop. Networking is very most important!
5. Attending gospel songwriting workshops and music conferences is another way to build your network. Not only do you learn more about the craft of songwriting and performing, but most likely you will meet others who are networking as well. Who knows what new contact might open that last door you’re looking to enter. (See resource below)
6. Obtain strong financial backing in order to have a successful record. At first you may need to fork over your own money to get your songs into print. If you don't have a savings, seek out investors like family members or trusted friends. It may be necessary to take out a loan from a bank. You may be fortunate to find a publishing company that will let you pay in installments. So do not lose heart. As the quality of your work increases over time, you eventually won't have any trouble finding financial backers.
7. The best resource for finding print publishers is through the Writer's Market. It's also a great source to find a publishing printing agent or manager to promote your work. There are hard copies available in most bookstores, and they have a website available online for a small fee (see Resources below). Don't be discouraged by rejection. Some major publishing companies rejected the greatest songwriters of our day before their work becomes popular. One opportunity is all it takes for you to see your dreams come to pass.
8. Get your gospel song lyrics copyrighted. Today, music publishers are concerned with administering copyrights, licensing songs to record companies and others and collecting royalties on behalf of the songwriter. Publishers may also authorize translations in order to generate income from cover versions of a particular song in foreign countries.
PayLoadz is an Internet publishing service. This site allows you to upload digital products and sell them through your own website or at online auctions. Your payments for sales are processed by PayPal. Photos, music, e-books and more can be published using the PayLoadz web site. Get a free account and start uploading and selling your digital content today.
Instructions
1. Familiarize yourself with the pros and cons of making your content public. Read reviews of this site at Life Hacker.
2. Get a free PayPal account, if you don't already have one. Your payments from PayLoadz will be posted electronically into the PayPal account that you specify.
3. Register for your free PayLoadz account. Review the terms of service to be sure that the service fits the digital products you plan to sell. Set preferences for your PayLoadz account and provide PayPal email address that you intend to use for payments.
4. Sell downloads with Google Checkout and get bonus storage space.
5. Create a new product. Download the PayLoadz user's guide, which has instructions. PayLoadz generates HTML code that you copy and paste into your website or auction template. PDF files make content more accessible than word processor files. Select content from your existing digital content collection. Be sure that your content matches the site's accepted file formats. If you need a different format, try using the Zamzar online file converter.
6. Promote your uploaded content without resorting to spam.
7. Get paid. PayLoadz sends a confirmation and download link to customer. You get a duplicate of the email to your customer and confirmation of funds transmitted to PayPal.
If your ISP does not support Microsoft FrontPage extensions (ask your ISP), you can use the Web Publishing wizard to upload (publish) your pages to the Internet. The Web Publishing wizard is available on the FrontPage installation CD. These instructions use FrontPage 97.
Instructions
1. Start the Web Publishing wizard and click on the Next button at the first screen.
2. Click on the Browse Folders button to locate the files to be uploaded. Make sure the Include Subfolders box is checked if you want to include all the folders in the Web page directory. Click Next.
3. Select a Web server to publish to from the list; click on the New button to add your own ISP to the list.
4. Type a name for your server, such as Smith Personal Web Site, in the first box.
5. Select Other Internet Provider from the second box if your ISP is not listed. Click Next.
6. Enter the Web site address, such as http://www.isp.com/~smith, in the box on the next page. Click Next.
7. Connect to the Internet using the Dial-Up Networking option. Click Next.
8. Click on the Finish button after the computer verifies your connection. When completed, the wizard will notify you that your Web site has been transferred.
9. After the page has been uploaded, visit the site using your regular Web browser and an alternate Web browser (for example, view the site in both Netscape and Internet Explorer). Double-check links, colors and images.
In the business world today, consumers and businesses do not trust institutions and organizations as much as they did in the past. One reason for this is that unscrupulous businessmen have taken unfair advantage of others and, in some cases, broken the law. Arrests and penalties within the financial services industries is one example. Understand why extending trust is more important than ever before and you will take proactive actions to increase customer trust in your business and the keep the trust of your employees.
Customer Retention
Customers who have a reason to distrust a company are less likely to do business with that company for an extended period of time. Excessive customer attrition is more costly than most businesses think. Consider the lifetime value of a customer. Lifetime value is calculated by multiplying the annual sales of the average customer by the number of months a customer remains with a company. For example, if a customer spends $2,000 a year with a company and is with that company for an average five years, the lifetime value of that customer is ten thousand dollars. If a company has one hundred customers, the value of those customers is $1 million. A simple 10 percent increase in customer retention would deliver an added $100,000 to the bottom line. Reducing attrition also reduces new customer acquisition cost, since fewer new customers are needed to replace customers that leave the company. Acquiring a new customer is much more expansive than keeping an existing one. Another hidden cost of customer attrition resulting from a lack of trust is negative image. A consumer who leaves a business for bad service may tell others about his experience, thus damaging the company's reputation. A bad reputation not only makes it harder to acquire new customers but also to keep existing ones.
Sales
Extending trust has a direct impact on customer acquisition. If prospects trust a potential supplier, they are more likely to do business with it, thereby increasing the conversion rate of prospects into customers. A higher sales rate translates into a lower customer acquisition cost.
Employee Trust
Internal employee trust is equally important. A trusted company has an easier time getting employees to support company initiatives. In addition, employee retention rates can be improved. Employees are more likely to remain with employers they believe in and who have not taken advantage of them.
Gaining Trust
To engender trust, do what you say you are going to do. Be reliable. Be ethical and have high standards. Demonstrate to others that you can be trusted. For example, when someone tells you something in confidence, keep that confidence. When you make a commitment to someone to do something, do it -- and let the person you know that you've done it.
You might have the best candy in the world, but if the store you sell it in is not pleasant and inviting, customers will not come to buy your delicious treats. The ambiance of a retail establishment is nearly as important as the products sold. The way you choose to decorate your candy store will determine the level of your success. Try these ideas when decorating your candy store.
Instructions
1. Hire consultants with retail experience to design and help you implement your overall design. They can do the market research and find the decor that will give your candy store the personality you mean it to have.
2. Use your own creative personality to decorate. If you are a single small business owner, let people know that by creating a place that is unique and inviting. Use the things that make you smile to pass that same feeling on to your customers.
3. Stick to a theme throughout the store. For example, if you love sailing, give your place a nautical theme and decorate with boating items such as sails, fishing nets, lifesavers, and so on. If your chocolate comes from Europe, decorate in a Parisian or Italian decor.
4. Consider your market. If you want to attract families with children, give the kids a reason to want to come to your place instead of getting their candy at the grocery store. Children will push their parents to go where they want to go. Install interactive rides or games in the store. Decorate with animals or popular cartoon figures.
5. Keep your store clean. Dust and deep clean all your decorations regularly. Old, worn-out or dusty decorations give a store a dumpy, unappealing look. Change the decor every few years to keep it fresh and give your customers new things to look at as they shop.
Sounding different over the phone can be a good way to get rid of unwanted callers, a fun way to play tricks on friends, or even a way for women living alone to feel safer. Changing your voice over the phone can be done with a simple toy voice distorter, or with a more advanced digital voice changer. There are also ways you can change your voice yourself without buying anything.
Instructions
1. Change your voice with a toy voice distorter. These usually make your voice sound unnatural, like a robot voice or a high-pitched "chipmunk" voice, but the person on the other end will probably not know it's you, and it will be hard to identify your age or gender.
2. Try a more expensive digital voice changer to create a range of different voices. These kinds of voice changers allow you to modulate the pitch of your voice, making you sound more male, female, or childlike. If you want your voice to sound natural and not electronic, don't try to alter it too dramatically.
3. Inhale some helium before speaking on the phone. It will make your voice very high-pitched. It sounds funny to most people, but you won't sound like yourself. Keep the call short or have a supply of helium nearby because the effect lasts less than a minute.
4. Cover the receiver with a towel. Over the phone, the muffled sound of your voice might make it unrecognizable to someone who doesn't know you very well.
5. Hold your nose while you speak. This gives your voice a very nasal quality, and it changes consonant sounds like "m" and "n," which can disguise your speaking enough to fool someone.
6. Change the pitch of your voice to speak higher or lower than you usually do. A high-pitched voice is easier to make by holding your head up and speaking with the upper part of your throat. You can make a low-pitched voice by lowering your chin to your chest and speaking with the lower part of your throat.
7. Learn to speak with a foreign accent. Pretending you don't speak English well is a good way to get rid of all but the most persistent telemarketers. If you're trying to fool someone who knows you, you will have to raise or lower the pitch of your voice as well. Practice this technique ahead of time to make sure you can keep up the disguised voice and accent without getting tired and switching back to your normal voice.
8. Hold your mouth in a different position than you normally do when you speak. This can help to change a regional accent. Speaking with your teeth clenched or with your mouth open more widely than usual while significantly raising or lowering the pitch of your voice can make you sound like a different person.
The stock exchange and capital markets play a major role in a country's development. They allow household funds to be utilized in the development of new businesses, which creates jobs and furthers development.
Features
Capital markets and stock markets provide an efficient means for individuals to invest in a country's businesses.
Significance
Recent observations show a significant link between a country's level of growth and the level of financial development in a country.
Considerations
A stock exchange and capital markets can also provide incentive for foreign direct investment, which can also help a country's economy develop.
Market Benefits
Because of the invisible hand and the interaction of self-interested buyers and sellers, markets can ensure that prices are set at a "fair" market value.
Efficient Capital Allocation
Another benefit is the fact that when a capital market is established, money will be invested in the areas which are most profitable---theoretically providing the most value to a country's citizens.
Do the pages of "Vogue" paste a smile on your face? Does "Project Runway" dominate your TV screen? Do you have eye strain from hours of watching runway shows and looking at pictures online? If so, you are a label-lover. The only problem? If you're starting out in New York City, chances are you don't have a supersize salary to go with the high-profile apparel. Not to worry. There are plenty of outlets that sell overstock of those coveted pieces at drastically reduced prices.
Instructions
1. Try a discount department store.Start out at Century 21, a popular outlet for discount designer items. Century 21 features big names and even European designers at significantly discounted prices.Filene's Basement may not have the best presentation, but it has even lower prices than Century 21.Loehmann's has the look of a very upscale department store, but it also specializes in the sale of super high-end items at huge discounts.At TJ Maxx and Daffy's, you can definitely come up with a gem if you don't mind doing a little digging. These stores tend to be a little less organized and carry a broader array of products, so you'll have to search a bit for the big designer names.
2. Check out vintage and consignment stores. A quick Google search of "designer consignment" or "designer vintage" along with the name "New York City" brings up a list of fantastic options, complete with reviews, in seconds.Sample sales are another way to cut costs without sacrificing great fashion. Visit samplesale.com and clothingline.com. You can also find listings in "Time Out New York" and in free newspapers "NY AM" and "Metro."
3. Sign up for a free membership at HauteLook.com, a website that sells direct-from-manufacturer designer products at up to 75 percent off.Check out Overstock.com for a straightforward selection of designer basics, and all kinds of other products from famous brands, all at a huge discount. Bonus: super-low shipping costs.You can also visit luxury websites that aren't necessarily discount and browse the clearance sections. Try eluxury.com and bluefly.com.
4. Avoid buying a fake on eBay by following these guidelines: Keep a realistic eye on the price. If a Dior bag worth $2,100 is in its final day and is going for $100, there's a reason. Make sure the listing includes a picture. Also, check the picture and make sure that it's not a stock photo. If the seller won't post a real picture of the product, it could be because it looks fake. Try to only bid on products that have tags attached or come with a serial number or card of authenticity. Check the seller's feedback. There may be negative comments claiming fraud, but if there are a lot of them, it's a red flag.
5. Enjoy your new clothes. You still have enough money left over for dinner and drinks at your favorite downtown spot.
Raspberry plants fruit on new cane growth, so pruning for the winter will involve removing the old fruiting canes. Gardeners must also control late crops or foliage blooms and control the size of the new canes so they do not become damaged during the winter months. During the later winter months, gardeners can prune the canes back to control height and make for easy fruit picking in the summer.
Instructions
1. Wait for the raspberry plant to finish producing its summer crop. Note which canes produced fruit this summer and which did not. Use garden shears to cut the canes that fruited down to the ground level. This encourages the plant to focus on growing fruit on the new canes.
2. Monitor the plant for any late fall fruiting. Remove the fruit as it comes in. It is susceptible to mold damage and may harm the plant over the winter.
3. Remove any foliage from the tips of the canes that does not fall on its own in the late fall.
4. Monitor the canes that did not fruit for any bending or signs that they are top-heavy. Use garden shears to cut these canes back so they do not bend. High winter winds can cause bending canes to snap, preventing fruit production.
5. Cut all the canes back to 5 feet or under in the late winter. Remove any damaged or thin canes.
Like any purchase, buying the perfect and most effective hair straightener (also known as a flat iron or straightening iron) is the product of time and research. It may not take weeks and elaborate comparison techniques to identify a good hair straightener, since there are many varieties of straightening irons as well as many prices. Putting in small amount of pre-purchase research will definitely increase the chances that you will be happy with your purchase. Learn find out what hair straightener is your perfect match, and how much you can expect to spend to get the features you want within your price range.
Instructions
1. Look for information (websites, ads, etc.) about straightening irons that offers images and run-downs on their products features such as heat levels, materials of construction, and the time it takes for your hair straightener to heat up for use. With such a large variety of flat irons on the market, an overview of brands and features is an essential start to your pre-purchase research.
2. Ask your hairdresser for advice. Inquire as to what brands they use, and what they recommend for your level of use and budget. If your salon has a store, they may sell straighteners. Visit in person to have a look at their stock and ask questions of your hair care professional. Most salon quality hair straighteners are made of ceramic materials, which can be quite pricey. If your hairdresser's recommendation is out of your budget, ask them to refer you to a different material or brand that is effective but less pricey.
3. Visit a beauty supply store and ask an employee to walk you through their choices of flat irons and explain the differences. If you noted any particular brands of interest during your research, have a look at them while you are in the store. Compare prices and brands to other name department stores in your area. Consider sacrificing one feature, like a quick warm-up time, for a better construction material or vice versa depending on your priorities. This can help to cut the price for those on a budget.
4. Review your options for hair straighteners and compare their prices and features. When you make a decision and purchase your hair straightener, register for any warranty that may be included with the product. For any inquiries about its use or use it for your hair type, take it with you to your next hair appointment and ask for tips.
Due to the risks of the stock market, misleading marketing tactics and complicated financial lingo, investing can be a little intimidating for beginners. However, setting up an investment account is no more difficult than opening a checking account. Here's how:
Instructions
Setting up an Investment Account
1. Decide what investments you want to buy. There are thousands of different stocks, bonds and mutual funds, and you want to open your account at an institution that offers the investments you want, with the lowest fees and expenses. If you know you want to invest in Fidelity mutual funds, buying directly from Fidelity will save you money on fees. If you want to invest in individual stocks, look for a brokerage house or online broker that offers low-cost or free trades and low or no fees.
2. A regular investment account has few restrictions, but there are no tax breaks or special tax treatments available. If you are interested in investing for retirement, consider opening a traditional or Roth Individual Retirement Account. These accounts have income and contribution limits and strict rules governing withdrawals. However, they receive special tax treatments that can benefit you in the long run.
3. Once you have chosen an institution, go to its website and and open an online investment account. Some institutions will ask you to choose which investments you'll be buying right away. For instance, at Vanguard, each individual mutual fund you wish to buy has a separate account number.
4. During the application process, most institutions will ask that you link an existing checking account to your investment account. Considering the lag time in transferring money, though, consider opening a money market account at the same institution as your investment account so that you can purchase stocks at a moment's notice.
5. If you prefer not to open the account online, most institutions will allow you to print an application and mail it to them.
To some people, a weekly sales meeting is pure drudgery, while to others, it's a welcome opportunity to either share success with others or find ways to improve personal performance. The difference is a function of how well the meeting is planned.A good sales meeting can be a powerful sales tool and can provide valuable training and information that help everyone perform better. Here are ways to structure sales meetings so that they are valuable adjuncts to your staff's sales routine.
Instructions
1. Start and end your sales meeting at the same time and day every week. Do so and it will soon become part of your staff's routine; if each meeting is planned properly, every attendee will look forward to it each week. (By the way, it is best to plan your sales meetings early in the week.)
2. Don't make individual failures public. Too often, sales people are compared to each other, while others in the company avoid such scrutiny.If a person is underperforming, tell him so in private, not in front of the entire group.
3. Review the latest decisions your advertising department has made, to demonstrate to your salespeople that the company is doing its part to help them. If this is done properly, it will help make each salesperson more enthusiastic about working for the company.
4. Make part of each meeting a tutorial. Pick a product and enumerate those benefits that your sales staff should be highlighting each time the product is presented. This would also be the appropriate time to mention new features and benefits if the product has been improved. Consider role-playing as a part of this portion of the meeting.
5. Enlist the help of your sales force to design sales contests. There is no better way to encourage enthusiasm than to have them take part in development of the program.
6. Customer feedback should definitely become a part of every sales meeting. This will provide “on the ground” reaction to the way your people are presenting your product or service; from it, appropriate changes should be made.
7. At the end of each meeting, ask people at random what they got out of today's session. It will be obvious from the answers you receive that some people paid attention, while others did not.
Due to the many cases of young and unknown inventors and artists who have allegedly had their ideas stolen by big businesses, it's worthwhile to discuss protect your idea when sharing it with a corporation. Getting a patent is a long process (think of all the companies that have patents pending), and they sometimes aren't approved because the idea is too similar to another already on file. Presenting your idea to a big business is a high-risk situation, but there are a few precautions that you can take to reduce that risk.
Instructions
Get a Patent for Your Idea
1. Go to the United States Patent and Trademark Office's website (see Resources for a link to the site). Do a patent search to make sure that your idea isn't already on file with the patent office.
2. Click the link for unregistered e-filers to sign on. Fill out the patent forms with all of the required information, including a clear description of your idea and diagrams or drawings that represent your idea. (You can also file this application through the mail by downloading the appropriate forms.)
3. Pay the appropriate fees to go with your patent application and wait for a decision regarding the filing of your patent. If approved, you now have the highest form of protection for your idea when and if you do decide to share it with a big business. If the business were to steal your idea, you have legal recourse. You can also present your idea while the application is in process by advertising it as "patent pending."
A Few Other Methods of Protecting Your Idea
4. Draw up a business proposal detailing your idea. Send the proposal to yourself via registered U.S. mail and leave it unopened. While this is not as strong a protection as having an actual patent (and may not hold up in court), it's at least a way of proving that you conceived of the idea first based on the date of the mail piece.
5. Have another party with you when you present your idea to a big business, to act as a witness to the fact that you came to the company with that idea.
6. Be vague when sending out inquiries to big businesses about your idea. Only go into more of a detailed explanation when the company shows a solid interest and agrees to a meeting with you.
7. Have companies sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), which basically says that they cannot share your idea with anyone else. (See links below for a sample NDA that you can use.)
Meat is a staple food in many cultures. From burgers in America to steaks in Brazil, there's a huge global demand for meat and a lot of money involved at all levels of the meat industry. Across the United States, there are numerous farms where farmers raise cattle specifically to export the meat abroad. When ranchers want to export meat, there are export guidelines established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to ensure that the meat is safe for human consumption. This protects everyone: the U.S. government, the American-based ranchers and the eventual consumers.
Instructions
1. Double-check all of the lists with the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) that your product, in this form, is allowed to leave the U.S., and to enter the target country.
2. Study the export requirements of the country to which you want to ship. If the country isn't listed with the FSIS, the exporter will receive FSIS Form 9060-5 (Meat and Poultry Export Certificate of Wholesomeness) without any additional commentary in the "Remarks" section. Further, the exporter is responsible for working with the importer to obtain and file any necessary documents with the FSIS and the importer's government.
3. Obtain a copy of Form 9060-6 (Application for Export Certificate) from the FSIS Inspector responsible for the exporting plant.
4. Complete the form and return it to the FSIS inspector performing export re-inspection, who will sign it and assign an identifying code. Stamp this code on each outgoing container, along with the export stamp.
5. Present the export certificate, and any certificates required, to the appropriate FSIS official for signature.
6. Keep tight hold on that signed form--it must be provided to the country of import, along with the shipment.
Although proofreading documents takes time, it can help ensure your ideas are presented in the best possible light. Avoiding common grammatical errors can mean the difference between business success and business failure.
Instructions
1. Understand grammatical rules including word usage and proper sentence structure. For example, know the differences between nouns and verbs as well as place them in sentences. Follow any additional rules including style guides related to the material being written.
2. Check for misspellings and other grammatical errors. Scan the document for transposed words or weak phrases. Ensure the same "voice" is kept throughout the entire document. Use computer spell checkers with the realization that words can be overlooked.
3. Change your proofreading starting point. Take the time to read the entire documentmore than once. Start in the middle or near the end of the document to give your eyes a rest from repeatedly focusing on the same word patterns. Learn to read words backwards within sentences to double check their spellings.
4. Read the material out loud. Proofreading should involve more than just your eyesight. It can be easier to catch errors when you read back what you have written. You will notice that some of your sentences just may not "sound right" when you hear them out loud.
5. Have a fresh pair of eyes verify your work. Proofreading can make your eyes and ears tired and accustomed to overlooking the same mistakes. Ask a trusted colleague to review your work to receive a fresh opinion.
The key to online business success is the proper website promotion. Most beginners fail in an online business because they tend to neglect or pay less attention in promoting their website. If your website is perfectly made and has tons of good content, but people do not know where to find it, then your website is useless. That is why proper website promotion is the key to online business success. Always remember that promotion leads to traffic and traffic equals to sales leading to profit. I suggest to use free advertising and website promotion instead of paying for it. The less expense you have in a business the better it is. Here are some tips on promote your website for free.
Instructions
1. Your first step in promoting your website is to submit your website to search engines such as Yahoo and Google. For Yahoo, go to "search.yahoo.com/info/submit.html" and for Google, go to "www.google.com/addurl". Both of them are free.
2. Promote your website free with Online Directories. There are countless amounts of online directories that allow you to advertise your website for free. Google uses the Open Directory (DMOZ) for generating the information contained in some search results, so if you can get your website listed here it's potentially beneficial. If you do a search for "Free Online Directory" you'll find there are plenty more directories to list your website.
3. Classified ads is another way to promote your website. Classified ads are often free and heavily viewed. I use USfreeads, Oodle, and Craigslist to advertise my website free. Again just search for "online classified ads" and you should get loads of places to list your site.
4. Join a social networking site like Twitter, Facebook, My Space and create a free account. Make sure it contains a link to your website. These sites can be helpful to keep a networking friends open between you by giving them an informal means to communicate with you and your business. You can also post your business, create a group relating to your website and invite people to join. You can definitelt promote your website free in social networking sites if used properly. Do not SPAM people. People hate spammers in social networking sites.
5. Start a blog to promote your website. If you know something that you think would interest people then write about it in a blog. There are numerous free blogging platforms such as Blogger or Wordpress.
Include your website link in your blog.
6. Upload a video to YouTube or Metacafe. They are free to use and an excellent way to promote your website free. Google and Yahoo now includes videos, images, maps and news in search results along with regular website results. If you can video some areas of your business that may be interesting to people, then upload it to YouTube or Metacafe and include some relevant keywords in the video description then add link to your website.
7. Join a free online forums or groups like "Aimoo" to promote your website. If you create a profile for yourself you can often add a link to your website so that the link shows any time you post a comment. Comment spam is generally disliked, so make sure you have some intelligent input before leaving loads of spammy comments on forums. There are lots of free forums that you can join.
8. Press Releases. Press releases are picked up by news services and can potentially drive a lot of traffic and promote your your website. There are free press release programs that you can join. If you have a new product or service to announce, then this is potentially a great way to tell people about it.
9. Write articles. This is a great way to optimize your website and have good search engine rankings. Write articles rich in keywords with good content and you will sure drive traffic to your website.
Whether you are a webmaster or a beginner blogger, there are several methods you can use to promote your website for free.
Instructions
1. Support your blogging community. Visit websites that are in the same category as your own and form relationships by leaving comments, visiting every day and subscribing to RSS feeds. Leaving comments with your URL attached will bring visitors to your blog and help to promote your website
2. Ask to be featured. Once you have formed a relationship with other blog owners, ask them to write a post and feature you and your website on their blog. Bloggers are usually very considerate and most of them will go out of their way to help you.
You might consider offering to promote their website in return. Have them write up a bio and a description of their site and you can feature it in one of your posts.
3. Offer a link exchange. Find other websites and blogs that are in the same category as your own and contact blog owners about exchanging links. This means that they will put a link to your site on their blog, if you will do the same for them. Google recognizes links back to your site as a good thing and will rank you highly if you have a lot of incoming links. This is a good way to build traffic, get higher search ranking and improve traffic to your site.
Using all these tips or a combination of them, you can easily promote your website for free.
Turn a blank T-shirt into a revenue stream by learning start a T-shirt advertising business.
T-shirt advertising is a little-known method of advertising in which companies pay people to wear T-shirts with their advertising on the front and back. Some people have managed to turn this phenomenon into a lucrative business, but doing so requires more than a little bit of marketing savvy.
Instructions
1. Write a business plan. Name your business, list your goals for the business and clearly identify how you will make your service worth paying for. Develop strategies for working through adversity, including initial rejection from clients. Start a professional website for your T-shirt advertising business. Determine how much you will charge for the service. Consider starting with a daily rate.
2. Begin by offering some free advertising to advertise your business. It's a great way to show and prove what you do and how good you are at doing it. Wear the client's company logo on printed t-shirt, and take photos and make a video of you wearing the shirt and describing the company and what it does. Circulate these widely on social networking sites.
3. Present the free video to the proposed client to demonstrate your ability to effectively showcase the company's products and services to a vast number of future customers. Place emphasis on the bottom line: with the help of your savvy and unique advertising skills, the company will reach a wider audience and become more successful.
4. Get noticed by the broader community. Place ads in newspapers and on social media. Contact your local chamber of commerce to list your business. After you sign your first client for free on a trial basis, contact a business reporter at your local newspaper or TV station to introduce your new business to the broader community.
Advertising billboards are often found by the side of highways.
In a world surrounded by media, it is easy to lose sight of the true definitions of words such as billboard and poster. They are easily interchangeable and can be muddled up. However, billboards and posters are distinctly different in purpose, size, regulation and placement. Knowing the differences means you can distinguish between them more effectively.
Purpose
A billboard is used to advertise a product or service, whereas as a poster presents more educational and information material. It may be used to teach something. A billboard conveys a simple message using a few images and a limited amount of text. In comparison, a poster tends to be much more detailed. It might contain a graph, numerical box or set of instructions. Posters can be used for advertising like a billboard, but it tends to be for an event rather than a brand. Therefore the poster also includes the time, entertainment, location and cost of the particular event.
Placement
Billboards are seen along the side of a road since they are an off-premise form of advertising. It is not a large sign which is present on the same property as the shop or factory it relates to. Billboards can be seen on the side of a building or structure, like a bridge. In comparison, a poster is likely to be placed on pin board or included in a display of other information. Posters are seen in more localized areas such as shop window or pinned to a tree or wall.
Size
Size is an obvious difference between a billboard and poster. Technically, a billboard can be any size. However, most billboards are large, obvious signs along the edge of a road. In busy areas such as Piccadilly Circus in London, or Times Square in New York billboards contain lights or three-dimensional projections. Conversely, a poster is small and manageable. It is likely to be produced by an individual or printed on a smaller scale, and therefore limited in size. It is big enough to contain the summarized information or bullet points necessary to convey the information.
Regulation
There is regulation surrounding the use of billboards. Local and state authority rule over the use of billboards, and a permit may be required to erect one. State rules are based on the federal law governed by Lady Bird Johnson Beautification Act of 1965. This act restricts the use of billboards along highways. Posters differ in this sense because they are used within a community level, at a school or within a specific area. A permit is not required. Certain areas do have restrictions on where you can put posters up in public spaces.
Developing a minimalist wardrobe is doing a favor for yourself. Not only will it save you money, but will also help you make more informed, easier choices. With a minimalist wardrobe, choice is limited in favor of simplicity. Some may prefer choice; however, that ends up costing you more in regards to time and money.
Instructions
1. Let's imagine that you have no clothes and you need to buy a
minimalist wardrobe. How would you go about doing this?
2. First, buy a sturdy all-purpose pair of shoes. It's always better to
buy one or two pairs of high quality shoes than to buy dozens of pairs
from PayLess.
3. Next, buy a few pairs of basic pants that can be used for work and
play. Khakis are a good choice. Part of a minimalist wardrobe is to
mix and match very often.
4. Accessories are absolutely unnecessary. They are also unwanted. Accessories have a way of complicating matters including you wardrobe.
5. The best part of a minimal wardrobe is that it saves space. Don't be surprised if you are able to clear out 2 or 3 closets.
Although most people worry about search engine optimization, banner ads, and Google AdWords when it comes to promoting their website, it is also important to make sure you use offline advertising methods as well. This is especially important if you have a business which caters mostly to those in your local area. There are four great ways to promote your website offline.
Instructions
1. Create a car decal or have your website address, logo or tagline painted onto your vehicle. This is a great way to promote your website because, every time you drive somewhere, you are exposing your business to countless new consumers, unlike other methods in which you may be advertising to the same people over and over again.
2. Post flyers in supermarkets, on telephone poles or other high-traffic locations. Make sure to include tear off strips, so that interested people won't forget your website address by the time they get home.
3. Place a sign in your yard, others' yards (with permission) and anywhere else the city will allow. This way you can promote to passersby with little effort. This is a simple promotion method that can reach large numbers of people.
4. Print up a business cards with your website address, logo and tagline, so that you can hand it out to everyone you meet. Some more creative ideas include: leaving stacks in public areas, placing them in books that are related to your services at local bookstores or by placing one in every envelope that you send out.
It would be unethical to advertise an inappropriate home as perfect for someone.
Some cynics would say advertising ethics do not exist, but the truth is that advertisers are quite serious about being ethical. To most, this means being as honest and truthful as possible. Social responsibility refers to doing the right thing for society. A socially responsible advertiser thinks about the consequences of its advertising on society, and often donates advertising dollars for causes that benefit society.
Ethics
While advertisers want to sell products, they don't want to lie, for several reasons. Research has shown consistently that consumers want to do business with an ethical company, and the No. 1 factor that makes a company ethical in their eyes is honest advertising. Another reason advertisers are concerned with ethics is that they are policed by the Federal Trade Commission; the Food and Drug Administration; the Federal Communications Commission; and other government agencies, networks and media, as well as their own corporate lawyers whose goal is to avoid lawsuits.
Social Responsibility, Part 1
Being socially responsible goes beyond being truthful to asking if it would be socially irresponsible to present a particular truth in a certain way. An often discussed situation is advertising to children. Certainly children would love to consume a mountain of snacks while waiting for dinner, and eat candy several times every day. Appealing to their desire to do so might have them pester and nag their parents enough that they give in to some of these bad habits and produce sweet profits for the company, but it would not be socially responsible.
Social Responsibility, Part 2
Another aspect of social responsibility is using time, talent and money to bring attention to good causes. A sportswear company may sponsor a race to fund cancer research, donating prizes, headbands and T-shirts and funding the advertising to promote the race. Sometimes, advertisers back a cause that has nothing to do with their company or products, such as sponsoring airtime for a telethon fundraiser. The general consensus is that advertisers spend so much money on encouraging the public to buy their products, that the advertiser should also spend some of its profits for the benefit of the public.
Shades of Gray
Many times, being ethical and socially responsible also benefits the advertiser. If the company is perceived as honest, then some people will buy more of its products. Being socially responsible -- whether by ensuring their advertising is appropriate or by becoming involved in good causes -- makes a company look very good in the public's eye. However, if the public believes the advertiser is doing these things mostly for the good press it will receive, in the hope that its sales will then increase, then the public may turn on the advertiser. For example, if a company donates $1 million to a charity, then spends $2 million to advertise what it did and why, then the public will perceive the company as caring more about profits than the cause.